Phillip Broadwith

1 week ago | chemistryworld.com | Phillip Broadwith

More than 1000 people injured after cargo caught fire and exploded Source: © Hessam oddin Ansarian/Getty Images A massive explosion and fire at the Iranian port of Shahid Rajaee has left at least 70 people dead and more than 1000 others injured. The blast occurred on the morning of 26 April, and was reportedly felt up to 50km away. The ensuing fire spread between cargo containers across large areas of the port. Fires continued to burn for several days, and clean-up operations are ongoing.

1 week ago | chemistryworld.com | Phillip Broadwith

Intersecting regulations and jurisdictions mean rules can be accidentally or deliberately overlooked Source: © Mohammad Rasoul Moradi/Anadolu/Getty Images The deadly explosion and fire at the Iranian port of Shahid Rajaee is a stark reminder of the inherent risks of transporting large quantities of hazardous chemicals around the world. National and international regulations play a huge part in mitigating those risks.

2 weeks ago | chemistryworld.com | Phillip Broadwith

$3.9 billion deal boosts Merck’s pipeline as it faces patent expiries Source: © Anne Czichos/Shutterstock Germany’s Merck KGaA has agreed to buy SpringWorks Therapeutics, adding the US biotech’s portfolio of cancer and rare disease therapies to its pipeline. Merck will pay $47 per share of SpringWorks, making the deal worth $3.9 billion (£2.9 billion), or $3.4 billion accounting for SpringWorks’ outstanding cash and debt. SpringWorks has two drugs approved in the US.

2 weeks ago | chemistryworld.com | Phillip Broadwith

Firm will pay $202 million to federal and state governments Source: © Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Pharmaceutical firm Gilead has admitted paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal kickbacks to US doctors between January 2011 and November 2017, as inducements for prescribing the company’s HIV drugs.

2 weeks ago | chemistryworld.com | Phillip Broadwith

There is a chronic shortage of laboratory space for UK companies that are starting up and scaling up. It’s not a new problem, and it’s been holding back growth of innovative firms for years. Chemistry World’s Julia Robinson has been speaking to innovators about their experience attempting to scale up a business in the UK, as well as outlining some of the holes in the system and looking at potential solutions.