Approval applies to company’s expansion plans in Napanee, Ont.

VIVO Cannabis Inc. reports the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, ABcann Medicinals Inc., has received the thumbs-up from Health Canada to begin cultivation in the expansion of its Napanee, Ont. facility.

The approval will allow for doubling of VIVO’s Ontario cultivation capacity, notes a statement from the Napanee-based company, which holds production and sales licences from Health Canada and operates indoor cultivation facilities.

Current production capacity is now more than 5,000 kg and it is “anticipated to further increase to 11,000 kg later in 2019 following the completion and licensing of ongoing, fully funded expansion projects in Hope, B.C. and Napanee, Ont.,” the press release states. “This capacity will be augmented by several thousand additional kilograms sourced from third-party cultivators that meet VIVO’s rigorous quality standards,” it adds.

Noting that cultivation in the expanded area will start immediately, the “expansion includes production and product development space built to GMP (good manufacturing practices) standards,” VIV reports. “A supercritical CO2 extraction suite for production of concentrates has been incorporated into the facility and is expected to be brought online mid-2019,” the company adds.

“The GMP certification of our Vanluven expansion, expected later this year, will enable us to service the growing international medical cannabis market,” comments VIVO CEO Barry Fishman. “Through our internal expansion projects (including indoor facilities, seasonal greenhouses and outdoor growing) and certified third-party partners, we are well-positioned to increase our offering of premium products in Canada’s medical and adult-use markets, including launching new formats such as edibles, concentrates and precisely dosed medical products when they are permitted by regulations,” Fishman adds.