OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp. have announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, One World Cannabis Ltd. ("the Company"), an Israel-based developer of cannabinoid-based therapies targeting a variety of different indications, is proud to announce it has received the first basic science study (lab) results on the effect of several combination of Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on multiple myeloma cell line RPMI8226.
Based on the results, One World Cannabis will submit the clinical trial protocol to the IRB (Helsinki committee). The company expects to receive institutional review board approval for the study within 6-9 weeks.
The OWC multiple myeloma study was done by three repetitive tests on the effect of cannabis extract with various combination ratios of THC/CBD and pure THC and CBD (50% concentration). The results present more than 60% malignant cell death. More results of pure THC and CBD are under further analysis.
Multiple myeloma cells were cultured for 48 hours with CBD and THC (all cannabis extracts) as compare to their combinations - CBD: THC 1:1; CBD: THC 5:1 and CBD: THC 1:5. Combination Index (CI) value <1, =1, >1 indicates synergism, additive effect, and antagonism, respectively. Each treatment was performed in triplicate in four independent experiments and presented as mean. The treatment of CBD in combination with THC had synergistic effect, being their cytotoxic effect is higher with each of the three combinations tested.
CBD and THC decreased survival of multiple myeloma cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow, accounts for 10% of all hematologic malignancies. It is the second most common hematologic cancer and represents 1% of all cancer diagnoses and 2% of all cancer deaths.
The basic science phase of the study has begun several weeks ago, at the Sheba Academic Medical Center (affiliated with Tel-Aviv University). Dr. Merav Leiba, Head of Sheba's Multiple Myeloma Service and Multiple Myeloma Research Lab is leading the study. The company conducts the study in accordance with Sheba's Internal Review Board (IRB) approval.
"If further studies will prove this concept, we plan to conduct a clinical study which will explore these combinations in multiple myeloma patients. In addition, most multiple myeloma patients suffer from a devastating bone disease. Since cannabinoid receptors have also been found on bone cells, we hypothesize that the combination of CBD and THC may alleviate myeloma bone disease," said Dr. Leiba.
In view of the basic study results OWC has begun the development of a unique formulation that includes cannabis extracts for a new delivery system in the form of a cannabis dissoluble tablet to treat multiple myeloma. The cannabis dissoluble tablet will provide physicians with the ability to control and administrate optimal dosage. This can be treated with every multiple myeloma patient and will replace the common usage of medical cannabis today which is not acceptable by scientists and physicians as smoking, edibles and oil extracts with no substantial dosage control.
"We founded this company to research and develop new medical solution from cannabis for targeted medical conditions to benefit the quality of lives of patients. Those first results are exceeding our expectations, and we hope to be able to achieve the same success in the clinical phase. Only then we can assert that we are on the way to a new cannabis medicine to treat multiple myeloma cancer and save patients' lives," said Dr. Baruch, OWC Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs.