First Southern Colorado Company In Pueblo To Obtain DEA License

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIOTECH (RMB), a newly established biotechnology company owned by local businessman and retired neurologist, Dr. Malik Hasan, recently obtained a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) schedule 1 researcher license to study cannabis at Colorado State University Pueblo.

Dr. Hasan’s ultimate vision for RMB is to formulate an FDA-approved cannabis-derived formulation that will treat pain and/or other maladies. The DEA schedule 1 researcher license will allow RMB to work toward achieving this goal by performing unbiased, scientifically based research that investigates the potential therapeutic effect of cannabis formulations on pain management in a preclinical setting. Very few individuals across the nation or in the State of Colorado hold such a license.

“Obtaining the DEA Schedule 1 license puts RMB on the map for two reasons. 1) it is unusual for a private business to obtain such a license as typically University professors hold these licenses so now, we can compete with the best of the best and 2) we can lead research in this area which is of utmost importance because even though cannabis is legalized in many states, the potential benefits and harms still need to be studied,” said Amy Uhernik, Director of Research at RMB.

RMB has partnered with Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) and the Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR) which is hosted at CSU Pueblo. The ICR is the State of Colorado’s official cannabis research institute as specified by Colorado law HB 19-1311. The role and mission of the ICR is to provide citizens with unbiased and objective scientific facts about cannabis biology, chemistry, health effects, economic impacts, and more.

“For the Institute of Cannabis Research, this is a very significant step to be partnering with an organization that has secured a Schedule 1 license. This is one of the few instances of researchers being granted a Schedule 1 license in Colorado. This means that RMB and its partners are positioned well for future research endeavors,” said Chad Kinney, Director of the Institute of Cannabis Research at CSU-Pueblo. “This is also a great example of why public-private partnerships are so valuable in the field of scientific research. Each organization brings something unique and valuable to the team, which is why partnerships like this can help advance science more quickly.”

“It makes perfect sense for RMB to partner with CSU Pueblo and the ICR as we believe that this partnership brings credibility to the research and also ensures that scientists in the local community are working together toward a common goal,” said Uhernik. “The research will physically take place on the campus of CSU Pueblo.”

Neither CSU Pueblo nor the ICR currently hold a DEA schedule 1 researcher license. Thus, both RMB and the ICR feel as though obtaining this license will create many opportunities and possibilities in the future.

According to Dr. Hasan, “Under this license, the research plan focuses on the therapeutic potential in pain models, however, as we grow as a company, we would like to expand into studying the therapeutic potential of cannabis in different disease models such as cancer, PTSD, anxiety, etc.”

From an economic standpoint, RMB is the only biotech company in Pueblo bringing in a new industry and sector into the community. Thus, as RMB grows more and more talented scientists will be needed to help achieve the mission.

“Dr. Hasan has set some high or challenging goals for us at RMB. He wants to see exponential growth in this company which will have major positive implications for Pueblo’s economy. This is going to take a lot of hard work, but obtaining this schedule 1 researcher license is absolutely a step in the right direction,” said Uhernik.