The Maine Cannabis Convention, billed as the largest B2B event in the state, will move from Portland to Augusta this year for its seventh annual gathering in a state where sales of recreational cannabis nearly doubled last year.

Since the Maine adult-use market’s first full month of operation in October 2020, the state’s industry saw new records set every month through August 2022, and by year-end the sales figures were still close to that peak (https://ibn.fm/tiarC).

The 2023 Maine Cannabis Convention take place August 12-13th and will continue the series’ tradition of bringing together the region’s best speakers on multiple programming tracks, a congregation of decision-makers and cannabis/hemp business people attendees, and floorspace for exhibitors who display all kinds of products and services, ranging from cultivation to accounting.

The details are still coming together but, if the previous conventions are any indicator, attendees can expect to mingle with hundreds of delegates and about 150 exhibitors.

Businesses interested in exhibition space can register at https://ibn.fm/7mcg9. More than 50 booth spaces have already been reserved, including a spot for last year’s Vape Cartridge NECANN Cup winner HIGHTECH Labs.

The NECANN Cup is the largest cannabis competition in New England and provides an opportunity for innovators to shine, particularly in the crowded marketplace that Maine’s cannabis industry has become.

This year, the convention will work in partnership with the Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine (MMCM) to combine the annual event with MMCM’s HomeGrown TradeShow, bringing patients and their caregiver advocates into the mix.

Medical-use cannabis has been allowed in Maine since 1999, with voter-approved dispensary and state registry becoming legal a decade later (https://ibn.fm/2RAdJ). The MMCM was organized in 2010 as a volunteer trade association dedicated to the support and promotion of safe access to medical marijuana, and the MMCM HomeGrown TradeShow is now in its 11th year of scheduled events in Augusta.

Key takeaways:

• Combining for the first time with the Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine’s (MMCM’s) HomeGrown TradeShow in Augusta, Maine, for the largest B2B cannabis industry event in the state
• Taking place Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 12-13
• About 150 business exhibitors expected, with more than 50 already registered
• Attendees include decision-makers and cannabis/hemp business people for those interested in networking
• Competition for the NECANN Cup in a variety of categories

Behind the scenes:

Since 2014, the New England Cannabis Convention (NECANN) has sponsored events including annual conferences in celebration of hemp, medical marijuana and adult cannabis use, and the organization is widely known as a leading force in the adoption and celebration of cannabis consumption from Maine to Oklahoma as the popularity and legality of the market continues to spread.

For more information about this event and to register, please visit https://ibn.fm/GhEo9.

• D-Wave’s technology is geared toward optimization problems commonly faced by the public sector
• Governments worldwide are engaging with quantum computing to solve public sector problems and build domestic supply chains and workforces

D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), a leader in quantum computing systems, software, and services focused on delivering value via practical quantum applications, is helping fuel the adoption of near-term quantum computing solutions against a backdrop of increased government assessment, investment and legislation. As more governments start to consider quantum applications and the use of quantum technologies to solve public sector challenges, D-Wave offers solutions oriented towards addressing optimization problems commonly faced by government agencies.

Countries around the world, including the United States, are prioritizing quantum computing. While they continue their basic research on hardware, they are expanding the focus to include quantum applications and computing technologies that solve public sector problems and build domestic supply chains and workforces. D-Wave is already providing these solutions to its broad portfolio of commercial and government customers, solving problems such as logistics, artificial intelligence, materials sciences, drug discovery, scheduling, fault detection, and financial modeling. Public sector solutions for emergency response, sustainability, supply chain, infrastructure, telecommunications and energy can all benefit from D-Wave’s quantum technology.

Many governments are increasingly investing in national quantum efforts, including Canada, Australia, Germany, France, India, UK, and more, as global spending on quantum is expected to reach $36 billion during 2023 (https://ibn.fm/XYCns). Many of the new or updated quantum strategies that have been announced are focused on near-term quantum application development and deployment to spur commercialization and adoption, including:

• Australia: New quantum strategies have been released along with previously announced support using quantum computing for transportation network optimization
• Canada: The industry Committee in the House of Commons recommended creating a quantum sandbox program to support application development and accelerate commercialization
• EU: Multiple activities are underway in support of quantum and near-term use of the technology within the EU commission and member communities
• UK: A 10-year quantum strategy has been introduced that explicitly includes quantum annealing in the UK’s SparQ program, and a current call for application development in an 18-month or less timeframe

The United States national quantum initiative is up for reauthorization by September 2023 – with many in Congress pushing for the adoption of near-term application programs. These programs focus on developing and deploying demos, proofs of concepts and pilots within a 24-month or less timeframe. Think tanks and tech policy organizations are calling for the United States government to begin utilizing quantum technology that is available now, including the Center for Data and Innovation and the Hudson Institute’s Quantum Alliance Initiative. Current near-term legislation include:

• Quantum Sandbox bill
• Quantum in Practice Act
• Use of Quantum Computing bill
• NDAA Pilot Program for Near-Term Applications
• Wildfire DEMO Act

Ready to support the governmental prioritization of near-term quantum development, D-Wave’s Advantage(TM) quantum computer is commercial-grade and production-ready, featuring more than 5,000 qubits and 15-way qubit connectivity. This provides 2.5x more connections and more than double the number of qubits than the company’s previous generation quantum computer, helping organizations solve some of their most computationally complex problems.

D-Wave is strategically positioned within the quantum industry – already providing solutions for blue-chip commercial customers like Volkswagen, Mastercard, Deloitte, ArcelorMittal, Siemens Healthineers, Unisys, Accenture, BBVA, NEC Corporation, Pattison Food Group Ltd., DENSO, and Lockheed Martin. The company has the focus and track record to provide the platforms necessary to propel governments into the future of quantum.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.DWaveQuantum.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to QBTS are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QBTS

• IBN has been named a new Channel Partner within XESP’s Channel Partner Program
• The value-add approach gives customers additional growth-focused services from a trusted point of contact
• XESP and IBN previously announced signing mutual definitive service agreements between the parties, with Channel Partner as a natural progression of the relationship

Electronic Servitor Publication Network (OTCQB: XESP), a market disruptor for B2B companies using cutting-edge data analysis and smart technology, has announced a new Channel Partner with the addition of InvestorBrandNetwork (“IBN”), a multifaceted financial news and publishing company for private and public entities (https://ibn.fm/fw5k4).

The XESP Channel Partner Program allows digital and traditional agencies who provide market-specific content and digital strategies, to offer XESP’s technology and expertise, including the company’s Digital Engagement Engine(TM), as a co-branded service. This value-add approach gives Channel Partner customers additional growth-focused services from a trusted point of contact.

XESP and IBN previously announced the signing of mutual definitive service agreements between the parties, and the addition of the Channel Partner Program is a natural progression in the company’s expansion into a multiple vertical service provider.

“We are excited to partner with an experienced industry leader that has built trust and deep relationships over the last 17 years with both public companies and those looking to go public,” said Peter Hager, CEO of XESP. “Michael McCarthy, IBN’s pioneering CEO, delivers unparalleled value for their clients through continuous innovation and world-class execution in helping companies build their audiences and reach throughout the world.”

Announced in April, XESP’s Channel Partner Program is part of its overall business strategy. It includes providing the company’s managed service, branded as “Growth as a Service”, through its Channel Partners to their customers. The benefit of the program to Channel Partners is the increased capability of driving value for their customers while de-risking the investment in new technologies and staff. The managed service allows immediate scale into any vertical, including regulated markets.

The company’s Digital Engagement Engine(TM) utilizes a combination of automation, unique data management, and a modern workflow built on a microservices architecture, to achieve greater reach and lift for digital content. This technology allows clients to maintain control of their content while dynamically engaging their targeted audiences. The Digital Engagement Engine(TM) isn’t just another marketing tool but a way to develop real connections with target markets to drive growth – representing the future of marketing.

XESP’s laser-focused approach makes customers feel they are being talked to directly. The Digital Engagement Engine(TM) works by:

• Using cutting-edge data analysis
• Identifying the narrowest of niches within target markets
• Creating tailored content to meet exact customer needs
• Precisely delivering the message to educate and sell at the right moment

According to ReportLinker, the global customer engagement solutions market size is expected to grow from $19.3 billion in 2022 to $32.2 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period. The growth of the market is driven by the rapid digitalization of enterprises, focusing on streamlining operations and improving customer experience (https://ibn.fm/L6ozu).

XESP focuses on three important digital elements to improve client outcomes – connecting with the audience, relating to the community, and influencing positive customer relationships. Implementing XESP services is effortless for clients and is managed by XESP’s team. The implementation lets clients focus on their brand, product offering, and content creation.

For more information on its “Growth as a Service” offering, visit the company’s website at www.XESPN.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to XESP are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/XESP

• Adoption of fuel cell technology hinges on the availability of high-purity graphite for specific fuel cell components
• The Ruby Graphite project is the only known combined graphite flake and vein graphite source in the U.S., recent samples assay at 95.8% to 98.4% total carbon
• RFLXF acquired the Ruby Graphite project in 2022, holds mining rights for 755 hectares with 96 federal lode mining claims
• Other graphite applications include the use of specialized fire retardants, in high-speed machinery; as a refractory material in certain manufacturing processes; as a crucial component in lithium-ion batteries; and as a moderator in specific types of nuclear reactors

Fuel cells use an oxidation-reduction reaction to convert fuel into electricity, making them critical to electrification initiatives aimed at improving air quality and reducing fossil fuel dependence. The technology is constantly evolving, however its ultimate success hinges on the availability of high-purity graphite for specific components within the fuel cell stack.

Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF), a strategic minerals company, is actively exploring its Ruby Graphite project and aims to prove the economics of the historically producing mine and eventually position itself as the premier North American supplier of high-purity natural graphite for advanced technological applications. The company focuses on locating and developing economic properties in the strategic metals and advanced materials space, including the ZigZag Lithium Property in the Thunder Bay Mining Division of Ontario, Canada, and the Ruby Graphite Project in Montana.

The Ruby Graphite project produced roughly 2,400 tons of graphite from 1902 to 1948. It’s also the only known combined graphite flake and vein graphite source in the United States, with recent samples assaying at 95.8% to 98.4% total carbon. The company acquired a 100% interest in the property in 2022, and now holds mining rights for 755 hectares with 96 federal lode mining claims.

RFLXF’s initial drilling program includes 3,500 total meters of drilling cored to an average depth of 130 meters. Targets for the drill program were identified using data gathered for the initial 43-101 technical report dated January 31, 2023, and historical data from original mining operations. The company submitted a permit application to the Montana Bureau of Land Management in March 2023 and expects to start drilling this summer.

RFLXF has also engaged with Lone Star Tech Minerals (“LSTM”), a Texas-based graphite and industrial minerals marketing consulting firm, to help advance the project (https://ibn.fm/iIqAn). Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will develop a production plan, marketing strategy, customer database, and technical data sheet.

According to a recent report by Research and Markets, the graphite market is expected to reach $25.70 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 8.2% between 2021 and 2028 (https://ibn.fm/P4oPS). Besides powering fuel cells, graphite is also used to produce refractory materials for steelmaking, foundries, and glass manufacturing. Other applications include its use as a dry lubricant in high-speed machinery; as a key component in lithium-ion batteries for portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and renewable energy systems; and as a moderator in some types of nuclear reactors.

Graphite demand is expected to surge as the world shifts to electrification. Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. is preparing to meet that demand by developing the Ruby Graphite Deposit and other strategic economic properties in the strategic metals and advanced materials space.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ReflexMaterials.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to RFLXF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/RFLXF

• FEXD’s aggressive expansion plan not only lines up with its core mission but is also a step toward carving out a significant market share in the global fintech market, which is projected to hit $500 billion in valuation by 2028
• The company is exploring blockchain technology, banking on how easier access to mobile phones has helped make money transfers more accessible
• FEXD is also optimistic that the technology it will not only cut down on the cost of transactions but also significantly grow its annual revenues
• Its management is confident in this approach, citing that the investments so far will give the company a “solid competitive position”

Fintech Ecosystem Development (NASDAQ: FEXD), a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), is constantly exploring new ways to grow and improve the financial sector, specifically in line with creating and growing a global financial services ecosystem that addresses unmet mobile needs. Its focus has been on industrialized and developed countries and markets, all built on the understanding that digital money is fast replacing physical cash.

To this effect, FEXD has embarked on an aggressive acquisition plan that has seen the announcement of definitive agreements for business combinations with companies such as Rana Financial Inc., a Georgia corporation, and Mobitech International LLC, a limited liability company organized in the United Arab Emirates. These acquisitions are not only in line with the company’s core mission but also a step in the direction of carving out a significant market share in the global financial technology market, which is currently valued at $194 billion and projected to grow to nearly $500 billion by 2028, representing a CAGR of 18.97%.

One area that FEXD is exploring is blockchain technology, an advancement in tech that is changing the remittance industry by doing away with intermediaries in the money transfer process, ultimately making transactions cheaper, faster, and more secure.

Blockchain has reduced processing times from days to minutes, particularly given that traditional processes involve different intermediaries such as payment systems, foreign exchanges, and sender banks. With the remittance market showing signs of incredible growth in the coming years, there is a growing need for players in this space to devise and adopt new ways of conducting their operations, and blockchain is proving to be the best way forward (https://ibn.fm/xtJd4).

FEXD’s focus on this technology is reflective of the general direction that the industry is taking. Key players in this space have made significant strides in blockchain adoption, with a handful of traditional remittance entities partnering to allow crypto recipients to cash out digital currencies conveniently. Some have even built a stable coin-based platform for money transfers. Other players in this industry have launched their crypto offerings, allowing people to send money to recipients, primarily in African countries, where they can then be converted and withdrawn in the receiver’s local fiat currency, providing instant liquidity.

The average cost of sending $200 was 6.01% in the second quarter of the 2022 calendar year, falling short of the Sustainable Development Goal (“SDG”) target of 3% (https://ibn.fm/3Vl6C). FEXD acknowledges that one way this SDG target can be achieved is through the adoption of blockchain technology. Given how easier access to mobile phones has played an integral role in making money transfers more accessible, the company is optimistic that this access will be a perfect avenue for implementing and deploying blockchain technology for the consumer’s benefit.

FEXD plans to adopt this technology by making strategic acquisitions which it is confident will also significantly help its annual revenues.

“We are seeking to acquire and merge with high growth global fintech acquisition targets primarily operating in South Asia with a high volume of customers and a large network of agents,” noted FEXD’s official communication.

FEXD’s management is confident that this approach and these investments will give the company a “solid competitive position,” especially in the emerging Fintech 3.0 global markets, allowing it to provide neo-banking services in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, and India.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.FintechEcoSys.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to FEXD are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FEXD

• Texas-headquartered Freight Technologies (aka Fr8Tech) is a technology innovation company dedicated to sustaining over-the-road (“OTR”) commercial shipments within the USMCA (formerly NAFTA) North American trading area
• The company’s core Fr8App product is a cloud-based freight matching platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help shippers and carriers match up their loads, capacity, and destinations
• Fr8Tech is growing its artificial intelligence development, appointing Dr. Umberto León-Domínguez to oversee the creation of a dedicated AI department
• Fr8App was recently cited by Google Maps Platform’s blog as an innovative use of advanced markers from the platform to interactively help end users track the progress of their shipments

Commercial freight transportation technology developer Freight Technologies (NASDAQ: FRGT), aka Fr8Tech, is quickly moving toward the next stage in its evolution by incorporating artificial intelligence controls into its infrastructure, beginning with the appointment of Dr. Umberto León-Domínguez to oversee the creation of a dedicated AI development department within Fr8Tech.

León-Domínguez’s appointment as the director of the company’s AI division was announced May 23, heralding growth goals for the company’s existing AI solutions for cross-border and domestic shipping as well as plans to develop new AI functionalities for the supply chain industry (https://ibn.fm/Poauz).

Fr8Tech’s family of brands works together to sustain efficient, transparent and effective merchandise shipments throughout the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, formerly NAFTA) trade area.

León-Domínguez will oversee the company’s global AI operations from Fr8Tech’s operations center in Monterrey, Mexico.

“The vision of a future where AI fundamentally transforms goods transportation is exhilarating. In particular, the emergence of autonomous trucks and unmanned aerial vehicles holds the promise of increasing delivery efficiency and significantly reducing labor costs,” León-Domínguez stated in a recent company news release (https://ibn.fm/f2i6X).

“The shift towards the shared economy is also reshaping the warehousing industry,” he added. “In response to this, AI and robotics are increasingly being implemented in warehouse environments, from optimizing management to improving the precision of operations, thereby enhancing productivity and contributing to a safer work environment.”

Fr8Tech’s B2B freight matching platform Fr8App is the company’s core product. It is a solution powered by AI and machine learning that helps shippers and carriers grow by simplifying the once-complex process of international over-the-road (“OTR”) shipping. 

Fr8App allows shippers to post their USMCA-destined load with price and amount details, promptly matches it to a secure carrier, and then tracks it in real time en route to its destination with regular updates.

Following Google’s annual developer conference, Google Maps Platform’s blog (Google I/O 2023 Series) took note of Fr8App’s use of advanced markers from Google Maps Platform to help end users track the progress of their shipments through the various stages of the transport, citing it as an example of early adoption of leading-edge technology to create interactive and insightful visual experiences.

“Our priority is always the end user,” Fr8Tech CEO Javier Selgas stated (https://ibn.fm/0vYto). “We are constantly looking for new ways to improve their experience, and the implementation of the advanced markers capability from Google Maps Platform has been a key factor in achieving this … helping them save time and money while increasing engagement.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Fr8Technologies.com and its matching platform information site at www.Fr8.app.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to FRGT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FRGT

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Golf is about doing something you like, with people you like – what a concept.

It’s hard to blame players and golf lovers from feeling blindsided by the announcement of a full-blown merger between two of golf’s major tours. The unexpected agreement between PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Saudi businessman Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (“PIF”), that the PGA and LIV Golf would suddenly merge, was out-of-the-blue. After months of increasingly rancorous suits and court battles, “merger” wasn’t a term seen on a lot of radar screens.  

The PGA Tour, hosting tournaments in North America, and the DP World Tour, representing tournaments in Europe, had over time cooperated to build the world’s senior golf tours.  But when Golf Saudi (part of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, PIF) decided to fund a new “Super Golf League”, later launched as LIV Golf in 2021, PGA’s Monahan didn’t take to the competition, and flat-out barred any LIV players from participating in the PGA Tour. That soon led to player lawsuits against the PGA, and months of expensive back-and-forth legal battles. 

Eventually, according to ESPN, Monahan apparently decided that PGA’s financial model “wasn’t sustainable while fighting Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, which reportedly has $620 billion in assets” (https://ibn.fm/6Us5s). Part of this, of course, was the fact that the PGA was also being forced to up the ante in competition with LIV to get top players on their tour. 

Not surprisingly, some key players who felt pressured to take sides in the fight suddenly found themselves blindsided by the shift, and decided to let loose on social media. Ireland sports website Balls.ie (https://ibn.fm/bb6rC) pointed to a Times (UK) report (https://ibn.fm/4L2TM) indicating that “several players had called on Monahan to resign as a response to his public dishonesty in slamming LIV while arranging the merger deal with them behind the scenes.”  

A tweet from Todd Lewis of the Golf Channel said that “Most of those players were offered @livgolf_league money but turned it down to be loyal to the Tour. Those players told me they feel betrayed and manipulated.”

An Inside Golf report (https://ibn.fm/8CWTa) popped up some sample tweets:

• Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with.
• I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time
• Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organization, right?
• Tell me why Jay Monahan basically got a promotion to CEO of all golf in the world by going back on everything he said the past 2 years.

In fairness, a number of players have gradually come around to the deal, at least suggesting that the move could be good for golfing in the long run. But ask anyone who has used GolfLync why maybe none of this had to happen in the first place. And sure, GolfLync is designed to work with actual golf players and not multi-national organizations, but it rests on a solid, if sometimes forgotten idea. In case you’re not a golfer, GolfLync is the new thing golfers use to ensure that they always play with people they actually enjoy (go to www.GolfLync.com, or see the Apple App Store for 5-star reviews). Anyway, without going into details, maybe leaders of the biggest golf organizations in the world should take a tip from GolfLync and remember the earliest rule of the game: Golf is about doing something you like, with people you like – what a concept.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.GolfLync.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to GolfLync are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/GOLF

• Genprex Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mark Berger, was featured in a recent Bell2Bell Podcast episode, where he discussed the company’s recent announcements
• In May, the company received Safety Review Committee (“SRC”) approval to advance to the Phase 2 expansion portion of its Acclaim-1 clinical trial of its lead candidate, REQORSA(R) Immunogene Therapy
• The Phase 1 dose escalation portion of the study showed that REQORSA(R) was generally well tolerated, and there were no dose-limiting toxicities; Genprex also reported encouraging evidence of efficacy in this portion
• In April, Genprex announced that its research collaborators presented in vivo mouse data showing that Genprex’s non-viral ONCOPREX(R) Nanoparticle Delivery System could be successfully used to deliver a second tumor suppressor gene with strong pre-clinical evidence of efficacy
• Based on these findings, Dr. Berger states that the ONCOPREX Nanoparticle Delivery System has been validated as a platform for reexpressing tumor suppressor gene proteins in cancer cells

Mark Berger, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Genprex (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing gene therapies for patients with cancer and diabetes was featured in a recent Bell2Bell Podcast episode (https://ibn.fm/ZnVPJ).

Dr. Berger talked about the Safety Review Committee (“SRC”) approval to advance to the Phase 2 expansion portion of Genprex’s Acclaim-1 clinical trial of REQORSA(R) , Genprex’s lead drug candidate, in combination with AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso (osimertinib) to treat late-stage non-small cell lung cancer (“NSCLC”)  He also spoke about  the news that the company’s non-viral ONCOPREX(R) Nanoparticle Delivery System has shown preclinical evidence of successusing a second tumor suppressor gene.

“We’re very excited about both of these events. I think it portends a great deal of other progress through the course of this year, and that’s what we hope to be able to bring to you and talk to you about at other times during the year,” said Dr. Berger.

Announced May 30, the SRC approval was based on preliminary safety data from the Phase 1 dose escalation portion of its Acclaim-1 clinical trial that showed that REQORSA was generally well tolerated and that there were no dose-limiting toxicities (https://ibn.fm/OmHND). As a result, the committee determined that the recommended Phase 2 dose of REQORSA will be 0.12 mg/kg, the highest dose level delivered in the Phase 1 portion. And as Dr. Berger further explained during the conversation, “The number won’t mean much, but it is twice the dose used previously in our prior studies and was found to be safe during these evaluations.”

The company announced the positive preliminary clinical data from the Phase 1 portion in an abstract published at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (“ASCO”) Annual Meeting, from where Dr. Berger was speaking to Bell2Bell Podcast listeners. ASCO, Dr. Berger conveyed, is the largest clinical oncology meeting of the year. Last year, it brought together 42,000 clinical oncologists, 30,000 of whom attended physically, with the rest listening virtually. “We expect the same number today. So, this is a huge meeting with lots of information and new data,” Dr. Berger said.

In addition to announcing the safety and tolerability profile of REQORSA, Genprex also reported encouraging evidence of efficacy in the Phase 1 portion of the Acclaim-1 study. With the SRC approval granted, Genprex expects to begin the Phase 2 expansion portion of the study in Q3 of 2023. This portion is expected to enroll about 66 patients, divided into two cohorts. The first cohort, comprising half the enrolled number, will include patients who received only prior Tagrisso treatment. The other cohort will be made up of patients who received Tagrisso treatment and chemotherapy. This enrollment format is intended to help the company determine toxicity profiles of patients with different eligibility criteria, as well as efficacy and other endpoints. Genprex will also conduct an interim analysis for each cohort following the treatment of 19 patients in that cohort.

Meanwhile, Genprex announced in April that its research collaborators presented positive preclinical data for the  reexpression of the NPRL2 gene. The collaborators conducted the studies using the ONCOPREX(R) Nanoparticle Delivery System to deliver the NPRL2 gene to KRAS/STK11 mutant, anti-PD1 resistant, human NSCLC metastases in humanized mouse models, presenting the data at the 2023 American Association of Cancer Research (“AACR”) annual meeting, held in April.

According to Genprex President, Chairman and CEO Rodney Varner, the use of ONCOPREX(R) to deliver the NPRL2 tumor suppressor gene “positions Genprex to expand our clinical pipeline with a new drug candidate” and gives the company “further confidence in the potentially broad-based application of our non-viral delivery system, which may provide a multitude of potential pipeline opportunities in the future.”

“The preclinical data also provide further evidence that the ONCOPREX(R) Nanoparticle Delivery System has the ability to be successful using genes other than the TUSC2 gene that we are already using in clinical trials with REQORSA(R),” Varner continued in the company’s April 19 news release (https://ibn.fm/jusfJ).

So far, and through testing involving TUSC2 and NPRL2, the company has shown major detrimental preclinical effects on the growth and survival of cancer cells. Thus, the ONCOPREX(R) Nanoparticle Delivery System has emerged as “really a platform for delivering tumor suppressor gene expression into cancer cells,” according to Dr. Berger.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Genprex.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to GNPX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/GNPX

• Cepton integrated Vista-X120 Plus lidar into NVIDIA Omniverse platform to enable real-time simulation and 3D visualization to streamline lidar deployment processes and reduce cost for automakers
• Vista-X120 Plus features a software-definable ROI, allows users to dynamically adjust and optimize lidar performance and power consumption based on specific scenarios or areas that require additional attention
• Cepton released a financial update revealing it was on track to receive final production validation for salable vehicles and continue shipment of pre-production lidar units for multiple vehicle models
• Additional update highlights included completed implementation of embedded lidar software, and execution of RFQ and RFI responses for top OEMs in the consumer vehicles and trucking spaces

The NVIDIA Omniverse platform enables real-time simulation and 3D visualization for metaverse applications by providing a shared virtual environment where users can collaborate to engineer real-world scenarios. Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN), a Silicon Valley innovator and leader in high-performance lidar solutions, recently gave the Omniverse an upgrade by integrating its Vista-X120 Plus lidar into DRIVE Sim, an end-to-end simulation application built on the platform (https://ibn.fm/AXC4l).

Cepton was one of the first companies to demonstrate a 360°-coverage, dual-range lidar simulation that detected long-range obstacles and eliminated near-range blind spots. The addition of the Vista-X120 Plus into the Omniverse builds upon previous integrations to give AV developers access to simulated sensor data for use in developing and testing autonomous driving algorithms, sensors, and software.

“The addition of the Cepton Vista-X120 Plus lidar model to NVIDIA Omniverse provides greater flexibility to AV developers, accelerating technology development and reducing cost.” said Zvi Greenstein, General Manager at NVIDIA.

The Vista-X120 Plus features a software-definable region of interest (“ROI”) that allows users to dynamically adjust and optimize lidar performance and power consumption based on specific scenarios or areas that require additional attention. The model additionally offers specific visualizations based on placement, as was shown in a video demonstrating simulated point clouds generated from a sensor integrated into the vehicle’s roof (https://ibn.fm/Bdxwg).

“As the video demonstrates, our Vista-X120 Plus enables adaptive 3D perception capabilities that can truly help vehicles focus on what matters on the road,” said Dr. Dongyi Liao, Chief Technology Officer at Cepton. “Requirements on a lidar’s range, resolution and power consumption vary across different use cases, for example, highway cruising and navigating a busy neighborhood. With a software-definable ROI, Vista-X120 Plus provides an extremely flexible and versatile solution for assisted and autonomous driving.”

In collaboration with top automotive OEMs, Cepton actively strives to commercialize lidar for mass production of advanced driver assistance systems (“ADAS”). The company recently released a financial update that revealed it was on track to receive final production validation for salable vehicles and that it was continuing shipment of pre-production lidar units for multiple vehicle models (https://ibn.fm/h4CdT). Other highlights from the release included the completed implementation of embedded lidar software, and the execution of RFQ and RFI responses for top OEMs in the consumer vehicles and trucking spaces.

“We started fiscal year 2023 with strong progress on our commercial activities,” said Jun Pei, Cepton’s Co-Founder and CEO. “We are hyper-focused on recent RFQ activity with two top global OEMs. Cepton’s recently announced expanded ASIC chipset will further separate us from our peers and drive lidar adoption in consumer vehicles for automotive series production.”

Cepton additionally advances lidar-based solutions for smart cities, smart spaces, and smart industrial applications. The company aims to leverage its patented technology to take lidar mainstream through a balanced approach to performance, cost, and reliability that enables scalable and intelligent 3D perception solutions across numerous industries.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Cepton.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CPTN are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CPTN

• Diabetes – Blood glucose levels reduced by 19.9% with patented DehydraTECH(TM) processed CBD
• Epilepsy – Lower dosages of DehydraTECH-CBD were needed to achieve the same results of Epidiolex(R) in the company’s animal epilepsy study
• Dementia – Lexaria determined that a longer testing duration is needed for DehydraTECH-CBD in cognition studies

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, including the company’s patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology, recently reported additional findings from its diabetes animal study DIAB-A22-1, as well as updates on two other applied R&D programs for dementia (DEM-A22-1) and epilepsy (EPIL-A21-1).

In March, Lexaria announced that it had completed initial testing using DehydraTECH-CBD in its diabetes animal model study. It initially produced three positive outcomes, including weight loss in obese diabetic-conditioned animals and improved triglyceride and cholesterol levels. After the initial testing, Lexaria undertook an additional round of analysis to explore other study outcomes, including using an additional blood glucose assay detection system with higher detection sensitivity than was used in the first round of testing.

Using the Antech hexokinase blood chemistry test panel methodology, the company discovered that blood glucose levels were statistically significantly lowered by 19.9 ± 7% in the obese diabetic-conditioned animals treated with the DehydraTECH-CBD 30 mg/Kg dose. This finding appears to be a discovery of a property not generally known to be associated with generic CBD treatment. The findings in DIAB-A22-1 and DehydraTECH-CBD’s ability to reduce animal blood sugar levels are extremely encouraging for Lexaria and warrant additional research.

Lexaria announced dementia study DEM-A22-1 in November 2022 to investigate whether DehydraTECH-CBD enables pro-cognitive performance enhancements in its model, potentially for use in dementia treatment. Although findings were generally unremarkable and several unexpected study complications may have muted efficacy distinction ability, the company recognizes that previous research by other investigators using CBD in this animal model has required dosing over a longer duration. Lexaria will consider this if further testing is considered in the future – including with DehydraTECH-processed nicotine as another agent known to enhance cognitive performance when delivered effectively.

Also announced in November 2022, Lexaria completed two parts of its EPIL-A21-1 study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of DehydraTECH-CBD in comparison to one of the world’s leading anti-seizure medications, Epidiolex(R), in reducing seizure activity using an established, vehicle-controlled, acute animal seizure model induced by electrical stimulation. Findings of the initial study appear to demonstrate that DehydraTECH-CBD had effectiveness at lower dosages and faster than Epidiolex(R).

Since the initial announcement, Lexaria has completed the final electrical stimulation study under EPIL-A21-1, which was designed to establish an ED50 (the dose required to achieve seizure inhibition in 50% of the animals tested) for DehydraTECH-CBD in this animal model. This ED50 study was designed to corroborate prior findings.

Lexaria was able to confirm that the outcome demonstrated that DehydraTECH-CBD was most effective at a dose of 75 mg/Kg, also as previously reported from the initial round of work in this animal model, which compared favorably to Epidiolex(R), which generally requires a higher dose of 100 mg/Kg to achieve the same results.

Since the development of DehydraTECH in 2014, Lexaria has yielded 34 granted patents, with many more pending patents in countries worldwide. The benefits of using this patented technology include the delivery of bioactive substances via oral ingestion without the need for unhealthy practices of inhalational dosing and without the need for co-administration with unhealthy sugars or sweeteners commonly used to mask bitter tastes. Lexaria is testing its technology for various indications and needs currently unmet by available medical treatments.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LexariaBioscience.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LEXX are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LEXX