Ananda Developments plc (AQSE: ANA), a provider of cannabinoid-based medicines for complex, chronic inflammatory pain conditions, announced on Wednesday that with its subsidiary DJT Plants Limited, it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to secure third-party grant funding for DJT's medical cannabis breeding programme and sustainable cultivation. The collaborative effort aims to establish a Cannabinoid Centre of Excellence at NTU.

The partnership will leverage NTU's expertise, including Dr Gareth Cave's research on medical cannabis and Dr Chungui Lu's specialisation in sustainable agriculture and plant genomics. The initial focus is on expanding DJT's breeding program and incorporating low carbon cultivation into a broader pharmaceutical innovation initiative to attract substantial grant funding.

Commencing from 1 November 2023, the MOU outlines Ananda and DJT's contribution of proprietary knowledge, methods, and cannabis seed inventory, while NTU will provide research capabilities and assistance in grant applications. The collaboration seeks third-party funding for Knowledge Transfer Partnership projects, with the long-term goal of establishing a world-leading Cannabinoid Centre of Excellence.

The centre aims to advance scientific knowledge in the UK on medicinal cannabis, cultivation, breeding and its therapeutic applications. As part of this initiative, Ananda, DJT and NTU will collaborate on a diverse research pipeline and seek additional grant funding.

While the MOU does not transfer ownership of existing intellectual property, future IP developed through the Strategic Partnership will be negotiated among the parties as the collaboration progresses to formal agreements.

A prominent educational institution with over 40,000 students, NTU is recognised for research in Plant Genomics, Plant Breeding, Plant Active Ingredients Chemistry and Sustainability, contributing to technology and knowledge transfer.