Supplier News

Understanding the supply-chain challenge and coupling high-efficiency chromatographic techniques with information-rich detectors are leading to improvements in the management of extractables and leachables in parenteral drugs.

EMD Millipore and PharmaCell have entered into a collaboration to develop optimized large-scale expansion and harvest of HepaRG cells using bioreactor technology.

Synthesis of tetracycline derivatives with novel substituents has been challenging. Using an approach based on a Michael-Dieckmann reaction, new compounds with enhanced antibiotic properties are now being prepared on a large scale.

Since its inception in 2011, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies has added capabilities and single-use production capacity for mammalian-derived product manufacturing, upgraded development and pilot-scale microbial laboratories, and installed advanced analytical instrumentation.

Novartis loses an appeal in seeking patent protection in India for its anticancer drug.

Shire has announced plans to acquire dry eye specialist SARcode Bioscience with the aim of expanding its ophthalmics portfolio. Under the terms of the agreement, Shire will pay $160 million upfront and SARcode shareholders will receive additional undisclosed payments upon achievement of certain clinical, regulatory and/or commercial milestones.

AstraZeneca announced further downsizing in response to an expected period of declining revenues in the face of patent expirations. The company will eliminate 2300 positions in sales and general administration.

A roundup of additional company and people news from pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, their suppliers, and contract-service providers.

AstraZeneca announced that it will consolidate its R&D capabilities into three centers located in Cambridge, UK; Gaithersburg, MD in the US; and M?lndal, Sweden. The reorganization will result in a net loss of 1600 positions, mainly in the UK and the US.

A roundup of additional company and people news from pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, their suppliers, and contract-service providers.

Collaboration provides pharmaceutical industry customers with access to enzyme expertise and assets resulting in cost-effective, green processing at all phases of development, from preclinical to commercial manufacturing scale.

Product sold online in Malaysia and Indonesia infringes on the company’s trademark.

Roche and BioLamina have entered into a research and development agreement to jointly develop new cell culture systems for various applications, including stem cell research. The collaboration will assess laminin-based in-vitro cell culture matrices that can offer physiological microenvironments for living cells.

AstraZeneca's three patents protecting Crestor (rosuvastatin) have been ruled invalid by the Federal Court of Australia.

Mylan announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the generic injectables unit Agila Specialties from Strides Arcolab for $1.6 billion in cash.

Belgium drug developer Ablynx and UK-based Spirogen have entered into a research collaboration to discover and develop novel anticancer drug conjugates combining Spirogen's proprietary cytotoxic drugs, pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs), and the company's associated linker technology, with nanobodies generated using Ablynx's proprietary technology platform.

The EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended Sanofi's six-in-one pediatric vaccine for marketing authorization.

Affymax Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited have decided to voluntarily recall all lots of OMONTYS (peginesatide) Injection to the user level as a result of new postmarketing reports regarding serious hypersensitivity reactions.

FDA approved Roche?s antibody-drug conjugate, Kadcyla (trastuzumab emtansine or T-DM1), for the treatment of people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

A GBI Research report says the opioid market will be driven by development of new products and post-marketing studies designed to reduce abuse risk.

A roundup of additional company and people news from pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, their suppliers, and contract-service providers.

Merck and Samsung Bioepis have formed an agreement to develop and commercialize multiple prespecified and undisclosed biosimilar candidates.

The European Medicines Agency?s Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) is seeking to expand its international cooperation in 2013.

Sanofi is investing EUR 44 million ($58.7 million) in Genzyme?s biotechnology campus in Waterford, Ireland.

Merck has agreed in principle to pay $688 million to settle two federal securities class-action lawsuits involving the company's anticholesterol drugs Vytorin and Zocor, thereby avoiding trial.

Mylan has entered into a definitive agreement with Biocon Limited for an exclusive collaboration on the development and commercialization of generic versions of three insulin analog products.

A roundup of additional company and people news from pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, their suppliers, and contract-service providers.

The biopharmaceutical company lycera has announced a collaboration agreement with Merck, Sharpe & Dohme (MSD) that will focus on developing and commercializing small-molecule therapies for treating a range of autoimmune diseases.

Eli Lilly and Co. announced that it will discontinue its Phase III rheumatoid arthritis program for tabalumab, an anti-BAFF (B cell activating factor) monoclonal antibody, because of lack of efficacy.

An international consortium of pharmaceutical companies, academia, research organisations and other related entities have launched a new platform to help enhance drug discovery in Europe.