The outsourcing “market is poised to return to healthier growth rates in 2010”, according to the president of MDS Pharma Services who also told Outsourcing-Pharma that CROs will play an increasingly important role in drug development.
With Lonza and JLL competing over Patheon Outsourcing-Pharma looks at what the CMO offers to a prospective buyer, analysing its global manufacturing capacity and backlog using interactive maps and graphs.
CRO Averion is planning to become a private company to reduce expenditure on auditor fees, which could realise savings of $805,000 (€561,000), and allow management to better focus on long-term goals.
Cloud Packaging Solutions has said the acquisition of Toll Packaging will boost its ability to meet the increased demand for shorter packing runs triggered by the current global economic crisis.
US contract services firm PharmaForm has cut its workforce to 65 employees in a restructuring plan that parent company Akela Pharma said optimises its client support infrastructure.
US investment group JLL has described Lonza’s rival offer for Patheon as “a hostile attempt to adversely impact [the Canadian contractor’s] competitive position.”
By acquiring a stake in India-based RSIPL Evotec believes it can offer clients quicker drug development services, an important aspect of coping with attrition, because larger teams of chemists are available in emerging markets.
Facing “unparalleled” challenges MDS is seeking a buyer for its Pharma Services division, and claims to have begun discussions with two interested parties, to allow it to focus on its Nordion business.
Summit has sold Dextra, its analytical and manufacturing services division, to NZP but believes operating the contract business has been beneficial to its industry standing and R&D capabilities.
The Californian budget deficit presents a “real risk to future biotech investments”, according to the CEO of BayBio who explained to how the industry now has a difficult relationship with the state.
Source BioScience (SBS) is eyeing acquisitions and investments in technology after it posted a profit in the first six months of 2009, overturning a loss in the same period of last year.
Canadian contractor Patheon has welcomed the $460m (€321m) takeover offer from Switzerland's Lonza that could, according to some observers, spark a bidding war with rival suitor, US group JLL Patheon Holdings.
Millipore has expanded its European biotech services business by acquiring BioAnaLab, a UK-based company that provides analysis of biologics and vaccines.
Australian group Amcor has confirmed that talks about a takeover of Alcan’s pharmaceutical packaging business are still ongoing but says that no binding agreement has yet been reached.
Northern Irish pack testing specialist Sepha has moved forward with plans to enter the Japanese market, showcasing its BlisterScan platform at Interphex Japan in Tokyo last week.
There has been “tremendous interest” in Fate Therapeutics’ Catalyst programme, which gives access to induced iPS cell technology as part of collaborative relationship between numerous companies.
PDI posted a larger operating loss in Q1 2009 than in the previous year, with the company blaming the decline on the expiration, termination and postponement of contracts.
Indian CRO Siro ClinPharm is teaming up with New Jersey based pharma services firm Advanced Clinical Trial Solutions (ACT) to strengthen its position in the US cancer trial sector.
Companies seeking research services in India and China will now be able to use a single contact following an alliance between GVK BIO and Excel, which the companies claim is the first to span the two nations.
The past few days have seen a string of announcements from contract research organisations (CROs) which indicate that their appetite for international expansion and development remains unsated.
US company CardioNet, which specialises in mobile cardiac monitoring devices, has made a foray into the contract research sector with a $14m offer to acquire cardiovascular research firm Biotel.
ReSearch Pharmaceutical Services has expanded its activities into the Asian market via the purchase of Chinese contract research organisation (CRO) Paramax International.
Contract research organisation PPD has boosted its compound partnering programme with the purchase of dermatology specialist Magen BioSciences, and divested its presclinical research subsidiary Pedmont Research Centre.
The committee set up by Patheon to review the unsolicited bid by private equity firm JLL to take control of the firm has asked for advice on the legality of the move.
The global economic downturn, impending blockbuster patent expiries and the wave of consolidation sweeping the pharmaceutical industry will drive demand for Patheon’s restructuring service according to CEO Wesley Wheeler.
With M&A activity dominating Big Pharma's agenda at the moment, the contract research market is having to evolve and adapt to the turbulent environmnet. Outsourcing-pharma asked Frost & Sullivan analyst Barath Shankar to offer his opinion...
Albany Molecular Research Inc (AMRI) faced a “challenging headwind” as 2008 drew to a close but still managed to boost its revenues by 19 per cent to $56.4m in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Contract research organisation PharmaNet Development Group has found a buyer just a few weeks after saying it was considering placing itself on the block.
UK-headquartered Premier Research Group has signed a deal to buy the assets of fellow contract research organisation (CRO) Pivotal Research Centers, a specialist in Phase I to IIa trials, for $4.75m.
The pharmaceutical industry must adapt its processes and strategies to cope with a new, tougher operating environment, according to Stefan Borgas, CEO of Lonza.
US contract research organisation Encorium Group has postponed its planned acquisition of Prologue Research International and cut staff in the latest twist in a rollercoaster ride for the firm in recent weeks.
Pharmaceutical companies on both sides of the Atlantic are facing a particularly difficult time over the next 12 to 18 months, according to a report by financial research and analysis company Moody’s.
Indian pharmaceutical company Lupin Ltd has expanded into Africa by acquiring a 60 per cent stake Pharma Dynamics, a generics company and contract manufacturer based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Active pharmaceutical ingredient specialist Calyx Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals is planning an acquisition within the next two years, probably in the US or Europe, according to chief executive Smitesh Shah.
Quintiles Transnational Corp has announced an expansion of its operations in Singapore in order to meet what it described as “surging demand” in the Asia-Pacific region.
Drug discovery informatics and services provider, Tripos International, has agreed to buy Pharsight Corporation, a provider of software and strategic services for clinical drug development.
Parexel has trimmed back its earnings guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2009 as it starts the process of integrating ClinPhone, which the company bought for £91m (€114m) last month.
Haupt Pharma has completed its merger with fellow German companies Amareg and Wülfing Pharma to create a major new force in the European contract development and manufacturing sector, with around 1,500 staff and an annual turnover of €180m.
The second round of bids for Elan Drug Technologies (EDT) is expected to be received by mid-September, with a sale price of up to $1.4bn mooted in press reports.
Australia’s CSL Ltd has signed a $3.1bn agreement to acquire Talecris Biotherapeutics of the US and throw down the gauntlet to rival Baxter International in the plasma-based pharmaceutical sector.
Eli Lilly took a giant leap down the outsourcing road yesterday with the sale of a major R&D facility to contract research organisation Covance and the forging of additional agreement with Quintiles and i3.
ClinPhone's shareholders have now approved the acquisition of the company by Parexel after rival Quintiles withdrew from the race to buy the eClinical technology company.
Acquisitive Indian contract research organisation Veeda has added
another company to its portfolio, buying International Oncology
Network (ION) of the US.