Dexanabinol is a non-psychotropic
cannabinoid NMDA receptor antagonist under development by Pharmos Corp for the potential treatment of
cerebral ischemia,
glaucoma,
Alzheimer's disease,
cardiac failure,
head injury and
multiple sclerosis (MS) [311522]; it is in phase III trials for
traumatic brain injury (TBI) [388709].
Dexanabinol was licensed to Pharmos for development from its originator, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem [180441]. Pharmos is seeking to enter into a strategic agreement with another company to develop and commercialize
dexanabinol [317369]. Unlike its enantiomer,
HU-210 (Yissum Research Development Co),
dexanabinol does not interact with
cannabinoid receptors [223330]. It has also exhibited more effective
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties than
MK-801 (
dizocilpine; Merck & Co Inc) [167980], [168212]. In addition,
dexanabinol is generally well tolerated and appears toxicologically safe [170116]. Pharmos has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Division of
Stroke and
Trauma. The grant covers the development of new
prodrugs and novel formulations of
dexanabinol and will support additional study of
dexanabinol compounds for various indications. The
prodrugs being studied are part of the group of compounds that include
dexanabinol [247958]. A Notice of Allowance was received in March 1999 on a patent covering the use of the
drug in the treatment of MS [324163]. The use of
dexanabinol and its derivatives to treat MS is described in US-05932610 [358503]. An oral formulation of
dexanabinol is claimed in US-05891468.
Dexanabinol analogs with special utility in acute and
chronic pain are claimed in US-04876276, while
dexanabinol analogs for neuroprotection are claimed in US-06096740. Pharmos estimates that the worldwide market for
dexanabinol in the treatment of severe
head trauma may reach $1 billion per year [319244].