Encorium has outlined plans to specialise in vaccines, which it believes is an area it can be more flexible than big CROs, and inked a swine flu deal as part of $8.7m (€6m) of new contracts.
Transcrip Partners’ “augmentation” solution for contract R&D “differs from the normal consultancy alternative by fielding ‘doers’ who can think strategically and ‘thinkers’ who are happy to get their hands dirty” according to senior partner Paul Branthwaite.
Bangladesh represents a “huge opportunity” to pharma, according to the CEO of Amreteck Pharma who believes that CMOs will be attracted by the low costs, which undercut China, and help the industry grow to $10bn (€6.9m) in 10 years.
New multi-million dollar R&D contracts with top three pharma and biotech players go someway to “alleviating” the negative impact of downturn, according to Lab Research CEO Luc Mainville.
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 CRO and central laboratory services provider Pacific Biometrics (PBI) has entered into a $4m (€2.7m) loan agreement that it says will help further the development of its contract biomarkers business.
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.
Following a review of the backlog of postmarketing studies the FDA has initiated changes to improve its processes, including developing Manuals of Policies and Procedures (MAPP) to track the status of trials.
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.
AstraZeneca (AZ) has dramatically cut the time taken to initiate a Phase I oncology trial by working with its strategic partner to improve administrative processes and eliminate delays, according to research.
The biosimilars sector is predicted to be worth $19.4bn (€13.6bn) by 2014, by which time the US will have overtaken Asia as the dominant market, according to a report.
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.
An “enormous leap in productivity” can be achieved by applying the principles of adaptive trials to broader operations, such as recruitment, according to a CEO that thinks CROs have to adopt the method.
In the next week the Chinese SFDA is expected to approve licences for two locally produced H1N1 vaccines, which unlike some alternatives only require one dose to confer immunity.
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.
Synexus is meeting the rising demand for its services, which it says can dramatically increase recruitment rates, by acquiring clinical trial sites in Poland and is hoping to expand in India soon.
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.
Pharmaceutical and cosmetics contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs) in India can now claim tax credit on their advertising spend following a recent appeal court victory for US beverage giant Coca-Cola.
Drug development partnering site goBalto’s addition of Latin American clinical sites to its database in a deal with Chilean CRO Clinical Trials Support (CTS) is timely given the pharma and biotech industry’s focus on emerging markets.
Cobra Biomanufacturing’s new Adenovirus manufacturing and process services contract is further evidence of the health of EU biologicals market, according to business development manager Philip Ridley-Smith.
Basel-headquartered Roche has paid fellow Swiss firm Lonza $290m (€203m) for its Singapore biologics plant in a bid to secure long-term manufacturing capacity for biotech cancer drugs.
US software group SourceSolution has signed a co-marketing deal with bioProcessUK they claim will help UK pharma contractors raise their global profiles and find new drug industry clients.
The number of registered clinical trials in Russia slipped in Q2, with the country attracting fewer international sponsors and regulatory inspections than in pervious years.
Researchers have presented a low cost track and trace and authentication system, which they believe could be implemented immediately, to combat counterfeiting in the developing world.
Europe is pulling ahead of the US in research productivity, according to a controversial new study by Washington public policy think tank Health Affairs.
Pfizer’s new $214.8 million (€150m) biotechnology facility in Strangnas, Sweden was inaugurated yesterday, securing the country’s future in the company’s manufacturing network according to global manufacturing president Natale Ricciardi.
Indian CRO Siro Clinpharm has set its sights on the European research market, signing a deal with UK based CambReg that it hopes will offer customers a path through the region’s complex regulations.
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.
US analysis group CRL will set up a new laboratory at Quotient Bioresearch’s facility in Cambridge in the UK, in a collaboration designed to expand the US company’s business on the global stage and extend Quotient's offering.
Sigma-Aldrich is using a novel methodology to create rats with targeted gene deletion in as little as four months, which it believes could eliminate years of research and improve drug development.
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.
Xceleron will provide services to GSK and its collaborators, such as academics and biotechs, under a novel deal that emphasises the big pharma’s attempts to change its drug development model.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has ordered the recall of 100 batches of drugs sold by generics firm Karib Kem Pharm.
GEA Lyophil, part of GEA Pharma Systems, has won a contract to supply Chinjese drugmaker Zheijang Hisun Pharmaceutical with freeze drying systems and automatic loading units.
US drug giant Pfizer has joined the growing list of organisations seeking to boost trial recruitment via the web, teaming up with IT firm Private Access to create a website designed to “increase clinical trial awareness and participation.”
Bias in publications in medical journals is facing intense scrutiny again, following media reports GSK used a ghostwriting programme and separate research into combating the problem.
Perrigo’s API business posted a $5.4m (€3.8m) operating loss in Q4 because of restructuring charges but it believes vertically integrating production, and opening a site in India, will help in coming years.
A new partnership between CenterWatch and TrialX may help boost flagging recruitment rates by “helping patients more easily and rapidly connect with relevant clinical trials.”
India-based CRO Vimta Labs is aiming to lower the cost of diagnostic services by developing new panels using MassTag PCR technology licensed from Columbia University, New York.
A dry powder measles vaccine formulation and inhalers that could be as affordable as needle treatments are due to enter Phase I in 2010, according to researchers at the ACS meeting.
Generic drugmaker Aurobindo Pharma will add liquid-injectables to its roster of manufacturing capabilities with the purchase of fellow Indian firm Trident Life Sciences (TLSL).
Amcor has temporarily halted trading on the Australian stock exchange, fuelling rumours that the group is finally about to move for Rio Tinto’s Alcan pharmaceutical packaging unit.
The British pound’s weakness compared to other EU currencies is benefiting UK-based CROs, according to Lab Research (LRI), which attributed the poor performance of its Danish business to the exchange rate.
Medidata has followed its successful IPO by posting an operating profit in Q2, having made a loss last year, and giving a positive outlook for the rest of the year.