Benzinga | Mar 22, 2021 07:20AM EDT

Cybin Signs Drug Development Agreement with Catalent for its Fast-Dissolve Formulation of Novel, Deuterated Tryptamine

Cybin Inc. (NEO:CYBN) (OTCQB:CLXPF) ("Cybin" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company focused on progressing psychedelic therapeutics, today announced that it has signed a drug development agreement with Catalent, Inc. (NYSE:CTLT) the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies, development, and manufacturing solutions for drugs, biologics, cell and gene therapies, and consumer health products.

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Cybin will be applying Catalent's proprietary Zydis(r) orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) technology for the delivery of our novel deuterated tryptamine (CYB003), a potential therapy for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders.

Zydis technology creates a freeze-dried tablet that disperses almost instantly in the mouth without water and is recognized as one of the world's best-performing ODTs. Delivering CYB003 in such a dose form could have significant benefits, as an ODT would allow pre-gastric delivery and prevent first pass metabolism, potentially improving the pharmacokinetic profile of the drug. The project is due to commence in April 2021 and will involve initial feasibility studies being conducted for the manufacturing and analytical testing of ODT doses containing varying quantities of CYB003, alongside different excipients.

Catalent's 250,000 sq. ft. site in Swindon, U.K. houses the company's Zydis development and manufacturing operation, which produces over one billion ODTs annually.

Jonathan Arnold, President of Oral and Specialty Delivery at Catalent, commented, "We look forward to working with Cybin to potentially develop a novel and fast-acting therapy for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. The Zydis platform is an ideal technology to leverage for this type of drug formulation, as pre-gastric absorption is crucial for efficacy."

Doug Drysdale, Cybin's CEO, added, "We are excited to partner with the team at Catalent with the aim of developing fast-acting, shorter-duration formulations of CYB003, recently acquired as part of our acquisition of Adelia Therapeutics. Our focus on reducing the need for health system resources, such as in-clinic therapist time, is an important part of our goal to create scalable, more accessible treatments for mental health disorders."