Top 3 Most Attractive Investment Subsets Of The Cannabis Industry
Top 3 Most Attractive Investment Subsets Of The Cannabis Industry
The cannabis industry is expected to reach $50 billion in size by 2026, according to Cowen & Co., making it one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Not surprisingly, cannabis stocks have handily outperformed the market with the Marijuana Index more than doubling over the past year compared to just 24{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce} for the S&P 500 index. Investors have taken a growing interest in the industry as legalization has spread across North America.
In this article, we will look at three subsets of the cannabis industry that investors may want to consider for the best risk-adjusted returns.
Licensed Producers
Canada has legalized both medical and recreational cannabis on a federal level. Under the so-called AMCPR, licensed producers have the unique right to legally grow and process dried medical marijuana, cannabis oils, edibles, and other derivatives. These products are sold to registered patients and customers through a mail order process, which makes these companies the most pure-play opportunities for investors in the cannabis industry.
The largest licensed producer is Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: CGC) (OTC: TWMJF), but emerging producers like Emerald Health Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: EMH) (OTC: TBQBF) are well-positioned to capture a piece of the market. The latter recently signed a letter of intent to lease up to 32 acres of land in Metro Vancouver, BC, while completing a 100,000 square foot expansion in two phases that will increase its capacity to about 10,000 kilograms per year.
Finally, aspiring licensed producers like Maple Leaf Green World Inc. (CSE: ML) (OTC: MPEFF) and Invictus MD Strategies Inc. (OTC: IVITF) represent opportunities for investors to gain exposure to Canada’s cannabis industry at lower valuations. Maple Leaf also provides investors with exposure to California’s medical marijuana market, while Invictus MD Strategies owns several related businesses that provide diverse exposure to the industry.
Pharma- & Nutraceuticals
Pharmaceutical companies are notorious for generating hefty profits with high barriers to entry for direct competition. The federal government may consider cannabis a Schedule I Controlled Substance with ‘no currently accepted medical use’, but a growing body of research suggests that components of the plant could be helpful in treating everything from childhood epilepsy to pain and nausea in patients undergoing chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.
GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) may be the most popular name in the cannabis-related pharmaceuticals space, but GB Sciences Inc. (OTC: GBLX), InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: IN) (OTC: IMLFF), and Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. (OTC: GRPOF) are among a handful of other companies with an established presence in the space. These companies are taking various unique approaches to unlock real value for investors.
Other companies are focused on over-the-counter versions of cannabinoid therapies. For example, Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTC: MJNA) provide pure over-the-counter cannabidiol (“CBD”) hemp oils to consumers around the world. The company’s 100{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce} hemp-based, THC-free CBD oil products have enabled it to obtain regulatory approvals for importation into countries like Mexico and Brazil, along with the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.
Functional Foods
Functional foods represent a third industry subset that may be attractive to investors given the increasing interest in energy shots, protein powders, and related products. Cannabis may seem incompatible with these types of products on the surface, but hemp has many attributes that make it an exceptional ingredient for functional foods. For example, the substance is high in protein, provides many antioxidants, and contains potentially-beneficial CBDs.
Lexaria Biosciences Inc. (OTC: LXRP) and NutraFuels Corp. (OTC: NTFU) have focused on increasing the bioavailability of CBDs in functional foods and supplements. Lexaria’s lipid encapsulation technology helps ensure that CBDs are fully digested, while NutraFuels’ oral sprays help CBDs immediately reach the bloodstream through the mouth. These companies are developing many CBD-based products through partnerships and licensing agreements.
Laguna Blends Inc. (OTC: LAGBF) is another company that’s working closely with Isodiol – a private company focused on manufacturing hemp-based CBD oils – to develop a line of CBD-based functional foods and beverages.
Looking Ahead
The cannabis industry has evolved over the past couple of years to include companies in many different sectors. Consulting firms and grow light providers may be the most obvious plays, but investors may want to consider licensed producers, pharmaceutical companies, and functional food makers as alternatives in the space. These companies could offer investors unique opportunities to capitalize on a market projected to be worth $50 billion by 2026.
By Kelly Weimar
- Published in Blog, Medical Marijuana, News Home, Tetra Bio Pharma
InMed (IN:CSE) Updates Progress of its Epidermolysis Bullosa Program
InMed Updates Progress of its Epidermolysis Bullosa Program
– Momentum Public Relations – May 18th, 2016
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“InMed”) (CSE: IN; OTCQB: IMLFF), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research and development of novel, cannabinoid-based therapies is pleased to provide an update on the progress of INM-750, its lead product in development for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a serious and severe genetically inherited skin disorder.
INM-750 is a topical formulation of phytocannabinoids that has been specifically designed to: (i) modify the underlying cause of the disease in patients with epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS, the most common form of the disease), and (ii) to treat the major symptoms of the disease in all patients with EB.
InMed is now pleased to report that INM-750 has demonstrated positive pain relieving effects in animal models. Dr. Sazzad Hossain, Chief Scientific Officer of InMed, stated, “I am very excited with these results as pain is a serious complication in EB and this animal data shows that INM-750 reduces both acute and chronic pain. Significant data has been previously generated and reported to demonstrate the diverse properties of INM-750 in wound healing, skin regeneration, anti-inflammation and its antibacterial effects. Together with pain, these disease hallmarks are key therapeutic targets for the effective treatment of EB as well as several other dermatological conditions.”
A summary of the pre-clinical results on INM-750, a non-THC cannabinoid based composition, is available on InMed’s website under the Investors and the Pipeline sections.
About Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS)
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) is one of the major forms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a group of genetic conditions that cause the skin to be very fragile and to blister easily. It is a result of a defect in anchoring between the epidermis and the dermis, resulting in severe skin fragility that can range from mild to lethal. There is no cure or approved treatments for EB. Wound care, pain management and preventative bandaging are currently the only options available.
About InMed
InMed is a preclinical stage biopharmaceutical company that specializes in developing novel therapies through the research and development into the pharmacology of cannabinoids combined with innovative drug delivery systems. InMed’s proprietary platform technology, product pipeline and accelerated development pathway are the fundamental value drivers of the company. For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.
- Published in InMed Pharmaceuticals, News Home
Medical Marijuana – 8 Uses of Cannabinoids
Medical Marijuana – 8 Uses of Cannabinoids
– Momentum Public Relations –
Canada has come a long way in regards to medical marijuana. It wasn’t that long ago that any mention of marijuana automatically conjured an image of a stereotypical stoner eating snacks on the couch. As the national conversation in Canada shifts towards the possibility of fully legalizing marijuana for adult users, many Canadians still have questions about medical marijuana and exactly what it is able to do. To answer those questions, we want to cover exactly what makes marijuana work as a form of medicine, as well as eight different medical use cases for marijuana:
Cannabinoids are the Key to Medical Marijuana
The reason marijuana can help people with different medical conditions is because it contains cannabinoids. The term cannabinoids refers to the active chemicals that are found in cannabis (marijuana). These chemicals are what causes the drug-like effects associated with marijuana usage. The two areas of the body that are most impacted by cannabinoids are the central nervous and immune systems.
Of the various cannabinoids found in marijuana, one of the most active and notable is delta-9-THC. More commonly identified simply as THC, this is the cannabinoid that’s responsible for the “high” associated with smoking marijuana. The other cannabinoid that’s important to note is cannabidiol (CBD). When isolated, CBD can lower inflammation or relieve pain without creating any of the effects associated with THC.
8 Medical Uses of Cannabinoids
The reason that Canadian companies like InMed Pharmaceuticals (IN:CSE) are investing so much R&D into drug discovery and development around cannabinoids is there are already numerous examples of their medical uses. Those uses include:
- Pain Management: Cannabinoids can be used to manage many different types of chronic pain. They are especially effective at managing pain that results from nerve damage. Cannabinoids make it possible for chronic pain sufferers to improve their quality of life without the risk of addiction and fatal overdose that opiates carry.
- Multiple Sclerosis: One of the effects of this condition is it causes painful muscle spasms. Individuals who have MS can use cannabinoids to help treat spasms and lessen their severity.
- Nausea: Individuals with AIDS and cancer patients are two examples of groups that struggle with significant nausea. Cannabinoids are very effective at lessening or completely stopping nausea in those types of people.
- Appetite Stimulant: In addition to significantly helping with nausea, cannabinoids are also an effective way to boost appetite. While lots of snacking is commonly portrayed in stereotypes of stoners, plenty of people with legitimate eating problems greatly benefit from this use of cannabinoids
- Epilepsy: Cannabinoids have been shown to dramatically reduce seizures in many people with epilepsy. For children with epilepsy and other patients, a cannabis oil that’s high in CBD and low in THC makes it possible to manage epilepsy without the typical side effects of feeling stoned.
- Crohn’s Disease: This disease causes bowel inflammation and commonly irritates the small intestine. Cannabinoids can lessen the need for someone with Crohn’s to take other types of medication. It can also reduce the likelihood of a person with Crohn’s Disease needing surgery.
- Cancer Treatment: Not only can cannabinoids help cancer patients manage their pain, but both THC and CBD have been shown to slow or even halt the growth of cancer cells.
- Parkinson’s Disease: Although studies have found that cannabinoids don’t help with the motor symptoms of this disease, cannabinoids have been shown to help reduce the tremors and stiffness associated with Parkinson’s.
While only time will tell whether or not marijuana will be legalized for all recreational users in Canada, there’s no doubt that significant progress will continue to be made within the realm of medical marijuana and using cannabinoids for therapeutic purposes.
- Published in Blog, InMed Pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences, Medical Marijuana
Cannabinoids – Investors See Green
Cannabinoids – Investors See Green
Momentum Public Relations
The current debate in Canada around legalizing or decriminalizing the use of marijuana is highlighting potential for mainstream investors to capitalize on opportunities being created by companies who are pioneers in developing medical products made from cannabis. The recent election of the Trudeau government has triggered anticipation that important reforms and regulatory changes will be introduced to fulfill promises that were included in the Liberal Party’s platform.
Scientists today have a better understanding of how the various molecules and compounds in cannabis trigger a response in human beings. This is permitting new classes of pharmaceutical products to emerge offering investors opportunities that eclipse the returns that can be generated in some of the more mature pharmaceutical segments.
InMed Pharmaceuticals (IN:CSE) http://www.inmedpharma.com is a leader in a growing segment that is seeking to identify new bioactive compounds in cannabis plants that may interact with certain genes that cause specific diseases or medical conditions. Their pioneering research is opening the door to new therapies that meet the needs of patients who suffer from a variety of illnesses including debilitating dermatological conditions and ocular nerve disorders like glaucoma. These new therapies are expected to generate substantial returns for investors.
Marijuana, in its many different forms, contains a variety of active ingredients. One of these ingredients, perhaps the most well known entity, is a cannabinoid known as tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. This is the primary psychoactive compound of cannabis. THC was first synthesized by Dr. R. Mechoulan at Jerusalem University in 1964. Since that time researchers have identified and isolated at least 85 different cannabinoids from cannabis, each with its own effects. Opportunities to investigate these effects and produce useful therapies is creating a potential pipeline of commercially viable pharmaceutical products as a result of the evolving public perception, advances in scientific knowledge and changes in laws and regulations
For most of the 20th century, marijuana was classified as an illegal drug in most jurisdictions in North America and Europe. It’s use, in a number of forms, was partially revived in the 1960’s as part of a counter cultural movement. Despite a well documented history of medical applications that date back to 2500 BC, the more recent mainstream public perception of cannabis was limited to publicity that highlighted the various negative consequences of smoking marijuana. This perspective, and the laws that were enacted that criminalized the possession of quantities of cannabis in any form, created an environment that impeded serious scientific investigation of its potential medicinal properties.
The use of cannabis in medicine is not a recent phenomenon. It actually pre-dates recorded history. There is clear evidence that a number of medicinal properties were well understood by Chinese emperors, Egyptian Pharaohs and Greek Philosophers. It was used by physicians in ancient times to treat ailments as diverse as glaucoma, gout, indigestion and anxiety. Eventually a debate about its use emerged among physicians. Around 900 AD two highly respected Islamic doctors had widely disparate opinions on the usefulness and efficacy of marijuana.
Eventually cannabis emerged in North America, primarily in the form of hemp. Two of the founding fathers of the United States of America, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both highly curious scientist-farmers, carefully documented experiments that they conducted in growing hemp and investigating a variety of medicinal uses for it.
At the beginning of the 20th century there was a movement to regulate and classify any product that made a medical claim. In 1906 President Teddy Roosevelt signed the Wiley Act into law. This legislation became the foundation for future food and drug related regulation. The objective of politicians and the medical community was to regulate or ban products that made health related claims but lacked any scientific credibility or were proven to be dangerous.
Marijuana, and its chemistry, was not well understood in that era and efforts were made to determine if it had helpful medicinal properties or if it was highly addictive. By the 1930’s there was considerable discussion around marijuana. In 1940 a committee of medical practitioners was established by the state of New York to study its use and effects. This was known as the “LaGuardia committee on the use of marihuana” (note the different spelling). The report that was produced in 1944 did not provide a clear recommendation on restricting its use. It did suggest that there was no evidence that that it was addictive or led to other more serious addictions.
“The practice of smoking marihuana does not lead to addiction in the medical sense of the word. The use of marihuana does not lead to morphine or heroin or cocaine addiction.” – LaGuardia committee report on the use of Marihuana (1944)
Nonetheless, the fact that cannabis was not treated as a legal compound led to an underground trade for recreational purposes. This discouraged investigation by medical researchers within the scientific community throughout most of the late 20th century. However, this is changing rapidly in the 21st century.
With accelerated scientific knowledge fueled by technology and communication, cannabinoid science is emerging into the mainstream. Scientists and medical professionals are already participating in trials that are being conducted to test new compounds from cannabinoids. Additional medical advances cannot be not far behind. Additionally, the anticipated change in the regulatory environment can only further fuel opportunities.
- Published in Blog, InMed Pharmaceuticals, Medical Marijuana
InMed’s (IN:CSE) INM-750 Shows Positive Effects on Wound Healing
InMed Provides Update on Progress of Its Development Program for Epidermolysis Bullosa
Including New Pre-clinical Results on the Wound Healing and Anti-inflammatory Properties of INM-750
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“InMed”) (IN:CSE)(IMLFF:OTCQB), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research and development of novel, cannabinoid-based therapies would like to provide an update on the progress of INM-750, its lead product in development for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a serious and severe genetically inherited skin disorder.
INM-750 is a topical formulation of phytocannabinoids that have been carefully selected using our proprietary bioinformatics discovery platform to treat: (i) the underlying cause of the disease in patients with epidermolysis bullosa simplex (the most common form of the disease), and (ii) to treat the major symptoms of the disease in all patients with EB.
InMed’s initial pre-clinical studies were focused on studying the potential of INM-750 to treat the cause of the disease by modulating the expression of the various keratins that are critical to maintaining the integrity of the skin. We have previously reported that InMed has been able to demonstrate that certain phytocannabinoids are able to positively influence the expression of the key keratins K5, K6, K14, K15 and K16. We continue to make progress in studying the effect of different cannabinoids at different doses on keratin expression, and a summary of our initial results are now available on our website.
InMed is now pleased to report that INM-750 has demonstrated positive effects in pre-clinical studies on wound healing and in inflammation. InMed has been studying the potential of certain cannabinoids to expedite the wound healing process using the electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) wounding assay. The ECIS wounding assay is a state-of-the-art assay that replaces the traditional scrape or scratch assay. Using this assay, InMed has been able to identify certain cannabinoids that significantly potentiate the wound healing process, when compared to other less active cannabinoids, or to the vehicle control. Dr. Sazzad Hossain, Chief Scientific Officer of InMed, stated, “The results we are obtaining with the ECIS wound assay are significant for the development of INM-750. Through the use of the ECIS assay we are able to demonstrate the wound healing and skin regeneration properties of INM-750; these properties will be critical to help alleviate the primary symptoms of patients with EB”.
In addition to the ECIS studies, InMed has also studied the anti-inflammatory effect of certain cannabinoids included in INM-750. It has been demonstrated that cannabinoids included in INM-750 are able to down regulate the production of IL-8 by human keratinocytes, and inhibit IFN╔ú/TNFΓì║ induced production of IL-6 by human keratinocytes. Dr. Sazzad states, “These results are important to demonstrate that in addition to having an effect on wound healing, the cannabinoids included in INM-750 should also help down regulate the chronic inflammation that is present in EB patients”.
InMed continues to develop INM-750 with the goal of entering the clinic in the first half of 2016. Initial proof of concept studies in human subjects should be completed by the end of 2016. Paul Brennan, CEO of InMed says “I am pleased with the progress of our development program, and the data that has been generated by Dr. Hossain and his colleagues. INM-750 has the potential to provide a significant addition to the treatment options for patients with EB and EBS.”
A summary of the pre-clinical results on INM-750 is available on InMed’s website under the Investors and the Pipeline sections.
About Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS)
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) is one of the major forms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a group of genetic conditions that cause the skin to be very fragile and to blister easily. It is a result of a defect in anchoring between the epidermis and the dermis, resulting in friction and skin fragility. The severity of this condition ranges from mild to lethal. There is no cure or approved treatments for EB. Wound care, pain management and preventative bandaging are currently the only options available.
About InMed
InMed is a preclinical stage biopharmaceutical company that specializes in developing novel therapies through the research and development into the pharmacology of cannabinoids combined with innovative drug delivery systems. InMed’s proprietary platform technology, product pipeline and accelerated development pathway are the fundamental value drivers of the company. For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.
- Published in Blog, Business, Medical Marijuana
Inmed (IN:CSE) CEO’s Letter to Shareholders & Corporate Presentation
Letter from President and CEO
Dear Shareholder,
As the new President and CEO at InMed, I’m reaching out to you to provide you with my impressions after my first 3 weeks at the company, and to give you some insight into what I see as the operational priorities for InMed moving forward.
As I have become more familiar with the rationale and science behind InMed’s technology I have had two key observations: I was impressed with the level of detail and science behind the process of identifying new potential candidates, and I was struck by the number of potential opportunities that were available to InMed within the cannabinoid space.
I believe InMed’s process of drug discovery is quite sophisticated, and much more advanced than what is being used by most companies developing natural products, and in particular compared to other pharma companies developing cannabinoids. This is promising as this means that our products have been rationally targeted and designed and therefore should be both effective and potent. The potential number of indications in which InMed could be active is numerous. Cannabinoids have been shown to play a role in a number of human physiological systems, and the potential to mediate a therapeutic effect has been observed in multiples therapeutic areas including infectious diseases, metabolic diseases, respiratory diseases, ocular diseases, oncology and dermatology. The breadth of indications available with our technology presents a wealth of opportunity for InMed, however initially, to utilize our resources effectively, we will focus our development portfolio on two indications, epidermolysis bullosa (EB) and glaucoma.
Epidermolyis bullosa is an orphan disease mostly commonly seen in children and characterized by patients with very fragile skin. Even a slight brushing against a patient’s skin can cause severe blistering and redness, and many of these children spend most of their life in bandages. Currently the only treatment option for patients with EB is the same as that for the treatment of burns. We believe there is a significant opportunity for a new product that has been developed specifically for EB. INM-750 was designed specifically to address both the underlying cause of EB, and to treat the most commons symptoms. We intend to start clinical trials with INM-750 in EB in 2016.
Glaucoma is an eye disease that is one of the leading causes of blindness in the developing world. It is generally caused by high blood pressure in the eye (high intraocular pressure or IOP) which puts pressure on the optic nerve resulting in blindness. Currently, all the approved medications for glaucoma work by lowering IOP. Physicians are seeking novel medications that have a different mechanism of action to treat those patients that don’t respond well to current medications. InMed is developing INM-085 which has been designed not only to provide a new mechanism to lower IOP but also to provide a neuroprotective effect to the optic nerve. Glaucoma is a significant opportunity which currently represents a $5.6 B market globally. We plan to initiate our clinical trials in glaucoma in late 2016
I am quite excited about the science and technology at InMed and about the potential for our development candidates INM-750 and INM-085 to provide a meaningful contribution to patients. I have enclosed for you a copy of our revised company presentation that outlines our strategy for moving forward. This will provide you with much more detail about out platform, and the potential of our products.
http://www.inmedpharma.com/i/pdf/presentations/InMed-Presentation-Oct2015.pdf
Best regards,
Paul Brennan,
President & CEO
- Published in Blog, Business, Life Sciences, Medical Marijuana
InMed Pharmaceuticals Appoints New CEO
InMed Appoints Paul Brennan as President & Chief Executive Officer
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“InMed” or “the Company”) (CSE: IN)(OTCQB: IMLFF), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research and development of novel, cannabinoid-based therapies combined with innovative drug delivery systems, announced today that Paul Brennan, a 25-year veteran of the life sciences industry, has joined InMed as President & CEO, effective September 14, 2015. Mr. Brennan succeeds Craig Schneider who will remain on the board of directors.
Craig Schneider, Director, states, “We are extremely pleased that at this critical stage in the Company’s development, Mr. Brennan will be taking the helm of InMed and leading the Company through to its next clinical trials, financings and infrastructure buildout. Paul has extensive M&A, general management, financial, corporate and drug development expertise. We are fortunate to be under the leadership of an executive with broad global pharmaceutical development and commercialization experience with a proven track record of successfully bringing life science products to market on a global scale. We are pleased to bring his experience to bear on InMed’s operations as we make progress toward delivering meaningful therapies to underserved markets.”
Mr. Brennan was previously Senior Vice-President of Business Development at Arbutus Biopharma (formerly Tekmira Pharmaceuticals – NASDAQ). Previously he has held a number of senior management and consulting positions at biotech companies based in the U.S.and Canada. Mr. Brennan served as CEO of Altair Therapeutics, an emerging biopharmaceutical company based in San Diego, which focused on developing inhaled oligonucleotides for respiratory diseases. Prior to Altair, Mr. Brennan was Senior Vice President, Business Development at Aspreva Pharmaceuticals and was involved in the sale of Aspreva to Vifor Pharma for $915 million. Mr. Brennan was also employed at AnorMED where he held a number of roles including Acting President during which time he was involved in the sale of AnorMED to Genzyme for $580 million. Mr. Brennan has held senior positions in business development and regulatory affairs at AstraZeneca, where he worked in Sweden, the United Kingdom and Canada.
“I am excited for this opportunity and am excited to lead our talented and dedicated team. InMed’s corporate strategy, strong pipeline and innovative development programs, provides a solid basis for long-term value. I am passionate about our prospects, and look forward to working for the benefit of patients, physicians, and shareholders as we advance our products through the clinic and into the market to deliver innovative and efficacious products.”
Mr. Brennan earned his B.Sc. in Life Sciences and his M.Sc. in Physiology from Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ontario.
About InMed
InMed is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that specializes in developing novel therapies through the research and development into the extensive pharmacology of cannabinoids coupled with innovative drug delivery systems. InMed’s proprietary platform technology, product pipeline and accelerated development pathway are the fundamental value drivers of the company.
For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.
- Published in Blog, Business, Life Sciences, Medical Marijuana
InMed Pharma Starts Testing Drug Delivery System
InMed Commences Development of Proprietary Drug Delivery System
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“InMed”) (CSE: IN)(OTCQB: IMLFF) is pleased to announce it has initiated testing of a novel nanoparticle based delivery system for INM-750 which will be used for clinical formulations. INM-750 is a proprietary phytocannabinoid based compound for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS), a rare genetically inherited skin disorder (See NR News Release May 26, 2015 and August 6, 2015).
InMed’s development programs for transdermal delivery will use a nanoparticle-based delivery system. The delivery system underwent investigation in in vitro and in vivo animal models and further studies are being conducted based on the European norm “BS EN 13726-1: 2002” entitled test methods for wound dressings.
InMed anticipates commencing human proof of concept clinical studies of INM-750 in February, 2016 with initial data expected by Q3 2016 after which InMed will seek orphan drug designation for INM-750 with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
About InMed
InMed is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that specializes in developing novel therapies through the research and development into the extensive pharmacology of cannabinoids coupled with innovative drug delivery systems. InMed’s proprietary platform technology, product pipeline and accelerated development pathway are the fundamental value drivers of the company.
For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.
- Published in Blog, Business, Life Sciences, Medical Marijuana
InMed Appoints Paul Brennan to the Board of Directors
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“InMed” or “the Company”) (CSE: IN)(OTCQB: IMLFF), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research and development of novel, cannabinoid-based therapies combined with innovative drug delivery systems, announced today the appointment of Paul Brennan to the Company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Brennan brings more than 25 years of experience in building, leading and advising top-performing pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in Europe, Canada and the United States.
Mr. Brennan is currently Senior Vice-President of Business Development at Arbutus Biopharma (formerly Tekmira Pharmaceuticals). Previously he has held a number of senior management and consulting positions at biotech companies based in the U.S.and Canada. Mr. Brennan served as CEO of Altair Therapeutics, an emerging biopharmaceutical company based in San Diego, which focused on developing inhaled oligonucleotides for respiratory diseases. Prior to Altair, Mr. Brennan was Senior Vice President, Business Development at Aspreva Pharmaceuticals and was involved in the sale of Aspreva to Vifor Pharma for $915 million. Mr. Brennan was also employed at AnorMED where he held a number of roles including Acting President during which time he was involved in the sale of AnorMED to Genzyme for $580 million. Mr. Brennan has held senior positions in business development and regulatory affairs at AstraZeneca, where he worked in Sweden, the United Kingdom and Canada.
“Paul’s extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, including senior leadership and board positions in several successful companies, will greatly complement and strengthen our Board,” said Craig Schneider, President and CEO of InMed. “We are delighted that he has accepted a position to the Board.”
Mr. Brennan earned his B.Sc. in Life Sciences and his M.Sc. in Physiology from Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ontario.
InMed also wishes to announce it has accepted the resignation of Kevin Puil as a Director of the Company, effective today. The Board wishes to thank Mr. Puil for his efforts on behalf of the Company.
About InMed
InMed is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that specializes in developing novel therapies through the research and development into the extensive pharmacology of cannabinoids coupled with innovative drug delivery systems. InMed’s proprietary platform technology, product pipeline and accelerated development pathway are the fundamental value drivers of the company.
For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.
- Published in Blog, Business, Life Sciences, Medical Marijuana
InMed Announces Positive In-Vitro Study Results
InMed Announces Positive In-Vitro Study Results of INM-750 Targeting Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex (EBS)
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“InMed”) (CSE: IN)(OTCQB: IMLFF), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research and development of novel, cannabinoid-based therapies combined with innovative drug delivery systems, announced today that it has obtained positive response from its pre-clinical research on INM-750 tested in various in vitro assays. The INM-750 is a proprietary phytocannabinoid based compound for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS), a rare genetically inherited skin disorder. INM-750 is designed to modulate skin growth, differentiation and inflammation that are signature characteristics of EBS.
Dr. Sazzad Hossain, Chief Scientific Officer of InMed, stated, “There are different sub-types of EBS caused by mutations of various keratin genes such as keratin 5, keratin 14 or keratin 15 etc. By modulating the expression of various keratin genes that are responsible for cytoskeleton intermediate filaments and/or wound healing using INM-750, we hoped to alleviate the EBS symptoms. Our preliminary results clearly validate this approach since INM-750 displayed modulation of expression of various keratin genes.”
Craig Schneider says, “We are very pleased that we have again demonstrated the ability and efficiency of our platform technology (“IDP”) to discover novel therapies in disease areas with large unmet medical needs. We have successfully employed our “IDP” for the discovery of INM-750 (see News Release May 26, 2015) which validates our in-silico approach to drug discovery by these positive pre-clinical results.”
InMed anticipates commencing human proof of concept clinical studies of INM-750 in February, 2016 with initial data expected by Q3 2016 after which InMed will seek orphan drug designation for INM-750 with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
About Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS)
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) is one of the major forms of Epidermolysis bullosa, a group of genetic conditions that cause the skin to be very fragile and to blister easily. It is a result of a defect in anchoring between the epidermis and dermis, resulting in friction and skin fragility. Its severity ranges from mild to lethal. As of today there is no cure or effective treatment. Currently, wound care, pain management and preventative bandaging are the only options available for treatment.
About InMed
InMed is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that specializes in developing novel therapies through the research and development into the extensive pharmacology of cannabinoids coupled with innovative drug delivery systems. InMed’s proprietary platform technology, product pipeline and accelerated development pathway are the fundamental value drivers of the company. For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.
- Published in Blog, Life Sciences