Cannabis-based drug approved in Peru for the treatment of cancer

By Javier Hasse

The cannabis-based drug Sativyl was approved in Peru for the treatment of cancer-related pain.

Sativyl made by Verdemed is designed to be as similar as possible to Sativex made by Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLCGW Pharmaceuticals and is recommended for the relief of cancer symptoms and spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis.

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Sativyl is indicated, among other things, for the relief of severe pain. The drug is believed to be an effective, non-addictive substitute for opioids such as morphine or oxycodone.

In the United States, opioids are recognized as a public health problem. The CDC recorded a 28.5% increase in deaths from opioid overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021. For the first time, the country surpassed 100,000 drug-related deaths over a period of one year.

An alternative to classic antiemetics

Sativyl also works to control nausea caused by chemotherapy treatment. The antiemetic effect of the drug improves the patient’s appetite and, consequently, his physical condition to face the therapy.

Sativyl contains a concentration of 27 mg / ml THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and 25 mg / ml CBD. It is sold by the bottle and contains 10 ml and 250 mg concentration.

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The drug itself is manufactured in Canada by the pharmaceutical company Verdemed in collaboration with the Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology.

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“In January next year we will have sativyl on the Peruvian market,” says José Bacellar, CEO of the company. “We believe it’s a third of Mevatyl. will cost [the Brazilian version of Sativex], comes to just R $ 500 [$89.60]. “

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The Peruvian health license was approved less than a month after Verdemed received approval from the Brazilian Health Authority (ANVISA) to distribute full-spectrum 50 mg / ml CBD, a drug developed in collaboration with the American-Colombian company Clever Leaves became. Documentation for Sativyl has already been submitted to ANVISA (the Brazilian equivalent of the FDA) for analysis.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.