Clinical trial for fast-acting cannabis tablets announced in Israel

Israeli company Panaxia Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd has begun a clinical trial for the tablets, which could provide a new and relatively fast way to ingest cannabis—especially for those who are unable or unwilling to smoke it.

“In extended chronic pain, there is a significant advantage for treatments with a relatively immediate response and a longer effect period,” said Dr. Silviu Brill, Director of the Chronic and Acute Pain Center at the Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in a press release from Panaxia.

If approved, the sublingual tablets could be good news for patients suffering from chronic or persistent pain, the release said. “Tablets are a convenient, simple and familiar method of treatment administration for patients suffering from chronic pain, and will enable us physicians to better manage the treatment of pain with medical cannabis,” said Dr. Brill.

“Tablets are a convenient, simple and familiar method of treatment administration for patients suffering from chronic pain.”

Panaxia plans to launch the tablets in Isreal in 2019. If approved, the tablets would be distributed by the pharmaceutical company Rafa, according to the release. The product could help ensure accurate and consistent dosages for medicinal cannabis patients.

“The new development of medical cannabis tablets will enable a precise and consistent adjustment of the treatment for patients,” said Anat Savion, CEO of Rafa.

Panaxia manufactures medicinal products including cannabis oil, creams, suppositories, vape cartridges and pain relief patches intended to treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress, cancer, chronic pains, epilepsy, anorexia, burns, and other conditions.