UK Medicinal Cannabis Company Grow Pharma to Produce Cannabis-Based Medicinal Products for Patients Facing Possible Disruption In Supply

Innovative UK medicinal cannabis distributor Grow Pharma today announced that they have trialled the first UK extraction of a CBMP in a licensed facility, other than GW Pharmaceuticals, in their efforts to replicate and distribute cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) to patients whose supply may be disrupted due to technicalities relating to Brexit.

“Although it has been announced that a temporary solution has been found and companies are working on a longer term solution which may take months, a post Brexit, sustainable and UK based solution for this problem is needed and we are ready to step up to help,” says Pierre van Weperen, CEO of Grow Pharma. He also mentioned that when prescriptions come in, initial samples will be made available free of charge and the actual cost moving forward will be significantly less than parents are used to paying.

Grow Pharma are already legally importing GMP produced Bedrocan flowers into the UK for distribution to medicinal cannabis patients. Bedrocan strains are used to produce the cannabis oil that around 40 families were collecting from a Dutch pharmacy.

Grow Pharma’s partner, IPS Pharma, will produce the cannabis oils in their state-of-the-art EU GMP certified production facility which is based in Surrey. IPS will also be able to capitalise upon extraction and processing expertise developed over three years of research and development by Grow’s R&D arm Grow Biotech. This means, for the first time, these patients will be able to get their medicines from a GMP certified producer.

“We are ready to help these children and their parents and offer them an alternative option. This is an opportunity to establish a UK-based solution that can produce CBMPs to the highest possible standards,” says Pierre van Weperen.

Grow Pharma and IPS Pharma have all the necessary licenses to import the raw materials and produce these medicines. They are able to produce this at a lower price point than UK patients were paying for the equivalent medicine from The Netherlands.

“We will be using the exact same starting material these patients are used to. From a scientific standpoint there is no reason why the end result would differ significantly beyond any fluctuations that may have arisen already within the current production process,” explains Ashok Patel, pharmacist at IPS Pharma.

This will ensure that the children who have been taking oils based on Bedrocan strains will be able to continue treatment without having to switch to an alternative solution.  

About Grow Pharma

Grow Pharma is a leading UK medical cannabis distributor, part of the Grow Group. Grow Group PLC exists to unlock the medical potential of cannabis for those who need it though three business units: Grow Pharma, Grow Trading and Grow Biotech. Grow Pharma works with the producers of the best cannabis-based medicines and helps them introduce their products in new markets like the U.K. and Ireland, creating long-term value for them and offering solutions for patients. The Grow Pharma team also focuses on supporting clinics and individual healthcare professionals and through our partnership with IPS Specials Pharma we work with the best importer, distributor and pharmacy in the country to deliver the medication to patients. Ultimately, all Grow Group activities are aimed at improving patient access to cannabis medicines. IPS Pharma

IPS Pharma is an independent international pharmaceutical services company operating in unlicensed medicines (Unlicensed Imports and Specials), Clinical Trials and Special Obtains. They are audited and licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and are a member of the Association of Pharmaceuticals Unlicensed medicines Manufacturers