Benzinga | Jun 28, 2021 07:25AM EDT

InMed set to Become Major Player in Manufacturing of Rare Cannabinoids

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When it comes to producing rare cannabinoids, the proof is in the process.

Rare cannabinoids, compounds found in cannabis, have been shown to be potentially effective in creating alternative therapies for diseases with unmet medical needs. They have taken center stage within the cannabis industry, as recent reports state from their biosynthesis will be a $25 billion market by 2025 and $40 billion by 2040.

Currently, more than 100 cannabinoids have been identified, and early research has shown that they have untapped potential in a variety of industries and health-related sectors, including healthcare (as prescription-based pharmaceuticals), cosmetics, nutraceutical, and with individual consumers.

However, there is one catch: Standard plant-based extraction of these rare compounds doesn't tend to be economically viable, therefore synthetic manufacturing is key to success.

How do companies replicate the compound, then, without compromising the integrity of the product?

Created by InMed (NASDAQ:INM), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, the new manufacturing approach IntegraSyn(tm) provides a proprietary and cost-effective approach for the manufacturing of rare cannabinoid APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients). InMed is also the first company to advance the rare cannabinoid, cannabinol (CBN) into a clinical trial as a potential therapeutic to treat diseases with unmet medical needs, including its current studies with skin and ocular diseases. However, it was during the fine-tuning of its biosynthesis program when the IntegraSyn approach was born.

The truth is that extraction of rare cannabinoids can be prohibitively expensive, chemical synthesis might not produce accurate results, and standard biosynthesis may result in lower yields of cannabinoids in general. However, through IntegraSyn(tm), these worries are put to rest. Using E. coli biofermentation through its detailed process, to manufacture a highly efficient enzyme as a basic ingredient to manufacture rare cannabinoids, combined with innovative and low-cost upstream processing and downstream purification, an API-grade bioidentical cannabinoid is created. Its flexible yet modular approach allows production to easily shift from one cannabinoid to a range of cannabinoids.

What does this mean, exactly? Through this optimization, manufacturing costs are lowered and higher yields are produced, a twofold benefit.

IntegraSyn(tm)'s process yields 5g/L of cannabinoids, far exceeding currently reported industry yields and significantly surpasses the minimal level for commercial viability. Increased yield means a lower price overall, which is vital for pharmaceutical and health/wellness companies so that cannabinoids can be widely accessible and utilized in new products. In light of these new impressive yields InMed is advancing towards another key milestone -- producing a commercial-scale batch through a GMP-ready process in the coming months.

There's no doubt that significant medical discoveries have been made with the advancement of civilization, and the discovery and use of rare cannabinoids are no exception. Equally as important as the product itself is the process in which it is produced. By creating this novel manufacturing system, it is clear that InMed is positioned to unlock the benefits of rare cannabinoids by building a leading technologically advanced rare-cannabinoid pharmaceutical company.