EDMONTON, Canada – Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) issued a formal denial Wednesday regarding widely circulated reports claiming the company planned to acquire New Zealand–based MedLeaf Therapeutics in a $215-million cash-and-stock transaction. The denial, published via PR Newswire, clarified that no such deal has been made or is under consideration.
The initial report, published by Investing.com and echoed by a cannabis-industry trade journal and several financial media outlets, alleged Aurora announced an acquisition worth more than $125 million in cash and $90 million in stock, with the transaction slated to close by August 31. The supposed strategic goal: to expand Aurora’s footprint in the European and Australian medical cannabis markets.
According to Investing.com, its report was “based on an SEC filing submitted by Aurora Cannabis Inc.” and generated by artificial intelligence with an editor’s review.
In stark contrast to what the AI-generated report indicated, Aurora’s official response stated the company “has not entered into any such agreement, has had no discussions with MedLeaf Therapeutics with respect to any business combination transaction, and has not made any statement or filed any information pertaining to any such transaction.”
The press release further clarified that financial reports filed via EDGAR and SEDAR before the markets opened on June 18 were related solely to the company’s performance during the fourth-quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.
