UK: GW to test dope's pain relief effect

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Andrew Clark

The Guardian

Thursday 17 Jan 2002

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Britain's only legal cannabis company, GW Pharmaceuticals, is to test its
dope-based medicines on patients suffering from advanced cancer, in the
hope of measuring the drug's pain relief effect.

The firm, which floated last year, announced the project alongside an
increase in year-end losses from £2.2m to £6.9m. GW said it was building an
"indoor growing unit" at a secret location, allowing it to double output to
30 tonnes of cannabis plants a year.

Chief executive Geoffrey Guy said of the phase three cannabis trial. "Most
of the evidence of its pain relief effect has in the past been based on
medical anecdotes. We believe cancer pain is among the most promising areas
for cannabis-based medicines."

The trial will involve more than 100 patients at 20 cen tres. It will run
alongside phase-three studies of the drug's use for multiple sclerosis and
nerve damage, which are already under way.

Dr Guy said: "These are patients with advanced cancer which is
life-threatening. But they may still want to go to work and drive their cars."

Patients will use hi-tech inhalers to take the drug. They will have to
enter a personal code to release each dose and the device will log each
inhalation to deter people from attempting to get "high".

Although cannabis-based drugs are banned for medical use, the government
has promised that if trials are successful it will recommend that the
Medicines Control Agency permit them.

GW recently secured a licence to import cannabis into the US for trials,
after long negotiations with the drug enforcement agency.

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