Profile of Chitogenics Ltd. - KLT Communications

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C H I T O G E N I C S L T D . O F F E R SA W A Y T O R E D U C E
P O S T . S U R G I C A LA D H E S I O N S U S I N G A P O W E R F U L
B I O . A D H E S I V ED E R I V E D F R O M T H E S U B S T A N C ET H A T
G I V E S S H R I M P S H E L L ST H E I R S T R E N G T H .
processed
When
therightway,a substance
Found
inshrimp
shells
canbetransFormed
into
N0tt-a whife,odourless,
powder
s0luble
withthepotential
Foruseinmedical
applications,
including
drugdelivery
andposf-surgical
prevention.
adhesion
STRATEGIES
FORSUCCESS
Withonly11employees,
thitogenics
Ltd.
'a
global
is nonetheless
company'with
a
Oeveloped
initiallybythreeprofessors
in Nova
Scotia,
Nlltt anditsderivatives
Form
theplatForm
technology
for[hitogenics
Ltd.,a Ilartmouth,
Nova
Scotia-based
biotechnology
company,
Withitsfirstproduct
scheduled
Formarket
in 2005,
[hitogenics
is setto tapinto
anestimated
market
products.
toranti-adhesion
$4billionglobal
multinational
reach,
Thefirm'sstrategic
partner-aFortune
500medical
companyhasinvested
in [hitogenics'
$5million
payments,
research
andtor milestone
thitogenics
hasalsoreceived
$4million
in funding
fromfourinstitutional
investors.
l'loney
aside,
howdoesa smallcompany
onsideredone of the leadingcom-
of detection of the testing methodsshowsthat
plications of surgery,post-surgical
it contains no proteins that can causeallergies.
harness
a technology
withsomuch
"We
poiential? worka lot withconsultants,
adhesioncan causepain, infertility,
NOCC hasmany propertiesthat make it suitable
"Based
for usein medicalapplications.
on toxicolo-
tionalexpertin post-surgical
adhesions,"
gical tests,we know it's biocompatible,so it doesn't
saysl'larina
Zazanis,
President
and[E0,
"We
thitogenics. havedirectors
trom
bowel obstruction,restrictedrangeof motion, and
"It's
even death.
one of the great unmet surgical
suchas0r.l'lichael
0iamond,
aninterna-
problems,"saysMarina Zazanis,Presidentand
causeany sideeffects,"saysDr. Agis Kydonieus,
Chief ExecutiveOfficer of ChitogenicsLtd.
SeniorMce-President,Researchand Development,
"It
Chitogenics. hasa very high molecularweight, so
pharmaceutical
iwoottheworld's
leading
products-made from N,O carboxymethylchitosan (NOCC)-will reducethe incidenceof
you only need about I per cent in water to produce
Andwecollaborate
withsomeotthetop
a viscousmaterial much like honey.It is also a good
scientists
in theworld,"
post-surgicaladhesions.Chitin, the bio-polymer
lubricant, so it's suitablefor usein eyeproducts."
Chitogenicsbelievesthat its anti-adhesion
hom which NOCC is derived,comprisesabout
companies-l'lerck
and5chering-Plough.
In addition, NOCC is bioresorbable-
l5 per cent of shrimp shellsand is also found
ultimately breakingdown into sugarsthat can
ln other shellfish.To make NOCC, chitin
be excretedin the urine. Last but not least,it's
ls first processedto make chitosan,and then
an excellent bio-adhesivethat works on both
carboxymethytated.The resultingsubstance
ls a water-solublepowder,which to the limit
soft and hard tissues,which makesit ideal for
preventing post-surgicaladhesions.
l9
Post-surgical adhesions occur when the
blood left behind from an operation causes
fibroblast cells, which help repair the wound, to
release collagen. This process can cause separate
organs to adhere to one another. For example,
the abdominal wall could stick to the intestines
"The
and cause continuous pain.
NOCC in our
product prevents those cells from attaching to
any surface that is coated with it. Preventing the
cells from attaching helps prevent adhesion from
"And
taking place," says Dr. Kydonieus.
when
you use this product at a surgical site, you want
it to stay where you put it, so its bio-adhesive
property is very important."
Chitogenics is currently in Phase III clinical
trials for a product designed to prevent adhesions
"The
following gynecological surgery.
product
has two components-a
solution of 2 per cent
NOCC and 98 per cent water, and a gel made by
cross-linking the polymer so it lasts longer. Both
components would be used in one operation,"
says Dr. Kydonieus.
M A R I N AZ A Z A N I S ,
P R E S I D € NATN D C H I E FE X E C U T I V O
E FFICER.
C H I T O G E N I C LST D ,
NOCC'SROOTS
(N0ttlwas
N,0carboxymethylchitosan
developed
bythreeNovaScotia
originally
protessors-Dr,
ilive Elson
andthelate
"Their
andl)onBavies.
Drs,ErnieHayes
research
camefromtheheart,"says
0r.AgisKydonieus,
5eniorVice-Presideni,
thitogenics
Ltd."Theywanted
theirworkto
Thesetrials are scheduledfor completion by
b end of 2004. Chitogenicsexpectsto obtain
fulatory approval to market this product ln
bope by early 2005, and in the United States
y late 2005.Meanwhile, Chitogenlcshas
gnpleted preclinical researchfor abdominal
hd cardiac adhesionproducts.
Besidespreventing post-surgicaladhesions,
IOCC and its derivatlveshave other potential
pplications. Chitogenics currently has two
lrcements with mqjor pharmaceuticalcomFrles interested in using its compoundsfor
t" products.A company is also interested in
fhg NOCC as an anti-inflammatory agent
I a bowel disease.
"Another
prevent
accomplish
iwothings:
thedumping
big potential market involves using
ofshrimp
shellsintotheocean,
anddevelop
our material to supplementsinovial fluid, which
cushionsthe bodysjoints," saln Dr, Kydonieus.
"Sinovial
fluid tends to dissipatewith age,so
provide
a technology
thatwouldeventually
jobsforthechildren
of NovaScotia."
supplementationby inJectionwould be beneficial."
In 1987,thethreeresearchers
formed
Nova[hem
andpatented
N0[[,envisioning
Chitogentcs is also conducting researchon the
oral deltvery ofpeptides and proteins, in collaboration
preservative
for fruit,
it asa potential
with the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.
"This
is the holy grail of drug delivery. Many thera-
ln 1991,
Novathem
merged
withNeogenics,
whose
[E0,llarinaZazanis,
sawN0[['s
piessuch as insulin and most peptidedrugscan only
potential
forthehealihcaresecior,
be administeredby injection becauseenzymesin the
l'ls.Zazanis
became
[E0of thenewly
stomach and intestines would break them down,"
"Oral
saysDr. Kydonieus.
delivery is a much easier
patents
products
anddevelops
seven
and lessexpensivemethod of administering a drug.
based
ontheoriginal
technology.
Formed
lhitogenics,
whirhnowholds
We have very early but promising results." 41