Israeli Startup Begins New CBD Trial To Treat Autism Symptoms

An Israeli startup will be using its proprietary cannabidiol-based therapy in a new clinical trial to treat symptoms experienced by autistic children.

SciSparc’s SCI-210 therapy combines cannabidiol (CBD) with the fatty acid palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), which is used to treat pain and swelling. 

The new trial, which will take place at Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Be’er Sheva, will measure how SCI-210 compares to standard CBD treatment in managing symptoms experienced by people with autism, such as stress, aggression, self-harming behaviors and trouble with social interactions. 

The trial will involve 60 young participants between the ages of 5-18 years and was put together in collaboration with Israel’s National Autism Research Center, the country’s leading institution for autism research.

The 20-week trial will be a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial, which is seen as the highest standard for clinical research. This means that there will be two groups of subjects, one of which will receive the active therapy and the other a placebo – and neither group will know what they were given. 

“Our pioneering treatment aims to reduce and alleviate the symptoms of autism along with reducing the side effects that are common when taking cannabis-based treatments, such as CBD,” said Oz Adler, CEO of SciSparc.

“Partnering with the Soroka Medical Center and the National Autism Research Center, we are exploring new territory in ASD [Autism spectrum disorder] treatment,” he said.

“We are driven by science and the goal of improving life quality for children with ASD and their families.”