MediPharm Labs Corp., a company specialized in research-driven cannabis extraction, distillation and purification, today announced that its subsidiary, MediPharm Labs Australia Pty. Ltd., has received State Licences for cannabis substances from the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria, Australia and completed the initial phases of construction of its specialized extraction facility in Wonthaggi.
Under these State Licences, MediPharm Labs Australia is allowed to store, test and supply cannabis for research purposes at its newly built facility. Construction of the 10,000 square foot plant began 18 months ago. The final stage of regulatory approvals is now underway and is expected in H1 2020, which will make MediPharm Labs Australia a first mover in the Australian market for the manufacture of cannabis derivative products.
“We envisioned that MediPharm Labs Australia would be a pioneering leader in the supply of high-quality, pharmaceutical-like cannabis derivative products for the domestic Australian and international export markets,” said Warren Everitt, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific, MediPharm Labs. “The achievements we mark today reflect tremendously well on our domestic engineering, project management and regulatory affairs capabilities, and provide tangible evidence that our vision will soon be realized for the benefit of our customers, shareholders and the Australian economy.”
MediPharm Labs Australia was designed to have annual capacity of 75,000 kg and to replicate the high-quality standards of the Company’s Canadian production facility. It features multi-phase supercritical CO2 extraction equipment, clean rooms and testing laboratories. Both facilities were built to achieve GMP certifications. A GMP certificate from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration is the next priority start-up step, with the regulatory audit process already proceeding.
“Starting a business is never easy but the skilled team at MediPharm Labs Australia under Warren’s direction has made it look that way,” said Pat McCutcheon, Chief Executive Officer, MediPharm Labs. “I congratulate everyone involved for quickly bringing us to this advanced pre-production phase. We’re now starting the final countdown to commercialization of the asset.”
To mark the completion of facility construction, Mr. Everitt hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony today where Daniel Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, Australia, John Skerritt, the Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Health, and Brett Tessari, Mayor of Wonthaggi addressed the audience.
“Victoria is continuing to lead the way in medicinal cannabis in Australia and we are proud to support MediPharm Labs in calling Wonthaggi, Gippsland its Australian home”, said Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria, Australia. “We’re proud to be actively attracting investment in this ground-breaking industry that will not only improve the lives of patients around the world, but also create local jobs.”
For more information:
MediPharm Labs
151 John Street, Barrie
+1 705 719 7425
medipharmlabs.com