International News

London, UK, 28th June 2023 / Sciad Newswire / Hosting leading industry experts from across Europe, Connect in Pharma 2023 revealed future trends in pharma and AI, sustainability, and preventative medicine during a two-day meeting in Geneva on 14 & 15 June.

Busy with networking and collaboration, the event focused on the most important themes for the future of the pharma industry, from manufacturing to drug delivery and sustainability to socioeconomic challenges. A particular highlight was the event’s Gala reception, where visitors enjoyed an awe-inspiring talk by Nicolas Hamilton, British Touring Car Championship Driver, who was given a standing ovation.

Industry change

With attendees from Google, McKinsey, Merck, GSK, Roche, and Johnson & Johnson, speakers highlighted the need to develop systems that account for future needs and create platforms that can be scaled through multiple networks simultaneously. Optimisation and manufacturing speed were key themes, as well as utilising data and AI to improve supply chains.

Elena Bayrak, Pipeline Strategy and Operations at Novartis, appreciated the sector-wide approach to tackling pressing topics:

“I really enjoyed how Connect in Pharma is bringing the pharma industry together with new technologies within packaging, drug delivery systems and such critical topics like diversity and sustainability.”

The ‘Women in Pharma’ panel tackled difficult topics such as inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, emphasising the need for diversity and equality, both for wellbeing and business success.

Global partnerships and data sharing

Over the two-day event, speakers from around the world discussed common issues. Collaboration on a global scale is required to make equitable changes that give the industry longevity. Questions from the audience focused on equity relating to low- and middle-income countries, asking the panel what is needed to facilitate effective sharing of technologies and innovation. Sharing innovation was also raised in the context of IP, calling for open data and increased access to inventions and advances worldwide.

AI and biotechnology

From biotech to connected devices, visitors at Connect in Pharma learned how technologies can empower doctors and healthcare professionals to be more efficient while keeping patients at the heart of healthcare. Futuristic concepts such as harnessing AI in the body, the bio-revolution, the miniverse and the metaverse were raised as important ideas. Promoting healthy lifestyles and wellness that allow people to better manage their health was an important theme in reducing stress on healthcare services.

Berhard Müllinger, Chief Operating Officer at REYSCA, appreciated the range of opinions and opportunities for connection:

“There was a broad selection of speakers. The panels produced lovely discussions and were open to lots of new opinions. There were lots of opportunities to meet new people. Connect in Pharma is a perfect conference for finding suppliers in lots of different industries.”

Exhibitors

Exhibitors representing a wide range of companies — including BD Medical, Gerresheimer, and Mettler-Toledo — highlighted innovative products and services designed to advance all areas of the pharma supply chain. With primary packaging solutions, medical device innovations, drug delivery system products, and numerous contract services, software platforms, and association groups on show, the exhibition area had a wide appeal to the pharma community.

Renan Joel, Divisional Managing Director for Packaging at Easyfairs, concluded: “We are thrilled with the success of this year’s event and the feedback we have received. With more than 70% of existing exhibitors pre-booking for next year, we’re excited about the trajectory of the event. This second edition of Connect in Pharma was an enormous success and represents the growing appetite for solutions in pharma, drug delivery and manufacturing, and we’re grateful for the support of the Directorate General for Economic Development, Research and Innovation (DG EDRI). We look forward to welcoming more of you to the event in June 2024.”  

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), has recently released new data on Tremfya (guselkumab), a monoclonal antibody that targets IL-23 in adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (PsO). Tremfya, the first approved IL-23 inhibitor in the US, has potential for various indications and is forecasted to generate $8.6 billion in global sales by 2029, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

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Diversity within pharmaceutical studies continues to be a problem across a wide variety of clinical trial sectors, with industry sponsors and pivotal studies particularly experiencing issues, says GlobalData. When looking specifically at oncology, the leading data and analytics company found that Black participants are severely underrepresented in these studies, only accounting for 3% of the global oncology clinical trial population.

According to GlobalData’s report, ‘Clinical Trials – The Importance of Diversity in Clinical Trials’, Asian participants accounted for more than 10 times that of the Black population, while white participants accounted for more than 19 times.

Mohamed Abukar, Senior Analyst on the Database Team at GlobalData, comments: “Improving Black enrollment in oncology studies is vital so that biological responses to therapies can be fully understood and the most appropriate treatments can be administered. Further, a lack of diversity in clinical trial populations significantly diminishes the quality of data obtained for drug safety and efficacy profiles. If trial participants are representative of the wider disease population, clinical trials can effectively assess the safety and effectiveness of new or existing therapeutics.”

Relative to other therapy areas, oncology has the greatest number of ‘expanded access’ and ‘companionate use’ program trials using experimental therapeutics. It is, therefore, essential that diverse race groups can receive innovative therapies and that therapeutics that are in development are representative of the disease demographic to prevent excess mortality.

Abukar adds: “A diverse clinical trial population allows us to identify discrepancies in responses across population subgroups, ultimately allowing for a better understanding and a more targeted approach in the administration of therapeutics to diverse populations in a real-world setting. Strategies to improve diversity across the pharma industry must be considered where trial populations vastly differ from the disease demographics to ensure that all population subgroups are well represented in clinical research, especially within the field of oncology.”

Injectable drugs and their packaging requirements are providing ample opportunities for packaging firms to supply big pharmaceutical companies, given the volume of vaccines, including the latest Omicron boosters required to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rising number of biologics, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s report, ‘Contract Injectable Packaging Trends in the Bio/Pharma Industry’, reveals that there was an increase in approvals of injectable drugs from 2020 to 2021. The FDA and EMA generally approve more injectable drugs developed by large (market cap $10–100 billion) and mega cap (market cap >$100 billion) pharma companies than by smaller companies with market caps below $10 billion. Non-injectable approvals tend to have more small and mid cap sponsors as a proportion. This is because injectables – such as vaccines and monoclonal antibodies – are more complex than oral solid dose drugs – such as tablets – and so tend to be developed by larger companies with deeper pockets.

Adam Bradbury, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “For injectable drugs, the FDA’s New Drug Application (NDA) approvals were relatively high in 2021 for small cap and mega cap drug sponsors. The number of approved injectable drugs sponsored by small, large, and mega cap companies increased since 2020.”

Bradbury continues: “The trend of small cap approvals increasing is potentially advantageous to contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs), given that historically their clients are more likely to be smaller companies that are unable to invest in their own facilities or enhance their own capabilities.”

The outsourcing propensity (the percentage of approved drugs for which a pharma sponsor company outsources manufacturing) is influenced greatly by the sponsor’s market cap and ability to acquire capabilities to package rather than outsourcing the task to a contractor. Innovative injectable products are more frequently sponsored by large and mega cap pharma companies than non-injectable or generic approvals.

Bradbury concludes: “Certain innovative products like cell and gene therapies have a limited pool of staff and expertise that can engage with their production; large CMOs have been acquiring these capabilities in recent years and, again, large and mega cap sponsors will require these services.”

Pavia, July 14, 2022 – SEA Vision and Marchesini Group are launching a brand-new solution on the market for primary pack serialization and aggregation, comprising a complete range of technologies to print, inspect and pack serialized blisters and perform aggregation with cartons, all integrated in a 4.0 environment.

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FRANKLIN, Mass., June 10, 2022 — Cold Chain Technologies, LLC (“CCT” or “Company”), a leading global provider of thermal packaging solutions for the transportation of temperature-sensitive products for the life sciences industry, announced its further expansion into Latin America with the opening of a new manufacturing facility for the production of CCT Thermal Covers, powered by Tyvek®, in Montevideo (Uruguay).

The new regional manufacturing site, which is expected to start operations by September 2022, will enhance service for customers in the life sciences industry by manufacturing CCT Thermal Covers locally. Latin America is a key growth market for CCT as it continues expansion worldwide. With more than 50 years of ensuring product safety in transit, CCT has built a reputation as the industry’s most innovative and reliable provider to the largest global life sciences companies and distributors.

“By being global and acting local, we ensure that we are providing best-in-class services and products while enhancing our operational capabilities within the Latin American region to support the needs of our clients,” said Vanessa Burri, CCT Regional Sales Director for Latin America.

Kristof De Smedt, Global Business Unit Director for the CCT Thermal Covers Business Unit, stated, “We are extremely proud to further expand our global manufacturing network with a new conversion site in Uruguay in order to provide CCT’s thermal covers throughout the entire Latin American region. CCT Thermal Covers, powered by Tyvek®, are validated in a wide variety of distribution applications worldwide to secure integrity and efficacy of temperature-sensitive healthcare and life science products, including the COVID-19 vaccine.”

09 June 2022 – Women with low vitamin D levels are at significantly increased risk of miscarriage, a new study reveals.

Scientists say that assessing vitamin D levels and treating deficiency before conception may offer greater benefit compared to only taking vitamin D during the first trimester – but call for more research to confirm this approach. Leia Mais »

Biohaven’s migraine nasal spray zavegepant is set to generate annual sales of $206.8 million in the US following the potential approval of its NDA, which was received by the FDA last week, according to GlobalData. The leading data and analytics company notes that the drug’s alternative delivery offers it a competitive advantage, but key opinion leaders (KOLs) previously interviewed by GlobalData have voiced concerns over nasal spray side effects and reimbursement. Leia Mais »

Birmingham, UK, 31^st May 2022 / Sciad Newswire / Birmingham Biotech Ltd, an innovator in diagnostic tests, protective nasal sprays and mobile medical facilities, and TannerLAC UK Limited (“TannerLAC”), a part of Tanner Pharma Group, have entered into a license agreement for the distribution of Norizite™ Nasal Spray in Latin America. TannerLAC provides pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare companies with a single-point partner for the commercialization of their products in challenging international markets. Leia Mais »

The growth in the cosmetics market has gone hand-in-hand with an increase in counterfeiting, causing side-effects on cosmetic companies, such as: loss of profits, brand reputation under attack, compromised long-term trust, not to mention the serious damage caused to consumer health. In this context it is very clear why many companies are asking instruments to actively fight counterfeiting ​to protect their brands. End-to-end Serialization solution provided by SEA Vision is the way to answer to these needs.​ Leia Mais »