New trichome structure launched for cannabis cultivation

BioHarvest Sciences today unveiled a new "Amalgamated Trichomes Coral Structure" (ATCS) that they say will revolutionize the production of cannabis.  "We have successfully grown multiple trichomes in coral-shaped clusters where they are attached together in a natural structure. This structure protects the trichomes from the shear forces and guarantees much-needed mechanical stability during the growth process," the company says.

 
The trichomes (the natural cannabinoids micro-factories of the Cannabis plant – picture below) grow on the surface of the cannabis flower or leaf and have a shape of a tiny mushroom with glandular heads. They are individually and mechanically attached to the surface through a fragile stalk.

"BioHarvest is the first company in the world to successfully and naturally grow trichomes together, forming a coral-shaped structure (picture above) that protects them from the shear forces applied by the fluid motion inside the bioreactors," the researchers explain. "This structure guarantees the much-needed mechanical stability during the growth process within the bioreactor. We call this uniquely shaped structure "Amalgamated Trichomes Coral Structure" (ATCS)." It allows the company to quickly scale up cannabis production in advance of wide scale commercialization in H1 2022.

Dr. Yochi Hagay, CTO of BioHarvest, said: "ATCS is instrumental in the ability to grow trichomes cells in bioreactors at scale. Over the last decade, BioHarvest's world-class R&D team demonstrated unparalleled expertise in plant cell biology. This achievement is particularly notable given the complexity of cannabis, and I have no doubt in this team's ability to apply it on any plant in the future."

Ilan Sobel, CEO of BioHarvest, said: "ATCS brings us one step closer to the completion of the Cannabis development program. The patented BioFarming technology, along with such in-house expertise, is creating tremendous biotech market opportunities for BioHarvest. I look forward to showing the world in H1/2022 the company's cannabis-based products and to unveiling new conquered frontiers by our BioFarming technology."

Eitan Popper, Chairman of BioHarvest's Board of Advisors, and Co-Founder and former President of MedReleaf, stated: "One of the main questions I raised when I first met BioHarvest's management, was whether the company's technology would allow for cannabis trichomes to stably grow in liquid media. Even intuitively, this is far from trivial, as cannabis trichome cells grown in liquid media lack the static mechanical support they have when growing on top of or attached to the solid cannabis flower or leaf tissue. The challenge is two-fold, not only liquid media vs. solid plant tissue but also dynamic flow conditions vs. static conditions. Put simply, how do you stably proliferate and guarantee the physical integrity of fragile plant organs grown in a liquid that is circulating or flowing within a bioreactor. BioHarvest has solved this with proprietary IP that is specific to cannabis. It is fascinating from a scientific point of view and very encouraging from a business potential perspective for cannabis and beyond."