Acquisition of industry-leading instrument by Thermo Fisher Scientific will significantly advance psychedelic research and accelerate third-party standardized testing capabilities

Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus" or the "Company") (TSXV: NUMI ), a company creating an ecosystem of health solutions centered around developing and supporting the safe, evidence-based, accessible use of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies (PAP), is excited to announce it has acquired the Orbitrap Exploris 120 mass spectrometer with Vanquish Flex Binary ("Orbitrap") instrument for its continued research and development of Psilocybe mushroom related projects  at Numinus Bioscience, the Company's 7,000 square foot analytics and research laboratory.

Implementation of the Orbitrap, a state-of-the-art high resolution mass spectrometry instrument, will continue the accelerated trajectory of Numinus Bioscience's research strategy to optimize cultivation, harvest, and extraction of Psilocybe mushrooms. This follows Numinus' successful completion of the first legal extraction in Canada by a public company for research and development purposes in December.

"Numinus continues to break ground in the research and development of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies, and the implementation of the Orbitrap Exploris 120 mass spectrometer with Vanquish Flex Binary cements our role as the centre of excellence for psychedelic research and development," said Sharan Sidhu , Science Officer and General Manager, Numinus. "As an early psychedelic substances license holder, this announcement demonstrates our commitment to staying at the forefront of psychedelic initiatives. Acquiring the Orbitrap is a fundamental step forward in developing Numinus Bioscience's first patent, significantly advancing Psilocybe Mushroom related psychedelic discovery research and accelerating our third-party psychedelic standardized testing capabilities."

Numinus Bioscience is focused on developing analytical methods and formulations for the evolving psychedelics space by establishing itself at the forefront of analytical testing for psychedelics. Use of the Orbitrap Exploris 120 will allow Numinus to accelerate psychedelic standardized testing, research and development activities for third-party clients and strategic partners, as well as high throughput testing for amenable compounds.

As well, the Orbitrap will be instrumental in ensuring that dried Psilocybe Mushrooms provided for special access are safe and that the therapeutic compounds consistently meet all required specifications. This follows Health Canada's groundbreaking announcement of its intention to revise the Special Access Programme (SAP) to permit access to MDMA and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in the same way other investigational medications are accessed in Canada .

Health Canada's Notice of Intent regarding the SAP will be open for public consultation and comments for the next 60 days, and Numinus strongly encourages the community to weigh in on the benefits of the revision. View the notice here: https://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2020/2020-12-12/html/notice-avis-eng.html#nb2 .

To share comments and thoughts related to the SAP, please email hc.csd.regulatory.policy-politique.reglementaire.dsc.sc@canada.ca .

About Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has gained a great deal of interest within the medical community and general public as research results demonstrate its superior effectiveness for a range of mental health conditions. These results are contributing to a paradigm shift in both the understanding and treatment of mental health conditions.

Numinus has announced plans to embark upon open-label compassionate access clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for substance use disorders and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD , enabling it to implement, test and refine optimal protocols for delivery before these therapies are widely accessible. This includes developing physical and human resource infrastructure more broadly to deliver psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy including for Special Access Programme patients.

Numinus is uniquely positioned to provide patients with MDMA and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy under the expanded SAP revision based on its international partnerships and extensive work completed on developing safe and evidence-based protocols for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. The Company is also a leader in the industry as the first public entity in Canada to receive a licence to produce and extract psilocybin from mushrooms, the first to complete a legal harvest and extraction of Psilocybe mushrooms using this licence and the holder of a Health Canada dealer's licence to import, export, possess, test and distribute MDMA, psilocybin and other psychedelics.

Applications for Numinus's compassionate access trials and for access under the SAP, pending approval, are not yet open. To be advised of the status and procedures for applications when available, register for Numinus's newsletter .

About Numinus

Numinus Wellness Inc. (TSXV: NUMI) is a mental health and wellness company creating an ecosystem of solutions centred around safe, evidence-based, accessible psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to help people heal and be well.

Numinus Health is dedicated to delivering innovative treatments to address physical, mental, and emotional health, through clinics and virtual services.

Numinus R&D is conducting implementation science and leveraging partnerships to beta-test and refine optimal models of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy delivery, setting the stage for approved routine use in mental health and wellness care.

Numinus Bioscience is focused on developing testing methods and effective formulas for the evolving psychedelics space. Health Canada licences, scientific expertise, and new technologies facilitate ongoing innovation, and high-throughput contract services generate established revenue.

Learn more at numinus.ca , and follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing federal, provincial, municipal, local or other licences and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals licences and permits to operate and expand the Company's facilities; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including federal and provincial legalization, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry, bureaucratic delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; the Company's limited operating history and lack of historical profits; reliance on management; the Company's requirements for additional financing, and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with research and development institutions, customers and suppliers. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

SOURCE Numinus Wellness Inc.

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2021/13/c6079.html