InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced it has selected a lead Alzheimer's disease drug candidate, named INM-901, following positive results from several proof-of-concept studies in a validated Alzheimer's disease treatment model. InMed will be advancing INM-901, a cannabinoid analog, in its pharmaceutical drug development program. Based on early in vitro research, INM-901 showed potential to target several biological pathways associated with Alzheimer's, including neuroprotection to the brain neurons from beta-amyloid peptide-induced toxicity and improving neuronal function via extension of neurite length.

In addition to these encouraging in vitro testing outcomes, INM-901 demonstrated favorable results in an in vivo preclinical Alzheimer's proof-of-concept model. When compared to the placebo treated Alzheimer's disease group in these preclinical studies, INM-901 treatment groups demonstrated a trend towards improvement in: cognitive function and memory locomotor activity anxiety-based behavior sound awareness. Planning is underway for the next stage of advanced preclinical studies and will include drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics as well as initiation of pharmaceutical drug development activities such as manufacturing and formulation.

Several in vitro and in vivo studies published by third parties support InMed's finding of the effects of INM-901 in neuronal disorders: Ability to cross the blood-brain barrier ("BBB")): The blood-brain barrier is the specialized system of brain microvascular endothelial cells that serves to regulate several functions: to shield the brain from toxic substances (including viruses, bacteria and other foreign substances including many drugs); to supply brain tissues with nutrients; and, to filter harmful compounds from the brain back into the bloodstream. Due to its chemical structure, INM-901 is highly lipophilic (dissolves readily in fats, oils and lipids) and can easily cross the BBB, making it a promising drug candidate for pharmaceutical use in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease of the brain. Targeting several receptor systems: In addition to the endocannabinoid system, INM-901 is capable of targeting multiple receptor systems which may be beneficial as a multi-pronged approach to treating complex diseases of the brain.

Neurodegenerative Disease Program Progress. InMed's latest Alzheimer's disease study outcomes follow several developments in the program: International patent: InMed has filed several patents, including an international application citing use of rare cannabinoids and analogs for the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and others. One patent specifies such compounds that may inhibit or slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases by providing neuroprotection in a population of affected neurons.

Presentation at Canadian Neuroscience Meeting: An InMed sponsored scientific poster, entitled " Cannabinoids modulate cytotoxicity and neuritogenesis in Amyloid-beta-treated neuronal cells," demonstrated the ability of a specific rare cannabinoid to reduce amyloid toxicity and tau protein expression while enhancing neuronal cell growth and neuritogenesis markers in vitro, all considered to be important targets in the potential targets in the potential for the potential targets in the potential of neurodegenerative diseases.