Dunbar Pharma Brings Plant-Derived Dronabinol to the UK Through IPS Pharma
For patients who use cannabinoid medicines but cannot—or simply do not want to—inhale them, pharmaceutical-grade oral options can be critical. Dunbar Pharmaceuticals is now widening access to those alternatives in the United Kingdom with the launch of WaterClear THC™, its plant-derived dronabinol active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), through IPS Pharma.
The partnership connects Dunbar Pharma’s commercial-scale manufacturing operation in Athlone, Ireland, with IPS Pharma’s established UK pharmaceutical network. IPS is a licensed Specials manufacturer, meaning it can produce or supply unlicensed medicines for an individual patient when no suitable licensed alternative is available. Through that regulated pathway, clinicians can prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use made with WaterClear THC in capsules, oral sprays and oily solution drops.
The move is significant not because dronabinol itself is new—it has been prescribed internationally for decades—but because Dunbar Pharma produces it from plant-derived starting materials at commercial scale under European Union Good Manufacturing Practice standards. Historically, dronabinol has often been manufactured synthetically.
WaterClear THC is purified delta-9-THC manufactured as a chemically defined pharmaceutical ingredient. Unlike broader botanical cannabis preparations, it is designed to offer consistent milligram dosing with minimal variation in composition. That precision matters in a medical setting, where reproducibility, traceability and dependable supply are central to both prescribing and patient care.
“Making WaterClear THC™, our GMP-certified dronabinol, available through IPS Pharma marks an important milestone in our efforts to broaden access to pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid medicines,” said Leah Fletcher, founder and CEO of Dunbar Pharma. “Many patients cannot or do not wish to inhale cannabinoid medicines, and they should have access to suitable alternatives.”
Fletcher added that producing the ingredient at commercial scale in Ireland allows Dunbar Pharma to give partners a consistent supply for oral formulations. “This is how cannabinoid therapy becomes an accepted part of medicine rather than a category apart,” she said.
From Cannabinoid Product to Pharmaceutical Infrastructure
That distinction sits at the center of Dunbar Pharma’s strategy. The company is not manufacturing for the consumer or wellness market. It is building pharmaceutical infrastructure for regulated cannabinoid medicines, with validated production processes, full batch traceability and oversight from Ireland’s Health Products Regulatory Authority.
For an industry that has often struggled with inconsistent products and fragmented supply chains, those systems may be as important as the ingredient itself. A medicine must be available in the same form, at the same quality and in the same dosage—not only once, but whenever a patient needs it.
“Partnering with an EU GMP-certified manufacturer that shares our commitment to quality and reliability gives us confidence in the supply of regulated cannabinoid medicines,” said Ian McFarlane, director of strategic partnerships at IPS Pharma. “Together, we’re helping improve access to high-quality oral treatment options for clinicians prescribing under the UK’s Specials framework.”
The available formulations include 5 mg and 10 mg capsules, a 25 mg/mL oral dose spray and a 25 mg/mL oily dropper solution. They may be prescribed when clinically appropriate for patients who require individualized treatment. IPS Pharma’s distribution network gives clinicians and pharmacies across the UK a regulated route to source those medicines while maintaining quality and compliance across the supply chain.
An Irish Manufacturer Expands Across Europe
The UK launch follows Dunbar Pharma’s expansion into Germany earlier in 2026. There, its Irish-manufactured dronabinol API is supplied through major wholesalers. According to the company, the German category that includes dronabinol recorded more statutory health-insurance prescriptions than cannabis flower in 2025—an indication that precisely dosed pharmaceutical cannabinoid products are becoming an increasingly meaningful part of European care.
Dunbar Pharma has received support from Enterprise Ireland as it expands its manufacturing capacity and presence in regulated markets. The company was supported through the agency’s High Potential Start-Up program in 2025.
“The distribution and availability of their WaterClear THC™ product in the UK market is a significant achievement and a testament to the company’s ambition, innovation and commitment to individualised patient healthcare,” said Enterprise Ireland CEO Jenny Melia.
The company has also gained recognition inside Ireland’s life-sciences sector, most recently winning Emerging Company of the Year at the 2026 BioPharmaChem Impact Awards. Earlier honors include Product & Manufacturing Start-Up of the Year at the 2025 National Start-Up Awards and the Ambition & Growth Award at the 2026 Local Enterprise Office Awards.
Dunbar Pharma’s arrival in the UK is ultimately a story about normalization. Cannabinoid medicine has spent years navigating the gap between patient demand and the pharmaceutical systems required to support it. By connecting plant-derived dronabinol with validated manufacturing, exact dosing and an established clinical supply route, Dunbar and IPS Pharma are helping close that gap—one prescription, one formulation and one patient at a time.
For more, visit https://dunbarpharma.ie
