Mithra CDMO announces collaboration with VaRi Bioscience for the development of a long-acting product in women’s health
Mithra (Euronext Brussels: MITRA), a company dedicated to Women’s Health, today announces a collaboration with VaRi Bioscience GmbH (“VaRi”), an innovative German biotech company focusing on novel drug delivery approaches in Female Health, for the development of an innovative vaginal ring in its CDMO based in Liège.
Under the terms of the collaboration, Mithra CDMO - Mithra’s R&D and manufacturing platform - will be responsible for the development of an innovative long-acting (3 months) estriol (E3)-based vaginal ring indicated for the treatment of vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) for post-menopausal women requiring systemic anti-estrogenic therapy.
VVA is a common condition of thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls that may occur when estrogen levels drop. Vaginal atrophy can occur at any time in a women’s life cycle but most often after menopause or medical estrogen deprivation (e.g. breast cancer therapy, harsh endometriosis therapy). Up to 50% of postmenopausal women experience symptoms of VVA, in particular vaginal dryness and discharge, recurrent urinary tract infections, decreased vaginal lubrication, and pain during intercourse.
This new collaboration with VaRi fits within the extensive expertise of Mithra CDMO in the development and production of complex and long-acting innovative products using medical polymer technology, in particular with Mithra’s contraceptive vaginal ring Myring® also made of ethylene-vinylacetate (EVA) copolymers and releasing a combination of hormones at a predetermined rate over a period of time to ensure controlled drug delivery.
Renaat Baes, Plant Director Mithra CDMO, commented: “We are very pleased to collaborate with VaRi Bioscience on this first-of-its-kind long-acting product for the treatment of vulvovaginal atrophy, which could improve the quality of life for many women. Our ambition is to intensify our business development in the coming months and explore proactively all strategic options to unlock the value of our CDMO, whether with partners or investors, in order to optimize the tremendous potential of this versatile technological tool covering a complete range of services in development and production."