Q BioMed Technology Partner Mannin Research Enters Collaboration With McMaster University

Q BioMed Inc., a biotechnology acceleration company, recently announced its technology partner, Mannin Research, has initiated a collaboration with McMaster University of Ontario, Canada. The collaboration is focused on ophthalmic drug delivery and formulation experiments for MAN-01, a first-in-class small molecule to treat Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.  Experiments will be conducted Dr. Heather Sheardown, a world renowned thought leader in ophthalmic biomaterials and drug delivery.

CEO of Mannin Research, Dr. George Nikopoulos, said, “This collaboration is extremely important for us and Q BioMed, as well as the MAN-01 program. The Sheardown lab at McMaster University specializes in ophthalmic delivery systems. As we approach our Phase I clinical trial, having the renowned expertise and experience of Dr. Sheardown and her team working with us on delivering our small molecule candidates to the eye is important to our success.”

The main objective of the collaboration is to explore novel and better ways of delivering Mannin’s small molecules to the eye to treat glaucoma. Using the formulation and drug delivery expertise of the Sheardown laboratory, the collaboration partners are focusing on increasing the compounds’ ability to lower intra-ocular pressure to more effectively treat glaucoma.

Q BioMed CEO Denis Corin commented, “Through this collaboration, we are also exploring the use of extended and sustained release formulations with the Mannin compounds for the treatment of other vascular related diseases, such as acute kidney injury, influenza, and myocardial ischemia. We expect the ophthalmic drug delivery data from this collaboration will inform our planned Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the US FDA.”

Dr. Heather Sheardown holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair for Ophthalmic Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Systems. She is an expert in drug delivery, contact lens materials, (intraocular lenses) IOLs, polymer chemistry, and bioengineering in the ophthalmic space. Dr. Sheardown is a Professor in Chemical Engineering and the School of Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University and is cross-appointed with the School of Optometry at the University of Waterloo.

Dr. Sheardown has gained an international reputation for her research on ophthalmic biomaterials, including her innovative work on the development of new materials for contact lenses and drug delivery applications. She has published more than 150 papers in top biomaterials journals, numerous book chapters on ocular materials and drug delivery and has several patents and patents pending on various ophthalmic materials. She has worked extensively with major ophthalmic materials companies including Vistakon, CIBA Vision, Coopervision and AMO, and is the Chief Scientific Officer for a spin-out company, 20/20 OptimEyes Technology.

Dr. Sheardown has an active and vibrant research group of more than 10 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Projects in her laboratory involve the development of new polymeric materials and delivery systems for all areas of the eye.  These projects are currently supported by C20/20, an Ontario Research Fund grant. This grant is enabling the commercial development of academic-derived technologies and supporting partnerships with corporate partners with co-development opportunities.

Q BioMed Inc. “Q” is a biomedical acceleration and development company. We are focused on licensing and acquiring undervalued biomedical assets in the healthcare sector. Q is dedicated to providing these target assets; strategic resources, developmental support, and expansion capital to ensure they meet their developmental potential, enabling them to provide products to patients in need‏.