BNC has already used the SLA to secure a contract with an undisclosed US biotechnology company.
Under the terms of the agreement, BNC will manage a specific project, carried out by scientists at the School of Pharmacy, to formulate a phase I orally administered cancer drug. The four-month proof of concept project is intended to demonstrate dissolution and oral availability and, once successful, will progress to take the formulation through to late-stage development.
Undisclosed licensing and milestone terms have been agreed between the School of Pharmacy and the client, subject to formulation success.
The School’s scientific resources complement BNC’s nanotechnology and bioengineering services, provided through the London Centre for Nanotechnology at University College London (UCL) and Imperial College London respectively.
In particular at the School, Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu is a leading expert in the areas of nanoscience, nanotechnology, drug delivery, polymer chemistry, molecular self-assembly and gene delivery. Prof Uchegbu has developed a suite of nanotechnology formulation IP, which has demonstrated proof of concept by delivering other gut labile drugs and poorly water soluble drugs, both of which are extremely difficult to deliver via this route.
‘The SLA significantly expands our established pool of world class scientists that we manage and draw upon for specific life science projects, including cancer research,’ said BNC’s ceo, Dr David Sarphie.
‘It adds high level additional skill sets to those already provided through academics at Imperial, UCL and the London Centre for Nanotechnology.’