Intract Pharma has landed another oral antibody delivery partnership. Bio-Thera Solutions is the latest drug developer to strike a deal for Intract’s technology, securing itself the right to use the oral delivery system with a single undisclosed monoclonal antibody.
The agreement covers the use of two Intract technologies, namely Soteria and Phloral. Soteria is a way to protect proteins from degradation after oral administration, while Phloral uses the pH and enzymes found in the colon as a trigger for the release of a therapeutic payload. Together, the two technologies could potentially get an orally administered antibody to targets in the colon.
China’s Bio-Thera will use the two Intract technologies to develop an oral monoclonal antibody in multiple gastrointestinal indications. In a statement, Intract CEO Bill Lindsay said the technologies “will allow development of a more effective therapeutic for the treatment of IBD, while also increasing drug safety and reducing cost.”
Bio-Thera already has a drug approved for use in Crohn’s disease, one of the conditions covered by the term inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, in China. The drug is a biosimilar copy of AbbVie’s big blockbuster Humira.
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Intract’s internal pipeline is targeting Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, the other IBD condition. The oral drug delivery specialist has a formulation of Johnson & Johnson’s Remicade in development. Celltrion teamed up with Intract to jointly develop the candidate last year.
The Celltrion deal is one of a clutch of agreements disclosed by Intract over the past two years. Intract has also signed up to collaborate with Elasmogen, N&S Pharmacy Investment, erring Pharmaceuticals and NIBEC on oral biologics. Several of the alliances cover candidates intended to treat gastrointestinal disorders including IBD.