• Mullen Technologies’ EV SUV “serious competition” for Tesla’s Model Y
• MX-05 will have more mass-market appeal than competition
• NETE has definitive agreement with Mullen outlining stock-for-stock reverse merger

One of the most-recognized names in the electric vehicle (“EV”) world, Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), may be facing serious competition from several entrants into the EV space, including a lesser-known start-up, according to a recent “CarBuzz” report (http://ibn.fm/8kM9V). And Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE), a global financial technology and value-added solutions group, may stand to benefit from the news.

“The Tesla Model Y is about to face some stiff competition from the Fisker Ocean and Mercedes EQA electric crossovers,” the Aug. 18 article stated. “But there’s another competitor you probably haven’t considered. California-based US startup Mullen Technologies is also joining the electric crossover bandwagon with the MX-05, the company’s second electric model following the Qiantu K50 electric sports car.”

The article goes on to note that the MX-05, a mid-size luxury SUV, features a 150-kWh solid-state battery that provides a driving range of more than 500 miles and will “inevitably have more mass-market appeal than the K50,” the article reads. “Based on results during independent testing, Mullen claims the battery technology will allow electric vehicles to travel 640 miles when cruising at 55 mph on a flat surface and 550 miles at a cruising speed of 75 mph. For comparison, the Tesla Model Y Long Range has 316 miles of range. Using a fast charger, the battery takes just 35 minutes to recharge.”

Last month, Net Element announced the execution of a definitive agreement to merge with Mullen Technologies Inc., a Southern California-based electric vehicle company, in a stock-for-stock reverse merger in which Mullen’s stockholders will receive a majority of the outstanding stock in the post-merger company. That agreement means NETE is closely watching the development of the MX-05 SUV, which is slated for 2022 production.

“We believe our licensed solid-state battery technology should provide us with an advantage over many other companies in the EV space as it could have the ability to provide vehicle owners with significantly increased range from a single charge,” said Mullen CEO David Michery. “We believe the launch of our MX-05 will change the way that owners think about EVs and their capabilities.

“Modifying an existing, functional plant to create our vehicles will immediately catapult Mullen into very rare territory: an electric car manufacturer producing vehicles and distributing them throughout our internal network of dealers,” Michery continued. “Mullen has the ability to rise above the competition and be a true Tesla competitor, especially in the SUV market. Once the facilities are fully operational, Mullen will be able to integrate its proprietary solid-state battery technology into our vehicles and other consumer products.”

Net Element Inc. is a global financial technology and value-added solutions group that supports electronic payments acceptance in an omni-channel environment spanning across point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile devices. The company operates a payments-as-a-service transactional model and value-added services platform for small to medium enterprises in the United States and selected emerging markets.

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

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

• Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. promotes innovative brand solutions. It is currently the exclusive global distributor for the first eco-friendly vapor product on the market, Bidi(TM) Stick.
• Manufactured by Bidi Vapor LLC, the Bidi(TM) Stick stands to revolutionize the vaping experience. It is a completely self-contained, disposable and recyclable product made with high-quality components and innovative technology.
• On September 8, 2020, Kaival Brands announced that Bidi Vapor LLC had submitted its Premarket Tobacco Product application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Kaival Brands is also working to expand distribution of the Bidi(TM) Stick internationally into Guam, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
• The partnership with Bidi Vapor has helped Kaival Brands expedite its growth, as the company reported $22.5 million in revenue in Q2 2020.

Kaival Brands Innovations Group (OTCQB: KAVL) is focused on growing and incubating innovative and profitable products into mature, dominant brands. It aims to develop internally, acquire or exclusively distribute these products, helping them grow into market-share leaders by providing superior quality that is recognizable in their individual industries.

Formerly known as Quick Start Holdings Inc., the company changed its name to Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (also known as Kaival Brands) in July 2019. Headquartered in Grant, Florida, the company commenced business operations on March 9, 2020.

Bidi(TM) Stick – Revolutionizing the Vaping Experience

On March 9, 2020, Kaival Brands entered into a partnership with Bidi Vapor LLC. The latter granted Kaival Brands exclusive global distribution rights for the innovative Bidi(TM) Stick.

Bidi(TM) Stick is a completely self-contained disposable product that is tamper-proof and recyclable. The innovative product is made from high-quality components and equipped with a long-lasting battery and class A nicotine. Its product engineering also includes a sensitivity control system, along with a proven mechanism designed to help identify and eliminate counterfeit products.

Available in 11 flavors, the Bidi(TM) Stick offers a premium vaping experience for adult consumers only. From its packaging design to its marketing strategies, Bidi Vapor makes sure that everything is compliant with government regulations.

On March 31, 2020, Kaival Brands partnered with QuikfillRx Digital as a digital service provider to help promote and commercialize the Bidi(TM) Stick. As a direct result of the partnership, Kaival Brands received back-to-back orders for the vaping device, totaling approximately $135,000, from sizable national convenience chains.

On September 8, 2020, the company announced that Bidi Vapor had submitted its Premarket Tobacco Product application (“PMTA”) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for review. In total, over 285,000 pages of research, studies and surveys were submitted to support the application of Bidi(TM) Stick’s 11 variants.

“We are confident that, upon review, the FDA will authorize Bidi Vapor’s Bidi(TM) Stick for continued marketing in the United States,” Niraj Patel, President and CEO of Kaival Brands, stated in a news release (http://ibn.fm/7EYu2).

Bidi Vapor is an industry leader in recycling – a position that was furthered through the creation of the Bidi Cares Initiative. The program encourages users to recycle their used Bidi(TM) Sticks instead of trashing them. As motivation, Bidi Vapor offers a free Bidi(TM) Stick for every 10 used devices recycled by a consumer. Kaival Brands is the exclusive recycling provider for the initiative.

Partnership Impact and Market Outlook

Bidi Vapor is a related party to Kaival Brands, as it is owned by Kaival Brands CEO Nirajkumar Patel. Patel is also the majority stockholder of Kaival Brands, placing both entities under common control.

The partnership has already had a positive impact on Kaival Brands, helping the company expedite growth, as evidenced by its Q2 financial results. According to Kaival Brands’ consolidated fiscal results for the quarter that ended on April 30, 2020, its revenues grew to approximately $22.5 million from no revenue in the same quarter of 2019. The company also scored a gross profit of $4.2 million for the three-month period. Net income was reported at $2.8 million for the quarter, compared to a net loss of about $4,000 in the second quarter of 2019. The company ended the second quarter of 2020 with a cash balance of $2 million (http://ibn.fm/ycLBD).

The positive results are primarily an effect of Bidi(TM) Stick distribution amid the growing worldwide demand for high-quality vape products, as Patel explained in a news release. “Our focus now is to continue to increase revenues by increasing Bidi Vapor’s market share in the vaping industry,” he added.

Internationally, Kaival Brands has already taken steps to expand distribution of the Bidi(TM) Stick into Guam, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

To this end, the company has set up a market engagement and sales force to reach a higher volume of retail and wholesale customers. It also created a dedicated customer support team to provide high-quality service and an enhanced customer experience.

Kaival Brands is dedicated to developing innovative and viable options for adults who use tobacco and vape products and want a premium experience. The company wants to set higher standards to transform perceptions and elevate consumer experience in the vape and CBD industries, with a goal of increasing market share in the ever-growing vaping industry. In 2019, the reported global market for the vaping industry alone was $12.4 billion. These forecasts indicate a potential CAGR of 23.8% through 2027.

Cancellation of 300 Million Shares of Common Stock

In August 2020, the company canceled 300 million shares of common stock, marking a 52.1 percent reduction in its issued and outstanding shares of common stock (http://ibn.fm/DTqWH). Currently, the company’s outstanding common shares total 277,282,630. The cancelation was done in exchange for three million shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock cannot be converted before November 2023, barring any event that may trigger early conversion.

According to Patel, this move will benefit all shareholders and help maintain stability of the market pricing of remaining common stock. The overall goal is to increase value for long-term investors.

Management Team

Nirajkumar Patel is the CEO, CFO, President, Treasurer and Director of Kaival Brands and owner of Bidi Vapor LLC. In 2004, Patel received a Bachelor of Science in pharmaceutical sciences from AISSMS College of Pharmacy in Prune, India. He moved to the United States in 2005, and he continued his education at the Florida Institute of Technology, where he graduated in 2009 with a master’s degree in medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry. He currently holds a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification.

Eric Mosser is the COO, Secretary and Director of Kaival Brands. Mosser attended Arizona State University, where he studied business management. In 2004, he graduated from Rio Salado College with an associate degree in applied science in computer technology.

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

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

• PACR uses genetic technology to produce premium cannabis strains currently under supplied in regulated market
• Genetics-based cannabis cultivation optimizes specific factors including THC and CBD concentrations
• PACR is acquiring 100% interest in firm holding 250 acres of land in Fraser Valley, British Columbia
• Company is nearing completion of a 20,000 square foot cultivation facility to focus on genetic development, preservation and propagation of elite cultivars

Pac Roots Cannabis (CSE: PACR) uses a genetics-focused strategy to produce premium-quality, industry-leading cannabis strains that are not available in the regulated market. The Company’s innovative first-mover cultivation and production approaches are solidifying its reputation in the industry as a purveyor of genetically optimized premium-grade cannabis strains which are able to be tailored for a variety of purposes. With 100% of its next hemp harvest under sales contract at fair market value, the Company is poised to reap profits from up to 700,000 pounds of biomass scheduled to start harvest on October 15, 2020.

Genetics-based cannabis cultivation employs artificial selection and marker-assisted breeding, enabling cannabis producers to optimize for the end-use of the resulting crop. Qualities such as size, color, smell, density and texture factor heavily into how custom strains are differentiated—particularly those optimized for specific concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) or cannabidiol (“CBD”). Besides giving cannabis cultivators the power to maximize product quality, the ability to genetically modify the structure of cannabis plants can also boost profitability through increased plant yields by selecting for larger and more numerous buds on each plant, ultimately enabling companies like Pac Roots to generate maximum quality and yield.

Through a joint venture with Rock Creek Farms, Pac Roots embarked on the 100-acre premium CBD hemp cultivation project after receiving a hemp cultivation license from Health Canada in May 2020. Following several weeks of preparation, planting of approximately 130,000 premium hemp CBD plants across two 50-acre parcels commenced in mid-June. Along with utilizing the rich native soil, the Company employed both traditional and customized farming techniques that include custom nutrients, systematic planting of stress-tested resilient cultivars, and advanced weed control measures along with complex irrigation systems to ensure each plant site is provided with optimal nutrients and spring water delivery.

Known widely as the “Napa Valley of the North”, the hemp plantation is located in the “Golden Mile” of the South Okanagan Valley, considered to be one of Canada’s best outdoor growing climates. Along with the Golden Mile project, Pac Roots is also in the process of acquiring all the issued and outstanding shares of a firm holding 250 acres of land in the famed Fraser Valley region of British Columbia—in addition to completing another 20,000 square foot cultivation facility in Lake Country, British Columbia.

Following the receipt of its cultivation license in Q4 2020, the facility will feature 7,600 square feet of growing space that will enable the Company to cycle through an elite line of over 350 unique, high-grade quality cultivars.

Cannabis-based products are gaining widespread acceptance in society across a wide range of demographics. As use-cases for CBD increase, the ability to enhance and customize various strains through their genetic makeup is becoming an important priority for industry cultivators. With a genetics-focused approach towards cannabis production, PACR is positioned to create an impact on the industry through its focus on the quality cultivation of industry-leading cannabis strains.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.PacRoots.ca.

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

• SRAX acquiring LD Micro, leading information portal providing intraday information on micro-cap stocks
• Acquisition to accelerate adoption of Sequire, SRAX’s investment data analytics platform
• Sequire revenue grew 29% year-over-year for Q2 2020
• SRAX entered into $13 million definitive securities purchase agreement to fund Sequire’s rapid expansion

SRAX Inc. (NASDAQ: SRAX), a digital marketing and consumer data management technology company, recently announced that it will acquire LD Micro, a leading data and event company serving the small and micro-cap space. Initially founded in 2006, LD Micro has grown from a newsletter into a portal that provides exclusive intraday information covering North American stocks with market capitalizations between $50 million and $300 million. SRAX’s move comes at a time of rapid growth for Sequire, its investment data analytics platform, making the acquisition a synergistic gain for both parties. “LD Micro is, without a doubt, one of the most well-known and respected brands in micro-cap. Chris Lahiji and his team have done an incredible job of creating a loyal community of investors and issuers,” said SRAX founder and CEO Christopher Miglino. “LD Micro is also accretive to our investors from day one. We are confident that together we’ll accelerate the adoption of Sequire, while also enhancing LD Micro’s digital assets” (http://ibn.fm/XcwWa). Sequire helps public companies unlock the power of data by providing tools that give valuable insights on the activities of both retail and institutional investors, in addition to providing the critical data necessary to activate successful marketing campaigns. With over one million active investors and traders across 91 public companies, the platform has experienced rapid growth since its creation in 2019, due mostly to its in-demand suite of products that include tools to harness investor intelligence and outreach, warrant tracking, survey creation, events and roadshows and customer relationship/resource management (“CRM”). “What Chris and his team at SRAX have built is simply remarkable,” said LD Micro founder Chris Lahiji, who is expected to join SRAX’s board of directors following the acquisition. “The platform is an absolute game-changer for public companies and their shareholders. Both companies believe that one day executives will rely on Sequire the same way investors rely on Bloomberg. Over 1,500 companies have presented at LD Micro’s events since 2008, and almost all of them would be immediate beneficiaries of this technology.” LD Micro recently hosted its LD 500 conference in early September, featuring updates from hundreds of companies representing a wide range of industries. The online conference, considered to be the most ambitious project in LD Micro’s 14-year history, incorporated interviews and keynotes with small-cap royalty from some of the most prominent companies in the micro-cap world. “We are also impressed with SRAX’s plans for the next generation of events,” continued Lahiji. “With more than one million investors on Sequire so far, we will continue hosting industry-leading forums with an audience that is 50 times our current reach.” Besides doubling its user base since July to over a million investors and traders (http://ibn.fm/3Z0xe), Sequire has also seen impressive financial success with 29% year-over-year revenue growth for Q2 2020, fueling plans to fund the platform’s expansion through an agreement for the purchase and sale of $13 million senior secured convertible debentures (http://ibn.fm/pWCe4). Besides Sequire, SRAX continues to capitalize on the growing demand for quantifiable and detailed consumer data through the creation and development of other specialized tools for the CPG, luxury goods and lifestyle verticals that reveal core consumers and their characteristics across various marketing channels. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SRAX.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SRAX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/SRAX

• Movie theatres across the United States are set to re-open over first half of September
• Success of OTT platforms during COVID-19 lockdown had led to concerns about future viability of movie theatres
• Successful launch of ‘Tenet’, a Hollywood spy action thriller released in international markets ahead of its US domestic release, has revealed significant amount of pent-up demand from avid movie goers
• The Movie Studio is currently engaging in filming process of three major motion pictures

Film production companies have been forced into a temporary lull over the past few months, as COVID-19 related restrictions led to wide-ranging cinema closures around the world. This past week, however, has brought about the initial signs that a recovery may be afoot, promising news to companies like The Movie Studio (OTC: MVES), an independent Florida-based film studio. Cinemas are back in business, following the longest hiatus since movie theatres first came into being in the early 20^th century, heralded by the launch of Warner Bros.’ “Tenet”, a spy action thriller. Simultaneously, over the first half of September, nearly 40% of U.S cinemas are expected to resume operations – a move keenly awaited by various stakeholders within the US film industry.

As of the end of August, less than 1,000 U.S. theatres were estimated to be open, of which 300 were classed as drive-in cinemas. However, over the first ten days of September, three of the largest U.S. movie theater chains—namely AMC Theaters, Cinemark Theaters and Regal Cinemas—are set to re-open anywhere from up to 40% of their theatres to the public. The move has been mirrored by a marked increase in film marketing in recent weeks. During the two week period between August 7 and August 20, U.S movie studios spent $10.5 million advertising their upcoming film releases on national TV networks – with approximately 2,219 individual advertisements airing during that interim. In contrast, a mere $216,965 was spent in total by movie studios engaging in national TV marketing efforts in the previous two-week period – July 20 through August 6 (http://ibn.fm/Yrmj4).

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a remarkable shift in the film industry’s business practices. The OTT industry has seen a surge of interest, with the likes of Netflix and Disney+ adding 26 million and 54.5 million paid subscribers over the first half of the year, respectively (http://ibn.fm/Lu958). The increase in viewership along with the spate of original content programming launched on both platforms had led to doubts on whether home-bound viewers would ever return to the cinemas in similar numbers to those seen prior to the outbreak. However, the release of Tenet has shown that there has been a significant amount of pent-up demand built up amongst cinema viewers over the past few months.

Unusually for a major Hollywood theatrical release, Tenet was released across the globe on August 26 with the US domestic release scheduled for September 3. However, the film has reportedly already grossed over $53 million in worldwide box office revenues following its first weekend release, proceeds which have already placed it 9th on the list of 2020’s top-grossing US films from international markets (http://ibn.fm/1FfHn).

The Movie Studio is currently engaging in the filming of three major motion pictures, namely ‘Pegasus’ – a family drama aimed towards general audiences; action-packed adventure movie ‘The Last Warhead’; and catering to the crime film genre, ‘Cause & Effect’ (http://ibn.fm/jdXb9). With cinema audiences seemingly anxious to return to movie theatres, film producers such as The Movie Studio Inc. stand to benefit as mainstream film releases once again become an option for movie studios looking for alternatives to OTT content launches.

For more information about the company, visit www.TheMovieStudio.com.

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

• PowerBand Solutions is a disruptive fintech innovator that has developed a dealer-to-dealer sales platform notable for its ability to meet financing document, money transfer, inspection and auction bid needs
• The company’s cloud-based platform is designed to provide confidence through transparency and online transactions as simple to process as those used by web-based retailers such as Amazon
• PowerBand has completed 360 vehicle auction sales since its launch in the spring, making inventory easily available for dealers across the country
• The company’s variety of smart tech-accessible services for closing vehicle sales are providing consumers an array of resources suited to the social distancing conditions imposed by the global COVID-19 pandemic

Auto dealerships across the United States found an easy opportunity to bolster their used car inventories last month when virtual auction platform D2D Auto Auction LLC moved some 230 vehicles from a ride-sharing company’s fleet.

The one-day auction tally comprises the large portion of the 360 vehicles PowerBand Solutions (TSX.V: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (FRA: 1ZVA)  has found buyers for since its launch in the spring, netting more than $3 million in the process (http://ibn.fm/tz9W8) and demonstrating the companies’ growing traction in the U.S. market.

PowerBand, co-owner of D2D, is an emerging automotive fintech enterprise driven to disrupt the established storefront car sales model through a series of accretive agreements that expand the capacity of the company’s cloud-based transaction platform DRIVRZ to serve auto dealers and their customers with simplicity, speed, and cost-efficiency never before available through a virtual auto sales network.

The DRIVRZ platform streamlines the transfer of money during auction sales without in-person gatherings required, and also makes financing and inventory paperwork, vehicle inspections and auction negotiations as easy as buying products from web-based retailers such as Amazon through smart remote-access technology.

Tech-based options for remote access have become more than a simple convenience as the COVID-19 viral pandemic continues to maintain its grip on much of the planet. The ability to transact business without in-person negotiations has become a matter of individual safety as well as a stratagem for reducing and potentially eliminating new infections of the highly contagious virus.

PowerBand’s auctions are accessible through the company’s website or mobile app. D2D forms a key part of PowerBand’s efforts to transform how consumers and dealers buy, sell, lease and trade vehicles, and its no-cost listings have made it economical.

PowerBand began originating auto loans in Texas and Florida last month as part of its service reach, and will soon add loans in California and other states’ markets after gaining lease financing from a federally chartered U.S. depository financial institution for its online platform (http://ibn.fm/Xbpha).

“Our virtual auctions have been extremely popular attracting dealers nationwide,” PowerBand and D2D COO Darrin Swenson stated in the company’s announcement about the auctions.

As a dealer-to-dealer platform, DRIVRZ has helped sellers connect with new sources to buy inventory, as in the case of the ride-share fleet auction. It also helps them maximize trade-in values to increase closing rates, and to provide a transparent appraisal process.

Although the pandemic’s full impact on the economy has yet to be calculated, market analysts anticipate that appliances and other essential goods such as automobiles will continue to sell even if the pandemic continues to worsen through the upcoming fall and winter seasons in North America.

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

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

• 180 Life Sciences boasts a world-class team responsible for developing new classes of drugs targeting multiple disease states while creating significant shareholder value
• The company has a large and expanding patent portfolio
• The risks associated with the company’s drug development efforts are mitigated through the concurrent advancement of multiple programs in different stages of development
• 180 Life Sciences decreases costs and expedites time to market through the use of grant funding, cost-effective international trials and recruitment of hospital-based luminaries who attract teams of excellence

KBL Merger Corp. IV (NASDAQ: KBLM), a special purpose acquisition corporation (“SPAC”), announced that, in connection with its previously detailed merger agreement with 180 Life Sciences, it consummated a bridge financing on June 29, 2020, and submitted its latest S4 filing with the SEC on August 28, 2020. It expects to close the business combination in Q4 2020. Following the merger, the company will be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under ticker symbol ‘ATNF’.

180 Life Sciences Corp. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel drugs that fulfill unmet needs in inflammatory diseases, fibrosis and pain by leveraging the combined expertise of luminaries in therapeutics from Oxford University, the Hebrew University and Stanford University.

KBLM has valued 180 Life Sciences at $175 million, with the acquisition being carried out via a share swap through which each share of 180 Life Sciences will be exchanged for one share of KBLM.

Drug Development Programs

180 Life Sciences is leading the research into solving one of the world’s biggest drivers of disease – inflammation. The company is driving groundbreaking study into clinical programs, which are seeking to develop novel drugs addressing separate areas of inflammation for which there are no effective therapies.

The company’s primary platform is a novel program to treat fibrosis and inflammation using anti-TNF, with its lead program in phase 2b/3 clinical trials with first results expected in 2021. Further clinical trials are scheduled to begin by the end of 2020. The company has two additional programs that are in the preclinical stage and are showing promising results.

• Fibrosis & Anti-TNF (Phase 2b/3 Trials): Based at the Kennedy Institute within Oxford University, the fibrosis and anti-TNF program is being led by Professor Jagdeep Nanchahal, a surgeon-scientist who has been running the phase 2 trials, and Professor Sir Marc Feldmann, a renowned immunologist and one of the pioneers of anti-TNF therapy. The program is designed to address four critical areas of inflammation:
  1. The phase 2b/3 trial evaluating the treatment of early stage Dupuytren’s disease (“DD”) is a fully grant-funded and enrolled study, with top line data expected to be available by Q4 2021.
  2. The phase 2b trial studying the treatment of frozen shoulder is likewise grant-funded and is scheduled to be initiated by Q3 2021.
  3. The phase 2 trial in post-operative cognitive deficit (“POCD”) is anticipated to commence in Q4 2021.
  4. Preclinical studies in liver fibrosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (“NASH”) are set to begin in late 2020.

• Inflammatory Pain (Preclinical):Directed by Professor Raphael Mechoulam at the Hebrew University in Israel, this program is focused on discovering novel compounds to treat chronic inflammatory pain.
• A7nAChR (Preclinical):Led by Professor Lawrence Steinman and Dr. Jonathan Rothbard, 180 Life Sciences is seeking to develop a treatment for ulcerative colitis in ex-smokers by targeting the a7nAChR, a nicotine receptor in the body and a central factor in the body’s method of controlling inflammation.

Market Size for Anti-Inflammatory Medication

According to a study carried out by Allied Market Research, the anti-inflammatory therapeutics market is expected to grow to an approximate $106.1 billion annual market size in 2020, registering a CAGR of 5.9% during the period from 2015 to 2020.

Ranging from asthma treatments to targeting the causes of diseases such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease, anti-inflammatory therapeutics have seen a sharp increase in usage, particularly given that they allow for medical responses that are more targeted and effective while possessing lesser side effects relative to conventional drugs.

Management Team

Professor Sir Marc Feldmann, Co-Chairman, is known to be a pioneer of anti-TNF therapy, which seeks to suppress the immune system by blocking the activity of TNF, a substance in the body that can cause inflammation and lead to immune-system diseases. As of today, anti-TNF therapy drugs have become the world’s largest drug class, with sales estimated at over $40 billion per annum. Feldmann has received seven international awards for biomedical innovation over the years, including the Crawford and Lasker awards, and he is a member of the Royal Society.

Professor Lawrence Steinman, Co-Chairman, is a scientific luminary, having discovered the role of integrins, which led to the creation of Natalizumab, a highlight effective treatment for multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. Steinman is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has received four international awards for biomedical innovation, including the Charcot Prize. Prior to joining 180 Life Sciences, Steinman founded Centocor, a pharmaceutical company that was sold to Johnson & Johnson for $4.9 billion.

Dr. James N. Woody, CEO, was instrumental in the discovery of Remicade as Chief Scientific Officer at Centocor. Previously, Woody founded Avidia and Proteolix, both of which were subsequently sold to Amgen, and he was a General Partner at Latterell Venture Partners. Boasting over 25 years of pharmaceutical research and management experience, Woody was also previously the general manager of Roche Biosciences, the former Syntex Pharmaceutical Company.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.180LifeSciences.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to 180 Life Sciences are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/180

• SRAX working to build largest data set in world
• Forbes reports that a company’s most valuable asset may be its data
• Investors have come to favor digital, data-rich, and even merely data-savvy businesses

During a time when a company’s data may be more valuable than the company itself (http://ibn.fm/O8qlJ), SRAX (NASDAQ: SRAX) is focused on building the largest and most valuable opted-in data set in the world. The innovative company is gathering increasingly reliable data sets across a wide spectrum of industry verticals.

“CIOs unwittingly may be the caretakers of their company’s most valuable asset: its data,” reported a recent “Forbes” article. “Unfortunately, most CIOs and their CFO counterparts continue to take their cue about valuing their company’s data from antiquated accounting regulations. Instead, they should have a heads-up and proactive awareness of contemporary market forces, the art-of-the-possible with data, and investor exuberance about data-savvy companies.”

The article noted that while accountants tend to be pragmatists, investors are opportunists. “The latter in their never-ending quest for alpha have come to favor digital, data-rich, and even merely data-savvy businesses — not just for their multiples, but for their data itself,” the article noted.

Pointing to Microsoft’s $26 billion acquisition of LinkedIn and Facebook’s almost $22 billion acquisition of WhatsApp, the article stated that “while some experts contend that these stratospheric acquisition price tags were to ‘get their customers,’ customers and their loyalty resulting in future cash flows must be earned and cannot be bought. Nor can customers themselves be considered actual assets since people cannot be owned or controlled. On the other hand, customer data—including their transactions, interactions and profiles—can be owned and controlled . . . . Therefore data itself was the asset central to these corporate acquisitions.”

Investors, in general, favor data-savvy companies, the article concludes, citing a recent Gartner study that found “on average the ratio of market value to tangible asset replacement cost (known as Tobin’s q), even for pre-digital companies, is nearly two times greater for those that demonstrate certain data-savvy behaviors.”

SRAX’s proprietary technology is designed to unlock data for brands in the CPG, investor relations, luxury, and lifestyle verticals. Through its platforms, SRAX is monetizing its data sets and growing multiple recurring revenue streams.

The company’s most recent offering, Sequire, is a premiere investor intelligence and communications management platform that unlocks investor behaviors and trends, including who is buying and selling stock, for issuers of publicly traded companies. Through the platform, companies can track their investors’ behaviors and trends and use those rich audience insights to engage existing investors and attract new investors across marketing channels.

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

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

• Worldwide pandemic spurs growth in VOD space
• New numbers show millions leaving pay TV behind
• MVES pioneering new media-content delivery systems, creating direct-server access platform

The numbers are in, and not surprisingly, COVID-19 has prompted a growing number of entertainment seekers to cut the cord. A recent Protocol article (http://ibn.fm/Y9ynN) reports that cable and TV subscribers are down, a trend that promises benefits for companies such as The Movie Studio (OTC: MVES), a vertically integrated motion picture production and distribution company.

“Shelter-in-place boredom hasn’t stopped consumers from canceling cable,” the article reported. “Cord cutting has accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to new data from the nation’s major cable and satellite TV providers. Comcast, AT&T, Dish, Charter and Verizon collectively lost 1.46 million pay TV subscribers during the second quarter, compared to 1.22 million subscribers during the same quarter last year.

“Cord cutting has been on an upward trajectory over several quarters,” the article continued. “In 2019, more than twice as many consumers canceled their pay TV subscription than during the prior year. The latest numbers indicate that 2020 will be even worse. During the first half of the year, the five big pay TV providers lost a collective 3.45 million subscribers. Over the first six months of 2019, 2.42 million consumers cut the cord.”

Of course, those cord cutters haven’t stopped watching the screen. Cable TV’s loss is Video on Demand’s (“VOD”) gain, the article observed. Specifically, “Netflix added 10 million new subscribers in Q2 alone, including close to 3 million in North America. Disney+ added 24 million paying subscribers worldwide during the quarter.”

Netflix and Disney+ are big players in the VOD space, but a growing number of smaller companies are making a move in the growing sector, and The Movie Studio is leading the charge. MVES is committed to acquiring, developing, producing and distributing independent motion picture content for worldwide consumption via subscription and advertiser video on demand (SVOD/AVOD), over the top (“OTT”) platforms, foreign sales and various media devices.

With that strategy in mind, The Movie Studio is establishing a proprietary OTT VOD platform to distribute both its own and aggregated feature film projects, television programming and other media intellectual properties. In addition, the company is pioneering new media content delivery systems with its digital business model of motion picture distribution as well as its plans to create a direct-server access platform of its content for worldwide distribution.

This focus may be well worth the effort as The Movie Studio strengthens its position in a space with billion-dollar potential. A Mordor Intelligence report notes that the Video on Demand market was valued at $56.55 billion in 2019, with projected growth to reach $120.91 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 13.5% during that same period (http://ibn.fm/8lXhq). The upward trajectory — both in cord cutting and forecast growth — bodes well for MVES, a company intent on disrupting the traditional entertainment and media sector.

For more information about the company, visit www.TheMovieStudio.com.

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

• Cloud-based platform to facilitate buying, selling, leasing, and trading-in vehicles
• Partners with leading financial platform, RouteOne
• Access to thousands of dealerships across the United States, Canada
• More than 1,500 sources of finance
• Share restructuring to accommodate acquisition of MUSA leasing platform

The recent annual general meeting of PowerBand Solutions (TSX.V: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (FRA: 1ZVA) took a celebratory tone as it marked the one-year anniversary of the company’s investment in the MUSA Holdings leasing platform. Shareholders approved a series of stock restructuring proposals that included an increase in authorized shares and, notably, the issue of new shares to fund the MUSA stake (http://ibn.fm/qp5UO).

PowerBand recently added another national auto insurance network to its growing online sales platform. The company has quickly become a fintech leader in the North American, auto-leasing market. The company’s innovative technology platform brings the ecommerce experience to the buying, selling, leasing and trading in of vehicles, thus improving market outcomes for buyers, sellers, dealers and manufacturers.

In July 2019, PowerBand announced its intention to acquire 60% of MUSA Holdings LLC and its subsidiaries, including MUSA Auto Finance LLC (“MUSA”). Under the completed unit purchase agreement, PowerBrand has issued 900,000 PBX common shares to MUSA. An additional 900,000 shares will be issued on the second anniversary of the acquisition.

The deal boosted PowerBand’s capabilities in the auto market. The MUSA technology platform matches lessors and lessees within the auto market and carries features that won it an early high-profile customer. In 2018, MUSA was granted the highly coveted status of national leasing partner by TESLA. The giant carmaker was impressed by the MUSA technology, which takes an application, calculates a lease, auto-decisions the application, provides an approval back to dealer partners, and prefills a lease contract accurately, all in less than eight seconds. The MUSA acquisition transformed PowerBand into an industry-leading fintech in vehicle acquisition, leasing, lending and auction services.

PowerBand’s incorporation of the MUSA platform will allow dealers, both franchised and independent, as well as customers to:

• Conduct lease transactions for both new and used vehicles
• Acquire pre-owned vehicles for MUSA consumers through PowerBand’s online auction platform
• Retain customers through new lease options using the PowerBand-RouteOne partnership
• Resell off-lease vehicles to D2D Automotive Auctions (“D2D”) through the PBX auction platform.

RouteOne is a leading financial platform owned by Ally Financial, Ford Motor Credit Co., TD Auto Finance and Toyota Financial Services. In February, PowerBrand finalized an agreement with RouteOne that gives PBX access to thousands of dealerships and more than 1,500 finance sources across the United States and Canada. D2D is a joint venture partnership owned equally by PowerBand and Bryan Hunt in the United States.

These developments expand PowerBand’s capabilities to provide the automotive industry with an effective, innovative method to buy and sell vehicles that offers a convenient, hassle-free, cost-effective alternative to physical transacting. As part of its overall offering, the company’s LiveNet Auction Portal allows dealers to create an instant, online auction that launches a used vehicle to a vast network of the industry’s top used vehicle buyers.

This approach fosters transparency and price discovery resulting in greater consumer satisfaction. Additionally, dealers no longer have to hard sell. Since buyers and lessees are able to invest less time and resources in search costs, product moves faster. The PowerBand platform also allows consumers access to a variety of finance and insurance add-ons to complement their vehicle acquisitions.

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

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