Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE)

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

Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) is transforming its business model to become a pure-play electric vehicle (“EV”) manufacturer through its merger with privately-held Mullen Technologies Inc. Timing looks optimal for the transition as new research from investment bank UBS finds that the cost to manufacture EVs may be the same as the cost for regular models within the next four years (https://ibn.fm/DW8fZ). To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/wIZWj.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Net Element (NETE), closed Friday's trading session at $7.65, up 2.1362%, on 4,615,269 volume with 24,800 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,269,918 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.472/$20.0783996.

Recent News

• Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), Mullen Technologies Positioned at the Forefront of Reduced EV Manufacturing Costs
• Motorcycle Manufacturers Unveils Low-Cost Electric Scooter for Urban Use
• Bentley Plans to Make Only Electric Vehicles by 2030

Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA)

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

Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA) was featured today in a publication from BioMedWire, examining how, using biodegradable materials, an international team of scientists has designed a flexible gas sensor that is highly sensitive and can be implanted in the human body. The sensor, which monitors a patient’s condition during and after medical procedures, biodegrades safely after its use has been exhausted and is absorbed by the body. This is a much better sensor than the sensors currently in use. The current sensors are not only expensive, but they can also be dangerous and uncomfortable. Also today, the company was featured in a BioMedNewsBreaks from BioMedWire, examining how PCSA on Thursday released its financial results for the third quarter of 2020. In addition, Processa provided a business update via conference call, for which the replay may be accessed at https://ibn.fm/BdxSB or by dialing 877-481-4010 (Toll-free) or 919-882-2331 (International) and entering replay passcode: 38528. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/VpuUK

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 Friday's trading session at $4.27, up 1.4252%, on 10,477 volume with 113 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 29,900 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $3.40000009/$18.00.

Recent News

• Biodegradable Implantable Sensors Can Monitor Body Functions
• Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA) Announces Q3 2020 Results, Provides Corporate Update
• Processa Pharmaceuticals Announces Third Quarter 2020 Results, Provides Corporate Update

Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Sigma Labs Inc. (SGLB).

The Investor Summit Group on Thursday released further details for its Virtual Fall Summit, which is slated to take place from Nov. 16-18, 2020. The event will connect 77 presenting small and microcap companies with distinguished investors from around the globe. Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR), LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF), Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) and Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS) are among the full list of companies scheduled to present at the Fall Investor Summit. Please refer to the update for a complete list of issuers, as well as webcasting links to view the presentations. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/Ce9NL

Sigma Labs Inc. (SGLB) is the only provider of in-process quality-assurance software to the commercial 3D printing metal industry that enables operators of machines making 3D metal parts to offset emerging quality problems, sustain part quality, and avoid rejects. Sigma’s software is the singular solution that enables both real-time, in-process detection of quality control manufacturing irregularities for critical metal parts and then provides the operator the actionable information needed to adjust and mitigate the developing anomaly. Sigma Labs’ software represents a paradigm shift in the quality control process for the manufacture of 3D printed metal components. The nascent 3D metal printing industry is on the verge of radically altering the speed and technical complexity of manufactured parts. Further, it makes possible just-in-time availability of critical components – all at reduced cost, time, waste and weight. 3D printing, heralded as the fourth industrial revolution in manufacturing, will only truly surpass traditional techniques when the additive manufacturing industry moves from “post process” quality control to “in process” quality assurance.

For the industry to move from prototype manufacturing of critical components to economically viable commercial production, the 3D metal printing industry must find ways to dramatically increase production speed and quality yields, and to dramatically decrease the excessive cost of quality control. To achieve these prerequisites and move 3D metal printing into the mainstream, parts must be inspected and certified during the manufacturing process rather than after. Parts in the production process that are developing signs of quality control problems must be identified in real-time and alerts must be issued. The problem, along with the solution, must then be communicated to the machine operator to implement repairs.

Revolutionizing Additive Manufacturing

Sigma Labs, with its PrintRite3D® brand, has established a new benchmark in the development and commercialization of real-time computer aided inspection (“CAI”) solutions. Sigma Labs resolves the major roadblocks and costly quality control challenges that impede the 3D manufacture of precision metal parts. The company’s breakthrough computer-aided software product revolutionizes commercial additive manufacturing, enabling non-destructive quality assurance during production, uniquely allowing errors to be corrected in real-time.

Sigma Labs was founded in 2010 by a team of Los Alamos National Labs scientists and engineers to develop and commercially license advanced metallurgical products for the military ordinance, dental implants, and then for additive manufacturing (3D printing). After assessing 3D metal printing technology and the costly, inconsistent quality control issues, Sigma Labs concluded that the enormous potential of 3D metal printing could only scale up if in-process quality-assurance tools were developed to observe, manage and control the manufacturing complexities in such a manner that reliability and repeatability of very high precision quality metal parts could be achieved in the process. Sigma Labs’ patented and third-party validated software has achieved these objectives and now delivers the critical elements needed to unleash the promise of 3D metal printing.

Sigma Labs’ products and services are engineered, manufactured and qualified for use in the highly demanding and hyper precise production environments of the aerospace, defense, transportation, oil and gas, biomedical and other precision-dependent industries.

The Challenge

Additive metal manufacturing combines multiple processes and parts into one single 3D printed part. Due to variances in the additive manufacturing process, parts of consistent quality currently can’t be reliably produced in either large or small quantities without substantial postproduction inspection and rejection costs. Parts are inspected after production using CT scans and other means, so the manufacturer doesn’t know until the very end which of the finished parts meet design specifications. This means lost time, lost profits and inability to economically scale up production.

Innovative Approach

Sigma Labs solves this problem with its patented, in-process quality control technology that informs operators and engineers how to improve both the manufacturing process and quality by capturing meaningful data about inconsistencies in real-time. Sigma Labs is also partnering with OEMs, working toward the visionary introduction of revolutionary closed-loop control that will bypass the machine operator and automatically make in process corrections by reducing machine variations.

Sigma Labs’ next generation technology gives manufacturers the ability to make fast, virtual real-time adjustments so that each finished part is uniform and within critical specifications, thereby improving production quality, decreasing end-users’ risks and waste, and increasing profits and speed to market. Sigma Labs’ PrintRite3D® IPQA Software monitors and assesses the quality of each production part in the 3D additive manufacturing process – layer by layer, and in real-time. This has never been available until now.

Sigma Labs maintains a strong intellectual property portfolio consisting of trade secrets, process know-how and 34 patents either granted, pending or awaiting pre-publication around the globe. These patents encompass the fundamental technologies underlying Sigma Labs’ melt pool process control, data analytics, anomaly detection, signature identification, and future “closed-loop control” of 3D metal printing.

Market Opportunity

Providing advanced quality assurance software to the commercial 3D printing industry is currently a $1.4 billion addressable market expected to grow to $3.9 billion by 2023. Integrating Sigma Labs’ groundbreaking software helps arm the industry with a necessary catalyst to help enable and optimize the fourth industrial revolution in manufacturing.

Sigma Labs’ global client base includes 23 installations across 19 different users. Tier-1 OEM enterprises and end-users such as Siemens, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney and others are currently evaluating PrintRite3D® for production lines.

Management Team

John Rice, CEO and chairman of the board of directors, has extensive experience as a CEO, lead negotiator, turnaround expert, business financier and crisis management executive/consultant. Prior to becoming chair and CEO of Sigma Labs, he was the CEO of a successful turn-around of a Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Rice has led a variety of companies in diverse business sectors and worked on a host of products and technologies including design and manufacture of high-end jet engine test equipment for the U.S. Airforce, chaff dispensers for F16s, software for modeling naval exercises, software for controlling warehouse distribution systems, medical radioisotopes, cancer detection, and cybersecurity. He is an honor’s graduate of Harvard College.

Darren Beckett, CTO, has over 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, including Intel Corporation, where he held various technical and managerial positions. His expertise in process engineering for advanced manufacturing technology includes statistical process control for fabrication of semiconductor devices.

CFO Frank D. Orzechowski also serves as treasurer, principal accounting officer, principal financial officer and corporate secretary. He has more than 30 years of distinguished financial and operational experience. Orzechowski began his career at Coopers & Lybrand in 1982, received his CPA certification in 1984, and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting from Georgetown University in 1982.

Ronald Fisher, vice president of business development, is leading the commercialization of PrintRite3D® 5.0. Fisher is a mechanical engineer with hands-on experience in quality, manufacturing and product development. He has distinguished himself as a lead sales and marketing officer as well as a chief operating officer most recently before joining Sigma in technology startup that grew from market entry to successful exit by merger-acquisition.

Sigma Labs Inc. (SGLB), closed Friday's trading session at $2.35, up 3.0702%, on 105,446 volume with 386 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,426,090 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.95000004/$11.6999998.

Recent News

• Investor Summit Group Releases Lineup of 77 Public Companies to Present at Virtual Fall Event
• Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) to Present at Virtual Fall Investor Summit
• Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) Featured in Research Report

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

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

Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX), an innovator in automotive vision systems, on Thursday announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020. According to the update, Foresight ended the quarter with $14.5 million in cash and short-term deposits, GAAP net loss of $11.4 million and non-GAAP net loss for the same period of $10.5 million. To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/Zme0q

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

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

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

Foresight has developed three main products:

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

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

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

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

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

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (FRSX), closed Friday's trading session at $0.894, up 1.5909%, on 318,028 volume with 1,172 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,516,843 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.460999995/$1.95000004.

Recent News

• Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) Announces Q3 2020 Results
• Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) Integrates QuadSight(R) Software on the NVIDIA(R) Jetson AGX Xavier(TM) Platform
• Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) to Unveil COVID-19 Symptom Detection Solution at SEECAT 2020

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. A week ago, New Jersey legalized the sale of marijuana. The state has allowed the sale of medical marijuana since 2010 when the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act was approved. Currently, upwards of 80,000 individuals in the state use marijuana to help alleviate or treat symptoms of various conditions, which range from epilepsy, cancer, nausea and pain to glaucoma and ALS.

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 Friday's trading session at $0.0017, up 13.3333%, on 14,924,802 volume with 128 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 35,659,411 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.001249999/$0.0161.

Recent News

• 420 with CNW - What's Next for Medical Marijuana After NJ Legalizes Recreational Pot?
• 420 with CNW - CBD Shampoo Alleviates Symptoms of Scalp Inflammation
• Sugarmade Inc. (SGMD) Reports BudCars Q3 Numbers, Company Continues to Post Record Sales

Rritual Mushrooms Inc.

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

Therapeutic foods innovator Rritual Superfoods is gaining attention as it helps build the emerging new market for healthful mushroom elixirs as a beneficial superfood. On the heels of its initial product launch in September and an ECRM Buyer’s Choice Award last month for its attractive marketing and growing market presence (https://ibn.fm/mcl20), Rritual has secured organic certification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”), which provides “trusted, third-party validation of the quality of Rritual’s products” beyond the unregulated claims of many products to feature “all-natural” ingredients, CEO David Kerbel noted (https://ibn.fm/EVcx8).

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 Superfoods Gains Important USDA Organic Certification for Emerging Industry Superfood Elixirs
• Rritual Receives USDA Organic Certification, Official Confirmation of Product Quality
• Rritual Mushrooms, Inc. Is Increasing Awareness of Medicinal Mushrooms and Adaptogenic Herbs

Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR)

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

Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR) was featured today in the 420 with CNW by CannabisNewsWire. Steny Hoyer, a U.S. representative from Maryland and the House Majority Leader, wrote a letter to his colleagues providing details about the upcoming legislative session, slated to run November to December. That letter indicated that the long-awaited floor vote on federal marijuana legalization will happen, though he didn’t mention exactly when that’s likely to be during the brief session.

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

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

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

High-End Selectively Bred Genetics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Partnership with Phenome One

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

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

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

Joint Venture with Rock Creek Farms of British Columbia

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

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

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

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

Infinite Development Possibilities at Fraser Valley Property in British Columbia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lake Country Cultivation Facility near Kelowna, British Columbia

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

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

Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (PACR), closed Friday's trading session at $0.195, even for the day, on 240 volume with 1 trade. The average volume for the last 3 months is 11,814 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.11/$0.72.

Recent News

• 420 with CNW - Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill to Get Floor Vote in December
• 420 with CNW - Research Finds Off-Duty Cannabis Use Has No Effect on Productivity
• As Canada's Legal Cannabis Market Gains Ground, Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR) Leverages Genetics to Produce Superior Strains

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, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Stirling, the social distancing measures introduced to help contain the coronavirus infection has affected the well-being of Scotland’s older population, increasing their feelings of loneliness.

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

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

Organ Targeted Therapeutics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Global Brain Tumor Therapeutics Market

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

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP), closed Friday's trading session at $2.12, off by 4.5045%, on 23,861 volume with 115 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 89,963 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.25820004/$5.68989992.

Recent News

• Social Distancing Spikes Loneliness Among Older People
• CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) Hosting Webcast for Discussion of Phase 2 Clinical Trial Design
• Ethicist Suggests People Should Be Paid to Accept COVID-19 Vaccine

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

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

Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) was featured today in a publication from MiningNewsWire, examining how, in the heart of Sulawesi, an Indonesian island, is a small mining town by the name of Sorowako. The town is one of the biggest areas for mining nickel in the world, with one firm extracting 5% of the world’s supply of nickel from this one location. Also today, the company was featured as among those presenting at the upcoming Investor Summit Group’s Virtual Fall Summit, which is slated to take place from Nov. 16-18, 2020. The event will connect 77 presenting small and microcap companies with distinguished investors from around the globe. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/Ce9NL

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nuclear Market Potential

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

Reasons Nuclear is Gaining Traction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU), closed Friday's trading session at $1.73, off by 0.574713%, on 754,652 volume with 2,445 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,315,643 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.779999971/$2.3499999.

Recent News

• Phytomining and the Plants That 'Bleed' Nickel
• Investor Summit Group Releases Lineup of 77 Public Companies to Present at Virtual Fall Event
• Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) to Present at Virtual Fall Investor Summit

The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER).

The Alkaline Water Company (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER), a producer of premium bottled alkaline and flavored-infused drinking waters and CBD-infused products, on Thursday announced its plans to host a teleconference with investors and analysts to review fiscal second-quarter 2021 financial results. President and CEO Richard Wright and Chief Financial Officer David Guarino will host the call at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. To view the full press release, visit: https://cnw.fm/HuHdy

Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkaline88®, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes, along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88® delivers perfect 8.8 pH balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts the company’s trademarked label ‘Clean Beverage’. Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88® launched A88 Infused™ in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused™ flavored water is available in six unique all-natural flavors, with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the company launched the A88CBD™ brand, featuring a broad line of topical and ingestible products. These products are made with lab-tested full and broad-spectrum hemp and include salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, bath-salts, CBD infused drinks, tinctures, capsules, gummies and powder packs.

Innovation and Expansion

Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company began with a mission to create the best-tasting water in the world. At the time, there were two emerging trends in health-conscious consumers: a growing interest in the alkaline diet and perceived health benefits of pink Himalayan rock salt. By combining these two concepts in an alkaline water and trademarking the name Alkaline88, The Alkaline Water Company began offering what it calls the smoothest tasting Clean Beverage™ in the U.S. enhanced-water category.

Now a top bulk alkaline-water brand (the company reported record sales in March and April 2020, surpassing March and April 2019 numbers by 114% and 171%, respectively), The Alkaline Water Company is committed to growing its national footprint through innovation and expansion. That mindset was evident as the company introduced eco-friendly aluminum bottles and branched out into flavor-infused waters; the company currently offers six different flavors: peach/mango, lemon/lime, raspberry, watermelon, blood orange and lemon.

The company’s commitment to innovation may be most evident in its newest product line: A88CBD. This line of CBD-infused products includes tinctures, capsules, gummies, salves, balms, hand and foot lotions, essential oils, bath bombs and bath salts, as well as CBD-infused drinks, water and beverage shots. These quality, CBD-infused offerings are all made with lab-tested, full-spectrum hemp and are conveniently packaged and perfect for on-the-go or at home use.

In addition, The Alkaline Water Company has implemented an aggressive growth strategy, with numerous organic initiatives focused on national multichannel, mass-market expansion through a direct-to-warehouse model and co-packing facilities that are strategically located within 600 miles of 95% of the U.S. population. In addition to this strong brick-and-mortar approach, the company recently launched a B2C e-commerce platform (www.A88CBD.com) and aggressive digital-marketing campaigns.

Clear Advantages in a Growing Market

With consistent growth year over year, the company reported $32.2 million in revenue in fiscal 2019 and has emerged as a growth leader in the functional (value-added) waters space, which is the fastest-growing segment of the bottled water industry.

The Alkaline Water Company’s efforts are focused on its clear competitive advantages, including its strong marketing (the inclusion of alkaline in product names); existing grocery channels, which feature excellent relationships and a nationwide broker network; distinctive branding; proprietary technology, which produces great-tasting, high-quality water, infused drinks and other products; and price, with a broad range of products in all formats, from bulk bottles to single serve.

As the company focuses on strategic growth, it is eyeing the impressive potential of a market that is on a strong upswing. Annual bottled water sales have now surpassed soda consumption, with soda sales in the United States having declined by $1.2 billion over the past five years. Some research indicates that the global bottled water market will reach an estimated $280 billion this year, while the CBD market is forecast to top $20 billion by 2024.

With its products available in all major trade channels, including grocery stores, drug stores, c-stores and big-box retailers, The Alkaline Water Company is also looking to expand into new spaces, such as health and beauty, hospitality and specialty retailer locations.

Seasoned Management Team

The Alkaline Water Company is led by an experienced team focused on the company’s core strategy of building a national retail footprint and extending its lifestyle brands into other consumer packaged goods categories.

Richard A. Wright, President, CEO and Co-Founder of The Alkaline Water Company Inc., oversees all aspects of the business, successfully guiding the company through strategic opportunities and delivering greater than 50% growth since the company’s inception. A passionate and versatile leader with a strong track record of innovation, collaboration and achieving goal-driven results, Wright is a serial entrepreneur with more than 41 years of experience. Early in his career, he spent years at one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, working his way up to Regional Director of Tax and Financial Planning. As a CPA, entrepreneur and former CFO, Wright brings extensive knowledge of finance, operations, sales and marketing to the team, and he has participated in hundreds of M&A transactions throughout his career.

David Guarino, CFO, Secretary, Treasurer and Director, earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting and a Master of Accountancy from the University of Denver. From 2008 to 2013, Guarino was President and a Director of Kahala Corp., a worldwide franchisor of multiple quick-service restaurant brands with locations in 49 states and more than 25 countries. From 2014 to 2015, Guarino was President of HTI International Holdings Inc., a technology company focused on forward osmosis water filtration technology.

Frank Chessman, National Sales Manager, is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. He spent 25 years with Ralph’s Grocery, Kroger’s largest division, working at many levels before ultimately becoming Vice President of Advertising & Marketing. He then served 14 years as Executive Vice President at Simon Marketing. Chessman has more than a decade of experience in the beverage manufacturing industry.

Brian Sudano, Director, is managing partner of Beverage Marketing Corporation and BMC Strategic Associates. Sudano’s experience covers nearly the entire beverage industry, from energy drinks to wine, with special expertise in beverage alcohol by virtue of varied industry experience across a broad range of projects. Sudano manages several major clients, providing ongoing strategic and market advice and leading projects in strategic planning, market entry analysis and planning, sales/distribution, business modeling, brand repositioning and international opportunity assessment. He has spoken at many beverage industry events and is a contributing editor at Beverage World magazine.

Aaron Keay, Chairman, has been a successful investor, entrepreneur and financier to multiple small cap and startup companies over the last decade. During his time with these companies, he served in advisor, board-member and senior-management roles. His experience ranges across multiple sectors in mining, biotech, health and wellness, tech and cannabis, where he has invested and raised more than $500 million.

The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ: WTER), closed Friday's trading session at $1.27, off by 0.78125%, on 1,213,644 volume with 2,646 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,319,012 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.400000005/$2.5999999.

Recent News

• The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) to Host Teleconference to Discuss Q2 2021 Results
• The Alkaline Water Company to Host Conference Call to Discuss Fiscal Second Quarter 2021 Results
• 420 with CNW - Connecticut Governor Says Legalizing Pot Good for Public Health Amid Pandemic

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, today reported its financial results for the fiscal 2021 second quarter ended September 30, 2020. In addition, the company provided an update on its CNS pipeline and business progress. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/c1QvN

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

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

New Generation Medications

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

PH94B

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

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

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

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

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

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

PH10

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

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

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

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

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

• Postpartum Depression
• Treatment-resistant Depression
• Suicidal Ideation

AV-101

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

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

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

CNS Therapeutics Market Outlook

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

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

VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN), closed Friday's trading session at $0.70, off by 0.370054%, on 237,796 volume with 645 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 975,335 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.294299989/$1.05999994.

Recent News

• VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) Announces Q2 Results, Provides Update on CNS Pipeline and Business Progress
• VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) CEO Discusses 'Game-Changing' Potential of Drug Pipeline Lineup in Stock2Me Podcast
• VistaGen Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VTGN) Reports Positive Preclinical Data on PH94B's Mechanism of Action

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

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

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 Friday's trading session at $0.5479, off by 0.0073%, on 7,500 volume with 8 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 24,174 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.465299993/$0.685000002.

Recent News

• Josemaria Reports Third Quarter 2020 Results
• Why Mining Gold is a Lot Harder Now
• Resources Inc. (TSX: JOSE) (OTCQB: JOSMF) (OMX: JOSE) Announces New US Listing on the OTCQB Venture Market

Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS).

The Investor Summit Group on Thursday released further details for its Virtual Fall Summit, which is slated to take place from Nov. 16-18, 2020. The event will connect 77 presenting small and microcap companies with distinguished investors from around the globe. Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR), LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF), Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) and Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS) are among the full list of companies scheduled to present at the Fall Investor Summit. Please refer to the update for a complete list of issuers, as well as webcasting links to view the presentations. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/Ce9NL

Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS) is an integrated pharmaceutical services company that offers a unique combination of a web-based purchasing platform (www.trxade.com) for transactions between independent pharmacists and drug distributors (B2B); a network of pharmacies with E-Hub software; a mail order pharmacy; and warehouse and drug delivery services. This synergistic combination of product offerings and superior data analytics is poised to benefit all stakeholders and consumers within the pharmaceutical industry.

Trxade will leverage and scale its fully integrated model to execute the following growth strategies:

• Increase share of pharmacist drug purchasing
• Additional SKUs and expand product breath
• Partner with Specialty and International Mfg.
• Expand mail order licenses to all 50 states
• Scale Delivmeds for consumer delivery nationwide
• Integration with telemedicine
• M&A Opportunities within drug value chain

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Trxade’s overarching corporate strategy is to penetrate the existing retail independent pharmacy marketplace and diversify the company’s pharmaceutical mix with additional specialty and acute care products. Trxade is advancing on this mission by focusing on three key niches in the health care market.

Business-to-Business (B2B)

The $330 billion U.S. pharmaceutical industry is comprised of more than 65,000 pharmacy facilities and 1,500 state-licensed suppliers. Roughly 24,000 of these facilities are independent pharmacies, which collectively spend approximately $93 billion a year on branded and generic drugs.

Trxade targets these independent pharmacies, leveraging a robust, “E-Bay/Kayak-like” technology platform with optimum buyer/seller pricing algorithms, product availability, and predictive data analytics features.

Trxade currently serves and transacts with more than one-third (10,250) of these independent pharmacies and facilitates over $10 million of drug purchases a month!

Consumer

Trxade also targets the “consumer side” of the pharmaceutical industry, aiming to lower prescription drug costs by attacking the inefficient value chain; offering drug price transparency and efficient buying; and, delivering drugs DIRECT to independent pharmacists and consumers.

The company operates a full-service mail order pharmacy for U.S. consumers, as well as a mobile app called “Delivmeds” (http://www.delivmeds.com) which enables SAME DAY home delivery of dispensed prescriptions.

Retail

Trxade’s Managed Services Organization (“TrxadeMSO”) enables its member independent retail pharmacies to get patients, process orders, and deliver or ship prescriptions to patients. TrxadeMSO provides access to encompassing network of pharmacies through the E-Hub software, allowing for timely and comprehensive medication fulfillment.

These offerings ensure the best-suited pharmacy receives the patient’s information, thereby ensuring appropriate medication coverage based on the patient’s location, payor coverage, and medication access/inventory. This will save the clinicians and their staff time as they benefit from efficiency and enhanced workflow management in script processing and fulfillment.

Health Care Market 

The U.S. health care market currently hovers near $4 trillion and is expected to grow as the general population ages. This growth will have greater impact on consumers as out-of-pocket expenses also rise. Additionally, drug costs are paced to increase faster than the overall health care and well above inflation.

Drug pricing is variable, and reimbursement is squeezing profits. This provides significant opportunity for the Trxade model of price visibility and profit optimization.

Trxade’s fair online market platform targets the nation’s retail community and independent pharmacies, of which there are approximately 24,000 nationwide. TRxADE has found that independent pharmacies, in order to be cost-effective, often operate with minimal staff and conduct up-to-the minute price checks. The TRxADE S2P platform gives these pharmacists the ability to easily compare the price of drugs offered by various suppliers and select the most favorable deals, saving money by taking advantage of best purchase pricing.

TRxADE’s programs include:

• TRxADE Exchange, which opens and widens the distribution channel to the retail, community pharmacy. A purchasing pharmacy can view products from manufacturers, buying groups, and wholesalers on a real-time and continuous basis. This approach significantly enhances the competitive spirit of the exchange where the lowest price exists for each product at any given point in time. TRxADE has become a competitive tool for all progressive entities and is recognized for its easy searching of hard-to-find generic pharmaceuticals at substantially reduced prices.  
• RX Guru™ is an industry-leading price prediction model that integrates product shortage insight into pharmacy acquisition benchmarks (“PAC”) to ascertain trends and pricing variances that result in significant purchasing opportunities. RX Guru affords members the opportunity to continuously benefit from real price purchasing opportunities that are concealed from the rest of the industry. 
• Product Shortage Database – TRxADE maintains the most comprehensive retail, specialty and acute care pharmaceutical product shortage database in the country. Other industry competitors mainly restrict their efforts to specialty and acute care product shortages and narrowly research oral generic products. TRxADE’s advanced prediction tools help members source those hard-to-find products at affordable costs in a timely and easy-to-search process. 

Management Team 

Trxade’s management team is rich in expertise within the pharmaceutical supply chain and is supported by a base of advisors and contractors who are experts in related fields of the pharmaceutical sector.

Suren Ajjarapu – Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary
Suren Ajjarapu has served as Trxade’s chairman of the board, CEO and secretary since 2014, and as the chairman of the board, chief executive officer and secretary of Trxade Nevada since its inception. Ajjarapu also serves as a chairman of the board for Feeder Creek Group Inc., since March 2018. Ajjarapu formerly was a founder, CEO and chairman of Sansur Renewable Energy Inc., a company involved in developing wind power sites in the Midwest, United States; a founder, president and director of Aemetis Inc., a biofuels company (AMTX.OB); a founder, chairman and CEO of International Biofuels, a subsidiary of Aemetis Inc.; and a co-founder, COO, and director at Global Information Technology Inc., an IT outsourcing and systems design company. Ajjarapu holds an M.S. in environmental engineering from South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, and an MBA from the University of South Florida, specializing in international finance and management. Ajjarapu is also a graduate of the Venture Capital and Private Equity program at Harvard University.

Prashant Patel – Director, President and Chief Operating Officer
Prashant Patel has served as Trxade’s full-time president and COO, and as a director since the company’s acquisition of Trxade Nevada in 2014, and as the COO and president and as a director of Trxade Nevada since its inception. He has been a president and member of the board of Trxade since August 2010. Patel is a registered pharmacist and pharmaceutical consultant with over 10 years of experience in retail pharmacy and pharmaceutical logistics. He is the founder of several pharmacies in the Tampa Bay area, in Florida. Since 2008, Patel has been managing member of the APAA LLC pharmacy. Since 2007, Patel has been a vice president of Holiday Pharmacy Inc. Patel graduated from Nottingham University School of Pharmacy and practiced in the United Kingdom before obtaining his masters in Transport, Trade and Finance from Cass Business School, City University, UK.

Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS), closed Friday's trading session at $4.94, off by 2.5641%, on 391,612 volume with 2,525 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 583,744 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $4.01000022/$11.6000003.

Recent News

• Investor Summit Group Releases Lineup of 77 Public Companies to Present at Virtual Fall Event
• Investor Summit Group Releases Lineup of 77 Public Companies to Present at Virtual Fall Event
• Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS) Announces Plans to Present at Virtual Fall Investor Summit

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

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

LexaGene Holdings, Inc. , ( TSX-V: LXG ; OTCQB: LXXGF ) (the “ Company ”), a molecular diagnostics company that develops fully automated rapid pathogen detection systems, is pleased to announce the voting results of the Company’s 2020 Annual General Shareholder’s Meeting held on November 10, 2020 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Also today, the company was featured as among those presenting at the upcoming Investor Summit Group’s Virtual Fall Summit, which is slated to take place from Nov. 16-18, 2020. The event will connect 77 presenting small and microcap companies with distinguished investors from around the globe. To view the full press release, visit http://ibn.fm/Ce9NL

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

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

Portfolio Benefits

Rapid, automated pathogen detection

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

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

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

Improved COVID-19 Testing

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

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

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

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

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

Market Potential

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF), closed Friday's trading session at $0.4876, off by 1.1819%, on 220,213 volume with 120 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 291,382 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.303799986/$0.928245007.

Recent News

• LexaGene Announces Results of Annual General Shareholder's Meeting
• Investor Summit Group Releases Lineup of 77 Public Companies to Present at Virtual Fall Event
• LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSX.V: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF) Selected to Present at Upcoming Investor Conferences