Carus Animal Health has entered into a commercial arrangement with independent research, development and manufacturing company SpheriTech. The two parties have agreed a worldwide exclusive licence for Carus to use SpheriTech’s patented SpheriSome technology to make, develop and sell products for topical use in a range of veterinary applications.
SpheriTech, founded in 2009 by Don Wellings with a world-class scientific advisory board, focuses on research and development of novel and innovative materials for use in a wide range of industry sectors including healthcare, medical, biotechnology for use in humans and animals. The company has developed a number of patented technologies, including the licensed SpheriSome technology which, with closely controlled particle size, biodegradability and anti-microbial properties, has wide-ranging uses as a delivery mechanism in many industry sectors.
SpheriSomesnare novel, multi-lamellar microparticles which consist entirely of naturally occurring fatty acids and an organic base. They can be polymerised into a 3D matrix or used as microparticle suspension. The first formulations to be developed will be based on poly-Ɛ-lysine, an antimicrobial peptide discovered in Japan in the 1980s. The resulting SpheriSomes are innately antimicrobial and disrupt biofilms.
Jolian Howell, Chief Commercial Officer at Carus Animal Health, said: “There is great potential for SpheriSome technology in animal healthcare, especially as the sector reduces its reliance on antibiotics. SpheriSomes are just the sort of cutting edge, innovative technology we were established by our parent company, Kyoritsu Seiyaku Corporation, to focus on and develop.”
Don Wellings of SpheriTech Limited, said: “We’re delighted to have reached this agreement with Carus Animal Health and look forward to seeing our technology applied to develop new veterinary solutions. The agreement with Carus provides a terrific opportunity for commercialisation of the SpheriSome technology and reflects our strategic plan of licensing the technology into a wide spectrum of application areas in human and animal healthcare, antimicrobial applications and as an alternative to microplastics.”