Eiffel pleased with micronised insulin study

Melbourne-based Eiffel Technologies has announced that a pre-clinical study using micronised insulin demonstrated increased efficacy over native insulin.

The insulin used in the study was micronised using Eiffel's supercritical fluid (SCF) re-engineering technology, which reduces drug particle size and allows controlled particle design.

CEO Christine Cussen said that the technique allowed production of particles with a diameter of less than a micron and a narrow size distribution.

The study, performed at the Metabolic Research Unit at Deakin University, examined the blood glucose levels in rats after treatment with the SCF processed insulin and compared them to levels in animals treated with standard pharmaceutical grade insulin.

According to Prof Paul Zimmet, who prepared a consultant report on the study for Eiffel, the micronised insulin retained full activity and had an enhanced hypoglycaemic effect. It also appears to have more long-lasting effect than native insulin.

"It looks like it might be three times more efficient," Zimmet said.

He said that although the company had not yet determined precisely what structural changes the SCF process might induce, improved bioavailability of the drug might be the cause of the observed efficacy.

He noted that the study used pharmaceutical grade insulin and would need to be repeated with clinical grade insulin.

"Eiffel's challenge is to see whether their technology has manufacturing and commercial benefits over existing products and technologies," Zimmet said.

Cussen said that Eiffel was making further pre-clinical work on the micronised insulin a high priority and hoped to be able to move into clinical trials within the next 12 months.

She said that the major benefit to be gained by re-engineering drugs such as insulin was an extension in the product's patent life. Methods such as Eiffel's SCF technology could improve performance of the drug and would allow more patient friendly routes of administration to be used, she said.

The company hopes to partner with other companies interested in utilising the technology on their drugs. This year it has announced five partnerships with drug companies including Sheffield Pharmaceuticals, Amarin Corporation, Profile Therapeutics and BattellePharma.

"We will license the technologies and IP to international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies where we will derive up-front payments and royalties," Cussen said. "We plan to do this with insulin when the necessary development work is complete."