Zenabis receives Malta license for medical cannabis production

Zenabis Global’s Maltese joint venture ZenPharm obtains Maltese licence to produce cannabis for medicinal and research purposes,

ZenPharm is the second licencee to be given the go-ahead to a medical cannabis licence in Malta
ZenPharm is the second licencee to be given the go-ahead to a medical cannabis licence in Malta

Zenabis Global’s Maltese joint venture ZenPharm has received its Maltese licence to produce cannabis for medicinal and research purposes, after a two-year process by the Malta Medicines Authority.

The receipt of the Medicinal Cannabis License follows on the earlier European Union Good Manufacturing Practices certification issued by Malta Medicines Authority in January 2021.

The Medicinal Cannabis License is the final license requirement under Malta’s regulatory framework allowing for commercial bulk imports into Malta from Zenabis’ facility in Atholville , and subsequent exports of finished medicinal cannabis products to countries of the European Union and United Kingdom.

ZenPharm will now commence commercial shipments to the EU, where Germany is ZenPharm’s most prominent target market. ZenPharm has an executed supply agreement with a German-based customer to supply a minimum volume of 500 kg per year. In turn, ZenPharm will be accepting shipments of up to 300kg from Zenabis Atholville through the end of this calendar year.

ZenPharm will also be launching finished cannabis products under its own brand for distribution within the Maltese medicinal cannabis market, with similar entry into the Polish Market expected in the Q1 2022.  

“This license is a milestone that marks the beginning of a new chapter for Zenabis and ZenPharm in securing access to the European market. It builds on the dedicated hard work of our Zenabis employees and of our partners at ZenPharm in achieving EU-GMP certification,” Zenabis CEO Shai Altman said.

ZenPharm CEO Angele Azzopardi said the licence continues to showcase Malta’s regulatory gold standard in assuring the highest quality in medicinal cannabis products.

Energy and enterprise minister Miriam Dalli said the announcement was another milestone in the establishment of Malta’s medical cannabis industry. “The initial enabling legislation has led to the attraction of a number of companies that are now being issued with a production license following a thorough inspection by the MMA.”

A number of startups are also currently looking at Malta to establish their RDI operations on pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medtech, and life sciences.

Malta Enterprise, the national economic development agency, assisted the company to set up their operation in Malta.

In December 2020, the MMA also issued a license for the production of medical cannabis to another Canadian company, Aphria.

Last month, Israeli company TechforCann announced that it will be establishing the first European tech accelerator for the medical cannabis industry, in Malta.