Processing equipment

GSK £1bn savings plan to hit manufacture towards 2017, but UK likely immune

23-Oct-2014 By Dan Stanton

GlaxoSmithKline plans to cut manufacturing, sales and R&D as part of a three year plan to save £1bn ($1.6bn) annually. 

News from CPhI

Halal: accessing the untapped $30bn pharma market

13-Oct-2014 By Fiona BARRY

The pharmaceutical industry must change its ingredients and manufacturing methods to cash in on the enormous purchasing power of European Muslims, says an expert.

QbD essential as tablet makers shift to continuous production, says Freeman

09-Oct-2014 By Dan Stanton

Drugmakers will “inevitably” shift from batch to continuous production of tablets and, according to Freeman Technology, a quality by design (QbD) approach is a fundamental requirement.

Highly potent APIs: can lean manufacturing ever be safe?

09-Oct-2014 By Fiona BARRY

The phrase “lean manufacturing” conjures up job cuts and not much more for many people, but managers can use the method to drastically simplify HPAPI (highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients) production, says an expert.

Used processing equipment industry booming due to pharma M&A, say vendors

08-Oct-2014 By Dan Stanton

Consolidation in the pharma industry is driving the second-hand processing equipment market but despite attempts to regulate the industry, a glut of online vendors means illegal drugmakers can buy such systems.

Lonza goes with the Flow Chemistry with latest API platform

07-Oct-2014 By Fiona BARRY

Lonza has launched an API-making platform that uses chemical microreaction technology for continuous processing.

'Explosive' video from TechnoPharm

Safety concerns not blown out of proportion as APIs become more volatile, says Rembe

06-Oct-2014 By Dan Stanton

Including explosion protection in initial facility plans can save money in the long-term, according to Rembe, especially as drugmakers continue to work with more volatile ingredients.

Boehringer Ingelheim invests more than €100m to expand manufacturing capacity in Germany

02-Oct-2014 By Zachary Brennan

Boehringer Ingelheim is investing more than €100m ($126m) at its Dortmund, Germany site to expand production capacity for its Respimat inhaler, which is the third time in the past four years that the company has made a capacity-expanding investment at...

dispatches from technopharm

Malvern launches imaging tool for its laser diffraction tech

02-Oct-2014 By Dan Stanton

A laser diffraction imaging tool could be used by quality controllers to help measure particle size in a suspension according to Malvern Instruments.

Acorda gains pulmonary drug delivery tech in $525 Civitas deal

25-Sep-2014 By Dan Stanton

Acorda has gained a pulmonary delivery technology and a GMP manufacturing site in Massachusetts along with a Parkinson’s disease candidate in its $525m (€410m) acquisition of Civitas.

Generic Sovaldi makers could pocket upwards of $600m says analyst

24-Sep-2014 By Dan Stanton

The market opportunity for each Indian drugmakers granted a license to manufacture Gilead’s hepatitis C drug Sovaldi could be worth over $600m, an analyst has calculated.

CORRECTION

Boehringer cutting German workforce by 600 but production jobs safe for now

24-Sep-2014 By Dan Stanton

Hundreds of workers brought in to help fix manufacturing issues at a Boehringer Ingelheim facility will not be affected despite the firm looking to shave 600 jobs in a €450m ($580m) cost-cutting initiative.

Pfizer and Irish port authorities working to stop API plant gathering dust

22-Sep-2014 By Dan Stanton

Pfizer is working with Irish authorities to avoid a repeat of a 2013 incident when dust produced from Cork harbour entered its nearby API facility.

Hospira bucks Australian generics downturn with $14m investment

17-Sep-2014 By Dan Stanton

Hospira has invested 15m AUD ($14m) in a Victoria injectables plant it says will continue to make drugs for export despite the economic downturn and strong Australian dollar.

Techs can help Ireland compete on costs says team behind new hub

15-Sep-2014 By Gareth Macdonald

Ireland once was a drug making nexus,Making meds sold from Cairo to Texas.But with key patents gone,Firms are keen to move on,And a new Limerick tech hub reflects this, says director.

Molecular Profiles buys tech for liquid capsule manufacture

10-Sep-2014 By Fiona BARRY

Molecular Profiles has expanded its capsule-filling services from solids to liquids with investment in equipment at its UK site.

Correction

GE Healthcare: plans to move New Jersey ops to new Massachusetts HQ

22-Aug-2014 By Gareth Macdonald

GE Healthcare has said it plans to relocate operations in New Jersey to its new Massachusetts life sciences headquarters.

G-CON launches transmissible disease containment POD

18-Aug-2014 By Dan Stanton

Access to portable and flexible technology could be one way of containing transmissible diseases says G-CON as it launches a more readily deployable version of its ‘POD’ manufacturing suite.

Chinese firm imported misbranded API into US, says FDA warning letter

30-Jul-2014 By Dan Stanton

Zhejiang Jiuzhou Pharmaceutical has received an FDA warning letter after shipping a misbranded active pharmaceutical ingredient to the US.

Amgen to slash 23% of its manufacturing footprint and 2,900 US jobs

30-Jul-2014 By Dan Stanton

Amgen is slashing 15% of its workforce and closing two US manufacturing facilities as part of a restructure the firm says will save $700m (€520m) a year.

Codexis: $25m GSK tech accord could be catalyst for more Big Pharma deals

15-Jul-2014 By Gareth Macdonald

Biocatalyst developer Codexis says its new platform licensing deal with GSK is a model with which it can approach other Big Pharma firms.

Pfizer: Unexpected hike in volumes of post-patent drugs saves Irish jobs

11-Jul-2014 By Dan Stanton

Pfizer says 100 workers at an Irish facility will now keep their jobs due to an unpredicted increase in production volumes of off-patent drugs.

Pfizer investment an endorsement of 'podular' manufacturing, says G-CON

10-Jul-2014 By Dan Stanton

G-CON says a multi-million dollar investment by Pfizer could hasten the “paradigm shift” in pharma manufacturing towards flexible cleanroom technology and portable facility design.

Xellia bags Fresenius Kabi plant and supply contract

08-Jul-2014 By Gareth Macdonald

Finished dosage form and API manufacturer Xellia has acquired a US plant from Fresenius Kabi in a deal it says enhances supply chain security.

M+W sells automation biz to ATS for $350m

08-Jul-2014 By Dan Stanton

M+W says a lack of synergies with its engineering and construction business drove the decision to sell its automation divison to ATS for €255m ($348m).

Onyx invests in continuous flow following API demand

01-Jul-2014 By Fiona BARRY

UK API-maker and contract research organisation (CRO) Onyx Scientific is installing equipment for continuous flow manufacturing to offer customers an alternative to batch manufacturing.

Rentschler expands manufacturing capacity again, this time with stainless steel

01-Jul-2014 By Zachary Brennan

The Laupheim, Germany-based CMO (contract manufacturing organization) Rentschler Biotechnologie has invested €24m ($33m) to build a twin stainless steel bioreactor system. 

China demands ‘famous brand’ suppliers and added value, says Romaco

30-Jun-2014 By Fiona Barry

Chinese pharma is looking for added value and “famous brands” from its processing providers, the tableting and packaging supplier Romaco has said. 

Fette launches new press for commercial-scale production

17-Jun-2014 By staff reporter

Fette Compacting America claims its new tablet press technology can accelerate the production of large drug batches.

Mannkind preps Afrezza plant ahead of anticipated approval

16-Jun-2014 By Dan Stanton

Two billion cartridges of inhaled insulin drug Afrezza will be manufactured annually by Mannkind, the firm says as it awaits final approval next month.

Malvern moves for microcalorimeter tech in pharma-focused acquisition

10-Jun-2014 By Gareth Macdonald

Malvern Instruments will buy GE Healthcare’s MicroCal business in a deal that adds protein analysis and formulation development tech to its expanding drug industry offering.

Rentschler doubles capacity with new single-use bioreactor

10-Jun-2014 By Zachary Brennan

German CMO Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH is adding a 2,000 L single-use bioreactor to its facility in Laupheim, Germany, which it expects to be fully operational by the end of the first quarter of 2015.

J&J's energy answers are blowing in the wind in Irish collaboration

09-Jun-2014 By Dan Stanton

J&J says it collaborated with Novartis and GSK to install wind turbines in Cork, Ireland to substantially reduce electricity costs at its local manufacturing plants.

Capsugel: New bioavailability enhancing capacity to fufill non-GMP demand

05-Jun-2014 By Dan Stanton

Capsugel has installed a commercial-scale dryer in its recently acquired Bend Research R&D facility, citing a rise in demand for non-GMP spray dried dispersion (SDD) services.

3M to expand metered dose inhaler production at UK site

28-May-2014 By Anthony King

3M Drug Delivery Systems says it will boost capacity for its metered dose inhaler (MDI) division by more than 20 percent at its Loughborough, UK site.

Unilife reports 'strong quarter' despite no revenue from products

14-May-2014 By Dan Stanton

Unilife says it is confident future revenue from current contracts could total $1bn and is scaling up manufacturing capacities despite no product sales in the third quarter.

Industry seeks to expand investments in manufacturing, report finds

28-Apr-2014 By Zachary Brennan

As pharma manufacturers look to cut costs and increase quality, over 70% of industry executives interviewed for a recent CPhI report say they are actively investing in manufacturing techniques and technologies to achieve these goals.

INFOGRAPHIC

AZ for $100bn? Pfizer could buy Azerbaijan and keep the change

22-Apr-2014 By Dan Stanton

With Pfizer rumoured to be on the brink of a mega-merger with AstraZeneca, in-Pharmatechnologist.com brings you an interactive view of what £60bn ($101bn) could get.

Hospira announces two US recalls due to manufacturing, supplier issues

22-Apr-2014 By Zachary Brennan

Hospira has announced US recalls for seven lots of its propofol injection and one lot of 1% Lidocaine HCI Injection due to a glass contamination.

Thermo Fisher: new pumps compatible with all bioprocessing techs

16-Apr-2014 By Gareth MACDONALD

Thermo Fisher has launched a pump technology designed for applications across the bioprocessing production line and usable with "all" bioprocessing tech.

GSK to invest $166m in manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa

31-Mar-2014 By Dan Stanton

GSK says it intends to build five new drug manufacturing as part of a £130m ($215m) investment in sub-Saharan Africa.

Janssen Button? Will GSK's F1 team up prompt other collaborations?

26-Mar-2014 By Gareth Macdonald

GSK has ‘smashed’ production targets at a UK inhaler plant by revving up manufacturing operations with knowhow developed in Formula One pit lanes by partner, McLaren.

news from Interphex

Lack of investment in production of low margin drugs behind shortages says expert

24-Mar-2014 By Dan Stanton

The thin profit margins associated with relatively simple sterile products has led to a reluctance to invest in operations and shortages, according to an industry expert.

DISPATCHES FROM INTERPHEX 2014

'Podular' manufacturing to become facility norm within 5 years, say GEA and G-CON

19-Mar-2014 By Dan Stanton

‘Podular’ manufacturing systems will dominate facility design within five years, say G-CON and GEA who have teamed with Pfizer to create a flexible, repurposable and portable facility. 

Opportunities outweigh risks in China, says Eli Lilly

17-Mar-2014 By Dan Stanton

Eli Lilly says the opportunities in China outweigh any perceived challenges as it begins a $70m expansion of its manufacturing joint venture.

UK Gov backs GSK-led manufacturing project citing "British prowess"

06-Mar-2014 By Gareth Macdonald

A GSK-led consortium will develop manufacturing technologies in a Government-backed scheme intended to safeguard the UK drug production sector.

Lilly looks local with Brazilian packaging investment

04-Mar-2014 By Dan Stanton

Eli Lilly says investment in its Sao Paolo, Brazil packaging plant will support growth for the local market.

EMA finalizes guidance on process validation for manufacturers

04-Mar-2014 By Zachary Brennan

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) stressed the potential benefits of continuous process validation in guidance issued this week and underlined that data submitted by drugmakers must demonstrate the adequacy of production operations at each site.

Middle income countries face obstacles in access to drugs despite making them, study finds

27-Feb-2014 By Zachary Brennan

National prioritization, investments in healthcare infrastructure and building better epidemiological and cost databases could bring more innovative medicines to middle-income countries, according to an independent study conducted by Charles River Associates. 

Off-the-shelf aseptic manufacturing? Pfizer targets emerging markets in JV

10-Feb-2014 By Dan Stanton

Pfizer says its ‘off the shelf’ aseptic processing capacity is shifting the paradigm of pharma manufacturing, with emerging markets and personalised medicine driving the change.