Featured Articles
MICRONEEDLE TECHNOLOGY - The New Potential of Microneedles for Biologics & Small Molecules
Lisa A. Dick, PhD, describes how microneedle technology is being applied in two new transdermal systems using solid and hollow microneedles, which have the ability to deliver small molecules as well as biologics, opening up the potential for self-administration of a broad array of APIs
LOC-BASED DEVICES - Lab on Chip – How Far Are We Along the Road?
Divyaa Ravishankar, MS, indicates LOC-based devices are an integration of multiple disciplines and the miniaturization of the major laboratory procedures. Recently, these devices are branching into additional aspects of healthcare, such as drug delivery, stem cell, environmental monitoring, and synthetic biology.
COLORECTAL CANCER MARKET - Targeted & Immune System-Based Therapeutics Emerge as Prominent Treatment Modalities
Barbara Gilmore, Frost & Sullivan Analyst, reports that a vast number and variety of remedies are steadily joining the treatment pipeline for colorectal cancer. High incidence of the disease, unmet clinical needs, and significant commercial potential are attracting drug developers to the market.
STEM CELL MARKET - Stem Cell Therapy to Redefine Regenerative Medicine
Jane C. Andrews, PhD, Frost & Sullivan Analyst, says faced with increasing challenges, such as costly treatments and treatments that are palliative rather than symptomatic, the global healthcare industry today is gradually transforming itself. With few existing therapies capable of curing or significantly changing the course of a disease, healthcare providers are starting to look toward regenerative medicine as a viable alternative.
ALBUMIN MARKET - Global Human Albumin Market: Extra Revenues to Come Through Non-Therapeutic Applications
Aish Vivekanandan, Frost & Sullivan Analyst, reports that human albumin is widely considered as a plasma replacement or expander for therapeutic purposes. However, for over a decade, the healthcare industry has been exploring the use of human albumin as a non-therapeutic substance/excipient for commercial settings.
SOLUBILIZATION TECHNOLOGY - How to Choose the Right Solubilization Technology for Your API
Matt Wessel, PhD, Tom Reynolds, PhD, Sanjay Konagurthu, PhD, and Marshall Crew, PhD, present a brief overview of the various solubilization technologies, and a high-level strategy to aid in the selection of an appropriate formulation technology.
PRIMARY PACKAGING - Ophthalmic Squeeze Dispenser (OSD): Does One Size Fit All?
Degenhard Marx, PhD, and Matthias Birkhoff, discuss how the use of preservatives in eye drops is still controversial, but more and more evidence supports the use of unpreserved eye drops for treatment of chronic diseases.
EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW - Vetter: Helping Small Biotech Companies Execute a Successful Drug Development Process
Dr. Susanne Resatz, President of Vetter Development Services USA, Inc., discusses the many benefits to small biotech companies in utilizing a full-service CDMO, and what advanced services the Chicago-based facility offers its growing customer base.
ORODISPERSIBLE TABLETS - Advanced Drug Delivery for Repositioning Promethazine for Improved Application & Patient Outcomes
Srinivas Tipparaju, PhD, Anastasia Groshev, Danielle Dantuma, et al designed and characterized a formulation of ODTs at three different compression settings to determine the effective formulation for manufacturing rapid-release ODT promethazine tablets.
EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW - ALTHEA: Giving Biopharmaceutical Companies the Power To Make
David Enloe, Althea’s President and CEO, discusses his company’s business strategy, why companies choose Althea, trends in the CMO industry, and how the company is growing since the acquisition of Ajinomoto.
Patently Disruptive
Derek Hennecke, CEO &President of Xcelience, says Kyle Bass and his hedge fund are challenging pharma patents for the purpose of shorting their stocks and making a fortune and asks is this just industry noise or a true disruption?
SPRAY-DRIED DISPERSIONS - Developing Process Control Strategies for the Manufacture of Spray-Dried Dispersions
Devon DuBose, Dana Settell, Nathan Bennette, and Amber Broadbent, PhD, say drug pipelines increasingly feature new drug candidates that exhibit poor solubility and require well-established enabling technologies to address this critical issue.
EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW - Terumo: Innovating at the Speed of Life for Cutting-Edge Solutions in Medical Devices & Services
Mr. Juichi “Jim” Takeuchi, Terumo Corporation’s Executive Officer and President of Global Pharmaceutical Solutions, discusses his company’s innovative approach to parenteral drug delivery using integrated science and technology.
HOT MELT EXTRUSION - OptiMelt™ Hot Melt Extrusion Technology to Improve Bioavailability of Poorly Soluble Drugs
Sampada Upadhye, PhD, indicates bioavailability enhancement with formulation and dose form flexibility can be achieved through the application of HME technology to produce stable drug formulations and increased development success rates.
SYRINGE STUDY - Gerresheimer - Scrutinizing 20,000 Syringes, a Long-Term Study (2011-2015)
Bernd Zeiss provides study results that contribute to a clearer picture of the factors of influence that are crucial to syringe function. Several common hypotheses were verified, while others were refuted.
DNA VACCINE TECHNOLOGY - A Vaccine Breakthrough That Could Change Lives & Enable Vaccine Development Programs
William Hearl, PhD, asks what if there was the potential for a better and safer treatment for allergies, a less-toxic cancer therapy, or a breakthrough treatment to improve the health of a pet or valuable livestock? What if you could employ a new, patented technology that may make these treatments possible?
MARKET SURVEY - Dosage Forms: It's Time to Listen to Consumers
Thomas Hein, PhD, says in light of their huge success and widespread use, it is easy to assume that tablets and capsules are generally accepted by consumers and the industry.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES - The Future of the Pharma & Biotech Industries: Your Colleague’s Perspectives
The Global Formulation Report in this issue provided some interesting data on what has been happening in a number of key sectors over the past 18 months. We thought it would be intriguing to hear what some of your colleagues believe will have a significant impact on the Pharma and Biotech industries throughout the next 5 to 10 years.
TASTE-MASKING - Pharmaceutical Taste-Masking Technologies
Suniket Fulzele, PhD, and Sarah Rieschl present an overview and current status of the industrial approaches and platforms used for taste-masking in oral dosage forms.
EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW - Presage Biosciences: Comparing Multiple Drugs & Combinations Directly in a Patient’s Tumor
Nathan Caffo, President of Presage Biosciences, discusses his company’s technology with the potential to usher in a new era of cancer drug development and testing.