Into the Looking Glass. What the Future Holds for Medicinal Cannabis in New Zealand in 2021

Cannasouth

Mark Lucas from Cannasouth is excited to start seeing the price of medicinal cannabis products come down in 2021 and start delivering much needed medicinal cannabis options to New Zealand prescribers and patients this year.

‘The rise of more medicinal cannabis options for patients and prescribers comes after years of pushing by the public for increased access to cannabis-based medicines.’ 

Luckily, this has paid off. Cannasouth will roll out the first products approved under the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme available to patients via prescription in 2021.

As more NZ manufactured products are assessed to meet quality standards alongside imported products, the prices will start to decline. Cannasouth is one company having its first products being evaluated by the agency at the moment. If all goes to plan, 2021 will see Cannasouth bring their first imported products to patients.

Cannasouth, a science-led company, is focused on developing improved products that aim to increase the bioavailability to improve therapeutic outcomes and further reduce costs to patients. In 2021, Cannasouth’s research will move from lab to production scale while pre-clinical research continues.

Helius Therapeutics

As more local producers enter the market, Helius expects to see improved access and increased options for prescribers and their patients, alongside a broader understanding of the benefits of medicinal Cannabis. Helius believes we will see partnerships emerge to create a more seamless experience for those wishing to try medicinal Cannabis.

Alongside this, patients should be able to access world-class, NZ-made medicinal Cannabis without having to break the bank.

‘This year should be the first step in improving the affordability of these medicines, although it will take time,’ Carmen, the CEO at Helius, expresses. ‘This is also the year that local, vertically-integrated cannabis companies, like ours, prepare to export to the world.’

In doing so, this will fuel innovation, and cannabis-based medicines from New Zealand are expected to be recognised amongst the world’s safest and most effective solutions.

2021 looks to be a significant year of delivery and innovation for Helius. They are proud to have completed their state-of-the-art medicinal cannabis cultivation and processing facility in Auckland, allowing them to manufacture and supply locally produced cannabis medicines in New Zealand and abroad.

Their strategy? To become the most innovative medicinal cannabis company, focused on safety and efficacy – to be the best in the world, from the edge of the world. Helius is also passionate about cannabinoids playing a role in the wellness of animals. In 2020, Helius invested in Hale, an animal health start-up, which has just launched its first natural health supplement range, called Vitality Plus™. Helius is also collaborating to develop New Zealand’s first veterinary medicine with CBD as the active ingredient.

Nubu Pharma

Mark and Will from NUBU Pharma consider 2021 to hold a great deal of promise for New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis patients since the affects of the new medicinal cannabis regulations are starting to take hold. Improved accessibility to a broader range of product options, formats, and medical devices are some benefits to be expected as NUBU Pharma becomes registered under the new Medicinal Cannabis Scheme and as prescriber education programmes ramp up.

This year is looking to be the busiest yet for Mark and Will.

‘2021 marks the 5th year since we first sat down and created the blueprint for NUBU Pharma,’ they state.

While both admit it has been a long and arduous process to get to where they are now, they feel like 2021 is the year when patients and prescribers in NZ will feel the impact of all that groundwork.

While they are excited about the future of NUBU, Mark and Will unfortunately can’t disclose much information about their plan to help NZ cannabis patients access a greater range of products due to the regulations set out in the Medicines Act (1981).

Tilray

Tilray believes 2021 will see many changes. As the Medicinal Cannabis Agency works hard to approve product assessments from different companies, Tilray believes this will increase the number of products available for prescribers to select. With fewer barriers in place, it will also be easy for patients to access these products. Therefore, patients and prescribers can be confident that the products being approved in NZ are pharmaceutical grade and of consistent and reliable quality that they can trust.

While Tilray is working closely with the Ministry of Health on several applications, they are restricted on sharing the details and advertising the availability of unapproved products. However, they are excited to see what 2021 will bring for their company and many others in the field.

Greenlab

Greenlab predicts the future of NZ medicinal cannabis to be enormous in the next four to five years.

‘President Joe Biden’s administration may end the US federal prohibition that will have a cascading effect down under. Also, the move by the UN to remove Cannabis from the list of the world’s most dangerous drugs into medicinal drugs can be in New Zealand’s favour,’ they declare.

They believe that in 2021 New Zealand will further evaluate and understand its local genetics for therapeutic potential and create scientifically proven strains wanted by medical doctors and needed by patients.

Greenlab’s vision is to position New Zealand at the forefront of medicinal Cannabis, responding to the needs of cultivators, patients, prescribers, and end users. At the start of 2021, Greenlab signed a contract with Cannvalate Australia, giving Greenlab scientists vital information on local strains’ product potential. Greenlab is growing at Lincoln University’s fully controlled environment to check cannabis potency and volatile compound profiles to fast-track the work.