UCLA seeks clearance for pharmaceutical marijuana testing

By Jason Henry,

A British company developing a pharmaceutical version of a cannabis extract used to treat epilepsy could test its product at UCLA as part of the Food and Drug Administration approval process.

United Kingdom-based GW Pharmaceuticals received the go-ahead to continue with clinical trialsclinical trials for their product Epidiolex in February and UCLA wants to be on the list of test sites, according to Dr. Raman Sankar, chief of pediatric neurology at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA.

“They’re willing to sponsor a small series of patients at half a dozen centers,” Sankar said. “We’re waiting for FDA clearance.”
Epidiolex will use high concentrations of cannabidiol, a compound found in marijuana, to try to reduce seizures for patients with severe epilepsy, namely children with Dravet’s syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

As a participant, UCLA would treat a small number of patients with Epidiolex and record the results. If the data from UCLA and other test sites is encouraging, GW Pharmaceuticals will move onto the next step in the FDA approval process, according to Sankar.
UCLA’s research center will have to pass an inspection from the Drug Enforcement Administration because of the federal government’s classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug, Sankar said.

If GW Pharmaceuticals gets FDA approval for Epidiolex before another company, it will get seven years of exclusive marketing in the United States.
Some parents in states with medical marijuana programs have found success using existing products found in dispensaries.

 Studio33
http://www.amazon.com/shops/studio33

Virgin Atlantic Airways
http://tinyurl.com/pjbm6r6

Luxury French Lingerie
http://tinyurl.com/o7qcz7m

From chocolate eggs to chocolate coins, give your sweet tooth a treat with our delicious products.
http://tinyurl.com/nragc9j

Astore
http://astore.amazon.com/nevinghomebas-20