$PVOTF Named to Canadian Securities Exchange’s CSE25 Index

VANCOUVER, March 19, 2018 – Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: PVOT / OTCQB: PVOTF / FRA: NPAT) (“Pivot” or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that effective March 16^th, 2018 the Company has been named to the CSE25 Index, a composite of the 25 largest companies, as measured by market capitalization, listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. In addition, the Company is also a constituent of the CSE Composite Index.

“With an impressive pipeline of bio-cannabis products, a strong intellectual property portfolio of formulation and delivery technologies, and the expected addition of ACMPR licensed Agro-Biotech, we are proud to be recognized as leaders on the Canadian Securities Exchange through our inclusion in the CSE25 Index,” said Dr. Patrick Frankham, Chief Executive Officer of Pivot Pharmaceuticals. “Being among the top 25 performers on the exchange validates our business strategy to become a vertically integrated health and wellness company with a rapidly expanding international presence. With all of the exciting opportunities ahead of us, we believe we will remain a consistent part of the CSE25 Index for years to come as we continue to drive shareholder value.”

About Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of therapeutic pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals using innovative drug delivery platform technologies. Pivot’s wholly-owned medical cannabis products division, Pivot Green Stream Health Solutions Inc. (“PGS” or “Pivot Green Stream”), conducts research, development and commercialization of cannabinoid-based nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. PGS has acquired “RTIC” Ready-To-Infuse Cannabis powder to oil technology, BiPhasix™ Transdermal Drug Delivery platform technology (topical), Solmic Solubilisation technology (oral) and Thrudermic Transdermal Nanotechnology (transdermal) for the delivery and commercialization of cannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-based products. PGS’ initial product development candidates will include topical treatments for women’s sexual dysfunction (PGS-N005), as well as psoriasis (PGS-N007), and an oral product (PGS-N001) for cancer supportive care. For more information please visit www.pivotpharma.com

Cautionary Statement

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Words such as anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, intend, and similar expressions, as they relate to Pivot, Pivot Green Stream, Agro-Biotech, or their respective management, identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to accretive earnings, anticipated revenue and costs synergies associated with the acquisition of Agro-Biotech, statements with respect to internal expectations, including with respect to the Dealer’s License, estimated margins, expectations for future growing capacity and costs, the completion of any capital project or expansions, the timing for the completion of the Proposed Transaction, the ability of the Company to complete a financing in order to satisfy its financial obligations under the Proposed Transaction and expectations with respect to future production costs. In particular, there can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed. Forward looking statements are based on certain assumptions regarding Agro-Biotech, including expected growth, results of operations, performance, industry trends and growth opportunities. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements also necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; marketing costs; loss of markets; future legislative and regulatory developments involving medical marijuana; the possibility that the Company be unable to successfully integrate Agro-Biotech as described herein; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the medical marijuana industry in Canada generally, income tax and regulatory matters; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; crop failure; currency and interest rate fluctuations and other risks. Any forward-looking statements or facts (including financial information) related to Agro-Biotech discussed or disclosed herein are derived from information obtained directly from Agro-Biotech and publicly available sources and has not been independently verified by the Company. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

$SEED Presented its Strategies on SEED+ Rural E-Commerce with Blockchain Tech

BEIJING, March 16, 2018 — Dr. James Chen, the Chief Executive Officer of Origin Agritech Limited (NASDAQ: SEED) (“the Company” or “Origin”), an agricultural biotechnology trait and corn seed technology provider, presented the Company’s strategy for SEED+ Rural E-Commerce with Blockchain Technologies at the “Elastos x BITMAIN Meetup: Blockchain for Scaling Large, Enterprise DApps” on March 15, 2018.

During the Meetup, Dr. Chen discussed Origin’s history of embracing information technologies and the growing opportunities for rural e-commerce business in China. “Origin has 20 years of operation in rural China and has established strong brand name across vast farmland in China”, said Dr. Chen during the meetup, “we’re extending our competitive advantages for rural customer bases, management experience and business understanding in rural regions, and supply source tracking for agricultural products, and we plan to startup social network e-commerce platform with products including but not limited to agricultural inputs.”

Dr. Chen also discussed the company’s cooperation with Elastos Foundation in developing Blockchain technologies for a decentralized social network e-commerce ecosystem and agricultural seed and produce tracking system. The presentation material is also available for download at http://photos.prnasia.com/prnk/20180316/2081467-1.

About Origin Agritech Limited

Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Zhong-Guan-Cun (ZGC) Life Science Park in Beijing, is China’sleading agricultural biotechnology company, specializing in crop seed breeding and genetic improvement. Leading the development of crop seed biotechnologies, Origin Agritech’s phytase corn was the first transgenic corn to receive the Bio-Safety Certificate from China’s Ministry of Agriculture. Over the years, Origin has established a robust biotechnology seed pipeline including products with glyphosate tolerance and pest resistance (Bt) traits. Origin operates breeding stations nationwide located in key crop-planting regions. Product lines are vertically integrated for corn. For further information, please visit the Company’s website at: http://www.originseed.com.cn or http://www.originseed.com.cn/en/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and contain words like “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “will,” “would,” “target,” and similar expressions and variations. Forward-looking statements address matters that are uncertain. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on assumptions and expectations which may not be realized. They also involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company’s control. Some of the important factors that could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements are: failure to develop and market new products and optimally manage product life cycles; ability to respond to market acceptance, rules, regulations and policies affecting our products; failure to appropriately manage process safety and product stewardship issues; changes in laws and regulations or political conditions; global economic and capital markets conditions, such as inflation, interest and currency exchange rates; business or supply disruptions; natural disasters and weather events and patterns; ability to protect and enforce the company’s intellectual property rights; and separation of underperforming or non-strategic assets or businesses. The company undertakes no duty to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments, or new information or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.

$CTRN Promotes Bruce Smith to CEO

Citi Trends Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRN) today announced that Bruce Smith, acting Chief Executive Officer, has been promoted to serve as the permanent Chief Executive Officer and has been appointed to the Board of Directors, effective as of March 15, 2018.

Mr. Smith has been serving as acting CEO since March 2017, when the previous CEO resigned, while the Board conducted a search for a permanent CEO. Mr. Smith has been with Citi Trends for almost 11 years. He joined the company in April 2007 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in March 2010, and was promoted to Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary in March 2015. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Smith served as CFO of two other public companies, Hancock Fabrics, Inc. and Fred’s, Inc. He started his career in public accounting with Price Waterhouse and is a certified public accountant.

Commenting on Mr. Smith’s promotion, Ed Anderson, Executive Chairman of the Board said, “We are very happy and proud to announce that Bruce Smith has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer. In the past year, as acting CEO, he has clearly demonstrated that he has the leadership skills to lead this company. He led the team to deliver a very successful 2017.”

Anderson further stated, “Over the years, Bruce has proven to be an executive who leads by example, exhibiting the highest level of honesty and integrity. I am confident that the Company is in good hands with Bruce. This is a great day for Citi Trends, and under his direction and leadership, I remain optimistic about the future of our Company.”

In addition, Stuart Clifford, the Company’s Vice President, Finance, has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective as of March 15, 2018. Mr. Clifford has been with the Company for 12 years. Prior to joining Citi Trends, Mr. Clifford served in various financial and operational positions with Friedman’s Jewelers.

Commenting on Mr. Clifford’s promotion, Mr. Smith said, “On behalf of the Citi Trends team, I would like to congratulate Stuart on this well-deserved promotion. I am very excited to continue working with Stuart as our new Chief Financial Officer. He has continued to earn increasing responsibilities during his time with the Company and has demonstrated that he is fully capable of taking on this new leadership role. With his experience and deep understanding of our business, Stuart is well suited to lead our finance team.”

About Citi Trends
Citi Trends, Inc. is a value-priced retailer of urban fashion apparel and accessories for the entire family. The Company operates 553 stores located in 31 states. Citi Trends’ website address is www.cititrends.com. CTRN-G

$PVOTF Brings Intellectual Property Business Model from Pharma to Cannabis Industry

SEATTLE, March 16, 2018 — CFN Media Group (“CannabisFN”), the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis, announces publication of an article discussing Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s (OTCQB:PVOTF) (CSE:PVOT) (CNSX:PVOT) (PVOT.CN) pharmaceutical and nutraceutical approach to the cannabis industry, applying its proprietary delivery technologies to create high-margin, differentiated products in the space. With a robust clinical pipeline in place, investors may want to take a closer look at the company as it progresses through development.

The cannabis industry is projected to reach $50 billion by 2026, according to Cowen & Co., driven by the ongoing legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis throughout the United States. While investors have traditionally focused on cultivators and dispensaries, these companies could face commoditization over the long-term given the “race to the bottom” when it comes to retail cannabis prices.

Commoditization of Cannabis

The cannabis industry has experienced tremendous growth over the past several years, but the industry’s strong growth has put pressure on retail cannabis prices. Mazakali estimates that the median price for legal cannabis has fallen at a 20 percent annual rate in the five years leading up to 2017 and anticipates a similar decline going forward. The recent rush to greatly expand production of cannabis flower, especially in Canada, could apply further downward pressure to flower prices.

The same report notes a rise in retail demand for edibles, tinctures, capsules, sprays, oil cartridges and other cannabinoid delivery mechanisms, taking market share away from cannabis flower products. And while pure extract prices are going down, that only means better margins for infused retail brands as consumers move toward more health-oriented options and away from smoking as a delivery method.

Many cultivators have responded by increasing their production capacity and reducing costs through newer, more efficient growing technology. Other companies have focused their efforts on developing differentiated products to meet the public’s shifting preferences.

New Business Models

Pivot Pharmaceuticals has its roots in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries with a focus on innovative drug delivery platforms. By applying the intellectual property (IP) model from these industries, the company is focused on building a line up of high-margin, differentiated products that effectively deliver cannabinoids for a variety of applications. This approach insulates it from the commoditization that many other companies face in the space.

Pivot has four proprietary delivery systems. The company recently acquired ERS Holdings and its patented RTIC™ (Ready-To-Infuse-Cannabis) technology. The patent covers the transformation of cannabis oil into powder for inclusion in food and beverage products. The company also filed continuation patents covering inclusion in health and wellness products like sleep aids and cold medications. As a result of the acquisition, RTIC Labs was formed in California with the intent of developing and distributing products utilizing the proprietary technology. The cannabis oil powder is stable, emulsified and flavorless, lending itself to a wide variety of infused applications.

Pivot also recently acquired Thrudermic, LLC and its patented TDL Transdermal Nanotechnology, filing three additional patent applications to further expand protection of the proven drug delivery technology. The technology is lipid-based and relies on nano-dispersion of cannabinoid particles which do not dissolve readily in water but will dissolve in fat. Increased bioavailability, controlled drug release rates, and accurate dosing are the big advantages with this technology.

BiPhasix™ is a patent-pending topical transdermal drug delivery platform. Pivot’s lead product for this technology is PGS-N005, a topical cream aimed at treating female sexual dysfunction (FSD). FSD is estimated to affect up to 43% of women between the ages of 18 and 59, and is only recently getting attention from traditional pharmaceutical companies. Pivot is also developing, among other candidates, a cream for the treatment of psoriasis.

Solmic™ Micelle oral delivery technology is Pivot’s fourth proprietary platform. The technology offers high bioavailability and stability of cannabinoids utilizing easy-to-use oral drops, allowing the active ingredients to become water soluble without changing their effectiveness or composition. The initial product here is PGS-N001 intended for cancer supportive care, with other products targeting opioid withdrawal and restless leg syndrome.

These products will be initially registered as Natural Health Products (NHPs) for consumers through its Pivot Green Stream subsidiary, which translates to a faster time to market and near-term revenue.

The company’s long-term pipeline consists of eight natural health products and six pharmaceutical products, which are in various stages of development. By simultaneously developing both types of products, the company is positioning itself to generate both short-term revenue from direct-to-consumer sales and long-term value through a traditional pharmaceutical approach where insurers would eventually cover the cost of prescriptions.

Looking Ahead

Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCQB:PVOTF) (CSE:PVOT) represents a unique investment opportunity in the cannabis industry. With a focus on high-margin, patent-protected, differentiated products, management is targeting both near-term value through NHPs and long-term value through traditional pharmaceuticals.

Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/pivot-brings-intellectual-property-business-model-pharma-cannabis-industry/

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

About CFN Media

CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis. We help marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed.

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/featuredcompany

Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8

Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com

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 http://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.

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/

Frank Lane
206-369-7050
flane@cannabisfn.com

$PBIO Novel Technology Enables Industrial Level Production of Nanoemulsions

March 12, 2018

• Patented UST process produces highly stable, clean and cost-effective nanoemulsions
• Technology can be applied across many industries, including pharmaceutical, food, nutraceutical, industrial lubricant, paint and cosmetic sectors
• UST technology aligns with consumer demand for chemical- and preservative-free products

The demand for nanoemulsions is growing at a fast pace, with potential applications in many industry sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and industrial lubricants. Up to now, one of the major problems with nanoemulsions has been their instability. This instability compromises the bioavailability and absorption of active ingredients for product preparation and the shelf life of the product. Life sciences company Pressure BioSciences Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) is positioned to change this landscape via a patented novel technique called Ultra Shear Technology (“UST”). This technology uses intense shear forces generated by high-pressure valve discharge, which can help produce nanoemulsions that exhibit significantly improved absorption, greater stability and increased bioavailability compared to traditional micro and macro-emulsions.

Emulsions are mixtures of two liquids which are largely immiscible without the aid of emulsifying chemicals, such as surfactants. Surfactants assist in the dispersion of one liquid within the other, where it exists as tiny droplets. The smaller the droplet size for any given volume of dispersed liquid, the greater the absorption and bioavailability of active compounds. Nanoemulsions produce dispersed droplets with exceptionally small diameters, measured in nanometers.

To date, cost-effective, highly stable nanoemulsions made with minimal or no surfactants have been difficult to produce. Pressure BioSciences’ UST enables manufacturers to produce nanoemulsions at industrial scale levels that virtually exclude the use of surfactants, leading to safer and more effective oral delivery of food and medical products. This is a big deal in today’s world, where consumers across the globe are focusing more on wellbeing and demanding food that is appealing, tastes good, is free of chemicals and is safe to eat. Nanoemulsions produced using UST facilitate the production of food products with enhanced shelf lives and without the need for chemicals or preservatives. This groundbreaking technology will also increase product quality and shelf life in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic sectors.

In October 2017, Pressure BioSciences concluded a strategic collaboration agreement with Phasex Corporation that will allow for the production of stable, water-soluble nanoemulsions that are expected to significantly improve drug and active ingredient delivery in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cannabis oil industries. Aqueous nanoemulsions have the potential to increase the absorption and bioavailability of water-insoluble compounds like vitamin A, vitamin C and cannabinoids such as CBD. Phasex’s expertise lies in supercritical fluid (“SCF”) extraction processes that can be used for the manufacture of an extensive range of fine chemicals, polymers and natural extracts for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulations. SCF technology enables solvent-free extraction of active ingredients, which substantially enhances the quality of nanoemulsions.

Although the UST platform offers very exciting opportunities for future growth, Pressure BioSciences is not dependent on its novel UST platform for its future success.  To that point, the company has been showing solid growth over the past several years in its’ primary product line, which is based on its innovative, patented, enabling platform called Pressure Cycling Technology (“PCT”). This technology uses cycles of hydrostatic pressure from ambient to ultra-high pressure levels to control bio-molecular interactions. It can be applied in several emerging life science areas, including:

• Sample preparation for genomic, proteomic and small molecule studies
• Control of biochemical reactions
• Protein purification
• Pathogen inactivation
• Immunodiagnostics

Patents for this technology have been issued to PBIO from many countries around the world, including China, Japan, multiple European countries, Canada, and the U.S. To date, the company has installed almost 300 PCT systems in more than 150 pharmaceutical, academic, biotechnological and government laboratories worldwide. Primary applications for the technology are in biomarker discovery, forensics, pathology and agriculture.  The company has reported annual revenue of greater than $2 million, even though it has had but one sales person and one PCT instrument to sell.  Recently, however, the company added four additional sales reps and has announced plans to release up to four additional instruments in 2018. These changes have set the company up for what could be significant future growth and an excellent return on investment for shareholders.

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

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About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com

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

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
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www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

$NETE Quickly Grows as Interest in Digital Commerce Surges Globally

March 8, 2018

• Increasing acceptance of smartphones for mobile payments coincides with emerging markets’ transition to non-cash transactions
• Global mobile payments solutions market projected to reach $3.14 trillion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 32 percent from 2017 to 2022
• Innovative payment infrastructure and services are globally oriented but adaptable to unique requirements of each country
• Omni-channel shoppers spend between 50 percent and 300 percent more than single shoppers

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), a global technology company specializing in mobile payments and value-added transactional services, is growing rapidly as consumers and retailers around the globe embrace the security and ease of digital commerce. Net Element provides more than 100 electronic payment solutions for clients in 50 countries and plans to move into additional international markets. Several market research firms, including Statista (http://nnw.fm/kG8Wg), show that global transactions are soaring as consumers integrate mobile payment options into their daily routines.

Net Element and its team of engineers provide retailers with a disruptive, single commerce, all-in-one platform that supports multiple payment methods (http://nnw.fm/o0xEd). The company’s focus on developing innovative technology enables Net Element to grow its strategic position in a variety of emerging markets around the globe. Estimates of worldwide transaction volume vary depending on the research firm, but experts agree that mobile payment totals are expected to move into the billions of dollars (http://nnw.fm/hlq8X).

Retailers and customers alike can appreciate the omni-channel offerings of Net Element’s payment infrastructure, which allows the integration of in-store, online and mobile device apps that interact with the consumer’s evolving needs in mind (http://nnw.fm/mJo4n). A fully automated, encrypted payment solution that handles administration to configuration provides a secure and seamless cardholder transaction base for mobile purchases, while an exceptional collection of business analytics tools provides valuable information for today’s retailer that’s striving to make smarter decisions. Mobile payments are being used in a diverse range of business and consumer transactions, increasing exponentially as the proliferation of smart devices gains steam and consumers are offered the value-added benefits of mobile payments, according to Forrester Research Inc. (http://nnw.fm/I819v).

Net Element aims to grow transactional value by innovating productivity services for small to medium enterprises in the U.S. with its cloud-based restaurant and retail point-of-sale solution, Aptito. Internationally, Net Element’s strategy is to leverage its omni-channel platform to deliver flexible offerings to emerging markets with diverse banking, regulatory and demographic conditions. The company’s newest multi-channel payments platform – Netevia – provides end-to-end payment processing through user friendly APIs. In a news release, Andrey Krotov, Net Element’s chief technology officer, said that Netevia’s platform “delivers a blueprint and easy to use tools for global commerce and monetization, saving developers and merchants time and money with one provider and one integration across all sales channels.”

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

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About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com

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

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

$AKCA & $IONS Partner to Commercialize Inotersen for hATTR

Ionis licenses to Akcea worldwide rights to inotersen and IONIS-TTR-L Rx Collaboration advances commercial readiness for planned mid-2018 inotersen launch, positioning Akcea to successfully launch two drugs for significant rare diseases this year Ionis Chief Business Officer Sarah Boyce will join Akcea as President and Board member Companies to host conference call today, March 15th at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time

CARLSBAD, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 15, 2018 — Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IONS) (“Ionis”) and Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKCA) (“Akcea”), an affiliate of Ionis, today announced an exclusive, worldwide license by Ionis to Akcea for inotersen and AKCEA-TTR-L_Rx, formerly IONIS-TTR-L_Rx, in a transaction potentially worth up to approximately $1.7 billion to Ionis plus profit sharing payments.

This transaction strengthens the companies’ ability to successfully launch inotersen upon approval by leveraging the commercial preparations carried out by Ionis along with Akcea’s commercial infrastructure and capabilities. The newly combined Akcea team is preparing to launch inotersen in the U.S. and EU following planned approvals in mid-2018 to treat people with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis, or hATTR, a systemic, progressive and fatal disease.

The companies are also developing AKCEA-TTR-L_Rx for hereditary and wild-type forms of ATTR. AKCEA-TTR-L_Rx is planned to enter clinical development in 2018.

“This collaboration reflects our ever-increasing confidence in the value of inotersen and exemplifies our strategy to use commercial affiliates to commercialize our drugs, keeping the core of Ionis focused on innovation and our antisense pipeline. This collaboration will allow the combined Ionis-Akcea team to rapidly deliver inotersen to the patients who desperately need this treatment,” said Stanley T. Crooke, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer and chairman of Ionis. “Our partnering discussions resulted in a number of options and we decided this partnership with Akcea will maximize the commercial value of inotersen and our TTR franchise. The potential to add commercial revenue from both inotersen and volanesorsen to our growing Spinraza^® royalties helps us achieve our goal of being a multiproduct, profitable company.”

“This collaboration is transformational for Akcea,” said Paula Soteropoulos, chief executive officer of Akcea Therapeutics. “Adding two potentially life-changing therapies, inotersen and AKCEA-TTR-L_Rx, expands our pipeline of drugs to treat people with serious and under-served rare diseases. Inotersen’s launch will benefit from Akcea’s patient-centric approach and our focus, dedication and expertise. Through our launch preparations for volanesorsen, we have rapidly expanded our capabilities and team to become a unique and leading presence in rare diseases. This commercial build-up, combined with our highly accomplished team, allows us to accelerate readiness for the upcoming inotersen launch. Further, it increases our options to scale our business given the expansion of our call points and sales force as we work with this new physician community.”

As part of the collaboration, the inotersen commercial team is joining Akcea, enabling a seamless and rapid transition in the ongoing launch preparations for inotersen. Sarah Boyce, currently Ionis’ chief business officer, will join Akcea as president and take a seat on the Akcea board of directors upon closing. Ms. Boyce, who has been leading the inotersen launch, will bring to Akcea extensive, global experience in the life sciences industry where she established organizations from inception and built high performing teams.

“The strength and experience of the joint inotersen and volanesorsen teams, and Akcea’s global capabilities, further enhance our potential to maximize inotersen’s benefit to people with hATTR,” said Ms. Boyce. “We are confident inotersen can provide hope for people with hATTR by giving them greater freedom and control over their disease. In its pivotal study, inotersen treatment provided significant benefit in measures of disease progression and improved quality of life in the majority of people with hATTR, while offering simple and quick administration as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection. We are committed to bringing this important drug to those suffering from this devastating and fatal disease.”

Under the agreement, Akcea will pay Ionis an upfront licensing fee of $150 million, payable in shares of common stock priced by reference to a recent trading average. Akcea will have rights to commercialize inotersen and AKCEA-TTR-L_Rx globally. To support commercialization of inotersen, Ionis will purchase $200 million of Akcea common stock priced by reference to a recent trading average. Upon closing this transaction, Ionis’ ownership in Akcea will increase by 7%, from 68% to 75%, totaling 64,114,545 shares. Regulatory approval of inotersen and AKCEA-TTR-L_Rx in the U.S. and EU will trigger milestone payments to Ionis of $50 million and $40 million, respectively, with additional milestone payments due upon approval of both programs in various other geographies. The license fee and initial milestone payments may be payable in Akcea common stock at fair market value. Commercial profits and losses from inotersen will be split 60% to Ionis and 40% to Akcea until the first commercial sales of AKCEA-TTR-L_Rx, after which the profits and losses will be shared 50/50. The costs of the development of AKCEA-TTR-L_Rx and the profits from its commercialization will be shared 50/50. The license for the two drugs also includes various sales milestone payments of up to nearly $1.3 billion. For this transaction, Ionis was advised by Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and Akcea was advised by Cowen and Company, LLC.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018, assuming satisfaction of certain conditions. Closing conditions include a non-waivable condition requiring the approval of the stock purchase agreement, the license agreement and related agreements and the transaction contemplated thereunder by the affirmative vote of holders representing a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock other than Ionis and its affiliates, which will exclude a vote of Akcea’s directors and officers. Novartis Pharma AG, one of Akcea’s largest shareholders, has agreed to vote in favor of the proposal with its shares of common stock, representing approximately 9.4% of the issued and outstanding shares.

Conference Call
Ionis and Akcea will co-host a live webcast today, Thursday, March 15 at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss this announcement. Interested parties may listen to the call by dialing 877-443-5662 or access the webcast under the investors section at www.ionispharma.com or www.akceatx.com. A webcast replay will be available for a limited time.

ABOUT INOTERSEN
Inotersen is an antisense drug designed to reduce the production of transthyretin, or TTR protein, to treat TTR amyloidosis (ATTR), a systemic, progressive and fatal disease.

Inotersen is currently under regulatory review for marketing authorization in the U.S. and EU. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation and Fast Track Status to inotersen for the treatment of patients with polyneuropathy due to hereditary TTR amyloidosis (hATTR), and the European Medicines Agency has granted Orphan Drug Designation to inotersen for the treatment of patients with ATTR.

ABOUT HEREDITARY TRANSTHYRETIN AMYLOIDOSIS (hATTR)
hATTR is a progressive, systemic, and fatal genetic disease caused by the inappropriate formation and aggregation of TTR amyloid deposits in various tissues and organs throughout the body, including in peripheral nerves, heart, intestinal tract, eyes, kidneys, central nervous system, thyroid and bone marrow. Patients with hATTR often present with a mixed phenotype and experience overlapping symptoms of polyneuropathy and cardiomyopathy. The progressive accumulation of TTR amyloid deposits in these tissues and organs leads to sensory, motor and autonomic dysfunction often having debilitating effects on multiple aspects of a patient’s life.

Unfortunately, hATTR is often overlooked in the differential diagnosis and accurate identification is unnecessarily delayed for years. Ultimately, hATTR results in death within three to fifteen years of symptom onset. Therapeutic options for the treatment of patients with hATTR are limited and there are currently no disease-modifying drugs approved for hATTR. There are an estimated 50,000 patients with hATTR worldwide.

ABOUT IONIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Ionis is the leading company in RNA-targeted drug discovery and development focused on developing drugs for patients who have the highest unmet medical needs, such as those patients with severe and rare diseases. Using its proprietary antisense technology, Ionis has created a large pipeline of first-in-class or best-in-class drugs, with over three dozen drugs in development. SPINRAZA® (nusinersen) has been approved in global markets for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Biogen is responsible for commercializing SPINRAZA. Drugs that have successfully completed Phase 3 studies include inotersen, an antisense drug Ionis is developing to treat patients with hereditary TTR amyloidosis (hATTR), and volanesorsen, an antisense drug discovered by Ionis and co-developed by Ionis and Akcea Therapeutics to treat patients with either familial chylomicronemia syndrome or familial partial lipodystrophy. Akcea, an affiliate of Ionis, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing drugs to treat patients with serious rare diseases. If approved, inotersen and volanesorsen will be commercialized through Ionis’ affiliate, Akcea. Inotersen filings for marketing approval have been submitted in the U.S. and EU. Volanesorsen filings for marketing approval have been submitted in the U.S., EU, and Canada. Ionis’ patents provide strong and extensive protection for its drugs and technology. Additional information about Ionis is available at www.ionispharma.com.

ABOUT AKCEA THERAPEUTICS
Akcea Therapeutics, an affiliate of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing drugs to treat patients with serious rare diseases. Akcea is advancing a mature pipeline of four novel drugs, including volanesorsen, AKCEA-APO(a)-L_Rx, AKCEA-ANGPTL3-L_Rx and AKCEA-APOCIII-L_Rx. All four drugs were discovered by and are being co-developed with Ionis, a leader in antisense therapeutics, and are based on Ionis’ proprietary antisense technology. Volanesorsen is under regulatory review in the U.S., EU and Canada for the treatment of familial chylomicronemia syndrome, or FCS. Akcea is building the infrastructure to commercialize its drugs globally. Akcea is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Additional information about Akcea is available at www.akceatx.com.

IONIS’ AND AKCEA’S FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the recently announced transaction between Ionis and Akcea, Ionis’ and Akcea’s business and the therapeutic and commercial potential of inotersen, IONIS-TTR-L_Rx and other products in development. Any statement describing Ionis’ or Akcea’s goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs, including the commercial potential of inotersen, volanesorsen or other of Ionis’ or Akcea’s drugs in development is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, particularly those inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such drugs.  Ionis’ and Akcea’s forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Ionis’ and Akcea’s forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Ionis and Akcea. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Ionis’ and Akcea’s programs are described in additional detail in Ionis’ and Akcea’s annual reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which are on file with the SEC, and Akcea’s preliminary proxy statement with respect to the transaction, which it intends to file with the SEC. Copies of these and other documents are available from each company.

In this press release, unless the context requires otherwise, “Ionis”, “Akcea,” “Company,” “Companies” “we,” “our,” and “us” refers to Ionis Pharmaceuticals and/or Akcea Therapeutics.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals™ is a trademark of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Akcea Therapeutics™ is a trademark of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS
This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed transaction of Akcea and Ionis. In connection with the proposed transaction, Akcea intends to file relevant materials with the SEC, including a preliminary proxy statement on Schedule 14A. Following the filing of a definitive proxy statement with the SEC, Akcea will mail the definitive proxy statement and a proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the special meeting relating to the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF AKCEA ARE URGED TO READ THESE MATERIALS (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION THAT AKCEA WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT AKCEA AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The preliminary proxy statement, the definitive proxy statement and other relevant materials in connection with the proposed transaction (when they become available), and any other documents filed by Akcea with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC or by sending a request to Investor Relations at Akcea Therapeutics, Inc., 55 Cambridge Parkway, Suite 100, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142.

Akcea and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Akcea’s stockholders with respect to the proposed transaction. Information regarding the identity of the potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests in the transaction, by security holdings or otherwise, including Ionis, will be set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.

$KBSF Announces a New Long Term Contract

SHISHI, China, March 15, 2018 — KBS Fashion Group Limited (NASDAQ: KBSF) (“KBS” or the “Company”), a vertically-integrated casual menswear company in China, today announced that its China-based subsidiary, Anhui Kai Xin Co., Ltd (“Kai Xin”) entered into a long term strategic cooperation agreement with Hangzhou Zhi Yin Apparel Clothes Co., Ltd., a major producer of children’s apparel in China (“Zhi Yin”), under which, Kai Xin will act as a long term supplier of down jackets to Zhi Yin.  It is estimated that pursuant to the agreement, KBS will generate an additional RMB 25 million (approximately US$ 4 million) of revenue in fiscal year 2018.

Located in Hangzhou China, Zhi Yin is a leader in the design and online sale of baby and children’s apparel, with a focus on down jackets.  Owning the Marc & Janine brand, Zhi Yin is one of the three largest down jacket online sellers in China.

Mr. Yan, Chairman and new CEO of KBS, commented, “The cooperation with Zhi Yin, one of China’s largest apparel companies is consistent with our company’s business strategy of offering high quality products and services to our customers. We have a highly experienced team at our factories in Anhui that produces high quality clothing.”

About KBS Fashion Group Limited

Headquartered in Shishi, China, KBS Fashion Group Limited, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in the business of designing, manufacturing, selling and distributing its own casual menswear brand, KBS, through a network of 50 KBS branded stores (as of June 30, 2017) and over a number of multi-brand stores. To learn more about the Company, please visit its corporate website at www.kbsfashion.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” relating to the business of KBS Fashion Group Limited, and its subsidiary companies. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein, are “forward-looking statements” in nature within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects” or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company’s periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

For further information, please contact:

Lisa Tu
Chief Financial Officer
T: +86 158-5972-2469
E: lingsantu@hotmail.com

$PVOTF Continues to Advance its Agenda

March 15, 2018

• Owns worldwide rights for patented formulations and drug delivery technologies
• Develops and commercializes therapeutic pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals
• Strategic agenda to become one of world’s only vertically integrated cannabis biotechs

With worldwide rights for unique drug delivery platforms in place, Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: PVOT) (OTCQB: PVOTF) (FRA: NPAT) is rapidly building a disruptive, vertically integrated biotechnology company. Advancing this agenda, the company recently announced that it has retained Cannabis Compliance Inc. to submit an application to Health Canada for a dealer’s license on behalf of Pivot’s acquisition target, Agro-Biotech Inc. (http://cnw.fm/0K5Xn).

In February, Pivot announced that its entry into a letter of intent for the proposed acquisition of licensed cannabis producer Agro-Biotech (http://cnw.fm/cvP6W), which operates a fully licensed indoor hydroponic cannabis production facility that’s on track to expand its capacity 10,000 kg per year by the end of this year. Upon completion of the proposed acquisition, the dealer’s license will enable Pivot (through Agro-Biotech) to conduct research and store cannabis derivatives that are not currently covered under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations.

With the acquisition of Agro-Biotech, Pivot Pharmaceuticals will control the entire manufacturing process from seed to medical derivatives and capture margins along the entire supply chain. The dealer’s license will move Pivot another step closer to becoming one of the only vertically integrated cannabis biotech companies in the world. Pivot is already a differentiated player in the Canadian cannabis industry with its unique approach to enhanced dosing and bioavailability of cannabinoids, and the company’s position in the market will only be bolstered by the acquisition.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals has assembled cutting-edge drug delivery technologies that assist both effectiveness and efficacy of medicinal cannabinoids and have potential applications across other drug categories. Pivot’s patent pending topical transdermal drug delivery technology platform, BiPhasix™, has been shown to significantly enhance the bioavailability of various drugs, leading to improved clinical outcomes. The company also acquired worldwide rights to Solmic Solubilisation Technology Platform, which allows active ingredients to become water-soluble without changing their composition or nature, significantly enhancing drug uptake.

With proven pharmaceutical and patented formulation and delivery technologies, Pivot is well positioned in an important, growing vertical of the cannabis industry and represents a compelling opportunity in the biotechnology sector. This latest announcement by Pivot enhances the opportunity.

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

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$DJACF Hiku and Jackman Reinvents Enter Into Strategic Collaboration

TORONTO, March 15, 2018 – Hiku Brands Company Ltd. (“Hiku” or the “Company“) (CSE:HIKU), Canada’s first vertically-integrated cannabis brand house, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an exclusive collaboration agreement (the “Agreement“) with Jackman Reinvention Inc. (“Jackman“), a strategic and creative brand consultancy with deep experience in retail execution.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Jackman is comprised of leading experts across its core disciplines of research, analytics, business strategy, brand strategy, customer experience design, and in-market activation. Jackman’s extensive experience in go-to-market, ongoing learning and growth strategies, in collaboration with HIKU’s industry leading brand house, will help form robust retail presence and meaningful brand differentiation.

Joe Jackman, CEO of Jackman, has extensive experience in retail brand strategy and activation, previously serving as (Acting) Chief Marketing Officer of Duane Reade, EVP, Marketing of Loblaw Companies Ltd. and (Acting) Chief Marketing Officer of Old Navy, Gap Inc. Since Jackman’s inception, Joe has advised the likes of Rexall, Freshco, The Beer Store, Sobeys and Canadian Tire, among other select clientele.

“We are pleased to commence an exclusive collaboration with Joe Jackman and the Jackman Reinvents team” comments Alan Gertner, CEO of Hiku. “This strategic mandate will result in a blueprint for dispensary build-outs in select provinces, with a focus on best in class customer experience. Together we will work to define the modern cannabis retail experience for the world.”

Jackman’s ability to enhance retail customer experience will be leveraged in lock-step with Hiku’s premium brand house market positioning. “We are excited to collaborate with and build upon Hiku’s cannabis retail platform” said Joe Jackman. “We believe in Hiku’s vision and that, together, we will create the leading cannabis retail experience. Our partnership is designed to deliver the most powerful and coordinated go-to-market, all focused on achieving scale with speed.”

Pursuant to the Agreement, Jackman’s services to the cannabis sector will be exclusive to Hiku for twice the length of the Agreement. In connection with the Agreement, the Company has agreed to issue to Jackman $800,000 worth of common shares of the Company, of which 50% will be issued immediately and 12.5% will be issued on each of June 1, 2018, September 1, 2018, December 1, 2018 and March 1, 2019.

About Hiku

Hiku is focused on building a portfolio of iconic, engaging cannabis brands, unsurpassed retail experiences and handcrafted cannabis production. With a national retail footprint led by Tokyo Smoke, craft cannabis production through DOJA‘s ACMPR licensed grow, and Van der Pop‘s female-focused educational platforms, Hiku houses an industry-leading portfolio that sets the bar for cannabis brands in Canada.

Hiku’s wholly-owned subsidiary, DOJA Cannabis Ltd., is a federally licensed producer pursuant to the ACMPR, owning two production facilities in the heart of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. The Company operates a network of retail stores selling coffee, clothing and curated accessories, across British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements”. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Hiku’s actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects,” “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur.

Forward-looking statements in this document include statements regarding the Company’s anticipated results of the collaboration with Jackman, including the build-out of dispensaries in select provinces. By their nature, forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Hiku is not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

$NETE Cryptocurrency Mining on The Rise in Crypto-Friendly Areas

Palm Beach, FL – (March 14, 2018) — The explosion in the value of the different cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, last year prompted a surge in start-ups running a growing number of energy-hungry computer systems needed to keep the global cryptocurrency system functioning. Operations are begging to spread out across the US and Canada in search of having fewer energy restrictions as well as having the framework to support large-scale mining operations. Cryptocurrency mining in general can be a confusing and somewhat of a complicated topic. But it can be broken down to a simple principle – Miners obtain powerful computing chips designed for the mining process and use them to run specifically crafted software day and night. That software forces the system to complete complicated calculations, and if all goes to plan, the miners are rewarded with cryptocurrency at the end of their efforts. Due to the inflating popularity of cryptocurrency trading and mining, the need for blockchain technology has skyrocketed and has been able to leverage mining efforts into tangible results through its universal accessibility and flexible platforms. Active companies today in the blockchain and crypto markets include: Block One Capital Inc. (TSX-V: BLOK) (OTC: BKPPF), Marathon Patent Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA), HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. (TSX-V: HIVE) (OTC: HVBTF), Global Blockchain Technologies Corp. (CSE: BLOC.CN) (OTC:BLKCF), Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE).

Block One Capital Inc. (TSXV: BLOK.V) (OTCQB: BKPPF) an investment company focused on high growth opportunities in the blockchain and digital currency mining sector, is pleased to announce that it’s investee company: TG12 Ventures Inc. (“TG12”) has commenced mining Bitcoin.

“We are pleased that TG12 has begun generating revenue and look forward to ramping up our mining capacity over the coming months. The audit procedures that are being implemented both remotely and physically will allow us to effectively gauge the potential growth of the operation moving forward,” said Mr. Sothi Thillairajah, CEO of Block One.

Co-location at Montana, USA – 320 Megawatt Compound
After a comprehensive review of the original site in Montreal selected for co-location, TG12 chose to co-locate the mining operation in Montana. The primary factors that led to the change were operational and cost efficiency – the contracted cost of power in Montana will be USD $0.031 per kwH. Furthermore, the facility in Montana has four times more air circulation space allowing for cooler room temperatures, thereby improving the miner’s overall efficiency and allowing for significant future scalability.

TG12 was able to have the shipment of the miners rerouted to the Montana location ensuring that a setback in commencing mining of Bitcoin did not occur. Read this and more news for Block One Capital at: http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/blok.html

In other blockchain and crypto industry news and developments:

Marathon Patent Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA) this week announced that it has commenced bitcoin mining at its new facility in Quebec. On February 8, 2018, the Company announced it had purchased 1,400 Bitmain Antminer S9 miners (“Antminer S9s”) and on February 15, 2018 the company announced it had leased 26,700 square feet of data center space in Quebec, Canada. The Company is pleased to announce the completion of its installation and the commencement of operations which are expected to utilize approximately 2.0 MW and deliver approximately 19 Ph/s of ASIC mining capacity. The Antminer S9s are presently mining Bitcoin, but are able to mine other digital assets/cryptocurrency using the SHA256 algorithm. Marathon is seeking to add up to an additional 3.9 MW of power. If successfully completed, this is expected to provide capacity for up to 2,800 additional Antminer S-9s that if acquired, could be located at this facility.

HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: HIVE.V) (OTC: HVBTF) recently announced its results for the third quarter ended December 31, 2017 – You can read the full results at: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hive-blockchain-releases-fiscal-2018-000600473.html Subsequent to the quarter, on January 15, 2018, HIVE commenced mining operations from the initial 6.8 MW phase of the Sweden GPU Data Centre, nearly tripling its global footprint of energy consumption dedicated to digital currency mining to 10.6 MW. This has contributed to a strong increase in the Company’s digital currency portfolio to a total value of $13,624,783 as at February 26, 2018. The construction and configuration of the second and third phases of the Sweden GPU Data Centre is proceeding on-schedule and will increase HIVE’s capacity by an additional 13.6 MW within two months, with the 20.0 MW Sweden Bitcoin Date Centre to follow by September 2018.

Global Blockchain Technologies Corp. (CSE: BLOC.CN) (OTC: BLKCF) has closed the acquisition of Coinstream Mining Corp., previously announced on Feb. 13, 2018, by way of a three-cornered amalgamation. Under the terms of the definitive acquisition agreement, the company acquired 100 per cent of Coinstream and assumed all of its existing assets and underlying agreements at present. Distributed Mining would allow anyone with a connected device to download and install a software packet, giving the user access to optimized cryptocurrency mining. The distributed mining platform will be able to optimize for variable mining requirements, and its design is particularly well suited for gaming consoles, of which there are over 100 million currently connected units. Gaming consoles contain stronger processing power than that found in typical laptop/desktop computers, making them the perfect environment to deploy the distributed mining platform as individuals are able to put their resting consoles to work, earning them valuable cryptocurrency tokens.

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), a global technology and value-added solutions group, in late February announced that it has joined the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (“EEA”), the world’s largest open-source blockchain initiative with over 250 member companies. Net Element’s membership to the prestigious alliance is complementary to the Company’s recently announced decentralized blockchain technology solution that will enable an unlimited number of value-added services (“VAS”) and support the adoption of Ethereum in the enterprise. The EEA seeks to augment Ethereum adoption as an enterprise-grade technology, with research and development focused on privacy, confidentiality, scalability and security. Net Element is developing a decentralized crypto-based ecosystem to act as a framework for a number of value-added services that can connect merchants and consumers directly, via blockchain technology, while increasing the economic efficiency of all transactions conducted within the ecosystem.

DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed MNU has been compensated twenty three hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press release issued by Block One Capital Inc. by a non-affiliated third party. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

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$CIIX CEO Discusses the Company’s Future on MoneyTV

March 14, 2018

Warren Wang, founder and CEO of ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX), was recently interviewed on MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon. The company, in addition to being a leader in education products and services for the Chinese-speaking community in North America and elsewhere, has recognized and seized the opportunity in the growing cannabis industry. With a focus on cryptocurrency and financial education, as well as a new private company spinoff of its hemp assets, CIIX is a company to watch. Wang spoke of upcoming changes in both the cannabis and cryptocurrency markets.

Anticipating the potential revenue of the company’s hemp assets for the 2018-2019 fiscal year in the range of $1 million to $4 million, Wang spoke of the spinoff of CIIX’s hemp assets into a private company as a positive and exciting move. The American cannabis market continues to grow, though still divided, and the newly formed spinoff company is set to achieve strong revenues with the legalization of cannabis in Canada this summer. CIIX’s hemp products can be found on Amazon. In the next six to eight months, the products will be rebranded, with the product line being expanded on Amazon and the price potentially dropping as hemp products become more mainstream in America.

The formal spinoff of CIIX’s hemp assets will occur on May 31, 2018, and investors will receive stock dividends. The new company will include wholly owned foreign enterprise CBD Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and U.S.-based wholly owned subsidiaries Hemp Logic, Inc. and ChineseHempOil.com, Inc. Shareholders have the option to exchange four shares of CIIX common stock for one share in the new company (http://cnw.fm/Z4wAo). The new company is expected to be brought to the public market, through either OTC or Canadian exchange, in the next 10-18 months.

This spinoff will allow CIIX to focus on financial and investment education covering a number of areas, including cryptocurrency. CIIX provides real-time reliable market information to investors, equipping them to make informed investment decisions. As cryptocurrency becomes an emerging asset, CIIX has positioned itself to be the leading educational source for the Chinese-speaking community to answer investor questions on what cryptocurrency is, how to trade it, where to store wallets, the prevalence of ICOs and much more. There is a great deal of education needed around the tech parts of cryptocurrency, and CIIX is focused on providing the education and confidence that the growing Chinese-speaking investor community is actively seeking.

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

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$IMRN Progresses Discussions with Institutional Funds

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 13, 2018 — Immuron Limited (ASX:IMC) (NASDAQ:IMRN), an Australian microbiome biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing orally delivered targeted polyclonal antibodies for the treatment of inflammatory mediated and infectious diseases, wishes to provide its shareholders with an update regarding negotiations currently being held with a large US institutional fund.

The Company’s ASX and NASDAQ securities were placed in a trading halt on Monday whilst negotiations continued with the US institutional fund. Whilst under the trading halt, Immuron has been approached by several other large US institutional funds also willing to enter negotiations with the Company surrounding a potential significant investment.

With Immuron’s interim-CEO Dr Jerry Kanellos commencing the US leg of a planned non-deal roadshow this week, and with the release of the updated corporate presentation which includes additional clinical trial results data this morning, the Board believes it is critical that the Company’s securities resume trading whilst the Board evaluates all of the alternative investment offers which it has received.

Immuron Chairman Dr Roger Aston commented:
The initial fund raising opportunity presented to the Company was certainly attractive and we felt it was prudent to explore this, but with the other alternatives now presented to us we believe it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders for us to evaluate all of the potential investment offers now in front of us to ensure we find the correct fit for our Company and its shareholders for the long-term.”

Immuron’s ASX and NASDAQ securities will resume trading at the first available opportunity.

ABOUT IMMURON:

Immuron Limited (ASX:IMC) (NASDAQ:IMRN), is an Australian microbiome biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing orally delivered targeted polyclonal antibodies for the treatment of inflammatory mediated and infectious diseases.. Immuron has a unique and safe technology platform that enables a shorter development therapeutic cycle. The Company currently markets and sells Travelan® for the prevention of Travelers’ Diarrhea and its lead clinical candidate, IMM-124E, is in Phase II clinical trials for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis (SAH) and Pediatric Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).  Immuron’s second clinical stage asset, IMM-529, is targeting Clostridium difficile Infections (CDI). These products together with the Company’s other preclinical immunotherapy pipeline products targeting immune-related diseases currently under development, will meet a large unmet need in the global immunotherapy market.

For more information visit: http://www.immuron.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended.  Such statements include, but are not limited to, any statements relating to our growth strategy and product development programs and any other statements that are not historical facts.  Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock value. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated include: risks relating to our growth strategy; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; risks relating to the results of research and development activities; risks relating to the timing of starting and completing clinical trials; uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing; our dependence on third-party suppliers; our ability to attract, integrate and retain key personnel; the early stage of products under development; our need for substantial additional funds; government regulation; patent and intellectual property matters; competition; as well as other risks described in our SEC filings. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

$SPEX To Enter Cyber Security Market via DatChat Acquisition

Company To Enter Cyber Security Market and Expand Proprietary Messaging Platform into E-mail Program That is Being Developed Based Upon Ethereum Blockchain Technology

NEW YORK, March 13, 2018 — Spherix Incorporated (Nasdaq: SPEX) a technology development company committed to the fostering of innovation and monetization of intellectual property, today announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire 100% ownership of DatChat Inc. DatChat is a privately held personal privacy platform, focused on Encrypted Communication, Internet Security and Digital Rights Management.

DatChat recently launched its initial product, a messaging application for mobile smart phones available on iOS and Android. The app allows users to control sent messages on the recipient’s phone. Additionally, the Company is expanding its platform to include a peer-to-peer secure email system that will be built on Ethereum blockchain technology. This system is intended to provide enhanced security, because there is no central storage point for messages, therefore they cannot be accessed by an unauthorized recipient. Once fully-developed, the DatChat blockchain technology is being designed to allow each message to become its own micro-blockchain that will be permissioned, private and controlled.  The closing of the acquisition is subject to shareholder approval and other customary conditions.

In addition to the acquisition of DatChat and the integration of the DatChat team, Spherix is further solidifying its holistic move into this sector by establishing “Ether Mining Company” as a subsidiary of Spherix. The purpose of the subsidiary is to mine the cryptocurrency “Ether.” Ether is a type of crypto token that fuels the Ethereum blockchain network, upon which DatChat’s distributed network is being built.

Mr. Anthony Hayes, CEO of Spherix stated, “Cyber security is a rapidly-growing sector based on the ever-increasing threats to privacy and confidential information.  News of data breaches at companies large and small are becoming increasingly frequent.  We believe that the DatChat Platform offers a solution by giving users total control of their information after transmittal.  We believe that the further development of the DatChat’s messaging technology into an email application will be the next evolution of blockchain, and that it will allow for permanent and ephemeral chains, content delivery, mining and third-party application development.

“DatChat was founded three years ago to address the need for a mobile messaging application that provides a traditional messaging experience, while providing users with complete privacy and control for their messages after they hit send,” said Mr. Darin Myman, CEO of DatChat. “Internet Privacy and cyber security lie at the heart of what we do. We realized that most cybersecurity was focused only on keeping intruders out, DatChat was developed as a complete messaging platform with ephemeral and privacy features that uniquely protect us both before and after we hit send. We believe that upon implementation, DatChat’s blockchain technology, will allow users to maintain the right to decide how their messages and information are accessed, even after hitting send or submit. Essentially, DatChat’s goal is to develop a Digital Rights Management Platform (‘DRM’) for blockchain.”

About DatChat

DatChat Inc. was founded three years ago by a team dedicated to creating a personal privacy  platform that always provides privacy, control and security.  The DatChat Digital Rights Mangagement Technology (“DRM”) is the core of the platform.  First launching the DatChat Messenger, the Company is now focused on developing it’s blockchain and “DRM” to solve cybersecurity issues, including issues relating to email, filestorage and financial transactions.

About Spherix

Spherix is committed to advancing innovation by active participation in all areas of the patent market. Spherix draws on portfolios of pioneering technology patents to partner with and support product innovation. Spherix has acquired over 100 patents from Rockstar Consortium Inc., and several hundred patents issued to Harris Corporation, covering a variety of methods and components involved in switching, routing, networking, optical and telecommunication sectors.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “predict,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “intend” or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company’s filings with the SEC, not limited to Risk Factors relating to its patent business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

$PVOTF Finding Ever-Growing Ways to Administer Cannabis Benefits

March 13, 2018

• Pivot Pharmaceuticals developing disruptive formulations for cannabis-infused markets
• Company’s goal is to strengthen dosage predictability and improve product stability
• Recent acquisitions and planned acquisitions give Pivot vertical position in multi-billion-dollar industries

Despite recent setbacks to efforts seeking broader marijuana legalization in North America (http://nnw.fm/UXnm7), the tide of social preferences for cannabis availability, even in recreational applications, continues to advance (http://nnw.fm/ZZ00n). Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: PVOT) (OTCQB: PVOTF) (FRA: NPAT) is helping to advance efforts to legitimize the drug’s use, both in medicinal and recreational settings, by pursuing ever-increasing methods for consuming cannabis’s derivatives in quantities with predictable outcomes.

“Pivot’s goal is to increase cannabinoid bioavailability, drug release rates and improve product stability, and consumers should be able to confidently take correct and accurate doses to help meet their health and wellness needs,” Joseph Borovsky, Pivot’s vice president of product formulation, stated in a recent news release (http://nnw.fm/AiZ6a).

The company has filed continuation patents to maintain its impetus in making cannabis available through powdered formulations that can be combined with existing products in the food and beverage market. That includes health and wellness products such as natural sleep-aids, cold medications and vitamins.

On March 6, Pivot Pharmaceuticals announced its acquisition of Thrudermic, LLC, a North Carolina company invested in a transdermal lipid-based nano-dispersion technology to make cannabis formulations available through external delivery. Thrudermic has filed three new patent applications for Pivot related to better formulation and delivery of its product as the company pursues new routes of drug administration.

Pivot’s acquisition of California’s ERS Holdings, LLC in February not only strengthened its options for enhanced health and wellness products; the move gave the company added visibility to beverage makers such as beer companies working to mitigate a potential decline in profits as their customers divert discretionary income from alcohol consumption to cannabis consumption.

“The (Ready-To-Infuse-Cannabis technology) family of patents will be transformational for the food and beverage industry. Based on our interaction with key players in the beverage market, we anticipate that there will be a significant substitution in consumer choices towards cannabis infused drinks. With this acquisition, we have positioned Pivot to be at the forefront of this enormous new market,” Pivot CEO Patrick Frankham stated in a news release about the acquisition (http://nnw.fm/e8hOI).

The company has also announced plans to acquire Agro-Biotech, a Quebec-based Canadian-licensed cannabis producer (http://nnw.fm/LeZ3q). Agro-Biotech operates a licensed hydroponic cannabis production facility that can turn out 10,000 kilograms per year, giving Pivot a source for its products as it strives to achieve a stronger vertical position in the industry for cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

An agreement between Pivot and Germany’s Solmic Research GmbH gave the company rights to technology designed to give cancer patients relief from vomiting, nausea, neutropenia and anemia during chemotherapy treatment. Those side effects trouble an estimated 70 to 80 percent of chemotherapy patients and often lead to the discontinuation of treatment before the illness has been completely addressed, according to Transparency Market Research (http://nnw.fm/8CzeJ). Cannabis’s therapeutic abilities are expected to help it grow into a $55.8 billion market by 2025, according to a 2017 report by Grand View Research (http://nnw.fm/X3ohq), and the cancer supportive care products market is expected to reach $29.87 billion by 2021.

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

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$PBIO Returns to Uptick Newswire’s “Stock Day” Podcast

Phoenix, March 13, 2018 — Richard T. Schumacher, President and CEO of Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) (“PBI” and the “Company”), a leader in the development and sale of innovative, broadly enabling, high pressure-based instruments and related consumables for the worldwide life sciences industry, was recently interviewed on Uptick Newswire’s “Stock Day” podcast with Mr. Everett Jolly.

“Throughout 2017, Pressure BioSciences had a remarkable number of initiatives going on both front-and-center as well as behind the scenes.  Some of these programs came to fruition in 2017, some have begun to emerge in early 2018, and some seem destined to blossom later this year,” said Mr. Jolly.  “To that end, the Company held a business update for investors and other stakeholders in late December 2017, at which all PBIO officers, the company’s Board Chairman, and representatives of BaroFold (the company PBIO acquired in December 2017) spoke about their specific initiatives and took questions from the attendees. Afterwards, on January 23, 2018, Ric joined us for a Stock Day Podcast.  Since that time, the company has seen its stock increase more than $1.50 per share, or about 50%.”

“For the past nine years, we’ve basically had one full-time sales person in the field, yet we have grown from a small company selling just a handful of our novel, enabling instruments to now having 300 instruments placed, resulting in about $2 million in annual sales, with solid year over year revenue growth trends,” noted Mr. Schumacher.  “We believe we have set the table to facilitate even greater revenue growth with  the deployment of an experienced, trained, and dedicated field sales team, the acquisition of the BaroFold, Inc. assets – including 8 important patents that integrate well with our own seventeen patents, and our very recently announced co-marketing and distribution relationship with ISS, Inc.”

“With these new initiatives firmly in place, a priceless global customer base, a newly released next-generation instrument, additional key opinion leader customers, and our new BaroFold and Ultra Shear Technology (UST) programs, we look forward with excitement to 2018, which we believe should be a solid year of growth and expansion.”

To listen to the full interview please click here to the following link: https://upticknewswire.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Uptick-Network-PBIO-Interview-3-8-18.mp3

For more information on discussed topics, please click the following links:
Replay of December 20, 2017 Business Update

Two-Year Worldwide Co-Marketing and Distribution Agreement

Barocycler 2320EXTREME

About Pressure BioSciences, Inc.

Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) is a leader in the development and sale of innovative, broadly enabling, pressure-based solutions for the worldwide life sciences industry. Our products are based on the unique properties of both constant (i.e., static) and alternating (i.e., pressure cycling technology, or “PCT”) hydrostatic pressure. PCT is a patented enabling technology platform that uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient and ultra-high levels to safely and reproducibly control bio-molecular interactions (e.g., cell lysis, biomolecule extraction). Our primary focus is in the development of PCT-based products for biomarker and target discovery, drug design and development, biotherapeutics characterization and quality control, soil & plant biology, forensics, and counter-bioterror applications. Additionally, major new market opportunities have emerged in the use of our pressure-based technologies in the following areas: (1) the use of our recently acquired PreEMT technology from BaroFold, Inc. to allow immediate entry into the biologics contract research services sector, and (2) the use of our recently-patented, scalable, high-efficiency, pressure-based Ultra Shear Technology (“UST”) platform to (i) create stable nanoemulsions of otherwise immiscible fluids (e.g., oils and water) and to (ii) prepare higher quality, homogenized, extended shelf-life or room temperature stable low-acid liquid foods that cannot be effectively preserved using existing non-thermal technologies.

Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding PBI’s intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, or predictions of the future are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the Company’s current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and other reports filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the information included in this release, except as otherwise required by law.

About Uptick Newswire and the “Stock Day” Podcast
Uptick Newswire is a private company reaching out to the masses keeping investors and shareholders up to date on company news and bringing transparency to the undervalued, undersold, micro-cap stocks of the market and is the sole producer of the Uptick Network “Stock Day” Podcast. The Uptick Network “Stock Day” Podcast is an extension of Uptick Newswire and has recently launched the Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona with its new host Kathryn Donnelly.

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of Stock Day and Uptick Newswire encourages listeners to visit Pressure BioSciences, Inc. message board on: https://investorshangout.com/

Source: Uptick Newswire

For more information about PBIO and this press release, please click on the following website link: 
Ultrashear


Please visit PBIO on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter

Investor Contacts: 
Pressure BioSciences, Inc. 

Richard T. Schumacher
President & CEO

Nathan P. Lawrence, Ph.D. 
VP of Marketing and Sales 
(508) 230-1828 (T)

$ETST Achieves Highest Sales Revenue Month in February

DORAL, FL, March 13, 2018 — Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTC: ETST) (“ETST” or the “Company”), an innovative biotech company focused on the cannabidiol (CBD), nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields as well as on R&D for certain medical devices, today announces that February 2018 was its highest-ever sales revenue month..

As anticipated, in February the Company achieved its highest monthly sales revenue, with sales of $75,981.02—a 90% revenue increase compared to $39,881.99 in February 2017. This achievement is due to the Company’s new veteran Chief Sales Officer (CSO) and also its revamped CBD line.

March has started strong and is also headed toward being a high revenue month, further contributing to what is predicted to become the Company’s highest revenue fiscal year. Jill Buzan, ETST’s CSO, states, “My first month with the company has been an amazing experience with so much potential. I’m excited to see that we were able to achieve the highest revenue month to date, especially due to product delivery delays and slight errors made from the manufacture. Starting the month of March, with our full inventory and all errors corrected, we’ll be able to truly take Earth Science Tech, Inc. to new heights.”

Company President, Director and COO Nickolas Tabraue adds, “February looked to be our pivotal month, having the honor of having Jill Buzan as our CSO, transitioning Gabriel Aviles to the position of Chief Learning Officer, (CLO), and introducing our newly revamped CBD line. Jill Buzan has brought so much to our company, and with her experience and knowledge Earth Science Tech, Inc. truly looks to stay innovative and be the trusted CBD brand in the industry. Gabriel Aviles has started recording live, one-hour videos from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday on our YouTube channel, educating individuals on CBD and answering live questions. The videos will then be shared throughout social media. Our new product revamp has been successful despite the manufacturing delays and minor errors due to the increasing product demand, leading us to rush the process. We are currently working on our next batch, improving our formula and providing adequate manufacturing time to eliminate any potential errors and to prevent backorders.”

Mr. Tabraue continues, “Our audit continues to move forward and looks to be finalized within the month of March and will be used to submit our planned Tier II Regulation A+ as well as our planned OTCQB up-listing. The team and I greatly appreciate our stakeholders’ loyalty, trust and support while growing with us. We plan on sharing updates as they progress.”

About Earth Science Tech, Inc. (ETST)

Earth Science Tech has among the highest quality, purity and full-spectrum high-grade hemp CBD (cannabidiol) oil on the market. Made using the superior supercritical CO2 liquid extraction, ETST’s CBD oil is 100% natural and organic. The company’s research, performed alongside the University of Central Oklahoma and DV Biologics laboratory, demonstrates that ETST is the top nutritional and dietary supplement brand for high-grade hemp CBD oil.

To learn more and to buy CBD Hemp Oil, please visit: www.EarthScienceTech.com

About Earth Science Pharmaceutical

Earth Science Pharmaceutical, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Earth Science Tech, Inc (ETST). Earth Science Pharmaceutical is focused on becoming a world leader in the development of low cost, non-invasive diagnostic tools, medical devices, testing processes and vaccines for STIs (sexually transmitted infections and/or diseases). Earth Science Pharmaceutical CEO Dr. Michel Aubé, a renowned scientist, is committed to help grow ETST in the medical and pharmaceutical industry.

To learn more please visit: www.EarthSciencePharmaceutical.com

About Cannabis Therapeutics

Cannabis Therapeutics, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Earth Science Tech, Inc. (ETST). Cannabis Therapeutics was formed as an emerging biotechnology company poised to become a world leader in cannabinoid research and development for a broad line of cannabis cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, as well as other products & solutions. Cannabis Therapeutics’ mission it to help change the health care landscape by introducing its proprietary cannabis-cannabinoid-based products made for both the pharmaceutical and retail consumer markets worldwide.

To learn more please visit: www.CannabisThera.com

About KannaBidioiD

KannaBidioid, Inc. is wholly owned subsidiary of Earth Science Tech, Inc. (ETST). KannaBidioid is focused in the recreational space to manufacture and distribute vapes/e-liquids and gummy edibles in the recreational space formulated by its unique Kanna and CBD formula. Kanna and CBD synergistically enhance one another, providing optimal relaxation, an uplifting sensation, enhance focus, and help with nicotine addiction based on their properties.

To learn more please visit: www.KannaBidioiDInc.com

SAFE HARBOR ACT: Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as “anticipate,” “if,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Relations Contact:
Dave Demarest 
305.546.7640 Office

Company Contact:
www.EarthScienceTech.com 
Nickolas S. Tabraue
President, Director, Chief Operating Officer 
305.615.2118 Office

Corporate Communications Contact: 
NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com 
212.418.1217 Office 
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

$UCBA to be Acquired by Civista Bancshares

SANDUSKY, Ohio and LAWRENCEBURG, Ind., March 12, 2018 — Sandusky, Ohio based Civista Bancshares, Inc. (“Civista”) (NASDAQ: CIVB) and United Community Bancorp, the parent company of United Community Bank (“United” or “UCB”) (NASDAQ: UCBA), today announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Civista will acquire United.  Based on financial data as of December 31, 2017, the combined company would have total assets of $2.1 billion, total loans of $1.5 billion and total deposits of $1.7 billion.  United operates an eight branch network in southeastern Indiana, five of which are located in the Cincinnati MSA.  This acquisition will allow Civista to bring its enhanced commercial lending platform to United’s demographically strong markets.  United will provide Civista with low cost core deposit funding and excess liquidity.

Civista currently operates branches and loan production offices from northern Ohio to Dayton, Ohio.  The acquisition of United expands Civista’s community banking franchise into and around the Cincinnati MSA, which is home to over 2.1 million people.  After this strategic partnership, Civista’s community banking platform will operate in each of the five largest Ohio marketplaces.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for Civista and we are very excited to welcome United’s customers and employees to the Civista family,” said Dennis G. Shaffer, CEO and President of Civista Bancshares, Inc.  “United, including its two predecessors, has maintained a strong and stable presence in their local communities for over 100 years.  We look forward to collaborating with United’s leadership team to grow and enhance their banking platform while maintaining strong ties to their community.  Michael McLaughlin, UCB’s Chief Operating Officer, will be named Market Executive and Mark Sams, UCB’s Chief Credit Officer, will continue to lead the commercial lending efforts in the market.  Civista plans to keep all eight UCB branch offices open.  We believe the long-term growth potential of this partnership offers substantial upside for shareholders of both organizations.”

“We have great admiration and respect for the Civista team and believe Civista is an ideal partner providing many strategic benefits to all of the UCB stakeholders,” stated E.G. McLaughlin, President and CEO of United.  “We believe partnering with Civista will provide us the enhanced capacity to deliver the products and services sought by our customers.  In addition, we expect this partnership to accelerate the commercial loan production efforts that we have undertaken in the greater Cincinnati market.  We believe this merger is a great outcome for our shareholders and positions us for continued success and potential.”

Under the terms of the merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, the consideration United shareholders will receive is equivalent to 1.027 shares of Civista common stock and $2.54 in cash per share of United common stock.  This implies a deal value per share of $26.22 or approximately $114.4 million based on the 15-day average closing price of Civista’s common stock on March 9, 2018 of $23.06.  Civista and United anticipate that the transaction will qualify as a tax-free reorganization to the extent that United shareholders receive Civista common stock in the merger.  The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018, subject to each company receiving the required approval of its shareholders, receipt of all required regulatory approvals and fulfillment of other customary closing conditions.

Under terms of the agreement, the directors of Civista and the directors and executive officers of United have agreed to vote all shares that they own in their respective organizations in favor of the merger.  In addition, a total of three existing United directors will join the Civista Bank Board of Directors and two of those directors will join the Civista Bancshares, Inc. Board of Directors.  E.G. McLaughlin is expected to be one of the directors to join both boards.

In preparation for the merger, extensive due diligence was performed over a multi-week period.  Under the proposed merger terms, the acquisition of United is expected to be immediately accretive to Civista’s earnings in 2018 and thereafter. In addition, any tangible book value dilution created in the transaction is expected to be earned back in approximately 3.5 years after closing. Post-closing, Civista’s capital ratios are expected to continue to exceed “well-capitalized” regulatory standards.

Civista will host an investor conference call and webcast on March 12, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., ET, to provide an overview of the transaction and highlights.  Participants may join the conference ten minutes prior to the start time by calling 1-855-238-2712 and asking for the Civista Bancshares conference.  Additionally, the live webcast may be accessed from the ‘Webcasts and Presentations’ page of the Company’s website, www.civb.com, or from the ‘Upcoming Events’ tab on the CIVB mobile site.

Sandler O’Neill + Partners, LP acted as financial advisor to Civista and Tucker Ellis LLP acted as its legal advisor in the transaction.  Keefe, Bruyette & Woods acted as financial advisor to United and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP acted as its legal advisor.

About Civista Bancshares, Inc.

Civista Bancshares, Inc. is a $1.5 billion financial holding company headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio. Civista’s banking subsidiary, Civista Bank, operates 29 locations in Northern, Central and Southwestern Ohio.  Civista Bancshares, Inc. may be accessed at www.civb.com.  Civista’s common shares are traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CIVB”.  The Company’s depositary shares, each representing a 1/40th ownership interest in a Series B Preferred Share, are traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CIVBP”.

About United Community Bancorp

United Community Bancorp is the parent company of United Community Bank, headquartered in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.  The Bank currently operates eight offices in Dearborn and Ripley Counties, Indiana.  United common shares trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “UCBA”.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This joint press release is being made in respect of the proposed transaction involving Civista and United.  This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy either Civista or United securities.  This press release is not a solicitation of any vote or approval of Civista’s or United’s shareholders and is not a substitute for the joint proxy statement/prospectus or any other documents which Civista and United may send to their respective shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction.

In connection with the proposed transaction, Civista intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 containing a joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC. Before making any voting or investment decision, the respective investors and shareholders of Civista and United are urged to carefully read the entire joint proxy statement/prospectus when it becomes available and any other relevant documents filed by either company with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they will contain important information about Civista, United and the proposed transaction.  Investors and security holders are also urged to carefully review and consider each of Civista’s and United’s public filings with the SEC, including but not limited to their Annual Reports on Form 10-K, their proxy statements, their Current Reports on Form 8-K and their Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

Civista and United and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Civista and United in connection with the proposed merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Civista is set forth in the proxy statement for the Civista 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on March 15, 2017.  Information about the directors and executive officers of United is set forth in the proxy statement for the United 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on October 25, 2017.  Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, may be obtained by reading the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents regarding the proposed merger to be filed with the SEC when they become available.

When available, copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to the respective shareholders of Civista and United.  When available, copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus also may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to Civista Bancshares, Inc., 100 East Water Street P.O. Box 5016, Sandusky, Ohio 44870, Attn: Dennis G. Shaffer, President and Chief Executive Officer or United Community Bancorp, 92 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, Attn: E.G. McLaughlin, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Forward-Looking Statements

This joint press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  These forward-looking statements may include: management plans relating to the proposed transaction; the expected timing of the completion of the proposed transaction; the ability to complete the proposed transaction; the ability to obtain any required regulatory, shareholder or other approvals; any statements of the plans and objectives of management for future operations, products or services, any statements of expectation or belief; projections related to certain financial metrics; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing.  Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “seek”, “plan”, “will”, “would”, “target” “outlook,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project” and other similar words and expressions or negatives of these words.  Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time and are beyond our control.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made.  Neither Civista nor United assumes any duty and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.  Because forward-looking statements are by their nature, to different degrees, uncertain and subject to assumptions, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those that Civista or United anticipated in its forward-looking statements, and future results could differ materially from historical performance.  Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those included under Item 1A “Risk Factors” in Civista’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, those included under Item 1A “Risk Factors” in United’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, those disclosed in Civista’s and United’s respective other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”); that the proposed transaction may not be timely completed, if at all; that prior to the completion of the proposed transaction or thereafter, Civista’s and United’s respective businesses may not perform as expected due to transaction-related uncertainty or other factors; shareholder or other approvals are not obtained or other customary closing conditions are not satisfied in a timely manner or at all; reputational risks and the reaction of the companies’ shareholders, customers, employees and other constituents to the proposed transaction; and diversion of management time on merger-related matters.  These risks, as well as other risks associated with the proposed transaction, will be more fully discussed in the joint proxy statement/prospectus that will be included in the registration statement on Form S-4 that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.  While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors to be presented in the registration statement on Form S-4 will be, considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties.  Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward looking statements.  For any forward-looking statements made in this joint press release or in any documents, Civista and United claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Annualized, pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts and may not reflect actual results.

$OCLR to be Acquired by Lumentum For $1.8B In Cash And Stock

– Best in class photonics capabilities join forces to accelerate innovation and industry roadmaps – Strengthens and broadens R&D capabilities and product portfolio – Estimate more than $60 million in annual run-rate synergies within 12 to 24 months – Expected to be accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share immediately after closing

MILPITAS, Calif., and SAN JOSE, Calif., March 12, 2018 — Lumentum Holdings Inc. (“Lumentum” or the “Company”), a leading provider of photonics products for optical networking and lasers for industrial and consumer markets, and Oclaro, Inc. (“Oclaro”), a leader in optical components and modules for the long-haul, metro, and data center markets, today announced that the two companies have signed a definitive agreement, unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, pursuant to which Lumentum will acquire all of the outstanding common stock of Oclaro. For each share of Oclaro stock held, Oclaro stockholders will be entitled to receive $5.60 in cash and 0.0636 of a share of Lumentum common stock, subject to the terms of the definitive agreement. The transaction values Oclaro at $9.99 per share or approximately $1.8 billion in equity value, based on the closing price of Lumentum’s stock on March 9, 2018, of $68.98.  The transaction value represents a premium of 27% to Oclaro’s closing price on March 9, 2018 and a premium of 40% to Oclaro’s 30 day average closing price.  Oclaro stockholders are expected to own approximately 16% of the combined company at closing.

“Joining forces with Oclaro strengthens our product portfolio, broadens our revenue mix, and positions us strongly for the future needs of our customers.  Oclaro brings its leading Indium Phosphide laser and Photonic Integrated Circuit and coherent component and module capabilities to Lumentum.  The combined company will drive innovation faster and accelerate the development of products to enable our customers to win,” said Alan Lowe, Lumentum’s President and CEO.  “We are delighted to welcome the talented Oclaro team to Lumentum and look forward to a swift completion of the transaction with a focus on supporting our customers and delivering shareholder value.”

“I am very pleased that two of the optical industry leaders, Oclaro and Lumentum, will join forces.  Together, we will be an even stronger player in fiber optic components and modules for high-speed communications and a market leader in 3D sensing.  This is a fantastic combination for all of our stakeholders, including stockholders, employees, customers and partners,” said Greg Dougherty, Oclaro’s CEO, “I am extremely proud of what the Oclaro team has accomplished over the last five years. We have enjoyed tremendous success and this combination will create even more exciting opportunities for the team.”

The transaction is expected to generate more than $60 million of annual run-rate synergies within 12 to 24 months of the closing and be immediately accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share.

Lumentum intends to fund the cash consideration with a combination of cash on hand from the combined companies’ balance sheets and $550 million in debt financing.  The transaction is expected to close in the second half of calendar 2018, subject to approval by Oclaro’s stockholders, antitrust regulatory approval in the US and China, and other customary closing conditions.

Board of Directors

One member of Oclaro’s Board of Directors, as mutually determined, will join Lumentum’s Board of Directors upon the closing of the transaction.

Advisors

Deutsche Bank Securities served as the exclusive financial advisor to Lumentum and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati served as legal advisor.  Jefferies LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Oclaro and Jones Day served as legal advisor.

Conference Call

Lumentum and Oclaro will hold a conference call today March 12, 2018 at 5:30 A.M. PT/8:30 A.M. ET. A live webcast of the call and the replay will be available on the Lumentum website at http://investor.lumentum.com.  Supporting materials for the call’s presentation will be posted on http://investor.lumentum.com under the “Events and Presentations” section and on http://investor.oclaro.com/investor-relations under the “Events and Presentations” section prior to the call.

To participate via telephone:
North America: (866) 393-4306
International: (734) 385-2616
Conference ID: 3177029

Replay of the call:
Dial-In: (855) 859-2056 or (404) 537-3406
Conference ID: 3177029
Start Date: March 12, 2018, 8:30 A.M. PT
End Date: March 19, 2018, 20:59 P.M. PT

This press release is being furnished as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and will be available at http://www.sec.gov/.

About Lumentum

Lumentum (NASDAQ: LITE) is a market-leading manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products enabling optical networking and commercial laser customers worldwide. Lumentum’s optical components and subsystems are part of virtually every type of telecom, enterprise, and data center network. Lumentum’s commercial lasers enable advanced manufacturing techniques and diverse applications including next-generation 3D sensing capabilities. Lumentum is headquartered in Milpitas, California with R&D, manufacturing, and sales offices worldwide.  For more information, visit https://www.lumentum.com/en.

About Oclaro

Oclaro, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCLR), is a leader in optical components and modules for the long-haul, metro and data center markets. Leveraging more than three decades of innovation in laser technology and photonics integration, Oclaro provides differentiated solutions for optical networks and high-speed interconnects driving the next wave of streaming video, cloud computing, application virtualization, and other bandwidth-intensive applications. For more information, visit http://www.oclaro.com/ or follow on Twitter at @OclaroInc.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including the statements made in each CEO quote, as well as disclosures regarding the potential cost synergies and accretion to non-GAAP earnings per share expected from the combined company and the timing thereof.  Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance.  In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern Lumentum’s and/or Oclaro’s expectations, strategy, plans or intentions.  Lumentum’s and Oclaro’s expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including but not limited to: the risk that the transaction does not close, due to the failure of one or more conditions to closing or the failure of the businesses (including personnel) to be integrated successfully after closing; the risk that synergies and non-GAAP earnings accretion will not be realized or realized to the extent anticipated; uncertainty as to the market value of the Lumentum merger consideration to be paid in the merger; the risk that required governmental or Oclaro stockholder approvals of the merger (including U.S. or China antitrust approvals) will not be obtained or that such approvals will be delayed beyond current expectations; the risk that following this transaction, Lumentum’s financing or operating strategies will not be successful; litigation in respect of either company or the merger; and disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain customer, supplier, key personnel and other strategic relationships.

The forward-looking statements contained in this communication are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in Lumentum’s and Oclaro’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including Lumentum’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended July 1, 2017, Lumentum’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 30, 2017, Oclaro’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended July 1, 2017, Oclaro’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 30, 2017, and those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in the S-4 to be filed by Lumentum with the SEC at a future date in connection with this transaction and in the documents which are incorporated by reference therein.  The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Lumentum and Oclaro as of the date hereof, and each of Lumentum and Oclaro disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This communication is being made in respect of a proposed business combination involving Lumentum Holdings Inc. and Oclaro, Inc. In connection with the proposed transaction, Lumentum will file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes the preliminary proxy statement of Oclaro and that will also constitute a prospectus of Lumentum. The information in the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus is not complete and may be changed. Lumentum may not sell the common stock referenced in the proxy statement/prospectus until the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC becomes effective. The preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and this communication are not offers to sell Lumentum securities, are not soliciting an offer to buy Lumentum securities in any state where the offer and sale is not permitted and are not a solicitation of any vote or approval.  The definitive proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to stockholders of Oclaro.

LUMENTUM AND OCLARO URGE INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain these materials (when they are available) and other documents filed with the SEC free of charge at the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov/. Copies of documents filed with the SEC by Lumentum (when they become available) may be obtained free of charge on Lumentum’s website at https://www.lumentum.com/en or by directing a written request to Lumentum Holdings Inc., Investor Relations, 400 North McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035. Copies of documents filed with the SEC by Oclaro (when they become available) may be obtained free of charge on Oclaro’s website at http://www.oclaro.com/or by directing a written request to Oclaro, Inc. Investor Relations, 225 Charcot Avenue, San Jose, CA 95131.

Participants in the Merger Solicitation

Each of Lumentum Holdings Inc., Oclaro, Inc. and their respective directors, executive officers and certain other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding these persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the solicitation of Oclaro stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus described above filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding Lumentum’s executive officers and directors is included in Lumentum’s definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on September 19, 2017. Additional information regarding Oclaro’s executive officers and directors is included in Oclaro’s definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on September 27, 2017. You can obtain free copies of these documents using the information in the paragraph immediately above.

Contact Information

Lumentum:
Investors: Chris Coldren, 408-404-0606; investor.relations@lumentum.com
Press: Greg Kaufman, 408-546-4593; media@lumentum.com

Oclaro:
Investors:  Jim Fanucchi, 408-404-5400; ir@oclaro.com

$MARA Announces Facility in Quebec Has Commenced Bitcoin Mining

LOS ANGELES, March 12, 2018 — Marathon Patent Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:MARA) (“Marathon” or the “Company”), today announced that it has commenced bitcoin mining at its new facility in Quebec.

On February 8, 2018, the Company announced it had purchased 1,400 Bitmain Antminer S9 miners (“Antminer S9s”) and on February 15, 2018 the company announced it had leased 26,700 square feet of data center space in Quebec, Canada. The Company is pleased to announce the completion of its installation and the commencement of operations which are expected to utilize approximately 2.0 MW and deliver approximately 19 Ph/s of ASIC mining capacity. The Antminer S9s are presently mining Bitcoin, but are able to mine other digital assets/cryptocurrency using the SHA256 algorithm.

Marathon is seeking to add up to an additional 3.9 MW of power. If successfully completed, this is expected to provide capacity for up to 2,800 additional Antminer S-9s that if acquired, could be located at this facility.

Merrick Okamoto, Marathon’s Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated, “Today’s announcement represents a milestone for the Company. I’d like to thank everyone that worked so hard to make this day a reality for our shareholders.”

Pictures of the Company’s mining operations may be found at the following link: https://www.marathonpg.com/granby

About Marathon Patent Group, Inc.

Marathon is formerly an IP licensing company. Following the acquisition of GBV, the combined company will focus on the development of GBV’s new business involving the blockchain ecosystem and generation of digital assets. GBV is focused on mining digital assets and intends to add specialized computer equipment and plans to expand its activities to mine new digital assets. To learn more about Marathon Patent Group Inc., visit www.marathonpg.com. To learn more about Global Bit Ventures Inc., visit www.globalbitventures.com.

Investor Notice

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and forward-looking statements described under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 5, 2017 and the Risk Factor section of Amendment No.1 to Form S-4 filed on January 24, 2018 which contains a discussion of possible risks related to the Company’s planned merger with Global Bit Ventures, Inc. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. In addition, our past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results in the future. See “Safe Harbor” below.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “plan,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, many of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which the Company might not even anticipate, and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and are advised to consider the factors listed above together with the additional factors under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, as may be supplemented or amended by the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise.

Contact Information

Name: Jason Assad
Phone: 678-570-6791
Email: Jason@marathonpg.com

$PBIO Patented Tech Enhances Nanoemulsion Bioavailability

March 12, 2018

• Patented UST process produces highly stable, clean and cost-effective nanoemulsions
• Technology can be applied across many industries, including pharmaceutical, food, nutraceutical, industrial lubricant, paint and cosmetic sectors
• UST technology aligns with consumer demand for chemical- and preservative-free products

The demand for nanoemulsions is growing at a fast pace, with potential applications in many industry sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and industrial lubricants. Up to now, one of the major problems with nanoemulsions has been their instability. This instability compromises the bioavailability and absorption of active ingredients for product preparation and the shelf life of the product. Life sciences company Pressure BioSciences Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) is positioned to change this landscape via a patented novel technique called Ultra Shear Technology (“UST”). This technology uses intense shear forces generated by high-pressure valve discharge, which can help produce nanoemulsions that exhibit significantly improved absorption, greater stability and increased bioavailability compared to traditional micro and macro-emulsions.

Emulsions are mixtures of two liquids which are largely immiscible without the aid of emulsifying chemicals, such as surfactants. Surfactants assist in the dispersion of one liquid within the other, where it exists as tiny droplets. The smaller the droplet size for any given volume of dispersed liquid, the greater the absorption and bioavailability of active compounds. Nanoemulsions produce dispersed droplets with exceptionally small diameters, measured in nanometers.

To date, cost-effective, highly stable nanoemulsions made with minimal or no surfactants have been difficult to produce. Pressure BioSciences’ UST enables manufacturers to produce nanoemulsions at industrial scale levels that virtually exclude the use of surfactants, leading to safer and more effective oral delivery of food and medical products. This is a big deal in today’s world, where consumers across the globe are focusing more on wellbeing and demanding food that is appealing, tastes good, is free of chemicals and is safe to eat. Nanoemulsions produced using UST facilitate the production of food products with enhanced shelf lives and without the need for chemicals or preservatives. This groundbreaking technology will also increase product quality and shelf life in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic sectors.

In October 2017, Pressure BioSciences concluded a strategic collaboration agreement with Phasex Corporation that will allow for the production of stable, water-soluble nanoemulsions that are expected to significantly improve drug and active ingredient delivery in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cannabis oil industries. Aqueous nanoemulsions have the potential to increase the absorption and bioavailability of water-insoluble compounds like vitamin A, vitamin C and cannabinoids such as CBD. Phasex’s expertise lies in supercritical fluid (“SCF”) extraction processes that can be used for the manufacture of an extensive range of fine chemicals, polymers and natural extracts for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulations. SCF technology enables solvent-free extraction of active ingredients, which substantially enhances the quality of nanoemulsions.

Although the UST platform offers very exciting opportunities for future growth, Pressure BioSciences is not dependent on its novel UST platform for its future success. To that point, the company has been showing solid growth over the past several years in its’ primary product line, which is based on its innovative, patented, enabling platform called Pressure Cycling Technology (“PCT”). This technology uses cycles of hydrostatic pressure from ambient to ultra-high pressure levels to control bio-molecular interactions. It can be applied in several emerging life science areas, including:

• Sample preparation for genomic, proteomic and small molecule studies
• Control of biochemical reactions
• Protein purification
• Pathogen inactivation
• Immunodiagnostics

Patents for this technology have been issued to PBIO from many countries around the world, including China, Japan, multiple European countries, Canada, and the U.S. To date, the company has installed almost 300 PCT systems in more than 150 pharmaceutical, academic, biotechnological and government laboratories worldwide. Primary applications for the technology are in biomarker discovery, forensics, pathology and agriculture. The company has reported annual revenue of greater than $2 million, even though it has had but one sales person and one PCT instrument to sell. Recently, however, the company added four additional sales reps and has announced plans to release up to four additional instruments in 2018. These changes have set the company up for what could be significant future growth and an excellent return on investment for shareholders.

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

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$PVOTF Agro-Biotech Dealer’s License Application Filing

Dr. Wolfgang Renz Appointed Pivot’s Chief Medical Officer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 12, 2018 — via NetworkWire – Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE:PVOT) (OTCQB:PVOTF) (FRA:NPAT) (“Pivot” or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that the Company has retained Cannabis Compliance Inc. (“CCI”) to submit an application to Health Canada for a Dealer’s License (“Dealer’s License” or “DL”) under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (“CDSA”) and the Narcotic Control Regulations enacted thereunder on behalf of Agro-Biotech Inc. (“Agro-Biotech”). As previously announced on February 22, 2018, Pivot has entered into a letter of intent for the proposed acquisition of Agro-Biotech (the “Proposed Acquisition”). For further details on the Proposed Acquisition, please refer to the Company’s news release.

Agro-Biotech operates a fully licensed, purpose-built, indoor hydroponic cannabis production facility located in Saint-Eustache, Québec, 40 kilometres north of Montréal. Phase I is now complete and Phase II and Phase III are expected to be completed by the end of September 2018, resulting in a total grow area of 75,000 square feet, capable of producing a cumulative 10,000 kg per year. Agro-Biotech received its Producer’s License from Health Canada’s Office of Medical Cannabis on January 12, 2018. Upon the anticipated issuance of a Sales License from Health Canada, initial revenue is expected in Q3 2018.

Upon completion of the Proposed Acquisition, the Dealer’s License will enable Pivot, through Agro-Biotech, to conduct research and development (“R&D”) and store cannabis derivatives that are not currently covered under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”). A Dealer’s License and export permit would position the Company to export cannabis oils and concentrates to available international markets, as well as to process natural health products. In addition, a DL will also allow the Company to prepare authorized manipulations, formulations, dosage forms, strengths or package sizes of cannabis expanding possible research and product innovation opportunities.

The facility design includes extraction and purification areas expected to be fully operational following the successful closing of the Proposed Acquisition and receipt by Agro-Biotech of a Dealer’s License from Health Canada. Agro-Biotech is one of only six Licensed Producers in Québec, Canada’s second largest province with a population of over 8.4 million people. Owners of 75 high quality cannabis strains, including high expressors of CBD, Agro-Biotech’s genetics will enable it to bring unique, differentiated cannabis products to market.

Pivot is also pleased to announce that Dr. Wolfgang Renz has been appointed as the Company’s Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Renz previously served as Corporate Vice President, Healthcare Innovation, at Boehringer Ingelheim. He also serves as Adjunct Professor of Surgery at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine in Montreal. Dr. Renz holds a M.D. and Ph.D from Freiburg University and is board certified in Germany in Emergency Medicine.
“I am excited to lead the development of all medical and therapeutic activities from Pivot’s impressive bio-cannabis pipeline,” Dr. Renz said. “There is tremendous value and opportunity based on the numerous product formulation and dosing technologies Pivot has licensed or acquired over the past year. The technologies have demonstrated their usefulness in the pharmaceutical markets and delivering cannabinoids with these platforms will be disruptive.”

Dr. Patrick Frankham, Pivot’s CEO states, “The addition of a Dealer’s License for the Agro-Biotech facility will allow the Company to exercise complete control of our finished products, from seed to derivatives. With access to 10,000 kg of cannabis annually, the ability to extract, purify and formulate in-house, Pivot will provide the most exceptional quality, dosable products available on the market. This vertical integration makes Pivot a differentiated player in the cannabis industry.”

Dr. Frankham added that, “The appointment of Dr. Renz provides Pivot with an experienced pharmaceutical executive who will accelerate the Company’s technological, marketing, sales and distribution partnerships in the European Union. We continue to aggressively execute on our business strategy.”

About Cannabis Compliance Inc.

Cannabis Compliance Inc. offers risk mitigation, due diligence and regulatory compliance for commercial cannabis producers and resellers around the world. We focus in the global market, and provide our clients with trusted and comprehensive solutions. CCI has extensive expertise in regulatory compliance, cultivation/horticulture, security designs/tender, facility designs/build-outs, quality assurance programs, import & export, staff recruitment and financial planning. CCI exists to empower the future leaders in the global cannabis industry. For more information please visit www.cannabiscomplianceinc.com.

About Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of therapeutic pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals using innovative drug delivery platform technologies. Pivot’s wholly-owned medical cannabis products division, Pivot Green Stream Health Solutions Inc. (“PGS” or “Pivot Green Stream”), conducts research, development and commercialization of cannabinoid-based nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. PGS has acquired “RTIC” Ready-To-Infuse Cannabis powder to oil technology, BiPhasix™ Transdermal Drug Delivery platform technology (topical), Solmic Solubilisation technology (oral) and Thrudermic Transdermal Nanotechnology (transdermal) for the delivery and commercialization of cannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-based products. PGS’ initial product development candidates will include topical treatments for women’s sexual dysfunction (PGS-N005), as well as psoriasis (PGS-N007), and an oral product (PGS-N001) for cancer supportive care. For more information please visit www.pivotpharma.com.

Cautionary Statement

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Words such as anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, intend, and similar expressions, as they relate to Pivot, Pivot Green Stream, Agro-Biotech, or their respective management, identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to accretive earnings, anticipated revenue and costs synergies associated with the acquisition of Agro-Biotech, statements with respect to internal expectations, including with respect to the Dealer’s License, estimated margins, expectations for future growing capacity and costs, the completion of any capital project or expansions, the timing for the completion of the Proposed Transaction, the ability of the Company to complete a financing in order to satisfy its financial obligations under the Proposed Transaction and expectations with respect to future production costs. In particular, there can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed. Forward looking statements are based on certain assumptions regarding Agro-Biotech, including expected growth, results of operations, performance, industry trends and growth opportunities. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements also necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; marketing costs; loss of markets; future legislative and regulatory developments involving medical marijuana; the possibility that the Company be unable to successfully integrate Agro-Biotech as described herein; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the medical marijuana industry in Canada generally, income tax and regulatory matters; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; crop failure; currency and interest rate fluctuations and other risks. Any forward-looking statements or facts (including financial information) related to Agro-Biotech discussed or disclosed herein are derived from information obtained directly from Agro-Biotech and publicly available sources and has not been independently verified by the Company. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Contact:
Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Patrick Frankham, PhD, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (514) 943-1899
Email: Info@PivotPharma.com

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$NETE Brings Jon Najarian on Board, Mobile Payments Market, Financial Review

NEW YORK, NY / March 12, 2018 / Traders News Source, a leading independent equity research and corporate access firm focused on small and mid-cap public companies is issuing a comprehensive report with no obligation on Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), a technology-driven group providing mobile payments and transactional services. The Company’s products and services include mobile payments, value-added services, marketing solutions and business analytics.

The company enables merchants of all sizes to accept and process over 100 different payment options in more than 120 currencies, including credit, debit, and prepaid payments. They provide merchants with value-added services and technologies including integrated payment technologies, POS solutions, security solutions, fraud management, information solutions and analytical tools. Their business is characterized by transaction related fees and multi-year contracts.

The Company has been focused on the development of the blockchain technology solutions and has not made any commitment related to any digital securities offering and/or an initial coin offering.

Read about the mobile payments market, and the NETE product portfolio here READ MORE

Copy and paste to your browser may be required to view the report – http://bit.ly/2FGP5Iu-NETE-Analyst

On March 7, 2018, the Board of Directors of Net Element, Inc. appointed, effective March 8, 2018, Mr. Jon Najarian as a Director of the Company and as a member of the Company’s Audit Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Compensation Committee. Mr. Najarian, who is 60 years old, is an accomplished financial industry veteran with more than 31 years of financial and capital markets industry experience. He is also a host of the International ICO Channel, a part of CoinBoost, whose goal is to bridge the divide between blockchain and mainstream media by offering distribution to traditional financial media outlets. Mr. Najarian is a cast member of CNBC’s “Halftime Report” and the “Fast Money” show. He is also the feature of the “DRJ Report” on CBOE-TV popular webcast.

Get info about the Appointment of Jon Najarian and a financial review READ MORE

Copy and paste to your browser may be required to view the report – http://bit.ly/2FGP5Iu-NETE-Analyst

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$WLDN to Participate in 30th Annual ROTH Conference

ANAHEIM, Calif.

Willdan Group, Inc. (“Willdan”) (NASDAQ: WLDN), a provider of professional technical and consulting services, today announced that it will participate in the 30^th Annual ROTH Conference in Orange County on Monday, March 12, 2018. During the conference, Willdan will make a presentation and hold a series of meetings with institutional investors. The Willdan Group presentation is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the company’s website at www.willdan.com under the “Investors: Events and Presentations” section. An archived version will be available in the same location shortly after the conclusion of the presentation.

About Willdan Group, Inc.

Willdan provides professional consulting and technical services to utilities, public agencies and private industry throughout the United States. The Company’s service offerings span a broad set of complementary disciplines that include energy efficiency and sustainability, engineering and planning, financial and economic consulting, and national preparedness. Willdan provides integrated technical solutions to extend the reach and resources of its clients, and provides all services through its subsidiaries specialized in each segment. For additional information, visit Willdan’s website at http://www.willdan.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180309005161/en/

$PIXY Leveraging FinTech Innovation Proving to be Critically Valuable

Palm Beach, FL – (March 9, 2018) — FinTech has asserted itself as an essential technology within the financial services, payment services, human capital and a growing number of sectors for various reasons. According to a report recently issued by PwC, over 77% of companies globally intend to expand their efforts to innovate their fintech approach within the next three to five years. Prominent areas of various industries that are poised to be disrupted by fintech applications include human capital services, workforce applications, banking & financial, insurance, digital transactions and payment services. The World Economic Forum has led the creation of an industry consortium focused on improving the cybersecurity of a increasing number of technology companies, as collaboration between fintechs and financial institutions as a heightened need for companies to implement sturdy cybersecurity measures. FinTech Innovation coupled with Blockchain technology has the potential to universally reshape the way business transacts across nearly every industry in the global economy for companies such as: ShiftPixy, Inc. (NASDAQ: PIXY), PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL), Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX), Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ), American Express Company (NYSE: AXP).

ShiftPixy, Inc. (NASDAQ: PIXY) BREAKING NEWS: Shiftpixy, amidst all the talk about the fintech boom, is developing a unique financial and insurance transaction and metering platform.

ShiftPixy’s technology platform leverages a “micro-metering” approach to incremental financial and payment transactions and related insurance coverages based on real-time use and exposures. In his discussion regarding ShiftPixy’s underlying technology in the midst of the fintech frenzy, ShiftPixy’s CEO Scott Absher stated, “We are preparing to operate at the level at which many fintech companies are endeavoring to attain. In connecting a workforce with business, ShiftPixy will be leveraging two critical technology functionalities. The first is what we call ‘micro metering’ of essential commercial insurance coverages required by our operator clients—namely workers’ compensation and auto coverages on a delivery-by-delivery basis. The second is using ShiftPixy’s blockchain ledger to process and record our critical P2P connections.” Read this and more news for ShiftPixy at http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/pixy.html

Mr. Absher went on to say, “The ShiftPixy mobile ecosystem’s success requires technical precision in managing sometimes relatively small yet frequent transactions that are growing in volume. Our ‘micro metering’ technology has caught the attention of the insurance community with its real time data visibility and its ability to scale at a rapid rate. Our blockchain technology assures that with rapid growth and scale, our essential security is keeping pace with the growth.”

ShiftPixy’s technology is engineered to allow the Company’s business operator clients to liberate and accelerate their business and thrive despite the gig economy changes affecting their businesses. ShiftPixy is allowing traditional retail and restaurant operators to connect and compete with ease in the part-time labor markets without technology investments.

Additional industry related developments from around the markets:

Village Capital and PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) have chosen 12 startups to take part in their first fintech accelerator in Sub-Saharan Africa, which will provide three months of training and offer US$50,000 investment in the best two companies. A cohort of 12 early-stage fintech startups has now been chosen from 165 applicants, each of which has developed an innovative technology or business model that has improved financial health for consumers or businesses. The cohort includes four startups from Kenya, namely tech platform for small scale producers Annona, foreign exchange service FPESA, insurtech startup GrassRoots Bima, and agriculture marketplace Tulaa, which is also active in Ghana.

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) recently addressed the company’s future intentions to become more involved in the fintech landscape through blockchain. “I think Blockchain technology is probably the rails in which an integrated app at Starbucks will be sitting on top of,” he said. For Starbucks to be considering how to incorporate Blockchain into its payment processes isn’t that much of a surprise. That’ because the coffee behemoth has a reputation for being willing to step into unchartered waters when it comes to technology. For example, it was one of the first major retailers to employ technology that allows customers to make their purchases with their mobile phones. It rolled out what it called the “nation’s largest mobile payment program” in 2010. A year later, it boasted that its mobile transactions topped 26 million within the first year.

Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ) is reportedly supporting direct deposits for paychecks, which means it’s one step closer to becoming a fully functional bank account, without actually being a bank account. Users just need to give their employer their account and routing number (found in Cash settings), and the app will notify them when a deposit hits their account. The funds are added to their regular Cash balance and can be spent via debit card, sent to a friend, put into another account or even used to buy bitcoin. This is a big step forward for Cash app — and the financial services sector in general. As long as you don’t need to deposit a cheque or wire a transfer (and who in this day and age does?) it’s now entirely possible to rely on the app in lieu of a traditional bank account, which is helpful for younger users entering their first job, those in underserved areas, or anyone reluctant to pay fees at more mainstream institutions. It’s not so straightforward for Square itself, though, as it doesn’t yet have its own bank charter, so it’s had to figure out quite a few workarounds to adhere to legislation. But as more and more fintech companies pioneer these kinds of services and see large-scale take-up, it might not be too long before at least some of the rules are reformed. Source: engadget

American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) recently joined the financial funding round of Even Financial, a technology platform powering financial services online. “Even Financial helps financial services providers and fintech partners programmatically deliver products and services in real time to the right customers when and where it’s most effective,” said Harshul Sanghi, Managing Partner of American Express Ventures. “By providing the underlying technology for more efficient customer acquisition, Even’s platform is enabling financial institutions to broaden their reach while connecting fintech partners with a greater supply of financial institutions and their products. We’re pleased to support Even in its efforts to expand its capabilities and grow its client base.”

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$NETE Today’s Research Reports on Stocks to Watch: Tech Data Corporation and Net Element

NEW YORK, NY / March 9, 2018 / Shares of Tech Data Corporation were in the red on Thursday after reporting a miss in its earnings for the fourth quarter. Shares of Net Element were soaring high after it was announced that a CNBC host is joining the company’s board.

RDI Initiates Coverage on:

Tech Data Corporation
https://rdinvesting.com/report/?ticker=TECD

Net Element, Inc.
https://rdinvesting.com/report/?ticker=NETE

Tech Data Corporation shares closed down 19.72% on about 3 million shares traded yesterday. Trading volume was significant compared to the stock’s average trading volume of just around 269,000 shares. Shares dropped after the Florida-based information technology products distribution company announced its fourth quarter financial report. For the quarter, Tech Data saw a profit of $1.3 million. Adjusted earnings were $3.50 a share, which was slightly below the $3.53 that analysts had expected. Revenue for the quarter at $11.09 billion was however higher than the $10.54 billion that analysts had anticipated. For the full year, there was a profit of $116.6 million, or $3.05 per share. Adjusted EPS was reported at $9.11 per share. Revenue was $36.78 billion. Looking ahead, the company expects adjusted EPS in the range of $1.30 to $1.60 for the first quarter that ends in May. Revenue is expected to be in the range of $8 billion to $8.3 billion. Since the year began, shares are down over 11%.

Access RDI’s Tech Data Corporation Research Report at:
https://rdinvesting.com/report/?ticker=TECD

Net Element, Inc. shares closed up 71.69% on about 8.6 million shares traded on Thursday. It was a big gaining day for the company’s shares after it was revealed that CNBC host Jon Najarian has joined its board of directors. Najarian is featured as a regular on CNBC’s “Halftime Report” as well as “Fast Money.” CEO Oleg Firer stated, “We are excited to have Jon join our board. He brings extensive financial, capital markets, cryptocurrency and blockchain insights to Net Element, and we look forward to his advice and direction as we move ahead with corporate initiatives.” Najarian commented, “I am impressed with Net Element’s technologies and its goals to disrupt the payments industry through innovation and value-added service offerings that include its recently announced plans for a decentralized blockchain platform. I am excited for what the future holds for Net Element, and am eager to support and advise on the Company’s current strategy. I look forward to joining the team.”

Access RDI’s Net Element, Inc. Research Report at:
https://rdinvesting.com/report/?ticker=NETE

Our Actionable Research on Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ: TECD) and Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) can be downloaded free of charge at Research Driven Investing.

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$ETST Enlarges Its Footprint in Hemp-Based CBD Market

March 9, 2018

• Agreement with Mr. Checkout will significantly strengthen the company’s product distribution network
• Human trials launched evaluating CBD-based therapy for opioid addiction
• Application made to uplist to OTCQB in early 2018, attracting more investment

The worldwide cannabidiol (CBD) oil market, which includes products derived from both marijuana and hemp, is projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 39 percent through 2021. The health benefits of CBD oil are the major driver for growth in this market, with global demand steadily on the rise in recent years. Hemp-based CBD oil products in particular are more popular, as they have a lower concentration of psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than those derived from marijuana, therefore not requiring a medical prescription (http://cnw.fm/kaL9i). Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTC: ETST) is one of the companies that is focused on the development of hemp-based CBD products and has taken a number of steps recently to enlarge its presence in this market sector.

Following a revamp of its CBD product line, Earth Science Tech announced on February 13, 2018, that it had concluded an agreement with Mr. Checkout for the distribution of its products via major retailers and stores across the United States. This agreement will strengthen the company’s distribution network, which currently has 10 active representatives targeting distribution to health food stores and clinics. Mr. Checkout is a national group of independent distributors of products to over 60 major retailers and 55,000 stores. It will market ETST’s product line to major retailers such as Walmart, Walgreens and Target.

Earth Science Tech is a biotechnology company focused on the research and development of hemp-based CBD products for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. It also has a focus on the development of diagnostic tools and medical devices. On February 28, 2018, the company announced that it had finalized plans to conduct human trials on its new CBD-based formulation that targets opioid addiction (http://cnw.fm/rNnQ0). These trials will assess the efficacy of the combination of hemp-based CBD oil with an essential mineral element. Currently, the sole therapy for this condition is a monotherapy based on an essential mineral element. ETST’s formulation is expected to increase the potency and improve the outcome of this therapy.

The company operates through three wholly owned subsidiaries:

• Cannabis Therapeutics, Inc. which develops leading edge, cannabinoid-based products for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors;
• KannaBidioiD which is focused more on developing products for the recreational use of cannabis, including edibles, vapes and eLiquids;
• Earth Science Pharma, Inc., which develops medical devices and low-cost, noninvasive diagnostic tools, as well as testing processes and vaccines for sexually transmitted diseases.

Cannabis Therapeutics is in the development stage of two CBD-based pharmaceutical drugs and three CBD-based nutraceutical products. These will target a variety of ailments, including depression, anxiety, breast cancer and fatty liver disease. In October 2017, Earth Science Tech announced a collaboration with Clinique SIDA Amité to conduct a mini-trial on its MSN-2 device for the detection of Chlamydia. ETST has also acquired Canna Inno Laboratories Inc., based in Montreal, Canada, which will give the company the opportunity to expand into Canada and gain access to local government grants for pharmaceutical industry innovation.

Earth Science Tech expects to uplist to the OTCQB Venture Exchange in early 2018, which it believes will attract well-funded institutional investors. These recent developments are likely to increase company growth and enlarge Earth Science Tech’s presence in the cannabis industry.

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

More from CannabisNewsWire

• ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (CIIX) Turns Focus to Growth of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology, Financial Consulting Division
• Building a Portfolio of Industrial Hemp Companies is Key to the Future of Global Hemp Group, Inc. (CSE: GHG) (FRA: GHG) (OTC: GBHPF)
• Acquisitions and Growth Expand in Canadian Cannabis Market

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$CIIX Turns Focus to Growth of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology

March 9, 2018

• Company returning to its roots in financial consulting, corporate brand building and educational services for cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin
• CIIX has daily video from NYSE targeted at its global Chinese-speaking investment community titled ‘Bitcoin MultiMillionaire’ and hosts a bitcoin ATM in the lobby of its San Gabriel, California, headquarters
• Company is urging its shareholders to convert stock, on a four-for-one basis, for a share in the new, private company that includes hemp assets CBD Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Hemp Logic, Inc. and ChineseHempOil.com, Inc.

ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) will return to its roots as a financial consultant and a specialist in cryptocurrency, especially bitcoin, as it spins off its hemp assets into a private company. In a news release (http://nnw.fm/ux18M), Paul Dickman, CFO of CIIX, said, “This is a great time to spin off CIIX’s CBD focused assets as we continue to explore new ways to expand its core financial services business, including its recent move into the cryptocurrency and blockchain technology industry.”

CIIX has in the past succeeded as a diverse company with multiple-focuses, but, with this spinoff, it can now concentrate on its core skills in brand building for startups and financial marketing for its clients.

The San Gabriel, California-based company specializes in financial education and marketing for the global Chinese-speaking investment community. It has an interest in the growth of cryptocurrency with a daily video newscast from the NYSE daily titled ‘Bitcoin MultiMillionaire’ and hosts a bitcoin ATM in the lobby of its San Gabriel, California, headquarters.

Following the planned spinoff, CIIX intends to focus on those interests while giving its shareholders a special dividend. They may exchange four shares of CIIX common for one share in the new company, which consists of CIIX’s hemp-related assets. These include wholly owned foreign enterprise CBD Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and U.S.-based wholly owned subsidiaries Hemp Logic, Inc. and ChineseHempOil.com, Inc.

The four-for-one exchange of shares will be made effective on May 31, 2018, the date of the spinoff. The new company will initially be private, but CIIX has announced plans to bring the new company into the public market in the 12-18 months that follow (http://nnw.fm/Keo8c).

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

More from NetworkNewsWire

• Blending the Virtual with the Practical by Building Green Energy with Solar Bankers and SunCoin ($SUN)
• Earth Science Tech, Inc. (ETST) Enlarges Its Footprint in Hemp-Based CBD Market
• Marifil Mines Ltd. (TSX.V: MFM) Maintains Optimism for Lithium, Cobalt and Gold in Famed South American Region

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$ACRX Receipt Of Type A FDA Meeting Minutes and Plans to Resubmit the DSUVIA NDA

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 8, 2018 — AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACRX), (AcelRx or the Company), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on innovative therapies for use in medically supervised settings, today announced the receipt of the official January 2018 Type A meeting minutes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relating to AcelRx’s DSUVIA^™ New Drug Application (NDA).

At this meeting, AcelRx proposed potential resolutions for the two main points identified in the Complete Response Letter (CRL) received from the FDA in October 2017.  These main points were: (1) collect additional data in 50 patients with postoperative pain sufficient to evaluate the safety of DSUVIA at the maximum dosage in the proposed label, and (2) modify the Directions For Use (DFU) to mitigate the risk of misplaced tablets and validate the effectiveness of these changes in a human factors study.  To address the first point, AcelRx proposed instead to reduce the maximum dose in the label to not exceed 12 tablets within a 24-hour period to more closely match the clinical utilization of DSUVIA in the trials.  The Company proposed to the FDA that the existing data from the higher dosing patients in the DSUVIA and Zalviso clinical trials should be sufficient to evaluate the safety of DSUVIA at this reduced maximum available daily dose.  The FDA stated that the proposed revision to the maximum daily dosage appeared reasonable and that it was expected that the high-exposure DSUVIA patient data combined with the high-exposure Zalviso patient data may be sufficient to support safety at maximal dosing in the DSUVIA NDA resubmission.

To address the second point in the CRL, AcelRx submitted to the FDA an updated DFU, and a revised protocol for the human factors (HF) study required to validate the effectiveness of the DFU changes. The FDA has reviewed and recently provided its comments to the updated DFU and HF study protocol, and the Company expects this study to be completed next month.  In the NDA resubmission, AcelRx will provide these study results, along with the additional DSUVIA and Zalviso data analysis supporting the reduced maximum daily dosage. The Company intends to resubmit the NDA in the second quarter of 2018 after the completion of the HF study.

“We are pleased with the constructive nature of the meeting with the FDA, which has provided a clear path to resubmit the DSUVIA NDA, which we expect to accomplish in the second quarter of this year,” said Vince Angotti, CEO of AcelRx.  “Completing the HF study next month is now the priority to meet our resubmission timeline.  We continue to believe DSUVIA can satisfy a large unmet need within healthcare settings, and we remain focused on our mission to provide healthcare providers and patients with non-invasive pain management options for moderate-to-severe acute pain within medically supervised settings,” continued Angotti.

Conference Call
As previously announced, AcelRx will conduct an investment-community conference call today, March 8, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (1:30 p.m. Pacific Time) to discuss its fourth quarter financial results at which time it will also discuss the outcome of the Type A FDA meeting. Investors who wish to participate in the conference call may do so by dialing (866) 361-2335 for domestic callers, (855) 669-9657 for Canadian callers or (412) 902-4204 for international callers. Those interested in listening to a webcast of the conference call live via the Internet may do so by visiting the Investors page of the company’s website at www.acelrx.com and clicking on the webcast link on the Investors home page. The webcast will be archived on the AcelRx website for 90 days following the call.

About AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies for use in medically supervised settings. AcelRx’s proprietary, non-invasive sublingual formulation technology delivers sufentanil with consistent pharmacokinetic profiles. The Company has two product candidates including DSUVIA^™ (sufentanil sublingual tablet, 30 mcg), known as DZUVEO outside the United States, with a proposed indication for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain in medically supervised settings, and Zalviso^® (sufentanil sublingual tablet system, SST system, 15 mcg) being developed as an innovatively designed patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system for reduction of moderate-to-severe acute pain in medically supervised settings.

For additional information about AcelRx’s clinical programs, please visit www.acelrx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements related to the process and timing of an NDA resubmission for DSUVIA with the FDA, including the initiation and completion of the HF study as recommended in the FDA’s CRL. These forward-looking statements are based on AcelRx’s current expectations and involve significant risks and uncertainties. AcelRx’s actual results and timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: risks related to the ability to complete and achieve successful results from the proposed HF study in connection with the resubmission of the DSUVIA NDA to the FDA; the possibility that the FDA may dispute or interpret differently the results of the Company’s planned HF study to validate the effectiveness of the changes in the DFU, or the supplemental clinical information addressing the reduced maximum dosage to be included in the planned resubmission of the NDA for DSUVIA; any delays or inability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of DSUVIA in the United States, DZUVEO in Europe and ZALVISO in the United States; and other risks detailed in the “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in AcelRx’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 9, 2017. AcelRx undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.

$DISCB Completes Acquisition Of Scripps Networks Interactive

Combination Creates a New Global Leader in Real Life Entertainment Across all Screens – Featuring five of the top female U.S. cable networks & reaching 20% of women watching primetime pay-TV – A platform innovator driving 7B average short- and mid-form monthly video views – Home of the Olympic Games and the Leader in Sports in Europe – Reaching passionate fans in 220 countries and territories and 50 languages with 8,000 hours of original programming

SILVER SPRING, Md., March 6, 2018 — Discovery Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) announced today that the company has successfully completed its acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNI). Moving forward, the combined company will be officially known as simply: Discovery, Inc.

“Today marks another critical milestone for Discovery, as we become a differentiated kind of media company with the most trusted portfolio of family-friendly brands around the globe,” said David Zaslav, President and Chief Executive Officer for Discovery. “As a new global leader in real life entertainment, Discovery will serve loyal and passionate audiences around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains across every screen; deliver new ways for advertisers and distributors to reach highly targeted audiences at scale; and leverage our leadership position to create new value and growth opportunities for all of our stakeholders.”

The name change to Discovery, Inc. demonstrates a new focus on growth in the areas at which Discovery excels, telling stories across deeply loved genres and empowering superfans to explore their world wherever and whenever they choose.

The acquisition is expected to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share and to free cash flow in the first year after closing, including significant cost synergies. The combination is expected to create a strong economic model with capacity for rapid debt repayment and a clear runway for growth and value creation.

Kenneth W. Lowe, former Chairman, President & CEO of Scripps Networks Interactive, will join Discovery’s board of directors, effective immediately.

Scripps shareholders will receive approximately $90 per share, consisting of $65.82 per share in cash and 1.0584 per share in Series C Common shares of Discovery stock valued based on a volume weighted average price (subject to elections and proration), in each case in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement.  This includes a cash payment of $2.82 per share in connection with Discovery’s previously announced decision to exercise in full the cash top-up option under the merger agreement.

About Discovery:
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps and Discovery Kids Play; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player and Motor Trend OnDemand; and digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, Turbo/Velocity, Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit www.corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryInc across social platforms.