GW Pharmaceuticals

History

GW Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1998 by doctors Geoffrey Guy and Brian Whittle. That year, they obtained a cultivation license from the United Kingdom Home Office and the MHRA, allowing the company to cultivate, possess and supply cannabis to conduct scientific research concerning medical cannabis.

Later in 1998, GW Pharmaceuticals entered into a contract with Hortapharm B.V., a cannabis research and development corporation based in Amsterdam.

In 2001, GW Pharmaceuticals listed on the Alternative Investment Market, the junior market of the London Stock Exchange. In May 2013, the company became dual-listed on the NASDAQ and AIM.

In 2014, the company made a deal with New York to develop clinical trials using cannabidiol (CBD) to treat children who suffer from seizures and other medical complications.

In May 2021, Jazz Pharmaceuticals acquired the company.

Products

Sativex

Main article: Nabiximols

Nabiximols (trade name Sativex) is a botanical drug that is a cannabis extract, administered as a mouth spray; it was approved in the UK in 2010 as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to alleviate neuropathic pain, spasticity, overactive bladder, and other symptoms.

Nabiximols is made with two unknown Cannabis strains, and is extracted with ethanol and carbon dioxide.

In 2020, GW Pharmaceuticals concluded a partnership with Bayer for the distribution of Sativex in the UK. It has an estimated annual production of 100 tons of medicinal cannabis.

Epidiolex

Main article: Epidiolex

In 2015, GW Pharmaceutical initiated Phase 3 clinical trials of cannabidiol oral solution for treatment of two rare disease in children – Dravet syndrome and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome. In August 2015, GW received FDA Fast Track Development Program designation from the US Food and Drug Administration for use of the drug candidate to treat newborns with epilepsy.

The drug, under the brand name Epidiolex, was given US Food and Drug Administration approval in June 2018. It was subsequently given European EMA approval in September 2019 under the brand name Epidyolex.

References

References

1. "GW Pharmaceuticals PLC 2020 Form 10-K Annual Report". [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]].
2. (2001-02-15). "GW PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
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4. (25 June 2018). "FDA approves first cannabis-based drug". [[CNN]].
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6. Breen, Bill. (1 February 2004). "The Cannabis Conundrum". [[Fast Company]].
7. Breen, Bill. (1 February 2004). "Dr. Dope's Connection". [[Fast Company]].
8. (June 18, 2014). "GW Pharma aims for $150m in Nasdaq offering".
9. (21 December 2013). "UK Cannabis Grower on a High With Wall Street Funding Bid".
10. Drury, Tracey. (6 June 2014). "Cuomo OKs limited medical marijuana trial in NYS". [[American City Business Journals]].
11. (5 May 2021). "Jazz Pharmaceuticals Completes Acquisition of GW Pharmaceuticals plc". [[PR Newswire]].
12. Sharrow, Ryan. (5 May 2021). "Jazz Pharmaceuticals shares rise on $7.2B acquisition of cannabis-based drugmaker". [[American City Business Journals]].
13. (April 17, 2011). "The man who secretly (and legally) grows 20 tonnes of cannabis a year". [[The Guardian]].
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15. (2 March 2020). "GW Pharmaceuticals regains exclusive commercialisation rights to Sativex® (nabiximols) in the UK from Bayer". GW Pharmaceuticals.
16. (23 February 2010). "Medical Cannabis Strains – Geoffrey Guy, MD (GW Pharmaceuticals, UK (Conference)".
17. Ward, Andrew. (9 January 2014). "GW raises nearly $90m to develop childhood epilepsy treatment". [[Financial Times]].
18. (6 August 2015). "GW Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Fast Track and EMA Orphan Designations for Intravenous Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (NHIE)". [[GlobeNewswire]].
19. (25 June 2018). "FDA approves country's first medicine made from marijuana". [[Stat (website).
20. Kollewe, Julia. (25 June 2018). "UK epilepsy drug to become first cannabis-based medicine in US". [[The Guardian]].
21. (24 June 2019). "Epidyolex". [[European Medicines Agency]].
22. (23 September 2019). "Medical cannabis product approved for epilepsy". [[BBC News]].