Unique Cannabis-Pharma Companies Trailblazing the Medical Cannabis Industry

NEW YORK, March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage  

The cannabis industry has swiftly turned into a multi-billion dollar opportunity. In the United States, this market's massive growth potential is being recognized as new states legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use. Industry experts forecast the U.S. cannabis market rounding $7 billion in 2016, while the annual sale of state-legal cannabis products is forecast to exceed $20 billion by 2020. Within this flourishing market, cannabis-pharma companies like India Globalization Capital (NYSE:IGC) (IGC Profile), Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZYNE), OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp. (OTC:OWCP), Insys Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:INSY) and GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:GWPH) are carving lanes of unprecedented opportunities in the medical field.

Bethesda, Maryland-based India Globalization Capital (NYSE:IGC) (IGC Profile) is advancing the development of cannabis-based therapies targeting large market conditions and illnesses. IGC is on a mission to treat chronic and terminal neurological and oncological diagnoses and other life altering conditions utilizing an exciting and specialized IP platform that formulates and tests combination therapies. With this special focus in mind, IGC has amassed a portfolio of patent filings covering the indications of pain, medical refractory epilepsy and cachexia (cancer-induced anorexia) using cannabinoids. As we will further discuss later, IGC has established an approach that significantly differentiates the company from its cannabis-pharma peers.

Like IGC, Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ZYNE) is dedicated to the development of innovative cannabinoid treatments that target seizures and pain. Unlike IGC and Cannabics, this clinical-stage, specialty pharmaceutical company is concentrating on developing transdermal synthetic cannabinoid treatments. On March 13, 2017, the company announced that it had completed enrolling patients for Phase 2 of its STAR 1 (Synthetic Transdermal Cannabidiol for the Treatment of Epilepsy) clinical trial evaluating ZYN002 cannabidiol (CBD) gel in adult epilepsy patients with refractory focal seizures. Zynerba also revealed that it had completed enrollment for its Phase 2 STOP (Synthetic Transdermal Cannabidiol for the Treatment of Knee Pain due to Osteoarthritis) clinical trial evaluating ZYN002 CBD gel for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

OWC Pharmaceutical (OTCQB:OWCP), through its wholly owned One Word Cannabis Ltd. Israeli subsidiary, is focused on conducting medical research and pursuing clinical trials to develop cannabis-based pharmaceuticals and treatments for a variety of conditions. The company is developing two unique delivery systems to effectively dose and deliver medical cannabis. The first is a proprietary, cannabinoid-enriched sublingual tablet for the treatment of multiple myeloma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and fibromyalgia. In in-vitro testing, the tablets demonstrated 100% malignant cell death in 60% of infected mice cells. The second product is a proprietary topical compound for the treatment of psoriasis. In addition, OWC Pharmaceutical operates a Consulting Division created to help governments and companies navigate complex international cannabis regulatory frameworks.

Another industry peer, Insys Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:INSY), is developing medications to treat addiction to opioids, opioid overdose, epilepsy and other disease areas with high unmet need. The commercial-stage company uses proprietary sublingual spray technology to develop pharmaceutical cannabinoids to address clinical shortcomings of products already on the market. Insys currently markets its FDA-approved SUBSYS® (fentanyl sublingual spray) for pain management in cancer patients who are tolerant to opioid therapy. The company has also received approval for Syndros™ for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, as well anorexia associated with weight loss in persons with AIDS. Syndros is an orally administered liquid formulation of the pharmaceutical cannabinoid dronabinol, a pharmaceutical version of tetrahydrocannabinol ("THC").

In terms of market share, the giant on the list of cannabis-focused biopharmaceutical companies is GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:GWPH), which is focused on the development of plant-derived cannabinoid therapeutics based on its proprietary cannabinoid product platform. The company's primary focus is on disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). Within this arena, GW's lead cannabinoid product candidate is Epidiolex^® (cannabidiol), in development for the treatment of rare childhood-onset epilepsy disorders. The company's Sativex^® (nabiximols) prescription drug, a therapy approved for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis, is the world's first plant-derived cannabinoid prescription drug. Additionally, GW boasts a deep pipeline of additional cannabinoid product candidates which include clinical-stage compounds for glioma, schizophrenia and epilepsy.

It's an impressive and interesting lineup, but what sets India Globalization Capital (NYSE: IGC) (IGC Profile) apart from the other players is its foray into the larger market for cannabis-based combination therapies that would treat pain and other conditions. The company recently filed patents (http://nnw.fm/ggBB6) for formulations that will reduce the side effects of single drugs by being combined with a cannabinoid. IGC filed IGC-501 for a cannabis-based formulation to treat neuropathic and arthritic pain in joints and muscles using a variety of delivery techniques.

India Globalization Capital also filed combination therapy formulations for the treatment of epilepsy/seizures (IGC-502) and cachexia (IGC-504). IGC-501, IGC-502 and IGC-503 are novel combination therapies that, if proven out by clinical trials, are expected to treat pain, medical refractory epilepsy and eating disorders respectively, with lower side effects than conventional therapies.

Such 'combination therapies' have the unique opportunity to quickly move through the FDA's approval process, since the drugs have already been individually approved. Consequently, IGC believes it has 'first mover' advantage in pursuing this approach to bring cannabis-based pharmaceutical products to market in a quick and cost-effective manner.

The cannabis industry is growing in popularity. The wave of enthusiasm surrounding the recent legalization of cannabis in several new states is sweeping the country and IGC anticipates an explosion in demand for cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical therapies, technology, facilities and financial services. With a solid strategic plan in hand, this NYSE MKT listed company has a modest $9 million market capitalization which is just a fraction of their peer group, and is aggressively leaning on its connections to medical and procedural expertise to take advantage of one of many ground-floor opportunities. And, it is developing innovative therapies, while also acquiring technologies from related industries that will place it in the right position for capitalizing on its first-mover advantage.

For more information on India Globalization Capital (IGC) please visit India Global Capital (IGC) or http://www.igcinc.us

About NetworkNewsWire 

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)

New York, New York

http://www.NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a source of content listed above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer or comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group, LLC (FNM), is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker-dealer/analyst/adviser, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM was not compensated by any public company mentioned herein to disseminate this press release. NNW's compensation disclosure is incorporated herein and appears in full at http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW & FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Media Contact:
FN Media Group, LLC
[email protected]
+1(954)345-0611

SOURCE NetworkNewsWire