(image: Public Domain)
SEOUL, June 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Following the legalization of medical cannabis in 2018, South Korean researchers are developing new medications using cannabis.
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology’s Gangneung Institute of Natural Products announced that it will use South Korea’s first crop of medical cannabis to develop medications for child epilepsy.
Cannabis can be categorized into marijuana and hemp. KIST will be using hemp, a less narcotic type of cannabis widely used for medical purposes, to develop new treatments for epilepsy.
Cannabidiol (CBD), a primary substance found in hemp, is widely used in the treatment of child epilepsy and other rare diseases.
KIST is currently participating in a project with Kolmar Korea, Yuhan Care, and other pharmaceutical companies in the Special Free Zone for Industrial Hemp.
Investing 39 billion won (US$34.9 million) over the next four years, the project will support KIST in developing the epilepsy cure.
Currently, many of the CBD-based medications used to treat child epilepsy are foreign-made.
KIST will be working with nine universities, companies and agencies including Kangwon National University, Nongshim, and Huons to carry out research on the South Korean Industrial Hemp Platform, commissioned by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The aim of the research is to develop a CBD-rich hemp in South Korea to explore new applications and develop high added-value products.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
