Under the terms of the Transaction, Ligand has invested an undisclosed amount to further develop ZERION’s advanced Dispersome^® technology for improving small drug molecule solubility and bioavailability, and to secure regulatory approval of the first products incorporating the technology. In return for the funding, Ligand is entitled to receive a share of the future royalty income from ZERION’s Dispersome^® technology and will also hold an equity position in the company.

“We are extremely pleased having entered this partnership with Ligand, it represents a significant step forward for our company”, says Ole Wiborg, CEO of Zerion Pharma. “This is a major recognition of the potential of our Dispersome^® technology and given Ligand’s experience in the drug formulation and technology licensing space, no other company could have provided a better endorsement of our business”.

ZERION’s Dispersome^® technology offers a unique alternative for oral and pulmonary delivery of small drug molecules that suffer from poor solubility, a key limiting factor for 70-90% of novel drugs. By using the protein beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) as a carrier, the technology enables the formulation of poorly soluble small molecule drugs into stable amorphous drug delivery systems with a high drug load. This makes it possible to greatly reduce drug dosage (up to 75%), minimize the tablet burden for patients and reduce toxic waste. The effectiveness of the Dispersome^®technology has been demonstrated in multiple animal and human clinical studies.