Benuvia Operations LLC, a US-based contract development and manufacturing organisation, announced on Tuesday that it has signed a licensing agreement with Avernus Pharma, a Dubai-based company that provides and distributes global pharmaceutical products throughout the Middle East.

Under the licensing agreement Avernus will become the exclusive supplier for SYNDROS (dronabinol), oral solution, CII in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Region including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, following approval by the Gulf Central Committee for Drug Registration (GCC-DR).

SYNDROS is the first and only FDA-approved CII tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) liquid cannabinoid used in adults to treat cancer Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conventional antiemetic treatments, and Anorexia Associated Weight Loss in patients with AIDS (AAWLA).

Terry Novak, Benuvia CEO, said: "This partnership with Avernus represents a significant milestone in our mission to make SYNDROS available to more patients worldwide. Avernus has a strong reputation in the local pharmaceutical distribution market, and we believe they are the ideal partner to help us commercialise the product in the Gulf region."