Lipoxen to develop a super-generic ribavirin
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
A super-generic nanoparticle formulation of ribavirin which is targeted to the liver will be the first product worked on by a new collaboration between the AIM-listed firm Lipoxen and researchers at the University of Nottingham in the UK.
A super-generic nanoparticle formulation of ribavirin which is targeted to the liver will be the first product worked on by a new collaboration between the AIM-listed firm Lipoxen and researchers at the University of Nottingham in the UK.
The partners will develop new formulations of antiviral drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C, based on liposomal and nanoparticle-based delivery direct to the liver. Lipoxen has expertise in liposomal technology, while the University of Nottingham has expertise in nanoparticle technology, and the collaboration will be partly funded by the East Midlands' bioKneX industrial partnership scheme.
Improving the delivery of ribavirin to the liver is expected to improve the response rates of patients with hepatitis C treated with it in combination with pegylated alpha-interferon. The systemic toxicity of anti-hepatitis C drugs has limited their dose, and thereby their efficacy, and has led to a number of promising investigational compounds being discontinued. The researchers will work on liver-targeted delivery of these products to see if new formulations can resurrect them.
Lipoxen is also developing new proprietary formulations of proteins, anticancer drugs and vaccines. It has two products in Phase I clinical trials – a long-acting insulin (SuliXen) and a long-acting polysialic erythropoietin (ErepoXen), the latter in collaboration with Serum Institute of India, a major shareholder in Lipoxen. The UK company's PolyXen technology involves the use of a polymer of sialic acid. This is found naturally in the human body and is used by bacteria in their cell walls, thereby avoiding the body's defence systems.
In preclinical development at Lipoxen, also with the Serum Institute of India, is a polysialic G-CSF (StimuXen), while other collaborators include Baxter (Factor VIII), Genentech, Amgen and Genzyme. An interferon alfa-2b product, InferoXen, is in development at Lipoxen.