DD Therapeutics

Drawing on an innovative nanoparticle drug-delivery system developed at Mercer University, DD Therapeutics is creating new treatments for psychiatric and neurological disorders.

The company’s lead product is a transdermal patch that delivers drug nanoparticles via the skin, allowing the medicine to enter the blood stream and ultimately the brain. Its first application is a treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The patch technology could facilitate psychiatric and neurological treatment of various kinds. It opens new opportunities for many promising drug candidates that have previously been unsuccessful because they don’t cross the blood-brain barrier when taken orally or intravenously. By formulating the medicine as a nanoparticle that can cross the blood-brain barrier, DD Therapeutics could give numerous drugs another chance to succeed, improving the lives of millions.

The transdermal patch delivery method has other benefits, too. Patients don’t have to stick to daily dosing regimens, so it’s a lot easier to get their medication consistently. And since the medicine bypasses the gastrointestinal system, unwanted side effects are reduced.

DD Therapeutics’ research and technology is also supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health.