NAPANEE, ON, March 2, 2020 /CNW/ - VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX: VIVO, OTCQX: VVCIF) ("VIVO" or the "Company") is proud to congratulate the chair of its board of directors, Paul Lucas, on his receipt of the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award from Life Sciences Ontario. This award is in recognition of Mr. Lucas' exceptional leadership and contributions to the development of the life sciences sector in Canada, his commitment to the community and his passion for improving the quality of life for Canadians.

Mr. Lucas is a highly respected leader in the Canadian pharmaceutical and life science industries. Starting his career with Eli Lilly and McNeil Pharmaceutical, he then joined GlaxoSmithKline, where he served as President and CEO from 1994 until his retirement in 2012. Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Lucas was instrumental in setting up the MBiotech program at the University of Toronto, where he was a member of the Principal's Advisory Council. He also played a major role in attracting numerous investments to the Canadian life sciences sector developing many life sciences organizations that continue to exist today.

"We are proud and honoured to have the benefit of Paul's knowledge and expertise as we continue to grow VIVO's business," said Barry Fishman, CEO of VIVO. "Paul's career is marked by outstanding achievements, unwavering dedication and commitment to the life sciences community. We are incredibly fortunate to have Paul as the Chair of VIVO, setting the standard for integrity, strategic focus and governance in this nascent industry."

Previous award winners include Dr. Calvin Stiller, a public policy champion instrumental in founding the Robarts Research Institute in London, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and MaRS, and Dr. Henry Friesen, a distinguished Canadian scientist, past president of the Medical Research Council of Canada, past president of the National Cancer Institute of Canada and founding chair of Genome Canada.

"Throughout my career, I have aspired to create a meaningful impact by stimulating innovation, mentoring the next generation of leadership and enhancing business success," said Mr. Lucas. "I am humbled to be joining the ranks of previous award recipients."

In addition to his work with VIVO, Mr. Lucas currently serves as chair of the board of directors of EcoSynthetix Inc. and Induran Ventures Inc., and as a director of RnA Diagnostics Inc. He previously served as a member of the board of trustees of Queen's University, as chair of the board of directors of Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D), Altimed Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences Ontario, and as a director of Biochem Pharma, the Toronto Regional Research Alliance, Montreal InVivo, AllerGen, the Ontario Genomics Institute and Select Therapeutics. In 2010, he co-chaired the Coalition for Action on Innovation in Canada (CAIC) with John P Manley, P.C., O.C.

About VIVO Cannabis™

VIVO, based in Napanee, Ontario, is recognized for trusted, high-quality products and services. It holds production and sales licences from Health Canada and operates world-class indoor cultivation facilities with proprietary plant-growing technology. VIVO has a collection of premium brands targeting unique customer segments, including Beacon Medical™, FIRESIDE™, Canna Farms™ and Lumina™. In August 2018, VIVO acquired Canna Farms, a premium cannabis company based in Hope, British Columbia. Canna Farms was B.C.'s first Licensed Producer and has several years of craft cultivation experience and expertise, as well as a significant patient base and positive cash flow. The Company is significantly expanding its production capacity and pursuing partnership and product development opportunities domestically, as well as in select international markets, including Germany and Australia. VIVO also operates Harvest Medicine, a patient-centric and highly scalable network of specialty medical cannabis clinics as well as a free telemedicine service. VIVO has a healthy balance sheet and is well-positioned to accelerate its growth in Canada and internationally.

SOURCE VIVO Cannabis Inc.

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