Marillion Pharmaceuticals Inc and Cytokine PharmaSciences Inc
(CPSI) announced today that the two companies have entered into a
license agreement granting Marillion exclusive worldwide rights to
develop and commercialize CPSI´s Pilobuc(TM) buccal insert for the
treatment of xerostomia.
Xerostomia, meaning dry mouth, is characterized by the chronic
loss of salivary gland function and has been associated with various
autoimmune diseases (e.g. Sjogren´s syndrome), treatment with numerous
medications and radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Xerostomia is
a debilitating condition that may lead to difficulty speaking,
swallowing and alteration in taste and is accompanied by halitosis and
a significant increase in the incidence of oral infections, including
candida and severe dental caries.
"The most common therapy for xerostomia is a tablet form of
pilocarpine, which requires frequent oral dosing due to the short
serum half-life of the active drug and causes dose limiting side
effects in many patients," commented Dr. Zahed Subhan, Chief Executive
Officer, Marillion Pharmaceuticals. "Pilobuc is a novel, proprietary,
buccal formulation of pilocarpine shown in clinical trials to
effectively and conveniently deliver the drug with reduced side
effects compared to other routes of administration. Pilobuc has the
potential to be a significant product in the xerostomia market,
currently estimated to be worth more than $350 million worldwide,"
added Dr Subhan.
CPSI´s Pilobuc insert is based on a hydrogel polymer technology
that delivers drugs to the buccal mucosa. The buccal insert allows
controlled and sustained release over a period of several hours,
relieving some of the problems associated with short term activities
of many drugs. Also, absorption through the oral mucosa minimizes
swallowing of the drug and thereby avoids many unpleasant side effects
associated with absorption in the gut. Pilobuc allows for the
sustained buccal delivery of pilocarpine while reducing the side
effects associated with oral systemic treatments.
"We believe Marillion is a strong partner for Pilobuc based on the
company´s extensive background and focus on oncology drug
development," commented Vidal de la Cruz, Ph.D, Vice President,
Business Development, CPSI. "As Cytokine PharmaSciences continues to
progress its pipeline of products in women´s health, inflammation and
cancer, we will look for key strategic alliances, such as this
licensing agreement with Marillion, to maximize the value of our
clinical and preclinical stage assets."
About Marillion Pharmaceuticals
Marillion Pharmaceuticals is an emerging clinical-stage
pharmaceuticals company dedicated to the development and
commercialization of novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancers
and for supportive care in oncology. Marillion´s product pipeline
includes MN-201, the first synthetic vitamin D5 receptor ligand to be
advanced into clinical development for a variety of cancers including
breast, prostate and colon cancers. Marillion was founded in 2005
following seed funding from BioAdvance. Series A funding was received
from APIDC/Venture East. Visit www.marillionpharma.com for more
information.
About Cytokine PharmaSciences
Cytokine PharmaSciences is a biopharmaceutical company located in
King of Prussia (near Philadelphia), Pennsylvania. The company
developed and manufactures Cervidil(R)/Propess(R), used in the
obstetrics field for cervical ripening in the induction of labor. CPSI
is focused on the use of polymers for the delivery of drugs to the
vagina or buccal cavity, as well as the development of novel targets
and therapeutic agents for the treatment of inflammation, autoimmune
diseases and cancer. For more information, visit
www.cytokinepharmasciences.com.
