Mr. Aras Azadian reports

AVICANNA ANNOUNCES PRE-CLINICAL DATA SUPPORTING ENHANCED ABSORPTION AND PATENT FILING FOR NOVEL ORAL DELIVERY PLATFORM

Avicanna Inc. has released positive preclinical results and the filing of a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its novel powder drug delivery system (PwdRx) platform.

The drug delivery platform has been specifically developed to address key formulation challenges associated with highly lipophilic cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, THC and CBN), which often exhibit poor water solubility, low and variable bioavailability, and delayed onset of action. In preclinical pharmacokinetic studies, the PwdRx formulations demonstrated enhanced bioavailability and faster uptake compared with conventional medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil-based formulations.

Recent in-vitro study of Avicanna's PwdRx technology demonstrated statistically significant results including 74-per-cent-higher bioavailability (AUC), 63-per-cent-faster peak plasma levels (TMAX) and a 134-per-cent-higher peak plasma concentration (CMAX) when compared with MCT oil formulation.

In addition to enhanced bioavailability and faster uptake, the technology is also designed to deliver long-term stability and manufacturing versatility, including supporting scalable pharmaceutical production in a range of solid-oral and powder-based formats, including tablets, capsules, sachets and pouches. The pharmaceutical dosage form is also designed to offer tunable drug release capabilities to enable differentiated product profiles to further enable tailoring to specific patient needs.

"By improving dispersion, solubility and consistency of uptake, the PwdRx platform has the potential to enable health care providers greater flexibility to tailor potential treatment options for patients managing conditions associated with pain and inflammation," said Dr. Karolina Urban, executive vice-president, medical and scientific affairs, of Avicanna. "We are encouraged by the data and look forward to further advancing the technology into our pharmaceutical pipeline and for further clinical evaluation."

The provisional patent filing covers the composition, methods of use, and potential utility of the PwdRx platform in pain and inflammation, including conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, migraine and multiple sclerosis.

"The advancement of our PwdRx platform represents another significant step forward in the science and technology of cannabinoid delivery and further strengthens our global intellectual property portfolio," said Aras Azadian, chief executive officer of Avicanna. "We believe this novel technology will unlock potential new and different pharmaceutical and commercial product opportunities and further demonstrates Avicanna's leadership in advancing innovation in the science and technology of cannabinoids."

About Avicanna Inc.

Avicanna is a commercial-stage international biopharmaceutical company focused on the advancement and commercialization of cannabinoid-based products and formulations for the global medical and pharmaceutical market segments. Avicanna has an established scientific platform including R&D (research and development) and clinical development leading to the commercialization of more than thirty proprietary, evidence-based finished products and supporting four commercial stage business pillars.

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