Raphael Pharm Stock Price, News & Analysis

Raphael Pharmaceutical Inc. (RAPH) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company in the healthcare sector, focused on the development of cannabinoid-based therapies. The company is described in its public communications as advancing a novel research platform built on highly purified cannabinoids that are free of THC and CBD, with an emphasis on inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Raphael Pharmaceutical trades on the OTCQB market under the symbol RAPH and operates in the Drug Manufacturers – Specialty & Generic industry. According to company statements, its research centers on the interaction between the human endocannabinoid system, cannabinoids derived from select non-psychoactive strains of cannabis or hemp, intercellular communication, and immune cell response during inflammation.

Core Research Platform and Technology Focus

The company highlights a differentiated cannabinoid-based technology platform that seeks to understand how cannabinoids affect immune cells and inflammatory pathways. Raphael Pharmaceutical reports using proprietary real time-polymerase chain reaction methods to identify multiple receptors to cannabinoids in human and mouse models. It states that it is mapping these receptors and examining how cannabinoids influence networks of intercellular communication, particularly in the context of inflammatory and immune responses.

Based on this research, Raphael Pharmaceutical has created natural formulations containing highly purified cannabinoids from select non-psychoactive strains of cannabis or hemp, which it describes as having strong anti-inflammatory potential. These formulations are designed to interact with the endocannabinoid system by activating cannabinoid receptors expressed on immune cells. The company emphasizes that its lead formulations are free of psychoactive cannabis components and are administered orally.

Lead Program in Rheumatoid Arthritis

A central focus for Raphael Pharmaceutical is rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease associated with joint pain, inflammation, and other systemic symptoms. The company’s lead product candidate, referred to as HPC1 in its communications, is being developed for the treatment or management of RA. Extensive preclinical work conducted with its research partner suggests that this candidate may reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF alpha, Interleukin‑1 beta, and Interleukin‑6, indicating potential anti-inflammatory effects relevant to RA.

Raphael Pharmaceutical reports that it has conducted a proof-of-concept clinical study in the United States under Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and in compliance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. In this single-group study involving adult participants with RA, the company states that daily oral administration of its highly purified cannabinoid-based formula over an eight-week period was associated with improvements in pain levels, sleep quality, and overall well-being. The company also notes a reduction in Disease Activity Score (DAS28), reflecting a shift in disease activity from high to moderate for the study group, and reports that no adverse effects were observed during the trial.

According to Raphael Pharmaceutical, a high proportion of study participants expressed a desire to continue using the product and indicated they would recommend the formula to others living with RA. The company views these findings, together with its preclinical data, as support for the clinical potential of its cannabinoid-based formula as an anti-inflammatory agent in RA.

Intellectual Property and Provisional Patent

Raphael Pharmaceutical has announced the filing of a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This application covers the use of the company’s highly purified cannabinoid-based technology platform in the treatment of neutrophil-dominant autoimmune diseases. The scope described by the company includes rheumatoid arthritis as well as psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus with neutrophil involvement, and gout.

The provisional patent application, titled “Raphael Pharmaceutical, Inc. / Rambam MedTech Formula for Treating Neutrophil-Dominant Autoimmune Diseases (including RA)” (No. 63/911,729), was filed jointly with the Medical Cannabis Research and Innovation Center (MCRIC) at Rambam Health Care Campus. Raphael Pharmaceutical has indicated that it intends to protect its intellectual property and highly purified cannabinoid formulation through patent filings.

Collaboration with Rambam Health Care Campus and MCRIC

A key element of Raphael Pharmaceutical’s strategy is its exclusive relationship with Rambam Health Care Campus, described as a major teaching hospital and center for medical innovation. The company reports that in 2019 it entered into a sponsored research agreement with Rambam, providing Raphael Pharmaceutical with exclusive access to the Medical Cannabis Research and Innovation Center (MCRIC). Under this arrangement, Raphael Pharmaceutical funds MCRIC’s research in exchange for potential future royalties on product candidates under development.

The company states that this collaboration gives it access to advanced medical facilities, laboratories, equipment, technologies, and human donor cell banks that support its cannabinoid research. The research program at MCRIC has focused on the mechanisms by which cannabinoids influence immune function and inflammation, and has contributed to the development of Raphael Pharmaceutical’s formulations and product candidates.

Broader Pipeline and Inflammatory Disease Focus

Beyond rheumatoid arthritis, Raphael Pharmaceutical’s communications describe broader pipeline opportunities in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. The company reports preclinical research on cannabinoid-based approaches to chronic lung inflammation, including work using cells derived from human donors and mouse models of systemic and severe lung inflammation. In this context, it has identified a high-cannabidiol, non-psychoactive cannabis strain, referred to as CBX, which in preclinical models appeared effective in preventing cytokine storms and inhibiting the migration of immune cells to the lungs.

Raphael Pharmaceutical also mentions development of a novel molecule-based formula for patients with autoimmune disease and chronic lung inflammation, with the goal of advancing into FDA Phase I clinical trials. In its shareholder communications, the company suggests that its cannabinoid-based technology platform may have potential applications in additional areas linked to inflammation, and refers to possible future exploration in other medical domains.

Business Model and Strategic Approach

In a letter to shareholders, Raphael Pharmaceutical describes its mission as creating new, improved, and cost-effective treatment options for inflammatory diseases using cannabinoids. The company emphasizes an approach that aims to make medical solutions accessible and anticipates that its products, if successfully developed and approved, could be positioned as lower-cost options relative to some existing therapies.

The company outlines an asset-light business model that contemplates royalty-based agreements and outsourcing arrangements with contract research organizations, growers, GMP-approved manufacturers, and licensed distributors. It has indicated that its regulatory strategy begins with clinical studies and potential approvals in the United States via the FDA, followed by potential expansion to Europe through the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other regions thereafter.

Commercialization Concepts and Product Branding

Raphael Pharmaceutical has referenced plans for an initial commercial product concept called “RaphaWell,” described as an orally accessible formulation designed for targeted delivery to patients within the RA community in the United States. The company links this prospective product to its highly purified, non-psychoactive cannabinoid platform and its broader strategy of addressing unmet needs in rheumatoid arthritis and related inflammatory conditions.

In its public statements, Raphael Pharmaceutical has also discussed potential future pathways that may include partnering with larger biopharmaceutical companies through licensing arrangements, particularly for drug delivery formats, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of its cannabinoid-based products.

Position within the Healthcare and Biotechnology Landscape

Within the healthcare sector, Raphael Pharmaceutical presents itself as a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on specialty drug development using cannabinoid science. Its emphasis on neutrophil-dominant autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammatory conditions, and the endocannabinoid system places it in a niche that combines immunology, rheumatology, and cannabinoid research.

For investors and observers, the company’s profile is characterized by early-stage clinical and preclinical programs, a focus on intellectual property around cannabinoid formulations, and a collaboration-driven research model anchored by its exclusive relationship with Rambam Health Care Campus and MCRIC. As with many clinical-stage biotechnology companies, the progress of its clinical studies, regulatory interactions, and partnering activities are central to its long-term development.