Laureate Pharma of the USA has commissioned a new automated
chromatography system for Good Manufacturing Practice-compliant
purification of protein products
BASF has announced that later this summer it will temporarily
suspend production of the amino acid lysine at its facility in
Gunsan, Korea, due to essential maintenance work
DSM Biologics has dissolved its relationship with Qiagen and
Valentis regarding the pAlliance, a consortium supplying
ultra-pure, stable DNA plasmids and formulated DNA
There has been a steady increase in the number of diabetes-related
R&D projects in recent years, and one area of particular
interest is the pulmonary delivery of insulin, says a new report
Great Lakes Fine Chemicals has invested $8 million ($6.7m) in a
program aimed at upgrading its pharmaceutical ingredient
manufacturing facilities in Holywel, Wales
Switzerland's Novartis has been awarded a US patent for a novel
means of extending the shelf life of pharmaceuticals. The invention
describes the use of a plastic bottle made from a polymeric
material that is impregnated with...
The UK has launched a new study to examine in detail the benefits
and risks of nanotechnology and make sure that any necessary
regulatory framework is in place early on
Researchers in the USA have generated designer metal oxides with
specific surface properties that can be used as catalysts in the
manufacture of pharmaceuticals and chemicals
Avantium Technologies of the Netherlands, a specialist in
developing high throughput process R&D techniques for customers
in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, has been signed up
by Eastman Chemical for the discovery...
Unigen Pharmaceuticals has expanded its sales presence in Europe
and Latin America by signing agency and distribution agreements
with six international corporate partners
ConjuChem, a company specialised in improving the formulation of
peptide drugs, has said that it is aiming to raise around C$12
million (€7.6m) in a new private placement round
Dutch biotechnology company Crucell has announced a new project
aimed at developing a vaccine for West Nile virus, a flu-like
illness that can cause a brain infection with a mortality rate of 1
per cent
Tepnel Life Sciences sees its shares soar after announcing the
first sale of its Nucleopure DNA purification system to an unnamed
UK pharmaceuticals group
Canadian chromatography and mass spectrometry specialist Waters has
introduced a series of new products at the ongoing ASMS meeting in
Montreal, Canada
Switzerland's Bachem SA, which specialises in the manufacture and
sale of bulk peptides and related organic chemicals as active
ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry, has announced that it
expects full-year sales growth...
Bruker Daltonics has forged an alliance with the US Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory to develop and commercialise mass
spectrometry for high-throughput proteomics research
As regulators increase their scrutiny of manufacturing and quality
control, the key to avoiding non-compliance notices lies in
well-trained, knowledgeable personnel, says new report.
Caliper Technologies has announced its intention to acquire
laboratory automation, liquid handling and robotics specialist
Zymark in a deal valued at around $71 million in cash and stock.
Germany's Chiracon, a specialist in novel raw and starting
materials for high-value pharmaceuticals, has joined the circle of
Startup-Partners, the central capital marketing agency for Berlin.
Sam Waksal, the disgraced former chief executive of US
biotechnology company ImClone Systems, is due for sentencing today
and could receive a jail sentence as well as significant fines.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has
asked for prescribing restrictions on GlaxoSmithKline's
widely-prescribed antidepressant Seroxat.
Owens-Illinois has launched a line of child-resistant 'squeeze and
turn' packages that incorporate a closure and bottle system
suitable for solid oral dose uses
Isis Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly say they have reached a mutually
beneficial renegotiation of their manufacturing relationship for
cancer drug Affinitak
Millennium Pharmaceuticals has said that it plans to cut around 600
jobs and wind down some of its manufacturing operations as it seeks
to reach profitability by 2006
Nature Technology has launched an improved delivery technology for
DNA vaccines that is now available for license by companies working
in this fast-growing area
ICOS has entered into a biologics manufacturing agreement with Eli
Lilly, in which the Bothell, Washington-based firm will manufacture
two clinical candidates
Pharmaceutical company mergers and acquisitions plus industry-wide
cost cutting has squeezed investment into manufacturing, which may
lead to GMP non-compliance and fines, warns a new report.
Patheon Italia has extended its manufacturing services agreement
with Roche to continue to supply the Swiss firm with solid, liquid
and sterile products for the European market.
Transgenomic has taken out a non-exclusive licence from Geron in
which it gains manufacturing rights to phosphoramidate and
thio-phosphoramidate oligonucleotides.
Boston Biomedica has been issued an additional US patent covering
the design and use of its Pressure Cycling Technology for the
control of pressure-sensitive chemical reactions.
The UK BioIndustry Association has serious concerns that the EU
Clinical Trials Directive could have a negative impact on the
attractiveness of the UK as a location for clinical research.
West Pharmaceutical Services is rolling out its Westar RS
sterilized component service, formerly only available from its US
facilities, at sites in France, Germany and Singapore.
Schering-Plough has reached an agreement with the US Food and Drug
Administration to correct the firm's manufacturing compliance
problems, which led to a $500 million fine last year.
Xenova of the UK has been awarded a two-year contract by Sweden's
Pharmexa for the manufacture of a vaccine in clinical trials as a
treatment for breast cancer and other tumours.
Schroder Ventures Life Sciences has raised $402 million (€344m) for
its biotechnology investment fund, providing a signal that venture
capital may at last be turning its head back in the direction of
the sector.
METabolic EXplorer, a French biotechnology company specialising in
the development and production of new biological processes for the
manufacturing of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, has bolstered its
scientific team with the appointment...
Baxter Healthcare of the US says it is planning a seven-year, $100
million (€85m) expansion of its parenteral contract manufacturing
services for pharma and biotech companies.
Trident has launched a new ink jet printing system, called
SolidJet, that is specially designed to print packaging for
pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and personal care products.
Swiss chemicals group Lonza has said that a new small-scale
production plant at its Visp site will come on stream in July and
will boost its services in the area of exclusive manufacturing of
pharmaceutical products.
GEA Filtration has introduced a microfiltration plant for the
PharmaChem industries that, it claims, can perform studies on the
full range of filtration technologies using all types of filter
membrane.
The UK Department of Trade and Industry has commissioned a new
programme, called Measurements for Biotechnology, designed to
develop and share good practice in bioanalytical methodology.
UK-based packaging company Rexam has reached an agreement to
acquire all the shares of Risdon Pharma Development, a plastic
pharmaceutical packaging business, for €125 million in cash.
Cambrex has initiated a project aimed at constructing a new
facility to accommodate four cGMP-compliant suites dedicated to
cell therapy manufacturing. The company said the expansion would
increase its manufacturing capacity by 100...
Just over a year after acquiring the FSG business from Vivendi for
$360 million (€307m), Pall Corp has reported a healthy hike in
fiscal third-quarter sales and profits and once again raised its
earnings forecast for 2003.
Akzo Nobel's Diosynth unit has signed a multi-year contract to
manufacture and supply the active pharmaceutical ingredient for
Pfizer's growth hormone receptor antagonist Somavert. The value of
the agreement was not disclosed,...
AstraZeneca has opened a new multi-million dollar research facility
in Bangalore, India, which will focus principally on finding new
treatments for tuberculosis, a disease which is diagnosed in about
8 million people worldwide each...