VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2019 / EastWest Bioscience (the "Company" or "EastWest") (TSXV: EAST) announces that it has signed a distribution and broker agreement with RISE North America ("RISE NA") headquartered in Annapolis, MD. RISE NA's team brings over 100 years of collective retail sales, distribution, and broker experience with great success launching and growing new products in some of the largest chains in the United States. In addition, they operate a successful on-line store for products across many categories.

"Working and developing strategies with RISE NA has been absolutely fabulous. Their team is highly experienced in USA sales and distribution with a solid track record of successfully growing product sales. We look forward to bringing our products to the USA through RISE NA, and working with their team for many years to come," says Fanika Jovanovic Perika, Global Business Development Lead.

"While interviewing potential partners for CBD products and more, RISE North America has come in contact with many, but have been overly pleased in the partnership that is being launched with EAST. RISE NA is so eager to put their expertise to work and to share in the WINS with a great company such as EastWest Bioscience." Says Heinrich L. Klinge - Co-founder and Executive Vice President.

About Rise North America

Founded by a team of industry leaders and entrepreneurs, RISE North America was created to provide manufacturers and retailers with a service-oriented product to ease the burdens of sales and distribution. By taking our experience with our business model focused on being your partner, we aim to increase your sales while lowering your investment of time and money put into marketing and purchasing. Our business partners include SuperValu-UNFI, Hy-Vee Grocers, BR Foods, Office Depot-Office Max, Home Depot, Oriental Trading Company, Kmart, Rakuten, Shop.com and many more.

About EastWest Bioscience Group

EastWest Bioscience is a vertically integrated wellness company with the infrastructure to become a global giant in the Hemp & CBD consumer health market. Since it was founded in 2016, EastWest continues to grow as a high-quality producer, manufacturer and distributor of multiple lines of premium health and hemp products. EastWest currently has more than 200+ NPN's in its stable of products.

EastWest's Hemp consumer product lines are divided into four distinct brands: 1) Natural Advancement - natural biopharmaceutical health supplements; 2) Earth's Menu - all-natural hemp superfoods; 3) Natural Pet Science - pet food and pet supplements; and 4) ChanvreHemp - all-natural health and beauty products.

In Canada, EastWest has a 34,000 Sq. Ft, Health Canada-licensed, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) - certified manufacturing facility and produces premium nutraceutical brands, offering natural products for a preventive care lifestyle. EastWest and Benchmark Botanicals (BBT-CSE) also have a Joint Venture Intent to accelerate acquisition of Processor, Analytical and Research and Development licenses under the Cannabis Act in EastWest's Penticton facility. These three classes of the Cannabis Act license will allow Benchmark and EastWest to build out an extensive extraction, laboratory, and research facility at EastWest's Health Canada Certified facility.

In the USA, EastWest USA has a Joint Venture with Azema Sciences, securing for EastWest first rights on Azema's output of bulk CBD and finished CBD products manufactured, and which are ready for sale in the USA and globally. EastWest Science USA ("EastWest USA"), EastWest's US operating division, will be the preferred distributor for Azema's finished goods. These finished products will include CBD creams, tinctures and salves which are products not currently in EastWest's catalogue. Additionally, EastWest will have first right of refusal to all potential opportunities relating to Azema's Kentucky based CBD processing facility. EastWest currently has TSX Approval for sale of its consumer products in 21 US States.

EastWest's international expansion continues with reach into important key markets in New Zealand, Australia, and Asia through a distributor agreement with New Zealand Hemp Brokers. Headquartered in Rotorua, New Zealand, NZ Hemp Brokers have quickly grown to become one of the country's most trusted industrial hemp wholesalers, and New Zealand's only import/export broker specialising in hemp products. NZ Hemp Brokers is licensed by the NZ Ministry of Health to grow, trade in and process industrial hemp, are registered brokers and certified in hemp medicine by the NZ Hemp Foundation.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EASTWEST BIOSCIENCE GROUP

"Rodney Gelineau"
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Director

TSXV - Symbol: EAST

Company Website: www.eastwestbioscience.com
Contact: Nicholas Vincent - Investor Relations on 1-800-409-1930 or [email protected]

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.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain 'forward-looking statements' under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the terms and conditions of the Acquisition. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither 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.

SOURCE: EastWest Bioscience Inc.