Thanks TD,
I didn't realize that it had been two years since I posted. I guess I have been working too hard!
I've continued to follow some of the subjects on SI, and the quality in general of SI has been declining over the last couple of years, but it seems to be making a welcomed comeback.
What FLML is trying to do has great potential. As already mentioned, many of the drug companies are seeing their blockbusters near the end of their patent lives. They will do whatever they can, in good business reason, to extend their patents. Changing the way the drug is delivered to the body is one of the major ways they are doing it. There are many big names drugs that have had an extended release formulation introduced relatively recently. Something else that is becoming popular and cheap, I think, is the introduction of oral dissolving formulations. Both of these changes are 'patent busters'.
It sounds like the FLML technology will convert the drugs it is used on to extended release formulations. If they can offer this in a cost effective manner, the potential is great. They already have several major drug companies interested.
I think their Medusa technology is applied to native protein drugs. The market here is large because many of the big protein drugs are near the end of their patent lives.
One interesting advantage for FLML, is that they are biotech company with a relatively inexpensive and short development time. The average time it takes a drug development company to complete the process, including FDA approval, is 12 years. It is estimated that the average time it will take FLML to obtain FDA approval for its new formulation is 2-3 years.
There is also less potential risk in that almost all the drugs FLML will apply their technology to already has FDA approval.
One thing to keep in mind is that the market for drug reformulations is very competitive. |
