Formulation and Drug Delivery

BMS, Sanofi-Aventis Settle Over Generic Plavix

Chiron Withdraws Measles Vaccine

GSK Loses Bid to Block Generic "Flonase"

Development Begins on Mutated H5N1 Virus Vaccine

Novavax, Bharat Biotech Team for Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Development

Polymorph farming on a chip is a promising strategy for rapid polymorph discovery by transforming crystallization?crystal isolation?characterization into one time-efficient step.

A modified modular high-pressure system can form nanosuspensions of model compounds by individually controlling cavitation, impact, and shear forces.

Quantitative data from the literature show strong relationships among average particle size, powder densification, tensile strength, and hardness.

Letter to the Editor: Glen Jon Smith

Transdermal matrix-type patches of Nefopam hydrochloride with a combination of pressure-sensitive adhesives were developed. The polymeric composition provided a controlled and sustained release of the drug from the patches and demonstrated favorable physicochemical characteristics.

GSK Gains Approval for Rotavirus Vaccine in Infants; FDA Review Extended for Merck’s Shingles Vaccine

Human plasma provides a rich source of therapeutic medicines, including gamma globulins, coagulation factors, albumin, alpha anti-trypsin and others. In 2001, sales of immuno gamma-globulin (IgG) were estimated at $2 billion with a production rate of 50 metric tons for the year.1 A number of therapeutic products have been introduced including Gammimune from Bayer, RhoPhylac from ZLB Behring and Octagam from Octapharma.

FDA Recommends Changes for 2006-2007 Flu Vaccine

Baxter Wins Contract to Develop Cell-Based H5N1 Vaccine

Scientists working at the Scripps Institute have re-engineered an antibiotic drug at the molecular level...

Cambrex (East Rutherford, NJ) to produce Geron (Menlo Park, CA) telomerase anti-cancer vaccine. Generex (Toronto, ON.) files IND for synthetic vaccine to stimulate cell-mediated immunity to avian influenza. Dow Agrosciences (Indianapolis, IN) wins USDA approval for veterinary vaccine, the first manufactured via plant cell culture. G-8 nations pledge billons for vaccine production.

Merck wins approval for rotavirus vaccine as Sanofi ships investigational H5N1 vaccine to NIH and CDC explores new flue diagnostics and novel vaccine-production technology.

Dow AgroSciences Receives Regulatory Approval for Plant-Made Vaccine

The authors present an overview of various processes for producing nanoparticles and commercial nanoparticle technologies involved in the delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Cell-Grown Vaccine Protects Against Avian Flu Virus

Although physicochemical preformulation screening is practised universally within the pharmaceutical industry, physicomechanical screening is applied to a lesser extent and often only where a problem exists.

Chewing gum is being developed by Generex as an alternative buccal drug delivery method of metformin for treating diabetes. Results from a small clinical trial, which compared pharmacokinetic profiles of metformin gum with its traditional tablet form, suggest that the gum could additionally avoid the significant adverse gastrointestinal side-effects, including diarrhoea and nausea/vomiting, often accompanying the use of metformin tablets. Given that approximately 30% of metformin users experience such unwanted effects, the gum version could improve patient compliance.

Though dissolution testing has been under scrutiny, it is still a powerful test method.

This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using solid-state NMR spectroscopy for the analysis of pharmaceutical solids.

Sanofi Pasteur and BD Team Up to Produce Microneedle Vaccines