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Nano
Biz...in depth...
im detail
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Majority
Investment Made in New Nanotech Subsidiary by Arrowhead
Research Corporation
Insert Therapeutics,
Inc. to Further the Development and Commercialization
of Small Molecule, Drug Delivery Systems
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PASADENA,
Calif., PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Arrowhead Research
Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: ARWR) , an emerging company
in the field of nanotechnology, have announced that
it has agreed to take a majority position in Insert
Therapeutics, Inc., a Pasadena-based company focused
on designing, developing and commercializing delivery-enhanced
therapeutics using its patented class of polymers.
With research being led by Dr. Mark Davis, a professor
of chemical engineering at the California Institute
of Technology, Insert Therapeutics is currently expanding
and leveraging its platform technology, Cyclosert(TM),
through an internal small-molecule drug development
program, a gene-therapy collaboration with San Diego-based
Canji, Inc., a subsidiary of Schering-Plough.
The founder of Insert Therapeutics, Dr. Davis is a Member
of the National Academy of Engineering and a recipient
of numerous awards including the prestigious Alan T.
Waterman Award, given by the National Science Foundation
annually to only one scientist in the United States
across all disciplines. Dr. Davis was the first engineer
to win this award for his work in rationally designed
materials. Dr. Davis earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D.
degrees in Chemical Engineering, holds over 30 patents,
has published more than 300 papers and has presented
over 450 seminars throughout the world.
Insert has designed a novel class of "intelligent"
polymers that incorporate properties for the intracellular,
systemic delivery of a broad range of therapeutics.
The polymer-therapeutic composites form nanoparticles
that have designable size and functions. These "smart"
nanoparticles can deliver therapeutics ranging from
small molecules to genes and their combinations. Unlike
passive drug carriers, Cyclosert polymers respond to
biological mechanisms and micro-environmental conditions
enabling the active release of their therapeutic payload
into tumor cells or other selected tissues, that can
be targeted with the attachment of various cell surface
receptor ligands.
Cyclosert's linear cyclodextrin-containing polymers
can be designed to be neutral, positively charged or
negatively charged. This feature is unique to Cyclosert
technology and provides great flexibility for formulation
and delivery. Cyclosert has been synthesized at molecular
weights high enough to provide for to slowed renal clearance,
enhanced circulation time and improved accumulation
of active drug at the target tissue. Using Cyclosert,
Insert has significantly improved the solubility, stability,
toxicity, efficacy and pharmacokinetic characteristics
of anticancer drugs.
About Arrowhead Research Corporation
Arrowhead Research Corporation funds research at
universities in pioneering scientific areas, primarily
nanotechnology, in return for exclusive rights to commercialize
technologies and associated intellectual property and
patents developed as a result of this research. The
Company has already entered into agreements with the
California Institute of Technology and three of its
faculty, and is actively pursuing other potential partners
at Caltech and other leading research institutions and
universities.
Commercial applications that arise from Company-sponsored
research projects will be developed and marketed by
Arrowhead Research through a series of diversified subsidiaries
representing each product or application, or through
third-party licensing. The first majority-owned subsidiary,
Aonexx Technologies, was formed to commercialize an
ultrathin crystal film (nanofilm) technology that was
developed at Caltech.
Source: Arrowhead Research Corporation
CONTACT: R. Bruce Stewart, President of Arrowhead Research
Corporation,
+1-626-792-5549, or bruce@arrowres.com |
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Nano Biz
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