PureTech Health is working on its own version of a cannabis-based seizure treatment
Epidiolex is an oral solution containing cannabidiol (CBD). It is available by prescription in the US to treat seizures in Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), or tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in people aged one year and older. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this drug after several trials demonstrated its efficacy. Although it has shown good results, PureTech Health has seen an opportunity to improve the drug developed by Jazz Pharmaceuticals. A new oral CBD capsule may become a game changer.
Epidiolex was the first prescription CBD product approved by the FDA. This novel drug is manufactured by UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals, which also created Sativex, a balanced blend of THC and CBD. Each bottle of Epidiolex contains 100ml of an oral solution, with a total of 10,000mg of CBD.
While that achievement seemed to give Epidiolex a unique place in the market, PureTech didn’t want to sit idly by. Armed with its Glyph chemistry platform, the biotech firm has assembled its top experts to create an oral CBD capsule formulation that it plans to bring to the clinic by the end of next year.
While Epidiolex has shown good efficacy, its form of administration and necessary dosage is seen as limiting for PureTech. In order to bring CBD to a much broader community, the company has created its own player, LYT-310, which is delivered in an oral capsule.
In addition to being able to provide a solution to people requiring higher doses, PureTech thought of those looking to reduce gastrointestinal and liver exposure to potentially improve the safety of current CBD therapy. After conducting several tests, the researchers have concluded that it achieves a three to four-fold increase in oral exposure compared to non-fasted unmodified CBD.