Odyssey Health, Inc. (ODYY) Taps Military Advisors to Address Target Market for PRV-002 Concussion Drug

June 29, 2022 09:35:00
  • Odyssey Health is a medical company focused on developing medical products for conditions with unmet needs, one of which is concussion
  • Currently, concussions do not have an FDA-approved treatment
  • Soldiers form a significant population of people who frequently experience multiple concussions throughout their career
  • Concussion has only recently received greater attention as different parties seek to understand the condition and possible treatments
  • Odyssey is at the forefront of this pursuit for treatment and has developed the PRV-002 drug candidate that it intends to use on the military as part of a Phase II clinical trial 
  • The company announced the formation of a Military Advisory Board to help in this journey

According to a study by the Business Development Bank of Canada (“BDC”), 86% of businesses with an advisory board say it has had a substantial impact on their operations. In addition, the study showed that companies with an advisory board witnessed 24% higher annual sales and 18% higher productivity than businesses without one (https://ibn.fm/K437C).

Looking to tap into these favorable statistics as well as to better understand one of its important target markets, the military, Odyssey Health (OTC: ODYY), a medical company focused on unique, life-saving medical products that offer clinical advantages to conditions with unmet needs, announced the formation of a Military Advisory Board (https://ibn.fm/LJwwD).

The board, which comprises associated military contacts (retired members of the U.S. armed forces who previously held leadership positions), was formed to gain experience and information that will provide crucial insights into traumatic brain injuries (“TBI”) and their effects on those who sustain TBI. 

“TBI in general, and mild TBI in particular, is considered a ‘silent epidemic’ because many of the acute and enduring alterations in cognitive, motor, and somatosensory functions may not be readily apparent to external observers,” an article published in the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”)’s National Library of Medicine website reads (https://ibn.fm/0P7nE). The article goes on to note that approximately 80% of all TBI cases are categorized as mild (“mTBI”). Still, these approximations are considered underestimates “because they do not account for incidents of TBI in which the person does not seek medical care.”

Concussions are frequent in contact sports, with soldiers making up another significant proportion of people who frequently sustain these injuries multiple times over their careers. Latest statistics show that over 430,000 U.S. service members were diagnosed with a TBI from 2000 to 2020 (https://ibn.fm/OpnXq), with 75-83% of these cases having been categorized as mild (“mTBI”) (https://ibn.fm/PhTRQ). In addition, one analysis notes that one in six soldiers returning from deployment in Iraq met the criteria for concussion. 

For a long time, however, concussions did not receive the necessary urgency and attention to understand the underlying mechanisms of mild brain trauma and device potential therapeutic interventions. In fact, a New York Times article notes, many soldiers used to shrug off ailments that began following blasts – headaches, dizzy spells, numbness in their arms, dehydration, fatigue, and persistent ringing in their ears – only to later develop even more severe symptoms a few years after the explosions (https://ibn.fm/Lm1dd). But Odyssey is now spearheading efforts to understand the condition and develop treatments for concussion, which until now, does not have an FDA-approved drug. 

Odyssey is developing the PRV-002, a novel compound for the treatment of concussion. The drug is currently undergoing evaluations as part of a Phase I clinical trial. Upon completing the Phase 1 trial, presenting its findings to the FDA for review, and after receiving positive feedback, Odyssey intends to initiate a Phase II clinical trial in the U.S., starting with the military. This is where the Military Advisory Board will play a crucial role.

The board comprises Major General USA (r) and Former Chief of Staff USSOCOM James Linder, Commanding General U.S. Army Special Operations Command (r) Francis Beaudette, Lieutenant Colonel (r) Paul Toolan, and Vice Admiral (r) Timothy Szymanski, leaders who understand firsthand the consequences of TBI on the battlefield as well as its impacts on retired and separated service members. They equally recognize the role leaders at all levels have to play to protect the comprehensive brain health of their soldiers and the underlying need to passionately and aggressively pursue treatment. 

“Too many service members and veterans are suffering from post-concussive events, while their families are suffering as they watch and provide care. There remains an urgent need for a concussion treatment at the point of injury that immediately treats the initial injury, speeds recovery, and potentially diminishes its long-term effects. We are obligated to pursue treatments that improve a service member’s, and their families’, well-being through their service commitment and beyond,” commented Vice Admiral (r) Timothy Szymanski (https://ibn.fm/hHCeO).

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://odysseygi.com/

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ODYY are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ODYY

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