It has been a good week for Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, as the Devon based company received very positive results from the first phase of testing on its synthetic cannabinoid gel, writes the Philadelphia Business Journal.

The specialty pharmaceutical company has announced positive initial safety results from the phase-I clinical trial of ZYN002, a cannabinoid gel which is being developed for the treatment of epilepsy, osteoarthritis and Fragile X Syndrome. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that are found in cannabis plants.

ZYN002 could benefit an estimated 2.2 million patients with epilepsy in the United States, as well as over 3 million in Europe and Japan. During phase-I, which was the first step in testing this experimental therapy on humans, ZYN002 was administered at four dose levels to 32 healthy volunteers and 12 patients with epilepsy. The initial results showed that the treatment candidate is safe for use at all four dosage levels.

“We are making rapid progress in the development of ZYN002, having initiated the phase-I single rising dose trial only two months ago,” said Armando Anido, Zynerba’s Chairman and CEO. “Given the positive initial results from the single rising dose study in healthy volunteers, we look forward to the results of the multiple rising dose study in the first half of 2016.  

Following the positive results from first phase, the company has announced the commencement of a second phase-I clinical trial which will focus on a multiple rising dose study with 16 healthy volunteers and 12 patients with epilepsy. It is expected that the results of this will be known before the end of the first half of 2016.

“There is significant interest in ZYN002 as the first transdermal formulation of CBD” said Anido, and added that “pending the results of these trials, we expect to initiate Phase 2 trials in three indications in the second half of 2016.”