In late September CURE Pharmaceutical announced a joint venture between their company and international leader in the cannabis industry, Canopy Growth. The multi-licensing agreement announcement sparked the beginning of technological advancement in cannabinoid products and the cannabis industry.

Canopy Growth has an exclusive license to CUREfilm™, an innovative, multi-layer oral thin film (OTF). The film is a patented technology, designed to increase the bioavailability of compounds. Canopy Growth is set to use this license to expand cannabinoid production in the global cannabis marketplace. The two heavyweight companies are looking towards creating new products and indications, using both cannabis extracts as well as biosynthetic cannabinoids.

The CURE Company

Founded on ideals to increase the bioavailability of quality medicines to people and patients from across all economic ranges, CURE Pharmaceuticals is committed to the research and development of innovative delivery methods for pharmaceutical medications.

The company’s ethos centers on addressing the present lack in the current medicines and pharmaceuticals. Due to the disadvantages presented by traditionally used delivery systems – e.g., Pills, capsules, and tablets – many patients are missing out on the full potential of medicines. According to the CURE website, approximately 40% of patients struggle with taking pills. Not only do they experience discomfort when swallowing, but sometimes discomfort can be experienced in the gut causing painful side effects. Add this to the reduced bioavailability and solubility, and CURE Pharmaceuticals has identified a strong need in the pharmaceutical industry.

“Whole plant extracted, biosynthesized and synthetic cannabinoids all hold therapeutic promise for given indications and intended uses,” said Rob Davidson, CEO, and Chairman of CURE Pharmaceutical in a press release. “At CURE, we focus on synthetic cannabinoids for CUREfilm™ products, but with our new licensing business model, we will expand the impact and applications of our technology to these other promising approaches by partnering with an industry leader in this market.”

CURE enables the manufacturing of CUREfilm™ to deliver cannabis extracts, expanding the commercialization and monetization of CUREfilm™ technology. CURE retains the right to manufacture synthetic cannabinoids for pharmaceutical applications.

The CUREfilm™ license gives the cannabis company a dosage form that is ideal for the delivery of cannabinoids. It offers increased bioavailability, ease, and precision of dosing and greater palatability. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found in plants, such as cannabis (phytocannabinoids), synthesized by cells of the human body (endocannabinoids) or synthesized in a laboratory (biosynthetic cannabinoids) that interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system. The medical community recognizes the endocannabinoid system as an essential modulatory system in the function of the brain, endocrine, and immune tissues.

How important is Bioavailability?

Bioavailability is a crucial factor in determining the efficacy of cannabis and cannabinoid usage. CURE Pharmaceuticals believes in the vision of allowing people and patients enhanced delivery of quality medicines and drugs. In this new venture, CURE is seeking an opportunity to allow their innovative delivery methods to merge with Canopy Growth’s cannabinoid products.

What is the CUREfilm™?

The CUREfilm™ is a patented delivery method designed by the CURE company. It is an innovation in the pharmaceutical world that allows the highly efficient digestion of medicines and drugs.

The CUREfilm™ ORAL is designed to be placed within the oral cavity, thereby bypassing digestion and increasing bioavailability. The body absorbs the product in three different ways:

• BUCCAL: placing the film between the patient’s gum and cheek, it dissolves and provides an almost instantaneous delivery into the bloodstream.
• SUBLINGUAL: In this method, the patient places the film beneath the tongue, where it is rapidly absorbed due to the minute blood vessels present there.
• ORAL: In this method, the film is directly placed on the tongue where it dissolves in the oral cavity.

The technology that CUREfilm™ is offering the cannabis industry could introduce improvements in patient outcomes as the cannabinoids achieve optimal release levels within the body.

 The company is promoting their CUREfilm™ product touting the following advantages:

• Developing cannabinoid drugs using the CUREfilm™ technology means a higher amount of active ingredients make it onto a single CUREfilm™
• The CUREfilm™ drug product allows more than a single active compound or active ingredient on a single dose or single CUREfilm™
• There is also no taste or effect on the mouth as the product is absorbed instantaneously
• The CUREfilm™ allows patients and individuals to acquire precise dosing- something that will become increasingly important in the cannabis industry
• CUREfilm™ bypasses the need for liquid or other factors needed to intake the dose, making the product both simple to use as well as easy to store and transport.

This improvement of the pharmacokinetics of cannabinoids could be a founding stone in the era of marketed cannabinoid medicine. With Canopy Growth having access to this technology, the growth in the cannabinoid medicine industry could see monumental development.