On December 20, 2021 Pfizer reported is to enter the medical cannabis industry betting on a promising cannabinoid-based bowel disease treatment (Press release, Biosortia Pharmaceuticals, DEC 20, 2021, View Source [SID1234607738]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Last week, American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation Pfizer signed an agreement with the clinical-stage company Arena Pharmaceuticals for a total equity value of around $6.7 billion.

Under the agreement terms, Pfizer acquires all shares for $100 per share in an all-cash transaction. Moreover, the press release reads that the proposed transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals and approval by Arena’s stockholders.

Arena Pharmaceuticals is a biotech company with one pipeline dedicated to cannabinoid-type therapeutics. The core of its cannabis operation consists of Olorinab (APD371), an investigational, oral, full agonist of the cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2), which aims to treat patients with diseases affecting the stomach and intestine. As Arena’s website states, Olorinab is an investigational drug and is not currently approved for use by any health authority.

Arena’s team is developing this cannabinoid-based drug with an initial focus on visceral pain associated with gastrointestinal disorders. Arena’s website reads that this compound, through its selectivity for CB2 versus CB1, is under investigation for pain relief without psychoactive adverse effects.

CB1 and CB2 receptors bind to the endocannabinoid system, a complex cell-signaling system. These receptors are present throughout the human body. Endocannabinoids, such as THC and CBD, can bind to both receptors to signal that the endocannabinoid system needs to take action. However, the effects depend on the endocannabinoid receptor and the cannabinoid’s interaction with the receptor.

"The proposed acquisition of Arena complements our capabilities and expertise in Inflammation and Immunology, a Pfizer innovation engine developing potential therapies for patients with debilitating immuno-inflammatory diseases with a need for more effective treatment options," said in the press release Mike Gladstone, Global President of Inflammation & Immunology at Pfizer.

Amit D. Munshi, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Arena, said that Pfizer’s capabilities would accelerate Arena’s mission to deliver essential medicines to patients and believes this transaction represents the best next step for both patients and shareholders.

"We’re delighted to announce Pfizer’s proposed acquisition of Arena, recognizing Arena’s potentially best in class S1P molecule and our contribution to addressing unmet needs in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases," he said.

Arena’s portfolio also includes other non-cannabinoid drug pipelines, focusing on developing innovative potential therapies to treat several immuno-inflammatory diseases.

By acquiring Arena, Pfizer enters the medical cannabis industry and joins other Big Pharma companies in the cannabis space.

Big pharmaceutical companies have entered the market through several operations in the past years.

Canadian research and development (R&D) company Avicanna became a resident company at Jonhson & Johnson’s JLabs in Toronto in 2017.

One year later, Canadian Tilray went global through an agreement with Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG to develop and distribute its medical cannabis products in legal jurisdictions worldwide.

In May 2021, global biopharmaceutical company Jazz Pharmaceutical completed the acquisition of GW Pharmaceuticals, the developer of Epidiolex, the first FDA-authorized CBD medicine for treating children with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes.

Like Big Tobacco companies, Big Pharma’s interest in the medical cannabis industry grows with the space’s fast-evolving cannabinoids industry. R&D on cannabinoids is achieving exciting results in the treatment application. For this reason, it is expected to see further involvement of pharmaceutical companies in the medical cannabis industry in the following years.

On December 20, 2021 Diffusion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: DFFN) ("Diffusion" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies that enhance the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to areas where it is needed most, reported that the Company will present at H.C. Wainwright BioConnect and participate in Biotech Showcase and BIO Partnering at JPM (Press release, Diffusion Pharmaceuticals, DEC 20, 2021, View Source [SID1234597951]). All three events are scheduled alongside the J.P. Morgan 40th Annual Healthcare Conference 2022.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Details of the events are as follows:

Event: Biotech Showcase
Date: January 10-12, 2022
Registration: https://informaconnect.com/biotech-showcase/registration-options/

Event: H.C. Wainwright BioConnect
Date: January 10-13, 2022
Registration: View Source

Event: BIO Partnering at JPM
Date: January 10-14, 2022
Registration: View Source
During the conference events, members of the Diffusion management team will participate in virtual one-on-one meetings with registered investors and pharmaceutical companies.

Registered attendees in the H.C. Wainwright BioConnect conference will be able to view a prerecorded, virtual presentation by Diffusion CEO Robert Cobuzzi, Jr., Ph.D. highlighting Diffusion’s business and recent corporate achievements, including the recently announced dosing of the first participants and patients in its last two Oxygenation Trials, the Altitude and ILD-DLCO Trials, with its lead product candidate, trans sodium crocetinate, or TSC. Dr. Cobuzzi also will describe certain aspects of the Company’s rationale for its plans to design and execute a clinical program to support the use of intravenously administered TSC as an adjunctive treatment for hypoxic solid tumors.

On December 20, China Securities Journal reported the list of the 23rd (2020) "Golden Bull Awards" for listed companies (Press release, Shanghai Medicilon, DEC 20, 2021, View Source [SID1234597765]). Shanghai Medicilon Inc. (Medicilon) won the 2020 "Golden Bull Science and Technology Innovation Award."

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

This is after Medicilon’s "Internet + One-Stop Preclinical Medicine R&D Service Platform" was awarded "Science and Technology Innovation Service Demonstration Cases" and won the "Golden Horse Award-2021 Best Preclinical CRO/CDMO" on the China Biomedical Industry Chain Innovation and recongized as the "Shanghai Enterprise Technology Center", Medicilon’s scientific and technological innovation strength has been recognized by the market again.

The "Golden Bull Award" is a financial brand created by China Securities Journal and the most influential award in China’s capital market. Since the China Securities Journal launched the first selection of "China’s Top 50 Listed Companies with the Most Development Potential" in July 1999, the selection of the Golden Bull Award for listed companies has reached the 23rd. The Golden Bull Award has witnessed the development of the capital market, recorded the extraordinary performance of listed companies in the securities market, and selected a group of outstanding listed companies that have standardized governance, performance growth, and actively repay shareholders and the society.

Technological innovation is an important engine for the rapid development of the pharmaceutical industry and the core driving force of Medicilon’s 17-year steady and rapid development. Medicilon now has an R&D laboratory of approximately 73,800 square metersand has more than 2,000 employees. Medicilon continues to increase the investment in R&D and innovation. In the first half of 2021, R&D expenses were over RMB 34 million, an increase of 77.04% over the same period from last year. (Source: Medicilon’s 2021 semi-annual report) If it is said that innovation is the driving force of Medicilon’s development, Medicilon’s people are the protagonists of innovation. Deeply planted in the fertile soil of innovation, Medicilians stand up to the forefront of every wave of surging, and innovating technology service platforms that are at the forefront of the times, helping the new drug to enter the clinic.

In the future, Medicilon will continue to make persistent efforts to increase the investment in R&D and innovation, to deepen the training of talents team, and to strive to be the leader of technological innovation in China’s pharmaceutical ind

On December 20, 2021, Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Coeptis"), our wholly-owned subsidiary, reported that it entered into amendment No. 1 to that certain promissory note in the original principal amount of $2,300,000 related to CD038-GEAR-NK-Auto to (i) make a payment of $550,000 towards the outstanding principal amount, (ii) extend the maturity date for the outstanding balance from December 31, 2021 to March 31, 2022 and increase the minimum percentage ownership from 20% to 25% (Filing, 8-K, Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, DEC 20, 2021, View Source [SID1234597761]). Pursuant to the amendment, if the promissory note is timely paid by March 31, 2022, Coeptis will maintain its 50% ownership interest in the CD038-GEAR-NK(Auto) product candidate, and if the promissory note is not timely paid by March 31, 2022, Coeptis’ ownership interest in such assets will automatically be reduced to 25% and the promissory note will be automatically cancelled and will no longer be due or payable. The original promissory note was described in our Current Report on Form 8-K that was filed with the SEC on August 19, 2021.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Simultaneous with the entering into of such amendment, Coeptis paid in full the outstanding amount due under that certain promissory note in the original principal amount of $950,000 related to CD038-SNP-DIAG. Upon the making of such payment, Coeptis secured its 50% ownership of the CD038-SNP-DIAG product candidate.

In addition, on December 20, 2021, we and VyGen-Bio, Inc. entered into a long form Co-development and Steering Committee Agreement, which agreement governs the relationship between us and VyGen-Bio related to development efforts and revenue sharing for both CD038-GEAR-NK(Auto) and CD038-SNP-DIAG product candidates. A copy of the Co-development and Steering Committee Agreement attached at Exhibits 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

On December 20, 2021 EpiAxis Therapeutics reported that expanding its PKC theta pre-clinical program and sending its peptides to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Press release, EpiAxis Therapeutics, DEC 20, 2021, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=epiaxis-highlights-december-2021 [SID1234597691]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Mt Sinai oncology

EpiAxis is collaborating with Dr Hanna Y Irie, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a leading research scientist in the PKC theta cancer sector. Under the collaboration, EpiAxis will provide Dr. Irie with its PKC theta inhibitors for evaluation in breast cancer models.

"This is an important collaboration for EpiAxis as we expand our pre-clinical program to advance our PKC theta assets," said EpiAxis CEO Dr Jeremy Chrisp. "We are delighted to be collaborating with Dr Irie’s team at the Icahn School of Medicine as this complements and strengthens our existing focus on LSD1 in breast cancer."

"This is an exciting opportunity to validate novel inhibitors against a promising therapeutic target for triple negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive subtype that we have been studying for many years," said Mount Sinai’s Dr Irie about the partnership with EpiAxis.. "Once validated, we hope to translate these inhibitors for the benefit of patients."

EpiAxis CEO Jeremy Chrisp and Chairman David Fuller attended a Wholesale Investor networking event on December 16 at Verandah Bar in Sydney CBD.

The event was a valuable opportunity to share news about the company’s next generation therapeutics with an engaged audience.

"It was exciting to reveal how EpiAxis is spearheading a new approach to treating cancer," Dr Chrisp said.

Dr Chrisp explained to the attendees that while most existing therapies aim to destroy cancer cells, EpiAxis’ science reprograms them back into normal cells and increase cancer remission and its potential global impact. EpiAxis looks forward to expanding its partnership with Wholesale Investor in 2022.

"It was great to see like-minded professional investors, fund managers, family offices, and some of our clients at our WI Private event in Sydney," Wholesale Investor noted. "The Wholesale Investor team is truly grateful for the huge turnout and support – this has empowered us to create more engagement opportunities in the future."

EpiAxis also farewelled outgoing Director Nick McNaughton in mid-December.

"Thank you Nick for your six years of advice, counsel and support," Dr Chrisp said. "We wish you well with your next enterprise at Campus Plus."

McNaughton said: "It has been a great honour and privilege to represent all shareholders and stakeholders during my time on the Board of EpiAxis Therapeutics – the work Jeremy Chrisp, David Fuller and the extended team are doing is life changing. My oldest sister Val passed away from Breast Cancer in 1997 aged 49 and cancer remains the scourge of our time. It is my fervent belief that over the next decade we will find a cure to cancer and the work EpiAxis and the like are doing in this space will lead to the breakthrough discoveries that are needed to make this a reality."

Jeanette Wood will replace Nick as Director on the EpixAxis Board. Her board experience includes the successful listing of Nuevolution AG on the Swedish stock exchange and its recent takeover offer from Amgen.