We are delighted to share the news that the results from the Long COVID trial have been published by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Long COVID, a condition characterised by persistent symptoms following a COVID-19 infection, presents a significant challenge for both patients and healthcare providers. You can read our published review which provides an overview of the pathophysiology of Long COVID and discusses preliminary pre-clinical evidence, clinical trials, and real-world evidence (RWE) of the potential for cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) to treat Long COVID.
Some symptoms of long COVID (e.g., pain, fatigue) also occur in other conditions (e.g., MS, chronic pain) that benefit from the use of CBMPs. We were pleased to receive ethical and regulatory approval to conduct the trial in 2022. The trial (sponsored by Bod Healthcare) investigated the safety and tolerability of MediCabilis 5% CBD Oil, a full-spectrum cannabidiol (CBD)-dominant cannabis-based medicinal product (CBMP), in treating Long COVID symptoms.
We conducted a 21-week single-arm open-label feasibility trial involving 12 participants diagnosed with Long COVID. Participants received up to 3 mL of MediCabilis 5% CBD Oil per day for up to 5 months, followed by a dose reduction in the final month. Various questionnaires assessing aspects of health and daily self-reports of symptoms were collected via the Eva app from Research Smart (previously Alta Flora). A Fitbit was used to record key physiological measures such as heart rate, activity, sleep, and oxygen saturation.
All participants adhered to the treatment protocol without any serious adverse events. The study drug, MediCabilis 5% CBD Oil, demonstrated safety and good tolerability. We received high response rates of the monthly questionnaires and daily self-reports submitted via the app. This preliminary study suggests that CBD-dominant CBMPs are safe and well-tolerated in individuals diagnosed with Long COVID.
We believe our findings, alongside the accumulating evidence on the effectiveness of CBMPs for alleviating symptoms characteristic of those experienced during Long COVID, lay the foundations for future research into the potential benefits of CBMPs in Long COVID symptoms. Moving forward, larger sample sizes and the inclusion of a control group are essential for a more comprehensive assessment of the treatment’s efficacy in managing symptoms.
Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the participants for their involvement in the trial.
‘This is an exciting feasibility study showing both safety and tolerability of CBD dominant medical cannabis for the treatment of Long COVID – offering a potential new avenue to treat this challenging and still insufficiently understood condition. With our recently launched Drug Science Consultancy, we are looking forward to conducting more innovative research on medical cannabis to further develop the scientific evidence base, and ultimately, ensure that this medicine can be accessed by all patients who need it.’ Dr Anne Schlag, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Research