After five years of research, development and preparation for industrial production, and an investment of more than 200 million dirhams, Pharma 5 unveiled what it describes as two national firsts in Casablanca on Thursday, 12 November 2026. The company developed an active pharmaceutical ingredient from cannabidiol extracted from cannabis grown in Morocco and manufactured a medicine locally to treat certain severe forms of epilepsy. From the fields of the Rif to the production facility, the project puts into practice the ambition championed by King Mohammed VI to strengthen Morocco’s health sovereignty.
A Scientific and Industrial Achievement Worth Recognising
Pharma 5 deserves credit for the scientific rigour and industrial persistence behind this achievement. Turning a plant whose composition varies naturally from one harvest to the next into a pharmaceutical ingredient of consistent quality takes years of development. The company brought together farmers, researchers, engineers and pharmacists, each responsible for a stage that shapes the quality of the finished product, from selecting plant material to testing production batches.
For Mia Lahlou-Filali, Chief Executive Officer of Pharma 5, the achievement builds on more than four decades of work to develop pharmaceutical manufacturing in Morocco. Yasmine Lahlou-Filali, Chief Executive Officer and pharmacist in charge, emphasised the scientific rigour needed to master the entire production process. The company traces the project to the early interest of its founder, Dr Abdallah Lahlou-Filali, who was exploring the medicinal uses of cannabis as far back as 1973.
From the Fields of the Rif to an Active Ingredient Made in Morocco
The project begins in the Rif, where regulated cultivation supplies the raw material. A traceability system tracks each batch from harvest through cannabidiol extraction and purification. Pharma 5 reports that the active ingredient has a purity of more than 98% and meets European Pharmacopoeia requirements. Producing the ingredient locally is the central industrial achievement. Morocco can now manufacture the active ingredient that goes into the medicine, with the potential to supply other pharmaceutical companies in the future.
According to Pharma 5, the project covers more than 40 hectares of cultivated land, brings 70 families in the Rif into the formal supply chain and has enabled the processing of more than 100 tonnes of plant biomass. For growers, it offers the prospect of regular orders and a place in a supply chain whose processing takes place in Morocco. Law No. 13-21 established the regulatory framework for these activities. In March 2026, the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities and the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products signed an agreement on registration procedures for cannabis-based products.
A New Treatment Option for Certain Severe Forms of Epilepsy
The medicine is intended for certain patients whose seizures persist despite treatment. Speaking at the presentation, Dr Abdoulmoumen Mahly, Pharma 5’s Director of Research and Innovation, explained that some patients with severe forms of epilepsy may experience dozens of seizures a day. He noted that pharmaceutical-grade cannabidiol offers a treatment option in some cases where seizures are difficult to control, within specific indications and under medical supervision.
The World Health Organization estimates that around 50 million people live with epilepsy worldwide, nearly 80% of them in low- and middle-income countries. For the patients and families concerned in Morocco, the impact of a locally manufactured treatment will depend on its availability and affordability.
The Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products lists Cannabidol Pharma5 as an oral solution containing 100 mg of cannabidiol per millilitre, with a retail price of 5,498 dirhams for a 100 ml bottle. The agency’s directory still lists the medicine as “not marketed”. Actual availability and reimbursement arrangements remain to be confirmed.
Moroccan Expertise Opens Up Export Opportunities
By bringing cultivation, research, active ingredient production and pharmaceutical manufacturing together within the country, Pharma 5 has added a new capability to Morocco’s pharmaceutical industry. That expertise could create opportunities in African and other international markets, subject to local regulatory approvals. At home, the project’s lasting impact will be measured by the stability of demand for crops grown in the Rif and by whether the patients who need the medicine can obtain it.
Photo caption — Mia Lahlou-Filali, Chief Executive Officer of Pharma 5, Yasmine Lahlou-Filali, Chief Executive Officer and Pharmacist in Charge at Pharma 5 Laboratories, and Dr Abdoulmoumen Mahly, Pharma 5’s Director of Research and Innovation, at the presentation of the company’s two medical cannabis breakthroughs in Casablanca.
