Aurora Granted Plant Breeders' Rights, Strengthening Leadership in Cannabis Science

Rhea-AI Summary

Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ: ACB) received Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights for two proprietary cannabis cultivars developed at its Aurora Coast research facility. The grant covers SOT20R07-007 (Farm Gas) and SOT20R07-005 (Driftwood Diesel), giving Aurora exclusive rights to grow, propagate and sell products from these varieties.

Both cultivars are core medical products in Germany, Poland, the UK, Canada and Australia. According to Aurora, Plant Breeders' Rights protect its proprietary genetics, support ongoing research and innovation, and, together with recent European protections, strengthen its global competitive position in medical cannabis.

Positive

• Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights granted for two proprietary cannabis cultivars
• Exclusive rights to grow, propagate and sell Farm Gas and Driftwood Diesel
• Protected cultivars are core medical products in five international markets
• IP protection supports Aurora's internal breeding and long-term research program
• Canadian and European protections together enhance global competitive position

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction – ACB

+0.30%

+0.30% Session close to close

In the May 14 session, ACB gained 0.30%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement highlights Aurora’s progress in securing Canadian Plant Breeders’ Rights for two p...

Analysis

This announcement highlights Aurora’s progress in securing Canadian Plant Breeders’ Rights for two proprietary cultivars that underpin its medical portfolio in five countries. It reinforces a strategy already visible in recent EU GMP expansion and global product launches, emphasizing science-driven differentiation. Investors can monitor how often such IP protections recur, how they support premium positioning in Germany and other markets, and how they intersect with ongoing portfolio and international expansion initiatives.

Key Figures

Protected cultivars: 2 cultivars Medical markets: 5 countries Grant date: May 14, 2026

3 metrics

Protected cultivars 2 cultivars Plant Breeders' Rights granted in Canada

Medical markets 5 countries Farm Gas and Driftwood Diesel available in Germany, Poland, UK, Canada, Australia

Grant date May 14, 2026 Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights announcement

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Apr 28 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Apr 28	Global product launches	Positive	-2.6%	Expanded medical cannabis product portfolio across Canada, Europe, and Australia.
Apr 15	EU GMP acquisition	Positive	+4.3%	Acquisition of Safari Flower Company to expand EU GMP capacity.
Mar 30	Diversity recognition	Positive	-3.8%	Recognition for 50% female executive leadership on Women Lead Here list.
Feb 17	Conference participation	Neutral	-1.4%	Participation in TD Cowen health care conference and Bevo transaction update.
Feb 12	Nasdaq bell ringing	Positive	+5.7%	Nasdaq closing bell event reinforcing global medical cannabis focus.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent history shows mixed reactions: some positive strategic news (acquisition, branding events) aligned with gains, while other seemingly positive developments (product expansion, diversity recognition) saw selling pressure.

Recent Company History

Over the past few months, Aurora has emphasized its global medical cannabis positioning. It expanded product launches across multiple markets on Apr 28, 2026, acquired Safari Flower Company for $26.5 million on Apr 15, 2026, and highlighted gender diversity recognition on Mar 30, 2026. It also participated in the TD Cowen conference and rang the Nasdaq closing bell in February. Today’s Canadian Plant Breeders’ Rights build on this strategy of reinforcing differentiated, science-driven medical cannabis leadership.

Key Terms

plant breeders' rights, intellectual property, cultivars

3 terms

plant breeders' rights regulatory

"Understanding Plant Breeders' Rights in CanadaPlant Breeders' Rights are a form..."

Plant breeders' rights are legal protections that give the developer of a new plant variety exclusive control over its propagation and commercial use for a limited time, similar to how a patent protects an invention. For investors, these rights matter because they create a revenue stream through sales or licensing, act as a barrier to competitors, and can materially affect a company’s valuation and long‑term profit potential.

intellectual property regulatory

"Plant Breeders' Rights are a form of intellectual property protection, similar..."

Intellectual property are legal rights that protect creations of the mind—such as inventions, brand names, designs, software, or secret formulas—giving the owner control over who can use, copy or sell them. For investors, IP is like owning a blueprint or recipe: it can generate steady income through exclusive sales or licensing, boost a company’s competitive edge and valuation, and also create costs or risks if rights must be defended or challenged in court.

cultivars medical

"For Aurora, plant breeders' rights protect proprietary cannabis genetics developed..."

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. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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NASDAQ | TSX: ACB

Canadian grant protects Aurora‑developed genetics bred through the company's advanced research and breeding program

EDMONTON, AB, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB), the Canadian-based leading global medical cannabis company, announced today it has been granted Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada for two proprietary cannabis cultivars developed through its world-class breeding program. This certification gives Aurora the exclusive rights to grow, propagate, and sell finished products produced from these varieties.

The two protected cultivars, SOT20R07-007 (known as Farm Gas^™) and SOT20R07-005 (known as Driftwood Diesel^™), were developed at Aurora Coast, Aurora's industry-leading research and development facility in Comox, British Columbia. The company carefully selected these cultivars based on their unique characteristics, including how well they grow and how consistently they perform. Farm Gas^TM and Driftwood Diesel^TM are core medical cannabis products available to patients in Germany, Poland, UK, Canada, and Australia.

"These plant breeders' rights recognize the depth of work behind our leading breeding, genetic development and testing program," says Lana Culley, Vice President, Innovation and International Operations at Aurora. "They reflect a disciplined, science‑driven approach to developing cultivars that deliver consistency, performance and reliability for medical cannabis patients around the world."

Understanding Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada

• Plant Breeders' Rights are a form of intellectual property protection, similar to patents, that apply specifically to new and distinct plant varieties
• In Canada, plant breeders' rights are granted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and give breeders exclusive rights to produce and sell a protected plant variety
• This framework recognizes the significant scientific investment required to develop cultivars that are clearly different and produce the same results over time
• For Aurora, plant breeders' rights protect proprietary cannabis genetics developed through its internal breeding program, supporting continued innovation and long‑term research

Aurora's robust genetics platform underpins its global medical cannabis leadership and supports the company's ability to develop differentiated premium products with consistent and reliable attributes. The protection of these varieties, as well as the recent grants received for select variety protection in Europe, enhances Aurora's competitive position globally.

Further details regarding Plant Breeders' Rights, can be found at https://inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-health/plant-varieties/plant-breeders-rights

About Aurora

Aurora is a global leader in medical cannabis, dedicated to improving lives through scientific expertise, proven performance, and a deep commitment to patient care. Aurora serves both medical and consumer markets across Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, with a strategic focus on high-margin opportunities and a medical-first approach. Aurora's portfolio of trusted, leading brands includes Aurora^®, MedReleaf^®, Pedanios^®, IndiMed™, San Raf^®, Tasty's^® and Whistler Medical Marijuana Co.^®. With world-class GMP-certified manufacturing facilities in Canada and Germany, and a team of industry-leading professionals, Aurora continues to expand its global footprint and deliver consistent, high-quality cannabis products with the purpose of Opening the World to Cannabis™.

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 Plant Breeders' Rights granted by the CFIA to the Company in Canada and the associated benefits and advantages for the Company, as well as statements regarding the enhancement of Aurora's competitive position globally.

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 Plant Breeders' Rights were granted to Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ: ACB) in May 2026?

Aurora Cannabis received Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights for two proprietary cannabis cultivars in May 2026. According to Aurora, these rights cover varieties SOT20R07-007 (Farm Gas) and SOT20R07-005 (Driftwood Diesel), securing exclusive control over production and sales of these genetics.

Which Aurora Cannabis ACB strains are protected by Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada?

The protected Aurora strains are SOT20R07-007 (Farm Gas) and SOT20R07-005 (Driftwood Diesel). According to Aurora, both were developed at its Aurora Coast facility and chosen for strong growth traits and consistent performance, forming part of its core global medical cannabis product lineup.

How do Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights benefit Aurora Cannabis (ACB) shareholders?

Plant Breeders' Rights give Aurora exclusive rights to produce and sell the protected cultivars. According to Aurora, this intellectual property protection secures proprietary genetics, supports ongoing research investment, and, combined with European protections, is expected to strengthen its competitive position in global medical cannabis markets.

In which countries are Aurora's Farm Gas and Driftwood Diesel medical cannabis products available?

Farm Gas and Driftwood Diesel are available to Aurora medical cannabis patients in Germany, Poland, the UK, Canada and Australia. According to Aurora, these cultivars are core products in its medical portfolio, benefiting from newly granted Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights protection for their underlying genetics.

What are Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada and why are they important for Aurora ACB?

Plant Breeders' Rights are Canadian intellectual property protections for new, distinct plant varieties. According to Aurora, rights granted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency give breeders exclusive production and sales control, recognizing scientific investment and ensuring protected cultivars remain distinct and reliably consistent over time.

How does Aurora Coast support Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ: ACB) genetics and IP strategy?

Aurora Coast serves as Aurora's research and development hub for breeding and genetics. According to Aurora, Farm Gas and Driftwood Diesel were developed there, and securing Plant Breeders' Rights helps protect in-house innovations, underpinning its medical cannabis genetics platform and differentiated product offerings globally.