Strategic
Science and Technologies LLC (SST) today announced the signing of an
option agreement with one of the world’s largest over-the-counter (OTC)
healthcare companies. The partner has received an exclusive option to
obtain U.S. commercial rights to SST’s topical ibuprofen (SST-0225) upon
its approval by the U.S. FDA. SST-0225 is a patented topical cream
product candidate containing ibuprofen, which incorporates SST’s KNOSIS™
delivery technology. It is currently in late-stage clinical development
for the OTC treatment of acute pain. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“This transaction provides SST with a very strong commercial partner to
bring this important product directly to individuals who suffer from
acute pain,” commented Eric T. Fossel, Ph.D., Scientific Founder and
Chief Executive Officer of SST. “The partner’s leadership in marketing
and manufacturing high-quality healthcare products provides us with the
widest distribution at an accessible price.”
Locust Walk Partners served as exclusive transaction advisor, and
Gunderson Dettmer served as legal counsel to SST.
About SST-0225
SST-0225 is a patented topical cream
formulation containing ibuprofen currently in advanced-stage clinical
development for the treatment of acute pain. SST-0225 offers several
potential advantages over the currently available oral non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) products including (1) more targeted
local delivery at required therapeutic levels, (2) reduced systemic
exposure, thereby eliminating known adverse events, and (3) more rapid
onset of action to achieve a more immediate therapeutic benefit.
In clinical trials evaluating SST-0225 in the treatment of acute pain
from both osteoarthritis and ankle sprain, SST-0225 was demonstrated to
be very safe and well-tolerated, offering the potential for pain relief
within the first 24 hours following initial application. These early
results support the potential for SST-0225 to be the first ever topical
NSAID product available to patients in the over-the-counter (OTC)
marketplace. The development strategy for SST-0225 is leveraging the
505(b)(2) approval pathway at FDA with the target of achieving
registration as a topical OTC product.
About KNOSIS™
SST’s novel topical technology, KNOSIS™, is
based on the pioneering work of its Scientific Founder Eric T. Fossel
Ph.D., formerly in the Biochemistry, Biophysics and Radiology
Departments at Harvard Medical School. Due to the skin’s highly
protective barrier, the stratum corneum, success with topical delivery
approaches has been mostly limited to smaller, uncharged molecules.
SST's proprietary delivery technology overcomes these historical
challenges through at least two novel features. First, the KNOSIS
formulation technology produces a hostile biophysical environment for
the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), increasing its free energy
and creating a positive chemical potential which drives the API from the
delivery vehicle into the tissue. Second, this novel formulation
prevents the formation of hydrogen bonds between the API and the stratum
corneum, which can inhibit the ability of the API to permeate into the
tissue. These two complementary actions support SST’s efforts to achieve
the desired local therapeutic effect in the target tissue and, due to
the minimal uptake of the drug into the bloodstream, greatly reduce or
eliminate any known side effects associated with its systemic absorption.
About SST
Strategic Science and Technologies LLC (SST) is a
clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class topical
formulations of known pharmaceutical products. SST has been successful
in delivering several highly-charged molecules across the skin in
therapeutic areas including pain, dermatology, and men and women’s
sexual health. By working only with FDA-approved drugs, SST utilizes the
505(b)(2) regulatory pathway to accelerate the development of topical
formulations and is advancing a portfolio of both over-the-counter (OTC)
and prescription drug product candidates. SST remains privately funded
by its original private investors, with a business strategy to partner
its products with experienced pharmaceutical companies prior to
initiation of the pivotal Phase 3 registration trials. www.strategicscience.com
Copyright Business Wire 2014