Bod Australia links with Linnea, to launch cannabis skincare...

Bod Australia links with Linnea, to launch cannabis skincare range
APR 03 2017 - 4:01 PM
$BDA/Bod Australia is moving into the cannabis sector.

It has signed a letter of intent with Linnea Natural Pharma Solutions to develop products using the Swiss company’s cannabis extracts.

Based in the Swiss Canton of Ticino, Linnea makes botanical extracts and pharmaceutical ingredients for use in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries.

The firm is owned by Schwabe Group (schwabepharma.com) and $IPSEF/Ipsen Group (Market Cap €7.5Bn – ipsen.com).

Schwabe is one of the world leaders in evidence based natural medicines and Ipsen is a multi-billion Euro pharmaceutical company with products for therapeutic areas such as oncology, endocrinology, neuroscience and primary care.

Clinical Trials

Bod and Linnea will work together on the development, manufacture and commercialization of two product ranges using Linnea cannabis extracts:

. One for an over-the-counter derma-cosmetic skincare range and

. One targeting nausea/vomiting, anti-inflammation, neuroprotection and anxiety disorders.

Bod intends to import raw materials from Switzerland and make and package finished dosage forms in Australia.

It will co-ordinate clinical trials as it establishes registerable indications with the TGA.

Bod will also manage full formulation and analytics of the product development, production of lab samples, pilot batches and valuation batches for stability testing.

Extract

Linnea is the first Swiss company to receive GMP certification for its cannabis extract.

The standardized extract – made from the flowering tops of the female cannabis sativa plant is available in oil, water & powdered forms in concentrations from 0.5-20% (High CBD, very low THC).

Using Linnea’s Nioskin base product, which contains a unique cannabis phytocomplex, Bod aims to develop a topical based skincare product range to enhance its current portfolio of BIOEFFECT, Dr Roebucks and Pommade Divine.

The cannabis phytocomplex is shown to have a role in the control of epidermal physiology and skin differentiation genes, anti-inflammatory and immunological related skin disorders, neuro-dermatitis, contact eczema, itching dermatosis and rosacea.

BDA plans clinical trials using a novel wafer/transdermal patch.

It expects the skincare product to be marketed in H1/FY18 and the first medicinal cannabis therapeutic to be marketed in H1/FY19.

Licences

Bod Australia Chief Executive Jo Patterson: “Clinical trials around the world are showing the benefits of cannabis and phytocannabinoids in treating certain illnesses and diseases.

“As the opportunity becomes available to start providing relevant products to consumers we are aiming to be at the forefront of the industry in Australia as well as through Asia and beyond.”

BDA says the global anti-inflammatory therapeutics market expected to exceed US$100b by 2020 and the global anxiety disorders market to reach US$18.3b by 2025.

BDA adds that importation of the raw materials and development of the products proposed under the LOI is subject to various regulatory approvals and licence requirements.

“Bod Australia is currently unable to provide any certainty as to whether these approvals and licences will be ultimately granted or, if they are granted, the timing of their granting.”