Raphael Pharmaceutical

World-Class Life-Changing Therapies.

Raphael Pharmaceutical is a pioneering pharmaceutical drug research and development company, focused on the discovery and clinical development of life-improving drug therapies based on cannabinoids.

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$10,000

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By: Guy Ofir
Angel Investment
Investment type:
Company Stage:
Category:
Medical Devices

Highlights

Highlights

Cutting-Edge Research and Development

Raphael Pharmaceutical collaborates with world-class research experts to harness the power of rigorous scientific methods and advanced technologies to develop safe, effective cannabinoid-based formulas. their most advanced development candidates include novel, patentable formulations designed to treat:

    • Rheumatoid arthritis (lead candidate)
    • Chronic lung inflammation
    • Autoimmune disease

 

Exclusive Research Agreement with Rambam Health Care

Rambam Health Care Campus:

    • A premier teaching hospital and the largest medical center in northern Israel
    • Groundbreaking medical innovation, research, and academia
    • Home to the Medical Cannabis Research and Innovation Center (MCRIC)
      • Esteemed research team led by cannabinoid expert, Dr. Louria-Hayon, our CTO
      • Cutting-edge medical technologies, equipment, labs, facilities, and data
      • Deep understanding of cannabinoid science

The Exclusive Research Agreement Provides Raphael with Access to Rambam’s World-Class Research Platform and Other Resources.

Promising Lead Product Candidate for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Raphael Pharmaceutical’s lead candidate for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has shown promising results in pre-clinical studies, indicating significant anti-inflammatory properties.

 

Proof of Concept Clinical Study Commenced in the USA

    • In March 2024, engaged Citruslabs, a contract research organization (“CRO”)
    • In May 2024, commenced proof of concept clinical study in the United States
    • This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of purified cannabinoid (HPC1) in patients with active RA
    • Enrolled the first of 12 patients in May 2024
    • If successful, we anticipate commencing Phase II in 1H 2025 and commercialization as soon as 2026

 

Robust Pipeline Based on Platform Technology

Beyond RA, Raphael is developing treatments for chronic lung inflammation and autoimmune diseases, with a pipeline that indicates a potential for broad applications of their technology.

 

Aligned and Experienced Management

The company’s leadership team and scientific advisory board consist of highly qualified and experienced individuals with a strong background in medical cannabis research and business management.

 

Value-Creation Opportunity

  • Modest investment for potentially ground-breaking technology with vast and growing market
  • Significant valuation multiplier in case of successful clinical trials
  • Pursuing collaboration with larger companies, which may add to valuation and provide exit points for investors
  • Potential to sell medical formulas and patents at Phase 2 to large pharmaceutical, medical cannabis, or other global companies
  • Revenue and income based on royalties paid to Raphael Pharma for use of patented, FDA phase 2 approved cannabis-based medical indications
  • In addition to initial U.S. regulatory pathway via the FDA, opportunity to pursue Europe via the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”), followed by a roll out to the rest of the world.

 

Pitch

Pitch

The Need

Many chronic inflammatory diseases, such as autoimmune disorders, asthma, and arthritis, lack effective treatments that can provide long-term relief without significant side effects. Current medications often focus on symptom management rather than addressing the underlying causes of inflammation, leading to a need for more targeted and sustainable solutions. Patients with these conditions face a daily struggle to manage their symptoms, often requiring complex medication regimens that may not fully control their disease or that come with severe side effects. Additionally, the economic burden of these diseases is substantial, both for individuals and healthcare systems, highlighting the urgent need for innovative treatments.

The Solution

Raphael Pharmaceutical offers a promising solution to these challenges by harnessing the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis. Through extensive research and collaboration with Rambam Hospital's Medical Cannabis Research Center, the company has revealed the mechanism of activity of cannabinoids, and developed a deep understanding of how cannabinoids interact with the body's immune system to reduce inflammation. By leveraging this knowledge, Raphael Pharmaceutical aims to develop targeted medicines that disrupt the intercellular communication pathways involved in chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases. These innovative treatments have the potential to offer patients more effective and sustainable relief, improving their quality of life and reducing the economic burden of chronic inflammatory diseases on individuals and healthcare systems.

 

The Technology

Cannabinoids Backgrounder

  • The cannabis plant has a variety of strains and contains multiple naturally occurring compounds referred to as cannabinoids .
  • More than 100 cannabinoids have been identified, including the two main cannabinoids:
    • psychoactive delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”)
    • non-psychoactive cannabidiol (“CBD”)
  • Cannabinoids have demonstrated clear health benefits, and the FDA has approved several drugs that contain natural or synthetic cannabinoids, such as Epidiolex®, Marinol®, Syndros®, and Cesamet®.
  • The natural, extracted oil formulations in Raphael Pharmaceutical’s product candidates are derived from unique CBD strains with low levels of THC (less than 0.3% THC) and enhanced anti-inflammatory activity.

Differentiated Cannabinoid Technology Platform

Raphael Pharma is Developing a Novel, Patentable Formulation Designed to Treat Inflammation

  • Cannabinoids are the active pharmaceutical ingredients (“API”)
  • Our formulated oil contains a mix of non-psychoactive, purified, isolated cannabinoids derived from a specific novelty exclusive Strain named (CBX) High CBD and extremely low-THC

Cannabis

Raphael Pharma is Developing a Novel, Patentable Formulation Designed to Treat Inflammation

    • Cannabinoids are the active pharmaceutical ingredients (“API”)
    • Our formulated oil contains a mix of non-psychoactive, purified, isolated cannabinoids derived from specific strains of low-THC cannabis

Uniqueness of Our Technology Platform

    • Leverages in depth scientifically-based understanding of the mechanisms of cannabinoids activity
    • Ability to decode how cannabinoids impact the network of intercellular communications during inflammation
    • Proprietary real time-polymerase chain reaction method has identified 12 different receptors to cannabinoids in both human and mice models 
    • The API in our formulation is designed to interact and communicate with the endocannabinoid system in the human body, activating cannabinoid receptors expressed by immune cells
    • Knowledge of which cannabinoid receptors participate in downregulation of inflammation in cells
    • We believe our platform technology can be applied to various chronic conditions linked to inflammation.

 

Existing Therapies for RA

    • DMARDs – disease modified antirheumatic drugs; the most prevalent conventional DMARDs are methotrexate, sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, and leflunomide
    • Biologic DMARDs – made using molecular biology and consisting of proteins; target specific molecules, cells and pathways that cause inflammation and damage tissue; examples include tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, Interleukin-1 inhibitors, Interleukin-6 inhibitors, T-cell inhibitors, and B-cell inhibitors
    • Corticosteroids – commonly referred to as steroids, corticosteroids are a type of anti-inflammatory drug

Current Treatment Options May Not Be Suitable for Everyone

 

Encouraging Pre-Clinical In-Vitro Study for RA Product Candidate

    • Employed immune cells derived from human donors , capable of differentiating into macrophages or T cells and to secreting cytokines 
    • Screened cannabis-derived oil extracts to determine influence on cytokine secretion
    • Identified a non-psychoactive cannabis strain, referred to as “CBX”, which demonstrated favorable effects:

Highly Purified Cannabinoid (HPC1) as Treatment Option for Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

  • Our preclinical experiments revealed a highly purified cannabinoid (HPC1) that effectively reduces inflammation in a mice model of rheumatoid arthritis
  • The cannabinoid reduced the expression levels of IL1b, TNF alpha and IL6 in the joints and peripheral blood of the sick mice
  • This study suggests that HPC1 has the potential to slow the progression of RA by acting as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Proof of Concept Clinical Study Commenced

  • In March 2024, engaged Citruslabs, a contract research organization (“CRO”)
  • In May 2024, commenced proof of concept clinical study in the United States
  • This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of purified cannabinoid (HPC1) in patients with active RA
  • Enrolled the first of 12 patients in May 2024
  • If successful, we anticipate commencing Phase II in 1H 2025 and commercialization as soon as 2026

Robust Pipeline Based on Platform Technology

Our Research has Demonstrated the Potential of Cannabinoid-Based Treatment for Lung Inflammation

  • Human and Mouse Model Study - using cells derived from human donors and a mouse model for systemic inflammation and severe lung inflammation, we have found that a specific high-CBD strain (CBX) is effective in preventing cytokine storms (reduces the secretion of IL6 and TNF alpha as well as the inflammation in the mice lungs); also inhibits the migration of immune cells to the lungs 
  • Our findings were published in Frontiers in Immunology  in May 2022
  • We are developing a novel molecule-based formula as a treatment for patients with autoimmune disease and chronic lung inflammation. The combination of molecules A and B exhibits a synergistic effect, leading to a reduction in cytokine secretion in the lungs of a mouse model for lung inflammation:

 

Progression of Current R&D pipeline (U.S.)

    • RA – lead product candidate; in-human proof of concept underway
    • Autoimmune Diseases / Lung Inflammation – mouse model study complete; pre-clinical commenced
    • Oncology – for cancer treatment effects like cachexia, fatigue, anemia, pain and depression (palliative)
    • Other – to be determined

 

Media Coverage

 

Team

Team

Shlomi Pilo
CEO and Chairman of the Board
Former Officer, Israeli Army, Intelligence Elite Platoon; VP Sales & Marketing, Alle Processing (world’s largest Glatt Kosher food manufacturer); Owner, global food brokering company.

Dr. Igal Louria-Hayon
CTO
Director of Medical Cannabis Research and Innovation Center (MCRIC) at Rambam Health; Head of Leukemia & Immunotherapy Research Lab in the Clinical Research Institute at Rambam; Director of SPARK Haifa and Northern Israel.

Guy Ofir
CFO, General Counsel and Board Member
Lawyer, “Guy Ofir Adv” law firm; Founder, “Easy Energy, Inc.” (a green energy company); Developer of real estate in Romania.

Dr. Yehuda Eliya
Partner, Ziv Shifer & Co. and Owner, Dr. Yehuda Eliya Attorney & Co. ; Vice President, Chamber of Internal Auditors of Israel; Director of various volunteer organizations in Israel.

Prof. Joseph Press
Scientific Advisory Board
Former general director of Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel; Former Director of the Department of Pediatric; Emergency Medicine and Chair of the Pediatrics Division at Soroka University Medical Center.

Prof. Alexandra Balbir-Gurman
Scientific Advisory Board
Frontline Director of Clinical Trials and Director of the B. Shine Rheumatology Unit at Rambam; Member of Executive Committee of Israeli Society of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Research Group (EUSTAR) and EULAR Target US initiative.

Dr. Shachar Eduardo
Scientific Advisory Board
Frontline Director of Clinical Trials at Rambam; Director of the Clinical Immunology Unit at Rambam Health Care Campus.

Financial data

Financial data

Updates

Updates

Currently there are no updates in this pitch

The financing rounds, made through the ExitValley platform, are in accordance with a model of statutory exemption from publishing a prospectus pursuant to sections 15A(A)(1) and 15A(A)(7) of the Israeli Securities Law - 1968.
Under this model, the disclosure of detailed information on the company and information about the investment in each round of financing are limited to not more than 35 investors, who are not qualified investors, and the round of financing is not in the format of an offering arrangement ("רכז הצעה"), as defined in the Securities Law.
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