Incannex Healthcare Ltd., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing medicinal cannabinoid and psychedelic therapies for unmet medical needs, has engaged CDMO Eurofins Scientific to manufacture ReneCann therapeutic for topical applications.
 
ReneCann is Incannex’s proprietary topical cannabinoid formulation for treatment of dermatological conditions caused by disorders of the immune system, including vitiligo, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis, otherwise known as eczema. The ReneCann formulation is commercially protected by granted and pending patents acquired by Incannex as part of the APIRx acquisition that was finalized in August of 2022.
 
The unique formulation combines Cannabigerol (CBG) and Cannabidiol (CBD). CBG is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid with potent anti-inflammatory properties. A previous version of ReneCann was used in an in-human proof of concept study with dosing over a 6-week period. 
 
In the study, ReneCann reduced disease scores in patients with each of the target skin diseases. Patients with vitiligo, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis were observed to experience improvements in symptoms of 10%, 33% and 22% respectively.
 
In particular, the results for study participants with vitiligo are highly encouraging, as the incidence of the disease is high at 0.5-1.0% of the global population and treatments are limited. Vitiligo is observed when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) stop producing melanin, causing the loss of skin color in patches and the discolored areas generally become larger over time. ReneCann was associated with diffuse re-pigmentation (usually perifollicular or from the borders of the lesion) and efficacy lasted for weeks eventually before pigmentation recurred.
 
The ReneCann Drug product produced by Eurofins will be used in clinical trials confirming the safety and efficacy of ReneCann in vitiligo, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Data on the quality and stability of ReneCann generated as part of this project at Eurofins will be used in the chemistry and manufacturing control modules of future regulatory packages with the U.S. FDA. ReneCann also has the potential to be assessed for efficacy in other diseases where topical application may provide a benefit over conventional oral dosed cannabinoid formulations.
 
Dr. Mark Bleackley, chief scientific officer of Incannex, said, “The production of ReneCann adds a new route of cannabinoid delivery to the Incannex portfolio, opening the possibility for direct application of cannabinoid medicines to affected areas in dermatological conditions. ReneCann is also Incannex’s first product to incorporate CBG, a minor cannabinoid. Expansion into minor cannabinoids provides us the opportunity to explore different activity profiles of this diverse family of molecules across a range of new therapeutic areas.”