Oriel Therapeutics, an emerging inhaled drug delivery company, has signed a development and licensing agreement with a US-based biotechnology company to develop a novel therapy for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. This therapy will be based on Oriel Therapeutics' proprietary dry powder inhalation technology incorporating the partner's proprietary compounds that represent a novel mode of action to improve airway function. The name of the company was not disclosed.

The agreement could lead to the receipt of several million dollars in non-product revenues, which include licensing fees, achievement of milestone fees against agreed targets as well as options on other therapeutic applications. In addition, the agreement also provides for the sharing of royalties based on product sales, a company release said.

Commenting for Oriel Therapeutics, CEO Paul Atkins said, "We believe that our technology has broad applicability across a wide range of powder formulations used to treat major pulmonary ailments including asthma, COPD and cystic fibrosis. This agreement to develop a novel therapy for treating cystic fibrosis is an exciting endorsement of the technology and we are delighted with this relationship."

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that causes the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening infections and difficulty digesting food and nutrients.

Traditionally, cystic fibrosis has been treated with nebulized products, which can take 30 minutes to administer and even longer for the treatment to take effect. In contrast, this therapy will be delivered as a dry powder in a single inhalation from a re-loadable Oriel inhaler. This design allows for potentially quicker and easier administration of inhaled therapies, the release added.