The Dispersome® technology uses high quality whey protein, an environmentally friendly by-product from cheese production, to improve the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
Learn more
Our Dispersome® platform is based around a class of novel excipients to formulate poorly soluble small molecule drugs into stable amorphous formulations with a high drug load.
By increasing solubility and dissolution rate the Dispersome® platform aims at improving bioavailability, therapeutic outcomes and convenience for patients.
Dispersome® formulations are compatible with standard solid oral dosage form manufacturing processes and facilities.
Poor drug solubility is one of the biggest challenges preventing the development of novel drugs. Up to 90 % of all new drug molecules are poorly soluble, which can be a problem as the drug must dissolve in order to be absorbed and reach its pharmacological target. Many otherwise promising drug candidates are discontinued during early-stage development due to poor bioavailability resulting from poor solubility.
Our Dispersome® platform is based on a novel class of excipients that allows formulating poorly soluble small molecule drugs as stable amorphous dispersions with a high drug load. The amorphous form of a drug can increase its inherent solubility and by increasing solubility and dissolution rate the Dispersome® technology can improve bioavailability of drugs and reduce the dose required. To form a Dispersome® formulation the crystalline drug compound is simply mixed with the WPI and processed into an amorphous mixture.
A unique enabling excipient
The Dispersome® technology stabilizes the amorphous form by forming a unique drug dispersion in a protein-based matrix, resulting in exceptional drug loading and dissolution enhancement. Whey proteins have demonstrated an excellent ability to form amorphous mixtures and are both inexpensive to manufacture and safe to use. Compared with conventional polymeric excipients such as PVP, PVPVA and HPMCAS, WPI allows higher drug loading (>50%) and dissolution rate while maintaining stability.
The Dispersome® technology not only makes it possible to develop drugs that would otherwise never reach the market. In many cases, the technology outperforms other technological solutions on key parameters with major improvements in both drug loading, solubility, and bioavailability. Moreover, by replacing the use of fossil polymers and reducing the amount of drug needed per tablet, it saves resources in the manufacture and reduces toxic drug waste into the aquatic environment.
Dispersome® is a solubility enhancement technology that relies on an innovative and naturally occurring excipient to develop amorphous solid dispersions with high drug loading and high bioavailability.
Proteins comprise a new group of excipients for preparing amorphous solid dispersions. Beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), the main component in Dispersomes, results in superior drug solubility compared to other proteins. Zerion Pharma has a strong IP portfolio covering protein-based excipients for solid dispersions with patent life beyond 2040.
The use of Dispersome® technology enables drug loadings above 50% w/w while maintaining stability and improving API solubility. At a drug loading of 50%, stable amorphous formulations are obtained for more than 80% of all drugs tested.
We work with world leading suppliers to source and qualify our BLG material, ensuring high quality and large scale. BLG is a natural ingredient used in food and nutrition products and is easy to integrate in your existing processes.
By increasing drug solubility, the Dispersome® platform aims at improving oral bioavailability and therapeutic outcomes for patients. Dispersome® formulations are compatible with standard pharmaceutical processes and Spray Drying provides a scalable manufacturing solution for Dispersomes.
Dispersome® formulation achieves a superior dissolution rate and better solubility compared to other solid dispersions when addressing a poorly soluble drug, ZN-X.
Dispersome® formulations result in a substantial solubility increase for most poorly soluble drugs, compared to the crystalline form of the drug.
Dispersome® formulation achieves a superior dissolution rate and better solubility compared to other solid dispersions when addressing a poorly soluble drug, ZN-X.
