Overseed launches France's first medical cannabis crop

6 months after obtaining ANSM approval and raising €2.5 million, the biotech launches its R&D program in medical cannabis cultivation. Overseed becomes the 1^era French company to grow this medicinal plant in France.

By the end of the year, the biotech created in January 2021 aims to select 5 plants on which to initiate the first pharmaceutical trials.

Search Runs

Authorized to operate for the first time in France research into cannabis for therapeutic purposes, Overseed began the first agronomic phase of phenotyping these plants 2 months ago.

The aim of this process is to select plants with precise agronomic criteria and phytochemical profiles, guaranteeing stable production and reliable cannabis varieties. In a second phase, the production of these varieties will be tested in a controlled climate, to ensure plant stability and homogeneity.

These seedlings are the culmination of an initial R&D program in France, scheduled for completion in 2023, when therapeutic cannabis is expected to become widely available in France.

Production runs

By the end of 2022, the’Overseed plans to select 5 plant varieties that meet the requirements needed to begin the «pharmaceutical run» phase.

The process of extracting the active ingredients from the cannabis plant will then enable new medicines to be developed that meet ANSM specifications. Overseed will develop its extracts in partnership with Stanipharm CDMO, a company with expertise in the production of active ingredients, in particular by supercritical CO2 extraction.

«We're very excited to be embarking on this complex agronomic and scientific process, which is crucial to future drug development. In the coming months, our experts in genetics and cultivation techniques will be fully committed to bringing the full potential of this plant to medical research and to our partners».» said Hugues Péribère, founder and CEO of’Overseed, in a press release.

«It's also another step forward for the French pharmaceutical industry, its sovereignty and its ability to respond to the many medical uses of cannabis. Through our project, we are bringing together the best French expertise to create an innovative and efficient value chain in France. The next few months will be devoted to finding laboratory and distribution partners.