Elan Drug Technologies, a business unit of Elan
Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) announces the first approval of a long-acting
injectable formulation using Elan Drug Technologies' proprietary NanoCrystal
technology.
Late last week, Janssen, a division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals,
announced the approval of INVEGA SUSTENNA, the first once monthly
atypical antipsychotic injection, by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
"The approval of INVEGA SUSTENNA, is an important milestone
for our NanoCrystal technology as it marks the first long-acting injectable
product approved by regulatory authorities using the technology," announced
Shane Cooke, Executive Vice President and Head of Elan Drug Technologies. "Our
versatile NanoCrystal technology in this instance, allowed for a stable,
low viscosity, high drug-loaded formulation in a small injection volume, to
be developed."
The NanoCrystal technology, a technology enabling the formulation of poorly
water soluble compounds for all routes of administration, allows for a ready-to-use
one month duration intramuscular depot formulation of paliperidone palmitate
which can be administered by healthcare professionals. The intramuscular injection
is administered using a small bore needle and small volume syringe, negating
the need for a power injector. By applying the NanoCrystal technology to
paliperidone palmitate, for the first time, healthcare professionals will be
able to provide patients with consistent medication coverage for one month potentially
allowing them to improve compliance for schizophrenic patients.
NanoCrystal technology, is a proprietary technology developed by Elan
Drug Technologies through Elan Pharma International Limited and other Elan affiliates.
INVEGA SUSTENNA is the fifth licensed product approved by the US
FDA using Elan's NanoCrystal technology for various formulations.
Elan Drug Technologies, one of the world's leading drug delivery businesses,
is a business unit of Elan Corporation, plc. As a fully integrated drug delivery
business, Elan Drug Technologies delivers clinically meaningful benefits to
patients, by using its extensive experience and proprietary delivery technologies
in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies. For almost 40 years, Elan Drug
Technologies has been, and continues to be, a drug delivery provider of choice
for a broad range of pharmaceutical companies, including many of the world's
leading pharmaceutical companies. Elan Drug Technologies offer clients drug
delivery expertise with a suite of commercially launched, proprietary, technology-driven
solutions, from NanoCrystal technology for poorly water soluble compounds,
to customised oral controlled release drug technologies. Products enabled by
their technologies are used by millions of patients each day. For more information
go to www.elandrugtechnologies.com