LAVAL, Québec--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Altasciences is pleased to have been chosen by Virpax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRPX) (“Virpax”), a company specializing in developing non-addictive products for pain management, PTSD, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and viral barrier indications, to conduct preclinical studies in support of their development of quaternary ammonium palmitoyl glycol chitosan (GCPQ, under the trade name of AnQlar™). AnQlar is a nanoparticle intended to help prevent the spread of negatively charged viruses such as COVID-19 and influenza via intranasal spray, and has shown to inhibit the ability of the virus to replicate at non-toxic concentrations.
In development since 2022, the project has so far seen the completion of safety assessment utilizing intranasal administration at Altasciences’ preclinical site in Columbia, MO. A cardiovascular study was also completed at Altasciences’ preclinical facility in Scranton, PA.
Bioanalytical sample analysis for the GLP studies is currently ongoing. “We are very pleased to be working with Virpax again and are satisfied with the trajectory our studies have taken. The final step for this program will be a bioanalytical sample analysis. Once samples are validated, this will conclude the IND package,” said Kyle Klepner, Senior Scientist, Study Director, Safety Assessment, Altasciences.
Steve Mason, Co-Chief Operating Officer, Altasciences, added: “The creation of AnQlar as a treatment, if successful, could be a huge leap forward in preventing the spread of influenza and similar viruses. We look forward to further collaboration with Virpax in the near-future.”
Dr. Sheila Mathias PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Virpax, also said of the project: “Our work with Altasciences over the last year has been both exceedingly productive and rewarding demonstrating tangible results, and the nonclinical support provided has been vital in ensuring the progress of this project.”
About Altasciences
Altasciences is an integrated drug development solution company offering pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies a proven, flexible approach to preclinical and clinical pharmacology studies, including formulation, manufacturing, and analytical services. For over 25 years, Altasciences has been partnering with sponsors to help support educated, faster, and more complete early drug development decisions. Altasciences’ integrated, full-service solutions include preclinical safety testing, clinical pharmacology and proof of concept, bioanalysis, program management, medical writing, biostatistics, clinical monitoring, and data management, all customizable to specific sponsor requirements. Altasciences helps sponsors get better drugs to the people who need them, faster. To learn more about Altasciences, visit altasciences.com.
About Virpax
Virpax is developing branded, non-addictive pain management products candidates using its proprietary technologies to optimize and target drug delivery. Virpax is initially seeking FDA approval for two prescription drug candidates that employ two different patented drug delivery platforms. Probudur™, a single injection liposomal bupivacaine formulation being developed to manage post-operative pain, and Envelta™, an intranasal molecular envelope enkephalin formulation being developed to manage acute and chronic pain, including pain associated with cancer.
Virpax is also using its intranasal molecular envelope technology (MET) to develop two other product candidates. PES200, is a product candidate being developed to manage PTSD, and NobrXiol™, a product candidate being developed for the nasal delivery of a pharmaceutical-grade cannabidiol (CBD), for the management of rare pediatric epilepsy.
Having recently acquired global rights to NobrXiol, Virpax has competitive cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs) for all three of its prescription drug candidates, two with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and one with the Department of Defense (DOD). Virpax is currently seeking approval of two nonprescription product candidates: AnQlar, which is being developed to inhibit viral replication caused by influenza or SARS-CoV-2, and Epoladerm™, a topical diclofenac spray film formulation being developed to manage pain associated with osteoarthritis.
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