Incannex Healthcare (ASX:IHL) has received Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval for their Phase IIb clinical trial on obstructive sleep apnoea.
Obstructive sleep apnoea, or OSA, is a potential lethal disease that can increases risk of many health complications, including cardiovascular morbidity, hypertension, and heart problems. Currently, the most common treatment option is a mechanical device, called CPAP, that sits on the face causing discomfort and claustrophobia – there is no existing registered drug treatment option.
IHL intends on changing that – and this is the first step in demonstrating that their medicinal cannabis product, IHL-42X, may help those suffering from OSA. IHL-42X contains 10mg of THC with 200mg mineral supplement combination in capsules. Study participants will take 2 capsules of either IHL-42X or a placebo, one hour before bedtime for up to 6 weeks.
With this medication, IHL is targeting a highly addressable and unmet market. In the USA, approximately 30million adults suffer from OSA, which is estimated to have a $149.6 billion annual economic burden. Even in Australia, it is estimated to cost the economy around $21 billion.
The CEO of IHL, Mr Joel Latham, said “A successful drug treatment would be a paradigm shift in OSA considering low patient compliance to the current standard of care, the CPAP device. It is an important step in the right direction for patients that, for various reasons, cannot tolerate the cumbersome, mechanical CPAP device.”
