Emerging biotech company Reliis Limited and pharmaceutical manufacturer NovaCina showcase collaboration in the growing WA innovation sector
In the heart of Western Australia’s flourishing life sciences sector, innovation is thriving beyond the Resource State’s traditional strength. The entrepreneurial spirit so displayed in the State’s mining sector is spreading into new fields. This is evident in the growing number of BioTech and MedTech start-up companies which ply their trades at any number of local investment pitch nights. As we know, where seeds are sown, so often do roses grow.
This is no more evident in the growth of both Reliis and NovaCina, where a strategic partnership between Reliis, the emerging life sciences company and a winner of WA’s 2023 Innovator of the Year, and NovaCina, a leading contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), gives hope of a beautiful partnership. Together, they are spearheading groundbreaking advancement in therapeutics, particularly in the realm of drug reformulation and clinical development.
Reliis: Pioneering Drug Reformulation
Reliis specialises in revitalising off-patent drugs through innovative reformulation, enhancing their clinical utility and delivery methods. Their approach not only extends the lifecycle of these drugs but also opens new avenues for therapeutic applications. Reliis’s first product in its pipeline, transforms an oral medication into an injectable, enabling unmet clinical needs in Delirium treatment to be met and generates new intellectual property and patents.
Earlier this year, Reliis formalised its partnership with NovaCina, marking a significant milestone in their journey. This collaboration is set to leverage NovaCina’s state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities, particularly in sterile injectables, located conveniently within WA’s Technology Park in Bentley. NovaCina’s robust infrastructure and expertise in commercial manufacturing align perfectly with Reliis’s needs, facilitating a seamless transition from R&D to small-scale production for clinical trials and ultimately to commercialisation.
NovaCina: A Leader in Advanced Manufacturing
NovaCina, a world class contract services Company, stands at the forefront of Australia’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. With a commitment to innovation and quality, proven by approvals from both the TGA and FDA along with numerous other global regulatory bodies, NovaCina’s facilities boast cutting-edge technology including the Cytiva SA25 robotic isolator, ensuring sterile filling processes of the highest standard.
For almost 20 years, the NovaCina facility in Bentley produced high-quality sterile injectables under the ownership of Pfizer. Operating as a local outpost of the global giant, the facility was licensed to produce only pharmaceuticals and formulations for Pfizer. However, the small group of [new] owners behind NovaCina aspired to play a more significant role in the Western Australian and Australian pharmaceutical landscape. They envisioned a new outcome, one in which NovaCina broke free from its shackles to become an independent facility. The capability of the NovaCina facility is crucial for the production of Reliis’s injectable delirium treatment, underscoring NovaCina’s pivotal role in advancing healthcare solutions.
Progress Update: Reliis’s RLS-2201 Formulation for Delirium Treatment
The recent completion of formulation assessment work undertaken by Novacina on Reliis’ product; RLS-2201, has yielded promising results for Reliis. Rigorous testing of globally sourced active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) has confirmed the purity and suitability of the lead pharmaceutical candidate, for large-scale, commercial manufacturing. The optimised RLS-2201 formulation, a novel treatment for Delirium, exhibits ideal pH and osmolality levels necessary for human clinical trials, shows favourable stability characteristics and is suitable for commercial scalability. This is a significant advancement poised to propel Reliis towards market readiness.
Reliis’ Managing Director, Dino Cercarelli, said:
“Partnering with NovaCina signifies a critical step in our mission to develop novel treatments for critical conditions like delirium. Their expertise and infrastructure provide us with a robust platform to accelerate our drug development process.”
NovaCina’s President, Brett Alderson, said:
"By supporting emerging biotech firms like Reliis, NovaCina aims to enhance Australia’s standing as a leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing and innovation"
Driving Economic Growth and Innovation
The partnership between Reliis and NovaCina exemplifies the dynamic growth and collaborative spirit within Western Australia’s life sciences ecosystem. Beyond resource-based industries, these companies showcase how strategic alliances can drive innovation, create high-value employment opportunities, and strengthen the region’s healthcare infrastructure. As they continue to achieve milestones and advance towards commercialisation, their success story underscores Western Australia’s emergence as a global hub for cutting-edge biomedical research and development.
For more information on Reliis and NovaCina’s transformative initiatives, partnership opportunities, or investment inquiries, visit their respective websites:
Reliis: https://reliis.com.au/
NovaCina: https://www.novacina.co/
