Catalent Pharma Solutions enters a strategic alliance with Endotis Pharma*

Using Catalent's drug delivery technologies, the two companies will collaborate exclusively to develop certain oral formulations of small-glycol drugs. Oral formulations of synthetic oligosaccharides will allow full exploitation of the therapeutic potential of small-glycol drugs, which to date are administered only intravenously or subcutaneously.

Catalent and Endotis are initially focusing on the preclinical development of Endotis' EP37151 compound. EP37151 is a first-in-class oral synthetic oligosaccharide anticoagulant which, as an indirect factor Xa inhibitor, acts via antithrombin activation. The companies expect to initiate a Phase I clinical trial program during the second quarter of 2010, and hope to have more oral anticoagulants enter development within the next year.

“This collaboration with Endotis, based upon a unique combination of complementary expertise, has been providing exciting results, proving that the various technical hurdles associated with the oral delivery of small-glycol drugs can be overcome,” said Tom Stuart, Group President of Catalent's Oral Technologies segment.