Oct 28 2015 01:43 PMNews & Views Share this

GW Pharmaceuticals plc and the Government of New South Wales (NSW) Australia, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU,) to progress a research program for Epidiolex® (cannabidiol or CBD) and cannabidivarin (CBDV) in children with severe, drug resistant childhood epilepsy.

“GW is pleased to have been able to respond to the needs of the New South Wales government and its citizens by establishing this research program for cannabinoid-based medicines in children with treatment resistant epilepsy,” said Justin Gover, GW’s Chief Executive Officer. “As part of this research partnership, GW expects to advance clinical trials in Australia for both Epidiolex and our earlier stage pipeline product CBDV.”

GW Pharmaceuticals PLC Tuesday said the remaining two Phase 3 trials for its Sativex product were consistent with the first trial in that Sativex did not meet the primary endpoint, although they did show a "statistically significant improvement" for Sativex compared with a placebo.

Sativex is being investigated for the treatment of pain in patients with advanced cancer who experience inadequate analgesia during optimized chronic opioid therapy.

"In light of the missed primary endpoint in the first trial earlier this year, these additional results are not a surprise. Nevertheless, we are encouraged by data across the trials which consistently show positive outcomes for US patients when analysed as a separate cohort," said GW Chief Executive Justin Gover.

The use of the herb was hailed as a real success by German researchers in clinical trials of 30 patients suffering from Attention Deficiency hyperactivity Disorder.

All participants had previously tried conventional therapies but had become immune to them.

Under German law patients who are resistant to government-approved medications can apply to use medicinal cannabis.

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RESULT: Subjects reported "improved concentration and sleep and reduced impulsivity"

“improved concentration and sleep and reduced impulsivity”

Patients

Veterans groups from around the state and across the country are rallying for a march at the Sandra Day O’Connor Federal Courthouse Tuesday Oct. 27 at 8am. The internationally renowned organizations, Weed for Warriors and Grow4Vets, along with numerous other veterans groups are calling on Arizona vets to join the march for improving veterans’ conditions, especially for VA approval of marijuana as part of recommended treatment for PTSD.

Medicinal cannabis my soon be legalised in Australia. 

Medical marijuana can relieve muscle spasms so severe it breaks bones, Multiple Sclerosis Queensland's specialist education officer Tim O'Maley has told Fairfax Media.

And Epilepsy Queensland's chief executive officer Helen Whitehead said medical marijuana genuinely helped control seizures in people living with epilepsy.

Mr O'Maley, specialist education officer with Multiple Sclerosis Queensland (MSQ) said cannabis treatments genuinely helped people with MS.

There are "roughly 3300 Queenslanders" living with multiple sclerosis, he said.

Queenslanders and Victorians with particular chronic illnesses may now be eligible to join New South Wales medicinal cannabis trials, due to start mid next year.

The three states will collaborate on the development of medicinal cannabis, its regulatory framework and clinical research to explore the safety and benefits of the product among three key groups:

NSW children who suffer from severe epilepsy will, for the first time in the world, trial a new cannabis-derived drug and have access to a secure supply of medicinal cannabis from early 2016.

Premier Mike Baird announced the NSW government's $3.5 million commitment and partnership with British-based GW Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday, describing the moment as a historic day for the state and for the hundreds of families across NSW who live with the debilitating effects of drug-resistant epilepsy.

"It's a day that I know has given hope to many of these families ... if we can bring relief to these poor children, who wouldn't want to do that?" he said at Randwick Children's Hospital.

Last year around this time, I was in Amsterdam. I had taken a trip with my old friend, Jason, who had become ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was in search of cannabis to help alleviate some of his symptoms. In hindsight, our cannabis-finding mission turned out to be the start of an ongoing journey, on which we’re still traveling today. In fact, this week, we returned to Amsterdam as part of the next phase of our project to explore a more multifaceted perspective of the cannabis industry.

Israel has been a world leader in medical cannabis research for over 40 years, in large part thanks to the extraordinary research of professor Raphael Mechoulamover decades at the Weizmann Institute and the Hebrew University.