Catalent Pharma Solutions, a leading provider of advanced oral drug-delivery technologies to the pharmaceutical industry, has entered into a strategic alliance with Endotis pharma for the development of oral formulations of synthetic oligosaccharides.

Using Catalent's drug-delivery technologies, the two companies will team exclusively to develop certain oral formulations of small-glycol drugs. Oral formulations of synthetic oligosaccharides will allow full exploitation of the therapeutic potential of small-glycol drugs, which to date are administered only intravenously or subcutaneously.

Catalent and Endotis are initially focusing on the preclinial development of Endotis' EP37151 compound. EP37151 is a first-in-class oral synthetic oligosaccharide anticoagulant which, as an indirect factor Xa inhibitor, acts via antithrombin activation. The companies expect to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial program during hte second quarter of 2010, and hope to have more oral anticoagulants enter development within the next year.

"This collaboration with Endotis, based upon a unique combination of complementary expertise, has been providing exciting results, providing that the various technical hurdles associated with the oral delivery of small-glycol drugs can be overcome," says Tom Stuart, group president of Catalent's Oralt Technologies segment.

Source: Catalent Pharma Solutions