London-based venture capital firm European Cannabis Holdings launched a new business unit that will focus on providing eligible patients with access to medical cannabis.

The creation of ECH Medical is part of the firm's growth strategy, focusing on the markets of the U.K., Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

The newly formed division will consist of The Medical Cannabis Clinics Ltd., a U.K.-based private clinics chain that will be rolled out across other European countries later in 2019; The Academy of Medical Cannabis, an online education platform for healthcare professionals; and Astral Health Ltd., a licensed medical cannabis importation platform.

The unit will be led by former European Cannabis CFO Dean Friday as CEO, alongside Mike Barnes as chairman, Hannah Simon as COO, Jonathan Nadler as managing director of Academy, Robert Whitehouse as managing director of Astral, and Richard North as managing director of the cannabis clinics.

Its medical advisory board will comprise physicians David McDowell, Elizabeth Iveson, Dani Gordon and Leon Barron, with other specialist physicians in the U.K. and Europe.