Pharmaceutical

Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic used in the treatment of infections caused by multiple drug-resistant bacteria. It is administered by injection in hospitals, where it is provided as a lyophilized (freeze dried) powder that must be refrigerated until needed.  Prior to administration, the powder must be carefully dissolved in a process that takes 20 minutes per dose.  The reconstituted drug must be administered shortly thereafter, as the drug degrades in water.  The addition of TPM^® to the reformulated product was shown to significantly reduce the reconstitution time compared to the existing lyophilized daptomycin products (and current generics), and provide an improved shelf life post-reconstitution.   Avecho continues to develop the product for a US filing, with the aim of launching a product with technical improvements compared to generics.

Propofol is a potent anesthetic that has gained wide popularity not only in the operating theatre, but also in procedural suites and intensive care units around the world.  It is used for induction and/or maintenance of general anesthesia.  Because the solubility of propofol in water is extremely limited, the commercial formulation was ultimately developed as an opaque, lipid-based macroemulsion containing soybean oil, egg yolk lecithin, and glycerol.  Propofol has been successfully reformulated with TPM^®, allowing the removal of the problematic lipid excipients and creating a transparent, physician preferred, formulation.

Phytonadione (Vitamin K) is an essential factor required for blood clotting and is currently offered as a prophylactic injection to newborns. Due to its poor water solubility, injectable phytonadione requires formulation with an emulsifying agent .  Research has shown that adverse reactions to the Vitamin K injection may be caused, or can be augmented, by the excipients used to emulsify the molecule.  Avecho has developed a revised phytonadione that uses TPM to replace the adverse excipients, making a safer injectable dosage form.  This phytonadione TPM product has been presented to the FDA in a pre-IND to confirm the remaining development work required for registration.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are a class of drug that relieve pain, decrease inflammation and fever, and reduce blood clots.  NSAIDs include diclofenac and ibuprofen, which are commonly prescribed for mild-to-moderate aches pain as well as the management of inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.  Diclofenac and ibuprofen are available in both oral and topical dosage forms.

 

Avecho’s topical diclofenac gel with increased absorption has already been commercialized as Voveran TPM^® and Instanac TPM^® in India and is being currently being registered in further territories around Asia/MENA with partners.  The product shows faster and deeper penetration when compared to the leading commercial diclofenac product.

 

Avecho is now leveraging our experience with diclofenac to optimise a topical ibuprofen gel.  This product shows significant increases in absorption when compared to the leading topical ibuprofen products around the world.

Opioids are a class of drugs that produce powerful pain management.  However, their potency also produces a range of adverse side effects, including euphoria which is the incentive for abuse.  The abuse of prescription opioids has become an epidemic of global proportions.

Avecho has developed two complementary opioid patches, oxycodone and oxymorphone, that are designed to provide powerful pain management while minimising side effects and the potential for abuse.  Our TPM/oxycodone patch delivers oxycodone directly into the site of pain or inflammation, facilitating effective analgesia without the adverse side effects commonly associated with opioid therapy.  Our TPM/oxymorphone patch delivers steady-state plasma levels for the duration of patch application, to provide round the clock pain management without break-through. Both products are positioned as less abusable alternatives compared to the existing oral products on market.

 

Read the Oxycodone Study 

Read the Oxymorphone Study