Dow Chemical has agreed for Dowpharma, Dow's pharmaceutical manufacturing services business unit, to supply select, proprietary oligonucleotides to Montreal, Canada-based Topigen Pharmaceuticals for use in its pharmaceutical development programme.

Topigen's pharmaceutical development programme - based primarily on a synergistic blend of antisense oligonucleotides - is directed toward the treatment of a range of inflammatory respiratory diseases and is predicated on engaging multiple genes.

Dowpharma will supply the Canadian firm with oligonucleotides as its antisense-based products move through the phases of clinical trials to commercial production. Dowpharma is currently providing clients with both laboratory, and mid-scale, cGMP oligonucleotide development and manufacturing capabilities. A commercial unit, with an annual capacity of around 500kg, will be on-line later in 2003, the company said.