FDA staff report backs approval of cannabis-derived drug

17 April 2018

UK-based cannabinoid specialist GW Pharmaceuticals (LSE: GWP) was up by a double-digit percentage by Tuesday afternoon as investors looked at the latest news on its New Drug Application for Epidiolex (cannabidiol or CBD).

This cannabis-derived drug is an investigational treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome (DS), two rare and difficult to treat conditions of childhood-onset epilepsy.

GW has previously received Rare Pediatric Disease and Orphan Drug designations from the Food and Drug Administration for Epidiolex in the treatment of both LGS and DS, and a report from the agency has been published this week which finds that the evidence stacks up for an approval.

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