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GB Sciences Embraces Cannabinoid Complexities

Ryan Allway

February 9th, 2017

News, Top News

The cannabis plant and human endocannabinoid system are incredibly complex and researchers are just starting to scratch the surface of their understanding. While many companies are focused on the basics – THC and CBD targeting CB1 and CB2 receptors – other companies are looking at the more complex interactions that could yield therapeutics with greater efficacy targeting a wider range of serious medical conditions.

In this article, we look at GB Sciences Inc. (OTCQB: GBLX) and its unique approach to the market that embraces the complexities of the cannabis plant and endocannabinoid system.

Moving from Simple to Complex

The cannabis plant is incredibly complex with over 400 chemical entities, including major compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), that have opposing effects. While the plant has been cultivated for at least 6,000 years, its pharmacological properties have only been analyzed since the end of the nineteenth century. Many breakthroughs didn’t occur until after 2000 when the human endocannabinoid system became more understood.

Most companies involved in the cannabis industry are focused on only two of these compounds – THC and CBD – and their effects on a limited number of cannabinoid receptors. For instance, GW Pharmaceuticals plc’s (NASDAQ: GWPH) Epidiolex(R) is an oral solution of pure plant-derived CBD that acts on cannabinoid receptors targeting symptoms of Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, and Infantile Spasms.

GB Sciences is taking a different approach by embracing the complexity of both the cannabis plant and the endocannabinoid system. By taking a holistic approach, the company aims to leverage the natural interactions between dozens of cannabinoids, terpenes and other phytochemicals within the cannabis plant on many different receptors within the endocannabinoid system. These targets are identified using both high-throughput screening of accepted cellular models of human diseases and complex statistical and computer models designed to predict outcomes.

Building a Robust Portfolio

GB Sciences has started to build a patent portfolio around the approach by working with Fenwick & West. In October, the company filed the first of several patents covering cannabinoid-containing complex mixtures (CCCM) capable of enhancing dopamine secretion and protecting neurons from mitochondria-induced free radical damage associated with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and Huntington’s disease, among others.

GB Sciences, as promised, recently filed the second patent in the series, targeting inflammatory diseases such as chronic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome, and asthma. The application focuses on the use of CCCM to disrupt the signaling pathways in certain immune cells that lead to the initiation and maintenance of inflammatory responses. Both common and uncommon inflammatory disorders, ranging from chronic arthritis to acute responses to insect stings, are likely to be effectively targeted by this therapeutic approach.

The company also licensed an existing patent from Makai Biotechnology in December covering therapeutic methods for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and associated pathologies. In particular, the patent covers potential therapeutics derived from plant-based cannabinoids to regulate the cannabinoid receptor TRPV1. The approach differs from other companies that target conventional well-known CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors.

With these patents in process and in place, the company recently engaged a California-based CRO that will help it complete pre-clinical trials on animals, file an IND to begin human testing, and conduct the first in human clinical trial. These efforts could accelerate the company’s time-to-market and ensure that they are adhering to best practices when designing and executing clinical trials targeting several enormous end markets.

Standardizing the Process

The medical cannabis industry has always struggled with non-standardized products that generate different reactions from one person to the next. For example, a study published in JAMA found that regulation and quality assurance for edible product content and labeling are generally inaccurate. The researchers analyzed 75 products and found that only 17% were accurately labeled, 23% were under-labeled, and 60% were over-labeled.

GB Sciences is taking a much more clinical approach to the market to ensure the highest levels of standardization for both safety and efficacy reasons. The company operates a manufacturing facility with standardized cultivation and extraction techniques designed to produce products with refined clinical properties, and is applying for ISO certification for the facility. These levels of standardization are necessary for regulatory approvals as it moves into clinical trials.

The company hopes to eventually develop FDA approved drugs, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals that are highly standardized. This strategy will enable it to develop both near-term revenue-producing products that don’t require regulatory approvals, as well as higher margin FDA approved products with blockbuster potential targeting serious disease.

Looking Ahead

GB Sciences Inc. (OTCQB: GBLX) is a developer of cannabinoid therapeutics that is embracing the complexities of the cannabis plant and endocannabinoid system. By taking a holistic approach, the company aims to develop therapeutics that effectively target a wide range of conditions, and it is already gearing up for clinical trials. Investors interested in the space may want to take a closer look given these dynamics.

In the meantime, the company also owns and operates a licensed cultivation facility in Nevada that should help generate near-term revenue to offset its research and development costs while providing it with low-cost product for clinical trials.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.growblox.com.

This article was published by CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN), owner and operator of CFN Media, the industry’s leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the burgeoning CBD and legal cannabis industries. Call +1 (833) 420-CNFN for more information.

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.

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