Melanie Sena is community editor of Pharmaceutical Technology.

Melanie Sena

has been named among the 2014 Corporate Knights Global 100. Corporate Knights announced the results of its 2014 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World index at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Inclusion in the index is determined using 12 quantitative social, environmental, and governance indicators, including innovation capacity, employee turnover, and leadership diversity.
  
In addition, Novartis has also been listed in the STOXX Global ESG Leaders Index, recognized among the 25 best multinational employers by Great Place to Work Institute, and ranked top pharmaceutical company in 

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Novartis is named among the 2014 Corporate Knights Global 100.

Novartis Recognized Among World's Most Sustainable Companies

 has completed its acquisition of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (BMS) diabetes business. The acquisition gives AstraZeneca ownership of the intellectual property and global rights for the development, manufacture, and commercialization of BMS’ diabetes business, which includes Onglyza (saxagliptin), Kombiglyze XR (saxagliptin and metformin HCl extended release), Komboglyze (saxagliptin and metformin HCl), dapagliflozin (marketed as Forxiga outside the US and Farxiga in the US), Xigduo (dapagliflozin and metformin HCl), Byetta (exenatide), Bydureon (exenatide extended-release for injectable suspension), metreleptin, and Symlin (pramlintide acetate).

AstraZeneca paid BSM $2.7 billion of initial consideration. AstraZeneca has also agreed to pay up to $1.4 billion in regulatory, launch, and sales payments, and various sales-related royalty payments up until 2025, $600 million of which relates to the approval of Farxiga in the US. In addition, AstraZeneca may make payments of up to $225 million when certain assets are subsequently transferred.

AstraZeneca completes the acquisition of the entirety of BSM's interests in the companies' diabetes alliance.

AstraZeneca Completes Acquisition of BMS Global Diabetes Alliance

 reported that FDA has approved Hetlioz (tasimelteon) 20 mg capsules for the treatment of Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (Non-24).  Hetlioz is the first FDA approved medication for Non-24. 

Non-24 is a chronic, circadian rhythm disorder resulting from the misalignment of the endogenous master body clock to the 24-hour day, disrupting the sleep-wake cycle. Vanda anticipates making Hetlioz commercially available in the second quarter of 2014.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals receives approval from FDA for Hetlioz for the treatment of Non-24.

FDA Approves Hetlioz for the Treatment of Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder

 reported a $320 million investment to establish operations in Singapore for small molecule and biologics active drug-substance manufacturing. The completed facility will provide manufacturing capacity for emerging compounds within AbbVie’s oncology and immunology pipeline.

The investment will establish the first manufacturing presence in Asia by AbbVie. Other AbbVie operations in Asia include R&D functions in Tokyo, Japan and Shanghai, China, as well as commercial operations throughout the region. AbbVie’s existing presence in Singapore includes 120 employees, supporting commercial operations, global R&D, and general operations.

The investment is expected to result in more than 250 new employees. The new facility is expected to be fully operational by 2019.

Source: 

AbbVie will open its first manufacturing facility in Singapore.

AbbVie Expands Manufacturing Presence in Singapore

, a resource planning (ERP) software solution company, has released its newest version, Premier 10.4.

New features in Premier 10.4 include an integrated labeling system, increased userablilty in Safety Data Sheet authoring to meet the impending GHS deadline, and improved features in quality control, order entry, and palette tracking functionality.

Source: 

ProcessPro releases Premier 10.4 software.

ProcessPro Releases New ERP Software

 MPI Research, inviCRO, and 3D Imaging announced the name of a new advanced imaging center being built at the MPI Research headquarters in Mattawan, Mich. A joint partnership by the three organizations, the Translational Imaging Center, is the first resource for the drug development community to combine molecular imaging, autoradiography, and animal modeling with an onsite cyclotron, vivarium, and advanced image analytics, the companies report.
  
  When completed in Spring 2014, the Center will have the have the ability to translate preclinical data to clinical data, giving drug developers access to imaging, radiochemistry, and informatics solutions to enable faster, better informeddecisions regarding a drug candidate’s potential, according to a press release. 
  
MPI Research, inviCRO, and 3D Imaging’spartnership on the development and operation of the Translational Imaging Center aims to address increasing demand from pharmaceutical and other Iife- science companies for comprehensive imaging services in one location.
  
 Sponsors will be able to enhance their decision-making process based on evaluating three primary criteria: exposure at the target site, binding to the pharmacological target, and expression of the intended pharmacology. When applied to early and mid-stage development, these imaging solutions answer key questions about drug candidates with just a handful ofstudies. For late-stage developers, molecular imaging in concert with otherdiagnostic processes in nonhuman primate models can define the best dosages for future clinical trials, the companies report.
  
 The 10,000-sq-ft, two-story Translational Imaging Center groundbreaking was held in September 2013 and is scheduled to open in the Spring 2014.
  
Source: 

Partners MPI Research, inviCRO, and 3D Imaging announce name of new facility for molecular imaging, autoradiography, and animal modeling.