DSM-Firmenich CBD Product Shows Promise in OSD Forms, Study Says

Data from a clinical study have shown that CBtru, a cannabidiol (CBD) drug product intermediate from DSM-Firmenich, is absorbed into the bloodstream at a similar level to Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ Epidiolex, the first and currently only commercially approved CBD drug product on the market (1). According to DSM-Firmenich (stylized as dsm-firmenich), it is the first time a solid CBD formulation has demonstrated absorption comparable to a liquid/oil-based reference product.

DSM-Firmenich, which has headquarters in The Netherlands and Switzerland, said in a Feb. 20, 2025 press release that it developed CBtru to have enhanced bioavailability in a solid powder form with a considerably higher drug loading, to combat what the company said is the limited solubility and variable bioavailability of CBD—as low as 6% because of factors such as incomplete absorption in the gut and a significant level of pre-systemic elimination in the liver (1). Epidiolex, by being offered in a liquid, sesame oil-based formulation, is afforded the higher solubility and absorption of CBD typically associated with a high-fat meal, as lipophilic molecules can dissolve in fat content from food.

Oral solid dosage (OSD) forms, however, are desirable for patients who wish to overcome accurate dosing and sensory challenges with oil-based CBD therapies, according to DSM-Firmenich (1). Such products have entered the market for the primary purpose of managing treatment-resistant epileptic syndromes.

The clinical study (NCT06578455) that compared CBtru to Epidiolex involved 32 subjects, divided evenly between men and women, between the ages of 19 and 55 (1). Four treatment phases were conducted, with participants receiving 400 mg CBD doses of both therapies—CBtru in capsule form and Epidiolex via syringe—in both fed and fasted conditions, separated by a two-week washout period after administration. Plasma concentration was analyzed at 24 hours post-treatment, and findings suggested that the DSM-Firmenich product may offer a more consistent, reliable uptake while relying less on food intake.

“These findings represent a significant breakthrough in the CBD space—and the wider pharmaceutical market,” Zdravka Misic, PhD, associate innovation director—Pharma at DSM-Firmenich, said in the press release. “With the data indicating that CBtru is at least as bioavailable as the market-leading liquid oil-based reference product, we’ve opened new pathways for the development of CBD-based therapies using solid oral dosage forms. This is truly innovative, because it paves the way for more patient-friendly delivery systems, such as tablets or capsules. These dosage forms help enhance efficacy, while simultaneously increasing patient convenience and compliance. What’s more, beyond improving patient experience, this breakthrough could accelerate research in therapeutic areas where CBD has shown potential, such as pain management, inflammation, cancer, diabetes, as well as sleep, mood, and psychotic disorders.”

In September 2023, DSM-Firmenich was announced as a finalist for a CPHI Pharma Award in the Sustainability category, for its “Sustainability Imp’Act Card,” the digital version of which was launched in 2023, according to the company’s website (2,3). The Imp’Act Card, which is available for 80% of DSM-Firmenich’s beauty and care products, is based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and other industry standards, measuring products’ environmental and social impacts, traceability, and identity, in the interest of providing transparency throughout the wider value chain (3).

However, Schneider Electric ultimately won the Sustainability award at CPHI Barcelona in October 2023 for its Energize program, which leverages the scale of the global supply chain in a pre-competitive fashion to drive system-level change (4).

References

1. DSM-Firmenich. New Clinical Study Validates dsm-firmenich’s CBtru as a Promising Pathway for Patient-Friendly CBD-Based Therapies. Press Release. Feb. 20, 2025.
2. Mirasol, F. Pharma Award Finalists for CPHI Barcelona Have Been Announced. PharmTech.com, Sept. 19, 2023.
3. DSM-Firmenich. Sustainability. dsm-firmenich.com (accessed Feb. 20, 2025).
4. Haigney, S. Winners of the 2023 CPHI Pharma Awards Announced. PharmTech.com, Oct. 25, 2023.