CannabisFN this morning highlighted GROWBlox Sciences’ role in the cannabis and pharmaceutical industries, paying particular attention to the company’s “unique business model, long-term potential in pharmaceuticals, and short-term potential in raw material sales.”
Read the full report here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/growblox-sciences-takes-integrated-approach-to-cannabis-medicine-2015-05-25?page=1
Twenty three U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana, and according to IBISWorld estimates, broader acceptance of cannabinoid-based therapies throughout the U.S. has spurred the medical cannabis industry’s CAGR of 16.2% to reach $2 billion in revenue between 2009 and 2014.
As CannabisFN points out, GROWBlox Sciences stands out from numerous would-be competitors in the industry with its cutting-edge plant biology and cultivation technologies and scientific team comprised of professionals in multiple areas of relevant medicine:
• Chief Science Officer Dr. Andrea Small-Howard
• Big data expert Dr. Long Nguyen
• Botanical expert Dr. Ulrich Reimann-Philipp
• Immunologist expert Dr. Helen Turner
• Small molecule expert Dr. Tony Ortiz
• Clinical investigator expert Dr. Daniel Chueh
• Orthopedic expert Dr. Alfredo L. Axtmayer
• Liver disease expert Dr. John Abroon
Whereas many companies in the cannabis industry administer generic forms of THC or CBD in an attempt to elicit a desired response, says CannabisFN, GROWBlox’s approach is to correlate the profiles of active ingredients within cannabis, including cannabinoids and terpenes, with the symptom and disease-specific improvements in patient outcomes – putting the company at high valuation potential when it comes to market application and opportunity.
The report notes:
“Based on an analysis of preclinical and clinical data from thousands of peer-reviewed studies, the company has identified the most effective cannabinoid and terpene profiles for the treatment of conditions within seven therapeutic categories, including cancer treatments, cardio protection, metabolic syndrome, pain management, neurological disorders, and inflammation.
“These categories represent hundreds of billions of dollars in potential value, with markets like the neurological disorder market alone accounting for $952 billion in value. By taking a targeted approach that leverages research already done, the company’s strategy could dramatically improve the odds of success, whilst cutting down on the costs associated with hit-or-miss early stage testing.”
CannabisFN also highlights several other differentiating advantages, including an accelerated drug development and regulatory strategy.
GROWBlox’s proprietary drug discovery program enables drug development within three to five years instead of the traditional 15 to 20 years. This strategy also significantly reduces development costs – which typically sit around $1 billion for “big pharma” pharmaceutical commercialization – to less than $10 million.
Using its proprietary smartphone app as a drug discovery engine, GROWBlox correlates strain profile information with symptom relief and then leverages the existing cannabis safety profiles, fast-track approvals, and orphan drug designations, of research partners, which are incentivized with equity in proportion to the value of data contributed that becomes part of a patent, IND filing, or NDA filing with regulatory bodies.
“In essence, the company is focused on the initial discovery of promising compounds, while universities handle pre-clinical trials, CROs handle clinical trials, and pharmaceutical partners handle distribution. The discovery phase provides the greatest return on capital and diversification relative to other areas of the development process that are much more capital intensive,” the report states.
CannabisFN wraps up the report by highlighting GROWBlox’s end-to-end operations and technologies, the company’s long-term and short-term potential, and broader peer comparison.
“GROWBlox Sciences has clear long-term potential with its innovative approach that leverages big data to produce lower-risk clinical trial candidates. With 188 human cannabis trials registered with the National Institute of Health and more on the way, the company has an excellent starting point of about a thousand potential combinations within the cannabinoid-related therapy space.
“In the nearer-term, the company plans on earning revenue from the sale of certified raw materials through dispensaries. These plans were solidified in May when it announced the formation of Growblox Sciences Puerto Rico LLC, which will legally grow cannabis raw materials that will be exclusively sold to GROWBlox Sciences for distribution in the U.S. and other countries where it’s legal …
“The nutraceutical and cosmeceutical formulations could also be sold in stores without approvals, since the CBDs are sourced from low-THC hemp plants. In some ways, the company could then compete with the likes of GNC Holdings Inc., or Nutraceutical International Corp. in the provision of legal over-the-counter supplements designed to support health.”
For more information, visit www.gbsciences.com
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