NOTTINGHAM science companies will lead a delegation of UK firms pitching for business during one of the biggest events in the American pharmaceutical industry’s calendar.

Businesses from the city account for one-third of the firms in the English delegation attending a reception during the American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences (AAPS) annual meeting in Los Angeles.

They will meet potential customers and investors next week at an event hosted on their behalf by the British Consul in LA, Dame Barbara Hey.

The Nottingham firms taking part in the 20-strong delegation are Critical Pharmaceuticals, Design Cognition, Food and Drug Analytical Services, Molecular Profiles, Pharmaceutical Development Services and R5 Pharmaceuticals.

The US pharmaceutical market is the biggest and most lucrative in the world, with companies bidding for work in a field where the biggest firms routinely outsource research, development and service work to smaller companies.

Some of the Nottingham firms will be going to link-up with existing contacts, while others, such as specialist packaging and product development firm Design Cognition, are first- timers. Chris Penfold, the company’s chief executive, said: “We are on a fact-finding mission, to learn as much as possible about the US market and assessing where and how we can add value for US pharmaceutical companies looking to export, through our understanding of packaging requirements and regulations of global markets.”

His company is working closely with Pharmaceutical Development Services, which already has an office in the US state of South Carolina, another industry hotspot.

“Making a move into the US requires a great deal of market as well as regulatory intelligence,” said managing director Michael Gamlen.

“Close working relationships and collaboration are key to success and our respective consultancy services dovetail perfectly to add potential value for US companies.”

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Watch this space for further information as I will be following up with This is Business- East Midlands (Nottingam Evening Post) after the AAPS event.

Does this apply to any of your products?  This new ruling comes into affect on the 18th November 2009 and all new products entering the market need to be compliant by November 2011. (Jane)

The European Commission has changed the labelling requirements for formulations that contain certain hair dye ingredients. Amendments to the Directive are in response to a conclusion from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety SCCS previously known as the SCCP – Scientific Committee on Consumer Products that said contact allergies caused by hair dyes are an increasingly important health problem. These types of reactions can cause ‘acute and severe dermatitis’ in affected individuals, according to the SCCS. In an attempt to better inform the consumer of these dangers, the Commission has altered the warnings that must be included on the labels of oxidative hair dye products and some non-oxidative products that contain strong sensitising substances. 

via Cosmetics Directive amended to flag up hair dye allergy dangers.

www.cosmeticsdesign.com