On Monday 30 January, the UPF rector’s office hosted the incorporation of a new spin-off, DisrupTx, set up to offer a technological solution to the pharmaceutical market for the development of drugs that mitigate the side effects of medical cannabis in patients suffering from chronic pain and to combat cannabis addiction, or cannabis use disorder. The event was attended by the three founding partners and Dr. Eulàlia de Nadal, vice-rector for Knowledge Transfer at UPF.

The corporate team consists of Dr. Rafael Maldonado, full professor of Pharmacology and director of the Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-Neurophar at UPF, Dr. David Andreu, full professor of Chemistry and head of the Proteomics and Protein Chemistry Research Group (UPF), and Patrick Tresserras, biotech entrepreneur and company CEO.

The research teams of the two laboratories have joined forces over the last few years, together with researchers from other universities, in order to overcome the difficulties presented by the development of cannabis-based medicines. The therapeutic use of cannabis as an analgesic is recognized, but the negative consequences caused by its main psychoactive component, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which affects the cognitive field and memory, pose significant limitations to its medical use.

As a result of these years of collaboration and investigation, the team of researchers has developed a technology that allows dissociating cannabis-based therapies from their unwanted side effects, and in this context the new business project aims to take the results achieved in this research further.

The project has enjoyed several transfer grants [CaixaImpulse Validate, INNOValora 2021 (UPF), PDC2021-121434-I00 (MICINN) that have enabled completing the proofs of concept and demonstrate the technology’s capacity for transfer and exploitation.

UPF supports the creation of this company within the framework of its commitment to the transfer of knowledge and technology to society, and it does so through its transfer office, the Innovation Unit – UPF Business Shuttle.

Blocking the harmful sequelae of cannabinoids

The DisrupTx project is based on a classic pharmacological strategy that consists of the use of compounds capable of modifying the activity of intracellular receptors or signalling systems that operate in the central nervous system. In this case, a compound has been discovered that can dissociate the analgesic potential of cannabis-based therapy from its cognitive side effects.

The research team has designed, synthesized and patented peptides that are stable in serum and active when administered orally, and are capable of modifying the activation processes of the cannabinoid system with THC.

THC produces analgesia by binding to cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptors. Unfortunately, CB1 receptors bind to the serotonin receptor 5HT2A, and this interaction, activated by THC, causes cognitive and memory problems. To overcome this problem the binding of the two receptors must be dissociated, and this is where the peptides generated by DisrupTx act, which are capable of interrupting the bond between the two receptors so that THC can activate CB1 and decrease pain without affecting the serotonin receptor or altering memory. 

A unique drug as a cognitive protector 

“The compound has aroused interest in the pharmaceutical industry, taking into account the current lack of effective drugs for treating moderately severe pain, and in particular neuropathic pain in which cannabinoids have greater therapeutic potential”, Maldonado explains.

From this family of peptides, protected by a European patent application and PCT, a candidate (DRT-017) has been selected for development as a future drug for the prevention of cognitive impairment associated with the medicinal use of cannabis and cannabinoid-based drugs in patients with chronic pain, as well as to combat cannabis use disorder.

“The compound has aroused interest in the pharmaceutical industry, taking into account the current lack of effective drugs for treating moderately severe pain, and in particular neuropathic pain in which cannabinoids have greater therapeutic potential”, Maldonado explains.

Solution to an unmet medical need

The technology presented by DisrupTx opens a new window for pain treatment by decreasing the adverse effects of cannabinoids in the treatment of chronic pain. The current range of analgesics responds to mild pain through non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) with known adverse gastrointestinal, renal and haematological effects, and to severe pain through opiates that have a significant addictive potential. DisrupTx will allow access to a market segment that is currently poorly covered from a pharmacological point of view, such as chronic moderate pain, offering an effective and safe alternative for relief, and reducing side effects.