PASADENA, Calif. – Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, Israeli organic chemist and professor who is world-renowned for his groundbreaking work in the discovery of cannabinoids THC and CBD in the 1960s, announced Monday that he and a team of researchers have “developed a process for creating synthetic, stable acids that are found within the plant, and that the synthetic acids, which include acid versions of CBD and THC, are now available for licensing to companies for drug development,” according to NBC News.
The announcement was made at the CannMed 2019 conference, held in Pasadena, California, on September 23-24. Genomics and blockchain technology company Medicinal Genomics Corporation co-presented the conference with U.S.-based technology startup EPM, the company involved in researching and developing synthetic cannabinoid acids with Mechoulam.
“This marks the start of a new era in medical research as EPM introduces the world’s first innovative licensing platform for the use of our fully stable acid-based cannabinoid molecules,” said Reshef Swisa, EPM chief executive officer, in a press release.
“The work of our world-class research team has enabled us to be the bridge between the promise for therapeutic uses from cannabis and the ability of pharmaceutical companies to utilize stable, consistent molecules that researchers can use to potentially discover new medicines,” Swisa added.
News outlet Endpoints described the process of creating stabilized acids in an interview with Swisa, and wrote:
“… by taking the acid from the plant and using a particular ester, EPM researchers were able to stabilize it, creating a potent compound they can take into the lab as you would ibuprofen. Swisa said they’ve spoken with the FDA, and their product would be treated not as cannabis, without all its attendant rules and stigmas, but as any other drug in development.
“You can look at this compound as inspired by cannabis,” Swisa told Endpoints. “But it is a semi-synthetic compound.”
Mechoulam also was keynote speaker at the CannMed 2019 conference. Prior to the event, the professor recorded a promotional video and gave a brief description of the latest work on stabilizing cannabinoid acids for research and development.
“We need good, new drugs in a huge number of fields,” Mechoulam said in the video. “It’s an open field for new drugs and new preparations and I believe there will be a great deal of work in this field over the next decade or so, or maybe two decades.”
(VIDEO: CannMed / YouTube.com)
