Appointment of Chief Operating Officer

GW Appoints Chris Tovey as Chief Operating Officer

London, UK; October 1st 2012: GW Pharmaceuticals plc (AIM: GWP) today announces the appointment, effective today, of Christopher John Tovey to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer.

Chris, aged 47, joins GW having gained a wealth of commercial experience from more than 25 years in the pharmaceutical industry. He was most recently Vice President Global Marketing Operations at UCB Pharmaceuticals, responsible for worldwide marketing activities on a portfolio of UCB products generating over €2 billion in annual sales. This portfolio encompassed a broad range of therapeutic areas (including epilepsy, other CNS, cardiovascular, anaemia, allergy) spread across most regions of the world and involved working with a wide range of internal and external commercial partners. Combined with this role, Chris also had responsibility for leading Global Digital Marketing at UCB.

Previous experience and roles at UCB included two years spent as Managing Director Greece and Cyprus and prior to that a role leading all UCB activities on the orphan narcotic medication Xyrem, used in the treatment of Narcolepsy. Prior to joining UCB, Chris was Vice President Managing Director UK & Ireland at Nabi Biopharmaceuticals, a US based biopharmaceutical company. Before joining Nabi, Chris spent 18 years at GlaxoSmithKline, in senior commercial roles in both the European and UK organisations. These roles included Director Commercial Strategy Distribution Europe, Director European Vaccine Therapy Director Commercial Development UK, Director Vaccines Business Unit UK and Business Unit Manager Oncology UK. Whilst at GSK, Chris worked across a wide range of therapeutic areas including Infectious diseases, Neurology, Oncology, Diabetes, Respiratory, and Immunology. Chris received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology from the University of Liverpool, UK.

Dr Geoffrey Guy, Chairman, said, "We are pleased to welcome Chris Tovey to GW. With multiple recent launches of Sativex, numerous additional launches planned, and major advances in our pipeline, GW's operations have now expanded significantly. We are delighted to have attracted in Chris someone with extensive and diverse commercial experience across the pharmaceutical industry to perform the important role of Chief Operating Officer."

Chris Tovey said, "I am delighted to be joining GW at such an important time in the company's history. My experience of managing commercial operations across a large number of therapeutic areas in most major markets of the world will, I believe, be of value to GW as it continues its transformation into a commercial company with a rich pipeline. Having worked within, and in partnership with, a large number of pharmaceutical companies, I was attracted to GW by the quality of its science, people and future prospects and look forward to helping the company deliver on its significant potential."

The following disclosures are made in accordance with AIM rule 17 and Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM rules:

Chris Tovey was formerly a Director of the following companies:

UCB Hellas

Enquiries:

Notes to Editors:

About GW

GW was founded in 1998 and listed on the AIM, a market of the London Stock Exchange, in June 2001. Operating under license from the UK Home Office, the company researches and develops cannabinoid pharmaceutical products for patients who suffer from a range of serious ailments, in particular multiple sclerosis and cancer pain. GW has assembled a large in-house scientific team with expertise in cannabinoid science as well as experience in the development of both plant-based prescription pharmaceutical products and medicines containing controlled substances. GW occupies a world leading position in cannabinoids and has developed an extensive international network of the most prominent scientists in the field. For further information, please visit www.gwpharm.com

This news release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect GWs current expectations regarding future events, including development and regulatory clearance of the GW's products. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors, including (inter alia), the success of the GW's research strategies, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of uncertainties related to the regulatory process, and the acceptance of Sativex® and other products by consumer and medical professionals.