Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (FRSX).

Shares of Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:FRSX) traded today at $7.94, eclipsing its 52-week high. This new high was reached on below average trading volume as 12.8 million shares traded hands, while the average 30-day volume is approximately 19.7 million shares. Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd is a technology company engaged in the design, development and commercialization of vision systems for the automotive industry. The company develops both in-line-of-sight vision systems and beyond-line-of-sight cellular-based applications through its wholly owned subsidiaries. Its systems are designed to improve driving safety by enabling highly accurate and reliable threat detection while ensuring the lowest rates of false alerts. Foresight is pursuing several markets and believes its advanced systems will revolutionize automotive safety by providing an automotive-grade, cost-effective platform.

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX), founded in 2015 and headquartered in Israel, is a technological innovator in automotive vision systems and driver assistance technology. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Foresight Automotive Ltd., Foresight is engaged in the design, development and commercialization of stereo/quad-camera vision systems and V2X cellular-based solutions for the automotive industry based on 3D video analysis, advanced algorithms for image processing and sensor fusion. The company’s powerful and patented stereoscopic technology is derived from field-proven technology that has been deployed throughout the world for almost two decades.

Foresight’s innovative autonomous driving solutions are based on mature, proprietary stereoscopic image technology that uses two synchronized cameras to mimic human depth perception and produce a three-dimensional image. This 3D image can anticipate possible collisions with other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and other obstacles. The technology provides highly accurate real-time alerts about the vehicle’s surroundings while in motion. The systems are designed to improve driving safety by enabling highly accurate and reliable threat detection while ensuring the lowest rates of false alerts.

The company’s patents provide IP protection for its robust and proven proprietary stereoscopic technology, which was developed using the security technology of Foresight’s major shareholder, Magna B.S.P.

Foresight has developed three main products:

• QuadSight™. This breakthrough detection system sets the bar for autonomous vehicle vision. It features nearly 100 percent obstacle detection with almost zero false alerts and operates optimally under all weather and lighting conditions, including darkness, rain, fog, haze and glare. QuadSight™ is the first quad-camera multi-spectral vision solution of its kind, driven by advanced and proven image processing algorithms. The system consists of two sets of stereoscopic infra-red and visible-light cameras that enable highly accurate and reliable obstacle detection for seamless 24/7 vision.
• Eyes-On™. This solution uses advanced algorithms for accurate depth analysis and obstacle detection to provide a unique stereo vision Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). It can detect all potential obstacles regardless of shape, form or material, including other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and animals. It has an accuracy and reliability of almost 100 percent and near zero false alerts.
• Eye-Net™. This is a cellular-based accident prevention solution that is designed to provide real-time pre-collision alerts to vehicles and pedestrians. This proprietary system is deployed on smartphones and cloud-based servers operating on existing cellular networks, and it eliminates the need for additional designated hardware. Eye-Net™ is designed to provide a complementary layer of protection to advanced driver assistance systems and extends this protection to road users who are not in direct line of sight. It is optimally designed for both urban environments and high-speed scenarios to provide protection for the most vulnerable road users. On March 28, 2018, Foresight announced that it had completed a successful feasibility study of its Eye-Net™ accident prevention solution involving 120 users of Android and iOS cell phones located across Israel.

In 2017, Foresight sought more opportunities within the international market. The Company signed pilot agreements with three leading car manufacturers in China and completed pilot projects meeting all pre-defined requirements and criteria. In addition, FRSX completed a pilot project with Uniti Sweden.

Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety continue to emphasize the dramatic reduction in accidents and injury-related crashes reported when vehicles are equipped with collision avoidance systems. A recent study by the Institute states that the rate of single-vehicle, sideswipe and head-on crashes was 11 percent lower in vehicles with the warning systems. More importantly, the study shows collision avoidance technology cut the rates of injury crashes of the same type by 21 percent.

Foresight Autonomous Holdings, Inc. also holds a 32 percent interest in RailVision, a company that develops advanced systems for railway safety and maintenance. RailVision has successfully completed 13 tests in Israel, Germany, Italy and Switzerland in addition to a real-time system test with a European railway operator. Over the course of 2017, RailVision successfully completed rounds of financing totaling $5.8 million and started the process of licensing the system according to European standards.

Haim Siboni is the founder of Foresight and has served as the company’s chief executive officer and director since 2015. Siboni, a passionate entrepreneur, has an extensive background in the marketing and business management sectors in the fields of electronics, video, TV, multimedia, computerized systems, line and wireless telecommunication, design and development of systems and devices, including electro-optic radar systems. He is the founder and CEO of Magna B.S.P., Foresight’s major shareholder and a leading innovator in the field of homeland security surveillance solutions.

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (FRSX), closed Friday's trading session at $7.82, up 18.845%, on 52,538,482 volume with 153,050 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 10,918,879 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.460999995/$9.13000011.

Recent News

• Watch for Continued Gains in Shares of Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (FRSX)
• Shares of Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (FRSX) Have Risen Above Previous 52-Week High
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) Subsidiary, Eye-Net, Partners with Japanese Vehicle Manufacturer for Pilot Project

Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF).

Brain Scientific (OTCQB: BRSF), a neurology-focused medical device and software company, was featured in a recent article published by Pharma Mirror Magazine. The article titled, “Neurology’s Growing Need for Disposable Technologies,” is written by Brain Scientific’s co-founder and executive chairman. The piece indicates that several studies have recently shown that the development of neurological conditions and symptoms are prevalent in COVID patients. “When conditions like seizures, stroke and metabolic encephalopathy emerge, suddenly in a COVID-19 patient, it can negatively impact treatment outcomes and morbidity rates,” the article reads. To view the full article, visit http://ibn.fm/AdMu3

Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF) is a commercial-stage health care company focused on developing innovative and proprietary medical devices and software. With a mission of modernizing brain diagnostics by employing cutting edge technologies to bridge the widening gap in access to quality care, the company offers two FDA-cleared products that provide next-generation solutions to the neurology market.

The company’s proprietary, clinical-grade neurological devices are supported by its intellectual property portfolio featuring patents in the United States, China and Europe.

Brain Scientific’s first commercialized devices, NeuroCap(TM) and NeuroEEG(TM), are designed to disrupt the current electroencephalogram (EEG) market by offering cost-effective and disposable substitutes to existing solutions, allowing medical professionals to collect diagnostic information quickly.

The company’s goal is to improve diagnostics by leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning processes to analyze a database of brain readings as a method of detecting seizures and dementia. The company is also working to improve patients’ access to neurological care.

Headquartered in New York, Brain Scientific and its predecessor (and now wholly owned subsidiary, MemoryMD Inc.) was founded in 2015 and went public in 2018.

Brain Scientific’s first phase of development, from 2018 to 2019, saw the inception of portable, clinical-grade, easy-to-use neurological devices. The second phase, currently ongoing, aims to create cloud-based, secure infrastructure to transmit patient data between patients and their neurologists. The company’s third phase of development is scheduled for 2021-2022 and is expected to focus on the use of AI-assisted diagnostic analysis to increase the efficiency, consistency and accuracy of neurology specialists.

NeuroCap(TM) – Disposable EEG Headset

The NeuroCap is a disposable pre-gelled EEG headset featuring 22 electrodes and 19 active EEG channels, all adhering to the international 10-20 system. The NeuroCap was FDA-cleared in 2018. The headset can be used for recording EEGs in virtually any setting, including urban and rural emergency departments, neurology clinics, urgent care clinics, ICUs, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and remote clinical research labs.

Through a universal cable adapter, the NeuroCap is compatible with other EEG amplifiers. The cap also works in parallel with Brain Scientific’s NeuroEEG amplifier, initiating EEG studies in less than five minutes.

The company is currently seeking FDA approval for additional features for the NeuroCap, as the device has the potential to fill a gap in EEG testing availabilities during the current coronavirus pandemic: in October 2020, Brain Scientific filed an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application. The EUA is required for the rapid distribution of the NeuroCap device to emergency departments, intensive care units and other treatment centers to administer prescriptive EEGs safely on critically ill patients or those suspected of being diagnosed with COVID-19.

With more than 80 percent of hospitalized patients infected with COVID-19 displaying neurological symptoms, the NeuroCap could prove to be a valuable device by offering fast testing with limited contact between technicians and patients.

NeuroEEG(TM) – Miniature and Portable Wireless EEG Amplifier

The NeuroEEG is a compact, portable and affordable wireless EEG amplifier intended for prescription use. The 16-channel, FDA-cleared, clinical-grade device acquires, records, transmits and displays electrical brain activity for patients of all ages.

Both the NeuroCap and NeuroEEG are delivered by MemoryMD Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Brain Scientific.

Products in Active Development

Currently, Brain Scientific and MemoryMD are working on leveraging their existing products and drawing from ongoing research to develop and commercialize the next generation of solutions for the brain diagnostics market. The devices under development are being designed to address the following issues:

Routine EEG

• NeuroCap-8 is an 8-channel EEG cap. The reduced number of electrodes is vital in emergency room situations, where the time it takes to set up the EEG is critical.

Pediatric EEG

• NeuroCap Pediatric is positioned to become the first disposable and pre-gelled headset available for the pediatric market.

Long-Term Monitoring

• NeuroCap LTM for adult and pediatric patients is a disposable cap designed to monitor rhythmic and periodic patterns for up to 72 hours, providing essential diagnostic capabilities.
• NeuroEEG 24 Channel Amplifier is a portable and wireless amplifier with over 24 hours of battery life.

Artificial Intelligence

• Brain E-Tattoo is a minimally invasive four-channel EEG electrode designed for long-term monitoring.
• An AI database of brain biomarkers collects data on both normal and abnormal brain data to detect neurological diseases. The goal is for machine learning algorithms to enhance understanding of brain-behavior related to epilepsy, memory dementia and pre-Alzheimer’s diagnostics.

Telemedicine

Brain Scientific is expanding the vision for telemedicine in neurology. The company aims to address the current acute neurologist shortfall (20 states have less than 10 neurologists per 10,000 patients) through the use of teleneurology.

 

Partnership with Marketing Brainology

Brain Scientific has a longstanding partnership with Marketing Brainology, a neuromarketing firm using neuroscience approaches to understand consumer behavior. In 2019, Marketing Brainology conducted a study using NeuroCap and NeuroEEG to determine the most effective Super Bowl commercials.

“Thanks to Brain Scientific’s NeuroCap and NeuroEEG, we are able to better understand the art and science of the human decision-making process,” Michelle Adams, Ph.D, Founder of Marketing Brainology, stated in a news release.

In April 2020, Marketing Brainology again conducted a study leveraging Brain Scientific’s disposable EEG cap to determine how brains were reacting to COVID-19 messaging. Subjects were presented with multiple media impressions, and Marketing Brainology analyzed their responsive biomarkers. The results identified the most effective messaging for engaging with an audience during a crisis.

Market Outlook

The current global market for EEG devices is estimated at $956.1 million. It is expected to rise with a CAGR of 8.7% from 2019 to 2026, reaching $1.6 billion in value by 2026, according to Grandview Research.

In total, there are approximately 6,150 hospitals in the U.S., according to the American Hospital Association. Critically, though, just 254 of those hospitals are certified Level 4 Epilepsy centers with 24/7 EEG coverage. Since very few non-Level 4 centers have extensive EEG tech coverage, this creates a significant opportunity for Brain Scientific to bridge the gap by providing over 5,900 hospitals with lower cost amplifiers and disposable EEG caps.

The company also see opportunities to work with other businesses, such as EEG manufacturers hoping to package Brain Scientific’s solutions with their products, which could greatly expand Brain Scientific’s addressable target market.

Management Team

Dr. Baruch “Boris” Goldstein, Ph.D., is co-founder and Chairman of Brain Scientific. He is a seasoned executive with a proven talent for aligning global business strategies with established and emerging management teams. Goldstein’s growth-focused leadership style has helped him raise over $750 million in venture capital for the development of innovative companies and startups in diverse industries, including financial services, biomedicine, alternate energy and new materials, as well as groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence. His recent achievements include important advancements in neurology and unlocking the potential of AI correlations and machine learning applied to life sciences and medical research. He built a suite of first-to-market companies as a technology-oriented leader, including Ryah Medtech, Brain Scientific, GrapheneCA, E-Forex and Intelligent Video Systems. He also co-founded BrainRX, a company specializing in pre-Alzheimer’s diagnostics.

Dr. Nikolay Kukekov, Ph.D., is a Director of Brain Scientific and a partner at HRA Capital. Before joining HRA Capital, Kukekov was Managing Director of Healthcare Investment Banking at Summer Street Research. His scientific background includes a bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Columbia University – College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York.

Stuart Bernstein is the company’s Vice President of Marketing. He was recently named to the role after spending the first part of his professional career in senior technical management roles with Fortune 500 companies such as NCR (NYSE: NCR), IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Control Data Corp. He was the CEO of BioSignal, an EEG medical device company. He is also a co-founder of several software engineering and telemedicine firms. One of them, Brain Saving Technology, is now Specialist on Call (SOC Telemed) – a leading telemedicine company that powers over 850 facilities for teleneurology, telepsychiatry and critical care telemedicine with over 200 physicians.

Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF), closed Friday's trading session at $1.14, up 2.7027%, on 9,949 volume with 31 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 27,100 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.100000001/$3.00999999.

Recent News

• BioMedNewsBreaks - Brain Scientific Inc. (BRSF) Featured in Pharma Mirror Magazine Article
• Brain Scientific (BRSF) Plans to Enter New Markets While Making EEGs More Accessible
• BioMedNewsBreaks - Brain Scientific Inc. (BRSF) to Enter the US Pediatric Market with NeuroCap(TM)

Knightscope, Inc.

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Knightscope, Inc..

Autonomous robot manufacturer Knightscope aims to make the United States the safest country on earth with the help of its artificial intelligence-enhanced machines. Knightscope’s current product lineup hinges on the performance of its K1 stationary robot, its indoor-roving K3 model and its outdoor perimeter-patrolling K5 sentry. The company’s robotic platform is designed to potentially reduce the costs of providing security while avoiding not only physical obstacles in their path, but some of the emotional limitations of human patrols as well, such as fatigue, boredom, texting and even fear or anger.

Knightscope, Inc., founded in 2013 and based in Mountain View, California, is a leader in the development of autonomous security capabilities and are on target to disrupt the $500 billion security industry. Knightscope’s technology uniquely combines self-driving technology, robotics and artificial intelligence.

Knightscope designs and builds Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs) that provide 24/7/365 security to the places you live, work, visit and study. The company’s client list covers public institutions and commercial business operations, including ten Fortune 1000 companies to date. These ASRs have been proven to enhance safety at hospitals, logistics facilities, manufacturing plants, schools and corporations. ASRs act as highly cost-effective complementary systems to traditional security and law enforcement officials, providing an additional advantage by continuing to offer uninterrupted patrolling capabilities across the country, despite the pandemic (note: robots are immune).

The company’s ASRs have assisted in the arrest of suspects involved in crimes ranging from armed robbery to hit-and-runs. Their machine-embedded thermal scanning capability even aided in preventing the breakout of a major fire.

The company has achieved several milestones since its creation in 2013, including:

• Establishing itself in a 15,000-square-foot facility located in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, where Knightscope designs, engineers and builds its technology;
• Operating for more than one million hours in the field and securing contracts across five time zones;
• Navigating through the global pandemic without interruption by continuing to operate on a daily basis across the nation and supporting clients classified as essential services; and
• Continuing its hiring processes despite the current societal and economic disruption.

Growth Capital

With more than 10,000 investors and over $40 million raised since inception, Knightscope is poised to be an industry leader in the future of public safety and security.

The company is presently in the process of raising up to $50 million in growth capital as it prepares for a potential public listing. Knightscope has reserved ticker symbol ‘KSCP’ with Nasdaq.

Investors can buy shares exclusively through the company’s managing broker-dealer, StartEngine (http://nnw.fm/l9GLX) until July 20, 2020. Concurrent with this live offering and contingent upon various factors, including raising a sufficient amount of funds and meeting applicable listing standards, the company intends to begin preparation of an S-1 format Form 1-A and Nasdaq Capital Market application in anticipation of a possible public listing of the stock at the conclusion of the Regulation A+ offering.

Company Mission — The Greater Good

Knightscope’s long-term vision has an eye on the greater good. The company’s mission is to make the United States of America the safest nation in the world while supporting millions of law enforcement and security professionals across the country.

Crime has a negative economic impact in excess of $1 trillion annually. As crime is reduced, positive impacts will likely be realized across several aspects of society, including housing, financial markets, insurance, municipal budgets, local business and safety in general.

Knightscope CEO William Santana Li was recently interviewed by Kevin O’Leary, more commonly known as Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful. When asked to explain how the benefits provided by the ASRs outrank a human doing the same job, Li said, “First, just the simple presence of a physical deterrent causes criminal behavior to change. Second, the machines are self-driving cars that patrol all around and recharge themselves. They also generate 90 terabytes of data per year. No human would ever be able to process that. The robots are intended to be eyes and ears for the humans, not a one to one replacement.”

The Knightscope solution to reduce crime combines the physical presence of ASRs, sometimes referred to as proprietary Autonomous Data Machines, with real-time onsite data collection and analysis. The ASRs are fitted with eye-level 360° cameras, thermal scanning, public address announcements and various other features that work in tandem with humans to provide law enforcement officers and security guards unprecedented situational awareness.

Those 90 terabytes of data are then formatted in a useable way, so law enforcement can leverage that information and execute their responsibilities more effectively.

Public Safety Innovation

The company’s recurring revenue business model is set up to mimic the recurring societal problem of crime, and it takes into consideration the fact that innovation in the security and public safety industry has been stagnant for decades. Because the traditional practices of the sector have remained unchanged for years, automation has potential to drive substantial cost savings — and significant improvement in capabilities.

Human security guards are one of both the largest expenses and the largest liabilities for companies. Knightscope’s robots are offered at an effective price of $4 to $11 per hour, compared with approximately $85 and $30 per hour for an armed off duty law enforcement officer and an unarmed security guard, respectively.

This innovation has the potential to drive considerable cost savings. Based on these estimates, manufacturing costs can be recovered as soon as the first year of operation.

Product Offerings

The company has four patents and a framework of unique intellectual property. Knightscope currently offers a K1 stationary machine, a K3 indoor machine and a K5 outdoor machine. A K7 multi-terrain four-wheel version is in development.

The ASRs autonomously patrol client sites without the need for remote control, providing a visible, force multiplying, physical security presence to help protect assets, monitor changes in the area and deter crime. The data is accessible through the Knightscope Security Operations Center (KSOC), an intuitive, browser-based interface that enables security professionals to review events generated by the ASRs providing effectively ‘mobile smart eyes and ears’.

The ASRs and all the related technologies were developed ground up by the Company and are Made in the USA.

Management Team

Chief Executive Officer William Santana Li is a veteran entrepreneur, a former executive at Ford Motor Company and the founder of GreenLeaf, a company that grew to be the world’s second-largest automotive recycler and is now part of LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ: LKQ).

Chief Client Officer Stacy Dean Stephens brings his experience as a former Dallas law enforcement officer, as well as his skills as a seasoned entrepreneur, to assist on the client acquisition side.

Chief Intelligence Officer Mercedes Soria is an award-winning technologist and former Deloitte software engineer.

Chief Design Officer Aaron Lehnhardt brings over two decades of two- and three-dimensional product and industrial design in modeling and VR to the table, on top of his experience as a senior designer at Ford Motor Company.

Recent News

• Autonomous Security Robots Showcase Knightscope, Inc.’s Focus on Market Logical Use of Self-Driving Tech
• QualityStocksNewsBreaks – Knightscope Inc. Secures Grocery Contract
• QualityStocksNewsBreaks – Knightscope Inc. Deploys K5 ASR Solution for Phoenix-Based Shopping Center

Gage Cannabis Co.

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Gage Cannabis Co..

On December 1, 2020, Michigan marked the one-year anniversary following the legalization of recreational marijuana use within the state. Initially approved by voters in November of 2018, retail sales would have to wait a further 13 months until state officials had built a regulatory system to manage the fledgling industry. Gage Cannabis, a leading vertically integrated cannabis operator currently focused exclusively on the Michigan market, has been one of the prime beneficiaries from the legislative measures.

Gage Cannabis Co. is a leading vertically integrated operator in the cannabis industry led by the former CEO and Chairman of Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC), Bruce Linton. The company is currently focused exclusively on the Michigan market, working with the declared goal of building the fastest growing cannabis brand in the state.

One of the reasons Gage targeted Michigan as its location of choice is due to the state’s fast-growing legal cannabis market and consumption habits amongst consumers. In 2018, Michigan became the 10th state to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. In light of such favorable market dynamics, Gage opened its first medical provisioning center (dispensary) shortly after, in 2019. The company now has 13 medical or adult-use locations open or in the works, with an additional 10+ planned to open during 2021. Gage’s current portfolio features 19 Class C cultivation licenses across four cultivation assets and three processing licenses.

Current Asset and Brand Portfolio

Gage’s current brand portfolio consists of five unique product classes: flower products, edibles, hardware, concentrates and vape pens/disposables.

The company has already created relationships with a wealth of exclusive brand partners, including some of the most illustrious brands in the country. Notably, Gage’s exclusive partnership with Cookies, one of the most well-respected cannabis lifestyle brands in the United States, illustrates Gage’s operational prowess in cultivating quality flower and operating its branded retail stores. Today, Gage operates the 8 Mile Cookies location in Detroit, Michigan, which is one of the top performing dispensaries in the state despite being a medical-only dispensary.

Committed to providing only products of the highest quality, Gage uses small-batch, indoor-grown, high-quality cannabis that is hand-trimmed and hung to dry. Gage ensures that every gram of cannabis sold is consistently of the highest quality and offers a superb customer experience.

The company currently has four cultivation assets, located at Monitor Township (expansion planned), Harrison Township, Warren and Lenox Township, and it operates one processing facility located in Harrison Township, with plans to operate another two processing facilities in Monitor Township and Lenox.

Its operating dispensaries include Ferndale (adult-use), Adrian (adult-use), Lansing (adult-use), Traverse City (medical) and Detroit (Cookies establishment – medical). Additional dispensaries coming soon include Battle Creek (adult-use), Kalamazoo #1 (adult-use), Bay City (adult-use), Grand Rapids (medical), Buena Vista (medical), Center Line (medical), Kalamazoo #2 (Cookies establishment – adult-use) and Lenox Township.

The company offers delivery within a one-hour radius of its dispensaries – a footprint that encompasses an estimated 90% of Michigan’s population.

Financial Highlights

In Q1 2020, the company recorded sales of $5.8 million. This number grew substantially in Q2, reaching $11.9 million. Management estimates Q3 sales at roughly $13.1 million, marking a 157% growth in sales from January to September 2020, within a year of operations.

This increase reflects the company’s significant expansion efforts since the beginning of 2020. Starting with only 200 pounds per month, Gage now estimates its monthly cultivation capacity at more than 1,000 pounds of product.

This increase in cultivation capacity has helped Gage promote rapid growth through its retail locations. Average basket size, which refers to the retail value of each consumer transaction, is estimated at $85 for the Michigan cannabis industry. As of August 2020, Gage has an average basket size of $180 at its locations, more than double the state average.

Michigan Medical and Adult-Use Marijuana Market Size

The recreational marijuana market in Michigan is expected to rival the numbers currently seen in Nevada and Colorado by 2023. Approximately 3% of Michigan’s residents are medical marijuana cardholders – a much higher rate than many other medical markets – leading Brightfield to predict that the state’s recreational market could triple in size between 2020 and 2023 (https://ibn.fm/9cO0h).

Michigan saw a steady increase in sales for the first three quarters of 2020, with a recorded growth rate of 502% from January to August. In August alone, $109 million in cannabis sales occurred within the state. The Marijuana Regulatory Agency estimates that the potential market size for cannabis within the state is around $3 billion.

Neither Gage nor the state has seen any significant drop in sales in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the contrary, demand has continued to grow steadily, as dispensaries were among the few businesses deemed essential and permitted to operate throughout the shutdown. All Gage and Cookies locations have remained operational, offering curbside pickup.

Plans to Go Public in Q1 2021

Gage Cannabis is currently planning a Canadian listing for the first quarter of 2021 (https://ibn.fm/V73dL). Additionally, Gage intends to launch a Regulation A+ offering of up to 28,571,400 subordinate voting shares priced at $1.75 per share, for gross proceeds of up to $50 million before offering expenses, assuming all shares are sold (https://ibn.fm/FteTi), but it has not yet made an announcement regarding the launch of that financing.

A Regulation A+ offering, also called a mini-IPO, allows companies to raise capital without actually listing shares on a stock exchange.

Management Team

Bruce Linton is the Executive Chairman of Gage Cannabis. He joined the company in 2019 and is the founder and former CEO and Chairman of Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC). Mr. Linton has extensive executive and board experience in a variety of industries and is considered to be a pioneer in the global cannabis industry. He provides incomparable support to the company’s strategic and capital markets efforts.

Michael Hermiz is the Co-Founder and Director of Gage Cannabis, and he is also the founder of a federally licensed producer in Canada. Mr. Hermiz has had great success in various industries, including real estate, mortgage, telecommunications, import, export and many others.

Fabian Monaco is Gage’s President and Director. He previously worked at XIB Financial Inc., GMP Securities L.P. and Scotiabank. In addition to his vast investment banking and legal background, Mr. Monaco has 10+ years of capital markets experience. His advisory experience in the cannabis industry is also extensive.

Dr. Rana Harb is a Director of Gage Cannabis. She has 25+ years of experience handling research, compliance, quality assurance and regulatory affairs. A significant portion of her regulatory and compliance history is in the cannabis industry. Dr. Harb has worked for many pharmaceutical companies worldwide, dealing with regulatory agencies such as the FDA, the EMA and Health Canada.

Mike Finos is the President (USA) and a Director of Gage Cannabis. He is the former COO of Horizon Global, the world’s number one towing accessories company. He has experience with start-ups, M&A and business integration with both private and publicly traded companies. With 20+ years of operational leadership expertise, Mr. Finos has extensive knowledge relating to supply chain logistics, manufacturing and information technology.

David Watza is the Chief Financial Officer of Gage Cannabis. He is an experienced C-Suite executive and former CFO and board member of Perceptron Inc. (NASDAQ: PRCP). Mr. Watza has 30+ years of experience in finance, accounting, and operations, including time as a public company CFO.

Recent News

• Gage Cannabis Co. Rapidly Expands Retail Footprint as Michigan Celebrates Legalized Recreational Marijuana’s One Year Anniversary
• QualityStocksNewsBreaks – Gage Cannabis Co. on Rapid Growth Trajectory, Looks to Cultivate Additional Opportunity in Michigan
• QualityStocksNewsBreaks – Gage Cannabis Co. Executive Chairman Discusses Milestones, Record-Breaking Sales, Near-Term Goals in Audio Interview

Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Net Element (NETE).

Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) was featured today in a publication from Green Car Stocks, examining how, despite being a doozy of a year for most industries, 2020 saw the young electric vehicle (“EV”) sector enjoy increased sales and make groundbreaking technological advancements. Several new start-ups joined the industry with new and exciting designs, and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) surpassed Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) and General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) to become the most valuable car company in the world. With a host of new electric vehicle models being launched this year, EV makers may have an even better run in 2021.

On June 15, 2020, Net Element announced its entry into a binding letter of intent to merge with privately-held Mullen Technologies Inc., a Southern California-based electric vehicle company, in a stock-for-stock reverse merger in which Mullen’s stockholders will receive the majority of the outstanding stock in the post-merger company. The proposed merger is currently pending the execution of a definitive agreement, shareholder vote and regulatory approval.

Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) is a global financial technology and value-added solutions group that supports electronic payments acceptance in an omni-channel environment spanning across point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile devices. The company operates a payments-as-a-service transactional model and value-added services platform for small to medium enterprises in the U.S. and selected emerging markets.

Net Element believes the future of global commerce is being revolutionized as consumers quickly migrate toward omni-channel shopping utilizing mobile devices, desktop, and online services. The company’s all-in-one payment solutions support and unify a whole range of applications through a single, robust platform, allowing global onboarding and support for multiple payment methods.

Net Element has also launched a blockchain-focused business unit that will develop and deploy blockchain technology-based solutions. Net Element expects the new division to create a decentralized crypto-based ecosystem that will act as a framework for an unlimited number of value-added services, connecting merchants and consumers in a seamless, economically efficient transaction. This new business unit intends to also identify and invest in unique projects that decentralize and disrupt the payment processing industry by combining blockchain technology and real-world applications with talented development teams, strong fundamentals and addressable markets large in size.

“We believe that we’re at the dawn of a new evolution where additional digital payment methods are being introduced,” Net Element chairman and CEO Oleg Firer, says. “Introduction of our division focused on blockchain as part of the NASDAQ-listed entity will add transparency and compliance assurance to our investors as well as provide access to deploy value-added services to over 20 million electronic commerce clients that are currently part of Net Element’s growing network.”

Net Element clients are treated to customized solutions that provide the flexibility needed to keep up with customers. Among the services offered are mobile payment apps that accept payments anywhere, anytime; cloud-based solutions built to increase productivity and enhance revenue for clients and partners; marketing solutions that turn lookers into buyers; and business analytics that make it easy for clients to monitor business metrics, engage with customers and compare the competition. Its multi-channel platform combines e-commerce, offline, point-of-sale, comprehensive back office tools, mobile point-of-sale, credit scoring and customer interaction in one powerful platform-as-a-service technology.

Net Element owns and operates a global mobile payments and transactional processing provider, TOT Group, Inc., with the following subsidiaries:

• Unified Payments – An award-winning, customized mobile billing and payments solution, recognized by Inc. Magazine as the No. 1 Fastest Growing Company in America in 2012.
• Aptito – A next-generation, all-in-one, cloud-based restaurant management and point-of-sale payments platform using wireless technology.
• Payonline – A fully integrated, processor agnostic electronic commerce platform.

Net Element is ranked on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™ list of North America’s 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies in both 2017 and 2018, during which the company grew 190 percent and 183 percent, respectively. The company credits its progression to organic growth in its North America Transactions Segment, specifically the success of its Unified Payments brand, which focuses on value-added payment acceptance solutions for small to medium enterprises in the United States.

Net Element was also listed among South Florida Business Journal’s 2016 fastest growing technology companies.

Leveraging its suite of application performing interfaces (APIs) and connectors, Net Element powers commerce for businesses of all sizes through multi-channel platforms, all-in-one digital solutions, and end-to-end encryption of cardholder data utilizing tamper resistant hardware that ensures integrity and simplifies security.

Leading this innovation is chairman and CEO Oleg Firer, who is responsible for the overall vision, strategy and execution of the company’s mission of powering global commerce. He is joined by CFO Jeffrey Ginsburg, CPA, and Steven Wolberg, the company’s chief legal officer and secretary. Each corporate officer brings a unique blend of leadership, vision, experience and creative energy to the company.

From mobile payments and value-added transactional innovations like Aptito to e-commerce and retail payment transaction processing brands like Payonline and Unified Payments, Net Element is transforming the online and mobile experience.

Net Element (NETE), closed Friday's trading session at $13.21, off by 2.939%, on 808,893 volume with 4,684 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 2,182,379 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.472/$20.0783996.

Recent News

• 5 EV Launches Expected in 2021
• EV Battery Costs Down Nearly 90%, Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) Upshifting into EV Industry via Mullen Technologies Merger
• GreenCarNewsBreaks - Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) Shifts to Drive Opportunity in the EV Fast Lane

Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU).

Energy Fuels (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR), a leading producer of uranium and critical minerals in the United States, is pleased to announce that the company's president and CEO Mark S. Chalmers will present at NobleCon17 – Noble Capital Markets' Seventeenth Annual Investor Conference on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. ET. According to the update, the conference is virtual, with no cost, obligation or restrictions to attend. Chalmers will provide an update on Energy Fuels' various uranium and critical mineral initiatives, with particular emphasis on the company's progress on producing rare earth elements. A high-definition, video webcast of the presentation will be available the following day on the company's website and as a part of a complete catalog of presentations to be rebroadcast on Channelcheck next month. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/5Nmxi

Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR),based in Lakewood, Colorado, is the country’s largest producer of uranium and the leading conventional producer of vanadium, both designated by the U.S. government as critical minerals.

As the leading U.S. diversified uranium miner, Energy Fuels’ uranium production portfolio stands apart in the world. Energy Fuels has more uranium production facilities, more production capacity, and more in-ground resources than any other company in the United States. In fact, the company’s assets have produced over one-third of all U.S. uranium over the past 15 years and is uniquely positioned to increase production to meet new demand.

Energy Fuels utilizes both conventional and in-situ recovery (“ISR”) technology to produce uranium from three strategic facilities:

• White Mesa Mill in Utah (conventional) has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The highly strategic White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill in the country and is proximate to some of the largest and highest-grade uranium mines and projects in the U.S., including the Company’s Canyon mine, La Sal Complex, Henry Mountains Complex and Roca Honda Project. White Mesa Mill provides Energy Fuels with significant production scalability as uranium demand increases. The White Mesa Mill also has other diverse businesses, including vanadium, rare earth elements (REE’s), alternate feed materials recycling and land cleanup, all described below.
• Nichols Ranch Plant (ISR) is located in the productive Powder River Basin district of Wyoming and has a total licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. Nichols Ranch has produced 1.2 million pounds of U3O8 since commissioning in 2014, and it has significant future expansion potential from 34 fully licensed wellfields containing significant in-ground uranium resources.
• Alta Mesa Plant (ISR) is located on over 200,000 acres of private land in Texas. The fully licensed and constructed ISR project has a total operating capacity of 1.5 million pounds of uranium per year and produced nearly 5 million pounds of U3O8 between 2005 and 2013. This low-cost production facility is currently on standby, maintained in a state of readiness to respond to expected increases in demand.

In addition to being the largest uranium miner in the U.S., Energy Fuels’ overall portfolio also includes a pipeline of high-quality, large-scale exploration and development projects that are permitted or are in advanced stages of permitting, as well as an industry-leading U.S. NI 43-101 Mineral Resource portfolio.

FACTOID: Energy Fuels has led industry efforts over the past two-plus years to get the U.S. government to recognize the importance of domestically produced uranium, including the 2018 – 2019 Uranium Section 232, the ongoing Nuclear Fuel Working Group and the recently announced creation of the U.S. strategic uranium reserve. The U.S. is by far the largest consumer of uranium in the world, yet we import almost all of our requirements; Energy Fuels aims to change that.

Nuclear Market Potential

Multiple studies in top scientific journals have shown that nuclear power is cleanest and most economical way to produce reliable electricity as worldwide demand continues to soar. Nuclear power is presently the only available and affordable low-carbon power source that can meet both current and future baseload electricity demands while simultaneously reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change. U.S. nuclear power plants currently generate nearly 20% of the nation’s electricity overall and 55% of its carbon‐free electricity and even a modest increase in electricity demand would require significant new nuclear capacity by 2025. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), there are currently 441 operable reactors, with another 54 units under construction and 439 in various stages of planning; in addition, the WNA has identified a potentially massive supply/demand gap through 2040 of 1 billion pounds. These factors among others are expected to significantly drive increased demand for uranium.

Reasons Nuclear is Gaining Traction

• Nuclear reactors emit no greenhouse gases during operation. Over their full lifetimes, they result in comparable emissions to renewable forms of energy such as wind and solar.
• Unlike any other form of energy, the waste from nuclear energy is contained and managed securely. Used fuel is currently being safely stored for ultimate disposal or future reprocessing, and 96% of this waste can potentially be recycled.
• Greater demand for clean electricity to power everything from homes to automobiles, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

No. 1 U.S. Producer of Vanadium in 2019

Energy Fuels also produces vanadium as a byproduct of uranium production. Vanadium is designated a critical mineral, essential to the economic and national security of the United States. Energy Fuels was the largest producer of vanadium in the U.S. in 2019, and has significant high-grade, in-ground vanadium resources, as well as a separate high-purity vanadium production circuit at their White Mesa Mill, which is also the only conventional vanadium mill in the country. Crucial for use in the steel, aerospace, and chemical industries, vanadium plays a critical role in the production of high-strength and light-weight metallic alloys and demand is expected to increase across the globe.

Energy Fuels has several fully permitted and developed standby mines containing large quantities of high-grade vanadium, along with uranium, including:

• La Sal Complex (Utah)
• Whirlwind Mine (Colorado/Utah)
• Rim Mine (Colorado)

Vanadium has also gained increased attention as a catalyst in next-generation high-capacity, “community-scale” batteries used for energy storage generated from renewable sources. Demand is only expected to grow as this market expands. With recent upgrades in its vanadium production operations, in 2019 Energy Fuels produced commercial levels of the highest purity (99.7%) vanadium in the mill’s history and can rapidly adjust production to meet volatile market conditions. Energy Fuels is one of the very few known avenues that provides investors access the vanadium market.

Rare Earth Element (REE) Production, Alternate Feed Material Recycling, and Land Cleanup

The White Mesa Mill also provides the company with diverse cashflow generating opportunities. Security of supply for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) supporting U.S. military and defense requirements is a major issue today. Energy Fuels has been approached by a number of entities, including the U.S. government, inquiring about the potential to process certain REEs at the mill. The White Mesa Mill is currently licensed to process certain REEs, including tantalum and niobium. And, early indications are that the mill can be utilized to produce several other REEs. The White Mesa Mill is also the only facility in North America licensed and capable of recycling alternate feed materials (AFMs). AFMs are essentially low-level waste materials that contain recoverable quantities of natural (or unenriched) uranium. The Company typically generates between $5 and $15 million per year from AFM recycling. Finally, Energy Fuels is seeking to become involved in the cleanup of legacy Cold War era uranium mines in the Four Corners region of the U.S., including on the Navajo Nation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has access to over $1.5 billion for the cleanup of just a fraction of the sites on the Navajo Nation. The White Mesa Mill is fully licensed to receive much of this material, we are one of the government’s lowest cost options, and we have the ability to recycle the material and produce usable uranium from it.

Management Team

Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO
Mark S. Chalmers is the president and chief executive officer of Energy Fuels, a position he has held since Feb. 1, 2018, following his role as chief operating officer of Energy Fuels from July 1, 2016 – Jan. 31, 2018. From 2011 to 2015, Chalmers served as executive general manager of Production for Paladin Energy Ltd., a uranium producer with assets in Australia and Africa, including the Langer Heinrich and Kayelekera mines where, as head of operations, he oversaw sustained, significant increases in production while reducing operating costs. He also possesses extensive experience in in situ recovery (“ISR”) uranium production, including management of the Beverley Uranium Mine owned by General Atomics (Australia), and the Highland mine owned by Cameco Corporation (USA). Chalmers has also consulted to several of the largest players in the uranium supply sector, including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, and Marubeni, and until recently served as the chair of the Australian Uranium Council, a position he held for 10 years. Chalmers is a registered professional engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the University of Arizona.

W. Paul Goranson, COO
W. Paul Goranson is the chief operating officer for Energy Fuels. Goranson has 30 years of mining, processing and regulatory experience in the uranium extraction industry that includes both conventional and in-situ recovery (“ISR”) mining, and he is a registered professional engineer. Prior to the acquisition by Energy Fuels of Uranerz Energy Corporation, Goranson served as president, chief operating officer and director for Uranerz, where he was responsible for operations of the Nichols Ranch ISR Uranium Project. In addition to those duties, he also managed uranium marketing, regulatory and government affairs, exploration and land. Prior to joining Uranerz, Goranson served as president of Cameco Resources, where he led the operations at the Smith Ranch-Highland, Crow Butte and North Butte ISR uranium recovery facilities. Goranson also served as vice president of Mesteña Uranium LLC, and he has served in senior positions with Rio Algom Mining, (a subsidiary of BHP Billiton), and Uranium Resource Inc. Goranson has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Gas Engineering from Texas A&I University, and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

David C. Frydenlund, CFO, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary
David C. Frydenlund is chief financial officer, general counsel, and corporate secretary of Energy Fuels. His responsibilities include oversight of all legal matters relating to the company’s activities. His expertise extends to NRC, EPA, state and federal regulatory and environmental laws and regulations. From 1997 to 2012, Frydenlund was vice president of regulatory affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary of Denison Mines Corp., and its predecessor International Uranium Corporation (“IUC”). He also served as a director of IUC from 1997 to 2006 and CFO of IUC from 2000 to 2005. From 1996 to 1997, Frydenlund was vice president of the Lundin Group of international public mining and oil and gas companies, and prior thereto was a partner with the Vancouver law firm of Ladner Downs (now Borden Ladner Gervais) where his practice focused on corporate, securities and international mining transactions law. Frydenlund holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Simon Fraser University, a master’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Chicago and a law degree from the University of Toronto.

Curtis H. Moore, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development
Curtis H. Moore is the vice president of Marketing and Corporate Development for Energy Fuels. He oversees product marketing for Energy Fuels, and is closely involved in mergers & acquisitions, investor relations, public relations, and corporate legal. He has been with Energy Fuels for over 12 years, holding various roles of increasing responsibility. Prior to joining Energy Fuels, Moore worked in multi-family real estate development, government relations and public affairs, production homebuilding, and private law practice. Moore is a licensed attorney in the State of Colorado. He holds Juris Doctor and MBA degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Economics-Government from Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California.

Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU), closed Friday's trading session at $3.98, off by 5.6872%, on 4,447,082 volume with 15,780 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 3,290,122 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.779999971/$4.81500005.

Recent News

• MiningNewsBreaks - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) to Present at NobleCon17
• Energy Fuels to Present at NobleCon17 on Tuesday, January 19, 2021
• MiningNewsBreaks - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) CEO Featured in Exclusive NetworkNewsAudio Interview

Imagin Medical Inc. (CSE: IME) (OTCQB: IMEXF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Imagin Medical Inc. (CSE: IME) (OTCQB: IMEXF).

Imagin Medical (CSE: IME) (OTCQB: IMEXF), a surgical imaging company, is focused on establishing new standards of care in the visualization of cancer during minimally invasive procedures. With an initial focus on bladder cancer, the company aims to address the limitations surgeons face during cystoscopies. The current standard of visualizing bladder cancer during surgery is white light illumination, a procedure that has been used for more than three decades and commands 90 percent of the market.

Imagin Medical Inc. (CSE: IME) (OTCQB: IMEXF) is a surgical imaging company focused on establishing a new standard of care in visualizing cancer during minimally invasive procedures. Its initial focus is on bladder cancer.

The company’s first product is the i/Blue Imaging™ System, based on advanced optics and light sensors and employing patented ultrasensitive imaging technology. Imagin Medical believes the system can significantly improve surgeons’ ability to visualize and remove cancer cells.

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the company works to enhance its market potential by expanding its technology to multiple endoscopic indications, such as laparoscopic, colorectal and thoracic procedures, accommodating multiple contrast agents and illumination sources.

i/Blue Imaging™ System

The conventional method used for visualizing bladder cancer during surgery is an endoscopic procedure called a cystoscopy. This procedure uses white light to illuminate the bladder. White light has been used for decades and is the standard for more than 90% of the market. Blue light cystoscopy uses blue-filtered white light, which addresses the limitations of white light (such as detecting flat tumors and the fine edges that may result in cancerous cells being left behind during removal).

Blue light uses a contrast agent that causes cancer cells to fluoresce when illuminated. Surgeons are then able to more effectively visualize and resect the margins of bladder tumors to reduce the risk of recurrence. Notably, the use of the white light is still necessary during a blue-light procedure so that the surgeon can orient their position within the bladder.

Imagin Medical’s i/Blue Imaging System addresses the limitations of both white and blue light cystoscopies. The i/Blue System combines the white and blue light with an FDA-approved imaging agent and simultaneously displays side-by-side images in real-time, without the necessity to switch back and forth between the two images.

The i/Blue Imaging System is unlike other methods available on the market today. It is external to the body and can attach to almost any endoscope model currently in use. This way, hospitals adopting Imagin Medical’s technology have the ability to use their current endoscopes without the need to purchase new equipment.

Bladder Cancer Prevalence

The company’s initial focus is bladder cancer, which is the sixth most prevalent form of cancer in the United States. In 2020, the number of new bladder cancer cases is expected to total 81,400, accounting for 4.5 percent of all new cancers diagnosed. The death rate in 2020 for cancer deaths associated with the bladder is forecast at 17,980, or 3% of all cancer-related deaths (https://ibn.fm/qLi3l).

Bladder cancer also has one of the highest recurrence rates among all forms of cancer, leaving about 600,000 people in fear that their cancer will return, according to Imagin Medical. The company is committed to addressing this issue, and i/Blue demonstrations have indicated that the use of both white and blue light can enhance accuracy of detection and removal of cancer cells, potentially lowering recurrence rates.

Based on Verified Market Research, the global bladder cancer research market was valued at $3.43 billion in 2018. It is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 4.03% through 2026, resulting in a projected $4.71 billion market (https://ibn.fm/rI7G6).

Management Team

E. James Hutchens is the Chief Executive Officer of Imagin Medical Inc. He is a proven entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in management in the medical technology industry. Hutchens served as a managing partner with Origin Partners, a $55 million early-stage venture capital fund. He was also the founder and CEO of both Microsurge Inc. (a venture-backed minimally invasive surgical company) and Choice Therapeutics (an advanced wound-care company). He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Brigham and Women’s and Faulkner hospitals. Hutchins holds a BS in Business Administration from Boston University.

John Vacha is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. He has 20 years of experience in the health care industry. Prior to Medtronic’s acquisition of Intact Medical Corp. in 2017, Vacha was the company’s President, CEO and a board member for seven years. He is a licensed CPA in Massachusetts. Vacha has an MBA and an MS in Accounting from Northeastern University in Boston. He is also a serving member of the Board of Directors at the South Boston Health Center. He currently has two patents in electrosurgical instrumentation.

Michael G. Vergano is the Director of Operations of Imagin Medical. He has been the President of The Harvest Group Inc. since 1998, where he has provided consultant services for startups and major corporations. Vergano has over 30 years of experience in the medical device industry. He has held management positions at Microsurge Inc., Ciba Corning Diagnostics and Boston Scientific Corp. He is currently the holder of 11 medical device patents and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University.

Pam Papineau is the company’s Director of Regulatory Affairs. She has over 30 years of experience in quality and regulatory affairs with Boston Scientific, Baxter and Cogentix. She has served as a consultant on various devices including imaging, endoscopy, orthopedic, GI/GU and cardiovascular applications. Papineau has successfully prepared dozens of FDA pre-market and EU submissions to support CE marking of a broad spectrum of medical devices. She is an ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, a Certified Biomedical Auditor, a Certified Quality Auditor and an ISO 13485:2016 Lead Auditor, and she is certified by the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society – U.S., EU and Canada. Papineau works with the company’s legal counsel to prepare pre-submission meetings with the FDA and activities through the regulatory approval process.

Imagin Medical Inc. (CSE: IME) (OTCQB: IMEXF), closed Friday's trading session at $0.431744, off by 1.3607%, on 1,450 volume with 4 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 13,228 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.200000002/$1.40400004.

Recent News

• Imagin Medical Inc. (CSE: IME) (OTCQB: IMEXF) Offers Significant Advantages Over Current Standard Of Visualizing Bladder Cancer During Surgery
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PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSXV: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSXV: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA).

PowerBand Solutions (TSX.V: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA), an innovative automotive fintech leader providing digital and virtual platform solutions, on Thursday announced it has added specialized platform enhancing software to its suite of offerings. The newly procured software is designed to reduce consumer frustration when performing complex transactions online. Over the past six months, the company has augmented the code into the DrivrZ platform in accordance with an agreement to pay $200,000 upon completion. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/OjhZj

PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSXV: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA) is revolutionizing the world’s automotive industry with a cloud-based platform that makes buying, selling, leasing and trading cars and trucks as easy as purchasing a product on Amazon or ordering an Uber from a smart phone. PowerBand offers auction and finance portal software tools that increases sales, efficiencies and profitability to its customers and dealers. It provides a transparent, simple, buy-sell online-auction and inventory-management system.

A Better Way to Connect and Acquire Vehicles

PowerBand’s mission is to create an online, consumer-directed marketplace that streamlines the interactions among all participants in the automotive industry. It transforms today’s antiquated business model with speed, transparency, access to information and ease of use for consumers and dealers.

Consumers can easily connect with new sources to buy vehicles, network with motivated buyers and sellers, maximize their trade-in values, improve their customer experience. PowerBand’s standardized system and transaction process also increase efficiencies and benefits with hands-on, process-driven, in-store training and support.

Through internal development, acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, PowerBand is developing solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers, commercial customers and lenders that are poised to transform the trillion-dollar U.S. automotive industry.

The PowerBand Auto Platform

PowerBand’s transaction platform was developed by a team of experienced automotive, technology and finance experts, and has been refined through years of operational experience. Built on the core belief that the consumer prefers to primarily conduct automotive transactions online and avoid interactions with unnecessary middlemen, PowerBand’s product solutions include:

• Leasing: PowerBand is currently licensed in 33 U.S. states via a majority interest in MUSA Auto Finance LLC, an advanced online leasing technology platform that has transformed the new and used vehicle leasing industry. MUSA is the only approved, non-captive lease partner for Tesla in the U.S., and the platform can approve leases in a matter of seconds.
• Inventory and Financing: A partnership with RouteOne LLC, a leading financial platform founded in 2002 by Ally Financial, Ford Motor Credit Co., TD Auto Finance and Toyota Financial Services, allows access to a network of more than 18,000 dealerships and 1,400 financing sources.
• Auction Platform: PowerBand and its joint-venture partner, D2D Auto Auctions, are developing a direct consumer-to-dealer and a consumer-to-consumer automotive portal, which will provide an innovative alternative to physical dealership and auction locations.
• LiveNet Auction: An online platform portal that allows dealers to create instant live vehicle auctions to a vast network of the industry’s top used vehicle buyers.
• MarketPlace Auction: An online listing auction site for buying and selling automotive inventory – ideal for dealers, fleet, OEM and rental companies.
• Used Vehicle Inspections: An LOI agreement with TÜV NORD Mobility Inc., a German-based global leader in vehicle inspections operating in more than 70 countries, will provide the most comprehensive, certified vehicle inspection reports available in North America. Appointments booked within the platform can be performed nearly anywhere.
• Product Development: PowerBand’s comprehensive consumer solution, Driveaway, will be a fully transactional consumer marketplace where dealers and consumers can buy, sell, trade-in and finance vehicles, often in seconds, from the comfort of their home.

Automotive’s Growing Markets

The automotive dealership and commercial fleet vehicle auction industry is a $100-billion sector with more than 40 million used vehicles transacted in the U.S. each year. Of those, ten million are sold through auctions. From 2013 to 2017, the growth of online-only auctions far outpaced physical auctions, growing at a 33% compound annual growth rate compared to 2% CAGR at physical auctions.

Automotive leasing is another large, growing and fragmented market, generating approximately $120-billion in annual revenue. As a percentage of vehicle sales, leasing reached 30% in 2018, up from 21% in 2012, and is seen as a substantial opportunity for PowerBand and MUSA Auto Finance. Using proprietary technology and by focusing on high-quality, credit-worthy customers, MUSA grew its automotive lease originations to $182 million.

Disrupting Auto Leasing with MUSA

Legacy solutions are complicated, expensive and slow at processing leases. MUSA’s first-of-its-kind technology platform eliminates third-party decisions and the human capital required in the underwriting process. MUSA’s platform navigates the entire customer experience – underwriting, funding and the delivery process – within minutes. Leases can be approved in seconds.

PowerBand’s acquisition of MUSA brings together two leading-edge companies with the vision to become a one-stop platform for the entire vehicle purchase lifecycle.

Experienced Leadership

PowerBand is led by a collection of automotive veterans with a passion to collectively and positively impact the industry.

• Kelly Jennings, president and CEO, is the founder of PowerBand Solutions and a franchise dealer owner/operator with more than 27 years of automotive experience. Jennings received General Motor’s Triple Crown Award, Ford Motor Company President’s Award and Honda Canada’s Excellence Award.
• Darrin Swenson, COO of PowerBand and D2D Auto Auctions/Hunt Automotive Group, has more than 25 years of automotive/auction experience.
• Jeff Morgan, CEO MUSA, holds over 25 years of experience in the auto finance sector.

PowerBand Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: PWWBF), closed Friday's trading session at $0.3784, off by 1.7143%, on 239,864 volume with 82 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 184,700 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.058187998/$0.388999998.

Recent News

• InvestorNewsBreaks - PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSX.V: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA) Enhances Software to Reduce Frustration, Ensure Smooth Transactions
• PowerBand Adds Software Enhancements to Optimize the Consumer and Dealer Experience
• InvestorNewsBreaks - PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSXV: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA) Hires Jon Lamb to Serve as President of North American Operations

Innovative Payment Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: IPSI)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Innovative Payment Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: IPSI).

Innovative Payment Solutions (OTCQB: IPSI) is a digital payment technology service company that provides cutting-edge solutions for consumers and service providers. As the global pandemic has fueled the development and acceptance of digital technologies that offer the security and stability the world is looking for right now, Blockchain seems particularly well suited for this time and place. “Because blockchain technologies are uniquely suited to verifying, securing and sharing data, they’re ideal for managing multi-party, inter-organizational, and cross-border transactions,” a recent Harvard Business Review article observes (https://www.ccw.fm/Nb2hg). To view the full article, visit https://www.ccw.fm/sgZFz

Innovative Payment Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: IPSI) is a digital payment technology service company offering cutting-edge solutions for consumers and service providers. It is focused on building a 21st century payment platform based on its proprietary fintech payment architecture.

Incorporated in 2015 and headquartered in Northridge, California, the company has spent the last five years perfecting its payment platform through its operations in Mexico, which still facilitate over two million users.

IPSI’s new business structure will use the latest technology, including blockchain and an e-wallet, to provide consumers the ability to make payments worldwide. The company’s innovative ecosystem will include multiple devices, such as POS terminals, mobile applications and self-service kiosks, offering alternative payment methods to meet the needs of unbanked and underbanked consumers.

IPSI Kiosk Platform

The IPSI Kiosk platform strategy aims to provide simple payment solutions and low-cost financial services for consumers and businesses. These kiosks offer access to digital payments for the unbanked and underbanked, allowing for remittance, merchant payments, microloans and other financial services.

The kiosk enables new features and transaction modules to be added and implemented easily, leveraging a flexible, open architecture to minimize costs. Current services provided by the kiosks include bill pay and cellphone top-up. Additional features are currently in development, including payday loans, gaming, auto insurance, title loans, lottery, international remittance, a mobile app and an e-wallet.

Already linked to Mexico’s largest service providers, the IPSI network is expected to add over 150 services for payment, including mobile networks, cable providers, home lenders, banks and microlenders. In 2019, IPSI’s kiosk network processed roughly 4.5 million transactions in Mexico totaling over $17 million.

The company currently has 50 kiosks that it intends to install at retail locations in Southern California. It also plans to deploy kiosks in other states.

IPSI Kiosk Channel Value

The IPSI Kiosk provides value for businesses and consumers.

For businesses, the IPSI Kiosk:

• Serves as an additional revenue source;
• Attracts new traffic and potential customers;
• Offers remote software updates and monitoring, making the kiosks low maintenance;
• Is easy to use, with little need for customer service intervention; and
• Requires minimal staff training and overhead.

For consumers, the IPSI Kiosk:

• Offers a more comfortable alternative for making payments for cash-dependent unbanked individuals and those uncomfortable with online payments and
• Is accessible 24/7 for bill payment services.

The IPSI Kiosk also provides add-on services that further its value proposition for both businesses and consumers. These include second screen and targeted advertisement options, payday loans, check deposits, prepaid cards and checkout services.

IPSI Coin

IPSI is currently working on plans to launch its own stable IPSI Coin and has retained Horizons Law and Consulting Group to advise on its stable coin creation. The company plans for IPSI Coin to be backed by the U.S. dollar and administered by an independent custodian to ensure transparency and stability.
The creation of the coin will enable customers to send payments directly to over 200 service providers in Mexico and transfer funds in a matter of minutes via the self-service kiosks to be implemented in Southern California.

“The fintech industry is undergoing a massive shift with the introduction of artificial intelligence, everchanging distribution models, fee diversion and digital payments,” IPSI CEO William Corbett stated in a news release (https://ibn.fm/wwtBV). “We are focused on providing a comprehensive solution in the digital payment arena for those who need it most. Our goal is to provide the millions of unbanked and underbanked as well as banked consumers in California, a cost efficient and convenient method to make payments and remittances with instant settlement.”

Digital Payment Market Outlook

In 2018, the global digital payment market was estimated at $43.5 billion. It is expected to register a CAGR of 17.6% through 2025, reaching a forecast market size of $132.5 billion, according to Grandview Research (https://ibn.fm/pLTUt).

The growth is expected to be led by expanding use of smartphones, e-wallet payment solutions and the introduction of unbanked payment solutions to the market, offering companies such as IPSI significant opportunities for expansion.

Management Team

William Corbett is the CEO and a Director of IPSI. He has 30 years of experience financing and advising development and growth stage tech and biotech companies. Before IPSI, he was the founder and CEO of California-based Digital Power Lending. Corbett gained experience as a managing director during his time with Paulson Investment Co. and in senior banking and top producer roles at Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns. He was a co-founder of the San Francisco and PIPE pioneer boutique investment bank, The Shemano Group. He has raised over $2 billion during his extensive career.

Andrey Novikov serves as IPSI’s Chief Technical Officer and Chief Operating Officer. He is the former VP of Global Business Development of Qiwi PLC (NASDAQ: QIWI). Leveraging extensive knowledge of the industry, Novikov played a lead role in the development of Qiwi startups in China, Mexico, India, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and other countries.

James W. Fuller holds a Director position at IPSI. He is the former chairman of San Francisco think tank Pacific Research Institute. He is a board member for The International Institute of Education, a member of the Pacific Council for International Policy, and a former member of the Committee of Foreign Relations and the board of trustees of the University of California – Santa Cruz. He is the former Senior Vice President of the New York Stock Exchange and was responsible for corporate development, marketing, regulation oversight, research, corporate listing and public affairs.

Innovative Payment Solutions Inc. (IPSI), closed Friday's trading session at $0.048, off by 4.1916%, on 605,250 volume with 39 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,351,811 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0091/$0.068999998.

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Grey Cloak Tech Inc. (GRCK)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Grey Cloak Tech Inc. (GRCK).

Grey Cloak Tech Inc. (GRCK), through its growing portfolio of wholly owned subsidiaries, is engaged in the proprietary research and development of natural plant-based formulations, sales, and distribution of cardiovascular and neuro products. The company’s focus is to advance its market positions in the broader health industry through the unique assets and operations of its science-based BergaMet North America and Ultimate Brain Nutrients (“UBN”) subsidiaries and to offer better lifestyles through superior health technology.

BergaMet North America

BergaMet NA is engaged in the sale and distribution of a full line of proprietary product formulations derived from the rare Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit™ called “bergamot.” Bergamot is native to Southern Italy and is naturally sourced and uniquely loaded with various antioxidant polyphenols. Thanks to this composition, bergamot supports and promotes overall wellness specific to cholesterol, cardiovascular and metabolic health with no known side effects.

BergaMet NA is the only Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit™ heart health supplement backed by 17 clinical studies. The BergaMet brand supplement boasts the highest quality and concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids available anywhere in the world. It is also the only bergamot supplement approved by the prestigious Accademia del Bergamotto of Italy. BergaMet NA is the only company authorized to manufacture, distribute and sell these products in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Consumers are including the Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit™ in their everyday personal health programs. The clinically proven antioxidant provides benefits to tens of thousands of people daily.

The company’s line of products can be found at www.bergametna.com, through Amazon, other online retailers and in doctors’ offices throughout the United States.

The BergaMet Advantage

BergaMet has been studied in 17 published clinical trials which reported results of lower LDL cholesterol, higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure, lower blood glucose, increased arterial function, improved liver function and is effective as a complement to statin use.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide, claiming nearly 18 million lives each year accounting for 31% of all global deaths. In the U.S., statins are one of the most commonly prescribed medicines for cardiovascular disease. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 28% of American women and men over the age of 40 take a statin to lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

Taking aim at this market for cardiovascular care, BergaMet NA continues to advance the awareness of its medical-grade supplements and separate its formulation from competitors.

BergaMet NA products contain 47% BPF (bergamot polyphenolic fraction), while its closest competitors have only 38%. The company’s increased dosages (600-675mg vs 500mg) and 47% BPF are clinically proven to be more effective in improving heart health and metabolic syndrome.

BergaMet Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit™ supplements:

• Support healthy immune systems with powerful antioxidants and proprietary formulations.
• Reduce cholesterol and support healthy glucose and blood pressure levels.
• Are fully organic, vegan-friendly and dairy, gluten, soy and GMO-free.
• Contain five key unique flavonoids that make up the most powerful 47% BPF (bergamot polyphenolic fraction) in the world, providing superior results compared to their competitors.
• Have been clinically shown to increase arterial elasticity while reducing arterial and muscle inflammation.

Ultimate Brain Nutrients

Grey Cloak’s Ultimate Brain Nutrients (“UBN”) subsidiary is a science-based company that develops unique, plant-based superior health technology neuro-products that improve brain health, including memory, cognition, focus and neuro-energy.

UBN’s KETONOMICS® proprietary formulations — targeting brain activity, focus, headache and cognitive behavior — provide multiple intellectual property license opportunities for monetizing the company’s portfolio.

License opportunities include multiple beverage formats, individual products, proprietary mixtures and other food platforms.

UBN has five unique formulation patents — one issued and four pending — targeting brain activity, focus, headache and cognitive behavior.

The UBN Advantage

UBN’s all-natural, sugar-free and caffeine-free proprietary formulations are the result of 20 years of scientific research and are positioned to provide consumer neuro-products that are natural brain solutions. UBN has filed for approval to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make a Qualified Health Claim for its migraine formulation, tapping into consumer demands for healthy beverages that contribute to brain health, overall well-being and performance.

Over 50 million Americans consume unhealthy energy shots and drinks each day, while the neuro/energy market generates over $10 billion per year in revenue. Within this growing market, UBN is advancing its position to meet rising consumer demand for healthy, science-based options. The company’s KETONOMICS® proprietary formulations have been proven to naturally elevate brain energy and function, including memory, cognition and focus.

UBN’s KETONOMICS® supplementation has also been studied in sports physiology, with specific regard to its potential benefits for competitive performance and endurance.

Grey Cloak Executive Team

Kevin “Duke” Pitts, Director, President and Chief Operating Officer

• Started and built from the ground up two multi-million-dollar businesses, one of which grew into a Top 100 retailers in the U.S.
• Unique management skills led to the development of successful teams for 35 years
• Pioneered direct marketing for a Fortune 200 company, creating a 20% increase in targeted incremental sales
• Founded Einstein’s Hemp, which developed and brought to market one of the only odorless and tasteless water-soluble CBD products in the world
• Developed and implemented digital/guerrilla marketing strategies for public and private companies focused on long-term brand position and acquisition efforts
• Specialized in customer relationship management (CRM) tools for creating the best customer experiences
• Worked in publicly traded industries for 10 years, overseeing up to $20 million in annual marketing budgets

William “Bill” Bossung, Director, Chief Financial Officer

• 35 years of diverse experience in corporate finance, insurance and accounting
• 20 years of experience with IPOs focusing on audits, FINRA and SEC regulations
• Specializes in the formation of capital raising over $100 million, recently raising $12 million for Splash Beverage
• Specializes in upgrading penny stocks companies to the NYSE or Nasdaq
• Involved in 30+ companies transitioning from private to public identities
• Founded several companies, including BCF Technology Inc., which sold to Vertafore; managing partner at Bishop Equity Partners LLC; director at Splash Beverage Group; and director of finance at Chadmoore Wireless, where he licensed channels to Nextel for $162 million

Bill Croyle, Director, Private Investor and Accomplished Senior Executive

• More than 40 years of success in the IT, energy, manufacturing, telecommunications, venture capital and finance industries
• Broad expertise includes negotiating mergers and acquisitions, as well as service and delivery contracts
• Formerly was a founder, owner or executive of EnTX Group; Impact Legacy Partners; FB Oilfield Special Tools; and Western Energy Advisors

Dr. Gerald Haase, Chief Medical Officer

• Clinical professor of surgery at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine
• Actively involved in medical research and clinical trials for 35 years
• Received U-10 grant funding from the National Institutes of Health cooperative group clinical trials program, as well as U.S. Congressional funding for Cooperative Research and Development Agreements with the Department of Defense and NASA
• Was chairman of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Children’s Hospital Colorado; consultant surgeon to the Department of the Army; vice-chairman of the Children’s Cancer Group, a cooperative research consortium of the National Cancer Institute; on the National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society; a senior member of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons; and a member of the editorial board of The Annals of Surgical Oncology
• Has published 180 scientific papers and is the inventor or co-inventor of 12 issued U.S. patents for micronutrient and phytonutrient therapy, with five pending patents
• Recipient of clinical research grants and contracts funded at a several million-dollar cumulative level
• Is an editorial reviewer for medical journals and a member of numerous professional societies, including the American Association for Cancer Research, International College of Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatrics, New York Academy of Sciences and American College of Physician Executives

Grey Cloak Tech Inc. (GRCK), closed Friday's trading session at $0.069, up 38.00%, on 10,000 volume with 2 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 22,114 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.019999999/$0.109999999.

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Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (PACR).

Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR) is a Canadian cannabis company dedicated to producing premium-quality strains and products by leveraging a genetics-focused approach.

The company began operations in 2012, with activities primarily directed toward exploration and development of mineral properties in Canada. Today, it is focused on cannabis and hemp cultivation, leveraging high-end genetics and specialized cultivars to produce top quality products. Pac Roots has announced multiple promising initiatives in recent months, including its formation of an outdoor premium hemp joint venture with partner Rock Creek Farms in British Columbia, Canada, and its agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of a firm holding 250 acres of land in the famed Fraser Valley Region of British Columbia.

Pac Roots is also in the process of completing its 20,000 square foot cultivation facility in Lake Country, British Columbia. The facility is expected to feature approximately 7,600 square feet of cultivation space that will enable the company to cycle through an elite line of 350+ unique, high-grade cultivars. Pac Roots expects to receive a cultivation license for the facility in the fourth quarter of 2020.

High-End Selectively Bred Genetics

Pac Roots focuses on high-end genetics in order to maximize the quality of its products while maintaining high yields and profit margins.

Through the process of artificial selection, farmers and cultivators have been adapting their plants to develop particular phenotypic traits for generations. Historically, this practice was restricted to underground cannabis producers developing their own strains.

The legalization of the cannabis industry has given producers access to thousands of cultivars located throughout the world while accelerating research into cannabis genetics. By carefully selecting strains, growers can control the size, color, smell, density and texture of cannabis buds, thereby creating distinctive, premium cannabis products.

Plants are bred to thrive in specific growing environments. This maximizes the yield of high-quality, resilient cannabis. Medical cannabis strains can also be tailored for specific medicinal purposes.

A strategic partnership with Phenome One, a plant breeding management and analytics firm, gives Pac Roots access to some of the world’s best cannabis genetics from the largest genetic library in Canada. The company is using these genetics to develop unique strains featuring a variety of beneficial characteristics.

The company’s 350+ licensed live cultivars and over 1,800 seed varieties are the result of a meticulous gene selection process, through which as many as 600 individual plants may be grown to produce a single strain. Selecting optimized genetics in this way provides benefits beyond simply producing a high-end product. In addition to potency and bud quality, cannabis plants are bred for yield and resilience. By selecting genetics that result in larger and more numerous buds on each plant, Pac Roots is able to grow more cannabis per grow light.

Breeding plants to be more resilient also reduces the cost and labor required. These factors, combined with the premium price point associated with top-quality cannabis, have the potential to improve Pac Roots’ overall profit margin.

Partnership with Phenome One

Pac Roots has secured its cultivars through a strategic licensing agreement with Phenome One. Under the agreement, Pac Roots has unlimited access to Phenome One’s live genetic library, including any of Phenome One’s cultivars and its growing, breeding and cloning IP.

Phenome One is an agricultural technology company focused on providing software solutions to seed companies. Phenome One’s platform gives its partners access to a massive database of detailed information on over 350 unique cannabis cultivars to support each stage of the breeding process. Each cultivar has been laboratory analyzed and rigorously field-tested, with data going back more than 30 years.

Using Phenome One’s data, Pac Roots plans to grow a variety of cannabis plants optimized for certain traits. One such trait will be plants with an abundance of cannaflavin, a rare terpene with high anti-inflammatory properties. Phenome One’s library could enable Pac Roots to produce plants that are bred to thrive in a range of different growing climates, including plants suited to grow in cold weather and plants that are resilient to region-specific fungi.

Joint Venture with Rock Creek Farms of British Columbia

Pac Roots recently entered a definitive investment agreement with Rock Creek Farms, a reputable agricultural enterprise, for a 100-acre commercial hemp operation in Rock Creek, British Columbia. The growing space is located in the highly lucrative farming area known as the ‘Golden Mile’ in the South Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. (http://nnw.fm/Gbf9I).

Under the agreement, the two companies have formed an outdoor premium hemp joint venture company to which Pac Roots is providing an aggregate of $450,000 in capital and Rock Creek Farms is contributing two commercial leases for 100+ acres of growing space, along with cultivation licenses, agricultural infrastructure and equipment, consulting services, intellectual property relating to hemp operations and proprietary biomass storage methods. Pac Roots holds a 60 percent interest in the project.

About 127,500 premium hemp CBD seedlings were planted across 100 acres as of early July 2020. The joint venture is planting a premium grade CBD hemp variety utilizing the rich native soil and both traditional and custom farming techniques.

“Our operational partners at Rock Creek Farms bring decades of generational farming expertise in one of Canada’s pre-eminent growing regions,” Pac Roots President and CEO Patrick Elliott said in a news release detailing the venture. “It will be an exciting outdoor growing season for the joint venture as we anticipate a successful harvest in the fall.”

Infinite Development Possibilities at Fraser Valley Property in British Columbia

In mid-July 2020, the company initiated a share purchase agreement with 1088070 BC. LTD. (“1088”) and its shareholders for the acquisition of all issued and outstanding shares of 1088 (http://nnw.fm/xlpw7). Notably, 1088 owns and controls 250 acres of land spread over nine parcels in the Fraser Valley Regional District.

The Fraser Valley Regional District is one of the most productive and intensively farmed areas of Canada, offering access to high-quality soil, favorable climate, water and a local market of 2.5 million people. Agriculture in this region yields an annual economic value of more than $3 billion.

The closing date for the transaction is slated for September 4, 2020, after a 51-day due diligence period. According to Elliott, the addition of such a significant package of land is a major step for Pac Roots.

“This land has no zoning restrictions and is not situated within the agricultural land reserve, which provides for infinite development possibilities,” Elliott added in a July 2020 news release.

Board of Directors member Chad Clelland also welcomed the acquisition, adding that between Fraser Valley and Rock Creek – both of them among the most productive agricultural regions in Canada – Pac Roots is very well positioned for production and the future development of its hemp and cannabis infrastructure.

The RAD Americas Genetic Program – Research and Development in Americas Genetic Program

Pac Roots intends to deploy a global R&D program focused on rigorously testing elite strains in various rich agricultural regions throughout the Americas, with a goal of mass selection to achieve the utmost environmental resilience while achieving notable quality and yields. From seed to software, collection data, proprietary techniques and custom nutrient formulas, Pac Roots and Phenome will provide the specific knowledge to cultivators in different climates in order to achieve optimal yields for THC, CBD, CBG and other unique cannabinoids. R&D from global testing programs situated throughout the Americas will allow the partnership to deploy and stress test a range of suitable cultivars in the world’s lowest cost outdoor growing regions.

The company expects an industry shift in 2020 from the COVID-19 global pandemic. The ‘new normal’ will bring more focus on efficiencies and optimal yields to deliver a cost effective, high quality product to the end user. There has been much to be learnt from the inefficiencies in the cannabis industry in recent years, which have been detrimental to the credibility of the sector. Pac Roots is well positioned to enter the scene and take advantage of the deficiencies, reinforcing the notion that genetics and flawless growing techniques are paramount to success. Genetics and systems innovation may be the most overlooked components when comparing cannabis to other established agricultural crops. Pac Roots plans to invest into cannabis R&D to ensure a solid foundation is built that will be used by cannabis farmers worldwide.

Through its RAD Americas Development and Innovation, Pac Roots is focused on:

• Deploying one of the largest live genetic libraries in Canada, diversified for high yield output and unique climates
• Continued stress testing for indoor, high yield, THC and medicinal genetics
• Continued stress testing for outdoor, high yield, THC and medicinal genetics
• Exotic, genetic cloning for the luxury, high margin, cannabis flower market
• Psychoactive/medicinal ratio testing for effect and
• Unique Cannabinoid and terpene elevation and isolation.

Through its RAD Americas Field Testing System, the company is focused on:

• Global testing in different microclimates to assess genetic and complete systems for optimal yields
• Data collection, testing and optimization to prove process for commercial implementation and
• High quality yield testing for THC, CBD, CBG and other unique medicinal cannabinoids.

Lake Country Cultivation Facility near Kelowna, British Columbia

Pac Roots is in the process of completing its 20,000 square foot cultivation facility in Lake Country, British Columbia. The facility is expected to feature approximately 7,600 square feet of cultivation space that will enable the company to cycle through its line of high-grade cultivars. Pac Roots plans to submit a video evidence package of the facility build under Health Canada’s Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System, and the company expects to acquire its cultivation license in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Lake Country is a municipality located just outside of Kelowna in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. For decades, the region’s favorable growing climate has made it a hub for cannabis cultivation. As the Canadian legal cannabis industry ramps up, the Okanagan region is attracting attention from dozens of cannabis companies, including some of the industry’s biggest names. The region’s strong agricultural history has left it rich with experienced agricultural workers and an abundance of Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) property.

Management Team

Patrick Elliott, MSC, MBA, President and CEO of Pac Roots Cannabis, is also the President & CEO of Lexore Capital Corp., a private resource and cannabis investment company, as well as Phenome One Corp., a full-service cannabis farming company focused on elite strain selective breeding. Elliott brings over 15 years of corporate finance, mineral exploration and financial markets experience to the Pac Roots team. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario in geology and holds an MSc. in mineral economics and an MBA from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia. Elliott specializes in economic resource evaluation, financial modeling, CAPEX estimation, corporate development and finance. Combined with his technical knowledge, Elliott has a wealth of contacts in the financial sector.

Marc Geen, Founder and Strategic Operations Advisor, is a fourth-generation British Columbia farmer who has been active in the legal medical marijuana industry for more than 10 years – consulting on, complying with, and participating in the MMAR, MMPR and ACMPR programs. Prior to co-founding Speakeasy Cannabis Club Ltd., Geen spent 14 years as Head of Operations for Kettle Mountain Ginseng Ltd., one of North America’s largest ginseng producers. With the experience gleaned from a long career in large scale commercial farming, Geen has been able to apply many cost-effective farming practices to the outdoor, indoor and greenhouse cultivation of cannabis. Geen is also the co-creator of a full line of cannabis extract products designed under ACMPR regulations.

Matt McGill, Director, has a strong background in both commercial and residential real estate and has played a major role in many development projects. McGill, through McGill Realty, has established a tremendous commercial and residential outfit servicing British Columbia’s Fraser Valley and the lower mainland. McGill is skilled at crafting strategic financing options for corporations and has a substantial network of retail and institutional clients.

Chad Clelland, Director, has experience in the sector dating back to 2009, when he purchased Medicalmarijuana.ca, which became an information portal for thousands of patients, doctors and growers. Through this company, he and his team have helped thousands of Canadians find legal, safe medication. His team also consulted, designed and submitted dozens of applications to the government under the MMPR, ACMPR and Cannabis Act. In 2011, Clelland co-founded Greenleaf Medical Clinic, which is now recognized as a training facility by the University of British Columbia and offers preceptorships to physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists. He also co-founded Folium Life Science in 2013, an approved Canadian Licensed Producer. His roles in these organizations have included Chief Operating Officer, head of security, alternate master grower and alternate responsible person in charge.

Josh Bromley, Senior Cultivation Strategist, is a second-generation farmer with over two decades of experience farming, breeding, cultivating and selecting unique cultivars for the medical community. He is an expert in plant science and possesses a comprehensive knowledge of cultivars and a mastery of medicinal implementation. Bromley has developed proprietary farming systems, as well as low cost/high output nutrient systems. Through thoughtful design and engineering, he has been able to consistently show improvements in crop yields, pathogen resiliency and quality.

Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (PACR), closed Friday's trading session at $0.19, even for the day, on 29,900 volume with 8 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 9,118 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.11/$0.72.

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Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO).

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO) develops, markets and sells proprietary laboratory instrumentation and associated consumables to the life sciences sample preparation market. Sample preparation refers to the wide range of activities that precede most forms of scientific analysis. It is often complex and time-consuming, yet a critical part of scientific research. The market for sample preparation products is currently estimated at $6 billion worldwide.

The Company’s product line can be used to exquisitely control the sample preparation process. It is based on a patented, enabling technology platform called pressure cycling technology (“PCT”). PCT uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient (14.5 psi) and ultra-high levels (up to 100,000 psi) to safely and reproducibly control critical biological processes, such as the lysis (breakage) of cells, the digestion of proteins, and the inactivation of pathogens.

Pressure BioSciences’ product line is led by its newly released, next-generation Barocycler 2320EXTREME instrument. Named a finalist in the prestigious 2017 R&D Awards (also known as the “Oscars of Innovation”), the Barocycler 2320EXT is already being touted by some key opinion leaders as an essential element of the $1.8 billion U.S. “Cancer Moonshot” program. For example, Professor Phil Robinson, Co-head of the cancer research center of the Children’s Medical Research Institute (Sydney, Australia), said in a recent interview: “We are collecting the whole proteome on 70,000 tumor samples from all classes where complete clinical outcome is known. Due to its unique capabilities, the Barocycler 2320EXT has become a critical part of our program. It is the primary enabler of the high-throughput component of the project. Without this step, our project simply could not be done. In fact, the Barocycler 2320EXT works so well we have just purchased two more.”

Momentum is building when it comes to the potential for using the Company’s unique PCT technology platform. Leading scientists are intrigued by Pressure BioSciences’ approach, which among other attributes, revolutionizes the process of rupturing cells (lysis) for further study, yielding superior biomolecules for investigation. The Company’s technology transcends current methods of breaking open cells, which use chemicals, blades, metal beads, or other damaging and altering methods that can ultimately adversely affect the result for researchers. Pressure BioSciences’ PCT technology utilizes customized, controlled hydrostatic (water) pressure to rupture cells in a chamber, enabling exquisitely customized levels of pressure to optimally break open different types of cells at prescribed pressure levels—something never before accomplished in a commercial setting. Using this pioneering method, the result is a truer, more legitimate sample, which boosts the efficacy of research and the quality of results. The potential impact of this technology on scientific advancement is enormous, enabling research scientists to begin their studies with biological samples of unprecedented integrity, with the potential to improve research outcomes at the earliest, most critical step. PCT can additionally inactivate pathogens (e.g., viruses, bacteria) using hydrostatic pressure, making the samples safer to study—another innovation with astronomical potential for application in a variety of markets.

The Company’s high-pressure instruments for research purposes are marketed throughout the United States, Europe, China and Japan. To date, Pressure BioSciences has installed nearly 300 PCT Systems in over 165 leading academic, government, biotech and pharma laboratories around the world. Its primary applications are in biomarker discovery, forensics, agriculture and pathology. Over 100 scientific papers have been published on the advantages of the PCT platform, which is also being used in the specialized fields of drug discovery and design, bio-therapeutics characterization, soil and plant biology, vaccine development and histology.

Impressive as their biotech business is, there is more to the PBI story. Pressure BioSciences recently received two patents in China for its novel Ultra Shear Technology (UST), a process that has potential in a wide range of industrial applications, including extending the shelf life of some food products and making two insoluble liquids (like oil in water) soluble. Patents have also been filed in many other countries worldwide. UST is a novel technique based on the use of intense shear forces generated from ultra-high-pressure valve discharge.

This important technology has the potential to play a significant role in a number of commercially important areas through its ability to create high-quality, stable nanoemulsions. Scientific studies indicate that improved absorption, higher bioavailability, greater stability, lower surfactant levels and other advantages can be achieved with nanoemulsions — all hugely important factors in the fields of nutraceuticals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and in various medical products. There is an enormous opportunity in the cannabis market, since the technology can potentially reduce oil droplets containing cannabidiol (CBD) to nanoparticles, after which they can be safely suspended in a stable water solution—something many companies have endeavored to achieve without success. Researchers looking for a way to increase the bioavailability of cannabinoids in the body will find this technology a game changer.

The Company’s UST technology also has possibilities in the production of clean label foods, which are currently processed using several innovative methods, including high-pressure treatments (such as Starbucks’ Evolution line of juices). In 2015, the worldwide market for high-pressure processed (HPP) food was estimated at U.S. $10 billion. UST uses ultra-high pressures and certain valves to generate intense shear forces under controlled temperature conditions to produce nanoemulsions, and which also significantly reduces food-borne pathogens. Pressure BioSciences’ initial focus with this technology will be to evaluate UST for the production of high-quality dairy products and beverages.

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO), closed Friday's trading session at $2.37, up 12.8571%, on 48,927 volume with 123 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 24,722 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.75/$4.48999977.

Recent News

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Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Predictive Oncology (POAI).

Predictive Oncology (POAI) is a knowledge-driven precision medicine company focused on applying data and artificial intelligence (AI) to personalized medicine and drug discovery. The company applies its smart tumor profiling and AI platform to extensive genomic and biomarker patient data sets to build predictive models of tumor drug response to improve clinical outcomes for the cancer patients of today and tomorrow. The company has several tools that support its mission of bringing precision medicine to the treatment of cancer.

Through its subsidiaries, Predictive Oncology’s portfolio of assets includes the following:

• A database of clinically validated historical and outcome data from patient tumors
• An in-house Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified lab
• A “smart” patient-derived tumor profiling platform
• An in-house bioinformatics artificial intelligence (AI) platform
• A new computerized approach growing tumors in the lab to rapidly develop patient specific treatment options
• An FDA-approved fluid collection and disposal system

Using these resources, and in collaboration with key players in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotech industries Predictive Oncology is working to determine the best pathways for more individualized and effective cancer treatment.

Subsidiaries

Predictive Oncology leverages the synergies of its three wholly owned subsidiaries to bring precision medicine to the diagnosis of cancer.

Helomics applies artificial intelligence to its rich data gathered from the company’s trove of more than 150,000 tumors to personalize cancer therapies for patients as well as drive the development of new targeted therapies in collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. This database, the largest of its kind in the world, is comprised of ovarian, head and neck, colon and pancreas tumors. Helomic’s CLIA-certified lab provides clinical testing that assists oncologists in individualizing patient treatment decisions, by providing an evidence-based roadmap for therapy.

In addition to its proprietary precision oncology platform, Helomics offers boutique CRO services that leverage its TruTumor™ patient-derived tumor models coupled to a wide range of multi-omics assays (genomics, proteomics and biochemical), and an AI-powered proprietary platform (D-CHIP) to provide a tailored solution to its clients’ specific needs.

TumorGenesis is developing a new, rapid approach to growing tumors in the laboratory without the use of rats or mice, allowing for the identification of biomarkers indicative of cancer. This methodology “fools” the tumor into thinking it is still in the body. As a result, the tumor reacts as it naturally would, thereby increasing the accuracy of the biomarker. Once the biomarkers are identified, they can be used in TumorGenesis’ Oncology Capture Technology Platforms which isolate and helps categorize an individual patient’s heterogeneous tumor samples to enable development of patient-specific treatment options.

Skyline Medical’s patented, FDA-cleared STREAMWAY® System is the first true, direct-to-drain fluid disposal system designed specifically for medical applications such as radiology, endoscopy, urology and cystoscopy procedures. The STREAMWAY system is changing the way healthcare facilities collect and dispose of potentially infectious waste fluid by connecting directly to a facility’s plumbing system to automate the collection, measurement and disposal of waste fluids.

The STREAMWAY minimizes human intervention for better safety and improves compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulatory agency safety guidelines. The STREAMWAY eliminates canisters, carts and evacuated bottles, which reduces overhead costs and minimizes environmental impact by helping to eliminate the approximately 50 million potentially disease-infected canisters that go into landfills annually in the United Sates.

Skyline has achieved sales in five of the seven continents through both direct sales and distributor partners.

Competitive Advantage

Precision medicine has become the holy grail of cancer therapeutics. Data driven predictive models of tumors and their responses are critical in both new drug development and individualized patient treatment. The race has begun to model various tumors, which takes 5 to 7 years of clinical evaluation to establish historical and outcome data.

Predictive Oncology enjoys significant competitive advantage. The company already has a vast historical collection of tumors and related data, plus the ability to obtain existing associated outcome data. While others wait for outcome data, Predictive Oncology is in a unique and powerful position, working to deliver the promise of precision medicine to reality. Predictive Oncology already has the clinical data, including how a tumor responded to certain drugs, an in-house bioinformatics AI platform, and only needs to do the tumor sequencing. The significance is underscored by the collaboration with UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, designed to reveal which mutations responded to which drug then develop powerful predictive models for future testing and treatment.

Leadership Team

Dr. Carl Schwartz was appointed to Skyline Medical’s board of directors in March 2015 and became interim president and CEO in May 2016. Dr. Schwartz became CEO of Plastics Research Corporation in 1988, leading the company to become the largest manufacturer of structural foam molding products in the U.S. with more than $60 million in revenues and 300 employees by the time he retired in 2001. He holds a bachelor’s degree and DDS degree from the University of Detroit.

CFO Bob Myers has over 30 years of experience in multiple industries focusing on medical device service and manufacturing. He has spent much of his career as a CFO and controller. Myers holds an MBA in Finance from Adelphi University and a BBA in public accounting from Hofstra University.

Gerald Vardzel, President of Helomics, has over 25 years of healthcare executive management experience developing and implementing commercialization strategies and models for technology launches. His Go-To-Market expertise includes equity financing, strategic planning, market intelligence, M&A, and new market development in both start-up and established settings including fortune 500 market leaders. He has developed innovative solutions for both CLIA and FDA regulatory paths defining the delivery chains from discovery to clinical acceptance. Mr. Vardzel also has significant experience designing and implementing sales and marketing programs tailored not only to expand market share, but to empirically assess client satisfaction, strengthen business processes, and maximize profitability. Mr. Vardzel was previously Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategic Initiatives at Global Specimen Solutions. Furthermore, as an executive affiliate to the healthcare industry, he routinely consults for several small-to-mid sized private equity firms advising on, in part, the feasibility of acquisition targets. Mr. Vardzel graduated from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Mark Collins, Chief Information Officer of Helomics, has held multiple executive roles in a variety of discovery, informatics and bioinformatics functions within global pharma, and founded three startup software companies in the machine learning and drug discovery space. In 2001, Dr. Collins worked for Cellomics (now part of Thermo Fisher Scientific), where he played a pivotal role in establishing the High-Content Cell Analysis market, building and commercializing several key informatics and bioinformatics products. After leaving Thermo Fisher, Dr. Collins developed and commercialized informatics solutions for clinical and translational research, specifically in the specimen tracking, omics data management and NGS analysis space, through key roles at BioFortis, Global Specimens Solutions and Genedata. Dr. Collins received his undergraduate degree in Applied Science from the University of Wolverhampton, UK and his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Surrey, UK.

Predictive Oncology (POAI), closed Friday's trading session at $1.00, up 7.689%, on 2,637,116 volume with 3,883 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,191,969 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.629999995/$5.30000019.

Recent News

• BioMedNewsBreaks - Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI) Subsidiary Sells Media to Top Research Medical Centers
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: POAI) Secures $3.074M in Registered Direct Offering
• BioMedNewsBreaks - Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: POAI) Focuses on Multi-Omic Approach to Personalized Treatment Options

VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN).

VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing a new generation of medications that go beyond the standard of care for anxiety, depression and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders.

The company is headquartered in South San Francisco, California, the “Birthplace of Biotechnology,” among the largest cluster of biotechnology companies in the world.

New Generation Medications

VistaGen currently has three innovative CNS drug candidates in its pipeline: PH94B, PH10 and AV-101. With a differentiated mechanism of action and an exceptional safety profile in all clinical studies to date, each of VistaGen’s three drug candidates offers significant commercialization potential in multiple large CNS markets.

PH94B

Fast-acting (10-15 minutes), non-systemic and non-sedating in Phase 2 clinical studies, PH94B is a first-in-class neuroactive nasal spray that, administered in microgram doses, binds to chemosensory receptors in the nasal passage that trigger neural circuits responsible for suppressing fear and anxiety caused by stressful social or performance situations.

PH94B is currently being developed as an acute treatment of anxiety in adults with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). In December 2019, PH94B became the first drug candidate to be granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for development of a treatment for SAD, positioning it to potentially become the first FDA-approved fast-acting acute treatment for adults with the anxiety disorder, if planned Phase 3 studies are successful.

A successful Phase 2 program has been completed, and, after achieving consensus with the FDA in mid-2020 that the design of its Phase 3 studies of PH94B in SAD may mirror the design of the highly statistically significant (p=0.002) Phase 2 public speaking study of PH94B in SAD, the company’s preparations for pivotal Phase 3 clinical development of PH94B are underway.

To support Phase 3 development and commercialization of PH94B for anxiety disorders in large anxiety disorder markets in Asia, VistaGen recently entered into a strategic licensing and collaboration agreement with EverInsight Therapeutics, a company formed and currently funded by a large global venture capital firm, CBC Group. The company received a $5 million non-dilutive upfront license payment from EverInsight in August 2020. If Phase 3 development is successful, VistaGen is eligible to receive additional development and commercial milestone payments of up to $172 million, plus tiered royalties on sales of PH94B in Greater China, South Korea and Southeast Asia. VistaGen retains exclusive rights to develop and commercialize PH94B in all other markets.

VistaGen is also assessing potential Phase 2A clinical development opportunities to evaluate PH94B in a range of other anxiety disorders, including:

• Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Postpartum Anxiety
• Perioperative Anxiety
• Panic Disorder
• PTSD

PH10

PH10 is an investigational fast-acting synthetic neuroactive nasal spray with therapeutic potential in a wide range of neuropsychiatric indications involving depression and suicidal ideation. VistaGen is initially developing PH10 as a potential fast-acting, non-sedating, non-addictive new generation treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

Upon self-administration, a microgram-level dose of PH10 sprayed into the nose binds to nasal chemosensory receptors that, in turn, activate neural circuits in the brain that lead to rapid-onset antidepressant effects, without side effects, systemic exposure or safety concerns that may be caused by FDA-approved drug treatments for MDD, including oral antidepressants and intranasal esketamine.

In a published exploratory Phase 2A MDD study, PH10 demonstrated rapid-onset and sustained antidepressant effects without the serious psychological side effects and safety concerns of ketamine-based therapy.

Following successfully completed Phase 2A development of PH10 for MDD, the company is currently preparing for a Phase 2B program in MDD.

VistaGen is also assessing the potential for Phase 2A clinical development of PH10 in a range of other depression-related indications, including:

• Postpartum Depression
• Treatment-resistant Depression
• Suicidal Ideation

AV-101

Part of a class of new generation investigational medicine in neurology and neuropsychiatry known as N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) modulators, AV-101 is an oral prodrug of 7-chloro-kynurenic acid (7-Cl-KYNA), a potent and selective NMDAR glycine site antagonist. This drug candidate has the potential to serve as an innovative treatment for MDD and multiple neurological indications where current therapies are unsatisfactory.

VistaGen is currently evaluating AV-101, in combination with FDA-approved probenecid, in a range of neuropsychiatric and neurological indications, with both MDD and Neuropathic Pain already granted Fast Track designation by the FDA. The company is assessing the combination for a potential Phase 1B study to support a potential Phase 2A program in one or more of the following indications:

• Major Depressive Disorder
• Neuropathic Pain
• Levodopa-induced dyskinesia associated with Parkinson’s disease therapy
• Epilepsy
• Suicidal Ideation

CNS Therapeutics Market Outlook

The global CNS therapeutics market is estimated to reach $130 billion by 2025. The market was valued at approximately $82.3 billion in 2017 and is anticipated to grow at a healthy CAGR of more than 5.93% from 2018 to 2025. Even before the onset of the anxiety- and depression-provoking stressors from the COVID-19 pandemic, this growth was expected to be driven by a rise in mental illnesses and increased awareness of psychiatric disorders (https://nnw.fm/K2m0s) – all likely to be amplified by the diverse impacts of the pandemic.

The two most common mental health conditions – anxiety and depression – cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion each year. The impact of these conditions is particularly devastating among the young. Industry data suggest that approximately 20% of the world’s children and teens are affected by mental health conditions, and suicide is the leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds (https://nnw.fm/oftNb).

VistaGen’s mission is to help address the unmet needs of patients suffering from CNS disorders whose current treatments are either inadequate or generate debilitating side effects and serious safety concerns, including risk of abuse and death.

“Now more than ever, the new generation anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications we are developing at VistaGen – PH94B, PH10 and AV-101 – are relevant, necessary and demand the highly-focused and passionate efforts of our team and partners, with the support of our stockholders, to advance them to patients whose lives are disrupted by anxiety and depression disorders,” VistaGen CEO and Director Shawn K. Singh said in his closing remarks at the company’s 2020 Annual Meeting of stockholders.

Management Team

Shawn K. Singh, J.D. is the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of VistaGen. He has served on the company’s board of directors since 2000. He has nearly 30 years of experience serving in numerous senior management roles across multiple industries, including private and public biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, venture capital, contract research and development, and law. Singh has a B.A. with honors from the University of California – Berkley. He has a J.D. degree from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. He is also a member of the State Bar of California.

H. Ralph Snodgrass, Ph.D., is the Founder, Chief Scientific Officer and Director of the company. Snodgrass has more than 20 years of experience in the biotechnology field as a senior manager. He is recognized as an expert in stem cell biology, with over 28 years of experience using stem cells as biological research tools to promote development and drug discovery. He received a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Pennsylvania. Snodgrass has published over 50 scientific papers with more than 17 patents and a number of patent applications.

Mark A. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., is VistaGen’s Chief Medical Officer He has over 20 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, primarily with CNS drug development. Smith has been a successful leader in the discovery and development of approximately 20 investigational new drugs. He has been a part of numerous CNS-related clinical trials. Smith received a bachelor’s and Master of Science from Yale University and a Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of California – San Diego. He completed his residency in the psychiatry department at Duke University Medical Center.

Jerrold D. Dotson, CPA, is the Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of VistaGen. He has over 25 years of experience in senior management positions in finance and administration at both public and private companies. Dotson is a licensed CPA in California and received his B.S. degree (Cum Laude) in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Abilene Christian College.

Mark A. McPartland is the company’s Vice President of Corporate Development and Investor Relations. He has over 20 years of experience in senior management roles in corporate development and investor relations at both public and private companies. McPartland received his Bachelor’s in business administration and marketing from Coastal Carolina University.

VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN), closed Friday's trading session at $2.40, up 3.4483%, on 3,174,439 volume with 7,367 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,900,117 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.300000011/$2.63969993.

Recent News

• InvestorNewsBreaks - VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) Regains Full Compliance with Nasdaq Listing Requirements
• Shares of VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (VTGN) Rise Above Previous 52-Week High
• BioMedNewsBreaks - VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) Announces Publication Detailing Its Investigational Neuropharmaceuticals for Anxiety and Depression Disorders