May 2, 2006 — /PRNewswire/ — CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Genzyme Pharmaceuticals, a business unit of Genzyme Corporation, and Brookwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced a broad collaboration to develop novel drug delivery solutions, with an initial focus on peptide delivery. The partnership offers customized solutions for parenteral formulations by combining expertise in design for peptide delivery, peptide synthesis, and drug delivery technologies.
The ‘Design for Peptide Delivery’ approach optimizes peptide physical and chemical properties early on in drug development, so as to match a peptide with the properties of microparticles, implants and other drug delivery formulations required for optimal drug delivery. Combining the capabilities and knowledge of Genzyme and Brookwood in parallel design of peptide and delivery systems will result in clients developing sophisticated pharmaceutical products that will benefit the patient.
“Brookwood Pharmaceuticals’ scientific team has industry-leading experience in a wide range of drug delivery systems, with particular depth in long-acting parenterals such as microparticles and solid implants,” said Dan Hayden, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Genzyme Pharmaceuticals. “Combining Brookwood’s strengths with Genzyme’s expertise in custom GMP peptide development and manufacturing provides a powerful service to peptide drug delivery customers.” In the longer term many new and important drug delivery technologies can be developed from the portfolio of novel materials and technologies owned by Genzyme and Brookwood.
“By working with an industry leader like Genzyme, we envision this collaboration to generate plenty of energy, creativity, and new drug delivery solutions and products, from which our clients will greatly benefit,” said Arthur Tipton, Ph.D., president and CEO of Brookwood Pharmaceuticals. “From our experience in peptide delivery, we have learned that focus on peptide modification and peptide properties can greatly aid in the stability and performance of a peptide drug delivery product.”
Rather than promoting a specific technology, the Genzyme-Brookwood collaboration will offer customers a solution-oriented approach through synergistic capabilities and technologies, depending on the peptide and the customer’s target drug profile. Customers will also benefit from enhanced capabilities and services such as research-scale peptide synthesis for backbone and side chain modifications, evaluation of available drug delivery technologies, large-scale peptide drug substance production, formulation feasibility studies and development of micro-encapsulation processes, drug excipients manufacturing (phospholipids and polymers), drug product formulation, and manufacturing of clinical supplies and final drug delivery product.
About Brookwood Pharmaceuticals
Brookwood Pharmaceuticals, a for-profit subsidiary of Southern Research Institute, is a drug delivery company based in Birmingham, Alabama with formulation and scale up laboratories, clean rooms and a quality system that supports the manufacture of biomaterials and drug delivery dosage forms for clinical trials and the market. The company formulates long-acting products for its clients’ active pharmaceutical ingredients. These active pharmaceutical ingredients include peptides, proteins, small molecules, nucleic acids, and other biological macromolecules. In addition to microsphere and implants, Brookwood provides drug delivery technology with solid-lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, and hydrophobic drug salts. Brookwood Pharmaceuticals holds more than 20 patents in drug delivery and is adding new process and formulation patents to its proprietary technology portfolio. For further information, see www.brookwoodpharma.com
About Genzyme Pharmaceuticals
Genzyme Pharmaceuticals works with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the development and manufacture of specialty pharmaceutical materials and drug delivery technologies. Its technologies, products and services are focused primarily in the peptide, amino acid derivative, lipid and drug delivery markets. Genzyme Pharmaceuticals offers two novel drug delivery technologies. LipoBridge(R) is an innovative technology specifically designed to facilitate transport of drug compounds across the blood brain barrier (BBB) and into the Central Nervous System (CNS). LipoMask(R) is designed to increase the circulation half life of drug substances in blood. For further information, see www.genzymepharmaceuticals.com
About Genzyme
One of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, Genzyme is dedicated to making a major positive impact on the lives of people with serious diseases. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Genzyme’s founding. Since 1981, the company has grown from a small start-up to a diversified enterprise with more than 8,000 employees in locations spanning the globe and 2005 revenues of $2.7 billion. Genzyme has been selected by FORTUNE as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in the United States.
With many established products and services helping patients in more than 80 countries, Genzyme is a leader in the effort to develop and apply the most advanced technologies in the life sciences. The company’s products and services are focused on rare inherited disorders, kidney disease, orthopedics, cancer, transplant and immune diseases, and diagnostic testing. Genzyme’s commitment to innovation continues today with a substantial development program focused on these fields, as well as heart disease and other areas of unmet medical need. For further information, see www.genzyme.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements about the anticipated results of the Brookwood-Genzyme collaboration; the potential development of new technologies and products; and the potential benefits to customers. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: Genzyme’s ability to develop drug delivery solutions and combine its materials and technologies with Brookwood’s materials and technologies; Genzyme’s ability to market and sell its technologies and products to customers; the actual results of the development work performed during the collaboration and the analysis of such data; and the risks and uncertainties described in reports filed by Genzyme with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including without limitation the information under the heading “Factors Affecting Future Operating Results” in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section of the Genzyme Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2005. Genzyme cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Genzyme undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements.
Genzyme Pharmaceuticals’ press releases and other company information are available at www.genzymepharmaceuticals.com.
Contact information:
David Wyatt, Senior Director Thomas R. Tice, Executive VP
Commercial Development & Chief Scientific Officer
Genzyme Pharmaceuticals Brookwood Pharmaceuticals
tel: (800) 868-8208 tel: (205) 917-2200
or (617) 374-7248
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
www.genzymepharmaceuticals.com
www.brookwoodpharma.com
Source: Brookwood Pharmaceuticals
CONTACT: David Wyatt, Senior Director Commercial Development of Genzyme Pharmaceuticals, +1-800-868-8208, or +1-617-374-7248, or [email protected]; or Thomas R. Tice, Executive VP & Chief Scientific Officer of Brookwood Pharmaceuticals, +1-205-917-2200, or [email protected]
Web site: http://www.brookwoodpharma.com/
http://www.genzyme.com/
http://www.genzymepharmaceuticals.com