ABOUT
About Helius
We manufacture prescription cannabinoid medicines for New Zealanders.
ON THIS PAGE
What we do
Helius Therapeutics manufactures prescription medicinal cannabis products at our GMP certified site in Auckland, New Zealand.
We work with our group companies - Ora Pharm and NZ Grow Co. - to cultivate optimum plant genetics for medicines, before extraction, analytical testing, manufacturing and distribution.
Our East Tamaki site is home to our offices, the manufacturing facility, the testing laboratories and logistics. All of our processing and production happens here, under one quality system managed by a dedicated and experienced team.
Centralized production gives us control of product quality from seed to finished medicines. An end-to-end supply chain that our group has proudly created to be traceable and sustainable.
We supply New Zealand pharmacies through our distribution partners. We do not supply patients directly.
Our history
Helius Therapeutics was founded to create a single site where a medicinal cannabis product could be tested, manufactured and released to pharmaceutical standards. The facility was built at East Tamaki and achieved GMP certification from Medsafe in 2021.
2016
The Ministry of Health estimates that 1 in 20 New Zealanders are already using cannabis for medicinal purposes.
April 2020
New Zealand enacted the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme to improve access to cannabinoid-based medicines for patients. The scheme paves the way for commercial cultivation, research, manufacture and export.
July 2021
Helius became the first medicinal cannabis company in New Zealand to be GMP certified and gain a Licence to Manufacture Medicines.
19 JUN 2026
Ora Pharm took over the Helius business.
19 JUN 2026
Settlement completed, with all relevant licences and product registrations issued to the group.
Helius now operates as the medicines manufacturer within the Ora Pharm group of companies, alongside our cultivation company NZ Grow Co.
How we make our medicines
Our certifications and quality control
GMP Certified.
Good Manufacturing Practice certified. Documented procedures for every process, validated equipment, trained and assessed staff, controlled environments, and records that meet audited standards.
PIC/S Recognised.
New Zealand is a member of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme, which is what allows a Medsafe GMP certification to be recognised internationally.
Licences.
Helius Therapeutics holds a Medicinal Cannabis Licence and Licence to Manufacture Medicines, issued by the Ministry of Health's Medicinal Cannabis Agency and Medsafe respectively.
Testing.
Every batch is tested for potency, purity, microbiological contamination, heavy metals and mycotoxins, and released with a Certificate of Analysis.
What's behind a name
In Greek mythology, Helius, or Helios, was the titan god of the sun, a guardian of oaths and the god of sight.
Our name reflects three things we care about: harnessing the power of nature, delivering for our people and our patients, and relentless innovation.
