Wednesday, May 31, 2017

SinglePoint, Inc. (SING) Provides Payment Infrastructure to Marijuana Retailers as Cannabis Sales Hit $1B in Colorado

Now that 29 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical or recreational marijuana, or are on the way to doing so, the buzz in the industry is being supported with hard data. A new comprehensive report from Marijuana Business Daily (MBD) is replete with figures, charts, projections and analyses that support the upbeat ‘animal spirits’ in the industry. Titled the Marijuana Business Factbook 2017 (http://nnw.fm/L2Tnt), the paper projects that revenues from medical and recreational marijuana products will surpass $5 billion in annual sales for the first time in 2017. However, until federal statute allows, banks are unlikely to handle these “high risk” payments, which opens the door for innovative fintech companies like SinglePoint (OTC: SING) to step in. The company is positioning itself to be a ‘first mover’ in providing payment solutions to the cannabis vertical through its SingleSeed payments subsidiary.

The MBD report, summarizing the responses of more than 800 business owners, executives, entrepreneurs and investors, reveals a more uncertain industry outlook. In the 2016 survey, the hazard of federal intervention ranked as the third-most worrying challenge facing marijuana business owners. This year, that troubling threat is now their primary concern.

However, there is a silver lining as sales of recreational marijuana have been going up. Adult-use sales in Colorado and Washington, which became legal in both states in 2014, exceeded $1.5 billion in 2016. Voters in the two states approved the legalization proposals in November 2012. In 2017, total retail sales of all categories of marijuana are forecast to climb by 30 percent over 2016, ‘hitting $5.1 billion-$6.1 billion,’ according to the MBD report. And in 2017, recreational sales are expected to surpass medical for the first time. Since the banks do not want to facilitate these marijuana-related transactions, that leaves an awful lot of cash on the table.

With its suite of payment options, SinglePoint is poised to take some of that cash off the table. The company is offering innovative ways in which customers and patients can pay for all their marijuana purchases. Its SingleSeed payments subsidiary provides cannabis shops and dispensaries with solutions that closely resemble the typical debit/credit card terminal.

SinglePoint also provides Pay-by-Text technology, which facilitates both promotional outreach and payments. Pay-by-Text offers a swipe-less payment option to customers. The purchaser makes a payment by sending a text message to the payment provider, who clears the transaction with the vendor.

With these technological tools, SinglePoint is taking its ‘no touch’ approach to the cannabis industry a step further.

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

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

ProBility Media Corp. (PBYA) eLearning Programs Offer Training to Re-Skill U.S. Workforce

A prescient report (http://nnw.fm/T19dA) from the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) lays bare the dearth of “basic” and vocational skills in the U.S. Despite a relatively high level of education, the U.S. experiences a weakness in basic skills when compared to other developed countries, according to the report. As a result, the authors of the study recommend making skills training for young adults more accessible, while linking this training to career development. This is exactly what vocational training company ProBility Media Corp. (OTC: PBYA) is doing. With its suite of training and test preparation solutions, the Texas-based educational technology company is out to develop the first full service training and career advancement brand for technical vocations and skilled trades.

ProBility is aiming to disrupt the technical vocations training and certification industry by creating the first full service training and career advancement brand in the technical fields. A major plank in this strategy is the development of online training programs employing virtual reality technology. In the HVAC field, for example, ProBility’s eLearning products under development include a full HVAC technician’s course that simulates the hands-on experience of a lab and physical school. This practical training is supplemented with a handbook produced by ProBility’s publishing division.

Details of the OECD report show the market opportunity America’s skills gap presents for ProBility. As expected, the ability to cultivate the aptitude needed to work at a trade is impeded if basic skills are lacking. Some math proficiency, for example, is required in most vocations, leading, generally, to a greater awareness and emphasis on developing numerate skills. However, literacy is just as important. Language is an important medium not just for learning but also for reasoning. Most of the time, our conscious cogitation is in verbal terms as we “talk” ourselves through a series of actions or a problem solving sequence. Having a command of grammar and syntax also aids in interpreting and assessing information. This may be why the U.S. also scored low on a related skill: problem solving in technology-rich environments.

More so than in other OECD countries, “socio-economic economic background has a stronger influence on adult basic skills.” However, basic skills are linked not only to employment outcomes, but also to personal and social well-being, the report goes on to point out. The odds of having low levels of health are four times higher for low-skilled U.S. adults than for those with the highest skills, a ratio that is twice the OECD cross-country average.

Other findings of the study point to opportunities for ProBility to deploy its extensive array of online training programs. Most (63%) low-skilled adults in the U.S. are employed, a higher proportion than in other countries. Consequently, they can be targeted through workforce development and evening adult programs. In addition, “participation rates in adult education and training are higher in the U.S. than in most countries at all skill levels, although, as elsewhere, low-skilled adults are less likely to participate.”

On par with these findings, ProBility is continually expanding the range of its training and testing services, through organic growth and by acquisitions, as it executes its strategy of defragmenting the vocational training industry. The company is positioning itself as a one-stop-shop for individuals, small- and medium-size businesses (SMEs), and large enterprise customers in the market for high-quality training services and materials to promote career advancement. ProBility is now, also, one of the largest wholesale supplier of electrical codes in the U.S. and provides exam preparation and certification in 22 states.

For more information, visit www.probilitymedia.com.

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

SinglePoint, Inc. (SING) Targeting Market Domination

Two significant acquisitions in the last three months is more than a pattern. It’s an out-right destination. This recent audio interview http://nnw.fm/8w4N9 with Greg Lambrecht, CEO of SinglePoint (OTC: SING), discusses some of the synergies and the immense opportunities that come with the company’s recent acquisition of 90% of Discount Indoor Garden Supply (“DIGS”) (www.DIGSHydro.com).

These strategic accretive acquisitions position SinglePoint to become a dominant player in the California cannabis market while never actually touching the plant.

In March, SinglePoint announced its acquisition of Orange County-based Convectium, which provides branding, packaging, equipment and a proprietary oil filling system ready to rock the cannabis market.
Earlier this month, SinglePoint added southern California-based DIGS to its portfolio (http://nnw.fm/oh7ZW), which brings immediate revenues to SinglePoint and positions the company as a leader in online products, retail stores, cannabis consulting and equipment throughout California.

Many cannabis-related businesses turn to DIGS Hydro’s online store and retail locations for anything and everything needed to cultivate cannabis products, except the seed and plant itself. The owner of DIGS, Carey Haas, has 25 years of experience in the California cannabis markets and brings his knowledge, experience and vast contacts with him to the SinglePoint family of companies.

As a specialized holding company, SinglePoint is building strong relationships as well uncommon companies in its quest to become the dominant force supplying products and services to the California cannabis industry.

The company is rapidly expanding its portfolio in the cannabis markets with strategic accretive acquisitions that profit from servicing the cannabis industry. There’s little doubt the marijuana market in the United States is poised for further explosive upside growth. SinglePoint understands its destination and has taken another huge step toward dominating markets and reaping the attendant rewards.

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

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

UGE International Ltd. (UGEIF) Revenues Rocket 903% Higher as Solar Power Orders Surge

There are clear skies over the NYC headquarters of UGE International (OTCQB: UGEIF) (TSXV: UGE) as the energy solutions company continues to build its business organically and through acquisitions. UGE recently announced its first-quarter 2017 financial results, boasting record revenues of $5.5 million, up 903% over the prior year period. Now, the global provider of solar energy services is on track to take that top line even higher as its order book swells.

The solar power industry is driven by renewable portfolio standard (RPS) targets, state and federal tax credits, grants, and favorable public support for ‘green’ energy. A renewable portfolio standard (RPS), or renewable electricity standard, is a regulatory mandate to increase production of energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and other alternatives to fossil and nuclear electric generation. The industry has experienced phenomenal growth over the past five years, achieving annual growth rate of approximately 76 percent from 2011 through 2016. A new report from GTM Research and SEIA (http://nnw.fm/bnLW5) indicates that rate could be trending even higher, revealing that the U.S. solar power market grew by 95 percent in 2016.

UGE is on the frontline of this industry as it powers its way into photovoltaic energy solutions; its recent financial results reflect that position. In the first quarter of 2017, UGE reported triple-digit growth in revenues (as noted above) and lowered its net loss to $0.4 million, compared to $1.7 million reported in the first quarter of 2016, marking the smallest loss in the last three years and bringing the company closer to profitability.

At March 31, 2017, the company also reported that its order backlog reached $31.6 million, of which $20.5 million were “confirmed” projects and $11.1 million of which were “contracted” projects.
“Our first quarter results further illustrate the progress we are making as a company to grow profitably in the commercial solar sector,” UGE CEO Nick Blitterswyk stated in the news release. “Our team continues to focus on growing and executing on our backlog, as our expectations for the future continue to grow as well.”

UGE provides services at all stages of the solar photovoltaic (PV) project lifecycle, including consulting and project management, engineering and design, turnkey construction, and development. The company has been engaged in a number of high-profile projects in the Northeast United States, Canada, Panama and the Philippines.

It was involved in the 84-panel installation that will provide 25.2 kW DC to the San Francisco campus of file-hosting company, Dropbox, and also undertook the utility scale ground mount installation at Sandringham and Woodville Solar Farms for Invenergy Clean Power of Ontario that will generate 25 MW (megawatts) of power. With a resume of over 130 commercial and industrial projects, UGE has already participated in installations with a capacity of over 280 MW.

With such a sunny prognosis, UGE’s share price has been on the rise, increasing by about 30 percent over the 12 months.

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

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (CIIX) Debuts “OptHemp” Premium Line and Readies its First U.S. Retail Store

ChineseInvestors.com’s (OTCQB: CIIX) first retail store is expected to open in June in San Gabriel, California. It will be among the first stores to sell “OptHemp,” a premium health product line launched by CIIX’s wholly owned subsidiary chinesehempoil.com, Inc. The “OptHemp” line will include OptHemp Ultra Premium Hemp Oil, the company’s first private label product.

CIIX offers educational tools and consulting services for Chinese investors. Recently, it has been pursuing its niche in the expanding cannabis (CBD) market. The company’s goal is to become a leading Chinese publicly traded company in the nutritional industry. CIIX’s retail store in California will primarily sell hemp oil-based products, which it will market via a new website, mobile application, and online distribution program to penetrate the rapidly growing hemp-based CBD market.

“I am very pleased to announce the launch of our first premium OptHemp product,” Warren Wang, founder and CEO of CIIX, stated in a recent news release. “Hemp oil is believed to have positive balancing effects on the mind and body of persons using them.”

The formula for OptHemp has been optimized to manage inflammation and pain relief. The OptHemp premium line is GMO-free, reinforcing the product’s purity to users. It is grown in organic farms in Colorado using a CO2 extraction technology.

“We believe that the desire for better quality of life in the Chinese community, coupled with the fact that the aging population continues to grow, will lead to continued growth in the alternative health sector and increased demand for natural hemp-based health products,” Wang said. “CIIX is confident that its OptHemp product line will lay a solid foundation for the Company’s entrance into the legal hemp industry and the alternative health sector.”

In the future, CIIX will focus on the distribution and R&D into the CBD market. Its products can be used for patients with epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and cirrhosis of the liver. In China, use of marijuana is forbidden, though hemp-based CBDs are legal, creating a target market of approximately 2 billion consumers.

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

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) to Step Up Exploration Efforts following Chinese Production Cuts

Zinc prices soared over the last few days after top consumer China increased imports of the metal in wake of the country’s halting production as part of an environmental crackdown on the local steel industry. The Asian nation’s move to curb zinc and nickel production is likely to have a significant impact on global supply, with inventories already under pressure from growing demand and currently at about 342,675 tons (roughly 20 percent lower than last year), according to Reuters (http://nnw.fm/DfJX0). Zinc exploration corporations such as Vancouver-based Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) are already exploring ways to step up efforts to find deposits so as to help meet the global demand for zinc.

Refined zinc imports to China jumped 21 percent year-over-year last month, reaching 47,469 tons (http://nnw.fm/50jCY). Similarly, shipments of zinc ore and concentrates increased by 44 percent, Reuters said. This led to a significant increase in zinc prices, with the London Metal Exchange benchmark zinc closing up one percent at $2,658 per ton earlier this week – the highest since the beginning of the month.

Nickel prices also soared to $9,395, the highest in three weeks, as a result of growing Chinese imports. The halt in Chinese nickel production is unlikely to have a major impact, since the country accounts for only four percent of global supply. The situation, however, is significantly different when it comes to zinc, as the Asian nation accounted for at least 38 percent of global production before the crackdown. Both nickel and zinc are used in the steel manufacturing process – zinc for galvanized steel and nickel for stainless steel.

It is yet unclear how much of the country’s zinc and nickel production will be affected by the crackdown, but industry sources say the government is shutting down all steel mills that emit excessive pollution, along with zinc and nickel mining operations. Several of these operations might be reopened if they are found in compliance with environmental regulations, the sources added.

China’s move is likely to drive zinc demand even higher. According to the International Lead and Zinc Study Group, demand for the metal is already exceeding supply, and the difference is expected to reach 226,000 tons this year (http://nnw.fm/4Jn0I).

To help meet the rising demand, Canada’s Kootenay Zinc Corp. has already taken steps to expand its exploration program at its Sully property in British Columbia. The property is located near the legendary Sullivan Mine, which was one of the world’s largest reserves of zinc, with an output of over 17 million tons of zinc and lead until it was closed down in 2001. Kootenay’s Sully Project is located 18 miles from Sullivan, and both properties share different environments of the same basin.

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

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

More Mobile Usage Means More Mobile Payments for Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE)

The global mobile revolution continues to accelerate.  It’s estimated that, currently, about 4.8 billion individuals globally use a mobile phone, with about 2.3 billion of them being smart phone users. Smartphone subscribers now represent over half of the global mobile population. Mobile devices are fast becoming the go-to technology, even in mature economies where people can use alternative devices at home. Expanded mobile usage even engenders and propagates new behavior sets among consumers.

More mobile usage even drives the usage of mobile devices to make purchases. Approximately $37 billion in mobile transactions occurred in 2015, and that total is expected to explode to over $800 billion by 2019. Like the mobile phones and devices themselves, mobile transactions and payments will soon be commonplace.

Paying for transactions with mobile devices has taken off as a convenient and constructive option for both consumers and merchants.  Consumers find it easier to rely on their phones for payments, while mobile point-of-sale transactions give merchants the ability to integrate loyalty and incentive programs into mobile payment applications, track customer trends and inventory, increase check-out speed and save money on credit card fees.

Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) has been at the vanguard of facilitating this mobile point-of-sale (m-POS) boom, providing speed, security, accuracy, value-add and the convenience of mobile transactions. Net Element owns and operates a global mobile payments and transactional processing provider, TOT Group. TOT Group companies include Aptito, Digital Provider, Restoactive, PayOnline and Unified Payments, which was named the fastest-growing private company in America in 2012 by Inc. Magazine.

Through its wholly owned group of companies, Net Element delivers tailored turnkey solutions that fit merchant needs. The company’s online and offline payment capabilities allow merchants to transact business anywhere, any way and at any time. Simultaneously, Net Element’s mobile payments and value-added transactional platforms deliver speed and convenience to mobile customers, giving them the ability to make purchases with just a few clicks on their mobile devices, and provide an alternative to cash payments.

For these and many other reasons, SeeThruEquity, a leading independent equity research firm, recently issued an update and reaffirmed its price target of $2.45 on shares of Net Element. It appears that the mobile payments boom could be very rewarding for Net Element and its shareholders.

For more information, visit www.NetElement.com

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE: IGC) Taps Dr. Craig Cheifetz as Advisor for Clinical Trials of Cannabis-Based Combination Therapies

India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IGC) has named Craig Cheifetz, M.D., as an advisor to aid the company in its clinical trials in microbiology, immunology, neuroscience, and biotechnology. IGC is engaged in the development of cannabis-based therapies, which treat pain, terminal neurological and oncological diagnosis, PTSD, seizures, and other life altering issues. The company, based in Bethesda, Maryland, has a portfolio of patent filings for its phytocannabinoid-based treatments.

In a news release, Ram Mukunda, CEO of IGC, welcomed Cheifetz to the company’s advisory team, noting that he looks forward to Chiefetz’s contributions as IGC develops unique cannabis combination therapies.

Cheifetz is the Medical Director of Inova VIP 360, Northern Virginia’s Concierge Medicine Program. He is also Regional Dean at Virginia Commonwealth University Inova Fairfax Campus.

He received his M.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo and also attended Georgetown University, where he trained in internal medicine. He was National GRMC Chairman from 2011 to 2013.

“We remain committed to accelerating our initiatives and building robust a portfolio of compounds to address large market conditions,” Mukunda noted in the release.

The company anticipates clinical trials in 2017 for several indications, including pain, a huge market. IGC has already filed for six patents in areas such as eating disorders and epilepsy, in addition to pain. It is working on several more filings for indications including depression, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.  Its lead candidate is IGC-501, and it has filed patents for the candidate in the United States, Canada and Europe.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IGCinc.us

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) Aims for Strike at Sully Project Amid Global Zinc Shortage

It is a prime time to be in the zinc mining business, and Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) is poised to profit in the midst of a continuing global zinc shortage and simultaneously booming prices.

As recently reported (http://nnw.fm/3lzC3), the price of zinc rose to $1.17 per pound and $2,628 per metric ton as of May 2017, representing a 60 percent increase over the previous year’s prices. This exceeded already propitious predictions that a deeper worldwide shortage would send zinc prices soaring as high as $2,500 per metric ton over the course of 2017 (http://nnw.fm/QXe2r).

The current imbalance in the global zinc market is partly attributed to the 2016 shutdown of a number of zinc mines in China — the world’s largest producer of zinc, as well as its biggest consumer. Major zinc mines in other parts of the world have been experiencing declining ore supplies, as well, which is further credited as contributing to the shortage.

Seeking to cash in on the current global zinc shortage and price hike and to help meet the growing demand, KTNNF recently reported that it is expanding its active search for zinc at its Sully Project, which is located in British Columbia, Canada, just 18 miles (30 kilometers) from the legendary Sullivan Mine. The company recently reported it has completed three exploration holes at the site and that its project team is extending its survey efforts to the property’s west anomaly, including conducting state-of-the-art gravity mapping.

The Sully Project boasts shared geologic features with the famed Sullivan Mine, and the sedimentary rocks that host the Sullivan Mine are present at Sully, representative of different environments of the same basin. So far, geologic data indicates that the Sully Project shares the same stratigraphic level at which the Sullivan Mine was deposited, and it appears to coincide with the East gravity anomaly at the Sully Project. A subtle lead-zinc soil anomaly could reflect leakage up faults and dispersion through thick till and alluvium from an entirely buried deposit. A Cominco airborne geophysical survey has shown two N-S trending magnetic anomalies underground that are up to almost two miles long (1.86), that are approximately 0.62 miles apart, and that are near-coincident with the gravity anomalies.

So far, drilling efforts at the Sully Project have been a very near miss, meaning a strike may not be far away. Initial surveying at the project indicated that drilling conducted in 2004 only narrowly missed a shallow mass there. Work performed since then indicated the target was deep. The target may have been missed by just 100 meters, according to downhole temperature and magnetic field readings taken in 2014. KTNNF has initiated a drilling program and is targeting this East mass, which has been confirmed and better defined by new gravity data.

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

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

BioCorRx, Inc. (BICX) Targeting Alcohol and Opioid Addiction with Innovative Two-Pronged Approach

BioCorRx (OTCQB: BICX) is the owner and creator of an innovative addiction treatment program used by a network of independent treatment centers to improve the lives of their patients struggling with alcohol and opioid addictions. The BioCorRx® Recovery Program leverages an innovative, two-pronged approach that addresses the underlying physical and behavioral issues associated with these addictions. The first half of this approach relies on a highly effective, proprietary implant formulation of the FDA-approved medication naltrexone, for which BioCorRx holds worldwide license rights (excluding Australia and New Zealand). The second half focuses on a modular counseling program coupled with overlapping peer support that is tailored specifically for those afflicted with alcohol and opioid addictions, helping to prepare them both physically and mentally for a life without these often dangerous substances.

America’s opioid epidemic is an increasingly treacherous issue that affects millions of people across the country. Per data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half a million people in the United States died from drug overdose from 2000 to 2015. Of those, more than 60 percent were linked to an opioid. Likewise, deaths from prescription opioids have more than quadrupled since 1999, driven by a nearly identical spike in the amount of prescription opioids sold. The negative implications associated with this addiction include traumatic life events for the addicted and their loved ones, as well as monumental financial expense. A 2010 study conducted by the American Society of Addiction Medicine found that addiction costs an estimated $700 billion annually in the U.S. alone.

Treating this growing problem has proven difficult. In 2011, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that 23.5 million persons aged 12 or older, roughly 9.3 percent of the population, needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol abuse problem. Of those, only 11.2 percent received the vital treatment at a specialty facility. BioCorRx aims to close this gap by both operating specialty facilities to aid those in need and providing a more thorough treatment program that’s been shown to lower patient drop-out rates, due to reduced cravings, and increase compliance rates, through automatic medication delivery and discreet outpatient treatment options.

In recent months, BioCorRx, through its BioCorRx Pharmaceuticals subsidiary, has looked to continue building on this proven medication through the clinical development of BICX101, a sustained release, injectable naltrexone for the treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorders. In early April, the company announced that three different formulations of the drug candidate showed success in reaching 28 days of sustained release in its preclinical studies, including one with an injection volume of just one milliliter. Following this result, BioCorRx formally requested a pre-IND meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as it continues to conduct additional studies in order to compile more data points.

In a business update issued earlier this month, Lourdes Felix, CFO, COO and director of BioCorRx, noted the strength of the company’s balance sheet following a March equity financing of $940,000 with accredited investors, as well as an investment of $1.7 million from Alpine Creek Capital Partners. Capital stemming from these transactions is expected to allow BioCorRx to continue executing on its business plan, including completion of “a few rounds of preclinical studies of BICX101” and accelerated sales and marketing activities related to its BioCorRx Recovery Program.

A strong balance sheet isn’t the only aspect of BioCorRx’s growth strategy about which prospective shareholders should be particularly optimistic. On May 16, the company announced its submission of a listing application for the Nasdaq Capital markets. The move comes less than two months after OTC Markets Group (OTCQX: OTCM) welcomed BioCorRx to the OTCQB Venture Market, which it reserves for early-stage and developing companies that are current in their reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process. The company will be required to meet a number of Nasdaq listing requirements in order to complete the uplist, but CFO Felix noted that members of BioCorRx’s management team “look forward to the prospect of a NASDAQ listing,” which they anticipate will “enhance BioCorRx’s visibility in the investment community to a larger market and provide for a broader, more diverse base of shareholders.”

Addressing the growing opioid epidemic in the United States, as well as lingering alcohol addiction issues, represents both an urgent call to action and a sizable market opportunity for companies offering proven effective treatment options. BioCorRx, through its innovative non-addictive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program and promising clinical pipeline, represents an opportunity for the investment community to participate in the resolution of this crisis while capitalizing on the growth prospects of a leading edge health care solutions company.

For more information, visit www.BioCorRx.com

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Evolution of Marijuana Industry Creates Wealth of Opportunity for Companies with Foresight and Action

NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The marijuana industry continues to evolve at a breakneck pace in the United States, and an increasing number of businesses are finding their niche in this rampant market as it burns toward nationwide legalization. In the wake of this evolution, various new types of businesses are emerging to provide the consumer and commercial markets with products and services such as branding and packaging, smoke lounges, cultivation operations, grow equipment, pain management, payment solutions and numerous others. SinglePoint, Inc. (SING) (SING Profile), Medical Marijuana, Inc. (MJNA), Kush Bottles, Inc. (KSHB), Scott’s Miracle-Gro Co. (SMG) and Canopy Growth Corp. (TWMJF) represent a handful of innovators finding ways to cash-in on the plentiful opportunities within this budding market.

A quick browse through marijuana-related news provides just a glimpse of the progress being made in the mammoth industry. In Vermont, a landmark bill legalized marijuana for adults over 21, marking the first time a state legislature has ever originated and passed a marijuana legalization bill. Previously, adult-use legalization measures in the U.S. were passed by popular citizen vote. Massachusetts and Maine are also moving forward, with retail stores expected to open in both states in 2018. In Oregon, the City of Portland is backing cannabis businesses in lobbying for a bill that would permit marijuana consumption at licensed lounges, similar to tobacco smoking patios. These are only the latest in a wave of headline-making happenings related to marijuana legalization efforts throughout the country.

Companies like SinglePoint (SING) are well-aware of these developments and are making headway in their respective niches. SinglePoint is building an acquisition portfolio of undervalued subsidiaries with a focus on innovative technologies. When it comes to opportunities in the marijuana industry, SinglePoint’s strategy is to provide various ancillary services and non-plant-based solutions to dispensaries, growers and consumers.

Due to federal restrictions, marijuana businesses lack access to banking options, but industry experts expect this to change. Anticipating the need for electronic payment options once the industry does become bankable (http://nnw.fm/8oB02), SinglePoint has structured its cannabis brand subsidiary, www.SingleSeed.com, as a hub for the online sale of cannabis products to marijuana dispensaries. When the tide turns, SinglePoint will be a “first mover” in providing payment solutions to cannabis businesses through its SingleSeed Payments, which is geared up to provide payment solutions such as mobile marketing, cashless ATM, Pay-by-Text™ and text message marketing (http://nnw.fm/W84Lt). Ready at the gates, SingleSeed.com has become a standout resource for marijuana dispensaries seeking merchant payment processing solutions and other business tools.

Waiting on this opportunity doesn’t mean inaction, however. SinglePoint in early May announced (http://nnw.fm/QjJ9m) its plans to start onboarding “high risk” merchant accounts, a category of more than 100 types of businesses, including auctions, vape pen sales, gambling, online gaming and more, which typically offer higher margins than traditional accounts.

“We are providing multiple solutions to the cannabis space and we are trying to do the same in the payments space as well,” SinglePoint CEO Greg Lambrecht stated in the news release. “Being able to offer a payment solution to multiple different verticals gives the company a larger target market to tap into. We believe high risk is a huge opportunity and an underserved market at this point.”

SinglePoint’s core business strategy (http://nnw.fm/obb8Z) is one of diversification and the relentless pursuit of building corporate value. On point, the company earlier this year announced its investment in Convectium, a profitable provider of equipment, branding and packaging solutions to the marijuana industry. Convectium has developed the very first cartridge and vape pen oil filling machines created for wholesale distribution to cannabis dispensaries. The company’s 710Shark and 710Seal machines, currently sold through its EquipCanna.com brand, can fill and package more than 100 cartridges or disposable vape pens in 30 seconds, providing an attractive alternative to the traditional, time-consuming method of hand-filling cartridges. Also operating consumer brands HazeSticks and BlackoutX, Convectium has a market reach into more than 52 countries.

SinglePoint also recently signed a Letter of Intent (http://nnw.fm/0iSI1) to acquire 90 percent of California-based Discount Indoor Garden Supply (“DIGS”), a provider of growing equipment and accessories for individual or commercial plant cultivators. In addition to its online store (www.DIGSHydro.com), DIGS operates two store-front locations with plans for a third in the near future.

This acquisition is expected to bring immediate revenues to SinglePoint as it deepens its reach in the State of California, which houses thousands of cannabis-related businesses. Through DIGS, SinglePoint will be able to offer soil and supplies similar to a household brand and recognizable player in the marijuana industry, Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG).

Well known for its lawn and garden care products, Scotts Miracle-Gro is also heavily investing in hydroponics – the method of growing plants without soil – a method primarily used in indoor and urban gardening. Hydroponics has also become the standard for growth in the marijuana industry. In May 2016, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Scotts Miracle-Gro, spent $136.2 million on the acquisition of a 75 percent stake in greenhouse and hydroponic indoor lighting producer Gavita. In October 2016, The Hawthorne Gardening Company also acquired American Agritech, which is a hydroponic growing systems and plant supplements producer.

Industry peer Medical Marijuana (MJNA) is taking a unique approach to providing marijuana products without waiting for federal governmental approval to do so. The company has discovered a way to work within federal government cannabis restrictions to legally offer high-quality cannabis-derived products in the United States. The key to doing so pertains to non-psychoactive cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD), which has a wide variety of potential health applications but does not rely on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive chemical compound in cannabis. MJNA’s approach is to grow low-THC varieties of cannabis (hemp) outside the United States, create CBD hemp oil, and import it to the United States. Taken from carefully cultivated hemp plants, CBD hemp oil is an extract that is completely legal, non-psychoactive, contains a full spectrum of phytocannabinoids, is high in CBD and has almost no THC, making it legal to sell in the U.S. MJNA’s products, provided through the HempMeds and Kannaway distribution divisions, include pure CBD hemp oil extracts, sprays, tinctures, capsules, vaporizers, bath and body products and chewing gum. Along with selling CBD hemp oil products to more than 200,000 individuals in the U.S., MJNA has also been able to offer the first legal marijuana products in Brazil and Mexico. Recently, the company’s Kannaway brand expanded into the European marketplace and is expected to be fully operational there by the fourth quarter of 2017.

Another company set to cash-in on the evolution in the marijuana industry is Kush Bottles (KSHB). Getting its footing in 2010 as a provider of cutting-edge packaging solutions for the marijuana industry, Kush Bottles has since expanded its product line, which now ranges from custom packaging and labeling items to point-of-sale products like grinders, papers, lighters and glass pieces. Kush Bottles serves thousands of cannabis dispensaries, retail shops, growers and consumers and has become a leading packaging supply and services company that exclusively addresses the needs of the marijuana industry. Recently, Kush Bottles added the web domain Roll-uh-Bowl.com to its list of acquisitions. Attracting an average of 39,500 web users monthly, Roll-Uh-Bowl.com is an online distribution platform for the retail sale of collapsible, unbreakable medical-grade silicone water pipes.

Canopy Growth (TWMJF) is also successfully navigating the marijuana market. A leading global diversified cannabis company, Canopy Growth operates various diverse brands and curated strain varieties that are supported by more than half a million square feet of indoor greenhouse production capacity and that are also partnered with some of the biggest names in the sector. The company’s core brands include Tweed, which has become one of the most recognized marijuana production brands in the world; Bedrocan medical-grade cannabis; and the Mettrum natural health brand.

Consumer demand, political support, and public opinion are powerful drivers behind the movement toward legalized marijuana, and present an increasing number of opportunities for companies to profit. The named companies are among standouts in this sector that are successfully navigating the growing cannabis market and implementing smart strategies to capitalize on its manifold opportunities.

For more information on SinglePoint please visit: Singlepoint (SING) or www.SinglePoint.com

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides to users (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) enhanced press release services, and (3) a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

ChineseInvestors.com (CIIX) Growing Rapidly in a Rapidly Growing Market

Savvy investors study multiple factors to identify potential stock winners. Stock screeners scan thousands of companies for insights and data to discern uncommon opportunities. The criteria utilized in a stock screening system is obviously influenced by an individual’s investment proclivities such as high yield, value, growth or price momentum, however, most stock screening systems are typically hybrids with blended criteria reflecting individual preferences and incorporating more than one investment style. P/E ratios, near zero beta, increased dividends, revenue growth and market growth are all employed to sift through over 100,000 public companies around the world and the nearly 6,000 U.S. listed companies.

All markets are addicted to growth. Growth is the elixir that drives markets and share prices of individual companies higher, and every stock screening system includes growth measurement variables. Growth is a testament to value creation. Current and future growth are prime indicators of potential future performance of a company’s share price. When looking for growth, it makes sense to look closely at companies that are not only growing rapidly but also growing rapidly in a rapidly growing market. With compound annual growth estimated at nearly 60 percent, the CBD (cannabidiol) industry is arguably the fastest growing market in the world. In fact, just five months ago Forbes called the CBD industry, “The Cannabis Market That Could Grow 700% by 2020” (http://nnw.fm/azf9F). That kind of growth can change a portfolio.

Currently legal in 16 states with more expected to follow, CBD oil is non-psychoactive and considered to have a broad range of medical benefits. Derived from hemp or marijuana plants, CBD has shown varying degrees of efficacy in treating epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, cirrhosis, pain, anxiety and stress.

CBD is obviously an explosive market opportunity. However, an even greater market opportunity lies outside the U.S., with over two billion Chinese speaking people. Acceptance and use of CBD oil is a natural fit with holistic Eastern-based medicine and an immense potential revenue generator for ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX). With two billion Chinese speaking people as its target market, ChineseInvestors.com recently executed a first-to-market milestone by creating the world’s only Chinese language, cannabinoid-based, therapeutic health products online store, www.ChineseCBDoil.com.

Historically, this specialized investment services company with 100,000+ users provided real-time market commentary, analysis, and education-related information in the Chinese language, as well as offered consultation, advertising, and public relations services. Now, the 18-year-old company is at the forefront of marketing and selling hemp-based food and beverages and hemp-derived CBD to Chinese-speaking consumers worldwide through its online store.

A recent research report by Consilium Global Research (http://nnw.fm/kKO7e) projects ChineseInvestors.com to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 100% through 2020. Consilium sees CIIX going through immense transformation this year as it pursues a larger stake in the global cannabis market. Before long, ChineseInvestors.com should pop up on multiple stock screeners, as it’s growing rapidly in a rapidly growing market.

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

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Moxian, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOXC) Solidifies its Financials as it Competes in China’s Growing O2O Marketplace

Moxian, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOXC) has solidified its financial position as it competes in the massive Chinese sector of online-to-offline marketing. SeeThruEquity (http://nnw.fm/qTeF0) projected that the company could attain revenues of $24.1 million and net income of $4.5 million in FY 2018 as the O2O market is estimated to reach $48 billion in 1H17, according to investor materials provided by Moxian.  One caveat to SeeThruEquity’s projections was for Moxian to demonstrate its ability to raise additional capital to finance its ambitious plans to compete in such a large market.

The high technology Shenzhen, China-based company netted some $8.5 million in an equity offering, at $4 per share, late in 2016 that resulted in its NASDAQ uplisting. In its SEC 10-Q filing of May 12, 2017, for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 (http://nnw.fm/1xrKA), the firm additionally disclosed that it had received funds in a series of loans during the six months ended March 31, 2017.

The company is development stage and is building its infrastructure and staffing as it plans to execute its marketing strategy to take its two O2O mobile platforms from no charge to paid. Its Moxian+ is a paid business platform, with the firm’s immediate focus on converting its some 30,000 small market enterprise (SME) customers to paid. Similarly, it is attempting to convert its some 300,000 consumers on the Moxian User app from free to paid.  Revenue streams foreseen by Moxian additionally include subscription revenues, transaction fees, mobile advertising, licensing fees, OEM and distribution charges.

SeeThruEquity was intrigued by the size of China’s O2O market and Moxian’s ambitious growth strategy, and it cautioned that the firm would require additional capital sources to finance and execute its strategy.  The latest 10-Q by Moxian exhibited the firm’s ability to raise additional capital, enabling it to invest in more infrastructure and sales efforts.

During the six months ended March 31, 2017, the company received approximately $3.2 million from various related party loans and repaid a majority of all related party loans of approximately $5.6 million with IPO proceeds, the 10-Q filing said.  Shenzhen Bayi Consulting Co., Limited and Moxian agreed to a series of loans aggregating $2.6 million unsecured, without interest or due on demand terms, to a subsidiary, Moxian Shenzhen. An earlier loan of $96,190 was made to Moxian by Bayi under the same terms. Vertical Venture Capital Group in this period made loans to subsidiary Moxian HK, with the same terms, in the aggregate of $553.8 million. Moxian HK partially repaid the loans as the company invested the funds internally.

Additionally, the SEC 10-Q stated that the company plans to bolster its future cash flows through additional related party financing and public and private placements.

For more information, visit www.Moxian.com

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) Looks at Lustrous Future as Zinc Futures Climb

The future of the Kootenay Zinc Corporation (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) has turned as lustrous as the metal it is mining. As zinc futures continue to climb, the company is intensifying its exploration activities at the Sully Project, located close to the shuttered Sullivan Mine, one of the world’s largest SEDEX deposits ever discovered. There are increasing indications from ground magnetic and gravity (MAG) data that ‘there is a magnetic component to the gravity masses’ surveyed, the company recently reported. Zinc, although not itself magnetic, has the peculiar property of being repelled by a magnetic field. Now, Kootenay Zinc Corporation may be on the brink of repeating the glory days of the Sullivan Mine, once operated by Canada’s largest diversified resource company, Teck Resources.

The Sullivan Mine has entered the annals of legend. Located in Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada, it was discovered in 1892 by Pat Sullivan and three other prospectors in search of lead and silver. For the four, the find turned out to be a most serendipitous jackpot. They discovered an ore body so rich that the settlement that grew up around it later saw its name changed from Mark Creek Crossing to Kimberley, after the famous diamond mine in South Africa.

Sullivan proved to be a mammoth SEDEX deposit. Sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX) deposits are created when hydrothermal fluids (basically hot water mixed with gases) cool and minerals, dissolved at the higher temperatures, are precipitated.

From the start of mining until its closure in 2001, Sullivan produced approximately 150 million tonnes of ore, including three billion ounces of silver, eight million tonnes of zinc and eight million tonnes of lead, worth, in today’s dollars, about $49 billion. The mine also produced substantial amounts of antimony, bismuth, cadmium, copper, gold, indium, iron, sulphur, tin, and tungsten. During WW1, Sullivan provided the allies with vital supplies of lead for munitions.

Zinc futures on the Chicago Mercantile exchange (CME) are especially healthy. Delivery for May 2017 is priced at $2,602.00 per tonne, rising to $2,612.00 for September, $2,617.00 for December, and $2,621.00 for April 2018. A confluence of falling supply and rising demand is driving the price appreciation. A recent Goldman Sachs report touted the metal as a ‘bullish exception among metals’, according to Bloomberg. The investment bank expects zinc prices to go up because of ‘tightening supply and robust demand in China’.

James West, in his MidasLetter report (http://nnw.fm/QKc8Y), is also bullish, given the critical use of zinc for producing galvanized steel in conjunction with the ongoing pressures to improve America’s infrastructure.

The Sully Property comprises 1,375 hectares located near Kimberley, B.C., and it overlies rocks of similar age and origin as those that host the world-class Sullivan deposit. Kootenay Zinc’s Sully Project lies 30 miles east of the Sullivan property.

Veteran geologist, Paul Ransom, who spent over 30 years working at the old Sullivan Mine, stated, “The Sully Project presents the best exploration target of Sullivan Size that I have seen in my career.”

For more information, please visit www.kootenayzinc.com.

Links

“The Sully Project presents the best exploration target of Sullivan Size that I have seen in my career.”
ZNK website: http://www.kootenayzinc.com/project

Kootenay Zinc’s Sully Project lies 30 miles east of the Sullivan property.
Midas Letter: https://www.midasletter.com/2017/03/kootenay-zinc-corp-hunts-teck-resources-ltds-sullivan-doppelganger/

“The Sully Property comprises 1,375 hectares located approximately 30 kilometres east of Kimberley, B.C”  Kootenay Zinc Corp. Announces Geophysical Update on Sully Project

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides to users (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) enhanced press release services, and (3) a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Monday, May 22, 2017

India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE: IGC) Developing Phytocannabinoid-Based Product Pipeline to Treat Two- and Four-Legged Alike

Looking to gain an advantageous foothold in the burgeoning medical marijuana market, India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IGC) is developing innovative cannabis-based combination therapies that have application for both humans and animals. The company’s focus is on treating pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic and terminal neurological and oncological diagnoses, cachexia, and other life-altering medical conditions.

IGC continues developing a portfolio of patent filings for phytocannabinoid-based treatments and has filed six patents to date. The company currently has three products in pre-clinical trials: IGC-501 for treatment of neuropathic pain in adult humans, IGC-502 for treatment of seizures in animals, and IGC-504 for treatment of cachexia in humans and animals.

Two of IGC’s patent filings, IGC-502 and IGC-505, are for combination therapies to treat seizures in dogs and cats, which represents a remarkably large market. Statistics show that between one percent and over five percent of dogs in the United States have some kind of seizure disorder. Certain dog breeds with hereditary epilepsy may have up to 15-20 percent incidence of seizures.

IGC’s novel therapy uses cannabinoid extracts in combination with other drugs to treat seizures in both dogs and cats, and this therapy has potential for application in humans, as well. The therapy can be administered through a variety of delivery technologies.

Operating on the belief that expanding cannabis legalization will create explosive demand for cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical therapies and related technologies and services, IGC is racing to be at the head of the pack and to be a first mover in the marijuana space by developing novel therapies, filing patent applications, and acquiring technologies from related industries that can cross over to cannabis as soon as permitted by federal law.

The company largely employs an outsourced model and has formed strategic alliances with doctors and scientists with expertise in central and peripheral nervous system disorders, the FDA process, and in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and veterinarian trials. IGC also continues seeking information exchanges with medical cannabis dispensaries, doctors, research scientists, biotech companies, and medical and business professionals within the cannabinoid space, placing great value on collaborative research that can aid in the commercialization of products and in locating new ways to help patients — both human and animal — benefit from cannabinoids.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IGCinc.us

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) Gives Investors Plenty of Reasons to Think Zinc

Zinc is the fourth most widely consumed metal in the world and is found everywhere in daily life. Zinc prices increased around 60 percent last year to become one of the very best performing metals in 2016. Both Goldman Sachs and The World Bank project higher prices for zinc in 2017 and 2018 because of increased demand and serious global production deficits. Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) just may be sitting on the mother lode of zinc (http://wealthresearchalerts.com/).

Zinc is ubiquitous with a multiplicity of important uses. Roughly 50 percent of zinc is used in making protective coatings for steel.  Galvanizing gives the finished coated product the strength and durability of steel with the corrosion resistant properties of zinc. About four million tons of zinc are used annually to protect around 100 million tons of steel, which represents about half the total world consumption of zinc.

Seventeen percent of zinc is used as an alloy. Zinc combined with copper forms brass, which is combined with other metals to form materials for use in automobiles, electrical components and household fixtures. Zinc is consistently the most frequently used alloying material, and most applications contain 10 to 40 percent zinc. Another 17 percent of zinc is used in die-casting, which is the process of forcing liquid metal under pressure into a hollow casing causing the liquid metal to take the shape of the mold. Die casting with zinc is a very economical, fast, and precise method for making common metal parts. Zinc die castings are used in bathroom fixtures, as parts of appliances, as parts of cars and in almost all electronic equipment.

Six percent of zinc is produced as sheet, strip, plate, rod and wire, and in many compositions and alloys, depending on the requirements of the end product.  Zinc sheet is typically produced by continuous casting/rolling. Zinc sheet is used extensively in the building industry for roofing, wall cladding, gutters and downspouts, flashing and weathering applications. When properly installed, a zinc roof or wall system can last up to 100 years. Another six percent of zinc is used in chemicals. Zinc oxide is the most widely used zinc compound and is common in a broad range of consumer products. Special zinc powders can also be used as an additive in zinc cased batteries. A myriad of compounds can be created from zinc which give it a wide range of applications outside of the obvious uses as a metal, and gives zinc a worldwide importance that cannot be ignored. Four percent of zinc has multiple miscellaneous uses.  Zinc can be used to make batteries, fertilizer, and pigments, and it also has uses in pharmaceutical, rubber, paint and other industries.

Zinc is found everywhere in daily life. With demand increasing and a global shortage of this valuable mineral, Kootenay Zinc may be mining money from the mother lode.

For more information, please visit http://www.kootenayzinc.com

Source used for article content http://www.smallcapnetwork.com/Think-Zinc-Its-Even-Bigger-Than-We-Thought/s/article/view/p/mid/7/id/2312/

Source used for article content http://metalpedia.asianmetal.com/metal/zinc/application.shtml

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides to users (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) enhanced press release services, and (3) a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Thursday, May 18, 2017

India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE: IGC) is Blazing a Trail with its Cannabis Plus Therapies

Slowly but surely cannabis is losing the stigma that has plagued it for close to one hundred years. Even some who frown on its use for recreational purposes are willing to consider that there may be therapeutic benefits in extracts of the cannabis sativa plant and so, increasingly, cannabinoids are being investigated to determine their effectiveness to treat a variety of debilitating medical conditions. Cannabinoid pharma is emerging as an entirely new industry segment in pharmaceuticals, and, as it does so, one innovative research company is blazing a trail in this new market by creating a niche of its own. India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IGC) has created its own space in pharmaceuticals. The Bethesda, Maryland-based company is a first mover in “combination therapies” that merge cannabinoids with existing drugs to provide more effective remedies.

IGC is not only a first mover in combination therapies; the company is also a fast mover. To date, IGC has dispatched six provisional patent filings to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the indications of pain, medical refractory epilepsy, seizures, cachexia and eating disorders. Together, the remedies for these conditions present huge market opportunity, and IGC’s current low valuation versus comparable cannabis companies represents an important alert for all investors in this burgeoning industry.

IGC-501 is being developed to combat pain. The pain market represents a significant component of the health care system, with The Journal of Pain reporting in September 2012 that the annual estimated national cost of pain ranges from $560 billion to $635 billion, a figure that exceeds the cost of treating all other priority health conditions. Also, a NetworkNewsWire report on data released by Transparency Market Research estimates the global pain management therapeutics market will have a 3.7 percent CAGR through 2024, to reach $83.0 billion (http://nnw.fm/it5tO).

Chronic pain takes such an exacting toll on the nation’s health that the American Pain Society has recommended pain be characterized as a fifth ‘vital sign’, along with body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure. Pain treatment can save lives. Terminal illnesses are often accompanied by levels of pain so intense and difficult to treat that death seems preferable. In addition, arthritis has been particularly problematic for women, according to the Arthritis Foundation, which reports that since 1999 there has been a 22 percent increase in the number of women who attribute their disability to arthritis.

As awareness of the effects of chronic pain has grown, increasingly powerful drugs such as morphine, codeine, and hydrocodone are being prescribed. However, these opioids are treacherously addictive and their use is often subverted from pain relief, making their way into recreational use. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 29,000 Americans die every year from opioid-related overdoses. This alarming statistic shows the pressing need for less addictive analgesics like IGC-501.

IGC-503 tackles refractory epilepsy, which affects about 50 million in the U.S. alone. Refractory epilepsy refers to cases of epilepsy that are unresponsive to current medications. Also in the pipeline is IGC-504, intended for those who suffer from cachexia, known as wasting syndrome. About 1.3 million in the U.S. experience cachexia associated with cancer, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s, HIV/AIDS and other devastating maladies. In addition, there is IGC-506, designed to combat eating disorders, which are said to affect about 30 million Americans (http://nnw.fm/W0ts2). Two other patents, IGC-502 and IGC-505, are designed to treat epileptic seizures in dogs and cats.

On the release of its financial results for the third-quarter ended December 31, 2016, CEO Ram Mukunda stated, “In 2017, our goal is to accelerate the development of our cannabis-based therapy portfolio to support key indications such as pain, seizures, cachexia, PTSD, and depression. In tandem, we expect to initiate pre-clinical trials on IGC-501-pain, IGC-502-seizures and IGC-504-cachexia.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IGCinc.us

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) Believes Its Sully Project Could Be Successor to Legendary Sullivan Mine

Kootenay Zinc Corp. (CSE: ZNK) (OTCQB: KTNNF) believes that its Sully Project zinc mining operation in British Columbia, Canada, might be the successor to the nearby legendary Sullivan Mine. Sullivan, owned by Tech Resources, generated more than 17 million tons of zinc and lead and 337 million ounces of silver. Total output was $49 billion U.S. in production value at today’s prices from the Kimberley, British Columbia, facility.

Kootenay, a Vancouver-based zinc mining and development company, is focused on mining the Sully Project, located just 18 miles (30 kilometers) from Sullivan. Sully and Sullivan share different environments of the same basin. The Sullivan Mine was in operation for 92 years until 2001, when it closed. It produced enough lead for the production of 500 million lead-acid batteries for vehicles. Its zinc was enough for 160 million cars. Differential flotation was a mining process developed by Sullivan-owner Tech and used in operations at the mine. The efficient technique separates zinc from lead concentrates during the mining process.

According to Born2Invest’s article, “Kootenay Zinc’s Sully Project May Rival the Legendary Sullivan Mine,” Kootenay Zinc is targeting the nearby Sully Project for similar results since the Sullivan Mine and Sully Project share the same geology. Although initial drilling activity was disappointing back in 2004, new gravity surveys were conducted in 2010 and found promising results.

In October 2016, Kootenay, with a $500,000 budget, drilled three new holes. Early this year, findings indicated that proposed new drill sites to the east are more accessible and have minimal chance of geological disturbances. The indicators are positive for the new sites. The project manager believes that the geographical mapping of the Sully site is “the ultimate treasure hunt.”

Meanwhile the team is studying new gravity data and more permits have been applied for to the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Meanwhile, demand for zinc is outpacing supply worldwide — and the value of zinc is soaring. The price of zinc has now reached $1.17 per pound, a 60% jump from 2015, according to InfoMine.com. Also, there is projected to be a global shortfall of zinc of 500,000 tons, according to the Hindu Business Line.

Sources used for article content:
InfoMine.com
Hindu Business Line
https://born2invest.com/articles/kootenay-sully-project-rival-sullivan

For more information, refer to www.kootenayzinc.com

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides to users (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) enhanced press release services, and (3) a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) Sees North America Transactions Segment Grow Organically, Generate 81% of Total Sales in Q1 2017

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), for the three months ended March 31, 2017, enjoyed over 20% growth in revenues to $13,561,941, versus $11,261,059 for the same period a year earlier. North America Transaction Solutions, one of three operating segments of the global financial company, drove the firm’s growth, generating 81% of total sales compared to 70% during the same period of the prior year.

Net Element is a financial technology group that processes global transactions in an omni-channel environment in what is becoming a world of cashless transaction processing. The company processes electronic payments from point-of-sale and mobile devices.

Net revenues for the company were generated principally by payment processing fees in North America, where transactions jumped 40%, exhibiting organic growth, according to Zacks SCR Digest (http://nnw.fm/mTJ49). In 2016, Net Element recorded a 54% jump in North America to $42.1 million. That accounted for about 78% of total company sales for the year.

In the first quarter of 2017, North American Transactions increased their dominance of company sales — contributing 81% of Net Element sales. At the same time, the North American segment maintained its gross margin performance — contributing 14% for the first quarter of 2017 versus 15% during the same period of the prior year.

As the North American segment was cementing its hold on company revenues, mobile solutions continued their decline. In the first quarter of 2016, mobile solutions contributed 18% of company sales; that number fell to just 6% in the first quarter of 2017. Its sales dropped from $1,993,504 in 2016 down to $856,993 in the first quarter of 2017.

As a result of that performance, Oleg Firer, CEO of Net Element, said in a news release, “We are undertaking several strategic changes in the mobile solutions segment, which should yield results in the third-quarter of this year.”

SeeThruEquity, in an April 12, 2017, updated research report (http://nnw.fm/fFPV7), projects the company’s sales in FY 2017 at $62.9 million.

For more information, refer to www.NetElement.com

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Ethema Health Corp. (GRST) Drives Business Success through its Efficiency in Helping Patients Overcome Addiction

Although one of a number of substance abuse recovery and treatment centers in the southeastern coastal area of Florida, the Seastone of Delray – Drug Rehabilitation and Alcohol Treatment Center, owned and run by Ethema Health Corporation (OTCQB: GRST), is already standing out among its peers for the highly efficient individualized treatment options it offers its clients. Located in Delray Beach, which is often referred to as the rehab capital of America, Seastone offers a wide range of treatment programs of varying intensity, depending on each client’s needs. Unlike other centers, Seastone distinguishes itself by the attention paid to the individual client and family, making sure a highly detailed assessment is conducted before a specialized treatment plan is devised.

With a focus on customized treatment plans designed to help clients overcome their substance abuse issues permanently, Ethema Health Corporation’s center provides two forms of outpatient treatment: an intensive outpatient program, and a partial hospitalization program. Both approaches are built around the concepts of cognitive behavioral therapy and peer support, aiming to help clients see themselves and the world more clearly, and realize and accept that they’re facing an addiction issue, ultimately developing their stress management skills and self-esteem for long-term success.

Seastone’s drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs are divided into six stages, being structured for optimum recovery and accommodating any of their treatment plans. The six stages are:

Foundation – where clients get the highest level of direction and support to build a foundation for long-term recovery,
Discovery – where clients are taught to discard unhealthy ideas and habits gained during active addiction,
Creation – the development of sober, effective life skills,
Performance – helping clients gain more responsibility and independence,
Integration – clients continue to achieve more independence and responsibility by reintegrating in society,
Freedom – living full time in the community and dealing with real life issues.

Various treatment options and services are available for substance abuse treatment and recovery, ranging from psychiatric evaluation and drug addiction education to individual and group therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing treatment, art therapy, yoga or qigong, and more. While it does not provide initial detox services, Seastone does work closely with local detox units to offer clients all the support they need and then transfer them to the facility for long-term treatment. The center’s detox programs are designed to follow and expand on the detoxification process begun in a medical setting, with the purpose of helping clients stay clean and sober for the long term. This stage of the program can begin only after the client is medically stable and free of all withdrawal symptoms.

Ethema Health Corporation’s methods are focused on getting concrete results and complete recovery from addiction, a fact also acknowledged by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The worldwide organization has granted Seastone its Gold Seal of Approval®, which speaks to the professionalism and high-quality of services offered. Ethema’s unique efficiencies, together with its outstanding location, are seen as drivers of the company’s long-term operational and financial success

For more information about Ethema Health Corporation and Seastone, visit the substance abuse recovery facility online at www.seastonedrugrehab.com

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) provides news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Cannabis-Based Therapies with Potential to Dull the Pain of Opioid Abuse

NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage: America is in an opioid epidemic. On an average day, 91 Americans will die from an opioid-related overdose. That’s according to the CDC, which also reports that the number of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. has nearly quadrupled since 1999 despite no overall change in the amount of pain reported. The result is more than half a million deaths by opioid overdose from 2000 to 2015. These sobering figures reveal the desperate need for opioid substitutes, and cannabis-based therapies for pain treatment are emerging as viable alternatives. The potential rewards are significant for companies that can develop these therapies, and among those growing in recognition are India Globalization Capital, Inc. (IGC) (IGC Profile), Vitality Biopharma, Inc. (VBIO), Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (CARA), Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ZYNE) and AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (AXIM).

According to a 2016 report published by Transparency Market Research, analysts surmise that almost 20 percent of the world’s population currently suffers from chronic pain (1). As such, the global pain management therapeutics market is expected to exhibit a 3.7 percent CAGR through 2024, with market valuation increasing to US $83.0 billion by the same year.

A closer look at chronic pain explains this growth. Terminal illness, for one, is frequently accompanied by pain so agonizing, severe, and difficult to treat that death can seem like a preferable option to the patient. A key disadvantage of currently available drug therapies for chronic severe pain is that opioid-based drugs can create various side effects, including hallucinations, sedation, nausea, respiratory depression, constipation and dysphoria. Pain treatment also poses a significant challenge to health care professionals because it frequently debilitates patients in ways that hamper their day-to-day functionality, which, by extension, poses a huge productivity problem among U.S. citizens. In 2012, the annual cost of pain in the United States was estimated at between $560 billion and $635 billion—eclipsing the costs of national priority health conditions.

In light of this information, imagine for a moment the inconceivable potential of a cannabis-based combination therapy that could effectively address a large market indication. An achievement of this sort would propel an undiscovered stock straight into the spotlight. Such is the case and possibility with India Globalization Capital (IGC).

IGC aims to formulate and commercialize cannabinoid compounds as an alternative to addictive long-term opioid treatments, endeavoring to do so through a focus on combination therapy. The company is developing a portfolio of phytocannabinoid-based therapies to treat a broad range of therapeutic indications, including neuropathic and cancer pain. IGC has applied for a U.S. patent to treat pain based on a novel therapy that utilizes cannabinoid extracts. This therapy employs a cream that is applied through the use of various delivery technologies and has indications in both humans and other mammals, including dogs and cats. The company plans to conduct metabolic profiling and to run trials in the near term. IGC’s patent filing (IGC-501) is a cannabis-based formulation that addresses neuropathic and arthritic pain via various delivery techniques.

IGC’s innovative and exciting strategy is to leverage its “first mover” position to become a leader within the phytocannabinoid-based combination therapy specialty pharmaceutical sector. Developing cannabis-based combination therapies represents a huge and unique opportunity in this emerging specialty pharmaceutical sector. Obtaining FDA approval for combination therapy is typically significantly quicker and less costly than new drug applications, which means IGC can potentially bring its cannabis-based pharmaceutical products to market in a timely and thus cost-effective manner. With a market cap of approximately $11.0 million, a fraction of that of its peer group, IGC is poised to explode once its cannabis-based pain therapies obtain approval and can be brought to the market.

Another company taking aim at bringing cannabis-based therapies to market is Vitality Biopharma (VBIO), which has a market cap of approximately $51.7 million. A cure development company, Vitality Biopharma is focused on utilizing cannabinoid “prodrugs” to treat serious neurological and inflammatory disorders and to provide targeted therapies with the potential to offer long-term or durable relief and possibly help patients recover lost function.

Prodrugs are compounds or medications that, upon administration, are converted inside the body into a pharmacologically active drug that may already have a lengthy history of clinical investigation and use. As reference drugs may already have independent verification of their safety and effectiveness, some prodrugs can potentially be quickly approved by demonstrating comparable bioavailability or bioequivalence. A prodrug can simultaneously be much more marketable because of its ability to eradicate undesirable side effects or commercial aspects.

As public interest in medical marijuana applications continues to increase, clinical trials sponsored by academic investigators for using cannabinoids in the treatment of profitable, large-market disease indications is also increasing. Vitality Biopharma’s ability to quickly create proprietary prodrug versions of CBD, THC, CBVD and others positions the company to benefit from emerging data and increasing medical community recognition of the potential pain relief and anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids. It has become a well-established fact that cannabis has the potential to provide relief of pain and inflammation in certain disease indications, and Vitality Biopharma’s prodrugs have the potential to exert the same positive therapeutic effects as current therapies, with noteworthy improvements. Vitality Biopharma has filed intellectual property applications and is seeking global patent protection through 2035 with strong composition matter claims for prodrugs of THC, CBD and CBDV, as well as for the company’s proprietary prodrug biosynthesis platform that utilizes enzymatic glycosylation.

Another company applying the medical properties of cannabis for the treatment of pain is Cara Therapeutics (CARA), with a market cap of approximately $539.6 million. Cara Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities, which are designed to lessen pain and pruritus by selectively targeting peripheral kappa opioid receptors. The company is developing a novel and proprietary class of product candidates designed to target the peripheral nervous system of the body and that have shown initial efficacy in patients suffering with moderate-to-severe pain. This has been demonstrated without creating many of the unwanted side effects that are normally associated with current pain therapeutics.

Studies conducted to assess the effects of cannabis have led to a recent discovery of an endogenous system of ligands within humans that are involved in various physiological processes, including pain and inflammation. The primary naturally occurring ligands for this system activate numerous cannabinoid receptors, including CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors and associated ligands are primarily localized in the brain, while CB2 receptors are chiefly found in peripheral tissues—in particular immune cells like leukocytes and mast cells, which have been shown to have involvement in pain and inflammatory responses. Cara Therapeutics is developing lead molecules that selectively modulate peripheral CB receptors without targeting CNS cannabinoid receptors. The company will initially develop peripheral CB receptor modulators as a novel therapeutic approach for neuropathic pain. CR701, the company’s most advanced CB compound, is currently in preclinical development.

Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (ZYNE), with a market cap of approximately $255.8 million, is also seeking to treat a variety of severe health conditions, including peripheral neuropathic pain—in this case by applying synthetic cannabinoid therapeutics that are formulated for transdermal delivery. A clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, Zynerba Pharmaceuticals currently has two lead product candidates in its development pipeline: ZYN002 and ZYN001. These product candidates are being evaluated in five therapeutic indications. ZYN002 is the first and, currently, the only synthetic CBD, which is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. It has been formulated as a patent-protected permeation-enhanced gel for transdermal delivery through the skin into the body’s circulatory system and is in phase 2 clinical development. ZYN001 is a prodrug of THC that facilitates transdermal delivery through the skin and into the circulatory system through a patch. A phase 1 clinical trial of ZYN001 is planned to commence in 2017.

AXIM Biotechnologies (AXIM), with a market cap of approximately $410.5 million, is focused on the research, development and production of cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products and supplements. The company owns the patent for the use of chewing gum as a cannabinoid delivery method, and its MedChew RX gum will soon commence phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of pain and spasticity related to multiple sclerosis. This pharmaceutical, functional chewing gum contains equal portions of THC and CBD. Thanks to the company’s proprietary technology, various problems related to the water insolubility of cannabinoids have been addressed and resolved. Based on AXIM’s proprietary intellectual property, a new direct and controlled slow-release nano-technology delivery method is planned to be investigated. Various other R&D projects are also being considered that involve AXIM’s proprietary intellectual property.

There is no denying the power and potential of cannabis-based therapies for pain management, and investors have the opportunity to scout the playing field of this market to identify the most promising companies. This growing segment of the health care field increasingly demonstrates favorability by addressing key health issues that affect people in the United States and around the world.

Sources:
(1) Transparency Market Research http://nnw.fm/uL54B

For more information on India Globalization Capital visit India Globalization Capital (IGC)

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides to users (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) enhanced press release services, and (3) a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer