This is a treatment study under an approved Expanded Use IND protocol for usingCannabidiol (CBD) Extract. CBD will be used for the treatment of 5-10 children with drugresistant epilepsy. The CBD used in this study is prepared at the University ofMississippi under approval of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for itspreparation and FDA approval under an expanded access mechanism on a compassionate usebasis. The target patient population is who would otherwise have no appropriate remainingtreatment modality left. These are patients for whom the risks of a relatively untestedproduct are outweighed by the potential benefit. Using seizure-diaries to registerseizure frequency, drug log and questionnaire to measure parent/patient quality of lifeand side effects will be assessed in each visit. Visits are: baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeksvisit. A 24 weeks visit (6 months) will be performed if the patient is stable on therapyduring the 3 initial months and want to continue on the study for 3 more months. CBD willbe administered as an adjunct to all current anti-epileptic therapies.
Expanded Access Use: Restrictions to those with most significant epilepsy severity and
especially neurocognitive delays (to minimize side effect profiles) remain in place.
Study design, hover, is targeted at an Expanded Access use of product for children who
would otherwise have no appropriate remaining treatment modality left.
Timeline: 3 months with the option to continue for up to 3 months of follow up therapy.
Procedures:
Participants: Five to ten (5-10) refractory epilepsy patients, aged 5-19 years old, all
sexes, who must have failed at least 3 appropriate drugs, +/- vagal nerve stimulator, +/-
dietary therapy, +/- resective surgery will be provided CBD as part of the Principal
Investigator's Physician Expanded Access IND.
Written parental permission obtained from the patient's parent or legal representative
must be obtained prior to beginning treatment.
Drug administration: CBD will be administered as an adjunct to all current antiepileptic
drugs. A dosing titration period will start with 100 mg/day, with 50mg BID dosing, and
will be titrated monthly as tolerated based on clinical response, up to 300mg/day. This
is based on a targeted dosing of 2.5---5---7.5 mg/kg/d. Any patients under 40kg will have
adjusted dosing based on weight as follows:
For 40 kg and up:
1 ml BID, escalating to 2 ml BID, and then 3 ml BID
For 30 - 39 kg:
0.75 ml BID, escalating to 1.5 and 2.25 ml BID
For 20 - 29 kg 0.5 ml BID, escalating to 1 and 1.5 ml BID
Clinical evaluations: All subjects will be clinically evaluated at baseline, once a month
for the three months of titration period and during the three months of follow up period.
During the first week of the study drug initiation, patients will be called at day 3 and
then at day 7 to review any changes in condition. Subsequently, patients will receive a
phone call weekly and will be evaluated in their physician study visits during the
titration period to review any changes in condition and determine whether an increase in
dosing is required. The investigator will be available by telephone throughout the 3
months of the titration period of the study, in between the visits and throughout the 3
months in the follow up period. Patients will receive the CBD during their monthly study
visits during the titration and follow up period. The first dose of CBD will be
administered by the physician in the Pediatric Clinical Research Clinic.
Pregnant patients will be excluded from the study. Female patients of childbearing
potential will be screened for pregnancy prior to enrollment, and during the study if a
potential for pregnancy arise. A -blood pregnancy test will be used. Therefore,
parent/guardian of female subjects must tell the investigator and consult an obstetrician
or maternal-fetal specialist if the child become pregnant during the study.
During the study, the patients will be constantly monitored as the investigators describe
below:
Onset:
- Pediatric Neurology Physician evaluation.
- Initial lab work to include complete blood counts, comprehensive metabolic panel and
baseline co-existent antiepileptic drug levels. Blood pregnancy testing will be
performed on those patients with childbearing potential.
- Initial body weight and routine vital signs
- Initial baseline Electroencephalogram (EEG). Video EEG prior to enrollment if
epileptic syndrome or severity is unclear. Decision and enrollment classification to
be made by Dr. Ingram prior to enrollment.
- Patient quality of life, side effect profile, and seizure count will be completed as
typical clinical interview prior to enrollment.
4 weeks/1 month:
- Pediatric Neurology Physician evaluation.
- Lab work to include complete blood counts, comprehensive metabolic panel and
concomitant epilepsy medication levels. Blood testing for CBD/THC will also be
performed. Additional lab draws can be performed with any symptoms to suggest
anticonvulsant toxicity or concerning clinical signs/symptoms.
- Patient quality of life, side effect profile, and seizure count will be completed as
typical clinical interview at the end of 1-month study window.
8 weeks/2 months:
- Pediatric Neurology Physician evaluation.
- Lab work as indicated for 4 weeks/1 month.
- Body weight and routine vital signs
- Patient quality of life, side effect profile, and seizure count will be completed as
typical clinical interview at the end of 2-months study window.
12 weeks/3 months:
- Pediatric Neurology Physician evaluation.
- EEG at the completion of the 3-month study window.
- Lab work as indicated for 4 weeks/1 month.
- Body weight and routine vital signs
- Patient quality of life, side effect profile, and seizure count will be completed as
typical clinical interview at the end of 3-months study window.
Follow up:
Patients who are stable on therapy and happy with the results may remain on study for up
to 3 more months after titration period. These patients will have 6 months total on
medication and one visit/month during the follow up time for clinical evaluation:
- Complete blood count
- Comprehensive metabolic profile (including liver function tests)
- Measurement of levels of concomitant anti-epileptic drugs
- Patient quality of life, side effect profile, and seizure count will be completed as
typical clinical interview.
- EEG (at 6 months visit)
Drug: Cannabidiol
CBD will be administered as an adjunct to all current antiepileptic drugs. A dosing
titration period will start with 100 mg/day, with 50mg BID dosing, and will be titrated
monthly as tolerated based on clinical response, up to 300mg/day. This is based on a
targeted dosing of 2.5 ---5---7.5 mg/kg/d.
Other Name: CBD
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients meeting the following criteria will be considered eligible for this study:
- Age 5-19 years old
- Documentation of a diagnosis of drug resistance epilepsy as evidenced by failure to
control seizures despite appropriate trial of three or more anti-epileptic drugs at
therapeutic doses. Some of these drugs include Brivaracetam, Carbamazepine,
Clobazam, Clonazepam, Diazepam, Divalproex Sodium, Eslicarbazepine Acetate,
Ethosuximide, Felbamate, Gabapentin, Lacosamide, Lamotrigine, Levetiracetam,
Lorazepam, Oxcarbazepine, Perampanel, Phenobarbital, Phenytoin, Pregabalin,
Rufinamide, Valproic Acid, Vigabatrin, Zonisamide. Documentation must include the
diagnosis of epilepsy type or epilepsy syndrome (if possible), as well as the
underlying case, when known.
- Between 1-3 baseline anti-epileptic drugs at stable doses for a minimum of 4 weeks
prior to enrollment. Vagus nerve stimulator, and dietary therapies do not count
toward this parameter, but are not bases for exclusion.
- Vagus nerve stimulator must be on stable settings for a minimum of 3 months.
- A history of significant epilepsy severity and neurocognitive delays, specifically a
baseline history of being nonverbal and non-ambulatory without assistance
Exclusion Criteria:
The patient may not enter the study if ANY of the following apply:
- Patients with resectable epilepsy or syndromes where dietary or other therapy is
first line will not be enrolled prior to attempting those therapies with failure OR
parental refusal of said therapies.
- Treatment with any artisanal preparation containing or possible containing CBD
during the month before initiation of the study drug.
- Allergy to CBD or any cannabinoid.
- Unable to comply with study visits/requirements.
- CBD is contraindicated in pregnancy and during breast-feeding. Female subjects who
are pregnant or breastfeeding will be excluded from treatment with CBD. Patients of
childbearing potential will be screened for pregnancy prior to enrollment and during
the study if a potential for pregnancy arise. A blood pregnancy test will be used.
Additionally, for patients of childbearing potential, enrollment criteria will
require the use of highly effective contraception (e.g. double barrier, abstinence,
or IUD) for the duration of treatment with CBD. Therefore, parent/guardian of female
subjects must tell the investigator and consult an obstetrician or maternal-fetal
specialist if the child become pregnant during the study.
- Significant impaired hepatic function at screening as characterized by one of the
following:
i. Alanine aminotransferase [ALT] >5 × upper limit of normal (ULN) and total
bilirubin (TBL) >2 × ULN ii. ALT or Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) >3 × ULN and
either TBL >2 × ULN or international normalized ratio (INR) >1.5
- History or presence of alcohol or substance abuse
- Use of other cannabis or CBD products
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi, United States
John B Ingram, M.D.
(601) 984-5210 - 4-5210
jingram@umc.edu
Not Provided