Daré Bioscience, a biopharma company specializing in women’s health, has announced the development of DARE-LARC1, a drug delivery platform that can administer therapeutic doses over extended periods. This platform is designed to store and precisely deliver medications for months or years through a single device.
The technology behind DARE-LARC1, developed initially at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Drs. Robert Langer and Michael J. Cima, has undergone significant enhancements by Daré. The company has improved the device with integrated custom electronics, hardware, and software, focusing on drug delivery efficiency and user-friendly design.
DARE-LARC1’s potential applications extend across various therapeutic areas, including reproductive health, diabetes, and obesity, by providing consistent and prolonged treatment.
“The team has made incredible progress in the last 12 months, culminating with fully integrated and functional test devices that will be used for IND enabling studies,” said Elizabeth Proos, Vice President, Product Development of Daré Bioscience. “We believe that we have realized a true technological achievement with this platform, and we are excited to be one step closer to human clinical trials.”
“We are excited to have reached this meaningful inflection point in the DARE-LARC1 program and see the potential that this technology has to reshape the long-acting contraceptive category in women’s health, as well as its potential to transform treatment for certain chronic conditions,” said Sabrina Martucci Johnson, President and CEO of Daré Bioscience. “With potential to be the first and only contraceptive device that can be paused and resumed by the user, it will offer the convenience of short-acting methods with the security of long-acting methods. The technological development milestones we achieved over the past year in particular position us to now begin strategic discussions with pharmaceutical companies working to address chronic conditions, including metabolic disorders, leveraging the platform’s potential to precisely deliver a wide array of active pharmaceutical ingredients over longer durations with a lower burden for patients.”
Daré is exploring partnerships to apply this technology for treatments beyond reproductive health, including metabolic disorders. The platform is adaptable for delivering various pharmaceutical ingredients over long periods.
Currently, Daré is developing this technology with a focus on DARE-LARC1 as a new class of long-acting, reversible contraceptive (LARC). This device aims to offer an extended period of effective contraception without daily maintenance. It features precision dosing, a long battery life, and wireless control, including smartphone app integration for user management.
