Emblem Announces Exclusive Agreement with Canntab Therapeutics for Cannabinoid Based Oral Sustained Release Formulation
PARIS, Ontario, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emblem Corp. (TSXV:EMC) (EMC.WT) (OTC: EMMBF) (“Emblem” or the “Company”) announced today that it has entered into a Collaboration and Licensing Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Canntab Therapeutics Limited (“Canntab”) of Toronto. Canntab has developed a patent-pending oral sustained release formulation for cannabinoids (the “Sustained Release Product” or the “Product”). Under the Agreement, Emblem and Canntab will collaborate on the preclinical formulation, clinical development, regulatory approval, manufacturing and commercialization of the Sustained Release Product.
The Agreement grants to Emblem the exclusive right in Canada to Canntab’s patents and know-how for the purpose of developing, commercializing, using, selling, and offering the Sustained Release Product for sale under the Emblem brand. The License does not include the right to import or export the Product.
The Sustained Release Product will be manufactured by Emblem or by Canntab, after Canntab receives appropriate licensing allowing such manufacture.
The Agreement calls for Emblem to make payments to Canntab upon achievement of certain milestones involving stability studies, bio-availability studies and regulatory approval of the Sustained Release Product. The Agreement also calls for Emblem to make royalty payments to Canntab based upon Gross Sales of the Product.
Emblem and Canntab also intend to collaborate on the preclinical formulation, clinical development, regulatory approval and commercialization of a range of additional cannabinoid containing pharmaceutical formulations.
Background
There is substantial evidence that cannabinoids are effective for the treatment of a number of conditions including (i) chronic pain (ii) nausea, (iii) anxiety and sleep disorders, and (iv) spasticity in patients with Multiple Sclerosis.
Most conventional (immediate release) dosage forms, such as tablets and capsules, release the active drug component immediately after oral administration. In the formulation of conventional drug products, no deliberate effort is made to modify the drug release rate. Sustained release dosage forms are designed to release the active pharmaceutical ingredient at a predetermined rate in order to maintain a constant drug concentration over a specific period of time – resulting in a longer duration of action from a single dose and often with reduced side effects. Generally this is done to achieve an improved therapeutic outcome and/or to enhance patient compliance. Immediate release dosage forms of cannabinoids tend to lose therapeutic effects in 4 to 6 hours requiring subsequent re-administration and the risk of reduced patient compliance.
The Sustained Release Product is designed to release the cannabinoid content over a period of at least 12 hours. Sustained release formulations of pharmaceutical products are particularly valuable in the treatment of chronic conditions, such as chronic pain, where patients tend to need “around the clock” relief. There is substantial evidence that cannabis is effective for the treatment of numerous conditions including neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain is estimated to affect over two million Canadians and the pharmaceutical market addressing the needs of those patients was about $500 million in 2016.
John H Stewart – Head of Emblem’s Pharmaceutical Division said: “There are numerous examples of drug products where the utilization of advanced dosage forms such as sustained and/or modified release dosage forms significantly improved the efficacy and clinical utility of the active drug substance. We believe that cannabinoid therapy will be advanced via the development of such dosage forms and the associated pharmacokinetic and clinical research.”
Sustained release formulations of pharmaceutical ingredients that are otherwise short-acting (such as cannabinoids) have more convenient dosage schedules, a longer duration of action and tend to be much more accepted by patients and healthcare professionals.
John H Stewart, Head of Emblem’s Pharmaceutical Division
Emblem expects that the introduction of easily titratable, sustained release formulations of cannabinoids will materially increase the market for cannabinoid-based medications, particularly for treatment of conditions such as chronic neuropathic pain.
Jeff Renwick, Canntab CEO said: “We’re excited about the collaboration between us and Emblem. It is a testament to the medicinal delivery technology developed by our team at Canntab. It also allows us to bring to the Canadian market a significant advancement in Cannabis based medicine. Canntab’s patent-pending extended release formulation for the first time lets doctors establish the appropriate dosage for their patients and will make taking medicinal cannabis easier for patients, which should translate into higher patient compliance, making for more effective treatment.”
The ongoing relationship with Emblem allows for further development of our unique platforms, advancing our mission to put the “medical” into medicinal cannabis.
Jeff Renwick, Canntab CEO
Gordon Fox, CEO of Emblem said: “We are very excited about our relationship with Canntab. We expect the Sustained Release Product to have a major impact on the Canadian medical cannabis market. We are also looking forward to further collaborations with Canntab to bring other ground-breaking cannabis based advanced dosage forms to the market.”
About Emblem
Emblem is licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (the “ACMPR”) to cultivate and sell medical marihuana. Emblem carries out its principal activities producing marihuana from its facilities in Paris, Ontario pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) and its regulations.
About Canntab
Canntab Therapeutics Limited is a Canadian cannabis oral dosage formulation company based in Markham Ontario, engaged in the research and development of advanced pharmaceutical grade formulations of cannabinoids. Canntab has developed in-house technology to deliver standardized medical cannabis extract from selective strains in a variety of extended/sustained release pharmaceutical dosages for therapeutic use. Simply put, Canntab’s mission is to put the “Medical” into medicinal cannabis!
Original press release: https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/10/03/1140391/0/en/Emblem-Announces-Exclusive-Agreement-with-Canntab-Therapeutics-for-Cannabinoid-Based-Oral-Sustained-Release-Formulation.html
