CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Chiang Mai University has partnered with the private sector to develop and launch LEPSIA, an anti-seizure medicine for children made from pure cannabidiol (CBD) extracted from cannabis flower clusters. The university said the launch marks a significant step in Thailand’s medical research and pharmaceutical innovation, with the project aimed at improving access to effective treatment while reducing the cost of imported medicines.
Supatra Boonsom, Secretary-General of Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said the FDA has approved and registered LEPSIA after it met required standards for quality, safety and efficacy.
She said the medicine was developed entirely in Thailand, covering the process from cultivation and raw materials through research, development and pharmaceutical manufacturing to official registration.
The project has taken more than seven years of continuous development, with the FDA providing technical support and regulatory oversight throughout the process. Prof. Dr. Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, President of Chiang Mai University, said the project resulted from comprehensive research into the medical use of cannabis. He said the locally developed medicine meets international quality standards and is comparable with imported medicines, while potentially reducing treatment costs by 64.8%.
The university said the lower cost could help more Thai children access treatment, particularly families facing long-term medical expenses. The partnership between Chiang Mai University and the private sector is intended to take research from the laboratory into industrial production, covering knowledge development, product development and manufacturing while creating opportunities for Thai medical innovations to compete internationally. (TNA)
