Ananda Developments PLC Research Roundup

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Ananda Developments PLC

08 December 2022

ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC

("Ananda" or the "Company")

Ananda's ambition is to be a leading UK grower and manufacturer of consistent, high-quality medical cannabis for UK patients.

Medical Cannabis Research Roundup

Issue Fourteen

Summary:

   --    Cannabis-based oral spray to treat uncontrolled cancer pain - a pilot study. 
   --    Can an individual's genetic footprint predict the analgesic effects of cannabis? 
   --    Could CBD keep anxiety away? 

CANNABIS-BASED ORAL SPRAY TO TREAT UNCONTROLLED CANCER PAIN - A PILOT STUDY.

Scientists from The University of Sydney have tested the safety, tolerance, metabolism and analgesic effects of an oral spray containing a cannabis-based medicine in cancer patients with severe and uncontrolled pain despite opioid treatment. The oral spray had 97.5% THC and CBD; the remaining consisted of other cannabinoids in a solvent and with peppermint oil flavour.

The dosing was divided into two different stages. Stage I of the study aimed to determine the cannabinoid levels in the blood of cancer patients with controlled pain. On day one, five participants were given 2.5 mg THC and 2.5 mg of CBD (two actuations of the spray), and on day two, the doses increased to 7.5 mg THC and 7.5 mg of CBD. The oral spray was administered inside either cheek. Blood samples were collected at different times during the study.

Stage II of the study ran for 30 days and included 25 individuals diagnosed with advanced incurable cancer and uncontrolled pain. They were administered one, two or three actuations every 4-8 hours (unless asleep) for six days. Only 22 participants completed stage II of the study.

Stage I results reported acceptable THC and CBD levels in blood with safety, tolerability, and analgesic effect. Likewise, stage II results showed that the administration of the cannabis-based oral spray was safe, well tolerated, and improved pain management. Additionally, patients reported overall benefits such as more appetite, sleep quality and feeling more energetic and functional.

In conclusion, the cannabis-based oral spray tested in this pilot study proved to be safe, tolerable and have analgesic efficacy in patients suffering from incurable cancers with uncontrolled pain.

CAN AN INDIVIDUAL'S GENETIC FOOTPRINT PREDICT THE ANALGESIC EFFECTS OF CANNABIS?

Researchers from the Italian Society of Cannabis Research investigated if the significant person-to-person differences in response to cannabis are due to genetic polymorphisms, which are variants of a particular DNA sequence among individuals.

The observational study included 564 patients treated with cannabis for chronic pain. All patients were tested for genetic variants, and samples were obtained with cheek swaps. The decrease in pain was approximately 20% during the first month, a further 50% in the third month and an additional 43% after one year. However, the analgesic and unwanted side effects observed were very variable among individuals, linked to variations in particular DNA sequences of the genes ABCB1, TRPV1 and UGT2B7.

Based on these results, researchers could group the participants into good responders, intermediate responders and poor or non-responders. This study, therefore, supports that the genetic footprint of an individual can define their positive or negative response to cannabis.

COULD CBD KEEP ANXIETY AWAY?

Researchers from The University of São Paulo and other collaborators established a three-month observational clinical study to investigate if the anti-anxiety effects of oral CBD (300 mg) administered for 28 days were maintained after the participants discontinued taking CBD.

Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder worldwide, and current treatment with anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs only works for 40%-60% of patients, causing multiple unwanted effects. The researchers surveyed 300 Brazilian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic weekly during the first month and weeks eight and 12. Of the 300 participants, 71 from the CBD group and 79 from the control group completed the three-month study.

The study proved that frontline healthcare workers taking CBD daily for 28 days had beneficial effects on anxiety, emotional exhaustion and depression symptoms which lasted for up to a month after discontinuing the treatment.

-Ends-

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

 
ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC             [phone] 
 
 Chief Executive Officer 
 Melissa Sturgess 
 
 Investor Relations           [e-mail] 
 Jeremy Sturgess-Smith 
PETERHOUSE CAPITAL LIMITED 
 
 Corporate Finance 
 Mark Anwyl 
 
 Corporate Broking 
 Lucy Williams 
 Duncan Vasey                       [phone] 
 

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

About Ananda Developments

Ananda is an AQSE-listed medical cannabis company creating UK-based operations to grow and provide carbon zero, consistent, medical cannabis for the UK and international markets.

For more information, please visit: https://anandadevelopments.com/

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December 08, 2022 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)