Italians are known for their passions. They are passionate about their food, their wine, their art, their design, and in Bologna, they are passionate about their packaging industry. And well they should be. In a time of economic crisis, Italy’s packing industry seems extremely healthy, based on the statistics offered last week by Dr. Guido Corbella, at the Pharmintech exhibition.
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A few interesting soundbites from ExcipientFest 2010, which is being presented this year by IPEC, and held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Read more »

FDA’s Rosa Motta spoke this morning at ExcipientFest 2010, presented this year by IPEC, about supply-chain security. “I feel like I’m preaching to the choir because if you’re here, you’re already interested in controlling your excipients and your supply chain,” she told the audience gathered in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Read more »

The aisles were packed at this year’s Interphex conference in New York City with industry professionals seeking the latest and greatest in pharma manufacturing equipment—and so were the conference sessions. PharmTech presented three Signature Series sessions at this year’s show featuring officials from FDA, PharmSource’s Jim Miller, and Hovione CEO Guy Villax. Our staff was also busy at the Main Stage conducting live, videotaped interviews—be sure to check our site to watch us in action. Here’s a preview of the first day of vidcasts from the Interphex site.

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Puerto Rico, long a mainstay of solid-dosage manufacturing, is not only continuing its efforts in that area, but is further diversifying in the life sciences by building its position in biopharmaceuticals and by moving further up in the pharmaceutical value chain through supporting research and development. I am here on the island this week on the occasion of the opening of a new solid-dosage manufacturing facility by Blu Pharmaceuticals, a Kentucky-based generic-drug manufacturer and distribution company, and am visiting with the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO), the economic development agency of Puerto Rico, to gain an update of bio/pharmaceutical investment in the commonwealth. Read more »

Spring is in the air, and it’s time for a trip to the Javits Center for the annual INTERPHEX conference and exhibition. The editors of Pharmaceutical Technology and BioPharm International have arranged a series of interviews during the conference. We’ll be talking to pharmaceutical professionals, information-technology experts, and regulators about current challenges in manufacturing and about what the future might bring. Read more »

Sourcing, procurement, and supply-chain professionals from the pharmaceutical industry and their suppliers are gathering this week in New York City at DCAT Week, an annual event of educational programs and business-networking opportunities organized by the Drug, Chemical and Associated Technologies Association. (DCAT). The first day of the event kicked off on Monday with an educational program addressing the impact of changing market fundamentals on innovator-drug and generic-drug companies. Read more »

There has been a surge in the number of combination product (i.e. where a drug product is combined with a medical device) launches in recent years and this trend is set to continue as more companies seek to extend the life of existing branded medicines. According to analysts, the combination product market is currently worth 8 billion Euros and will grow by a staggering 40% during the next 3 years. Read more »

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 »

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.