highlights
6 Issue 1 2020
Labotec celebrates 60 years T
his year Labotec celebrates 60 years in the business of understanding the needs of laboratories and manufacturers in the African region. First established in 1960, Labotec is one of the first and oldest laboratory supply companies in South Africa, with the mainstay first strategy to partner with some of the world’s leading brands to bring the best quality home. This, in turn, helped to empower local laboratories and manufacturers with world-class equipment. The market has evolved since, and to embrace the next decade in Africa with current trends in automation, remote monitoring, quicker turnaround times, personalised medicine, rugged and lasting equipment for routine work, they are aiming to grow and evolve this. Last year, Labotec experienced sales increase, and this growth has been persisting for the last few years despite
local economic recession. Being deeply entrenched in African roots and armed with the most important cornerstone of client partnerships and mutual growth have helped. Labotec is here to stay and hopes to continue their legacy by helping laboratories make accurate diagnostic decisions, advise on advanced research methods for better results, and improve production performance in diverse fields such as food & beverage, microbiology, chemistry, physics, medical, industrial and pharmaceutical. 2020 has a few surprises in store – pictured here are the 2020 team stationed at Labotec’s headquarter branch in Midrand. LABOTEC (PTY) LTD JHB: (011) 315 5434 CPT: (021) 531 7660 DBN: (031) 566 4870 Fax: (011) 315 5882 sales@labotec.co.za www.labotec.co.za
Wirsam showcases the new Olympus DSX1000 opto-digital microscope at roadshow
W
irsam Scientific recently held a roadshow in Pretoria and Johannesburg to introduce customers to the new Olympus DSX1000 Digital Microscope. Customers were given an in-depth presentation by Dr Sugish Subramonia from Olympus Hamburg, in which he detailed the advantages of the DSX1000 series digital microscope over conventional digital microscopes: • Macro to micro on one instrument (20x-7 000x) • High resolution and long working distance in one objective • Accuracy and repeatability are guaranteed at all magnifications • Observe uneven samples without
Metrohm training course schedule for 2020
M
etrohm is excited to announce that it will be running some new, exciting and informative courses throughout 2020. Please visit our website at https:// www.metrohm.com/en-za/company/ events/# to see dates of 2020 courses. Places are limited to guarantee personalised attention. Please register asap to avoid disappointment.
METROHM SA (PTY) LTD Tel: (011) 656 1918 CPT: (021) 852 0213 DBN: (031) 265 0067 Fax: (011) 656 2698 078 643 7113 info@metrohm.co.za www.metrohm.co.za
bumping into them • All six observation methods are available at all magnifications with a single click • Complete your inspection using one easyto-use system Customers brought their own samples to test on the system and were very impressed with the accuracy and precision, powerful functionality and exceptional value. For more information on this exciting product, please contact the marketing department. WIRSAM SCIENTIFIC Tel: (011) 482 1060 marketing@wirsam.com www.wirsam.com
From LEFT TO RIGHT: Masego Lepule, Peter Ngugi, Dewald Noeth and Dr. Sugish Subramonia.
The New Drugs of 2019 CHEMICAL & ENGINEERING NEWS With 48 drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2019 was another highly productive year for the pharmaceutical industry. The new medicines include treatments for various cancers, sickle cell disease, migraines and postpartum depression. However, the steady flow of drugs could be masking troubling signs about the health of the industry, according to Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American C hemical Society. 2019 showed several notable trends for new drugs, according to Senior Correspondent Lisa M. Jarvis. First, about 42% of the medicines had new mechanisms of action –– so-called “first-in-class drugs” –– to treat a disease. As in past years, most of FDA’s approvals were for small-molecule drugs, but 2019 also saw an influx of new molecular entities, including antibody-drug conjugates, an antisense oligonucleotide and a small
interfering RNA. Another trend was the introduction of new therapies for underserved diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, treatment-resistant tuberculosis and postpartum depression. Despite these successes, some analysts say certain aspects of the list point to trouble ahead for the pharmaceutical industry. For example, the proportion of new drugs produced by big pharma is declining. One explanation is that the industry has shifted its focus from primary-care treatments, which require large, expensive clinical trials, to rare diseases and specialty care indications, like cancer. These classes of drugs can be approved on the basis of much smaller studies, making it easier for small companies to bring a drug to market. Another concerning trend is that the number of companies directly contributing to drug development is shrinking, as large
companies acquire the most productive small and medium biotech firms. Analysts worry that this industry consolidation will threaten the ability to introduce new medicines. Note: ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/ pressroom/presspacs/2020/acspresspac-january-222020/2019s-newmedicines. html
