New CBD nasal spray to target seizures in epilepsy

A new CBD nasal spray is in development, with the aim of reducing seizures in children and adults living with epilepsy.

Virpax Pharmaceuticals has acquired the right to use new technology to develop a nasal spray, VRP324, for epilepsy management.

The product will be the first investigational formulation that is delivered through the nose to boost the delivery of CBD to the brain. The VRP324 uses a device and a cartridge to propel the CBD powder formulation up the nose and to the brain via the olfactory nerve.

A positive effect of using CBD via the nostril, instead of other ingestion methods, means it may bypass the liver. This may reduce any concerns about drug interactions or negative effects on the organ.

It will be designed to potentially treat seizures, associated with conditions such as Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, Dravet syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC).

Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome are rare forms of treatment-resistant epilepsy. They can cause multiple seizures per day. They cause can also cause cognitive and behavioural changes.

Dravet Syndrome is thought to affect around one in every 15,000 people in the UK, while LGS occurs in between one and five in every 100 children with epilepsy.

VRP324 trials

Preclinical trials of VRP324 are currently underway and if  successful, Virpax intends to prepare a pre-investigational New Drug Application document for the US FDA.

Anthony P. Mack, chairman and CEO of Virpax said: “We believe VRP324 is the first step toward building our neurological disorder therapy pipeline, expanding the use of our novel delivery platform technologies to multiple categories of neurology.

“Our Envelta™ IND enabling studies completed by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences as a part of our Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, have determined that the MET intranasal delivery formulation bypasses the liver. Consequently, we believe that since the CBD will not be metabolised in the liver, this may reduce the concern of drug-to-drug interaction and the need to adjust the dosage of other related medications.”