Rare Jamaican Cannabis Strain Could Contain Answers for Cancer
Earlier this year drug development firm Flavocure was granted Orphan status by the United States Food and Drug Administration - for Caflanone - a cannabis flavonoid which has shown potential for shrinking pancreatic cancer tumors. The company partnered with the Harvard Medical School and is currently undertaking Phase 1 clinical trials after effective results in animal studies.
Co-Founder & Executive Vice Chairman, Clark Swanson told the Medical Cannabis Network that “Investigational New Drug (ING) enabling studies are essentially complete now, and we are confident in the results and the much anticipated clinical stage of our company’s drug development. The research continues at Harvard Medical School, an institution credited with development and collaboration of some of the world’s most successful drugs.”
As with many cannabis based medicines, this flavonoid based medicine is non-toxic. “We are optimistic that the trials will be successful, and thus far research has shown that Caflanone (FBL-03G) to be non-toxic. This is a departure from most drugs in clinical trials which typically carry risk for toxicity and side effects.” Swanson continues to say that he is very confident his company will provide a new and non-invasive way to treat pancreatic cancer and potentially other forms of cancer.
The flavonoid was originally found in the rare Jamaican sativa landrace strain ‘Black Swan’ which contains a higher than average concentration of flavonoids. It has been a focus for Flavocure’s work as whole, as they are also developing a treatment for Glioblastoma, a brain cancer. Another flavonoid from the strain - Cresorol - is also showing positive results for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, one of the few blood cancers which has had no treatment progress for decades. However the focus for the company is the treatment of pancreatic cancer due to its very promising start, with the aim of New Drug Application filing to be finished at the end of 2022.
The company is currently trying to synthesize the flavonoid. Flavocure chairman Dr. Henry Lowe PhD explained that naturally grown Black Swan plants have an average of 0.14 percent flavonoid content, so the company is pursuing the creation of a synthetic version of the natural compound to be able to increase production and consistency.
Flavonoids are found throughout the plant world, with over 6000 documented so far. They serve many functions including acting as flower pigments, UV filters, and chemical messengers. They are particularly high in fruits such as berries, oranges, and bananas. Although they are relatively poorly absorbed by humans, there is a body of evidence which shows that they can be an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial, as well as being effective at combating cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer.
The medical potential of cannabis flavonoids is relatively unexplored. Flavocure are demonstrating the need for further study of their potential for therapeutic effects in cancer and other conditions, opening further avenues for the exploration of cannabis-based compounds in medicine - going beyond the widely studied cannabinoids and terpenes. If successful this relatively small company could grow to be a leader and innovator in the field.