Dunbar Pharma has made its plant-derived dronabinol active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) available in the UK through licensed Specials manufacturer IPS Pharma.

Plant-derived dronabinol enters UK supply chain

The Irish pharmaceutical manufacturer produces its dronabinol API, WaterClear THC, at an EU GMP-certified facility in Athlone, Ireland, under the oversight of the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

Through its agreement with IPS Pharma, the API can be used in cannabinoid-based medicines supplied through the UK’s Specials pathway. Specials are unlicensed medicines manufactured or supplied to meet the individual clinical needs of a patient where no suitable licensed alternative is available.

IPS Pharma manufactures cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs), including oral capsules, oral sprays and oily solution drops.

Dunbar Pharma said its manufacturing process uses plant-derived starting materials rather than the synthetic production traditionally associated with dronabinol. The company said its process is validated and provides full batch traceability for pharmaceutical production.

Dronabinol is the international non-proprietary name for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in purified pharmaceutical form and has been used in regulated prescription medicines for specific indications.

Leah Fletcher, founder and CEO of Dunbar Pharma, said: “Making WaterClear THC, our GMP-certified dronabinol, available through IPS Pharma marks an important milestone in our efforts to broaden access to pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid medicines.”

She added that the company’s commercial-scale production in Ireland is intended to provide partners such as IPS Pharma with a consistent supply of dronabinol for oral formulations.

API supports oral cannabinoid formulations

Medicines manufactured using WaterClear THC are supplied in 5 mg and 10 mg capsules, a 25 mg/mL oral dose spray and a 25 mg/mL oily dropper solution.

Dunbar Pharma said the chemically defined API is manufactured to recognised pharmacopoeia standards and is intended to provide consistent dosing with less compositional variability than botanical cannabis preparations.

Ian McFarlane, director strategic partnerships at IPS Pharma, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Dunbar Pharma to bring its pharmaceutical-grade, plant-derived dronabinol to the UK through our established Specials service.”

He added: “Partnering with an EU GMP-certified manufacturer that shares our commitment to quality and reliability gives us confidence in the supply of regulated cannabinoid medicines.”

The UK agreement follows Dunbar Pharma’s expansion into Germany earlier in 2026, where its Irish-manufactured dronabinol API is supplied through pharmaceutical wholesalers.

GMP manufacturing expands cannabinoid medicines supply

Dunbar Pharma is an Irish pharmaceutical manufacturer specialising in cannabinoid APIs for regulated pharmaceutical markets. Its Athlone facility operates under HPRA oversight, with GMP certification and validated manufacturing processes.

The company has received support from Enterprise Ireland through its High Potential Start-Up programme as it expands into European pharmaceutical markets.

Jenny Melia, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said: “The distribution and availability of their WaterClear THC product in the UK market is a significant achievement and a testament to the company’s ambition, innovation and commitment to individualised patient healthcare.”

The UK launch gives IPS Pharma access to a plant-derived source of pharmaceutical-grade dronabinol for medicines supplied through the Specials framework, adding another GMP-manufactured cannabinoid API to the UK pharmaceutical supply chain.