It looks like a high-tech medical cannabis inhaler system we wrote about earlier this year will be heading to Australian shores.
A joint venture between Canada’s Resolve Digital Health Inc. and Australia’s LeafCann Group will enable LeafCann to introduce the Breeze Inhaler system to the Australian market. The two companies will also carry out clinical trials and pilot studies on the device and formulations in Australia.
“This agreement provides high quality Medical Cannabis products and devices to the Australian market, to meet the needs of patients at end of life and those permitted to access Medical Cannabis products under Australia’s Special Access Schemes,” said LeafCann Group CEO, Dr. Jaroslav Boublik.
Based in Melbourne, Victoria, LeafCann says its philosophy is patients before profit.
“… our goal is to provide patients and professionals with a safe, reliable and affordable natural medicine for chronic pain management,” states the company’s web site.
The Breeze Inhaler system uses pods, somewhat similar to coffee capsules, that contain pre-measured, hygienically packed and pharmaceutical grade cannabis medicine. The inhaler unit is a portable, interactive battery powered device with a touchscreen. As well as delivering a standardized dose, it measures and records effects and efficacy, transmitting this information to a cloud-based platform.
“Whether in Canada or Australia, our number one priority is patient care. Resolve Digital Health is pleased to be working with LeafCann to bring relief to Australians who have been prescribed Medical Cannabis in treatment of their ailment,” said Resolve’s CEO, Robert Adelson.
LeafCann Group will have an exclusive license to sell and distribute the Breeze device for 3 years – but first it will need to gain the appropriate import licenses for the inhaler and pods; a process that no doubt will involve its share of challenges given the complexity surrounding related legislation in Australia.
Inhalers and vaporisers are considered to be a safer and more effective way of delivering cannabis medicines compared to combusting plant materials and also gets around the issue of smoking cannabis not being permitted under many medical cannabis programs (including those in Australia).
Last year, recruitment began for Australia’s first clinical trial of vaporised medical cannabis flower bud.
