- Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of dementia in adults in the United States
- IGC’s cannabis-based drug may reverse the buildup of beta-amyloid plaque
- Hyalolex and other phytocannabinoid-based drugs are fueling potential for the company’s market valuation growth
Alzheimer’s disease is currently the sixth-leading cause of death in the nation and the most common cause of dementia in older individuals. The chronic neurodegenerative disease has had no cure or effective treatment for reducing its symptoms, but India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IGC) is seeking to change that with a potential blockbuster drug. Hyalolex, otherwise known as IGC-AD1, is a cannabis-based drug that has the potential to reduce beta-amyloid plaque buildup in the brain, with the possibility of lessening some of the symptoms of the disease. A recent article focused on the efforts of IGC and other pharmaceutical companies to develop cannabinoid-based therapies for a range of serious diseases can be found at http://dtn.fm/7OmXx.
In June 2017, the company announced its acquisition of exclusive rights, from the University of South Florida, for a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-based treatment. A study conducted at the university found that the cannabis extract reversed beta-amyloid accumulation in mice. Subsequently, IGC became the exclusive licensee of the patent “THC as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Alzheimer’s Disease.” It involves a new pathway for low doses of the compound to bind to the plaque and prevent it from collecting on nerve cells (the process thought to result in cognitive decline).
Hyalolex isn’t the only pipeline drug driving the potential for IGC’s market valuation growth. Several cannabis companies have seen hundreds of millions, even billions, of dollars in market valuations with phytocannabinoid-based therapies. Plus, IGC isn’t limiting its drug development to novel Alzheimer’s treatments. Others include Serosapse, for Parkinson’s disease; Natrinol, to treat cachexia in AIDS and cancer patients; and Caesafin, a combination therapy that targets dogs and cats with seizures.
Currently, IGC is the only publicly-traded pharmaceutical cannabis stock that addresses Alzheimer’s disease. However, a number of studies suggest the therapeutic value of treating the disease with cannabis-based drugs. These include studies of how THC molecules can potentially bind to and break up amyloid-beta proteins and other analysis suggesting positive results and that patients for the most part tolerate the effects of THC. A study on mice, conducted in partnership between the University of Bonn and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, found low-doses of cannabis improved the memory and increased nerve cell links in older subjects.
The treatment of Alzheimer’s is a lucrative market opportunity, and pharma companies operating in that space are experiencing significant valuations. Anavex Life Sciences, which currently has a candidate in a phase IIa clinical trial for Alzheimer’s disease, has a market cap of around $179 million.
For more information about India Globalization Capital and its groundbreaking phytocannabinoid therapies for Alzheimer’s and other diseases, visit www.IGCInc.us
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