NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE PHARMACEUTICAL FINE CHEMICAL AND CUSTOM MANUFACTURING SECTOR

Thursday 20 December 2012

UMN Pharma and its subsidiary Unigen will produce a number of biosimilars using Catalent’s GPEx cell lines


Catalent

Sartorius Stedim Biotech will market and sell Lonza’s media and buffers used in the manufacture of protein-based therapeutics and vaccines


GEN

Aesica looks for new API processes

Aesica has partnered with Durham and Leeds Universities to identify and commercialise alternative technologies for API manufacturing processes. The partnership is supported by the METRC Innovation Award that supports new research between universities and companies in the fields of nanotechnology, science and engineering.
Contract Pharma

Ampac revenues rise

Ampac's fine chemical segment reported FY12 revenues of $111.5m up 25% on 2011. The company attributed this improvement to a recovery from a lag in antiviral product sales in 2011 and to growth from existing or new products.
Seeking Alpha

IGIG acquires Tessenderlo sites

International Chemical Investors Group has acquired the pharmaceutical ingredients activities of Tessenderlo. ICIG has acquired the facilities in Calaire, France, and Farchemia, Italy, to International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG), a private industrial holding company for an undisclosed sum.
In-pharma Technologist

Genmab desperate to sell

Genmab has reduced the fair value of the Brooklyn Park, MN, facility it has been trying to sell for the last few years from $58m to zero. The company will now enter into an aggressive sales process with the aim of closing a transaction in Q1 2013.
Pharma Bio Source

Evonik is cutting 45 jobs at its Tippecanoe, IN, laboratories


JC Online

MHRA to seek API details

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will soon contact UK-based marketing authorisation holders to request data on APIs imported into the UK to ensure they are manufactured in accordance with the EU GMP or, if imported into the EU, with equivalent rules. The MHRA recently said that almost 1200 API plants may require inspection to meet the EU rules.
MHRA

Angel Biotechnology's losses for its H1, ended 30 September, rose to £2.86m as revenues fell to £1m


Business 7

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Isochem acquires Wychem

Isochem has acquired kg-scale fine chemical intermediate supplier Wychem. Isochem said the acquisition allows it to offer customers continuity of service and capacities ranging from the kilogram to a hundred metric tons.
Isochem

Dottikon sales and losses increase in H1

Dottikon's first half 2012/13 sales increased 22% to CHF37.7m. However, the company said its production output fell 9% due to unexpected delays in projects and products. Dottikon reported a loss of CHF4.0m for the period.
Dottikon

Carbogen Amcis' Riom, France site for sterile manufacture of fill-finished parenteral drugs was successfully certified by the French Health Agency


Carbogen Amcis

Cadila Healthcare will manufacture intermediates, APIs and finished dosages for some Zambon Group drugs


Financial Express

Kemwell will provide contract manufacturing for Mercury Pharma Group from its facility in Uppsala


MyNewsDesk

AMRI is being sued in Hungary for unpaid lease payments following the closure of its Budapest facility earlier this year


Albany Times Union

Hovione drug solubility collaboration with Solvias

Hovione will combine its drug delivery expertise with Solvias' solid state chemistry capabilities in a collaboration focused on the development and GMP supply of pharmaceutical co-crystals. Hovione will use Solvias’ co-crystallisation expertise and crystal design solutions to overcome poor bioavailability and other drug delivery challenges.
Hovione

Switzerland is the first country to gain acceptance to the EU list of countries with a regulatory framework applicable API manufacture


EU