Nanomedicine
Nanomedicine
https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/333884/The-history-behind-the-B-C-biotech-that-helped-make-the-Pfizer-vaccine-work
Who would have thunk! That UBC's research into nanomedicine would provide the foundation for Pfizer's mRNA vacine. I hope they had a good licensing arrangement!
Assuming that ATE's new molecules are also based on nanotechnology, as we expect with the American chemist, then there potentially is additional value to ATE that goes beyond an extended patent life.
New nano particles potentially allow one to control the timing and location of the release of an active drug, thereby allowing similar or smaller amounts of the drug to achieve equivalent or improved efficacy, with reduced safety risk, and potentially the ability to penetrate membranes that previously was not possible.
Take mesalamine for example. Taken orally, this drug is only 20-30% effective against ulcerative colitis. One can imagine what a more effective compound might achieve.
Two criteria that are most important to Pharma in assessing an asset is meeting a high unmet need, and contributing materially to the Standard of Care. A criterion which is of little value, by a wide margin, is the inclusion of unspecified pipeline assets. This is based on a recent survey of 80 biopharma executives with considerable dealmaking experience.
ATE's pipeline probably contributes little value at this time, but potentially could be very accretive with further development if it can be shown to meet pharma's critical needs(opium alternative?). There has to be something behind the emerging discovery progam. Why else would ATE be seeking new patents and considering alternatives for 340/352 at this time, when those and 429 have not even achieved IND. (This ties in to my previous thoughts where ATE might be betting its future on a colaborative role with the new molecule development).
There is a lot of reseach going into nanomedicine at this time, mostly wrt cancer treatments, including nano delivery systems for aspirin. I have not seen much activity wrt H2s to date. But this could change. Antibe has to play here...if it doesn't, someone else might. Again...a thought.