Formulation and Drug Delivery

In partnership with Indian pharmaceutical firm, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk has expanded an insulin manufacturing facility at Torrent’s Indrad, Gujarat, India site.

The companies will co-develop and co-commercialize the lead candidate generated from their earlier collaboration to treat genetic blood disorders.

The agency has approved Nucala (mepolizumab) to treat Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA) to GlaxoSmithKline. This indication is the first FDA-approved therapy specifically to treat EGPA.

The new 30,000-L, $150-million biologics manufacturing facility in Wuxi, China, quintuples the company’s existing manufacturing capability.

Gilead Sciences will acquire Cell Design Labs to further cell-therapy research and development efforts.

The company is expanding its 380,000-square-feet Molex Little Rock facility to include a FDA-registered manufacturing center of excellence for connected health and drug-delivery devices.

Orbis Biosciences’ Optimµm Platform delivers microparticulate dosage forms with controlled-release and taste-masked properties in a single manufacturing step.

Biopharma majors are among the industry stakeholders who have commented and raised questions about FDA’s recently proposed draft guidance for analytical assessment of similarity in biosimilars.

Aero Pump’s preservative-free Multidose Eye Dropper System with SideActuationDevice received the CPhI Pharma Award for Excellence in Pharma: Packaging.

FDA has approved Mylan’s biosimilar to Roche’s blockbuster anti-cancer biologic, Herceptin.

The European Commission’s effort to relax supplementary protection certificates to help generic-drug makers and biosimilars producers has sparked strong opposition from the research-based pharmaceutical sector.

Softgel capsules are a popular dosage form among patients but they also provide a number of manufacturing benefits over liquid-filled hardgel capsules.

Modified-release lipid-based formulations in softgel capsules can address physiochemical and pharmacokinetic challenges posed by drug compounds.

Attracting and retaining qualified bio/pharma experts demands a mix of recognition, rewards, and opportunities.

Is pharma up to the task of developing knowledgeable, motivated employees?

Amid business and regulatory uncertainty, bio/pharma experts reveal opinions on salary, recognition, and training.

Medherant has developed an improved instrument for testing drug release from transdermal patches.

Biocad and Sothema Labs have partnered to release cancer-treating biosimilars into the North African market.

Binding Site has introduced a number of new monoclonal antibodies targeting infectious diseases, including cytomegalovirus, hepatitis (A, B, C, and D), herpes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), rubella, and toxoplasma.

The acquisition gives GE Healthcare access to a nanofiber-based platform purification technology that can offer improvements in biopharmaceutical productivity.

In the wake of generic-drug pricing pressure and declining revenues, Teva has restructured its commercial business and made executive leadership changes.

Ontruzant is the first biosimilar of Roche’s Herceptin (trastuzumab) to be approved in Europe.

The agency has approved a biologic-based new molecular entity for treating hemophilia A and has expanded the indication for a leukemia drug to now treat a common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

As part of the deal, J&J’s Janssen will pay an upfront payment of $50 million to research, develop, and commercialize up to six bispecific antibodies.

The company’s new modules offer scalable single-pass diafiltration and were exclusively showcased during its Leadership Forum series in Westborough, MA.

The use of therapeutic vaccines presents a new way to manage diseases, such as cancer and sexually transmitted diseases.

Challenge trials may increase in coming years as new and improved challenge agents better emulate “natural” disease states.

Despite the challenges and high cost of development, vaccine innovation is at an all-time high, as new approaches aim to improve global access.

This article explores some of the challenges, services, and technologies that go into ensuring that vaccines are properly temperature controlled and maintain product integrity for delivery to patients.

The use of approved platform technologies can reduce the time and cost required to generate new vaccines.