TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE) (OTCQB: FSDDF) (FRA: 0K9) (“FSD” or the “Company”), announced today the appointment of Charles V. Pollack, Jr., M.A., M.D., FACEP, FAAEM, FAHA, FACC, FESC, FCPP, as Chairman of its Scientific Advisory Board (“SAB”). In this capacity Dr. Pollack will serve as a strategic guide and resource to the Company as it develops disruptive, science-based, cannabinoid therapeutics.
"We are very happy to have Dr. Pollack join FSD Pharma as the Chairman of our SAB. His expertise and knowledge from the Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp, an organization he founded at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, will be very valuable in shaping the biopharmaceutical strategic direction of the Company. We look forward to gaining counsel from Dr. Pollack on the assessment of various scientific and clinical opportunities as well as the development of our pipeline. FSD Pharma plans to further expand our SAB to include renowned key opinion leaders who will play a key role in our Company’s scientific and clinical development programs," said Dr. Raza Bokhari, Executive Co-Chairman & Interim CEO. “On behalf of the Company, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Zohar Koren, our outgoing SAB chairman for his contributions and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” he continued.
Dr. Charles Pollack is an international leader in emergency medicine and has been active in teaching and clinical research. He is the only physician to have received the American College of Emergency Physicians’ highest national awards in both teaching and research; he also received the national teaching award from the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors. He is the only US emergency physician to be elected a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology. His primary emergency care research interests are in the management of thrombosis, reversal of anticoagulation, infectious disease emergencies, and treatment of pain.
Dr. Pollack founded The Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp at Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2016. The Center is the only comprehensive academic resource for education, research, and practice around the use of medicinal cannabinoids to be housed in a US university. He is also an Editorial Board member of the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.
From 2015-2019, Dr. Pollack served in multiple roles at Jefferson: Associate Provost for Innovation in Education; Director, Jefferson Institute of Emerging Health Professions; Associate Dean for CME and Strategic Partner Alliances; and, Professor and Senior Advisor for Interdisciplinary Research and Clinical Trials, Department of Emergency Medicine.
Dr. Pollack graduated summa cum laude from Emory University in 1980 with bachelor’s degrees in history and chemistry and with a master’s degree in the history of science and medicine. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Pollack earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha.
Dr. Pollack has written more than 500 original research articles, chapters, and abstracts, and serves on the editorial boards of several journals and on the steering committees of multiple national and international studies. He is the principal investigator on multiple ongoing trials and studies. He is also a strong advocate for entrepreneurism and innovation in healthcare. He is a founding Board member of the Hospital Quality Foundation, a non-for-profit education and research organization dedicated to improvement in the quality of care provided to patients in the hospital and at transition back to the outpatient setting.
“I am pleased to chair the Scientific Advisory Board and work with the FSD Pharma team to advance the Company’s strategy in cannabinoid therapeutic programs. FSD Pharma has an opportunity to explore a unique and exciting approach to a new class of compounds based on cannabinoid science, which will bring new therapies to indications of high unmet medical need. I am excited to support and guide the team as they work to bring these innovative therapies to the market," commented Dr. Pollack.
About FSD Pharma
FSD Pharma is focused on the development of the highest quality indoor grown, pharmaceutical grade cannabis and on the research and development of novel cannabinoid-based treatments for several central nervous system disorders, including chronic pain, fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. The Company has 25,000 square feet available for production at its Ontario facility with an additional 220,000 square feet currently in development (with an estimated cost of $250 per square foot to be completed in 2019).
FSD facilities sit on 70 acres of land with 40 acres primed for development and an expansion capability of up to 3,896,000 square feet.
FSD's wholly-owned subsidiary, FV Pharma, is a licensed producer under the Cannabis Act and Regulations, having received its cultivation license on October 13, 2017. FV Pharma's vision is to transform its current headquarters in a Kraft plant in Cobourg, Ontario into the largest hydroponic indoor grow facility in the world. FV Pharma intends to cover all aspects of this exciting new industry, including cultivation, legal, processing, manufacturing, extracts and research and development.
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