Preclinical Study on Antitumor Effects of Cannabis Compounds Posts Positive Results

Cannabics Pharmaceuticals has announced encouraging results from a preclinical study on the antitumor effects of cannabinoids on cancerous tumor cells.

The study indicates that cancer cells derived from patient blood samples are differentially sensitive to the main active compounds in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). Circulating tumor cells - cancer cells that detach from a primary tumor and circulate through the bloodstream - were isolated from blood samples of breast cancer and prostate cancer patients and treated with either THC or THCA. Cell viability was monitored over time.

The results indicate that the cannabinoid compounds have different apoptotic - or cell-killing effects - depending on the dosage, type of cancer and the compound configuration.

Dr. Eyal Ballan, Cannabics co-founder and chief technology officer, said "The results of this latest study further validate Cannabics' ability to perform cannabinoid sensitivity tests on liquid biopsies and indicate in vitro antitumor activity of these compounds, which should be further examined in clinical studies. While the current use of medical cannabis is largely used for palliative purposes when it comes to cancer, we are seeing a growing number of clinical studies on the antitumor effects of cannabinoids and predict we will start to see eventual FDA approvals of cannabinoids to treat various types of cancer. Our goal is to support the personalization of these treatments with our drug sensitivity and therapy monitoring tests."

Cannabics conducts high-throughput screenings to detect correlations between cannabinoid dosages and anti-tumor activity using a growing library of human cancer cell lines and different types and ratios of active cannabinoid compounds. These novel screening technologies are expected to offer valuable databases to help medical professionals make the most effective treatment decisions for their patients.