• POC devices speed up triage, diagnosis and treatment of patients
• MIDS Cardiac™ is being developed to detect the biomarker troponin I or T for suspected heart attack within 3 minutes, as opposed to often taking 60 minutes in central laboratories
• Global cardiac biomarkers market expected to reach $13.3 billion by 2024

A recent report by Grand View Research analyzes the shortage of skilled medical staff and how this is expected to accelerate the market penetration rate of point-of-care (POC) diagnostic products (http://ibn.fm/6Yb2x). The major advantage of these devices is that they can be operated by both qualified medical professionals and non-medical personnel with minimal training. Through its joint venture ownership of MIDS Medical Limited (MML), Zenosense, Inc. (OTC: ZENO) is developing “MIDS”, a nano-magnetic detection technology to allow true laboratory accuracy at the POC. This groundbreaking technology, if successfully embodied in a POC device, strongly positions Zenosense to capitalize on the predicted global growth in this market.

In the United States, development funding for diagnostics is being provided by many institutions, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense (DOD) and private foundations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

MIDS development is carried out at MML’s laboratories at the Sci-Tech Daresbury campus in the UK, a facility that’s internationally recognized for leading-edge scientific research and commercial development. MML has exclusive rights to the MIDS technology platform through patents already granted in China and the United States. The company has also filed patent applications in all other key geographic areas around the world.

The MIDS technology uses nano-magnets to detect and quantify assay beads instead of the conventional optical detection method, with the MIDS “Lab-on-Chip” technology designed as an equally accurate, cost effective and much faster alternative to laboratory analysis.

POC devices have the capability to expedite laboratory testing, saving medical personnel crucial time in time-sensitive situations. MML is currently focused on the initial development and commercialization of its MIDS Cardiac POC technology. This project aims to deliver a handheld device using a disposable test strip for rapid detection of suspected heart attack, or acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

MIDS Cardiac is being developed for use by minimally trained emergency response personnel to speed up triage, diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering suspected symptoms of this life threatening condition. The technology aims to detect extremely low levels of cardiac biomarkers, including troponin, the medical profession’s biomarker of choice for AMI.

Currently, high sensitivity troponin assays can only be conducted in central laboratories using expensive equipment, and they typically take 60 minutes to turn around results. MML’s solution is being developed to be cost-effective, with the ability to produce troponin results within three minutes and more extensive biomarker testing expected to be provided within eight minutes.

Zenosense, through MML, intends to develop wider applications of its MIDS technology platform to include POC immunoassay testing of many other medical conditions and diseases. MML’s test results on its Hybrid Strip development system already indicate that MML can detect commercially available assay beads at extremely low levels. The successful incorporation of magnetic detection should provide a significant improvement in accuracy over existing POC devices that are limited to imperfect optical detection, which cannot equal laboratory analyzer performance.

The system uniquely positions Zenosense to capitalize on a fast-growing market. According to Grand View Research, the global cardiac biomarkers market is expected to reach $13.3 billion by 2024, and Markets and Markets report that the global immunoassay testing market is projected to be worth $25.45 billion by 2021.

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

• Holder of over 23,000 gross acres of two proven, resource-rich oil fields – the Milnesand and Chaveroo fields – in the Permian Basin of New Mexico
• Historical, recorded production of the fields is approximately 40 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE), representing less than 10 percent of the oil in place
• Net present value of reserves, discounted at 10 percent, is estimated at $829.7 million.
• Debt free and a 100% working interest owner, Hunter Oil benefits from the legacy oil field infrastructure that includes existing roads, power, water injection facilities and other infrastructure
• Management team boasts decades of experience in oil production, both internationally and domestically, bringing a deeper understanding of operating assets on state and federally regulated lands

Hunter Oil Corp. (TSX.V: HOC) (OTCQX: HOILF) is an oil and gas exploration, development and production company. The Company’s corporate headquarters are located in Vancouver, British Columbia, and its operational headquarters are in Houston, Texas. Along with its subsidiaries, Hunter Oil is engaged in acquisition, development, operation, and exploitation of crude oil and natural gas properties in the Permian Basin in eastern New Mexico. The Company owns and operates two large, proven oil fields – the Chaveroo and Milnesand San Andres fields – with a total acreage position of over 23,000 acres that are essentially contiguous. Hunter Oil’s operations involve re-accessing the existing reservoirs and developing the resource by utilizing contemporary completion techniques and proven unconventional recovery technologies.

First developed in the 1950s and 1960s using vertical well production technology, the Chaveroo and Milnesand fields produced 40 million barrels or only a fraction of the original oil in place, leaving behind significant recoverable reserves. Hunter Oil plans to unlock the value in these resource-rich fields by leveraging existing infrastructure, lowering operating costs and increasing efficiencies of its operations. By exploiting the pre-existing infrastructure at these proven, legacy assets, Hunter Oil is poised to capitalize on a significantly reduced exploration and finding cost threshold that enables profitability. Net present value of its reserves in these fields, discounted at 10 percent, is estimated at US$829.7 million as disclosed in the company’s year-end 2017 reserve report⁽¹⁾.

The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Ridgeway Arizona Oil Corp., recently received drilling permits for five wells in its Chaveroo oil field. Hunter Oil intends to develop the Chaveroo reserves by drilling up to 84 horizontal wells. These permits represent the first group of wells to be drilled in the planned program and mark a significant milestone. During the past three years, the Company has readied the two oil fields for their next phase of exploitation via infill horizontal redevelopment.

The planned wells will target the San Andres formation at approximately 4,500’ TVD (true vertical depth) and will be one-mile-long horizontal wells. The Chaveroo oil field has reserves targeted for exploitation of 22 MMBOE (million barrels of oil equivalent) consisting of Proved Undeveloped reserves of 8.4 MMBOE, Probable reserves of 3.4 MMBOE, and Possible reserves of 10.2 MMBOE, as disclosed in the Company’s year-end 2017 reserve report⁽¹⁾.

Hunter Oil’s management team has decades of experience in oil production, both internationally and domestically, allowing for a greater understanding of operating assets on both state and federally regulated lands. Al H. Denson, P.E., recently appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Hunter Oil Corp., is an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers with more than 40 years of exploration and production experience. He began his career in 1976 with Amoco Corporation (now BP), where he served in various engineering, operational and management roles, both in the U.S. and internationally. Mr. Denson, who served as a director and member of the Company’s Operating Committee from 2014 to 2017, earned both a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from Mississippi State University and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Louisiana.

As a believer in corporate responsibility, Hunter Oil is committed to safe and responsible exploration and development practices that reflect a thoughtful awareness of the impact its operations have on the environment and community. Hunter Oil’s mission is to bring environmental, social and economic value to all of its stakeholders.

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

⁽¹⁾ This information is a summary only and readers are referred to the Company’s news release dated April 26, 2018 for further details, as well as to the evaluation of the Company’s reserves conducted by independent qualified reserves evaluator, Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., effective December 31, 2017 which is available at www.sedar.com.

• The only publicly traded company focused solely on the emerging monetization tool of gamification, the art of converting shoppers to buyers via incentivized gaming apps
• Gamification market projected to reach $22 billion by 2022 with an estimated CAGR of 41%
• DeepMarkit’s patent-pending Gamify app is accessible via all major e-commerce platforms and websites, a potential reach of several million clients servicing exponentially more users
• Exploring blockchain technology to verify consumer data and incorporate a cryptocurrency reward system is underway

DeepMarkit Inc. (TSX.V: MKT) (OTCQB: MKTDF), based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a patent pending gamification technology company inventing new ways to engage consumers and other audiences. The Company’s proprietary promotions platform – “Gamify” – enables businesses and agencies to create branded games that incentivize consumers, thus driving sales, capturing data and generating leads. The DeepMarkit platform integrates next-gen gamification engagement mechanics with interactive advertising industry standards and powerful visuals, including 3-D images. Customers may choose from both free and paid solutions suitable for campaigns of all sizes, targeting multiple channels on the web, mobile and social media.

A team of seasoned, passionate gaming executives, led by president and CEO Darold Parken, has worked together for more than 15 years developing games and gaming systems that are still used today by some of the largest gaming companies in the world. This accomplished executive team founded Chartwell Technologies, acquired in 2011 by Amaya Gaming, which now is known as The Stars Group (Nasdaq: TSG) with a market cap of over $5 billion.

Gamify offers a selection of easily customizable gaming apps featuring a customer’s branded e-store in addition to tailored landing pages, technical support, real-time analytics, data collection and an engaging marketing campaign. Gamify’s patent-pending app comes complete with unique user incentives that draw consumers in with games and prizes, which in turn engages shoppers, turning them into buyers and building brand loyalty.

The gamification market is rapidly expanding and projected to be worth $22 billion by 2022, with a CAGR of 41 percent. DeepMarkit is the only publicly listed company focused solely on this exploding market that embraces any size of business, from the mom-and-pop shops to the blue-chip giants. DeepMarkit’s management team knows that increasing a customer’s conversion rate by a mere 1 percent has the potential to double revenue, which is why Gamify’s app and its ability to transform simple shoppers into engaged buyers is so compelling.

“Our marketing platform enables customers to build branded games that incentivize audiences, generate leads, and drive sales. Businesses need a way to stand out from the crowd,” Parken states in an investor’s video (http://ibn.fm/0FgJh). “DeepMarkit’s gamification platform gives customers that way to stand out and it’s a way that they can afford. That’s the strength of our platform. For a relatively small amount of money, any business can create a very powerful, high quality customer engagement using gamification.”

DeepMarkit recently entered into a joint marketing agreement with ITN International (“ITN”), a global leader in trade show data capture and analytics. The agreement will enable the 1.5 million exhibitors at the 125-plus yearly events serviced by ITN to purchase a customizable campaign with prize delivery and branded games that can be used in collaboration with ITN’s lead retrieval solutions. DeepMarkit and ITN are currently integrating DeepMarkit’s patent-pending gamification platform directly into ITN’s exhibitor portal.

“We started DeepMarkit because we have a passion for games and we believe in the power of games, not just for entertainment but more importantly as a tool for business,” Parken said. “DeepMarkit is a gamification company. What we mean by that is that we create innovative ways to use games for business purposes. Games to generate customer leads, games to promote products, deliver rewards, build brand awareness and customer loyalty.”

Selected as the winner of the New Company/Product pitch competition at the Retail Global 2017 Conference held in Las Vegas, Gamify’s platform has also attracted a $1.5 million investment from Allstate International LLC in Hong Kong. The investment gives Allstate a 10 percent stake in DeepMarkit and a great opportunity to bring the Gamify platform into the burgeoning Asian gaming market.

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

• NetoBit platform provides “very high accuracy” predictive solution to reducing crypto validation time
• Virtual Crypto Technologies carves niche with bi-directional crypto ATM trade capability
• Despite banking industry skepticism, cryptocurrency industry continues to post healthy results

Cryptocurrencies continue to shrug off pessimism about their nascent industry challenges, notably with a recent $13 billion price spike in total market capitalization during the course of an hour on the heels of a 24-page report in which central banking conglomerate the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) blasted cryptocurrencies, stating growth in the alt-currencies’ use would fuel self-destructive growth in their storage and energy needs (http://ibn.fm/DZ0p8). While the disputes between central bankers and alt-currency traders are an ongoing feature of the fintech market, Virtual Crypto Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP), a believer in the transformative potential of cryptocurrencies, is helping the industry through its growing pains with transformative technology of its own — crypto-accessible ATM systems that are capable of both fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat transactions on a real-time basis.

Virtual Crypto Technologies’ bi-directional platform, known as the NetoBit ATM, is unique in leveraging the company’s currency exchange transaction validation (CETV) protocols to enable customers to withdraw cash and transfer funds to their bitcoin accounts in seconds. The number of crypto-enabled ATMs is growing worldwide, but the alternatives generally commerce in the one-way purchase of cryptocurrency. The NetoBit ATM system also gives users the best bang for their buck by comparing a number of cryptocurrency exchanges in order to find the most favorable trade rates.

Cryptocurrencies, based on the secure file-sharing technology of the blockchain, employ a trade verification process in which “miners” confirm the validity of the fintech transactions through a series of computations. The Virtual Crypto ATMs’ NetoBit operating system cuts a verification process that may take between 10 minutes and 24 hours by determining “the probability” of transaction validation by multiple miners, even as the verification is taking place (http://ibn.fm/SeIJ8).

The just-released ATMs complement Virtual Crypto’s already existing NetoBit Pay point-of-sale system for retailers, which businesses worldwide have used to securely receive real-time payments from clients in bitcoin. The transactions are guaranteed up to $3,000 per trade.

While cryptocurrency development remains profoundly dynamic, challenging traders as well as universities struggling to keep pace with a burgeoning interest in related curricula (http://ibn.fm/QQIJ6), Virtual Crypto’s technology is resolving the “how” of the currencies’ trade. In January, the company completed a memorandum of understanding with Israel-based oil refinery relocater Chiron Refineries Ltd. (TASE: CHR), which is diversifying with an entry into the cryptocurrency industry. Chiron plans to use its exclusive distribution rights to market the NetoBit technology to casino cashiers, ATM operators, currency exchange offices and coffee shops in the territories of North Cyprus and Turkey (http://ibn.fm/2CTbr), and it may exercise an option to expand the distribution business into Nigeria.

Virtual Crypto also intends to further develop its services with a focus on the extensive cryptocurrency usage that takes place within the online video game market, using its technology in mobile platforms and other application programming interfaces (APIs). Mobile devices now comprise the point of access for some $50 billion worth of the global gaming market (http://ibn.fm/XBgGl).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Virtual-Crypto.com

• Lexaria will license in any of the 40 countries where its technology already has a patent or is patent-pending
• Company sees up to 80 percent of its future revenues coming from licensing DehydraTECH proprietary ingestion delivery technology
• DehydraTECH™ has applications for processed foods, tobacco industry, pharmaceutical companies, NSAIDs, supplements and beverages

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) has a wide variety of licensing applications for its patented DehydraTECH™ delivery technology. It is already licensed to Nuka Enterprises LLC, maker of “1906” brand cannabis chocolates (http://ibn.fm/lF00P). Chris Bunka, CEO, emphasizes that his company’s technology applies to far more than just the cannabis industry (http://ibn.fm/9AxYl), with the company indicating that it is also applicable to nicotine, NSAIDs, beverages, drugs and vitamins. LXRP forecasts that up to 80 percent of its total revenue could stem from licensing deals, the CEO added in a podcast interview with Uptick Newswire (http://ibn.fm/UK6y5).

Based in British Columbia, Canada, LXRP is a biotechnology company that out-licenses its disruptive delivery technology that promotes healthier ingestion methods. It results in lower dosing and higher effectiveness. LXRP holds a patent for oral delivery of all cannabinoids.

Its licenses are offered based upon geography, applications and product categories. LXRP’s patent portfolio protects its IP and is expanding. Last year, LXRP received its first U.S. patent on nicotine, ibuprofen and aspirin delivery, as well as cannabinoids. Bunka added that Lexaria’s technology is also in the active investigation phase in the EU, Canada, China, Japan and India.

The company’s patented DehydraTECH™ is key to LXRP’s valuation. The technology is being tested in human clinical studies for the delivery of cannabinoids through ingestible means. Results thus far have shown increased absorption rates with reduced time to enter the bloodstream and reported improvements in the taste and smell of edible products.

Lab tests on mice have shown a 50 percent improvement in active ingredients, such as nicotine, being absorbed into the bloodstream. They demonstrated even higher percentage levels absorbed into the brain. Bunka said that these results could potentially have an important impact on future treatment of cancer and brain tumors.

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

• Pivot offers unique proprietary drug delivery platform technologies
• Company has a strong intellectual property (IP) portfolio for the formulation and delivery of cannabinoids
• Company acquires licensing rights to patented Trivair™ nasal and pulmonary drug delivery system, also signs exclusive manufacturing agreement with Bio V Pharma

Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: PVOT) (OTCQB: PVOTF) (FRA: NPAT) is a biopharmaceutical company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Pivot engages in the development and commercialization of premium cannabinoid-based nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. It does so utilizing unique drug delivery platform technologies. Pivot Pharmaceuticals’ wholly-owned medical cannabis products division is Pivot Green Stream Health Solutions Inc. (“PGS”).

Pivot Pharmaceuticals has a suite of 30 products ready for commercialization. The company also has a strong intellectual property (IP) portfolio for the formulation and delivery of cannabinoids. Pivot’s proposed product line comprises capsules and tablets, bulk powder, stick packs and beverages. Its product line also consists of water soluble oral solutions, lotions, creams, gels and pet supplements.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals has acquired the global rights for four proprietary drug delivery technologies. These technologies are for the delivery and commercialization of cannabinoid-, cannabidiol- and tetrahydrocannabinol-based products.

Researchers are continually working to design ways to breach the blood brain barrier. However, as an article in life sciences magazine The Scientist reported, “… researchers first have to understand it.” The article notes that researchers are working on techniques to bypass or sneak past the guardian of the central nervous system so they can better treat neurological disease.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals recently signed an option agreement with IP Med Inc. to acquire an exclusive global license for Trivair™ Nasal and Pulmonary Breath-Propelled Drug Delivery Systems™ for the delivery of Pivot’s Ready-To-Infuse-Cannabis (RTIC) cannabinoid products (http://ibn.fm/Y1tSp). The TriVair™ Nasal device uses the body’s natural breath to drive a medication deep into the nasal cavity to targeted sites, bypassing the blood brain barrier and providing the potential to better treat central nervous system diseases.

Pivot’s PGS division has acquired the worldwide rights to the BiPhasix™ Transdermal Drug Delivery platform technology (topical). BiPhasix™ is a dermal delivery technology for cannabinoids. Moreover, 1% CBD BiPhasix Cream is ready for commercialization.

Additionally, PGS acquired the worldwide rights from Solmic GmbH (Germany) for the development and commercialization of the Solmic Solubilisation Technology Platform for defined cannabinoids or cannabinoid-containing extracts. This formulation technology offers considerably higher bioavailability and stability versus alternative oil-based formulations.

Pivot’s other technology platform is Thrudermic™, a transdermal nanotechnology for cannabinoids. Each of the company’s four technology platforms allows Pivot to produce numerous products.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals also recently signed an exclusive contract manufacturing agreement with Bio V Pharma Inc. (http://ibn.fm/MIxfo). This agreement is for Bio V to manufacture, label, package and supply Pivot’s bio-cannabis product pipeline. Bio V, based in the Province of Quebec, is a full-service manufacturer of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. Bio V will produce Pivot Pharmaceuticals’ complete bio-cannabis family of products. This includes BiPhasix™ (topical creams and lotions), Thrudermic™ (transdermal gels and lotions), Solmic™ 1% CBD oral solution, and Ready-to-Infuse-Cannabis Powder.

In a news release, Dr. Patrick Frankham, chief executive officer of Pivot Pharmaceuticals, stated, “We are excited to have chosen Bio V Pharma as our Canadian manufacturing partner at this important time in Pivot’s history. Consumers and regulators will demand high-quality products that are manufactured in cGMP facilities by a knowledgeable and experienced team.”

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

• Major carriers preparing to roll out 5G wireless upgrades in the coming months
• Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings technology suited to sustain telecommunications needs of Tier 2, Tier 3 communities
• 1stPoint Communications acquisition creates triple play, mobile-to-mobile opportunities

As the world prepares for next-generation 5G wireless cell service (http://ibn.fm/NTyiv), telecommunications company Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corp. (OTCQB: HMMR) is building its efforts to grow its New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania base of operations into a national program that will provide service on a neighborhood-access basis. The company is aligning itself with like-minded businesses as it works to deliver low-cost, high-capacity broadband to phone, Internet and television service markets across the country.

The company plans to begin live field testing of its new “pre-5G” system this year to coincide with the earliest rollout of the transformational 5G technology in select parts of the United States, with commercial service to follow in the coming months. The 5G technology will enable far faster data transmission and buffering than 4G LTE, as consumers worldwide upgrade mobile-access devices and local governments move to smaller, shorter-range signal distribution systems (http://ibn.fm/ATZau).

Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings, doing business as Hammer Communications, recently launched its 5G-ready Hammer Wireless AIR point-to-multipoint system to increase the options available to customers and to improve service in rural areas. The May 17 announcement of its Mobile Network Services Provider program in tandem with 1stPoint Communications will allow phone-Internet-TV triple play services, as well as Smart City and mobile-to-mobile capabilities on the same network platform with an “everything wireless” philosophy for geographical regions (http://ibn.fm/iEX2J). Wireless networks are driving the transformation of the overall telecommunications industry as services continue to converge under one platform, with cable TV operators entering wireless network agreements through incumbent carriers, telecom operators entering pay-TV streaming services and a wide array of corporations making big-ticket acquisitions that create media powerhouses (http://ibn.fm/JR9nz).

“This is the beginning of the transformation of Hammer Communications,” Mark Stogdill, Hammer’s founder, stated in the news release announcing the MNSP program. “The Air system is capable of supporting not only a residential access network, but can empower carriers, municipalities and customers to deploy a variety of applications through our network.”

Kristen Vasicek, director of marketing for 1stPoint, added, “Following on Hammer’s successful deployment in Atlantic County (New Jersey) we have the template for the deployment anywhere nationwide or even globally.”

NetworkNewsWire, a multifaceted financial news and publishing company, published an editorial on the company on May 24 that comments, “Hammer’s AIR System is now looking to many industry analysts like it may be the ideal solution for everything from bridging the digital divide in underserved rural communities to addressing increasingly abundant data roaming opportunities and M2M concerns. This innovative, patented technology represents what could be a major advantage for the company, as no one in the industry today offers what Hammer is already doing” (http://ibn.fm/SHQwz).

Hammer’s proposed acquisition of 1stPoint and its subsidiaries would give the company the benefit of exclusive rights to the patented AIR wireless technology, as well as to 1stPoint’s switching technology, its underlying competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and its Commercial Mobile Radio Services operator.

The advent of fixed wireless technology continues to breed new technologies in the internet of things industry, and the entry of 5G speeds is expected to sustain advances for self-driving cars, smart homes and increasingly sophisticated robots. For now, Hammer’s primary excitement centers on its potential to boost services in smaller Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, where competitive-cost service diversity may not exist.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.HammerCorp.info

• Facility in Costa Mesa, California, will enable full range of cannabis distribution services
• Powdered cannabis CBD and THC formulations for beverage alternatives expected to drive multi-billion-dollar market
• Pivot Pharmaceuticals expects to have licensing to begin manufacturing by July, with equipment installed by August

Cannabis-friendly biopharmaceutical firm Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: PVOT) (OTCQB: PVOTF) (FRA: NPAT) is rolling at a good pace with its recent announcement that its Canada-based operation has also found solid footing in the United States through a lease agreement on a California manufacturing facility that will allow the company to operate wholesale medical marijuana distribution, manufacture, processing and transportation and set up research and development laboratories.

According to a May news release (http://ibn.fm/0999d), Pivot intends to use the manufacturing facility to begin production of a portfolio of patented cannabis-derivatives that will be marketed under the “Pivot Naturals” brand. The company will use high-quality cannabis oil and plant elements to generate food additive powders and capsules through its patented “Ready To Infuse Cannabis (RTIC)” process for sale in the California market — the largest marijuana market on the planet.

Once it has obtained the licensing, the Costa Mesa production pipeline will look to take advantage of annual legal cannabis sales in California that totaled about $2.8 billion in 2016 and are expected to grow to $3.7 billion this year, then $5.1 billion next year, thanks in large part to the state’s legalization of adult recreational use in January (http://ibn.fm/iYWYq).

“I expect that we will receive the necessary local and state manufacturing licenses in July 2018 and complete production equipment installation by August 2018. Pivot Naturals’ capsules, stick packs and bulk powder should be on the shelves of dispensaries in California by Q4 2018,” Patrick J. Rolfes, president of Pivot Naturals, LLC, stated in the news release. “In addition, we have been inundated by requests to supply our patented RTIC powder for white label products and we fully intend to continue to sign manufacturing and supply agreements with respected cannabis brands in our state.”

Pivot’s RTIC process and Solmic Micelle water-soluble technologies will be used to generate a dry cannabis powder that can be used as a baking additive, in pet products and in a variety of retail items. Part of the manufacturing facility will be used to produce topical creams and oral drug delivery technologies, but, at the moment, one of the company’s key focuses is the potential to stir a bit of flavorless, odorless cannabis powder into a favorite beverage — either as non-psychotropic CBD formulations or more intoxicating THC formulations.

“The beverage market opportunity is just too big to ignore and our patented technologies lend themselves well to this space,” Pivot CEO Patrick Frankham stated in a May news release (http://ibn.fm/naKCC). “Existing solutions are unable to provide consistent dosing nor offer the most effective bioavailability, of which our patented technology is able to remedy. … It is our intention to supply CBD and THC additives as ingredients for global wine, spirits, beer and energy drink companies who have the capabilities for large scale manufacturing and distribution.”

Equity research firm Cowen and Co. predicts that the cannabis market will generate $75 billion in annual sales by 2030 (http://ibn.fm/9DmiR), based in large part on its analysis of consumers’ “social lubricant” binge drinking behavior and the drive to substitute cannabis for alcohol in some beverages.

“We found that legal cannabis states (as of 2016) binge drink 13% fewer times per month than non-cannabis states,” the company’s report states.

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

• Company’s Hyperledger Agri-Blockchain-based system will facilitate informational transparency and efficiency within the agriculture and food industries
• Hyperledger Agri-Blockchain solution will enable food producers to pinpoint the exact origins of food contamination and launch narrow and focused product recalls
• Pacific Software’s other development efforts include Hyperledger blockchain solutions for the cannabis and pharmaceutical markets

The old adage says, “You are what you eat.” As food recalls and food-related illness outbreaks continue to make national headlines, consumers are more concerned than ever about what they’re eating—particularly where their food comes from and what it contains. A lack of transparency, data-keeping efficiency, information integrity and more within the food industry continues to exacerbate consumer insecurities regarding food products. However, one enterprising company aims to help solve these problems and bring transparency to the food chain through the cutting-edge technology of blockchain.

Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF) is a master licensor of Hyperledger blockchain-based systems, focusing on developing systems with high throughput transaction processing, traceability or tracking, visibility or monitoring, and transparency throughout the supply and value chains. Through a working relationship with IBM, Pacific Software has gleaned deep learnings from a vast array of public and private supply chain implementations to leverage a variety of technologies.

One of the applications that Pacific Software, Inc. is currently developing is its Hyperledger blockchain-based technology, which may have far-reaching benefits for the agriculture and food industries. The use of its “Agri-Blockchain” will make it possible to track the provenance of food products from the buyer all the way back to the producer, including making available verified information regarding chain of custody and the issuing, validation and auditing of certificates.

Currently, the company’s Agri-Blockchain development efforts are targeting “farm-to-table” beef exports, with the aim of increasing export transparency and diminishing the terrifying “zombie meat” problem and health risks associated with the shipping of tainted meat. This, however, is just the launch point for Pacific Software’s Agri-Blockchain technology, which can be used to track all manner of exports and has far-reaching applications within the food industry to help ensure the safety and quality of all types of food products.

Pacific Software, Inc.’s solution will not only provide consumers with reassuring transparency and verified, tamper-proof information regarding where their food has come from; it can also save companies significant time and resources when one of their food products is subject to a recall. In the case of food contamination, for instance, this blockchain-based technology can pinpoint the exact origin of the contamination and facilitate a narrow and focused recall of affected products.

When it comes to imported food products, transparency and trust are often lacking at present. The majority of compliance data and information is currently stored on paper or in decentralized databases, leaving the data vulnerable to various informational problems, including fraud, corruption, error (both on paper and in IT systems), lack of digital record integrity (due to both human error and data tampering), double-spending of certificates and more. The current system is not only vulnerable and inefficient; it is expensive. With blockchain technology, costs are lowered substantially, and efficiency is significantly enhanced.

The application of blockchain technology can significantly enhance existing B2B integration technologies like EDI, XML and API-based B2B, providing a new shared visibility overlay for transaction and information flows. The current B2B workflow via EDI or any other B2B application is inefficient and hard to trace, lacking transparency and discouraging information sharing. It’s also insecure and prone to hacking. In contrast, integrating blockchain to B2B:

• enables shared ledgers, augmenting point-to-point communications with a new multiparty visibility overlay for information and event flows;
• is decentralized and distributed, shared by multiple parties with high fault tolerance;
• is transparent;
• facilitates immutable and irreversible transactions; and
• is faster, cheaper and better overall.

Pacific Software, Inc.’s efforts to develop a blockchain-based solution for the agricultural and food industries includes Internet of Things (IoT) integration, which is expected to allow the gathering and sharing of invaluable information about food products.

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

• Direct health care treatment for chronic health conditions totaled $1.1 trillion in 2016
• Total economic impact of $3.7 trillion in health care costs for chronic diseases in U.S. equivalent to nearly 20 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product
• Medical research into CBD-based therapies to treat epilepsy and other neuropsychiatric disorders holds great promise for affected individuals
• Development of CBD-based drug delivery platform that’s able to cross blood brain barrier via nasal route

Health sciences company PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H) is developing innovative options for preventive and curative therapies using some of nature’s most compelling and creative pathways. Consider, for instance, PreveCeutical’s approach to delivering the healing properties of cannabidiol (“CBD”) in an innovative formula created specifically for administration via the nasal pathways. The company’s Sol-gel delivery platform is expected to be the first sustained-release, CBD-based nose-to-brain delivery system targeting a range of indications including epileptic seizures, inflammation, pain and other neurological disorders, an article discussing the research states (http://ibn.fm/BI7QP).

Chronic diseases and recurring health care issues are taking an increasingly bigger piece of the economic pie and disrupting the lives of many millions of people. U.S. health care costs for chronic diseases totaled $1.1 trillion in 2016 and balloon to $3.7 trillion when lost economic productivity is calculated into the total economic impact. According to a new report by Grand View Research, people around the world, along with their governments, are starting to take notice of alternative medicines and forms of therapy for chronic ailments and long-term pain (http://ibn.fm/HSiuZ). The complementary and alternative medicine market is expected to generate revenue of more than $196 billion by 2025, the report states.

PreveCeutical is dedicated to developing preventative medical therapies based on the recognized health benefits of natural substances. A key component of its research and development program is the development of its sustained-release Sol-gel drug delivery platform, which would allow CBD-based therapies to become optimally bioavailable to patients dealing with a wide range of debilitating conditions.

The company’s Sol-gel drug delivery research program is being undertaken at the University of Queensland, Australia. The program is being conducted by PreveCeutical’s research partner, the Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, and is led by PreveCeutical Chief Research Officer Dr. Harendra Parekh. Permits that allow the Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence at the University of Queensland to import cannabis plant material for research purposes have been secured from the Australian government’s Department of Health, and testing is underway (http://ibn.fm/C4wYd).

Adding to the progression of the research is the recent signing of a non-disclosure agreement with a globally recognized drug delivery device manufacturer for the supply of spray devices for the Sol-gel CBD-based therapies. Engineered Sol-gels present an ideal platform for these therapies, as they are in‑solution upon administration and rapidly gel upon contact with mucosal tissue. Additionally, Sol-gels will provide for safer and more reliable drug delivery of agents, such as CBD, that are rapidly metabolized or that would benefit from direct nose-to-brain CNS (central nervous system) delivery, a news release states.

As noted in a Crystal Equity Research Report on PreveCeutical (http://ibn.fm/K6Ssf), there is a growing global interest in alternative drug delivery methods, such as the company’s Sol-gel nose-to-brain delivery platform. PreveCeutical’s groundbreaking Sol-gel delivery system displays significant benefits to the patient, as it bypasses first pass metabolism in the stomach, intestines and liver, exhibiting a dramatic improvement in bioavailability. Sol-gels could offer a number of advantages over conventional liquid nasal sprays, including sustained delivery and therapeutic effects, reduced dosage requirements and reduced irritation and other negative side effects.

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