Biopharma Business

Biotech company Nemaura Pharma has secured up to £5 million funding from private investors for the development of a hormone biologic using its Micro-Patch solid dose delivery platform.

The company’s solid dose delivery system is used in the reformulation of liquid vaccines administered through the skin. The funding is being used to accelerate Nemaura’s commercial research and development of clinical programmes to prepare the drug-device combination for market.

Market analyst Frost & Sullivan state that Nemaura’s drug delivery technologies have the potential to revolutionise the way drugs are delivered in the healthcare system. In the 2016 Frost & Sullivan awards, Nemaura’s Micro-Patch was highlighted for best practices in Enabling Technology Leadership in the Transdermal Drug Delivery Industry.

The Micro-Patch works by depositing the drug under the layer of the skin using a metal needle which then retracts completely, minimising the risk of stick injuries. The solid dose delivery device has been designed for safe patient self-administration. Nemaura state that it has the potential to improve control over drug release and absorption, improve stability performance, and either partially or completely eliminate the cold storage requirements for vaccines and biologics.

CEO Dr Faz Chowdhury said: “Our advanced delivery technologies are designed to transform the way therapeutic drugs are administered through the skin, and this is an exciting time for the company and its collaborators. We know that conventional liquid formulations of vaccines and biologics carry stability risks, especially if they aren’t stored at the correct temperature; this is costly, potentially dangerous and a major issue for developing countries. In solid-form, the drug can remain stable for several months without loss of potency. That’s why we are eager to extend our Biologics and vaccines reformulation activity by working with the right partners to help us take our research forward.”