Nanoform Invests in Nanoparticle Technology for Drug Development

Nanoform, a Helsinki, Finland-based drug particle engineering and nanotechnology company, is investing EUR 7 million (US$8 million) into a new GMP-compliant facility and into facilitating a strategic global commercialization plan to grow its nanonization capabilities, the company announced in a Sept. 19, 2018 press release.

Nanoform will build on its latest funding to expand the nanonization of more than 20 APIs. The company will extend its offerings to nanonizing clinical-stage APIs through the construction of a modern GMP-compliant facility, which is scheduled to open next year. The strategic investment will also allow Nanoform to begin its international commercialization strategy to further broaden its services and capabilities.

Attrition in the drug development pipeline is a critical challenge facing pharmaceutical companies, with more than 90% of drug development projects failing to successfully complete all of phases required to commercialize a new therapeutic, the company reports. The company’s multi-patented controlled expansion of supercritical solutions (CESS) platform employs an innovative API nanonization technology to significantly decrease attrition rates across all stages of the drug development pipeline.

A particle-size reduction technique, CESS can transform the overall therapeutic performance of an API through a substantially improved dissolution rate, offering the potential to double the global pharma industry’s new drug output.

Supercritical fluid nanonization is an innovative drug particle engineering technique where the recrystallization of the API is controlled in supercritical carbon dioxide through thermodynamics. According to the company, CESS is more controlled than conventional supercritical platforms currently available. All APIs refined by Nanoform have a smaller and more homogeneous particle size than the bulk API, and the company offers manufacturing scale-up to commercial production.

This technology allows Nanoform to work synergistically with companies whose drugs have previously failed in the pipeline, giving these candidates a second chance. Nanoform can also shield APIs from generic competition by prolonging patents through the significant improvement and differentiation of the physical properties of a chosen drug.

“We are delighted to have secured this opportunity with Vator Securities [the sole bookrunner of Nanoform’s investment], this significant investment will help to advance drug development for global pharma. The investment will enable our best-in-class nanonization services to undergo strategic growth to meet with the growing demand in industry for APIs exhibiting an enhanced dissolution rate and bioavailability,” said Edward Hæggström, CEO of Nanoform, in the company press release.

Source: Nanoform