GW Pharmaceuticals is to start phase II clinical trials of cannabis-based medicines involving patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and other conditions causing severe pain and spasticity.
The trials, to be conducted at a number of locations, will be under the supervision of Dr William Notcutt, based at the pain relief clinic at the James Paget hospital, Great Yarmouth. Patients will be given different formulations of cannabis-based medicines in the form of a sublingual spray.
The test medicines will be made from cannabis extracts containing different ratios of cannabinoids and placebo. Specific aspects of each patient's condition will be studied to elucidate the effects of the drug and to establish a dose/response relationship. Once an acceptable dose range has been established and therapeutic benefit has been shown, large-scale phase III studies will be launched. Overall, the programme may involve some 2,000 patients in Britain.

Standardised cannabis extracts are to be used for dose and benefit studies