Sativex cannabis-based mouth spray for the treatment of brain tumors?

By Jelena Martinovic

Patients suffering from glioblastoma, the most common, deadliest and extremely aggressive type of brain tumor, may have a chance of longer life if Sativex, a cannabis-based oral spray, is shown to be effective in treating recurrent brain tumors.

Cancer charities and the UK’s National Health Services (NHS) are starting a study to see if Sativex, when combined with chemotherapy drugs (temozolomide), can help kill glioblastoma tumor cells and extend patients’ overall lifespan, The Guardian. It will be the first such study anywhere in the world.

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The study is led by the University of Leeds and coordinated by a specialized research unit at the University of Birmingham.

Over 232 patients are expected to be enrolled in 15 hospitals across the UK by early 2022.

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Sativex received the green light from the NHS in 2019 for the treatment of muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis. Sativex, originally developed by GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH), is a mixture of equal parts of the psychoactive substance delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which helps to relieve pain, inflammation and anxiety without any psychoactive effects .

Photo by Elsa Olofsson via Unsplash

Participants will use either Sativex or placebo oral sprays up to 12 injections per day as part of the study.

The study is funded by The Brain Tumor Charity, which launched a call to raise £ 450,000 to fund the three-year project.

Susan Short, professor of clinical oncology and neuro-oncology at Leeds University and lead investigator on the study, believes the combination of temozolomide chemotherapy and Sativex could stop tumors from growing.

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“This combination was shown to be safe, although some patients had problems with side effects such as nausea, fatigue and dizziness,” said Short. “The study wasn’t designed to test whether Sativex was better for survival. But it indicated that some patients who received Sativex did better than expected and better than those who received chemotherapy alone. “

Approximately 2,200 patients are diagnosed with glioblastoma in England each year. It is estimated that more than 10,000 people succumb to glioblastoma each year in the United States.

Patients diagnosed with glioblastoma typically have 12 to 18 months to live, and those with recurrent glioblastoma survive less than a year.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.