TORONTO, ON - May 13, 2026 — PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc. (CSE: MDMA) (OTCQB: MDXXF) (“PharmAla” or the “Company”), a leader in the research, development, and manufacturing of clinical-grade MDMA and novel MDXX-class compounds, today announced that it has executed a definitive SPV Formation, Shareholder and License Agreement (the “Definitive Agreement”) with Aluvaris Inc.(“Aluvaris”) and Diteba Inc. (“Diteba”).
The Definitive Agreement establishes a jointly-owned special purpose vehicle called Restora Neurosciences (the “Restora” or the “SPV”) to lead the clinical and regulatory development of APA-01, the Company’s patented novel MDXX molecule, with the explicit objective of filing a first Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Definitive Agreement was executed on the timeline contemplated by the binding Letter of Intent announced on April 27, 2026, and well in advance of the parties’ agreed June 8 outside date.
A Repeatable Execution Model
Restora is the second major partnership-based development vehicle PharmAla has structured and brought to signing. The first — Cortexa, PharmAla’s 50/50 joint venture with ASX-listed Vitura Health Limited (ASX: VIT) — has become PharmAla’s most visible commercial proof point. Cortexa is today the leading supplier of GMP-grade MDMA into the legal Australian clinical market, completed the world’s first Australian-manufactured GMP MDMA capsule run, and is currently expanding its commercial footprint under Australia’s Authorised Prescriber pathway.
Restora applies the same execution— clear governance, an aligned partner with capital-raising capability, a specialist services provider, and equity economics that retain meaningful upside for PharmAla shareholders — to a U.S.-patented novel molecule. PharmAla retains ownership of the underlying intellectual property and a continuing economic interest in any product commercialized by the SPV through equity, license fee, royalty, and sublicense participation, while Restora’s operating cash needs are met by capital raised by Aluvaris.
Diteba: A Specialist Analytical Partner for an IND Development Program
Pursuant to the definitive agreement, Diteba has been appointed as Restora’s principal provider of bioanalytical and scientific project management services for the duration of the IND development program. The agreement is structured to be highly capital-efficient for Restora, materially extending the development runway for each dollar of capital raised by the SPV.
Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Diteba is exceptionally well suited to serve as the anchor laboratory for the program, supported by a robust Quality Management System and a multidisciplinary scientific team with extensive experience in regulated drug development. Diteba’s credentials include:
Diteba’s platform is uniquely positioned to support the APA‑01 program, conducting GMP‑ and GLP‑compliant activities within a single, integrated Quality Management System that supports specialized analytical, bioanalytical, and regulatory development activities required to advance MDXX-class molecules—from preclinical bioanalysis through IND approval and beyond. By consolidating these capabilities within its anchor laboratory operating model, Diteba enables sponsors such as Restora to run IND-enabling programs with optimized operational efficiency, rigorous regulatory readiness, and superior project management. This combination of authorizations, technical depth, and integrated research services is unique within the Canadian CRO landscape and serves as a critical enabler of a credible, regulator-ready APA01 development pathway.
APA-01 and the Regulatory Tailwind
APA-01 is (R)-2-[(2H-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)methyl]pyrrolidine, a novel molecule covered by United States Patent No. 12,042,478 and a related international patent estate. APA-01 is being developed for therapeutic applications in psychological trauma and neurological conditions, including Post-Stroke Neurorehabilitation and Traumatic Brain Injury (“TBI”). APA-01 is not considered a controlled substance in either Canada or the United States.
TBI is among the indications expressly emphasized by the Executive Order titled “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness,” signed by President Donald J. Trump on April 18, 2026. That Executive Order directs the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue Commissioner’s National Priority Vouchers to qualifying drug programs that have received Breakthrough Therapy designation, and singles out post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury — particularly in U.S. military veterans — as priority targets for accelerated federal research support and expedited regulatory pathways. Restora’s Development Plan has been structured with these federal priorities in view.
Material Terms of the Definitive Agreement
The full Definitive Agreement will be filed as a material contract on PharmAla’s SEDAR+ profile. The principal economic and governance terms are as follows:
The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full Definitive Agreement, which will be filed by PharmAla as a material contract on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Management Commentary
“Closing the definitive agreement well ahead of our outside date reflects not only how this management team executes, but also how excited we are to partner with Diteba and Aluvaris to advance this transaction,” said Nicholas Kadysh, Founding CEO of PharmAla Biotech. “Cortexa demonstrated that PharmAla can structure complex, multiparty partnerships that deliver product, generate revenue, and align longterm incentives around a clear clinical thesis. Restora Neurosciences applies that same discipline to a novel, U.S. & PCT patented molecule whose target indications align squarely with the priorities articulated in the recent Presidential Executive Order. This is precisely the kind of capital-efficient, partner driven development model that Canadian capital markets have been asking biotech management teams to deliver.”
“Programs for novel central nervous system therapeutics face a distinct and elevated risk profile on the path from preclinical development through IND,” said Steven Overgaard, Chief Executive Officer of Diteba. “These risks include heightened regulatory scrutiny, the analytical and bioanalytical complexity of stereoisomer-discriminating method development, and the need for tight integration across analytical, bioanalytical, and project management workstreams under a single quality system. Diteba is uniquely positioned to manage that risk for Restora as its anchor laboratory. We combine a twenty-year regulatory track record, deep scientific expertise in advancing MDXX-class molecules through IND-enabling studies, and a capital efficient operating scale that helps extend the value of every dollar raised. We are proud to take on this role for the founding partners of Restora.”
PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc. (CSE: MDMA) is a biotechnology company focused on the research, development, and manufacturing of MDXX class molecules, including MDMA. PharmAla was founded with a dual focus: alleviating the global backlog of generic, clinical-grade MDMA to enable clinical trials, and to develop novel drugs in the same class. PharmAla is a “regulatory first” organization, formed under the principle that true success in the psychedelics industry will only be achieved through excellent relationships with regulators. Our team of dedicated professionals includes regulatory experts, scientists, and biomanufacturing professionals. PharmAla has built what it believes to be North America’s first cGMP MDMA value chain, encompassing GMP manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API), and drug product formulation. PharmAla’s research and development unit has also begun preclinical research into two patented Novel Chemical Entities (NCEs) based on MDXX class molecules, with proof-of-concept research currently ongoing at the University of Arkansas Medical School.
Nicholas Kadysh, CEO
press@pharmala.ca