• Lexaria’s technology changes the manner in which edible cannabinoids enter the body
• The company out-licenses its DehydraTECH drug delivery platform
• Lexaria recently announced the creation of four wholly owned subsidiaries

A research-driven company, Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) is the only company globally that has been awarded a patent for the improved delivery of all cannabinoids. It has developed and out-licenses its DehydraTECH technology – a drug delivery platform. This technology is a complementary layer that works with other research and development being conducted on cannabinoids and, as such, is an enabling technology, not a competing one. Lexaria Bioscience is headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, and the company recently uplisted to the OTCQX Best Market.

Lexaria’s process changes the way in which edible cannabinoids enter the body. Its DehydraTECH drug delivery platform is patented for cannabidiol and all other non-psychoactive cannabinoids, as well as for THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and psychoactive cannabinoids (http://ibn.fm/Hb2Ox). The process lessens the time of onset, with cannabinoid effects being experienced within 15 to 20 minutes. Furthermore, the process was proven via human clinical testing to promote increased bio-absorption and, in masking taste, eliminates the requirement for sugar-filled edibles.

The DehydraTECH drug delivery platform facilitates the transportation of bioactive substances by way of oral ingestion. It accomplishes this without the need for inhalational dosing. It is more effective than traditional ingestion and circumvents smoking dangers. While not yet active with the tobacco industry, Lexaria is assessing the potential use of its technology for nicotine delivery. DehydraTECH has been shown to deliver nicotine to the brain quicker than traditional delivery systems. This technology may potentially apply to the treatment of nervous system diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

Lexaria has cannabidiol products developed for demonstration, testing and sales. These products include protein energy bars, exotic teas, cannabidiol tablets and TurboCBD. The company’s exotic teas feature its ViPova brand premium teas, which are anti-oxidant and come in several flavors. Lexaria said that it will use wholly owned Poviva Tea Corp. to advance the existing ViPova tea and coffee consumer brands. TurboCBD are high absorption, full spectrum hemp oil capsules specially formulated with American Ginseng and Gingko Biloba. Lexaria is leading the way with unique product development to serve increasing consumer demand for first-rate cannabidiol products.

Recently, Lexaria announced its completion of the formation of four wholly owned subsidiary companies (http://ibn.fm/vcwHW). Each of these subsidiaries are vested with the company’s patented DehydraTECH drug delivery platform. The four subsidiaries are Lexaria CanPharm Corp., Lexaria Nicotine Corp., Lexaria Hemp Corp. and Lexaria Pharmaceutical Corp.

Lexaria CanPharm’s emphasis is on providing DehydraTECH technology and other improvements to the worldwide cannabis industry. Lexaria Nicotine administers the company’s nicotine-related patent portfolio. It has an international license to provide DehydraTECH technology to the worldwide nicotine and tobacco industries.

Lexaria Hemp is globally licensed to provide DehydraTECH to the fast developing hemp-based foods and supplements industries. Lexaria Pharmaceutical is in the R&D and product development phase. It will manage the most extensive set of IP of all of the Lexaria family of companies. It can license DehydraTECH to varied pharmaceutical sectors, such as pain relief, vitamins, PDE5 inhibitors, hormone treatments and central nervous system conditions, among others.

With its focus on its DehydraTECH drug delivery platform and innovative product development, Lexaria Bioscience continues to be disruptive in the cannabinoid space. The company’s is dedicated to moving forward with the development and commercialization of first rate technologies and products that address consumers’ demands for cannabinoid innovation. Lexaria’s technology for improved delivery of bioactive compounds bodes well for the future growth of the company.

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

• CIIX’s wholly owned foreign enterprise, CBD Biotechnology Co. Ltd., focuses on benefits of new wine; it has attributed sales gains to hemp oil and alcoholic beverages
• Life longevity is key issue in its marketing strategy; rice wine is a diet staple in town of Bama, China, which has one of the highest ratios in the world of centenarians-to-general population
• Warren Wang, CEO of CIIX, noted in a news release that the company had significant growth in its latest fiscal year, largely due to surging hemp oil and alcoholic beverage product sales

ChineseInvestors.com, Inc.’s (OTCQB: CIIX) CBD Biotechnology Co. Ltd., a wholly owned foreign enterprise, plans to market its private brand CBD hemp-infused rice wine in December, focusing on ‘hemp enthusiasts’ and the benefits of the product. Rice wine may be one important factor in the extreme longevity realized in the Chinese town of Bama in Guangxi Province. It is known as the ‘longevity town of China’ and boasts one of the highest ratios of centenarians globally: 73 out of a population of just over 300,000 (http://ibn.fm/dXNsD).

Summer Yun, CEO of CBD Biotech, noted in a recent news release that the company recorded its highest single-day sales of alcoholic beverage products during the 10-day period from September 1-11, 2018. Yun anticipates that the addition of CBD Hemp Wine, scheduled to debut in December 2018, will drive sustained improvement to existing sales performance.

Commenting on company revenue gains in hemp oil and alcoholic beverages, Wang of CIIX said, “Given the trends and the current demands we are seeing in the marketplace, we believe this is a significant opportunity. Moving forward, CBD Biotech plans to explore a variety of hemp products, in addition to its skin-care and alcoholic beverage products.”

The announcement comes after CIIX had reported a 41 percent jump in its sales for FY2018 ended May 31, 2018, as compared to the prior year. CIIX previously detailed plans to spin off its CBD division in the future, including CBD Biotech, Hemp Logic, Inc. and ChineseHempOil.com, Inc. (http://ibn.fm/nwwAc).

CIIX has an international Chinese-speaking audience and generates core revenue from subscriptions and consulting. Its online site, NewCoins168.com, indicates that CIIX expects to issue its own ICO in the second half of 2018 or in 2019 as part of an initiative to create a virtual investment ‘ecosystem’ for its Chinese viewers (http://ibn.fm/3BE7f).

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

• Appointment of new board member with expertise in finance
• Company is preparing to uplist to a national exchange
• BudHire subsidiary to offer staffing services to cannabis industry
• Retail initiatives continue under “Pure Organix” brand

The appointment of Alan Tran to the board of directors of Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) augurs well for the company’s fortunes, because it is an action that’s likely to be replicated across the cannabis industry. A report in Forbes (http://ibn.fm/TMLbP) titled ‘Marijuana is the Fastest-Growing Job Category, Top Recruiting CEO Says’ shows that those forces are already in play. Now that 31 states and Washington, DC have legalized medical marijuana and 10 of those jurisdictions have done the same with recreational cannabis, “there’s 445 percent growth in job listings… year over year.”  Cannabis Strategic Ventures aims to capitalize on that trend. Earlier this year, the company completed a definitive agreement to acquire Worldwide Staffing Group, Inc., which, in 2017, booked approximately $1.5 million in revenues. Its hire of Tran is the first in a series of steps to be taken as it prepares to uplist its common shares to a national exchange.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures anticipates that the proposed uplisting will provide readier access to capital. Undoubtedly, it will increase the market and liquidity of the company’s securities. In preparation for the uplisting, the company finalized the audit of its fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, marking the completion of the last of three audits required by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission as a condition of becoming a fully reporting company. Tran’s expertise in finance and strategy is expected to play a crucial role as the company takes its operations to the next level (http://ibn.fm/rI7nL).

The legal cannabis industry is projected to reach over $24 billion by 2021, growth that will only be possible if staffing requirements are satisfied. As the industry matures, a variety of supporting services will be needed, creating thousands of jobs. Some of those, like bud trimmers, bud tenders and customer service reps, will “touch” the plant, but many others, including those in fields such as accounting, marketing and legal, will not. The company’s acquisition of Worldwide Staffing positions it to leverage the latter’s expertise in general clerical, administrative, marketing, accounting and other verticals (http://ibn.fm/5FnLL). However, Worldwide Staffing will be operated as an independent subsidiary, providing strictly non-cannabis-related employment and staffing services.

Staffing services for the cannabis industry will fall under the aegis of another subsidiary, BudHire, an outsourced employment service specifically designed to meet the growing needs of cannabis-related business operations. BudHire will utilize a proven recruiting formula to match the most qualified candidates to a broad spectrum of cannabis-related jobs. The division will offer both temporary and permanent staffing solutions, as well as professional employment organization services and human resources consulting to the cannabis industry.

In addition, Cannabis Strategic Ventures is continuing its retail initiatives. In July, it signed an agreement with Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQX: SNNVF), under which a Sunniva subsidiary, CP Logistics, LLC (CPL), will provide cannabis concentrate extraction services to Pure Applied Sciences, Inc. (PAS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cannabis Strategic Ventures. CPL will perform white label services, producing high quality, ultra-purified cannabis extracts out of its Sun-Oil Facility in Cathedral City, California, for PAS under the “Pure Organix” brand name, a brand recently acquired by Cannabis Strategic Ventures. The agreement is for a 12-month term and may be renewed for an additional 12 months at the request of PAS at the expiry of the initial term (http://ibn.fm/kIkfB).

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

• Mobile hemp and CBD extraction labs anticipated to deploy later this month
• Green continues to update to FinCEN-compliance in real-time, providing dispensaries with options previously unavailable
• Local news station in Grand Junction, Colorado, featured company’s efforts in CBD extraction and provided tour of facility

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG), known for its state-of-the-art Green FinCEN-compliant processing system, is working from the ground up to serve the cannabis industry. The company has expanded its services to participate within the hemp and cannabis industries at strategic levels. This includes providing a proprietary, organic soil nutrient and mobile CBD extraction labs to hemp farms owned and operated by the company, as well as continuing to strengthen the Green platform, providing dispensaries with cash-free options. By managing supply and demand from seed to sale, REFG is gaining a competitive edge in the industry.

In May the company acquired SpeedyGrow, a Wyoming corporation licensed to grow and process hemp in the state of Colorado, and SpeedyVeg, a proprietary, organic soil nutrient with specific benefit to growing healthy plants and maximizing yield. KREX, a CBS-affiliated television station in Grand Junction, Colorado, ran a story that featured SpeedyGrow’s efforts in CBD extraction. The news segment provided a small tour of the Colorado facility (http://ibn.fm/PkW6P).

Though REFG was not initially looking to this space, CEO Jeremy Roberts stated in a news release (http://ibn.fm/dNOhG), “After careful consideration, the opportunity to expand our footprint in the state-sanctioned cannabis space was too good of an opportunity for our shareholders to pass up.” REFG is also applying for state licenses to grow industrial hemp in Utah and Vermont and has reached an agreement with a subsidiary of Paper Lantern, LLC to acquire rights to operate mobile hemp and CBD extraction labs. REFG anticipates deploying the units later this month for the October 2018 harvest.

REFG strives to create industry awareness and to develop a business that increases shareholder value while being economically sustainable and environmentally friendly.

At its core the company is focused on Green, the first and only comprehensive card processing operation of its kind. Merchant clients can now sign-up at Take.Green for this comprehensive card processing payment and client/transaction management solution. The platform allows dispensaries to take electronic payments and deposit cash securely while remaining FinCEN compliant in real-time.

Green empowers businesses by tracking sales and tax collection, provides cash alternative options for consumers and retailers and is compatible with most existing merchant accounts and point of sale systems. The company works with its clients to quickly and efficiently integrate Green into the existing systems. New customer set up is quick and easy, and branded REFG cards are available at no extra cost. Customers can use these cards at any dispensary that accepts Green but will have a customized reminder of their local dispensary.

REFG is strategically placed throughout the cannabis industry, from seed to sale, to capitalize on the widespread legalization of cannabis. The company is well-positioned to be an industry leader in this rapidly-growing market.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Take.Green

• NUGL’s cannabis search app exceeding expectations for user sign-ups and mobile app downloads, outperforming industry standards
• NUGL mobile app downloads increased by approximately 280 percent, with follower increase nearing 400 percent
• Expansion of NUGL’s development team will boost software development features inspired by 420 community feedback

NUGL Inc. (OTC: NUGL), the cannabis industry’s new standard of technology, is poised to deliver even more options to the 420 community with a major update to its popular iOS app, available on the Apple Store, and its Android app, available on Google Play. True to the company’s word, the update reflects the wants, needs and desires of the cannabis community that it seeks to serve, as Ryan Bartlette, CMO of NUGL, stated in a news release (http://ibn.fm/nCJCe).

“We have received a substantive amount of feedback from our user base and we listen to it. Then we act on it. A large portion of our user base lives an on-the-go mobile lifestyle, and they want all the functionality and features we offer to be accessible on their phones,” Bartlette continued. “When you are building a software application that is this massive and has an abundance of features, it is not an easy task. Even companies like Instagram and LinkedIn do not offer all of their desktop features on their mobile versions.”

NUGL responded to its user base in the best way it knew how – by shoring up its development team, putting a major focus on the functionality of the NUGL mobile app and making certain that an open dialogue with its users was not only encouraged, but generated action within the company, NUGL CEO Brandon Vargas said. In fact, after listening to users, the company plans to offer every feature available on its web application through the NUGL mobile application as well.

“Industry standards for Fortune 500 technology companies generally do not allow a lot of the backend administrative functionality to be included in the mobile versions of software,” Vargas noted. “The reason for this is certain functions are done more easily on a larger computer screen. It is much more difficult to create a good user experience on a smaller platform such as a phone. Our community is heavily based on their phones, so we will make NUGL as mobile and app friendly as possible.”

This approach by NUGL – of listening and responding to its user base – is paying off for everyone involved, according to a NUGL marketing report (http://ibn.fm/naTnD). Marketing growth for user sign-ups and mobile app downloads has beaten expectations and outperformed industry standards for similarly situated technology start-ups, Bartlette stated in the report announcing a surge in followers and mobile app downloads. Since the start of its new growth model and social media marketing campaign in early September, NUGL has seen a follower increase of approximately 400 percent and a mobile app download increase of approximately 280 percent. According to InfluencerDB.com, an average follower growth rate on Instagram is between five and 7.5 percent each month.

“By focusing our upcoming feature launches based on the demands of our community, we are confident our software will continue to satisfy the needs of our growing client and user base and keep them excited about the content that we offer,” said Bob Waters, who recently joined the NUGL team as VP of sales.

Several new features were recently launched, including a new category system allowing 30 percent more business types to join the NUGL community, a “Beta Partnership” with key players in the cannabis community and a highly anticipated menu sharing feature. All are expected to contribute to NUGL’s steady upward momentum as “the world’s first cannabis search app built for the people, by the people.”

NUGL offers the first app and online directory offering cannabis metasearch with equal and unbiased search results, eschewing paid placement listing or preferential outside reviews. NUGL’s growth is organic and complements cannabis companies, services and users. NUGL’s Brand-to-Shop connections offer a simple way to verify cannabis brand retailers providing brands, strains, shops and services closest to the consumer, whether nearby or across the globe.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ibn.fm/NUGL

• Green Hygienics’ emphasis is on providing medical and recreational cannabis consumers with the industry’s best products
• The company has extensive expertise in indoor horticulture and vertical farming
• Green Hygienics recently announced the acquisition of the Canna Brands portfolio

Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTC: GRYN), based in Nevada, is establishing itself as a leader in the advancement of science-driven cannabis cultivation systems. The company’s aim is to provide medical and recreational consumers with the best possible product and experience. A full-scope, premium cannabis cultivation company, Green Hygienics is focusing on the high-end medical and adult-use recreational markets.

The company’s business model focuses on organic growth through the generation of revenues from the sale of premium-grade cannabis products. Forbes notes (http://ibn.fm/ddaAo) that, “Spending on legal cannabis worldwide is expected to hit $57 billion by 2027. The adult-use (recreational) market will cover 67 percent of the spending; medical marijuana will take up the remaining 33 percent.”

Green Hygienics also focuses on developing and licensing valuable intellectual property, pursuing strategic acquisitions and creating trusted global consumer brands. Green Hygienics’ brands include The Bridge Coffee House, The Bridge Lounge, Vital Health & Wellness, Green Hygienics, Cannagram Services, Myijuana and CoursePro Academy.

Green Hygienics has wide-ranging expertise in indoor horticulture and vertical farming. Its vertical farming, employing aeroponic technology, uses 90-95 percent less water, less energy and considerably improves yield per square foot. The system requires no natural sunlight or soil, and it mists water and nutrients directly onto the roots in a controlled environment. The system significantly lessens spoilage, while also keeping the farm bug-free and 100 percent organic. Moreover, the system does not necessitate the use of expensive pesticides and fungicides.

Green Hygienics’ state-of-the-art engineered, controlled environments include electrical, mechanical and HVAC designs. These designs meet mandatory fire and energy codes. The company continues to develop software and engineer hardware to provide more control over the commercial cultivation methods. Its emphasis is on quality-controlled commercial cultivation methodology to ensure the production of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis at substantially higher yields and significantly reduced costs.

Recently, Green Hygienics Holdings announced its strategic acquisition of the Canna Brands Portfolio. This acquisition focuses on three core brands – the above-mentioned Cannagram, Myijuana and CoursePro Academy. Cannagram, rebranded Cannagram Services, is a flagship platform. The online and mobile application platforms bring together advanced communications and financial services to meet the fast-developing needs of the cannabis industry.

Myijuana is a destination website consisting of news, reviews, e-commerce and vibrant content curation. The CoursePro Academy is an asset that Green Hygienics views as an opportunity to create an educational destination for the cannabis industry. Furthermore, CoursePro is a way for the company to further introduce its own technologies and brands to the market.

Green Hygienics Holdings is setting the pace for innovation of products and services for the high-end medical and adult-use recreational markets. With greater than 25 years of experience in agricultural science and innovation, its mission is to provide vital efficiencies in a commercially controlled cultivation environment. The result is value for its shareholders and consumers, as well as enhanced operations for the business customers it serves.

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

• November debut of ‘HempFX Hydration – Pure’ and ‘HempFX Hydration – Sleep’ is part of YGYI’s focus on growing its non-THC-based CBD business
• YGYI is a top omni-direct lifestyle company that in August introduced three new proprietary blends of hemp-derived cannabinoid products which sold out at the corporate convention
• In its September 2018 investor presentation, YGYI explains the importance of vertical integration in its hemp-based non-THC CBD business using a “field-to-finish” strategy

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) continues to grow its HempFX line with the scheduled November introduction of two new products: ‘HempFX Hydration – Pure’ and ‘HempFX Hydration – Sleep’. These are tablet-based products that utilize the company’s Y-DR8+ proprietary technology (http://ibn.fm/I69VR).

The ‘HempFX – Pure’ product will be available in tablet form and can be added to water and dissolved as it is consumed. It is designed to offer 25mg of organic, full spectrum and hemp-derived cannabidiol per tablet. Its goal is to offer, in conjunction with its own portable water bottle system, great tasting and reduced-chemicals tap water. It uses the Y-DR8 filter’s activated carbon cloth (ACC) and its portability is designed to fit the “on-the-go” lifestyle.

‘HempFX – Sleep’ is also a tablet-based product in the line designed to offer a restful night’s sleep with the health benefits of CBD. It combines melatonin with hemp-derived cannabidiol oil in a proprietary beverage enhancement tablet.

YGYI is an omni-direct lifestyle company that uses a hybrid of the direct selling model. It also uses e-commerce and social selling. According to its corporate presentation, its significant market segments include skin care, anti-aging, weight loss, brain health and coffee. It is now entering the cannabis market with its HempFX line. YGYI is also planning for global expansion, focusing primarily on Latin American and Asian markets, with its international revenues already growing significantly this year.

Earlier, YGYI debuted three hemp-based products in the line, which sold out pre-production quantities at ETST’s corporate convention last August. The three blends of cannabinoid will be available to consumers in October, including Soothe, Relax and Uplift (http://ibn.fm/8D5wx).

YGYI’s September 2018 Investor Presentation described its strategy of vertically integrating the hemp-based non-THC CBD industry. It stressed the importance of its “field-to-finish” focus, which maximizes its long term goals of achieving top quality control standards and attaining revenue opportunities across the vertical (http://ibn.fm/R1kl7).

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

• Promotes women’s health with strategically branded personal feminine health test that is simple and discreet
• Updates shareholders on CBD patents for two CBD-based nutraceutical formulas
• Reacts to DEA’s shift on CBD

Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST), a biotech company focused on the cannabinoid nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields, medical devices and research and development, recently announced a detailed marketing strategy for Hygee, issued an update on CBD patents and reacted to the DEA’s shifted stance toward CBD.

The new logo and a detailed marketing strategy for ETST’s self-sampling medical device for women to discretely identify sexually transmitted infections was announced on October 9, 2018 (http://ibn.fm/1AVhy). The brand’s name, Hygee, is a play on the Greek word for hygiene. Special care was put into making sure that the logo was memorable, simplistic and clear in identifying the product as a personal feminine health test. The tagline communicates the personal nature of this self-test as accurate, simple and discreet. The product itself looks and is worn like a standard panty liner.

“Hygee is designed to preserve women’s health,” Dr. Michel Aubé, CEO and chief science officer of ETST, stated in a news release. “The best way to fight STIs is prevention, and the only way for women to avoid the dangerous results of untreated STI is early treatment. This means that women need to know if they are infected. We believe that Hygee will be the best tool to provide that information. ETST will target specific populations of women globally to better counter the STI epidemic.”

ETST has plans to market Hygee on five continents. Around the world, there are an estimated 100 million tests for chlamydia trachomatis alone, but none offer the discreet technology of ETST’s Hygee.

In addition to marketing advancements with Hygee, ETST is developing a new brand for the launch of two CBD-based nutraceutical formulas, a neuron protector and a breast protector, under a provisory patent (http://ibn.fm/So0Di). Quebec Agrifood Innovation Center is finishing the standardization of the formulas and, by the end of October, TransBiotech is expected to conduct in vitro testing. The testing will compare the level of protection provided by ETST’s hemp oil alone versus its hemp oil with other natural ingredients.

In a news release, Nickolas Tabraue, ETST’s president and CEO, stated, “The results obtained from TransBiotech will help us understand the mechanism of action of CBD and will open the doors for the research needed to develop revolutionary CDB-based pharmaceutical drugs.”

The DEA recently decided to reclassify FDA-approved drugs that contain cannabis-derived CBD and less than 0.1 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as schedule V, the lowest restriction classification. This is good news for ETST and will open doors to further develop treatments for other illnesses, make CBD clinical tests easier to plan and provide potential for a worldwide market.

Regarding this new classification, Aubé added, “We are pleased to see that the DEA has shifted its stance amid conclusive evidence that CBD is not addictive but has both anti-psychotic properties and the opposite effect of THC.”

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

• If successful, acquisition of two profitable hydroponic cultivation supply companies will boost Sugarmade’s 2019 revenue guidance to $75 million
• Global hydroponics market expected to be worth more than $10 billion by 2023
• Expansion into hemp market includes significant investment into hemp cultivation
• Hemp-derived cannabidiol market worth $591 million, expected to hit $22 billion in under five years

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD), one of the largest publicly traded hydroponics supply companies moving into the industrial hemp space, is seeking to expand its portfolio with the acquisition of two hydroponic cultivation companies working in the lucrative cannabis space. Bringing the two companies into the Sugarmade fold “will not only significantly boost our top line revenue growth, but will expand our distribution across the most important sectors of the fast-growing cannabis marketplace,” Jimmy Chan, Sugarmade’s CEO, said in a news release (http://ibn.fm/iguce).

The company’s formal acquisition proposals target a profitable and cash-flow positive Southern California-based major supplier of hydroponic cultivation supplies to the wholesale sector and to large commercial cultivators. Under the terms of the proposal, Sugarmade would acquire the organization, which is producing in excess of $40 million of revenue per year, for a combination of cash and Sugarmade common stock. The second target is a Washington state-based retailer, which is also profitable and cash flow positive, producing approximately $5 million of revenue per year. Under the terms of the proposal, Sugarmade would issue common stock to acquire the retailer.

“In addition to the revenue growth opportunities, we will also be afforded very meaningful cost savings across many operational functions,” Chan stated in the release. “In particular, we believe there are strong cost synergies relative to manufacturing, purchasing, international transport, warehousing, and shipment to customers. Perhaps most exciting, however, is that these acquisitions will place us among the largest public companies in the booming cannabis sector.”

The global hydroponic market is expected to flourish over the next five years, reaching a valuation of more than $10 billion by the end of 2023, according to a report issued by KD Market Insights (http://ibn.fm/j3Suf). Rising consumer demand for locally produced food and specialty crops such as cannabis and related cannabidiol (CBD) products, including those produced with industrial hemp, are expected to bolster profits. Regulatory changes in the United States, Canada and parts of Europe that favor the legalization of some form of cannabis are expected to provide significant opportunities for cannabis retailers and companies such as Sugarmade that provide essential supplies and services to the industry.

Sugarmade’s recent commitment of an investment of $1 million in capital over the coming year into Hempistry, Inc.’s ultra-high CBD industrial hemp cultivation project in Kentucky is seen as another strategic move, Chan said when announcing the project (http://ibn.fm/3NbXG). An agreement to provide hemp cultivation supplies is expected to add additional revenues.

“Demand for industrial hemp and products derived from hemp is soaring, with no let-up in sight. We expect our direct investment into Hempistry to be accretive to common shareholders and our supply agreement to be lucrative. All of us at Sugarmade see a tremendous opportunity to become a supplier to this fast-growing sector,” Chan stated in the news release.

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

• Patient dosing has commenced in a combination study of Bria-IMT with KEYTRUDA or YERVOY in advanced breast cancer
• Company recently announced positive proof of concept data in the Phase I/IIa study of Bria-IMT in advanced breast cancer patients, which indicated excellent targeted anti-tumor activity and outstanding safety and tolerability
• KEYTRUDA and YERVOY are highly recognized for their potent immune boosting properties, which validates BriaCell’s strategy to use these therapeutics in its combination study

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF) (TSX.V: BCT), an immuno-oncology-focused biotechnology company engaged in developing targeted and safe approaches for cancer management, recently announced (http://ibn.fm/Hej9T) that it has initiated patient dosing in a Phase I/IIa study of Bria-IMT, its lead clinical candidate, in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, which is manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. [NYSE: MRK]) or ipilimumab (YERVOY, which is manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company [NYSE: BMY]). This combination study is listed on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03328026.

BriaCell continues its commitment to exploring new methods of addressing the advanced breast cancer community’s unmet medical needs, and the company is eager to test this novel combination treatment approach and believes that it will offer significant clinical benefits to patients who have advanced breast cancer.

Bria-IMT is essentially a breast cancer cell line that has been engineered to produce an immune-activating factor (GM-CSF) and has been shown to stimulate T-cells, which are vital cells within the immune system. Earlier this year, BriaCell published these findings in a leading immunology journal (http://ibn.fm/XicgM). Based on Bria-IMT’s published, proposed mechanism of action, BriaCell anticipates that Bria-IMT, combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors, can exert additive or synergistic tumor-directed effects resulting in even more potent anti-cancer immune responses and leading to the company’s strategy of combination studies of Bria-IMT with KEYTRUDA or YERVOY. It is important to note that pembrolizumab and ipilimumab have not been shown to work independently in breast cancer but are each approved for other indications.

On September 26, BriaCell announced positive proof of concept data in a phase I/IIa study of Bria-IMT in advanced breast cancer, which resulted in outstanding safety and efficacy in patients with HLA matches with Bria-IMT. An impressive point to note is that the safety and efficacy data appeared superior to that of other advanced or approved drugs for breast cancer when they were at a similar clinical development stage.

Analysis of blood samples collected in the phase I/IIa study showed that circulating tumor-associated cells expressed the immune checkpoint molecule programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). PD-L1 molecules block immune cells from attacking cancer cells. KEYTRUDA neutralizes the blocking mechanism of PD-L1, while YERVOY blocks other aspects of immune suppression and, therefore, may also activate the immune system to destroy cancer cells.

Bria-IMT with KEYTRUDA or YERVOY Combination Study Details

• KEYTRUDA Combination: Patients with expression of PD-L1 or PD-L2 on their cancer will be treated with the combination of Bria-IMT and the anti-PD-1 antibody KEYTRUDA.
• YERVOY Combination: Patients without expression of PD-L1 or PD-L2 on their cancer will be treated with the combination of Bria-IMT and YERVOY, which is also expected to enhance the immune response induced by Bria- IMT.

It is hypothesized by the BriaCell team that patients in the combination therapy trial may receive particular benefit from these combinations with Bria-IMT.

Bria-IMT with KEYTRUDA or YERVOY Combination Study Rationale

Immune checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA; anti-PD-1) and ipilimumab (YERVOY; anti-CTLA-4), which are designed to overcome immune suppression in cancer patients, have become forerunners in the fight against cancer, offering substantial benefits for certain patients. The significance of immune checkpoint inhibitors was most recently recognized by the Nobel committee in awarding the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Dr. Tasuku Honjo (PD-1) and Dr. James P. Allison (CTLA-4) (http://ibn.fm/pZKh4). This greatly validated BriaCell’s decision to launch a combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

An important preclinical study conducted in 2010 by Dr. Allison’s group showed that combination with anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies potentiated the tumor-rejection effect of irradiated melanoma cells engineered to produce immune-activating factors.

BriaCell envisions that Bria-IMT and immune checkpoint inhibitors can exert additive or synergistic tumor-directed effects. In a recent interview, company CEO Dr. William Williams discussed the company’s immunotherapies in detail, and how the company is building offerings for the $30 billion immunotherapy market (http://ibn.fm/9D4Wk).

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