New study shows glo has similar impact on indicators of potential harm as quitting smoking

Evidence shows significant reduction in indicators of potential harm over 6-months for smokers switching to exclusive use of glo compared with continuing to smoke cigarettes

Gold-standardi indicator supports scientific substantiation of glo's potential as a reduced risk product*

First ever long-term study showing sustained reduction in exposure to certain toxicants and indicators of potential harm in smokers switching completely to glo

Supports BAT's delivery of A Better TomorrowTM by reducing the health impact of its global business by encouraging smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke to switch completely to reduced risk alternatives*

LONDON 1st July 2021: New research published today in the journal Internal and Emergency Medicine provides the first real-world evidence that people switching from cigarettes to exclusive use of glo, BAT's flagship Tobacco Heating Product (THP), can significantly reduce their exposure to certain toxicants and indicators of potential harm related to several smoking-related diseases compared with continuing to smoke.

The results, recorded at 6-months of a 12-month study, showed that switching completely to glo resulted in statistically significant changes across a range of "biomarkers of exposure" (BoE)**, and indicators of potential harm, known as "biomarkers of potential harm" (BoPH)**, compared with continuing to smoke.

For most biomarkers measured, the reductions seen in people using glo were similar to those in participants who stopped smoking completely.

Based on the toxicants measured, glo users showed a:

Significant reduction in a biomarker for lung cancer risk

Significant reduction in white blood cell count, an inflammatory marker indicative of cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) and other smoking-related diseases

Improvement in HDL cholesterol associated with reduced risk of CVD

Improvements in two key indicators of lung health

Improvement in a key indicator of oxidative stress, a process implicated in several smoking-related diseases, such as CVD and hypertension

Dr David O'Reilly, BAT's Director of Scientific Research said: "These are exciting results as they allow us to understand the potential for reduction of risk that switching completely to glo can deliver. The study shows that smokers switching to glo can reduce their exposure to certain toxicants, which reduces their risk of developing certain smoking related diseases.* To have shown a significant reduction in measures of BOPH, some comparable to quitting completely, is very encouraging and provides further scientific substantiation of the harm reduction potential of glo and how it supports our ambition to build A Better TomorrowTM by reducing the health impact of our business."

About the study

Participants in this year-long randomised controlled study were UK-based smokers aged 23 to 55 in good general health who either did or did not want to quit. The smokers who did not intend to quit were randomised to either continue smoking cigarettes or switched to using only glo, while smokers who indicated they wanted to quit smoking received nicotine replacement therapy and access to a cessation counsellor. A group of "never smokers" was also included to act as a control group and continued not to use any tobacco or nicotine products.

This study was designed to explore the risk reduction potential of glo when used in a real world setting rather than in a controlled setting. The only intervention was a monthly clinic visit where samples of blood, urine and other measurements were taken. These samples were tested for "biomarkers of exposure" (to selected cigarette smoke toxicants) and "biomarkers of potential harm". In addition, to ensure compliance, the glo and cessation groups were tested for the biomarker, CEVal, which indicated if they had recently smoked cigarettes.

Further results from the completed study are due by the end of 2021 and will determine whether the reduced exposure to toxicants and biomarkers of potential harm are maintained over the duration of the study.