Aurora Secures EU Community Plant Variety Rights for Two Proprietary Cannabis Varieties

Rhea-AI Summary

Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ: ACB) announced it has been granted Community Plant Variety Rights by the EU Community Plant Variety Office for two proprietary Cannabis sativa L varieties: SOT20R07-007 (Farm Gas™) and ACB21T044 (Sourdough™) on Jan 20, 2026.

The varieties were bred in Canada and are described as high-potency, aromatic, consistent cultivars available to medical patients in Germany, Poland, UK, Canada, and Australia. The EU rights provide exclusive commercial control across the 27 EU member states for the protection period and strengthen Aurora's global genetics portfolio.

Positive

• EU plant variety rights granted for two proprietary cultivars
• Exclusive commercial control across 27 EU member states for the protection period
• Market availability of Farm Gas and Sourdough in Germany, Poland, UK, Canada, and Australia
• Integrated cultivation through Aurora's own sites and partner/licensee network

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction

-2.13%

1 alert

-2.13% News Effect

On the day this news was published, ACB declined 2.13%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Proprietary varieties: 2 varieties EU member coverage: 27 member states

2 metrics

Proprietary varieties 2 varieties Cannabis sativa L cultivars granted EU Community Plant Variety Rights

EU member coverage 27 member states Scope of Community Plant Variety Rights protection in European Union

Market Reality Check

Price: $4.24 Vol: Volume 1,011,605 is at 0....

low vol

$4.24 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,011,605 is at 0.52x the 20-day average (1,937,319). low

Technical Price $4.23 is trading below the 200-day MA at $4.84 and 38.79% under the 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

Peers showed mixed moves: LFCR up 1.73%, while OGI, TKNO, SXTC and IRWD declined...

Peers showed mixed moves: LFCR up 1.73%, while OGI, TKNO, SXTC and IRWD declined between 0.44% and 9.29%, suggesting stock-specific factors rather than a broad sector move.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 14 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 14	R&D progress update	Positive	+0.5%	Reported progress on PM2 powdery mildew resistance research and trials.
Dec 18	Product launch Germany	Positive	-3.4%	Launched Daily Special medical cannabis brand targeting affordability in Germany.
Dec 11	Product launch Poland	Positive	+0.4%	Introduced Black Jelly high‑potency medical cultivar into Polish market.
Dec 08	Leadership appointment	Positive	-2.8%	Appointed seasoned CPG executive to lead Australia and New Zealand region.
Dec 02	Distribution partnership	Positive	-1.1%	Announced Australian distribution deal via Leafio to over 4,000 pharmacies.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive strategic and product announcements have often seen mixed to negative next-day price reactions, with more divergences than alignments.

Recent Company History

Over the past few months, Aurora has focused on genetics, product expansion, and international market growth. Key updates included PM2 disease-resistance research progress on Jan 14, 2026, new value-focused products in Germany on Dec 19, 2025, and a high‑potency cultivar launch in Poland on Dec 11, 2025. Management changes and an Australian distribution partnership expanded its global footprint. Today’s EU plant variety rights news continues this strategy of strengthening IP and premium genetics across core medical markets.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights Aurora securing EU Community Plant Variety Rights for 2 proprietary Can...

Analysis

This announcement highlights Aurora securing EU Community Plant Variety Rights for 2 proprietary Cannabis sativa L cultivars, granting exclusive commercial control across 27 EU member states. The move builds on its genetics‑focused strategy, reinforcing Farm Gas and Sourdough as core products in Germany, Poland, the UK, Canada and Australia. In context of recent R&D and international launches, investors may watch how this added IP protection supports pricing power, partnership opportunities, and product consistency in key medical cannabis markets.

Key Terms

community plant variety rights, community plant variety office, cannabis sativa l, phenotyping, +1 more

5 terms

community plant variety rights regulatory

"it has been granted community plant variety rights by the EU's Community"

An exclusive legal right granted by a government or regional authority to the breeder of a newly developed plant variety, allowing them to control who can reproduce, sell, or market that variety for a limited time. Like a patent for a plant, these rights let the breeder earn revenue through sales or licensing and act as a tradable intangible asset, so they can create competitive advantage, predictable income streams, and affect a company’s valuation and investment risk.

community plant variety office regulatory

"rights by the EU's Community Plant Variety Office for two of its"

A community plant variety office is a regional authority that examines and grants legal protection to new cultivated plant varieties, similar to how a patent office handles inventions but focused on seeds and crops. It keeps an official registry, issues breeder’s rights that create exclusive commercial control, and oversees licensing and enforcement. Investors care because these rights can create predictable revenue streams, limit competition, and increase the value of seed, agriculture and biotech businesses.

cannabis sativa l medical

"plant variety rights to Cannabis sativa L varieties named SOT20R07-007"

Cannabis sativa L. is the botanical name for a plant species that includes varieties used for fiber, seeds, and psychoactive or therapeutic products; the “L.” credits the scientist who classified it. Investors care because different strains and products (like industrial hemp versus marijuana) carry very different legal rules, clinical value, and market opportunities—think of it like apples and cider apples: same species, different uses and regulations that drive value.

phenotyping medical

"through Aurora's advanced breeding and phenotyping programs, the company has"

Phenotyping is the process of measuring and categorizing observable characteristics of patients, diseases, or biological samples—such as symptoms, lab results, imaging features, or molecular markers—to create meaningful subgroups. For investors, phenotyping matters because it can improve drug trial design, target the right patients, reduce development risk, and reveal which tests or treatments will reach the market, much like profiling customers helps a company tailor and sell the right product.

cultivars medical

"Both cultivars are recognized for their strong patient and consumer appeal"

Cultivars are specific, human-bred varieties of plants that are given distinct names and maintained for predictable traits like yield, taste, disease resistance or growth habits. For investors, cultivars matter because they can be proprietary products or brands that drive repeatable sales, command price premiums, and be licensed or protected, much like a popular car model or software version that a company sells and defends in the market.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

NASDAQ | TSX: ACB

European grant advances Aurora's unparalleled leadership in cannabis genetics, enhancing its position as a leading medical cannabis company

EDMONTON, AB, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB), the Canadian-based leading global medical cannabis company, today announces that it has been granted community plant variety rights by the EU's Community Plant Variety Office for two of its proprietary cannabis varieties. This achievement further strengthens the company's intellectual property portfolio and reinforces its commitment to innovation and cannabis genetics excellence.

Bred in Canada through Aurora's advanced breeding and phenotyping programs, the company has been granted plant variety rights to Cannabis sativa L varieties named SOT20R07-007 (known as Farm Gas^™) and ACB21T044 (known as Sourdough^™). These varieties and their traits are the result of the company's research expertise and rigorous scientific standards. Both cultivars are recognized for their strong patient and consumer appeal – including high potency and desirable aromas and bud structure – as well as for their consistency, and strong performance traits. Farm Gas^™ and Sourdough^™ are core products available to medical patients in Germany, Poland, UK, Canada, and Australia.

"Being granted Community Plant Variety Rights in the EU is a direct recognition of the exceptional cannabis genetics work underway at our preeminent Aurora Coast R&D facility that is unmatched in its level of excellence," said Lana Culley, VP of Innovation and International Operations for Aurora. "This protection not only strengthens Aurora's global genetics portfolio, but also ensures that our high-quality, differentiated varieties can consistently reach patients and consumers worldwide. Aurora remains committed to advancing our unique breeding program and developing genetics that set new standards in cannabis cultivation."

Community Plant Variety Rights, give Aurora exclusive control over the commercial production and sale of these varieties throughout the European Union's 27 member states for the duration of the protection period. Obtaining these rights in the EU, as well as existing rights in Canada and other territories, enables Aurora to commercialize the company's cultivars globally while protecting investments in science and innovation. Aurora's cultivars are grown in our own network of cultivation sites, as well as grown by partners and licensees around the world.

Aurora's robust genetics platform underpins its global medical cannabis leadership and supports the company's ability to deliver consistent, reliable, and premium products. The protection of these varieties enhances Aurora's competitive position in Europe, a fast-moving and highly valuable region to the company.  

About Aurora Cannabis Inc.

Aurora is Opening the World to Cannabis^™, serving both the medical and consumer markets across Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Aurora is a pioneer in global cannabis, dedicated to helping people improve their lives. The Company's adult-use brand portfolio includes Drift^®, San Raf^®, Daily Special^™, Tasty's^™, Being^® and Greybeard^®. Medical cannabis brands include MedReleaf^®, CanniMed^®, Aurora^® and Whistler Medical Marijuana Corporation^®, as well as international brands, Pedanios^®, IndiMed^™ and CraftPlant^™. Aurora also has a controlling interest in Bevo Farms Ltd., North America's leading supplier of propagated agricultural plants. Driven by science and innovation, and with a focus on high-quality cannabis products, Aurora's brands continue to break through as industry leaders in the medical, wellness and adult recreational markets wherever they are launched. Learn more at www.auroramj.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.

Aurora's common shares trade on the NASDAQ and TSX under the symbol "ACB".

Forward Looking Information  

This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the community plant variety rights granted to the Company by the EU's Community Plant Variety Office for two of its proprietary cannabis varieties and the associated benefits, including the strengthening of Aurora's global genetics portfolio, the Company's ability to commercialize its cultivars globally while protecting investments in science and innovation, and the enhancement of Aurora's competitive position in Europe; as well as statements regarding the Company's continued commitment to innovation and cannabis genetics excellence, the Company's global medical cannabis leadership and the Company's ability to deliver consistent, reliable, and premium products.

These forward-looking statements are only predictions. Forward looking information or statements contained in this news release have been developed based on assumptions management considers to be reasonable. Material factors or assumptions involved in developing forward-looking statements include, without limitation, publicly available information from governmental sources as well as from market research and industry analysis and on assumptions based on data and knowledge of this industry which the Company believes to be reasonable. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances could cause actual events, results, level of activity, performance, prospects, opportunities or achievements to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, the magnitude and duration of potential new or increased tariffs imposed on goods imported from Canada into the United States; the ability to retain key personnel, the ability to continue investing in infrastructure to support growth, the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms, the continued quality of our products, customer experience and retention, the development of third party government and non-government consumer sales channels, management's estimates of consumer demand in Canada and in jurisdictions where the Company exports, expectations of future results and expenses, the risk of successful integration of acquired business and operations, management's estimation that SG&A will grow only in proportion of revenue growth, the ability to expand and maintain distribution capabilities, the impact of competition, the general impact of financial market conditions, the yield from cannabis growing operations, product demand, changes in prices of required commodities, competition, and the possibility for changes in laws, rules, and regulations in the industry, epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises and other risks, uncertainties and factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information from dated June 17, 2025  (the "AIF") and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and filed with and available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The Company cautions that the list of risks, uncertainties and other factors described in the AIF is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.

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SOURCE Aurora Cannabis Inc.

FAQ

What did Aurora (ACB) announce on January 20, 2026 about plant variety rights?

Aurora announced it was granted EU Community Plant Variety Rights for two proprietary cannabis varieties, Farm Gas™ and Sourdough™.

Which Aurora varieties received EU protection and what are their names?

The protected varieties are SOT20R07-007 (known as Farm Gas™) and ACB21T044 (known as Sourdough™).

What geographic commercial control do the EU Community Plant Variety Rights give Aurora (ACB)?

They give Aurora exclusive control over commercial production and sale of the varieties throughout the 27 EU member states for the protection period.

In which countries are Farm Gas and Sourdough already available to medical patients?

The announcement notes availability to medical patients in Germany, Poland, UK, Canada, and Australia.

How were the Farm Gas and Sourdough varieties developed according to Aurora (ACB)?

Both varieties were bred in Canada through Aurora's advanced breeding and phenotyping programs and described as high-potency with desirable aromas and consistent traits.

How does the EU protection affect Aurora's ability to commercialize its cultivars globally?

The EU rights, combined with existing rights in Canada and other territories, are said to enable Aurora to commercialize its cultivars globally while protecting its investment in genetics.