HCmed and Formosa Laboratories Join Forces to Create CDMO for Inhaled Drugs

The global inhalation drug market was estimated to have reached $25 billion in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has further driven demand and development of treatments for respiratory diseases. 

To address demand, Taiwan-based medical device maker HCmed has announced that it is joining forces with Formosa Laboratories and its wholly-owned subsidiary Formosa Pharmaceuticals to create a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO). The entity will integrate HCmed’s vibrating mesh nebulizers, Formosa Lab’s drug development and manufacturing and Formosa Pharma’s nanotechnology platform. 

HCmed believes that CDMOs cannot simply provide partners with a platform to deliver drugs. According to HCmed CEO Jason Cheng, CDMOs should also offer “integrated services that extend to drug development, mass production, product packaging.”

“Through these services, the combination product development time can be shortened, and costs can be reduced,” said Cheng. 

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Combining Technologies and Expertise

Of the various drug administration methods, inhaled delivery comes with the advantages of improved dosing and patient adherence. It is also less invasive compared to injections. 

HCmed specializes in developing vibrating mesh nebulizers. These devices turn therapeutic drugs such as small molecules and biologics into aerosol form for optimal delivery. 

Formosa Labs, through its subsidiary Formosa Pharma, develops new drugs targeting the fields of ophthalmology, oncology, analgesics and infection. 

The drugs are developed using Activus Pure Nanoparticle Technology (APNT), which Formosa Pharma acquired from Japan-based Activus Pharma for $3.5 million upfront in 2017. APNT allows active pharmaceutical ingredients to be grinded down to the 50-300nm range. 

A candidate developed through APNT is currently in a Phase 3 trial in the US for inflammation and pain after eye surgery. 

Together, the three companies aim to build a one-stop service for the development process, including early drug development, clinical trial management, mass production, and product launch.

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Author

Joy Lin

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