SoluBest and Dr. Reddy´s Sign Drug Delivery Collaboration to Develop New, Proprietary Formulations

Ness Ziona, October 4, 2010 -- SoluBest, a company developing an easy-to-integrate technological platform for solving the problem of drug insolubility, has closed a collaboration agreement with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. (Hyderabad, India) to develop a new, proprietary formulation of one of SoluBest’s pipeline compounds. In return, SoluBest is eligible to upfront, research and milestone and significant royalty payments. Further financial details have not been disclosed.

SoluBest has developed its Solumer™ technology platform to address solubility issues, one of the most pressing problems in drug development and drug delivery: About 40% of marketed drugs are thought to be poorly water soluble, and it is estimated that up to 70% of new chemical entities (NCEs) entering drug development programs possess insufficient aqueous solubility to allow adequate and consistent gastrointestinal absorption to ensure efficacy.

The Solumer™ platform is based on the self-assembly of selected FDA-approved polymer compounds, creating highly stable particles in which API molecules are interwoven into the polymer matrix. Once formulations come in contact with aqueous media, they spontaneously form colloidal dispersions, resulting in increased bioavailability of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. The process is easily adaptable to a wide range of molecules, requiring limited customization for each, and involves a simple 2 step procedure - the preparation of a liquid feed followed by its spray drying. The result is a technology with quick turnaround times which can be easily integrated in conventional drug manufacturing processes.. Each formulation can be protected by composition of matter patents and therefore is ideally suited for life-cycle management.

"We are optimistic that this agreement marks the first step of a broader strategic collaboration,” said Dr. Amir Zalcenstein, CEO of Solubest. "Dr. Reddy's was one of the first companies to show interest in our free formulation initiative. Although the agreement is for our lead pipeline product, we believe this validates our approach."

SoluBest‘s “free formulation initiative” offers interested pharmaceutical or nutraceutical companies the opportunity to let SoluBest formulate up to 5 molecules for free, with no obligation and no cost except the cost of the API. Already, the initiative led to various collaboration agreements, among them top 10 global pharmaceutical and agrochemical companies and to marketing agreements with leading CROs from the UK and the US.

Dr. Raghav Chari, Senior Vice President - Proprietary Products of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., commented: "SoluBest brings a unique approach to the pharmaceutical development of poorly soluble molecules that complement our in-house capabilities. Our collaboration with SoluBest will further broaden our product portfolio for our global markets."

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About SoluBest
SoluBest is a clinical-stage developer of enabling drug delivery technologies, established in 2001 with the intention of developing smart polymer, self-assembling nano-particle constructs. The company is located at the Weizmann Science Park in Ness Ziona, Israel, and employs a team of experienced polymer and analytical chemists.

SoluBest has recently raised $1.5M and is planning to raise an additional $2.0M in the coming months.

About SoluBest‘s Solumer™ Technology
SoluBest’s proprietary Solumer™ process addresses the issue of drug insolubility by creating therapeutic and nutraceutical formulations in which active drug molecules are uniquely interwoven with FDA-approved polymers. Once in the body, these oral, solid-dosage formulations disintegrate into colloidal dispersions, increasing drug solubility and absorption, thus improving the bio-performance of insoluble drugs and nutritional actives.

SoluBest's technology provides significant advantages, among others:
• Improved solubility of a broad range of small molecules,
• Superior bio-availability as demonstrated in two exploratory clinical trials,
• Ease of production, using existing equipment with little or no modification,
• Quick turnaround through rapid feasibility and scale-up time,
• Low regulatory risk by using safe and FDA-approved polymer excipients and environmentally safe solvents.

For more information, please visit our website www.solubest.com.

Solubest Ltd.
Dr. Amir Zalcenstein, CEO
Weizmann Science Park
18 Einstein Street
Ness Ziona 74140, Israel
T: +972 8 940 3023 x102
F: +972 8 930 2878
amir@solubest.com

akampion
Dr. Ludger Wess, Managing Partner
Saseler Loge 6b
D-22393 Hamburg
Germany
T: +49 40 88165964
F: +49 40 88165965
ludger@akampion.com

This release was published on openPR.