Full Press Release Details
MindMed Announces Launch of Collaboration with
Nextage Therapeutics' Brain Targeting Liposome System
New York, NY - May 24, 2021 - MindMed (NASDAQ: MNMD, NEO: MMED, DE:
MMQ), a leading clinical stage psychedelic medicine company, and Nextage Therapeutics (TASE: NXTG), an Israeli innovative drug development
company, announce the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (the "MOU") regarding the launch of an exclusive collaborative
development program to optimize the delivery of certain psychedelic drug candidates, leveraging Nextage's proprietary Brain Targeting
Liposome System (BTLS) delivery technology, for which it has an exclusive license. MindMed and Nextage will initially collaborate to optimize
the delivery of drug products based on noribogaine, and ultimately other ibogaine derivatives, and will share development costs and intellectual
property arising from the collaboration.
The BTLS technology is an innovative drug delivery system designed
to allow the targeted delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) through the Blood Brain Barrier. BTLS is designed to reduce
exposure to the active material outside of the brain, reducing potential risks, intended to substantially lower API concentrations and
increasing efficacy.
Using this state-of-the-art drug delivery technology, MindMed is seeking
to capitalize on the opportunity to mitigate the serious side effects that can make some orally administered psychedelics poor drug candidates.
There is anecdotal evidence which suggests the psychedelic substance ibogaine can be effective in the treatment of opioid addiction, but
orally administered ibogaine and noribogaine present unacceptable safety risks due to their torsadogenic effects at high systemic concentrations.
Utilizing Nextage's proprietary brain-targeted liposome system,
the collaboration will seek to develop a proprietary formulation aimed at minimizing the systemic exposure of ibogaine derivatives while
maintaining effective concentrations in the brain, with the objective of significantly improving the risk-benefit profile of their delivery.
Nextage CEO, Mr. Abraham Dreazen, said "Our innovative delivery
technology has potential to revolutionize brain and CNS treatment. Psychedelic inspired drugs could be a breakthrough in many brain-related
disorders and working together with an industry pioneer such as MindMed may open the door for life-changing treatments for patients globally.
Nextage is pioneering these emerging technologies in Israel and we look forward to working with MindMed and forming a long and successful
Based on initial Proof of Concept work, MindMed and Nextage will work
towards a final collaborative development agreement and a determination if such potential formulations of drug candidates should be further
progressed into clinical trials.
Pursuant to the MOU, the parties will jointly pilot the development
of a drug product based on noribogaine (the "Pilot Program") with the parties sharing the development costs equally. At the
same time that they are advancing the Pilot Program, MindMed and Nextage will negotiate a definitive written agreement to facilitate long-term
collaboration on the development and commercialization of any contemplated conjugation of agreed pharmaceutical ingredients with BTLS.
Nextage also granted to MindMed an exclusive, non-transferable, sublicensable license to all intellectual property, and the use of all
new data, study results, know-how, arising from the Pilot Program in order to make submissions to those regulators whose approval is required
in order to market a product.
MindMed and Nextage shall each retain all rights to any intellectual
property and inventions owned by them prior to the commencement of the Pilot Program, and to any of their rights unrelated to the Pilot
Program. MindMed and Nextage shall jointly own all new data, study results, and know-how developed from the Pilot Program. If the two
companies fail to agree on the further development or application of any jointly owned know-how, whether patentable or not, within 12
months of initiating the Pilot Program, then each shall be entitled, subject to some conditions, to pursue independently the further development
and commercialization of such know-how.
MindMed Executive President Dr. Miri Halperin Wernli said "Our
collaboration with Nextage builds on the commitment of both companies to discover new ways by which we can shake adaptive mechanisms which
normally constrain our perception, emotions and self-references. By joining forces and applying Nextage's innovative BTLS technology which
allows for a targeted delivery of substances through the Blood Brain Barrier we aim to find better ways to ultimately free the brain to
experience new and unusual patterns of connectivity."
MindMed is a clinical-stage psychedelic medicine biotech company that
discovers, develops and deploys psychedelic inspired medicines and therapies to address addiction and mental illness. The company is assembling
a compelling drug development pipeline of innovative treatments based on psychedelic substances including Psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, DMT and
an Ibogaine derivative, 18-MC. The MindMed executive team brings extensive biopharmaceutical experience to MindMed's approach to
developing the next generation of psychedelic inspired medicines and therapies.
MindMed trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol MNMD and on the Canadian
NEO exchange under the symbol MMED. MindMed is also traded in Germany under the symbol MMQ.
Nextage Therapeutics is a pharmaceutical development company specializing
in the development of innovative cannabis and psychedelic related substances for pharmaceutical purposes. Nextage is a subsidiary of Nextar
Chempharma Solutions, Israel's leading full service contract development and manufacturing company for pharmaceuticals and chemical
medical devices. Nextage's proprietary BTLS technology allows for a targeted delivery of substances through the Blood-Brain-Barrier.
Nextage is led by CEO Mr. Abraham Dreazen and Chairman Mr. Israel Makov, the former CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals. In the psychedelic field
Nextage operates via its dedicated subsidiary IMIO Life.
Nextage trades on the Israeli stock exchange under the symbol NXTG
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this news release related
to the Company constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws and are prospective
in nature. Forward-looking information is not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future
events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words
such as "will", "may", "should", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan",
"anticipate", "expect", "believe", "potential" or "continue", or the negative thereof
or similar variations. Forward-looking information in this news release include statements regarding the ability of BTLS to optimize the
delivery of ibogaine derivatives and other psychedelic drug candidates; BTLS's ability to reduce potential risks, substantially
lower API concentrations and increase efficacy; its ability to mitigate the side effects of orally administered psychedelics; whether
ibogaine can be effective in the treatment of opioid addiction; BTLS's ability to minimize the systemic exposure of ibogaine derivatives;
its ability to maintain effective concentrations in the brain; whether the collaboration will significantly improve the risk-benefit profile
of the delivery of ibogaine derivatives to the brain; whether BTLS will revolutionize brain and CNS treatment; whether psychedelic inspired
drugs could be a breakthrough in many brain-related disorders; whether the collaboration will result in life-changing treatments for patients;
whether a final collaborative development agreement will be executed; whether any potential formulations of drug candidates should be
further progressed into clinical trials; whether the parties will successfully negotiate a definitive written agreement to facilitate
long-term collaboration on the development and commercialization of any contemplated conjugation of agreed pharmaceutical ingredients
with BTLS; whether the companies can discover new ways to shake adaptive mechanisms which normally constrain perceptions, emotions and
self-references of people; whether they will find better ways to ultimately free the brain to experience new and unusual patterns of connectivity;
and the Company's intended future business plans and operations, including the development of psychedelic inspired medicines. Although
the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks
and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material
adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information,
including history of negative cash flows; limited operating history; incurrence of future losses; availability of additional capital;
lack of product revenue; compliance with laws and regulations; difficulty associated with research and development; risks associated with
clinical trials or studies; heightened regulatory scrutiny; early stage product development; clinical trial risks; regulatory approval
processes; novelty of the psychedelic inspired medicines industry; as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to herein and the
risks described under the headings "Risk Factors" in the Company's filings with the securities regulatory authorities
in all provinces and territories of Canada which are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com
and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of
these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results
and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important
risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be
as anticipated, estimated or intended. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and
opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by
law, the Company does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update this forward-looking information.
Media Contact: mindmed@150bond.com