News

Posted On: 05/02/2006

Genzyme, Brookwood Collaborate on Drug Delivery

PharmaManufacturing.com

Genzyme Pharmaceuticals, a business unit of Genzyme Corp., and Brookwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc, on May 2 announced a broad collaboration to develop novel drug delivery solutions, with an initial focus on peptide delivery. The partnership offers customized solutions for parenteral formulations by combining expertise in design for peptide delivery, peptide synthesis and drug delivery technologies.

The 'Design for Peptide Delivery' approach optimizes peptide physical and chemical properties early on in drug development, so as to match a peptide with the properties of microparticles, implants and other drug delivery formulations required for optimal drug delivery. Combining the capabilities and knowledge of Genzyme and Brookwood in parallel design of peptide and delivery systems will result in clients developing sophisticated pharmaceutical products that will benefit the patient.

"Brookwood Pharmaceuticals' scientific team has industry-leading experience in a wide range of drug delivery systems, with particular depth in long-acting parenterals such as microparticles and solid implants," said Dan Hayden, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Genzyme Pharmaceuticals. "Combining Brookwood's strengths with Genzyme's expertise in custom GMP peptide development and manufacturing provides a powerful service to peptide drug delivery customers." In the longer term many new and important drug delivery technologies can be developed from the portfolio of novel materials and technologies owned by Genzyme and Brookwood.

"By working with an industry leader like Genzyme, we envision this collaboration to generate plenty of energy, creativity, and new drug delivery solutions and products, from which our clients will greatly benefit," said Arthur Tipton, Ph.D., president and CEO of Brookwood Pharmaceuticals. "From our experience in peptide delivery, we have learned that focus on peptide modification and peptide properties can greatly aid in the stability and performance of a peptide drug delivery product."

Rather than promoting a specific technology, the Genzyme-Brookwood collaboration will offer customers a solution-oriented approach through synergistic capabilities and technologies, depending on the peptide and the customer's target drug profile. Customers will also benefit from enhanced capabilities and services such as research-scale peptide synthesis for backbone and side chain modifications, evaluation of available drug delivery technologies, large-scale peptide drug substance production, formulation feasibility studies and development of micro-encapsulation processes, drug excipients manufacturing (phospholipids and polymers), drug product formulation, and manufacturing of clinical supplies and final drug delivery product.

About Brookwood Pharmaceuticals

Brookwood Pharmaceuticals, a for-profit subsidiary of Southern Research Institute, is a drug delivery company based in Birmingham, Ala., with formulation and scale up laboratories, clean rooms and a quality system that supports the manufacture of biomaterials and drug delivery dosage forms for clinical trials and the market. The company formulates long-acting products for its clients' active pharmaceutical ingredients. These active pharmaceutical ingredients include peptides, proteins, small molecules, nucleic acids, and other biological macromolecules. In addition to microsphere and implants, Brookwood provides drug delivery technology with solid-lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, and hydrophobic drug salts. Brookwood Pharmaceuticals holds more than 20 patents in drug delivery and is adding new process and formulation patents to its proprietary technology portfolio. For further information, see www.brookwoodpharma.com.

About Genzyme Pharmaceuticals

Genzyme Pharmaceuticals works with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the development and manufacture of specialty pharmaceutical materials and drug delivery technologies. Its technologies, products and services are focused primarily in the peptide, amino acid derivative, lipid and drug delivery markets. Genzyme Pharmaceuticals offers two novel drug delivery technologies. LipoBridge is an innovative technology specifically designed to facilitate transport of drug compounds across the blood brain barrier (BBB) and into the Central Nervous System (CNS). LipoMask is designed to increase the circulation half life of drug substances in blood. For further information, see www.genzymepharmaceuticals.com.