3rd successful clinical trial for Epidiolex

Epidiolex, an experimental cannabis-based drug developed by GW Pharmaceuticals, successfully treated children with severe epilepsy in a Phase 3 clinical trial.

GW Pharmaceutical was founded in 1998 to capitalize on the medical benefits of cannabis, and hopes to submit an application for U.S. marketing authorization for Epidiolex as early as 2017. GW already supplies Sativex, which is marketed in about 20 countries, but not in France—despite its marketing authorization there—or in the United States.

If Epidiolex is approved, it could become the first prescription cannabis-based drug approved for the U.S. market. It contains only cannabidiol and is administered as a syrup to make it easier for children to take.

Its commercial potential is attracting widespread interest. The announcement of the success of this third clinical trial sent GW Pharmaceutical’s stock price—listed on the NASDAQ—soaring by 15%, reaching a new record high. The first clinical trial had already had that effect.

Investors see Epidiolex as the future of GW, both based on the positive feedback from patients who participated in clinical trials and for the very survival of the company itself. In this latest clinical trial, two different dosages of Epidiolex were tested and showed significant improvements in reducing seizures caused by Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). Earlier trials had shown positive results for Dravet syndrome.

GW Pharmaceutical has its roots on our side of the Atlantic—specifically in the United Kingdom. The company holds a government license to grow cannabis for its medications in southern England.

GW's successes with the cannabinoids, and the positive impact on its stock price suggest that the public is becoming accustomed to these new medications despite the fact that the plant is illegal in most countries. As cannabis is increasingly decriminalized and its therapeutic use is supported by the scientific community, this might give some people ideas;)