New Technology Holds Great Promise for Cannabis Treatment Development

A new technology from Nextage Therapeutics Ltd. is being developed to allow cannabis molecules to reach the brain directly, an advancement that could boost the development of treatments for people suffering from a range of diseases.

Based on research conducted at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, the ability of weed molecules to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) could reduce the necessary dosage of medicinal Cannabis and minimize side effects caused by treatments that spread to other organs, according to an article in the Jerusalem Post.

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A variety of treatments could be advanced for diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, brain cancer, and chronic pain, the article suggests.

The BBB is "a barrier between the blood vessels in the brain (capillaries) and the cells and other components that make up brain tissue," explains information from the University of Queensland. Therefore, just as the skull provides protection against physical damage, the BBB "provides a defense against disease-causing pathogens and toxins that may be present in our blood."

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Although the technology was designed with cannabinoids in mind, it does not preclude use with other chemical compounds as well.

The plan is to patent the new technology before negotiating with companies that want to use it to develop treatments for brain diseases.

Regarding Alzheimer's disease, "BBB drug delivery is the limiting factor in the future development of new brain therapeutics," notes a 2020 article in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

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