Capnopharm announced it has entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire all operating assets from Capnomed.

Founded in 2015, Capnomed has played an essential role in developing Pressurized IntraPeritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC). PIPAC is a new, minimally-invasive method of treating peritoneal cancer delivering novel therapies to the entire affected tissue with precision and safety. Capnomed successfully introduced the medical device Capnopen, the gold standard of laparoscopic nebulizers.

Capnomed created a new market for intraperitoneal drug delivery, and developed PIPAC’s ecosystem through academic collaborations, support for translational research and clinical studies, and unrestricted educational grants to peer-reviewed journals and scientific societies.

“One million patients develop peritoneal cancer globally every year. There is no truly effective therapy. Capnopharm’s vision is to change this and to shape the future of peritoneal cancer care”, said Ranjita Sahoo, PhD, Capnopharm’s Chief Scientific Officer.

First randomized data presented at ASCO 2022 showed superiority of PIPAC with cisplatin and doxorubicin over systemic intravenous chemotherapy in platin-resistant ovarian cancer. Compared to intravenous chemotherapy, PIPAC had better response rate and improved quality of life with minimal morbidity¹. There are at least 40 further registered clinical trials evaluating PIPACs safety and efficacy in various indications, including a collaborative PIPAC trial with the Capnopen in the USA.

“Capnopharm will increasingly focus on next-generation strategies to overcome the challenges of existing therapies of peritoneal cancer. This will include repurposing and reformulating generic drugs, exploring nanotechnology, immunotherapy, cytolytic virotherapy and mRNA as new-era therapy platforms,” adds Dr. Sahoo.

“PIPAC will ultimately benefit to the patients. The acquisition of Capnomed’s assets will generate unique synergies at the crossroads of medical need, engineering and pharmaceutical sciences. This acquisition will further diversify our business, create operational synergies, facilitate market access and enhance Capnopharm’s value” said Prof. Marc A. Reymond, MD MBA, Capnopharm’s CEO.