AllTranz, Lexington, Ky., is focused on the development of transdermal treatments for pain and other neurological disorders. The lead product in the company pipeline is a synthetic non-psychoactive cannabinoid delivered via gel. The initial indication is for the treatment of osteoarthritis. AllTranz also plans to develop a second generation of this product for the treatment of alcoholism. The gel product for arthritis pain is scheduled for a Phase 1 clinical trial by 2011. Another cannabinoid patch has been funded by the National Institutes of Health through a 2011 Phase 1 clinical trial. An abuse-deterrent opioid patch prototype has also been developed and is scheduled for preclinical toxicology testing in 2010. The AllTranz technology addresses not only pharmacological limitations, but the abuse potential which confounds the utility of current opioids.
AllTranz is focused on the design, synthesis, characterization, and testing of novel prodrugs—drugs with known clinical efficacy needing a chemical modification in order to go through the skin at a sufficient therapeutic rate. Prodrugs are a great method for permeation enhancement as they can improve drug solubility, stability, and potentially decrease skin irritation. AllTranz technical capabilities include drug synthesis (controlled substance schedule I-V), analytical method development (HPLC and LC-MS/MS), biological sample analysis, drug formulation, in vitro human skin diffusion studies, and pharmacokinetic studies in rats, hairless guinea pigs, and miniature swine.
Company intellectual property also includes an adjuvant technology for use with microneedle and other microporation systems, in order to extend single patch treatment duration to one week. Dr. Audra Stinchcomb, founder and chief scientific officer of AllTranz, is actively engaged in leveraging chemical techniques to develop new prodrug formulations and drug delivery platforms using unique transdermal drug delivery vehicles.
AllTranz is also actively pursuing corporate partnerships with companies interested in co-development of transdermal products of mutual interest.
This news was featured in Drug Discovery & Development magazine: Vol. 13, No. 3, April 2010, p. 35.
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
