Mytesi® (crofelemer), a product of Jaguar’s wholly-owned subsidiary Napo Pharmaceuticals, is approved by the FDA for the symptomatic relief of noninfectious diarrhea in adults with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy.
Mytesi is a novel, first‑in‑class anti‑secretory agent which has a basic normalizing effect locally on the gut, and this mechanism of action has the potential to benefit multiple gastrointestinal disorders. Jaguar, through Napo, holds extensive global rights for Mytesi. Mytesi is in development for multiple possible follow‑on indications, including diarrhea related to targeted cancer therapy; orphan‑drug indications for infants and children with congenital diarrheal disorders and short bowel syndrome; supportive care for inflammatory bowel disease; irritable bowel syndrome; and for idiopathic/functional diarrhea. In addition, a second‑generation proprietary anti‑secretory agent is in development for cholera.
Crofelemer, the active ingredient in Mytesi®, is a botanical (plant-based) drug extracted and purified from the red bark sap of the medicinal Croton lechleri tree in the Amazon rainforest. Napo has established a sustainable harvesting program for crofelemer to ensure a high degree of quality and ecological integrity.
The term ethnobotanical refers to the use of plants by indigenous people in the course of their everyday lives, including the use of plants for medicine. Crofelemer, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Mytesi, is derived from the Amazonian tree species, Croton lechleri, and has a rich history of medicinal use by indigenous peoples in the Western Amazon rainforests of South America. The tree produces a blood red latex from which crofelemer is isolated and purified. The tree is commonly called “Sangre de drago” in Spanish, which translates to “Dragon’s blood” in English.
The Croton lechleri tree is one of the most widely used plant-derived medicines in the western hemisphere. Red latex from Croton lechleri trees continues to be part of rural and urban traditional medicine in multiple countries including Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia.
Indigenous people utilize the red latex to treat a variety of medical conditions. Its most common uses are taking small quantities of the latex orally to treat diarrhea, stomach ulcers, coughs, and flu. The red latex is also applied topically as a wound healing agent for cuts and open sores, and for healing the gums after tooth extractions. It has been and continues to be used to treat humans as well as dogs and livestock.
Because of its widespread medicinal use, there has been extensive research conducted on the chemistry and pharmacology of this red latex. Mytesi is the result of decades of research that began with the expertise of traditional healers of the Amazon Rainforest.
The Croton lechleri tree is rapidly growing and abundant in multiple countries. Jaguar and its predecessor companies always focus on the long-term sustainable management of the tree as part of our commitment to helping local communities both conserve their natural resources while also earning income for the basic needs of their families, such as food, clothing, health care and education. Jaguar employees have been collaborating with local communities, business partners and scientists for the past 30 years to make certain that the development and sale of this product provides benefit to local communities. Large numbers of these trees have been planted, and re-planted upon harvesting, across Peru in collaboration with communities and small local businesses.
JAGUAR ANIMAL HEALTH
Jaguar Animal Health is an animal health company focused on creating plant-based gastrointestinal products for companion and production animals, foals, and high-value horses. Jaguar Animal Health is committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing plant-based prescription medicines and non-prescription products for animal health needs on a global basis. Each of our products are first-in-class and sustainably derived to ensure the highest degree of quality and ecological integrity.
Jaguar Animal Health continues to support the discovery and development of medicines from its proprietary library of 2,300 plants; presenting its four-legged patients with an increasing number of options for effective bio-based treatments.
Canalevia-CA1 is the lead prescription drug product for Jaguar Animal Health and is intended for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID) in dogs.