Heading Towards New Inhalable Antibiotics: PARI GmbH Agrees to Cooperate with Corus Pharma
13.05.2002, 18:21
STARNBERG, Germany, 13 May 2002 (APROTEXT) Since 22 February
2002, PARI GmbH, a Starnberg-based company specialising in
effective inhalation, has been cooperating with Salus Pharma, a
subsidiary of Corus Pharma based in Seattle (USA) on the
development of inhalable antiobiotics. The aim of the
cooperation is the registration of an inhalable drug
formulation, developed by PARI, of the antiobiotic Aztreonam for
targeted treatment of bacterial infections which occur in
conditions like mucoviscidosis (cystic fibrosis) and other
diseases of the respiratory system like bronchiectasia or
pulmonary emphysema.
PARI has made available its specialised know-how in
pharmaceutical development and the characterisation of existing
and new drug formulations, as well as of the innovative
electronic inhalation technology e-FlowTM. The cooperation
agreement entails the payment of the development costs, bonuses
for reaching development milestones and royalties for future
drug sales.
The antibiotic Aztreonam has a broad action spectrum against
gram- negative bacteria like the problem bacteria pseudomonas
aeruginosa. Unlike antibiotics administered orally or by
injection or drip, inhalation allows a higher drug concentration
to be administered in the immediate vicinity of the infection,
i.e. in the lungs. This leads to more effective treatment of
the infection with a lower overall dose of the drug.
The advantages of the e-FlowTM technology lie in the high
utilisation of the inhalable active agent, which is due to the
low proportion of residual active agent remaining in the
inhaler. This means that small quantities of liquid can be
administered and the inhalation time can be reduced as a
function of the drug concentration. The latter requires
"patient compliance", in other words the monitoring of use
according to the instructions, and this improves the success of
the therapy. With a target inhalation time of three to four
minutes, the e-FlowTM technology provides a faster and more
effective method for administering drugs than current inhalation
therapies, which still require 15 to 20 minutes per session.
"We are pleased to be working on a development programme which
will optimise the treatment of patients with diseases of the
respiratory system", says Dr. Martin Knoch, Managing Director of
PARI GmbH. "Together with Corus Pharma, we can achieve this by
combining the use of innovative technologies for administering
the drugs, such as e- FlowTM, with new formulations, which PARI's
Pharmaceuticals division is developing".
In the field of inhalation systems, PARI has already filed
eleven patents for the new e-FlowTM technology. In addition to
its existing nebulizer production line, the company is planning
to introduce the electronic e-FlowTM inhalation device for use
with existing drugs to combat asthma, chronic-obstructive
bronchitis (COPD) and other diseases of the respiratory system.
"There is a major requirement for additional antibiotics for
treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis and lung infections.
We welcome this programme because it gives us access to the
latest technology", says Dr. Bruce Montgomery, Managing Director
of Corus Pharma. "The combination of Aztreonam and the e-FlowTM
can lead to an inhaled antibiotic that supplements existing
products and will probably reduce the time that patients require
for their treatment in comparison to conventional therapies".
PARI has expanded its Aerosol Research Institute into the field
of pharmaceutical technology and analysis in recent years
through its Pharmaceuticals Division. This means that the
company has a team of highly-qualified employees, who are
working on improving existing and new drug formulations for
inhalation, and developing appropriate research methods. The
research work in this field has so far led to three patents
being filed.
"There is a great need for additional antibiotics to support
patients with cystic fibrosis," said Dr. Bruce Montgomery, CEO
for Corus Pharma. "The combination of Corus 1020 and e-Flow? not
only provides an antibiotic that is complimentary to existing
products, it also reduces the amount of time patients spend on
their treatment, thus improving quality of life."
Contact: Dr. Johannes-Christoph Stein +49-89-742 846-69 +49-89-
742 846-50, Dr. Karen Stein Am Hackelanger 17 b 81241 München
Fon: 089/820 845 30 Fax: 089/820 845 31 steinmuenchen@aol.com,
Dr. Karen Stein Am Hackelanger 17 b 81241 Munich Phone: 089/820
845 30, Fax: 089/820 845 31, steinmuenchen@aol.com Dr. Karen
Stein Am Hackelanger 17 b 81241 München Fon: 089/820 845 30, Fax:
089/820 845 31, e-mail: steinmuenchen@aol.com
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