22nd Century’s Proprietary SPECTRUM® Cigarettes Identified as Crucial Tool in Human Addiction Studies

CLARENCE, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE MKT: XXII),
a plant biotechnology company that is a leader in tobacco harm
reduction, announced today that scientists with The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) published a detailed characterization of
the Company’s SPECTRUM® Variable Nicotine Research Cigarettes, calling
22nd Century’s proprietary cigarettes an “important tool in clinical
studies for investigating… the impact of reduced nicotine cigarettes on
nicotine addiction…” Published in Tobacco Regulatory Science, the
independent study was conducted by a prestigious team of 18 senior CDC
scientists. Click here
for a link to the complete article.
Based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia, the independent
scientific researchers critically showed that there is a remarkable
overall similarity in the chemistry and physical properties of SPECTRUM®
cigarettes as compared to commercial cigarettes – with the noted
exception of nicotine content which “range[s] from very low to within
the range reported for commercial products (0.28 – 25.0 mg/g).”
22nd Century’s Vice President for Plant Biotechnology, Dr. Paul Rushton,
reported: “The CDC researchers also showed that 22nd Century’s Very Low
Nicotine SPECTRUM® cigarettes have reduced levels of the cancer causing
compounds NNN and NNK. The NNN levels of SPECTRUM® cigarettes are within
the lower one-third of the concentration range reported for commercial
cigarette products. The NNK levels in SPECTRUM® cigarettes were
lower than the lowest published levels of NNK for commercial cigarette
products.” (emphasis added)
22nd Century is the only company in the world capable of producing
combustible cigarettes containing naturally grown tobacco with
non-addictive levels of nicotine. The independent researchers indicated
that SPECTRUM® variable nicotine cigarettes will help regulatory
agencies make vital decisions on the impact of reduced nicotine levels
for product addictiveness and smoking cessation success. The study
scientists also pointed out that more research using the Company’s
proprietary SPECTRUM® cigarettes is expected due to multiple funding
opportunities by the National Institutes of Health (https://prevention.nih.gov/tobacco-regulatory-science-program)
and the FDA (https://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/PublicHealthScienceResearch/default.htm).
Furthermore, as announced in May 2016, 22nd Century has launched a new
initiative to make the Company’s proprietary variable nicotine research
cigarettes available to accredited scientists and governments around the
globe. These new research cigarettes will be available in any
configuration and in any style requested by researchers.
“The CDC researchers’ independent analysis of our SPECTRUM® research
cigarettes – and the multiple funding opportunities stemming from the
NIH and the FDA for further studies – confirms that 22nd Century’s
proprietary Very Low Nicotine cigarettes are poised to make a major
difference in the smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction arenas,”
explained Henry Sicignano, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of
22nd Century Group. “The rapidly growing body of research surrounding
our SPECTRUM® research cigarettes is prompting public health officials
around the world to consider policies that allow consumers a choice
between 22nd Century’s Very Low Nicotine cigarettes and conventional
brands. Our product represents an important and fundamental change in
the industry.”
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 cannabis plants through genetic
engineering and plant breeding. The Company’s primary mission is to
reduce the harm caused by smoking. 22nd Century currently owns or
exclusively controls more than 200 issued patents and more than 50
pending patent applications around the world. Visit www.xxiicentury.com
for more information.
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consider the various disclosures made by us in our annual report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, filed on February 18,
2016, including the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and our other
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