Drug discovery and delivery

In drug discovery and delivery, Kansas benefits from strong pharmaceutical capabilities stemming from the many spin-offs of the former Marion Laboratories and one of the highest-ranked schools of pharmacy in the country at the University of Kansas.

At the University of Kansas (KU), the state is transforming its outstanding drug delivery capabilities into a completely integrated, high performance, world-class drug delivery organization. This starts with KU’s internationally recognized center of excellence in drug delivery based on the legacy of Takeru Higuchi and the internationally recognized innovation of researchers such as Ronald Borchardt, Ph.D., an expert in the biological implications of drug delivery, and Valentino Stella, Ph.D., an expert in the physical and chemical implications of drug delivery.

Kansas is working to capitalize on its drug development assets to further catalyze the biomedical industry. Immediate assets include KU’s Laboratory for Macromolecular and Vaccine Stabilization; the Biotechnology Innovation & Optimization Center; the drug discovery and development platform established by the Office of Therapeutics, Discovery and Development, and the regulatory and commercialization expertise of Beckloff Associates.

Important facts:

• The School of Pharmacy at the University of Kansas is ranked third in the U.S. based on NIH funding
• The Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry is considered throughout the world as a top drug delivery and physical pharmacy program.
• The Laboratory for Macromolecular and Vaccine Stabilization is a unique and innovative laboratory in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry specializing in the stabilization of vaccines as well as protein and DNA based pharmaceuticals.
• The lab’s approach focuses on molecular events associated with changes in the physical and chemical stability of proteins, DNA, macromolecular assemblies, virus-like particles, viruses, and bacterial cells that lead to loss of activity or function. It is the first stop for many major developers of biologic drug products when seeking stabilization and formulation expertise.
• The university also has a number of other talented, established faculty dedicated to drug delivery with research focused on:
  • The development of novel oral, rectal, and transdermal delivery enhancing agents;
  • The development of sustained and controlled release oral drug products;
  • The use of receptor targeting for localized delivery;
  • Intramolecular delivery of drugs to organelles based on drug properties; and
  • Micro and nano-particulate drug delivery.
• The Biotechnology Innovation and Optimization Center develops novel and conventional drug delivery products for small molecules. This center, directed by Roger Rajewski, Ph.D., develops novel technologies, provides drug delivery support to KU projects, and provides drug development support to regional biotechnology firms. Dr. Rajewski was an inventor of Captisol, the solubilizing excipient being commercialized by CyDex, Inc. of Lenexa, Kan. He also played pivotal roles in the development of the technologies leading to the creation of CritiTech, Inc. of Lawrence, Kan., and ProQuest Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the original licensee of Aquavan.
• The Office of Therapeutics, Discovery and Development (OTDD) has established a seamless, completely integrated drug discovery and development platform unlike any other in the country through the integration of drug discovery and development research conducted by faculty researchers, university cores, centers and laboratories, industry and academic partners. This platform, termed the Heartland Drug Discovery and Development Program, supports many drug projects in the state as well as in collaborations with companies and organizations outside of Kansas.

Examples of success in Kansas

• CritiTech has used super-critical fluid technology to develop a drug intended to better fight ovarian and pancreatic cancers. The company has improved current drug formulations by increasing the effectiveness of the medicine and by reducing the side effects brought about by the harsh solvent previously used as the drug delivery system. The process is expected to increase the number of drugs coming out of the development pipeline by overcoming drug delivery issues for difficult to solubilize active molecules.
• OsteoGeneX is developing a small molecule inhibitor of the new bone anabolic target sclerostin for the treatment of osteoporosis and related bone disorders. Through genomic approaches, sclerostin was identified as a master regulator of bone mass affecting men and women. Using proteomic approaches, OsteoGeneX discovered and patented sclerostin’s mechanism of action.
• There is a strong concentration of clinical research organizations in the Kansas City area, with nearly 50 CROs managing or conducting human clinical trials of new medical treatments, drugs, and devices. In addition, over 1930 clinical studies are currently underway in the state, run by various in-state and out of state CROs and large pharmaceutical companies.
• Deciphera Pharmaceuticals is expanding to support the development and commercialization of its technology that fights cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and other disorders by preventing cell malfunction.
• Eminent scholar Dr. Blake Peterson has been attracted to the University of Kansas to develop synthetic cell receptors as a new tool for drug delivery and to study small molecule-protein interactions to generate potential therapeutic leads. His research focuses on developing anti-cancer drugs and delivery systems, combining his passions for chemistry, biology, and medicine.