SkyePharma takes up Micap option
the development of new drug products based on an encapsulation
technology developed by fellow UK company Micap.
After conducting preliminary testing, SkyePharma has decided to exercise its option to select for further development a number of pharmaceutical products that incorporate Micap's yeast-based system.
Earlier this year, SkyePharma started looking at using Micap's technology for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs in up to 10 nominated pharmaceutical products. It has now selected the first of these products to take into further development, although its identity has not been disclosed for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
Under the terms of the March agreement, ongoing royalties will be payable by SkyePharma to Micap on sales made, or licences of, any option product. SkyePharma will also make milestone payments on the first successful completion of Phase II and Phase III clinical trials and also on the first commercial launch of a product based on the technology.
One of the key advantages of Micap's technology is that it can carry much higher concentrations of hydrophobic compounds - which are poorly soluble and so hard to formulate - than other encapsulation methods.
The technology does away with the need for solubilising additives, and can also combine additional compounds alongside active drugs in the same microcapsule.
