LITTLE Green Pharma (LGP) was last week announced as the winner of a French tender which will see the Western Australian-based company become the primary supplier of medicinal cannabis oils for a French national trial of the drug.
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The tender was won by LGP in partnership with Intsel Chimos, a leading French pharmaceutical distributor, and is intended to test the efficacy, safety and quality of medicinal cannabis medicines for the French public.
If successful, the trial is anticipated to catalyse the legalisation of medicinal cannabis in France, which is estimated to have a market value of four billion euros at maturity.
LGP managing director Fleta Solomon said they were very proud of their partnership's success in the French national tender.
"We see this tender win as strong evidence of LGP successfully implementing its export-led global sales strategy and demonstrating the benefits of Australian good manufacture practices (GMP) quality manufacturing in global pharmaceutical markets," Ms Solomon said.
"We believe the trial will demonstrate the partnership's credibility and reliability to the French medical community, giving both companies a significant competitive advantage once medicinal cannabis is legalised in France."
Under the terms of the tender, global medicinal cannabis producers submitted bids for three categories of formulation, being medicinal cannabis oils, flower and capsules across three cannabinoid ratios, being THC-dominant, THC:CBD balanced and CBD-dominant cannabis medicines.
Bidders could be awarded a primary supplier role or a backup supplier role and the trial would be the only pathway for cannabis medicines to be supplied to patients in France during its term.
The tender bid of LGP and Intsel Chimos was successful and together they were awarded primary supplier status for two CBD-dominant oil medicines, as well as backup supplier status for a balanced THC:CBD oil medicine.
Under the terms of the trial, suppliers will provide the cannabis medicines at their own cost to patients and LGP's distribution partner will comply with all other pharmaceutical obligations under the tender.
Ms Solomon congratulated both Intsel Chimos and LGP teams for their tireless efforts in developing a world-leading bid for the temder.
"We trust this marks the beginning of a long and rewarding partnership as we look to grow and cement our reputation amongst French patients and prescribers as a world-class medicinal cannabis supplier," she said.
