Biggest venture yet of any pharma company into cannabis

An image showing products from GW pharmaceuticals

Source: © BSIP/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Jazz Pharmaceuticals buys cannabinoid therapeutic firm for $7.2 billion, inheriting first plant-derived cannabinoid medicine ever approved by FDA

The purchase of Cambridge, UK-based cannabinoid therapeutic firm GW Pharmaceuticals for $7.2 billion (£5.27 billion) by the global biopharma company Jazz Pharmaceuticals is the latest sign of the growing legitimacy and increased receptivity of cannabis-based drugs in the pharma industry. Announced on 3 February, the acquisition of GW by Jazz, which is headquartered in Ireland, is being characterised as the most significant foray yet by a drug company into the cannabis arena.