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Press Release / Nov 27, 2014

Hovione files its first Investigational New Drug Application with the FDA

Cork, Ireland, 27th of November 2014 – Hovione announced today it has filed its first Investigational New Drug (IND) Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This event represents a milestone in Hovione’s strategy of developing improved drug delivery options for established drugs.

The IND was submitted for minocycline gel, a novel formulation using a new patented crystalline base form of minocycline, to administer topically one of the most widely prescribed oral antibiotics for acne. Currently, there are no approved topical formulations of minocycline for the treatment of acne. While oral administration of minocycline has a well-established efficacy and safety profile in acne, it is also associated with certain adverse events, due to systemic exposure. Pending FDA’s acceptance of the IND submission, Hovione plans to initiate human clinical Phase 1/2 studies in early 2015.

“This filing represents a turning point in Hovione’s history.  It builds on 50 years of manufacturing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Particle Engineering and Formulation” commented Carla Vozone, Hovione’s Senior Director of Product Development and Licensing. “This is a novel route of administration for a drug with proven safety and efficacy over more than 30 years of clinical use. We believe the targeted delivery to the site of action will reduce systemic exposure and thus potentially reduce the adverse events profile”.

 

About Hovione
Hovione is an international company with over 50 years’ experience in the development and compliant manufacture of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Drug Product Intermediates. With four FDA inspected sites in the U.S., China, Ireland, and Portugal, the company focuses on the most demanding customers, in the most regulated markets. The company also offers branded pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative new drugs, is able to support highly potent compounds and offers proprietary product development and licensing opportunities for drug products. In the inhalation area, Hovione is the only independent company offering such a broad range of services.

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Integrated approach simplifies development, reduces risk, and supports scalable manufacturing. Hovione and Industrial Design Consultancy Ltd.’s (IDC) lead single-use nasal dry powder device is now available for commercial partnerships. Hovione and IDC have completed the device design and established initial device manufacturing and supply capability, enabling pharmaceutical partners to leverage existing capsule filling infrastructure. This approach simplifies development, reduces cost and risk, and helps shorten timelines to the clinic and commercialization. “This milestone marks an important step in the evolution of our collaboration with IDC — from device innovation to a fully integrated intranasal drug delivery platform,” said Márcio Temtem, Ph.D., Vice President, Strategic Business Management, Hovione. “As the industry looks for faster, more reliable ways to bring complex therapies to patients, integration becomes critical. By bringing together nasal particle engineering science, formulation manufacturing and filling, and device technologies into a single offering, we enable a more seamless and predictable development journey, accelerating the path to market for intranasal therapies.” The nasal delivery device enables broad and targeted nasal deposition flexibility while delivering maximum usability and reliability. With a patented design and manufacturing process established, the platform is available for partnering with pharmaceutical companies on an exclusive basis as part of Hovione’s integrated offering for inhalation and nasal drug development and manufacturing. Additionally, IDC’s Managing Director, Stephen Knowles Ph.D., said the companies are now “well-advanced” with the development of a multi-use device to support an even wider range of therapies and patient needs. Read the full article at ContractPharma.com    

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