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| Arthritis tablet looking good |
Making life easier for patients | Strong preclinical results with an oral TNF blocker now put Apollo on the path to developing a second major application for the Oradel™ platform, which is already on its way to human clinical trials with oral insulin.
TNF blockers are being prescribed more and more to treat inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis. But, like people with diabetes, patients prescribed these TNF blockers currently have no alternative to injections.
Apollo’s recent preclinical studies show that giving a TNF blocker orally using Oradel™ reduces inflammation as well as treatments given by injection.
According to Apollo’s director of science, Dr Greg Russell-Jones, “This is a breakthrough. We understand no-one else has been able to deliver antibodies and large proteins such as TNF blockers in tablet form.”
The TNF blocker market was estimated to be worth US$10 billion in 2006 and growing rapidly.
“These results are important,” said John Priest, Executive Chairman. “The TNF blocker market is big in itself and our product has the potential to transform the competitive landscape by offering a much more convenient form of treatment.”
“But what these latest results also do is prove Oradel™ up for antibodies, which are an even bigger and faster growing market.”
The global protein therapeutics market, which is still relatively new, was estimated to be worth US$57 billion in 2005. Antibodies are the fastest growing segment within it.
“We believe most people will prefer tablets to injections, so there is a ready-made market for our products” said Mr Priest.
“In light of these good results, we are accelerating development of our oral TNF blocker as well as keeping up momentum with oral insulin,” he said. “This is the main reason we have just done a small additional private placement for $3.5 million and are giving individual existing shareholders the opportunity to increase their holding by up to $5,000 on the same terms, for up to $1.5 million.”
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| www.apollolifescience.com |
