Northern Green Sciences Takes on the Opioid Crisis

Initiates Cannabis for Opioid Substitution Trial

BRAMPTON, ON, Nov. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Northern Green Canada Inc. (NGC) commissioned Cannabis Research Associates (CRA), in co-operation with their R&D subsidiary company Northern Green Sciences (NGS) to conduct a multi-phase study Cannabis For Opioid Substitution Trial (COST) approved by the Canadian Research Ethics Board (REB) to define common strains of cannabis for patients to use as a replacement for opioids.

North America is currently in the midst of an opioid epidemic with over three billion dollars spent treating the opioid crisis in 2016. The Government of Canada has pledged $150 million dollars over ten years to address this problem.

Directed by Kory Lazar, R&D Director at NGS, Dr. Ira Price, MD FRCPC, founder of Cannabis Research Associates, and research methodologist Dr. Suneel Upadhye MD FRCPC, the initial phase of the study is nearing completion and scheduled to transition into clinical trials in the coming months.

According to Dr. Price MD, FRCPC, "the type of commitment NGC has made towards high caliber research initiatives couldn't be more timely and is an extraordinary display of their belief in social responsibility."

"As the world addresses the opioid epidemic, the need to develop safe, efficacious, non-opioid alternatives to approach pain management has become increasingly urgent," said Dr Todd Slesinger, MD, FACEP, FCCM, FCCP, and NGS Advisory Board member. "NGS has already showed its commitment to rigorous trials in this field including its support of the COST trial. At NGS, we are dedicated to finding a way to tackle these serious problems through cannabinoid research and medication formulation."

NGS designs and develops well-controlled studies of cannabis and related phyto-cannabinoids for medical use in patients who have serious conditions for which preclinical, anecdotal, or controlled evidence suggests possible efficacy and the application of such results to the understanding and treatment of disease. Continued research in this field has been limited in North America due to a lack of funding or previous restrictions on research.

Because there are many strains of cannabis with varying concentrations and proportions of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as well as phytochemicals like terpenes, it is imperative to understand how cannabinoids work alone and in specific formulations, which is a promising pursuit to identify therapeutic alternatives to opioids. The ultimate goal is to reduce harm and improve an individual's overall well-being and quality of life.

"With promising preliminary evidence, we are conducting studies to evaluate the long-term efficacy of new medication. And we will continue to work towards the development of evidenced-based therapeutic options as safe alternatives for pain management," said NGC Medical Director, Dr. Hamed Hashemi, MD.

NGS is dedicated to providing clients with evidence-based medicine for a client-centered care approach. Its objective is to develop the most advanced medical delivery systems providing consistent and customized dosed medication. The company's process for medication formulation follows strict standards ensuring adherence to best practice guidelines mandated by Health Canada, ICP GCP, CFR and REB.

In order to better understand how cannabinoids work in conjunction with the body's intrinsic endocannabinoid system, the company works with leading scientists and physicians to create cannabinoid formulations to be evaluated for efficacy and safety in clinical trials. NGS is currently beginning an investigation into the area of women's health. The company will continue to align itself and build synergies with like-minded researchers and providers of rare cannabinoid genetics to achieve its goal of developing unique pharmaceuticals for patients.

SOURCE Northern Green Sciences Inc.