Bod Australia’s medicinal cannabis product MediCabilis part of UK trial to treat long Covid symptoms
An Australian medicinal cannabis product will be used in a UK clinical trial to treat symptoms of long Covid, including chronic pain, anxiety, sleep disturbances and fatigue.
Business
Don't miss out on the headlines from Business. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Bod Australia, which began life wholesaling ‘natural’ beauty care products, has been given the green light by British regulators to test its medical cannabis product for use against the long-term effects of Covid-19.
Researchers remain split about the protective effects of Covid-19 vaccines against longer-term effects of the virus, including breathlessness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.
One Australian study, undertaken by the Kirby Institute, found symptoms could last at least eight months after infection.
ASX-listed Bod on Monday said it had secured clinical trial authorisation from the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which would be “an important opportunity to build on the growing body of evidence for the use of MediCabilis”.
“Upon completion of the trial and pending successful results, Bod will embark on the commercialisation of a MediCabilis product which can be used to treat the condition,” the statement read.
The company in March struck a deal with Drug Science UK, an independent scientific body, to assess the efficacy of its MediCabilis product in managing symptoms associated with the long-term impact of Covid-19.
Drug Science UK was established by the British government’s former chief drug advisor, David Nutt, after he was sacked in 2009 for claiming alcohol and tobacco were more harmful than LSD, ecstasy and cannabis.
Professor Nutt went into business in 2010 with the financial support of London hedge fund manager Toby Jackson.
Professor Nutt said the new study “could be an exciting and important step for both patients and for our wider understanding of these medicines”.
“Long Covid is a problem in many different countries, our hope is that this UK-based research will lead to help for patients all over the world.”
Bod says it will recruit up to 30 patients suffering from the long-term effects of Covid-19 who will administer MediCabilis daily and self-report using a smartphone.
“Securing (clinical trial authorisation) is a major achievement for Bod and follows a considerable amount of preparation undertaken alongside our partner, Drug Science to finalise the design of clinical trial protocols, achieving ethics approval and delineating relevant outcomes,” said Bod chief executive Jo Patterson.
“While there aren’t any existing treatments for long Covid, our medicinal cannabis products have been used to treat and alleviate a number of similar conditions.
We anticipate that this clinical trial will provide us with great insight into its potential to treat long Covid and build on the body of evidence for the use of cannabis-based medicines, in place of other pharmaceuticals,” she said.
Bod sold 16,267 medicinal cannabis products between first prescriptions in 2019 and the end of the financial year to June 30. Sales rose 212 per cent that year.
Its share price rose 0.5c to close at 22c on Monday – giving Bod a market value of $24m.
Originally published as Bod Australia’s medicinal cannabis product MediCabilis part of UK trial to treat long Covid symptoms
Are you wealthy? And in what ways? It’s more than just money
Definitions of wealth are not just financial, and AI will tell you exactly that. See how you measure up.
Magnis risk reports ‘went unanswered’
Magnis’ former head of risk tried to blow the whistle on the firm’s relationship with its battery gigafactory iM3NY years before being seized by lenders amid near-insolvency.