Swedish company Perbio Science has agreed to a $714 million (€626m)
takeover by Fisher Scientific International of the USA, which says
that it sees the acquisition as a means of capitalising on the
strong growth of the life science...
The world market for toxicogenomics technologies is set to grow
strongly over the next five years, but needs the catalyst of
recognition by regulatory authorities.
The US market for media, sera and reagents used in cell culture is
expected to nearly double in value to reach $1.7 billion (€1.48bn)
in 2008, according to a report.
Pharmaceutical major GlaxoSmithKline has set aside £1 million
(€1.4m) to soften the blow of selling its bulk active ingredient
manufacturing facility in Montrose.
Boehringer Ingelheim doubles its biopharmaceutical production
capacity at a stroke with the completion of a new plant at its site
in Biberach, Germany; a similar expansion in Austria is also
underway.
Thermo Electron has fulfilled a promise to make acquisitions in the
laboratory and life sciences area by announcing plans to acquire
French lab equipment provider Jouan SA.
A new report has suggested that an average-sized, top 20 drug
company only needs to produce two new products every three years to
maintain growth rates.
Contract research organisation (CRO) revenues have been growing
strongly as a result of drug developers' need to reduce R&D
costs while shortening product evaluation times. However, as demand
for more efficient preclinical...
The axe looks set to fall on Scottish biotechnology company PPL
Therapeutics now that the company put itself up for sale, having
failed to convince investors of a rescue plan.
Capsule technology company BioProgress has reported its first set
of interim results since becoming an AIM-listed company, as well as
a distribution deal with Hoefliger.
Profile Therapeutics has reported strong growth in sales and a
reduced operating loss for the year-ended June 30, and expects this
trend to continue as its R&D efforts in improved nebuliser
technologies come to fruition.
Chemical Synthesis Services has opened a new, £25 million (€36
million) facility in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, improving its
drug development and analysis services.
UK-based separations specialist Whatman saw its turnover drop in
the first half of 2003, but operating profits leap on back of its
restructuring effort.
Recordati is expecting to sell off its pharmaceutical chemical
operations by the end of next year or early in 2004, according to
the company's chief executive, who expects €80-€90m in proceeds for
the sale.
Millions of dollars are being spent unnecessarily each year on
treatments for high blood pressure says research published this
week in BMC Health Services Research.
Companies that supply instruments and consumables to the life
sciences industry have been hit hard by reined in research spending
resulting from the current adverse economic climate. However, one
chief executive believes there are...
Pall has reported a 10 per cent rise in sales to $471 million
(€430m) in the fourth quarter, boosted by currencies and the
recently-acquired FSG operations.
Gradipore has reported a 65 per cent increase in sales for the year
ended 30 June, but said that it was disappointed by the figures,
which did not meet its expectations.
The creditors of Australian over-the-counter medicines and vitamins
manufacturer Pan Pharmaceuticals have rejected a rescue bid for the
company at a meeting held last week. Another meeting is due to be
held later today.
Chiron's headquarters is hit by two homemade bombs, with an animal
rights group claiming responsibility. The blasts caused no
casualties and only minor damage to property, but represent an
alarming escalation in the tactics used...
French company Flamel Technologies has added another high-profile
client for its drug delivery technology spurring another leap in
its shares that have already climbed almost 800 per cent over the
last 12 months.
Schering-Plough has lowered its financial forecasts for the second
time and unveiled a fresh round of cost cutting in an attempt to
stabilise its finances.
Australian packaging group Amcor has entered into a A$330 million
(€198m) agreement to buy Rexam's healthcare flexibles packaging
business and will also buy out Danisco and Ahlstrom's 28.1 per cent
minority stake in its...
Fisher Scientific has extended its SK5.3 billion (€573m) offer for
Perbio Science after failing to win the support of more than 90 per
cent of Perbio's investors.
A new report from Datamonitor predicts the end of the
pharmaceutical industry's blockbuster product model, pointing to a
dramatic shortfall in growth rates for billion dollar-plus products
out to 2008.
German chemicals and drugs company Bayer has said that it plans to
sell its subsidiary Walothen to Finland's Wihuri as part of an
ongoing restructuring of its portfolio.
Daicel has entered into an agreement with Thesis Chemistry in a
deal which will see the two companies collaborate in the area of
chiral process manufacturing.
Degussa follows its peers in the speciality chemicals industry by
posting weak interim results held back by currency factors, raw
material costs and lower demand.
The US FTC has taken issue with the merger between Aspen Technology
and Hyprotech in 2002, alleging that it gave the combined firm a
too-dominant position in process control software.
BASF, the world's largest chemicals company, has said that it will
expand an ongoing restructuring program in North America after
reporting lower-than-expected second-quarter sales and profits.
Bayer has reported a decline in net profits for the second quarter
of 2003, with analysts expressing concerns that litigations costs
could hold back full-year earnings.
Cambrex plans to sell off its Rutherford Chemicals business for $64
million (€56m) to allow it to focus on its human health and
biosciences activities.
KBI BioPharma, a start-up biopharma contract manufacturer, has
signed an agreement to buy a facility in North Carolina that could
be online in 6-9 months.
Cobra Biomanufacturing has signed an agreement to supply Advaxis
with clinical and commercial supplies of its Listeria
monocytogenes-based cancer vaccine.
A conference on batch process automation and asset management in
the pharmaceutical industry is scheduled to take place in Cork,
Ireland, on 22-23 October.
Italy's Recordati has said that it plans to sell off its
pharmaceutical chemical activities over the next few months in
order to concentrate on pharmaceuticals.
KS Biomedix has confirmed that it is in negotiations that may lead
to a merger and add to the mini-wave of consolidation sweeping over
the UK industry.
Argonaut sells its HPLC business to Grace Vydac as it refocuses on
supplying consumables for companies working on drug discovery.
Reports reduced losses in first half.
