Dunbar Pharma’s Leah Fletcher discusses Ireland’s potential in the cannabinoid therapy landscape and how breaking from tradition is a critical step towards advancement.
Dunbar Pharma Co-Founder and CEO Leah Fletcher has been featured in Silicon Republic, discussing innovation in Ireland’s evolving cannabinoid medicine sector and the opportunity for Ireland to play a greater role in the development of pharmaceutical cannabinoid therapies.
In the interview, Leah reflects on her unconventional journey from teaching to pharmaceutical manufacturing and the challenges involved in building a company within a highly regulated and technically complex industry.
The discussion also explores Ireland’s potential to become a specialist hub for cannabinoid pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. With an established international reputation in life sciences, pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality and compliance, Ireland has many of the capabilities required to support the responsible development of this emerging area.
Leah also highlights the importance of approaching cannabinoid medicines within a robust pharmaceutical framework, with evidence, quality, consistency, compliance and patient safety at its core.
At Dunbar Pharma, this approach continues to underpin our work as we develop and manufacture pharmaceutical-grade, plant-derived active pharmaceutical ingredients and contribute to the advancement of high-quality cannabinoid medicines internationally.
Read the full interview with Leah Fletcher on Silicon Republic:
[The CEO innovating in Ireland’s ‘controlled and cautious’ medical cannabis space →]
Media Contact
For further information, please contact:
Nicole Farah
Americana Communications Ltd.
pr@dunbarpharma.ie
www.americanapr.com
About Dunbar Pharma
Dunbar Pharmaceuticals (Mercury Rising Ltd.) is a privately owned Irish pharmaceutical manufacturer and Ireland’s first EU GMP manufacturer of plant-derived cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Based in Athlone, Ireland, the company manufactures difficult-to-make, pharmaceutical-grade APIs, including plant-derived dronabinol, to recognised pharmacopoeia standards for regulated pharmaceutical markets, including Germany and the UK.
Built from the ground up as a pharmaceutical manufacturer on Ireland’s world-class pharma platform, Dunbar Pharma operates under the oversight of the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), with validated processes and full batch traceability supporting dependable supply to licensed partners across Europe.
Dunbar Pharma was founded on a simple observation: medical use of cannabinoids was growing worldwide, but the pharmaceutical infrastructure behind it had not kept pace. The company is closing that gap, building Europe’s pharmaceutical infrastructure for plant-derived cannabinoid medicines by combining EU GMP manufacturing, pharmaceutical quality standards and reliable supply for healthcare partners and patients. The company has been recognised for its growth and innovation, including Emerging Company of the Year at the BioPharmaChem Impact Awards 2026, Product & Manufacturing Start-Up of the Year at the National Start-Up Awards 2025, and the Ambition & Growth Award at the Local Enterprise Office Awards 2026. Keep up to date on activity from Dunbar Pharma on LinkedIn.
Notes to Editor
Dunbar Pharmaceuticals (Mercury Rising Ltd.) is an Irish GMP manufacturer based in Athlone, Ireland. GMP Certificate: 35486/ASR13213/000001; ASR Certificate: ASR13213/000001 — verifiable on the EudraGMDP public register.
Dronabinol is the INN (international non-proprietary name) for delta-9-THC in purified pharmaceutical form, prescribed internationally for decades in regulated prescription medicines for specific indications.
Dunbar’s dronabinol is manufactured exclusively for pharmaceutical use, not consumer or wellness products.