• The Irgon Lithium Mine Property is a mineral-rich spodumene-bearing pegmatite dike with significant historical data that point to additional as-of-yet untapped potential
• The property is uniquely positioned to be brought into production much faster than expected for a project of this size due to work previously done
• Lithium demand is projected to continue to rise thanks to electrification of both civilian and commercial transport, as well as the expansion of energy storage technology

As global lithium demand continues to rise with the electrification of the global transportation fleet, QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (OTC: QMCQF) (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) finds itself able to begin lithium production on an expedited timetable. QMC is preparing to bring the Irgon Lithium Mine Project online for production, and it has hired SGS Canada to complete a NI 43-101 report on the resources contained within the property.

The Property has been Explored in the Past

The Irgon Property is notable in that it was previously explored in 1953-54 by the Lithium Corporation of Canada (LCOC), which drilled off and sampled a part of the Irgon Pegmatite Dike. The company estimated that the sampled part of the dike contained about 1.2 million tons of ore over a strike length of 365 meters (1200 feet) and to a depth of 213 meters (700 feet). Within this volume of rock, LCOC calculated an average grade of 1.51 percent Li2O. LCOC also excavated a three-compartment shaft, set up a processing mill and built a road from the property to a nearby highway. However, the mine project was shut down before production could begin due to low lithium prices at that time.

Since then, QMC has reviewed the historical data that LCOC collected and has spent time evaluating, geologically mapping and assay channel sampling the surface exposure of the dike in a process aimed at confirming the data. After increasing its land position by 655 percent between Q4 2016 and Q4 2018, QMC’s mineral claims at the Irgon Lithium Mine Project now total over 11,000 acres. By drilling deeper and extending the strike laterally, the company is expecting to report significantly more ore in its upcoming NI 43-101 document than the historic 1.2 million ton resource previously reported by LCOC.

Friendly Regulation

Given Manitoba’s regulatory support of mining, the approval process is expected to pass smoothly by year-end. Additionally, as there is already a three-compartment shaft excavated onsite, mining and processing equipment can be moved in rapidly after filing and receiving approval to begin production. By processing the spodumene-bearing ore on-site before shipping, QMC estimates that it will realize a savings making it comparable to the cheapest Chinese or Chilean brine producers (http://ibn.fm/xXoPt).

Another benefit that QMC is expecting to realize is that lithium demand is projected to continue increasing. Most of the demand originates from electric transportation, energy storage and portable electronics, and this demand is expected to triple by 2025, according to Lithium Investing News (http://ibn.fm/YouWh). Auto manufacturers are already beginning to lock in suppliers for five- and 10-year contracts, as various analysts are expecting EV sales to surge from 1.1 million worldwide in 2017 to 11 million in 2025 and as much as 30 million by 2030 (http://ibn.fm/FCnvN). Given the lithium industry’s historically slow production ramp-up time, this surge in demand will greatly benefit companies like QMC that are able to provide supply early.

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

• Smoking-related deaths have reached six million a year worldwide
• Lexaria’s patented drug delivery platform aims to deliver commonly smoked drugs in a non-smoking form factor that sidesteps smoking’s hazards
• Second round of testing continues to indicate that patented DehydraTECH™ platform provides rapid delivery with high bioavailability

As world drug industry regulations undergo revolutionary change and increasingly healthy populations find themselves challenged to meet the cares of old age, Canadian biotechnology company Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) is forging a path that establishes it as a pioneer in the field of drug delivery platforms.

Lexaria’s mission is to ensure drug complexes can be orally ingested and absorbed by the body at a speed that rivals smoking’s effects, thereby eliminating any perceived benefit of smoking that might counter its known detriments to people’s health. Lexaria’s DehydraTECH™ solution is the only patented product in the world approved for all non-psychoactive cannabinoids through oral delivery, including pills. The company has secured patents in the United States and Australia and has patents pending in over 40 other countries.

Lexaria has already licensed its DehydraTECH technology to a variety of companies, including chocolate maker Nuka Enterprises, cannabis beverage manufacturer GP Holdings and Biolog, which markets cannabidiol (CBD)-infused products and vitamins (http://ibn.fm/7hvqF). Lexaria expects to enter new licensing agreements this year and beyond. Some of the licensing agreements include products with the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) compound derived from the marijuana strain of cannabis, and the company has also been conducting nicotine experiments as part of a societal push for alternatives to tobacco smoking.

In October, Canada will become the first country among the industrialized Group of Seven nations to legalize recreational marijuana use, although in some parts of the country brick and mortar stores won’t appear until next spring (http://ibn.fm/Z0gjw). The months-long drive toward full legalization of the cannabis plant’s uses has been accompanied by debate over how much cannabis smoking society can tolerate, with regional governments generally opting to restrict smoking to non-public areas. But, as with tobacco use, marijuana smoking carries with it a risk of adverse health effects.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that six million people a year die worldwide as a result of smoking, with 30 times that amount living with serious illnesses brought on by smoking, and the numbers are expected to increase (http://ibn.fm/i9pWX).

Alternate forms of ingesting drugs have generally proven to be less effective or much slower than smoking, however. According to Lexaria’s promotional materials, inhaled cannabinoids have a “high bioavailability” estimated at 30 percent of the original substance, while under-the-tongue administered drops have a medium bioavailability of about 16 percent, accompanied by a foul taste unless taste-masking chemicals are used. Likewise, swallowed cannabinoids have a low bioavailability of three to five percent.

DehydraTECH uses a patented process that begins by combining fatty acids with the drug to help it survive the gastrointestinal tract for optimal bioavailability. Recent testing of its effectiveness in an animal in vivo study involving edible nicotine found that the drug passenger entered the bloodstream just minutes after dosing. The study pitted DehydraTECH against a concentration-matched control formulation and found that Lexaria’s technology delivered nicotine at each of the two-, four-, six-, eight- and 10-minute intervals post-dosing, with 90.2 percent greater delivery than the control compound by the 10-minute mark and significantly greater absorption levels at all subsequent time points in the study, a news release states (http://ibn.fm/I6gIE).

The study focused on the rate of absorption over a 60-minute period, with primary emphasis on the first 15-minutes after dosing in order to determine DehydraTECH’s effectiveness as an alternative to smoking’s rapid delivery benefit. The study found marked improvement over the control formulation in terms of rapidity, total quantity and peak level, and it sustains the company’s first test phase through a third-party laboratory that took place over six hours using a smaller number of subjects.

“The blood plasma data from this nicotine study is considered statistically significant and corroborates and confirms the validity of the results previously announced on April 17, 2018,” the news release states. “A significant amount of data has yet to be received and analyzed from this study, including brain absorption data.”

Because DehydraTECH is showing promise in delivering therapies for nervous system disorders past the blood brain barrier, however, the company recently filed a new patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for treatment options for central nervous system diseases and disorders including ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and neuropathic pain (http://ibn.fm/Nau6G). It is the drug delivery platform’s inherent versatility that is attracting attention from such diverse industries as tobacco, cannabis and pharma.

“If we can develop viable ingestible alternatives to cigarette smoking we could help hundreds of millions of people avoid many of the disease states associated with smoking,” Lexaria CEO Chris Bunka stated in a news release. “And I cannot imagine a more rewarding destiny bestowed upon Lexaria Bioscience Corp.”

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

• Tech-industry demand for cobalt predicted to drive doubling of need for battery element during next decade
• First Cobalt exploring quick-to-market potential of Idaho project while assessing fire-up capacity of continent’s only permitted cobalt refinery
• Company also has 50 past-producing mines in Canada’s famed Cobalt Camp

Cobalt’s rising star in the metal commodities market and the potential fast-track-to-production resources of First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC) appear to be a rock solid marriage of preparation and opportunity within the exploration industry.

Cobalt’s clout derives from its current position as a limited supply element vital to the low-heat, high-stability lithium-ion batteries that power globally omnipresent computer-reliant technology, such as smartphones, laptops, medical tools, jet engines and, now, the burgeoning electric vehicle market. It is mainly used to make magnetic, wear-resistant and high-strength alloys (http://ibn.fm/fjzf9).

International mining consultancy Roskill estimates that the demand for cobalt in 2017 was 118,000 metric tons (http://ibn.fm/dsY6y) and will double to 310,000 metric tons by 2027, with 240,000 metric tons (77 percent) of that amount being devoted to computerized electronics alone (http://ibn.fm/fsuw6). Although prices have softened somewhat since experiencing a 10-year high of over $90,000 per metric ton on the London Metal Exchange earlier this year, market watchers continue to predict that cobalt trade will remain robust during the foreseeable future in order to ensure the stability of the electronics industry (http://ibn.fm/P4d07).

First Cobalt Corp., with headquarters in Canada, is a vertically integrated pure-play cobalt company. First Cobalt has three significant North American assets: the Iron Creek Project in Idaho, which has a historic mineral resource estimate (non-compliant with modern NI 43-101 reporting standards) of 1.3 million tons grading 0.59 percent cobalt; the Canadian Cobalt Camp, with more than 50 past producing mines; and the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America capable of producing battery materials.

The company became listed earlier this year on the OTCQX Canada Index (.OTCQXCAN), which is designed to show investors “the diversity of high-quality Canadian companies that meet the high financial, disclosure and corporate governance standards required to trade on the OTCQX market” (http://ibn.fm/UWu19). Eligible securities must be traded on OTCQX, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), TSX Venture Exchange (TSX.V) or Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) and meet a minimum liquidity standard, according to the index.

Effectively, First Cobalt is the only company on the continent potentially ready to produce cobalt battery materials as supply for the increasing demand.

Although the Idaho site’s historic estimate of 1.3 million tons grading 0.59 percent cobalt and 0.3 percent copper is not up to modern NI 43-101 reporting standards, the company is working to meet the modernization needs for its reporting on the $9 million project by October (http://ibn.fm/WZguf).

The company also continues to explore the longer-term potential of its nearly 25,000 acres in Canada’s famed Cobalt Camp of Ontario, and could soon be ready to resume the production of battery-grade material at its shuttered cobalt extraction refinery in the region. International supply concerns continue to trouble the market, including the conflict metal concerns about mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where most of the world’s cobalt resources originate and, most recently, U.S. trade restrictions with Cuba that have affected the Canadian supplier of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla (http://ibn.fm/JZMQ4), as well as the theft of an enormous cache of warehoused cobalt in the Netherlands last month (http://ibn.fm/yFajZ).

Amid the international supply concerns, First Cobalt’s North American resources are strengthening its position as lucky in its love for the domestic market.

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

• Elevate product line boosts fourth quarter sales in excess of $7 million
• Potential for rapid further growth in market worth $12 billion
• Application of successful multi-level marketing model to other business units

The “Elevate” product line distributed by Sharing Services, Inc. (OTC: SHRV) turns out to have been aptly named, as scrutiny of the company’s Annual Report (10-K), recently filed with the SEC, will reveal (http://ibn.fm/v7yJx). Consolidated net sales for the first fiscal year, consisting primarily of Elevate products, totaled $8.4 million and included $7.4 million in the fourth quarter ended April 30, 2018. The company has high hopes for the brand. It believes that the Elevate line will revolutionize how people take care of their health by facilitating the convergence of its nutraceuticals, advanced technologies and network marketing entrepreneurial opportunities in the market place. The company anticipates that revenues from the brand will continue to increase during the current fiscal year, which ends on April 30, 2019.

The Elevate product line, which focuses on health, wealth and happiness, was developed to empower the health-conscious global community. It comprises a range of nutraceutical products termed “D.O.S.E.” for dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins. The D.O.S.E. line was developed by Elevacity Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sharing Services. The line is being marketed by another wholly owned subsidiary operating under the trade name Elepreneurs, a name derived from combining the words elevated and entrepreneur. Elepreneurs, which markets most of Sharing Services products and services, is structured as a sales and marketing company and currently has over 10,000 independent representatives.

The Elevate product line has accelerated Sharing Services’ growth over the last two quarters, enabling the company to expand its operations and expand into the direct selling industry at a rapid pace. Wellness products, similar to those marketed through the Elevate brand, are a lucrative niche in the direct selling market, which was valued at more than $12 billion in 2016, according to industry data (http://ibn.fm/VFu3G).

Launching the Elevate brand is one initiative that Sharing Services is counting on to differentiate itself from competitors in the direct sales market and traditional consumer spaces. Another is its technology-driven marketing initiatives, which emphasize the nutritional value or health benefits of its health and wellness product offerings.  A third is the company’s ability to offer industry exclusive brands.

Sharing Services’ direct selling marketing model is operating in its other divisions, which include the following:

• Total Travel Media, which produces promotional videos and interactive tools and provides social media exposure for hotels, resorts and other travel-related locations;
• Four Oceans, which owns and operates an online travel platform offering an online search engine tool, ’Four Oceans Explorer’, that provides Elepreneur-based users the best rates on over 400,000 hotels, cruises, rental cars, extended stays and time-share properties from around the world, as well as providing lifestyle and marketplace rewards that can allow discounts on many retail products and services;
• 212 Tech, which has created an app for the direct selling industry that holds the promise of changing the way independent representatives grow their businesses by ensuring that users are compliant with the companies they represent and give a clear and concise message to the prospect; the app can be marketed to and could benefit any company in the direct selling industry, and Sharing Services plans to use it internally, as well as license it to other companies;
• 561 LLC, which controls the top marketing spot in the Direct Cellars Wine Company, a direct selling company, operating in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia, that sells memberships and promotes wine education for its wine club members;
• America Approved Commercial LLC, an energy broker that represents over 40 different power and electrical companies and provides electric power to both residential and commercial customers in 17 states in the U.S.;
• Medical Smart Care LLC, which provides a medical smart-card allowing users to connect with medical personnel through video chat and be assisted with diagnosis and advice for certain ailments, as well as providing a wide range of discounts at pharmacies and vision centers; and
• LEH Insurance Group LLC, an independent agency that offers affordable and reliable insurance choices across Texas.

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

• Comprehensive, flexible web app technology means superior service that meets the needs of expanding cannabis community and industry
• Powerful web app based engine offers unique search functionality, profile building and networking capabilities for cannabis cultivators, brands, dispensaries and all associated service-related industries
• U.S. legal cannabis market projected to reach more than $23 billion in consumer spending by 2022
• NUGL app gives consumers easy-to-locate info on all things cannabis, with unbiased reviews connecting users to their favorite brands, locations
• Serving international markets with no geographic limitations thanks to innovative, first-to-market technology

NUGL Inc. (OTC: NUGL), the cannabis industry’s new standard of technology, does more than help cannabis consumers and business owners find each other; its platform is the first software application that reaches beyond the basics and offers sophisticated, in-depth marketing and networking capabilities to the entire 420 community. The metasearch engine and online directory built into NUGL’s mobile app provides freedom of information and movement for the cannabis industry as it leaves behind the shadows and rapidly grows into a mainstream economic and cultural force.

The legal cannabis market in the U.S. is projected to reach $11 billion in consumer spending in 2018 and more than $23 billion by 2022, according to “The State of Legal Marijuana Markets, Sixth Edition,” released in June by Arcview Market Research in partnership with BDS Analytics. Even though legalization of cannabis is still underway in the U.S., the report forecasts a continuing rollout of adult-use recreational and medicinal programs throughout the country at a 22 percent compound annual growth rate over that five-year forecast period (http://ibn.fm/dxmzG).

Keeping up with that kind of growth is easier with the NUGL app, especially for consumers who might find the industry confusing and hard to decipher. The NUGL iOS and Android app brings a powerful cannabis search tool within reach of anyone, anytime, anywhere with the ease of a smartphone. The NUGL app can act like Yelp, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and other social sites as it brings elements of the 420 community together.

“Brands are and will be the focus for us,” Ryan Bartlett, CMO of NUGL, stated in a news release (http://ibn.fm/nDUhn). “Now users can search for brand specific items and see which stores offer these items, where they are located and read or offer their own unbiased reviews.”

Two new NUGL features – profile claiming and the brand locator – give cannabis companies the power to build their own dedicated profile featuring their brands and services on the app, while consumers can enjoy discovering where they can purchase exactly what they want to buy and even leave behind a personal review for others to see. The company’s expanded NUGL platform also offers an organized marketing website for B2B applications. For startups and others that are new to the industry, NUGL’s marketing and business capabilities are an exciting advancement.

In a MarketingDaily article (http://ibn.fm/nC6FP), James Jordan, NUGL’s new vice president for strategic relations, notes that on NUGL’s site, real estate agents and accountants could hook up with fledgling cannabis companies, growing brands of strains and dispensaries can find each other and possible investors looking for budding entrepreneurs will have much to consider.

Adding new features to NUGL’s platform on a near-weekly schedule is keeping the company’s software developers busy, said Jeff Odle, NUGL’s chief technical officer, adding, “One of the features is an enhanced menu that will blow our user base away.”

NUGL’s user and profile base of listings and brands is growing fast with dispensaries, strains, doctors, lawyers, service professionals, vape shops, hydro stores and brands being added daily. NUGL has recently expanded outside of California and will continue to methodically market in each state.

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

• PRO 140 is a leading monoclonal antibody/viral-entry inhibitor therapy under development for two different Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) indications and is also being pursued for multiple opportunities in other immunologic indications such as autoimmune disease, chronic inflammation, certain cancers, and transplant rejection
• During 2017, 1.8 million people became newly infected with HIV, bringing the global total to 36.9 million people living with HIV (World Health Organization)
• Market potential for PRO 140 used as an anti-viral agent in combination with HAART is $1.2 billion; as a monotherapy maintenance/single-drug therapy the market is estimated at $3.8 billion

CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) is a biotechnology company focused on the clinical development and potential commercialization of a new class of HIV/AIDS therapeutics or viral-entry inhibitors intended to protect healthy cells from viral infection. The company’s pipeline includes its lead product, PRO 140 for multiple indications among which are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), colon cancer, and multiple sclerosis (MS), each in various stages of development. CytoDyn’s first approval is focused on HIV indications for two different HIV populations.

PRO 140 is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed at CCR5, a molecular portal that HIV uses to enter T-cells. PRO 140 works by blocking the predominant HIV (R5) subtype entry into T-cells by masking this required co-receptor, CCR5.

CytoDyn has completed one pivotal phase 3 clinical trials of PRO 140 use in combination with current drugs for population that has limited treatment options. PRO 140 is also currently in another phase 3 (investigative trial) for a second approval for another HIV population. HIV continues to be a major global public health issue. There is no cure for the disease that has claimed more than 35 million lives to date, according to the World Health Organization (“WHO”). In 2017, 940,000 people around the world died from HIV-related causes. There were approximately 36.9 million people living with HIV at the end of 2017 with 1.8 million people becoming newly infected during that same year. The WHO estimates there were 21.7 million people globally receiving antiretroviral therapy (“ART”) in 2017.

HIV targets the immune system and weakens the body’s defense systems against infections and some types of cancer. As the virus destroys and impairs the function of immune cells, infected individuals gradually become immunodeficient which results in increased susceptibility to a wide range of infections, cancers and other diseases that people with healthy immune systems can fight off. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which can take from 2 to 15 years to develop depending on the individual.

PRO 140 functions by blocking the HIV co-receptor CCR5, a molecular portal HIV uses to enter T-cells, thus preventing the HIV virus from entering the cell. CCR5 is a protein located on the surface of white blood cells that normally serves as a receptor for chemicals that attract immune cells to the site of inflammation. Clinical trials to date indicate PRO 140 does not interfere with these normal CCR5 functions. Results from phase 1 and phase 2 human clinical trials have shown PRO 140 significantly reduces viral burden in people infected with HIV. Importantly, in a recent phase 2b clinical trial, PRO 140 demonstrated it can allow a subset of R5 strain of HIV population to replace their current HIV regimen (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy or “HAART.”) by a simple sub-cutaneous self-injectable dose of PRO 140 which is administered once a week. Some of those patients have received PRO 140 as their only therapy for almost four years.

The PRO 140 antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent with hardly any side effects, toxicity. More than 500 patients have used PRO 140 in clinical trial and no resistance has ever been developed in any patients including patients in monotherapy of PRO 140 for almost four years.

PRO 140, which is taken as an easy-to-use, weekly, subcutaneous self-administered dose, has almost no side effects or toxicity with no report of any serious adverse event related to PRO 140 in more than 500 patients in eight different clinical trial.

As we indicated earlier patients given PRO 140 showed no drug resistance on monotherapy for some almost four years while 76% of HAART patients developed a resistance to some portion of the lifetime drug regimen. Patient compliance with HAART is also the main reason why only 35% of HIV patients in US reporting complete viral load (VL) suppression which is VL<50 cp/mL.

In addition to its research into the powerful potential of PRO 140 for use in HIV patients, CytoDyn is pursuing PRO 140 as a therapeutic anti-viral agent in other non-HIV indications that could benefit from PRO 140’s ability to block CCR5. These immunologic indications include new reactions to cancer, transplantation rejection, autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation such as Multiple Sclerosis. The company sees the significant potential for multiple pipeline opportunities for PRO 140.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has designated PRO 140 as a “fast track” product for HIV and granted Orphan Drug Designation to it for the prevention of GvHD in transplant patients. CytoDyn has initiated its first clinical trial with PRO 140 in an immunological indication for GvHD in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who are undergoing bone marrow stem cell transplantation. The company is also investigating PRO 140 in animal models of cancer progression and autoimmunity with positive results and has published its animal study results in GvHD in peer-reviewed journal.

CytoDyn president and CEO Nader Z. Pourhassan, Ph.D. joined the company in 2008 and is credited for purchasing PRO 140 from Progenics in 2012 and has taken a new path to approval for the product. He is the co-inventor of monotherapy path for PRO 140. He has taken PRO 140 development from phase 2 to Completed successful phase 3 in about four years. He now has more than 10 years of drug development experience and has overseen the rapid clinical development of PRO 140 as a therapy for HIV into two phase 3 for two different indications. He also initiated PRO 140 first immunological indication in GvHD (currently in phase 2). He is also involved in preclinical and clinical development of PRO 140 in additional immunological indications. Dr. Pourhassan, who has more than 20 years of business development experience, has led CytoDyn’s capital market activities since joining the company in 2008. He received his Bachelor of Science from Utah State University, Master of Science from Brigham Young University, and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Utah and is the author of three books.

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

• Anxiety is implicated in several chronic physical illnesses including heart disease, respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal conditions
• Scientific evidence in several studies shows that CBD exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties
• Newly created medicinal cannabis division will focus on development of cannabinoids as preventative treatment for anxiety disorders
• Use of PreveCeutical’s proprietary Sol-gel nasal delivery platform for cannabinoid therapy promises ease of use, sustained release, better efficacy
• Preventative medicine industry represents a $3.8 trillion market

Health sciences company PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H) is tackling a topic that many people hesitate to bring up – anxiety disorders, including the devastating physical and emotional damage they cause and the social stigma that’s often associated with them. PreveCeutical’s newly created medicinal cannabis division is bringing the subject out into the open with one goal in mind: to create an effective, preventive treatment that combines the company’s Sol-gel (“Sol-gel”) nasal delivery platform with the beneficial properties of cannabinoids, a news release states (http://ibn.fm/VW91Y).

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting nearly 40 million adults age 18 and older, although only 37 percent are receiving treatment, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (http://ibn.fm/QSv4n). Similarly, the Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada claims that one in four Canadians will suffer from an anxiety disorder in their lifetime (http://ibn.fm/l6mLs). From generalized anxiety disorder, which manifests itself as an exaggerated worry about personal health or other aspects of daily life for six months or more, to irrational fears and phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder, those diagnosed may also suffer with a concurrent physical illness that makes symptoms worse and recovery difficult.

Common treatments focus on drugs that may help but still produce significant and unpleasant side effects. Development of a subtly administered cannabidiol (“CBD”) product in a sustained low dose using PreveCeutical’s Sol-gel delivery method could provide relief for millions seeking an alternative therapy. As more states in the U.S. and Canada legalize cannabis for adult-use, there’s a similar growth in the public’s interest in CBD therapies, especially as a compound that can help relieve anxiety, National Public Radio reports (http://ibn.fm/QDDgi).

“I think there’s good evidence to suggest that CBD could be an effective treatment of anxiety and addiction” and other disorders, Dr. Esther Blessing, a psychiatrist and researcher at New York University, told NPR. “But we need clinical trials to find out.”

Though CBD is extracted from cannabis, unlike another cannabinoid, THC, it does not have psychoactive properties. In one widely reported CBD-use study, scholars at the University of Sao Paolo summarized a number of human and animal studies to conclude that the compound “promotes anti-anxiety effects in humans.” In another compilation of related studies, the effects of cannabinoids on patients with social anxiety disorder, fear of public speaking and paranoia showed a general beneficial effect, an article from the Harvard Kennedy School Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy states (http://ibn.fm/8E03B).

The launch of PreveCeutical’s cannabis division puts the company on track to further its aim of becoming a leader in preventative health care by developing high quality, tailored medicinal cannabis-based products (http://ibn.fm/a5A6E). With Sol-gel’s innovative cannabidiol-based nose to brain delivery system, designed to give consumers relief from epileptic seizures, pain, inflammation, anxiety disorders and other neurological conditions, PreveCeutical will aim to reach its goal of helping consumers prevent ailments and live healthier, better lives.

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

• Company accelerates drilling activities at Idaho site with the installation of two new drill rigs
• Drilling from underground successfully extending mineralization of Waite Zone
• U.S. needs to add 14 million plug-in electric vehicles and more than 300,000 public charging outlets by end of 2025 to meet Paris Agreement goals

The United States needs to ramp up production of electric vehicles considerably in order to meet Paris Agreement target goals by 2025. This market growth is expected to translate into an overall higher demand for cobalt, one of the key components of the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, making clean, conflict-free cobalt exploration projects such as the ones owned and operated by First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC) in North America of crucial importance.

First Cobalt Corp., with headquarters in Canada, is a vertically integrated North American pure-play cobalt company. First Cobalt has three significant North American assets: the Iron Creek Project in Idaho, which has a historic mineral resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 1.3 million tons grading 0.59 percent cobalt; the Canadian Cobalt Camp, with more than 50 past producing mines; and the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America capable of producing battery materials.

Currently an exploration stage company, First Cobalt’s main focus is on building a diversified portfolio of assets outside the DRC to help meet demand in the fast-growing cobalt market. First Cobalt is the largest cobalt exploration organization in North America and the only company on the continent that can produce cobalt battery materials to meet this growing demand.

Following its acquisition of U.S. Cobalt and its exploration properties in Idaho, First Cobalt’s primary focus shifted to what is now its flagship asset, the Iron Creek project, where it hopes to restart extraction and production operations in a few years. The company has already taken steps to expand the Idaho project with the addition of two more drill rigs in July, and it is optimistic about initial results indicating that drilling from underground is successfully extending mineralization beyond the extent of the historic resource.

This year’s drill program at the Idaho site is designed to extend the strike length of the previously known mineralization in two zones (Waite and No Name) and determine if a third zone is present. Six drill holes completed at the western end of the cobalt-copper mineralized zones have extended the total strike length of the Waite Zone westward to 520 meters along a dip length of more than 250 meters from the surface, according to a company press release (http://ibn.fm/LiyDW).

Plans are also in motion to reopen the refinery, which was closed earlier this year. The refinery’s ability to produce battery-grade cobalt and its location in the vicinity of major U.S. auto hubs could further cement First Cobalt’s position as the leading producer of cobalt in North America.

Cobalt demand will continue to rise as the United States looks to add 14 million new plug-in electric vehicles and more than 330,000 public charging outlets by the end of 2025 in order to meet the target goals of the Paris Agreement, according to a report by the Center for American Progress (http://ibn.fm/Is3t1). There are currently only 16,000 public charging outlets across the U.S.

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

• 30 percent of energy used in commercial buildings is wasted, an issue that most businesses wish to address
• Cost of energy-efficient renovation is daunting for most companies
• Zenergy’s Zero Cost Program makes it possible for businesses of all sizes to reduce utility consumption by 20 to 60 percent

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 30 percent of the energy used in commercial buildings is wasted. The commercial building sector is the largest user of energy and emitter of greenhouse gasses in the U.S., and the U.S. is currently the largest global user of energy. Sustainable investments toward energy efficiency within commercial buildings will help create high-performing buildings that leave a lasting environmental impact and provide operational savings. Energy conservation and efficiency are simply a win-win for everyone.

However, the cost of energy-efficient renovation can be daunting when relying on company profits and capital budgets. Zenergy Brands, Inc. (OTC: ZNGY) is leading the way in offering affordable, attractive financing to make upgrading to energy-efficient, smart control products for the reduction of utility consumption a reality through its Zero Cost Program™. According to the Business Case for Energy Efficient Building Retrofit and Renovation Report by McGraw Hill Construction (http://ibn.fm/4N5R7), businesses value utility cost savings as the most crucial factor in investing in efficiency. The good news for these companies is that Zenergy is saving businesses between 20 and 60 percent of their utility consumption on average.

Through the Zero Cost Program™, companies are able to upgrade older, inefficient energy infrastructure through the combination of energy services and smart controls. With zero upfront cost, the customer receives considerable economic benefits while lessening the demand on the nation’s grid and water supply.

Zenergy retrofits buildings with the most up-to-date and energy efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) controls and motor controllers. Building automation, efficient water system solutions, EC motor control systems, demand-side management and load factor correction are all part of the provided retrofit.  Even the smallest Zero Cost deals have a lasting impact on the environment, as detailed in a recent post on the company’s website (http://ibn.fm/GR6er).

Zenergy’s mission is to help customers achieve sustainability goals and reduce harmful carbon emissions. Following every Zero Cost Contract, the company performs an industry best practices analysis to monitor the environmental impact. The real-time effect of Zenergy’s services can be found on the company’s website. One thing is certain, Zenergy is leading the way in helping businesses of all sizes meet their goals of creating high-performing buildings that leave a lasting, positive environmental impact.

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

• Pressure BioSciences Inc. announced strong financial results for the second quarter of 2018, demonstrating the company’s growth and stability
• Products and services revenue increased for the tenth consecutive quarter (YoY) while registering growth of 29 percent compared to Q2 2017
• Company sets all-time first half fiscal year total revenue record
• A partnership with Ohio State University will enable the company to seek expansion in new industries like food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) recently announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2018, highlighting one of the most successful periods in the history of the company. A leader in the development and sale of pressure-based instruments, the company registered its tenth consecutive quarterly increase (YOY) in products and services revenue. In addition, the company marked another financial accomplishment – an all-time record in total revenue for the first half of the fiscal year.

In a news release, Pressure BioSciences vice president of finance and CFO Joseph L. Damasio said that, in addition to its six-month total revenue record, its second quarter was just one percent away from the company’s all-time quarterly record. He also noted that quarterly gross profit margins went up by double digits year-over-year.

Products and services revenue for the second quarter of 2018 was $618,400 in comparison to $480,400 for the same period in 2017, an increase of 29 percent. Sales of instruments went up from $346,900 in 2017 to $397,000 in 2018.

Total revenue for the period ended June 30, 2018, was $638,800 in comparison to $540,400 for the second quarter of 2017, an increase of 18 percent. This increase was fueled primarily by the significant growth in products and services revenue.

The company’s financial report highlighted several additional achievements for Pressure BioSciences. One of the most critical accomplishments was converting $13.6 million of debt into equity. Additionally, operating loss significantly dropped in Q2, going down to $920,900 from $1,204,300 during the same period of 2017 (a 24 percent decrease). This was due to the company’s sales growth and diminishing reliance on outside investor and public relation firms, as well as the implementation of new sales and marketing contracts.

Pressure BioSciences is also continuing to strengthen its partnership with The Ohio State University for the development of a superior method for the sterile processing of liquid food and beverages, via the use of Pressure BioSciences’ patented Ultra Shear Technology (UST). Such a process would obviate the need to put chemical additives in liquid food and beverages and would allow them to remain in room temperature storage for extended periods of time. An $891,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded to Ohio State is dedicated to the development of the UST technology platform and confirms the U.S. government’s support of this cutting-edge methodology for the preservation of perishable foods like milk and other dairy products. As part of this award, $318,000 has been allocated to Pressure BioSciences for the development of first-in-kind laboratory bench-top and manufacturing-scale UST instruments, according to Pressure BioSciences president and CEO Richard T. Schumacher.

Traditional food sterilization methodologies use prolonged exposure to heat for the purpose of bacteria destruction. While such sterilization does work, it adversely affects the look, nutritional value and taste qualities of the item. The UST instruments to be developed by Pressure BioSciences under the USDA-OSU award will rely on high pressure, very high shear (tearing) forces and a very short exposure to high heat. PBIO and Ohio State believe that this technology will enable the destruction of bacteria, viruses and spores without affecting the taste or diminishing the nutritional value of the food.

The potential uses of the UST technology platform, both within and outside of the food industry, are expansive. Importantly, the USDA grant will enable the company to develop and build the initial UST instruments.  With such equipment, Pressure BioSciences will not only be able to work on the development of specific UST-enhanced food processing applications, but on applications in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, industrial lubricants and many other potentially lucrative industries as well.

Looking at the financial and operational achievements of 2018 to date, it certainly seems that the company has been doing things right and is now on the path to profitability, a higher valuation and success. As Schumacher noted in a news release, “We believe that the markets our patented, pressure-based technology platforms serve have now expanded to include many additional multi-billion-dollar areas, and that our recent developments have positioned us well to take advantage of these exciting and potentially lucrative opportunities.”

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