Medherant was founded by Professor David Haddleton and the University of Warwick to develop and commercialise novel technologies for delivery of drugs via the skin using their world-leading expertise in bioadhesives and polymer chemistry. The Company is based on the University of Warwick Science Park in Coventry (UK). Medherant has received investment from Mercia Fund Management and others.

Delivery of drugs using patches that are applied to the skin provides better control of the dose than with gels, ointments and creams. However, the currently available technologies limit the types of drugs that can be used and the quantities that can be loaded into the patch. Medherant’s TEPI Patch® is formulated with a novel polymer adhesive which has been exclusively licensed from Bostik. The drug to be delivered is mixed with the adhesive to form a thin, flexible, single layer patch.

One of the key advantages of the TEPI Patch® technology is that a greater quantity of drug can be blended with the adhesive. This enables lower potency drugs to be formulated as a patch and provides the opportunity to increase the dose of drugs already administered via a patch or reduce patch size. The TEPI Patch® also provides a better experience for the user as it does not leave a residue around the patch – referred to as ‘cold flow’ – and has excellent adhesion whilst still being easy and painless to remove.

Medherant is developing its own TEPI Patch® products and working with third parties to assess the suitability of the technology for their drugs. The Company expects to earn revenues from licensing products that it has developed to pharmaceutical companies and through collaborative development projects leading to potential technology licences.