Background: Sativex® (THC:CBD oromucosal spray) is indicated as add-on treatment for patients with moderate to severe multiple sclerosis (MS) spasticity. We aimed to determine whether antispasticity treatment history influenced the efficacy and safety of add-on THC:CBD oromucosal spray in MS spasticity patients. Methods: Post hoc analysis of an enriched-design clinical trial of THC:CBD oromucosal spray versus placebo, using records of patients under previous and current ineffective antispasticity therapies. Subgroups were patients with at least 1 failed therapy attempt with either baclofen or tizanidine (Group 1) or at least 2 failed therapy attempts with both baclofen and tizanidine (Group 2). Summary: Of 241 patients in the intent-to-treat population, 162 and 57 patients met the criteria for Groups 1 and 2, respectively. In all groups, response on the spasticity 0-10 Numerical Rating Scale was significantly greater with THC:CBD oromucosal spray versus placebo, for minimal clinically important difference (MCID ≥18% improvement vs. baseline) and clinically important difference (CID, ≥30% improvement vs. baseline). THC:CBD oromucosal spray improved spasticity-related symptoms such as sleep quality and timed 10-meter walk independent of the number of prior failed therapy attempts. Tolerability was not influenced by pre-treatment history. Conclusions: THC:CBD oromucosal spray provided consistent relief with good tolerability in MS spasticity patients irrespective of their antispasticity pre-treatment history.

1.
Rizzo MA, Hadjimichael OC, Preiningerova J, Vollmer TL: Prevalence and treatment of spasticity reported by multiple sclerosis patients. Mult Scler 2004;10:589-595.
2.
Kister I, Bacon TE, Chamot E, Salter AR, Cutter GR, Kalina JT, Herbert J: Natural history of multiple sclerosis symptoms. Int J MS Care 2013;15:146-158.
3.
Beard S, Hunn A, Wight J: Treatments for spasticity and pain in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review. Health Technol Assess 2003;7:iii, ix-x, 1-111.
4.
Shakespeare DT, Boggild M, Young C: Anti-spasticity agents for multiple sclerosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003;4:CD001332.
5.
National Clinical Guideline Centre (UK): Multiple Sclerosis: Management of Multiple Sclerosis in Primary and Secondary Care. London, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK), October 2014.
6.
Perez J: Combined cannabinoid therapy via an oromucosal spray. Drugs Today (Barc) 2006;42:495-503.
7.
Di Marzo V: The endocannabinoid system for the development of new drugs for spasticity. Drugs Fut 2007;32:341-351.
8.
Sativex Oromucosal Spray. Summary of Product Characteristics. Updated May 20, 2015. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/23262 (accessed December 2015).
9.
Novotna A, Mares J, Ratcliffe S, Novakova I, Vachova M, Zapletalova O, Gasperini C, Pozzilli C, Cefaro L, Comi G, Rossi P, Ambler Z, Stelmasiak Z, Erdmann A, Montalban X, Klimek A, Davies P; Sativex Spasticity Study Group: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, enriched-design study of nabiximols* (Sativex(®)), as add-on therapy, in subjects with refractory spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis. Eur J Neurol 2011;18:1122-1131.
10.
Serpell MG, Notcutt W, Collin C: Sativex long-term use: an open-label trial in patients with spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. J Neurol 2013;260:285-295.
11.
Vachová M, Novotna A, Mares J, Taláb R, Fiedler J, Lauder H, Taylor L, Etges T, Wright S, Nováková I: A multicentre, double-blind, randomised, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study of effect of long-term Sativex® treatment on cognition and mood of patients with spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. J Mult Scler 2014;1:122.
12.
Russo M, Calabrò RS, Naro A, Sessa E, Rifici C, D'Aleo G, Leo A, De Luca R, Quartarone A, Bramanti P: Sativex in the management of multiple sclerosis-related spasticity: role of the corticospinal modulation. Neural Plast 2015;2015:656582.
13.
Flachenecker P, Henze T, Zettl UK: Nabiximols (THC/CBD oromucosal spray, Sativex®) in clinical practice - results of a multicenter, non-interventional study (MOVE 2) in patients with multiple sclerosis spasticity. Eur Neurol 2014;71:271-279.
14.
Farrar JT, Troxel AB, Stott C, Duncombe P, Jensen MP: Validity, reliability, and clinical importance of change in a 0-10 numeric rating scale measure of spasticity: a post hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Clin Ther 2008;30:974-985.
15.
Bass B, Weinshenker B, Rice GP, Noseworthy JH, Cameron MG, Hader W, Bouchard S, Ebers GC: Tizanidine versus baclofen in the treatment of spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis. Can J Neurol Sci 1988;15:15-19.
16.
Lapierre Y, Bouchard S, Tansey C, Gendron D, Barkas WJ, Francis GS: Treatment of spasticity with tizanidine in multiple sclerosis. Can J Neurol Sci 1987;14(3 suppl):513-517.
17.
Rice AS: Cannabinoids and pain. Curr Opin Investig Drugs 2001;2:399-414.
18.
Berman JS, Symonds C, Birch R: Efficacy of two cannabis based medicinal extracts for relief of central neuropathic pain from brachial plexus avulsion: results of a randomised controlled trial. Pain 2004;112:299-306.
19.
Fine PG, Rosenfeld MJ: The endocannabinoid system, cannabinoids, and pain. Rambam Maimonides Med J 2013;4:e0022.
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.