MGC Pharmaceuticals launches new clinical study into brain cancer treatment

London Stock Exchange-listed MGC Pharma expands brain cancer treatment research
‘Importantly, we are now moving forward with our next stage research which will now incorporate new and innovative drug delivery systems’
Both cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) formulations will be tested on tumour cells through MGC’s delivery system.

MGC Pharmaceuticals (ASX:MXC) has begun a new clinical study into using its proprietary nano-delivery platform to treat glioblastoma an aggressive form of brain cancer.

The move marks an expansion of the biopharma company’s existing research program into the use of cannabinoids to treat glioblastoma in collaboration with the Slovenian National Institute of Biology and the Neurosurgery Department at the University Medical Centre in Slovenia.

Oncology is one of three key research areas for MGC Pharma which was admitted to the London Stock Exchange last week, alongside autoimmune diseases including its anti-inflammatory treatment for COVID-19 and neurology.

“Importantly, we are now moving forward with our next stage research which will now incorporate new and innovative drug delivery systems,” said MGC Pharma co-founder and managing director, Roby Zomer.

“This is a very significant step for our research program and intellectual property, as we look to transform and advance the way brain tumours are treated,” he said.

In-vitro system for administering cannabinoid medicine

The in-vitro nanoparticle delivery system for cannabinoids is expected to improve the effects of MGC Pharma’s glioblastoma treatment, and is similar to a system used to deliver the company’s anti-inflammatory treatment for treating COVID-19.

The objective of the latest research study is to develop novel formulations to define protocols for clinical trials for the treatment of high-grade brain tumours with cannabinoids.

Glioblastoma is one of the most malignant forms of cancer and only 3 to 7 per cent of patients diagnosed with the illness survive for longer than five years.

Several phytochemicals in cannabis exhibit important cancer-fighting properties for glioblastoma, including the cannabinoids delta-9-tetrahydocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol.

Preliminary research results for the glioblastoma treatment were recently been published in a peer review journal, the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Medical Journal.

The results show that MGC Pharma’s cannabigerol (CBG) treatment can eliminate therapy-resistant glioblastoma stem cells. Further detail on the study can be found at this link https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/2/340

“The publication of our research in such a prestigious medical journal such as MDPI is a great achievement and validates our findings of using cannabinoids on glioblastoma,” Zomer said.

Clinical study to start shortly for CBD and CBG formulations

MGC Pharma has expanded its existing research program into glioblastoma to include the testing of both cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) formulations on tumour cells through its proprietary delivery system.

A successful full clinical trial into the biopharma’s cannabinoid treatment for glioblastoma would mean a key breakthrough in the treatment of aggressive brain cancers.

It would mean that cannabis-based medicine can be administered to patients orally rather than through invasive treatments.

Nanoparticles used in a self nano-emulsifying drug delivery system are believed to improve bioavailability and the blood-to-brain barrier issues in traditional treatment systems.

Patients with grade four glioblastomas are shortly to be recruited for the new clinical study and each will receive a personalised treatment plan.

The glioblastoma treatment study will focus on testing different cannabinoid formulations on fresh glioblastoma tumour tissues from patient surgeries to determine the optimal level of medicine for effective treatment of any remaining cancer.

Results of an in-vitro study completed in November demonstrated that CBG exerts a superior effect in impairing the major hallmarks of glioblastoma progression.

Moreover, CBG can destroy therapy-resistant glioblastoma stem cells which are at the root of cancer treatment and are extremely resistant to various treatments of this lethal cancer.

MGC Pharma has demonstrated through its research that CBG and CBD treatments at sub-cytotoxic concentrations result in additive effects on reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis, which are sufficient to replace the application of THC.

Formulations contained in THC are therefore not required and could be avoided due to their psychoactive activity which can be detrimental to patients with neurological conditions.