• Global biomarker diagnostic testing market projected to reach $53.34 billion by 2021 from $27.95 billion in 2016
• Zenosense’s device development incorporates key technology which is patent protected
• Technology platform could be used to test for a wide variety of common medical conditions that typically are undertaken in laboratory setting at huge expense
• Point of Care / rapid diagnostics market expected to reach $38.13 billion by 2022

Zenosense, Inc. (OTC: ZENO) is a healthcare technology developer that participates in transformational, disruptive medical diagnostic projects; particularly handheld devices used at the Point of Care which are displacing slow and expensive laboratory tests.

Zenosense is primarily focused on the development and commercialization of MIDS Cardiac™ through the Company’s joint venture ownership in MIDS Medical Limited (“MML”). MIDS Cardiac is in development as a cost-effective, handheld Point of Care (“POC”) diagnostic device and disposable test strip for the early, rapid detection of suspected acute myocardial infarction (“AMI”, or “heart attack”).

Identification of very low levels of cardiac markers can significantly accelerate critical triage, diagnosis, treatment and disposition of patients reporting chest pain. Cardiac troponin is well documented as the preferred biomarker for diagnosis of AMI, with evidence continuing to demonstrate that high sensitivity troponin is the most powerful prognostic biomarker for the assessment of cardiovascular risk in the general population. However, highly sensitive troponin assays are currently available only on state of the art, central laboratory analyzers. These analyzers are extremely expensive, not generally available at the POC and slow to turnaround results (typically 60 minutes) when time is critical.

True, high-sensitivity devices are not available in smaller handheld devices at the POC, where they are most needed. This is because the optical detection systems generally used in central laboratory analyzers cannot be effectively miniaturized.

MIDS Cardiac uses the patented MIDS technology platform, exclusively available to MML. Instead of using conventional optical detection, MIDS can detect and quantify assay beads nano-magnetically. This means it can be incorporated in a small device expected to achieve highly sensitive detection levels, which can support true high sensitivity cardiac biomarker tests in emergency settings, at the POC.

Harnessing world-class expertise, the MML laboratory is located at the prestigious Sci-Tech Daresbury campus in the U.K., internationally recognized for leading-edge, scientific research and commercial development. MML has the sole rights to the MIDS technology platform, which is protected by patent applications already granted in China and the USA, and applications now in the national phase in all other key geographic areas.

MIDS Cardiac aims to provide a single troponin I or T test within 3 minutes and three panel assay (additional cardiac biomarkers) on a disposable test strip within 8 minutes, using a hand-held device costing a fraction of the price of laboratory analyzers.

MIDS Cardiac should only require a pin prick of blood for a single assay test carried out on an easy-to-use, disposable microfluidic test strip. MIDS Cardiac is being designed to be operated quickly by minimally trained personnel, producing a simple to interpret result in emergency settings, even in the back of an ambulance.

Initial testing of the electronic and microfluidic components of the MIDS Cardiac “Hybrid Strip” system was completed in November 2017. The Hybrid Strip system used for development testing aims to replicate as closely as possible a fully integrated Lab on Chip MIDS test strip set-up. Development testing was conducted on both the assembled hybrid unit and its electronic and microfluidic components separately, focusing mainly on the electronics of the magnetic sensing system.

Testing revealed that a variety of brands and sizes of commercially available assay beads could be magnetically detected in very low quantities, including samples of beads that were previously undetectable. In several instances, the current “limit of detection” appeared to already be at or near to the range advised by MML’s assay consultants as suitable for a high sensitivity troponin assay.

Dr. Nasser Djennati, MML’s Managing Director and Chief Scientific Officer, said; “These results come in at the very high end of detection expectations, even at this Hybrid Strip stage. As we move forward into true Lab on Chip construction, I expect detection levels to improve further still.”

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the western world, accounting for more than 17 million deaths in Europe and the United States alone. Nearly 20 million patients each year visit an emergency room with reports of chest pain, with hundreds of millions spent on unnecessary admissions to the hospital. Zenosense Inc. is confident MIDS Cardiac will deliver unparalleled levels of accuracy, speed, reliability, ease of use and cost savings, making it the future device of choice for hospitals, emergency rooms, medical practitioners, paramedics and in low-resource settings.

The MIDS technology is also seen as having a far wider application, with the platform being capable of performing Point of Care immunoassay tests for a vast array of common healthcare concerns, a market projected to be worth $23.7 billion per year worldwide by 2019. The medical testing market as a whole is projected to be worth $53.34 billion by 2021. Zenosense believes the MIDS technology could be the most significant advance in diagnostic testing services in decades.

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

• Forecasts predict $55.8 billion valuation for medical cannabis market by 2025
• Pivot Pharmaceuticals building portfolio of diverse tech for improving bioavailability of cannabinoid therapies
• Company’s leadership team builds on decades of experience in pharmaceutical arena

For nutrition-conscious consumers, scanning food product labels is a requisite part of any trip to the grocery store, but a recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (http://ibn.fm/727E5) found that the old maxim ‘what you see isn’t always what you get’ holds true when it comes to certain foods like nuts. Even though pistachios, for example, may have 161.9 calories per ounce, only 153.8 calories are utilized by the human body. The remaining five percent of those calories are given a pass by the body and not taken up, according to the research. Such information fuels the concept of bioavailability, or determining the portion of total nutrients that the body is able to extract for use in order to establish the real benefit a consumer derives from the product.

Bioavailability becomes a similarly important question in the consumption of medications, as health researchers and physicians work to determine how much real benefit a patient derives from a drug’s properties and how to improve the body’s use of them. For companies like Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: PVOT) (OTCQB: PVOTF) (FRA: NPAT), enhancing a drug’s bioavailability is part of their bread and butter as they not only develop products designed to improve patients’ quality of life but try to ensure that these products deliver maximum benefit to the human body’s systems.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals’ patents in the field of cannabinoid use comprise a portfolio of landmark technologies that strive to increase bioavailability, drug release rates and product stability so that consumers can “confidently take correct and accurate doses to help meet their health and wellness needs.” Some patents maintain the company’s impetus in making cannabis available through powdered formulations that can be combined with products in the food and beverage market. Through subsidiary Thrudermic (http://ibn.fm/Ru7IU), the company is invested in a transdermal lipid-based nano-dispersion technology that enhances skin absorption of cannabinoids, and the company’s water soluble, oral delivery product, PGS-N001, is designed to provide relief to cancer patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced vomiting, nausea, neutropenia and anemia by utilizing a bioavailability technology already demonstrated in Europe.

Market forecasts anticipate that the therapeutic product derivatives of cannabis will fuel a $55.8 billion market by 2025 as a growing number of governments legalize the oft-controversial drug’s use, according to a report issued last year by Grand View Research, Inc. (http://ibn.fm/L15BV).

Pivot Pharmaceuticals’ innovations in the marketplace are driven by a leadership team that’s experienced in clinical, commercial, product development and financial management. CEO Patrick Frankham has over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and services industries, leading successful development programs in oncology, and he has been a founder, investor and board member of several health care ventures during the past 15 years.

“Consumers deserve and will demand products that work, whereas regulatory authorities will require high quality, reproducible and safe products. Pivot has positioned itself to be the market leader of bio-cannabis products,” Frankham stated in summarizing the company’s mission (http://ibn.fm/IA0nv).

Board of Directors Chairman Ahmad Doroudian founded Merus Labs International Inc., and he has also filled executive positions for other pharmaceutical companies as part of his activities since becoming involved in early stage financing and management of private and publicly listed companies in the 1990s.

Dr. Wolfgang Renz, a business executive with expertise in medical innovation and cross-industry convergence, as well as a physician specializing in hepatology, serves on the board of directors, and accounting administrator Moira Ong serves as the company’s chief financial officer.

In 2017, Pivot’s Canadian leadership created a United States-based entity to take advantage of the increased legalization of the cannabis market in California and other North American locales, accelerating the monetization of the company’s Ready To Infuse Cannabis (“RTIC”) technology for products in the food and beverage industry. Pivot Naturals, LLC is led by President Pat Rolfes and Director of Research and Development Ross Franklin. Rolfes and Franklin led RTIC developer ERS Holdings LLC prior to the acquisition of that company and its patents by Pivot, and they are joined on the Pivot USA executive team by product formulation administrators Joseph Borovsky and Leonid Lurya, who were the scientific technology executives on the Thrudermic team upon its acquisition.

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

• EVIO is a leading provider of cannabis analysis and testing in the U.S.
• Company on track to open 18 labs in 2018
• Company is guided by strong team of industry and business experts

Operating in one the hottest industries in the marketplace right now, EVIO, Inc. (OTCQB: EVIO) is a life sciences company leading the charge in cannabis analysis and testing. The company currently operates several laboratories throughout the United States—with many more on the horizon—and is a leading provider of accredited cannabis testing, delivering top-quality analytical and consulting services for agricultural and biomedical industries, as well as performing product research. Through its EVIO Labs division, the company offers state-mandated ancillary services to help ensure the quality and safety of the U.S. cannabis supply.

EVIO is on track to open 18 additional labs by the end of 2018, and the company has reached this prime position under the guidance of a strong management team composed of business leaders and industry experts.

At the company’s helm are William Waldrop, MBA, and Lori Glauser, BSME, MS/MBA, who cofounded parent company Signal Bay, Inc. and have guided EVIO from its foundations as a startup advisory firm in 2014 to its current nationwide presence.

Serving as the CEO and board chairman for EVIO, Waldrop obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University-Long Beach and an MBA in finance from the University of Southern California. In 2014, he formed EVIO as a public company, and, in 2015, he oversaw the acquisition of EVIO’s first analytical laboratory. In past corporate incarnations, Waldrop served as board chairman and CEO of Newport Entertainment Group, president and COO of College Partnership, senior manager at AirTouch Cellular and vice president of operations for Leading Edge Broadband.

Also a driving force behind EVIO’s success, Glauser oversees strategic growth and day-to-day operations for the company. She additionally leads EVIO’s advisory services division. Glauser has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA from the University of Alabama. She is the founding chair of Women Grow-Las Vegas, has served on the FOCUS standards committee, is the coauthor of ‘Medical Marijuana Desk Reference’ and speaks frequently at cannabis industry conferences. Glauser has a 25-year background in engineering, management, consulting and startups, with expertise in business planning and operations, business process design, financial forecasting, risk, customer experience, and regulatory policy. She formerly served as a management consultant focusing on the energy industry, working with leading firms like Ernst & Young, IBM, Financial Times Group and SNL Financial.

In addition, guiding the EVIO team are chief science officer and Director Anthony Smith, Ph.D.; President Al Lustig, MBA; Evio Oregon Director and President Henry Grimmett, BS, MA; EVIO Labs Berkeley Laboratory Director Tobias Paquet, BS; EVIO Labs Colorado Laboratory Director Stephen Goldman, BS, MS; EVIO Labs Eugene Vice President of Sales Michael Lausmann; EVIO Labs California General Manager Catherine Emond, MS, MA; and EVIO Labs Eugene Vice President of Client Relations Sara Lausmann, BA.

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

• Company offers fast and affordable unsecured personal loans online in 20 states
• IEG Holdings exploring application of blockchain technology to its consumer lending business model
• Total consumer lending industry in the U.S. is at more than $1.4 trillion, with unsecured personal loan segment taking roughly $107 billion

A leading fintech company and direct lender licensed in 20 states, Las Vegas-based IEG Holdings Corp. (OTCQB: IEGH) is offering a unique and approachable consumer lending model based on the concept of online unsecured loans with fast approval rates and affordable repayments. The company provides unsecured personal loans of $5,000 and $10,000 via its wholly owned, licensed subsidiary, Investment Evolution Corporation. With rapid approval, same-day funding, no hidden fees and low repayments, this lending model positions IEG Holdings for a leading position on the booming consumer lending market.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank (http://ibn.fm/iDfTI), the value of consumer loans at U.S. commercial banks is more than $1.43 trillion as of February of this year. Unsecured personal loans take a $107 billion stake in the total, according to figures compiled by TransUnion (http://ibn.fm/8Fr5P). This number marks a 10.8 percent increase from 2016. Even if the growth rate is smaller than the year-over-year increase rates reported up to 2016, there is a clear growing trend that continues every year, signaling increased consumer confidence in the stability of the market and overall sources of revenue. It should also be noted that, in addition to the growing rate of consumer lending, delinquency rates have dropped significantly, according to an Experian report (http://ibn.fm/seIRg), to a national average, pre-recession rate of 0.74 percent for 90 to 180 days-past-due delinquency rates and 0.49 percent for 60 to 89 days-past-due delinquencies.

IEG Holdings aims to disrupt the market with its unique approach to consumer lending. Offered under the ‘Mr. Amazing Loans’ consumer brand via its website and the online application portal available at www.MrAmazingLoans.com, IEG Holdings’ unsecured consumer loans have a five-year maturity period and interest rates that are considerably lower than what payday lenders typically charge.  According to the Center for Responsible Lending, payday lenders generally charge interest rates ranging from 391 percent to 521 percent annual percentage rate (APR) on loans from $100 to $1,000 (http://ibn.fm/Ysf3i). With Mr. Amazing Loans, consumer loans are processed and funded on the same day, without any pre-payment penalties or hidden fees. Repayment interest rates are fixed at an APR of up to 29.9 percent for the duration of the loan. This allows for low fixed repayments, depending on the loan amount and other terms, so as to fit any consumer’s budget.

All of the company’s loans are processed through IEG Holdings’ corporate offices in Las Vegas. The company is currently licensed or has certificates of authority to originate loans in 20 states, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

IEG Holdings also plans to further strengthen its position on the consumer lending market by exploring multiple applications for blockchain technology to its business model. Initial plans to release a gold-backed cryptocurrency for loan origination and repayments have been shelved for the time being. However, the company will maintain an interest in cryptocurrency and consider relevant opportunities in the future, including via the launch of a new currency by Singapore-incorporated Investment Evolution Coin Ltd. (“IEC”), a company managed by IEG Holdings CEO Paul Mathieson. IEG Holdings shareholders are currently being provided with the opportunity to receive the same number of IEC shares as the number of IEG Holdings shares that they hold. The offer will be valid until 5 p.m. EDT on April 30, 2018. IEC plans to launch its cryptocurrency in May 2018, with the initial goal of facilitating payment of remittances to the Philippines by nationals who work overseas in Singapore, Australia and the U.S.

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

• Net Element reports 11 percent increase in revenues for 2017
• Company processed $2.8 billion in global transactions during 2017
• Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing companies in North America on ‘2017 Technology Fast 500’ list

Having recently reported full-year financial results for 2017 (http://ibn.fm/EljTn), Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) announced positive progress and achievements for the past year, as well as near future plans as 2018 progresses.

Net Element is a global technology and value-added solutions group engaged in supporting electronic payments acceptance in a multichannel environment, including point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile devices. Commencing the 2018 year with a healthy balance sheet position, the company announced that it processed more than $2.8 billion in transactions on a global scale during 2017, which represented an increase of 14 percent compared to the previous year. In North America, Net Element processed $2.3 billion in transactions during 2017—an increase of 18 percent over 2016.

The company’s revenues also increased by 11 percent during 2017, reaching $60.1 million. Net Element experienced organic growth across all categories during the year.

Net Element marked significant accomplishments during 2017, including the receipt of a $7.55 million institutional investment to support ongoing organic growth and the company’s blockchain-focused endeavors. Net Element was also listed as one of the fastest-growing companies in North America on Deloitte’s ‘2017 Technology Fast 500’. As part of efforts to offer aid in the wake of Hurricane Irma, the company additionally provided affected Florida small- and medium-sized businesses with free mobile point-of-sale credit card readers.

Net Element also forged various strategic partnerships during 2017, including partnering with Elo to offer a cutting-edge, best-in-class point-of-sale solution and partnering with Payvision in Europe to extend access to global currencies and expand payment acceptance to more than 120 currencies. Net Element additionally joined the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) during 2017, which is the largest open-source blockchain initiative in the world.

Last year also featured a variety of product launches and updates for Net Element, including:

• Launch of multichannel payments platform Netevia, which, when fully developed, will enable Net Element to perform in blockchain technology solutions;
• Launch of a web-based, integrated, same-day ACH and e-check processing solution the U.S.;
• Launch of Zero-Fee processing program for SMB merchants in the U.S.;
• Launch of loyalty program for international online merchants using a PayOnline platform;
• Launch of PayOnline support for U.S. e-commerce;
• Launch of Apple Pay support in Russia;
• Launch of payment acceptance module for Telegram, Viber, Facebook and VK instant messenger apps;
• Expansion of payments module to include Prominent InSales platform;
• Launch of comprehensive point-of-sale program during the Unified Payments ‘2017 Launch Series’;
• Launch of ISO incubator program to foster growth and success for certified resellers of Unified Payments;
• Launch of fully integrated payment acceptance for V-Tell;
• Launch of fully integrated payment acceptance for Azimuth Airlines; and
• Addition of support for iDEAL payment system in the Netherlands.

Looking forward, Net Element plans to continue its focus on understanding clients and meeting their payment acceptance needs in core market segments. Other goals include continuing company growth in all key segments, driving client retention, expanding the company’s client base in particular markets, delivering value-added products to increase efficiencies and payment acceptance, continuing the development of Netvia and launching new tools to reach clients and deepen partner relations.

As the global payments industry continues its healthy growth, Net Element believes that new and disruptive technologies will further enable the company to differentiate itself and continue its development and delivery of cutting-edge payment solutions.

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

• Global big data revenue forecasts predict $80 billion level within three to five years
• AnalytixInsight delivers insightful analysis amid roiling market trends
• Company to present at annual MicroCap Conference in April

In an increasingly turbid marketplace where a presidential tweet or catchphrase-worthy tech innovation can stir up intense trading activity seemingly at a moment’s notice, investor reliance on the crystal ball-like qualities of artificial intelligence is becoming a necessity for capital survival. Amid the frothiness of shifting currents, AnalytixInsight Inc. (TSX.V: ALY) (OTCQB: ATIXF) has built on its pioneering predictive technology to create algorithms that are able to forecast future corporate events with often remarkable precision, and the company markets this tech under a SaaS model that is both affordable and intuitive for retail and institutional clients.

AnalytixInsight’s machine learning platform, CapitalCube (www.CapitalCube.com), turns big data into actionable information, delivering useful insights in a narrative form that allows investors to move decisively as they examine research on some 50,000 global companies and ETFs. CapitalCube algorithmically analyzes market price data and regulatory filings for investors, finance portals and media outlets including Yahoo Finance, The Wall Street Journal and Thomson Reuters.

The machine learning platform capabilities also extend to predictive functions in more traditional targeted solutions for companies examining their workflow schedules, product movements and other infrastructure aspects in search of ways to cull increased efficiency from their operations. AnalytixInsight’s ownership of workflow efficiency-boosting Euclides Technologies Inc. (www.EuclidesTech.com), through which it strives to improve the efficiencies of the clients it serves, gives the company a base of operations to utilize machine learning in workforce management within a wide range of industries, including insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications, home services, utilities, oil and gas.

“There is no safety in momentum anymore,” Alain Bokobza, head of global asset allocation at Société Générale, told the Wall Street Journal in a discussion of the rise in low volatility and credit spreads coinciding with questions about ‘safe’ strategies that bet on FAANG tech stocks, as evidenced in the big selloffs that opened the second quarter in stocks worldwide (http://ibn.fm/TqRVY).

Facebook and Google have become the poster children for the successes and excesses of big data’s potential in the building of a company’s revenue stream model. AnalytixInsight’s operation is a smaller-scale effort to directly serve clients with specific big data analytics needs and benefits from agreements with institutions such as Intesa Sanpaolo, Samsung and Euronext.

On April 9-10, the company will further increase its visibility by presenting at this year’s MicroCap Conference in New York City. The MicroCap Conference is an exclusive opportunity for interested investors to speak with the management of the most attractive small companies, learn from various expert panels and mingle with other microcap investors (http://ibn.fm/bYPtU).

AnalytixInsight saw a record quarter-over-quarter revenue rise of 77 percent last year accompanied by a 600 percent increase in its year-to-year numbers. Analysis portal Statista.com reported that overall revenues in the global big data industries amounted to just under $34 billion by the end of 2017 (http://ibn.fm/o9jvV) and forecast an increase to nearly $80 billion in the next five years. SNS Research estimates a CAGR of about 10 percent during the next three years resulting in a market value of about $76 billion by the end of 2020 (http://ibn.fm/mvu1g).

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

• Company announces its membership in Défi Montréal, Canada’s largest business acceleration program
• Partnership with Laboratories BNK Canada, Inc. allows ETST to commercialize its new testing services more quickly
• Strategic acquisition aimed at improving access to funding for development of treatments for various diseases

Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTC: ETST), a Florida-based biotechnology company that operates in the fields of hemp cannabinoids, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, is taking active measures to accelerate its development and growth. On March 22, 2018, ETST announced its membership in the 16th cohort of Défi Montréal, the largest innovative business acceleration program in Quebec. Martin Duchaîne, founder of Défi Montréal, has advised or assisted over 900 entrepreneurs in his 20-year career. This new membership is expected to accelerate the development and commercialization of new ETST products in Canada and overseas (http://ibn.fm/LJ84M).

Through ETST’s connection with Défi Montréal, key individuals have already been brought on board to advance the acceleration of operations. In January 2018, ETST announced a deal with Laboratories BNK Canada, Inc. for clinical studies related to the MSN-2 medical device. The MSN-2 is a home kit designed for the detection of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) from a self-obtained gynecological specimen. MSN-2 has been confirmed through studies to detect chlamydia. The company is working to validate similar results for gonorrhea. Testing for trichomoniasis, as well as different serotypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV), are expected to be added in the near future. Partnering with Laboratories BNK offers ETST an accelerated plan of development for more products while cutting costs and, ideally, treating more patients. This arrangement gives ETST the means to accelerate the commercialization of its new testing services while it works toward its ultimate goal of halting the spread of STIs.

ETST holds three wholly owned subsidiaries, including Earth Science Pharmaceutical Inc., Cannabis Therapeutics Inc. and KannaBidioid Inc. In 2017, ETST acquired Canna Inno Laboratories Inc. as a strategic move that gave ETST access to government grants. The first of these grants was awarded from the Government of Québec for innovation in the pharmaceutical industry and will support the pre-launch process of ETST’s three CBD-based products that aim to prevent common causes of cancer and help reduce occurrence rates.

ETST strives to discover solutions for conditions with no current effective treatment, targeting diseases for which the benefits of CBD have been demonstrated by researchers worldwide. The move to accelerate the development and commercialization of these products is an effort to improve treatments for different diseases on a global scale.

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

• EVIO lab test revenues related to cannabis products grew by 782 percent last year
• Cannabis testing weeds out impurities such as chemicals and fungi while also analyzing potency
• Amid news of acclaimed accreditation in Florida, company plans major nationwide expansion

As the cannabis industry continues to quietly flourish in North America, EVIO, Inc. (OTCQB: EVIO) is providing laboratory testing to help consumers ensure that the plant products they are getting meet stringent standards of healthful quality. The company has gained renown for its services as it provides consulting and high-quality analysis of cannabis plants grown under state-legal programs throughout the United States for food retail, recreational smoking and biomedical purposes.

The company plans to unfold 18 new laboratories around the United States by the end of the year. In the meantime, clients can bring plant samples into the Oregon-based company’s labs in Colorado or four other states along the East and West Coasts or ask a lab representative to make an on-site visit for random sampling. The lab will visually inspect the plants for signs of mold or foreign matter and analyze the water, microbiological and chemical content to detect bacteria, fungi, solvents and other potential contaminants.

The laboratory analysis not only aims to ensure the purity of the grower’s cannabis product, but the potency as well. A Great Britain study that highlighted the dangers of unregulated marijuana commerce in that country found that almost all cannabis seized during the investigation of illegal activity is of a high-strength variety designed to increase its psychoactive qualities. The study found that the amount of high-potency ‘skunk’ in the drug seizures had increased from 51 percent in 2005 to 94 percent in 2016 in five key regions across the country. The researchers claim that an increasing discrepancy between psychoactive THC and non-psychoactive CBD levels in cannabis could increase the number of users at risk of developing psychotic disorders – a view supported by a number of academics not involved in the research, according to The Guardian (http://ibn.fm/xZUM4).

“This is actually worrying because if we do believe that there are types of cannabis that can be used more safely – because of the presence of cannabidiol – well, at least in this country, these are disappearing,” Dr. Marta Di Forti, one of the authors from King’s College London, stated in the research.

A special report published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association in February (http://ibn.fm/WqTcH) echoes the concerns among North American consumers, stating that the higher potency drugs pose mental health risks to some patients, such as schizophrenia and other psychiatric issues, and that health care providers, particularly pediatricians, “should be aware of this, especially for patients who have exhibited symptoms of anxiety and depression, and be willing to have candid discussions about cannabis.”

EVIO’s dedication to ensuring the quality and potency of cannabis products “is a key element of the company’s success and one that should matter most to cannabis consumers, who are often seeking relief from specific ailments. In fact, EVIO Labs Florida recently achieved ISO 17025 accreditation, becoming the first accredited cannabis testing lab in the state,” a recent article about the company states (http://ibn.fm/pcIFB). “This achievement, which marks the highest recognized quality standard in the world for calibration and testing laboratories, means that EVIO Labs Florida consistently produces precise and accurate tests that are implemented under a rigorous quality management system.”

The company’s end of fiscal year statement for 2017’s third quarter reports that testing revenues had grown from $305,679 the previous year to nearly $2.7 million, marking a 782 percent jump, with its consulting services providing a more modest revenue increase to $324,803. Once the expenses of testing and consulting were factored in, EVIO’s gross profit grew from $33,906 in 2016 to $564,507 last year.

The company received a vote of confidence from investors willing to put their money where their heart is when EVIO closed a nearly $6 million private placement that practically doubled the initial $3 million target (http://ibn.fm/eWrp5) earlier this year. EVIO, Inc. has more accredited cannabis testing laboratories in operation than any other company in the industry, and the planned addition of 18 laboratories aims to ensure its foothold.

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

• Filed patents to protect company’s process and products
• Powderized cannabis products deliver precise CBD/THC dosing with superior cannabinoid solubility
• Signed strategic partnership and licensing agreement with Avitas CBD Water

After thousands of years of human use, cannabis is now at the center of a new revolution. The medical efficacy of certain cannabinoids is now settled science, and numerous advanced therapeutic applications are currently in development. Recreational cannabis use has gained broad acceptance in multiple U.S. states and, in a few months, becomes legal across all of Canada. However, whether for medicinal or recreational purposes, there have been long-standing problems with dosing precision and effective bioavailability related to cannabis usage.

Xanthic Biopharma Inc. is changing the landscape and establishing a new paradigm in precise and effective cannabinoid delivery. The company recently filed a patent application to protect its proprietary processes to powderize the active ingredients in cannabis, including both THC and CBD (http://ibn.fm/6iclQ). Since it’s a fat, cannabis doesn’t readily mix with water. Xanthic’s innovative process makes cannabinoids water-soluble, allowing for precise dosing while significantly increasing the bioavailability of active ingredients. The company’s patent application also seeks to protect powdered cannabis products made according to proprietary processes.

In a news release, Tim Moore, CEO of Xanthic, commented, “Xanthic is extremely excited to have developed this industry-leading technology. The company’s technology provides a competitive advantage in the marketplace and we have taken the logical step of seeking patent protection for the company’s proprietary processes and products. Our break through process allows for full spectrum cannabinoid water solubility with maximum bioavailability. This is an industry first and will add a great deal of value for our strategic partners.”

Simple, easy and convenient to use, all it takes is a bottle of water added to any of Xanthic’s powderized products to consume cannabis. This novel technology has applications across a broad range of powdered and infused medical and recreational cannabis products, and Xanthic is wasting no time in establishing it as the industry standard.

Employing a unique business model, Xanthic is licensing with approved cannabis producers, allowing them to sell new precise dosage products at higher price points. With a low capital investment and a small footprint in their facilities, licensed producers can achieve greater revenues by converting their existing products to higher value products that capitalize on the multiple benefits of precise dosing, convenience and increased bioavailability.

Xanthic recently announced that it has entered into a licensing and strategic partnership agreement with Avitas CBD Water, LLC (http://ibn.fm/fJxuS). Based in Portland, Oregon, Avitas will be producing and distributing CBD-infused water, co-branded with ‘Powered by Xanthic Solubles’.

“This strategic partnership is Xanthic’s first step in proving that our proprietary technology is a viable licensing investment for producers and distributors across North America. We’re thrilled to be able to not only license our brand to Avitas, but to also work as a strategic partner to assist Avitas with their penetration of the infused water market. Moving forward, our corporate vision is to continue to provide the Powered by Xanthic technology to producers and distributors across various product categories and in multiple jurisdictions,” noted Moore.

Xanthic Biopharma is changing the cannabis paradigm and enabling its strategic partners to produce high quality, innovative, non-combustible cannabis and cannabis-infused products which deliver consistent THC and/or CBD levels with superior cannabinoid solubility and consistency.

Not currently public, Xanthic is taking all of the necessary steps to apply for listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Once listed, the stock could be ‘Powered by Xanthic’ and, given the social and economic advantages of Xanthic’s breakthrough technology, it could be quite a ride.

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

• CEO David Sealock to present Petroteq corporate overview at Microcap Conference
• Innovative, patented oil extraction technology maximizes efficiencies, boasting environmentally friendly features with zero greenhouse gas and waste
• Strategic investments in technology include blockchain-based platform targeting supply chain needs of oil and gas industry

Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTCQX: PQEFF), a company focused on the development and implementation of proprietary technologies for the energy industry, is gearing up for an impressive year full of significant milestones. Newly appointed CEO David Sealock plans to share a corporate overview of the company’s patented, environmentally friendly oil extraction technologies and its commitment to blockchain technology during the Microcap Conference on April 9 at the Essex House in New York City.

Sealock is a highly accomplished, results-driven senior executive with over 26 years of strategic management and business/digital transformation experience and a track record of working with and for several oil and gas corporations. In a news release, former CEO Alex Blyumkin, who is now chairman of Petroteq’s board of directors, noted that Sealock’s background as a technical professional (he is a Registered Engineering Technologist with ASET) complements the company’s strategic growth plans.

“We believe David’s aptitude and capabilities will allow us to take Petroteq to the next level as we make significant progress in our Utah facilities and also move forward on building our PetroBloq consortium,” Blyumkin said in making the announcement (http://ibn.fm/hVLdX). “He is a well-rounded leader that has been known for initiating innovative technologies for cost efficiencies and has successfully completed a US$150M equity financing and US$200 million debt financing under his stewardship while he was President and CEO with Sunshine Oilsands.”

One of Sealock’s first public endeavors will be at the Microcap Conference in New York, where he will share details about the company’s proprietary technology for oil extraction and provide a look into the development of PetroBLOQ, a blockchain-based platform designed to address the supply chain needs of the oil and gas sector (http://ibn.fm/e6KlU). As a pioneer in the environmentally safe extraction of heavy oils from oil sands and oil shale deposits, Petroteq is increasingly finding its patented technology generating interest among its peers.

“While investors have historically been skeptical of oil sands mining, Petroteq’s technology evolves oil sands mining to a much cleaner, safer and environmentally friendly extraction method,” Sealock said in an interview. “Petroteq intends to make a positive impact in shaping Utah’s energy future, setting environmental stewardship standards to ensure earth, water, and air are properly managed and sustained for future generations. As Petroteq executes its lean project execution model, leveraging Blockchain, for cost leading and environmentally friendly development of our resources, the Company is committed to safe and reliable performance at all levels of the organization.”

Petroteq’s Asphalt Ridge property in eastern Utah has already produced approximately 10,000 barrels of oil using the company’s unique continuous-flow oil extraction process, which utilizes environmentally friendly, closed-loop technology. Expansion plans to increase the oil plant’s production capacity to 1,000 barrels per day are complete (http://ibn.fm/bdRZ6), and Petroteq managers expect this Utah resource to be highly profitable.

“Petroteq’s culture, the DNA of the Company, has been guided by our Chairman and board members,” Sealock said. “Although times, and markets, change, Petroteq’s focus on integrity, transparency, and open communications that create collaboration and coordination, are our strongest asset. My mandate is to maintain our growth strategy, adapt for the times and new markets, but keep the DNA intact. Petroteq offers an exciting investment opportunity, with the team, resources, and production profiles that have the potential to achieve optimal production for decades to come. Milestones like the completion of our 1,000 barrel per day commercial facility and the progression of EPC to ensure that our 5,000 barrel per day facility is operational in 2019, positions Petroteq to offer shareholders and our partners tremendous growth.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Petroteq.energy