Market Newsdesk

Vancouver, March 15, 2021 – Leading Edge Materials Corp. (“Leading Edge” or the “Company”) (TSXV: LEM) (Nasdaq First North: LEMSE) (OTCQB: LEMIF) welcomes last week’s announcement from the Swedish Government¹ on the launch of a governmental review of permitting processes and regulations to ensure a sustainable supply of critical raw materials from primary and secondary sources.

A press release from Ibrahim Baylan, Minister for Business, Industry and Innovation, announced the appointment of a special reviewer tasked with delivering a report based on their findings. The press release highlights the importance of critical raw materials for Swedish industry and especially those that are required to succeed with the climate transition. Wind power, electric vehicle batteries and other technologies that drive the change to a fossil free society are expected to increase demand for critical raw materials.

Minister Ibrahim Baylan is quoted in the press release stating: “The green transition increases the demand for raw materials from the mining and minerals industry. We need to change regulations and permitting processes to ensure a sustainable supply of innovation critical metals and minerals.”

The governmental review is to be completed by October 2022 at the latest and is tasked to analyze and propose changes to permitting processes and regulations so that;

• A better balance is considered between a projects local environmental impact and its benefit to greater society, for example through reduced global climate impact.
• A larger share of the value add generated from the mining and minerals industry is shared with the whole country, whilst at the same time ensuring that the total tax burden is not increased, and so that the investment attractiveness of Sweden is not negatively impacted.

Filip Kozlowski, CEO of Leading Edge states “It is not the first time we have seen the launch of a governmental review to address the complicated permitting processes in Sweden, but this recent announcement will now cover the Mining Act and clearly highlights the need for primary critical raw material sources and the importance of those to Swedish industry and the country’s goal to achieve climate neutrality. One of the primary objectives of the European Raw Materials Alliance and the European Battery Alliance is to unlock regulatory bottlenecks in order for Europe to become more self-reliant on critical raw materials and we commend the Swedish Government for being at the forefront of this for the benefit of European industrial ecosystems.”

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Leading Edge Materials Corp.

Filip Kozlowski, CEO

For further information, please contact the Company at:
[email protected]
www.leadingedgematerials.com

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About Leading Edge Materials

Leading Edge Materials is a Canadian public company focused on developing a portfolio of critical raw material projects located in the European Union. Critical raw materials are determined as such by the European Union based on their economic importance and supply risk. They are directly linked to high growth technologies such as batteries for electromobility and energy storage and permanent magnets for electric motors and wind power that underpin the clean energy transition towards climate neutrality. The portfolio of projects includes the 100% owned Woxna Graphite mine (Sweden), Norra Kärr HREE project (Sweden) and the 51% owned Bihor Sud Nickel Cobalt exploration alliance (Romania).

Additional Information

The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above, on March 15, 2020 at 7.15am Vancouver time.

Leading Edge Materials is listed on the TSXV under the symbol “LEM”, OTCQB under the symbol “LEMIF” and Nasdaq First North Stockholm under the symbol “LEMSE”.  Mangold Fondkommission AB is the Company’s Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North and may be contacted via email [email protected] or by phone +46 (0) 8 5030 1550.

Reader Advisory

This news release may contain statements which constitute “forward-looking information” under applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company.  The words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future business activities and involves risks and uncertainties, and that the Company’s future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, risks relating to the inability of the parties to satisfy the conditions precedent to the closing of the Agreement, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

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

¹

https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2021/03/utredning-om-att-sakerstalla-en-hallbar-forsorjning-av-innovationskritiska-metaller-och-mineral/

Attachment

• 20210315 LEM welcomes governmental review of permitting to ensure supply of critical raw materials

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mersana Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRSN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing a pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting cancers in areas of high unmet medical need, today announced the publication of two manuscripts in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The manuscripts describe the preclinical development of the Dolaflexin ADC platform and XMT-1536, now called upifitamab rilsodotin (UpRi), Mersana’s first-in-class NaPi2b-targeted ADC developed using this platform.

The first of these articles, “Dolaflexin: A Novel Antibody-Drug Conjugate Platform Featuring High Drug Loading and a Controlled Bystander Effect,” provides detailed characterization of Dolaflexin, the Company’s novel ADC technology which is designed to overcome limitations of the most common ADC platforms with two key features: a higher drug-antibody ratio and a proprietary auristatin with a controlled bystander effect. The proprietary, cell permeable DolaLock payload auristatin F-hydroxypropylamide (AF-HPA) undergoes metabolic conversion to the highly potent but less cell-permeable auristatin F (AF) to balance the bystander effect through drug trapping within target cells and is designed to improve efficacy while avoiding the severe neutropenia, peripheral neuropathy and ocular toxicities commonly observed with other anti-tubulin ADC payloads.

The second article, “The Dolaflexin-based antibody-drug conjugate XMT-1536 targets the solid tumor lineage antigen SLC34A2/NaPi2b,” describes pre-clinical discovery and characterization of UpRi, Mersana’s lead clinical-stage Dolaflexin ADC. NaPi2b is a sodium phosphate transporter expressed in a variety of human tumors. The broad expression of NaPi2b in epithelial ovarian cancer and lung adenocarcinoma is described, as is UpRi’s ability to selectively target human NaPi2b. In vivo data in preclinical models revealed target expression-dependent activity in a series of NSCLC adenocarcinoma patient derived xenografts (PDX) as well as profound activity in a panel of ovarian adenocarcinoma PDXs. Pharmacokinetic analyses showed approximately dose-proportional exposure across animal species as well as high serum stability of the conjugate, and systemic free AF-HPA and AF concentrations remaining low in all animal species.

“These studies demonstrate the differentiated design and advantages of the Dolaflexin platform in preclinical studies and its potential for creating a new and improved class of ADCs,” said Timothy Lowinger, Ph.D., Chief Science and Technology Officer of Mersana Therapeutics. “In addition, the extensive preclinical data with UpRi, created by conjugating a NaPi2b-targeting antibody with Dolaflexin, gave us the confidence to proceed into the clinic. UpRi has since exhibited promising activity and a favorable tolerability profile in ongoing proof-of-concept studies in heavily pre-treated ovarian cancer patients with significant unmet medical need. We are very proud of the dedication and commitment of our team who have worked tirelessly to bring Dolaflexin and UpRi forward.”

UpRi is in the expansion portion of a Phase 1 proof-of-concept clinical study in patients with ovarian cancer and NSCLC adenocarcinoma. Mersana intends to initiate a single-arm registration enabling strategy in platinum resistant ovarian cancer (UPLIFT) in the first quarter of 2021 as well as an umbrella combination study in earlier lines of therapy (UPGRADE) in the third quarter of 2021. More information on the ongoing clinical study can be found at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03319628).

About Mersana Therapeutics

Mersana Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company using its differentiated and proprietary ADC platforms to rapidly develop novel ADCs with optimal efficacy, safety and tolerability to meaningfully improve the lives of people fighting cancer. Mersana’s lead product candidate, upifitamab rilsodotin (UpRi), is a Dolaflexin ADC targeting NaPi2b and is in the expansion portion of a Phase 1 proof-of-concept clinical study in patients with ovarian cancer and NSCLC adenocarcinoma. XMT-1592, Mersana’s second ADC product candidate targeting NaPi2b-expressing tumors, was created using Mersana’s customizable and homogeneous Dolasynthen platform and is in the dose escalation portion of a Phase 1 proof-of-concept clinical study. The Company’s early-stage programs include XMT-1660, a Dolasynthen ADC targeting B7-H4, as well as XMT-2056, a STING-agonist ADC developed using the Company’s Immunosynthen platform. In addition, multiple partners are using Mersana’s Dolaflexin platform to advance their ADC pipelines.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts and are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements include information concerning the Company’s business strategy and the design, progression and timing of its clinical trials, the ability of the single-arm UPLIFT cohort to enable registration, and expectations regarding future clinical trial results based on data achieved to date, and the sufficiency of the Company’s cash on hand. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by terms such as “aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “contemplates,” “continues,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “goal,” “intends,” “may,” “on track,” “opportunity,” “plans,” “poised for,” “possible,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “promises to be,” “seeks,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Forward-looking statements represent management’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. The Company’s operations involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside its control, and any one of which, or combination of which, could materially affect its results of operations and whether the forward-looking statements ultimately prove to be correct. Factors that may materially affect the Company’s results of operations and whether these forward-looking statements prove to be correct include, among other things, that preclinical testing or early clinical results may not be predictive of the results or success of ongoing or later preclinical or clinical studies, that the identification, development and testing of the Company’s product candidates and new platforms will take longer and/or cost more than planned, and that our clinical studies may not be initiated or completed on schedule, if at all, as well as those listed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 26, 2021, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and subsequent SEC filings. In addition, while we expect that the COVID-19 pandemic might adversely affect the Company’s preclinical and clinical development efforts, business operations and financial results, the extent of the impact on the Company’s operations and the value of and market for the Company’s common stock will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence at this time, such as the ultimate duration of the pandemic, travel restrictions, quarantines, physical distancing and business closure requirements in the U.S. and in other countries, and the effectiveness of actions taken globally to contain and treat the disease. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Contact:

Investor & Media Contact
Sarah Carmody, 617-844-8577
[email protected]

LEWES, Del., March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RubiX, a full-scale Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) and security solutions company, today announces the launch of its free, open-source public blockchain testnet availability with the Blockchain Green Initiative.

The RubiX (RBX) proofchain was purpose-built on Proprietary ‘Proof of Harvest’ (POH) Consensus mechanism to facilitate cloud-to-chain migrations that meet the need for a variety of enterprise-level applications, including NFTs, DeFi, Payments, Smart Contracts and Industrial Applications.

RubiX provides an unparalleled level of security as a layer-one solution, combined with a decentralized identity token (DID) which is split non-linearly into private and public shares. The result is a level of security 1,000,000 times stronger than Bitcoin’s ECDSA 256 encryption algorithm.

“Our goal was to cut down the Carbon Emissions caused by Bitcoin and other Proof of work (PoW) based blockchain mining activities, using a secure proof-of-harvest alternative that’s cryptographically superior to the current blockchain platforms,” says Chakradhar Kommera, Chief Technology Officer at RubiX. “Our solution can be used to democratize an unlimited number of industries and is driven by users, not investors. 100% of RubiX tokens are meant for eco-friendly mining without any carbon emissions. Smart contracts & NFTs consume more energy than simple coin transfers with current PoW protocols, hence there is an even bigger need to use a sustainable blockchain technology.”

Not only is POH consensus from RubiX faster (0.25 seconds confirmation) and more secure than competitors, it uses no dedicated power for mining, and it is 100% eco-friendly. As the use of cryptocurrency increases, so does the industry’s carbon footprint. RubiX uses minimal nodes for POH based consensus, so its carbon footprint is zero. RubiX is committed to nullifying its environmental impact by refraining from POW mining. Anyone with a computer or a smartphone can download the full RubiX node and become a validator and a miner using no extra electricity for the same, contributing to the goal of a carbon-neutral economy.

RubiX is currently handling more than three million unique weekly active Industrial users – more than any other public blockchain at this point of time.

To learn more about RubiX and how to build or switch your existing Smart Contracts, NFTs, DeFi or Industrial applications to a sustainable and secured technology or contribute towards the development of the Blockchain Green Initiative, visit www.rubix.network.

Developers can access RBX whitepaper and Testnet at https://github.com/rubixchain/rubixnetwork.

About RubiX

RubiX is a proofchain protocol that can scale with asynchronous parallelism to facilitate real world decentralized applications. Cryptographically strong, POH consensus algorithms are used for transaction validation. RubiX uses Proof of Harvest satisfying PBFT rule for consensus allowing full nodes to be run across all platforms (Server, NAS, VMs, PCs, Embedded Platforms, IoT’s and Mobiles). The platform leverages real world Distributed File System (DFS) based on content-based addressing for data storage.

RubiX has primarily two types of tokens: Protocol tokens generated with strong mathematical proofs that are mined by nodes working to secure the network by storing proofs (capped under 51 million), and Asset tokens that can represent any underlying asset or contract including NFTs. DeFi or Smart Contracts, RubiX Network is an aggregation of several account-chains existing in parallel. Transactions achieve consensus individually, allowing for asynchronous parallelism leading to very high scalability. Account-chains are linked through unique tokens & tokenchain hashes.

Media/PR Contact:

Uproar PR for RubiX
Brittany Johnson
[email protected]
312-878-4575 x246