Glauconix Presents Data Validating Impact of Emerald Bioscience’s Prodrug on the Ocular Endocannabinoid System in Glaucoma
GlobeNewswire•October 15, 2019
Study Points to Unique Link Between the Endocannabinoid System and the Inflammatory Cascade in the Eye
LONG BEACH, CA, Oct. 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE – Emerald Bioscience, Inc. (EMBI), focused on the development of cannabinoid-based therapeutics to address global medical indications, especially those of unmet medical need, today announced data validating mechanisms of action of its drug candidate, NB1111, a prodrug of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-valine-hemisuccinate; THCVHS) by testing the active component of the prodrug, THC, in human donor tissue. The study was conducted by Glauconix Biosciences, Inc., which presented the data at the 2019 American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting (AAO) held in San Francisco.
The data demonstrated THC’s ability to lower intraocular pressure in the eye by enhancing drainage of ocular fluid over the trabecular meshwork, one of the major tissues for regulating IOP in the eye. The meshwork is known to contain a high density of cannabinoid receptors, a binding target of THC, indicating NB1111’s potential as a promising drug candidate to treat glaucoma and possibly other ocular disorders that threaten the optic nerve. In addition, THC also lowered biomarkers associated with inflammation and fibrosis, two processes associated with damaged tissues, indicating a previously unrecognized interaction between the endocannabinoid system and the inflammatory cascade in the eye. Understanding this connection could hold the potential for utilizing cannabinoids in other disease indications. The data was presented via e-poster discussion: “IOP-Lowering Ability of NB-1111 Active Moiety, THC, in a Human Tissue Model”.
“Glauconix used its 3D human trabecular meshwork model (3D-HTM™) that consists of human donor cells containing physiologically relevant characteristics of hypertensive (high ocular pressure) glaucoma. Although the mechanism of action of THC in glaucomatous eyes is not well understood, the study performed in our model resulted in statistically significant results supporting the influence of the endocannabinoid system on the inflammatory response, in both normal and diseased tissue. This study also highlights that there appears to be pathways by which THC may lower pressure in the eye, downstream from activating cannabinoid receptors,” commented Karen Torrejon, PhD, Chief Science Officer and co-founder of Glauconix. “We believe cannabinoid-based therapies could be a revolutionary new class of drugs for diseases of the eye.”
“These data suggest THC’s ability to lower IOP is multifactorial, which would be unique among therapies for glaucoma. Emerald anticipates performing two human clinical trials in 2020, both in Australia, examining the effects of NB1111 on normal eyes as well as among patients with either glaucoma or underlying ocular hypertension,” stated Brian Murphy, MD, CEO of EMBI. “Evidence using this human tissue model as well as our prior data from rabbit models provide substantive data supporting the advancement of this drug into human testing to combat the second-leading cause of blindness in the world.”
