Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
Mugglehead Magazine
Alternative investment news based in Vancouver, B.C.

Canada

Tilray Backs First Human Study on Cannabis in Breast Cancer Patients

Tilray shares jumped after announcing it successfully imported medical cannabis into the U.S. in support of a new clinical trial on its use for treating breast cancer drug side effects

Tilray Backs First Human Study on Cannabis in Breast Cancer Patients

Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) announced Thursday it successfully imported medical cannabis into the U.S. in support of the first human study to test if marijuana can eliminate a harsh side-effect caused by breast cancer treatments.

The British Columbia-based company said the study, which led by scientists at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) in New York, is aimed at providing relief for breast cancer patients suffering from taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN).

Tilray Backs First Human Study on Cannabis in Breast Cancer Patients

Courtesy of Tilray Inc.

TIPN is a progressive condition where nerve damage causes numbness and pain in the hands and feet. It affects more than 67 per cent of women who undergo chemotherapy and forces doctors to shorten breast cancer treatments for some patients, leading to less effective results. Although currently there is no effective treatment for the disorder, use of cannabis has shown positive results in mice.

“We’re excited to support this groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind trial seeking to find a new treatment option for TIPN,” Philippe Lucas, the company’s vice president of global patient research and access, said in a release. “Tilray is committed to advancing cannabis research through its support of clinical trials around the world as we continue to enhance our understanding of the potential benefits of medical cannabis.”

The clinical trial will give half of its patients a medical cannabis product containing a combination of THC and CBD twice daily for eight weeks. The other half will receive a placebo.

“There is a critical need for randomized controlled clinical studies to test the efficacy of cannabis in patients,” said Margaret Haney, a professor of neurbiology and one of the two lead scientists on the trial.

“There is exciting pre-clinical evidence showing that THC and CBD significantly reduce TIPN, and our study will be the first to test this in a well powered clinical trial.”

Tilray helps boost cannabis industry potential

Although the news doesn’t improve Tilray’s bottom line, it was taken as a positive by investors as the pot stock jumped as much as 14 per cent on the announcement.

The company touts itself as a global pioneer in medical cannabis research and it now supports 10 clinical trials across the globe by adding this latest one in New York. Other trials studying the efficacy of medical cannabis as a treatment include pediatric epilepsy, essential tremor, PTSD and alcohol use disorder.

Tilray supplies medical marijuana in 13 countries, and it recently expanded its cultivation facility in Portugal to supply the burgeoning European market.

October is breast cancer awareness month and the CUIMC clinical trial could be lead to a major breakthrough in treating the disease that currently 1 in 8 American women suffer from.

If successful, the clinical trial could also lead to a major win for the industry by demonstrating the value of medical cannabis which could lead to increased use by doctors around the world.

However, like much of the major pot companies Tilray stock is down almost 70 per cent since the start of the year and will need some better financial results over potential to reverse that.

Researchers are currently recruiting patients for the CUIMC study, which will get underway soon.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Cannabis

Relief on the way for patients and providers as the state revises cannabis taxation

Cannabis

Amended nonbinding deal reached with Somai Pharmaceuticals for RPK Biopharma Unipessoal

Alternative Energy

Lithium open-pit mines in Portugal's north raise local concerns

International

Before Costa's resignation, authorities arrested his chief of staff, Vítor Escária, and businessman Diogo Lacerda Machado