Drug delivery
In the drug delivery area, well-proven pharmaceuticals can acquire superior properties through new formulations, which can result in improved existing treatments and new treatments for various deseases. This approach can lead to patented drugs being ready for a market launch within 2–5 years.
From its own research, Orexo has developed several new drug-delivery technologies that can improve therapies with known pharmaceutical substances. The development of new drug-delivery technologies is guided by unmet medical needs for which these technologies serve as tools to offer patients benefits such as faster or more reliable efficacy or fewer side effects.
Orexo’s drug delivery research creates new products with a commercial potential. Large international pharmaceutical companies are seeking opportunities to extend the lifetime and patent protection of their existing products. Small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies are also highly interested in the marketing rights to patented products that can be commercialized within relatively short lead times.
Sublingual mucoadhesive tablet
When this tablet is placed under the tongue, it rapidly disintegrates and dissolves whereby the drug is absorbed directly via the mucous membrane into the bloodstream. It provides a considerably faster effect and more reliable absorption than tablets that are swallowed. The tablet consists of carrier particles which carries the active substance, as well as substances that attach the tablet or particles to the mucous membrane. The advantages of this type of drug delivery include:
- Fast-acting effect
- Reliable dosage
- Reproducible effect
The fast and reproducible uptake of the active substance makes this drug delivery technology ideal for the treatment of symptoms that require quick effect, such as acute pain. This tablet technology is used in Abstral™ and Edluar™.
Oral fast-dissolving tablet
Orexo has also developed a patented technology for the rapid dissolution of pharmaceutical substances. By combining this technology with fast-dissolving tablets, the following is achieved:
- Increased bioavailability – when the tablet disintegrates it exposes a larger surface area
- Fast-acting effect – the tablet dissolves faster and more completely
- Reliable effect
This tablet technology is currently used for Diabact UBT and OX17.
Liposomal nasal spray
By administering a drug as a nasal spray, a local effect and/or rapid uptake can be achieved that can lead to a fast-acting effect. Some pharmaceutical substances irritate the nasal mucous membrane and consequently cannot be administered as a nasal spray. Orexo’s liposome technology offers:
- A nasal spray with favorable tolerance even for substances that irritate the nasal mucous membrane
- Fast-acting effect
This technology can be used when a local effect is desired for antihistamines and steroids, such as for the treatment of rhinitis or when rapid uptake is desired to achieve a fast-acting effect such as for the treatment of pain, migraines and asthma. This technology is not limited to use in a nasal spray, but can also be advantageously used for the delivery to other mucous membranes where irritation can be a problem, such as in the eyes.
The liposome technology is used in OX-NLA.
Solid Syrup
Solid Syrup technology, which may be used for oral administration of drugs, converts small particles to a liquid syrup in less than five seconds, permitting fast action and a high level of dosage precision. This technology can be used for relatively high doses of pharmaceuticals that are either swallowed or placed under the tongue for absorption through the oral mucous membrane.
Taste Transformation – taste improvement of drugs with unpleasant flavor
Taste Transformation is a general term for a number of related Orexo technologies designed to disguise or improve the taste of medications with an unpleasant flavor. The technology was obtained through the acquisition of PharmaKodex and is expected to have major significance for the development of sublingual and mucoadhesive drugs.
Xerosol
Xerosol improves drug uptake through the oral mucous membrane. It is an encapsulation formulation with a controllable dissolution period that can be equipped with special properties that modulate penetration of the mucous membrane. Xerosol allows a different drug uptake profile than sublingual tablet technology and can therefore act as a complement to sublingual tablet technology.
Pandermal
Pandermal is a technology for the delivery of drugs through the skin (transdermally) in defined doses. One of the greatest benefits of administering drugs through the skin by means of Pandermal is that a specific dose can be given and the uptake is controllable and the substance can be released over a certain period.
Orexo’s Pandermal technology uses a tablet that delivers the drug through rubbing against the skin. The advantage of a tablet over gels, mousses and creams is that it allows an exact dose to be administered. In contrast to adhesive bandages, it is also a non-allergenic method that can be used on damaged skin, such as in the case of patients with skin diseases.