Zelda Therapeutics Provides Update on Research Programme in Chile

By:
Research Programme Zelda autism Research Collaboration

PERTH, Australia, Sept. 13, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — The Board of Zelda Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: ZLD, Zelda or the Company) is pleased to announce it is making significant progress with its research programme in Chile. The Company has previously announced it has established an extensive clinical research programme in Chile focusing on autism, eczema and insomnia.

Zelda has strategically focused on conducting its research activities in Chile due to the efficiency of its legal and regulatory framework, cost effectiveness and its market access into the large South American pharmaceutical market. The Chilean government granted permission for the first cannabis crop to be planted for medicinal purposes in 2015, and has subsequently allowed the sale of medicinal cannabis in pharmacies. This has given rise to researchers and organisations specialising in medicinal cannabis treatments. Zelda has capitalised on this, forming strategic alliances with world-class researchers and physicians, and has access to valuable patient data which will assist in the development of robust clinical trials.

Zelda has now engaged the services of an experienced team of clinicians and scientists to help manage Zelda’s clinical trials in Chile. These researchers will work closely with Dr Patrizia Washer, Zelda’s Australian-based clinical trials manager.

The team comprises:
Dr. Gisela Kuester: Dr Kuester gained her medical degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Catholic University of Chile) in Santiago - one of South America’s leading universities. This was complemented by a Fellowship in epilepsy and electroencephalography at the University of Melbourne, Australia. She is currently a private consultant neurologist in Santiago specialising in epilepsy, electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology. She is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. She is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile as well as the Clinical Research Director at Daya Foundation. Gisela is leading the clinical trial design activities for Zelda in Chile.

Dr. Jaime Sasso: Dr Sasso holds a Biomedical Science Doctorate (PhD) from the University of Chile focused on clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics of drugs. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of applied biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics at University San Sebastian and University of Santiago, Chile. He is a pharmaceutical chemist with over eight years experience with comparative bioavailability and bioequivalence studies for generic drug development. He has additional training in good clinical practice and therapeutic drug monitoring from the Pharmacokinetics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile. Jaime is assisting Zelda with its various clinical trial designs in Chile.
Ms. Karina Vergara: Ms Vergara holds a Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and a Master of Science from the University of Barcelona, Spain. Her professional experience has been developed mainly in universities and scientific institutions in the area of research on eco-social problems linked to natural resources management. Currently, Karina is Research Coordinator at Daya Foundation and is assisting Zelda with in-country approvals, co-ordination and logistics for its clinical trial programme.

The above key people are leaders in their fields of scientific expertise and have extensive knowledge of regulatory requirements and logistics in Chile, which assists Zelda in fast tracking its clinical research programme.

Executive Chairman Harry Karelis stated: “We welcome Dr Kuester, Dr Sasso and Ms Vergara to our research team and are delighted to have such a high calibre local team coordinating our activities in Chile. Zelda is steadily progressing towards commencement of its clinical trial programme in Chile and I look forward to providing shareholders positive updates in due course.”
Tim Slate Company Secretary

About Zelda Therapeutics (www.zeldatherapeutics.com)
Zelda Therapeutics (“Zelda”) is an Australian-based bio-pharmaceutical company that is focused on developing a range of cannabinoid-based formulations for the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. The Company has a two-pronged strategy comprising:
• A human clinical trial programme focused on insomnia, autism and eczema with activities in Australia and Chile.
• A pre-clinical research programme examining the effect of cannabinoids in breast, brain and pancreatic cancer. It has partnered with the world’s leading cancer cannabis researchers at Complutense University Madrid in Spain to conduct certain pre-clinical work testing cannabis-based formulations known to have an effect in humans in order to generate data packs in a form expected by regulators and the pharmaceutical industry. A similar programme is in place with the Australian Telethon Kids Institute targeting paediatric brain cancer and Curtin University targeting pancreatic cancer.

The Company has secured certain rights to medicinal cannabis based formulations and treatment protocols developed over many years by a California-based group (Aunt Zelda’s) that has a very high profile within the USA and a growing international profile.

ZELDA THERAPEUTICS LIMITED ACN 103 782 378
Level 45
108 St Georges Terrace, Perth Western Australia 6000
Tel: +61 8 6558 0886
Fax: +61 8 6316 3337
E: [email protected]
Web: www.zeldatherapeutics.com

Contacts Corporate
Mr Harry Karelis
Executive Chairman
+61 413 056 328
[email protected]

Investors
Dr Stewart Washer
Executive Director
+61 418 288 212
[email protected]

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