Dosage Forms

Angie Drakulich was editorial director of Pharmaceutical Technology.

Articles

After several years of debate and review, the US Food and Drug Administration is calling for the removal of metered-dose inhalers.

FDA Removes Last CFC Inhalers from the Market

Stephanie Sutton was an assistant editor at Pharmaceutical Technology Europe.

The European Organisation for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS) has predicted that 100 new designated orphan products will receive marketing authorization between 2009 and 2019, which equates to approximately 10 new products every year.

10 new orphan products a year between 2009 and 2019

Mark Copley discusses the methods used for DPI testing and the challenges presented by the current regulatory framework.

Regulatory challenges of inhaler testing

An inhaler mouthpiece that optimizes drug delivery to the lungs and reduces the amount of wasted medication has been developed by US researchers.

Optimizing drug delivery to the lungs

For the first time, cancer treatments accounted for 5% of overall drug spending in the first half of 2009, said Medco Health Solutions in a press release last week.

Cancer Drugs Account for 5% of Overall Drug Spending

Formoterol presents formulators and manufacturers in the asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease marketplace many challenges.

Developing robust formoterol-containing suspension pMDIs with enhanced shelf lives

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Barr Pharmaceuticals (Montvale, NJ) signed a definitive agreement under which Teva will acquire Barr, the fourth-largest generic-drug company in the world. Teva will buy each share of Barr common stock for $39.90 in cash and 0.6272 Teva shares. Based on the closing price of Teva?s shares on July 16, 2008, the price per share of Barr common stock is $66.50, and the total value of the acquisition is $7.46 billion. Teva will assume Barr?s outstanding net debt of approximately $1.5 billion.

Teva to Purchase Barr

Patricia Van Arnum was executive editor of Pharmaceutical Technology.

3M Drug Delivery Systems has successfully designed a proof of concept device using a solid microstructured transdermal system for the systemic delivery of high-potency pharmaceuticals. The technology was showcased at a poster session at the annual meeting of the Controlled Release Society held this week in New York City.

Solid Microstructured Transdermal Delivery Highlighted at Controlled Release Society's Meeting

The US Food and Drug Administration advised patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to switch to hydrofluoroalkane-propelled albuterol inhalers now because chlorofluorocarbon-propelled inhalers will not be available in the US after Dec. 31, 2008.

FDA Urges Early Switch to HFA-Propelled Albuterol Inhalers

What makes a drug ripe for respiratory delivery?

Specialty Dosage Drugs