On January 29, 2015, we completed the acquisition of Aquarius Biotechnologies Inc., (referred to as the “Aquarius Merger” throughout this document and which is discussed in more detail under the section titled “Recent Developments” in Item 1 Business), a New Jersey-based, early-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of differentiated and orally delivered therapeutics based on a proprietary, lipid-based, drug delivery platform called “cochleate delivery technology.” Following the Aquarius Merger, we are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of targeted therapeutics using our innovative lipid-based drug delivery platform with an initial focus on the treatment of serious fungal and bacterial infections and the development of lipid-based prescription therapeutics for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions. See subsequent event Note J for additional information on this transaction.
[2] Proprietary Products and Technology Portfolios
Our proprietary cochleate delivery technology platform, licensed from Rutgers University on an exclusive worldwide basis, is designed specifically for the targeted and safe delivery of pharmaceuticals directly to the site of infection or inflammation.
Our lead product candidate for the treatment of infectious diseases is MAT 2203, an oral formulation of a broad spectrum anti-fungal drug called amphotericin B using our acquired cochleate delivery technology, for which a single-dose Phase 1a study has been completed. We expect to commence and complete a Phase 2a study of MAT2203 in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, or NIAID, of the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, in 2015, with results expected in the fourth quarter of 2015. We are developing a pipeline of oral products by applying our cochleate delivery technology to a potentially broad array of established pharmaceuticals, including MAT 2501, an application of our cochleate delivery technology to a broad spectrum intravenous(IV)-delivered aminoglycoside antibiotic called amikacin, which is most often used for treating severe, hospital-acquired infections, including Gram-negative bacterial infections. We also continue to focus on identifying and developing novel pharmaceutical lipid-based products, including MAT9001 with an initial indication for the treatment of highly elevated triglycerides, or severe hypertriglyceridemia. Finally, our MAT8800 discovery program is seeking to identify and develop product candidates derived from omega-3 fatty acids for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease for which there are currently no therapeutic solutions available.
