[PRESS RELEASE] – EDMONTON, Alberta, May 14, 2026 – Aurora Cannabis Inc., the Canadian-based leading global medical cannabis company, announced it has been granted Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada for two proprietary cannabis cultivars developed through its world-class breeding program. This certification gives Aurora the exclusive rights to grow, propagate and sell finished products produced from these varieties.
The two protected cultivars, SOT20R07-007 (known as Farm Gas™) and SOT20R07-005 (known as Driftwood Diesel™), were developed at Aurora Coast, Aurora's industry-leading research and development facility in Comox, British Columbia. The company carefully selected these cultivars based on their unique characteristics, including how well they grow and how consistently they perform. Farm Gas and Driftwood Diesel are core medical cannabis products available to patients in Germany, Poland, the U.K., Canada and Australia.
"These plant breeders' rights recognize the depth of work behind our leading breeding, genetic development and testing program," said Lana Culley, vice president of innovation and international operations at Aurora. "They reflect a disciplined, science‑driven approach to developing cultivars that deliver consistency, performance and reliability for medical cannabis patients around the world."
Understanding Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada
- Plant Breeders' Rights are a form of intellectual property protection, similar to patents, that applies specifically to new and distinct plant varieties
- In Canada, plant breeders' rights are granted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and give breeders exclusive rights to produce and sell a protected plant variety
- This framework recognizes the significant scientific investment required to develop cultivars that are clearly different and produce the same results over time
- For Aurora, plant breeders' rights protect proprietary cannabis genetics developed through its internal breeding program, supporting continued innovation and long‑term research
Aurora's robust genetics platform underpins its global medical cannabis leadership and supports the company's ability to develop differentiated premium products with consistent and reliable attributes. The protection of these varieties, as well as the recent grants received for select variety protection in Europe, enhances Aurora's competitive position globally.
Further details regarding Plant Breeders' Rights can be found at https://inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-health/plant-varieties/plant-breeders-rights.
