Cannabinoid-based Tourette syndrome and epilepsy treatments on the horizon

The clinical development of medical cannabis has moved forward with completion of Phase IIa trial of Israel-based Therapix Biosciences’ (Nasdaq: TRPX) THX-110, a cannabinoid-based treatment for Tourette syndrome.

A new report from data and analytics company GlobalData notes that Tourette’s is a neurological disorder characterized by multiple motor and vocal tics that usually starts during childhood and is often accompanied by behavioral symptoms. According to the National Survey on Children’s Health, published in 2011, one out of every 360 children in the US has been diagnosed with Tourette’s.

There is no cure for Tourette’s, but treatment can help patients manage the symptoms. In Tourette’s, several studies have provided evidence that marijuana might be effective not only in the suppression of tics, but also in the treatment of associated behavioral problems.