Canadian specialist pharmaceutical company Aequus Pharmaceuticals has entered a broad research collaboration with the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD).

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The research collaboration will help establish pre-clinical safety and efficacy of select cannabinoid-based therapeutics that target neurological movement disorders, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease.

CDRD president and chief executive officer Gordon McCauley said: “Our partnership with Aequus is a great example of the work we do with biotech across the country.

“There is a clear unmet medical need in the area of medical cannabinoid research and development where CDRD and Aequus can collaborate and share their respective expertise that could lead to new cannabinoid therapeutics and a pathway to clinical trials, particularly in neurological movement disorders.”

Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, CDRD is the national drug development and commercialisation centre in the country.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

There is currently no sufficient data available to ensure proper therapeutic treatment protocols regarding the proper dosage and frequency for patients with a wide range of symptoms and disease areas.

"Our partnership with Aequus is a great example of the work we do with biotech across the country."

The collaboration will support preclinical studies, including in vitro and in vivo toxicology, pharmacology, and formulation optimisation in relevant disease models.

Following approvals from Health Canada, these preclinical studies will be conducted at CDRD’s facilities in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Products advanced through the new partnership will be commercialised by Aequus Pharmaceuticals.

The company aims to develop pharmaceutical grade products for patients seeking the use of optimised delivery versions of clinically validated formulations of medical cannabis.


Image: CDRD and Aequus collaborate and share their respective expertise to develop new cannabinoid-based therapeutics. Photo: courtesy of Business Wire.

Pharmaceutical Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Pharmaceutical Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Awarded the 2025 Pharmaceutical Technology Excellence Award for Business Expansion in Integrated Manufacturing, Upperton Pharma Solutions is rapidly expanding its UK GMP and sterile manufacturing footprint. Find out how Upperton’s integrated CDMO model helps pharma companies move from early development to clinical and niche commercial supply with fewer handovers and faster timelines.

Discover the Impact