Bulk ingredients

update

Mitsui confirms increased Arch Pharmalabs investment; wants to build API biz

17-Jan-2013 By Gareth Macdonald

Mitsui & Co has upped its stake in Indian API maker Arch Pharmalabs in an effort to expand its CMO business.

Aesica teams with more academics to optimise Cramlington plant

16-Jan-2013

UK CMP Aesica has continued its strategy of partnering with academics with a new collaboration designed to make operations at its Cramlington plant more efficient.

update

Greece is the word: BASF tells Pronova shareholders revised bid is fair value

15-Jan-2013 By Gareth Macdonald

BASF says revised offer for omega-3 API maker Pronova Biopharma is fair value given recent Greek Government decision to stop reimbursing two key drugs. 

Aptuit’s global connection whizz API to market

15-Jan-2013 By Dan Stanton

Aptuit says that collaboration amongst its global facilities was a key factor in bringing Lomitapide to market.

American Capital to expand Cambridge Major Labs' API biz

15-Jan-2013 By Gareth Macdonald

Cambridge Major Labs’ (CML) new private-equity investor plans to expand the CMO’s chemistry and API business and assess cross selling synergies with other firms in its portfolio.

MHRA asks drugmakers for more data on API suppliers

14-Jan-2013 By Gareth Macdonald

The UK MHRA says regulators Europe-wide are asking drugmakers for additional data to identify plants that need to be inspected under new EU API import rules.

IDIFarma OKed to make commercial batches of high-potency drugs

14-Jan-2013 By Gareth Macdonald

IDIFarma has been cleared to make commercial batches of high potency tablets and hopes the new capability will attract developers of niche drugs and large CMOs. 

US approval for omega-3 suppliers BASF and Chemport key for Amarin in 2013

10-Jan-2013 By Gareth Macdonald

Winning US FDA approval for omega-3 API suppliers like BASF and Chemport is a key milestone for Amarin in 2013 according to CEO Joe Zakrzewski.

Exela expands North Carolina facility

09-Jan-2013

Exela Pharma Sciences will invest $8.5million in its research and manufacturing plant in North Carolina. The venture, to be spread over the next three years, will provide 38 new jobs almost doubling its present workforce. 

Lonza to boost complex manufacturing at underperforming Visp plant

09-Jan-2013 By Gareth Macdonald

Swiss supplier Lonza has underlined its belief that ramping up complex manufacturing is key to improving the profitability of its Visp plant.

Questcor buys API maker Biovectra

07-Jan-2013 By Gareth Macdonald

API maker BioVectra has been acquired by autoimmune disease focused drugmaker Questcor Pharmaceuticals for C$50m.

BASF wont extend Pronova offer again

20-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

BASF says it will not extend its offer for pharmaceutical-grade omega-3 supplier Pronova BioPharma ASA beyond new mid-January deadline.

update

Catalent signs cell line deal with Japanese CMO

13-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Catalent Pharma Solutions will supply Japanese CMO Unigen with cell lines under an agreement announced today.

ICIG buys Tessenderlo's struggling pharma business

13-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG) has bought Tessenderlo's underperforming European pharmaceutical intermediates and API business.

BASF confident it can get omega-3 to pharma customers whatever the weather

12-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Last week, BASF officially opened a pharmaceutical grade omega-3 active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) facility on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland that it gained with the acquisition of Equateq earlier this year.

Contract wins show Sweden is emerging CMO hub says Kemwell

12-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Kemwell AB says new contract from Mercury Pharma is further proof that Sweden is an attractive place for pharmaceutical production.

AMRI has biggest supply contract renewed by GE Healthcare

06-Dec-2012

Contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) AMRI has had its largest commercial supply contract renewed by GE Healthcare.

News from CPhI

Aesica says academic partnerships are key for CMOs

06-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

UK CMO Aesica Pharmaceutical says that working with academia to access cutting edge technologies is critical for contractors that want to meet the demands of the modern drug industry.

GDUFA 'self-identification' plan not flawed says SOCMA after FDA extends deadline

05-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

The GDUFA ‘self-identification’ requirement for generic API plants is not a flawed idea says SOCMA’s BDTF after FDA extends registration deadline citing fewer than expected registrations.

NextPharma sells Bioserv but is on the look of for US acquisitions

04-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

NextPharma has sold its US contract manufacturing business Bioserv to private equity group Kesa Partners.

AMRI to close Bothell site and shift work to Singapore

03-Dec-2012 By Gareth Macdonal

AMRI says the decision to close its second discovery services facility in a year and shift work to Asia reflects changing market demand.

No job cuts planned at SAFC post Sigma-Aldrich realignment, says president

28-Nov-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

No job cuts or facility divestitures are planned at SAFC under reorganisation announced by parent company Sigma-Aldrich.

SAFC to be renamed under Sigma-Aldrich business rejig

22-Nov-2012

Sigma-Aldrich has announced a plan to realign its business operations along regional and customer-focused lines.  

EFCG wants mandatory inspection of all API suppliers

15-Nov-2012

A European industry group says EU efforts to ensure the quality of API made by manufactureres outside the region are inadequate and that mandatory inspections of overseas plants are a must.

Fujifilm to make Thrombogenics' newly US approved eye drug in UK

14-Nov-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies will manufacture the bulk API for ThromboGenics recently US approved eye treatment Jetrea at its facility in Billingham in the UK.

Restart of Singapore plant project unlikely to affect Lonza deal, says Novartis

12-Nov-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Novartis says the decision to reactivate plans for a biotechnology plant in Singapore is unlikely to affect its deal with Lonza.

Wacker adds half-life boosting tech to biologics offering

05-Nov-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Wacker Biotech has added a low cost PEGytlation alternative to its biopharmaceutical manufacturing offering in a deal with developer XL-protein.

Contracts for Cytovance, Patheon and Angel Biotechnology

05-Nov-2012

New contracts for Cytovance, Patheon and Angel Biotechnology in Outsourcing-pharma.com’s roundup of the latest manufacturing deals.

update #2

East coast CMOs relatively unscathed by Superstorm Sandy

31-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

The full impact of Superstorm Sandy is still being assessed, but early reports suggest that the East coast contract manufacturing industry has escaped relatively unscathed.

Patheon to buy Banner Pharmacaps for $255m

29-Oct-2012

Canadian CMO Patheon will buy softgel specialist Banner Pharmacaps, moving forward with its plan to build in the oral dose delivery sector.

News from Lonza, DSM, Ark and AMRI

29-Oct-2012

Outsourcing-pharma.com presents a roundup of contract manufacturing news with deals for Lonza, DSM and Ark Therapeutics and an expanded agreement with Shire for AMRI.  

News from CPhI

Cobra Biologics talks recent fill finish acquisition and future growth plans

25-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

CMO Cobra Biologics says North America is an obvious place to look at for a facility acquisition.

Fujifilm and Piramal team on ADC manufacturing

24-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies has partnered with Piramal Healthcare on development and manufacture of ADCs.

Former Lonza biologics CSO joins Cobra board

23-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Cobra Biologics says former Lonza biopharmaceutical science officer brings strategic insight, process development and manufacturing expertise.

Wuxi opens biologics plant with JV partner AstraZeneca in attendance

22-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Wuxi AppTec has opened a biologics manufacturing facility that will play a key role in its recent accord with Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca.

Ben Venue restarts production; Janssen says Doxil available soon

18-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

US CMO Ben Venue has restarted 'limited drug manufacturing' at its plant in Bedford, Ohio, but does not expect to start shipping product for several months.

SternMaid pumps cash into fluid bed processing

16-Oct-2012 By Rod Addy

SternMaid has invested €14m in its Wittenburg factory to enlarge capacity and extend the range of its products and services, involving the introduction of new fluid bed technology.

Piramal looking for injectables capacity at the right price

15-Oct-2012

Piramal Healthcare wants to add sterile injectables to its offering but is unwilling to overpay for facilities owned by 'value focused' private equity groups.

Recipharm bags Astimex development and manufacturing deal

12-Oct-2012

Swedish CMO Recipharm has won a development and manufacturing deal with Astimex Pharma and may be in the running for future contracts.

Almac teams with DSM on biocatalysis and ramps up API capacity

09-Oct-2012

Demand for larger-scale, sustainable API manufacturing capacity is a key strategy driver for Almac if developments this week are an indication.

Dr Reddy's adds PEG and API capacity at UK site

09-Oct-2012

Dr Reddy's Laboratories has added conjugation tech production capacity its UK plant.

Piramal on the lookout for EU and US CMO acquisitions

09-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Indian contractor Piramal Healthcare is on the lookout for acquisitions in the US and Europe that will expand its CRAMS business.

Scotland's pharma services sector grows with Govt support

09-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Scotland’s emergence as a biopharma hub – as evidenced by announcements by SAFC and Quintiles last week – is due to Government support, electronic health records and speedy trial approvals says Scottish Enterprise.

Lonza wins second high-tech trial supply contract in a week

02-Oct-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Lonza will produce clinical trial supplies of an enzyme-replacement therapy being developed by Celladon Corp as a treatment for heart failure.

Cedarburg Hauser boosts API production capacity

26-Sep-2012 By Natalie Morrison

Cedarburg Hauser Pharmaceuticals (CHP) has increased its API plant in a bid to meet client demand.

Wuxi comfortable with investment and risk profile of MedImmune JV

13-Sep-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Wuxi AppTec expects to add capacity as needed to service the partnership it formed with MedImmune and is comfortable with the level of investment required.

API production will boost contract pharma manufacturing biz

12-Sep-2012 By Natalie Morrison

Active pharmaceutical ingredient production will be the driving factor behind a predicted boom in the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing market, according to Visiongain.

EC GMP revisions have implications for CMOs

12-Sep-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

Changes to European GMP guidelines designed to align them with ICH Q10 have significant implications for CMO contracts.

Contract manufacturing facility additions: round-up

11-Sep-2012

Outsourcing-Pharma.com brings you a round-up of the latest contract manufacturing facility additions, including news from Boehringer Ingelheim, Cambridge Major Laboratories, and B. Braun Group.

update

FDA criticizes DPT's efforts to fix sterility problems

06-Sep-2012 By Gareth Macdonald

US CDMO DPT Labs has not done enough to investigate sterility failures observed during a March inspection according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which wants a ‘comprehensive evaluation’ of sterile drug operations.