In this week's ICIS Chemical Business Americas

29 September 2008 00:15  [Source: ICIS news]

NEW YORK (ICIS news)--This week in the ICIS Chemical Business weekly magazine, we present our special issue on fine chemicals. Quality and technology are becoming ever more important differentiators, while big pharma looks to biologics to fill its pipeline. What’s the impact of the credit crisis on the chemical industry? Plus, we present for the first time the ICIS Company of the Year!

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES: 29 SEPTEMBER, 2008

Prospects brighten in fine chemicals as focus shifts to technology and quality
For most of this decade, fine chemical companies in Europe and the US have struggled with creeping commoditisation, with their efforts to rationalise production undercut by the entrance of low-cost competitors in India and China. But there are signs that weaker firms have been winnowed from the market, leaving lean, focused firms positioned to benefit from the ongoing transformation of large pharmaceutical firms and the capacity limitations of thriving agrochemical companies.

Pharma firms bolster pipeline with biologics
To make up for product-pipeline shortfalls, major pharmaceutical companies are turning to biotechnology firms.

Demographics will drive generic drugs in Japan
Put yourself in the shoes of any Japanese politician or bureaucrat, and you should be chilled to the bone by rising health-care costs and the country’s aging population. The two make up a demographic time-bomb that threatens unsustainable levels of national debt.

Worldwide FDA offices are in the works
Fine chemical companies in the US and Europe have long complained that the ongoing shift of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing to lower-cost producers in emerging regions exposes the drug supply to growing risk.

ICIS crowns US fertilizer producer Mosaic as Company of the Year
Using company year-on-year and absolute financial performance measures and ratios, ICIS is pleased to announce that US fertilizer producer Mosaic has taken top spot.

Chemical debt and equity financings fall on global credit crisis
With the global credit crisis deepening and the ensuing panic in recent weeks, it is not surprising that chemical industry debt financings are down. But the US government’s massive bailout of the banking sector could restore confidence and stability.

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By: Staff Reporter
+44 20 8652 3214

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