Critical Pharmaceuticals, a spin-out company of the University of Nottingham, has entered into a £545,000 partnership with the university to create a nano-enabled intranasal formulation of teriparatide for treating osteoporosis.
Teriparatide is the latest addition to a variety of drugs utilized for treating osteoporosis. However, it has to be injected daily. The nano-enabled nasal spray formulation of teriparatide can be administered easily by patients and offers optimal drug plasma levels to improve effectiveness.
Critical Pharmaceuticals’ advanced absorption promoter called CriticalSorb nanotechnology facilitates the supply of biological and challenging tiny molecule drugs through nasal route. CriticalSorb is the promising technology to transform the biological drug delivery by facilitating the non-invasive delivery, a highly preferred process by patients. The company utilizes its CriticalSorb technology for its major product, a nasal formulation of human growth hormone (CP024). The product is now in Phase 1 clinical development.
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board are financially supporting this work as part of their funding for nanotechnology-enabled healthcare solutions.
The University of Nottingham has state-of-the-art capabilities in basic and clinical study in bone pathophysiology, geriatric care, osteoporosis and medical imaging. The university’s imaging capability for drug deposition and clearance will facilitate the development of this nano-enabled intranasal formulation. Professor Tahir Masud at Geriatric Medicine, Professor Alan Perkins at Division of Radiological and Imaging Sciences and Dr Richard Pearson at Division of Orthopaedic & Accident Surgery will also contribute to this project.