Incannex Healthcare (ASX:IHL) has found a fifth possible use for its hydroxychloroquine/cannabidiol (CBD) cocktail: treating inflammatory bowel disease.

The Melbourne-based company reported on Tuesday that IHL-675A could have potential as a multi-use medication following the laboratory tests in 66 mice.

While the drug is yet to be tested in humans, tests in rodents suggest it has promise treating several other inflammatory conditions: asthma, constructive obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis and sepsis-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome, a leading cause of death from COVID-19.

CBD and hydroxychloroquine work together synergistically to quell inflammation, according to Incannex’s laboratory tests.

“We know that CBD has been the focus of academic studies in relation to inflammation for some time,” says Joel Latham, managing director and chief executive of Incannex.

“After a variety of our own pre-clinical studies, our proprietary IHL-675A combination CBD and HCQ drug may have the potential to be clinically relevant to a large variety of conditions, including those for which CBD has previously been a research target molecule for their treatment.”

For this study the contract laboratory running the tests reported that IHL-675A outperformed both CBD and hydroxychloroquine alone, as well as placebo, in treating mice induced to have ulcerative colitis.

Incannex has already worked on gathering materials in advance of requesting a meeting with the US Food and Drug Administration to discuss a regulatory pathway for  IHL-675A to be approved as a new drug, and now plans to add inflammatory bowel disease as a potential indication.

Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term used to describe disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease that involve chronic inflammation of the digestive tract.

They’re characterised by diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, fatigue and weight loss. The global market for treating the conditions is expected to reach $US22.4 billion ($28.8 billion) by 2026.

This article was developed in collaboration with Incannex Healthcare, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

 

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