• Booming cannabis industry still in early stages and fragmented
• Industry consolidation inevitable
• Prospective opportunities likely with consolidators

From the shadows, cannabis has surged into the spotlight, establishing medical credence and economic clout along the way. The nascent industry has shaken off early trepidations and has now become a serious and respected sector in the financial arena. Consensus is that both the cannabis markets and the industry itself are just in their early stages and are expected to grow exponentially from here.

Much like the early days of the internet gold rush, a multiplicity of business enterprises are sweeping over the cannabis industry, and, just like the internet, some of these enterprises will win and some will fail. Akin to early cyberspace companies, budding cannabis stocks have been on a tear over the last few years. Reflecting the internet antecedent, there’s certain to be consolidation in what’s now a fragmented cornucopia of cannabis companies. Historical precedents suggest that future opportunities in the sector may very well reside in the consolidators.

With a blueprint for success, C21 Investments Inc. (CSE: CXXI) is rapidly building a vertically integrated cannabis conglomerate through a series of strategic and accretive acquisitions. The company targets select opportunities in licensed, operating, revenue producing cannabis businesses spanning from seed to sale – including cultivation, processing, production and retail operations. C21 purchases 100 percent of these targeted businesses and increases intrinsic value through supply chain optimization, operational efficiencies, quality manufacturing and brand extension, as well as through maximizing retail channels and distribution. In the last nine months, the company has completed four significant acquisitions – three in just the last 90 days (http://ibn.fm/hahhU) – and has a signed definitive agreement for another acquisition in place.

The acquisition spree and trajectory of C21 Investments caught the attention of Kaspar Equity Research (http://ibn.fm/LmiVx), which is asserting that C21 is well positioned for future growth opportunities in the cannabis sector. Based on the recent and prospective acquisitions, skilled and experienced management, access to capital and market growth, Kaspar Equity Research just issued a ‘Buy’ recommendation (http://ibn.fm/7pVpx) on C21 Investments. The report states in part, “C21’s relative valuation in comparison to competitors is also a lucrative piece of this investment thesis as the analysis indicates that C21 is potentially undervalued based exclusively on the market capitalization-to-sales ratio.”

The pace and quality of C21’s acquisitions can be attributed to the caliber of its management team. C21 Investments is led by Robert Cheney, CEO, president and director, a corporate securities lawyer and entrepreneur with a background in media, film, internet technology and telecommunications. He has surrounded himself with a team of seasoned professionals from finance, horticulture, operations, marketing and sales. Cheney’s experience and skill-set in the execution of M&A transactions drives C21’s corporate strategy: creating value through the disciplined consolidation of a fragmented fledgling industry while building scale and life-style brands as a consumer-driven products company.

Well financed, C21 closed the final tranche (http://ibn.fm/2L979) of a syndicated private placement early this year with total gross proceeds of C$14,888,000. The company already owns Silver State Relief in Nevada as well as Phantom Farms, Eco Firma Farms and Pure Green in Oregon. The company also has a definitive agreement in place to acquire Swell Companies in Oregon. These brands produce and distribute a broad range of THC and CBD products from cannabis flowers, pre-rolls, cannabis oil and vaporizer cartridges. In addition, the company is in active discussions to acquire even more operations which are expected to not only increase revenue and EBITDA, but also add to C21’s proven ability to aggressively compete in the explosive growth of the cannabis industry.

Reacting to all the recent attention, C21 CEO Robert Cheney told Insider Financial (http://ibn.fm/JLe14), “Investors continue to show confidence in the company and its strategy. With the closing of several acquisitions and others due shortly, we are providing investors with the opportunity to invest in a vertically integrated cannabis company that cultivates, processes, and distributes quality cannabis and hemp-derived consumer products in the United States.”

If history is any indicator consolidation in the fast-growing cannabis market is likely to be very rewarding.

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

• The Supreme Cannabis Company focuses on high-quality cannabis products via its 7ACRES subsidiary
• The company also has a strategic equity investment in Medigrow Lesotho
• Supreme has signed a letter of intent with Malta Enterprises
• BMO recently initiated coverage of Supreme

The Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) concentrates on growing the world’s best cannabis and becoming a leader in the global industry. The company’s flagship brand is 7ACRES, which is its licensed producer subsidiary that operates a 440,000-square-foot facility in Kincardine, Ontario. The 7ACRES subsidiary received ‘Brand of the Year’ recognition at the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Awards presented by Lift & Co. (TSX.V: LIFT) (http://ibn.fm/BGZSW). Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Supreme Cannabis focuses on serving its customers with premium product quality and advancing its mass cultivation capability.

Supreme Cannabis announced in 2018 its investment in Medigrow Lesotho Ltd. and also its establishment of an international cannabis oil distribution partnership. Supreme entered into a definitive agreement to complete a $10 million strategic equity investment in Medigrow Lesotho, a federally licensed producer of cannabis in the Kingdom of Lesotho in Africa. The Lesotho Ministry of Health licensed Medigrow Lesotho to cultivate and manufacture medical cannabis and cannabis oil products (http://ibn.fm/9nKPm). Medigrow Lesotho is part of Medigrow Africa, a network of African cannabis growers.

Lesotho is an independent constitutional monarchy and the home of more than two million people, and it is known as an innovator in the implementation of processes for the growing of medical cannabis. Working with Medigrow Lesotho, The Supreme Cannabis Company is committed to lifting many out of poverty via the creation of new jobs and other programs (http://ibn.fm/bREfH). The whole process of cannabis production and processing there takes place at a state-of-the-art production facility.

Supreme is now developing a legal and logistical link to allow the use of the island nation of Malta in the Mediterranean as a legal gateway for imports to the European Union (EU). This link is important for the eventual importing of the forthcoming EU GMP-certified cannabis oil from Lesotho. Supreme recently announced its entry into a letter of intent (LOI) with Malta Enterprises, the economic development agency of Malta. This LOI is the initial step in Supreme’s application for a cannabis production license in Malta.

This license would permit Supreme Cannabis to produce and process cannabis for medical use within Malta and to export cannabis for medical use to specified global markets. Malta is a strategic European hub. Moreover, it is home to healthy, existing pharmaceutical-and- nutraceutical manufacturing industries with wide-ranging expertise. If the license is approved, Supreme’s plan is to produce products containing EU GMP-quality cannabis oil, as well as to go after regulated medical cannabis distribution opportunities in the EU.

In a news release (http://ibn.fm/FPlzY), Navdeep Dhaliwal, The Supreme Cannabis Company’s chief executive officer, said, “Using the intellectual property and expertise we’ve gained in Canada, we intend to deliver high-quality cannabis products to medical patients in multiple international markets.”

The Supreme Cannabis Company is diligently moving ahead with its worldwide medical cannabis strategy and its focus on establishing real, revenue-generating business operations in profitable EU markets. The company continues to innovate in the cannabis sector through its design of growing facilities and the development of operational excellence metrics. Supreme offers investors a global opportunity with its Malta and Lesotho initiatives.

In addition, BMO Capital analyst Tamy Chen has recently initiated coverage on Supreme, indicating the company’s growing recognition.

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

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

• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. is the only company worldwide with patents issued for oral delivery of all cannabinoids
• Its proprietary technology bests traditional methods such as inhalation in several key ways
• The company continues to enhance its intellectual property portfolio as it pursues patents around the world

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP), a food biosciences company, has developed a proprietary technology that has revolutionized the way cannabidiol (CBD) and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids are delivered into the bloodstream.

Lexaria, the only company worldwide with patents issued for oral delivery of all cannabinoids, has greatly improved the delivery of bioactive compounds. While cannabinoids typically enter the bloodstream in three main ways, each has its limitations. Inhalation is harmful to the lungs; sub-lingual (under the tongue) consumption carries a bitter taste unless copiously sweetened; and oral consumption is typically is very slow to act, often between one and three hours.

As a disruptor in the cannabis industry, Lexaria’s DehydraTECH drug delivery platform is changing the way cannabinoids enter the bloodstream through the gastrointestinal tract. Its proprietary technology promises multiple advantages in cannabinoid edibles. First, it masks the undesirable taste typically found in cannabinoid edibles, eliminating the need to add sweetening agents and enabling sugar-free options. Second, it increases the product’s absorption rate, with absorption occurring at two- to five-times higher rates than other edibles. Finally, it reduces the time of onset; effects of the product are felt within 15-20 minutes of consumption rather than the typical 60-120 minutes. In a March 2016 focus study, subjects ranked Lexaria’s formulation as the best tasting and most palatable option. They also found it to deliver the highest-quality THC experience overall.

Some of Lexaria’s featured products have included protein energy bars; CBD tablets; exotic teas delivering CBD in multiple flavors; coffee; and TurboCBD capsules, which are described as “high absorption, full spectrum hemp oil capsules aimed to increase focus and memory while also reducing stress and fatigue.”

While Lexaria’s groundbreaking technology has set a new quality standard for other companies to aspire to, the company also takes pride in its pursuance of a strong intellectual property portfolio. By the end of 2018, the company’s portfolio included 53 patent applications pending in over 40 countries worldwide, as well as 10 patents already granted. Anticipating new patent awards in 2019 both in the United States and across the world, Lexaria continues to make inroads into various industries through its research and development and key business relationships.

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

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

• Sproutly Canada reaches company milestone with its first completed harvests of premium quality, small-batch cannabis
• The company offers the world’s first natural, truly water-soluble cannabis solution made with bio-natural oils through subsidiary Infusion Biosciences
• The Canadian cannabis beverage market is estimated to reach up to $4.4 billion by 2024

Sproutly Canada Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) envisions a year of growth and expansion through its focus on cannabis beverages made using a revolutionary process featuring water-soluble ingredients.

Since going public in July 2018, with a focus on its goal of becoming a global competitor in the cannabis beverage and edibles realm, Sproutly has reached a significant milestone at its production facility in Toronto, called Toronto Herbal Remedies. Notably, the company completed its first two harvests of its premium quality, small-batch cannabis. These batches produced “highly efficient yields for an initial grow,” according Bryan Semkuley, president of Sproutly Canada. If the production results of these initial high-quality batches are replicated across all 12 of Toronto Herbal Remedies’ flowering rooms, the company will be able to radically increase its production capacity (http://ibn.fm/vKX0v).

In developing the world’s first natural, truly water-soluble cannabis solution made with bio-natural oils, Sproutly Canada is positioned to revolutionize the cannabis beverage and edibles market. By partnering with already established local and global consumer brands, the company hopes to utilize its partners’ existing customer bases to increase widespread consumer exposure to this technological breakthrough, achieving greater market penetration.

The Canadian cannabis market has been growing steadily as waves of legalization have been moving around the world, and it is estimated to be an $8.7 billion market by 2024. Growing steadily in its wake is the lesser known but ultimately promising Canadian cannabis beverage market, which is estimated to reach up to $4.4 billion by 2024, without factoring in an additional market boon created by a demand for naturally water-soluble cannabis beverages (http://ibn.fm/33Gzt). In this sense, Sproutly is well-positioned to penetrate that market through its acquired company, Infusion Biosciences, creator of the world’s first naturally water-soluble cannabis.

This cannabis beverage represents a “paradigm shift” in the world of cannabis products in regards to delivery and consumption. The product (http://ibn.fm/xNz9e) is touted as “predictable,” taking fewer than five minutes to produce effects and less than 90 minutes to wear off. It is comparable in its effects to smoking and vaping; discrete in its odorless and smokeless useability; versatile, with many end-user applications; and “precise” in its dosage, with the “ability to deliver a measurable amount of cannabis.”

With the Canadian cannabis beverage and edibles market preparing for potential legalization in 2019, Sproutly is anticipating a strong year of expansion in its pursuit of becoming a top supplier of water-soluble cannabis solutions and bio-natural oils.

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

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

• Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has developed plan to transfer key parcel of land to Black Iron for its Shymanivske iron ore deposit
• Black Iron is building a world class, high-value, low net cost project offering an ultra-high-grade iron ore concentrate
• Strong economic returns expected to be generated by the Shymanivske iron ore deposit reinforce this unique investment opportunity
• Shymanivske offers strategic location with underdeveloped resources and close proximity to target markets in Europe, the Middle East and Asia

Canadian iron ore exploration and development company Black Iron Inc. (TSX: BKI) (OTC: BKIRF) (GR: BIN) continues to make solid progress advancing its 100 percent owned Shymanivske iron ore deposit located in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. Black Iron recently announced positive momentum in its search for a parcel of land suitable for the company’s processing plant, tailings and waste rock associated with the Shymanivske project (http://ibn.fm/0cYCx).

In a recent news release, Black Iron noted that Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense (“MOD”) has developed a plan to transfer the parcel of land outlined in the company’s re-scoped Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) to Black Iron, pending final discussions that include a compensation package to cover replacement and relocation of MOD facilities. The land parcel is owned by Ukraine’s central government and is being used by Ukraine’s MOD for training purposes, per the release.

Continuing supply side shortages and a price surge in the world’s iron ore market that followed the January 25 disaster at Vale SA’s Brumadinho tailings dam, which left some 300 dead or missing and prompted shutdowns at a dozen other Vale SA properties, will be felt for some time, Bloomberg reports (http://ibn.fm/mcQnh). On March 15, a Brazilian court ordered Vale SA to halt production at another of its iron ore mines, further reducing the company’s output capacity (http://ibn.fm/hQUe7). Even with a potential restart of the mining operations, prices are expected to remain elevated, as Reuters noted in a February 18 article (http://ibn.fm/YfJav). As part of a recent Northern Miner podcast (http://ibn.fm/Py3JV), Black Iron’s CEO discussed this, as well as developments with Black Iron’s Shymanivske iron ore project in Ukraine.

Benchmark iron ore prices are holding in the mid $80 per tonne range, which is well above the long-term $62 per tonne used in Black Iron’s PEA and is estimated with an after-tax unlevered IRR of 36 percent and NPV of $1.7 billion using a 10 percent discount rate. Black Iron recently reaffirmed economic projections for its Shymanivske project in a news release (http://ibn.fm/w9w0q), noting that the premium 68 percent iron pellet feed product that Black Iron plans to produce is expected to sell for a significantly higher price than benchmark iron ore for at least the next two to three years.

“This parcel of land (proposed by Ukraine MOD) is suitable from a social and environmental standpoint, and its close proximity to the Shymanivske ore body makes it a highly economic choice to minimize the cost incurred for hauling ore and waste,” Black Iron emphasized in its news release announcing the proposed land transfer. “This land is also located well away from any communities and is surrounded by operating iron ore mines owned by ArcelorMittal and Metinvest.”

Black Iron intends to build its Shymanivske project in two phases, taking advantage of its proximity to rail, power, ports and skilled labor to reduce the upfront capital and time required to generate cash flow (http://ibn.fm/m51Tq).

The technical and scientific contents of this article have been prepared under the supervision of and have been reviewed and approved by Matt Simpson, P.Eng., CEO of Black Iron, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

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

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

• Company owns, operates and charters diversified fleet of carriers and tankers
• Grindrod conducts business under two brands that have earned a positive reputation for quality and standards since 1910
• Company provides training for shore- and offshore-based sectors of trade through accredited Grindrod Shipping Training Academy
• 2018 saw revenues of $319 million and a gross profit of $11.1 million

International shipping company Grindrod Shipping Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRIN) has roots dating back to 1910 in South Africa. Now based in Singapore, with offices around the world, the company owns and operates a diversified fleet, which currently consists of 25 owned dry-bulk carriers, seven long-term chartered-in dry-bulk carriers, 12 owned tankers and three long-term chartered-in tankers.

Grindrod Shipping manages the majority of its fleet in-house and trades globally under two key brands:

• Island View Shipping (IVS), founded in 1976 and acquired by GRIN in 1999, ships dry-bulk cargo such as minerals, coal, ores and agricultural products. IVS ships between 12 and 14 million metric tons every year across the globe.
• Unicorn Shipping began in South Africa in 1910 and relocated from London to Singapore in 2010. The brand has developed a high reputation for quality and standards as it ships liquid chemicals and clean petroleum products along the Southern African coast, as well as East and West Africa. Customers include Shell, Chevron, Engen, Total, SASOL, PetroSA and BP.

GRIN commercially and technically manages the majority of the fleet. The in-house management provides cost control and ensures the high-quality reputation GRIN has built over the past century. The management of the fleet falls on the company’s technical department, which is made up of experienced and qualified managers, including six master mariners and 10 Class 1 marine engineers.

In addition to managing the fleet, the technical department also runs the Grindrod Shipping Training Academy (http://ibn.fm/iP48X), which has been in operation since 1975 and is accredited by SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority). The academy has provided training for shore- and offshore-based sectors of trade since its beginning and is able to tailor-make courses to fit the needs of its students.

In 2018, the company listed on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol ‘GRIN’ and on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange under ticker symbol ‘GSH’. The company reported revenues of $319 million and a gross profit of $11.1 million last year (http://ibn.fm/cRjPh).

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

• New analysis by Cowen & Co. sees market for CBD products in the U.S. reaching $16 billion by 2025
• Dispensaries and health care practitioners included in expanded markets for ETST’s CBD line under new distribution agreements
• Cowen & Co. research projects that cannabis-based products will reach 10 percent of U.S. adults by 2025

Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST), a biotech company focused on the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields, is expanding its full-spectrum cannabidiol (CBD) product distribution in wider markets as a new study by Cowen & Co. sees cannabis products reaching $16 billion in the U.S. by 2025 (http://ibn.fm/k7QKt). ETST’s larger market includes pharmacies, dispensaries, health care practitioners, athletic clubs, clinics and chiropractors throughout the United States (http://ibn.fm/WhXk1).

Cowen & Co.’s research shows that 6.9 percent of Americans say they are already using CBD. A January survey of 2,500 adults found that CBD use is highest among adults aged 18 to 34. Tinctures (liquid extracts) dominate the market and were named by 44 percent or respondents, followed by topicals at 26 percent, then capsules and beverages.

“This initial response piqued our interest considerably, as it was much higher than we would have suspected,” analyst Vivien Azer said in a news release. As a result, Cowen sees CBD use growing to 10 percent of U.S. adults, or 25 million consumers, by 2025, implying a $16 billion market opportunity, as noted by Azer.

ETST has reached agreements with CannaBiz and Desert Sun Distribution to sell its line to chiropractors, dispensaries, pharmacies, health care practitioners, athletic clubs and clinics in the United States, providing deeper reach into the market (http://ibn.fm/BUrRx). In a news release, ETST Chief Sales Officer David Burbash said, “We see tremendous synergy between our CBD line and the health care practitioner and pharmacy spaces.” ETST is also increasing the size of its sales team.

ETST’s full-spectrum cannabinoids offer analgesic pain relief and anxiety reduction, per company marketing material. ETST offers cannabinoids in the form of soft gels, tablets, liquids and other forms classified as food-based and permissible in all 50 states and some 40 countries.

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

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

• Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers worldwide. Genprex aims to develop cutting-edge gene therapies to improve outcomes, which have not changed significantly in the past 25 years despite radical advances in drug development and novel therapeutic standards.
• Genprex holds a portfolio of 30 issued and two pending patents covering technologies and targeted molecular therapies, all exclusively licensed from University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Genprex technologies seek to bridge a critical gap by combining with targeted therapies and immunotherapies to provide treatments to large patient populations who otherwise would not benefit from these important cancer therapies, or who have become resistant to them.
• Genprex had a cash position of $10.3 million as of September 30, 2018.

Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) is a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing potentially life-changing technologies for cancer patients based upon a unique proprietary technology platform, including Genprex’s initial product candidate, Oncoprex immunogene therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Genprex’s platform technologies are designed to administer cancer-fighting genes by encapsulating them into nanoscale hollow spheres called nanovesicles, which are then administered intravenously and taken up by tumor cells where they express proteins that are missing or found in low quantities.

Research and Development

Genprex holds a portfolio of 30 issued and two pending patents covering its technologies and targeted molecular therapies. The company’s research and development program is focused on identifying and developing leading-edge gene therapies that can be used alone or in combination with other therapies for treatment of cancer.

Genprex’s initial product candidate is Oncoprex, an immunogene therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Oncoprex works by interrupting cell signaling pathways that cause replication and proliferation of cancer cells, re-establishes pathways for apoptosis (or programmed cell death) in cancer cells, and modulates the immune response against cancer cells. Oncoprex has also been shown to block mechanisms that create drug resistance.

Preclinical research is being conducted with the goal of developing Oncoprex to be administered with targeted therapies in other solid tumors, and with immunotherapies in NSCLC and other solid tumors. In addition, Genprex has conducted and plans to continue research into other tumor suppressor genes associated with chromosome 3p21.3, as well as other potential applications of the company’s immunogene therapy platform.

Clinical Trials

Genprex is currently conducting the second phase of a phase I/II clinical trial at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The company plans to expand its clinical program by adding a new clinical study evaluating Oncoprex in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor for treatment of Stage IV or recurrent NSCLC. In research presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research in Washington, D.C., Genprex’s collaborators showed that TUSC2 in combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibition has a significantly greater anti-tumor effect in lung cancer than either agent alone. The research also shows that TUSC2 in combination with PD-1 blockade has synergistic activity in upregulating natural killer (NK) cells, correlating with prolonged survival in mice.

TUSC2 (Tumor Suppressor Candidate 2) is a tumor suppressor gene that is absent or deficient in cancer cells of many different cancer types.

The Market

Genprex technologies seek to bridge a critical gap by combining with targeted therapies and immunotherapies to provide treatments to large patient populations who would otherwise not be candidates for those therapies or who have become resistant to them. Genprex technologies are being developed to overcome genomic limitations which are inherent in targeted therapies and immunotherapies in order to provide new treatment solutions to large cancer populations, such as those with lung cancer.

Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 85 percent of all lung cancers, according to the American Cancer Society (“ACS”). Despite radical advances in drug development and novel therapeutic standards, survival for late stage lung cancer has not improved significantly in the past 25 years.

Senior Management

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer J. Rodney Varner, JD, is a co-founder of Genprex and has served in these roles since August 2012. He has more than 35 years of legal experience with large and small law firms and as outside general counsel of a Nasdaq-listed company. Varner has served as counsel in company formation, mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, other business transactions, protection of trade secrets and other intellectual property, real estate, and business litigation. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Court and the U.S. Tax Court.

Julien L. Pham, M.D., MPH, is president and chief operating officer of Genprex. In March 2013, Dr. Pham co-founded RubiconMD, a healthcare IT company that connects primary care providers to specialists for additional guidance and opinions on medical cases and served as its chief medical officer. He has served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is a board-certified internal medicine doctor and nephrologist.

Ryan M. Confer, MS, has served as Genprex chief financial officer since September 2016. Confer has more than 10 years of executive experience in planning, launching, developing, and growing emerging technology companies and has served in the chief operating and chief financial roles for non-profit and for-profit entities since 2008. Confer has also served as an international business development consultant for the University of Texas at Austin’s IC2 Institute, where he focused on evaluating the commercialization potential of nascent technologies in domestic and international markets applicable to technology incubator programs associated with the University. Confer holds a BS in finance and legal studies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and an MS in technology commercialization from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

Jan Stevens, RN, is vice president of Clinical Operations. Stevens has nearly 20 years of comprehensive clinical operations experience in the biopharma industry and a specialization in early-to-late stage oncology companies. Stevens joined the company to help support the various clinical development programs for Oncoprex.

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

• ChineseHempOil.com Inc.’s consumer product line has been rebranded under the new ‘opt’ brand
• CEO Warren Wang sees potential to uplist to the NYSE or Nasdaq Small Cap Market as company reaches up to $10 million in annual volume
• Subscription revenues for premier financial information website targeting Chinese-speaking investors increased by 40 percent year-over-year

ChineseInvestors.com Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX), developer of a proprietary financial news media and content platform providing information to the global Chinese-speaking community, is following a promising game plan that includes consolidation of the its domestic consumer sites into a single channel to provide a one-stop shop for consumers weary of searching the world wide web. CIIX CEO Warren Wang said in a news release that a rebranding of its subsidiary, ChineseHempOil.com Inc., under the company’s new ‘opt’ brand will offer consumers in the United States a wide variety of premier CBD-infused product lines (http://ibn.fm/i25sW).

Consumers should visit www.365CWC.com to find the latest ‘opt’ brands, which currently include two lines: opt Hemp and opt2mist (http://ibn.fm/D4Xfd). The opt Hemp line includes gummies, oils, soft gels and cosmetics. Additional hemp-derived CBD products are in development. The company’s opt2mist is a spray-vitamin line of products in development that will also offer full-spectrum, hemp-derived CBD-infused formulas.

“The unification of our domestic consumer products under the opt brand is a step in the right direction to building optimal brand recognition as we continue to roll out our new industrial, hemp-infused CBD products and other health and wellness products, such as the opt2mist sprays, throughout 2019 and beyond,” Wang said in the news release.

Through its primary website, www.ChineseInvestors.com, CIIX offers a variety of investor education products and services, including real-time market commentary, analysis and educational services in Chinese language character sets; consultative services to smaller private companies considering going public; and advertising and public relations support services.

Wang, who founded ChineseInvestors.com in 1999 and has been at the helm ever since, is enthusiastic about the company’s path forward. In an interview on MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon, Wang shared that he intends for the company to uplist to the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq Small Cap Market as it reaches up to $10 million in annual volume (http://ibn.fm/SxpAf).

“I’m pretty confident that we will see profitability and revenue growth in the next three to five years,” Wang said in the interview. “Our other goal is uplisting to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or to Nasdaq because we are looking at an acquisition, and we are looking for revenue of $6 million to $10 million in the next three to five years. I think we will definitely qualify for NYSE or Nasdaq on the small cap side.”

The company recently announced its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, pinpointing several important accomplishments. A revenue increase of more than 50 percent year-over-year is one of the key milestones presented in a January 22, 2019, news release (http://ibn.fm/0lRlt). One of the biggest drivers for the excellent financial performance was the increase in hemp and CBD sales revenue. Year-over-year, hemp and CBD sales revenues were up by eight percent, while subscription revenues for the premier financial information website targeting Chinese-speaking investors also increased by 40 percent year-over-year.

ChineseInvestors.com is looking forward to an even stronger performance in the upcoming months, as noted by Wang. He added, “As we leverage the momentum already in place, we look forward to having an even stronger second half for FY 2019.”

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

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

• Launch of multilingual, cross-border, Brazil-China e-commerce trade platform BOAPIN expected in first quarter of 2019
• Exclusive agreement signed with Brazilian Trade Organization, whose 7,500 members may enlist as paid subscribers to BOAPIN platform
• Pacific Software’s strategic IBM working relationship leverages industry-leading Hyperledger blockchain technology and applications

Pacific Software Inc. (OTC: PFSF), an emerging business development technology innovator, is closing in on the launch date of BOAPIN, the company’s proprietary e-commerce platform designed to improve product traceability and deliver much-needed cross-border trade solutions to global subscribers. Pacific Software anticipates that its new blockchain-based trade platform will be able to register new buyers and sellers within the first quarter of 2019, according to a news release (http://ibn.fm/XQOZS).

The platform caters to the evolving needs of an international economy with features such as product certification, marketing, logistics, a commodities search/match interface, trade finance and customs clearance, multilingual communications and cross-border payment solutions. BOAPIN is being developed as a digital, blockchain-supported e-commerce website that will initially link Brazilian agricultural suppliers to China.

“As global economies explore strategies to improve cross-border data infrastructure, Pacific Software is creating smart contract technology that integrates important functionalities for seamless global supply chain management,” Pacific Software CEO and Chairman Harrysen Mittler stated in the release.

BOAPIN is described as an essential element of a new partnership that Pacific Software has signed with China and FIERO, a leading Brazilian trade association focused on developing and promoting the economy of Rondônia, a regional state within Brazil (http://ibn.fm/2vCDM). More than 7,500 FIERO members will soon be able to subscribe to BOAPIN and take advantage of the platform in a bid to expand their sales territory and ensure trade sustainability.

BOAPIN’s inner strength lies in its use of IBM’s Hyperledger Blockchain Backend as a Service (BaaS) infrastructure. The platform tracks, records and stores digital product information by integrating blockchain components that are accessible via a variety of channels linked into the Internet of Things (IoT). By linking to the IoT, the platform is expected to be able to gather valuable product data and make complex supply chains more manageable and safer for all (http://ibn.fm/eCz8b).

It’s not uncommon nowadays for the public to be notified of a product recall. IBM notes that the use of blockchain technology can reduce the cost of the average product recall by up to 80 percent, according to an article published by Forbes (http://ibn.fm/cvyuF). IBM’s Food Trust system uses blockchain to connect participants through a transparent, permanent and shared record of food origin details, processing data, shipping details and more. This is vital, as food fraud costs the global food industry between $10 billion and $15 billion annually, according to the article.

In an annual shareholder letter issued on January 31, Mittler said that, in 2018, Pacific Software achieved its goal of creating a cross-border e-commerce trade platform, and he expects the company to maintain an aggressive pace as it seeks to further expand into the commercial markets of Brazil and China (http://ibn.fm/js3PZ).

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

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