Neurotech International has announced it will begin clinical trials evaluating the potential of its special cannabis strains to treat autism.
Stockhead reports the phase 1/2 clinical program will begin at Monash Children’s Hospital towards the end of the quarter.
The research follows successful in vitro tests conducted at three independent scientific laboratories showing the NTI/Dolce hemp strains have 50% more potency in repairing brain cells compared to CBD alone.
The strains, originally imported from China by a cannabis enthusiast some years ago, contain the newly discovered rarer cannabinoids CBDP and CBDB, which Neurotech says have “powerful, unique properties that extend beyond CBD”.
Neurotech is working with Monash University paediatric neurologist Dr Michael Fahey to design a study that could assess the safety and efficacy of the novel strains in children with autism. The trial would use the company’s Mente Autism headband to measure any brain changes in the children.
The study will be the first in the world to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CBDP and CBDB to treat neurological disorders. The in vitro tests suggest they have powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the human brain.
Neurotech chairman Brian Leedman said: “It is exciting to be able to conduct these first-in-human studies at Monash Children’s Hospital to assess the safety and efficacy of our cannabis strains in children with autism.
“Positive results will pave the way for larger studies to address the unmet need for effective treatments in broader neurological conditions”.
The company said the clinical trials may be small scale, involving just a handful of children, with the initial goal of making a tincture, spray or oil extract available via the Special Access Scheme.
