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"Biological synthetics" – an oxymoron or at least a partial vision of the future….??
We've been tracking this topic, and while not on the shelf tomorrow, here's what's happening now and soon…
"In the not-too-distant future, the ["naturally produced"] CBD or THC you consume when you swallow an infused edible or tincture may not be derived from cannabis at all. Your daily dose of cannabinoids might be grown in a laboratory instead of a greenhouse.
Kevin Chen, CEO and co-founder of Hyasynth Bio, describes the Montreal-based start-up as “focused on engineering strains of yeast to produce the active compounds of cannabis without having to grow plants.”
Hyasynth is one of several such firms with high hopes for “bio-synthesis” of cannabinoids. Since its founding in 2014, Hyasynth has raised $12 million in investment, the bulk of it coming from New Brunswick’s Organigram, one of Canada’s leading licensed producers of cannabis.
[Chen notes:] 'In the mapping of the cannabis genome over the past 20 years, researchers have been identifying the genes responsible for producing cannabinoids. That research is publicly available, so we don’t have to actually handle cannabis ourselves. We are getting the genes for the enzymes that are responsible for its production, and we add it to the yeast genome. These genes are made synthetically and arrive in the mail as a small tube of clear liquid.'
For instance, CBDA synthase and THCA synthase are enzymes that stimulate production of CBDA and THCA, which are respectively the raw botanical precursors to CBD and THC. Lab-produced versions of these enzymes are already being added to yeast to grow CBDA and other cannabinoid acid molecules.
Chen emphasizes that “the CBD we produce is not different from that derived from plant extraction. We are using an engineered yeast to produce the stuff, but the end product is not modified.”
But, but, but…. …what about the ensemble (entourage) effect? Terpenes? Trichomes? Vaping and inhaling? And……?
Whatever we may feel about it though, we estimate that at least a notable proportion of the future cannabinoid market may be moving in this kind of direction.
Read on for the details. As per usual we give articles from non-profit Project CBD our recommendation….
….and as always appreciate your input. We're all in this strange journey together….
Yeast-Derived CBD & GMO Cannabinoids | Project CBD
In the not-too-distant future, the CBD or THC you consume when you swallow an infused edible or tincture may not be derived from cannabis at all. Your daily dose of cannabinoids might be grown in a laboratory instead of a greenhouse. Kevin Chen, CEO and co-founder of Hyasynth Bio, describes the Mont…
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