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

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Ashland expands R&D centre

Ashland plans to expand its formulation development and GMP contract manufacturing services for solid dispersions and oral solid dosages at its pharmaceutical R&D centre in Wilmington, DE. The expansion, which aims to support early-stage clinical trials, will include spray drying and extrusion processes previously located in Columbia, MD. Ashland said it wool relocate approximately 20 positions from Columbia to Wilmington as a result of the expansion, which is expected to be operational by summer 2014.
Manufacturing Chemist

Strong sales at Siegfried

Siegfried has reported a 12% rise in sales to CHF367.8m for the 2012 financial year. During 2012 Siegfried opened a high potency drug production suite in Zofingen, Switzerland, made progress with plans to modernise its production facility. The company plans to start construction of a production plant in Nantong, China, during 2013.
Siegfried

DSM Pharmaceutical Products has signed a three-year master supply agreement to produce sterile products at its Greenville, NC, site for Eisai


Chemanager

SAFC is adding large-scale production of bulk dry power media and reagents at its manufacturing plant in Irvine, Scotland


Outsourcing Pharma

Ajinomoto has entered the biopharmaceutical development and contract manufacturing arena by acquiring Althea Technologies for $175m


Wall Street Journal

Monday 4 March 2013

Revenues fall at Codexis

Codexis reported a 29% fall in revenues in 2012 to $88.3m, which it attributed primarily to the termination of its research agreement with Shell. Additionally, product revenues fell 27% to $35.9m primarily due to the timing of orders from innovator pharmaceutical customers. Codexis said it expects to generate royalty revenues and receive a milestone payment in 2013 from its support of the development of argatroban injection for Exela Pharma Sciences partnership with Hikma Pharmaceuticals.
Seeking Alpha

The US FDA has issues a warning letter Jubilant HollisterStier for violation of cGMP practices at its Kirkland, Quebec, Canada, facility


Hindu Business Line

Genmab finally sells facility

Genmab will sell its non-plasma-derived antibody manufacturing facility, in Brooklyn Park, MN, to Baxter Healthcare for $10m. Baxter will also offer employment to Genmab's employees at the site. Genmab has been trying to sell the facility for a number of years and had written off the value to zero.
Genmab

Construction has not yet started on the construction of Lonza's Ketlaphela joint venture facility in South Africa due to issues with funding and competitiveness


In-pharma Technologist

Viropro will manufacture six monoclonal antibody products being developed by Oncobiologics


Pharmaceutical Business Review

Evonik's owners have revived plans to list the company in an IPO


Reuters