In the past few decades, medical institutions had begun to use cannabis a form of treatment, as a result of its multifarious therapeutic effects. Researchers have conducted years of studies in order to understand the plant and its effects further. Positive results have thus allowed the integration of cannabis into medical facilities, but it also helped propel the global legalization efforts. The active components in cannabis, THC and CBD, are linked to possessing beneficial effects on the body, which make them popular options for treatment. Currently, cannabis is predominately being used to treat mild to severe medical conditions such as chronic pain, cancer, epilepsy, and seizures. And according to data compiled by Acute Market Reports, the global medical marijuana market was valued at USD 13.9 Billion in 2017 and is expected to reach USD 57.58 Billion by 2026.

Additionally, the market is projected to expand at a healthy CAGR of 17.1% throughout the forecast period from 2018 to 2026. Dispensaries are expected to flourish during the period because they offer a wide range of products, including remedies to treat pain even though medical institutions may look to use certain biotechnology or pharmaceutical manufacturers' products to treat more severe conditions.

With the rates of medical cases like cancer continually rising year over year, it is projected that the demand for medical cannabis will increase throughout the period as well. Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTC: PBIO), Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA), Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: NEPT) (TSX: NEPT), Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYNE), AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC: AXIM).                      

North America is the global leader in the medical cannabis industry, primarily due to its rising prevalence of cancer and proactive policies. Canada has fully legalized cannabis entirely, while the U.S. boasts just over 30 states that have adopted cannabis for medical use. The U.S. is the largest cannabis market globally despite not having legalized cannabis entirely on a federal scale. However, ongoing legalization efforts have made regulations regarding the plant much more lenient. Regulations have allowed manufacturers to produce cannabis not only in forms of flower, but also in different variations like capsules, tinctures, creams, and even oils.

On the other hand, federal regulations regarding THC are still heavily enforced around theU.S. CBD, though, is completely legalized because of its non-psychoactive effects. "CBD can supplement a depleted ECS system by working to ease the unfriendly symptoms in the body with the goal to help the body achieve homeostasis, or balance. Just like our body produces calcium, and some people take calcium supplements, we can use CBD in the same way," said Tisha Trautsch,  RN, BSN, who recently led a course on about the history, products and potential benefits of CBD, "This isn't a cure, it's a supplement. But it is very up-and-coming. It's coming hard and it's coming fast." 

Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) just earlier this morning announced breaking news that, "a short video demonstrating the Company's proprietary Ultra Shear Technology (UST™) platform and its ability to create extremely small, nanometer-scale oil droplets that effectively dissolve in water (nanoemulsions) to provide optimized bioavailability for absorption.

Dr. Bradford A. Young, Chief Commercial Officer of Pressure BioSciences, explained: "We have all observed how oil and water do not normally mix or dissolve in each other, and routinely separate after mixing.  Even with modern, advanced mixing technologies, oils remain in relatively large drops in water, which are poorly absorbed by the body. PBI's proprietary UST platform employs ultra-high pressure and extreme shearing forces to create very small, nano-scale emulsions (nanoemulsions) of oil droplets in water with vastly improved absorption and stability characteristics."

Bioavailability describes the percentage of and rate at which a substance is absorbed into the bloodstream. Oil-water emulsions of nutraceuticals and supplements present a serious challenge for many oral and transdermal therapies, due to most of the beneficial molecules remaining hidden inside of the oil drops. For CBD products commonly consumed orally - including CBD oils in edibles and beverages - absorption is typically below 10% (RawlsMD.com, 8/22/18, The Science Behind CBD Oil: Everything You Need to Know). PBI believes that processing with the UST platform will deliver greatly improved absorption results (90% or higher) for CBD and other oil-based supplements.

Dr. Young continued: "For many oil-based products, the ability to create nanoemulsions can improve a product's absorption, medicinal benefits, visual appearance, and sensory presentation. The potential for the UST platform to impact the CBD industry is promising, with the total cannabinoid market expected to hit $22 billion by 2022 (Brightfield Group, 2018), with CBD oil-based supplements being the cornerstone of this market.

More importantly, while CBD is an attractive opportunity for our proprietary UST platform, we believe that the nutraceuticals, topicals and cosmetics, and food and beverage markets as mentioned could be 10-50 times larger.  We will be addressing these additional market opportunities in parallel with our efforts in CBD."

The short video released today is the first in a series of product-targeted video presentations designed to offer investors, future clients, and other interested groups additional information on PBI's UST platform and the numerous applications and opportunities for this transformational, proprietary technology. 

About Pressure BioSciences, Inc. 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 high pressure-based products for biomarker and target discovery, drug design and development, biotherapeutics characterization and quality control, food science, soil & plant biology, forensics, and counter-bioterror applications.

Additionally, we are actively expanding the use of our pressure-based technologies in the following areas: (1) the use of our recently acquired protein disaggregation and refolding technology from BaroFold, Inc. to allow entry into the biologics manufacturing and 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. For more information visit: www.pressurebiosciences.com"

Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) is a leading global cannabis company driven by an unrelenting commitment to our people, product quality and innovation. Aphria Inc. recently announced that it has expanded the scope of its previously announced agreement expanding the territory where Aphria has been granted exclusive preferred rights to license, manufacture, distribute and sell RDT's QuickStrip™ innovative, proprietary delivery technology for the cannabis market to Germany. RDT's proprietary QuickStrip™ technology is a Quick, Convenient, Precise, Discreet™ oral fast-dissolving drug delivery system that offers a smoke-free choice to consumers. Aphria expects to produce and distribute CBD-only Quickstrips™ in Germany by Spring 2019.

"Germany is one of the most sought-after cannabis markets today, and Aphria continues to take a comprehensive approach to ensure a leading presence in the country as the opportunity evolves," said Jakob Ripshtein, President of Aphria. "Aphria is committed to bringing advanced products and innovations to cannabis markets around the world, and this agreement with RDT will enable us to bring QuickStrip™ technology to the German market and offer a unique nutraceutical product that delivers a consistent dosage."  

Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: NEPT) (TSX: NEPT) specializes in the extraction, purification and formulation of health and wellness products. Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. recently announced that it has received its license to process cannabis from Health Canada. Neptune remains on track to complete its Phase II capacity investment by March 2019, which will increase its facility's input capacity to 200,000 kg of dried cannabis from a current capacity of 30,000 kg.

This will position Neptune among Canada's largest cannabis processors, with additional significant capacity expansion potential in the Sherbrooke facility of up to 6,000 metric tons to meet global demand for medical cannabis products. The collaboration with Lonza for the production of unique value-added capsules, combined with significant manufacturing capabilities, will allow Neptune to expand its strategy from a service provider to other licence holders to a provider of differentiated cannabis products to customers in Canada.

The Company is now in the process of applying for additional authorization for sale of cannabis products from Health Canada to complement the processing license, allowing for the further distribution of finished form cannabis products directly to consumers and patients. 

Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYNE) is the leader in pharmaceutically-produced transdermal cannabinoid therapies for rare and near-rare neuropsychiatric disorders. Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. recently provided an update on its clinical progress. Zynerba remains on track to report top line results from the CONNECT-FX (Clinical study of Cannabidiol (CBD) in Children and Adolescents with Fragile X) study in Fragile X Syndrome in the second half of 2019.

The Company has completed enrollment in its Phase 2 BELIEVE 1 (Open Label Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of ZYN002 Administered as a Transdermal Gel to Children and Adolescents with Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy) clinical trial in children and adolescents with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE). Top-line results will be reported in the third quarter of 2019. "Our aspirations and expectations are clear: To work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expand the opportunity for pharmaceutically-developed CBD treatments that meet their rigorous medical and manufacturing standards, and in doing so, continue toward our goal of addressing significant unmet medical needs in neuropsychiatric disorders," said Armando Anido, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zynerba. "With the new indications of ASD and 22q, in addition to FXS and DEE, we now have four shots on goal to show the clinical benefit of ZYN002 transdermal gel in patient populations that have few, if any, therapeutic options available."

AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTCQB: AXIM) is a world leader in the research and development of cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products. AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. recently announced that the company has received a significant initial purchase order from Kannaway®, the first hemp lifestyle network to offer cannabidiol ("CBD") hemp botanical products, for its nutraceutical chewing gum product.

The purchase order is for 7,500 boxes containing 225,000 pieces of the Company's cannabinoid-based controlled-release gum nutraceutical product, that Kannaway® plans to sell as a white label through its direct sales force. Additionally, Kannaway® has indicated that this is merely the first PO and that based on the success of the launch of the new gum product under their brand they would be likely to continue ordering the product for their network. "We are excited to work with such a large and well respected direct-selling company such as Kannaway® and to bring our nutraceutical chewing gum product to their worldwide audience," AXIM Chief Executive Officer John W. Huemoeller said.

"This is our largest initial order from a singular customer to date and it presents a whole new revenue opportunity for the nutraceutical division of AXIM. Our flagship nutraceutical chewing gum product utilizes AXIM's patented chewing gum delivery system for cannabinoids that creates a high-quality and user-friendly experience that we are confident Kannaway® consumers will enjoy and be able to distribute through their networks successfully."