"We got really lucky about six years ago when we started exploring how cannabinoids might be used to treat drug-resistant infections," says Dr. Dana Lambert, CEO of Andira Pharmaceuticals, in an exclusive interview with Benzinga.

Dr. Lambert doesn't speak like an academic. Despite holding a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences, she talks like someone who has witnessed medicine fail firsthand. She began her career as a hospital pharmacist, working with critically ill patients — people battling cancer, severe infections and other conditions where existing treatments often fell short.

She saw, up close, the limitations of conventional medicine, "particularly when it comes to treating drug-resistant infections and cancer-related conditions."

But instead of accepting those limitations as inevitable, she took a bold step: she left her clinical practice entirely to pursue pharmaceutical research.

"I became increasingly interested in new therapeutic approaches, especially as research started emerging on the potential of cannabinoids in treating cancer and antimicrobial-resistant infections," she says.

That realization drove her to earn a Ph.D.; not because she wanted a career in academia, but because she needed the tools to create real-world solutions.

"I'm probably the furthest thing from an academic scientist you'll ever meet," Lambert says. "I did it because I wanted to learn how to develop drugs and get involved in early-stage research and drug discovery."

What she and her team at Andira Pharmaceuticals uncovered was something that could change how the world fights infections. The discovery? Silvanex: a next-generation antimicrobial technology that could be the answer to drug-resistant "superbugs."

The Problem With Traditional Antimicrobials

"Most traditional antimicrobials — whether they're antibiotics, antifungals or even silver-based products — eventually lose effectiveness because bacteria and fungi evolve resistance over time. That's how we ended up in the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis we're facing today," Lambert explains.

See also: Germany’s Medical Cannabis Boom: Prices Drop Below $4.20/Gram, Prescriptions Surge 1,000%

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria now kill more than 1.27 million people annually, with drug-resistant infections contributing to nearly 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019 alone. If left unaddressed, AMR could lead to more than 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050.

The economic consequences are just as severe. The World Bank estimates AMR could result in a GDP loss of $1 trillion to $3.4 trillion annually by 2030, with global healthcare costs rising by an additional $1 trillion by 2050. If no action is taken, AMR could cause a 3.8% reduction in global GDP, costing the world economy up to $100 trillion by mid-century.

The rise of drug-resistant infections like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Candida auris has intensified the urgency for new treatments.

Candida auris, in particular, has become one of the most concerning fungal threats in modern healthcare, as some strains have become resistant to all available antifungal treatments. "With antimicrobial resistance, silver-based products just aren't cutting it anymore," Lambert says. "They don't have the clinical efficacy needed to protect people from infections."

Silver, once considered a promising antimicrobial alternative, also has limitations. It's widely used in wound dressings, medical textiles, and coatings, but its effectiveness is modest at best. For years, researchers have been trying to find ways to enhance silver's antimicrobial effects without increasing its toxicity. That's exactly what Andira Pharmaceuticals set out to do.

A Triple-Synergy Solution

Rather than relying on silver alone, Andira Pharmaceuticals took a different approach. Silvanex is based on a "triple-synergy" mechanism, combining silver with two cannabinoids: cannabichromene (CBC) and cannabigerol (CBG).

What makes it revolutionary is that instead of just slightly improving silver's antimicrobial properties, the combination increases silver's effectiveness by 800%.

"When you take cannabinoids by themselves, they may be effective against some types of bacteria or fungi, but not others. That makes them unreliable as stand-alone antimicrobial agents," Lambert explains. "But when combined with silver in the right way, the synergy makes silver exponentially more effective."

See also: How Ozempic And Legal Weed Are Changing What America Eats

Silvanex has shown potent antimicrobial activity against a wide range of harmful bacteria — including drug-resistant superbugs.

The discovery didn't stop there. Silvanex also proved highly effective against fungal pathogens, an area where traditional antimicrobials have struggled.

"One of the most dangerous fungal infections today is Candida auris. The situation is so bad that certain strains are now resistant to all available antifungal drug treatments. That's why the CDC advises clinicians to consider investigational treatments for pan-resistant cases," Lambert adds.

But Silvanex changed that equation.

"Unlike conventional antimicrobials, it not only kills infectious microbes but may also help prevent resistance from developing," Lambert says.

A New Standard For Infection Control

With the stakes as high as they are, the challenge wasn't just creating a more effective antimicrobial; it was ensuring Silvanex could be safely and efficiently brought to market. Unlike traditional silver-based antimicrobials that require high doses to work, Silvanex achieves superior efficacy at significantly lower concentrations.

That distinction is critical, as excessive silver exposure has been linked to delayed wound healing and cytotoxic effects.

Andira Pharmaceuticals' approach to drug development was both rigorous and deliberate.

"We're not just trying to introduce another antimicrobial," Lambert says. "We're developing something that healthcare providers can trust — something that works better than anything currently available and can be integrated into standard medical practice."

See also: He Worked On Producing Oxygen On Mars, Now He Builds Cannabis Robots: The Fascinating Story Of Sorting Robotics

Silvanex's formulation is optimized for topical use, making it a strong candidate for wound care, surgical site infection prevention and hospital-acquired infection control. Unlike traditional antibiotics, which must be administered systemically and face significant challenges related to drug resistance, Silvanex is designed to act locally, right at the site of infection.

This topical approach also addresses a major limitation of cannabinoids in antimicrobial research: they lose their antimicrobial properties entirely once they enter the bloodstream.

"Cannabinoids lose their antimicrobial properties entirely once they enter systemic circulation," Lambert explains. "That's why Silvanex will always be used as a topical treatment. The synergy between silver, CBC and CBG remains intact in external applications, where we see the full benefit of its infection-fighting potential."

In the fight against hospital-acquired infections, this represents a major leap forward.

Turning Innovation Into Medicine: Silvanex's Road To Market

Bringing a novel drug to market requires more than just groundbreaking science: it demands years of rigorous testing, regulatory approvals and a strategic path to commercialization.

Andira is now preparing to advance Silvanex through the next critical phases of development, starting with clinical trials. The company's pipeline of Silvanex product candidates includes a topical drug formulated as an anti-infective cream, as well as antimicrobial wound dressings. According to Lambert, the wound dressings are on track for regulatory submission as medical devices, which, if approved, offers a faster pathway to market compared to new drug applications.

The company is currently in preclinical testing, conducting essential toxicology and safety studies to meet the stringent requirements set by regulatory agencies.

"Right now, we're about a year away from entering Phase 1 clinical trials, and our goal is to progress through clinical development as efficiently as possible," Lambert says. "We've conducted extensive preclinical testing and have seen promising results against multiple drug-resistant pathogens, including some on the FDA's QIDP list. While there's no guarantee, we believe Silvanex has strong potential to qualify."

With strategic partnerships in the works, Andira is positioning Silvanex not just as an incremental improvement, but as a potential paradigm shift in antimicrobial treatment.

A Critical Moment In Medicine?

The world is at a crossroads when it comes to fighting superbugs. Without new solutions, drug-resistant infections could turn once-minor ailments into deadly, untreatable threats.

Silvanex represents a potential breakthrough in infection control, offering an alternative where traditional treatments have failed. By leveraging cannabinoids in a way that enhances rather than replaces existing medical solutions, Andira Pharmaceuticals has developed a novel approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance.

With Phase 1 clinical trials on the horizon for the development of Silvanex as a topical drug product and strategic partnerships in motion for the development of Silvanex antimicrobial wound dressings, Andira aims to bring Silvanex to market as efficiently as possible. If successful, this innovation could mark a turning point in infection prevention, helping to curb one of the greatest threats to global health.

Photo: Courtesy of Tinnakorn Jorruang via Shutterstock