US researchers have developed a new approach to fighting cancer,
which uses nanoscale particles that can detect and destroy
cancerous cells. This ability differentiates it from current
molecular imaging approaches, which only detect...
US researchers have discovered a specific pattern of gene
expression linked to multiple-drug resistance of leukaemia cells is
giving unique insights into why standard therapies fail to cure
some children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia...
SkyePharma will shortly sign up a marketing partner for its
improved formulation of the local anaesthetic bupivacaine, a
product which the UK-based drug delivery company says is one of the
most important products in its pipeline.
Researchers at Harvard University in the US have developed a new
way of synthesising tetracyclines, potentially opening up avenues
to the development of new drugs in this valuable antibiotic class,
writes Phil Taylor.
A portable device makes it possible for the first time ever to take
high-resolution NMR spectroscopy, one of the principal tools for
chemical analysis, out of the laboratory and into the field for use
on samples of any size.
Former New York city mayor Rudi Giuliani has marched into the
political battle surrounding the issue of drug reimportation in the
US, saying that the trade 'poses a serious threat to safety due to
the increased prevalence of...
Water soluble film specialist MonoSolRx has been granted a process
patent in Ireland covering its edible film strips, an emerging
dosage form for the oral delivery of drugs and nutritonal products.
Solutia has elected to retain its Pharmaceutical Services Division
(PSD) despite suggestions that a spin out or sale of the business
were being considered, reports Phil Taylor.
France's Valois has developed a new type of dose dispensing pump
which allows intranasal formulations of drugs to be created that do
not require the use of preservatives, reports Phil Taylor.
Xantos Biomedicine, NascaCell and PSF biotech have announced the
formation of a collaboration, which is set to identify and develop
new drugs for the inhibition of tumour angiogenesis, a process by
which the growth of blood cells...
Dharmacon has announced the launch of the first ever product line
that uses reverse transfection technology to screen RNAi libraries
rapidly and cost effectively, increasing accessibility of RNAi
screening to researchers worldwide.
UK chemicals group Avecia is planning to close its biotechnology
centre at Grangemouth, Scotland, by the end of the summer,
resulting in the loss of 95 jobs, reports Phil Taylor.
According to a new report diabetic nephropathy represents a
multi-billion-dollar market that is poorly served by existing
drugs. All this is set to change as Palosuran, currently in
clinical development, could become the first drug...
Researchers have explained how and why different forms of ovarian
cancer evolve in a discovery that could lead to earlier detection
and perhaps more personalised treatment for a disease that will
claim an estimated 16 000 women's...
The contest to produce the world's most advanced commercially
available electron microscope stepped up a gear after FEI announced
its new scanning/transmission electron microscope (S/TEM), produced
atomic-scale imaging with resolution...
France's Valois will launch a new-generation dispensing pump that
should improve the accuracy of drug dosing into the nasal passages
at the Interpack show later this week, reports Phil Taylor.
A tuberculosis drug candidate, which has been described as the most
promising Tuberculosis (TB) drug in 40 years, may lead to a shorter
and more effective treatment.
Scientists have reported the existence of enzyme-inhibiting
chemicals that severely hamper Ebola virus reproduction in
laboratory-grown cells. The discovery could form a basis for
possible drug treatments for Ebola virus infections...
Immtech International has been issued with a patent for compounds
used to control gene expression, which will add to the potential
use of Immtech's compounds as small molecule drugs that can control
gene expression selectively.
Novartis has acquired a global license to a combination drug and
inhaler device for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in
one of the largest deals signed by the UK biotechnology sector,
reports Phil Taylor.
Bio-Rad Laboratories offer to buy BioSource International for
approximately $82 million (€64m) has been rejected again after
BioSource directors concluded that the proposed price was
significantly below BioSource's inherent value.
Agilent has launched a Laboratory Resource Management (LRM) service
for life science and pharmaceutical laboratories that promises to
improve productivity, reduce service costs and simplfy
administration.
Metrohm has launched a new generation of its Capsule and Tablet
Analysis System (CTAS), a unit designed specifically for making and
testing solid dosage samples, claiming the system saves laboratory
personnel time as well as improving...
Novartis has announced the formation of an alliance between Vectura
Group and Arakis to develop and commercialise AD 237, a novel, long
acting, antimuscarinic agent, for the treatment of chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Dutch biotechnology company Crucell has won a €21.4 million
contract to produce a vaccine against Ebola for the US government's
Vaccine Research Centre, reports Phil Taylor.
Scientists have hailed an experimental drug, which fights tumours
linked to two faulty genes in breast cancer, as a breakthrough in
the fight against cancer. Animal tests have shown the drug prevents
the growth of tumours so effectively...
Innov-X Systems has launched a range of handheld analysers, claimed
to be the smallest and lightest tube-based X-ray fluoroscopy
spectrometers available, reports Phil Taylor.
Culture media supplier Oxoid has expanded the use of innovative
chromogenicsubstrates within its chromogenic media range to provide
clearly visibleanswers on a single culture plate.
Malvern Instruments will introduce a new pharmaceutical
industry-specific version of its Insitec Voyager particle sizing
system at the Interphex show later this month.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under fire of late for
an alleged failure to properly ensure prescription drug safety, set
out its stall at last week's Food and Drug Law Institute meeting,
saying that it is increasingly...
Ukraine's pharmaceutical market is growing fast, driven by both
imported products and the development of the local drug industry,
according to figures from the US Department of Commerce's BISNIS
service.
Leading drug developers and researchers are adopting new in vivo
models to streamline pre-clinical drug development in an effort to
cut costs that are increasing steadily throughout the
pharmaceutical industry's drug pipeline.
Celgene has announced it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA)
to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its investigational
drug Revlimid, a first in a new class of novel immunomodulatory
drugs, or ImiDs.
Invitrogen and Agilent have entered into an agreement to co-market
an infectious agent detection system, which has shown to be
sensitive and specific for the identification of air and waterborne
pathogens.
Ticona has enhanced its Topas COC (cyclic olefin copolymer) to give
blown film producers greater processing flexibility and the ability
to make highly transparent films that are practically free of gels.
Merrion Pharmaceuticals, formed last year from the drug delivery
business of Ireland's Elan, has been awarded a key European on the
technology underlying one of its delivery systems, reports Phil
Taylor.
CeNeS Pharmaceuticals and Tripos have entered into a new agreement
to continue their collaboration on COMT inhibitors, which represent
a new breed of therapy for Parkinson's disease and other psychotic
disorders such as schizophrenia.
Researchers have identified a common gene variant that could be a
risk factor behind a number of common diseases such as
cardiovascular disease, rheumatism and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), of
which up to a quarter of the population could...
The success of personalised healthcare depends on a better
understanding of how gut microbes interact with different
medicines, according to scientists, who believe that the microflora
makeup of an individual has been overlooked when...
Pharmaceuticals delivered out of a tube such as creams and
ointments are widely used, but suffer from a key drawback: it is
almost impossible to deliver an accurate dose.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is to acquire the entire business of
fellow Indian pharmaceutical company MJ Pharmaceuticals in another
example of the consolidation affecting the country's fragmented
pharmaceutical sector, writes...
The prospect of a simple vaccination to prevent cervical cancer
took a major step with the publication of positive Phase II trial
results on a candidate from Merck, called Gardasil, in the April
edition of the medical journal The...
New web based software, which can extract potentially life-saving
knowledge from data in minutes, has bioinformatic research
applications that could prove essential to laboratory technicians
wanting to improve diagnosis and treatment...
Researchers have managed to produce a microscope the size of a
single human cell, which could lead to faster development of new
drugs and quicker medical tests.
Schweizerhall is well on the way to completing its acquisition of
Cimex Pharma, and as a result completing the first stage of its
transition to become a specialist supplier to the European generics
industry, reports Phil Taylor.
Pfizer's recently acquired UK business Meridica has supplied the
first Xcelodose automated encapsulator system to a contract
research company in North America.
Witt Gas Technologies has launched a new version of its Leak-Master
packaging integrity tester in the UK that could pay for itself in
terms of cost savings in as little as two months, claims the
company.
