Australia’s Medlab Clinical Limited is expected to begin trials of two cannabis-derived medicines after receiving approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee, according to an Australian Journal of Pharmacy report. Both drugs are being considered as cancer therapies.
NanaBis will be tested in advanced stage cancer patients with intractable pain. The product, which contains both THC and CBD, is administered using Medlab’s patented nanoparticle spray NanoCelle, which is sprayed on the inside of the cheek for quicker absorption into the blood stream.
The trial aims to determine the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the of the drug and if it is approved under the Therapeutic Goods Administration Special Access Scheme – required in order for Australians to access cannabis-based medicines – it would be prescribed by specialist doctors.
Sean Hall, Medlab CEO, said as the U.S. cracks down on opioid abuse, there is “significant” need for a “better, efficacious treatment” for cancer pain.
“NanaBis would meet a need globally for better pain management, with research having shown cancer pain was an increasingly widespread condition and generally undertreated,” he said in the report.
NanaBidial, a CBD-based drug indicated for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, will also be trialed, with results expected within 6 months. The NanoCelle-delivered drug could also be used as a seizure treatment if approved by the TGA, and because it doesn’t contain THC, it could be prescribed by general practitioners.
“Our research with cannabis also indicates potential for other related conditions, creating a distinctive positioning for the research from a medical and market perspective,” Hall said.
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