JAZZ - Jazz begins phase 3 trial of cannabis drug Epidiolex for rare epilepsy

• Jazz Pharmaceuticals ( NASDAQ: JAZZ ) said it began a new phase 3 trial of cannabis drug Epidiolex (cannabidiol) to treat children and adolescents with Epilepsy with Myoclonic-Atonic Seizures (EMAS).
• "An EMAS indication would provide support for the use of Epidiolex in a fourth indication of a distinct, generalized seizure type, myoclonic-atonic seizures," said Rob Iannone, executive vice president, global head of research and development at Jazz.
• The company added that the study will run in two parts at 30 global sites Part A will evaluate the efficacy and safety of cannabidiol compared to placebo as an adjunctive treatment for children and adolescents with myoclonic-atonic seizures.
• Patients will have an option to continue in a 54-week open-label extension after Part A is completed.
• Jazz inherited Epidiolex, which is known as Epidyolex in Europe, via the $7.2B acquisition of GW Pharmaceuticals.
• EMAS is a rare epilepsy syndrome of early childhood and is characterized by seizures of different types.

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