Pharmaceutical Chemists

<iframe width="560" height="315" src=" https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZMvuUltheR8 " frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Puerto Rico’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector took a major hit from Hurricanes Irma and María in September, but are in recovery mode and back in production to ensure continuity in the availability of medications in Puerto Rico and globally, Felipe Palacios, president of the Pharmaceutical Industry Association said Wednesday. “It’s important to remember that our commitment is not just to Puerto Rico; we’re all international companies and we export our products to more than 100 countries,” he said. “We understand our commitment to Puerto Rico but we understand our global responsibility.” PIA, as the trade group is known, comprises 14 of about 20 pharmaceutical companies established in Puerto Rico. The members have more than 20 plants combined that generate about 20,000 direct and 80,000 indirect jobs in Puerto Rico. The sector is highly important to the government, as through Law 154, it shores up about $2 billion in tax revenue from the 20 pharma companies doing business in Puerto Rico, or about 30 percent of the island’s GDP. The law established in 2010 places an excise tax on sales generated by the local subsidiaries to their international parent companies. “I’m very proud to say that we’ve been working very closely with the government of Puerto Rico and they have given a certain level of priority to the industry because it’s not just important for the health and the healthcare sector of the island, it’s also important for the economic development of the island,” said Palacios. While Hurricanes Irma and María dealt a devastating blow to virtually all sectors of the economy, pharmaceutical companies are recovering, he said. “That recovery is a step-by-step process. It’s important to mention that a lot of our companies on the island have already been energized and are already operating and again, it’s a gradual improvement,” he said. “So, when the storms came in, some of the companies had to reduce operations, but we’re recovering now,” he added. “It’s a process and we have to follow that process because we have to protect the quality standards of our medicines to ensure the safety of our patients. We need to continue to recover to get to that new normal.” His comments were partly a reaction to concerns the head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Scott Gottlieb, expressed in late September regarding the possibility of a shortage in critical drugs produced on the island. www.newsismybusiness.com ... View more

Pharmaceutical company Amgen, which has a multi-building complex in Juncos, released third quarter results Wednesday, where it confirmed it is back to full operations five weeks after Hurricane María hit Puerto Rico. The company incurred $67 million of pre-tax expenses, or $0.07 earnings per share, in the third quarter related to Hurricane María. In the fourth quarter, the company expects additional pre-tax expenses in the range of $75 million to $100 million, or $0.08 to $0.11 EPS. “The expenses related to Hurricane Maria are included in our GAAP and non-GAAP results. At this time, the company does not expect a significant impact to full-year 2018 results. The above estimates do not include possible insurance recoveries,” the company noted. In the five weeks since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, Amgen has been providing support to staff members and the local community while implementing its business continuity plans and restoring manufacturing at its site in Juncos, the company stated. Its drug substance manufacturing and packaging plants are fully operational and Amgen expect to resume formulation/filling and small molecule commercial production by the end of this month. “The company continues to provide an uninterrupted supply of medicines for patients around the world,” executives said in the quarterly report. “Hurricane recovery efforts are well underway at our Puerto Rico manufacturing facility with no expected impact on product supply; expected 2017 EPS impact of $0.15 to $0.18,” the company noted. Fuent: newsismybusiness.com ... View more

I am working on a survey of the cheminformatics industry for a client and am trying to understanding when various chemists resort to cheminformatics tools, and how well those tools are serving them today.  It would be great to get some feedback from both pharma and non-pharma chemists.  While much of the emphasis today remains in the drug development arena, cheminformatics has a role in a variety of other fields. I will be providing $100 gift cards to all individuals whom I end up interviewing. Interviews are expected to take about an hour.  If you are interested in participating, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/65Y9KQZ and take this brief survey.  If you are selected, I will contact you directly to schedule an interview. Feel free to forward this message to any of your colleagues who might be interested.  Thank you for your assistance,  --Carmen Carmen Nitsche CINforma Consulting carmen@cinformaconsulting.com www.cinformaconsulting.com ... View more

Hello, I am a website creator working on a site about therapeutic properties of chemical compounds found in essential oils and I need a recommendation for a book or a resource about information on this. The quoted info below I found on Wikipedia, it is helpful but the information on different plants is not consistent. With some plants there isn´t even mention of therapeutic properties of the chemical compounds, that´s why I need a book, dictionary or online reliable resource. from Wikipedia: "Medical use and pharmacology Chemical compounds present within chamomile have demonstrated the ability to bind GABA receptors, modulate monoamine neurotransmission, and have displayed neuroendocrine effects.[8] Major chemical compounds present within chamomile include apigenin and alpha-bisabolol.[2][8] There is Level B evidence to support the claim that chamomile possesses anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties and chamomile may have clinical applications in the treatment of stress and insomnia.[8] Other classes of chemical compounds found within the chamomile plant include: sesquiterpenes, terpenoids, flavonoids, coumarins such as herniarin and umbelliferone, phenylpropanoids such as chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid, flavones such as apigenin and luteolin, flavanols such as quercetin and rutin, and polyacetylenes.[2][9] Alpha-bisabolol has been shown to have antiseptic properties, anti-inflammatory properties, and has also been demonstrated to reduce pepsin secretion without altering secretion of stomach acid.[9] Umbelliferone has been shown to be fungistatic.[9]Apigenin has demonstrated strong chemopreventive effects.[10] Coumarin compounds present in chamomile such as herniarin and umbelliferone may have blood thinning properties and there is some evidence that chamomile may interact with other medications causing drug-drug interactions.[6] Chamomile has been used for inflammation associated with hemorrhoids when applied topically.[9] Chemical components of chamomile extract have demonstrated anti-inflammatory,[2][4] antihyperglycemic,[2] antigenotoxic,[11] and anticancer properties[2] when examined in vitro and in animal studies.[12]" Also information related to therapeutic properties on these would be helpful: Oxigenated compounds: Alcohols: Monoterpene alcohols Sesquiterpene alcohols Phenols: Oxides: Esthers: Ethers: Aldehydes: Ketones: Lactones and coumarins: Terpene Hydrocarbons Monoterpene hydrocarbons: Sesquiterpenes: I rather have the information aimed to the lay person if possible, but that a more scientific mind would find admisible. like a middle ground. Thank you so much in advance, sorry for making you read so much. I tried to be as succinct as possible. Aliyah Nahyhu. ... View more