Universal Ibogaine Announces Chief Clinics Officer Dr Ian Rabb

CALGARY, AB, Nov. 4, 2021 /CNW/ - Universal Ibogaine Inc. (TSXV: IBO) ("Universal Ibogaine", "UI" or the "Company"), a life sciences company with a mission to research and deliver medicalized ibogaine-centered addiction care, is pleased to announce an expansion of its Executive Team and welcomes addiction treatment and clinic operations veteran Dr Ian Rabb as Chief Clinics Officer effective November 15, 2021.

Dr Ian Rabb

Dr Ian Rabb is one of the most recognized and respected leaders in Addiction Treatment in Canada today.  Dr. Ian Rabb is a certified Interventionist and addictions specialist who has helped thousands of people overcome addiction. In his 20 years of sobriety, he has founded Two Ten Recovery and Destiny House — Winnipeg's only sober living housing organization.  Ian was the visionary founding member of Aurora Recover Centre in Gimli Manitoba and most recently held the position of Director of Business Development at Edgewood Health Network, Canada's only national addiction treatment center brand.  Prior to his work in addiction treatment Ian was a practicing Doctor of Optometry.

Ian has served on the board of directors of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba and Tamarack Rehab.  He was Chair of a forum for VOICES, which provides healthy, welcoming community centers where transitioning foster youth and adults can have access to comprehensive housing, education, employment, and wellness services. Ian served on the inaugural board of End Homelessness Winnipeg and sat on the Community Advisory Board for federal The Homelessness Partnering Strategy.  Ian was also appointed to a federal, provincial and municipal illicit drug task force in 2019. He has further played an active role on the board of the Jewish Child and Family Services and performed fund raising roles for the Children's Hospital Foundation, and the Health Science Centre Foundation.  Ian was nominated as a finalist for the national Scotiabank Game Changers (celebrating local heroes) in 2012; was awarded the Queens Diamond Jubilee medal in 2012; and in 2016, Ian was chosen and honoured as a "Manitoba Hero" for his tireless work in service of Manitobans.

In his own words Ian says "In my 20 years in the addiction recovery business I have not seen anything that has the power of Ibogaine to disrupt the devastating effects of addiction and help change the course of peoples lives who have been living with addiction.  The opportunity to join the leadership of Universal Ibogaine, to guide in their mission to advance the science of addiction treatment to a level we have never seen before provided an opportunity to be of service that I could not refuse.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead the clinic operations and development area of Universal Ibogaine."

Dr Rami Batal CEO of Universal Ibogaine shared his enthusiasm for this significant addition to the team "Universal Ibogaine has two main pillars of business: the development of medicines for addiction with the medicalization of ibogaine being a central feature, and the development of state-of-the-art holistic addiction treatment centers.  Today we have taken a significant step forward in the realization of best-in-class holistic treatment for addiction.  With our recent operating clinic acquisition and the addition of Ian to the leadership team we are confidently moving towards our goal of creating the gold standard for addiction treatment.  We intend to optimize the treatment program at our Kelburn facility then roll out in future clinics, directly or through partnerships in Canada, USA and Internationally."

Dr Alberto Sola Co-Founder of Universal Ibogaine indicated "We know ibogaine works to disrupt addition and facilitate rapid and relatively pain free detox from opioids and other drugs.  As we work through the regulatory process with Health Canada, we can develop a best-in-class holistic long-term disease management model, customized to the needs of the individual.  The protocol will be based first on conventional detox and treatment, then using ibogaine as it becomes approved.  There is no one more experienced or competent in that program development than Dr Ian Rabb."

Kelburn Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Facility
Dr Ian Rabb will take the helm at the Universal Ibogaines recently acquired addiction treatment facility located outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba.  Ian's first step will be to add conventional medical detox into the treatment offering at Kelburn.  Next, he aims to develop innovative, unique individualized treatment programs with a menu of post detox treatment modalities including various psychotherapy models, evidence based nuevo treatments that can include other plants medicines, nutrition, exercise, and time in nature facilitated by Kelburn's pristine natural setting.  From there Ian looks to incorporate indigenous wisdom and healing facilitated by local first nations leaders.

About Universal Ibogaine Inc.

UI is a life sciences company, with a goal to develop a platform of addiction treatment clinics, which may eventually use ibogaine as a primary modality for the interruption and ideally cessation of addictions to primarily opioids such as oxycodone, heroin, fentanyl, as well as alcohol, cocaine, and other stimulants.

UI separately plans to clinically develop ibogaine, a natural plant substance, as an authorized addiction interruption medicine for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder.  A Clinical Trial Application to Health Canada is being developed to undertake clinical trials in Canada, aimed at proving the safety and efficacy of the use of ibogaine for this purpose.  In the longer term, UI plans to introduce ibogaine into the addiction treatment protocols to be used in its' future facilities.

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

‎This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such ‎as "plans", "expect", "project", "intend", "will", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", ‎‎"potential", or other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "should" or ‎‎"could" occur.  The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations ‎and assumptions made by UI.  Although UI believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-‎looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-‎looking statements because UI can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.

Since ‎forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve ‎inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated ‎due to a number of factors and risks, which include, but are not limited to, risks that required ‎regulatory approvals are not obtained. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the ‎preparation of such information, although considered reasonable by UI at the time of ‎preparation, may prove to be incorrect and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on ‎forward-looking information, which speaks only to conditions as of the date hereof.  UI does not ‎undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained ‎herein to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence ‎of unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. ‎

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