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The Darknet Supply Chain Creates Risk for Most All Online Transactions

Posted on by phoffman@channelchek.com
Image Credit: Richard Patterson (Flickr)

Darknet Markets Generate Millions in Revenue Selling Stolen Personal Data, Supply Chain Study Finds

It is common to hear news reports about large data breaches, but what happens once your personal data is stolen? Our research shows that, like most legal commodities, stolen data products flow through a supply chain consisting of producers, wholesalers and consumers. But this supply chain involves the interconnection of multiple criminal organizations operating in illicit underground marketplaces.

The stolen data supply chain begins with producers – hackers who exploit vulnerable systems and steal sensitive information such as credit card numbers, bank account information and Social Security numbers. Next, the stolen data is advertised by wholesalers and distributors who sell the data. Finally, the data is purchased by consumers who use it to commit various forms of fraud, including fraudulent credit card transactions, identity theft and phishing attacks.

This trafficking of stolen data between producers, wholesalers and consumers is enabled by darknet markets, which are websites that resemble ordinary e-commerce websites but are accessible only using special browsers or authorization codes.

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, Christian Jordan Howell

Assistant Professor in Cybercrime, University of South Florida and David Maimon, Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University.

We found several thousand vendors selling tens of thousands of stolen data products on 30 darknet markets. These vendors had more than US$140 million in revenue over an eight-month period.

The stolen data supply chain, from data theft to fraud. Christian Jordan Howell, CC BY-ND

Darknet Markets

Just like traditional e-commerce sites, darknet markets provide a platform for vendors to connect with potential buyers to facilitate transactions. Darknet markets, though, are notorious for the sale of illicit products. Another key distinction is that access to darknet markets requires the use of special software such as the Onion Router, or TOR, which provides security and anonymity.

Silk Road, which emerged in 2011, combined TOR and bitcoin to become the first known darknet market. The market was eventually seized in 2013, and the founder, Ross Ulbricht, was sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years without the possibility of parole. Ulbricht’s hefty prison sentence did not appear to have the intended deterrent effect. Multiple markets emerged to fill the void and, in doing so, created a thriving ecosystem profiting from stolen personal data.

Example of a stolen data ‘product’ sold on a darknet market. Screenshot by Christian Jordan Howell, CC BY-ND

Stolen Data Ecosystem

Recognizing the role of darknet markets in trafficking stolen data, we conducted the largest systematic examination of stolen data markets that we are aware of to better understand the size and scope of this illicit online ecosystem. To do this, we first identified 30 darknet markets advertising stolen data products.

Next, we extracted information about stolen data products from the markets on a weekly basis for eight months, from Sept. 1, 2020, through April 30, 2021. We then used this information to determine the number of vendors selling stolen data products, the number of stolen data products advertised, the number of products sold and the amount of revenue generated.

In total, there were 2,158 vendors who advertised at least one of the 96,672 product listings across the 30 marketplaces. Vendors and product listings were not distributed equally across markets. On average, marketplaces had 109 unique vendor aliases and 3,222 product listings related to stolen data products. Marketplaces recorded 632,207 sales across these markets, which generated $140,337,999 in total revenue. Again, there is high variation across the markets. On average, marketplaces had 26,342 sales and generated $5,847,417 in revenue.

The size and scope of the stolen data ecosystem over an eight-month period. Christian Jordan Howell, CC BY-ND

After assessing the aggregate characteristics of the ecosystem, we analyzed each of the markets individually. In doing so, we found that a handful of markets were responsible for trafficking most of the stolen data products. The three largest markets – Apollon, WhiteHouse and Agartha – contained 58% of all vendors. The number of listings ranged from 38 to 16,296, and the total number of sales ranged from 0 to 237,512. The total revenue of markets also varied substantially during the 35-week period: It ranged from $0 to $91,582,216 for the most successful market, Agartha.

For comparison, most midsize companies operating in the U.S. earn between $10 million and $1 billion annually. Both Agartha and Cartel earned enough revenue within the 35-week period we tracked them to be characterized as midsize companies, earning $91.6 million and $32.3 million, respectively. Other markets like Aurora, DeepMart and White House were also on track to reach the revenue of a midsize company if given a full year to earn.

Our research details a thriving underground economy and illicit supply chain enabled by darknet markets. As long as data is routinely stolen, there are likely to be marketplaces for the stolen information.

These darknet markets are difficult to disrupt directly, but efforts to thwart customers of stolen data from using it offers some hope. We believe that advances in artificial intelligence can provide law enforcement agencies, financial institutions and others with information needed to prevent stolen data from being used to commit fraud. This could stop the flow of stolen data through the supply chain and disrupt the underground economy that profits from your personal data.

The Fed Still Has a Long Way to Go To Reel in Wage Inflation

Posted on by phoffman@channelchek.com
Image Credit: Andrew Hudson (Flickr)

Employers Added 263,000 Jobs in November, How this Impacts Future Fed Decisions

There were many more jobs created and filled in the U.S. during November than expected. This may, on the surface, seem like a good thing for the economy, markets, and job seekers. But any expectation that the Fed is past the tipping point and is winning in the battle against conditions that increase prices will have to be curbed for a while.

The number of new hires points to unmet demand in filling positions, and the increase in wages directly adds to the cost of goods sold. Unmet high labor demand is inflationary and part of why the Fed is clear that it is not done.

Fed Chair Powell spoke last Wednesday in a lengthy address outlining the challenges that face the Fed and the avenues it is most likely to take. There is nothing in the strong November jobs report that alters what Powell has said. In fact, it may underscore the resiliency of the economy that the Fed is looking to temper. If you weren’t of the belief that the Fed would push Fed Funds beyond 5%, there is evidence that the Fed may need three 0.50% increases or more before it steps back.

Background

The Fed Chair and other Fed officials have reiterated in recent days that they are likely to lift rates and hold them at levels high enough to slow economic activity and hiring to bring inflation down from 40-year highs.

The just-released employment report for November was expected to come in far below the level reported. Digging even deeper into the numbers, it showed continued rampant hiring and elevated wage growth. The Fed had been hoping to keep a wage-price spiral at bay and get ahead of the supply-demand issues pushing wages and prices up.  

The November Unemployment Report

The headline number showed that employers added 263,000 jobs in November while the unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%. But the revised wage data in Friday’s release could concern Fed officials because it points to an acceleration in pay gains in recent months. For the three months that ended in November, average hourly earnings rose at a 5.8% annualized rate. This is a surprising increase from an initially reported 3.9% annualized rate for the three months that ended in October. Economists had expected the U.S. economy had gained 200,000 jobs last month.

At the same time, senior Fed officials have made sure it is no surprise if they lessen the size of rate increases in coming meetings. The next FOMC is the Dec. 13-14 meeting; the Fed is expected to move 0.50% rather than another 0.75%.

Most major stock market indices have traded lower, taking a bearish tone from the report and signs the Fed still is a little behind in its effort to squelch inflation-feeding activity.

Of interest to investors, the sectors with the most job gains were the leisure and hospitality and healthcare industries, both of which had been hard hit during the pandemic, and in government, where employment levels are still 2% below where they stood in February 2020.

Take Away

“To be clear, strong wage growth is a good thing,” Powell said this week. “But for wage growth to be sustainable, it needs to be consistent with 2% inflation.”

The accelerated pace of job growth in November, coupled with upwardly revised October statistics, makes clear to the markets the persistent challenge facing the Federal Reserve. The central bank has repeated that it needs to see some slack in the labor market in order for inflation to fall. This could come from reduced labor demand or increased labor supply, or both.

Release – Cocrystal Pharma Highlights Progress with CC-42344 as a Potential Oral Treatment for Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza A at the World Antiviral Congress 2022

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research, News, and Market Data on COCP

DECEMBER 01, 2022

Affirms plans to report topline Phase 1 results in 2022 and to initiate Phase 2a influenza human challenge trial in 2023

BOTHELL, Wash., Dec. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: COCP) announces that progress with CC-42344 for the treatment of pandemic and seasonal influenza A from its Phase 1 study was presented today at the World Antiviral Congress 2022 underway in San Diego. The presentation, “Novel Broad-Spectrum Influenza A PB2 Inhibitor: Clinical Update,” was delivered by Cocrystal President and co-interim CEO Sam Lee, PhD and the slides are available here.

“We appreciate the opportunity to present our antiviral drug discovery platform technology and favorable interim Phase 1 data,” said Dr. Lee. “Seasonal and pandemic influenza A continue to be major global health threats, especially given the potential for resistance against approved antivirals. Our presentation highlights potential clinical benefits for the treatment of pandemic influenza and the advantages of the oral influenza antiviral CC-42344 drug, which targets the PB2 protein of the influenza polymerase complex. We believe this novel mechanism of action holds promise against all significant influenza A strains including bird flu, while also having a high barrier to resistance. Our assessment to date also indicates that CC-42344 will have a strong synergistic effect when used with approved antivirals.”

In November 2022 Cocrystal reported that orally administered CC-42344 showed a favorable safety profile in both the single- and multiple-ascending dose portions of the Phase 1 study. The Company is currently awaiting pharmacokinetic results from this study and plans to report topline results later this year.

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, an essential replication enzyme with several highly conserved regions common to multiple influenza strains. In vitro testing showed CC-42344’s excellent antiviral activity against influenza A strains, including pandemic and seasonal strains, as well as against strains resistant to Tamiflu® and Xofluza®.

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 potential clinical benefits of CC-42344, including its prospective efficacy against all influenza A strains, high barrier to resistance and synergistic effects with approved antivirals, and our plans to report topline results of the Phase 1 study by the end of 2022. 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 any future impact of COVID-19 (including long-term or pervasive effects of the virus), inflation, interest rate increases and the war in Ukraine on the U.K. and global economy and on our Company, including supply chain disruptions and our continued ability to proceed with our programs, including our influenza A program, the ability of the contract research organization to recruit patients into clinical trials, the results of future preclinical and clinical studies, and general risks arising from clinical trials. 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, 2021. 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
jcain@lhai.com 

Media Contact:
JQA Partners
Jules Abraham
917-885-7378
Jabraham@jqapartners.com

+# # #

Source: Cocrystal Pharma, Inc.

Released December 1, 2022

Release – Maple Gold Ramps Up Winter Exploration Activities with Five Drill Rigs Now Mobilized at Eagle and Joutel

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Research, News, and Market Data on MGMLF

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – December 1, 2022) – Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSXV: MGM) (OTCQB: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G) (“Maple Gold” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that, further to the Company’s news release on October 7, 2022, two (2) additional drill rigs have been secured, bringing the number of rigs at site up to five (5) in total. The additional rigs will help to complete the previously announced 6,000 metre (“m”) deep drilling program in the Telbel mine area (“Telbel”) at the Joutel Project (“Joutel”), which is held by a 50/50 joint venture (the “JV”) between the Company and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, as well as initiate the previously announced 10,000 m deep drilling program at the JV’s Douay Project (“Douay”) in the coming weeks.

Three (3) drill rigs are currently turning at the Company’s 100%-controlled Eagle Mine Property (“Eagle”), where the previously announced 5,000 m Phase III drill program is expected to be completed by year-end. A fourth drill rig was added in late October and continues to drill at Telbel. The fifth drill rig has arrived at site and been mobilized to Telbel, where the Company expects to complete the 6,000 m program by January 2023. As drill rigs become available from Eagle and Telbel, they will be relocated to Douay and the Company anticipates having all five (5) drill rigs turning at Douay during Q1/2023 to expedite the 10,000 m deep drilling program.

The Company has now released assay results corresponding to approximately 13,300 m of 2022 drilling across Eagle and Douay, with approximately 10,300 m of additional drilling completed to-date at Eagle and Telbel.

“With five drill rigs actively turning on our Québec projects, the Company remains on track to meet our targeted 2022 drill metreage,” stated Matthew Hornor, President and CEO of Maple Gold. “We look forward to additional results from drilling at Eagle and Telbel and to commencing the deep drill program at Douay to test potential depth extensions below the current pit-constrained mineral resource as soon as drill rigs from Eagle and Telbel become available.”

Deep drilling at Telbel and Douay is being funded by a previously announced C$4.8-million supplemental Year Two JV exploration budget (see news from May 18, 2022). The JV’s additional Year Three (February 2, annual start date) drilling and exploration plans will be designed by the partners in late Q4 2022 and finalized during early Q1 2023.


 Pictured above: Multiple drill rigs in action at Eagle as exploration drilling ramps up along the Joutel Mine Complex, which produced 1.1 Moz at 6.5 g/t Au from 1974 – 1993.
 
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/146401_b9b802b32407eb44_001full.jpg

About Maple Gold

Maple Gold Mines Ltd. is a Canadian advanced exploration company in a 50/50 joint venture with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited to jointly advance the district-scale Douay and Joutel gold projects located in Québec’s prolific Abitibi Greenstone Gold Belt. The projects benefit from exceptional infrastructure and access and boast ~400 km² of highly prospective ground including an established gold resource at Douay (SLR 2022) that holds significant expansion potential as well as the past-producing Eagle, Telbel and Eagle West mines at Joutel. In addition, the Company holds an exclusive option to acquire 100% of the Eagle Mine Property.

The district-scale property package also hosts a significant number of regional exploration targets along a 55 km strike length of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone that have yet to be tested through drilling, making the project ripe for new gold and polymetallic discoveries. The Company is well capitalized and is currently focused on carrying out exploration and drill programs to grow resources and make new discoveries to establish an exciting new gold district in the heart of the Abitibi. For more information, please visit www.maplegoldmines.com.

ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD.

“Matthew Hornor”

B. Matthew Hornor, President & CEO

For Further Information Please Contact:

Mr. Joness Lang
Executive Vice-President
Cell: 778.686.6836
Email: jlang@maplegoldmines.com

Mr. Jeff Uppal
Manager, Investor Relations
Cell: 778.977.4724
Email: juppal@maplegoldmines.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 PRESS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively referred to as “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada, including statements about exploration work and results from current and future work programs. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management’s best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company’s expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Maple Gold Mines Ltd.’s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company’s website at www.maplegoldmines.com. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/146401

Release – Harte Hanks Acquires InsideOut Solutions, LLC, for $7.5 million

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research, News, and Market Data on HHS

Thursday, December 1, 2022 9:00 AM

CHELMSFORD, MA / ACCESSWIRE / December 1, 2022 / Harte Hanks Inc. (NASDAQ:HHS), a leading global customer experience company, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of InsideOut Solutions, LLC, an inside sales optimization firm. InsideOut offers inbound and outbound sales outsourcing and experimentation services for partners globally.

“With the acquisition of InsideOut and its inside sales capabilities, Harte Hanks is uniquely positioned to help customers drive growth by optimizing sales and marketing demand generation programs,” commented Brian Linscott, Harte Hanks CEO. “We couldn’t be more pleased with this acquisition, and we are excited to welcome the talented InsideOut team to Harte Hanks. The acquisition of InsideOut will not only provide short-term revenue growth opportunities, but also will be immediately accretive to HHS value. We anticipate cost synergies alone will drive the post-acquisition valuation in the 3-4x EBITDA range.”

“Harte Hanks’ proven ability to drive marketing leads with our cross-segment Marketing Services and Customer Care team and InsideOut’s talent, processes, and experience in delivering sales-qualified leads will drive higher value for our clients,” added Linscott. “InsideOut clients can now come to Harte Hanks for a broad scope of marketing (including data & analytics), customer care, fulfillment and logistics services.”

“We are thrilled to have InsideOut join the Harte Hanks team. What attracted us to Harte Hanks was the clear alignment in culture and values, the like-minded commitment to our partners and a focus on our people, who we believe are the cornerstone for our successes,” remarked Christina Cherry, CEO of InsideOut. Ms. Cherry continued, “This transaction enables us to scale faster and support further growth for our partners, and to provide additional opportunities for our exceptional team of employees, given Harte Hanks’ broader scope of services.”

The combined organizations will begin operations as Harte Hanks on December 1, 2022, with 136 employees joining the Harte Hanks team. Harte Hanks also adds a seventh location to its North American offices with the acquisition of InsideOut’s 7,500-square-foot headquarter facility based in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Transaction Details
Harte Hanks has acquired substantially all the assets of InsideOut on December 1, 2022 for a purchase price of $7.5 million, to be paid with a combination of cash and shares of HHS common stock.

Additional information about the completed acquisition will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Harte Hanks with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov.

About InsideOut:
InsideOut specializes in building, scaling and optimizing inside sales initiatives for some of the world’s largest corporations. In the last seven years the Florida-based organization has partnered with leading Fortune 500 companies including Google, IBM, T-Mobile and Honeywell.

Deploying an analytically driven approach to inside sales experimentation and testing, InsideOut has gained global recognition as one of the most innovative revenue development organizations in the United States. For more information, visit insideoutlab.com.

InsideOut was represented in the transaction by its investment banker Novistra Capital.

About Harte Hanks:
Harte Hanks (NASDAQ:HHS) is a leading global customer experience company that partners with clients to provide them with CX strategy, data-driven analytics and actionable insights combined with seamless program execution to better understand, attract and engage their customers.

Using its resources and talent in the areas of Customer Care, Fulfillment, Logistics, and Marketing Services, Harte Hanks has driven results for some of the world’s premier brands, including Bank of America, GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever, Pfizer, HBOMax, Volvo, Ford, FedEx, Midea, Sony and IBM. Headquartered in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Harte Hanks has over 2,500 employees in offices across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. For more information, visit hartehanks.com.

For media inquiries, contact Jennifer London at Jen.London@HarteHanks.com.

SOURCE: Harte Hanks, Inc.

Release – Salem Media Group to Present at the Upcoming 17th Annual Singular Research Best of the Uncovered Investor Conference

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research, News, and Market Data on SALM

December 01, 2022 9:00am EST

IRVING, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM), announced today that it will present at the 17th annual Singular Research Best of the Uncovered Investor Conference in San Francisco on December 8, 2022 at 3:45 PM Central Time. The presentation will be available on the investor relations portion of the company’s website www.salemmedia.com prior to the company’s presentation.

ABOUT SINGULAR RESEARCH:

Singular Research aims to be the most trusted supplier of independent, trusted, single-sources research on small-to-micro cap companies to the small-to-medium sized Hedge Fund manager. Singular Research provides quarterly updates for 40 to 70 companies and makes recommendations.

Singular strives to achieve goals by finding under or overvalued securities. Singular’s goal is to provide initiation reports and quarterly updates for approximately 40 micro to small cap companies. In most cases, Singular analysts research companies that are not covered by any other firms.

Singular provides honest advice. Independent analysts have no financial interest in the stocks covered. Analysts are compensated based on the accuracy of their research calls not through trading commissions or potential deal flow.

ABOUT SALEM MEDIA GROUP:

Salem Media Group is America’s leading multimedia company specializing in Christian and conservative content, with media properties comprising radio, digital media and book and newsletter publishing. Each day Salem serves a loyal and dedicated audience of listeners and readers numbering in the millions nationally. With its unique programming focus, Salem provides compelling content, fresh commentary and relevant information from some of the most respected figures across the Christian and conservative media landscape. Learn more about Salem Media Group, Inc. at www.salemmedia.com, Facebook and Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221129006018/en/

Evan D. Masyr
Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
(805) 384-4512
evan@salemmedia.com

Source: Salem Media Group, Inc.

Released December 1, 2022

Release – Tonix Pharmaceuticals Presents Development Update on Potential Smallpox and Monkeypox Vaccine TNX-801 in an Oral Presentation at the World Vaccine and Immunotherapy Congress

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research, News, and Market Data on TNXP

December 01, 2022 7:00am EST

TNX-801 is Based on the Sequence of a Natural Isolate of Horsepox and is Believed Closer in Structure to Edward Jenner’s 1798 Vaccine than Modern Vaccinia Virus Vaccines Against Smallpox

Live-Virus Vaccine Platform Leverages Tonix’s Expanding Internal Development and Manufacturing Capabilities for Biologics

CHATHAM, N.J., Dec. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that Seth Lederman, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Tonix Pharmaceuticals, presented data from the Company’s TNX-801 (live horsepox virus vaccine) smallpox and monkeypox vaccine development program in an oral presentation at the World Vaccine and Immunotherapy Congress 2022, being held in San Diego, Calif., November 28 – December 1, 2022. A copy of the Company’s presentation is available under the Scientific Presentations tab of the Tonix website at www.tonixpharma.com

“TNX-801 is a live virus vaccine that we believe is closer to the smallpox vaccines used in the U.S. and Europe before 1900 than the modern vaccinia smallpox vaccines. TNX-801 has reduced virulence in animals, and we believe it has the potential for widespread use to protect against monkeypox,” said Seth Lederman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer. “Recent global outbreaks of monkeypox have highlighted the need to be prepared with a vaccine that provides durable immunity and blocks forward transmission. Tonix’s live virus vaccine technology is designed to achieve these outcomes.”

The oral presentation titled, “Live Virus Smallpox and Monkeypox Vaccine,” describes the history of live virus vaccines and rationale for the development of the Company’s Recombinant Pox Virus (RPV) platform, including TNX-801 to protect against monkeypox and smallpox. The presentation describes the origins of immunization, beginning with the first live virus vaccine invented by Dr. Edward Jenner in 1798. The inoculation procedure was called “vaccination” and the inoculum material was initially obtained from lesions on cows affected by a mild disease known as cowpox. However, Dr. Jenner suspected that cowpox originated from horses8,which led to immunization using material directly obtained from horses. This procedure was sometimes called “equination”. Equination and vaccination were practiced side-by-side in Europe13,14. Today, molecular analysis of DNA sequences from archaic smallpox vaccines suggests that TNX-801 is closer than modern smallpox vaccinia vaccines to the vaccine discovered and disseminated by Dr. Edward Jenner6-8.

As presented at the Canadian Society for Virology in June 2022, non-human primates vaccinated with TNX-801 were fully protected with sterilizing immunity from a challenge with intra-tracheal monkeypox.

In July 2022, the Company announced a collaboration with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) to seek regulatory approval for conducting a Phase 1 clinical study in Kenya to develop TNX-801 as a vaccine to protect against monkeypox and smallpox. The study is expected to start in the first half of 2023.

About TNX-801 and TNX-1850

TNX-801 is a live virus vaccine based on synthesized horsepox2,3. Tonix is developing TNX-801 for percutaneous administration as a vaccine to protect against monkeypox and smallpox. Tonix has previously reported positive data from a monkeypox challenge study in non-human primates4. Tonix is also developing TNX-1850 (horsepox-based live virus vaccines) for the prevention of COVID-19. TNX-1850 is designed to express the spike protein from the BA.2 variants of SARS-CoV-2. Tonix has previously reported positive data from a SARS-CoV-2 challenge study in non-human primates in which animals were vaccinated with TNX-1800, a horsepox-based vaccine expressing spike protein from the Wuhan strain5. Tonix’s TNX-801 was synthesized2 based on the sequence of the 1976 natural isolate Mongolian horsepox clone MNR-763. Molecular analysis of DNA sequences suggests that TNX-801 is closer than modern smallpox vaccines to the vaccine discovered and disseminated by Dr. Edward Jenner in 17986-8. For example, recent studies9,10 have shown approximately 99.7% colinear identity between TNX-801 and the circa 1860 U.S. smallpox vaccine VK05.11 The small plaque size in culture of TNX-801 appears identical to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control publication of the natural isolate12. Relative to vaccinia, horsepox has substantially decreased virulence in mice2. Dr. Edward Jenner invented vaccination in 1798 and the procedure was called “vaccination” because ‘cow’ is ‘vacca’ in Latin and the inoculum material was initially obtained from lesions on the udders of cows affected by a mild disease known as cowpox. However, Dr. Jenner suspected that cowpox originated from horses8. Subsequently, Dr. Jenner and others immunized against smallpox using material directly obtained from horses. The use of vaccines from horses was sometimes called ‘equination’ from the Latin ‘equus’ which means ‘horse’13. Equination and vaccination were practiced side-by-side in Europe13,14.

About the Recombinant Pox Virus (RPV) Platform

Horsepox virus and vaccines based on its use as a vector are live replicating viruses that elicit strong immune responses. Live replicating orthopoxviruses, like vaccinia or horsepox, can be engineered to express foreign genes and have been exploited as platforms for vaccine development because they possess; (1) large packaging capacity for exogenous DNA inserts, (2) precise virus-specific control of exogenous gene insert expression, (3) lack of persistence or genomic integration in the host, (4) strong immunogenicity as a vaccine, (5) ability to rapidly generate vector/insert constructs, (6) manufacturable at scale, and (7) ability to provide direct antigen presentation. Relative to vaccinia, horsepox has substantially decreased virulence in mice2. Horsepox-based vaccines are designed to be single dose, vial-sparing vaccines, that can be manufactured using conventional cell culture systems, with the potential for mass scale production and packaging in multi-dose vials. Tonix’s TNX-801 and RPV vaccine candidates are administered percutaneously using a two-pronged, or “bifurcated” needle. The major cutaneous reaction or “take” to vaccinia vaccine was described by Dr. Edward Jenner in 1796 and has been used since then as a biomarker for protective immunity to smallpox, including in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) accelerated smallpox eradication program that successfully eradicated smallpox in the 1960’s. The “take” is a measure of functional T cell immunity validated by the eradication of smallpox, a respiratory-transmitted disease caused by variola.

About Monkeypox and Smallpox

Monkeypox15 and smallpox16 are diseases in humans called by the monkeypox and smallpox (or variola) viruses, respectively. Monkeypox and variola are closely related orthopox viruses. Vaccination against smallpox with live virus vaccines based on horsepox or vaccinia protects against monkeypox. After routine smallpox vaccination was stopped in about 1970, monkeypox has become a growing problem in Africa. Recently approximately 300 cases have been identified outside of Africa.17 Smallpox is considered eradicated, but there are concerns about malicious reintroduction.

About Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.1

Tonix is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, licensing, acquiring and developing therapeutics to treat and prevent human disease and alleviate suffering. Tonix’s portfolio is composed of central nervous system (CNS), rare disease, immunology and infectious disease product candidates. Tonix’s CNS portfolio includes both small molecules and biologics to treat pain, neurologic, psychiatric and addiction conditions. Tonix’s lead CNS candidate, TNX-102 SL (cyclobenzaprine HCl sublingual tablet), is in mid-Phase 3 development for the management of fibromyalgia with a new Phase 3 study launched in the second quarter of 2022 and interim data expected in the second quarter of 2023. TNX-102 SL is also being developed to treat Long COVID, a chronic post-acute COVID-19 condition. Tonix initiated a Phase 2 study in Long COVID in the third quarter of 2022 and expects interim data in the second quarter of 2023. TNX-1300 (cocaine esterase) is a biologic designed to treat cocaine intoxication and has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA. A Phase 2 study of TNX-1300 is expected to be initiated in the first quarter of 2023. TNX-1900 (intranasal potentiated oxytocin), a small molecule in development for chronic migraine, is expected to enter the clinic with a Phase 2 study in the first quarter of 2023. TNX-601 ER (tianeptine hemioxalate extended-release tablets) is a once-daily formulation of tianeptine being developed as a potential treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) with a Phase 2 study expected to be initiated in the first quarter of 2023. Tonix’s rare disease portfolio includes TNX-2900 (intranasal potentiated oxytocin) for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome. TNX-2900 has been granted Orphan Drug designation by the FDA. Tonix’s immunology portfolio includes biologics to address organ transplant rejection, autoimmunity and cancer, including TNX-1500, which is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD40-ligand (CD40L or CD154) being developed for the prevention of allograft and xenograft rejection and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. A Phase 1 study of TNX-1500 is expected to be initiated in the first half of 2023. Tonix’s infectious disease pipeline consists of a vaccine in development to prevent smallpox and monkeypox, next-generation vaccines to prevent COVID-19, and a platform to make fully human monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19. TNX-801, Tonix’s vaccine in development to prevent smallpox and monkeypox, also serves as the live virus vaccine platform or recombinant pox vaccine (RPV) platform for other infectious diseases. A Phase 1 study of TNX-801 is expected to be initiated in Kenya in the first half of 2023. Tonix’s lead vaccine candidate for COVID-19 is TNX-1850, a live virus vaccines based on Tonix’s recombinant pox live virus vector vaccine platform.

1All of Tonix’s product candidates are investigational new drugs or biologics and have not been approved for any indication.

2Noyce RS, et al. (2018) PLoS One. 13(1):e0188453

3Tulman ER, et al. (2006) J Virol. 80(18):9244-58.PMID:16940536

4Noyce, RS, et al. Synthetic Chimeric Horsepox Virus (scHPXV) Vaccination Protects Macaques from Monkeypox* Presented as a poster at the American Society of Microbiology BioThreats Conference – January 29, 2020, Arlington, VA. (https://content.equisolve.net/tonixpharma/media/10929ac27f4fb5f5204f5cf41d59a121.pdf)

5Tonix Press Release March 16, 202a https://ir.tonixpharma.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1255/tonix-pharmaceuticals-reports-positive-covid-19-vaccine

6Schrick L et al. N Engl J Med. (2017) 377:1491.

7Qin et al. J. Virol. 89:1809 (2015).

8Jenner E. “An Inquiry Into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae: A Disease Discovered in Some of the Western Counties of England, Particularly Gloucestershire, and Known by the Name of the Cow Pox.” London: Sampson Low, 1798.

9Brinkmann A et al, Genome Biology (2020) 21:286 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-020-02202-0

10Duggan A et al. Genome Biology (2020) 21:175 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-020-02079-z

11Tonix press release. Dec 4, 2020 https://ir.tonixpharma.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1236/vaccine-genome-researchers-report-99-7-colinear-identity

12Trindale GS et al. Viruses (2016) (12). Pii: E328. PMID:27973399

13Esparza E, et al Vaccine. (2017) 35(52):7222-7230.

14Esparza J et al. Vaccine. (2020); 38(30):4773-4779.

15www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about.html

16www.cdc.gov/smallpox/research/

17Mandavilli, A. The New York Times. May 26, 2020. “Who is protected against monkeypox”

This press release and further information about Tonix can be found at www.tonixpharma.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “expect,” and “intend,” among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Tonix’s current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to the failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations; delays and uncertainties caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic; risks related to the timing and progress of clinical development of our product candidates; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payor reimbursement; limited research and development efforts and dependence upon third parties; and substantial competition. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. Tonix does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 14, 2022, and periodic reports filed with the SEC on or after the date thereof. All of Tonix’s forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date thereof.

Contacts

Jessica Morris (corporate)
Tonix Pharmaceuticals
investor.relations@tonixpharma.com
(862) 904-8182

Olipriya Das, Ph.D. (media)
Russo Partners
Olipriya.Das@russopartnersllc.com
(646) 942-5588

Peter Vozzo (investors)
ICR Westwicke
peter.vozzo@westwicke.com
(443) 213-0505

Source: Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.

Released December 1, 2022

Release – Comstock Announces Dayton Mineral Resource Report Significantly Expands Gold and Silver Resources

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research, News, and Market Data on LODE

VIRGINIA CITY, Nev., Dec. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” or the “Company”) today announced the publication of the initial technical report for the Company’s Dayton Consolidated Project. Behre Dolbear authored the independent, initial assessment of the Dayton Consolidated Project mineral resources, as of November 1, 2022, compliant with current SEC S-K 1300 guidelines. The full report is available on the Company’s website, at www.comstock.inc/investors.

The estimated mineral resource is constrained within an open pit economic shell based on a gold price of $1,800 per ounce and reported at a cutoff grade of 0.007 ounce gold per ton. The estimate includes Measured and Indicated resources containing 293,000 ounces of gold and 2,120,000 ounces of silver, plus an additional Inferred resource containing 90,000 ounces of gold and 480,000 ounces of silver.

The Dayton resource is located approximately one mile south of the Company’s Lucerne mining area, along State Route 342 and State Route 341. It includes the historic Dayton, Alhambra, Metropolitan, and Kossuth mines. Additional Comstock exploration areas located northwest, southwest, and south of the Dayton Project include Oest, Amazon Extension of Oest, and Spring Valley, respectively.

The Dayton project has long been known for high grade assays, with gold assays as high as 2.95 ounces per ton, and silver assays as high as 6.68 ounces per ton. Drilling by Comstock has also encountered significant thicknesses of mineralization, including 135 feet averaging 0.218 ounces per ton Au and 0.685 ounces per ton Ag (hole D11-21), 145 feet averaging 0.056 ounces per ton Au and 0.352 ounces per ton Ag (hole D11-33), 50 feet averaging 0.030 ounces per ton Au and 1.072 ounces per ton Ag (hole D94-17), 295 feet averaging 0.027 ounces per ton Au and 0.087 ounces per ton Ag (hole D10-01), and 235 feet averaging 0.031 ounces per ton Au and 0.102 ounces per ton Ag (hole SV12-05).

The report reflects a newly developed geologic model based on highly detailed and methodical identification and correlation of structural and lithological controls for mineralization.

Behre Dolbear’s conclusions include,

  • The Dayton Project represents an early stage but well-explored, epithermal, precious metal deposit within an historic world-class mining district.
  • The geology of the project area, particularly in the Dayton resource area, is well described and understood through vigorous surface and underground mapping and drill hole logging.
  • Based upon drilling, continuity of the mineralized zone appears to be good.
  • The QP opines that potentially higher-grade mineralization may exist in previously un-drilled areas in the Dayton resource where northeast striking faults intersect.
  • The deposit is hosted in structurally prepared rocks within the southerly striking east dipping Silver City fault zone extension. Grades and extent of mineralization are enhanced where this fault zone is intersected by north-south, northwest, and northeast striking faults and in particular where N50°E faults intersect N75°E faults.
  • At Spring Valley, high-grade or bonanza-style mineralization may be present as much of the area is covered by post-mineral gravel and historic mining is minimal.

“These results confirm the quality and growth potential of our Dayton resource,” stated Corrado De Gasperis, Comstock’s Executive Chairman and CEO. “When combined with the results of the recent technical report published on our Lucerne resource, Comstock controls significant, district-wide mineral resources with outstanding potential for further gold and silver mineral resource growth.”

Comstock plans to develop the Dayton resource systemically, through the deployment of more advanced mineral discovery technologies and a series of phased drilling programs and engineering studies. A first phase of drilling, recommended by Behre Dolbear, includes 70 RC holes totaling 31,500 feet that will, among other objectives, test for high grade mineralization and step out exploration into Spring Valley.

About Behre Dolbear
Behre Dolbear is a one of the oldest mineral industry advisory firms in the world, continuously operating since 1911. Behre Dolbear authored the Technical Report Summary, Dayton Consolidated Project, Lyon County, Nevada as an independent third-party, following the United States Security and Exchange Commission’s mining rules under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K.

About Comstock
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 prices and sales of, and demand for, our products; land entitlements and uses; permits; production capacity and operations; operating and overhead costs; future capital expenditures and their impact on us; operational and management changes (including changes in the Board of Directors); changes in business strategies, planning and tactics; future employment and contributions of personnel, including consultants; future land sales; investments, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, business combinations, operational, tax, financial and restructuring initiatives, including the nature, timing and accounting for restructuring charges, derivative assets and liabilities and the impact thereof; contingencies; litigation, administrative or arbitration proceedings; environmental compliance and changes in the regulatory environment; offerings, limitations on sales or offering of equity or debt securities, including asset sales and associated costs; and future working capital, costs, revenues, business opportunities, debt levels, cash flows, margins, taxes, earnings and growth. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management considering their experience and their perception of historical and current trends, current conditions, possible future developments, and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees, representations or warranties and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our control and could cause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Some of those risks and uncertainties include the risk factors set forth in our filings with the SEC and the following: adverse effects of climate changes or natural disasters; adverse effects of global or regional pandemic disease spread or other crises; global economic and capital market uncertainties; the speculative nature of gold or mineral exploration, and lithium, nickel and cobalt recycling, including risks of diminishing quantities or grades of qualified resources; metal recycling, processing or mining activities; costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with precious metal based activities, including environmentally friendly and economically enhancing clean mining and processing technologies, precious metal exploration, resource development, economic feasibility assessment and cash generating mineral production; costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with metal recycling, processing or mining activities; contests over our title to properties; potential dilution to our stockholders from our stock issuances, recapitalization and balance sheet restructuring activities; potential inability to comply with applicable government regulations or law; adoption of or changes in legislation or regulations adversely affecting our businesses; permitting constraints or delays; ability to achieve the benefits of business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, us, including those involving battery technology, quantum computing and advanced materials development, and development of cellulosic technology in bio-fuels and related carbon-based material production; ability to successfully identify, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, business combinations, asset sales, and investments that we may be party to in the future; changes in the United States or other monetary or fiscal policies or regulations; interruptions in our production capabilities due to capital constraints; equipment failures; fluctuation of prices for gold or certain other commodities (such as silver, zinc, lithium, nickel, cobalt, cyanide, water, diesel, gasoline and alternative fuels and electricity); changes in generally accepted accounting principles; adverse effects of war, mass shooting, terrorism and geopolitical events; potential inability to implement our business strategies; potential inability to grow revenues; potential inability to attract and retain key personnel; interruptions in delivery of critical supplies, equipment and raw materials due to credit or other limitations imposed by vendors; assertion of claims, lawsuits and proceedings against us; potential inability to satisfy debt and lease obligations; potential inability to maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting; potential inability or failure to timely file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission; potential inability to list our securities on any securities exchange or market or maintain the listing of our securities; and work stoppages or other labor difficulties. Occurrence of such events or circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, or the market price of our securities. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements by or attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Except as may be required by securities or other law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Neither this press release nor any related calls or discussions 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		Corrado De Gasperis
Executive Chairman & CEO
Tel (775) 847-4755
degasperis@comstockinc.com		Zach Spencer
Director of External Relations
Tel (775) 847-5272 Ext.151
questions@comstockinc.com

Item 9 Labs (INLB) – A Management Change

Posted on by cpereira@noblefcm.com


Thursday, December 01, 2022

Item 9 Labs Corp. (OTCQX: INLB) is a vertically integrated cannabis operator and dispensary franchisor delivering premium products from its large-scale cultivation and production facilities in the United States. The award-winning Item 9 Labs brand specializes in best-in-class products and user experience across several cannabis categories. The company also offers a unique dispensary franchise model through the national Unity Rd. retail brand. Easing barriers to entry, the franchise provides an opportunity for both new and existing dispensary owners to leverage the knowledge, resources, and ongoing support needed to thrive in their state compliantly and successfully. Item 9 Labs brings the best industry practices to markets nationwide through distinctive retail experience, cultivation capabilities, and product innovation. The veteran management team combines a diverse skill set with deep experience in the cannabis sector, franchising, and the capital markets to lead a new generation of public cannabis companies that provide transparency, consistency, and well-being. Headquartered in Arizona, the company is currently expanding its operations space by up to 640,000-plus square feet on its 50-acre site, one of the largest properties in Arizona zoned to grow and cultivate flower. For additional information, visit https://investors.item9labscorp.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.

New CEO. Yesterday, Item 9 Labs announced Mike Weinberger, the Company’s Chief Franchise Officer, has assumed the CEO mantle, replacing Andrew Bowden. Given the upcoming transformational acquisition of Sessions Cannabis, we view the change in leadership as a positive for the Company.

Franchise Experience. As Item 9 Labs goes full bore in cannabis franchising, Mr. Weinberger’s long background in the franchising industry will become even more valuable, in our opinion. A 20-plus year franchise industry veteran, Mr. Weinberger launched Item 9 Labs Corp.’s dispensary franchise, Unity Rd., in 2018 and grew the brand to more than 20 entrepreneurial groups driving development across 10 states before the sale of Unity Rd. to Item 9 Labs. Mr. Weinberger also led 500 unit Maui Wowi, a global coffee and smoothie franchise.


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Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

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. 

Garibaldi Resources Corp. (GGIFF) – Looking Ahead to 2023

Posted on by cpereira@noblefcm.com


Thursday, December 01, 2022

Garibaldi Resources Corp. is an active Canadian-based junior exploration company focused on creating shareholder value through discoveries and strategic development of its assets in some of the most prolific mining regions in British Columbia and Mexico.

Mark Reichman, Senior Research Analyst, Natural Resources, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Private placement. Garibaldi announced a private placement to raise gross proceeds of up to C$4 million to advance its flagship E&L nickel-copper-cobalt project and other British Columbia properties, along with funding working capital. The offering consists of the sale of up to 10 million flow-through units (FT) at a price of C$0.30 per FT Unit for gross proceeds of up to C$3 million, and 4 million non-flow-through-units (Unit) at a price of C$0.25 per unit for gross proceeds of up to C$1.0 million. Proceeds from the sale of FT Units will be used to fund exploration, while proceeds from the sale of Units will fund working capital needs. See the body of this note for offering details.

2022 drilling program. The 2022 drill program at E&L tested targets from the 2021 Geotech deep penetrating Z-Axis Tipper Electromagnetic (ZTEM) survey. Of four holes drilled, two were successful, including Hole EL-22-97b, a deep hole which intersected two intervals of E&L gabbro more than 200 meters down plunge from previous drilling and intersected nickel-bearing disseminated and semi-massive sulphide mineralization. The two successful drill holes are lined with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Garibaldi intends to conduct a geophysical borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) survey to better plan future drill holes.


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Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

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. 

Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc. (CVGI) – A Business Transformation

Posted on by cpereira@noblefcm.com


Thursday, December 01, 2022

Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Patrick McCann, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Initiation. We are initiating research coverage of Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc. (CVG) with an outperform rating and a $10.00 price target. CVG is in the midst of a business transformation to drive top line revenue and overall margin improvements, with a goal of doubling revenue and increasing adjusted operating margin by 300 basis points by the 2025-2027 time frame.

Attractive End Markets. Long-term prospects for CVG’s key end markets are attractive. Demand for class 8 trucks exceeds supply and, with an aging fleet, is likely to continue. The ongoing switch to electric vehicles is opening a massive opportunity for CVG. And while the warehouse automation vertical is currently challenging, longer term we expect to see significant growth. 


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Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

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. 

Baudax Bio (BXRX) – Curing the Deficiency: Reverse Stock Split

Posted on by cpereira@noblefcm.com


Thursday, December 01, 2022

Baudax Bio is a pharmaceutical company focused on innovative products for acute care settings. ANJESO is the first and only 24-hour, intravenous (IV) COX-2 preferential non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) for the management of moderate to severe pain. In addition to ANJESO, Baudax Bio has a pipeline of other innovative pharmaceutical assets including two novel neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBs) and a proprietary chemical reversal agent specific to these NMBs. For more information, please visit www.baudaxbio.com.

Gregory Aurand, Senior Research Analyst, Healthcare Services & Medical Devices, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Stock split approved at November 3, 2022 shareholder meeting. Shareholders of record September 29, 2022, approved the 1-for-40 stock split. The stock split will become effective for December 1, 2022, Nasdaq trading. The Company’s common stock will also commence trading under a new CUSIP number (07160F404).

Curing the deficiency.  Baudax Bio received Nasdaq notice that the minimum $1.00 bid price requirement was not being met and had until January 2, 2023, to cure the issue, unless they sought to obtain an additional 180 days to regain compliance.  The reverse split should bring the Company into listing compliance.


Get the Full Report

Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

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. 

In the Womb a Genetic Battle Sometimes Rages

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com
Rotterdams Ballonenbed (Flickr)

Pregnancy is a Genetic Battlefield – How Conflicts of Interest Pit Mom’s and Dad’s Genes Against Each Other

Baby showers. Babymoons. Baby-arrival parties. There are many opportunities to celebrate the 40-week transition to parenthood. Often, these celebrations implicitly assume that pregnancy is cooperative and mutually beneficial to both the parent and the fetus. But this belief obscures a more interesting truth about pregnancy – the mother and the fetus may not be peacefully coexisting in the same body at all.

At the most fundamental level, there is a conflict between the interests of the parent and fetus. While this may sound like the beginning of a thriller, this genetic conflict is a normal part of pregnancy, leading to typical growth and development both during pregnancy and across an individual’s lifetime – something my research focuses on.

However, even though genetic conflict is normal during pregnancy, it can play a role in pregnancy complications and developmental disorders when left unchecked.

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, Jessica D. Ayers, Assistant Professor of Psychological Science, Boise State University.

What is Genetic Conflict?

Pregnancy is generally thought of as a period when a new individual is created from a unified blend of genes from their parents. But this is not quite right.

The genes a fetus gets from each parent carry slightly different instructions for development. This means there are contrasting and sometimes conflicting blueprints for how to build the new individual. Conflict over which blueprint to follow for fetal growth and development is the essence of the genetic conflict that occurs during pregnancy.

Moms have to use their bodies to help the fetus grow during pregnancy while dads don’t. This means that the genes the fetus inherits from mom have to not only provide for the current fetus, but also try to keep mom alive and healthy and make sure there are resources left over for a potential future pregnancy. These reserves include both biological resources like glucose, protein, iron and calcium, as well as the time and energy needed to help her children after birth as they grow and develop.

Dad’s genes don’t have this same pressure because they don’t use their bodies to help the fetus grow during pregnancy. A dad’s genes, then, don’t need to ensure that anyone other than the current fetus thrives.

To better understand this situation, pretend that all of the resources a mom can give her children come in the form of a milkshake. Once the milkshake runs out, mom has nothing left to give her children. Maternal genes, therefore, want each child to drink only as much as they need to grow and develop. This ensures that the milkshake can be “shared” across all current and future children.

Paternal genes, on the other hand, have no such guarantee of representation in this mother’s other children – the father of the current child may not be the father of the mother’s potential future children. This lack of guaranteed genetic representation means there is no pressure on the father to “share” the milkshake. The best strategy when it comes to paternal genes, then, is for the fetus to drink as much of the milkshake as they can.

These two strategies play a figurative game of tug of war throughout pregnancy. Both sides are trying to pull fetal development slightly more toward their side. Paternal genes encourage the fetus to grow and develop quickly and take more resources, while maternal genes encourage the fetus to grow and use only what’s necessary for proper development. Conflict over how deeply the embryo implants in the uterus and how quickly the placenta and fetus grow are just a few areas where researchers have documented this tug of war during pregnancy.

The milkshake problem helps researchers determine where to look for genetic conflict by simplifying where trade-offs may take place during pregnancy. Because fetal growth is at the heart of genetic conflict, researchers have focused on processes where conflict over resource transfers from mother to fetus can be observed. These investigations have found that the placenta, a fetal organ responsible for all resource transfers during pregnancy, is dominated by paternally-expressed genes. It releases paternally-derived insulin-like growth factors that make mom less sensitive to her own insulin and hormones that increase maternal blood pressure, both of which ultimately increase the amount of resources the fetus can use to grow during pregnancy but have the potential to harm the mother’s health.

Genetic Conflict and Pregnancy Complications

If genetic conflict goes uncontrolled, it can cause pregnancy complications for the mother and developmental disorders for the child. In fact, there is a growing consensus among researchers that some of the most well-known pregnancy complications like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, miscarriages and preterm births may best be explained by unchecked genetic conflict.

Despite the potential role that genetic conflict plays in pregnancy complications, current medical treatments are reactive rather than proactive. A pregnant person must show signs of experiencing complications before medical interventions and treatments can take place.

Knowing how unchecked genetic conflict contributes to pregnancy complications could provide researchers another way to develop treatments that are proactive and, ideally, preventive. However, there are currently no treatments for pregnancy complications that consider genetic conflict. Though gestational diabetes can be attributed to underlying genetic conflict, a pregnant person must present with elevated blood sugar levels before doctors can treat underlying conflict over insulin production and blood sugar.

Pregnancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic has Been Challenging for Many

The experiences of pregnant people during the COVID-19 pandemic provide an example of why more research on genetic conflict is needed. During the pandemic, doctors saw both a dramatic decrease in the number of preterm births as well as an increase in the number of stillbirths and miscarriages. Both types of complications are influenced by genetic conflict, but the reasons behind these opposing trends are unclear.

As a woman who was pregnant early in the pandemic, my pregnancy was scary and stressful, spent at home away from the pressures of “normal” life. More research on the complex process of pregnancy and genetic conflict’s role in complications could help researchers better understand how the changes brought by the pandemic produced such wildly different pregnancy outcomes.