PharmTech»
Can other APIs be delivered this way?
»LeBel:
Yes. The platform is very flexible and theoretically can be used for local delivery of small-molecule antibiotics to treat
infections as well as small-molecule glutamate receptor antagonists to help treat certain kinds of hearing loss. In addition,
we think it can be used to deliver larger molecule neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor or glial-cell
line derived neurotrophic factor, which may alo be useful in treating hearing loss. We also imagine that we can combine the
basic poloxamers with additional ingredients (e.g., permeabilizing agents, bulking agents, stabilizers, or solubilizers) as
needed to optimize drug delivery.
PharmTech»
Could this formulation be used to treat diseases in other organs?
»LeBel:
Poloxamers are used in other pharmaceutical preparations to deliver drugs to the eye, gums, and abdomen. However, we're dedicated
to treatments for inner- and middle-ear disorders at this time.
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http://Mayoclinic.com/ defines Meniere's disease as follows: Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes abnormal sensory perceptions,
including a sensation of a spinning motion (vertigo), hearing loss usually in one ear, fullness or pressure in the same ear,
and ringing in the same ear (tinnitus). People in their 40s and 50s are more likely than people in other age groups to develop
Meniere's disease. Estimates of the number of people with Meniere's disease vary significantly, but according to the National
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, about 615,000 people in the United States have the disease.
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