Archive for September, 2020
For many years, the most popular and well known cannabinoid was THC. However, in the recent times, there has been an increase in CBD awareness and popularity.
Search trends on Google indicate that CBD is searched more often as compared to THC, and this has been the case for the last few years. Clearly, interest in CBD is on the rise, but is its use increasing too? Many wonder if CBD products will lead to a decline in THC popularity among patients and consumers. Will that be the case? Below are some reasons why CBD might just eclipse THC in the consumption department.
CBD products are easier to cultivate
CBD products are also referred to as low-THC products. Marijuana strains that are low in THC are more common in nature than strains that are high in THC. To get a plant to yield high amounts of THC, you require the right ecosystem and environment.
This is in comparison to hemp with low THC which can grow anywhere, as long as the temperatures are not extremely cold or hot. Additionally, low THC products can be locally sourced, making them easier to get to international markets.
This makes low THC varieties of marijuana easier to cultivate unlike high THC varieties, which boosts their popularity with consumers.
There are more favorable laws governing CBD
Most low-THC products that are internationally available are derived from hemp and in many countries, the regulations and laws of hemp are generally more favorable as compared to non-hemp cannabis varieties. A great example of a country with favorable laws would be Switzerland.
In Switzerland, floral hemp or low-THC marijuana, is very popular and widely available for legal purchase by adults. While products that have more than 1% THC in them are prohibited for recreational use, marijuana products that have less than 1% THC are legal in the country.
History has shown that a country is less likely to pass a high-THC recreational law but will have no qualms with approving a low-THC medical marijuana law. This also affects consumer popularity.
Reduces the use of prescription medication
A recent study discovered that the increased availability of low-THC marijuana products led to a decrease in the use of pharmaceutical drugs. This is not only good for marijuana consumers but also for the society as a whole, as there’s a decrease in public-entitlement health-related costs.
This just goes to show that as the fight to have plant-based therapies recognized as an alternative form of treatment, many are finding ways to incorporate low-THC marijuana remedies into their routines, showing that there is a growing trend of these products capturing a bigger market share. What do companies like The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) think about this growing trend?
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Researchers have discovered that coronavirus patients who were hospitalized and had vitamin D sufficiency were at a significantly lower risk of experiencing hypoxia, becoming unconscious or dying. Additionally, they had high levels of lymphocytes, which are immune cells that help the body fight infections, and had low levels of the C-reactive protein, which is an inflammatory marker.
The study was authored by Michael F. Holick, who is a professor of physiology, medicine and molecular medicine and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine. The professor explained that the study provided evidence showing that sufficient levels of vitamin D reduced COVID-19 complications, such as the release of too many cytokines into the patient’s blood rapidly (cytokine storm) and death.
The study involved 235 patients admitted to the hospital with coronavirus from whom blood samples were collected. The samples were used to measure the vitamin D levels of the patients as well as analyze lymphocyte numbers and C-reactive protein. The patients were then observed for any developments in their symptoms such as unconsciousness, and difficulty breathing that caused hypoxia and ultimately, death. The scientists then compared this data in patients who had sufficient vitamin D levels to those that suffered from its deficiency.
In patients who were more than 40 years old and vitamin D sufficient, the researchers found that they were 51.5% less likely to die from an infection in comparison with the patients who were vitamin D insufficient or deficient.
In another study that was recently published by Holick, they discovered that being vitamin D sufficient can decrease the contraction risk of COVID-19 by 54%. The researchers also believe that having vitamin D sufficiency can help the body fight the coronavirus as well as other viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections, such as influenza. He added that there was still concern that the fusion of a coronavirus infection and an influenza infection may increase hospitalizations considerably as well as death, which may occur as a result of adverse effects from these viral infections.
Holick states that the study gives a cost-effective and simple plan to improve an individual’s ability to fight COVID-19 and decrease the coronavirus’ adverse outcomes like a patient being hooked up to a ventilator or an immune response that leads to a cytokine storm or death. Furthermore, he adds that it’s only prudent for individuals to take vitamin D supplements, especially since vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency is so common among both adults and children. This, he says, may help decrease the risk of infection or experiencing complications from the coronavirus.
This discovery that vitamin D levels can affect the extent to which one is affected by COVID-19 may be of interest to biomedical entities like Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI) since it strengthens the hypothesis that nearly all disease conditions are linked to a nutritional deficiency.
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Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology (NASDAQ: BHAT), a leading producer, developer and operator of augmented reality (“AR”) interactive entertainment games, toys and educational materials in China, today announced its entry into an updated letter of intent (“LOI”). Under the terms of the LOI, BHAT will acquire the control of 51% of Fuzhou Csfctech Co. Ltd. (“Csfctech”) and its two subsidiaries through the direct acquisition of 51% of the outstanding shares of its offshore holding company. Csfctech is a developer and distributor of mobile games with an international user base across Mainland China, Japan, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and Africa. “We believe that this transaction represents a significant development in our strategy and ability to rollout a wider breath of augmented reality and mobile games to our growing audience in China,” BHAT CEO Xiaodong Chen said in the news release. “Csfctech’s business covers more than 100 games available on a number of different platforms and maintains a strong following of customers based in Asia and Africa. Through this acquisition, not only can we integrate the product development technology, operation and distribution resources of Csfctech, but also our combined resources may help strengthen the available distribution channels. In addition, we expect to leverage our combined expertise to improve the product structure and enhance the overall revenue scale and marketing capabilities.”
Click here to view the full press release
About Blue Hat
Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology is a producer, developer and operator of AR interactive entertainment games and toys in China, including interactive educational materials, mobile games and toys with mobile-game features. The company’s entertainment platform creates unique user experiences by connecting physical items to mobile devices, which creates a rich visual and interactive environment for users through the integration of real objects and virtual scenery. Distinguished by its own proprietary technology, Blue Hat aims to create an engaging, interactive and immersive community for its users. For more information, please visit the company’s investor relations website at www.IR.BlueHatGroup.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to BHAT are available in the company’s newsroom
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Creatd (NASDAQ: CRTD, CRTDW), the parent company and creator of the Vocal platform, today announced the appointment of Laurie Weisberg as its new chief operating officer. Weisberg currently sits on Creatd’s board of directors and will lead the company’s sales team in the execution of its growth strategy and manage all strategic partnership initiatives. This appointment aligns with Creatd’s 2021 plans to broaden and scale its product line and revenues, including Vocal for Brands, Seller’s Choice, and Vocal+ paid subscriptions. “I have closely observed the Creatd team over the last year, particularly since I assumed my role as a member of the board of directors over the summer,” said Weisberg in the news release. “It is clear that the team’s ability to unleash the power of the network in delivering valuable content for audiences, while at the same time helping brands drive their growth by leveraging the highly engaged Vocal community and rich first-party data, makes Creatd a unique brand with a global proposition. As COO, I look forward to working closely with Jeremy and the rest of the management team to continue to build Creatd’s scalable and profitable business lines.”
To view the full press release, visit http://nnw.fm/VEJRC
About Creatd Inc.
Creatd, the parent company and creator of the Vocal platform, empowers content creators and brands through technology and data-driven innovation. Creatd identifies opportunities within the digital platform and content monetization space, and leverages them through the company’s proprietary Vocal technology, as well as through complementary digital businesses including Vocal for Brands and Seller’s Choice. Since launching in 2016, Vocal has become home to over 700,000 content creators and brands of all shapes and sizes, attracting audiences across its network of wholly owned and operated communities. For more information about Creatd and its Vocal platform, visit www.Creatd.com and www.Vocal.media.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CRTD are available in the company’s newsroom at http://nnw.fm/CRTD
About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.
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Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have discovered that septic shock can be classified into four categories, making it easier for hospitals to accurately triage sepsis patients and treat individuals who are at higher risk first. This will prevent a higher mortality rate from people dying due to this costly and deadly medical condition.
The leading causes of in-hospital deaths are septic shock and sepsis. Biomedical researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Whiting School of Engineering state that their findings may be used to detect early signs of septic shock in patients who are rapidly developing the infection as it overpowers their immune system. Septic shock in fatal cases can lead to organ failure and eventually, death.
This new study from the Institute of Computational Medicine and the Department of Biomedical Engineering also shows that septic shock starts much earlier than health practitioners currently understand. The findings from the study will help in answering a lot of the questions that surround this deadly disease, although we may have to wait a bit longer for an algorithmic definition to be discovered.
The lead author of the study and doctoral student in biomedical engineering, Ran Liu, said that they used patients’ risk categories to group them. This demonstrated the usefulness of having various risk categories that would indicate the severity of septic shock cases in patients. Their research was supervised by Raimond L. Winslow, who is Liu’s adviser and also the director of the Institute for Computational Medicine. Additionally, the research was published on eLife.
The study, which used more than 24 physiological indicators, collected from 200,000 individual admissions from various hospitals in the U.S., discovered that the increase in risk of an individual to suffer from septic shock occurred within half an hour to an hour after the first sign of shock registers.
The descent into septic shock registers as rapid shifts in lactate levels, heart rate and blood pressure. When a patient’s immune system is overpowered by an infection, the body starts to lose the ability to stop the body from deteriorating further. The scientists believe that this is when septic shock begins and refer to this period as “pre-shock.”
The study states that when a patient enters the pre-shock stage, they are already in a state of septic shock. Patients who have been categorized in the highest risk of experiencing septic shock are in a septic shock stage for at least 10 hours before they can satisfy what is the current clinical definition of septic shock.
The paper adds that the plummet into pre-shock is quite rapid and that the use of intelligent and automated monitors may help detect it in patients. The researchers recommend that hospitals begin implementing automated technology to help detect these early warnings. Furthermore, the study supports the existing research that requires lactate measurements be done every 1- 2 hours for better categorization of patients, stating that their research calculates median time between lactate observations to be 11.2 hours.
Septic shock is a serious condition, and there is no doubt that biomed companies like CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) welcome the additional information that this research has unveiled about this condition.
About BioMedWire
BioMedWire (BMW) is a bio-med news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with BMW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, BMW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, BMW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. BMW is where news, content and information converge.
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- SRAX recently closed acquisition of LD Micro, leading micro-cap information portal
- LD Micro to become wholly-owned subsidiary of SRAX for 1.6 million in common stock plus $4 million cash
- Acquisition to accelerate adoption of Sequire, SRAX’s SaaS investment analytics platform
- Sequire revenue grew 29% year-over-year for Q2 2020, user base doubled to one million users during Q3 2020
SRAX (NASDAQ: SRAX), a data-based financial technology company, recently closed the acquisition of LD Micro, a leading data portal serving the small and micro-cap space. The deal, worth 1,600,000 shares of common stock and $4 million in cash, will make LD Micro a wholly-owned subsidiary of SRAX while maintaining founder Christopher Lahiji as president and appointing him to SRAX’s board of directors.
The move comes during a rapid growth period for Sequire, SRAX’s data analytics SaaS platform. Geared towards the investment industry, Sequire unlocks data and insight for public companies that can be used to activate marketing campaigns to engage both new, existing and potential investors.
Prior to acquiring LD Micro, SRAX had witnessed strong early success with Sequire. The platform doubled its user base to over one million investors and traders in two months (http://nnw.fm/JRZtk), in addition to posting Q2 earnings that showed a 29% increase in year-over-year revenue. The acquisition of LD Micro – a leading brand in the provision of exclusive information on micro-cap North American stocks – is expected to accelerate the adoption of Sequire while enhancing LD Micro’s own digital assets.
Sequire helps public companies gain insights on the activities of both retail and institutional investors, providing critical actionable data to activate successful campaigns aimed to increase engagement with current investors while attracting new ones. Sequire’s application suite is currently being used by over 91 companies to harness the power of their data through the use of tools that leverage investor intelligence and outreach, track warrants, engage users through surveys, and promote events and roadshows.
“The platform is an absolute game-changer for public companies and their shareholders,” said LD Micro founder Chris Lahiji in recent statements (http://nnw.fm/ppRfl). “Both companies believe that one day executives will rely on Sequire the same way investors rely on Bloomberg.”
“Over 1,500 companies have presented at LD Micro’s events since 2008, and almost all of them would be immediate beneficiaries of this technology,” he continued.
The acquisition of LD Micro is expected to be immediately accreditive to SRAX’s operations. The recent LD 500 conference, held online in early September, included presentations from hundreds of companies across a wide range of industries in addition to featuring keynotes with some of the most prominent figures in the micro-cap world.
The company continues to leverage the growing demand for quantifiable and detailed consumer data by creating specialized tools that empower companies to reveal core consumers and their characteristics across a wide range of industries.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SRAX.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SRAX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://nnw.fm/SRAX
About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.
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Sigma Labs (NASDAQ: SGLB), a leading developer of in-process, quality-assurance software for the commercial 3D-printing industry, has been awarded a contract by a leading global energy technology provider. The contract, which was finalized after a successful Rapid Test and Evaluation (“RTE”) program, calls for beginning production deployment of PrintRite3D(R) in-process quality assurance software. During the RTE, engineers worked closely with Sigma’s engineering team to evaluate issues involved in the customer’s application of SGLB’s proprietary PrintRite3D technology, specifically as it pertained to running the technology on an EOS single-laser machine and an SLM dual-laser machine. The announcement of this contract follow SGLB’s recent sale of an initial PrintRite3D production system to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. “The conversion from our RTE program to beginning production deployment is a testament to the traction our enabling technology is garnering in the additive manufacturing industry,” Sigma Labs CEO Mark Ruport stated in the press release.
To view the full press release, visit http://nnw.fm/oOwHD
About Sigma Labs Inc.
Sigma Labs is a leading provider of quality assurance software to the commercial 3D metal printing industry under the PrintRite3D brand. Sigma specializes in the development and commercialization of real-time monitoring solutions known as PrintRite3D for 3D metal advanced manufacturing technologies. PrintRite3D detects and classifies defects and anomalies real-time during the manufacturing process and informs the production manager of quality issues. Sigma Labs believes its software product will be a major catalyst for the acceleration and adoption of 3D metal printing For more information about the company, please visit www.SigmaLabsInc.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SGLB are available in the company’s newsroom at http://nnw.fm/SGLB
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NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.
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- Predictive Oncology develops AI-solutions designed to assist clinicians in formulating personalized treatment plans for oncological patients
- Artificial Intelligence is being increasingly used to help understand and accurately predict how drug therapies can interact with specific patients
- POAI’s TumorGenesis subsidiary is also creating laboratory-grown tumors to help clinicians and researchers to better test therapies
Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI), a knowledge-driven precision medicine company that focuses on applying data and artificial intelligence (“AI”) to cancer personalized medicine and drug discovery, is set to play a key role as the integration of AI technology within cancer care continues to improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis, aid clinical decision-making and lead to better health outcomes. The National Cancer Institute (“NCI”) in the United States has separately revealed that it is increasingly looking to invest in supporting research and developing infrastructure centered around the usage of AI in developing oncological treatments (https://ibn.fm/BFD5m) – a niche where Predictive Oncology is increasingly building a dominant presence. In addition, the White House has announced $2 billion funding for public and private sector “AI hubs” designed to drive key advances in AI as well as other computational technologies (https://ibn.fm/kcgSH).
A primary goal of precision cancer medicine is the accurate prediction of optimal drug therapies based upon the personalized molecular profiles of patient tumors; ideally, such predictions are based upon well-established molecular cause-and-effect relationships that are disrupted in cancer calls (https://ibn.fm/LQvQX). The foundation of these accurate predictions is built upon extensive bodies of data, with the volume of cancer-relevant data being generated and electronically stored on a daily basis vastly exceeding what could even be imagined only a few decades ago. As such, the search for significant correlations within cancer-relevant “big” datasets is a task which is ideally suited for artificial intelligence and machine learning-based approaches.
Predictive Oncology focuses on building AI-driven predictive models of tumor drug response and outcomes from its unique real-world longitudinal data of drug-response and genomic profiles gathered from more than 150,000 de-identified cancer cases. Through its subsidiary Helomics, POAI is seeking to bring this cutting-edge technology to cancer research, where it is working with the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotech industries to develop predictive models of how tumors respond to drugs, which can be used both for clinical decision support and research into new therapies.
Meanwhile, the company’s wholly-owned TumorGenesis subsidiary specializes in the field of ovarian cancer, creating laboratory-grown cancer cells which can then be used to assist researchers and clinicians in identifying which cancer cells bind to specific biomarkers. Once the biomarkers are identified, they can be used in TumorGenesis’ proprietary Oncology Capture Technology Platform, which is able to grow the patient’s heterogeneous tumor sample in the laboratory, enabling oncologists to develop a patient-specific treatment plan (https://ibn.fm/byGJI).
Going forward, the use of artificial intelligence will help oncological researchers quickly understand how cancer cells become resistant to anti-cancer drugs, which can help improve drug development and adjust drug use. The technology can also be used to manage the use of chemotherapy drugs and predict a patient’s tolerance levels, thus allowing for chemotherapy regimens to be optimized. In the future, by leveraging Predictive Oncology’s AI-driven solutions, doctors will be able to make better-informed treatment decisions, thus reducing the need for unnecessary or poorly targeted treatments and improving patient outcomes.
For more information about the company, visit www.Predictive-Oncology.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to POAI are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/POAI
About BioMedWire
BioMedWire (BMW) is a bio-med news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with BMW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, BMW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, BMW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. BMW is where news, content and information converge.
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It’s becoming increasingly difficult to bury our heads in the sand in regard to climate change. The earth is hurtling towards a ‘hothouse’ state not seen in 50 million years and a lot of the blame lies at the feet of humanity. Perhaps the most obvious sign of climate change is that it’s getting hotter and according to scientists, the next three years might be even hotter than normal. No state has experienced the heat as much as California; five of the largest wildfires in state history have been ignited in recent weeks, and residents have become accustomed to rolling blackouts due to heat waves.
In a bid to reduce their carbon footprint, plenty of governments have launched programs to phase out internal combustion-engine vehicles in exchange for electric vehicles (“EVs”) that run on clean, renewable energy and produce zero emissions. Similarly, California Governor Gavin Newsom has already set the goal of 100% zero-emission energy sources for the state’s electricity by 2045. He signed the bill mandating the electricity target in 2018 as well as an executive order calling for statewide carbon neutrality.
His latest effort at reducing greenhouse gas emissions came on Wednesday when Newsom pledged to ban all sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. The order won’t prevent Californians from owning or selling gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles on the used-vehicle market, rather it will prevent the sale of new carbon energy-powered vehicles. This pledge makes California the first state in the country to ban conventional vehicles alongside 15 other countries including France and Germany.
The move was met with resistance from White House spokesman Judd Deere who claimed it was another example of “how extreme the left has become,” concluding that “the lengths to which they will go to destroy jobs and raise costs for the consumer is alarming.” However, Governor Newsom disagrees, arguing that the Trump administration’s argument is “stale” and inaccurate. “This is where the automobile manufacturers are going,” he says. “We want to accelerate a trend you’re seeing all around the rest of the world.”
He states that the plan is absolutely doable based on the state’s infrastructure. “We can do it. I mean, the reality is we’re already doing it. Thirty-four percent of our electricity comes from renewable places. We have over 50% of all the electricity produced and procured in California from non-carbon sources. We have a plan. We have a strategy,” he says. On the Trump administration’s claim that switching to green energy will devastate the job economy, Newsom says that it is not factual.
“It’s gobbledygook. It’s nonsense. It’s not factual. It’s not even an interesting argument. It’s rather stale. Already, California has five times more green jobs than we do fossil fuel jobs. Fossil fuels are really the alternative energy.”
Analysts say such steadfastness as displayed by Gov. Newsom attracts the admiration of companies like Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) that would like carbon emissions to be brought to a halt in all major economies and around the world.
About Green Car Stocks
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Three scientists from Johns Hopkins; a biomedical engineer, a pharmacologist and a biophysicist, have come together to build a device that can detect if an individual has SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, which is the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibodies are small proteins produced by the immune system to help your body counteract a viral encounter and provide the immunity to fight it off if future infections occur.
The researchers derived their inspiration from a glucose monitor, which is used by millions of people around the world. This, they said, could help them design an antibody detector that can be used easily and is affordable worldwide.
People who suffer from diabetes use glucose monitors to measure their blood sugar levels. This is done by pricking their finger for a drop of blood which is then placed on a test strip paper and inserted into the monitor.
The three researchers; Jamie Spangler, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, Netz Arroyo, assistant professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences, Taekjip Ha, professor of biophysics, biophysical chemistry and biomedical engineering say that this gadget can also be re-engineered to detect the presence of glucose in chemical reactions that occur as a result of antibodies in the blood.
To do this, the team developed a test strip which contained spike protein obtained from the SARS-CoV-2 virus surface. Then they added a drop of blood from a patient and observed as the COVID-19 antibodies that were present in the blood bind with the spike proteins on the test strip. After this, the scientists dipped the test strip into a tube which contains an enzyme that binds itself to the coronavirus antibodies.
The next step was to wash off the excess enzyme and insert the strip into a solution that contained a molecule that the enzyme transforms into glucose. Finally, they used a glucose monitor to read the amount of glucose that is present on the strip, which is a substitute for coronavirus antibodies present in the blood sample from the patient.
Arroyo stated that working on the project had been a good opportunity to learn from his colleagues, engage with them and brainstorm together to generate a creative solution that addressed a crucial need that was brought forth by the coronavirus pandemic. He added that they were looking into developing a bio sensing platform that would help monitor infection spread better for both the current crisis as well as for any that might occur in the future.
The research is still ongoing, and the scientists are running more tests on the patent-pending technology. Analysts say biomed sector players like DarioHealth Corp. (NASDAQ: DRIO) are pleased so many innovators rising up to the challenge of the ongoing pandemic.
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- Pivotal Phase 2 Berubicin trial expected to commence in Q1 2021 following planned IND submission in Q4 2020
- CNS Pharmaceuticals also plans to begin pre-clinical work on Berubicin in connection with treatment for lymphomas, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers
- Brain tumor drug therapeutics market expected to reach $3.4 billion by 2025
CNS Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CNSP), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of novel treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the central nervous system, has expanded its Scientific Advisory Board by welcoming new member Dr. Patrick Wen, M.D., a leading neurology and neuro-oncology expert (https://ibn.fm/VJ6e9). Dr. Wen joins current Board members, Dr. Waldemar Priebe, Ph.D., and Dr. Sigmund Hsu, M.D., both of whom were involved in the Phase 1 trial of Berubicin, CNS Pharmaceuticals’ lead drug candidate.
Dr. Wen is a Neurology professor at Harvard Medical School and the Director of the Center for Neuro-Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Wen is a member of the Board of Directors of The Society for Neuro-Oncology and is also its immediate past President. An accomplished neuro-oncologist with a proven track record treating brain tumors and related neurologic complications, Dr. Wen is a graduate of University of London’s Medical College of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. He continued his postgraduate internal medicine training with the University of London and completed his neurology residency with the Harvard-Longwood Neurology Training Program.
According to CNS Pharmaceuticals CEO John Climaco, Dr. Wen’s extensive experience in neuro-oncology will be invaluable to the company as it prepares for its upcoming Berubicin clinical trials. “The addition of Dr. Wen strongly complements our strategy to further drive the development of Berubicin as we look forward to initiating our pivotal Phase II trial in the U.S. and to working with our partner WPD Pharmaceuticals on the Phase I pediatric and Phase II adult studies in Poland,” Climaco added.
Dr. Wen’s appointment was included among the latest company updates furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 21, 2020. The investor presentation in the Form 8-K/A also announced that the company’s pivotal Phase 2 clinical trial for Berubicin in the United States is expected to begin in Q1 2021 (https://ibn.fm/MRaIq). In addition, Berubicin clinical trials in Poland (Phase 2 for adults and the first-ever Phase 1 trial for pediatric patients) are also due to begin on a similar timeline.
CNS Pharmaceuticals’ lead drug candidate is proposed for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (“GBM”), an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. It is an organ targeted therapeutic that belongs to a class of cancer drugs called anthracyclines. CNS Pharmaceuticals has stated that it believes, based on limited clinical data, that Berubicin is the first drug in this class to cross the blood-brain barrier in adults, reaching the tumor cells of a patient with brain cancer.
Berubicin was developed by CNS Founder and Scientific Advisory Board member Dr. Waldemar Priebe, Ph.D., Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The development of Berubicin has been ongoing for over 15 years. The drug was granted Orphan Drug designation by the FDA for malignant gliomas in June 2020. CNS Pharmaceuticals is currently expected to make an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) submission to the FDA in Q4 2020.
In Phase 1 trials of Berubicin, conducted by Reata Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RETA), 44% of GBM patients showed clinically significant response to Berubicin. A patient from the Phase 1 trial remains cancer-free following the trial treatment of Berubicin approximately 14 years ago.
CNS Pharmaceuticals plans for the Phase 2 adult trial in the United States to be adaptive, randomized, and controlled. These criteria for Phase 2 are intended to provide the data required for accelerated approval by the FDA. Additionally, the company plans to use the Phase 2 adult trial in Poland, conducted by sub-licensee WPD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CSE: WBIO) (FSE: 8SV1), to provide additional statistical support for the U.S. trial.
Plans are also in motion to begin Berubicin clinical trials for lymphomas, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers in 2021, which speaks to the high level of confidence CNS Pharmaceuticals has in Berubicin trials and its potential impact on the brain tumor therapeutics market. It is estimated that the global brain tumor therapeutics market will reach $3.4 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 7.2 percent (https://ibn.fm/qJSuy).
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.CNSPharma.com.
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A proposal to legalize cannabis sales in Vermont and another one that provides automatic expungements for marijuana convictions have been pushed to the governor’s desk after a final Senate vote was conducted on Tuesday.
The state Senate approved the negotiated legislation with a 23-6 vote after the House of Representatives had approved it.
In 2018, Vermont legalized the cultivation of 2 marijuana plants and possession of a maximum of 29 grams of marijuana. However, no regulations that allow retail sales were put in place.
The governor of Vermont, Gov. Philip Brian Scott (R) has yet to explicitly confirm or deny whether he will put his signature on the S.54 measure but he admitted to being impressed last week on how the measure was received in the legislative process and noted that he would take that into account.
Apart from the marijuana sales legalization bill, the Senate also approved a separate bill that will issue automatic expungements of cannabis convictions as well as allow individuals to possess and grow more marijuana without being arrested. The House had passed the proposal earlier this month, meaning it’s also headed to the governor’s desk as well.
The proposed marijuana sales bill states that cannabis would be subject to the state’s 6% sales tax and an additional 14% excise tax. S.54 also highlights a few social equity provisions like helping individuals who have been adversely affected by the drug war and making cannabis business licenses for minorities a priority. Additionally, an independent regulatory commission will be in charge of promoting small business participation in the market.
A cannabis control commission would be established and would be responsible for the issuance of licenses to growers, retailers, manufacturers, labs and wholesalers. This body will also assume the role of the Department of Public Safety in regulating the state’s medical marijuana industry.
Additionally, flavored vape cartridges would be banned and a 30% THC limit would be imposed on marijuana flower while marijuana oil may only contain at most 60% THC.
A fiscal analysis that was done on the final bill shows that Vermont will generate roughly $13.3 million – $24.2 million in annual marijuana tax revenue by the Fiscal Year 2025. The Joint Fiscal Office estimates that licensing fees may generate an additional $650,000 in revenue each year. Municipalities that have cannabis businesses will also be allowed to impose additional local fees.
Industry watchers say sector players like The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) will be hoping that the governor puts the wishes of the people into consideration while deciding whether to enact or reject the marijuana policy reform bills before him.
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CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.
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The Alkaline Water Company (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER), a producer of premium bottled alkaline and flavored-infused drinking waters and CBD-infused products, today announced that it was featured in a broadcast titled, “New Opportunities Abound for Specialty Beverage, Water Companies.” The piece highlights significant M&A potential for smaller specialty brands and reads, “Companies such as The Alkaline Water Company, one of the fastest-growing enhanced water companies in the industry, could be an attractive option. . . . Alkaline88 remains one of the top-selling brands in the value-added water category. According to recent trade data, Alkaline88 reported double-digit growth despite the value added water category contracting 8.2% for the four-week period ending April 18, 2020.”
To hear the AudioPressRelease and view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/8uFWn and http://cnw.fm/6t47q
To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/WrcNe
About The Alkaline Water Company
Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkaline88(R), 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 its trademarked label: Clean Beverage. Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88 launched A88 Infused(TM) in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused flavored water is available in seven unique all-natural flavors with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the company launched A88 Infused Beverage Division Inc., which includes the company’s CBD water and flavor-infused water. For the company’s topical and ingestible offerings, A88 Infused Products includes both the company’s lab-tested, full-spectrum hemp salves, balms, lotions, essential oils and bath salts, along with broad-spectrum hemp beverage shots, powder packs, oil tinctures, capsules and gummies. To learn more about the company, visit www.A88CBD.com and www.TheAlkalineWaterCo.com.
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Researchers from Georgia Tech, Harvard Medical School and the Boston Medical Center have developed a new online learning-based tool that allows the health sector to detect coronavirus outbreaks earlier in various counties in the U.S.
The Coronavirus outbreak detection tool is usually updated 2-3 times every week. It forecasts how fast a coronavirus outbreak will spread in a county by approximating the doubling rate of cases. The doubling time refers to the total number of days it takes for the cases in any given county to double. The tool takes into consideration the reported coronavirus deaths and cases, social distancing measures, face masks mandates, the rates of positive tests, changes in tests performed as well as the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index.
This generates an interactive map that lets the users see a specific county’s population, the total number of new coronavirus cases in the county in the last week, the average number of cases recorded every day in the last week and also the coronavirus doubling rate.
Turgay Ayer, who is an associate professor in Georgia Tech H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, says that it is important to identify an outbreak promptly to ensure that the area in question can be isolated. This will in turn help limit the spread to neighboring locations, and this will in turn assist in effectively containing the pandemic. The tool provides an upper hand in early detection of an outbreak as it is automated, thus speeding up the process.
An assistant professor at Harvard Medical School who is also the associate director at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Technology Assessment, Jagpreet Chhatwal, states that while the earlier measures focused on reducing the spread of COVID-19 at the state level, detecting outbreaks at a local level allows the legislators to execute the necessary measures at the local level. This will help in effectively containing the pandemic. The presence of the automated system helps speed up the whole process as it can detect current outbreaks within a few days.
Last week, the research team used the coronavirus outbreak tool to confirm an outbreak in Johnson County, Iowa. The outbreak is thought to have originated from the University of Iowa. Furthermore, the tool also pointed out a few counties where outbreaks might occur. These include Wheeler County in Georgia, Whitman County in Washington, Harrisonburg County in Virginia and Monroe County in Indiana.
Analysts say the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) to detect or deal with major disease conditions isn’t very new to many players in the biomedical field, such as Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI), so it isn’t hard to see how hugely useful the COVID-19 outbreak detection tool can be at this time.
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iClick Interactive Asia Group (NASDAQ: ICLK), an independent online marketing and enterprise data solutions provider in China, today announced the launch of its flagship marketing analysis tool, iNsights, which gives brands in-depth and actionable consumer behavior insights to drive more effective marketing campaigns. According to the update, iNsights is an efficient one-stop solution that tracks and analyzes cross-channel campaigns covering China and overseas markets. “iNsights effectively addresses the difficulties presented to marketers by the shallow insights provided by raw data and selective sampling data analysis, as well as the inconvenience and incomparability of multiple tracking systems for different regions,” said Frankie Ho, president of International Business at iClick, in the news release. “Our recent update of iAudience and the launch of iActivate and iNsights are part of iClick’s commitment to continually build up and develop the best full-stack solutions for global marketers. iClick has always devoted itself to helping brands gain a better and deeper understanding of markets in real time and to creating the best marketing strategies driven by data and advanced algorithms.”
To view the full press release, visit http://nnw.fm/gjuKj
About iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited
iClick Interactive Asia Group is an independent online marketing and enterprise data solutions provider that connects worldwide marketers with audiences in China. Built on cutting-edge technologies, iClick’s proprietary platform possesses omni-channel marketing capabilities and fulfils various marketing objectives in a data-driven and automated manner, helping both international and domestic marketers reach their target audiences in China. Headquartered in Hong Kong, iClick was established in 2009 and is currently operating in ten locations worldwide, including Asia and Europe.
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Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, made it known recently that his office would be launching a program that will provide Colombia’s mining industry with the assistance needed for its development.
On the visit to Colombia, the Secretary of State revealed that the proposal would be organized by the Department of State Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative.
In a press conference that was held at the Presidential Palace last Saturday, Pompeo told Iván Duque, Colombia’s president, that American and Colombian companies could do a lot of good together, what with the welcoming investment atmosphere and good governance, fair and open relationships and transparent rules. The companies, he said, could provide good employment opportunities.
The project will begin by evaluating the mining industry of Colombia to see how it’s doing while comparing it to the mining industries of other countries in the area. After this, the next step will be to review the regulatory and legal framework of the country and figure out ways to make the framework more competitive. Additionally, the project will also assess the regulations governing the country’s copper mining sector as well as its environmental sustainability, with a focus on the best ways to store mine tailings.
Once the coronavirus pandemic ends, Colombia will be launching 33 energy and mining projects. It is expected that these projects will generate more than 50,000 employment opportunities and rake in roughly $9.6 million in terms of investments.
In a media statement, Diego Mesa, Colombia’s mining minister, said that the United States government was a tactical partner that would help enhance the sustainable recovery of the mining and energy sectors through the fulfillment of the America Grows Initiative. He added that the Colombian mining sector had been liaising with the U.S. government through USAID to help encourage the formalization of artisanal miners.
Legal Gold, which is a USAID program, helps make illegal mines legal and minimizes mercury use in gold mining operations while also calling for the implementation of zero mercury technologies.
In the fight against illegal mining, the Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy receives support through a State Department agreement that allows land packages to be monitored when there is evidence of alluvial gold exploitation.
Coincidentally, the minister added that the U.S. Labor Department had helped Colombia to improve the working conditions in small scale gold and coal mining operations and also eradicate child labor in the mining sector.
This planned cooperation is likely to bring trickle-down benefits to the mining sector, including companies like Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR).
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- Company awarded government grant that could total $1.45 million to develop design for production of rare earth elements
- UUUU excited to play role in effort to develop domestic sources of rare earth production
- Energy Fuels announced entry into REE sector earlier this year, ideal complement to company’s other rare earth initiatives
Energy Fuels (TSX: EFR) (NYSE American: UUUU), a leading producer of uranium in the United States, along with a team from Penn State University has been awarded a government grant for an initial amount of $150,000 to develop a design for the production of rare earth elements (“REE”) from coal-based resources (https://ibn.fm/kMbwJ). The contract was awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) Office of Fossil Energy (“FE”) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (“NETL”). If Energy Fuels is successful at the conceptual design phase, the DOE could award Energy Fuels an additional $1.3 million to complete a feasibility study.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to work with the DOE office of Fossil Energy, the National Energy Technology Laboratory, and Penn State on this important rare earth initiative,” said Energy Fuels president and CEO Mark S. Chalmers. “Energy Fuels has been carrying out substantial work over the past year to explore the potential for implementing a commercial rare earth recovery and processing program at our White Mesa Mill. This initiative to produce REOs from coal-based resources is complementary to our ongoing efforts and will potentially broaden the sources of REE feedstock available to us in the future. We also hope this project opens the door for us to work with the DOE and other agencies on future rare earth initiatives.”
The contract calls for Energy Fuels and a team of experts from Penn State to evaluate and develop a conceptual design to allow for the commercial production of mixed rare earth oxides from coal-based resources in an environmentally benign fashion. In addition, the contract also notes that DOE may award Energy Fuels a contract for the completion of a feasibility study on this initiative.
The DOE has already demonstrated the technical feasibility of extracting rare earth elements from coal and coal-based resources, but the department is looking to fast-track the advancement of commercially viable technologies to produce REEs from coal-based resources, including coal refuse, over/under burden materials, power generation ash and others.
Earlier this year, Energy Fuels announced its entry into the REE sector, noting that it believes its fully licensed and constructed White Mesa Mill could play a key role in bringing the REE supply chain back to the U.S. from China (https://ibn.fm/UEB25). The company applied for the DOE/NETL grant in June, in part because the REE minerals contained in these coal-based resources are similar to the REE minerals contained in other materials UUUU is evaluating as part of its REE program.
The contract provides initial funding for Energy Fuels and the Penn State team to complete a detailed conceptual design and flowsheet for the possible commercial operation of a facility that produces REOs from coal-based resources. Once that is complete, the DOE will determine whether to provide additional funding for the development of a feasibility study. It is also possible that the DOE could participate in the funding of a facility that performs this work.
“Rare earths are used in a host of advanced and everyday technologies, including cell phones, computers, renewable energy generation, batteries, automobiles, and military applications,” said Chalmers. “However, the U.S. does not currently have a fully integrated rare earth supply chain. Therefore, the government has made it a priority to assist in the development of domestic sources of rare earth production. With this award, we are excited to play a role in this effort, while also pursuing our other complementary rare earth initiatives. We also hope this DOE program puts Energy Fuels on the radar for other U.S. government rare earth initiatives.”
Based in Lakewood, Colorado, Energy Fuels holds three of America’s key uranium production centers: the Nichols Ranch (ISR) project in Wyoming, the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas and the White Mesa Mill in Utah – the only conventional uranium mill operating in the United States today. Together, these facilities have a licensed capacity of more than 11.5 million pounds of U3O8 per year. With an asset portfolio that boasts more uranium production facilities, in-ground resources, production capacity and experienced personnel than any other producer, Energy Fuels is in a unique position to maintain its position as the leading producer of uranium in an era of viable transformation of the U.S. nuclear industry.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EnergyFuels.com.
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Medical technicians, room physicians and military medics may be better equipped to treat victims of gunshot wounds, battlefield injuries and vehicular accidents thanks to a new device that is in the works. The device can evaluate the effects of hemorrhage on an individual.
The research team currently working on the device development have demonstrated that the device could accurately evaluate blood loss through the measurement of seismic vibrations in an individuals’ thoracic cavity and also by detecting the changes in an individual’s heartbeat.
Associate professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Omer Inan, says that the team wants to develop a device that can be placed on an individual’s chest to determine if the patient is showing any signs that could indicate aggravated performance of their cardiovascular system as a result of bleeding.
The research was published in the Science Advances journal on July 22 and included partners from various institutions such as the University of Maryland. This research was also supported by the Office of Naval Research.
As most of us may not know, blood loss may be caused by various traumas. However, hemorrhage may not present as it should which may lead to it being overlooked by doctors and first responders. People who are going through trauma normally have elevated heartrates. However, blood pressure may sometimes remain stable till blood loss reaches a critical and fatal stage, which makes it harder for first responders to treat the individual.
Having a reliable medical device that can be used to noninvasively measure an injury and help responders triage victims correctly could go a long way in saving lives.
Jacob Kimball and Jonathan Zia, who are graduate students and Inan, used animal models to study electrical signals from the heart and seismic vibrations from the thoracic cavity as the blood volume reduced gradually. The researchers’ objective was to assess the signs of the performance of the cardiovascular system that could be measured externally then compare them with the information being provided by the catheters taking blood pressure and volume measurements.
They found that a seismocardiogram was the major indicator. However, the researchers noted that as the blood volume reduced, the timing of the heart’s activity changed, thus providing another cause of a weakened cardiovascular system.
The envisioned device will combine electrical and noninvasive mechanical measures to see how critical an individual’s blood loss is. An indicator on the device would also show the general condition of the individual’s cardiovascular system and how far the system is from collapsing. In the long-term, the team would like to carry out studies on humans and see how the device performs in real time.
This potentially life-saving invention is likely to attract attention from the entire biomedical field, including companies like CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP).
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Tingo Group Inc. (NASDAQ: TIO) is a digital service agri-fintech technology company focused on foundation-level agriculture and related financial services in Africa. The company aims to be Africa’s leading agri-fintech player, transforming rural farming communities to connect through its proprietary platform to meet their complete needs – from inputs and agronomy to off take and marketplace – and deliver sustainable income in an impactful way. The company’s vision is to build complete digitally inclusive ecosystems that promote financial inclusion and deliver disruptive micro-finance solutions, empower societies, produce social upliftment in rural communities and open international opportunities.
Tingo believes that a truly connected world will help contribute to a better global society. The company’s core focus areas are telecoms, financial services/fintech and agritech. Tingo’s goal is to provide a best-in-class customer experience, support the domestic economies of its host countries and support technological and financial inclusion to end the poverty premium. Through this, Tingo hopes to deliver attractive returns to shareholders while investing in the long-term future of the company and its subsidiaries.
Global climate change is challenging sustainable production and food security. Tingo’s strategy and market execution provide an opportunity for Africa to be a core focal point to solve a number of key areas of concern, including food security, gender equality, financial inclusion and poverty alleviation, to name a few. Disruption of micro finance through the use of DeFi-based stable coins and smart contracts will give agri-communities access to capital markets-driven digital finance solutions that make them more competitive and sustainable economically, striking a good balance of returns between digital asset providers and Tingo as the service partner. This innovation will deliver significant access to much needed finance at ‘Grassroot’ levels, delivering tangible social upliftment and GDP growth in the African markets served by Tingo.
Tingo Mobile, with more than nine million subscribers, is Nigeria’s leading technology and device-as-a-service platform aimed at accelerating digital commerce, especially in the country’s agritech and fintech verticals. The company helps farmers acquire mobile phones through a unique leasing plan, connecting them to mobile and data networks through its own virtual mobile network. Tingo also connects farmers to markets, services and resources via Nwassa, its digital agritech marketplace platform that commenced operations in 2020. The company has also launched a beta version of TingoPay – a B2B and B2C fintech app aimed at providing financial services to users inside and outside of the agriculture value chain. Among the services offered are mobile wallets, payment processing and access to specialist lenders, insurers and pension products.
Tingo will soon announce its innovative blockchain-based solution for use of digital stable coins to empower frictionless trade across borders in Africa. The company’s market-proven model in Nigeria is its core foundation, enabling Tingo to deliver the same service model across Africa to become the continent’s leading agri-fintech business powered through smartphone technology.
The African Continental Free Trade (ACFT) plan will be a key framework to prepare the company to be the leading intra-Africa trading hub for trade flows across Africa in the medium term, when it is likely the agreement will be executed into tangible activity. Tingo is well positioned to easily transform the goals of the ACFT into reality when finally implemented by the African Union and the various African countries that have not signed up.
Businesses
Tingo has four core business lines:
- Mobile Phone Leasing – Tingo has distributed almost 30 million mobile handsets since 2014 and will continue to replace the devices of its installed customer base every three years. Tingo Mobile provides the latest mobile phone handsets at an affordable price point and allows customers to spread payments over 36 months.
- Mobile Voice and Data Service – Through a mobile virtual network, Tingo provides its customers with voice and data services, allowing customers to communicate effectively, both inside and outside the agricultural ecosystem.
- Nwassa Marketplace Platform – Nwassa is Tingo’s proprietary agritech platform which provides Africa’s farmers with access to global markets to secure more competitive pricing for their crops. The platform processes 500,000 daily transactions with a value of over $8 million. A select group of trusted partners can assist smallholder farmers and agricultural cooperatives with packaging, warehousing, and dry and wet cargo logistics, as well as up-to-date information from the global agricultural sector. Tingo provides its customers with digital wallet services, which enable them to send and receive domestic payments, monitor cash flow in real time and securely hold money. The company also provides access to other services, such as utility bill payment, virtual airtime top-up, insurance services and alternative lending solutions.
- TingoPay – Since the launch of the Nwassa platform, Tingo has been a dominant player in the B2B fintech vertical. After many successful months of operating Nwassa, Tingo entered the fintech B2C vertical to extend its B2B offering to a broader market beyond agriculture.
Market Opportunity
Africa is the second-largest continent by population. It is also the youngest by far, with a median age of 18 for its 1.3 billion people. Tingo believes the building blocks for growth in Africa’s agriculture industry are in place and that the company is well positioned to participate in the upside. Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is growing at a rate of 2.7 percent per year. At the current growth rate, the continent’s population will double by 2050. Africa’s youthfulness represents a significant opportunity for material growth in demand for agricultural commodities. This younger generation is also being born into a digital world and is comfortable using technology.
Africa’s governments are improving business conditions for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Sub-Saharan Africa’s World Bank Doing Business rank has improved from 45 in 2004 to 65 in 2020. Tingo believes this trend will continue and encourage establishment of more new ventures across all economic sectors, including agriculture.
Africa attracted $407 billion of Foreign Direct Investments (“FDI”) between 2014 and 2018. Investments are increasingly focused on services and industrial sectors. Only 20 percent of investments are in extractive industries – a clear reversal from 2008, when 55 percent of FDI was aimed at resource extraction. Tingo believes FDI into Africa will help resolve significant infrastructure constraints and create value for agribusiness.
Management Team
Dozy Mmobuosi is the CEO of Tingo. He cofounded Tingo Mobile PLC (Nigeria) in 2001 and led the design and launch of Nigeria’s first SMS banking solution, which is still in use in the country today. He also headed a team of more than 120 Chinese and Nigerian engineers in the construction of two mobile phone assembly plants in Nigeria, which have produced and distributed 20 million phones across the country. He has led Tingo’s growth to more than $600 million in revenue annually. He holds a Ph.D. in Rural Advancement from UPM Malaysia.
Dakshesh Patel is the CFO of Tingo. He was formerly CFO of NatWest’s Global Debt and Investment Banking division. He has served as a Director at Gerken Capital Associates, a San Francisco-based alternative asset fund manager. He also led the restructure of Lloyds Banking Group (last financial crisis); managed integration of two leading shipping groups’ global treasury function to create world-leading shipping group Maersk Shipping; built three fintech companies; and exited one to Worldpay. Mr. Patel has strong banking experience, with a focus on Africa. He is a chartered accountant.
Chris Cleverly is president of Tingo. He has served as CEO of the Made in Africa Foundation, and as CEO of blockchain payments gateway startup Kamari. He has been a board member of several companies, both public and private, in the UK, India, China and Africa. He has advised multiple UK companies on their entrance into African markets, and regularly advises the UK Government on development issues and African governments on investment issues.
Rory Bowen is the Chief of Staff at Tingo. Mr. Bowen started his career in traditional capital and derivatives markets working for Moneycorp and Tradition UK in European and emerging markets across FX, interest rate derivative and government bond markets. He has also spent time with one of Europe’s fastest growing fintech’s banking circles. Before joining Tingo, he was Chief of Staff at FinTech Alliance, an organization established in partnership with the UK Government Department for International Trade to foster innovation, growth and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the financial services sector and facilitate greater public/private cooperation.
Investment Considerations
- Investor appetite in Africa continues to be robust, attracting $407 billion of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) between 2014 and 2018.
- Agriculture makes up 23 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP and 60 percent of employment.
- Tingo directly benefits the African economy by helping farmers gain better prices for their crops.
- The company enables more efficient markets via greater distribution of agricultural products.
- Tingo directly provides an access point to technology for tens of millions of Africans.
- The company is expanding into fintech banking services for the mass market, providing access to financial services through Tingo Pay, its proprietary mobile wallet application.
Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ: WTER) (CSE: 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.
Investment Considerations
- The Alkaline Water Company Inc. is a leading producer of premium bottled alkaline and flavored water sold under the brand names Alkaline88® and A88 Infused™, respectively.
- The company has become known for its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis beverage process that enhances its products with trace Himalayan minerals and electrolytes and delivers perfect 8.8 pH balanced alkaline drinking water.
- The company’s two leading products – Alkaline88 and A88 Infused – are available at more than 70,000 major retail locations across the United States.
- The Alkaline Water Company reported record sales in March and April 2020, surpassing March and April 2019 numbers by 114% and 171% respectively.
- The company recently launched a new 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.
- The Alkaline Water Company has implemented an aggressive growth strategy with numerous organic initiatives focused on national, multichannel mass-market expansion.
- Annual bottled water sales have now surpassed soda consumption. 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.
TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQB: TOBAF) is a life sciences company dedicated to giving legal-aged smokers the choice to keep the smoking experience that they enjoy with no nicotine and no tobacco.
The key players of TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness are from leading tobacco brands. They are guiding the mission with the company’s proprietary product, TAAT(TM), which uses the company’s proprietary Beyond Tobacco(TM) base material. The base material undergoes a 14-step process to taste and smell just like tobacco and uses a patent-pending refinement technique.
This provides the company with unique opportunities on the global tobacco market, which was estimated at $849 billion in 2019, with approximately 1.3 billion people using tobacco in some form worldwide (https://nnw.fm/bvKFL).
TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Las Vegas, Nevada.
TAAT(TM)
TAAT is a smokable alternative to tobacco cigarettes using the Beyond Tobacco base material, which contains zero tobacco and zero nicotine. The current TAAT offering comes in three varieties: Original, Smooth and Menthol, which were launched during Q4 2020 in Ohio. The company’s Ohio tobacco wholesaler also distributes for major tobacco industry names such as Altria, RJ Reynolds (a subsidiary of British American Tobacco) and ITG.
The TAAT Beyond Tobacco experience was created to replicate the sensory elements of smoking a tobacco cigarette. Market testing in California and Nevada reached a consensus that TAAT products offered no significant differences in experience when compared to tobacco cigarettes, in terms of the following aspects:
- Visual – the nearly identical product packaging and enhanced smoke volume
- Auditory – the “crackling” sound of the base material when it is ignited
- Smell – when burning, TAAT emits a tobacco-like scent
- Taste – the patent-pending Beyond Tobacco base material undergoes a refinement process that creates a tobacco-like taste
- Touch – TAAT satisfies the “hand-to-mouth” fixation and motor habits, such as flicking ashes
TAAT Beyond Tobacco Targeting Current Smokers
TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness is currently targeting the market of legal-aged smokers with its proprietary product. The company aims “not to create a new problem, but to solve an existing one.” TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness offers a non-addictive alternative to tobacco, with several competitive advantages making it a promising option on the United States market, such as:
- Price – TAAT can be offered at a lower price than competing products in the tobacco category, which adds to the propositioned value for current legal-aged smokers.
- Experience – TAAT appeals to current smokers who wish to give up the tobacco and nicotine but keep the smoking experience they enjoy.
- Branding/Packaging – TAAT is American-grown and American-made, with its Beyond Tobacco base material serving as a legacy to the combustible tobacco products.
The current alternatives to cigarette smoking do not offer a comparable experience. Previously marketed products, like vaping, proved difficult for some legal-aged smokers to adopt, as the experience was too different from traditional cigarettes.
Market Outlook
In 2016, the United States tobacco market was valued at over $100 billion, a number that’s expected to grow over the next decade (https://nnw.fm/yd8oP). In terms of volume, over 215 billion cigarettes were sold to roughly 34 million adults in the United States in 2018. These numbers represent almost 14% of the adult population. Of those, almost two-thirds smoked more than 15 cigarettes in one day. A standard pack is comprised of 20 cigarettes.
The company’s Beyond Tobacco, as a non-tobacco product, has a price-driven consumer advantage in many states. While state taxes on traditional cigarettes vary, most tend to average around $1.82 per pack. Washington D.C. is on the higher end of the tax spectrum at $4.50 per pack, whereas Missouri is only $0.17 per pack (https://nnw.fm/D3WnT).
TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness estimates that, if one pack of TAAT Beyond Tobacco was sold at 20% of all United States tobacco points of sale, the product would capture 0.25% of the market, the equivalent of approximately 2.7 million cartons of cigarettes per year.
Management Team
Setti Coscarella is the Chief Executive Officer of TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. He is experienced in investment banking, private equity and entrepreneurship. In 2017, Mr. Coscarella was the lead strategist for Reduced-Risk Products at Philip Morris International. While there, he worked with thousands of smokers to better understand how to position smoking alternatives, developing programs that could help smokers convert to reduced-risk products. Mr. Coscarella holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, specializing in finance, marketing and corporate strategy. He also has a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and physics from the University of Toronto.
Tim Corkum is the company’s Chief Revenue Officer. He has a lengthy history in the tobacco industry, having served 21 years at Philip Morris International. Mr. Corkum has experience leading the international commercialization of combustible cigarettes and working on reduced-risk product offerings. During his 21-year tenure, he held senior positions in business development, sales strategy, key account management and corporate affairs. He holds a BA from Carleton University with a concentration in law.
Joe Deighan is Founder of TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness and oversees research and development. He is the founder of vape liquid ‘JJuice’, created in 2012. JJuice was distributed across all of the United States and in 26 other countries, alongside the private label production that was done for other brands. Mr. Deighan sold JJuice in a cash deal that was valued at over $800,000 in 2017. He currently handles all R&D and production for Beyond Tobacco, knowing the product better than anyone else in the company.
Investment Considerations
- TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness is focused on serving the current smokers’ market, offering its target audience the opportunity to keep the smoking experience that they enjoy with no nicotine and no tobacco.
- The company’s proprietary product, TAAT Beyond Tobacco, undergoes a patent-pending refinement process.
- The product was successfully launched in Ohio during Q4 2020, with nearly one-third of the visitors to the TryTAAT webpage requesting their samples by mail.
- TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness management is highly experienced in the tobacco industry, including roles with larger businesses like Philip Morris International.
- The global tobacco market was estimated at $849 billion in 2019, with approximately 1.3 billion people using tobacco in some form. These numbers provide a foundation of several hundred million legal-aged smokers worldwide who may turn to nicotine- and tobacco-free products such as TAAT.
- TAAT Lifestyle & Wellness Ltd. is offering a product that could significantly change how current legal aged smokers quit smoking thanks to its replicated sensory elements mimicking the traditional cigarette experience.
Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD) is an agri-food tech company focused on developing and selling eco-friendly products specifically designed to ensure food safety and extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company is focused on addressing two of the most significant challenges faced by the industry: (1) food waste and loss, and (2) food safety.
Fungi like mold and yeast, as well as foodborne pathogens, are typically responsible for fresh produce spoilage and foodborne illness. Save Foods’ integrated solutions improve safety, freshness and quality every step of the way, from field to fork. The company’s natural products control human and plant pathogens, allowing growers, packers and food retailers to reduce waste and boost revenues. More food ends up on consumers’ plates, and less ends up in landfills.
Save Foods’ products use all-natural ingredients to protect fresh produce from microbial spoilage and pathogens with zero toxicity. The company’s treatments leave no harmful residues on produce or in the environment and maintain product freshness over time. Fresh produce treated with Save Foods’ products can already be found in supermarket chains across the U.S. Those chains have reported that the company’s products are reducing fruit spoilage by 50% on average at the retail level. With no need for additional steps in the treatment process nor special equipment, Save Foods’ products are easy to implement and come in versatile applications suitable for the different stakeholders along the food supply chain.
Initial applications for the company’s offerings include post-harvest treatments in fruit and vegetable packing houses that process citrus, avocados, pears, bell peppers and mangos. By controlling and preventing pathogen contamination and significantly reducing the use of chemicals and their residues, Save Foods’ products not only prolong shelf life; they also ensure safe, natural and healthy food. Save Foods has the first green products that could realistically replace the different chemicals used today in food treatment while controlling waste and food safety.
Products & Technology
- SavePROTECT or PeroStar, a processing aid added to fruit and vegetable wash water and used in post-harvest treatment;
- SF3HS and SF3H, post-harvest treartment solutions to control both plant and foodborne pathogens;
- SpuDefender, for controlling post-harvest potato sprouts; and
- FreshPROTECT, for controlling spoilage microorganisms on post-harvest citrus.
Save Foods’ products are based on a proprietary blend of food acids which have a synergistic effect when combined with certain types of sanitizers and fungicides at low concentrations in a non-organic setting. The combination eliminates fungicide residues or reduces them to levels below the established Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The company’s fruit and vegetable wash is odorless and does not irritate human eyes, skin or airways. Save Foods’ blend does not leave any residues of toxicological concern on the treated surface of produce, and all its ingredients are classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). There are 7 patent families related to Save Foods’ technology.
Applications
The company’s products have been commercially validated on citrus, mangos, avocados, pears, bell peppers, microgreens and various fresh cut vegetables. Save Foods is in the validation process for bananas, apples, figs, berries, lettuce, papayas and more. The company is also validating the efficacy of its products for pre-harvest treatment, starting with citrus trees.
Market Outlook
The world population is expected to grow to almost 10 billion by 2050, boosting current agricultural demand by some 50%. Providing healthy and safe food for the world’s population is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.
Globally, around 664 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables are lost every year from field to fork, wasted by spoilage, and almost one in 10 people globally falls ill every year from eating contaminated food, with an estimated resulting cost around $90 billion.
Disposing of all that wasted food requires additional expense and harms the environment with resulting greenhouse gas emissions. The post-harvest food treatment market was valued at $1.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow to $2.3 billion by 2026, achieving a CAGR of 6.5%.
Management Team
David Palach is CEO of Save Foods. He spent over a decade with Intel Israel, where his last position was Manager of Business Development for Israel and Europe. Prior to that, he served as a controller of two of Intel’s largest factories in Israel, where he supervised a budget of over $1 billion. He also served as the CEO of B-Pure Corporation Ltd., a management and maintenance company involved in protecting and improving the environment. During his tenure, he helped turn around several struggling subsidiaries and made them profitable.
Vered Raz Avayo is the company’s CFO. Before joining SaveFoods in 2018, she spent more than 10 years as CFO at LGC, the Leviev Group of Companies. She has operated her own financial and business consultancy and has served as a director for a number of public companies in Israel.
Dan Sztybel is CEO of SaveFoods Ltd., the Israeli subsidiary of Save Foods Inc. He previously led the Life Sciences Advisory at EY Israel and early on recognized the potential of Israel as a center of innovation in the digital health space. He has been an adviser on digital health strategy to large pharmaceutical companies and is a cofounder of MyndYou, a digital health start-up focusing on cognitive impairment. He is also a co-founder of the DigitalHealth.il conference, the largest digital health conference in Israel.
Dr. Neta Matis is Vice President of R&D at Save Foods Ltd the Israeli subsidiary of Save Foods Inc . She holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and an MBA from Tel Aviv University. Prior to joining Save Foods in 2019, she held multiple research chemist and product development roles at Verdia Inc. and its parent company, Helsinki-based Stora Enso Oyj.
Nimrod Ben Yehuda is the founder and CTO of Save Foods Ltd. He was previously the CEO/CTO of Swissteril Water Purifications Ltd. He has also been CEO at Nir Ecology Ltd., and was Joint-CEO at NitroJet Ltd.
Dr. Art Dawson is the U.S. Business Manager for SaveFoods Inc. He has been president of The Dawson Company, which focuses on creating sales opportunities for new agricultural technologies, previously Dr. Dawson held senior industry positions like General Manager Worldwide of the Decco , the Post Harvest Division for Elf Atochem. He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from UC Riverside and is licensed in California as an agricultural Pest Control Advisor.
Investment Considerations
- The agricultural produce treatment space has been active in recent years, attracting more than $26 billion in new investment in 2020.
- In May 2021, Save Foods Inc. closed on a $12 million public offering and uplisted its shares to the Nasdaq.
- The company has seen rapid movement from successful pilots with packing houses and food retailers.
- Save Foods Inc. products present prospective competitors multiple barriers to entry, including a short time to market, zero toxic residues and addressing both spoilage and food safety.
- The company has an exclusive agreement with PlanetAgro for distribution of Save Foods’ products in Mexico.
Additional Resources
SRAX Inc. (NASDAQ: SRAX) is a digital marketing and consumer data management technology company. SRAX’s technology unlocks data to reveal brands’ core consumers and their characteristics across marketing channels.
Through its BIGtoken platform, SRAX has developed a consumer-managed data marketplace where people can own and earn from their data, thereby providing everyone in the internet ecosystem choice, transparency and compensation.
SRAX’s tools deliver a digital competitive advantage for brands in the CPG, automotive, investor relations, luxury and lifestyle verticals by integrating all aspects of the advertising experience, including verified consumer participation, into one platform.
SRAX Verticals
- SRAX Core: SRAX Core is a custom digital media management platform that enables brands and agencies to surpass the challenges of omnichannel marketing campaigns. It offers one comprehensive dashboard to manage digital media campaigns, inventory and reporting.
- SRAX Social: SRAX Social is a free social media management tool that makes it easy for brands, agencies and individuals to grow their digital presence. It offers free and unlimited users, Facebook auto boosting, and a custom analytics dashboard. Its managed services team can also build and execute marketing plans for your unique specific needs.
- SRAX IR: SRAX IR unlocks stock buyers’ behaviors and trends for issuers of publicly traded companies. The platform provides insights on shareholders and market makers, investor relations management, shareholder outreach tools and data-driven marketing.
- SRAX Auto: SRAX Auto unlocks auto intenders’ data to create measurable connected experiences on the road to purchase. It offers proprietary auto intender profiles, multi touchpoint communication and custom location-based ads.
- SRAX Shopper: SRAX Shopper delivers a cross channel, premium digital experience at scale to high value shopper audiences. It offers proprietary shopper profiles, cost per click pricing, and custom text and add to cart ad units.
- SRAX Lux: Launched in June 2019, the SRAX Lux platform targets and reaches luxury consumers at luxury retail stores, high-end art, music, film, fashion and sports events, across all consumer devices.
BIGtoken
BIGtoken, available for download on the App Store and Google Play, revolutionizes data collection. BIGtoken is a platform that creates a secure and transparent environment for consumers to own and earn from their data. To date, there are 15.9 million BIGtoken registered users worldwide.
The optimization and monetization of data is a multibillion-dollar business. Worldwide spending on big data and business analytics solutions reached $166 billion in 2018 and is projected to surge to $260 billion by 2022. BIGtoken’s consumer vision is committed to delivering choice, transparency and compensation to the individual.
Through BIGtoken, consumers earn rewards when they opt into sharing their data and when that data is purchased. Consumers decide what data is shared, who can buy it and how it’s used, and advertisers reach real, responsive audiences. The benefit of this is two-fold: consumers know how their data is used and advertisers gain verified consumer data for targeting.
Users of the BIGtoken app can officially be paid in cash or gift cards in exchange for giving brands access to their anonymized data, answering questions, checking into locations, recruiting new members, and more. Users can deposit their earnings directly into PayPal accounts or be paid through gift cards from favorite retailers such as Walmart.
SRAX has also partnered with several high-profile, nonprofit associations to provide BIGtoken users the ability to donate their earnings. Partnerships include the American Heart Association, dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke; HealthCorps, which helps high school students make better choices about health and physical fitness; and the ALS Association, which recently launched its Challenge Me campaign.
International Expansion
BIGtoken is formally launching into several international markets and partnering to foster local support. SRAX recently signed a joint venture with the Yash Birla Group to launch BIGtoken in India. Based in Mumbai, the Yash Birla Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates, has diversified interests in consumer and industrial products.
The partnership will bring BIGtoken’s platform to India, which has a digital population of 627 million. The India digital advertising market is $3.6 billion and is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 32%, making it one of the largest growing digital ad markets in the world.
SRAX Mexico is led by Moe Avitia, who has more than 18 years of experience in business development and building high-tech teams. SRAX Mexico includes a team of 90 employees, including 70 engineers.
BIGtoken Europe is currently evaluating data centers in individual countries for privacy laws.
Leadership
Christopher Miglino is CEO and founder of SRAX. He has spent the past 20 years working in the digital advertising space and has successfully launched and sold two internet companies. Both of these companies were sold to publicly traded companies on the NASDAQ. He has a detailed understanding of how technology interacts with brands.
Kristoffer Nelson is COO of SRAX and a founding member of BIGtoken. With over 15 years of technology and creative business experience, Nelson has been a guest speaker for Loyola Marymount University among other academic institutions, the National Association of Broadcasters, the IAB and numerous other professional and media organizations.
Investment Considerations
- Increased number of registered BIGtoken users to 15.9 million in six months
- Invited to be a board member on the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Data Policy Board
- Deloitte Tech Fast 500 Winner
- Member of the Russell Microcap® Index
- Sold healthcare vertical, SRAX MD, for a $43.5 million consideration, retaining 31% ownership in new SRAX MD entity; 2017 revenue was $8 million out of $26 million
- SRAX revenue potential for BIGtoken projected at $400 million by January 2022
- Worldwide spending on big data and business analytics solutions reached $166 billion in 2018 and is projected to surge to $260 billion by 2022
- Financial highlights for Q2 2019 include an increase in total gross margin to 55% in the second quarter, compared to 42% in Q1 2019; vertical revenue increased 132% in Q1 2019 in year-over-year growth
- Raised $1 million at $5 per share in a private placement to support the launch of BIGtoken across Asia
- Raised $7.8 million: $6.7 million from a registered direct offering and $1.1 million from warrant conversion
- Raised $5.5 million from a registered direct offering, subsequent to quarter end
Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (OTC: SGTM) is currently incorporated and in good standing in the State of Delaware. The company conducts business activities principally through its two wholly owned subsidiaries, National Storm Recovery LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Mulch Manufacturing Inc., an Ohio corporation.
Through its subsidiaries, the company provides tree services, debris hauling, removal and biomass recycling, mulch manufacturing, mulch packaging, sales of next-generation mulch products and sawmill operations manufacturing specialty cypress lumber.
The company’s primary corporate objective is to provide a solution for the treatment and handling of tree debris that has been historically sent to local landfills and disposal sites, creating an environmental burden and pressure on disposal sites around the nation, by converting the biomass into a marketable beneficial use product.
The company’s solutions are founded in sustainability, based on vertical integration efforts that begin with collecting tree debris through its tree services division and collection sites and then, through its processing division, recycling and using that tree debris as a feedstock that is manufactured into a variety of organic, attractive, next-generation mulch products that are packaged and sold to landscapers, installers and garden centers.
The company plans to expand its operations through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions that are both accretive to earnings and positioned for rapid growth from the resulting synergistic opportunities identified. The company’s customers include governmental, residential and commercial clients.
Company Products and Services
Tree Care, Removal and Services
National Storm Recovery LLC (“NSR LLC”), d.b.a. Central Florida Arborcare (“CFA”), was initially founded to provide tree maintenance, disaster recovery, debris hauling, removal and disposal services. Each of these services is provided to residential, commercial and governmental customers and was structured to drive revenue for the company. Examples include:
- A multi-year contract with the Town of Oakland, Florida (an area known for its large old oak trees), for emergency debris hauling and tree removal and
- A multi-year contract with the Orange County, Florida, School District (covering 267 properties that include schools, administrative sites and maintenance facilities) for tree removal, trimming and maintenance services.
In each case, these contracts are renewable following their initial multi-year terms, with aggregate terms of five years.
NSR LLC has spent years perfecting its technique for proper tree care, removal and services. From tree removal, stump grinding and tree care to grapple hauling and storm recovery, NSR LLC/CFA ensures properties remain safe and business can continue as usual.
NSR LLC/CFA was established as a company to provide tree maintenance, disaster recovery, debris hauling (Rose Transport), removal and disposal services – services that provide it with access to a large amount of wood or tree debris.
Thought of from a different perspective, the company has access to a large amount of “feedstock” that is required to manufacture wood-based mulch products. However, unlike traditional wood-based mulch manufacturers who purchase ALL their feedstock, the company is paid to cut it, paid to haul it and paid to dispose of large volumes of clean wood debris. Its cost, in that limited equation, was its own disposal cost. However, by processing the tree material into mulch and selling it, the company:
- Eliminates its disposal costs;
- Receives the feedstock it would need as a mulch manufacturer at a much lower net cost;
- Does not have to police its suppliers to ensure responsible tree harvesting, because the trees and material the company handles are either from trees and branches downed in storms or cut as part of the care and maintenance of the trees for which it is paid to care; and
- Has a “cost structure” for its feedstock that is even better than a competitor that secures feedstock using unscrupulous or irresponsible harvesting methods and/or sources.
So, by grinding, screening and packaging the tree material that it is already receiving (and is paid to receive), the company is able to leverage its existing activities, create additional value and position itself to substantially increase its overall revenue and earnings prospects – all while decreasing the burden that this material would otherwise place on local landfills or collection sites.
Mulch
In February 2020, SGTM acquired 35-year-old industry leader and innovator Mulch Manufacturing Inc. (“MMI”). Structured as a share exchange, this strategic partnership provides the company with a significantly larger footprint in the mulch industry.
MMI will strive to become more vertically integrated by receiving a substantial volume of wood fiber recovered from CFA’s operations and its Rose Transport Grapple fleet to feed the growing raw material needs to augment its long-standing fiber procurement process. MMI has the product line and distribution system to address a substantial customer base, which can be expanded. MMI offers many mulch variants, including cypress, cypress bark, pine bark, IPEMA certified playground chips, numerous colored mulches and its proprietary patented ‘SoftScape’.
The acquisition includes MMI’s national distribution agreements, an increase in production and packaging capacity and its sales contracts with numerous big box retailers. MMI includes mulch production, sawmill operation, Nature’s Reflections colorant manufacturing and equipment manufacturing.
Next-Generation Products
The company’s vision and commitment to the environment is paired with MMI’s revolutionary “next-generation” mulch product, Nature’s Reflections Softscape®.
Softscape mulch products, created from natural forest products, are color-enhanced with environmentally safe colorants to provide four-year color retention and are free from contaminants. Safe for people and pets, Softscape allows water and air to penetrate soil and roots, which is vital to plant health.
Cypress Sawmill
Mulch Manufacturing’s Homerville Sawmill Operation is located in Homerville, Georgia. The mill was founded in 1981.
The mill currently operates as the nation’s only mill to exclusively saw cypress and has capacity to saw 6.5 million board feet annually. The mill has a drying capacity of 3.1 million board feet annually, as well as milling capabilities, and it produces in excess of 2,500 trucks of mulch products annually.
The mill is sourced through a network of timber companies, timber dealers and private landowners. Mulch Manufacturing ensures that best management practices are employed when harvesting cypress logs to ensure the sustainability of the product.
Room for Expansion
The company has received final zoning approval for its 100-acre site, located in Lake County, Astatula, Florida, which will serve as the company’s flagship tree debris collection site. The facility will also house the company’s mulch manufacturing, soil composting and production bagging. This prime location includes a 5,000-square-foot building that contains warehouse and office space. The 100-acre property can accommodate millions of cubic yards of organic debris and will allow the company’s debris hauling division to realize significant savings on its transportation costs.
The company has chosen as its new headquarters the Mulch Manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, Florida, comprising a 100,000-square-foot warehouse/truck terminal. It is located on 26 acres for centralized operations of MMI and NSR LLC, and it has ample room to expand as needed. The facility recently began new operations to provide grapple truck services, wood/biomass recycling and operation of a new mulch production/bagging facility in the Jacksonville area.
Leadership
SGTM’s leadership team boasts more than 40 years of next-level experience with mulch manufacturing and treating and caring for trees. This team is guided by a roster of highly qualified professionals:
- Tony Raynor, Chief Executive Officer
- Edward Lee, Chief Operating Officer
- Scott Siefker, Chief Financial Officer
Investment Considerations
- The SGTM team boasts more than 40 years of next-level experience with mulch manufacturing, colorant production, product innovation and treating/caring for trees and tree debris recycling.
- The company’s services include tree removal, trimming, grapple hauling, land clearing, stump grinding, mulch processing/production/bagging, colorant production, cypress lumber production, transportation and distribution.
- Its acquisition of MMI provides the company a significantly larger footprint nationally and abroad.
- MMI maintains its historical contracts with big box retailers nationally for bagged mulch sales.
- The company benefits from a competitive advantage over other mulch manufacturers, because the acquisition of mulch feedstock drives revenue instead of simply being a cost of goods sold.
- SGTM is an environmentally responsible corporation focused on being “stewards of the environment” in all aspects of its business; the source of its sustainable feedstock coming from its tree services division decreases the environmental burden on landfills.
- The company has ample room for expansion utilizing the 100-acre site in Florida approved as the flagship tree debris collection site and mulch feedstock production facility, as well as the 100,000-square-foot building and 28-acre site in Jacksonville.
- SGTM was a recipient of the Angie’s List Super Service Award in 2018.
- A strategic relationship with a national waste disposal company has provided the company millions of dollars in cost savings and years of time that would otherwise have been incurred if the company had needed to secure the required locations and permits that the partnership provided; this relationship represents a significant potential expansion opportunity for the company.
- SGTM’s indirect subsidiary through MMI, Nature’s Reflections, manufactures its own product line of colorant and mulch coloring machines.
Additional Resources
Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF) is a torchbearer blazing a new frontier in American cannabis by adhering to the highest ethical, manufacturing, educational, branding and employment standards available in the industry.
Red White & Bloom is a super state operator, leveraging a sizable footprint to dominate the areas in which it operates. CEO Brad Rogers and other management members have seen the struggles of multi-state operators who have spread themselves too thin, which is why Red White & Bloom is intent on dominating each state it enters before expanding further.
Although targeting individual states in the United States, the company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Red White & Bloom was established after privately held MichiCann Medical Inc. merged with publicly traded Tidal Royalty in 2019.
Brands
Red White & Bloom has entered strategic brand acquisitions and partnerships aimed at helping the company expand its presence and position as one of the largest players in the United States cannabis market. Red White & Bloom is always diligently searching for brands to acquire that will provide additional value to the company and expand its national footprint.
The company’s current brand portfolio includes:
- Platinum Premium Cannabis Products (PV): Platinum uses innovative thinking, honesty and responsibility to remain at the forefront of the cannabis industry. PV holds itself and its partners to the highest standards, providing clean and safe CBD and THC products. In the company’s press release dated January 13, 2021, it reported system-wide sales of Platinum-branded products exceeding $2.8 million for the first week of January alone.
- High Times®: In June 2020, the company acquired the licensing rights and branding of High Times dispensaries and High Times cannabis-based CBD and THC products in Michigan, Illinois and Florida. The company also acquired branding of High Times hemp derived CBD products nationally in the United States carrying the Culture® brand.
- Mid-American Growers: Mid-American began as a family operation in 1971 in Granville, Illinois. The original 8-acre greenhouse has expanded to a 3.6-million-square-foot, state-of-the-art technology and science facility under glass. Mid-American’s product offerings include its CBD Icy Relief Salve, CBD Icy Relief Roll-on and CBD Gummies.
Retail Focus
Red White & Bloom is working to establish a significant retail presence across multiple jurisdictions. In Michigan, the company is invested in and has the rights to acquire (subject to regulatory approvals) a licensed operator that controls the assets of 18 dispensary locations throughout the state. Red White & Bloom is also pursuing opportunities in Florida aimed at making its proposed retail footprint compelling and attractive to the majority of cannabis consumers within each state.
Cultivation
Red White & Bloom is focused on standardization and quality, with everything guided by a relentless commitment to the highest standards. The company acquired a 3.6-million-square-foot standardized facility dedicated to helping it achieve premium value for the products it intends to cultivate.
As it continues to expand, the company remains committed to the practices that have guided its success in the past, including:
- A top-down approach to cultivation developed under the guidance of PhDs with expertise in growing principles, SOPs and, most importantly, the science behind it all.
- Commitment to exceeding the requirement of the states in which it operates. The company cut its teeth under the world’s first national cannabis purity regime – a regime that most new markets use as a benchmark – so quality is in its DNA.
- Science-driven production methods supported by automated, perpetual, standardized operations that enable craft cannabis-like quality at an industrial scale.
Footprint
Assuming completion of the currently proposed investments and acquisitions, Red White & Bloom will be among the cannabis market’s largest companies, joining the ranks of a select few multi-state operators dominating the industry. Red White & Bloom currently has assets (closed and in closing stages) in Michigan, Illinois, Florida, California, Oklahoma and Massachusetts.
The company’s strategic acquisition and super state operator model, combined with its commitment to top-quality product and service, position it to become a leading player in the North American cannabis market.
When evaluated beside competitors in the cannabis space, Red White & Bloom boasts an extremely attractive valuation. While large cap cannabis firms serving North American markets averaged enterprise-value-to-EBITDA multiples of 14.9x as of December 2020, Red White & Bloom’s enterprise multiple was just 3.4x, as noted in the company’s latest investor deck.
In 2020, the cannabis market worldwide was valued at $24.6 billion. This amount is expected to expand at a CAGR of 14.3% from 2021 to 2028, resulting in a market size of $84 billion in 2028 (https://nnw.fm/f09ZL). Of the 2020 valuation, the largest revenue share (91.1%) was attributed to North American consumers (https://nnw.fm/vObW6).
Management Team
Brad Rogers is the CEO and Executive Chair of Red White & Bloom. He is a visionary for the future of cannabis and CBD products in the United States market, with a proven track record of building successful and profitable businesses in the rapidly expanding and new economic sector. Mr. Rogers was a part of the team that built one of the first commercially scaled production facilities in the world for medicinal cannabis. He also served as President for one of the leading licensed producers in Canada. Both of his ventures were successful, with a combined market cap of $2 billion.
Michael Marchese is the company’s Co-Founder and Marketing Advisor. He has played a crucial role in its development and organization, overseeing capital raises, acquisition strategy and brand identity. Mr. Marchese has a strong reputation and presence in the cannabis industry. He also co-founded and directed the branding of Aleafia Health Inc., which he continues to counsel. Through his branded company, Marchese Design, he has served as a highly trusted counselor to top-level execs, including C-Suite level employees, offering insights into the process of creating, building and maintaining brand identities.
Theo van der Linde is the CFO and Director of Red White & Bloom. He is a Chartered Accountant with 20 years of experience in finance, administration and public accounting. The experience he has acquired spans multiple industries, including mining, oil & gas, financial services, retail and manufacturing. For the last nine years, he has primarily focused his career on the mining industry, working with junior exploration and producing mining companies at various stages of growth in several jurisdictions. Mr. van der Linde is also the current President of Executive Management Solutions Ltd.
Investment Considerations
- Red White & Bloom considers itself a super state operator (not a multi-state operator), as it goes in with a sizable footprint and dominates the areas in which it operates before expanding.
- The company currently operates, has cannabis assets in, or is in the process of closing cannabis assets in Michigan, Illinois, Florida, California, Oklahoma and Massachusetts.
- Red White & Bloom is always looking to acquire new brands that will help to expand its brand awareness and advance its mission.
- The company has established a major presence in Michigan through its investee, which has a total of 18 dispensaries and three cultivation operations.
- Red White & Bloom intends to finish 2021 with 50+ locations across the country.
- The company’s brand portfolio includes Platinum Vape, Platinum Wellness, High Times and Mid-American.
- The global cannabis market was valued at $24.6 billion in 2020, with 91.1% of this revenue attributed to North America; the market is expected to reach $84 billion by 2028.
Additional Resources
QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on bringing to market targeted therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. The company is committed to advancing the fight against cancer through the discovery, development and delivery of effective treatment options for adult and pediatric patients.
QSAM Biosciences was founded in 2020 by Executive Chairman Dr. C. Richard Piazza and CEO Douglas Baum. It is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
CycloSam®
CycloSam®, QSAM Biosciences’ initial technology, is a clinical-stage bone targeting radiopharmaceutical invented by world-renowned scientists at IsoTherapeutics Group LLC. By leveraging a patented, low specific activity form of Samarium-153 (resulting in far less undesirable europium impurity) and what management believes to be a superior chelating agent in DOTMP, CycloSam is designed to selectively target sites of high bone mineral turnover to deliver a prescribed tumor-killing dose of radiation to the bone tumor sites while minimizing radiation exposure to nearby healthy tissue. These parameters are currently being tested in an FDA-cleared clinical trial.
CycloSam® has been shown in laboratory testing to cause significantly less (30x less) buildup of long-lived radionuclidic impurities than prior FDA-approved drugs, which management believes will enable the ability to safely administer therapeutic doses via higher and multiple-dose regimens and effectively expand its potential clinical utility to therapeutic uses in areas of high unmet medical needs.
The indications for CycloSam® currently being evaluated by QSAM Biosciences include:
- Metastatic Bone Cancers – On April 28, 2022, QSAM Biosciences announced that the first patient had commenced treatment in its clinical trial evaluating CycloSam in patients with metastatic bone cancer. As noted in the release, the study is a Phase 1 open-label, dose-escalation trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, dosimetry, and preliminary efficacy of CycloSam®.
- Pediatric Osteosarcoma/Ewing’s Sarcoma – On February 2, 2022, the company announced that the U.S. FDA has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to CycloSam for the treatment of osteosarcoma. Combined with a previously granted orphan drug designation for osteosarcoma received in 2021, this milestone “may allow QSAM to potentially bring CycloSam® to market more rapidly through additional incentives and eligibilities,” according to CEO Douglas Baum.
- Bone Marrow Ablation – In a 2020 single patient Investigational New Drug (IND) study, an investigator concluded that high-dose CycloSam® can be administered safely to ablate bone marrow in advance of a stem cell transplant with no apparent renal toxicity and no unexpected adverse events attributable to the drug.
QSAM Biosciences’ preclinical and clinical development pipeline is supported by a strong IP portfolio. The company has secured 14 patents across three distinct patent families spanning the U.S., Japan, Canada and the European Union.
Market Outlook
Through its ongoing development of CycloSam®, QSAM Biosciences is targeting multiple large and underserved market opportunities. According to the American Cancer Society, roughly 400,000 new cases of malignant bone metastasis are diagnosed annually in the U.S. alone. Additionally, QSAM will pursue indications for osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma that are the most common primary malignancies of bone tissues in children.
Despite this pressing need, the current standard of care for bone cancer is aggressive and suboptimal, leading to marginal success with significant side effects and poor long-term survival prognosis. As a result, QSAM Biosciences estimates a sizable market opportunity for its development pipeline.
- Bone Metastasis has an estimated total addressable market of $20 billion in the U.S. based on total new cases and comparable drug pricing.
- Osteosarcoma/Ewing’s Sarcoma have a total addressable market of roughly $125 million in the U.S. based on approximately 1,000 new cases in 2021.
- The total addressable market for Bone Marrow Ablation is projected at $1 billion, with an estimated 32,000 procedures completed annually.
The company anticipates that the ability to administer CycloSam® for higher and multiple-dose regimens may expand its clinical utility for therapeutic uses in additional areas of high unmet medical needs.
Management Team
QSAM Biosciences is led by an experienced management team and board with an extensive record of FDA approvals, big pharma partnerships and M&A transactions.
Dr. C. Richard Piazza is the Executive Chairman of QSAM Biosciences. Since 2017, he has also served as President and CEO of IGL Pharma Inc., the licensor of CycloSam®, and as a consultant to IsoTherapeutics Group LLC, the inventors of the technology. Dr. Piazza also currently serves on the board of directors of NovaScan LLC, a privately held cancer detection and diagnostics company. He has more than 48 years of health care experience in both medical devices and pharmaceutical/biotech and has led several technology companies to market success, including numerous FDA approvals in both sectors. Dr. Piazza obtained a BS in Economics and a BS in Speech Pathology from the State University of New York and an MA & PhD in Economics from the University of Buffalo and Leeds University.
Douglas R. Baum is the company’s CEO and Director. He brings to QSAM Biosciences over 30 years of experience in the bioscience and biotech industries, including development, FDA/EMA approval and commercialization of multiple drugs and medical devices. Mr. Baum has overseen 15 product approvals through the FDA and EMA and raised over $85 million in capital to fund breakthrough technologies. From 2017 to 2020, he consulted with multiple medical schools and biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and, from 2012 to 2017, he served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Xeris Pharmaceuticals Inc. Mr. Baum holds a Master of Science in Technology Commercialization and a BBA in International Business and Marketing from the University of Texas.
Adam King is the CFO of QSAM Biosciences. He is also the Founder and CEO of King Consulting Group, where he provides a range of financial and reporting services for clients. Before founding King Consulting Group in January 2021, Mr. King was the CFO for Netsertive, a venture-backed digital marketing company. From 2016 to 2018, he was the Office Managing Audit Director for BDO’s Greenville, South Carolina, office, in addition to serving as Audit Director in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Boston, Massachusetts. While at BDO, Mr. King worked with various clients, from tech and life science start-ups to billion-dollar publicly traded companies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Elon University and is a CPA in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Investment Considerations
- QSAM Biosciences Inc. is committed to advancing the fight against cancer through the discovery, development and delivery of effective treatment options for adult and pediatric patients.
- CycloSam®, QSAM Biosciences’ initial technology, is a clinical-stage bone targeting radiopharmaceutical being evaluated for multiple indications.
- CycloSam has been shown to cause significantly less buildup of long-lived radionuclidic impurities than prior FDA-approved drugs.
- There is significant precedent that the radioisotope used in CycloSam, Samarium-153, is effective in treating bone cancer, as demonstrated in a published study conducted in over 500 patients using an older formulation of the drug.
- There is also significant preliminary safety precedent for Samarium-153, as shown through the 2020 single patient IND and the super-therapeutic dose administered in that study.
- QSAM Biosciences’ preclinical and clinical development pipeline is supported by a strong IP portfolio.
- The company is led be an experienced management team with an extensive record of FDA approvals, big pharma partnerships and M&A transactions.
Additional Resources
Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBIO) develops, markets and sells proprietary laboratory instrumentation and associated consumables to the life sciences sample preparation market. Sample preparation refers to the wide range of activities that precede most forms of scientific analysis. It is often complex and time-consuming, yet a critical part of scientific research. The market for sample preparation products is currently estimated at $6 billion worldwide.
The Company’s product line can be used to exquisitely control the sample preparation process. It is based on a patented, enabling technology platform called pressure cycling technology (“PCT”). PCT uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient (14.5 psi) and ultra-high levels (up to 100,000 psi) to safely and reproducibly control critical biological processes, such as the lysis (breakage) of cells, the digestion of proteins, and the inactivation of pathogens.
Pressure BioSciences’ product line is led by its newly released, next-generation Barocycler 2320EXTREME instrument. Named a finalist in the prestigious 2017 R&D Awards (also known as the “Oscars of Innovation”), the Barocycler 2320EXT is already being touted by some key opinion leaders as an essential element of the $1.8 billion U.S. “Cancer Moonshot” program. For example, Professor Phil Robinson, Co-head of the cancer research center of the Children’s Medical Research Institute (Sydney, Australia), said in a recent interview: “We are collecting the whole proteome on 70,000 tumor samples from all classes where complete clinical outcome is known. Due to its unique capabilities, the Barocycler 2320EXT has become a critical part of our program. It is the primary enabler of the high-throughput component of the project. Without this step, our project simply could not be done. In fact, the Barocycler 2320EXT works so well we have just purchased two more.”
Momentum is building when it comes to the potential for using the Company’s unique PCT technology platform. Leading scientists are intrigued by Pressure BioSciences’ approach, which among other attributes, revolutionizes the process of rupturing cells (lysis) for further study, yielding superior biomolecules for investigation. The Company’s technology transcends current methods of breaking open cells, which use chemicals, blades, metal beads, or other damaging and altering methods that can ultimately adversely affect the result for researchers. Pressure BioSciences’ PCT technology utilizes customized, controlled hydrostatic (water) pressure to rupture cells in a chamber, enabling exquisitely customized levels of pressure to optimally break open different types of cells at prescribed pressure levels—something never before accomplished in a commercial setting. Using this pioneering method, the result is a truer, more legitimate sample, which boosts the efficacy of research and the quality of results. The potential impact of this technology on scientific advancement is enormous, enabling research scientists to begin their studies with biological samples of unprecedented integrity, with the potential to improve research outcomes at the earliest, most critical step. PCT can additionally inactivate pathogens (e.g., viruses, bacteria) using hydrostatic pressure, making the samples safer to study—another innovation with astronomical potential for application in a variety of markets.
The Company’s high-pressure instruments for research purposes are marketed throughout the United States, Europe, China and Japan. To date, Pressure BioSciences has installed nearly 300 PCT Systems in over 165 leading academic, government, biotech and pharma laboratories around the world. Its primary applications are in biomarker discovery, forensics, agriculture and pathology. Over 100 scientific papers have been published on the advantages of the PCT platform, which is also being used in the specialized fields of drug discovery and design, bio-therapeutics characterization, soil and plant biology, vaccine development and histology.
Impressive as their biotech business is, there is more to the PBI story. Pressure BioSciences recently received two patents in China for its novel Ultra Shear Technology (UST), a process that has potential in a wide range of industrial applications, including extending the shelf life of some food products and making two insoluble liquids (like oil in water) soluble. Patents have also been filed in many other countries worldwide. UST is a novel technique based on the use of intense shear forces generated from ultra-high-pressure valve discharge.
This important technology has the potential to play a significant role in a number of commercially important areas through its ability to create high-quality, stable nanoemulsions. Scientific studies indicate that improved absorption, higher bioavailability, greater stability, lower surfactant levels and other advantages can be achieved with nanoemulsions – all hugely important factors in the fields of nutraceuticals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and in various medical products. There is an enormous opportunity in the cannabis market, since the technology can potentially reduce oil droplets containing cannabidiol (CBD) to nanoparticles, after which they can be safely suspended in a stable water solution—something many companies have endeavored to achieve without success. Researchers looking for a way to increase the bioavailability of cannabinoids in the body will find this technology a game changer.
The Company’s UST technology also has possibilities in the production of clean label foods, which are currently processed using several innovative methods, including high-pressure treatments (such as Starbucks’ Evolution line of juices). In 2015, the worldwide market for high-pressure processed (HPP) food was estimated at U.S. $10 billion. UST uses ultra-high pressures and certain valves to generate intense shear forces under controlled temperature conditions to produce nanoemulsions, and which also significantly reduces food-borne pathogens. Pressure BioSciences’ initial focus with this technology will be to evaluate UST for the production of high-quality dairy products and beverages.
Investment Considerations
- Poised to disrupt sciences sample preparation market estimated at $6 billion
- Nearly 300 patented enabling technology platform products installed at more than 150 sites worldwide
- Two patents awarded in China for Ultra Shear Technology used in wide range of industrial applications, including “clean foods.”
- Finalist in prestigious 2017 R&D 100 Awards recognizing top revolutionary technologies.
- Technology being used as part of the U.S. “Cancer Moonshot” initiative.
Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI) is focused on the use of data and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop personalized cancer therapies, which can lead to more effective treatments and improved patient outcomes. The company has several tools that support its mission of bringing precision medicine to the diagnosis of cancer.
Through its subsidiaries, Predictive Oncology’s portfolio of assets includes the following:
- A database of clinically validated historical and outcome data from patient tumors
- An in-house Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified lab
- A “smart” patient-derived tumor profiling platform
- An in-house bioinformatics artificial intelligence (AI) platform
- A new computerized approach growing tumors in the lab to rapidly develop patient specific treatment options
- An FDA-approved fluid collection and disposal system
Using these resources, and in collaboration with key players in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotech industries Predictive Oncology is working to determine the best pathways for more individualized and effective cancer treatment.
Subsidiaries
Predictive Oncology leverages the synergies of its three wholly owned subsidiaries to bring precision medicine to the diagnosis of cancer.
Helomics applies artificial intelligence to its rich data gathered from the company’s trove of more than 150,000 tumors to personalize cancer therapies for patients as well as drive the development of new targeted therapies in collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. This database, the largest of its kind in the world, is comprised of ovarian, head and neck, colon and pancreas tumors. Helomic’s CLIA-certified lab provides clinical testing that assists oncologists in individualizing patient treatment decisions, by providing an evidence-based roadmap for therapy.
In addition to its proprietary precision oncology platform, Helomics offers boutique CRO services that leverage its TruTumor™ patient-derived tumor models coupled to a wide range of multi-omics assays (genomics, proteomics and biochemical), and an AI-powered proprietary platform (D-CHIP) to provide a tailored solution to its clients’ specific needs.
TumorGenesis is developing a new, rapid approach to growing tumors in the laboratory without the use of rats or mice, allowing for the identification of biomarkers indicative of cancer. This methodology “fools” the tumor into thinking it is still in the body. As a result, the tumor reacts as it naturally would, thereby increasing the accuracy of the biomarker. Once the biomarkers are identified, they can be used in TumorGenesis’ Oncology Capture Technology Platforms which isolate and helps categorize an individual patient’s heterogeneous tumor samples to enable development of patient-specific treatment options.
Skyline Medical’s patented, FDA-cleared STREAMWAY® System is the first true, direct-to-drain fluid disposal system designed specifically for medical applications such as radiology, endoscopy, urology and cystoscopy procedures. The STREAMWAY system is changing the way healthcare facilities collect and dispose of potentially infectious waste fluid by connecting directly to a facility’s plumbing system to automate the collection, measurement and disposal of waste fluids.
The STREAMWAY minimizes human intervention for better safety and improves compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulatory agency safety guidelines. The STREAMWAY eliminates canisters, carts and evacuated bottles, which reduces overhead costs and minimizes environmental impact by helping to eliminate the approximately 50 million potentially disease-infected canisters that go into landfills annually in the United Sates.
Skyline has achieved sales in five of the seven continents through both direct sales and distributor partners.
Competitive Advantage
Precision medicine has become the holy grail of cancer therapeutics. Data driven predictive models of tumors and their responses are critical in both new drug development and individualized patient treatment. The race has begun to model various tumors, which takes 5 to 7 years of clinical evaluation to establish historical and outcome data.
Predictive Oncology enjoys significant competitive advantage. The company already has a vast historical collection of tumors and related data, plus the ability to obtain existing associated outcome data. While others wait for outcome data, Predictive Oncology is in a unique and powerful position, working to deliver the promise of precision medicine to reality. Predictive Oncology already has the clinical data, including how a tumor responded to certain drugs, an in-house bioinformatics AI platform, and only needs to do the tumor sequencing. The significance is underscored by the collaboration with UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, designed to reveal which mutations responded to which drug then develop powerful predictive models for future testing and treatment.
Leadership Team
J. Melville (“Mel”) Engle, Chairman and CEO of Predictive Oncology, has over 20 years’ experience in leadership roles in both the biotechnology and healthcare industries. Mr. Engle was previously the CEO of Engle Strategic Solutions, a practice specializing in consulting and coaching for CEOs and business owners. Prior to starting his consulting practice in 2012, Mr. Engle served as CEO of Thermogenesis, a Nasdaq-listed company. In 2002, Mr. Engle was recruited by Merck KGaA to serve as President and CEO of Dey L.P, a division of Merck, where he played an instrumental role in increasing sales from $250 million to over $600 million during his tenure. From 1980 to 1994, Mr. Engle served as a senior executive with Allergan Inc., which marketed branded eye care pharmaceuticals, surgical and diagnostic equipment, dermatological products and Botox.
CFO Bob Myers has over 30 years of experience in multiple industries focusing on medical device service and manufacturing. He has spent much of his career as a CFO and controller. Myers holds an MBA in Finance from Adelphi University and a BBA in public accounting from Hofstra University.
Dr. Mark Collins, Chief Information Officer of Helomics, has held multiple executive roles in a variety of discovery, informatics and bioinformatics functions within global pharma, and founded three startup software companies in the machine learning and drug discovery space. In 2001, Dr. Collins worked for Cellomics (now part of Thermo Fisher Scientific), where he played a pivotal role in establishing the High-Content Cell Analysis market, building and commercializing several key informatics and bioinformatics products. After leaving Thermo Fisher, Dr. Collins developed and commercialized informatics solutions for clinical and translational research, specifically in the specimen tracking, omics data management and NGS analysis space, through key roles at BioFortis, Global Specimens Solutions and Genedata. Dr. Collins received his undergraduate degree in Applied Science from the University of Wolverhampton, UK and his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Surrey, UK.
Investment Considerations
- Helomics is collaborating with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to study the use of artificial intelligence to improve clinical decision making for ovarian cancer patients. More than 22,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the U.S. each year.
- Entered an agreement with Interpace Diagnostics Group Inc. (IDXG) and Helomics to develop products to diagnose and assess the risk for thyroid cancer as well as provide appropriate therapeutic recommendations. The treatment market for thyroid cancer is expected to reach $2.1 billion by 2025.
- Skyline Medical has received its first order for four STREAMWAY machines to be sold to local hospitals in India. The Indian healthcare industry is estimated at more than $100 billion, with the nation’s medical device industry valued at more than $6 billion.
- Helomics signed a collaborative research agreement with Pittsburgh-based molecular imaging company, ChemImage, to expand personalized medicine to prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- TumorGenesis and partner 48Hour Discovery received the Alberta Innovates grant for development of novel cancer treatments.
Additional Resources
Skyline Medical
Helomics
PlantX Life Inc. (CSE: VEGA) (Frankfurt: WNT1) (OTCQB: PLTXF) aims to redefine the plant-based community through e-commerce, with a core objective of becoming the most trusted and convenient destination for people living plant-based lives. PlantX is a multifaceted marketplace providing consumers all things plant-based ranging from an efficient e-commerce experience, connecting consumers with interactive PlantX brick-and-mortar stores, and a PlantX home delivery system for products, meals, recipes and more.
PlantX is a high-growth technology company focusing on consumer-packaged goods (“CPG”) for the plant-based opportunity. The PlantX platform aims to serve as the digital face of this community with its one-stop-shop for everything plant-based, including:
- An easy-to-use e-commerce shopping experience featuring the following:
- Plant-based grocery items (from all your pantry needs to vitamins, cosmetics and even pet food)
- Meal delivery with recipes created by well-known plant-based chefs throughout the world
- Plant shop – delivering a wide variety of affordable indoor houseplants to homes across Canada and the U.S.
- Easy to follow plant-based recipes every week
- Partnerships with restaurants, nutritionists, chefs and brands
- A community of like-minded individuals
- State-of-the-art flagship PlantX locations
Since first launching in February 2020, PlantX Life has offered various services available through its comprehensive platform. This online marketplace features over 10,000 items across diverse product categories such as pantry items, beverages, personal care, pet food and indoor plants. In addition, PlantX has collaborated with renowned chefs and nutritionists to create 20 unique and pre-made meals delivered to the comfort of your own home.
Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, PlantX’s mission is to spearhead the plant-based movement, celebrate and promote health and wellbeing, raise plant-based awareness in a hyper-palatable world, connect with global consumers and forge a welcoming plant-based community.
The company currently reports 4 million stock options and 24 million warrants outstanding, with a total of 88,832,159 shares issued and outstanding and a total market cap of $89.9 million on January 18, 2021. PlantX has continued to catalyze its capital markets dynamics by applying to list its common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“NASDAQ”). The company’s common shares are eligible for electronic clearing and settlement through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) in the United States.
Market Outlook
With its comprehensive e-commerce platform, PlantX is strongly positioned for a prominent role in the fast-growing plant-based food market, e-commerce and the online food delivery sectors. The global plant-based food market is expected to reach $74.2 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 11.9% . Similarly, the online food delivery market has steadily grown, especially during the current pandemic. This trend seems here to stay. In the United States alone, the sector is expected to report $28.5 billion by 2024, with companies such as UberEats experiencing 152% increases in food deliveries in the summer of 2020.
Complementary to these trends, and as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, online sales and digitization have also both grown exponentially in 2020. Grocery shopping has seen a remarkable transition to e-commerce, withonline grocery sales growing by 53% in 2020. Amid the pandemic-imposed physical interactions and related consumer behavior change, large retailers have been compelled to meet this surge in e-commerce demand. For example, Whole Foods Markets has increased its online sales capacity by over 60% in 2020. The global meal kit delivery system is also becoming increasingly popular and is expected to achieve a market value of $19.92 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 12.8%.
PlantX aims to capitalize on this anticipated exponential market growth of the plant-based, e-commerce and home-delivery industries.
Digital Platform for the Plant-Based Community
The digital interface provided by PlantX spans a health and wellness initiative that offers thousands of plant-based products, meal delivery, indoor plants, recipes and a community space for those who are like-minded about plant-based products and healthy lifestyles. PlantX has been compared to Amazon, except with a focused tailored selection of plant-based offerings.
PlantX provides everything a consumer needs for plant-based living at the click of a button. With PlantX, customers can:
- Shop
- Find recipes
- Read blogs
- Join a community forum
- Listen to podcasts
- View cosmetics
- Research vitamins
- Purchase plant-based pet foods
- Read corporate updates
- Subscribe to an insightful newsletter
The company’s website was designed with a user-friendly interface that allows customers to visit the site and easily find what they need. Forums for communicating with a plant-based community make it easier to swap recipes or locate the best restaurants serving vegan and vegetarian-friendly cuisine.
PlantX Flagship Locations – British Columbia (Canada), San Diego (California), & the State of Israel
PlantX will link the e-commerce platform to flagship brick-and-mortar stores for a highly sensory customer experience. This is anticipated to drive corporate growth and global brand recognition.
These PlantX branded flagship locations will first launch in:
Customer engagement, education and creating a global plant-based community will be furthered through this initiative.
PlantX Restaurant Partnerships
With consumers becoming better informed and more health and environmentally conscious, a growing number of restaurants will start catering to the needs of customers who are vegan, vegetarian, have food-allergies (or specialized diets), or simply want to eat healthier.
PlantX proactively aims to support this change and help restaurants meet the needs of the plant-based community. Restaurants that want to increase revenue, drive traffic and make an impact can therefore partner with PlantX to better serve their customers by expanding and refining their menus.
Future Goals for PlantX Life
Having successfully completed all of the milestones that PlantX had set-out to achieve in the second half of 2020, PlantX strives to continue scaling through organic growth, strategic partnerships and accretive M&A opportunities. The upcoming plans from PlantX includes a global expansion strategy for distribution in North America, Europe and Israel.
Verticals launched in 2020 include:
- New meals and programs by renowned chefs
- Flagship PlantX locations
- PlantX branded goods
- United States meal delivery and LIV
- Online peer-to-peer fitness
Management Team
Sean Dollinger, the Founder of PlantX Life Inc., has had a very active professional career that started when he was only 17. While still in college, he started a delivery service that soon became one of Canada’s largest delivery firms (before companies like Postmates and Uber Eats ever existed). In 2014, Mr. Dollinger founded Namaste Technologies, the largest international e-commerce distributor of vaporizers and accessories. He brought Namaste public and turned it into a $1.2 billion business in two years. After finding a plant-based diet himself, and seeing the massive benefits that it provided for him, he decided he wanted to find a way to give back to the community and focus on something he loves. PlantX Life was born from this desire and became his passion project. He truly walks the talk.
Julia Frank is the CEO of PlantX Life. She has an MBA in digital entrepreneurship, and, in her past roles, she set up renowned strategies for large corporations like BMW and Daimler in Germany. Beyond her professional business prowess, Ms. Frank finds tremendous joy in preparing delicious and nutritious plant-based meals and is the face of the company. She practices a healthy and active lifestyle that includes experiencing as many cultures as possible to add more knowledge of the industry at large. This globally inclusive perspective gives her the unique advantage of being able to see plant-based living from all angles.
Lorne Rapkin, CPA, CA, LPA, is the President and CFO of PlantX Life and is also a partner at Rapkin Wein LLP. He has experience with clients in almost every industry, including finance, professional services, real estate, automotive, media and manufacturing. Mr. Rapkin works very closely with investment and public firms, seeking to comply with IFRS accounting standards. His roles often require him to work with management on go-public transactions, acquisitions and mergers. His keen attention to detail is an asset to any client he works with, and PlantX is no exception.
Alex Hoffman is the company’s CMO and has spent the last 10 years in the creative field cultivating her passion for design and appreciation for beauty. This is apparent in all of the creative decisions and outcomes seen at PlantX. Her role within the company is to oversee all of the brand marketing activities, establish and execute key processes for rapid growth, and work closely with management to refine the brand’s message for key segments and emerging opportunities. She has a sharp vision for exactly what’s needed to convey the company’s core messages and principles to both the public and investors, and she is a visionary with respect to creative marketing ideas and concepts.
Investment Considerations
- First-Mover Advantage: PlantX maintains a first-mover advantage as the first (known) public company fully focused on the plant-based e-commerce space.
- Strong Execution: PlantX has strong business fundamentals. The company is well-capitalized with cash on the balance sheet, no debt, low CapEx requirements and diverse revenue streams.
- Discounted to Peers: For the month of December 2020, PlantX achieved a gross revenue of $1,029,883. PlantX is strongly positioned against public plant-based peers, who are trading at much higher revenue multiples.
- High-Growth Sectors: PlantX’s operates in three high-growth industries – the plant-based, e-commerce/technology and consumer-packaged goods sectors. PlantX plans to fill the void in the marketplace by bridging the gap between these investment opportunities.
- Organic Growth & Strategic M&A: The company plans to grow organically through new partnerships, global brick-and-mortar locations and additional product verticals, as well as through a pipeline of accretive M&A opportunities.
- Global Positioning: The move for PlantX is global, and the intent to list on Nasdaq evidences PlantX’s commitment to investor accessibility and corporate growth.
Nextech AR Solutions Corp. (CSE: NTAR) (OTCQB: NEXCF), based in Vancouver, Canada, is a leading provider of web-based augmented reality for e-commerce, advertising and virtual events, with technology ranging from simple 3D images to using 360-degree videos. Nextech AR provides businesses with a powerful end-to-end augmented reality platform designed specifically to increase online sales.
The company is currently pursuing four unique verticals with its innovative technology, including:
- Virtual Conference Platform: Nextech’s advanced Augmented Reality and Video Learning Experience Platform for Events leverages an SaaS model to give organizations the ability to create engaging virtual event management and learning experiences. Automated closed captions and translations for over 64 languages are available. The global virtual events market was valued at $90 billion in 2020 by Grandview Research, and it’s expected to reach more than $400 billion by 2027.
- ARitize™ for eCommerce: Launched in early 2019, the company’s SaaS platform for webAR in eCommerce serves as a ‘full funnel’ end-to-end e-commerce solution for the AR industry. The solution includes the Aritize360 app for 3D product capture, ‘Try it On’ technology for online apparel, 3D and 360-degree product views, ‘one click buy’ and much more.
- ARitize™ 3D/AR Advertising Platform: Launched in Q1 2020, this ad platform is being marketed as the industry’s first end-to-end solution leveraging 3D asset creation for 3D/AR ads. In 2019, according to IDC, global advertising spend totaled roughly $725 billion.
- ARitize™ Hollywood Studios: The studio is in development as a means of producing immersive content using 360-degree videos and augmented reality as primary display platforms.
Unique Marketing Strategy
Nextech AR’s efforts to disrupt the market for web-based augmented reality for e-commerce are supported by a unique go to market strategy. First, the company seeks to build or acquire platforms targeting a number of rapid growth industries, most notably AR, edTech, e-commerce, 3D/AR advertising and virtual & hybrid events.
After identifying these market opportunities, the company seeks to integrate new AR technologies into existing or novel platforms in an effort to secure market share and promote growth. These technologies include WebAR, Human Holograms, 360 Portals, ScreenAR, Genie in the bottle and AiRShow.
Nextech AR then aims to leverage these platforms to land and expand partnerships with a number of blue chip customers. The company’s current customer base includes the likes of Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, ViacomCBS, Toyota and Carnegie Mellon University.
Growth Capital
Nextech AR generates revenue through a software-as-a-service model from technology services, delivery of service revenue and sales of products through e-commerce.
As noted in its latest investor presentation, the company achieved record bookings in Q4 2020 of $7.3 million (estimated), marking a greater than 275% year-over-year increase. The company also realized greater than 235% revenue growth for calendar 2020, reporting $20 million for the 12-month period. Nextech AR attributes its 2020 increase in revenues to the contracts secured with new customers, expanded agreements with existing customers and additional conversions from e-commerce channels.
With its newly launched 3D ad network now bolstering its operations, Nextech AR is projecting revenues in excess of $50 million for 2021.
Recent Company Highlights
- February 16, 2021: The company announced it has hired Zak Mcleod, formerly of Fastly, as its new Senior Director of Sales – EMEA. The company also announced that Rory Ganness, formerly of Salesforce.com, has joined the Nextech team as Director of Enterprise Sales – North America.
- February 11, 2021: The company announced the launch of version 2.0 of its AiR Show app, an application that turns top music artists into interactive ‘live’ holograms, providing an immersive and engaging AR experience.
- February 8, 2021: The company announced the launch of new standardized chat features within its Virtual Experience Platform (VXP) and recently-launched ARoom collaborative streaming solution. Nextech will also offer the chat platform as a stand-alone SaaS service externally, increasing the company’s revenue potential for 2021.
- January 26, 2021: The company announced, in partnership with ARB Meetings and Events, it has signed a six-figure annual contract to supply its InfernoAR video conferencing and virtual events platform to NAMD.
- January 25, 2021: The company announced that Strategic Site Selection (SSS), a 15 year old site selection leader in the meeting and events industry, has selected Nextech AR as a preferred channel partner, making Nextech’s industry leading virtual experience platform and services available to SSS clients.
- January 20, 2021: The company announced that Microsoft’s Azure Cloud Services platform will be a standard offering across its virtual experience platforms and consumer apps, enabling hyper-scalable, secure and immersive events and applications for users.
- January 15, 2021: The company signed a renewal agreement with Poly with an initial value of $470,000 for a six-month term and the potential for additional revenue after the six months.
Management Team
Evan Gappelberg is CEO and Founder of Nextech AR. He is an experienced operating executive specializing in creating, funding and running hyper-growth startups in both the public and private sectors. Notably, he took Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) public with a market cap of $30 million and played a key role in guiding its growth to a current market cap of roughly $14 billion. Mr. Gappelberg has extensive experience as both a hands-on operating executive and a public markets professional.
Paul Duffy is the company’s President. He is a serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in successfully starting, expanding, diversifying and selling global technology companies. Mr. Duffy is the creator of the HumaGram and inventor of the patent for Holographic Telepresence over the Internet (TOIP).
Augen Winschel is the COO of Nextech AR. He is an 18-year SAP executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in the areas of business management, business operations, marketing, product management, digital business and enterprise artificial intelligence.
Kashif Malik, CPA, CA, is the company’s CFO. He has over 15 years of financial experience spanning IPOs, M&A activity, corporate restructuring and capital raising. Mr. Malik has worked globally with public and private companies, including Merck & Company Inc. (NYSE: MRK), Real Matters Inc. (TSX: REAL) and Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU). He obtained his Chartered Accountant designation while working at Deloitte.
Hareesh Acchi is the company’s President of 3D/AR Advertising. He is a 20-year Microsoft technology veteran with experience leading digital transformation and scaling businesses and enterprise organizations across the advertising industry.
Investment Considerations
- Nextech AR Solutions Corp. is a leading provider of web-based augmented reality for e-commerce, advertising and virtual events.
- The company provides businesses with a powerful end-to-end augmented reality platform designed specifically to increase online sales.
- Nextech AR’s current customer base includes the likes of Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, ViacomCBS, Toyota and Carnegie Mellon University.
- The company achieved record bookings in Q4 2020 of $7.3 million (estimated), marking a greater than 275% year-over-year increase.
- The Nextech AR management team has extensive experience stemming from time with a collection of Fortune 500 companies.