Foreword

Drug Discovery

Back to Mother Nature

Natural products-based drug discovery is gaining prominence once again.

Natural Products in Drug Discovery

Drug discovery from natural products has reclaimed the attention of the pharma industry and is on the verge of a comeback due to new technological inputs that promise better returns on investment.

Strategy

Challenges for Pharmaceutical Sales Forces

Lessons from other sectors

Pharmaceutical sales forces can overcome their challenges by learning how companies from other sectors have dealt with similar challenges.

Liver Caner Treatment in Asia

From little acorns

Oncology is currently one of the most exciting but demanding areas for developing successful brand strategies. Companies entering smaller and niche markets in this area should clearly differentiate their products from competition to command and sustain a premium price.

Generic to Innovative

Transition of Indian pharmaceutical companies

While generics continue to drive the Indian pharmaceutical industry, it is set for rapid growth in its new avatar as a supplier of finished dosage forms to the world. However, challenges abound.

International Strategic Alliances

Positioning the Asian biotechnology company

Asian biotechnology companies' lack of experience in pharmaceutical alliances can be quickly overcome by deliberate preparation, careful identification of potential partners and anticipation of the due diligence process of partnering.

Research& Development

Getting to the Heart of a Tumor Cell

Targeting the nucleus

In combination with other agents, tumour cell-specific nuclear targeting approaches have great potential in developing truly tumour cell-specific therapeutic treatments.

The Next Generation of Recombinant Immunotoxins

Reducing immunogenicity of the cytotoxic part

Immunotoxins comprise cell-specific targeting components coupled to cytotoxic agents. Although clinical data are encouraging, the problem of immunogenicity remains unsolved. To allow repeated administration, human immunotoxins with greatly reduced immunogenicity need to be developed.

Assessing the Immunogenicity of Protein Therapeutics

Immunogenicity poses a risk that should be assessed during drug development, as it possibly compromises drug safety and alters drug characteristics including pharmacokinetics and bioavailability. Immunogenicity assessment strategies combine pre-clinical predictive methods with clinical stage measurement of anti-drug antibodies.

Automated Purification of Natural and Synthetic Compounds

The purification of naturally derived and synthesised compounds via automated flash chromatography allows unattended separation while reducing errors and re-purifications.

Biomedical Polymers

Drug delivery and molecular imaging

During the last two decades, significant advances have been made in the development of biocompatible polymers as the platform for drug delivery and molecular imaging.

Clinical Trials

Clinical Outsourcing in Japan

Ready to fulfill its destiny?

With the increasing popularity of global and regional trials in Japan, most global pharma companies are looking to develop as many compounds in Japan as possible. Yet, with limits to headcount increases, companies face limited options to achieve their business goals.

Clinical Trial Integration

Adopting an innovative approach

A clinical trial interchange platform can solve complex data integration challenges and also provide enterprise reporting, searching and aggregation capabilities.

Site Management Organisations in Asian Clinical Trials

Providing competitive advantage

In a changing market for clinical trials where fast recruitment of large patient numbers is of the essence, Site Management Organisation (SMOs) operating as independent CRO divisions offer significant advantages in the Asian market.

Clinical and Non-clinical Investigations

Improve the quality of development candidates

Improving the quality of the exploratory development candidates selected to go into confirmatory clinical development should further reduce the risk of late stage failures.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing Control Systems

The "next big thing" for the life sciences industry

Manufacturing Control Systems are likely to emerge as the new standard manufacturing solution by the end of the decade

Advanced Emulsification Technologies

Narrow drop size distributions in the nanometer region

High shear homogenizing and low pressure homogenizing open new pathways for fine emulsions with narrow drop size distributions. Their flexibility allows the introduction of exactly desired and validated shear forces.

Developing a Process Excellence Culture

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, the current organisational models for supply chains will no longer be effective. A process excellence culture will enable an organisation's resiliency and provide a competitive advantage to it in the future.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Embracing Lean Six Sigma

Pharmaceutical manufacturers are looking to Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles to help them boost operational efficiency and improve quality, while facilitating compliance.

Information technology

Life Sciences Manufacturing

Promise of service oriented architecture

Service oriented architecture promises to revolutionise the way companies share information internally, as well as with partners, customers and regulators.