SiliCycle Inc. was founded in 1995 in Quebec. This company is a worldwide leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of specialty pharmaceutical products. Technical experts in the chemical industry, SiliCycle sells their solutions for extracting and purifying molecules of interest and their silica-based chemical solutions in 90 countries. SiliCycle’s knowhow is sought after all over the world, including by major industrial manufacturers and analytical laboratories in the pharmaceutical, cosmeceuticals, nutraceutical and food sectors who use CRO/CMO products and services. They specialize in the following services, among others:
- Aqueous and organic extraction of various molecules from different sources of biomass
- Custom purification at scales ranging from laboratory to industrial
- Development of analytical methods to achieve requested purity levels
- Synthesis of molecules of interest
- Production of active ingredients such as omega-3s, polyphenols and CBD/THC molecules
SiliCycle developed a new extraction method for molecules of interest found in minute quantities in leaves and flower heads. However, this method was still undergoing validation. Considering the scarcity of scientific literature in this area, SiliCycle, along with Biopterre’s assistance, sought to better understand how plant maturity affects molecules of interest found in plant debris from cannabis production to validate their extraction system.
Through the project with Biopterre, SiliCycle validated their extraction method on a small scale using composite samples collected at different key moments in cannabis production. They then identified minimal concentrations of molecules of interest in different parts of cannabis residual biomass collected at various harvest times. A methodology for preparing and preserving samples was also developed, making it easier to coordinate plant extractions while preserving plant biomass.
In the summer of 2020, SiliCycle obtained their processing licence for cannabis products from Health Canada. They have since begun extracting and processing cannabis products from production residues. The research licence allowed SiliCycle and Biopterre to validate the methodology and the extraction procedure was implemented rapidly. The method used for expediting raw materials from producers to the processing plant also helps SiliCycle maintain the highest residue quality possible, allowing to extract the full potential of the desired molecules.
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