• Massachusetts-headquartered cybersecurity services and technology provider SideChannel Inc. has dedicated itself to serving SMB companies who may be unable to employ on-staff cyber risk management personnel, delivering expertise on contract instead
• SideChannel recently bolstered its “virtual” chief information security officer (“vCISO”) service by partnering with automated supply chain risk management platform developer Darkbeam, a London-based company similarly focused on client cyber security
• Darkbeam’s platform provides tools for clients to do data dives on affiliated domains and monitor changes in their security status by analyzing a “Cyber Intelligence Quotient”
• SideChannel also offers clients a microsegmentation tool as a software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) subscription product, which the company also can operate as a managed service if clients prefer

Businesses have enough challenges managing their potential vulnerability to cyber attacks dwithout having to worry about the cyber risk of other companies involved in their supply chain as well.

Cybersecurity services and technology provider SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH) announced recently that it is partnering its virtual chief information security officer (“vCISO”) expertise with London-based cyber intelligence provider Darkbeam’s advanced risk management platform to grant clients greater tools for preventing losses due to attacks on their computer data infrastructure — both internally and across the breadth of their supply chains.

Darkbeam CEO Charles Clark spoke of the advantages of the partnership in the companies’ news release, stating, “We are delighted to couple our powerful Cyber Risk Management platform with SideChannel’s significant leadership expertise and toolset. … By joining forces, we can provide a comprehensive solution that empowers organizations to proactively manage cyber risks and safeguard their operations, which means our clients can spend less energy worrying about defending themselves and more energy delivering the things that make them great” (https://ibn.fm/HvjtI).

Darkbeam’s automated platform creates on-demand audits in seconds for different domains, allowing companies to assess their suppliers’ digital risk through deep data analysis. Clients can track the Cyber Intelligence Quotient (Cyber IQ) of pertinent domains over time and will soon be able to receive instant notification of any changes to that Cyber IQ.

Darkbeam’s platform checks for exposed and breached emails using the specific domain, using over 50 unique approaches for vulnerabilities.

“Partnering with Darkbeam enables us to deliver even more value to our clients, ensuring them access to the most advanced tools to assess their risk exposure, predict future vulnerabilities and respond to emerging threats,” SideChannel CEO Brian Haugli stated in the news release.

SideChannel is dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses (“SMBs”) bolster their cybersecurity even when they may lack the budget necessary to employ a CISO full-time on staff. SideChannel’s virtual CISO service provides contracted CISO expertise through personnel who can embed themselves in company boardrooms alongside the clients’ leading officers.

“We can deliver an entire program and manage that for the mid-market, because that’s how the mid-market buys. That’s what they’re looking for,” Haugli said during a live company webcast in February (https://ibn.fm/5qWZo). “They really want, not just the tools, they don’t want just the capability and then (for us to) walk away. They want a partner who can come in and manage and run that for them.”

SideChannel also provides a microsegmentation resource called Enclave to clients who want to operate their own security system, however, on a software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) subscription basis.

“We’re going to continue to develop around Enclave, adding new features and capabilities that make sense for how Enclave is structured — based … on what we’re seeing in our clients, what we’re hearing from our CISOs and what types of attacks or attack surface is out there,” Haugli said.

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

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

• D-Wave has worked on quantum hybrid applications with commercial customers including industry leaders like Volkswagen, Mastercard, Deloitte, ArcelorMittal, Siemens Healthineers, Unisys, Accenture, BBVA, NEC Corporation, Pattison Food Group Ltd., DENSO, and Lockheed Martin
• The company’s intellectual property portfolio includes more than 210 issued US patents and more than 100 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals
• D-Wave’s customer success stories showcase the company’s quantum computing technology in action

D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), a leader in quantum computing systems, software and services, focused on delivering value to customers via practical quantum applications for problems such as logistics, artificial intelligence, materials sciences, drug discovery, scheduling, fault detection, and financial modeling, showcases the tangible value of its practical quantum computing solutions through its customer success stories.

D-Wave has worked with commercial customers include blue-chip industry leaders like Volkswagen, Mastercard, Deloitte, ArcelorMittal, Siemens Healthineers, Unisys, Accenture, BBVA, NEC Corporation, Pattison Food Group Ltd., DENSO, and Lockheed Martin, in addition to others. The company owns one of the industry’s largest quantum computer intellectual property portfolios, boasting more than 210 issued US patents, and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals.

Testimonials from D-Wave customers, highlighted in a dedicated video on the company’s website, showcase real-life use cases of D-Wave’s quantum computing solutions being used to address a variety of problems ranging from grocery optimization to protein design (https://ibn.fm/8R769). In addition, several customers joined D-Wave on stage at the Qubits user conference in January, showing live demos of the quantum-hybrid applications built on D-Wave technology (https://ibn.fm/lKsjm).

“Using hybrid quantum applications, we’re able to solve astronomical protein design problems,” said Hans Melo, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Menten AI, featured in the customer video and an individual case study report (https://ibn.fm/ktCyC). “We’ve seen extremely encouraging results, with hybrid quantum procedures often finding better solutions than competing classical solvers for de novo protein design. This means we can create better proteins and ultimately enable new drug discoveries.”

The advances in computing technology have allowed companies like Menten AI to begin transforming the protein design process. Through D-Wave’s hybrid solver, Menten AI produced several different peptide designs from scratch, made with both natural and non-natural amino acids – creating an expansion of the fundamental building blocks of life beyond those used in nature up until now.

Pattison Food Group integrated D-Wave’s quantum technology to provide optimization that aligns with its complex business constraints to decrease costs, improve performance, and improve customer experience. So far, the company has seen a reduction in time spent solving these problems from 25 hours to seconds, has reduced turnaround time from idea to design in two months, and has started applying quantum in daily production by embedding it seamlessly into its business solutions (https://ibn.fm/cDilm).

When the pandemic created myriad disruptions and logistical challenges for organizations, Tokyo-based startup Sigma-i collaborated with D-Wave to develop a quantum computing-based solution to circumvent these problems for businesses, schools, hospitals, and more. The parameters of the New Normal Scheduler were easily optimized as operating conditions changed – shifts in remote work, accounting for holidays, or other interruptions in the work week. Once fed the relevant information, D-Wave’s hybrid solver service produced an optimized work schedule in a matter of seconds (https://ibn.fm/hjhC2).

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

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

Forward-Looking Statements

This article contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which statements are based on beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our projections of the future, which are subject to a number of risks. Forward-looking statements in this article include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the release and performance of the Advantage2 processor. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this article will prove to be accurate. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among others, various factors beyond management’s control, including general economic conditions and other risks; customer acceptance of our products and services; and the uncertainties and factors set forth in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the registration statement on Form S-1 filed by the Company with the SEC on February 13, 2023, as well as factors associated with companies, such as D-Wave, that are engaged in the business of quantum computing, including anticipated trends, growth rates, and challenges in those businesses and in the markets in which they operate; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against us; risks related to the performance of our business and the timing of expected business or financial milestones; unanticipated technological or project development challenges, including with respect to the cost and or timing thereof; the performance of our products; the effects of competition on our business; the risk that we will need to raise additional capital to execute our business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; the risk that we may never achieve or sustain profitability; the risk that we are unable to secure or protect our intellectual property; volatility in the price of our securities; the risk that our securities will not maintain the listing on the NYSE; changes in applicable laws and regulations; the effect of pandemics, geopolitical events, natural disasters, wars, or terrorist acts on our business or the economy in general; and the impact of inflation. Furthermore, if the forward-looking statements contained in this article prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In addition, you are cautioned that past performance may not be indicative of future results. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not place undue reliance on these statements in making an investment decision or regard these statements as a representation or warranty by any person we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all. The forward-looking statements in this article represent our views as of the date of this article. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we have no current intention of doing so except to the extent required by applicable law. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this article.

• DehydraTECH(TM)-enabled drugs and product formats improve the speed of onset, increase bioavailability, increase brain absorption, enhance drug potency, reduce drug administration costs, and mask unwanted tastes, shown effective with a growing number of medical applications
• Current DehydraTECH studies (animal and human) include hypertension, dementia, oral nicotine, epilepsy, and diabetes
• Most recently, Lexaria’s DehydraTECH-CBD studies for hypertension have produced positive results, and the company is seeking IND status with the FDA

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, has developed a disruptive drug delivery technology with multiple opportunities for success in cannabinoids, oral nicotine and other active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”). Lexaria’s patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology is a formulation and dehydration processing procedure that changes how the body detects and absorbs drugs. The company currently has 28 granted patents, with many more pending patents in countries worldwide.

Lexaria specifically designed DehydraTECH for formulating and delivering topical or oral lipophilic (fat-soluble) drugs and APIs to increase effectiveness and improve how they enter the bloodstream. The major benefits of a DehydraTECH-enabled drug or consumer product include the following:

• Faster delivery time – the effects of the product are felt by the subject in minutes
• Increased bioavailability – the technology is more effective at delivering a drug or product into the bloodstream
• Increased brain absorption –testing suggests significant improvement in the quantity of the drug or product delivered across the blood-brain barrier
• Improved drug potency – more of the drug or product is made available in the body, requiring lower dosages for the desired outcome
• Reduced drug administration costs – lower dosages mean lower overall drug costs
• Improved taste – the technology eliminates the necessity for sweeteners to eliminate or reduce unwanted taste

One of Lexaria’s studies is cannabidiol (“CBD”) for hypertension, which has produced positive results for the company to seek Investigational New Drug (“IND”) status with the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). The company has completed a pre-IND meeting and intends to file for IND status in 2023. Lexaria’s first and subsequent DehydraTECH-CBD human studies have shown superior human blood absorption levels and demonstrated a potential novel mechanism of action in reducing blood pressure. More information on Lexaria’s current studies can be found on the company’s fact sheet (https://ir.lexariabioscience.com/presentations).

The global non-prescription CBD market was valued at $4.9 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $47.22 billion in 2028, growing at a CAGR of 21.3% (https://ibn.fm/4Ldss). There has also been increased product acceptance and use due to FDA approval of one type of CBD. CBD is being studied in a variety of medical applications worldwide, including anxiety and depression treatment, stress reduction, diabetes prevention, pain relief, cancer symptom relief, and inflammation relief. Lexaria is currently exploring DehydraTECH-CBD-enabled formulations for hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes and dementia indications.

Since 2016, Lexaria’s DehydraTECH has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to increase bio-absorption, reduce onset time from hours to just minutes, and mask unwanted tastes. The company intends to further evaluate the technology for other oral and topical use potential in cannabinoids, oral nicotine and other APIs.

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

• Eloro Resources released updates on Iska Iska project at Metals Investor Forum held in Toronto on March 3-4, 2023
• Iska Iska is a major silver-tin polymetallic porphyry-epithermal complex located in southern Bolivia
• Drilling revealed significant breccia pipe containing extensive silver polymetallic mineralization and a high-grade gold-bismuth zone in the underground workings
• Eloro recently acquired Mina Casiterita and Mina Hoyada properties, geological mapping, sampling, and geophysical surveys in progress, drilling planned in Q1-2023

Dr. Bill Pearson, Executive Vice President of Exploration for Eloro Resources (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM) recently revealed promising drilling results from the company’s Iska Iska project in Bolivia at the Metals Investor Forum held in Toronto on March 3-4, 2023 (https://ibn.fm/1BXUl).

Iska Iska is a major silver-tin polymetallic porphyry-epithermal complex located 48 km north of Tupiza city in southern Bolivia. According to the company, the project’s mineralization age is similar to other significant deposits in the same geological trend, including San Vicente, Chorolque, Tasna, and Tatasi.

Eloro began drilling in September 2020, and announced in November that it had discovered a significant breccia pipe (the “Santa Barbara Breccia Pipe”) containing extensive silver polymetallic mineralization and a high-grade gold-bismuth zone in the underground workings. The company has since released several significant drill results, including a report in September 2022 revealing that new downhole geophysical data has significantly extended the strike length of the high-grade feeder zone a further 250 meters from existing drilling.

“We’re looking at an intrusive volcanic system that is about five kilometers by three kilometers, so the drilling that we’ve done thus far, which is about 85,000 (meters) and 122 holes, is actually only a subset of this massive system,” said Dr. Pearson in an interview at the Forum (https://ibn.fm/aXr5c). “And it’s important to point out too, in those 122 holes, we haven’t missed one hole. We’ve had some extraordinary intercepts up to over 400 meters, so this is a true giant deposit.”

“What’s really exciting about it is we actually have one deposit in the bank – Santa Barbara – it’s silver, zinc, and lead. But as we recently announced after financing in January, we’re going after what we believe is that deeper tin porphyry, and the new property we acquired to the southwest of Mina Casiterita doesn’t have a kilometer-thick volcanic mountain on top of it.”

Eloro acquired the Mina Casiterita and Mina Hoyada properties in November 2022. Both cover 14.75 square kilometers southwest and west of Iska Iska, bringing the total area controlled by the company to 483.75 square kilometers. Geological mapping, sampling, and geophysical surveys are now in progress on the entire land package across the Iska Iska region, and drilling is planned for Mina Casiterita in Q1-2023.

Dr. Pearson has more than 40 years of direct experience in the exploration and production of minerals worldwide. He played an integral role in the acquisitions of Desert Sun Mining Corp. by Yamana Gold in 2006, and Central Sun Mining by B2 Gold in 2009. Prior to his current role at Eloro, he was the Vice President of Exploration at Desert Sun Mining and Senior Vice President at Central Sun Mining.

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

• McEwen Mining is an asset-rich diversified gold and silver producer in the Americas with significant exposure to copper through its 51.9%-owned McEwen Copper
• McEwen Copper holds 100% interest in the Los Azules Project in Argentina, which has been shown to have many attributes comparable to world-class copper-gold deposits in South America
• The subsidiary is advancing the Los Azules Project and has been undertaking infill and step-out exploration drilling
• McEwen Copper’s focus comes at a time when the world is staring at copper deficits driven by constrained supply amid political instability in top copper-producing countries and increased demand

Copper, a base metal with no obvious substitute, is found in countless products in homes, offices, manufacturing plants, and vehicles. For context, a typical home contains over 400 pounds (about 180 kilograms) of the metal, with most of these copper-containing products being electronics that need to be powered by electricity tapped from an electricity grid that majorly comprises components that are made using copper (https://ibn.fm/Ng9Yv). Copper is also used to manufacture military vehicles like ships, naval vessels, and aircraft because it is resistant to corrosion.

As the world targets a green transition, more sectors are looking to decarbonize, opting to electrify to reduce use of fossil fuels. As a result, millions of feet of copper wiring will be needed to build complex grids that can handle the growing electricity needs. Sights are also set on electric vehicles, which use about two to four times more copper than the average internal combustion engine (“ICE”)-powered vehicle. Against this backdrop of increased demand, an article in Investing News notes the prospects for the base metal are bright both in the short and long term (https://ibn.fm/uK2v5).

How well the supply will keep up with the demand is an open question, with a recent CNBC article warning about the possibility of a copper deficit continuing throughout 2023 and even beyond (https://ibn.fm/H5SjU). Most mines are located in the political hot zones of South America – Chile, the top copper producer, for example, has been experiencing political instability since 2019, while Peru, the second top copper-producing country, is drowning in ongoing unrest. Additionally, besides being primarily located in these volatile regions, the top 10 mines in the world are getting deeper every year, translating to increased mining expenses, yet the copper being extracted is of a lower grade. Combined, these factors represent a supply bottleneck that McEwen Copper, a base metal developer 51.9% owned by McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX), is looking to solve by advancing its 100%-owned Los Azules Project in the San Juan Province of Argentina.

The Los Azules Project is situated near the Argentina-Chile border between two prolific mineral belts, a gold belt to the north that is host to multi-million ounces of gold and a porphyry copper belt, according to a 2008 technical report (https://ibn.fm/iQJfG). The Los Azules project thus has the characteristics of both belts, making it host to a copper-gold-silver deposit whose ultimate depth and lateral extent are yet to be fully determined. A more recent Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) completed in 2017 nonetheless highlights the project’s robust economics. The project’s average annual production throughout the first 13 years of operation is expected to be about 415 million pounds of copper at a cash cost of $1.14 per pound, placing it within the lowest cost quartile (https://ibn.fm/J98cj).

Tellingly, the cost is much lower than the prevailing market price of copper – about $4.04 per pound as of March 31, 2023, according to Commodity.com (https://ibn.fm/s3FoU) – further boosting the project’s economic prospects. And with the supply bottlenecks and increased demand expected to influence a continuous uptrend, the outlook appears positive. In fact, according to the article in Investing News, as the need for copper continues to grow, observers believe the red metal will become “the new precious/industrial metal – and it’s going to have an importance that’s equivalent to some of the more attractive metals, such as gold and silver.”

In its current undeveloped state, the Los Azules project is the world’s 9th largest undeveloped copper project, according to a 2022 ranking by Mining Intelligence (https://ibn.fm/qw3hq). The list also included the El Pachón property in San Juan, further pointing to the prolific nature of the porphyry copper belt that underlies both projects. In the meantime, McEwen Copper is undertaking infill and step-out exploration drilling, with the data generated so far showing that the project has many attributes comparable to world-class copper-gold deposits in South America (https://ibn.fm/ug1SE). The company regularly releases comprehensive updates of the results from the ongoing drilling campaign as they become available, with those released thus far showing the project’s great promise.

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

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

Chief Medical Officers, Clinical Research Executives, and Patient Advocacy Experts: attend DGE’s 2nd Diversity in Clinical Trials Summit, taking place May 10-11 in Philadelphia, PA. Join this unique in-person learning and networking experience aimed to remove obstacles in health equity and provide actionable strategies to increase diverse representation in clinical trials.

DGE is bringing together industry-leading experts from global clinical development to discuss the most critical challenges barriers, and methods on how to overcome barriers in order to reduce disparities and achieve health equity. The agenda focuses on increasing representation of underrepresented communities in clinical trials, improving collaborations with patient advocacy groups, rasping health literacy as a key component for clinical trial enrollment, improving clinical trial diversity through decentralized studies, increasing DE&I in clinical trial enrollment, and much more. Attendees will walk away with all new insights and practical strategies on how to effectively address and overcome the lack of diversity in clinical trials.

Why Diversity In Clinical Trials Is Essential

Improving the diversity of clinical trial participants is a crucial step towards enabling health equity and fighting healthcare discrepancies. The effectiveness of medicines and vaccines can vary based on gender, age, sex, ethnicity, and race. Therefore, clinical trials must have a proper representation of diverse patients to interpret the results and conclusions across all patient demographics.

The 2nd Diversity in Clinical Trials Summit concludes with networking sessions designed to provide participants with the optimized opportunity to create valuable new connections and foster existing relationships.

The summit’s agenda includes the following topics:

• Increasing representation of underrepresented communities in clinical trials
• Ensuring diverse participation in early drug development
• Setting goals for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in trial enrollment
• Standardizing diversity metrics in clinical trials
• Incorporating health literacy as a main component of clinical trial enrollment
• Improving alliances with patient advocacy groups
• Developing a diverse clinical research workforce

Improving diversity in clinical trials is both an ethical obligation and a scientific necessity. The lack of diversity offers a challenge in understanding how new therapies perform across different population subgroups, hampering progress in reducing differences and achieving equity. The 2nd Diversity in Clinical Trials Summit highlights the role of healthcare leaders in improving healthcare results for different populations.

To learn more, please visit https://ibn.fm/r0C5y.

Housing industry and government leaders, specialist delegates, and property experts, are all invited to attend the Future of Housing event taking place on April 25, 2023. Hosted by Sustain SoCal at UCI-Beal Applied Innovation, Irvine, this insightful event will bring the housing community together to nurture best practices and explore ideas.

The Future of Housing event is an assorted continuum of housing stakeholders that collaborate and convene through advocacy, dialogue, education, and research, to develop equitable solutions that serve our common interest.

The Future of Housing event strives to deliver solutions that address California’s pressing housing priorities. Attendees can take advantage of member-only webinars and exclusive access to key decision-makers. It’s a great opportunity to join a network of leaders in sustainable housing advocacy, home building, and lending, as well as nonprofit housing development corporations, realtors, and housing finance agencies.

Addressing The Housing Crisis In California

The existing policies, insurance limitations, legislation, environmental pushback, and dependency on outdated building technology, have all contributed to the acute housing crisis in California. Building sustainable communities can address these issues and together we can introduce potential solutions for advancing the industry.

The Future of Housing event will distill the latest information on housing issues. It will also provide the housing community with the tools needed to communicate effectively and better deal with California’s housing challenges. The delegates will leverage their expertise in housing and community development policy to share views on key issues.

Viable solutions are within reach, but the California housing crisis has its foundation in policy decisions that go back years. An array of measures will be required to create a brighter future.  A better collaboration across the industry can successfully address the housing challenges currently faced.

Join others at the Future of Housing event to help move this vital effort forward.

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

• Lexaria Bioscience, a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, has developed and patented the DehydraTECH(TM) drug delivery platform technology
• The company has undertaken multiple studies as part of its extensive R&D program involving DehydraTECH, which continues to yield positive results
• This R&D program is focused on the development of product candidates across four main segments, which represent the platform’s potential commercial applications
• These segments include the development of DehydraTECH-processed cannabidiol (“CBD”) for hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes and dementia; DehydraTECH-processed oral nicotine; other pharmaceutical areas exploring a wide range of DehydraTECH-processed active molecules; and hemp-derived CBD applications for consumer packaged goods (“CPG”)
• Currently, Lexaria is prioritizing research on DehydraTECH-CBD as a potential treatment for hypertension

Recent advancements in drug delivery techniques have improved, among others, the efficiency and safety of therapeutic treatments and active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”). In fact, analyzing these improvements through the findings obtained by Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, demonstrates the progress is remarkable. Headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, the company developed and patented the DehydraTECH(TM) drug delivery platform technology, which is essentially an additional step easily incorporated into the formulation and manufacturing process of existing or new orally ingestible and topical lipophilic (fat-soluble) products.

“This step involves mixing the active ingredient as a delivery ‘payload’ together with certain fatty acids, infusing the mixture into a substrate material, and then using controlled dehydration synthesis processing to associate the payload and fatty acids together at a molecular level, before integrating the newly combined molecules into end-product production across a range of dosage form factors,” explains Lexaria’s website (https://ibn.fm/LbRsP).

According to the company’s extensive studies, its patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology has been shown to enhance the bioavailability (the proportion of the ingested drug that enters the bloodstream) of APIs and increase brain absorption by up to 17x, with the effects felt in minutes (https://ibn.fm/Yr7aP). Other proven benefits include the fact that APIs processed using the technology platform are rendered largely flavorless and odorless, meaning manufacturers no longer have to add sweeteners or chemical masking agents. As a result and using DehydraTECH, they can create low-sugar products with fewer calories while avoiding the use of excessive artificial sweeteners. This is particularly positive, considering that recent studies suggest that consumption of excessive artificial sweeteners predisposes consumers to elevated blood sugar levels and raises their risk of developing stroke or heart disease (https://ibn.fm/feIJQ).

The above DehydraTECH-related findings are part of Lexaria’s extensive repository of positive results generated by its ongoing research and development (“R&D”) program. This program focuses on the development of product candidates across four main segments, which are intended to eventually serve as the platform’s commercialization avenues. These include the development of DehydraTECH-processed cannabidiol (“CBD”) for hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes and dementia; DehydraTECH-processed nicotine delivered via non-combustive methods; other pharmaceutical areas exploring a wide range of DehydraTECH-processed active molecules, including antiviral drugs, hormone treatment, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and more; and hemp-derived CBD applications for consumer packaged goods (“CPG”).

To date, Lexaria has undertaken multiple studies aimed at improving the commercialization prospects of the platform. “Our applied R&D programs completed since [our up-list to the Nasdaq exchange and capital raise in 2021] have yielded almost entirely positive results – a crucial accomplishment as we prepared to use those results to reinforce our outreach strategy to potential corporate partners,” CEO Chris Bunka stated in his annual letter to shareholders published January 2023 (https://ibn.fm/eYdpz).

Bunka added that the applied R&D “is paying off in spades” because the company is currently engaged in active discussions with several multi-billion dollar companies around the world for the potential use of its DehydraTECH technology in their commercial products pursuits. And while the company cannot disclose the identities of these potential partners prior to the signing of definitive agreements, stakeholders and shareholders can, in the meantime, focus on the positive results of its R&D program, which are bellwethers of potential success.

For instance, in a recent diabetes animal model study, DIAB-A22-1, Lexaria reported at least three positive outcomes, including weight loss in obese diabetic-conditioned animals, a statistically significant improvement in locomotor activity, statistically significant reductions in triglyceride levels (high levels in the blood can suggest the onset of diabetes), and increased levels of HDL cholesterol, the ‘good’ kind of cholesterol (https://ibn.fm/iTQXz).

These findings are the latest in a series of studies evaluating DehydraTECH-CBD as a potential treatment for a number of conditions, including diabetes, dementia, epilepsy, and hypertension, with the latter being the company’s primary and most advanced R&D program in this pipeline. To date, Lexaria has undertaken five human clinical studies evaluating DehydraTECH-CBD for hypertension. In 2023, the company expects to launch an FDA-registered Investigational New Drug (“IND”) program to formally investigate DehydraTECH-CBD, at the Phase 1b stage. And given the success witnessed in the five previous clinical trials, Lexaria believes it has effectively de-risked the upcoming FDA-registered program.

This program, Bunka wrote, is expected to dominate the company’s second half of 2023 and beyond, and “will be a major step in our maturation as a pharmaceutical company and will be our primary research focus once it begins. If it is successful, it should contribute to an increase in our corporate value and an increase in the likelihood of our reaching one or more commercial agreements within the pharmaceutical industry.”

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 a https://ibn.fm/LEXX

• Assurance released a new study ranking every state for 11 sustainability factors ranging from solar power to electric heat and recycling regulations, with Oregon coming out on top
• GeoSolar Technologies is an emerging leader in the space with its new Smart Green(TM) Home that includes a rooftop solar system, geothermal loops, EV charging station, and more
• As measured by the HERS Index, a Smart Green(TM) Home is essentially 100% more efficient than a typical home built in 2006

Whether motivated by financial incentives, environmental concerns, or both, people are increasingly looking to climate and wallet friendly technologies in their homes. In a study published on March 21, 2023, insurance company Assurance analyzed 11 environmental ranking factors to provide a clearer look at the green movement and discern which are the best locations for green homes.

Green homes use carbon-free technology like rooftop solar panels and electric heat pumps rather than those powered by fossil fuels. For full-service provider GeoSolar Technologies (“GST”), its Smart Green(TM) Home system takes decarbonizing a home to the next level. A whole-house audit is followed by optimizing insulation, designing, and installing a rooftop solar system for the home’s electricity, new electric vehicle charging station, backup battery power, upgraded windows, solar washer and dryer, smart LED lights, and new HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system complete with geothermal piping, smart air filtration, and electric heat pump.

Geothermal systems use ground source heat pumps operating with a heat exchanger that, via a loop of pipes run hundreds of feet underground, extracts heat from the ground in winter and serves as a heat sink in summer to provide cooling. They are growing in popularity because they reduce the load on household units to bring the ambient air to the desired temperature. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a free online tool for homeowners using geothermal systems to calculate their cost savings.

On the point of savings, GeoSolar’s Smart Green(TM) Homes have scored some of the lowest marks ever on the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) Index. A typical home built around 2006 scores 100 on the HERS Index. The further below 100, the more efficient the home is (i.e., a score of 70 means a home is 30% more efficient). Smart Green Homes score near zero, meaning they’re essentially 100% more efficient than a typical home built in 2006.

Assurance didn’t specifically mention geothermal in its analysis. However, geothermal is viewed by some as having the potential to become important in the later stages of decarbonization.

Using factors such as percentage of homes using electric heating, recycling regulations, and percentage of electricity from solar, Assurance ranked all 50 states on a scale of 0-50. Oregon came in first for green homes with a score of 39.7, followed by Nevada (36.6), California (33.7), and Arizona (33.4).

Not everything was led by the West Coast states. Texas (33.0) and New York (32.3) rounded out the top six. On a city level, Atlanta, Georgia had the most listing of green home (defined as homes with LEED and Energy Star certifications, along with several green features) on Redfin at 543 homes per 100,000 residents.

As far as trends, Washington leads the country with respect to transitioning to renewable energy. Underscored by 85 state incentive programs to switch to cleaner sources, almost half of the state’s energy consumption comes from renewable power. Florida was the hands-down winner for homes using electric heat at a whopping 91 percent. Even with Florida more than doing its part, the national average was just 36.6 percent.

Assurance also noted that having a green home provides benefits beyond being a steward of health for Mother Earth. There are incentives and rewards for transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables that can save money for upgrading a home, as well as saving money on insurance, loans, and taxes. For the energy-conscious resident, GeoSolar Technologies handles the whole process to ensure the homeowner capitalizes on every incentive available.

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

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

• Cepton, Inc. recently published its 4Q22 and FY22 financial results
• The company revealed that it had generated FY22 revenues of $7.4 million, up by 65% relative to FY21 results. Furthermore, Cepton guided for FY23 revenues of $15-20 million
• Cepton is at the forefront of lidar technology development, a position they’ve further consolidated with the recent launch of their award-winning Vista® X-120 Plus sensors

Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN), a Silicon Valley innovator and pioneer within high-performance MMT® lidar solutions, recently announced their financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2022 (https://ibn.fm/6wp95). The company reported full year 2022 revenues of $7.4 million, within the target guidance provided by Cepton earlier in the year and equivalent to a 65 percent increase year over year. Meanwhile, full year GAAP net income was equivalent to $9.4 million or $0.06 per share. During their release, Cepton provided guidance for their 2023 figures, forecasting full year 2023 revenues to come in at between $15 million to $20 million; meanwhile, the company revealed that they expected 2023 operating expenses to be in line with 2022’s results (i.e., $61.4 million).

The past year has been a momentous one for the company, punctuated by a series of operational and financial highlights. Whether it was unveiling their award-winning Vista® X-120 Plus, the slimmest software definable, top-end automotive lidar for real-time adaptive 3D perception; winning a multi-million-dollar sales contract from one of the largest highway tolling system operators in the U.S.; or successfully closing on a $100 million investment from Japan’s Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Cepton has unveiled a broad array of milestones over the course of the past twelve months.

“We closed out our first year as a public company with notable achievements,” said Jun Pei, Cepton’s Co-Founder and CEO. “We are in the final stages of preparation for the start of the production launch of our lidar for OEM customers, we announced our next-generation Vista® X-120 Plus lidar to meet future OEM requirements and closed the $100 million investment from Koito. We look forward to capitalizing on our extensive experience in commercializing automotive grade lidar to win additional series production awards this year,” Jun Pei added.

Cepton has long sought to position themselves at the cutting edge of lidar based technology, envisioning a future where their technological innovations may be used to drive the next stage of development within the autonomous-driving space. Whilst the company believes that fully autonomous driving may still be a couple of decades away, they operate under the assumption that technologies supporting advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) will continue to gain traction in the automotive industry. In a recent interview carried out at the M30 Mobility Summit, Cepton CFO, Hull Xu expounded on his vision of the ongoing developments within the mobility sector and Cepton’s potential role in the technological revolution.

“The lidar technology has been around for a couple of decades, maybe more. In the past five years, it has been more about who has the right technology to enable the right application. And as we mentioned earlier, we think the application that’s most relevant to people is ADAS. What we think right now is that lidar is moving from a pure technology discussion to deployment. So, whose technology product is going to be in vehicles that are mass produced? That is the competition we are in today,” he stated.

Autonomous driving technology has quickly become a focus area for automotive OEMs across the world, attracting billions of dollars in capital investment over the past several years. With Cepton leading many of its peers, both in terms of its technological breakthroughs as well as its commercial achievements, the company looks well positioned to benefit from the sector’s continued development.

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

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