Unlock the full therapeutic potential of drugs to address major unmet needs
Equilong develops patent-protected therapies for chronic diseases. Our technology releases drugs at a constant rate for 6–12 months, improving the therapeutic potential of existing drugs and rescuing late-stage clinical assets that failed due to poor pharmacokinetics.
- Three clinical studies, including a Phase 2 study
- Positive efficacy, PK and safety data
- Positive feedback from patients, physicians and payers
- Eliminate wearable and implantable pumps
- Rescue promising clinical molecules
- Ensure medication adherence
Constant release. No decline. Up to 12 months.
Pills and injections deliver drugs in waves. Blood levels spike after each dose, then fall until the next one. Peaks may cause side effects, and the troughs may be subtherapeutic.
Equilong’s implant technology achieves constant drug release for up to one year, without the decline seen in other long-acting systems.
Small
A matchstick-sized device, 35–50 mm long and 4–7 mm wide.
Simple
Placed under the skin in 10 minutes using local anesthetic.
Long-lasting
Delivers therapy for 6–12 months after a single administration.
Reversible
Therapy can be stopped at any time by removing the implant.
One platform, many molecules.From lab to clinic in ~1 year.
Platform synergies include:
- Formulation screening assays developed and streamlined
- Implant device and placement tool designed
- Biocompatibility of all device components completed
- Simple and translational pre-clinical screening model
- Key CMC processes developed
- Human factors studies completed
Four disease areas where today’s treatments fall short.
We focus on diseases where an effective drug exists but its delivery holds patients back due to lack of efficacy, AEs, or the use of a wearable pump.
DLP-208 · TizanidineSpasticity
Continuous systemic relief without multiple pills a day or a surgically implanted intrathecal pump.
The need
Spasticity affects people with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy. Oral drugs such as tizanidine relieve symptoms for only about three hours and cause sedation and low blood pressure at peak levels. The alternative for severe cases, an intrathecal baclofen pump, requires invasive surgery. There is no effective and safe treatment for systemic spasticity today.
Our approach
A 6–12 month tizanidine implant provides symptom control 24 hours a day without breakthrough spasms or peak-level sedation.
EQL-104 · TebaniclineNeuropathic pain
Rescuing a non-opioid analgesic that was potent and effective but couldn’t be tolerated.
The need
7–10% of adults have neuropathic pain, including 13–26% of people with diabetes. Fewer than half of patients get meaningful relief from first-line drugs, side effects drive discontinuation, and many fall back on opioids.
Our approach
Tebanicline (ABT-594), a novel non-opioid analgesic, showed efficacy in Phase 2 but was stopped due to nausea, dizziness and CNS side effects that rose with dose. AEs were dose-dependent while efficacy was not, suggesting that low steady exposure may keep the benefit while avoiding the peaks that cause side effects.
Rowbotham MC, Duan WR, Thomas J, Nothaft W, Backonja MM. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of ABT-594 in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. Pain. 2009;146(3):245–252. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2009.06.013.
EQL-150 · TreprostinilPulmonary arterial hypertension
Infusion-level efficacy without a wearable pump.
The need
PAH is a progressive narrowing of the lung arteries, with historical median survival of about 5–7 years from diagnosis. The most effective prostacyclin therapies are also the most burdensome: pumps worn 24/7, cassette changes every 2–3 days, site pain, and sepsis risk from central lines.
Our approach
A fully internal treprostinil implant provides continuous exposure with one procedure every 6–12 months: no pump, tubing, catheter or site care.
EQL-100 · LisurideParkinson’s disease
Continuous dopaminergic stimulation without a wearable pump.
The need
As Parkinson’s advances, oral drugs and patches can no longer keep dopamine stimulation stable, and patients spend more time “OFF.” Continuous therapies (Duopa®, Vyalev®, Onapgo®) work, but require PEG-J surgery or daily management of a wearable pump.
Our approach
A lisuride implant aims to deliver infusion-level results without a pump.
Select a disease area to read more.
Many drugs don’t fail on biology. They fail on delivery.
A molecule can work and still fall short. Side effects at peak levels limit the dose selected during titration, short half-lives demand dosing 3–4 times per day, and plasma troughs cause breakthrough symptoms. Steady delivery can improve the therapeutic potential of certain drugs: steady exposure to provide efficacy 24 hours a day, without any peak-related toxicity.
Improve marketed drugs
Better efficacy, fewer side effects or a lighter treatment burden for drugs whose peaks and troughs limit their use. In some diseases the implant can replace an infusion pump.
Rescue failed clinical assets
Molecules that showed promising results in Phase 2 or 3 but failed on tolerability or efficacy due to their PK profile.
Solve adherence
Once- or twice-yearly dosing for conditions where missed doses drive relapse, such as schizophrenia and opioid use disorder. These programs validated the platform.
How we choose molecules. We use AI-assisted screening to find drugs where delivery is the limiting factor, then keep only those that address disease areas with the highest unmet need.
Have a molecule held back by its delivery profile? Talk to usPositive Phase 2 data. Steady release for a full year.
The platform has been tested in three clinical studies across two drugs. In the Phase 2 study of DLP-114, a risperidone implant for schizophrenia, the implant held drug levels steady for 12 months.
Patients stayed clinically stable throughout: average PANSS scores were 58.7 at baseline and 59.6 at month 12. Patients transitioned over 3 days from oral therapy to the implant.
Weiden PJ, et al. Feasibility of a risperidone implant for maintenance treatment of schizophrenia for up to 12 months after a single administration. CNS Spectr. 2024;29:524. doi:10.1017/S1092852924002050.
“I didn’t even know it was there during the 6 months, I just forgot about it.”Patient, DLP-114 Phase 2 study
“I had no pain during or after the procedure.”Patient, DLP-114 Phase 2 study
“It was definitely easier to have the device, much easier than remembering to take pills or take a shot once a month.”Patient, DLP-114 Phase 2 study
Market validation. ~70% of US and UK physicians (n=195) said they would prescribe DLP-114, and all 15 payers surveyed said they would cover it at the current long-acting injectables price.
Two clinical-stage programs validate the platform. Four new programs aim to make good drugs better.
The adherence programs (DLP-114, DLP-160) are available for partnering. Equilong’s current focus is the four drug-improvement programs.
The team that built the platform, now applying it to new drugs.
Our team has developed this technology from the lab through a positive Phase 2 study.
Tassos Nicolaou
President & CEOFounder and CEO of Delpor. Previously founder and CEO of AlphaDetail (acquired, 7x return). SDG. Stanford MS.
Gregory Watkins, PhD
Chief Scientific OfficerPrimary inventor of the technology. Sr. Director R&D, Delpor. PhD Chemistry, UC Berkeley; postdoc, UCSF.
Brian Liu
VP Engineering & ManufacturingDirector, Engineering & Tech Ops, Delpor. MS/BS Engineering, University of the Pacific.
Carl Spetzler, PhD
ChairmanFounder and Chairman, SDG. Former Head of Strategic Methodologies, Stanford Research Institute.
Let’s work together to bring key therapies to patients faster.
Equilong seeks licensing partners interested in our products or technology platform.
License a program
Actively seeking partners for our clinical-stage assets DLP-114 and DLP-160. We are also open to discuss partnerships related to our four focus programs.
Bring us a molecule
Have a drug held back by its PK profile or a pump? We can evaluate it quickly.
Or email us at info@equilong.com