Ebersbach, Germany, May 2nd, 2023 – Last week, the Saxon company DEMECAN officially filed an application with the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) to increase the production quantities of medical cannabis in Germany. With the aim of creating equal competition conditions for domestic producers, DEMECAN is calling for an increase in production quantities and an end to the discrimination against German producers.
"There is unequal treatment between German and foreign producers of medical cannabis in Germany," says Dr. Constantin von der Groeben, Managing Director of DEMECAN. "While foreign producers can produce unlimited quantities and import them to Germany, domestic producers such as DEMECAN are only allowed to produce 990 kg. This unequal treatment must now be ended!" adds Dr. von der Groeben.
DEMECAN advocates for higher production of medical cannabis in Germany to ensure the supply of medical cannabis to patients, ensure quality locally, and strengthen the German economy. The company is willing to bear the economic risk for the additional quantities itself and suggests that additional quantities of medical cannabis be awarded through an open-house procedure.
DEMECAN's application follows information from the BfArM from an IFG application for controlling foreign producers exporting medical cannabis to Germany. These revealed that foreign producers are subject to neither quantity nor price restrictions. A small inquiry from the Bundestag fraction DIE LINKE in November 2022 also revealed that permits have now been issued for the import of 78,672.20 kg of dried cannabis flowers, including from Lesotho, Jamaica, and Canada, among others. Permits without quantity restrictions were also granted for North Macedonia.
DEMECAN sees its application as an opportunity to restore competition equilibrium in the industry and strengthen the domestic market. The company remains confident that its application will be positively answered and looks forward to continuing to produce high-quality medical cannabis in Germany.
About DEMECAN
DEMECAN is the only independent German company that covers the entire value chain for medical cannabis – from cultivation to processing and storage to distribution to pharmacies. The company was founded in 2017 by Dr. Adrian Fischer, Dr. Cornelius Maurer and Dr. Constantin von der Groeben with the aim of guaranteeing patients access to medical cannabis in “Made in Germany” quality. In May 2019, DEMECAN was awarded a state contract by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) as the only independent German company to cultivate medical cannabis in Germany. Cultivation and further processing are carried out according to the highest pharmaceutical standards (EU-GMP) at the company’s facility near Dresden. As a pharmaceutical wholesaler, DEMECAN works with cannabis producers worldwide and imports medical cannabis that meets its own high-quality standards. The DEMECAN Group is a member of the Federal Association of Pharmaceutical Cannabinoid Companies (BPC), Cannabis Business Industry Association e.V. (BvCW) and a supporting member of the Association of Pharmacies Supplying Cannabis (VCA e.V.).
Further Information: www.demecan.de
Press contact: press@demecan.de
Currently, the German government is planning to allow controlled supply of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, production will be allowed exclusively in Germany, i.e. the import and export of cannabis products will remain prohibited.
Producers will have to meet certain requirements for qualification, reliability, quality assurance and creditworthiness, which are to be specified in more detail in the draft of the law. There will be specifications on quality and purity, plant protection products, mycotoxins and microorganisms, as well as control systems (track and trace). This means that in the future only quality-tested cannabis products from strictly regulated production will be available on the German market.
We at DEMECAN welcome this very much! It is an important step towards more product quality and at the same time protects the health of the consumers. It is time to push back the illegal market with products without any quality control.
Would you like to learn more about the conditions under which cannabis should be legalized as a stimulant in Germany and what our position is as a manufacturer of medicinal cannabis?
Berlin/Dresden, Germany, December 19, 2022 – DEMECAN, the only independent vertically-integrated cannabis company in Germany, successfully closes its current funding round. The company raised capital totaling EUR 15 million in 2022, consisting of loans and equity financing.
The funding will finance the further expansion of the company, including to increase production capacity at the facility in Ebersbach near Dresden/Saxony. Here, cannabis services, such as the processing of cannabis flower, are also offered to third parties. In addition, the expansion is part of the company’s preparations for the upcoming legalization of cannabis for recreational use. However, the company also remains active in the field of medical cannabis and is pushing ahead with research and development. Recently, the company’s cell culture laboratory at the Ebersbach site produced its first plants from tissue culture.
The investment in this funding round comes from private and institutional investors. Both existing shareholders and new investors are supporting the company in its further entrepreneurial development. Among others, Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen (MBG) and the Swedish dedicated Cannabis fund ENEXIS AB are joining existing shareholders, including the Frankfurt-based funds Futury Growth and Futury Venture as well as btov’s Private Investor Network as investors in DEMECAN, thus participating in one of Saxony's leading start-ups’ expansion course.
"DEMECAN pursues the mission of supplying the German market with high-quality medical cannabis and contributing to the security of supply for patients. We also have the legalization of recreational cannabis in mind. The value chain of cannabis will probably have to be fully mapped in Germany. This will bring new challenges but great opportunities for us as a vertically integrated cannabis company and we are already preparing today for it" comments Jörg Sellmann, member of DEMECAN’s executive board.
MBG sees the investment in DEMECAN as an opportunity to foster a still young and future-proved German market from Saxony. “Our funding for DEMECAN makes sense in several ways. We have been following the development of the Ebersbach production facility from the very beginning. Now is the right time for us to invest. DEMECAN has exciting times ahead, as markets develop further. The demand for cannabis will keep increasing in the near future. The number of Cannabis patients is growing, and the legalization of recreational cannabis is on the way", says Markus H. Michalow, Managing Director of MBG. "We are proud to play a part in the further development of this forward-looking company here in Saxony", he continued.
About DEMECAN
DEMECAN is the only independent German company that covers the entire value chain for medical cannabis - from cultivation to processing and storage to distribution to pharmacies. The company was founded in 2017 by Dr. Adrian Fischer, Dr. Cornelius Maurer and Dr. Constantin von der Groeben with the aim of guaranteeing patients access to medical cannabis in "Made in Germany" quality. In May 2019, DEMECAN was awarded a state contract by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) as the only independent German company to cultivate medical cannabis in Germany. Cultivation and further processing are carried out according to the highest pharmaceutical standards (EU-GMP) at the company's facility near Dresden. As a pharmaceutical wholesaler, DEMECAN works with cannabis producers worldwide and imports medical cannabis that meets its own high-quality standards. The DEMECAN Group is a member of the Federal Association of Pharmaceutical Cannabinoid Companies (BPC) and a supporting member of the Association of Pharmacies Supplying Cannabis (VCA e.V.).
Further Information: www.demecan.de
Press contact: press@demecan.de
Berlin/Dresden, May 09, 2022 – DEMECAN, the only independent German producer of medicinal cannabis, is celebrating the launch of its supply agreement with Northern Green Canada with the launch of its new indica-dominant medicinal cannabis flower. With the expansion of the product portfolio, DEMECAN is helping to further improve patient care in Germany and is further expanding its position in the German cannabis market.
DEMECAN introduces the first cannabis flower from Northern Green Canada: it is an Indica-dominant cannabis flower with high THC levels and the cultivar Sour Kush (OG Kush x Sour Diesel), a multi-award-winning cross between Sour Diesel strains and OG Kush.
New cannabis flower in "Made in Germany" quality
By concluding the supply agreement with Northern Green Canada Inc., DEMECAN will be able to supply pharmacies and patients with the high-quality cannabis from its EUGMP-certified partner in the future. Cultivation in an indoor facility ensures the highest quality standards, especially in terms of consistent concentrations of active ingredients, rich terpene abundance, and an extremely low microbiological load. This means that radiation is not necessary. In order to ensure a particularly high level of quality, DEMECAN also carries out the final processing in Germany.
Interested doctors and pharmacies can find further information in the specialist area of the DEMECAN website, via DEMECAN customer service or the Medical Affairs Team. Patients can contact their doctor or pharmacy for information.
About DEMECAN
DEMECAN is the only independent German company that covers the entire value chain for medical cannabis - from cultivation to processing and storage to distribution to pharmacies. The company was founded in 2017 by Dr. Adrian Fischer, Dr. Cornelius Maurer and Dr. Constantin von der Groeben with the aim of guaranteeing patients access to medical cannabis in "Made in Germany" quality. In May 2019, DEMECAN was awarded a state contract by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) as the only independent German company to cultivate and distribute medical cannabis in Germany. Cultivation and further processing are carried out according to the highest pharmaceutical standards (EU-GMP) at the company's facility near Dresden. As a pharmaceutical wholesaler, DEMECAN works with cannabis producers worldwide and imports medical cannabis that meets its own high quality standards. The DEMECAN Group is a member of the Federal Association of Pharmaceutical Cannabinoid Companies (BPC) and a supporting member of the Association of Pharmacies Supplying Cannabis (VCA e.V.).
Further Information: www.demecan.de
Press contact: press@demecan.de
About Northern Green Canada
Northern Green Canada Inc. is the first privately held EU GMP-certified cannabis producer focused on providing cannabis medicines for a better quality of life. Their experienced team of experts operates in an EU GMP-certified, 2500 m2 (27000 square foot) indoor growing and processing facility with a 4275 m2 (46000 square foot) expansion capability. The company is growing their extraction capacity to produce oils and is working with respected partners on treatment-based cannabis medications.
Find more information at: www.northerngreencanada.com