Mobious Genomics, a UK-based bionanotechnology firm, is to launch a
new sensing technique that will allow proteomic, genomic and
clinical researchers to conduct protein interaction studies more
accurately and with greater sensitivity,...
Switzerland's Tecan saw its sales last year fall 6 per cent as
turnover growth in its genomics/proteomics division failed to
counterbalance declines in drug discovery and diagnostics.
Biotechnology company Crucell has acquired fellow Netherlands-based
ChromaGenics in a move to get hold of a promising new technology
that could boost yields of proteins and antibodies made in cell
culture, writes Phil Taylor.
Since the sequencing of the human genome, there has been a lot of
attention paid to finding cellular factors that control gene
expression. Micro RNA (miRNA) - small sequences of 20-24
nucleotides that do not code for proteins - are...
Researchers in France have isolated the three-dimensional structure
of a protein essential for the replication of the virus that causes
severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) which could represent a
new drug target for the disease.
An analysis technology developed by Viscotek can slice days off the
time it takes to carry out research and quality control into drug
delivery systems based on polymers.
Pall has been granted European Union and US approval for a
purification process used in biopharmaceutical production that can
reduce the batch testing requirements of manufacturers, as well as
reducing the risk of virus contamination.
Canada's Information Mediary Corp (IMC) has launched a 'smart' cap
for medicine bottles and vials that can remind patients when their
next dose is due, writes Phil Taylor.
Amersham Biosciences has launched its AKTAxpress system for
high-throughput protein purification, claiming that it can process
samples at four- to eight-times the rate of any other system on the
market, writes Phil Taylor.
A new flexible coupling promises to make the handling of toxic and
high potency compounds safer, and is a cheaper option than current
rigid containment devices, according to its manufacturer.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School in the US have developed a
way to rapidly screen compounds for potential therapeutic activity
in diseases where current screening methods are limited.
The European Parliament has adopted new measures to control the
trade in two compounds used for both legitimate pharmaceutical
applications and the manufacture of illicit drugs, writes Phil
Taylor.
US company Waters Corporation will this week unveil its
next-generation liquid chromatograph, said to significantly improve
productivity in the lab by giving scientists chromatographic run
times up to nine times shorter than the fastest...
Sigma-Aldrich's fine chemicals unit is to distribute a
plant-produced recombinant aprotinin manufactured by US-based Large
Scale Biology Corporation, under a new agreement announced this
week.
Pharmaceutical companies must start exploring ways of extending
patents on their products early in their lifecycle, such as
developing improved formulations of the active ingredient, even
before they are launched onto the market.
As the annual Pittcon laboratory analysis showcase gets underway
this week, a string of products with applications in drug discovery
have been introduced, including new tools for proteomics and the
first commercial analysis system...
A new type of drug to treat the cardiovascular disease stable
angina, a chronic condition marked by recurrent episodes of
suffocating chest pain from lack of oxygen to the heart muscle, has
shown encouraging safety and efficacy in...
A fall in demand from the pharmaceuticals industry has caused a
significant hole in 2003 profits for German chemicals group
Degussa, which implemented heavy restructuring to reduce production
capacity in its fine chemicals unit.
Pharmaceutical packaging demand in the US is forecast to rise 4.7
per cent per year to $6.8 billion in 2008, driven by new Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that will require unit dose
containers for a range of drugs,...
German processing technology group GEA has announced new
acquisitions that will increase its offering to the food and pharma
industries, part of a new strategy to expand the business under
parent company mg technologies.
Switzerland's Buchi has launched a small-scale oven for
freeze-drying samples that puts the technology within reach of
laboratories that might baulk at the cost of investing in a larger
system.
Companies involved in the parallel trade of pharmaceuticals have
been boosted by a court ruling which gives them the right to re-box
products shipped into the UK from another country in the European
Union.
BioProgress of the UK, which makes cellulose based films for
coating tablets and capsules, is planning to buy a company which
would provide a rapid route to increase production capacity in the
US, and also accelerate the development...
The recreational drug Ecstasy is to be tested as a treatment for
trauma in a historic study that could bring the drug back into the
sphere of legitimate medical practice.
A laboratory-scale capsule filling machine that, for the first
time, allows reproducible scale-up of powder dosing to full size
production models, has been launched in the UK by Sussex &
Berkshire Machinery.
Researchers in Finland and the US have identified a gene that
predisposes people to one of the most common causes of coronary
heart disease, raising the hope that it could represent a new
target for drug treatment.
A swallowable remote controlled capsule that can test the
absorption of a drug from different parts of the gastrointestinal
tract could help companies extend the patented lifespan of their
products, according to a new report.
A once-daily version of a drug for attention deficit problems in
children - originally designed to avoid the stigma of having to
take medication during school hours - could also save lives on the
road, according to new research.
Germany's Haupt Pharma and Wulfing Holding have joined forces to
create a new company specialising in the contract manufacturing of
highly active pharmaceutical products.
A new inhaled formulation of insulin that could do away with the
need for diabetics to inject themselves before meals has been filed
for approval in Europe by Aventis and Pfizer and the dossier
accepted by the European Medicines Evaluation...
Researchers at Max Planck Institute in Germany have used a
nano-sized imaging tool to capture the first-ever movies of cells
transmitting the messages that control genes. The breakthrough is
expected to help pharmaceutical companies...
A new range of polyurethane resin-based floor systems that combines
an antimicrobial layer has been launched. Manufacturer John Lord
claims that this new innovation can help manufacturers reduce the
level of bacterial contamination...
A partnership between two US companies is aiming to exploit the
discovery that short pulses or bursts of antibiotic treatment are
more effective than continuous exposure in fighting bacterial
infections.
The Chinese pharmaceutical industry is still showing above average
growth, but the country's entry into the World Trade Organisation
means that tough times are ahead for manufacturers of active
pharmaceutical ingredients - which...
Filtration specialist Pall has seen its second quarter sales and
earnings held back by weak demand in the biopharmaceuticals
industry, particularly in Europe.
Human machine interface (HMI) technology is a growing sector in
European industrial plants, according to Frost and Sullivan, as
sectors such as the pharmaceutical industry try to reduce the
number of operators per machine.
Microencapsulation specialist Micap has made its first foray into
the pharmaceutical sector after clinching a licensing deal with UK
drug delivery specialist SkyePharma.
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a new rule that
makes it a requirement for most prescription and some
over-the-counter pharmaceutical products to carry bar codes. The
move is aimed at reducing the number of medication...
Two France-based companies have pooled their resources to set up a
new venture specialising in the contract development and
manufacturing of biologicals drugs.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories of India has lost its bid to market a
generic version of Pfizer's blockbuster hypertension drug Norvasc
(amlodipine besylate) in a development that could spell trouble for
companies hoping to market...
Fast-melt tablets are a growing category in oral drug delivery,
driven by their ease of use. To date, products of this type have
needed specialised packaging to ensure they arrive at the consumer
in good condition, but a new technology...
Much animal research into potential human treatments is wasted
because it is poorly conducted and not thoroughly evaluated,
according to a commentary in the British Medical Journal (28
February).
Inhibitors of the enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAC) have entered
clinical testing in cancer, but may also prevent a serious and
life-threatening complication of bone marrow transplants.
Switzerland's Roche made a piece of medical history on Friday after
receiving the first approval for a drug designed to treat cancer
blocking the growth of blood vessels required to feed a growing
tumour.
A reluctance by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to
invest in drug discovery technologies has been holding back the
market for combinatorial chemistry, but this is expected to change
over the next few years, according to...
Italy's Bonfiglioli Pharma Machinery has launched a new machine for
testing that freeze-dried vials contain a vacuum that is much
faster than current methods.
Switzerland's Dr Schleuniger Pharmatron has launched a new handling
system for its 8M testing machine that reduces the amount of
operator time to conduct quality control of the weight, thickness,
diameter and hardness of tablets.
