SciSparc Ltd. (Nasdaq: SPRC), a specialty clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focusing on the development of therapies to treat disorders of the central nervous system (the “Company” or “SciSparc”), today announced initial positive pre-clinical results for treatment for obesity and the potential treatment of metabolic syndromes using MEAI, a novel psychedelic molecule of Clearmind Medicine Inc. (Nasdaq, CSE: CMND | FSE: CWY).
The results are in connection with the provisional patent application for treating metabolic syndromes including obesity with Clearmind based on SciSparc’s CannAmide™’s active ingredient Palmitoylethanolamide and Clearmind’s MEAI, submitted in September 2022.
“We are excited about Clearmind’s results, in light of the potential synergistic effect between SciSparc’s CannAmide and Clearmind’s MEAI, as previously demonstrated in numerous studies for several conditions with MEAI’s effective dose. According to the World Health Organization, approximately, 1 billion people worldwide, more than 30% of the global population, are overweight or obese, and we believe obesity treatment could quickly become a top-12 global therapy, growing from a $2.4 billion category in 2022 to $54 billion by 2030, We believe that this virtually untapped multibillion-dollar market creates significant opportunities for our joined collaboration with Clearmind by developing a unique drug candidate for the market to treat obesity.”
Oz Adler, SciSparc’s Chief Executive Officer
Clearmind’s study, was conducted at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, included multi-parameter metabolic assessments such as body weight, fat mass, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, liver enzymes and fat accumulation as well as food consumption patterns. It included three groups of rodents: one was fed a standard diet, another a high-fat diet, and the third a high-fat diet group along with treatment with MEAI.
The animals treated with MEAI showed increased energy expenditure, better fat utilization, and weight loss of 20%, while reducing their overall fat mass and preserving their lean body mass. No effect on motivation and well-being was observed. Additionally, the treatment yielded normalization of insulin levels, improved glucose tolerance as well as reduced fat and triglycerides accumulation in the liver. These results were significantly better than those obtained in the high fat, untreated group.
Furthermore, a significant reduction in sucrose preference was observed following administration of MEAI for two days at the effective dose, supporting the notion that it can dampen the hedonic value of rewarding stimuli. Thus, this treatment may be beneficial for the treatment of compulsive-reward-seeking behavior or excessive consumption of sweet foods.
Mr. Oz Adler, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, is a director of Clearmind. Dr. Adi Zuloff-Shani, Clearmind’s Chief Executive Officer, is the Chief Technology Officer of the Company. Mr. Amitai Weiss is the Chairman of the board of directors of both Clearmind and the Company.
About SciSparc
SciSparc Ltd. is a specialty clinical-stage pharmaceutical company led by an experienced team of senior executives and scientists. SciSparc’s focus is on creating and enhancing a portfolio of technologies and assets based on cannabinoid pharmaceuticals. With this focus, the Company is currently engaged in the following drug development programs based on THC and/or non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD): SCI-110 for the treatment of Tourette syndrome and for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and agitation; SCI-160 for the treatment of pain; and SCI-210 for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder and status epilepticus.
About Clearmind Medicine Inc.
Clearmind is a psychedelic pharmaceutical biotech company focused on the discovery and development of novel psychedelic-derived therapeutics to solve widespread and underserved health problems, including alcohol use disorder. Its primary objective is to research and develop psychedelic-based compounds and attempt to commercialize them as regulated medicines, foods or supplements.
The company’s intellectual portfolio currently consists of seven patent families. The company intends to seek additional patents for its compounds whenever warranted and will remain opportunistic regarding the acquisition of additional intellectual property to build its portfolio.