Curaleaf International Secures Australian First with TGA Registered Liquid Medical Cannabis Inhalation Device and Extends Availability to New Zealand

LONDON, Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Curaleaf International, part of Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CURA) in partnership with Jupiter Research LLC, today announced that its Que Medical Inhalation Device (QMID) is available in Australia, following the registration by Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), on 15 September 2026. One year after receiving EU Medical Device Registration, QMID is listed as a Class IIb Medical Device in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), making it the first device intended for the delivery of Cannabis Sativa L. extracts via inhalation by the patient to receive regulatory approval in Australia. QMID has also been added to the Web Assisted Notification of Devices (WAND) database operated by Medsafe, New Zealand's medicines and medical device regulatory, on 17 September 2026, making the device available to prescribers in New Zealand.

Dr Mikael Sodergren, Chief Medical Officer at Curaleaf International, commented, "This registration means that, for the first time, clinicians in Australia and New Zealand can prescribe a liquid cannabis inhalation device that has been formally approved and delivers standardised dosing, in the same way as other medicines. That reflects the level of clinical evidence, safety testing and regulatory scrutiny required before a new technology reaches patients."  

Juan Martinez, Curaleaf International CEO, added: "We are proud that QMID is the first liquid cannabis inhalation device to be approved under both EU and Australian medical device frameworks. We are grateful to the TGA for the rigour and engagement it brought to this process. Its insistence that devices meet the same standards as the medicines they deliver is exactly right, and it is what makes this registration meaningful for patients. Together with Jupiter, we have invested heavily to meet that bar, and we intend to bring the same standard to more patients wherever the regulatory pathway allows, starting with New Zealand."

The registration marks a breakthrough in the evolution of Australia's medical cannabis market, where more than one million patients have accessed treatment under the country's prescribing framework since it was established in 2016¹, and represents the next step in Curaleaf International's strategy to expand access to pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid delivery technologies worldwide.

The registration also addresses a long-standing gap in the Australian market. While medicines themselves are prescribed through the TGA's approved pathways, the devices used to inhale them have largely remained outside the ARTG. Prescribers and pharmacists have reported difficulty obtaining approvals for unregistered batteries, leaving some patients with their prescribed medicine but no compliant means of using it, and the regulator has repeatedly called for clinical justification where unapproved devices are used. QMID gives clinicians a registered alternative: a device whose safety and performance have been formally assessed, rather than one supplied outside the regulatory framework.

QMID became the first handheld liquid inhalation device for consistent medical cannabis administration to achieve certification as a Class IIa medical device under the European Medical Device Regulation (EU) 2017/745 in May 2025. Following its European certification, QMID has continued its international rollout and is now available in seven countries, with Australia joining following a multi-year regulatory process to secure inclusion in the ARTG, and New Zealand through Medsafe's WAND notification process, with Vicki Partridge Pty Ltd acting as both Australian and New Zealand sponsor.

Curaleaf International and Jupiter Research have made significant investments over several years in the engineering, safety testing and regulatory work required to bring QMID through two medical device frameworks. That investment reflects a shared view that patients using inhaled cannabis-based medicines should have the same assurance of device quality and consistency that applies to any other medicine.

Designed to provide energy to the product to facilitate aerosolization of the medicine, QMID offers patients and prescribers:

• A controlled delivery system designed to support consistent dosing and comparable clinical data.
• A compact and simple design for discreet medical use.
• Reusable hardware compatible only with approved cartridges.

The TGA's registration of QMID, and its listing in New Zealand, reflects a positive shift and maturing regulatory pathway for certified cannabis-based medical devices in Australasia. The device is the first of its kind internationally and demonstrates a commitment to innovation and product development, and to the safe and consistent delivery of prescribed cannabis-based medicines.

About Curaleaf International
Curaleaf International is shaping the future of cannabis through its commitment to research and product excellence. Powered by a strong presence at all stages of the supply chain, its unique distribution network throughout Europe, Canada and Australasia brings together pioneering research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction, and production. Amidst a rapid growth trajectory, the emphasis on quality and expertise aims to ensure the delivery of safe and legal cannabis.

Curaleaf International's network includes a clinic, pharmacy, and laboratory in the UK; cultivation and EU-GMP processing facilities in Portugal; an EU-GMP processing, quality assurance and research site in Spain; Four 20 Pharma wholesaler and distributor in Germany; a Polish wholesaler and clinic; and the EU-GMP producer Northern Green Canada.

Curaleaf International is part of Curaleaf Holdings, Inc., a leading international producer and distributor of consumer cannabis products.

Forward Looking Statements
This media advisory contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward–looking statements or information. Generally, forward-looking statements and information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "proposed", "is expected", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information concerning the availability of a TGA registered liquid medical cannabis inhalation device in Australia and listed on the WAND in New Zealand. Such forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the company with respect to the matter described in this new release. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are based on current expectations as of the date of this release and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Additional information about these assumptions and uncertainties is discussed in the Company's Form 8-K dated August 5, 2026 together with the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, attached as exhibits thereto, as well as the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, each of which documents have been filed on the Company's EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov/edgar and SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca, and as described from time to time in documents filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

For all press enquiries, please contact [email protected]

¹Prohibition Partners, Global Medical Cannabis Market Review, [2026]. Available at [Global Medical Cannabis Market Review - Prohibition Partners].

SOURCE Curaleaf International