Dr. Michael K. Pugsley Joins Veritas Pharma’s Advisory Board


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veritas Pharma Inc. (CSE:VRT) (OTC:VRTHF) (Frankfurt:2VP), (“Veritas” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael K. Pugsley PhD, FBPhS, DSP, a consultant in safety pharmacology, has joined its advisory board. Dr. Pugsley is a safety pharmacologist and toxicologist specialized in a variety of therapeutic areas in drug development, in particular, central nervous system, anti-inflammatory, oncology, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure.

Veritas CEO, Dr. Lui Franciosi stated, “Dr. Pugsley brings exceptional knowledge and experience both in academia and industry in the area of pharmacology.  He will advise us on how to best position the Company’s therapeutic cannabis strains in medical practice as well as assist scientists at our research arm, Cannevert Therapeutics Ltd., with their current research projects.”

Dr. Pugsley was the former Director of Toxicology at Purdue Pharma LP, a privately held pharmaceutical company with an innovative product portfolio of medications for pain management, including their most notable product OxyContin. He led the PKDM/Toxicology Department in planning and execution of all nonclinical toxicology and safety pharmacology studies in support of drug development and marketed products. Prior to that, he had developed broad experience from large and specialty pharmaceutical companies, including experience preparing IND and NDA submissions and conducting technical assessments of pharmacology, toxicology and safety pharmacology data in support of licensing candidates. He was previously at Johnson and Johnson as the Scientific Director and Research Fellow for Toxicology/Pathology and Global Safety Pharmacology in Drug Safety Sciences. He also worked at Forest Pharmaceuticals as a Senior Principal Scientist. Earlier in his career, he was a Senior Scientist with XOMA (US) LLC. He holds a PhD in Cardiac Electrophysiology, an MSc in Eicosanoid Pharmacology and a BSc in Human Pharmacology from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Veritas Pharma aims to utilize Dr. Michael Pugsley knowledge and expertise of safety pharmacology, especially with respect to analgesics along with the help of its Medical Director, Dr. Scott Alexander in providing physicians and patients with the best clinical advice on the use of its scientifically tested and clinically proven cannabis therapies. His advice and guidance will help the Company’s efforts in bringing new therapeutic strains to market in the coming months and years.

About Veritas Pharma Inc.

Veritas Pharma Inc. is an emerging pharmaceutical and IP development company, who, through its 100% owned subsidiary Cannevert Therapeutics Ltd. (“CTL“), is advancing the science behind medical cannabis. It is the Company’s aim, through its investment in CTL, to develop the most effective cannabis strains (cultivars) specific to pain, nausea, epilepsy and PTSD, solving the critical need for clinical data to support medical marijuana claims. CTL’s unique value proposition uses a low-cost research and development model to help drive shareholder value, and speed-to-market. Veritas’ investment in CTL is led by a strong management team, bringing together veteran academic pharmacologists, anesthetists & chemists. The company’s commercial mission is to patent protect IP (cultivars & strains) and sell or license to cancer clinics, insurance industry and pharma, targeting multi-billion-dollar global markets.

Veritas Pharma Inc. is a publicly traded company which trades in three countries including Canada, on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the ticker VRT; in the United States, on the OTC under the ticker VRTHF; and in Germany, on the Frankfurt exchange under the ticker 2VP.

For more information, please visit our website: veritaspharmainc.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Dr. Lui Franciosi"
Dr. Lui Franciosi
President and Chief Executive Officer                              

Further information about the Company is available on our website at www.veritaspharmainc.com or under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the CSE website at www.thecse.com.

Investor and Public Relations Contact
Veritas Pharma Inc.
Sam Eskandari
Telephone: +1.416.918.6785
Email: ir@veritaspharmainc.com
Website: www.veritaspharmainc.com  

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