Takeda, BioSurfaces collab on GI drug-delivery devices

Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO:4502) and BioSurfaces said today that the two companies inked a deal to develop novel medical devices intended to treat patients with gastrointestinal diseases.

The deal brings together Takeda’s experience in the gastroenterology space and BioSurfaces’ method of developing nanomaterials from FDA-approved polymers for medical implants and drug-delivery devices. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

““We are excited to partner with BioSurfaces, whose pioneering technology aids our strategy of applying novel biomaterials to treat gastrointestinal diseases,” Vincent Ling, Takeda’s senior director of materials & innovation, said in prepared remarks. “Our research collaboration will lead to the development of cutting-edge use of biopolymers and device fabrication technology. Application of developed technology has the potential to help prevent strictures and promote healing of fistulas, which are common manifestations of GI diseases. Takeda has a long history of material innovation, and this collaboration with BioSurfaces is a further example of our expansion of therapeutic modalities into nano-scale biomaterials.”

“Our group has been developing and refining our promising nanomaterial technology for over 13 years. Various devices using our technology have been shown to fully integrate with the body’s own tissue in preclinical studies, which is a major differentiator from current woven and knitted textile materials,” BioSurfaces’ president & CEO Matthew Phaneuf added. “In addition to improved healing, our technology is designed to deliver drugs and/or bioactive agents directly to the disease area, putting the treatment right where it should be and not throughout the whole body, thereby reducing possible complications. These attributes are promising for the next generation of medical devices and drug-delivery systems. We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Takeda, a world leader and innovator in therapeutic interventions, to apply our technology to develop novel therapeutic devices for patients with GI dysfunction.”

Want to stay on top of DDBN content? Sign up for our e-mail newsletter for a weekly dose of drug-device news.