Hovione has expanded its oral drug delivery toolkit. Working with Zerion Pharma, the company plans to commercialize technology for overcoming the common problem of low drug solubility.
Formulations made using Zerion’s Dispersome feature beta-lactoglobulin, a protein excipient that studies show increases the dissolution rate and solubility to improve oral drug delivery. Hovione is combining the technology with its spray-drying capabilities and other resources to formulate active ingredients into amorphous solid dispersions and to offer an alternative to polymer excipients.
“By joining forces, Zerion and Hovione will be able to bring Dispersome to the market faster,” Jean-Luc Herbeaux, chief operating officer at Hovione, said in a statement. Zerion CEO Ole Wiborg highlighted the role of Hovione in FDA-approved drugs formulated as amorphous solid dispersions as a motivator for the deal.
Hovione plans to apply Dispersome across the drug development life cycle, from preclinical toxicology studies through to the improvement of existing drug formulations that have suboptimal bioavailability.
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News of the partnership comes months after Hovione set out plans to invest $170 million to increase its global capacity. Hovione remains on the hunt for new technologies to add to its capabilities.
“Hovione will continue to pursue opportunities to enhance its offering around core areas of expertise such as particle engineering and inhalation by partnering with companies and research institutions developing innovative drug formulation technologies, like Dispersome,” Herbeaux said.