Pharmos Corporation

Pharmos discovers, develops and commercializes novel therapeutics to treat a range of neurological disorders such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, neuropathic pain, Parkinson's disease and other CNS and peripheral neuro-inflammatory indications. Pharmos' researchers have developed a family of novel, non-psychotropic cannabinoids, dextrocannabinoids, for the treatment of neurological, vascular and other conditions involving inflammatory processes.

Dexanabinol is the first neuroprotective product under clinical development at Pharmos. Patients are currently being enrolled in centers in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. Upon receipt of regulatory approvals, enrollment of patients will commence in up to seven additional international countries, including the United States. Enrollment of approximately 860 total patients is anticipated by the end of 2003.

With the aid of computational chemistry, Pharmos has constructed a library of dextrocannabinoid compounds comprising two major chemical groups. The first is the tricyclic family of compounds, of which dexanabinol is the prototype. These compounds have the generic ability to inhibit NMDA receptors and to block COX-2, cytokines and chemokine activation, thereby acting as powerful anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents against diseases such as TBI, stroke, neuropathic pain and other neuro-inflammatory indications.

The second group is the bicyclic family of compounds, which specifically bind to CB2 receptors. Because CB2 receptors are present in all cells of the immune system, Pharmos is evaluating the potential of bicyclic dextrocannabinoid compounds as modulators of the immune system and for their affect on auto-immune diseases.

Pharmos is actively studying compounds from its dextrocannabinoid library in pre-clinical programs targeting various CNS and peripheral disorders, including stroke, neuropathic pain, Parkinson's disease, renal ischemia and others.