Magic mushrooms are set to be analyzed, tested and ready for global distribution this fall
VANCOUVER, BC — Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) (“Optimi” or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that it has completed what it believes to be the largest legal natural psilocybin harvest in Canadian history. The Company is licensed by Health Canada to produce and supply natural, EU-GMP grade psilocybin and other psychedelic substances, most notably MDMA, as well as functional mushrooms that focus on the health and wellness markets.
Building off its first official harvest on May 27th, which produced various strains of psilocybin for lab analysis and early-stage supply agreements, the Company is pleased to report that its investment in state-of-the art environmental controls and facility cultivation operations have resulted in a commercially harvested yield of more than 150 kg of Panaeolus cyanescens and Psilocybe cubensis.
All Optimi mushroom products are grown from the Company’s world-leading psilocybin genetic bank and are grown in EU-GMP compliant clean rooms that ensure sterile cultivation and undergo almost 300 different analytical tests post-harvest.
“Our mushrooms are some of the most tested products on the planet as we cross the lines between Pharmaceutical, Agriculture, Botanical, and Food testing quality assays,” said Optimi Chief Science Officer, Justin Kirkland. “This yield gives us the capacity and scale we need to advance our analytical schedule while also developing our product pipeline,” he added.
Once analyzed and tested, both in-house and then by a licensed third-party lab according to Optimi’s strict product specification and quality assurance standards, the Company will commence distribution of the harvested quantities to fulfill supply agreements signed in recent months with various industry partners and licensed research entities across the globe.
Optimi Chief Operations Officer, Bryan Safarik, says the yield exceeded expectations in terms of quality and quantity.
“By controlling and tracking all of the inputs digitally, we are able to consistently grow psilocybin-containing mushrooms at a much higher potency to maximize the amount of naturally occurring psilocybin within the mushroom,” said Safarik. “These state-of-the-art controls are a key differentiator for what we offer the global market. The higher the potency, the less biomass you need to achieve the desired amount of pure psilocybin API, which means we can create considerably more natural psilocybin per square foot than a typical black market grow. More psilocybin in less space achieves more revenue per square foot,” he added.
All surplus inventory from the harvest will be safely stored in Optimi’s Level 8 Security Vault to ensure minimal degradation of the natural psilocybin.
Optimi will also be using the mushrooms to further develop its on-site extraction methods and will use the product to finalize its naturally derived psilocybin offerings this fall. The Company is working to supply various upcoming phase 1 & 2 clinical trials to build out the required human safety data in healthy Canadians, and eventually patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Bringing a safe and federally licensed supply of psilocybin products to market beyond encapsulated biomass is integral to the Company’s global innovation strategy.
On May 11th, Optimi Labs announced the expansion of its on-site analytical laboratory, which allows the company to measure consistency in its product while it begins to build out proprietary formulations and extracts. Biomass derived from this harvest is likewise intended for use in showcasing the stability and accuracy of dosing for patients who request access to natural psilocybin mushrooms via the Special Access Program and clinical trials.
To access a complete photo gallery of this historic grow, please click here.
Optimi Health products are still being investigated through a clinically validated development program for the purpose of applying for market authorization. The safety and efficacy of our products has not been formally established.
FOR INTERVIEW REQUESTS OR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Investor Relations
Michael Kydd
investors@optimihealth.ca
+1 (902) 880 6121
www.optimihealth.ca
