Ananda Developments plc and DJT Plants Limited, a subsidiary, announced on November 1, 2023, that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nottingham Trent University (NTU), marking a significant step forward in the advancement of their medical cannabis breeding and growing operations.
In order to showcase a common vision of excellence in cannabinoid research, the cooperation wants to build a Cannabinoid Centre of Excellence and secure third-party grant financing.
Ananda and DJT Plants: new project
In order to further DJT’s breeding and genetics program as well as their low-carbon cannabis growing and manufacturing projects, the partnership brings together the knowledge and resources of Ananda, DJT, and NTU. With experts like Dr. Gareth Cave NTU brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. He has previously studied medical cannabis and had a Schedule One Home Office licence for cannabis cultivation and research. Additionally strengthening NTU’s qualifications in this pursuit is Dr. Chungui Lu, a professor of sustainable agriculture with a focus on plant genomes and plant molecular biology.
The partnership’s initial goal is to expand on the genetics and breeding program’s success by incorporating DJT’s low-carbon cultivation into a larger pharmaceutical innovation effort that will hopefully draw significant grant funding.
The partners hope to create an official Strategic Partnership and a Cannabinoid Center of Excellence at NTU in addition to the MOU.
Comments on new medical cannabis project
Melissa Sturgess, CEO of Ananda, expressed excitement about the partnership:
“With non-dilutionary funding and the additional resources and expertise of NTU, we can advance our breeding and genetics program. Additionally, we may build the medical cannabis production and growing proposal around its sustainable credentials in order to apply for large grants for this enterprise.”
Sturgess drew attention to the rising number of patients in the UK who are using medical cannabis. It is roughly 30,000 at this point and continuing to rise. Thus, Ananda and DJT will be in a better position to take advantage of business opportunities when market trends allow. Additionally, this alliance also saves a substantial amount of money each month compared to the old approach.
Pro-Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation at NTU, Prof. Richard Emes, expressed his excitement about the collaboration by saying:
“We are delighted to be partnering our research expertise with Ananda and DJT. Our research scientists look forward to being part of this very important journey to develop products that will positively change the lives of so many people.”
Objectives for each partner
On November 1, 2023, the MOU between Ananda, DJT, and NTU formally starts. Ananda and DJT want to provide their intellectual property background, knowledge, procedures, protocols, cannabis seed inventory, and data.
With more than 40,000 students across five university sites, Nottingham Trent University is a major partner in this partnership. It offers resources and in-depth expertise in a number of fields. They will be collaborating with Ananda and DJT to design and submit grant proposals.
This partnership is the first step in creating a strategic partnership and a Cannabinoid Centre of Excellence at NTU. Both of these activities will advance scientific understanding of medical cannabis, its breeding, genetics, and applications for treating a range of medical conditions. By research and solid reputation, the aim is to establish itself as a global leader in this field. Together they will also work to expand the pipeline of research and apply for grants to support other initiatives.
This collaboration represents an exciting new phase in the study and development of medical cannabis. We can expect a significant progress in the realm of medical cannabis.