Stephanie Sutton

A UK consortium has completed pilot runs of a pharmaceutical safety programme that uses electronic tracking and authentication to ensure the safety of drugs in the supply chain.

Following a number of serious adverse events, including infections and fatalities, Roche and Biogen Idec have suspended the late-stage development of Ocrelizumab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

A UK consortium completed pilot runs of a pharmaceutical-safety program that uses electronic tracking and authentication to ensure the safety of drugs in the supply chain.

Top pharmaceutical and biotech companies will witness a major slow down in sales growth between 2008 and 2014, according to business analysts Datamonitor.

Top pharmaceutical and biotech companies should expect a major slowdown in sales growth between 2008 and 2014, according to business analysts Datamonitor.

The University of California, San Francisco (CA, USA; UCSF) has signed an agreement with Genentech with the aim of discovering and developing drug candidates for neurodegenerative diseases.

A significant increase in the recruitment of contract staff is expected during the next 12 months in the UK biotechnology sector, according to a survey conducted by SRG, which provides personnel to various science-based sectors.

Eli Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Pfizer have joined together to form the Asian Cancer Research Group (ACRG), a not-for-profit company aimed at accelerating research and improving treatment for patients affected with the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Asia.

A significant increase in the recruitment of contract staff is expected during the next 12 months in the UK biotechnology sector, according to a survey conducted by SRG.

Eli Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Pfizer form the Asian Cancer Research Group, a nonprofit aimed at accelerating research and improving treatment for patients affected with the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Asia.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, Swissmedic, have agreed to exchange information about the authorization and safety of H1N1 pandemic medicines.

A joint investment of approximately 28 million Euros for seven projects hopes to bring personalized medicine closer to reality by developing ways of delivering drugs to specific disease sites within the human body.

The European Medicines Agency and the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, Swissmedic, have agreed to exchange information about the authorization and safety of H1N1 pandemic medicines.

A joint investment of approximately 28 million Euros ($38 million) for seven projects may bring personalized medicine closer to reality by developing ways to deliver drugs to specific disease sites within the body.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has launched a standalone unit that will specialize in the R&D and commercialization of medicines for rare diseases.

Figures published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) relating to centralized procedure activities for human medicines show a significant increase in the number of positive opinions made between 2007 and 2009; however, the majority of approvals are for generic products.

GSK launched a stand-alone unit that will specialize in the R&D and commercialization of medicines for rare diseases.

EMA statistics highlighting centralized-procedure activities for human medicines show a significant increase in positive opinions made between 2007 and 2009.

Capsules that can release their contents at a selected temperature have been developed by researchers in France, and could lead to the development of therapeutic agents that are applied to the skin and triggered locally by rubbing.

A highly functioning New Product Planning (NPP) group is a company's first line of defence against losses caused by products that fail to reach the market, according to research and consulting firm Best Practices LLC.

Pharmaceutical Technology Europe discusses some of the latest challenges and innovations that are expected to define the future of pharma.

Two US senators have introduced the Nanotechnology Safety Act of 2010, which would establish a programme within the FDA to assess the health and safety implications of nanotechnology in everyday products.

The Director General of the European Generic medicines Association (EGA) has reiterated the association?s Vision 2015 plan, which aims to create a globally competitive generic industry, increase patient access to affordable quality medicines and ensure sustainable healthcare in Europe.

The EMA has launched a public consultation on its Road Map to 2015 — a strategic vision that lays out the agency's priorities for the next 5 years.

The Director-General of the European Generic medicines Association has reiterated the group's Vision 2015 plan.

Two US senators have introduced the Nanotechnology Safety Act of 2010, which would establish a program within the US Food and Drug Administration to assess the health and safety implications of nanotechnology in everyday products.

The European Medicines Agency has launched a public consultation on its Road Map to 2015, a strategic vision that lays out the agency's priorities for the next five years.

The EU?s Commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli, has said that he is looking forward to the challenge of integrating the pharmaceutical area into public health as part of his role.

Targeted nanoparticles that can cling to artery walls and slowly release medicine could offer an alternative to drug-releasing stents in some patients with clogged or damaged arteries, according to researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Harvard Medical School.

The EU's Commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli, said that he is looking forward to the challenge of integrating the pharmaceutical area into public health as part of his role.