Emyria and Cann Partner to Register CBD Product
Released
Released
Announcement PDF
ASX Announcement
29/03/2021
Emyria and Cann Group to partner on
Schedule 3 medicine CBD product
registration
Highlights:
●
Collaboration agreement aims to accelerate the registration of a Schedule 3,
over-the-counter, cannabidiol (CBD) medicine in Australia
●
Emyria’s EMD-003 drug development program will incorporate Cann Group’s newly
acquired GelpellTM microsphere formulation technology
●
Partnership provides potential significant cost and speed advantages to registration
●
Successful registration with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
opens the path to registration opportunities overseas
●
Emyria and Cann Group will negotiate product commercialisation arrangements
prior to a regulatory approval application being submitted
Emyria Limited (ASX: EMD) (Emyria) and Cann Group Limited (ASX: CAN) (Cann Group) are
pleased to announce a collaboration agreement to seek accelerated registration of a unique,
low-dose, CBD-only capsule with Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Successful registration as a Schedule 3 medicine would result in an over-the-counter,
pharmacist-only CBD medicine.
Under the agreement, Emyria’s EMD-003 drug development program will use Cann Group’s
proprietary Gelpell microsphere technology, as the basis for seeking a Schedule 3
registration for treating unmet needs in mental health. A joint project committee will be
formed to oversee the allocation of registration costs and the development of
commercialisation agreements.
Cann Group recently acquired the rights to the technology via the purchase of the Satipharm
group of companies (as previously announced by Cann Group on 15 February 2021), which
has commercialised a CBD product utilising the technology. Cann Group plans to
incorporate manufacturing of the microsphere formulation in its new production facility
currently under construction near Mildura.
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The collaboration capitalises on a number of important milestones that have already been
met:
●
Phase 1 trials already completed for 10mg and 100mg doses of the Satipharm
capsule
●
Satipharm CBD has been shown to have 3.5 times greater bioavailability compared
to oil preparations (at 100mg)[1]
●
Long-term stability testing undertaken (and continuing)
●
Emyria already has real-world data on more than 170 patients taking the Satipharm
CBD capsule
●
Emyria has prepared protocols for pivotal clinical trials for target indication
Emyria’s experienced drug development and clinical team will lead the registration
program.
Pivotal clinical trials are in advanced stages of planning and are being guided by insights
from Emyria Data, which includes robust safety, efficacy and patient preference data for
more than 3,500 patients treated at Emyria’s Emerald Clinics.
Emyria’s Managing Director, Dr. Michael Winlo, said: “This partnership greatly accelerates
Emyria’s EMD-003 drug development program by combining Emyria’s unique clinical data
and drug development expertise with Cann Group’s best-in-class CBD delivery technology.
Satipharm CBD has already completed robust stability testing as well as Phase 1 clinical
trials as required by the TGA. This allows us to move straight to pivotal clinical outcomes
trials saving significant time and money. An experienced Regulatory Consultant has already
been engaged to manage the TGA submission.
Further, at Emyria, we already have deep insights into how the Satipharm product performs
clinically, having written over 400 Satipharm prescriptions to more than 170 patients. This
de-risks the pivotal clinical outcomes trials required as an important first step towards
registration with the TGA.”
Cann Group’s CEO, Peter Crock, said: “Cann Group is pleased to partner with Emyria to
accelerate the registration of a Schedule 3 medicine.
We anticipate there will be a large patient demand for a TGA registered CBD medicine that
is convenient to patients and demonstrates the highest standards of quality, safety and
efficacy.
We believe our microsphere technology - with improved bioavailability – fits well with
Emyria’s drug development programs, which have the potential to accelerate registration
with the TGA due to Emyria’s extensive real-world data, national clinical site network and
previous drug development experience.
We are also working to bring the Gelpell pharmaceutical GMP manufacturing line to Cann’s
Mildura production facility which, when commissioned at the end of this calendar year, will
become the largest cannabinoid medicine production facility in Australia.”
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EMD-003 targeting a major unmet need
EMD-003 is targeting psychological distress and the symptoms of anxiety, depression and
stress for certain patient populations.
Mental health is a rising global health challenge, particularly in the last 12 months. In the
2017-2018 National Health survey, mental health topped the list of chronic health conditions
in Australia affecting 4.8 million people, or 20.1% of all Australians[2]. In any one year over 2
million Australians suffer from anxiety alone.[3] Psychological distress, in particular, has been
increasing in incidence.[4]
A recent internal analysis had revealed that more than 50% of Emerald Clinics’ patients
present with moderate to severe depression, anxiety and / or stress as measured by validated
clinical assessments.
The collaboration, if successful, will deliver a new, registered medicine for the treatment of
psychological distress and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.
Cann Group’s proprietary Gelpell technology
Cann Group’s microsphere formulation embeds CBD in seamless gelatine microspheres (tiny
beads) which have a dimension of 2 mm or less and are packed in hard gastro-resistant
capsules. The active ingredients – cannabinoids - are bound and protected by a
three-dimensional natural gelatine matrix in each bead. These gelatine beads protect the
CBD contained in them from heat, light and oxygen, exhibiting improved stability and
bioavailability of cannabinoids compared to other formulations.
In a final dose form, these beads are placed in gastro-resistant capsules which protect the
beads from acid in the stomach. When swallowed, the beads disperse throughout the
intestine, where they are absorbed by the body into both the bloodstream and the lymphatic
system, minimising the impact of the first pass metabolism in the liver and contributing to
improved bioavailability.
This announcement has been approved and authorised for release by the Board of Emyria
Limited and the Board of Cann Group Limited.
References
[1] Atsmon J, Heffetz D, Deutsch L, Deutsch F, Sacks H. Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Oral
Cannabidiol Following Administration of PTL101: A New Formulation Based on Gelatin Matrix Pellets
Technology. Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev. 2018 Sep;7(7):751-758. doi: 10.1002/cpdd.408. Epub 2017 Nov 10.
PMID: 29125702.
[2] https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/mental-health-issues-increasing-among-australians
[3] https://www.beyondblue.org.au/media/statistics
[4]
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services/mental-health-services-in-australia/report-co
ntents/mental-health-related-prescriptions/prescriptions
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For further information on Emyria:
Dr Michael Winlo
Managing Director
(08) 6559 2800
mwinlo@emyria.com
Lexi O’Halloran
Media/Investor Relations
+ 61 (0) 404 577 076
lexi@janemorganmanagement.com.au
Andrew Williams
Media Relations
+61 (0) 412 614 125
andreww@profilemedia.com.au
For all media enquiries to Cann Group please contact:
Matthew Wright
NWR Communications
+61 451 896 420
matt@nwrcommunications.com.au
For all other information regarding Cann Group please contact:
Peter Crock
CEO
Cann Group Limited
+61 3 9095 7088
contact@canngrouplimited.com
Clive Fanning
Head of Investor Relations
Cann Group Limited
+61 3 9095 7088
contact@canngrouplimited.com
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for the Company,
the company’s strategy, future operations, and other statements containing the words “anticipate,”
“believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,”
“would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements.
Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a
result of various important factors, including: the Company’s ability to successfully develop its product
candidates and timely complete its planned clinical programs and the Company’s ability to obtain
marketing approvals for its product candidates. In addition, the forward-looking statements included
in this press release represents the Company’s views as of the date hereof. The Company anticipates
that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company’s views to change. However, while
the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the
Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not
be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.
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About Emyria (www.emyria.com)
Emyria Limited is a data-backed, drug development company. Emyria’s Treatments target
unmet needs and are focused on obtaining approval from major global regulators. Emyria’s
drug development programs are informed by insights generated from extensive analysis of
Emyria Data - deep, ethically-sourced clinical evidence that is gathered with patients across
Emyria’s independent clinical services (Emerald Clinics - www.emeraldclinics.com.au)
Emyria Data provides deep treatment insights and is therefore a source of unique IP,
strategically designed drug development and personalised care programs.
Emyria’s first drug development program, EMD-003 is targeting unmet needs in mental
health. Specifically psychological distress and the symptoms of anxiety, depression and
stress.
About Cann Group
Cann Group Limited (ABN 25 603 949 739) is building a world-class business focused on
breeding, cultivating, manufacturing and supplying medicinal cannabis for sale and use
within Australia and for approved overseas export markets. The company has established
research and cultivation facilities in Melbourne and is developing a state-of-the-art
cultivation facility near Mildura, Victoria. Cann Group has executed collaboration agreements
that have enabled it to establish a leading position in plant genetics, breeding, extraction,
analysis and production techniques required to facilitate the supply of medicinal cannabis for
a range of diseases and medical conditions. The Company is commercialising a range of
imported and locally sourced and manufactured medicinal cannabis products. Learn more
about Cann Group at www.canngrouplimited.com
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