Millipore Corp. is the first company to integrate Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology with filtration products used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drugs. The new RFID capability will be branded as SMART Technology and will be introduced at the INTERPHEX 2007 Conference in New York.

According to the company, using RFID technology in filtration products allows customers to increase speed by quickly and reliably retrieving critical information, such as when and how the product was manufactured. RFID can also deliver real-time information about product performance and identify which fluids are present during the manufacturing process. This can help customers with regulatory compliance and improve recording and conveying manufacturing data. Other benefits of the technology include: improved readability and non-linear access to information, rewritable and encryptable, greater security, mechanically and thermally stable gamma irradiatable.

The company recently entered into an exclusive license with Tack Smart Filter Technology BV to embed the RFID technology in its filters and filtration equipment for biopharmaceutical applications. Millipore has also formed relationships with Tagsys RFID for tags and reader components; the Tech Group for injection molding and fabrication and Northern Apex-RFID for RFID integration services and instrument development.

“Using RFID technology to record and convey valuable product and process information allows our customers to more efficiently develop and validate key process steps,” said Roland Heinrich, Ph.D., vice president, R&D of Millipore’s Bioprocess Division. “In an industry where time-to-market and compliance are crucial, RFID improves the speed and confidence with which critical data is exchanged for these steps.”

Galapagos' BioFocus DPI service division has signed two new collaborations with Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., building on the successful relationship between Ono and DPI, which began in 2004. Under the first collaboration, BioFocus DPI will use selected compounds from its SoftFocus and other synthetic small molecule collections to perform high throughput screening for Ono's drug discovery program. In the second collaboration, BioFocus DPI will apply its medicinal and computational chemistry and ADME profiling expertise in multiple medicinal chemistry projects for Ono.

"We are pleased with the new contracts with Ono that build on the longstanding relationship between Ono and DPI. The new contracts show the benefit of building a global drug discovery service business. We combine expertise from our acquired companies Discovery Partners International, BioFocus as well as Inpharmatica, realizing the synergy in bringing these activities together," added Onno van de Stolpe, chief executive officer of Galapagos.

"We are dedicated to creating innovative medicines," said Dr. Daikichi Fukushima, managing director, Ono. "Accordingly, we are enthusiastic about extending the relationship with BioFocus DPI, a leading company in drug discovery, so that we can continue creating novel drug candidates."

Lilly

1Q Revenues: $4.2 billion (+14%)

1Q Earnings: $508.7 million (-39%)

Comments: Alimta, Byetta, Cialis, Cymbalta, Forteo, Strattera, Symbyax, Xigris and Yentreve, collectively grew 57% to $1.3 billion, and accounted for 30% of total sales, compared with 22% of in 1Q2006. Earnings for the quarter were affected by in-process R&D charges associated with the ICOS acquisition and OSI in-licensing agreement and restructuring charges associated with "manufacturing decisions"; Lilly recently decided to close some European locations and halt construction of a plant in Virginia.

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