Manufacturing

Signaling its interest to strengthen its presence in emerging markets, Abbott (Abbott Park, IL) has agreed to acquire Piramal Healthcare Ltd.'s (Mumbai, India) Piramal Healthcare Solutions business (domestic formulations) for $3.72 billion.

More acquisitions are expected as the patent cliff pushes the pharma industry into a critical phase, with many executives believing that the industry will be unable to innovate sufficiently from within to replace blockbuster drugs.

Lonza Acquires MODA; Sigma-Aldrich Exec to Retire; And More.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) published its "Ten Principles on Counterfeit Medicines" last week to draw public attention to the issue.

Pfizer (New York) announced this week plans to reconfigure its global manufacturing network as part of its integration following its $68-billion acquisition of Wyeth (Madison, NJ) in 2009.

Life-sciences companies spend proportionally more resources on information technology and get less in return on their investment than companies in other industries. The poor return on investment partly results from regulatory costs that are unique to the pharmaceutical industry, but also stems from a failure to manage data strategically.

Online process monitoring could help companies achieve the dual goals of ensuring high end-product quality and satisfying regulatory demands.

PharmTech's monthly newsletter, Equipment and Processing Report, reviews the Editor's Picks for the May 2010 edition from ATMI and SciLog.

Effective May 1, 2010, the US Pharmacopeia has revised its Pending Monographs Guideline to clarify that excipients are eligible for pending-monograph status and can ultimately be included in an official National Formulary (NF) monograph.

In an effort to standardize quality agreements for active pharmaceutical ingredients in the drug industry, the Bulk Pharmaceuticals Task Force, an affiliate of the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, has developed a template to help manufacturers and customers comply with US regulatory requirements in a simplified manner.

Week Of May 10, 2010: Company And People Notes: Ariad and Merck Restructure Collaboration; Genzyme Changes Leadership; and More

In response to stringent price cuts introduced in Spain, the European Generics Association (EGA) is urging the Spanish government to adopt mechanisms that will help increase the dispensing of generic medicines.

The biotechnology markets in the United States, Europe, and Canada, and Australia reached aggregate profitability in 2009, according to Ernst & Young.

The US Food and Drug Administration sent a letter to trade associations of manufacturers, wholesalers, and pharmacies to recommend procedures for preventing and responding to the theft of regulated products.

The year 2016 will see Pfizer barely continue to cling to first place on the Top 10 pharma list, with Merck & Co. and Novartis not far behind.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare is voluntarily recalling all lots that have not yet expired of certain over-the-counter children's and infants' liquid products.

FDA Approves AstraZeneca's and Pozen's Vimovo; Merck Announces Management Changes; And More.

Eli Lilly faces up to the new realities of the bio/pharmaceutical industry through outsourcing.

Defining the Next Five Years.

Manufacturers will pay new fees but anticipate expanded drug use and safeguards for innovation.

A method for determining sample size is finally getting some respect.

FDA wants industry to talk to them about the science underlying process innovations-really.

In this case study of amines, the authors discuss several parameters to be considered in developing a headspace GC method.

Eli Lilly faces up to the new realities of the bio/pharmaceutical industry through outsourcing.

The growth of Brazil's generic-drug market is on a fast track, but what are the projections for the sector's future?

A book helps statistics novices prepare to comply with the US Food and Drug Administration's draft guidance on process validation.

A Pharma Business Imperative.

Editors' Picks of pharmaceutical science and technology innovations

Agreement on standards for excipient qualification, development, and fair pricing is underway.

A modular approach to biopharmaceutical production could bring process flexibility, and contract manufacturing organizations are beginning to take notice.