Caliper Life Sciences' LabChip technology continues to prove
popular with large pharmaceutical companies as its third quarter
financial results show a net loss that has more than halved from
its 3Q 2003 performance.
RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics to combat human illnesses such
as Huntingdon's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and
hepatitis C are set to fuel the rapid growth in the RNAi research
product market over the next year.
The major laboratory supply companies in the US have a mixed bag of
results in the third quarter of 2004, with exceptional items eating
into profits as a consequence of M&A activity and
restructuring, reports Phil Taylor.
UK researchers have developed a technique that could be used to
analyse membrane proteins, capturing them in their natural
structural state to make it easier to develop drug candidates to
target them.
The UK pharmaceutical industry cautiously welcomed government plans
to cut the prices of medicines by 7 per cent next year but said the
measures did nothing in recognising the burden of mounting research
and development costs.
LION's strategy to move towards the informatics sector, shifting
the focus away from the drug development sector seems to be gaining
momentum as second quarter net losses were reduced to €3.4million
compared to €6.5 million in...
US researchers have revealed the results of a study that show an
enzyme that normally alters the activity of other protein molecules
in cells may also help prevent lung cancer.
The safety hazards of reconstituting toxic drugs has been addressed
by Baxa, who have launched a dual purpose needle that prevents
environmental contamination that can occur during the process of
changing needles.
The European Union has put forward new legislation that would allow
generic manufacturers to make drug products with in-patent active
pharmaceutical ingredients, provided that they are intended for use
in developing countries, reports...
Dimensional Dosing Systems has received US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approval for over-the-counter use of the
company's insulin dosing technology in clinical trials.
UK cellulose film specialist BioProgress has won another round in
its patent dispute with Stanelco Fibre Optics over the use of
radiofrequency welding to make polymer capsules.
Emerson Process Management has formed an alliance with GE
Healthcare aimed at providing faster, simpler and more
cost-efficient solutions for protein purification - the most
critical operation in manufacturing of biotech medicines.
Agilent Technologies has launched what it claims is the industry's
first fully automated, high-throughput 'lab-on-a-chip system' for
basic life science research and drug discovery. The Agilent 5100
Automated provides...
Researchers have used engineered stem cells to zero in on tumours
to become part of the supporting tissue. They can then act as
vehicles for drugs that are pumped into the cancer, sparing normal
tissue.
Dow Chemical has renewed a collaboration with the University of
Texas at Austin (UT Austin) in the US aimed at developing a new
technology to improve the solubility and bioavailability of
candidate drugs.
The budget committee of Italy's Lower House of Parliament has
approved a plan by the opposition to require the national medicines
agency, the AIFA, to draw up a method of establishing 'optimal'
packaging for drugs to...
According to a report, it takes 7-10 years to develop and market a
drug with costs exceeding $800 million (€625 million). This
revelation is set to add to the pressure already facing
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies which...
The shrink sleeve label is a staple of the food and beverage
industry, but has not been widely adopted for pharmaceutical use.
However, this could change as the technology has child-resistance
properties that could be of value in...
MatriCal has introduced its SonicMan sonication system to the
European compound management market with versions that can handle
384- as well as 96-well microwell plate formats.
A one-dose, microsphere formulation of azithromycin is as effective
as several days' treatment with other drugs for respiratory tract
infections (RTIs), according to new clinical data.
Singapore-based biologics contract manufacturer, A-Bio Pharma has
won its first contract after entering into a process development
and clinical supply service agreement with GlaxoSmithKline's
vaccine division, GlaxoSmithKline...
UK company MicroScience has completed a Phase I study of a new
therapeutic vaccine for patients carrying the hepatitis B virus,
raising the hope of a new approach to tackling this
life-threatening infection.
US drug giant Pfizer, has signed a license agreement to market a
specific class of non-hormonal drugs to treat the hot flushes
associated with menopause. The new drug,currently in development,
is set to become the first of its kind...
A recent exhibitions on anti-infectives means that antibiotics and
other drugs for other infectious diseases feature strongly in
DrugResearcher's periodic round-up of new compounds entering the
clinic.
Charles River Laboratories third quarterly performance in the third
quarter of 2004 reflected the current market climate for products
and services that support the drug discovery and development
process, with notable increases in...
Emulsions are widely used in the formulation of pharmaceuticals,
cosmetics and foods, and researchers are continually striving to
increase the complexity of emulsions as a delivery vehicle.
European companies have announced hefty spending on new
manufacturing facilities this month, suggesting that despite a
difficult operating environment the pharmaceutical sector is still
prepared to make significant capital investments
Animas has entered into a license and development agreement with
Debiotech, which aims to develop the next generation of insulin
pumps and micro needles using Debiotech's Micro Electromechanical
Systems (MEMS) microfluidic technology.
A team at Purdue University in the US is developing a virtual 'data
cave' for scientific discovery that uses high-performance computing
and artificial intelligence software to display information and
interact with researchers.
A new therapeutic technique based on a small molecule working in
tandem with a larger protein has been shown to block accumulation
of the brain-clogging amyloid protein seen in Alzheimer's disease,
raising the possibility of...
Cambrex has recorded a loss in the third quarter of this year after
writing down goodwill in its biopharma division in a move that
paints a pessimistic picture of the market for outsourced
manufacturing of biological drugs.
Invitrogen, which supplies reagents, services and software for the
life science market, has continued its acquisitive streak with the
announcement that it is paying $35 million (€27.5m) for a UK firm -
DNA Research Innovations - specialising...
Qiagen has launched the world's first automated sample preparation
system for viral nucleic acids to aid molecular diagnostics that
conforms to a European Union Directive on in vitro diagnostic
medical devices.
Accelrys has reported a decrease in revenue in the second quarter
of the year. Revenues were slightly down but the company saw a
substantial increase in net loss for this year, which it attributed
to 'change in revenue recognition.'
Bruker Daltonics, has launched a new MALDI-TOF and TOF mass
spectrometer that offers improved sensitivity, resolution and mass
accuracy of TOF/TOF systems for expression proteomics, quantitative
proteomics and biomarker discovery.
Pharmasset of the US could receive funding of $168 million
(€131.8m) in upfront and milestone payments - with the prospect of
receiving more - after licensing its preclinical hepatitis C drug
programme to Swiss drug giant Roche.
Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced the sudden death of James
Palmer, aged 51, the firm's chief scientific officer and
president of the Pharmaceutical Research Institute. His death
occurred after undergoing surgery. Elliot Sigal,...
German contract development and manufacturing company Girindus has
installed a microwave system at its plant in the US, reflecting a
growing trend in the sector to use microwaves to improve reaction
yields.
In the wake of the expansion of the European Union with 10
additional states, attention has been fixed on the development of
the pharmaceutical industry in these and other Eastern European
states. In-Pharmatechnologist.com provides...
A report by the UK's Health and Safety Executive has concluded that
the safety of the tiny particles created by the emerging
nanotechnology industry has not been fully assessed.
Mettler Toledo introduce a set of weighing modules which precision
and speed make it ideal for a variety of industrial applications,
including the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
Bioalliance Pharma, a pharmaceutical company focused on the field
of drug resistance, revealed results of a study that indicated a
new formulation of miconazole administered as a bioadhesive
extended release buccal tablet was more...
Researchers have identified a protein that protects the brain from
the destructive effects of Alzheimer's disease, protecting brain
cells by blocking another toxic protein that contributes to the
disease process
Cardinal Health reported its long-delayed fourth-quarter financial
results yesterday, revealing a hike in profit and revenues for the
three months to end June, but lowered guidance for the first half
of this fiscal year.
US company Sontra Medical has successfully completed the first
tests of a novel technology that allows vaccines to be applied
topically to the skin, rather than delivered through a needle.
Preliminary data suggest the method is as...
Sun Chemical has increased the price of all packaging inks and
coatings by three to seven per cent this month, blaming rising
petrochemical costs that could affect the entire packaging industry
for the next couple of years.
A report focusing on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets
in Europe has singled out high throughput screening (HTS) as an
approach that will provide mechanistic insights and new drug leads
with improved efficiency whilst reducing...
