Avient Biosciences Launches Largest Cannabinoid Research and Extraction Campus in Eastern U.S.

WILSON, N.C., Oct. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Avient Biosciences officially launched its 200,000-square-foot industrial hemp research and extraction facility in North Carolina's Research Triangle region this week. Designed for full cGMP compliance (21 CFR Parts 210 and 211), Avient's 36-acre campus includes pharmaceutical- and food-grade research and production suites, on-site analytical testing laboratories, and climate-controlled biomass storage facilities.

Avient will offer a wide array of high-quality cannabinoid ingredients to global pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food and beverage, and cosmetic companies that are ready to leverage the anecdotal health and medical benefits of CBD in their products. Valued at $2.8 billion in 2019, the U.S. cannabinoid market is projected to grow by more than 50% by 2026.¹ 

Committed to compliance, Avient's initial team has more than 175 years of combined cGMP/pharmaceutical experience and is on track for EU GMP, ISO 9001, Kosher and Halal certifications by early 2021. Every industrial hemp shipment received has its Certificate of Analysis (COA) reviewed by the company's quality team to ensure it meets Avient's strict specifications as well as those of key regulatory authorities. All of Avient's extracted CBD is tested by an external ISO-17025-certified Analytical Testing Laboratory to confirm the samples meet all Avient specifications before being shipped to the customer.

To ensure compliant genetics, the company's affiliate seed company produces industrial hemp varieties that maximize CBD content while minimizing THC concentration, ensuring it is below the legal amount of 0.3%. Avient maintains a focus on the agronomics of industrial hemp cultivation with rigorous soil and tissue sample testing throughout the growing season. 

"We built Avient Biosciences to be the premier industrial hemp extraction company with deep expertise in quality, research, compliance and production," said Miles Wright, CEO. "Equally important, we built Avient from the ground up to be a name equated with trust and business success. As a science-first company dedicated to advancing the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids, we provide clients with a wide array of safe, reliable and efficacious cannabinoid ingredients they can use to expand business success."

To ensure full trackability and transparency from seed to shelf, Avient has partnered with Rymedi, an AI blockchain technology pioneer within the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. To date, no other cannabinoid producer in the U.S. has incorporated blockchain technology into its supply chain process.

"When choosing clients, we look for character, integrity and an innovative spirit, especially in emerging markets," said David Stefanich, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Rymedi. "Our partnership with Avient Biosciences comprises all of these aspects and many more. The leadership team has a diverse background and brings broad insights to market challenges. Avient's operations team draws upon decades of experience, and the company's product vision is second-to-none as it leverages a pharmacovigilance approach into a promising product space.

"We at Rymedi, a global leader in digital data compliance and secure market oversight, are truly excited to align with Avient as we prepare for expansive market growth in the coming months," Dr. Stefanich concluded.

The company's product line includes:

• Broad Spectrum Non-Detect THC Distillate
• Full Spectrum THC-Compliant Distillate
• CBD Isolate
• Full Spectrum THC-Compliant Crystal-Free Distillate
• Broad Spectrum Non-Detect THC Crystal-Free Distillate
• Water Dispersible CBD Powder
• Water Dispersible Liquid CBD Concentrate
• CBN Isolate
• Filtered Premium Compliant Crude
• Compliant Crude
• Custom formulations

"We were introduced to Avient by referral, but once I recognized who was behind the organization and their mission to provide superior cannabinoid products, the decision to form a strategic partnership became obvious," said Louis Police, CEO of Kentucky-based Dwell CBD. "I look forward to being part of the exciting growth at Avient."

Offering a range of multimodal shipping options, Avient is located within 700 miles of more than 70% of the U.S. industrial base. By land, the facility is minutes from Interstates 95 and 40, two key national trucking corridors, as well as a CSX rail line. Less than an hour's drive from both RDU International Airport and the North Carolina Global TransPark (GTP), the campus also has easy access to the Port of Wilmington.

"If all a company wants is bargain-basement CBD products, there are plenty of vendors in the industrial hemp space that offer that," Mr. Wright said. "But if they're looking for a long-term partner who goes the extra mile to help them succeed, they'll likely find us a very good fit. Whether they're a large international customer needing scale and efficiency or a small start-up looking for a partner to walk by their side throughout the process, we're ready to help them reach their goals."

About Avient Biosciences

Avient Biosciences is in process to be the largest cGMP-compliant and EU GMP-certified cannabinoid research and extraction company in the Eastern U.S., offering a full array of the highest-quality cannabinoid products for use in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food and beverage, and cosmetic sectors. At Avient, AI-powered, pharma-grade blockchain technology ensures consistent quality from seed to shelf, forming the cornerstone of a corporate foundation built on trackability, transparency and trust. Led by a world-class team with more than 175 years of combined cGMP/pharmaceutical experience, Avient Biosciences is on a mission to bring healthier cannabinoid-based medical solutions to a global consumer market. For more information, visit www.avientbiosciences.com.

¹ Global Market Insights, February 2020

SOURCE Avient Biosciences