Emyria
Nine sites spread across four Australian states have been confirmed to participate in the phase III clinical trial of Emyria's EMD-RX5 cannabinoid medicine, as the company pushes toward registering an over-the-counter schedule 3 product.
The double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study is designed to assess relief of psychological distress symptoms in patients who have a history of chronic pain.
Eight newly confirmed locations will join WA's Hatherley Medical Centre in running the trial. Patient recruitment will now begin at those sites, in collaboration with Emyria's patient-facing arm, Emerald Clinics.
An additional four sites have been identified and can be brought in if needed.
A total of 300 participants between the ages of 18 and 70 will be assigned either a 50mg dose of EMD-RX5 capsule, a 150mg dose, or a placebo, with treatment administered over a one-month period.
Emyria chief executive Dr Michael Winlo said the company had received "exceptional demand" from clinical sites wanting to participate in the trial.
"We take this as a strong sign that there is high clinical interest in our unique ultra-pure CBD capsule and strong patient need for new treatment options for our target indication – the symptoms of psychological distress," he said.
"The eight additional clinical trial sites are now poised to commence patient recruitment across Australia, with our trial drug EMD-RX5 being readied for distribution over the coming weeks.
"In parallel, we are advancing commercialisation discussions and look forward to providing more updates on the registration of EMD-RX5 in future announcements."
Ananda Wellness Group
Byron Bay-based Ananda Wellness Group has brought on a former Flight Centre marketing chief to guide its expansion.
Taking up the chief executive position, Keith Stanley will collaborate with Dr Jamie Rickcord, founder of Ananda Clinics, to build a "medically driven approach" to the business, with a goal of "adding to the growing evidence base around endocannabinoid medicine and using modern interactive technology to improve patient outcomes".
Further details about Ananda Wellness's direction are expected to follow soon.
Stanley previously served as global marketing chief at Flight Centre and as chief executive of Stella Travel Services, the company that owned the now-defunct travel agency Harvey World Travel.
InhaleRx
Healthcare technology company InhaleRx has appointed board member and Cannvalate co-founder Darryl Davies to the role of chief executive.
Davies will move out of his executive director position, which he has held since July 2021, to take on the part-time CEO role, which carries an annual salary of A$135,000.
The company has also brought on Dr Rob Jenny as chief scientific officer. Jenny, a former board member of Epsilon, comes across from Cannvalate, where he worked as business development manager.
Davies, who brings 16 years of experience spanning psychology, harm minimisation, and healthcare commercialisation, will oversee two clinical trials in which the company is involved.
"I look forward to the next exciting chapter in InhaleRx's development and I'll be working closely with the highly credentialed board and management team in leading the execution of the company's strategic plans across the life cycle of the two clinical trial programs," he said.
"In addition, I'll be focusing on new opportunities to develop novel inhalation drug/device therapies to address unmet clinical needs."
Plastic surgeon Dr John Crock will also join InhaleRx's board as a non-executive director.
He will provide guidance on the clinical dimensions of both trials.
Cann Global
Cann Global appears set to purchase an as-yet-unnamed company after being placed in a trading halt.
The listed company suspended trading "pending the release of an announcement regarding a proposed acquisition".
The halt will remain in effect until Tuesday October 4, or whenever the announcement is made, whichever comes first.
Cann Global shares were priced at A$0.021 at the time trading was suspended.
Hemp Foods Australia
Elixinol Wellness subsidiary Hemp Foods Australia (HFA) has landed distribution across more than 800 Coles stores throughout the country for its Functional Seed Mix range.
The newly launched range will sit in the supermarket's health food aisle, combining hemp seeds with various fruit, nut, and seed formulations aimed at delivering targeted health benefits.
This follows a deal struck with Woolworths late last year to place its certified organic Hemp Gold Seed Oil in more than 100 stores.
HFA general manager Felipe Favaro said: "To secure national distribution with Coles for our new seed mix range is an exciting progression for HFA and means that our brand can now be found on the shelves of Australia's two largest supermarket chains.
"While we have been working hard on driving our e-commerce strategy, we also recognise the importance of bricks-and-mortar sales, and we are definitely seeing more interest from supermarkets to stock our products as the mainstream appeal of hemp continues to grow."
