Not likely to available in the U.S. for some time, but something to look forward to. Images here.
Reuters via Medscape
Israel's Teva Pharmaceuticals has partnered with Tel Aviv-based Syqe Medical to market in Israel medical cannabis for pain management that is administered with an inhaler.
The companies said in a statement on Monday that this is the first time the medical cannabis sector has complied with pharmaceutical standards for inhalation, which is the most efficient means for administering the plant.
Teva, the world's largest generic drugmaker, will be the exclusive marketer and distributor in Israel of the inhaler developed by Syqe Medical. It will be available for home use pending approvals from the country's Ministry of Health.
Lots from Google medically, financially/investing, etc.
For decades, Israel has been a world leader in medial cannabis/marijuana research, notably by Raphael Mechoulam.
One piece of background research via PubMed (US National Library of Medicine) in 2014 —because yes, research does take that long— The pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety, and ease of use of a novel portable metered-dose cannabis inhaler in patients with chronic neuropathic pain: a phase 1a study.| J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2014 Sep;28(3):216-25. doi: 10.3109/15360288.2014.941130. Epub 2014 Aug 13.Eisenberg E, Ogintz M, Almog S. Abstract (full text not available in PubMedCentral as yet):
Chronic neuropathic pain is often refractory to standard pharmacological treatments. Although growing evidence supports the use of inhaled cannabis for neuropathic pain, the lack of standard inhaled dosing plays a major obstacle in cannabis becoming a "main stream" pharmacological treatment for neuropathic pain. The objective of this study was to explore the pharmacokinetics, safety, tolerability, efficacy, and ease of use of a novel portable thermal-metered-dose inhaler (tMDI) for cannabis in a cohort of eight patients suffering from chronic neuropathic pain and on a stable analgesic regimen including medicinal cannabis. In a single-dose, open-label study, patients inhaled a single 15.1 ± 0.1 mg dose of cannabis using the Syqe Inhaler device. Blood samples for Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 11-hydroxy-Δ(9)-THC were taken at baseline and up to 120 minutes. Pain intensity (0-10 VAS), adverse events, and satisfaction score were monitored following the inhalation. A uniform pharmacokinetic profile was exhibited across all participants (Δ(9)-THC plasma Cmax ± SD was 38 ± 10 ng/mL, Tmax ± SD was 3 ± 1 minutes, AUC₀→infinity ± SD was 607 ± 200 ng·min/mL). Higher plasma Cmax increase per mg Δ(9)-THC administered (12.3 ng/mL/mg THC) and lower interindividual variability of Cmax (25.3%), compared with reported alternative modes of THC delivery, were measured. A significant 45% reduction in pain intensity was noted 20 minutes post inhalation (P = .001), turning back to baseline within 90 minutes. Tolerable, lightheadedness, lasting 15-30 minutes and requiring no intervention, was the only reported adverse event. This trial suggests the potential use of the Syqe Inhaler device as a smokeless delivery system of medicinal cannabis, producing a Δ(9)-THC pharmacokinetic profile with low interindividual variation of Cmax, achieving pharmaceutical standards for inhaled drugs.
KEYWORDS:
analgesia; inhalation; medicinal cannabis; neuropathic pain; pain; pharmacokinetics; vaporization; Δ9-THC
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
In additional to whatever comments, please post whatever additional citations you have on the topic, especially for cannabidiol (CBD) — this Teva/Syqe product dispenses THC.
I don’t have any more information on this than is linked, but I’ll try to return to reply for comments as circumstances allow.