Inhaled drug particles will combine precise ratios of two APIs.

Prosonix has teamed up with respiratory diseases experts at Imperial College London’s National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) to accelerate development of the U.K. firm’s inhaled multicomponent particle™ (MCP™)-based combination drugs for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Prosonix is exploiting its ultrasonic particle engineering technology to develop MCPs that combine two active drug molecules at precise, predetermined ratios in each drug particle, without needing additional excipients.

The collaboration with the NHLI researchers will apply in vitro and in vivo lung models to evaluate the effects of MCP-based inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta agonist (LABA) combinations, and LABA/long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) combinations on inflammation and bronchodilation, in comparison with already marketed drug combinations. The aim is to accelerate development of Prosonix’ PSX2000 series of MCP drug combinations into formal preclinical/proof-of-concept studies in 2013.

“Colocalization of active components in respiratory drug combinations in the lung may offer the potential for an enhanced clinical effect and therapeutic efficacy that is not fully achieved with current combinations,” comments Omar Usmani, M.D., who heads the NHLI laboratory working with Prosonix. “With better treatment of respiratory diseases requiring improved combinations for these reasons, we are extremely interested in Prosonix’ particle-engineering approach and multicomponent particles to determine whether they can demonstrate clinical synergy and thus provide a novel and effective means of delivering respiratory combinations.”

Prosonix’ sonocrystallization particle-engineering platform hinges on the use of its Prosonitron® ultrasound technology to fine-tuning physicochemical properties of APIs. The technology underpins the firm’s Discus, Umax, Sax, and MCP particle-engineering technologies. Prosonix is exploiting the platforms to develop both generic monotherapy products and combination respiratory drugs based on the MCP platform. Its pipeline includes PSX1001, a fluticasone propionate formulation being developed as an inhaled monotherapy in MDI, and PSX1002, a novel formulation of the LAMA glycopyrrolate in develpment as an inhaled monotherapy in MDI for treating COPD.

The PSX2000 MCP Series is a family of inhaled combination therapies for respiratory diseases based on the use of MCPs created using the Umax and Discus platforms. The company is evaluating the MCP platform through the development of fluticasone/salmeterol and budesonide/formoterol combinations, which are the drug combinations in GSK’s Advair/Seretide and AstraZeneca’s Symbicort, respectively, as well as other combinations of inhaled corticosteroids, LABA, and LAMA.

In May Prosonix raised £5.7 million in the second closing of its Series B financing round, which has totalled £17.1 million.

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