Clever Leaves Launches Project Change Lives, Pledging $25M Worth of Medical Cannabis to U.S. Researchers

Medical, clinical and research organizations may apply for consideration in Project Change Lives

Initial investigational studies underway in collaboration with Biopharmaceutical Research Company

NEW YORK, June 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CLVR, CLVRW) (“Clever Leaves” or the “Company”), a leading multinational operator and licensed producer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids, announces Project Change Lives, a U.S. focused research initiative, whereby the Company has pledged to contribute up to USD$25,000,000 retail value of medical cannabis products to any eligible U.S. organization to help advance scientific research into the potential medical benefits of cannabinoids. By sponsoring Project Change Lives, Clever Leaves is offering to provide a historic amount of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis to leading research institutions in one of the most advanced pharmaceutical markets in the world.

Clever Leaves is looking to supply up to 250,000 bottles of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis oils or approximately 5 tons of medical cannabis flower that will help research institutions develop new therapies. To eliminate an additional impediment to the advancement of scientific knowledge around cannabis, this research material will be provided at no cost to Clever Leaves’ research partners. The Company will be partnering with Biopharmaceutical Research Company, a company which holds federal licenses for importing, analyzing and manufacturing controlled substances, as its importer of record. Clever Leaves plans to begin working with U.S. investigators immediately and initiate their efforts with a research study focused on the DNA sequencing of a variety of their cannabis cultivars.

“Due to legal restrictions, the U.S. cannabis industry has faced decades worth of research delays on top of cannabis product shortages or lack of diversity of high-quality products, and the industry would greatly benefit from companies such as Clever Leaves providing affordable, pharmaceutical-grade, EU GMP certified medical cannabis for research purposes. In addition to clearing hurdles in research, Project Change Lives hopes to create new opportunities for the advancement of medical treatments and patient access by allowing legal cannabis ingredients and pharmaceuticals to cross borders freely,” said Kyle Detwiler, CEO of Clever Leaves.  

Clever Leaves is launching, in close collaboration with a distinguished scientific and medical review panel, a nationwide call for proposals from researchers at universities and accredited facilities seeking medical cannabis to conduct their studies. Organizations and researchers interested in participating can apply and learn more at projectchangelives.org.

Why Should Institutions Want to Source from Clever Leaves?

• Quality Standards – Clever Leaves’ Colombian medical cannabis post-harvest and extraction facilities are the first in Latin America and one of the few in the world to receive European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (EU GMP) certification. Its cultivation process is also GACP certified, and its medical cannabis extraction facility is the only one in the world to receive Good Manufacturing Practices Certifications from both, INVIMA and the European Union.
• Sustainability – Clever Leaves’ greenhouse cultivation facilities in Colombia utilize equatorial sunlight and ideal growing conditions to produce some of the finest quality hemp and cannabis plants in the world. Moreover, approximately two-thirds of the Company’s water needs are fulfilled from on-site rainwater collection systems, significantly improving sustainability, and minimizing environmental impact. The Company has an ultimate goal to become carbon negative.
• Consistency and traceability – In addition to optimal growing conditions, Clever Leaves is one of the only medical cannabis companies globally which also has seed to consumer tracking, which allows traceability of each product back to its plant source.
• Technology and Innovation – Clever Leaves exclusively utilizes CO₂ extraction equipment to create high purity levels and can rapidly develop new formulations as research efforts evolve_.
• Social Responsibility – Clever Leaves strives to be a good corporate citizen, and the organization works to enrich the communities in which it operates. For example, more than 50% of the Company’s current workforce are women and approximately half of those are single mothers, an important social initiative in Colombia.

About Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.
Clever Leaves is a multinational cannabis company with an emphasis on ecologically sustainable, large-scale cultivation and pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid processing as the cornerstones of its global cannabis business. With operations and investments in the United States, Canada, Colombia, Germany and Portugal, Clever Leaves has created an effective distribution network and global footprint, with a foundation built upon capital efficiency and rapid growth. Clever Leaves aims to be one of the industry’s leading global cannabis companies recognized for its principles, people, and performance while fostering a healthier global community. Clever Leaves has received multiple international certifications that have enabled it to increase its export and sales capacity from its Colombian operations, including European Union Good Manufacturing Practices (EU GMP) Certification, a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Certification by Colombia National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute – Invima, and Good Agricultural and Collecting Practices (GACP) Certification. Clever Leaves was granted a license in Portugal from Infarmed – the Portuguese health authority – which allows Clever Leaves to cultivate, import and export dry flower for medicinal and research purposes. In addition, the Portuguese operation was also granted certification of compliance with GACP and IMC-GAP.

For more information, please visit https://cleverleaves.com/en/home/ and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Biopharmaceutical Research Company
Biopharmaceutical Research Company (“BRC”) is a specialty pharmaceutical company that holds several DEA Registrations and is helping pioneer the federally legal cannabis space in the U.S. BRC also conducts federally compliant cannabis-specific analytical activities. 

Clever Leaves Press contacts:

McKenna Miller 
KCSA Strategic Communications 
+1-347-487-6197
mmiller@kcsa.com 

Diana Sigüenza
Strategic Communications Director
+57-310-236-8830
Diana.siguenza@cleverleaves.com

Clever Leaves Investor Inquiries:
Cody Slach
Gateway Investor Relations
+1-949-574-3860
CLVR@gatewayir.com

Clever Leaves Commercial Inquiries:
Andrew Miller
Vice President Sales – EMEA, North America, and Asia-Pacific
+1-416-817-1336
andrew.miller@cleverleaves.com