Gelteq Limited (“Gelteq” or the “Company”), a clinical and science-based company specialising in gel-based oral delivery solutions,  announced it has started a preclinical animal trial evaluating its proprietary formulation technology for oily and poorly soluble drugs. Gelteq will conduct the study with Monash University Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, a recognised leader in pharmaceutical development and contract research.

“Effective oral delivery of oily and poorly soluble drugs represents one of the biggest challenges in drug development and commercialisation,” said Nathan Givoni, CEO of Gelteq. “More than 40% of marketed drugs and up to 90% of discovery candidates suffer from low solubility and variable bioavailability, leading to higher dosing, greater side effect risk, and inconsistent patient outcomes. By leveraging Gelteq’s formulation expertise, we aim to unlock the full potential of oily and poorly soluble drugs, revive shelved molecules and create new value for global pharmaceutical partners.”

Pharmaceutical companies invest more than USD $4 billion annually in technologies to improve delivery of oily and poorly soluble drugs (1), including solubility-enhancement excipients, lipid-based formulations and lipid nanoparticles with strong projected growth through 2030 (1,2,3). However, there are increasing concerns that emulsifiers in lipid-based drug delivery can disrupt the gut microbiota and compromise gastrointestinal health so it is important to reduce reliance on such additives to enable safer and more effective delivery of oily or poorly soluble drugs (4).

Should Gelteq be able to demonstrate through the trial its ability to work successfully with oily or poorly soluble drugs, Gelteq would seek to assist potential clients with a portfolio of oily and poorly soluble drugs via the following commercial options:

• Pipeline salvage – reviving promising drug molecules previously abandoned due to solubility and bioavailability issues.
• Lifecycle extension – reformulating existing drugs to provide new patent protection and exclusivity.
• Improved adherence – the potential to reduce API dose size and food-effect dependence, which has the potential for fewer side effects and more consistent patient outcomes.

“This preclinical trial represents an important step to demonstrate Gelteq’s ability to transform a major and unmet need across the pharmaceutical industry,” added Mr. Givoni.