6 companies to supply medical cannabis for trial in France

From March onwards, 3,000 French patients will be able to be treated with cannabis, as part of the’French experimentation with therapeutic cannabis, The aim is to validate the prescription and distribution circuit for these treatments. A highly anticipated step, the Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament (ANSM) yesterday published the list of selected companies to provide cannabis or cannabis-based products free of charge for the duration of the experiment.

The call for tenders concerned twelve lots distributed according to THC/CBD dosage and galenic form. In the end, 9 batches were awarded, each with (with the exception of one batch) a main supplier and a back-up supplier. The latter will act as a back-up in the event of the main supplier's failure. 6 companies won a main lot, and 5 a substitute lot.

The big winner is Aurora, the Canadian company that Newsweed had met in Montreal in 2019. One of the world's largest cannabis companies wins three lots for which it will be the main supplier: THC-dominant flowers, THC and CBD-balanced flowers, and CBD-dominant flowers. Even though it is in dire financial straits, Aurora is a strong candidate for the legalization of medical cannabis in France.

« We're very happy!, smiles Hélène Moore, General Manager of Aurora France, contacted by Newsweed. It's a real vote of confidence, reflecting the quality of the dossier submitted to the ANSM. We can't wait for French patients to have access to Aurora's products.»

No French company

The other winner is also Canadian. It's Toronto-based Tilray. It will supply THC-dominant oils to French patients, as well as THC and CBD-balanced oils. Others include Israel's Panaxia, and Australia's Little Green Pharma and Althea.

As expected, no French producer could be named. And in the list of selected suppliers, only one is European. This is Emmac, a British company specializing in the production of cannabis-based medicines. Emmac was not selected as a full supplier, but as an alternate. François-Xavier Nottin, Managing Director of Emmac France, is also delighted. «It's a great satisfaction to be included on the list," he told Newsweed. It was a call for tenders with very demanding specifications. We're delighted to be playing in the big league. And even though we're substitutes, oe're delighted to be on the scoresheet. We're ready to take to the field.»

To win this lot, Emmac teamed up with Boiron. The homeopathic laboratory had been in difficulty ever since the government has decided to stop reimbursing granules by Social Security. It even threatened to cut nearly 700 jobs in France. Boiron is diversifying into the cannabis market. « They have a wealth of experience in plant-based medicines, and a unique distribution structure to cover the whole of France».», appreciates his partner, François-Xavier Nottin.

Distribution of lots

The various batches of medical cannabis will be distributed as follows:

• THC dominant ratio «indicative THC 20 : CBD 1».»
  • THC flower > 8 %, CBD < 1 %: Aurora via Ethypharm
  • THC oil > 5 mg/ml, CBD < 1 mg/ml: Tilray via Medipha Santé
  • THC > 5 mg/ml, CBD < 1 mg/ml: Panaxia via Neuraxpharm France
• Balanced ratio «indicative THC 1 : CBD 1».»
  • THC and CBD flower > 5 %: Aurora via Ethypharm
  • THC and CBD oil > 5 mg/ml: Tilray via Medipha Santé
  • THC and CBD oral form > 5 mg/ml: Panaxia via Neuraxpharm France
• Dominant CBD ratio «for information THC 1 : CBD 20».»
  • Flower THC 5 % : No takers
  • THC oil 5 mg/ml: Little Green Pharma via Intsel Chimos
  • oral form THC 5 mg/ml: No takers
  • Flower THC 5 %: Aurora via Ethypharm
  • THC oil 5 mg/ml: Little Green Pharma via Intsel Chimos
  • oral form THC 5 mg/ml: No takers