Working through its recently formed innovation centre, the firm is looking to develop its Unidose Xtra device – a single-use liquid delivery nasal spray – in collaboration with both major pharmaceutical companies and SMEs.
The company says it can also manufacture the device – which comes in two set volumes of 100 micro litres and 150 micro litres – in high volume.
The business inked its first contract with an un-named Big Pharma firm in September last year. Since then it has signed up another major company, and says it has more deals in the pipeline.
Speaking to in-PharmaTechnologist at Pharmapack Europe 2012 last week, commercial director Ian Campbell said: “We’re looking for potential customers or partners from now and we’re aiming to get the first products to market within the next 12-18 months.”
He said the company is actively following up interest from a number of companies, including some potential connections made at last week’s conference in Paris.
When asked why the firm is putting so much focus on nasal delivery tech, Campbell said: “Two reasons: the interest from customers has become prevalent over the last year, and also because our new innovations group can exploit Bespak’s IP portfolio to bring new products to the market.
“We believe that through innovation we will come up with new novel innovative approaches to solving patients’ needs to drug delivery in general, but nasal particularly in this instance. It builds on Bespak’s core competencies of being able to take concepts and designs and industrialise them into high volume manufacturing.”
New horizons
The firm said, however, that its new developments are not strictly limited to nasal delivery.
Campbell added: “We have a number of on going developments that are coming through the system right now across the spectrum of drug delivery, not restricted to nasal, also looking in area of injectables and dry powder inhalers.”
Bespak’s first injectable product is coming under review at the FDA and the firm’s client is seeking approval to launch the product within the next six months.
“It’s becoming clear there is a requirement for devices to deliver drugs in multiple formats in keeping with Bespak’s aspirations to move into other areas beyond respiratory in to areas such as injectable, nasal, ophthalmic and other opportunities out there,” Campbell said.