LAS VEGAS — Gb Sciences, a leading plant-inspired, biopharmaceutical research and drug development company, announces that FHI Clinical will consult on Gb Sciences’ go-to-market strategy for its COVID-19-related, anti-inflammatory therapeutics and, ultimately, write Gb Sciences’ draft clinical trial protocol for a first-in-human trial of these proprietary cannabinoid-containing formulations.

FHI Clinical has supported 23 COVID trials, with 19 currently in progress, and has agreed to consider the clinical trial phase for the company when its novel plant-inspired therapy is ready for first-in-human testing.

“FHI Clinical is a leader in conducting human trials of COVID-19 drug therapies and is the best partner to assist us in positioning our drug candidates within this growing market sector,” said Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, President and Chief Science Officer of Gb Sciences.

While many other COVID-19 drugs are for use late in the disease process when patients are seriously ill, Gb Sciences’ anti-inflammatory therapy is being developed as a preventative drug that patients would take when they first learn that they have been exposed to an infected patient or start feeling sick. Because Gb Sciences’ therapeutics target the human immune response to viruses, they could potentially be used for protection against the adverse effects of any viral infection that triggers hyperinflammation.

“We’re very excited to be assisting Gb Sciences in the development of potential COVID-19 treatments utilizing this promising class of molecules,” said Jon “Ben” Woods, M.D., Senior Medical Advisor, FHI Clinical.

Gb Sciences has received positive proof-of-concept data from a human immune cell model supporting its proprietary cannabinoid-containing mixtures designed for the suppression of COVID 19-related cytokine release syndromes, while preserving key antiviral immune responses. FHI Clinical will assist Gb Sciences in the verification of this proof-of-concept data by writing the protocol for their first-in-human clinical trial.