Takeda Pharmaceutical Company and BioSurfaces Inc. announced that they have entered into an agreement to initiate a research program designed to develop innovative medical devices to treat patients with gastrointestinal (GI) diseases using BioSurfaces’ proprietary nanomaterial technology.
Under the joint research program, Takeda and BioSurfaces will explore novel therapeutic approaches for treating GI indications. Takeda will provide scientific and technical expertise in gastroenterology, while BioSurfaces will provide medical device design and nanomaterial expertise and fabrication technology. Additional terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.
“We are excited to partner with BioSurfaces, whose pioneering technology aids our strategy of applying novel biomaterials to treat gastrointestinal diseases,” said Vincent Ling, Ph.D., senior director of the Materials and Innovation, Takeda Pharmaceutical Sciences. “Our research collaboration will lead to the development of cutting-edge use of biopolymers and device fabrication technology. Application of developed technology has the potential to help prevent strictures and promote healing of fistulas, which are common manifestations of GI diseases. Takeda has a long history of material innovation, and this collaboration with BioSurfaces is a further example of our expansion of therapeutic modalities into nano-scale biomaterials.”
BioSurfaces has developed a groundbreaking process for producing nanofibrous materials out of FDA-approved polymers. These materials can be made to form a variety of unusual and difficult-to-manufacture shapes while also demonstrating improved biocompatibility over other textile-based medical implants. BioSurfaces’ manufacturing process further allows the incorporation of drugs or other bioactive agents directly into the nanofibers for localized release.
“Our group has been developing and refining our promising nanomaterial technology for over 13 years. Various devices using our technology have been shown to fully integrate with the body’s own tissue in preclinical studies, which is a major differentiator from current woven and knitted textile materials,” said Matthew Phaneuf, President and CTO of BioSurfaces. “In addition to improved healing, our technology is designed to deliver drugs and/or bioactive agents directly to the disease area, putting the treatment right where it should be and not throughout the whole body, thereby reducing possible complications. These attributes are promising for the next generation of medical devices and drug-delivery systems. We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Takeda, a world leader and innovator in therapeutic interventions, to apply our technology to develop novel therapeutic devices for patients with GI dysfunction.”
