GB Sciences Licenses Patent To Develop New Cannabis-Based Therapies For The Treatment Of Heart Disease

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GB Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: GBLX) is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Growblox Life Sciences, LLC has licensed intellectual property from Makai Biotechnology, LLC. The patent underlying the license was issued by the USPTO in July of 2015, and claims therapeutic methods for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and associated pathologies through regulation of the cannabinoid receptor, TRPV1. TRPV1 can be regulated therapeutically by plant-based cannabinoids, which creates a plethora of potentially new therapeutic agents for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

"GB Sciences is a drug discovery company focused on the development of novel therapeutics based on cannabinoids, terpenoids, and flavonoids from cannabis plants, and is naturally positioned to develop this intellectual property into new medicines. Licensing this TRPV1 patent underscores our drug discovery commitment to targeting the non-classical cannabinoid receptors, beyond the usual CB1 and CB2 receptors," says Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, Chief Science Officer of GB Sciences. "Our vision of novel, patentable cannabis-based formulations in the treatment of major diseases is now married with a proven drug target for modulation of adverse outcomes in cardiovascular disease.  Cannabinoids in native plant extracts exerted a more significant effect on TRPV1 receptors than purified cannabinoids in published research reports, and GB Sciences' cannabis-plant-based approach may provide additional clinical benefits to patients due to the 'entourage effect'. In addition, the side effect profiles of cannabis-based therapies have generally been well tolerated."

"Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death, accounting for more than 17.3 million deaths per year, a number that is expected to grow to more than 23.6 million by 2030. In the US, this equates to one in three deaths, about one every 40 seconds, and costs the US approximately $316.6 billion a year. Patients urgently need new drug regimens that can ameliorate or reverse the stages of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure," says Dr. Alexander Stokes, Founder and President of Makai Biotechnology. "TRPV1 is clearly a major mechanistic player in the progression to heart failure, and there is great potential for proprietary mixtures within the GB Life Sciences portfolio to regulate the TRPV1 cannabinoid receptor."

GB Sciences CEO John Poss remarked: "This license is an important step in our Company's march to successful drug discovery.  We are very proud of Dr. Small-Howard and her team, and we expect results from this effort that will enable the company to do well by doing good for literally millions of cardiac patients around the world."

About GB Sciences, Inc.

GB Sciences, Inc. (GBLX) is a diverse cannabis company, focused on cultivation as well as biopharmaceutical research and development. The Company's goal is creating safe, standardized, pharmaceutical-grade, cannabinoid therapies that target a variety of medical conditions. To learn more about GB Sciences, Inc., go to: http://growblox.com

About Makai Biotechnology, LLC

Makai Biotechnology, LLC is a Hawaii-based cardiovascular therapy company established by Dr. Alexander J. Stokes, Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii, John A Burns School of Medicine. Makai Biotechnology is developing novel therapies for the treatment of heart failure. A novel ion channel target has been identified that modulates heart disease. Under the direction of Dr. Alexander Stokes, Makai Biotechnology has validated multiple effective compounds that regulate this target. Makai Biotechnology plans to establish alliances with major pharmaceutical companies to develop and test compounds from pre-clinical through phase II human clinical trials.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements relating to future results or events, which are forward-looking statements.  Words such as "expects", "intends", "plans", "may", "could", "should", "anticipates", "likely", "believes" and words of similar import may identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company's belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control.  It is possible that the Company's actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements.  Further, information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Company's business and financial and other results, are contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at www.sec.gov.  All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware.

Note:  Although the Company's research and development activities are not illegal, the production and sale of cannabis products violate federal laws as they presently exist.

Contact Information

Corporate:
GB Sciences, Inc., 3550 West Teco Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89118
866-721-0297, or 
Liz Bianco Publicity Director, liz@gbsciences.com, http://growblox.com
Investors: John Poss, j.poss@gbsciences.com 

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gb-sciences-licenses-patent-to-develop-new-cannabis-based-therapies-for-the-treatment-of-heart-disease-300377020.html

SOURCE GB Sciences, Inc.