TRIALS SHOW CANNABIS SPRAY HELPS MS PATIENTS

Shares in GW Pharmaceuticals, the company pioneering research into cannabis-based medicines, soared 17.5% to 151p yesterday as it prepared to announce positive trial results this morning.

The Salisbury-based business will say tests on treatments for patients with multiple scelorosis ( MS ) have been successful and it plans to apply for early approval to make products available to patients.

GW has been developing for three years a range of products based on cannabis extracts that can be taken orally via a spray under the tongue.

The latest results are the first from seven, phase three, clinical trials being undertaken on 600 patients but they pave the way for the development of what could become a UKP250m per annum market.

GW is the only holder of the only UK licence to develop cannabis-based medicines and has been pouring cash into research. This summer it reported a UKP5.3m loss for the six months to March 31 and now hopes to launch its first cannabis-based drug in early 2004.

There are currently no prescription drugs based on cannabis but any go-ahead from the medicines control agency is likely to have wider social implications.

Hundreds of MS sufferers are believed to be using cannabis illegally amid widespread anecdotal evidence that it relieves pain associated with the condition.

GW Pharmaceuticals declined to comment on heightened speculation about its latest clinical trials. "All I can say is we will be announcing the preliminary phase three results tomorrow as we had previously indicated," said a spokesman.

The company has had to increase the amount of cannabis it grows in Britain to cater for its trials. GW is also undertaking tests on relieving cancer pain and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence is examining whether there are opportunities for future drugs of this kind to be used inside the health service.


Pubdate: Tue, 05 Nov 2002
Source: Guardian, The (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Guardian Newspapers Limited
Contact: letters@guardian.co.uk
Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/