#Patents in the #Cannabis Sector; A Growing Trend
#Stocks Mentioned: Veritas Pharma Inc. (CSE: $VRT.C; OTC: $VRTHF), ( $NEPT),
( $GWPH), ( $AXIM), (OTCQB:
$LXRP; CSE: $LXX.C)
Point Roberts, WA, November 29, 2017 –
Investorideas.com, a global news source and investor resource covering cannabis
and hemp stocks issues a sector news alert on patent news and developments and
some of the key players.
David Cohen, Ph.D., a patent consultant
based in Oakland, California told Investor Ideas, “The US
government’s “cannabis is illegal” stance has had little apparent dampening
effect on patent activity per se,
however it’s likely that the opening of markets by the progressive legalization
of cannabis and entry into mainstream medicine will stimulate new levels of
activity. The current approximately 1,500 cannabis-related US patent cases can
be divided into groups: (1) compositions and preparation methods, (2)
characterization of cannabinoids in terms of interaction with human cannabinoid
receptors, and (3) treating diseases.”
He went on to say, “Small companies are focusing on
novel formulations, disease treatment, and opening up new niches, such as
production of cannabinoids by in fermentation vessels, methods used by the
pharmaceutical industry for decades, for the production of complex drugs from
genetically engineered cells.“
For investors following the sector that are taking
note of Patents and IP as a key to success, recent news indicates the trend is
definitely on the rise.
Veritas
Pharma Inc. (CSE: VRT;
OTC: VRTHF; Frankfurt: 2VP), an emerging pharmaceutical and IP development
company, through its 80% owned research arm, Cannevert Therapeutics
Ltd. (“CTL”) filed a provisional patent
application to US Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”) on September 13,
2017 for use of a specific cannabis strain to enhance the actions of opioid
analgesics. An acknowledgement letter from
the USPTO was received recently which provided a filing number of US 62/558,021
for this application.
Opioids are substances that are derived from the
opium poppy plant. They bind to the
human body’s own opioid receptors to provide pain relief or ‘analgesia’ for
patients with acute or chronic pain when prescribed legally; morphine is an
example opioid analgesic. Use of these
drugs for a brief time is considered safe for pain management. However, when
they are overprescribed and/or frequently misused, they produce a sense of
euphoria along with relieving pain.
Hence, drug dependence can occur despite using them as prescribed over
prolonged periods with the potential of fatal overdose. Opioid overdose contributed to more than
33,000 deaths in 2015 according to US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Heroin and fentanyl are the most widely known opioids for their
illegal, recreational use, abuse potential and fatal overdoses. Cannabis
contains substances called cannabinoids that appear to bind to human body’s own
cannabinoid receptors to also produce similar effects to those of the body’s
opioids in mediating analgesia and behavioral effects. However, they do not have the same drug
dependence or overdose potential. When
cannabinoids and opioids are combined, they appear to augment each other’s
effects synergistically. Therefore, the
combination may allow for opioids to be used at lower doses with fewer side
effects for the treatment of pain and related addiction. According Coherent
Market Insights*, the global opioids market was approximately USD $17b in
2015 and is forecasted to moderately increase to near USD $26b in 2024. It indicates that legal cannabis is expected
to impact the opioids market growth as it gets adopted as a safe alternative
pain relieving therapy to opioids and it is increasingly being used to address
related addiction. According to the World Drug Report 2016, approximately 17
million people suffered from opioid drug abuse.
Veritas CEO, Dr. Lui Franciosi stated, “We are pleased
with Cannevert’s latest submission to protect its discovery of a cannabis
strain that could potentially reduce the dose and side effects of clinically
used opioids while maintaining a good pain relieving effect for patients.” Dr. Franciosi goes on to say, “This strain
could be also potentially useful in addressing the current fentanyl crisis
throughout North America. If we’re
targeting pain or opioid addiction, we want to deliver a scientifically tested,
standardized product that clinicians can rely upon.”
*Global Opioids Agonist Drugs Market, By Product
Type (Codeine, Fentanyl, Meperidine, Methadone, Morphine, Hydrocodone),
Therapeutic Application (Pain Management, Cough Treatment, Diarrhea Treatment),
and Geography - Trends, Analysis and Forecast till 2024 (Market Report – March
2017)
On Monday, Neptune
Technologies & Bioressources Inc. (NASDAQ:NEPT)(TSX:NEPT), announced an exclusive, worldwide and royalty
bearing licensing agreement for the use of the MaxSimil® technology, a patented
omega-3 fatty acid delivery technology and strong growth driver of Neptune's
Solutions business, in combination with cannabis-derived products.
This new agreement allows Neptune to research,
manufacture, formulate, distribute and sell monoglyceride omega-3-rich
ingredients in combination with cannabis and/or cannabinoid-rich hemp-derived
ingredients for medical and adult use applications.
As indicated in the past, the Company believes the
MaxSimil® technology has the ability to enhance absorption of lipid-based and
lipid soluble ingredients such as cannabinoids, essential fatty acids including
EPA and DHA omega-3s, vitamins A, D, K and E, CoQ10 and others. This could be
especially beneficial in increasing the absorption of ingredients which are not
easily absorbed, such as cannabidiol (CBD).
"Neptune's strategy is to position itself in
segments characterized by size and growth and the legal cannabis industry fits
well with this and our wellness mission. Our core competencies in science,
regulatory affairs, formulation, commercialization and oil extraction are tremendous
foundations to position ourselves for success. Over the past year, MaxSimil®
has been a proven winner in our Solutions Business and we are excited to apply
this technology to cannabis-derived products. We will now begin investigating
the impact of this innovative technology on the absorption and benefits of
cannabis and cannabinoid ingredients," said Jim Hamilton, President &
CEO of Neptune.
The Company submitted a written application to
Health Canada to produce cannabis oil under the Access to Cannabis for Medical
Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), which at this time has been confirmed by the
agency as being at the Review and Security Clearance stage (stage 2 of 6).
On October 31st, 2017, Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (OTCQB:LXRP) (CSE:LXX),
a drug delivery platform innovator, announced “it has received a new Notice of
Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office
("USPTO") for the use of its technology as a delivery platform for
all cannabinoids including THC; fat soluble vitamins; non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory pain medications ("NSAIDs"); and nicotine.
This Notice of Allowance applies to the delivery of
all active pharmacological ingredients ("APIs") Lexaria had been
seeking. While Lexaria has always had
confidence in its patent applications, the rapid allowance for this broad API
applicability is significantly ahead of Company expectations. As was true with
the Company's existing non-psychoactive cannabinoid patent that was granted in
2016, Lexaria expects formal patent issuance within three to four months which
is expected to provide protection until at least 2035.
Under USPTO practice, there is no opposition period
between allowance and issuance. The patent application number is 15/225,799,
"Food and Beverage Compositions Infused With Lipophilic Active Agents and
Methods of Use Thereof".
Earlier in October, AXIM® Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC: AXIM),
a company in cannabinoid research and development, announced that “the United
States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for
U.S. Application Serial Number 14/982,610, a patent that claims the use of an
ophthalmic solution comprising cannabinoids for the treatment of glaucoma and
symptomatic relief of conjunctival inflammation. A Notice of Allowance is
issued after the USPTO makes a determination that a patent can be granted from
AXIM’s patent application, 14/982,610, filed in December 2015.
AXIM® Biotech announced on March 21, 2017 that it
retained the services of Ora®, Inc., a global Contract Research Organization
(“CRO”), to perform the company’s product development (based on AXIM’s IP) in
glaucoma and dry eye syndrome utilizing cannabinoid-based therapeutics through
its AX-1603 and AX-1606 clinical programs.“
GW
Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq:GWPH),
a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and
commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product
platform, will announce on December 4th, 2017 its fourth quarter and
year-end financial results for the period ending 30 September, 2017.
Commenting on GW Pharmaceuticals, David Cohen, Ph.D said, “GW Pharmaceuticals
(Salisbury, UK) is in a class by itself in terms of the size and scope of its
patent portfolio. It now has a US portfolio of nearly 100 US references
(applications and patents), which is nearly twice as large the portfolio of
Abbvie (Redwood City, CA), the big pharma patent leader, and approximately four
times the size of its nearest small company competitor. GW has focused its
attention on medicinal cannabinoid formulations and on treatment of a wide
range of clinical applications, including treatment of nausea, pain,
inflammation, and epilepsy.
GW Pharmaceuticals has likely secured this patent
position the old -fashioned way: by getting in early, understanding the science
well, using foresight to identify open space in the market and in the patent
landscape, developing a plan, sticking with it, and filing patents
aggressively. Their effort, as reflected in patent filings, has been balanced
between (1) a highly focused effort to develop medically appropriate
formulations and methods of preparation, and (2) a broad view of medical
conditions that may be responsive to cannabinoid treatment. As a model for
smaller companies, a balance between a tight focus and a broader reach such as
that may be instructive.”
David Cohen, Ph.D., is a patent consultant based in Oakland,
California. He has a background in biological sciences and experience in the
pharmaceutical industry. At a career crossroads, he crossed over into patent
law, and as a patent agent, now consults with biotechnology and medical device
companies. He’s recently developed an interest in the cannabis patent landscape
and has become affiliated with the Mazakali Capital Advisory Group of San
Francisco.
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