Access signs pre-licensing agreement with biotech firm
Aims to develop oral formulation of proprietary injectable drugs
Access Pharmaceuticals has entered into a pre-licensing feasibility agreement with a leading biotechnology company to develop an oral formulation of its proprietary injectable drugs. The Texan pharmaceutical company will use its Cobalamin oral drug delivery technology to develop oral formulations of the drug for pre-clinical testing.
Although the financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, Access says any successful formulation developed will be subject to a subsequent full-licensing agreement.
In tests, Cobalamin-coated insulin containing nanoparticle formulations delivered orally provided a pharmacological response (lowering of blood glucose levels in animal models) equivalent to more than 80% of that achieved by insulin delivered subcutaneously. Access believes the substantial oral bioavailability found underscores the formulation's potential for clinical development and ultimate commercialisation.
‘We have seen significant oral bioavailability and promise in our previously-developed oral formulations of insulin and believe we can have similar success with many other marketed injectables,’ said David Nowotnik, senior vice president for r&d at Access Pharmaceuticals.
Access Pharamceuticals' Cobalamin technology uses the body's natural vitamin B12 oral uptake to facilitate oral absorption of pharmaceuticals. It provides Access with the ability to develop a number of different formulations with improved benefits for various disease applications. In addition to insulin, Access has applied this technology to human growth hormone (HGH), which resulted in a formulation demonstrating efficacy that represents more than 25% improvement in weight gain, when given orally in an established animal model.
