• Israel on brink of removing ban on export of medical marijuana
• Redfund makes first investment in cannabis beverage company Biolog Inc.
• Biolog to collaborate in initiative to develop water-soluble cannabinoids

Recent developments in regulation and research and development in the cannabis space are set to swell the project pipeline of Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4). In November, a government committee in Israel approved the first draft of a law on the export of medical cannabis, a move welcomed by the industry, with one commentator (http://ibn.fm/XyGB5) opining, “Although a small step in the dry process of legislation, it’s a huge leap forward for the industry.” Medical cannabis has been domestically available in Israel for at least two decades. Its export, however, has been prohibited, leaving untapped, some say, a market worth around $4 billion.

The course of cannabis in Israel has meandered over the years. Most notably, it was in Israel that Raphael Mechoulam and Yechiel Gaoni started research on cannabis in the 1960s, with their work eventually leading to the identification and isolation of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic component in marijuana. Today, Israel continues to lead research into cannabinoids. Yet, recreational use of cannabis remains illegal and will continue to do so until April 1, 2019. Additionally, export of medical cannabis is banned. Nevertheless, change is imminent. In 2017, two Israeli government departments recommended that export of medical cannabis be given the go-ahead. A committee made up of members from the Ministries of Finance and Health estimated that the Israeli export market could be valued at one to four billion shekels ($275 million to over $1 billion).

Redfund Capital Corp. is a merchant bank focused on providing debt and equity funding to mid- and late-stage companies. The bank’s current focus is on medical cannabis, hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) related companies. Redfund is keeping a close eye on developments in the Middle Eastern nation. The merchant bank has been performing due diligence on a number of potential target companies located there. One such company is developing technology that could change how cannabis is grown for medical cannabis patients. A second is a medical products and CDB company, while a third has research and development facilities in Israel and grow operations abroad. Redfund is looking to Israel as the next country to forge strong relationships with for its banking initiatives (http://ibn.fm/cO1Md).

In August 2018, Redfund announced that it had completed its first investment. The landmark initiative took the form of equity financing in Biolog Inc., a California-based company (http://ibn.fm/LitrW). Biolog Inc. operates in the fast-growing market for CBD edibles and infused beverages. Its products are expected to employ DehydraTECH technology, under license from Lexaria Bioscience Corporation (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP), which will enhance their taste and improve the bioavailability of active ingredients. Biolog has also announced a partnership with Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) to develop water-soluble cannabis technologies for cannabis- and phytocannabinoid-infused foods, beverages and consumer products (http://ibn.fm/lRqyU).

Cannabinoids, including CBD, are lipophilic (akin to fats and oils) and thus not soluble in water. Various methods, such as emulsification, have been attempted to make them more so, but many drawbacks still remain. This joint effort between Biolog, Inc. and Cannabis Strategic Ventures will seek to push past these limitations to develop a new set of compounds that can be easily added to foods, beverages, cosmetics and other consumer products. The result is expected to make cannabis more usable, thus significantly improving bioavailability and overall benefits to the human body.

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

• Hemp-based CBD products are sold through SinglePoint’s e-commerce subsidiary, SingleSeed.com
• 2018 Farm Bill signed into U.S. law, removing hemp from list of controlled substances
• $1 billion hemp-derived CBD industry projected to reach $22 billion by 2022
• SinglePoint expects to top $1 million in 2018 sales and build to $3 million in 2019

SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING), a fully reporting technology company providing mobile payments, blockchain solutions and ancillary cannabis services, sees the recent passage and signing of the 2018 Farm Bill as a game changer for its SingleSeed.com subsidiary and its future growth plans. In a video discussion ranging from which CBD-infused product is topping the sales chart at SingleSeed.com to negotiations underway for new acquisitions, SinglePoint President Wil Ralston and CEO Greg Lambrecht share their thoughts on the impact of the 2018 Farm Bill as it relates to the hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) space (http://ibn.fm/rZB4l).

“It seems like two years ago I started to hear a little bit about CBD and what it was doing for people. Momentum has really been building for CBD. People are using it for a variety of things,” Lambrecht stated in the video. “As CBD becomes legal, you’re going to see this product sold in more traditional stores like Walgreens and 7-Eleven. We’re really excited about our online presence, but we’re also very focused on putting this product into retail, too.”

Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, which President Trump signed into law on December 20, farmers in the U.S. will be able to legally plant and harvest hemp. CBD derived from hemp is commonly used to promote wellness products, since it does not produce the expected ‘high’ of the THC compound found in marijuana. Interest in the nascent but booming $1 billion CBD industry is quickly moving toward the mainstream, according to BusinessInsider (http://ibn.fm/DqwUJ), although CBD is not a new investment field for SinglePoint.

“We’ve been in the space over a year and have a first-mover advantage,” Lambrecht continued. “Now with the Farm Bill, CBD is going to be legal and we want to go full force into that product. We expect to see an enormous amount of funding and investors to come into the market.”

SinglePoint subsidiary SingleSeed is an ecommerce site that distributes CBD products derived from hemp via the SingleSeed.com website. The addition of multiple product listings on the site during 2018 has proven successful as consumers seek out a variety of CBD choices. SinglePoint President Wil Ralston noted in the video that the company’s best sellers to date are its CBD-infused water products, which are proving to be very popular with consumers.

SinglePoint anticipates that SingleSeed will be one of the company’s top revenue-producing subsidiaries over the coming year. Another portfolio company, DIGS, has continued to expand its footprint in the CBD space and is currently fulfilling many of the orders for SingleSeed.com. The company is also working on supplying bulk orders of CBD in crude and isolate forms and can white label and handle drop shipping for many products. DIGS has provided SinglePoint with additional revenue, as well as many contacts in the cannabis and CBD industries. SinglePoint plans to expand this entity through additional distribution points and tap into the cultivation side of the industry, which is seeing major growth as more states open and legalize cannabis (http://ibn.fm/GgRPr).

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

• Sees opportunity in the passing of the new Farm Bill
• Signs new chief sales officer to distribute CBD products nationwide
• Orders first commercial production run of Hygee Kits

The passing of the new Farm Bill is big news for companies like Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) that work within the cannabis industry. ETST is a Florida-based biotechnology company focused on cannabis and cannabinoid research and development, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The newly passed 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp (including hemp-derived cannabinoids containing less than 0.3 percent THC) from the Controlled Substances act. According to New Frontier cannabis market data, the American CBD market is now projected to reach $2.3 billion in revenue by 2022.

ETST is taking advantage of the opportunities now afforded by the 2018 Farm Bill. In a recent press release (http://ibn.fm/oqaDm), the company announced a change in staff. David Barbash has been signed on as its new chief sales officer, beginning in 2019. He brings more than 20 years of new business development experience and is a proven negotiator, manager and motivator. Barbash will be responsible for distributing CBD products through his nationwide retail accounts. Jill Buzan, ETST’s current chief sales officer, is transitioning to direct ETST’s sales in Florida.

In a news release, Nickolas S. Tabraue, president, director and chairman of ETST, stated, “[Barbash’s] expertise and enthusiasm will be tremendous assets as we ride the wave opportunity afforded by the legalization of hemp cultivation and hemp-derived CBD in the United States.”

The company also recently announced its first commercial production run of Hygee Kits (http://ibn.fm/pDNhr). The self-sampling kits enable women to discreetly test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that women between the ages of 15 and 25 who are sexually active get tested yearly for chlamydia. This demographic represents a market of approximately 500 million women worldwide. Initial marketing for this first product run will target North America, South America, Asia and Africa. Packaging for the kits will be available in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese and Arabic.

Hygee is convenient, efficient, affordable and anonymous. It is considered a ‘mistake-proof’ medical device that comes with simple instructions that allow for successful use on the first try.  According to WHO, there are approximately 130 million new chlamydia cases diagnosed each year. Pregnant women are screened to minimize the risk of transmitting the infection to their babies during childbirth. Chlamydia is a global issue, and sales of Hygee are projected to reach between $1.5 million and $2.5 million in the first year. Second year sales are projected to reach $1 million monthly, and, by the third year, sales are expected to rise to $20 million yearly. By 2023, the global medical device market is anticipated to surpass $400 billion (http://ibn.fm/u3YfU). While Hygee is set to be launched early in 2019 for the detection of chlamydia, it is only the beginning in terms of what the company has planned in the medical device space.

“We believe that ETST has developed the best tool on the market to fight STIs, which will provide an exceptional service to women who use Hygee,” added Tabraue. “The production of the first batch of Hygee is very exciting. Our team believed in the success of Hygee from the first day we acquired it. Now, we will do everything possible to spread this fabulous medical device everywhere on the planet to protect women and their future babies from the terrible, adverse effects of chlamydia and other STIs.”

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

• Provides best-in-class products and services by leveraging a Blue Ocean Strategy
• Provides training and mentorship to ‘Elepreneurs’ that promote positive psychology and personal development to enhance consumers’ shopping experience
• Cumulative sales reached more than $39 million since December 2017, and plans are in place to expand globally in 2019

Sharing Services, Inc. (OTCQB: SHRV) is a diversified holding company located in Plano, Texas, that owns, operates or controls a variety of companies in the direct selling industry. The company works to equip and promote the success of home-based entrepreneurs, which it has dubbed ‘Elepreneurs’. SHRV has seen significant growth in 2018 and looks forward to further expansion in 2019.

SHRV provides best-in-class products and services by leveraging a unique Blue Ocean Strategy. This strategy is focused on providing excellent support to its team of Elepreneurs, generating 100 percent organic growth and cultivating as many new leaders as possible. By focusing on improving how business is done and providing the team of Elepreneurs with superior support, the company is innovating the home-based entrepreneurial industry. In the past year, over 17,000 independent sales representatives have joined the Elepreneurs team.

Through mentorship and training the company emphasizes positive selling experiences with friendly people to add the personalized touch that consumers crave. Robert Oblon, the company’s chairman, encourages Elepreneurs to consider the importance of positive psychology and personal development, along with the impact that they have on direct sales.

The company recently announced (http://ibn.fm/oxcWO) revenues of $17.9 million for the fiscal second quarter, bringing total sales revenues since the December 2017 launch of products to more than $39 million. SHRV continues to gain ground in the direct-selling industry by owning, operating or controlling companies that offer a variety of services in the health and wellness, energy, technology, insurance, training, media and travel industries.

The year of 2018 was a busy one for SHRV, as it took several steps toward expansion. A new corporate headquarter was built in Plano, Texas, that offers room for expansion into its 10,000-square-foot floor plan that includes a customer service department, product fulfillment center, opportunity and training rooms and a video production suite. Experienced talent was added to the management team, and plans are in place to travel the U.S. to hold several mini conferences that focus on helping people become “healthier, happier and wealthier.” The coming year looks just as promising as SHRV begins to initiate a previously announced plan for global expansion.

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

• Demand for cobalt forecast to grow in 2019 and the year beyond, increasing the price of the natural resource
• DRC is currently the world’s largest cobalt producer, but political turmoil and ethical considerations are providing excellent opportunities for alternative cobalt producers like First Cobalt
• 2018 was a successful year for First Cobalt, with Iron Creek Cobalt Project prospecting far exceeding initial expectations

The forecast for cobalt in the coming few years is a positive one, with demand set to grow and prices expected to increase 30 percent by mid-2019, according to analysts. The cobalt price reached near decades high in March 2018, but then dropped for a few months and is now expected to reach $70,000 per tonne by the middle of 2019 and $80,000 per tonne by 2020, as noted by a Capital Economics report (http://ibn.fm/9Iqix). The increase in both demand and pricing will most likely benefit alternative cobalt producers such as North American pure-play cobalt company First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC).

Geopolitical events and economic developments will likely contribute to the eventual hike. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) currently produces over 60 percent of the world’s cobalt. The country is dealing with an Ebola outbreak, as well as a chaotic election. Depending on the outcome of the elections, the country could enforce a new law that raises costs for all mineral producers and imposes a 10 percent royalty on cobalt exports (http://ibn.fm/BX1KB).

Awareness about ethical issues surrounding cobalt production in the DRC is increasing, which is yet another factor contributing to a market shift.

These trends are expected to have a positive effect on the work of First Cobalt Corp. As the demand for cobalt is set to increase exponentially, the company is continuing work on its flagship asset – the Iron Creek Cobalt Project in Idaho.

First Cobalt recently reported high grade mineralization intercepts at the Iron Creek Project. The mineralization extends to the eastern portion of the current resource area (http://ibn.fm/SKG7T). Drilling at Iron Creek was ongoing throughout 2018 with a primary aim of extending the mineralization zone from 500 to over 1,500 meters.

The project has already been classified as an advanced, unique asset. In terms of cobalt projects, it is quickly shaping up as one of the most crucial opportunities in North America. Through further development and the exploration of domestic sources of the metal, countries on the continent are expected to become much less dependent on foreign imports marked by serious volatility.

First Cobalt’s Iron Creek Project has inferred mineral resources of 26.9 million tonnes grading 0.11 percent cobalt equivalent.

According to an official statement on the First Cobalt website, the company’s vision “is to become the largest primary cobalt producer outside the DRC and the most attractive cobalt stock on the market.” The statement also suggests that the First Cobalt strategy is “to explore, develop and refine material in North America for sale back into the American battery market.”

An updated resource estimate for the Iron Creek Cobalt Project in Idaho is expected in early 2019. First Cobalt executives are also negotiating with third party investors who could minimize or eliminate altogether equity dilution for the purpose of potentially restarting the company’s refinery within 18 months. First Cobalt’s refinery in eastern Canada is the only permitted cobalt extraction refinery in North America that can produce battery grade material.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ibn.fm/FTSSF

• The Flowr Corporation recently acquired 19.8 percent of Holigen, a large-scale cannabis producer
• Lance Emanuel has joined the company as its president, bringing valuable background experience
• Recent article cites low production costs and high yields per square foot as predictors of the company’s continued success

The Flowr Corporation (TSX: FLWR), a vertically integrated Canadian company producing premium cannabis product, is expected to weather a coming supply glut over larger companies because of its low operating costs and irradiation-free products.

The up-and-coming company was featured in a recent article on The Motley Fool. The article described an upcoming supply glut in the cannabis industry, rumored to hit by 2020. A supply glut occurs when supply far surpasses demand for a product, and, typically, companies lower costs to remain competitive.

What will set The Flowr Corporation apart from the pack, writer Keith Speights predicts, is the company’s ability to maintain high yields per square foot. When competing companies are inevitably forced to drop prices in order to stay afloat, The Flowr Corporation’s already low costs will give it the competitive edge over larger companies with higher production expenses (http://ibn.fm/9CyHL).

Additionally, the company plans on continuing to increase its production yields even further, which company co-founder and chairman Steve Klein believes is the “most important [key performance indicator]” in the industry. When a company can maximize its production yield, production costs are minimized. In the upcoming year, The Flowr Corporation’s production cost is expected to be C$2.05 per gram. This competitively low cost bests those of substantial industry leaders like Canopy Growth and Tilray.

Another component to The Flowr Corporation’s success can be seen in several strategic moves as of late. On December 14, the company announced that Lance Emanuel had joined the team as its president. Emanuel brings with him career experience in highly regulated markets. As a co-founder of QuarterSpot, Inc., he helped grow the company by establishing its lending framework and leading several large business growth initiatives.

As The Flowr Corporation continues to look toward the future, it plans on becoming a competitive global player in the cannabis market. It recently acquired 19.8 percent of Holigen, a company set to obtain a license for one of the most significant cultivation facilities in the developed world. Its new facility will include an outdoor cultivation license, increasing growth capacity significantly and creating one of the lowest cost cultivation opportunities in the world. This calculated move will allow the smaller company to use its “financial strength and industry-leading cultivation expertise to gain exposure to the rapidly expanding European and Australian markets,” Vinay Tolia, Co-CEO of The Flowr Corporation, noted in a news release (http://ibn.fm/jWRWj).

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

• Scaling up with acquisitions and agreements in cannabis and hemp sectors
• SGMD to gain synergy from application of hydroponics to cannabis cultivation
• Revenue guidance for 2019 raised to $70 million

With California’s legal cannabis market expected to grow “more than 18 percent annually to hit $5.6 billion by 2020” (http://ibn.fm/FlhFw) and the hydroponics market on “a CAGR of 6.5%” (http://ibn.fm/T5pCt) from 2018 to 2023, California-based Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) has positioned itself at the confluence of two great market movements. The state was the first to buck the trend of prohibition when, in 1996, it passed the Compassionate Care Act, which legalized medical cannabis. In 2016, it made adult use legal as well, and, on January 1, 2018, sales of recreational pot officially began. Now, with demand for cannabis set to rise rapidly, attention is turning toward the supply sector and the cultivation and storage technologies like those now available from SGMD. The company’s partnership with Plantation Corp. has given it a toehold in the cannabis storage space, and its master marketing agreement with BizRight Hydroponics Inc. gives it immediate scale, expected to be around $30 million per annum.

Sugarmade’s strategy revolves around the supply of equipment and technologies to support the legal cultivation, processing and storage of cannabis and other agricultural products. Its marketing and distribution agreements open the doors to three major cannabis markets. The deal with Plantation Corp. makes SGMD the exclusive distributor for BudLife in California, Oregon and Washington. BudLife is a unique patent-protected device for the long-term storage of cannabis that’s designed to preserve quality. Modern methods of cultivating cannabis are able to produce high grades of cannabis. However, the quality of cannabis degrades quickly, creating a risk that large quantities of inventory may become unsaleable.

The BudLife products are meant to significantly reduce this risk and allow growers and distributors to store and control the release of their higher quality products at optimal times. Consumers can also use BudLife to preserve the quality of their cannabis flowers for later consumption. SGMD thinks that BudLife will be a game changer for the cannabis industry. The industry has been lacking an effective storage device that will preserve THC levels, prohibit terpene degradation and safeguard the other important properties of cannabis.

A year ago, Sugarmade announced the creation of the industry’s largest publicly traded cannabis and hydroponics supply company. The announcement was made after the signing of a master market agreement with industry leader BizRight Hydroponics, Inc., a highly successful manufacturer and distributor to the hydroponics and cannabis markets. BizRight offers a range of hydroponics-related products, including HPS grow lights, electronic ballasts, HPS Bulbs, nutrient mixes, environmental control products, pH measurement and calibration solutions and other cannabis-related grow and storage products. BizRight operates the ZenHydro.com website and other e-commerce properties, and it sells various products to distributors and retailers.

Sugarmade has already established itself as a successful enterprise by supplying generic and custom printed products to the quick service restaurant sub-sector of the restaurant industry. Through its CarryOutSupplies subsidiary, the company provides the quick-serve restaurant sector with essential supplies such as cups, spoons and bottles. CarrryOutSupplies allows smaller establishments to gain the marketing and advertising benefits of customized printed products without tying up large amounts of working capital.

Sugarmade is also seeing opportunity in the hemp market. The company is to invest in Hempistry, Inc., a privately held Nevada corporation, which has begun planting an ultra-high cannabidiol (CBD) industrial hemp strain in Kentucky. Additionally, Sugarmade expects to sign an agreement with Hempistry for hemp cultivation supplies. Hempistry has already begun planting and has signed an agreement reserving up to 23,000 acres of prime Kentucky farmland for its exclusive use for hemp cultivation.

On Thursday, December 20, 2018, the Farm Bill – H.R.2, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 – was signed into law by the president. Now, industrial hemp has been removed from Schedule I and no longer falls under the CSA’s definition of “marijuana.” Going forward, the cultivation of hemp will be regulated like any other agricultural crop.

Sugarmade is also in the process of acquiring Sky Unlimited, LLC, which through its AthenaUnited.com operations and website offers multiple popular hydroponic brands to several growing agricultural cultivation sectors. This planned acquisition has prompted Sugarmade to raise its revenue guidance for calendar 2019 from $30 million to $70 million.

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

• QMC Quantum Minerals expects to substantially increased resource estimate
• The 1950s-era historic exploration and development program undertaken by Lithium Corp. of Canada (“LCOC”) identified 1.2 million tons of lithium grading 1.51 percent over a strike length of 365 meters to a depth of 213 meters
• Expectations of a big boost from electric vehicle manufacturers continue to drive forecasts for lithium battery market jump

QMC Quantum Minerals Corp.’s (OTC: QMCQF) (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) Irgon Lithium Mine project in southern Manitoba has the potential to spur market prospects to new heights. Coined the “white petroleum,” lithium continues to be sought for its critical importance in the manufacturing of lithium batteries that power most of today’s electronics.

Lithium production has been guided by a few large mining operations, including recent maneuvers by China to control the market. As well, Australian miners are desperate to meet the expected demand.  Induced by rising interest in environment-friendly electric vehicles and by foreign explorers aiming to tap the resources in South America’s famed “Lithium Triangle,” the Australians have created a developing landscape with the uncertainty about where the market will end up.

Lithium has seen demand soar in recent years along with other commodities such as cobalt, which are critical metals that play a crucial role in the makeup of lithium-ion batteries’ energy-transfer elements. The batteries have long been preferred for their efficiency and power in portable computerized devices, particularly the smartphones that have become so commonplace on an international scale. The shift away from cars powered by fossil fuels and toward electric vehicles is gaining momentum as scientists around the world monitor the changes to the earth’s climate attributed to manufactured product emissions. This is driving expectations that the automotive industry could account for a seven-fold increase in the batteries’ demand by 2025 (http://ibn.fm/5FW9B).

Market speculators anticipate that battery makers alone will spur a 650 percent jump in demand for the raw commodity by 2027, while overall demand from lithium’s variety of uses may to rise more than three times the current level during the coming decade, according to a Mining.com report (http://ibn.fm/MSE06).

QMC is two years into the development of its Irgon Lithium Mine Project and is anticipating three to five years to reach full production. Encouraging results from the ongoing exploration program have extended the strike length of the Irgon pegmatite dike and identified large spodumene-bearing dikes within the property. The company is working on preparations to commence mining at the Irgon Dike once the updated report is filed (http://ibn.fm/hQI7E).

QMC’s Irgon Project includes 22 claims covering 11,325 acres. LCOC’s exploration and development on the Irgon Dike over 60 years ago established the aforementioned historic resource estimate of 1.2 million tons of lithium oxide, which reported a grade of 1.51 percent over a strike length of 365 meters and to a depth of 213 meters. However, QMC’s exploration work during the past year has indicated a doubling of the strike length of the Irgon Dike, which would produce a current resource estimate for the property that would be significantly higher than the original one published by LCOC.

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

• Multi-trillion-dollar energy efficiency industry provides hope for responding to growing global climate change trend
• Kontrol Energy Corp.’s SaaS model drove 35 percent revenue growth during past year as company delivered smart energy management solutions
• Company anticipates adding additional accretive acquisitions during the coming year and increasing recurring service revenues

When Yale University reported recently that anxiety over the future of the planet’s climate system is rising significantly in the United States (http://ibn.fm/0eRLa), the Ivy League institution created a metric for the psychological consequences of sustained changes in regional weather patterns and the media reports about them. While climate change is driving a growing sense of “climate grief” (http://ibn.fm/ANW08) characterized by “a number of different emotions, including fear, anger, feelings of powerlessness, or exhaustion,” for many the global trend is spurring a call to action, as exemplified by the smart utilities management solutions offered by disruptive digital tech company Kontrol Energy Corp. (CSE: KNR) (FSE: 1K8).

Kontrol Energy is a disciplined, vertically oriented company devoting its strong merger and acquisition drive to the pursuit of better planetary conditions – supporting the concept of a world that will still be livable during coming generations by helping building managers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and increase their awareness of their own ecological impact.

The company’s profile cites the Environmental and Energy Study Institute in noting that buildings contribute up to 40 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions (http://ibn.fm/g50Ab), highlighting the fact that climate impact is not merely a fossil fuel-powered automotive industry issue. Kontrol is building a suite of Internet of Things (IOT) devices that utilize modern technological connectivity to better “control” energy use outcomes in the buildings where we all live and work.

The company’s software allows building managers to tie into existing automated building technology or add components, as needed, and thereby generate data on HVAC systems and utilities that can be monitored and recorded in real time. Kontrol’s tier one data center processes two billion data points per year, utilizing artificial intelligence to analyze and troubleshoot building issues.

Kontrol’s Software as a Service (SaaS) model allows remote devices to be easily monitored and controlled by facilities managers through mobile smartphones and tablets. The company has collected and processed more than 15 billion data records during the past decade to serve hundreds of buildings.

Kontrol’s last quarterly earnings report showed strong revenue growth of 35 percent over the previous year (http://ibn.fm/5M2l5).

“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. In 2019 we anticipate being cash flow positive based on our current run rate of $16 million in revenue.”

The company has also recently added two contracts with licensed producers in Canada’s cannabis sector to provide energy efficiency that’s crucial to the booming industry. It is also finalizing the acquisition of Ontario-based emissions integrator CEM Specialties Inc.

“In 2019 we will be focused on completing up to two accretive acquisitions and accelerating our existing recurring SaaS revenues,” Ghezzi stated. “As the broader market becomes more aware of our ability to scale our recurring revenues and our overall growth rates, we believe our shareholders will be rewarded.”

Energy efficiency is expected to be a multi-trillion-dollar industry during coming years with a number of value segments that include energy retrofits ($71.4 billion), distributed generation ($179.9 billion), energy analytics ($33.5 billion) and greenhouse gas/carbon measurement and reduction ($1.2 trillion).

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

• Multiple oncology and immunology organizations have identified immunotherapy as the future of cancer treatment
• BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. is making significant progress in the development of a safe and highly effective immunotherapy solution for advanced breast cancer patients
• The company is expected to announce new information about the efficacy of its lead product candidate in combination with KEYTRUDA® during the first quarter of 2019
• Market forecasts suggest rapid anti-cancer immunotherapy market growth until 2023

For nearly 20 years, researchers have been working on ways to help the immune system better target cancer. New developments in the field are making that possible, which is why clinicians believe that immunotherapy could be the future of cancer treatment (http://ibn.fm/e6Tym). According to the British Society of Immunology, the rise of monoclonal antibodies that can be raised against a protein of interest is changing the landscape of cancer treatments. Several such antibodies have already become available, and they can be used to target different types of cancer.

Companies like BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF) (TSX.V: BCT), a Berkeley-based clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of targeted immunotherapy for advanced breast cancer, are making solid progress in the field of immunotherapy aimed at targeting specific types of cancer. Bria-IMT™, the company’s lead product candidate, has delivered promising results in three clinical studies to date. Bria-IMT™ has resulted in tumor shrinkage in certain patients with advanced stage breast cancer. It is now being evaluated in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) from Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK).

Bria-IMT™ works by providing breast cancer antigens and a direct stimulation of the cancer fighting T-cells. This way, the therapy strengthens the body’s ability to fight cancer. Bria-IMT™ has achieved proof of concept in clinical trials, and its safety has also been assessed as excellent. Even in heavily pre-treated advanced breast cancer patients, Bria-IMT™ managed to elicit tumor regression.

In the combination study, six patients have been treated with Bria-IMT™ and KEYTRUDA®. In all of the patients, the combination was very well tolerated, and the study is ongoing. Additional data about the efficacy of the combination study is expected in the first quarter of 2019, BriaCell announced.

Based on these findings, BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. is also working on Bria-OTS™ – a personalized, off-the-shelf immunotherapy solution for advanced breast cancer patients. Bria-OTS™ will provide a first-of-its-kind personalized immunotherapy that is much more cost-efficient and easier to manufacture than other comparable solutions. According to BriaCell, the technology could also be applicable to the treatment of other types of cancer.

The global cancer immunotherapy market is projected to grow rapidly in the coming years, at a CAGR of 12.9 percent through 2023 (http://ibn.fm/Qg2mT). This means that, by 2022, the market volume is expected to exceed $145 billion (http://ibn.fm/KLVcZ). By 2026, nearly 60 percent of previously treated cancer patients will probably adopt immunotherapy (http://ibn.fm/4QUHz).

The rising incidence and prevalence of multiple types of cancer will also propel the development of effective immunotherapy solutions like BriaCell’s Bria-IMT™ and Bria-OTS™.

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