Industry Update: The latest developments in therapeutic delivery

This article covers the period between 1–31 May 2013. During this period, Takeda bolstered its presence in the field of vaccines with the acquisition of the viral vaccine manufacturer, Inviragen, while Valeant dramatically expanded its eye healthcare offering with the purchase of Bausch & Lomb. Product choice for those suffering from growth hormone deficiency in the EU looks set to increase as the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has given the green light to Biopartners GmbH microparticulate-based, once weekly, subcutaneous injection of recombinant somatotropin. If given approval by the EU commission (anticipated middle of Q3 2013), the product will be the only sustained release growth hormone injection on the European market. As ever, the Industry Update is based mainly on information from press releases and company websites.