Midatech and MonoSol Rx to jointly develop oral drugs using new technologies

Midatech Group, a specialist developer of nanoparticles headquartered in Abingdon, Oxford, UK, and MonoSol Rx, a drug delivery company specialising in dissolving thin film pharmaceutical products, are to jointly develop new drug formulations by combining their technologies.

Under terms of the agreement, Midatech Ltd and MonoSol Rx will jointly research, develop and commercialise new drug candidates designed to deliver therapeutic nanoparticles in thin film. Research and development will occur at Midatech Biogune SL, in Bilbao, Spain with clinical development at a new facility in Basel, Switzerland. MonoSol Rx's facility in Portage, Indiana is critical in these joint activities. Further terms were not disclosed.

Professor Tom Rademacher, chairman of Midatech Group, said: 'MonoSol Rx's PharmFilm technology provides an ideal platform for us to evaluate clinical applications for our biocompatible nanoparticle technology. The ability of PharmFilm to carry highly uniform low doses of nanoparticles makes it well-suited to deliver our biocompatible nanoparticles sublingually, buccally or through traditional intragastric delivery. We look forward to working with MonoSol Rx to develop groundbreaking pharmaceutical products.'

A. Mark Schobel, president and ceo of MonoSol Rx, said: 'The combination of these two complementary and well-matched technologies offers a unique opportunity to move beyond the limitations of traditional delivery formulations to create new and compelling drug candidates with the potential for greater convenience, efficacy at lower doses, and faster onset of action. Most importantly, the mating of MonoSol Rx's and Midatech's technologies will enable the oral delivery of many challenging drugs that up to now could not be delivered orally."