Israeli and Swiss Scientists Join Forces to Create New Medical Cannabis Strains
Israeli scientists have teamed up with their colleagues from Switzerland to develop new strains of cannabis specifically designed for treating certain diseases. Earlier this month, the Swiss-based company Pure Cannabis Research AG signed a partnership agreement with NRGene, an Israeli company specializing in plant genome analysis. Their goal is to create new cannabis strains with chemical compositions tailored for fast and effective therapy of various chronic illnesses.
Pure Cannabis Research hopes that this partnership with geneticists will soon allow them to produce the first samples of cannabis plants with specific cannabinoid profiles, making them suitable as medicines for particular conditions. Additionally, the company believes these new plants will be stronger and more resilient hybrids than the varieties currently available on the market. Each new hybrid is expected to contain a unique, naturally unattainable mix of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, which together could provide powerful therapeutic and energizing effects for patients suffering from rare and chronic diseases.
Moreover, company executives claim that if the new line of plants succeeds in the global market, they will launch other innovative projects, such as cannabis strains whose extracts could be used as energy and flavor additives in sports drinks, as well as varieties that could help people quit smoking tobacco more easily.
According to a press release issued at the beginning of the month, “the main goal of the collaboration between Pure Cannabis Research and NRGene is to create and distribute cannabis strains that would not be possible to develop under the current commercial cannabis market conditions.”
Genetic Engineering and Future Prospects
Stevens Senn, head of Pure Holding Group (the parent company of Pure Cannabis Research), told journalists that such plants can be created by artificially increasing the expression of certain genes during the selection and crossbreeding of different cannabis varieties. Researchers are particularly focused on finding ways to increase the average CBD concentration in cannabis plants.
“It’s quite possible that in just a couple of years, our company will be able to meet all the therapeutic CBD needs of Israel, Switzerland, and EU countries. Thanks to these new developments, cannabis could become not only a medicine but also an important dietary supplement, a cosmetic ingredient, and a tobacco substitute,” Mr. Senn suggests.
Currently, Pure Holding Group and its various subsidiaries own two production plantations totaling 300,000 square feet, where the new CBD-rich cannabis strains will be cultivated. According to Mr. Senn, NRGene experts have already mapped the genomes of several food crops, such as potatoes, wheat, strawberries, and oats, so modifying the cannabis genome should not pose a significant challenge for them.
“In addition to creating precise genetic maps of these plants, NRGene scientists have learned to identify key genetic markers responsible for fertility and the chemical composition of the flowers. I am confident that with this knowledge, researchers will soon be able to present the first modified cannabis varieties to the public,” Senn explains.
Mapping the Cannabis Genome
As part of the project to create new cannabis varieties, scientists will also develop a detailed genome map of several genetically distinct cannabis strains. The idea is to combine certain features from different genomes, each with unique medicinal properties, into a single plant. The collected information will also be used to create a complete library of cannabis genetic variation, or a plant pangenome.
“The cannabis pangenome project will provide other scientists and breeders with all known information about the plant, significantly simplifying their work in developing new hybrids,” notes a researcher from the NRGene laboratory in an interview.
Dr. Gil Ronen, director of NRGene, told the press that the company’s partnership with Pure Cannabis Research will be a real breakthrough in medical cannabis and the production of therapeutic plant varieties.
“I am sure that these new discoveries will be extremely valuable to humanity, which has recently rediscovered the technical and medical properties of cannabis in fields such as new drug development, raw material sourcing for industry, and environmentally friendly fuels,” says Dr. Ronen. “Our team is truly honored to participate in the development of new cannabis types that can be effectively used for these purposes.”