Feature Stories – MJ Shareholders https://mjshareholders.com The Ultimate Marijuana Business Directory Tue, 06 Nov 2018 00:15:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 MediPharm Labs Perfecting Cannabis Extracts, Plus Exclusive Executive Interview https://mjshareholders.com/medipharm-labs-perfecting-cannabis-extracts-plus-exclusive-executive-interview/ Tue, 06 Nov 2018 00:15:49 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1853329

Robin Lefferts

November 5th, 2018

Exclusive, Feature Stories, News

The cannabis market is moving toward oils, extracts, and cannabis-derived products based on oils and extracts. As the cannabis industry comes into the regulatory light of day consumers are consistently showing their preference for oils and associated products over smoked cannabis flower.

MediPharm Labs,Corp. (TSX-V: LABS) is in a prime position to capitalize on and further drive these trends. With Canada leading the global push toward legalization (mostly for medical but also for adult-recreational use in some jurisdictions), the Ontario-based company is taking advantage of the country’s early mover status to lay the groundwork for market penetration not only domestically but internationally. As Canada’s first licensed producer to receive a license for cannabis oil production without first receiving a cultivation license, MediPharm has turned the typical Canadian model – vertically integrated cultivator active in all aspects from seed to sale – on its head with its laser focus on oils and extracts, the highest value sector of the cannabis products market.

Supply and Production Agreements

Without its own capacity to grow cannabis flower, MediPharm has entered into multi-year Cannabis Concentrate Program agreements with a number of licensed producers. The company has arrangements with James E. Wagner Cultivation, Bonify, INDIVA Ltd., and Emerald Health Therapeutics. The arrangements typically call for the partners to supply MediPharm with cannabis (flower or trim) over a one- to three-year term. MediPharm then creates the purified extracts and sends them back to the partner, and there is a financial arrangement that can include a processing fee and revenue sharing from product sales. MediPharm also has a supply agreement for a wholesale purchase of dry cannabis from UP Cannabis/Newstrike.

These are partnerships that allow each company to do what it does best. Down the road, as cannabis-derived products like edibles and beverages become legal under Canada’s regulations, MediPharm intends to take these arrangements a step further by white-labeling cannabis products for customers. MediPharm would offer research, formulation, production, and packaging services to other companies to sell. It’s similar to the pharmaceutical contract-manufacturing model that dominates the industry.

The pharmaceutical comparison is especially apt in this case. As cannabis is regulated, both medically and for adult-use markets, the need for standardized and clean products and processes increases greatly. MediPharm is applying pharmaceutical standards to its production, ensuring that the company’s products and facilities meet the most stringent regulations of any potential market. MediPharm’s facilities are ISO 14644 classified and built to exceed international cGMP standards. Many of the company’s executives, from CEO Pat McCutcheon through recently-appointed COO David Mayers to VP Business Development Keith Strachan and Director of Quality Control and Assurance Dr. Chris Talpas, have deep experience in the pharmaceutical industry and are constantly working to assure MediPharm is meeting the highest standards possible.

International Ambitions

MediPharm holds 80% ownership in MediPharm Labs Australia and construction is currently underway on a facility designed to produce the same pure extracts and oils as the Ontario operation. The company has submitted a manufacturing license application with the proper authorities and anticipates a Spring 2019 opening pending receipt of the license. The Australian medical cannabis market is in its infancy. Prohibition Partners estimates the current market at about $17 million but projects it could be worth upwards of $1 billion by 2024.

MediPharm anticipates using its operation there as mostly an export facility until such time as the domestic market matures and grows to larger levels. Of course, export activities are subject to the proper licenses and regulations being in place. Establishing a foothold there with another world-class facility is a strategic move that will give MediPharm operations and access points around the globe.

Looking Ahead

The graphic above is very instructive. In Canada, the world’s most mature and regulated cannabis market, there is a clear trend toward cannabis oils as flower sales remain relatively static. The same trend can be seen in US states that have legalized, where the proliferation of products offers consumers alternatives to smoking the cannabis flower.

MediPharm’s state-of-the-art facilities can process 100,000 kg of dry cannabis annually, with a fully funded and licensed expansion adding another 150,000 kg of capacity by mid-2019. To give you some perspective, Health Canada reports that all licensed producers in the country held just over 66,000 kg of dried cannabis in stock as of the end of June 2018, the most recent month for which these statistics are available. MediPharm’s capacity is not small, the company operates in a high-margin, high-growth sector of a high-growth industry, and it’s not settling solely on the Canadian domestic market. Stay tuned for further developments.

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 Robin Lefferts

]]> Long-Awaited Planet 13 Vegas Superstore Opens November 1st, 2018 https://mjshareholders.com/long-awaited-planet-13-vegas-superstore-opens-november-1st-2018/ Fri, 02 Nov 2018 12:45:13 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1828864

Tony Deyes

November 2nd, 2018

Feature Stories

There is a new tourist destination in Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world.

Planet 13 Holdings Inc. (CSE: PLTH) (OTCQB: PLNHF) a leading vertically-integrated Nevada cannabis company with award-winning cultivation, production, and dispensary operations in Las Vegas, announced on Monday, Oct. 29, that it received the final site approvals necessary to open its long-anticipated Planet 13 Superstore on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

Located at 2548 West Desert Road, just off the famed Vegas Strip, Phase 1 of the 40,000 square foot Superstore will not only feature one of the world’s largest cannabis dispensaries – 16,500 square feet of retail space with 45 registers to handle the 2,000 plus anticipated daily visitors – but also a state-of-the-art, fully-interactive entertainment complex.

The Attractions

Visitors will be greeted by an 18-foot outdoor Planet 13-branded water feature outside the entrance, where sophisticated control panels will allow them to control the acrylic leaves of thirteen 15-ft. tall lotus LED flowers located on the roof and visible from the surrounding hotels.

The lobby’s grand hallway features sensory-activated LED floor panels which create an interactive show as visitors walk over them and once inside, they’ll be treated to a recurring, glowing aerial orb show above the dispensary. They can interact with an interactive art wall, where they can create unique written patterns and drawings, and marvel at a 3D Projection Visual Experience, with three-dimensional visuals projected onto the walls and ceiling of the dispensary space.

The Products

Planet 13 has partnered with PAX Labs, the leading vaporizer brand, to provide personal engravings of Pax products during its Superstore’s opening week. Nevada cultivators and suppliers have been clamoring to have their products showcased, and the company has entered into supply agreements with seven premium cannabis brands. It’s also been stockpiling inventory throughout October in anticipation of strong immediate demand. Product expansion is not limited to these brands, and Planet 13 will remain on trend by offering the highest-quality, in-demand, and exclusive brands, including its wholly-owned, award-winning Medizin branded products, from flower and concentrates to vape cartridges. Planet 13’s entire menu can be viewed on its website.

This is only Phase I of the Superstore, and planned expansions are expected to add a brewery, a coffee shop, food offerings, and a consumption lounge.

The Numbers

Since opening their doors in 2016, Planet 13 has earned a strong reputation for its helpful and knowledgeable staff, unique customer experience, and top quality cannabis product offerings. The current Medizin/Planet 13 joint medical/recreational dispensary, located at 4850 West Sunset Road, services nearly 750 customers per day, with an average purchase of $70. It has led to a monthly compound growth rate of 7.8% through July 31, 2018, revenue of $8.0 million in the first six months, and recently reported record revenues of $4.4 million for Q2 2018, with an adjusted EBITDA of $0.8 million.

Additionally, Planet 13 was recently announced as 10th on the list of the top US revenue generating public cannabis companies by the Public Cannabis Company Revenue Tracker. Due to the anticipated statewide increase in cultivation capacity, wholesale prices are expected to drop, while retail prices should remain around their current levels, driving potentially strong margins for investors in retail-oriented companies.

For more information, please visit https://www.planet13holdings.com/ and follow on Facebook Planet 13 Las Vegas and Twitter @Planet13lv.

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 Tony Deyes

]]> Weekend Unlimited: Emerging Cannabis Lifestyle Brand https://mjshareholders.com/weekend-unlimited-emerging-cannabis-lifestyle-brand/ Thu, 01 Nov 2018 16:17:24 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1827625

Ryan Allway

November 1st, 2018

Feature Stories, Uncategorized

Weekend Unlimited, Inc. (CSE: YOLO) has been capitalizing on extensive cannabis industry relationships to establish a lifestyle brand featuring premium products in the United States, Canada, and eventually, internationally. With Canada fully legalizing cannabis and several states in the US doing the same, recreational lifestyle brands have the potential to create significant revenues in new markets made up of both existing cannabis users and new consumers curious about the drug.

Weekend Unlimited has been deploying big agriculture experts to design and operate scalable operations on the West Coast of North America, beginning in Washington State and British Columbia.  The company’s facilities have been strategically located to benefit from low power costs and economies of scale, so that technologies can be effectively utilized in a streamlined fashion to produce premium products.

With the cannabis industry approaching a massive consolidation period as it matures, Weekend Unlimited envisions Washington State as an incubator, where the company’s brand family can be aggregated, optimized, and tailored for expansion into multiple states including California and Massachusetts and into Canada. With Washington as a mature market and California in its early stages, the company’s Washington operation is anticipated to be an ideal bridge into California, with a full product portfolio. The company currently holds Orchard Heights Growers in Washington state, and Northern Lights Organics in British Columbia.

Orchard Heights Growers

Weekend Unlimited’s Orchard Heights Growers operation in Washington State is focused on premium quality indoor cultivation and processing. Orchard Heights draws from its roots in the commercial tree fruit industry to bring the emerging cannabis industry advanced farming practices to ensure constant, quality, and competitively priced products.

This company provides a combination of mixed light greenhouses with a processing room for extraction. The Orchard Heights Growers Phase One Development includes a state-of-the-art optimized efficiency cannabis greenhouse with full climate controls, an Advanced Agriculture Tissue Culture Robotics system, and an unrivaled industrial extraction system that can produce consistent high-quality cannabis concentrate.

Orchard Heights Growers is situated on 7 acres near the Columbia River in central Washington where a majority of commodity producers converge strategically to expedite distribution to the metropolitan markets.

Northern Lights Organics

Weekend Unlimited recently announced the details of its acquisition of Northern Lights Organics in Fort St. James, British Columbia. The hemp farm is progressing toward its goal of achieving organic certification.

With approximately 600 acres of farmland, Northern Lights Organics is poised to become one of largest organic hemp and CBD producers in Canada. It is anticipated that in 2019, three hundred acres will be dedicated to outdoor organic hemp for CBD extraction. Indoor cannabis cultivation will be housed in 68,000 sq. ft. of NLO’s purpose-built grow rooms utilizing rolling table automation. Construction is slated for Spring of 2019, and the company has initiated the application process to become a Licensed Producer in Canada. The Northern Lights Organics campus will include vegetative, clone and genetics rooms and an extraction facility for CBD hemp oils and concentrates.

Jerome Baker Designs

Weekend Unlimited is leveraging its acquisition of Jerome Baker Designs to extend its reach into the retail cannabis market. This three-time High Times Cannabis Cup winner, with offices in Las Vegas, New York and Maui, creates custom glass artwork that its clientele are proud to display in their homes and offices. Known for ‘Bongzilla”, the world’s largest bong, currently on display at the Cannabition Cannabis Museum in Las Vegas, Jerome Baker Designs was commissioned to create the piece of cannabis art and history that stands 23 feet tall, requires a blowtorch to light, and an elevator to get to the mouthpiece. Jerome Baker Designs has joined forces with Weekend Unlimited to launch a line of CBD products, as well as launching, in late 2018,  an infused water bottle in the trademarked Jerome Baker bong design.

Weekend Unlimited’s Lifestyle Brand

Weekend Unlimited is designed as a lifestyle brand, creating experiences and engagement from the likes of Jerome Baker glass blowing events, club events, concerts, destination travel, social media interaction, fashion, and licensed Weekend Unlimited accessories – all to raise the profile of its product brands in markets throughout North America and internationally.

The company has launched its “Weekend Unlimited LIVE” program for October, centered in Southern California and featuring celebrities like Nas, Machine Gun Kelly, 2 Chainz, Emily Ratajkowski, and Travis Scott. “By establishing a Weekend Unlimited LIVE house in Hollywood for the month of October, the entertainment community has been invited to engage with our brand and help to shape the lifestyle epitomized by the slogan, ‘Life’s Highs. Anytime. Anywhere,’” said Mr. Cody Corrubia, Weekend Unlimited President and CEO.

“We aim to be a top of mind lifestyle brand in the US, and it is important to connect directly and create long term relationships with tastemakers who believe in this early stage cannabis industry and most importantly want to be a part of shaping its direction,” noted Mr. Corrubia.

Looking Ahead

Weekend Unlimited intends to aggregate and scale its brands, primarily in the categories of flower, extracts and edibles. Weekend Unlimited brands have  first-class operations, distribution and strong revenue trajectories, making them ideal candidates for the deployment of capital and expertise through access to technologies, infrastructure and centralized systems.

Weekend Unlimited’s mission is to play a leadership role in the cannabis industry with integrity, sustainable production, high quality products, trusted relationships, all aimed at establishing the highest standards for the future of, what is today, a nascent industry.

Weekend Unlimited built significant momentum in the lead up to going public on October 15, and investors may want to gain further insight into the company’s growth initiatives as the leadership team focuses on increasing shareholder value.

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/

Ryan Allway

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.

]]> With Recent Acquisitions, NewBridge Global Ventures Creates Impressive Offering https://mjshareholders.com/with-recent-acquisitions-newbridge-global-ventures-creates-impressive-offering/ Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:43:19 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1822389

Tony Deyes

October 31st, 2018

Feature Stories, News

NewBridge Global Ventures, Inc.  (OTCQB: NBGV) is a US public company acquiring and currently operating a vertically integrated portfolio of California cannabis and hemp companies.

Its vertical structure includes cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and consulting services.  It is currently licensed to cultivate, manufacture, and distribute both medical and recreational cannabis in the California market, the largest in the world.

In July, 2018, Newbridge Global Ventures announced the acquisition of six cannabis related companies in northern California, and as a result, by Q1 2019, expects to have fully licensed and compliant facilities for a tissue culture lab and cloning nursery, indoor & outdoor cultivation, oil extraction and distribution. The founders of the acquired companies – pioneers in the California cannabis industry – have been given senior executive operation management positions and membership on the Board of Directors, and key staff has been retained, bringing their expertise and experience to the team.

Impressive, Diverse Portfolio

Roots of Caly DBA Roots Nursery is a quality indoor nursery with the capacity to produce up to 65,000 clones per month. It is currently building a state-of-the-art 6,000 square foot facility on company-owned property located in Oakland’s “green zone”, expected to be completed by the end of 2018. The facility will supply high quality and proprietary genetics to both its own operations and other cultivators throughout California.

The Bay Clonery is building-out a 5,000 square foot company-owned facility inside a 45,000 square foot compound in Santa Rosa, California which will be completed later this year. This facility will contain a tissue culture lab and its nursery will have the capacity to produce more than 100,000 clones per month. By preserving the genetics of proprietary cannabis strains and collaborating with breeders and seed banks, The Bay Clonery plans to create and maintain a genetic clone library, enabling the genetic testing of strains that show promise. By identifying strains that have higher percentages of either THC or CBD, a whole new segment of products may develop which could hold significant medical promise.

5Leaf Extraction is positioning itself to be a leading cannabis and industrial hemp manufacturer of Full Spectrum Oils (“FSO”) distillate, as well as THC isolates and strain specific terpenes for local craft cannabis cultivators, recreational and medical brands, and potential R&D by pharmaceutical companies. 5Leaf is headed by its President, Dr. John MacKay, a pioneer in CO2 supercritical extraction with over 20 years of experience in extraction techniques and equipment development & manufacturing. Two separate build-outs are in progress, including a company-owned 10,500 square foot extraction facility in Oakland, and a company-owned 6,500 square foot warehouse inside a 45,000 square foot compound in Santa Rosa, California. Upon completion, 5Leaf should have the capacity to process more than 2,000 lbs. of biomass per day yielding an estimated 200 lbs. of FSO.

Mad Creek Farm is a 27-acre company-owned farm in Mendocino, California. Phase one will host two state of the art indoor greenhouses totaling 10,000 square feet, designed to produce 5,000 pounds of biomass per year. Mad Creek should be fully operational in Q2 of 2019.

GENUS Management & Consulting Group is an Oakland-based management services company integral to the operations of 5Leaf, Roots Nursery, Mad Creek Farm and The Bay Clonery. With over 45 years of collective experience building successful and compliant California cannabis companies, it is uniquely positioned to provide consulting services to cultivators, processors, and retail brands. Its services include compliance, licensing, permitting, budgeting, brand/product development, infrastructure development, insurance and any other aspect of business development.

Green Thumb Distributors will operate as the company’s compliant cannabis distribution company. With 45 years of combined experience, its leadership team has built relationships with industry leaders and pioneers. The company will provide distribution services to cannabis & hemp entrepreneurs who may not want or be able to bear the high costs of regulations. Green Thumb will package, label, and distribute products for cultivators, manufacturers and retailers who, by law, require third party distribution services.

Elevated Education produces online and in-person modules designed to educate physicians, clinicians, healthcare insurers, public servants, educators, and cannabis industry professionals worldwide on a range of subjects, such as the human endocannabinoid system, pharmacology, and effective clinical applications for medical marijuana.

On October 25, 2018, Dr. John MacKay was appointed as president of 5Leaf Extraction and Elevated Education. Dr. MacKay earned his B.A. in Chemistry at St. Lawrence University, and his Ph.D. at the University of Vermont, focusing on Inorganic Chemistry and on the synthesis of cancer fighting compounds, and is recognized as a scientific expert in sub and supercritical fluid for chromatography and extraction within the botanical space. At 5Leaf, he will focus on maximizing productivity of work flow for botanical and medical cannabis, and oversee the build-out of both Newbridge refineries, including quality assurance and control, to ensure both are in full compliance with state and federal regulations. He will also be involved in developing the curriculum for Elevated Education.

With an experienced management team and a focus on compliance, industry best practices, standardization, and corporate governance, NewBridge Global Ventures is positioned for growth in California’s enormous legal cannabis market and the industrial hemp Industry.

For further information, please visit their website: https://www.newbridgegv.com/

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 Tony Deyes

]]> (CSE:PLUS) – Plus Products Inc. Completes CAD$20 Million Initial Public Offering https://mjshareholders.com/cseplus-plus-products-inc-completes-cad20-million-initial-public-offering/ Mon, 29 Oct 2018 15:45:12 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1808186

Ryan Allway

October 29th, 2018

Feature Stories

SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce the successful completion of the Company’s initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 6,153,847 subordinate voting shares (the “Offered Shares”) at a price of CAD$3.25 per Offered Share for total gross proceeds of CAD$20,000,002.75.

The IPO was made through a syndicate of agents lead by PI Financial Corp., and including Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Haywood Securities Inc. (collectively, the “Agents”). The Company has granted the Agents 297,784 non-transferrable share purchase warrants (the “Agents’ Warrants”) with each Agents’ Warrant exercisable into one subordinate voting share in the capital of the Company at the price of CAD$3.25 per subordinate voting share for a period of 24 months from today. In addition, the Agents received a fee equal to 6% of the gross proceeds of the IPO from subscribers other than those on the President’s List and a fee equal to 2.5% of the gross proceeds of the IPO received from the President’s List subscribers. Furthermore, PI Financial Corp. received a corporate finance fee of US$200,000, which was satisfied by the Company by issuing 80,000 subordinate voting shares to PI Financial Corp. upon closing of the IPO.

The Offered Shares were listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”), effective Thursday, October 25, 2018 and will begin trading on Monday, October 29, 2018, under the trading symbol “PLUS” on the CSE.

“We are deeply appreciative to have received robust demand and to close the books on our initial public offering. I would like to personally thank the many people that worked diligently to help build Plus Products into the company it is today, said Jake Heimark, CEO of the Company. Our goal is to continue to be a leader in California’s regulated cannabis industry and to add value to our shareholders over the long term.”

The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws.  Accordingly, the securities of the Company may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.  This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About PLUS

The Company is a branded products manufacturer based in California. Its products consist of cannabis infused edible, which it sells to both the regulated medicinal and adult-use recreational markets. PLUS™ is currently one of the fastest-growing edible brands in California with several top-selling products, by category.

The Company’s mission is to make cannabis safe and approachable – that starts with manufacturing high-quality products delivering consistent experiences.  All products are produced in the Company’s dedicated food-safe cannabis manufacturing facility in southern California.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, the statements relating to the Offered Shares commencing trading on the CSE on October 29, 2018 under the symbol “PLUS”. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company’s management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or otherwise after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law including securities laws.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information contact:

Investors:
Jessica Bornn
Director of Investor Relations
jessica@plusproducts.com
Tel +1 650.223.5478

Media:
Heidi Groshelle
Ingrid Marketing
Tel  +1 415.307.1380
heidi@ingridmarketing.com
@heidigro

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/

Ryan Allway

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.

]]> FSD Pharma Doubles Down on Cannabinoid Therapeutics with Therapix Acquisition https://mjshareholders.com/fsd-pharma-doubles-down-on-cannabinoid-therapeutics-with-therapix-acquisition/ Fri, 26 Oct 2018 12:00:15 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1784988

Ryan Allway

October 26th, 2018

Exclusive, Feature Stories, News

Canada’s cannabis industry could experience a dramatic windfall with the legalization of recreational cannabis in October, but many cannabis companies are looking beyond the borders for opportunities. In particular, the most progressive cannabis companies are building up both their medical and recreational cannabis footprints, while expanding their production capacity to meet growing global demand over time.

FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE) (OTCQB: FSDDF) (FRA: 0K9) recently announced a binding letter of intent to acquire Therapix Biosciences Ltd. (NASDAQ: TRPX). The move bolsters its high-margin pharmaceutical business at the same time as it ramps up its production footprint.

[embedded content]

World-Leading Producer

FSD Pharma’s flagship Cobourg facility is the former Kraft Heinz plant with a potential grow space of 3.8 million square feet, strategically located on 72 acres of land near Toronto. In July, the company provided an update on the progress of its joint venture with Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. (TSX-V: XLY), announcing the approval of Auxly’s financing of $55 million towards the development and construction of 220,000 sq. ft. of cultivation, R&D, genetics, and extraction capabilities. The two companies expect the first phase to be completed by January 2019 with the first harvest planted at that time.

In September, the company signed a definitive agreement with Canntab Therapeutics Ltd. (CSE: PILL), whereby it will provide up to 10,000 sq. ft. of space at its Cobourg facility to Canntab to develop its suite of novel cannabis oral delivery platforms. Canntab will grant FSD Pharma 50 percent of the profits that it receives from retail sales through FSD Pharma’s channels, as well as a 3.5% royalty on all products produced on-premise.

The next phase of the expansion will encompass 820,000 sq. ft. with the potential to reach 3,896,000 sq. ft. when fully developed. At full capacity, FSD Pharma believes that the indoor hydroponic facility is capable of producing 400 million grams of dried cannabis per year. These production levels would make it one of the largest licensed producers of cannabis in the world and a key supplier to the global markets.

In addition to this facility, the company has made several strategic investments, including its interests in Canarra, High Tide Ventures, and its alliance with SciCann Therapeutics. These arrangements should help dramatically expand its geographic reach, while advancing a line of cannabis-based pharmaceutical products.

Synergistic Combination

FSD Pharma’s acquisition of Therapix Biosciences represents an expansion into the high-value medical cannabis market. In addition to the direct-to-consumer sales made possible via its Cobourg facility, the company intends to develop a new class of novel cannabinoid-based treatments for several central nervous system disorders, including chronic pain, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and other disease areas.

Therapix has become a leader in cannabinoid research and development with several clinical programs underway, including its Phase IIa study targeting Tourette Syndrome at the Yale Medical Center in the United States. The company plans subsequent Phase IIb studies at the Hannover and Munich University Medical Schools in Germany for Tourette syndrome and is collaborating with Assuta Medical Centers in Israel to target sleep disorders.

The Chairman of Therapix’s Scientific Advisory Board is the world-renowned professor Raphael Mechoulam, who’s often referred to as the Godfather of Medical Cannabis for co-discovering the “entourage effect” of the endocannabinoid system. The company’s primary focus has been advancing the scientific work of Professor Mechoulam to treat CNS disorders, sleep disorders, pain, mild cognitive impairment, traumatic brain injury, and infectious disease.

In addition to acquiring the proprietary intellectual property, technology, and assets related to Therapix’s clinical programs, FSD Pharma’s acquisition also opens the door to new international capital markets. The company plans to continue with its listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange and Frankfurt Stock Exchange, while pursuing a listing on the NASDAQ, pending regulatory approvals.

Looking Ahead

FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE) (OTCQB: FSDDF) (FRA: 0K9) represents a compelling investment opportunity within the cannabis industry. In addition to its tremendous indoor cultivation footprint, the company’s move to acquire Therapix Biosciences could help it become a leading cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical company. Investors may want to keep an eye on the company following these developments.

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

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/

Ryan Allway

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.

]]> Who is Focused on the Huge Opportunity in Medical Cannabis? https://mjshareholders.com/who-is-focused-on-the-huge-opportunity-in-medical-cannabis/ Thu, 18 Oct 2018 15:40:37 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1739564

Robin Lefferts

October 18th, 2018

Exclusive, Feature Stories, News

With California’s adult-use legalization fresh in investors’ minds, and full legalization happening in Canada, much of the focus has been around the retail potential of cannabis and related products. That is quite a change from even a couple of years ago, when the disruptive potential of medical marijuana was the biggest topic. In the intervening time, nothing has diminished the potential of medical cannabis but the headlines have moved to beverages and retail distribution. It may be worth another look to see what companies are executing in the medical arena.

One such player is Empower Clinics (CSE: EPW). The company currently owns physician-staffed clinics in Oregon, Washington, and Illinois, providing expert medical care to more than 25,000 registered patients across its network. Empower is capitalizing on a vacuum in the medical industry, where patients are increasingly seeking less harmful alternatives to currently prescribed treatments like opioids while traditionally-trained doctors lack the necessary training or comfort level to prescribe medical cannabis. Empower Clinics offer the type of care and expertise that is often lacking for patients interested in cannabis, many of whom turn to their local budtenders or the Internet for treatment advice due to a lack of valid medical opinions.

Empower’s Medical Clinic Model

Specialized clinics are increasingly popular throughout North America. Pain clinics, sleep clinics, cancer clinics… the biggest and most common indications spur the development of clinics to specifically address those conditions. Empower is turning that approach sideways a bit, offering specialized medical cannabis clinics that can help patients with a variety of indications rather than focusing on one condition. But the effect is similar. Just as someone with chronic pain may turn to a specialist after striking out with the family physician, a patient interested in cannabis as an alternative therapy may turn to doctors with expertise in the field rather than relying on the family physician who may be uncomfortable with or simply unaware of the therapeutic uses for cannabis.

A study of 926 Washington cancer patients shows that 74% wanted information on cannabis from their cancer providers, but less than 15% received information from their physician or nurse. Most received information from friends, family, websites, articles, or other cancer patients. Statistics like this justify Empower’s approach to offering expert medical cannabis advice from physicians.

The model has been proven in Oregon, where Empower Clinics has issued more than 30% of the state’s medical cannabis cards. Seeing the success there, Empower expanded into Washington where it has 9 clinics. Empower recently opened a clinic in downtown Chicago, and Illinois is a very interesting market. In the first three years of the state’s medical marijuana program, through September 2017, the Department of Public Health approved 24,000 patients. In the year since, that number has nearly doubled to 44,000 patients with no sign of slowing.

In late August, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law a bill that made it easier to get a medical cannabis card in a number of ways. The headliner was the fact that the law made it easier to prescribe cannabis as an alternative to opioids for the treatment of pain. Everybody is aware of the epidemic of opioid abuse, and Illinois has chosen to directly address the problem by encouraging the use of cannabis as a substitute. Empower plans to explore further expansion in the state.

Parallel Product Development and Distribution

Medical cannabis users often, for understandable reasons related to health, would prefer to not smoke the flower if at all possible. Alternative delivery methods, like tinctures or topical creams, are gaining market share as the science of cannabinoid delivery catches up following years of research prohibition. Empower recognizes the demand for these types of products and has developed its own line of non-THC, hemp-derived CBD products. The company’s Sollievo line of CBD products is expected to launch nationally soon, as the CBD products are legal throughout the United States.

Empower is also developing similar cannabinoid-based products for a variety of the most common indications, like sleep, pain, stress and digestion. The company plans to leverage its own client base while also distributing outside of its own network of clinics, providing the potential for a significantly wider revenue stream.

In the meantime, Empower signed a distribution agreement with Integrated Cannabis Company to distribute ICC’s CBD-infused X-SPRAYS™ line of products to Empower patients. The sprays are intended to support sleep, libido, energy and recovery. Deals like this provide Empower another source of potential revenue while expanding the treatments available to its ever expanding roster of patients.

Looking Ahead

Empower Clinics is undertaking a two-pronged strategy to address the shortage of trusted expertise in the medical cannabis market. Expansion of its proven clinic model, along with development and distribution of specialized cannabis-based treatments, is ramping up and should continue over the coming quarters. As the level of scientific cannabis research explodes and the political environment surrounding the plant softens, Empower’s position as an early mover in key markets could prove beneficial for the company as it seeks to stay ahead of the medical cannabis curve.

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 Robin Lefferts

]]> Biome Grow Going Public Tomorrow, 10/9 https://mjshareholders.com/biome-grow-going-public-tomorrow-10-9/ Mon, 08 Oct 2018 19:36:38 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1675876

Robin Lefferts

October 8th, 2018

Exclusive, Feature Stories, News

Biome Grow Inc. will begin trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange under ticker symbol “BIO” tomorrow, Tuesday October 9. The company is employing a conglomerate strategy, currently focused in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada, to the burgeoning legal cannabis industry. With four subsidiaries, an executive team well-versed in both the specific business of cannabis and the more general capital markets, and an impressive Board of Directors, Biome Grow is looking to dominate the underserved markets of Eastern Canada before branching out both domestically and internationally.

Biome’s Board and Executive Highlights

Steven Poirier, Board of Directors

Mr. Poirier is a veteran of the wine, beer, and spirits industry with an impressive background. The former President of Moosehead Breweries also managed Treasury Wine Estates and served as the Senior VP of Sales for Constellation Brands (now Arterra Wines Canada).

J. Mark Lievonen, Board of Directors

Mr. Lievonen brings a wealth of biotech and pharmaceutical experience to Biome Grow. He joined Sanofi in 1983, eventually becoming President of Sanofi Pasteur Limited, the company’s Canadian vaccine division. He retired from that position in early 2017 and has been involved in a number of public and private organizations at the Board level over the years.

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George Smitherman, Board of Directors

Mr. Smitherman also serves on the Boards of THC BioMed (a Canadian Licensed Producer) and Global UAV Technologies. He has a deep background in government, having served as Ontario’s Deputy Premier, Minister of Health, and Minister of Energy & Infrastructure.

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Khurram Malik, CEO

Mr. Malik is well-versed in the capital markets, having worked with Berkshire Hathaway, American International Group, UBS Paine Webber, and Morgan Stanley. He is a highly respected equity research analyst across a wide variety of industries and was the first analyst in North America to publish a report on the cannabis market. In fact, Mr. Malik managed the early financings and advised many of the current cannabis leaders including Canopy, Organigram, and Emblem, among others. Having worked with more than 15 cannabis companies, he is one of the most experienced people in the cannabis industry and Mr. Malik is now putting that experience to work for Biome.

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Keep a close eye on Biome Grow as the company goes public, and the management team leads the execution of the plan to develop a number of regional cannabis brands under one roof.

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 Robin Lefferts

]]> The Cracks are Showing in the U.S.’ Cannabis Facade https://mjshareholders.com/the-cracks-are-showing-in-the-u-s-cannabis-facade/ Wed, 03 Oct 2018 13:03:20 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1640462

Robin Lefferts

October 3rd, 2018

Exclusive, Feature Stories, News

Yes, cannabis is illegal on a federal level in the United States. Still. There have been mixed messages from the current administration regarding how committed the federal government is to enforcing its prohibition of cannabis, and each time President Trump or Attorney General Sessions makes a declaration of some sort the whole industry lurches forward with hope or backward in fear. Like a stock’s trend line, however, with its ups and downs smoothing into a bigger up or down picture, the general outlook for cannabis in the US is a steady march toward legalization. Recent developments only enforce that view.

What types of companies would stand to benefit the most from a relaxation of the federal prohibition? A rising tide would likely lift most all of the boats in the cannabis industry, but some companies may be in a better position to profit than others. Rubicon Organics™, with current operations in both Canada and the US along with plans to go public in the very near term, is one company that could stand to benefit tremendously should the US continue down the path toward cannabis legalization.

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Please click here to see Rubicon’s corporate presentation and get a going public alert.

Recent News

In a development that greatly impacted trading in the cannabis market, Tilray announced that it received permission from the US government to import cannabinoid capsules from Canada for a clinical trial run by researchers at the University of California San Diego. This is a historic breakthrough, as the federal government has previously limited cannabis available for research to its own small supply of cannabis, grown in a single facility in Mississippi and offering questionable value for researchers. Were the federal government to open up the supply lines for scientific research, the industry might be able to advance cannabis as medicine much more quickly and efficiently after years of being handicapped by restrictive regulations.

Canopy Growth CEO Bruce Linton, in an interview with CNN, waxed optimistic about the near term potential for the federal government, even under Republican rule, to recognize the rights of individual states to make cannabis legal. Mr. Linton likely has no particular insight into the current administration’s policy decisions, but he is generally reading the tea leaves of a trend that is hard to ignore.

The statistics keep building: 9 states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult-use cannabis; 22 other states plus the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico have legalized medical cannabis; another 15 states allow hemp-derived CBD products; 13 states (outside of the 9 adult-use states) have decriminalized possession of marijuana. Voters in Missouri and Utah will decide on medical legalization this year, and those in Michigan and North Dakota will vote on adult-use legalization.

International Operations Set the Stage

Canada is the pioneer of the cannabis industry, providing companies a regulated environment for the legal development and sale of cannabis and related products. Canadian companies are perfecting their game domestically while making inroads in Europe and South America, where legalization is taking hold but production lags.

Rubicon Organics is taking a slightly different approach. The company is in the very late stages of its ACMPR application and is on the verge of becoming Canada’s third certified organic producer (there are currently 118 licensed producers). Rather than wait for the Canadian license, the company has established operations in both California and Washington to get a head start on branding and sales in the United States. The company intends to marry its US-based brands with its pending Canadian organic production to create an international powerhouse. By leveraging the trend-setting Southern California vibe of its 1964 Supply Co.™ brand with the premium production of certified organic cannabis in Canada, the company is uniquely positioned to be an early mover in the wider, and growing, US market.

If one were to choose a location to start an iconic cannabis brand, the most logical place would likely be Los Angeles. It’s a trend-setting market for the entertainment, media, and consumer goods markets. Companies have been capitalizing on the SoCal lifestyle for decades, and the approach makes even more sense in relation to cannabis. California was the first state to legalize medical cannabis back in 1996, and cannabis culture is identified with the state in many consumers’ minds.

So Rubicon is saturating the LA market with its products, intending to create a deep and sustainable brand that it can parlay into other markets as they open up. It’s a solid brand strategy for addressing the huge potential US market and may set the company up for success in other legal markets as well. When it comes to naturally identifiable cannabis ‘brands’ in the minds of consumers worldwide, it could be argued that Jamaica, British Columbia, and California lead the way. With Rubicon set to capitalize on two of those three, while adding in the organic component, the company appears to be smartly preparing for the potential lifting of the US prohibition of cannabis. Keep an eye out as the policy situation continues to play out, and Rubicon hits the public markets in the near term.

Please click here to see Rubicon’s corporate presentation and get a going public alert.

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 Robin Lefferts

]]> HALO Labs, Experienced Manufacturers Of Cannabis Oils & Concentrates Prepares, To Go Public https://mjshareholders.com/halo-labs-experienced-manufacturers-of-cannabis-oils-concentrates-prepares-to-go-public/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:46:27 +0000 http://www.cannabisfn.com/?p=1634925

Robin Lefferts

October 2nd, 2018

Exclusive, Feature Stories, News

Oregon-based cannabis extraction expert, Halo Labs is actively preparing to go public on the NEO exchange in Canada under the ticker symbol “HALO”. The commencement of trading is scheduled to take place tomorrow on Wednesday October 3rd, 2018 and it could potentially be the start of a significant increase in Halo’s value. The company last financed privately at <1x 2019E revenues of US$50-60MM while most US public peers are trading at 4-5x 2019E revenues. Halo is currently expanding into the burgeoning market of California expected to be online this month while laying the groundwork for entry into other international markets.

Kiran Sidhu, CEO and Director of Halo says, ‘we are thrilled to see Halo evolve and graduate to a publicly-listed company so that new and existing investors can capitalise on opportunities that lay ahead.’

Halo demonstrates how the cannabis industry is maturing and evolving, with trends pointing to an increase of demand for cannabis concentrates (oils and extracts) and decline of demand for smokable flower. With increasing cannabis extract alternatives such as sublingual oils, topical creams and functional beverages, Halo prepares for aggressive growth strategies in the explosive cannabis extracts industry. The company utilizes the full range of extraction technologies to create extracts and concentrates for a variety of specific product categories including: shatter, dabs, cartridges to oils for edibles, THC-A and CBD crystals.

Halo plans to maintain strong position and move forward in its quest to become a leader in US Cannabis extraction, developing and manufacturing leading oil and concentrates.

ABOUT HALO

Halo Labs started in Oregon in April 2016, a few months after adult-use of cannabis became effectively legal in the United States.

Currently the company ships over 100,000 grams of cannabis concentrate each month and has captured more than 20% of the wholesale concentrates market in the state. Revenues from Oregon have translated into $10.3 million in NET revenue for the year 2017, a number which is certainly an outlier in the nascent legal markets.

Halo also has its own product offering which accounts for approximately 65% of revenue. The balance of revenue comes from product manufactured for other companies on a White Label basis.

Halo anticipates the White Label offering of the business to grow quickly and anticipates as much as 50% of revenues from the division in the next year or so.

What’s more, the company opened a processing facility near the Las Vegas airport, complete with supply agreements and a binding LOI to acquire production and cultivation licenses.

Halo has strategically partnered with a leading Canadian producer to establish a manufacturing facility on site. This potentially may serve as a platform for global initiatives should the companies take advantage of Canada’s ability to import and export cannabis products.

In California, Halo’s facility in Cathedral City is nearing its projected October launch as it awaits final state permits. Together, the two new operations have the potential to generate upwards of $130 million in annual revenue, assuming full production capacity and current market prices.

ABOUT HALO’s MANAGEMENT TEAM

Kiran Sidhu founded Transact Network and sold it to Bancorp in 2011, led the IPO of On-Stage Entertainment, and came out of a background in consulting with PwC and mergers and acquisitions with Merrill Lynch Capital Markets. Sidhu is the Audit Committee Chair for Namaste, Canada’s first licensed producer to receive a sales license. Public company, capital markets, and cannabis industry all provide the background for the captain of Halo’s ship.

Chief Marketing Officer Andreas Met combines Walmart marketing experience with sales and marketing of cannabis extracts for Golden Leaf. The CFO, Philip van den Berg, was the CFO for Namaste as well as for Golden Leaf, leading that company’s $20 million+ Canadian reverse takeover transaction. Sales executives with Halo come out of consumer-packaged goods giants like PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson, and Anheuser-Busch InBev. The company’s chairman, G. Scott Patterson, is the former chair of the Venture stock exchange and the former vice chair of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

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 Robin Lefferts

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