Not Your Parent's Weed: A Synthetic Cannabinoid Derivative Reaches Clinical Trials for Autoimmune and Fibrotic Diseases
Dr. Alain Rolland, Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President of Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals, talks to Lonza about using novel synthetic drug candidates derived from cannabinoids for unmet medical needs.
Cannabinoids are emerging as a serious treatment option for autoimmune and other immune-related diseases thanks to their modifications as synthetic derivatives. Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP) has widened the potential application of cannabinoids by designing cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) derivatives that have a greater effect on the endocannabinoid system and can even interact with receptors and pathways from other biosystems to treat autoimmune and fibrotic diseases. Advances by EHP and others are contributing to the larger acceptance of those novel molecules by the medical community and regulatory authorities. These are exciting times for cannabinoid researchers at EHP and their investors, given that the company has begun enrollment and dosed its first patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) in its Phase 2a clinical study of EHP-101, EHP's oral formulation of a patented new chemical entity (NCE) derived from CBD, and preparations for the initiation of a Phase 2 study in multiple sclerosis are planned for later this year. In addition, EHP-102, an oral formulation of a patented NCE derived from CBG, is in preclinical development for the treatment of Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.
Curious to Know More?
Listen to the conversation between Lonza and Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals in this episode of the podcast "A View On."KEY TERMS:
Cannabinoid: These are chemicals found in the cannabis plant, notably the psychoactive chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but also the non-psychoactive molecules cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG).
Cannabinoid receptors: Through these receptors, cannabinoid molecules receive and transduce signals to the human biological system and produce their effects on the body. There are two known cannabinoid receptors—CB1, found primarily in the central nervous system, and CB2, found primarily in the immune system.
Endocannabinoid: These chemicals are naturally produced by the body and interact with the cannabinoid receptors. Together, they represent the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
Endocannabinoid system (ECS): This system of endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors plays an important role in health and wellness, similarly to other systems such as the cardiovascular system, the central nervous system or the respiratory system, and it can be targeted for cannabinoid therapy. The ECS was discovered in the early 1990s, and it is believed to be involved in a wide array of processes including cognition, fertility, pain sensation, and the immune system.
Cannabidiol (CBD): Perhaps the best known of the cannabinoids besides THC, CBD is often extracted from cannabis plants exhibiting a low THC content for therapeutic uses, including the treatment of insomnia, pain, nausea and certain forms of epilepsy. EHP's synthetic CBD derivatives contain no THC and have been modified to interact with the non-psychoactive CB2 receptor only of the ECS as well as additional systems.
Cannabigerol (CBG): Considered by many to be "the next CBD," CBG is significantly less present in the cannabis plant but promises to have similar therapeutic benefits as CBD. By synthesizing and producing derivatives of both CBD and CBG, EHP is opening the door to new chemical entities and pharmaceutical products that expand upon currently available treatments.