Latest news with #cannabinoids
Health Line
6 days ago
- Business
- Health Line
Does Medicare Cover Medical Marijuana (Cannabis)?
Key takeaways Medicare does not cover medical cannabis because it's considered a Schedule I controlled substance federally, and doctors cannot legally prescribe it. Some Part D and Medicare Advantage plans may cover FDA-approved cannabinoid-based medications like cannabidiol (Epidiolex), dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros), and nabilone (Cesamet), but coverage can vary. As of 2023, 39 states and Washington, D.C., have approved the sale and use of medical cannabis, though it remains illegal at the federal level. More states are legalizing medical cannabis with each passing year. That may make you wonder whether Medicare will cover the cost of medical cannabis in your state. Federally, cannabis remains a controlled substance. It's illegal to possess or use the drug under federal law. However, individual states have passed laws allowing distribution and sale within their state boundaries. Medicare won't cover medical cannabis because it's considered a Schedule I controlled substance. In fact, doctors cannot even legally prescribe it. Some people may use medical cannabis to manage symptoms like: pain nausea seizures If you've received a doctor's recommendation and your state has legalized medical cannabis, read on to learn what you need to know about coverage, how and why it's used, and more. Why doesn't Medicare cover medical cannabis? Medicare doesn't cover drugs that are illegal according to the federal government. This includes cannabis for medical use. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not cleared cannabis as a safe and effective treatment for any medical use. That's true even if you live in a state where it's medically legal. This is another reason Medicare won't cover medical cannabis. Learn what Medicare covers. What about Medicare prescription drug plans? Medicare Part C, or Medicare Advantage, is health insurance offered by private insurance companies that provides additional coverage beyond Original Medicare (parts A and B). Extra coverage may include: dental care vision care some prescription drugs Medicare Part D is medical insurance that's also offered through private companies and covers prescription drugs. It doesn't, however, cover medical cannabis. Parts C and D could cover the cost of cannabinoid medications that have been approved by the FDA and are available without restriction. This is where some flexibility exists. Cannabinoid medications may be covered by Medicare drug plans for their intended uses because they're approved by the FDA. These can include: Epidiolex dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) nabilone (Cesamet) If you're unsure what your plan covers, contact your Medicare prescription drug plan directly. They can help you understand whether you have coverage for any cannabinoid medication and how to fill a prescription. What is medical cannabis used to treat? Some people recommend medical cannabis to ease symptoms like: nausea from chemotherapy loss of appetite inflammation anxiety pain epileptic seizures muscle stiffness Medical cannabis is often suggested to treat the symptoms of stage 3 HIV or cancer. Research suggests it can boost appetite and reduce nausea associated with certain health conditions. If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), medical cannabis may help ease pain and reduce muscle stiffness. Cannabinoid-based medications Dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) can be used to ease nausea and vomiting from cancer treatment and increase appetite in people with stage 3 HIV. Nabilone (Cesamet) can improve appetite and weight maintenance in people with stage 3 HIV. Epidiolex can help prevent seizures and is used as a treatment for epilepsy. The FDA has approved these medications for these uses. The federal government considers cannabis illegal and holds strict control over it and any cannabinoid-based products. That means research on the possible benefits or even the side effects of cannabis use is limited. Without data from clinical research, the FDA won't be able to update its position on the safety or effectiveness of its medical uses. State medical cannabis laws As of 2023, 39 states and Washington, D.C., have approved the sale and use of medical cannabis. Some of those states have also approved cannabis products for recreational use. In states where only medical cannabis is legal, you're required to get a medical cannabis card. The rules and steps for getting a medical cannabis card may vary from state to state, but here are the basics: Make an appointment with your primary healthcare professional: Your doctor will likely give you a full physical exam and review your medical history. If your doctor thinks medical cannabis might help, they may approve you for a medical cannabis card. Renew your cannabis card annually: This may require follow-up visits. Ask your doctor if there are any other additional steps you'll need to take. Most cannabis cards are registered with the state government. Your doctor can't prescribe cannabis products directly: Federal law prevents doctors from prescribing substances that are illegal. Cannabis remains illegal under federal law. Instead, your doctor may suggest you may benefit from it. Even though all types of cannabis are illegal at the federal level, the federal government hasn't taken steps to prosecute those who use it within a state with legal cannabis trade. However, it's still possible to face prosecution under federal law under certain circumstances. What's the difference between medical cannabis and CBD? Cannabis contains several dozen active chemicals. The two most well known are cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC. CBD's potential benefits include: improved relaxation pain reduction lowered anxiety THC is the chemical responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis. In recent years, CBD has been isolated from THC and is sold even in states that don't allow medical cannabis. In states where medical cannabis is legal, both CBD and THC products are available for a variety of health issues. Like medical cannabis, individual states have their own legislation regarding legal levels of CBD. Check your state's legislation for specific information, and be mindful of other state laws when traveling with CBD. How medical marijuana may affect the opioid crisis Limited research suggests the use of cannabis is reducing the use of opioids and pain medications with high addiction potential. Because cannabis may help relieve some of the same symptoms as opioids, doctors may not prescribe pain medications if cannabis is an option. How do I use medical cannabis? With better processing equipment, medical cannabis producers and distributors have created a variety of cannabis-infused products. Common forms of consumption include: smoking vaping eating (in foods or drinks made with cannabis) spraying under the tongue tinctures topical applications, like oils and creams Talk with your doctor if you're not familiar with how to use medical cannabis or aren't sure which method of consumption might work best for your condition. They can help connect you with resources for understanding proper usage. How much does medical cannabis cost? Medical cannabis cards aren't usually free. Cards generally cost about $50 or more when you first apply. You may also have to pay annual renewal fees. If medical cannabis is approved in your state, check your state government's website for specific cost information. For each renewal, you'll visit your doctor to discuss whether you still need medical cannabis for your condition. This office visit may or may not be covered by your particular Medicare plan. Contact your plan ahead of time to find out if: the visit will be covered there's a copay and, if so, how much it is you'll need to pay the full bill out of pocket In some states, a medical cannabis card gives discounts on cannabis products you purchase. Discounts may cover the cost of the card, depending on the frequency and amount you use. Your Medicare prescription drug plan may cover FDA-approved cannabinoid-based medications like dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros), nabilone (Cesamet), and Epidiolex, at least in part. Prices vary. Check with your doctor for availability and pricing options. You can check your plan's list of covered medications, called a formulary, before filling a prescription or contact your plan directly to ask about coverage. Takeaway Medicare won't cover the cost of medical cannabis because it's federally illegal and not approved by the FDA. However, Medicare may pay for cannabinoid-based medications. You must obtain a medical cannabis card before you can buy cannabis products, even in states where it's available recreationally. A medical cannabis card may provide discounts. If you're curious whether medical cannabis is an option for you, talk with your doctor. Together you can review your symptoms and look for alternatives if your doctor doesn't think cannabis products are the right choice for you. The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
MediPharm Labs Board Issues Letter to Shareholders in Response to Inadequate Dissident Plan
TORONTO, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSX: LABS) ('MediPharm' or the 'Company'), a pharmaceutical company specialized in precision-based cannabinoids, today issued a Letter to Shareholders from the Company's Board of Directors (the 'Letter'). The Letter is a response to the amended and restated dissident proxy circular filed by Apollo on May 20, 2025, and in particular Apollo's plan for the Company. The full text of the Letter to Shareholders follows. MESSAGE FROM THE MEDIPHARM BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dear Fellow Shareholders, The Board of Directors of MediPharm Labs Corp. ('MediPharm', the 'Company', 'we', 'our' or 'us'), is writing to provide you with important updates on the upcoming vote at our Annual & Special Meeting of Shareholders on June 16, 2025 (the 'Meeting'). As a reminder, we encourage you to please vote using ONLY the GREEN proxy or GREEN voting instruction card and support each of the director nominees recommended by MediPharm's Board of Directors (the 'Board') and the other matters being considered at the Meeting. Dissident shareholder Apollo Technology Capital Corp. ('Apollo') has published a plan for MediPharm (the 'Dissident Plan'), approximately two weeks after launching their proxy campaign. The Dissident Plan offers little reassurance that Apollo has given serious thought to what they would do if their campaign were successful. In this letter we provide our response to Apollo's plan, and an update on other important matters relating to the vote. YOUR COMPANY IS UNDER ATTACK To begin, it is necessary to state that Apollo's campaign to seize control of MediPharm is nothing less than an attack against your Company. We do not believe the dissidents are the well-intentioned and successful business leaders they portray themselves to be. They appear to be a group that descends on companies with sizeable cash balances and other assets that they believe to be vulnerable, parlaying a small and recently obtained ownership position into full control of the board, and then redirecting resources for their own personal benefit at the expense of the other shareholders. We are concerned that they may be misleading shareholders into supporting them while obscuring their true goals. They appear to be counting on shareholder disinterest and low voter turnout allowing their small ownership position to have an outsized influence. Please remember that your support is essential, and every vote matters when the future of the Company is at stake. Apollo now issues news releases almost daily. While they have expressed concerns about the information we are bringing to light, in reality, we are simply presenting facts from publicly available information that reveal a questionable track record. Informing shareholders about risks is part of the Board's duty to act in the best interest of the Company. We believe there are significant risks to MediPharm's business if this group takes control. The Company is concerned about the prospect of losing customers, suppliers, partners and employees. The consistent feedback we have received from these groups, as well as shareholders, has been very blunt. Many have expressed concerns about their willingness to continue their business relationships with Apollo. The Chair's letter to shareholders we distributed on May 11, 2025 (the ' May 11 Letter ') recounted the business transformation engineered by CEO David Pidduck and his team since 2022. Today we are better positioned than ever to capitalize on our unique pharmaceutical grade capabilities, growing international business and financial strength. Could Apollo reverse the significant progress MediPharm has made over the past three years? ANALYSIS OF THE DISSIDENT PLAN FOR MEDIPHARM Apollo is seeking 100% control of the Board based on its ownership of just 3% of the shares. Among the many standards they must meet to justify a complete replacement of the existing Board is to present a detailed, credible alternative plan for value creation. We believe they have failed to do so. Before getting into their specific strategies, we will offer the following general observations: Shareholders who received the amended and restated dissident proxy circular dated May 20, 2025 (the 'Dissident Circular') may have noticed that the 'plan' included in that document consisted, in its entirety, of five bullet points totaling 46 words. Presumably the full-length Dissident Plan was an afterthought and was not ready by the deadline to print the Dissident Circular. Given the aggressive campaign launched to overthrow the Company's entire Board, we would have assumed that an informed, thoughtful and well-articulated plan would have been a top priority, as opposed to the questionable behaviour, fearmongering and intimidation tactics used by the dissidents. In order to keep our shareholders informed, we are incorporating into our analysis the more detailed five-pillar plan Apollo subsequently posted to a website. Commentary on each of the five points follows. Pursue growth in international markets Admittedly, targeting the international medical market is the best idea in the entire Dissident Plan; however, that is because it mirrors MediPharm's existing strategy. Apollo proposes that MediPharm should 'unlock growth' and 're-engage' the international market that already forms the largest and fastest-growing segment of our business. This reinforces that Apollo either does not understand our current strategy or is repackaging our initiatives as their own. The international medical market now represents more than half our revenues, and it grew by 87% year-over-year in Q1 2025. This is part of what Apollo describes as our revenue 'imploding.' The biggest single driver of our international growth has been the highly successful VIVO acquisition (which Apollo describes as a 'disaster'). We continue to forge new partnerships to accelerate growth in both existing and new markets such as Brazil in a thoughtful and strategic manner. Something vital to understand about the international medical business is that it requires building long-term, co-operative relationships and trust with customers and partners. A key European customer has already advised us that they would cease doing business with MediPharm if Apollo is successful in taking control. Apollo's approach of threats, misrepresentations, baseless claims and distracting, unending litigation is simply incompatible with the pharmaceutical space, where patients' health and well-being are at stake. Far from growing our international business, Apollo would be more likely to jeopardize the tremendous progress we have made. Look for ways to reduce expenses Once again, Apollo takes an aspect of the business in which we have been highly successful and adopts it into their own plan. We agree that financial discipline is essential. MediPharm's management team has reduced operating expenses by $42 million on an annualized basis in the past several years, compared to the combined MediPharm and VIVO Cannabis operations in the first quarter of 2022, and expect this emphasis on financial discipline to continue in 2025 and beyond. Effective cost management, along with revenue growth and margin expansion, enabled us to invest in working capital in Q1 2025, building up inventory to address near-term sales opportunities. These investments will drive sales and generate cash, which in turn can help fund further investments in growth. This cash flow cycle is fundamental to any manufacturing business. The Dissident Circular and other communications materials, however, describe the $3.3 million of cash we used in Q1 2025 as a 'loss' and incorrectly claim the Company is 'on pace to run out of cash by November 2025.' These statements are false and misleading, based on mischaracterized financial data and an apparent misunderstanding of our working capital cycle, and seemingly intended to create a false sense of panic. As Apollo is well aware, the Company's actual net loss in Q1 2025 was $387,000, a year-over-year improvement of $3.2 million. On the basis of fabricated urgency, Apollo plans to 'halt all non-essential spending' and 'conduct a comprehensive strategic review of expenses and business units to preserve capital.' MediPharm's Board and management team have already been doing so for the past several years, as evidenced by the improvement in margins and profitability. We have doubts that such a review can be led by Apollo Chairman and CEO Regan McGee, who does not appear ever to have run a profitable business, or by the other Dissident Nominees who lack experience in the medical cannabis and pharmaceutical space. It is noteworthy that Mr. McGee and his associates have never asked us a single question about the business or shown interest in any operational or commercial aspects of the Company. Stop the sale of assets Apollo's plan to 'end the reckless sale of productive assets' is in direct contradiction to their commitment to reduce expenses. Operating unprofitable facilities or business units costs money. An important driver of the operating expense reductions noted above has been our strategic refocusing on the core business. That refocusing has included asset sales that will have generated $14 million of cash in the past three years, including the $4.5 million of proceeds from the Hope facility sale we expect to close in June 2025. These non-core asset sales improved our financial position with no sacrifice in strategic value. Apollo did not identify which asset sales they deemed to be 'strategic assets.' This omission speaks to the lack of a coherent strategy – asset preservation cannot be a standalone objective absent a plan to restore profitability. Perhaps they are referring to the Hope facility where we had already ceased commercial activities, or the equipment purchased and built during the pre-2020 era that was not being used. Perhaps they would have retained the Australian facility which was redundant and bleeding cash. To be clear, our current cash position and operating performance are sufficient to continue to execute on our strategic plan. With virtually no debt and outright ownership of our two remaining production facilities valued at over $15 million, we believe we have access to capital if required. We are under no pressure to sell any assets and would only do so if they no longer fit with our strategy. We will continue to manage our portfolio of assets appropriately. Replace the CEO and rework the compensation structure The Dissident Plan is to fire David Pidduck and launch a global search for a new CEO. Apollo has not disclosed who would serve as interim leadership, leaving a critical gap in governance continuity at a pivotal time for the business. This is an important detail that Apollo should have communicated to shareholders, given that it would apparently take effect immediately. Would the new CEO be Regan McGee, someone in the real estate sector with no cannabis or pharmaceutical experience? Or perhaps it would be Dissident Nominee John Fowler, who was recently relieved of his CEO duties at Muskoka Grown after joining the public attack against its own customer, MediPharm? His active campaigning on behalf of Apollo raises the question of whether he has been promised a reward for his efforts beyond a Board seat. We also note that Mr. Fowler was eased out of the C-suite at Supreme Cannabis well before its sale to Canopy Growth Corporation which Apollo implies was one of Mr. Fowler's accomplishments. Neither choice seems like a good one. Nor does it appear to be in the best interests of shareholders. We suspect Mr. McGee would oversee the CEO recruitment process, as he has spearheaded every aspect of the dissident campaign and is the only Dissident Nominee to own any MediPharm shares. It is noteworthy that Mr. McGee has had multiple close business relationships end in litigation. This includes disputes with at least six former directors (which he considers to be a 'small group' although it represented 75% of the eight directors who were not Mr. McGee or his wife), two former CFOs and multiple investors in Apollo subsidiary Nobul – even though he appears to have had full control over the selection of those individuals. This raises a number of questions: (1) Is Mr. McGee a good judge of talent? (2) Does he select good people who then, allegedly, proceed to go 'rogue' and inexplicably conspire against him? (3) Is he really the visionary and successful leader he claims to be? Similarly, the litigation, board upheaval and CEO/CFO turnover at Check-Cap seem to follow a similar tumultuous pattern under the leadership of two of Apollo's other Dissident Nominees, David Lontini and Alan D. Lewis II. Are these the people you would trust to choose or become MediPharm's next CEO? The Dissident Plan places significant emphasis on compensation, promising to 'align executive compensation with shareholder returns and profitability.' As noted in the May 11 Letter, the fully independent Compensation Committee of the Board sets ambitious targets, rewards our executives for meeting them, and includes a meaningful equity component so that the financial interests of our officers are well-aligned with those of our shareholders. As a significant shareholder, Mr. Pidduck has a very strong incentive to increase the share price. Given the number of issues raised and to de-bunk many of the accusations made by Apollo, we have added more detailed insights into executive compensation to our AGM website at MediPharm has undergone a dramatic turnaround under Mr. Pidduck's leadership since he joined the Company as CEO three years ago at a time the Company was in true financial distress. The Canadian cannabis sector has been littered with bankruptcies in recent years, in contrast to MediPharm's consistently improving results and peer-leading balance sheet and cash position. The Board is confident that shareholders have received full value for the compensation we have paid to our executive team over the past few years. The compensation of the CEO has decreased in each of the past two years. Before moving on from the topic of executive compensation, we will note that we have been very concerned to learn about publicly available allegations made by former directors and shareholders of Nobul that Mr. McGee and his co-defendants 'siphon investor funds for themselves and leave only a minimal amount of capital in the company.' Transparency and good governance The final plank of the Dissident Plan represents one of the most serious areas of concern. Quite simply, it is our view that this is not the right group of individuals to be making representations of any sort about transparency and governance. Apollo's slate of Dissident Nominees is rife with corporate governance flaws, including interlocking relationships that would impair independence, potential conflicts of interest, and limited experience in the medical cannabis and pharmaceutical space. We described these problems in our May 15, 2025 news release. Apollo says its nominees would 'serve shareholders, not management.' We were very concerned by the allegations made by the six former directors of Mr. McGee's Nobul, highlighting a 'toxic' atmosphere, 'gutted' internal controls, and crucial information being 'stonewalled,' 'obfuscated' or 'actively concealed' from the board and shareholders. Such allegations, if accurate and proven in court, would represent the antithesis of both transparency and good governance. We excerpted some of these allegations in our May 21, 2025 news release. Three of the Dissident Nominees (Mr. Lontini, Mr. Lewis and Mr. McGee) have been involved in questionable governance practices at Check-Cap, appearing to drain its treasury by transferring millions of dollars of cash to fund Nobul's business and investor activism pursuits, potentially contrary to the interests of Check-Cap shareholders. We detailed this troubling situation in a May 23, 2025 news release. The MediPharm Board stands behind our performance on governance practices. Our seven nominees include five independent directors, two of whom are women, with none of the interlocking relationships that would impair the independence of the Dissident Nominees. We pride ourselves in conducting all of our business relationships with integrity, trust and transparency. A CAMPAIGN OF MISREPRESENTATION As mentioned several times already, Apollo has chosen to make liberal use of misleading statements, misrepresentations and outright deception in its communications to MediPharm shareholders in an attempt to create a false sense of urgency and doom. The Dissident Plan is largely built on a need to solve imaginary problems. Unlike MediPharm, Apollo is not constrained by securities laws and the rules of the TSX in making misrepresentations to the market, and has certainly been taking advantage of this when making bald assertions in their communications with the public and MediPharm shareholders. Below are just a few of the more egregious examples of Apollo's recent misrepresentations about MediPharm. The sheer volume of misinformation leads us to conclude that Apollo is actively trying to harm MediPharm's business in order to advance their own self-interest and seize control. This behaviour is consistent with the intention articulated in a communication sent to multiple shareholders in April by former MediPharm CEO Pat McCutcheon, who we believe to have been acting on behalf of Apollo. That communication said Apollo's plan was to: 'go with a very aggressive public markets communications strategy and attack the company legally – which will drop the stock to [$0.01 to $0.02] and then give them the ability to do a hostile takeover of the company.' _______________________________________________ 1 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure, which is not a standardized financial measure under IFRS and which might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. MediPharm calculates Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) with interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, non-cash adjustments and other unusual or non-recurring items added back. Refer to the sections entitled 'Use of Non-IFRS Financial Measures' and 'Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures' in MediPharm's management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2025, which is incorporated by reference herein and which can be located on MediPharm's profile on SEDAR+ at Our shareholders should be asking why they would ever trust this group to run the Company. We also wish to provide an update on certain litigation matters relating to Apollo. On May 23, 2025, Apollo agreed to dismiss its frivolous $50 million conflicts claim against our litigation counsel, in its entirety. As part of the agreement to dismiss the claim, Mr. McGee, ATCC and Nobul also unequivocally declared: 'Tyr LLP and James Bunting have not misused confidential information and are not in a conflict of interest by acting for MediPharm.' We believe this development illustrates why scepticism should be applied to any statements made by Apollo, and expect that their equally meritless $50 million defamation suit which remains outstanding against David Pidduck and our Chair, Chris Taves, will also lead nowhere. In contrast to the Dissident Plan, we invite shareholders to review MediPharm's proven strategy for creating value in our publicly filed documents including in our AGM website at under the heading 'Our Plan.' SHAREHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT We hope shareholders would agree that the MediPharm team has always made ourselves available to you and all shareholders. Since the start of this proxy contest, we have increased our outreach to ensure that you have the information you need. As for Apollo's claims that the Board has refused to engage with them, that is yet another of their misrepresentations. We touched on Mr. McGee's threatening behaviour in the May 11 Letter. We regularly speak with a wide range of stakeholders, from customers to suppliers, regulators, other industry players, investors and potential M&A partners. We have never experienced anything close to the hostile approach Mr. McGee has taken. We do not do business with people like him, which is part of the reason we turned down the equity offers he made to the Company and to certain MediPharm directors and officers in April. Apollo has been very vocal about multiple demands for how the Meeting should be run. Mr. McGee has claimed that there are two possibilities: either Apollo will win the proxy contest, or it will have been stolen from him, in which case he plans to launch another costly battle for control. Apollo's specific demands around these Meeting processes are unfounded and overreaching in light of the already equitable and protective measures the Company has put in place, in accordance with and in addition to applicable corporate and securities laws, to run a fair and just Meeting. MediPharm is committed to holding orderly annual meetings in compliance with securities and corporate laws and has always upheld shareholder democracy. We wish to thank many of our long-term shareholders who have been supportive through this process, while asking good questions and offering solid, thoughtful advice. The executive team and Board have been very impressed with the knowledge and passion you have shown for MediPharm's business. The one thing that could allow a dissident group like this one to take over a company is apathy and disinterest from shareholders. Every vote matters, and we are very happy that so many of you are vested and engaged in the success of the Company. PLEASE VOTE TO PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT As shareholders, you are receiving conflicting information from both sides of this proxy contest. The Board recognizes that it is you as shareholders who decide the future leadership and control of the Company. Apollo has not presented a serious plan. That, along with their track record, leaves us to conclude that their true objective is to take control of the Company's cash and assets without offering a premium or credible long-term plan. We urge you to protect your investment and vote the GREEN proxy. Remember that your vote is important, regardless of the number of shares that you own. Please remember to visit our AGM website at for the most timely information. We thank you for your support and look forward to hosting you on June 16, 2025. Sincerely, The Board of Directors MediPharm Labs Corp. About MediPharm Labs Founded in 2015, MediPharm Labs specializes in the development and manufacture of purified, pharmaceutical-quality cannabis concentrates, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and advanced derivative products utilizing a Good Manufacturing Practices certified facility with ISO standard-built clean rooms. MediPharm Labs has invested in an expert, research driven team, state-of-the-art technology, downstream purification methodologies and purpose-built facilities for delivery of pure, trusted and precision-dosed cannabis products for its customers. MediPharm Labs develops, formulates, processes, packages and distributes cannabis and advanced cannabinoid-based products to domestic and international medical markets. In 2021, MediPharm Labs received a Pharmaceutical Drug Establishment License from Health Canada, becoming the only company in North America to hold a commercial-scale domestic Good Manufacturing Practices License for the extraction of multiple natural cannabinoids. This GMP license was the first step in the Company's current foreign drug manufacturing site registration with the US FDA. In 2023, MediPharm acquired VIVO Cannabis Inc., which expanded MediPharm's reach to medical patients in Canada via Canna Farms medical ecommerce platform, and in Australia and Germany through Beacon Medical Australia PTY Ltd. and Beacon Medical Germany GMBH. This acquisition also included Harvest Medical Clinics in Canada which provides medical cannabis patients with Physician consultations for medical cannabis education and prescriptions. The Company carries out its operations in compliance with all applicable laws in the countries in which it operates. Shareholder Voting Assistance: If you have any questions or require any assistance in executing your GREEN proxy or voting instruction form, please call Sodali & Co at: North American Toll-Free Number: 1.888.777.2059 Outside North America, Banks, Brokers and Collect Calls: 1.289.695.3075 Email: [email protected] North American Toll-Free Facsimile: 1.877.218.5372 For up-to-date information and assistance in voting please visit: Investor Contact: MediPharm Labs Investor Relations Telephone: +1 416.913.7425 Email: [email protected] Media Contact: John Vincic Oakstrom Advisors +1 (647) 402-6375 [email protected] Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains 'forward-looking information' and 'forward-looking statements' (collectively, 'forward-looking statements') within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as 'expects', or 'does not expect', 'is expected', 'anticipates' or 'does not anticipate', 'plans', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'forecasts', 'estimates', 'believes' or 'intends' or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results 'may' or 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will' be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things: the intent, objectives and implications of the dissidents and the Dissident Plan, the impacts of the actions of the dissidents and the Dissident Plan on shareholders of the Company, amount of voter turnout at the upcoming annual and special meeting of shareholders of the Company scheduled for June 16, 2025 (the 'Meeting'), future tactics to be employed by the dissidents, risks to the Company as a result of the actions of the dissidents including any loss of customers, suppliers, partners and employees of the Company, the pursuit of growth by the Company in international markets, forging new partnerships and accelerating growth in existing and new markets, any jeopardization of progress made by the Company, methods for the Company to reduce expenses, any projected liquidity or profitability issues of the Company, any future sales of the Company's assets, management of the Company's portfolio of assets moving forward, the future management team of the Company, any changes to executive compensation of the Company, governance practices relating to the Company, any potential takeover of the Company, results of the proxy contest for the Meeting, creation of sustainable long term shareholder value, the Company's future growth strategies and available M&A opportunities, and the key drivers of the Company's competitive advantages and international growth objectives. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the inability of MediPharm Labs to obtain adequate financing; the delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; and other factors discussed in MediPharm Labs' continuous disclosure filings, available on the SEDAR+ website at There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, MediPharm Labs assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
National Post
22-05-2025
- Health
- National Post
ZYUS Life Sciences Finalizing Site Initiation for Phase 2A Clinical Trial Advancing Novel Non-Opioid Pain Drug
Article content Article content SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — ZYUS Life Sciences Corporation (the 'Company') (TSXV: ZYUS), a Canadian-based life sciences company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical drug candidates for pain management, is pleased to announce it is in the process of finalizing site initiation for the initial locations to be used in its Phase 2 UTOPIA (Unique Treatment of Oncology Pain in Advanced Cancer) clinical trial. Article content The Phase 2 UTOPIA clinical trial will consist of Phase 2A ('UTOPIA-1') and Phase 2B ('UTOPIA-2). UTOPIA-1 is a single-arm proof-of-concept study to investigate the safety and preliminary analgesic efficacy of Trichomylin ® softgel capsules in humans with advanced cancer and moderate to severe cancer-related pain. Insights gained from UTOPIA-1 will guide the strategy for UTOPIA-2, which will be a randomized, placebo-controlled trial that will further assess safety and efficacy in a larger patient population. Article content Patient enrollment for UTOPIA-1 is expected to begin in early June 2025, across multiple sites in Canada, with interim data from UTOPIA-1 anticipated mid-summer 2025. Article content ZYUS' announcement comes at a time of growing global recognition of the untapped potential of cannabinoids in oncology. A meta-analysis of medial cannabis outcomes and associations with cancer published in Frontiers in Oncology on April 14, 2025, analyzed over 10,000 peer-reviewed studies encompassing 39,767 data points. The findings revealed a 'strong consensus' supporting cannabinoids for managing cancer-related symptoms. While researchers highlight the need for further research to assess the full therapeutic potential of cannabinoids, the findings signal a critical shift in the scientific conversation. This emerging body of evidence reinforces the importance of rigorous clinical research, product purity and consistency, and reinforces ZYUS' commitment to advancing evidence-based cannabinoid therapies. Article content 'As we finalize site initiation for UTOPIA-1, we are proud to advance clinical development of Trichomylin ® softgel capsules,' said Brent Zettl, President and CEO of ZYUS. 'Our research aims to bridge the gap between conventional treatments like opioids and NSAIDs, and deliver an alternative, evidence-based pharmaceutical option for cancer pain. This trial is a pivotal step in our journey to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.' Article content ZYUS (TSXV: ZYUS) is a life sciences company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical drug candidates for pain management. Through rigorous scientific exploration and clinical research, ZYUS aims to secure intellectual property protection, safeguarding its innovative therapies and bolstering shareholder value. ZYUS' unwavering commitment extends to obtaining regulatory approval of non-opioid-based pharmaceutical solutions, in pursuit of transformational impact on patients' lives. For additional information, visit or follow us on X @ZYUSCorp. Article content This news release contains 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business, the Company's ability to advance clinical research activities, obtain regulatory approval of cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical drug candidates and introduce products that act as alternatives to current pain management therapies such as opioids, use UTOPIA-1 to guide the strategy for UTOPIA-2, begin patient enrollment in June 2025 and obtain interim data respecting UTOPIA-1 by mid-summer 2025. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as 'expects', 'anticipates', 'intends', 'contemplates', 'believes', 'projects', 'plans', 'will' and similar expressions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements about, among other things, the Company's business, the Company's ability to advance clinical research activities, obtain regulatory approval of cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical drug candidates, introduce products that act as alternatives to current pain management therapies such as opioids, use UTOPIA-1 to guide the strategy for UTOPIA-2 begin patient enrollment in June 2025 and obtain interim data respecting UTOPIA-1 by mid-summer 2025 are all forward-looking information. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to achieve these results. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances or actual results unless required by applicable law. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content For more information, please contact: Article content ZYUS Media Inquiries media@ 1-833-651-7723 Article content Article content Article content
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Far-Red Light Boosts THC In Some Cannabis Strains And Lowers Energy Use, Study Finds
growing marijuana with LED phyto lighting. purple cannabis leaves. Far-red lights can improve yield and the quality of specific cannabis strains, and reduce energy costs and carbon emissions amid energy-intensive cannabis cultivation, according to a new study. Published in Nature this week, this Australian government-funded study, conducted by researchers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Southern Cross University, analyzed whether the daily light period to which cannabis plants were exposed could be shortened from 12 to 10 hours by supplementing with far-red light, without sacrificing plant yield or cannabinoid content. The findings suggest that far-red light treatments sometimes enhanced cannabinoid yield in specific strains and, when paired with a 10-hour light schedule, offered about 5.5% energy savings. This would be significant for high-consuming cannabis farming. Cannabis growers in the U.S. use about 1% of the country's total energy, which is more than cryptocurrency mining and all other crops combined, according to a recent study. Far-red light, which sits just beyond the visible spectrum, naturally occurs in sunlight during the early hours of the morning, late in the afternoon, and in shaded spots. Plants have evolved to recognize this kind of light as a cue that they may be shaded by other plants, prompting them to grow taller in search of more sunlight. When far-red light is paired with regular red or white light, it doesn't just trigger growth, but it also enhances photosynthesis. This effect, known as the Emerson enhancement effect, highlights how plants can make more efficient use of different light wavelengths when they work in combination. The research team explored several lighting schedules across three cannabis strains: Cannatonic, known for its high CBD content, and Hindu Kush and Northern Lights, both rich in THC. They compared a traditional 12-hour light cycle with a shortened 10-hour version, along with variations where far-red light was introduced, either at the end of the light phase, the start of the dark phase, or both. In addition to observing changes in plant height, they measured total biomass, which included flowers, leaves, and stems, and analyzed the concentration of various cannabinoids. The results showed that adding far-red light made all the cannabis plants grow taller, especially when the light was used at the end of the day or both before and after lights-off. In some strains, like Cannatonic and Hindu Kush, far-red light combined with a full 12-hour light cycle increased the total weight of the plants, but most of that extra weight came from leaves and stems, not flowers. In fact, flower weight decreased in these cases. The way cannabinoids responded also depended on the strain. Cannatonic had the highest levels of CBD and THC when grown under a regular 12-hour light cycle or when far-red light was added at both ends of the day, but this did not lead to a clear increase in the total amount of cannabinoids per plant, and flower size often dropped. Hindu Kush showed some THC increases with far-red light, especially when it was used both before and after the lights went off. Northern Lights performed better using far-red light right after the main lights turned off, as it led to a strong boost in THC and a 70% increase in total cannabinoid yield compared to the regular light schedule. Researchers, therefore, suggest that growers could increase the potency of these specific cannabis strains while reducing lighting time and carbon footprint by using far-red light. As these effects were seen only in specific cannabis strains, growers should test for themselves whether far-red light works on other strains. Nevertheless, the use of far-red light could potentially help reduce the carbon footprint and make cannabis growing more sustainable, while also maintaining or even boosting yield and quality, and reducing energy costs. 'These findings have significant implications for the cannabis industry, specifically for energy consumption, with electricity being a significant cost for cultivation. Consequently, the preference is to achieve productivity improvements without extending, and ideally reducing, the duration of the artificial lighting period,' the study reads. This is not the first time that the use of far-red light in farming has been studied. Some research shows that its use produced taller cannabis plants but decreased yields, while another study on far-red light in lettuce cultivation showed that intermittent supplementation of far-red light accelerated leaf and bud development, leading to increased yields. This study is in line with others that have analyzed the use of far-red light when growing cannabis. Some research shows that its use produced taller cannabis plants but decreased yields, while others have found that using far-red light in cannabis farming increased plant height but also decreased both flowering and the concentrations of cannabinoids like CBD, THCVA, CBGA, and terpenes in the flowers, compared to a high red-light ratio.
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Texas lawmakers to vote on sweeping restrictions on hemp products
State lawmakers are expected to vote Tuesday on whether to impose sweeping restrictions on popular hemp products containing THC sold at some 8,000 stores throughout Texas. The manager of one Fort Worth shop fears that those who need these products for medicinal purposes will be affected the most. The most popular products at Artisan Vapor & CBD off Eastchase these days are known as Delta 8, Delta 9, and THC-A. They are all cannabinoids derived from hemp and they come in many forms: edibles, drinks, oils, or pre-rolled cigarettes. Collectively, it's what some call legal marijuana in Texas. "I can't tell you the amount of people that come in here that are veterans, people that are in pain, people that want to use this product to help themselves, but they can't get that same access to prescription marijuana in Texas," said Chase Whitworth, the district manager of Artisan Vapors. Whitworth said if SB 3 becomes law, the store would have to pull the majority of their cannabinoid products. Among other regulations, the bill authored by Sen. Charles Perry and pushed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will only allow edible gummies and some drinks to be sold. Everything else would be illegal. But even that can be confusing. "When you say a gummy, what constitutes a gummy? Is taffy a gummy or is that a candy? I don't know. I feel like it falls under both," said Whitworth. Patrick is trying to close a loophole in the farm bill legislation from 6 years ago that allowed for these products to be sold. He posted on social media recently, saying the products are dangerous, especially to kids who get access to them. "They say you have to be 21 to get into the shops," he said. "It doesn't mean they are enforcing it. I know a lot of calls from parents are saying kids are able to buy this stronger than weed they would buy from drug dealers in the corner." Patrick said he still supports the compassionate use programs for medicinal marijuana, but critics say those permits are very difficult to obtain. Studies show the legal cannabidiol industry in Texas could see a loss of more than $19 million if SB 3 becomes law. The bill has previously passed in the House and Senate State Affairs Committees.
