ZJ Events is proud to announce the third leg of its four-part Alternative Products Expo – the Dallas Chapter – that will be held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. The expo, which promises to be the ultimate event for anyone in the counterculture industry, will serve as a melting pot for everything counterculture, with featured products including CBD, mushrooms, nicotine replacement, dietary supplements, and nootropics, among others.

The event will be held from July 13-15, bringing together hundreds of leading brands such as 3Chi, Mellow Fellow, and Cali Kulture. The event will also offer a platform where attendees can connect with top manufacturers, explore the latest trends and innovations, and even take advantage of exclusive show discounts in a fun and exciting atmosphere.

The Dallas Alternative Products expo will allow business owners to stock their businesses with consumer must-haves. Show-exclusive pricing will make this possible, extending to individual consumers or attendees. The event will also be an excellent avenue for getting updated on trends, new products, and hot sellers in the market while also serving as a one-stop shop for counterculture retail professionals.

The Dallas leg of the 2023 Alternative Products Expo stays true to ZJ Events’ mission to facilitate B2B and B2C networking by vertically incorporating the event’s target industry and its complementary services into an unrivaled trade show experience. By gathering the industry’s best under the same roof while providing attendees with a fun, thrilling experience that promotes business networking, the company is promoting counterculture industry expansion while helping to define a budding sector with incredible potential for growth.

To learn more, please visit https://ibn.fm/yy1Oc.

For ticketing info, please visit https://ibn.fm/BAzDL.

• FEXD acknowledges the recent big data boom that has introduced tech-driven solutions in the current financial services space
• AI, through its many forms, has proven to be a viable technology to integrate into the financial service space, a development that FEXD recognizes and welcomes
• Through its focus on the benefits of AI, the company is pushing its adoption while also pushing the conversation forward
• It is doing so while also exploring ways it can further develop this technology to address unmet mobile money needs, both in developing and industrialized countries and markets

Fintech Ecosystem Development (NASDAQ: FEXD), a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), is pushing the conversation around the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) to power financial solutions, and for a good reason. As a company that understands the financial space, FEXD knows the potential that AI has to transform the space, and the value it brings in transforming an industry that has, for a long time, arguably lacked innovation.

FEXD acknowledges the recent big data boom that has disrupted banking. With big data, financial services organizations can offer more personalized services with a 360-degree view of the customer’s interaction with their brand. In addition, the morphing regulatory requirements have introduced tech-driven solutions geared toward addressing emerging challenges in the current financial systems. Competition has also forced many players to be innovative, challenging them to adopt tech to have the edge over their peers (https://ibn.fm/CBfuP).

AI, through its many forms, has proven to be a viable aspect of integrating into the financial service space, a development that FEXD recognizes and welcomes. With a growing range of applications, from simple chatbots to credit risk management tools, AI is finding its way to the core of financial solutions, and all stakeholders welcome it. So far, JPMorgan Chase, critical among other players in its space, has reported leveraging AI for fraud detection for its account holders. As a showcase of what AI is capable of, the bank has been able to implement a proprietary algorithm that detects fraud patterns, earning it high scores in both security and reliability (https://ibn.fm/35z4k).

This, along with other additional benefits, such as speeding up services, allowing financial institutions to make more informed risks, and creating avenues for better customer relationship management, point to the potential of AI in the financial space. By focusing on such, FEXD is pushing the AI conversation forward while exploring ways to develop this technology further to address unmet mobile money needs in developing and industrialized countries and markets. Through mergers and acquisitions with fintech pioneers, the company is establishing a global fintech ecosystem while advancing the development of proprietary technologies and applications designed to keep the company ahead of its peers. AI is a fundamental aspect of its innovations, and with this focus, the company is shedding light on its potential and value in the financial services space.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to FEXD are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FEXD

• Ford Motor Co. recently announced a $9.2 billion government loan for constructing three battery factories in the U.S.
• This is seen as a move that seeks to stir the growth of domestic EV battery manufacturing in the country in response to the growing demand for green technologies
• Ucore recognizes this demand, and through its transformative commercial-ready technology, RapidSX(TM), it looks to satisfy it and take control of the North American REE supply chain
• The company is well aware of the developments within its industry and is well positioned to take advantage of them and become the undisputed leader in the North American market

Ucore Rare Metals (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF), a company with a vision and plan to become a leading advanced technology company, providing best-in-class metal separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry, is expected to benefit significantly given its focus on taking control of the North American rare earth elements (“REE”) supply chain. This follows the recent $9.2 billion government loan to Ford Motor Co. for constructing three battery factories, seeking to stir the growth of domestic EV battery manufacturing in the country (https://ibn.fm/Rbi73).

Considered the biggest government backing for a U.S. automaker since the bailouts back in the 2009 financial crisis, this loan is seen by many, including car manufacturers, as the government’s move to incentivize local companies to devise and explore ways to not only come up with technology to harness the natural resources already present in North America but also grow industries around it. The objective is to, ultimately, do away with the current supply chain, which is highly dependent on China.

Ucore, through its transformative commercial-ready technology, RapidSX(TM), looks to satisfy this need to become a leading advanced technology company with best-in-class metal separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry. Its unique value proposition has seen the company differentiate itself from its peers, and its confidence in its technology has seen its aggressive expansion and investment into the development of a heavy and light rare-earth processing facility in Louisiana.

“We are more confident than ever that Ucore’s planned rare earth separation facility in Louisiana will be a critical component of a North American rare earth supply chain,” noted Pat Ryan, Ucore’s Chairman, and CEO.

RapidSX(TM) combines the time-proven chemistry of conventional solvent extraction (“SX”) with a new column-based platform, significantly reducing time to completion and plant footprint. This technology also offers the potential to lower capital and operating costs, resulting in a more efficient process than the industry standard. Its scalable and modular nature also makes it ideal for the country’s current approach of ramping up its REE production capacity. In addition, its feedstock adaptability makes it readily configurable for separating any light or heavy REE (“LREE, HREE”) using the same equipment.

Ford Motor Co. has already committed to a $3.5 billion investment in an electric-vehicle battery plant in Michigan. Though controversial, the company has noted that it will operate with technology and support from China’s Contemporary Amerex Technology Co. Ltd., describing it as a “licensing” that will allow its engineers to “gain that knowledge so we can eventually do it ourselves” (https://ibn.fm/tDyxV).

With such steps and massive investments being made, it is only a matter of time before North America catches up, cuts into China’s advantage in EV batteries, and takes control of the global REE supply chain. Ucore is well aware of these developments and is ready to take advantage of them.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to UURAF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/UURAF

• BiondVax’s CDMO services allow the company to partner with pharmaceutical companies to provide contract-based drug development and manufacturing services
• BiondVax showcased its boutique end-to-end CDMO offering at the annual Biomed Conference in Tel Aviv in May
• BiondVax’s cGMP biologics manufacturing facility in Jerusalem is fully equipped with state-of-the-art CDMO capabilities
• The expansion of CDMO services will augment revenue and expand pharma contacts while still maintaining BiondVax’s core focus of NanoAb therapies for significant indications like COVID-19, psoriasis, asthma, and more

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: BVXV), a biotechnology company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative immunotherapeutic products primarily for the treatment of infectious and autoimmune diseases, recently showcased the expansion of its service to begin offering services as a contract development and manufacturing organization (“CDMO”). These CDMO services will allow BiondVax to partner with pharmaceutical companies to provide contract-based drug development and manufacturing services, leveraging its Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”) biologics manufacturing facility in Jerusalem.

In May, BiondVax showcased its boutique end-to-end CDMO services and expertise at a leading conference for international Life Science and HealthTech industries, the Biomed Conference, in Tel Aviv. The company’s CDMO services are designed to meet the needs of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies of all sizes, with a commitment to providing customers with the highest levels of quality and service.

BiondVax’s CDMO offers a comprehensive range of services and assets, including:

• cGMP manufacturing of biologics at FDA and EMA standards
• State-of-the-art laboratories for manufacturing process development and scale-up
• Deep pharma experience and leadership to help accelerate products forward

The company’s cGMP manufacturing suites include clean rooms for upstream fermentation, downstream purification, labeling and visual inspection. It has previously passed the required audits for Phase 3 clinical trial production and more – which can be found in BiondVax’s CDMO literature. (https://ibn.fm/25F09).

“Offering CDMO services allows us to use our state-of-the-art facility to generate revenues and offset certain fixed costs while still using it for our NanoAbs,” BiondVax CEO Amir Reichman said in a year-end letter to stakeholders. In a March interview, he also said his team has proven experience with running pre-clinical trials, clinical trials, chemistry, manufacturing and controls [CMC], quality assistance — with everything working like an oiled machine (https://ibn.fm/b9ZHc). “Also, the capacity and the capabilities are there.”

BiondVax’s NanoAbs, also known as VHH-antibodies, are alpaca-derived nanosized antibodies that exhibit multiple significant competitive advantages over existing antibody therapies. These advantages include stability at high temperatures, superior binding affinity, more effective and convenient routes of administration, and efficient production. The company is uniquely positioned to advance nanosized antibody innovation from R&D through commercialization.

BiondVax’s development of NanoAb therapies addresses diseases that are currently underserved by current treatments, with large growing markets. In addition to COVID-19, the growing market outlook for asthma and psoriasis supports BiondVax’s focus on creating efficient therapies for patients in these indications.

Recent company statements on its quarterly financial results noted that it has already begun R&D activities for an innovative NanoAb platform targeting immune system cytokines. The drug candidate development process will focus on cytokines such as IL-17 for their potential in treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Adding the CDMO services will keep the team abreast of the latest industry developments and trends while building experience and generating revenue to support the company’s NanoAb focus – targeting COVID-19, psoriasis, asthma, and more.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to BVXV are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/BVXV

• Lexaria’s latest peer-reviewed publications were published in June 2023 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Advances in Therapy, and Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
• Lexaria’s eight peer-reviewed publications support the company’s pursuit of launching an FDA-registered IND program to formally investigate DehydraTECH(TM)-CBD for hypertension
• The global cardiovascular drug market was worth $146.5 billion and is expected to reach $173.5 billion in 2026 – making patent protection crucial in commercial markets
• To date, Lexaria has a robust intellectual property portfolio with 34 patents granted and many more pending worldwide

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, recently announced the publishing of its groundbreaking research utilizing DehydraTECH(TM)-processed cannabidiol (DehydraTECH-CBD) in eight peer-reviewed articles in six different publications. Since 2016, the company’s patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to increase bio-absorption with cannabinoids, antiviral drugs, PDE5 inhibitors, and more.

These publications build on Lexaria’s growing body of peer-reviewed literature developed on the company’s leading research into the effects of DehydraTECH-CBD on human health, including indications such as hypertension. The most recent paper is entitled, “Differences in Plasma Cannabidiol Concentrations in Women and Men: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study,” which was published in June 2023 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (https://ibn.fm/DOLxN).

“We’re proud of the impressive amount of research that our company has been able to develop through its HYPER-H21 series of clinical studies that has now been assessed by a variety of our respected peers,” said John Docherty, President of Lexaria (https://ibn.fm/5zp9P). “Lexaria is establishing itself as one of the world’s leaders in the investigation of cannabidiol for the purposes of controlling human blood pressure, and we are now focused on launching an FDA-registered IND program to formally investigate DehydraTECH-CBD for hypertension this year.”

Additional publications include the following, which are also available at PubMed:

• September 2019, “Examination of a New Delivery Approach for Oral Cannabidiol in Healthy Subjects,” published in the journal Advances in Therapy (https://ibn.fm/36rvQ)
• June 2022, “Chronic Effects of Effective Oral Cannabidiol Delivery on 24-h Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Vascular Outcomes in Treated and Untreated Hypertension (HYPER-H21-4): Study Protocol for Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, and Crossover Study,” published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine (https://ibn.fm/B9vW8)
• April 2023, “Trial of a Novel Oral Cannabidiol Formulation in Patients with Hypertension,” published in Pharmaceuticals (https://ibn.fm/HDhBE)
• April 2023, “Chronic Effects of Oral Cannabidiol Delivery on 24-h Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Patients with Hypertension,” published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research (https://ibn.fm/2kmuK)
• April 2023, “CBD supplementation reduces arterial blood pressure via modulation of the sympatho-chromaffin system,” published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (https://ibn.fm/S2k56)
• June 2023, “The Influence of Oral Cannabidiol on 24-h Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Untreated Hypertension,” published in Advances in Therapy (https://ibn.fm/KVM9x)
• June 2023, “Effects of CBD supplementation on ambulatory blood pressure and serum urotensin-II concentrations in Caucasian patients with essential hypertension,” published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (https://ibn.fm/tsXZe)

The global cardiovascular drug market was worth $146.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $173.5 billion in 2026 (https://ibn.fm/Xmz4z). By region, North America is the biggest market in the world, making US patent protection necessary in the pursuit of commercial markets. The fields of diabetes and heart disease are broad but emerging markets making them two primary areas of interest for Lexaria – where DehydraTECH-CBD has already generated positive study data. Lexaria operates a licensed in-house research laboratory and holds a robust intellectual property portfolio with 34 patents granted and many more pending worldwide.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LEXX are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LEXX

• FRGT just announced its new integration with Samsara, the pioneer of Connected Operations(TM) Cloud
• The move is seen as a “gamechanger,” with Fr8App customers now able to view and leverage insights from Samsara’s vehicle telematics solution
• Fr8App’s management is confident that by connecting with industry leaders like Samsara, the company will continue to pave the way for streamlined logistics processes and improved visibility for customers
• In addition, the move solidifies Fr8App’s position as the most connected and integrable platform for cross-border shipping in North America

Freight Technologies (NASDAQ: FRGT) (“Fr8Tech”), a tech company on a mission to revolutionize cross-border shipping by offering carriers increased growth opportunities and shippers with flexibility, visibility, and simplicity, just announced its new integration with Samsara, a pioneer of the Connected Operations(TM) Cloud. The move has been termed as a significant development for platform users from both sides, with privileges ranging from real-time access to location data which, in turn, allows customers to make informed decisions and attend to unexpected changes or delays while their products are shipping (https://ibn.fm/GA53O).

The move has been lauded by Samsara users, terming it a “game-changer.”

“As a carrier currently using Samsara for track and trace, I can confidently say that the integration with Fr8App has been a game changer for our business,” noted Juan Pablo Villanueva, Operations Director of Transportes Americanos, a transportation company with operations in the U.S. Canada, and Mexico.

“Not only do we continue to benefit from Samsara’s reliable and efficient tracking capabilities, but now we can seamlessly share that information with Fr8App’s digital platform, offering Fr8App’s platform users real-time location updates without any additional steps or downloads required,” he added.

Samsara’s Connected Operations Cloud has helped differentiate the company in its segment by making it easy for organizations to access, analyze and act upon real-time data from tracks, trailers, warehouses, and equipment. In turn, users have enjoyed improved safety, efficiency, and sustainability, allowing for better and even more profitable operations. With the integration, Fr8App customers can now view and leverage insights from Samsara’s vehicle telematics solution, which is integral to optimizing logistics operations and ensuring timely delivery. Some of the vehicle telematics include but are not limited to, GPS tracking, streamlined compliance management, and advanced diagnostic reporting.

“We are very excited to integrate with Samsara to offer our customers an even better and more seamless experience,” noted Javier Selgas, Fr8Tech’s CEO.

“By connecting with industry leaders like Samsara, Fr8App continues to pave the way for streamlined logistics processes and improved visibility for customers,” he added.

This integration proves Fr8App’s distinctive approach to incorporating critical players in the logistics space. It further solidifies the company’s position as the most connected and integrable platform for cross-border shipping in North America while showcasing its commitment to delivering the best possible service to customers.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Fr8Technologies.com, and its freight matching platform information site at www.Fr8.App.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to FRGT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FRGT

Corporate Communications
IBN (InvestorBrandNetwork)
Los Angeles, California
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• Eloro Resources CEO, Tom Larsen and Executive Vice President, Bill Pearson recently met with Global Business Reports to discuss the company’s ongoing work at the Iska Iska mine
• Since beginning exploratory work in September 2020, the company have carried out over 85,000 m and 122 holds of exploratory drilling within the site, uncovering potential resources boasting extremely high grades of precious metal content
• With the release of the company’s mineral resource estimate now imminent, Larsen and Pearson believe that a re-rating of Eloro Resources’ share price may soon be forthcoming

In 1545, Don Diego Gualpa stumbled – literally – across the site of what would subsequently be known Bolivia’s Potosi silver mine. Gualpa detailed how, whilst hiking on the mountain in search of a religious monument rumoured to be in the area, he was bowled over by a powerful gust of wind. Upon rising, he noticed that the dirt on his hands was rich in ore. The discovery of the Potosi mine was not the first silver mine found in the Americas, however it would become by far the most prolific. During its most active period, Potosi produced almost half of the silver in circulation globally and ultimately accounted for nearly 20 percent of all “the known silver produced in the world across 265 years.” Nearly five centuries later, Eloro Resources (TSX: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM), an exploration and mine development company with a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in Bolivia, Peru and Quebec have looked to once again explore the potential of Gualpa’s fortuitous discovery.

In a recent interview carried out with Global Business Reports, Eloro Resources CEO, Tom Larsen and Executive Vice President of Exploration, Bill Pearson elaborated on the geological potential of the company’s flagship Iska Iska tin project in Bolivia, a site adjacent to the famed Potosi mine. In early 2019, Dr. Osvaldo Arce, a renown local geologist and former President of the Geological Association of Bolivia explored the Iska Iska project, opting to carry out an initial channel sampling program in the area in conjunction with Eloro Resources. It was quickly apparent that this was no ordinary site – the samples showed strong evidence of a wide spread alteration zone, a potential indicator of mineral resource potential.

Having begun drilling work in September 2020, it was not long until the drill team hit a breccia pipe – a geologically significant formation of ore, cemented together by silica. Shortly thereafter, the team would uncover a further 180 m of mineralized breccia, cementing the geological potential of the site. Just over two years later, Eloro Resources have now carried out over 85,000 m and 122 holes of exploratory drilling within the Iska Iska deposit, with initial results revealing “magnificent core, which is remarkably consistent, continuous, and high grade at 90g/t silver equivalent and greater.”

Eloro Resources are now targeting the publication of their mineral resource estimate, slated for release in the near future. The company are also simultaneously carrying out exploratory work at Mina Casiterita, an adjoining site that Eloro Resources recently acquired, with the hope of defining the tin porphyry potential of the area. In Bill Pearson’s words, the company now face a “remarkable opportunity at Iska iska to outline two world-class deposits.”

With company management foreseeing a potential ‘dramatic rerating’ of Eloro Resources’ market capitalization once the investors contrast Iska Iska’s value per tonne of rock (post the release of the mineral resource estimate) to the company’s current valuation, Eloro Resources – much like Bolivia’s Potosi mine 500 years ago, may yet be the uncovered gem waiting to be stumbled upon.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ELRRF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ELRRF

• Starco Brands, Inc.’s Whipshots has rapidly emerged as one of the fastest-growing spirits in history
• The alcoholic beverage, launched in collaboration with Cardi B and recently highlighted by Forbes Magazine, has just launched its new summer campaign, entitled “Summer of Whipshots”
• Featuring Cardi B in a 30-second video and showcasing the product used in a number of summer drinks, the campaign has already racked up millions of views and ‘likes’ online

Starco Brands (OTCQB: STCB) has long made it its unwavering mission to create “consumer products with behavior-changing technologies that spark excitement in the everyday.” A modern-day “invention factory” focused around inventing or acquiring novel products and subsequently advancing them using behavior-changing technologies, has recently hit upon yet another breakthrough product offering through Whipshots®, a unique vodka-infused line of whipped cream products used in cocktails, currently making waves throughout the global beverage market.

Figures from Statista have recently forecast the global market size of the alcoholic beverage market to surpass $2.2 trillion by 2025, driven by increasingly discerning customer tastes and preferences. In a bid to differentiate their products from one another, brands have increasingly turned towards celebrities.

Starco Brands, Inc. has partnered with global artist and icon Cardi B to launch their non-dairy, shelf-stable “party in a can” which has a 10% ABV and comes in vanilla, caramel, mocha, and limited-edition lime flavors. The product, which was recently highlighted by Forbes and has been described by Cardi B as “over the top, sexy and unique – kind of like me,” witnessed its initial run of 500 cans sell out within the first five minutes on its launch day. Since then, the product has continued to scale new heights, achieving its first million-can sales after ten months and selling another million cans a mere four months later, making it one of the fastest-growing spirits in history.

Nonetheless, the beverage’s accolades have not just come on the commercial front. Whipshots has rapidly gained widespread industry recognition, recently picking up the “Best of Class Platinum,” “Consumers’ Choice Award” and “Innovation Award” in the 2023 SIP Awards, the “Rising Star” award at the Beverage Dynamics’ 2023 Growth Brands Awards as well as four medals at the 2023 DB&SB Spring Blind Tasting segment of the Global Spirits Masters Competition.

Starco Brands are now embarking on their latest promotional effort, entitled the “Summer of Whipshots” and headlined by the launch of the newest flavor within their beverage line – Lime Whipshots. Currently available in retail stores, Lime Whipshots dropped online on June 14 as part of the brand’s “Whip It, Beaches” campaign. The campaign features Cardi B in a 30-second video and series of images showcasing the product’s use in various summer drinks, including mojitos, margaritas, and daiquiris; having already generated significant buzz amongst Cardi’s 164 million followers, the product’s initial pre-launch post has already garnered nearly 2 million likes.

“We are thrilled to dive headfirst into the ‘Summer of Whipshots’ with Lime as the latest flavor in our Whipshots family,” says Ross Sklar, CEO of Starco Brands, Inc. “Having recently surpassed two million cans sold, Whipshots continues to offer consumers a fun and innovative way to celebrate all year.”

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to STCB are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/STCB

• Lexaria Bioscience recently received four new patents granted in Canada and the United States
• In the U.S., the company received two new hypertension-related patents expected to be of particular importance as the company pursues FDA approval for a Phase 1b study evaluating DehydraTECH(TM)-processed CBD
• So far, the company has a robust intellectual property portfolio comprising 34 patents granted worldwide
• The strong portfolio gives the company the necessary impetus and peace of mind to pursue multiple large markets, starting with the multi-billion dollar cardiovascular drugs market
• The company has conducted five human clinical studies that have provided insights into the potential of DehydraTECH-CBD to reduce blood pressure

Lexaria Bioscience’s (NASDAQ: LEXX) intellectual property (“IP”) rests on a strong foundation of granted patents worldwide, a foundation that was recently strengthened by new patents granted in North America. The company, which is developing its patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology platform with the intention of availing it to the masses as an additional step in the manufacturing or processing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”) with better bioavailability and bioabsorption properties, celebrated the receipt of four new patents granted in Canada and the United States (https://ibn.fm/rLalk).

In Canada, the company has been granted two new patents, the first for Patent Family #1: Food and Beverage Compositions Infused with Lipophilic Active Agents and Methods of Use Thereof. According to the company, this is the first patent for this Patent Family issued in Canada, but the 18th patent in this family worldwide. The second patent granted falls under the company’s Patent Family #8: Compositions Infused with Nicotine Compounds and Methods of Use Thereof and is the company’s second patent in this Patent Family, following a similar issuance in Australia.

Across the border in the United States, Lexaria received two new hypertension-related patents, both under its Patent Family #21. The first covers Pharmaceutical Compositions and Methods for Treating Hypertension, while the second is for non-pharmaceutical Compositions and Methods for Treating Hypertension. The company expects these two patents to reinforce its commercial opportunities in both pharmaceutical and consumer markets.

The two new hypertension-related patents come at a time when the company is looking to file its Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to commence the formal and registered study HYPER-H23-1, a Phase 1b evaluation of DehydraTECH-CBD for hypertension, later this year. In fact, Lexaria believes these patents “could be of particular importance related to the company’s pursuit of utilizing DehydraTECH-CBD in relation to our expected upcoming FDA IND application.”

Once approved, the FDA-registered IND program will build on positive data from five hypertension-focused human clinical trials, which evidenced lower blood pressure among participants who received DehydraTECH-processed CBD.

The company’s first human study of 2021, HYPER-H21-1, evidenced a reduction in BP across both male and female volunteers, with the drop most pronounced within the first 10-50 minutes after dosing (https://ibn.fm/JGo0S). HYPER-H21-2, a 16-person study, evidenced up to a 23% average drop in overnight blood pressure and reduced arterial stiffness (https://ibn.fm/DmWci), while HYPER-H21-3, also a 16-person study, showed that DehydraTECH-CBD’s use reduced pulmonary artery systolic pressure by about 5 mmHg or 41% overall among male participants (https://ibn.fm/iytZA).

The company then conducted the HYPER-H21-4 study, its most comprehensive study yet, involving 66 participants. This fifth study evidenced the exceptional safety and tolerability profile of DehydraTECH-CBD, with the formulation resulting in a statistically significant lowering of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. The company also observed that the formulation lowered patients’ BP throughout the entire study duration (5 weeks) and that it was effective at lowering the BP among patients who were taking other antihypertensive drugs as well as those who were not taking any such drugs (https://ibn.fm/nimwa). The company has also released additional findings from this study, adding to its list of successes announced in 2023.

So far, on the IP front, for example, the company has received seven new granted patents in the current financial year (2023), which commenced September 1, 2022, six of which have been awarded in calendar 2023. As a result, Lexaria now holds 34 granted patents worldwide. The company has achieved considerable intellectual property protection through this existing patent portfolio, giving it the necessary impetus and peace of mind to pursue multiple large markets, including the cardiovascular drugs market, which is projected to grow at a 3.1% CAGR from $153.6 billion in 2022 to $173.48 billion by 2026 (https://ibn.fm/PAZrP).

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LEXX are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LEXX

• FEXD is a company working to stay at the forefront of fintech innovations by using the most advanced financial technologies in its platforms and applications
• The company is seeking to acquire and merge with high-growth global fintech organizations that leverage these advanced financial technologies as part of its goal to develop a global fintech ecosystem
• Among these technologies are crypto and the blockchain
• Cryptocurrencies have been known to facilitate faster and lower-cost transactions, increase financial inclusions, and store value, especially in emerging economies where unpredictable inflation substantially weakens the value of their national currencies
• FEXD is committed to supporting the progress of developing countries and cultures, with cryptocurrencies playing a crucial role in helping the company achieve this goal

In a May 2022 report, rating agency Moody’s noted the highest cryptocurrency adoption was among lower-rated sovereigns. A summary of the report (https://ibn.fm/vUIRX) attributed this to the fact that digital currencies can facilitate “faster, more convenient, and lower-cost transactions for households and increase financial inclusion, benefitting countries where large parts of the population lack banking infrastructure.” Moreover, the summary continued, “improved access to cheaper and more reliable internet data, mobile phone usage, and, more broadly, the trend of increased digitization will also drive cryptocurrency adoption in many lower-income emerging markets.”

Moody’s assessment is part of the consensus of opinions around cryptocurrency. Experts and observers alike agree that global crypto adoption has been dominated by emerging markets, with lower-middle and upper-middle-income economies dominating the top 20 entries of the most recent Global Crypto Adoption Index, The index is an objective measure developed by Chainalysis showing countries with the highest level of cryptocurrency adoption (https://ibn.fm/IjEyn). Only the United States and the United Kingdom were outliers. Per Chainalysis, users in lower-middle and upper-middle-income nations often “rely on cryptocurrency to send remittances, preserve their savings in times of fiat currency volatility, and fulfill other financial needs unique to their economies.”

Many people in emerging economies regard cryptocurrencies as an important store of value, a means of exchange, a unit of account, and an alternative to otherwise weak traditional currencies. With the appeal of some national currencies waning, according to Financial Times (https://ibn.fm/MojIM) due to “unpredictable inflation and fast-moving exchange rates, clunky and expensive banking systems, financial restrictions, and regulatory uncertainty, especially the existence or threat of capital controls,” cryptocurrencies are becoming a boon for many users.

Behind the success of cryptocurrencies is the blockchain, which allows these digital currencies to operate without a central authority. Incidentally, McKinsey ranked blockchain second in its list of seven key technologies projected to drive fintech development and shape the competitive landscape of finance over the current decade. The analysis hailed blockchain as a potential disruptor of established financial protocols, further noting that stakeholders have taken a keen interest in this space, elevating the potential of the technology (https://ibn.fm/wumBw).

One such stakeholder is Fintech Ecosystem Development (NASDAQ: FEXD), a company working to stay at the forefront of fintech innovations by using blockchain, crypto, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, some of the most advanced financial technologies, in its platforms and applications. FEXD is guided by the vision to develop financial service applications that allow its customers to move money easily whilst making it more affordable for people to conduct transactions without touching cash.

The company believes this is a moment in history when mobile money services are needed in a world moving to digital money and mobile transactions that are seamless across international borders. And with cryptocurrencies conveniently facilitating cross-border mobile transactions, even for users whose governments have restricted the movement of money out of their countries, FEXD’s focus on this advanced financial technology appears strategic.

FEXD is seeking to acquire and merge with high-growth global fintech organizations that leverage some or all of these advanced financial technologies as part of its goal to develop a global fintech ecosystem, ultimately significantly growing its annual revenues (https://ibn.fm/O60yV). The company aims to provide services that are largely unavailable in many emerging economies, which are home to the largest concentration of the unbanked and underbanked. These populations, nonetheless, represent a large untapped market for FEXD.

“We’re committed to supporting the progress of developing countries and cultures. We have a keen understanding of market needs in many regions of the world where cellphones are in wide use but mobile money services are not yet available,” reads FEXD’s website reads (https://ibn.fm/NFh2a). By channeling its resources and attention into these markets, the company hopes to “ensure that humanity has a path forward from an unhygienic cash system; to reduce poverty; improve lives of the unbanked; offer security and saving options for migrant workers;” and more. Owing to their documented advantages, crypto and blockchain technologies are set to play an integral role in driving FEXD’s vision.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to FEXD are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FEXD