• Investment bank UBS reports that electric cars will cost the same to make as conventional cars by 2024.
• Expensive batteries, which account for between a quarter and two-fifths of EV’s cost, have been barrier to production.
• NETE recently announced entry into EV space through merger with privately held Mullen Technologies Inc.

New research from investment bank UBS indicates that electric vehicles (“EVs”) may be as cheap to manufacture as regular models within the next four years (https://ibn.fm/UV8WX). This news bodes well for Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), a global financial technology and value-added solutions group that recently announced its planned entry into the EV space through an upcoming merger with privately held Mullen Technologies Inc. (https://ibn.fm/xBu5G). According to the research, “electric cars will cost the same to make as conventional cars, with internal combustion engines, by 2024 and an acceleration in the shift away from fossil fuel vehicles may be imminent.” In addition, “the extra cost of manufacturing battery electric cars versus their fossil fuel equivalents will diminish to just $1,900 (£1,470) per car by 2022, and disappear completely by 2024, according to research by the investment bank UBS.” This is big news to many car manufacturers, which have been “reluctant to shift production away from their profitable internal combustion engine models towards electric cars because of expensive batteries, which are almost exclusively made by east Asian companies. . . .  Batteries account for between a quarter and two-fifths of the cost of the entire vehicle.” UBS said it anticipates battery costs to drop below $100 per kilowatt hour (“kWh”), a key milestone, by 2022. Mullen recently announced its own plans to start work on a manufacturing facility as well as accept pre-orders for its M05 fully electric SUV (https://ibn.fm/TKhPz). “We are excited to begin the build-out of our pilot facility and pre-sales of our MX-05 SUV in October,” said Mullen Technologies chairman and CEO David Michery. “We plan on completing the build-out by April 2021 and to begin assembly of certification prototypes by July 2021. These vehicles will be used for homologation, which is expected to take 16 months and be completed by May of 2022, at which time we expect to begin delivering the first vehicles to the public.” The planned manufacturing facility, which was originally Mullen’s high-voltage battery R&D center, will be renovated to include general assembly as well as battery assembly capabilities; the structure will also house R&D and serve as a warehouse. When complete, the facility will be capable of producing up to 1,000 MX-05 EVs per year. In addition, the plant will manufacture other Mullen models, including the already announced MX-07 and MX-03. Net Element operates a payments-as-a-service transactional and value-added services platform for small to medium enterprise (“SME”) in the United States and selected emerging markets. In the U.S., the company aims to grow transactional revenue by innovating SME productivity services using blockchain technology solutions and Aptito, its cloud-based, restaurant and retail point-of-sale solution. Internationally, Net Element’s strategy is to leverage its omni-channel platform to deliver flexible offerings to emerging markets with diverse banking, regulatory and demographic conditions. Net Element was ranked as one of the fastest-growing companies in North America on Deloitte’s 2017 Technology Fast 500(TM). In 2017 Net Element was recognized by “South Florida Business Journal” as one of 2016’s fastest-growing technology companies. For more information on Net Element, visit the company’s website at www.NetElement.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to NETE are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/NETE

• Gage expanding in Michigan, one of fastest-growing legal cannabis markets in United States
• Adult-use cannabis revenues in Michigan projected at $1 billion per year for 2021, surpassing $1.5 billion by 2023
• Gage currently operates 5 dispensaries, planning to open and operate 8-10 by the end of 2020, with 20+ expected to open by the end of 2021
• YTD revenue estimated at $30+ million, 157% increase from January to September 2020
• Gage planning Canadian listing for Q1 2021

Bruce Linton, a pioneer of the global cannabis industry and current executive chairman of Gage Cannabis Co., has set his sights on Michigan as the next big market for the rapidly growing cannabis industry in the United States. As a leading vertically integrated operator in the industry, Gage has already made significant headway into Michigan and is well-positioned to expand its footprint in record time. “Michigan is one of the top cannabis markets in the U.S., and I am confident Gage is poised to continue building on its historical execution and fortifying its position as one of the top operators and brands in Michigan, as well as a name consumers look for across the United States,” said Linton in recent statements (https://ibn.fm/XUdw7). Since the recreational use of cannabis was legalized in 2018, Michigan has emerged as one of the fastest-growing legal cannabis markets in the United States in terms of consumption. State budget planners have projected recreational marijuana to be worth nearly $1 billion per year in fiscal 2021 with revenues eclipsing $1.5 billion by 2023 (https://ibn.fm/36kc5). “The recreational industry, once fully implemented, will have a significant impact on Michigan’s economy, with hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue flowing into state and local governments,” said Michigan Cannabis Industry Association Director Robin Schnedier, who played an active role alongside both public and private interests to write the 2018 voter-passed legalization law. “We’ve already begun to see waves of hiring by cannabis businesses looking to fill these good-paying jobs, which will have a major impact on communities as these workers have money to spend on goods and services at their local small businesses.” Gage has already made significant investments in the state, including 8-10 medical or adult-use dispensaries currently open or in the works with at least 10 more planned for 2021. Besides its retail operations, Gage engages in cultivation and processing through 19 Class C cultivation licenses across four cultivation assets and three processing licenses with plans to further expand its cultivation facilities in the future. Gage is committed to providing an enhanced cannabis experience starting with top-quality plants that are grown indoors, trimmed by hand and hung to dry. Besides flowers, the company’s brand also includes other unique product types that include edibles, hardware, vaping devices and concentrates. Alongside its own in-house brands, Gage also operates with several strategic and brand partners on an exclusive basis such as Cookies – one of the most iconic cannabis lifestyle brands from Northern California. With delivery services offered within a one-hour radius of its dispensaries, the company’s footprint spans an estimated 90% of Michigan’s population. Dispensaries were among the businesses deemed “essential” during the recent COVID-19 shutdowns, allowing all Gage and Cookies locations to remain open while offering curbside pickup. Despite the global economic recession, Gage posted impressive financial results for 2020 that included sales of $5.8 million in Q1 which bloomed to $11.9 million by Q2. Management expects the trend to continue with estimates for Q3 surpassing $13.1 million, representing an increase of over 150% in sales from January to September 2020. The company is currently planning a Canadian listing for the first quarter of 2021 (https://ibn.fm/V73dL) and has launched a Regulation A, Tier 2, equity financing. For more information on Gage Cannabis Co., visit the company’s website at www.GageUSA.com. To learn more about the company’s Regulation A financing, visit www.GageInvestors.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Gage Cannabis are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/GAGE

• ‘Harvard Business Review’ cites importance of a good business model, specifies key questions it should answer.
• Pure Extracts’ business model founded on three pillars: extraction services, formulation & white-labeling, and development of its in-house ‘Pure Pulls’ branded cannabis and functional mushroom products.
• Company’s business model is multi-faceted, comprehensive and allows for future growth.

A strong business model is essential to every successful organization, whether it’s a new venture or an established player, touts a “Harvard Business Review” article titled “Why Business Models Matter.” Pure Extracts Technologies Corp., a plant-based extraction company with a new vertical in functional mushrooms, recognizes the power of a carefully defined, strategic business model. The Company offers its own distinctive strategy founded on three pillars: extraction services, formulation & white-labeling and Pure Pulls brand development.

Key to a good business model, the HBR article noted, is a simple working definition of the term and the answers to some age-old questions:

• Who is the customer?
• What does the customer value?
• How does the business make money?
• What is the underlying economic logic that explains how the business can deliver value to its customers at an appropriate cost?

Pure Extracts’ business model approach answers these questions and “is multi-faceted and comprehensive as it includes elements that allow for future growth and expansion, scalability and increased productivity,” the Company’s website states.

The first pillar of the business model — extraction — is rooted in one of the core services Pure Extracts offers its customers. “Extraction is our business,” the Company stresses, noting that its Vitalis CO² Extraction systems produce full-spectrum oil, one of the purest and highest-quality oils available on the market. Pure Extracts aims for a capacity of more than 100,000 kg of biomass per year with a technique that has been tried and tested through the Company’s impressive industry experience.

Pillar two — formulation & white-labeling — is accompanied by Pure Extracts’ industry-leading quality assurance. Many Licenced Producers (LPs) in Canada lack the financial wherewithal and the know-how required to successfully manufacture extracted cannabis products, hence the Company is uniquely equipped to offer a variety of different product formulations to other LPs, with each formulation having specific functionalities.

Finally, the third pillar of Pure Extracts’ business model — cannabis and functional mushroom brand development. With the extraction market in Canada still relatively young, few companies are offering oil extraction services; adding their Pure Pulls branded products to the package makes Pure Extracts truly distinctive. The Company’s three-phase development plan outlines the strategic rollout of Pure Extracts product formulations, each of which is carefully composed of exclusive oils and blends of natural ingredients. With Pure Extract’s proven ability and perspective, the Company is uniquely positioned to leverage long-term experience in the space.

“A successful business model represents a better way than the existing alternatives,” the HBR article reads. “It may offer more value to a discrete group of customers. Or it may completely replace the old way of doing things and become the standard for the next generation of entrepreneurs to beat.” Pure Extracts, along with its three-pillar business model, certainly looks to be leading forward to a better way of doing business in an industry that is barely beginning to realize its potential.

Pure Extracts Technologies Corp., headquartered in Pemberton, British Columbia, is a privately held, plant-based extraction company with a new vertical in functional mushrooms. The firm is positioned to be a dominant extraction company and a leader in the rapid development and commercialization of recreational, functional and medicinal products.

For more information on Pure Extracts, visit the company’s website at www.PureExtractsCorp.com.

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

• Berubicin Expected to Commence Trials for the Treatment of Glioblastoma, An Aggressive Form of Brain Cancer Currently Considered Incurable
• Production of Berubicin Begins in the U.S. and Europe
• Dual Manufacturing Facilities Engaged to Reduce Supply Chain Interruptions
• IND for Berubicin Could Be Filed by Year End

CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) expects to have an Investigational New Drug Application (“IND”) ready for its lead drug candidate, Berubicin, by the end of 2020. An approved IND would give the biotech company, which is developing treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain and central nervous system, the green light to go ahead with clinical trials. In June, CNS Pharmaceuticals signed agreements with two manufacturing entities—one in the U.S., the other in Italy—for the production of Berubicin. Three months later, the manufacturing process has commenced, taking the company a step closer to getting an IND approved by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Berubicin has been specifically developed to target cancers of the brain, including the first targeted indication of glioblastoma multiforme (“GBM”), an aggressive form of brain cancer currently considered incurable. To increase awareness of this destructive disease, a segment on “The Balancing Act, Behind the Mystery,” which airs on Lifetime TV, is focused on glioblastoma. The segment can be viewed here: (click for link). The manufacturing of Berubicin marks an important milestone on the way to initiating clinical studies on GBM patients. CNS Pharmaceuticals has already completed synthesis of the Berubicin Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (“API”), which has been shipped to Pii and BSP, manufacturing entities that will prepare an injectable form of Berubicin ready for clinical use. In June, CNSP hired USA-based Pharmaceutics International, Inc. (“Pii”) and Italian BSP Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. (“BSP”) to handle production. With this dual-track approach to manufacturing, the company reduces the risk of failing to meet its clinical timeline due to drug supply. Moreover, situating production in Europe as well as the U.S., provides localized availability of Berubicin for the upcoming Phase I pediatric and Phase II adult studies in Poland and the U.S. Phase II trial. CNSP has also advanced its clinical agenda. The company recently hired Worldwide Clinical Trials as the contract research organization, Image Analysis Group (“IAG”) as the imaging partner, and Berry Consultants as a biostatistical advisor for its Phase 2 trial design. The company also added Dr. Patrick Wen, a renowned neuro-oncologist, to its Scientific Advisory Board. It has reiterated its expectation to initiate a U.S. Phase 2 trial for Berubicin in Q1 of 2021. Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive primary brain cancers in adults, with approximately 13,000 new patients diagnosed each year in the U.S.—the highest diagnosis rate of all malignant brain tumors. Yet, awareness of this pernicious malignancy is sorely lacking, although this may be changing after it struck down a number of well-known figures, including Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain, as well as Beau Biden, son of Vice-President Joe Biden. However, press reports provide scant details of the affliction, an omission CNSP hopes the broadcast on the Lifetime TV show “The Balancing Act, Behind the Mystery” devoted to glioblastoma will correct. The segment relates the story of a glioblastoma patient, complemented by commentary on the rare and difficult-to-treat disease from Dr. Sigmund Hsu, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of CNS Pharmaceuticals. Aired on October 12, the segment will be re-broadcast on October 23, 2020. For more information, please visit www.CNSPharma.com NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CNSP are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CNSP

• Cybin appoints health-care expert Doug Drysdale as new CEO.
• Company confident that his extensive health-care sector background, international company management skills will strengthen Cybin partnerships.
• New CEO says business model, talented management team positions company to examine new psychedelic-based therapies, delivery systems.

Cybin Corp.,a life sciences company advancing psychedelic pharmaceuticals, recently announced the appointment of Doug Drysdale as its CEO (https://ibn.fm/vOTXM). Drysdale brings more than three decades of experience in the health-care sector and will continue to grow its IP portfolio.

“With his myriad business accomplishments, Doug is the ideal leader for Cybin,” said Cybin co-founder and COO Paul Glavine. “We believe that his extensive health-care sector background and international company management skills will help Cybin strengthen partnerships, develop strategic alliances and expand our international presence. We believe his strong leadership experience will help focus Cybin during our initial path to profitability.”

Named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012, Drysdale has served for 30 years in the health care sector. In 2014, he led the recapitalization of a NASDAQ-listed pharmaceutical company, raising $65 million as its corporate director. Following that move, Drysdale served as the company’s chairman and CEO. In that role, he focused on rebuilding the management team and board of directors; he also built a 220-person sales team. Under his continued leadership, the pharmaceutical company raised $465 million of capital; its enterprise value grew exponentially from $80 million to an estimated $800 million.

Before that, Drysdale headed M&A efforts at Actavis Group, leading 15 corporate acquisitions across three continents. Those efforts included a high-profile public hostile takeover attempt in Central Eastern Europe. During that same period, Drysdale raised approximately $3 billion of capital and managed lending syndicates, including over 25 banks, to fund its growth. In 2012, Watson Pharmaceuticals bought Actavis for €4.25 billion.

Drysdale led Norwich Pharmaceuticals into a new period of prosperity, eventually becoming CEO of its parent company, Alvogen Group. During his time as CEO, he grew Norwich’s two-product offering to more than 25 products, strengthened the company’s R&D capabilities and improved staffing efficiency by 25%.

“I am beyond excited to be joining the Cybin team,” said Drysdale. “I believe Cybin’s business model and talented management team uniquely positions the company to examine the efficacy of psychedelic-based therapies and delivery systems in treating mental illness and addiction disorders. I expect Cybin’s expanding development pipeline will allow the company to explore a cost-effective and timely array of health care alternatives.

“We will continue to grow our IP portfolio organically and shall be looking to add to our IP through accretive acquisitions,” he continued. “Research to date is showing positive indications for the potential use of psychedelic-based therapies as alternatives to current chronic depression medications and habit-forming opioids, for various treatment-resistant issues such as eating disorders, smoking cessation, PTSD, anxiety and depression. Mental illness and addiction have profoundly personal meanings for me and affect millions of people worldwide. I am proud to be in a position at Cybin to work to try to help countless patients and their families through the development of novel treatments.”

Cybin is an innovator in the stagnant pharmaceutical sector, where it aims to become the first life science company to bring psilocybin medicine targeting major depressive disorder to market.

For more information about this company, please visit www.Cybin.com.

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

• Launch of InsurTech Portal to Offer Business Owner Liability Protection
• The Insure the People Portal to Provide Coverage to Over 130 Class Codes
• Coverage for Building & Business Property and Business Income
• General Liability Occurrence Limits: US$300,000, US$500,000, US$1 million and US$2 million
• Employment Practices Liability

With the launch of its business owner policy (“BOP”) portal, InsuraGuest Technologies, Inc. (TSX.V: ISGI) (OTC: IGSTF) is extending its general liability coverage to a vital sector of the U.S. economy: small businesses. Through the site—InsureThePeople.com—small business owners and operators of a wide range of enterprises, from public accountants to commodity merchants to bars and pubs, will be able to purchase insurance protection, underwritten by Crum & Forster, for a variety of special needs. The BOP comes at a crucial time. Risks for small business owners have increased dramatically in recent times. The BOP expands InsuraGuest’s product menu. The company already offers a Hospitality Liability Policy to hotels and the vacation rental markets. With this new offering, InsuraGuest is now part and parcel of the insurtech ecosystem. Like a number of pioneering companies before it, InsuraGuest is set to disrupt the staid insurance sector. The company is changing the way insurance coverage is delivered to realize its conviction that insurance should be bought, not sold.

The Insure the People website incorporates many of the beneficial features of InsuraGuest’s insurtech platform. Through it, business owners from a wide range of retail, wholesale, mercantile, office and business service establishments will have access to a range of policies best fitted to their needs. The insurance industry categorizes business enterprises by degree and type of risk into “class codes” that cover various kinds of business enterprise. For instance, in some businesses, such as a manufacturer of furniture, internal risks, injury to workers, say, may be the primary concern. In others, the risks may originate externally, such as being sued by customers for a malfunctioning product or a product that compromises safety guidelines. InsuraGuest’s insurtech BOPs cover over 130 class codes and are now available in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, all jurisdictions where the InsuraGuest Insurance Agency is licensed to sell insurance.

BOPs provide the following:

• Property coverage for building and business property, business income and extra expenses.
• Enhanced equipment breakdown (includes micro-circuity).
• General liability – occurrence limits: US$300,000, US$500,000, US$1 million and US$2 million.
• Employment practices liability.

Companies eligible for coverage are those that with revenues up to US$6 million per location, with occupancies up to 35,000 square feet, on a minimum annual premium of US$250.

InsuraGuest also offers a Hospitality Liability Policy, previously known as the Guest Protection Policy. The Hospitality Liability Policy is a supplemental insurance product for hotels, vacation rental operators and similar establishments, which is enjoying increasing adoption. The company recently completed the integration of the end-to-end property management platform operated by Hostfully Inc. with InsuraGuest’s Application Programming Interface (“API”). The integration provides InsuraGuest with Hostfully’s customer listings and also allows Hostfully clients to access InsuraGuest’s hospitality products.

InsuraGuest’s insurtech platform is also capable of connecting to approximately 70 different hotel property-management systems, including Oracle Opera, Hilton-ONQ, Springer-Miller Systems, Marriot Fosse, Marriott Full Service, Agilysys and Lightspeed GPS. It seems that wherever InsuraGuest goes, disruption will not be far behind.

For more information about the company, please visit www.InsuraGuest.com.

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

• Emerging Wellness Foods Brand Rritual Mushrooms Inc. is developing plant-based superfood products to lead out a fledgling market segment that has a high degree of promise as consumer interest in functional foods increases
• While the mushroom therapeutics subcategory of products is still new and developing, analysts researching the overall functional foods market expect the industry to grow at a CAGR of 7.9 percent to $275.77 billion between 2019 and 2025
• Rritual Mushrooms’ introductory product line draws on the reputations of the Chaga, Lion’s Mane and Reishi mushrooms as beneficial to overall wellness, combining them with herbal remedy adaptogens in powdered elixirs
• The three formulations are being rolled out this fall in 14-stick packs and in 250-gram tubs, as well as in a 14-day variety pack that includes all three elixirs

Researchers have found “enormous potential” for using mushrooms in functional foods, describing the fungal growth’s immunomodulating, anti-tumor, hypocholesterol and anti-bacterial properties as rife with opportunity for food products such as cereal and bread flours as well as cheeses and cheese-related products (https://ibn.fm/jt8xL).

That potential is now being realized with the initial slate of products from lifestyle therapeutics innovator Rritual Mushrooms Inc., whose non-psychoactive wellness elixirs include a Chaga blend designed to augment immunity, a Lion’s Mane blend designed to support cognitive function and brain health, and a Reishi blend to boost the body’s ability to fight anxiety.

Rritual Mushrooms emerged in 2019 as a fledgling company targeting a fledgling industry segment in which no dominant brand has yet emerged to lead the functional foods subcategory. The company is building toward an IPO.

Despite the apparent novelty of the mushroom wellness movement, market analysts at Grand View Research, Inc. stated last year that they expect the overall functional foods market size to reach $275.77 billion in valuation by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 7.9 percent between 2019 and 2025 (https://ibn.fm/EbzWc), and mushroom food products stand to benefit as part of the trend.

The novel coronavirus pandemic that emerged this year is only expected to increase the demand for functional foods and other nutraceuticals as an infection-wary public seeks to utilize more immunity-boosting supplements in their diets.

In June, Rritual Mushrooms introduced Dr. Mike Hart as the company’s president who will help guide Rritual through plant-based wellness therapy developments (https://ibn.fm/ixb3Q). Hart operates his own family medicine clinic in London, Ontario, where he became the first physician in the locality to open a cannabis clinic in 2014. He continues to use wellness therapies to treat patients’ symptoms such as pain, inflammation, insomnia and depression.

“My belief is that mental fitness is a daily ritual, and Rritual’s product portfolio and approach completely supports my current research and values as a seasoned, plant-based practitioner,” Hart stated in the announcement of his appointment.

In general, mushrooms have twice the protein of asparagus, cabbage and other vegetables, and 12 times the protein found in oranges and apples. Edible mushroom are a good source of several vitamins, including thiamine (“B1”), riboflavin (“B2”), niacin, biotin and ascorbic acid (“C”) (https://ibn.fm/LVheX).

Rritual Mushroom’s product line pairs the Chaga mushroom with the adaptogen Eleuthero root, Lion’s Mane mushroom with the adaptogen Rhodiola root and the Reishi mushroom with the adaptogen Ashwagandha root for products full of bioactive polysaccharides that are helpful to the biome (https://ibn.fm/xBZac). Adaptogens are natural substances used in herbal remedies because they are thought to increase the resistance of organisms to biological stresses (https://ibn.fm/YNLPT).

The three formulations will be available in 14-stick packs and in 300-gram tubs during the fall, as well as a 14-day variety pack that includes all three elixirs. They will be marketed through Rritual’s website and the company’s Amazon store initially before expanding to other online and brick-and-mortar outlets.

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

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

“Mental Fitness is a Daily Ritual“

• Recent study reports CAGR of 9.7% in precision medicine space.
• Predictive Oncology focused on use of data, artificial intelligence to develop personalized cancer therapies.
• One of POAI’s primary projects is building multi-omic predictive models of tumor drug response

A recent study of the global precision medicine market indicates a bright future for the industry, especially for U.S.-based companies focusing on cancer research, such as Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: POAI). The study reported a CAGR of 9.7% in the sector, with North America dominating the market and oncology expected to hold the highest market.

“Precision medicine, a combination of molecular biology techniques and systems biology, is an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention,” the Mordor Intelligence study stated. “The market growth for this approach is gaining momentum, as it takes into account individual variability in genes, environment and lifestyle for each person, while developing drugs and vaccines.”

The report goes on to note that North America currently dominates the precision medicine market and is “expected to continue its stronghold for a few more years.” The United States holds the largest market share on the continent, at least in part due to the Precision Medicine Initiative (“PMI”), launched by former President Barack Obama.

This initiative was designed to revolutionize medicine and generate the scientific evidence needed to move the concept of precision medicine into everyday clinical practice. The PMI enjoys widespread support, including ongoing efforts through the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (“VA”), the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and the Office for Civil Rights.

The study also reports that “precision medicine applications are primarily directed toward better treatment against oncological diseases, with an estimated more than 30% market dominance over other segments. . . . The high support from the government through funding and rapid growth of genomic analysis are expected to augment the growth of the precision medicine market at a fast rate, over the forecast period.”

This analysis bodes well for Predictive Oncology, an industry leader focused on the use of data and artificial intelligence (“AI”) to develop predictive models of tumor drug response and outcome, which can be used to help oncologists individualize current cancer therapies for the patients as well as help researchers find new cancer therapies. The Mordor report noted that key factors propelling the growth of the precision medicine market include increasing online collaborative forums, increasing efforts to characterize genes and advancements in cancer biology — all of which POAI is involved in.

“The fundamental concept of precision medicine is to understand the genetic makeup and difference at a population level, and further at an individual level, in order to customize a drug that targets a particular gene type,” the report observed. “Hence, sequencing or characterizing genes is the most important method to gain information about genes and their possible mutations.”

One of POAI’s primary projects, conducted through its subsidiary Helomics, is building multi-omic predictive models of tumor drug response and outcome using a its unique proprietary TumorSpace knowledge base of 150,000 tumor drug response profiles gathered from over 15 years of clinical testing. Using artificial intelligence, the company is leveraging this data to build predictive models of tumor drug response. These models offer researchers in pharma, biopharma and diagnostic companies actionable information that drives the development of new precision therapies, companion diagnostics, biomarkers and helps design better-targeted trials — all with the end goal of helping patients diagnosed with cancer.

POAI is bringing precision medicine, or tailored medical treatment using the individual characteristics of each patient, to the treatment of cancer. Through its Helomics division, the company leverages its unique, clinically validated, patient-derived (“PDx”) smart tumor profiling platform to provide oncologists with a road map to help individualize therapy. In addition, the company is leveraging artificial intelligence and its proprietary database to build AI-driven models of tumor drug response to improve outcomes for the patients of today and tomorrow.

For more information about Predictive Oncology, please visit www.Predictive-Oncology.com.

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

• Round of financing led by Bruce Linton, executive chairman of Gage Cannabis and cannabis industry pioneer
• Reg A+ equity financing offers chance to invest in exclusive cultivator, processor, and retailer of world-leading cannabis brands
• First step in Gage’s journey to becoming publicly traded company

Gage Cannabis Co., the leading high-quality craft cannabis brand and operator in Michigan, has launched a Regulation A, Tier 2, equity financing. The pre-IPO round of financing is being led by Bruce Linton, executive chairman of Gage Cannabis, a founder and former CEO and chairman of Canopy Growth Corp.

“We wanted to provide investors with the opportunity to invest in a growing and dominant cannabis operation before an official IPO process,” said Linton. “Michigan is one of the top cannabis markets in the U.S., and I am confident Gage is poised to continue building on its historical execution and fortifying its position as one of the top operators and brands in Michigan, as well as a name consumers look for across the United States.”

Linton transformed Canopy Growth Corp. from a concept into one of the most recognizable and valuable cannabis companies in the world. A passionate entrepreneur, he has decades of experience in a variety of industries, creating unprecedented long-term shareholder value. As the first and lead investor in the offering, his unwavering support and confidence in Gage Cannabis is clear.

The round of financing consists of up to 28,571,400 shares of subordinate voting shares, available for $1.75 per share. The shares are being offered pursuant to Regulation A of Section 3(b) of the Securities, as amended, for Tier 2 offerings, by management on a “best-efforts” basis directly to purchasers who satisfy the requirements set forth in Regulation A.

For investors, the pre-IPO opportunity to invest in the exclusive cultivator and retailer of several world-leading cannabis brands can’t be ignored. The company’s exclusive brands include Cookies, Lemonnade, Runtz, Grandiflora, SLANG Worldwide, and OG Raskal; Gage also has its own proprietary brand portfolio, distributed in Michigan.

The leaders at Gage Cannabis are focused on becoming the retailer of choice among adult-use and medical-cannabis consumers. Initially, Gage has opened five dispensaries, with plans to open three more locations by the end of 2020; the company intends to have more than 20 operating stores by the end of next year. So far this year, Gage has reported $31 million in sales, with that number only expected to increase in the coming months.

“We’re excited to invite public investors to join alongside industry juggernauts, like Bruce Linton, and provide them with the opportunity to participate in our future success,” said Fabian Monaco, President of Gage Cannabis. “We have strategically acquired a portfolio of high-quality operating assets and brands in the rapidly growing Michigan market and developed a reputation for providing consumers with access to craft cannabis in elevated retail environments. This is a great first step in our journey to becoming a publicly traded company, and we’re excited to continue to build on our strong foundation while delivering long-term shareholder value.”

Gage Cannabis Co. is innovating and curating the highest quality cannabis experiences possible for cannabis consumers in the state of Michigan and bringing internationally renowned brands to market. Through years of progressive industry experience, the firm’s founding partners have successfully built and grown operations with federal and state licenses, including cultivation, processing and retail locations. Gage’s portfolio includes city and state approvals for 19 Class C cultivation licenses, three processing licenses and 13 provisioning centers (dispensaries).

The Company encourages all interested investors to visit GageInvestors.com for a link to the Offering Circular and to learn how to invest in the Offering. Financing information is also available by calling toll free at 1-844-606-0809 or locally at 1-616-504-6060

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

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

• Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. specializes in creation of unique, proprietary cannabis and hemp strains
• Following its tie-up with Phenome One Corp, Pac Roots offers over 350 meticulously designed cultivars possessing wide array of characteristics
• Introduction of patent protection on genetically modified hemp strains along with insurance provided to hemp growers incentivizes hemp production, drives greater demand for genetically modified seeds and cultivars

Since completing its RTO and being listed on the CSE in May of 2020, Pac Roots Cannabis (CSE: PACR) has earned a reputation for operating on the cutting edge of hemp and cannabis cultivation. This foresight in staying ahead of the times has proven invaluable as the industry weathered its share of waves. One such hurdle can be seen in the results of the legalization efforts of the past several years, which led to an overabundance of hemp. This caused industry professionals to seek new ways to differentiate their crops—and genetic modification has found itself at the epicenter of this conversation.

In December 2018, when the United States officially legalized hemp cultivation, legislators stated that “[b]y removing hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, farmers [could] explore the bright future of this versatile crop, found in everything from a coffee mug to your car dashboard” (https://ibn.fm/WQnRN). However, only 12 months later, a study carried out by the Brightfield Group found that upwards of 87% of 2019’s hemp acreage was destined for CBD extraction (https://ibn.fm/hx8GK) rather than for the multitude of applications originally envisioned. The proliferation of hemp supply, which has led to a state of oversupply and declining crop prices (https://ibn.fm/oZern), has led to the belief that the true revenue potential in the sector lays not with hemp producers, but rather with the creation and licensing of proprietary plant material – an area which Pac Roots Cannabis has sought to specialize in.

Should a cultivator wish to plant a certain CBD-rich hemp or cannabis strain, then they would necessarily have to go to a seed or specialized cannabis cultivator to obtain the required raw material. Pac Roots addresses this rapidly expanding market through its strategic licensing agreement with Phenome One Corp., which has granted Pac Roots access to one of Canada’s largest live, genetic cannabis libraries with lab and field-tested, selectively bred seedlings, which the company has employed to grow, breed and clone its own unique brands. The tie-up in turn has allowed Pac Roots to offer a remarkable portfolio of over 350 meticulously-designed cultivars, ranging from CBD-dominant plants with rare terpene profiles to plants with over 30% THC-content as well as West Coast outdoor, botrytis-resistant cultivars.

Following the landmark decision to legalize hemp cultivation, federal regulations have recently been enacted in a bid to protect the interests and intellectual property of firms innovating within the field of hemp genetics, with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granting its first hemp plant patent in late 2019 (https://ibn.fm/jL0ST). Separately, the USDA’s Risk Management Agency recently announced a pilot insurance program for hemp growers (https://ibn.fm/IhAN9), providing cultivators with certain safeguards should adverse conditions affect the commercial viability of their crop. As a result, farmers will now have a greater incentive to grow hemp at scale and to innovate, which in turn will lead to a more lucrative and dependable market for firms specializing in seed and hemp genetics firms.

As with any industry, it is evident that companies focused on developing and adding value to their product stand to benefit relative to producers focused on cultivating and harvesting a more commoditized good. With hemp and cannabis cultivators increasingly seeking to differentiate their products through the use of genetically modified seeds and cultivars, companies such as Pac Roots Cannabis stand well positioned to benefit.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.PacRoots.ca

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