pSivida technology in new drug delivery trial

A new deal will see an unnamed UK biopharma using nanotechnology developed by Perth biotech pSivida in vaccine delivery trials.

Details of the materials exchange collaboration deal, between pSivida's UK subsidiary pSiMedica and the UK drug targeting group, remain commercial-in-confidence, but pSivida said it would announce further details of the collaboration if and when it moved to a second stage, probably in the fourth quarter of 2002.

In a statement, pSivida said the UK company applied immune system research and drug targeting capabilities to treat life-threatening diseases, with a particular focus on rheumatoid arthritis, organ transplantation and vaccine technology. The company's revenue stems the licensing of two existing platform technologies.

The agreement will involve the transfer of materials from pSiMedica to allow the UK company to perform a series of agreed tests using pSivida's BioSilicon technology in vaccine delivery. Tests will look for potential synergy between vaccine formulations developed at the company and BioSilicon's ability to enhance the vaccines' immunity outcomes.

Another company, US-based Implex, is examining the uses of BioSilicon in orthopaedic applications

pSivida managing director Gavin Rezos said BioSilicon's "platform nature" meant it had a number of potential applications and potential licensing avenues.

"This is one of six collaborations we have established in the past 18 months and is further validation of the technology and its importance as a drug delivery platform to the pharma and biotechnology industries," he said. "We expect this trend to continue and strengthen as industry awareness of BioSilicon develops further."

Other collaborations include a deal with King's College, London, that tests BioSilicon's applications in osteoporosis pre-clinical trials, and one with DNA vaccination specialist Powderject.

Rezos said that while some of the collaborations were still at the materials evaluation stage, decisions were expected to be made on some others before the end of the year.