Hovione and Merrion Pharmaceuticals announce GIPET partnership

Portuguese API manufacturer Hovione is to partner Merrion Pharmaceuticals, an Irish manufacturer of oral drug forms and developer of the patented GIPET absorption enhancing technology.

Hovione will add its commercial reach and technical expertise to generate new products where the use of absorption enhancement through GIPET is appropriate.

GIPET allows Merrion to make tablets/capsules of drugs that otherwise could only be given by injection, as well as improving current oral drugs.

The technology uses specifically designed oral formulations of patented absorption enhancers which activate micelle formation, facilitating transport of drug and substantially increasing absorption, with good reproducibility and a strong safety profile.

The two companies have already established a cooperative relationship on technical issues relating to GIPET manufacture, and will now collaborate on the feasibility assessment of GIPET with development compounds introduced by third parties. Separate technology and manufacturing agreements may be negotiated with these third parties in the future.

Hovione will leverage its expertise and international manufacturing capability to supply new products from clinical trials to commercialisation. In its turn, Merrion is positioned to add to its current licences with external partners while keeping operational overheads to a minimum.

Dave Hoffman, Hovione’s Vice President of Sales and Business Development, said the collaboration 'extends our current expertise and capabilities in improving solubility of oral drugs by addressing the permeability limitations of BCS classes III and IV drugs. This adds value to our customers and benefits the patients.'