GW Phamaceuticals said its pioneering cannabis-based medicine failed to show significant improvement in a final stage trial to treat neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

GW said Sativex had a very high patient response rate in the trial but that the results narrowly failed to reach statistical significance due to an unexpectedly large placebo response.

"While valid, this indicates that the effect of Sativex is marginal, and we retain our doubts as to whether the product will ever prove a commercial success," KBC Peel Hunt analyst Paul Cuddon wrote in a research note. Nomura analyst Gary Waanders described the result as disappointing.............

For the full report please go to MSRC: MS Research News : Drugs : Sativex - http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=show&pageid=1814