Clever Leaves' Historic Initiative 'Project Change Lives' To Contribute $25M Worth Of Medical Cannabis To U.S. Researchers

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. CLVR announced the launch of its U.S.-focused research initiative, Project Change Lives, under which the company will contribute up to $25 million in retail value of medical cannabis products to any eligible U.S. organization to help advance scientific research into the potential medical benefits of cannabinoids. 

The New York-based multinational cannabis operator announced Monday that it plans to give, at no cost, up to 250,000 bottles of cannabis oils or around 5 tons of medical cannabis flower to help researchers design new therapies. 

Clever Leaves is teaming up with the Biopharmaceutical Research Company, as its importer of record. Biopharmaceutical Research Company has federal licenses for importing, analyzing and producing controlled substances. 

The company, which intends to undertake this collaboration with U.S. researchers immediately, will also support a study on the DNA sequencing of its own cannabis cultivars. 

 “Due to legal restrictions, the U.S. cannabis industry has faced decades worth of research delays on top of cannabis product shortages or lack of diversity of high-quality products, and the industry would greatly benefit from companies such as Clever Leaves providing affordable, pharmaceutical-grade, EU GMP certified medical cannabis for research purposes,” Kyle Detwiler, CEO of Clever Leaves, said. “In addition to clearing research hurdles, Project Change Lives hopes to create new opportunities for the advancement of medical treatments and patient access by allowing legal cannabis ingredients and pharmaceuticals to cross borders freely.”

‘A Nationwide Call’ 

Clever Leaves also announced it is launching a nationwide call for ideas and proposals from scientists and researchers at both universities and accredited facilities who are looking for medical cannabis to run their research projects. Those interested can apply at projectchangelives.org.

The company detailed several reasons why researchers would need its medical cannabis products:

• Quality Standards – the company has EU GMP certification, its growing practices are GACP certified and its medical cannabis extraction facility is said to be the only in the world to have Good Manufacturing Practices Certifications from both the European Union and INVIMA;
• Sustainability practices;
• Consistency and traceability services; 
• Technology and innovation operations;
• Following social responsibility protocols.

Price Action 

Clever Leaves’ shares were trading 2.76% lower at $10.58 per share at the time of writing.

Photo by Esteban Lopez on Unsplash