Acreage Pharms Launches Innovative, Ambitious Extraction Program for Cannabis Oils in Canada

Acreage Pharms is pleased to announce the acquisition of cannabis oil extraction equipment and the hiring of key professionals to launch an extraction program to serve Canada's expanding need for high-quality cannabis oils.

The C02 extraction technology, on track for production, will use Acreage Pharm's cannabis to extract and manufacture cannabis oils. Acreage Pharms will apply for an oil license from Health Canada as soon as it receives sales licenses expected.

The acquisition of a closed-loop C02 extraction system is essential for Acreage Pharms market strategy. The system performs Subcritical and Supercritical Fluid Extraction utilizing high-pressure carbon dioxide to extract essential oils from botanicals, using specific temperatures and pressures to withdraw different components from plants. The innovative process produces the highest-quality cannabis oils in the world.

Compared to solvent extractions, Acreage Pharms Supercritical C02 extraction will be:

• Non-Toxic/Non-Carcinogenic. Oils extracted using this technology do not contain petroleum particles.

• Safe. The system does not use potentially flammable or explosive petroleum-based solvents.

• Carbon-Neutral/Environmentally Friendly. The system does not emit carbon into the atmosphere.

• Customizable. With a wide range of temperatures, pressures and flow rates to leverage, the system is capable of fully withdrawing from botanicals like cannabis full profiles of natural compounds.

• Premium quality. The advanced system is used by the best companies to extract coffee, vanilla, tea, fruit and nut extracts and aromas, omega-3 oils, fragrances, perfumes, tobacco extractions for e-cigarettes, hop-oil extraction for beer, oil extractions for alternative energies from algae and high-grade cannabis oil.

Supercritical C02 extraction offers the blossoming cannabis industry the promise of understanding the myriad medical benefits of cannabis. By giving concentrate makers so much control over the process, it gains them access to cannabinoids within the plant beside THC and CBD, which some researchers believe will be vital components of ongoing cannabis research and development.

Both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 facilities at Acreage Pharms have a total of approximately 40,000 square feet with expected 5,000 kg of capacity beginning in February 2018 along with a further planned 80,000 square foot Phase 3 expansion for total combined production capacity at Acreage Pharms of 19,000 kg in 2018. This will be ample supply to conduct oil extraction, processing and development to supply the expanding medical market and to prepare for the recreational market later this year.

The ambitious new technology program requires the guidance, oversight and scientific savvy of seasoned professionals, and Acreage Pharms is thrilled to add Chris Kooner, RPh and Dr. Dejun Cui to the team. Both of these pharmacy and agriculture veterans have been with Acreage for six months, but now are pivoting their responsibilities towards the new oils extraction program.

Chris will take over as Responsible Person in Charge (RPIC) for Acreage Pharms. Chris, a registered pharmacist with years of executive experience in pharmacy production labs, has dedicated much of his career to building safe, efficient production protocols at large pharmacies and then managing all aspects of production within pharmacies. This work is extremely detailed and grounded in science, and parallels cannabis oils production. With such broad experience in both the pharmaceutical and now cannabis industries, Chris has the full scope of knowledge.

Dr. Cui will oversee Quality Assurance at Acreage Pharms. His long list of key responsibilities and duties includes:

• Developing a protocol for sampling and testing dried cannabis to ensure representative results for the batch and the microbial and chemical contaminants meet the specifications.

• Ensuring all products prior to release for sale is analyzed for pesticide residues to verify their absence.

• Ensuring that cannabis oil must not contain residues of prohibited solvents.

With more than 30 years of high-level experience in horticulture and agriculture Dr. Cui is ideal for this mission-critical position. Among other things, Dr. Cui has more than 25 years experience in Integrated Pest Management, with specialties in biological control agents, physical control, botanical/bio-pesticides, entomology, plant pathology, agronomy and greenhouse and growth chamber management. He also has extensive experience working with the Cannabis sativa plant in professional settings.

"Building a scientifically rigorous, safe and productive extraction program has long been an Invictus goal," said Dan Kriznic, Chairman and CEO of Invictus. "With our cannabis production ramping-up on schedule, we now are prepared to begin crafting the high-quality oils for Canada's growing medical market, as well as the anticipated recreational market set to launch in July 2018. Our acquisition of the latest extraction technology, along with the addition to our team of agricultural and pharmacy professionals with advanced degree and decades of combined experience, sets our extraction program on strong footing immediately."