Top Stories News

Baxter International has completed the acquisition of Baxa Corporation for a cash consideration of $380 million.

Teva is to make 1,000 of its employees redundant following its acquisition of US-based Cephalon last month.

Ablynx and Merck Serono have entered into a third agreement to co-discover and co-develop Nanobodies against two targets in osteoarthritis.

Salix Pharmaceuticals is paying $300 million in cash to acquire Oceana Therapeutics, a provider of gastroenterology and urology therapeutics.

Pfizer decides to keep on 650 staff at its R&D centre in Kent, UK, following an announcement to close the facility earlier this year.

Bayer Healthcare's anti-clotting drug Xarelto has won FDA approval to treat stroke in people with an abnormal heart rhythm.

DKSH has signed a global exclusive agreement to distribute Hanseo Chemical's glycerophosphatidylcholin.

The partnership aims to develop next-generation predictive human disease models as they occur in patient tumors.

The two companies have announced an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement to advance the research, development, manufacture and commercialization of novel medicines to treat influenza infection.

Over the past 12 months, the US FDA approved 35 new medicines and 24 of the approvals occurred in the US.

India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry has called for suggestions from all the Indian pharma companies to boost the African markets.

Under the terms of the agreement, ASLAN will run and fund development of BMS-777607 under a pre-agreed development program that will initially target gastric cancer and lung cancer.

PGT Healthcare, as the new JV will be called, is expected to realize $4 billion in annual sales by the end of the decade.

A research firm says Sanofi will retain the top spot until at least 2016, with Pfizer dropping to third place, behind Novartis.

Following the acquisition of the Resomer business from Boehringer Ingelheim in March, Evonik is now strengthening its formulation services business for pharmaceutical applications and further developing its healthcare business.

French drugmaker Sanofi said Wednesday that it's reorganizing research operations in the U.S..

Baxter leads public-company drugmakers in Newsweek's annual top 500 global sustainability ratings.

Lonza will perform process development and cGMP manufacturing for the naked antibody in its UK facility.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals announced Tuesday its collaboration with GSK focused on Alnylam's VaxiRNA technology for certain GSK vaccine products.

Quintiles, a biopharmaceutical services company, has agreed to acquire Advion BioServices, a US-based bioanalytical laboratory.

UK's Cobra Biologics acquires Unitech Pharma Group and its bioproduction facility in Sweden.

Roche has made a deal involving China's state-owned BioBay and Harvard University to advance new drugs against cancer and other diseases.

Major causes of drug shortages are said to be quality or manufacturing problems, or delays in receiving components from suppliers.

Pfizer has completed its acquisition of Icagen. Icagen is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pfizer.

The system will provide not only increased vaccine production capacity but also improved epidemic monitoring and additional R&D.

GlaxoSmithKline and the University of Edinburgh collaborate to discover and develop medicines against severe acute pancreatitis.

The companies have signed a licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of the REYATAZ and cobicistat fixed-dose combination.

Eli Lilly has decided to withdraw the product from the market worldwide due to lack of efficacy.

Robinson Brothers Limited has announced details of major investments at its two UK sites, aimed at increasing the company’s capacity at the research and development end of the manufacturing scale.

Designed for use in the production of biopharmaceuticals, the new CHOZN GS-/- cell line is the first commercially available glutamine synthetase (GS) knockout CHO cell line proven to shorten bioproduction times in early development, enabling customers...

Endeavour Speciality Chemicals has announced that it has successfully bid for funding under the Carbon Trust sponsored “Polymer Fuel Cells Challenge” (PFCC) as part of a consortium that also includes ESC’s parent company, Robinson Brothe...

As a widely accepted industry benchmark for handling highly potent pharmaceuticals, the SafeBridge program assessment focuses on four primary areas: management; hazard identification and evaluation; hazard controls; and communication, education and tra...

Informex has announced details of the Global Pharma Sourcing Conference to be held December 6-7, 2011 at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The two Shanghai-based firms provide services spanning regulatory affairs, Phase I–IV clinical trials management, and clinical trial site management, throughout most of China.

Endeavour Speciality Chemicals announces the launch of new additions to its range of reactive intermediates which includes a set of novel carboxylic acid anhydrides.

UBM Live is excited to announce that CPHI Worldwide will once again be hosted in Madrid, Spain for 2012 running from Oct. 9-11 at the Feria de Madrid.

Aesica and Noramco have formed a partnership that has involved a technical transfer of a process for the manufacture of codeine phosphate from a unique, patented poppy supplied by Noramco’s sister company, Tasmanian Alkaloids, allowing for the con...

Latvian Virotherapy Center has in-troduced a treatment for oncological diseases with virotherapy medication Rigvir, an antitumour medication of viral origin.

The globalization of the pharmaceutical industry has made it difficult to send inspectors on-site. All the same, 'senior management has to own up to supply chain oversights'.

ICSE USA will join the established global roaster of ICSE events, which focus on the pharmaceutical contract services and outsourcing sectors, and will run from May 22-23, 2012 at the Pennsylvania Convention Centre in Philadelphia.

According to the partnership, Gilead will pay GlobeImmune an upfront payment and provide support for GlobeImmune's continued development of its HBV therapeutic vaccine program through Phase 1a clinical trials.

Under Mr. Meeker’s leadership, Genzyme will incorporate the Rare Disease business and the Multiple Sclerosis franchise.

The programme will strengthen the pharmaceutical distribution and improve health service status in the country.

The FDA has approved generic olanzapine tablets and generic olanzapine orally disintegrating tablets to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Under the agreement, MSD will invest over USD $250 million over the next ten years in site improvements at its manufacturing facilities in Singapore.

Syntaxin will be responsible for the discovery of new therapeutic candidates and Ipsen will apply its pharmacological, preclinical and clinical assessments of the discovered compounds.

Prasco Laboratories and Eli Lilly have signed a marketing and distribution agreement for two generic products in the U.S. market.

Evotec and Apeiron Biologics have entered into a discovery project on the Cbl-b target for an anti-tumor immune therapy.

Abbott plans to separate into two companies, one in diversified medical products and the other in research-based pharmaceuticals.

SomaLogic has signed a multi-year research agreement with Novartis to use its proteomics technology to accelerate Novartis' drug discovery.

A 30-year veteran of the fine chemicals industry has launched his own business, with a new model.

Under the partnership, the two companies will advance the research, development and commercialization of three drug candidates.

Under the agreement, Jubilant will deliver preclinical candidates and Norgine will have rights to further development and commercialization of treatments in the area of gastrointestinal disease.

A WHO report says one-third of the 108 countries, where malaria was endemic, were on course to eradicate the disease within ten years.

Roche is to acquire Anadys Pharmaceuticals for $230 million in cash to strenthen its HCV portfolio.

ICON has named new president of DOCS, the company's global resourcing division.

The two companies have inked a deal for the clinical development and commercialization of two clinical-stage oncology compounds.

China's CRO WuXi PharmaTech has announced its acquisition of research reagents manufacturer Abgent.

Acino said last week that it agreed to buy the Middle Eastern and African business of Cephalon for 60 million euros in cash and 20 million euros of new shares.

The CPHI, ICSE & BioPh China 2011 and P-MEC China 2011 were held in Shanghai from June 21, 2011 to June 23, 2011. During the exhibition, “CPHI-Online” had an interview with Ms. Li Fang, Manager of Trade Dept., Jiangsu Huanghe Medical Co., Ltd...

The CPHI, ICSE & BioPh China 2011 and P-MEC China 2011 were held in Shanghai from June 21, 2011 to June 23, 2011. During the exhibition, “CPHI-Online” had an interview with Ms. Cindy Zhao, President of J&K Group.

The partnership will bring researchers and health care experts to study key issues and deliver interventions to reduce inefficiencies in the management of chronic conditions.

With this approval from the European Commission, the two companies have now obtained all regulatory approvals required to close the transaction.

The two companies will jointly analyze patient genomes to search for sequence variants that would be useful for understanding drug targets and discovering novel drug targets.

Canadian pharmaceutical firm Paladin Labs completes the acquisition of drug developer Labopharm. The acquisition will help them build upon their existing operational capabilities.

The potential value of the agreement for GlycoMimetics is approximately $340 million, including an upfront payment as well as development, regulatory and commercial milestones.

The collaboration is established for a two-year pilot initiative to strengthen community based prevention, care and control of tuberculosis including co-infection with HIV in five African countries.

World Arthritis Day is held each year on 12 October. To date, 18 medicines for patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been authorised on the recommendation of the Agency.

The two countries will cooperate in several fields to improve the quality of medicines in their respective countries.

German biotech company Apceth has extended its top management after Prof. Ralf Huss, previously Global Head of the Therapeutic Cell Initiative at Roche, joined the management board of apceth on October 1st.

The new site will produce both intravenous and oral solid medicines and will enable AstraZeneca to meet the growing demand for its products in the country.

The decision of the job cuts comes as AstraZeneca faces increasing pressure from generics as the company approaches a 2016 patent cliff.

French biotech company Exonhit will work with Pfizer for the identification of new Alzheimer's disease biomarkers.

Sanofi and its subsidiary Genzyme have announced the results of the pivotal Phase III TEMSO study with investigational once-daily oral medication teriflunomide.

Pfizer plans to build a major new pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging plant in Saudi Arabia.

The investment up to $35 million over the next five years will support programmes to rectify drug development and manufacturing problems to improve drug manufacturing standards in the US.

The UK Department of Health will commission expert assessments of the evidence on the use of off-label medicines for patients with rare diseases.

The collaboration will strengthen the relation between India and Russia at the educational level along with raising the competitiveness of the industry by stimulating the production of innovative medicines.

Pharmaceutical Product Development is to be bought by US private equity firms The Carlyle Group and Hellman & Friedman for US$3.9bn in cash.

Puma Biotechnology will assume sole responsibility for global development and commercialization of neratinib which is being studied for the treatment of cancer.

Merck & Co.'s former CEO, Richard T. Clark, is retiring as chairman effective December 1st.

Evotec AG has entered into a multi-target drug discovery collaboration with UCB in the field of immunology.

Osaka-based Takeda hopes the addition of the Swiss firm will boost Takeda's sales by approximately 30% and move the company to 12th in the pharmaceutical sales table.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals has completed enrollment for a Phase II clinical trial of its experimental cancer drug Archexin.

Evotec has agreed to acquire the remaining 30% of its Joint Venture with DIL Ltd., India for $2.3 million.

Japanese drugmaker Santen Pharmaceutical said on Wednesday it has agreed to buy 50.55 percent of French biopharma Novagali.

Helsinn Healthcare and Riemser Arzneimittel signed an agreement to grant marketing rights in Germany to Riemser for a next-generation treatment in development for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

The collaboration aims to develop new, robust and reproducible biochemical assays for the analysis of the biological activity of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.

Pharmaceutical wholesaler AmerisourceBergen has agreed to buy TheraCom, a subsidiary of CVS Caremark, for $250 million.

Finnish biotech Biotie Therapies will purchase Italian biopharmaceutical firm Newron Pharmaceuticals for €45m.

Lonza has entered into a strategic alliance with Australia-based Mesoblast for the production of Mesoblast's adult stem cell therapies.

PCCA President urges member pharmacists to continue their efforts to reduce the growing issue of drug shortages.

Six drugs are currently in development at the facility, including Merck's candidate drug for the treatment of hepatitis C and a dual high cholesterol/type II diabetes medication.

The South Korean biotech forms a partnership with Mayo Clinic to focus on research into chemical compounds that target a type of protein known as TDP-43.

Loxbridge Research signed a joint venture agreement to form Altermune Technologies to develop new therapeutics targeting combat resistant pathogens.

New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb has inked an agreement with Ambrx to research, develop and commercialize biologics based on Ambrx's research surrounding the Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 protein and the Relaxin hormone.

This will be the second auditing and inspection of manufacturing facilities in China. The CDSCO delegation inspected five manufacturing sites in China in May which have been found to be in good condition.

The partnership will initially focus on diabetes - a core business area in which Lilly has deep expertise.

Ono Pharmaceutical, based in Osaka, has granted BMS exclusive rights to develop and sell the potential cancer treatment worldwide except in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Sanofi Pasteur has announced a research and development collaboration with the University of California on an immunological approach to acne prevention and treatment.

The 12 New Drug Advisory Committees will advise the Drugs Controller General of India in matters for review of applications of new drugs and clinical trials.

To date, a total 11 medicines for use in patients with Alzheimer's disease have been authorised in the EU on the recommendation of the EMA.

Some state-funded hospitals in Italy and Portugal are also failing to pay their bills, and Roche has warned that drug deliveries may also be halted in Spain for the same reason.

Teva will initially invest $7.5 million in CDI for the development of an antiviral drug targeting the polymerase enzyme of the hepatitis C virus.

Chesapeake Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Packaging has agreed to buy Cortegra Group, a US-based contract producer of packaging and leaflets.

GSK has formed a five-year partnership with Formula 1 team McLaren to drive its manufacturing operations and research.

The programme, known as Changing Diabetes in Children, aims to reach over 2500 kids with type I diabetes from underprivileged families over the next two years.

Biotechnology firm Genentech has submitted a NDA for vismodegib to the FDA for the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinoma.

Frontage will provide bioanalytical method development and sample processing, formulation development and clinical trial product supplies for Spaulding.

The two companies have signed an exclusive licence agreement for the development and commercialization of a tumours treatment currently in Phase I development.

The joint venture, named Aurospharma, will include a manufacturing facility near Moscow, due to be completed in 2013.

Under the agreement, Ark will provide manufacturing and related services to support the development of PsiOxus’ ColoAd1 programme for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals signs an R&D collaboration deal with Numab for the discovery of antibodies using the latter's high-affinity antibody technology.

Cuban medical authorities have launched the distribution of CimaVax-EGF, the world's first lung cancer vaccine, in Cuban hospitals free of charge.

This study will examine the effectiveness of HA-Irinotecan, which utilizes Alchemia's technology to target the anti-cancer drug irinotecan to the tumor.

Researchers has identified a gene responsible for chronic back pain.

Esbriet will be commercially available in Europe for the first time since it was approved by the European Commission in adults for the treatment of mild to moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Bristol-Myers Squibb has completed its previously announced acquisition of small-molecule pharmaceutical company Amira Pharmaceuticals.

GlaxoSmithKline will receive $94m from the US Department of Health and Human Services for a promising new antibiotic research and testing.

The new programme will provide a boost to bringing research results rapidly to market, according to Germany Trade & Invest.