Klaria strengthens its drug delivery platform with acquisition of innovative technology with potential to revolutionize delivery of large molecules
Klaria announces today that it has acquired WBC Drug Delivery Technologies, a drug delivery company based in Munich, Germany. The company’s technology, discovered at the Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), a branch of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), has the potential to dramatically facilitate the delivery of large molecules including anti-infectives, vaccines and peptides. Klaria has acquired all shares of WBC Drug Delivery Technologies with 1 301 248 newly issued shares of Klaria Pharma Holding AB.
With this acquisition, Klaria adds a second pillar to its platform with a proprietary technology that can be used both on a stand-alone basis and in combination with its Alginate Film. It is the potential to combine the technologies of the two companies that is of the highest interest to Klaria. With the combination of the two technologies, large molecules would be delivered in Klaria’s Alginate Film. For example, the administration of vaccines that today require an injection would be vastly simplified into the application of Klaria’s stamp-sized film, placed under the tongue or lip of the subject.
Jesper Wiklund, Managing Director and co-founder of WBC Technologies stated: ”Our technology has the potential to enable transmucosal delivery of large molecules. The innovation is a patent protected method to decorate liposomes with invasin proteins. The invasin protein is what bacteria use to enable their invasion into the human body. Thus, the technology takes advantage of the cumulative forces of bacterial evolution to solve one of the most difficult problems in drug delivery; the intracellular delivery of large molecules.”
Scott Boyer, CEO of Klaria continued: “We immediately saw the significant potential in combing the technology we acquire today with our Alginate Film technology into one new, innovative drug delivery solution. By formulating invasin decorated liposomes into our alginate film, we can create a new category of drug delivery product that delivers large molecules trans-mucosally, without the need for injections. This has the potential to be applied in many of the areas of such as anti-infectives, vaccines and peptides.”
Christian Stein, Managing Director of Ascenion GmbH, the technology transfer partner of the HZI, and co-founder of WBC Drug Delivery Technologies GmbH added: “At Ascenion, our goal is to translate the innovations of the research institutions, universities and university hospitals that we work with into viable projects and businesses. With this acquisition WBC Drug Delivery Technologies takes an important step towards becoming such a viable business. We look forward to the continued development of the combined company.”
Prof. Dirk Heinz, Scientific Director of HZI, said: “HZI's core mission is the translation of the results from infection research into medical applications for the benefit of patients as quickly as possible. The strategic cooperation with world-class partners from industry is therefore a crucial element of our mission. We are very pleased that the technology developed at HZI and our HIPS institute in Saarbrücken together with WBC Drug Delivery is now quickly being put into practice with a strong partner such as Klaria. This will also offer new cooperation opportunities for the HZI on innovative drug release solutions and new vaccination strategies.”
Klaria acquired all shares of WBC Drug Delivery Technologies with 1,301,248newly issued shares of Klaria Pharma Holding AB. WBC Drug Delivery Technologies has become a wholly owned daughter company of Klaria Pharma Holding AB and has one current employee and a reported cash balance of EUR 24 444 and a year-to-date net loss for 2019 of EUR 2,583. The closing date of the transaction is the 19thof September 2019.
About WBC Drug Delivery Technologies GmbH
WBC Drug Delivery Technologies is a drug delivery focused company based in Munich, Germany. The company’s technology was discovered at the world leading Department for Drug Delivery at the Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) in Saarbrucken, Germany. An international PCT-application protecting the technology was filed in 2015. Ascenion GmbH, the technology transfer office of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), is a co-founder and shareholder of WBC Drug Delivery Technologies.
About Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
Scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and its other sites in Germany, are engaged in the study of bacterial and viral infections and the body’s defence mechanisms. They have a profound expertise in natural compound research and its exploitation as a valuable source for novel anti-infectives. As member of the Helmholtz Association and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) the HZI performs translational research laying the ground for the development of effective new treatment and preventive options against infectious diseases.
Further information is available at:www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en
About Ascenion GmbH
Ascenion is an independent technology transfer company focusing on the life sciences. It is partner to currently 26 research organizations, universities and university hospitals in Germany and Europe, including life-science institutes of the Helmholtz and Leibniz Associations, the Charité, Hannover Medical School, the Medical University of Innsbruck, Kiel University and the University Medical Center Göttingen. Ascenion’s multidisciplinary, industry-experienced team works closely with its partners to tap the potential of their research by identifying promising results, obtaining patent protection, and turning pure science into applied technology. Particular strengths are spin-off support and project development, where early-stage projects are transformed into assets that attract potential investors and licensees. This has led to the founding of numerous new companies and the transfer of innovative medical approaches into approved drugs, changing the lives of thousands of patients. Profits from Ascenion’s operative business and exit proceeds flow via its parent company, the LifeScience Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Research, to fund further translational research at its partner institutes.
Ascenion has also initiated the pan European showcasing event BioVaria to stimulate deal making and early collaboration between Europe’s academia and the global life-sciences industry.
Further information is available at: www.ascenion.de
Contact information:
Stanislava Zollner, Corporate Communication, Ascenion GmbH
zollner@ascenion.de, +49 89 3188140
For more information, visit the Klaria Pharma Holding website klaria.com or contact:
Scott Boyer, CEO Klaria Pharma Holding AB (publ)
scott.boyer@klaria.com
Tel: +46 8-446 42 99 / +46 730-71 64 62
This is Klaria Pharma Holding AB
Klaria (Klaria Pharma Holding AB) is a Swedish listed pharmaceutical company that develops innovative, rapid-acting products. By combining patented technology of a film that attaches to the oral mucosa and well proven pharmaceuticals, the company has developed a drug distribution concept with many benefits and potential uses. Klaria is listed on Nasdaq First North under the short name KLAR. FNCA Sweden is Certified Advisor (info@fnca.se, +46(0) 8-528 00 399) for Klaria Pharma Holding AB. For more information, see www.klaria.com.