VIRGINIA CITY, NEVADA, OCTOBER 10, 2022 – Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” and the “Company”) today announced it had received unanimous approval by the Lyon County Board of County Commissioners (“BoCC”) for the Conditional Use Permit (“CUP”) requested by LINICO Corporation (“LiNiCo”) to operate a lithium-ion battery (“LIB”) pre-recycling storage facility at a nearly 200 acre industrial property in Mound House, Nevada.
LiNiCo’s LIB storage facility resides in one of the largest industrial parks in Lyon County, Nevada, with ample power, water and immediate highway access. The facility will receive, sort, and store waste LIBs, with capacity for expansion and possible crushing and separating operations, to supplement LiNiCo’s 137,000 square foot battery metal recycling facility located in the Tahoe Reno Industrial (“TRI”) Center in Storey County, Nevada (“TRI Facility”).
“The receipt and storage of these batteries represent an essential component of our regional supply chain for recycling these critical metals,” stated Mr. Corrado De Gasperis, LiNiCo’s executive chairman and chief executive officer. “We are thrilled with Lyon County’s support as we secure this fundamental piece of the eco-system necessary for receiving, storing and ultimately recycling waste LIBs.”
Electrification and continued advancements in energy storage are vitally necessary to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. According to International Energy Agency (“IEA”), there were more than 10 million electric vehicles (“EVs”) on the road in 2020, with new EV registrations increasing by 41% over 2019 and another 140% during the first quarter of 2021. Meeting the increased EV demand is estimated to require about five times more lithium carbonate equivalent (“LCE”) than the entire lithium mining industry produces today. Miners and manufacturers may eventually scale up to meet that demand, however, according to a January 2021 USGS mineral commodity summary, there are only about 86 million tons of identified lithium reserves worldwide, and LIBs are typically landfilled after eight to ten years of use. In short, lithium demand is increasing globally, and a tsunami of lithium recycling demand is coming as new electrification products are deployed and age out of use.
De Gasperis concluded, “LiNiCo’s technologies are designed to meet the realities of this existing and rapidly growing demand by enabling profitability at the earliest stages of production. We are very pleased to receive the second of three major permits and we look forward to receiving our air quality permit for the TRI Facility, the final major permit, so we can commence recycling during 2023.”
About LiNiCo Corporation
LiNiCo Corporation (“LiNiCo”) holds the rights to an intellectual property portfolio of innovative processes that efficiently crush, separate and condition LIB materials, while developing new technologies for extracting lithium and graphite, and the ultimate reuse of the recovered metals to produce 99% pure precursor cathode active materials. Collectively, these technologies give LiNiCo, and its existing battery metal recycling and LIB storage facilities, differentiating competitive advantages.
About Comstock Inc.
Comstock (NYSE: LODE) innovates technologies that contribute to global decarbonization and circularity by efficiently converting under-utilized natural resources into renewable fuels and electrification products that contribute to balancing global uses and emissions of carbon. The Company intends to achieve exponential growth and extraordinary financial, natural, and social gains by building, owning, and operating a fleet of advanced carbon neutral extraction and refining facilities, by selling an array of complementary process solutions and related services, and by licensing selected technologies to qualified strategic partners. To learn more, please visit www.comstock.inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and any related calls or discussions may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of doing so. Forward-looking statements include statements about matters such as: future industry market conditions; future explorations or acquisitions; future changes in our exploration activities; future changes in our research and development; and future prices and sales of, and demand for, our products and services. Except as may be required by securities or other law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Neither this press release nor any related call or discussion constitutes an offer to sell, the solicitation of an offer to buy or a recommendation with respect to any securities of the Company, the fund or any other issuer.
Contact information:
Comstock Inc. P.O. Box 1118 Virginia City, NV 89440 www.comstock.inc
Mark Reichman, Senior Research Analyst, Natural Resources, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
2022 drilling program draws to a close. Eskay Mining has completed 29,500 meters of diamond drilling during its 2022 property-wide exploration and drilling program. During the past four months, drilling tested multiple volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) targets, including Jeff, Jeff North, Scarlet Ridge, Scarlet Valley, and Tarn Lake. Step-out drilling of the Upper Massive Sulfide Zone confirmed that semi-massive and massive sulfide mineralization overlays the entire stockwork zone at TV, expanding the along-strike and down-dip extent of mineralization.
Key take-aways. During the 2022 season, Eskay accomplished its primary objectives, including drill testing the full extent of the TV-Jeff trend, systematic mapping and extensive rock chip sampling of the Scarlet Ridge-Tarn Lake trend, and maiden exploratory drilling at Scarlet Ridge, Scarlet Valley, and Tarn Lake. We think the company is well on its way toward affirming that its unexploited land package surrounding the prolific past-producing Eskay Creek Mine may host multiple VMS deposits with significant high-grade gold and silver resource potential.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Nobel-Winning Quantum Weirdness Undergirds an Emerging High-Tech Industry, Promising Better Ways of Encrypting Communications and Imaging Your Body
Two quantum particles, like pairs of atoms or photons, can become entangled. That means a property of one particle is linked to a property of the other, and a change to one particle instantly affects the other particle, regardless of how far apart they are. This correlation is a key resource in quantum information technologies.
For the most part, quantum entanglement is still a subject of physics research, but it’s also a component of commercially available technologies, and it plays a starring role in the emerging quantum information processing industry.
Pioneers
The 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics recognized the profound legacy of Alain Aspect of France, John F. Clauser of the U.S. and Austrian Anton Zeilinger’s experimental work with quantum entanglement, which has personally touched me since the start of my graduate school career as a physicist. Anton Zeilinger was a mentor of my Ph.D. mentor, Paul Kwiat, which heavily influenced my dissertation on experimentally understanding decoherence in photonic entanglement.
Decoherence occurs when the environment interacts with a quantum object – in this case a photon – to knock it out of the quantum state of superposition. In superposition, a quantum object is isolated from the environment and exists in a strange blend of two opposite states at the same time, like a coin toss landing as both heads and tails. Superposition is necessary for two or more quantum objects to become entangled.
Entanglement Goes the Distance
Quantum entanglement is a critical element of quantum information processing, and photonic entanglement of the type pioneered by the Nobel laureates is crucial for transmitting quantum information. Quantum entanglement can be used to build large-scale quantum communications networks.
On a path toward long-distance quantum networks, Jian-Wei Pan, one of Zeilinger’s former students, and colleagues demonstrated entanglement distribution to two locations separated by 764 miles (1,203 km) on Earth via satellite transmission. However, direct transmission rates of quantum information are limited due to loss, meaning too many photons get absorbed by matter in transit so not enough reach the destination.
Entanglement is critical for solving this roadblock, through the nascent technology of quantum repeaters. An important milestone for early quantum repeaters, called entanglement swapping, was demonstrated by Zeilinger and colleagues in 1998. Entanglement swapping links one each of two pairs of entangled photons, thereby entangling the two initially independent photons, which can be far apart from each other.
Quantum Protection
Perhaps the most well known quantum communications application is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which allows someone to securely distribute encryption keys. If those keys are stored properly, they will be secure, even from future powerful, code-breaking quantum computers.
While the first proposal for QKD did not explicitly require entanglement, an entanglement-based version was subsequently proposed. Shortly after this proposal came the first demonstration of the technique, through the air over a short distance on a table-top. The first demonstrations of entangement-based QKD were published by research groups led by Zeilinger, Kwiat and Nicolas Gisin were published in the same issue of Physical Review Letters in May 2000.
These entanglement-based distributed keys can be used to dramatically improve the security of communications. A first important demonstration along these lines was from the Zeilinger group, which conducted a bank wire transfer in Vienna, Austria, in 2004. In this case, the two halves of the QKD system were located at the headquarters of a large bank and the Vienna City Hall. The optical fibers that carried the photons were installed in the Vienna sewer system and spanned nine-tenths of a mile (1.45 km).
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 Nicholas Peters, Joint Faculty, University of Tennessee.
Entanglement for Sale
Today, there are a handful of companies that have commercialized quantum key distribution technology, including my group’s collaborator Qubitekk, which focuses on an entanglement-based approach to QKD. With a more recent commercial Qubitekk system, my colleagues and I demonstrated secure smart grid communications in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Quantum communications, computing and sensing technologies are of great interest to the military and intelligence communities. Quantum entanglement also promises to boost medical imaging through optical sensing and high-resolution radio frequency detection, which could also improve GPS positioning. There’s even a company gearing up to offer entanglement-as-a-service by providing customers with network access to entangled qubits for secure communications.
There are many other quantum applications that have been proposed and have yet to be invented that will be enabled by future entangled quantum networks. Quantum computers will perhaps have the most direct impact on society by enabling direct simulation of problems that do not scale well on conventional digital computers. In general, quantum computers produce complex entangled networks when they are operating. These computers could have huge impacts on society, ranging from reducing energy consumption to developing personally tailored medicine.
Finally, entangled quantum sensor networks promise the capability to measure theorized phenomena, such as dark matter, that cannot be seen with today’s conventional technology. The strangeness of quantum mechanics, elucidated through decades of fundamental experimental and theoretical work, has given rise to a new burgeoning global quantum industry.
Consumer Spending, While Draining Bank Accounts, Could Prolong Fed Tightening
Economics is a social science, and as such, it’s based largely on human behavior, with mathematical models then used to assess decisions and predict outcomes. The U.S. government published consumer savings rates during the first week of October. The results are in line with what economists would expect when the masses’ ability to live the same lifestyle as before is challenged by either high inflation, fewer jobs, or both. There is a delayed effect on consumers’ behavior in the face of higher prices, this is impacting debt levels and savings rates. Also, the upper echelons of earners are not as inclined to cut back, which could make the Fed’s job trickier.
One recognized principle of economics that has proven true throughout history is related to adding stimulus and taking stimulus away and changes in spending. When more money is put in the hands of the citizenry, whether by tax decreases, or direct stimulus checks, that money will be put to work (spent), fairly quickly. Especially by those whose lives would most be impacted, those with stricter budgets. When discretionary income decreases or prices rise, consumers don’t react as quickly. We can think of the reasons why in this way; one is that fixed costs can’t change as quickly if income goes down as they can if the ability to spend increases. The other reason is that we tend to adjust on the downside more slowly while still doing many things that we can not as easily afford to do.
Put another way, we accelerate spending quickly when money is more available than we brake when it becomes less available; in fact, households tend to take their foot off the accelerator, even if it keeps them spending at a pace that puts their household finances in jeopardy.
The Post-Covid Economy is Confounding
At the turn of the year, consumers were thought to have built up about $2.4 trillion of excess savings during the pandemic. Many economists argued the economy would be able to avoid a recession, even as the Fed aggressively raised interest rates. Many of these economists, joined by business owners and investors, are changing their odds of a soft landing; many are still expecting a quick rebound as consumers are believed to have exited the pandemic in strong financial shape.
New data about U.S. consumer savings, however, and a look at consumer finances suggest that they may be overestimating the long-term resilience of consumers.
Last week the FDIC shed some light on savings rates, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) provided information on Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE).
Downward revisions to the savings rate indicated that households had used a much bigger proportion of pandemic savings than seen in previous data, and the starting point is now believed to have been smaller.
According to previous data, through July, households had spent about $270 billion, or 11% of peak excess savings of $2.4 trillion. The updated data show that the peak savings stock was $2.1 trillion. Also, about $630 billion, or 31%, has already been spent.
The $1.4 trillion that is in savings is still no small amount of money. But, Nancy Lazar, chief global economist at Piper Sandler, told Barron’s that it’s not enough to prevent credit-card borrowing from ballooning and consumer delinquencies from climbing. Credit-card loans are now 6% above their pre-pandemic high. With rates climbing, 60% of revolving debt is extending out and being carried for one year or longer.
“Delinquency risk is rising, especially for low-end consumers who have exhausted their excess savings,” Lazar said.
Lazar told the journal that she calculates the composite 30-day delinquency rate across big financial institutions, like American Express (AXP), and JPMorgan Chase (JPM), to have risen to 0.82% at the end of August from 0.78% a year earlier. More evidence comes from data from Kroll Bond Rating Agency that showed subprime auto-loan delinquencies are climbing higher, and even prime auto-loan delinquencies are moving up. And Affirm Holdings (ticker: AFRM), which is a buy-now and pay-later company, reported a 290% year-over-year increase in its provision for credit losses.
What Fed Governors Want
Is this “bad news” actually “good news” for stocks and bonds? If consumers have lower means than thought when the Fed began its tightening, this could give hope to those investors that are looking for the Fed to pivot back to an easier policy stance. But economics seldom plays out with just one or two inputs.
Another piece of information economists look at is the Labor Department’s Consumer Expenditure Survey data. Overall, 60% of consumption in the U.S. are from the top 40% of income earners. The lowest quintile, the lowest 20% of earners, those with less discretionary income, make up only 9% of consumption in the U.S.
So the Fed’s predicament has them needing to squelch the relatively high level of consumption of the top 40% that can still pay for the same lifestyle without reducing consumption, and at the same time not overly disrupt those that will feel the impact the most, the lowest 20% of earners in the country.
Take Away
It seems that in the broadest sense, the Fed has impacted consumption in the group that will impact consumption least. Those that would impact the pace of the economy and inflation most are not yet putting their wallets away. This increases the degree of difficulty the Fed faces when working to bring inflation down to the 2% target.
Potential for a Change in Sentiment if Suprised by this Week’s FOMC Minutes, Jobs, and Inflation
When the world’s trading partners move interest rates in concert with each other, their actions are much smoother, this is because currency flows, which influence exchange rates, are less inclined to reprice dramatically. The U.S. has been comparatively aggressive in raising rates. This is part of why the Bank of England (BOE) shoring up its bond market, and the Japanese hawkish hesitancy has created disruptions and a historically strong U.S. dollar.
This week begins with Columbus Day; the bond markets are closed, and so are the banks. Stock market participants shouldn’t expect guidance from interest rate moves related to bond trading. The futures market will be active; moves from Interest rate futures from tickers such as ZB=F can be helpful while bonds are silent.
Monday 10/10
1:30 PM ET Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard discusses restoring price stability at the National Association of Business Economics (NABE). Attend via Zoom.
Columbus Day, the potential for thin trading and big price swings.
Tuesday 10/11
NY Fed 5-year inflation expectations for one- and three-year-ahead inflation expectations had posted steep declines in August, from 6.2 percent and 3.2 percent in July to 5.7 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. Investors will be watching to see if the declining expectations continue.
NFIB Small Business Optimism Index (NFIB), is a monthly survey that asks small businesses if they have plans to increase employment, plans to expand capital spending, increase inventories, expect economic improvement, expect higher retail sales, is now a good time to expand, current job openings, and earnings trends in their business. Health in small businesses can be an indicator of overall economic health and stock market strength. This report is released at 6 am last month, the index was 91.8, and the consensus is 91.5.
The Labor Department’s JOLTS has, in recent years, been referred to as the “Quits” report. The report tracks monthly changes in job openings and contains rates of hiring and quitting. The word JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
Wednesday 10/12
The Producer Price Index (PPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is an inflation gauge that measures the average change over time in the prices received by U.S. producers of goods and services. The prices are typically considered input costs for final products and can impact CPI, it may also impact company costs of production and, therefore, profits. The trend has been lower, YOY PPI has been running at 8,7%, the consensus is for 8.4%.
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) creates a statistic from several mortgage loan indexes. The Mortgage Applications index measures applications at mortgage lenders. It’s considered a leading indicator and is especially important for single-family home sales and housing construction. Both are considered foundational in a strong economy. L
ast week, the Purchase Index was -12.6%.
10 Year Treasury Note Auction is held in the middle of each month and settles on or around the 15th (depending on weekends). The yield is a benchmark for 30-year mortgages and has recently been noted by investment markets because it has been trading at a yield lower than shorter maturities; this inversion of the yield curve has some market players suggesting a recession is expected in the future. Any surprises at the auction will reverberate through the stock market.
FOMC minutes (September meeting) – We’d all love to be a fly on the wall at the Fed’s meetings. The minutes detail the issues debated and the consensus among policymakers. This, of course, has ramifications if the contents of the minutes demonstrate an above-average hawkish or dovish change in tone. The Federal Open Market Committee issues minutes of its latest meeting three weeks after the meeting.
Thursday 10/13
US Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the inflation indicator most widely broadcast. With inflation being a primary focus, this will be the big number coming out this week. The number represents a basket of goods considered typical for an urban consumer and is taken as the change in the cost of that basket of goods. A percentage is derived from the change. CPI is also reported with food and energy removed as it is considered that other non-economic factors influence these prices. The August report indicated CPI rose 0.6% for the month and 8.3% YOY. Expectations are for a slowing to 0.4% for September and a YOY rate of 8.1%.
U.S. Jobless Claims, which represent the prior weeks of employment are expected to have increased to 225,000 from 219,000. From jobless claims, investors can gain a sense of how tight or how loose the job market is. If wage inflation takes hold, interest rates will likely rise, and bond and stock prices will fall. Remember, the lower the number of unemployment claims, the stronger the job market, and vice versa.
Friday 10/14
U.S. retail sales have been lackluster, neither rising nor falling. As we head toward Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales levels, the market will be taking more and more interest in how strong the consumer is. Expectations for September are a rise of 0.2 percent overall, down 0.1 percent when excluding vehicles and up 0.4 when also excluding gasoline. The number is released at 8:30 am.
Business inventories are expressed in dollar value held by manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. The level of inventories in relation to sales is an important indicator of the near-term direction of production activity. Rising inventories can be an indication of business optimism that sales will be growing in the coming months. However, if unintended inventory accumulation occurs, then production will probably have to slow while those inventories. The consensus is for a 0.9% increase after only increasing 0.6% for August.
U.S. Baker Hughes Rig Count tracks weekly changes in the number of active operating oil & gas rigs. Rigs that are not active are not counted. Components in the data are the United States and Canada, with a separate count for the Gulf of Mexico (which is a subset of the U.S. total). A significant increase or decrease could have ramifications on energy costs in North America. The rig count for the prior period in North America was 977, with 762 of those being from the U.S.
What Else
It is a light week for economic releases and Fed governor addresses, but late week could see a dramatic change in market sentiment as the Fed Minutes, CI, and even employment has the potential to impact thinking.
The Employment Report Can be Viewed as Good for Economic Resilience
Does the Fed need to slow its tightening plans? Thankfully no, and darn it, no. On Friday, a report showed the U.S. economy created 263,000 jobs in September; this confirms a strong labor market, albeit one that has begun to slow somewhat. While this is a deceleration in jobs growth from the 315,000 jobs added in August, the report confirms broad-based strength in the labor market, at the average of what economists had been forecasting.
Why this is Positive for Stocks
The Fed has two main mandates, keep inflation in check (price stability), and make sure people have jobs (maximum employment). Friday’s report offers the clearest sign yet that the labor market is still showing considerable strength, although off its peak, as tighter monetary policy and higher labor costs begin to weigh on demand for workers. Although a slight cooling is evident, there is nothing in the report to suggest the Fed will alter its aggressive path of tightening monetary policy.
The cooling of the labor market is desirable when working to tame inflation. But it is likely employment is still promoting price pressures for labor. The number should confirm that the Fed is inclined to hike rates by a fourth consecutive 0.75% in November.
Of particular concern, as it relates to inflation, for the Fed is the continued strength in wages and decline for the month in labor-force participation, which remains well below its pre-pandemic level. The lack of workers allows inflationary bargaining power to those in the workforce or seeking work.
Growth in average hourly earnings, which had slowed in August, remained steady in September, with wages climbing another 0.3%. And the labor-force participation rate erased a bit and was down 0.1 percentage point to 62.3% as fewer U.S. citizens looked for work than the month before. That contributed to the drop in the unemployment rate, which fell from 3.7% in August to 3.5%.
On the Downside
The resolve of this Fed can be stated this way, as long as the labor market remains healthy, they will remain hyper-focused on reining in inflation without concern for people’s 401ks or other distractions. They can afford to kill a few jobs, and bond or stock investors are not on the Fed’s list of primary concerns.
News to Use From Jobs Report?
Jobs were added in a number of industries, with big gains in the healthcare, leisure, and hospitality sectors. These are industries where positions had been lost during the pandemic. The construction industry, which many economists expected would shrink, added 19,000 jobs in September, in line with the average monthly growth so far this year in construction.
On the bad side, the retail sector lost more than 1,000 jobs in September. It remains broadly strong after three months of gains, 1000 across the population is not yet a concern.
The numbers reflect ongoing catch-up in hiring. Employers are still working to fill jobs lost during steps taken related to Covid-19 fears; the increased demand in many areas makes it difficult to find enough workers. The scenario could keep the labor market strong over the coming months, even if the Fed is successful in slowing the broader economy.
Other data not headlined in the labor market report shows signs the labor market remains strong. The number of workers who were employed part-time for economic reasons, meaning they would have preferred full-time work but had seen their hours cut or were unable to find full-time work, declined by 306,000 in September after rising for two straight months. More work, if wanted, is a strong factor that gives the Fed breathing room.
Another very telling group that showed employment expansion is not as robust as the numbers suggest, is the increased hiring of temporary help. Companies tend to release temporary workers; first, this type of work continued to rise. The sector added another 27,000 jobs in September.
Take Away
Employment remained strong through September. While this may indicate the Fed can continue to raise rates at will for stock market participants, it also means businesses have the potential for more output. So, while the headline news may scream rates ‘will go up!’ and ‘markets should beware!’, the better message is businesses continue to hire. This is especially true for leisure and less accurate for retail companies; the economy can be expected to keep plodding along if everyone who wants a job has a job.
Leading medical center in San Antonio acquires BioSig’s novel digital signal processing technology for arrhythmia care
Westport, CT, Oct. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BioSig Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: BSGM) (“BioSig” or the “Company”) an advanced digital signal processing technology company delivering unprecedented accuracy and precision to intracardiac signal visualization with its proprietary PURE EP™ System, today announced that San Antonio Methodist Hospital has acquired the PURE EP™ System.
The acquisition, one of many in the pipeline, reaffirms the continued expansion of BioSig’s U.S. footprint and customer base.
“As we continue to advance the national commercial rollout of the PURE EP™ System, we are thrilled to introduce our technology to Methodist Hospital in San Antonio,” said Gray Fleming, Chief Commercial Officer, BioSig Technologies, Inc. “We believe that the PURE EP™ System enhances EP lab infrastructure by integrating with existing workflows and delivers critical signals of interest that are not visible on conventional systems.”
“PURE EP™ delivers great value to our lab across many different types of ablations. By uncovering new levels of clarity of intracardiac signals, PURE EP™ opens doors to the benefits of signal processing in the digital domain,” commented David N. Pederson, MD, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiologist, Methodist Hospital, San Antonio, TX.
About Methodist Healthcare
Methodist Healthcare is recognized as a leading healthcare provider in South Texas, offering an outstanding selection of doctors, healthcare professionals, equipment and health services. The hospital belongs to a network of hospitals in the greater San Antonio area, including nine acute care facilities: Methodist Hospital, Methodist Children’s Hospital, Methodist Hospital Metropolitan, Methodist Hospital Northeast, Methodist Hospital Atascosa, Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant, Methodist Hospital Stone Oak and Methodist Hospital Texsan.
About BioSig Technologies
BioSig Technologies is an advanced digital signal processing technology company bringing never-before-seen insights to the treatment of cardiovascular arrhythmias. Through collaboration with physicians, experts, and healthcare leaders across the field of electrophysiology (EP), BioSig is committed to addressing healthcare’s biggest priorities — saving time, saving costs, and saving lives.
The Company’s first product, the PURE EP™ System, an FDA 510(k) cleared non-invasive class II device, provides superior, real-time signal visualization allowing physicians to perform insight-based, highly targeted cardiac ablation procedures with increased procedural efficiency and efficacy.
The PURE EP™ System is currently in a national commercial launch and an integral part of well-respected healthcare systems, such as Mayo Clinic, Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, Cleveland Clinic, and Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute. In a blinded clinical study recently published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, electrophysiologists rated PURE EP™ as equivalent or superior to conventional systems for 93.6% of signal samples, with 75.2% earning a superior rating.The global EP market is projected to reach $16B in 2028 with a 11.2% growth rate.1
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. Forward- looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) market conditions and the Company’s intended use of proceeds, (ii) the geographic, social and economic impact of COVID-19 on our ability to conduct our business and raise capital in the future when needed, (iii) our inability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own, or in collaboration with third parties; (iv) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (v) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (vi) loss of one or more key executives or scientists; and (vii) difficulties in securing regulatory approval to market our products and product candidates. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 7, 2022 / Eskay Mining Corp. (“Eskay” or the “Company”) (TSXV:ESK) (OTCQX:ESKYF) (Frankfurt:KN7)(WKN:A0YDPM) is pleased to announce it has completed 29,500 m of diamond core drilling substantially fulfilling its planned meterage for the 2022 property wide exploration campaign. Over the past four months, drilling has been conducted at multiple volcanogenic massive sulfide (“VMS”) targets including Jeff, Jeff North, Scarlet Ridge, Scarlet Valley, and Tarn Lake. Drilling has now been completed and the Company is currently demobilizing.
“As the 2022 exploration season is drawing to a close, we have met all of our primary objectives,” commented Dr. John DeDecker, Eskay Mining’s VP of Exploration. “We have now drill tested the full extent of the TV-Jeff trend, conducted systematic mapping and extensive rock chip sampling of the Scarlet Ridge-Tarn Lake trend, and conducted exploratory drilling at three highly prospective and previously undrilled targets, Scarlet Ridge, Scarlet Valley and Tarn Lake. Our prospecting and mapping teams have also conducted reconnaissance level work at Spearhead, Vermillion, Tet, SIB-Lulu, Excelsior, and Harrymel Valley, laying the groundwork for an expansive push to drill test numerous additional targets in 2023. “
Step-out drilling of the Upper Massive Sulfide Zone has confirmed that semi-massive and massive sulfide mineralization overlies the entire stockwork zone at TV thus significantly expanding the along-strike and down-dip extent of this important body of mineralization.
Maiden drilling at Scarlet Valley and Tarn Lake yielded core displaying intense stockwork and replacement-style sulfide mineralization and hydrothermal alteration focused along east-west trending andesite dikes. Replacement-style mineralization and hydrothermal alteration of volcaniclastic debris flow breccia at Scarlet Valley provide an encouraging sign that the VMS feeder structures may have fed laterally extensive replacement-style mineralization along favorable stratigraphic horizons.
Highlights from TV Drilling:
Drilling at TV, the last to be undertaken this season, focused on extensions of the Upper Massive Sulfide Zone discovered in 2021. Drill holes TV22-105, 107, 109, 110, 111, and 113 target areas east and up-section from the large stockwork zone defined by drilling in 2021 (Figure 1). All of these holes have intercepted semi-massive to massive sulfide over intervals ranging from 4-18 meters and tens of meters of additional footwall replacement-style and stockwork sulfide mineralization hosted by andesite and dacite breccia, and silicified mudstone (Figures 2-4).
Extensions of the Upper Massive Sulfide Zone overlie intensely silicified mudstones in the stockwork zone, consistent with a near-seafloor position.
Handheld XRF analyses of massive and semi-massive sulfides hosted by carbonaceous mudstone display strongly anomalous concentrations of pathfinder elements Ag, As, and Sb; stockwork mineralization displays strongly elevated levels of pathfinder elements As and Sb; and readings from massive sulfide display very high concentrations of pathfinder elements Ag, As, and Sb. Handheld XRF cannot reliably measure Au concentrations.
Highlights from Tarn Lake Drilling:
Drilling at Tarn Lake focused on a large gossanous outcrop associated with visible sulfide and sulfosalt mineralization hosted within Eskay rhyolite (Figure 5). Sulfide mineralization is focused around east-west trending andesitic dikes that are interpreted to have exploited the same syn-volcanic structure that fed VMS forming fluids. Nine drill holes were completed at Tarn Lake.
Hole TN22-10 intercepted approximately 10 m of semi-massive replacement style mineralization (Figures 6 and 7), and ubiquitous disseminated sulfide mineralization associated with sulfide stockwork (Figure 7).
Early results show pervasive stockwork and disseminated sulfide mineralization in all drill holes completed at Tarn Lake. Handheld XRF readings display very high concentrations of pathfinder elements Ag, As, and Sb within stockwork and semi-massive and massive sulfide mineralization. Handheld XRF cannot reliably measure Au concentrations.
Rhyolite-hosted sulfide mineralization at Scarlet Knob, situated approximately 1 km to the northeast of Tarn Lake, is likely structurally offset from the Tarn Lake VMS system, displaced along a dextral shear zone.
Highlights from Scarlet Valley Drilling:
Drilling at Scarlet Valley (Figure 8) targeted a large east-west trending gossan associated with intense stockwork sulfide mineralization. Mineralization is focused along east-west trending andesite dikes that crosscut volcaniclastic debris flow breccia. Debris flow breccia in the western part of Scarlet Valley contains rhyolite clasts, while debris flow breccia to the east is dominated by andesite clasts. Both andesite and the debris flow breccia exhibit replacement-style sulfide mineralization (Figures 9-13), in some cases, sulfide replacement being intense.
Core from hole SV22-05 displays intense silicification and sulfide replacement of volcaniclastic debris flows, a promising sign that permeable sedimentary horizons may host lateral extensions of replacement-style mineralization.
Handheld XRF analyses of sulfide minerals in drill core display high concentrations of pathfinder elements Ag, As, and Sb. Handheld XRF cannot reliably measure Au concentrations.
Dr. Quinton Hennigh, P. Geo., a Director of the Company and its technical adviser, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release.
About Eskay Mining Corp:
Eskay Mining Corp (TSX-V:ESK) is a TSX Venture Exchange listed company, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Eskay is an exploration company focused on the exploration and development of precious and base metals along the Eskay rift in a highly prolific region of northwest British Columbia known as the “Golden Triangle,” 70km northwest of Stewart, BC. The Company currently holds mineral tenures in this area comprised of 177 claims (52,600 hectares).
All material information on the Company may be found on its website at www.eskaymining.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
For further information, please contact:
Mac Balkam President & Chief Executive Officer T: 416 907 4020 E: Mac@eskaymining.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements: This Press 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.
(Figure 1: Section of TV showing locations of 2022 drill holes. Drilling focused on targeting along-strike, up-dip, and down-dip extensions of the stockwork zone and massive sulfide horizons discovered in 2020-2021.
(Figure 2: TV22-109 56.84-63.80 m showing an intercept of ~6 m of massive sulfide underlain by a fault hosted by carbonaceous mudstone. Most massive sulfide at TV is fault bounded on the bottom, with a few meters of mixed and broken massive sulfide and carbonaceous mudstone before the stockwork zone is intercepted. Handheld XRF analyses of the massive sulfide show very high concentrations of the Au pathfinder elements Ag, As, and Sb. Handheld XRF cannot reliably measure Au concentrations.TV22-109 101.12-110.87 shows a typical intercept of the replacement-style mineralization hosted by andesite breccia.)
(Figure 3: TV22-111 52.0-61.13 m showing a mudstone-hosted massive sulfide intercept. Sulfide mineralization begins ~10 m above the massive sulfide horizon, and is characterized by ~20% pyrite hosted within sheared peperitic andesite and dacite. The massive sulfide is underlain by faulted mudstone and andesite breccia, both of which contain appreciable sulfide mineralization. Handheld XRF analyses of the massive sulfide show very high concentrations of the Au pathfinder elements Ag, As, and Sb. Handheld XRF cannot reliably measure Au concentrations.)
(Figure 4: TV22-110 78.04-87.91 showing stockwork sulfide mineralization hosted by intensely silicified mudstone. Handheld XRF analyses of sulfides hosted by silicified mudstone invariably show very high concentrations of the Au pathfinders Ag, Sb, and As. Handheld XRF cannot reliably measure Au concentrations. TV22-110 123.79-131.20 showing a sheared andesite breccia hosting replacement-style sulfide mineralization.)
(Figure 5: Map showing the drill traces for Tarn Lake shown with drone imagery of gossanous rhyolite focused around east-west trending andesite dikes.)
(Figure 6: TN22-10 90.83-100.0 m showing semi-massive replacement style sulfide mineralization hosted by Eskay rhyolite. This interval shows consistently high concentrations of the pathfinder elements Ag, As, and Sb.)
(Figure 7: TN22-10 94.50-94.60 showing a close-up of semi-massive replacement-style mineralization hosted by rhyolite breccia. This type of sulfide mineralization shows the highest pathfinder element concentrations. TN22-10 123.85-123.95 showing stockwork sulfide and vesicle-hosted disseminated sulfide mineralization. This style of mineralization is ubiquitous at Tarn Lake. Accurate handheld XRF analyses of disseminated mineralization is impossible given the small size of the disseminations and consequent mixed analyses of sulfide and host silicate material. Analyses of larger stockwork veins throughout the Tarn Lake drill holes shows the presence of Ag, suggesting that disseminated sulfides may host Ag as well.)
Figure 8: Map showing the drill traces for Scarlet Valley shown with drone imagery of gossanous rhyolite-bearing volcaniclastic debris flow deposits focused along east-west trending andesite dikes.
Figure 9: SV22-05 at approximately 21.5 m showing moderate sulfide replacement of both the groundmass and clasts of a volcaniclastic debris flow breccia. This observation shows that sulfide mineralization occurred after the deposition of the debris flow breccia. Volcanic clasts are andesitic in composition.
Figure 10: SV22-05 at approximately 37 m showing progression from a mineralized volcaniclastic debris flow breccia with a carbonaceous mudstone groundmass, to an intensely clay altered and silicified debris flow breccia with patchy sulfide replacement. Volcanic clasts are andesitic in composition.
Figure 11: SV22-05 from approximately 55-57.5 m showing variably intense sulfide replacement of the host volcaniclastic debris flow breccia. This rock is intensely silicified and variably clay altered, with the lighter colored rock being more intensely clay altered.
Figure 12: SV22-05 at approximately 84.8-87 showing an andesite dike adjacent to a faulted mudstone (top row), followed by a volcaniclastic debris flow breccia with large perlitic andesite clast and other andesitic fragments. Sulfide mineralization is hosted by fine fractures within the andesite, but is more widespread in the more permeable debris flow breccia, highlighting the potential for such horizons to host lateral extensions of replacement-style mineralization.
Figure 13: SV22-05 at approximately 155.8 m showing intense clay alteration and sulfide replacement of an andesitic hyaloclastic breccia. Clasts fit together well, precluding a sedimentary origin. Sulfide minerals are preferentially replacing the cores of larger breccia fragments, and infilling between hyaloclastic fragments.
DLH delivers improved health and readiness solutions for federal programs through research, development, and innovative care processes. The Company’s experts in public health, performance evaluation, and health operations solve the complex problems faced by civilian and military customers alike, leveraging digital transformation, artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, cloud-based applications, telehealth systems, and more. With over 2,300 employees dedicated to the idea that “Your Mission is Our Passion,” DLH brings a unique combination of government sector experience, proven methodology, and unwavering commitment to public health to improve the lives of millions. For more information, visit www.DLHcorp.com.
Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Receiving More Work. Yesterday, management of DLH announced the Company was awarded an ID/IQ contract with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), as the award represents continued momentum of demand for DLH’s services. Additionally, on Monday the Defense Health Agency announced the continuation of a Blanket Purchase Master Agreement with a DLH operating subsidiary, Irving Burton Associates.
VA Contract. The VA contract for DLH is an ID/IQ multiple award contract to design, develop, and test innovations in healthcare. The Company will be competing as one of 17 prime awardees for orders in five categories including: personalized healthcare, data transformation, digital care, immersive technology, and care and service delivery. The contract has a base period of five years and has a $650 million ceiling.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage oncology company focused on developing and commercializing small molecule therapeutics for patients suffering from rare and aggressive cancers, primarily in genetically defined patient populations. Ayala’s approach is focused on predicating, identifying and addressing tumorigenic drivers of cancer through a combination of its bioinformatics platform and next-generation sequencing to deliver targeted therapies to underserved patient populations. The company has two product candidates under development, AL101 and AL102, targeting the aberrant activation of the Notch pathway with gamma secretase inhibitors to treat a variety of tumors including Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL), Desmoid Tumors and Multiple Myeloma (MM) (in collaboration with Novartis). AL101, has received Fast Track Designation and Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. FDA and is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial for patients with ACC (ACCURACY) bearing Notch activating mutations. AL102 is currently in a Pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical trials for patients with desmoid tumors (RINGSIDE) and is being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial in combination with Novartis’ BMCA targeting agent, WVT078, in Patients with relapsed/refractory Multiple Myeloma. For more information, visit www.ayalapharma.com.
Robert LeBoyer, Vice President, Research Analyst, Life Sciences , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
KOL Event Reviewed AL102 and Desmoid Tumors. Ayala held a KOL webcast to discus AL102, its gamma secretase inhibitor, the current treatments for desmoid tumors, and AL102 clinical development. After reviewing the RINGSIDE Phase 2/3 Part A dose-finding data, we continue to believe AL102 has potential to succeed in the placebo-controlled Part B portion. We continue to rate the stock Market Perform due to the time required for the study and capital requirements.
Clinical Review. The presentations began with a clinical review of desmoid tumors, the mechanism of action for AL102, and the AL102 clinical studies. The RINGSIDE Phase 2/3 trial was designed in two parts, with Part A testing three regimens with different doses and administration schedules. Safety and tumor volume were evaluated at 16 weeks, and data used to select one dose for Part B. The results of Part A were announced in September 2022, with patients moving to an open label extension phase.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Exercise is well-known to help people lose weight and avoid gaining it. However, identifying the cellular mechanisms that underlie this process has proven difficult because so many cells and tissues are involved.
In a new study in mice that expands researchers’ understanding of how exercise and diet affect the body, MIT and Harvard Medical School researchers have mapped out many of the cells, genes, and cellular pathways that are modified by exercise or high-fat diet. The findings could offer potential targets for drugs that could help to enhance or mimic the benefits of exercise, the researchers say.
“It is extremely important to understand the molecular mechanisms that are drivers of the beneficial effects of exercise and the detrimental effects of a high-fat diet, so that we can understand how we can intervene, and develop drugs that mimic the impact of exercise across multiple tissues,” says Manolis Kellis, a professor of computer science in MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and a member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
The researchers studied mice with high-fat or normal diets, who were either sedentary or given the opportunity to exercise whenever they wanted. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, the researchers cataloged the responses of 53 types of cells found in skeletal muscle and two types of fatty tissue.
“One of the general points that we found in our study, which is overwhelmingly clear, is how high-fat diets push all of these cells and systems in one way, and exercise seems to be pushing them nearly all in the opposite way,” Kellis says. “It says that exercise can really have a major effect throughout the body.”
Kellis and Laurie Goodyear, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and senior investigator at the Joslin Diabetes Center, are the senior authors of the study, which appears today in the journal Cell Metabolism. Jiekun Yang, a research scientist in MIT CSAIL; Maria Vamvini, an instructor of medicine at the Joslin Diabetes Center; and Pasquale Nigro, an instructor of medicine at the Joslin Diabetes Center, are the lead authors of the paper.
The Risks of Obesity
Obesity is a growing health problem around the world. In the United States, more than 40 percent of the population is considered obese, and nearly 75 percent is overweight. Being overweight is a risk factor for many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and even infectious diseases such as Covid-19.
“Obesity, along with aging, is a global factor that contributes to every aspect of human health,” Kellis says.
Several years ago, his lab performed a study on the FTO gene region, which has been strongly linked to obesity risk. In that 2015 study, the research team found that genes in this region control a pathway that prompts immature fat cells called progenitor adipocytes to either become fat-burning cells or fat-storing cells.
That finding, which demonstrated a clear genetic component to obesity, motivated Kellis to begin looking at how exercise, a well-known behavioral intervention that can prevent obesity, might act on progenitor adipocytes at the cellular level.
To explore that question, Kellis and his colleagues decided to perform single-cell RNA sequencing of three types of tissue — skeletal muscle, visceral white adipose tissue (found packed around internal organs, where it stores fat), and subcutaneous white adipose tissue (which is found under the skin and primarily burns fat).
These tissues came from mice from four different experimental groups. For three weeks, two groups of mice were fed either a normal diet or a high-fat diet. For the next three weeks, each of those two groups were further divided into a sedentary group and an exercise group, which had continuous access to a treadmill.
By analyzing tissues from those mice, the researchers were able to comprehensively catalog the genes that were activated or suppressed by exercise in 53 different cell types.
The researchers found that in all three tissue types, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) appeared to control many of the diet and exercise-induced effects that they observed. MSCs are stem cells that can differentiate into other cell types, including fat cells and fibroblasts. In adipose tissue, the researchers found that a high-fat diet modulated MSCs’ capacity to differentiate into fat-storing cells, while exercise reversed this effect.
In addition to promoting fat storage, the researchers found that a high-fat diet also stimulated MSCs to secrete factors that remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM) — a network of proteins and other molecules that surround and support cells and tissues in the body. This ECM remodeling helps provide structure for enlarged fat-storing cells and also creates a more inflammatory environment.
“As the adipocytes become overloaded with lipids, there’s an extreme amount of stress, and that causes low-grade inflammation, which is systemic and preserved for a long time,” Kellis says. “That is one of the factors that is contributing to many of the adverse effects of obesity.”
Circadian Effects
The researchers also found that high-fat diets and exercise had opposing effects on cellular pathways that control circadian rhythms — the 24-hour cycles that govern many functions, from sleep to body temperature, hormone release, and digestion. The study revealed that exercise boosts the expression of genes that regulate these rhythms, while a high-fat diet suppresses them.
“There have been a lot of studies showing that when you eat during the day is extremely important in how you absorb the calories,” Kellis says. “The circadian rhythm connection is a very important one, and shows how obesity and exercise are in fact directly impacting that circadian rhythm in peripheral organs, which could act systemically on distal clocks and regulate stem cell functions and immunity.”
The researchers then compared their results to a database of human genes that have been linked with metabolic traits. They found that two of the circadian rhythm genes they identified in this study, known as DBP and CDKN1A, have genetic variants that have been associated with a higher risk of obesity in humans.
“These results help us see the translational values of these targets, and how we could potentially target specific biological processes in specific cell types,” Yang says.
The researchers are now analyzing samples of small intestine, liver, and brain tissue from the mice in this study, to explore the effects of exercise and high-fat diets on those tissues. They are also conducting work with human volunteers to sample blood and biopsies and study similarities and differences between human and mouse physiology. They hope that their findings will help guide drug developers in designing drugs that might mimic some of the beneficial effects of exercise.
“The message for everyone should be, eat a healthy diet and exercise if possible,” Kellis says. “For those for whom this is not possible, due to low access to healthy foods, or due to disabilities or other factors that prevent exercise, or simply lack of time to have a healthy diet or a healthy lifestyle, what this study says is that we now have a better handle on the pathways, the specific genes, and the specific molecular and cellular processes that we should be manipulating therapeutically.”
Both Stockholders and Those in Prison May Quickly Benefit
The government process moves painfully slow. Some things that are presumed to be just, right, and even best still take years to become the law of the land. As investors, we can be perfectly correct as to the eventual outcome, but the future may not come fast enough. It is taking many years for cannabis or marijuana laws to settle where most presume the eventual outcome will be. That’s a long time to be holding a stock, hopeful but with little real legislative news to propel it higher. The day may finally be approaching for U.S. pot stocks. President Biden announced on Thursday that he is taking quick steps to review federal marijuana laws and recognize related prison sentences.
The U.S. president announced on October 6 that he is initiating an administrative review of federal marijuana scheduling, and he also said that he would be granting mass pardons for people who have committed federal cannabis possession offenses. He asked that state governors do the same for state-level convictions.
The pronouncements are both on the Whitehouse.gov website under Briefing Room and on Twitter @POTUS.
Biden has laid very low on legalization since taking office. Although he campaigned on marijuana decriminalization, rescheduling, and expungements for low-level cannabis convictions, he has not held these as a priority. Mid-term elections are a month away, and the president may be knocking things off his “To-Do” list after two years in office.
The White House estimates that about 6,500 people with federal cannabis convictions could be eligible for relief under the new order, and thousands of others whose local offenses have them incarcerated could also benefit.
The scheduling review—which would be conducted by the Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—could fundamentally reshape U.S. marijuana policy at the federal level. Advocates had been pressuring the president to use his executive authority to initiate a path forward.
It’s not clear how long the review might take, but Biden stressed that he wants the agencies to process it “expeditiously.” It’s reasonable to expect that the review could result in a recommendation to move marijuana from the strictest classification of Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to a lower schedule or no schedule at all.
A White House official has reminded us that while the POTUS is asking for an expeditious review process, it’s still going to “take some time because it must be based on a careful consideration of all of the available evidence, including scientific and medical information that’s available.”
“This is meant to proceed swiftly. But, you know, this has to be a serious and considerate review of the available evidence,” they said. “So he’s not setting an artificial timeline, but he is saying this needs to be expeditious.”
Source: Whitehouse.gov (October 6, 2022)
This action is a clear about-face for the long-time politician. During his tenure in the Senate, Joe Biden served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee that helped shape drug policy during a period of intense scaremongering and increased criminalization. At the time, he was among the most prominent drug warriors serving in Congress.
Take Away
President Joe Biden has dropped what essentially amounts to a drug policy October surprise just before the midterm elections. The review comes at a time when a number of legislative efforts in both branches of Congress have failed to move forward.
While the pronouncement and order do not finalize federal laws related to banking or interstate commerce tied to cannabis products, it does signal an effort to move far more quickly. A number of publicly traded U.S. cannabis-related companies jumped after the news, including Tilray (TLRY), Schwazze (SHWZ), and Curaleaf (CURLF).
DENVER, Oct. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) (“Schwazze” or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that Justin Dye, Chairman & CEO will present to investors in a live VID Forum Town Hall on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at 11:00 am EST. Management will field moderated Q&A from investors and interested parties after their presentation. Please sign up here to register.
The Webinar will be interactive and will be hosted by VID Conferences. All stakeholders and interested investors are welcome to tune in and participate with questions. The playback will then be available on the Company’s website.
About Schwazze
Schwazze (OTCQX:SHWZ, NEO:SHWZ) is building a premier vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The Company is committed to unlocking the full potential of the cannabis plant to improve the human condition. Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company’s leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector. Schwazze is passionate about making a difference in our communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and doing our part to incorporate climate-conscious best practices. Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze’s former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc.
Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Such statements may be preceded by the words “plan,” “will,” “may,”, “predicts,” or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) our inability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (ii) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (iii) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (iv) loss of one or more key executives or scientists; (v) difficulties in securing regulatory approval to market our products and product candidates; (vi) our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy in Colorado and outside the state, (vii) our ability to consummate the acquisition described in this press release or to identify and consummate future acquisitions that meet our criteria, (viii) our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and realize synergies therefrom, (ix) the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, * the timing and extent of governmental stimulus programs, (xi) the uncertainty in the application of federal, state and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws, and * out ability to satisfy the closing conditions for the private finding described in this press release. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.
