FREED GROUP Expands Global Reach with Key Stakeholder Investment in Gabi Partners

HONG KONG, Jun 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – FREED GROUP ("FREED"), an award-winning digital and smart merchandising solutions company founded and headquartered in Hong Kong, has announced the integration of Gabi Partners, South Korea's leading provider of membership commerce services and supply chain management. This strategic move further solidifies FREED's dominance in the dynamic South Korean market and paves the way for expanded global opportunities.


Mr. Abel Zhao, Co-founder & CEO of FREED GROUP (right) and Mr. Siyoon Song, Co-founder & CEO of Gabi Partners (left), unite in South Korea, symbolizing the beginning of a promising collaboration.

(From left to right) Mr. Kenneth Lee, Co-founder & CPO of FREED GROUP; Mr. Siyoon Song, Co-founder & CEO of Gabi Partners; Ms. Yoonjeong Park, Co-founder & COO of Gabi Partners; and Mr. Abel Zhao, Co-founder & CEO of FREED GROUP, join forces as Gabi Partners becomes a part of the FREED family, ushering in a transformative alliance to reshape the membership commerce landscape in South Korea and beyond.


Gabi Partners is a leading player in the B2B2C commerce and B2B mobile gift-giving solution sectors. Their impressive track record includes a 370% annual growth rate and contracts valued at 34 billion won. With a focus on delivering tailored online shopping experiences, Gabi Partners has been working with FREED since 2020 to provide comprehensive services to serve prominent clients such as BMW Korea, Hyundai Card, LG Electronics, and Nonghyup Card. Gabi Partners has since then become the go-to platform in South Korea for businesses seeking to maximize online traffic and revenue. Even during the COVID period, the collaborative effort of FREED and Gabi Partners was able to achieve 300% year-over-year revenue growth in 2021.

"This strategic alliance marks a pivotal moment for FREED GROUP and Gabi Partners, bringing together two powerhouses in the digital commerce sector," said Mr. Kenneth Lee, Co-founder & CPO of FREED GROUP. "Together, we are poised to unleash unparalleled growth and innovation in the digital landscape. As a one stop service provider, we will be supporting our customers from upstream to downstream. The synergies from this partnership will enable online traffic monetisation, create consumer values, brand stickiness and increase user satisfaction for our enterprise brands. By bringing Gabi Partners into the FREED family, it demonstrates our commitment to driving digital transformation and opening doors for further opportunities as a Hong Kong start-up with a global vision."

With a history of successful acquisitions, including Awakening Journey China and Connexus Travel Limited, the investment in Gabi Partners reinforces FREED's position as a Hong Kong-based company committed to continue in spearheading innovation in the e-commerce sector, empowering partners and businesses across APAC region and beyond.

About FREED GROUP
FREED GROUP is a technology innovator specializing in building proprietary Enterprise Application solutions. It pioneers the future of digital commerce by bringing the capability of multi-merchant, multi-platform networks onto one single backend system and database. With its end-to-end digital transformation and commerce empowerment solutions, FREED GROUP helps clients and partners from Fortune 500 corporations and brands to SMEs across regions to create new revenue streams, increase customer engagement and enhance servicing level.

Headquartered in Hong Kong and Singapore, FREED GROUP operates in more than 10 offices globally with over 200 staff. FREED GROUP supports clients and partners worldwide, including major names such as Samsung, China Mobile, China Life Insurance, BMW and LG. It is the winner of the 2022 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers, 2021 Deloitte Technology Rising Star Award and 2021 United Nations UNWTO Global Start-up Competition, among many others. In 2023, FREED GROUP is named one of the top-10 high-growth companies in the Asia-Pacific region by Financial Times.

About Gabi Partners
Gabi Partners is a leading provider of B2B2C commerce and B2B mobile gift-giving solutions and supply chain management system, that revolutionizes the digital landscape with its innovative services. Since conception, Gabi Partners has quickly emerged as a key player in the industry, achieving remarkable success and rapid growth. With a focus on delivering tailored online shopping experiences, its cutting-edge SaaS model has garnered high-value contracts and annual sales growth rate of over 300%.


Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Nissin Foods Acquires and Contributes Capital to Nissin Vietnam

HONG KONG, Jun 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Nissin Foods Company Limited ("Nissin Foods", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"; Stock code: 1475) has signed a Capital Transfer Agreement with Nissin Foods Asia Co., Ltd.(1) (the "Vendor"), with the Group agreeing to purchase the Assigned Contributed Capital(2) at the Consideration of approximately USD9.5 million for the Acquisition of Nissin Foods Vietnam Co., Ltd. ("Nissin Vietnam") and contribute USD2.0 million to the capital of Nissin Vietnam (the "Capital Contribution") after the Acquisition is completed. The Total Consideration payable for the Acquisition and the Capital Contribution amounted to approximately USD11.5 million.


Nissin Vietnam manufactures and distributes instant noodles, and imports and exports instant noodles and other food products. It owns and operates an instant noodles factory covering an area of approximately 60,000-square-metre in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam.


Nissin Vietnam manufactures and distributes instant noodles, and imports and exports instant noodles and other food products. It has also been manufacturing bag-type noodle products for Nissin Foods. Nissin Vietnam owns and operates an instant noodles factory covering an area of approximately 60,000-square-metre in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam.

When the Acquisition and Capital Contribution are completed, Nissin Vietnam will be held 67% by the Group and 33% by the Vendor and will become a non-wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group, with its financial results to be consolidated into that of the Group. With control over Nissin Vietnam, Nissin Foods will be able to expand its business footprint geographically and enjoy greater flexibility in deploying production capabilities in Vietnam to respond to increasing market demand and the changing business environment.

Mr. Kiyotaka ANDO, Executive Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nissin Foods, said, "As the world returns to normal, we see the need to expand production capacity to meet the expected growth in demand for premium instant noodle products. The acquisition of Nissin Vietnam will enable greater flexibility in resource allocation and better cost management, thereby strengthening our overall competitiveness. Furthermore, the expertise and experience gained from the operations in Hong Kong and Mainland China will allow the Group to enhance instant noodles production, sales and distribution in Vietnam, accelerate business growth and capture long-term market growth trends in Vietnamese premium instant noodles market, ultimately boosting the Group's overall profitability."

For more information, please refer to the Announcement on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange website at: https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2023/0629/2023062900446.pdf

About Nissin Foods Company Limited
Nissin Foods Company Limited ("Nissin Foods", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"; Stock code: 1475) is a renowned food company in Hong Kong and Mainland China with a diversified portfolio of well-known and highly popular brands, primarily focusing on the premium instant noodle segment. The Group officially established its presence in Hong Kong in 1984 and is the largest instant noodle company in Hong Kong. The Group primarily manufactures and sells instant noodles, high-quality frozen food products, including frozen dim sum and frozen noodles, and also sells and distributes other food and beverage products, including retort pouches, snacks, mineral water, sauce and vegetable products under its two core corporate brands, namely "NISSIN" and "DOLL" together with a diversified portfolio of iconic household premium brands. The Group's five flagship product brands, namely "Cup Noodles", "Demae Iccho", "Doll Instant Noodle", "Doll Dim Sum" and "Fuku" are also among the most popular choices in their respective food product categories in Hong Kong. In the Mainland China market, the Group has introduced technology innovation through the "ECO Cup" concept and primarily focuses its sales efforts in first-and second-tier cities.

Nissin Foods is a constituent of eight Hang Seng Indexes, namely: Hang Seng Composite Index, Hang Seng Consumer Goods & Services Index, Hang Seng Stock Connect Hong Kong Index, Hang Seng Stock Connect Hong Kong MidCap & SmallCap Index, Hang Seng Stock Connect Hong Kong SmallCap Index, Hang Seng SCHK Mainland China Companies Index, Hang Seng SCHK ex-AH Companies Index, and Hang Seng Small Cap (Investable) Index. Nissin Foods is eligible for trading under Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect. For more information, please visit www.nissingroup.com.hk.

(1) Nissin Foods Asia Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary Nissin Foods Holdings Co., Ltd. ("Nissin Japan")
(2) The contributed capital represents 66.01% of Nissin Vietnam's contributed charter capital


Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

BioMed X Institute Starts Its First Research Project With Sanofi on Artificial Intelligence for Drug Development

HEIDLEBERG, Germany, Jun 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – BioMed X, a German independent research institute, announces the start of its first research project in collaboration with Sanofi: "Next Generation Virtual Patient Engine for Clinical Translation of Drug Candidates" (VPE). The end goal of this research project is to develop a versatile computational platform that can predict the efficacy of first- or best-in-class drug candidates in virtual patient populations at unprecedented accuracy, thereby addressing one of the most critical bottlenecks of the pharmaceutical industry today: a 90% failure rate of new drug candidates during clinical development.

The new research team will be led by Dr. Douglas McCloskey, a scientist and entrepreneur jointly selected by the Sanofi and BioMed X Institute management for the group leader position. "Most drug candidates that fail during clinical development do so due to a lack of efficacy compared to the standard of care. Our mission is to develop a platform to test-drive drug development candidates in virtual patients to gate the best ones into the clinic," explained the newly-appointed group leader of team VPE. "To tackle this challenge, our team at BioMed X will push the frontier of in silico drug discovery and development using our AI expertise with coaching from our industry partners," added Dr. McCloskey.

Christian Tidona, Founder and Managing Director of the BioMed X Institute: "After two years of collaborating on AI-powered drug discovery and development projects with our strategic partner in Israel, AION Labs, we are now ready to start our first AI-based research team in Heidelberg, Germany, together with our new pharma partner, Sanofi."

The "Next Generation Virtual Patient Engine for Clinical Translation of Drug Candidates" (VPE) team joins eight other active research teams at the BioMed X Institute in Germany, and it is one of four new projects launched by BioMed X in 2023. To learn more about this new AI-based research group, visit the BioMed X Institute website at www.bio.mx.

About BioMed X

BioMed X is an independent research institute located on the campus of the University of Heidelberg in Germany, with a worldwide network of partner locations. Together with our partners, we identify big biomedical research challenges and provide creative solutions by combining global crowdsourcing with local incubation of the world's brightest early-career research talents. Each of the highly diverse research teams at BioMed X has access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure and is continuously guided by experienced mentors from academia and industry. At BioMed X, we combine the best of two worlds – academia and industry – and enable breakthrough innovation by making biomedical research more efficient, more agile, and more fun.

Contact Information
Flavia-Bianca Cristian
Recruiting & Communications Manager
fbc@bio.mx
+49 6221 426 11 706

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Laekna, a Biotechnology Company in China, Listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange

HONG KONG, Jun 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – A biotechnology company in China – Laekna, Inc. (stock code: 2105.HK), today listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange").


Listing Ceremony

Dr. LU Chris Xiangyang, the founder, Chairman, and the Chief Executive Officer of Laekna, Inc. Delivered a Speech


Laekna offered a total of 63,728,000 Shares in the global offering. The offer price was determined at HK$12.41 per offer share. The Company intends to use the net proceeds for the following purposes: (1) Use for rapidly advancing the clinical development and approval of one of the Company's Core Products, LAE001. (2) Use for advancing the clinical development and approval of the other Core Product of the Company, LAE002. (3) Use for accelerating the research and development of other existing pipeline products and continuously advancing and improving the Company's pipeline products. (4) Use for improving production capabilities and developing manufacturing capacities. (5) Use for business development activities and enhancing global reach. (6) Use for the Company's working capital and other general corporate purposes.

The Laekna's International Offering was over-subscribed by approximately 1.09 times of the 57,355,000 shares offered. The Hong Kong Offering also recorded an over-subscription, of approximately 5.81 times of the 6,373,000 shares offered.

"Laekna, originated from old Norse, means 'to cure, to heal'. This is our original intention of establishing Laekna." Dr. LU Chris Xiangyang, the founder, Chairman, and the Chief Executive Officer of Laekna, Inc. said, "Being listed in Hong Kong means Laekna has entered the international capital market. That is an important milestone as well as a new height for Laekna. I would like to thank all our staff for their unremitting efforts as well as our investors and partners for their endorsement and trust. We will begin with the end in mind and move forward steadily to benefit patients, repay our shareholders and contribute to the society. We will strive to become a public company with higher market value and stronger sense of social responsibility."

A Global Leader in AKT Inhibitor with IND Approval for Internal Discovery
Laekna is a science-driven, clinical-stage biotechnology company. The Company aims to develop highly differentiated innovative drugs. Laekna prudently selects and evaluates potential drug targets with strong biological and disease associations, and has implemented a product development model that consists of internal discovery, business development and translational research.

Since its inception, Laekna has strategically designed and developed a diversified pipeline of 16 new drug R&D programs. The Company has initiated six clinical trials, including three Multi-regional Clinical Trials (MRCTs) across China, the U.S. and other jurisdictions.

LAE002, one of Laekna's Core Products, is an ATP-competitive AKT inhibitor. AKT inhibitors have demonstrated their ability to reverse drug resistance in numerous clinical studies and showed their potential to address the urgent unmet medical needs in those selected cancers. According to Frost & Sullivan, LAE002 is one of the only two AKT inhibitors that have currently ongoing registrational clinical trials globally.

LAE001, Laekna's other Core Product, is an androgen synthesis inhibitor that inhibits both CYP17A1 and CYP11B2. According to Frost & Sullivan, LAE001 is the only dual CYP17A1/CYP11B2 inhibitor in clinical trials for the treatment of prostate cancer globally. LAE001 can block both androgen and aldosterone synthesis and potentially be administrated without prednisone, the short-term high dose or long-term exposure of which can lead to a variety of adverse events.

For internal discovery, Laekna primarily focuses on identifying innovative immunology therapies for cancer and liver fibrosis. Among all internally discovered drug candidates, LAE102 is Laekna's most advanced one for cancer treatment. It is a potentially potent and selective activin receptor type IIA (ActRIIA) monoclonal antibody (mAb) that has demonstrated anti-tumor activity and ability to increase the bodyweight of cancer-bearing animals in pre-clinical animal models. Laekna obtained the IND approval of LAE102 from the FDA in May 2023. While LAE105 is Laekna's most advanced one for liver fibrosis treatment, which is expected to target activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSC) depletion and has entered into proof-of-mechanism pre-clinical studies.

Seasoned Core Management Team Members are Alumni of Nankai University and Have An Extensive History of Collaboration
Laekna's core management team has established a long track record of accomplishment, leadership and deep knowledge in their respective fields. In addition, they share the common mission of discovering and delivering novel therapies to benefit patients worldwide. The Company's founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Chris Lu, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Yong Yue, and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Justin Gu have known each other since college for 40 years and have worked extensively together, which lays solid foundation for research and development as well as to create synergistic cooperation within team.

Laekna's founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Chris Lu, is a seasoned pharmaceutical researcher with over 20 years of industry experience. He has a strong track record of developing successful drug candidates of both biologics and small molecules. With deep scientific knowledge and know-how in disease biology, translational research and drug development, he has co-invented more than 10 drug candidates, including bimagrumab, an antibody drug that earned "Breakthrough Therapy" designation from the FDA. He served as the executive director leading discovery biology platform and liver disease drug discovery at China Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research. Laekna's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Yong Yue has over 20 years of experience in oncology clinical development and ample clinical practice experience in China, Europe and the United States. Laekna's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Justin Gu, has over 20 years of drug discovery experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies with strong scientific background in cancer and liver disease. He is an experienced drug-hunter and key co-inventor of several pre-clinical drug candidates.

With a vision to deliver novel therapies to patients worldwide, Laekna established an integrated team located in both China and the U.S. This arrangement allows the Company to be at the forefront of medical research and knowledge, conduct MRCTs efficiently and execute business development strategies. Laekna has also established an all-round clinical development function that allows the Company to rapidly execute clinical trials and navigate the global regulatory environment to shorten the time to market for product candidates.

Strong Investors and Partners
Over the past five years, Laekna had a proven track record of building a global network and value-creating strategic partnerships and collaborations. The Company has established a number of global and regional partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis and Innovent. Laekna has successfully in-licensed four clinically validated assets with strong combinatorial potential from Novartis, spearheaded by LAE002 and LAE001. In 2021, Laekna entered into a collaboration agreement with Innovent to explore and maximize the potential value of the combination of LAE002 and sintilimab for patients with solid tumors in China.

Before this IPO, Laekna conducted five rounds of investments and the Pre-IPO investors include OrbiMed Healthcare Fund Management, GP Healthcare Capital, CS Capital, SCGC and etc. In this IPO, the Company gathered four cornerstone investors: Yuyao Yangming Equity Investment Fund Co., Ltd., Future Industry Investment Fund II, Ningbo Yaoshang Yanchuang Chenkai Venture Capital Partnership (Limited Partnership) and OrbiMed Asia Partners III, L.P.

About Laekna, Inc.
Founded in 2016, Laekna, Inc. is a science-driven, clinical-stage biotechnology company. The Company has two Core Products and 14 other pipeline product candidates. Core Product LAE002 is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) competitive AKT inhibitor for the treatment of ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and PD-1/PD-L1 drug-resistant solid tumors. The other Core Product LAE001 is an androgen synthesis inhibitor that simultaneously inhibits cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1 (CYP17A1) and cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily B member 2 (CYP11B2) for the treatment of prostate cancer. The Company has initiated one registrational clinical trial and another five clinical trials for its Core Products LAE002 and LAE001. Among these six clinical trials, three are multi-regional clinical trials (MRCTs) designed to address medical needs in the standard of care (SOC)-resistant cancers. As of June 6, 2023, Laekna owned 176 patents and patent applications (including in-licensed patents and patent applications with global rights).


Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Q2 Metals Announces Sampling Results from Its Abridged Work Program and Provides an Operational Update

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – June 29, 2023) – Q2 Metals Corp. (TSXV: QTWO) (OTCQB: QUEXF) (FSE: 458) (“Q2” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce the mapping/prospecting and rock sampling results of its abridged exploration work program at the Mia Lithium Property (the “Mia Property“) located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory of Quebec.

On June 5, 2023, the Company was mandated by the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests to pause all exploration related activities and depart from camp due to the ongoing wildfire status of northern Quebec. As a result, the mapping and sampling portion of the field work lasted only two days. Despite the pause to the field work, the Company is encouraged by the results of the work completed and plans to execute an ambitious work program of expedited mapping, sampling and drill-testing as soon as conditions allow. The following is a summary of the work completed to date, and the work-plan for the remaining summer months:

June Exploration Work

The recent two-day mapping and sampling work of the historically known lithium pegmatites at the Mia Property resulted in the collection of 28 pegmatite samples. Six (6) samples were collected from spodumene-mineralized pegmatite and the remaining twenty-two (22) from non-mineralized pegmatite to broaden the understanding of the source-rock relationships, geochronology, and/or zonation of the pegmatite. A summary of the spodumene-mineralized samples is provided in Table 1.

Table 1. Spodumene-mineralized samples from the June, 2023 site visit

Sample Li2O (%) Ta2O5 (ppm) Zone
B00293504 0.55 72.3 Mia
B00293505 2.05 101.7 Mia
B00293501 2.73 61.9 Mia
B00293510 1.57 167.3 Carte
B00293511 2.01 93.9 Carte
B00293512 1.04 72.9 Carte
B00293507 0.02 160 Carte

Mia Zone

At the herein named “Mia Zone”, the historically mapped spodumene-pegmatite was sampled and returned 2.73, 2.05 and 0.55% Li2O. This successfully verified the 2021 and 2022 work by the property vendors of 18 grab samples averaging 2.65% Li2O.

The Mia Zone now measures a mapped extent of approximately 370 metres and is up to 140 metres wide. This represents an extension of approximately 130 metres to the north of the previously mapped extent. There are some inclusions of the host rock within these dimensions and there are unclear contacts in all directions leading to the inability to precisely report the true size of the pegmatite.

The Company’s priority will be to undergo drill testing of the Mia Zone in order to understand its true dimensions. The preliminary IP/Resistivity data suggest that the mineralized zone extends beneath overburden to the north, south and east.

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1454/171740_12933bcef412f964_002.jpg
Figure 1. Western Mia Trend, June 2023 Sampling Summary

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1454/171740_12933bcef412f964_002full.jpg

Carte Zone

At the herein named “Carte Zone”, the historically mapped spodumene-pegmatite was sampled and returned three spodumene-mineralized samples of 2.01, 1.57 and 1.04% Li2O. This successfully verified the 2022 work by the property vendors of 3 grab samples averaging 1.65% Li2O.

The Carte Zone measures a mapped extent of approximately 110 metres and is up to 30 metres wide. Like the Mia Zone, the contact relationship between the host rock and the pegmatite is unclear and additional work is needed to determine the true dimensions of the pegmatite. Additionally, the next pegmatite located approximately 250 metres to the west was sampled and returned 160 ppm Ta2O5.

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1454/171740_12933bcef412f964_003.jpg
Figure 2. Eastern Mia Trend, June 2023 Sampling Summary

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1454/171740_12933bcef412f964_003full.jpg

“We have learned a great deal in the short amount of time we were on the Mia Property, and because of that we are more enthusiastic than ever about its potential. Only a small fraction of the Mia Trend has been looked at,” said Neil McCallum, VP Exploration of Q2 Metals. “As soon as we are able, we will return to the Project to resume our efficient and results-oriented program to define the extent of the known mineralized occurrences and to hopefully make additional discoveries.”

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1454/171740_12933bcef412f964_004.jpg
Figure 3. Selected Mineralized Photos, Mia and Carte Zones.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1454/171740_12933bcef412f964_004full.jpg

Summary of Additional Work Completed in 2023:

IP/Resistivity

During the month of March, a ground IP/Resistivity survey was completed over the western half of the 8-km Mia Trend. Results of the survey are still being interpreted and the truncated work program prevented ground-truthing of the anomalous highly resistive zones which may be indications of wide pegmatite accumulation near surface.

Airborne Magnetics

A property-wide high-resolution helicopter-borne magnetic survey was completed before the pause to our field program. The survey was flown at a line-spacing of 50 metres and at a height of approximately 15 metres above the surface. The preliminary results suggest that there are favorable extensions of the Mia Trend beyond its current extent.

Hyperspectral Survey

A property-wide hyperspectral interpretation of ASTER and Sentinel-2 data was completed during May and June by Terra Resources of Perth, Australia. The results of the survey generated 495 target areas on both the Mia Property and the Stellar Property.

Integration of Targets and Exploration Targets

The historical and 2023 work has been compiled, integrated and refined, resulting in the definition of two high-priority Exploration Trends (Figure 1). The first is herein named the “Mia Trend” and is host to the two mineralized zones on the Property (discussed in detail above) as well as a corridor measuring six (6) kilometres long of untested pegmatite. Secondly, the parallel “Bruce Trend” to the north which contains a series of historically mapped pegmatite and hyperspectral targets that have not yet been sampled.

Additionally, there are other secondary exploration trends (please see lighter green colour on Figures 1 and 2) that have been defined based on the compilation and presumed extensions of the high-priority zones.

In total, there are 297 individual targets that have been selected based on the high-resolution satellite data, combined with the hyperspectral interpretation and the property-wide airborne magnetics. Many of these targets cluster along the aforementioned exploration trends and provide the Company with an abundance of opportunities to make additional discoveries on the Mia Property.

Summer 2023 Exploration Plan

The Company has received permits from the relevant ministries for its inaugural drill campaign at the Mia Property and has engaged Youdin-Rouillier Drilling of Amos, QC, to execute the Company’s inaugural drill campaign. Youdin-Rouillier Drilling is based in Eeyou Istchee James Bay and has recently been awarded the UL 2724 ECOLOGO Certification Program for Suppliers of Mineral Exploration, which supports a commitment to social responsibility and a focus on environmental practices.

As soon as safe working conditions in the area allow for a return, the Company intends to immediately commence drilling on the Mia Zone, which represents the highest priority mineralized zone. The Company is targeting between 8,000 and 10,000 metres of drilling this campaign, utilizing two drill rigs.

Simultaneously, the Company will continue the mapping and sampling program on the Mia and Bruce Trends along with the highest priority target zones from the property-wide targeting compilation.

“We continue to actively monitor the situation daily with our focus centered on the health and safety of the local community,” said Q2 President and Chief Executive Officer, Alicia Milne. “We are well funded and have all of our permits and contracts in place. We are eagerly awaiting resuming our exploration program once the fire risk has subsided and we receive the green light from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests.”

Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQC)

All rock samples collected were transported by the geological contractors to SGS Canada’s prep laboratory in Val-d’Or, QC, for standard sample preparation (code PRP89) which includes drying at 105°C, crush to 75% passing 2 mm, riffle split 250 g, and pulverize 85% passing 75 microns. The pulps were shipped by air to SGS Canada’s laboratory in Burnaby, BC, where the samples were homogenized and subsequently analyzed for multi-element (including Li and Ta) using sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-AES/MS finish (code GE_ICM91A50). The Company has relied on the internal lab QAQC for the surface sample analysis.

Management cautions that prospecting surface rock samples and associated assays, as discussed herein, are selective by nature and represent a point location, and therefore may not necessarily be fully representative of the mineralized horizon sampled.

Qualified Person

Neil McCallum, B.Sc., P.Geol, is a registered permit holder with the Ordre des Géologues du Québec and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has reviewed the technical information in this news release. Mr. McCallum is a director and VP Exploration of Q2.

About Q2 Metals Corp

Q2 Metals Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company currently advancing exploration of its 8,668-ha flagship Mia Lithium Property in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory of Quebec, Canada which is host to the Mia Li-1 and Mia Li-2 lithium occurrences. The Company also owns the Stellar Lithium Property with 77 claims totaling 3,972-ha, located approximately six kilometres north of its Mia Lithium Property.

Q2 is also exploring the highly prospective Big Hill and Titan gold projects covering approximately 110 km² in the Talgai Goldfields of the broader Warwick-Texas District of Queensland, Australia, hosting 54 high-grade historical gold mines.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Alicia Milne
President & CEO
Alicia@Q2metals.com

Kevin Bottomley
Director
Kevin@Q2metals.com

Jason McBride
Corporate Communications
Jason@Q2metals.com

Telephone: 1 (800) 482-7560
E-mail: info@Q2metals.com

Follow the Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian legislation. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans”, “may”, “should”, “would”, “will”, “potential”, “scheduled” or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Accordingly, all statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the future including, without limitation, any statements or plans regard the geological prospects of the Company’s properties and the future exploration endeavors of the Company. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same. Readers are cautioned that mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business and accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors are discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Management Discussion and Analysis for its recently completed fiscal period, which is available under Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171740



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China Wantian Holdings Announces 2022/23 Annual Results

HONG KONG, Jun 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – China Wantian Holdings Limited ("China Wantian Holdings", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"; stock code: 01854.HK) announces the audited annual results for the year ended 31 March 2023 (the "Year" or the "year under review"). The Group is principally engaged in three businesses, namely green food supply, green catering, and environmental protection and technology. These businesses developed steadily during the Year and delivered remarkable results. During the year under review, the Group has established business operations in Shenzhen and Zhongshan cities, China, and set up its headquarters in Nanshan, Shenzhen in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (the "Greater Bay Area"). This marked the Group's official debut in the Greater Bay Area market, where great potentials bound, and signified its commitment to becoming an industry-leading supplier and service provider of green food ingredients and green food in the Greater Bay Area.

During the year under review, in parallel with the rapid development of the Greater Bay Area market, the Group has adopted a multipronged approach in order to accelerate its business development in the area. The Group has been taking advantage of the synergies among its three principal businesses in the hope of achieving growth in both its total revenue and market share. The Group's revenue for the Year was approximately HK$202.1 million, which increased by approximately 58.3% from approximately HK$127.7 million recorded in the previous year. Driven by the green food supply business, which contributed approximately 93.1% to the Group's gross profit, the Group's overall gross profit surged by approximately 91.4% year on year to approximately HK$35.9 million, while the gross profit margin increased by 3.1 percentage points to approximately 17.8%. However, the Group's administrative expenses increased by approximately 116.0% to approximately HK$50.2 million, which was mainly attributable to the increase in administrative and payroll expenses incurred following the establishment of the Group's Greater Bay Area headquarters and the recognition of share-based payment expenses for the share options granted on 13 April 2022. Furthermore, the Group has expanded its green food supply business into the Greater Bay Area market and commenced two new businesses, namely green catering and environmental protection and technology, during the Year. As a result, the Group recorded a net loss of approximately HK$27.7 million (Year ended 31 March 2022: net loss of approximately HK$11.0 million). Nevertheless, the management believes that the above-mentioned investment is conducive to the Group's business expansion in the Greater Bay Area, thus supporting the sustainable development of the Group in the long term.

Green food supply is the Group's highest revenue generator and accounts for approximately 97.2% of the total revenue. This segment delivered encouraging performance with segment revenue increasing notably by approximately 53.9% year on year to approximately HK$196.5 million. In November 2022, the Group completed the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Champion Point Limited's subsidiary Shenzhen Wealth Source Trading Development Company Limited* ("Shenzhen Wealth Source"), further expanding its existing food supply business into the Greater Bay Area market. Shenzhen Wealth Source, a domestic green food supply chain service provider, sources live cattle from regions such as Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, and distributes them to downstream customers in the Greater Bay Area, while also supplying fruits, vegetables, and seafood to restaurants in the Greater Bay Area. Following completion of the acquisition, the Group has expanded its market share by progressively enlarging the trading volume of its green food supply business. Besides, the Group continued to operate its fresh food supply business in Hong Kong, and is principally engaged in sourcing, processing and supplying food ingredients, with a focus on the provision of vegetables and fruit to food service operators in Hong Kong. Revenue derived from the fresh food supply business in Hong Kong amounted to approximately HK$139.2 million, representing approximately 70.8% of the segment revenue.

Green catering business contributed approximately HK$4.9 million in revenue to the Group during the Year. The Group has successfully pushed forward with a rapid expansion of Wantian Catering's business scope during the year under review, and is now operating restaurants targeting young customers in the hub of Zhongshan. These restaurants have increased the Group's brand awareness in the Greater Bay Area, and at the same time broadened both its customer base and market share. With the impact of COVID-19 gradually receding over the year under review, the resumption of dine-in services at restaurants across the region saw progressive recovery for the catering industry, and both the number of restaurant customers and the revenue of the Group have experienced robust growth. At the same time, the catering business provided a stable distribution channel for the Group's upstream business, helping the Group move towards full integration of the value chain.

Environmental protection and technology business recorded a revenue of approximately HK$0.8 million during the Year. The Group has continued to adhere to its vision of providing "modern agricultural technology and environmental protection" by setting up farms on rooftop spaces to promote greening and environmental protection. Through this, the Group is enabling primary and secondary school students in the Greater Bay Area to take part in rooftop farming, fostering beneficial interactions between humans and the natural world as well as bringing green power to buildings in large cities.

On 11 April 2023, the Group announced the proposed rights issue on the basis of one rights share for every five existing shares held, at a subscription price of HK$0.36 per rights share (the "Rights Issue"). Through the Rights Issue, 309,504,000 new shares were issued, the net proceeds of which were estimated to be approximately HK$101.7 million. Regarding the net proceeds, (a) 30% will be used to launch a live cattle breeding site project; (b) 25% will be used to develop the Group's live cattle trading business; (c) 10% will be used to expand its fresh food supply business; (d) 10% will be used to develop its catering business; (e) 10% will be used for the repayment of an outstanding loan; (f) 5% will be used to enhance and upgrade the Group's offices in the Greater Bay Area; and (g) 10% will be used for the Group's general working capital. The Rights Issue gave the qualifying shareholders of China Wantian Holdings an opportunity to take up their entitlements to maintain their shareholdings in the Group, while also strengthening the Group's capital base and enhancing its financial position. By helping the Group achieve sustainable development, the Rights Issue is working in the interests of shareholders.

With active participation from local governments in the Greater Bay Area, the region has maintained its leading position in several fields, bringing significant growth prospects. In parallel with the rising standards of citizens, there is a high demand for beef in the Greater Bay Area but the region is not self-sufficient in this respect, resulting in an escalating supply shortage in the long term. Looking forward, the Group's focus will be on developing its role in the live cattle breeding and trading industry, with the aim of expanding its business to connect the upstream (breeding), midstream (processing/logistics) and downstream (restaurants/prepared dishes/sale terminals) sectors to create a comprehensive live cattle industry chain in the Greater Bay Area. The Group sees this business as an important source of revenue and margin growth in the future.

The Group will explore the potential of the Greater Bay Area market with determination and perseverance and steadfastly develop its core businesses, namely the live cattle breeding and trading business, green food supply chain business and green catering business, thus building a whole industry chain connecting upstream, midstream and downstream components. The management believe that the three main business initiatives will continue to deliver strong synergies and open up unique opportunities, thus helping the Group emerge as an industry-leading green food supplier and service provider in China.

About China Wantian Holdings Limited
China Wantian Holdings Limited (01854.HK) is an investment holding company. The Group is principally engaged in green food supply, green catering and environmental protection and technology. In May 2022, China Wantian Holdings established its Greater Bay Area headquarters in Shenzhen, marking its official debut in the Greater Bay Area market to actively establish a leading green brand in the Greater Bay Area to provide customers with fresh, healthy and safe food, striving to become an industry-leading green food supplier and service provider in China.

For more details, please visit: http://www.cwth.com.hk/

* The English name is not the official name and is translated for reference purpose only.


Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

SMX Reports Strong Client Adoption and Growth in 2023

NEW YORK, Jun 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Security Matters plc (NASDAQ: SMX) ("SMX" or "the Company"), a company focused on digitizing physical objects on the blockchain to enable a circular and closed loop economy, is proud to share an update on strong growth that has been generated thus far in 2023.

"Our clients are managing the transformation from linear to circular by having one technology to handle all three sustainability aspects; ethical sourcing, ESG impact and increasing the amount of recycled content usage," said CEO Haggai Alon. "From fashion to natural rubber to metals and minerals, SMX technology enables companies to mark and digitize physical materials onto a private blockchain platform. We are delivering clear, crisp, and transparent data tracking to significantly assist our clients' transition into a low-carbon economy."

As a result of its rapid growth in client adoption across several industries for its proprietary technologies, SMX has achieved 100% year-to-date growth in commercialization. The Company says they anticipate generating revenue growth in 2023, as a result.

SMX details its commercial relationships with Sumitomo Corporation, one of the world's largest general trading companies, and Continental AG, a German tire manufacturer, who in collaboration with SMX has just recently won the Environmental Achievement of the Year – Manufacturing Award. In the case of SMX's relationship with Sumitomo Corporation, the Company has set a target goal of $35 million in sales, as a result of the trading company's utilization of SMX's special security technology features specifically for the invisible labeling of nonferrous metals with geographical origination and authentication information.

The Company has also stated its goal of further expanding its commercial relationships in the metals and mining industries. The Company's subsidiary trueSilver recently entered into collaboration with Sunshine Minting to help create industry standards for the ethical sourcing of silver.

"SMX has made critical inroads in penetrating vital industry segments and driving client adoption, and we expect the momentum to continue," said CEO Haggai Alon. "As with any innovation and technology breakthrough, it takes time to adopt and integrate. We are now seeing the beginnings of that adoption with clients integrating our technology into their supply chain management."

SMX's technology supports a circular economy for sourcing materials by providing insights into every stage of a material's lifecycle stage, from virgin raw material to end-of-life recycling. This helps to provide a pathway to a healthier economy, which can increase recycling and the reusing of materials, rather than increasing waste.

For more information about the company's products, latest news, and ongoing initiatives, visit https://smx.tech/home and https://spotlightgrowth.com/smx-nasdaq-smx-forecasts-revenue-growth-in-2023-driven-by-client-adoption-across-industries

About SMX

SMX integrates chemistry, physics, and computer science to give materials memory and create a culture of transparency and trust across multiple industries. The company's nearly 100 patents support unique marking, measuring, and tracking technologies allowing clients to seamlessly deploy transparency at all levels of development and provide all stakeholders with a complete provenance of material composition and history, from virgin material to recycled, to address manufacturing challenges and ESG goals while maintaining sustainable growth. As a result, SMX's technologies help companies address ESG commitments and transition more successfully to a low-carbon economy.

About Spotlight Growth

SpotlightGrowth.com is a digital hub for micro-caps, small-caps, venture capital, private equity, crowdfunding, cryptocurrency, and other emerging growth investors. SpotlightGrowth.com serves as our media subsidiary and provides insights on small-cap companies. Follow us on social media: Twitter; Facebook; Instagram; Reddit; and YouTube.

Disclaimer

This communication was produced by Spotlight Growth (SG), an IR advisor to small and micro-cap companies. SG is not a registered or licensed broker-dealer nor investment adviser. No information contained in this communication constitutes an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any security. SG may be compensated by respective clients for publicizing information relating to its client's securities. See https://spotlightgrowth.com/disclosures for more information.

Matt Rego
info@spotlightgrowth.com

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

A Breakthrough in Metal Packaging: Eviosys Launches ‘Ecopeel’, a Revolutionary New Dual Product of Can and Peelable End

ZUG, SWITZERLAND, Jun 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – International packaging giant Eviosys has revealed its latest innovation, Ecopeel. 200 years of expertise and innovation has produced an industry first: a processable food can with a sleek, peelable foil directly sealed on the can body.

Ecopeel has been designed with sustainability, convenience and inclusivity at its core. By replacing the traditional ring-pull with foil, Ecopeel is lighter and offers a 20% carbon reduction per can.

Ecopeel's unique 45 sealing surface reduces the force necessary for opening, and the smooth body and 100% aperture capability reduces food waste. This supports Eviosys' mission to make switching to metal accessible to all, building on the success of their other industry-leading products such as Orbit(TM).

Ecopeel reduces complexity for customers as cans are delivered with the foil already sealed, simply requiring brands to fill and seam the can. This makes the filling process 5x faster, as well as cleaner and safer, reducing spoilage and energy usage. It also offers greater customisation options with printing onto the can, so products stand out on the shelf.

Working in collaboration with longstanding customers, such as Jealsa and Friscos, Eviosys is also in discussions with other customers across Europe for the rollout of Ecopeel and expand the range to other sectors including pate, pet food, and olives.

Tomas Lopez, CEO at Eviosys, said: "At our core, we are committed to transforming the packaging sector through innovation to enable a truly circular economy. With Ecopeel we can offer our customers this transformed packaging experience, strengthening their sustainability and inclusivity credentials, expediting their internal processes and enhancing their brand visibility."

Jesus Alsonso, CEO at Jealsa, said: "It is very important to us to work with partners who are innovators and can offer us more sustainable choices throughout our supply chain – including our packaging. Ecopeel sets a new standard for inclusive, accessible, sustainable, and innovative food packaging, and allows consumers to enjoy all of our high-quality products with ease."

Notes to Editors

Eviosys is a leading global supplier of metal packaging, producing food cans and ends, aerosol cans, metal closures and promotional packaging to preserve the products of hundreds of consumer brands.

Eviosys has the largest manufacturing footprint in Europe, the Middle East and Africa with 7,000 employees in 44 manufacturing facilities across 17 countries in the region. In 2022, it generated EUR 2.7 billion in revenue. Eviosys is a portfolio company of KPS Capital Partners, LP. www.eviosys.com

Contact Information
Maisie Jenyon
PR Manager
eviosysuk@grayling.com

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Lane’s PassFax Product Ushers in a New Era of Simple and Affordable Online Faxing

San Antonio, TX, Jun 28, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Lane, a distinguished provider of innovative faxing solutions, has announced its latest product, PassFax, which promises to transform how businesses and individuals send and receive faxes within its platform. Powered by Lane's flagship product, Passport, PassFax is a versatile and flexible solution that caters to the needs of various individual users and businesses.

With PassFax, users can easily send and receive faxes from any location with an internet connection. The product offers a web user interface, making it easy for users to exchange faxes at a comparatively low cost. This level of convenience eliminates the inefficiencies of traditional fax machines and allows businesses and individuals to save time and money while streamlining their fax communications.

"We've designed PassFax to be an affordable and easy-to-use tool that helps businesses and individuals save time and money while improving overall productivity," states the CEO of Lane, Liz Maya. "We are thrilled to bring this product to an increasingly competitive market to help fax users stay ahead of the curve in our ever-evolving digital age."

PassFax offers basic, business, and enterprise packages to suit both business and individual communication needs. The product comes with customizable options that enable users to tailor it to their unique communications environment. For as low as $9.95 a month, users can enjoy the benefits of reliable and affordable online faxing.

By introducing this new online faxing solution, Lane is making it simpler than ever for businesses and individuals to keep up with their document-sharing needs without compromising affordability, security, or convenience.

About Lane

Lane is recognized globally as a leader in secure messaging communications and fax integration across a wide range of industries. Lane aims to exceed expectations by applying robust and tailored solutions that yield tangible results for their clients. With a strong track record of implementing systems across 50 countries, Lane's team possesses extensive knowledge and experience in developing solutions from the largest financial institutions to healthcare companies, as well as other public and private enterprises. For more information, visit https://laneds.com, call us at +1 (973) 526-2979, or email us at info@lanetelecom.com.

Contact Information
Liz Maya
CEO
lmaya@lanetelecom.com

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Rollux, a Novel EVM Layer-2 Backed by Bitcoin, Goes Live

DUBAI, Jun 28, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – SYS Labs, a Web3 product suite powered by Syscoin, has announced the launch of Rollux, an innovative EVM Layer-2 solution. Rollux is designed to optimize the performance of Ethereum network applications by harnessing the strength of Bitcoin, presenting a unique approach to scaling Ethereum that distinguishes SYS Labs from its competitors.



Rollux is the inaugural product in a line of advanced solutions introduced by SYS Labs. As part of a comprehensive ecosystem, it leverages the capabilities of SuperDapp, an AI-enhanced Web3 social platform, complete with essential chat features, a built-in non-custodial wallet for seamless asset management, and tailored versions for both mobile and web platforms. This integration of AI and blockchain technologies, fortified with end-to-end encryption, signifies a considerable leap in the evolution of the industry.

The ecosystem also incorporates Pegasys DeFi exchange and AMM, Luxy NFT Platform, Pali Wallet (web & mobile), DAOSYS, and Camada, a noncustodial, regulatory-compliant crypto trading platform to accelerate mainstream investments and self-custody. In a strategic move, SYS Labs has formed alliances with multiple teams also launching their products on Rollux, further driving the development of a robust ecosystem that aligns closely with the Ethereum mainnet.

Jagdeep Sidhu, CEO of SYS Labs, articulated the profound implications of Rollux, asserting, "Rollux is the embodiment of our shared vision and unwavering commitment. We're delivering on our promise of speed, decentralization, security, affordability, and scalability – the core pillars of blockchain technology that we always believed were vital for fostering mass adoption."

Rollux sets a new industry standard as the highest-performing EVM-rollup solution, offering unparalleled speed, scalability, and affordability. It provides the fastest speeds, highest throughput at scale, and the most affordable user experience with the lowest transaction fees, all while maintaining high levels of decentralization and security through merged mining with Bitcoin – the only major rollup to implement this strategy.

The introduction of Rollux is a monumental event for the broader blockchain industry. It addresses the enduring blockchain trilemma, fueling optimism for the future and facilitating mass adoption while upholding the fundamental principles that originally imbued blockchain with value.

About Rollux

Built by SYS Labs, powered by Syscoin, and fueled by its utility token, $SYS. Rollux is an EVM-equivalent optimistic rollup that inherits the security of Bitcoin's mining network and Syscoin's Layer 1 finality and data availability. Rollux functions as Syscoin's Layer 2 to help provide the unprecedented scalability necessary for an exponential increase of potential use cases, and sets the stage for realizing mass adoption. Rollux offers what no one else does: unmitigated security, speed, decentralization, and affordability.

Website https://rollux.com/ | Syscoin's Website https://syscoin.org/ | Twitter https://twitter.com/RolluxL2 | Discord https://discord.com/invite/rollux

About SYS Labs

SYS Labs is a unicorn of unicorns, building the fundamental layers of true Web3, and connecting users, dApps, and assets to create seamless flows between ecosystems. SYS Labs creates the infrastructure, dApps, and tools necessary to meet the needs and desires of a global population, all backed by Bitcoin's security and enhanced by Syscoin's finality and groundbreaking L1 data availability solution, PoDA.

Website https://syslabs.com/ | Medium https://medium.com/@SYSLabsOfficial | Twitter https://twitter.com/SYSLabsOfficial

Press Contact:
Dylan Stewart
Email: dylan@syslabs.com
Telegram: @xKintsugy
PR: info@cryptoshib.com

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