Starpharma Holdings Ltd announced the initiation a new DEP drug delivery programme with AstraZeneca. The new agreement will see the application of Starpharma’s DEP platform to a further compound from AstraZeneca’s portfolio. The new programme is outside the scope of the existing license agreement signed in September 2015, and is in addition to the current programmes.

“It is very pleasing to see a further expansion of our partnered DEP programmes with AstraZeneca to evaluate new therapeutic candidates in addition to the existing license agreement,” said Dr Jackie Fairley, chief executive officer of Starpharma. “This new programme is built on the success we have achieved with DEP in our current projects with AstraZeneca, and is further validation of the DEP platform and its broad applicability to different types of products. AstraZeneca is a tremendous partner and our collaboration has been a very positive one. We look forward to continuing to work closely with AstraZeneca on this new programme in parallel with the ongoing projects under our existing license”, she added.

Starpharma uses its DEP technology to improve the performance of pharmaceuticals.

Both preclinical and early clinical data have shown DEP versions of drugs to be enhanced in a variety of ways compared to the unmodified drugs. Starpharma has a number of internal DEP candidates, including DEP docetaxel, which is in the advanced stages of phase 1 clinical testing. The company also has a number of important partnered DEP programmes underway in which Starpharma’s DEP technology is being applied to partners’ drugs to improve product performance and formulation characteristics.