9-THC and 9-THCA Cannabinoids

Aphios manufactures natural pharmaceutical grade 9-THC (9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and its precursor 9-THCA (9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) utilizing its patented SuperFluids™ CXP process [US Patent No. 5,750,709]. These natural cannabinoid products, directly isolated from the plant Cannabis sativa, are being developed for treating pain in cancer patients, cachexia or wasting in AIDS patients, nausea and emesis, and relief to Alzheimer’s patients while increasing their appetite.

A select number of the 65 cannabinoids, the medically active components of Cannabis, hold the promise of providing new drugs for a variety of treatment purposes, including 9-THC. The use of marijuana (Cannabis) for medical treatments has the legal disadvantage that distribution of the plant material to patients violates US Federal law. Smoking Cannabis has the medical disadvantage that the smoke contains many toxic components in common with tobacco smoke, and delivers a highly variable dose of 9-THC and other cannabinoids.

While 9-THC can be synthesized, the process is complex and expensive. Synthetic 9-THC (dronabinol) is manufactured by only one company in the United States, Norac, Azusa, CA, which has an exclusive supply agreement with Unimed for use in its Marinol® product, a preparation of synthetic dronabinol dissolved in sesame oil. Marinol® is approved by the US FDA as an appetite stimulant for HIV/AIDS patients and as an anti-emetic to stem the nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. Oral administration of Marinol® causes slow, variable 9-THC uptake, while the oil-based capsule can be difficult to digest, especially in patients suffering nausea from chemotherapy.

Our engineers and scientists have developed a cost-effective process to rapidly manufacture pharmaceutical-grade 9-THC and and 9-THCA cannabinoid fractions by utilizing Aphios’ patented SuperFluids™ CXF and CXP technologies. 9-THCA is more stable than 9-THC but not active. This acid precursor stoichometrically converts to 9-THC when heated to 100°C or higher. 9-THCA is thus an ideal prodrug for enhanced drug delivery devices.

Aphios is seeking collaborative partners to: (1) develop an orally available natural 9-THC for cancer pain and AIDS cachexia; and (2) develop 9-THCA as a pro-drug for cancer, AIDS and Alzheimer’s patients.

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