Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW).

Jupiter Wellness (NASDAQ: JUPW), a company focused on hair, skin and sexual wellness, recentlyannounced the closing of both a registered direct and a privateplacement; the placements totaled approximately $4.1 million. AegisCapital Corp. acted as exclusive placement agent for thoseplacements. In the wealth management and investment bankingbusiness since 1984, Aegis has built a reputation for offeringcorporate finance and strategic advisory services to public andprivate companies across multiple sectors and regions. In addition,the company offers expert research and sales and trading servicesto institutional investors. Aegis provides a conflict-free serviceplatform as well as a full range of products and services thatinclude investment banking, wealth management, insurance,retirement planning, structured products, private equity,alternatives, equity research, and fixed-income and special-purposevehicles.

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/NVUYe

Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) is a diversified company that supports health and wellness by researching and developing over-the-counter (OTC) products and intellectual property. The company has a robust and growing portfolio of granted and pending patents to protect its proprietary products.

Jupiter Wellness’s product pipeline, backed by clinical research to ensure efficacy, addresses a range of underserved conditions. The company’s revenue is generated through a combination of OTC and consumer product sales, contract research agreements, and licensing royalties.

Jupiter Wellness was formed in 2018 and is headquartered in Jupiter, Florida.

Products with Purpose

Jupiter Wellness’s product pipeline currently targets a variety of indications with underserved needs. These include:

• Hair Loss – Jupiter Wellness’s Minoxidil Booster is a topical treatment that’s been clinically shown to increase the enzymes needed for minoxidil to work by up to 7x over a two-week period. The product has been licensed to Taisho, a $2.6 billion revenue company and Japan’s leading seller of minoxidil products, which expects to launch it commercially in 2023. The product is licensed to India-based Cosmofix Technovation Pvt. Ltd. and Sanpellegrino Cosmetics, and additional licensing opportunities are being pursued.
• Psoriasis & Vitiligo – Photocil safely and effectively permits phototherapy treatments at home by blocking harmful radiation and permitting the passage of therapeutic UV radiation. The product has been licensed abroad and is currently being launched commercially in India by Eris Oaknet Healthcare and Cosmofix Technovation under the brand name PhotoFirst. The product is also available in the U.S., and the company is working to find new partners in dermatology for expanded distribution.
• Jellyfish Protection Sunscreen – NoStingz is a topical protection from jellyfish, sea lice, and UVA/UVB rays. It provides an effective barrier against the stinging mechanism of jellyfish cnidocytes, preventing the delivery of venom to the victim. NoStingz is currently available online through Amazon and Walmart, as well as in select stores.
• Eczema – JW-100 is a pre-revenue topical treatment for atopic dermatitis (eczema). In prior studies, JW-100 cleared or reduced eczema symptoms following 2 weeks of use. Results suggest that JW-100 may potentially prove superior to existing prescription drugs. It is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial.
• Burns – JW-300 is a pre-revenue topical treatment for first-degree burns and sun exposure. In prior studies, JW-300 was shown to significantly lower the incidence of burns in patients exposed to UV radiation. It is currently being evaluated for sale as an “after sun” consumer product.
• Cold Sores – JW-400 is a pre-revenue topical treatment of herpes labialis (cold sores). A phase 1, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigational study is currently being planned for JW-400.
• Sexual Wellness – JW-500 is a pre-revenue topical treatment for female libido loss. In clinical studies, the topical formulation improved nipple sensitivity and alleviated associated sexual problems. Jupiter Wellness plans to file for a pre-IND meeting with the U.S. FDA within the next 12 months and intends to seek Orphan Drug Designation.
• COVID-19-Induced Tinnitus – JW-600 is currently being evaluated in a triple-blind clinical study. Up to 15% of patients recovering from COVID-19 have experienced post-acute COVID-19-induced tinnitus

Management Team

Brian John is the CEO of Jupiter Wellness. For the past 20 years, he has been an investor and advisor to companies around the globe. He is the founder of a successful financial consulting firm specializing in helping emerging growth companies and has worked with hundreds of companies in dozens of countries over the last 25 years. Mr. John also serves on the board of directors of The Learning Center at the Els Center of Excellence – a school for children with autism in Jupiter, Florida.

Doug McKinnon is the CFO of Jupiter Wellness. His 35+ year professional career includes financial, advisory, and operational experience across a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including oil and gas, technology, cannabis, and communications. He has served in C-Level positions in both private and public sectors, including as chairman and CEO of an American-stock-exchange-traded company; as VP – Chief Administrative Officer of a $12-billion-market-cap Nasdaq-traded company; as CFO of several publicly-held U.S., Canadian and Australian companies; and as CEO/CFO of various other private enterprises.

Dr. Glynn Wilson is the Chief Scientific Officer of Jupiter Wellness. He brings to the company an extensive background of success in corporate management and product development with tenures in both multinational and start-up biotech organizations. He was formerly Head of Drug Delivery at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals; Research Area Head in Advanced Drug Delivery at Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals; and Founder, CEO, and Chairman of TapImmune Inc., which became Marker Therapeutics through a merger. At TapImmune, he licensed cancer vaccine technology platforms and established the clinical pipeline.

Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW), closed Monday's trading session at $2.05, up 3.0151%, on 73,251 volume with 375 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 57,207 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.04999995/$5.63000011.

Recent News

• Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) $4.1M Placements Supported by Aegis Capital Corp. as Exclusive Placement Agent
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) Closes on $4.1M Direct, Private Placement Offerings
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Jupiter Wellness Inc.'s (NASDAQ: JUPW) Redeemable Digital Coupons Now Available for Shareholders of Record

SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH).

•The February 15, 2023 Investor Day virtual event will be hosted bythe company’s President and CEO, Brian Haugli, and CFO, Ryan Polk

•Reports have shown an increase in cyberattacks due to the growth innetwork attack surfaces for in-office and remote workers who relyon cloud environments, mobile devices, software applications, andthird-party suppliers to conduct business

•SideChannel’s newest product release, Enclave(TM), is acomprehensive cloud and network solution that enables IT teams tocontain breaches faster, reduce network outages, minimize latency,and strengthen overall defensive security

SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH), a provider of cybersecurity services and technology, developstechnologies to make cybersecurity simple and accessible, bymatching organizations worldwide with expert virtual ChiefInformation Security Officers (vCISOs), allowing companies toassess cyber risk and ensure cybersecurity compliance, withoutjeopardizing financial assets. The company has announced itsInvestor Day event to be held virtually on February 15, 2023, from9:00 am to 10:30 am EST (https://ibn.fm/LG5ZY).

SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH) simplifies cybersecurity for mid-market companies by matching them with highly experienced information security officers at a cost lower than building an in-house information security team or hiring a full-time CISO.

SideChannel’s team of virtual Chief Information Security Officers (vCISOs) possesses a combined 400-plus years of experience in cybersecurity. They’ve honed their skills and abilities in places like Anthem, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, TD Bank and the Pentagon. SideChannel lends this talent to clients, creating value in the form of a bespoke cybersecurity program perfectly sized for the growing enterprise.

SideChannel is committed to creating top-tier cybersecurity programs for SMBs to help them protect their data and assets. To date, SideChannel has created more than 50 multi-layered cybersecurity programs for its clients.

Reports show that cyberattacks on SMBs have increased in recent years, as organizations’ network attack surfaces have grown exponentially with remote and in-office workers increasingly relying on cloud environments, mobile devices, software applications and third-party suppliers to conduct business.

SideChannel continues expanding its service offerings, workforce and customer base, attracting over 20 virtual CISOs to serve across industries including fintech, biotech, healthcare, manufacturing, legal, defense and technology services. The company is based in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Market Opportunity

An analysis from ReportLinker states that the global cybersecurity market is expected to grow from an estimated value of $173.5 billion in 2022 to $266.2 billion by 2027, recording a CAGR of 8.9% for the period.

The increased number of data breaches worldwide, the ability of malicious actors to operate from anywhere in the world, the links between cyberspace and physical systems, and the difficulty of reducing vulnerabilities and consequences in complex cyber networks are some factors driving cyber security market growth, according to the report.

A lack of cybersecurity professionals and the budget constraints among SMBs and start-ups in developing economies are expected to hinder market growth. Cybercriminals are using automated techniques to attack SMBs’ networks to take advantage of their weak security infrastructures. To save money, time and resources, SMBs are seeking cybersecurity solutions.

Enclave

Enclave expands upon SideChannel’s cybersecurity service offerings by solving a pervasive network security problem with a simple tool.

A comprehensive cloud and network security solution, Enclave enables IT teams to contain breaches faster, reduce network outages, minimize latency and strengthen overall security defense.

Enclave creates the foundation for a Zero Trust network security model IT can build upon.

With Enclave, IT can easily segment their company’s network, organize personnel and computing devices at the employee workload level, and implement security controls across all network segments.

Enclave was designed and purpose built to serve the growing security needs of SMBs, a traditionally underserved market that is more prone to cyberattacks but has limited protection due to smaller budgets, inadequate IT security staffing and a lack of cybersecurity awareness among top executives.

Enclave is an affordable and effective network security solution that shrinks the attack surface area exposed to a cyber intruder and significantly reduces the amount of effort required to operate securely.

Management Team

Brian Haugli is CEO of SideChannel. He has led programs for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Pentagon, and Fortune 500 companies. He is an expert on National Institute of Standards and Technology guidance, threat intelligence implementations and strategic organizational initiatives. He is a professor at Boston College, Woods College of Advancing Studies Master’s Program in Cybersecurity. He is also a contributing author for the Wiley book ‘Cybersecurity Risk Management’.

Ryan Polk is CFO at SideChannel. He has been the principal of Perissos Partners, an executive consulting firm, since June 2017. He also served in executive roles in the portfolio companies owned by Lacy Diversified, with combined revenue approaching $2 billion. He served as the Vice President for Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis for Brightpoint, a publicly traded, Fortune 500 mobile device logistics company. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and industrial management from Purdue University.

Nicholas Hnatiw is Chief Technology Officer at SideChannel. Prior to joining the company, he served as the technical director for network operations supporting U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Intelligence Agencies and other Department of Defense research organizations. He was also the CEO of Loki Labs, a cyber security firm. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and computer science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Bill Roberts is SideChannel’s CISO. He most recently served as the vice president, IS & CISO for Hologic Inc., a global medical device company, where he established cyber security and IT compliance programs. Prior to Hologic, he was vice president of information security for Cytyc Corporation, which was acquired by Hologic in 2007. At Cytyc, he managed global IT as the company grew from 140 employees to 1,500 and from $40 million in revenue to over $750 million.

SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.1, up 6.1571%, on 5,000 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.64/$.

Recent News

• SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH) - SideChannel Inc. (SDCH) to Provide Key Operational Updates and Strategic Priorities During Investor Day Virtual Event on February 15, 2023
• SideChannel Inc. (SDCH) Releases New Product, Enclave(TM), a Zero-Trust Cybersecurity Offering for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses
• InvestorNewsBreaks - SideChannel Inc. (SDCH) to Host Virtual Investor Day

REZYFi, Inc.

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

Voters in Nevada approved the recreational consumption of cannabis by individuals aged 21 and above on the November 2016 ballot. Likemost states with legal cannabis markets, Nevada outlawed publiccannabis consumption of any kind, meaning individuals had to usecannabis within their homes. Since cities such as Las Vegas werelooking to benefit big from cannabis tourism, out-of-state visitors had no choice but to consume cannabis inprivate residences with the owners’ permission. However, that willchange when the Artisan Hotel Boutique becomes the first hotel to offer facilities for public consumptionfor residents and tourists. Elevations Hotels and Resorts acquired the hotel from the Siegel Group in March 2022 for $11.90 million. A recentstatement from Elevations Hotels and Resorts revealed that it would be investing millions of dollars to convertthe boutique into a cannabis hotel dubbed the Lexi. Access tofinance has been one of the biggest hurdles the cannabis industryfaces. As more enterprises such as REZYFi Inc. fill the financing gaps within the marijuana industry, it ispossible that more innovations will be debuted on the market as theindustry matures in different markets.

REZYFi, Inc. is a cannabis mortgage bank servicing the needs of both traditional and non-traditional consumers and businesses. Its target markets include licensed and permitted cannabis companies, owners of real estate who lease to cannabis companies, and companies and individual homeowners seeking a variety of real estate-related first and additional mortgage-based financing and project-specific financings, such as solar installations and real estate development projects.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, REZYFi operates through two wholly owned subsidiaries – REZYFi Lending, which primarily addresses emerging real estate-related financing opportunities, and ResMac Inc., the company’s traditional mortgage origination, correspondent and servicing operation. REZYFi is currently licensed in 34 U.S. states, with plans to expand to all remaining states later this year.

REZYFi is positioned as one of first cannabis mortgage bankers in the U.S., while most traditional lenders are still reticent to serve the state-licensed cannabis industry.

Operations

REZYFi Lending

REZYFi Lending leverages a wide network to offer options such as 15- and 30-year fixed-rate loans, FHA loans, VA loans, reverse mortgages, jumbo loans and adjustable-rate mortgages.

Looking ahead, the company expects increased funding in marketing and loan agents to drive significant origination growth over the next two years, further supported by the planned launch of a high-margin cannabis division later this year.

ResMac Inc.

ResMac has been in operation for 13 years, having closed more than 20,000 loans for more than 15,000 clients. The company expects to accumulate $285 million in retail origination in 2023, alongside $250 million in wholesale origination for the same period. ResMac is further targeting $600 million in origination through its mortgage correspondent operations for 2023.

Through its ResMac subsidiary, REZYFi operates as a direct lender and originator of residential mortgages, with active mortgage correspondent and mortgage servicing operations. Through its correspondent segment, ResMac primarily purchases and aggregates residential mortgages from trusted third-party originators.

The company intends to harvest the database of customers within its mortgage servicing operations as an essential source of additional growth, especially relative to the new alternative residential loan programs being offered.

Corporate Strengths

• Experience – REZYFi is led by a seasoned management team with significant expertise spanning a wide range of real estate and financing subsectors. The team also has extensive experience in the cannabis and hemp marketplace, which the company intends to leverage as it navigates the changing landscape of the cannabis industry while sourcing the best opportunities in the sector.
• Network of Independent Brokers – Over the past five years, REZYFi has developed an extensive network of independent mortgage-related brokers and licensed loan officers. The company is currently training the network members on its new service offerings, with many already launching sales efforts. REZYFi believes this network will be a vital asset moving forward as other firms in the sector terminate relationships in the face of slowing mortgage business in a rising interest rate environment.
• Proprietary Technology – REZYFi has invested heavily in designing, building and implementing proprietary automated/machine learning technology to shorten loan processing timeframes and increase efficiencies, allowing it to operate its legacy business at staffing levels meaningfully below those of its competitors.

Market Overview

REZYFi’s diversified approach to the real estate lending sector positions it to capitalize on growth in multiple verticals in the years to come.

In the first quarter of 2022, lenders issued 2.71 million residential loans, with the average balance for a first mortgage climbing to a record high of $298,324 in 2021, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. This trend is expected to continue, with Freddie Mac forecasting a 10.4 percent increase in home prices in 2022 and a 5.0 percent bump in 2023. Growth prospects in the cannabis industry paint a similar picture.

The National Association of Realtors® issued a report in April 2021 examining the correlation between cannabis legalization and real estate demand. In states where prescription and recreational cannabis use is legal, more than a third of surveyed agents reported an increase in demand for warehouses. Likewise, 23 percent of those surveyed reported an increase in demand for storefronts, and 28 percent observed increased demand for land. As other states look to join the 19 that have embraced full cannabis legalization, this rising demand could create an opportunity for REZYFi’s cannabis-focused initiatives.

In total, an analysis by market research firm Business Research Insights projects the global loan servicing market to reach a value of nearly $1.5 billion by 2028, up from $680.8 million in 2021. Those figures represent a CAGR of 11.0 percent during the forecast period of 2022-2028.

Management Team

John Vu, Esq., is CEO of REZYFi, Inc. He has more than two decades of experience in the mortgage and commercial banking industry. He has filled many senior and executive management positions in high-producing mortgage banks, including C-level assignments. He has also served as general counsel for a nationally associated commercial bank. Mr. Vu brings considerable cannabis industry expertise to REZYFi. He has served as a corporate attorney to multiple cannabis cultivators, manufacturers and retailers.

Ji Ji Zhang, Esq., is CFO of REZYFi, Inc. He is a multifaceted entrepreneur who owns a law firm, a portfolio of hotels and a high-producing mortgage bank. Mr. Zhang is also an investor in the development of a cannabis business park. He brings more than five years of experience in mortgage banking to REZYFi, having developed Freddie Mac and HUD licenses and amassed a managed portfolio valued at over $300 million.

Kevin Heckemeyer is President of REZYFi, Inc. He has more than 25 years of experience in mortgage banking. He has built and sold several high producing mortgage businesses. In his current roles with ResMac, he is responsible for production and operations.

Spencer Dang is Chief Credit Officer of REZYFi, Inc. He has more than a decade of experience in mortgage operations. He is a direct endorsement underwriter for HUD and has specialized in non-QM underwriting. Under his watch as an underwriter, he has never had a single repurchase.

Recent News

• REZYFi, Inc. - 420 with CNW — Las Vegas Prepares to Launch First Marijuana Hotel in April
• 420 with CNW — Cannabis Companies Overtake Advocacy Groups as Leading Funders of Reform Efforts
• 420 with CNW — New Report Shows Individuals with Previous Cannabis Convictions Receive Tougher Sentences

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX).

The first draft of the marijuana legalization bill for the 118thHouse meeting has been filed by Republican House legislators, andit calls for allowing medical marijuana patients to buy and own guns. The legislation, which looks to be similar to a bill that was initially submittedin 2019 but did not move, was introduced by Rep. Alex Mooney(R-WV). The cochair of the Congressional Marijuana Caucus, Rep.Brian Mast (R-FL) along with Thomas Massie (R-KY) are cosponsors ofthe measure. The bill’s entire text is not yet available, althoughit has the same short name as Mooney’s Second Amendment Protection Act from the 116th House. It’s unclear if the bill has changed sincethat first edition. Currently, those who use marijuana areprohibited from buying or owning firearms because they are deemedto be illegal users of or hooked on a drug that is federallyforbidden, even if they are doing so as a treatment per state law.According to the prior legislation version, individuals usingprohibited controlled drugs continue to be prohibited fromobtaining a gun, except that they will not be considered illegalconsumers or otherwise addicted to a particular controlled drugdepending on the person’s use of cannabis for therapeutic treatmentin conformity with the law. Changes to the laws regulating firearmpurchases could have a ripple effect allowing various entities suchas Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) to make further inroads into the market as more people no longerhave to choose between using medical cannabis or retaining theirability to legally buy and own a firearm.

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) is in the business of selling and distributing self-contained, automated, indoor “micro-farms” called Grow Pods, along with related equipment and supplies. Additionally, the company designs and sells patented proprietary medical-grade plastic containers, known as the Medtainer®, that store and grind pharmaceuticals, herbs, teas and other solids or liquids.

ACTX is the leading distributor of Grow Pods. With a controlled environment, food and herbs can be grown without pesticides, harmful chemicals or risk of pathogen contamination, and with low energy consumption. Restaurants, grocery stores, non-profits, MSOs and entrepreneurs can use Grow Pods to ensure a fresh supply of ultra-clean produce year-round.

The company entered the Grow Pod business in October 2020 with its acquisition of all shares of Advanced Container Technologies Inc., a California corporation. As of February 28, 2022, ACTX is exploring the acquisition of the assets and the assumption of some or all of the liabilities of GP Solutions Inc., the developer and manufacturer of Grow Pods, for which ACTX is currently the sole U.S. distributor.

Because Grow Pods can be located almost anywhere, produce can be grown closer to the point of consumption and harvested at its peak, providing nutritious fruits and vegetables where needed. Indoor micro-farms, utilizing a practice known as vertical farming, have attracted the attention of governments and universities, which are now promoting vertical farming as a way to combat food insecurity and inequities.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stated that vertical farming “is no longer a futuristic concept.” The department is enthusiastic about vertical farming, particularly those utilizing repurposed shipping containers, such as Grow Pods. Arizona State University reports that vertical farming reduces water use by 90 percent compared to conventional farming but produces 10 times the crop yield.

Products

Grow Pods

One of the company’s main business units is focused on selling advanced, self-contained hydroponic containers called Grow Pods. These unique and innovative automated systems are essentially micro-farms that can be placed virtually anywhere and, with their controlled and specially filtered environment, allow cultivation of a wide variety of crops, 365 days a year. The Grow Pod controlled environment offers major advantages for the production of high-value crops. The ability to grow year-round and the ability to cultivate in a smaller footprint using less water and power are some of the primary advantages of the system. Grow Pods offer constant temperature, humidity and airflow control, as well as automated watering and lighting schedules for optimal growth and minimal labor requirements, regardless of crop.

Containers

ACTX meets the needs of the pharmaceutical and medical markets, including the cannabis and hemp industries, with patented packaging systems. The company designs, customizes, brands and sells proprietary medical grade plastic containers that can store pharmaceuticals, herbs, teas and other solids or liquids, with a special built-in feature that can grind solids and shred herbs. The company’s flagship container product is the patented Medtainer®, a child resistant, medical-grade herb container and grinder that is water-tight, air-tight and smell proof. Packaging in the cannabis industry is critical, with numerous stringent regulations about how cannabis products must be packaged and labeled. ACTX also offers custom-branded, compliant vacuum seal bags and other retail container solutions.

Equipment and Supplies

ACTX markets and sells two principal products: Grow Pods, which are specially modified insulated shipping containers manufactured by GP Solutions Inc., in which plants, herbs and spices may be grown hydroponically in a controlled environment, and Medtainers®, which may be used to store pharmaceuticals, herbs, teas and other solids or liquids and can grind solids and shred herbs. The company also markets and sells various products related to Grow Pods and the Medtainer®, as well as providing private labeling and branding services for purchasers of Medtainers® and certain related products.

GP Solutions manufactures and sells other products, such as humidity controllers and LED lighting systems for vertical farming. The company’s specially designed lighting panels are programmed to emit the exact wavelength of light that each crop requires. The system has a daybreak-to-nightfall feature that gives plants the proper chromatic signals to grow rapidly and fruitfully. High efficiency LED light strips supply the crops with a red and blue light spectrum required for photosynthesis in the spectrum that plants need most.

Market Overview

The global vertical farming market is expected to reach $33.02 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research. The market is forecast to expand at a CAGR of 25.5 percent from 2022 to 2030, according to Grand View. Escalating production of biopharmaceutical products, including cannabis, is anticipated to drive the market. The building-based segment of the market is expected to register a significant CAGR of 27.8 percent over the projected period. In addition, the climate control segment is expected to see high growth.

The global cannabis packaging market is expected to reach $14.34 billion by 2028, according to analysis by Reports and Data. The analysis forecasts 1,700 percent growth in cannabis users by the end of 2026, with packaging likely observing a whopping 26.42 percent growth in the forecast period. There are significant barriers to entry in the cannabis packaging market, giving an advantage to companies already established in the sector. These barriers include developing a thorough knowledge of the myriad regulations that govern cannabis packaging (which differ in each state), and child-resistance requirements.

Management Team

Douglas P. Heldoorn is the Founder and Chairman of Advanced Container Technologies Inc. He also holds the positions of President, CEO and COO at the company. Mr. Heldoorn has served on the Board of Directors since its inception in 2013. He has also previously held the position of Executive General Manager at Nissan Motor Corp.

Jeffory A. Carlson is CFO and Treasurer of ACTX. Mr. Carlson has also served as the company’s Corporate Controller since 2014.

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.44, even for the day, on 116 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.2005/$1.25.

Recent News

• Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) - 420 with CNW - GOP-Led Congressional Bill Seeks to Reform Gun Ownership Rules for Medical Marijuana Users
• 420 with CNW - Survey Finds One in Five People Abstaining from Alcohol Are Using Cannabis to Beat 'Dry January'
• 420 with CNW - Survey Finds That Maryland Residents Consume Large Amounts of Marijuana

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX).

•Bioavailability measures the amount of a substance that enters thebloodstream, with most oral routes providing lower amounts of thedrug due to poor bioavailability

•Studies on nutrients show that not all the nutrients we ingestactually enter the bloodstream due to inhibiting factors in thedigestive tract

•Lexaria’s patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology helps increasebioavailability for active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”),which has been shown through various animal and human clinicalstudies

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, is using itspatented DehydraTECH(TM) technology to improve bioavailability andhow active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”) enter thebloodstream by promoting more effective oral delivery, helping withthe speed of onset, and brain absorption. Lexaria is focusingongoing research and development efforts on the advancement ofproduct candidates across several key segments, including, nicotinereplacement, CBD, cardiovascular drugs, antivirals, epilepsy, humanhormones, and PDE5 inhibitors.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) is a global innovator in drug delivery platforms. The company’s patented technology, DehydraTECH™, improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) enter the bloodstream by promoting healthier oral ingestion methods and increasing the effectiveness of fat-soluble active molecules. DehydraTECH promotes fast-acting, less expensive and more effective oral drug delivery and has been thoroughly evaluated through in vivo, in vitro and human clinical testing.

DehydraTECH is covered by 21 issued and more than 50 pending patents in over 40 countries around the world. Lexaria’s first patent was issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in October 2016 (US 9,474,725 B1), providing 20 years of patent protection expiring June 2034. Multiple patents have been awarded since then and are expected in the future.

Lexaria has a collaborative research agreement with the National Research Council (NRC), the Canadian government’s premier research and technology organization. The company has filed for patent protection for specific delivery of nicotine, vitamins, NSAIDs, testosterone, estrogen, cannabinoids, terpenes, PDE5 inhibitors (with brand names like Viagra), tobacco and more.

Lexaria began developing DehydraTECH in 2014 and has since continued to strengthen and broaden the technology. The company has no plans to create or sell Lexaria-branded products containing controlled substances. Instead, Lexaria licenses its technology to other companies around the world to offer consumers the best possible performance across an array of ingestible product formats.

The company’s technology is best thought of as an additional layer that providers of consumer supplements, prescription and non-prescription drugs, nicotine and CBD products can utilize to improve the effectiveness of their own existing or planned new offerings. Lexaria has licensed DehydraTECH to multiple companies, including a world-leading tobacco producer for the research and development of smokeless, oral-based nicotine products, and for use in industries that produce cannabinoid beverages, edibles and oral products.

DehydraTECH is suitable for use with a wide range of product formats including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, consumer packaged goods and over-the-counter capsules, pills, tablets and oral suspensions.

DehydraTECH Technology

Lexaria’s DehydraTECH is designed specifically for formulating and delivering lipophilic (fat-soluble) drugs and active ingredients. DehydraTECH increases their effectiveness and improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients enter the bloodstream. The major benefits to a subject ingesting a DehydraTECH-enabled drug or consumer product can be summarized by the following:

• Speeds up delivery – the effects of the product are felt by the subject in just minutes.
• Increases bioavailability – the technology is much more effective at delivering a drug or product into the bloodstream.
• Increases brain absorption – animal testing suggests significant improvement in the quantity of drug delivered across the blood-brain barrier.
• Improves drug potency – more of the ingested product is made available to the body, so lower doses are required to achieve the desired effect.
• Reduces drug administration cost – lower doses mean lower overall drug costs.
• Masks unwanted taste – the technology eliminates or reduces the need for sweeteners.

Lexaria has demonstrated in animal studies a propensity for DehydraTECH technology to elevate the quantity of drug delivered across the blood-brain barrier by as much as 1,900 percent, initiating additional new patent applications and opening possibilities for improved drug delivery.

Since 2016, DehydraTECH has repeatedly demonstrated, with cannabinoids and nicotine, the ability to increase bio-absorption by up to five to 10 times, reduce time of onset from one to two hours to just minutes, and mask unwanted tastes. The technology is to be further evaluated for additional orally administered bioactive molecules, including antivirals, cannabinoids, vitamins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and nicotine.

Market Outlook

Lexaria’s ongoing research and development efforts are mainly focused on development of product candidates across several key segments:

• Oral Cannabinoids – a market estimated to be worth $18.4 billion in 2021 and expected to reach $46.2 billion by 2025.
• Antivirals – an estimated $52.1 billion market in 2021 that’s expected to grow to $66.7 billion by 2025.
• Oral Mucosal Nicotine – smokeless tobacco products, a $13.6 billion market in 2018, is forecast to grow at 7.2 percent annually through 2025.
• Human Hormones – estrogen and testosterone replacement therapies represented a $21.9 billion market in 2019, with a forecast CAGR of 7.7 percent through 2027.
• Ibuprofen and Naproxen – NSAID sales totaled $15.6 billion globally in 2019 and are projected to reach $24.4 billion by 2027.
• Vitamin D3 – the global market size was $1.1 billion in 2021, growing at 7 percent per year and expected to reach $1.7 billion in 2026.

Management Team

Chris Bunka is Chairman and CEO of Lexaria Bioscience Corp. He is a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in several private and public companies since the late 1980s. He has extensive experience in the capital markets, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate finance. He is named as an inventor on multiple patent innovations.

John Docherty, M.Sc., is the President of Lexaria. He is a pharmacologist and toxicologist, and a specialist in the development of drug delivery technologies. He is the former president and COO of Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: HBP). He is named as an inventor on multiple issued and pending patents.

Greg Downey is Lexaria’s CFO. He has more than 35 years of diverse financial experience in the mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, and construction industries, and in the public sector. He served for eight years as CFO for several public companies and has provided business advisory and financial accounting services to many large organizations.

Gregg Smith is a strategic advisor to Lexaria. He is a founder and private investor with Evolution VC Partners. He is a member of the Sand Hill Angels and held previous investment banking roles with Cowen and Company and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Dr. Philip Ainslie serves as a scientific and medical advisor to Lexaria. He is co-director for the Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, Canada. He is also Research Chair in Cerebrovascular Physiology and Professor at the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Development at the University of British Columbia.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (LEXX), closed Tuesday's trading session at $2.86, off by 0.348432%, on 3,201 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.80/$4.83.

Recent News

• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Uses Patented DehydraTECH(TM) Technology to Increase Bioavailability to Meet Underserved Medical Needs
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Announces Pharmaceutical Expert as New Strategic Advisor
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) CEO Provides Strategic Update in Annual Shareholder Letter

Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF).

•Claude Bejet, a long-time precious metals investor and author ofthe Swiss Gold Letter, was interviewed on the sidelines of therecent Mines and Money Conference in London

•During his interview, Bejet commented on his optimism in regards tothe precious metals complex as well as the considerable value heldby junior mining companies

•Eloro Resources possesses a 100% option agreement on the Iska Iskadeposit, a major polymetallic epithermal porphyry complex coveringover 900 hectares of land

•The company is due to publish their initial assessment of Iskaiska’s resource potential by March 2023, a process which Eloro arecarrying out with mining consultancy, Micon International

“We’ve been through hell.” That was Claude Bejet’s succinct summaryof the precious metals market and gold over the past two years. ACovid-linked downturn in 2020 was subsequently followed by aninflation-driven bear market across financial assets in 2022;although gold has historically been perceived as an inflationhedge, a rapidly appreciating US dollar – which rose by over 12% in2022, hitting a two-decade high in September – marred what couldhave heralded a banner year for precious metals. However now and onthe sidelines of the Mines & Money London conference, ClaudeBejet expressed his belief that the worst could now be over; in aninterview with industry newswire Kitco Mining, Bejet expressed hisrenewed optimism on the precious metals complex and commented onhis optimism on the overlooked potential of listed mining companies(https://ibn.fm/WJC4x).Marc Bristow, the CEO of Barrick Gold Corp, told investors duringhis keynote speech at the conference that the future of mining nolonger lay in the traditional, over-explored jurisdictions of prioryears. Rather, the big opportunities over the next decade wouldcome from traditionally overlooked jurisdictions with Boliviaranking chief amongst these. Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM), an exploration and mine development company with a portfolio ofgold and base-metal properties in Bolivia, Peru and Quebec hasepitomised the potential success that could be derived from a focusin less traditional jurisdictions. Between 2020 and 2021, EloroResources witnessed its stock price rise by over 2,900% – aremarkable outcome resulting from the company’s world classsilver-tin discovery with the near inexhaustible Cerro Rico miningbelt (https://ibn.fm/FS9GO).

Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) is a publicly traded exploration and mine development company with a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in Bolivia, Peru and Quebec.

The company has an option to acquire a 99% interest in the highly prospective Iska Iska Property, classified as a silver-tin polymetallic epithermal-porphyry complex, a significant mineral deposit type in the Potosi Department of southern Bolivia. Iska Iska is a road-accessible, royalty-free property.

Eloro also owns an 82% interest in the La Victoria Gold/Silver Project, located in the North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru, some 50 kilometers south of Barrick’s Lagunas Norte Gold Mine and Pan American Silver’s La Arena Gold Mine. La Victoria consists of eight mining concessions and eight mining claims encompassing approximately 89 square kilometers. La Victoria has good infrastructure, with access to road, water and electricity, and is located at an altitude that ranges from 3,150 meters to 4,400 meters above sea level.

The company has a strong management and technical team working diligently to uncover the value of both Iska Iska and La Victoria. Eloro is based in Toronto, Canada.

Projects

Iska Iska – Potosi, Bolivia

Iska Iska is associated with a Miocene possibly collapsed/resurgent caldera, emplaced on Ordovician age rocks with major breccia pipes, dacitic domes and hydrothermal breccias. The property is wholly controlled by the title holder, Empresa Minera Villegas S.R.L. It is located 48 kilometers north of Tupiza city, in the Sud Chichas Province of the Department of Potosi. This is an important mineral deposit type in the prolific South Mineral Belt of Bolivia. Eloro commissioned a NI 43-101 Technical Report on Iska Iska, which was completed by Micon International Limited and is available on Eloro’s website and under its filings on SEDAR.

A fully financed drill program is currently underway on the property, situated near world-class deposits including Silver Sand, San Bartolomé, Pulacayo, San Cristobal, San Vicente, Chorolque, Tasna, Choroma and Siete Suyos. Iska Iska is in the southwest part of the Eastern Cordillera, which hosts a number of major polymetallic mines and mineral deposits. Drilling and continuous channel sampling results have demonstrated some very high metal values, especially silver and tin, within an immense system, where mineralization has been encountered in every drill hole to date. The company believes there is excellent potential for world-class bulk mineable deposits.

La Victoria – Ancash, Peru

The La Victoria project, targeting gold and silver production, is situated near world-class, low-cost gold producers Pan American Silver and Barrick Gold Corporation. Located in Ancash Department, La Victoria sits on the western slopes of the Peruvian Andes. The property is located 12 hours from Lima, with a travel distance of 600 kilometers. The nearest road accessible population centers from La Victoria are Huandoval, Pallasca and Cabana. The project includes four principal mineralized zones in Peru’s prolific North-Central Mineral Belt – San Markito, Victoria, Victoria South and Ccori Orcco – with excellent potential for gold discovery. Operations at La Victoria are planned to proceed with a 2,000-meter diamond drilling program to test targets to outline potential resources at San Markito. Trenching and sampling confirmed high silver values and veins at San Markito in 2020.

Market Outlook

According to industry association The Silver Institute, the outlook for silver demand is exceptionally promising, with global demand forecast to rise to a record high of 1.112 billion ounces in 2022. The increase will be driven by record silver industrial fabrication, which is forecast to improve by 5%, as silver’s use expands primarily in solar energy and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. The institute states that government commitments to carbon neutrality have resulted in a rapid expansion of green energy projects, driving record photovoltaic panel installations which are expected to lift silver demand in this segment to an all-time high in 2022.

Rising demand in the electronics industry is also boosting the demand for tin, which is primarily used in solder. The electronics and electrical industries use solders containing 40-70% tin, which provide strong and reliable joints under a variety of environmental conditions. At present, the majority of the assemblers are using patented tin-and-copper-based solders. Mordor Intelligence estimated tin demand at 387 kilotons in 2021 and forecasts demand growth of 2.5% annually through 2027. Over the medium term, surging demand from the EV market and increasing applications in the electrical and electronics industry is expected to drive the market.

Management Team

Thomas G. Larsen is CEO of Eloro. He has more than 40 years of experience in the investment industry, specializing in corporate finance and management of junior resource companies, raising in excess of C$200 million. He previously held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Champion Iron Limited. Prior to that, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Champion Iron Mines Limited.

Dr. Bill Pearson is Executive VP of Exploration for Eloro. He has more than 40 years of direct experience in the exploration and production of minerals worldwide. He played an integral role in the acquisitions of Desert Sun Mining Corp. by Yamana Gold in 2006 and Central Sun Mining by B2 Gold in 2009. He was formerly VP Exploration at Desert Sun Mining and Senior VP at Central Sun Mining.

Miles Nagamatsu, CPA, is CFO at Eloro. He has over 30 years of experience in accounting, management, lending, restructurings and turnarounds. Since 1993, he has acted as a CFO of public and private companies primarily in the mineral exploration and investment management sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University.

Osvaldo Arce Burgoa is General Manager at Eloro. He is a geological and mineral processing engineer with 26 years of experience in Bolivia. He is a former President of the Bolivian Geological Society, Main Technical Advisor of the National Mining Corporation (COMIBOL) and has served as exploration manager and chief geologist at various mining and exploration companies. He has authored two books on Bolivian geology and holds a doctorate in mining engineering from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan.

Eloro Resources Ltd. (OTCQX: ELRRF), closed Tuesday's trading session at $2.25, off by 0.881057%, on 57,103 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $2.09/$4.46.

Recent News

• Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) - Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM) Set to Potentially Benefit as Renowned Gold Bug, Claude Bejet, Says Now is the Time to Invest in Precious Metals
• Researchers May Have Found a Way to Store Energy Using Abandoned Mines
• Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM) CEO, Thomas Larsen, Featured in Interview with Commodity TV During the Mines and More Conference

CISO Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: CISO)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight CISO Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: CISO).

CISO Global (NASDAQ: CISO), an industry leader in managed cybersecurity and complianceservices, was featured on a recent episode of “The Shrimp Tank.”The company’s CEO David Jemmett joined podcast host Ted Jenkin todiscuss CISO Global’s approach to cybersecurity, explaining thatsuccessful cybersecurity must be woven into the fabric of anorganization, encompassing and transforming the entity’s culture.During the interview, Jemmett shared that, although cybersecurityhas become a well-known subject in today’s business world,surprisingly few companies are doing enough about this very realthreat. “A lot of folks are not addressing [cybersecurity]… Theydon’t want to know what they don’t know because they’re going tohave to fix it, which costs money. Cybersecurity is an actualconcern that people should be aware of, and training andunderstanding what really happens is important,” Jemmett said,pointing out that “every 11 seconds, someone is being targeted orhacked, and unpreparedness is the weakest link inside a company.The reason we trademarked ‘Cybersecurity is a culture, not aproduct’ is because it’s from the top down. If leadership doesn’tunderstand, it becomes a black hole. How can you address somethingyou’re not understanding?”

To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/vMpiM

CISO Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: CISO) is an industry leader in cybersecurity and compliance services. The company leverages an integrated approach to reduce noise and bridge common silos that often limit the effectiveness of cybersecurity programs. Pulling disparate technologies, teams, and vendors together, CISO helps its clients enjoy a simpler and more successful journey to cyber resilience. Since 2019, CISO Global has worked to rapidly expand by acquiring world-class cybersecurity and compliance businesses with top-tier talent who utilize the latest technology to create innovative protection solutions.

The CISO Global workforce is comprised of cybersecurity experts spanning not only global geographies, but also specialties, industries, regulatory frameworks and focus areas. Its team includes audit and compliance specialists, certified forensics experts, ethical hackers, IEEE® certified biometric professionals, security engineers, around-the-clock analysts, and more – all backed by the most respected credentials in the industry. On an ongoing basis, the company works to identify cyber talent that is culturally aligned and that offers operating leverage through both existing customer revenue and relationships.

CISO Global has invested in enterprise solutions and executive talent to integrate its different organizations into an ecosystem that works together to provide complete cybersecurity through cross-pollination of solutions that begin at the network level and extend through technologies, people, policy, and practices. This ecosystem is intended to foster additional growth opportunities and drive overall recurring revenue. Once engaged, the company strives to become trusted advisors for customers’ cybersecurity and compliance demands by providing tailored security solutions based upon their organizational needs.

While cyber resilience requires cycles of continuous improvement, it is a journey that few in the current business and security climate seem to understand. With its deep bench of seasoned experts, CISO Global works to simplify that journey for its growing customer base, straightening out the curves and speeding up the process to resilience along the way.

Cybersecurity is a Culture, Not a Product

Integrating compliance and security, including principles of security by design, CISO Global helps its clients create an organization-wide culture of cybersecurity. Its offerings include audit and compliance, security operations center services, security engineering, virtual Chief Information Security Officer services, incident response, certified forensics, technical assessments and cybersecurity training.

In contrast to the majority of cybersecurity firms that specialize in a specific technology or service, CISO Global seeks to differentiate itself by remaining technology agnostic, focusing on accumulating highly sought-after subject matter experts. CISO Global believes that bringing together a world-class team of technological experts with multi-faceted proficiency in the critical aspects of cybersecurity is key to providing technology agnostic solutions to its clients in a business ecosystem that suffers from a chronic lack of highly skilled professionals.

CISO Global’s goal is to create a culture of security and to help quantify, define and capture a return on investment from information technology and cybersecurity spending. Its end-to-end, holistic process covers every aspect of clients’ cybersecurity and compliance requirements in an effort to promote greater efficiency and strengthen awareness about the integral role of internal team members in the cybersecurity culture of an organization.

As a result of this strategy, CISO Global customers receive an efficient engagement from a single partner that covers a wide range of their needs – addressing challenges more thoroughly and resolving problems more rapidly when compared to working with a host of vendors.

Market Outlook

According to an analysis by the firm Research and Markets, the global managed security services market was valued at $22.45 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $77.01 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 12.8% through the forecast period.

An expected increase in cybercrime, cost effectiveness of provided solutions and stringent mandatory government regulations aimed at protecting corporate data will drive the global managed security services market for the foreseeable future.

In addition, the documented and growing use of mobile devices in the workplace and the rise in captured and stored digital data serve to fuel market growth. Moreover, growing awareness about the critical nature of data security, the growing importance of e-business and demand for customized services is expected to offer ample opportunities for expansion of the market during the forecast period.

Management Team

David Jemmett is CEO and founder of CISO Global. He has more than 35 years of executive management and technology experience with telecommunications, managed services, and cybersecurity consulting services. He previously held positions as CEO of GenResults, a leading provider of security consulting services and technology solutions, and as CTO and founder at ClearData Networks, a HIPAA-compliant HealthDATA cloud hosting platform.

Dave Bennett is COO at CISO Global. Since 2015, he has served on the President’s STEM Advisory Board of Grand Canyon University. Before joining CISO Global, he served as Chief Product Officer at Experian Health and as Senior Vice President, Product for Gainwell Technologies. He has also held positions as Vice President and Worldwide Head of Build, Healthcare and Life Sciences at DXC Technology, and as EVP, Product and Strategy at Orion Health.

Ashley Devoto is President and Chief Information Security Officer at CISO Global. Over the past 17 years, Devoto has worked with the cybersecurity elite to design, build, and operate world-class cybersecurity programs for large, diverse organizations in both government and commercial enterprises. Prior to joining CISO, Devoto served as CISO for Booz Allen Hamilton, as business information security officer (BISO) at Bank of America, and as a cyberspace operations officer in the United States Air Force.

Deb Smith is CFO at CISO Global. Prior to assuming that position, she was the company’s EVP, Finance and Accounting. She has also served as SVP, Global Accounting at International Cruise and Excursions Inc., and as Chief Accounting Officer for BeyondTrust, an information security software company. She has also held the positions of Corporate Controller at Aspect Software and Assistant Controller at JDA Software.

CISO Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: CISO), closed Monday's trading session at $2.05, up 3.0151%, on 73,251 volume with 375 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 57,207 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.04999995/$5.63000011.

Recent News

• CISO Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: CISO) - InvestorNewsBreaks - CISO Global Inc. (NASDAQ: CISO) CEO Discusses Top-down Culture of Cybersecurity in 'Shrimp Tank' Interview
• Cerberus Cyber Sentinel Corp. (NASDAQ: CISO) CEO Talks Importance of a Company's Approach to Cybersecurity on 'Shrimp Tank' Podcast
• InvestorNewsBreaks - CISO Global Inc. (NASDAQ: CISO) Inks Deal to Acquire South America-Based Cybersecurity Company

India Globalization Capital Inc. (NYSE American: IGC)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight India Globalization Capital Inc. (NYSE American: IGC).

India Globalization Capital (NYSE American: IGC), in a historic first, has begun phase 2 clinical trials evaluatingits flagship drug candidate, IGC-AD1, for the treatment ofagitation in dementia from Alzheimer’s disease. “Company officialsnoted that, to their knowledge, this is the first natural low-doseTHC-based compound to enter human trials for the treatment ofsymptoms such as agitation in dementia from Alzheimer’s disease.Currently there is no FDA-approved medication to treat agitation inAlzheimer’s,” reads a recent article. The piece quotes IGC CEO RamMukunda, who states, “We believe IGC-AD1 has the potential torevolutionize the treatment of the symptoms (agitation) ofAlzheimer’s disease as the only natural low-dose THC-basedformulation candidate currently undergoing FDA testing.Approximately 8 million people are affected by Alzheimer’s in NorthAmerica and over 55 million worldwide. We believe that the diversepopulation we have selected for this study will allow us toaccurately look at both the impact of variations of the gene CYP2C9that metabolizes THC, as well as the APOE e4 a gene that increasesthe risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This data will help us tofurther understand the metabolism of IGC-AD1 for a diversepopulation, which is important in a disease that has a globalimpact like Alzheimer’s. Through these and further trials, we lookforward to establishing IGC-AD1’s efficacy in treating the symptomsrelated to Alzheimer’s disease.” To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/jX2lA

With more than 30 states allowing some form of cannabis, millionsof Americans now have access to the drug in either medical orrecreational markets. Over the past decade, research has shown thatcannabis has potential as a treatment for conditions such as chronic pain without the side effects typically seen in pharmaceuticals. As aresult, dozens of states have launched medical markets that allowpatients with qualifying medical conditions to purchase and uselegal cannabis for medical purposes. A recent study from theUniversity of Michigan has revealed that slightly more than one-third of adults with chronic pain have used cannabis to relieve the pain. Theresearch project found that 31% of chronic pain patients had turnedto cannabis for pain relief, with one-half of them reporting thatcannabis allowed them to reduce their use of prescription opioids,nonopioid, and over-the-counter pain relievers. Dr. Mark Bicket, aphysician and assistant professor at the institution’s Department of Anesthesiology, led the research project. Noting the surging number of patients who were reporting marijuana use as a painreliever in recent years, Bicket said that he conducted the studyto address the critical lack of knowledge about how cannabis canreduce the use of other pain medications. It is interesting to notethat entities such as India Globalization Capital Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are focusing their attention on coming up with THC-basedtreatments for chronic pain and other indications. Consequently, atime may come when these therapies are widely available in themainstream medical system.

India Globalization Capital Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), through subsidiary IGC Pharma, develops, patents, and markets advanced THC-based drug formulations for the treatment of symptoms related to various diseases including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease, Tourette syndrome, chronic pain, and pet seizures.

IGC’s leading drug candidate, IGC-AD1, has completed Phase 1 of a safety and tolerability trial and entered Phase 2 trials for treating agitation in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia, the first study in humans of a natural tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) compound plus another molecule (www.clinicaltrials.gov). As of September 2022, the IGC trial is the only ongoing Phase 2 trial of a natural THC-based formulation on Alzheimer’s patients.

The company’s other drug candidate, TGR-63, is an enzyme inhibitor that has shown in preclinical trials the potential to reduce neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s cell lines. Both drug candidates have shown their ability to ameliorate beta amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s cell lines and improve memory in Alzheimer’s mouse models. Beta amyloid plaques are a key hallmark of Alzheimer’s and an important target of Alzheimer’s pharmaceutical drug development.

Neuro Psychiatric Symptoms (NPS) are not only debilitating for Alzheimer’s patients; they also place an immense emotional burden on their caregivers. Beyond reducing symptoms, IGC-AD1’s active molecules and TGR-63 have also shown promise in preclinical trials to reduce important hallmarks of Alzheimer’s including plaques and tangles, as well as improving the treatment of memory loss.

Over the past eight years, the IGC team has amassed a deep knowledge of cannabinoid science, including extraction, isolation, purification, and development. The company’s strategy is to leverage its unique end-to-end capabilities, platform, and expertise to develop a class-leading program and bring it to market quickly and cost efficiently to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

The company also has a family of cannabidiol (CBD)-based consumer products (www.Holief.com) such as pain relief creams, pain relief gels, purpose gummies, tinctures, and capsules targeting women’s wellness, with a particular focus on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea (period cramps). In addition, the company targets individuals that need sleep-aids with its specially formulated low melatonin cannabinoid gummies.

IGC has also introduced a low-calorie CBD- and caffeine-infused energy beverage brand (www.SundaySeltzer.com) that is currently available for purchase. The company’s brands are founded on the belief that effective natural solutions should be affordable and accessible to everyone. As the demand for natural products targeting women’s wellness and energy drinks continue to grow, these products are seeing strong traction in the market.

The company operates three facilities – a large GMP (Good Manufacturing Production Standards) certified facility that includes extraction, distillation, and manufacturing, in Washington State; a GMP-211 (pharmaceutical) grade facility in Maryland; and a facility licensed for controlled substances including cannabis in Bogota, Colombia, with complete access to legal licensed cannabis where the company conducts its testing.

In addition, the company’s development under Magistral Formulations is approved by INVIMA (Colombia National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute) to treat neurological disorders, non-oncological chronic pain, and mental disorders.

IGC’s intellectual property (IP) portfolio comprises of eight patents that it controls and seven patent applications. The portfolio includes #11,446,276, a patent for extreme low dose THC treatment of Alzheimer’s that was granted in September 2022.

The company is headquartered in Potomac, Maryland.

IGC-AD1

IGC-AD1 is the company’s leading drug candidate for the treatment and relief of Alzheimer’s symptoms. A significant amount of research on Alzheimer’s cell lines has shown that the active agents in IGC-AD1 reduce plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. Further, micro-dosing of THC, as shown in cell lines, could increase the functioning of mitochondria and potentially promote the growth of new neural pathways (neurogenesis). The research shows that micro-dosing of THC affects the brain radically differently from the normal higher dosing of THC.

While there is a significant body of research showing that THC is neuro-toxic at normal levels of dosing, micro-dosing of THC has been shown to be non-toxic to neurons. With the results of these preclinical studies, the company developed an oral formulation, IGC-AD1. The company recently completed a safety and tolerability Phase 1 trial on Alzheimer’s patients and has initiated a Phase 2, multi-site, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the safety and efficacy of IGC-AD1 on agitation in participants with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease at sites in the U.S. and Canada. IGC expects the Phase 2 trial to take between 9 and 12 months to complete, barring unknown factors such as, for example, a resurgence of COVID and the enforcement of lockdowns and travel restrictions.

With further successful trials and FDA approvals, IGC hopes to bring a drug based on natural THC as an effective treatment for agitation in Alzheimer’s to market.

TGR-63

The company’s other molecule, TGR-63, has been shown to reduce the neurotoxicity that impacts memory loss in preclinical trials with mice. On a dose dependent manner, transgenic Alzheimer’s mice treated with TGR-63 showed improvement in memory relative to control.

Both drug candidates, IGC-AD1 and TGR-63, have shown their ability to reduce the brain plaques associated with memory loss in Alzheimer’s in mice.

With further successful trials and FDA approvals, IGC hopes to bring TGR-63 as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease to market.

Market Opportunity

Alzheimer’s disease impacts over 55 million people worldwide and about 5.5 million individuals in the U.S. Over 70% of these patients face debilitating symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and agitation (Mendez, 2021). Agitation in dementia patients can include excessive physical movement and verbal activity, restlessness, pacing, belligerence, aggression, screaming, crying, and wandering.

In 2020, the estimated healthcare costs for Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. were $305 billion. Medicare and Medicaid covered about 70% of those costs, leaving considerable burden on patients and families. At the current rate of growth of Alzheimer’s and other dementia diagnoses, those costs are estimated to reach over $1 trillion by 2050.

Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications to alleviate the symptoms of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, providing a tremendous opportunity for formulations that can have an impact on quality of life and disease progression.

Management Team

Richard Prins has been chairman at IGC since 2012 and served as an independent director since 2007. From March 1996 to 2008, he was the Director of Investment Banking at Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated. Prins served in a consulting role to RBC until January 2009. He currently volunteers full time with a non-profit organization, Advancing Native Missions, and is a private investor. Since February 2003, he has been on the board of Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and an MBA from Oral Roberts University.

Ram Mukunda is CEO and President of IGC. He has been the chief inventor and architect of most of the company’s patent filings and is responsible for the company’s strategic positioning. Prior to IGC, he was founder and CEO of Startec Global Communications, which he took public in 1997. He served as Strategic Planning Advisor at Intelsat, a communications satellite services provider. From 2001 to 2003, he was a Council Member at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Belfer Center of Science and International Affairs. He was named the 1998 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He holds bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics, and a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Jagadeesh Rao is the company’s Principal Scientist. His career spans two decades in the public sector and product R&D for Johnson & Johnson. He leads IGC’s scientists in the development of pharmaceutical and OTC products. He worked for the federal National Institutes of Health, and for the National Institute on Drug Abuse. His Ph.D. in Neurochemistry is from the National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences in India. He did postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Claudia Grimaldi is a Director, Vice President, Principal Financial Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer for IGC. She also serves as a Director/Manager Director for some of the company’s subsidiaries. She graduated with highest honors from Javeriana University in Colombia with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She holds an MBA, graduating with highest honors, from Meredith College in North Carolina. In addition, she has attended the Darden School of Business Financial Management Executives program and the Corporate Governance Program at Columbia Business School. She is currently pursuing her Directorship Certification with the National Association of Corporate Directors. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.

India Globalization Capital Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.408, off by 1.6867%, on 77,832 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.2785/$1.16.

Recent News

• India Globalization Capital Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) - New Study Finds More than 30% of Patients Use Cannabis for Chronic Pain
• BioMedNewsBreaks - India Globalization Capital Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) Advances Novel Drug Candidate in Treating Alzheimer's Symptoms
• 420 with CNW - Flooding, High Winds Ravage Marijuana Operations in California

MetAlert Inc. (OTC: MLRT)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight MetAlert Inc. (OTC: MLRT).

MetAlert (OTC: MLRT) today announced the launch of its new 4G GPS SmartSole in Swedenthrough its distribution partner Posifon AB. The upgraded GPSSmartSole introduction will be an important part of the nationalservice agreement Posifon recently secured with majormunicipalities across Sweden related to providing home care,personal tracking and security for seniors. Initial shipments ofthe GPS SmartSole will be distributed to health care organizations,from memory care clinics to hospitals and social care organizationsthroughout Sweden. “We are excited to launch this next generation4G Cat M1 GPS SmartSole in one of Europe’s most advanced healthcare countries when it comes to addressing the needs of Alzheimer’sand dementia patients,” said MetAlert Director Andrew Duncan. “Ourpartner Posifon has done an incredible job in securing nationaldistribution channels after many years of trials and evaluation bythe Swedish authorities.”

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/iOC54

MetAlert Inc. (OTC: MLRT) is a pioneer in location sensitive health monitoring devices (estimated $47 billion industry in 2021) and wearable technology products (industry forecast to reach $174 billion by 2030).

With over 20 years of experience and an extensive patent portfolio (30+), MetAlert is a leader for consumers/patients afflicted with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and autism (ADA). This market represents approximately 2.9% of the world’s population (approximately 34 million people in 24 developed countries). Due to specific behaviors (problems with memory, adversity to wearing unknown items, etc.) of consumers/patients in this market segment, traditional products, such as an iPhone or Fitbit, are not a practical solution. This has created a significant market with very few competitors for MetAlert.

MetAlert and its subsidiaries are engaged in designing, developing, manufacturing, distributing, and selling products and services in GPS/BLE wearable technology, personal location, wandering assistive technology, and health data collection and monitoring. The company offers a global end-to-end hardware, software, and connectivity solution, in addition to developing two-way tracking technologies, which seamlessly integrate with consumer products and enterprise applications.

Using its award-winning, patented GPS SmartSole® as a hub for collecting and transmitting data to the cloud in real-time, MetAlert is expanding its value proposition to consumers and increasing its revenue per user (RPU) while creating the largest database of health statistics for ADA consumers/patients. MetAlert generates revenue from product sales, recurring subscriptions, intellectual property (IP) licensing, and professional services. The company has international distributors servicing customers in over 35 countries and is an approved U.S. military government contractor. Its customers include public health authorities and municipalities, emergency and law enforcement, private schools, assisted living facilities, NGOs, small business enterprises, senior care homes and consumers.

The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with a sales office in London, England, and distributors across the globe.

Products

• GPS SmartSoles® HUB (launched Q4 2022) is a GPS/BLE-equipped insole that allows remote monitoring, data collection, and encrypted data transmission to the cloud.
  • Telehealth (available Q4 2022) allows access remotely to doctors and other health professionals on an as-needed basis. This service will also function as the prescribing doctor once Medicare reimbursement codes are established.
  • Concierge (available Q4 2022) provides 24/7/365 enhanced emergency response that coordinates with all relevant parties to quickly detect false alarms and escalate response as needed.
  • Bluetooth Enabled Devices (available Q1 2023) include third-party devices that collect vitals and other health data and connect with the GPS Smartsoles® HUB.
  • Artificial Intelligence (available Q1 2023) software will evaluate the Teradata of health information identifying trends and respond to preestablished alert thresholds.
• Take-Along Tracker is a small GPS tracking device – less than three inches long – that works with 4G cellular service and will have the same “HUB” functionality as the GPS Smartsoles®. This versatile and affordable mini tracker boasts super long battery life, with up to 14 days of operation per charge.
• RoomMate™ is a wall-mounted alert system that detects and alerts caregivers about patient behavior that could lead to falls and injuries. The system features 3D infrared and wall-mounted sensors, eliminating the need for any other physical installation or wearables. RoomMate™ offers patient privacy by design. Images are not stored, but all actions are logged. It’s a unique solution for looking after patients without intruding on their personal space.

Market Outlook

According to Grand View Research (Patient Monitoring Devices Market Size & Share Report, 2030), the global patient monitoring devices market size was valued at $47.0 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% from 2022 to 2030. The expansion of the industry can be attributed to the rise in demand for monitoring devices used to measure, distribute, record, and display a variety of biometric data, including blood pressure, temperature, and blood oxygen saturation level.

The growing number of chronic disorders, such as diabetes, stroke, and kidney disease, are driving the demand for patient monitoring devices. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 422 million people globally have diabetes. Likewise, the number of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (COPD) is increasing rapidly.

According to the WHO, around 235 million people suffer from asthma. As a result, peak flow meters, which are used to gauge respiration rate, are increasingly used. The market for patient monitoring devices is driven by the simplicity with which it is handled, transported, and remotely accessible. Major market players are engaging in a variety of tactics to expand the industry, including partnerships, cooperation, innovation, launches, and mergers.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, social segregation and quarantining procedures were put into place worldwide. Many people avoided regular hospital visits as a result. Many people now need routine home temperature and oxygen level monitoring to maintain track of their health, thereby demanding monitoring devices at home.

Various government programs are supporting the pandemic outbreak. The FDA has granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for a few wearables and patient monitoring devices to improve access to medicines, monitor patients more closely, and lessen the risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure to medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The growing popularity of wearable and remote patient monitoring devices is another factor fueling the market’s expansion. By fusing clinical symptomology with vital indicators, wearable technology helps in the diagnosis of many chronic diseases. Thus, there has been a dramatic rise in the usage of wearable technology to combat COVID-19.

The wearable medical device market is anticipated to reach $174.48 Billion by 2030, expanding at a 27.1% CAGR during the forecast period (2022-2030), according to Market Research Future.

MetAlert identifies the total addressable market for its wearable patient monitoring tech for those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and autism at more than 34 million potential patients in North America, Europe, South Africa, and Asia.

Management Team

Patrick E. Bertagna is Founder, CEO and Chairman at MetAlert. He began his career in apparel sales in 1983 and was promoted to national sales manager within two years. In 1986, he founded his first company importing apparel from Europe and selling to U.S. retailers from JCPenney to Neiman Marcus. He has founded several technology and apparel companies, including MetAlert in 2002, which he took public in 2008. He attended Cal State University Northridge with a business major and a psychology minor.

Louis Rosenbaum is COO of MetAlert. He co-founded Global Trek Xploration and was an initial investor in MetAlert. He has successfully started companies in multiple industries, including apparel, environmental services, and the music industry, achieving annual revenues in the multi-millions of dollars. He previously was president of Elements, a women’s apparel company, and of Advanced Environmental Services.

Alex McKean is CFO at MetAlert. He is also the CFO of Encore Brands Inc., a position he has held since 2009. He has held positions as Controller and VP of Finance at 24:7 Film and InternetStudios.com, Director of FP&A/SVP at Franchise Mortgage Acceptance Company, Corporate Accounting Manager/Treasurer of Polygram Filmed Entertainment and Assistant Treasurer/Controller for State Street Bank. He holds an International MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and undergraduate degrees in business and political science from Trinity University.

MetAlert Inc. (OTC: MLRT), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.19, off by 2.4641%, on 50,853 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.06/$1.00.

Recent News

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McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX).

McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) is an asset rich diversified gold and silver producer in the Americas and has a large exposure to copper through its subsidiary, McEwen Copper, owner of the Los Azules copper deposit in Argentina, believed to be the 9th largest undeveloped copper resource in the world.

Led by a management team with a track record of success, MUX owns and operates mines in some of the most prolific gold producing regions in the Americas. In recent months, the company has undertaken strong actions to lower production costs and increase production across its portfolio of gold assets, driving some costs below the industry average. Gold and copper prices are forecast to enter a major uptrend over the next couple years. McEwen Mining is laying the groundwork to capitalize on this opportunity now.

Seldom is management so aligned with investors’ interests with a commitment to the company’s success. CEO Rob McEwen maintains a 17% ownership stake in McEwen Mining and a 15% ownership in McEwen Copper with a combined cost base of roughly $220 million. McEwen founded Goldcorp, where he took the company from a market capitalization of $50 million to over $8 billion, and that same vision led MUX to create McEwen Copper.

For McEwen Mining shareholders, the company’s 68% stake in McEwen Copper is expected to be a gamechanger, turbocharging MUX by creating the world’s next copper unicorn.

McEwen Copper

Most mined copper is currently used in infrastructure, with new critical demand emerging for use in the electrification of transportation and the global energy transformation. The price of copper rose from a low of about $2 per pound two years ago to over $4 per pound today, and strong demand is expected to continue to soar. A study by S&P Global, titled The Future of Copper: Will the Looming Supply Gap Short-circuit the Energy Transition?, projects global copper demand to nearly double over the next decade, from 25 million metric tons today to about 50 million metric tons by 2035. Based on current trends, S&P Global projects annual supply shortfalls to reach nearly 10 million metric tons in 2035.

McEwen Mining is a 68% shareholder in McEwen Copper, holder of a 100% interest in the Los Azules copper project in San Juan, Argentina, which was ranked the 9th largest undeveloped copper deposit in the world by Mining Intelligence (2022). Its current copper resources are estimated at 10.2 billion pounds at a grade of 0.48% Cu (Indicated category) and an additional 19.3 billion pounds at a grade of 0.33% Cu (Inferred category). McEwen Copper also owns a copper exploration project in Nevada, called Elder Creek.

In a 2017 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), Los Azules was estimated to have a 36-year life, but indications are that the project could ultimately become an even larger mine, with a longer life, since in the assessment, only 55% of the known copper resources are to be mined. Numerous drill holes have shown strong copper mineralization extending below the PEA pit bottom. Its average annual production for its first 13 years was pegged at 415 million pounds of copper in the 2017 PEA – enough copper to supply 2.2 million electric vehicles per year.

In August 2022, McEwen Copper closed its non-brokered, private placement offering of $82 million, after securing a $25 million investment from mining giant Rio Tinto’s technology arm, Nuton LLC. This gives McEwen Copper an imputed value of $258 million, which would give McEwen Mining’s 68% interest a value of approximately $3.70/share. Additional value can be attributed to McEwen Mining’s 1.25% net smelter royalty on both the Los Azules and the Elder Creek projects.

“We completed an $82 million financing for McEwen Copper in a very tough equity market. Rio Tinto, the second largest mining company in the world, through its subsidiary Nuton, now owns 9.7% of McEwen Copper, a result of its investment of $25 million,” Rob McEwen stated in a news release. “Also, Nuton is testing the Los Azules copper mineralization to see if it can accelerate and increase copper recoveries. Another of Rio Tinto’s subsidiaries, Kennecott Exploration, signed an option to earn a 60% interest in McEwen Copper’s other copper project, Elder Creek, by spending $18 million on exploration.”

The Elder Creek project is prospective for porphyry copper and gold mineralization and is well situated in a district hosting several large copper and gold mines, including Marigold, Lone Tree and Phoenix. Kennecott Exploration will be the operator of the exploration program. McEwen Mining holds a 1.25% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on the Elder Creek property.

Following the capital raise, McEwen Copper is well-funded to advance its Los Azules Project. Publication of an updated PEA on the Los Azules copper project is planned for Q1 2023. In Q2, an IPO is planned, along with MUX completing a secondary offering, assuming no further private placements in the interim. MUX is strategically reducing its interest to increase its treasury, in order to reduce debt and fund the further development of its gold and silver mines.

McEwen Copper currently has an implied market cap of over $258 million, based on its most recently completed financing. However, when its Los Azules copper project is compared with other recent transactions and market valuations of copper projects in the same region, it appears very undervalued.

MUX’s management believes its ownership stake in McEwen Copper is not currently reflected in the share price of the company. In fact, it is management’s belief that the combined value of its 68% interest in McEwen Copper, plus its gold mines and portfolio of mineral royalties, represents a share value ranging from a low of $8 to a high of $30 per share. Rob McEwen provides a full breakdown of this valuation estimate in a news release detailing the company’s Q3 2022 results.

Gold & Silver Projects

The Fox Complex

McEwen Mining owns a 100% stake in the Fox Complex in the heart of a prolific gold district in Timmins, Canada.

“When MUX bought the Fox Complex, in late 2017, it was a distressed asset with a history of high operating cost/oz. While it has taken longer than I expected, the cost to produce an ounce of gold is significantly lower,” CEO Rob McEwen stated in a news release. “I am pleased to say that in Q3 our cash cost/oz at Fox fell to $774, our lowest since mid-2018. This is well below the industry average. With our mine operating much more efficiently, our next important area to improve at Fox is the process plant (mill). Specifically, we need to increase the throughput because our mine is now producing more ore than our mill can process. As a result, we have a large surface stockpile of ore equivalent to more than two months of production.”

This ore stockpile contains approximately 10,000 ounces of gold representing a potential source of $12 million in free cash flow.

Located in one of the most prolific gold production areas in the world, along the Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, the Fox Complex includes the Black Fox mine and Froome mine which together have, so far, produced in excess of 1,000,000 ounces of gold. Also, it includes the Grey Fox and Stock deposits that have an estimated additional 1,600,000 ounces in reserves and resources. The 2.7-billion-year-old Abitibi Greenstone Belt, formed by ancient volcanic activity, has proved to be one of the world’s richest and most abundant gold regions, boasting total gold content of over 300 million ounces.

Full year 2023 guidance for The Fox Complex puts production estimates at 45,000 GEOs, 28% of MUX’s total production.

The Gold Bar Mine

McEwen Mining owns a 100% stake in the Gold Bar mine located in an area well known for gold production, the southern Roberts Mountains of the Battle Mountain-Eureka-Cortez gold trend in Eureka County, Central Nevada. The Gold Bar mine is on the same geological structure some 25 miles south of Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture of Barrick and Newmont. This Cortez-Goldrush complex contains estimated reserves and resources of greater than 50 million gold ounces. Its annual gold production is 1,000,000 ounces.

Gold Bar had been previously mined, between 1991 and 1994, producing 134,000 gold ounces. MUX built a new facility in 2019. The open pit mine was expected to be a large contributor to MUX’s revenue and gold production, however operating challenges arose that reduced gold production and drove cost/oz unacceptably high. Mining activities have shifted recently to a nearby, satellite deposit called Gold Bar South (GBS). Going forward the expectations are higher gold production and lower operating cost/oz as a result of mining a higher ore grade (concentration of gold per ton) and having to move half the amount of material to capture an ounce of gold.

“At Gold Bar, we are looking forward to starting to mine our GBS deposit this quarter,” McEwen said in a November 2022 release. “We are expecting to have a much lower cost/oz than our YTD cost because we will be mining higher grade ore at GBS, with half the strip ratio and no problematic carbonaceous material.”

The Gold Bar Mine will account for approximately 28% of McEwen Mining’s 2023 total attributable production, with guidance pegged at 45,000 GEOs. Most of Gold Bar production in 2023 will be from GBS.

El Gallo/Fenix

Project Fenix is the proposed redevelopment plan for McEwen Mining’s El Gallo Complex in Mexico. There is a long history of mining in this region. MUX’s involvement began in 2013 operating it as an open pit, heap leach mine which produced 281,000 gold equivalent ounces at average cash cost of $655 per ounce. However, due to the transition to deeper sulfide mineralization that is not amenable to heap leaching, mining activities ceased in the second quarter of 2018. The redevelopment envisions constructing a mill at the existing mine site that will initially reprocess the existing heap leach material then transition to open pit mining and processing the sulphide mineralization. The company recently acquired a complete process plant on very advantageous terms that has considerably reduced the projected capital requirements for the project.

CEO Rob McEwen stated in a news release, “This acquisition has made Fenix more attractive to build and could provide a new long life mine for McEwen Mining.”

The initial development approach is to build a mill to reprocess the material on the heap leach pad and produce approximately 17,000 oz of gold annually for eight years. Construction of the Fenix project is expected to be completed by early 2024.

Mine San José

McEwen Mining is a 49% owner and non-operator of the San José gold and silver mine located in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. This high-grade underground mine has been operating since 2007 and currently has an expected life of six years with a reserve grade of 342 gpt silver and 5.7 gpt gold and a resource grade of 427 gpt silver and 7.0 g/t gold.

“The San José mine, where we have a 49% interest, put in a strong quarter and its exploration is continuing to extend its high-grade veins and discover new veins,” McEwen noted in a news release.

Production guidance for 2023 for MUX’s 49% is 70,000 GEOs, 44% of MUX’s total production. As a minority shareholder in the mine, MUX equity accounts for its investment in San Jose, and it receives 49% of the dividends from the mine’s free cash flow.

Market Outlook

Mining stocks took a beating in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that could change, as many analysts are now forecasting a gold bull market in 2023.

“The operating challenges we faced in recent years have severely damaged our credibility with our shareholders and the market. As a result, few investors have taken a close look recently at our assets,” Rob McEwen said in a news release. “If they did, I believe some would see the potential value that I see today… I believe there is considerable potential value in MUX, and that is a big reason why I have a personal financial commitment of $220 million in MUX and McEwen Copper.”

Management Team

Robert R. McEwen is Chairman, CEO and Chief Owner of McEwen Mining. He has been associated with the gold industry all his career, with his first 18 years in the investment industry and, since 1990, as CEO of several gold mining companies. He founded Goldcorp and took that company from a $50 million market capitalization to more than $8 billion. He owns 17% of McEwen Mining and is in complete alignment with investors – the cost of his investment in MUX and McEwen Copper is $220 million and he takes an annual salary of only $1. He was awarded the Order of Canada and the Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee Award, was inducted into the Mining Hall of Fame, was named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year and has Honorary Doctor of Law degrees from York University and Western University.

William Shaver is interim COO and a Director of McEwen Mining. He has decades of management and executive experience in mine design, construction and operations. He was a founder of Dynatec Corporation, which became one of the leading contracting and mine operating groups in North America. In 2013, he was recognized as Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Most recently, he served as COO of INV Metals. He is a Professional Engineer with a B.Sc. in Mining Engineering from Queens University.

Perry Ing is interim CFO at McEwen Mining. He has 25 years of experience in the Canadian mining industry. Over the past 15 years, he has held positions as CFO of Mountain Province Diamonds, Kirkland Lake Gold and McEwen Mining. Prior to that, he worked at Barrick Gold and Goldcorp and started his career in the mining practice at PwC. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and is a Chartered Professional Accountant in Canada and Certified Professional Accountant in the U.S.

Adrian Blanco S. is the company’s Director – America and Mexico Operations. He has extensive international experience in several industrial sectors and has held executive positions in Mexico, the United States, Peru and Argentina. He joined the McEwen Mining team in 2015 and has led a successful business transformation toward operational discipline, best business practices and financial profitability at subsidiaries Compañia Minera Pangea and McEwen Mining Nevada. He graduated from an Executive Management Program at IPADE and Harvard Business School.

Michael Meding is Vice President and General Manager of McEwen Copper. He has over 20 years of international experience, primarily with major mining companies such as Barrick Gold and Trafigura, including extensive experience with project development and operations in Argentina. While at Barrick Gold’s Veladero mine in Argentina, Mr. Meding played a key role in the turnaround, extension of the mine life and subsequent strategic partnering with Shandong Gold. He holds an MBA from Indiana University in Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Leipzig Graduate School of Management in Germany.

McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX), closed Monday's trading session at $2.05, up 3.0151%, on 73,251 volume with 375 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 57,207 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.04999995/$5.63000011.

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Laredo Oil Inc. (OTC: LRDC)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Laredo Oil Inc. (LRDC).

Laredo Oil Inc. (OTC: LRDC) is a publicly traded oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) company engaging in the acquisition and development of both undervalued quality conventional oil and gas properties and select mature oil fields that are suitable for the company’s proprietary Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods.

Laredo Oil is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Conventional Acreage

Laredo Oil’s primary focus is on acquiring, developing, and operating undervalued conventional oil and gas properties.

The company leased 23,739 mineral acres in the Western Williston Basin of Montana, at favorable prices during the most recent down cycle and continues to take leases in the area. Before year end, it expects to drill the first development well at one of the first of 10 potential locations it has identified. If that well yields the anticipated results, the company plans to begin drilling additional wells there as soon as practical thereafter. The company believes the leased acreage has the potential to yield at least five years of development opportunities.

The company intends to pursue aggressively the acquisition of quality assets that major, mid-major, and large independent oil and gas companies continue to divest themselves of at a discount in response to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governmental) & sustainability initiatives and other pressures imposed upon them by their activist boards of directors. The company will focus on value, growth potential and free cash flow while complying with common sense ESG policies, often having a lower environmental impact than its competitors through its EOR methods.

EOR

In addition to pursuing conventional acreage and properties, Laredo Oil plans to acquire additional select mature oil fields where it believes that it can profitably use its proprietary Underground Gravity Drainage™ (UGD) model to recover stranded oil reserves (reserves previously considered to be economically incapable of recovery). The UGD method is applicable to mature oil fields that have very specific geological and reservoir characteristics.

Laredo Oil has done extensive research and field level application over the last 10 years and has identified specific oil fields within the United States that it believes are qualified for the UGD recovery method. The company believes the costs of implementing the UGD method are significantly lower than those of other commonly used EOR methods. Laredo Oil believes that it can materially increase the field oil production rate from prior periods and, in some cases, recover amounts of oil equal to or greater than amounts previously recovered from the mature fields selected.

Market Outlook

The company expects U.S. oil prices to climb in the near term as energy demand intensifies with the economy continuing to recover from the COVID-19 slowdown. Also causing upward price pressure is global supply chain dysfunction that slows or prevents shipments, including energy components, from reaching destinations. Domestic oil production is also constrained by years of reduced investment in fossil fuel producers due to green energy mandates. Accordingly, the company believes that the short-term outlook for oil is favorable. Many industries have yet to reach their pre-COVID production levels, which the company believes points to a continuing near-term upward trend in energy demand.

Management Team

Mark See has been the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company since October 16, 2009. He has over 30 years’ experience in heavy civil, natural resources and the E&P industries. He was the founder and founding CEO of Rock Well Petroleum, a private oil & gas company until December 2008 and worked from then until October 2009 forming Laredo Oil. He was employed with Albian Sands as the Manager for the Alberta Oil Sands Projects at Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, a joint venture between Shell Canada and Chevron. Mr. See was also President of Oil Recovery Enhancement LLC in Bozeman, Montana, a private oil company. He was selected as one of the top 25 Engineers in North America by the Engineering News Record for his innovations in the petroleum industry. He is a graduate of the Mackay School of Mines at the University of Nevada at Reno, with a degree in Mining Engineering. He is a member of the Society of Mining Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Bradley Sparks currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Laredo Oil and has been a director of the company since March 1, 2011. Before joining Laredo Oil in October 2009, he was the Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director of Visualant Inc. Prior to joining Visualant, he was the Chief Financial Officer of WatchGuard Technologies Inc. from 2005-2006. Before joining WatchGuard, he was the founder and managing director of Sunburst Growth Ventures LLC, a private investment firm specializing in emerging-growth companies. Previously, he founded Pointer Communications and served as Chief Financial Officer for several telecommunications and internet companies, including eSpire Communications Inc., Digex Inc., Omnipoint Corporation, and WAM!NET. He also served as Vice President and Treasurer of MCI Communications from 1988-1993 and as Vice President and Controller from 1993-1995. Before his tenure at MCI, Mr. Sparks held various financial management positions at Ryder System Inc. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Comrise. Mr. Sparks graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1969 and is a former Army Captain in the Signal Corps. He has a Master of Science in Management from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a licensed CPA in Florida.

Donald Beckham has served as a director of the company since March 1, 2011. Since July 2015, he has been a partner with Copestone Energy Partners LLC. In 1993, he founded Beckham Resources Inc. (“BRI”), which, for over 30 years, has been a licensed, bonded and insured operator in good standing with the Railroad Commission of Texas. Through BRI, Mr. Beckham has drilled and operated fields for his own account. His expertise is in the acquisition, exploitation, exploration and production enhancement of mature oil and gas fields through which he has been able to enhance production by compressor optimization, pump design, work-over programs, stimulation techniques and identifying new pay zones. Prior to BRI, Mr. Beckham was the chief operations manager for Houston Oil Fields Corporation (“HOFCO”), where he began his career. There, he was responsible for drilling, production and field operations and managed approximately 100 people, including engineers, geologists, land men, pumpers, and other contract personnel, as well as state and federal environmental and regulatory functions. He managed an annual capital budget of approximately $30 million and operated approximately 100 wells. HOFCO drilled about 20 wells per annum and performed approximately 30 recompletions and work over operations each year. HOFCO owned interests in about 10 key fields principally in Texas, and company-managed production was approximately 1,000 bpd of crude oil and 10 mm cfd of natural gas. Mr. Beckham is a petroleum engineer and 1984 graduate of Mississippi State University.

Michael Price, an independent director of Laredo Oil, has over 40 years of senior financial and petroleum experience in the global oil and gas industry. He has been a principal in Octagon Energy Advisors, a Houston-based energy investment advisory firm, from 2002 to the present. The firm advises financial institutions and institutional investors participating in energy investments. From 2008 through his retirement in 2021, he was a Managing Director at ING Capital, which provides debt financing to domestic exploration and production companies. From 1998 through 2002, Mr. Price was the Chief Financial Officer of Forman Petroleum Corporation. Before that, Mr. Price was Managing Director at Chase Manhattan Bank for 15 years and was in charge of technical support for Chase’s worldwide energy merchant banking activities. In his early career, he worked as a consulting principal on domestic petroleum engineering and landowner matters and gained extensive international experience working with major oil companies in a variety of operating positions. He holds a BS and MS from Illinois Institute of Technology, an MBA from the University of Chicago, a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and an MS in Petroleum Engineering from Tulane University.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release and the statements made by Laredo Oil, Inc. in this press release may be forward-looking in nature and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements describe Laredo Oil’s future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and may be identified by words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “seeks”, “estimates” or the negative versions of those words or other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, situations and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Laredo Oil or the oil industry to be materially different from any future results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These factors include changes in interest rates, market competition, changes in the local and national economies, and various other factors detailed from time to time in the reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Laredo Oil undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Laredo Oil Inc. (LRDC), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.1915, up 0.842549%, on 6,000 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 6,000 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.049/$0.2714.

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Utopia VR

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Utopia VR

Utopia VR is one of the world’s first ‘Metaverse-As-A-Service’ solutions for business. The company’s hosted and managed subscription software provides businesses a low barrier to entry, browser-based, device agnostic platform where they can manage their own private 3D metaverse meeting spaces. Users can host and attend Zoom-like virtual meetings in lifelike virtual reality – with no software downloads – engaging their audiences in a more collaborative and fun way.

Utopia VR has many technology and privacy advantages over solutions built on other metaverse marketplaces such as Horizon Worlds (META) or Decentraland. Utopia VR works on all devices – PC, mobile and virtual reality headsets – whereas many competitors only work in VR or on PC.

Utopia VR is headquartered in Kelowna, B.C.

Products

Utopia VR’s The Metaverse for Everyone™ is a one-click, web-based, avatar-driven, mobile-friendly audio- and video-conferencing platform that utilizes innovative 3D web technology. Utopia VR’s virtual platform works on digital devices including PCs, mobile phones and VR headsets such as Oculus Quest or HTC Vive. No software or proprietary hardware is needed.

Users navigate through the various VRoom environments by using avatars. Users can walk, talk and sit – just like they do in the real world. A user’s avatar can be controlled with a computer keyboard, smartphone or virtual reality headsets. Text chat, voice and video is ever-present and used to communicate with others in the VRoom. For important meetings and presentations, users can also import audio, video, 2D art and images, animated 3D objects, PDF files and their favorite NFTs by simply dragging and dropping files into a VRoom or pasting a video link from supported media platforms.

Organizations that have an existing website can transition their digital assets, including text, images, video, PDFs, slideshows and more, to VRoom environments with a simple copy and paste. This will allow their customers and audiences to experience their brand in a whole new, immersive environment.
Utopia VR’s mobile app enables users to personalize their own 3D environments and then schedule business meetings or social meetups in seconds through a proprietary link management system. The app is available for iPhone and iPad users. The company’s website mirrors the app, which means users can access Utopia VR directly from a PC, laptop, tablet, or VR headset without downloading the app.

Market Outlook

Regarded as the next iteration of the internet, the metaverse is a virtual space where the physical and digital worlds coexist and interact, encompassing virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality and mixed reality, as well as making use of artificial intelligence and other technologies.

Data consolidator Statista estimated that the global metaverse market size stood at $38.85 billion in 2021 and projected the market would grow to be worth $47.48 billion in 2022. From there, Statista forecasts the value of the metaverse market will explode to reach $678.8 billion by 2030, achieving a CAGR of more than 39% over the period.

The metaverse could create $5 trillion in opportunity by 2030, according to McKinsey & Company.

Management Team

Stuart Gray, President, Co-Founder and director of Utopia VR, has been an officer and director for both private and publicly traded companies and has led public offerings for junior listed companies that have gone on to realize multibillion-dollar market valuations. He previously was a consultant and quarterbacked taking eXp World Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPI) public. eXp is a disruptive, no bricks and mortar, real estate brokerage firm with 85,000 agents worldwide using its virtual, software-based, metaverse platform for closing transactions, training and events.

Cory Braden, CTO and director of Utopia VR, is a forward-thinking strategic leader with over 20 years of experience in delivering software as a service. Recognized for a positive leadership style and excellent communication skills, he is well-versed in user experience, complex application architectures, cloud infrastructure and management of high-performance teams.

Terry Woloszyn, VP of Sales and Advisory at Utopia VR, brings vast technical and sales experience to the company. Before joining Utopia VR, he conceived and launched a data security startup and graduated from two startup accelerator programs. He has personally raised $20 million in equity venture funding.

Recent News

• Utopia VR - Utopia VR Is ‘One to Watch’
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Utopia VR Launches ‘The Metaverse for Everyone(TM)’
• Utopia VR Launches Global Metaverse Platform and Profit Share Program