Research on the potential oral delivery of a current intravenous cancer drug using polymeric nano-delivery systems technology

Jun 16 2004

Labopharm Inc. today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Debiopharm S.A. under which Debiopharm has engaged Labopharm to conduct research on the potential oral delivery of a current intravenous cancer drug using Labopharm’s proprietary polymeric nano-delivery systems technology (also referred to as micelles technology). 

“Following on the success of our patented ContramidÒdelivery technology for orally administered drugs, we are very pleased to have advanced our polymeric nano-delivery systems technology to the point of attracting our first partnership,” said James R. Howard-Tripp, President and Chief Executive Officer, Labopharm Inc.  “It has always been our long-term strategy to build a specialty pharmaceutical company based on integrated drug delivery platforms. Our core platform, ContramidÒ, addresses very soluble to relatively insoluble compounds, which comprise the majority of drugs.  With our polymeric nano-delivery system technology we can now address the delivery challenges of water insoluble compounds, as well as, potentially, proteins and peptides.”

Labopharm’s polymeric nano-delivery systems are composed of proprietary, low cost, block co-polymers developed specifically for effective delivery of water insoluble compounds and poorly bio-available compounds, including highly toxic compounds, such as cancer drugs.  Suitable for oral and parenteral administration, these high capacity, biocompatible and biodegradable carriers are designed to maximize drug efficacy and to avoid many of the dose-limiting side effects of conventional approaches.  With applications in oncology, immunology and a variety of other therapeutic arenas, polymeric nano-delivery systemsare expected to facilitate the delivery of both small molecules and emerging drug classes such as proteins, peptides and nucleic acids.