Business

GlaxoSmithKline has announced that it will invest approximately £200 million in UK manufacturing sites, including a new manufacturing facility in Ware for the Relvar Ellipta dry powder inhaler. The DPI was approved in Europe in November 2013 and in the US (as Breo Ellipta) in May 2013. The Ware site already employs more approximately 800 people, with 500 of those … [Read more...] about GSK announces new manufacturing facility for Relvar Ellipta DPI

According to United Therapeutics, the Office of the Inspector General of the US Department of Health and Human Services has subpoenaed documents related to the marketing of Tyvaso trepostinil inhalation solution for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The subpoena covers documents related to two other drugs as well. United Therapeutics says that it plans … [Read more...] about Tyvaso subject of investigation by US Department of Health and Human Services

Spanish pharmaceutical company Almirall has issued a statement saying that the company will "reorganize" its European operations as a result of "economic driven decisions, made by country’s health authorities that have negatively affected the growth of those markets and the introduction and uptake of new products." The press release does not specify what the … [Read more...] about Almirall announces reorganization

According to Bespak parent company Consort Medical, Bespak will construct a new dedicated facility at it's King's Lynn, UK site in order to meet production demands after signing a contract to manufacture a proprietary dry powder inhaler. The multi-year contract relates to a development project known as DEV610 for "a global pharma company whose details remain … [Read more...] about Bespak gets DPI contract

Imperial Innovations Group has announced that it is contributing £4.25 million towards a total of £17 million ($27.5 million) in funding for a new inhaled drug discovery and development company called Pulmocide. Other investors in the consortium include SV Life Sciences, Fidelity Biosciences, and Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation. The new London-based … [Read more...] about Inhaled drug start-up Pulmocide gets £17 million in funding

Particle Sciences has announced that it has been awarded a contract for development of an intranasal progesterone formulation for the treatment of traumatic brain injury by BHR Pharma, a subsidiary of Besins Healthcare. Besins announced in April 2013 that it had licensed the Muco (μco) intranasal system from Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL) for nasal … [Read more...] about Particle Sciences to develop intranasal progesterone for BHR Pharma

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued Civitas Therapeutics US Patent No. 8,545,878, with an expiration date of November 16, 2032, for a patent titled “Capsules containing high doses of levodopa for pulmonary use.” Civitas says that it now has more than 115 patents related to its CVT-301 inhaled L-dopa for the treatment of Parkinson's … [Read more...] about Civitas gets new patent for inhaled L-dopa

Novartis has announced that "it will initiate consultation on proposals to close" its respiratory R&D center in Horsham, UK. According to Novartis, the potential closing will affect "up to 371 roles" at the site, plus 170 contractors. The company also said that it is also withdrawing support for COPD products in the UK. In August 2012, the company reaffirmed its … [Read more...] about Novartis closer to closing UK respiratory R&D site

GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance have announced the availability of the Breo Ellipta fluticasone furoate/vilanterol DPI in the US. The FDA approved Breo Ellipta for the treatment of COPD in May 2013. The launch triggers a $30 million milestone payment from Theravance to GSK. GSK Senior VP of the US Respiratory Business Unit Jorge Bartolome said, “Patients and … [Read more...] about Breo Ellipta now available in US