CURE Pharma Subsidiary, Oak Therapeutics, Completes Critical Milestone In Phase I Of NIH Grant To Develop Oral Dissolvable Strip For Tuberculosis
OXNARD, Calif., Aug. 22, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CURE Pharmaceutical (OTCQB:CURR), (“CURE”), a leading disruptive drug delivery technology company, today announced that its subsidiary company, Oak Therapeutics, has completed a critical milestone of its Phase I Small Business Innovative Research Contract (SBIR) from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH/ NIAID) to develop a formulation for 300mg of Isoniazid in a rapidly dissolving Oral Dissolvable Strip (ODS) as an anti-tuberculosis treatment option.
Under the Phase I contract issued to Oak by the NIAID in May 2016, Oak sought to establish the technical merit, feasibility and commercial potential for the reformulation of isoniazid, an oral antibacterial prescription medicine for the prevention and treatment of Tuberculosis, as an ODS. Oak has created a novel formulation using encapsulation technologies, suitable matrix components, flavoring ingredients and other ODS formulation parameters to produce a product prototype containing 300mg of Isoniazid, that is both rapidly dissolving and mucoadhesive. This represents an industry-first, and a significant advance to CURE’s proprietary CureFilmTM drug delivery platform.
Patient adherence is a substantial health issue that is significantly magnified when dealing with long term treatments for diseases such as tuberculosis, the second most common infectious cause of death worldwide after HIV. A significant factor in suboptimal adherence may be the formulation of the drug. Furthermore, with Isoniazid included in the Best Practices for Children Act (BPCA) Priority List of Needs in Pediatric Therapeutics for 2015, isoniazid is an ideal candidate for reformulation as an ODS.
“The challenge was to find a way to create a strip that could deliver 300mg of drug while still dissolving in the mouth in less than a minute. We were able to invent exactly such a disruptive technology”, said Ed Maliski, President of Oak Therapeutics.
“Having this technology creates many new opportunities for future products for other antibiotics and for pain relievers,” said Rob Davidson, CEO of CURE. “Such drugs were previously not considered because of the high dose needed.”
Oak is currently in the application process for Phase II of the SBIR program, to continue its research and development and focus on manufacturing scale up, clinical trials and commercialization.
About CURE Pharmaceutical
CURE Pharmaceutical is a fully integrated specialty bioscience company improving drug efficacy, safety and the patient experience with proprietary drug dosage forms and delivery systems for a broad range of molecules. CURE has an industry leading full service cGMP manufacturing facility and is a preeminent developer and manufacturer of a patented and proprietary delivery system (CureFilm™), which includes the most advanced oral thin film on the market today. CURE has developed an array of products in cutting-edge delivery platforms and partners with leading pharmaceutical companies. CURE has positioned itself in the pharmaceutical cannabis sector with partnerships in the U.S., Canada, Israel and Germany, among other markets. The Company’s mission is to improve people’s lives by redefining how medicines are delivered and experienced.
For more information about CURE Pharmaceutical, please visit its website at www.curepharmaceutical.com.
About Oak Therapeutics
CURE was founded with the goal of changing the way in which quality medicines are brought to people in need, regardless of geography or economic status. With this originating principle, Oak Therapeutics, was founded as a subsidiary of CURE focused on bringing life-saving medicines to developing economies.
Forward-looking statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of fact, including those statements with respect to the Company's business development, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and are not guarantees of future performance. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
*This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the USC 2304(b)(2) USC 253(b)(2), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. HHSN272201600034C.
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