Medical cannabinoid developer Brains Bioceutical Corp. is starting a clinical trial in New York looking at the effect of pharmaceutical-grade CBD as treatment for opioid-use issues.
Last week, the Vancouver-headquartered firm, with operations in the United Kingdom, said the study will use Brains Bio’s EU-GMP certified CBD active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in hard gelatin capsules.
The study involves testing the cannabinoid-based formulation by taking several blood samples over a period of time to determine how it’s handled by the body.
The research will be held at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York. Results will be used as preliminary data to inform future clinical trials on opioid-use issues and other related disorders.
The medical school is part of the Mount Sinai Health System that includes eight hospitals with more than 7,000 faculty members and around 4,500 students, residents and research fellows.
In a statement, Mount Sinai’s Addiction Institute director Yasmin Hurd says her research looks into the neurobiology of substance-use disorders and psychiatric illnesses.
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Brains Bio produces natural hemp-based cannabinoid APIs at its subsidiary BSPG Laboratories Ltd. in Kent, U.K.
The company says it’s been part of over 13 clinical trials worldwide, and is one of the few of its peers that has EU-GMP certification.
“We are implementing a global first within the CBD industry for this type of research with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which we hope will inspire further research across the globe,” CEO Ricky Brar said.
He says his company is looking forward to capitalizing on market opportunities that arise from the study, given the high demand for CBD research.
“We are proud to be able to play a part in addressing this critical gap in the emerging industry.”
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