Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – March 13, 2024) – PharmaDrug Inc. (CSE: PHRX) (OTC PINK: LMLLF) (“PharmaDrug” or the “Company“), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of controlled-substances, natural medicines, and previously approved drugs, is pleased to announce that it has initiated work on a project to develop a novel manufacturing method for the commercial-scale manufacture of cocaine to support safe supply programs. PharmaDrug has filed a patent for a novel method of development utilizing biosynthetic chemistry, which it believes will allow for cost effective and efficient Good Manufacturing Practice (“GMP”) manufacturing of pharmaceutical grade cocaine at scale.
Robert Steen, CEO of PharmaDrug commented, “We have seen the proliferation of safe supply programs in both Canada and around the world. While opioid addiction is a serious problem, there exists a supply chain that provides both natural and synthetic opioid products for those programs. Cocaine, however, is the illegal drug that causes the most cost and harm to society barring opioids according to the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction, causing $4.2 Billion1 in harm in Canada annually – but there is no supply chain to alleviate these harms.”
PharmaDrug’s innovative biosynthetic method aims to address these challenges by providing a reliable, clinically manufactured drug product for safe supply programs, potentially transforming the supply chain and offering new revenue or royalty stream opportunities through global partnerships and out-licensing.
PharmaDrug has identified a lab which has both the necessary expertise and licensing to move forward with the development of the novel process and intends to proceed with development at an accelerated timeframe.
The Company is dedicated to contributing to harm reduction and believes in a multi-dimensional approach to drug abuse, emphasizing the importance of biosynthetic versions of substances for a regulated pharmaceutical supply chain. PharmaDrug does not condone the abuse of drugs and the Company believes that rehabilitation should continue to be the main focus. However, drug abuse is a complex issue and rehabilitation is not always immediate or achievable for all victims in the short to mid-term. A significant portion of street drugs are contaminated with lethal substances like fentanyl and the supply chain cannot be controlled. Harm reduction for abusers should also be addressed. The Company believes that the only viable way to produce safe supply is to develop biosynthetic versions of these substances to be manufactured domestically in a regulated and pharmaceutical supply chain. The process being developed by PharmaDrug could potentially allow for the cost effective and efficient production of cocaine as a pharmaceutical-grade drug in a variety of facilities and at fairly low cost.
PharmaDrug is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of controlled-substances and natural medicines such as psychedelics and previously approved drugs. PharmaDrug owns 51% of Sairiyo Therapeutics (“Sairiyo”), a biotech company that specializes in researching and reformulating established natural medicines with a goal of bringing them through clinical trials and the associated regulatory approval process in the US and Europe. Sairiyo is currently developing its patented reformulation of cepharanthine, a drug that has shown substantial third party validated potential for the treatment of infectious disease and rare cancers. Sairiyo is also conducting R&D in the psychedelics space for the treatment of non-neuropsychiatric conditions. PharmaDrug also owns 100% of SecureDose Synthetics Inc. (“SecureDose”), a pharmaceutical research and development company focused on the development of synthetic formulations of currently existing drugs for potential commercialization and distribution.