Andira Pharmaceuticals
Pioneering the Next-Generation of Adjunctive Therapies

The healthcare sector eagerly anticipates the next chapter of innovation in standard-of-care therapies, characterized by remarkable advancements in effectiveness and safety. Despite the ongoing efforts, unmet needs in medical practice continue to persist, especially when it comes to addressing widespread medical conditions like hospital-acquired infection (HAI) and metastatic cancers, both difficult to treat.

Andira Pharmaceuticals has emerged as a beacon of hope with its novel adjunctive therapies that use natural compounds to accelerate the delivery of treatment.

The preclinical and clinical stage health science company leverages cannabinoids, a remarkable class of natural compounds found in the cannabis sativa plant that hold significant potential of both safety and therapeutic efficacy. Andira has deployed a validated research platform to develop a line of synergistic cannabinoid formulations focused on three areas—HAI, oncology, and dermatology—opening up a new world of therapeutic capabilities.

“We do not create brand new, standalone treatments. We make existing, approved treatments astronomically more effective and significantly safer,” says Dr. Dana Lambert, president and CEO of Andira.

Cannabinoids as Adjunctive Allies

During her tenure as a hospital pharmacist, Dr. Lambert witnessed the drawbacks of standard-of-care drugs like daptomycin for treating HAI, with many patients developing a growing resistance to the drug. She was captivated by the findings on cannabinoids that showed promising indications for treating critical health conditions. Once isolated, these natural compounds can be strategically formulated to combat the escalating antimicrobial resistance observed with daptomycin.

According to a report by the World Health Organization, antimicrobial resistance could cause 10 million deaths per year by 2050. This would overtake cancer as a leading cause of death worldwide. These alarming statistics reflect the urgency of the situation, highlighting the need for immediate action.

On a quest to explore novel interventions, Dr. Lambert, with a Ph.D. from the renowned University of British Columbia (UBC), embarked on a transformative journey in pharmaceutical science research.

Building on her expertise in drug development and forging valuable industry connections, she set the foundation stone of Andira, a company dedicated to delivering superior medicines to patients.

Andira’s adjunctive, injectable therapy is a synergistic combination of selective cannabinoids with standard daptomycin, which is 500 times more effective than the standalone antibiotic for treating HAI. It can effectively reverse bacterial resistance to the drug, increasing the chances of treatment efficacy.

The use of natural compounds also reduces development timelines and costs, allowing faster development of medicines to address critical illnesses. With daptomycin being a commonly prescribed antibiotic, Andira’s new formula, once approved, will undoubtedly be an ideal, widely accessible adjunctive HAI therapy.

The treatment recently received patent protection in the US and has over 22 patents pending in other global jurisdictions.

“The sheer amount of time and extensive nature of our research to discover and optimize synergistic, add-on treatments over the past eight years makes us unique and gives us the confidence to advance our therapies into the clinic,” says Dr. Lambert.

Reshaping the Breast Cancer Treatment Paradigm

Along its innovation timeline, Andira added transdermal gels to its therapeutic product line, targeting Stage 4 metastatic breast cancers. This novel transdermal delivery system consists of specific formulations that enhance the uptake of cannabinoids when applied to the skin overlying the tumor-affected area.

To advance the product’s research and development, Andira forged a valuable collaboration with Professor Karla Williams, Canada Research Chair in Oncology at UBC. Together, they have conducted a series of experiments using an animal model that allows for the growth of human breast tumors. This research model provides clear visibility of tumor growth, enabling Andira to optimize its transdermal solution for estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancers.
Recent findings from these experiments showcase the promising ability of Andira's formula in effectively combating breast cancer. It induces remarkable regression of breast tumors when applied topically.

While the formulation has demonstrated its efficacy in preclinical research models, Andira is also continuing its research to identify the most optimal combination of its formula with conventional chemotherapy drugs.

In addition to its oncology product, Andira has developed an exclusive topical treatment focused on associated breast cancer pain. Clinical trials for this formulation are scheduled to commence this year, marking a significant milestone in the oncology space.

Breakthrough Avenues for Wound Healing

Wound care is another crucial part of Andira’s multidisciplinary therapeutics and medical devices roadmap for promoting healing and optimal recovery. Currently, silver is deemed the mainstay treatment for wound infections and burns in healthcare environments. But recent studies indicate that silver-based medical devices and products are often ineffective, representing a pressing and urgent need for solutions with improved efficacy.

Retracing the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids, Andira developed Matrix3TM anti-infective technology for wound care. It is a triple synergistic formula comprising silver nanoparticles with two non-intoxicating cannabinoids, CBG and CBC. This patent-pending, all-in-one solution can provide three-day protection against bacterial, multidrug-resistant infections, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and pseudomonas.

Andira’s extensive R&D assures the effectiveness of Matrix3TM is superior to silver by 380 million times against drug-resistant bacteria, including the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) superbug. A minimal dose of the silver-cannabinoid formula is incredibly fast at destroying disease-causing bacteria.
These significant findings push the boundaries of the Andira team to create new-age- products for wound care. Its pipeline comprises various products that target issues like surgical site infections, surgical wounds, and drug-resistant skin infections.

“Our cannabinoid-enhanced Matrix3TM platform proves to be a viable solution in delivering ultra-reliable protection while keeping the risk of antimicrobial resistance to a bare minimum,” says Lambert.

Key Pillar of Scientific Advancements

Innovation is always top-of-mind for Lambert. She established many collaborations with leading researchers in Canada, particularly with professors at UBC who specialize in infectious disease and cancer treatment. They concentrate on testing and identifying synergistic interactions among thousands of cannabinoids and other natural medicines along with approved drug therapies, which will uncover new combinations and revolutionize treatment approaches.

Andira’s team of research professionals is result-oriented and aligned with the goal of prioritizing patient safety and bringing their products to market through rigorous clinical trials and meticulous quality assurance. It is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and regulatory compliance in all aspects of its operations to achieve commercialization success.

For the road ahead, Andira aims to obtain market approval for its products. Even before advancing to clinical trials, the team has already garnered attention and interest from pharmaceutical stakeholders.

With exceptional research breakthroughs paired with a spirit of innovation, Andira envisions a future where harnessing the power of natural cannabinoid-enhanced treatments will safeguard and transform the lives of millions of patients.