Science

Kanterra Science possesses the necessary expertise for the isolation of cannabinoids, the synthesization and production of minor cannabinoids, formulation, manufacturing at scale.

Our cutting-edge science and rigorous analytical testing is what allows us to derive pure isolates from the cannabis plant to precisely blend our products.

Platform

As the cannabis industry continues to take shape – both in its scientific development and its regulatory implications – we are creating a foundation of certainty. Our pharmaceutical-grade laboratory is a controlled substance licensed facility, certified by Health Canada and registered with the FDA.

We take a science-first approach to develop the formulations and products that are not only consistent and predictable, but enable us to offer unique, safe and reliable experiences.

We utilize a fully licensed GMP Contract Research Organization,Diteba Laboratories, with extensive experience in the pharma, bio-pharma, nutraceutical and cannabis industries. Diteba’s licenses include: a DEL (Drug Establishment License), Controlled Substance License, Precursor License and the full range of cannabis licenses (Drug, Analytical, Research and Processor). The Cannabis Research License includes approved Tissue Culture and Sensory Survey protocols.

Manufacturing

Process

We develop the latest innovations in plant therapy, empowering individuals to experience the benefits of cannabis-derived products.

By using cutting-edge science and rigorous analytical testing, we can create elevated cannabis products that are easily administered and dose-controlled and can generate consistent, desirable outcomes, each and every time.

Our next big challenge is to develop a pathway to the formulation of isolates that target specific efficacies or effects – essentially, combining cannabis isolates in varying quantities to achieve specific results.

Isolating cannabinoids is the first step in formulation, and formulation is key to consistent extract products. Cannabis extract from the plant can be refined into pure isolates and then combined in precise formulations that can be consistently repeated. This method involves 5 steps, resulting in 95-99% pure isolate material.

  • Extraction

    Extraction from cannabis plants produces “raw extract”. That extract contains cannabinoids, terpenes, plant lipids and waxes.

  • Winterization

    This process removes unwanted plant lipids and waxes. Extract is dissolved in ethanol and frozen to -76C, or lower. Plant lipids and waxes separate out from cannabinoids and terpenes. The remaining cannabinoid and terpene resin is the material from which most derivative products are now made.

  • Distillation

    Distillation separates cannabinoids from terpenes. We begin with either decarboxylated or winterized cannabis extract. Our state-of-the- art distillation apparatus then separates and distills cannabinoids up to 90%. During the distillation process, the terpenes (which affect taste and smell) are mostly removed, resulting in a virtually transparent oil.

  • Fractionation

    The distilled extract is passed through Centrifugal Partition Chromatography equipment, which separates out most minor cannabinoids to a high level of purity, in small bundles of specific cannabinoids (we’ve targeted more than 30). THC and CBD can reach a level of 90–95% purity, but the isolated bundles of cannabinoids still need to be separated.

  • Isolation

    A second, sophisticated technique known as Super-Rapid High Performance Liquid Chromatography is applied. This process separates individual cannabinoids into pure cannabinoid isolates – up to 99% purity – at scale.

Formulation

Once we have cannabis isolates, we are able to blend.

Formulation is the process of combining different substances (cannabinoids, stabilizers, and diluent) to produce a final product in a specified form.

Cannabinoids such as THC and CBD are oils, and therefore, do not blend easily in water. In order to combine cannabinoids in liquid, they must be emulsified. This is achieved by blasting the cannabinoid molecules into smaller particles (an average of 10 to 25 nanometers) until they are fine enough to be dispersed and suspended in liquid form, rather than sitting on top like an oil.

At the same time, we take the smaller particles and coat them with a proprietary hydrophilic substance so that the molecules are ‘camouflaged’ like water. The hydrophilic coating allows the cannabinoids to pass directly through the stomach en route to the small intestine where they can be easily absorbed by the human body.

This liquid soluble format can improve cannabinoid absorption in the body by 200% to 500% as well as enabling higher efficiency of linkage to the CB receptors.

Conversely, when consuming edibles, the active cannabinoids sit in the stomach where they are inundated with acids before they arrive at the small intestine and liver. Much of the cannabinoids are lost during this stage, before they are able to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Typically, the emulsification process can reverse itself over time, but our process creates a highly stable solution that maintains its structure, allowing it to be stored for longer periods of time. Another benefit of nanoencapsulation is that the human eye cannot detect anything below 50 nanometers in size. By creating our formulation with particles ranging between 10 to 20 nanometers, our liquid soluble solution appears clear and colourless.