Bristol: Spin-out company gets approval for new nicotine gum

A new generation of nicotine gum, developed by the University of Bristol spin-out company Revolymer® Ltd, has been given approval for sale in Canada. The gum uses new technology to mask the nicotine taste.

The approval, by the Natural Health Products Directorate of Canada, is the first step in Revolymer®’s global strategy to release a nicotine gum that not only helps smokers quit but also offers a great chew.  The gum will be distributed in Canada by sales and marketing partner, SDS Pharma.

The current market for nicotine chewing gum now totals $1.6bn world-wide, yet there has been little innovation of the product over the last 20 years.  Many smokers who try to quit using gum are put off by the taste of the existing products. Revolymer® has applied its proprietary technology which not only controls the release of nicotine but also helps to mask its bitter taste through molecular encapsulation.  The product has been scaled up by a manufacturing partner with 2.5 million pieces of gum made in both 2 and 4 mg doses with flavours of spearmint, peppermint and fresh fruit.

“Over the past year, we have been applying our environmentally friendly chewing gum technology to functional chewing gums and our first goal was to develop a nicotine gum with an improved taste to help people to quit smoking” said Roger Pettman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Revolymer®.

“Achieving regulatory approval so quickly is another key milestone for Revolymer® and I am also delighted to be working closely with Greg and the team at SDS Pharma”. Greg Kelly, President of SDS Pharma added, “We at SDS Pharma Partners are very excited to be working with Revolymer® on the introduction of new nicotine replacement gums to Canada. “Consumer and customer responses have demanded improved taste and a more pleasant mouth-feel versus the currently marketed products. Revolymer® meets and exceeds those demands and the resulting user experience is superb. “One of our key goals is bringing innovative new products to the Canadian marketplace, and delivering superior sales and profit to the retail trade. The Canadian market for nicotine chewing gum is the fourth biggest in the world and Canadians chew more than 120 million pieces a year, so we look forward to establishing Revolymer® as a valued supplier in Canada and expanding their presence with innovative solutions.”