Eiffel to collaborate with UK asthma company

Melbourne biotech Eiffel Technologies has signed an agreement with a UK-based drug delivery company, Meridica, to reengineer asthma therapeutics for use in a new technology inhalation device.

"The deal with Meridica is another example of how we can use our supercritical fluid (SCF) platform to optimise and act as a complimentary technology to other [companies] on the world stage," said Christine Cussen, MD and CEO of Eiffel.

The deal adds to Eiffel's list of cooperative liaisons, many of which are not income-generating, but offer the opportunity for the company to get a toe in the door of the major international pharmas.

"This is primarily a collaborative deal, and is the logical first step for Eiffel," said Cussen. "It gets us on the international radar, and allows us to build up our expertise at the same time. We are fast developing critical mass in this area."

The six-month deal is the latest in a series of eight Eiffel has signed in the last two years with a variety of pharmaceutical and drug delivery companies.

"The momentum of the commercialisation of our research continues to accelerate. Although there will be no IP exchange on this deal both companies will learn from the collaboration and will be able to develop value from it," said Cussen.