AllTranz, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing drugs to treat a variety of neurologic and inflammatory disorders, today announced that it has been awarded a $4 million research grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to advance the company’s transdermal tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) patch for the treatment of marijuana dependence and withdrawal. The grant was awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and will directly support preclinical development and a planned Phase I clinical study.
“We are pleased to receive this grant from NIDA and are proud that peer review has recognized the potential of our innovative approach to help people addicted to marijuana overcome their drug dependence and withdrawal symptoms,” said Dr. Audra Stinchomb, Chief Scientific Officer of AllTranz Inc. “By delivering low, steady levels of THC using our transdermal patch, patients don’t experience the euphoria associated with higher levels.”
“NIDA is interested in exploring the role of transdermal THC delivery as an innovative way to treat marijuana withdrawal symptoms and dependence,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA’s director. “This is especially relevant to our efforts to fill a critical gap in available treatments for the many Americans struggling with marijuana-related disorders and their detrimental medical and social consequences.”