Singapore - The physical uptake of pharmaceutical cannabinoids when inhaled through Senzer's unique respiratory device is more than 50 times faster than oral delivery, at just a fraction of the dose, according to data released under a clinical trial conducted in the US.

Senzer, a UK-based drug delivery company, reported the success of a 36-subject pharmacokinetic trial conducted in the US by its partner, Insys Therapeutics, a leader in the development, manufacture and commercialization of pharmaceutical cannabinoids and spray technology. Insys holds the license to use Senzer's device to deliver the cannabinoid, Dronabinol, in the US and the trial is part of its goal to achieve regulatory approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Senzer's patented device allows conversion of cannabinoids into very small particle sizes, and other research by the Company has shown that this allows delivery of actives deep into the lung, into the smaller distal passageways. Unlike other respiratory approaches, such as nebulizers or mainstream inhalers, Senzer's offering can result in a much more rapid uptake of the drug, comparable to injectables or IVs.

"These positive results generated by Insys show how our device can deliver cannabinoids faster and in much smaller doses, which should be of great benefit for both patients and health professionals,' Senzer CEO Alex Hearn said. "Our approach is unique in this exciting sector, and offers a simple and minimally invasive way to ensure much more effective delivery of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids."

Insys reported the study enrolled 36 subjects and compared a single 0.35 mg dose of inhaled dronabinol to a single 5.0 mg dose of oral dronabinol (Marinol capsule). The findings indicated that inhaled dronabinol, even at just 7% of the oral dose, had a much faster absorption rate.