GWPharma - GW announces UK launch of world’s first prescription cannabis medicine
GW announces UK launch of world’s first prescription cannabis medicine
GW announces UK launch of world’s first prescription cannabis medicine
21 June 2010
Porton Down, UK, 21 June 2010: GW Pharmaceuticals plc (GWP:AIM) today announces the UK launch of Sativex®, its Oromucosal Spray for the treatment of spasticity due to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Sativex® is the world’s first prescription cannabis medicine and the UK is the first country in the world to grant a full regulatory authorization for the product.
Sativex® contains two cannabinoids or active ingredients - THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). It is the first cannabinoid medicine derived from whole plant extracts from the cannabis sativa plant.
Sativex®, available as a prescription only medicine, was developed by GW in specific response to calls from people with MS for a prescription cannabis-based medicine. Today's launch means that MS patients suffering the spasms and cramping associated with spasticity have access to a new treatment option which has been shown to improve their symptoms where current treatments have failed.
Sativex® is manufactured by GW under Home Office licence at an undisclosed location in the UK. The medicine is being marketed in the UK by GW’s UK licensee, Bayer Schering Pharma.
Dr Geoffrey Guy, GW’s Chairman, said: “The approval and launch of Sativex® in the UK is the world’s first full approval of a cannabis-derived prescription medicine and the product of eleven year’s research by GW into the cannabinoid system. GW was founded with the primary goal of developing a medicine to address the unmet needs of people with MS and today’s launch of Sativex® represents a welcome advance in MS symptom treatment. This is also an historic moment for GW and marks the beginning of the company’s transition from late stage development company to a commercial pharmaceutical business. Today’s news validates our cannabinoid technology platform and enables us to progress the development of our pipeline across a range of therapeutic areas with increased confidence.”
Under the terms of the agreement with Bayer, GW will receive a £10m milestone payment in respect of the UK approval of Sativex®.
Outside the UK, Sativex is expected to be approved in Spain shortly. Further submissions will be made in additional European countries during the second half of 2010 under the mutual recognition procedure. Almirall S.A. will market Sativex in Europe (ex-UK).
The full text of a statement issued today by Bayer Schering Pharma can be downloaded here
1 comment:
The Post Code Lottery has come to an end, though this news has not been made available enough to the populace in my opinion.
However, if a drug is passed by NICE or it's new replacement org; then the local PCT cannot say NO to any person within the borough of Barking & Dagenham or any other borough in England.
Therefore,ask your doctor for 'Sativex' inhaler by G.W. Pharmacueticals. This THC,CBD,CND, cannbioniods based vapour that comes with inhaler is by far the best non-toxic remedy for many maladies. If you think you could get relief from Sativex ask your doctor.
I know REFORM DrugPolicyInterestGroup would like to know the response when a patient ask's for this medication. Its cost is low compared with other less efective comparable remedial medications from big Pharma.
You can obtain REFORM's contact details from Google but I leave
their email address below :~
Reform - reformr1@btconnect.com
Send them any results you get.
Post a Comment