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How a drug delivery patent is driving pharmaceutical company’s growth
iX Biopharma is using its sublingual technology to scale its portfolio of products and partnerships in the United States
Manufacturing of iX Biopharma's wafers at its facility in Australia.
PHOTO: IX BIOPHARMA
After almost a decade of research and development, Singapore-based iX Biopharma is starting to see its long-term bet pay off. The company, founded in 2008 and currently listed on SGX’s Catalist board, is now turning its patented drug delivery technology into a wider mix of products and income streams to fuel its next phase of growth.
“We’re at a major turning point,” says Ms Eva Tan, chief commercial officer. “After almost a decade of building our sublingual drug delivery technology, we now have everything we need to monetise our assets in order to scale.”
iX Biopharma spent its early years refining its proprietary WaferiX. It is an amorphous, highly porous and non-ionic wafer formulation that dissolves under the tongue to release medications directly into the bloodstream.
From 2021, the company expanded its drug delivery technology platforms to support biologic drugs such as proteins and peptides. Its growth since then has put it on the 2026 list of Singapore’s Fastest Growing Companies, compiled by The Straits Times and global research firm Statista.
The company launched a sublingual NAD+ wafer for cellular energy production that is delivered using its WaferiX technology in 2021. The new business segment has delivered early revenue for iX Biopharma, attracting demand from international partners in the US, the Middle East and Asia.
At the same time, the company is sharpening its focus, working on drugs that have stronger commercial potential and can be licensed to partners in the future.
“Our lead asset, Wafermine, a sublingual ketamine for moderate to severe pain, is ready to enter pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials – the final stage before submission for regulatory approval – and is gaining renewed interest from the United States government and institutional partners,” says Ms Tan.
Another growth driver is a recent joint venture with US-based Orion Specialty Labs, marking iX Biopharma’s entry into the biggest compounding pharmacy market in the world.
Compounding pharmacies personalise medicines using approved drugs when standard products do not suit a patient or when hospitals face shortages.
“Through compounding, we can introduce our portfolio of 22 sublingual pharmaceutical formulations into the US immediately through compounding pharmacy partners without further clinical trials, avoiding long FDA timelines,” says Ms Tan, referring to the US Food and Drug Administration.
Looking ahead, iX Biopharma is pursuing a capital-light, intellectual property-heavy strategy as it scales internationally, with its WaferiX technology at its core.
“Our goal is to build the next dominant drug delivery technology with artificial intelligence,” says Ms Tan.
Click here to read more stories on Singapore’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026.
