Althea has added two new softgel capsules to the Australian market, with the company saying the dosage format is drawing more doctors toward medicinal cannabis prescribing.
The company introduced its first softgel capsule in September 2022, a 25mg CBD product made by FoliuMed.
The range has since grown to include a balanced formulation containing 3mg of CBD and 2.5mg of THC, as well as a THC-only capsule delivering 10mg per dose.
Althea said the fixed-dose capsules, which take effect gradually and provide an extended duration, are encouraging more healthcare practitioners to explore cannabis as a therapeutic option.
Chief executive Josh Fegan said that of approximately 300 doctors who prescribed Althea's CBD-only capsule between May and November 2023, nearly one third had never prescribed medicinal cannabis before.
"The successful launch of the CBD25 capsules proves that this is the preparation of choice for new and existing prescribers of cannabis-based medicines," he said.
Even so, enthusiasm for softgel capsules — which several industry executives believe will help normalise medicinal cannabis through their familiar appearance — has not yet translated into widespread adoption, with the format accounting for just 2% of all Special Access Scheme approvals in 2023.
