A study benchmarking food-safety performance in 16 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ranked Canada first, followed by Ireland and France. The study assessed safety performance with 10 indicators comprising three categories—science-based risk assessment, policy- and commercially based risk management, and risk communication and information exchange. The science-based indicators included chemical and […]

By 2020, orphan-drugs sales are expected to total $176 billion, growing 10.5% annually from 2014, compared with 5.3% for the overall prescription drug market. Orphan drugs are forecast to account for 19% of prescription sales worldwide, excluding generics, up from 6.3% in 2000. In 2013, their sales totaled $90 billion, increasing 6.8% from 2012. Approval […]

The one thousand companies that spent the most on R&D in fiscal 2014 (ending June 30) increased spending by 1.4% to $647 billion. Revenues rose 3.7% to $18.4 trillion. Spending as a percentage of revenue dropped to 3.5%. The top 100 companies’ expenditures made up only 1% of the annual increase in spending, compared with […]

Many seed and pesticide companies are investing in the search for biological pesticides. Some bacteria and small fungi repel pests on plants, and promote beneficial microflora and absorption of nutrients for faster growth. The companies want to use these microorganisms in new products for coating seeds or spraying on plants. Companies are seeking increased diversity […]