Canadian Firms Partner On Cannabinoid-Based Therapies For Mood Disorders
This article was originally published in The Pink Sheet Daily
Executive Summary
Anxiety and depression are on the list of disorders targeted by Cannasat/IntelGenx collaboration to develop cannabinoid-based CAT 320.
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Cannasat Therapeutics, a developer of novel cannabinoid pharmaceutical products, and IntelGenx, a technology company focused on oral drug delivery systems, will combine forces to create mood disorder therapies, Cannasat announced March 20. The companies first partnered in November to codevelop cannabinoid-based products and focused then on Toronto-based Cannasat's lead compound, CAT 310, a rapid onset neuropathic pain product that has been submitted to Canadian regulators for Phase I development. The new long-term agreement is for CAT 320, in development to treat mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. IntelGenx, located in Ville St.-Laurent, Quebec, typically applies its controlled-release and rapid disintegration technologies to aid drug manufacturers in gaining FDA approval for "improved formulations" of existing drug compounds through the 505(b)(2) pathway. Cannasat said it leverages that experience to "address the challenges of achieving rapid onset, improving therapeutic efficacy and minimizing the total dose required to treat disease conditions" with its developmental therapies. Cannasat owns a nearly 15 percent equity interest in Prairie Plant Systems, the sole Canadian government-licensed grower and distributor of medicinal cannabis. Most cannabinoid-based drugs have been developed as anti-emetics, though companies are increasingly seeking pain indications. FDA approved Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals' Cesamet (nabilone) in May 2006 as a second-line treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (1 (Also see "Valeant Plans New Sales Strategy For Cesamet; Ends Deal With Par" - Pink Sheet, 2 Nov, 2006.)). It competes with Solvay's Marinol (dronabinol) in the U.S. as an anti-emetic. Valeant announced Feb. 22 that it had submitted an IND for Cesamet for the treatment of cancer chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain. Cesamet, a synthetic cannabinoid, has a Schedule II controlled substance classification. Also in February, U.K.-based GW Pharmaceuticals inked a development and commercialization deal with Japan's Otsuka Pharmaceutical for its cannabinoid pain treatment Sativex (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol). Under the arrangement, Otsuka agreed to fund initial research into a range of cannabinoids as future drug candidates in central nervous system indications and cancer treatment. Sativex is marketed by Bayer in Canada for treatment of neuropathic pain with multiple sclerosis (2 (Also see "GW Licenses U.S. Sativex Rights To Otsuka In $273 Million Deal" - Pink Sheet, 14 Feb, 2007.)). In January, Pharmos reported that its synthetic cannabinoid, cannabinor, did not meet its primary endpoint of pain relief in a Phase IIa study. The Iselin, N.J., company said it would continue to study the drug for nociceptive pain and for chronic neuropathic pain (3 (Also see "Pharmos’ Synthetic Cannabinoid Disappoints In Phase IIa" - Pink Sheet, 19 Jan, 2007.)). - Shirley Haley ([email protected]) |