NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - May 13, 2014) - Plandaí Biotechnology (OTCQB: PLPL) has plans to develop and market a cannabis extract once the political climate in the US sorts itself out. Nationwide legalization seems to be just a matter of time, and there are a host of companies, including Plandaí, that are laying the framework for a successful future in the cannabis space well ahead of legalization. One such move was naming marijuana entrepreneur and former Microsoft executive Jamen Shively to its Board of Directors and announcing him as its Vice President of Global Marketing. 

With less than 6 months until mid-term elections where it's likely even more states will legalize marijuana for, at minimum, medicinal purposes, Stock Market Media Group (SMMG) spoke with Jamen Shively (JS) to discuss Plandaí's future in the cannabis arena.

SMMG: Moving forward what are Plandaí's objectives regarding cannabis?

JS: "We have two short-term objectives with respect to cannabis. First, we need a legal platform from which we can conduct our research, and secondly, we need to finalize our Phytofare^™ Pheroid^® cannabinoid complex."

SMMG: Tell us more about finding a legal platform?

JS: "Regardless of state law, marijuana use -- even for medical research, is not legal on the federal level. While the FDA has granted some companies a limited license to perform trials, this is a long and arduous path.

So, our first goal is to find a government that is supportive of medical marijuana research. As you've read, we're in active discussions with South Africa as well as other countries we haven't disclosed. I'm confident that we will soon have the green light from somewhere."

SMMG: Explain finalizing the Phytofare^™ Pheroid^® cannabinoid complex?

JS: "We believe, based on scientific evidence, that we can retain the acid forms of THC, THCA and THCB in their natural state, thus negating the psychotomimetic actions of cannabis. 

Pheroid's role is to provide protection to the nanoparticle antioxidants during the digestive process and through the liver, allowing the undamaged antioxidant molecules to pass unmetabolized into the bloodstream.

Once in the bloodstream, human cells perceive the fatty acids as a food source and bring the nanoparticles inside the cell membrane where, through the process of glycolysis, the Pheroid is eaten away, releasing cannabinoids into the white blood cells.

The white blood cells should then naturally travel along pathways and pass through the Blood Brain Barrier, delivering a clinical dose of Phtofare Cannabis complex able to undertake efficient antagonistic scavenging of free radicals, to the brain CB1 and CB2 neuron receptors."

SMMG: So the goal is a pharmaceutical?

JS: "Without boring you with too much science, we should be able to retain THCA and THCB without converting to the psychoactive THC. Our goal is to produce a non-psychoactive cannabinoid extract pharmaceutical, which should take cannabis extracts out of the banned substance category, thus creating a new class of botanical drugs containing cannabis through the supporting research and development of our product.

Long term, we hope to eventually receive an FDA clearance for our Phytofare^™ Pheroid^® Cannabis complex for treating one or more illnesses."

SMMG: Does this mean no Plandaí cannabis extracts hitting the shelves anytime soon?

JS: "Not yet. First the research, then the product. We could rush something to market and slap the Diego Pellicer name on it, but we'd be no different than everyone else out there selling something with no regulations, no standards, and no hard clinical data. 

This is not a short-term view we're taking -- we believe that cannabis has the potential to be an amazing wellness product, but first we have legal hurdles to overcome and then a lot of research."

About Stock Market Media Group

SMMG is a Research and Content Development IR firm offering a platform for corporate stories to unfold in the media with Reports, Interviews and Articles. SMMG is compensated for Plandaí content by a third party who reserves the right to buy, sell or remain neutral on securities after the publication of this article. SMMG has received total compensation of $46,115, for content related to Plandaí. For more information: www.stockmarketmediagroup.com.