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ARTICLE | Company News

GW says partner finds German Sativex price 'unacceptable'

March 20, 2013 12:28 AM UTC

According to GW Pharmaceuticals plc (LSE:GWP), European marketing partner Almirall S.A. (Madrid:ALM) said the price in Germany for Sativex to treat spasticity due to multiple sclerosis (MS) is "unacceptable." An independent arbitration board determined the price for Sativex after Almirall and Germany's Statutory Health Insurance Funds Association (GKV-Spitzenverband) failed to agree on a price during negotiations. GKV-Spitzenverband said this is the first time arbitration has been used to determine the price for a drug that Germany's Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has determined to have some additional benefit. Last June, G-BA said Sativex provides a "marginal" additional benefit over optimized standard therapy, which includes baclofen, tizanidin and other spasticity drugs.

According to GW, Almirall said it will take "all necessary steps" to challenge the price, including potentially withdrawing the drug in Germany. GKV-Spitzenverband said the price for Sativex is "close" to that of G-BA's requested comparator in part because Sativex is given as adjunct therapy and not in place of previous treatment. GW declined to disclose the price, while Almirall could not be reached. Almirall was down EUR 0.08 to EUR 10.07 on Tuesday. ...