Sativa Investments, UK-based medicinal cannabis investment vehicle, has appointed Dr Nick Horniman BVSc MRCVS as its director of regulatory affairs with immediate effect.
In his new senior management role, Horniman has been appointed to coordinate the company’s overall regulatory strategy and ongoing relationships with regulators.
He will also implement the company’s licencing strategy through its continuing relationships with the relevant UK agencies and research centres surrounding the regulation of the cultivation of cannabis. This includes the company’s engagement in research and export opportunities, growing licences for the cultivation of cannabis for supply to pharmaceutical manufacturers and working with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to explore the use of cannabis-based products for the treatment of animals, particularly the dog and cat pet market and the equine industry.
Agencies the company is already in discussions with include the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Food Standards Agency), The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Home Office Drugs Licensing and Compliance Unit.
Horniman has 30 years’ experience in the veterinary industry, and for more than 20 of those years, he set up and ran a group of private veterinary practices, which he has since sold. In addition to this, he worked with corporate practices as a veterinary surgeon and consultant and has worked with online veterinary pharmacies and prescription software companies. Horniman is also the monthly veterinary surgeon on BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
In its latest trading update, Sativa revealed its plans to enter the veterinary CBD market which it has already launched in north America. Horniman will advise the company on how to launch it in the UK.
Geremy Thomas, founder and CEO of Sativa Investments, said: “CBD and medicinal cannabis are new industries in the UK and they are flourishing quickly to meet unmet demand from both patients of the medical profession and the wider medicinal cannabis and CBD markets, so the regulatory framework is being developed to mirror this.
“Dr Horniman is liaising with the relevant agencies and research hubs for Sativa’s medicinal cannabis Growing Licence application, along with working with the FSA surrounding the regulation of CBD. This helps Sativa implement its seed-to-consumer model and positions Sativa as having first mover advantage in the UK industry.”
