IF YOU’RE UNFORTUNATE enough to develop a rare form of cancer, accessing the right form of treatment can be tough. Big pharmaceutical companies may not be as willing to create products that will help a tiny fraction of the population.

But it’s something that’s always been important to Orlaith Ryan and Sharon Cunningham, who founded Shorla Pharma in 2018.

Working together in an Irish pharmaceutical company, they learned two things. The first was just how successful Irish pharmaceutical businesses can become – that company was acquired by a US multinational in 2015 for $1.35 million.

The second? Not to ever lose sight of what draws so many to the pharmaceutical industry – providing medication to very sick patients around the world. Ryan explains: “It’s really important to ensure that those with rare types of cancer aren’t forgotten about.” 

A smart solution

With those in mind, the pair spent two years planning an idea they had – to take products that already exist and to do something novel with them so that they work better for patients, and ultimately improve their quality of life. Along the way, they received essential support from the Local Enterprise Office in Tipperary that helped it get off the ground.

For example, the first product that they hope to launch in the US market in 2021 is a children’s cancer drug that in its current form is very difficult to physically swallow – often requiring parents to open capsules and mix the contents into a drink.

Their solution takes the active ingredients and replaces the capsule with a palatable oral solution. It’s hoped that this treatment will be used to target solid tumours in children aged three and upwards and the response so far has been really positive.

“There’s been such excitement from one of the children’s hospitals we are working with in the US”, says Ryan. This she says really validated what they are doing and let them know that they were on the right track.

Fortunately, these drugs come under the umbrella of something called orphan designation, which Ryan explains is, “when the instance of the disease is quite low and so it’s not so attractive for big pharmaceuticals”. Because of this, governments tend to give quicker approval times and incentives to companies who do produce these medications.

Shorla Pharma Shorla Pharma

Cancer treatment costs

The company is still in the early days – it was established in 2018, but from the start Ryan realised that they’d need “a very sound business plan in order to get the funding we needed”. As you may realise, the process of getting a new pharmaceutical product approved is an expensive one.

As co-founder Sharon Cunningham’s background is as a chartered accountant, she was fortunately very experienced in obtaining grants and making full use of tax credits. But importantly, she also knew when and how to approach the Local Enterprise Office.

Ryan explains: “They were key to supporting us in the early days – the funding we got from them got us to a point where we were investor-ready.”

This involved what Ryan calls “very significant types of funding”. First they received a business priming grant and then a trading online voucher that allowed them to develop a high-standard, professional website – which was huge for building trust. “If we didn’t have a professional website, it would have compromised us a lot.”

Then, they were able to avail of a Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters Grant (TAME) that allowed them to travel to two key summits in the US and to make essential contacts and develop their network there – the market in which they will launch their first product.

The support that the Local Enterprise Office has offered Shorla Pharma has been a huge key to their success: “They educated us about certain conferences and they’d get us a contact at them when we needed them. Their support has been invaluable really” says Ryan.

Females in pharma

“All of our therapies are oncology treatment for breast or ovarian cancers or they’re for children’s cancers”, says Ryan, adding that both co-founders are mothers themselves.

Shorla Pharma have a large team of oncologists and other experts, along with collaborations with universities and children’s hospitals in the US. These all feed into what will or won’t work in clinical settings, and the products that are most needed right now for female and children cancer patients.

It’s important to both co-founders that everything they release is affordable for patients while maintaining high quality. This is possible because of investment from one of the world’s largest suppliers of raw materials – that allows them to keep everything cost-effective.

Thanks to both their hard work and the support from the Local Enterprise Office, Shorla Pharma has already gathered €2 million in investment – a significant result for such an early stage company. Cunningham scooped Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Award, which has also given the company both national and international reach.

So, what’s the future for Shorla Pharma? They intend to remain working hard within the paediatric, female and oncology space. “We have four products in the pipeline and will launch the first one in 2021. We’ll continue to collaborate to identify what other products are needed.”

Got a brilliant business idea of your own? The Local Enterprise Office will help you get it off the ground, providing expertise and financial support and enabling your business to grow and thrive. If you have a good idea, they can help you to make it happen. Check out the new Local Enterprise Office site with resources to help you get started.