Pharmaceutical firms operating in Canada could face increasing
regulatory pressure if government plans to tighten up consumer
protection laws are passed.
Overall, 2007 was another stellar year for contract service
providers, particularly those at the early-stage end of
development, although companies are advised to watch out for a
tougher environment ahead.
United Drug has just purchased two UK services firms for a sum of
£14.4m, in a continuation of what has been a highly-acquisitive
past year for the ambitious firm.
Actavis has purchased a 90 per cent stake in Zhejiang Chiral
Medicine Chemicals (CMC), a Hangzhou, China-based active
pharmaceutical ingredients (API) maker.
Cephalon has licensed the hydrophobic drug delivery system (HDDS)
and a reformulated version of paclitaxel, called AI-850, from
Acusphere in a $10m deal.
Stiefel Laboratories, Biopharm Services, Multisorb Technologies,
the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Catalent
Pharma Solutions and Chromatide have all had people on the
move in the world of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
US demand for drug delivery systems is set to increase by over 10
per cent a year, reaching $132bn in 2012 with growth driven by
injectable biologic dugs, according to a new study by the Freedonia
Group.
Zogenix says that proceeds from a planned $86m initial public
offering (IPO) will be used to fund development of its pipeline of
needle-free medicines for pain and central nervous system
indications.
Genzyme is putting another €130m into its manufacturing facility in
Waterford, Ireland, where the US biotech first put down roots in
2001 and has been steadily expanding ever since.
India's Jubilant Organosys has made good on promises to make
acquisitions in the contract research and manufacturing services
(CRAMS) sector with a $255m deal to buy Draxis Health of Canada.
Swiss-based Novartis has acquired a 25 per cent stake in Alcon, a
US-based company specializing in ophthalmics, which ranks among the
fastest-growing therapeutic sectors in pharmaceuticals.
Three of India´s large pharmaceutical manufacturers, Dr Reddy's,
Ranbaxy Laboratories and Shilpa Medicare have just announced new
merger and acquisition (M&A) deals.
Steven Liberty, senior vice president of operations for Patheon's
North American businesses spoke at Interphex on the strategies
contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs) can use to obtain a
competitive advantage.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has defended its proposed
rule on product labelling changes made unilaterally through
"changes being effected" (CBE) supplements against
accusations from Congress, trial lawyers...
Sterile process engineering consultancy firm Isogen is taking a
maiden voyage into the manufacturing side of drugs with the
construction of its first facility, aimed to fill a gap in
small-scale injectables.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers alike have
welcomed a unanimous vote by the California State Board of Pharmacy
to delay for another two years the implementation of electronic
pedigree requirements for tracking...
1200 sales representatives are the latest casualties of Wyeth's
recently announced cost cutting drive, which strives to eliminate
10 per cent of the work force - 5,000 jobs - over the next three
years.
New research has shown that the FDA's strict 10-month deadline for
a drug's approval following submission may compromise drug safety
and lead to insufficient data for precise drug administration.
The pharmaceutical industry in the UK faces tougher legislation on
the disclosure of adverse events in clinical trials following the
MHRA's thwarted attempt to prosecute GlaxoSmithKline for allegedly
withholding information about...
The generic pharmaceutical industry has given short shrift to the
latest congressional attempt to construct a viable approval pathway
for biosimilars in the US.
Outsourcing-Pharma.com compiles the news that has featured in the
clinical contract community of late, involving PRA International
and Premier Research.
The pharmaceutical industry has lost confidence in the UK as a
place to do business to an "alarming degree" and the
situation is only set to deteriorate, reveals new research.
French group Rhodia has put its gradual retreat from a flagging
fine chemicals business on a more formal footing by announcing the
break-up of Rhodia Organics.
Japan's Fujifilm Holdings has taken a definitive sidestep into
pharmaceuticals after completing a tender offer that gives the
camera, photography and information solutions specialist a share
stake representing 67.42 per cent...
Despite the challenges that emerging market present, such as
intellectual property (IP) exposure and drug pricing controls, the
pharma industry is not being deterred.
Cognizant is gaining ground in the life sciences arena, this week
inking a $95m data management deal with AstraZeneca, just three
months after sealing another multi-million dollar deal with Merck
& Co.
UK-based AstraZeneca has recently given the region's dominant
telecommunications provider, British Telecom (BT) a greater role in
its business, to the tune of £25m.
Pfizer has outlined a number of strategies for growing its
fledgling pipeline and lowering its cost base and is planning to
increase globalisation and accelerate growth in emerging markets as
part of this.
The globalisation of the supply chain increasingly challenges the
US Food and Drug Administration's ability to ensure the quality of
pharmaceuticals on the US market, acknowledges the acting director
of the agency's Center...
Asia has been dubbed the "land of golden opportunities" by
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), who says it is poised to become the
largest pharmaceutical consumer and producer in the world.
A UK chemicals plant has become the latest casualty of
GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK's) pledge to make the business leaner with
the help of outsourcing and offshoring.
A multinational, multidisciplinary initiative involving scientists,
public health workers, police and government officials could
provide a cogent model for rooting out and stamping out
counterfeiting of essential and lifesaving drugs.
Novartis has lent impetus to the growing trend towards
philanthropic R&D in the pharmaceutical industry by opening a
new research institute in Siena, Italy "with a non-profit
mission to exclusively focus on the development...
Aceto, the US-based distributor and marketer of fine and industrial
chemicals, is making a determined pitch for the pharmaceutical
intermediates sector in Japan.
Novo Nordisk and Merck & Co have both indicated they have their
eye on expanding their drug discovery and manufacturing presence in
India and forging new research partnerships among companies in the
country.
Pfizer's announcement of plans to create a new €130m inhaled
medicines unit at its facility in Amboise, France suggests that the
firm is still intent on investing in inhalation technology, despite
its disappointment with Exubera.
A proposed rule on labelling changes published by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has re-ignited the reliably inflammable debate
over the role of pre-emption in US product liability cases.
