Dalgety joins UK cannabis market frontrunners with licence upgrade

Dalgety has become the latest company to progress to the front of the UK medicinal cannabis industry after being granted Home Office approval to cultivate, process, and pack medicinal cannabis ready for sale to the pharmaceutical market.

Key highlights:

  • The UK medical cannabis market is forecast to reach $1.1 billion by 2024, and $8.8 billion by 2028.
  • Dalgety has been granted Home Office approval to cultivate, process, and pack medicinal cannabis ready for sale to the pharmaceutical market.
  • The updated licence allows Dalgety to cultivate and manufacture EU-GMP grade high THC-medicinal cannabis from its UK-based facility.

The Home Office licence will allow the rapidly expanding business to begin commercial cultivation and distribution of its product, which follows its inspection from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). 

James Leavesley, chief operating officer at Dalgety, said:

The granting of this licence after three years of investment and development means we now join the limited few that are at the forefront of this burgeoning market.

“The opportunities are substantial; not just for the businesses and investors harnessing the economic potential of the industry, but for patients that cannot access the high quality GMP approved cannabis that Dalgety can provide.”

The UK medical cannabis market is forecast to reach $1.1 billion by 2024. By 2028, it is predicted to reach $8.8 billion, making it the second largest in Europe and potentially serving 1% of the country’s population.

The updated licence allows Dalgety to cultivate and manufacture EU-GMP grade high THC-medicinal cannabis from its UK-based facility. The resulting medicinal cannabis will primarily be distributed to the pharmaceutical market and then made available to patients via a medical prescription from a licensed doctor. 

James said: “We are on the cusp of a market boom in this country – the granting of upgraded licenses to companies such as ourselves being a significant step forward. Having our own UK-based state-of-the-art facility, as well as working with other UK-based cannabis medical product manufacturers, will ensure UK patients have a high quality and reliable source of medical cannabis – in turn removing any supply chain obstructions that none-UK producers are currently facing.

“The next step for us is to complete the cultivation of our first commercial crop and continue the expansion of our team in finance, quality and regulation, medicinal research and development roles. We will also be focusing on a second round of investment to not only support these additions to our team, but to put in place plans for the further development of our highly secure and purpose built indoor growing facility.” 

Medicinal cannabis products were legalised in the UK in 2018, making them available on prescription, commonly via private doctors and specialist pain clinics. Currently, the UK imports the majority of its cannabis-based medicines, with a drive to grant licenses that will allow in-country sourcing for improved quality control and traceability.