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.
US firm Compass Pharma Services is now offering ISO class 8 certified packaging services in a bid to capture a share of the expanding high-potency drug sector.
In this week's review of activity within the preclinical research
services arena, news has emerged involving Genstruct, Morphosys,
Xencor and GVK Biosciences.
Baxter International has suspended the production of its
blood-thinning drug heparin in multi-dose vials, following the
deaths of four patients in the USA who were given the drug in high
doses.
As of next year Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturers will face a
tougher time gaining good manufacturing practice (GMP)
certification after the country's regulator signalled new and
stricter standards were on the way.
In another safety concern over a long-approved drug, Roche has been
forced to add new warnings to its anti-transplant rejection drug
CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)) amid the news that it is
associated with increased risk of...
Roche heard early this morning that the European Commission (EC)
has decided to reinstate the marketing authorisation for the
company's HIV drug, Viracept (nelfinavir), but countries outside
the EU have yet to make a final decision.
Following the recent news that pharma heavyweight Pfizer has also
been struck by contamination of its HIV drug Viracept (nelfinavir),
in-PharmaTechnologist.com spoke to the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to find out how far...
UK-based deltaDOT has been given a key role providing analytical
technologies to a consortium aiming to increase the efficiency of
vaccine and biological drug production.
UK-based NanoBioDesign has received further investment to aid in
its commercialisation of a tool for testing drugs on P450 liver
enzymes, which could dramatically speed up drug toxicity testing.
Sanofi-Aventis' hotly touted anti-obesity blockbuster drug has
become weighted down in safety concerns as the French company
withdraws its New Drug Application (NDA) in the US and awaits a
safety review in the EU.
Schering-Plough and Kurve Technology have signed a new agreement
involving Kurve's nasal drug delivery device, which follows on the
heals of a partnership formed between the two companies last year.
Addex Pharmaceuticals has announced its lead drug compound has
passed mid stage clinical trials, with the company aiming towards a
migraine prevention therapy.
A Californian-based pharma firm has signalled that embracing the
complexity of human biology is the key to success in a wide range
of drug discovery processes.
Pharmatek has moved to a new larger lab and manufacturing facility
while Pace Analytical Life Sciences recently acquired lab testing
firm P3 Scientific.
A next-generation insomnia drug has been put to bed after its
developers decided the risk of using the drug outweighed its
potential benefit to millions of insomnia sufferers.
UK drug delivery and orthopaedic devices company The Medical House
(TMH) is entering the second phase of a development project for a
European defence agency involving its AutoSafety Injector (ASI)
disposable autoinjector technology...
A novel drug designed to prevent coronary heart disease has failed
a pivotal clinical trial although the developers are hopeful the
drug might still win approval.
European scientists have introduced a dental prosthesis capable of
dosing drugs, which they suggest could be a more convenient option
than swallowing pills.
MDS pharma has ceased operations at its bioanalytical services
facility in Blainville, Quebec in a bid to boost profitability
after an ongoing investigation of the site by the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
Canada's Alcan is selling its New Jersey-based lab equipment
business to private equity company River Associates Investments in
order to focus on its core competencies.
Aptuit has announced its intention to acquire SSCI, a leading solid
state chemistry company, just weeks after it bought the
pharmaceutical services division of technology firm EaglePicher.
Pharma companies that aren't maximising their outsourcing potential
in clinical research may be wasting a world of opportunity.
OutsourcingPharma.com gives a brief run down of exactly what kinds
of services and providers are...
For pharma companies that are hesitant about outsourcing during the
drug discovery stage, a world of opportunity awaits.
OutsourcingPharma.com gives a brief run down of what kinds of
services are on offer, as well as a few potential...
The number of new drug submissions has halved since 1995, while at
the same time, pharma companies are spending three times as much
money on R&D - a hole this industry needs to dig itself out of,
and fast.
Elsevier have launched a drug tracking and analysis tool that is
set to greatly benefit laboratory researchers working in the
pharmaceutical and biotech professionals by bringing together drug
characteristics and status within a database.
Indian drug maker Shasun Chemicals & Drugs has agreed to buy
the customs synthesis business of French company Rhodia Pharma
Solutions, in a move to strengthen its global presence in active
pharmaceutical ingredient (API), custom...
Researchers have claimed that a new microchip could cut animal
testing in the pharmaceutical industry as well as speed up drug
development. By increasing the efficiency of preclinical testing of
new drugs the new chip is also set...
India's Malladi Drugs and Pharmaceuticals has acquired a US company
to boost its presence in the market for pseudoephedrine, an
ingredient used in cough and cold preparations, reports Phil
Taylor.
An official of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has admitted
that the regulatory agency was "the single greatest obstacle to
doing anything effective" regarding Vioxx, adding that the FDA
could have prevented the...
West Pharmaceutical Services, fresh from the disposal of its drug
delivery business, is to acquire Monarch Analytical Laboratories in
exchange for cash, assumed liabilities and shares totalling $5.6
million (€4.3m).
According to a recent survey, leading pharmaceutical firms claim
that despite the decline in R&D productivity, scientists are
working harder and completing more projects.
A new type of antidepressant drug with a novel mechanism of action,
which acts on a new target, has entered Phase I clinical trials.
The drug could represent a new generation of psycho-active
compounds that are devoid of the problems...
ForHealth Technologies has started production of its flagship
robotic intravenous drug compounding device through contract
manufacturer Delphi Medical Systems.
The merger between Yamanouchi and Fujisawa is the first step
towards creating a global mega-player, but additional tie-ups will
be required if the new entity is to join the top tier of
multinational pharmaceutical companies.
In Russia, the Health Ministry suspended the licences of 321
companies manufacturing or trading in counterfeit medicines last
year, and a further 200 may also lose their licences following
ongoing investigations, according to the...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday issued a new
document that encourages drug and biologic developers to conduct
pharmacogenomic tests during drug development and clarifies how the
agency will evaluate the resulting...
West Pharmaceutical Services has launched an advanced barrier film
technology - West Fluro Tec - to help maintain seal integrity in
pharmaceutical closures.
Germany's Schott Glas has been granted a US patent on a glass
container for storing medicines that incorporates an anti-adherent
coating on its inner surface.
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.
Netherlands-based drugs, coatings and chemical maker Akzo Nobel has
announced a €500 million divestment program and suggested that it
is unlikely to remain a player in all three of these sectors in the
long term.
