Debra Borchardt
It’s time for your Daily Hit of financial cannabis news for June 25, 2018.
On The Site
GW Pharmaceuticals
If any other company released any news today, then it went basically unnoticed because the FDA approved GW Pharmaceutical’s (GWPH) cannabidiol drug Epidiolex. The news was expected sometime this week, so it was nice of the FDA to just get it out of the way on Monday. According to the press release, this is the first FDA-approved drug that contains a purified drug substance derived from marijuana and it is also the first FDA approval of a drug for the treatment of patients with the Dravet syndrome.
Even though the FDA has now approved the use of Epidiolex as a real treatment for these diseases, it doesn’t immediately change the status of cannabis as a controlled substance. The FDA did not say in its release whether it had delivered a recommendation to the DEA regarding Epidiolex and its schedule status.
However, in GW Pharmaceutical’s statement, the company said it would have to be rescheduled before it could be made available to patients. “Rescheduling is expected to occur within 90 days. Access is expected to be similar to other branded AEDs and EPIDIOLEX is expected to be available to appropriate patients by Fall 2018.
Marapharm Ventures
Marapharm Ventures Inc. (MRPHF) announced that it has entered into a Letter of Intent dated June 21, 2018 to purchase all the shares of Full Spectrum Medicinal Inc. Marapharm will have until September 30, 2018, to conduct due diligence on Full Spectrum, with a view to negotiating the terms of a definitive agreement in order to complete the transaction. The company did not provide a valuation for the proposed transaction.
In Other News
Harvest One Cannabis Inc.
Harvest One Cannabis Inc. (TSXV: HVT) has signed a binding Share Sale Agreement with Australian-based MMJ PhytoTech Limited for the purchase of 100% of Israeli-based PhytoTech Therapeutics Ltd. The transaction will be a combination of cash and shares. Upon completion, $1 million in cash and $7 million in Harvest One common shares issued at the then 10-day volume weighted average closing price, will be paid to MMJ.
Cronos Group Inc.
Cronos Group Inc. (CRON) announced that it entered into a strategic distribution partnership with privately owned pharmaceutical wholesaler Delfarma Sp. Zo.o. Founded in 2004, Delfarma was the first company in Poland to introduce international parallel import of medicinal products from European Economic Area countries. Delfarma distributes directly to over 5,000 pharmacies and more than 200 hospitals, a distribution network that reaches approximately 40% of the Polish domestic market.
Hiku Brands
Hiku Brands (HIKU.CN) announced that it has been granted permission for ten stores by the Province of Manitoba. Four of the stores will be located in Winnipeg and one in Brandon, all of which will be opened under our award-winning cannabis retail brand Tokyo Smoke, winner of Cannabis Brand of the Year at the 2017 Canadian Cannabis Awards.
Hiku is actively working with various regulators, provincial and municipal governments in the Province of Manitoba to obtain the necessary permits for our proposed Tokyo Smoke stores and will ensure location specific permission prior to announcing our chosen locations. This announcement is in addition to Hiku’s announcement on June 22, 2018 on the update for Alberta retail storefronts which detailed how Hiku has filed applications for more than a dozen storefronts in Calgary and are at the top of the list to be considered in each of those locations following Calgary’s first come, first serve approach to licensing. As previously announced, Hiku has also entered into a letter of intent with Oceanic Releaf Inc., a late-stage applicant under the ACMPR in Newfoundland & Labrador, pursuant to which Oceanic and Hiku are working with the government on the approval for Oceanic of up to 5 additional stores in that province.
