Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian pharmacies this week began carrying Sativex, an oral spray consisting of natural cannabis extracts, for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Canada is the first nation in the world to grant regulatory approval for the cannabis-derived medicine.
Produced by the British biotechnology firm GW Pharmaceuticals and marketed by Bayer, Sativex is a whole plant medicinal cannabis extract containing precise doses of the cannabinoids THC and cannabidiol (CBD), as well as naturally existing terpenoids (oils) and flavonoids (antioxidants). In clinical trials, Sativex has been demonstrated to alleviate numerous MS-associated symptoms compared to placebo, including pain, muscle spasms, and bladder incontinence.
GW is expected to seek further approval from Canadian regulators to market Sativex for additional indications, including chronic pain.
British health regulators have yet to approve the drug in the UK and are awaiting results from ongoing, large-scale clinical trials. GW has yet to make serious inquiries to US regulators regarding the drug’s approval, but is expected to in the near future.
The anticipated cost to patients for a one-month supply of Sativex will be approximately $375, USA Today reported.
For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500.