GW Pharmaceuticals
 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Pharmaceutical industry |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | Cambridge, United Kingdom |
Key people | Justin Gover (CEO) |
| Products |
|
| Revenue |  $527 million (2020) |
 -$58 million (2020) | |
| Total assets | $939 million (2020) |
| Total equity | $741 million (2020) |
Number of employees | 1,161 (2020) |
| Parent | Jazz Pharmaceuticals |
| Website | gwpharm |
| Footnotes / references [2] | |
GW Pharmaceuticals Limited[1] is a British pharmaceutics company known for its multiple sclerosis treatment product nabiximols (brand name, Sativex) which was the first natural cannabis plant derivative to gain market approval in any country.[3] Another cannabis-based product, Epidiolex, was approved for treatment of epilepsy by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2018.[4] It is a subsidiary of Jazz 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.[5]
Later in 1998, GW Pharmaceuticals entered into a contract with Hortapharm B.V., a cannabis research and development corporation based in Amsterdam.[6][7]
In 2001, GW Pharmaceuticals listed on the Alternative Investment Market, the junior market of the London Stock Exchange.[8] In May 2013, the company became dual-listed on the NASDAQ and AIM.[9]
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.[10]
In May 2021, Jazz Pharmaceuticals acquired the company.[11][12]
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.[13]
Nabiximols is made with two unknown Cannabis strains, and is extracted with ethanol and carbon dioxide.[14]
In 2020, GW Pharmaceuticals concluded a partnership with Bayer for the distribution of Sativex in the UK.[15] It has an estimated annual production of 100 tons of medicinal cannabis.[16]
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.[17] 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.[18]
The drug, under the brand name Epidiolex, was given US Food and Drug Administration approval in June 2018.[19][20] It was subsequently given European EMA approval in September 2019 under the brand name Epidyolex.[21][22]
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