Cannabis-based drug successfully treats children with severe epilepsy


The company said in a press release on Monday that the 120-patient trial showed patients taking Epidiolex saw a median 39 per cent reduction of monthly convulsive seizures compared to 13 per cent taking the placebo. 
The trial was to treat Dravet syndrome, a rare and hard to treat form of epilepsy which usually begins in infancy and is characterised by behavioural problems, cognitive impairment, ataxia (unsteadiness) as well as prolonged seizures.
The company’s chief executive, Julian Gover, said: "This shows that cannabinoids can produce compelling and clinically important data and represent a highly promising new class of medications, hopefully in a range of conditions".