The manufacturer's original license with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enabled the company to manufacture products containing synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). With the expanded authorization, the company can now manufacture products containing synthetic cannabidiol (CBD), as well as extracts from the cannabis plant, such as hemp-based CBD.
With this expanded license, Cure has the capability to manufacture its dosage form, Curefilm, which enables the delivery of cannabinoids with increased bioavailability and allows for precision dosing using both synthetic and cannabis-based extracts.
The dosage form technology using cannabis extracts is patented by Cure, covering the extraction and fractioning of bioactive cannabinoid molecules, such as THC and CBD, from the cannabis plant and the enabling integration process of these molecules into the dosage form.
A spokesperson for Cure Pharma told us that Curefilm is a sublingual dosage form that can be loaded with multiple active ingredients at high doses. Additionally, it drives higher absorption of lipophilic molecules and offers increased bioavailability, as well as greater palatability.
“Most oral dosage forms are oil capsules and solutions – there is a market opportunity for more sophisticated dosage forms that enable multiple routes of administration and precise dosing, such as Cure’s oral film technology,” the spokesperson told us.
The company explained that whether hemp-derived CBD will be regulated as a drug or dietary supplement, the market for hemp-derived CBD will grow between an estimated $646m (€568.7m) on the low side to $22bn by 2022 on the high side.
With the broadened license, the company states it can expand upon the potential formulations it can develop with CBD and cannabis extracts.
