Formation of Scientific Advisory Board

RNS Number : 1324J

Oxford Cannabinoid Tech.Holdings

25 April 2022

 

25 April 2022

Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Holdings plc

("OCTP", or the "Company")

Formation of Scientific Advisory Board to Support Clinical Strategy

Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Holdings plc (LSE: OCTP, OTCQB: OCTHF), the pharmaceutical company developing prescription cannabinoid medicines targeting the US$ multi-billion pain market is pleased to announce the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board ("SAB").

With the Company's current focus on the treatment of neuropathic pain conditions, the composition of the SAB will initially comprise Professor Robert Dworkin, Professor Anthony Dickenson, and Doctor Giorgio Lambru, together a team of innovators and clinicians with an emphasis on linking pre-clinical research, clinical trials and the care of patients. The SAB will work closely with OCTP's Chief Scientific Officer, Doctor Valentino Parravicini, to provide scientific guidance on the Company's strategy and overall approach to clinical trials. Its initial focus will be to advise on the design of the Company's upcoming phase 1 clinical trials for OCT130401 and OCT461201, anticipated in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 respectively, to help OCTP best address the needs of patients. The SAB will also help to shape the Company's approach as it looks beyond phase 1, to phase 2 clinical trials, in patients affected by debilitating pain conditions.

Professor Robert Dworkin, who has been a consultant to the Company since November 2021, is a Professor in the departments of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Neurology, and Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center School of Medicine and Dentistry, New York State. He is also a Director of ACTTION (Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks) a public-private partnership with the United States Food and Drug Administration. Professor Dworkin's major research interests are the methodologic aspects of analgesic clinical trials and the treatment and prevention of chronic neuropathic and musculoskeletal pain. Through ongoing studies he is evaluating the research designs and methods, clinical outcome assessments, and statistical analyses used in clinical trials of treatments for acute and chronic pain.

Doctor Giorgio Lambru, who has been a consultant to the Company since February 2022, is a Consultant Neurologist at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, and Honorary Senior Lecturer at King's College London. Dr Lambru is an expert in headache and facial pain conditions, including neuropathic pain and general neurology conditions. He has authored a number of scientific publications on these conditions and has a clinic dedicated to complex headache and facial pain disorders.

Professor Anthony Dickenson, who has been a consultant to the Company since May 2021, is Emeritus Professor of Neuropharmacology at University College, London. Professor Dickenson's research is focused on understanding the mechanisms of pain including how pain can be controlled in both normal and patho-physiological conditions and how to translate basic science to patients. He is an Honorary Member of the British Pain Society, a member of the council of the International Association for the Study of Pain, was a founding member of the London Pain Consortium (Welcome Trust), and is involved in many advisory boards.

The formation of the SAB underpins the next stage of the Company's development and highlights its commitment to grow a best-in-class network of partners - scientific, academic and commercial. 

OCTP Chief Scientific Officer, Doctor Valentino Parravicini said:

"Our research ethos is to develop breakthrough therapies for debilitating pain conditions with significant as yet unmet medical needs. We are honoured and delighted to formalise our relationships with Professors Robert Dworkin and Anthony Dickenson and Doctor Giorgio Lambru as our SAB, whose combined experience and advice in developing our drug candidates will, we are sure, be invaluable."

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the content of this announcement.

Enquiries:

Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Holdings plc Dr John Lucas (CEO) Clarissa Sowemimo-Coker (COO)	[phone] [e-mail] [e-mail]
Cairn Financial Advisers Emily Staples Jo Turner	[phone] [phone]
Walbrook PR Limited Paul Vann Nick Rome Harbor Access LLC (US/OTCB enquiries) Jonathan Paterson Richard Leighton	[phone] [phone] [e-mail] [phone] [e-mail]

About Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Holdings Plc :

Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Holdings plc ("OCTP") is the holding company of Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Ltd ("OCT"), a pharmaceutical company developing prescription cannabinoid medicines for approval by key medicines regulatory agencies worldwide and targeting the U$ multi-billion pain market (together the "Group"). Cannabinoids are compounds found in the cannabis plant that have been shown to have a range of therapeutic effects on the body, including pain relief. The Group has a clearly defined path to commercialisation, revenues and growth. The Group is developing drug candidates through clinical trials to gain regulatory approval (FDA/MHRA/EMA) that will enable medical professionals to prescribe them with confidence.

The Group's portfolio aims to balance risk, value and time to market, whilst ensuring market exclusivity around all its key activities. The Group's lead compound, OCT461201, is a highly potent and selective CB2 agonist and is being developed by OCT in a solid oral dosage form. OCT is conducting pre-clinical testing and development with clinical trials scheduled for Q1 2023. The Group's product pipeline also uses a balanced drug product strategy that employs both natural and synthetic compounds for the treatment of rare diseases and includes chemically modified phytocannabinoids with improved drug-like characteristics and a proprietary library of cannabinoids.

OCTP operates a partnership model with external academic and commercial partners.

Caution regarding forward looking statements

Certain statements in this announcement, are, or may be deemed to be, forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as ''believe'', ''could'', "should" ''envisage'', ''estimate'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''plan'', ''potentially'', "expect", ''will'' or the negative of those, variations or comparable expressions, including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof), competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities. Such forward looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors.

 

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