Cannabis extracts are poised to become a $28.5 billion market by 2027, according to Grand View Market Research, representing a 16.6% compound annual growth rate. At the same time, the functional mushroom market is forecast to reach $34.3 billion by 2024, which represents a respectable 8% compound annual growth rate.

Let’s take a look at the growing demand for cannabis and other extracts and why Pure Extracts Technologies Corp. (CSE: PULL) is well positioned to capitalize on the market.

Powering Next-Gen Products

Canada legalized cannabis extracts in October 2019, opening the door to edibles, beverages, topicals and vaping products. While dried cannabis still represents about 70% of sales, cannabis extracts and edibles have each captured about 14% of the market. Cannabis edibles, in particular, have become one of the fastest growing segments of the market.

Growth in Cannabis Edibles – Source: Canada Government

There’s no doubt that cannabis extracts, such as edibles and beverages, appeal to a wider consumer market than dried cannabis. On the other hand, the production of hash, rosin and other extract-based products has provided legal alternatives to popular black-market products – where much of sales remain outside of legal dispensaries.

Many large, licensed producers have begun scaling up their in-house extraction capabilities, but many others have outsourced extraction to specialists. With experienced teams and equipment, these companies offer better economies of scale by taking in raw cannabis and converting it into a variety of extract-based products for resale to consumers.

Recurring Revenue & Blue-Sky Potential

Pure Extracts Technologies Corp. (CSE: PULL) provides tolling and white-labeling services via its state-of-the-art 10,000 sq. ft. EU GMP-compliant cannabis and hemp extraction facility. After securing a processing license and agreements with Licensed Producers, the Company is already generating revenue through tolling agreements and will soon scale up its white label business.

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In addition, the Company has developed its own nationally recognized vape pen brand, called Pure Pulls, with over 34 proprietary formulations. The team is in the process of applying for a sales license to bring Pure Pulls back to market in the near-term, along with its edibles brand, Pure Chews, which could open the door to blue sky revenue potential.

The Company is also expanding its business to include mushroom extracts by working on functional mushroom extraction processes compatible with its existing infrastructure. Management believes that there exists a significant opportunity for it to become an important extraction partner for the commercialization of new functional mushroom products.

Exceptional Management Team

Pure Extracts Technologies (CSE: PULL) has assembled an impressive management team and advisory board. With a flat management structure, the team is laser-focused on creating high-quality products and building a sustainable business that’s EBITDA positive. These efforts could unlock significant long-term shareholder value in a growing market.

 CEO Ben Nikolaevsky joined the Company after serving as President and CEO of Natura Naturals Inc., a private Licensed Producer that was sold to Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY). Founder and COO Doug Benville brings substantial experience with cannabis extracts, while Andy Gauvin brings a wealth of sales experience after serving as a vice president at Moosehead Breweries.

In addition to its management team, the Company recently appointed Dwight Duncan, a senior member of the Ontario Legislature, to its Board of Directors, as well as Dr. Alexander MacGregar, an expert in drug delivery technologies, to its Advisory Board. These appointments reflect its focus on regulatory compliance and research and development.

Click here to receive and investor presentation and corporate updates

The Bottom Line

Pure Extracts Technologies Inc. (CSE: PULL) recently secured a processing license from Health Canada and went public on the Canadian Securities Exchange. With an experienced and focused team at the helm, investors may want to take a look at the stock as a way to capitalize on the growing demand for cannabis and other plant-based extracts.

For more information, visit the Company’s website or download their investor presentation.

Disclaimer

The above article is sponsored content. CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, have been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

This article was published by CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN), owner and operator of CFN Media, the industry’s leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the burgeoning CBD and legal cannabis industries. Call +1 (833) 420-CNFN for more information.

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.

California has the world’s largest cannabis market with an estimated $12 billion in annual sales. While legal cannabis sales topped $3 billion last year, the state continues to struggle to meet high expectations with logistical and other challenges.

ManifestSeven Holdings Corporation (CSE: MSVN), which recently debuted on the Canadian Securities Exchange on September 30, aspires to solve many of these problems with its innovative business model designed to connect enterprises operating across legal cannabis supply chain — from cultivator to retailer, and everyone in between — to consumers in a more uniform and familiar manner, and without all of the overhead. In essence, it’s building the ‘Amazon of Cannabis’ with service stretching from Sacramento to San Diego and extending across the value chain.

Let’s take a look at ManifestSeven’s resilient management team and how it plans to scale revenue and grow shareholder value over the coming months.

From Railroads to Fiber

ManifestSeven is often referred to as the ‘Amazon of Cannabis’, but like Amazon.com, there’s a lot more to the business than its public facing website. Amazon.com relies on an extensive distribution network that includes its own fleet of vehicles and cargo airline, as well as a network of more than 175 fulfillments centers around the world.

CEO Sturges Karban explains what investors can expect in the coming year:

ManifestSeven doesn’t have the same distribution capacity, mainly because it faces several more barriers when it comes to selling highly regulated cannabis products. Nonetheless, the company has spent the past few years building out and integrating the physical infrastructure that now supports its growing distribution services and retail businesses, including its network of distribution centers and dispensaries across the state of California—from Sacramento to San Diego.

This nascent “laying of the railroads” phase, as CEO Sturges Karban describes it — which was very focused on assembling the nuts and bolts of M7’s physical infrastructure — is increasingly ready for an upgrade into a more modern, “fiber optic” network. As the company pivots to rolling out additional services, many of which will be underpinned by technology platforms familiar to businesses and consumers alike from other industries, the sophistication and reach of the company’s distribution and retail platforms can only grow stronger and deeper; while the company is already generating growing revenue and closing in on profitability, the team plans to scale its market footprint and increase customer penetration by aggressively exploiting its 1-800-CANNABIS brand and technology assets over the coming year.

Resilient Management Team

ManifestSeven had spent three years building a resilient business model before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Despite the impact of the pandemic, between Q1 and Q2 of 2020, the company managed to increase revenue by 25% quarter over quarter, reduce its net burn by over 70% and complete a capital raise during a period of capital starvation—a testament to its strong business model and leadership team.

Listen to CEO Sturges Karban on why MSVN is attractive to investors:

 The company’s management team is led by CEO Sturges Karban, a Harvard-educated businessman who has more than 20 years of experience across capital markets, investment banking, asset management and high-growth operations. Prior to joining the company in 2014, he co-founded Meridian Advisors, a boutique consultancy in LA, NYC and London.

Sturges is joined in the C-suite by a number of executives who share a similar background and pedigree. Urban Smedeby, the President of the company, has 30 years of experience in the global capital markets, with a principal focus on affinity industries, such as life sciences. The company’s Chief Investment Officer hails from CIM Group, California’s largest real estate private equity fund. Dilshad Kasmani, M7’s Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, practiced at Andrews Kurth LLP and Paul Hastings LLP, before going in-house at Cardtronics plc (NASDAQ: CATM) and then American Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: AMID). In addition to this resident strategic and financial experience, the company’s C-suite includes Chief Operating Officer Pierre Rouleau, an entrepreneurial executive with repeated successes in the regulated cannabis, high-tech, and aviation industries; prior to ManifestSeven, Pierre was the Chairman and COO of cannabis dispensary operator, ShowGrow, where he helped expand that company’s retail presence into multiple locations across California and Nevada during the early days of statewide legalization, bringing to the table longstanding channel, operational, and industry relationships, experience, and expertise. 

Looking Ahead

ManifestSeven Holdings Corporation (CSE: MSVN) has built a dynamic business that expects to encounter numerous catalysts over the coming months. With plans to scale revenue through its 1-800-CANNABIS brand and technology assets, investors may want to take a closer look at the stock. On September 30, the company debuted on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol MSVN, making it accessible to retail traders and investors.

For more information, visit the company’s website or download their investor presentation.

Disclaimer

The above article is sponsored content. CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, have been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

This article was published by CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN), owner and operator of CFN Media, the industry’s leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the burgeoning CBD and legal cannabis industries. Call +1 (833) 420-CNFN for more information.

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.

The legal cannabis industry is projected to grow from $12.4 billion in 2019 to $23 billion by 2025, according to New Frontier Data, driven by the liberalization of medical and adult-use laws around the country. While federal regulations have started to catch up, the industry continues to struggle with a lack of access to the banking industry.

CannaTrac(R) developed the CannaCard(R) and the CannaCard App(R) to provide consumers and retailers with a convenient way to benefit from the increased safety and convenience of cashless purchases within the legal cannabis industry. By capturing early market share, the company aims to become the go-to payment solution for the cannabis industry and beyond.

CFN Media recently caught up with CannaTrac(R) CEO Thomas Gavin at MJBizCon in Las Vegas to discuss the company’s recent progress and upcoming catalysts:

Let’s take a look at where CannaTrac(R) is headed over the coming months, why investors should take note, and how interested investors can learn more.

Are you an accredited investor? Click here to receive the CannaTrac(R) investor deck and corporate updates.

Following a Very Successful Model

Starbucks launched its mobile payment product back in 2011. By 2017, nearly one-third of all transactions were paid through the app rather than credit cards or cash. Customers paying with the mobile app spent three times more than the average customer, while the company was able to reduce credit card costs and fulfill orders more quickly.

The company’s success was driven by two factors:

• Loyalty Systems – Starbucks built a lucrative rewards system with immediate ‘stars’ for each purchase, free drink offers, free refills and drink upgrades. Customers were already scanning their loyalty cards every day and adding a payment method was a small jump to make.
• Customer Engagement – Starbucks doubled-down on digital marketing by data mining their audience. Using these insights, they improved marketing campaigns and addressed the real needs of their customer base.

CannaTrac(R) is using these same levers in the burgeoning cannabis and hemp space. Customers are rewarded with points for each purchase that can be used at participating locations, while retailers can sidestep thorny banking issues and focus on growing their business. The solution also ensures that retailers are following compliance and KYC laws.

In addition to brick-and-mortar locations, the company built an online plugin for CBD retailers that enables them to easily integrate CannaCard(R) payments into their ecommerce platforms. These retailers also have easy access to loyalty and rewards capabilities to incentivize repeat purchases that are difficult to implement as a standalone solution.

Leveraging Partners for Distribution

It’s no secret that the payment space is very competitive with high barriers to entry. Many successful payment startups rely on industry partnerships to break through these barriers and reach the scale needed to succeed. For instance, new credit card startups often partner with existing banks rather than trying to acquire their own banking license.

CannaTrac(R) signed an agreement with Valid USA Inc. in December 2019. Under the terms of the agreement, Valid will provide the technology to implement, distribute, license and promote the company’s payment solution software and products under the CannaCard(R) brand name. In essence, the company will be able to launch more features to more people.

The partnership is a big deal because Valid is the fifth largest producer of SIM cards in the world and one of the top ten global manufacturers of banking cards with 6,000 employees across 16 countries — it has the scale required to help CannaTrac(R) rapidly expand across borders and quickly launch the features needed to set it apart from the competition.

The company also partnered with Pacific Banking Corp. in 2019 to provide state-licensed dispensaries and CBD retailers with the ability to apply for the CannaCard(R) payment platform and banking services with PBC simultaneously with a single application. For many potential customers, it’s the first time they have the opportunity for traditional banking services.

On the marketing front, the company recently announced a gifting booth partnership with GBK and In-Stand Media to take place from January 23 through January 26 to celebrate the 2020 GRAMMY Awards nominees and past winners. The off-site gifting booth will be giving away CannaCard® merchandise to celebrity attendees to raise awareness.

Looking Ahead

CannaTrac(R) is currently raising a $3 to $5 million seed round on top of a $15.7 million Series A to scale both domestically and internationally. The company plans to launch a redesign of its app in March 2020 and continue marketing at marquis and red carpet events.

Are you an accredited investor? Click here to receive an investor deck and corporate updates.

Disclaimer

CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on https://www.cannabisfn.com(the ‘Site’) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies.  We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news.

This article was published by CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN), owner and operator of CFN Media, the industry’s leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the burgeoning CBD and legal cannabis industries. Call +1 (833) 420-CNFN for more information.

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.

To say finding financial services has been difficult for cannabis and hemp companies in recent years is a gross understatement. For many, even understanding regulations has been arduous at best. A lack of continuity in regulations between states and federal laws has traditional banks steering clear of the industry for fear of backlash, but that doesn’t need to be the case with the new hemp laws, according to the industry financial services experts at CannaTrac Technology.

In December 2018, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka 2018 Farm Bill) was signed into law, legalizing hemp at the federal level at the start of 2019. Still, banks remained distant and cautious because of murky regulations. Earlier this month, five government agencies unitedly clarified policy for financial institutions with regards to hemp-related businesses.

“They’ve removed some of the archaic processes for banks in tracking accounts for companies dealing with hemp,” said Thomas Gavin IV, Vice Chairman and CEO of CannaTrac, in a phone conversation with CFN Media. “Now that hemp is no longer federally scheduled alongside marijuana, some requirements have been eased, which is terrific for our industry.”

CannaTrac specializes in financial services in the cannabis/hemp space. The Chicago-based company offers a suite of services for financial institutions as well as its industry-leading cashless mobile payment systems solution branded CannaCard that benefits retailers and consumers alike.

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Why the Hesitancy for Banks? 

Although they look essentially identical, hemp and cannabis have a major differentiating factor. Specifically, hemp is a non-intoxicating version of Cannabis Sativa, meaning that it contains zero to negligible amounts of THC, the compound in cannabis responsible for the “high.” Having no psychoactive effect along with many industrial, cosmetic and potential medical uses underscored hemp being removed as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substance Act with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.

While cannabis is legal in 33 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. for either medical or recreational uses, it remains a Schedule I narcotic and illegal at the federal level. The federal designation means that the majority of banks don’t want to touch money stemming from cannabis operations.

Hemp being a cousin of cannabis has muddied the situation for banks there also. Without traditional banking services, companies operating in either the hemp or cannabis markets (or both) have been forced into all-cash models.

This is a highly inefficient and unsafe practice that companies have been coerced into.

Apropos, a partnership between Pacific Banking Corp and CannaTrac addresses this obstacle by allowing licensed retailers to apply for the CannaCard system and traditional banking services at the same time.

What the Agencies Said

On December 3, the governing bodies looked to provide some clarity about changes in banking services with the 2018 Farm Bill. In a statement, the group – consisting of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors – did just that, writing:

“Because hemp is no longer a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, banks are not required to file a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) on customers solely because they are engaged in the growth or cultivation of hemp in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. For hemp-related customers, banks are expected to follow standard SAR procedures, and file a SAR if indicia of suspicious activity warrants.”

The agencies also said that it remains up to a state’s or tribal government’s discretion to allow hemp operations regardless of the legal federal status.

Rob Nichols, President of the American Bankers Association, applauded the regulatory guidance, calling it “long-sought” while particularly pointing out that the onus for complying with regulatory requirements is on bank customers in the hemp industry and not the bank serving those customers.

“Effectively, hemp-related companies aren’t being singled out anymore,” said Gavin. “To that point, financial institutions from the Fed’s purview can service these companies and need only to act in accordance with policies that they would for their other customers as allowed by local laws.”

The guidance further made it clear that all federal regulations regarding marijuana businesses have not been affected in any manner and that all policy outlined in prior years remains intact with cannabis remaining a Schedule I drug.

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Trend Shift

Most strongly believe that someday there won’t be an all-cash model for marijuana companies, whether it comes in the form of new banking laws, de-scheduling of cannabis or outright legalization of the plant. It’s going to be a slow change, considering it took nearly a year for some clarity on financial services in the hemp space.

Currently, CannaTrac stands head and shoulders above the crowd with its CannaCard system and is being rolled out in states where marijuana is legal, including the massive California market. The company is in the process of a $15 million capital raise to fuel its tremendous growth opportunity in the US and internationally, as it prepares to become a publicly traded entity.

“While we are a leading player in the cash-only cannabis world today, we’re also thinking three steps ahead,” commented Gavin. “We have our model competitively priced with today’s conventional card services, which will give us an edge as the established name brand in the business when full marijuana legalization occurs in the future.”

In the face of an industry-wide shakeup, the outlook of the cannabis financial markets remains positive according to some industry experts. Take Terry Patton, Founder and Chairman of CannaTrac, a financial markets veteran, for example. He agrees wholeheartedly with Danny Moses of The Big Short who was quoted in a recent interview as saying “I‘ve never seen a sector have the political tailwinds, the economic tailwinds, and the wellness tailwinds that this sector potentially has…” Patton further added, “In my years of experience, when people are flocking out of the market, this has often been the greatest opportunity for the steadfast investor to take advantage of lower price points of entry in growth companies to accumulate wealth.”

Accredited? Click here to receive an investor tear sheet and corporate updates

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Disclaimer

CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on https://www.cannabisfn.com(the ‘Site’) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies.  We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news.

This article was published by CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN), owner and operator of CFN Media, the industry’s leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the burgeoning CBD and legal cannabis industries. Call +1 (833) 420-CNFN for more information.

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” is a famous passage from John 14:1 to find comfort in troubled times, a mantra that ManifestSeven CEO Sturges Karban finds applicable for the state of the cannabis market today. Karban recently took some time to sit down with CFN Media to discuss the cannabis industry, where he sees it heading and how ManifestSeven is ignoring the market noise and building what is effectively the Amazon of the cannabis space.

This is Normal

Every nascent market goes through volatility and cycles. Think back a couple decades to the tech boom, a time when most people didn’t even understand what the internet was, much less how it was going to reshape the world. And what happened? There were some violent swings before things ironed out. We got Google, PayPal, Apple and other tech juggernauts out of it.

Presently, cryptocurrency is doing the same thing as it goes through growing pains.

There is a decisive difference between those two and the cannabis space, though. The internet and crypto were things people had never heard of when those markets started emerging. People in virtually every corner of the planet know what cannabis is. It is a plant with proven demand worldwide for thousands of years.

Karban says he’s not afraid of machinations in the cannabis evolution – which he believes are normal market cycles as businesses, consumers and lawmakers figure out how to navigate the nascent market. In his view, cannabis stocks were experiencing rapid growth and frothiness in the public markets and a pullback was inevitable. That certainly has been the case since spring, with most so-called “pot stocks” seeing their valuations at least halved.

Are you an accredited investor? Learn how to invest in ManifestSeven before it goes public 

Cases in point: Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC)(TSX: WEED), the biggest cannabis company in the world, saw its stock price gashed by 73.8% from the end of April to a low last month before making up a little ground. Peer Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ACB)(TSX: ACB) suffered a similar fate, with shares jettisoning 77.2% from April to November.  

Now, Karban believes we’re near the bottom of the cycle and ready for the next sustainable “hockey stick” move upward largely underpinned by fundamentals rather than mostly speculation. 

Are you an accredited investor? Learn how to invest in ManifestSeven before it goes public 

The New Standard 

Cannabis 2.0 is the colloquial term for the next generation of legal marijuana. Some may think it is about new product forms hitting shelves at dispensaries, and it is to a certain extent, but it is more about normalization of the industry. This means implementation of all the hallmarks of long-term, institutional-grade enterprises.

Simply, companies are no longer going to fly by with napkin drawings about their big plans in what is forecast to be a $66.3 billion market in the next five years. 

Karban sees companies being measured by more traditional metrics in Cannabis 2.0 as “the right type of standards and protocols” become benchmarks of the industry. This means things like corporate governance, profitability, real asset bases, enhancing the balance sheet and professional and responsible management of risks and expenses becoming top priorities. 

The next 12 months will be characterized by companies that demonstrate these qualities rising to the top, figures Karban. “The Googles, PayPals and Amazons of the [cannabis] world are starting to line up,” he said during the conversation.

Intrepid Investors

Cannabis-related stocks may have suffered in 2019, but retail investors aren’t the least bit put off, according to a survey commissioned by ManifestSeven and conducted by global business advisory firm FTI Consulting. In the survey, 83% of American respondents viewed the 12-month outlook for the overall cannabis industry as “slightly” or “very” positive, as did 79% of Canadians surveyed.

Seeing the big picture, not the current blood in the streets, Karban knows that valuations normalizing will lure more institutional money off the sidelines to support the right kind of issuers. In turn, more professional investors will recognize the opportunity.

Capitalizing on Market Conditions

ManifestSeven is building an omni-channel platform for B2B and B2C cannabis commerce. Effectively, the platform will include distribution infrastructure and services for every channel in retail cannabis, including dispensaries, on-demand delivery, in-store pickup, e-commerce and e-commerce subscriptions. 

As detailed by Karban, consumers are habituated to the dynamic of retailers having extensive reach into supply chains to get what they need. Using Banana Republic, a Gap (NYSE:GPS) company, as an example, Karban explained that people are accustomed to walking into a store and if the apparel they want isn’t in stock, it is addressed instantly by an associate with a few taps on an iPad to scan the back room, warehouses and all other locations across the country to see where the closest one is.

Are you an accredited investor? Learn how to invest in ManifestSeven before it goes public

In that lane, ManifestSeven’s platform is an “order from anywhere, fulfill from anywhere” model that brings true value to the cannabis supply chain by seamlessly connecting businesses to businesses and businesses to consumers. The initial focus is in California where ManifestSeven now covers 80-85% of the state’s population from a service coverage perspective. 

2019 has been a big year for the company. During the spring, a $22 million private placement was completed, providing expansion capital. ManifestSeven acquired six companies in the distribution and retail space over the past nine months. This included their first cannabis dispensary, located in Santa Ana, California, and the 1-800-CANNABIS asset that serves as a central component of the platform.

Right now, Karban says they’re in the midst of completing another private placement during which they are raising capital at a 2x valuation compared to the funding round earlier this year. The takeaway there is that while most companies have been languishing, there is no down round for ManifestSeven.

The company has four or five more acquisitions it is considering, according to Karban, and plans to become a public entity in the coming months. He didn’t come out and say as much, but ManifestSeven’s plan to enter the public domain certainly implies that Karban is steadfast in his contention that the cannabis market is about to begin a new upward cycle with quality companies winning the capital from retail and institutional investors. 

Are you an accredited investor? Learn how to invest in ManifestSeven before it goes public

Click Here to Receive CFN Media’s Newsletter Every Week in Your Inbox

Disclaimer

CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on https://www.cannabisfn.com(the ‘Site’) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies.  We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news.

This article was published by CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN), owner and operator of CFN Media, the industry’s leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the burgeoning CBD and legal cannabis industries. Call +1 (833) 420-CNFN for more information.

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.

Believe it or not, the world’s first blockbuster drug is still one of the most commonly used today. Acetylsalicylic acid, better known as Aspirin®, is a synthetic derivative of the natural substance salicylic acid, an extract from the bark of the white willow tree. Any company would like to invent a drug that enjoys 100+ years of massive global usage and the possibility exists that cannabis could play a role in making that happen for someone.

Charting a Similar Path

People have been using salicylic acid to treat inflammation and fevers for over 2,400 years.  That’s right, when Greek engineers invented the catapult about 400 B.C., they may have used salicylic acid to treat their achy joints after moving some heavy rocks into position. Later, chemist Charles Frédéric Gerhardt made a breakthrough in 1853 by creating acetylsalicylic acid for the first time.  By 1899, Bayer dialed-in the chemical structure and was selling Aspirin® to the world.

Hemp, a cousin to cannabis that lacks tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive high in marijuana, is regarded as one of the world’s oldest industrial crops.  It’s history dates back more than 10,000 years.

About 8,000 years ago, cannabis seeds and oil were used for food in China, with the first documented use of medical cannabis happening by Chinese Emperor Shen Neng roughly 4,750 years ago.  Interestingly, the Chinese world for “anesthesia” (mázui 麻) translates to “cannabis intoxication” because it was used to sedate people (along with wine) before surgery.

Now that the ending of cannabis prohibition is sweeping the globe, there has been a huge upswing in laboratory and clinical research as biotechs and pharmas seek to bring new cannabis-based products to market.  Will one of these drugs become the next aspirin?

Massive Potential

In an interview with Bloomberg, Marc Feldmann, an immunologist who helped discover a class of drugs that includes the blockbusters Humira and Remicade, commented that there is “massive potential” for the medical uses related to cannabis. Dr. Feldman now has dedicated himself to the market opportunity, teaming with cannabis researcher legend Dr. Raphael Mechoulam to start Toronto-based CannBioRex Pharmaceuticals.

While most companies are looking to the cannabis plant for active ingredients, Dr. Feldmann believes that the key to a new class of drugs resides in synthetic cannabis.

Dr. Joseph Tucker, an experienced executive and expert in synthetic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and drug development and commercialization, shares the view of Dr. Feldmann insomuch that synthetic cannabis represents the future for purity and repeatability in cannabis-based drug development.  Dr. Tucker is the Executive Chair and Co-Founder of Willow Biosciences (CSE: WLLW)(OTC: CANSF) with the purpose of becoming the largest manufacturer of biosynthetically produced cannabinoids.

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The synthetic biology company was formed this year through the merger of BIOCAN Technologies: a team of experienced executives from Calgary and researchers from the University of British Columbia, and Epimeron: a team of researchers from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.

“In addition to consistency and reproducibility, synthetic cannabis can be a much more cost-effective process than plant-based extraction or chemical synthesis, the only options that companies have today,” said Dr. Tucker in a phone interview with CFN Media. “Based on our estimates, biosynthetic production is about 90% faster and cheaper than plant-based extraction. We are of the opinion that synthetic processes will ultimately re-shape how cannabinoids are produced and open new gateways to advanced pharmaceutical opportunities to help people in medical need.”

Willow’s scientific progress is complemented by a team of experts in other areas of business, including CEO Trevor Peters. Peters has co-founded four startups in the last 15 years and been involved in corporate exits totaling more than $4 billion. He was most recently CFO at Caracal Energy, a London listed energy company which Glencore (OTCQX: GLNCY) bought in 2014 for $1.4 billion.

“We’ve got a great, well-rounded team at Willow Biosciences that can execute on our initiatives,” said Dr. Tucker. “There is a growing library of evidence to the effectiveness of cannabinoids.  This will provide tailwinds for drug companies to push hard to utilize cannabinoids in new therapeutics, which should have us well positioned to fill future demand.”

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How Massive is Massive?

Clinically speaking, there are more than 300 cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoid-based treatment options currently in human trials for indications such as PTSD, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, schizophrenia and others. The APIs are being sourced from traditional methods, which keeps research on promising rarer cannabinoids out of reach.  In order to tap into this market, an economically viable production method, like synthesis, is necessary.

Historic sales of cannabis-related drugs have been splotchy at best. The market for Marinol (dronabinol), a synthetic pill based on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and approved in 1998 for treating nausea and vomiting in cancer patients and anorexia in AIDS patients, was about $150 million in 2016.

On the other hand, analysts are higher on new drugs.  Evaluate Pharma forecasts that Epidiolex, the novel CBD drug of GW Pharma (NASDAQ: GWPH) approved last year by the FDA for treating two rare forms of childhood epilepsy, will reach blockbuster status with sales topping $1 billion in 2021.

More broadly, the U.S. cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals market size is projected to grow to $50 billion annually by 2029, according to Ackrell Capital’s 2018 Cannabis Investment Report.  Analysts at Cowen predict that U.S. retail sales of CBD will reach $16 billion by 2025.

Willow Biosciences plan is to be a leading player catering to both markets.  In order to achieve this goal, Willow last month partnered with Noramco, the largest supplier of controlled substance APIs in the U.S. and biggest producer of pharmaceutical APIs in the world. Specifically, the two will work collaboratively to develop a yeast-based biosynthesis platform for the production and distribution of CBD.

Noramco is stepping up to tap into this burgeoning market. Per the accord, Willow will take care of expenses related to optimizing the yeast strains and Noramco will take it from there.  Noramco will cover the costs for scale-up, regulatory submission, marketing and distribution through its extensive global network.

The beauty of the deal for a small company like Willow Biosciences is that both partners will share equally in the profits.

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Disclaimer

The above article is sponsored content. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, has been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.