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Contracting News and Notes, February/March 2009

PharmaManufacturing.com
03/16/2009

PMR Publications is offering a new report, “Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing and API Sourcing in Central and Eastern Europe 2009,” for purchase on its website, www.PMRPublications.com.

Pfizer awarded HD Biosciences, a Shanghai-based biotech company, its 2008 Top Research Service Partner Award. HD performs many R&D services for Pfizer, including plate-based biology and integrated program screening.

Amgen has contracted out its facilities management and signed a $500 million, five-year contract with Jones Lang LaSalle (Chicago, Illinois).

Bayer Schering Pharma, a division of Bayer HealthCare, will build an R&D center in Beijing. The facility, to be built for $129 million over five years, will enable the company to include Asian patients earlier in global drug development studies. "Our goal is to build a world class organization here in Beijing that will lead drug development not only for China but also for other Asian countries," said Kemal Malik, a Bayer Schering Pharma board member.

Gilead senior VP Gregg Alton recently stated that the company is looking for further manufacturing and research partners in India. The company has API manufacturing relationships with 10 Indian firms already.

Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) will continue its agreement to receive drug development chemistry services from Dalton Pharma Services (Toronto).

Bucking economic trends, Expresion Analysis (Durham, N.C.), which performs genetic testing for drug discovery and development, is growing and is now offering its services in the U.K. The company’s technology is popular in “genome-wide association” studies.

Contract manufacturer and packager Norwich Pharmaceuticals (Norwich, N.Y.) is expanding its development services by increasing technical personnel and investing in specialized equipment. Like many CMOs, Norwich now provides services through the full product life cycle.

Immtech Pharmaceuticals has expanded its collaborations with Beijing Pharmaceutical Group Co. (BPGC)., signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a strategic alliance that would, among other things, give BPGC rights to develop drugs from Immtech’s library of compounds, which primarily target hepatitis C and malaria, and take advantage of Immtech’s global supply and distribution channels.