TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM:
This is not Alice in Wonderland (or was it Thru the Looking GLass?) so it's not remotely a matter of what I consider the definition to be. Which is why I suggested that anyone who doesn't understand the concept (which is profoundly fundamental to what NNVC is doing) look it up. It is never safe to just make assumptions when a technical term is being used that you don't understand. There are many excellent reference sources readily available online and it usually only takes a minute or two.
To save you the trouble:
(from wikipedia, an excellent reference for basic DD of many types - and has hypelinks to definitions and thorough explanations of all terms (and found to be MORE accurate than Encyclopedia Britannia - probably because anyone can contest an item and get it changed if they can provide recognized evidence)
"Platform technology is a term for technology that enables the creation of products and processes that support present or future development. It establishes the long-term capabilities of research & development institutes. It can be defined as a structural or technological form from which various products can emerge without the expense of a new process/technology introduction.
In computing platforms, for example, computer hardware serves as platform for an operating system which in turn is a platform for Enterprise Infrastructure Software which in turn is a platform for application software. Transport infrastructure similarly serves as platform for vehicles.
[[the below example is limited to variations of excipients. NNVC is using a much broader platform that creates entire new drugs by changing the surface receptors on the nanoviricides IN A MODULAR WAY. ]]
A pharmaceutical platform technology can ease future research work. Suppose if a researcher formulates a new dosage form using a certain drug along with the optimized amount of excipients, then the same excipients can be used by other researchers, just changing the active ingredient and acquiring a new drug delivery dosage form. This would ensure less time and money being spent on finalizing the concentration, amount, type, etc. of excipients used. Thus, more stress can be given on studies related to the active drug. For example, if an eye drop solution uses certain polymers as excipients, then a platform technology can be established whereby other researchers can use the optimized polymers, and just change the active drug, leading to formulation of a whole new drug-dosage, with less money and time spent on the selection of the excipients.
Thus, Platform technology creates a platform for the researchers to formulate new drug-dosages, without working much on the already optimized excipients.
Automobile platforms allow a motor company such as VW to release several vehicles built upon a common chassis (platform) with different engines, interiors and form factors, for the same or different brands within the company (VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat etc.).
A platform technology increases the ease of manufacture. Fewer parts/sub-assemblies need be designed, made, and kept in inventory, and assembly workers don't need so much training.
External links"
Clearly "antibiotics" are not a "platform" Nanoviricides to make antibiotics for viruses is a "platform". The platform may have broader applications for additional types of antibotics, but just applications for multiple viruses makes it a "platform".
An excellent example of a drug platform is SGMO's IVPR platform. If you go to
investorvillageDOTcom/groupsDOTasp?mb=17817&mn=22&pt=msg&mid=13003752
and read about it, it will give an excellent idea of the potential power and savings from a good drug platform (very similar to what the assembly line did for automobile manufacture when cars were made one at a time (and parts were not interchangeable and had to be adjusted to fit each machine). The IVPR for MGDs can design and manufacture a new drug for a different MGD within weeks and, after the first has been approved safety considerations for new applications will be very minimal and clinical trials will be for each phase WEEKS instead of the usual years due to use of protein levels (which can be tested in days0 as surrogate end points and all other FDA expediting measures and early approval due to very high efficacy in virtually all patients almost assured (because the therapeuctic protein which is EXACTLY the missing protein that is the sole and root cause of the conditions, will be endogenously produced by the platform. THIS SHOULD APPLY TO NNVC'S PLATFORM AND DRUGS AS WELL.
Making a new drug with a good drug platform is like making a different model car by just swapping the engine for one with different characteristics. Obviously not remotely as costly as designing a whole new model from scratch.
