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

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

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

“The authorization obtained under GDP is crucial to assure 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.

GDP involves thorough control and compliance with strict standards and regulations, including the Medicines Act, the Medicines Production 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.

However, the legislation is still ambiguous
Despite the positive changes, legislation in the field of 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 specifics 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 to both 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 in 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. Lumír Hanuš, a star of cannabis research, will again come from Israel.

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 five most prestigious conferences in the world for several years now, 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 edition of the 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 topics of high school theses. One of them will be shared with us by a 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 optimum 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-střed

When: 24 April 2024 from 9 a.m.

Full programme: https://konopi-a-veda.webnode.cz/program-2023/

Registration until: 19 April 2024 at 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. That is why Zenplanto and Zenplanto Farms are joining the eMan Innovations fund,” comments Jiří Horyna, member of the eMan Innovations investment committee and Chairman of the Board and co-founder of eMan, on the portfolio expansion.

Czech hemp from Nelahozeves

On an area of 400 m² , the Zeplanto Farms team is ready to produce 1,000 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 we process all this and work with the data,” says Martin Vaněk, CTO of Zenplanto, technical director of operations and 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 right of patients to explore safe alternatives. By promoting a broader approach to cannabis-based treatment, we are supporting a future where comprehensive care includes all available options,” comments Václav Trojan, Ph.D., Head of the Clinical Pharmacology 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’s CBD products, we are one of the few to guarantee zero THC psychoactive substance content. The products are thoroughly tested and meet all legislative requirements,” says Aleš Hrabák from Zenplanto. In addition, Zenplanto’s 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.