Avicanna Expands its Epilepsy Research Program with a New Collaboration with the University of Toronto

Dr. Mac Burnham’s team will explore Avicanna’s drug candidate and its proprietary combination of cannabinoids in pre-clinical model for seizures.

Avicanna further expands its current research and commercial focus in Epilepsy which is supported by current medical cannabis sales and on-going research with UHN

TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avicanna Inc. (“Avicanna” or the “Company”) (TSX: AVCN) (OTCQX: AVCNF) (FSE: 0NN), a commercial stage, international biopharmaceutical company focused on the commercialization of evidence-based, cannabinoid-based products, is pleased to announce that it has expanded its research collaboration in field of Epilepsy with a new collaboration with the University of Toronto and Dr. Mac Burnham’s research team to explore the efficacy of Avicanna’s proprietary formulations in pre-clinical models for Epilepsy.

New research collaboration with University of Toronto

The research collaboration led by Dr. Mac Burnham’s team will explore the efficacy of Avicanna’s drug candidates including AVCN319302 in animal models for Epilepsy. In addition, the research collaboration will evaluate the anti-seizure properties of rare cannabinoids in isolation and in combination. Dr. Burnham is a professor emeritus of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and is a co-director of EpLink, the Ontario Brain Institute’s Epilepsy Research Program. He has over 150 publications and has contributed greatly to the advancement of anti-seizure therapies.

According to Dr. Burnham, “The cannabinoids, alone and in combination, are some of the most promising antiseizure drugs that I have seen in many years of research.”

Ongoing research collaboration with University Health Network

The research by Dr. Burnham’s team will expand on an existing collaboration with the University Health Network and Dr. Peter Carlen, a professor of medicine and physiology at Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and senior scientist at the Toronto Western Research Institute.

The previously reported, electrophysiological studies on seizure induced wildtype cortical slices determined that Avicanna’s proprietary drug candidate, AVCN319302, had significant anti-convulsant effects and demonstrated strong potential to treat patients diagnosed with intractable forms of Epilepsies and those at risk of seizure-induced Sudden Unexpected Death.  

“We are excited to continue expanding our research on cannabinoids and their anti-seizure properties in the field of Epilepsy and to be doing so with leading Canadian institutions and key opinion leaders. In parallel, we are also excited by the rate of early acceptance of our medical cannabis formulation (RHO Phyto Micro Drop 50 CBD) by epilepsy patients, where such early acceptance also provides real world data and evidence. The combination of real-world evidence and ongoing research collaborations enable us to further develop our pharmaceutical pipeline and further progress our drug candidate in the field of epilepsy,” noted Dr. Karolina Urban, Vice President Scientific and Medical Affairs.

About Avicanna Inc.

Avicanna is a commercial-stage international biopharmaceutical company focused on the advancement and commercialization of evidence-based cannabinoid-based products for the global medical and pharmaceutical market segments. Avicanna has an established scientific platform including R&D and clinical development that has led to the commercialization of more than thirty products across various market segments:

Medical Cannabis & Wellness Products: Marketed under the RHO Phyto™ brand these medical and wellness products are a line of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid products containing varying ratios of cannabidiol (“CBD”) and tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”). The product portfolio contains a full formulary of products including oral, sublingual, topical, and transdermal deliveries that have controlled dosing, enhanced absorption and stability studies supported by pre-clinical data. The formulary is marketed with consumer, patient and medical-community education and training.

Pharmaceutical Pipeline: Leveraging Avicanna’s scientific platform, vertical integration, and real-world evidence, Avicanna has created a pipeline of patent-pending drug candidates that are indication-specific and in various stages of clinical development and commercialization. These cannabinoid-based drug candidates look to address unmet medical needs in the areas of dermatology, chronic pain, and various neurological disorders. Avicanna’s first pharmaceutical preparation (Trunerox™) is in the drug registration stage in South America.

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SOURCE Avicanna Inc.

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