Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE: ANVS)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE: ANVS).

Cytomegalovirus is a type of herpes virus that most humans are exposed to in their lives. This virus is normally spread from one individual to another through bodily fluids but isn't considered a sexually transmitted illness. Prior studies have determined that the virus may remain active in the gut, sometimes travelling to the brain through the vagus nerve. Once there, the virus can alter the immune system and contribute to changes linked to Alzheimer's. One study found that brains of Alzheimer's patients were likely to have CD83 microglia, with the researchers noting that antibodies found in the intestines of these patients pointed to a gut infection contributing to Alzheimer's development. The researchers are now focused on determining whether current antiviral medications could prevent or treat this form of Alzheimer's. In addition to this, they are developing a blood test to identify individuals with active cytomegalovirus infections who may benefit from antiviral drugs. The study's findings were published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. These latest findings could give drug makers like Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE: ANVS) additional information to leverage in their efforts geared at commercializing effective treatments targeting neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease.

Annovis Bio Inc. Overview

Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE: ANVS) is a late-stage clinical drug platform company pioneering transformative therapies for neurodegenerative disorders such as AD and PD. Annovis Bio stands out by developing a drug that targets multiple neurotoxic proteins simultaneously, aiming to restore axonal and synaptic activity. This innovative approach addresses both the cognitive decline in AD and the motor dysfunction in PD, making Annovis a unique player in the neurodegeneration space.

Lead Drug Candidate: Buntanetap

Buntanetap (formerly known as Posiphen) targets neurodegeneration by inhibiting the formation of multiple neurotoxic proteins, including amyloid beta, tau, alpha-synuclein, and TDP43. This multifaceted inhibition improves synaptic transmission and axonal transport, reduces neuroinflammation, and protects nerve cells from dying. Unlike monoclonal antibody therapies, buntanetap is an orally available small molecule capable of inhibiting multiple neurotoxic proteins at once, positioning it as a comprehensive solution for neurodegenerative diseases.

In a recent Phase II/III Alzheimer’s study, buntanetap demonstrated statistically significant efficacy. Patients with early AD showed a significantly higher rate of improvement in ADAS-Cog 11 scores across all treatment doses compared to placebo, with a 3.3 point improvement compared to 0.3 for placebo (p < 0.01). Plasma Tau protein levels also reduced, consistent with previous Phase II biomarker data, further validating buntanetap’s mechanism of action.

Similarly, in the recently completed Phase III study of buntanetap in patients with early PD, buntanetap significantly improved disease-related daily non-motor and motor functions in Parkinson’s patients who had a diagnosis over 3 years as well as improved cognition in all PD patients. It further underscores buntanetap’s potential as a transformative therapy.

Market Opportunity

The aging population presents a significant market opportunity, with nearly 7 million Americans currently suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a figure projected to rise to almost 13 million by 2050​ (Alzheimer’s Association)​​ (Republican Policy Committee)​. Additionally, approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. have Parkinson’s Disease​ (SingleCare)​.

The economic burden of Alzheimer’s is immense, with care costs expected to reach $360 billion in 2024 and escalate to nearly $1 trillion annually by 2050​​. The need for effective, comprehensive treatments like Buntanetap is more critical than ever.

Company Highlights

• Innovative Therapeutic Approach: Annovis Bio uniquely targets multiple neurotoxic proteins, aiming to restore nerve cell health and improve cognitive and motor function in AD and PD patients.
• Robust Clinical Data: Phase II/III studies show significant improvements in cognitive function and biomarker levels in early AD patients.
• Groundbreaking Clinical Insights: Recent Phase III data in Parkinson’s Disease patients demonstrates significant improvements in motor and cognitive functions.
• Upcoming Phase III Trials: Plans are underway for an 18-month Phase III trial focusing on biomarker-positive early AD patients, designed to further validate buntanetap’s disease-modifying potential.
• Capital Efficiency: Annovis Bio is capital-efficient, with zero debt and multiple global patents extending into the 2040s.

Management Team

• Maria L. Maccecchini, Ph.D. – Founder, President, CEO, and Executive Board Member, founded Annovis Bio in May 2008 with the mission to develop better therapeutics for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases. She has previously been a partner and director at two angel groups, Robin Hood Ventures and MidAtlantic Angel Group, and founded Symphony Pharmaceuticals/Annovis, which was sold to Transgenomic in 2001. Her extensive experience includes roles such as General Manager at Bachem Bioscience and Head of Molecular Biology at Mallinckrodt. Dr. Maccecchini holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Biocenter of Basel, with postdoctoral work at Caltech and the Roche Institute of Immunology.
• Cheng Fang, Ph.D. – Senior VP of Research and Development, is an accomplished neuroscientist with two decades of experience in neurodegenerative diseases. She has a successful track record of scientific publications and contributions, coupled with extensive pre-clinical and clinical development experience. Dr. Fang has been instrumental in advancing the understanding of neurodegenerative disease mechanisms and developing therapeutic strategies.
• Michael Christie, Ph.D. – VP of Process Chemistry, has over 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on process chemistry R&D, pilot plant production, and GMP operations. He has held senior management positions at companies such as SmithKline, Rhodia, Teva, and Cephalon, and founded a contract process R&D service company, which was later acquired by ChiRex. Dr. Christie is co-author or co-inventor on several publications and patents. He earned his BS in chemistry from the University of Michigan and his doctorate from MIT.
• Melissa Gaines – Senior VP of Clinical Operations, is an accomplished clinical research professional with over 20 years of experience across academia, contract research organizations, and pharmaceutical companies. She has proven abilities in monitoring and managing Phase I to IV clinical trials, specializing in CNS disorders and extending to a broad range of therapeutic indications. Her CNS experience spans from small Phase I and II studies to large global Phase III trials in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, sleep disorders, and various psychiatric diseases in both adult and pediatric populations. In her current role, she oversees and supports all clinical project activities, driving operational success and ensuring high-quality clinical outcomes.

Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE: ANVS), closed Thursday's trading session at $5.11, up 1.5905%, on 150 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 309,782 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $4.21/$20.00.

Recent News

• Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE: ANVS) - Study Uncovers Link Between Gut Infection and Alzheimer's Disease
• BioMedNewsBreaks - Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE: ANVS) Eyes Opportunities Beyond 'Year of Significant Progress'
• BioMedNewsBreaks - Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE: ANVS) Committed to Ensuring Highest Standards in Continued Buntanetap Trials

GivBux Inc. (OTC: GBUX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlightFathom GivBux Inc. (OTC: GBUX) .

GivBux (OTC: GBUX), a Super App integrating messaging, payments, and charitable giving, shared 2024 achievements and 2025 plans in a letter from President Umesh Tim Singh. Highlights include SEC reporting compliance, OTCQB application, and a community-focused "It Pays to Give" rewards system. For 2025, GivBux plans to launch Super App Version 5.0, featuring direct fund loading, biometric verification, augmented reality, and enhanced social media capabilities. The company aims to expand user engagement through marketing campaigns and merchant integration while fostering its mission to create the world's largest giving community, benefiting users, businesses, and charities.

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/W1y9t

GivBux Inc. (OTC: GBUX) is a publicly traded super app and charitable giving platform. The company is creating a sharing economic community of brands and consumers in which consumers have an easier and more convenient way to shop and buy, merchants have a more efficient and profitable way to advertise, and charities receive built-in contributions from the community’s transactions.

The GivBux Super App revolutionizes shopping by offering a user-friendly tool to make purchases swiftly at over 100 national retailers, along with an expanding roster of local merchants. Users earn cash back on every purchase, a portion of which can be directed toward a charity of their choice, embodying GivBux’s commitment to giving back. Additionally, the app is evolving to include numerous functionalities like social networking, e-commerce, banking, messaging, food delivery and transportation, following the super app model.

GivBux is forging a new path in charitable giving, with aspirations to build the largest community of givers in the United States, and eventually globally. The company believes it is uniquely positioned to make a major contribution to society by overlapping the worlds of commerce and philanthropy.

The GivBux Super App is currently available for free on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

The company is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

Products

The company, through wholly owned subsidiary GivBux Global Partners Inc., is engaged in the fintech mobile wallet sector, specifically as a point-of-sale payment system by means of a consumer mobile wallet. GivBux uses smartphone technology to bridge consumers and merchants together without the need for traditional plastic cards or paper cash.

The GivBux mobile app has been designed to store, send and receive funds; donate; and make real-time purchases at top retail brands, restaurants and other venues. The brands benefit, because they are empowered with a data-rich marketing tool to reach and retain consumers through their mobile phones.

With GivBux, recipients can use funds instantly by paying with their mobile phones at thousands of locations. GivBux rewards all users for using the app every time they make a purchase and every time their friends, friends of friends and stranger friends make purchases with the GivBux mobile wallet. These rewards can be redeemed for cash to pay at participating retail stores, restaurants, cinemas, entertainment venues and more.

Moreover, GivBux allows users to contribute to a charity or worthy cause of their choice. To encourage giving and recommendations, a trending ‘Top 10 List’ of all charities will be generated and displayed on the mobile wallet based on ongoing contributions by GivBux users.

Market Opportunity

A report from Future Market Insights, a New York-based market research organization, estimated the worldwide mobile wallet market at $9.5 billion in 2023. The report projects that in 2024 the industry is likely to reach a valuation of $11.9 billion, and, by 2034, the mobile wallet market is forecast to grow to a value of $138.5 billion, achieving a CAGR of 27.8% over the forecast period.

Key market growth drivers include payment convenience, transaction security and continuing technological innovation. The report points out that mobile wallet payments are widely accepted worldwide, fueled by a rise in digital transactions and a growing use of mobile phones for simple and effective payment options. Innovations like blockchain integration, contactless payments and artificial intelligence are improving functionality and user experience while staying ahead of rapidly evolving digital payment trends, according to the report.

Management Team

Umesh Singh is President and Director at GivBux. He is a Certified Professional Accountant (Canada) with more than 25 years of experience in accounting and finance. He began his career at PwC before joining Hayes Stuart Little & Company (now Grant Thornton), where he was Senior Accountant-Manager and later Partner. Prior to being named GivBux president, he was a member of the GivBux Advisory Board for more than three years.

Michael Arnkvarn is Vice President of International Business Development at GivBux. He has over 30 years of experience in management, sales and marketing. He managed several medium and large agribusiness and environmental businesses before founding Collagenna Skin Care Products, a natural health products and cosmetics company, in 2004. He has been CEO of multiple public small-cap companies and co-founder of a start-up cannabis company that eventually sold for more than $800 million.

GivBux Inc. (OTC: GBUX), closed Thursday's trading session at $1.61, up 15.8273%, on 13,455 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 15,000 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.20005/$1.61.

Recent News

• GivBux Inc. (OTC: GBUX) - InvestorNewsBreaks - GivBux Inc. (GBUX) Unveils 2024 Milestones and Ambitious Plans for 2025 Expansion
• InvestorNewsBreaks - GivBux Inc. (GBUX) Achieves Fully Reporting Status and Seeks OTCQB Listing
• InvestorNewsBreaks - GivBux Inc. (GBUX) Marks Milestone in 'Evolution of Corporation' with Submission of Required Docs to SEC

First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) .

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance in China in collaboration with nine other departments rolled out basic sustainability disclosure standards. The objective of these standards is to standardize ESG disclosures countrywide, balancing international ESG integration with local priorities like rural development and climate change. The East Asian nation had released a draft earlier in May and incorporated feedback as it works to finalize the standards. Unlike the draft, the final standards concentrate on creditors and investors, improving market-driven accountability. They also align with policies requiring large firms to disclose ESG metrics as from 2026. It mandates that firms disclose detailed ESG data, ensuring accountability and transparency regarding their impact on the society and environment at large. The regulation is part of the European Union's effort to help stakeholders, investors and the general public make more informed choices. This is in addition to ensuring that firms are contributing to the European Union's environmental and sustainability goals. As different jurisdictions formulate standardized ESG reporting standards, different companies like First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) are likely to have sufficient case studies to analyze as they look to refine their own ESG data collection and reporting systems.

First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) is committed to exploring for and providing essential and critical metals, including tellurium, gold, silver, copper and tungsten, for North American markets. This objective is anchored by the company’s Deer Horn tellurium-gold-silver-copper project in British Columbia, Canada, and further enhanced by its property option on the Klondike tellurium-gold prospect located in Colorado, USA.

First Tellurium’s unique business model is to generate revenue and value through mineral discovery, project development, project generation and cooperative access to untapped mineral regions in indigenous territory with sustainable exploration potential.

The company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Tellurium and the Green Energy Revolution

Tellurium has a key role to play in the ongoing green energy revolution. It is widely used in the manufacturing of photovoltaic cells for solar panels.

Despite this utility, ongoing trade tensions between China and the U.S. create implications for both tellurium and the production of cadmium-tellurium solar cells. Earlier this year, China announced plans to restrict exports of critical metals gallium and germanium, both essential for the production of semiconductors. For reference, China produces around 80% of the world’s gallium and approximately 60% of the world’s germanium.

China’s recent trade restrictions amplify the fragility of the North American tellurium supply, as the Asian nation currently produces about 60% of the world’s tellurium. This sustained supply vulnerability is why First Solar, the United States’ largest solar panel producer, set up a worldwide search for tellurium deposits in the mid-2000s.

“In North America alone, our understanding is that First Solar looked at over a hundred tellurium properties,” First Tellurium CEO Tyrone Docherty stated in a news release. “Their number one property by far, which they acquired, was the Colorado Klondike which we now control.”

The U.S. is now looking to secure safe, domestic sources of tellurium and many other critical metals to pre-empt potential shortages. The Biden administration has instituted a stream of policies, particularly the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, to source solar components from North America and other “friendly” jurisdictions.

As the only junior mining company in the world focused on tellurium exploration, First Tellurium is ahead of the curve in capitalizing on these initiatives to establish strategic, domestic supplies of key resources for solar panel manufacturers.

First Tellurium’s ESG Initiatives

Through its exploration and partnerships with Fenix Advanced Materials, Cheona Metals and IRMA, First Tellurium strives to generate a measurable, beneficial social or environmental impact alongside a financial return. The company conducts a diversified search for metals, working in alliance with indigenous peoples, NGOs, governments and leading metals buyers. First Tellurium believes this is the future of mineral exploration — generating revenue by exploring responsibly and leveraging diverse partnerships.

First Tellurium proudly adheres to, and supports, the principles and rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and, in particular, the fundamental proposition of free, prior and informed consent.

 

Projects

Deer Horn Tellurium-Gold-Silver-Copper Project

Deer Horn is located on 51.33 square kilometers (km) in west-central British Columbia, 36 km south of the prolific Huckleberry copper-molybdenum mine and 135 km southwest of the community of Burns Lake. It is one of few significant tellurium discoveries outside Asia and includes a 2.4 km-long vein system of high-grade gold, silver and tellurium, as well as broader zones of bulk-tonnage gold, silver and tellurium mineralization. The company completed a positive Preliminary Economic Estimate and has begun permitting for a 10,000-tonne bulk sample program to advance the project toward mine feasibility. It is North America’s only silver-gold-tellurium property with an NI 43-101 compliant tellurium resource, and it hosts a number of other mineralized targets and zone containing critical metals such as copper, tungsten and zinc.

First Tellurium owns 50% of the property, with an option to acquire up to a 75% interest. The company has engaged Dias Geophysical of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to conduct induced polarization (IP) geophysics on the Deer Horn Project in summer 2023. The program is designed to help develop drill targets for a subsequent drilling program.

Klondike Gold-Tellurium Project

The Klondike property is located in Saguache County, Colorado, southwest of Buena Vista in the state’s historical mining district. The company reports it has engaged Burgex Mining Consultants of Sandy, Utah, to stake additional claims around the Klondike property. The claims have been filed with the Bureau of Land Management.

Klondike demonstrates exceptional tellurium grades. Tellurium, used in high-efficiency cadmium telluride (Cd-Te) solar panels, next-generation lithium-ion batteries and thermoelectric devices to change heat into energy, is an essential element for the world’s transition to green energy.

The Klondike property was a top tellurium prospect owned previously by First Solar Inc., one of the world’s largest solar panel producers. First Solar terminated its worldwide raw materials exploration program in 2012 and sold the property to Colorado Klondike LLC, which optioned the project to First Tellurium. Colorado Klondike, led by First Solar’s former Exploration Manager in North America, is managing the upcoming exploration program.

The Colorado Geological Survey (CGS), in partnership with the Colorado School of Mines, reported on First Solar’s exploration at Klondike in 2015, noting: “Surface sampling by First Solar, Inc. in 2006 found very high tellurium grades of up to 3.3% (33,000 ppm), along with locally high gold grades. Tellurium grades at Klondike were the highest encountered in the company’s nationwide exploration program.”

Market Outlook

First Tellurium in spring 2023 referenced recent forecasts by the International Energy Agency (IEA) pointing to rapid growth in solar photovoltaic (solar PV) deployment worldwide. According to the agency, solar PV installations will generate more power by 2027 than any other energy source, including coal, natural gas and hydro. To meet this demand, consumption of both silver and tellurium, key components of solar panels, is expected to surge in coming years.

Chen Lin, founder of Lin Asset Management, has written in his investment newsletter for clients that solar PV is now the largest industrial usage of silver. He said that in 2022 solar PV production used about 12% of total silver demand, or about 120 million ounces of silver. Lin expects this number to rise dramatically in the coming years, and that is likely to lead to silver supply deficits for decades to come.

Lin points out that solar power is now the cheapest source of energy in many parts of the world and that all forecasts point to dramatic expansion of solar PV in the coming two decades. Conservative estimates forecast 300 gigawatts of solar PV production by 2027, up from the current level of about 200 gigawatts.

Management Team

Tyrone Docherty is President, Director and CEO of First Tellurium Corp. He previously served as President and CEO of Quinto Mining Inc., taking over when it had a market cap of $4 million. With limited resources in a difficult market environment, he raised more than $30 million and advanced Quinto’s Quebec iron ore property to a viable project. Quinto later sold for $175 million, with Quinto management taking shares of the purchaser, Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines, amounting to approximately 20-21% of that company. Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines sold two years later for $4.9 billion, giving the former Quinto team an enterprise value of approximately $1 billion. From 2012 to 2018, Mr. Docherty was Director and Chairman of Mason Graphite Inc. He has worked in the financial and minerals markets for more than 30 years.

Tony Fogarassy, M.Sc. LL.M., is Chairman of First Tellurium Corp. He is a lawyer and a geologist. His extensive legal and technical expertise includes minerals, oil and gas, coal and renewable energy projects and environmental and aboriginal/indigenous law in North America, Africa and Asia. He graduated as gold medalist in geological sciences from the University of British Columbia and in law from the London School of Economics.

First Tellurium Corp. (OTCQB: FSTTF), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.086186, up 4.8491%, on 6,052 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 50,590 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0506/$0.1245.

Recent News

• First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) - Silver's Stellar 2024 Performance, 2025 Outlook
• Study Highlights the Need for Investors to Ensure Their Portfolios Reflect Their ESG Values
• InvestorNewsBreaks - First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) Gains National Recognition with PyroDelta's Innovative Thermoelectric Technology

Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF).

Last week, a coalition of graphite producers in America filed a petition to the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission asking the department to impose tariffs on Chinese imports of synthetic and natural graphite used to manufacture Li-ion battery anode material. In its petition, the American Active Anode Material Producers argued that the 25% tariff that's currently imposed on Chinese graphite imports was too low. The coalition also asked that an investigation be conducted under America's antidumping and countervailing duty statutes. This development comes as trade tensions between the United States and China continue escalating following president-elect Trump's threat to impose additional tariffs on the East Asian nation. This resulted in China banning exports of critical minerals like antimony, germanium, and gallium to America. This petition comes as America works to grow its domestic supply of graphite. The federal Department of Energy recently entered into a conditional agreement with Novonix to loan the battery materials and technology company over $754 million to fund a proposed new facility in Tennessee. The facility would manufacture synthetic graphite to be used in electric vehicle batteries. Many North American firms, such as Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF), are working to create critical mineral sources within the region so that the stranglehold that China has over the supply chains of these resources can be gradually loosened. Supportive government action can aid this undertaking.

Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) is a strategic minerals company focused on locating and developing economic properties in the strategic metals and advanced materials space. The company aims to improve domestic specialty mineral infrastructure efficiencies to meet surging national demand from North American manufacturers, effectively positioning itself as one of the only North American suppliers of high purity natural graphite for hi-tech applications.

Reflex Advanced Materials is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Its project portfolio includes the Ruby Graphite Deposit in Montana and the ZigZag Lithium Property in Ontario.

Projects

Ruby Graphite Project

Located in a mining-friendly jurisdiction in southwest Montana, the Ruby Graphite Deposit is a low cost, rapid re-entry opportunity that produced roughly 2,400 tons of graphite from 1902 to 1948. Reflex Advanced Materials holds mining rights for 755 hectares at the Ruby Graphite Project, with 96 federal lode mining claims. Recent samples assay at 95.8% to 98.4% total carbon.

The site is notable as the only combined U.S. graphite flake and vein graphite source. Vein graphite is ideal for energy storage applications, because it requires fewer steps to achieve purity than synthetic alternatives and is therefore far less environmentally damaging. This is expected to play a key role in the project’s development as demand for electric vehicles continues to surge.

In March 2023, the company announced its submittal of permit applications to the Bureau of Land Management in respect of its exploration of the Ruby Graphite Project. Its initial drill program, expected to take place in the summer of 2023, includes plans for 3,500 total meters of drilling, cored to an average depth of 130 meters. The targets for this drill program have been identified using historical data from original mine operations and data gathered for the initial 43-101 technical report on the project, dated January 31, 2023.

ZigZag Lithium Property

Located in the Thunder Bay Mining Division of Ontario, the ZigZag Lithium Property consists of eight mining claims spanning roughly 2,710 hectares. Mineralization at the property, most notably lithium, is based in pegmatite dikes and concentrated in spodumene crystals, which are consistent throughout the entire unit.

Spodumene is readily observable in outcrops and in drill cores, with crystal sizes ranging from 3-15cm, on average.

Reflex Advanced Materials and American Energy Technologies Company Metallurgical Partnership

Reflex Advanced Materials has entered into a material processing agreement with American Energy Technologies Co., which is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, to conduct metallurgical testwork with the goal of creating a technical support data package for Reflex’s target customer base, U.S. Federal agencies and qualification programs with hi-tech customers in the battery and battery storage business.

The resulting coated, spherionized, purified graphite (CSPG) material that is expected to be created from the aforementioned tests will be used to provide potential customers of CSPG with samples so that they can begin the material qualification process.

Market Opportunity

Graphite is an ideal battery anode and has dominated the market since the proliferation of lithium-ion batteries. Despite this demand, there is currently no significant production of lithium-ion battery anode material in North America.

Instead, most graphite sold in North America today is sourced from Chinese producers. U.S. President Joe Biden highlighted this sourcing disparity in a 2022 address:

“The United Stated depends on unreliable foreign sources for many of the strategic and critical materials necessary for the clean energy transition – such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and manganese for large-capacity batteries,” he said. “Demand for such materials is projected to increase exponentially as the world transitions to a clean energy economy.”

The U.S. Department of Energy is in the process of awarding $2.8 billion to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles and combat this foreign dependency. Reflex Advanced Materials has identified its Ruby Graphite Project as a prime candidate for U.S.-sponsored initiatives due to the rarity and scarcity of natural graphite deposits in the country.

Processing graphite domestically in the U.S. is expected to provide Reflex Advanced Materials a competitive advantage as manufacturers begin to seek out American supply in the face of increased diplomatic tension. This is critical, as a rise in anode demand is expected to fuel a shortage of 8 million tonnes of graphite by 2040. World Bank Group projects 494% growth in total graphite demand by 2050.

Leadership Team

Paul Gorman is the CEO and a Director of Reflex Advanced Materials. He brings to the company over 25 years of experience in junior mining finance, public listings, viability assessment and operational rationalization. For 18 years, Mr. Gorman served as president and managing partner of Riverbank Capital, where he played an instrumental role in raising more than $85 million for small-cap companies. In 2008, he funded Industrial Minerals Inc. (later Northern Graphite) and served in an advisory role for four other graphite companies, contributing significantly to the revitalization of the junior graphite space in North America. Mr. Gorman founded Mega Graphite Inc. in 2009 and has served as chief executive for three other companies.

Tasheel Jeerh, CPA, is the company’s CFO. He is a finance and accounting professional with over a decade of experience spanning both public and private sectors. Prior to joining Reflex Advanced Materials, Mr. Jeerh played a pivotal role in the growth of a private upstream oil and gas firm, dealing with over $2 billion in M&A activity and $1 billion in financing activities. He gained his designation at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he worked as a manager in the assurance practice.

Greg Bell is Project Manager for Reflex Advanced Materials. He is a multi-disciplined engineering management professional with more than 40 years of experience in the natural resources sector. Mr. Bell has successfully built and managed several start-up operations in various capacities. He has been active in graphite and lithium exploration for the past seven years.

Christopher W. Hill leads the company’s Corporate Development initiatives. He is an investor and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the capital markets. Mr. Hill began his career as an investment advisor and then began to consult and advise private companies on their paths to becoming publicly traded. He specializes in corporate development and strategic financing utilizing his large network in the capital markets.

Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (RFLXF), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.0274, up 13.1296%, on 7,000 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 20,310 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0077/$0.2269.

Recent News

• Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) - US Graphite Producers Want 920% Tariff Imposed on Chinese Graphite
• EU Clean Energy Transition Plan Encounters Resistance from Atomic Energy Advocates
• HubSpot Shines as an Example in Integrating Sustainability

Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Mullen Automotive Inc. (MULN).

Mullen Automotive (NASDAQ: MULN) has sold its Mullen ONE All-Electric Cargo Van to Mr. Appliance of Owings Mills, Maryland, marking its entry into the home service market. This move positions the emerging electric vehicle manufacturer to address a critical industry need for cost-effective transportation solutions. With transportation costs accounting for over 30% of operating expenses in the home service sector, the Mullen ONE offers significant savings, including reduced fuel costs, lower maintenance expenses, and eligibility for a $7,500 federal tax credit. CEO David Michery highlighted the importance of this collaboration in supporting operational efficiency and sustainability for home service businesses. To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/gUMfA

Hertz is selling its battery electric vehicles (BEVs) at steep discounts to interested renters. The car rental giant began the sale in November and is set to offload at least a third of its electric vehicle fleet. According to a 2023 statement from Hertz, lower demand for electric vehicle rentals coupled with high maintenance costs informed the renter's decision to minimize its massive fleet of electric vehicles. Recent reports have stated that renters who are currently renting a Hertz EV can snag these cars at massive discounts. Hertz is reportedly reaching out to these customers and inquiring if they would like to buy their current EV rentals instead of returning them. Some of the offers shared on social media include $18,442 for a 2023 Chevy Bolt, $17,913 for a Tesla Model 3 with just 30,000 miles, and $28,500 for a Polestar 2. With Tesla cutting prices amidst a price discount war in China and automakers in the West following suit, the resale value of Hertz's relatively new EV fleet, which mostly comprised Teslas, suffered a notable drop. The renter reported $937 million in vehicle depreciation losses in the third quarter, the depreciation per unit increasing from $537 in Q3 2023. Hertz expects depreciation per EV unit to normalize at below $300 by late 2025. While this step taken by Hertz to scale down their EV fleet may be disappointing to manufacturers like Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), other market segments, such as light commercial EVs, are seeing sales growth and EV makers will look to leverage these segments as motorists gradually increase their uptake of BEVs.

Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) is a Southern California-based automotive company that owns and partners with several synergistic businesses working toward the unified goal of creating clean and scalable energy solutions. Mullen has evolved over the past decade in sync with consumers and technology trends. Today, the company is working diligently to provide exciting EV options built entirely in the United States and made to fit perfectly into the American consumer’s life. Mullen strives to make EVs more accessible than ever by building an end-to-end ecosystem that takes care of all aspects of EV ownership.

Commencement of Trading on Nasdaq

On November 5, 2021, Mullen announced its commencement of trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

“Today is a monumental day for Mullen Automotive. I am especially proud of our team, investors and all who have believed in Mullen and taken us to this point as a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Capital Market,” David Michery, CEO and Chairman of Mullen Automotive, stated in the news release. “Trading on Nasdaq now opens us up to new investors, both institutional and retail shareholders, and broadens our awareness and company profile, while increasing awareness of Mullen and our technology platform and opening new opportunities in EV and beyond. The road ahead has never been brighter for Mullen, and I am proud to lead us into the future.”

The milestone came in the wake of the company’s stock-for-stock merger with Net Element Inc.

The Mullen FIVE

The Mullen FIVE EV Crossover, debuting at the Los Angeles International Auto Show (LAIAS) on November 17, 2021, embodies Mullen’s Southern California roots with an inspired design focused on two complementary Golden State themes – California landscape and California urban.

The FIVE is built on an EV Crossover skateboard platform that offers multiple powertrain configurations and trim levels in a svelte design that is Strikingly Different™ and exciting to experience in person.

Prior to the start of LAIAS, the Mullen FIVE was selected as a finalist by the LA Auto Show for Top EV SUV in the ZEVA “People’s Choice” Awards.

LAIAS provides Mullen an opportunity to display multiple variants of the FIVE model while also showcasing its powertrain, battery and charging technology. The company intends to bring the FIVE to market in 2024, and reservations are currently open here.

Mullen’s development portfolio also includes EV Fleet Vans, which it intends to bring to market in Q2 2022, and the pure electric, high performance Mullen DragonFLY.

Expansion of Manufacturing Capacity

On November 2, 2021, Mullen announced plans to expand its facility in Robinsonville, Mississippi.

Mullen’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Facility (AMEC) currently occupies 124,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The total available land on the property is over 100 acres, and Mullen is moving ahead with plans to build out another 1.2 million square feet of manufacturing space to support class 1 and class 2 EV cargo vans and the Mullen FIVE EV Crossover.

On the expanded site, Mullen plans to build a body shop, a fully automated paint shop and a general assembly shop.

EV Market Outlook

The global EV market was reported to consist of 3,269,671 units in 2019, a figure that is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.1% through 2030 to a total of 26,951,318 units worldwide. This market’s monetary value was estimated at $162.34 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6%, resulting in an approximate value of $802.81 billion by 2027. The primary driver for this exponential growth is a worldwide increase in vehicle emissions regulations.

Management Team

David Michery is the CEO and Founder of Mullen and has been leading the company and its divisions since inception in 2014. With over 25 years of executive management, marketing, distressed assets, and business restructuring experience, Mr. Michery brings a wealth of relevant knowledge and expertise to the Mullen brand. He has notably created 12 trademarks so far to develop the company brand and vision.

Mr. Michery is working toward a sustainable future accessible to all by creating a suite of clean-energy electric vehicles at varied price points. With entirely U.S.-based manufacturing and operations, he is also determined to have Mullen Technologies play a role in shaping a self-sustaining local economy by creating more jobs in America.

Mr. Michery manages risks and company expectations as a pathway to success and has personally overseen several businesses that totaled over $1 billion in transactions. His key strength is the ability to be fiscally responsible and lead teams to complete projects on time and within budget. As a seasoned professional in this space, Mr. Michery has demonstrated skill in building businesses from the ground up and into successful entities that subsequently sold for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Mullen Automotive Inc. (MULN), closed Thursday's trading session at $1.01, off by 15.8333%, on 613,958 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 4,856,903 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.8919/$1495.00.

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Brera Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: BREA)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Brera Holdings PLC(NASDAQ: BREA).

Brera Holdings (NASDAQ: BREA) announced the initial closing of its acquisition of a 52% stake in Italian Serie B football club SS Juve Stabia, "The Second Team of Naples." The transaction begins with Brera acquiring 22% ownership, set to increase to 52% by March 2025, following terms outlined in the Sale and Purchase and Investment Agreement. This move aligns with Brera's multi-club ownership strategy to drive revenue and long-term value. Founder and Executive Chairman Daniel McClory highlighted the partnership with Juve Stabia President Andrea Langella and plans to enhance player development and operational efficiencies. Legal and advisory support was provided by Zephiro Investments, Barone & Associati, BonelliErede, and Bevilacqua PLLC.

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/28zqC

Brera Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: BREA) is an Ireland-based, international holding company focused on expanding its global portfolio of men’s and women’s sports clubs through a multi-club ownership approach. The company capitalizes on opportunities to earn tournament prizes, secure sponsorships, collect transfer fees, provide professional sports consulting services, and enhance the valuation of its clubs.

Brera Holdings builds on the legacy of Brera FC, an international football club (referred to as soccer in the U.S.), that it acquired in July 2022. Established in 2000 and based in Milan, Italy, Brera FC has distinguished itself by cultivating an alternative football legacy. In October 2024, the Internet Marketing Association awarded Brera FC with the Social Impact Through Soccer accolade at its IMPACT 5050 Conference, recognizing the club’s global perspective and positive contributions to society.

The company’s growth strategy focuses on unlocking value from undervalued sports clubs and talent, driving innovation, and generating socially impactful outcomes. Brera Holdings is actively expanding its Global Sports Group, acquiring professional football and other sports clubs in emerging markets such as Africa, Asia, and Europe.

By targeting top-division teams in less mainstream markets, Brera Holdings aims to strengthen its competitive position in regional tournaments, including those organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). These acquisitions are expected to enhance sponsorship revenues and create new growth opportunities.

Leveraging its expertise in capital raising and revenue generation, Brera Holdings also anticipates growing demand for its consulting services, providing advisory support to sports clubs, associations, investors, and others. Brera Holdings is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with additional offices in Milan, Italy.

Sporting Assets

Brera Holdings continues to grow its global sports portfolio with a series of strategic acquisitions and innovations, including the FENIX Trophy Tournament, a pan-European, non-professional football competition. Launched in September 2021 and organized by Brera FC, the tournament has been recognized by UEFA and described by BBC Sport as “the Champions League for amateurs.” In 2023, Brera FC hosted the tournament’s finals at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium.

In March 2023, Brera Holdings expanded into Africa by establishing Brera Tchumene FC in Mozambique. Starting in the country’s Second Division League, the team quickly earned promotion to Moçambola, Mozambique’s First Division League, by November 2023.

In April 2023, Brera Holdings further strengthened its European presence by acquiring a 90% stake in Fudbalski Klub Akademija Pandev, a first-division football team in North Macedonia. This acquisition provides access to two major UEFA competitions, solidifying the company’s position in European football.

Brera Holdings’ reach extends beyond football. In July 2023, it acquired majority ownership of UYBA Volley, an Italian Serie A1 women’s professional volleyball team, demonstrating its commitment to diversifying within top-tier sports.

In September 2023, Brera Holdings entered the Mongolian football market by acquiring Bayanzurkh Sporting Ilch FC, a Mongolian National Premier League team. For the 2024 season, the club was rebranded as Brera Ilch FC, further expanding Brera’s global footprint.

In January 2024, Brera Holdings initiated a proactive search for an Italian Serie B football club, aligning with its goal of bringing multi-club ownership opportunities to mass investors through its Nasdaq-listed shares.

In February 2024, the Brera Holdings Advisory Board was established with MLS founder and World Cup director Alan Rothenberg, luxury lifestyle executive Massimo Ferragamo, sports business leaders Paul Tosetti and Marshall Geller, and Italian football icon Giuseppe Rossi.

In June 2024, the North Macedonian women’s football club Tiverija Strumica officially became part of the Brera family with the establishment of a joint-stock company controlled by Brera Holdings called Women’s Football Club Tiverija Brera AD Strumica (“Brera Tiverija”). Brera Tiverija is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brera Strumica FC.

In September 2024 Brera announced that it signed an exclusive letter of intent to acquire an Italian Serie B club (the “LOI” and the “Club”). According to a CFA report published in June 2024, this expected strategic transaction, for an estimated purchase price of $21.6 million, would add first-year annual revenue of $10.8 million to Brera, and that revenue would likely increase by 25% each year for the next three years. The company’s capital valuation, projected the report, would also experience significant appreciation during this period.

In October 2024, Brera was recognized with the 2024 Social Impact Through Soccer Award at IMPACT 5050, an annual event honoring leaders and innovators who significantly impact their industries and communities. This is the second time Brera has won the award.

Market Opportunity

A report from IMARC Group, a global management consulting firm, reveals that the international football market generated approximately $3.3 billion in revenue in 2023, with projections to grow to $4.6 billion by 2032, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6%. Key drivers behind this growth include advancements in digitization, increasing sponsorship and partnership deals between brands and clubs, the rising interest in women’s professional soccer leagues, and the expansion of the e-sports and gaming sector.

In particular, Serie B Italian football clubs seem to present exceptionally attractive investment opportunities. As of September 2024, more than half of these clubs had appreciated between 80-100% in total market value, post-purchase.

As the world’s most-watched and most-played sport, soccer drives significant demand for football-related products and services, contributing to market growth. Broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and endorsement deals are also major revenue sources for clubs and organizations, with an expanding global fanbase generating new opportunities for financial growth, according to the report.

Management Team

With extensive experience in leadership and finance, Daniel McClory currently serves as the Executive Chairman and Director of Brera Holdings, PLC. He co-founded and held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Boustead & Company Limited, and previously served as the Managing Director, Head of Equity Capital Markets, and Head of China at Boustead Securities, LLC. Mr. McClory’s governance experience includes being a Board Director for USA Track & Field and a member of the Eastern Michigan University Champions Advisory Board. Mr. McClory’s expertise encompasses founding and financing equity capital markets, as well as navigating merger and acquisition transactions and initial public offerings. He holds a BS and MS from Eastern Michigan University, where he also received an honorary Doctor of Public Service. In addition to his professional qualifications, he is fluent in both English and Italian.

Pierre Galoppi serves as the CEO, Interim CFO, and director of Brera Holdings. With over 30 years of experience in strategic business and financial services, his career spans a variety of industries, including natural resources, aviation, cybersecurity, telecommunications, tourism, and international marketing. He has worked extensively across Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, Europe, and the United States. Mr. Galoppi holds dual citizenship in Canada and Italy and is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree and an MBA from Concordia University in Montreal.

Maria Xing serves as the Head of Investments and Corporate Development. She is an executive who has specialized in MCO football (soccer) group investments for 777 Partners, where she was involved in sourcing, direct negotiations, due diligence, and closing deals, including acquiring a controlling stake in Brazilian Serie A football club, Vasco da Gama, and investing in Australian Premier League (“A-League”) side, Melbourne Victory FC. She also played a role in other professional sports franchise portfolio management, including topflight professional football clubs in Italy, France, Germany, and Belgium. Her background is in private equity, investment banking, and finance, with prior experience at The Raine Group, Credit Suisse, and EY (Ernst & Young), as well as previous sports industry experience at Liverpool Football Club in international business development. Ms. Xing earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. from the New York University, Stern School of Business.

Brera Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: BREA), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.785, off by 4.6173%, on 9,787 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,315,457 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.4999/$3.00.

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Energy and Water Development Corp. (OTCQB: EAWD)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlightFathom Energy and Water Development Corp. (OTCQB: EAWD) .

The global transition to green energy is creating new opportunities and markets for copper cable manufacturers and a growing number of investors. Although copper cables will play a critical role in the green transition, they don't get as much attention as some of the other equally crucial ‘green metals' that will be integral to the transition. However, some savvy investors have noted the red metal's potential, particularly as conductors in renewable energy infrastructure, and began investing accordingly. Broadly speaking, the transition to renewable energy will involve two different elements; generating clean energy and transmitting this energy to households and businesses. Additionally, their reliability makes copper cables especially key to maintaining green energy systems, boosting efficiency, and reducing energy losses. Investors who add copper wiring and cables to their portfolio could potentially earn a significant return on investment once the green transition picks up speed and demand for copper skyrockets. The rising demand isn't surprising given the rate at which entities like Energy and Water Development Corp. (OTCQB: EAWD) are using copper cables while offering their services to clients implementing energy and water sustainability solutions.

Energy and Water Development Corp. (OTCQB: EAWD) is a green-tech engineering solutions company focused on delivering water and energy to extreme environments. The company builds water and energy systems out of already existing, proven technologies, utilizing its patent-pending systems configuration and technical know-how to customize solutions to meet clients’ needs. To date, two water systems have been sold and deployed in Mexico and Germany, and the company is working to fulfill additional orders.

Using its patent-pending design, EAWD is working to build and operate off-grid EV charging stations in Germany. The company is a United Nations-accredited vendor and offers design, construction, maintenance and specialty consulting services to private companies, government entities and non-government organizations for the sustainable supply of energy and water.

EAWD focuses on three main aspects of the water and energy business: (1) generation, (2) supply and (3) maintenance. The green tech industry is constantly evolving due to ongoing and increasing water scarcity, as well as increased energy needs in the world. Therefore, the company believes that by designing sustainable and renewable solutions to these problems, EAWD will become an essential component of a rapidly growing industry with many new markets.

EAWD’s approach seeks to assist businesses with the growth and development of their general operations by ensuring the efficient, profitable and sustainable supply and generation of water and energy, allowing its potential customers to focus on their business while adopting strategies of sustainability.

By using the state-of-the-art technological solutions and technologies identified, designed and provided by EAWD and its collaborators, the company believes that its potential clients will be free to focus on the performance of their operations, as well as with the water and energy consumption or generation regulations within their industries.

EAWD is headquartered in Saint Petersburg, Florida, with operations in Germany and Mexico.

Products

In view of the increased worldwide demand for water and energy, EAWD’s business goals are focused on self-sufficient energy-supplied water generation and green energy production. To accomplish this, the company set out to establish an outsourcing green tech platform to commercialize its state-of-the-art technologies while providing engineering and technical consultation services to design the most sustainable technological solutions that can provide water and energy.

The company has sought potential collaboration with green tech research and development centers in Europe and has established its operating subsidiaries in Hamburg, Germany, where EAWD has started to assemble its patent-pending innovative off-grid, self-sufficient energy supply atmosphere water generation (AWG) systems.

EAWD Deutschland and EAWD Logistik operate in Hamburg, Germany, to meet the increasing demands of water and energy generation projects around the world, as well as to operate the solar-powered EAWD Off-Grid EV Charging Stations, EAWD’s newest product.

The company expects to offer sustainable added value to each project it takes on, while generating revenue from the sale of EAWD Off-Grid AWG Systems, EAWD Off-Grid EV Charging Stations, EAWD Off-Grid Power Systems and EAWD Off-Grid Water Purification Systems; royalties from the commercialization of energy and water in certain cases; and licensing of its innovated technologies, along with its engineering, technical consulting and project management services.

EAWD continues to be a development stage company. It presently assembles its EAWD Off-Grid AWG Systems and EAWD Off-Grid EV Charging Stations at its workshop in Germany and outsources most of its engineering and technical services, as well as services relating to the promotion, sale and distribution of its products.

Market Opportunity

According to a report by Allied Market Research, a global market research, consulting and advisory firm, the worldwide green technology and sustainability market was valued at $10.32 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach a value of $74.64 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 21.9% during the forecast period.

A surge in environmental awareness and increasing concerns among organizations and individuals about climate change drive the growth of the market. Furthermore, an increase in consumer and industrial interest for the use of clean energy resources are among some of the major factors expected to boost growth of the market in the coming years, according to the report.

The expected rise in favorable government and private initiatives to tackle climate change and air pollution represent an opportunistic factor of the market. An increase in energy consumption and rise in greenhouse gas emissions are major factors that drive the development of green technology innovations, the report states.

Management Team

Irma Velazquez is CEO and Vice Chair at EAWD. She brings certified expertise in sustainable development and large-scale project management to the company. She formerly worked for United Nations agencies including the World Health Organization, Farmaciens Sans Frontieres, Red Cross and Crescent Societies, where she served in the positions of Information Technology Manager, Sustainable Development Manager, Programme Manager and Disaster and Crisis Management Coordinator. She has a master’s in sciences from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam. She speaks French, English and Spanish.

Ralph Hofmeier is Chief Technology Officer and Chairman at EAWD. He brings a mechanical engineering background to the company and previously served as President of Powermax Energy & Business Solutions Inc. When that company merged with EAWD, he served as President and CEO of Directors of EAWD. Over the last 20 years, he has established and developed several multinational companies in green tech distribution and commercialization. He speaks German and English.

Energy and Water Development Corp. (OTCQB: EAWD), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.0032, off by 27.2727%, on 779,652 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,390,950 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0012/$0.109.

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D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Advantage™ Quantum Computer

 

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

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

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

Leap Quantum Cloud Service

 

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

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

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

D-Wave Launch

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

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

Target Verticals

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

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

Market Opportunity

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

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

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

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

Leadership Team

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

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

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS), closed Thursday's trading session at $9.61, up 14.4048%, on 2,218,450 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 81,780,823 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.6813/$11.41.

Recent News

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PaxMedica Inc. (NASDAQ: PXMD)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight PaxMedica Inc. (NASDAQ: PXMD).

PaxMedica Inc. (NASDAQ: PXMD) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of novel anti-purinergic therapies (APTs) for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other serious conditions with intractable neurologic symptoms.

The company’s lead programs are focused on ASD, for which there are currently no approved pharmacologic treatments that target its cause and symptoms. Currently used treatments only address the symptoms of the condition, rather than targeting the pathophysiology itself.

PaxMedica is on a promising path to address these unmet medical needs, bringing hope to millions. Anti-purinergic therapies target the excess production of purines in cells. An overexpression of purines can offset homeostasis and result in an overproduction of cellular adenosine triphosphate, the main energy molecule in all living cells.

The company is headquartered in Tarrytown, New York.

Product Pipeline

PaxMedica is building a robust pipeline of products targeting ASD and related neurodevelopmental conditions. The company’s lead product in development may help eliminate, reduce or modulate some of the more troublesome aspects of ASD. That would open the potential for people with autism to integrate their behavior with others more successfully and improve their lives.

PaxMedica’s lead programs, PAX-101 and PAX-102, utilize the company’s proprietary source of suramin sodium, a broadly acting anti-purinergic therapy that has been known for over 100 years. Its current pipeline includes:

• PAX-101 (IV Suramin) for ASD – PAX-101 completed a Phase 2B study for ASD in 2021. Suramin is a broadly acting APT and has reported positive results from a dose range study. The results of PaxMedica’s Phase 2B study, which targeted 52 subjects across six sites in South Africa, were presented to AACAP in October 2021.
• PAX-102 (Intranasal Suramin) – PaxMedica has developed a proprietary intranasal formulation of suramin that is currently being evaluated in ASD and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
• PAX-101 for HAT – Given suramin’s historical use as a treatment for Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), or African Sleeping Sickness, the company is also developing PAX-101 as a treatment for HAT. PaxMedica’s most advanced program is the pursuit of PAX-101 for early-stage East African HAT.
• Selective APTs – PaxMedica has conducted several preclinical studies to evaluate other APTs that are more selective to specific purinergic receptors and may offer additional benefits over suramin.

Market Opportunity

According to a report by Fortune Business Insights, a leading global market research company, the global ASD therapeutics market was estimated at $1.93 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow from $2.01 billion in 2023 to $3.42 billion by 2030, a CAGR of 7.9% over the forecast period. As there is no current treatment for the core symptoms of autism, PaxMedica believes the addressable market for PAX-101, if approved, could greatly exceed these forecasts.

Autistic disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive Development Disorder are the three main types of ASD, affecting millions of people globally. A 2020 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention estimated that one in 36 children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with autism disorder.

Several factors are expected to contribute to market growth prospects. A growing prevalence of the condition globally and rising awareness coupled with available treatment options are key factors expected to drive ASD therapeutics market growth during the forecast period. Growing investment in R&D to find effective treatments is also expected to fuel global market growth.

Management Team

Howard Weisman is Chairman and CEO of PaxMedica. He has been a founder and CEO of several specialty pharma and medical device companies. Most recently, he was executive chairman and co-founder of Sofregen, a biotech company. He also served as CEO and president of Seventh Sense Biosystems, a medical device development company. He also was founder, chairman and CEO of EKR Therapeutics, a specialty pharmaceutical company, and founder and COO of ESP Pharma, a company focused on cardio and neurovascular products. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Rutgers University.

David Hough, M.D., is Chief Medical Officer at PaxMedica. He is a neuroscience clinical development consultant who previously served as vice president at Janssen Research and Development and in various leadership roles over 17 years. Most recently, he was the compound development team leader for SPRAVATO® for treatment-resistant depression. Prior to that, he was the schizophrenia disease area leader. He played a pivotal role in the development programs for oral INVEGA®, INVEGA SUSTENNA® and XEPLION® for schizophrenia. He is a graduate of West Point and is board certified in psychiatry.

Stephen Sheldon is COO and CFO at PaxMedica. He has served as CEO of Thailand-based specialty healthcare company Indochina Healthcare Co. Ltd. since 2015. Previously, he was a consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers Healthcare Advisory in the Chicago office. He was responsible for developing specialty pharmacy patient programs, strategy development for specialty products and compliance programs. He has an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a bachelor’s degree in computer science and visual arts from Bowdoin College.

PaxMedica Inc. (NASDAQ: PXMD), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.067, up 8.59%, on 6,465 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 5,606,080 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.055/$1.19.

Recent News

• PaxMedica Inc. (NASDAQ: PXMD) - Autism Prevalence Surges Globally, Raising Concerns Among Healthcare Experts
• New Computational Model Explains Behavioral and Neural Differences in ASD
• Study Finds That Pollution Increases Autism Risk

Global Compliance Applications Corp. (CSE: APP) (OTCQB: FUAPF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Global Compliance Applications Corp. (CSE: APP)(OTCQB: FUAPF).

Global Compliance Applications Corp. (CSE: APP) (OTCQB: FUAPF) is committed to improving the lives of medical cannabis patients, particularly veterans, through a blockchain-powered technology model. The Efixii Uplift platform provides an end-to-end data chain ensuring transparency and efficacy in cannabis products from cultivation to consumption. This Layer -2 Ethereum blockchain platform strengthens the relationship between cannabis brands, retailers, and consumers, driving trust and better health outcomes for veterans.

As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq become part of history, over 16 million veterans remain central to GCAC’s mission. GCAC partners with leading veteran nonprofits in the U.S. and Canada, building trust within both the veteran community and the cannabis industry. Veterans are directed to Citizen Green TV (CGTV), GCAC’s health and wellness streaming service, which connects them with cannabis/CBD product providers, further amplifying GCAC’s impact.

Market Opportunity

The global medical cannabis market, valued at $13.8 billion in 2022, is projected to grow to $66.8 billion by 2030. With over 18.6 million U.S. and Canadian veterans, nearly 20% of whom already use cannabis and spend an average of $300 monthly, GCAC’s work with veterans serves as a powerful proof of concept. This success showcases the potential for GCAC’s blockchain platform to expand into other sectors, such as agriculture and organic farming, further demonstrating its scalability and broad market applicability.

Key Products & Initiatives

• Efixii Uplift is GCAC’s decentralized app that connects cannabis brands, retailers, and consumers. The platform uses NFT coupons stored on a consumer’s smartphone and powered by an Ethereum wallet, ensuring both privacy and security. By leveraging blockchain technology, Efixii Uplift promotes transparency across the supply chain, enhances brand loyalty, and strengthens consumer trust.
• Citizen Green TV (CGTV) is the first streaming service dedicated to veterans’ health, offering content focused on alternative therapies like cannabis. Cannabis companies legally advertise using Uplift NFT Coupons, reaching this targeted audience. CGTV is available on Roku, Google TV, and Apple TV, with a potential reach of 168 million viewers in North America.
• Citizen Green Ventures, GCAC’s joint venture with Sana’a Cannabis, provides legal medical cannabis to Canadian veterans under the Veterans Affairs Canada program. VAC covers $8.50 per gram for up to three grams per day. In 2022-23 VAC reimbursed 21,108 people a total of $167.6 million.

Global Compliance Applications Corp. (OTCQB: FUAPF), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.0049, up 34.1731%, on 84,083 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 138,210 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0024/$0.02.

Recent News

• Global Compliance Applications Corp. (CSE: APP) (OTCQB: FUAPF) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Global Compliance Applications Corp. (CSE: APP) (OTC: FUAPF) (FSE: 2FA), EMTRI Corp. Scale Services in California's Booming Cannabis Market
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Global Compliance Applications Corp. (CSE: APP) (OTCQB: FUAPF) (FSE: 2FA) Announces Entry into $167M+ Cannabis Funding Program
• Global Compliance Applications Corp. (CSE: APP) (OTC: FUAPF) Leveraging Blockchain Technology-Streaming Model to Improve Veterans' Access to Medical Cannabis