Cancer Pain

In August 2007 GW announced the approval (NOC/c) in Canada of Sativex® as adjunctive analgesic treatment in adult patients with advanced cancer who experience moderate to severe pain during the highest tolerated dose of strong opioid therapy for persistent background pain.

Cancer pain is a common problem and it is estimated that 70 to 90% of patients with advanced cancer experience significant pain. Opioids (e.g. morphine) remain the keystone for the treatment of moderate-to-severe cancer pain; however opioids alone do not always provide sufficient pain relief and unpleasant side-effects are common.

All completed trials are listed below, together with associated publications where available:

• GW Sativex Cancer Pain Trials

GW has reported positive results from a Phase III trial in 177 patients with terminal cancer whose pain was not adequately controlled on existing strong opioid treatments (e.g. morphine).  A second trial in cancer pain is currently ongoing in the US.

A double-blind, randomised, parallel group, placebo-controlled, comparative study of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of cannabis based medicine in patients with cancer-related pain.

 

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