Category Archives: Biotech

Alternative medicine, Biotech, Business of Medicine, Drugs, Health 2.0, Health Products, Healthcare, Healthcare Information, Healthcare Products, Healthcare Professionals, Healthcare Services, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

NAICONS and NexThera Transfer Rights Of NAI-107, A New Anti-MRSA Antibiotic, To Sentinella Pharmaceuticals

NAICONS (New Anti-Infectives CONSortium) and NexThera Biosciences, Italian companies focusing on the discovery and development of novel anti-infective drugs, today announced that they have entered into an agreement with Sentinella Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a US-based pharmaceutical company established by Care Capital LLC, a leading life sciences venture capital firm. Under the terms of the agreement, Sentinella has acquired all rights to NAICONS’ proprietary lantibiotic technology, including its lead product candidate NAI-107, in exchange for an upfront cash payment, future development and commercialization milestones, royalties on future product sales and an equity stake in Sentinella. Lantibiotics represent a new class of natural products with potent bactericidal activity against gram positive bacteria including the multi-drug resistant pathogens MRSA and VRE.

naicons.jpg (230×242)

“This agreement represents an important recognition of NAICONS’s ability to discover and characterize innovative antibiotics with a novel mechanism of action”, stated Stefano Donadio, NAICONS’ Chief Scientific Officer. “Our technology is based on fermentation products and includes strong expertise in manipulating antibiotic-producing bacterial strains. This agreement further supports NAICONS’ mission of rebuilding the strong and successful Italian tradition in the antibiotic field.”

“Our partnership with a US-based pharmaceutical company represents the best opportunity to rapidly and successfully advance a potential life-saving drug into clinical development in its largest market. It also gives NexThera international visibility for developing additional anti-infective compounds”, said Daniela Jabes, NexThera’s Chief Executive Officer. “This agreement represents the first tangible result of the synergy between NAICONS’s discovery engine and NexThera’s development focus.”

nexthera.jpg (288×167)

“We are delighted to be entering into this transaction with NAICONS and NexThera,” said David Ramsay, a Director of Sentinella. “The principals behind NAICONS and NexThera have a successful track record in the discovery and development of anti-infective products, including rifamycins, penems, dalbavancin and ramoplanin , and we hope to build on that success to develop and commercialize an important novel class of antibiotics for the treatment of multi-drug resistant nosocomial infections.”

Every year several million people worldwide acquire infections while in hospitals, with significant mortality rates. Continuing a trend that began several years ago, it is estimated that approximately seventy percent of hospital infections are currently caused by pathogens resistant to at least one class of existing antibiotics. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) are among the most dangerous nosocomial pathogens.

According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America, drug resistant bacteria represent a significant economic burden because of the need for costly drugs, extended hospital stays and lost working days. The annual cost of infections by drug-resistant pathogens has been estimated as nearly $5 billion in the U.S. alone.

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases

Biotech, Business of Medicine, Healthcare, Healthcare Information, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

Catalent Expands Capabilities In Testing For Melamine In Food And Medicinal Products

At a time when melamine-contamination has received global attention, Catalent Pharma Solutions continues its legacy of innovation by rapidly developing new FDA guidance-compliant tests for trace amounts of key contaminants in food and medicine. Incidents of melamine contamination in milk products, baby formula, dairy and non-dairy products manufactured in China have been widely reported, leading to product recalls and increased inspections by the FDA.

The current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) regulations require that all components (i.e. ingredients or raw materials) be tested before they are released for use in the manufacture or preparation of drug products (21 CFR 211.84). It is critical that all manufacturers determine whether they are using an at risk component for melamine contamination to manufacture or prepare a drug product.

In response to the FDA’s new guidance titled “Pharmaceutical Components at Risk for Melamine Contamination,” Catalent has successfully qualified a method for determining if suspect excipients are contamination-free to within 2.5 parts per million. The method is based on that provided by the FDA (Laboratory Information Bulletin No. 4423 “GC-MS Screen for the Presence of Melamine, Ammeline, Ammelide, and Cyanuric Acid”).

Catalent is now able to provide its customers successfully qualified and validated limits tests for trace levels of melamine, ammeline, ammelide, and cyanuric acid in lactose.

Melamine is a compound made of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen and is typically combined with formaldehyde to produce a durable and moldable plastic that is fire and heat resistant. Trace amounts of melamine have recently been discovered to be toxic to dogs, cats, pigs, and chickens by veterinary scientists after kidney or renal failure occurred due to their food being contaminated with the chemical.

“Catalent is proud to have satisfied the demanding regulatory standards the US FDA has provided for detecting melamine,” said Kent Payne, Vice President and General Manager of Catalent’s Respiratory, Analytical and Biotechnology Services business. “Detecting trace levels of melamine in food and medicinal products at these levels is a challenging process, but is key to help avoid future public health crises. In order to support this critical public health need, Catalent can expedite this testing and provide results within 48 hours from receipt of samples

Fore more information on the US FDA guidelines, please visit:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm176088.htm.

About Catalent
Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Catalent is one of the leading providers of advanced dose form and packaging technologies, and development, manufacturing, packaging and printing services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer healthcare companies in nearly 100 countries. Catalent applies its local market expertise and technical creativity to advance treatments, change markets and enhance patient outcomes. Catalent employs approximately 9,500 at 30 facilities worldwide and in fiscal 2009 generated more than $1.6 billion of annual revenue. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases

Biotech, Business of Medicine, Healthcare, Healthcare Information, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

Catalent To Present Webinar On Stabilities Studies In Pharmaceutical Development

Catalent Pharma Solutions will host a free Webinar featuring Senior Manager, Wei Pan, Ph.D. RAC and Kathy Waddle, Director, Stability QC Biology. The one-hour Webinar will cover stability studies as a critical part of the drug development process and the vital role they play for drug product marketing approval. The Webinar, titled “Stability Studies in Pharmaceutical Development,” will be held on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 2 p.m. (EST). To register for the Webinar please visit: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/280747146.

The presentation will address the principles and practices of stability studies in the drug development process. Pan and Waddle will discuss the framework of the FDA cGMP guidelines as expressed in 21CFR211. Additionally, the Webinar will provide a comprehensive review of ICH and WHO stability guidelines by discussing the strategy used in stability protocols designed to support global registration.

Stability studies are conducted at all phases of the drug development cycle for different purposes with the ultimate goal of having a stable product on the market. During development, stability studies are conducted to support the formulation development and safety and efficacy claims of investigational new drugs. At registration, they are conducted to ascertain the quality and shelf-life of the drug product in their intended packaging configuration. After approval, the stability studies are conducted to ensure the quality of production and to support site or other changes to the product.

For more information on Catalent’s broad range of drug and biologic development services, go to www.catalent.com/development.

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases

Biotech, Business of Medicine, Healthcare, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent To Present Industry Conferences

Ana T. Menendez, Ph.D., Senior Director of Biotechnology at Catalent Pharma Solutions, will be delivering workshops this October at two industry conferences.

The first will be a pre-conference workshop at Cambridge Health Institute’s Immunogenicity Summit. The event will take place in Philadelphia on Monday, October 26, 2009. The interactive workshop, titled “Technical Advice on Assay Development,” will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will enable attendees to develop an immunogenicity pre-clinical and clinical testing protocol for a therapeutic protein.

The second presentation by Menendez will be a seminar at San Francisco’s Biologicals to Devices (B2G) conference on October 27. The workshop will be called “Effective transfer of Complex Biological Methods in the GMP Environment.”

As part of Catalent’s Development and Clinical Services Segment, Dr. Menendez is responsible for the release tests required to verify the functionality and purity of biotechnology products and the complex processes involved in their manufacture. Menendez implemented biotesting at Catalent and currently leads the following laboratories at the North Carolina Research Triangle Park facility: Cellular Technologies, Molecular Technologies, Virology and Analytical Biosafety. The expertise of the department ranges from proteins (i.e., monoclonal antibodies, enzymes, growth factors) to therapeutic viruses, bacterial vaccines and aptamers. Menenedez is an international instructor on bioassay development and validation and a frequent speaker at biopharmaceutical conferences.

For more information on Catalent`s broad range of drug and biologic development services, go to www.catalent.com/development.

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases

Biotech, Business of Medicine, Cosmetics, Dermatology, Diseases, Health Products, Healthcare, Healthcare Information, Healthcare Products, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals, Society

The World’s First Dry-On-Contact H1N1 Sanitising Spray

A sanitising spray that kills 99.99% of Viruses, Bacteria and Germs is now available for purchase in the UK. The SaniGuard wipes, spray and fogger products were invented by David Morgan, president of DEM Technology in the United States.. After patenting the product he was awarded EPA registration for its use on food contact surfaces in 1996.

The World's First Dry-On-Contact H1N1 Sanitising Spray

One benefit of the spray is that there is no “wet dwell” time, meaning that users don’t need to wipe the product away prior to it being effective. According to US laboratory reports, the product kills 99.99% of germs in 30-45 seconds. It also exceeds the requirements of EN1276 in Europe.

Jim Taylor, formerly president of Smith & Nephew and now CEO of Saniguard International, based in Chorley, Lancashire, said: “SaniGuard contains a unique configuration of quarternary ammonium compounds (QUATS) and other proprietary components, which allow for the elimination of microbes that regular QUATS alone cannot kill.”

The dry-on-contact spray can be used in between regular cleaning on “hot spot” areas such as telephones, computer keyboards, light switches, door knobs and other areas that are frequently used and rarely cleaned. SaniGuard leaves no film or moisture on surfaces.

The spray is effective against Swine Flu, MRSA, HIV-1, herpes, herpes simplex 1 and 2, salmonella typhi, staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus epidermidis and pseudomonas aerginosa and fungi such as trichophyton interdigitolo (Athlete’s foot).

MisterSterile.com also offers the Total Release Fogger in a single-release aerosol, which is claimed to sanitise an entire room with the press of a button within 15-20 minutes. The product is available in small room (155ft²) and large room (625ft²) sizes.

The company says this product is safe for all surfaces and helps to stop the transmission of germs in high traffic areas such as lobbies, waiting rooms, hospital wards, GP surgeries and patient care facilities.

Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Virus Swine Flu prevention products from MisterSterile.com ‘Mr Sterile.com’ is authorised by SaniGuard International and have launched their new website to service the explosive demand for anti-bacterial, anti-virus products.

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases

Biotech, Business of Medicine, Consultations, Diagnostics, Health Products, Healthcare, Healthcare Information, Healthcare Products, Healthcare Professionals

Three Alternative Scenarios of the Future In Vitro Diagnostics Market, 2009-2018

Venture Planning Group is pleased to announce completion of the new multiclient study, “Three Alternative Scenarios of the Future In Vitro Diagnostics Market, 2009-2018.” The report is designed to assist executives in the diagnostics industry in formulating policy alternatives that will provide the best choice among possible courses of action.

Venture Planning Group

The major thrust of the study is to clarify future consequences of the current developments in the absence of unforeseeable events, and expose the very different actions and policies that would be required by diagnostic product suppliers if the market moves in any of the three directions.

Each scenario is built around a specific theme with a particular set of assumptions. Business-As-Usual Scenario assumes that the current trends will continue without significant interruptions. Economic Austerity Scenario is predicated upon a significant rise in cost-containment pressures by all payers determined to drastically curtail not only the intensity of health care services, but the size of the industry as well. Technological Breakthroughs Scenario assumes a series of successful developments and commercialization of a number of diagnostic technologies and products occurring during 2009-2018.

This study will help diagnostics industry executives and companies planning to diversify into the diagnostics field to bring about more flexible planning, reduce surprises, and add to ways of improving the ability to cope with the future.

Please visit www.vpgcorp.com to review this and over 5,000 other innovative market research reports from VPG and other world’s leading publishing companies.

About VPG
VPG is an international market research, publishing and management consulting firm providing Market Intelligence Surveys, Opportunity Analyses, New Technology/Product Assessments, and Acquisition/Joint Venture Evaluations to corporate executives and key decision-makers in the healthcare, biotechnology, chemical, food and beverage, and electronics industries worldwide.

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases

Biotech, Business of Medicine, Healthcare, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Hans Westenburg, A Senior Scientist At Catalent Pharma Solutions, Will Present At The TIDES 2009 Conference

Dr. Hans Westenburg, a senior scientist of structural characterization and analysis at Catalent Pharma Solutions, will present this month at the TIDES 2009 Conference to be held in Las Vegas, NV, May 17-20, 2009. The conference agenda was put together by leaders in oligonucleotide and peptide development and manufacturing, and features a program full of novel, in-depth scientific presentations related to oligonucleotide and peptide drug development and manufacturing. The TIDES conference is produced by IBC Life Sciences.

Dr-Hans-WestenburgDr. Westenburg’s poster presentation is titled “Teriparatide Degradation Products Identified by Accurate Measured Mass LCMS.” Presentation abstract: The human parathyroid hormone (PTH) contains 84 amino acids. The biologically active region is 34 N-terminal amino acids (teriparatide) from the recombinant human PTH. Teriparatide is the first FDA approved agent for the treatment of osteoporosis that stimulates new bone formation. The safety of the drug product is dependent not only on the toxicological properties of the active drug substance, but also on the impurities that it contains. Therefore, identification of impurities in the drug product is an important part of drug development and regulatory assessment. Accurate measured mass liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LCMS) is a rapid technique to identify impurities at levels as low as 0.02% in the drug product. LCMS enabled the identification of fifteen low level impurities in teriparatide.

Based in Catalent’s Trade Place facility in San Diego, CA, part of the organization’s Respiratory, Analytical and Biotechnology group, Dr. Westenburg works to structurally identify impurities for virtual, generic, small-, and mid-size pharmaceutical companies. In his current capacity, he has been able to identify impurities belonging to a large number of structural classes. The identification of these impurities supports the client to enable greater reporting thresholds or, in some instances, identify an impurity causing discoloration of a drug substance or product. During the past two years, Dr. Westenburg has routinely monitored low level genotoxic impurities by QTOF LCMS in a drug product. Overall, the majority of his work is impurity identification for companies concerning impurities in drug substances [Q3A(R2)] and impurities in drug products [Q3B(R2)], in compliance with the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines.

About Catalent
Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Catalent Pharma Solutions is a leading provider of advanced dose form and packaging technologies, and development, manufacturing and packaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer healthcare companies in nearly 100 countries. Catalent applies catalentits local market expertise and technical creativity to advance treatments, change markets and enhance patient outcomes. Catalent employs approximately 9,100 at more than 30 facilities worldwide and in fiscal 2008 generated more than $1.8 billion of annual revenue. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases

Biotech, Diseases, Drugs, Healthcare, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

Jenken Biosciences Granted Key Patent for Compounds To Treat Chronic Liver and Kidney Diseases

Jenken Biosciences, Inc., an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a patent on Jenken’s compounds for the treatment of diseases associated with kidney diseases and chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis and fatty liver disease.

Jenken’s patented compounds are developed by “repurposing” FDA-approved off-patent drugs for new, first-in-class therapeutic uses.

The patent, US 7501433, “Opioid and opioid-like compounds and uses thereof,” with an anticipated term through 2022, will provide broad protection for the Company’s repurposed drugs’ new indications targeted at treating organ damage associated with chronic liver or kidney diseases.

The Company’s leading drug candidate has been approved by the FDA for a Phase II clinical study targeted at treating liver damage in Hepatitis patients. The endpoint of the study will be to restore normal liver function by reducing inflammation in Hepatitis C patients who do not respond to current interferon/anti-viral therapies.

Jenken’s second clinical candidate has exhibited efficacy in preclinical trials as an anti-fibrotic for treating fatty liver disease.

“The validation by the USPTO of the potential utility of our compounds is a significant step in making totally new therapeutic options available to the millions of patients around the world who suffer from chronic liver diseases, such as hepatic fibrosis, steatohepatitis (NASH) or fatty liver disease,” said Barry Buzogany, Jenken’s President and CEO.

“In the U.S. alone, approximately 25 million people are afflicted with some form of chronic liver disorder,” Buzogany explained. “Of these, there are about four million people infected with the Hepatitis C virus and another 12 million with fatty liver disease. Currently there are no therapies available to treat liver damage associated with either hepatitis or with fatty liver disease.”

According to Dr. Edwin Wu, Jenken’s Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, “Jenken’s proprietary technology for cytokine modulation, a specific therapy for diseases associated with chronic inflammation, offers the potential to restore normal liver or kidney function regardless of the cause of the damage or disease.”

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases

Biotech, Business of Medicine, Healthcare, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

Catalent Analytical Team Member to be Published in Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Catalent Pharma Solutions, a worldwide leading provider of advanced technologies for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer health companies, will be featured in the upcoming April edition of Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Stephen P. Mayock, a member of Catalent’s analytical team, was a major contributor to the article that conveys the present challenges and future relevance of the science of USP 1 and 2 dissolution.

The article begins with the scientific origins of the dissolution test and discusses the roles of dissolution in product development, consistent batch manufacture and stability testing. It also reviews the ultimate role of dissolution testing where the end results correlate to in vivo results. Other topics that are covered in the article include the mechanical calibration versus performance testing, variability and hydrodynamics of USP Apparatus 1 and 2 and new initiatives in the industry such as quality by design, process analytical technology and design of experiment.

Mayock is the senior manager in Catalent’s Stability and Analytical Services Group. Catalent’s analytical team is part of its Respiratory, Analytical and Biotechnology group, with sites in the Research Triangle Park, N.C., San Diego C.A., and Middleton, W.I. Mayock joins fellow authors Vivian Gray, Gregg Kelly, Min Xia, Chris Butler and Saji Thomas. The article has been available online to subscribers since Jan. 25, 2009, and the print version will be available in the April edition.

About the Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Pharmaceutical Research, an official journal of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, presents papers that describe innovative research spanning the entire spectrum of drug discovery, development, evaluation, and regulatory approval. Small drug molecules, biotechnology products including genes, peptides, proteins and vaccines, and genetically engineered cells are an integral part of papers published.

About Catalent
Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Catalent is one of the leading providers of advanced dose form and packaging technologies, and development, manufacturing and packaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer health companies in nearly 100 countries. Catalent applies its local market expertise and technical creativity to advance treatments, change markets and enhance patient outcomes. Catalent employs approximately 9,500 at more than 30 facilities worldwide and generates more than $1.8 billion of annual revenue. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases