CBD is a natural medicine that can have a profound effect on mediating pain and anxiety. It is now being tested to help kids with autism, in Israel
SciSparc (NASDAQ:SPRC), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company that utilizes cannabis for various treatment modalities, has initiated a clinical trial for cannabis-based drug SCI-210 aimed at alleviating symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. The trial, currently conducted at Soroka Medical Center in Israel, has enrolled and dosed the first five patients.
The study is a double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial involving 60 subjects between the ages of 5 and 18 over a 20-week period. Its objective is to assess the efficacy of SCI-210, a combination of cannabidiol (CBD) and CannAmide, in comparison to standard CBD monotherapy for managing ASD symptoms.
CBD does not contain the psychoactive elements present in the cannabis plant.
The trial’s design was developed in collaboration with the National Autism Research Center, Israel’s leading autism research institution.
Oz Adler, CEO of SciSparc, expressed satisfaction with the enrollment rate and expects the trial to provide new scientific insights to benefit individuals affected by ASD. ASD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts social interaction and communication skills, with symptoms varying across the spectrum.
The company’s strategic plan involves initially commercializing SCI-210 in the Israeli market, followed by other countries pending regulatory approvals.
Specializing in cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals, SciSparc also has drug development programs targeting conditions such as Tourette Syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, pain, and status epilepticus.
The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange in the US.
Israel is at the forefront of cannabis research, partly due to the pioneering work of chemist Raphael Mechoulam, who isolated THC and CBD from cannabis decades ago, as well as the contributions of Israeli-American Alan Shackelford.
