CannaVest Laboratories, a Subsidiary of CannaVest Corporation, Appoints World Renowned Cannabinoid Scientist Dr. Alexandros Makriyannis To Lead Its Scientific Advisory Board

LAS VEGAS, June 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- CannaVest Laboratories, the producer of the award winning cannabidiol CBD Plus Oil™, and the wholly owned subsidiary and laboratory division of CannaVest Corporation, the world's largest industrial hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) oil distribution company- is pleased to announce the appointment of renowned cannabinoid Scientist Dr. Alexandros Makriyannis, to lead its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Makriyannis is the current George D. Behrakis Endowed Chair in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, a Professor of Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Director of the Center for Drug Discovery at Northeastern University. Dr. Makriyannis holds over 40 US Patents, has been a consultant for several major US pharmaceutical companies, and has co-authored over 400 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Through his multidisciplinary work encompassing both chemistry and biology, Dr. Makriyannis has been a pioneer in chemical biology even before this designation was coined. He was among the first to define the biochemical pathways of endocannabinoids within the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). CannaVest Laboratories' lead research scientist Dr. Joshua Hartsel states that, "This historic partnership with Dr. Makriyannis, will enable CannaVest Laboratories to strategically and rapidly expand our capabilities."

Endocannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds (neurotransmitters) that together with receptors (such as CB1 and CB2) regulate and modulate the ECS, which controls crucial physiological processes in the body such as appetite, pain-sensation, mood, and memory. Endocannabinoids share some of the biological properties of plant-based cannabinoids, like cannabidiol or CBD, a valuable non-psychoactive nutraceutical product isolated from industrial hemp, and the main ingredient in CBD Plus Oil™. Dr. Makriyannis' laboratory, at  his Boston based drug discovery start-up, MAKScientific, has been involved in many advances in cannabinoid chemistry and biology and has produced some breakthrough compounds that are being used by many research laboratories worldwide.  Some of these are in the late pre-clinical stage of drug development.

Dr. Joshua Hartsel, CannaVest Laboratories' lead research scientist says, "I have always admired Dr. Makriyannis' outstanding contributions to the field, and have been following his publications since graduate school. Dr. Makriyannis is an excellent scientific resource, who has clearly demonstrated his ability to develop effective consumer-end products. This relationship will facilitate new methods that will improve our current product's purity and CannaVest Laboratories' processing speed and efficacy. Throughout his career Dr. Makriyannis has developed extensive relationships with specialists within the industry. These relationships will allow CannaVest to bring the appropriate scientists together to assist in strategic decision-making processes. In addition, we will collaborate directly with Dr. Makriyannis' Boston lab and MAKScientific."

Given it's amazing potential, the ECS has become an attractive target for pharmaceutical drug development. CBD is the most studied non-THC cannabinoid, which possesses great therapeutic potential to relieve ailments from convulsions, inflammation, anxiety and nausea. CannaVest Laboratories' was designed to facilitate cutting edge research on CBD. Dr. Hartsel and the CannaVest Laboratory team have made some significant scientific contributions to the burgeoning industrial hemp nutraceutical movement by concentrating supercritical CO2 extracted hemp oil, into high value CBD-rich products. CBD Plus Oil™ has earned recognition for the highest cannabidiol (CBD) concentrates. Dr. Makriyannis' partnership will expand the ways CBD can be used to optimize health– and lead to new end-consumer products.

Dr. Makriyannis partnership with CannaVest Laboratories will continue CannaVest's mission to educate the public on the health benefits of CBD, to optimize purity and formulations, and to find new product delivery systems.

About CannaVest Corp.

CannaVest Corp is in the business of investing and developing hemp-based cannabinoid Companies. CannaVest Corp. also develops, produces, markets and sells end-consumer products to the nutraceutical industry containing the hemp plant extract, cannabidiol (CBD). Additionally, the company resells--to third parties--raw product acquired by CannaVest Corp. pursuant to the company's supply relationships in Europe. CannaVest Corp. seeks to take advantage of an emerging worldwide trend to re-energize the production of industrial hemp and to foster its many uses for consumers. Cannabinoids (cannabidiol/CBD) are natural constituents of the hemp plant, and CBD is derived from hemp stalk and seed. Additional information is available from OTCMarkets.com or by visiting CannaVest.com.

About US Hemp Oil

US Hemp Oil seeks to develop the United States industrial hemp industry. The company is dedicated to the procurement, processing, marketing and distribution of bulk wholesale hemp seed, hemp oil, protein, food and hemp body care products. US Hemp Oil is determined to bring hemp products into the mainstream by creating greater public awareness of and media exposure for the exceptional nutritional profile of hemp and the environmental benefits of growing industrial hemp. For more information, please visit: USHempOil.com

About CannaVest Laboratories

The CannaVest laboratories was designed to facilitate cutting edge research on cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is a valuable non-psychoactive nutraceutical product isolated from industrial hemp. The labs, located in the heart of San Diego, CA, has recently made some significant scientific contributions to the burgeoning industrial hemp movement currently taking place in the United States and around the world. Dr. Joshua Hartsel (lead research scientist) and Greg Waterbury (Project Manager) are equipped with state of the art high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS), process chromatography, and distillation tools to produce award winning pharmaceutical-grade CBD. In addition to a full portfolio of scientific instrumentation, Dr. Hartsel previously served as a board member on the Association of California Cannabis Laboratories and was the founder of Delta-9 Technologies, an analytical testing company dedicated to the quality control of cannabis products. The CannaVest laboratory has adopted the industry standard techniques to evaluate hemp for cannabinoid content, terpene profiles, pesticide residues, and microbial contamination.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of CannaVest Corp. to be materially different from the statements made herein.

LEGAL DISCLOSURE
CannaVest Corp. does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA). The company does grow, sell and distribute hemp-based products and are involved with the federally legal distribution of medical marijuana-based products within certain international markets.

Corporate Contact:
CannaVest Corp. 
2688 S. Rainbow Blvd., Ste. B 
Las Vegas, NV 89146 
Office: 866-290-2157

 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140403/LA98016LOGO

SOURCE CannaVest Corp.