Transdermal drug patches offer the advantages of ease of use,
painlessness, disposability, control of drug delivery and avoidance
of first-pass metabolism by the liver. However, current transdermal
patch designs are not capable of transporting large molecular drugs
through the skin barrier, especially peptides and proteins, which
include many drugs that are marketed, or will emerge, from the
biotechnology industry. As a result, a variety of approaches are
being investigated by companies for enhancing transdermal drug
delivery. They include the use of iontophoresis, ultrasound
(sonophoresis), electroporation, heat and microneedles. One product
in the offing is for the delivery of nitroglycerine for angina
pectoris.
Two Rounds of Financing
Dr. Hefetz obtained her Ph.D in biochemistry from the Weizmann
Institute in 1991 and continued to a postdoctoral fellowship in
molecular biology. Prior to founding TransPharma, Dr. Hefetz headed
Savyon Diagnostics.
TransPharma Medical Ltd. (Yehud, Israel) is headed by its founder
Dr. Daphna Hefetz. It employs microscopic passageways for the
controlled transdermal delivery of macromolecules. Radiofrequency
energy is used to ablate the outer layer of skin, thereby creating
microchannels of precise dimensions, called RFMicroChannels, that
enable the controlled passage, of small and large molecules through
the skin, via an applied adhesive patch. The initial product to be
developed, ViaDerm, is a two-stage system consisting of a reusable
handheld device, that incorporates a disposable microelectrode array
that transmits RE energy, and a patch containing the drug that is
applied after creating the microchannels. Its safety has been
demonstrated in a human trial for single and repeat applications.
Though founded less than three years ago, TransPharma, early in its
history, obtained patent protection. The company has completed safety
trials, as well as first stage live animal trials. Reportedly, the
company is in the stages of receiving United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approval to market its products in the U.S.
In July 2001 TransPharma raised $6.5 million from Biomedical
Investments, Pitango Venture Capital and Discount Capital Markets and
Investments. A second round followed in April 2003 when it secured $8
million in venture funding in a round led by Evergreen.