The National Cancer Institute has awarded Temple University nearly $2.5 million for research developing a cannabidiol (CBD) formulation designed to prevent or treat nerve pain caused by chemotherapy.
The $2,470,369 federal grant, issued earlier this month, supports a three-year project titled “SRIN009, a cannabidiol formulation to treat chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain.” The project will continue through August 2029.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy can cause pain, tingling, abnormal sensations and heightened sensitivity to touch and temperature. According to the grant abstract, the condition affects up to 75% of patients receiving certain chemotherapy regimens and can force doctors to reduce doses or end treatment early, potentially increasing the risk of recurrence and reducing survival.
The researchers say there are currently no treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for preventing or treating the condition. Opioids are sometimes used to manage the pain, but the grant abstract says their usefulness is limited by uncertain effectiveness and known adverse effects.
CBD has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activity in previous cell and animal research, but poor water solubility and limited absorption have complicated its development as a medication.
To address those barriers, researchers developed two nanoemulsion versions of a CBD formulation known as SRIN-009, including one containing terpenes and one without them. The newly funded project will determine which version provides the strongest protection against chemotherapy-induced nerve damage and examine the anti-inflammatory mechanisms involved.
Researchers will use tumor-bearing rodent models, allowing them to assess nerve pain, inflammation, drug exposure and cancer-treatment effectiveness at the same time.
A central part of the project will investigate whether administering CBD to prevent neuropathy could interfere with chemotherapy or other cancer treatments.
According to preliminary findings described in the grant, SRIN-009 did not reduce the antitumor effectiveness of dacarbazine or carboplatin in preclinical melanoma and lung-cancer models. CBD also did not diminish paclitaxel’s cancer-fighting effects in two breast-cancer cell lines.
The researchers will now examine the formulation’s compatibility with additional targeted cancer treatments and immune-checkpoint inhibitors.
They hypothesize that SRIN-009 can reduce chemotherapy-related nerve damage and inflammation without compromising cancer treatment, potentially allowing more patients to complete their prescribed chemotherapy.
