A 2015 University of California, San Diego study published in the Journal of Pain found that inhaling cannabis could lessen diabetic neuropathic pain for several hours. Now, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania-based Affinity Bio Partners has launched a new clinical study to test the potential efficacy of cannabis for diabetic nerve pain.

Dr. Mark Steven Wallace, chair of the Division of Pain Management at the UC, San Diego and lead author of the 2015 study, said that his research found “the more concentrated the dose, the more relief people got.”

“There is a lot of evidence on the positive effects of cannabis on the treatment of neuropathic pain,” Wallace said in the report. “However, there are few placebo-controlled studies and very few studies that have looked at different doses.”

Affinity Bio Partners said an estimated 47% of patients diagnosed with diabetes have some peripheral neuropathy. Their study is being conducted in partnership with the Serena Group.

“The future of medical cannabis and cannabinoids as medical treatments are dependent upon properly performed clinical studies. It is time for companies to invest their money into performing clinical studies that prove safety and efficacy regarding their products,” said Affinity Bio Partners CEO, Christina DiArcangelo.

The UC, San Diego study was the first of its kind to also look at the cognitive effects of cannabis in diabetic patients, which found the effects were minimal.