Gb Sciences, a plant-based research and biopharma technology company, has reported positive results from a study of its potential treatment for cytokine release syndrome (CRS), one of the most dangerous complications of COVID-19. With reports of the arrival of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in multiple countries, the Gb Sciences team plans to move quickly through the development stages for this novel CRS therapy.
“COVID variants are not going away anytime soon, and they will continue to cause health complications, particularly in unvaccinated individuals and older populations,” said Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, President and Chief Science Officer of Gb Sciences. “The need for effective treatments is growing. We are excited about the progress we have been making with our potential CRS treatment, which in essence can reset the body’s immune system. This strategy works regardless of the variant because it provides relief by targeting our human immune response to a virus, but it’s not tied to the virus itself.”
Using its AI-driven drug discovery platform, Gb Sciences developed cannabinoid-containing complex mixtures (CCCM) designed to reduce the levels of specific cytokines and pro-inflammatory processes triggered by the COVID-19 virus, while preserving the immune functions and cytokines necessary to fight the disease.
The study, completed by researchers at Michigan State University in August 2021, found that specific formulations of the CCCMs reduced cytokine release syndrome biomarkers. Mixtures of multiple synthetic molecules from cannabinoid plants performed better than single molecules alone, and the ratios of those molecules also influenced results, the company reported.
The preclinical data indicates that the CCCMs may be effective anti-inflammatory therapies for CRS and other conditions such as macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)– all leading causes of death in COVID-19 patients.
