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Canadian medical marijuana patients are about to get their hands an innovative new inhaler that is safer and more precise than traditional cannabis inhalation methods.
Health Canada just granted regulatory approval to Israeli pharma-tech firm Syqe Medical, allowing them to import and sell their new cannabis microdosing inhaler. Syqe’s Metered-Dose Inhaler has already received quality approval by Europe’s CE, but this is the first time that a microdosing inhaler has ever been approved by an international health authority. The inhaler is also the first cannabis-based medical device to receive regulatory approval.
“We are proud to have another international medical authority recognize the groundbreaking therapeutic value that the Syqe Medical Inhaler brings to patients,” said Perry Davidson, CEO and founder of Syqe Medical, to The Jerusalem Post. “The approval in Canada would not have been possible without the 10 years of technological development and clinical trials, demonstrating that low doses alongside high precision delivery result in the optimal cannabis treatment.”
The inhaler, which Syqe initially brought to market in 2017, is able to provide specific doses in increments of 100 micrograms. The device achieves this impressive feat by using dedicated thermal controllers and lung monitoring systems that automatically adjust airflow. The inhaler is also capable of transmitting usage data in order to help researchers keep track of how the device is being used.
In their clinical trials, Syqe found that low, precise microdoses of THC can effectively treat chronic pain without producing notable psychoactive effects. The team’s research, which was published in the European Journal of Pain, found that the optimal dose for pain control is 500 micrograms of THC. In contrast, standard THC edibles commonly found in dispensaries can contain up to 100 milligrams of THC, which is 200 times the dose used in the new inhaler.
The Metered-Dose Inhaler is designed to precisely deliver this exact dosage of THC with a precision that cannot be achieved by traditional medical cannabis products. Additionally, the trials found that patients using the new inhaler experienced a 90 percent reduction in adverse side effects compared to patients who smoked, vaped, or used cannabis oils.
“The usage data in Israel show that patients regain normal life routine, while the treatment reduces the psychoactive effect and undesirable adverse events,” Davidson told The Jerusalem Post.
Following their success in Canada, Syqe are now working to introduce their product at home in Israel. The company is also seeking regulatory approval in the US and several other European countries.
