"Syqe Medical® is proud to bring this first-in-class device, which delivers a specific dose of cannabinoids with each inhalation, helping to relieve symptoms with few, if any, adverse reactions," said Perry Davidson, founder and CEO of Syqe Medical®. "It is our hope that the Syqe® Inhaler will help alleviate physician concerns about adverse reactions and psychoactivity when prescribing medical cannabis."
According to a recent post marketing report patients using the Syqe® Inhaler, at one year and beyond, reported no adverse reactions.i
Due to its predictable, precise and consistent microgram-dosing capability, the novel drug delivery technology helps eliminate uncertainty surrounding dosage administration and allows physicians to consider and recommend appropriate dosages of medical cannabis with more consistent results.
"This proprietary technology has great potential for medical cannabis use," said Dr. Peter M. Blecher, Medical Director, CPM Centres for Pain Management. "Cannabis for medical use has been hampered by unreliable dosing methods, such as smoking, and physicians have been looking for an appropriate alternative. Finding the dose that provides a consistent result has been problematic for health care professionals. The Syqe® Inhaler, with its precision and consistent micro-dosing capability can satisfy this unmet need. It may now be possible to provide patients with relief without unwanted effects."
A placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-dose study conducted by Syqe Medical® and published in the European Journal of Pain confirmed that microgram-doses of THC (the main psychoactive component of cannabis) administered through the Syqe® Inhaler can be effective in relieving pain, without psychoactive effects.ii
The study shows that an optimally effective dose is 500 micrograms of THC - A typical medical cannabis patient consumes one gram of 15 per cent THC cannabis per day, which contains 150,000 micrograms of THC, 100x the amount needed for pain relief. Accordingly, the study shows that when THC is delivered with greater precision to the patient, lower doses are needed, resulting in greater overall efficacy and fewer side effects, such as potentially debilitating psychoactivity. Consequently, as the study demonstrates, the Syqe® Inhaler with its first-in-class metered dosing capabilities and pre-filled medical cannabis cartridges allows patients, for the first time, to benefit from predictable microgram-level doses of THC with unprecedented precision and low risk of unwanted side effects.
"Before being approved in Canada, the technology used in the Syqe® Inhaler went through ten years of research and development, including testing in a variety of research trials," said Michael Milloy, General Manager of Syqe Medical® in Canada. "We are proud of the extensive research that went into bringing the inhaler to Canada and the rigorous clinical evidence that supports its use."
The Syqe® Inhaler will be made available through Syqe Medical® Canada in partnership with a Canadian Licensed Producer for individuals with a valid medical authorization document.
About Syqe ® Inhaler
The Syqe® Inhaler is the first pharmaceutical grade medical cannabis delivery device system. It is a single-patient, portable, hand-held device designed to precisely aerosolize multiple doses of granulated raw plants. During two-seconds of heating and aerosolization, initiated by breath-actuation, the THC-acid undergoes a process of decarboxylation to the pharmacologically active THC form. The device engages automatic thermal and flow controllers that ensure the delivery of cannabinoid aerosol to the lungs, independent of the inhalation pattern of the individual patient. Subsequently, the device requires minimal inhalation training.