TORONTO, April 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blueberries Medical Corp. (CSE: BBM) (OTCQB: BBRRF) (FRA: 1OA) (the “Company” or "Blueberries") a Latin American licenced producer of medicinal cannabis and cannabis-derived products, has signed a definitive joint venture agreement (the “Agreement”) with the International Research Center on Cannabis and Mental Health (“IRCCMH” or the “Center”) for the development of medical education programs for physicians and patients in Latin America and product formulation.
IRCCMH is a leading research and academic organization in the cannabis sector with extensive experience in cannabis research and education, pharmacology, product formulation and the efficacy of cannabis-based treatments. Based in New York and aligned with the Silver School of Social Work at New York University, IRCCMH is comprised of renowned scientists, educators and clinicians and was created to bridge a gap between research and clinical practice. IRCCMH also creates education programs for physicians and patients and acts as advisor to several state-sponsored medical cannabis programs and has guided state regulators to create and implement cannabis programs in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Utah, California and other states. Founded by Jan Roberts, LCSW and Jahan Marcu, Ph.D, the Center’s founders and staff are regarded as thought leaders in the sector and have also been deeply involved with several other leading cannabis focused associations and are respected authors and speakers within the industry as further detailed below.
"This collaboration agreement with IRCCMH provides an outstanding opportunity for Blueberries to leverage IRCCMH’s deep sector expertise to help educate physicians in Latin America and develop medical treatments for patients in the Latin American market and beyond. As cannabis regulation evolves globally, education and awareness are paramount to its adoption and the establishment of early mover advantages," stated Dr. Patricio Stocker, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “IRCCMH is a highly respected institution in the United States and their focus on education and research aligns with our goal of providing effective and responsible treatment to a broad spectrum of patients and customers globally. The agreement will emphasize education for prescribing doctors and patients and provide educational tools for all parties. This alliance will ensure that we are developing products and treatments that the medical community needs, with a streamlined process for reaching patients in these evolving markets.”
IRCCMH will leverage its background and expertise to support the development of Blueberries’ commercial and educational initiatives. Together with IRCCMH, Blueberries is developing a treatment-focused medical education program designed to assist physicians in prescribing cannabis-based treatment plans to patients (the “Program”) in Latin America. A comprehensive patient and physician education program will be a cornerstone of Blueberries’ strategy for the introduction and adoption of cannabis-based treatments, positioning Blueberries as an early leader in the Latin American medicinal cannabis market.
“IRCCMH is excited about our collaboration with Blueberries Medical and the opportunity to leverage our expertise in cannabis-based patient care, research and education in rapidly evolving global markets”, stated Jan Roberts, founder of IRCCMH stated, “This affiliation will help Blueberries position themselves in Latin America as a leader in medical cannabis treatment and will ensure that the research, education, and unique expertise of IRCCMH will impact a growing segment of medical treatment with cannabis in this region of the world.”
This initiative will initially be rolled out through the company’s previously announced partnership with El Manantial Medical Centers in Bogota which will provide the platform, resources, patients and expertise needed to launch the Program and commercialize the formulations and products developed through the collaboration with the IRCCMH. Blueberries is further extending its patient & physician network currently, replicating the El Manantial Medical Center model with other physicians, institutions and medical associations.
In addition to the development of best in class educational programs for the education of physicians and patients in Latin America, access to IRCCMH´s team of specialists with deep expertise in medical cannabis will facilitate faster product development and generate the appropriate formulations and product standardization to accelerate the commercialization of the Company’s medicinal cannabis products, initially through El Manantial Medical Center’s rapidly growing patient base and the Company’s other strategic arrangements.
About IRCCMH & IRCCMH Founders
Based in New York and aligned with the Silver School of Social Work at NYU and building upon years of expertise working with cannabis and mental health in the United States, IRCCMH was created to bridge a gap between research and clinical practice. IRCCMH was co-founded by Jan Roberts and Dr. Jahan Marcu in 2017 to provide quality research and education to the medical cannabis community. IRCCMH is a community-based institute in New York City that collaborates with universities, researchers, foundations, state institutions, and other organizations to leverage the best talent in the field. The Institute works to build educational seminars, expand research with universities, and provide consultation for healthcare professionals and regulatory organizations in order to improve patient care. Through its numerous projects, Marcu and Roberts have been instrumental in creating dialogues in areas of cannabis education and investigation that hadn’t been previously addressed.
For more information visit www.irccmh.org/about-irccmh.
Jan Roberts, LCSW: CEO & Director of Translational Research
Jan Roberts is a co-founder for IRCCMH and serves as CEO and Director of Translational Research. Ms. Roberts is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who owns and operates one of the largest collaborative care practices in the mid-Atlantic region - Partners in Health and Wellbeing. Ms. Roberts is a clinician and an entrepreneur with an activist spirit who has extensive experience running both non-profit and for-profit healthcare organizations.
Ms. Roberts teaches at NYU Silver School of Social Work and is currently working on a funded study of Mental Health Clinicians and Knowledge and Attitudes on Cannabis. She is also Guest-Editor for a Special Issue on Cannabis and Mental Health for the Clinical Social Work Journal (CSWJ).
Ms. Roberts' current work is focused on the clinical application of cannabis in mental health settings and focusing on maladaptive coping strategies rather than a substance-based approach to treating addictions. As a result, Ms. Roberts is especially interested in educating fellow mental health clinicians on the most recent research findings to address stigma and lack of knowledge related to cannabis, the endocannabinoid system and mental health outcomes.
Jahan Marcu, Ph.D.: COO & Director of Experimental Pharmacology and Behavioral Research
Jahan Marcu, Ph.D., is a co-founder for IRCCMH. Dr. Marcu is the former Chief Science Officer at Americans for Safe Access (a medical cannabis advocacy non-profit) and former Director of the Patient Focused Certification program, which is a health and safety oversight program that assesses regulatory compliance at cannabis operations.
He is co-founder and past-chairman of the CANN subdivision of the Chemical Health and Safety Division (DCHAS) of the American Chemical Society. His is also on the Board of Directors of the International Association for Cannabinoids as Medicine. He has a background in analytical chemistry and molecular pharmacology, and received his Ph.D. for contributions in characterizing the structure and function of the cannabinoid receptors. He is an author of the American Herbal Pharmacopeia's Cannabis Monograph and serves on multiple expert government, trade association committees and scientific organizations.
Dr. Marcu has helped create medical cannabis educational training for clinicians and for workers in the medical cannabis industry, and has been invited to speak at many international conferences and universities, including the University of Leiden, Temple University School of Medicine, Princeton Hospital, and Yale University. Dr. Marcu is also a court qualified expert witness on cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids.
Dr. Marcu is a recipient of the Billy Martin research award from the International Cannabinoid Research Society.
About Blueberries Medical Corp.
Blueberries is a Latin American licensed producer of naturally grown premium quality cannabis with its primary operations ideally located in the Bogotá Savannah of central Colombia and operations currently being established in Argentina. The Company is led by a specialized team with proprietary expertise in agriculture, genetics, extraction, medicine, pharmacology and marketing, Blueberries is fully licensed for the cultivation, production, domestic distribution, and international export of CBD and THC-based medical cannabis in Colombia. Blueberries’ combination of leading scientific expertise, agricultural advantages and distribution arrangements has positioned the Company to become a leading international supplier of naturally grown, processed, and standardized medicinal-grade cannabis oil extracts and related products.
Additional information about the Company is available at www.blueberriesmed.com. For more information, please contact:
Camilo Villalba, Chief Operating Officer
Tel: +57.313.483.0131
Email: cvillalba@blueberriesmed.com
Jessika Angarita, Pacta Relations
angarita@pactarelations.com
Tel: +1 (305) 877 4710
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward looking statements relate, among other things, to: expectations relating to the potential benefits of the Agreement and the Company’s partnership with the Center, expectations regarding the development and commercialization of the Company’s products, and future growth plans.
These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the Colombian and international medical cannabis market and changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution and sale of cannabis and cannabis related products in Colombia or internationally; and employee relations. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.