The First Cannabinoid Company to be Part of Johnson & Johnson's Incubator JLABS is Readying for Pharmaceutical Distribution

Photo provided by Avicanna Inc.

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Avicanna Inc. AVCN AVCNF 0NN is a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative and biotechnological advancements in the medical cannabis industry. Its product lines include RHO Phyto standardized medical cannabis products, Pura H&W™ brand, a dermatologist-tested CBD cosmetics line offered in the Canadian and South American markets. 

But now, the company says its pharmaceutical pipeline is also reaching maturity and is dedicating its resources on a different venture — cannabinoid-derived pharmaceuticals.

4-Years of R&D and Multiple Studies

In 2017, Avicanna became the first marijuana company to be accepted into Johnson & Johnson’s JNJ JLABS in Toronto.

JLABS, a 40,000 square-foot life science innovation center, provides a flexible environment for startup companies pursuing new technologies and research platforms to advance medical care.

“Our first approach with them was very positive,” Avicanna’s CEO and Co-Founder Aras Azadian told Benzinga in 2017. “However, we knew they did not accept cannabinoid related companies before.”

The CEO and his team explained that Avicanna is not just a cannabinoid company but more of a biotech company involved in the cannabis space, and this sealed the deal. 

Today, with more than 4 years of research and development (R&D) including product development and pre-clinical studies conducted at JLABS, the company has commercialized 30+ advanced formulations, has entered 14 international markets and believes its advancements in cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals are positioned to flourish. 

The company completed its first set of human cosmetic trials on Pura Earth products including eczema, acne, and aging prone skin in 2019. Avicanna considered all 3 to be successful and upon completion moved on to real world evidence studies on its RHO Phyto brand of products to address pain, sleep, depression, epilepsy, and palliative care. Now, the company is turning its attention to its pharmaceutical pipeline. 

The epidermolysis bullosa trial is currently in the approval stage, while the osteoarthritis trial has completed its pre-clinical phase. In parallel the company is already in the process of registering specific pharmaceutical products in South America for marketing authorization where specific pharmaceutical standards are already met, and dossiers are prepared.

A Transition or Simply Reapplying

Avicanna is confident that there’s overlap in the transition from medical cannabis to pharmaceuticals. In fact, the company is generating significant data through its commercial sales of RHO Phyto medical products across Canada’s largest pharmacy chain and in major Canadian hospitals. Data that the company believes will help guide its clinical trials and increase the potential of success.

The company feels prepared to move forward with pharmaceutical trials and believes it is well-positioned for the initial distribution of several generic drugs as well as phytotherapeutics in South America where they will treat a variety of indications including epilepsy. 

Indication-Specific Drugs and Pharmaceutical Pipeline 

By leveraging its R&D relationship with JLABS, Avicanna is aiming to distribute several generic pharmaceuticals in the 1st half of 2022 to Latin American markets.

The company also expects to commercialize its rare disease pharmaceutical pipeline sometime in 2023 as well. These drugs are projected for wider distribution, including in the U.S., Canadian, European, and Latin American markets.

Avicanna’s drug development program includes treatment for indications such as refractory epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, epidermolysis bullosa, and osteoarthritis. Cannabinoid delivery platforms include topical, nasal, sublingual and oral technologies with improved absorption profiles.

More About Avicanna

Avicanna is a Canadian biopharmaceutical company seeking to provide the global marketplace with advanced natural cannabinoid solutions through an evidence-based approach offered across several product platforms including API, medical, pharmaceutical, and derma cosmetics. 

As a multinational organization with vertical integration, Avicanna is focused on using the scientific research related to plant-derived cannabinoid products through its internal research platforms and strategic collaborations with world-class research institutions.

Avicanna’s years of research and development were conducted at its Canadian headquarters within the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Centre (JLABS@Toronto) at MaRS Innovation and through an exclusive research agreement at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto.

For the past 4 years, R&D has been headed by Frantz Le Devedec, Ph.D. executive vice president of research and product development at Avicanna.

Visit https://www.avicanna.com/ for​​ further information.

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information.