Glasgow firm in pain relief breakthrough

NEW drugs to help relieve pain are set to be developed after a Glasgow-based firm signed a deal to commercialise three patents from Strathclyde University.

Drug Delivery International (DDI), which is based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, is looking to form partnerships with large drug companies.

At present, patients have to wait for pain-killing medicines to take effect after they swallow their pills.

But the substances developed at Strathclyde University could allow patients to take pain killers when they go to sleep, which would then be "time delayed" and would only start working just before the patient wakes up in the morning.

The technology - which also has applications for heart and lung diseases - was developed using proof of concept funding from Scottish Enterprise.