Affinium Pharmaceuticals is using spray-dried dispersion (SDD) to improve the bioavailability of an antibiotic for treating staphylococci it has advanced to Phase II clinical trials to test efficacy.
“This is one more demonstration of the effectiveness of the technologies and tools Bend Research has developed to solve our clients' toughest problems”, Rod Ray, CEO of Bend Research, said in a press statement.
Bend Research began working with Affinium to help it prepare for trials by doing feasibility testing, formulation and dosage-form work, process development, and clinical material manufacturing.
Outsourcing these tasks helped Affinium hit its developmental timeline goals for AFN-1252. After completing this work and advancing the compound through early phase trials Affinium has licensed the SDD technology from Bend Research.
Adding clients
The deal comes months after Bend Research licensed its SDD technology to Eli Lilly and Merck & Co. Speaking to in-PharmaTechnologist last month Jim Nightingale, president of Bend Research, said he wanted to continue adding big clients while expanding the portfolio of smaller biopharma firms.
Nightingale said Bend Research works with 10 of the top 15 pharmaceutical companies and tens of smaller businesses. To expand its client base Bend Research is developing new applications for its SDD technology.
“Our main areas of focus for expanding the use of the SDD technology to include spray-dried biotherapeutics, spray-dried inhaled particles, and spray-dried nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery”, Nightingale said.