Bayer to develop new drug delivery technology

Bayer and the Finnish drug delivery company DelSiTech Ltd will collaborate to develop its proprietary drug delivery technology for a number of Bayer's ophthalmic compounds.

"Successful ocular drug delivery is one of the biggest challenges in developing novel drug therapies for ophthalmic diseases. This agreement will support our work on innovative treatment options for a range of different eye diseases", said Professor Andreas Busch, executive committee member of Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals division and head of drug discovery. "This partnership with DelSiTech underlines Bayer's continued commitment to leverage collaborations on cutting edge science in ophthalmology with the aim to improve the quality of life for patients."

DelSiTech’s biodegradable silica based drug delivery technology uses a technique known as the sol-gel process. When the silica gel comes in contact with body fluids, the matrix dissolves while maintaining the pH within silica gel and in the surrounding tissue, unlike most commonly used alternative drug delivery matrices. The biodegradation rate can also be modified by manipulated the surface properties of the matrix.

Under the terms of agreement, DelSiTech is entitled to receive a number of undisclosed milestone payments triggered by the successful completion of different stages of development as well as milestone payments and royalties on commercialization and sales, respectively. Bayer will fund all development and commercialization costs of the collaborative projects.