NFL Biosciences Announces a Scientific Collaboration with McLean Hospital (Boston, USA) to Further Investigate the Mechanism of Action of NFL-101
NFL BIOSCIENCES (Euronext Growth Paris – FR0014003XT0 - ALFNL), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative botanical drugs for the treatment of addiction, today announces the launch of a scientific collaboration with McLean Hospital, a member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system in Boston, USA. This new collaboration aims to deepen the understanding of the mechanism of action of NFL-101, its proprietary botanical drug candidate for smoking cessation.
This collaboration follows studies conducted with the Georges Pompidou European Hospital (HEGP) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) which highlighted NFL-101's ability to restore normal brain activity in regions associated with tobacco craving, particularly the thalamus, during withdrawal. This restoration proved to be both specific and sustained. These results suggest the existence of a unique mechanism of action involving an interaction between the immune system and the central nervous system, distinct from existing treatments that directly target nicotinic receptors.
The studies conducted by McLean Hospital will explore in greater detail the links between this brain activity restoration and established biomarkers of tobacco addiction, with the objective of further characterizing NFL-101's pharmacological profile. Three laboratories at McLean Hospital, will be involved in this project: the Integrative Neurochemistry Laboratory, the Behavioral Neuroimaging Laboratory, and the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory.
This collaboration represents a strategic milestone aligned with the upcoming Phase III trial. It also supports NFL Biosciences' international expansion, particularly in the United States, through collaborations with world-renowned experts in addiction science. The results will further strengthen NFL Biosciences' regulatory submission. Launched at a pivotal time, this initiative contributes to the momentum of ongoing discussions with potential industrial partners.
Under this agreement, NFL Biosciences will retain exclusive intellectual property rights, including any potential patent applications resulting from the work conducted jointly with McLean Hospital. The results of this collaboration may lead to co-authored publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presentations at international conferences by the McLean Hospital research teams involved in the project. These studies will further enhance the scientific visibility of the NFL-101 program.
Professor Scott Lukas, Director of the McLean Imaging Center and the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean Hospital (USA), stated: 'With botanical drugs, efficacy often relies on the full extract, making it challenging to identify a precise mechanism of action. Too often, we develop molecules with a clearly defined mechanism, yet based on an incomplete understanding of addiction pathways, which frequently leads to setbacks in clinical trials. Here, it's the opposite: we already have demonstrated clinical effects, and the mechanism remains to be further explored. The next stage is to better understand the mechanism of action, which could strengthen the scientific rationale for the treatment and open the door to additional therapeutic insights, including potential individualized approaches.'
Bruno Lafont, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of NFL Biosciences commented: 'We are delighted to collaborate with McLean Hospital on this research project. Following the teams at the CEA and the Georges Pompidou European Hospital, this new collaboration further strengthens our program with complementary world-class expertise, particularly in addiction science and botanical drug pharmacology. It represents a key milestone in our commitment to deepen the understanding of NFL-101's mechanism of action and enhance its scientific and industrial appeal.'
About McLean Hospital
McLean Hospital has a continuous commitment to put people first in patient care, innovation and discovery, and shared knowledge related to mental health. It is consistently named the #1 freestanding psychiatric hospital in the United States by U.S. News & World Report and is #2 in America for psychiatric care in 2024-25. McLean Hospital is the largest psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a member of Mass General Brigham. To stay up to date on McLean, follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
About NFL Biosciences: www.nflbiosciences.com
NFL Biosciences is a biopharmaceutical company based in the Montpellier region of France, developing plant-based drug candidates for the treatment of addictions. NFL Biosciences' ambition is to bring new, safer and more effective natural therapeutic solutions to the entire world population, including low- and middle-income countries. Its most advanced product, NFL-101, is a standardized tobacco leaf extract protected by three patent families. NFL Biosciences intends to offer smokers wishing to quit a natural, safe, easy-to-administer and personalized alternative. NFL Biosciences is also developing NFL-301, a natural drug candidate for the reduction of alcohol consumption and has a drug development project for the treatment of cannabis use disorders.
NFL Biosciences shares are listed on Euronext Growth Paris (FR0014003XT0 - ALNFL). The company is qualified as an 'Innovative Company' eligible for FCPI investment. More information on www.nflbiosciences.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
AI can't be stopped! Ammonia inhalants, a.k.a. smelling salts, are not banned by the NFL after all
When is AI not artificial intelligence? When it refers to ammonia inhalants, aka smelling salts. When are these AIs in the news? When it was reported that the NFL banned their use, San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle protested, and the NFL walked back the ban a day later. The league's players association clarified that players can still use AIs as long as teams don't provide them. Got it? The NFLPA sent a memo to players on Wednesday saying that the ban only prohibits team employees from distributing AIs during games. That must have pleased Kittle, who when under the impression that AIs were banned completely, grabbed a microphone on an NFL Network broadcast to say, 'I honestly just came up here to air a grievance. Our team got a memo today that smelling salts and ammonia packets were made illegal in the NFL, and I've been distraught all day.' The five-time All-Pro tight end said he used the substances for an energy boost before every offensive drive and joked that upon learning of the ban he 'considered retirement.' Except that it isn't a ban. Kittle will just have to bring his own AI stash to ballgames. 'To clarify, this policy does not prohibit player use of these substances, but rather it restricts clubs from providing or supplying them in any form,' the NFLPA memo said. 'The NFL has confirmed this to us.' The use of AIs by NFL players has been under the radar despite apparently being a common practice. Their primary use is to prevent and treat fainting, with the Federal Aviation Administration requiring U.S. airlines to carry them in the event a pilot feels faint. The ammonia gas irritates the nasal membranes, causing a reflex that increases breathing and heart rate. That can keep a person from fainting, and apparently can also help a person block and tackle. In short, an AI — which has been described as smelling like cat urine — is a performance-enhancing substance. The NFL, however, cited a warning from the FDA that AIs can mask symptoms of a concussion and have not been proven to be safe or effective simply to increase energy. 'In 2024, the FDA issued a warning to companies that produce commercially available ammonia inhalants (AIs), as well as to consumers about the purchase and use of AIs, regarding the lack of evidence supporting the safety or efficacy of AIs marketed for improving mental alertness or boosting energy,' the NFL memo to teams stated. 'The FDA noted potential negative effects from AI use. 'AIs also have the potential to mask certain neurological signs and symptoms, including some potential signs of concussion. As a result, the NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Committee recommended prohibiting the use of AIs for any purpose during play in the NFL.' Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield — who says he uses AIs — said the logic behind the NFL no longer supplying them is convoluted. 'I think the reasoning was that it masked concussion symptoms,' Mayfield said on 'Up and Adams.' 'But if you get knocked out, which is the whole purpose of smelling salts — to wake you up — you're not allowed back in the game. 'I think it was a quick trigger to ban them, just to kind of CYA [cover your ass].' Maybe NFL officials figure that by no longer supplying AIs and forcing players to bring their own batch to games, their liability in case of concussions or other medical complications is reduced. 'You just got to bring your own juice to the party, got to wake up ready to go,' Mayfield said.
Fox News
4 hours ago
- Fox News
NFL players can still use smelling salts on gameday as union clarifies league ban
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, and every NFL player, doesn't have to go into gamedays without smelling salts after all. Kittle joked that he "considered retirement" after a memo was sent to all 32 NFL teams on Tuesday that appeared to ban the usage of smelling salts on the sideline during games. However, the NFLPA sent a memo to its players on Wednesday saying the opposite. The ban only prohibits team employees from distributing smelling salts and other ammonia inhalants during pregame, halftime or games on the sideline or locker rooms. "The NFL Players Association is aware of the memo issued by the league Tuesday regarding the use of smelling salts and ammonia capsules," the memo to players read, via "We were not notified of this club policy change before the memo was sent out. To clarify, this policy does not prohibit player use of these substances, but rather it restricts clubs from providing or supplying them in any form. The NFL has confirmed this to us." The memo from the NFL said that teams are prohibited from "providing or supplying ammonia in any form," which includes ammonia capsules, inhalers, ammonia in a cup or any form of smelling salts. "In 2024, the FDA issued a warning to companies that produce commercially available ammonia inhalants (AIs), as well as to consumers about the purchase and use of AIs, regarding the lack of evidence supporting the safety or efficacy of AIs marketed for improving mental alertness or boosting energy," the memo read, per ESPN. "The FDA noted potential negative effects from AI use. AIs also have the potential to mask certain neurological signs and symptoms, including some potential signs of concussion. "As a result, the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee recommended prohibiting the use of AIs for any purpose during NFL play." After reading that first memo, Kittle believed that he could never use smelling salts again, which he does regularly before entering offensive drives for an extra boost of energy. "I honestly just came up here to air a grievance," Kittle said as he crashed 49ers teammate Fred Warner's interview on NFL Network. "Our team got a memo today that smelling salts and ammonia packets were made illegal in the NFL, and I've been distraught all day. "We have got to figure out a middle ground here, guys. Somebody help me out. Somebody come up with a good idea. That's all I had to get out there. Get that off my chest." However, Kittle and the rest of the league will be able to use them – they just have to remember to bring their own.
CNN
6 hours ago
- CNN
NFL players can still use smelling salts as long as not provided by teams
NFL players will be allowed to use 'smelling salts' during games after all. The NFLPA sent a memo to players on Wednesday saying that the ban that the league informed teams about on Tuesday only prohibits team employees from distributing smelling salts and any other ammonia inhalant during pregame activities, games and halftime on the sideline or locker rooms. 'The NFL Players Association is aware of the memo issued by the league Tuesday regarding the use of smelling salts and ammonia capsules,' said the memo to players, which was obtained by The Associated Press. 'We were not notified of this club policy change before the memo was sent out. To clarify, this policy does not prohibit player use of these substances, but rather it restricts clubs from providing or supplying them in any form. The NFL has confirmed this to us.' The memo from the league prohibited any club personnel from providing or supplying products such as ammonia capsules, inhalers, ammonia in a cup, and any form of 'smelling salts.' The league cited a warning issued from the Food and Drug Administration in 2024 that there was no evidence citing the 'safety or efficacy' of the products and that they have the potential to mask symptoms of concussions. Smelling salts and other similar products have been a staple on NFL sidelines for years with many players believing they can provide a sudden jolt of energy or alertness.
