History of the Endocannabinoid System

MAKScientific's Research Objectives

MAKScientific's technology provides an excellent opportunity to create novel and highly effective medications without the undesirable psychotropic side effects associated with cannabis.  The Company has designed and synthesized compounds that are in advanced preclinical development for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders, neuropathic and inflammatory pain, addiction and neuroprotection.  MAKScientific has highly developed tools and technologies that it employs in its research areas of medicinal chemistry, molecular biology and molecular modeling.  It has proprietary cell culture lines and sophisticated biochemical and pharmacological assays as well as animal models to further its drug discovery efforts.  MAKScientific has a library of over 12,000 compounds covering the key therapeutic areas it is pursuing.

Cannabis has been recognized to have therapeutic properties since ancient times and has been used as an analgesic, an appetite enhancer and in combating nausea and vomiting in cancer chemotherapy but has not been fully exploited as a therapeutic agent because of its undesirable mood altering effects. Recent scientific discoveries have shown that the human body produces endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), a family of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. These natural substances participate in a number of physiological processes by interacting with two known cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) as well a a group of enzymes and a transporter system all of which serve as potential targets for drug discovery.

A model of CB2 receptor with potent activating compound AM841.  The CB2 receptor is a therapeutic target for neuropathic pain and multiple sclerosis.

Monoacyl glycerol lipase is an enzyme involved in the deactivation of 2-AG, a key endocannabinoid ligand.  This enzyme is being used as a target for neuroprotective medications.