Identifying Opportunities for Success
Prior to founding Flexion, experienced pharmaceutical drug developers Mike Clayman and Neil Bodick, had seen far too many promising compounds get sidelined before their value could be established clinically. Flexion was created to maximize the potential of novel compounds, some with substantial but unrealized medical and commercial promise.
Flexion is currently focused on developing a portfolio of novel compounds for inflammatory diseases, particularly osteoarthritis (OA). These compounds are being developed to directly act at the site of inflammation via Flexion's proprietary, sustained-release, intra-articular (IA) injection platform.
IA injection with Flexion's novel platform combines proprietary drug compounds and sustained-released formulation to offer unique benefits that are distinct from currently available treatments for osteoarthritis:
- Each Flexion compound is directed against a validated pathway, with a novel mechanism or design to provide unique therapeutic benefit.
- Novel pharmacology with unique mechanisms of action in inflammatory and analgesic pathways, directed against unprecedented OA targets.
- Proprietary sustained release properties limit systemic exposure and enhance safety profile.
- High local concentration offers improved efficacy compared to current treatment options.
- Improved effectiveness and duration of effect with Flexion therapies offer the potential to increase market opportunities significantly.
The established practice of IA injection for osteoarthritis treatment provides a strong clinical foundation for Flexion's novel sustained-release IA compounds:
- IA is a readily accepted therapeutic approach by both physicians and patients with more than 7 million injections given in the US alone (2010).
- Sales are estimated at greater than $1.5 billion worldwide, more than $800 million in the US alone for non-steroid IA treatments.
- An IA injection is administered in a single doctor's office visit.
- IA procedures are routine and reimbursed.