Chenevia receives authorization to cultivate medical cannabis in France

French biotech Chenevia, based in Morbihan, France, recently announced that it had received official authorization from the Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament (ANSM) to launch a research program dedicated to therapeutic cannabis.

This authorization enables Chenevia to start producing cannabis for medical use, for the time being for R&D purposes, and joins the some of the companies that have already obtained the precious sesame.

The company also announced the construction of a 2,000 m² cannabis production site, designed to operate in full compliance with EU-GMP standards.

To finance this project, Chenevia has launched a 3 million euros fund-raising campaign early 2025. According to Quentin Beauvais, one of the company's three partners, 80 % of funding has already been secured, including 600,000 euros from investors such as Bretagne Sud Angels and BA 35, The remainder was provided by bank loans. To complete this operation, a 500,000 euros equity financing campaign was launched on the Gwenneg platform.

The new facility should be operational within 18 months and could generate around 20 jobs in the long term.

In addition to this objective, the SME has been growing and marketing CBD hemp since 2020. With an annual local production of several tons, the company supplies sectors such as cosmetics, nutraceuticals and pet care. In this market, Chenevia is targeting sales of between 500,000 and 1 million euros in 2025.

In a press release, the company highlighted its ambition to «generate solid scientific data to better understand the potential role of cannabinoids in the management of pain, neurological disorders or other chronic diseases».

Chenevia also expressed the importance of contributing to a field that remains underdeveloped in France, but which could ultimately offer new therapeutic options for patients and new opportunities for the biotech sector.

The fact remains that the regulatory framework is still blocked in France, awaiting a new government, while French medical cannabis companies are ready for a strong industry to emerge in France, and patients continue to wait for those who can.