Nov 17 2008
The combination of the Berlin based drug delivery company Capsulution Nanoscience AG and the Magdeburg based biopharmaceutical company NanoDel Technologies GmbH under the name Capsulution Pharma AG creates a top-class company in the field of nanoparticle based drug delivery and drug development. Capsulution Pharma will use its proprietary drug delivery technologies for own drug developments preferably in the indication fields of the central nervous system (CNS) and cancer related diseases. In addition, Capsulution Pharma is continuing to use its technologies for life cycle management of already marketed products in collaboration with external drug developers. The merger took place by a share exchange and was accompanied by an internal investment round of € 2.5 million (IBG RKF I, B. Penno, Quercus GmbH, BC Brandenburg Capital GmbH over the fonds KBB and founders).
Capsulution Pharma’s first product, Doxorubicin loaded into nanoparticles, is in preclinical stage to treat devastating primary and secondary brain tumors. Up to now broadly used cytostatic Doxorubicin formulations are inactive in these CNS related indications due to the lack of penetrating the so called blood brain barrier. The biologically degradable PBCA nanoparticles (Poly-Butyl-Cyano-Acrylate) originally developed by NanoDel have specifically the ability to transport pharmaceutical drugs across the blood brain barrier into brain tissue. Doxorubicin-nanoparticles already tested successfully in mice and rats are expected to enter phase Ia/IIb trials with glioma patients in second half of 2009. If the very promising preclinical data can be confirmed in humans, the technology could initiate a therapeutic breakthrough for the treatment of brain cancer as well as other brain related diseases with high unmet medical needs, e.g. pain, migraine, depression and Alzheimer’s.
“In addition, the combination of the innovative drug delivery technologies of both partners opens new possibilities for drug application routes which are very difficult to achieve with today’s existing delivery systems,” explains Dr. Voigt, the company’s CSO. “Furthermore, oral protein application and specific tissue targeting of therapeutics to increase their efficacy and to reduce unwanted side effects, are other exciting options,” adds CTO, Prof. Radunz, the former head of pre-clinical research at Merck KGaA.
“Using novel drug delivery technologies and applying them to already marketed products with poor local CNS bioavailability for own drug development reduces development risk, costs and time to market significantly compared to the development of new chemical entities,” declares Dr. Joe Bender (ex Bayer), the company’s new CEO. “With its dual business strategy, product development and live cycle management, Capsulution Pharma will both participate in the value chain of pharmaceutical drug development and explore the full potential of its innovative drug delivery systems in collaboration with out-side partners.” In this respect, polyelectrolyte based nanoparticle encapsulation (Layer by Layer, Polyelectrolyte Complex) is used to formulate poorly water soluble and/or instable pharmaceuticals for external customers.
Prof. Dr. Dieter Berg, chairman of the supervisory board, underlines that the unique combination of the nanoparticle based technologies from both partners and the attractive development product make Capsulution Pharma a very interesting partner both for pharma and biotech companies as well as for investors who want to participate in the Company’s growth potential.