Ananda Developments - NHS SCOTLAND TO FUND MRX1 ENDOMETRIOSIS TRIAL

15 August 2023

ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC

("Ananda" or the "Company")

NHS SCOTLAND TO FUND MRX1 ENDOMETRIOSIS TRIAL

Ananda Developments plc (AQSE: ANA), a company whose ambition is to be a leading provider of cannabinoid-based medicines for the treatment of chronic, complex inflammatory pain conditions, is  pleased to announce that the Chief Scientist Office ("CSO"), which is part of the Scottish Government Health Directorate and is responsible for funding research in NHS Scotland (NHS) is providing the non-dilutive funding for the previously announced endometriosis randomised controlled trial ("RCT") using Ananda's MRX1 sublingual cannabidiol oil. The CSO is providing £300,000 to conduct the trial using Ananda's patent pending MRX1 formulation and matching placebo.

The endometriosis RCT will be conducted by Dr Lucy H R Whitaker (BSc (Hons) MB ChB MSc MD MRCOG), NES CSO Clinical lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at The University of Edinburgh. Dr Whitaker is supported by Professor Andrew W Horne (PhD, FRCOG, FRCP Edin, FRCSEd, FRSE), Professor of Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences at The University of Edinburgh. Prof Horne is also Co-director of EXPPECT Edinburgh, Specialty Advisor to Scotland's Chief Medical Officer for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, President-elect of the World Endometriosis Society & Co-Editor in chief of Reproduction and Fertility. The 100 endometriosis RCT participants will take Ananda's patent pending MRX1 cannabidiol oil or matching placebo.

Melissa Sturgess, CEO of Ananda, commented "Our objective is to have MRX1 included by the NHS as an efficacious and cost-effective treatment for pain associated with endometriosis. Getting NHS funding for this trial using MRX1 is a clear statement of the importance of endometriosis as a public health issue and we believe clearly demonstrates the interest in the use cannabidiol as a potential treatment for endometriosis and other complex chronic inflammatory pain conditions by the UK's public health bodies. The chronic, complex inflammatory pain market was recently estimated (https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/anthony-woolf/) to be worth at least £5 billion per annum in the UK alone."

For further information about the use of MRX1 in clinical trials please contact nick.clarkson@mrxmedical.com and for all other MRX enquiries, including for MRX1 to be prescribed by specialists, please contact Jack@anandadevelopments.com

Further information on the trial:

TCS/22/28 - ENDOCAN-1: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Of The Efficacy Of A Cannabinoid Oral Tincture In The Management Of Endometriosis-Associated Pain.

Background: Endometriosis (where cells similar to the womb-lining are found elsewhere in the body) affects ~190 million women worldwide and may lead to debilitating pelvic pain. Endometriosis pain symptoms can be managed medically by hormonal drugs, but only one third of women feel that these are effective and many experience side-effects. Cannabinoids are substances extracted from cannabis and are promising treatments for pain conditions like endometriosis.

Aim: We aim to investigate if a future large scale, UK-wide trial to determine whether a cannabinoid can reduce endometriosis-associated pain is possible.

Design and Methods: We will perform a pilot study, called ENDOCAN-1, in two Scottish hospitals. We will recruit 100 women with pelvic pain due to endometriosis. The women will be randomly assigned to take an oral cannabinoid called cannabidiol (CBD) in a tincture (liquid) or identical placebo for twelve weeks. Neither the women, nor their medical team, will know what treatment they are taking. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires about their symptoms. These will help to plan a future larger study to determine whether CBD reduce endometriosis-associated pain and provide value for money. We will also interview 20 women to find out their feelings about participation and experiences with the medication.

Dissemination: The results of the trial will be published in medical journals, presented at medical conferences, and publicised in summaries/infographics on social media platforms. The trial results will also be made available to patients on the Endometriosis UK website and social media.

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The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

About Ananda Developments

Ananda is an AQSE-listed company whose ambition is to be a leading provider of cannabinoid-based medicines for the treatment of complex, chronic inflammatory pain conditions.

For more information, please visit: https://anandadevelopments.com/

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.