- Lonza to develop spray-dried formulations for an intranasally-delivered biologic for Iconovo at its Center of Excellence for bioavailability enhancement and inhaled delivery in Bend (US)
- Iconovo’s biologic drug candidate targeting obesity will be formulated for use in the ICOone Nasal® device
Lund, Sweden and Basel, Switzerland, 13 January 2025 – Iconovo AB, a leader in the development of inhalable drugs based on proprietary inhalers and dry powder formulations, today announced that Iconovo and Lonza initiated a collaboration to develop spray-dried formulations of an intranasal biologic for Iconovo’s proprietary intranasal device ICOone Nasal®. This project, with a reformulated substance for obesity, is the first in Iconovo’s strategic initiative to reformulate known pharmaceuticals and replace injections and oral treatments with inhalation.
According to the agreement, Lonza will develop spray-dried formulations for administration in the ICOone Nasal® device at its Bend (US) site, which specializes in addressing bioavailability challenges and modulating pharmacokinetics to meet target product profiles. The collaboration aims to identify the ideal product properties concerning particle size, stability, and device compatibility while preserving biological activity.
The Iconovo inhaler platform, ICOone Nasal®, is a unique and proprietary nasal device that releases the dose when the user inhales. One inhaler and an inhale through each nostril should administer a standard dose of the biologic compound, challenging the need for today’s injected formulation.
Johan Wäborg, CEO, Iconovo, commented: “Lonza is a world leader in bioavailability enhancement and renowned for its spray-drying capabilities of biologics. Combined with Iconovo’s unique nasal inhaler, we expect the result to be an unprecedented patient-friendly product, and we hope that this cooperation will lead to a fruitful, long-term collaboration that goes beyond this specific project.”
Kim Shepard, Director of Advanced Drug Delivery, Lonza, said: “Our team at Lonza’s respiratory center of excellence in Bend is pleased to work with Iconovo on its innovative applications, combining Lonza’s particle engineering expertise with Iconovo’s state-of-the-art devices. Delivering non-invasive and accessible therapies to patients in need is a focus area for both companies.”
Jan Vertommen, Vice President, Head of Commercial Development, Small Molecules, Lonza, added: “This collaboration, leveraging Iconovo’s innovative intranasal delivery technology alongside our expertise in spray-dried formulations, underscores our commitment to advancing patient care by developing innovative products. We believe that combining our strengths can lead to the development of patient-friendly products and a long-lasting, successful collaboration.”
Additional Information
To learn more about Lonza’s particle engineering services, visit Lonza | Particle Engineering Services
About Iconovo
Iconovo (Nasdaq First North Growth Market: ICO) develops new inhaled medicinal products in collaboration with international pharmaceutical companies. The company provides several types of patent-protected inhalers that can generate significant commercial opportunities in the development of novel pharmaceuticals and vaccines and at patent expirations for established pharmaceuticals. The most advanced project is a generic version of the asthma and COPD product Symbicort®. Iconovo plans to market this product in the Nordic region through its subsidiary Iconovo Pharma, while the company's partner Amneal Pharmaceuticals has the rights in other parts of Europe and the United States.