Polyrizon's Naloxone Hydrogel Shows Superior Nasal Adhesion in Preclinical Study, Potentially Improving Overdose Reversal
Key Insights
Polyrizon (search)'s proprietary naloxone hydrogel demonstrated significantly higher mucoadhesion compared to a marketed intranasal naloxone product in ex-vivo rabbit nasal mucosa (search) studies (p < 0.0001).
The enhanced nasal tissue retention could potentially translate into more reliable opioid overdose (search) reversal by supporting better drug absorption and faster onset of action.
The company also achieved a key manufacturing milestone for its PL-14 allergy protection spray, successfully scaling up production to support clinical trials expected to begin in 2026.
Polyrizon (search) Ltd. has reported compelling preclinical data showing its proprietary naloxone hydrogel formulation exhibits superior mucoadhesion properties compared to an approved intranasal naloxone spray product, potentially offering more reliable opioid overdose (search) reversal in emergency situations.
Using an established ex-vivo rabbit nasal mucosa (search) model, researchers evaluated the persistence of Polyrizon (search)'s hydrogel formulation versus a commercial product by applying each formulation to mucosal tissue and washing with Simulated Nasal Electrolyte Solution over a 30-minute period. Quantification of residual fluorescence revealed that Polyrizon's hydrogel maintained higher values of the fluorescence marker when compared to the commercial product, with differences reaching high statistical significance (p < 0.0001, two-way ANOVA).
Enhanced Drug Delivery Through Superior Adhesion
The results demonstrated that Polyrizon (search)'s Trap and Target (T&T) hydrogel exhibited significantly higher mucoadhesion levels compared to the commercial product, supporting potentially prolonged contact at the nasal deposition site and potentially enhancing bioavailability. Improved mucoadhesion represents a critical factor for intranasal drug delivery, particularly for emergency treatments such as opioid overdose (search) reversal, because enhanced residence time at the nasal deposition site can support more reliable absorption and potentially faster onset of action.
"We believe that these outcomes further validate the potential of our T&T hydrogel platform and highlight its unique advantages in intranasal drug delivery," said Tomer Izraeli, CEO of Polyrizon (search). "The ability to significantly outperform an existing marketed product in mucoadhesion is an important milestone as we continue advancing our Naloxone program."
This new dataset builds directly on previously reported encouraging stability results, which demonstrated the robustness of Polyrizon (search)'s formulation under various storage conditions. Collectively, stability plus mucoadhesion performance reinforce the potential of Polyrizon's T&T technology to deliver a safer, more reliable, and more effective intranasal naloxone product.
Manufacturing Milestone Achieved for Allergy Platform
In parallel developments, Polyrizon (search) announced the successful completion of a major manufacturing upscaling milestone for its proprietary nasal-spray product platform. The company and its manufacturing partner successfully transitioned from small-batch laboratory production to a larger-scale, controlled manufacturing run designed to validate key parameters of PL-14 formulation.
The milestone demonstrates that the PL-14 formulation can be reliably produced at increased batch volumes while maintaining high-quality specifications. The manufacturing process is set to support the clinical trial material needed for Polyrizon (search)'s clinical trial, which is expected to commence in 2026, offering high-quality and compliant production in line with USA and European regulatory standards.
PL-14 is Polyrizon (search)'s innovative intranasal protective spray designed to create a fast-acting, moisturizing barrier inside the nasal cavity, helping to trap, isolate, and neutralize airborne allergens before they reach the mucosa. Based on a proprietary bio-adhesive formulation developed by Polyrizon's R&D team, PL-14 is engineered to provide extended protection, and offers a non-pharmacological solution for allergy sufferers in environments with high allergen exposure.
Proprietary Platform Technologies
Polyrizon (search) specializes in developing innovative medical device hydrogels delivered as nasal sprays, which form a thin hydrogel-based shield containment barrier in the nasal cavity that can provide a barrier against viruses and allergens from contacting the nasal epithelial tissue. The company's proprietary Capture and Contain (C&C) hydrogel technology, comprised of a mixture of naturally occurring building blocks, is delivered as nasal sprays and potentially functions as a "biological mask" with a thin shield containment barrier in the nasal cavity.
The company is further developing certain aspects of its C&C hydrogel technology such as the bioadhesion and prolonged retention at the nasal deposition site for intranasal delivery of drugs. Polyrizon (search)'s additional technology, which is in an earlier stage of pre-clinical development and focused on nasal delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients, is referred to as Trap and Target (T&T).