One of the top vertically integrated medical cannabis companies in Europe, Avextra, has revealed encouraging findings from a recent study that shows how cannabinoid-based medications may greatly enhance the quality of life for patients receiving late-stage palliative care. Millions of people worldwide who suffer from excruciating pain in their last days have hope thanks to the CORAL study (“CannabinOid-TheRapie in der PALliativmedizin”), which shows a quantifiable decrease in symptom burden and an improvement in quality of life.
Avextra started in 2019. It is based in Germany and has become a key player in the European medical cannabis market. Last year, Avextra successfuly consluded follow-on capital raise. The company manages all stages of production and follows EU-GMP regulations. Avextra works with doctors, pharmacists, and researchers and distributes their products across Europe through controlled programs.
Avextra aims for more than just making products – it invests in clinical research. The aim is to create licensed, scientifically proven cannabis therapies. These therapies will significantly improve patient outcomes.
Avextra: the CORAL study
Avextra made history by collaborating with healthcare experts to carry out the CORAL trial, which targeted patients in the latter stages of palliative care. 150 terminally ill patients participated in the non-interventional, parallel group trial, which was directed by Prof. Dr. med. Sven Gottschling of Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes in Homburg. More than 80% of the patients were oncology patients.
Two groups were compared in the study: 50 patients received conventional non-cannabinoid treatments, while 100 patients received Avextra 10:10, a balanced THC/CBD extract. The findings offer compelling clinical support for including medications based on cannabinoids into standard palliative care procedures.
One of the most convincing results was that individuals treated with Avextra’s extract had a discernible decrease in their symptom burden. In contrast to deteriorating symptoms in the control group, 68% of these patients showed clinically relevant improvement (≥20%) on the MIDOS scale, a validated palliative symptom assessment instrument. This implies that people with terminal illnesses may get genuine, quantifiable improvement from cannabis-based therapy.
Mental health & higher standard of living
The DASS-21 scale was used. It evaluated mental health symptoms. These included stress, anxiety, and depression. The results showed a clear difference. Symptoms worsened in the control group. Patients in the Avextra group saw significant improvements in all three categories. More than 20% of patients treated with Avextra improved in all DASS categories. Additionally, 50% of patients responded well to stress management.
Almost 25% of patients in the Avextra group showed notable improvements in overall well-being. This is based on the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL, a trusted quality-of-life questionnaire for palliative care. These improvements helped with daily tasks. They provided emotional stability. They also enhanced physical comfort. All are vital for patients nearing the end of life.
Little extra medications. Safety and tolerability
Patients who used the cannabis extract from Avextra needed a much less co-medication, including benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, sleep aids, and sedatives. In addition to improving quality of life, this decreased medication load also reduces the likelihood of adverse effects and drug interactions. The audience received the cannabis extract positively. A promising sign for wider clinical use shows that only three patients stopped treatment due to side effects, and fewer than 15% of patients experienced unpleasant symptoms.
Prof. Dr. Sven Gottschling, the study’s chief investigator and a prominent figure in palliative care, presented the findings at the 6th Medicinal Cannabis Congress in Berlin. “The CORAL study significantly contributes to improving the care of people with severe, terminal illnesses,” he said. We dedicate ourselves to enhancing symptom burden reduction and optimizing palliative care for patients and caregivers. We express our gratitude to our study partner Avextra.
Recently, the scientific community called for more multidisciplinary research in palliative care. This aligns with a statement released in February by the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, which emphasized the need for stronger focus on symptom management for patients nearing the end of their lives.
The future vision of Avextra
The CORAL study, according to Avextra’s executive team, is a critical step in changing the way palliative care is provided. The CEO of Avextra, Dr. Bernhard Babel, stated:
“We want to further improve symptom relief for palliative care patients.” “We are pleased that our products seem to be contributing to that, and this encourages us to create even more inventive and superior dosage forms for this patient population.”
In order to obtain regulatory approval for drugs based on cannabis, Avextra intends to keep funding thorough clinical trials. The company aims to establish a strong body of evidence in order to legitimize and broaden the acceptability of cannabis medicines, particularly in delicate care settings such as palliative medicine.
The CORAL trial results support the long-held beliefs of many patients and healthcare professionals that cannabis-based medications can significantly lessen pain at the end of life when prepared and used appropriately in clinical settings. Avextra pushes the limits of cannabis science, enabling millions of patients worldwide to experience greater dignity, comfort, and hope in palliative care in the future.