Greenlab Secures New Zealand’s Ministry For Primary Industries Grant To Accelerate Medicinal Cannabis Industry

Green Relief NZ Limited T/A Greenlab is the recipient of The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFFF) grant for its Lincoln University-based innovative Medical Cannabis research programme.

The $1.9 million Greenlab R&D project has been approved for co-funding of 40 % by New Zealand’s MPI contributing nearly $ 760,000 towards the project over the next three years.

Director for Research and Commercialisation at Greenlab and Project Leader Dr Parmjit Randhawa said the project aim is to specifically develop synchronised agronomic and biochemical parameters to establish evidence-based Medicinal Cannabis industry in New Zealand. Currently it is very challenging for licenced commercial growers to produce product of known medical potency. A lack of industry code of practice means a risk of unsellable product because of unmet chemistry and quality standards.

Dr Randhawa said Greenlab has created rigorous research infrastructure where we will test the unknown New Zealand genetics for cannabinoids and terpene profiles. This will form basis for future plant-based medicines. He further said that Greenlab is honoured to receive MPI co-funding that will enhance Greenlab’s R&D profile and make sure that New Zealand licenced growers have access to essential industry knowledge and insights. The output from the research project will also kick start commercial cannabis breeding programme in New Zealand that will improve medical plant varieties.

Greenlab’s Australia based Director Rupinder Brar has been very influential in developing the offshore relationship with investors, manufacturers and prescribers. Mr Brar said that the current white label sale of two Greenlab products in Australian market is progressing well and company is on the path to generate close to one million revenue in current fiscal year. Greenlab is also working on introducing two more white label products in Australian market and registering one of these products in New Zealand. The sale of white label products not only provide revenue stream for Greenlab, but also provide vital information on the medicines required by the doctors and needed by the patients which will help Greenlab R&D team to focus on producing optimised novel compounds of therapeutic potential, said Mr Brar.

© Scoop Media