Michael Schmitt, president of Alcan Global Pharmaceutical Packaging, believes a recovery in the global economy, the increasing demand for quality and the emergence of markets like India and Brazil will be key drivers for the packaging sector over the next few years.

This week in-PharmaTechnologist's Pharma Phacts podcast focuses on a nanotechnology method that could produce more effective barrier packaging using less material.

New research suggests that deuteration, the replacement of hydrogen atoms with heavier forms, can alter an API's crystallisation properties and help drugmakers make better more effective drugs.

Late last week the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded Novartis a $490m contract to continue work on its cell-culture influenza vaccine plant in Holly Springs, North Carolina, US. in-PharmaTechnologist spoke with Novartis spokesman Matt Stober about the new plant.

in-PharmaTechnologist is joined by Aurore Domange, Pharmapack Manager, who details the highlights of this year’s show, which starts in Paris, France, this week.

Since its inauguration last year, IPEC China has been working to improve the quality of excipient manufacturing in the country. in-PharmaTechnologist spoke with organisation president Nevin Cheng about the steps the body has taken so far and what it will be doing in 2009, including its plans for a new SFDA approved Drug Master File (DMF) scheme.

The timely identification of contaminants in pharmaceutical manufacture can be critical to avoiding costly delays. While it is relatively straightforward to establish the composition of a contaminating particle, determining its origin in the manufacturing process can be much more problematic. in-PharmaTechnologist spoke with McCrone Associates' Heidi Ullberg at this year's AAPS in Atlanta about a light microscopy that can help drugmakers address this problem.

After collecting the drug delivery award at this year's AAPS, John Santini, CEO of MicroCHIPS, was on hand to explain what the gong meant to the company.

American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientist's (AAPS) president Dr Karen Habucky sets out the programme for the group's forthcoming annual meeting and exposition, which is being held in Atlanta, US between November 16- 20.

All the breaking news across the pharmaceutical manufacturing and outsourcing sectors.