• Pharmaceutical industry services provider Trxade Group Inc. presented an overview of the company’s structure and strategy at this month’s LD 500 invitational microcap investor summit
• The investor summit was a virtual gathering place during the ongoing pandemic, providing brand and industry information through webcasts to more than 20,000 attendees representing hundreds of companies
• Trxade Group is dedicated to helping its growing network of independent pharmacies compete with big box chains through a supply chain trading platform that delivers transparent product pricing and availability information
• Trxade Group is also developing its nascent B2C operations with Telehealth services that link home-bound or office-bound patients to board-certified physicians in a low-cost model

A Kaiser Family Foundation (“KFF”) poll conducted last year found that 24 percent of its respondents had difficulty affording prescription drugs and 29 percent of all adults reported not taking their medicines as prescribed during the previous year because of the cost, relying instead on strategies such as not filling a prescription, taking an over-the-counter drug instead, or cutting pills in half or skipping a dose (https://ibn.fm/1v0gN). As the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning to explode on American soil this spring, The Hill reported 34 million people knew at least one friend or family member who died in the last five years because they could not afford the medication to treat their condition (https://ibn.fm/ygyYE).

The pandemic has made access to reasonably priced medicine and medical supplies more critical than ever as people seek ways to maintain their care while limiting their exposure to infection from a potentially deadly new virus. Before the virus even appeared on the international scene, pharmaceutical supplies and services provider Trxade Group (NASDAQ: MEDS) was busy building a supply chain trading platform that supports small, community-based pharmacies trying to compete with national chains, and services that help consumers use available smart technology to consult with physicians and obtain their medications without having to leave home.

Trxade Group’s platform thrives on drug pricing and availability transparency for its B2B model while taking advantage of telehealth-friendly insurer policy shifts under its B2C model.

“If you look at a typical independent pharmacy today, it is an owner-operated retail establishment that doesn’t have the bandwidth or resources to shop around for product availability and pricing. Of course, … the Affordable Care Act is today speaking of lowering the reimbursement in an effort to save money. The solution is Trxade,” CEO Suren Ajjarapu said during a webcast company presentation as part of this month’s LD 500 invitational microcap investor summit (https://ibn.fm/oIB8N). “Trxade provides solutions to these independent pharmacies that are losing money or looking for alternatives when it comes to procurement of pharmaceuticals.”

Such services are particularly important when drugs are in short supply, and when demand is driving up the cost of the products.

Ajjarapu said Trxade recognizes it is serving around 15 million patients through the medium of over 11,700 independent pharmacies in its subscription network, which is why its B2C operations, led by its Bonum Health Hub portal, are so vital.

The health hub provides patients with telemedicine access to physicians at a fraction of the cost they would typically incur for doctor visits under their insurance plans, he said. And the company’s network of pharmacy businesses, paired with its app-accessible DelivMeds same-day / mail order pharmaceuticals delivery service, make it easier for patients to have medications delivered without having to go to the store to obtain them (https://ibn.fm/9VbJC).

“Of course our B2C platform is at a nascent stage when compared to other telemedicine portals out there, but (with) the unique nature of same-day drug delivery using our network,” Ajjarapu said. “Our vision there is, for non-emergency services or health needs, patients should never leave the house, should be able to talk to the doctor, get the drugs or meds delivered directly to their home or office.”

Ajjarapu told attendees at the virtual summit that the company’s capital structure enables reasonable earnings per share relatively quickly, and significant potential for return on investment because of the company’s structure and diverse sources of revenue.

“And that’s the key differentiator of us,” he said.

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

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

• World Federation of Direct Selling Associations reports healthy growth
• Wellness continues to be leader in U.S. space, where SHRG continues to attract customers, entrepreneurs with inclusive Blue Ocean strategy
• Strategy proves successful as reflected in robust fundamentals SHRG continues to post

Sharing Services Global (OTCQB: SHRG), a diversified holding company specializing in the direct-selling industry and network marketing is well positioned within the industry, which continues to record healthy growth, as reported by the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (“WFDSA”) (https://ibn.fm/0aA7e). In its latest report, “2019 Direct Selling Business Results,” the WFDSA announced that worldwide retail sales showed a year-over-year sales increase of 1.4% compared to 2018 while growing at a healthy pace in the long term with five-year CAGR of 2.3% (excluding China).

Founded in 1978 as the leading international, nongovernmental, voluntary organization representing the global direct-selling industry in more than 170 countries, WFDSA has been publishing annual reports to inform its members and the general public about the latest trends shaping the industry. Other numbers of note in the report included the global sales force totaling 119.9 million independent representatives/distributors, a figure that includes more than 59 million independent representatives who are actively working to build their direct-selling businesses either as a full-time career or part-time to earn supplemental income.

“U.S. direct selling revenue not only remained stable during the past four years; it also offered many opportunities for growth,” said Ben Gamse, U.S. DSA senior marketing research manager. Direct selling enjoys a broad, diverse appeal, and is especially welcomed among younger generations of Americans who are pursuing flexible entrepreneurial opportunities (https://ibn.fm/xKqkP).

The WFDSA report also shows that wellness —the product category where SHRG operates — continues to be the leader in the U.S. direct-selling landscape with 36% of total sales. The report notes several reasons for this success. Customers are allured by the aspiration to improve their health and wellness, but they also appreciate highly personalized customer experiences that distributors provide as well as their enthusiasm for the products. A sense of community is a big part of that shopping and entrepreneurial experience.

This is precisely the strength of SHRG. The company not only operates in the most lucrative segment of the direct-selling market, but its whole philosophy is also centered around elevating lives of consumers and home-based entrepreneurs by distancing from cut-throat competition and following Blue Ocean strategy based on putting opportunities in the hands of its independent representatives, called Elepreneurs, and empowering them to take the reins on their future. SHRG nurtures people and community and creates high-quality, innovative products and success comes as a result of that. This unique approach is appreciated by consumers as reflected in the healthy financials the company continues to post.

The Sharing Services combined platform currently leverages the capabilities and expertise of various companies that market and sell products direct to the consumer through independent contractors. Two of its primary divisions include Elevacity Holdings LLC., the parent of its wholly owned subsidiary, Elevacity U.S. LLC, a health and wellness products company, and Elepreneurs Holdings LLC., the parent of its wholly owned subsidiary, Elepreneurs U.S. LLC, a sales and marketing company based on utilization of independent contractor distributors who sell the Elevacity product line.

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

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

• KBL Merger Corp. IV is set to finalize the acquisition of 180 Life Sciences Corp. during Q4 2020
• 180 Life Sciences Corp. has several ongoing programs at different stages of development, with the leading candidate in Phase 2b/3, helping mitigate the risks involved with its drug development
• The merger with 180 Life Sciences will enable KBL Merger Corp. IV to enter a market expected to double in size by 2027
• 180 Life Sciences is growing its patent portfolio through several preclinical studies beginning in two additional areas of inflammatory novel drug studies

Special purpose acquisition corporation KBL Merger Corp. IV (NASDAQ: KBLM) completed its IPO in June 2017. The corporation raised $115 million intending to find and acquire a company with a strong value proposition primarily in the United States healthcare or healthcare-related industry.

In July 2019, KBL Merger Corp. IV signed a definitive business combination agreement for a merger with 180 Life Sciences Corp. (formerly known as CannBioRx Life Sciences Corp.), contingent on approval from KBL Merger Corp. IV. In June 2020, KBL Merger Corp. IV had completed bridge financing for the acquisition of 180 Life Sciences, which was valued by KBL at $175 million. KBL utilized share swapping to carry out the purchase.

The business combination is due to close during the fourth quarter of 2020. After the merger is complete, the company will be listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the ticker ‘ATNF.’ The bridge financing completion is expected to be used as working capital to complete the merger and used to advance the company’s clinical programs.

180 Life Sciences Research on Inflammation

180 Life Sciences Corp. is working on research to solve one of the world’s most significant drivers of disease – inflammation. The company currently has three programs developing novel drugs in different areas of study regarding inflammation.

The novel drug developments are currently in the areas of:

• Fibrosis and Anti-TNF
  • Dupuytren’s disease (Phase 2b/3 trial) – top-line data is expected by the fourth quarter of 2021.
  • Frozen Shoulder (Phase 2b trial) – scheduled to be initiated by the third quarter of 2021.
  • Post-Operative Cognitive Deficit (“POCD”) (Phase 2 trial) – anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2021.
  • Liver Fibrosis and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (“NASH”) (Preclinical Study) – set to begin late 2020.
• Inflammatory Pain
  • The research for inflammatory pain is currently in the Preclinical Study status, and aims to discover novel compounds to treat chronic inflammatory pain.
• A7nAChR
  • The research for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in ex-smokers, targeting the A7nAChR nicotine receptor in the body is currently in the Preclinical Study phase.

180 Life Sciences has mitigated the risks of its drug development through multiple programs at various stages of development. The company is actively decreasing costs and expediting the time to market by using grant funding and cost-effective trials internationally. Additionally, it has recruited teams with backgrounds in excellence, setting up the stage for success.

“Our scientific team has unparalleled expertise and a proven track record of developing unique drugs that improved the lives of millions of people and created companies that were later sold for billions of dollars,” KBL Merger Corp. IV CEO Dr. Marlene Krauss said when the closing of bridge financing was announced (https://ibn.fm/IhlKo). “We have assembled this world-class team to build a unique, global biotechnology company dedicated to developing novel drugs in a cost-effective manner.”

There has been an increase in demand for anti-inflammatory medication worldwide, and research indicates the market is expected to more than double within the next seven years. The value of the market in 2019 was $93.88 billion. The amount is expected to rise with a CAGR of 9.3% between 2020 and 2027, to reach $191.42 billion (https://ibn.fm/ohab2). These numbers are projected for the development of drugs for the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Ailments covered include arthritis, asthma, sinusitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions.

For more information, visit the companies’ websites at www.180LifeSciences.com and www.KBLMerger.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

• Pure Extract Technologies focuses on extraction of volatile plant molecules
• Company has recently announced entry into functional mushroom market, providing extraction services
• Pure Extract applying for Natural Health Products site license with Health Canada, which will help ensure that high quality standards will be upheld while also lending Company sales entry into foreign markets
• Company is set to focus on development of tinctures, soft-gel products, followed by move into creating beverage formulations as well as oral and nasal sprays

Pure Extract Technologies, (“Pure Extracts”) a Pemberton, British Columbia-domiciled private plant extraction company, has a successful history as the supplier of choice for companies requiring extraction services for product development. Pure Extracts has leveraged its years of experience in the extraction of volatile plant molecules as well as its technical competence in creating multiple successful CPG products and brands, both of which have afforded the firm a significant competitive advantage as it seeks to augment its strategic focus by partnering with companies seeking to develop new and innovative mushroom-based products. With Pure Extracts now poised to enter the commercial cannabis sector, as well as a new vertical in functional mushrooms, the Company has seized the opportunity to reveal its upcoming business development strategy going forward (https://ibn.fm/D7upV).

As Pure Extracts positions itself to become the premier commercialization and manufacturing partner for functional companies going forward, the Company plans to center its initial product lines on functional mushroom products. In its bid to do so, the Company is applying for a Natural Health Products site license with Health Canada, which, once received, will enable Pure Extracts to begin producing clinical trial samples in its purpose-built Whistler, British Columbia-based extraction facility. As the Company adheres to EU Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”), its focus on quality processes will help ensure that oil will be extracted to the highest possible quality.

Canada’s ability to easily export around the world coupled with Pure Extracts’ GPP (Good Production Practices) facility makes Pure Extracts a natural partner for companies involved within the psychedelic and functional product sectors. Pure Extracts has reportedly already met with some success in the field, having signed several NDAs with functional product companies seeking to explore joint development strategies for prospective product launches in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Functional mushrooms are increasingly being used in a wide variety of healthcare and pharmaceutical products. The application of these mushrooms as a functional ingredient in the medical industry is helping propel further growth within the sector, with functional mushroom-derived molecules increasingly employed within health supplement formulations. As testament to their growing popularity, a recent study on the functional mushroom market carried out by research firm Reportlinker.com forecasts the sector to grow at an impressive 8.04% CAGR over the period between 2019-2025 (https://ibn.fm/6X5t1).

Pure Extracts’ functional and psychedelic product expansion plans are set to be strategically rolled out in three distinct phases. Initially, the Company will focus its efforts on functional mushroom extracts used as active ingredients in the development of tinctures and/or soft gels. By the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company anticipates that its extraction efforts will also encompass developing products utilized in the manufacture of beverage formulations as well as in the creation of nasal and oral sprays.

In the second half of 2021, Pure Extracts will look towards assisting in the extraction of psilocybin, an active substance commonly found in hallucinogenic mushrooms which has recently been trialed as an experimental treatment for neurological conditions such as depression (https://ibn.fm/HdYnL). The Company will seek to simultaneously bolster its research into the psychedelic mushroom space, an industry experiencing growing interest due to shrooms’ ability to stimulate or suppress the activity of neurotransmitters they are chemically similar to, causing users to experience a number of different effects, including euphoria (https://ibn.fm/O0Ct3).

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

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

• POAI subsidiary Helomics exec discusses the company’s quest to fight cancer
• Helomics tapping into the fast growing, billion-dollar AI in drug discovery market
• Pittsburgh-based company has been building foundational groundwork in cancer drug response profiling for two decades
• Helomics harnesses rich historic tumor data with the power of AI to test living tumor tissues

Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI), a knowledge-driven company focused on applying artificial intelligence (“AI”) to personalized medicine and drug discovery, announced that one of its executives, Helomics CIO Mark Collins, PhD, recently appeared on DojoLIVE! (https://ibn.fm/hSAn4). Helomics, a POAI subsidiary, applies artificial intelligence to its rich data gathered from more than 150,000 tumors to personalize cancer therapies for patients as well as drive the development of new targeted therapies in collaborations with pharmaceutical companies.

Collins addressed this powerful work during the DojoLive! Interview, which was titled, “Can We Cure Cancer with Artificial Intelligence?” During the interview, Collins observed that using computers to help discover new anti-cancer drugs has been a lifelong passion of his. “The last 20 years of my career, I’ve been trying to realize that vision of how the convergence of AI, data and biology can be used to discover new drugs,” he said.

Joining Helomics has been an important part of that journey, Collins said, noting that the Pittsburgh-based company has been around for some two decades. “The founder, Dr Paul Kornblith, developed an innovative approach to individualizing treatment by taking a piece of tumor from a patient’s body and growing it in the lab and testing drugs on it, and he had some amazing successes,” Collins said. “Over the past three years we’ve leveraged these assets, such as the data that the company has gathered over these 20 years of testing tumors on drugs to build an AI-driven drug discovery services company.

“So that’s kind of where we are today,” Collins continued, noting that the company mission and vision was partly fueled by the passion felt by company leaders and partly circumstances because it had already gathered the data. “What it comes down to, at Helomics we have a very nice convergence of data that we’ve gathered from testing live tumors outside of the patient’s body, on standard-of-care drugs you might get if you were diagnosed with cancer, together with access to outcome data.”

Collins noted that Helomics has a “massive collection of data . . . And we have AI,” he said. “And it’s that convergence of AI, the big data, if you will, and the biology, where we’re able to test drugs on living tumor tissue rather than some artificial system, that we really believe will revolutionize drug discovery and impact the patients of tomorrow.

Helomics is not alone in this application of AI to drug discovery, which a recent report from Markets and Markets indicated is valued at $1.4B by 2024 (https://ibn.fm/UbGbI), but does believe its unique platform offers significant value to Pharma companies.

Helping the patients of today, Collins explained, Helomics has a clinical test for ovarian cancer that harnesses the patient’s own tumor to guide treatment. He notes, “We grow the tumor in the lab, test drugs on it, we look at different mutations on the tumor, and then we. . . compare that with the data we have in our data base, and we feed that back to the oncologist to guide treatment. We don’t make a recommendation; we can’t prescribe the drug. But this information really helps the clinician to decide how best to individualize the drug choice for the patient.”

DojoLive! is a podcast and interview forum that brings together a roster of technology, business and thought leaders from a wide range of software companies and startups. The episode featuring Collins, titled “Can We Cure Cancer with Artificial Intelligence?”, is available for on-demand viewing on the DojoLIVE! website.

POAI is bringing precision medicine, or tailored medical treatment using the individual characteristics of each patient, to the treatment of cancer. Through the company’s Helomics division, the company leverages its unique, clinically validated patient derived (“PDx”) smart tumor profiling platform to provide oncologists with a road map to help individualize therapy. In addition, the company is utilizing artificial intelligence and its proprietary database of over 150,000 cancer cases tumors to build AI-driven models of tumor drug response to improve outcomes for the patients of today and tomorrow.

For more information about the company, visit www.Predictive-Oncology.com.

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

• Cybin announces appointment of established pharma industry figure as new CEO
• Drysdale leverages 30 years of leadership, entrepreneurial experience in life-science space
• Announcement comes as Cybin sets out on path to profitability

Cybin Corp., an innovative life science company developing mushroom-derived psychedelic pharmaceuticals and nonpsychedelic nutraceutical products, has announced the appointment of Mr. Doug Drysdale as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. With more than three decades of experience, the new leader recognizes psychedelics as a major breakthrough in treating mental health conditions. Drysdale joins Cybin to pave the road for the company’s rapid growth, underpinned by the recent strong push for research and commercialization in the psychedelics sector.

“With his myriad business accomplishments, Doug is the ideal leader for Cybin,” said Cybin co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Paul Glavine. “We believe that his extensive health-care sector background and international company management skills will help Cybin strengthen partnerships, develop strategic alliances and expand our international presence. We believe his strong leadership experience will help focus Cybin during its initial path to profitability.”

With more than 30 years of successful entrepreneurial experience, Drysdale has led hundreds of business development transactions and executed 15 M&A deals in the international environment life-science sector. Drysdale’s unique skill set reflects both his executive and entrepreneurial experience honed as he led the turnaround of Norwich Pharmaceuticals, becoming the founding CEO of parent company Alvogen. In that role, he helped the company grow from inception to $450 million in five years with revenues generated across 35 countries and a product development pipeline of over 50 products for the U.S. market.

As a well-known figure in the pharma space, Drysdale was recognized by “Pharmaceutical Executive” magazine as a 2011 Emerging Leader and received the 2012 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He was also named the 2011 International Business Award Distinguished Honoree for Executive of the Year (Pharmaceuticals).

Drysdale holds a bachelor’s degree in microbial and molecular biology from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. He brings to his new position a wealth of knowledge and experiences in the health-care sector. Previously, he served as director and CEO of Tedor Pharma, a contract manufacturing business featured in the 2020 Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. Prior to Tedor Pharma, Drysdale was chairman and CEO of Pernix Therapeutics, a life-science company that he helped grow from $80 million to an estimated $800 million, raising $465 million of capital.

Drysdale is quick to spot opportunities as they emerge. “I am beyond excited to be joining the Cybin team,” said Drysdale. “I believe Cybin’s business model and talented management team uniquely position the company to examine the efficacy of psychedelic-based therapies and delivery systems in treating mental illness and addiction disorders. I expect Cybin’s expanding development pipeline will allow Cybin to additionally explore a cost-effective and timely array of health-care alternatives. We will continue to organically grow our IP portfolio and shall be looking to add to our IP through accretive acquisitions.”

As a pioneer in pharmaceutical psychedelics, Cybin is poised to engineer the development of psilocybin-based medicine designed to potentially alleviate major depressive disorders. In the process, opening up a new path to rapid growth and sustainable profitability, seems inevitable.

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

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

• Net Element’s reverse merger with EV manufacturer Mullen Technologies expected to close by 4Q2020
• NETE expects to begin marketing Dragonfly K50, sold in conjunction with JV partner Qiantu Motors from 2Q2021
• Company will also break ground in early 2021 on 1.5 million square foot facility to manufacture, assemble its own vehicles
• Zacks forecasts that NETE could snag $30/share valuation by merger’s close

Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), a financial technology company which has recently transformed its business model to become a pure-play electric vehicle (“EV”) manufacturer, was recently the subject of a company initiation report published by Zacks Small-Cap Research (https://ibn.fm/XGMRy). Following from Net Element’s decision to enter into a binding Letter of Intent to merge with privately-held Mullen Technologies Inc. in mid-June 2020, the company has sought to divest itself of its legacy payments-as-a-service transactional model and alter its operational focus towards the electric vehicle space. Now, having utilized Net Element’s EV manufacturing peer group’s average valuation of 10x EV/Sales as a comparable, Zacks Small-Cap Research has forecast that Net Element’s share price could be worth $30.00 once the Mullen reverse-merger is fully complete.

The completion of the triangular reverse merger between Net Element and Mullen Technologies is conditional on the combined entity receiving NASDAQ approval along with the completion of a $10 million capital raise, with Zacks anticipating the deal to close by 4Q2020.

During a recent presentation carried out by Mullen Technologies at JP Morgan’s Virtual Auto Conference, the company announced that it would partner with Chinese EV manufacturer, Qiantu Motors to market and sell its vehicles in the United States – with Mullen Technologies having reportedly arrived at an agreement to sell Qiantu’s Dragonfly K50 from 2Q2021 onwards.

Separately, the company also revealed that it had entered into a letter of intent with the City of Spokane to build a 1.5 million sq. ft. facility to manufacture and assemble vehicles, with work on the facility set to commence in early 2021. Remarkably, Mullen Technologies has also revealed that it expects to get to its production phase with as little as $400 million in invested capital over five years (compared to the $1 billion traditionally required) due to its current vehicle IP, which has already been two years in the making.

In addition to its partnership with Qiantu Motors, Mullen Technologies now plans to introduce its self-manufactured EV SUV, the Mullen MX-5 by the second quarter of 2022, with hopes to reach a production threshold of 35,000 vehicles per annum by 2026.

With Net Element’s existing shareholders expected to own between 15% and 21.7% of the post-merger amalgamated entity and utilizing a 10x enterprise value to sales multiple, Zacks Investment Research have estimated that NETE shares could be worth $70 per share by 2023, assuming no further equity dilution. However, by taking a conservative approach which has factored in risk and dilution and time, Zacks’ equity research team believes that the share price could easily surpass the $30 per share mark once the deal closes.

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

• In its most recent SEC filings, WTER announced record first-quarter revenue of $14.2 million
• Alkaline88 ranked as 10th best-selling value-added water and third fastest-growing value-added water in Nielsen report
• WTER marks milestone by adding the largest food-service redistributor to its growing list of channel partners

The Alkaline Water Company (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) continues its impressive upward trajectory, releasing record numbers in its latest financial report and ranking in a top-10 category in a recent Nielson report. In addition, with the announcement of its recent distribution agreement with DOT Foods, the company is aggressively expanding into the hospitality channel.

In its most recent SEC filings, WTER announced that it delivered a record first-quarter revenue of $14.2 million (http://ibn.fm/itVOo), representing a revenue increase of approximately 40% year over year and 18% sequentially. The company also reported fiscal first-quarter earnings per share of ($0.05), which improved 57% compared to the prior-year quarter. In addition, during its most recent earnings call, The Alkaline Water Company indicated that its July’s purchase orders were the second highest of any month.

“Fiscal 2021 is off to a solid start with strong momentum across all our lifestyle brands,” said WTER president and CEO Richard A. Wright. “We delivered record fiscal Q1 revenue of $14.2 million and showed operational discipline with expenses down 5% year-over-year. During the last six months, we have performed exceptionally well, and according to Nielsen data, we outperformed the value-add water category by approximately 12% on a dollar sales basis and 16% on a unit basis. Our operational excellence during the pandemic is creating significant goodwill with existing channel partners, who are showing a stronger commitment to our brands, especially our single-serve, aluminum, and flavored water offerings.”

In addition, the recent “pantry-stuffing” run on basic essential resulted in a significant boon for The Alkaline Water Company. “During the pandemic, Alkaline88(R) was able to meet our retailer’s demands,” said Wright (http://ibn.fm/dLMvc). “We believe that up to 30% more households tried our water during our fiscal Q4. This is highlighted by the recent Nielsen report, where Alkaline88(R) was ranked as the 10th best-selling value-added water, and the third fastest-growing, top-ten, value-added water in the country during the 13 weeks ending May 16, 2020.”

Finally, The Alkaline Water Company recently announced a partnership with DOT Food Inc., which will offer the entire line of Alkaline88, A88 Flavor Infused waters, and eco-friendly aluminum bottles to its 4,300 customers nationwide by September 21, 2020 (http://ibn.fm/8WBHG). “Adding the largest food-service redistributor, Dot Foods, to our growing list of channel partners is another milestone for the company,” said Wright.

“Every year, Dot Foods sells millions of cases of beverages to its customers,” he continued. “This relationship will give us an entry into the hospitality industry, which we view as a significant opportunity for our growing lifestyle brands. There are over 600,000 restaurants and food-service establishments that will now have access to our full line of products. The U.S food-service industry is nearly equal in size to food retailing and accounted for over $969.4 billion in sales in 2019. Our lifestyle brand extension into flavors and aluminum bottles is one of the major reasons Dot Foods viewed Alkaline88 as an important brand to add to its portfolio of products.”

Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkaline88, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88 delivers perfect 8.8 pH-balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts its trademarked label: Clean Beverage. Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88 launched A88 Infused(TM) in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused flavored water is available in seven unique all-natural flavors with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the company launched A88 Infused Beverage Division Inc., which includes the company’s CBD water and flavor-infused water. For the company’s topical and ingestible offerings, A88 Infused Products includes both the company’s lab-tested, full-spectrum hemp salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, and bath salts, along with broad-spectrum hemp beverage shots, powder packs, oil tinctures, capsules, and gummies.

To learn more about the company, visit www.A88CBD.com and www.TheAlkalineWaterCo.com.

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

• Poland trials will include the first ever Phase 1 trial for pediatric patients suffering from glioblastoma multiforme
• CNS Pharmaceuticals has made significant strides in its Berubicin manufacturing process due to its dual-track approach and expects to begin production of its drug candidate at Pharmaceuticals International during the third quarter of 2020
• The Company’s CFO recently acquired 142,000 shares of common stock in the open market, a move indicative of his confidence in the success of Berubicin clinical trials and its positive impact on the global brain tumor therapeutics market

CNS Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CNSP) is moving forward with clinical trials of its innovative leading drug candidate Berubicin in Poland after sub-licensee WPD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CSE: WBIO) (FSE: 8SV1) has identified a contract research organization to coordinate and supervise Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials in the European country (http://ibn.fm/iFYph).

WPD Pharmaceuticals, which has a sublicense agreement with CNS which gives it commercial rights to Berubicin in selected territories in Europe and Asia, announced that it engaged the services of Worldwide Clinical Trials to supervise Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials. Worldwide Clinical Trials is a full-service drug development company serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, from early phase and bioanalytical sciences to Phase 2 and 3 trials and peri-approval studies.

Berubicin is proposed for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (“GBM”), an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. Berubicin also has potential to treat other central nervous system malignancies. In Poland, WPD will conduct the first-ever Phase 1 trial in pediatric GMB patients and an adult Phase 2 trial. Sixty percent of the program will be funded by WPD via a $6 million reimbursement grant from the EU/Polish National Center for Research and Development.

News of the Poland clinical trials comes after CNS Pharmaceuticals announced the achievement of key milestones in its Berubicin manufacturing process and after the acquisition of common stock an officer of the company. The company’s Chief Financial Officer, Christopher Downs, filed an SEC Form 4 on August 25, 2020. SEC Form 4 shows that he acquired 142,000 in common stock through multiple trades at prices ranging from $1.84 to $2.30 (http://ibn.fm/BGb6w).

The common stock acquisition is a bold expression of the confidence Downs has in Berubicin trials and the impact of its lead drug candidate on a growing brain tumor therapeutics market. It is estimated that the global brain tumor therapeutics market will reach $3.4 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 7.2 percent (http://ibn.fm/2Lfjl). Due to the lack of specific therapies that deliver the drugs through the blood-brain barrier, the survival rate for most patients past three years is only 2-5%. Berubicin could potentially change the survival rates with the infiltration of the blood-brain barrier.

The filing occurred on the same day the company provided an update on their Food and Drug Administration filing for the Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application. CNS plans to file the IND application during the fourth quarter of 2020. At the time, the company also announced the completed synthesis of Berubicin active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”). It was shipped to both manufacturers CNS is working with — U.S.-based Pharmaceutics International Inc. (“Pii”) and Italy-based BSP Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. (“BSP”) — for the preparation of an injectable form of the drug for clinical use.

On September 3, 2020, the company announced significant advancements in its Berubicin manufacturing process due to its dual-track manufacturing strategy, which helped mitigate any possible delays caused by COVID-19, as well as diversify the supply and localized availability of the drug (http://ibn.fm/r7scX). With the API in hand, Pii and CNS have an agreed-upon manufacturing procedure and packaging components. The selection of a sterile filter manufacturer has also been made. The lyophilization cycle has been successfully simulated by CNS and Pii, including a completed draft of the batch record.

CNS believes that the manufacturing of Berubicin will begin at Pii during the third quarter of 2020. With this success, CNS hopes to start its Phase 2 trials in the United States during the first quarter of 2021 as well.

“As we prepare to initiate our upcoming Berubicin clinical trials, our execution both on the clinical and manufacturing fronts remain paramount to our success,” CNS Pharmaceuticals CEO John Climaco said. “We continue to be encouraged as our partner Pii has now delivered upon many of the critical steps necessary to ensure the quality and availability of Berubicin. We look forward to keeping you updated on our progress as we continue our preparations to submit an IND for Berubicin during the fourth quarter of this year.”

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

• Worldwide number of esports gamers predicted to reach 2.7 billion this year
• Pandemic forced closure of traditional sports, leaving sports bettors with few options
• Mobius CEO Lynn Pearce notes it is “remarkably interesting to see how much money is being raised for those participating in the esports arena”

In the wake of COVID-19, eSports is gaining exposure and popularity with a predicted 2.7 billion gamers playing worldwide by the end of this year, says Mobius Interactive CEO Lynn Pearce in the most recent issue of “Infinity Gaming” (http://ibn.fm/Rpsux). Pearce, an experienced, data-driven, commercially focused, strategic brand marketer with more than 15 years of proven success in the global gaming industry, authored “The Rise of eSports,” a feature article in the magazine focused on how the worldwide pandemic has sparked growing popularity for the once little-known gaming industry.

“For the past few years,” Pearce writes, “as an igaming consultant, I really got into the esports frame of mind and tried to convince the online sports betting companies to include esports in their product offerings, and even though they were not against the idea in general, some of them were actually quite willing to add in this product vertical, they never really put their money where their mouth was.”

The challenges, Pearce notes, was that it was difficult to monetize esports and there was a general lack of knowledge about esports and how to market it. In addition, she observes, “esports games take place over a longer period than regular sports — and sports bettors . . . generally want more instant action, resulting in a lack of interest overall.”

Until the sports world ground to a halt as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic forced the closure of traditional sports, Pearce says, which left sports bettors with few options. “They turned to esports and the rest, as they say, is history. Even after sports started to re-open, the rise of esports has continued and is gaining momentum,” she writes.

In fact, Pearce reports, “by the end of this year, there will be 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, with 2.5 billion playing on mobile, 1.3 billion playing on PC, and 0.8 billion on console. The year 2023 will mark a major milestone for the global games market. That year, the global number of players will surpass the three-billion mark!”

As a result of the growing popularity of esports, Pearce also notes that “it is remarkably interesting to see how much money is being raised for those participating in the esports arena, regardless of industry. In this past week alone, I have read of many companies that have successfully announced millions in funding.”

Pearce, who herself is at the helm of Mobius Interactive, a new online gaming operator, notes that the company is being approached by esports companies and esports communities to be involved in the re-opening of local offline events as they take place, “and we are very excited to be involved in this growing and thriving community. . . . I am betting on the growth of esports.”

Mobius Interactive is an online gaming operator featuring a variety of unique offerings catering to diverse demographic groups. Mobius Interactive’s team has extensive senior-management experience across business-to-consumer (“B2C”) and business-to-business (“B2B”) marketing in the iGaming industry, specializing in eSports, sports betting, casino and live casino. In partnership with leading and award-winning eSports and iGaming platform Ultra Play, Mobius Interactive seeks to attract a network of high-net-worth gamers from around the world through the use of loyalty and gamification programs designed to enhance engagement by leveraging state-of-the-art customer relationship management systems and joint ventures with more than 600 VIP and master-gaming affiliates.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.MobiusInteractive.Ltd.

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