Cannabis-Based Medicine As A Potential Treatment For Psychosis, An Oxford University Study Says

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford will conduct an international study to investigate whether cannabis-based medicine can treat psychosis.

The study has been awarded £16.5 million (US$19.8 million) by the charitable foundation Wellcome. It will involve 35 centers, mainly in Europe and North America, and about 1,000 participants — including those at "clinically high risk of psychosis," reported The Guardian. 

Oxford Professor Philip McGuire is leading the trial.

“Cannabidiol is one of the most promising new treatments for people with psychosis," McGuire said. "Many people with psychosis are open to trying cannabidiol and previous smaller-scale studies have indicated that it has beneficial effects.”

The stratification and treatment in early psychosis (STEP) program will also investigate "whether cannabidiol can prevent the onset of psychosis in people at high risk of developing it,” said McGuire.

Antipsychotics are used to treat psychosis, but have significant side effects, Lynsey Bilsland, the head of mental health translation at Wellcome, explained.

"Patients often stop taking them, and they don’t work for everyone," she said. "This means that it is important that we explore avenues such as this one for new therapies."

The researchers will also identify biomarkers that would indicate that a patient might respond well to treatment.

”This will allow for greater personalization of treatment in the future,” Bilsland concluded.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC JAZZ, the company behind the CBD-based medication Epidiolex, supplied the CBD for the study without cost. Epidyolex will be the cannabidiol form used in the study, which won its U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2018 and 2020 as the first therapy comprised of an active ingredient derived from cannabis.

The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Is Back!

The most successful cannabis business event in the world, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference returns to Miami for its 16th edition. This is the place where DEALS GET DONE, where money is raised, M&A start, and companies meet investors and key partners. Join us at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel in Florida on April 11-12. Don’t miss out. Secure your tickets now. Prices will surge very soon.

Photo: Courtesy Of Esteban Lopez On Unsplash