Virpax Pharmaceuticals signed a technology license agreement with LipoCure to develop pain management products using its liposome drug delivery technology. The first investigational product, LBL100 (3% bupivacaine in Lipogel), is being developed as a long-acting local anesthetic for post-operative pain. Virpax expects to file a Pre-Investigational New Drug Application (Pre-IND) Meeting Request with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by the end of Q2 2018.
LBL100 is a drug product based on a type of liposomal delivery system with large multi-vesicular vesicles (LMVVs) encapsulating a very high dose of the local anesthetic bupivacaine in a unique way. These drug-loaded liposomes are composed of lecithin and cholesterol; both lipids are “GRAS” (Generally Recognized As Safe). These LMVVs are embedded in hydrogel beads to form a lipogel. The system delivers a local analgesic medicine from the Lipogel that is intended to provide improved onset, duration and peak performance properties. With early studies indicating it can provide pain control for up to 96 hours, the formulation has shown the potential to reduce reliance on opioid pain management to improve quality of care and hospital economics.
“Advances in the drug delivery of anesthetics are important to not only improve pain management for a longer period of time, but to also help reduce the need for opioid interventions, particularly in a post-operative setting,” said Anthony Mack, CEO of Virpax. “We believe the advanced liposomal drug delivery technology licensed from LipoCure offers a significant step forward.”