Catalent to develop softgel capsules for JOT’s leading orphan disease candidates

Provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, Catalent Pharma Solutions has announced it will develop softgel technology for pharma company, Jupiter Orphan Therapeutics’ (JOT) formulation of resveratrol, JOTORL.

Catalent will consider both softgel and its own proprietary OptiShell gelatin-free technology for JOTROL. In particular, Catalent’s OptiShell technology allows for higher fill temperatures and pH and therefore can accommodate semi-solid and highly viscous formulations, and a wider range of excipients designed to improve bioavailability and stability. This will be done to determine the optimum oral dosage form, before Catalent is available to manufacture doses for human PK studies and Phase II clinical studies.

JOTROL is being studied in multiple pre-clinical and clinical trial programs in progress for the treatment of rare diseases linked to single gene deficiencies. These include Friedreich’s Ataxia and Mucopolysaccharide (MPS) diseases, as well as partner programs for treatments in pancreatic cancer, Machado-Joseph and Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Aris Gennadios, Catalent’s president of Softgel Technologies said: “Developing better treatments that improve patient experience and lead to better real world outcomes is vital for drug innovators. Catalent is dedicated to using our breadth of formulation technology expertise and experience across thousands of innovative molecules to improve patient acceptance and adherence.”

Christer Rosén, chairman, CEO and founder of JOT said: “We selected Catalent as our development partner for our JOTROL therapies because of their breadth of experience in formulation and softgel technology, coupled with their wide range of complementary capabilities.”