IRVINE, CA , Jan. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC PINK: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines, announces that the Company’s research team is expanding the scope of its current cancer research to include Leukemia.

“As we gain increasing clarity of how cannabinoids work we will influence the development of drug delivery mechanisms, the use and dosage of appropriate cannabinoids, and the identification of target conditions,” stated Dr. Allen Herman, CBIS’ Chief Medical Officer. “Cannabis Science believes that cannabis extracts are critical instruments in cancer treatment and that we have an obligation to produce and make available the most effective and efficient Cannabis products to our anti-cancer modalities,” stated Dr. Herman. 

With 29 states now having Medical Marijuana laws and as many as six more on the ballots this coming year, Cannabis Science will continue its research and prepare to make available medication with a preferred delivery method to treat those suffering from Leukemia and potentially other cancers.

"We’re sitting on the edge of tremendous innovation that will transform the landscape for providers, for patients, and for those companies bringing these products to market. The global market for cancer drugs has hit $100 billion in annual sales and could reach $147 billion by 2018, according to a new report by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, a unit of drug data provider IMS Health. The cost per month for a new cancer drug has increased 40%, or $5,900, over the past decade. " says Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, President, CEO, and Co-Founder of Cannabis Science. “As more and more states recognize the benefits of Medical Marijuana we will be there to aid the fight against cancers with our cost effective innovative Cannabis-based therapies.”

This announcement comes out as CBIS has recently published initial research results on using nanoparticle drones to target lung cancer with radiosensitizers and cannabinoids in the cancer research journal, Frontiers in Oncology. The article can be viewed at:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2017.00208/full

Cannabis Science’s priority has always been to identify unique approaches using cannabinoids in the treatment of a range of cancers and other critical ailments. There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of cannabinoids in the treatment of cancer. These pharmacologic compounds act on both CB-1 and CB-2 receptors and limit inflammation, curb cell proliferation, and affect cell survival. There have been a number of substantial reviews of the progress and promise of cannabinoids as anti-cancer drugs.

The article is an initial result of burgeoning CBIS collaborative work and speaks to a key conclusion from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2017 Report on The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: Current state of evidence and recommendations for research.

This report can be viewed at: http://nationalacademies.org/hmd/reports/2017/health-effects-of-cannabis-and-cannabinoids.aspx

Research in cellular models has revealed that cannabis has some promising effects on leukemia. In 2005, a study by Powles et al. demonstrated that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active metabolite of cannabis, induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in leukemia cell lines as early as six hours following THC administration. The cannabinoids act as agonists in the endocannabinoid system by impacting the G protein coupled receptors (GPCR). These receptors play a central role in much of cell biology and influence cell organelles (e.g. mitochondria – the powerhouses of the cell).

Leukemia places a substantial health burden on communities. Each year more than 27,000 adults and 2,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with leukemia. There are almost 390,000 persons living with leukemia and at 6.8 per 100,000 persons, it is the seventh leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. 

About Cannabis Science, Inc. 

Cannabis Science, Inc. takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.