A dose of news — a round-up of the latest in drug delivery
In this brief news round-up, we discuss recent news, breakthroughs and updates in the drug delivery sector, including vaping medicinal cannabis and a molecular slingshot.
Vaping medical cannabis
Kanabo Research is using a modified vaporiser to deliver new formulations of medical cannabis extracts to treat specific central nervous system disorders.
The vaping system, VapePod vaporiser, is currently undergoing certification as a medical device by the Ministry of Health in Israel and is anticipated to be available in the last quarter of the year.
“We are dedicated to exploring and developing new plant based therapies and improved methods of administration for unmet needs for the benefit of patient populations,” said David Tsur, part of Kanabo Research’s leadership team. “I am confident in Kanabo Research’s team to develop unique solutions using medical cannabis.”
On the brain
Renishaw’s chronic drug delivery system has been selected for use in a clinical Phase I-II study in Parkinson’s patients. The drug delivery system will be used in partnership with Herantis Pharma’s cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) drug candidate.
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s, are difficult to target therapeutically as a result of the protective blood–brain barrier. In light of this, Renishaw has worked with neurosurgeons to develop a system that can bypass this protective layer.
In the clinical investigation, to be performed in Sweden, 18 patients will have a small port implanted into the skull, close to the ear, which will allow clinicians to deliver CDNF to target areas.
“This is an important step forward in the use of the Renishaw drug delivery system, and in gathering clinical data for the delivery of therapeutics across the blood–brain barrier,” stated Paul Skinner, general manager for the company’s neurological products division. “We are very pleased to be able to contribute our engineering technology and experience to this important trial.”
Molecular slingshot
Scientists from the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the University of Montreal have reported the synthesis and design of a nanoscale DNA-based drug delivery system.
The paper, published in Nature Communications, reports that the molecular ‘slingshot’ could deliver drugs at precise locations inside the human body once triggered by specific disease markers.
Made of a synthetic DNA strand that is only a few nanometres long, the delivery system essentially works as a rubber band would in a slingshot. Specificity is achieved by two anchoring moieties on the two ends of the DNA strand, which adhere to a target antibody expressed in response to different pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. When the anchoring moieties recognise and bind to the arms of the target antibody, the DNA strand stretches and releases the drug.
“One impressive feature about this molecular slingshot is that it can only be triggered by the specific antibody recognising the anchoring tags of the DNA rubber band,” emphasised Francesco Ricci, PhD, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. “By simply changing these tags, one can thus programme the slingshot to release a drug in response to a variety of specific antibodies. Since different antibodies are markers of different diseases, this could become a very specific weapon in the clinician’s hands.”
It’s not too late(-stage)
Capsugel has announced the expansion of its late-stage inhalation capabilities to advance dry powder inhalation (DPI) concepts through late-stage clinical trial and commercial production.
The company has installed and validated a new Harro Höfliger Modu-C MS encapsulation unit at its Bend facility in Oregon, which includes specialised drum-dosing technology for use in DPI development projects using spray-dry processing. This unit has an operational capacity of more than 72,000 capsules per hour.
“Drug delivery via the lung is becoming an increasingly viable treatment option for a wide range of therapeutic areas, including infectious diseases, genetic disorders and acute systemic conditions that have traditionally been treated via other delivery routes,” said Devon DuBose, head of inhalation product development at the company’s Oregon facility.