Vivolta has announced the signing of a long-term partnership with Neurochase to manufacture electrospun microcatheters for delivering advanced central nervous system (CNS) therapies to the brain.
UK-based company Neurochase is developing a scalable system to directly deliver therapies—via convection enhanced delivery (CED)—to specific targets in the brain and CNS. A recent Vivolta press release notes that this technique allows drugs to get through the blood brain barrier to deep brain structures via microcatheters. At the tip of the catheter, a pressure gradient is generated and pushes the drug through the interstitial space, allowing for homogenous distribution and maximising the therapeutic effect.
Vivolta first partnered with Neurochase in 2022 to jointly develop the electrospun component of Neurochase’s microcatheter delivery system. The company says it has worked as part of the Neurochase research and development (R&D) team to bring a wealth of material science and application development expertise, helping to achieve the “breakthrough performance” of the microcatheter and differentiate Neurochase’s product from other devices.
Vivolta will be Neurochase’s exclusive component manufacturer based on its “unparalleled ability” to manufacture electrospun medical products at scale using the fully automated MediSpin production system, the release adds.
According to Vivolta, CED drug delivery is currently being used in clinical trials to treat a range of neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s diseases, brain tumours and frontotemporal dementia, and Neurochase plans on entering clinical trials with its microcatheter delivery system—in collaboration with its clients—in 2025.
“This partnership builds on our already successful product development work with Neurochase, establishing a long-term manufacturing relationship,” said Vivolta chief executive officer (CEO) Denis Leissing. “It is a great example of our full suite of electrospinning solutions from product development to commercial manufacturing. We’re proud that our team’s expertise along with our unique and scalable MediSpin manufacturing system will help bring this high-performance microcatheter to patients who will benefit.”
“The Vivolta relationship has been hugely important in finding a solution to one of the most technically challenging components of the Neurochase delivery system,” added Sharon Kane, CEO of Neurochase. “We are excited to be taking our transformative product forward together into large-scale manufacturing with such a knowledgeable, skilled and motivated team.”
