The race for marijuana funds focused exclusively on the US market escalated as Evolve Funds Group confirmed the public debut of its new exchange-traded fund (ETF) on Tuesday (April 16).
Called the Evolve US Marijuana ETF (NEO:USMJ), this new actively managed long-term fund launched on Wednesday (April 17) on the NEO Exchange.
“The cannabis opportunity in the US is similar to that of Canada a couple of years ago, but in many respects has the potential to be exponentially larger,” Raj Lala, president and CEO of Evolve, said in a press release.
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Lala added that, because of the difference in populations, companies operating in the US are generating more revenue than Canadian producers while trading with significantly smaller market caps.
According to Evolve, as of 10:25 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, USMJ was trading at a market price of C$20.36.
The new fund from Evolve will charge holders a 0.75 percent management fee.
In its announcement, the firm signaled active management as a key factor for its marijuana funds due to regulatory changes in jurisdictions and the continuing volatility in the space.
“USMJ may invest in equity securities of companies listed domestically and globally, and other companies, with business activities in the US recreational and/or medical marijuana industry,” Evolve indicated to shareholders.
A spokesperson for Evolve confirmed that Elliot Johnson, chief investment officer with Evolve ETFs, will serve as the portfolio manager for the fund.
Johnson told the Investing News Network (INN) that the market’s excitement with the US space is due to its size advantage over Canada and the potential for protection for the industry in the form of a number of legislation bills.
“We know how US companies tend to dominate globally … one would expect at some point [that] some of these US companies will become leaders,” Johnson told INN.
He explained that the potential for policy in the US to improve is due to the STATES Act and the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019, otherwise known as the SAFE Banking Act.
The US cannabis market has piqued investors’ interest with the potential of a broader market and the fact that some companies trade at lower valuations compared to leading Canadian firms in the space.
In particular, multi-state operators, companies managing assets in legal cannabis jurisdictions across the US instead of only one state, are capturing the attention of investors, analysts and portfolio managers.
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While cannabis remains illegal at the federal level in the US, several states have moved forward with legalization efforts that even include adult-use permission.
Johnson also acts as the manager for the Evolve Marijuana Fund (TSX:SEED), which in March announced returns of 40.63 percent over a one-year period since its launch in February 2018.
Over a year-to-date basis, SEED had increased 33.99 percent at the close of the markets on Tuesday.
“Our portfolio construction and risk management processes make us well positioned to take advantage of the changes we expect in the coming year,” Johnson said in a press release.
The launch from Evolve follows the confirmation by fellow ETF operator Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) of the debut of its own US fund on Thursday (April 18).
The two new funds will list on the emerging NEO Exchange in Toronto, which does not restrict marijuana plays in the US market despite its illegality at the federal level.
According to the fact sheet for USMJ, the fund will count with a total of 39 holdings. Here is a list of top 10 holdings in terms of weight for the fund:
- Curaleaf Holdings (CSE:CURA,OTCQX:CURLF)
- Green Thumb Industries (CSE:GTII,OTCQX:GTBIF)
- Cresco Labs (CSE:CL,OTCQX:CRLBF)
- Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC,TSX:WEED)
- Harvest Health & Recreation (CSE:HARV,OTCQX:HRVSF)
- Charlotte’s Web Holdings (CSE:CWEB,OTCQX:CWBHF)
- Acreage Holdings (CSE:ACRG.U,OTCQX:ACRGF)
- Trulieve Cannabis (CSE:TRUL,OTC Pink:TCNNF)
- MedMen Enterprises (CSE:MMEN,OTCQX:MMNFF)
- TerrAscend (CSE:TER,OTCQX:TRSSF)
A spokesperson from Evolve confirmed to INN that the inclusion of Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth into this new fund is due to its business activities in the US hemp space.
Thanks to the legalization of hemp and its derivatives, Canopy will be expanding its production plans for hemp in New York. The firm has even tapped the services of Martha Stewart to aid in the launch and creation of brands for these products.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Cannabis for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Bryan Mc Govern, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: Acreage Holdings is a client of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.
The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
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BioHarvest Sciences (CSE: BHSC) will be presenting at the Benzinga Cleantech Small Cap Conference taking place on April 22, 2021. We invite our shareholders and all interested parties to explore cleantech small cap investment opportunities through two days of networking, dealmaking and discovery.
Sign up to get a free spectator pass for the event: https://www.benzinga.com/events/small-cap/clean-tech/
About the Benzinga Cleantech Small Cap Conference
The Benzinga Cleantech Small Cap Conference bridges the gap between cleantech companies, investors, and traders. Discover the companies in the cleantech industry who are moving the world forward through accessible green energy, energy efficiency, and innovative sustainability solutions.
For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.benzinga.com/events/small-cap/clean-tech/
We look forward to seeing you there.
For further information:
BioHarvest Sciences
Ilan Sobel
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ilan@bioharvest.com
www.bioharvest.com
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Positive distributor feedback and strong consumer interest accelerating launch with distributors
Emerging leader in innovative health and wellness beverages and products, BevCanna Enterprises Inc. ( CSE:BEV , Q:BVNNF , FSE:7BC ) (“ BevCanna ” or the “ Company ”) announces today that its wholly-owned subsidiary Naturo Group has successfully completed its initial shipment of TRACE plant-based products to one of Japan’s largest beverage distributors.
Following up on its recently announced Japanese distribution agreement with Mirai Marketing Inc., the Company is now in active discussions with established beverage distributors to leverage their robust distribution networks and integrate TRACE’s proprietary plant-based mineral formulation into their distribution pipeline, targeting the growing health-conscious consumer segment in Japan.
“BevCanna’s market research on Japanese purchaser preferences confirms that these consumers are very responsive to natural, health-conscious products, and that TRACE’s proprietary plant-based mineralized beverages and nutraceuticals will be well received,” said Melise Panetta, President of BevCanna. “Our first product shipment to Japan will build our distribution network within this burgeoning market and solidify Japan as a primary market within our international expansion strategy.”
About BevCanna Enterprises Inc.
BevCanna Enterprises Inc. ( CSE:BEV , Q:BVNNF , FSE:7BC ) is a diversified health & wellness beverage and natural products company. BevCanna develops and manufactures a range of plant-based and cannabinoid beverages and supplements for both in-house brands and white-label clients.
With decades of experience creating, manufacturing and distributing iconic brands that resonate with consumers on a global scale, the team demonstrates an expertise unmatched in the nutraceutical and cannabis-infused beverage categories. Based in British Columbia, Canada, BevCanna owns a pristine alkaline spring water aquifer and a world–class 40,000–square–foot, HACCP certified manufacturing facility, with a bottling capacity of up to 210M bottles annually. BevCanna’s extensive distribution network includes more than 3,000 points of retail distribution through its market-leading TRACE brand, its Pure Therapy natural health and wellness e-commerce platform, its fully licensed Canadian cannabis manufacturing and distribution network, and a partnership with #1 U.S. cannabis beverage company Keef Brands .
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding: that the Company is now in active discussions with established beverage distributors to leverage their robust distribution networks and integrate TRACE’s proprietary plant-based mineral formulation into their distribution pipeline, targeting the growing health-conscious consumer segment in Japan; the Company’s first product shipment to Japan will build its distribution network within this burgeoning market and solidify Japan as a primary market within its international expansion strategy; and other statements regarding the business plans of the Company. The forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements.
Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: general market conditions; changes to consumer preferences; volatility of commodity prices; future legislative, tax and regulatory developments; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the inability to implement business strategies; competition; currency and interest rate fluctuations; inability to successfully negotiate and enter into commercial arrangements with other parties; and other factors beyond the control of the Company and its commercial partners. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law, and the Company does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210422005446/en/
On behalf of the Board of Directors:
John Campbell, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Strategy Officer
Director, BevCanna Enterprises Inc.
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Wynn Theriault, Thirty Dash Communications Inc.
416-710-3370
wynn@thirtydash.ca
For investor enquiries, please contact:
Bryce Allen, BevCanna Enterprises Inc.
778-766-3744
bryce@bevcanna.com
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Cresco Labs (CSE:CL) (OTCQX:CRLBF) (“Cresco Labs” or the “Company”), a vertically integrated multistate operator and the number one U.S. wholesaler of branded cannabis products, today announced an additional refreshment of its board of directors to further strengthen its leadership in the cannabis industry.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210422005351/en/
Cresco Labs appoints Tarik Brooks, President of Combs Enterprises, to its Board of Directors (Photo: Business Wire)
Appointment of Tarik Brooks
Cresco Labs has appointed Tarik Brooks to its board of directors, effective immediately. Mr. Brooks is a seasoned executive with more than 22 years of experience driving large scale business transformations across several industries including spirits, hospitality and media.
Currently, as President of Combs Enterprises, Mr. Brooks oversees all business operations and investments owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs. This diverse portfolio includes ventures in spirits (Ciroc Vodka and DeLeon Tequila), media (Revolt TV), music (Bad Boy Records), consumer packaged goods (AquaHydrate), and education (Capital Preparatory Schools). Mr. Brooks also leads all new business development activity, including the launch of “Our Fair Share”, a platform to help minority owned businesses access capital through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Prior to his current role, Mr. Brooks was the Chief Operating Officer of Account Management and Trading at Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund. Earlier in his career, Mr. Brooks served as Executive Vice President at RLJ Companies, a portfolio of companies owned by investor Robert L. Johnson, where Mr. Brooks led the development of gaming/nightlife ventures in the Caribbean and the completion of RLJ Kendeja, a resort hotel in Liberia.
Throughout his career, Brooks has negotiated transactions, including acquisitions and capital raises, led major strategic initiatives, and oversaw compliance in highly regulated industries. Mr. Brooks is a graduate of Howard University and Harvard Business School.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Tarik Brooks to our board of directors. He has remarkable experience building and managing consumer brands and will be an invaluable member of our organization as cannabis continues to evolve as a consumer packaged good,” said Tom Manning, Cresco Labs Executive Chairman. “We’ve taken a measured approach to building our board, periodically making refreshments that add new skills and experience to the group. Tarik represents another key appointment for Cresco Labs at a critical time of growth and expansion for the company.”
Retirement of Dominic Sergi
The Company announced today that Dominic Sergi, an original founder of Cresco Labs, has retired from the Company’s board of directors as part of the planned board refreshment process. Mr. Sergi currently serves as CEO of Clear Height Properties and spends his free time supporting the Nicholas D. Sergi Foundation. Mr. Sergi has been a foundational part of Cresco Labs since the company’s inception and his experience in real estate development has played an instrumental part in the construction of Cresco Labs’ asset base.
“I want to sincerely thank Dominic for his many years of service and for helping to guide this organization toward the top of the cannabis industry. Dominic is one of the most considerate and giving people I know and it has been a pleasure building this Company together,” said Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs.
About Cresco Labs Inc.
Cresco Labs is one of the largest vertically integrated multistate cannabis operators in the United States, with a mission to normalize and professionalize the cannabis industry. Employing a consumer-packaged goods (“CPG”) approach, Cresco Labs is the largest wholesaler of branded cannabis products in the U.S. Its brands are designed to meet the needs of all consumer segments and comprised of some of the most recognized and trusted national brands including Cresco, High Supply, Mindy’s Edibles, Good News, Remedi, Wonder Wellness Co. and FloraCal Farms. Sunnyside, Cresco Labs’ national dispensary brand, is a wellness-focused retailer created to build trust, education and convenience for both existing and new cannabis consumers. Recognizing that the cannabis industry is poised to become one of the leading job creators in the country, Cresco Labs operates the industry’s largest Social Equity and Educational Development initiative, SEED, which was established to ensure that all members of society have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to work and own businesses in the cannabis industry. Learn more about Cresco Labs at www.crescolabs.com .
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company’s beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, ‘may,’ ‘will,’ ‘should,’ ‘could,’ ‘would,’ ‘expects,’ ‘plans,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘projects,’ ‘predicts,’ ‘potential’ or ‘continue’ or the negative of those forms or other comparable terms and includes, but is not limited to, statements relating to the expected timing by which Bluma Wellness will be de-listed from the CSE and the intention to apply to have Bluma Wellness cease to be a reporting issuer and terminate its public reporting obligations. The Company’s forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to those risks discussed under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2020 dated March 26, 2021, and other documents filed by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Because of these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. No assurances are given as to the future trading price or trading volumes of Cresco Labs’ shares, nor as to the Company’s financial performance in future financial periods. The Company does not intend to update any of these factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the Company’s forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information, any future event or otherwise. Except as otherwise indicated, this press release speaks as of the date hereof. The distribution of this press release does not imply that there has been no change in the affairs of the Company after the date hereof or create any duty or commitment to update or supplement any information provided in this press release or otherwise.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210422005351/en/
Media:
Jason Erkes, Cresco Labs
Chief Communications Officer
press@crescolabs.com
Investors:
Jake Graves, Cresco Labs
Manager, Investor Relations
investors@crescolabs.com
For general Cresco Labs inquiries:
312-929-0993
info@crescolabs.com
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(TheNewswire)
-
– Study to examine DehydraTECH TM CBD’s ability to control blood pressure
– First of three human clinical studies hoped to validate Lexaria’s patented technology for hypertension relief
Kelowna, British Columbia, April 22, 2021 Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (Nasdaq:LEXX) (Nasdaq:LEXXW) (CSE:LXX) (CNSX:LXX.CN) (the “Company” or “Lexaria”), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, announces that its human clinical hypertension study HYPER-H21-1 is officially underway. Lexaria’s patented DehydraTECH CBD formulation will be examined to assess its ability to control blood pressure and assess impact on inflammation.
“We are very pleased that dosing of human volunteers as part of Lexaria’s hypertension study has begun,” said Lexaria CEO Mr. Chris Bunka. “Dosing is expected to be completed, on schedule, within several weeks, and we may be in a position to report preliminary data in July or thereabouts. Despite challenges in launching a human clinical study during a global pandemic, Lexaria’s Europe-based research partners have done an excellent job of balancing the need for scientific validation for a potential new hypertension treatment, with the required safety protocols currently in place.”
HYPER-H21-1 is a randomized, double-blinded, controlled human clinical study expected to involve 24 human volunteers with symptoms of either pre-hypertension, or mild hypertension. A single 300mg dose of an advanced DehydraTECH TM 2.0 CBD formulation will be evaluated relative to a concentration-matched control without Lexaria’s DehydraTECH enhancements.
Time series blood pressure and heart rate analyses are the primary objectives of this study. Secondary objectives include speed and rate of absorption of the CBD and its main metabolites (pharmacokinetics or “PK” assessments), as well as evaluation of inflammatory markers associated with cardiovascular disease and gold-standard biomarkers of nitric oxide. This latter measure provides mechanistic insight into the anticipated reduction in blood pressure via vasodilation.
These i nflammatory marker assessments may also be applicable to Lexaria’s research initiatives in the antiviral therapeutics space whereby effective anti-inflammatory therapies are also useful in treating diseases like COVID-19 or other common pro-inflammatory conditions.
Since a large array of data points will be generated and analyzed, final reporting on this study is likely to be reported in early September.
There are five studies in Lexaria’s 2021 hypertension program which are expected to generate data required to further support the validity of using DehydraTECH-processed CBD as a potential hypertension treatment across various applications. Lexaria has received 18 granted patents internationally, including issuances in the European Union and Australia specifically to use DehydraTECH-processed CBD to treat heart disease.
About Lexaria Bioscience Corp.
Lexaria Bioscience Corp.’s proprietary drug delivery technology, DehydraTECH™, improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) enter the bloodstream by promoting healthier oral ingestion methods and increasing the effectiveness of fat-soluble active molecules, thereby lowering overall dosing. The Company’s technology can be applied to many different ingestible product formats, including foods, beverages, oral suspensions, tablets, and capsules. DehydraTECH has repeatedly demonstrated since 2016 with cannabinoids and nicotine the ability to increase bio-absorption by up to 5-10x, reduce time of onset from 1 – 2 hours to minutes, and mask unwanted tastes; and is planned to be further evaluated for orally administered bioactive molecules, including anti-virals, cannabinoids, vitamins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and nicotine. Lexaria has licensed DehydraTECH to multiple companies including a world-leading tobacco producer for the development of smokeless, oral-based nicotine products and for use in industries that produce cannabinoid beverages, edibles, and oral products. Lexaria operates a licensed in-house research laboratory and holds a robust intellectual property portfolio with 18 patents granted and approximately 60 patents pending worldwide. For more information, please visit www.lexariabioscience.com .
CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release includes forward-looking statements. Statements as such term is defined under applicable securities laws. These statements may be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “if,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” and other similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements by the company relating the Company’s ability to carry out research initiatives, receive regulatory approvals or grants or experience positive effects or results from any research or study. Such forward-looking statements are estimates reflecting the Company’s best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that the Company will actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements. As such, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the Company include, but are not limited to, government regulation and regulatory approvals, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition, scientific discovery, the patent application and approval process, potential adverse effects arising from the testing or use of products utilizing the DehydraTECH technology, the Company’s ability to maintain existing collaborations and realize the benefits thereof, delays or cancellations of planned R&D that could occur related to pandemics or for other reasons, and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the Company’s public announcements and periodic filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR. There is no assurance that any of Lexaria’s postulated uses, benefits, or advantages for the patented and patent-pending technology will in fact be realized in any manner or in any part. No statement herein has been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Lexaria-associated products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.
The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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