About Airway Therapeutics
Airway Therapeutics, LLC, was formed in 2011 to commercially develop promising potential therapeutics arising from within the pulmonary research program of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). Seed funding for the start-up came from Cincinnati Children’s Hosptial Medical Center (CCHMC) and CincyTech. The target product for development is a recombinant human surfactant protein D (rhSP-D). The target indications include the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and the treatment of pulmonary invections associated with cystic fibrosis (CF). Airway Therapeutics can be characterized as a start-up pharmaceutical company specializing in the development of new and innovative surfactant-related products for lung disorders. The total US market potential alone for the products listed is approximately $250-500 million.
Our novel and proprietary rhSP-D technology is being developed for the prevention of BPD in premature newborns who require treatment with one of the currently marketed (animal derived) surfactants. The final product for BPD will be a combination of that currently marketed surfactant and rhSP-D. The manufacturer of one of the currently marketed surfactants is expected to partner with Airway Therapeutics in late 2011 as a development/marketing partner.
Our rhSP-D technology will also be developed for the treatment of lung infections in cystic fibrosis. A different synthetic surfactant carrier is required as that patient population will need an inhaled therapy. rhSP-D will be added to that synthetic surfactant for the treatment of the pulmonary symptoms of cystic fibrosis.
As more-sophisticated synthetic surfactant technology now in development elsewhere becomes available (estimated in 2015), the current plan is to develop rhSP-D in combination with a synthetic surfactant for BPD, replacing the need for the currently available animal-derived surfactants. That manufacturer will be approached to partner with Airway Therapeutics as a development/marketing partner for that BPD combination product.