Generics
FDA warning letter to Chinese API supplier Xian Libang Pharmaceutical
The FDA has warned Xian Libang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, a maker of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs); because its quality control unit failed to detect that an employee had manipulated testing data on incoming raw materials. The failure could affect drugmakers that use the company as a supplier. Xian Libang has been asked to provide a list of all lots of APIs shipped to the US that were released based on non-existent, inaccurate or unreliable test data, according to a warning letter of 28 January 2010 recently posted to the FDA’s website.
Teva CEO about opportunities in generics and biosimilars
To retain its position in the long run, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. aims at significant growth in the generic market in the years to come, says Teva CEO Mr Shlomo Yanai in an interview by Mr Haim Watzman published in Nature Medicine in March 2010.
Daiichi Sankyo unit to sell generic drugs in Japan
Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. said on 26 February 2010 it will set up a new subsidiary in April 2010 to produce and sell generic drugs in Japan, in – according to Mr Kazuhiro Shimamura in the Wall Street Journal Asia – a rare move by a domestic maker of branded prescription drugs to tap the growing market of low-priced pharmaceuticals.
EGA wants better Centralised Procedure and Decentralised Procedure for generics authorisation
The European Generic medicines Association (EGA) presented ‘Vision 2015’, which aims to create a globally competitive generic industry, increase patient access to affordable quality medicines and ensure sustainable health care in Europe, e.g. by improving the EU's centralised procedure (CP) and decentralised procedure (DCP) for authorising medicines.
FDA: Counterfeit orlistat has risky sibutramine amount
As reported by Scrip, the US FDA has re-iterated its concerns about a counterfeit version of GlaxoSmithKline's Alli (orlistat), which contains varying degrees of sibutramine rather than the correct active ingredient.
Biovail says Teva’s generic bupropion trial is too small
As reported by Reuters, Biovail, Canada's biggest publicly traded pharmaceutical company said on 22 January 2010 that it believes a proposed clinical trial by Teva of a generic version of Biovail's sustained-release Wellbutrin XL (bupropion) antidepressant drug is too small and brief to be effective.
India urges WHO to ‘clearly promote’ generics
As reported by Scrip on 25 January 2010, India has urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to ‘clearly promote’ generic drugs as a strategy for rational drug use.
Indian firms seek a higher profile in biosimilars
As reported by Anju Ghangurde in Scrip News of 13 January 2010, large Indian companies appear to be keen to develop their capacities and capabilities in the biosimilars segment, an area expected to take centre stage globally in the coming years. Some of this growing interest is being attributed to the projected decline in the global pipeline for generic small molecules by about 2013, as well as optimism that some large markets such as the US will soon put in place regulations to facilitate the entry of biosimilars.
Physicians still have concerns about the quality, reliability and interchangeability of certain generic medicines
In a study by Dr Mohamed Azmi Hassali et al. of the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), as published in the January 2010 Journal of Generic Medicines issue (published online 1 September 2009), physicians’ views on generic medicines are reviewed.
Opportunities and challenges to implementing the Quality by Design approach in generic drug development
In an article by Dr Ramaji Varu of Biocon, Bangalore, India, and Dr Amit Khanna of Novartis, Hyderabad, India, published in the January 2010 Journal of Generic Medicines issue (published online 17 November 2009) the opportunities and challenges to implementing the Quality by Design (QbD) approach in generic drug development are discussed.
