Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA).

Processa Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PCSA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing products to improve survival and/or quality of life for patients with high unmet medical need conditions, today announced that it will host a conference call and live webcast at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Nov. 12, 2020. Topics will include review of the company’s third quarter 2020 results and an update on its clinical pipeline, including discussion of PCSA’s three clinical-stage drugs (each of which addresses potential billion-dollar markets). Interested parties may join the call by dialing 877-876-9176 (Toll Free) or 785-424-1670 (International) and access the live webcast via the following link: https://ibn.fm/vMLlY. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/ogqhb

Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA) aims to develop products where existing clinical evidence of efficacy already exists in unmet medical need conditions. In support of this goal, the company has assembled an unparalleled management team, board of directors and product development team featuring experts in developing drug products, from IND-enabling studies to NDA submission. In total, the team’s combined scientific, development and regulatory experience has resulted in more than 30 drug approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and more than 100 meetings with the FDA while working on more than 50 drug development programs, including drug products targeted to orphan disease and unmet medical need conditions.

Headquartered in Hanover, Maryland, Processa has built a pipeline of drugs which already have some proof-of-concept clinical data supporting clinical use in their selected indications.

Development Pipeline

The Processa process focuses on the advancement of drugs that are ready for clinical development or have minimal pre-IND enabling studies to complete. More specifically, Processa:

1. Acquires drugs that already have some clinical data to support the targeted treatment – whether it be the drug itself, an analog of the drug or a drug with similar pharmacological targets;
2. Navigates through the FDA, collaborating with the reviewers to define a complete development program; and
3. Develops each drug over the course of 2-5 years, out-licensing the drug either just prior to pivotal study after Phase 2b or after the completion of the pivotal study.

Processa’s current development pipeline features multiple drug candidates, including PCS499 and PCS100. The company has also announced three additional licensing agreements since June 2020, further bolstering its clinical efforts. Each drug is briefly described below.

PCS6422

On August 27, 2020, Processa announced its entry into a contingent precedent exclusive licensing agreement with Elion Oncology Inc. to develop, manufacture and commercialize eniluracil (PCS6422) globally. PCS6422 is an oral drug to be administered with fluoropyrimidine cancer drugs (e.g., capecitabine, 5-FU) to decrease the breakdown of the cancer drug to inactive metabolites or metabolites that are known to cause unwanted side effects and to increase the anti-cancer related metabolites.

An IND for a Phase 1B study was cleared by the FDA in May 2020. The study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of several dose combinations of PCS6422 and capecitabine in advanced GI tumor patients. Processa intends to enroll the first patient in 1H2021, obtain interim results, and have a final report completed in 2H2022.

“Having worked on 5-FU and other cancer agents in the past, adding PCS6422 to our pipeline and expanding our involvement in oncology was an easy decision given the significant impact that PCS6422 may have on improving the efficacy and safety of capecitabine or other fluoropyrimidines,” CEO Dr. David Young said of the agreement.

PCS499

PCS499 as a potential treatment for necrobiosis lipoidica (“NL”) was first presented to the FDA in a pre-IND meeting in 2018. In 2019, it was the subject of an IND submission and a promising Phase 2 safety study. On March 30, 2020, Processa announced a successful meeting with the FDA regarding the design and execution of the next clinical study to evaluate the ability of PCS499 to completely close ulcers in patients with NL.

“We are pleased with the outcome of the FDA meeting and the feedback we received from the FDA. We believe that the results from our completed Phase 2 trial in NL patients, especially those with more severe ulcerated forms of NL, are encouraging and we appreciate the guidance provided by the FDA regarding our next clinical trial and the requirements to support our NDA submission,” Dr. David Young, CEO of Processa, stated in the news release.

NL is a chronic, disfiguring condition affecting the skin and tissue under the skin, typically on the lower extremities, with no currently FDA-approved treatments. More severe complications can occur, such as deep tissue infections and osteonecrosis, threatening the life of the limb. Approximately 22,500 – 55,500 people in the United States and more than 150,000 – 400,000 people worldwide are affected by the ulcerated form of NL.

YH12852

On August 20, 2020, Processa announced its entry into an agreement with Yuhan Corporation, a South Korean firm, to license YH12852, a small molecule drug in development for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Under the terms of the agreement, Processa will acquire the rights to a portfolio of patents with an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize YH12852 globally, excluding South Korea.

YH12852 is a novel, potent and highly selective 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT4) receptor agonist. Other 5-HT receptor agonists with less 5-HT4 selectivity have been shown to successfully treat GI mobility disorders such as chronic constipation, constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis. The less selective 5-HT4 agonists, such as cisapride, have been removed from the market because of the cardiovascular side effects associated with the drugs binding to other receptors, especially 5-HT receptors other than 5-HT4.

CEO Dr. David Young called the agreement “further evidence of Processa’s commitment to seek out novel treatments for unmet medical conditions.” Processa intends to meet with the FDA in early 2021 to further define the clinical development program. In 2021, Processa expects to initiate a Phase 2 trial in a functional GI motility-related disorder that that needs better therapeutic options, such as postoperative ileus and opioid-induced constipation.

ATT-11T

On June 1, 2020, Processa announced its entry into a licensing agreement with Aposense Ltd. for the patent rights and know-how to develop and commercialize ATT-11T, a next generation irinotecan cancer drug. In the release, CEO Dr. David Young noted that the licensing deal fit with Processa’s strategy to “continue to bring innovative products to patients with an unmet medical need condition.”

ATT-11T is a novel lipophilic anti-cancer pro-drug that is being developed for the treatment of the same solid tumors as prescribed for irinotecan. This pro-drug is a conjugate of a specific proprietary Aposense molecule connected to SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan. The proprietary Aposense molecule on ATT-11T allows ATT-11T to bind to cell membranes to form an inactive pro-drug depot on the cell, with SN-38 preferentially accumulating in the membrane of tumors cells and the tumor core. This unique characteristic is expected to make the therapeutic window of ATT-11T wider than irinotecan, such that the anti-tumor effect of ATT-11T will occur at a much lower dose than irinotecan with a milder adverse effect profile than irinotecan. The wider therapeutic window will likely lead to more patients responding with less side effects when on ATT-11T compared to irinotecan.

The ATT-11T licensing agreement is conditioned upon Processa’s closing of a satisfactory financing round and the listing of the company’s shares on the Nasdaq or NYSE, among other conditions.

PCS100

On September 3, 2020, Processa announced its entry into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Akashi Therapeutics to develop and commercialization Akashi’s lead drug, HT-100. Rebranded PCS100, the candidate is an anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory drug demonstrated to have some clinical anti-fibrotic effect in children. Processa intends to develop PCS100 first in rare adult fibrotic related diseases such as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or Scleroderma, where there are still few therapeutic options.

Management Team

David Young, Pharm.D., Ph.D. is the CEO and founder of Processa. He has over 30 years of pharmaceutical research, drug development and corporate experience. Young has served in leadership roles with a number of pharmaceutical firms throughout his career, including serving as founder and CEO of Promet Therapeutics LLC since 2015 and as Chief Scientific Officer of Questcor Pharmaceuticals from 2009 to 2014. At Questcor, he was responsible for working with the FDA on modernizing the Acthar Gel label and for obtaining FDA approval in infantile spasms. In total, Young has met with the FDA more than 100 times on more than 50 drug products and has been a key team member on more than 30 NDA/supplemental NDA approvals.

Sian Bigora, Pharm.D., is Processa’s Chief Development Officer and founder. She has over 20 years of pharmaceutical research, regulatory strategy and drug development experience, working closely with Young. Prior to joining Processa, Bigora served as Co-Founder, Director and Chief Development Officer at Promet Therapeutics LLC and as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Questcor Pharmaceuticals from 2009 to 2015, where she led efforts to modernize the Acthar Gel label and obtain FDA approval in infantile spasms – events which were of material importance to Questcor’s subsequent success.

Patrick Lin is Chief Business & Strategy Officer and founder of Processa. He has over 20 years of financing and investing experience in the biopharma sector. Prior to joining Processa, Lin served as Co-Founder and Chairman of Promet Therapeutics LLC. He is also founder and managing partner of Primarius Capital, a family office that manages public and private investments focused on small capitalization companies.

James Stanker has served as CFO of Processa since 2018. He has over 30 years of financial and executive leadership experience in the areas of accounting principles and audit standards, regulatory reporting, and fiscal management and strategy. He served in a financial leadership role as an audit partner at Grant Thornton from February 2000 until his retirement in August 2016, where he was responsible for managing audit quality in the Atlantic Coast market territory.

Wendy Guy is the Chief Administrative Officer and founder of Processa. She has more than two decades of experience in business operations, having worked closely with Young over the last 18 years in corporate management and operations, HR and finance. Prior to joining Processa, she was Co-Founder, Director and Chief Administrative Officer of Promet Therapeutics LLC and Senior Manager, Business Operation over the Maryland office for Questcor Pharmaceuticals.

Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA), closed Tuesday's trading session at $4.19, up 0.721154%, on 13,583 volume with 93 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 27,518 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $3.40000009/$18.00.

Recent News

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CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP)

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

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) was featured today in a publication from BioMedWire, examining how a new study conducted by researchers at the Queen Mary University of London has produced innovative biomarkers that can be used to predict patient responsiveness to DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs). Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disorder that can affect not only one’s joints but also blood vessels, heart, lungs, eyes and skin. The disease causes painful swelling that results in joint deformity and bone erosion.

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

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

Organ Targeted Therapeutics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Global Brain Tumor Therapeutics Market

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

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP), closed Tuesday's trading session at $1.70, up 1.1905%, on 5,536 volume with 61 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 87,712 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.25820004/$5.68989992.

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

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

Energy Fuels (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) today announced that the company has produced a rare earth element ("REE") carbonate concentrate ("REE Concentrate") on a pilot scale at its 100% owned White Mesa Mill (the “Mill”), located near Blanding, Utah. According to the update, the REE Concentrate was produced using the Mill’s existing infrastructure and technologies from a sample of monazite sands from a North American source. A valuable natural uranium ore, monazite sands also contain high concentrations of REEs. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/XE0bi. Also today, the company was featured in a publication from MiningNewsWire, examining how, speakers at the annual general meeting of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development discussed the challenges that faced the mining sector during the virtual event. They also discussed opportunities that would facilitate the transition into a mining sector that was more sustainable and how to achieve the sustainable development goals.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nuclear Market Potential

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

Reasons Nuclear is Gaining Traction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU), closed Tuesday's trading session at $1.51, up 4.1379%, on 1,127,064 volume with 3,637 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,314,249 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.779999971/$2.3499999.

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Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (SGTM)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (SGTM).

Sustainable Green Team (OTC: SGTM), a leading provider of environmentally beneficial solutions for tree and storm waste disposal, has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary will be the official mulch supplier for Vero Beach, Florida (https://ibn.fm/OunIk). Mulch Manufacturing has signed a one-year contract with the Florida city, with two additional one-year extensions. 

Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (OTC: SGTM), through its subsidiaries, including National Storm Recovery LLC (DBA Central Florida Arbor Care and Mulch Manufacturing Inc.), provides tree services, debris hauling, removal and bio-mass recycling, manufacturing, packaging and sales of next-generation mulch products. The company’s primary corporate objective is to provide a solution for the treatment and handling of tree debris that is historically sent to local landfills and disposal sites, creating an environmental burden and pressure on disposal sites around the nation.

Environmentally Friendly

SGTM and the solutions provided by its Sustainable Green Team are founded in sustainability. The company’s vertically integrated operations begin with the collection of tree debris through its tree services division and collection sites. Tree bio-mass is then moved through the processing division for recycling and manufacturing into a variety of organic, attractive, next-generation mulch products to be packaged and sold to retailers, landscapers, installers and garden centers.

The company’s solutions create a synergistic and environmentally beneficial solution to tree and storm waste disposal that historically has created an environmental burden on landfills and disposal sites around the nation.

SGTM’s customers include governmental, residential and commercial customers and now big box retailers. The company is headquartered in Florida.

Strategic Acquisition

SGTM in February 2020 acquired 35-year-old industry leader and innovator Mulch Manufacturing Inc., an Ohio corporation. Structured as a share exchange, this strategic partnership provides SGTM with a significantly larger footprint in the mulch industry.

The acquisition includes Mulch Manufacturing’s national and international distribution agreements, an increase in production and packaging capacity, and its sales contracts with numerous big box retailers. Mulch Manufacturing includes mulch production, sawmill operation, Natures Reflections colorant manufacturing and equipment manufacturing.

Next-Gen Products

SGTM’s vision and commitment to the environment is paired with Mulch Manufacturing’s revolutionary “next-generation” mulch product, Nature’s Reflection’s Softscape®.

Softscape mulch products, created from natural forest products, are color-enhanced with environmentally safe colorants to provide four-year color retention and are free from contaminants. Safe for people and pets, Softscape allows water and air to penetrate soil and roots, which is vital to plant health and growth.

Expansion Plans

SGTM plans to expand its operations through a combination of organic growth, through its partnership with a nationally recognized waste disposal company, and through strategic acquisitions that are both accretive to earnings and positioned for rapid growth from the resulting synergistic opportunities identified.

The company has received final zoning approval for its 100-acre site, located in Lake County, Astatula, Florida, which will serve as its flagship tree debris collection site. The facility will also house the company’s mulch manufacturing, soil composting and production bagging. This prime location includes a 5,000-square-foot building that contains warehouse and office space. The 100-acre property can accommodate millions of cubic yards of organic debris and will allow SGTM’s debris hauling division to realize significant savings on its transportation costs.

SGTM has chosen as its new headquarters the 100,000-square-foot Mulch Manufacturing building in Jacksonville, Florida. The facility comprises centralized operations of Mulch Manufacturing Inc. and National Storm Recovery LLC and has ample room to expand as needed.

Leadership

SGTM’s leadership team boasts more than 40 years of next-level experience with mulch manufacturing, treating and caring for trees. This team is guided by a roster of highly qualified professionals:

• Tony Raynor, Chief Executive Officer
• Edward Lee, Chief Operating Officer
• Ralph Spencer, Director of Business Development, Strategic Acquisitions
• Steve Ogden, ISA-Certified Arborist
• Rick Starcher, Master Chemist
• Peder K. Davisson, Esq., Corporate/Securities Counsel

Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (OTC: SGTM), closed Tuesday's trading session at $1.41, up 0.714286%, on 657 volume with 5 trades. The stock's 52-week low/high is $0.05/$2.4999001.

Recent News

• Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (SGTM) Subsidiary - Mulch Manufacturing - Awarded String of Contracts
• New Contracts with The Kroger Co. and Circle-K Ensure Steady Growth, Profits for Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (SGTM)
• Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (SGTM) Announces Audit Completion, Preparation for Uplisting, Receipt of New Order from 7-Eleven Stores

Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI)

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

Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI) was featured today in a publication from BioMedWire, examining how a group of researchers has grown a lung-model in the lab that mimics the alveoli, which are fragile lung air sacs where lung damage as well as the COVID-19 infection occurs. This advancement has allowed Duke University researchers to observe the fight between lung cells and the SARS-CoV-2 cells at great molecular scale.

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

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

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

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

Subsidiaries

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Competitive Advantage

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

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

Leadership Team

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

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

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

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

Predictive Oncology (POAI), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.719, up 2.729%, on 110,082 volume with 199 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,213,223 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.670000016/$5.38999986.

Recent News

• Lab-Grown Miniature Lungs Mimic Real Lungs in All Ways, Researchers Find
• COVID-19 Deals Chronic Disease Patients a Double Blow
• Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI) CEO Provides Company Updates on Exclusive NNW Audio Interview

VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN)

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

VistaGen (NASDAQ: VTGN), a biopharmaceutical company developing new generation medicines for anxiety, depression and other central nervous system (“CNS”) disorders, was featured in the latest episode of The Stock2Me Podcast, an InvestorBrandNetwork (“IBN”) solution to provide specialized content distribution via widespread syndication channels. To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/50u3e.

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

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

New Generation Medications

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

PH94B

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

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

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

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

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

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

PH10

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

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

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

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

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

• Postpartum Depression
• Treatment-resistant Depression
• Suicidal Ideation

AV-101

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

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

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

CNS Therapeutics Market Outlook

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

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

VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.6802, up 1.5072%, on 248,725 volume with 515 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,643,515 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.294299989/$1.21979999.

Recent News

• VistaGen Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VTGN) Featured in Stock2Me Podcast
• VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) Preclinical Study Data Show Drug Combo's Innovative Potential in Fight Against Major Depressive Disorder
• VistaGen Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VTGN) Featured in BioWorld Article

Friendable Inc. (FDBL)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Friendable Inc. (FDBL).

Friendable (OTC: FDBL) has announced that, through its exclusive Fan Pass app and website, it has wrapped another successful event. The recent Fan Pass Halloween streaming showcase featured four artists — S-mack (x2), Mamd, R.T.A and Ball Hog Beats —providing each one with a virtual stage specifically designed for their individual style and sound. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/6pszT

Friendable Inc. (FDBL) is a mobile technology and marketing company focused on connecting and engaging users through its proprietary mobile and desktop applications. Launched July 24, 2020, the company’s flagship offering is designed to help artists engage with their fans around the world and earn revenue while doing so. The livestreaming platform supports artists at all levels, providing exclusive artist content ‘Channels’, LIVE event streaming, promotional support, fan subscriptions and custom merchandise designs, all of which serve as revenue streams for each artist.

With Fan Pass, artists can offer exclusive content channels to their fans, who can use their smartphones to gain access to their favorite artists, as well as an all-access pass to all artists on the platform. Additionally, the Fan Pass team will deploy social broadcasters to capture exclusive VIP experiences, interviews and behind-the-scenes content featuring their favorite artists – all available to fan subscribers on a free trial basis. Subscriptions are billed monthly at $3.99, or about the cost of downloading a couple of songs, and VIP experiences are available at a fraction of the cost of traditional face-to-face meetups.

Friendable Inc. was founded by Robert A. Rositano Jr. and Dean Rositano, two brothers with over 27 years of experience working together on technology-related ventures.

The Fan Pass Mobile & Desktop App

Friendable Inc. launched its Fan Pass platform as a solution for artists and their fans as the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated shutdown have continued to severely hamstring the entertainment industry as a whole. Through Fan Pass, the company aims to reach artists at all levels looking to alter their touring schedules to include ‘Virtual Touring’, new revenue sources and innovative fan engagement opportunities that are expected to become permanent fixtures of artists’ touring routines moving forward.

Fan Pass creates an ecosystem that embraces fans of all kinds, feeding diehard followers and developing lasting connections with more casual supporters. Through the app, qualified artists are provided with a custom designed, exclusive ’Fan Pass Channel’ where they can invite fans and social followers from anywhere around the world to join in chats and live events – allowing fans to experience all there is to see of an artist in one place. Artists earn revenue from monthly fan subscribers, merchandise sales, tickets sold for virtual streaming events and generally from all content views or impressions on their channels. All content views and sales of every kind are reported to each artist through their dashboards, including real-time payout and earnings information.

Fan Pass’ exclusive ‘All Access VIP’ option provides fans with access to content, such as:

• Live performances or online concerts
• Backstage meetups before, during or after events
• Livestreams of studio sessions
• Behind-the-scenes footage of music video and photo shoots
• Special interviews and one-on-one videos
• Streams highlighting the artists’ daily lives

The Fan Pass platform is extremely intuitive, bringing each artist through a streamlined onboarding process, including building out artist ‘Channels’, scheduling LIVE events and designing special edition merchandise to be offered solely through exclusive Fan Pass merchandise stores.

“With the global pandemic disrupting the entertainment industry in such a profound way, artists have had to look to digital distribution and live virtual performances in order to maintain any earning opportunities. Fan Pass and our team are determined to provide solutions and support to all artists, their fans and the industry in general. We are excited about the opportunity we have to shape the future of virtual entertainment, revenue generation and artist/fan engagement,” Robert A. Rositano Jr., CEO of Friendable Inc., stated in a news release.

Market Opportunity

Artists rely heavily on revenue streams that are not often seen by those without intimate industry knowledge. When it comes to traditional performances, the sale of VIP/backstage or meet & greet passes to boost revenue can often become the majority of the artist’s annual tour revenue. Data provided by one of the company’s original entertainment partners, The Kluger Agency (TKA), suggests that as much as 18-23% of artists’ annual tour revenue has historically been derived from these VIP experiences.

The World Economic Forum reports that, in 2020, the six-month-plus disappearance of live music concerts is estimated to have cost “the industry more than $10 billion in sponsorships,” and individual artists are feeling the loss the most. Fan Pass is helping to bridge this gap, providing more affordable virtual VIP experiences that can be offered simultaneously to fans around the world.

While it’s free for artists to join, Fan Pass leverages a monthly subscription model paid by fans to generate revenues. These revenues are shared with all channel artists. In exchange for its platform features, live streaming tools, bandwidth, processing and handling, Fan Pass earns platform fees on each separately ticketed event, as well as splits with each artist on subscriber fees and merchandise designed and sold on the platform.

The U.S. video streaming industry is expected to hit $7.08 billion in value in 2021, with an estimated 100 million internet users watching online video content every day, according to data from Livestream.com. The same report suggests that 45% of live video audiences would pay for exclusive, on-demand video from a favorite team, speaker or performer. Through Fan Pass, Friendable Inc. is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this opportunity.

Friendable App

The company’s second application, Friendable, is an all-inclusive platform where users can meet, chat and date. The app has exceeded 1.5 million total downloads, with over 900,000 historical registered users and more than 580,000 historical user profiles.

Friendable Inc.’s Next Phase of Growth

To facilitate its next phase of growth, Friendable Inc. is seeking an additional $1 million in equity investment, with a follow-on funding that meets or exceeds $5 million. The company intends to utilize its relationships to secure the lowest cost of capital available, as these funds will drive technology advancements, increase head count, fund marketing initiatives and secure additional celebrity talent aimed at bringing larger fan audiences to each released event. These initiatives will assist in building recurring monthly (fan) subscribers, effectively generating recurring monthly revenue for each artist, as well. The next phase of growth is expected to play a key role in accelerating the company’s download and conversion of data for subscription revenue and merchandise sales.

The company’s primary goal is to establish Fan Pass as a premier brand and mobile platform dedicated to connecting and engaging users around the world. In support of this goal, it has entered into a partnership with Brightcove targeting OTT platform expansion, including leaders such as iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku and WWW.

In the highly competitive video streaming market, Friendable Inc. has tapped into an unmet demand from today’s ever-present ‘omni-users’ for constant contact with celebrities and influencers. Via Fan Pass, the company offers investors an opportunity to gain a stake in an organization catering to this new breed of omni-users and their influencers.

The application’s potential is clearly illustrated by the interest it has generated in recent weeks. From September 4 to October 12, the Fan Pass platform added 246 new artists, accounting for a 410 percent increase in just six weeks.

“We are extremely encouraged by the ongoing swell of interest as the value of our Fan Pass platform continues to resonate in the artist community,” Friendable CEO Robert A. Rositano Jr. stated in a news release. “We believe the live streaming functionality, our full-circle offering and diverse revenue opportunities the platform offers will continue to drive exponential growth as management remains focused on building long-term shareholder value.”

Management Team

Robert A. Rositano Jr. is the co-founder and CEO of Friendable Inc. He oversees the daily management and operational duties of all areas of the business. He has over 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, bringing in over $60 million in liquidity events for the companies he has created or managed. Before starting Friendable Inc. with his brother, Rositano was a founding member of the internet’s first IPO, Netcom Online Communications Inc. It was sold to ICG, then to EarthLink in 1995. He has been a co-founder of several successful ventures, including Simply Internet Inc., Nettaxi.com and America’s Biggest Inc., among others. He also authored one of the first web directories for MacMillan Publishers.

Dean Rositano is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Friendable Inc. He handles the day-to-day operations and guides the technical direction of the company. He has over 15 years of executive management, financial management, high technology operations and internet architecture experience. Before co-founding Friendable Inc., Rositano co-founded several other companies, including Checkmate Mobile Inc. and Latitude Venture Partners LLC, among others.

Friendable Inc. (FDBL), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.0195, up 4.00%, on 264,887 volume with 12 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 215,807 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.01575/$0.517000019.

Recent News

• Friendable Inc.'s (FDBL) Halloween Fan Pass Event Provides Virtual Stage for Artists
• Friendable's Fan Pass Platform Records 128 New Artist Sign Ups Since Oct. 13, 2020, with Totals Now Surpassing 469 Artists Since its July 2020 Launch
• Friendable Inc. (FDBL) Fan Pass Live Platform Bridges Gap Between Artist Performances, Fan Experience

Rritual Mushrooms Inc.

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Rritual Mushrooms Inc..

Rritual Mushrooms is a private company that manufactures premium plant-based products including small-batch elixir powders and premium shots made from medicinal mushrooms and adaptogenic herbs. Rritual’s mission is to help each and every person meet the demands of modern life with style and ease through mushroom adaptogen products, slated to be sold online and through brick and mortar establishments. Through its management team, the company has developed connections with leading retailers and other establishments to begin rolling out its product offering. The first products will be available online through the Rritual website and an exclusive Amazon shop.

Rritual Mushrooms Inc. is a private company founded in 2019, whose declared purpose is to help people meet the demands of modern life with style and ease by incorporating functional mushrooms, adaptogens and superfoods into their diets.

The company manufactures premium plant-based products such as small-batch elixir powders, and each product features mindfully selected medicinal mushrooms and adaptogenic herbs. Pursuing customers with various need-states, Rritual offers products that fit every lifestyle.

Suite of Premium Rritual(TM) Products

Rritual recently announced the launch of its suite of premium functional mushroom and adaptogenic elixirs. These elixirs were developed by a leading team of scientists, doctors and experts across the wellness industry, under the guidance of Rritual President Dr. Mike Hart.

The initial product line includes:

• Chaga (immune booster) – Full of bioactive polysaccharides, Rritual’s Chaga blend combines the Chaga mushroom with Eleuthero root for optimal immune system benefits.
• Lion’s Mane (brain booster) – Designed to support cognitive function and brain health, Lion’s Mane is paired with Rhodiola root. The elixir can also help the body manage stress.
• Reishi (stress support) – Rich in polysaccharides, triterpenes, amino acids and fatty acids, the Reishi blend is infused with Ashwagandha root. This combination aims to help the body and mind fight anxiety, with long term effects that may improve quality of sleep for those with restless minds.

“The health and wellness benefits of mushrooms and plant-based therapies are backed by decades of scientific research. Rritual’s new line of elixirs embraces that research and provides consumers with an easy way to get a daily dose of the powerful effects,” Hart said in a news release.

Rritual CEO David Kerbel noted that the company is proud to bring together age-old mushroom consumption practices and data-backed research to create new formulas that meet the needs of modern consumers. “Whether to relieve stress, increase mental output or boost immunity, we want to be a trusted and effective component of a consumer’s daily health and wellness routine,” he added.

Rritual Timeline

According to its investor presentation, Rritual has already fulfilled most of the milestones it set for Q1 and Q2 2020 as part of its growth and development timeline. So far, the company has completed formulation R&D, product line development, test marketing, brand development, logistics partnerships and agreements, initial distributor partnerships, seed financing and the phase one launch of its product suite.

Rritual E-Commerce Rollout Strategy

The company’s strategy for e-commerce rollout success consists of direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales through the use of multiple online platforms and through team connections to facilitate rapid expansion within the market.

In the first stage, Rritual will use its own website and Amazon to facilitate its D2C initiative, followed by leveraging its team connections to sell products through planned specialty e-commerce channels such as Costco, CVS, Walmart, and Vitacost using preexisting relationships.

Brick-and-Mortar Rollout Strategy

Using partnerships already in place with The Jet Collective and leveraging the preexisting connections of its team for direct discussions with global retail brands, Rritual’s brick-and-mortar strategy features a two-stage rollout that targets 15 leading retailers.

In the first stage, Rritual aims to launch with four non-competing chains, while utilizing best practice agreements (320 Sprouts stores, 330 H-E-B stores, 240 Meijer stores and 1,600 Publix stores). In stage 2, distribution is expected to advance to additional retail establishments (100 Wegmans stores, 77 Fresh Thyme stores, 440 Whole Foods stores, 120 Shaw’s stores, 400 Stop & Shop stores, 300 Wakefern/Shoprite stores, 610 Vitamin Shoppe stores, 90 Bartell Drug stores, 40 Giant Eagle market district stores and 1,800 Target stores), while collaboration with Kroger will take place within two sub-markets (300 Ralphs stores and 120 Harris Teeter stores).

Market Growth Outlook

As it is yet in its early stages, the functional mushrooms market is rife with opportunities for growth. At this time, no dominant brand is in place, and there remains an absence of a premium brand to lead the category.

The entire functional food market is currently valued at more than $275 billion, with global shifts supporting wellness and a 7.9% CAGR forecast through 2025. Demand for functional mushrooms is also growing, with a forecast rise from $23 billion to $34 billion by 2024 as a result of growing popularity due to the superfood’s unique properties that have been shown to boost immunity, cognitive function and more. The worldwide functional mushroom market is projected to exceed $50 billion by 2025, with recent data indicating an increase in demand for key mushroom varieties of up to 800%.

Management Team

David Kerbel, CPC, is CEO of Rritual and has over 30 years of senior experience in retail, brokerage and CPG industries. From 2008 to 2011, Kerbel served as Senior Vice President of Sales for Celsius Holdings Inc., helping that company achieve a number of important milestones. During his tenure, Celsius grew its retail sales from $400,000 to a multimillion-dollar figure, developed nationwide representation with CROSSMARK Inc. and established distribution with industry giants such as 7-Eleven, Ralph’s, C&S, Costco, BJ’s Wholesale, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid, Target, Duane Reade and Stop & Shop. In total, Celsius’ new distribution stemming from Kerbel’s direct efforts led to $36 million in incremental sales in 2010 alone. He also implemented new procedures that led to a 10 percent reduction in operating expenses. Kerbel brings tremendous experience to the Rritual team, as well as vital relationships with industry leaders such as Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven, Safeway, Publix, Sprouts and more.

Warren Spence is the COO and a Director of Rritual. He has over 25 years in the food and beverage industry. His roles within the industry have included senior positions with brands like Red Bull and Olivieri. His specialization is in supply chain and operations systems. He was appointed Head of Supply Chain for Nude Beverages in 2019.

Dr. Mike Hart, MD, is the President of Rritual. His work has been published in peer-review journals about therapies involving cannabis and ketamine. His outspoken stance on these subjects landed him an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast in 2019. On-air, he discussed the use of psychedelic medicines as a treatment for mental health conditions, including PTSD.

Stacie Gillespie is CCO and Director of Formulations for Rritual. She has over 25 years of leadership in the branding and product strategies used by wellness companies. She has leveraged this expertise for companies such as Aura Cacia, MegaFood and Gaia Herbs. She is the creator of multiple award-winning consumer health products.

Sarton Molnar-Fenton is Vice President of Sales-USA for Rritual. She started her career with Vitamin Water, with other large companies under her belt, including Danone, as a District Manager. She worked with Nestle on its Tribe Hummus brand and played an integral part in relaunching the brand, gaining category share and establishing product development partnerships with companies like Trader Joe’s. She also played a key role in launching the Hydralyte brand in the United States.

Scott Naccarrato is the company’s Vice President of Sales-Canada. He is experienced in sales with a deep connection in retail. Recently, he worked with Nutiva, assisting in the pioneering of Organic MCT oil, healthy fats and the plant-based protein categories. He is data-oriented in his approach, which has resulted in over $100 million in sales and double-digit year-over-year growth for the brands of which he has been a part.

Investment Considerations

• Rritual’s suite of premium functional mushroom and adaptogenic elixirs is designed to offer various health benefits, such as increased immunity, cognitive function, stress management and more.
• The company’s products are expected to be available online through Rritual’s site and Amazon by fall 2020.
• The Rritual team has extensive ties and influential relationships with leading retail businesses, providing a wide market for growth.
• The functional mushroom industry has no clear and dominant leader, allowing Rritual to target this role with its premium products. Rritual is currently the only premium brand on the market.
• The global functional mushroom market is expected to exceed $50 billion by 2025, putting Rritual in the position for success.
• Functional mushroom demand is expected to rise from $23 billion to $34 billion by 2024.

Recent News

• Rritual Mushrooms, Inc. Is Increasing Awareness of Medicinal Mushrooms and Adaptogenic Herbs
• Rritual Mushrooms Inc. Recognized at ECRM’s Whole Body & Mind Wellness Program
• Rritual Mushrooms Inc.’s New Line of Elixirs Provides ‘Daily Dose’ with Powerful Benefits

Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF)

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

Brain Scientific (OTCQB: BRSF), a neurology-focused medical device and software company, has announced the appointment of a new vice president of strategy and business development. In her new role, Amy Griffith will be responsible for the company’s development of strategic and tactical initiatives, as well as new sales strategies. A veteran sales and innovation expert, Griffith has held executive management positions at leading technology companies and has also worked with start-ups, focusing on identifying and implementing strategic sales programs. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

NeuroCap(TM) – Disposable EEG Headset

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

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

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

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

NeuroEEG(TM) – Miniature and Portable Wireless EEG Amplifier

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

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

Products in Active Development

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

Routine EEG

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

Pediatric EEG

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

Long-Term Monitoring

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

Artificial Intelligence

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

Telemedicine

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

Partnership with Marketing Brainology

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

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

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

Market Outlook

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF), closed Tuesday's trading session at $1.60, even for the day, on 799 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 3,425 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.100000001/$3.00999999.

Recent News

• Brain Scientific Inc. (BRSF) Appoints Experienced Innovator as VP of Strategy
• Brain Scientific Inc. (BRSF) Announces Partnership with Dalmore Group for Upcoming Offering
• Brain Scientific Appoints Stuart Bernstein as VP of Marketing

Josemaria Resources Inc. (TSX: JOSE) (OTC: JOSMF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Josemaria Resources Inc. (TSX: JOSE) (OTC: JOSMF).

Josemaria Resources (TSX: JOSE) (OTC: JOSMF) is a Canadian natural resources company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company’s current focus is on advancing the development of its wholly owned Josemaria copper-gold mining project. Josemaria Resources is part of The Lundin Group of companies, a conglomerate of 13 business entities operating in the mining, oil and gas and renewables sectors all around the world.

Josemaria Resources Inc. (TSX: JOSE) (OTC: JOSMF) is a Canadian natural resources company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company’s current focus is on advancing the development of its wholly owned Josemaria copper-gold mining project.

Josemaria Resources is part of The Lundin Group of companies, a conglomerate of 13 business entities operating in the mining, oil and gas and renewables sectors all around the world.

The Josemaria Copper-Gold Project

The company’s flagship Josemaria Copper-Gold Project is located in the San Juan Province of Argentina – a well-known mining hub supporting a wide variety of mining service companies. The Lundin Group has been active in Argentina for approximately 30 years. Committed to advancing the project, Josemaria Resources has already begun the bridging phase, with basic and detailed engineering planning expected to commence in early 2021.

The company recently announced the results of a feasibility study at the Josemaria Project. The study, prepared by a team of engineering and consulting providers including Fluor Canada Ltd., SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. and Knight Piésold Ltd., highlights a robust, low-risk project with rapid payback expected via an open pit operation with forecast capacity to feed a conventional process plant at a rate of 152,000 tonnes a day over a 19-year mine life.

According to the feasibility study, the project is expected to yield an average annual production of 136,000 tonnes of copper, 231,000 ounces of gold and 1,164,000 ounces of silver. Other highlights of the study include:

• The optimized mining production plan provides average grades in the first three years of production that are notably better than the life-of-mine average. This supports a forecast 3.8-year payback period from the start of production.
• The project’s total initial cost, including engineering, procurement, construction, management, on- and off-site infrastructure, contingency and pre-construction engineering work, amounts to roughly $3.09 billion.
• The location provides readily available access to essential resources, including water, grid power, transportation and logistics infrastructure within San Juan Province.
• An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the project is already underway and is expected to be submitted to relevant authority agencies for review during Q1 2021.

The Josemaria Copper-Gold Project has been designed to incorporate the latest technology. Per the feasibility study, the project will include the use of autonomous trucks and production drill fleets, with the option of incorporating green energy, indicating the company’s commitment to minimizing and mitigating the adverse effects of mining on the environment.

To this end, the company intends to leverage suitable planning, impact assessment and monitoring tools while also incorporating water and energy efficiency systems and ecosystem conservation services in the design and implementation of its operations.

Josemaria Resources President and CEO Adam Lundin welcomed the results of the study as confirming that this is one of the very few readily developable copper-gold projects in the world and forecasting an attractive economic outcome for the asset, comparable with other copper-gold projects in development.

“We believe that Josemaria is perfectly positioned to commence production by mid-decade, meeting rising copper demand from a rapidly electrifying global economy. I believe the study results will allow us to unlock various financing opportunities as we move toward construction,” Lundin said in a news release.

Market Outlook

The global smart mining market was estimated at $6.8 billion in 2019. It is forecast to reach $20.31 billion by 2025. The significant increase is expected to be driven by technological advancements within the sector.

Global demand for copper is also growing steadily, due to the metal’s versatility and multiple uses for industrial, domestic and high-technology indications. The global copper market is expected to reach $222.1 billion by the end of 2026.

Management Team

Adam Lundin is the President, CEO and Director of Josemaria Resources. He has several years of experience in managing capital markets and public companies across the natural resources sector. His background includes oil, gas, mining technology, investment advising, international finances and executive management. Lundin began his career working for several of the Lundin Group mining companies. He is currently engaged in multiple roles, as he is also the Chairman for Filo Mining Corp. and Africa Energy Corp. and a Director of NGEx Minerals Ltd. and the Lundin Foundation.

Ian Gibbs serves as CFO of Josemaria Resources. He is a Canadian Chartered Accountant and a graduate of the University of Calgary, holding a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Gibbs has held many prominent positions within the Lundin Group of companies over the last 15 years, most recently as the CFO of Africa Oil Corp.

Arndt Brettschneider is the company’s Vice President of Projects. He has over 23 years of international mining, consulting and project development experience. Before joining Josemaria Resources, he was Vice President of the mining consulting businesses of two globally recognized engineering companies. Brettschneider obtained a Bachelor of Science with Honors from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He received his MBA from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.

Bob Carmichael is the company’s Vice President of Exploration. He joined Josemaria Resources from Lundin Mining Corporation’s UK office. In his UK role, he was the General Manager of Resource Exploration. Carmichael is a registered Professional Engineer in the Canadian province of British Columbia. He obtained a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of British Columbia. His dual role includes serving as Vice President of Exploration for Filo Mining Corp. and NGEx Minerals Ltd.

Alfredo Vitaller is Josemaria Resources’ General Manager in Argentina. He has been involved in the mining industry since 1993. He graduated as a Licentiate in Geological Sciences from Buenos Aires University and has an M.Sc. from Mackay School of Mines at the University of Reno. Vitaller has worked with the Lundin Group since 1993 and was a part of the exploration teams for Filo, Helados and Josemaria.

Notable Directors

Ashley Heppenstall, chairman of the Josemaria Resources board of directors, has over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas and resources sectors. From 2002 to 2015, Heppenstall served as the President, CEO and Finance Director of Lundin Petroleum AB, an oil and gas exploration and production company with core assets in Norway and Southeast Asia. He is credited with building Lundin Petroleum into the largest independent oil firm in the world today, leveraging a single equity raise of $50 million to guide Lundin in the design and implementation of a strategy that’s led it to a current market cap of roughly $6 billion.

Ron Hochstein has worked for the Lundin family directly as a consultant for over 20 years and is currently the President and CEO of Lundin Gold, a gold-producing business whose key asset is the Fruta del Norte gold deposit in Ecuador. Hochstein led construction efforts on the first mine in Ecuador, which went into production in 2019 and was completed on time and on budget.

Paul Conibear has been with The Lundin Group for over two decades, including serving as the CEO and Director of Lundin Mining from 2011 through 2018. Lundin Mining’s current market cap is estimated at $3.5 billion. In total, Conibear has more than 35 years of experience in progressively more responsible positions in the resource sector ranging through management of all phases of mine investment, including exploration, economic assessments, construction, operations and closure.

Josemaria Resources Inc. (OTC: JOSMF), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.5092, off by 2.1665%, on 1,900 volume with 5 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 28,857 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.465299993/$0.685000002.

Recent News

• Josemaria Resources Inc. (TSX: JOSE) (OTC: JOSMF) Is 'One to Watch'
• Josemaria Share Capital and Voting Rights Update
• Josemaria to Present at SpareBank 1 Markets Webinar on Thursday, October 22

GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF).

GoldHaven Resources (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF) is a Canadian junior exploration company active in the Maricunga Gold Belt of Northern Chile. The company has entered into agreements to acquire seven promising gold projects. The company’s goal is to identify and capitalize on valuable precious metal projects in mineral-rich districts with stable political jurisdictions. 

GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF) (formerly Altum Resources Corp.), a Canada-based company engaged in the business of acquiring and exploring mineral resource properties, recently announced its entry into agreements to acquire seven advanced gold projects in the Maricunga Gold Belt of Chile that hosts over 100 million ounces of gold within the last 10 years.

Chilean Gold Properties Being Acquired

On April 17, 2020, GoldHaven Resources entered into an agreement to purchase a 100% interest in two gold projects located in the Maricunga Gold Belt of Northern Chile. The first property, Rio Loa, is located 25 kilometers south of Gold Fields Ltd.’s Salares Norte, where, this year, a five-million-ounce discovery was made. The second property, Coya, is located only 10 kilometers east of the Kinross La Coipa open pit mine, which has produced over 7.5 million ounces of gold to date.

Rio Loa Project

Initial geophysical studies of the Rio Loa site have exposed highly anomalous ardennite and lead values, a key characteristic of gold mineralization within silicified resistive bodies. The studies have also produced initial findings which are similar to those seen at contiguous mines, such as Salares Norte (operated by Gold Fields), which has over five million ounces in estimated gold deposits.

The potential economics for the site look particularly promising when taking the unit costs at the neighboring Salares Norte mine into account. Gold Fields has estimated that its production AISC (all-in sustainable costs) will approximate $552 per ounce and have forecast a 2.3-year payback period for its initial investment, assuming a $1,300 per ounce gold price.

Coya Project

The Coya site is located within close proximity to one of the richest and largest epithermal gold and silver districts in Chile and is in close proximity to active mining sites, specifically the La Coipa mine owned by Kinross. A study carried out in 2017-2018 on the Coya site of 796 rock chip samples found favorable gold and silver values, in some cases ranking as high as 764 grams/tonne of gold and 719 grams/tonne of silver – values which are near certain indicators of potential gold and silver deposits. The La Coipa mine (Kinross) has produced over 6.9 million ounces of gold to date.

On August 11, 2020, GoldHaven Resources acquired five potential gold projects in the Maricunga Gold Belt of Northern Chile. The Maricunga hosts discoveries within the last 10 years of over 100 million ounces of gold and over 450 million ounces of silver. These newly acquired properties are in close proximity to seven other mines, which possess an estimated aggregate of 81 million ounces of gold in total reserves.

GoldHaven’s five new projects cover a total area of approximately 22,600 hectares, or 226 square kilometers, located in the northern portion of the Maricunga Belt in proximity to the 5 million-ounce gold equivalent Salares Norte project owned by Gold Fields. Gold Fields announced in April 2020 its intention to proceed with the development of Salares Norte at a cost of $860 million, with a $138 million expenditure budgeted for 2020.

The Maricunga Belt extends approximately 150 kilometers north-south and 30 kilometers east-west, straddling the border between Chile and Argentina. This region hosts known mineral resources of more than 100 million ounces of gold, 450 million ounces of silver and 1.3 billion pounds of copper.

The Maricunga project’s opportunity came about as a result of a $150 million initiative launched by the Chilean Economic Development Agency (“CORFO”), with the objective of encouraging exploration and mining prosperity in Chile and strengthening Chile’s position as a world leader in the sector.

As part of CORFO’s program, a total of $15.3 million was given to private equity fund IMT Exploration to evaluate 403 projects, beginning in 2011. This led to a generative program carried out from 2016 to 2019, resulting in 126 potential epithermal targets from which 57 field evaluations were made. Due diligence work followed on 19 of these. Work programs were then conducted, including geological mapping, rock and soil sampling and TerraSpec (PIMA) analyses on geochemical grids for alteration mapping, and, as a result, the five high-priority Maricunga projects were identified. No drilling has been carried out on any of the Maricunga projects.

Securing Financing for Upcoming Operations

In conjunction with its announcement regarding its acquisition of five Chilean mining interests, GoldHaven Resources also detailed plans for a non-brokered private placement of 11.5 million units at a price of $0.35 per unit, for gross proceeds of $4,025,000. Each unit will consist of one share of the company and one warrant, the latter of which can be exercised to acquire an additional share of the company for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance at a price of $0.50 per share. Net proceeds from the offering are intended to be used to fund general expenses, as well as exploration and drilling of its mineral properties.

Gold Prices Hit Record High in 2020

Gold prices have been on a remarkable run in 2020, breaking above $2,000 per ounce for the first time on record. Having begun the year at $1,515 per ounce, the precious metal has seen a huge surge on the back of widespread economic uncertainty stemming from governments’ worldwide propensity to expand the money supply, from the reduction of the value of the U.S. dollar as expressed by the decrease in the U.S. dollar index, and from the very real economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Global central banks have carried out 144 interest rate cuts thus far in 2020, reducing rates by a cumulative 5,035 basis points (http://nnw.fm/jzZt0). Meanwhile, the IMF has estimated that global governments have introduced fiscal support measures amounting to over $9 trillion since the start of the pandemic (http://nnw.fm/Or9rI). The resulting weakness in the U.S. dollar and eventual inflationary pressures stemming from these measures has prompted a number of investment banks to boost their near-term outlooks for gold prices, with Bank of America raising its 18-month gold price target to $3,000 per ounce (http://nnw.fm/PQJtc).

Leadership Team

David Smith, President, CEO and Director, has been immersed in the mining industry for the last eight years, working in corporate development and finance. Prior to GoldHaven Resources, Smith cofounded a multifaceted real estate development and sales company, which has now been in operation for over 35 years. He also cofounded two successful environment-focused companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Both companies were sold independently and returned a significant profit for shareholders.

Darryl Jones, Chief Financial Officer, is a finance executive and CPA with over 30 years of public company and project buildout experience. Most recently, Jones served as the CFO of Lupaka Gold Corp., retiring in June 2018. Prior to that, Jones serves as CFO of Corriente Resources, which was sold to CRCC-Tongguan in May 2010 for C$680 million.

Patrick Burns, VP Exploration and Director, is a Canadian geologist with over 40 years of experience throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America. He played a direct role in the discovery of the Escondida porphyry copper deposit in Chile and has been involved in publicly traded mining companies, predominantly in Chile, for 35 years.

Marla Ritchie, Corporate Secretary, brings over 25 years of experience in public markets to the GoldHaven team. Throughout this time, she has worked as an administrator and corporate secretary specializing in resource-based exploration companies. Currently, Ritchie is the corporate secretary for several companies, including International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. and Trevali Mining Corp.

Gordon Ellis, Director; has over 50 years’ experience in mining and resource development. A professional engineer and entrepreneur, he has held multiple senior management and director roles with public mining companies, as well as a multi-billion-dollar ETF fund. Ellis holds an MBA in international finance and a Chartered Directors designation.

Scott Dunbar, Director is a professor and head of multiple departments at the University of British Columbia, including mineral extraction and mining innovation, as well as mining engineering. He has been involved in projects around the world in regard to mining exploration, geotechnical engineering and mine design. Dunbar received his PhD in geophysics and civil engineering from Stanford University.

GoldHaven Resources Corp. (OTCQB: ATUMF), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.2973, off by 7.0938%, on 21,297 volume with 11 trades. The stock's 52-week low/high is $0.109999999/$0.446000009.

Recent News

• GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF) May Help Bring Revitalization to the Mining District
• China's Ambitious Infrastructure Plan Will Grow Metals Demand
• GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF) Announces Granting of Stock Options, Appointment of New CEO

Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD).

Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD)was featured today in the 420 with CNW by CannabisNewsWire. Sales in the state of New Jersey are projected to increase quickly if voters approve a cannabis legalization referendum on their ballots in the coming week. A plan unveiled by a top lawmaker would even allow the already existing medical cannabis dispensaries in the state to start selling to adults aged 21 years and above within a month of the election.

Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD) is headquartered in Monrovia, California, where the company recognizes new opportunities in the cannabis delivery space and in the market for supplies to the quick-service restaurant industry – both of which have fast-changing dynamics due to the recent outbreak of coronavirus in the United States.

The Coronavirus Cannabis Boom Market

Retailers across the nation are closing their doors and curtailing operations due to the coronavirus pandemic, inherently pinching sales. In the California cannabis sector, however, business has never been better – especially relative to home delivery.

California’s cannabis industry continues to operate, and media reports reveal booming cannabis sales as the state’s citizens stay home to wait out current events. The Los Angeles Times recently published the headline, “Marijuana Sales on Fire amid Virus Outbreak; New York Post “Cannabis sales hit new highs”; USA Today “American Stock Up on Pot” Fox News “California marijuana sales surge”; and ABC News Cannabis Shops thrive in coronavirus pandemic.

The state of California benefits from the ultra-high taxes paid by the highly regulated cannabis industry, and has thus deemed cannabis companies as “essential” businesses, allowing for full operations to continue. While pot shops are seeing strong foot traffic, the real growth action is in-home delivery as consumers seek to embrace social distancing. Many delivery operators are reporting difficulty in meeting demand with sales growth of up to 10% sequentially each week. It is certainly a boom time for the industry.

Sugarmade Growth Strategy

Recognizing new investment and operational opportunities within California’s cannabis market, Sugarmade is strategizing to take advantage of opportunity specifically in delivery services (non-storefront retailer), manufacturing via co-branding, and selective genetic cultivation. The company is taking a highly selective approach, targeting only the best of these opportunities for company growth.

In line with this strategy is northern California delivery service Budcars, in which Sugarmade owns a 40% interest and an option to gain a controlling interest. Budcars connects consumers with premium products sourced from top-tier farms and extractors, offering a curated menu of fully compliant cannabis products. The company maintains a competitive advantage by sourcing premium cannabis offerings and same-day delivery. In addition to maintaining its own cars, California licenses, and fulfillment center, Budcar orders its premium products in bulk at lower prices, enabling the company to rein in costs and maintain competitive pricing for its customers. Currently serving major communities within the metropolitan area of Sacramento, Budcars plans to continue the expansion of the company’s delivery reach.

Sugarmade plans to continue its expansion into burgeoning new sectors of the cannabis market through the following avenues:

• Geographic expansion of Budcars delivery scope
• New delivery geographies
• Cannabis cultivation as a key component of a hybrid vertical integration strategy
• Product technology expansion—including products containing exotic and lesser-known cannabinoids

Diversified Portfolio

Sugarmade has positive market exposure to cannabis delivery, as well as to the restaurant industry, at a time when these businesses are being force to move toward take-out and delivery models in order to survive.

The company has various business operations in diverse marketplaces, including food, safe packaging and sanitary supplies for various industries, and agricultural supplies. Sugarmade entered the industrial hemp and CBD space by investing in Hempistry, Inc., a privately held Nevada corporation. Hempistry began planting an ultra-high cannabidiol (CBD) industrial hemp strain on a land option it holds on 5,000 acres of prime Kentucky farmland. The strain of industrial hemp being grown by Hempistry is ultra-rich in CBD but contains less than 0.3% of THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis.

CarryOutSupplies.com, the leader in paper and plastic take-out supplies, serves nationwide customers by offering a wide array of high-quality products that are cost-efficient, custom-made and delivered on time. This business unit currently serves 2,000 quick service restaurants, garnering from 30%-40% of the market share. Sugarmade plans to expand operations via the addition of market share and the introduction of new product offerings.

Market Opportunity

There is little doubt among industry participants, and recently confirmed by Forbes, that California is the single largest cannabis market in the world. The state is expected to produce more than $3.5 billion in cannabis sales during 2020, with growth topping 23% annually. The global industrial hemp market size was estimated at $4.71 billion in 2019 and is expected to register a revenue-based CAGR of 15.8% over the forecast period of 2016-2027, according to Grandview Research. Market growth drivers include the 2018 Farm Bill and society’s increasing knowledge of the benefits of hemp products.

Overall industry growth is great, but specific vertical sector growth is even better. Cannabis delivery is clearly the fastest growing sector of the marketplace and with coronavirus fears the already robust growth rate has accelerated.

Sugarmade seems to be in the right industry at the right time in history.

Management

CEO Jimmy Chan is an experienced business executive instrumental in growing multiple business operations with a strong expertise in international trade and banking, and international manufacturing and importation. He is also the founder of CarryOutSupplies.com, a company that revolutionized the custom-printed paper supplies subsector of the quick-service restaurant industry, which merged with Sugarmade in 2014.

Dedicated to getting the highest caliber of THC and CBD to its customers’ door, the company’s priority is to ensure that they receive the highest quality cannabis product free from logistical hassles. Sugarmade specializes in growing and acquiring innovative brands to maximize value for company employees, shareholders and other stakeholders. Sugarmade believes its future is very bright as the company expands operations within the cultivation sector and rapidly increases its revenue base.

Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.0014, off by 6.6667%, on 22,652,353 volume with 11 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 39,310,772 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.001249999/$0.019799999.

Recent News

• 420 with CNW - NJ Recreational Pot Sales Could Start Within Weeks, Senator Suggests
• 420 with CNW - Massachusetts Regulators Make Bold Decision on New Delivery Businesses
• 420 with CNW - Montana Supreme Court Throws Out Case Against Marijuana Legalization Measure

PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSXV: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA)

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

A PowerBand Solutions’ (TSX.V: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (FRA: 1ZVA) partner, MUSA Auto Finance, has partnered with two large financial institutions and is adding dealers to its platform at a record pace as it expands its new- and used-car leasing platform. MUSA, an automotive finance and technology lender specializing in effortless leasing, is working with its new partners to achieve securitization. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/8H5MN

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

A Better Way to Connect and Acquire Vehicles

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

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

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

The PowerBand Auto Platform

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

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

Automotive’s Growing Markets

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

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

Disrupting Auto Leasing with MUSA

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

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

Experienced Leadership

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

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

PowerBand Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: PWWBF), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.20235, up 1.175%, on 24,151 volume with 4 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 48,233 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.038600001/$0.241600006.

Recent News

• MUSA Auto Finance Partners with Two US Financial Institutions to Expand Car-Leasing Services
• PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSX.V: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (FRA: 1ZVA) Announces 60% Acquisition of Leading iPad Solution for Auto Dealers, Drivers
• PowerBand Acquires 60% of IntellaCar Solutions, LLC

The Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX: FIRE) (OTC: SPRWF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (OTC: SPRWF).

Supreme Cannabis Company (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1), a global diversified portfolio of distinct businesses, products and brands, today announced that it will be reporting its first quarter financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2020 after markets close on Monday, November 16, 2020. In addition, Supreme Cannabis will host a conference call to discuss the results at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, November 17, 2020. Interested parties may join the call by dialing 416-764-8659 or 1-888-664-6392 and entering conference ID number 67218125. The call may also be accessed through the following webcast link: https://ibn.fm/PSog8. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/zKqTK

Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX: FIRE) (OTC: SPRWF) is committed to providing premium brands and products that reflect the company’s knowledgeable customers, passionate employees and culture of innovation. The company aims to grow the world’s best legal cannabis and become a leader in the global industry. Supreme Cannabis calls its Toronto Venture Exchange stock symbol, “FIRE,” a testament to the company’s passion for cannabis and obsession with quality.

Supreme Cannabis believes the world is ready to follow Canada’s lead by ending the 100-year cannabis prohibition and, as one of Canada’s most premium cannabis producers, the company sees itself at the center of this global shift.

A key piece of Supreme Cannabis’ ability to fulfill its mission is its flagship brand, 7ACRES, a wholly owned subsidiary that operates a 440,000-square-foot hybrid cultivation facility in Kincardine, Ontario. 7ACRES is focused on building a core competency in scaled high-quality cannabis production. With a best-in-class cultivation facility producing a competitive product that fuels a leading premium brand, Supreme Cannabis has achieved a differentiated advantage in cultivation IP, products and branding. The company’s foundational investment in premium cultivation has secured it a leadership position in the industry as the Canadian market becomes more competitive and matures.

Since legalization, 7ACRES has brought five premium flower strains to market in Canada. The demand for 7ACRES product continues with the company’s most recent launch of Jack Haze, a new proprietary premium cultivar. The company’s first sativa-dominant strain, Jack Haze offers rare sensory characteristics, delivering high THC content with a terpinolene forward profile, including a complex aroma with notes of citrus, pine and warm spice. As it develops its next winning strain, 7ACRES continues to prioritize subjective quality. In the Canadian cannabis market, this approach has established 7ACRES as a well-known premium brand that commands premium pricing coast-to-coast.

In addition to 7ACRES, Supreme Cannabis has built a diversified portfolio of focused consumer-driven brands:

• Sugarleaf by 7AC – this new brand widens Supreme Cannabis’ product offerings and targets consumers who are looking for more refined, milder consumption experience as they discover their own cannabis taste preferences and desires. Product formats under this brand are focused on offering consumers elegant and convenient cannabis experiences.
• Blissco — dedicated to providing wellness focused consumers with premium cannabis products, education, and outstanding customer care. Blissco is focused on bringing its collection of premium whole-flower CBD oils to market.
• Truverra — focused on being a global leader in the development, production and marketing of hemp and cannabis-derived medicinal products with clinically proven efficacy. With over 25 SKUs sold online in the UK and Europe, Truverra is ideally positioned to address emerging international cannabis opportunities.
• Khalifa Kush Enterprises — formed through a prestigious international partnership with Khalifa Kush Enterprises (KKE) Canada, the Canadian counterpart to the popular U.S. cannabis brand KKE formed by Wiz Khalifa. Together, Supreme Cannabis and KKE Canada are developing and launching a lineup of premium cannabis products, including a future line based on the well-known Khalifa Kush strain.

Each of Supreme Cannabs’ brands and partnerships have been strategically identified and designed to support the company’s mission to enhance the lives of consumers through positive cannabis experiences. Equally important to delivering desirable consumer experiences is the infrastructure supporting the company’s brands and products. From seed to sale, supreme cannabis continues to build an impressive group of operating assets that serve key functions throughout the value chain:

• Cultivation – for starters, there is Supreme Cannabis’ foundational flagship asset, its 440,000-square-foot cultivation facility in Kincardine, Ontario. With over 600 employees, 24 grow rooms, and best-in-class processing equipment and procedures, this facility is expected to reach an annual production capacity of 50,000 kilograms in the near-term. In this purpose-built facility, the company grows small-batch high-quality cannabis from 10,000-square-foot grow rooms and completes a proprietary hang-dry for up to two weeks.
• Extraction – with the acquisition of Blissco in fiscal 2019, in addition to the Blissco wellness brand, Supreme Cannabis gained a 12,000-square-foot dedicated extraction facility in Langley, BC. This facility conducts both C02 and ethanol extraction and with the recent receipt of its oil sales license from Health Canada, it now produces Blissco branded CBD oils and expects to fill vaporizer pods for a partnership between the company’s 7ACRES brand and Pax Labs.
• Manufacturing – most recently, the company announced its 107,000-square-foot processing, packaging and manufacturing facility in Kitchener, naming the facility Supreme Cannabis Kitchener. In Q4 FY2020, the company expects to begin whole flower packaging and pre-roll manufacturing for Supreme Cannabis brands at the Kitchener Facility. In the long-term, in additional to processing its own inputs, Supreme Cannabis intends generate incremental revenue by packaging, distributing and branding third-party cannabis inputs from quality-focused cultivators.
• R&D and Product Testing – In Q1 FY2020, Supreme Cannabis closed the acquisition of Truverra and acquired a 5,000-square-foot facility licensed under Canadian Clinical Cannabinoids Inc. in Scarborough, Ontario (“Supreme Cannabis Scarborough”). Supreme Cannabis Scarborough provides R&D space for the company to test new products and develop medicinal science intellectual property. In the near-term, with the legalization of 2.0 cannabis products, this centre for innovation will be testing and bringing concentrate products to market under the 7ACRES brand.

Supreme is committed to continue to identify new opportunities to grow and strengthen its impressive portfolio of operating assets and brands and scale its strong Canadian business globally.

Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (OTC: SPRWF), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.099, up 0.814664%, on 596,939 volume with 128 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 735,007 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.079999998/$0.693899989.

Recent News

• Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) Schedules Release of Q1 2021 Financial Results, Conference Call
• Cannabis Weekly Round-Up: HMMJ ETF Drops 7 Stocks
• Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) Announces Q4 and Full-Year 2020 Results