CBD Drug Epidiolex Tops $1.1 Billion in 2025 Sales, Marking Major Milestone for Cannabis-Derived Medicine
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals reported $1.1 billion in sales for Epidiolex in the past year, a 9% increase from 2024, making up about 25% of the company’s total revenue.
- Epidiolex is FDA-approved to treat seizures from rare epilepsy disorders and was originally developed by GW Pharmaceuticals, which Jazz acquired in 2021 for $7.2 billion.
- Growth is driven by sustained prescription demand, with expanding opportunities identified in adult patients, especially in long-term care where seizure disorders may be underdiagnosed.
- Jazz secured patent protections for Epidiolex extending into the late 2030s, reducing risks from generics, while federal cannabis rescheduling could soon enable FDA approval of other cannabis-derived medicines.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals has announced that Epidiolex, a prescription drug containing cannabis-derived cannabidiol (CBD), brought in $1.1 billion in product sales last year, a 9% increase compared to 2024. The drug now accounts for roughly 25% of the company’s total revenue, underscoring its role as a central driver of growth. Epidiolex is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex—rare and severe forms of epilepsy. The medication was originally developed by GW Pharmaceuticals before Jazz acquired the company in 2021 for $7.2 billion, a deal that significantly expanded Jazz’s footprint in cannabis-derived therapeutics.
The continued growth of Epidiolex reflects sustained prescription demand and increasing use across patient populations. While the drug initially gained traction in pediatric epilepsy cases, the company has identified adult patients as a major opportunity moving forward, particularly in long-term care settings where seizure disorders may be underdiagnosed.
Jazz has also strengthened the long-term outlook for Epidiolex by resolving nearly all outstanding patent litigation tied to the drug. According to the company, patent protections now extend into the late 2030s, limiting near-term risks from generic competition and providing added revenue visibility.
Epidiolex remains the first and only FDA-approved plant-derived CBD prescription medicine in the United States. That distinction is likely to change once cannabis is rescheduled at the federal level, a move that would allow the FDA to approve medicines containing other cannabis compounds such as THC. A final rescheduling order from the DEA is expected in the near future.