Industry is beginning to appreciate how formulation microstructure makes a fundamental contribution to dermal drug delivery – and this new understanding emphasizes the key role of excipients.

Statisticians are vital in the pharma industry, but rarely do they receive public fanfare for their work. The Award for Statistical Excellence in the Pharmaceutical Industry aims to change the status quo.

A new technique allows scientists to see conformational changes caused by ligand binding in real time, opening up new screening options for drug discovery.

A choice of fumigants are available for fumigating microbiological safety cabinets and high-level containment rooms. One substance that is still used in the industry is formaldehyde, but given that formaldehyde is toxic, carcinogenic and corrosive, you’d be better looking for alternatives.

Pharma companies are notoriously protective of their intellectual property, so it’s a big deal to open up and give knowledge away for free. Nevertheless, it is the path that LEO Pharma took with its Open Innovation platform – and they’ve learnt that, if you give a little away, you can expect much in return.

“Batch is best,” according to many in the industry, but when cost reductions and greater efficiencies are a priority, continuous processing is becoming increasingly compelling.

The drug delivery field may be about to see dramatic shifts in accepted modalities. Nanoparticles, targeted delivery systems and a move from oral to transdermal routes will all play a part in tomorrow’s drug delivery landscape.

Glass is the most important primary packaging material for injectable drugs, but the demanding requirements of today’s sensitive biologicals mean that we must consider newer, safer alternatives.

Could light-activated quantum dots put the “antibiotic apocalypse” on hold?

Despite controversies, Robert Califf will finally take the reins at the FDA.