Iconovo has announced the launch of new versions of its nasal ICOone dry powder inhalers and an extended development deal with Danish start-up Kiox Pharmaceuticals. The second generation nasal inhalers, whose development has been supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are designed to deliver dry powder vaccines to both the upper and lower airways, as described by Iconovo Chief Technology Officer Orest Lastow at RDD 2023.
According to the company, ENA Respiratory is currently using the ICOone nasal device in feasibility studies of a dry powder formulation of ENA’s INNA-051 intranasal pegylated TLR2/6 agonist, which the company is developing for protection against a wide range of respiratory viruses.
Iconovo CEO Johan Wäborg commented about the new nasal ICOone inhalers, “We are proud to have been able to quickly develop our unique inhalation platforms for nasal powder administration that are suitable for vaccines as well as antiviral treatments and drugs that can offer a rapid systemic effect.”
The formulation development deal with Kiox Pharma involves a different device, the ICOcap capsule-based DPI. Iconovo describes the Kiox project as “based on a reformulation of an FDA approved drug substance” for the treatment of interstitial lung disease and says that it has the option to license the product during or after the development project.
Wäborg said, “The collaboration with Kiox Pharma is a good example of our CDMO business model and shows the potential in reformulation of approved drug substances in Iconovo’s inhaler platforms.” Iconovo recently hired OINDP expert Gary Pitcairn to oversee development projects such as the one with Kiox.
Read the Iconovo press release on the nasal ICOone
Read the Iconovo press release on the Kiox Pharma deal
