On May 23, 2018, we published revised versions of our Privacy Policy and User Agreements. Please read these updated terms and take some time to understand them. Your use of our services is subject to these revised terms.
Yes, I Agree.

Cannabinoid Biosynthesis Poised as Potential Game-Changer in Drug Development

NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage: As the marijuana market continues its widespread growth, researchers remain merely at the threshold of exploring the manifold potential medical applications of cannabis. At present, more than 90 individual cannabinoid compounds have been discovered within the cannabis plant—each one potentially possessing crucial disease-fighting properties either on its own or combined with other compounds. Historically, however, it has been incredibly difficult to extract most of these compounds from the marijuana plant in adequate quantities and purities to be tested pharmaceutically. Overcoming this stumbling block in medical cannabis advancement, Vancouver-based biopharmaceutical company InMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CSE: IN) (OTCQB: IMLFF) (IMLFF Profile) has developed a pioneering, high-yield biosynthesis process that enables the manufacture of all 90+ naturally occurring cannabinoids. This groundbreaking development could have an enormous impact in forwarding the efforts of other companies within the cannabis sector, including GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH)Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYNE), Axim Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTCQB: AXIM) and 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE: XXII).

InMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s (CSE: IN) (OTCQB: IMLFF) novel approach to cannabinoid biosynthesis represents a potentially game-changing breakthrough in drug development. Many efforts by other companies to develop synthetic cannabis derivatives have failed. In comparison with other microbial platforms, InMed’s E. coli system has proven, through substantial experimentation, to be heartier and more efficient for the manufacturing of cannabinoids.

The process of naturally sourcing most cannabinoid compounds from the cannabis plant is extremely time-consuming, involving the tasks of planting, growing, harvesting and extracting. It is also very costly; can be low-yielding because of crop fluctuations; and involves various hard-to-remove impurities like pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Additionally, this process yields only two to three cannabinoids that can reach adequate quantities to justify the process; the remaining cannabinoid compounds are only yielded in trace amounts and are not accessible through natural sources.

While many have tried to chemically synthesize these compounds for pharmaceutical use, the chief problem with such an approach is it is usually very hard to derive cannabis compounds that are identical to the ones that occur naturally. Slight variations in structure can change both the effectiveness and safety of these compounds. The difficulty, tedium, costliness and time-consuming nature of the process is, overall, off-putting and creates a great deal of chemical waste.

The proprietary cannabinoid manufacturing process pioneered by InMed addresses this problem through biosynthesis, which is the process of utilizing naturally occurring cannabinoid DNA to produce cannabinoid compounds in a laboratory setting. The advantages of this process are multifold, resulting in:

  • Compounds that are identical to naturally occurring cannabinoids
  • Pure, individual cannabinoids that can be manufactured without the necessity of separating the many compounds from one another
  • A time- and cost-effective process
  • High quality control throughout the process thanks to production in a laboratory setting
  • The capability for all 90+ cannabinoids to be manufactured for the same reasonable cost

InMed is thus able to tap into the enormous medical potential of every cannabinoid, in particular the minor ones, due to this ability to access them in an economically sound way. The financial and time-consuming nature of other biosynthesis methods continue to pose stumbling blocks for other pharmaceutical companies.

Recently, InMed announced the filing of a provisional patent application—the first of many—relating to this proprietary biosynthesis program for manufacturing cannabinoids (http://nnw.fm/Z30dH). Once converted into an international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application and pursued in key jurisdictions on a global scale, this first patent application will give InMed significant commercial protection for its biosynthesis program, which is an E. coli-based expression system. This series of patent applications will particularly focus on the superiority of E. coli-based expression systems in comparison to other approaches; maximizing production of cannabinoids and related compounds through gene optimization; and additional proprietary developments and data related to InMed’s breakthrough biosynthesis program. Over time, InMed intends to actively convert this first patent filing, along with subsequent provisional patents, into national-stage filings in every major commercial jurisdiction.

InMed’s revolutionary cannabinoid biosynthesis program is one of three core assets for the company. The other two are a bioinformatics assessment tool that targets specific cannabinoids in treating key diseases and a drug development program that includes INM-750 for Epidermolysis bullosa and INM-085 for glaucoma.

InMed is assembling a strong management team to bring its biosynthesis program to commercialization. This team includes Ben Paterson, P.E., whose consulting services were recently retained by InMed (http://nnw.fm/vx1Bo). Paterson previously served as a senior engineering advisor for Eli Lilly and Company, spending 24 years in that company’s biosynthesis division. His extensive expertise will help InMed transition from pilot-scale to commercial-scale manufacturing.

The company’s management team also includes president and CEO Eric A. Adams, who is a veteran biopharmaceutical executive with extensive experience in company and capital formation, global market development, mergers and acquisitions, and licensing and corporate governance; Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Sazzad Hossain, Ph.D., M.Sc., who has more than two decades of academic and industrial experience in new drug discovery and natural health product development; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ado Muhammed, MD, DPM, MFPM, who is a proven leader in developing cannabinoid therapies; Alexandra D.J. Mancini, M.Sc., who serves as the senior vice president of clinical and regulatory affairs and possesses more than 30 years of global biopharmaceutical R&D experience, with emphasis in clinical development and regulatory affairs; and CFO Jeff Charpentier, who is a biopharmaceutical industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience.

InMed’s breakthrough approach to cannabinoid biosynthesis has enormous potential in helping other companies in their cannabis-related drug development efforts—companies like GW Pharmaceuticals (GWPH), the company behind the world’s first prescription drug derived from the cannabis plant, Sativex®, which is approved for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. GWPH’s lead cannabinoid product candidate is Epidiolex®, a liquid formulation of pure plant-derived cannabidiol being developed for the treatment of a number of rare childhood-onset epilepsy disorders. Other companies include Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (ZYNE), whose product candidates are “synthetically manufactured per FDA/CGMP regulations” in an effort to “provide consistent potency and eliminate impurities in the product”; Axim Biotechnologies (AXIM), which is developing a clinical pipeline of cannabinoid-based products such as its MedChewRx™ chewing gum for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome; and 22nd Century Group (XXII), a plant biotechnology company focused on genetic engineering and plant breeding which allows the increase or decrease of the level of nicotine in tobacco plants and the level of cannabinoids in cannabis plants. The availability of all 90+ cannabinoid compounds enabled by InMed’s process could mean the difference between success and failure in the development of drugs to treat various key diseases.

“This novel approach to the biosynthesis of cannabinoids is a game-changer for drug development,” said Dr. Vikramaditya Yadav, assistant professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of British Columbia and a co-inventor of InMed’s biosynthesis technology (http://nnw.fm/Z30dH). “The importance of producing cannabinoids that are identical to the naturally occurring compounds cannot be overstated. Many drug development efforts with synthetic derivatives have failed.”

With roadways opening up in cannabinoid research and this pioneering new access to every cannabinoid compound rather than just a few of them, the potential is virtually limitless as companies like those named pursue drug development activities within the medical cannabis field. There is no telling what breakthrough cures and treatments may emerge as a result, but it is indeed an exciting time in the burgeoning cannabis space.

For more information on InMed Pharmaceuticals, please visit: InMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CSE: IN) (OTCQB: IMLFF)

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.networknewswire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW undertake no obligation to update such statements.

Archives

Select A Month

NetworkNewsWire Currently Accepts

Bitcoin

Bitcoin

Bitcoin Cash

Bitcoin Cash

Doge Coin

Dogecoin

Ethereum

Ethereum

Litecoin

Litecoin

USD Coin

USD Coin

Contact us: 212.418.1217