It's one thing to have developed a successful drug-delivery technology for a single drug. It's another thing to have that technology proven as a "platform" delivery method for many different types of medication. That's where the real money is, and it's why most drug-delivery companies claim their method is a platform--whether it has been proven to be one or not. Generex thinks it has one in its RapidMist buccal (through the cheek) drug-delivery product and has licensed it to Sunnyvale, CA-based Amarantus BioSciences for $10 million.
"This transaction is the first out-licensing by Generex of its proprietary buccal drug delivery technologies for indications other than buccal insulin, and we will look forward to the broader validation of our platform," Generex CEO Mark Fletcher said in a statement.
For its part, Amarantus will test out the RapidMist technology in its newly discovered protein, called MANF, which mediates cell death (known as apoptosis) throughout the body. The company is developing MANF for treatment of Parkinson's disease, among others. Also, under the deal, the two companies will look into treatment of diabetes using Amarantus' technologies.
Advantages of buccal delivery include avoiding injections, which can hinder patient compliance.
- read the Generex release
- and a report in the Boston Business Journal
- Mass High Tech filed this story