PharmTech's monthly newsletter, reviews the Editor's Picks for the May 2008 edition: Watson-Marlow Flexicon and HealthStar

Controlling modular, self-contained process skids (known as plug-and-play components) with an automation system can increase a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility?s flexibility.

Manufacturers in the life sciences are increasingly implementing wireless technologies to reduce the overall cost of compliance.

Also, Quintiles Transnational to acquire Eidetics, ChemAxon appoints Alex Drijver CEO, more...

Once again, the US Food and Drug Administration is under fire for not doing its job. This time the issue is direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising.

Eli Lilly completed the final and largest phase of a major biotechnology expansion in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Researchers at the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute (ISI) demonstrated a way to manufacture miniscule containers called voxels that could potentially deliver precise microdoses or even nanodoses of drugs.

To establish user fees for the 2009 fiscal year, the US Food and Drug Administration is asking pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide a list of products and finished-dose manufacturing facilities subject to such fees by June 16, 2008.

Increased investment by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology majors in offshore early drug development creates opportunities and challenges for outsourcing.

Congressional hearings were held last week on the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act discussion draft.

The European community and European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) held its first call for proposals for its five-year, €2 billion ($3.1 billion) initiative to boost biomedical innovation.

Also, FDA removes OAI status for Watson's Florida facility, executive management changes as GSK, more...

Polyplus-transfection, a company that researches, develops, and commercializes drug-delivery solutions for biomolecules, created a new technology designed to enhance in vivo delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) when they are associated with a cationic polymer.

To keep pace with proposed increases in the number of manufacturing inspections, the US Food and Drug Administration's Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) has announced it will increase laboratory capacity and staff.

Merck and Company?s West Point, Pennsylvania facility received a Warning Letter from the US Food and Drug Administration.

Scientists are giving up on a preventive vaccine for AIDS, but there are lessons to be learned.

With counterfeiting on the rise and Europeans worried their backyard is becoming a base for such illegal activity, legislators have proposed a series of solutions that span the continent and abroad.

Getting IT, engineering, and manufacturing on the same page requires a delicate balance.

Florida is making its case for pharmaceutical and biotechnology research and development.

An authoritative book helps drug developers face one of their toughest problems.

The less complex nature of excipient manufacturers, as compared with API manufactures, carries many benefits.

Brief pharmaceutical news items for May 2008.

WFI system deficiencies and damp tax records cause problems for two plants

According to the latest figures from IMS Health, Inc., Japan's pharmaceutical market is expected to grow 1–2% this year compared to global industry growth expectations of 5–6%.

One of the headlines before going to print was 'Pfizer earnings suffer as patent expiries cause damage'. This US pharma giant has reported a net income decline of 18% for the first quarter, despite the positive impact of the favourable currency rates.

Congress is taking on the issue of inspection of foreign drug-manufacturing facilities as it began hearings on a discussion draft of the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2008.

US Food and Drug Administration leaders issued another cry for help last week. Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Director Janet Woodcock testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee at an April 24 hearing, "Restoring FDA's Ability to Keep America's Families Safe."

Also, Genzyme to build R&D center in Beijing, Noven Pharmaceuticals appoints Peter C. Brandt president and CEO, more...