Takeda recalls eye drug Natpara but warns patients not to abruptly stop treatment

FiercePharma | September 06, 2019

Takeda Pharmaceutical’s been looking for a buyer for Natpara to provide some debt relief, but it has just run into some complicating circumstances. It is having to recall the eye drug from the market, a move it says may be very challenging for patients. Takeda today announced it was voluntarily recalling all doses of the injected drug in the U.S. because there was a chance of small rubber particles shedding into the injectors. But the Japanese drugmaker was adamant that patients mustn’t stop the treatment abruptly because of the danger of a sudden drop in blood calcium levels. Instead, patients must have their doctor replace the drug with supplements and carefully monitor their calcium levels with blood tests. “It is critically important that patients contact their prescribing healthcare provider to discuss their individual treatment plan and ensure close supervision including frequent monitoring of blood calcium levels and close titration of active vitamin D and calcium supplements upon stopping Natpara to avoid low blood calcium (hypocalcemia),” the company said.

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The XTS Hygienic is the central element of a new system design for the transport of pharmaceutical products at HOF Sonderanlagenbau. The stainless steel version of the intelligent XTS transport system meets all industry standards.

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The XTS Hygienic is the central element of a new system design for the transport of pharmaceutical products at HOF Sonderanlagenbau. The stainless steel version of the intelligent XTS transport system meets all industry standards.

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Rallybio Corporation and EyePoint Announce Research Cooperation

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals | February 28, 2023

On February 27, 2023, EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading pharmaceutical firm committed to the development and commercialization of therapeutics to help improve the lives of patients with severe eye disorders and Rallybio Corporation, a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to identifying and accelerating the development of life-transforming therapeutics for patients with severe and rare diseases, announced a research collaboration to explore the sustained delivery of Rallybio's complement component 5 (C5) inhibitor for the treatment of geographic atrophy, an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration that can cause irreversible vision loss. The research will use EyePoint's proprietary Durasert® technology, which is designed for sustained intraocular drug delivery. Approximately one million individuals in the United States suffer from geographic atrophy, which is characterized by atrophic lesions in the central region of the macula. Geographic atrophy can cause irreversible vision loss and can lead to legal blindness. Currently, geographic atrophy treatments are limited in choice and duration of action, leaving a significant unmet need for safe and effective treatment options. Under the terms of the research partnership, EyePoint and Rallybio will assess and explore the viability of utilizing Rallybio's C5 inhibitor in EyePoint's Durasert technology, with the intention to increase the collaboration upon mutual agreement following the evaluation. EyePoint Pharmaceuticals' M.D., President and Chief Operating Officer Jay Duker commented, "We are excited to begin this research collaboration to explore the combination of Rallybio's C5 inhibitor with our bioerodible Durasert sustained release drug delivery technology to develop a potential long-acting treatment for geographic atrophy," He further emphasized, "Geographic atrophy associated with dry macular degeneration is a devastating eye disease, and the inhibition of complement is a proven treatment pathway. We hope to leverage our Durasert technology in this collaboration to create a potential best-in-class, long-acting intravitreal insert, which we believe could provide a more desirable option for patients given that the existing approved therapy is injected every one to two months." (Source – Business Wire) About EyePoint Pharmaceuticals EyePoint Pharmaceuticals is a leading pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapeutic products to help patients suffering from serious eye disorders. Headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, it is committed to using its innovative drug delivery platform to improve patients' quality of life. The company's pipeline utilizes its proprietary Durasert technology, which enables sustained intraocular drug delivery. Its current pipeline includes EYP-1901, a potential six-month intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment aimed at treating wet age-related macular degeneration. Durasert technology has been successfully used across four FDA-approved products, including YUTIQ®, which treats chronic non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye.

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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH

CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals Adopts Digital Validation

CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals | March 15, 2023

On March 14, 2023, ValGenesis, Inc., a leading enterprise validation lifecycle management solutions provider, announced that CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals has successfully implemented the ValGenesis Validation Lifecycle Management System (VLMS) for efficient management of validation processes across the company in a 100% digital format. CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals is a rapidly growing small business specializing in end-to-end integrated continuous manufacturing (ICM) of pharmaceuticals. As a spin-out company resulting from a long-term collaboration between MIT and Novartis, CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals is committed to enhancing the accessibility and affordability of pharmaceutical products worldwide by exploring advanced manufacturing paradigms that expedite the development of raw materials and APIs to final dosage forms. Due to the immense validation requirements involved in the production of different drug products, CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals needed an electronic solution that determines the disposition of their assets while switching amongst product lines. By leveraging the ValGenesis VLMS, CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals has successfully implemented facilities, equipment validation, computer system and utility validation. The ValGenesis VLMS is the system of record for CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals' engineering team and will be expanded to other teams in the future. The highly automated, real-time, and compliant system provided by ValGenesis minimizes the potential for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) non-compliance while accelerating time to market. About CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals is an end-to-end integrated continuous manufacturing (ICM) company specializing in pharmaceutical production. The company is committed to enhancing the accessibility and affordability of pharmaceutical products worldwide by exploring advanced manufacturing paradigms that expedite the development of APIs and raw materials to final dosage forms. It leverages a novel continuous manufacturing platform called Integrated Continuous Manufacturing (ICM), initially developed through a $65 million joint research project between Novartis and MIT. With ICM, it aims to transform and streamline the supply chain of pharmaceuticals by delivering high-quality, lower-cost drugs "on-demand."

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Hovione and Ripple Enter Strategic Partnership to Expand Epidel® Platform into Non-Ophthalmic Space

Hovione | March 21, 2023

Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO, leader in spray drying and particle engineering, and Ripple Therapeutics, a leading ophthalmic sustained drug delivery company, have entered a strategic partnership to expand the use of Ripple's Epidel® platform beyond ophthalmic applications. The core feature of Ripple's Epidel® technology is the ability to deliver sustained-release pharmaceuticals with surface erosion release kinetics without the use of polymers or excipients. This enables higher drug loading, smaller size implants, defined and predictable biocompatible degradation products with straightforward and scalable manufacturing processes. Surface erosion-based drug release provides a highly effective way to control dose and duration. By incorporating Ripple's Epidel® platform into its toolbox, Hovione can expand its portfolio of novel drug delivery solutions to the pharmaceutical industry. "The combination of technology synergy, innovative vision and cultural fit makes collaborating with Hovione an exciting next step in the advancement of the Epidel® platform beyond the ophthalmic field," stated Dr. Wendy Naimark, Ripple co-founder and Chief Technology Officer. "Hovione's expertise in controlled, sustained drug delivery, along with their experience in chemical synthesis and pharmaceutical manufacturing, makes for a great partnership." "We are thrilled to partner with Ripple, who developed a state-of-the-art platform for sustained release," says Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione's CEO. " Our shared goal is to accelerate and broaden the access to this highly innovative and enabling technology for the benefit of our pharmaceutical customers and their patients worldwide." By extending the use of the Epidel® platform beyond ocular applications, this partnership will enable the development of a diverse range of new products with optimal sustained release profiles. About Hovione Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and devices. Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione was the first Chemical/ Pharmaceutical Company to become a Certified B Corp, is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards. About Ripple Therapeutics Ripple Therapeutics Corporation is a clinical stage, privately held company that is focused on ophthalmic therapeutics with controllable, sustainable drug delivery. The core feature of Ripple's Epidel™ technology is the ability to engineer sustained-release pharmaceuticals with surface erosion release kinetics without the use of polymers or excipients. Ripple's novel therapeutics provide for better outcomes for patients, easier management of care for physicians and lower costs for payors. Ripple has a full product pipeline in development.

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