Research into many human diseases and its corresponding drug
treatments will be made easier after an innovative new method to
expand mouse T cells without autologous antigen-presenting cells
and antigen was launched by Dynal Biotech.
Inproteo and its subsidiary company, Prosolia, have announced a
licensing agreement with Thermo Electron Corporation for its
ElectroSonicSpray Ionization (ESSI) Technology. The move attempts
to commercialize the ESSI technology, gaining...
Newly discovered serotonin pathways in the nervous system are
providing a path toward future pharmaceutical treatments for
depression and other disorders such as depression, anxiety, sudden
infant death syndrome, attention deficit...
TransTech Pharma and Merck has announced a $26 million research
collaboration using TransTech's proprietary TTP Translational
Technology to discover and develop novel small molecules for a
therapeutic target of interest to Merck.
Lloyd's Register Serentec has formed a new practice group to
provide process analytical technology (PAT) services to
pharmaceutical manufacturing clients worldwide.
Drug delivery company Nektar Therapeutics has bounced back from a
recent share slump after reporting encouraging new data supporting
the safety of its inhaled insulin product Exubera.
Separation and filtration specialist Millipore has launched an
automated system for the rapid detection, response and resolution
of microbial contamination in manufacturing processes.
Nestec of Switzerland, a subsidiary of food giant Nestle, has been
awarded a US patent on a new way of producing the whey protein
glycomacropeptide (GMP) that could open up its use as an ingredient
in pharmaceuticals, dental compositions...
A collaboration agreement to identify and develop an improved
variant of CT500, a non-antibody protein with antagonist activity
against HMGB1 has been established, paving the way for
applications, to treat tumours and autoimmune diseases.
An updated version of a database that details GPCR and
ADME/Drug-Drug Interactions has been released by Aureus Pharma who
believe this system will prove invaluable in identifying,
validating and prioritise new targets and ligands...
The first natural human model for specific Hodgkin's and
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas has been identified by scientists whose
studies into cancer immunity in chickens could pave the way for an
effective drug therapy to treat...
GlaxoSmithKline are to commission the pharmaceutical industry's
first in-house Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) facility, with
the primary aim of providing information on human metabolite
formation of new drug candidates and...
The pharmaceutical industry has announced it would introduce a
central, accessible database to improve the communication of the
clinical study results of marketed drugs.
The latest study to lament the cost of implementing the European
Union's REACH system has predicted dire consequences for the EU's
Gross Domestic Product, production base and innovative strength.
US drug delivery company MAP Pharmaceuticals has raised $30 million
in a second-round stock financing with several top-tier
biotechnology investors and says it will use the proceeds to
progress its inhaled steroid and Tempo Inhaler...
The US Food and Drug Administration has failed to reach a decision
on approving a growth hormone (hGH) product developed by Novartis'
generics subsidiary Sandoz in what is emerging as a test case for
the development of generic...
ELGA Process Water has announced a new addition to its ORION range
of packaged water purification systems for pharmaceutical and
cosmetics manufacturing, healthcare and biotechnology
Purification and filtration systems manufacturer Pall has reported
flat fiscal fourth-quarter earnings that missed analysts'
expectations, although group sales grew by 7 per cent to $504.5
million (€418m).
Scientists behind a three-year EU-funded project to create a remote
monitoring system for production machinery claims that the
technology is ready to be put into practice.
MannKind has presented new data on its inhaled insulin product that
suggest it may not only make dosing the drug more convenient, but
also improve efficacy compared to insulin injections.
Plans to sell German food ingredients business Nutrinova are on
hold as chemical company Celanese opts to keep the producer of
Sunett sweetener, for now.
BASF says it has entered into a multi-million pound management
buyout deal for its specialist pharmaceutical ingredients
manufacturing business at Cramlington in Northumberland, UK.
China has defended its decision to overturn Pfizer's patent on its
blockbuster drug for erectile dysfunction, Viagra (sildenafil), in
a ruling that was seen as a blow to hopes that the country would
enforce intellectual property...
BiODE has launched a new viscometer that can carry out
instantaneous sample and/or continuous in-process viscosity
measurements - all in real time - for process control in the
pharmaceutical and other industries.
Researchers studying cell migration and the screening of drug
compounds, can benefit from a new cell analysis system developed by
Guava Technologies which places an emphasis on cell health
profiling that is essential in the field...
UK Life Sciences Company Genetix has launched a new hybrid bed
option designed to compliment its high-throughput, fully featured
QArray microarrayer platform used to detect low-level expression of
genes making it ideal for all microarray...
Cardinal Health says it plans to expand and restructure several of
its facilities around the world after what it describes as
'heightened customer demand for clinical supply services, such as
design, packaging, labelling, storage...
The cumulative effect of patients failing to adhere to their
treatment regimens is costing the pharmaceutical industry in excess
of $30 billion a year, says a new report from Datamonitor which
proffers some solutions to the problem.
Could environmentally-friendly biodegradable containers made from
wheat starch eventually replace traditional polystyrene-based
products? Only if the price is right, reports Anthony
Fletcher.
The number one drugmaker - Pfizer - has stepped up its legal
campaign against the trade in counterfeit versions of its
top-selling drug Lipitor (atorvastatin), one of the most copied
drugs on the market.
Enanta Pharmaceuticals has announced the initiation of Phase 1
clinical trial of its new antibiotic candidate, EP-013420, a first
in its class Bridged Bicyclic Ketolide (BBK) antibiotic that could
prove effective against respiratory...
Unichem Laboratories of India, a major supplier of active
pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and finished pharmaceuticals in
the country, has entered into an alliance that could see it
supplying generics into the US market.
Italy's Marchesini has introduced a new packaging system that can
handle safety syringes, which are underused in Europe compared to
the US despite their proven benefits in reducing needlestick
injuries, reports Phil Taylor. It...
As of next year, electronics manufacturers in Europe will be
required to take back and partially recycle old equipment.
Beginning in 2006, electronics must be completely lead-free. An
industry conference starting in Berlin, Germany...
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is facing a number of US lawsuits, which
claims the company had covered up negative data that indicated its
antidepressant Paxil might increase suicidal tendencies in young
people.
Affymetrix, a specialist in chip-based laboratory tools, has
launched what it claims is the world's first microarray instrument
system for clinical diagnostics.
The world's first commercialised genetic test for determining
intracontinental subpopulation (ethnic) admixture of individuals
could lead to the development of more specific, better-tolerated
and more effective drugs in the future.
Dharmacon, supplier of RNA and RNAi research products, has launched
a range of siRNA reagents for its siGenome human siRNA collection,
which supports all phases of research ranging from functional
genomics and initial drug target...
Germany's Vivascience has expanded its product range for
researchers working in the area of proteomics. In addition to its
existing products for 2D-PAGE (two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis) sample preparation,...
A study, which compares the use of colormetric versus infrared
detection for reverse-phase protein microarrays, concludes that the
emergence of this infrared technology brings significant advantages
to reverse phase array analysis.
After two difficult years, there are more signals in 2004 that
trends are turning in the economic situation of German
biotechnology companies, according to Prof Peter Stadler, chairman
of the German Association of Biotechnology Industries...
Niro Pharma Systems is launching a new tablet coating system that
promises to achieve a step forward in the evenness of tablet
coating and make the production of small batches for R&D more
cost effective.
A subsidiary of Switzerland's Serono has filed a lawsuit alleging
that gene activation technology used in the production of
Transkaryotic Therapies' biological drugs contravenes a US patent.
Ashland of the US has signed an agreement to sell the ingestibles
line of business of Ashland Distribution - which includes
pharmaceutical actives and excipients and food and beverage
additives - to Japan's Mitsubishi Corp.
A new approach to treating obesity which blocks brain signals that
control cravings has shown promising results in human subjects
during advanced clinical trials paving the way for further testing
and an eventual launch date.
A team of researchers has issued a plea that that
microarray-derived gene expression data should be available in a
public repository in the same way that gene sequence data is
collated for use by all.
Germany's Bayer has reported a mixed set of results for the second
quarter with fine chemicals offshoot Lanxess contributing to an
unexpected 44 per cent hike in earnings before interest and tax
(EBIT).
Rhodia Pharma Solutions' Chambers Works facility in New Jersey is
now up and running. The company supplies preclinical and clinical
trial materials and launch volumes of active pharmaceutical
ingredients (APIs) and intermediates...
The US Food and Drug Administration has stepped up its activities
in combating drug counterfeiting by bringing charges against drug
wholesalers for failing to carry out measures designed to safeguard
the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Akzo Nobel has unveiled a plan to 'fix' its troubled
pharmaceuticals businesses, hit by patent expirations, safety
concerns with some core product lines and a difficult operating
environment for contract manufacturing of...
