BioLingus partnership boosts WuXi STA’s solid dose potential

Published: 21-Feb-2019

The collaboration will use BioLingus' technology to focus on sublingual and buccal drug delivery

An exclusive technology and marketing collaboration has been formed between STA Pharmaceutical (WuXi STA) and BioLingus. The partnership between the Swiss biotech company and the Chinese CDMO centres around sublingual (under the tongue) and buccal (diffusing through the oral tissues) drug delivery.

Sublingual and buccal routes of drug delivery differ from the classic oral route as they diffuse through the tissues that line the mouth, never entering the digestive tract.

Under the terms of the collaboration, WuXi STA will have exclusive access to BioLingus technology for sublingual and buccal delivery in the CDMO sector.

One such programme is BioLingus’ platform, to stabilise and deliver drug targets sublingually, including small molecules, peptides and protein. Most of these drugs are currently administered to patients via injection. The established platform already has patents secured in major countries around the world.

Integrating with WuXi's operations

In 2017, WuXi STA merged with WuXi AppTec’s Pharmaceutical Development Services unit, integrating the chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) supply chain. At the same time, two new commercial drug product facilities have come into operation, enabling WuXi STA to support solid dosage drug development. Many drug product projects are underway.

The newly introduced sublingual delivery technology from the collaboration will further increase the solid dosage drug capabilities for WuXi STA.

For BioLingus, CEO Yves Decadt, said the partnership would also expedite the development of BioLingus’ pipeline and increase global growth of their client base.

Dr Minzhang Chen, CEO of WuXi STA, added: “We are very pleased to partner with BioLingus and to offer their award-winning sublingual delivery technology to global new drug developers via WuXi STA’s integrated CMC platform. This collaboration will, therefore, offer more economical, convenient and effective delivery solutions for patients globally.”

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