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Challenge Seeks Extended Release Intravenous Drug Delivery

syringe

(CDC.gov)

20 February 2015. A new challenge on InnoCentive is seeking ways to administer high-dose drugs through intravenous delivery, but releasing the therapy in the patient for a period of 8 to 10 hours. The competition has a purse of $30,000 and deadline of 21 March 2015.

InnoCentive in Waltham, Massachusetts conducts open-innovation, crowdsourcing competitions for corporate and organization sponsors. The sponsor, in this case, is not disclosed. Innocentive calls this type of competition a theoretical challenge that requires a written proposal. Free registration is required to see details of the competition.

Intravenous delivery, where drugs are administered with an injection or infusion into a vein, is considered a good technique to administer drugs quickly and in precise doses. The effects, however, can be short-lived, which makes the method desirable where the drugs’ effects are needed for only short periods of time.

The competition’s sponsor is seeking techniques for injecting high-dose drugs intravenously, but with the compound’s active ingredients delivered to their targets in the body for 8 to 10 hours. A single injection or infusion would take 15 to 30 minutes, and be feasible for clinical staff to administer in a hospital setting, with materials considered safe or easily configured for injection or infusion.

The sponsor desires from 40 to 60 percent of the drug’s payload to be delivered immediately, with the remainder of ingredients released in zero-order fashion — where the drug’s activity is independent of its concentration — to targets in the body over 8 to 10 hours. The challenge’s specifications give details of the amount of compound delivered immediately and in sustained release, as well as their solubility and temperatures.

InnoCentive calls this type of competition a theoretical challenge, requiring a written essay is required for evaluation by the sponsor. Winning entries will be asked to transfer exclusive intellectual property rights to the sponsor in order to qualify for prizes. However, the sponsor is willing to consider a licensing agreement in return for a reduced award, if full intellectual property rights cannot be transferred.

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