Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:29 PM on Thursday, July 16th, 2020
Closes private placement of $720,866.00 to support the Company growth plan
Continues to meet increased demand for COVID-19 testing in Arizona clinics, along with supporting record patient demand in July 2020
VANCOUVER, BC / July 16, 2020 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE:CBDT)(Frankfurt:8EC)(OTCQB:EPWCF) (“Empower” or the “Company“), a life sciences company, is pleased to announce the closing of its non-brokered private placement of an aggregate of 14,417,334 units of the Company (each, a “Unit“) at a price of $0.05 per Unit for gross proceeds of $720,866.00 (the “Offering“).
The proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used by the Company for general working capital and corporate purposes and to support the launch if it’s previously announced psychedelics division Dosed Wellness Ltd. www.dosedwellness.com
The Company also continues to see strong demand for COVID-19 testing supported by an expansion to five-day per week testing schedule in Phoenix, AZ clinics. In addition, Sun Valley Health has added ten (10) new hires and (4) internal management promotions in the past 30 days to manage the increased volumes of patients, that are anticipated to reach record levels in July 2020.
“Our clinic team continue to provide exemplary support and care for patients, in a safe and compassionate manner,” said Steven McAuley, Chairman & CEO. “Successfully accessing the capital markets to support growth allows the Company to advance its ongoing plan of providing diversified health & wellness services and positioning us to become a long-term market leader.”
Each Unit is comprised of one Share and one Warrant, with each Warrant exercisable into one Warrant Share at an exercise price of $0.12 per Warrant Share for a period of two years following the Closing.
The Units, and the underlying Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares (collectively, the “Securities“), are subject to restrictions on resale under applicable Canadian securities laws for a period of four months and one day from the closing of the Offerings. None of the Securities have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would require registration or otherwise be unlawful.
ABOUT EMPOWER
Empower is a vertically integrated health & wellness company with a network of corporate and franchised health & wellness clinics in the U.S. The Company is focused on helping patients improve and protect their health, through innovative physician recommended treatment options. The Company has launched Dosed Wellness Ltd. to connect its significant data, to the potential of the efficacy of alternative treatment options related to hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapies, psilocybin and other psychedelic plant-based treatment options.
For French inquiries: Remy Scalabrini, Maricom Inc., E: [email protected], T: (888) 585-MARI
DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” (collectively “forward looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as “plans”, “continues”, “expects”, “projects”, “intends”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding; the Company’s intention to open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility, the expected benefits to the Company and its shareholders as a result of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; the effectiveness of the extraction technology; the expected benefits for Empower’s patient base and customers; the benefits of CBD based products; the effect of the approval of the Farm Bill; the growth of the Company’s patient list and that the Company will be positioned to be a market-leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2019 and beyond. Such statements are only projections, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including; that the Company may not open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company’s business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; and other factors beyond the Company’s control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:56 AM on Thursday, July 16th, 2020
The Company is initiating a Phase 2 program as part of its 2020 exploration and development program at its 100% owned River Valley Palladium Project.
Phase 2 will include further drilling in the northern area of the project, in addition to the initiation of environmental baseline studies. Pending results from the drill program, downhole induced polarization surveys may be conducted.
A Phase 3 program is designed and would occur in Q4 2020, pending the results of Phase 2.
Story Environmental of Haileybury, Ontario was engaged to initiate environmental baseline programs on the project which includes surface water quality programs, hydrological data collection, fish community and fish habitat studies and an archaeological assessment at the River Valley Palladium Project.
The Company announced positive results from its Phase 1 exploration program on June 2, 2020. The Phase 1 program consisted of an 8-hole, 1,600 m drill program and it successfully extended the pine zone mineralization up-dip to the north and along strike to the east, confirmed a linkage between the Pine Zone and the Dana North Zone and confirmed block model palladium mineralization continuity within the northern area of the project.
July 13, 2020 palladium spot price is US$1,945/oz. Continued disruptions in both the supply and demand factors directly related to palladium have contributed to sustained price levels well above the 2-year trailing average price used in the 2019 River Valley Palladium project PEA (US$1,200/oz)
The River Valley Palladium Project is one of North America’s largest undeveloped primary palladium projects, located 100 km northeast of Sudbury, Ontario
July 16, 2020 – Rockport, Canada – New Age Metals Inc. (TSXV:NAM); (OTC:NMTLF); (FSE:P7J). NAM is pleased to announce as part of its Phase 2 2020 exploration and development program at the Company’s 100% owned River Valley Palladium Project, that Story Environmental (“Story”) has been engaged to conduct environmental baseline work beginning in the third week of July.
Harry Barr, Chairman & CEO stated, “We are happy to be working with Story Environmental on this critical work program at River Valley. As a development asset, we are looking forward to continuing to de-risk River Valley by adding to our existing environmental studies and completing our 2019 Preliminary Economic Assessment recommendations in advance of a Prefeasibility study.”
The environmental baseline studies are planned to commence in the third week of July. Adequate consideration at the start is necessary to ensure that such programs are rigorously defined and that the appropriate data are collected and aligned to support future permitting efforts. This year’s data collection will include: collecting and analysing two rounds of surface water samples in both low- and high-flow conditions, conducting flow measurements at two local sites, and conducting a fish community and habitat survey. The baseline program data collection may continue into Q4 2020, depending on progress and field conditions.
Further to the environmental baseline program, a Stage 1 Archaeological Assessment within the River Valley Project area will be completed as part of the Company’s Phase 2 program.
The Phase 2 exploration and development program will also include a drill program, in which two vertical holes totalling 750 metres are planned and will be completed by a single diamond drill rig. Drilling is scheduled to commence in the third week of July and should be completed within about two weeks. The drilling will test for presence of the favourable Breccia Unit of the River Valley Intrusion (or feeder magma conduit), fault and fold structures, and palladium mineralization, either an along strike continuation of the Pine Zone or a new zone (Figure 1). Assay results should be available from the laboratory by the end of August. Pending results, the two Phase 2 holes and other holes nearby may be surveyed by downhole IP techniques for off-hole anomalies that could represent palladium mineralization. This Phase 2 drill program is the second phase of a three phase 5,000 metre drill program proposed for 2020.
Click Image To View Full Size
Figure 1. Pseudo-section view looking roughly southwest along strike of target towards the Pine Zone palladium mineralization. Two Phase 2 drill hole locations (PZ-20-07p and PZ-20-08p) shown in red. The objective of these two holes is to test for the presence of the following three geological features: 1) the favourable host Breccia Unit; 2) palladium mineralization (i.e., the IP chargeability target); and 3) the Boundary Shear Zone.
About the River Valley Palladium Project
The details of the updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) and Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) were announced in the press release dated August 9, 2019 and are described on NAM’s website. The pit constrained Updated Mineral Resource Estimate formed the basis of the PEA. At a cut-off grade of 0.35 g/t PdEq, the Updated Mineral Resource Estimate contains 2.9 Moz PdEq in the Measured plus Indicated classifications and 1.1 Moz PdEq in the Inferred classification. The PEA is a preliminary report, but it demonstrates that there are potentially positive economics for a large-scale mining open pit operation, with 14 years of Palladium production. Refer to the NAM website (www.newagemetals.com) for details.
About NAM
New Age Metals is a junior mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery, exploration and development of green metal projects in North America. The Company has two divisions; a Platinum Group Metals division and a Lithium/Rare Element division. The PGM division includes the 100% owned River Valley Project, one of North America’s largest undeveloped Platinum Group Metals Projects, situated 100 km from Sudbury, Ontario and the Genesis PGM Project in Alaska. The Lithium division is the largest mineral claim holder in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field where the Company is exploring for hard rock lithium and various rare elements such as tantalum and rubidium. Our philosophy is to be a project generator with the objective of optioning our projects with major and junior mining companies through to production. New Age Metals is a junior resource company on the TSX Venture Exchange, trading symbol NAM, OTCQB: NMTLF; FSE: P7J with 138,854,511 shares issued to date.
Investors are invited to visit the New Age Metals website where they can review the company and its corporate activities. Any questions or comments can be directed to [email protected] or Harry Barr at [email protected] or Cody Hunt at [email protected] or call our field office at 613 659 2773.
The contents contained herein that relate to Exploration Results or Mineral Resources is based on information compiled, reviewed or prepared by Bill Stone, P.Geo., a consulting geoscientist for New Age Metals. Dr. Stone is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
“Harry Barr”
Harry G. Barr
Chairman and CEO
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.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results and are based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses words such as “continue”, “efforts”, “expect”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “confident”, “intend”, “strategy”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “project”, “goal”, “target”, “prospects”, “optimistic” or similar expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others, the Company’s ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make available adequate current public information, additional or different regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed, and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts’ expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Tags: CSE, palladium, PGM, PGM Demand, Pine Zone Posted in All Recent Posts | Comments Off on New Age Metals $NAM.ca Initiates Environmental Baseline Program at River Valley as part of Phase 2 Program $NAM.ca $WG.ca $XTM.ca $WM.ca $PDL.ca $GLEN
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 7:01 AM on Thursday, July 16th, 2020
Begun preparations for the commercial launch of distribution activities at its flagship 196,000 square foot Daly Avenue Facility in Modesto California
Goal of Phase 1 is to focus on expansion and ramp-up of the companies’ distribution activities
Revised design of Phase 1 of the Daly Distribution build-out increases capacity by 16,000 square feet, allowing the Company to expand this core business unit to service escalating demand from customers
Vancouver, British Columbia–(July 16, 2020) – TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (XETR: TH8) (“TransCanna” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that with the recent state-wide final license approval, today its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lyfted Farms, Inc. (“Lyfted”), has begun preparations for the commercial launch of distribution activities at its flagship 196,000 square foot Daly Avenue Facility in Modesto California.
The goal of Phase 1 is to focus on expansion and ramp-up of the companies’ distribution activities. The revised design of Phase 1 of the Daly Distribution build-out increases capacity by 16,000 square feet, allowing the Company to expand this core business unit to service escalating demand from customers.
“After many months of planning and preparation, our team is thrilled to begin operations inside of Daly,” said CEO Bob Blink. “We look forward to rewarding our investors’ patience with this initial phase and present the true potential we believe The Daly Building has to offer. As early as Q4 2020, we expect to see an incremental increase in revenue from Distribution activities in the vicinity of $6,000,000 CDN per quarter. When combined with existing revenues, our target run-rate by our fiscal year-end should exceed previous projections and be in the neighborhood of $36,000,000 CDN.”
Lyfted Farms has accepted a contract with Bay Alarm Company to install a state of the art, integrated security system in preparation for commercial activity at the Daly facility. Pre-site preparations are underway, and system completion is expected by August 15, 2020.
Additionally, the facility’s triple-redundancy heating, ventilation, and air conditioning “HVAC,” sub-forty-degree Fahrenheit freezer, and distribution area systems have been activated for pre-cooling and calibration within the areas of operation. Employee technician training has started on the Company’s high speed automated packaging systems, combining WeighPack Swifty Baggers and Combiscale 14-head rotary scales to provide high-efficiency and precision filling, which reduce labor and material costs to industry-leading levels.
Packaging and support materials began arriving this week into the Daly distribution center with completion of the Phase 1 Distribution build-out expected by September 15, 2020.
About TransCanna Holdings Inc.
TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a California based, Canadian listed company building Cannabis-focused brands for the California lifestyle, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws or forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs regarding future events of management of the Company. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “intends” or “anticipates”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “should”, “would” or “occur”. This information and these statements, referred to herein as “forward‐looking statements”, are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation estimates and forecasts and statements as to management’s expectations for growth and the commencement of operations of the Company’s Daly facility.
The forward-looking information in this press release is based upon certain assumptions that management considers reasonable in the circumstances, including that operations will commence at the Company’s Daly facility in Modesto, California as and when expected.
These forward‐looking statements involve numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties associated with the forward looking information in this news release include, among others, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including state, local or other licenses and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals licenses and permits to complete upgrades to its Daly facility in a timely manner; engaging in activities which currently are illegal under U.S. federal law and the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, particularly in California, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry, bureaucratic delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth;; reliance on management; and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors (including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic) on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with customers and suppliers.
Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
REV training enhances your sensory skills by removing milliseconds of visual information. Think of it like resistance training for your brain. As the REV lenses strobe, your brain is forced to work with less, making decisions and reacting in a hyper-efficient way.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:40 PM on Wednesday, July 15th, 2020
SPONSOR:
A leading owner/operator of physician staffed health and pain management clinics.
Patient database of over 165,000 patients
Proprietary technology platforms including Electronic Health Records portal and e-Commerce for CBD product distribution
Recently launched CBD extraction facility
First extraction system capacity = 2,300 Kg per year.
CBD based products are poised to be a $20B global industry by 2022
Medical cannabis is poised to be a $100B global industry by 2025
Company to create Psilocybin and Psychadelics Division leveraging corporate wellness clinics and franchise clinic
Commenced tele-medicine services for patients, both in-clinics and virtually through secure video, on browser and in mobile app
Successfully conducted COVID-19 antibody business employee testing, solidifying the importance of phase three of the testing program
Conducted 2,302 physician-patient consultations setting a new milestone in patient volume for the month of May
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Psychedelic Therapists Petition Government For Permission To Dose Themselves In Order To Better Treat Patients
“The fundamental reason to expose therapists to their own experiences with psychedelics is that, unless you have visited these realms, you are unlikely to understand their importance.”
As a group of terminally ill patients in Canada awaits word from the minister of health on whether they can legally access psychedelic mushrooms for end-of-life care, their team of clinicians has tacked on an additional request: The therapists want to be able to dose themselves, too.
The group behind the request, Victoria, B.C.–based TheraPsil, a nonprofit that aims to expand access to psilocybin-based psychotherapy in Canada, says the additional step of providing safe access for therapists will ensure they gain firsthand experience into the psilocybin’s effects and its applications to psychotherapy.
“The fundamental reason to expose therapists to their own experiences with psychedelics is that, unless you have visited these realms, you are unlikely to understand their importance.”
“Part of ensuring a very high-quality psychedelic treatment for patients is to ensure high-quality training for therapists,” Spencer Hawkswell, TheraPsil’s executive director, told Marijuana Moment in an interview. “It’s greatly beneficial if therapists have had psychedelic therapy themselves.”
Few people, he offered by analogy, “would advise going to a sex therapist who’s never had sex before.”
TheraPsil, founded by clinical psychologist and psychotherapist Bruce Tobin, has been fighting for expanded access to psilocybin end-of-life care for years. In 2017, the group first filed a petition to exempt patients with certain terminal conditions from Canada’s ban on psilocybin. It was reportedly the first time a therapist had asked the Canadian government for such an exemption.
It wasn’t until this past January that TheraPsil finally heard back, Hawkswell said. “After three years of back-and-forth, they got back to us and said, ‘We’re going to be rejecting this application.’” The agency said there was no obvious medical necessity for the psychedelics.
TheraPsil was undaunted. “They say there’s no necessity,” Hawkswell said. “Maybe it’s because they haven’t met that person yet.”
In April, the group helped four more people with terminal illnesses file petitions with Health Canada and Health Minister Patty Hajdu seeking exemptions that will allow them to access psilocybin. In an interview with Marijuana Moment, Hawkswell said patients had gone months so far without a word from Hajdu, who with a stroke of a pen could allow the patients to access the drug.
“What we are working on right now is ramping up our messaging,” Hawkswell said. “We are going to try everything we can to get to the minister to make sure she sees these patients and responds to them.”
Dear @PattyHajdu, today marks the 75th day that palliative Canadians have been waiting on a reply from YOU re: their section 56 exemptions for compassionate access to #psilocybin. In the words of Dr. Bruce Tobin, TheraPsil’s founder: “Please, do not make them wait any longer” pic.twitter.com/JRITGwtcMR
Efforts to allow TheraPsil’s clinicians to use psilocybin themselves are more recent. Dr. Sean O’Sullivan, an emergency room physician and psychotherapist who serves on TheraPsil’s board of directors, said the exemptions are necessary so that therapists can be better trained and more familiar with how psychedelics work in a therapeutic setting.
“The fundamental reason to expose therapists to their own experiences with psychedelics is that, unless you have visited these realms, you are unlikely to understand their importance,” O’Sullivan told Marijuana Moment. “The point is to allow therapists to understand the field they’re plowing in.”
Therapists need to be alert and able to recognize how psychedelic experiences manifest themselves in therapy, O’Sullivan said. Patients might bring up material having to do with their own birth, a traumatic experience or interactions with otherworldly beings. “If you’re not attuned to this possibility, not aware of this possibility, then it’s just going to slide by you,” he said.
“It’s a bit like describing Beethoven’s Fifth,” O’Sullivan added. “You can describe it all you like, but at some point you have to play the music.”
As psychedelic therapy is more widely sought by patients, O’Sullivan said, demand for qualified therapists is likely to go up. “We are expecting that as we get more permission for patients to access psilocybin at the end of life,” he said, “that there will be an increase in demand for therapists that have had that psychedelic experience.”
Public opinion in Canada generally supports allowing access to psilocybin therapy for the terminally ill, TheraPsil says. A poll released by the group last month found that 59 percent of Canadians support legal access. Including respondents who said they were “ambivalent,” TheraPsil said, acceptance increased to 78 percent.
“What’s unreasonable is the political decision” to deny patients access to psilocybin, Hawkswell argued. “It’s not a scientific one, it’s not a democratic one. It’s political.”
Patients facing their imminent death often experience feelings and fears that psychedelics can help to ease, he said. Among them are demoralization, anxiety and depression. Existing treatment includes pharmaceuticals, talk therapy and occasionally inpatient treatment.
Psychedelics play a role in treatment by inducing what Hawkswell and others refer to as a “mystical experience”—a collection of psychoactive and sometimes spiritual events that accompany a psychedelic journey. The experience can reorient a person’s way of thinking, dissolving barriers between an individual and the world around them. For end-of-life patients, he explained, it can help them embrace that death “is natural—just as natural as being born.”
Practitioners note that psychedelic therapy doesn’t work the same way as many other pharmaceutical drugs, such as antidepressants or even medical marijuana. Patients usually take those substances under their own supervision and allow them to work in the background. With therapeutic use of psilocybin and other psychedelics, patients typically take the drug and undergo guided psychotherapy. Psychedelics’ unusual, sometimes disorienting effects are believed to allow patients to better approach and engage obstacles, then emerge with a fresh perspective.
Another psychedelic therapy group, Field Trip, which uses ketamine in therapy, describes the treatment on their website as a way “to press reset on your mental health.”
The emerging promise of psychedelics in recent years have caught the attention of academics, public policy reformers and even the U.S. government. Last month, the University of North Carolina (UNC) announced a $27 million project funded by the department of defense to research and develop psychedelics-inspired drugs.
That project’s researchers seem to believe they can separate psychedelics from what they describe as “disorienting” side effects, despite what Hawkswell and others say about the importance of a “mystical experience.”
“Although drugs like ketamine and potentially psilocybin have rapid antidepressant actions, their hallucinogenic, addictive, and disorienting side effects make their clinical use limited,” said Bryan L. Roth, a professor of pharmacology at UNC School of Medicine and the research team’s leader. The government partnership, UNC said, “aims to create new medications to effectively and rapidly treat depression, anxiety, and substance abuse without major side effects.”
In September of last year, Johns Hopkins University announced the launch of the nation’s first-ever psychedelic research center, a $17-million project to study the use of psychedelics to treat conditions such as opioid use disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Meanwhile, activists in the United States have advocated for state- and local-level reforms to research, decriminalize and in some cases even legalize psychedelics themselves.
Reformers are now pushing for similar changes in other jurisdictions. In Washington, D.C. this month, Decriminalize Nature D.C. submitted signatures to qualify a measure for November’s ballot that would decriminalize all natural psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, ayahuasca and ibogaine.
Other reform efforts are ongoing in Oregon, where voters later this year will decide whether to legalize psilocybin therapy—the very therapy TheraPsil’s patients are pushing Canadian Health Minister Hajdu to allow. Oregon voters will also see a separate measure to decriminalize the possession of all drugs and expand access to treatment for problem use on their November ballot.
In Canada, for now, psilocybin remains illegal. Hawkswell of TheraPsil, however, believes a constellation of other national policies—including medical marijuana, safe injection sites, and physician-assisted dying—support extending psilocybin access to patients in palliative care. And Canada already permits certain religious groups to use ayahuasca as religious sacrament, Hawkswell noted.
“At this point psilocybin is a reasonable medical choice for these individuals,” he told Marijuana Moment. “This is about the minister being compassionate and using her ministerial abilities to help give patients access to something that’s going to help them.”
Patients waiting to hear back from Hajdu’s office, he said, don’t have time to wait for lengthy, bureaucratic processes. “We’re not just going to keep waiting,” he told Marijuana Moment. “We do have a legal team prepared, but that’s all I’ll say.”
Tags: CBD, CSE, Dosed Movie, Dosed Wellness Posted in Empower Clinics Inc. | Comments Off on Empower Clinics $CBDT.ca – #Psychedelic Therapists Petition Government For Permission To Dose Themselves In Order To Better Treat Patients $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $OGI.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:34 PM on Wednesday, July 15th, 2020
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment Group(GMBL:NASDAQ) Millions of people from around the world tune in to watch teams of video game players compete with each other. In first quarter 2020, YouTube reported 1.1 billion hours watched, an increase of 13% when compared to fourth quarter 2019. Wagering on Esports is projected to hit $23 BILLION this year although that number will likely be eclipsed due to the recent pandemic. Esports Entertainment Group is designed for the purpose of facilitating as much of this wagering as possible. LEARN MORE.
VaynerSports Continues Its Expansion With Gaming Division
Gary Vaynerchuk, “I have been quietly paying attention to the gaming industry for over a decade, building relationships and following the trends. One of the most exciting things about it, for me, is the gamers themselves. And when I look at the culture, the interest in the sector from other athletes, artists, celebrities – it is enormous. This is a very significant expansion for VaynerSports.”
The Vaynerchuk duo of AJ and Gary have been in the news of late as their athletic talent agency, VaynerSports, most recently announced an expansion into the world of baseball.
Now, VaynerSports has spawned VaynerGaming, the agency’s first foray into the world of esports and gaming personalities.
According to the eSports Observer, VaynerGaming will be led by veteran marketing agent Darren Glover. Glover was most recently the CEO of Wombo Sports, a media and entertainment agency focused on gaming and the e-sports culture.
VaynerGaming will also be led by AJ Vaynerchuk and Mike Neligan who both run VaynerSports.
As it relates to the elder Vaynerchuk, Gary, this is not his first venture into the world of e-sports and gaming. Vaynerchuk is an investor in the Minnesota RØKKR – a team in the Call of Duty League.
Says Gary Vaynerchuk, “I have been quietly paying attention to the gaming industry for over a decade, building relationships and following the trends. One of the most exciting things about it, for me, is the gamers themselves. And when I look at the culture, the interest in the sector from other athletes, artists, celebrities – it is enormous. This is a very significant expansion for VaynerSports.”
To that end, VaynerGaming already has its first client in the 2019 Esports Gamer of the Year, Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf. Bugha boasts over 1.1M unique followers on Twitter and roughly 2.98M subscribers on YouTube at just 17 years old.
Although Bugha has made his brand in Fortnite, it is apparent that VaynerGaming will be a serious player and foundational leader in this space that is sure to create a path to representation for other gamers.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 10:49 AM on Wednesday, July 15th, 2020
Mr. Farhate will oversee all operations for the Aukam Graphite Mine
Prior experience in the planning, engineering, project management, marketing and sales areas of the graphite mining industry
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / July 15, 2020 / Gratomic Inc. (“GRAT” or the “Company”) (TSXV:GRAT)(FRANKFURT:CB81)(WKN:A143MR) officially welcomes Armando Farhate aboard as Chief Operations Officer and Head of Graphite Marketing and Sales. Mr. Farhate was previously appointed as Head of the Advisory Board. Due to his extensive and successful experience in the graphite mining industry, Gratomic is thrilled to have him onboard in his new role with the Company.
Mr. Farhate will oversee all operations for the Aukam Graphite Mine in Namibia, Africa. This includes the completion of the final 10% of construction required to take the processing plant into the full commissioning phase. He will also be responsible for the management of graphite product sales and marketing, leading to the procurement of purchase contracts and the vertical integration required for the creation and sale of end-user products. Mr. Farhate’s appointment as Chief Operations Officer is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval
Mr. Farhate’s prior experience in the planning, engineering, project management, marketing and sales areas of the graphite mining industry make him the ideal candidate to fill this role. In past projects, he was responsible for quality management, environmental management, and implementing strategic and tactical planning. In addition to operations and graphite marketing and sales, Mr. Farhate will oversee the quality management of the Aukam Graphite Mine and he will coordinate important decisions regarding processing.
Some notable accomplishments in Mr. Farhate’s experience include Natural Graphite Operations/Product Director with Imreys Graphite and Carbon and COO at National de Graphite Ltda. Some of Mr. Farhate’s responsibilities at Imreys included acting as Operations Director, directly responsible for the mining and processing units in Lac-Des-Îles, QC, and Terrebonne, QC, Canada, with 60 employees and annual sales revenue of $ 18 MM CDN. Farhate obtained 15% of OEE improvement and reduction to zero of lost time accidents. He carried out technical visits and operational due-diligences in projects of new industrial units in several countries, including a project that resulted in a joint venture in Namibia, with assets of US$ 40MM and Imreys holding a 51% share of the joint venture.
While at Imreys, Farhate was also responsible for ensuring that the product offering was adequate to the needs of the target markets, which included the preparation and development of business cases aimed at launching new product lines and new production processes; the definition of sales price policies, and the development of Marketing and Sales plans for new industrial units. He was in charge of the long-term strategy for Natural Graphite, including the definition of new production locations and sourcing strategies.
During his time at National de Grafite Ltda., Armando Farhate was responsible for the direct management of Geology, Mine Planning, Mining, Processing, Industrial Engineering, R&D, Quality System, Environment, and Sales & Marketing. He performed high level contacts with federal and state regulatory public organizations in Brazil, as well as with municipalities and state congressmen, regarding mining permitting and environment licensing processes.
Mr. Farhate coordinated new mine opening processes, including the obtaining of mining permissions and environment licenses. He coordinated, together with specialized consultants, mineral assets evaluation processes and implemented control tools generating integrated information about output, efficiency, cost and inventory levels of three different plants and more than 20 product lines, optimizing production planning and order fulfillment and obtaining OEE improvements up to $1.25 MM/yr. CDN at the three industrial units held by NDG.
He led new product and process development, including the negotiation of partnerships with public and private universities in Brazil and abroad with emphasis on the obtaining of graphite oxide and graphene from natural crystalline graphite, and on the development of process technology for lithium-ion battery anode. He conducted, in partnership with HR and Controlling, a restructuring process on administrative and supporting areas, including upper management, with saving of $300,000/yr CDN.
Mr. Farhate’s experience and expertise will undoubtedly be of great value to the Company.
About Gratomic Inc.
Gratomic is a materials company focused on mine to market commercialization of graphite products and components for a range of mass market products. The Company currently holds two off-take purchase agreements for graphite product sourced from the Aukam facility. One agreement is with TODAQ and the other is with Phu Sumika. The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GRAT.
For more information: visit the website at www.gratomic.ca or contact:
Posted by AGORACOM
at 9:54 AM on Wednesday, July 15th, 2020
Identified 15 drill targets for the Trove Property to test favourable IP signatures
July 15, 2020 – Durango Resources Inc.(TSXV-DGO) (Frankfurt-86A1) (OTC:ATOXF), (the “Company” or “Durango“) is pleased to report that its exploration team has completed the initial 2020 reconaissance program on its Windfall Lake, Quebec land package.
As announced on July 2, 2020, Durango deployed its exploration crew to the Trove Property to prepare the site for the 2020 summer drill program. Durango has identified 15 drill targets for the Trove Property to test favourable IP signatures which coincide with geochemistry anomalies including gold found in till samples. Drill access was created on the Trove Property as necessary for the upcoming summer drill program.
Additional mapping and sampling were completed on the Trove Property due to the additional road access recently built by forest companies. Fifty nine (59) grab and channel samples were also collected on the Trove Property. The accessibility of the new outcrops permitted Durango to take additional structural measurements for the upcoming summer drill campaign.
Mineralized zones, hematite quartz veins and lithological contacts including felsic dykes and mafic volcanics were mapped and sampled on the Trove Property. Some mineralized zones with pyrrhotite, traces of chalcopyrite and hematite alteration associated with quartz veins were observed in the sampled areas on the Trove Property. Several gold deposits in the Urban Barry belt have been associated with a set of northeast (NE) shear zones accompanied with deformation by a magmatic event represented by quartz feldspar porphyry (QFP) dykes which are now identified on the Trove Property.
It is recommended that mechanical stripping and sampling be completed immediately on the northeast extremity of the Trove Property near one the previously defined drill targets which may be controlled by the NE-SW Barry fault and associated shear zones.
Nine (9) till samples were also collected on Durango’s East Barry Property along the projected contact of the intrusives and the volcanics. Till sampling conducted in 2018 and 2019 identified a 5km trend but no new outcrops were discovered during the short campaign.
Marcy Kiesman, CEO of Durango, stated, “I am very enthusiastic that many of our first stage observations at the Trove Property correspond to the mineralization reported by Osisko Mining on their neighbouring properties, specifically, in Osisko’s 2018 drilling campaign that returned results of up to 5g/t gold. The potential for the Trove and East Barry properties are high which is great news for our shareholders and further presses the importance of our exceptional properties at Windfall.”
Additional information on the exploration program, including financing, will be released as it becomes available.
The technical contents of this press release were approved by George Yordanov, professional geologist, an Independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The property has not yet been subject to an NI-43-101 report.
Trove, Quebec
Durango owns 100% interest in the Trove claims, which are surrounded by Osisko Mining Inc. (TSX: OSK) , in the Windfall Lake area between Val d’Or and Chibougamau, Quebec. The 1,185 hectare property is compelling due to the coincidence of gold found in tills coinciding with magnetic highs, several Induced Polarization anomalies and two faults crosscutting the property. The fault systems north and south of the Trove, control gold mineralization elsewhere, indicating the Trove has excellent exploration potential. Durango received all the final drill permits for the Trove property in September 2019 and is undergoing its final reviewing process for the proposed 3,000m drill program.
East Barry, Quebec
Durango owns 100% interest in the East Barry claims which run parallel to Trove claims. The East Barry block is over 6,100 hectares in size and borders the eastern perimeter of Osisko’s holdings and the southern perimeter of Bonterra’s holdings and is less than 4km south of the Gladiator deposit. The East Barry claims host a gold trend which covers approximately 10km in length and is subparallel to the main Barry Fault held by Osisko. In 2018 a till sampling program was conducted and one of the till samples returned fourty-two (42) pristine gold grains with reported gold values of 2.184 g/t Au. A high count of pristine gold grains indicates that the gold has travelled a very short distance from its source. The East Barry block underwent an Induced Polarization survey in 2018 which identified a high priority target coincident with the high count of pristine gold grains.
About Durango
Durango is a natural resources company engaged in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties. The Company is positioned for discovery with a 100% interest in a strategically located group of properties in the Windfall Lake gold camp in the Abitibi region of Quebec, Canada.
For further information on Durango, please refer to its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:10 AM on Wednesday, July 15th, 2020
Rho Phyto portfolio contains a full formulary of products including oil drops, sublingual sprays, capsules, and topicals that have controlled dosing, enhanced absorption and stability studies supported by pre-clinical data which will be available exclusively on the Medical Cannabis by Shoppers™ online portal by the end of July 2020.
First-of-its-kind Canadian study is led by Dr. Hance Clarke, Director of Pain Services at Toronto General Hospital, and will examine the efficacy of a select group of medical cannabis products including Avicanna’s Rho Phyto line of products on patient reported outcomes of pain, sleep and anxiety.
This specific study is aligned and in parallel with Avicanna’s comprehensive clinical program of other real-world evidence studies involving the Rho Phyto products and clinical trials on its pharmaceutical pipeline with world-class, Toronto-based medical institutions.
TORONTO, July 15, 2020 – Avicanna Inc. (“Avicanna” or the “Company“) (TSX: AVCN) (OTCQX: AVCNF) (FSE: 0NN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of plant-derived cannabinoid-based products is pleased to announce that its Rho Phyto™ product line of advanced medical cannabis products will be the subject of a Medical Cannabis Real-World Evidence study (“MC-RWE Study“) led by Dr. Hance Clarke of the University Health Network (“UHN“) in Toronto, Canada. The Rho Phyto products were developed in accordance with the recent Health Canada Cannabis 2.0 regulations that allow for more advanced, higher quality, medical cannabis product offerings. These products have been tested for prolonged stability, enhanced absorption, controlled delivery and other properties, in collaboration with Dr. Christine Allen’s research group at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto.
The Rho Phyto medical cannabis product line is a full formulary that includes sublingual sprays, oil drops, capsules, and topicals of various cannabinoid ratios, namely THC and CBD. By offering a variety of delivery systems, the medical community has the possibility to select the appropriate Rho Phyto product to suit a range of medical conditions such as pain relief, which may require either a fast onset of action or prolonged duration of effect over the course of treatment. The products are manufactured under good manufacturing practice (“GMP“) in partnership with MediPharm Labs Inc. to ensure batch-to-batch consistency and high-quality products. The manufacture of the Rho Phyto products in accordance with GMP standard allows for data derived from this MC-RWE Study to provide early insights into Avicanna’s ongoing and future directions of pharmaceutical development. Avicanna remains committed to patient safety and product consistency which is why all products subject to the MC-RWE Study are tested by Sigma Analytical and tracked by TruTrace Blockchain Technologies.
Dr. Justin Grant, Avicanna’s Executive Vice President of Scientific Affairs commented, “After 3 years of collaborating with world-class Toronto-based researchers and clinicians including those at the University of Toronto and UHN, we are excited to offer the most consistent formulary of advanced medical cannabis products to prescribers and principal investigators, including Dr. Clarke, to further demonstrate the potential therapeutic efficacy of cannabinoids.”
Avicanna’s Rho Phyto products will be exclusively available to patients through the Medical Cannabis by Shoppers online portal in addition to UHN clinicians through the MC-RWE Study by the end of July 2020. Additionally, Avicanna and Medical Cannabis by Shoppers are co-hosting a medical symposium in line with the launch of the Rho Phyto product line entitled, “MEDICAL CANNABIS 2.0: Advancements in Cannabinoid Research, Product Offerings and Patient Access“. The symposium will be held on a virtual platform on July 21, 2020 and will include Dr Clarke’s presentation “Real World Evidence and The Future of Medical Cannabis / Cannabinoid medicine for Pain Management” that will provide further insights on the MC-RWE Study. For registration and more information please visit (https://www.avicanna.com/symposium/).
About Avicanna Inc.
Avicanna is an Ontario, Canada based corporation focused on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of plant-derived cannabinoid-based products through its two main business segments, cultivation and research and development.
Avicanna’s two majority-owned subsidiaries, Sativa Nativa S.A.S. and Santa Marta Golden Hemp S.A.S., both located in Santa Marta, Colombia are the base for Avicanna’s cultivation activities. These two companies are licensed to cultivate and process cannabis for the production of cannabis extracts and purified cannabinoids including cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Avicanna’s research and development business is primarily conducted out of Canada at its headquarters in the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Centre, JLABS @ Toronto. Avicanna’s scientific team develops products, and Avicanna has also engaged the services of researchers at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto for the purpose of optimizing and improving upon its products.
Avicanna’s research and development and cultivation activities are focused on the development of its key products, including plant-derived cannabinoid pharmaceuticals, phyto-therapeutics, derma-cosmetics, and Extracts (defined as plant-derived cannabinoid extracts and purified cannabinoids, including distillates and isolates), with a goal of eventually having these products manufactured and distributed through various markets.
Stay Connected
For more information about Avicanna, visit www.avicanna.com, call 1-647-243-5283, or contact Setu Purohit, President by email [email protected].
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as, “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “likely”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe, “intend”, “plan”, “forecast”, “project”, “estimate”, “outlook” and other similar expressions, and includes statements with respect to the Rho Phyto products benefiting patients managing a range of medical conditions, the data derived from the MC-RWE Study providing the Company with early insights into Avicanna’s ongoing and future directions of pharmaceutical development, and the Rho Phyto products being available to patients through the Medical Cannabis by Shoppers online portal and UHN clinicians by end of July 2020. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management’s experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors relevant in the circumstances, including assumptions in respect of current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment; and the availability of licenses, approvals and permits.
Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to current and future market conditions, including the market price of the common shares of the Company, and the risk factors set out in the Company’s annual information form dated April 15, 2020, filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.
SOURCE Avicanna Inc.
Tags: cannabinoids, CSE, Marijuana, Medical Cannabis by Shoppers, Rho Phyto, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in Avicanna Inc., Featured | Comments Off on Avicanna $AVCN.ca Announces Participation in a Medical #Cannabis Real-World Evidence Research Study Led by the University Health Network in Partnership with Medical Cannabis by #Shoppers™ using its Rho Phyto™ Advanced Medical Cannabis Formulary of Products
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:43 PM on Tuesday, July 14th, 2020
Q1 2020 results reflect the following highlights:
Revenues of $718,908, a decrease from $736,443 posted in Q1 2019,
Gross margin of 37% an increase of 25% over the same period in Q1 2019,
Cash on hand on March 31, 2020 was $1,139,416 (December 31, 2019: $34,431),
Backlog of signed contracts as of the date of this writing is $30MM.
MONTREAL, July 14, 2020 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation” or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch systems, is pleased to announce today its financial and operational results for the first quarter ended March 31st, 2020.
“Percent complete revenue recognition in our major projects, which is the revenue recognition method we are mandated to follow by GAAP, is such that it is not linear, but exponential, and as such Q1 2020 may not have reflected the results one might have expected given recent announcements. However, using this same revenue recognition method we can safely provide the following guidance for Q2 2020, and for the year ending December 31st, 2020 as follows: We expect that Q2 2020 and the six months ending June 30, 2020 will be profitable as will year end results. As such, management has modified several notes in the financials, for the first time since inception, to reflect this outlook,” said P. Peter Pascali, CEO and President of PyroGenesis. “To date, in 2020 we have not only received significant payments under existing contracts, but have retired the $3MM convertible debenture in full, bought back approximately 1.2 million shares, increased our investment in HPQ, and further benefited from early conversions of warrants maturing in 2021 of over $3MM. Of note, as of December 31st, 2019 we have approximately $10MM of in-the-money warrants and options expiring in 2020 and 2021 alone. The Company also has over $50MM in tax loss carryforwards (roughly evenly distributed between federal and provincial tax regimes) which is not reflected as an asset on the balance sheet. Given recent events, and the structuring that took place in 2019, the Company is undeniably well positioned to execute on, and build upon, the backlog of signed contracts which currently stands in excess of $30MM. With the eagerly anticipated US Navy contract in hand backlog of signed contracts will be in excess of $40MM. All in all, 2020 can now be described as the year that we have been expecting for some time.”
Q1 2020 results reflect the following highlights:
Revenues of $718,908, a decrease from $736,443 posted in Q1 2019,
Gross margin of 37% an increase of 25% over the same period in Q1 2019,
Cash on hand on March 31, 2020 was $1,139,416 (December 31, 2019: $34,431),
Backlog of signed contracts as of the date of this writing is $30MM.
Management Guidance for Q2 2020
Revenues of $2-2.25MM are expected in Q2 2020,
Management expects that Q2 2020 and the six months ending June 30, 2020 will be profitable.
Management Guidance for the remainder of 2020:
Overall, Management expects significant revenue growth in 2020,
Management expects that the year ending December 31st, 2020 will also be profitable.
OUTLOOK
Percent complete revenue recognition in our major projects, which is the revenue recognition method we are mandated to follow by GAAP, is such that it is not linear, but exponential, and as such Q1 may not have reflected the results one might have expected given recent announcements. However, using this same revenue recognition method we can safely provide guidance for Q2 2020, and for the year ending December 31st, 2020: We expect that Q2 and the six months ending June 30, 2020 will be profitable as will year end results. As such, management has modified several notes in the financials, for the first time since inception, to reflect this outlook.
Any discussion regarding the OUTLOOK of the company would be remiss if it did not address the continued increase in the Company’s market capitalization and the implications that has for the future.
Without a doubt the Company’s market capitalization suffered, as did many other companies, in the general Covid-19 market meltdown at the end of March 2020. However, PyroGenesis soon broke from the pack with the issuance of a material press release on March 24th, 2020.
Management believes that its breaking from the ranks caught the attention of investors, fund managers, and money managers who all now had the time during the Covid-19 lockdown to fully analyze the complicated story that is PyroGenesis. Management does not see any reason why this interest would abate anytime soon. To the contrary, Management has reason to believe that interest in the Company will only increase over the foreseeable future. As such, Management has decided that several strategies that have been articulated in the past (up listings, spinoffs) can now be accelerated as many of the impediments to moving quickly have been removed and have taken steps to do so.
Having a larger market capitalization has also helped in discussions with potential customers who take comfort from the possibility that a higher market capitalization may translate into easier access to capital. For the record, there is no intention at this time to raise capital for working capital purposes.
If 2018 was the year in which PyroGenesis successfully positioned each of its commercial business lines by strategically partnering with multi-billion-dollar entities, and 2019 was the year that saw the appropriate personnel and infrastructure being put in place while building upon the success of 2018, then 2020 is without a doubt the year that the long awaited breakout, which began in the second half of 2019, takes place; it is in fact already upon us:
To date during 2020 PyroGenesis has:
received significant payments under the $22MM contract with DROSRITE™ International thereby validating announcements made during 2019,
established a relationship with a US based tunneling company (contracts and payments ongoing),
Established itself in the iron ore pelletization industry as a potential supplier of torches geared to replacing existing burners and thereby reducing GHGs. Interest is also spilling over into other industries with GHG reduction targets,
Established a relationship with an OEM in North America with the intent to eventually supply powders for their 3D printing needs. This augments our relationship with Aubert & Duval, while at the same time de-risking our dependence on them,
retired the $3MM convertible debenture in full,
bought back approximately 1.2 Million shares under the existing Normal Course Issuer Bid,
increased Company’s investment in HPQ, who has subsequently also experienced a significant increase in market capitalization,
further benefited from early conversions of warrants maturing in 2021 of over $3MM.
The Company has booked a significant backlog of signed contracts (in excess of $30MM; 2019 Revenues approx. $5MM) which, when taking the eagerly awaited US Navy contract into account, will increase to over $40MM. This provides a solid cornerstone upon which PyroGenesis can:
continue to build on the recent successes with the Company’s DROSRITE™ offering
Leverage off of the recent successes with the Company’s torch offerings to (i) the iron ore pelletization industry, and (ii) a tunneling client.
Accelerate activities with Aubert & Duval in the Additive Manufacturing sector as well as HPQ in the Mining and Metallurgical sector, both of which did not progress as fast as management would have liked in 2019. Significant attention will be placed on both these activities in 2020.
Specifically, with Aubert & Duval the goal will be to complete the integration of the cutting-edge advances PyroGenesis has made to the powder production process.
With respect to HPQ, the goal would be to accelerate the game changing PUREVAP™ family of processes which we are developing for HPQ, namely:
The PUREVAP™ “Quartz Reduction Reactors” (QRR), an innovative process (patent pending), which will permit the one step transformation of quartz (SiO2) into high purity silicon (Si) at reduced costs, energy input, and carbon footprint that will propagate its considerable renewable energy potential; and
The PUREVAP™ Nano Silicon Reactor (NSiR), a new proprietary process that use PUREVAPTM QRR silicon (Si) as feedstock, to make spherical silicon nanopowders and nanowires;
As at April 1st, 2020, the Company has approximately $10MM of in-the-money warrants and options expiring in 2020 and 2021. The Company also has over $50MM in tax loss carryforwards (roughly evenly distributed between federal and provincial obligations) which is not reflected as an asset on the balance sheet.
All in all, 2020 can now be described as the year that we have been expecting for some time.
Financial Summary
Revenues
PyroGenesis recorded revenue of $718,908 in the first quarter of 2020 (“Q1, 2020”), representing a decrease of 2% compared with $736,443 recorded in the first quarter of 2019 (“Q1, 2019”).
Revenues recorded in the first quarter of 2020 were generated primarily from:
DROSRITE™ related sales of $474,432 (2019 Q1 – $58,559)
PUREVAP™ related sales of $17,965 (2019 Q1 – $94,077)
torch related sales of $87,944 (2019 Q1 – $139,813)
support services related to PAWDS-Marine systems supplied to the US Navy $23,896 (2019 Q1 – $210,667)
Cost of Sales and Services and Gross Margins
Cost of sales and services before amortization of intangible assets was $444,681 in Q1 2020, representing a decrease of 30% compared with $639,506 in Q1 2019, primarily due to lower employee compensation and direct materials in Q1 2020.
In Q1 2020, employee compensation, subcontracting, direct materials and manufacturing overhead decreased to $391,305 (Q1 2019 – $662,379). The gross margin for Q1 2020 was $267,414 or 37.2% of revenue compared to a gross margin of $92,158 or 12.5% of revenue for Q1 2019. As a result of the type of contracts being executed, the nature of the project activity, as well as the composition of the cost of sales and services, as the mix between labor, materials and subcontracts may be significantly different. Of note, the Company received an amount of $127,842 from Revenue Canada under the CWES program. From this amount, $26,388 was applied to employee compensation under cost of sales and services.
Investment tax credits recorded against cost of sales are related to projects that qualify for tax credits from the provincial government of Quebec. Qualifying tax credits decreased to $20,630 in Q1 2020, compared with $36,071 in Q1 2019. This represents a decrease of 43% year-over-year. In total, the Company earned refundable investment tax credits of $70,313 in Q1 2020. The Company continues to make investments in research and development projects involving strategic partners and government bodies.
The amortization of intangible assets of $6,813 in Q1 2020 and $4,779 for Q1 2019 relates to patents and deferred development costs. Of note, these expenses are non-cash items and will be amortized over the duration of the patent lives.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Included within Selling, General and Administrative expenses (“SG&A”) are costs associated with corporate administration, business development, project proposals, operations administration, investor relations and employee training.
SG&A expenses for Q1 2020 excluding the costs associated with share-based compensation (a non-cash item in which options vest principally over a four-year period), were $1,205,726 representing a decrease of 7% compared with $1,295,521 reported for Q1 2019.
The increase in SG&A expenses in Q1 2020 over the same period in 2019 is mainly attributable to the net effect of:
an increase of 11% in employee compensation due primarily to additional head count, off set by the government aid received from Revenue Canada under the CEWS program,
a decrease of 67% for professional fees, primarily due to a decrease in accounting fees,
an increase of 23% in office and general expenses, is due to an increase in insurance and computer software expenses,
travel costs decreased by 45%, due to a decrease in travel abroad,
depreciation on property and equipment decreased by 79% due to lower amounts of property and equipment being depreciated,
depreciation on right of use assets decreased by 19% due to lower amounts of right of use assets being depreciated,
Investment tax credits increased by 1% due to an increase in qualifying projects,
government grants decreased by 43% due to lower levels of activities supported by such grants,
other expenses decreased by 7%, primarily due to a decrease in cost of freight and shipping.
Separately, share based payments increased by 106% in Q1 2020 over the same period in 2019 as a result of the vesting structure of the stock option plan including the stock options granted on January 2nd, 2020.
Research and Development (“R&D”) Costs
The Company incurred $23,088 of R&D costs, net of government grants, on internal projects in Q1 2020, a decrease of 76% as compared with $95,774 in Q1 2019. The decrease in Q1 2020 is primarily related to an increase in government grants recognized.
In addition to internally funded R&D projects, the Company also incurred R&D expenditures during the execution of client funded projects. These expenses are eligible for Scientific Research and Experimental Development (“SR&ED”) tax credits. SR&ED tax credits on client funded projects are applied against cost of sales and services (see “Cost of Sales” above).
Net Finance Costs
Finance costs for Q1 2020 totaled $232,736 as compared with $251,498 for Q1 2019, representing a decrease of 7% year-over-year. The decrease in finance costs in Q1 2020, is primarily attributable to interest on lower amounts of debt.
Strategic Investments
Three months ended Mar 31,
% Change
2020
2019
2020vs2019
Changes to the fair value of strategic investments
$
492,024
$
(706,196)
170%
The adjustment to the fair market value of strategic investments for Q1 2020 resulted in a loss of $492,024 compared to a gain in the amount of $706,196 in Q1 2019.
Net Comprehensive Loss
The net comprehensive loss for Q1 2020 of $1,757,027 compared to a loss of $878,923, in Q1 2019, represents an increase of 100% year-over-year. The increased loss of $878,104 in the comprehensive loss in Q1 2020 is primarily attributable to the factors described above, which have been summarized as follows:
a decrease in product and service-related revenue of $17,535 arising in Q1 2020,
a decrease in cost of sales and services totaling $192,791, primarily due to a decrease in employee compensation, subcontracting, direct materials, manufacturing overhead & other, and an increase in foreign exchange, investment tax credits, and amortization of intangible assets,
a decrease in SG&A expenses of $53,412 arising in Q1 2020 primarily due to a decrease in professional fees, in travel, in depreciation on property and equipment, in depreciation ROU assets, and in other expenses and an increase in employee compensation, in office and general, in government grants and in share based payments,
a decrease in R&D expenses of $72,685 primarily due to an increase in government grants,
a decrease in net finance costs of $18,762 in Q1 2020 primarily due to interest on lower amounts of debt,
a decrease in fair value adjustment of strategic investments of $1,198,220 in Q1 2020.
EBITDA
The EBITDA loss in Q1 2020 was $1,418,057 compared with an EBITDA loss of $464,825 for Q1 2019, representing an increase of 205% year-over-year. The $953,232 increase in the EBITDA loss in Q1 2020 compared with Q1 2019 is due to the increase in comprehensive loss of $878,104, offset by a decrease in depreciation on property and equipment of $38,093, a decrease in depreciation of right of use assets of $20,307, an increase in amortization of intangible assets of $2,034 and a decrease in finance charges of $18,762.
Adjusted EBITDA loss in Q1 2020 was $1,347,190 compared with an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $430,341 for Q1 2019. The increase of $916,849 in the Adjusted EBITDA loss in Q1 2020 is attributable to an increase in EBITDA loss of $953,232, offset by an increase of $36,383 in share-based payments.
The Modified EBITDA loss in Q1 2020 was $855,166 compared with a Modified EBITDA loss of $1,136,537 for Q1 2019, representing a decrease of 25%. The decrease in the Modified EBITDA loss in Q1 2020 is attributable to the increase as mentioned above in the Adjusted EBITDA of $916,849 and a decrease in the change of fair value of strategic investments of $1,198,222.
Liquidity
The Company has incurred, in the last several years, operating losses and negative cash flows from operations, resulting in an accumulated deficit of $61,994,683 and a negative working capital of $11,157,110 as at Q1 2020, (December 31, 2019 – $60,237,656 and $10,492,102 respectively). Furthermore, as at Q1 2020, the Company’s current liabilities and expected level of expenses for the next twelve months exceed cash on hand of $1,139,416 (December 31, 2019 – $34,431). The Company has relied upon external financings to fund its operations in the past, primarily through the issuance of equity, debt, and convertible debentures, as well as from investment tax credits.
Separately, PyroGenesis is pleased to announce today that Me Sara-Catherine Tolszczuk has joined the Company as Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Board of Directors effective July 2nd, 2020. Before joining PyroGenesis, Me Tolszczuk was part of the corporate law group of the leading independent law firm in the province of Québec. Her work was focused on developing strategies for the protection, commercialization and enforcement of intellectual property assets. She also acquired experience in litigation files and participated in the due diligence phase of mergers and acquisitions. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and a Master’s Degree in Biology. The Company also announces the departure, effective July 2nd, 2020, of Me Ilario Gualtieri. We thank Me Gualtieri for his contributions and wish his well in his future endeavors.
About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.
PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a high-tech company, is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at www.otcmarkets.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.
For further information please contact: Rodayna Kafal, Vice President Investors Relations and Strategic Business Development Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected]
