Coventry drug tech company signs partnership deal with rare disease pharma

Medherant, the University of Warwick spin out which has developed a new method of drug delivery, has signed an agreement with Cambridge-based Cycle Pharmaceuticals to used Medherant’s TEPI Patch Technology.

Some of the benefits of the TEPI Patch technology include less frequent drug administration, a possibility of reduced side effects through reducing peaks in drug concentrations, avoidance of gastrointestinal side effects and improved patient compliance.

Work will begin immediately on the first two product development projects, which will be reformulations of products used to treat rare neurological disorders, an area where improvements in ease of use are vital for compliance and quality of life.

Cycle will be responsible for clinical development and registration, and will commercialise the products arising from this collaboration.

This follows an investment last year by Mercia Technologies PLC, the Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire-based investment group which targets innovative regional technology businesses with high growth potential, which last year has announced an additional £2 million direct investment as part of a circa £2.4 million syndicated investment round into Medherant.

Antonio Benedetti, CEO of Cycle said, “Cycle’s core mission is to improve rare disease medicines to make them more effective, easier to take and to improve the quality of life of patients. This key agreement is aligned with Cycle’s global alliances strategy which underpins our expanding rare disease product pipeline. We are proud to be partnering with Medherant.”

John Burt, Medherant’s CEO added: “This collaboration with Cycle demonstrates the potential of the TEPI Patch® technology to create differentiated products to address the needs of patients with rare diseases. We are looking forward to working with the excellent team at Cycle to progress these products into development.”

Medherant Ltd was founded by Professor David Haddleton and the University of Warwick in 2015 and has built upon its founders’ world-leading expertise in bio-adhesives and polymer chemistry to create its unique patent protected TEPI Patch® drug delivery technology. TEPI Patch overcomes many of the limitations of patches currently on the market.

In 2019 Medherant was named one of the 50 most innovative companies in the Midlands by Mills & Reeves’ “Innovation 50” campaign.