Midatech Group, a UK-based company that designs and synthesizes nanoscale particles, has collaborated since 2008 with New Jersey-based MonoSol Rx to develop nanoparticle-based proteins and peptides for therapeutic delivery using pharmaceutical films. On Aug. 17, the two companies announced that they've filed a joint provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, "Nanoparticle Film Delivery Systems."
Midatech makes the medicine nanosize and Monosol delivers it in a way that is easy to swallow without water, especially for pediatric, geriatric and neurodegenerative disease patients where proper dosing can be difficult. Monosol's PharmFilm drug delivery technology is, basically, a higher-tech version of breath-freshening strips. They're the size of a postage stamp, quickly dissolve under the tongue or against the cheek and can carry very low doses of prescription that are highly uniform up to larger doses up to 80 mg.
Monosol develops thin-film formulations of many over-the-counter drugs. The joint patent application relates to film delivery systems comprising nanoparticles for diabetes treatment.
"The filing of this patent will enable us to fully commercialise this exciting new drug delivery technology," Tom Rademacher, chairman of Midatech Group, said in a statement. "The system has the potential to solve many of the problems associated with the effective delivery of biologics, and we are very pleased to be continuing our collaboration with Monosol Rx."
Mark Schobel, MonoSol's president and CEO, said in a statement that Midatech's expertise in nanomedicine make it an ideal partner. "Our film technology delivering nanoparticles provides new ways for the effective delivery of drug treatments that are attractive to patients and caregivers alike. In the case of biologics, especially in chronic care situations, the ability to provide therapeutic value without regular injections can provide a vast improvement over current therapies."
- Read the Midatech release