Avicanna announces preclinical data on PwdRx drug delivery platform

Avicanna (AVCNF) announced preclinical results and the filing of a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its Powder Drug Delivery System platform. The drug delivery platform has been specifically developed to address key formulation challenges associated with highly lipophilic cannabinoids, which often exhibit poor water solubility, low and variable bioavailability, and delayed onset of action. In preclinical pharmacokinetic studies, the PwdRx formulations demonstrated enhanced bioavailability and faster uptake compared to conventional medium-chain triglyceride oil-based formulations. Recent in-vitro study of Avicanna’s PwdRx technology demonstrated statistically significant results including 74% higher bioavailability, 63% faster peak plasma levels and a 134% higher peak plasma concentration when compared to MCT oil formulation. In addition to enhanced bioavailability and faster uptake, the technology is also designed to deliver long-term stability and manufacturing versatility, including supporting scalable pharmaceutical production in a range of solid-oral and powder-based formats, including tablets, capsules, sachets, and pouches. The pharmaceutical dosage form is also designed to offer tunable drug release capabilities to enable differentiated product profiles to further enable tailoring to specific patient needs. “By improving dispersion, solubility and consistency of uptake, the PwdRx platform has the potential to enable health care providers greater flexibility to tailor potential treatment options for patients managing conditions associated with pain and inflammation,” said Dr. Karolina Urban, EVP, Medical and Scientific Affairs of Avicanna. “We are encouraged by the data and look forward to further advancing the technology into our pharmaceutical pipeline and for further clinical evaluation.”