What Celadon Pharmaceuticals does

Celadon Pharmaceuticals is a UK-based, vertically integrated pharmaceutical company founded in 2018 that manufactures and supplies EU-GMP certified cannabis-based active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for prescription medicines. The company operates a 100,000 sq ft facility in the West Midlands combining indoor hydroponic cultivation, proprietary GMP extraction, and an analytical R&D laboratory, all operating under an MHRA EU-GMP registration, a Home Office Controlled Drug Licence covering Schedules 1 and 2, and a General Pharmaceutical Council registration. Its core products are pharmaceutical-grade cannabis flower and oil APIs (strains RX11, Zerberry, OZARK and bespoke oil formulations) targeting chronic pain (an estimated 8 million UK adults) and endometriosis (approximately 1.5 million UK women). Business model is enterprise B2B: multi-year minimum-volume supply contracts with pharmaceutical and healthcare counterparties, IP and genetics licensing to European partners (Valeos Pharma A/S generates £1.5m annual licensing), and clinical-evidence generation via the majority-owned LVL Health subsidiary running the MHRA-approved CANPAIN chronic-pain trial designed to support NHS reimbursement. Pipeline products include Celendra (Delta-9 THC vaginal pessary for endometriosis, target launch 2026) and CLD-927 (semi-synthetic Delta-9 THC, target 2026), with a partnered autism spectrum disorder programme (KT-20610) via minority stake in Kingdom Therapeutics.

Name

Celadon Pharmaceuticals

Legal name

Celadon Pharmaceuticals Plc

Website

https://celadonpharma.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2018

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Celadon Pharmaceuticals is a UK-based, vertically integrated pharmaceutical company that manufactures EU-GMP certified cannabis APIs and runs the MHRA-approved CANPAIN chronic-pain trial via its LVL Health subsidiary to support NHS reimbursement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cannabinoid Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Cannabis Dispensary + Pharmacy/Clinical Model (Patient Services) (CRANAFAI)

Keywords

• Cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients
• Pharmaceutical-grade cannabis cultivation
• GMP-compliant API manufacturing
• Cannabis-based medicines
• Clinical drug development

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. GMP Cannabis API Sales: Sale of pharmaceutical-grade high-THC cannabis API to pharmaceutical companies for development of medicines and finished products. First contract: minimum £3m over 3 years. Second UK contract: £3m over 3 years. European contract: up to £26m over 3 years. New healthcare contract: up to £10.5m over 5 years.
2. Specials Framework Sales: Sale of cannabis-based medicines under UK 'Specials' framework, allowing prescription medicines without standard marketing authorisation for specific patient needs.
3. IP Licensing Revenue: Licensing of genetics and intellectual property to European partners. Collaboration with Valeos Pharma A/S generating £1.5m annual licensing fee plus doubled cultivation capacity.
4. Clinical Trial Data Services: Generating clinical trial data through LVL Health for NHS reimbursement, creating value through evidence-based medicine data that supports prescribing and insurance reimbursement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Celadon cultivates cannabis indoors and extracts and manufactures EU-GMP cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients for pharmaceutical companies. Its commercial offer includes pharmaceutical-grade cannabis flower and oil APIs, high-THC API supplied through the UK Specials framework, cannabis genetics and intellectual-property licensing, and chronic-pain clinical services through LVL Health.

Product overview

Celadon Pharmaceuticals operates as a vertically integrated pharmaceutical company with a unified platform approach encompassing cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, and clinical development of cannabis-based medicines. The core product is the GMP Cannabis API portfolio, including multiple cannabis flower strains (CEL-F15/0/RX11, CEL-F20/0/Zerberry, CEL-F19/0/OZARK) and Cannabis Oil API. The CANPAIN clinical trial, operated through subsidiary LVL Health, generates clinical evidence for NHS reimbursement. In development are pipeline products including Delta-9 THC vaginal pessary (Celendra) for endometriosis and Semi-Synthetic Delta-9 THC (CLD-927), alongside partnered programmes such as KT-20610 for autism spectrum disorder through Kingdom Therapeutics. The company also offers API for UK 'specials' prescription medicines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GMP Cannabis API EU-GMP certified active pharmaceutical ingredients produced from cannabis plants for pharmaceutical customers, including flower and oil APIs spanning THC, CBD, CBG, CBC, CBN, and their acidic precursors.
• CEL-F15/0 (RX11) A cannabis strain derived from RX11 genetics and cultivated to GMP pharmaceutical-grade standards for consistent quality and stability.
• CEL-F20/0 (Zerberry) A cannabis strain derived from Zerberry genetics and cultivated to GMP pharmaceutical-grade standards for consistent quality and stability.
• CEL-F19/0 (OZARK) A cannabis strain derived from Ozark genetics and cultivated to GMP pharmaceutical-grade standards for consistent quality and stability.
• Cannabis Oil API Cannabis-oil APIs extracted from cannabis plants using Celadon's extraction facilities and processes, including proprietary formulations developed for eventual licensing as approved medicines.
• High-THC API for Specials UK Specials prescription medicines using high-THC active pharmaceutical ingredient for patients underserved by available treatments, with a focus on chronic pain and endometriosis.
• Cannabis Genetics and Intellectual Property Licensing Licensing of Celadon's cannabis genetics and intellectual property to European partners, including a collaboration carrying a £1.5 million annual licensing fee.
• LVL Health Chronic Pain Clinic A private chronic-pain clinic providing cannabis-based medicines and operating the CANPAIN clinical trial through Celadon's majority-owned LVL Health subsidiary.
• Delta-9 THC Vaginal Pessary (Celendra) A proprietary Delta-9 THC vaginal pessary under development for patients with endometriosis-associated pain, accompanied by an observational study.
• Semi-Synthetic Delta-9 THC (CLD-927) A semi-synthetic Delta-9 THC API that extends Celadon's pharmaceutical manufacturing capability beyond its plant-derived route.

Quantifiable outcome

• 49.6% reduction in pain scores in first month of cannabis-based medicine treatment, sustained throughout 3-month study
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Valeos Pharma A/ScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Strategic collaboration with Danish EU-GMP cultivator Valeos Pharma A/S announced September 2024. Allows Celadon to supply its European customer (worth up to £26m over 3 years) from Valeos' Danish facility, doubling cultivation capacity and generating £1.5m annual licensing fee plus up to £8m annual revenue.
• York Health Economic Consulting (YHEC)minorOthers · 1 March 2024Engaged YHEC to conduct comprehensive and independent review of feasibility study data and construct early economic model for NHS reimbursement discussions.
• U.S. DEA-Licensed CustomercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024First international shipment approved to a U.S. DEA-licensed customer, establishing compliant export into the U.S. market and marking significant international expansion.
• PhytomeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022Collaboration with Phytome announced September 2022 to explore potential of cannabis-based medicines in therapeutic areas with unmet need beyond the company's primary focus.
• LVL HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Celadon acquired majority shareholding in LVL Health, which operates the only MHRA conditionally approved clinical trial (CANPAIN) using cannabis-based medicinal products to treat chronic pain. LVL also runs a private pain clinic with CQC-approved physical clinic on Harley Street. The trial aims for NHS reimbursement and involves up to 5,000 patients.
• Kingdom TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Celadon holds a minority equity stake in Kingdom Therapeutics, a UK biopharma developing a licensed cannabinoid medicine (KT-20610) to treat children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The treatment targets gastrointestinal permeability linked to ASD. Celadon has option to supply API as development progresses.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• GW Pharmaceuticals (Jazz Pharmaceuticals): The original UK-listed cannabinoid pharmaceutical company (Sativex, Epidiolex), now owned by Jazz Pharmaceuticals. Directly comparable as a GMP-certified cannabis-derived prescription medicine developer with similar regulatory pathway and NHS/private reimbursement strategy.
• Organigram Holdings: Canadian licensed producer with EU-GMP certified facilities and pharmaceutical cannabis export programs to Europe. Closely comparable as a mid-sized cannabis pharmaceutical API and finished product manufacturer pursuing international expansion.
• Khiron Life Sciences: Vertically integrated cannabis company with EU-GMP Colombian operations and a clinical focus on chronic pain, neurological conditions, and dermatology. Comparable in combining pharmaceutical-grade production with clinical evidence generation for medical cannabis prescribing.
• MGC Pharmaceuticals: UK/Australia-listed pharmaceutical cannabis company producing GMP cannabinoid medicines for chronic pain, epilepsy, and oncology indications. Closely comparable as a small-cap cannabis pharma with clinical development focus and similar regulatory pathway.
• Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies: UK-listed cannabinoid pharmaceutical company developing prescription medicines for chronic pain and inflammatory conditions. Comparable as a UK small-cap focusing on clinical evidence for cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals targeting similar indications.

Broad incumbents

• Tilray Brands: Large global cannabis operator with pharmaceutical-grade cultivation and EU-GMP production across multiple geographies. Comparable as a vertically integrated cannabis API and finished product supplier, but with much broader consumer/cannabis portfolio beyond pharma.
• Canopy Growth: Major global cannabis company with EU-GMP certified cultivation and pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products. Comparable in producing pharmaceutical cannabinoid APIs but operates at materially larger scale and across consumer/medical/industrial cannabis segments.
• Aurora Cannabis: Canadian licensed producer with EU-GMP certified EU facilities producing medical cannabis flower and APIs for European pharmaceutical distribution. Overlaps with Celadon's European supply model and EU-GMP API strategy at larger scale.
• Cronos Group: Global cannabis company with EU-GMP certified production capabilities and pharmaceutical partnerships. Operates a broader consumer/medical cannabis portfolio while overlapping with Celadon in regulated medical cannabis API supply.

Regional players

• Valeos Pharma A/S: Danish EU-GMP cultivator and Celadon's strategic collaboration partner since September 2024, enabling European supply from Danish facility. Comparable as an EU-based GMP cannabis cultivator and direct operational partner rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/celadon-pharma-plc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Celadon Pharmaceuticals