GW Pharmaceuticals partners with Professor Mechoulam, the man who isolated THC

British laboratories GW Pharmaceuticals, producers Sativex and Epidiolex, will be working with Professor Raphael Mechoulam and his team of scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This collaboration between pioneers in cannabinoid research promises to be fruitful and to consolidate the leadership position of the laboratories. GW Pharmaceuticals in the medical cannabis pharmaceutical industry.

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Young researcher, Raphael Mechoulam embarked on cannabinoid research using cannabis he had collected at the police station. In the 1960s, he was the first to isolate cannabidiol (CBD), then THC and endogenous cannabinoids. anandamide and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG). A pioneer in the field, he is the author of over 270 publications to date, and holds patents on 21 inventions. His pioneering work was recognized in Israel, and later in Europe, where British laboratories GW Pharmaceuticals received several government licenses to manufacture cannabinoid-based medicines as early as 1998.

The partnership signed with Yissum, Research Development Center of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, confers on GW Pharmaceuticals ownership rights to numerous inventions created by Professor Mechoulam. These include inventions relating to CBD and endocannabinoids. Professor Mechoulam will join the GW Pharmaceuticals at the newly-created Institut de Recherches sur les Cannabinoïdes. He will carry out research into the pharmacology of phytocannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system. He will also consult on laboratory research into synthetic cannabinoids.

This partnership will enable GW Pharmaceuticals to develop its scientific and commercial activities. Professor Mechoulam's knowledge of cannabinoids is unrivalled and we are delighted to be building this relationship with him and his team. We look forward to this exciting and promising collaboration«.