NeuroThera Labs Secures Israeli Patent for Novel Opioid-PEA Combination to Reduce Side Effects
核心洞察
NeuroThera Labs (搜索) received an Israeli patent for its proprietary combination of opioids and N-acylethanolamines, joining previously granted patents in Europe, Japan, Australia, and Canada.
Preclinical studies demonstrated that the oxycodone-PEA combination prolonged analgesic effects while reducing psychoactive adverse events compared to standalone oxycodone treatment.
The technology addresses critical safety concerns in the $5.5-5.7 billion global oxycodone market by potentially enabling lower opioid dosages through an "opioid-sparing" effect.
NeuroThera Labs (搜索) Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company majority-owned by SciSparc Ltd (搜索)., has received a patent from the Israeli Patent Office for its proprietary combination of opioids and N-acylethanolamines. The patent covers methods and formulations designed to potentiate the therapeutic effects of opioids while significantly reducing associated side effects, including tolerance, dependence, and gastrointestinal issues.
The Israeli patent grant strengthens NeuroThera's global intellectual property protection, joining previously granted patents for the same technology in Europe, Japan, Australia, and Canada. This comprehensive patent portfolio protects the company's proprietary opioid-based platform across major pharmaceutical markets.
Preclinical Evidence Supports Enhanced Efficacy
The patented technology leverages N-acylethanolamines, specifically palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), to enhance opioid analgesia through synergistic mechanisms that amplify pain-relieving efficacy at lower doses. The patent family is based on preclinical studies conducted in well-established, regulatory compliance models to evaluate the nociceptive effect of PEA when combined with opiates such as oxycodone.
In the study, researchers evaluated the pain relief potential of NeuroThera's proprietary drug combination of oxycodone and PEA versus standalone oxycodone across numerous concentrations. Results showed that while oxycodone treatment led to marked alteration in animals' behavior and their response to pain stimuli, NeuroThera's proprietary combination was found to exert beneficial effects including reduction or even prevention of some of oxycodone's psychoactive adverse events.
Notably, PEA was able to potentiate therapeutic qualities of oxycodone by prolonging the time the drug exerted its analgesic effects across all doses of oxycodone tested.
Addressing Market Need for Safer Opioid Alternatives
According to The Business Research Company, oxycodone continues to have significant sales, with the global market size for oxycodone drugs valued at approximately $5.5-$5.7 billion in 2024. However, inherent risks in their use such as high susceptibility to misuse, potential addiction and diversion, severe psychological and physical dependence, and potential for fatal overdose emphasize the critical need to find other effective and safe solutions.
The "opioid-sparing" effect demonstrated in NeuroThera's study may reduce the required opioid dosage, which could help mitigate side effects such as addiction and respiratory depression. This approach addresses a fundamental challenge in pain management by maintaining efficacy while potentially improving safety profiles.
"We believe that granting a patent based on experiments that have shown such an outcome and validate the advantages of our proprietary opioids and N-acylethanolamines combination in maintaining immediate and strong pain relief effect without compromising patients' safety is an important achievement of the NeuroThera," said Oz Adler, Chief Executive Officer of NeuroThera.
Corporate Structure and Development Pipeline
SciSparc Ltd (搜索). holds a controlling interest of approximately 75% in NeuroThera Labs (搜索) Inc. Through its majority-owned subsidiary, SciSparc engages in clinical-stage pharmaceutical developments with a focus on creating and enhancing a portfolio of technologies and assets based on cannabinoid pharmaceuticals.
The companies are currently engaged in drug development programs based on THC and/or non-psychoactive CBD, including SCI-110 for the treatment of Tourette syndrome, Alzheimer's disease and agitation, and SCI-210 for the treatment of ASD and status epilepticus. NeuroThera Labs (搜索) is positioned as a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics for central nervous system disorders and other underserved health conditions through collaborations and innovative combinations.