BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH
Hovione | March 21, 2023
Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO, leader in spray drying and particle engineering, and Ripple Therapeutics, a leading ophthalmic sustained drug delivery company, have entered a strategic partnership to expand the use of Ripple's Epidel® platform beyond ophthalmic applications.
The core feature of Ripple's Epidel® technology is the ability to deliver sustained-release pharmaceuticals with surface erosion release kinetics without the use of polymers or excipients. This enables higher drug loading, smaller size implants, defined and predictable biocompatible degradation products with straightforward and scalable manufacturing processes. Surface erosion-based drug release provides a highly effective way to control dose and duration. By incorporating Ripple's Epidel® platform into its toolbox, Hovione can expand its portfolio of novel drug delivery solutions to the pharmaceutical industry.
"The combination of technology synergy, innovative vision and cultural fit makes collaborating with Hovione an exciting next step in the advancement of the Epidel® platform beyond the ophthalmic field," stated Dr. Wendy Naimark, Ripple co-founder and Chief Technology Officer. "Hovione's expertise in controlled, sustained drug delivery, along with their experience in chemical synthesis and pharmaceutical manufacturing, makes for a great partnership."
"We are thrilled to partner with Ripple, who developed a state-of-the-art platform for sustained release," says Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione's CEO. " Our shared goal is to accelerate and broaden the access to this highly innovative and enabling technology for the benefit of our pharmaceutical customers and their patients worldwide."
By extending the use of the Epidel® platform beyond ocular applications, this partnership will enable the development of a diverse range of new products with optimal sustained release profiles.
About Hovione
Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and devices. Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione was the first Chemical/ Pharmaceutical Company to become a Certified B Corp, is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.
About Ripple Therapeutics
Ripple Therapeutics Corporation is a clinical stage, privately held company that is focused on ophthalmic therapeutics with controllable, sustainable drug delivery. The core feature of Ripple's Epidel™ technology is the ability to engineer sustained-release pharmaceuticals with surface erosion release kinetics without the use of polymers or excipients. Ripple's novel therapeutics provide for better outcomes for patients, easier management of care for physicians and lower costs for payors. Ripple has a full product pipeline in development.
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH
Businesswire | March 29, 2023
Simulations Plus, Inc. a leading provider of modeling and simulation software and services for pharmaceutical safety and efficacy, today announced that it established a strategic research collaboration with the Sino-American Cancer Foundation (SACF). This collaboration will leverage Simulations Plus’ staff and Artificial Intelligence-driven Drug Design technology in the ADMET Predictor® software platform to support the discovery and design of novel inhibitors of methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 2 (MTHFD2), an emerging cancer target.
Per the terms of the collaboration, Simulations Plus will develop quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models for efficacy against MTHFD2, using information from SACF as well as academic and patent literature. The biologists, computational and medicinal chemists in the Early Drug Discovery Services team at Simulations Plus will work with the researchers at SACF to define the multi-objective parameters against which the lead molecule(s) will be optimized. The new AIDD Module in ADMET Predictor® will then be employed to generate libraries of virtual compounds that are optimized for potency and other chosen parameters. The teams will select promising candidates for synthesis and testing, and ensuing rounds of QSAR model building and AIDD optimization will be performed until the milestone criteria in the collaboration agreement are achieved.
“We value the trust and confidence SACF has in our team and AI technology to complement and accelerate conventional drug design and lead optimization processes,” said Dr. Jeremy Jones, Principal Scientist at Simulations Plus and project lead. “By combining their drug discovery expertise with our algorithmic and data science know-how, we are confident we will successfully support their hit-to-lead target development activities.”
As part of this agreement, SACF will provide upfront funding to Simulations Plus to design a set number of compounds for efficacy against MTHFD2 which will be exclusive to SACF. Subsequent milestone payments will be made as key research and development goals are met.
“SACF has had an active interest in AI for de novo design for some time, and we have found a trusted partner in Simulations Plus to help us integrate this into our research,” added Dr. Frank Luh, CEO of SACF. “Scientists from the two organizations will work side-by-side to combine SACF’s data with all that Simulations Plus offers to identify the next generation of compounds that could help in the treatment of cancer.”
John DiBella, SLP Division President, said, “The Early Drug Discovery Services offering at Simulations Plus is tailor made for this type of partnership, where our team of experts, including computational, medicinal, and cheminformatics specialists, provide end-to-end AI-driven drug discovery and optimization support to complement the SACF team. Simulations Plus continues to invite future collaborations which benefit organizations and, most importantly, the global communities we serve.”
About Simulations Plus, Inc.
Serving clients worldwide for more than 25 years, Simulations Plus is a leading provider in the biosimulation market providing software and consulting services supporting drug discovery, development, research, and regulatory submissions. We offer solutions that bridge machine learning, physiologically based pharmacokinetics, quantitative systems pharmacology/toxicology, and population PK/PD modeling approaches. Our technology is licensed and applied by major pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and regulatory agencies worldwide.
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CPD AND LEARNING
Miravo Healthcare | March 16, 2023
Nuvo Pharmaceuticals Inc., which operates as Miravo Healthcare (Miravo), and Searchlight Pharma Inc., a Canadian specialty firm, have recently announced the closing of the previously announced plan of arrangement of Miravo with Searchlight. As per the arrangement terms, Searchlight acquired all the outstanding common shares of Miravo in exchange for $1.35 per share in cash, and the Miravo common shares will be removed from the Toronto Stock Exchange. Miravo will also apply to cease being a reporting issuer in each of the Canadian provinces.
The registered shareholders of Miravo must complete, sign and return the letter of transmittal and share certificate(s) to TSX Trust Company, the depositary, to receive their compensation under the arrangement. Non-registered shareholders will receive their compensation through their intermediary.
Before the Arrangement, Searchlight did not possess any Company Shares. Searchlight bought 11,388,282 Company Shares, representing 100% of the issued and outstanding Company Shares, for $1.35 per Company Share in conjunction with the arrangement.
Searchlight Pharma Inc., President and CEO, Mark Nawacki, commented, "Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Miravo as it officially combines with Searchlight and continues as a private company." He further emphasized, "Searchlight plus Miravo will be a diversified, large and strong company – based on IQVIA CDH sales data, we will rank in the top three of Canadian specialty pharma companies – and this positions us well to continue to execute our successful business model and to deliver on our leadership objective in the sector. On behalf of the Searchlight team, I express our thanks to all Miravo stakeholders for their cooperation throughout this acquisition process, and I warmly welcome our new Miravo colleagues to the Searchlight family."
(Source – Business Wire)
About Miravo Healthcare
Miravo Healthcare, formerly known as Nuvo Pharmaceuticals Inc., is a Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company that focuses on developing and commercializing innovative therapies. Its mission is to improve patient's quality of life by providing them with safe and effective treatments for chronic conditions such as pain, inflammation, and addiction. Miravo Healthcare's portfolio includes a range of prescription drugs, over-the-counter products, and medical devices used in various therapeutic areas, including pain management, dermatology, and women's health. The company's flagship product is Pennsaid, a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat knee osteoarthritis. It is committed to sustainability and social responsibility, and the company's initiatives include reducing its environmental footprint, supporting local communities, and promoting diversity and inclusion. With a focus on innovation and patient care, it continues making significant contributions to the pharmaceutical industry in Canada and beyond.
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