Sativa Group PLC (LON:SATI) has received a controlled drug licence from the UK Home Office, allowing it to produce and supply cannabis at its headquarters in Somerset.
The medicinal cannabis firm said it will immediately begin a research partnership agreement with King’s College London to research the impact of cannabinoids on inflammation and respiratory conditions.
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The licence allows the company to produce cannabis plants that contain more than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis.
Sativa already has a licence for the production of low-THC cannabis, also known as hemp, which was granted in February 2018.
Plants used in the research partnership will be grown at Sativa’s facility before being dried to allow cannabinoids to be extracted for use in KCL’s labs.
"We are delighted to receive this licence, responding to calls from regulators, government and healthcare providers for further research and development into the efficacy of medicinal cannabis”, said Sativa chief executive Henry Lees-Buckley.
“We are committed to operating at these high standards and to partner with Kings College London, to help establish a clinical pathway for patients to access medicinal cannabis", he added.