Aradigm's liquid asset
Genentech Inc. likely could have had its choice of partners to augment the delivery of its Pulmozyme dornase alfa Inhalation Solution to treat cystic fibrosis. The company chose Aradigm Corp. for two primary reasons: the potential to cut down on the time patients spend receiving treatment and the feasibility of delivering Pulmozyme with ARDM's AERx liquid delivery system as opposed to a dry powder inhaler.
Because Pulmozyme already has been formulated as a liquid solution, "there's minimal alteration required to deliver our product with Aradigm's liquid inhaler," said GNE Senior Clinical Scientist Charles Johnson. "The competing products are dry powder inhalers. It would take a lot of time and money to reformulate Pulmozyme for such a device. Aradigm has the inhaler that is best suited to our product - it's a matter of feasibility."...