Jennifer Markarian

Rollprint Packaging Products’ new, patent-pending, color-changing sealant technology is appropriately named Chameleon; it enhances product security with a color change indicating that a pouch or tray lid has been opened.

Pharmaceutical industry leaders Novartis and Merck-among others-released second-quarter 2012 results showing global sales down in third-quarter 2012, with growth in key pharmaceutical products helping to offset losses due to patent expirations.

The 2012 European Outsourcing Awards-what some call the “Outsourcing Oscars”

Strategic management of intelligent devices is important in any processing field, and a new standards committee at the International Society of Automation aims to provide direction so that manufacturers can better utilize the devices' capabilities.

New US Pharmacopeial Convention standards provide a universal approach to organizing labels for prescription containers dispensed by US pharmacists in an effort to improve patient understanding.

Yesterday, I reported the news that the US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) released new standards for labels on prescription containers dispensed by pharmacists in the US.

Research into hot melt extrusion (HME) as a solution to improve solubility continues to expand with a partnership between Encap Drug Delivery, a contract development and manufacturing organization in the UK, and the School of Pharmacy at the Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), announced in a press release this week.

Merck has announced plans to close its headquarters in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, and relocate to its existing facility in Summit, New Jersey, beginning in 2014.

Foaming can be used to improve processing in the extruder without the use of a plasticizer, facilitate milling, increase dissolution rates, and produce novel dosage forms.

It is amazing what the human nose knows.

Teva announced an agreement in which Bayer HealthCare will acquire the US-based animal health business of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries for up to $145 million. The transaction is expected to close in 2013, subject to antitrust clearance and other conditions.

Researchers are trying to find better, cheaper ways to produce biodegradable and bio-based polymers.

Pfizer and Mylan have agreed on terms by which Mylan may launch its generic version of Pfizer's Detrol LA (tolterodine tartrate) extended-release capsules, pending final approval by FDA.

The International Society of Automation’s (ISA’s) 7th Marketing and Sales Summit, held Aug. 15–17, 2012 in Austin, Texas, was themed “New Rules of Customer Engagement: Riding the Winds of Change”, and emphasized the need to adapt to the changing needs, expectations, and behaviors of marketplace decision makers, according to an Aug. 27, 2012 press release.

The Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP), which is managed by the Foundation, desires feedback on proposed research priorities and tasks.

Recycling is becoming a viable option for disposal of single-use systems.

Tufts University research shows that silk protein can be used to stabilize and maintain the potency of vaccines and other drugs that would otherwise need refrigeration.

Zoetis, a subsidiary of Pfizer, filed a registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a potential initial public offering of Class A common stock.

The news that the London 2012 Olympic Games aims to be the first Olympics to be “zero waste to landfill” is an indication of the growing importance of finding new ways to fulfill the old mantra of “reduce, reuse, and recycle”.

Pharmaceutical industry leaders Pfizer, Novartis, Merck, and other companies released second-quarter 2012 results, emphasizing growth of new products and strength in emerging markets.

Continuous manufacturing of amorphous solid dispersions in a twin-screw extruder is well-suited to quality by design processes such as defining design space.

The pharmerging nations are expected to nearly double their spending on medicine by 2016, according to an IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics report, The Global Use of Medicines:

Global spending on medicines is estimated to reach nearly $1.2 trillion by 2016.

ISPE has issued a guidance that is intended to help companies meet cGMP requirements for packaging, labeling, and warehousing facilities and avoid problems such as product adulteration, product mix-up, label mix-up, and misbranding.

Continuous manufacturing is the way of the future for solid-dosage pharmaceuticals, but one of the challenges for implementation is how to define a batch for quality assurance testing.

Industry experts share their insight on solid-dosage and sterile manufacturing.

Developments in hot-melt extrusion using twin-screw extruders to make solid-dosage drug forms.

US court ruled in favor of Teva in its patent-infringement lawsuit against Momenta and Mylan's generic versions of Teva's Copaxone.

Development in hot melt extrusion (HME) using twin-screw extruders to make solid-dosage drug forms has increased significantly in the past decade, although it is still in its infancy, said Charlie Martin, president of the US operations of Leistritz at the recent Pharmaceutical Extrusion Seminar organized by the company.

Time- and cost-savings benefits help drive increased use of single-use, disposable systems in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.