Orphan Drug Designation Granted for Epidiolex in Dravet syndrome by the FDA

New Drug Approvals

Cannabidiol

Seven Expanded Access INDs granted by FDA to U.S. 
physicians to treat with Epidiolex 125 children suffering 
from intractable epilepsy syndromes -

LONDON, Nov. 15, 2013

GW Pharmaceuticals plc (AIM: GWP, Nasdaq: GWPH, “GW”) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation for Epidiolex(R), our product candidate that contains plant-derived Cannabidiol (CBD) as its active ingredient, for use in treating children with Dravet syndrome, a rare and severe form of infantile-onset, genetic, drug-resistant epilepsy syndrome. Epidiolex is an oral liquid formulation of a highly purified extract of CBD, a non-psychoactive molecule from the cannabis plant. Following receipt of this orphan designation, GW anticipates holding a pre-IND meeting with the FDA in the near future to discuss a development plan for Epidiolex in Dravet syndrome.

Dravet syndrome is a rare pediatric epilepsy syndrome with a distinctive but complex electroclinical presentation. Onset of Dravet…

View original post 906 more words