Mary Chapman, features writer —

In a departure from general government policy, Japan has approved the cannabis compound Epidiolex for clinical trials in epileptic patients with Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. Although the country prohibits cannabis-based agents overall, tightly monitored hospital trials are exempt from its Cannabis Control Act. Epidiolex is a plant-derived…

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has awarded NeuroCycle Therapeutics a $500,000 grant to test advanced subtype-selective GBAA receptor modulators in Dravet syndrome models. The Small Business Innovation Research grant to evaluate NCT10004 and NCT10015 furthers the pharmaceutical company’s efforts…

Scores of events are afoot worldwide to mark Feb. 28, Rare Disease Day 2019. The activities aim to raise awareness about rare diseases and the millions of people — estimates run as high as 350 million — they are thought to impact. Across countries, patients, caregivers and advocates will paint faces, wear…

With the goal of advancing development of new treatments for patients living with poorly controlled seizures, the Epilepsy Foundation has awarded $300,000 in grants to two leading researchers. The grants will go to Matthew Gentry, PhD, a professor at the University of Kentucky, and Greg Worrell, MD, PhD,…