Psychedelics Represent a New Frontier for Mental Healthcare

FinancialBuzz.com News Commentary

NEW YORK, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite the various stigmas associated with psychedelics, there is a growing acceptance of using psychedelic drugs specifically to treat depression. Such drugs have regularly proven their potential effectiveness for treatment of nicotine dependence, alcohol dependence, anxiety associated terminal illness and chronic PTSD. According to date published by Data Bridge Market Research, the psychedelic drugs market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 16.3% in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027 and is anticipated to reach USD 6.85 Billion by 2027 from just about USD 2 Billion in 2019. These projections are based in part on the data published by several universities and research institutes indicating findings from studies conducted on the usefulness and applications of psilocybin - a naturally occurring psychedelic prodrug compound produced by more than 200 species of mushrooms. Just last year, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine opened the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research in Baltimore. Headed by renowned researcher Roland R. Griffiths, Ph.D., the Center aims to research the use of psychedelics to study the mind and identify therapies for psychiatric conditions. Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (OTC: NLBIF) (CSE: MYCO), Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYNE), Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA), Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED), Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (NYSE: IIPR).

The path of psychedelic products is similar to that of cannabis products in years past. Medical cannabis can already be found in many regions around the world such as parts of the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Thailand, and South Korea. Predominantly, the overall CBD market is driven by the medical sector. "CBD has a number of known properties beneficial to the human condition, and research is just beginning," Aster Farms President Sam Ludwig told Civilized. "There are two markets for CBD: as a supplement, mild pain reliever and relaxant, and in larger doses, as a truly beneficial remedy for a variety of serious illnesses. There is no doubt it will be dominant supplement for years to come. CBD-heavy flower can be a very effective relaxant for both mind and body. However, people looking for CBD only will find the cleanest and most focused relief in the form of tinctures and capsules. We think the CBD flower market is a trend and will give way to the more concentrated forms. Like an Omega-3 for the body and mind."

Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (OTC: NLBIF) (CSE: MYCO) announced earlier last week breaking news regarding the, "establishment of a research division agreement with Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation ("API"), a translational commercial drug development institute hosted in the University of Alberta's Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The agreement with API provides exceptional capacity for Mydecine and the ability to significantly speed their product development with leading experts in the pharmaceutical sciences and established drug development facilities. The Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is consistently ranked in the top 15 globally for the citations of research by international QS rankings in pharmacy and pharmacology and includes a wide range of experts from discovery, pharmaceutical analysis, drug action, disposition, formulation and clinical development.¹ Mydecine is also able to access broader expertise through the agreement such as API's collaborating institute the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) - ranked among the top 5 institutes in the world for AI/ML² ? as well as experts in mycology, pharmacometrics, neuropharmacology and much more at universities throughout the API network.

Through the agreement, Mydecine has the ability to immediately commence fungal discovery investigations with varietal mushrooms and their extracts, including scheduled substances. With access to GMP capacity and Health Canada licenses that include the ability to move to import and export, conduct R&D, and clinical trials Mydecine is able to begin work that will take other companies years to establish the capability for. Research and development is commencing with a significant program to extract, analyze, and determine the effects of various compounds from fungi and their pharmacokinetic disposition and development of dosage forms for specific indications, providing Mydecine with an extensive assets and capacity to become a leader in the space. The end goal is developing products with clinical applications over a period of three years.  In exchange for these services, MYCO entered into a two-year commitment and will be paying API a total $1,099,345 in year one and $1,136,249 in year two ending February 1, 2022. Year three and beyond will be a right of first refusal to either party.

'We see this agreement as a core component of our work as a company,' says Mydedine CEO Josh Bartch, 'the API team at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences gives us the ability to rocket our product development ahead by years, providing the know-how, facilities, and licenses to quickly establish Mydecine as a leader in naturally sourced therapies for a wide variety of indications. The research division also provides a phenomenal synergy with our other recent acquisitions, giving us a dedicated team to explore myco-inspired treatments particularly for areas of high need such as mental health.'

'Our partnership with the University of Alberta will unlock brand new avenues for the study of medical uses of mushrooms,' Robert Roscow, CSO of Mydecine. 'This partnership is a fundamental aspect of Mydecine's expanding unique research network. We are investigating the potential of mushrooms and their compounds to improve human health and wellness. This research partnership opens up, not only investigation of single molecules from mushrooms but also more complex formulations. The breadth of research resources at the University of Alberta, from world class AI to cultivation and pharmacology, as well as their possession of Health Canada License allows an unprecedented level of study.'

'Back to the fungal future,' Dr. Neal Davies, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 'Pharmaceutical activity of fungal metabolites have been known for at least 15 centuries and contemporary research has discovered some novel molecule leads for unique mycological medications for nature inspired treatments in the new millennium. This bodes very well for the program developing promising treatments.'

'We're thrilled to be working with Mydecine,' says API CEO, Andrew MacIsaac, 'we see their focus as one of growing importance and high potential that will serve them well. By developing a world class R&D program that discovers potential new lead compounds, synergistic effects, and increased therapeutic indications for mushroom-derived products, Mydecine will stand out in this bourgeoning sector.'"

¹ http://csrankings.org/#/fromyear/1990/toyear/2020/index?ai&mlmining&world

² https://investalberta.ca/industry-profiles/artificial-intelligence/

For our latest "Buzz on the Street" Show featuring Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. recent corporate news, please head over to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKX_UdiH9To

Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYNE), the leader in innovative pharmaceutically-produced transdermal cannabinoid therapies for rare and near-rare neuropsychiatric disorders, presented data in March further describing the baseline characteristics of the pediatric and adolescent patients in the fully-enrolled Phase 2 BRIGHT trial of Zygeltm (CBD transdermal gel; ZYN002) in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), indicating that the trial enrolled a broad population of patients with moderate-to-severe ASD.  "ASD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties with behaviors, communication, and social interaction," said Zynerba's Chief Medical Officer, Joseph M. Palumbo. "Pediatric and adolescent patients with ASD may also present with profound clinical anxiety, above the rate seen in neurotypical children, further complicating their condition and treatment regimen. Unfortunately, current ASD management options are restricted to cognitive behavioral therapy and a small number of approved pharmacologic treatments, highlighting the substantial unmet need for novel therapies in this population. We believe that we have enrolled an appropriate population of patients into our well-designed exploratory BRIGHT trial to enable a robust analysis of outcomes to help inform the design of future double-blind, placebo-controlled studies."

Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) announced back in May that its subsidiary, ASG Pharma Ltd., had received its European Union Good Manufacturing Practices certification from the Malta Medicines Authority in respect of production of cannabis for medicinal and research purposes.  "We are pleased to receive EU GMP certification for ASG in Malta, our third facility to achieve this milestone, which really speaks to the Company's commitment to quality," said Irwin D. Simon, Chief Executive Officer. "We remain excited about growth opportunities as this increases our ability to serve, and further strengthens Aphria's leadership, in the European Union."

Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) announced back in April news regarding the American-made CBD brand, First & Free, a new line of CBD Creams: Everyday, Motion and Revitalize. The creams are the latest addition to First & Free's portfolio of hemp-derived CBD isolate products including oil drops and softgel capsules, which launched exclusively in the U.S. last December. The new product line includes three distinct topical creams with CBD isolate that has been derived from 100% USA-grown hemp. Each 1.76 oz tube contains 2500 mg of CBD, making First & Free the highest strength hemp-derived CBD topical cream on the US market. (*Based on product portfolios from the top 5 CBD companies according to Brightfield Research Group 2018-19 data). According to Canopy Growth Chief Commercial Officer David Bigioni, "With our new line of topical creams, First & Free is building a portfolio to treat the everyday stressors that affect both body and mind. We're proud to offer the highest strength topical cream on the US market ? up to five times the CBD of other topicals ? at a great value."

Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (NYSE: IIPR), the first and only real estate company on the New York Stock Exchange focused on the regulated U.S. cannabis industry, announced recently that it closed on the acquisition of a property in Michigan, which comprises approximately 115,000 sq. ft. of industrial space in the aggregate. The purchase price for the property was USD 5 Million (excluding transaction costs). Concurrent with the closing of the purchase, IIP entered into a long-term, triple-net lease agreement for the property with a wholly owned subsidiary of Cresco Labs Inc. (Cresco), which intends to operate the property as a regulated cannabis cultivation and processing facility upon completion of redevelopment.

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