The QualityStocks Daily Friday, February 12th, 2021

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The QualityStocks Daily Stock List

National Vision Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE)

MarketBeat, MarketClub Analysis, InvestorPlace, Trading Concepts, Market Intelligence Center Alert, StreetInsider, The Street, StockMarketWatch, Trades Of The Day, Schaeffer's, Daily Trade Alert and BUYINS.NET reported earlier on National Vision Holdings Inc. (EYE), and today we highlight the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

National Vision Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE) is among the biggest optical retailers in the U.S. With more than 1100 outlets in 44 states across America as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, National Vision Holdings operates different brands under two segments. These include Vista Optical inside Fred Meyer stores and America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, which are hosted and own segments and Vision Centers in select Walmart stores, which is a legacy segment. Apart from this, the firm also operates the Eyeglass World Brand.

This optical retail firm, which was founded in 1990, was sold to KKR & Co. in 2014. National Vision Holdings also supports Vista Optical military operations and owned brands by developing Omni-channel offerings. In addition to this, the firm, which offers various services and products that cater to all individuals’ eye care needs, such as a vision care benefit plan and health maintenance organization, has established a standalone commerce business.

Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, National Vison Holdings, which provides safety eyewear, eyeglasses, contact lenses and frames, ensures that they develop quality eye wear and eye care that is easily accessible and affordable. Additionally, the company owns First Sight, a subsidiary that helps provide optometric services in nearly all optometric stores that are located near Sam’s Club and Walmart stores in the state of California.

In the recent months, the firm’s stock has grown by 58% and while its earnings have decreased in the past, analysts expect that in the future, the company’s earnings will grow tremendously. The recent increase in demand of affordable eye wear and eye care during the pandemic has enabled the company to expand further, which allows them to build their market share.

The firm, which occupies the largest optical market in America, has a good payout ratio and a high rate of profit retention, which makes it a good investment option. The company trades under the ticker symbol “ EYE” on NASDAQ.

National Vision Holdings Inc. (EYE), closed Friday's trading session at $50.92, off by 0.566296%, on 307,281 volume with 4,677 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 611,516 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $11.6999998/$52.6100006.

Vonage Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: VG)

MarketClub Analysis, InvestorPlace, StocksEarning, INO.com Market Report, MarketBeat, Wall Street Resources, The Street, Streetwise Reports, StreetInsider, Schaeffer's, SmarTrend Newsletters, Hit and Run Candle Sticks, Kiplinger Today, Street Insider, Marketbeat.com, Market Intelligence Center Alert, HotOTC, FNNO Newsletters, Zacks, CoolPennyStocks, StockMarketWatch, Stock Rich, The Online Investor, Trading Markets, Trading Concepts and Momentum Trades reported earlier on Vonage Holdings Corp. (VG), and today we are highlighting the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

Vonage Holdings Corp. (NASADAQ: VG) is a technology firm that offers flexible cloud communication services to both consumers and businesses. The company provides a home telephone replacement service to individuals, which is inclusive of call forwarding, call waiting and voicemail services. With regard to businesses, the firm offers unified communications as a service, which is made up of mobile, data, video, text and integrated voice applications through Voice over Internet Protocol network. The company’s services are delivered over the internet, which makes it hassle free.

Vonage Holdings, which was founded in 2001 by Jeffrey A. Citron and Jeff Pulver, is based in Holmdel Township in New Jersey. The company generates a majority of its revenue in the U.S. but offers its services in the United Kingdom as well as Canada.

The company also providers its consumers with unlimited long-distance and local calling, through the use of broadband connections which use public internet lines, at affordable prices. This is in addition to providing consumers with a dedicated fax line, depending on one’s prepaid plan.

The firm was recently awarded Partner of the Year from Salesforce and has a market cap of $3.7 billion as of 2021. In addition to this, Vonage Holdings Corp. also joined an initiative looking to promote and further develop OpenAPI Specification.

OpenAPI Specification, also known as OAS, has been embraced by many API service providers, which will help drive this particular sector. Making technology easily accessible and easy to use is bound to boost the company’s earnings and its market share, especially now, given that the world is moving toward a heavily computerized and technologized way of living.

Vonage Holdings Corp. (VG), closed Friday's trading session at $15.35, up 2.951%, on 3,143,911 volume with 19,150 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 2,414,143 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $4.17999982/$15.42.

Veritas Farms, Inc. (VFRM)

SmallCapVoice reported previously on Veritas Farms, Inc. (VFRM), and we highlight the Company as well, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

Veritas Farms, Inc. is a vertically integrated agribusiness based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Its focus is on the production of full spectrum hemp oil products with naturally occurring cannabinoids. The Company was previously known as SanSal Wellness Holdings, Inc. It changed its name to Veritas Farms, Inc. in February of 2019. The Company lists on the OTC Markets Group’s OTCQB.

Presently, Veritas Farms owns and operates a 140-acre farm and production facility in Pueblo, Colorado. The Company is registered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture to grow industrial hemp.

Veritas markets and sells products under its Veritas Farms™ brand. Moreover, it manufactures private label products for several top distributors and retailers. All Veritas Farms™ brand products are third-party laboratory tested for strength and purity.

Veritas Farms™ brand full spectrum hemp oil products include vegan capsules, tinctures, formulations for sublingual applications, as well as infused edibles. In addition, they include lotions, salves, and oral syringes in an array of size formats and flavors.

On August 27, 2020, Veritas Farms announced it is expanding its presence on its top-selling full spectrum hemp Lip Balm line of products. The Company’s Single Orange Cream Lip Balm is the top-selling topical CBD SKU in units according to IRI in the Food Class of Trade for the latest period (IRI Latest 13 Weeks Food). Across all channels, including chain Food and Drug, Orange Cream Lip Balm remains one of the overall top-selling items.

Recently, Veritas Farms announced that it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pure Research Products, LLC to access and incorporate the technology used in their Del-Immune V® brand of products to develop additional Veritas Farms full spectrum hemp oil products. Del-Immune V® and the Del-Immune line of dietary supplements use the probiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) [WF1] to increase immune function in the body.

The MOU was signed on October 8, 2020. It establishes a partnership with Pure Research to maximize the benefits of Veritas Farms’ product line via the research, development, and production of a Del-Immune V® enhanced line of full spectrum hemp oil products.

Veritas Farms, Inc. (VFRM), closed Friday's trading session at $0.35, up 40.00%, on 268,720 volume with 81 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 51,338 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.109999999/$0.860000014.

Integrated Ventures, Inc. (INTV)

PoliticsAndMyPortfolio reported beforehand on Integrated Ventures, Inc. (INTV), and today we choose to report on the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter. 

Integrated Ventures, Inc. operates as a Technology Holdings Company with an emphasis on the cryptocurrency sector. It focuses on acquiring, launching, and also operating assets in the cryptocurrency space. The Company previously went by the name EMS Find, Inc. It changed its corporate name to Integrated Ventures, Inc. in July of 2017. Integrated Ventures has its corporate office in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. The Company’s shares trade on the OTC Markets Group’s OTCQB.

Integrated Ventures’ present operations consist of Digital Currency Mining, Hosting & Pool Services, and Sales Of Mining Equipment. It focuses on the hosting of mining equipment on behalf of cryptocurrency companies, managing and operating mining pools, and investing in crypto trading platforms - exchanges.

The Company also involves in blockchain based decentralized financial and lending applications; integrated, decentralized, and encrypted lending ledger; and secure, efficient, verifiable, and permanent ways of storing financial data related to the lending contracts. Regarding mining equipment, Integrated Ventures focuses on manufacturing, distribution, and supporting custom designed, GPU based mining rigs and related equipment.

Earlier in August, Integrated Ventures announced an execution of a purchase order and scheduled delivery for 100 Antminer S17Pro mining rigs. The purchase order is valued at $127,000 and will be delivered to PetaWatt, New York. Integrated Ventures has retained Wattum Technologies to install and deploy custom ASIC firmware, designed to increase hashing rate from 56TH to 72TH, while maintaining a low power consumption, to optimize equipment performance, and to improve profitability by 20 percent.

On August 24, 2020, Integrated Ventures disclosed the execution of a Non-Binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire assets of a privately-held, technology service provider and its wholly-owned subsidiary, located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mr. Steve Rubakh, Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Ventures, said, "Today's announcement is our official launch of the previously disclosed roll-up business plan. Due to increasing demand for data hosting, including due to the current pandemic environment, integration and connectivity, reliable data centers operations are critical for present and future corporate infrastructures…”

Integrated Ventures, Inc. (INTV), closed Friday's trading session at $0.294, up 83.75%, on 20,729,397 volume with 2,479 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 5,794,030 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.007849999/$0.294999986.

Bonanza Goldfields Corp. (BONZ)

QualityStocks, HyperGrowthStock, AheadoftheBulls.com, OTC Picks, Pennybuster, BestPicksEver, Stockpalooza, StockEgg, Bull in Advantage, CoolPennyStocks, HotOTC, BullRally, Greenbackers, MadPennyStocks, PennyInvest, PennyTrader Publisher, StockRich, Stock Traders Chat, PennyStockVille, Stock Marketing Inc., BreakthroughStocks Team, Stock Rich, SteroidStocks, Penny Invest, ShamrockStocks, Topgun stockpicks, MicrocapVoice, OTC Advisors, Otcstockexchange, OTCtipReporter, PennyStockScholar, PennyStocks24 and SmallCapVoice reported earlier on Bonanza Goldfields Corp. (BONZ), and today we are highlighting the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

Bonanza Goldfields Corp. operates as a mining and mineral exploration enterprise. The Company has manifold past producing mines in the States of Nevada and Arizona. Its flagship property is the Montezuma Stonewall group of patented mining claims (60 acres) located 10 miles south of Goldfield, Nevada. Established in 2008, Bonanza Goldfields is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Company lists on the OTC Markets.

Goldfield, Nevada is famous for its bonanza gold ores. From 1907 to 1951 the Goldfield Mining District produced 4,160,000 ounces of gold and 1,440,000 ounces of silver. Bonanza Goldfields has a dominant land position in the Wallapai Mining District, situatated in and about Chloride, Arizona.

The Company has 492 acres of patented mining claims consisting of eight mines that produced gold, silver, lead, as well as zinc. They are the Hercules, Badger, Rambler, Payroll, Towne, Summit, Golden Gem, and Daisy Twin Mines.

Bonanza Goldfields has its Fountain Head Mine. This property historically has produced gold, silver, and also base metals. Fountain Head is in Stockton Hill, 15 miles north of Kingman, Arizona. The mine is downhill from Bonanza’s Summit Mine. In the past, ore from the Summit and Fountain Head Mines was trucked to Bonanza’s Golden Gem Millsite for treatment. Fountain Head is the Company’s eighth mine located within a short distance from the Golden Gem Millsite. The Golden Gem, Idaho, Broken Hills, Columbus, O'Brien, Daisy Twins, and Summit Mines are also nearby.

Bonanza Goldfields’ Tom Reed Jr. Mine is in the Oatman Mining District in Arizona. From 1906 to 1942, the Oatman Mining District produced two million ounces of gold and 1.5 million ounces of silver. The Tom Reed Jr. Mine is positioned on the next vein south of the Tom Reed Mine, which was and is one of the three major mines at Oatman. The Tom Reed Jr. Mine was last worked in the 1980's.

In January of this year, Bonanza Goldfields announced that it increased the size of its Cupid Gold Project to 1,064 acres from 217 acres. The Cupid Gold property is in Esmeralda County, Nevada, 15 miles south of Goldfield. The Cupid Gold Project now encompasses substantially all of the area of outcropping alteration/mineralization previously included in the Kinross CPD property. The gold deposits at Goldfield are associated with alunite, which is also plentiful along the eastern portion of the Cupid Gold property.

Prior sampling by the project vendor encountered anomalous gold throughout the original Cupid project area. It ranged from 0.134 to 0.270 ounces of gold per ton (3.8 to 7.7 g/ton). More sampling is planned simultaneous with geological mapping of the additional project claims.

Bonanza Goldfields Corp. (BONZ), closed Friday's trading session at $0.03, up 200.00%, on 71,209,188 volume with 1,516 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 10,990,494 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.001/$0.035.

Artelo Biosciences, Inc. (ARTL)

MarketBeat, MicroCap Press, TopPennyStockMovers and The Stock Dork reported  previously on Artelo Biosciences, Inc. (ARTL), and today we report on the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

Artelo Biosciences, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company based in La Jolla, California. It focuses on the development of therapeutics that modulate the endocannabinoid system. The Company is quickly advancing a portfolio of widely applicable product candidates designed to address significant unmet needs in manifold diseases and conditions. These include cancer, pain, and inflammation. Founded in 2011, the Company previously went by the name Reactive Medical, Inc. It changed its name to Artelo Biosciences, Inc. in April of 2017. Artelo Biosciences lists on the NasdaqGS.

The Company’s belief is that a biopharmaceutical approach will lead to novel and high-impact therapeutics, which harness the full potential of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a widespread neuromodulatory system. It plays a vital role in human central nervous system (CNS) development, synaptic plasticity, and the response to endogenous and environmental insults.

Artelo’s business model is to develop numerous pharmacological approaches to ECS modulation. Candidate therapeutic compounds within its present portfolio are founded on targeting cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoid transport inhibition. The Company’s pipeline includes many mechanisms for endocannabinoid system modulation. Specific programs now in development include ART27.13 – a high-potency GPCR Agonist (anorexia, cancer).

Programs in development also include ART12.11 - proprietary cocrystal (multiple indications), and ART26.12 – a FABP5 Inhibitor (cancer, pain). Two of Artelo Biosciences’ development programs were licensed from established and respected organizations. These organizations have already conducted pre-clinical research and, in some cases, clinical research.

Recently, Artelo Biosciences announced that it has expanded its existing research and global commercial license agreement with The Research Foundation For The State University of New York, Stony Brook. The Company has obtained exclusive rights to recently developed, third-generation fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) inhibitors.

Artelo plans to choose a lead cancer therapeutic compound from these compounds, and also to identify more candidates for pain, inflammation, and other conditions, facilitating a potentially major expansion to its development pipeline. Many of the third generation FABP5 inhibitors have shown greater potency and/or selectivity to FABP5.

Mr. Gregory D. Gorgas, Artelo Biosciences’ President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We continue to believe in the promise of lipid signaling pathways as a target for cancer therapeutics. Expanding our agreement with Stony Brook to include additional third-generation FABP5 inhibitors that have shown encouraging pre-clinical results in cancer, inflammation and pain, provides a significant opportunity to both explore this potential and strategically prime our development pipeline.”

Artelo Biosciences, Inc. (ARTL), closed Friday's trading session at $2.66, up 63.1902%, on 252,772,407 volume with 631,110 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 4,816,720 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.451000005/$3.67000007.

TOP Ships, Inc. (TOPS)

Profitable Trader Authority, BUYINS.NET, StockMarketWatch, QualityStocks, Promotion Stock Secrets, RedChip, MarketBeat, PennyStockScholar, OTCPicks, StreetInsider, OTCtipReporter, Jason Bond, PennyStocks24, TraderPower, Greenbackers, The Online Investor, Wall Street Resources, TopPennyStockMovers, AllPennyStocks, Wall Street Mover, Dynamic Wealth Report, AimHighProfits, MarketClub Analysis, Stock Beast, Penny Stock Prodigy, SmarTrend Newsletters, SmallCapInvestor.com, The Street, Small Cap Firm and StockOodles reported previously on TOP Ships, Inc. (TOPS), and today we report on the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter. 

TOP Ships, Inc. is a worldwide owner and operator of modern, fuel efficient “ECO” tanker vessels. Currently, the Company is focusing on the transportation of crude oil and petroleum products. Its strategy is to grow its fleet via acquisitions of newbuilding, resale, or second-hand vessels of first-rate quality ECO design. Incorporated in the Republic of The Marshall Islands, TOP Ships is headquartered in Marousi, Greece. The Company also has a London and Monaco office.

TOP Ships’ Management Team has 94 years of combined shipping experience. The Company has a high specification ECO design fleet. All vessels are fitted with Ballast Water Treatment Systems and part of the fleet is fitted with Scrubbers. On delivery of its last new building vessel, TOP Ships 14 vessel fleet average age will be 2,0 years - one of the youngest Tanker fleets globally.

TOP Ships took delivery of three ECO MR Product Tankers in 2018 (two of which in the 50 percent-50 percent joint venture (JV) with Gunvor S.A.). Last year, the Company took delivery of two ECO MR Product Tankers and two ECO Suezmax Tankers. All vessels are scrubber fitted except for one MR Product Tanker that is Scrubber ready.

Recently, TOP Ships announced that it acquired from a company affiliated with the Company’s Chief Executive Officer a 50 percent interest in two vessel owning companies (the SPCs), which own two ultra-high specification scrubber-fitted 50,000 dwt eco MR product tankers, M/T Eco Yosemite Park and M/T Eco Joshua Park for $27 million. Both vessels were delivered in March 2020 from Hyundai Mipo shipyard of South Korea.

Each of the two product tankers have time charters with Clearlake Shipping Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Gunvor Group Ltd and one of the largest charterers of tanker vessels worldwide, for a firm term of five years plus two additional optional years. The total potential gross revenue backlog from these contracts is approximately $91.7 million.

TOP Ships, Inc. (TOPS), closed Friday's trading session at $3.67, up 43.9216%, on 55,900,957 volume with 125,240 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 5,284,088 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.949999988/$16.5825004.

Digatrade Financial Corp. (DIGAF)

Wall Street Mover, Stock Commander, PoliticsAndMyPortfolio, Penny Picks, MoneyTV and Damn Good Penny Picks reported previously on Digatrade Financial Corp. (DIGAF), and today we are highlighting the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

Digatrade Financial Corp. is a global digital asset exchange and blockchain development services company. It engages in the licensing, development, and branding of a digital exchange trading platform and a peer to peer electronic payment processing network for enabling users to trade fiat and alternative currencies. Basically, DIGATRADE is a Digital Asset, Currency (Bitcoin) Exchange, and Internet Financial Services Company owned and operated by Digatrade Financial Corp.

Digatrade Financial is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Formed in 2000, the Company lists on the OTC Markets Group’s OTCQB. It previously went by the name Bit-X Financial Corporation. It changed its name to Digatrade Financial Corp. in October of 2015.

Digatrade Financial provides operational support specializing in web-based digital currency exchange and transaction services for the cryptographic digital currencies. This includes Bitcoin and other alternative digital coins. The Company provides a user-friendly, secure, and affordable platform to purchase and sell Bitcoin and other digital assets. Digatrade provides a 24-hour online platform. This platform provides the automated matching of orders between its registered members.

The proprietary Digatrade trading and matching engine manages high volume, high throughput, and low latency trading. Furthermore, this engine features blended multi-currency settlement in addition to real time FX pricing and risk management fully powered by ANX Technologies. The order engine delivers pre-scan indicative pricing. Users can choose to either fix the quantity of Bitcoins or fix the price paid for every order.

Digatrade Financial announced in April 2017, the execution of a definitive agreement with No Limits Consulting Ltd. (d/b/a: ANX International, ANX Technologies & ANXPRO) based in Hong Kong. Under new financial terms, Digatrade has re-positioned itself to continue its development with its core digital asset exchange platform. This is while centering on the implementation of new Initial Digital Offerings (IDO's) for institutional customers, marketing, and brand awareness.

Digatrade has launched the Digatrade OTC Trade Desk. The new Digatrade Over-the-Counter (OTC) trading service will let KYC verified customers to complete trades outside the online liquidity order book at competitive market prices.

At present, Digatrade Financial is developing a number of new technologies for the Digatrade Core 2.0 Digital Asset Trading Platform. In addition, the Company is seeking more new opportunities and partners for growth as Bitcoin (BTC) continues to grow in value with a market capitalization now surpassing $23.5 Billion.

Digatrade Financial Corp. (DIGAF), closed Friday's trading session at $0.01736, up 49.6552%, on 145,502,500 volume with 2,034 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 60,290,496 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0005/$0.0195.

CLIC Technology, Inc. (CLCI)

Small Cap Firm, AwesomeStocks, StockRockandRoll, PennyStockLocks, Penny Stock 101, StockHideout, Shiznit Stocks, Penny Stock Titans and Penny Stock General reported previously on CLIC Technology, Inc. (CLCI), and today we choose to report on the Company once again, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter. 

A "Financial Technology" company, CLIC Technology, Inc. is the developer and marketer of new, pioneering blockchain products and services. It has created an innovative "crypto-payment gateway system." This system enables consumers to use cryptocurrency to make routine purchases online. The system enables merchants to accept crypto payments and receive immediate settlements in traditional fiat currencies.

CLIC Technology has its head office in Aventura, Florida. The Company lists on the OTC Markets. Market introduction of the new crypto-payment gateway system and related services is planned to take place in a phased rollout in the United States and other major markets in the coming months.

CLIC Technology is lending its services to the developing cannabis and CBD (cannabidiol) industries. The Company is joining forces with Chicago’s LeafyQuick CBD Delivery Service. LeafyQuick has opted to register for CLIC’s ClicPay online payment gateway pilot program, a cutting-edge cryptocurrency platform for merchants that will accept blockchain payments and convert them into local currency securely, all within 24 hours.

This program is a step towards the future for companies such as LeafyQuick. It permits them to sidestep burdensome regulations imposed by payment processors over an industry that experts predict will soon be worth upwards of $20 billion. The ClicPay Merchant Gateway will offer LeafyQuick and others like them a fast setup with simple integration. This is an option that gives the whole CBD industry the capability to start accepting cryptocurrency payments instantly.

CLIC Technology Chief Executive Officer, Roman Bond, said, “We are extremely excited to be working with LeafyQuick, and to be able to help move the CBD industry forward. Turning cryptocurrency into everyday fiat is going to be a game-changer for many in the industry.”

CLIC Technology, in collaboration with blockchain infrastructure provider and B2B platform Opporty, is ready to launch a progressive browser extension that will revolutionize the e-commerce industry. It will allow consumers to make everyday purchases on Amazon using the open source, public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform Ethereum.

Powered by Plasma Cash design pattern for off-chain processing of an on-chain assets provided by Opporty, the new extension will bring a modern day cryptocurrency economy one step closer to becoming a reality. The two companies plan to create payment platforms processing Ethereum, as well as any tokens based on ERC-20, ERC-721, and other Ethereum compatible standards. This will open up a host of possibilities for consumers to use digital currency in the e-commerce marketplace.

CLIC Technology, Inc. (CLCI), closed Friday's trading session at $0.09, up 66.6667%, on 148,788 volume with 53 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 10,625 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.004999999/$0.119999997.

Mechanical Technology, Incorporated (MKTY)

MarketBeat, QualityStocks, SmarTrend Newsletters, PinnacleDigest, TradersPro, StockOodles, RedChip and PoliticsAndMyPortfolio reported beforehand on Mechanical Technology, Incorporated (MKTY), and today we highlight the Company again, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

Mechanical Technology, Incorporated engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of test and measurement instruments and systems via its subsidiary MTI Instruments Incorporated. It designs, manufactures, and markets precision linear displacement solutions, vibration measurement and system balancing solutions, precision tensile measurement systems, and wafer inspection tools globally. The Company lists on the OTC Markets. Established in 1961, Mechanical Technology has its head office in Albany, New York.

MTI Instruments’ products use a complete variety of technologies to solve complex, real world applications in manifold industries. These industries include manufacturing, electronics, semiconductor, solar, commercial and military aviation, automotive and data storage.

MTI offers electronic gauging instruments for position, displacement, and vibration applications in the industrial manufacturing/production markets, and the research, design, and process development market. Additionally, MTI provides engine balancing and vibration analysis systems for military and commercial aircraft; and metrology tools for semiconductor and solar wafer characterization. It also provides tensile stage systems for materials testing and precision linear displacement gauges for use in academic and industrial research and development settings.

Recently, Mechanical Technology announced its financial results for 2018. Revenue increased $1.0 million, or 14 percent, to $8.1 million in 2018 because of increased activity with the U.S. government. The Company continues to expand its PBS product offerings within existing and new Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard programs. The Company also continued to grow its commercial engine balancing system and accessories business, most notably in engine test cell facilities worldwide.

Operating Income grew $935,000 in 2018 to $1.5 million. This is the highest level reported by the Company since 1998. Spending on new development initiatives and product enhancements at its MTI Instruments subsidiary intensified in 2018 as part of Mechanical Technology’s commitment to grow organically. Therefore, 2019 will see the introduction of new capacitance products and an updated model of the Company’s renowned engine vibration balancing system.

Mechanical Technology, Incorporated (MKTY), closed Friday's trading session at $9.00, up 71.4286%, on 836,047 volume with 2,245 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 49,956 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.433499991/$10.4099998.

Aequus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AQSZF)

We reported beforehand on Aequus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AQSZF), and today we highlight the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

A specialty pharmaceutical company, Aequus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s focus is on developing, advancing, and promoting differentiated products. The Company’s development stage pipeline includes a number of products in neurology and psychiatry with the aim of addressing the need for improved medication adherence via enhanced delivery systems. OTCQB-listed, Aequus Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Company’s most recent addition to the development pipeline was a long-acting form of medical cannabis. Aequus’ intention is to commercialize its internal programs in Canada together with its present portfolio of marketed established medicines.

Aequus Pharmaceuticals will look to form strategic partnerships, which would maximize the reach of its product candidates globally. Its plan is to build on its Canadian commercial platform via the launch of more products that are either created internally or brought in via an acquisition or license.

Aequus has two preclinical programs now in formulation optimization, AQS-1302 and AQS-1303. AQS-1302 is being advanced for the potential treatment of epilepsy with a once-weekly transdermal application. This is to provide patients with steady-state delivery of their medication. The expectation is that this product will decrease their risk of experiencing breakthrough seizures.

AQS-1303 is in development for the management of Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (NVP). The expectation is that it will provide consistent anti-emetic control. This is while eliminating the risk of missed doses because of emesis (vomiting).

Aequus’ partners include Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Corium International, Inc., and Transdermal Research Pharm Lab. The Company will continue to expand its commercial pipeline with high quality, differentiated products. These include patented products, branded generics, and reformulated novel-delivery products within focused therapeutic areas. Aequus is developing numerous products in neurology and psychiatry. The aim is addressing the need for improved medication adherence by way of enhanced delivery systems.

This past September, Aequus Pharmaceuticals announced positive results from an initial Proof of Concept clinical study for its long-acting transdermal anti-nausea patch, AQS1303, containing the combination of pyridoxine hydrochloride and doxylamine succinate (the active ingredients in Diclegis®/Diclectin®).

The single-dose cross-over comparative bioavailability study in comparison to the presently approved oral version, Diclegis®/Diclectin®, was successfully completed in nine healthy female volunteers. The results suggested that sustained delivery of therapeutic levels of the active ingredients via the skin over a multi-day period is possible with the present formulation. The formulation was well tolerated. No serious adverse events were reported.

Recently, Aequus Pharmaceuticals announced that the European Patent Office issued an intention to grant a European patent for AQS1301, Aequus' once-weekly transdermal patch containing aripiprazole. AQS1301 is in development for the treatment of certain psychiatric disorders.

The intention of AQS1301 is to provide patients with a long-acting dosing alternative, which is comfortable, convenient, and user-friendly in an effort to promote medication adherence. This is the eighth regional patent issued or granted for AQS1301, following the U.S., Russia, Mexico, Japan, China, Canada, and Australia.

Moreover, Aequus Pharmaceuticals continues to increase revenues from its Canadian commercial arm via the on-going promotion of Vistitan™ and Tacrolimus IR. Vistitan™ (bimatoprost 0.03%) is a treatment for the lessening of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Tacrolimus IR is the first to market, and currently the only available generic version of tacrolimus immediate release in Canada. This is a product used for the treatment and prevention of acute rejection following organ transplantation.

Aequus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AQSZF), closed Friday's trading session at $0.18, up 46.8189%, on 334,684 volume with 75 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 47,707 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.045000001/$0.214100003.

BlackRidge Technology International, Inc. (BRTI)

MarketBeat are reporting on BlackRidge Technology International, Inc. (BRTI), here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

BlackRidge Technology International, Inc. is a foremost provider of next generation cyber defense solutions. The Company provides solutions that stop cyber-attacks and block unauthenticated access. BlackRidge formed in 2010 to commercialize its military grade and patented network security technology. BlackRidge Technology International is based in Reno, Nevada.

The Company’s products are used in enterprise and government computing environments, the industrial Internet of Things (IoT), as well as other cloud service provider and network systems. BlackRidge’s patented First Packet Authentication™ technology was developed for the military to cloak and protect servers and segment networks. First Packet Authentication™ is the ability to ascertain the identity of the originator of a TCP session on the very first packet of the TCP session. This is before any response is made to the requestor.

BlackRidge Transport Access Control (TAC) authenticates user and device identity. In addition, it enforces security policy on the first packet of network sessions. TAC, utilizing the Company’s patented First Packet Authentication™, provides a new level of cyber defense for network and cloud resources. TAC operates pre-session, in real-time, before other security defenses engage.

This new level of real-time protection blocks or redirects unidentified and unauthorized traffic to halt attacks and unauthorized access. Moreover, it isolates systems and segments networks and provides identity attribution.

Earlier this month, BlackRidge Technology International announced its designation as a Distinguished Vendor in the 2018 TAG Cyber Security Annual. Additionally, the report named BlackRidge CTO (Chief Technology Officer), Mr. John Hayes, as a Cyber Luminary and interviewed Mr. Hayes on Micro-Segmenting Data Centers and Networks Using Strong Separation and Abstraction.

The Distinguished Vendor recognition is an exclusive acknowledgement of companies, which demonstrate unique innovation in addressing modern cyber security threats. Each Distinguished Vendor was selected by Dr. Edward Amoroso, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of TAG Cyber, to assist with this year's report.

Recently, BlackRidge Technology International announced it is pleased to sponsor and deliver a keynote address at NYIT's Eighth Annual Cybersecurity Conference, taking place at the New York Institute of Technology Auditorium on Broadway in New York, New York on Thursday, September 28, 2017. Presented by the NYIT School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, the Eighth Annual Cybersecurity Conference brings together cyber experts from academia, business, and government.

BlackRidge Technology International, Inc. (BRTI), closed Friday's trading session at $0.04, up 207.6923%, on 1,713,522 volume with 48 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 87,851 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.000899999/$0.090000003.

Synergy CHC Corp. (SNYR)

SmallCapVoice reported previously on Synergy CHC Corp. (SNYR), and today we highlight the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

Synergy CHC Corp. is a consumer health care company listed on the OTC Markets. It is in the process of building a portfolio of best-in-class consumer product brands. The Company’s strategy is to increase its portfolio organically and through further acquisition. Established in 2012, Synergy CHC is headquartered in Westbrook, Maine.

The Company sells its products mainly in North American retail locations. Its diversified portfolio includes Flat Tummy Tea™, FOCUSFactor™, Neuragen™, and Hand MD®. Flat Tummy Tea™ is an innovatively formulated two-step herbal detox tea. It works to naturally help speed up metabolism, boost energy, and reduce bloating to flatten one’s stomach/tummy.

FOCUSFactor is a nutritional supplement. It includes a proprietary blend of brain supporting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients.

Neuragen® is a topical product. It works directly at the site of the pain contrasted with oral products. Neuragen® reduces the spontaneous firing of damaged peripheral nerves.

Also, Synergy CHC’s Hand MD® is the world's first anti-aging skincare line formulated specifically for the hands. Synergy CHC has also launched its newest brand, Sneaky Vaunt®

Synergy CHC officially launched The Synergy Effect, its ROI (Return on Investment) innovation engine and online marketing platform. The Synergy Effect was built to boost online revenue growth for all of the Company’s brands.

Recently, Synergy CHC announced that it entered into, and at the same time closed on, an Asset Purchase Agreement with Per-fekt Beauty Holdings, LLC and CDG Holdings, LLC, which owns 92.3 percent of the issued and outstanding equity interests of Per-fekt Beauty. Per-fekt Beauty engages in developing and selling skincare and cosmetics products under the brand Per-fekt.

With this Purchase Agreement, Synergy CHC purchased all of Per-fekt Beauty's assets and assumed certain of its liabilities for a purchase price of $709,988.34. As additional consideration, it will pay quarterly royalties equal to 5 percent of Net Sales for 10 years following the closing date.

Synergy CHC Corp. (SNYR), closed Friday's trading session at $0.12331, up 84.0448%, on 352,260 volume with 38 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 13,419 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0252/$0.199.

Andrea Electronics Corp. (ANDR)

MarketBeat and Stock Guru reported previously on Andrea Electronics Corp. (ANDR), and today we highlight the Company, here at the QualityStocks Daily Newsletter.

Andrea Electronics Corp. designs, develops, and manufactures audio technologies and equipment for enhancing applications necessitating high performance quality voice input. The Company is an innovator of digital audio input enhancement software, computer headsets, and array microphone technologies. In addition, it is an industry leading developer of product solutions that optimize the performance of voice user interfaces for different applications. Andrea Electronics is based in Bohemia, New York, it lists on the OTCQB.

Andrea’s patented Digital Super Directional Array (DSDA™), patented PureAudio™, and patented EchoStop™ far-field microphone technologies enhance a wide variety of audio products to eliminate background noise and ensure the optimum performance of voice applications. The Company’s products include Array Microphones, Active Noise Cancellation Microphone Headsets, USB Headsets, Headphones, Computer Microphones, USB Audio Adapters, Noise Reduction Software, and Echo Cancellation Software, which betters the performance and provides ease of use for applications.

These applications include Speech Recognition, Voice over the Internet (VoIP), Video conferencing, Game chat, and live digital audio recordings. Among the more recent advances from Andrea Electronics are SuperBeam Stereo Array Microphone headsets and the DA-250 digital microphone stand alone solution for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Andrea Electronics has its Go Mic Connect, USB stereo array microphone with the Company’s audio enhancement software. This bundle is the most adaptive digital microphone on the market. The design of the Company’s latest filter libraries is for OEMs targeting new product platforms running Linux and Android operating systems. This is while using new strong mobile processors with DSP cores, including ARM.

The Andrea PC Audio Software (AudioCommander™) provides the latest Audio Commander and noise cancellation filters for use with all Andrea USB Devices. The install supports Windows.

Mr. Douglas Andrea, Chief Executive Officer of Andrea Electronics, said, "We are a proud, third-generation family business whose products are showcased in the Henry Ford Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum, and we refuse to stand by and watch a legacy built over 80 years to be torn down by electronic giants with deep pockets and global influence. We are proud that Apple, like our already existing licensees, desires the use of our technology, but we request that they license it legally. If they refuse, we ask that the ITC stop them from selling products that contain our patented technology."

Andrea Electronics Corp. (ANDR), closed Friday's trading session at $0.0716, up 41.7822%, on 994,608 volume with 96 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 133,800 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.010999999/$0.085.

The QualityStocks Company Corner

HempFusion Wellness Inc. (TSX: CBD.U) (FWB: 8OO) (OTC: CBDHF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight HempFusion Wellness Inc. (TSX: CBD.U) (FWB: 8OO) (OTC: CBDHF).

HempFusion Wellness (TSX: CBD.U) (OTC: CBDHF) (FWB: 8OO) co-founder and CEO Dr. Jason Mitchell and chief corporate officer Danny Brody were featured on a recent segment of the Cannabis Investing Podcast. The program provides actionable investment insight, context with which to understand the burgeoning cannabis industry, and interviews with C-level executives, scientists, law and sector experts. During their segment, Mitchell and Brody discussed highlights in the cannabis industry, including the recent multibillion deal between GW Pharma and Jazz Pharmaceuticals, as well as radical transparency, the industry’s methodical growth and how companies can become more efficient during COVID-19. To listen to the podcast, visit http://cnw.fm/Pt08O

HempFusion Wellness Inc. (TSX: CBD.U) (FWB: 8OO) (OTC: CBDHF) is a leader in the health and wellness CBD industry, providing innovative and diversified proprietary formulations utilizing the power of whole-food hemp nutrition.

Invested heavily in regulatory compliance, HempFusion aims to consistently meet and even exceed the high standards required by retailers and consumers – putting safety, quality and consistency first. In support of these efforts, the company is U.S. Hemp Authority Certified and is a current board member of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, a coalition of leading companies committed to advancing safe hemp and CBD products.

HempFusion reported 1,750 shareholders and $18.3 million in cash as of June 30, 2020 – the second-largest cash position in its sector – with no debt. Looking ahead, the company is currently preparing to launch an IPO directly onto the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) senior board, where it has already reserved ticker symbol ‘CBD.U’. Learn More About HempFusion Upcoming IPO.

HempFusion is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

HempFusion’s Proprietary Wellness Portfolio

The diverse product portfolio showcased by HempFusion includes 46 products that are currently on shelves. The company’s leading offerings include HempFusion-owned Biome Labs, HF Labs and Probulin. Due to the time and resources allocated to increasing the compliance of these proprietary products, HempFusion may have a competitive advantage and create additional retail opportunities that are not available for other CBD companies.

HempFusion’s Diversified Revenue Pipeline

HempFusion’s focus and investment into regulatory compliance has opened doors to major food and drug mass or big box retailers that are not available to other CBD companies. This strategic approach includes five distinct channels:

  • Natural Health Retailers
  • eCommerce
  • Big Box / Food and Drug Mass
  • Doctor Practitioner
  • Convenience

HempFusion’s Line of Products

HempFusion’s branded line of products is based on the company’s proprietary Whole Food Panoramic Full-Spectrum Hemp Complex. Each product is condition-specific, targeting needs such as sleep, energy and stress.

All of HempFusion’s products are made from DNA-verified, European Union registered, non-GMO, organic industrial hemp. The company’s offerings span multiple product categories, including:

  • Tinctures and capsules – These offerings make up the most popular product category in the $4 billion U.S. CBD market.
  • OTC topicals – HempFusion is one of the few CBD companies marketing FDA Drug Listed Topicals. The FDA compliance standards ensure that these products meet the standards set by larger national retailers.
  • Condition-specific OTC products – HempFusion has OTC products that are condition-specifically targeted, including:
    • OTC Pain Products – The global pain relief market for topicals is projected to reach $13.3 billion by 2025, with a CAGR from 2018 to 2025 of 7.4%.
    • OTC Eczema Products – The global dermatitis market is projected to reach $13.6 billion by 2026.
    • OTC Acne and Aging/Beauty Products – The global market for beauty and anti-aging products is currently estimated at $1.08 trillion.
    • OTC First Aid and Wound Healing Products – In 2019, the 10 top-selling first aid ointments in the United States generated over $650 million in sales.

Probulin Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes

Probulin Probiotics is a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of HempFusion Wellness Inc. and is currently one of the fastest growing probiotics brands in the United States, according to Spins syndicated data.

The Probulin product line addresses a wide range of consumer needs, including daily care, total care, women’s health and children’s products. The probiotics market represents a growing opportunity, as it is estimated to reach $7 billion globally by 2022.

Because of the diverse offerings of the Probulin line, it serves as HempFusion’s gateway to retailers who may not currently carry CBD products.

This ‘Trojan Horse Strategy’ is intended to allow the company to establish, develop and build relationships among these retailers. By achieving approved vendor status, the company may be able to facilitate faster onboarding times, enabling accelerated access to its CBD products in the future.

HF Labs and Biome Research – Doctor and Practitioner Product Lines

The HF Labs and Biome Research product lines are directed toward doctors and practitioners and cater to hospitals, compounding pharmacies and free-standing dispensaries. With an estimated target market of 28,000+ integrative medical doctors and 70,000+ licensed chiropractors in the United States, these offerings create a unique market opportunity as HempFusion continues to broaden its footprint in the CBD industry.

Research on CBD and Human Safety

HempFusion is one of 12 CBD companies selected to participate in ValidCare’s groundbreaking study regarding CBD and human safety, which is expected to be complete by the end of October 2020. The study is designed to address previous questions from the FDA regarding CBD products.

As part of this study, HempFusion and the other selected companies will be conducting human trials to determine if the daily use of full-spectrum hemp-derived CBD or CBD isolate impacts the human liver.

Management Team

Jason Mitchell, N.D., is the co-founder, Director and CEO of HempFusion. He has over 20 years of experience in the natural products industry and is a naturopathic doctor certified by the ANMCB. Mitchell received his doctorate from the Trinity College of Natural Health and is a member of the American Naturopathic Medical Association and the CNHP. He is an expert in supplemental formations and was responsible for successfully creating and launching over 300 industry-leading products during his 15-year tenure at Country Life Vitamins.

Ian DeQueiroz is the Chief of Brand Strategy & Partnerships and a Director for HempFusion. He is a serial entrepreneur with experience in early-stage cannabis and hemp companies. In 2010, he acquired his first cannabis CO2 extraction company in the United States. DeQueiroz has facilitated the licensing process for many companies in the United States, as well as one of Jamaica’s premier cannabis companies, Epican Medicinals Ltd.

Jon Visser is HempFusion’s Chief Revenue Officer. He has over 25 years of experience in all areas of sales and marketing, with a proven track record of consistently driving growth across all major channels. Visser was previously the Senior Vice President of Sales at Navajo Inc., a multi-national manufacturer/distributor of brands like Pennzoil Automotive Supplies, Piranha Eyewear and Navajo Inc., the largest distributor of trial- and travel-sized health and beauty products in the United States. Visser grew annual sales from $60 million to $128 million in less than three years while at Navajo Inc.

Bruce Valentine Jr. is the Chief Financial Officer of HempFusion. He has a proven track record working with high-growth companies and was named CFO of the Year in 2013 by the Northern Colorado Business Report. Valentine is the former CFO of Otter Products and has over 15 years of financial management experience.

Ola Lessard is the Chief Marketing Officer of HempFusion and is also the President of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. She has experience in marketing creative and effective brand strategies. She is a former Vice President of Marketing at Barlean’s, an award-winning supplements provider based in Washington.

Nancy Angelini is the Director of the Doctor/Practitioner Channel. She has over 25 years as an active, licensed practitioner. Angelini travels the country as a lecturer and product manager. She is responsible for opening doors to some of the largest doctor/practitioner networks in the United States.

Daniel Brody is the Chief Corporate Officer of HempFusion. He is the co-founder and former Vice President of The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF). Brody has been instrumental in listing multiple world-class cannabis companies, including TGOD, Emblem Corp. and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQX: PLPRF). Before joining the cannabis industry, he spent seven years working at two leading Canadian brokerage firms.

HempFusion Wellness Inc. (CBDHF), closed Friday's trading session at $2.328, up 1.2834%, on 99,223 volume with 333 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 175,912 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.65999996/$3.00.

Recent News

XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (CSE: XPHY) (OTCQB: XPHYF) (FSE: 4XT)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (CSE: XPHY) (OTCQB: XPHYF) (FSE: 4XT).

XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (CSE: XPHY) (OTCQB: XPHYF) (FSE: 4XT) was featured today in a publication from BioMedWire, examining how rResearch on a new drug that prepares the respiratory tract immune system against infection and is currently being developed for the coronavirus has also shown its efficacy against rhinovirus. Rhinovirus is a common respiratory infection that is responsible for aggravating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. This respiratory virus is also the primary cause of the common cold.

XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (CSE: XPHY) (OTCQB: XPHYF) (FSE: 4XT) is a bioscience accelerator focused on next-generation drug delivery, diagnostic and new active pharmaceutical ingredient investment opportunities. This includes products that are being readied for commercialization within the coming weeks, such as a rapid COVID-19 PCR test kit that reduces turnaround times to less than 30 minutes.

The company has research and development operations in North America and Europe and an operational focus in Germany. Its regulatory approval and commercialization focus is currently on products for the European market.

XPhyto was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Business Strategy & Milestones for 2021

On January 18, 2021, XPhyto issued a news release detailing its business strategy for the coming year. The company noted that it is “on the cusp of transformational change as product development programs advance from the laboratory to the clinic.” In addition to continuing to leverage its scientific expertise and operations in North America and Europe for product development and optimization, XPhyto intends to pursue growth through the commercialization of existing products and adherence to a focused investment strategy targeting impact-driven innovation with “the potential for extreme value creation.”

In particular, XPhyto is well positioned to execute on opportunities across its current business divisions, including:

  • Commercialization of infectious disease diagnostics
  • Clinical validation of transdermal and sublingual drug formulations
  • Continued investment and development in psychedelic medicine

“2020 was a very productive year for XPhyto. We made significant progress in all areas of our business,” Hugh Rogers, CEO & Director of XPhyto, stated in the update. “We have ambitious milestones for 2021 with multiple product launches on the horizon, multiple clinical drug programs underway, and an aggressive commitment to psychedelic medicine. I am extremely confident that our team can execute on the company’s business plan for 2021.”

Infectious Disease Diagnostics

XPhyto’s lead diagnostic product, secured through an exclusive global commercialization agreement with 3a-diagnostics GmbH (“3a”), is a rapid and highly portable PCR diagnostic test. Notably, PCR testing “has emerged as the only internationally recognized standard for COVID-19 testing” and is expected to play a key role in facilitating the recovery of the domestic and international travel industries, among others.

Successful validation of the PCR system was achieved in Q4 2020, and XPhyto has expressed confidence that it will achieve European commercial (CE-IVD) approval in Q1 2021. In preparation for this milestone and an anticipated Q1 product launch, the company is currently in discussion with manufacturing and distribution partners in Europe and the Middle East.

In addition to COVID-19 products, XPhyto and partner 3a are developing and commercializing a portfolio of low-cost oral biosensors. The company’s lead biosensor product is an oral health screening test for the detection of peri-implantitis for which XPhyto is targeting a late 2021 European commercial approval.

XPhyto does not make any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drug Formulation & Delivery

In 2020, XPhyto’s German subsidiary, Vektor Pharma TF GmbH (“Vektor”), reported significant advancement in four therapeutic programs targeting neurological indications with significant market demand. Vektor also successfully developed a sublingual drug formulation on contract for a major generic drug manufacturer and distributor.

XPhyto will look to build on this progress in 2021, with plans to complete human pilot studies evaluating its four lead therapeutic products:

  • Rotigotine transdermal patch for Parkinson’s disease
  • CBD oral/sublingual strip for treatment resistant epilepsy
  • THC oral/sublingual strip for anorexia/nausea
  • CBD:THC (1:1) oral/sublingual strip for multiple sclerosis associated spasticity

Per its 2021 business update, the company is currently in “ongoing discussions with multiple potential commercial partners, licensors and distributors and will be reviewing monetization opportunities on a continued basis.”

Psychedelic Medicine

Psychedelic compounds are a highly promising new class of active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) demonstrating strong potential for a variety of mental health conditions. XPhyto is positioned to capitalize on this promise through two strategic initiatives:

  • An agreement for the development of industrial scale biotechnology processes for the production of psilocybin
  • An agreement for R&D related to multiple psychedelic compounds, including psilocybin, mescaline, LSD, MDMA and DMT, among others

XPhyto intends to advance and expand its programs focused on the industrial scale production of psychedelic API in 2021. The company also plans to launch new programs for the development of psychedelic drug formulations, with a focus on sublingual and transdermal therapeutics and the integration of these products into established clinical programs relating to mental health indications.

Management Team

Hugh Rogers is the CEO and Director of XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. He is an entrepreneur and lawyer with private and public start-up company experience in various industries and operational roles. His recent advisory work has focused on public listings and corporate restructuring. This restructuring has occurred in the life science (cell therapy and medical device) and natural resources (natural gas co-gen and conventional oil) industries. Mr. Rogers holds a bachelor’s degree in Cellular Biology and Genetics and a law degree. He is a member in good standing of the Law Society of British Colombia.

Christopher Ross is the CFO of XPhyto. He is a professional accountant with broad financial experience across numerous industries, including forestry, distribution, construction, mining and multi-family real estate. He has provided advisory services to private and public companies in the areas of financial accounting, strategic analysis, audit and taxation. Mr. Ross holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce. He is a member in good standing with the Chartered Professional Accountants Association of British Columbia.

Wolfgang Probst serves as Director of XPhyto and Managing Director of BUNKER Pflanzenextrakte GmbH. He is a seasoned management and financial consultant based in Bavaria, Germany. He has consulting experience as branch head working with private clients and corporations of high net worth. In 2017, Mr. Probst assumed the CFO role of BUNKER and continues to play a key role in its operational and financial development.

Professor Dr. Raimar Löbenberg serves as Director of XPhyto. He holds a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from Johannes Gutenberg-University and a Ph.D. in pharmaceutics from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University. He is the co-founder of RS Therapeutics Inc., which concentrates on foam-based topical drug delivery systems.

Professor Dr. Thomas Beckert is the Founder and Managing Director of Vektor Pharma TF GmbH. His expertise includes the formulation and machine development of transdermal therapeutic systems and ODFs. Professor Beckert holds a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from the University of Freiburg and a Ph.D. in pharmacy and economics from the University of Tubingen.

XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: XPHYF), closed Friday's trading session at $2.2465, up 3.8604%, on 25,449 volume with 82 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 32,253 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.3125/$3.0999999.

Recent News

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

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

Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) was featured today in a publication from MiningNewsWire, examining how many experts caution that Russia and China may soon join forces to prevent the United States from dominating an ET mining base in space. The former Trump administration had announced that by 2024, the country would be returning astronauts to the moon, in addition to proposing a worldwide legal framework for mining on the celestial body. The framework, named the Artemis Accords, encouraged citizens in the country to mine for commercial purposes, both on the moon and on other celestial bodies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nuclear Market Potential

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

Reasons Nuclear is Gaining Traction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU), closed Friday's trading session at $5.79, up 2.4779%, on 4,041,972 volume with 19,820 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 4,536,762 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.779999971/$6.01999998.

Recent News

Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (KAVL)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (KAVL).

Kaival Brands Innovations Group, Inc. (OTCQB: KAVL) ("Kaival Brands," the "Company," or "we"), is the exclusive global distributor of all products manufactured by Bidi Vapor, LLC ("Bidi Vapor"). Bidi Vapor's primary offering, the Bidi ® Stick, is the fastest-growing closed system vaping product in the U.S. The tamper-resistant Bidi ® Stick is also the only vape product on the market with an ecologically friendly, mass-recycling program called Bidi ® Cares. Kaival Brands also recently launched the Bidi ® Pouch by Bidi Vapor, a tobacco-free nicotine pouch available in six flavors.

Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (KAVL) is focused on growing and incubating innovative and profitable products into mature, dominant brands. It aims to develop internally, acquire or exclusively distribute these products, helping them grow into market-share leaders by providing superior quality that is recognizable in their individual industries.

Formerly known as Quick Start Holdings Inc., the company changed its name to Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (also known as Kaival Brands) in July 2019. Headquartered in Grant, Florida, the company commenced business operations on March 9, 2020.

Bidi™ Stick – Revolutionizing the Vaping Experience

On March 9, 2020, Kaival Brands entered into a partnership with Bidi Vapor LLC. The latter granted Kaival Brands exclusive global distribution rights for the innovative Bidi™ Stick.

Bidi™ Stick is a completely self-contained disposable product that is tamper-proof and recyclable. The innovative product is made from high-quality components and equipped with a long-lasting battery and class A nicotine. Its product engineering also includes a sensitivity control system, along with a proven mechanism designed to help identify and eliminate counterfeit products.

Available in 11 flavors, the Bidi™ Stick offers a premium vaping experience for adult consumers only. From its packaging design to its marketing strategies, Bidi Vapor makes sure that everything is compliant with government regulations.

On March 31, 2020, Kaival Brands partnered with QuikfillRx Digital as a digital service provider to help promote and commercialize the Bidi™ Stick. As a direct result of the partnership, Kaival Brands received back-to-back orders for the vaping device, totaling approximately $135,000, from sizable national convenience chains.

On September 8, 2020, the company announced that Bidi Vapor had submitted its Premarket Tobacco Product application (PMTA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for review. In total, over 285,000 pages of research, studies and surveys were submitted to support the application of Bidi™ Stick’s 11 variants.

“We are confident that, upon review, the FDA will authorize Bidi Vapor’s Bidi™ Stick for continued marketing in the United States,” Niraj Patel, President and CEO of Kaival Brands, stated in a news release (http://nnw.fm/unAyG).

Bidi Vapor is an industry leader in recycling – a position that was furthered through the creation of the Bidi Cares Initiative. The program encourages users to recycle their used Bidi™ Sticks instead of trashing them. As motivation, Bidi Vapor offers a free Bidi™ Stick for every 10 used devices recycled by a consumer. Kaival Brands is the exclusive recycling provider for the initiative.

Partnership Impact and Market Outlook

Bidi Vapor is a related party to Kaival Brands, as it is owned by Kaival Brands CEO Nirajkumar Patel. Patel is also the majority stockholder of Kaival Brands, placing both entities under common control.

The partnership has already had a positive impact on Kaival Brands, helping the company expedite growth, as evidenced by its Q2 financial results. According to Kaival Brands’ consolidated fiscal results for the quarter that ended on April 30, 2020, its revenues grew to approximately $22.5 million from no revenue in the same quarter of 2019. The company also scored a gross profit of $4.2 million for the three-month period. Net income was reported at $2.8 million for the quarter, compared to a net loss of about $4,000 in the second quarter of 2019. The company ended the second quarter of 2020 with a cash balance of $2 million (http://nnw.fm/44sq4).

The positive results are primarily an effect of Bidi™ Stick distribution amid the growing worldwide demand for high-quality vape products, as Patel explained in a news release. “Our focus now is to continue to increase revenues by increasing Bidi Vapor’s market share in the vaping industry,” he added.

Internationally, Kaival Brands has already taken steps to expand distribution of the Bidi™ Stick into Guam, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

To this end, the company has set up a market engagement and sales force to reach a higher volume of retail and wholesale customers. It also created a dedicated customer support team to provide high-quality service and an enhanced customer experience.

Kaival Brands is dedicated to developing innovative and viable options for adults who use tobacco and vape products and want a premium experience. The company wants to set higher standards to transform perceptions and elevate consumer experience in the vape and CBD industries, with a goal of increasing market share in the ever-growing vaping industry. In 2019, the reported global market for the vaping industry alone was $12.4 billion. These forecasts indicate a potential CAGR of 23.8% through 2027.

Cancellation of 300 Million Shares of Common Stock

In August 2020, the company canceled 300 million shares of common stock, marking a 52.1 percent reduction in its issued and outstanding shares of common stock (http://nnw.fm/W7s9T). Currently, the company’s outstanding common shares total 277,282,630. The cancelation was done in exchange for three million shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock cannot be converted before November 2023, barring any event that may trigger early conversion.

According to Patel, this move will benefit all shareholders and help maintain stability of the market pricing of remaining common stock. The overall goal is to increase value for long-term investors.

Management Team

Nirajkumar Patel is the CEO, CFO, President, Treasurer and Director of Kaival Brands and owner of Bidi Vapor LLC. In 2004, Patel received a Bachelor of Science in pharmaceutical sciences from AISSMS College of Pharmacy in Prune, India. He moved to the United States in 2005, and he continued his education at the Florida Institute of Technology, where he graduated in 2009 with a master’s degree in medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry. He currently holds a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification.

Eric Mosser is the COO, Secretary and Director of Kaival Brands. Mosser attended Arizona State University, where he studied business management. In 2004, he graduated from Rio Salado College with an associate degree in applied science in computer technology.

Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (KAVL), closed Friday's trading session at $2.78, up 6.9231%, on 550,250 volume with 461 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 707,391 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.011199999/$3.65000009.

Recent News

MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTCQB: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTCQB: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0).

MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTCQB: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0), an agriculture biotech company focused on providing natural science-based biological solutions for high-value crops, has announced it has qualified to trade on the OTCQX(R) Best Market; the company’s symbol was also upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB(R) Venture Market. Effective Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, the company will begin trading using its MGROF symbol. To view the full press release, visit: https://ibn.fm/63gjK

MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTCQB: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0) is an agricultural biotech company focused on developing and commercializing natural biological solutions for high-value crops, including fruits and vegetables. The company uses novel compounds from the mustard plant to provide superior and safer alternatives to current synthetic chemicals used as pesticides, fungicides and nematicides. Management & advisors own 22% of the company’s 37 million shares outstanding.

Leveraging its innovative platform, MustGrow effectively extracts the natural defense mechanisms of the mustard seed for broad use in crop production and protection. The company uses components of mustard seed to provide high quality, organic pest control to growers facing challenges associated with soil-borne diseases and pests like nematodes. This company’s all-natural, effective, safe and easy-to-use solution is ideal for farmers looking to raise healthy crops without chemical pesticides amid growing concerns worldwide over the negative effects of chemical pesticide solutions.

MustGrow, which went public in 2019, was founded in Saskatoon, Canada, and is currently focused on disrupting the $65 billion global pesticide market with its 100% owned and patented mustard-derived technology. Canada produces 28% of the global mustard crop and is the world’s largest exporter, with a 57% market share.

TerraMG and Pipeline

The company’s technology extracts the mustard plant’s natural organic compounds, which, when combined with water, form Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and serve as a natural defense mechanism for the plant against pests and diseases. MustGrow’s mustard-derived technology acts as both a natural bio-pesticide and as a non-selective bio-herbicide.

There are currently more than 110 independent third-party trials that confirm the safety and efficacy of MustGrow’s solutions, potentially positioning the company as a leading provider of safe plant protection solutions in a market that is gradually eliminating the use of chemical compounds.

MustGrow’s primary product at the moment is the new liquid formulation TerraMG, which has the potential to compete against existing chemistries on both efficacy and price. Its initial target market is as a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide for use with higher-value crops such as fruits and vegetables. This liquid formulation is safe and easy to transport and has already demonstrated its efficacy against several pests and diseases.

In addition to its use as a pre-plant soil treatment, TerraMG has significant potential for multiple applications in several other markets, which is expected to aggressively expand the company’s IP portfolio. MustGrow has already confirmed or is in the process of testing multiple applications of TerraMG, including fruit and vegetable soil fumigation ($1.2 billion estimated global market), container fumigation ($2 billion estimated global market), tobacco nematode and disease fumigation ($4 billion estimated global loss), non-selective herbicide ($13 billion estimated global market), food-borne pathogens ($15 billion estimated global market) and more.

The company anticipates registration approval for the liquid formulation (TerraMG) as a pre-plant bio-pesticide for soil-borne diseases and pests from the EPA (United States) and PMRA (Canada) in 2021. The company already has EPA and PMRA approval for the product’s granular form.

Currently, MustGrow’s pipeline also includes:

  • TerraMG, a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide, for:
    • Fruit & Vegetable – currently in Phase 4
    • Turf & Ornamental – currently in Phase 4
    • Tobacco – currently in Phase 4
    • Potatoes – currently in Phase 4
    • Canola – targeting Clubroot Disease – currently in Phase 3: Advanced Development/Field Trials
    • Bananas – targeting Fusarium wilt TR4 – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
    • Pulse Crops – targeting Aphanomyces – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
  • Non-Selective Bio-Herbicide – targeting noxious or resistant weeds – currently in Phase 2: Early Development/Greenhouse
  • Storage Bio-Pesticide for Bulk Grain, Fresh Produce – targeting toxins, diseases and insects – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
  • Storage Bio-Pesticide for Shipping Containers – targeting fungus, invasive pests and diseases – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
  • Bio-Pesticide for Foodborne Pathogens – targeting E. coli, salmonella, Listeria, human pathogens, etc. – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory

Market Opportunity

The protection of crops with synthetic chemical pesticides represents a $65 billion-dollar global market that is expected to grow in the coming years as the global population grows and needs more food. This number doesn’t include bio-pesticide sales, which are projected to increase to $8.5 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 14.7%. MustGrow, with its natural bio-pesticide, is targeting not only the bio-pesticide market, but also the global synthetic chemical market so as to help replace harmful synthetic pesticides and provide a natural biologic that has the efficacy of controlling pests and disease compared to synthetic chemicals in some instances.

Management Team

Corey Giasson is the President, CEO and Director of MustGrow. He is an entrepreneur focused on the agriculture, mining, real estate and oil/gas industries, primarily in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Giasson is co-founder and director of Legacy Capital Corp. This private equity company focuses on participating in management buyouts of strong, sustainable cash flowing businesses. He has an MBA and B.Sc. in Agriculture Economics from the University of Saskatchewan.

Colin Bletsky is COO and Director of MustGrow. He grew up in Eastern Saskatchewan on his family’s third-generation farm, growing canola, wheat and oats. The majority of his time is spent helping other organizations and farmers grow their businesses – locally and globally. Bletsky has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan and executive education from the London School of Business and INSEAD.

Todd Lahti is the company’s CFO. He has extensive experience evaluating and managing biotech, agricultural and oil/gas start-up companies by working directly on financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, business development, corporate strategy, technology transfer and operations setup. Lahti is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Chartered Professional Accountant.

Brad Munro is Chairman of MustGrow. He is the President and CEO of Bittercreek Capital Corp., a private investment and advisory firm. He has extensive corporate finance and investment experience in the natural gas and oil industries, among others. Munro has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan.

MustGrow Biologics Corp. (OTCQB: MGROF), closed Friday's trading session at $1.5814, up 1.3718%, on 51,906 volume with 36 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 65,981 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.124499998/$1.87.

Recent News

CannAssist International Corp. (OTCQB: CNSC)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight CannAssist International Corp. (OTCQB: CNSC).

CannAssist International Corp. (OTCQB: CNSC) was featured today in the 420 with CNW by CannabisNewsWire. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation and sale of industrial hemp and hemp extracts, including cannabidiol (“CBD”), spawning what would soon be one of the most popular health and wellness ingredients in a long time. With both hemp and CBD boasting a wide array of benefits, a market products containing the two ingredients sprang up. Although the sector soon had thousands of sellers across the supply chain with CBD products attracting incredible demand, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) was expressly against marketing and selling CBD products as dietary supplements.

CannAssist International Corp. (OTCQB: CNSC), owner of Xceptor Labs, is a biotechnological pharmaceutical and wellness company marketing the Xceptol consumer brand.

CannAssist, a Delaware corporation, was established in May 2017 and is headquartered in San Diego County, California.

2018 Farm Bill and CBD Market Size

Signed into law in December 2018, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) removed hemp from its classification as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

There are over 100 known cannabinoids within the hemp plant. The two most commonly utilized cannabinoids are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). Cannabinoids have been shown to affect the endocannabinoid system within the human body, which is why CBD has demonstrated effectiveness as a therapeutic option when delivered through the right absorption avenues.

The 2018 Farm Bill is expected to have a sustained impact on the growth of the cannabidiol market and related sectors. In 2018, the global cannabidiol market was valued at $4.6 billion, and it’s expected to increase almost sixfold by 2025, reaching $23.6 billion (https://ibn.fm/PL6PO).

This growth is expected to provide multiple opportunities to CannAssist and its high-quality, high-performance brands, including products currently under development. Based on current revenue from licensing agreements, retail sales and the Xceptol brand’s international distribution, the company expects to reach first-year sales of $5 million. With additional products in the pipeline and an unwavering commitment to quality and effectiveness, the company expects to see steady sales growth in the years ahead.

Xceptor Labs

Xceptor Labs is an R&D and raw material manufacturing company that partners with TakaUSA, in Coppell, Texas, for contract manufacturing and production services.

CiBiDinol Technology

Xceptor Labs’ technology, CiBiDinol, is formulated using a proprietary process developed by CannAssist Founder Mark Palumbo. It is specifically designed to address many critical issues with oil-soluble CBD molecules, including delivery, bioavailability and short shelf-life. This technology provides the basis for Xceptor Labs and Xceptol consumer products.

CiBiDinol is believed to provide CBD in a format that is more in line with the body’s natural bioactivity. The company’s proprietary processes are used to combine CBD molecules with penetration enhancing cyclodextrin, effectively modifying the CBD molecule’s surface and rendering it water dispersible. This technology enhances absorption through the skin and gut.

The company believes that CBD products created using its CiBiDinol technology offer more predictable potency and enable reduced dosage requirements. This technology clears the way for a wide variety of products, including many oil-soluble active ingredients and highly effective consumer product applications.

Independent Testing

Third-party testing has confirmed that products made with CiBiDinol demonstrate a 400 percent increase in skin penetration as compared to regular CBD in oil carriers alone, as well as a 300 percent higher absorption rate in the gut. The company believes that the results indicate that the amount of CBD needed to achieve targeted endpoints can be significantly lower, resulting in lower costs for manufacturers and consumers with little to no side effects.

“Oversight of manufacturing and third-party testing of this ingredient produced consumer products designed to provide clinicians and consumers safe, effective, and affordable treatment options to address their health and wellness concerns,” Palumbo said in a news release.

CiBiDinol is currently being evaluated for safety by the National Science Foundation for Global Recognition and has been submitted to the FDA’s bulk drug substance program. The company is developing a commerce pathway in each state’s pharmaceutical distribution network through the National Board of Pharmacies. The company aims to capture increasing market share through product extensions and advancements by seeking critical third-party analysis and physician feedback regarding its proprietary technology’s attributes. Xceptor Labs intends to offer licensing arrangements for brand-consumer companies.

Xceptol Products

CiBiDinol technology is the foundation for Xceptor Labs and the Xceptol line of products, including topical creams, capsules, tinctures and pet drops. The Xceptol line began launching its products in September 2020, and it currently has five National Drug Code topical pain creams utilizing ingredients registered with the FDA.

Xceptol products will be sold online, through Range Me, as well as through national and international retail and pharmaceutical distributors. Marketing for Xceptol products is planned through multiple social media campaigns including using celebrities and former athletes associated with Freedman Sports Promotional Relations.

Xceptol is establishing sales channels in North America, Central America, South America, South Africa, the EU, the UK and the Philippines.

Management Team

Mark Palumbo, CEO and Founder, is an entrepreneur, scientist and executive with over 30 years in the health care, laboratory and manufacturing industries. His entrepreneurial endeavors include a successful personal care industry distribution company, a currently owned and operated tissue culture laboratory and Xceptor Labs, now part of CannAssist International.

Marla Palumbo, President, is a health care professional and registered nurse with over 30 years of experience in the industry. She handles sales, patient advocacy, patient care and general management. Marla Palumbo has effectively developed and grown a personal care distribution company with significant year over year increases in sales. Her management and organization skills were instrumental in the early development of Xceptor Labs, leading to its CannAssist International public company status.

Dr. Rahul Dixit, MD, Medical Director, is a doctor of gastroenterology at Providence St. John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica, California. He was part of a double fellowship with the University of Miami in Gastroenterology and Hepatology/Liver Transplant at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He has over 20 years of experience with cannabis and hemp-related products.

Takako McGowan, Managing Director, Founding Member and Owner of TakaUSA, brings 40 years of experience in manufacturing and consumer product research & development to the CannAssist team.

Camron Elizabeth, Managing Director-Sales and Marketing, is an entrepreneur and leader who has brought immense success to the companies with whom she has worked. As Founder and CEO of Platinum Pack, Elizabeth was responsible for all aspects of its success in bringing products from concept to completion and successful sell-through on the retailer’s shelf. She has been in the beauty industry for over 40 years.

Benjamin Perlstein, VP of Operations, has been a part of the health care and business development field for over 25 years. As a surgical technologist, he has experience as a clinical application specialist and materials manager.

Braden Traub, Director of Marketing and Customer Development, is an entrepreneur and business owner with 10 years of experience in the health and fitness industries. Traub also has skills and experience as a tax resolutionist and legal document preparer.

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the following: the timing and nature of any capital raising transactions; the Company’s ability to offer products and services for use by customers in existing and new markets; the Company’s ability to deliver in a timely fashion and to its customers’ satisfaction the products purchased; the risk of competition; its ability to find, recruit and retain personnel with knowledge and experience in selling products and services in existing and new markets; its ability to manage growth; and general market, economic and business conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company’s forward-looking statements are under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year 2019 and its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, all filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update forward-looking statements.

CannAssist International Corp. (OTCQB: CNSC), closed Friday's trading session at $0.06, even for the day, on 230,000 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 16,254 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.059999998/$0.50.

Recent News

Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF)

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

Brain Scientific (OTCQB: BRSF), a commercial-stage, health-care company focused on developing innovative and proprietary medical devices and software, has created two devices designed to disrupt the EEG market. The NeuroCap(TM) and NeuroEEG(TM) offer cost-effective, disposable substitutes that help improve patient’s access to neurological care. The company is also helping improve the quality of care and solutions that practices can offer their patients.

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

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

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

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

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

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

NeuroCap(TM) – Disposable EEG Headset

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

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

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

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

NeuroEEG(TM) – Miniature and Portable Wireless EEG Amplifier

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

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

Products in Active Development

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

Routine EEG

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

Pediatric EEG

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

Long-Term Monitoring

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

Artificial Intelligence

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

Telemedicine

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

 

Partnership with Marketing Brainology

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

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

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

Market Outlook

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF), closed Friday's trading session at $1.50, even for the day, on 4,750 volume with 5 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 11,625 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.100000001/$3.00999999.

Recent News

TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQB: TOBAF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQB: TOBAF).

TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQB: TOBAF), a company that is dedicated to giving smokers aged 21+ a nicotine-free and tobacco-free smoking experience, was featured in “Forbes” on Feb. 3, 2021 (https://ibn.fm/o50bD). The article profiles TAAT CEO Setti Coscarella and his professional background in the tobacco industry, as well as his vision for the company as it enters the USD$814 billion global tobacco industry. The “Forbes” article also discusses the value of TAAT as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. Also today, the company was featured in a publication from InvestorWire, examining how TOBAF announced that it has received new media coverage with a well-known finance publication, after a feature in Forbes on Feb. 3, 2021. According to the update, a Feb. 11 blog article published on Seeking Alpha discusses recent patterns in the consumer packaged goods (“CPG”) industry, in which analogues to popular product types ( e.g. , meat, alcohol) have gained market share seemingly due to the element of choice they provide to consumers. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/NIKGZ

TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQB: TOBAF) is a life sciences company dedicated to giving legal-aged smokers the choice to keep the smoking experience that they enjoy with no nicotine and no tobacco.

The key players of TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness are from leading tobacco brands. They are guiding the mission with the company’s proprietary product, TAAT(TM), which uses the company’s proprietary Beyond Tobacco(TM) base material. The base material undergoes a 14-step process to taste and smell just like tobacco and uses a patent-pending refinement technique.

This provides the company with unique opportunities on the global tobacco market, which was estimated at $849 billion in 2019, with approximately 1.3 billion people using tobacco in some form worldwide (https://nnw.fm/bvKFL).

TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Las Vegas, Nevada.

TAAT(TM)

TAAT is a smokable alternative to tobacco cigarettes using the Beyond Tobacco base material, which contains zero tobacco and zero nicotine. The current TAAT offering comes in three varieties: Original, Smooth and Menthol, which were launched during Q4 2020 in Ohio. The company’s Ohio tobacco wholesaler also distributes for major tobacco industry names such as Altria, RJ Reynolds (a subsidiary of British American Tobacco) and ITG.

The TAAT Beyond Tobacco experience was created to replicate the sensory elements of smoking a tobacco cigarette. Market testing in California and Nevada reached a consensus that TAAT products offered no significant differences in experience when compared to tobacco cigarettes, in terms of the following aspects:

  • Visual – the nearly identical product packaging and enhanced smoke volume
  • Auditory – the “crackling” sound of the base material when it is ignited
  • Smell – when burning, TAAT emits a tobacco-like scent
  • Taste – the patent-pending Beyond Tobacco base material undergoes a refinement process that creates a tobacco-like taste
  • Touch – TAAT satisfies the “hand-to-mouth” fixation and motor habits, such as flicking ashes

TAAT Beyond Tobacco Targeting Current Smokers

TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness is currently targeting the market of legal-aged smokers with its proprietary product. The company aims “not to create a new problem, but to solve an existing one.” TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness offers a non-addictive alternative to tobacco, with several competitive advantages making it a promising option on the United States market, such as:

  • Price – TAAT can be offered at a lower price than competing products in the tobacco category, which adds to the propositioned value for current legal-aged smokers.
  • Experience – TAAT appeals to current smokers who wish to give up the tobacco and nicotine but keep the smoking experience they enjoy.
  • Branding/Packaging – TAAT is American-grown and American-made, with its Beyond Tobacco base material serving as a legacy to the combustible tobacco products.

The current alternatives to cigarette smoking do not offer a comparable experience. Previously marketed products, like vaping, proved difficult for some legal-aged smokers to adopt, as the experience was too different from traditional cigarettes.

Market Outlook

In 2016, the United States tobacco market was valued at over $100 billion, a number that’s expected to grow over the next decade (https://nnw.fm/yd8oP). In terms of volume, over 215 billion cigarettes were sold to roughly 34 million adults in the United States in 2018. These numbers represent almost 14% of the adult population. Of those, almost two-thirds smoked more than 15 cigarettes in one day. A standard pack is comprised of 20 cigarettes.

The company’s Beyond Tobacco, as a non-tobacco product, has a price-driven consumer advantage in many states. While state taxes on traditional cigarettes vary, most tend to average around $1.82 per pack. Washington D.C. is on the higher end of the tax spectrum at $4.50 per pack, whereas Missouri is only $0.17 per pack (https://nnw.fm/D3WnT).

TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness estimates that, if one pack of TAAT Beyond Tobacco was sold at 20% of all United States tobacco points of sale, the product would capture 0.25% of the market, the equivalent of approximately 2.7 million cartons of cigarettes per year.

Management Team

Setti Coscarella is the Chief Executive Officer of TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. He is experienced in investment banking, private equity and entrepreneurship. In 2017, Mr. Coscarella was the lead strategist for Reduced-Risk Products at Philip Morris International. While there, he worked with thousands of smokers to better understand how to position smoking alternatives, developing programs that could help smokers convert to reduced-risk products. Mr. Coscarella holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, specializing in finance, marketing and corporate strategy. He also has a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and physics from the University of Toronto.

Tim Corkum is the company’s Chief Revenue Officer. He has a lengthy history in the tobacco industry, having served 21 years at Philip Morris International. Mr. Corkum has experience leading the international commercialization of combustible cigarettes and working on reduced-risk product offerings. During his 21-year tenure, he held senior positions in business development, sales strategy, key account management and corporate affairs. He holds a BA from Carleton University with a concentration in law.

Joe Deighan is Founder of TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness and oversees research and development. He is the founder of vape liquid ‘JJuice’, created in 2012. JJuice was distributed across all of the United States and in 26 other countries, alongside the private label production that was done for other brands. Mr. Deighan sold JJuice in a cash deal that was valued at over $800,000 in 2017. He currently handles all R&D and production for Beyond Tobacco, knowing the product better than anyone else in the company.

TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. (TOBAF), closed Friday's trading session at $3.81803, off by 0.051571%, on 311,233 volume with 746 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 230,526 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.100000001/$4.01000022.

Recent News

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP).

During the last year the COVID-19 pandemic has occupied large headlines worldwide while small neuro-oncology biopharmaceutical company CNS Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CNSP) has been quietly building a newsworthy effort of its own to improve a select group of individuals’ lives, preparing to launch medical trials that could help end the unrelenting and ultimately fatal advance of glioblastoma brain cancers.

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) is a clinical stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain and central nervous system.

The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Organ Targeted Therapeutics

The company’s lead drug candidate, Berubicin, is proposed for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (“GBM”), an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. Berubicin also has potential to treat other central nervous system malignancies. Based on limited clinical data, Berubicin appears to be the first anthracycline to cross the blood brain barrier in the adult brain, and it was the subject of a successful Phase 1 study which found the MDT and produced efficacy data as well.

CNS holds a worldwide exclusive license to the Berubicin chemical compound. The company has acquired all requisite data and know-how from Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. related to a completed Phase I clinical trial of Berubicin in malignant brain tumors. In this trial, 44% of patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in clinical benefit. In 2017, CNS entered into a collaboration and asset purchase agreement with Reata.

CNS intends to explore the potential of Berubicin to treat other diseases, including pancreatic and ovarian cancers and lymphoma. The company is also examining plans to develop combination therapies that include Berubicin.

CNS estimates that more than $25 million in private capital and grants were invested in Berubicin prior to the company’s $9.8 million IPO in November 2019.

CNS intends to submit an IND for Berubicin during the fourth quarter of 2020 and expects to commence a Phase II clinical trial of Berubicin for the treatment of GBM in the U.S. in Q1 2021. A sub-licensee partner was awarded a $6 million EU/Polish National Center for Research and Development grant to undertake a Phase II trial of Berubicin in adults and a first-ever Phase I trial in pediatric GBM patients in Poland in 2021.

The company’s second drug candidate, WP1244, is a novel DNA binding agent licensed from the MD Anderson Cancer Center. In preclinical studies, WP1244 proved to be 500-times more potent than the chemotherapeutic agent, daunorubicin, in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. The company has entered into a sponsored research agreement with the MD Anderson Cancer Center to further the development of WP1244.

CNS Pharmaceuticals recently engaged U.S.-based Pharmaceutics International Inc. and Italian BSP Pharmaceuticals SpA for the production of the Berubicin drug product. The company has implemented a dual-track manufacturing strategy to mitigate COVID-19-related risks, diversify its supply chain and provide for localized availability of Berubicin. CNS has already completed synthesis of Berubicin’s active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and has shipped the API to both manufacturers in order to prepare an injectable form of Berubicin for clinical use.

Global Brain Tumor Therapeutics Market

The high recurrence rate of malignant brain tumors is due to reappearance of focal masses, indicating that a sub-population of tumor cells in these cancers may be insensitive to current therapies and may be responsible for reinitiating tumor growth. This necessitates the development of newer drugs in the market that demonstrate greater efficacy in treating such aggressive cancers.

A global increase in neurological disorders has placed increased attention on cancers of the brain over the past decade. Neurological disorders are becoming one of the most prevalent types of disorders, due to longer life expectancy, greater exposure to infection and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Because few treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain exist, costs are high and have acted as a restraint for the brain tumor therapeutics market.

Despite progress in surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapeutic strategies, effective treatments for brain cancer are limited by a lack of specific therapies for the brain and the difficulty in transporting therapeutic compounds across the blood brain barrier. Therefore, there is a significant need for novel and effective therapeutic drugs and strategies that prolong survival and improve quality of life for brain tumor patients.

Several companies are making significant investments into R&D, which is expected to bring more treatment options to the market in the near future. Industry reports consistently project continued growth in the market.

One report estimates that the global brain tumor therapeutics market will reach a valuation of $2.74 billion in 2023, with the market expected to register a CAGR of 11% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2023. Another report projects that the global brain tumor therapeutics market will reach $3.4 billion by 2025, up from $2.25 billion in 2019 (http://nnw.fm/eDUjp).

Management Team

John M. Climaco is the CEO of CNS Pharmaceuticals. For 15 years, Climaco has served in leadership roles for a variety of health care companies. Recently, Climaco served as the Executive Vice President of Perma-Fix Medical S.A, where he managed the development of a novel method to produce Technitium-99. Climaco also served as President and CEO of Axial Biotech Inc., a DNA diagnostics company. In the process of taking Axial from inception to product development to commercialization, Climaco forged strategic partnerships with Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and Smith & Nephew.

Christopher Downs, CPA, is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Downs previously served as Interim Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of InfuSystem Holdings Inc. (NYSE: INFU), a supplier of infusion services to oncologists in the United States. Downs holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Dr. Donald Picker is the Chief Scientific Officer of CNS. Picker has over 35 years of drug development experience. Prior to joining CNS, Picker worked at Johnson Matthey, where he was responsible for the development of Carboplatin, one of the world’s leading cancer drugs, which was acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb with annual sales of over $500 million. In addition, he oversaw the development of Satraplatin and Picoplatin, third-generation platinum drugs currently in late-stage clinical development.

Sandra L. Silberman, M.D., Ph.D., is the Chief Medical Officer of CNS Pharmaceuticals. Silberman is a hematologist/oncologist who earned her B.A., Sc.M. and Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Arts and Sciences, School of Public Health and School of Medicine, respectively, and her M.D. from Cornell University Medical College. She then completed both a clinical fellowship in hematology/oncology and a research fellowship in tumor immunology at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Silberman has played key roles in the development of many drugs, including Gleevec(TM), for which she led the global clinical development at Novartis. Silberman advanced several original, proprietary compounds into Phases I through III during her work with leading biopharmaceutical companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Imclone and Roche.

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP), closed Friday's trading session at $3.44, off by 6.5217%, on 1,158,294 volume with 4,865 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 2,528,054 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.25820004/$5.61999988.

Recent News

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO)

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

South Easton, MA, February , 2021 – Pressure BioSciences (OTCQB: PBIO) (“PBI” or the “Company”), a global leader in the development and sale of broadly enabling, pressure-based instruments to the life sciences and other fields, announced it has signed a letter of intent to purchase the assets of an internationally-based, eco-friendly agrochemical developer.  This developer was previously engaged in providing environmentally sustainable alternatives to synthetic pesticides and fertilizers for agricultural production worldwide.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO), closed Friday's trading session at $2.70, off by 1.8182%, on 14,647 volume with 49 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 28,361 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.19000005/$4.48999977.

Recent News

Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CLXPF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CLXPF).

Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CLXPF) was featured today in a publication from PsychedelicNewsWire, examining how Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey recently signed a psilocybin reform measure that reclassified possession of up to one ounce of psilocybin mushrooms under a disorderly persons’ offense. This reclassification means that persons caught with small amounts of psilocybin will be subject to up to six months in jail, a $1000 fine or both. The offense was previously punishable with fines of up to $15 000 and a penalty of three to five years in jail, and was considered a third-degree crime.

Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CLXPF) is a Canada-based life sciences company focused on the pharmaceutical development of psychedelic products, as well as the functional mushroom market.

The early-stage company boasts an experienced management team featuring industry veterans from pharmaceutical and consumer product backgrounds who have run multiple clinical trials and collectively helped facilitate billions of dollars in product revenues. The team is dedicated to the development of products and protocols within the psychedelic, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

In particular, Cybin aims to further build upon and expand its intellectual property (IP) portfolio, which is structured around unique psilocybin delivery mechanisms that target a number of different therapeutic indications. In addition, the company has dedicated itself toward furthering its research and IP within the fields of synthetic compounds, extraction methods, the isolation of chemical compounds, new drug formulations and protocol regimes.

Serenity Life Sciences & Natures Journey Inc.

The company’s business model is centered around its two core subsidiaries, Serenity Life Sciences and Natures Journey Inc., which comprise Cybin’s two-pronged approach toward delivering fungi-derived psychedelic and medicinal products.

Serenity Life Sciences is focused on furthering research and development of psilocybin-based medications. Psilocybin is found in certain species of mushrooms and is a non-habit forming, naturally occurring psychedelic compound. Research into psilocybin has shown positive results for the treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, eating disorders, ADHD and other indications.

Natures Journey Inc. operates the Journey brand, which specializes in developing proprietary medicinal mushroom products that target and promote mental wellness, immune boosting detoxification and overall general health and wellbeing.

Partnership with the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science (TCPS)

Staying true to its axiom of being a research-first medicinal mushroom life sciences company, Cybin recently announced its entry into a strategic partnership with the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science (TCPS), with the goal of furthering its ongoing psilocybin research efforts and expanding Cybin’s psilocybin IP portfolio (http://nnw.fm/9EUkI).

“While there is evidence to support psilocybin as a treatment for certain indications, the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science is taking a clinical approach to prove or disprove the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-based microdosing through an open science approach,” Paul Glavine, CEO of Cybin, stated in a news release.

“We are excited to join forces with Cybin and to offer our expertise. A number of firms had approached TCPS, but Cybin demonstrated a superior commitment to high-quality research and integrity in product development. Our high standards for scientific rigor and transparency will find a fitting home within the culture Cybin is cultivating in Canada and abroad,” Thomas Anderson, co-founder of the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science, added.

Journey’s Product Monetization & Market Potential for Nutraceutical Supplements

Although Cybin is at the forefront of companies seeking to conduct clinical trials aimed at gaining regulatory approval for psilocybin and other psychedelic products, the company has also placed a great deal of emphasis on generating meaningful revenue from its very outset.

Cybin’s Journey brand has is launching a range of supplements comprised of popular fungi-derived ingredients such as Reishi, Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps. Purported to aid focus and concentration while promoting neurogenesis, Journey’s range of nutraceutical products provides Cybin with a crucial foothold within the non-psychedelic legal supplement market, which is valued at over $25 billion globally and growing at a 9% year-over-year rate.

Pharmaceutical Psychedelics

In addition to the company’s range of non-psychedelic supplements, Cybin has plans to carry out a clinical trial with a new delivery system for its psilocybin-based medications later this year. Ultimately, the company aims to enter into technology transfer agreements with global pharmaceutical companies after phase 1 & phase 2 clinical trials are complete in order to accelerate regulatory approvals in major indications in global markets with entire lifecycle product management.

With products such as psilocybin truffles already legal in nations such as the Netherlands, Jamaica and Bulgaria, Cybin has positioned itself to capitalize on an eventual legalization of psychedelic mushroom-derived products in the future. Working within a regulatory environment with strong similarities to that which dealt with cannabis prior to the industry’s eventual legalization by the Canadian government in 2018, Cybin is laying the groundwork for the moment pharmaceutical psychedelics gain acceptance in North America and abroad.

Amalgamation Agreement and Financing

Cybin recently announced its entry into an amalgamation agreement dated June 26, 2020, with Clarmin Explorations Inc. (TSX.V: CX) and 2762898 Ontario Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Clarmin (http://nnw.fm/w04LH). Completion of the transactions contemplated in the amalgamation agreement will result in the reverse takeover of Clarmin by Cybin.

In connection with the proposed transaction, Cybin plans to complete a “best-efforts” brokered private placement of subscription receipts of Cybin, with a syndicate of agents co-led by Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc. (Stifel GMP) and Eight Capital, to raise a minimum of C$14 million ($10 million) and a maximum of C$21 million ($15 million), with a 15% agents’ option.

To date, Cybin has raised approximately C$10,400,000 through an initial financing round and its series A financing round.

Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CLXPF), closed Friday's trading session at $1.68, off by 1.1765%, on 496,601 volume with 928 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 505,959 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0284/$2.23499989.

Recent News

VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN)

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

VistaGen Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VTGN), a biopharmaceutical company developing new-generation medicines with the potential to go beyond the current standard of care for anxiety, depression and other central nervous system (“CNS”) disorders, has reported its financial numbers for its fiscal 2021 third quarter, ending Dec. 21, 2020. Highlights of the report are the company’s strengthened balance sheet following the closing of its recent underwritten public offering, which resulted in $100 million. To view the full press release, visit: https://ibn.fm/5C7Pu

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

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

New Generation Medications

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

PH94B

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

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

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

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

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

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

PH10

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

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

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

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

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

  • Postpartum Depression
  • Treatment-resistant Depression
  • Suicidal Ideation

AV-101

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

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

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

CNS Therapeutics Market Outlook

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

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

VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN), closed Friday's trading session at $1.91, off by 3.5354%, on 2,563,518 volume with 8,831 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 2,806,998 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.300000011/$2.94000005.

Recent News

Clean Power Capital Corp. (CSE: MOVE) (FWB: 2K6) (OTC: MOTNF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Clean Power Capital Corp. (CSE: MOVE) (FWB: 2K6) (OTC: MOTNF).

PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp., a majority-owned investee interest of investment issuer Clean Power Capital (CSE: MOVE) (FWB: 2K6) (OTC: MOTNF), is stepping up its dedication to clean energy infrastructure through cost-effective hydrogen fuel IP, modular fuel station product design flexibility and a launch plan for building a fueling network across California and into the rest of the nation. Also today, the company was featured in a GreenCarNewsBreaks from Green Car Stocks, examining how, for most drivers switching from conventional petrol or diesel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (“EVs”), charging is one of their biggest concerns. Charging an EV is quite different from stopping at a gas station and filling the tank; EV drivers have several charging options at their disposal, depending on their circumstances. They can charge overnight at home, during the day at the office or at compatible public EV charging stations.

Clean Power Capital Corp. (CSE: MOVE) (FWB: 2K6) (OTC: MOTNF) is an investment holding company that focuses on investing in and providing early-stage financing to both public and private businesses. Since its original listing with the Canadian Stock Exchange (“CSE”) on January 23, 2019, the company has made investments in a number of different businesses in a variety of industries, including the energy and cannabis sectors. As per the company’s investment policy, its primary goal is to identify and capitalize on high-return investment opportunities presenting the ability to achieve capital appreciation and liquidity.

Clean Power Capital continues to be opportunistic in evaluating prospects across the renewable energy, bio-medical, pharmaceutical and naturopathic sectors, both as an investor and as an operator. The company’s main focus at the moment is to identify such opportunities in the renewable energy industry, including wind, solar and geothermal power and hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, as well as in the biomedical, pharmaceutical and naturopathic sectors, which may include medical or recreational cannabis.

Clean Power Capital currently has 10 investments in a variety of sectors and successfully held nearly C$120 million in investments during the past fiscal year (https://ibn.fm/8oktZ). It returned capital to its shareholders through the distribution of its interest in AgraFlora Organics International Inc. in May 2020 (https://ibn.fm/FRAvq).

Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Clean Power Capital was formerly named Organic Flower Investments Group Inc. As of November 10, 2020, the company officially changed its name to Clean Power Capital and started trading on the CSE under new ticker symbol ‘MOVE’.

PowerTap Acquisition, Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Collaboration

In alignment with its updated investment policy, a reconstituted investment committee and a revised strategy to reflect its focus on the renewable energy market, Clean Power Capital recently completed the acquisition of a 90 percent equity interest in California-based PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp.

Leveraging an impressive portfolio of IP and advanced deployed technologies developed over two decades via substantial investments and partnerships, PowerTap is working on building and expanding a hydrogen filling station network, initially across North America. The company believes that its platform has a significant advantage over other hydrogen fueling stations, because it has a smaller physical footprint and further has the capacity to produce hydrogen fuel on site. As most other hydrogen fueling stations buy hydrogen for storage at higher costs, PowerTap’s model is believed to be exponentially more cost-effective and expandable.

Clean Power Capital’s investment and acquisition will allow PowerTap to step up its efforts and begin work on the hydrogen fueling station network in stages, starting with engineering and design, ongoing development of PowerTap’s third generation product and, finally, licensing & permitting and site preparation. Development is expected to begin in Q4 2021 with engineering and design. Overall, the initial portion of the project is expected to cost $17 million, with Clean Power Capital and PowerTap planning to secure government financing and credit, as well as equity, debt and convertible debt offerings, to fund the infrastructure’s development.

PowerTap technology is already deployed across multiple hydrogen fueling stations in public and private enterprises spanning California, Maryland, Massachusetts and Texas. The company plans to deploy its hydrogen fueling infrastructure at existing truck stops and gas stations across the country, beginning with up to 1,000 stations within the next three to five years. At the moment, there are roughly 70 active hydrogen fueling stations operational and available to consumers in the United States.

Hydrogen Industry Outlook

The project is expected to bring significant opportunities for PowerTap and Clean Power Capital on the fast-growing hydrogen market, driven by a worldwide focus on clean energies and environmentally friendly fueling solutions for the transportation industry.

Hydrogen-powered vehicles come with tremendous advantages over gas, diesel and even electric vehicles in terms of cost per mile, fueling time and driving range, as well as boasting significantly lower emissions. Well-established vehicle manufacturers such as Hyundai, Toyota, Daimler and Volvo are already including hydrogen-powered cars in their product lineups, and Nikola Motors has announced plans to manufacture hydrogen electric long-haul vehicles.

“As an experienced developer of technology in an important area that is finally having its time as a green but also economically compelling energy option, PowerTap is intent on becoming a leading part of the multi-billion dollar hydrogen fueling space,” PowerTap CEO Raghu Kilambi explained in a news release on October 28, 2020 (https://ibn.fm/oaXem).

A recent industry report developed by a coalition of major oil and gas, power, automotive, fuel cell and hydrogen companies indicates that the sector is expected to grow to $140 billion a year in revenue by 2030, creating 700,000 jobs in the U.S. alone (https://ibn.fm/UMI5q). According to Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association President Morry Markowitz, the sector could expand to $750 billion a year in revenue and 3.4 million jobs by 2050.

The U.S. is already engaged in the hydrogen economy, having more than half of the global number of fuel cell vehicles and investing hundreds of millions of dollars a year, but the country can greatly expand its global energy leadership by scaling up operations in the hydrogen economy, per the industry report.

With the upcoming change in administration in January 2021, the U.S. is expected to renew its commitment to clean energy. Moreover, the U.S. federal government is expected to invest significantly in clean energy and related infrastructure, including hydrogen, according to PowerTap.

“As the U.S. federal government has previously invested in the PowerTap technology, we are optimistic that we will have a seat at the table when USA clean energy/hydrogen infrastructure spending initiatives are designed,” Kilambi added.

Management Team

Joel Dumaresq is the CEO and interim CFO of Clean Power Capital. He is a proven executive with extensive operational and senior management experience in mining, energy and alternative energy, as well as the cannabis and hemp space. Dumaresq began his career in the corporate finance space, having spent 12 years with RBC Dominion Securities. He brings 30 years of experience in the financial sector to the company, has been instrumental in raising over $250 million in venture capital finance, and he has personally managed a number of successful public listings.

Brendan Purdy serves as a director of Clean Power Capital. An experienced businessperson who has led five different companies, Purdy brings years of experience in different industries, including cannabis, blockchain and data security, gaming, mining and energy, and finance and law. He received a graduate degree from the University of Ottawa and an undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Theo van der Linde serves as a director of Clean Power Capital. He is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years extensive experience in finance, reporting, regulatory requirements, public company administration, equity markets and financing of publicly traded companies. He has served as a CFO & Director for a number of TSX Venture Exchange- and Canadian Securities Exchange-listed companies over the past several years. His industry experience spans the financial services, manufacturing, oil & gas, mining and retail industries. More recently, van der Linde has been involved with future use trends of natural resources, as well as other disruptive technologies.

Raghu Kilambi is the CEO and CFO of PowerTap Hydrogen. He is a seasoned investor and entrepreneur with over 25 years of global business experience in public and private investments, building businesses and creating shareholder value. He has raised over $1 billion of equity and debt capital for private and public companies and been involved in many M&A acquisitions and exits.

Clean Power Capital Corp. (OTC: MOTNF), closed Friday's trading session at $1.42, off by 10.2912%, on 224,626 volume with 380 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 223,229 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0315/$2.78999996.

Recent News

LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF).

LexaGene Holdings (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF), a molecular diagnostics company that develops fully automated rapid pathogen detection systems, today announced that Daryl Rebeck will resign from the board and his position as the president of LexaGene effective Feb. 15, 2021. Stephen J. Mastrocola has joined the company’s board of directors and brings almost 40 years of accounting and auditing experience working with public and private companies. To view the full press release, visit: https://ibn.fm/0O9cI

LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF) is a molecular diagnostics company that develops genetic analyzers for rapid detection of pathogens at the point-of-need.

Based in the greater-Boston, Massachusetts area, the company’s fully automated genetic analyzer for pathogen detection, the MiQLab™, is designed to deliver reference-quality data with ease of use. MiQLab’s technology screens samples for up to 27 different targets at once—looking for pathogens and antimicrobial resistance factors—and returns results in approximately one hour. It is designed to be operated at the site of sample collection to avoid the delay associated with shipping and manually processing samples. This technology is designed for use in multiple markets, including human and veterinary diagnostics, as well as food safety testing ($12.9B, $2.2B, and $23.4B markets, respectively).

Portfolio Benefits

Rapid, automated pathogen detection

LexaGene’s MiQLab pathogen detection system offers rapid and sensitive testing to markets in need of better vigilance against pathogens that could endanger health and harm public safety and the bottom line. The company’s disruptive technology is on-demand and offers results in approximately an hour.

End users collect a sample, load it onto the MiQLab genetic analyzer with a sample preparation cartridge, enter a sample ID and press ‘go’.

MiQLab is open-access, which allows users to easily customize their own tests, in addition to running the company’s own validated tests. No comparable technology exists on the market today for automating customized testing. The open-access market is over $20 billion in value and includes industries like pharma and biotech that currently need an automated method of performing PCR testing in a cost-efficient way.

Improved COVID-19 Testing

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a threat to global safety, the need for improved testing procedures has been well established. LexaGene’s technology is automated and designed to be used at the point-of-need, thereby avoiding the 12- to 24-hour shipping time. Plus, it performs sample preparation and the gold standard RT-PCR chemistry for exceptional data quality in about one hour.

Because LexaGene’s open-access instrument can be rapidly configured to detect novel pathogens, it is ideally suited to prevent pandemic spread with its easily deployed testing that facilitates rapid quarantine-related decision making.

This speed is in stark contrast to competitor point-of-care technologies that have reagents pre-embedded into complex and expensive cartridges that are only manufactured at specialized production sites — making it impossible to rapidly meet a swift increase in demand.

According to Dr. Jack Regan, LexaGene’s CEO and founder, the world needs easy-to-use, fully automated pathogen detection instruments operating at points-of-need that can be equipped with tests to detect a novel pathogen within a week of knowing its genetic sequence. For this pandemic, the lack of such technology forced the majority of testing to occur in distant reference laboratories, making rapid decisions on quarantine impossible and making the likelihood of successful containment remote.

Regan explained in a press release (http://nnw.fm/Vz5Ju), “LexaGene expects to be the first company to commercialize an automated open-access microfluidic technology designed for use at the point-of-need that can be configured to detect a novel pathogen in just a week’s time of its emergence — for use on-site to return results in one hour — and improve our chances of successful containment.”

Market Potential

LexaGene’s technology has a wide range of applications across many other markets, including biotech and pharma testing, water quality monitoring, agricultural testing, biodefense, and use at point-of-need at border crossings, military bases, aircraft carriers and cruise ships.

Markets for customized testing solutions are poised for significant growth. Industry analysts forecast considerable expansion of many of LexaGene’s potential target markets in the coming years, including:

  • The genotyping sector, forecast to reach a valuation of $31.9 billion by 2023;
  • PCR assays, expected to make up a $7 billion market opportunity by 2026;
  • The sample prep market, forecast to eclipse $9.3 billion by 2025;
  • Water quality monitoring, set to grow to $1.59 billion by 2022; and
  • Agricultural testing, anticipated to reach $6.29 billion by 2022.

LexaGene’s patented microfluidic system was invented by company CEO Regan, a leading scientist who developed a bio-warfare surveillance instrument that has been adopted by the Department of Homeland Security. Regan is also known for developing an instrument that detects respiratory pathogens from nasal swab samples. The development of these instruments was supported by $20 million in government funding.

Management Team

LexaGene’s experienced leadership team drives company growth with a focus on innovation, pursuing unique market opportunities and providing shareholder value.

Dr. Jack Regan, Chief Executive Officer & Director, is the inventor of the company’s flagship automated pathogen detection technology, the MiQLab. Before founding LexaGene, he led a team of scientists at Bio-Rad Laboratories (NYSE: BIO) in developing tests for detecting pathogens, cancer and neurological disorders using droplet digital PCR. Prior to Bio-Rad, Regan helped QuantaLife, a startup company, bring its product from concept to commercialization, where it was subsequently acquired by Bio-Rad. He has also worked at Applied Biosystems/Life Technologies on automated sample preparation and did his post-doctoral training at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His doctoral training at the University of California San Francisco focused on influenza viral replication.

Daryl Rebeck, President, has over 20 years of capital market experience with an established international financial network. Rebeck was a vice president and senior investment advisor with Canada’s largest independent investment bank, Canaccord Genuity, where he was responsible for raising significant risk capital for growth companies, with a particular focus on natural resources and medical technology. He has since worked to provide management expertise and grow shareholder value. He served as senior VP of corporate finance of Auryn Resources (NYSE: AUG), a $250 million market cap mining exploration company.

Jeffrey Mitchell, CFO, boasts over two decades of financial and SEC experience. Before joining LexaGene, he served as controller and director of finance, overseeing areas such as public company financial reporting, audits, and financial planning and analysis for Palomar Medical Technologies Inc. In addition to his many years at Palomar, Mitchell has served in numerous financial and strategic advisory roles for medical device, imaging and diagnostic companies.

LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF), closed Friday's trading session at $1.0872, off by 0.256881%, on 1,221,953 volume with 999 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,001,466 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.303799986/$1.22000002.

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Why do we spotlight companies for Free?
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"Homework Eliminates Mistakes"
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closed Monday's trading