New Zealand firm Ligar has teamed up with Canadian engineering company Maratek to launch a cannabis purification system that uses molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs).
The partners said the system selectively targets and captures cannabinoid molecules to produce a higher-quality extract, more efficiently, safely and economically than traditional manufacturing processes.
The launch, at MJBizCon in Las Vegas, follows a R&D program including the development of ‘smart’ MIP beads, which can be optimised to target and recover high-value molecules and remove contaminants in fluids across a range of food applications.
The MIPs capture cannabinoids from crude extracts while letting the fats, waxes, lipids and contaminants pass through, eliminating the need for winterization and distillation.
The result is ‘Millipate’, a high-quality, full-spectrum concentrated extract that contains all of the different cannabinoid types present in the crude, including the acid forms.
Ligar managing director Aiden Tapping said: “We’re extremely proud to be bringing our MIP system to the cannabis extraction market in partnership with Maratek. We’re also excited to launch our new brand Mipillate to describe extracts made by MIP systems – which we will develop as a distinct and unique product.”
President of Maratek Colin Darcell added: “Working with MIPs offers an opportunity to leave behind the outdated and expensive winterization and distillation systems and put science to work, extracting with ease.
“MIPs is a technology we are very excited about and can’t wait to see its applications not only in the cannabis sector, but with all bio-actives around the world.”
