Pharmaceutical Innovation CIC

AGT Sciences is an advanced R&D company specialising in hydrogel chemistry to solve a range of life science and non-life's science problems.

Keen to exploit the potential of their hydrogel technology to deliver drugs via the respiratory route, AGT Sciences called upon the formulation expertise of the Pharmaceutical Innovation CIC. Initial focus was on cystic fibrosis, which affects over 7,500 babies, children and young people in the UK and is the country's most common inherited life-threatening disease.

The aim of the collaboration was to create a more effective way for cystic fibrosis patients to take their medication. This would reduce the number of times they would have to self-administer and to remove the necessity for this to be done only in the home.

The drug formulation and delivery expertise of the Pharmaceutical Innovation CIC proved invaluable in getting to the crucial "proof of concept" stage of development - the position from which toxicology studies and clinical trials can be developed.

The project concentrated on using hydrogels to encapsulate drug particles, creating nano-beads. When breathed in by the patient, the nano-beads penetrate deeper into the lungs and, unlike traditional powders, cannot be breathed out.

In trials using an artificial lung, the Pharmaceutical Innovation CIC achieved the ideal particle size and released kinetics to enable this deep penetration. And because the hydrogel allows a slow, linear release of drugs over time, the dosage was reduced from four or five times to once a day.

A parallel strand to the project looked at the delivery of the drug to the patient. Successful delivery using a traditional nebuliser has been achieved.

Together, the company and CIC are working in collaboration with a Japanese company, seeking to create a smaller, transportable nebuliser to replace today's cumbersome suitcase-sized models.

AGT Sciences are now looking at utilising the platform technology for additional applications, initially focusing on asthma.

For further information visit:
www.agtsciences.com
www.ipi.ac.uk

Benefits of AGT Sciences's collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Innovation CIC:

• Critical milestones in development achieved on time and to budget
• Market leading positioning due to accelerated R&D timescales
• Access to niche markets through proven platform technology
• Effective partnership achieved for future developments