- PharmaCielo is the first cannabis cultivator evaluated
by Swiss founded SGS to meet international certification
standards
- Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification testament to
safe and sustainable cultivation practices; supportive of Good
Manufacturing Practices (GMP) designation continuum and
international market sales
- GAP skill set evidenced by cultivar registration of
additional 10 unique strains; total of 30 unique and proprietary
strains now registered for commercial use
TORONTO and RIONEGRO,
Colombia, Jan. 20, 2020 /CNW/ - PharmaCielo Ltd.
("PharmaCielo" or the "Company") (TSXV: PCLO, OTCQX: PCLOF), the
Canadian parent of Colombia's
premier cultivator and producer of medicinal-grade cannabis
extracts, PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S., is pleased to
announce that the Company has received the global Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP) certification for its propagation, flowering and
medical cannabis production operations in Colombia.
"The GAP certification attests our commitment and best practices
that we deploy in the production of the highest-quality
medicinal-cannabis extracts while adhering to the most stringent
international safety, environmental and regulatory standards," said
David Attard, CEO at PharmaCielo
Ltd. "Receipt of Certificate #001, which is the first granted
in the cannabis industry, is an important step and provides
PharmaCielo with a competitive advantage in supporting export
opportunities for our high-quality medicinal-grade extracts into
international markets where such accreditation is required."
The GAP certification awarded to PharmaCielo followed a rigorous
evaluation of 276 parameters to ensure full compliance with the
global standard. The evaluation took a full year to complete and
included monitoring and evaluation of the Company's processes from
harvest to post-harvest operations. The certification process also
included assessment of complementing aspects such as obtaining
plant material and measuring environmental impact, integrated pest
and disease management (MIPE), standardized sanitation, operating
procedures and use of phytosanitary products. The GAP standard also
evaluates key workplace components of staff hiring practices and
welfare as well as workplace hygiene and safety.
Certification was issued by SGS, one of the world's leading
inspection, verification, testing and certification companies. Good
Agricultural Practices codes, standards and regulations are
guidelines which have been developed in recent years by the food
industry, producers' organizations, governments and NGOs, aiming to
codify agricultural practices at farm level for a range of
commodities.
"We are very proud of this accomplishment, which is in addition
to the ISO 9001:2015 certification PharmaCielo received last
year, and would like to thank our employees for their relentless
efforts over the past year," said Andres
Felipe Botero, Chief Operations Officer with PharmaCielo
Colombia Holdings S.A.S. "Being the first Colombian cannabis
producer to be awarded a GAP certification is a testament to the
dedication, commitment and professionalism of our entire staff in
bringing to the market the purest of medical cannabis derivatives."
"We are very pleased to be able to confirm that globally,
PharmaCielo is the first cannabis producer to demonstrate the
ability to meet the necessary standards for GAP certification
by SGS. We look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure
that they meet the standards required for Good Manufacturing
Processes (GMP) certification for the Company's Processing and
Extraction Centre (PEC)," said Ivan Dominguez Villamil Managing
Director of SGS Colombia. "The GAP certification is
supportive of both the GMP and European GMP certification
methodology, which ensures consistent production of high-quality,
safe products and total traceability on a global basis."
In addition to completion of the GAP certification, PharmaCielo
has also announced it received approval for the listing of 10 new
proprietary and unique tetrahydrocannabinol- (THC) and
cannabidiol-dominant (CBD) cultivars with the national cultivar
registry. With these 10 new strains, the company holds 30
registered cultivars that are available for commercial
cultivation.
About PharmaCielo
PharmaCielo Ltd. (TSXV: PCLO, OTCQX: PCLOF) is a global company,
headquartered in Canada, with a
focus on ethical and sustainable processing and supplying of all
natural, medicinal-grade cannabis oil extracts and related products
to large channel distributors. PharmaCielo's principal (and wholly
owned) subsidiary is PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S.,
headquartered at its nursery and propagation centre located in
Rionegro, Colombia.
The boards of directors and executive teams of both PharmaCielo
and PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings are comprised of a diversely
talented group of international business executives and specialists
with relevant and varied expertise. PharmaCielo recognized the
significant role that Colombia's
ideal location will play in building a sustainable business in the
medical cannabis industry, and the Company, together with its
directors and executives, is executing on a business plan focused
on supplying the international marketplace.
About SGS
SGS is the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and
certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark
for quality and integrity. With more than 94,000 employees, SGS
operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around
the world.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that
term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility
for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words
such as, "expects", "is expected", "intends", "believes", or
variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions,
events or results "may" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.
Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to an
increase in the global medicinal demand for CBD cannabis, the
expected commercialization of PharmaCielo's 30 registered asset
strains, the ability of PharmaCielo to fulfill global demand for
pure CBD medicinal-cannabis oil extracts, and the completion of
PharmaCielo's GMP certification for its PEC. Forward-looking
statements are based on assumptions, including with respect to
PharmaCielo's planned products, and the ability to execute its
business plan that management believes are reasonable in the
circumstances, but the actual results, performance or achievements
of PharmaCielo's business may be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be
affected by known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors, including, but not limited to, the equity markets
generally, risks associated with early stage companies, risks
associated with the regulation of cannabis and cannabinoid
derivatives, failure to obtain necessary TSXV approval, competition
for PharmaCielo's planned products, risks associated with operating
in Colombia, and currency exchange
risk. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements.
Except as required by law, PharmaCielo undertakes no
obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
SOURCE PharmaCielo Ltd.