France is going to start a medical cannabis experiment. News circulated that the government was looking for supplier to participate in the program. Today, we know that Tilray and Aurora are among the selected medical cannabis providers.
Sascha Mielcarek, Tilray’s General Manager for Europe, said, “We are pleased to be chosen by the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) and fully appreciate the stakes of this experiment for French patients, and we are determined to contribute to its success actively. Tilray is once again establishing itself as a key player with solid expertise in the service of patient well-being."
Tilray has received the necessary regulatory approvals to participate in the ANSM experimentation in France and will export medical cannabis products from its GMP-certified facility in Cantanhede, Portugal. Tilray's E.U. Campus in Portugal is a multi-faceted production facility that includes research and quality control labs, packaging, and distribution sites for medical cannabis. It also serves as a hub supporting Tilray’s clinical research and product development efforts across Europe.
On the other side, Aurora Europe and Ethypharm were also selected to supply three lots of medical cannabis products. Aurora and Ethypharm signed a collaboration agreement to serve the French pilot program in October 2020 leveraging both parties' expertise. “This is an important milestone and a great success for Aurora in our effort to improve the status and accessibility of medical cannabis in Europe,” said Dr. Axel Gille, President of Aurora Europe. “Providing high-quality medical cannabis dried flower to the French pilot program is the first and very important step towards providing better access and will support the destigmatization of medical cannabis in France. If successful, this pilot program could lead to a regulated market for medical cannabis, which would be one of the largest in Europe.”