SUM Microdose Tablets Expands Into California Cannabis Market

Colorado biotechnology company KelSie Biotech announced on Tuesday that its SUM Microdose line of products is expanding into California’s legal cannabis market. The company’s cannabis-infused products will be manufactured by Verde Natural, a cultivator and processor of marijuana products based in Colorado and California. Verde Natural also has a licensing agreement with KelSie Biotech to market the SUM Microdose line in Colorado.

Verde Natural founder Jeff Damavandi said in a press release that the new partnership helps further the company’s expansion strategy.

“Verde is honored to be chosen by KelSie Biotech,” said Damavandi. “We are laser-focused on producing the highest quality products and SUM fits that ethos – while helping us expand to completely new consumers.”

New Sleep Tablet Launched

The announcement of the new partnership coincides with this week’s launch of a new SUM Microdose product SUM Sleep. The tablet combines a 1-milligram dose of the cannabinoid cannabinol (CBN) with a half-milligram microdose of THC. The formulation takes advantage of the naturally sedative effect of CBN and, when combined with a microdose of THC, triggers the body’s sleep cycle without the need for pharmaceutical sleep aids or hormones such as melatonin, according to the company.

SUM Microdose launched in 2018 with its original line of water-soluble sublingual cannabinoid microdose tablets in four formulations: Calm, Relief, Focus, and Energy. Later the same year, the company debuted a SUM Relief roll-on topical product for sore muscles. KelSie Biotech chief marketing officer Steven Addis said that consumers are turning to the company’s products as an alternative to more traditional cannabis formulations.

“What we hear most from our dispensary partners is that SUM replaces edibles and tinctures,” Addis said. “In fact, some dispensaries have entirely replaced tinctures with SUM and we’re helping them create microdose sections inside their stores to improve the shopping experience for the fast-growing wellness audience.”

Innovative Technology

KelSie Biotech develops and patents new delivery methods for the delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients including cannabinoids that are safer, more effective, and less invasive. The company’s patented inhalable micro-powder was developed with the support of a $20 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to Dr. Robert Sievers. The powder was used to create a replacement for perishable needle-based measles vaccinations for use in developing countries.

The expansion of KelSie BioTech was fueled in part by the recent closing of the first round of a $5 million Series A funding led by Salveo Capital, an investment firm focused on the cannabis industry. Jeffrey Howard, a managing partner at Salveo Capital, said that KelSie Biotech’s innovative intellectual property makes the firm an attractive investment.

“We constantly look for new and innovative technology that drives consumption patterns and introduces healthier and more discreet form factors across the pharma industry,” said Howard. “We are impressed with KelSie’s strong patented and proprietary technology, including their true sublingual delivery systems with quick onset times.”