Potential of First-in-Class Epidiolex for Epilepsy and its Significance in the Advent of Medical Marijuana

August 16, 2018

25 June 2018 marked the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approval of GW Pharmaceuticals’ cannabidiol (CBD) Epidiolex to treat rare, severe pediatric epilepsies, namely Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. This landmark approval holds prominence for multiple facets of the pharmaceutical market. Epidiolex has crucially become the first FDA-approved drug for Dravet syndrome, a first-in-class drug in the epilepsy market, as well as the first cannabis-derived drug approved by the FDA. This event signifies a milestone moment not only for this exceptional medication, but for the wider pharmaceutical market. <br><br> Epidiolex is a liquid pharmaceutical formulation of pure plant-derived CBD, a type of cannabinoid present in marijuana. The drug does not contain the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) component of marijuana, which is the primary cannabinoid responsible for its euphoric effects and has little affinity to the cannabinoid CB1 receptor that is associated with psychoactivity. Epidiolex is thought to exert its anticonvulsant effects via the activation of several pathways, such as modulation of intracellular calcium, neuronal inhibition, and antiinflammatory effects, although this remains to be confirmed. <br><br>Utilizing Informa Pharma Intelligence’s data, forecasts, and analysis from Biomedtracker, Datamonitor Healthcare, Pharmaprojects, and news from Scrip, this report elucidates the role of Epidiolex within the epilepsy market and further explores its significance within the broader context of globalcannabinoid development.