aweinsoff@channelchek.com, Author at Channelchek

Release – Labrador Gold Intersects 5.22g/t Au Over 2.8M Including 22.02g/t Over 0.4M

Posted on April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 by [email protected]

Extends Big Vein to 722 Metres Strike Length

April 20, 2023 08:00 ET

TORONTO, April 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Labrador Gold Corp. (TSX.V:LAB | OTCQX:NKOSF | FNR: 2N6) (“LabGold” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce results from recent drilling targeting the highly prospective Appleton Fault Zone. The drilling is part of the Company’s ongoing 100,000 metre diamond drilling program at its 100% owned Kingsway Project.

Highlights of the drilling include an intersection of 5.22g/t Au over 2.80 metres from 418.6 metres that included 22.02g/t Au over 0.4 metres in Hole K-22-214B which also included 8.62 g/t Au over 0.7 metres from 496 metres. This hole was a wedge off Hole K-22-214 that was previously abandoned in mineralization at 486 metres due to excessive fracturing after intersecting 1.19g/t Au over 41.8 metres from 397 metres that included 2.32g/t Au over 18.6 metres including 61.15g/t Au over 0.3 metres (see news release dated March 2, 2023). Thes two holes form part of a new mineralized zone, the Greenmantle Zone, that lies below the HTC Zone at a vertical depth of 415 metres.

Hole K-23-225, a 100m step out to the northeast intersected 1g/t Au over 10.1 metres from 46.9 metres, that included an interval of 2.28g/t over 2.26 metres containing visible gold.

The Big Vein SW zone was extended a further 60 metres to the southwest with intersections of 3.69g/t Au over 2.97 metres from 389.41 metres including 12.05g/t Au over 0.59 metres in Hole K-23-216 and 1.95g/t Au over 9 metres including 8.97g/t Au over 1.6 metres in Hole K-23-218.

“Our aggressive step outs to the northeast and southwest continue to intersect gold mineralization at Big Vein which has now been extended to 722 metres in strike length and remains open in both directions. In addition, the discovery of the Greenmantle zone demonstrates the potential for continued mineralization at depth,” said Roger Moss, President and CEO of Labrador Gold Corp. “Recent 3D modelling has given us a much better understanding of the structural complexity and controls on gold distribution at Big Vein. Mineralization is closely associated with splays off the Appleton Fault Zone which we now believe to run through Big Vein. This interpretation will guide our drilling as we seek to continue to expand Big Vein along strike and at depth.”

Hole ID	From (m)	To (m)	Width (m)	Au (g/t)	Zone
K-23-225	46.90	57.00	10.10	1.00	Big Vein
including	47.64	49.90	2.26	2.28	Big Vein
K-23-218	104.70	105.70	1.00	1.56	Big Vein SW
	385.00	394.00	9.00	1.95
including	386.10	387.70	1.60	8.97
including	386.10	387.00	0.90	12.18
K-23-216	267.00	268.00	1.00	3.24	Big Vein SW
	389.41	392.38	2.97	3.69
including	389.41	390.00	0.59	12.05
K-22-215	137.00	140.00	3.00	2.75	Big Vein
including	137.77	138.24	0.47	14.37	Big Vein
K-22-214B	400.40	411.00	10.60	1.06	Green Mantle
including	407.00	408.30	1.30	2.53
	418.60	421.40	2.80	5.22
including	419.75	420.15	0.40	22.02
	442.65	448.00	5.35	1.19
	473.00	475.40	2.40	1.20
	496.00	496.70	0.70	8.62

Table 1. Summary of assay results. All intersections are downhole length as there is insufficient Information to calculate true width.

Over 69,000 metres have been drilled to date out of the planned 100,000 metre program. Assays are pending for samples from approximately 3,500 metres of core.

The Company has approximately $15 million in cash and is well funded to carry out the remaining 31,000 metres of the planned drill program as well as further exploration to add to the current pipeline of drill targets on the property.

Figure 1. Plan map of Big Vein showing significant intersections.

Hole ID	Easting	Northing	Elevation (m)	Azimuth	Inclination	Depth (m)
K-23-225	661623	5435460	47.7	145	50	275
K-23-218	661249.3	5434860	42.8	140	45	572
K-23-216	661299	5434884	42	140	45	526.24
K-22-215	661297.1	5434880	46.6	130	45	565
K-22-214 B	661579	5435370	48.6	145	60	676

Table 2. Drill hole collar details

QA/QC

True widths of the reported intersections have yet to be calculated. Assays are uncut. Samples of HQ split core are securely stored prior to shipping to Eastern Analytical Laboratory in Springdale, Newfoundland for assay. Eastern Analytical is an ISO/IEC17025 accredited laboratory. Samples are routinely analyzed for gold by standard 30g fire assay with atomic absorption finish as well as by ICP-OES for an additional 34 elements. Samples containing visible gold are assayed by metallic screen/fire assay, as are any samples with fire assay results greater than 1g/t Au. The company submits blanks and certified reference standards at a rate of approximately 5% of the total samples in each batch.

Qualified Person

Roger Moss, PhD., P.Geo., President and CEO of LabGold, a Qualified Person in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in NI 43-101, has read and approved the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for the disclosure contained in this release.

The Company gratefully acknowledges the Newfoundland and Labrador Ministry of Natural Resources’ Junior Exploration Assistance (JEA) Program for its financial support for exploration of the Kingsway property.

About Labrador Gold
Labrador Gold is a Canadian based mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of prospective gold projects in Eastern Canada.

Labrador Gold’s flagship property is the 100% owned Kingsway project in the Gander area of Newfoundland. The three licenses comprising the Kingsway project cover approximately 12km of the Appleton Fault Zone which is associated with gold occurrences in the region, including those of New Found Gold immediately to the south of Kingsway. Infrastructure in the area is excellent located just 18km from the town of Gander with road access to the project, nearby electricity and abundant local water. LabGold is drilling a projected 100,000 metres targeting high-grade epizonal gold mineralization along the Appleton Fault Zone with encouraging results. The Company has approximately $15 million in working capital and is well funded to carry out the planned program.

The Hopedale property covers much of the Florence Lake greenstone belt that stretches over 60 km. The belt is typical of greenstone belts around the world but has been underexplored by comparison. Work to date by Labrador Gold show gold anomalies in rocks, soils and lake sediments over a 3 kilometre section of the northern portion of the Florence Lake greenstone belt in the vicinity of the known Thurber Dog gold showing where grab samples assayed up to 7.8g/t gold. In addition, anomalous gold in soil and lake sediment samples occur over approximately 40 km along the southern section of the greenstone belt (see news release dated January 25^th 2018 for more details). Labrador Gold now controls approximately 40km strike length of the Florence Lake Greenstone Belt.

The Company has 170,009,979 common shares issued and outstanding and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol LAB.

For more information please contact:

Roger Moss, President and CEO Tel: 416-704-8291

Or visit our website at: www.labradorgold.com

Twitter: @LabGoldCorp

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such as actual results of current exploration programs, the general risks associated with the mining industry, the price of gold and other metals, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6a933fde-2567-42e1-b694-134f973d74c2

Release – Ocugen To Present at Association For Research In Vision And Ophthalmology 2023 Annual Meeting

Posted on April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on OCGN

April 20, 2023

PDF Version

MALVERN, Pa., April 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ocugen, Inc. (Ocugen or the Company) (NASDAQ: OCGN), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel gene and cell therapies, biologics, and vaccines, today announced that the Company will present on its innovative modifier gene therapy platform, including OCU400 for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis, OCU410 for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD), and OCU410ST for the treatment of Stargardt disease; along with OCU200, a novel biologic candidate to treat diabetic macular edema (DME), at The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2023 Annual Meeting in New Orleans from April 23-27, 2023.

“We are thrilled to share more detail on our unique modifier gene therapy platform, as well as our novel biologics ophthalmic product pipeline with the professional community at ARVO,” commented Arun Upadhyay, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Research, Development and Medical at Ocugen. “It is especially exciting to be at ARVO just following positive preliminary safety and efficacy results from the Phase 1/2 trial of OCU400 for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa. We look forward to highlighting this most recent news along with the work we are doing across our ophthalmology portfolio to combat hard-to-treat blindness diseases affecting millions of patients globally,” Dr. Upadhyay concluded.

Poster Presentation:

Title: Modifier Gene Approach Using OCU410 for Dry AMD Therapy: One Gene—Multiple Targets
Authors: Dinesh Singh, Mohamed Nsaibia, Sree Kattala, Subechhya Neupane, Matthew Ritts, Arun Upadhyay
Presenter: Dinesh Singh, Associate Director, Discovery, Ocugen
Presentation Type/Number: Poster Session, 755-C0356
Location: Exhibit Hall
Date: Sunday, April 23, 2023
Time: Noon – 1:45 p.m. CDT

Exhibitor Presentations (Exhibitor Education Lounge):

Title: Ocugen—OCU400—Modifier Gene Therapy for Treatment of Inherited Retinal Diseases: Retinitis Pigmentosa & Leber Congenital Amaurosis
Presenter: Arun Upadhyay, PhD, CSO and Head of Research, Development and Medical, Ocugen
Date: Monday, April 24, 2023
Time: 2 p.m. CDT

Title: Ocugen—OCU410 & OCU410ST—Nuclear Receptor Gene RORA as a Potential Therapeutic for Dry AMD and Stargardt disease
Presenter: Dinesh Singh, Associate Director, Discovery, Ocugen
Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Time: 2 p.m. CDT

Title: Ocugen—OCU200—A Novel Biologic for the Treatment of DME, DR, and Wet AMD
Presenter: Pushpendra Singh, Director, Cell and Gene Therapy, Ocugen
Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Time: 2 p.m. CDT

About OCU400
OCU400 is the Company’s gene-agnostic modifier gene therapy product based on NHR gene, NR2E3. NR2E3 regulates diverse physiological functions within the retina—such as photoreceptor development and maintenance, metabolism, phototransduction, inflammation and cell survival networks. Through its drive functionality, OCU400 resets altered/affected cellular gene-networks and establishes homeostasis—a state of balance, which has potential to improve retinal health and function in patients with inherited retinal diseases. These diseases, combined, account for approximately 125,000 cases in the U.S.

About OCU410 and OCU410ST
OCU410 is a modifier gene therapy product candidate being developed for the treatment of dry AMD. OCU410 utilizes an AAV delivery platform for the retinal delivery of the RORA (RAR Related Orphan Receptor A) gene. Various genes associated with AMD are regulated by RORA. The RORA protein plays an important role in lipid metabolism and demonstrates an anti-inflammatory role, which we believe could be a potential therapeutic candidate for dry AMD based on in-vitro and in-vivo (animal model) studies. Using the same technology as OCU410, Ocugen plans to submit an IND for Stargardt disease, an orphan eye disease, in Q2 2023.

About OCU200
OCU200 is a novel fusion protein consisting of human transferrin linked to human tumstatin. It exerts anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative effects by selective targeting to the retinal and choroidal tissues. OCU200 potentially showcases better bioavailability and tissue penetrance than tumstatin alone due to transferrin and provides distinct MOA binding through αVβ3 integrin pathways that can potentially reduce the number of injections for patients. OCU200 can potentially be used for the treatment of DME, diabetic retinopathy, and wet age-related macular degeneration. These diseases, combined, account for approximately 10 million cases in the U.S.

About Ocugen, Inc.
Ocugen, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel gene and cell therapies, biologics, and vaccines that improve health and offer hope for patients across the globe. We are making an impact on patient’s lives through courageous innovation—forging new scientific paths that harness our unique intellectual and human capital. Our breakthrough modifier gene therapy platform has the potential to treat multiple retinal diseases with a single product, and we are advancing research in infectious diseases to support public health and orthopedic diseases to address unmet medical needs. Discover more at www.ocugen.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks, and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from our current expectations. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the quarterly and annual reports that we file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

Contact:
Tiffany Hamilton
Head of Communications
[email protected]

Release – CoreCivic Announces 2023 First Quarter Earnings Release and Conference Call Dates

Posted on April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on CXW

April 20, 2023

PDF Version

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., April 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE: CXW) (the Company) announced today that it will release its 2023 first quarter financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. A live broadcast of CoreCivic’s conference call will begin at 10:00 a.m. central time (11:00 a.m. eastern time) on Thursday, May 4, 2023.

To participate via telephone and join the call live, please register in advance here https://register.vevent.com/register/BI6394fffe952b47d497a2735e53d08f32. Upon registration, telephone participants will receive a confirmation email detailing how to join the conference call, including the dial-in number and a unique passcode.

Participants may access the audio-only webcast of the conference call from the Company’s website at www.corecivic.com under the “Events & Presentations” section of the “Investors” page. A replay of the webcast will be available for seven days.

About CoreCivic

CoreCivic is a diversified, government-solutions company with the scale and experience needed to solve tough government challenges in flexible, cost-effective ways. We provide a broad range of solutions to government partners that serve the public good through high-quality corrections and detention management, a network of residential and non-residential alternatives to incarceration to help address America’s recidivism crisis, and government real estate solutions. We are the nation’s largest owner of partnership correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities, and believe we are the largest private owner of real estate used by government agencies in the United States. We have been a flexible and dependable partner for government for 40 years. Our employees are driven by a deep sense of service, high standards of professionalism and a responsibility to help government better the public good. Learn more at www.corecivic.com.

Contact:

Investors: Cameron Hopewell – Managing Director, Investor Relations – (615) 263-3024
Media: Steve Owen – Vice President, Communications – (615) 263-3107

Release – Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. Reschedules Start Time for First Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call on May 2, 2023

Posted on April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on ARLP

Company Release – 4/20/2023 7:00 AM ET

TULSA, Okla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP) will report its first quarter 2023 financial results before the market opens on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, as previously announced. In order to best accommodate analysts’ and investors’ ability to participate in the Company’s conference call, Alliance management will now host its first quarter conference call beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern that same day.

To participate in the conference call, dial (877) 407-0784 and request to be connected to the Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. earnings conference call. International callers should dial (201) 689-8560 and request to be connected to the same call. Investors may also listen to the call via the “investor relations” section of ARLP’s website at www.arlp.com.

An audio replay of the conference call will be available for approximately one week. To access the audio replay, dial U.S. Toll Free (844) 512-2921; International Toll (412) 317-6671 and request to be connected to replay using access code 13737890.

About Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.

ARLP is a diversified energy company that is currently the largest coal producer in the eastern United States, supplying reliable, affordable energy domestically and internationally to major utilities, metallurgical and industrial users. ARLP also generates operating and royalty income from mineral interests it owns in strategic coal and oil & gas producing regions in the United States. In addition, ARLP is evolving and positioning itself as a reliable energy partner for the future by pursuing opportunities that support the advancement of energy and related infrastructure.

News, unit prices and additional information about ARLP, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), are available at www.arlp.com. For more information, contact the investor relations department of ARLP at (918) 295-7673 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Cary P. Marshall
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(918) 295-7673
[email protected]

Source: Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.

The Covert Threat of Antibiotic Tolerance

Posted on April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 by [email protected]

Looming Behind Antibiotic Resistance is Another Bacterial Threat – Antibiotic Tolerance

Have you ever had a nasty infection that just won’t seem to go away? Or a runny nose that keeps coming back? You may have been dealing with a bacterium that is tolerant of, though not yet resistant to, antibiotics.

Antibiotic resistance is a huge problem, contributing to nearly 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. But antibiotic tolerance is a covert threat that researchers have only recently begun to explore.

Antibiotic tolerance happens when a bacterium manages to survive for a long time after being exposed to an antibiotic. While antibiotic-resistant bacteria flourish even in the presence of an antibiotic, tolerant bacteria often exist in a dormant state, neither growing nor dying but putting up with the antibiotic until they can “reawaken” once the stress is gone. Tolerance has been linked to the spread of antibiotic resistance.

This article was republished with permission from The Conversation, a news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It represents the research-based findings and thoughts of Megan Keller, Ph.D. Candidate in Microbiology, Cornell University.

I am a microbiologist who studies antibiotic tolerance, and I seek to uncover what triggers tolerant bacteria to enter a protective dormant slumber. By understanding why bacteria have the ability to become tolerant, researchers hope to develop ways to avoid the spread of this ability. The exact mechanism that sets tolerance apart from resistance has been unclear. But one possible answer may reside in a process that has been overlooked for decades: how bacteria create their energy.

Cholera and Antibiotic Tolerance

Many antibiotics are designed to break through the bacteria’s outer defenses like a cannonball through a stone fortress. Resistant bacteria are immune to the cannonball because they can either destroy it before it damages their outer wall or change their own walls to be able to withstand the impact.

Tolerant bacteria can remove their wall entirely and avoid damage altogether. No wall, no target for the cannonball to smash. If the threat goes away before too long, the bacterium can rebuild its wall to protect it from other environmental dangers and resume normal functions. However, it is still unknown how bacteria know the antibiotic threat is gone, and what exactly triggers their reawakening.

My colleagues and I at the Dörr Lab at Cornell University are trying to understand processes of activation and reawakening in the tolerant bacteria responsible for cholera, Vibrio cholerae. Vibrio is rapidly evolving resistance against various types of antibiotics, and doctors are concerned. As of 2010, Vibrio is already resistant to 36 different antibiotics, and this number is expected to continue rising.

To study how Vibrio develops resistance, we chose a strain that is tolerant to a class of antibiotics called beta-lactams. Beta-lactams are the cannonball sent to destroy the bacteria’s fortress, and Vibrio adapts by activating two genes that temporarily remove its cell wall. I witnessed this phenomenon using a microscope. After removing its cell wall, the bacteria activate even more genes that morph it into fragile globs that can survive the effects of the antibiotic. Once the antibiotic is removed or degraded, Vibrio returns to its normal rod shape and continues to grow.

In people, this process of tolerance is seen when a doctor prescribes an antibiotic, typically doxycycline, to a patient infected with cholera. The antibiotic temporarily seems to stop the infection. But then the symptoms start back up again because the antibiotics never fully cleared the bacteria in the first place.

The ability to revert back to normal and grow after the antibiotic is gone is the key to tolerant survival. Exposing Vibrio to an antibiotic for a long enough time would eventually kill it. But a standard course of antibiotics often isn’t long enough to get rid of all the bacteria even in their fragile state.

However, taking a medicine for a prolonged period can harm healthy bacteria and cells, causing further discomfort and illness. Additionally, misuse and extended exposure to antibiotics can increase the chances of other bacteria residing in the body becoming resistant.

Other Bacteria Developing Tolerance

Vibrio isn’t the only species to exhibit tolerance. In fact, researchers have recently identified many infectious bacteria that have developed tolerance. A bacteria family called Enterobacteriaceae, which include major food-borne disease pathogens Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli, are just a few of the many types of bacteria that are capable of antibiotic tolerance.

As every bacterium is unique, the way one develops tolerance seems to be as well. Some bacteria, like Vibrio, erase their cell walls. Others can alter their energy sources, increase their ability to move or simply pump out the antibiotic.

I recently found that a bacterium’s metabolism, or the way it breaks down “food” to make energy, may play a significant role in its ability to become tolerant. Different structures within a bacterium, including its outer wall, are made of specific building blocks like proteins. Stopping the bacterium’s ability to craft these pieces weakens its wall, making it more likely to take damage from the outside environment before it can take the wall down.

Tolerance and Resistance are Connected

Although there has been considerable research on how bacteria develop tolerance, a key piece of the puzzle that has been neglected is how tolerance leads to resistance.

In 2016, researchers discovered how to make bacteria tolerant in the laboratory. After repeated exposure to different antibiotics, E. coli cells were able to adapt and survive. DNA, the genetic material containing instructions for cell function, is a fragile molecule. When DNA is damaged rapidly by stress, such as antibiotic exposure, the cell’s repair mechanisms tend to mess up and cause mutations that can create resistance and tolerance. Because E. coli is similar to many different types of bacteria, these researchers’ findings revealed that, ironically, essentially any bacteria can develop tolerance if pushed to their limits by the antibiotics meant to kill them.

Another recent key discovery was that the longer bacteria remain tolerant, the more likely they are to develop mutations leading to resistance. Tolerance allows bacteria to develop a resistance mutation that reduces their chances of being killed during antibiotic treatment. This is especially relevant to bacterial communities often seen in biofilms that tend to coat high-touch surfaces in hospitals. Biofilms are slimy layers of bacteria that ooze a protective jelly that makes antibiotic treatment difficult and DNA sharing between microbes easy. They can induce bacteria to evolve resistance. These conditions are thought to mimic what could be happening during antibiotic-treated infections, in which many bacteria are living next to one another and sharing DNA.

Researchers are calling for more research into antibiotic tolerance with the hope that it will lead to more robust treatments in both infectious diseases and cancers. And there is reason to be hopeful. In one promising development, a mouse study found that decreasing tolerance also reduced resistance.

Meanwhile, there are steps everyone can take to aid in the battle against antibiotic tolerance and resistance. You can do this by taking an antibiotic exactly as prescribed by a doctor and finishing the entire bottle. Brief, inconsistent exposure to a medicine primes bacteria to become tolerant and eventually resistant. Smarter use of antibiotics by everyone can stop the evolution of tolerant bacteria.

What the Marijuana Bill Aims to Resolve

Posted on April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 by [email protected]

Will Marijuana Stocks Regain Energy if this Federal Bill Passes?

Federal legalization concerning medical and recreational marijuana would go a long way to light up the companies that now operate legally under state laws. A group of bipartisan lawmakers in Washington refiled a bill last week to regain momentum toward national cannabis legalization. The incremental reform would direct the attorney general to create a commission for the purpose of making recommendations on a regulatory system for cannabis modelled from alcohol laws and oversight.

On April 13, the PREPARE Act (Preparing Regulators Effectively for a Post-Prohibition Adult-Use Regulated Environment Act) was presented by Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). The bill sponsored by this senior House Democrat along with a Republican lawmaker is intended to lay the groundwork for federal marijuana legislation.

“With nearly every state adopting its own set of cannabis reforms, an end to federal cannabis prohibition is inevitable,” Joyce, co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said in a press release.

“Now is the time for the federal government to respect the will of our constituents and begin the conversation on fair and effective cannabis regulation,” he said. “The PREPARE Act will give lawmakers a bipartisan platform to legislate not only a fair and responsible end to prohibition but also a safer future for our communities.”

The prospects of comprehensive marijuana legalization advancing in the Republican-controlled House this session will not be without heated debate, but certain members have expressed confidence that modest reform could be achievable on a bipartisan basis. The PREPARE Act could represent an area of agreement.

“Americans across the political spectrum recognize that now is the time for cannabis reform, and the federal government should be ready to embrace and lead this change,” Jeffries said. “Since the failed war on drugs began over 50 years ago, the prohibition of marijuana has ruined lives, families and communities—particularly communities of color.”

“The PREPARE Act is one of the bipartisan solutions that will lay the groundwork to finally right these wrongs in a way that advances public safety and boosts our economy,” he said. “I am grateful to Congressman Joyce for reintroducing this important bill and his leadership to help the federal government be ready for the inevitable end to cannabis prohibition.”

While legalization was introduced last Congress, with Democrats in control of both chambers plus the White House, they did not advance on the Senate side, with leadership acknowledging the challenge of meeting a 60-vote threshold with a narrow majority.

Advocates of fewer restrictions on the federal level are also closely following developments on a package of incremental reforms that’s expected to contain marijuana banking and expungements legislation. Efforts to push that through last session similarly stalled out.

The PREPARE Act, meanwhile, is substantially identical to the version the same lawmakers filed last Congress, with just a few minor changes to the commission’s responsibilities and legislative appointments.

The Bill aims to provide for:

A “Commission on the Federal Regulation of Cannabis” it requires that within 30 days of the bill’s enactment that this is established by the attorney general. The commission would be responsible for understanding federal and state regulatory models for alcohol making recommendations about how they could advise marijuana regulations.

One key thing the commission’s report must address is the impact of marijuana criminalization, particularly as it concerns minority, low-income and veteran communities.

The panel would also examine the “lack of consistent regulations for cannabis product safety, use and labeling requirements,” including those related to youth safety, as well as the “lack of guidance for cannabis crop production, sale, intrastate, interstate, and international trade. “

It would also be required to make recommendations on how to undo cannabis-related banking and research barriers and also address measures to ensure the “successful coexistence of individual hemp and cannabis industries, including prevention of cross pollination of cannabis and hemp products.”

The panel would be mandated to study and make recommendations on “efficient cannabis revenue reporting and collecting, including efficient and tenable federal revenue frameworks.”

The panel would be required to issue a report to Congress within 12 months.

As part of the bill’s directive to assess risk and safety standards, the bill was revised for the current Congress to make it so the commission would also have to look at “requirements to protect youth and reduce harms to youth.”

In the previous version, it was the responsibility of the House minority leader to choose a candidate who was “medically licensed with extensive expertise and demonstrated research into cannabis use and medical therapies.” Under the revised bill, the majority leader would be in charge of that.

The panel would also include representatives of:

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Justice

Department of Agriculture

Department of Veterans Affairs

Department of Interior

Department of Education

Department of Labor

Department of Commerce

National Institutes of Health

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau

Food and Drug Administration

Internal Revenue Service

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Small Business Administration

U.S. Trade Representative

Some of the appointments would be made by the congressional leaders, and others would be selected by the attorney general. The bill also contains a stipulation that, “if after the commission is appointed there is a partisan imbalance of commission members, the congressional leaders of the political party with fewer members on the commission shall jointly name additional members to create partisan parity on the commission.”

The panel must also include a person formerly incarcerated for a non-violent cannabis use or possession crime, a substance use disorder prevention expert, a representative from a trade organization or nonprofit representing highly regulated adult goods and consumer package goods and two people who have worked to develop state-level regulatory systems.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, for his part, has repeatedly said that he doesn’t feel that intervening in states that have legalized cannabis is an appropriate use of Justice Department resources.

He said last month that the federal government is “still working on a marijuana policy” amid an ongoing administrative review into cannabis scheduling that President Joe Biden directed late last year.

Take Away

While states continue to move forward and pass laws allowing both recreational and medical marijuana, federal laws prevent access to the banking system, US postal service, and make them potentially prosecutable under federal law.

The re-introduced bill aims to open the door for these businesses to operate more freely, while at the same time make amends for harsh punishments imposed on those convicted of marijuana use in the past.

Overall, federal legalization of cannabis would energize the medical and recreational marijuana industries in the US, providing greater access, reduced legal risks, increased investment, tax revenue, and research opportunities.

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor, Channelchek

https://joyce.house.gov/posts/joyce-jeffries-reintroduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-prepare-for-inevitable-end-to-federal-cannabis-prohibition

https://jeffries.house.gov/legislation/

Is the NRC Overstepping on Fusion?

Posted on April 19, 2023April 19, 2023 by [email protected]

Image: Deuterium ionized into fusion plasma lets off a fuchsia glow (Helion)

A Hybrid Regulatory Approach by the NRC on Fusion

A fusion energy system is a power plant that harnesses energy released from the fusion of atomic nuclei to generate electricity. New commercial fusion designs intended to assist in the future of mass power, are being engineered with very little regulatory framework for them to design toward. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Christopher Hanson wants the regulatory framework for fusion energy systems based on its existing process for licensing the use of byproduct materials. A new framework may add to the number of companies designing and developing pilot reactors.

The process of fusion involves bringing together atomic nuclei under high temperatures and pressures to create a plasma state, where the positively charged nuclei fuse to form heavier elements, releasing a large amount of energy in the process. Unlike traditional nuclear power plants, which rely on nuclear fission, fusion power plants do not produce long-lived radioactive waste and have a virtually limitless supply of fuel in the form of hydrogen isotopes found abundantly in seawater. Fusion energy, holds great promise as a clean and sustainable source of energy as fossil fuels fall from favor.

“Dozens” of companies are developing pilot-scale commercial fusion designs, according to NRC Chair Christopher Hanson. In a press release by the NRC last Friday Hanson said the “precise future” for fusion in the USA is uncertain, the agency should provide “as much regulatory certainty as possible given what we know today.” The reason provided in the release said,”Licensing near-term fusion energy systems under a byproduct material framework will protect public health and safety with a technology-neutral, scalable regulatory approach.”

Is this overstepping on the part of the NRC? The Commission describes a fusion system as a device that contains nuclear fusion reactions as well as associated radioactive materials and supporting structures, systems and components – would generate electricity from the energy released when hydrogen atoms are combined to form helium, rather than the splitting, or fission, of uranium atoms. This very definition causes the systems to fall outside the requirements to be regulated by NRC as nuclear reactors, because they do not involve special nuclear material (plutonium, uranium-233 or enriched uranium) and cannot produce the self-sustained neutron chain reaction that defines nuclear fission reactors under NRC regulations.

The NRC staff outlined suggested options earlier in 2023 for the licensing and regulation of fusion systems. It categorized them as “utilization facilities”, with a novel regulatory framework developed to address associated specific hazards. These include a byproduct material approach, which adds to the existing regulations for byproduct material licenses. It also included a hybrid framework where the decision on whether a byproduct material or a utilization facility approach would be most appropriate for a particular system based on the potential dangers and hazards inherent to it – it would need to define what would be most applicable for that system. The NRC staff supported the use of a hybrid system in its submission.

Tritium and other radioactive materials which occur or are used in fusion systems have been categorized by the NRC as byproduct material. The NRC has now directed its staff to create a regulatory framework for fusion systems built on the agency’s existing process for licensing the use of such materials.

The Commission will move forward with a “limited revision” to materials licensing regulations, including consideration of whether the revision should include a new category specifically for fusion energy systems. The rule, according to the NRC, take into account fusion systems “that already have been licensed and are being regulated by the Agreement States, as well as those that may be licensed prior to the completion of the rulemaking”. The commission staff is also exected to expand materials license guidance to cover fusion systems across the US.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced in 2022 up to $50 million of federal funding to support experimental research in fusion energy science as part of the Biden administration’s vision to accelerate fusion energy. New designs are speeding along as a few fusion systems are likely reach design proof-of-concept, and even net power production later this decade, with deployment projected to follow in the 2030s, according to the NRC.

One US fusion system developer, Helion Energy, expressed support for the NRC’s announcement. “This approach provides a clear and effective regulatory path for our team to deploy clean, safe fusion energy,” the company said on Twitter.

Sources

https://www.nrc.gov/cdn/doc-collection-news/2023/23-029.pdf

https://mobile.twitter.com/Helion_Energy

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nrc-regulations-nuclear-fusion-energy-systems/647766/

https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NRC-starts-work-on-regulatory-framework-for-fusion

https://thebreakthrough.imgix.net/BTI-Fusion-Whitepaper.pdf

Artificial Intelligence, Speculation, and ‘Technical Debt’

Posted on April 19, 2023April 19, 2023 by [email protected]

AI Has Social Consequences, But Who Pays the Price?

As public concern about the ethical and social implications of artificial intelligence keeps growing, it might seem like it’s time to slow down. But inside tech companies themselves, the sentiment is quite the opposite. As Big Tech’s AI race heats up, it would be an “absolutely fatal error in this moment to worry about things that can be fixed later,” a Microsoft executive wrote in an internal email about generative AI, as The New York Times reported.

In other words, it’s time to “move fast and break things,” to quote Mark Zuckerberg’s old motto. Of course, when you break things, you might have to fix them later – at a cost.

In software development, the term “technical debt” refers to the implied cost of making future fixes as a consequence of choosing faster, less careful solutions now. Rushing to market can mean releasing software that isn’t ready, knowing that once it does hit the market, you’ll find out what the bugs are and can hopefully fix them then.

However, negative news stories about generative AI tend not to be about these kinds of bugs. Instead, much of the concern is about AI systems amplifying harmful biases and stereotypes and students using AI deceptively. We hear about privacy concerns, people being fooled by misinformation, labor exploitation and fears about how quickly human jobs may be replaced, to name a few. These problems are not software glitches. Realizing that a technology reinforces oppression or bias is very different from learning that a button on a website doesn’t work.

This article was republished with permission from The Conversation, a news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It represents the research-based findings and thoughts of Casey Fiesler, Associate Professor of Information Science, University of Colorado Boulder.

As a technology ethics educator and researcher, I have thought a lot about these kinds of “bugs.” What’s accruing here is not just technical debt, but ethical debt. Just as technical debt can result from limited testing during the development process, ethical debt results from not considering possible negative consequences or societal harms. And with ethical debt in particular, the people who incur it are rarely the people who pay for it in the end.

Off to the Races

As soon as OpenAI’s ChatGPT was released in November 2022, the starter pistol for today’s AI race, I imagined the debt ledger starting to fill.

Within months, Google and Microsoft released their own generative AI programs, which seemed rushed to market in an effort to keep up. Google’s stock prices fell when its chatbot Bard confidently supplied a wrong answer during the company’s own demo. One might expect Microsoft to be particularly cautious when it comes to chatbots, considering Tay, its Twitter-based bot that was almost immediately shut down in 2016 after spouting misogynist and white supremacist talking points. Yet early conversations with the AI-powered Bing left some users unsettled, and it has repeated known misinformation.

When the social debt of these rushed releases comes due, I expect that we will hear mention of unintended or unanticipated consequences. After all, even with ethical guidelines in place, it’s not as if OpenAI, Microsoft or Google can see the future. How can someone know what societal problems might emerge before the technology is even fully developed?

The root of this dilemma is uncertainty, which is a common side effect of many technological revolutions, but magnified in the case of artificial intelligence. After all, part of the point of AI is that its actions are not known in advance. AI may not be designed to produce negative consequences, but it is designed to produce the unforeseen.

However, it is disingenuous to suggest that technologists cannot accurately speculate about what many of these consequences might be. By now, there have been countless examples of how AI can reproduce bias and exacerbate social inequities, but these problems are rarely publicly identified by tech companies themselves. It was external researchers who found racial bias in widely used commercial facial analysis systems, for example, and in a medical risk prediction algorithm that was being applied to around 200 million Americans. Academics and advocacy or research organizations like the Algorithmic Justice League and the Distributed AI Research Institute are doing much of this work: identifying harms after the fact. And this pattern doesn’t seem likely to change if companies keep firing ethicists.

Speculating – Responsibly

I sometimes describe myself as a technology optimist who thinks and prepares like a pessimist. The only way to decrease ethical debt is to take the time to think ahead about things that might go wrong – but this is not something that technologists are necessarily taught to do.

Scientist and iconic science fiction writer Isaac Asimov once said that sci-fi authors “foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not.” Of course, science fiction writers do not tend to be tasked with developing these solutions – but right now, the technologists developing AI are.

So how can AI designers learn to think more like science fiction writers? One of my current research projects focuses on developing ways to support this process of ethical speculation. I don’t mean designing with far-off robot wars in mind; I mean the ability to consider future consequences at all, including in the very near future.

This is a topic I’ve been exploring in my teaching for some time, encouraging students to think through the ethical implications of sci-fi technology in order to prepare them to do the same with technology they might create. One exercise I developed is called the Black Mirror Writers Room, where students speculate about possible negative consequences of technology like social media algorithms and self-driving cars. Often these discussions are based on patterns from the past or the potential for bad actors.

Ph.D. candidate Shamika Klassen and I evaluated this teaching exercise in a research study and found that there are pedagogical benefits to encouraging computing students to imagine what might go wrong in the future – and then brainstorm about how we might avoid that future in the first place.

However, the purpose isn’t to prepare students for those far-flung futures; it is to teach speculation as a skill that can be applied immediately. This skill is especially important for helping students imagine harm to other people, since technological harms often disproportionately impact marginalized groups that are underrepresented in computing professions. The next steps for my research are to translate these ethical speculation strategies for real-world technology design teams.

Time to Hit Pause?

In March 2023, an open letter with thousands of signatures advocated for pausing training AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. Unchecked, AI development “might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us,” or even cause a “loss of control of our civilization,” its writers warned.

As critiques of the letter point out, this focus on hypothetical risks ignores actual harms happening today. Nevertheless, I think there is little disagreement among AI ethicists that AI development needs to slow down – that developers throwing up their hands and citing “unintended consequences” is not going to cut it.

We are only a few months into the “AI race” picking up significant speed, and I think it’s already clear that ethical considerations are being left in the dust. But the debt will come due eventually – and history suggests that Big Tech executives and investors may not be the ones paying for it.

Release – Space Industry Veteran Nicole Robinson Joins Comtech’s Executive Leadership Team

Posted on April 18, 2023April 18, 2023 by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on CMTL

Apr 18, 2023 9:20 AM

MELVILLE, N.Y. –
April 18, 2023– (NASDAQ: CMTL) Comtech today announced the appointment of space industry veteran Nicole Robinson as a Chief Strategy Officer.

With nearly two decades of leadership experience in the space industry, Robinson brings deep expertise and differentiated knowledge across public, private, government, and commercial space sectors that are well aligned with Comtech’s strategic priorities and global growth trajectories. Prior to joining Comtech, Robinson served as President of Ursa Space Systems, a leading satellite intelligence and data analytics provider, where she was responsible for taking the company from a start up to a scale up by accelerating growth globally while also optimizing operations. Previously, Robinson served as Senior Vice President of Global Government for SES, the largest commercial satellite operator in the world.

“Today, we are taking another step to expand our executive team with an incredibly talented leader who will be instrumental in helping Comtech achieve our core business objectives and make a lasting, positive impact in the world,” said Ken Peterman, President and CEO, Comtech. “Nicole brings unparalleled space industry expertise that will help Comtech implement overarching space strategies; identify and oversee new end-to-end technology developments; and further enhance our technology leadership across global markets.”

In her position as a Chief Strategy Officer, Robinson will collaborate with Comtech’s Strategic Council to create and implement priority space business pursuits; oversee the development and implementation of new technologies; orchestrate global growth initiatives; and lead other priorities related to geospatial imagery and data as well as space communications in both U.S. and international markets.

“It is a tremendous honor to join this exceptional team in this dynamic chapter of growth and innovation,” said Robinson. “With its unique culture of innovation, proven technology leadership, and customer-centric focus, Comtech maintains an unparalleled position to lead the way in democratizing access to communications technologies and accelerating the convergence of global connectivity infrastructures.”

Robinson is known across the space and satellite industry for serving in a variety of high-profile board and leadership positions including serving as the President of the Society of Satellite Professionals International, the largest professional organization in the space and satellite. Robinson also previously served two terms as Chair of the Hosted Payload Alliance and held positions at Washington Space Business Roundtable as well as other organizations. She was the recipient of the 2012 Future Leaders Award by the Society of Satellite Professionals International and is a member of “The FEW,” an invitation-only assembly of senior executive women.

Robinson completed her bachelor’s degree at Radford University, earned an MBA from Liberty University, and is a graduate of the Senior Executives in National and International Security Program at Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government.

About Comtech

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. is a leading global technology company providing terrestrial and wireless network solutions, next-generation 9-1-1 emergency services, satellite and space communications technologies, and cloud native capabilities to commercial and government customers around the world. Our unique culture of innovation and employee empowerment unleashes a relentless passion for customer success. With multiple facilities located in technology corridors throughout the United States and around the world, Comtech leverages our global presence, technology leadership, and decades of experience to create the world’s most innovative communications solutions.For more information, please visit www.comtech.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and involve certain significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from such forward-looking information. The Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings identify many such risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by the risks and uncertainties described in such Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

PCMTL

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230417005915/en/

Investor Relations

Robert Samuels

631-962-7102

[email protected]

Media Contact

Jamie Clegg

480-532-2523

[email protected]

Release – Johnny Rockets Touches Down in India at Kempegowda International Airport

Posted on April 18, 2023April 18, 2023 by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on FAT

APRIL 18, 2023

DOWNLOAD PDFPDF FORMAT (OPENS IN NEW WINDOW)

Classic Burger Chain Broadens International Presence with Newest B engaluru Location

LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Johnny Rockets and 16 other restaurant concepts, announces a new location in India at the Kempegowda International Airport in partnership with HMSHost. Located in Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka, the new Johnny Rockets serves the classic fare that put the brand on the map over 35 years ago, including juicy, made-to-order burgers and hand-spun shakes.

“Expanding Johnny Rockets’ presence in non-traditional venues continues to be a key growth objective for the brand,” said Jake Berchtold, COO of FAT Brands’ Fast Casual Division. “Strategically, we are pleased to spearhead this type of expansion in a country like India, where we see significant opportunity to build our footprint.”

“We are seeing exciting times in the air travel industry as the demand remains strong in both the domestic and international travel spaces,” said Jagvir Singh Rana, Managing Director, India and Middle East, HMSHost. “With increased travel and the opening of T2 at Bengaluru International Airport, guest expectations are sure to increase. By partnering with Johnny Rockets, we aim to not only give our guests varied food choices but also an experience they will cherish forever.”

The first Johnny Rockets restaurant opened June 6, 1986, on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. Since that time, the chain’s timeless all-American brand has connected with customers across the U.S. and in 25 other countries around the globe.

The Johnny Rockets team’s passion for delivering fresh, classic American fare is only equaled by their commitment to providing a superb guest experience. The new location’s menu includes cooked-to-order burgers, indulgent, hand-spun real ice cream shakes, crispy fries, halal chicken options and more.

The new Bengaluru Johnny Rockets is located at Kempegowda International Airport, Terminal 2, Devanhalli, Bengaluru, and is open from 2 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily.

For more information on Johnny Rockets, visit www.johnnyrockets.com.

###

About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands

FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual and polished casual dining restaurant concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns over 2,300 units worldwide. For more information on FAT Brands, please visit www.fatbrands.com.

About Johnny Rockets
Founded in 1986 on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Johnny Rockets is a world-renowned international franchise that offers high-quality, innovative menu items including Certified Angus Beef^®cooked-to-order hamburgers, veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, crispy fries, and rich, delicious hand-spun shakes and malts. With over 325 locations in over 25 countries around the globe, this dynamic lifestyle brand offers friendly service and upbeat music contributing to the chain’s signature atmosphere of relaxed, casual fun.

For more information, visit www.johnnyrockets.com.

MEDIA C ONTACT :
Erin Mandzik, FAT Brands
[email protected]
860-212-6509

Source: FAT Brands Inc.

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Release – Cocrystal Pharma to Present New Data from its CC-42344 Phase 1 Influenza A Study at the 7th Annual ISIRV Antiviral Group Conference

Posted on April 18, 2023April 18, 2023 by [email protected]

APRIL 18, 2023

DOWNLOAD AS PDF

BOTHELL, Wash., April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: COCP) (Cocrystal or the Company) announces the acceptance of an oral presentation containing new data from the Company’s CC-42344 Phase 1 influenza A study at the 7^th Annual International Society for Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Diseases’ (ISIRV) Antiviral Group Conference. Sam Lee, Ph.D., President and co-CEO, will present “First-in-Human Study of CC-42344, a Novel Broad-Spectrum Influenza A Polymerase PB2 Inhibitor” on May 4, 2023 at 11:05 a.m. Pacific time. The conference theme is “Advancing Respiratory Virus Therapeutics: Lessons Learned from COVID-19” and the event is being held May 3-5 in Seattle.

“We are excited to share additional data from our Phase 1 study with CC-42344 in influenza A and to outline next steps for our compound at this well-respected conference,” said Dr. Lee. “We plan to file a regulatory submission for a Phase 2a influenza A human challenge study that we expect to initiate in the second half of 2023.”

Cocrystal intends to issue a press release summarizing the new data presented at the conference and to post the conference slides to the Company’s website following Dr. Lee’s presentation.

About CC-42344
CC-42344 is a novel PB2 inhibitor discovered using Cocrystal’s proprietary structure-based drug discovery platform technology. CC-42344 targets the influenza polymerase complex, an essential enzyme required for the viral replication. In vitro testing showed CC-42344’s potent antiviral activity against influenza A strains, including pandemic and seasonal strains, as well as against strains resistant to Tamiflu^® and Xofluza^®.

About ISIRV
The International Society for Influenza and other Respiratory Virus Diseases (ISIRV) is an independent and international scientific professional society promoting the prevention, detection, treatment and control of influenza and other respiratory virus diseases. ISIRV was founded in 2005 as the first scientific society with a fully worldwide remit focused on influenza and respiratory virus disease. As a global scientific society, ISIRV fulfils this mission through promoting the exchange and dissemination of information, facilitating the interaction of scientists and of public health specialists and the promotion of international collaborative efforts against these diseases. More information is available here.

About Cocrystal Pharma, Inc.
Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing novel antiviral therapeutics that target the replication process of influenza viruses, coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2), hepatitis C viruses and noroviruses. Cocrystal employs unique structure-based technologies and Nobel Prize-winning expertise to create first- and best-in-class antiviral drugs. For further information about Cocrystal, please visit www.cocrystalpharma.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company’s plans and anticipated timelines to begin its Phase 2a human challenge study with its oral PB2 inhibitor CC-42344 in the second half of 2023. The words “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “will,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events. Some or all of the events anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties arising from inflation, interest rate increases, the current banking crisis and the Ukraine war on our Company, our collaboration partners, and on the U.S. and U.K. and global economies, including manufacturing and research delays arising from raw materials and labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and other business interruptions including any adverse impacts on our ability to obtain raw materials and other supplies as well as similar problems with our vendors and our current Contract Research Organization (CRO) and any future CROs and Contract Manufacturing Organizations, the results of the studies for CC-42344 , the ability of our CROs to recruit volunteers for, and to proceed with, clinical studies, our and our collaboration partners’ technology and software performing as expected, financial difficulties experienced by certain partners, the results of future preclinical and clinical trials, the impact of COVID-19 (including long-term and pervasive effects of the virus), general risks arising from clinical trials, receipt of regulatory approvals, regulatory changes, and the potential development of effective treatments by competitors. Further information on our risk factors is contained in our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Investor Contact:
LHA Investor Relations
Jody Cain
310-691-7100
[email protected]

Media Contact:
JQA Partners
Jules Abraham
917-885-7378
[email protected]

# # #

Source: Cocrystal Pharma, Inc.

Released April 18, 2023

Release – MustGrow Announces Soil Amendment and Biofertility Programs for Sustainable Agriculture

Posted on April 18, 2023April 18, 2023 by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on MGROF

Plant-based programs to focus on soil and microbiome health, nutrient and water use efficiencies, and plant yields.
Products to utilize multiple plant-derived extracts in addition to (and including) the mustard plant to improve beneficial microbial activity and soil health.
Soil Amendment and Biofertility are expected to increase MustGrow’s target market opportunity in addition to its existing Biocontrol focus.
Existing Biocontrol partnerships continue to achieve performance milestones and expand globally in scope and investment.

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, Canada, Apr. 18, 2023 – MustGrow Biologics Corp. (TSXV: MGRO) (OTC: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0) (the “Company” or “MustGrow”), is pleased to report an additional area of sustainable agriculture opportunity that the Company will be pursuing in the soil amendment (“Soil Amendment”) and biofertility (“Biofertility”) marketplaces. MustGrow’s Soil Amendment and Biofertility development programs will focus on soil and soil microbiome health, nutrient and water use efficiencies, and plant yields.

Throughout 2022, MustGrow engaged in extensive market research, formulation activities, and prospective partnership discussions, and has now added Soil Amendment and Biofertility programs to its growing list of global target applications, which now covers: preplant soil fumigation (under the brand name TerraMG^TM), postharvest food preservation and bioherbicide (together “Biocontrol”), and now Soil Amendment and Biofertility applications.

MustGrow believes this Soil Amendment and Biofertility initiative will complement its existing Biocontrol programs in preplant soil fumigation, postharvest food preservation, and bioherbicide, all of which are currently under development with four global partners: Janssen PMP, Bayer, Sumitomo Corporation, and NexusBioAg. These partnered programs continue to achieve performance milestones and expand globally in scope and investment. MustGrow believes 2023 will be a pivotal year for commercial and strategic advancement in certain regions and crops.

Introducing TerraSante^TM for Soil and Ecological Health

Soil is a farmer’s most valuable and precious asset, and MustGrow’s plant-based technologies are being developed to improve not only the health of the soil, but also the surrounding ecological environment.

As a soil conditioner in mixable form, TerraSante^TM contains nutritious plant proteins and carbohydrates that feed soil microbes, potentionally improving beneficial microbial activity and ensuring long-term sustainable soil health. These targeted micro-communities are shown to work to improve nutrient availability, which can potentially increase plant vigor and yields, while reducing plant stress. TerraSante^TM has the potential to improve crop nutrient uptake and, hence, overall crop performance. There are no artificial additives or preservatives used during manufacturing.

MustGrow is initially pursuing TerraSante^TM branded registrations in North America for Soil Amendment applications, followed by formulations and brands targeting the Biofertility markets. The Soil Amendment and Biofertility products will utilize multiple technologies derived from novel plant-based extracts from mustard and potentially other sources.

Soil Amendment and Biofertility Marketplace

The global fertilizer market is anticipated to be US$242 billion by 2030, up from US$193 billion in 2021 (2.5% CAGR).⁽¹⁾ This aggregate fertilizer figure includes the following sub-markets, which MustGrow will target with TerraSante^TM and potentially other branded products:

Soil Amendment: estimated market size in 2022 was US$3.5 billion and is expected to be US$8.0 billion by 2030 (11.0% CAGR).⁽²⁾
Biofertility: estimated market size in 2021 was US$2.7 billion and is estimated to be US$7.0 billion by 2030 (12.3% CAGR).⁽³⁾

Combined, these additional market segments add over US$15 billion of target market opportunity globably for MustGrow by 2030, almost double from the initially targeted Biocontrol market.

Alternatives to Synthetic Fertilizers are Needed

With the world’s population expanding, improving agriculture production and ensuring global food security are becoming increasingly important. Fertilizers continue to play a critical role in agriculture, although plans to reduce their use have been amplified in recent years in order to implement emission reduction strategies and minimize the negative consequences of climate change. Canada, for example, has set a voluntary national fertilizer emissions reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels by 2030 to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable, climate-friendly solutions will be required to offset this reduction while balancing the nation’s economic health, since, in Canada alone, the fertilizer industry directly and indirectly supports over 76,000 jobs and contributes nearly C$13 billion to Canadian GDP.⁽⁴⁾

The European Green Deal is also targeting a 20% reduction in fertilizer use by 2030, while ensuring no deterioration in soil fertility, as part of the European Commission’s aim to reduce nutrient losses by at least 50% by 2030.⁽⁵⁾ Fertilizer reduction is a key element of the broader Green Deal target of a minimum 55% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.⁽⁶⁾

Weighing fertilizer reduction targets against the need to increase farm production, farm profitability, economic growth and global food security points to sustainable Soil Amendment and Biofertility innovation and development as a key agriculture solution.

Source:

1) https://www.statista.com/statistics/1266004/global-fertilizer-market-size/
2) https://www.businessmarketinsights.com/reports/soil-amendments-market
3) https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/global-biofertilizers-market
4) https://fertilizercanada.ca/our-focus/stewardship/emissions-reduction-initiative/
5) https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-02/factsheet-farmtofork-comparison-table_en_0.pdf
6) https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en

———

About MustGrow

MustGrow is an agriculture biotech company developing organic Biocontrol, Soil Amendment and Biofertility products by harnessing the natural defense mechanism and organic materials of the mustard plant to sustainably protect the global food supply and help farmers feed the world. MustGrow and its leading global partners — Janssen PMP (pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson), Bayer, Sumitomo Corporation, and Univar Solutions’ NexusBioAg — are developing mustard-based organic solutions to potentially replace harmful synthetic chemicals. Concurrenly, with new formulations derived from food-grade mustard, the Company is pursusing the adoption and use of it’s technology in the target markets. Over 150 independent tests have been completed, validating MustGrow’s safe and effective approach to crop and food protection, and yield and soil improvements. Pending regulatory approval, MustGrow’s patented products could be applied through injection, standard drip or spray equipment, improving functionality and performance features. MustGrow has approximately 49.7 million basic common shares issued and outstanding and 55.6 million shares fully diluted. For further details, please visit www.mustgrow.ca.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

“Corey Giasson”

Director & CEO
Phone: +1-306-668-2652
[email protected]

MustGrow Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect the results, performance or achievements of MustGrow.

Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “occur” or “be achieved”. Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements MustGrow makes regarding: (i) the estimated size and value of Soil Amendment, Biofertility, Fertilizer markets; (ii) commercial and strategic advancement of the Company in 2023; and (iii) the potential of TerraSante^TM to improve overall crop performance.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of MustGrow to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, MustGrow. Important factors that could cause MustGrow’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: (i) the preferences and choices of agricultural regulators with respect to product approval timelines; (ii) the ability of MustGrow’s partners to meet obligations under their respective agreements; and (iii) other risks described in more detail in MustGrow’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2021 and other continuous disclosure documents filed by MustGrow with the applicable securities regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedar.com. Readers are referred to such documents for more detailed information about MustGrow, which is subject to the qualifications, assumptions and notes set forth therein.

This release does not constitute an offer for sale of, nor a solicitation for offers to buy, any securities in the United States.

Neither the TSXV, nor their Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV), nor the OTC Markets has approved the contents of this release or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Release – Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. Announces First Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call

Posted on April 18, 2023April 18, 2023 by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on ARLP

Company Release – 4/18/2023 7:00 AM ET

About Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.

Cary P. Marshall
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(918) 295-7673
[email protected]

Source: Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.