Future Outlook of Cannabis-Derived Medications to Treat MS Symptoms

EP: 1.Researching Sources of Cannabis Information in Multiple Sclerosis

EP: 2.Bridging the Cannabis Knowledge Gap in MS Among Patients and Physicians

EP: 3.Areas of Need Within Multiple Sclerosis Research

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EP: 4.Future Outlook of Cannabis-Derived Medications to Treat MS Symptoms

EP: 5.Detecting Demyelination and Remyelination by MRI in the Central Nervous System

EP: 6.Realistic Outlook of Integrating Positive Remyelination Strategies in Clinical Trials

EP: 7.Grading High-Potential Remyelinating Agents for Multiple Sclerosis

EP: 8.Reversing Neurodegeneration in Multiple Sclerosis

Transcript below.

Robert Fox, MD: There are [cannabis-derived medications to treat MS] and there are companies that have developed cannabis-based therapy. We now have an FDA-approved therapy for epilepsy which is a cannabis-derived or cannabis-related product. There indeed are cannabis-related molecules that have regulatory approval in other countries for spasticity. I do think there is potential and possibility in the future that there are cannabis-related substances or pharmacologic [agents] that become available.

The particular target I would be interested in is where patients report cannabis to be helpful, which is spasticity and pain related to spasticity. At this point, the studies looking at disease progression appear to have been negative. I don’t know if people are done looking at that, but at least to this point from what I’ve seen, it doesn’t seem to have an impact on the overall disease course. But this line of molecules do appear to have benefit on spasticity and pain related to spasticity. In other countries, cannabis-derived or in that family of molecules, have regulatory approval for pain and spasticity. That’s where I see the future going in this class of therapies.