Aegis Announces Breakthrough in Non-Invasive, Rapid Onset, Acute Pain Control

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 10, 2017 -- Aegis Therapeutics has developed a metered nasal spray formulation of hydromorphone having rapid onset of drug action (approximately 1 min. with a Tmax of 7.5 min.) and high systemic bioavailability (approaching 100%) based upon Aegis’ patented Intravail® technology. These formulations offer the best pharmacokinetic performance of any non‐IV preparations, while still meeting the clinical parameters found in IV administration. Aegis is seeking licensees for its nasal hydromorphone.

Achieving pain control in acute pain situations such as battlefield injury, EMS first responders, emergency department cases, and breakthrough cancer pain has proved challenging and inadequate in many circumstances. Orally delivered opioids such as morphine, fentanyl and hydromorphone are absorbed slowly and undergo a large hepatic first‐pass effect delaying onset of relief, and are ineffective for emetic patients. Intramuscular injection is slightly faster, but has high variability in absorption and can result in tissue depot effects, leading to possible under or overdosing, and is less effective in shock situations when blood flow is limited in peripheral tissues. Intravenous administration is the preferred method of opioid delivery, but requires trained personnel to initiate, and proves challenging in situations where venous access is not available due to shock, hypovolemia, or venous injury from frequent IV medication use.

There exists a need for a better delivery method for opiate pain medications in these situations. Various EMS, military, and other healthcare organizations have solicited ideas for improving pain control in acute pain scenarios.

While opiate medications are undeniably the most effective pain control medications, their limitations exist within the route of administration. The ability to deliver these critical medications without venous access is a breakthrough in achieving rapid pain control. Hydromorphone is especially effective at pain control over fentanyl and morphine, with a very desirable side effect profile compared with other opiates. Hydromorphone is also non-dissociative, potentially allowing patients or soldiers to self-extract, or cooperate with first responders in extraction from the danger zone. 

About Aegis Therapeutics
Aegis Therapeutics LLC is a drug delivery technology company commercializing its patented drug delivery and drug formulation technologies through product-specific licenses. Our Intravail® drug delivery technology enables the non-invasive systemic delivery of a broad range of protein, peptide and non-peptide drugs that can currently only be administered by injection, via the oral, buccal, and intranasal administration routes, and with high bioavailability.  Our ProTek® excipients stabilize, prevent aggregation, and reduce unwanted anaphylaxis and immunogenicity of protein and peptide therapeutics while avoiding the oxidative damage caused by polysorbate surfactants currently found in most protein injectable drugs. For more information about Aegis, visit: http://aegisthera.com/.

Contact:
Ralph Barry
Chief Business Officer
Aegis Therapeutics LLC
1-858-618-1400 Ext. 102
Email: [email protected]