Aurora Cannabis and Vectura Fertin Pharma, Inc. announce commercial
collaboration
Aurora Cannabis and Vectura Fertin
Pharma, Inc. announce commercial collaboration
Collaboration will initially see launch of a
new CBD lozenge from Cogent International, a Vectura Fertin Pharma
subsidiary, on Aurora’s Canadian medical cannabis patient
platform
Following successful launch of CBD lozenge,
the collaboration will explore the potential to launch Vectura
Fertin Pharma’s future medical cannabis portfolio in
Canada
Edmonton, AB, and Stamford, CT – August
1, 2024 - Aurora Cannabis Inc. ("Aurora")
(NASDAQ | TSX: ACB), a leading Canadian-based global medical
cannabis company, and Vectura Fertin Pharma, Inc., an innovator in
wellness and healthcare, are pleased to announce that Aurora has
entered into a commercial collaboration with Cogent International
Manufacturing Ltd. (“Cogent”), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Vectura Fertin Pharma Inc. Through this arrangement,
Cogent will initially launch its newly developed CBD lozenge on
Aurora’s Canadian medical cannabis patient platform, giving access
to patient feedback which will be used to validate the product
proposition and patient responses to the product while building
real-world patient data for future analysis. Following the
successful launch of the CBD lozenge, the two companies may explore
opportunities regarding the potential commercialization of other
Vectura Fertin Pharma medical cannabis products in Canada.
“We are excited about this commercial
collaboration that will allow Aurora to leverage its
industry-leading patient platform in Canada to support advancements
in medical cannabis, as well as to provide our patients with access
to Vectura Fertin Pharma’s new CBD lozenge,” said Miguel Martin,
CEO for Aurora. “As a global leader in the manufacturing of
pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis, we are pleased to see
increased interest in the possibilities of medical cannabis as part
of healthcare options made available to Canadians.”
Michael Kunst, CEO for Vectura Fertin Pharma,
said: “At Vectura Fertin Pharma, we are committed to building a
pipeline of innovation, based on scientific rigor, to improve unmet
medical and health needs. We are delighted to be working with the
Aurora team who share our high standards for safety and quality,
and our strong focus on improving people’s lives. Through this
strategic collaboration, the Aurora platform will enable us to
bring our new CBD lozenge, as prescribed by a healthcare
professional, to the largest patient base in Canada, and to both
study its impact and validate the product proposition through the
generation of real-world patient data.”
Select Agreement Details
The agreement between Aurora and Cogent is
expected to have an initial term of 24 months, with a target of
launching CBD containing products on Aurora’s Canadian medical
cannabis marketplace, starting with a CBD lozenge. The products
will be manufactured, packaged and labelled by Cogent for sale and
distribution by Aurora through its leading direct-to-patient
e-commerce sales channel, requiring minimal additional capital
investment by Aurora. The expected launch of the first SKU in
market is targeted for later in 2024.
About Aurora Cannabis
Aurora is opening the world to cannabis, serving
both the medical and consumer markets
across Canada, Europe, Australia and South America. Headquartered
in Edmonton, Alberta, Aurora is a pioneer in global cannabis,
dedicated to helping people improve their lives. The Company's
adult- use brand portfolio includes Aurora Drift, San Rafael '71,
Daily Special, Tasty's, Being and Greybeard. Medical cannabis
brands include MedReleaf, CanniMed, Aurora and Whistler Medical
Marijuana Co, as well as international brands, Pedanios, Bidiol,
IndiMed and CraftPlant. Aurora also has a controlling interest in
Bevo Farms Ltd., North America's leading supplier of propagated
agricultural plants. Driven by science and innovation, and with a
focus on high-quality cannabis products, Aurora's brands continue
to break through as industry leaders in the medical, wellness and
adult recreational markets wherever they are launched. Learn more
at www.auroramj.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.
Aurora's common shares trade on the NASDAQ and
TSX under the symbol "ACB".
About Vectura Fertin Pharma
At Vectura Fertin Pharma, we are developing and
commercializing a proprietary pipeline of differentiated products
and brands in wellness and healthcare that address unmet patient
and consumer needs. We have unique R&D capabilities in inhaled
and oral technology, which we are applying across four key areas:
Cannabinoids, Inhaled Therapeutics, Nicotine Replacement Therapy
and Consumer Health. Underpinned by scientific rigor, and patient
and consumer insights, we are passionate about finding new and
better ways to help people take care of their health and wellbeing.
Vectura Fertin Pharma was formed in March 2022 following the
acquisition of Fertin Pharma, Vectura Group PLC and OtiTopic by
Philip Morris International. For more information, visit
www.vecturafertinpharma.com or LinkedIn.
Contacts
Aurora Cannabis
For
Media: For
Investors:
Michelle
Lefler ICR,
Inc.
VP, Communications &
PR aurora@icrinc.com
media@auroramj.com
Vectura Fertin Pharma
vecturafertinpharma@consilium-comms.com
Forward Looking Information
This news release includes statements containing
certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of
applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements").
Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words
such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend",
"believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential",
"proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain
events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking
statements made in this news release include statements regarding
the Company’s commercialization collaboration with Cogent, which
include, but are not limited to, those statements under the heading
“Select Agreement Details”, statements related to the launch of
Cogent’s newly-developed CBD lozenge on Aurora’s Canadian medical
cannabis patient platform, the potential to launch Vectura Fertin
Pharma’s future medical cannabis portfolio, the Company’s ability
to support advancements in medical cannabis and to provide its
patients with access to new products, the ability for Vectura
Fertin Pharma to study the efficacy and other patient responses to
the product while building real-world patient data for future
analysis, and increased interest in the possibilities of medical
cannabis.
These forward-looking statements are only
predictions. Forward looking information or statements contained in
this news release have been developed based on assumptions
management considers to be reasonable. Material factors or
assumptions involved in developing forward-looking statements
include, without limitation, publicly available information from
governmental sources as well as from market research and industry
analysis and on assumptions based on data and knowledge of this
industry which the Company believes to be reasonable.
Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks,
uncertainties and other factors that management believes to be
relevant and reasonable in the circumstances could cause actual
events, results, level of activity, performance, prospects,
opportunities or achievements to differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. These risks include,
but are not limited to, the ability to retain key personnel, the
ability to continue investing in infrastructure to support growth,
the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms, the continued
quality of our products, customer experience and retention, the
development of third party government and nongovernment consumer
sales channels, management's estimates of consumer demand in Canada
and in jurisdictions where the Company exports, expectations of
future results and expenses, the risk of successful integration of
acquired business and operations, management's estimation that
SG&A will grow only in proportion of revenue growth, the
ability to expand and maintain distribution capabilities, the
impact of competition, the general impact of financial market
conditions, the yield from cannabis growing operations, product
demand, changes in prices of required commodities, competition, and
the possibility for changes in laws, rules, and regulations in the
industry, epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, and
other risks, uncertainties and factors set out under the heading
"Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated June
20, 2024 (the "AIF") and filed with Canadian securities regulators
available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at
www.sedarplus.com and filed with and available on the SEC's website
at www.sec.gov. The Company cautions that the list of risks,
uncertainties and other factors described in the AIF is not
exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its
results. Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and
assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements
and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information.
The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any
intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities
law.