LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - Oct 19, 2016) - Vitality Biopharma, Inc. (OTCQB: VBIO) ("Vitality Biopharma," "Vitality," or the "Company") a corporation dedicated to the development of cannabinoid prodrug pharmaceuticals, and to unlocking the power of cannabinoids for the treatment of serious neurological and inflammatory disorders, today announced results of recent drug formulation studies that documented substantial modifications to key physiochemical properties of cannabinoids through the production of cannaboside prodrug pharmaceuticals.

Vitality Biopharma has demonstrated through internal drug formulation studies that cannabosides have versatile physical properties, enabling various compounds to be produced as liquids, solids, powders, as well as foams. The most convenient method of delivering pharmaceuticals is through oral delivery, and most oral cannabinoid medicinal products today must be delivered using oil-based liquid solutions or sprays. Because cannabinoid oils often include harsh organic solvents such as ethanol and propylene glycol, they can act as irritants when used repeatedly. This limits the amount of cannabinoids that can be delivered orally, and also reduces product appeal, especially for pediatric applications.

Vitality's formulations now deliver water solubility documented as high as 500mg/ml, or roughly 50% of the mass-to-volume ratio, which represents more than a 100-fold improvement over the reported water solubility of most cannabinoids such as THC and cannabidiol (CBD). This improved solubility represents a novel ability to produce concentrated liquid cannabinoid solutions that can be delivered orally, for maximum convenience, and further, it enables alternative methods of administration such as topical, rectal, or intravenous drug formulations.

A primary target of cannaboside prodrugs is for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, an autoimmune condition where an individual's immune system attacks their intestines, rectum, and other parts of their digestive tract. This disease afflicts 1.4 million Americans and often affects children, with most patients receiving their diagnosis prior to age 30. As with epilepsy, dramatic clinical trial results have been documented through the use of cannabinoids, including an ability to induce remission of Crohn's disease. Large state-funded and independently-managed clinical trials are now underway to further document and analyze these therapeutic effects, and many states have now approved medical marijuana for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, including Colorado, California, Ohio, and more than a dozen others. Vitality Biopharma's cannabinoid prodrugs enable the targeted delivery of cannabinoids directly to the site of disease, enabling larger drug concentrations to be used while simultaneously reducing or avoiding psychoactivity altogether. This could lead to their widespread use as pharmaceuticals that provide the same therapeutic benefits as medical marijuana, or more, and yet do so without any debilitating or unwanted side effects.

About Vitality Biopharma (OTCQB: VBIO)
Vitality Biopharma is dedicated to unlocking the power of cannabinoids for the treatment of serious neurological and inflammatory disorders. For more information, visit: www.vitality.bio. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27(a) of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.