Pharmaceutical formulation development and manufacturing services provider Molecular Profiles Ltd., a subsidiary of Columbia Laboratories, Inc., (Nasdaq: CBRX) has been selected as the formulation development partner for a major pan-European collaborative project.

The UK-based company has been chosen by clinical stage biopharmaceutical company Telormedix SA (Telormedix) to develop both topical and solid dosage formulations for the use in the treatment of psoriasis.

The project, operating under the acronym PAT (Psoriasis Anti-inflammatory Treatment), will involve other consortium partners Biopta, Midatech Biogune and the University Hospital Zurich. Telormedix raised funding from the European Eurostars Programme to coordinate this international research project for one of its promising drug candidates, TMX-302, which will use Midatech’s glycan-coated gold nanoparticles formulated using Molecular Profiles’ expertise.   

Dr. Johanna Holldack, CEO at Telormedix, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured this funding with such a world class consortium to bring TMX-302 to pre-clinical proof of concept. The team at Molecular Profiles will play a key role in developing new oral and topical formulations of TMX-302, both of which are viewed as practicable administration options for the treatment of psoriasis.”

The deal comes just weeks after Molecular Profiles announced the official opening of its new facility following a successful inspection from the Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and on the heels of its acquisition by Columbia Laboratories, a Boston-based company with a rich heritage in drug development.

Molecular Profiles’ chief executive officer Nikin Patel said: “We are pleased to have been chosen as the formulation development partner for this high-profile, multi-partner project.  Our team is ready to apply our technologies to deliver a robust topical and oral formulation.”

“We anticipate that this is just the start of a longer-term clinical development and manufacturing initiative to support a future trial. Beyond the formulation work, our new facility gives Telormedix the reassurance we can also support their finished dosage form production requirements.”

Working with leading pharmaceutical companies across the globe, Molecular Profiles’ specialises in advanced characterisation, pre-clinical and clinical development, clinical manufacturing and analytical support.  Its early-stage services extend from pre-formulation, formulation development and solid-state screening with specialist knowledge on developing challenging molecules.

Its new clinical manufacturing facility enables the company to handle a range of dosage forms such as solids, liquids, semi-solids and inhaled products. Supporting clients’ projects up to phase IIb, the company can manufacture controlled drugs and highly potent compounds up to OEB 4 level with batch scale of up to 30kg.

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