Pharmos
Corporation Receives Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent
Protects
Novel Dexanabinol Derivatives for Treatment of Neuroinflammatory
and Neurodegenerative Disorders
ISELIN,
N.J., June 10 -- Pharmos Corporation (Nasdaq: PARS and
Nasdaq Europe: PHRM) announced today it has received a
Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and
Trademark Office for a patent application relating to
the Company's novel non-psychotropic cannabinoid platform
technology.
"This patent broadens and protects the potential
use of our technology in developing drugs for many neurological,
cardiovascular and immunological clinical indications
that involve inflammatory and degenerative pathological
processes," said Haim Aviv, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO.
The allowed claims cover novel synthetic dextrocannabinoids
developed by Pharmos, including heterocyclic and amine
derivatives of dexanabinol, and their use in the treatment
of inflammatory disorders, neurodegenerative disorders,
brain ischemia, autoimmune diseases and pain.
Due
to their stereospecificity, the novel compounds lack binding
activity at the two known cannabinoid receptors CB1 and
CB2, and as a result are devoid of psychotropic side effects
seen with naturally occurring cannabinoids. Drug candidates
in this family may exert their effects via a plurality
of mechanisms and have been effective in preclinical models
of a variety of indications including stroke, pain, multiple
sclerosis and other disorders.
Compounds
disclosed and claimed in this patent application may provide
the basis for a stroke drug -- with preferred compounds
such as PRS-211,092, PRS-211,095 and PRS-211,220 performing
well as neuroprotectants in the middle cerebral artery
occlusion (MCAo) model for this indication. These compounds
both reduced the volume of the infarct following the ischemic
insult and improved the functional recovery as assessed
in the staircase test. Moreover, these compounds are effective
in reducing the production of inflammatory mediators including
enzymes, cytokines and chemokines. Such anti-inflammatory/immuno-modulating
activity has wide ranging applications in a variety of
pathological conditions. Additionally, two of these compounds,
PRS-211,095 and PRS-211,220, were tested in an animal
model for neuropathic pain and have shown efficacy, resulting
in a reduction of allodynia (pain from stimuli not normally
painful) and hyperalgesia (extreme sensitivity to painful
stimuli).
Dexanabinol,
a prototype of the tricyclic dextrocannabinoid family,
is currently undergoing clinical testing as a treatment
for traumatic brain injury and as a preventive agent against
post-cardiac surgery cognitive impairment. Pharmos has
also developed synthetic cannabinoids that act as CB2
receptor agonists and these proprietary compounds are
being studied in pre-clinical programs targeting pain,
autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and other disorders.
Statements
made in this press release related to the business outlook
and future financial performance of the Company, to the
prospective market penetration of its drug products, to
the development and commercialization of the Company's
pipeline products and to the Company's expectations in
connection with any future event, condition, performance
or other matter, are forward-looking and are made pursuant
to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and
uncertainties which may cause results to differ materially
from those set forth in these statements. Additional economic,
competitive, governmental, technological, marketing and
other factors identified in Pharmos' filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission could affect such results.
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