Sativex fails Phase III trial to treat Cancer Pain- GW Pharma

GW Pharmaceuticals PLC announced that one of three Phase III cancer pain trials of its Sativex (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol) failed to meet its primary endpoint, although two more trials are ongoing, and are on track for its Epidiolex programme. The company, along with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization Inc., said that one of its phase III trials of Sativex as an adjunctive treatment to optimised chronic opioid therapy failed to show a statistically significant difference from a placebo. Despite this, GW Pharmaceuticals expressed confidence in Sativex underpinned by positive data from its Phase II programme. Two further trials are ongoing, and the company said that if those are positive, this would still allow it to submit a new drug application with the FDA.