Louisiana State University inks new deal that will expand marijuana research
An agreement between Louisiana State University (LSU) and its new marijuana partner, GB Sciences, should prove to be extremely beneficial to the medical marijuana research industry. The deal is being touted as a key move that will see the introduction of new cannabis strains that could be beneficial in the treatment of medical conditions, as well as the creation of DNA banks that will help provide a foundation for further developments.
The full details of the agreement have not yet been released. The partnership has to be sent through the school’s public records process and the information will be kept under wraps until that process is finalized.
GB Sciences was selected in a competitive bid process and LSU will be the main beneficiary of any research findings, even though both entities will have rights to “background intellectual property” in any project. According to GB Sciences Louisiana President John Davis, “More likely than not, LSU will be the inventor so their scientists will be listed as the inventor, then we will commercialize the invention.”
GB Sciences is also in discussions with Pennington Biomedical Research Center and LSU Health Sciences Centers in Shreveport and New Orleans to develop programs related to research collaboration, patient care and clinical trials. Davis explained, “We’ve gotten together in groups and we’re starting to discuss what would this look like, what direction do we want to go in. Really the excitement came from the health care space to us.”
There are now two schools in Louisiana that are involved in medical marijuana research, the other being Southern University. However, Southern’s program is not as extensive as that of LSU.
