Chemical industry news and analysis

Decoding 23andMe’s downfall

DNA testing firm’s bankruptcy raises data security questions

Welcome to the MegaPharm target selection and project resourcing meeting

Overheard recently in a seminar room near you…

Bayer ordered to pay more than $2 billion to US cancer victim

Jury decided glyphosate-based Roundup herbicide caused cancer, but company will appeal

How a herbicide illustrates the many ways chemicals are put to the test

The glyphosate debate highlights the complexity of chemicals regulation

Highlights

The EU has recently approved the use of glyphosate for another decade. Bárbara Pinho examines the controversial pesticide’s presence in British farming and considers the possibility of a ban in the UK

Putting the F in pharma

Adding fluorine to drug molecules can be tricky, but is often worthwhile. Rachel Brazil talks to the chemists trying to tame the ninth element

On the trail of the male contraceptive pill

As multiple novel male contraception compounds enter clinical trials, is family planning about to undergo a second revolution? James Mitchell Crow reports

The promise of drugs that send proteins to the shredder

Andy Extance charts how research into revolutionary targeted protein degradation therapies is moving from serendipity to strategic discovery

Chemicals industry roundup 2024

Europe continues to struggle with high energy and feedstock costs, while US and Asia negotiate supply gluts

Pharmaceutical

Welcome to the MegaPharm target selection and project resourcing meeting

Overheard recently in a seminar room near you…

Weight loss drug supply races

With official shortages ended, but the first generics gearing up for launch, companies are looking for the next generation of drugs

Ending of US weight-loss drug shortages prompts compounder complaints

Decision ends pharmacies’ permission to prepare versions of GLP-1 hormone mimics

Why companies are rushing to flatter Trump

Pharma firms are among many pausing diversity programmes and promising domestic investment

Regulation

How a herbicide illustrates the many ways chemicals are put to the test

The glyphosate debate highlights the complexity of chemicals regulation

Getting into the weeds of the glyphosate debate

Assessments of the risk posed by the controversial herbicide depend on how the evidence is weighed

US reviews chemical incident prevention planning rules

Risk Management Program has been extended and rolled back under successive governments

Weight loss drug supply races

With official shortages ended, but the first generics gearing up for launch, companies are looking for the next generation of drugs

US drops chloroprene emissions lawsuit against Denka

Government says lawsuit stretched legal definitions in pursuit of ‘environmental justice’

Ending of US weight-loss drug shortages prompts compounder complaints

Decision ends pharmacies’ permission to prepare versions of GLP-1 hormone mimics

Industrial chemistry

Generative AI pipeline creates promising antimicrobial peptides

AI model extrapolates beyond training data to predict diverse antimicrobial structures

Far more drugs could be taken orally by formulating them with silica nanoparticles

Many more medicines could be made water soluble making taking them easier for patients

Mapping metabolite disturbances by drugs

High-throughput metabolomic profiling gives insight into unpredictable drug effects

Metal–organic framework captures carbon dioxide at industrially relevant temperatures

Material could improve energy efficiency of capturing carbon from industy’s exhaust gases

Fluorspar to fluorine chemicals without going via hazardous hydrogen fluoride

Safer way to turn calcium fluoride mineral into valuable industrial materials

Banned pigments found in tattoo inks sold in the EU

Nine out of 10 green and blue inks analysed violate Reach regulations

Nanopore sequencing set to transform our understanding of proteins

Rapid sequencing technique can not only deal with proteins hundreds of amino acids long but can detect modifications

How F1 plans to transition to ‘100% sustainable fuel’

Rule changes intend to make Formula One more environmentally friendly from 2026. But what are the changes, and can a sport known for gas-guzzling engines really go green?