Puration (PURA.Q) verified their intention to acquire Kali Extracts (KALY.OTC) subsidiary, Kaly CBD Confection Operations earlier this week. KALY is concentrating on its cannabis extracts biopharmaceutical business. Their research thus far has been on the treatment of various respiratory conditions, with specific attention being paid to the COVID19 coronavirus.

Kaly has also filed a new patent application for its CBD formulation for symptoms associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other similar respiratory conditions. The company has filed for a trademark on the name RespRx as the brand name for the formulation.

As detailed in a recently published research study, Kaly’s U.S. Patented CBD extract provides significant anti-inflammatory responses in vitro.  The next phase of research is in preclinical in vivo research to determine the effects on lung function, total body distribution, whole body clearance of the extract and dosage evaluations for maximal efficacy.

The general idea the company’s working off of is that CBD could be a theoretical treatment for the coronavirus and its symptoms. Kaly’s CBD formulation was originally developed to treat symptoms of COPD and other similar respiratory conditions, so it doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch that they could try to shoehorn it in to meet the demands of COV19.

Here’s what we do know about the coronavirus

The coronavirus is basically a form of a flu virus, and like the seasonal flu (which kills far more every year than this one will) it will take away those with weakened or immature immune systems. So that basically means the elderly and the very young. So wash your hands around grandpa and keep Tiny Tim away from sick people. Those without compromised immune systems will likely get rode hard by the virus for a few days, complete with the glossy sweats, muscular fatigue and mornings watching The Price is Right, but you’ll come away fine.

The death rate is calculated in the above chart as a quotient of the number of deaths and the number of cases. It reflects the risk of dying if infected by the virus for any given age group.

What else is particularly curious, though, and of likely interest to Pura investors is this:

CBD hasn’t really be proven scientifically to do much of anything, but anecdotally, it’s supposed to help with cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and cancer. The death rate above is the percentage of folks with these types of diseases that COVID19 is expected to take away.

According to this study:

Cannabidiol (CBD) has beneficial effects in disorders as wide ranging as diabetes, Huntington’s disease, cancer and colitis. Accumulating evidence now also suggests that CBD is beneficial in the cardiovascular system. … A common theme throughout these studies is the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effect of CBD.

If CBD does turn out to be effective against both of these diseases, especially as it pertains to inflammation, then it may be a suitable medication to take to ward off the effects of a compromise immune system due to the above diseases.

Couldn’t hurt.

Until we have a proven treatment for the disease, we should be mindful of the WHO’s suggestions to reduce the risk of transmission :

• Avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
• Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
• Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
• People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands).
• Within health care facilities, enhance standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments

—Joseph Morton