SILVER SPRING, Md., April 25, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medical Marijuana Sciences, Inc. (MMS), a subsidiary of Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an international biotechnology company providing cell and gene therapy solutions for the treatment of diseases, announced today that Mark L. Rabe, MD, ABIHM, the Scientific Advisory Board Chairman of MMS, delivered a "Pain Medicine Grand Rounds" presentation to pain specialists and other physicians at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) that dealt with the medicinal properties of constituents of Cannabis (marijuana) that are known as cannabinoids.
"Dr. Rabe's presentation underscores the remarkable medicinal properties of constituents of Cannabis while demonstrating the work underway at Medical Marijuana Sciences, including our efforts to develop cancer treatments that combine cannabinoids with Nuvilex's Cell-in-a-Box ® technology, which we believe will result in unique ways to combat this dreadful disease," said Kenneth L. Waggoner, CEO and President of Nuvilex. "The physicians at UCSD have been pioneers in research on the medicinal uses of Cannabis . This was an important opportunity to bring Dr. Rabe's expertise to such an influential forum."
Dr. Rabe's presentation, titled "The Science of Cannabis: Pain, Neuroprotection, Cancer," highlighted aspects of the medicinal use of cannabis that make it particularly useful in the treatment of pain. Dr. Rabe offered research showing that cannabinoid molecules act to relieve pain through at least three unique mechanisms. Further, Dr. Rabe presented research and a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services patent documenting the broad antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of cannabinoids. He also presented research showing that cannabinoid molecules, such as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), have been shown to slow the growth of tumor cells, slow the spread or metastasis of tumors and have a tumor-preventative effect.
Dr. Rabe provides integrative holistic medical services to patients at his San Diego medical practice, Centric Wellness, and throughout his talk provided case studies and examples of patients who have benefited from the use of Cannabis as medicine.
The event was sponsored by the UCSD Department of Anesthesiology and The San Diego Society of Anesthesiologists and occurred on April 23, 2014, with approximately 30 pain specialty and primary care physicians from the University in attendance. UCSD has been on the forefront of medical cannabis research since the establishment of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research in 2000. UCSD physicians embrace an overall integrative approach to medical care.
Medical Marijuana Sciences is currently in pre-clinical studies to harness the anti-cancer properties of cannabinoids using Nuvilex's Cell-in-a-Box ® live-cell encapsulation technology as a platform. Initial targets for the use of such products are projected to be pancreatic and brain cancers - both very serious and deadly forms of the disease.
About Medical Marijuana Sciences:
Medical Marijuana Sciences, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nuvilex, Inc., is dedicated to the development of cancer treatments based upon chemical constituents of marijuana known as cannabinoids. To do so, it will examine ways to exploit the benefits of Cell-in-a-Box ® technology in optimizing the anticancer effectiveness of cannabinoids against cancers while minimizing or outright eliminating the debilitating side effects usually associated with cancer treatments. This provides Medical Marijuana Sciences a unique opportunity to develop "green" approaches to fighting deadly cancers, such as those of the pancreas, brain, breast and prostate, that affect hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide every year.
About Nuvilex:
Nuvilex, Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing and preparing to commercialize treatments for cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live-cell encapsulation technology, known as Cell-in-a-Box ® . This unique and patented technology will be used as a platform upon which treatments for several types of cancer, including advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer, and diabetes are being built. Nuvilex's treatment for pancreatic cancer involves the widely used anticancer prodrug ifosfamide, together with encapsulated live cells, which convert ifosfamide into its active or "cancer-killing" form. Nuvilex is also involved in clinical trials related to other aspects of pancreatic and other forms of cancer.
Safe Harbor:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding Nuvilex and its future events and results that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions, as they relate to Nuvilex or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Important factors, many of which are beyond the control of Nuvilex, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements include Nuvilex's ability to continue as a going concern, delays in clinical trials or flaws or defects regarding its products, changes in relevant legislation or regulatory requirements, uncertainty of protection of Nuvilex's intellectual property and Nuvilex's continued ability to raise capital. Nuvilex does not assume any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.
More information about Medical Marijuana Sciences and Nuvilex can be found at www.medicalmarijuanasciences.com and www.nuvilex.com . It can also be obtained by contacting Investor Relations and Media Contacts.
Investor Relations Contacts: Marlin Molinaro Marmel Communications, LLC Ph: 702.434.8692 Dillon Heins CorProminence, LLC Ph: 218.839.9051 Media Contact: Jules Abraham JQA Partners, LLC Ph: 917.885.7378
