SiliconBeat

As part of an effort to raise its profile, Cannabis Science, the San Francisco research and development firm aiming to develop cannabis-based medicines, has hired a Canadian company to provide it with investor relations services. In April, Cannabis got the OK from the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to begin trading its shares over the counter under the symbol CBIS.

Earlier this month the company touted the fact that it had received the necessary certification to work as a contractor for the U.S. government. It also named  former Upjohn research scientist Mary Ruwart to head up its R&D efforts as it gears up to begin the drug development process with the Food and Drug Administration.

And two weeks ago the company said it was on the verge of filing two patents that have been assigned to the company by their inventor, Cannabis Science Chief Executive Steve Kubby.

Cannabis Science CEO, Steve Kubby, is the inventor who will assign both of his patents to Cannabis Science.

“Our new manufacturing process allows for the rapid and uniform harvesting of cannabis ‘trichomes,’ the part of the plant containing the active ingredient, THC. ” Kubby told potential investors. “Just as the cotton gin made cotton harvesting economically feasible, our innovative process will revolutionize trichome harvesting.”

Cannabis Science was formed earlier this year when Gulf Onshore, a Texas-based energy company that traded as a penny stock under the symbol GFON, agreed to acquire Cannex Therapeutics, a private San Francisco company involved in medical marijuana research in exchange for company stock.

The news lit a small fire under Cannabis shares, which rose Thursday one-and-a-half cents, or 9 percent, to close at a 18.5 cents.