A British biotech company is hoping to harness an infamous side-effect of cannabis use, commonly known as ” the munchies”, to help improve the lives of cancer patients.

Use of the drug has long been associated with an increase in appetite.

Pharmaceutical firm Artelo has been working on a drug which it says imitates the effect of the cannabis plant but only on the body and not the brain, so patients will not get high.

It comes as scientists at the University of Oxford are developing a vaccine which it is hoped could start to wipe out Ovarian cancer within five years.

OvarianVax teaches the immune system to recognise and attack the earliest stages of ovarian cancer and researchers believe it could be given to women preventatively on the NHS.

What is the ‘cannabis’ drug?

The drug, currently referred to as ART27.13 was originally developed by AstraZenecca,

Researchers at pharmaceutical firm Artelo Biosciences and Trinity College Dublin have been experimenting with evolving it for use on cancer patients.

In a paper published in the journal Pharmaceuticals last November, they said it had provided a breakthrough in cancer cachexia, which is a change in the body causing people to lose weight despite eating normally.

Depending on the type of cancer, between 60 per cent and 80 per cent of patients lose weight.

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And they believe it could protect against the muscle degeneration associated with colon and lung cancers (cachexia) and may also positively impact life expectancy.

Dr Steven Reich, Artelo’s chief medical officer, said last year that data from their research “supports our confidence in ART27.13’s potential as a supportive care therapy for cancer patients as it may not only increase appetite, but also prevent muscle wasting.”

How will it work?

Researchers hope ART23.13 will be able to restore appetite, reverse weight loss and improve the quality of life for cancer patients.

Artelo has taken the drug and formulated it into a once-daily capsule which is currently being trialed in the Cancer Appetite Recovery Study (CAReS)

Dr Andy Yates, chief scientific officer at Artelo, said the drug activates the CB1 and CB2 receptors within the body but it is restricted from going to the brain.

He said: “Those receptors are known to be important in people’s appetite control, so if you switch them on they get hungry and they eat more.

“And that’s what we are looking to determine in the CAReS study.”

What have researchers said?

Dr Barry Laird, from the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, is the principal investigator in the CARes trial.

He said: “This really represents a new area of therapeutic development and really had the potential to improve things for our patients.

“What’s really key about this to me is it’s a change from standard cancer care.

“We are not just focusing on the tumour we are focusing on the patient.

“That’s what it’s about, helping these patients live as well as they can.

“And if we do that, they will live as long as they can.”

While Dr Yates told The Times: “Ultimately, there’s a big correlation between the weight of a cancer patient and their outcomes.

“Sadly, there are not very many treatment options available for those who are suffering weight loss, so we hope that our drug will help transform that by giving people their appetite back.”

However, he admitted getting the drug to clinical trials had been a “nightmare” because of the need to get licences from the Home Office.

A SELECTION of eye-catching themes cruises will be setting sail across Europe next year.

Punters can nab their cabin on a fun fleet of voyages, including one where blokes are banned.

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And they won’t have long to wait either, as all cruises will embark on their respective trips in 2025.

“Travellers have demonstrated an increasing desire for more specialised and unique experiences,” Ellen Bettridge, President and CEO of Uniworld, said.

“We are expanding our portfolio to further cater to a range of interests, passions and communities.”

MUSIC CRUISE

Uniworld’s Music Cruise will offer up exclusive ‘Music of the Danube’ sailings on August 3 and November 2 aboard the ‘Enchanting Danube’ itinerary.

The voyage will come complete with a Sound of Music tour in Salzburg in Austria, a spine-tingling concert at Abbey Durnstein and a yodeling workshop.

Travellers can experience all of these pinch me moments for £2,665.

GOLF PACKAGE

If you’re into your golf as well as your vino, Uniworld’s ‘Premium Golf Package’ is a no-brainer and is available on six summer sailings.

The package is tethered to the ‘Brilliant Bordeaux’ itinerary and comprises 18-hole rounds at Cabot Bordeaux and St. Emilion.

Buyers will also enjoy a shared caddy service and a sumptuous gourmet dining experience after a sapping day on the course.

Nab your spot from £919 per person.

WOMEN’S CRUISE

The first-ever ‘Women’s Only Cruise’ will leave the dock on August 24 as part of the ‘Burgundy and Provence’ itinerary.

Ladies of all ages are invited for a cluster of excursions including truffle hunting and a bike ride to the Chartreuse.

Guests are also invited to partake in lavender weaving, an inviting chocolate and wine tasting experience and burlesque dancing sessions.

Further details are yet to be revealed so keep an eye out for further details.

It’s not cheap though – don’t expect to fork out anything below £4,300 for the privilege.

OCEANS OF FUN

Meanwhile, holidaymakers can also opt to secure their place on the MSC World America.

This voyage is another exciting new cruise ships launching next year and promises to take your breath away, quite literally.

That will be on the water slide that starts with a scary 90-degree drop.

Packing in 6,769 passengers and more than 30 places to eat and drink, World America will be island-hopping in the Caribbean from Miami starting in April, with prices from £779pp for seven nights.

Next up it’s Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Aqua, a lively ship where fun-seekers can ride the first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide at sea.

The ship has lots of places to eat, even more places to drink, with no one telling you what to wear, and a sports complex that becomes a nightclub in the evening.

Aqua holds 3,571 passengers and will be sailing from Port Canaveral in Florida to NCL’s private island in the Caribbean from April, with seven-day prices from £1,041pp.

This article picked by a teacher with suggested questions is part of the Financial Times free schools access programme. Details/registration here.

Read our full range of IB geography picks here.

Specification:

Click to read the article below and then answer the questions:

UK gives Chagos Islands to Mauritius to secure military base

• Identify the year when the UK leased Diego Garcia to the US

• Suggest two reasons why Diego Garcia is considered a strategically important asset for the UK and the US

• Explain the implications of the UK’s decision to relinquish sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius

• Examine the strategic importance of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and how its control affects regional geopolitical dynamics

Richard Allaway, International School of Geneva/geographyalltheway.com

This article picked by a teacher with suggested questions is part of the Financial Times free schools access programme. Details/registration here.

Read our full range of US High School economics picks here.

Specification:

Click to read the article below and then answer the questions:

Jay Powell signals Federal Reserve will revert to quarter-point cut in November

• What indicators is Jay Powell looking for to cut rates at the next two meetings?

• Why is Powell not planning 50 bps cuts? 

• What is the disadvantage of cutting rates fast?

Ariel Slonim at MRU’s Econ in the News