Aruma Labs Partners With Applied Cannabis Research For Endometriosis Observational Study

This article by Hugo Gray was originally published on The Green Fund, and appears here with permission.

The condition currently affects approximately 11% of Australian women and could be costing the economy up to $4 billion per annum.

There was big news earlier this week from Applied Cannabis Research—which operates as a division of Southern Cannabis Holdings—after a new research partnership with the Australian Life Sciences company Aruma Labs was announced.

The company will officially join the scientific research organization's CA Clinics Observational Study (CACOS)—which is Australia's longest running observational study of medicinal marijuana products—with a with a focus on collecting data from patients with endometriosis.

Research shows that women with endometriosis often may wait up to eight years before they receive a diagnosis. During that time, they can suffer debilitating pain, depression, and a diminished quality of life. Our aim, through this partnership with Applied Cannabis Research, is to collect patient-reported data to understand whether our unique formulations have potential as a safe and effective treatment option in the ongoing management of the pain that often accompanies endometriosis.Aruma Labs CEO, Louis Williams

Endometriosis is an infamously painful medical condition that is characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue—which is typically located within the uterus—in other areas of the abdomen, and currently affects more than 11% of women living in Australia.

This can lead to a significant reduction in the patient's quality of life, and according to studies conducted by Ernst & Young this costs the Australian economy up to $4 billion per annum.

"Chronic pain associated with endometriosis is a complex and debilitating problem for millions of women worldwide. The positive impacts of medical cannabis on pain are potent enough to consider medical cannabis as a pain management option, adjunct to current treatments," CA Clinics Medical Director Dr Mark Hardy said.

"Cannabinoids are being researched for their impact on the processes of angiogenesis, a key aspect of the pathology of endometriosis, as well as their anti-inflammatory properties."

"The evidence-based research of CACOS is essential for better treatment and health outcomes."

The study is currently scheduled to enrol 200 participants, who will be used to monitor the safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabis as an adjunct treatment and management option for the refractory chronic pain typically experienced by Endometriosis sufferers.

The formulation used in the study was developed as part of Aruma's ongoing research into, "adjunct therapy for medical conditions that are particularly persistent and chronic, especially those that have a significant diagnostic delay and limited treatment options."

"For women suffering with endometriosis, we do feel there may be potential for cannabinoid therapies to provide some relief to the pain associated with the conditions. And recent studies have shown that up to 1 in 10 Australian women with endometriosis have reported using cannabis for self-management of the pain and symptoms," Aruma CEO Louis Williams said.  

"So that gives us some anecdotal evidence that some women are actually finding cannabinoid therapies beneficial."

This point was also echoed by a practitioner from CA Clinics, Dr Davina Hiley, who explained that many Australian women experience highly distressing symptoms as a result of their endometriosis.  

"Common treatments such as hormonal therapy, analgesia, anti-inflammatories or even surgical intervention are often ongoing, and have their own set of risks and side effects," Hiley said.

"There's therefore a need to consider other therapeutic management options such as medicinal cannabis."

Read the original Article on The Green Fund.

Benzinga's Related Links: 

• Weed And Women's Sexual Health And Wellness: New Approaches
• Does CBD Hit Different For Women? The FDA Wants To Know
• Más de The Green Fund en español en El Planteo