MGC Pharma - MXC - Page 6 of 6

For a magazine with articles such as 'How to Grow the Best Organic Weed' and 'Where to Buy the Best Dab Rigs', High Times should be a one-eyed advocate of the virtues of cannabis. Thus, plaudits are in order for the US counter-culture site for running a yarn titled ‘Can Weed Cause Acne?’, at a time when dope is being pushed as a curative for anything from epilepsy to insomnia. As it happens, High Times concludes that if pot makes you anxious rather than relaxed, that could be conducive to acne. But the more causative reason is that cannabis hunger pangs – the munchies – lead the user to greasy fast foods and a nasty rash of zits. Notwithstanding High Times's balanced and clear-headed analysis, our ASX-listed cannabis cohort is about to unleash a range of topical treatment for skin disorders including eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, dry skin and the dreaded spots. Clinical evidence of efficacy is mounting, although details are sparse and the path to regulatory approval in the over-the-counter cosmetics game isn’t nearly as rigorous as that for a medical product. On our reckoning, three companies intend releasing skincare balms this year, based on either cannabidoil (CBD) or hemp oil extracts. Not surprisingly THC – tetrahydrocannabinol, the ‘whoopee’ element of cannabis – doesn’t rate a mention. BOD Australia (ASX:BDA) With a track record in other cosmetics, BOD Australia last year sniffed the skunky breeze of market fashion and forged a partner with the Swiss herbal extracts company Linnea SA. This tie-up is aimed at developing cannabis based topical treatments for inflammation and sensitive skin including serums foam-based creams and balms. The treatments, to be made in Italy, are expected to be on the shelves of all good chemists – or should that be drug stores? – this year. Bookmark this link for small cap breaking news Discuss small cap news in our Facebook group Follow us on Facebook or Twitter Subscribe to our daily newsletter BOD, by the way, is also developing hemp-infused honey, but there’s no suggestion this one should be topically applied. BOD is hanging its hat not just on the soothing benefits of CBDs to the skin, but on Linnea’s Nioskin additive that allows the skin to absorb the unguent more effectively. Bear in mind that an enduring issue with cosmetics is that the dermis is naturally effective at keeping out foreign agents. MGC Pharmaceuticals (ASX:MXC) MGC is also off and racing in the Dermatological Dope Derby, last month launching its CBD Herbal Repair Cream for mild forms of psoriasis. Two other products – for acne and dermatitis – are slated. It then unveiled a distribution tie up with the online sales site CultBeauty.com, which describes itself as “expert curators and trend dictators”. The distribution deal covers 15 MGC products, with a six-month exclusivity period. According to MGC, a “leading independent European dermatological clinic” – a Slovenian one, to be precise -- confirmed the repair cream was effective for treating highly irritated or inflamed skin conditions. Botanix (ASX:BOT) Botanix meanwhile reports successful phase 1b clinical results for its synthetic CBD Based compound BTX1503, with the trials carried out at four Australian sites. Of the 21 subjects with moderate to severe acne, 18 completed the program. On average, inflammatory lesions (delightfully known as papules and pustules) declined by an average 47 per cent after 28 days of treatment. This compares with reductions of 42 per cent and 38 per cent respectively for the two leading existing acne treatments: Allergan’s Epiduo and Aczone’s Galderma. For the non-inflammatory whiteheads and blackheads, the results were about the same (squeeze 'em gently, we say). Botanix aims to go further down the serious clinical path with a phase two study, costing $6 million to 8 million. Botanix has only $3.5 million in the bank, but on Thursday its shares went into trading halt pending a capital raising likely to be unveiled on Monday. [Update: Botanix just raised $15 million in equity from more than 15 new institutional investors to develop an acne treatment.] Zelda Therapeutics (ASX:ZLD) and Creso Pharma (ASX:CPH) Zelda is carrying out Chilean-based trials on eczema, but its busy slate of work also includes insomnia, eczema and autism. The Israel-oriented Creso Pharma has a broader remit, with its product pipeline ranging from the serious medical stuff to animal treatments and cannabis-infused chocolates and beverages. With skincare, Creso says cannabinoids achieve the same goal of existing products without the need for harsh chemicals. Creso hopes to release new products in 2019. “Hemp seed oil is high (no pun intended, we presume) in vitamin A, C and E as well as omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids that are all great for skin care,” Creso says. Both hemp and CBD oil has antioxidant properties, useful for anti-ageing and reducing inflammation. Go to the US or go home A little known fact – or at least we didn’t know – is that as CBDs are a controlled substance treated in the same way as morphine or heroin, exporting into the US requires Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) approval. And with the US awash with cannabis – legal or otherwise – why would the narcos approve? The restriction applies to CBD products with or without THC, which kind of doesn’t make sense. Botanix is thus looking to go down the strictly pharmaceutical route by requesting Investigational New Drug (IND) status with the US Food & Drug Administration. This will forge the way for the 400-patient phase-2 study, to be carried out here and in the US. “No one is working on clinical development and looking for FDA approval in the same way we are,’’ says Botanix chief Matt Callahan. After that, the company hopes a monied suitor will fund further trial and commercialisation. Callahan is heartened that big pharma Pfizer in 2016 bought Anacor – which was in phase-3 dermatitis trials – for $US5 billion. Interestingly, Botanix’s announcement doesn’t refer to cannabis – and that’s deliberate. Callahan says the synthetic molecules were once found in a cannabis plant, but beyond that the dope link is tenuous. “Aspirin comes from the bark of a willow tree but you don’t ask for bark at a chemist to treat pain,” he says. Dr Boreham’s diagnosis The potential markets are fatter than a reefer at the Nimbin MardiGrass. MGC cites a $US7.8 billion market for psoriasis, while Creso cites an overall skin care market at $US180 billion. With acne, it remains to be seen whether the unguent is truly effective. Over the last four decades, there’s been little innovation in treating nature’s cruel device to deter teenage promiscuity. As with all of the pot stocks, it’s a moot point whether it’s more virtuous to have a targeted focus -- such as Botanix or BOD on skincare – or a shotgun-scatter approach across multiple indications. The Zeldas and Cresos need only one blockbuster product to succeed, but by spreading their cash across so many programs arguably they’re less likely to develop one. Call him a fuddy-duddy, but Dr Boreham also likes to see revenue through the door. In this vein we note BOD’s December sales climbed to $344,000 from $104,000 a year previously, based on sales of non cannabis lines and a focus on the Chinese Daigou market. * bong-like water pipes, for the uninitiated Disclosure: Dr Boreham is not a qualified medical practitioner and does not possess a doctorate of any sort. Until penning this column he did not know what a dab rig was – honest. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions. The content of this article was not selected, modified or otherwise controlled by Stockhead. Stockhead has not provided, endorsed or otherwise assumed responsibility for any financial product advice contained in this article.