• Recent legislative changes in San Diego are likely to help Green Hygienics Holdings expand to the region, despite increased competition over cultivation land
• Company’s innovative aeroponic growing technology requires less land while still generating higher quality crops
• Additional federal legislative changes expected to result in an incredibly favorable business climate for hemp producers
• The recently passed Federal Farm Bill legalizing hemp forecast to contribute to the growth of the hemp market at a CAGR of 18.4 percent from 2018 to 2022

The demand for cannabis-related real estate has increased significantly in San Diego after the recent legalization and approval of three additional industrial properties for planned marijuana production (http://ibn.fm/mbFvv). While this increases the challenge for many marijuana growers, it could give an advantage to companies such as Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTC: GRYN), whose aeroponics growing system requires limited land and resources, as compared to traditional growing techniques. Green Hygienics Holdings is planning on introducing its brands to the San Diego market first, before moving on to the rest of the U.S. and, then, internationally.

The San Diego City Council has increased the number of formally approved industrial spaces for marijuana cultivation to 21. In addition, the city council has approved 19 of an allowed quota of 36 retail locations. The legislative change was approved on December 3 by absolute majority (eight to zero votes). The vote affirmed permits for marijuana cultivation facilities at a 21,210-square-foot space in the Kearny Mesa area, a 40,536-square-foot space in Mira Mesa and an 86,288-square-foot space in Otay Mesa.

The decision led to increased competition over planned marijuana production sites, with 30 applicants currently vying for the remaining 19 slots available. Early last year, San Diego had 40 available locations and more than 66 applicants. Unless the city approves additional locations, many growers will be left out of San Diego and thus lose access to a market with high potential.

The situation will primarily affect businesses that utilize traditional growing methods, which require extensive resources in terms of land, water and electricity.  This could give companies such as Green Hygienics Holdings, which is using an innovative aeroponic growing technology (the delivery of nutrients to an exposed root), a competitive advantage over other businesses, as this technology requires considerably less land.

Green Hygienics Holdings, a full-scope premium cannabis cultivation enterprise targeting the high-end medical and adult-use recreational markets and leading the way in the development of science-driven cannabis cultivation systems, has developed significant expertise in aeroponics. Its proprietary aeroponics cultivation system offers multiple advantages, including superior quality and yields as a result of growing in a controlled and protected environment, scalability, lower labor costs, lower grow area and water requirements and more.

Consequently, the company’s growing efficiency is increased, and the cost per unit is significantly reduced on a consistent basis. Green Hygienics Holdings’ current product cost per gram is under $1, while competitors cultivating a high-end indoor product have costs ranging from $2 to $4 per gram.

The approvals in San Diego are a part of a larger, nationwide initiative aimed at supporting recreational cannabis sales. The attempt was first made legal in California about two years ago, when the state approved Proposition 64. At this time, California became the fifth state to legalize recreational marijuana use, and, since then, a few others have followed in its footsteps.

The San Diego developments are indicative of a much broader adoption that’s taking place on a national scale. The 2018 Federal Farm Bill was passed by the U.S. Congress with strong bipartisan support on December 12, 2018 (http://ibn.fm/QMNON). The $867 billion bill allocates significant subsidies to American farmers, and, even more importantly, it legalizes hemp.

This legalization is a long-awaited victory after decades of campaigning. It will classify hemp as an agricultural commodity that’s no longer included in the controlled substances list.

According to advocates, the legislative changes will contribute to a market boom. As a new supply chain develops and researchers discover new uses for cannabidiol oil (a hemp derivative), the industry is expected to become more economically viable than ever before.

Researchers suggest that the Federal Farm Bill will contribute to an 18.4 percent CAGR in the period from 2018 to 2022. The cannabidiol oil market is also expected to grow, from $390 million in 2018 to $1.3 billion in 2022 – a CAGR of 27.2 percent over the five-year period (http://ibn.fm/4crIU). The removal of hemp from the controlled substances list is forecast to have an immediate, domino-like effect.

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

• Kontrol Energy gains fast-growing startup recognition with revenue jump from $1.8 million to $16 million during past two years
• Kontrol shores up Dimax acquisition with purchase of IP and patents, technology rebrand to Kontrol SmartSite
• Acquisition strategy update notes focus on energy retrofit industry and emissions compliance

The world is rapidly becoming preoccupied with planetary climate changes as temperatures swing wildly, the Earth’s poles alter their icy constitutions, extreme weather events grow in intensity and sea coast areas experience flooded real estate (http://ibn.fm/ZLwdc). Kontrol Energy (CSE: KNR) (OTC: OTSHF) (FSE: 1K8) is attempting to lead out smart management efforts for utilities usage through a strong merger and acquisition philosophy as consumers become ever-more conscious of their impact on the situation.

Kontrol Energy’s software makes it possible for building managers to utilize automated building technology that’s already in place at their facilities or to add elements as needed to monitor and adjust HVAC system operations with real-time data. The company’s business model appears to be succeeding; in its most recent quarterly earnings report, Kontrol showed revenue growth of 35 percent over the previous year (http://ibn.fm/NyEec).

“In less than 2 years we have grown our revenue run rate from $1.8 Million to $16 Million,” CEO Paul Ghezzi stated in the company’s quarterly announcement. “Kontrol is delivering on our stated goals and objectives and we seek to continue our strong growth through further accretive acquisitions and the expansion of our smart energy technologies.”

On January 16, the company announced its most recent addition – the purchase of Dimax Controls Canada Inc.’s intellectual property and patents. Kontrol Energy acquired MCW Dimax Ltd.’s operating assets on April 30 of last year and began integrating the MCW Dimax team and operating assets into Kontrol Energy Group.

With the purchase of the Dimax IP and patents, Kontrol announced that it will also rebrand the energy software technology as Kontrol SmartSite.

“The Kontrol SmartSite technology now joins Kontrol SmartSuite in our growing portfolio of IOT enabled energy and property technologies,” Ghezzi continued (http://ibn.fm/C6l8G). “Which will enable further technology development.”

The company also recently added two energy service contracts with licensed producers in Canada’s cannabis sector and is wrapping up the acquisition of Ontario-based emission integrator CEM Specialties Inc.

Kontrol provided an update on its acquisition strategy on January 24 (http://ibn.fm/1wTb2), stating, “The immediate area of strategic focus for the Company is to grow its current operations in energy retrofits and emission compliance with an aim to expand across Canada through a number of accretive acquisitions.”

Energy retrofitting involves upgrades to existing commercial building systems. In the areas of emission compliance equipment, measuring and reporting, the company’s growth plan for 2019 envisions a national footprint through an acquisition in both western and eastern Canada, as well as a growing presence in the United States. Canadian Business and Maclean’s recently described Kontrol Energy as the seventh-fastest-growing startup in Canada (http://ibn.fm/Mwrhe).

Efficiency standards can prove important even during an extreme weather event, when utilities are in critical demand. During the recent “polar vortex” incident that plunged the Midwestern United States into a sub-zero deep freeze, many consumers were asked to keep their thermostats down below preferred temperatures or face the possibility of outages as a result of insufficient fuel supplies (http://ibn.fm/0hAZW). Michigan’s governor issued a call to action to the state’s residents in an attempt to help spread the word about the importance of conserving energy amid the crisis.

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

• LOI signed to acquire full-service advertising/marketing agency Goodfellas Group LLC, which serves cannabis/hemp industries throughout the U.S.
• TransCanna recently closed IPO, generating C$2.2 million in gross proceeds
• Principal business centers on branding, transportation, distribution, logistics and fulfillment services to California’s medical and adult-use cannabis industry
• Selection of Purple Crown Communications Corp. of Vancouver, Canada, as IR consultant is expected to build shareholder base, attract potential investors
• U.S. legal cannabis industry projected to reach $23.4 billion in consumer spending in 2022, growing at a 22 percent CAGR from 2017-2022

TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN), which recently raised C$2.2 million through its initial public offering (“IPO”) to help finance the company’s entry into California’s cannabis distribution and branding market (http://ibn.fm/phE3n), has signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire Goodfellas Group LLC, a full-service advertising and marketing agency that specializes in the cannabis and hemp industries. The move is designed to further expand the company’s reach and continue its ongoing growth strategy.

“It’s critically important that in order for our future brands to be successful in the cannabis and hemp space, we have to have relationships with the dispensaries and retailers, who in turn have the relationships with the end users,” Jim Pakulis, CEO of TransCanna, stated in a news release announcing the pending acquisition (http://ibn.fm/lM0NL). “Through GoodFellas, we’ll have immediate access to many of the most successful dispensaries in California, and retailers throughout the US. In addition, we’ll be examining GoodFellas clientele to determine if there are potential acquisition candidates that fit our extremely critical vetting process.”

The Goodfellas acquisition price will be calculated as two times the previous 12-month revenues at the time of execution of the definitive agreements, as set forth in the audited financial statements of Goodfellas. Sixty percent of the acquisition price will be paid at closing, of which one-half will be payable in cash and the rest payable through the issuance of TransCanna’s common shares. The remaining 40 percent of the acquisition price will be paid 12 months after the closing. TransCanna also anticipates retaining key members of the Goodfellas staff.

TransCanna is already in the process of acquiring 23 branding agreements from Goodfellas.

“We watched first-hand how Jim took TransCanna from the inception stage in 2017 to overseeing a successful IPO,” Nam Tran, president of Goodfellas, noted in a news release. “We believe TransCanna’s long term vision aligns with ours which is to build a portfolio of extremely successful brands and have the distribution and sales teams already in place as the brands come online.”

A new report issued by Arcview Market Research in partnership with BDS Analytics projects that the legal cannabis space in the U.S. will experience double-digit growth from 2018 to 2022. According to the report, “The State of Legal Marijuana Markets, Sixth Edition,” consumer spending on legal cannabis products in the U.S. was expected to reach $11 billion in 2018 and climb to more than $23 billion by 2022, growing at a 22 percent compound annual growth rate over the five-year period (http://ibn.fm/sS6Bh). A separate Arcview report, focusing on the economic multiplier effects of U.S. consumer spending on legal cannabis in 2021, states that more than 414,000 jobs will be created in the industry, with over $4 billion generated in tax receipts (http://ibn.fm/rblrY).

Transporting cannabis products in California has been challenging because of the state’s patchwork of local and state regulations. Companies regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation are barred from participating, because cannabis remains illegal under federal law, adding another layer of complication to distribution (http://ibn.fm/FmPIa). Companies looking to excel in the sector must hold a state-issued distributor license from the Bureau of Cannabis Control.

TCM Distribution, the operating company managed by TransCanna, has already entered into three exclusive distribution agreements with licensed operators on the condition that the company gets all of the necessary distribution and transportation licenses and California state permits. TransCanna has also entered into an intellectual property rights and royalty agreement for the Track & Trace software platform required by the state of California.

Keeping shareholders informed is a priority for TransCanna, which recently engaged Purple Crown Communications Corp. of Vancouver to act as its investor relations consultant, subject to regulatory approval of applicable filings with the Canadian Securities Exchange, according to a company news release (http://ibn.fm/nkeuW).

“Our goal was to align ourselves with a firm that puts shareholder communication first and can build a strong shareholder base as management focuses on building the business,” Pakulis stated in the release. “We’re extremely pleased to have retained Purple Crown, and we look forward to working with them and growing TransCanna together.”

Purple Crown will assist TransCanna in broadening its shareholder base and creating effective communications tools for shareholders and potential investors. Purple Crown has been engaged for a term of 12 months, renewable on a monthly basis thereafter on mutual agreement, and it will be paid a monthly fee of $7,000. Except for the investor relations services agreement, Purple Crown does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in the company or its securities.

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

• An estimated $10 billion in ticket sales is expected to be generated in 2019 by the outside business events industry
• Based on its current business model, Cool Events expects to produce over 120 events in 2019 with gross revenues reaching over $19 million
• Non-traditional running events are taking the nation by storm with experiential races and obstacle races topping the “most popular” list, according to Running USA
• Charitable giving is at an all-time high in the U.S. with an estimated $210 billion donated in 2017, according to Giving USA Foundation’s annual report on philanthropy

Cool Events Inc. (OTC: RNWR) offers an array of unique, experiential running and obstacle events that attract thousands of participants sharing a passion for running and helping others. The company produced over 120 events in 2018 under the banner of five successful brands and has already lined up venues for 2019.

Cool Events offers the following trademarked events throughout the nation, with each dedicated to raising funds for important charities: Blacklight Run, the largest glow powder run in the world; Bubble Run, the largest daytime 5K run in the country; Foam Glow, The largest nighttime glow run in the country and the world’s only glowing foam run; Blacklight Slide, the first and only close to five story high Glow-N-Dark water slide with neon glowing water; and Terrain Race, the nation’s fastest growing and industry leading obstacle course race for all ages and athletic abilities.

Cool Events dedicates each of its trademarked runs and events to childhood cancer awareness, making sure this critically important issue is spread throughout the nation one runner, one race at a time. Since its first event in August 2013, the company has donated more than $1 million to Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Children’s Miracle Network and hundreds of thousands more to other charity partners such as Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Adoption Awareness, Special Olympics Massachusetts, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Kendra’s Kisses, Boys and Girls Club and many more over the years.

Cool Events brings a seasoned management team with 35 years of combined experience in operating experiential events including obstacle course races, running races, experiential family events and other competitive events. The Cool Events team also offers consulting, marketing and development for outside events. The company’s in-house marketing agency can handle all brand awareness for event strategy, bringing an event’s vision and goals to life.

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

• QMC Quantum Minerals is exploring for lithium at the Irgon Mine site in southern Manitoba, which is located nearby the world-class TANCO Deposit, another very productive, lithium-bearing granitic pegmatite
• The company is entering into talks with testing firm SGS Canada to begin the process of testing production of a saleable lithium product
• SGS’s evaluation of QMC’s site recently discovered two unexpected geochemical soil anomalies believed to indicate additional, adjacent, lithium-bearing pegmatite dikes

Recent successes in exploring for spodumene-bearing pegmatite dikes on its 100 percent-owned Irgon Property are leading QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (OTC: QMCQF) (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) to begin preliminary testing of lithium recoveries from a sample of the Irgon mineralization. A January news release issued by the company (http://ibn.fm/ULHSE) notes that QMC is entering discussions with specialized international inspections and testing firm SGS Canada to evaluate lithium recoveries from a large spodumene-bearing pegmatite sample obtained from known dikes on the Irgon property. This is expected to result in confirmation that the production of a saleable lithium material is viable.

QMC will continue to evaluate the additional, potentially mineralized locations as defined by significant geochemical anomalies generated by the recent mobile metal ion (“MMI”) soil geochemical orientation survey that was undertaken at QMC’s Irgon Lithium Mine site in southern Manitoba. The company previously announced that MMI surveying techniques employed by SGS had accurately identified the western extension of its existing Irgon Dike and had gone on to identify two MMI geochemical soil anomalies located north and south of the Irgon Dike. The company believes that these geochemical anomalies are related to buried, parallel, lithium-bearing pegmatite occurrences at which no surface rock outcropping nor spodumene mineralization is visible (http://ibn.fm/Yt95o). Each of the anomalies, and several additional highly prospective areas, will be further tested and expanded during the upcoming field season to accurately define the exact location and size of the underlying source of the geochemical anomalies. Once defined, all targets will then be tested.

After evaluating the MMI test results received as a result of the MMI orientation geochemical soil survey established directly over the Irgon Dike, SGS noted that “Li (lithium) values in soils correlate well with both Cs (cesium) and Rb (rubidium) values,” and added that “the Cs values for many of the samples are well above a ‘normal Cs value’ in various rock types in North America. This would be expected as elevated Cs values have been previously documented in the assay results of samples obtained during the recent QMC channel sampling program of the Irgon Dike. Cs is also reported to occur in biotite selvages that occur along the contact of the Irgon Dike.”

The two “separate and very pronounced MMI anomalies” that were identified show stronger MMI signatures than the MMI signature received from above the known, existing spodumene mineralization that occurs in the Irgon Dike. QMC is planning to continue to use the MMI survey technique to explore other areas within the Irgon Lithium Mine Property with the aim of quickly adding potential resource expansion.

In the meantime, the lithium recovery study being negotiated with SGS will test the recoveries on and the upgrading of a large spodumene-bearing pegmatite sample taken from dikes on the Irgon Property. SGS will prepare the large sample so that it will be responsive to the dense media separation (“DMS”) process. Then, all gangue magnetic minerals (such as magnetite) will be removed, and a lithium concentrate will be made using DMS. The company will then upgrade the lithium concentrate through flotation technology to recover a final, saleable product.

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

• Completed development of novel, frozen formulation of Bria-IMT for on-demand shipment to clinical sites
• New formulation to accommodate higher patient volumes at reduced per-dose costs
• Mechanism of action and proof of concept achieved in FDA-approved clinical trial with advanced breast cancer patients
• The global cancer immunotherapy market is expected to be valued at nearly $125 billion by the end of 2024
• Breast cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among women globally, with 2.1 million cases expected in 2018

Battling a cancer prognosis is often referred to as “fighting the good fight,” but it’s a tough, uphill battle for many patients combating advanced breast cancer. The need for effective, lasting breast cancer treatment is urgent, the Cancer Research Institute (http://ibn.fm/bGdDk) states in an article titled ‘How is Immunotherapy Changing the Outlook for Patients with Breast Cancer’. As an immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company, BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF) (TSX.V: BCT) is dedicated to developing the first off-the-shelf, personalized immunotherapy targeting the unmet needs of advanced breast cancer patients.

BriaCell’s lead cancer drug candidate – Bria-IMT – has shown promise in FDA-approved clinical trials, suggesting excellent safety and efficacy in patients who matched the Bria-IMT HLA types. Bria-IMT activates the immune system to destroy cancer cells in a way that’s believed to be both unique and more effective than other, similar approaches. BriaCell recently announced the imminent clinical use of a novel frozen formulation of Bria-IMT for on-demand shipment to clinical sites to accommodate higher patient volumes at reduced per-dose costs (http://ibn.fm/wiZwo). Bria-IMT is currently being tested in a phase I/IIa clinical trial with pembrolizumab [KEYTRUDA®; manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK)], listed on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03328026.

“Currently, the old formulation of Bria-IMT used in the clinical trials was cumbersome to prepare, as it had to be processed the day before administration to patients. This created a great deal of inconvenience and complexities for the manufacturer, clinicians and patients,” Dr. Bill Williams, BriaCell’s president and CEO, stated in a news release (http://ibn.fm/76eLc). “The new frozen formulation has shown improved potency and stability in vitro and, based on its constituents and injection route, is expected to be highly bioavailable. This enhances Bria-IMT’s potential to address patient needs as a ready-to-use treatment alternative that can be prepared in advance, is easily transportable to distant locations in large quantities, is easy to use, and is safe and highly effective.”

The global cancer immunotherapy market is expected to jump from $37.5 billion in 2015 to $124.9 billion by the end of 2024, maintaining a compound annual growth rate of 14.6 percent during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024, according to Transparency Market Research (http://ibn.fm/W5dpd). The global cancer immunotherapy market is expected to witness a spike in demand for immune checkpoint inhibitors due to their high success rates and improved overall efficiency, the report states. Globally, more than two million new breast cancer cases were estimated to have been diagnosed during 2018.

BriaCell is on the cutting edge of cancer treatment with its proprietary, effective and safe immunotherapy applications, Williams explained during a featured interview on Uptick Newswire’s Stock Day Podcast. Williams shared his enthusiasm for the company’s technological advancements in battling advanced breast cancer as he reviewed progress made and plans for the company’s future (http://ibn.fm/WwYTT).

“We’ve dosed over 20 patients now with Bria-IMT. It has been very safe and well tolerated,” Williams said in the interview. “We’ve seen this strong anti-tumor response in the patients who match Bria-IMT at HLA alleles, so we are very excited about the prospects of these findings.”

BriaCell recently presented a poster at a 2019 Keystone Symposia scientific conference, held January 20-24 at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia. The presentation highlighted BriaCell’s recent clinical and research-focused development of Bria-IMT and BriaDX programs (http://ibn.fm/fUIMc). BriaDX is the corresponding companion diagnostic test that helps identify those patients most likely to benefit from treatment with Bria-IMT and Bria-OTS, BriaCell’s off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapy, which is currently under development with plans to enter the clinic in 2H2019.

BriaCell management also attended Biotech Showcase 2019, an important investor conference that took place January 7-9 at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco, California.

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

• Leader in technological innovation and world-class customer service
• Launched Netevia in-app payments software development kit
• Focused on the creation of a unified global transaction acceptance ecosystem

In a fiercely competitive environment, Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) stands out for its technological innovation and world-class customer service. Specializing in mobile payments and value-added transactional services, the company has set itself apart as one of the fastest-growing companies in North America, according to Deloitte’s 2017 Technology Fast 500 and the South Florida Business Journal. This one-stop, omni-channel processing solution provides over 100 payment solutions. In North America, NETE’s transactions revenues rose over 17 percent year-over-year. Through the combination of organic growth, global merchants and innovative services, the company is positioned for continued expansion.

The company recently announced (http://ibn.fm/Oqntz) the launch of the Netevia in-app payments software development kit (SDK). The platform makes it possible for developers and hardware manufacturers to process payments with existing consumer-facing applications. The Netevia SDK is a feature-ready, multichannel platform that allows developers to build a secure, payment-card industry (PCI) and cryptocurrency-compliant experience for the user that simplifies payments through a single integration point.

Bain & Company predict that the global Internet of Things (IoT) market will reach $510 billion by 2021. When combined with Cisco’s estimate that more than 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet, it becomes clear that Netevia has a huge opportunity to reach a rapidly expanding market. The all-in-one platform, easy set-up and real-time reporting are only some of the features listed at www.Netevia.com.

According to Statista, worldwide mobile payment volume is expected to surpass $1 trillion in 2019. NETE is setting the standard for the industry while focusing on the creation of a unified global transaction acceptance ecosystem. The company believes that, by understanding consumer behavior and the needs of merchants, it can effectively power global commerce and equip clients to conduct business worldwide.

To achieve this goal and maintain its competitive edge, NETE is strategically focused on continued investment in core technology, new product offerings (such as the Netevia SDK), allocating resources and expertise to grow in commerce and payments segments, strategic acquisitions, continued improvement and operational excellence.

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

• MCOA supports a variety of portfolio companies, which participate at different levels within the cannabis and hemp industries
• The company has CBD-derived product brand hempSMART as a primary portfolio holding
• MCOA provides turn-key services to the legal cannabis and hemp industries

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) delivers recognized brands via innovative marketing distribution companies. MCOA is an umbrella company. It is undergoing development to support an array of portfolio companies that participate within the cannabis and hemp industries. Primarily an industrial hemp business, one of MCOA’s main companies is wholly owned subsidiary hempSMART Inc. Company management has expertise in cultivation, processing and distribution. MCOA has its corporate headquarters in Escondido, California.

The company provides turn-key services to the legal cannabis and hemp industries. Most of MCOA’s projects are involved in the cultivation and distribution of hemp-derived products. Its hempSMART subsidiary offers a line of industrial hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) products, which contain no THC. In addition, hempSMART offers the opportunity to distribute its products as part of its associate marketing model. In essence, MCOA’s focus is on hemp more than marijuana. It is targeting the $3.7 trillion wellness industry with branded cannabidiol products (http://ibn.fm/9Xm9z).

Grand View Research (http://ibn.fm/vFKSd) noted in a report, “The global industrial hemp market size was estimated at USD 3.9 billion in 2017, expanding at a CAGR of 14.0% over the forecast period.” It added (http://ibn.fm/yZZBn), “The global industrial hemp market size is expected to reach USD 10.6 billion by 2025.”

Moreover, Technavio, based on its industry analysis (http://ibn.fm/Mw33r), predicts that, “…the industrial hemp market will grow at a year-over-year rate of 15.3% in 2019, with a CAGR of 15.5% through to 2023.” Moreover, the expectation is that legal marijuana markets will reach $24.5 billion by 2021 (http://ibn.fm/4dw4O).

MCOA is leveraging this growth by establishing itself along different points in the industrial hemp, cannabis and related services supply chains (http://ibn.fm/jaGne). The company and joint venture partner Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE: GHG) (OTC: GBHPF) recently announced that clone production for the 2019 season at its Scio, Oregon, high yielding CBD hemp project is now very active in preparation for an “as early as possible” planting this year (http://ibn.fm/dGbRc).

Along with hempSMART, MCOA’s portfolio companies include Brunswick Hemp Project, Covered Bridge Acres LTD and MoneyTrac Technology. The company’s product portfolio, by way of hempSMART, includes hempSMART Brain, hempSMART Face, hempSMART Drops, hempSMART Pain Capsules and hempSMART Pain Cream. The company’s certificates of analysis validate the purity and quality of its THC-free products (http://ibn.fm/qryOB).

Furthermore, MCOA places an emphasis on the leasing of real property to separate business entities involved in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and appropriately regulated for medicinal and recreational use. The company additionally engages in the expansion of its business into supplementary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp industries.

MCOA continues to work to create value for its shareholders. It is doing so with diverse initiatives, including strategically investing in synergistic companies to develop a varied portfolio of subsidiaries and JVs. MCOA envisions a future in which it will be a model for entrepreneurs and businesses that share its common goals and philosophies. This includes creating an environment for businesses to improve quality of life for their customers.

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

• The market share of immunotherapy treatments for breast cancer and other malignancies is expected to increase exponentially by 2024
• The incidence of breast cancer is set to grow by 50 percent in the next decade
• BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. has already established the effectiveness of its lead candidate, Bria-IMT, in clinical trials
• A personalized, off-the-shelf immunotherapy solution, Bria-OTS, is under development

With the incidence of breast cancer expected to increase worldwide, the therapeutic market for this particular ailment is also set to grow at a CAGR of eight percent through 2023, according to industry reports (http://ibn.fm/HVYSA). Companies such as BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF) (TSX.V: BCT) will be leading the way, as the development of new treatment solutions is expected to be a primary factor contributing to the market’s growth.

According to the ‘Global Breast Cancer Therapeutics Market 2019-2023’ report, various innovative therapies are emerging to offer breast cancer patients more advanced solutions than the ones currently available. Therapies having the potential to address advanced breast cancer cases will also dominate the market in the years to come, the report concludes.

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp., an immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company, is currently testing such specialized therapies for advanced breast cancer patients. The company is developing immunotherapy solutions that have so far proven to be both highly effective and well-tolerated by patients.

Bria-IMT, the lead BriaCell cancer drug candidate, has delivered promising results in three clinical studies to date. In tests with advanced breast cancer patients, Bria-IMT contributed to tumor shrinkage. Currently, Bria-IMT’s effectiveness is being assessed in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) by Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK).

Bria-IMT works by providing breast cancer antigens and stimulation of the T-cells – an important part of the immune system responsible for fighting cancer. Proof of concept for this therapy has already been achieved in clinical trials. Its safety has been established as excellent, even in the case of heavily-pretreated advanced breast cancer patients.

The combination study has treated six patients to date with Bria-IMT and KEYTRUDA. All patients tolerated the combination very well, and additional data about the efficacy of the combination will be released in the first quarter of 2019.

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. is also working to develop Bria-OTS – a personalized, off-the-shelf immunotherapy solution for advanced breast cancer patients. Bria-OTS is expected to provide a tailor-made breast cancer solution that is much more cost-efficient and easier to manufacture than alternative treatments.

According to the company, the very same technology could be applicable to the treatment of other types of cancer.

Several studies indicate that the incidence of breast cancer is expected to increase in the next decade (http://ibn.fm/XR9CX). U.S. breast cancer diagnoses are anticipated to grow from 283,000 in 2011 to 441,000 in 2030, an increase of over 50 percent. The proportion of cases diagnosed among women in the 50-to-69 age group is expected to decrease from 55 percent to 44 percent in 2030. Diagnoses among those aged 70 to 84, however, will increase from 24 percent to 35 percent.

Immunotherapy could provide a viable solution to the problem. The cancer immunotherapy market is anticipated to grow to $145 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 14 percent (http://ibn.fm/IBQyc). Immunotherapy currently accounts for 50 percent of the oncology medications market, but it is forecast that roughly 60 percent of previously treated cancer patients will adopt immunotherapy by 2026.

With its dedicated immunotherapies, BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. is on the front line of the battle, exploring new ways to address the unmet medical needs of advanced cancer patients. The potential market is estimated to be between $1 billion and $5 billion, depending on the stage of treatment.

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

• Aziza Project’s security token offering permits token holders to share in company profits
• Aziza Project has an investment in Africa New Energies
• Its security token value comes from the value of assets held by the Aziza Project in Namibia

Aziza Project LLC offers cyber tokens backed by assets and invests in early-stage oil and gas exploration operations in the underdeveloped regions of Southern Africa. Its initial investment is a 20 percent stake in Africa New Energies (“ANE”). ANE is preparing to drill wells on a Montana-sized portion of Namibia. Aziza Project owns 20 percent of ANE. London-based Aziza Project is working to raise $60 million to complete a 10-well drilling program. It is doing so via the sale of Aziza Coin tokens, which it offered through a security token offering in October 2018 (http://ibn.fm/Fsxl6).

Crypto tokens are used to represent digital assets that are fungible (mutually interchangeable) and tradeable. These tokens are often hosted by another platform, such as the Ethereum blockchain, instead of operating on a blockchain of their own (http://ibn.fm/5ITkB). There are three types of crypto tokens: asset-backed tokens, currency or coin tokens (standalone cryptocurrencies based on their own blockchain) and utility tokens.

Aziza Project’s security token offering (backed by assets) will allow token holders to share in company profits. Its security token is a digital asset deriving its value from a tradeable external asset. Therefore, its value comes from the value of assets held by the Aziza Project, such as its investment in ANE and ANE’s considerable hydrocarbon asset in Africa. Coinmonks (http://ibn.fm/rg7ys) noted in a recent article that, “Even though the ecosystem is young and still developing, there’s incredible potential for security tokens to evolve and pave the way for an entirely new way of investing and raising capital.”

With Aziza Project’s significant investment in ANE, the proving of the oil and gas resource could result in the Aziza Project’s holdings being worth up to $621 million. There’s much to be positive about concerning oil and gas exploration in Africa. South Africa is advancing on boosting its oil and gas sector this year (http://ibn.fm/XNCwV). Furthermore, Uganda is lobbying for investors in its Albertine fields to prospect for oil, and the country is inviting new oil exploration bids (http://ibn.fm/K3sI8).

Namibia is ranked as being business and investor friendly. The nation is ranked “1= most business-friendly regulations” in the Ease of Doing Business Index by Trading Economics (http://ibn.fm/bdvSE). The Financial Times reported that interest in Namibia as an oil and gas region has picked up in recent years. It noted that Namibia has the same geological formations as Brazil, where pre-salt fields have attracted substantial investment (http://ibn.fm/334H0).

Fundamentally, Aziza Project is focusing on the ethical development of oil and gas. Its ANE initiative is a first-rate investment. ANE has title to a 22,000 square kilometer onshore prospective hydrocarbon concession in Namibia, as well as supportive airborne data and geochemical evidence of hydrocarbons (http://ibn.fm/SluV6). Hence, Aziza Project’s return on investment is expected to come from the successful completion of the 10-well drilling program. The success of this program is planned to help ANE finance the construction of a hybrid gas-to-solar power plant in the long term, which will supply low-cost electricity to the local grid.

The crypto industry is moving toward practical mainstream adoption and regulation. Aziza Project is leveraging this trend and offering investors a new way to partake in oil and gas initiatives in Southern Africa through its security tokens. With its cyber tokens and ANE investment, Aziza Project is on course for growth in investor-friendly Namibia.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Aziza.io