Phosphagenics extends agreement with Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical

Published: 2-Apr-2013

To develop new TPM diclofenac product for US market


Australian drug delivery technology company Phosphagenics has extended its collaboration with Japanese partner, Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical, to develop a new anti-inflammatory product to treat acute and chronic pain for the US market.

The firms aim to develop a more effective topical product by incorporating Phosphagenics’ proprietary TPM (Targeted Penetration Matrix) delivery technology.

Phosphagenics and Nippon Zoki are currently negotiating a licensing arrangement that will include milestone and royalty payments to Phosphagenics on completion of an advanced topical product development.

This agreement follows a pre-licensing deal announced in March 2012, which enabled Nippon Zoki to test and assess Phosphagenics’ patented TPM/Diclofenac topical formulation for its suitability as a prescription drug in the US and Japanese markets.

Nippon Zoki currently manufactures and markets topical Diclofenac products without TPM for the Japanese market. It will now prepare a formulation containing Phosphagenics’ superior delivery technology.

Topical Diclofenac is only available in the US by prescription. There are three topical Diclofenac products on the market: two are gel- or liquid-based products and the third, Flector, is delivered via patch technology.

The US market for these topical products exceeds US$300m a year.

Phosphagenics’ CEO Esra Ogru said the company was hopeful that development and licensing arrangements would be finalised before the end of this year.

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