Croda International has started construction on its North American headquarters and innovation centre near Princeton, New Jersey. Due to be completed before the end of 2020, this will bring together commercial and technical teams from across its business areas, enabling Croda to further optimise collaboration with customers in North America.
The ongoing race to develop the first effective vaccines for the treatment of COVID-19 continues to generate manufacturing and development agreements between pharmaceutical giants, biotechs and CDMOs.
Most recently, Sterling Pharma Solutions agreed to carry out final purification of drug product for Moleculin Biotech’s WP1122 drug candidate from its site in Cary, North Carolina. Moleculin is about to submit an IND for this to the FDA and wanted a reliable source of supply in the US.
The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has signed a letter of interest to provide a $765 million loan to Eastman Kodak to support the launch of Kodak Pharmaceuticals at a ceremony at the company’s main site in Rochester, New York state. It was addressed remotely by President Trump and State Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Paige Marie Morse, industry director of chemicals at AspenTech, looks at how chemical companies can use digitalisation to navigate in uncertain times
The current pandemic has presented chemical producers over the world with a raft of complex challenges. Across the industry, companies are being tested for their agility in learning how to navigate huge shifts in demand, supply, workforce and economics, as well as of their operational resilience and how they plan to emerge in a stronger position.
Lonza has reported 7.7% growth in sales in constant currency terms during 1H 2020 to CHF 3,074 million, with a core EBITDA margin of 29.1%. This, as in 2019, was largely driven by the Lonza Pharma Biotech & Nutrition (LBPN) segment, which had 10.8%3 sales growth and a margin of 34.1%.
The European Commission has completed its annual review of chemicals subject to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Regulation, based on developments in EU law and the Rotterdam Convention. As a result, 22 substances have been added to the list of those where exporters are required to notify their designated national authority at least days before exporting them as a product or in mixtures, as of 1 September. In 20 cases, consent from the importing country is also needed.
David Dunn, global industry marketing lead for chemicals, at SAP, highlights the need for chemical companies to look at Industry 4.0 practices
Before 2020 spiralled into viral uncertainty, chemical manufacturers had the luxury of embracing digitalisation and Industry 4.0 practices on their own terms. No longer. The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the sense of urgency among chemical manufacturers to infuse their operations and their supply chains with Industry 4.0 capabilities.
