Israel21c.org is reporting that a group of Israeli researchers have successfully tested an implant containing histrelin, a potent agonist of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone. The implant is being tested as a potential treatment for central precocious puberty, an early onset puberty that sometimes happens as early as seven or eight years of age. The implant is the technology of Cranbury, New Jersey-based Valera Pharmaceuticals, and is designed for a slow release of medications to prevent multiple drug injections (Valera Pharmaceuticals is the maker of the FDA-approved Vantas® Implant, loaded with histerlin, for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate CA.)
More about the implant technology, from the company’s website:
The Hydron Implant technology is based upon specialty blends of hydrogel polymers spun cast into small tubes measuring in the order of 1-inch in length and 1/8 inch in diameter.
A subcutaneous drug delivery reservoir, the Hydron Implant has been designed for in-office physician insertion into the patient’s upper arm using local anesthesia. The hydrogel polymer compositions possess soft, flexible tissue-like characteristics, providing excellent biocompatibility and patient comfort.
Employing micropores for drug diffusion, the implants are non-biodegradable and are capable of long-term (one year or more), continuous, near zero order release rates determined primarily by specific polymer blends, implant wall attributes and drug solubility.
Because Valera® has the ability to manufacture Hydron Implants to exacting chemical and geometric specifications, the technology is applicable to a broad spectrum of drugs, representing significant prospects for meeting therapeutic needs not addressed by current oral administration, depot injection, short duration implants, and transdermal patch delivery systems.
The company believes that its technology can be used for a wide array of chronic use medications, such as antihypertensives, antipsychotics, osteoporosis therapies, NSAIDs, hormone analogues (? CA-treatment, ? IVF, ? developmental disorders), anti-opioid addiction, and others.
An interesting technology for Medgadget to follow up on.
More from the company…
