Leah Fletcher of Dunbar Pharma discusses Ireland’s potential in the cannabinoids treatment space and how breaking with tradition is an important step forward.
Leah Fletcher is the founder and CEO of Irish biopharmaceutical Dunbar Pharma, which specializes in the research, development and production of EU-GMP certified, plant-based active pharmaceutical ingredients.
A follower of a non-traditional route, Fletcher began his career as a teacher in a national school in Ireland and then a school in British Columbia, Canada before “jumping too far from the classroom to the washroom”.
The teaching of his time had instilled in him a deep interest in people’s capacity to learn, adapt and navigate complexity, and how policy inevitably shapes society when there is a growing gap between what is available and what people need.
She told SiliconRepublic.com, “My interest in cannabinoid medicine began when I was living in Canada when cannabis was legalized there. I was impressed by how quickly discussions about the plant were changing and how emotional, political and commercial they were. At the same time, I knew of campaigners in Ireland, many of them mothers, wanting to get their children cannabinoid therapy.”
As a new mother herself, this change in the way the plant was viewed and its power had a great impact and she began to think more often about the gap that appears between the needs of the patient, the place of public debate and secure, controlled access.
Fletcher said, “I became interested in how cannabinoids can be removed from uncertainty and included in the framework of medicine: evidence, quality, consistency, compliance and patient safety. I saw the systems of medicine not as an obstacle, but as a solution.”
But, as is often the case with anything that needs to be done right, Fletcher was not successful as he started this new venture.
Personal or professional progress
“It wouldn’t be fair to paint a pretty picture. This has been one of the hardest journeys I’ve ever been on. One of the biggest obstacles has been the personal commitment to build something from the ground up,” said Fletcher.
He mentioned the importance of finding balance in business, but admitted that balance is not always possible and if you miss family events, weddings and birthdays because work in the labconference, or trip, there is often a lack of honest and open discussion on the topic.
He said, “When you build something that you believe can improve people’s lives, there is a window where you have to give it your all. That doesn’t mean it’s easy or sustainable forever, but in startup mode, you have to be ready for anything that moves the project forward. It’s easier when the big obstacles are over and a strong team is in place, but the early years require a lot of resilience.”
It comes from a non-traditional, non-pharmaceutical background and presented a major challenge to Fletcher as he found himself in a technical, regulated industry that required him to learn new language, systems and standards as well as meet expectations. He explained that the easiest way to navigate such a change is to accept and expect that you may be “the least experienced person in the room”.
But the highlight for Fletcher has been personal and professional.
He said, “One of the greatest privileges has been building things from scratch with my husband as the founder and my father as the building manager. It’s been a family affair and something my youngest son saw growing up. When he was young, he used to say, ‘Mummy makes magic potions’. There’s no magic, but I love that, through his eyes, the work looked amazing.”
Ireland and the world stage
Describing Ireland’s medical environment with cannabinoids as “recognized and tightly regulated”, Fletcher explained that while access to treatment is limited and often focused on specific, treatment-resistant conditions.
“That shows where we are as a country,” he said. “There is interest, but also a need for more clinical confidence, education and systematic methods. Ireland’s potential is much bigger than the domestic market. We have a global reputation for pharmaceutical manufacturing, compliance, quality and life sciences talent.
“That strength is important because the future of cannabinoid medicine will be built on the credibility of medicine. Ireland also has world-class academic work going on in cannabinoid science and applications, including research work University of GalwayTrinity College Dublin and others. The knowledge base is here. The medical infrastructure is here. Productivity discipline is here. The question is whether we connect that power properly to create more companies that grow in homes that use medicines.”
He explained, businesses get a lot of support from dedicated Irish investors and similar agencies Irish businessbut he added, if Ireland wants more traditional pharmaceutical companies to be able to compete globally, the country needs strong, flexible options to support companies that are scaling up in regulated sectors.
Fletcher said, “Life science companies are not like software companies.
“A company may need to finance licenses, controlled drug approvals, building construction, clean rooms, certification, sustainability programs, specialist equipment and skilled teams before there can be meaningful commercialization.
“For medical cannabinoids, Ireland can be a center of expertise for high quality cannabinoid APIs, manufacturing, analytical development and controlled international supply. There could be many more companies like Dunbar Pharma contributing to global medicine, local employment and the Irish economy. Sometimes the difference is not talent or ambition; that funding and policy support is tailored to the realities of building high-quality companies.”
Real world impact
And it’s not just the economy that could benefit from more support for building health care-based startups. Fletcher said the creation and availability of alternative treatments for patients is important, but implementation and access must be done responsibly. Especially in an area where many people live with conditions that are difficult to treat and control.
He said, “Innovation matters because patients deserve continuous effort, not to stop working. Alternative treatments must be maintained at high levels. Hope is strong, but it must be protected by evidence, quality and ethics. In cannabinoid medicines, public opinion can be divided, so inventors must avoid overconfidence and create programs that doctors, pharmacists and patients can trust.
“And it is not enough to simply have the medicine. Access must be designed into the system. Across Europe, we are seeing a move towards more realistic access models: telemedicine, better privacy protection, fewer barriers to specialist consultation, pharmacist-led models and rational planning of controlled medicines where appropriate.”
He firmly believes that Irish inventors and entrepreneurs have the skills necessary to make an impact in the field of cannabinoid therapy, it just requires a dose of courage, industry knowledge and support.
Fletcher said, “Ireland has the talent, discipline and scientific credibility to build important companies in complex technology sectors. We don’t always need innovation from big multinationals or big global cities. Small Irish teams can do ambitious, world-class work.”
Don’t miss out on the information you need to succeed. Sign up for Daily BriefSilicon Republic’s digest of must-know sci-tech news.
