I have just returned from an event in France which, I have to say, really impressed me. Not because I had the perfect excuse to visit Paris for a couple of days (although that was undoubtedly a bonus), but because I was so impressed by the calibre of presentations and new innovations that were showcased from this relatively small meeting. Read more »

Art imitates life, and sometimes drug-delivery mechanisms do, too. Scientists often draw inspiration from natural agents and the body’s processes when developing carriers for therapies. Synthetic red blood cells are a new product of this strategy that seems to raise new possibilities in drug delivery. Read more »

Nanotechnology offers great potential for the pharmaceutical industry. French researchers recently reported on the use of porous hybrid crystalline solids as nanocarriers in drug delivery and as a possible tool in theranostics, or the application of diagnostics in the development of personalized medicines. Read more »

Despite, or because of, economic difficulties and meager pipelines, the recent past has seen many drug companies investigate alternative delivery methods for new and established products. A new deal between GlaxoSmithKline (GSK, London) and Intercell (Vienna) reflects this trend and raises hopes for the development of innovative routes of administration. Read more »

Vetter, a specialist in the aseptic filling of injection systems, opened a new 24,000-ft² facility in Chicago to manufacture preclinical, Phase I and Phase II clinical batches. The expansions, part of the new Vetter Develoment Services USA Inc., complement the company’s commercial-scale capabilities in Germany. PharmTech Europe Editor Fedra Pavlou, interviewed Peter Soelkner, managing director of Vetter Pharma International GmbH live from the AAPS 2009 show floor in Los Angeles last month. Listen to the podcast here.

See background article, “Vetter Expands Clinical- and Commercial-Scale Operations” by Patricia Van Arnum.

When pipelines run dry, pharmaceutical companies are more likely to investigate alternative delivery methods as a way of distinguishing their drugs in the marketplace. In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed several intriguing delivery methods created by researchers around the world. I recently wrote about the new technique of encapsulating medicines in magnetite nanoparticles for repeated, long-term delivery. Along similar lines, scientists at Queen Mary, University of London have created “micro shuttles” that can be loaded with drugs and opened remotely. Read more »

Two recent news reports provided some good news for a change. First, FDA announced plans to award $2 million in grants for the development of pediatric medical devices. Read more »

Last week, I wrote that the increased attention to biological drugs, which are mostly taken through injections, was spurring interest in needle-free and implantable delivery methods for vaccines. Research into alternative delivery methods for vaccines could produce innovative ways of delivering other kinds of drugs as well, and I recently read about an inspired idea that a team of Boston researchers had for delivering intermittent doses of drugs. Read more »

Have you ever considered getting a flu shot but quailed at the sight of the needle? Lots of people hate getting injections, but this delivery method is still the predominant technique for administering biological drugs. Rising demand for vaccines and other biologicals is one factor spurring manufacturers to seek alternative delivery methods that could one day rescue the needlephobic. Read more »

A formulation that can sustain the delivery of a drug and reduce the frequency of doses by itself contributes to improved patient compliance. But when sustained delivery of this formulation is coupled with organ-specific delivery by means of innovative combination products, the benefits to patients are even greater. Read more »