PDI, who provides sales and marketing services to the
pharmaceutical industry, have received a new sales representative
contract in the US from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), worth $65-70m
(€55-59m).
In the same week that saw Novartis threaten its planned merger with
Berna Biotech, Dutch biotech company Crucell has signed three new
licensing agreements for its PER.C6 and STAR manufacturing
technologies.
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has cut $400 million in annual expenses
over the last two years in order to boost its R&D pipeline and
achieve sales and earnings growth beginning in 2007.
Actavis Group has announced the company has acquired the human
generics business of Alpharma, making the international generic
pharmaceuticals company one of the five largest companies in
generic pharmaceuticals worldwide in terms...
Fine chemical and pharmaceutical intermediate manufacturers may be
affected by supply disruptions due to ongoing UK shortages of
natural gas. Price spikes in gas are becoming both higher and more
frequent in the UK.
India's Ranbaxy Laboratories has been granted a US patent on its
controlled-release drug delivery system, which takes the form of a
'floating' tablet that once swallowed, is retained in the upper
gastrointestinal...
The European Commission has profiled the top 100 biotech technology
offers in a new brochure, which showcases the offers in such a way
that encourages European researchers to pursue the exploitation of
their own research results.
Merck & Co said it would cut an additional $1 billion (€832
million) through 2010 as it struggles to regain R&D momentum
after mounting lawsuits, generic competition and falling revenue
and profit threaten to engulf the company,...
Degussa is streamlining its organization and decreasing the number
of business units from 20 to 17, in order to compete in the global
markets and be in a better position to exploit growth
opportunities.
According to a new report, it will become a necessity to outsource
key activities related to securing and managing of data in the life
sciences industry. This, coupled with the regulatory compliance, is
driving the IT spending amongst...
EU ministers yesterday agreed on a compromise version of the
controversial new chemicals law, REACH, however environment groups
have condemned the latest changes as a further watering down of the
law in favour of industry.
Drug production company Patheon has released its fourth-quarter
results, which has revealed that profit has jumped 180 per cent
despite a recent production halt at a Puerto Rican subsidiary. This
bodes well for the recent manufacturing...
US drug company, Eli Lilly, offered a more encouraging outlook than
was expected forecasting an earnings growth of up to 12 per cent, a
stark contrast to its struggling competitors, who also face generic
competition, drug safety and...
Roche has responded to recent criticism that it was protecting its
avian-flu formula too closely by identifying 12 prospective
partners to increase the global production of Tamiflu.
UK drug development company SkyePharma, which put itself up for
sale last month, has said that several new bidders have expressed
interest in buying some of its assets as well as acquiring the
entire company for cash.
SR Pharma, specializing in RNAi therapeutics, will be the first
company to use the new UK National Biomanufacturing Centre (NBC),
operated by contract manufacturing organization (CMO) Eden
Biodesign, when it opens on schedule early...
Pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers are increasingly moving
to adopt software services that prevent revenue leakage and
regulatory compliance exposure.
Generex Biotechnology announced its Oral-lyn, the first
non-injectable form of recombinant human insulin available for
commercial distribution anywhere in the world is being launched in
Ecuador to soon become available through physician...
Filtration system Pall Corporation reported its first quarter
earnings which revealed earnings rose by 16 per cent, propelled by
growth in its industrial and biopharmaceuticals segments.
Invitrogen has created three new business divisions in a move to
strengthen its position in the growing biotechnology industry and
drive growth through improving links between its product
development cycle and customer base.
According to a new report, the demand for worldwide drug packaging
is expected to reach new heights, predicting growth of 5.3 per cent
annually to $24.3 billion (€20 7 billion) in 2009, driven by aging
demographic patterns increasing...
After a two-year tug-of-war, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has
solidified a landmark agreement to allow poor nations to import
generic versions of patented drugs to treat serious diseases or
epidemics.
BASF has announced that it is to raise prices of its pharmaceutical
excipients in a move that represents the wider market that has seen
big cost increases for raw materials, energy and transportation
that has affected all excipient...
A Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) was launched last week in a move
to bolster the chemistry and biotechnology industry's contribution
to European growth and competitiveness.
Merck is to cut 7,000 jobs, close five factories and three research
facilities, as the US pharmaceutical company continues to suffer
from the devastating repercussions caused by its painkiller Vioxx
and the pending lawsuits.
Global packaging provider Rexam is expanding its US business,
announcing this week that it is set to acquire plastic packaging
firm Precise Technology - a move that will expand its capabilities
in the growing pharmaceutical packaging...
Patheon has received the 2005 Contract Manufacturing Company of the
Year Award from consultancy firm Frost & Sullivan, in
recognition of its customer service and innovative market growth
strategies.
The surge in vaccines against influenza has surprised Governments
across the world, with the stark admission that demand was
unforeseen. Avian flu, which has emerged as a real threat to
humans, has not only have added to the danger...
Avecia spin-off, Reaxa, has announced that Umicore has taken a 21
per cent stake in a move that underlines Reaxa's business strategy
in looking at joint R&D, new product development and toll
manufacturing agreements.
In the second part of a special report, In-PharmaTechnologist has
taken a closer look at the Pharmaceutical Fine Chemicals Business
of Clariant, which made a series of announcements on new
investments in facilities in Europe and the...
Superfos has reported positive third quarter results after a
troubled start to the year. The company attributes the turnaround
to declining raw material prices and growth in European business
sales.
A European parliament vote on the REACH chemicals legislation last
week struck a balance between health, the environment and industry
after months of intense debate.
US company Flavorx will make good tasting medicine a reality when
it expands its blockbuster medication flavours into the UK pharmacy
market, after a continuous stream of consumer and business
interest.
Chemical company Lanxess, release its third quarter results that
show restructuring strategy is bearing fruit, with sales up and the
reduction of net financial debt that is supported by strong growth
in the chemical industry.
The Association of the British Pharmaceutial Industry (ABPI) has
revealed a new code of practice for the pharmaceutical industry,
with an emphasis on patient safety especially material detailing
information about reporting adverse...
German specialty chemicals group, H&R Wasag, increased its
sales and earnings in the third quarter of this year, helped by its
in-house refinery operations that allow it to counter the steady
rise in costs arising from crude oil...
Specialty chemical company Avecia featured prominently at the
recent CPhI Expo in Madrid, announcing investments and activity,
which hint at the business of custom synthesis of APIs and advanced
intermediates coming back into favour.
Sigma-Aldrich Fine Chemicals (SAFC) Biosciences chose the CPhI Expo
in Madrid to announce a series of updates concerning company
activity. The custom manufacturing group is currently undergoing
construction of a new US facility aimed...
Catch-up legislation from the EU has swept away the handicap on
European generics companies, allowing them to research copycat
drugs before patent expiry.
Pliva released its financial results for the first nine months of
2005, which revealed a net loss of $34 million, as the drug maker
tries to recover from its loss-making drug launch in the US. This
is despite posting higher revenues...
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) has signed a definitive agreement to
acquire Roche's Mexican API business, in a move to drive the next
wave of growth in its custom pharmaceutical services (CPS)
business.
Doctors and cancer researchers have pleaded with EU politicians to
support a strong REACH chemicals regulation in order to halt an
increase in cancer rates, congenital malformations and asthma.
With the aim of meeting government's needs for pandemic planning,
Roche has announced it is on track to produce 300 million Tamiflu
treatments annually from 2007, after stepping up its production
capacity.
DSM is expanding its anti-infectives production facilities in
India, as part of a global restructuring program to improve
profitability and retain DSM's position in the penicillin market.
Lanxess has said it will spin-off its Fine Chemicals operations
into a separate business unit that is expected to become
independent as of the second quarter next year.
New findings may have significant implications for the growing
generics drugs industry, by challenging previous assumptions that
all formulations of the same active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
are therapeutically equivalent.
Fisher Scientific International reported it's third quarter
performance for 2005, which revealed profit had more than doubled
as a result of improved sales and fewer acquisition related
charges.
The GEA Group has completed an agreement to acquire Steris's freeze
dryer (lyophiliser) product line, in a deal that aims to strengthen
the group's Process Engineering Division in the Process Engineering
Segment.
An affirmation that aims to replace the use of laboratory animals
in testing was agreed in Brussels by key industry sectors
representing the European chemical, pharmaceutical and
biotechnology industries.
A newly signed research and collaboration agreement between MFIC
Corporation and The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) will
facilitate the development of new applications, processes and
products in the growing area of nanomaterials.
