Jan. 7, 2005 — Elan Corp. plc today announced a broad license agreement with Roche around Elan’s NanoCrystal technology. The agreement will provide Roche with access to NanoCrystal technology and the right to apply it to a number of proprietary drug candidates. Elan will receive development milestones and royalties on sales of any product incorporating the use of NanoCrystal technology.
Last year marked the third product launched in the United States that uses Elan’s NanoCrystal technology. The technology is designed to enhance the clinical performance of poorly water-soluble drugs by transforming them into nanometer-sized particles, thereby allowing them to dissolve faster and more completely in the gastrointestinal tract and be more easily absorbed by the body.
Ursula Redeker, Roche’s global head of safety & technical sciences, said the company is enthusiastic about the technology’s drug delivery potential and that it strengthens Roche’s ability to deliver value for patients.