Cambridge Consultants licenses 'Conix' technology to 3M Drug Delivery Systems

Cambridge based product design and development company licenses high performance 'reverse flow cyclone' inhaler technology to world leading healthcare company

Cambridge Consultants has today announced an agreement to license its Conix™ Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) technology platform to 3M Drug Delivery Systems.

The deal gives 3M an exclusive technology license and purchase agreement to an extremely high performance drug delivery platform. Conix is capable of being used in a range of devices, from single dose mass inoculation through to a multi-unit dose suitable for routine therapies, such as asthma and COPD. The deal gives 3M complete access to the technology enabling them to deliver the next generation of DPIs.

Whilst the Conix platform technology is simple in its design, its true strength lies in an ability to deliver drug effectively to the deep lung whilst at the same time reducing upper airway deposition. The technology is based around a novel 'reverse flow cyclone' and contains no moving parts or propellants. The unique swirling action within the patented cyclone provides a highly effective deagglomeration process, enabling a large percentage of drug to be delivered efficiently into the lung. This action also overcomes the problem that many inhalers have, where the drug is released within just a fraction of a second, before the patient has had time to reach their optimal inhalation rate. The cyclone distributes the drug throughout the inhalation manoeuvre, enabling better use of the patient’s lung power, even where this is limited. The Conix technology has demonstrated up to 40% increases in respirable dose compared to market leading products in back-to-back trials.

Cambridge Consultants has a world-class capability in the field of drug delivery and has developed almost twenty different DPI and MDI devices for companies in the United States, Europe and Middle East.

David Blakey, Head of Drug Delivery at Cambridge Consultants commented, "This licence marks a key stage in the evolution of Conix. We are well known for our market leading capabilities in device design and development, but what this deal highlights is our ability to offer a range of platform technologies and know-how that can help our clients bring solutions to market more quickly."

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Notes for editors:

Cambridge Consultants develops breakthrough products, creates and licenses intellectual property, and provides business consultancy in technology critical issues for clients worldwide. For 50 years, the company has been helping its clients turn business opportunities into commercial successes, whether they are launching first-to-market products, entering new markets or expanding existing markets through the introduction of new technologies. With a team of over 300 engineers, designers, scientists and consultants, in offices in Cambridge (UK) and Boston (USA), Cambridge Consultants offers solutions across a diverse range of industries including medical technology, industrial and consumer products, transport, energy, cleantech and wireless communications.

Throughout 2010, Cambridge Consultants celebrates its 50th year in business. Created by three Cambridge graduates in 1960, the company has grown into a leading technology business, renowned worldwide for its ability to solve technical problems and provide innovative, practical solutions to commercial issues. In 2009, the company was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. For more information visit: www.CambridgeConsultants.com

Cambridge Consultants is part of Altran, the European leader in innovation and high technology consulting. The Group’s 17,500 consultants, operating worldwide, cover the entire range of engineering specialities, including electronics, information technology, quality and organisation. Altran offers its clients ongoing support throughout the innovation cycle, from technology watch, applied basic research and management consulting to industrial systems engineering and information systems. The Group provides services to most industries, including the automotive, aeronautics, space, life sciences and telecommunications sectors. Founded in 1982, Altran operates in 20 priority countries. In 2008, it generated a turnover of €1,650 million. For more information visit: www.altran.com

About 3M Drug Delivery Systems
3M Drug Delivery Systems partners with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to develop pharmaceuticals using 3M’s inhalation or transdermal drug delivery technology. 3M offers a full range of feasibility, development and manufacturing capabilities combined with regulatory guidance to help bring products to market. In-house resources, including toxicology, regulatory expertise, quality assurance, operations, and marketed product support, are available for each step of the development and commercialization process. This depth of resources is one reason why more than 50 percent of all metered-dose inhalers worldwide and 80 percent of all transdermal systems in the United States utilize 3M drug delivery technology. For more information, please visit www.3M.com/dds or call 1-800-643-8086.

For further information:

Cambridge Consultants

George Griffiths
Press & Communications Manager
Tel: +44 1223 420024
George.Griffiths@CambridgeConsultants.com

European PR

Ben Smith
EML
Tel: +44 20 8408 8000
cambridgeconsultants@eml.com

USA PR

Travis Small
Rasky Baerlein
Tel: +1 617 443 9933 etx:356
cambridgeconsultants@eml.com