Section |
Article |
|
News review
|
The news behind the news
A review of the major news stories of the last
six months and what they mean for the industry.
|
|
Industry in figures
|
Delivering change
The drug delivery market is one of evolution and
innovation. New methods of administering drugs
can lead drug manufacturers to develop new treatments
for an array of ailments. GlobalData looks at
the current state of the market, its development
and asks what the short to mid term future might
hold.
|
|
Business overview
|
Looking ahead
The recent economic turmoil has led to a number
of dramatic shifts within the business of pharmaceuticals.
Buyouts, increased M&A activity and the resurrection
of the so-called 'mega-merger' were all bywords
for the last 12 months. Deloitte surveys the business
climate and tries to nail down where the next
big development will be.
|
|
Drug discovery & development
|
Concept to design
Drug discovery is a matter of trial and error.
However, fate is most certainly not the final
piece to the puzzle. Expertise is an essential
ingredient and is something on display everyday
within this sector. But fate and expertise alone
don't result in a new blockbuster drugs coming
to market. Technology plays a key part. Innovations
within the lab usually stem from innovations in
lab technology. In this special report Dr. Kun
Liu, principal scientist at Wyeth Research, investigates
where the new thinking is coming from and ask
how important it is for labs, and there suppliers,
to be continually striving to better the tools
available.
|
|
Manufacturing
|
The right business environment
Sustainability is a word commonly used within
industry these days. The pharmaceutical industry,
only in recent years known for its push to become
environmentally conscious, has long been seen
as a concern. But now big pharma is showing real
signs of becoming more aware, both environmentally
and socially, and is actively taking steps to
develop practices that make a real difference.
James R. Hagan, vice president, sustainability
and environment at GSK, talks us through the good
work of his organisation to be more environmentally
aware and debates the moves taken by the wider
industry, offering some practical advice.
|
|
Clinical/preclinical trials
|
An age old problem?
A recent EU-funded project revealed that clinical
trials were less likely to be performed on the
elderly despite this group taking the majority
of pharmaceutical products approved. Why is this
the case, what does it mean for the collection
of effective clinical data and how should Pharma
and CROs work to put it right? Dr Gary Mills,
director of Medical Economics and Research Centre,
and one of the co-ordinators of the project, looks
to answer these questions.
|
| Packaging |
Packing a punch
Processing and primary, that has been the question
for the pharmaceutical packaging sector for some
time. This issue of what function packaging fulfils
has been open to debate and the cause of many
disagreements in the past. Chuck Reed, chairman
of ISPE, tries to unmask the differences in this
distinction and provide some clarity on this increasingly
divisive yet crucial issue.
A new package
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most
regulated in the world with regulators both individually
and collectively placing requirements upon manufacturers.
To this end packaging within the sector is no
different. The new readability guidelines are
due to come into force in 2010 and will signal
a dramatic change in the way packaging is produced.
In this special report Klaus Mengers, director
of the Federal Institute for Drug and Medical
Devices investigates the work that has led to
the new framework and what steps pharma should
be taking to ensure compliance with just a few
months to go.
|
|
logistics
|
Securing the supply
Latin America is concentrating the minds of many
logistics managers. The recent armed attacks on
GSK shipments in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil
have served to highlight this pressing issue.
What steps should pharmaceuticals be taking both
within their logistics planning and practical
steps on the ground to try and secure their shipments
from an increasingly confident foe? Andrew Jackson,
head of global security at Novartis, investigates.
|
| Vaccines |
Keeping cool
Keeping vaccines stable without refrigeration
has long been the bane of the pharmaceutical sector.
But now a team of scientists at Oxford University
believe they have discovered a way of doing it
and hope it could raise the possibility of immunisations
programmes in areas where fridges, clinics and
electricity supply cannot be taken for granted.
Professor Adrian Hill, who headed the research
project, explains his work and his hopes for this
new technique in developing countries.
|
| Contract
services |
Knowing what you want
An essential element of any pharma company's success
is the ability to maintain scientific excellence.
Finding the best ideas, practices, tools, and
talent can be a moving target, leading to new
and different kinds of partnerships. Christer
Köhler, VP Global Discovery, Central Nervous
System and Pain at AstraZeneca offers some advice.
|
Survey |
The top 20 pharma companies
GlobalData takes a look at the world's leading
20 pharmaceutical companies: by turnover; sales;
and employees.
|
| Raw
materials |
A raw issue
Regulation within pharma is the cornerstone of
the industry. When things go wrong regulation
tries to put it right. However, as the sector
becomes increasingly diversified, both the result
of markets opening up and new technologies, the
regulation of raw materials is something that
has received much interest in recent times, the
result of the growing influence of Asia. Susan
Keitel of EDQM investigates the issue of raw material
regulation and how international standards are
evolving.
|
| M&As |
Deal beaters
A look at the latest M&A activity within the
medical device sector.
|
| Regional
focus |
Viking valour
The Scandinavian pharmaceutical sector has enjoyed
a period of sustained growth in recent years.
The mix of smaller, more niche companies and the
bigger global leaders is the result of a flourishing
business landscape. In this special GlobalData
reviews the drivers and asks how other companies
can get involved.
|
| IT
/ Data services |
Embracing the motherboard
The use of IT has undoubtedly changed many business
practices. Although now not new its evolution
continues to have an impact on the way we work.
But what impact has it had on pharma and in particular
manufacturing; how can industry better embrace
IT in this field and what are the next big developments?
Mike Randolph, senior director of manufacturing
operations at Teva Pharmaceuticals, shares his
thoughts.
|