MIRA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:MIRA) ("MIRA" or the "Company"), a pre-clinical-stage pharmaceutical development company, today announced promising new findings from recent preclinical studies of its novel oral pharmaceutical marijuana analog, MIRA-55, which is being studied as a potential treatment for anxiety and cognitive decline.
The new data confirms MIRA's earlier beliefs regarding MIRA-55's pharmacological profile and potential for potency and efficacy. Importantly, however, the new preclinical data compared MIRA-55 directly to THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana, and showed promising results.
Background on MIRA1a and Discovery of MIRA-55
MIRA initially focused its marijuana analog preclinical study program around an oral compound called "MIRA1a." As previously disclosed in March 2024, in late 2023, MIRA, based on discussions with its contract manufacturers, began to suspect that MIRA1a was in fact a new molecule with a distinct chemical structure, which MIRA named "MIRA-55". This discovery led to the filing by MIRA of a global provisional patent application for MIRA-55 in March 2024. At that time, MIRA indicated its belief that MIRA-55 displayed enhanced potency and potential for efficacy over MIRA1a but noted that additional testing was required to confirm MIRA's preliminary beliefs. The new testing results announced today provide such confirmation.
Recent Findings on MIRA-55
The recent preclinical studies, conducted in vitro and through a mouse model, confirm that MIRA-55 offers significant potential advantages over THC. MIRA-55 showed higher efficacy at both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors compared to THC. It also demonstrated a more pronounced and sustained increase in agonist activity as the concentration increases, indicating the potential for greater effectiveness in activating key cannabinoid receptors responsible for its therapeutic effects. These results confirmed MIRA's belief that MIRA-55 could potentially provide stronger and more reliable relief for conditions like anxiety and cognitive decline.
Additionally, MIRA-55 appears to maintain a novel balance between its activity on the CB1 and CB2 receptors, which may support its effectiveness over a broader range of doses. Unlike THC, which tends to lose its effectiveness at higher doses, these results demonstrate that MIRA-55 appears to maintain robust efficacy as doses increase. This sustained activity means that MIRA-55 could provide more consistent and prolonged therapeutic benefits, making it a more promising candidate for its target indications.
In studies exploring its potential anxiolytic properties, MIRA-55 showed a consistent, dose-dependent reduction in anxiety-like behaviors. In the Open Field Test and Elevated Plus Maze Test, MIRA-55 demonstrated a more predictable and stronger anxiolytic effect compared to THC. MIRA-55 increased the time spent by testing subjects in the center of the field and open arms of the maze, suggesting reduced anxiety. THC, while effective, showed more variable and less consistent results.