Updated: March 25, 2021
If I were to tell you six years ago that we’d have legal cannabis and psychedelic industries, you might think I was crazy. But here we are, it’s 2021, and there is a renaissance in medical advancements. Initially sought after for their underlying health benefits, psychedelics and cannabis have gone hand-in-hand when it comes to barrier-breaking medicine.
A new government administration in the U.S. has opened the floodgates for both. Incoming President Biden and Vice President Harris made it well-known they would push for favorable legislation on the topic. The SAFE Banking Act is something that remains in the spotlight in 2021.
Aside from the 30,000-foot view on legalization, significant M&A has also acted as a catalyst supporting medical applications for cannabis. Jazz Pharmaceuticals and GW Pharmaceuticals announced a merger agreement where Jazz acquired GW in a $7.2 billion deal. This has put a very bright light on the biotechnology applications for both cannabis and psychedelics.
PharmaDrug Inc. (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) Aims To Capitalize On Emerging Biotech Trends In Cannabis & Psychedelics With An Ace Up Its Sleeve
Keep Reading Below For More Info …
A growing interest in the industry has sparked a rebirth of momentum in the market. Some see the writing on the walls suggesting a new wave of cannabis investors could be waiting in the wings as the U.S. inches toward federal legalization. Meanwhile, as traders aim to position themselves, a new and eerily similar industry has begun emerging.
This has terms like magic mushrooms and psychedelics folding into the same conversations as “balance sheet” and “income statement.” The growing demand for new, non-opioid treatments for things like depression and other neurological disorders has put psychedelics at the forefront.
Considering that many of the early investors in cannabis have recently shifted attention toward this emerging niche has underpinned the latest rally in many stocks within this new sector.
Through the evolution of the cannabis industry and steps taken for bringing it to the masses on a mainstream level, consumers are more open to alternative forms of medicine. They’ve become accustomed to the recreational side as well. But as we know, from an investment standpoint, the key to capitalizing on novel industries like these is to be early.
I think we caught a glimpse of this in 2014-2017 during the initial cannabis boom. But after hitting reset, the entire industry came back to earth right up until the end of 2020. Now investors have an interesting scenario. First, the cannabis industry, which is seemingly getting its feet back underneath it ahead of a pending federal move in the U.S. Then you’ve got an entirely new, blooming psychedelic industry just getting established.
The exciting part is that some of the biggest names in cannabis are now getting behind psychedelics—everyone from former CEO of Canopy Growth, Bruce Linton, to former Co-founder of Aphria, Vic Neufeld. You’ve also got billionaires, including PayPal co-founder Peter Theil and former hedge fund manager Mike Novogratz jumping in…Why Mention This?
PharmaDrug Has An Ace Up Its Sleeve
Aside from showing the potential that these industries hold, it’s important to mention that PharmaDrug may have an ace up its sleeve right now.
That ace is none other than cannabis pioneer and founder of Aurora Cannabis, Terry Booth. While at the helm, he helped build Aurora into one of the most recognized names in the pot business early on. During his time at Aurora, he managed to build the company’s foothold early on. He was at the spearhead of the company’s explosive growth spurt that saw Aurora’s market value skyrocket to record levels in a market move over more than 3,000%!
What’s more, Booth’s M&A experience could present other unique opportunities for PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF). He has been part of over 30 transactions and acquisitions worth more than $8 billion in the last five years alone. He also has profound knowledge of international markets, including Europe.
Booth has taken his expertise and applied it to the psychedelics industry, initially as an early investor. Now he’s getting directly involved sitting as Chairman of PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF)’s Advisory Board. The company has focused on the medical applications of both cannabis and psychedelics to create a pharmaceutical treatment platform built on natural medicines…and they’re doing it on a Global Scale. Booth will focus his efforts on helping the company grow its European cannabis and psychedelics strategies.
Being Ahead Of A Pending Psychedelic Market Boom
Psychedelics have been highly sought after for their applications to mental wellbeing. With the opioid crisis, there’s a dire need for alternative medicine focused on mental health. This has sparked blooming interest in advancing psychedelics used in a controlled setting. There are also early adopters of decriminalization of magic mushrooms in places like Denver, Santa Cruz, and Oakland in a new directive favoring psychedelic medicine.
Specific to the pharmaceutical market potential of alternative medicines, right now, the studies focusing on psychedelics are targeting mental health concerns, primarily. We’re talking about a market (central nervous system therapeutics) worth nearly $205 billion by 2028*.
Specific indications for psychedelics used in medicine include things like anxiety, ADHD, depression, PTSD, and even substance abuse. Quite possibly, no other time than the present has mental health become such a focus. The COVID-19 pandemic has cut off physical contact across the globe. Bereavement, isolation, loss of income, and fear are triggering mental health conditions. Now more than ever could be one of the most critical (and profitable) times for psychedelic companies.
Building A Global Psychedelic Portfolio
In psychedelics, PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) utilizes a two-pronged approach. The first targets markets in The Netherlands by consolidating legal adult-use psychedelic dispensaries or “Smart Shops.” Secondly, the company looks to use its controlled substance import and distribution license to establish a pharmaceutical psychedelic business.
It’s doing this through a novel approach that utilizes an online psychedelics retail platform to deploy alongside flagship store launches. Starting in Amsterdam, PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) will begin rolling out this model and aims to duplicate it in 5 follow-on cities in the country. The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Super Smart is the retail psychedelics arm specializing in the sale of psychoactive substances in the Netherlands.
Establishing Early Brand Recognition
Through the buildout of the retail brand concept, Slim Winkel, PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) has an opportunity to take advantage of a fragmented Dutch market where mainstream market penetration has not yet been seen. The company purchased its first psychedelic retail store in Teil, Netherlands, and the new Slim Winkel brand was launched.
If the early days of cannabis legalization taught us anything, it’s that consistency and recognizable branding matter. Taking a cue from the North American cannabis industry, the ability to establish this Slim Winkel brand will likely become a significant asset for the company as the psychedelics market begins evolving.
PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) has set an aggressive retail strategy in light of this. Sales are set to begin by the end of the first quarter in 2021, with a market penetration of 10 retail stores across the Netherlands by mid-2022. In addition to this, an efficient roll-up strategy means that necessary infrastructure should be in place while allowing lower customer acquisition costs and an easier path to regulatory compliance.
The company is also set to launch its virtual platform for the Slim Winkel brand this year. This will break down additional barriers for customers allowing Slim Winkel to capture market share without relying on foot traffic alone. PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) has also designed the e-commerce platform to be available outside of the Netherlands, where it will not include psilocybin truffles.
What’s more, PharmaDrug has also begun inking distribution agreements with other leading psychedelic companies. Red Light Holland Corp. signed a deal with the company for Red Light’s iMicrodose Packs available at Super Smart’s first Slim Winkel store.
Opportunities Beyond The Netherlands
This is where the company’s broad portfolio begins to grow legs and includes an international footprint. PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) holds a Schedule 1 Narcotics Distribution License, enabling the import of narcotics into Germany. It also has a Good Manufacturing Practice certification, allowing 3rd party manufacturing of narcotics under an in-house brand.
The company is already importing cannabis from one of the largest medical marijuana companies globally, Bedrocan, allowing the company to sell Bedrocan’s brand in the German market. What’s more, the company has already begun expanding its offerings in Germany beyond Bedrocan. It brought on another line of medical cannabis which will allow PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) to build upon its sales volumes and expand its pharmacy network.
In light of this, management plans to use an increased cash position and expanded pharmacy network to execute a more aggressive growth plan in Germany and the Netherlands. This ultimately involves PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) adding its own medical cannabis lines.
Taking A Scientific Approach To Natural Medicine
Keep in mind that cannabis has had years to perfect, hone, and streamline its business, but few companies are embarking on a full platform of both psychedelics and marijuana on a global scale. To maintain consistency and enhance current and future product offerings, a scientific approach is preferred. Where most companies farm out this activity or joint venture without exclusivity, PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) has gone much further.
In 2021, the company formalized the acquisition of Sairiyo Therapeutics Inc. in a pivotal step to establish supremacy above other industry competitors. Sairiyo is a biotechnology company focused on repurposing and developing improved formulations of naturally derived compounds for severe, rare, and life-threatening diseases to obtain European Medicines Evaluation Agency and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
Sairiyo is building upon the clinical development of its lead drug candidate, Cepharanthine. This is a repurposed and reformulated naturally derived compound for the potential treatment of cancer, neurological, inflammatory, and infectious diseases.
Cepharanthine is a natural product and an approved drug used for more than 70 years in Japan to treat various acute and chronic diseases. Cepharanthine exhibits multiple pharmacological properties in clinical research, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, immuno-regulatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-parasitic properties*.
Sairiyo has an exclusive license from a research and development organization to develop and commercialize reformulated Cepharanthine for all diseases and exclusive rights to the patent, method of manufacturing, clinical supply, pre-clinical data, and know-how to support FDA clinical trials. Sairiyo recently received an FDA orphan drug designation for Cepharanthine in the treatment of esophageal cancer.
How Does This Help PharmaDrug, & Why Should The Market Care?
The acquisition adds a vertical in research and development. PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) and Sairiyo have already begun developing strategies to begin unique and value-adding research in the psychedelic space. The company can also integrate Sairiyo with an obvious goal to refine its Cepharanthine strategy, including, but not exclusively, advancing the drug into FDA clinical trials for esophageal cancer.
Going Beyond Magic Mushrooms
Right now, when we hear “psychedelics,” many associate that with “magic mushrooms,” but there are far more things to consider than just psilocybin. This is where PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) aims to stand out.
N, N-Dimethyltryptamine, better known as DMT, has been explored for its application in treating certain neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. In PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF)’s pharmaceutical initiative, DMT is going to play a significant role. The addition of world-renowned chemist and neuroscientist, Dr. Steven A. Barker, Ph.D. could take this research initiative to a whole new level.
Dr. Barker has a long history of research in psychedelics with a primary focus on DMT. He has been involved in the early research of DMT since 1976. His achievements have also gained him notoriety in documentaries like “DMT: The Spirit Molecule,” famously hosted by psychedelic advocate, Joe Rogan. Barker will now lead the research initiative at PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) as the company seeks to unlock the potential of DMT as a pharmaceutical treatment.
Considering PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) one of just a few public companies actively pursuing a foothold in DMT as a treatment, the timing could be paramount when factoring in the potential of companies within this new niche. Not to mention that the company has already established a full R&D platform resulting from the Sairiyo Therapeutics acquisition.
Two Orphan Drug Designations Clearing The Path For Clinical Studies
Aside from novel opportunities for the company, PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) has already filed applications with the U.S. FDA. The company is on the path of receiving Orphan Drug Designation for DMT in multiple indications. The first is for acute ischemic stroke patients presenting for emergency medical assistance within 3-hours of symptom onset.
In pre-clinical research, DMT has shown improvement in ischemic brain injury in rats, both by decreasing brain lesion volume and by improving subsequent motor function recovery. This Orphan Drug Designation would set up the company for gaining certain benefits and incentives, including marketing exclusivity if approved.
The company has also filed to receive Orphan Drug Designation in DMT for preventing ischemia reperfusion injury in patients undergoing kidney transplantation. Similar to DMT in the treatment of ischemic stroke, research studies have shown that DMT activates the sigma-1 receptor – Sig-1R.
Sig-IR ensures the correct transmission of ER stress into the nucleus resulting in the enhanced production of anti-stress and antioxidant proteins. The anti-inflammatory protective effects of DMT may provide a new, more beneficial strategy to reduce the damage caused by ischemia and reperfusion during kidney transplantation.
Now, when you talk about corning a market, PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) has already started down that path, specifically in the use of DMT as a treatment for stroke. Besides the marketing benefits, Orphan Drug Designation also allows the company to avoid the FDA New Drug Application filing fee of roughly $2,400,000.
Sponsored Research With University of Michigan
Research partnerships are crucial to scientific advancements & PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) has already begun establishing key relationships with leading institutions.
In partnership with the University of Michigan, under the direction of Dr. Jimo Borjigin as Principal Investigator, the company will evaluate DMT’s potential role in normal, diseased and altered states of consciousness in a newly created animal model, with the objective of developing novel therapeutic strategies of DMT for clinical unmet medical needs currently not addressed.
One of the core competencies of PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) is engaging respected academics and medical/clinical key opinion leaders in the space. Dr. Borjigin is a faculty member of the Center for Consciousness Science at the University of Michigan Medical School and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and the Department of Neurology at the University of Michigan.
Groundbreaking Foundational Research
Borjigin received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Johns Hopkins University and has published ground-breaking foundational research with DMT since 2012 including the discovery of DMT production in the pineal gland of live rats and comparable levels of DMT to common neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine) in the brain. Dr. Borjigin’s work on DMT continues to evolve and leads to new discoveries of potential functions and understandings of DMT that can be translatable and clinically relevant.
The Right Team Starts With Experience
Daniel Cohen, CFA
Chief Operating Officer
Daniel Cohen has over 20 years of capital markets experience, most recently spending several years as Head of Sales at Beacon Securities. During this time, Daniel successfully financed and launched multiple public companies.
Harry Resin
President, Super Smart
Super Smart’s President, Harry Resin, has been emersed in this market of plant-based medicine for 20+ years. Resin brings in-depth industry knowledge and relationships necessary to navigate the Dutch market, specifically. His insight and experience are essential to Super Smart’s ability to secure high-value retail locations, build out retail experiences that resonate with consumers, and educate emerging market segments.
Keith Li, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Keith Li has over ten years of experience in public accounting and accounting in the private sector. His specialties include audit and assurance, corporate accounting, financial reporting, and regulatory compliance services.
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PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF)
Corporate Overview
Why PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF)
- The market opportunity in psychedelics alone presents a “first of its kind” opportunity for the market. Furthermore, the cannabis 2.0 opportunity could just be getting started as the U.S. may be the next country to legalize recreational cannabis.
- PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) builds upon two massive industries potentially set for exponential growth: psychedelics & cannabis.
- The early foothold and distribution channel being built in Germany’s cannabis market could pave the way for a “plug & play” model when it comes time to deploy a psychedelic product launch.
- PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) focuses on the Netherlands, which already has an established recreational psychedelics industry. Due to the fragmented nature, a recognizable brand like Slim Winkel could stand to dominate through a roll-up strategy.
- The emerging market for alternative medicine in mental illness has triggered a multi-million-dollar investment rush into psychedelics with investment from Wall Street billionaires like Kevin O’Leary, Peter Thiel, Mike Novogratz & countless cannabis industry seed investors.
- PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF)’s leadership has been built on years of direct industry expertise with one of the founding fathers of Pot Stocks, leading the charge in the virtually untapped psychedelic market.
- PharmaDrug (CSE: BUZZ) (OTC: LMLLF) has also focused on the pharmaceutical side of psychedelics outside of the crowded psilocybin niche, already filing an application with the U.S. FDA for multiple Orphan Drug Designations using DMT in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke & preventing ischemia reperfusion injury in patients undergoing kidney transplantation, steps taken to fast-track the path to clinical trials.
End Notes:
- https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-central-nervous-system-cns-therapeutic-market
Disclaimer:
Pursuant to an agreement between Midam Ventures LLC and Pharmadrug Inc. (CSE:BUZZ), Midam has been paid $100,000 for a period from February 11, 2021, to March 26, 2021. We may buy or sell additional shares of Pharmadrug Inc. (CSE:BUZZ) in the open market at any time, including before, during, or after the Website and Information, to provide public dissemination of favorable Information about Pharmadrug Inc. (CSE:BUZZ).
