BUSINESS INSIGHTS
Aptar Pharma and Fluidda | September 23, 2022
Nanopharm, an Aptar Pharma company and leader in contract research and development services for orally inhaled and nasal drug products announced an exclusive collaboration with Fluidda, a leader in the field of Functional Respiratory Imaging. The companies will leverage their respective proprietary technology platforms to help accelerate U.S. Food & Drug Administration approvals for orally inhaled generic products via the alternative bioequivalence pathway. Nanopharm was acquired by Aptar in 2019, as part of the company’s strategy to expand its services offerings and partner with pharmaceutical companies earlier in the drug development process.
Nanopharm has pioneered the development of the alternative bioequivalence regulatory pathway for U.S. FDA approval of generic OIDPs for Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease using its proprietary in vitro and in silico service platform, SmartTrack™. Fluidda’s proprietary in silico platform FRI delivers quantitative predictions of regional drug deposition in disease state lungs using Computational Fluid Dynamics. The FRI platform provides critical information to help understand the availability and activity of the drug at the site of action in the lungs, when complemented by Nanopharm’s local lung physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model platform and its in vitro data.
This novel approach is intended to allow pharma companies to file Abbreviated New Drug Application dossiers without the need to perform time-consuming, costly and often unpredictable clinical end-point studies. Similarly, it can support 505(b)(2) filings, by derisking and abbreviating clinical studies.
“We are pleased to solidify our relationship with Fluidda and its world-leading FRI technology. A company would have to spend several years to achieve the current combined expertise and experience of Nanopharm and Fluidda. The collaboration between Nanopharm and Fluidda has the potential to revolutionize this arduous regulatory pathway,”
Dr. Jag Shur, Vice President, Science & Technology at Nanopharm
Having already worked together closely for a number of years, Nanopharm and Fluidda have gained a unique insight into the complex and continually evolving regulatory requirements. This exclusive collaboration deepens the relationship between Fluidda and Nanopharm, benefiting both patients and customers with an uncompromised and holistic approach in developing the scientific rationale to demonstrate bioequivalence using only in vitro and in silico methodologies. The first potential approval of an OIDP using the alternative bioequivalence approach is pending, and, when approved, will further validate Nanopharm’s SmartTrack™ as the go-to solution for alternative bioequivalence studies and should accelerate demand for the companies’ collective services.
With momentum building for the transition to new lower global warming potential (GWP) propellants for pMDIs, SmartTrack™ will also help companies to understand and modulate the impact of these new propellants on drug deposition and dissolution in the lungs, giving confidence in the performance of the reformulated product before embarking on any necessary clinical studies.
Dr. Jan de Backer, CEO of Fluidda, stated, “Fluidda has already demonstrated the applicability of its FRI platform to provide more objective data for evaluating and administering inhaled drug products accurately. Nanopharm’s unique SmartTrack™ platform provides us with clinically-relevant input data without having to actually go into the clinic, which really adds another level of confidence to the models, and provides an integrated perspective.”
Guillaume Brouet, Vice President, Analytical, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at Aptar Pharma, commented, “Aptar Pharma is delighted to collaborate with Fluidda on this important development, which reinforces our mission to help customers derisk and accelerate their drug product development programs.”
About Aptar
Aptar Pharma is part of AptarGroup, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacturing of a broad range of drug delivery, consumer product dispensing and active material science solutions and services. Aptar’s innovative solutions and services serve a variety of end markets including pharmaceutical, beauty, personal care, home care, food and beverage. Aptar Pharma’s analytical, laboratory and regulatory services add value at every stage of the drug development process, accelerating and de-risking the program along the way. Nanopharm, an Aptar Pharma company, is a leading provider of specialized analytical and product development services, with a focus on orally inhaled and nasal drug products. Aptar is headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois and has 13,000 dedicated employees in 20 countries.
About Fluidda
FLUIDDA, founded in 2005, is the world leader in the field of Functional Respiratory Imaging (FRI). This technique combines HRCT scans and Computational Fluid Dynamics technology (CFD), which offers vast improvements by making clinical trials shorter, faster and thus, more cost effective. FRI also helps patients and healthcare providers in offering a unique entry point in personalized medicine, by optimizing diagnosis, monitoring disease progression and the effects of therapy including accurate assessment of the deposition of inhalation medication. Fluidda’s mission is to optimize treatment pathways, reduce healthcare costs and to limit the go-to-market time of respiratory drugs, pulmonology medical devices and therapies. Fluidda has offices in Belgium, the United States and Portugal.
Read More
BUSINESS INSIGHTS
Societal CDMO, Inc. | July 21, 2022
Societal CDMO, Inc. a contract development and manufacturing organization dedicated to solving complex formulation and manufacturing challenges primarily in small molecule therapeutic development, today announced that it has been selected to provide CDMO services to support the ongoing clinical development of a novel drug candidate in Europe. The compound is an oral solid dose anti-viral therapy product approved for the prevention and treatment of human immunodeficiency virus in select countries in Europe and Societal’s work is focused on supporting the expansion of the product’s indications.
Under terms of the new agreement, Societal CDMO will execute appropriate technology transfer activities, followed by cGMP manufacture of clinical trial material to support the initiation and execution of Phase 2 studies of the drug candidate. This work will include production, packaging and labeling of both the active compound and matching placebo for the study.
“This is a key new agreement for Societal CDMO as it is a clear demonstration of the company’s ability to capitalize on the increasing interest of drug developers in the onshoring and reshoring of contract manufacturing activities to the U.S. from other regions around the globe. We are proud to be trusted by our partner to execute the tech transfer, manufacturing and packaging services that will be necessary for the initiation of its planned Phase 2 study in Europe. We continue to be pleased with our progress in leveraging our end-to-end CDMO service offerings to grow our business and expand our client base.”
David Enloe, chief executive officer of Societal CDMO
About Societal CDMO
Societal CDMO is a bi-coastal contract development and manufacturing organization with capabilities spanning pre-Investigational New Drug (IND) development to commercial manufacturing and packaging for a wide range of therapeutic dosage forms with a primary focus in the area of small molecules. With an expertise in solving complex manufacturing problems, Societal CDMO is a leading CDMO providing therapeutic development, end-to-end regulatory support, clinical and commercial manufacturing, aseptic fill/finish, lyophilization, packaging and logistics services to the global pharmaceutical market.
In addition to our experience in handling DEA controlled substances and developing and manufacturing modified-release dosage forms, Societal CDMO has the expertise to deliver on our clients’ pharmaceutical development and manufacturing projects, regardless of complexity level. We do all of this in our best-in-class facilities, which total 145,000 square feet, in Gainesville, Georgia and San Diego, California.
Read More
BUSINESS INSIGHTS
Tris Pharma, Inc. | July 28, 2022
Tris Pharma, Inc. a fully integrated pharmaceutical company with a robust portfolio of CNS products announced that it has successfully developed an oxybate formulation for the treatment of cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness n patients 7 years of age and older with narcolepsy that has the potential to be significantly advantageous to existing approved therapies, such as Jazz Pharmaceuticals' blockbuster XYWAV® and XYREM® franchise. The Tris oxybate formulation is believed to provide an advantage over approved therapies by utilizing Tris's proprietary LiquiXR technology platform and our newly developed RaftWorks design to provide a unique oxybate formulation offering both once-nightly dosing, and very low sodium content. The Tris oxybate formulation is investigational and not yet approved by any regulatory agency.
Both XYWAV® and XYREM® require twice a night dosing – once at bedtime and again 2.5 to 4 hours later for the second dose. Further, XYREM contains an express warning based on its high sodium content and associated risk to patients with heart failure, hypertension or impaired renal function. The Tris oxybate formulation seeks to improve on existing therapies by providing convenient once per night dosing, and significantly reduced sodium content such that it will contain less than 100 mg of sodium per 9.0 gm of maximum sodium oxybate equivalent dose. Based on the significant potential advantage the Tris oxybate formulation could provide over existing available therapies, Tris is pursuing an Orphan Drug Designation for its unique oxybate formulation.
In a human clinical study, Tris established about 100% bioavailability for one dose of its formulation against two doses of XYREM at 4.5 gm each, equivalent to the 9.0 gm maximum dose of sodium oxybate. If approved, the Tris product will provide significant advantages in that patients will not have to wake up in the middle of the night to take a second dose and will have all the benefits of a very low sodium product.
The Tris oxybate product achieved its clinical objectives by combining two distinct proprietary Tris technologies: the LiquiXR platform, and the newly developed RaftWorks design. Working together, these unique formulation platforms provide an interpenetrating network raft in-situ, in which sodium-free drug particles are entrapped in a raft that allows for extended release of the active ingredient. Many drugs, such as oxybate, are poorly absorbed because they have a narrow window of absorption within the human gastro-intestinal tract. The RaftWorks approach permits a slow and extended release of oxybate from a floating raft in-situ, thereby facilitating absorption of the active ingredient within the targeted area in the gastro-intestinal tract. Further, the raft disintegrates at a predetermined time due to the trigger mechanism that is built into the formulation.
"This unique formulation design by Tris scientists potentially achieves drug delivery capabilities that have never previously been achieved within our industry. We are looking to build on this approach and develop extended-release formulations for other drugs that are limited by their narrow window of absorption."
Ketan Mehta, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tris
About Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy, a chronic and disabling neurological disorder that affects the stability of sleep and wakefulness, is characterized primarily by excessive daytime sleepiness, with or without episodic loss of muscle tone usually triggered by strong emotions during wakefulness (cataplexy) 1-4. Additional symptoms can vary by person and may include disrupted nighttime sleep, and REM-sleep phenomena (sleep paralysis, hallucinations). The exact number of individuals with narcolepsy in the United States is unknown. Several studies have estimated the prevalence of narcolepsy in the United States to be approximately 1 (range: 0.6 to 1.6) in 2,000 people 2,4-6. There is currently no cure for narcolepsy; treatment of symptoms includes medications and lifestyle modifications 1.
About Tris Pharma
Tris is a fully integrated, innovation-driven CNS company that provides a differentiated approach to target unmet medical needs, including the application of novel technologies designed to enhance patient benefits across therapeutic categories. Tris's CNS portfolio includes treatments for pain; addiction; spasticity in multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy; narcolepsy; and ADHD.
Read More