Shift to risk-based inspection yields warnings boost; Bend formulates for BMS;

> The apparent rise in warning letters is due in part to the FDA's shift to a risk-based inspection plan, in which the goal is to select sites having the greatest process, facility and product risk associated with them, says Rick Friedman of CDER. Interview

> American Airlines plans an aggressive entry into the market for temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals to offset declines from customers who've switched to ocean freight. Article

> Bend Research will provide formulation services, some involving Bend's spray-dried dispersion technology, to Bristol-Myers Squibb for clinical trial supplies. Article

> Contract manufacturer Althea now boasts an INOVA H3-5 high-speed syringe filling line at its San Diego facility. Article

> Through a licensing agreement, Particle Sciences will offer Solumer formulation and clinical trial supply manufacturing to drug developers. Particle Sciences release

> Michelex has started moving the pharmaceutical manufacturing assets of its subsidiary, Pristine Pharma, to its own facility in New York. Michelex release

> In Viet Nam, a court imposed prison sentences totaling almost 22 years on a criminal ring of six people for producing and trading in counterfeit pharmaceuticals. Article

> Canada's Minister of Health has granted a site license to Stirling Pharma for its health products manufacturing, packaging and labeling plant in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. Item

> The Australian government and other funders are putting up $354 million to build the Translational Research Institute, a facility for the manufacture and development of drugs to treat chronic diseases. Article

> John Musante has been named VP for pharmaceutical and medical device services at supply chain specialist Tompkins Associates. Release