Pharmaceutical Technology-10-03-2006

As single-enantiomer drugs dominate the pharmaceutical market (1), custom manufacturers and technology providers are developing novel routes using biocatalysis and chemocatalysis, alone and combined, to improve enantioselectivity, yield, reaction conditions, and the economics of manufacture.

Merck's new supply strategy involves combining internal and external manufacturing.

The specialty excipients market in the United States, Western Europe, and China is valued at nearly $800 million. The authors discuss the opportunities and challenges in these markets by examining the product mix, supply base, and preferred production methods.

Biologics are forecast to account for roughly 60% of revenue growth through 2010 for Big Pharma as growth in small molecules slows. The author analyzes the factors driving demand and how the technology life cycles of these two sectors will affect market potential.

Increasing costs for Indian-based CMOs may be reducing their total cost of ownership advantage.

Single-enantiomer drugs account for nearly 40% of the global pharmaceutical market. The author analyzes the current market for single-enantiomer drugs, their role as a generic drug defense strategy, and forecasts for growth.

As the pharmaceutical industry gathers for the 2006 installment of CPhI Worldwide, the annual exhibition of ingredient producers, custom manufacturers, and contract service providers, it faces an expanding number of choices for connecting with suppliers.

The Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT) serves as a link between sourcing and procurement professionals in the pharmaceutical industry and suppliers of pharmaceutical ingredients.