Sale of wound care platform will benefit CF research
Convatec acquires 30 Technology's antimicrobial nitric oxide platform
30 Technology has sold the rights to its antimicrobial treatment platform for certain uses, such as for burns and acute wounds, to Convatec.
30 Technology will retain the rights to its wound care platform in other indications, including respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF), and will be using funds from the transaction to further development in these spaces.
“The completion of this strategic divestment will allow 30 Technology to accelerate its development in multiple areas, including respiratory indications, where we are already in several clinical trials,” Syd Hanna, group executive director of 30 Technology, said in a press release.
A Phase 2 clinical trial, NOMAB (NCT05101915), sponsored by Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, is testing the company’s experimental therapy RESP301 in people with CF who have an infection with the bacteria Mycobacterium abscessus. The study is ongoing at a site in Cambridge, U.K. There currently are no approved treatments for this type of infection, according to 30 Technology.
“We look forward to providing further updates on our progress in these indications,” Hanna said.
30 Technology’s therapeutic platform is focused on a molecule called nitric oxide, or NO, which is normally made by immune cells as part of the inflammatory attack that they use to fight off infections. Recurrent bacterial infections are a frequent problem in CF and other respiratory diseases, and many bacteria are evolving resistance to conventional antibiotics.
“Antimicrobial resistance is one of the key challenges of our time and we believe our technology has huge potential for application across a multitude of increasingly hard to treat indications,” Hanna said.
The company has developed multiple formulations, including liquids, gels, and powders that allow delivery of high doses of NO in different forms. RESP301, the company’s lead product, is delivered via inhalation directly into the lungs using a nebulizer.
As part of the newly announced transaction, Convatec will pay £45 million (about $56 million) to 30 Therapeutics, with the potential for additional payments if developmental milestones are met.
“We are looking forward to commercializing this innovative technology, across a variety of medtech device applications starting with Advanced Wound Care. Our leading global research and development, operations and commercial teams are eager to support them in bringing pioneering products to market,” said Divakar Ramakrishnan, PhD, chief technology officer and head of research and development at Convatec.
“This transaction validates 30 Technology’s transformational approach to unlock the potential of nitric oxide to treat a range of infections with a durable and safe treatment,” Hanna said.
Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said “It is very gratifying to see yet another innovation entirely created and developed in the UK that heals patients who would otherwise spend years suffering ill health and disability. 30 Technology is a great example of how the NHS and UK life sciences sector can together deliver world leading therapies that benefit patients and the economy.”
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