Acusphere Receives U.S. Patent for Hydrophobic Drug Delivery Systems --HDDS-TM-- Technology; HDDS Platform Technology Enables Dissolution of Poorly Soluble Drugs.Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers BIOWIRE2K Acusphere, Inc. announced today the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 6,395,300, entitled "Porous Drug Matrices and Methods of Manufacture Thereof." The patent covers Acusphere's Hydrophobic hydrophobic /hy·dro·pho·bic/ (-fo´bik) 1. pertaining to hydrophobia (rabies). 2. not readily absorbing water, or being adversely affected by water. 3. Drug Delivery Systems (HDDS HDDS Hazards Data Distribution System HDDS High-Density Data System HDDS Hull Design Database System HDDS Hazardous Device Disposal Squad HDDS Hold Deck Deck Switch HDDS Hydro-Dynamic Device Simulator (TM)) technology and includes methods of making pharmaceutically stable formulations of drugs, especially those having poor water solubility Water is a bent, polar compound and possesses the ability to Hydrogen bond. As a result, it has unique solubility characteristics as a solvent and functions differently at different temperatures. Polarity Bonding Sources Water Solubility, US Geological Survey , to enhance their rate of dissolution. HDDS technology may be applicable to a broad range of poorly soluble drugs. Acusphere recently announced the initiation of Phase I clinical trials for AI-850(TM), its first product candidate utilizing HDDS technology. AI-850 is a unique formulation of paclitaxel paclitaxel /pac·li·tax·el/ (pak?li-tak´sel) an antineoplastic that promotes and stabilizes polymerization of microtubules, isolated from the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia); , the active compound in the cancer drug Taxol(R). In pre-clinical animal studies, AI-850 demonstrated superior tolerance and efficacy as compared to Taxol. "The issuance of this patent is an important element in the expansion of our intellectual property portfolio," commented Sherri C. Oberg, President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Acusphere. "Patients significantly benefit from formulation improvements that maximize the efficacy and reduce the toxicity of water insoluble drugs. Acusphere's patented HDDS technology has the potential to offer patients improved therapeutic efficacy while reducing potential side effects Side effects Effects of a proposed project on other parts of the firm. ." Howard Bernstein, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President Research and Development of Acusphere, will discuss Acusphere's HDDS technology at 3:20 p.m. on Monday, July 8, 2002 at the 7th International Drug Delivery Technologies and Deal-Making Conference to be held at the Marriott Hotel in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey is located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. Princeton University has been sited in the town since 1756. . About HDDS Technology Acusphere's HDDS technology has the potential to improve marketed formulations of hydrophobic (poorly soluble) drugs and to create novel formulations of hydrophobic therapeutics whose development may otherwise be discontinued due to the lack of an effective formulation. HDDS technology converts drugs with poor water solubility into stable, dry powder Dry Powder A slang term for cash reserves kept on hand to cover future obligations. Notes: For example, if a venture capitalist expects bad times in the IPO markets you might hear him say something like, "we want to keep enough dry powder around to keep funding our formulations. The drug compound is embedded in microparticles having a porous, water soluble, sponge-like matrix. When mixed with water, the matrix dissolves, wetting the drug and leaving a suspension of rapidly dissolving drug particles. The HDDS technology is extremely versatile allowing for the creation of sterile microparticles that are appropriate for all routes of administration, including intravenous, subcutaneous, pulmonary, or oral administration using a scaled, high efficiency process. Acusphere's HDDS technology offers the potential to improve drug formulation by overcoming solubility issues thereby offering patients safer and more effective drugs with greater convenience. About Acusphere, Inc. Acusphere is a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company that develops new drugs and improved formulations of existing drugs using its proprietary porous microparticle technology. This technology allows the size and porosity of microparticles to be engineered resulting in versatile drug delivery systems for all routes of administration. This porous microparticle technology is broadly applicable as a pulmonary drug delivery system, as a hydrophobic drug delivery system (HDDS(TM)) and as an intravenous gas delivery system for ultrasound contrast. Acusphere has three porous microparticle product candidates in clinical development: an inhaled sustained release Sustained-release (SR), extended-release (ER, XR, or XL), time-release or timed-release, controlled-release (CR), or continuous-release (CR or Contin asthma formulation; AI-850(TM) an improved formulation of the cancer drug, paclitaxel; and AI-700(TM), an ultrasound contrast agent for the detection of coronary artery disease coronary artery disease, condition that results when the coronary arteries are narrowed or occluded, most commonly by atherosclerotic deposits of fibrous and fatty tissue. . The asthma product candidate and AI-850 each entered Phase 1 clinical trials phase 1 clinical trial Phase 1 study. See Phase study. in early May 2002. AI-700 has completed Phase II clinical trials. Acusphere has focused on therapeutic areas where its drug delivery technology has the potential to provide significant clinical benefits. The company is financed by a leading group of venture capital investors including Polaris Venture Partners, Thomas Weisel Capital Partners and BA Venture Partners. For more information about Acusphere visit the company's Web Site at http://www.acusphere.com. |
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