Recipharm Partners with Ahead Therapeutics to Develop Rare Autoimmune Disease Therapy

Recipharm is partnering with Ahead Therapeutics, a Spanish start-up biotech company, to develop a ground-breaking treatment for a rare autoimmune disease, known as myasthenia gravis, using proprietary technology to develop treatments for different autoimmune disorders.

Ahead Therapeutics is known for the development of an innovative solution based on the use of PS-liposomes containing autoantigens, according to the press release. These liposomes can induce antigen-specific immune tolerance through a biomimetic process, thereby interrupting the autoimmune reaction. Further, the company’s newly developed solution for myasthenia gravis, which is intended for parenteral administration, is based on the use of phospholipid liposomes containing the antigen peptide. Through a biomimetic process, these liposomes can induce antigen-specific immune tolerance, which then interrupt the autoimmune reaction.

According to the press release, Recipharm will provide analytical and process development capabilities to support toxicology studies, in addition to GLP manufacturing of lipid nanoparticles to capture the active pharmaceutical ingredient, an antigen peptide. Further, Recipharm also offers the capacity to scale up manufacturing and preparation for commercializing the therapy.

Myasthenia gravis is defined as a rare, autoimmune disease that most commonly affects the muscles controlling the eyes and eyelids, facial expressions, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. There are currently no cures, and treatments and chronic and symptomatic.

“Autoimmune diseases affect approximately one in ten individuals, meaning 0.8 billion patients globally will be able to benefit from the drugs derived from our platform. Recipharm is dedicated to helping organisations like ours that work to develop treatments for rare diseases,” said Dr. Martí Dalmases Arnella, CEO of Ahead Therapeutics, in a press release. “This agreement represents a key milestone and the beginning of an exciting journey. Recipharm is the pharmaceutical industry’s best-in-class provider of contract development and manufacturing solutions, and we are looking forward to working closely with the team on this project.”

Source: Recipharm