HAVN Life Sciences Inc, a biotechnology company based in Vancouver, Canada, has announced a new agreement with PA Benjamin Manufacturing Company (PAB) in Kingston for the packaging of extracted compounds from Hypha Wellness Jamaica Psilocybin, a Jamaican food and psychoactive mushroom producer.

HAVN Life Sciences is involved in the development of natural health products and mental health treatment to support brain health.

A release issued by both companies said that PAB operates a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant facility and will be contract packing HAVN Life naturally derived psilocybin, following the necessary protocols, to allow for export from Jamaica and import into Canada, the US and Europe.

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a system for ensuring that pharmaceutical products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards.

HAVN Life said the agreement positioned it to be an early mover as markets begin to open up around the globe, and will allow it to seek active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) designations as well as secure further supply agreements with companies seeking quality and naturally derived psilocybin.

The companies’ release quoted Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Floyd Green stating “As a new industry it is critical that there is stakeholder partnership, and as such the partnership between Jamaican GMP manufacturer PA Benjamin, Hypha Wellness, and HAVN Life Sciences is a step in the right direction.“

“The sustainability of the industry will depend largely on our ability to effectively research psilocybin mushrooms and to combine agriculture with manufacturing”, he said.

“This partnership with PAB is absolutely key for our ability to supply safe, quality controlled psilocybin APIs to researchers and patients around the globe,” said HAVN Life CEO Tim Moore.

“We’re excited and committed to work with HAVN Life Science and Hypha Wellness to export psilocybin, and build our research and development partnerships,” Christopher Powell, director at PA Benjamin Manufacturing Company, was quoted as saying.

“Working with Jamaican stakeholders and the GMP manufacturer PA Benjamin, we’re focused on developing a framework for manufacturing and exports,” Benjamin Graeme, founder, director at Hypha Wellness, was quoted as saying. “It’s an exciting time as Jamaica has a unique value position in the international market, and the means to supply it,” Graeme said.

The agreement and packaging of psilocybin through PAB’s facility will be in compliance with Health Canada and local guidelines.

The release said PA Benjamin has embarked on a very aggressive development programme for new products to complement several of the already established products, and also to venture into new product areas in synergy with the company’s capabilities. The new product development efforts are ongoing, with emphasis being placed on the expansion of the pharmaceutical range of products.