Avicanna Applauds President Trump’s Executive Order to Reclassify Cannabis & Provides Scientific Update

Avicanna’s evidence-based pathway for cannabinoid-based medicine aligns with the executive order.

Avicanna’s 2025 advances across R&D, clinical development, and medical affairs.

TORONTO, Dec. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avicanna Inc. (“Avicanna” or the “Company”) (TSX: AVCN) (OTCQX: AVCNF) (FSE: 0NN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of plant-derived cannabinoid-based products applauds President Trump’s executive order directing the reclassification of cannabis as a less dangerous substance from Schedule I to Schedule III controlled substance while also mentioning the importance of scientific research. Avicanna is also pleased to provide a scientific update on advancements across the Company’s research and development (“R&D”), clinical development, and medical affairs programs.

“As a biopharmaceutical company focused on cannabinoid-based medicines, this development represents an important milestone that reinforces our long-standing commitment to standardized, evidence-based approaches to cannabinoid products,” stated Aras Azadian, CEO of Avicanna Inc. “For nearly a decade, Avicanna has actively supported and conducted research and clinical development initiatives in collaboration with leading Canadian academic and clinical institutions. We are encouraged by the recognition of the growing body of scientific evidence supporting the medical potential of cannabinoids and by the administration’s emphasis on advancing research in this field including real world evidence. We believe this regulatory direction may facilitate further clinical research, support innovation, and encourage investment into the development of rigorously validated cannabinoid-based therapies, with longer-term implications for reimbursement and patient access.”

Avicanna’s 2025 Scientific and Medical Highlights

• Clinical Development: Continued execution of a balanced clinical development strategy, including progress in the Company’s real-world evidence conducted in collaboration with University Health Network (“UHN”), which has enrolled approximately 450 patients to date for the evaluating outcomes related to pain, sleep, anxiety, and depression. In addition, the Company’s first Phase II randomized controlled evaluating arthritic pain utilizing Avicanna's proprietary cannabinoid formulations was commenced this December.
  
  
  
  
• R&D Advancements: Meaningful progress across research and pre-clinical programs supporting Avicanna’s proprietary pipeline of drug delivery systems, medical cannabis products, and pharmaceutical candidates. Achievements during the year included the granting of new USPTO and the translation of additional proprietary products and technologies, including ™, from the lab into the commercial stage, further optimizing the Company’s Rho Phyto™ medical cannabis portfolio.
  
  
  
  
• Medical Affairs: Expanded engagement, education, and collaboration with healthcare professionals and stakeholders through educational events, and Avicanna’s educational initiatives and the MyMedi.ca medical cannabis care platform. These efforts contributed to improved patient access through enhancements in patient support programs, clinical guidance resources, and insurance reimbursement initiatives.
  
  
  
  

About Avicanna Inc

Avicanna is a commercial-stage international biopharmaceutical company focused on the advancement and commercialization of cannabinoid-based products and formulations for the global medical and pharmaceutical market segments. Avicanna has an established scientific platform including R&D and clinical development leading to the commercialization of more than thirty proprietary, evidence-based finished products and supporting four commercial stage business pillars.

• Medical Cannabis formulary (RHO Phyto™): The formulary offers a diverse range of proprietary products including oral, sublingual, topical, and transdermal deliveries with varying ratios of cannabinoids, supported by ongoing patient and medical community education. RHO Phyto is an established brand in Canada currently available nationwide across several channels and expanding into new international markets.
  
  
  
  
• Medical cannabis care platform (MyMedi.ca): MyMedi.ca is a medical cannabis care platform formed with the aim to better serve medical cannabis patients’ needs and enhance the medical cannabis patients’ journey. MyMedi.ca is operated by Northern Green Canada Inc. and features a diverse portfolio of products and bilingual pharmacist-led patient support programs. MyMedi.ca also provides specialty services to distinct patient groups such as veterans and collaborates with public and private payers for adjudication and reimbursement. MyMedi.ca provides educational resources to the medical community to facilitate the incorporation of medical cannabis into health care regimens.
  
  
  
  
• Pharmaceutical pipeline: Leveraging Avicanna’s scientific platform, vertical integration, and real-world evidence, Avicanna has developed a pipeline of proprietary, indication-specific cannabinoid-based candidates that are in various stages of clinical development. These cannabinoid-based candidates aim to address unmet needs in the areas of dermatology, chronic pain, and various neurological disorders.
  
  
  
  
• Active pharmaceutical ingredients (Aureus Santa Marta™): Active pharmaceutical ingredients supplied by the Company’s majority owned subsidiary Santa Marta Golden Hemp SAS (“SMGH”) is a commercial-stage business dedicated to providing various forms of high-quality CBD, THC and CBG to the Company’s international partners for use in the development and production of food, cosmetics, medical, and pharmaceutical products. SMGH also forms part of the Company’s supply chain and is a source of reliable input products for its consumer retail, medical cannabis, and pharmaceutical products globally.
  
  
  
  

SOURCE Avicanna Inc. 

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This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information contained in this news release may be identified by the use of words such as, “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “likely”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “intend”, “plan”, “forecast”, “project”, “estimate”, “outlook” and other similar expressions. Forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s future business operations, the opinions or beliefs of management and future business goals. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to current and future market conditions, including the market price of the common shares of the Company, and the risk factors set out in the Company’s annual information form dated April 11, 2025, filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at The statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.