MIRA Pharmaceuticals Welcomes Dr. Itzchak Angel, former Head of Pharmacology at Synthelabo, as Chief Scientific Advisor

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Mar 21, 2024, 11:04 ET

A seasoned pharmaceutical industry executive with over 40 years at the forefront of innovation, including at Synthelabo (acquired by Sanofi-Aventis), Dr. Angel aims to propel MIRA Pharmaceuticals' mission to tackle unmet needs in neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders

MIAMI, March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MIRA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: MIRA) ("MIRA" or the "Company"), an innovative pre-clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel treatments for neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders, proudly announces the appointment of distinguished pharmaceutical executive Dr. Itzchak Angel as its new Chief Scientific Advisor.

Dr. Angel brings over 40 years of preclinical, clinical and regulatory acumen to MIRA. He has significantly contributed to the research, development and regulatory approval of groundbreaking medications over his remarkable career. Notably, at Synthelabo (later acquired by Sanofi-Aventis), Dr. Angel played a pivotal role in advancing several drugs, including Litoxetine for depression and Deriglidole for Type-II diabetes, from conception to Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and clinical trials. Additionally, his activities contributed to the development and marketing of Mizollen (mizolastine), Xatral (alfuzosin) and Ambien (zolpidem).

Beyond his tenure at Synthelabo, Dr. Angel has made significant advancements in the pharmaceutical industry, including impactful work at several companies, such as Teva, where he was an external consultant in strategic drug development and innovation. He has also founded and served as an officer and director of several pharma start-ups. He was Vice President for Research and Development at D-Pharm Biopharmaceuticals, where he advanced DP-VPA into the human trials for epilepsy and bi-polar disorders (later licensed to Shire Pharmaceuticals) and the chelator DP-b99 for stroke (which advanced to phase-III clinical trials). Dr Angel also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of stem-cell company Accellta; Vice President for Research and Development at Proteologics Ltd and at Galmed Pharmaceuticals (where he advanced Aramchol through an IND to phase-II clinical trials); Head of Discovery and Research and Development Concenter Biopharma (where he advanced Zygosid-50 towards clinical trials) and others. His experience extends through various therapeutic areas and has led to the successful research and development of several drugs, highlighting his vast expertise and ability to bring critical treatments through the regulatory process and ultimately to market.

Dr. Angel's extensive background in drug development, from preclinical research through clinical trials and market introduction, positions him well to contribute to MIRA's scientific endeavors. His leadership is expected to accelerate MIRA's research and development pipeline, particularly in advancing its flagship compounds, including the innovative Ketamir-2 for treatment-resistant depression.

"We are truly honored to have Dr. Angel on our team," stated Erez Aminov, Chairman & CEO of MIRA. "His distinguished career across the pharmaceutical industry, from start-ups to big pharma, his exceptional scientific skills and his dedication to pharmaceutical innovation will help propel our promising pre-clinical drug candidates forward. His expertise will be invaluable as we move our product candidates towards INDs and through the clinical trial and regulatory approval process and also as we seek to expand our product candidate portfolio."

Dr. Angel stated, "I am thrilled to contribute to MIRA's pioneering efforts in addressing the challenges in neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders. I look forward to applying my experience and insights to help advance MIRA."

About MIRA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

MIRA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MIRA) is a pre-clinical-stage pharmaceutical development company with two neuroscience programs targeting a broad range of neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders. The Company's novel oral pharmaceutical marijuana, MIRA-55, is currently under investigation for treating adult patients suffering from anxiety and cognitive decline, often associated with early-stage dementia. MIRA-55, if approved by the FDA, could mark a significant advancement in addressing various neuropsychiatric, inflammatory, and neurologic diseases and disorders.

MIRA also holds the exclusive U.S., Canadian and Mexican rights for Ketamir-2, a novel, patent pending novel oral ketamine analog under investigation to potentially deliver ultra-rapid antidepressant effects, providing hope for individuals battling treatment-resistant depression, major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation and post-traumatic stress disorder. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's scientific review of Ketamir-2 concluded that it would not be considered a controlled substance or listed chemical under the Controlled Substances Act and its governing regulations.

Additional information about the Company is available at: www.mirapharmaceuticals.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and the statements of the Company's management related thereto contains "forward-looking statements," which are statements other than historical facts made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements may be identified by words such as "Aims," "anticipates," "believes," "could," "estimates," "expects," "forecasts," "goal," "intends," "may," "plans," "possible," "potential," "seeks," "will," and variations of these words or similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be deemed forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding Ketamir-2's potential in treating certain mental health conditions. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates and projections only as of the date of this release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties (many of which are beyond the Company's control) that could cause actual results (including the anticipated benefits Dr. Angel's services to the Company) to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning the Company's programs and operations are described in additional detail in its registration statement on Form S-1 and other SEC filings, which are on file with the SEC at www.sec.gov and the Company's website at https://www.mirapharmaceuticals.com/investors/sec-filings. The Company explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except to the extent required by law.

SOURCE MIRA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.