NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW).

As the cost of healthcare continues to rise and inflation continues to increase, finding ways to save money will benefit many. Given that those with health savings accounts, commonly referred to as HSAs, can contribute more following recent increases to the limits to people's contributions to HSAs, Health-E Commerce has shared some tips to maximize value from these limit increases.

Health-E Commerce is the parent company of HSA Store, WellDeservedHealth and FSA Store, a collection of digital marketplaces that serve millions of consumers registered in pretax medical as well as wellness accounts. In the last few years, eligibility of health saving accounts has expanded to afford users the power to use their funds to pay for day-by-day health, prevention and wellness products. From OTC pain medications to allergy drugs to band-aids, there are numerous ways for consumers to leverage tax-free medical funds to purchase frequently needed products/items. The HSA store has provided a searchable eligibility list online that makes it easier to save valuable money and time. HSA Store VP Itamar Romanini stated that when it came to healthcare and finances, consumers wanted support, convenience and flexibility, which a health savings account could deliver. Romanini further noted that understanding how expanded eligibility of HSA aligned with daily health needs could help consumers achieve the maximum value from these accounts.

As more companies such as NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW) enter the healthcare ecommerce space, more people with HSA plans could find it easier to turn to these platforms for any products or services that they need which are covered in those plans.

NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW), a next generation e-commerce platform, was created with vision and purpose to capitalize on high growth sectors and global markets. The company collaborates with businesses – large and small – to simplify and accelerate online commerce and uniquely enables customers and partners to optimize their e-commerce reach, presence and revenue. NextPlat recently launched a new e-commerce development program to provide American businesses with easy access to the massive Chinese consumer market.

Current Initiatives

NextPlat provides cutting edge technology in an advanced e-commerce ecosystem. The company is actively expanding its global network of online storefronts serving thousands of consumers, enterprises and governments. The company also has developed a next generation platform built for Web3 that enables the creation and sale of digital assets, as well as optimizing e-commerce transactions and business building activities. The company’s current initiatives include:

• E-Commerce Development Program – In April 2023, NextPlat announced it had entered into a merchant sourcing agreement with Alibaba.com Singapore E-Commerce Private Limited (“Alibaba”) and its Tmall Global e-commerce platform whereby the two companies will collaborate to increase the sale of products produced and sold by American companies to the multi-trillion-dollar Chinese consumer market. Alibaba’s Tmall Global e-commerce platform will provide NextPlat customers a turn-key solution through which products can be sold to the Chinese consumer market. The launch of the Florida E-Commerce Development Program is the first in a series of new NextPlat programs designed to assist U.S. businesses in expanding their online sales capabilities to reach new international customers in the Chinese market. NextPlat intends to rapidly expand this unique e-commerce development opportunity to businesses throughout the United States and all of North America, as well as Central and South America. The new development program features NextPlat’s turnkey global e-commerce solution for customers and leverages NextPlat’s relationships with key partners, including Tmall Global, China’s largest cross-border B2C online marketplace.
• Progressive Care Inc. – In August 2022, NextPlat completed a strategic $7 million investment in Progressive Care Inc. (OTCQB: RXMD), a personalized health care services and technology company. In a news release announcing the investment, NextPlat CEO Charles M. Fernandez noted that the company is “committed to harnessing the power of digital technologies to capitalize on the ongoing digital transformation of Progressive Care and the entire health care industry.” NextPlat intends to accelerate Progressive Care’s digital health care transformation with the launch of a new e-commerce platform for health care products later this year.
• NextPlat NFT Platform – Building on its existing e-commerce initiatives, NextPlat is working to bridge the gap between tangible and digital e-commerce marketplaces by incorporating burgeoning Web3 technologies. The company intends to launch a fully integrated NFT platform in the coming months that will enable brands to create, manage and authenticate digital assets while serving as a new source of revenue for NextPlat. Through this model, the company will receive a portion of the revenue generated from branded NFT drops, as well as subsequent secondary market transactions.
• Global Telesat Communications and Orbital SatCom Corp. – Targeting both domestic and international markets, NextPlat’s subsidiaries leverage partnerships with major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba, eBay and Walmart to serve a growing base that includes more than 50,000 corporate, governmental and individual customers. In total, the brands market more than 10,000 individual products, with a focus on satellite-based connectivity solutions. In addition to exploring accretive M&A opportunities, NextPlat aims to diversify its range of products and broaden its geographic footprint moving forward in an effort to better capitalize on the tremendous growth potential in the United States, Europe and Asia.

“Our goal for 2023 and beyond is to leverage our improved operational capabilities and enhanced leadership team as we expand our offerings in communications and connectivity into the high-growth health care market where we intend to launch an array of innovative new offerings,” Fernandez said in a March 2023 news release detailing the company’s record top-line performance. “Although there remain supply chain headwinds and the challenge of global inflation, we are confident that we have the right combination of market-tested expertise, technology and partnerships that will enable us to bring the power of e-commerce to more customers, brands and industries in the United States and abroad.”

Market Opportunity

The rapid growth of e-commerce over the last decade is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. According to data published by Forbes, roughly 20.8% of all retail purchases are expected to take place online in 2023, accounting for total sales of $6.31 trillion worldwide. It total, e-commerce sales are expected to grow by 10.4% YoY in 2023, accounting for a whopping 24% of all retail purchases by 2026.

For NextPlat, existing partnerships in the industry could be key to capitalizing on this growth. The Forbes report indicates that Amazon accounts for roughly 38.7% of e-commerce sales, while sites like Walmart, eBay and Alibaba round out the list of most visited e-commerce websites. Alibaba is especially interesting due to NextPlat’s recent strategic merchant sourcing agreement with Tmall Global. The Chinese market is “mammoth,” as a recent Alizila report noted. The country’s annual online retail sales of physical goods have nearly doubled in the last five years, reaching approximately 13.8 trillion yuan in 2022, which is nearly $2 trillion USD.

The health care portion of the e-commerce market is generating particularly bullish forecasts, bolstered by the continued adoption of the 340B Drug Pricing Program in the U.S., which requires most drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to covered entities at significantly reduced prices. Industry reports suggest that the global health care e-commerce market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16.8% from 2022 to 2030, climbing to a value of more than $1.37 trillion by the end of the forecast period.

Management Team

Charles M. Fernandez, CEO, Executive Chairman and Director of NextPlat, has over three decades of experience in identifying profitable start-up and dislocation opportunities, building significant value and executing exit strategies as an entrepreneur and global investor. Successful across multiple sectors, Fortune Magazine actually labeled Fernandez ‘a restructuring whiz’. As President of Fairholme Capital Management, which he joined in 2008, Mr. Fernandez co-managed all three Fairholme funds and brought in a $2 billion gain for shareholders. Throughout his impressive career, he has participated in more than 100 significant mergers, acquisitions and product development projects across multiple industries. Mr. Fernandez was the founder, Chairman and CEO of eApeiron Solutions LLC, a brand protection and e-commerce company in partnership with Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) and Eastman Kodak (NYSE: KODK), which was successfully sold to Smartrac, a unit of Avery Dennison Corp. (NYSE: AVY).

Rodney Barreto is Chairman and CEO of the Barreto Group and Director of Nextplat. Mr. Barreto’s business career spans over 35 years, including his role at the Barreto Group and, earlier, as the founding partner of Floridian Partners LLC, a corporate and public affairs consulting firm recognized by policy makers as one of the top in its industry in Florida. He chaired the Super Bowl Host Committee in 2007, 2010 and 2020, helping to raise more than $100 million for the success of Miami Super Bowls. As a philanthropist and conservationist, Mr. Barreto is also a three-time appointee to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where he has served for over 10 years including holding the title of Chairman eight times. He has twice chaired the Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, was Chairman of the 1999 Breeder’s Cup Championship held in South Florida and was the Chairman of the 1999 Sister Cities International Convention in Miami. Currently, Mr. Barreto is the Membership Chairman of the Florida Council of 100, and a member of the Boards of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the Baptist Health South Florida Giving Society, the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, and a member of Miami Dade County Schools Superintendent Carvalho’s Business Advisory Council. Prior to his career in public affairs and real estate, Mr. Barreto was a City of Miami police officer and is a member of the Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council.

NextPlat Corp. (NXPL), closed Wednesday's trading session at $2.68, up 2.2901%, on 10,477 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 6.726M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.2115/$4.26.

Recent News

• NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW) - How to Make the Most of Your Health Savings Account
• InvestorNewsBreaks - NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) Now Included in Russell Microcap(R) Index
• Armistice Capital LLC Cuts Stake in Shopify by 59%

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS).

D-Wave (NYSE: QBTS), a leader in quantum computing systems, software and services, is prepared to support the US government, as new legislation before Congress embraces all quantum technologies and pushes for near-term usage. The company announced today that recent legislation is calling for the U.S. government to develop and adopt near-term quantum computing applications with the potential to provide solutions to complex public sector optimization problems. These include electrical grid resilience, optimization of ports, global supply chain issues, emergency management and response, infrastructure, and telecommunication networks.

"The country is at a unique inflection point for U.S. quantum policy," said Dr. Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave. "To date, the U.S. National Quantum Strategy has not prioritized application development, but legislation before Congress has shifted that mindset. D-Wave stands ready to collaborate with the U.S. government to build near-term quantum applications to help meet current and future public sector needs."

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/3T8HQ

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) is a leader in quantum computing systems, software and services focused on delivering customer value via practical quantum applications for problems such as logistics, artificial intelligence, materials sciences, drug discovery, scheduling, fault detection and financial modeling. As the only provider building both annealing and gate-model quantum computers, the company is unlocking commercial use cases in optimization today, while building the technologies that will enable new solutions tomorrow.

D-Wave is a pioneer in quantum computing, with a history of delivering the world’s first commercial quantum computer; the first real-time quantum cloud service; countless hardware and software product and research milestones; and the planned first cross-platform quantum solution which will deliver both annealing and gate-model quantum computers to customers via an integrated platform. Its current commercial product offerings include: Advantage™ (fifth generation quantum computer), Leap™ (quantum cloud service), Launch™ (quantum computing onboarding service) and Ocean™ (full suite of open-source programming tools).

D-Wave’s relentless pursuit of practical quantum computing has resulted in the technology being used today by some of the world’s most advanced enterprises – more than 25 of the Forbes Global 2000 use D-Wave.

D-Wave’s commercial customers include blue-chip industry leaders like Volkswagen, Accenture, BBVA, NEC Corporation, Save-On-Foods, DENSO and Lockheed Martin. The company boasts an extensive IP portfolio featuring more than 200 issued U.S. patents and over 100 peer-reviewed papers published in leading scientific journals.

Founded in 1999, D-Wave is the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers. With headquarters and the Quantum Engineering Center of Excellence based near Vancouver, Canada, D-Wave’s U.S. operations are based in Palo Alto, California.

Advantage™ Quantum Computer

 

With the Advantage™ Quantum Computer, D-Wave has incorporated two decades of experience and over 10 years of customer feedback to create the first and only quantum computer designed for business. The platform features a new processor architecture with over 5,000 qubits and 15-way qubit connectivity. This is 2.5x more connections and more than double the number of qubits than the company’s previous generation quantum computer.

D-Wave’s quantum computers, first located in its facilities in British Columbia, have been available to North American users through its Leap™ quantum cloud service since 2018. It has since introduced new Advantage systems in Julich, Germany, and most recently, Marina Del Rey, California, which marked the availability of the first Advantage quantum computer physically located in the United States.

That new deployment is part of the USC-Lockheed Martin Quantum Computing Center (QCC) hosted at USC’s Information Sciences Institute (ISI), a unit of the University of Southern California’s prestigious Viterbi School of Engineering. Additionally, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and D-Wave announced that the U.S.-based system is available for use in Amazon 2racket, expanding the number to three different D-Wave quantum systems available to AWS users.

Leap Quantum Cloud Service

 

D-Wave’s customers interface with its systems through the Leap™ quantum cloud service. Leap delivers immediate, real-time access to the company’s Advantage quantum computer and quantum hybrid solver service, all with enterprise-class performance and scalability.

Leap allows developers proficient in Python to get started building and running quantum applications. Through a seamless and secure cloud-based connection, users can easily start solving complex problems of up to 1 million variables and 100,000 constraints.

Using Leap, D-Wave customers have developed quantum hybrid applications for use cases in manufacturing, logistics, financial services, life sciences, materials science, retail and transportation. By eliminating the need to wait hours, days or weeks to get good answers to a broad array of problems, D-Wave is helping businesses move forward.

D-Wave Launch

D-Wave Launch™ is the company’s onboarding platform aimed at helping businesses easily start their quantum journey. Through this program, D-Wave’s team of experts and partners aid enterprises in identifying best use cases for quantum and work with them to develop a proof of concept and production pilot.

From there, the team coordinates with customers to get their hybrid quantum applications up and running, providing ongoing Leap quantum cloud access to ensure the application is operating smoothly and delivering real business value.

Target Verticals

While the potential applications for quantum computing are effectively limitless, D-Wave has identified a number of industry verticals as key areas of focus for its quantum architecture, providing case studies for each. These include:

• Manufacturing – D-Wave worked with Volkswagen to identify a commercial optimization application, the binary paint shop problem, which was run on D-Wave’s hybrid solver service. The solver outperformed four purely classical methods on problem sizes at commercial scale (N=3,000). In a separate project, similar inputs were tested using a leading ion trap system, which failed to find any commercial solution.
• Life Sciences – Menten AI makes use of D-Wave quantum computing to assist in the design of novel therapeutic peptides—short strings of amino acids that can act as potent drugs. With the rise of COVID-19, D-Wave’s Advantage system made it possible to identify molecules that might be especially well-suited for binding and inhibiting the related spike protein, producing several promising peptide designs.
• Finance – Multiverse Computing, a leader in developing quantum solutions for the financial sector, leveraged D-Wave’s hybrid solver service in a collaboration with BBVA, one of the world’s largest financial institutions. Multiverse demonstrated management strategies that far exceeded the granularity of traditional returns in a fraction of the time, helping BBVA identify a low-risk portfolio for investment.

Market Opportunity

The quantum computing total addressable market is projected to grow between $450 billion and $850 billion over the next 15 to 30 years, with between $5 billion and $10 billion of anticipated TAM growth coming in the next three to five years, according to Boston Consulting Group. Driving factors behind this growth include rising investments in quantum computing tech by governments and an increasing number of commercial use-cases.

Forward-thinking organizations see quantum as an opportunity to move ahead of the competition. From finding efficiencies and reducing waste to decreasing time to solution and solving problems abandoned due to complexity, the business value is real. According to data from 451 Research, 40% of large enterprises are already experimenting with quantum computing.

D-Wave is strategically positioned – in an industry with significant barriers to entry – as evident by a decades-long track record serving a roster of blue-chip customers. The company is singularly focused on helping its customers achieve clear value by leveraging quantum computing in practical business applications. With a full stack of systems, software, developer tools and services, D-Wave is working to enable enterprises, governments, developers and researchers to access the power of quantum computing, thereby providing an intriguing opportunity for prospective investors.

D-Wave’s current investor base includes PSP Investments, Goldman Sachs, BDC Capital, NEC Corporation, Aegis Group Partners and In-Q-Tel.

Leadership Team

Dr. Alan Baratz has served as the CEO of D-Wave since 2020. Previously, as Executive Vice President of R&D and Chief Product Officer, he drove the development, delivery, and support of all of D-Wave’s products, technologies, and applications. Dr. Baratz has over 25 years of experience in product development and bringing new products to market at leading technology companies and software startups. As the first president of JavaSoft at Sun Microsystems, he oversaw the growth and adoption of the Java platform from its infancy to a robust platform supporting mission-critical applications in nearly 80 percent of Fortune 1000 companies. He has also held executive positions at Symphony, Avaya, Cisco, and IBM. Dr. Baratz holds a doctorate in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

John Markovich is the company’s CFO. He brings to D-Wave over three decades of experience working with rapidly growing private and public technology companies across all stages of development. Mr. Markovich has directed the finance, accounting, tax, treasury, M&A, legal, operations, customer service, IR, HR, and IT functions for companies ranging from privately held pre-revenue startups to an NYSE-listed Fortune 500 multi-national company with over $1.2 billion in annual revenue. During his career, he has negotiated and closed over 150 debt, equity, M&A, and joint venture transactions exceeding $2.5 billion in value; over a dozen private placements; nearly a dozen M&A transactions; and several international joint ventures. Mr. Markovich holds a BS in Business from Miami University and an MBA from the Michigan State Graduate School of Business.

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS), closed Wednesday's trading session at $2.25, up 12.5%, on 6,820,230 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $4.26/$.

Recent News

• D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) - InvestorNewsBreaks - D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) Ready to Execute on U.S. Government's Shift to Near-Term Quantum Computing
• D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) Supports Governments' Investment in Near-Term Quantum Applications
• D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) and Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) Announce Partnership to Use Quantum Computing Applications for Innovation in Marketing Investments and Strategies

Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX).

Genprex (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing therapies for patients with cancer and diabetes, has received Fast Track Designation ("FTD") from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for its lead drug candidate, REQORSA(R) Immunogene Therapy; the designation applies when used in combination with Genentech Inc.'s Tecentriq(R) to treat patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer ("ES-SCLC") who did not develop tumor progression after receiving Tecentriq and chemotherapy as initial standard treatment. According to the announcement, this is the third FTD granted to Genprex's REQORSA. The company noted that it anticipates enrolling the first patient in its Acclaim-3 clinical trial, which is a phase 1/2 dose escalation and clinical response study of maintenance therapy evaluating REQORSA in combination with Tecentriq for this patient population. "We are very pleased to receive a third Fast Track Designation from the FDA for REQORSA, this time for patients with ES-SCLC in combination with the checkpoint inhibitor Tecentriq," said Genprex president, chair and CEO Rodney Varner in the press release. "This is another exciting achievement in our REQORSA development program, which further validates REQORSA's potential not only in NSCLC but also in SCLC. We look forward to accelerating the clinical development of REQORSA, and potentially providing a new treatment option for patients with SCLC."

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/0xQPB

Genprex Inc. (GNPX) is a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing potentially life-changing technologies for cancer patients based upon a unique proprietary technology platform, including Genprex’s initial product candidate, Oncoprex™ immunogene therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Genprex’s platform technologies are designed to administer cancer-fighting genes by encapsulating them into nanoscale hollow spheres called nanovesicles, which are then administered intravenously and taken up by tumor cells where they express proteins that are missing or found in low quantities.

Research and Development

Genprex holds a portfolio of 30 issued and two pending patents covering its technologies and targeted molecular therapies. The company’s research and development program is focused on identifying and developing leading-edge gene therapies that can be used alone or in combination with other therapies for treatment of cancer.

Genprex’s initial product candidate is Oncoprex™, an immunogene therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Oncoprex works by interrupting cell signaling pathways that cause replication and proliferation of cancer cells, re-establishes pathways for apoptosis (or programmed cell death) in cancer cells, and modulates the immune response against cancer cells. Oncoprex has also been shown to block mechanisms that create drug resistance.

Preclinical research is being conducted with the goal of developing Oncoprex to be administered with targeted therapies in other solid tumors, and with immunotherapies in NSCLC and other solid tumors. In addition, Genprex has conducted and plans to continue research into other tumor suppressor genes associated with chromosome 3p21.3, as well as other potential applications of the company’s immunogene therapy platform.

Clinical Trials

Genprex is currently conducting the second phase of a phase I/II clinical trial at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The company plans to expand its clinical program by adding a new clinical study evaluating Oncoprex™ in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor for treatment of Stage IV or recurrent NSCLC. In research presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research in Washington, D.C., Genprex’s collaborators showed that TUSC2 in combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibition has a significantly greater anti-tumor effect in lung cancer than either agent alone. The research also shows that TUSC2 in combination with PD-1 blockade has synergistic activity in upregulating natural killer (NK) cells, correlating with prolonged survival in mice.

TUSC2 (Tumor Suppressor Candidate 2) is a tumor suppressor gene that is absent or deficient in cancer cells of many different cancer types.

The Market

Genprex technologies seek to bridge a critical gap by combining with targeted therapies and immunotherapies to provide treatments to large patient populations who would otherwise not be candidates for those therapies or who have become resistant to them. Genprex technologies are being developed to overcome genomic limitations which are inherent in targeted therapies and immunotherapies in order to provide new treatment solutions to large cancer populations, such as those with lung cancer.

Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 85 percent of all lung cancers, according to the American Cancer Society (“ACS”). Despite radical advances in drug development and novel therapeutic standards, survival for late stage lung cancer has not improved significantly in the past 25 years.

Senior Management

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer J. Rodney Varner, JD, is a co-founder of Genprex and has served in these roles since August 2012. He has more than 35 years of legal experience with large and small law firms and as outside general counsel of a Nasdaq-listed company. Varner has served as counsel in company formation, mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, other business transactions, protection of trade secrets and other intellectual property, real estate, and business litigation. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Court and the U.S. Tax Court.

Julien L. Pham, M.D., MPH, is president and chief operating officer of Genprex. In March 2013, Dr. Pham co-founded RubiconMD, a healthcare IT company that connects primary care providers to specialists for additional guidance and opinions on medical cases and served as its chief medical officer. He has served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is a board-certified internal medicine doctor and nephrologist.

Ryan M. Confer, MS, has served as Genprex chief financial officer since September 2016. Confer has more than 10 years of executive experience in planning, launching, developing, and growing emerging technology companies and has served in the chief operating and chief financial roles for non-profit and for-profit entities since 2008. Confer has also served as an international business development consultant for the University of Texas at Austin’s IC2 Institute, where he focused on evaluating the commercialization potential of nascent technologies in domestic and international markets applicable to technology incubator programs associated with the University. Confer holds a BS in finance and legal studies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and an MS in technology commercialization from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

Jan Stevens, RN, is vice president of Clinical Operations. Stevens has nearly 20 years of comprehensive clinical operations experience in the biopharma industry and a specialization in early-to-late stage oncology companies. Stevens joined the company to help support the various clinical development programs for Oncoprex™.

Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX), closed Wednesday's trading session at $0.7882, up 6.4991%, on 7,449,940 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.7225/$2.67.

Recent News

• Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) Receives Fast Track Designation for Proprietary Immunogene Therapy
• Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) CMO Discusses Recent Company Announcements in Bell2Bell Podcast Episode
• Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) CMO Video Discusses Advances in Company's Fight Against Tumors

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX)

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

Lexaria Bioscience recently received four new patents granted in Canada and the United States

In the U.S., the company received two new hypertension-related patents expected to be of particular importance as the company pursues FDA approval for a Phase 1b study evaluating DehydraTECH(TM)-processed CBD

So far, the company has a robust intellectual property portfolio comprising 34 patents granted worldwide

The strong portfolio gives the company the necessary impetus and peace of mind to pursue multiple large markets, starting with the multi-billion dollar cardiovascular drugs market

The company has conducted five human clinical studies that have provided insights into the potential of DehydraTECH-CBD to reduce blood pressure

Lexaria Bioscience's (NASDAQ: LEXX) intellectual property ("IP") rests on a strong foundation of granted patents worldwide, a foundation that was recently strengthened by new patents granted in North America. The company, which is developing its patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology platform with the intention of availing it to the masses as an additional step in the manufacturing or processing of active pharmaceutical ingredients ("APIs") with better bioavailability and bioabsorption properties, celebrated the receipt of four new patents granted in Canada and the United States (https://cnw.fm/ZYNTt).

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

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

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

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

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

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

DehydraTECH Technology

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

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

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

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

Market Outlook

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

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

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (LEXX), closed Wednesday's trading session at $0.7467, up 5.3025%, on 27,153 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.6488/$3.60.

Recent News

• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Grows Robust Intellectual Property Portfolio to 34 Worldwide Patents with Receipt of 4 New Granted in Canada, US
• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Announces Additional Findings in Diabetes Animal Study and Two Other R&D Programs
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Expands IP Portfolio with Four New Patents

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP).

Knightscope (NASDAQ: KSCP), a leading developer of autonomous security robots ("ASRs") and blue light emergency communication systems, has released its exclusive Knightscope Emergency Management System ("KEMS") platform. According to the announcement, the new software release represents the company's ongoing commitment to reimagine public safety through the innovation of technology.

The new platform supports the company's growing nationwide system of more than 7,000 K1 blue light towers, e-phones and call boxes. The cloud-based platform is designed to interact with the wide array of telecommunication technologies, power sources, geographic locations, equipment configurations and usage patterns established in the Knightscope system. It also enables clients and technicians to better understand the real-time health and status of the machines they are using. The new software monitors the system, alerts users concerning operational issues and provides technicians real-time error detection/diagnostics. The rollout of the new KEMS platform will continue throughout 2023.

"New features are being planned as part of Knightscope's long-term strategy to conduct a significant overhaul of the Nation's public safety infrastructure," said Knightscope chair and CEO William Santana Li in the press release. "Connecting all machines-in-network across the country and embedding artificial intelligence across the product portfolio — enabling them to eventually be able to see, feel, hear, smell and speak — will make a dramatic difference in helping law enforcement and security professionals better secure our country."

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

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP), founded in 2013 and based in Mountain View, California, is a leader in the development of autonomous security capabilities targeting to disrupt the $500 billion security industry. Knightscope’s technology uniquely combines self-driving technology, robotics, artificial intelligence and electric vehicles.

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

The company’s ASRs have assisted in the arrest of suspects involved in crimes ranging from armed robbery to hit-and-runs. Their machine-embedded thermal scanning capability even aided in preventing the breakout of a major fire. You can learn more about the crime fighting wins at www.knightscope.com/crime

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

• Establishing itself in a 15,000-square-foot facility located in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, where Knightscope designs, engineers and builds its technology (Made in the USA)
• Operating for more than 1 million hours in the field and securing contracts across five time zones, from Hawaii to Rhode Island
• Raising over $100 million since inception to build its technology from scratch and generating over $13 million in lifetime revenue, validating both the market opportunity and the technology

Growth Capital & Proposed Nasdaq Listing

With backing from more than 28,000 investors and four major corporations and over $100 million raised since inception, Knightscope is poised to be an industry leader in the future of public safety and security.

On December 1, 2021, Knightscope announced the commencement of an offering of up to $40 million of its Class A common stock, with shares to be listed immediately following closing on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol ‘KSCP’. The offering is for up to 4 million shares priced at $10 per share. Learn more at www.knightscope.com/investors

Company Mission – Reimagining Public Safety

Knightscope’s long-term vision has an eye on the greater good. The company’s mission is to make the United States of America the safest nation in the world while supporting the 2+ million law enforcement and security professionals across the country.

Crime has an estimated negative economic impact in excess of $2 trillion annually. As crime is reduced, positive impacts will likely be realized across several aspects of society, including housing, financial markets, insurance, municipal budgets, local business and safety in general.

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

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

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

Public Safety Innovation

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

Human security guards are one of both the largest expenses and the largest liabilities for companies. Knightscope’s robots are offered at an effective price of $3 to $9 per hour, compared with approximately $85 for an armed off-duty law enforcement officer and $15 to $35 for an unarmed security guard.

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

Product Offerings

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

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

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

The Robot Roadshow

Knightscope has created the ultimate hybrid physical and virtual event, bringing its Autonomous Security Robot technologies to cities across the country for interactive and in-person demonstrations.

Each roadshow landing is hosted virtually by a Knightscope expert, and visitors can interact directly with each of the company’s ASRs and see the Knightscope Security Operations Center (KSOC) user interface in action. Learn more at www.knightscope.com/roadshow

Management Team

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

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

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

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

Chief Financial Officer Mallorie Burke is a seasoned financial executive and strategic advisor for both private and publicly traded technology companies with a successful track record of mergers & acquisitions, corporate growth and exit strategies, including public listings.

General Counsel Peter Weinberg leverages 30 years of diverse corporate counsel experience, spanning from startups to well-established companies, private and public. He has significant experience training personnel at all levels in critical areas to improve corporate compliance and productivity.

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP), closed Wednesday's trading session at $0.6999, up 52.1522%, on 25,158,429 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.36/$3.90.

Recent News

• Knightscope (NASDAQ: KSCP) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP) Announces Release of Innovative Emergency-Management System Software
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP) Featured in Recent Ascendiant Capital Markets Report with Buy Rating, $3.50 Per Share Price Target
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP) Shines Spotlight on Autonomous Security Technologies in New Blog Series

Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW)

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

Jupiter Wellness (NASDAQ: JUPW), a wellness company focused on hair metabolism and skin therapies, has announced the record date for the spin-off and distribution of common stock shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of SRM Entertainment Inc. SRM is a majority-owned subsidiary of Jupiter. According to the announcement, the record date is slated for July 7, 2023. On that date, company stockholders and holders of certain warrants will receive one share of SRM common stock, for every 19.35 shares of the company's common stock held. The announcement noted that fractional shares would be rounded down into whole shares. The company anticipates that distribution will be paid on or about July 12, 2023, subject to certain requirements, with the SRM common stock beginning to trade on NASDAQ on or about July 13, 2023.

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/9L22U

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

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

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

Products with Purpose

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

Recent News

• Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) Sets Record Date for SRM Entertainment Spin-Off, Share Distribution
• Study Concludes Early Eczema Points to Future Allergy Development
• Research Suggests Regulating Cholesterol Could Prevent Hair Loss

Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Progressive Care Inc. (OTCQB: FEXD).

FEXD is a company working to stay at the forefront of fintech innovations by using the most advanced financial technologies in its platforms and applications

The company is seeking to acquire and merge with high-growth global fintech organizations that leverage these advanced financial technologies as part of its goal to develop a global fintech ecosystem

Among these technologies are crypto and the blockchain

Cryptocurrencies have been known to facilitate faster and lower-cost transactions, increase financial inclusions, and store value, especially in emerging economies where unpredictable inflation substantially weakens the value of their national currencies

FEXD is committed to supporting the progress of developing countries and cultures, with cryptocurrencies playing a crucial role in helping the company achieve this goal

In a May 2022 report, rating agency Moody's noted the highest cryptocurrency adoption was among lower-rated sovereigns. A summary of the report (https://ibn.fm/vUIRX) attributed this to the fact that digital currencies can facilitate "faster, more convenient, and lower-cost transactions for households and increase financial inclusion, benefitting countries where large parts of the population lack banking infrastructure." Moreover, the summary continued, "improved access to cheaper and more reliable internet data, mobile phone usage, and, more broadly, the trend of increased digitization will also drive cryptocurrency adoption in many lower-income emerging markets." One such stakeholder is Fintech Ecosystem Development (NASDAQ: FEXD), a company working to stay at the forefront of fintech innovations by using blockchain, crypto, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, some of the most advanced financial technologies, in its platforms and applications. FEXD is guided by the vision to develop financial service applications that allow its customers to move money easily whilst making it more affordable for people to conduct transactions without touching cash.

Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) formed for the purpose of effecting one or more business combinations with an intent to focus on the financial technology sector.

The company’s mission is to create and grow a global financial services ecosystem to address unmet mobile money needs in developing and industrialized countries and markets. FEXD plans to achieve this by acquiring and merging with financial technology pioneers that have the potential to help establish its global fintech ecosystem, and by continuing the development of proprietary technologies and applications to keep the company at the forefront of the cashless society market.

Digital money is replacing physical cash. Consumers can buy products and services from anywhere in the world and make payments across borders. Parents can send money to students studying in other countries. Migrant workers are sending money to families in developing nations. Rural villagers without banks can send and receive money using their smartphones. FEXD is developing mobile transaction platforms, applications and services that are helping to implement these changes.

The company plans to offer a diverse portfolio of products and services to consumers and businesses in the United States, South Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Its growth strategy includes acquisition, innovation and market development.

FEXD is a Delaware corporation based in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. The company was launched in May 2021 by a management team led by Dr. Saiful Khandaker that has extensive experience in developing and managing financial service platforms and applications, primarily in the mobile money sector. FEXD is sponsored by Revofast LLC.

Acquisition Targets

In September 2022, FEXD announced definitive agreements for business combinations with Rana Financial Inc., a Georgia corporation, and Mobitech International LLC (dba Afinoz), a limited liability company organized in the United Arab Emirates. The agreements call for Rana and Afinoz to become wholly owned subsidiaries of FEXD, with the combined company expected to continue trading on the Nasdaq under existing ticker symbol ‘FEXD’. The mergers are expected to close in Q2 2023.

Rana Financial

Rana Financial is a licensed money transfer company founded in 2009. Rana provides fast and affordable online and mobile transfer of funds between the U.S. and Latin America. Rana has been providing money transfer services in the U.S. market for 13 years and has 30,000 active users. Rana’s money transfer business grew to 200,000 transactions in 2021. The merger agreement values Rana at an implied $78 million enterprise value.

Mobitech International LLC

Mobitech International LLC (dba Afinoz) is an artificial intelligence-enabled digital lending platform used by India’s leading banks, non-banking financial companies and fintech loan providers. Afinoz’s fintech platform supports enterprises making loans primarily to middle- and working-class borrowers via its website or through its mobile phone application. Afinoz’s platform makes loans available and affordable to millions of Indian workers and unbanked users by providing access at a low cost. Afinoz’s platform has more than 50 lending partners, and its database of registered users in India includes more than two million individuals. The merger agreement values Afinoz at an implied $120 million enterprise value.

Market Opportunity

According to analysis by global market research firm Mordor Intelligence, the worldwide financial technology market is valued at approximately $194 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to nearly $500 billion by 2028, representing a CAGR of 18.97% for the forecast period. According to the report, various financial crises and the COVID-19 pandemic have fueled consumer adoption of, and investor interest in, fintech over the past several years.

Management Team

Dr. Saiful Khandaker is Founder, CEO and President of FEXD. He is Group CEO and founder of FAMA Holdings Inc., a global developer of fintech platforms, applications and services based in the U.S. with offices in the U.K., India, Bangladesh and Zambia. He is currently leading the development of the FAMACASH™ network, a global fintech ecosystem to provide fast, affordable mobile money services in underserved countries such as Bangladesh. Before founding FAMA, Dr. Khandaker spent more than two decades leading the development of software solutions for Fortune 100 companies and startups. He also helped numerous clients modernize their fintech services as Chief Technology Officer at Mi3. He holds a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership, a Master of Science in Technology Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems.

Jenny Junkeer is CFO at FEXD. She is a Chartered Accountant with over 17 years of experience. As CEO of Junkeer New Era Consulting, she leads a team specializing in helping companies launch and optimize business operations in fast-changing industries. She has extensive experience helping organizations scale operations to maximize value. She is an Adjunct Association Professor at Deakin University in Australia, a board member of the Global Health Initiative Foundation, and Director of Implementation at ConnectCV. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Honors) from Monash University.

FingerMotion Inc. (FEXD), closed Wednesday's trading session at $10.51, off by 0.473485%, on 626 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $9.98/$11.00.

Recent News

• Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) - Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) to Capitalize on the Power of Cryptocurrencies to Support Progress of Developing Countries
• Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) Makes Strategic Moves as Blockchain Continues To Influence the Remittance Industry
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) Announces Third Deadline Date Extension to Complete Initial Business Combination

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

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

McEwen's new PEA presents a new strategy that converts from conventional milling to a heap leach process

Three principal reasons for changing the implementation strategy include the company's environmental footprint, reduced permitting risk, and the advantages associated with the production of fine copper cathodes

The copper cathode process eliminates the dependency on third-party smelters, allowing for direct industrial use

McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX), an asset-rich, diversified gold and silver producer in the Americas with large exposure to copper through its subsidiary, McEwen Copper, owner of the Los Azules copper deposit in Argentina, recently released the results of an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on a copper leaching phase of development at the Los Azules project. The 2023 PEA evaluates the economic potential of the project from the perspective of heap leaching with cathodes production. PEAs are completed before pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, which are important parts of the developmental process for mining projects (https://ibn.fm/FuvQR).

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

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

Seldom is management so aligned with investors’ interests with a commitment to the company’s success. CEO Rob McEwen maintains a 17% ownership stake in McEwen Mining and a 13.8% ownership in McEwen Copper with a combined cost base of roughly $220 million. McEwen founded Goldcorp, where he took the company from a market capitalization of $50 million to over $8 billion, and that same vision led MUX to create McEwen Copper.

For McEwen Mining shareholders, the company’s 51.9% stake in McEwen Copper is expected to be a gamechanger, turbocharging MUX by creating the world’s next copper unicorn.

McEwen Copper

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

McEwen Mining is a 51.9% shareholder in McEwen Copper, holder of a 100% interest in the Los Azules copper project in San Juan, Argentina, which was ranked the 9th largest undeveloped copper deposit in the world by Mining Intelligence (2022). Its current copper resources are estimated at 10.2 billion pounds at a grade of 0.48% Cu (Indicated category) and an additional 19.3 billion pounds at a grade of 0.33% Cu (Inferred category). McEwen Copper also owns a copper exploration project in Nevada, called Elder Creek.

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

In August 2022, McEwen Copper closed its non-brokered, private placement offering of $82 million, after securing a $25 million investment from mining giant Rio Tinto’s technology arm, Nuton LLC. In February 2023, Nuton agreed to invest an additional $30 million into McEwen Copper. Its current stake in the copper subsidiary is 14.2%.

“We are extremely pleased to have Nuton’s strong continued participation in McEwen Copper,” Rob McEwen stated in a news release. “Together we are exploring new technologies that save energy, water, time and capital in the pursuit of delivering green copper to Argentina and the world, a product that will contribute to the electrification of transportation and the protection of our atmosphere.”

Also in February 2023, FCA Argentina S.A., a subsidiary of Stellantis N.V., one of the world’s leading automakers, invested ARS $30 billion in McEwen Copper to advance development of the Los Azules copper project and for general corporate purposes. Its current stake in McEwen Copper is 14.2%.

“We are delighted to have Stellantis as a partner in the future development of our Los Azules copper project,” Rob McEwen said of the investment. “Together, we share a vision to build a mine for the future based on regenerative principles that can achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2038.”

Another of Rio Tinto’s subsidiaries, Kennecott Exploration, signed an option to earn a 60% interest in McEwen Copper’s other copper project, Elder Creek, by spending $18 million on exploration. The Elder Creek project is prospective for porphyry copper and gold mineralization and is well situated in a district hosting several large copper and gold mines, including Marigold, Lone Tree and Phoenix. Kennecott Exploration will be the operator of the exploration program. McEwen Mining holds a 1.25% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on the Elder Creek property.

Following the capital raise, McEwen Copper is well-funded to advance its Los Azules Project. Publication of an updated PEA on the Los Azules copper project is planned for Q2 2023. A Feasibility Study and IPO are planned for 2024. MUX is strategically reducing its interest to increase its treasury, in order to reduce debt and fund the further development of its gold and silver mines. In May 2023, the company decreased its senior secured debt by $25 million through the secondary sale of McEwen Copper shares.

When McEwen Copper’s Los Azules copper project is compared with other recent transactions and market valuations of copper projects in the same region, it appears very undervalued.

MUX’s management believes its ownership stake in McEwen Copper is not currently reflected in the share price of the company. In fact, it is management’s belief that the combined value of its 51.9% interest in McEwen Copper, plus its gold mines and portfolio of mineral royalties, represents a share value ranging from a low of $8 to a high of $34 per share, as detailed in the company’s latest corporate presentation.

Gold & Silver Projects

The Fox Complex

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

“When MUX bought the Fox Complex, in late 2017, it was a distressed asset with a history of high operating cost/oz. While it has taken longer than I expected, the cost to produce an ounce of gold is significantly lower,” CEO Rob McEwen stated in a news release.

In Q1 2023, McEwen Mining reported cash cost/oz at the Fox Complex of $1,088 on quarterly production of 12,700 GEOs. This was in line with the company’s guidance and marked a significant improvement from Q1 2022, when the mine struggled with effects of the pandemic and equipment failures.

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

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

The Gold Bar Mine

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

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

Gold Bar continued to ramp-up mining from the Gold Bar South deposit in Q1 2023, and successfully placed 15,000 contained gold ounces on the heap leach pad. Following delays due to extreme snow and rainfall, mining resumed at the site in April, which will continue to add gold inventory to the heap leach pad, contributing to the increase of production in the balance of the year.

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

El Gallo/Fenix

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

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

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

Mine San José

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

Exploration is continuing to extend high-grade veins and discover new veins at the complex. San José’s drilling programs to define additional resources and reserves have a long history of success due to a high vein density, aided by good geophysical response from hidden veins. Drilling at the Telken target in the South of the property, and adjacent to Newmont’s Cerro Negro mine, is planned for Q3.

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

Market Outlook

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

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

McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX), closed Wednesday's trading session at $6.85, off by 2.5605%, on 280,176 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $2.81/$10.00.

Recent News

• McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) - McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) Announces 2023 Preliminary Economic Assessment and New Base Case Development Strategy for Los Azules Project
• InvestorNewsBreaks - McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) Announces 2023 PEA Results on Los Azules Copper Project
• InvestorNewsBreaks - McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) Announces Payment of Senior Secured Debt, 39% Debt Reduction

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

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

The demand for silver often increases in times of financial uncertainty, as the metal is regarded as a reliable store of value and a safe-haven asset. Below, we look at the pros as well as cons potential investors should consider before investing in silver. PinnacleQuote Life Insurance Specialists founder Danny Ray recommends investing in silver during periods of high industrial demand or economic downturns, when the metal can be used as a store of value. He advises potential investors to avoid the metal if they prefer less volatile investments.

It should be noted that whether or not silver is a good investment for you depends on different factors, including current prices, the amount you want to invest, current events, your tolerance for risk and your investment timeline.

Potential investors are advised to solicit a financial advisor's services to further explain the potential risks and benefits of investing via different alternatives such as ETFs, company shares such as those of Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) or buying physical silver.

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

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

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

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

Projects

Iska Iska – Potosi, Bolivia

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

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

La Victoria – Ancash, Peru

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

Market Outlook

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

Eloro Resources Ltd. (OTCQX: ELRRF), closed Wednesday's trading session at $2.68, off by 0.740741%, on 7,460 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $2.0179/$3.40.

Recent News

• Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) - The Pros, Cons of Investing in Silver
• Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM) Lays out Transformational ESG Program Guidelines
• MiningNewsBreaks - Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) (FSE: P2QM) Celebrates Uplisting to the Premier Canadian Exchange

IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC)

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

College athletes may soon earn a reprieve against anti-cannabis policies that prevent athletes from consuming cannabis and penalize those who do. Much like the federal government, most sports organizations have banned cannabis consumption among their respective athletes. However, the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports is urging the National Collegiate Athletic Association to remove marijuana from its drug testing protocols and list of banned substances.

After decades of federal criminalization and millions of lives changed, a wave of cannabis reform is sweeping across America, leaving dozens of states with either medical or recreational cannabis markets, sometimes both. America's state-legal cannabis industry is now one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country, responsible for employing hundreds of thousands of people and providing states with billions of dollars in tax revenue.

Companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), which are focused on developing FDA-approved therapeutic formulations from marijuana compounds, are likely to help athletes and other groups of patients benefit from the medical effects of marijuana without taking the risk of running afoul of any existing laws, whether federal or state level restrictions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The company is headquartered in Potomac, Maryland.

IGC-AD1

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

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

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

TGR-63

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

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

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

Market Opportunity

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), closed Wednesday's trading session at $0.3071, off by 0.96743%, on 118,892 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 104,389 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.2785/$0.74.

Recent News

• IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) - 420 with CNW - NCAA Panel Seeks to Get Cannabis Off Banned Substances List
• 420 with CNW - Five Compliance Mistakes Cannabis Companies Should Be Wary Of
• 420 with CNW - Feds Intend to Complete Marijuana Scheduling Review This Year

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX)

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

Cannabis reform efforts in Colombia recently came to a screeching halt after the Columbia senate rejected a recreational cannabis bill. The Senate voted down a measure that would have legalized the sale of adult-use cannabis and opened Colombia up to a multibillion-dollar cannabis industry.

Despite the setback, cannabis reform activists in the country, including President Gustavo Petro, have pledged to continue their efforts to legalize recreational cannabis in Colombia.

Colombia currently allows the home cultivation of up to 20 plants as well as the sale of cannabis-derived products such as creams and oils for medical use. However, like most countries, the South American nation has outlawed the sale of recreational cannabis to adults.

This setback in efforts to get adult-use marijuana legalized has denied various entrepreneurs an opportunity to conduct business in the way that U.S.-based companies such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) serve indoor growers within U.S. states that permit medical or recreational marijuana sales.

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

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

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

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

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

Products

Grow Pods

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

Containers

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

Equipment and Supplies

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

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

Market Overview

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

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

Management Team

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

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

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), closed Wednesday's trading session at $0.21, off by 26.3158%, on 505 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 505 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0141/$0.90.

Recent News

• Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) - 420 with CNW - LA Cannabis Consumption Lounges Face Delays in Opening
• 420 with CNW - Governor Enacts Cannabis Expungements Resolution into Law
• 420 with CNW - How to Leverage Consumer Data While Marketing Cannabis

Utopia VR

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Utopia VR

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

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

Utopia VR is headquartered in Kelowna, B.C.

Products

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

 

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

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

Market Outlook

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

Recent News

• Utopia VR - InvestorNewsBreaks – Genius Group Limited. (NYSE American: GNS) Announces Dual Listing, Commences Trading on Upstream in April
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Utopia VR Disrupting Future of Enterprise, Education and Corporate Remote Offerings with Distinct Metaverse Solution
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Utopia VR Launches MaaS Platform Amid Growing Demand for Virtual Offices, Hybrid Work Solutions