UK cannabinoid-based medicines manufacturer, 113 Botanicals, is raising £2 million to help launch its first controlled-release capsule, designed to improve dosing consistency and expand options for patients and prescribers.
Working in partnership with scientists at the University of Sussex since 2020, the company is developing new product formats which it believes could ‘revolutionise’ how cannabis-based medicines are prescribed in the UK.
The raise, which has been launched via Crowdcube, comes as the team prepares to reach a major regulatory milestone and bring its lead product to market in early 2026.
In development for two years, the SpheriCann capsule uses patent-protected technology to deliver a controlled and sustained release effect, which is designed to allow for more consistent absorption and precise dosing of cannabinoid medicines, avoiding the need for multiple doses throughout the day.
‘Higher bioavailability’
Cannabis plant extracts generally have poor water solubility, meaning it can be “challenging” to deliver clinically viable doses into the body in a “reliable, controlled and predictable manner”, explained 113 Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer, Mazin Nicola, a chartered chemist and visiting research fellow at the University of Sussex, who spent over 20 years in drug process development at GSK.
SpheriCann is said to have a higher bioavailability than standard capsules and other ingestible administration methods, with University of Sussex-based research showing 75%-95% dissolution into the blood, in a time-controlled release over several hours.
“Standard capsules and other ingestible administration methods have serious drawbacks, including high losses of therapeutic activity to gastric acid degradation and poor dissolution into the bloodstream,” said Nicola.
“Our Sphericann technology addresses the problem of providing relatively high unit dosage forms of CBPM compositions whilst enabling the release of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from the dosage form in a linear and prolonged fashion, for example, up to seven hours. Thus, avoiding the need for frequent multi-dosing or delivering a large hit of the cannabis in the composition too quickly.”
Photo: 113 Botanicals
He explained: “This is achieved by formulating a cohesive mass of cannabis extract, a liquid vehicle plus special excipients within a polymeric matrix material. The wet mass is treated to form uniform spheroidal pellets, uniquely identified as ‘Liquipellets’, which are finally contained in gastric acid-resistant capsules. The liquipellets comprise a disintegrant that allows the release of the APIs at a controlled rate.”
According to Nicola, this is different to most known methods of pharmaceutical production, and aims to enable clinicians to prescribe more accurate and controlled dosing of CBMPs, which can be self-administered by the patient with low or no risk of accidental overdose.
Growing demand for alternative product formats
As access to medical cannabis continues to expand, with some estimates suggesting that up to 80,000 patients will have received treatment in 2025, there is a growing demand for alternative product formats outside of flower and oils.
“We are addressing the lack of meaningful format choice for patients,” said Kate Cook, Co-Founder and COO of 113 Botanicals, speaking to Cannabis Health.
“We have developed delivery formats that are designed for precise dosing and sustained-release, but that also offer convenience, discretion and accessibility.”
The company has forecasted it will reach 5,000 patients in the first 12 months, generating an estimated £8.5 million in revenue.
Cook continued: “We believe that presenting CBMPs in more standardised, pharmaceutically acceptable formats will inspire more confidence in prescribers and have the potential to open up whole new patient groups to the potential benefits of medical cannabis.”
Photo: 113 Botanicals
A regulatory milestone
With Home Office Controlled Drugs Licences at both its R&D laboratory and production facility, 113 is now in the validation phase of its ‘Manufacturers’ Specials’ (MS) license approval from the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) following a successful remote inspection.
Cook has found the regulator to be “very helpful” throughout the process and is aiming to gain full licence approval following the final inspection, which has been requested for early 2026.
She believes once approved, this will make them one of only a handful of UK medical cannabis companies with an MS licence and the only one to have a licence for a ‘defined novel finished product’.
The Crowdcube campaign follows earlier funding rounds totalling more than £2.8 million, from angels, founders and early supporters to build the manufacturing site, complete R&D work, and prepare for licensing.
Running for three weeks, it aims to raise an additional £2 million to support the launch of SpheriCann and advance its other products, including a 24-hour transdermal patch, VetiCann, to market.
“Above all, we see 113 as an innovator,” Cook added.
“One that harnesses exemplary research and development to create products that revolutionise the way patients can take medical cannabis.”
