SciSparc Announces NeuroThera Labs Secures Israel Patent For Opioid–PEA Combination Aimed At Enhancing Pain Relief While Reducing Opioid Side Effects

SciSparc Ltd. (NASDAQ:SPRC) ("Company" or "SciSparc"), today announced that NeuroThera Labs Inc. (TSXV:NTLX) ("NeuroThera"), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for central nervous system disorders, in which SciSparc holds a controlling interest of approximately 75%, announced that the Israel Patent Office has granted a patent for its proprietary combination of opioids and N-acylethanolamines. This patent covers methods and formulations designed to potentiate the therapeutic effects of opioids while significantly reducing associated side effects, such as tolerance, dependence, and gastrointestinal issues.

This patent grant in Israel joins previously granted patents for the same technology in Europe, Japan, Australia, and Canada, further strengthening the global intellectual property protection of Neurothera's proprietary opioid-based platform.

The patented technology leverages N-acylethanolamines, such as palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), to enhance opioid analgesia through synergistic mechanisms that amplify pain-relieving efficacy at lower doses. This patent family is based on a pre-clinical study conducted to evaluate the nociceptive effect of PEA when combined with opiates such as oxycodone, in well-established, regulatory compliance, pre-clinical models. 

In this study, researchers evaluated the pain relief potential of Neurothera's proprietary drug combination of oxycodone and PEA versus standalone oxycodone in numerous concentrations.

Results showed that while oxycodone treatment led to marked alteration in animals' behavior and their response to pain stimuli, Neurothera' s proprietary combination was found to exert beneficial effects like reduction or even preventing some of oxycodone drugs psychoactive adverse events. However, PEA was also able to potentiate therapeutic qualities of oxycodone, by prolonging the time the drug exerted its analgesic effects in all doses of oxycodone. 

According to The Business Research Company, oxycodone continues to have significant sales, with the global market size for oxycodone drugs valued at approximately $5.5–$5.7 billion in 2024. However, inherent risks in their use such as high susceptibility to misuse, potential addiction and diversion, severe psychological and physical dependence, and potential for fatal overdose, emphasize the critical need to find other effective and safe solutions at the same time.

The "opioid-sparing" effect shown in this study by Neurothera' s proprietary combination may reduce the required opioid dosage, which may help mitigate side effects such as addiction and respiratory depression.