Avecho Biotechnology secures agreement to develop topical ibuprofen gel for US market
If successful, the TPM-enhanced ibuprofen gel has the potential to be the first topical ibuprofen product approved in the US.
Pharmaceutical company Avecho Biotechnology (ASX: AVE) has signed an agreement with US-based consumer packaged goods specialist Perrigo for the development of a topical ibuprofen gel using its TPM-enhanced (tocopheryl phosphate mixture) drug delivery platform.
Development work by Avecho shows that ibuprofen gels formulated with TPM can increase the topical (or transdermal) absorption of ibuprofen by approximately 200% when compared with commercially-available topical products such as Nurofen, Fenbid and Ibuleve.
Perrigo plans to conduct a clinical trial next year using Avecho’s gel in a pain-related indication.
Positive results could trigger a licencing agreement and continued development of the product for registration with the US Food and Drug Administration.
First for US market
Avecho chief executive officer Dr Paul Gavin said the TPM-enhanced gel had potential to be the first topical ibuprofen product approved for the US market.
“TPM has already demonstrated effective performance in other topical pain products … we are very excited to be working with an experienced and respected global company such as Perrigo,” he said.
“We have previous experience developing topical diclofenac for clinical trials and commercialisation and look forward to including the learnings in this new ibuprofen product.”
Vitamin E source
TPM is derived from Vitamin E using proprietary and patented processes and has been proven to enhance the solubility and oral, dermal and transdermal absorption of drugs and nutrients.
Unlike normal Vitamin E, TPM self-assembles into small particles less than one-tenth the thickness of a human hair which can entrap drugs or other molecules, thereby increasing their solubility and absorption.
Unlike other encapsulation systems, TPM is not biologically-inert but has enhanced Vitamin E activity across a range of non-antioxidant roles.
Avecho said these attributes offer “distinct commercial advantages” to a range of dosage forms including injectable, oral and topical (or transdermal) products.
Avecho’s major projects include delivering TPM-enhanced products for the human health market.
The company is also developing TPM to enhance the feed efficiency and health of livestock.