CSIR-IIIM, BOHECO to develop cannabis based drugs for cancer, epilepsy, sickle cell anemia

Research to develop cost-effective cannabis based drugs for treatment of cancer, epilepsy and sickle cell anaemia is being conducted by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR - IIIM) in collaboration with Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO).

Currently, cannabis is being cultivated at the Jammu-based IIIM research station which has obtained licence from the state government to grow cannabis to study their medicinal properties so that drugs can be developed for Indian population.

Cannabis based formulations which have been approved in other countries are being imported for fast tracking clinical approvals in India and also trials on animals are being conducted as of now.

IIIM Director Ram Vishwakarma said they want to conduct clinical trials of the drugs on terminally ill patients at the Tata Memorial Hospital for cancer, at AIIMS for epilepsy and Sickle Cell Institute Chhattisgarh(SCIC) for sickle cell anaemia.

Vishwakarma said that they are in talks with the Drug Controller General of India's office to acquire approval for conducting trials to see the utility of cannabis as medicine in India.

Also the IIIM, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will soon sign an agreement to conduct a study on the efficacy of seven drugs out of which three are cannabis based drugs, he said at an event which saw experts including scientists calling for liberal regulatory regime for cannabis-based medicines in India