Vitura Health is expecting its inaugural shipment of MDMA and psilocybin — sourced through its joint venture with Canadian research and development company PharmAla — to arrive in September, as the company moves closer to the first patient prescriptions of psychedelic medicines in Australia.
The JV, operating under the name Cortexa, was established in May after regulators approved Authorised Prescriber psychiatrists to prescribe the substances for treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Through the agreement, Vitura holds exclusive rights to purchase and distribute PharmAla's GMP-manufactured psychedelic products across Australia.
Cortexa has placed its first order covering both finished goods and bulk material intended for local manufacturing, with delivery to one of Vitura's distribution centres anticipated in September.
Final negotiations are also underway with an Australian contract manufacturer for the domestic production of patient-ready MDMA and psilocybin capsules.
In a separate development, Cortexa has brought on a medical business development manager to build relationships with psychiatrists and clinical trial sites ahead of future supply arrangements.
On another front, a Releaf Group-branded version of the CanView pharmacy app has been deployed across the four Releaf dispensaries, with editions tailored for doctors and patients due to follow within the coming weeks.
That rollout follows the formation of an unincorporated joint venture with Releaf Group in May, combining Vitura's technology and distribution capabilities with Releaf's franchise network.
Vitura also disclosed that it has obtained Good Distribution Practices certification from the World Health Organisation for both its Gold Coast and Melbourne distribution centres.
