Medical marijuana: Drug company, NY partner for clinical trials to treat epilepsy in kids

AP

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York state is partnering with a British company to hold clinical trials for marijuana-based medication for children who have seizures that are resistant to their medicine.

An agreement was signed on Sunday between Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration and GW Pharmaceuticals. The state health department and the company will develop the framework for a clinical trial for a marijuana-based drug for people under the age of 18.

It will involve Epidiolex, an investigational medication that uses cannabidiol, a marijuana extract that doesn't get users high. It could help children with rare forms of epilepsy such as Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes.

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