LSU AgCenter finalizes agreement with GB Sciences Louisiana to produce medical marijuana

The LSU AgCenter has finalized its agreement with GB Sciences Louisiana to produce medical cannabis products for qualifying patients in Louisiana.

GB Sciences will produce medical cannabis under the LSU AgCenter’s license for patients with very specific conditions.

GB Sciences, a cannabis company focused on biopharmaceutical development, has filed patent applications for using cannabis for chronic pain and heart therapies as well as chronic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma.

“It is extremely important that we can provide patients with safe and consistent options to help improve their quality of life,” said Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture.

The LSU AgCenter has been working closely with state regulators — including the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy and the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners — to ensure patient and public safety.

Delivery means are limited to oils; oral methods such as pills, sprays or chewables; topical applications; transdermal patches and suppositories. Louisiana law does not allow any marijuana product to be inhaled, raw or smoked.

GB Sciences will begin renovating the production facility immediately and anticipates product availability for patients by the middle of next year. The production facility is not located on LSU’s campus. No students and no one under 21 years of age will be employed in the facility.

Under the terms of the agreement, the LSU AgCenter will receive $3.4 million or 10 percent of gross revenue, whichever is greater, over five years. GB Sciences will support LSU AgCenter research through funding for personnel, laboratory research space and equipment plus an additional monetary contribution for research initiatives.

As the licensee, the LSU AgCenter is authorized to conduct research on medical cannabis. The LSU AgCenter has had preliminary discussions with LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Health Science Centers in New Orleans and Shreveport about opportunities for research collaboration.

Research likely will include variety development, growth management practices, extraction techniques, compound identification and isolation, drug delivery methods and efficacy testing.

GB Sciences will be responsible for cultivating, extracting, processing and producing medical cannabis, and will provide and perform all other necessary activities to provide usable medical cannabis products for patients through licensed dispensary pharmacies.

As a public institution of higher education, the LSU AgCenter’s partnership with GB Sciences represents a first in the medical cannabis industry.

“We are excited about the opportunities this partnership with GB Sciences will allow,” Richardson said. “GB Sciences is as dedicated to the research and quality as we are, and their team will make this initiative successful.”

No taxpayer dollars will be spent on the project. More information about Louisiana therapeutic marijuana can be found at www.lsuagcenter.com/agmedical.