FDA Grant to Fund Simulations Plus Research

Lancaster drug simulation company Simulations Plus has won a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to test the efficacy of oral cavity products using its GastroPlus software, the company announced Tuesday.Simulations applied for funding through a joint proposal with St. Louis College of Pharmacy at University of Health Services and Pharmacy."To now enter our third funded collaboration with the FDA in 2020 is an amazing accomplishment and speaks to the relationships forged and the reputation earned,” John DiBella, Lancaster division president for Simulations Plus, said in a statement.DiBella refers to two other collaborative agreements, one with the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine announced in July to test drug efficacy in animals, and a $400,000 grant revealed in May to fund software research which replicates drug delivery through the eyes.“Like recent awards for the ocular and dermal delivery routes, Simulations Plus will own all intellectual property developed within the GastroPlus program, and updates will be integrated into future versions and made available to clients,” DiBella continued.Shares of Simulations Plus (SLP) closed Tuesday up 36 cents, or less than 1 percent, to $77.18 on the Nasdaq.