{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"143129","rtpr_id":"nBw1FS32a-20260914","ticker":"ATR","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["ATR"],"title":"Aptar Pharma and Massachusetts General Hospital Collaborate on Platform to Establish Predictive, Data-Driven Model for Advancing Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery","author":"Business Wire","published_at":"2026-09-14T21:00:00.134Z","article_body":"Aptar Pharma and Massachusetts General Hospital Collaborate on Platform to\nEstablish Predictive, Data-Driven Model for Advancing Nose-to-Brain Drug\nDelivery\n\nGoal is to help pharmaceutical innovators evaluate opportunities earlier and\naccelerate future central nervous system pipelines\n\nAptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE:ATR), a global leader in drug delivery, dosing and\nprotection technologies, and consumer product dispensing, today announced that\nit has signed an agreement for a research collaboration led by Alice Stanton,\nPhD from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to advance the science of\nnose-to-brain (N2B) drug delivery.\n\nThis press release features multimedia. View the full release here:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/)\n\nAptar and Massachusetts General Hospital Collaborate on Platform to Establish\nPredictive, Data-Driven Model for Advancing Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery\n\nAptar and its collaborators will develop an integrated translational research\nplatform combining in vitro, in vivo and computational technologies and\nevaluate a broad range of molecular classes and physicochemical properties to\nquantitatively characterize the mechanisms, pathways, and kinetics of\nnose-to-brain transport.\n\n“Through this study, we will profile the intranasal pathway to the brain and\ndevelop a tool to mimic this route, towards robust and non-invasive delivery\nof medicines that may otherwise be stopped by the blood-brain barrier or\nimpeded by absorption in other tissues. The ability to provide effective drug\ndelivery to the brain via the nose could catalyze an inflection point for\ndisease treatments,” said Alice Stanton, PhD, Assistant Professor and\nInvestigator in the Center for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General\nBrigham and Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.\n\nOver the past decade, nasal drug delivery has become an established route for\nboth local and systemic therapies, enabling innovative treatments across a\nrange of therapeutic areas. More recently, growing interest in direct\nnose-to-brain delivery has emerged as researchers and pharmaceutical companies\nseek new approaches to treat neurological and central nervous system (CNS)\ndisorders, like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple\nsclerosis, depression and more.\n\nThe development of the N2B New Approach Methodologies (NAM), consistent with\nFDA’s support for these approaches, aims to enable screening compounds that\nare amenable for N2B delivery, supporting safer treatment for patients while\nreducing costs. The resulting NAM is designed to incorporate Aptar’s nasal\ndrug delivery systems to help improve candidate selection, inform formulation\nand device design decisions, and support acceleration of the development of\ntherapies targeting neurological diseases. This work is intended to result in\na NAM designed to screen compounds for nose-to-brain delivery during drug\ndevelopment.\n\nWhile pioneering studies, including those conducted at Wake Forest University\nSchool of Medicine, have demonstrated that direct transport from the nose to\nthe brain can occur, critical scientific questions remain. Pharmaceutical\ninnovators continue to work with partners such as Aptar to determine which\nmolecules are best suited for N2B delivery, which physicochemical properties\ndrive transport and how preclinical results can reliably predict human\noutcomes.\n\nAs a leader in advanced nasal drug delivery, Aptar has decades of research and\ninvestment in its proprietary nasal delivery systems, backed by 30 years of\nrelated field data. Aptar has invested in technologies specifically designed\nto target the upper nasal cavity, including its Cerespray™ and Neurospray™\nplatforms. These technologies are intended to support precise deposition in\nregions associated with nose-to-brain transport and are part of Aptar's\nbroader commitment to advancing CNS drug delivery.\n\n\"Interest in nose-to-brain delivery has accelerated significantly in recent\nyears, yet one of the most common questions we hear from pharmaceutical\ninnovators is whether a specific molecule is truly suitable for this pathway,\"\nsaid Reenal Gandhi, Global Business Development Director, Aptar Pharma. \"Our\ngoal is to transform nose-to-brain delivery from a promising concept into a\nmore predictable and data-driven development pathway, helping pharmaceutical\ninnovators evaluate opportunities earlier and accelerate future CNS\npipelines.\"\n\nOver time, these proprietary tools are expected to support a broad range of\nfuture nose-to-brain development programs, creating long-term value across\nmultiple CNS applications.\n\nBy combining Aptar's expertise in nasal drug delivery technologies with the\nworld-class research capabilities of the Stanton lab, and MGH, the\ncollaboration seeks to advance the scientific foundation of nose-to-brain drug\ndelivery and unlock new opportunities for CNS therapeutics.\n\nThe Stanton Lab works on “Technology Towards Treatments.” Driven by the\nneed for better treatments for neurological disease, the Stanton Lab combines\nneurogenetics, omics, and cell biology techniques with tools spanning\nnanotechnology, machine learning, microfluidics, microphysiological systems,\nbiomaterials engineering, and tissue engineered organoid approaches. For more\ninformation, visit www.stantonlab.info/research\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stantonlab.info%2Fresearch&esheet=54603168&newsitemid=20260914424839&lan=en-US&anchor=www.stantonlab.info%2Fresearch&index=1&md5=5e95879f31de8def1fabb4f4d9a1920f)\n.\n\nAbout Aptar\n\nAptar is a global leader in drug delivery, dosing and protection technologies,\nand consumer product dispensing. Aptar partners with the world’s top\nhealthcare and consumer brands to deliver medicines and create exceptional\nuser experiences. Serving diverse markets, from pharmaceutical to beauty to\nfood and beverage, Aptar combines market expertise with proprietary design,\nengineering and science to develop innovative solutions that help improve\nlives worldwide. Headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois, Aptar employs 14,000\ndedicated people across 20 countries. Learn more at http://www.aptar.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aptar.com&esheet=54603168&newsitemid=20260914424839&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aptar.com&index=2&md5=5479126bc247bffcab2d492d7e51ba15)\n.\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements, including regarding\nthe use of Aptar’s nasal spray technology and the development, capabilities\nand outcome of the N2B research collaboration. Forward-looking statements\ngenerally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to\nhistorical or current facts and by use of words such as “expects,”\n“anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “future,”\n“potential,” “continues” and other similar expressions or future or\nconditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would” and\n“could” are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.\nForward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of\nSection 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities\nExchange Act of 1934 and are based on our beliefs as well as assumptions made\nby and information currently available to us. Accordingly, our actual results\nor other events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such\nforward-looking statements due to known or unknown risks and uncertainties\nthat exist in our operations and business environment including, but not\nlimited to: risks that early-stage or preclinical research findings, including\nthose from this collaboration, may not be replicated or may not predict\noutcomes in later-stage development or in humans; risks that the resulting NAM\ntool may not achieve its intended predictive capability or gain acceptance by\npharmaceutical partners or regulators; risks related to clinical development\nactivities conducted by third parties; development and commercialization\nrisks; customer adoption; regulatory requirements and compliance; and\ncompetition, including technological advances. For additional information on\nthese and other risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the\nSecurities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under “Risk\nFactors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial\nCondition and Results of Operations” in our Form 10-K and Form 10-Qs. We\nundertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements,\nwhether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as\nrequired by law.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/)\n\nAptar Investors Relations Contact: \n\nMary Skafidas\n\nmary.skafidas@aptar.com \n(mailto:mary.skafidas@aptar.com) \n+1 347 351 6407\n\nAptar Pharma Media Contact: \n\nCiara Jackson\n\nciara.jackson@aptar.com \n(mailto:ciara.jackson@aptar.com) \n+49 151 1951 6502\n\nAptar Media Contact: \n\nKatie Reardon\n\nkatie.reardon@aptar.com \n(mailto:katie.reardon@aptar.com) \n+1 815 479 5671\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nBw1FS32a-20260914","title":"Aptar Pharma and Massachusetts General Hospital Collaborate on Platform to Establish Predictive, Data-Driven Model for Advancing Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery","author":"Business Wire","ticker":"ATR","created":"2026-09-14T21:00:00.134Z","tickers":["ATR"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"Aptar Pharma and Massachusetts General Hospital Collaborate on Platform to\nEstablish Predictive, Data-Driven Model for Advancing Nose-to-Brain Drug\nDelivery\n\nGoal is to help pharmaceutical innovators evaluate opportunities earlier and\naccelerate future central nervous system pipelines\n\nAptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE:ATR), a global leader in drug delivery, dosing and\nprotection technologies, and consumer product dispensing, today announced that\nit has signed an agreement for a research collaboration led by Alice Stanton,\nPhD from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to advance the science of\nnose-to-brain (N2B) drug delivery.\n\nThis press release features multimedia. View the full release here:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/)\n\nAptar and Massachusetts General Hospital Collaborate on Platform to Establish\nPredictive, Data-Driven Model for Advancing Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery\n\nAptar and its collaborators will develop an integrated translational research\nplatform combining in vitro, in vivo and computational technologies and\nevaluate a broad range of molecular classes and physicochemical properties to\nquantitatively characterize the mechanisms, pathways, and kinetics of\nnose-to-brain transport.\n\n“Through this study, we will profile the intranasal pathway to the brain and\ndevelop a tool to mimic this route, towards robust and non-invasive delivery\nof medicines that may otherwise be stopped by the blood-brain barrier or\nimpeded by absorption in other tissues. The ability to provide effective drug\ndelivery to the brain via the nose could catalyze an inflection point for\ndisease treatments,” said Alice Stanton, PhD, Assistant Professor and\nInvestigator in the Center for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General\nBrigham and Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.\n\nOver the past decade, nasal drug delivery has become an established route for\nboth local and systemic therapies, enabling innovative treatments across a\nrange of therapeutic areas. More recently, growing interest in direct\nnose-to-brain delivery has emerged as researchers and pharmaceutical companies\nseek new approaches to treat neurological and central nervous system (CNS)\ndisorders, like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple\nsclerosis, depression and more.\n\nThe development of the N2B New Approach Methodologies (NAM), consistent with\nFDA’s support for these approaches, aims to enable screening compounds that\nare amenable for N2B delivery, supporting safer treatment for patients while\nreducing costs. The resulting NAM is designed to incorporate Aptar’s nasal\ndrug delivery systems to help improve candidate selection, inform formulation\nand device design decisions, and support acceleration of the development of\ntherapies targeting neurological diseases. This work is intended to result in\na NAM designed to screen compounds for nose-to-brain delivery during drug\ndevelopment.\n\nWhile pioneering studies, including those conducted at Wake Forest University\nSchool of Medicine, have demonstrated that direct transport from the nose to\nthe brain can occur, critical scientific questions remain. Pharmaceutical\ninnovators continue to work with partners such as Aptar to determine which\nmolecules are best suited for N2B delivery, which physicochemical properties\ndrive transport and how preclinical results can reliably predict human\noutcomes.\n\nAs a leader in advanced nasal drug delivery, Aptar has decades of research and\ninvestment in its proprietary nasal delivery systems, backed by 30 years of\nrelated field data. Aptar has invested in technologies specifically designed\nto target the upper nasal cavity, including its Cerespray™ and Neurospray™\nplatforms. These technologies are intended to support precise deposition in\nregions associated with nose-to-brain transport and are part of Aptar's\nbroader commitment to advancing CNS drug delivery.\n\n\"Interest in nose-to-brain delivery has accelerated significantly in recent\nyears, yet one of the most common questions we hear from pharmaceutical\ninnovators is whether a specific molecule is truly suitable for this pathway,\"\nsaid Reenal Gandhi, Global Business Development Director, Aptar Pharma. \"Our\ngoal is to transform nose-to-brain delivery from a promising concept into a\nmore predictable and data-driven development pathway, helping pharmaceutical\ninnovators evaluate opportunities earlier and accelerate future CNS\npipelines.\"\n\nOver time, these proprietary tools are expected to support a broad range of\nfuture nose-to-brain development programs, creating long-term value across\nmultiple CNS applications.\n\nBy combining Aptar's expertise in nasal drug delivery technologies with the\nworld-class research capabilities of the Stanton lab, and MGH, the\ncollaboration seeks to advance the scientific foundation of nose-to-brain drug\ndelivery and unlock new opportunities for CNS therapeutics.\n\nThe Stanton Lab works on “Technology Towards Treatments.” Driven by the\nneed for better treatments for neurological disease, the Stanton Lab combines\nneurogenetics, omics, and cell biology techniques with tools spanning\nnanotechnology, machine learning, microfluidics, microphysiological systems,\nbiomaterials engineering, and tissue engineered organoid approaches. For more\ninformation, visit www.stantonlab.info/research\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stantonlab.info%2Fresearch&esheet=54603168&newsitemid=20260914424839&lan=en-US&anchor=www.stantonlab.info%2Fresearch&index=1&md5=5e95879f31de8def1fabb4f4d9a1920f)\n.\n\nAbout Aptar\n\nAptar is a global leader in drug delivery, dosing and protection technologies,\nand consumer product dispensing. Aptar partners with the world’s top\nhealthcare and consumer brands to deliver medicines and create exceptional\nuser experiences. Serving diverse markets, from pharmaceutical to beauty to\nfood and beverage, Aptar combines market expertise with proprietary design,\nengineering and science to develop innovative solutions that help improve\nlives worldwide. Headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois, Aptar employs 14,000\ndedicated people across 20 countries. Learn more at http://www.aptar.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aptar.com&esheet=54603168&newsitemid=20260914424839&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aptar.com&index=2&md5=5479126bc247bffcab2d492d7e51ba15)\n.\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements, including regarding\nthe use of Aptar’s nasal spray technology and the development, capabilities\nand outcome of the N2B research collaboration. Forward-looking statements\ngenerally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to\nhistorical or current facts and by use of words such as “expects,”\n“anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “future,”\n“potential,” “continues” and other similar expressions or future or\nconditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would” and\n“could” are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.\nForward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of\nSection 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities\nExchange Act of 1934 and are based on our beliefs as well as assumptions made\nby and information currently available to us. Accordingly, our actual results\nor other events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such\nforward-looking statements due to known or unknown risks and uncertainties\nthat exist in our operations and business environment including, but not\nlimited to: risks that early-stage or preclinical research findings, including\nthose from this collaboration, may not be replicated or may not predict\noutcomes in later-stage development or in humans; risks that the resulting NAM\ntool may not achieve its intended predictive capability or gain acceptance by\npharmaceutical partners or regulators; risks related to clinical development\nactivities conducted by third parties; development and commercialization\nrisks; customer adoption; regulatory requirements and compliance; and\ncompetition, including technological advances. For additional information on\nthese and other risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the\nSecurities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under “Risk\nFactors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial\nCondition and Results of Operations” in our Form 10-K and Form 10-Qs. We\nundertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements,\nwhether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as\nrequired by law.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/)\n\nAptar Investors Relations Contact: \n\nMary Skafidas\n\nmary.skafidas@aptar.com \n(mailto:mary.skafidas@aptar.com) \n+1 347 351 6407\n\nAptar Pharma Media Contact: \n\nCiara Jackson\n\nciara.jackson@aptar.com \n(mailto:ciara.jackson@aptar.com) \n+49 151 1951 6502\n\nAptar Media Contact: \n\nKatie Reardon\n\nkatie.reardon@aptar.com \n(mailto:katie.reardon@aptar.com) \n+1 815 479 5671\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-09-14T21:00:00.174063822Z","server_sent_at_ms":1789419600174},"received_at":"2026-09-14T21:00:00.320Z","source_url":"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914424839/en/"},"analysis":{"id":"131961","press_release_id":"143129","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Health Care Supplies","sector":"Health Care"},"redFlags":["No financial terms, milestones, or timelines disclosed for the collaboration","Preclinical/translational research -- Aptar's own forward-looking statement warns findings may not replicate or predict outcomes in humans","NAM tool acceptance by pharmaceutical partners or regulators is not assured"],"eventType":"partnership","narrative":"AptarGroup has signed a research collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital, led by Alice Stanton, PhD, to advance the science of nose-to-brain (N2B) drug delivery.\n\nThe partners will build an integrated translational platform combining in vitro, in vivo and computational methods to quantitatively characterize nose-to-brain transport, with the goal of creating an FDA-aligned New Approach Methodology to screen which molecules are suitable for N2B delivery.\n\nThe work draws on Aptar's 30 years of nasal delivery field data and its Cerespray and Neurospray platforms, which target upper nasal cavity regions tied to nose-to-brain transport, and addresses growing interest in CNS indications such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and depression.\n\nNo financial terms or timelines were disclosed, and any commercial payoff is long-dated -- this is a modest strategic positive for Aptar's pharma segment rather than a near-term earnings driver.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Aptar doubles down on CNS: MGH pact aims to make nose-to-brain delivery predictable -- a long-dated option on its Cerespray/Neurospray platforms."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"nasal_field_data_years":30}},"quotedText":"The ability to provide effective drug delivery to the brain via the nose could catalyze an inflection point for disease treatments","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Alice Stanton, PhD","role":"Collaboration lead; Assistant Professor and Investigator, Center for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General Brigham; Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School"},{"name":"Reenal Gandhi","role":"Global Business Development Director, Aptar Pharma"}],"products":["Cerespray™","Neurospray™","N2B New Approach Methodologies (NAM) screening platform"],"companies":[{"name":"AptarGroup, Inc.","ticker":"ATR","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"Aptar Pharma","relationship":"pharma division of AptarGroup"},{"name":"Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Massachusetts General Brigham","relationship":"affiliated research institution"},{"name":"Harvard Medical School","relationship":"academic institution of collaboration lead"},{"name":"Wake Forest University School of Medicine","relationship":"mentioned research institution"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":2,"reasoning":"Early-stage research collaboration with no financial terms, milestones, or revenue impact disclosed. It strategically reinforces Aptar's nasal/CNS delivery franchise but the payoff is long-dated and non-quantified, so it is not near-term market-moving."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"ATR"},"globalImportance":20,"audienceRelevance":18,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"mid/large-cap (~$10B market cap, S&P 400 constituent)","eventGravity":"early-stage research collaboration with no financial terms","sectorWeight":"health care devices/supplies","financialImpact":"none quantified","strategicSignal":"CNS/nasal delivery franchise optionality","retailFavoriteBoost":0}},"event_type":"partnership","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":2,"narrative":"AptarGroup has signed a research collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital, led by Alice Stanton, PhD, to advance the science of nose-to-brain (N2B) drug delivery.\n\nThe partners will build an integrated translational platform combining in vitro, in vivo and computational methods to quantitatively characterize nose-to-brain transport, with the goal of creating an FDA-aligned New Approach Methodology to screen which molecules are suitable for N2B delivery.\n\nThe work draws on Aptar's 30 years of nasal delivery field data and its Cerespray and Neurospray platforms, which target upper nasal cavity regions tied to nose-to-brain transport, and addresses growing interest in CNS indications such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and depression.\n\nNo financial terms or timelines were disclosed, and any commercial payoff is long-dated -- this is a modest strategic positive for Aptar's pharma segment rather than a near-term earnings driver.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"nasal_field_data_years":30}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Alice Stanton, PhD","role":"Collaboration lead; Assistant Professor and Investigator, Center for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General Brigham; Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School"},{"name":"Reenal Gandhi","role":"Global Business Development Director, Aptar Pharma"}],"products":["Cerespray™","Neurospray™","N2B New Approach Methodologies (NAM) screening platform"],"companies":[{"name":"AptarGroup, Inc.","ticker":"ATR","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"Aptar Pharma","relationship":"pharma division of AptarGroup"},{"name":"Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Massachusetts General Brigham","relationship":"affiliated research institution"},{"name":"Harvard Medical School","relationship":"academic institution of collaboration lead"},{"name":"Wake Forest University School of Medicine","relationship":"mentioned research institution"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-5.3-flash","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-09-14T21:00:41.473Z","global_importance":20,"audience_relevance":18,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"mid/large-cap (~$10B market cap, S&P 400 constituent)","eventGravity":"early-stage research collaboration with no financial terms","sectorWeight":"health care devices/supplies","financialImpact":"none quantified","strategicSignal":"CNS/nasal delivery franchise optionality","retailFavoriteBoost":0}},"durationMs":41136,"modelName":"glm-5.3-flash"}}