Bod Science has secured ethics approval to conduct a second pharmacokinetics (PK) study examining the bioavailability of its Aqua Phase CBD technology.
Recruitment has already begun for the 12-person trial, which will assess bioavailability in venous blood — the blood that travels from capillary vessels through larger veins to the right side of the heart. Results from this study are anticipated by the end of July.
A separate, 10-participant PK study is already in progress, with findings expected next month. That earlier trial is focused on measuring Aqua Phase bioavailability in capillary blood.
Both studies will pit Aqua Phase directly against CBD suspended in MCT oil.
The ethics approval announcement coincided with Bod disclosing that a third study, using ultraviolet (UV) analysis, found that Aqua Phase CBD showed greater solubility than standard CBD.
Low solubility hampers biological absorption, and CBD in MCT oil typically achieves bioavailability of only 6% to 8%.
Bod has previously indicated that Aqua Phase is expected to deliver bioavailability exceeding 30% through a process that produces a molecule described as "truly soluble".
Chief executive Jo Patterson said the company is in advanced discussions with prospective partners who are interested in licensing the Aqua Phase technology.
She said the higher bioavailability would not only reduce costs for patients but would also improve safety outcomes.
"We are increasingly confident in the commercial potential of this unique delivery format in numerous global markets," Patterson said.
"It promises to enable poor solubility medications to become cheaper and safer as a result of lower side effects and less use of the active ingredient required due to the increased solubility."
"The solubility data… enables us to move forward a number of commercial opportunities in cannabis and non-cannabis medications with increasing confidence."
