Nanoform Finland and Nacuity Pharmaceuticals, a Texas-based clinical stage pharmaceutical company, have signed a Technology Proof of Concept agreement, with compensation on standard commercial terms.

This will apply Nanoform’s nanoparticle CESS technology to enhance ophthalmic drug delivery of Nacuity’s NPI-001 and NPI-002 drug candidates. This work will explore the feasibility of the patented CESS process (“Controlled Expansion of Supercritical Solutions“) to produce nanoparticles of both molecules in an effort to enhance ophthalmic drug delivery, states the company in a press release.

“We see significant interest in the ophthalmology field for Nanoform’s technologies. The team at Nacuity has a long and accomplished track record in this field and we are therefore delighted to announce this new relationship with them,” says Edward Hæggström, CEO of Nanoform.

Nacuity

Nacuity focuses on ophthalmology and leverages their diverse library of novel antioxidant molecules to address ocular diseases involving oxidative stress. Such stress has been implicated in a variety of ophthalmological conditions and diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa (including Usher syndrome) cataract, cystinosis, age-related macular degeneration, corneal endothelial cell loss, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and presbyopia.

Active pharmaceutical ingredients converted to nanometer-sized particles using the CESS process may exhibit greater dissolution rate and intrinsic solubility and offer the potential to enhance penetration into tissues, states Nanoform.This presents an opportunity to explore how nanoformed particles may enhance the performance of Nacuity’s ophthalmic drug product candidate formulations, inserts and implants.

Photo of Edward Hæggström, CEO of Nanoform