Bio/Pharma Business

The days of a 'job for life' at a Big Pharma company seem to be well behind us, whether we're at the bench or in the boardroom, but that doesn't mean we should view the employment landscape with trepidation.

...some companies complained that what they received was not joint advice or combined advice but parallel advice, without coherence...

Pharmaceuticals used to be such a simple business when everyone knew their place.

Survey results indicate a healthy market, but increasing competition.

Drugmakers seeking to block the activity of a protein may have a new strategy at their disposal.

Scientists are uncovering signaling systems that operate via cannabinoid messenger molecules.

According to the latest figures from IMS Health, Inc., Japan's pharmaceutical market is expected to grow 1–2% this year compared to global industry growth expectations of 5–6%.

Antibodies are highly specific molecules that can be tailored to recognize almost any stretch of peptide that nature can conjure: a feature that has been exploited for years now to produce therapeutic antibodies.

The pharmaceutical industry plans moderate increases in spending for equipment and machinery in 2008. Investments include equipment for solid-dosage manufacturing, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and parenteral manufacturing.

New research and ideas for March 2008

Text sirtuins are the new kinases, according to a presentation given last month at the JP Healthcare Investors Conference in San Francisco by Sirtis CEO Christoph Westphal.

Nearly 1300 pharmaceutical employees provide insights into the issues most relevant to their jobs and the state of the industry workforce today.

An industry survey finds that pharma's outsourcing practices keep the industry from reaping the full benefits of outsourcing.

An industry survey finds that pharma's outsourcing practices keep the industry from reaping the full benefits of outsourcing.

While some companies float with the tide, others grab market share while business is good.

Cambridge, MA (June 7)-Genzyme Corp. is growing, with a new biomanufacturing plant planned and other expansions nearing completion.

While some companies float with the tide, others grab market share while business is good.

Cambridge, MA (May 30)-Genzyme agreed to buy its US partner Bioenvision (New York) in an all-cash transaction worth $345 million.

Preferred models for clinical and nonclinical services move in opposite directions.

Trenton, NJ (May 18)-Pharmaceutical and medical technology companies in New Jersey have found a striking disparity between six high-demand occupations and the number of qualified workers to fill those positions, according to a report issued by the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey.

Mumbai, India (May 21)-Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and its subsidiaries signed definitive agreements to acquire Taro Pharmaceutical Industries, a generics manufacturer with subsidiaries and manufacturing operations in the United States, Canada, and Israel.

Darmstadt, Germany (May 13)-Mylan Laboratories Inc. and Merck KGaA have signed a share purchase agreement under which Mylan will acquire all of Merck's worldwide operations within Merck Generics, the company?s generics business.

Boston, MA (May 8)-The global biotechnology industry showed several positive signs in 2006, including increases in overall revenues and financing, although the industry as a whole continues to operate at a loss, according to Ernst & Young's annual analysis of the biotechnology industry.

Devens, MA, Montes Claros, Brazil, and Florence, SC (May 2)-Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Novo Nordisk A/S, and Roche provided updates to their companies? respective manufacturing expansions.

London (Apr. 23)-AstraZeneca PLC agreed to acquire MedImmune, Inc. for approximately $15.6 billion. The deal is expected to close in June 2007.

Interphex2007, New York, NY (Apr. 25)-The future of the life science industry lies in biotechnology, and the industry is set to see more heated debates on healthcare and drug safety, according to G. Steven Burrill, chief executive officer of Burrill & Company, who presented today?s keynote address, "The Future of the Life Science Industry."

Interphex2007, New York, NY (Apr. 24)?Reflecting the advances of the pharmaceutical industry as a whole and the success of individual companies in the growth of the pharmaceutical industry, Bill Cook, founder and CEO of Cook Group Inc. in a keynote address at Interphex2007 described the benefits of keeping a company private and touched on the future of medical devices.

Toronto (Apr. 17)-Patheon, Inc. plans to restructure its current network of six pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in southern Ontario, Canada as part of its strategy to focus on manufacturing prescription pharmaceutical products and to improve its profitability.

Chalfont St. Giles, UK (Apr. 16)-GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric, acquired Wave Biotech LLC, a supplier of disposable manufacturing technologies and processing equipment for the biopharmaceutical industry.

Forty years ago, investors and business speculators shuddered at the prospect of working with India's pharmaceutical industry. The industry was plagued by archaic patent laws and insufficient infrastructure, and only multinational companies (MNCs) were able to exploit its crude resources and monopolistic legal framework. Struggling in the shadows of these MNCs were the Indian pharmaceutical entrepreneurs and a handful of producers. Because more than 70% of the pharmaceutical market value was in the hands of MNCs, India's indigenous pharmaceutical industry was floundering. Its amount of exports was negligible, and the domestic market outlook was bleak because of onerous government regulation.