August 22, 2011 -- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Starpharma (ASX:SPL, OTCQX:SPHRY) today announced that GSK was awarded a grant to advance a dermal treatment based on Starpharma’s dendrimer drug delivery technology.
The funds will be used to support Starpharma’s synthesis of dendrimer-based drug candidates which will then be tested by Stiefel, a GSK company with a view to further development towards a dermal product.
The funding has been provided under a grant program run by the Victorian Government.
Dr Jackie Fairley, CEO Starpharma said “We are very pleased to have this opportunity to further develop our valued relationship with GSK through their dermatology business Stiefel. We remain extremely upbeat about the value of dendrimers for a wide range of drug delivery applications and look forward to working with Stiefel to apply our technology to dermal applications.”
Ms Deborah Waterhouse, General Manager GSK Aus & NZ said “The partnership with Starpharma is an exciting step forward for Stiefel, which is committed to innovation in dermatology leading to new medicines for patients.”
Starpharma’s dendrimers are a type of precisely-defined, branched nanoparticle. In pharmaceuticals dendrimers have applications in enhancing drug half-life, solublising drugs, and targeting drugs to specific destinations in the body. More widely dendrimers have applications in medical, electronics, chemicals and materials industries.
