New research from an Israel-listed biomedical company reveals how cannabis can effectively fight cancer.
Tel Aviv-Yafo-based Cannabotech on Monday announced the results of a study showing that its Cannabobreast products are up to six times more effective than existing treatment in killing cancers cells when used in conjunction with chemotherapy.
Hadassah Medical Center Senior Oncologist Professor Tami Peretz oversaw the study with drug development pharmacologist Dr. Isaac Angel.
Reducing Chemotherapy
Cannabotech says the study showed that using Cannabobreast could decrease the amount of chemotherapy needed, reducing side effects and increasing treatment efficiency.
According to the company, Cannabobreast is a unique combination of cannabinoids and terpenes combined with functional mushroom extracts.
Cannabotech CEO Elhanan Shaked says the study is a significant milestone in the company’s growth in becoming an integrative medicine leader.
“The integrative products developed by Cannabotech are intended for use in combination with chemotherapy treatment in several cancers and are expected to be launched in several markets in the second half of 2022,” says Shaked. “While the Company’s goal is to define a new standard for the medical cannabis industry.”
Cannabotech says that, in addition to effectively killing cancer cells, Cannabobreast has a synergistic effect when combined with oncological drug treatments that have undergone testing in known breast cancer subtypes.
Cannabotech applied a specific treatment for each subtype.
Increased Efficacy
The company also says that, along with increasing treatment effectiveness, a decrease in chemotherapy doses while achieving increased efficacy in killing breast cancer cells may be possible.
Cannabotech says the method could dramatically reduce adverse reactions and enable healing for more patients who cannot endure the side effects of conventional treatment.
Peretz, says a significant proportion of active cancer patients currently use cannabis alongside conventional treatment.
“The integrative products developed by Cannabotech are unique in that they are developed to standards similar to those of the pharmaceutical industry and combine several active agents,” says Peretz. “The company’s products have demonstrated impressive and very promising activity in laboratory-tested cell cultures. Based on these experiments, there is room to start exploring the possibility of integrating the products in the treatment of breast cancer patients as well.”
Cannabotech says the experiment emphasized the importance of customizing treatments to treat various breast cancer subtypes.
According to Cannabotech, customization would achieve other medical effects when combined with the appropriate drugs for each subtype.
“For example, while in some chemotherapy treatments a synergistic effect was achieved which enhanced the activity,” states a Cannabotech press release. “In other cells representing different cancers, or in combination with other chemotherapies, no similar effect was seen, and even an opposite effect was achieved.”
Personalizing Treatment
Cannbotech says it is developing a personalized system to provide physicians with information regarding which drug treatments and sub-cancer types they should combine with particular Cannabobreast products.
Cannabotech expects to commercialize the treatment in the second half of 2022 and integrate it as part of its integrative solutions concept.
According to Cannabotech, the integrative solutions concept incorporates existing treatment protocols in parallel with conventional drugs while supplying clinic physicians with supportive scientific information.
Cannabotech says it intends to produce a treatment program combining Cannabobreast products and nutritional supplements based on active ingredients in several functional mushrooms.
“The strong synergistic effect shown by the products in combination with the chemotherapies in different types of breast cancer cells has led to up to six times the effectiveness in cells killing,” says Dr. Angel. “We are encouraged by these results, which constitute another important milestone in proving the scientific feasibility of the products. We will continue to work to provide a cure for patients.”
Cannabotech says approximately 50 percent of cancer patients receive additional integrative treatment alongside conventional treatments, particularly cannabis and mushrooms.
According to Cannabotech, the reasons for using the integrative product are to strengthen the immune system, improve treatment effectiveness, and reduce side effects.
