CannaVcell Launches Bioreactor-Based Cannabinoid Production

On September 26, 2019, the Canadian cannabis company CannaVcell announced the successful completion of an experiment to produce cannabinoids in a bioreactor. The company utilized a patented technology developed by BioHarvest.

Cannabinoids Synthesized by Plant Cells

CannaVcell’s team cultivated cannabis cells and trichomes in a small bioreactor, which produced five key compounds:

• Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA)
• Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA)
• Cannabidiol (CBD)
• Cannabinol (CBN)
• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

This innovation allows CannaVcell to obtain cannabinoids without growing the entire plant. The main advantage of BioHarvest’s technology is reduced production costs and guaranteed high quality of the final product. CannaVcell co-founder Zaki Rakib stated that the company has revolutionized the cannabis industry. After testing the bioreactor’s efficiency, the company now plans to scale up cannabinoid production to an industrial level.

Facilities to Produce Two Tons of Cannabis Material Annually

BioHarvest and CannaVcell aim to complete the first phase of commercial cannabinoid production by the end of 2020. Experts estimate that the annual output will reach two tons. Another facility is scheduled to open in 2021.

The companies’ employees are the first researchers to successfully grow stable cannabis trichomes and cells in suspension. Previously, scientists only experimented with solid media, which significantly limited production volumes. Suspension cultivation makes it easy to scale up cannabinoid production to industrial levels.

Eitan Popper, co-founder of the cannabis company MedReleaf, believes that CannaVcell’s technological platform can be used for cost-effective production of cannabis-derived compounds, as well as for breeding and synthesizing secondary metabolites (substances not involved in growth, development, or reproduction). BioHarvest’s CTO, Yochi Hagay, stated that the cannabinoids produced by the cells in the bioreactor are identical to those found in the cannabis plant. According to him, the quality of the raw material meets the standards required for pharmaceutical products and consumer goods.

CannaVcell has obtained exclusive rights to use BioHarvest’s technology. The company plans to supply cannabinoids to both medical and recreational markets. Building a commercial bioreactor will require additional investment, so the company is selling shares on the Canadian Stock Exchange. The stock (ticker: CNVC) is priced at 0.165 Canadian dollars.

Growing Cells in Suspension

Powder made from cannabis cells grown in a bioreactor: