CannPal secures commercial rights to CSIRO’s MicroMAX technology

Following an 18 month review, CannPal (ASX: CP1) has secured exclusive rights to commercialise the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s (CSIRO) patented MicroMAX platform for use in its hemp and cannabis-based animal health products.

CannPal now has exclusive global rights to commercialise MicroMAX, which is designed to encapsulate microscopic droplets of oil in a food grade material. The technology protects bioactive ingredients from oxidation and helps deliver them to the gastrointestinal tract.

According to CannPal, microencapsulation is used in food and drug manufacturing to protect the integrity of ingredients and help maintain nutritional value, shelf-life and flavour of the products while enhancing delivery of the active compounds.

For the past 18-months, CannPal has been evaluating the MicroMAX microencapsulation technology with CSIRO using hemp plant compounds.

The evaluation found that MicroMAX can encapsulate CannPal’s oil formulations while offering “superior protection” and “substantial improvement” in oxidative stability.

Pre-clinical trials also confirmed “significant anti-inflammatory activity” in CannPal’s hemp-based oil formulations using MicroMAX.

Additionally, CannPal noted its formulations contain hemp plant compounds that have already been approved for use in consumer products.

This enables CannPal to add hemp and cannabis oils to a wider range of companion animal health products and provides a path to market without the need for regulatory approvals.

CannPal managing director Layton Mills said the MicroMAX technology was “highly effective” with “unmatched” stability and protection capabilities.

“Additionally, it is exciting to see significant anti-inflammatory activity in the hemp-derived formulation used during the evaluation.”

“This gives us confidence to explore the ways in which we can commercialise complementary products for the animal health market with high quality evidence-based formulations using some of the less regulated compounds in the hemp plant, to support CannPal’s ongoing pharmaceutical development, which remains our core focus,” Mr Mills added.

Moving forward, CannPal will undertake a small-scale commercial trial to test a new product that combines MicroMAX with its anti-inflammatory formulation.

The trial will involve a select consumer group and will begin in the current quarter.