Collaboration to Develop Cannabis Testing Standards

SCIEX has announced collaboration with CW Analytical (CWAL), an industry leading marijuana testing laboratory, to develop fully validated standardized methods to measure pesticides and cannabinoids in Cannabis and Cannabis related products. As global demand for Cannabis quality testing solutions rises, analytical labs must look to mass spectrometry-based (MS) solutions for the accuracy and reliability to ensure product safety and regulatory compliance. This collaboration will provide the Cannabis industry at-large, with comprehensive, cost-effective analytical methods to facilitate routine testing with guidance and expected performance.

SCIEX will provide CWAL with LC-MS/MS expertise and instrumentation including the SCIEX Triple QuadTM 3500 System, with MultiQuantTM Software for processing multiple analytes and samples. Additionally, SCIEX will provide CWAL with onsite technical expertise to obtain optimal detection, recovery, and run time for quantifying pesticides, aflatoxins and cannabinoids. 

“LC-MS/MS represents an ideal analytical platform to address testing needs for the Cannabis industry and only SCIEX can provide researchers with quality, routine workflows and the customer support they require to get their labs up and running quickly,” said Vincent Paez, Senior Director of Food, Environmental and Forensics Testing at SCIEX. “The global Cannabis testing industry does not currently have a standard method for the analysis of pesticides and cannabinoids, and together with CW Analytical, we look forward to implementing a method which can be used by all labs doing such an analysis.” 

“Collaborating with SCIEX is truly an historic event, signalling the willingness of an internationally recognized analytical leader to support this emerging laboratory industry. This project will enable CW Analytical to ensure chemical pesticides, the presence of afla-toxins, and potency levels are accurately measured and reported for medical marijuana samples in a timely, affordable manner,” said Robert Martin, Ph.D, Co¬Founder, Chief Operating Officer at CW Analytical. “LC¬MS/MS is a key technology for us to apply to our day to day testing needs and SCIEX’s robust solutions and routine workflows make implementation seamless. The ability to accurately analyze hundreds of samples a day offers a unique level of efficiency to our laboratory.” 

SCIEX is a member of the AOAC Cannabis Advisory Group and CWAL is the founding member of the Association of Commercial Cannabis Laboratories, a group of laboratories dedicated to proficiency in Cannabis testing. SCIEX and CWAL are uniquely positioned to drive method innovation and achievement of data quality objectives through these associations and is a major reason for the formation of this collaboration.