From: olivercranglejr@gmail.com   
      
   Marijuana-Epilepsy Drug Cuts Seizures In Half   
   EPILEPSY  HEALTH -- JUN 17, 2014   
   PET scan of the human brain (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)PET scan of the human   
   brain (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)   
   A cannabis-based extract shows promise in treating childhood epilepsy,   
   according to early data released this week.   
      
   British drug maker GW Pharmaceuticals released the first results on the   
   efficacy and safety of Epidiolex, a purified form of the marijuana compound   
   cannabidiol (CBD), on Tuesday.   
      
   The drug led to an average reduction in seizure frequency of 50% among a group   
   of 27 children and young adults with treatment-resistant epilepsy.   
      
   "Some children have had marked reductions in their seizures"15% of patients   
   were completely seizure-free following treatment. Of the 9 patients who   
   suffered from Dravet syndrome, 3 that received Epidiolex became seizure-free.   
   "The initial open-label study with Epidiolex has provided encouraging   
   results," said Orrin Devinsky, MD, director at the NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy   
   Center and one of the drug's lead investigators.   
      
   "Some children have had marked reductions in their seizures and overall, the   
   medication has been well tolerated."   
      
   GW Pharmaceuticals called the results "promising" and announced plans to begin   
   Phase 2/3 clinical trials during the second half of 2014.   
      
   So far, the trials have been conducted as open-label studies without a placebo   
   group, which lacks the strength required for FDA approval. However, the FDA   
   has granted Epidiolex both orphan drug status and fast track designation in an   
   effort to speed the    
   testing process.   
      
   All 27 patients were treated at New York University Langone Medical Center   
   (NYU) or the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) and underwent at   
   least 12 weeks of treatment.   
      
   The company also released safety data gathered from a group of 62 patients who   
   were treated for a combined total of 120 months.   
      
   The most commonly reported side effects were somnolence (40% of patients) and   
   fatigue (26%), followed by diarrhea (16%), increased appetite (11%) and   
   decreased appetite (10%).   
      
   So far, no serious adverse effect has been linked to the drug.   
      
      
      
   http://www.leafscience.com/2014/06/17/marijuana-epilepsy-drug-cu   
   s-seizures-half/   
      
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