Angelini Pharma, part of the privately owned Angelini Industries, has launched a new crowdsourcing campaign to identify innovative new Drug Delivery Systems (DDS) and Treatment Approaches to significantly improve the lives of people with epilepsy, especially elderly and paediatric patients.
The challenge – New Drug Delivery Systems and Treatments for Improved Adherence and Better Management of Epilepsy – is the second partnership between Angelini Pharma and innovation scale-up Wazoku to identify innovative Drug Delivery Systems and Treatments. The challenge will tap into Wazoku’s 700,000-strong network to identify how to improve already existing ASMs (Anti Seizures Medications), and to propose new DDS and treatment approaches that utilise novel technologies.
Identifying new options to increase adherence is vital to the management of epilepsy, which affects 50 million people worldwide. While current epilepsy treatment options include approximately 30 antiseizure medications (ASMs) available in various pharmaceutical forms, there are limitations in terms of adherence and general management related to specific unmet needs such as age, comorbid conditions, and safety concerns.
“Approximately one third of people living with epilepsy face difficulties with antiseizure medicine adherence and this is particularly challenging for elderly and paediatric populations. Non-adherence can result in several serious consequences, including breakthrough seizures,” said Rafal Kaminski, Chief Scientific Officer, Angelini Pharma. “This low adherence underscores the urgent need for more effective treatments that can better address the diverse needs of patients with epilepsy.”
Angelini Pharma researches, develops, and commercialises health solutions, focusing primarily on areas of brain health, including epilepsy. The company’s first Open Innovation Challenge with Wazoku focused on New Digital Approaches to Target Discovery in Epilepsy, and finished with 28 solutions received and four selected to be awarded.
Open Innovation has been a hugely successful way of driving innovative solutions in the pharmaceutical sector. It has been used to accelerate drug discovery and development and helps companies navigate challenges such as rising operational costs, product shortages, and the talent vacuum.
“Open innovation is being used more and more in the pharmaceutical sector and its potential to deliver solutions to challenges is vast,” said Dino Ribic, Innovation Consultant, Wazoku. “We have already completed one successful campaign with Angelini Pharma and I await eagerly to see what is delivered this time.”
The Wazoku Crowd is a 700,000-strong network of expert problem ‘solvers’, comprised of scientists, pharmacists, engineers, PhD students, CEOs, start-ups, and business leaders. It has a success rate of 80%+ in solving more than 2,500 challenges.
At least one cash prize of US$25,000 is available for New Drug Delivery Systems and Treatments for Improved Adherence and Better Management of Epilepsy, based on theoretical evaluation of the written proposals by Angelini Pharma. The challenge closes on 26 August 2024.
