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VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Announces Expansion of Collaboration Agreement with UHN and Extends Stem Cell Alliance to 2017
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue and cell therapy, and the University Health Network (UHN), one of Canada’s largest research hospitals, today announced the expansion of their existing collaborative pluripotent stem cell research and development program, and extended it through September 2017.
In 2007, VistaGen and Dr. Gordon Keller, head of UHN’s McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Toronto, agreed to combine Dr. Keller’s human pluripotent stem cell biology expertise with VistaGen’s proprietary Human Clinical Trials in a Test TubeTM stem cell technology platform. The platform delivers clinically relevant indications of how humans will respond to new drug candidates early in the drug development process. Dr. Ralph Snodgrass, VistaGen’s President and Chief Scientific Officer, and Dr. Keller, who is chairman of VistaGen’s Scientific Advisory Board, co-founded VistaGen in 1998, with the goal of using stem cell technologies to transform the way new drugs are discovered and developed.
“Our unique relationship with UHN and Dr. Keller is dynamic, innovative and directly supports the drug rescue capabilities of our Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform,” said Shawn Singh, VistaGen’s Chief Executive Officer. “This research partnership gives us direct access to cutting-edge stem cell research conducted by one of the world’s leading stem cell researchers at one of the world’s top stem cell research institutions.”
Dr. Christopher Paige, UHN’s Vice President, Research, said, “We are very pleased with the progress Dr. Keller’s lab and VistaGen are making in our cooperative research effort. VistaGen’s support of Dr. Keller and his team, and its commitment to commercializing these technologies, give us confidence that we will soon see the remarkable promise of our collaborative stem cell research translated into therapeutic realities that will improve patients’ lives.”
The amended UHN agreement includes five key programs that will further support VistaGen’s core drug rescue initiatives and potential cell therapy applications.
Research conducted at UHN and VistaGen labs will include the development of stem cell-based drug discovery and drug rescue technologies, using mature cardiac, liver and pancreatic beta-islet, blood and cartilage cells. The program will also focus on large-scale production of these cell types, each derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS cells), which are potentially suitable for in vivo transplantation studies and cell therapy applications.
Additionally, VistaGen and UHN scientists plan to further enhance current methods used to produce cell types derived from both human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) and hiPS cells. The research alliance also aims to establish preclinical proof-of-concept for the use of iPS cell-derived articular chondrocytes for cell therapy repair and regeneration of autologous cartilage, as well as the use of iPS cell-derived precursor cells to produce lymphocytes, granulocytic cells, red cells and blood platelets.
VSTA Announces Expansion of Collaboration Agreement with UHN and Extends Stem Cell Alliance to 2017
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue and cell therapy, and the University Health Network (UHN), one of Canada’s largest research hospitals, today announced the expansion of their existing collaborative pluripotent stem cell research and development program, and extended it through September 2017.
In 2007, VistaGen and Dr. Gordon Keller, head of UHN’s McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Toronto, agreed to combine Dr. Keller’s human pluripotent stem cell biology expertise with VistaGen’s proprietary Human Clinical Trials in a Test TubeTM stem cell technology platform. The platform delivers clinically relevant indications of how humans will respond to new drug candidates early in the drug development process. Dr. Ralph Snodgrass, VistaGen’s President and Chief Scientific Officer, and Dr. Keller, who is chairman of VistaGen’s Scientific Advisory Board, co-founded VistaGen in 1998, with the goal of using stem cell technologies to transform the way new drugs are discovered and developed.
“Our unique relationship with UHN and Dr. Keller is dynamic, innovative and directly supports the drug rescue capabilities of our Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform,” said Shawn Singh, VistaGen’s Chief Executive Officer. “This research partnership gives us direct access to cutting-edge stem cell research conducted by one of the world’s leading stem cell researchers at one of the world’s top stem cell research institutions.”
Dr. Christopher Paige, UHN’s Vice President, Research, said, “We are very pleased with the progress Dr. Keller’s lab and VistaGen are making in our cooperative research effort. VistaGen’s support of Dr. Keller and his team, and its commitment to commercializing these technologies, give us confidence that we will soon see the remarkable promise of our collaborative stem cell research translated into therapeutic realities that will improve patients’ lives.”
The amended UHN agreement includes five key programs that will further support VistaGen’s core drug rescue initiatives and potential cell therapy applications.
Research conducted at UHN and VistaGen labs will include the development of stem cell-based drug discovery and drug rescue technologies, using mature cardiac, liver and pancreatic beta-islet, blood and cartilage cells. The program will also focus on large-scale production of these cell types, each derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS cells), which are potentially suitable for in vivo transplantation studies and cell therapy applications.
Additionally, VistaGen and UHN scientists plan to further enhance current methods used to produce cell types derived from both human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) and hiPS cells. The research alliance also aims to establish preclinical proof-of-concept for the use of iPS cell-derived articular chondrocytes for cell therapy repair and regeneration of autologous cartilage, as well as the use of iPS cell-derived precursor cells to produce lymphocytes, granulocytic cells, red cells and blood platelets.
Webxu, Inc. (WBXU) Acquires Lot6 Media
Earlier today, Webxu, Inc. announced that they had acquired Lot6 Media, Inc., an online marketing company. Lot6 Media is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lot6 Media, LLC. Lot6 is involved in several sectors of the marketing industry, such as data monetization, optimization technology, and business-to-business lead generation.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Webxu is a media company focused on consumer acquisition, e-commerce and social media. Webxu operates several web brands, such as Bonus.com, Paydayloan.net and dollarblvd.com, as well as operating the Bonus Interactive brand.
Through the end of September 2011, Lot6 had unaudited revenue of $16.4 million, and EBITDA of $3.2 million.
Matt Hill, Webxu CEO, said, “Through branded online properties, Lot6 Media is extremely efficient at delivering quality offerings to targeted consumers. With experienced management and a scalable customer acquisition technology platform, the company is an excellent fit in our overall growth strategy.”
“Webxu has a compelling growth story and we are very excited to become a part of it,” said Spencer Henry, CEO of Lot6 Media, LLC. “We see a tremendous opportunity to capitalize on potential synergies between Webxu and Lot6.”
Misonix, Inc. (MSON) Secures Key Distribution Agreement for Ultrasonic BoneScalpel in Thailand with JPL Medical
Misonix, developers of a wide range of revolutionary medical devices based on the Company’s advanced ultrasonic technology, ranging from wound care systems that remove necrotic materials and devitalized tissue to high-power surgical cutters like the BoneScalpel™ Ultrasonic Bone Cutter, reported entry into an exclusive three-year distribution agreement for the BoneScalpel with one of Thailand’s top medical device marketers, JPL Medical Co., Ltd.
Preisdent and CEO of MSON, Michael A. McManus, Jr., offered an inside peek at this latest endeavor in the Company’s campaign to dynamically grow its presence in Asian markets, hailing the relationship with JPL as a fundamental key to the overall regional strategy. McManus pointed to JPL’s rock-solid reputation for introducing high-tech all across Thailand and underscored the unique competencies of JPL as a “specialty distributor of advanced medical products.”
McManus made it very clear that the reputation JPL has established, especially in neurosurgery and spine surgery, offered an ideal vector for integration. This arrangement will allow the aggressive launcher of numerous successful high tech products, including similar devices in the medical area, to have rights throughout all of Thailand for selling the BoneScalpel. A task made all the easier by JPL’s deep network and mountains of experience in associated fields like neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery and spinal surgery.
The agreement stipulates annual minimum purchase requirements and should be a huge gateway for MSON into a broader Asian market, while providing a stable footing in Thailand that should be rapidly evident in the Company’s bottom line. As all of the preliminary training with the product has been completed and sales have already begun, the ramp-up time for market penetration is very low and receptivity should be very high based on past experiences with the medical community.
Indeed, such products are a boon to the end-user market as well, with the BoneScalpel offering osteotomy capabilities like none other. Able to make precision cuts through bone and hard tissues while preserving the essential integrity of the delicate soft tissue structures, all with the usability and ergonomics of an ultra-modern medical tool, the BoneScalpel also delivers the power of a rotary cutter without all the danger.
This is a power play for MSON, as they shrewdly maneuver for better positioning of their medical product portfolio in Asian markets from above, they are simultaneously branching out into parallel sectors like Forensics products and Ductless Fume Hoods from below and making good use of the Company’s architecture in the process.
For more information on the distribution agreement, or to keep up on the latest news and information pertaining to Misonix, Inc., please visit the Company’s website at: www.misonix.com
Updated Fact Sheet Available on VistaGen's Website
http://vistagen.com/pdf_files/VSTA_Fact_Sheet.pdf
ERF Wireless (ERFB) is “One to Watch”
ERF Wireless was founded with the goal of providing wireless broadband technology to rural wireless service markets in North America, as well as to specialized vertical markets such as banking and the oil/gas industry. ERF has now become one of the largest wireless Internet service providers in the country, and is a leading provider of secure wireless networks for the regional banking industry. ERF serves customers in nine primarily mountain and south central states and two Canadian provinces.
The company’s rapid but carefully orchestrated growth rests largely on its aggressive acquisition of 16 competing wireless broadband networks in these largely rural markets, together with the expansion of wireless coverage where needed. ERF has also developed several master service agreements with wireless companies throughout much of the U.S. and Canada, further extending its reach. In addition to traditional rural residential and commercial customers, the company serves regional banks, healthcare institutions, educational institutions, and various enterprises. Service areas include Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and North Dakota where a new regional office is being opened.
Today one of the fastest growing markets for ERF is the oil and gas industry. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Energy Broadband, Inc., ERF now serves the wireless broadband needs of the industry throughout rural North America. Carefully located acquisitions have given the company the largest wireless broadband network in North America’s principal oil and gas regions. As the industry’s software has become more sophisticated, and associated communications requirements have increased, standard satellite links are proving ineffective, creating a need for superior land-based solutions. ERF Wireless has become the preferred answer, addressing the large and growing demand. The company plans to expand operations, opening up new service regions and adding new products.
For additional information, visit the company’s websites at www.ERFWireless.com
Winner Medical Group (WWIN) Reports Preliminary Fourth Quarter Results
Yesterday, Winner Medical Group Inc., a China-based exporter and retailer of high-quality medical dressings and consumer products, reported preliminary unaudited consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter that ended on September 30th, 2011. These selected results are unaudited and subject to change.
Compared to last year’s results, Winner’s revenues increased by 46.7% to $41.4 million. Gross profit increased by 21.2% to $10.7 million, up from $8.8 million in the same period of the prior fiscal year. Additionally, gross margin decreased to 25.8% and net income decreased by 14.5% to $2.7 million. Basic and diluted net income-per-share were both $0.11 for the fourth quarter.
Winner’s medical product sales increased to $36.2 million, up from $25.1 million in the same quarter of 2010. The company attributes this to steady sales in Europe, North America and South America (especially Brazil). As a percentage of total sales, sales from medical products represented 87.5%, compared to 88.9% in the same quarter of last year. Sales generated from PurCotton® products increased to $5.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011, a 65.8% increase. As a percentage of total sales, PurCotton® products represented 12.5% in the fourth quarter.
Mr. Jianquan Li, Winner Medical chairman and CEO, commented, “We are pleased to report a revenue increase of 46.7% to $41.4 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011, driven by both our medical and PurCotton® businesses. Increased sales in various markets reflect customers’ growing recognition of our brand and demand for our products.”
Mr. Li continued, “During the quarter, we continued building up our retail channel for PurCotton® products and opened our 41st chain store, compared to 22 stores operating as of the fourth quarter 2010. All PurCotton® stores are located in major Chinese cities and their operations integrate with our online sales platform. This retail expansion has required the Company to make accompanying investments in operations to support growth, which reduced the Company’s net income for the quarter. However, we feel this investment will increase long-term value for our shareholders and will earn attractive returns over future quarters.”
Mr. Xiuyuan Fang, Winner Medical CFO, added, “Against the macro background of cotton price fluctuations, our gross profit continued to grow, yet pressure was put on the Company’s gross margin, which declined to 25.8% during the quarter. The decrease was driven by a higher average purchasing price of cotton, our primary raw material, as well as an increase in the volume of cotton consumed due to increased orders. As a strategic move, the Company decided to increase raw material inventory of relatively high-quality cotton to hedge against potential future price inflation and continue meet customers’ needs. However, we are pleased to see sales growth in our higher-margin PurCotton® retail business. Such growth is expected to improve the Company’s overall gross margin level in future periods.”
InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV) Posts Third Quarter Results
InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. is a developer of innovative technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The company’s biopolymer scaffold technology is designed to provide structural support for a damaged spinal cord to promote healing and improve recovery.
The company reported financial results for the three and nine month periods ending September 30, 2011. For the three month period, InVivo reported net income of $3.067 million or $0.06 per share, compared to a net loss of $0.03 a share or $837,000 in the year ago period.
For the nine month period ended September 30, InVivo posted net income of $419,000 or $0.01 a share versus a net loss of $2.261 million or $0.08 a share in the year ago period.
The company’s CEO, Frank Reynolds, said, “We had a strong third quarter as we prepare for human studies to treat acute spinal cord injury.” Mr. Reynolds also gave a look as to what is ahead for InVivo, stating, “We’ll also begin working with FDA on our second product, a drug releasing hydrogel for acute spinal cord injuries.” The device extends the company’s focus to also include peripheral nerve injury as well.
For further information about InVivo Therapeutics, please visit the company’s website at www.invivotherapeutics.com
YM BioSciences Inc. (YMI) Reports Financial and Operational Results
YM BioSciences, Inc., an Ontario based drug development company advancing a diverse portfolio of hematology and cancer-related products, today reported results of its first fiscal quarter of 2012 ending September 30, 2011. The company trimmed its net loss to $900,000 compared to a loss of $11.3 million in the same quarter last year. Revenue from out-licensing was unchanged and the company saw a gain of $5.4 million on the revaluation of warrants compared with a loss of $3.4 million in the prior year’s first quarter.
YM BioSciences Inc. is advancing three main drug products: CYT387, a small molecule, dual inhibitor of the JAK1/JAK2 kinases; nimotuzumab, an EGFR-targeting monoclonal antibody; and CYT997, a vascular disrupting agent (VDA).
In the press release the company said, “Licensing and product development expenses were $6.5 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 compared with $5.7 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Increased development expenses for CYT387 and CYT997, and increased spending on database services and stock option expenses were offset by decreased expenses for nimotuzumab and a decrease in employee compensation costs related to restructuring costs incurred during the first quarter of the prior fiscal year.”
YM BioSciences also reported that net finance income increased by $11.3 million since the same time last year and attributed the majority of the improvement to a change of $8.8 million in the fair value adjustment of US dollar warrants. Under new international financial reporting standards, warrants in a currency other than the company’s functional currency should now be classified as a financial liability and measured at a fair value with a recording in profit or loss.
The company reports that it has cash and short term deposits totaling $75.6 million, which are sufficient to support the company activities for at least the next 18 months.
For the full first quarter earnings report of YM BioSciences, Inc, please visit www.ymbiosciences.com
European Approval of Stevia Opens New Opportunities for GLG Life Tech Corp. (GLGL)
GLG Life Tech is a global leader in the supply of high purity stevia extracts – an all-natural, zero calorie sweetener used in food and beverages. The company’s operations cover each step in the supply chain, from the stevia plant to marketing and distribution of the finished product.
The company announced today that the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers have formally adopted the regulation to allow the use of steviol glycosides in the European Union this year. The regulation will take effect 20 days after it is published in the EU Official Journal.
This decision means that consumers across Europe could begin seeing products sweetened with steviol glycosides as early as December 3. The decision by the EU Parliament was seconded by the European Food Safety Authority. And it confirms the long standing position held by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) that steviol glycosides are safe for everyone to consume and are suitable as sweetening options for diabetics.
Now that stevia has approval, GLG will begin distributing it across Europe through previously established agreements with seven distributors. The companies involved in the distribution of stevia include: PK Chemicals, Nordmann, Rassmann GmbH, Keyser & Mackay, ChemPoint.com, Caldic Ingredients B.V., Emilio Pena SA and Gusto Faravelli S.P.A.
For more information on GLG Life Tech and Stevia, please visit its website at www.glglifetech.com
Aurizon (ARZ) Posts Q3 Strength: Record Revenue, 467 Rise in Profit
Aurizon, a gold producer focused on developing its projects in north-western Quebec, Canada, today posted its financial results for the third quarter of 2011. All figures are in Canadian dollars.
The company reported record revenue of $68 million for the third quarter of this year, up 71 percent compared to $39.9 million in the comparable quarter of 2010.
Net profit for the third quarter of 2011 was $13.1 million, or $0.08 per share, up 467 percent compared to $2.3 million, or $0.01 per share, reported in the third quarter of 2010.
Aurizon posted gross profit of $38.4 million for third quarter 2011 compared to $12.7 million for the same quarter of 2010.
The company increased its exploration expenditures in the third quarter of 2011 by 29 percent to $7.0 million, compared to $5.5 million for the comparable quarter of 2010, as it optioned new exploration properties as well as continued exploration and feasibility work at its Joanna gold development property.
George Paspalas, the company’s president and CEO, attributed the improved quarterly performance primarily to continued strength of its Casa Berardi gold mine operations. Gold production for the mine increased 49 percent compared to the production achieved in the third quarter of 2010.
“The operating performance at Casa Berardi continues to improve, and we are seeing greater margins as lower operating costs on a per ounce basis complement higher gold prices to realize an operating margin of US$1,198 per ounce for the quarter, an improvement of 233 percent over the corresponding period last year …,” Paspalas stated in the press release. “Our investment in the future of Casa Berardi is progressing well, with the shaft deepening in full swing and very encouraging exploration results from the 123 zone within the West Mine. We have also realized exploration success elsewhere at Fayolle and Marban, and are excited about the future potential for these projects. The optimization of the Joanna feasibility is progressing well, and a final study should be completed in second quarter 2012.”
For more information visit www.aurizon.com
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Moves Forward with AV-101 Clinical Development
VistaGen, a biotechnology company best known for applying human pluripotent stem cell technology to drug rescue, is also developing AV-101, a unique prodrug candidate for the treatment of neuropathic pain. AV-101 is orally available, converted in the brain to a synthetic analogue of a naturally occurring compound that is one of the most potent and selective blockers of the regulatory GlyB-site of the NMDA receptor. In laymen’s terms, AV-101 affects nerve function, useful for reducing neuropathic pain, but may also offer treatment to patients with other neurological conditions, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and even depression.
Neuropathic pain is a serious and chronic condition causing misery after an injury or disease of the peripheral or central nervous system. It can be continuous, or occur in episodes, and affects an estimated 1.8 million people in the U.S. alone. VistaGen has been awarded over $8.5 million for the development of AV-101 from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the company is exploring additional opportunities for pilot Phase 2 clinical studies of AV-101 for depression, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
AV-101 is currently in Phase 1b development in the U.S. for neuropathic pain. VistaGen believes that the associated safety studies completed under its neuropathic pain Investigational New Drug Application on file with the FDA may also enable its Phase 2 development of AV-101 for epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and depression. VistaGen plans to advance AV-101 into Phase 2 development for neuropathic pain by the end of 2012.
For additional information on VistaGen Therapeutics, visit the company’s website at www.VistaGen.com
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Moves Forward with AV-101 Clinical Development
VistaGen, a biotechnology company best known for applying human pluripotent stem cell technology to drug rescue, is also developing AV-101, a unique prodrug candidate for the treatment of neuropathic pain. AV-101 is orally available, converted in the brain to a synthetic analogue of a naturally occurring compound that is one of the most potent and selective blockers of the regulatory GlyB-site of the NMDA receptor. In laymen’s terms, AV-101 affects nerve function, useful for reducing neuropathic pain, but may also offer treatment to patients with other neurological conditions, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and even depression.
Neuropathic pain is a serious and chronic condition causing misery after an injury or disease of the peripheral or central nervous system. It can be continuous, or occur in episodes, and affects an estimated 1.8 million people in the U.S. alone. VistaGen has been awarded over $8.5 million for the development of AV-101 from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the company is exploring additional opportunities for pilot Phase 2 clinical studies of AV-101 for depression, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
AV-101 is currently in Phase 1b development in the U.S. for neuropathic pain. VistaGen believes that the associated safety studies completed under its neuropathic pain Investigational New Drug Application on file with the FDA may also enable its Phase 2 development of AV-101 for epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and depression. VistaGen plans to advance AV-101 into Phase 2 development for neuropathic pain by the end of 2012.
VSTA Moves Forward with AV-101 Clinical Development
VistaGen, a biotechnology company best known for applying human pluripotent stem cell technology to drug rescue, is also developing AV-101, a unique prodrug candidate for the treatment of neuropathic pain. AV-101 is orally available, converted in the brain to a synthetic analogue of a naturally occurring compound that is one of the most potent and selective blockers of the regulatory GlyB-site of the NMDA receptor. In laymen’s terms, AV-101 affects nerve function, useful for reducing neuropathic pain, but may also offer treatment to patients with other neurological conditions, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and even depression.
Neuropathic pain is a serious and chronic condition causing misery after an injury or disease of the peripheral or central nervous system. It can be continuous, or occur in episodes, and affects an estimated 1.8 million people in the U.S. alone. VistaGen has been awarded over $8.5 million for the development of AV-101 from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the company is exploring additional opportunities for pilot Phase 2 clinical studies of AV-101 for depression, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
AV-101 is currently in Phase 1b development in the U.S. for neuropathic pain. VistaGen believes that the associated safety studies completed under its neuropathic pain Investigational New Drug Application on file with the FDA may also enable its Phase 2 development of AV-101 for epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and depression. VistaGen plans to advance AV-101 into Phase 2 development for neuropathic pain by the end of 2012.
Penford Corp. (PENX) Solidifies Strong Position in Sector, Moves to Acquire Carolina Starches
Penford, known in the US as a leading supplier of specialty food ingredients developed by top minds in carbohydrate chemistry and for their wide range of chemically modified, specialty starch products consumed by the textile/paper sectors, recently reported entry into an agreement to acquire domestic modified starch/starch-blend producer Carolina Starches.
CEO of PENX, Tom Malkoski, outlined the acquisition a bit, explaining that the purchase would encompass company interests, as well as certain assets of the business currently being operated by Carolina Starches, LLC and Keystone Starches, LLC. Malkoski underscored the supply chain logistics and operational efficiencies this would create for PENX, paying special attention to the fact that this acquisition would fuse two of the top specialty starch elements in the marketplace, giving Penford an extremely strong position as they move forward with their specialty industrial and food ingredient segments (Penford Products Co. and Penford Food Ingredients).
Indeed, the entire network will open up substantially in areas of customer service and technical support to key clients, while research and development of new and better products will be amply boosted as well. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to first year results and will provide the basis for future economic growth, with closing merely subject to typical conditions/terms and projected for this December.
CEO of Carolina Starches, Ben Cheatham, pointed to the roughly $25M yearly revenue of the business and synergistic sourcing in domestic potato/corn starches, as well as Asian tapioca and European potato starch inputs, all of which are processed at facilities in North Charleston, SC and Berwick, PA. This profile complements PENX’s own strong core competencies and infrastructural architecture in potato, tapioca, corn and rice starches, adding significant throughput to the Company’s five existing processing/manufacturing/research sites.
This move will really shore up domestic operations and the overall position of the resulting business as a whole in North American markets. It will also give the Company an able footing in international markets, opening functional gateways to external markets and really contributing to maximized growth for the business model.
For more information on the acquisition and to stay up to date on the latest news, please visit the Penford Corp. website at www.Penx.com
iCAD, Inc. (ICAD) Cancer Treatment Technology Being Accepted at Hospitals Nationwide
iCAD, Inc., a New Hampshire based provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions, and radiation therapies for the early identification and treatment of cancer, announced today that its Xoft electronic brachytherapy system has been recently adopted at a number of leading hospitals across the country, including Diablo Valley Oncology/Hematology (Pleasant Hill, CA), Exeter Hospital (Exeter, NH), Memorial Hospital Chattanooga (Chattanooga, TN), Florida Hospital Tampa (Tampa, FL), Rockford Memorial Hospital (Rockford, IL), Rose Medical Center (Denver, CO), and Vanderbilt Medical Center (Nashville, TN).
The Xoft® Axxent eBxTM system for intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is designed to reduce the normally required radiation treatment regimen for breast cancer patients. The current standard for treating early stage breast cancer calls for a lumpectomy, medical therapy, and a 5-7 week course of daily Whole Breast External Beam Radiation Therapy (WBEBRT). IORT allows doctors to give a high dose of radiation to the tumor bed during a lumpectomy, reducing or eliminating the need for follow-up radiation treatments. A single IORT dose may be as effective in treating such tumors as 10-20 daily radiation doses.
iCAD CEO Ken Ferry spoke of the increased acceptance of the Axxent eBx system and IORT: “The recent adoption of the Axxent eBx System is an increasing endorsement of electronic brachytherapy and IORT as a safe and effective method of radiation treatment. The growing demand for IORT offers patients expanded access to potentially lifesaving radiation therapy for their cancer treatment and an alternative to long-term radiation therapy.”
iCAD is an industry leader in helping healthcare professionals identify the most prevalent cancers earlier. The company offers a range of Computer-Aided Detection systems and workflow solutions for mammography, MRI, and CT applications. iCAD recently acquired Xoft, Inc., developer of the Axxent eBx system that uses non-radioactive miniaturized X-ray tube technology for the treatment of early stage breast cancer, skin cancer, and endometrial cancer. In addition, the system is cleared for use with other cancers or conditions where radiation therapy such as IORT is indicated.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.icadmed.com
UTStarcom (UTSI) Posts Q3 Improvements, Reiterates Full-year 2011 Guidance
UTStarcom Holdings Corp., a leading provider of interactive, IP-based network solutions and broadband for cable and telecom operators, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2011.
The company posted third-quarter 2011 revenues at $83.3 million, up 36 percent over the $61.4 million reported for the third quarter of 2010.
Gross profit increased 164 percent year-over-year to $31.9 million in the third quarter of 2011 compared to $12.1 million reported for the comparable quarter of 2010.
Gross margin was 38 percent in the third quarter of 2011 compared to gross profit of 19.7 percent reported in the third quarter of last year.
Operating income for the third quarter of 2011 was $14.2 million compared to an operating loss of $23.3 million for the corresponding period of 2010.
UTStarcom reported third quarter 2011 net income of $8.0 million, or basic earnings per share of $0.05, compared to a net loss of $17.2 million, or basic loss per share of $(0.13), for the third quarter of the year prior.
As of Sept. 30, 2011, the company reported cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $305.9 million.
UTStarcom president and CEO Jack Lu said sustaining profitability is one of the main goals for the company, which it achieved this quarter. He also noted the company’s achievements in the third quarter, which contributed to its year-over-year performance.
“Our cost restructuring efforts continue to show encouraging results as we recorded our second consecutive profitable quarter. In the third quarter of 2011, we announced the completion of our first end-to-end Internet TV solution for a cable TV network customer and launched five new products at the Beijing Telecommunications EXPO,” Lu stated in the press release. “ … As we look to the quarters ahead, demand for our solutions and services is healthy and our focus will be on execution and expanding our revenue contribution from higher value-added solutions.”
Company CFO Jin Jiang reiterated UTStarcom’s guidance for revenue, expense control and profitability for 2011. Total revenues are estimated in the range of $300.0 million to $320.0 million; annualized operating expenses are expected to be less than $100.0 million; and the company anticipates break even for full-year 2011.
For more information visit www.utstar.com
Magic Software Enterprises Ltd.’s (MGIC) uniPaaS Application Platform Chosen by Shlomo Sixt to Develop Fleet Management System for Mobile Phones
Magic Software Enterprises Ltd., a company that develops, markets, and supports software development and deployment technology and applications, announced that Shlomo Sixt, an Israeli leader in private and commercial car rental, leasing, and sales, has chosen Magic Software’s uniPaas application platform for the development of a more innovative mobile system for managing the fleet of vehicles used by its fieldworkers.
Shlomo Group IT Group developed the software by utilizing the uniPaaS platform, which supports application deployment on numerous types of devices and mobile operating systems from one single development effort.
The new system allows the company’s employees to use their smart phones to manage the process of car delivery and return, which includes recording the exact condition and location of the vehicles, and to merge the data with other back-end systems, all in real time.
“Thanks to the uniPaaS application platform and the close support provided by Magic Software, we were able to develop a complex system in a short amount of time and with a relatively small development team,” said Yuval Shani, manager of the Shlomo Group IT department.
“Magic Software’s technology for smartphone application development offers groundbreaking capabilities for enterprise IT,” said Eyal Pfeifel, CTO of Magic Software. “In the near future, uniPaaS developers will be able to run their applications on any popular smartphone without needing to modify or redevelop them in any way.”
Magic Software Enterprises Ltd. develops, markets, and supports software development and deployment technology and applications. It offers uniPaaS, an application platform for developing and deploying business applications; and iBOLT, a platform for business and process integration. The company’s uniPaaS and iBOLT platforms enable enterprises to accelerate the process of building and deploying applications to customize and integrate with existing systems. The company offers its products and services through numerous regional offices, independent software vendors, system integrators, distributors, and value added resellers, as well as through original equipment manufacturers and consulting partners in approximately 50 countries around the world.
For more information on Magic Software Enterprises Ltd., visit http://www.magicsoftware.com
RadNet, Inc. (RDNT) Acquires 21 Imaging Facilities
Today, RadNet, Inc. reported that it has acquired 21 imaging facilities in Maryland, Delaware and Rhode Island, comprising the vast majority of CML HealthCare Inc.’s U.S. imaging operations. The acquisition includes the purchase of two operating subsidiaries of CML, American Radiology Services (“ARS”) and The Imaging Institute (“TII”).
The acquisition will increase RadNet’s Maryland and Delaware presence to 77 centers and will provide a foothold in Rhode Island, a market in which they hope to grow. Acquiring the ARS and TII operations is anticipated to provide approximately $70 million of annualized revenue.
ARS operates 15 free-standing outpatient imaging facilities in Maryland and one facility in Delaware. The company provides on-site staffing and professional interpretation services to five Maryland hospitals and teleradiology services to nine additional hospitals and radiology group customers. TII operates five imaging facilities throughout Rhode Island, including the Cranston, Warwick and Providence local markets. On an annualized basis, ARS and TII perform over 400,000 imaging procedures at their centers.
The purchase had an aggregate consideration of approximately $40.2 million, consisting of approximately $28.2 million in cash, $9 million in a Seller Note and approximately $3 million of assumed equipment-related debt. As part of the transaction, approximately $5.5 million of debt obligations will be assumed within the two Maryland joint ventures. Additionally, RadNet has agreed to provide certain management services involved in the operation of two additional ARS-owned imaging centers in Maryland which are expected to be sold prior to the end of the first quarter of 2012 to the Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation.
Dr. Howard Berger, RadNet’s President and CEO, remarked, “This transaction greatly strengthens our leading position in Maryland, increasing our presence in that state by 15 facilities to 61 centers. The addition of the ARS facilities to our already substantial footprint in Maryland will significantly enhance our reach into the referring physician community, position us to work in new ways with the major payors and health plans of Maryland and drive economic and operating efficiencies in this core RadNet market.”
Dr. Berger continued, “On behalf of RadNet, I welcome all of the ARS and TII employees and the American Radiology Associates and The Imaging Institute physician group members. We are excited about continuing to grow and improve these businesses both in the mid-Atlantic region and in Rhode Island. We are committed to the continued growth and consolidation of all of our core markets, and a transaction like this furthers our strategy of achieving geographic concentration, efficiencies from overall scale and the provision of high-quality multi-modality offerings.”
Dr. Berger added, “The fact that we were able to raise additional financing in a globally challenged economic environment with uncertain capital markets is indicative of the relationship we have with our existing lenders and the confidence that they have in our business and management team. We continue to be supported by a skillful team of investment banking advisors and committed lenders, and we will look to them for future capital needs and advice as we grow our business.”
Exeter Resource Corp. (XRA) Restarts Drilling in Chile at Caspiche Gold Project, Provides Update on Pre-Feasibility Study and Water Project
Exeter, a well-positioned Canadian mineral developer with a treasury of some $72.8M and zero debt, is currently focused on its 100% owned Caspiche project in Chile’s prolific Maricunga gold district. Today the company reported recommencement of drilling operations at Caspiche.
The Capsiche project is ideally situated between Kinross Gold’s Refugio mine and the Kinross/Barrick Cerro Casale deposit. This resource, taken as a whole, is one of the biggest discoveries in Chile and XRA has mobilized substantial resources of its own to capitalize on it. Exeter’s landmark pre-feasibility study on the combined Caspiche and Oxide-Sulfide deposit work located at the project is going into final phases, with Schlumberger Water Services handling the hydrological analysis and geotechnical work for the Oxide and Sulfide projects falling to Knight Piésold.
Environmental and community impact studies are set to be handled by Arcadis Chile in the run up to Environmental Impact Assessment permitting on the Oxide project and Arcadis will serve a fundamental role for environmental baseline analysis project-wide.
There are a variety of ways to develop the deposits and a profile of three distinct scenarios has emerged in order to address both short term and long term profitability, for either a partial or maximized development:
• Super pit – would go down to 1k meters, mining both the oxide gold “blanket” and underlying sulfide deposit entirely via open pit methods
• Hybrid open pit/underground – open pitting the upper oxide layer and then block caving the high grade core of the sulfide deposit
• Full underground – essentially this method would use underground mining to capture maximum value by mining out the lower sulfide zones
Sandvik Mining and Construction assisted in pre-feasibility work on the Super/Hybrid options which would utilize in- and ex-pit crushing/conveying of waste rock (IPCC/EPCC), confirming extremely efficient workflows. Among the efficiency highlights are significantly reduced cost from overall waste handling operations, a smaller truck fleet and less need for personnel. Exeter has already approached key international consultants to go over the study inputs, assumptions and preliminary results, giving the Company a strong boost out of this milestone achievement.
Drilling will initially target geotechnical analysis and core material sampling for metallurgical evaluation programs as the Company is intent upon potentially expanding current engineering program parameters. Subsequent drilling will focus on new porphyry targets proximal to Caspiche as the Company found promising hydrothermal alteration on the adjacent Sideral project (currently held under option from Xstrata). Exeter has brought in new geotechnical equipment for this season and will be doing deep penetrating analysis to spearhead the work.
Exeter’s 10.7k hectare water exploration concession from the Chilean government is slated for drilling to kick off in late December this year and a new field camp is being set up to facilitate operations.
A definitive pre-feasibility study, incorporating the IPCC/EPCC studies, is slated for release Mid-January 2012. To stay up on the latest developments at Caspiche, or for more information on Exeter Resource Corp., please visit the Company’s website at: www.ExeterResource.com
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Represents Growing Field of Cell-Based Therapy
Few would dispute the fact that more progress has been made in medicine and the overall science of healthcare in the past century than in all of the previous centuries put together. If there’s a focal point for this ongoing revolution, it’s the increasing ability to treat disease at the cellular and even molecular level, often through tapping the patient’s own unique cellular powers for regeneration and combatting disease. Working in this field requires dealing with biochemical complexities that were unimaginable a few decades ago, and can involve huge up-front investments of time and money, but the potential applications are almost endless.
However, in the case of VistaGen Therapeutics, the ability to work directly with human cells offers a way for pharmaceutical companies to save money while risking less of it. VistaGen has developed a way to use advanced stem cell technology to generate human cell based bioassay systems that allow new drug candidates to be effectively tested for possible toxicity without having to expend the volumes of money and effort required to take a drug all the way to human clinical trial. It’s a highly accurate and economical way to identify problems early on, in addition to making it feasible to cost-effectively develop non-toxic drug variants, so that promising drugs aren’t shelved unnecessarily.
This superior method of drug toxicity testing, not to mention the thousands of other advancements that have already taken place as a result of new stem cell discoveries, will potentially enable even greater strides in medicine over the next century. Notable publicly traded companies using stem cell and associated technologies for the rapid advancement of health care include the following:
• Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTM) uses ixmyelocel-T, a patient-specific multicellular therapy, which draws on the human body’s own healing powers, to help people with severe chronic cardiovascular disease.
• Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTCBB: ACTC) applies stem cell based technologies in the field of regenerative medicine.
• BioTime, Inc. (AMEX: BTX) develops and markets products and technologies in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including proprietary ACTCellerate™ cell lines, culture media, and differentiation kits.
• Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYTX) focuses on regenerative medicine, with products for the cosmetic and reconstructive, cell banking, research, and various disease markets.
• Bacterin International Holdings, Inc. (AMEX: BONE) is a developer of anti-infective coatings for medical applications and bone graft materials.
• Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTI) develops placenta-based cell therapies to treat a variety of local and systemic inflammatory diseases.
• Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) uses differentiated human embryonic stem cells to develop biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and chronic degenerative diseases.
• Neuralstem, Inc. (AMEX: CUR) has a patented technology that can produce neural stem cells of the human brain and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and also has a cell therapy platform for targeting central nervous system conditions.
• Neostem, Inc. (AMEX: NBS) is accelerating proprietary cellular therapies, and becoming a single source for collection, storage, production, development and transportation of cells for cell-based medicines and regenerative science.
• ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Ltd. (OTCBB: IMUC) harnesses the body’s immune system for therapies against a variety of cancers.
• VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: VSTA), in addition to developing human pluripotent stem cell-based bioassay systems, focuses on using its unique stem cell technologies for cell therapy and regenerative medicine, such as repairing, replacing, or restoring damaged tissues or organs.
For additional information on VistaGen Therapeutics and its stem cell-based bioassay systems, visit the company’s website at www.VistaGen.com
A123 Systems, Inc. (AONE) Announces Partnership Expansion with IHI Corp.
Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, A123 Systems has quickly earned a reputation as a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced lithium-ion batteries and energy storage systems for transportation, electric grid and commercial applications. Today, A123 took a major step towards prominence with the announcement that they have expanded their business development partnership with IHI Corporation.
IHI is one of the largest industrial equipment manufacturers in Japan and this partnership will help address Japan’s increasing need for the development of practical energy solutions for passenger and commercial electric vehicles. According to today’s press release, IHI will make a $25 million equity investment in A123.
Under the terms of a technology license agreement, IHI will be the exclusive provider of A123 battery systems and modules in the Japanese transportation market, licensing A123's advanced battery system technology and systems integration expertise to manufacture solutions for electric vehicles. It is expected that this will enable A123 to leverage the customer relationships IHI has developed with leading Japanese automakers. A related product supply agreement also establishes A123 as the exclusive supplier of lithium ion battery cells to IHI for transportation as well as non-transportation applications that IHI may develop as a future value-added reseller, which has the potential of creating new market opportunities for A123 technology across IHI’s global businesses.
One of the leader’s at A123 is Jason Forcier whom serves as the Vice President of the Automotive Solutions Group at A123. In reference to this partnership agreement, Forcier stated, “IHI is a well-established technology supplier to the Japanese auto industry , so we believe that expanding our relationship provides us with a strong strategic partner to help us more effectively and efficiently deliver our solutions to the Japanese transportation market” Forcier added, “Additionally, we believe that we have a competitive advantage as the exclusive provider of lithium ion battery cells to IHI for the licensed applications as well as potential additional applications beyond transportation, allowing us to capitalize on new market opportunities introduced by IHI’s robust global network of businesses.”
Currently, A123 Systems is trading in the $3.17 range. To learn more about the company as a whole, visit their corporate website at: www.a123systems.com
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ACAD) Advances AM-831 to Phase 1 Stage
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company that uses innovative technology to fuel drug discovery and development of novel treatments for central nervous system disorders. The company currently has four product candidates in various stages of development.
The company today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has completed its review of the company’s investigational new drug application to begin Phase 1 clinical studies with its AM-831 product. AM-831 is an innovative small molecule for the treatment of schizophrenia. It was discovered by ACADIA and is being developed in collaboration with Meiji Seika Pharma Company Limited, a Japanese pharmaceutical company.
Meiji Seika Pharma has exclusive rights to develop and commercialize AM-831 in the Asian region while ACADIA retains rights to AM-831 in the rest of the world. ACADIA received initial licensing fees and is eligible to receive development and regulatory milestones and royalties on product sales in the Asian territory. Meiji Seika Pharma is responsible for all costs in the Asian region and is also funding the initial development expenses of AM-831 up to a specified level. The two parties will share the remaining expenses.
AM-831 is an orally available small molecule that combines muscarinic m1 partial agonism with both dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A antagonism. The molecule has demonstrated a unique combination of robust anti-psychotic effects in traditional preclinical models of psychosis and pre-cognitive effects in preclinical behavioral models. In contrast, currently prescribed treatments do not effectively address or may even exacerbate cognitive dysfunction associated with schizophrenia.
For more information about ACADIA Pharmaceuticals and AM-831, please visit the company’s website at www.acadia-pharm.com
7 Notable Diversified Small-Cap Dividend Stocks
Instead of relying on equity growth during times of economic uncertainty, investors are understandably taking a closer look at dividend stocks as a way to buffer share price risks. Not only do dividends offer a straight forward return, dividend paying stocks have a significantly better record of equity growth than non-dividend stocks. Companies are generally reluctant to suspend dividends, and the predictability of an ensured return means a lot in the marketplace, especially during troubled times. It’s a coupling of cash flow and capital gains that every investor needs to consider as part of a robust portfolio.
An investor can add to this the advantages offered by small-cap stocks, such as the increased chance for more aggressive growth represented by smaller more flexible companies offering unique products and services that are new to the marketplace. The problem is that small caps are far less likely to offer dividends, preferring to use excess earnings to support the company’s development. When a small cap company does offer dividends, it suggests a financial strength more prevalent in the larger cap universe, and is an up-front clue that the company is worth investigation. By adding the quality of diversity, covering multiple sectors and industries, an investor can further spread the risk.
Below are seven small-cap, or slightly below, stocks covering a range of industries, with a variety of positive income, debt, price, and other qualities, that have a solid dividend record. Your ultimate dividend yield, of course, depends upon the share price when you purchase, and due diligence is required to ferret out any weaknesses in the stocks that you may be unwilling to accept.
• Communications Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCS)
Based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, CSI provides connectivity infrastructure and services for the global deployment of broadband networks. The company has partners and customers in over 50 countries, with subsidiaries in the U.S., Costa Rica, the U.K., and China.
With a low debt to equity, the company has a steady dividend record (2010 annualized $.59 per common share)
For additional company and stock information, see the company’s website at www.CommSystems.com.
• Hawkins, Inc. (NASDAQ: HWKN)
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Hawkins is focused on the sale, delivery, and safe handling of bulk chemicals for various industries, in addition to an increased move into the production of specialty chemicals. The company serves a wide range of industries, including the energy, electronics, chemical processing, paper, medical devices, and plating industries, and also provides water and waste water treatment equipment and chemicals.
With growing revenue and earnings, the company has a steady dividend record (2010 annualized $.66 per common share).
For additional company and stock information, see the company’s website at www.HawkinsChemical.com.
• Kimball International (NASDAQ: KBALB)
Based in Jasper, Indiana, Kimball is a worldwide producer of furniture and electronic assemblies. The Furniture group provides furniture for the office and hospitality industry. The company partners with leading hotel brands around the world for custom requirements, as well as provides their own designs. The Electronics group offers a full range of life cycle support for electronic assemblies for the global medical, industrial, automotive, and public safety markets. Kimball has facilities throughout the U.S., in addition to Europe and Asia.
With 2010 sales of $1.123 billion, Kimball has a strong balance sheet, virtually no long term debt, and has paid dividends to its shareholders since 1954 (2010 annualized $.18 per class A common share, $.20 per class B common share).
For additional company and stock information, see the company’s website at www.Kimball.com.
• Martin Midstream Partners (NASDAQ: MMLP)
Based in Kilgore, Texas, Martin Midstream is a publicly traded limited partnership that focuses on the collection, transportation, storage, and distribution of petroleum products and by-products, primarily in the gulf coast region. In addition to terminalling, storage, and marine transportation for petroleum related products, the company provides natural gas gathering, processing, and NGL distribution, as well as fertilizer and sulfur related products processing and marketing.
With a positive revenue and earnings record, the company continues to have a good history of cash distributions (2010 annualized $3.00 per common share).
For additional company and stock information, see the company’s website at www.MartinMidstream.com.
• National Healthcare Corporation (NASDAQ: NHC)
Based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, National Healthcare provides long-term health care related services to 76 health care centers in 11 states, primarily in the East. Affiliates also operate 36 homecare programs, six independent living centers, and 17 assisted living communities.
With solid profit margins and cash flow, and low debt to equity, the company has a strong record of dividends for both common and preferred shares (2010 annualized $1.10 per common share, $.80 per preferred share)
For additional company and stock information, see the company’s website at www.NHCCare.com.
• National Research Corporation (NASDAQ: NRCI)
Based in Lincoln, Nebraska, NRC specializes in performance measurement within the U.S. and Canadian healthcare industry. Services provided include data collection, healthcare analytics, and business intelligence, with the goal of improving patient satisfaction and cost outcomes. The company has ongoing relationships with many of the industry’s largest organizations.
Together with a healthy net profit margin, low debt to equity ratio, and enough free cash to weather temporary challenges, NRC has a dependable dividend history (2010 annualized $.76 per common share).
For additional company and stock information, see the company’s website at www.NationalResearch.com.
• Safety Insurance Group (NASDAQ: SAFT)
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Safety Insurance Group provides insurance services in Massachusetts and New Hampshire through independent agents, including private passenger automobile insurance, homeowners insurance, and personal umbrella policies. The company is the second biggest private passenger automobile insurance provider in Massachusetts.
In spite of challenging times for the insurance industry, the company remains cash strong, with no outstanding debt, and has grown both share value and dividends paid per common share over the past 5 years (2010 annualized $1.80 per common share).
For additional company and stock information, see the company’s website at www.SafetyInsurance.com.
General Dynamics (GD) and Force Protection (FRPT) Merge to Expand Armored Vehicle Business
General Dynamics and Force Protection, Inc. today announced a definitive merger agreement in which General Dynamics will acquire Force Protection for approximately $360 million, representing a price of $5.52 per share of common stock.
Per the agreement, Force Protection will become a part of General Dynamics Land Systems, the Michigan-based designer and manufacturer of Abrams main battle tanks and Stryker infantry combat vehicles.
Force Protection designs, manufactures, tests and delivers survivability solutions to support the armed forces of the United States and its allies, which are obvious and complementary services to General Dynamics Land Systems’ role as a leading manufacturer of wheeled, tracked and amphibious combat vehicles designed to meet current and future ground-combat requirements.
“Force Protection complements and strategically expands General Dynamics’ armored vehicle business, adding new products to the expansive portfolio of combat vehicles that we currently manufacture and support,” Mark C. Roualet, president of General Dynamics Land Systems stated in the press release.
Roualet also noted expectations that the acquisition will strengthen General Dynamics Land Systems’ ability to support assets deployed with U.S. forces around the world, creating new opportunities to serve its domestic and international customers.
Michael Moody, chairman and CEO of Force Protection, further detailed strengths of the acquisition.
“After careful consideration of the strategic direction of Force Protection, our board decided that a sale to General Dynamics would maximize value for our stockholders. With their armored vehicle business, General Dynamics will be able to pursue opportunities that we could not have pursued as a stand-alone company,” Moody stated in the press release. “As part of the General Dynamics family, our innovative products and offerings will continue to provide militaries worldwide critical assets that save troops’ lives.”
The transaction is expected to be accretive to General Dynamics’ earnings in 2012.
For more information visit www.generaldynamics.com
VSTA Represents Growing Field of Cell-Based Therapy
Few would dispute the fact that more progress has been made in medicine and the overall science of healthcare in the past century than in all of the previous centuries put together. If there’s a focal point for this ongoing revolution, it’s the increasing ability to treat disease at the cellular and even molecular level, often through tapping the patient’s own unique cellular powers for regeneration and combatting disease. Working in this field requires dealing with biochemical complexities that were unimaginable a few decades ago, and can involve huge up-front investments of time and money, but the potential applications are almost endless.
However, in the case of VistaGen Therapeutics, the ability to work directly with human cells offers a way for pharmaceutical companies to save money while risking less of it. VistaGen has developed a way to use advanced stem cell technology to generate human cell based bioassay systems that allow new drug candidates to be effectively tested for possible toxicity without having to expend the volumes of money and effort required to take a drug all the way to human clinical trial. It’s a highly accurate and economical way to identify problems early on, in addition to making it feasible to cost-effectively develop non-toxic drug variants, so that promising drugs aren’t shelved unnecessarily.
This superior method of drug toxicity testing, not to mention the thousands of other advancements that have already taken place as a result of new stem cell discoveries, will potentially enable even greater strides in medicine over the next century. Notable publicly traded companies using stem cell and associated technologies for the rapid advancement of health care include the following:
• Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTM) uses ixmyelocel-T, a patient-specific multicellular therapy, which draws on the human body’s own healing powers, to help people with severe chronic cardiovascular disease.
• Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTCBB: ACTC) applies stem cell based technologies in the field of regenerative medicine.
• BioTime, Inc. (AMEX: BTX) develops and markets products and technologies in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including proprietary ACTCellerate™ cell lines, culture media, and differentiation kits.
• Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYTX) focuses on regenerative medicine, with products for the cosmetic and reconstructive, cell banking, research, and various disease markets.
• Bacterin International Holdings, Inc. (AMEX: BONE) is a developer of anti-infective coatings for medical applications and bone graft materials.
• Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTI) develops placenta-based cell therapies to treat a variety of local and systemic inflammatory diseases.
• Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) uses differentiated human embryonic stem cells to develop biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and chronic degenerative diseases.
• Neuralstem, Inc. (AMEX: CUR) has a patented technology that can produce neural stem cells of the human brain and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and also has a cell therapy platform for targeting central nervous system conditions.
• Neostem, Inc. (AMEX: NBS) is accelerating proprietary cellular therapies, and becoming a single source for collection, storage, production, development and transportation of cells for cell-based medicines and regenerative science.
• ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Ltd. (OTCBB: IMUC) harnesses the body’s immune system for therapies against a variety of cancers.
• VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: VSTA), in addition to developing human pluripotent stem cell-based bioassay systems, focuses on using its unique stem cell technologies for cell therapy and regenerative medicine, such as repairing, replacing, or restoring damaged tissues or organs.
For additional information on VistaGen Therapeutics and its stem cell-based bioassay systems, visit the company’s website at www.VistaGen.com
VSTA Represents Growing Field of Cell-Based Therapy
Few would dispute the fact that more progress has been made in medicine and the overall science of healthcare in the past century than in all of the previous centuries put together. If there’s a focal point for this ongoing revolution, it’s the increasing ability to treat disease at the cellular and even molecular level, often through tapping the patient’s own unique cellular powers for regeneration and combatting disease. Working in this field requires dealing with biochemical complexities that were unimaginable a few decades ago, and can involve huge up-front investments of time and money, but the potential applications are almost endless.
However, in the case of VistaGen Therapeutics, the ability to work directly with human cells offers a way for pharmaceutical companies to save money while risking less of it. VistaGen has developed a way to use advanced stem cell technology to generate human cell based bioassay systems that allow new drug candidates to be effectively tested for possible toxicity without having to expend the volumes of money and effort required to take a drug all the way to human clinical trial. It’s a highly accurate and economical way to identify problems early on, in addition to making it feasible to cost-effectively develop non-toxic drug variants, so that promising drugs aren’t shelved unnecessarily.
This superior method of drug toxicity testing, not to mention the thousands of other advancements that have already taken place as a result of new stem cell discoveries, will potentially enable even greater strides in medicine over the next century. Notable publicly traded companies using stem cell and associated technologies for the rapid advancement of health care include the following:
• Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTM) uses ixmyelocel-T, a patient-specific multicellular therapy, which draws on the human body’s own healing powers, to help people with severe chronic cardiovascular disease.
• Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTCBB: ACTC) applies stem cell based technologies in the field of regenerative medicine.
• BioTime, Inc. (AMEX: BTX) develops and markets products and technologies in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including proprietary ACTCellerate™ cell lines, culture media, and differentiation kits.
• Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYTX) focuses on regenerative medicine, with products for the cosmetic and reconstructive, cell banking, research, and various disease markets.
• Bacterin International Holdings, Inc. (AMEX: BONE) is a developer of anti-infective coatings for medical applications and bone graft materials.
• Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTI) develops placenta-based cell therapies to treat a variety of local and systemic inflammatory diseases.
• Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) uses differentiated human embryonic stem cells to develop biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and chronic degenerative diseases.
• Neuralstem, Inc. (AMEX: CUR) has a patented technology that can produce neural stem cells of the human brain and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and also has a cell therapy platform for targeting central nervous system conditions.
• Neostem, Inc. (AMEX: NBS) is accelerating proprietary cellular therapies, and becoming a single source for collection, storage, production, development and transportation of cells for cell-based medicines and regenerative science.
• ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Ltd. (OTCBB: IMUC) harnesses the body’s immune system for therapies against a variety of cancers.
• VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: VSTA), in addition to developing human pluripotent stem cell-based bioassay systems, focuses on using its unique stem cell technologies for cell therapy and regenerative medicine, such as repairing, replacing, or restoring damaged tissues or organs.
For additional information on VistaGen Therapeutics and its stem cell-based bioassay systems, visit the company’s website at www.VistaGen.com
Gastar Exploration Ltd. (GST) Issues Q3 2011 Financial Report and Operations Update
Gastar Exploration Ltd. issued an operational and financial update for the third quarter of 2011. The company is active in exploring and developing oil and gas resources in the Appalachian Basin and Midcontinent areas of the United States.
Gastar Exploration reported net income of $1.0 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2011, a vast improvement over the company’s net loss of $16.4 million, or $0.33 per share, in the comparable quarter last year.
Gastar Exploration is operating two rigs in the Appalachian Basin and is making progress on a development program targeting the Marcellus Shale in West Virginia. The company estimates that it will have nineteen horizontal wells either producing or waiting on fracturing operations by the end of 2011.
Gastar Exploration has acreage in East Texas and is developing various sands in the Bossier formation. The company spent $4.2 million in this area in the third quarter of 2011, and reported average daily production of 16.6 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalents per day.
For more information on the company, go to www.gastar.com
IsoRay, Inc. (ISR) Signs European Distribution Agreement for GliaSite Radiation Therapy
IsoRay, Inc., a provider of innovative solutions for the treatment and diagnosis of disease using medical isotopes that represent significant advancements over existing technology, today announced an agreement with Karlheinz Goehl-Medizintechnik Goehl for the distribution of the GliaSite radiation therapy system in certain European markets. The GliaSite radiation therapy system includes a balloon catheter which is a unique technology that allows doctors to treat more brain cancer patients than brachytherapy or internal radiation therapy.
“The GliaSite® system represents continued progress toward our goal of expanding the use of brachytherapy solutions to treat cancers throughout the entire body. This distribution agreement allows us to pursue the recapture of the $4-5 million in annual revenue previously generated by product sales when Hologic owned the device. It also represents an important development for brain cancer patients and their doctors in providing a crucial treatment option that delivers improved outcomes and quality of life,” said Dwight Babcock, CEO, IsoRay Inc in a press release on Thursday.
Advantages of the GliaSite system include the ability to target a specified high dose of a liquid radiation source in the areas most likely to contain the cancer after a brain tumor has been removed. It is also less likely to damage healthy brain tissue, helps to minimize the possibility of the tumor recurring and provides patients with a better quality of life as it limits the number of follow-up external radiation treatments.
“In 2002, our company was the first to have patients treated with GliaSite® outside the U.S. We had great success in providing a safe, adjuvant and remarkably life-extending therapy for glioma patients whilst keeping their quality-of-life-index in the highest possible range, which was our main goal,” said Karlheinz Goehl-Medizintechnik Goehl President Charly Goehl in the Thursday press release. “Previous customers are very excited to have GliaSite® available again.”
Regulatory approval is expected for the new liquid form of IsoRay’s Cesium-131, an advanced form of brachytherapy for the treatment of brain cancer, that would use the GliaSite radiation therapy system for delivery. Cesium-131 allows for the internal radiation treatment of many different cancers since it combines its high energy ability to reach just far enough to treat the cancer and its half-life speed in giving off therapeutic radiation.
For more information, please visit www.isoray.com
Perma-Fix Environmental (PESI) Shows Strength in Q3 Financial Performance
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc., a nuclear waste treatment and onsite services provider, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2011.
The company reported revenue for the third quarter of 2011 at $32.8 million, a 43.4 percent increase compared to $22.9 million for the same period last year.
Gross profit for the third quarter of 2011 increased 335.5 percent to $11.3 million compared to $2.6 million for the comparable quarter of 2010. Gross margin increased to 34.5 percent from 11.3 percent for the same period last year.
Operating income for the third quarter of 2011 increased to $6.9 million versus an operating loss of $1.3 million for the third quarter of 2010.
Perma-Fix posted 2011 third-quarter net income at $6.0 million, or $0.11 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.1 million or $(0.02) per share, for the same period in 2010. Net income for the third quarter of 2011 included a gain on the sale of PFFL of approximately $1.8 million, partially offset by a loss from discontinued operations of $187,000.
The company generated EBITDA of $8.1 million from continuing operations during the third quarter of 2011, as compared to EBITDA loss of approximately $174,000 for the same period of 2010.
As of Sept. 30, 2011, the company had more than $10.7 million of cash and $5.7 million of total debt.
“The second half of 2011 is proving to be one of the strongest periods in our history and we believe this demonstrates that our strategy is working,” Dr. Louis F. Centofanti, chairman and CEO stated in the press release.
Dr. Centofanti noted contributors to the company’s quarterly improvements, as well as the completion of a recent acquisition.
“We attribute our strong performance to increased treatment of higher activity and more complex waste streams. This has been a major focus over the past few years and represents an important growth opportunity going forward. At the same time, we remain focused on expanding our onsite services, which complement our traditional treatment services,” he concluded. “Toward this end, we are pleased to announce the completion of our acquisition of Safety and Ecology Holdings Corp. and its subsidiary, Safety and Ecology Corp. (SEC). We believe SEC will broaden our service capabilities and expands our addressable market.”
For more information visit www.perma-fix.com
Move Inc. (MOVE) Announces Launch of International Website for REALTOR.com
The National Association of REALTORS® and Move, Inc., a company that works with its subsidiaries to operate an online network of Websites, announced that the lead of REALTOR.com as the world’s largest online website for real estate listings has been extended with the launch of the REALTOR.com International website.
The new site, www.REALTOR.com/International, delivers millions of real estate listings to buyers around the world. At its launch, REALTOR.com International will feature residential real estate listings from Croatia, Bulgaria, France, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, and Italy. The REALTOR.com International site can be accessed from the REALTOR.com homepage as well.
In the last three months, almost 2.6 million International visitors have searched for U.S. real estate on REALTOR.com. The top five countries where the searches have originated are from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, and India.
“Increasingly, more and more Realtors are working with international clients who want to buy property in the U.S. and the new REALTOR.com International web site will not only allow Realtors to offer their expertise and knowledge to a broader audience, but will also bring buyers and sellers together across the globe,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, Rhode Island. “Foreign buyers understand the value of owning a home in the U.S. and can rely on a Realtor because of their global perspective and understanding of different cultures and real estate practices. This collaboration with Move is just one of many ways Realtors can expand and grow their business globally.”
To aid international and foreign-born buyers as they search for U.S. residential real estate, the new REALTOR.com International search experience offers more enhanced translation options in 11 languages, which include Dutch, English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Japanese. The site also includes an easy-to-use currency and dimension converters, which are available on all pages.
“The U.S. continues to be a top destination for international buyers from all over the world, and REALTOR.com remains a natural choice for international buyers because we offer the largest, freshest and most accurate collection of property listings available online,” said REALTOR.com President, Errol Samuelson. “In recent years, foreign buyers have increasingly become interested in owning real estate in the United States. Like millions of U.S. consumers, they trust the REALTOR.com brand to help them connect with Realtors and find the property that’s right for their needs. Opening up the world of real estate on REALTOR.com to include an international search experience is a natural evolution of our offerings at Move. We’re very excited to help hundreds of thousands of Realtors grow their businesses beyond U.S. borders as they connect with international buyers.”
NAR’s 2011 Profile of International Home Buying Activity has reported that the U.S. remains a top destination for foreign buyers with international purchases soaring to $16 billion in the last year. In accordance to the survey, total residential international sales last year in the U.S. amounted to $82 billion. Total international sales were split evenly between recent immigrants and non-resident foreigners.
International buyers of U.S. residential real estate came from 70 countries. The top five (Mexico, Canada, China, UK, and India) made up 53 percent of all transactions from March of 2010 to March 2011. Most states in the U.S. had at least one international transaction, while Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona made up 58 percent of all U.S. residential transactions that were completed by International buyers. The convenience of air transportation, climate and location, and the proximity to their homeland are the most important factors for international buyers.
Presentations for international content providers who are interested in learning how to feed in their listing to REALTOR.com International will take place at the 2011 Realtors® Conference and Expo in Anaheim, California, from November 11th through the 14th.
For more information on Move, Inc., visit www.move.com
Commtouch (CTCH) Posts Q3 Financial Results and Highlights, Reaffirms Full-year Guidance
Commtouch, a leading cloud-based Internet security provider, today announced its 2011 third-quarter results and business highlights for the three months ended September 30, 2011.
The company reported third-quarter revenue at $5.9 million, a 27 percent increase compared to $4.6 million in the third quarter of 2010.
Net income for the third quarter of 2011 decreased 16 percent to $887,000, or $0.04 per diluted share, compared to $1.1 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, reported for the third quarter of 2010.
Commtouch’s deferred revenues (long-term and short-term) as of September 30, 2011, totaled $4.1 million compared to $3.5 million in deferred revenues as of June 30, 2011.
Operating cash flow for the third quarter of 2011 was $1.5 million compared to $1.6 million in the third quarter of 2010.
As of September 30, 2011, the company had cash at $17.6 million compared to $16.1 million as of June 30, 2011.
“I am happy to report another strong quarter with consistent revenue growth and improvement of our operating and net margins that led to higher profitability,” Ron Ela, Commtouch CFO stated in the press release. “This steady financial growth remains a solid basis from which to implement our future plans.”
The company noted growing demand for its products in the third quarter of 2011; a new agreement with a communications leader for which Commtouch will provide its antivirus solution; expanding contracts with existing contracts; and the launch of version eight of its e-mail and Web security solution platform.
Commtouch reaffirms its full-year 2011 guidance, expecting revenue and net income to be midrange in previous guidance of full-year revenues between $22.5 million and $23.5 million, and net income between $6.2 million and $6.7 million.
For more information visit www.commtouch.com
BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BPAX) is “One to Watch”
BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has a strong portfolio of specialty products/candidates in the areas of sexual health and oncology. Employing a shrewd, collaborative framework of strategic partners/licensees, BioSante’s experienced development team has grown extremely proficient at identifying valuable opportunities and then leveraging the extended resources of the company’s partner network in order to progress rapidly from candidate towards a successfully branded product.
Lead products like LibiGel® (Phase III), a once-a-day transdermal gel engineered to absorb quickly into the skin after it is rubbed on the upper arm, show tremendous potential in targeted markets. In this case where women suffering from HSDD (hypoactive sexual desire disorder, characterized by lowered sex drive) benefit both from reduced skin reaction customary in other transdermal delivery solutions and the ability of the proprietary formulation of testosterone to alleviate HSDD symptoms, increasing sexual desire and satisfaction, while lowering sexual distress.
BioSante’s Elestrin™ gel, marketed in the US by BPAX licensee Azur Pharma, is an ultra-low dose prescription formulation of estrogen (estradiol) for hot flashes associated with menopause and engineered along emerging guidelines for such treatments from estrogen therapy/gynecology experts at the FDA, NAMS (North American Menopause Society) and ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), who recommend the lowest dosage possible for the shortest interval. Fast-drying and colorless, this clear gel product contains a form of estradiol identical to that in the body; a single dose rubbed into the upper arm or shoulder is enough to treat moderate-to-severe hot flashes.
Rounding out the BioSante portfolio are three other offerings. The Pill-Plus™, an oral contraceptive that is currently under development, featuring a triple component formulation which adds an androgen (similar to testosterone) to the typical estrogen/progestin combination and has shown results in trials of increased sexual activity. Bio-T-Gel™, a once-daily transdermal formulation of testosterone engineered to treat male hypogonadism, typically characterized by impotence, osteoporosis, and weakness of the muscles, in addition to a general lack of sex drive. And finally, a series of ongoing cancer vaccine work with multiple offerings in various Phase I and II clinical trials, work that has been supercharged by the 2010 FDA approval of Provenge for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Wave Systems Corp. (WAVX) Signs Strategic Distribution Agreement with Ingram Micro (IM)
Wave Systems Corp., a leading provider of client and server software for hardware-based digital security that enables organizations to know who is connecting to their IT infrastructure, protect corporate data, and strengthen boundaries of their networks, today announced a strategic distribution agreement with Ingram Micro (NYSE: IM) starting November 1. The deal allows for the offering of Wave’s EMBASSY security software to more resellers around the world via Ingram’s network of customers for the managing of hardware-based data protection and authentication. Ingram Micro serves more than 150 countries on six continents and maintains the world’s most comprehensive portfolio of IT products and services.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such an established global leader as Ingram Micro and look forward to offering our management tools for trusted computing around the world,” said Brian Berger, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Wave Systems in a press release Tuesday.
Wave’s core products use a highly secure cryptographic support system known as the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to generate, store and process keys used to encrypt information and harden identities. Wave’s comprehensive suite of products leverages these capabilities to allow an organization to implement a safer, more trusted computing environment. In fact, Wave’s flagship software offering, EMBASSY® Trust Suite, comes installed on every business-class laptop computer shipping from Dell.
“This agreement allows us to offer Wave’s comprehensive management for data protection and authentication to more IT resellers around the world,” said Eric Kohl, Director, Ingram Micro Advanced Technology Division, in the Tuesday press announcement. ” Ingram Micro is very excited to offer Wave’s robust management tools for embedded hardware security — SEDs for protecting data and TPMs for strengthening authentication — to its network of partners and our partners’ customers.”
Ingram Micro is the world’s largest technology distributor and a leading technology, sales, marketing and logistics company for the IT industry worldwide. Since 1979 Ingram Micro has connected technology solution providers with vendors, bringing the latest products and services to the market.
Wave reports that its customers include the world’s largest chemical company, one of the largest automotive manufacturers, healthcare systems, financial institutions and government agencies.
For more Information about Wave and the Embassy Suite of products, please visit www.wave.com
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Means New Hope for Old Drugs
It makes no difference how effective a new drug candidate is in the fight against cancer or other deadly disease. It also makes no difference how much effort, time, or money has gone into the development and evaluation of such a promising drug. It doesn’t even matter how many lives can be saved by its use. In fact, despite their efficacy, most of these drugs have a very good chance of simply being shelved. It happens all the time, resulting in the loss of potentially life-saving therapies, along with countless millions of dollars in wasted research.
These critically needed drugs are oftentimes lost due to toxicity issues that go undiscovered until late in the development process, after much of the work has been done and most of the money has been spent. For example, cardiotoxicity alone has been implicated in nearly 30% of drug withdrawals. Currently, such toxicity is frequently uncovered late in the game, during human clinical trials, or sometimes even after FDA approval. The human and financial toll of such late withdrawals is enormous, but could be avoided given a more efficient and accurate way of testing drugs earlier in development.
VistaGen Therapeutics has discovered a powerful new approach to toxicity testing that has been shown to be far superior to animal tests or other traditional early testing methods. The concept is based upon the use of human pluripotent stem cells that can be engineered to effectively duplicate the human cellular environment, allowing tests of unmatched precision. Potential toxicity is discovered early and relatively inexpensively, allowing non-toxic drug variations to be developed. In addition, previous drug candidates, shelved for toxicity reasons, can now be cost effectively reconsidered for potential variants, opening the door to new life-saving drugs and all of the associated profits.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.VistaGen.com
Vertex Energy, Inc. (VTNR) Reports Improvements, Record Revenue for Q3 2011
Vertex Energy, Inc., a leader in the aggregation, re-refining and processing of distressed petroleum streams such as used oil, transmix, fuel oils and off-specification commercial chemical products, today posted its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011.
“The third quarter of this year, like the first and second quarters of 2011, illustrated the improvements we’ve made in virtually every area of our business compared to last year. As we continue to aggregate and process greater volumes of product we improve our ability to drive revenue as we strengthen our position within the used oil market,” Benjamin P. Cowart, CEO of Vertex stated in the press release.
The company reported consolidated revenue of $30.3 million, a 128 percent increase over third quarter 2010 revenue of $13.2 million. For the first nine months of 2011, the company reported revenue of $78.4 million, an 85 percent increase over the first nine months of 2010.
Gross profit for the third quarter increased 148 percent to $2.03 million compared to $818,607 reported in the comparable quarter of 2010. Gross profit for the first nine months of the year increased 146 percent to $6.77 million.
Vertex’s third-quarter 2011 net income increased 393 percent to $1.03 million, or $0.06 per fully diluted share, compared to third quarter 2010 net income of $208,580, or $0.02 per fully diluted share. Net income for the first nine months of 2011 improved to $3.64 million, or $0.25 per fully diluted share, a 378 percent increase over the first nine months of 2010.
The company’s overall quarterly sales volumes increased 36 percent compared to third quarter 2010; volumes for the first nine months of 2011 increased 21 percent compared to the same period last year.
Cowart said the company will continue to expand its used oil aggregation footprint, overall sales volume, and its patent-pending Thermal-Chemical Extraction Process (TCEP) throughput rates compared to last year.
“The third quarter of 2011 represents our highest revenue quarter yet. TCEP, which has grown in its contribution to Vertex’s top line over time, continues to run effectively even while we are still implementing improvements to the process,” Cowart stated. “For the remainder of 2011, we expect to continue to exploit our competitive advantage in the combination of used oil aggregation and TCEP operations, while also evaluating potential acquisitions that could enhance our overall competitive positioning within the industry.”
For more information visit www.vertexenergy.com
Neoprobe Corp. (NEOP) is “One to Watch”
Neoprobe Corp. has quickly risen to dominate in ILM (intraoperative lymphatic mapping, a minimally invasive lymph node biopsy) cancer surgery markets as the only gamma detection systems developer which simultaneously is refining both its radiotracers and detection hardware. Additionally, the Company has a rapidly growing investigational initiative program focused on innovative radiotracing agents and ACT, or activated cellular therapies, under majority-owned subsidiary, Cira Biosciences, Inc.
Among the detection systems, probes and ancillary devices marketed by NEOP worldwide is a wide variety of wired/wireless options for what has become recognized as a vitally important procedure for cancer patients, where the lymph node tissues can be more easily examined for the spread of cancer. The Neoprobe® GDS gamma detection system is at the heart of the GDS Console developed by the Company as well, which was engineered from the ground up to deliver a zero-calibration, highly-customizable and easy to use all-in-one console, enabling speedy work by healthcare professionals. The GDS Console is able to display multiple radionuclide windows at the same time and is instantly user selectable so multiple users can use it without a problem or having to slow down.
Because solid tumor cancers most often spread via the lymphatic system to other tissues, the ILM procedure has become more and more a de facto standard approach. ILM involves using a tracing agent which is then detected, and because the Company has such a strong portfolio of competencies in detection technology, the tracing agents developed under the investigational initiative are finely tuned to the hardware used for detection, resulting in superior performance.
The Company’s proprietary radioactive tracing agent Lymphoseek® is secured via an exclusive worldwide license agreement with UC San Diego and is ideally suited for ILM. Activated cellular therapy technology has wide ranging applications as well, with deep impact in patient-specific oncology and diseases of the autoimmune system, or with viral infections like HIV/AIDS or hepatitis. The Company’s RIGScan CR system fuses a patented hand-held detection probe and proprietary radio-labeled targeting agents that are cancer-specific, thus allowing surgeons to achieve extremely thorough removal of cancer tissues and better patient results.
VSTA Shareholders Approve Amendment to Articles of Incorporation, which includes 50% Reduction in Authorized Shares http://xml.10kwizard.com/filing_raw.php?repo=tenk&ipage=7877260
VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (VSTA) Means New Hope for Old Drugs
It makes no difference how effective a new drug candidate is in the fight against cancer or other deadly disease. It also makes no difference how much effort, time, or money has gone into the development and evaluation of such a promising drug. It doesn’t even matter how many lives can be saved by its use. In fact, despite their efficacy, most of these drugs have a very good chance of simply being shelved. It happens all the time, resulting in the loss of potentially life-saving therapies, along with countless millions of dollars in wasted research.
These critically needed drugs are oftentimes lost due to toxicity issues that go undiscovered until late in the development process, after much of the work has been done and most of the money has been spent. For example, cardiotoxicity alone has been implicated in nearly 30% of drug withdrawals. Currently, such toxicity is frequently uncovered late in the game, during human clinical trials, or sometimes even after FDA approval. The human and financial toll of such late withdrawals is enormous, but could be avoided given a more efficient and accurate way of testing drugs earlier in development.
VistaGen Therapeutics has discovered a powerful new approach to toxicity testing that has been shown to be far superior to animal tests or other traditional early testing methods. The concept is based upon the use of human pluripotent stem cells that can be engineered to effectively duplicate the human cellular environment, allowing tests of unmatched precision. Potential toxicity is discovered early and relatively inexpensively, allowing non-toxic drug variations to be developed. In addition, previous drug candidates, shelved for toxicity reasons, can now be cost effectively reconsidered for potential variants, opening the door to new life-saving drugs and all of the associated profits.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.VistaGen.com
VSTA Means New Hope for Old Drugs
It makes no difference how effective a new drug candidate is in the fight against cancer or other deadly disease. It also makes no difference how much effort, time, or money has gone into the development and evaluation of such a promising drug. It doesn’t even matter how many lives can be saved by its use. In fact, despite their efficacy, most of these drugs have a very good chance of simply being shelved. It happens all the time, resulting in the loss of potentially life-saving therapies, along with countless millions of dollars in wasted research.
These critically needed drugs are oftentimes lost due to toxicity issues that go undiscovered until late in the development process, after much of the work has been done and most of the money has been spent. For example, cardiotoxicity alone has been implicated in nearly 30% of drug withdrawals. Currently, such toxicity is frequently uncovered late in the game, during human clinical trials, or sometimes even after FDA approval. The human and financial toll of such late withdrawals is enormous, but could be avoided given a more efficient and accurate way of testing drugs earlier in development.
VistaGen Therapeutics has discovered a powerful new approach to toxicity testing that has been shown to be far superior to animal tests or other traditional early testing methods. The concept is based upon the use of human pluripotent stem cells that can be engineered to effectively duplicate the human cellular environment, allowing tests of unmatched precision. Potential toxicity is discovered early and relatively inexpensively, allowing non-toxic drug variations to be developed. In addition, previous drug candidates, shelved for toxicity reasons, can now be cost effectively reconsidered for potential variants, opening the door to new life-saving drugs and all of the associated profits.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.VistaGen.com