Advancing Cannabis & Psychedelic Research: Key Industry Leaders At Pittcon 2025

As the cannabis and psychedelic industries continue to expand, analytical testing and quality assurance have become critical to ensuring product safety, potency, and compliance with regulatory standards. 

Pharmaceutical research into plant-derived substances such as cannabis and synthetic psychedelics continues to explore their potential therapeutic benefits due to their psychoactive properties. The medical sector makes use of these substances to manage pain and treat mental health problems alongside neurological conditions in patients with chronic pain and PTSD, depression and epilepsy.

At the Pittcon Conference & Exposition, leading companies like Cayman Chemical, ANAB, PJLA, Axion, and many more showcase their expertise in laboratory solutions, accreditation, and certified reference materials. These industry pioneers play a vital role in advancing analytical methodologies for drug development and formulation of APIs, including cannabis and psychedelics, providing researchers and manufacturers with the tools necessary for accurate testing, regulatory adherence, and product innovation. Their contributions help shape the future of these evolving sectors through scientific excellence and precision.

Cayman Chemical Company

Cayman Chemical Company is a global supplier of high-quality biochemicals, assay kits, antibodies, and recombinant proteins, providing scientists with the essential resources to advance human and animal health. Committed to facilitating research, Cayman Chemical employs a team of highly qualified experts specialising in synthesising, purifying, and characterising a wide range of biochemicals. The company continuously expands its product catalogue, which includes small molecules, biochemicals, assay kits, antibodies, and proteins, to scientists worldwide. 

Cayman Chemical has grown its capabilities to include active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing, forensic analytical standard production providing a range of analytical standards, including synthetic cannabinoids, cathinones, phenethylamines, amphetamines, indanes, opioids, benzodiazepines, tryptamines, and phytocannabinoids, among many others. Contract research services, pre-clinical drug development, research grant support, and community outreach initiatives. 

ANSI National Accreditation Board/ANAB

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is a leading provider of accreditation and training services for certification bodies, validation and verification bodies, inspection agencies, and laboratory-related communities. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., and an additional location in Fort Wayne, Indiana, ANAB is the largest multi-disciplinary accreditation body in the Western Hemisphere, accrediting over 3,000 organisations across approximately 80 countries. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a nonprofit organisation, ANAB aligns with ANSI’s mission by administering accreditation procedures and criteria for conformity assessment programs. 

Its accreditation portfolio includes a wide range of international standards for management systems certification, calibration, testing laboratories and product certification, and various other standards covering inspection bodies, forensic agencies, greenhouse gas validation, reference material production, and personnel credentialing. With comprehensive signatory status across multilateral recognition arrangements of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), ANAB supports industry by facilitating trade, protecting health and safety, and shaping the conformity assessment structure for industry-specific programs.

Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. (PJLA) 

Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. (PJLA) is a U.S.-based private third-party accreditation body established in 1999 by Perry L. Johnson, a global leader in quality. Using national and international standards, PJLA assesses the competency of testing and calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, reference material producers, and sampling organisations. These entities provide accreditation services to Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs), particularly where only nonprofit organisations are authorised. The accreditation services of Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. focus on delivering ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certification to establish Medical and Recreational Cannabis Testing Laboratories. The relevant testing standard protocols used for potency and contaminant detection in cannabis extracts need a third-party assessment. As a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) signatory of both the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC), PJLA provides accreditation services across multiple sectors, including calibration and testing laboratories, medical testing, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers, and reference material production. 

Axion 

Axion provides laboratories and industries with essential analytical tools, offering comprehensive solutions such as Ready-to-Use Certified Reference Materials, Matrix-Relevant Reference Materials, and Custom Analytical Standards designed for precision, accuracy, and reliability. The company’s diverse product range includes high-quality IC, HPLC, and GC analytical standards optimised for various applications, including ethanol fermentation checks and cannabis potency testing. 

Axion prioritises quality, maintaining ISO 17034 certification to ensure compliance with global regulatory standards. Each product undergoes rigorous stability and homogeneity testing to guarantee consistent performance throughout its shelf life. The company’s commitment to excellence is reflected in its product certificates, which serve as more than just certificates of analysis. They validate the Certified Value, meeting the stringent requirements of advanced analytical testing.

Conclusion:

The presence of Cayman Chemical, ANAB, PJLA, and Axion at Pittcon underscores the growing importance of analytical testing and accreditation in the cannabis and psychedelic industries. Their innovative solutions, from high-quality biochemicals to accreditation services and certified reference materials, empower laboratories to achieve reliable, reproducible results. As regulatory landscapes evolve, the expertise and advanced technologies offered by these companies will continue to drive progress, ensuring the safety, efficacy, and integrity of cannabis and psychedelic products. They contribute to developing and standardising these dynamic and rapidly growing industries by supporting research and quality assurance.