The identity of its latest partner is not being disclosed, but takes the company into the over-the-counter pharmaceutical market. Previously, encapsulation deals have been forged with Spain's Farmasierra and Peter Black Healthcare of the UK, while earlier this year BioProgress signed up Harro Hoefliger and FMC Biopolymer to distribute its XGEL encapsulation machines.
BioProgress has signed a letter-of-intent with the unnamed company - a US pharmaceutical group - and said it expects the deal to come to fruition by the end of January 2004.
Importantly for the UK company, this has the potential to be its first global agreement. The US firm has purchased an exclusive license to one of BioProgress' XGEL forms in North America and Europe within a specific market sector. In return, BioProgress will receive royalties on the sales of the products.
Production hike
The volume of product likely to be shifted by the partner means that it will require 'substantial' volumes of BioProgress' cellulose-based films. The Letter of Intent therefore also provides for the partner to establish a current Good Manufacturing Process(cGMP)-standard facility in the US to supply their own film requirements under the exclusive license.
This unit will also supply BioProgress with film for its other technologies and customers in the North American market, said the UK firm.
While the identity of the US firm has not been divulged, BioProgress has long-standing business relationships with Bristol-Myers Squibb and Procter & Gamble, both of which are active in OTC pharmaceuticals.