Teewinot gets US patent for bioreactor used to make synthetic cannabinoid APIs
The patent covers the bioreactor and control technology in which Teewinot cultures bacteria that produce the enzymes it uses to make synthetic cannabinoids.
These cannabinoids - specifically tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabichromenic acid (CBCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA) - are processed into active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Spokesman Eric Walker told us “the bioreactor is uniquely designed for the production of cannabiniods using our company’s patent protected biosynthetic processes” adding that the technology was developed by an in-house team.
Teewinot will use the technology to make APIs for the drug industry, however, it will also license the system to third parties according to Walker.
“The bioreactor could be used to manufacture non-cannabinoid APIs but our company is focused on production and therapies based on manufacture of authentic cannabinoids, cannabinoid pro-drugs and cannabinoid analogs.”
IP portfolio
The new patent – which was awarded to Teewinot’s Ireland based subsidiary Full Spectrum Laboratories – is the second the US firm has been granted in as many months.
The previous patent covers the production process, which uses enzymes made in genetically modified bacteria to produce enzymes that convert starting materials into cannabinoids.
The process patent was licensed by Nemus Biosciences last month.
According to CEO Jeffrey Korentur Teewinot is collaborating with AMRI –Nemus’ current API supplier – to scale-up the cannabinoid production process.
Korentur told us last month that: “Our scale up is in progress now, and we anticipate being able to produce kilogram quantities of GMP manufactured cannabinoids by Q1 2017.”
