LTT Bio-Pharma ties with Cipla in nanosteroids

Tokyo, Dec 11: Japan bio-venture firm LTT Bio-Pharma Co Ltd said on Monday it had tapped Indian drug maker Cipla Ltd to help it develop nanosteroids, which have the potential to be more effective and produce fewer side effects than conventional steroid treatments.

LTT Bio-Pharma, whose stock shot up nearly 4 percent on the news, said that as part of the deal, it would outsource the production of nanosteroids to Cipla.

The company has had good results in animals with nanosteroids and says it hopes to begin clinical trials within two years.

Nanosteroids are a drug delivery system in which steroids are inserted into a polylactic acid particle with a width of only 150 nanometres.

The use of the particle, which is delivered by intravenous injection, allows for a slow release time so that the drug can be effective for up to a week, the company said.

Nanosteroids also allow a targeted delivery that should help reduce side effects, which can be severe in conventional steroid treatment.

Steroids are used to treat a variety of diseases including arthritis and allergy-related diseases.

LTT Bio-Pharma said there were many bio-venture firms around the world working in nanomedicine but it believed it was the only one working on nanosteroids, which are much more difficult to make than other medicines.

LTT Bio-Pharma shares, listed on the Mothers start-up section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, were up 1.9 percent at 108,000 yen in afternoon trade.

REUTERS