Formulation, device and manufacturing decisions need to work together, yet they are often made separately, with expertise spread across multiple suppliers. As a result, problems may only become clear once development is well underway: the chosen device may not suit the final formulation, late changes can lead to costly rework, or scale-up risks may not have been addressed early enough. For developers of complex nose-to-brain and systemic therapies delivered nasally, this can mean delays, added cost and regulatory uncertainty. To address these challenges, Bespak®, along with Upperton, and Resyca®, have brought together their expertise in a new collaboration to provide a more connected approach from early feasibility and formulation development through to device engineering, clinical supply and commercial manufacture for liquid spray, soft mist and dry powder. We sat down with Bespak CEO Chris Hirst, Upperton CEO Nikki Whitfield, and Resyca CEO Deborah Jones to discuss why this approach is needed and how it could help customers make better decisions earlier, reduce development risk and move promising CNS therapies towards the clinic faster.
What market need led you to form this strategic partnership, and what makes your combined offer different?
Chris Hirst: Interest in nose-to-brain and systemic delivery via the nasal route is growing because of the possibilities it could open up for patients. But these are complex products to develop, and molecule developers need the right support from early formulation work and device selection through to clinical supply and commercial manufacture.
Too often, those decisions are made in silos, with different suppliers responsible for different parts of the programme and no one looking across the whole pathway. That is when mismatches arise, rework causes delays and scale-up risks are identified too late. We formed this partnership to address that gap. By bringing formulation development, device selection and optimisation, fill-finish and product supply into one network, we can give customers a clearer, more connected route from molecule to market.
Deborah Jones: The nasal delivery landscape has changed significantly over the past decade. The focus has expanded beyond local conditions such as allergies and sinusitis towards systemic and CNS therapies. Nose-tobrain delivery could create new ways to treat serious conditions, including those where potentially effective medicines struggle to reach the target area. At the same time, these therapies place much greater demands on the delivery system. For example, reaching specific regions of the nasal cavity requires precise control of deposition, while sensitive molecules such as biologics need to remain stable during delivery. At Resyca, our Ultra Soft Nasal™ platform was developed with these challenges in mind, but the device is only one part of the product.
