Less is more

Now that it has bioavailability data in hand for its Opterone 1% testosterone cream, MacroChem Corp. believes it is positioned to get investors back on board to provide funding to move the product through Phase III trials.

Opterone combines testosterone with the company's SEPA drug absorption enhancer. Based on the bioavailability data, SEPA appears to make it possible to achieve physiologic testosterone levels using half the testosterone and half the amount of vehicle. That, in turn, would have implications for the cost of goods of a marketed product, which should make it easier for Opterone to compete with the upcoming generic testosterone gels...