UK biotech company Nemaura Pharma has announced a commitment from private investors of up to £5m for the development of a hormone Biologic using its Micro-Patch™ solid dose delivery platform. The fast-growing company has made significant progress in the reformulation of liquid vaccines administered through the skin using its solid dose delivery system. The funding is being used to accelerate Nemaura’s commercial research and development of clinical programmes to prepare the drug-device combination for market.
According to global growth strategy analyst Frost & Sullivan, Nemaura’s drug delivery technologies have the potential to revolutionise the way drugs are delivered in the healthcare system. The company’s solid dose delivery device, the Micro-Patch™, was cited in the 2016 Frost & Sullivan award for best practices in Enabling Technology Leadership in the Transdermal Drug Delivery Industry. The Micro-Patch™ works by depositing the drug under the outer layer of the skin using a metal needle which then retracts completely, minimising the risk of stick injuries. The solid dose delivery device which has been designed for safe patient self-administration, has the potential to improve control over drug release and absorption, improve stability performance, and either partially or completely eliminate the cold storage requirements for vaccines and biologics.
CEO Dr Faz Chowdhury says: “Our advanced delivery technologies are designed to transform the way therapeutic drugs are administered through the skin, and this is an exciting time for the company and its collaborators. We know that conventional liquid formulations of vaccines and biologics carry stability risks, especially if they aren’t stored at the correct temperature; this is costly, potentially dangerous and a major issue for developing countries. In solid-form, the drug can remain stable for several months without loss of potency. That’s why we are eager to extend our Biologics and vaccines reformulation activity by working with the right partners to help us take our research forward.”
The maintenance of a temperature-controlled supply chain represents a major cost in the administration of vaccines and biologics overall, and its elimination would lead to significant savings. Data analysed by Pharmaceutical Commerce magazine estimates the 2017 global logistics costs of handling cold chain products in the pharmaceutical industry will be around $7.5 billion.
The Frost & Sullivan recognition of Nemaura’s advanced technology capability comes ahead of anticipated company growth this year. The value of the global skin drug delivery market is expected to reach £33billion by 2018 and the company aims to be one of the leading pharmaceutical technologists in this market. Founded in 2005, Nemaura has patents secured or pending across multiple patent families and now employs over 25 medical device technologists and bio scientists based on the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park.
