Crystal Lake, Illinois — September 7, 2026
Aptar Pharma announced a collaboration with Aceso Therapeutics to advance development activities for ACT-101, an investigational antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) candidate being developed for cystic fibrosis (CF). The collaboration strengthens Aptar Pharma’s upstream inhalation development capabilities for complex biologic medicines and brings its specialist Nanopharm business into the development program. Under the collaboration, Nanopharm will lead inhaled formulation development and device assessment activities intended to support Aceso’s clinical development roadmap for ACT-101. The program is focused on developing an inhaled delivery approach for an ASO designed to target underlying disease mechanisms associated with CF. The collaboration represents an important development-services opportunity for Aptar Pharma as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies increasingly explore inhaled delivery for complex molecules. For Aceso, access to Nanopharm’s formulation and device-development expertise is intended to help advance ACT-101 toward clinical evaluation, with direct delivery to the lungs forming a central component of the development strategy.
Nanopharm Leads Formulation and Device Assessment
A key element of the agreement is the involvement of Nanopharm, Aptar Pharma’s specialist pharmaceutical development services business focused on orally inhaled and nasal drug products. Nanopharm will provide technical expertise covering formulation development and inhalation device assessment, helping evaluate the requirements associated with delivering ACT-101 directly to the respiratory system. Developing inhaled products for complex biologics such as antisense oligonucleotides can require coordinated assessment of formulation characteristics, delivery performance and compatibility with the selected device platform. Aptar Pharma said the work under the collaboration complements its broader biologics compatibility program, which evaluates interactions between complex biological molecules and pulmonary and nasal drug-delivery platforms. The program includes investigation of nucleic acids, peptides, proteins and nanoparticle-based delivery systems across different formulations and delivery formats. By combining these capabilities with Nanopharm’s specialized inhalation development services, Aptar Pharma is expanding its role earlier in the pharmaceutical development process, from initial feasibility activities through potential clinical development.
ACT-101 Program Targets Direct Lung Deliveryy
Aceso Therapeutics is developing ACT-101 as an antisense oligonucleotide candidate intended to address disease mechanisms associated with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that can cause significant damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs. The company is based in Montpellier, France, and builds on more than a decade of academic research conducted in collaboration with the PhyMedExp laboratory. Aceso is developing its RNA therapeutic platform around its proprietary PTGR™ technology, which is designed to restore gene expression in genetic diseases. Within the ACT-101 program, the company is exploring direct delivery to the lung as a potential strategy for advancing the investigational therapy. The collaboration with Nanopharm is therefore focused on an important development component: establishing an appropriate inhaled formulation and delivery-device approach for the ASO candidate. ACT-101 remains an investigational product and has not been approved by any regulatory authority, meaning its safety and efficacy have not yet been established. The current collaboration is centered on development activities supporting the program’s progression toward clinical evaluation.
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Aptar Pharma Strengthens Complex Inhaled Therapy Platform
The collaboration adds to Aptar Pharma’s broader strategy of supporting the development of next-generation inhaled biologic medicines through specialized formulation, device and scientific capabilities. Nanopharm applies science and engineering expertise to complex orally inhaled and nasal drug products, supporting development activities from early feasibility through clinical supply. For Aptar Pharma, the Aceso agreement demonstrates how its delivery technologies and development services can be applied to emerging therapeutic modalities such as antisense oligonucleotides and other nucleic-acid medicines. The company’s biologics compatibility program is also designed to systematically evaluate how complex molecules interact with pulmonary and nasal delivery platforms, creating a broader technical foundation for future inhaled therapies. For Aceso, the partnership provides access to specialized expertise intended to accelerate ACT-101 development and help establish the product-development pathway toward clinical testing. The companies said the collaboration marks a development milestone for ACT-101 while reinforcing Aptar Pharma’s capabilities in inhaled biologic development and drug-delivery technology. Financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.
Source: Aptar Pharma, press relese
