About Us | Emerzene

We are the first company to use CRISPR technology to improve poppy genetics.

With exclusive ownership and production of the P. Bracteatum strain, and the associated innovative technology, we hope to do our part to contribute to an improvement in quality of life.

Dr Raj Madam-Founder and Chief Executive

DR. RAJ MADAM

Founder & CEO

Dr Madam holds a PhD from the University of Tasmania on Papaver bracteatum, covering germination physiology, the juvenile-to-flowering phase change, and vernalization-dependent flowering. That work is the agronomy the company runs on. It is, so far as we are aware, the only active research programme on perennial Papaver bracteatum.

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Licence and the Patent

Cultivation licence No. 1132, Agriculture Victoria. Held continuously since 2015 and renewed on 24 July 2025 to 23 July 2028. Emerzene is one of two actively licensed poppy cultivation positions in Australia.

Patent AU 2020101437 — Requirement of vernalization to induce flowering in a non-addictive strain of Papaver bracteatum. Granted 12 August 2020.

Publications

Madam P. R. K. (2011). Aspects of the biology of Papaver bracteatum Lindl., a new crop for Tasmania. PhD thesis, University of Tasmania. — link to: eprints.utas.edu.au/12287

Madam P. R. K. (2020). Engineering the plant genome, transient gene silencing, meristematic gene expression and up-regulation of flowering. Int. J. Agric. Sci. Food Technol. 6(2): 157–165. — link to: doi.org/10.17352/2455-815X.000067

Madam P. R. K. (2020). Modern Genetics of Thebaine Poppy Variety. Monograph.

About Us

Our Mission

Make a difference in the lives of patients and contribute to ending the heroin epidemic by supplying non-addictive pain opiates.

Our Vision

To produce organic and safer pharmaceutical compounds which are non-addictive for pain management and cancer research.

Our Values

PEOPLE.

SUSTAINABILITY.

SUPERIOR QUALITY.

INNOVATION.

We embrace the triple bottom line philosophy of ethics.

We strive to help people by contributing to ending the opioid epidemic.

We honor environmental sustainability without sacrificing quality.

We pride ourselves on the superior value we offer our customers.

Our Team

Led by world-class management with significant experience in plant genomics, drug regulation and agronomy, our team is dedicated to bringing the next generation of pain medication to the market.

Executive Leadership Team