Aurora Cannabis Secures EU-Wide Rights for Two Proprietary Strains

EDMONTON – Aurora Cannabis Inc. has won rights from the European Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) for two homegrown strains, Farm Gas and Sourdough. The decision hands the company sole authority to produce and distribute these genetics throughout the bloc’s 27 countries, a move that cements its foothold in one of the world’s biggest emerging markets.

The rights cover varieties SOT20R07-007, marketed as Farm Gas, and ACB21T044, sold as Sourdough. Both emerged from Aurora’s breeding efforts at its research center on Vancouver Island’s Comox Valley, where scientists honed them for traits like elevated THC levels, appealing scents, dense buds, and reliable yields. These qualities have already drawn steady demand from medical users in places like Germany and Poland, as well as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Lana Culley, Aurora’s vice president for innovation and international operations, called the approval a nod to the company’s rigorous development process. “This protection not only strengthens Aurora’s global genetics portfolio, but also ensures that our high-quality, differentiated varieties can consistently reach patients and consumers worldwide,” she said in a statement. The protections last 25 to 30 years, layering on top of similar safeguards already in place back home in Canada and beyond.

This intellectual property win pairs directly with Aurora’s compliance under EU-GMP standards, the European Union’s strict guidelines for pharmaceutical manufacturing that demand rigorous controls on everything from raw material sourcing to final packaging. These rules guarantee product purity, potency, and traceability, which are non-negotiable for medical Cannabis imports into countries like Germany, where regulators require certified facilities to approve new strains.

Aurora secured EU-GMP certification for its production sites as early as 2020 and extended it to its Ontario distribution center last summer, covering 90% of its capacity and smoothing the path for exports.

The combined effect? Aurora can now shield its genetics from copycats while delivering strains that meet Europe’s exacting quality bar, a dual edge that few rivals match fully. This development arrives as Europe’s medical Cannabis sales pick up speed. Projections show the overall medical Cannabis sector hitting $37.61 billion this year, on track to triple in value by 2034 at a 22.9% annual clip, fueled by wider access in nations like Germany and a push for standardized treatments. Aurora, which posted a CA$53 million quarterly loss last fall while ramping up its medical focus, saw international revenue rise 5.6% in that period, hinting at the payoff from such bets.

From a business standpoint, the EU grants Aurora leverage in a field where knockoffs erode margins fast. For operators and investors eyeing Europe in long-term plays, these plant variety protections offer a sturdy form of intellectual property that aligns with the core approach to breeding and market positioning. Though they won’t spark immediate cash flow, such holdings enhance the company’s asset base via exclusive seed lines, fortify defenses in premium strain categories, and lay groundwork for potential royalties from collaborations down the line.

For Aurora, it opens doors for deals with local growers, letting the company tap revenue without building every facility itself, a smart play when regulations differ by border. Competitors like Tilray or Jazz Pharmaceuticals hold their own IP edges, but Aurora’s emphasis on proprietary strains could help it claim a larger slice of the continent’s $1 billion-plus medical pot pie, especially as France eyes full rollout by 2027.