LEADING UK cannabis company GW Pharmaceuticals has received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2021 in recognition of its ground-breaking work in creating the world’s first regulatory approved, prescription cannabis-based medicines.
Regarded as the highest official UK award for British business, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise is an annual award which recognises outstanding achievement in Innovation and is now in its 55th year.
Formed in 1998, GW has successfully navigated significant barriers to enable the development, manufacture and commercialisation of regulatory approved cannabis-based medicines such a Sativex and Epidiolex, supporting tens of thousands of patients and families around the world.
Supporting Patients
Most of its 1,100 staff are employed in the UK and over the years has invested over £1.3bn in the research, development and infrastructure needed to bring innovative medicines to patients.
Dr Geoffrey Guy, Founder and Chairman said: “We are honoured to receive such a prestigious award for British businesses. When Dr Brian Whittle and I founded GW 23 years ago, our mission was to improve the lives of seriously ill patients by unlocking the potential of the cannabis plant through rigorous scientific investigations and extensive clinical trials in order to obtain regulatory approval for such medicines to benefit patients.
“Today, I want to thank every employee, clinician, researcher, patient and caregiver for helping advance and achieve that mission.”
Earlier this year Irish firm Jazz Pharmaceuticals had a $7.2bn takeover bid for NASDAQ-listed GW accepted.
