Panarum develops Proteoral, an excipient that safely transports biological active pharmaceutical ingredients across the intestinal epithelium by temporarily opening intercellular junctions. This technology enables the oral administration of biologics, offering a non-injectable alternative for patients. The platform aims to increase patient adherence and significantly reduce the manufacturing costs associated with injectable therapies.
Funding
$640K raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Many biological active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) require administration via injection, leading to challenges with patient adherence and increased manufacturing costs. The need for injections can deter patients from consistently following their prescribed treatment plans. Traditional injectable formulations also involve complex and expensive manufacturing processes.
Solution
Panarum develops Proteoral, a recombinant protein excipient that facilitates the oral delivery of biological APIs by transiently opening intercellular junctions in the intestinal epithelium. Proteoral enables the absorption of macromolecules, such as hormones, monoclonal antibodies, peptides, and polysaccharides, through the paracellular pathway. This technology offers a non-invasive alternative to injections, improving patient compliance and quality of life. By enabling oral administration, Proteoral significantly reduces manufacturing costs compared to injectable formulations. The excipient is designed to protect the API within a capsule that releases in the small intestine, where Proteoral enhances absorption into the bloodstream.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes pharmaceutical companies seeking to convert their injectable biological drugs into oral formulations, as well as patients who prefer oral medications over injections.
Features
- Recombinant protein excipient produced via biotechnology
- Facilitates paracellular transport of macromolecules (5 kDa to >147 kDa) across the intestinal epithelium
- Protects and releases active ingredients in the small intestine
- Demonstrated safety and efficacy in initial non-clinical trials
- Compatible with various macromolecules, including hormones, monoclonal antibodies, peptides, and polysaccharides
- Achieves peak activity 20 minutes post-release in the intestine, with maximum absorption at 2 hours