Merrion Pharmaceuticals has entered an oral drug delivery feasibility and option agreement with Rebel Pharmaceuticals, LLC to evaluate the ability of its GIPET technology to boost the bioavailablity of three undisclosed compounds. Following the feasibility studies, the Rebel will have the option to enter into a licensing agreement for Merrion’s GIPET technology. Financial terms were not disclosed.

John Lynch, chief executive officer, Merrion Pharmaceuticals said, “We are very pleased to be entering into this agreement with one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies to assess the ability of our unique GIPET technology to substantially improve the product profile of three of their compounds. This agreement is further validation of the broad applicability of our GIPET technology and the high level of interest in using the power of GIPET in the pharmaceutical industry.”

David Blume, chief executive officer, Rebel Pharmaceuticals, commented, “we are excited to partner with Merrion Pharmaceuticals to use their GIPET technology to achieve our goals for these development programs of enhancing existing drugs to benefit patients.”

Merrion’s GIPET technology platform covers a wide range of compounds with varying physiochemical properties and molecular weights. According to the company, GIPET has shown the ability to improve absorption by as much as 200 times, achieving greater intersubject reproducibility with a positive safety database.