‘Incredible potential’ of cannabis products in healthcare - CPHI Frankfurt preview

CPHI caught up with Monica Vialpando to discuss developments in the cannabis space and preview her CPHI Frankfurt panel discussion 

Increasing acceptance of cannabis products for medical applications is at the heart of this growing industry and, according to Via Innovations CEO Monica Vialpando, we’ve ‘barely scratched the surface’ of their potential benefits. Vialpando will join Amber Wise (Medicine Creek Analytics), Markus Roggen (Delic Labs), and George McBride (Clerkenwell Health) for the panel discussion Lessons from the Future: Cannabis and Psychedelic Industries at CPHI Frankfurt this year – Register for the event here.   

Monica Vialpando, CEO, Via Innovations

Lessons from across the Atlantic  

Monica Vialpando is the founder and CEO of Via Innovations, a provider of industry-leading formulation, product innovation and development services for global cannabis companies. The company’s cannabis powder – nViable – is the most potent on the market. Leveraging her background as a pharmaceutical development scientist, Vialpando hopes to share her industry learnings with CPHI Frankfurt attendees this year, as well as raising awareness of developments in the cannabis space.  

‘There is still skepticism around cannabis research and development that I'm I hoping to clarify with the pharmaceutical audience at CPHI Frankfurt. Coming from the pharmaceutical industry myself, there were a lot of lessons I had to learn about the differences when working with cannabinoids versus pharmaceutical compounds,’ she tells CPHI.  

‘I’d like the audience to gain a general understanding and appreciation for the science as well as the lessons learned - especially the regulatory challenges around creating quality products to demonstrate safety and efficacy.’  

The panel discussion - which is free for all CPHI Frankfurt attendees - will draw on the speakers’ experience in the North American cannabis and psychedelics markets, with a focus on European development and region-specific challenges.   

Vialpando explains: ‘Given our European roots but also having operated primarily in North America, our objective is to bridge the two - not only from a scientific and regulatory standpoint, but also a cultural perspective.’   

Researchers from across the pharmaceutical value chain are encouraged to attend, given the depth of untapped potential in the cannabis space.   

‘There is incredible potential for the different applications and the medical effects that this plant can produce beyond the more well-known treatments such as pain, sleep, and PTSD. There's a lot more to explore. So, I'm keen on attracting those researchers that are open and willing to help research advancements and understand the best tools to proceed,’ she says. 

‘For anyone keen on entering this research space, I want to be able to help with that journey and share some of the good and bad experiences from being in this industry.’ 

CPHI – At the heart of Pharma 

CPHI Frankfurt is the largest international pharma industry event, offering a jam-packed agenda of content and networking opportunities from November 1-3. This year’s event will be a hybrid model, fusing the best elements of traditional, in-person shows with interactive online features to help attendees get the most out of their CPHI experience. For Vialpando, this year’s event serves as a homecoming of sorts.  

‘Since entering the cannabis space, I've been focusing on educating the cannabis market on the development of safer products and ways to formulate with cannabinoids. This was a unique opportunity for me to kind of come back home and share what I've learned with my former audience,’ she says.  

‘I’m also really looking forward to seeing the latest developments in the formulation development technology landscape. I've been mostly looking into the cannabis industry in the last few years, and now I've started bridging out of it and helping external companies enter through various means, whether it's product development or advisory. But the science keeps going and there's amazing R&D that I haven't stayed up to speed with. So, in the same way I'm trying to bridge the pharmaceutical industry into cannabis, I'm looking forward to using this event to help me bridge back into the pharmaceutical landscape and get up to speed with the latest advancements since I left seven years ago.’

Start your CPHI Frankfurt journey with our Connect to Frankfurt sessions, available on-demand here.