RE: LICENCE GRANTED.18 May 2021 09:40
ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC
("Ananda" or the "Company")
Grant of Home Office Licence
The Directors of Ananda announce the following progress regarding Ananda's
vision to become a significant participant in the emerging medicinal cannabis
sector:
HIGHLIGHTS
* DJT Plants Limited ("DJT Plants") has been granted a licence to grow >0.2%
THC cannabis for research activities by the UK Government Home Office (the
"Licence").
* The build out of DJT Plants' research facility to breed and stabilise 65
strains of cannabis will commence immediately, utilising the funds raised
by the Company in March 2021.
* DJT Plants is a wholly owned subsidiary of DJT Group Limited ("DJT Group"),
which is owned as to 50% by Ananda's wholly owned subsidiary, Tiamat
Agriculture Limited, and as to 50% by Anglia Salads Limited ("Anglia
Salads").
Background
On 14 October 2019, DJT Plants submitted its application for a licence to grow
>0.2% THC cannabis for research purposes pursuant to the Misuse of Drugs Act
1971. Following submission of the application, DJT Plants and its advisers have
been in a dialogue with the Home Office, local police and the MHRA, amongst
others. The regulations around COVID-19 caused a year's delay in Home Office
representatives being able to visit the proposed site of the research
activities. When regulations allowed, representatives of the Home Office made a
visit to proposed locations on 17 March 2021. DJT Plants received its Licence
on 17 May 2021.
Anglia Salads and DJT Plants both held UK Home Office licences to grow >0.2%
THC cannabis between 2014 and 2017. They successfully grew up to five hectares
of cannabis for GW Pharmaceuticals, in multi-chappelle structures in natural
season without any artificial heat or light.
The October 2019 licence application included DJT Plants' phased strategy to
become a significant participant in the emerging medicinal cannabis sector.
Phase One is the research phase for which the Licence has been granted. Phase
Two, which will be subject to further UK Home Office licensing, is to build out
commercial growing and extraction facilities, for some 40 hectares, at the same
location.
The Licence received on 17 May 2021 is to develop a broad range of cannabis
genotypes through a genetic stabilisation and field trials programme, with the
goal of growing these genotypes in the UK.
DJT Plants will produce a line of 65 stable genotypes through back crossing six
generations from a varied portfolio of 13 seeds that exhibit a range of THC/CBD
and other cannabinoid, terpene and flavonoid profiles. Those genotypes with
metabolic profiles relevant to various health indications which have shown to
be receptive to treatment with medical cannabis and for which NICE (the
National Institute for Clinical Excellence) has called for further research,
will also b