22nd Century’s New Study Confirms Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes Result in 97% Less Nicotine in Smoker’s Bloodstream
March 27 2019 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE American:XXII), a plant
biotechnology company that is focused on tobacco harm reduction and
hemp/cannabis research, announced today the results of a recently
completed, company-sponsored study involving 22nd Century’s Very
Low Nicotine Content (VLNC) cigarettes. The results indicate that
subjects using the VLNC product had 97% less nicotine in their
blood as compared to their blood-nicotine levels after use of their
usual brand of highly addictive commercial cigarettes.
22nd Century’s important new study was included in the Company’s
Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) application, which was
previously submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
for 22nd Century’s VLNC cigarettes under the proposed brand name
VLN™. 22nd Century’s MRTP application seeks the FDA’s authorization
to advertise that VLN™ cigarettes contain 95% less nicotine as
compared to the 100 top-selling cigarette brands in the United
States.
Nicotine has long been known as the primary addictive chemical
in cigarettes. 22nd Century’s VLN™ cigarettes, with 95% less
nicotine, have greatly diminished nicotine exposure versus
conventional cigarettes that contain highly addictive levels of
nicotine. In the recently completed study, 55 subjects were
randomly assigned to each of the following three products on
different days of the study: 1) their usual brand of cigarettes
(containing addictive levels of nicotine), 2) the Company’s VLN™
cigarettes (containing 95% less nicotine than users’ usual brands
of cigarettes), and 3) nicotine chewing gum. The subjects were
allowed to use each of the products, as much as desired, on
different days of the study; subsequently, after each day of using
one of the three products, each participant’s blood-nicotine level
was tested.
When the subjects used VLN™ cigarettes, the nicotine level in
their blood was 97% less than the nicotine level in their blood
when they used their usual brand of cigarettes. In contrast,
when the subjects used nicotine gum, which is a common nicotine
replacement therapy, the users’ nicotine level in their blood was
only 69% less than when they used their usual brand of
cigarettes.
The study results also showed that the users’ cravings for
cigarettes and urge to smoke were significantly reduced. Overall,
the results of 22nd Century’s study suggest that (i) VLN™
cigarettes have a lower potential for abuse than conventional
cigarettes, and (ii) VLN™ cigarettes have a potential for abuse
that may be comparable to using nicotine gum.
“In contrast to the highly addictive cigarettes sold by Big
Tobacco companies, 22nd Century’s VLN™ cigarettes contain 95% less
nicotine,” explained Henry Sicignano III, President and Chief
Executive Officer of 22nd Century Group. “22nd Century’s new study
joins more than 50 independent scientific studies using our
Company’s proprietary VLNC tobacco and investigating the potential
public health benefits of VLNC cigarettes. Upon FDA approval, we
look forward to bringing to market the world’s first Modified Risk
Tobacco Product."
About 22nd Century Group, Inc.
22nd Century is a plant biotechnology company focused on
technology which allows it to increase or decrease the level of
nicotine in tobacco plants and the level of cannabinoids in
hemp/cannabis plants through genetic engineering and plant
breeding. The Company’s primary mission in tobacco is to reduce the
harm caused by smoking. The Company’s primary mission in
hemp/cannabis is to develop proprietary hemp/cannabis strains for
important new medicines and agricultural crops. Visit
www.xxiicentury.com and www.botanicalgenetics.com for more
information.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press
release contains forward-looking information, including all
statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the
intent, belief or current expectations of 22nd Century Group, Inc.,
its directors or its officers with respect to the contents of this
press release, including but not limited to our future revenue
expectations. The words “may,” “would,” “will,” “expect,”
“estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend” and similar
expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results,
levels of activity or performance. You should not place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should
be considered with any written or oral forward-looking statements
that we may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable
law, including the securities laws of the United States, we do not
intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform
these statements to reflect actual results, later events or
circumstances, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events. You should carefully review and consider the various
disclosures made by us in our annual report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, filed on March 6, 2019,
including the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and our other
reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
which attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors
that may affect our business, financial condition, results of
operation and cash flows. If one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those
expected or projected.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005105/en/
22nd Century Group, Inc.James Vail, Director of
Communications(716) 270-1523jvail@xxiicentury.com
22nd Century (AMEX:XXII)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
22nd Century (AMEX:XXII)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024