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Czech experts were successful at the leading conference focused on the European cannabis market, Cannabis Business Europe 2024. Presentation leader Václav Trojan from the St. Anne's University Hospital (FNUSA) and experts from the Zenplanto medical cannabis cultivation facility impressed the audience with their contribution on in vitro cultivation techniques in a clean laboratory environment.

As medicinal cannabis becomes a classic pharmaceutical product, it is necessary to maintain strict standards and ensure its continued availability. The days when the cultivation of medicinal cannabis was seen as a purely plant-based production are long gone. However, the experience of the market is that no grower is currently able to consistently supply cannabis (cannabis flowers) with a guaranteed and standardised content of active substances.

In vitro yields standardized harvests

Thanks to the in vitro technique, plants can be grown completely free of viruses, fungi and other contaminations. At the same time, it makes it possible to achieve standardised values for each plant and harvest. "In cases where genetics are not tested at the beginning of cultivation, it can happen that the virus breaks out after several harvests and you lose the whole line," Dr Václav Trojan, who is one of the leading pioneers in research on cannabis for medicinal purposes, warned of the risks of traditional cultivation. "The in vitro technique solves these problems and ensures high quality and standardized products at every harvest," He adds. And it is in the production for medicinal purposes that standardisation is key.

"For example, in the German market there was a great demand for varieties with 30% THC content for pain management. But none of the growers were able to guarantee such a value. In practice, this means that the attending physician adjusts the patient's dose and there is no clear standardisation in the process," Aleš Hrabák, a pharmaceutical expert and one of the founders of the Zenplanto medical cannabis cultivation company, gives an example from practice.

First study yields results

Experts agree that large-scale clinical trials demonstrating the benefits of medical cannabis will be essential for its widespread use. "Thomas Skovlund, CEO of STENOCARE A/S, presented the first data from Denmark at the conference. Already these show that cannabis treatment can reduce treatment costs by 14 % compared to standard treatment," Aleš Hrabák shared an interesting fact from the conference.

The conference in Frankfurt also focused on the development of the German market. Following a recent change in legislation, the complications with the handling and distribution of cannabis as a narcotic substance have been removed. The market there is also expected to grow by more than 20 % between 2023 and 2024. Another interesting topic was the situation in France, where after a two-year pilot programme for 2,000 patients, medical cannabis will be fully legalised from January 2025. By contrast, in Denmark, where only extracts are allowed, the market is growing very slowly.

Zenplanto experts represented their close cooperation with leading experts such as Dr. Václav Trojan from FNUSA and Dr. Anna Rozkowska from the University of Gdansk, who is involved in the development of sensors for determining flower maturity. Thanks to such partnership projects, experts can bring innovative approaches to ensuring the production of high-quality and standardised medicinal cannabis products.

About Cannabis Business Europe 2024

The annual conference focuses on the latest developments and trends in the European cannabis industry. Key topics include regulation and legislation, production technologies, business opportunities and market trends. Participants are experts from various fields such as producers, researchers, regulators and entrepreneurs who share their experiences and innovations to foster collaboration and growth in the medical as well as recreational cannabis industry in Europe.

About Zenplant:

Zenplanto was founded in 2022. We focus on the healthcare sector, specifically the production of cannabis-related goods and services. The project is co-founded and majority owned by eMan Innovations, a venture capital fund focused on domestic and international technology projects with global potential and backed by the technology company eMan. eMan is a leading Czech software supplier, and its shares have been publicly traded on the PX Start market of the Prague Stock Exchange since 2020. More on www.zenplanto.com a www.zenplanto-farms.com.

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This year, the Brno Planetarium once again hosted leading Czech and foreign experts on cannabis and research. They discussed cannabis legislation and the use of cannabis in medical practice.

The conference, organized by the International Centre for Clinical Research, a joint workplace of St. Anne's University Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University, offered a comprehensive and, above all, scientific perspective on this issue. "During the conference, we not only presented the development of research on medical cannabis, but we also wanted to contribute to the demythologization of cannabis as such," said Václav Trojan, the organizer of the event and head of the Cannabis Facility at the International Clinical Research Centre (ICRC).

"Thanks to our participation, we had the opportunity to promote and share knowledge in the field of medical and pharmaceutical innovation. We were able to network with key experts in the field and share our perspectives on medical cannabis innovation," commented Aleš Hrabák, one of the founders of Zenplanto, the general partner of the 9th annual conference.

Accredited course, a novelty of Brno experts

A busy programme with top experts from all over the world was prepared for the participants. The prestigious conference was held under the auspices of Ing. Vlastimil Vajdák, Director of St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, who gave the opening speech.

A novelty was the introduction of the newly opened accredited lifelong learning course at Masaryk University "Cannabis in Health and Disease". In cooperation with the ICRC and St. Anne's University Hospital, the first year of the course was successfully organized. It should promote interdisciplinary cooperation in particular.

Will legislation change in the Czech Republic?

Experts such as Lumír Hanuš, the chemist and scientist who isolated anandamide, and Richard Rokyta, a neurophysiologist, have contributed their findings. Alexandra Šulcová, a pharmacologist from Brno, discussed the therapeutic potential of CBD. Jindřich Vobořil, national drug coordinator, presented plans to change cannabis legislation. A strictly regulated cannabis market would, in his opinion, provide better control and reduce health risks. "The regulated market has not yet led to an increase in cannabis use in any state," He pointed out.

Jitka Götzová, Director of the Food Safety Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, led a discussion on CBD and HHC. A delegation from Israel was also present, including Ilya Reznik, President of the International Cannabinoid Therapy Association and Nirit Bernstein, an agricultural engineering expert.

International cooperation

The Cannabis Facility under the FNUSA-ICRC enables connections with foreign experts, for example, on topics of high school theses. One of them was shared by student Eva Matěnová from the Blansko Gymnasium, who collaborated with colleagues from the Medical University of Gdansk.

Research and education are examples of an advanced and developed society. Supporting them also makes sense in terms of investment in the future. That is why Zenplanto supports the scientific and research exchange of the Cannabis Facility, currently with Gdansk for example.

Our experts managed to establish a unique cooperation with the Polish university. The cannabis market there is in its infancy, so the experts are both helping with its development and, for example, jointly developing procedures on how and when to determine the optimal maturity of plants grown for the production of medicinal cannabis.

"We would like to thank all participants, organizers and partners for their great cooperation and we look forward to meeting again next year, during the 10th anniversary," commented Aleš Hrabák from Zenplanto.

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Zenplanto has strengthened its market position and obtained the Decision on the Authorization for the Distribution of Medicinal Products. Thus, it becomes one of the few Czech companies that supply quality medical cannabis to pharmacies and other entities authorized to produce medicinal products.

The licence allows the Czech cultivation company to supply medical cannabis directly to pharmacies, where it is prepared to patients' specifications according to doctors' prescriptions. In the future, it will be one of the few cultivation plants that supply its cannabis to the local market. Currently, Czech patients are mostly prescribed cannabis from foreign distributors.

Quality guarantee
GDP, or Good Distribution Practices, guarantees that Zenplanto only distributes cannabis produced by duly licensed entities and is also supplied to verified customers such as pharmacies and other distributors. At the same time, it is protected from any quality deterioration during transport.

"The GDP authorisation is crucial to reassure our customers of the quality and safety of our products. It also allows us to manage our supply chains more efficiently and to control quality, which is essential for compliance with legislative standards in the field of medicinal cannabis," comments Petra Honsů from Zenplanto's Quality Assurance Department and Qualified Person for Distribution.

The GDP involves thorough control and compliance with strict standards and regulations, including the Medicines Act, the Medicines Manufacturing and Distribution Ordinance and the European Union's Good Distribution Practice Guidelines. "We have implemented a quality system and procedures to ensure continued compliance with these regulations. An effective quality system includes, among other things, regular staff training or internal audits," adds Honsů.

Legislation is still ambiguous
Despite the positive changes, legislation on medicinal cannabis remains partly complicated. Zenplant experts point to the complexity of implementing some of the legislative requirements, which are often made more complicated by the specificities of cannabis. "Although general requirements apply to cannabis as to medicinal substances, and partly also to medicinal products, their interpretation is not always clear. However, SÚKL is very helpful in the certification process, which applies both to the GDP and GMP certification, which we have also obtained," concludes Honsů.

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This year, the Brno Planetarium will again host leading experts on cannabis and research. The prestigious conference is held under the auspices of Ing. Vlastimil Vajdák, Director of the St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno. This year's general partner is the Czech company Zenplanto. The conference will bring together leading Czech and foreign experts. The star of cannabis research Lumír Hanuš will come from Israel again.

A packed programme with top experts from all over the world is prepared for the participants. The theme of collaboration will be central to this year's event.

"'Cannabis and Science' has been one of the world's top five most prestigious conferences for several years and we definitely want to maintain this status. In addition, compared to other events, which are often of a business nature, it focuses primarily on science and brings world-class capacities to the Czech Republic. Next year we will celebrate our tenth anniversary. This year we want to confirm that we are among the pioneers of science and cannabis," comments Aleš Hrabák, one of the founders of Zenplanto, the general partner of the 9th annual conference.

Sharing experience with foreign countries

Visitors can look forward to a renowned chemist, scientist in the field of natural substances research Lumír Hanus, who will arrive at the event from Israel, where he has lived and worked for more than 30 years. The President of the International Association for Cannabinoid Therapy (IACM) and neuropsychopharmacologist Ilya Reznik will be visiting us from the same country, along with Nirit Bernstein from the prestigious Volcani Institute of Agricultural Engineering. Professor Jan Halámek, who works at the Institute of Forensic Science and is involved in the detection of substances and their residues in biological materials, will come from the United States.

Katarzyna Woźniczka, a PhD student from the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the Medical University of Gdansk, will also present at the conference. "The scope of our Cannabis Facility's involvement is really broad, as it allows us to connect with foreign experts, for example, even on high school thesis topics. One of them will be shared with us by student Eva Matěnová from the Blansko Gymnasium, who collaborated with colleagues from a Polish university." revealed Václav Trojan, head of the Clinical Pharmacology Unit of the FNUSA-ICRC.

Research and education are examples of an advanced and developed society. Supporting them also makes sense in terms of investment in the future. That is why Zenplanto supports the scientific and research exchange of the Cannabis Facility, currently with Gdansk for example.

Our experts managed to establish a unique cooperation with the Polish university. The cannabis market there is in its infancy, so the experts are both helping with its development and, for example, jointly developing procedures on how and when to determine the optimal maturity of plants grown for the production of medicinal cannabis.

Theory and practical examples from treatment, research and legislation

Professor Alexandra Šulcová, a pharmacologist from Brno, will present a paper on the polypharmacology of cannabidiol. Richard Rokyta from the Institute of Physiology, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University will speak about homeostasis and cannabis. The upcoming plans for changes in cannabis legislation will be presented by the National Drug Coordinator Jindřich Vobořil. Pavel Kubů from Rational Regulation z.s. will present a paper on the potential benefits of cannabis for public health and budgets. Jitka Götzová from the Food Safety Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic will speak about CBD from the perspective of current legislation.

News from Brno cannabis research and treatment will be presented by Václav Trojan, the main organizer and head of the local Cannabis Research Center, which also includes the hospital's cultivation facility. This has already had its second harvest, which is now going to the hospital's pharmacy.

Petr Babula, a representative of the Institute of Physiology, Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine, will present his paper "In vitro production of cannabinoids". Petr Tarkowski from the Catrin Science Centre of Palacký University in Olomouc will present the topic Critical view of the entourage effect. Petra Mištríková, Head of the Neurological Department of the Military Hospital Brno, will share her experience with the use of cannabis in medical neurological practice.

The number of prescriptions is slowly increasing in the Czech Republic

In January this year, 916 more prescriptions were written than in the same period last year. Similarly, the number of doctors prescribing cannabis is increasing. There were 197 in January, 33 more than last January. According to Ales Hrabak, our progress is not as progressive as in other countries. The Czech Republic used to be a pioneer in the cannabis segment. Now it is rather freezing, while foreign countries are moving forward in terms of development. An example is the legalisation of cannabis in neighbouring Germany. Will this trend be reversed? This will also be one of the main topics.

The conference is suitable for both professional and general public. Students and teachers of secondary schools and universities are also welcome.

Where: Brno Observatory and Planetarium
Kraví hora 552/2
616 00 Brno-central

When: 24 April 2024 at 9 a.m.

The whole program: https://konopi-a-veda.webnode.cz/program-2023/

Registration to: 19. 4. 2024 on https://konopi-a-veda.webnode.cz/registrace/

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The investment fund of the Prague software house eMan has scored another successful project. Through its fund eMan Innovations, it is venturing into the segment of medical cannabis with high THC content. It produces cannabis in its own cultivation facility under the Zenplanto Farms banner. Within a short time, they also became one of the few European brands to obtain GMP certification. Production will also be directed to foreign markets, including outside the EU. 

Medical cannabis is still a big topic. Cannabis is an indispensable aid in relieving chronic pain, anxiety and depression or muscle spasms. More and more states are moving towards legalization and regulation, and many companies see a future in this segment.

"The events of recent years remind us more than ever that it is important to remember our health. Cannabis is a beneficial plant that has been helping mankind since time immemorial. But unfortunately, in recent years, it has become quite taboo. In the hands of doctors, it can help many patients. This is why Zenplanto, and Zenplanto Farms, is joining the eMan Innovations fund." comments on the portfolio expansion Jiří Horyna, member of the Investment Committee eMan Innovations and chairman of the board and co-founder of the company eMan.

Czech hemp from Nelahozeves

On an area of 400 m² the Zenplanto Farms team is ready to produce 1000 kg of dry matter per year.

The nursery is equipped with the latest technology. It uses American technology and cultivation concept. In their own halls they grow plants using automatic irrigation systems and state-of-the-art special LED lighting.

"We grow, cultivate, harvest, sort and process medicinal cannabis here. We also carry out laboratory tests on it. Each of the plants is labelled, we record the growing time, flowering time, watering values, and all of this is then processed and the data is further processed," describes Martin Vaněk, CTO Zenplanto, Technical Director of Operations a growth master.

It is grown under laboratory conditions - no mold, heavy metals or other pathogens. HEPA filters are used in air conditioning, similar to what is used in hospitals. Hygiene and sanitation plans are met. All equipment is stainless steel, meeting the highest GMP quality. Products do not contain added dyes, pesticides, herbicides, toxins or synthetic cannabinoids.

Cannabis already has its customers

Zenplanto is licensed to cultivate cannabis plants for medicinal use. The licence was issued by the State Institute for Drug Control (SUKL) in Prague on 9 May 2023. They are one of the few European brands to have also obtained GMP certification, certification of Good Manufacturing Practices. In addition to the Czech market, Zenplanto also wants to reach the European market with its products. It can already be said that the key customers are the German, English and Polish markets.

"Cannabis represents hope in healthcare. Its potential to relieve pain, reduce anxiety and alleviate seizures shows the therapeutic value of cannabis. As a physician, I believe in the joy of patients exploring safe alternatives. By advocating for a broader approach to cannabis-based treatments, we are supporting a future where comprehensive care encompasses all available options," comments MVDr. Václav Trojan, Ph.D., Head of the Clinical and Pharmacological Unit of the International Clinical Research Centre at St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, who is the expert guarantor of Zenplanto Farms.

Safe Broad Spectrum CBD

In addition to high THC medical cannabis, the Zenplanto team also produces CBD products with dietary supplement status. These are broad-spectrum extracts that contain various cannabinoids and terpenes but have undergone further processing to remove all traces of THC. "In Zenplanto CBD products we are one of the few to guarantee zero THC. The products are thoroughly tested and meet all legislative requirements," Says Aleš Hrabák from Zenplanto. In addition, Zenplanto CBD products are of pharmaceutical quality and are also GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certified. It is manufactured in the USA because of the ability to offer the best quality while maintaining a reasonable price.