GW Pharmaceuticals recognised for leadership in prescription cannabis-based medicines with prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation

GW’s ground-breaking medicines development programme recognised for outstanding achievement in innovation with UK’s highest official award for British business

LONDON, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GW Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: GWPH) ("GW”, "the Company” or "the Group”), a world leader in discovering, developing and commercialising regulatory approved cannabis-based medicines, announces that it has received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2021 in the Innovation category, recognising GW’s innovative and ground-breaking work to harness cannabinoid science to create the world’s first regulatory approved, prescription cannabis-based medicines.

Since its inception in 1998, GW has successfully navigated significant barriers to enable the development, manufacture and commercialisation of regulatory approved cannabis-based medicines, leading the way in improving the lives of patients and families around the world. Globally, GW has invested more than £1.3 billion in the research, development and infrastructure needed to bring novel, innovative medicines to patients. With the majority of its staff located in the UK, GW employs more than 1,100 employees globally, all of whom strive every day to bring new, clinically proven medicines to patients experiencing significant unmet need.

"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,” said Dr Geoffrey W Guy, GW Founder and Chairman. "Much of what is known about the medical uses of cannabis was discovered by GW. We have led the way in understanding cannabinoid science and how, if harnessed correctly and taken through the regulatory approval pathway, it has the potential to improve the lives of patients and their families. Today, I want to thank every employee, clinician, researcher, patient and caregiver for helping advance and achieve that mission.”

GW’s Chief Executive Officer Justin Gover said, "Thanks to two decades of perseverance, dedication and pioneering work, GW has established a world-leading position in cannabinoid science and brought breakthrough medicines to patients in a new frontier of medicine. We are immensely proud to have that work and dedication recognised by the prestigious Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. Our continued commitment to research and development has resulted in the treatment of thousands of patients with our medicines, and the prospect of helping countless more families through our robust pipeline of early- and late-stage product candidates.”

This award also recognises GW’s leadership in cannabinoid science and efforts to benefit the wider medical community, the pharmaceutical industry and society, as GW has shown regulators and governments that it is possible to work within the existing pharmaceutical regulatory system to develop clinically proven medicines derived from the cannabis plant. In doing so, GW has created a roadmap to approach the study, manufacture and delivery of cannabis-based medicines, and supported regulators by providing high-quality evidence to support the regulatory approval of the company’s marketed 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. Now in its 55^th year, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise recognises exceptional achievement by UK businesses. GW is one of several organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise. It is awarded to products or services that have been available on the market and can demonstrate outstanding innovation and commercial success for at least two years.

GW Pharmaceuticals would also like to pay tribute to the significant role played by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh in establishing Her Majesty’s Awards, and his support of the Awards for the last 50 years. GW extends its deepest sympathies to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

About GW Pharmaceuticals plc
GW Pharmaceuticals (GW), and U.S. subsidiary Greenwich Biosciences, is a UK-based global biopharmaceutical company that has established a world-leading position in cannabinoid science and medicine. Founded over two decades ago in response to significant unmet patient need, patients remain our key focus and improving their quality of life, our motivation. GW’s pioneering work has led to the regulatory approval of world first, potentially life improving, cannabis-based medicines. Our continued dedication has resulted in the treatment of thousands of patients with our medicines around the world. For further information, please visit www.gwpharm.co.uk

About Queen’s Awards for Enterprise
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the UK. The awards were first established in 1965 and since then over 7000 companies have achieved a Queen’s Award.

The awards celebrate the success of exciting and innovative businesses which are leading the way with pioneering products or services, delivering impressive social mobility programmes or showing their commitment to excellent sustainable development practices.

This year 205 UK businesses have been recognised for their contribution to International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity (through Social Mobility). 5 of these businesses won double awards.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2021 include:

• 122 awards for International Trade
• 48 awards for Innovation
• 17 awards for Sustainable Development
• 18 awards for Promoting Opportunity (through Social Mobility)

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2022 will be open to applications from 1st May to 8th September 2021. Almost all UK businesses (including non-profit) can apply, and the application process is free. All applications must be made online, and you may apply for more than one category. All entry forms, eligibility criteria and information on how to apply is available here.