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E-mail I sent to Ed Marshall:
I was not surprised that the "Contagion" PR had no significant effect on the stock price. It was poorly written. There was no mention of a solution to the insect problem until the third paragraph. By then many readers would have stopped reading. Rather than covering the movie itself an effective PR would have jumped right into Medizone's solution. A possible title might have been "Solution Available for "Contagion" Insect Problem."
Whatisvalue: Why not send a private message to Phrantic and others to exchange telephone numbers to expedite two person phone conversations? This should expedite the exploration of each others views and identify areas where you agree and where you disagree. At least you would then understand the basis of your disagreements.
The price is up on high volume. Judypudy must have taken a second mortgage on her home to buy additional shares!
Information about the Company for shareholders and potential shareholders comes from three sources: occasional PRs; 10Ks and 10Qs; hearsay on message boards which presumably comes from leaks by CEO Marshall to his cronies who in turn leak it to the message boards. This is not enough for shareholders and would-be shareholders to make informed investment decisions. Despite their ignorance, some shareholders have a cult-like faith in Mr. Marshall and appear convinced MZEI shares will lead them to untold riches.
It has been clear for some time to all experienced businesspeople that current management (one person) does not come anywhere close to having the ability to take this Company beyond an R&D operation. Kudos to CEO Marshall for overseeing the research and possibly the development. Attempting to turn MZEI into an operating company will have the effects of running Mr. Marshall's health into the ground, giving competitors time to catch up with our technology, and delays in the technology saving lives and providing commercial benefits.
While I believe MZEI's patents are sound, I have stated before that I do not believe they have the financial resources to withstand a challenge. Therefore the path for success lies in getting the patents approved, demonstrating successful applications, and then prompting selling the Company to a F500 outfit.
My e-mails to Ed asking such questions have not elicited any replies.
How deep is our management team? Dr. Shannon is strictly a scientist and therefore just a figurehead as President. If Ed Marshall should have a stroke from age or overwork who can pick up the reins? World health and our investment as shareholders would be adversely affected in that case.
I hope Ed does not enter marketing arrangements to generate near-term sales that limit the control that a F500 would seek in making a bid for a total takeover.
GELATI: Can you tell us if MZEI has been taking any pre-orders and if so their terms?
I question this figure as I do not believe such information is available so quickly.
What happened to Eddiebali and his price forecasts? Or did he morph into Tane61?
After What-Is-Value gave a professional business analysis of the situation our Company will be facing in the near future you proceeded to blow him off as if his analysis was not worthy. With degrees from two top business schools (M.I.T. and Columbia) and a long and successful career in business, I feel his analysis is "spot on".
A major part of the news release is that Ed will hold a teleconference call and publicly take calls from shareholders. Given the flack he has taken on IHUB in the last year or two this will be a gutsy step unless he is HIGHLY CONFIDENT he can supply answers to a number of major issues.
My opinion is that the reason management has not developed a marketing plan is that they do not intend to market their products/science. They intend to fully develop the science and product(s) and then turn them over to a major firm.
As I have stated before if they intend to hold onto any products/services they better be ready to defend their patents (requires very deep pockets).
Healthline
Antibiotic Superbugs CRKP & MRSA: Who's at Risk?
By Lisa Collier Cool
Apr 07, 2011
Misuse of antibiotics has led to a global health threat: the rise of dangerousāor even fatalāsuperbugs. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is now attacking both patients in hospitals and also in the community and a deadly new multi-drug resistant bacteria called carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, or CRKP is now in the headlines. Last year, antibiotic resistant infections killed 25,000 people in Europe, the Guardian reports.
Unless steps are taken to address this crisis, the cures doctors have counted on to battle bacteria will soon be useless. CRKP has now been reported in 36 US statesāand health officials suspect that it may also be triggering infections in the other 14 states where reporting isnāt required. High rates have been found in long-term care facilities in Los Angeles County, where the superbug was previously believed to be rare, according to a study presented earlier this month. CRKP is even scarier than MRSA because the new superbug is resistant to almost all antibiotics, while a few types of antibiotics still work on MRSA. Whoās at risk for superbugsāand what can you do to protect yourself and family members? Hereās a guide to these dangerous bacteria.
Understanding different types of bacteria.
What is antibiotic resistance? Almost every type of bacteria has evolved and mutated to become less and less responsive to common antibiotics, largely due to overuse of these medications. Because superbugs are resistant to these drugs, they can quickly spread in hospitals and the community, causing infections that are hard or even impossible to cure. Doctors are forced to turn to more expensive and sometimes more toxic drugs of last resort. The problem is that every time antibiotics are used, some bacteria survive, giving rise to dangerous new strains like MRSA and CRKP, the CDC reports.
What are CRKP and MRSA? Klebseiella is a common type of gram-negative bacteria that are found in our intestines (where the bugs donāt cause disease). The CRKP strain is resistant to almost all antibiotics, including carbapenems, the so-called āantibiotics of last resort.ā MRSA (methacillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) is a type of bacteria that live on the skin and can burrow deep into the body if someone has cuts or wounds, including those from surgery.
Who is at risk? CRKP and MRSA infects patients, usually the elderlyāwho are already ill and living in long-term healthcare facilities, such as nursing homes. People who are on ventilators, require IVs, or have undergone prolonged treatment with certain antibiotics face the greatest threat of CRKP infection. Healthy people are at very low risk for CRKP. There are 2 types of MRSA, a form that affects hospital patients, with similar risk factors to CRKP, and another even more frightening strain found in communities, attacking people of all ages who have not been in medical facilities, including athletes, weekend warriors who use locker rooms, kids in daycare centers, soldiers, and people who get tattoos. Nearly 500,000 people a year are hospitalized with MRSA.
Keeping hospital patients safe.
How likely is it to be fatal? In earlier outbreaks, 35 percent of CRKP-infected patients died, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported in 2008. The death rate among those affected by the current outbreak isnāt yet known. About 19,000 deaths a year are linked to MRSA in the US and rates of the disease has rise 10-fold, with most infections found in the community.
How does it spread? Both MRSA and CRKP are mainly transmitted by person-to-person contact, such as the infected hands of a healthcare provider. They can enter the lungs through a ventilator, causing pneumonia, the bloodstream through an IV catheter, causing bloodstream infection (sepsis), or the urinary tract through a catheter, causing a urinary tract infection. Both can also cause surgical wounds to become infected. MRSA can also be spread in contact with infected items, such as sharing razors, clothing, and sports equipment. These superbugs are not spread through the air.
What are the symptoms? Since CRKP presents itself as a variety of illnesses, most commonly pneumonia, meningitis, urinary tract infections, wound (or surgical site) infections and blood infections, symptoms reflect those illnesses, most often pneumonia. MRSA typically causes boils and abscesses that resemble infected bug bites, but can also present as pneumonia or flu-like symptoms.
How are superbugs related? The only drug that still works against the CRKP is colistin, a toxic antibiotic that can damage the kidneys. Several drugs, such as vancomycin, may still work against MRSA.
Whatās the best protection against superbugs? Healthcare providers are prescribing fewer antibiotics, to help prevent CRKP, MRSA and other superbugs from developing resistance to even more antibiotics. The best way to stop bacteria from spreading is simple hygiene. If someone you know is in a nursing home or hospital, make sure doctors and staff wash their hands in front of you. Also wash your own hands frequently, with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, avoid sharing personal items, and shower after using gym equipment. The CDC has reports on Klebsiella bacteria and MRSA, discussing how to prevent their spread and has just issued a new report on preventing bloodstream infections.
The recent low was .13. Had it hit .12 we could have crowned Eddiebali "Seer of seers, prognosticator of prognosticators" (from the movie Ground Hog Day). Eddie, now that your credentials are well established, do you have a forecast for the upside?
By the following analogy MZEI's stock price may become very volatile if there are successful tests on bed bugs or some other high profile problems.
Upcoming FDA Decisions ā Chances for Big Gains (or Big Losses)
By Chris Wood, Caseyās Extraordinary Technology
One of the most exciting (and most terrifying) aspects of investing in biotech is that success or failure of your trade can often hinge on one piece of news (at least in the short run). Good news equals big gains, and bad news equals big losses.
Companies that arenāt yet selling any products routinely see their stocks swing up 100% or more in a single day on good news from a clinical trial or FDA approval of a drug candidate ā or watch them tumble 90% if their drug fails to impress the FDA or results from a trial are anything less than glowing.
For instance, on March 18, 2010, Somaxon Pharmaceuticals (SOMX) announced that the FDA approved the New Drug Application (NDA) for Silenor(R) (doxepin) for the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulty with sleep maintenance. On that day, SOMX closed a full 133.8% above the previous dayās close.
SOMX is not some lone anomaly either. This kind of stuff happens all the time. Just nine days before the news from SOMX, InterMune, Inc. (ITMN) announced that its pulmonary therapy, Esbriet, had been recommended by an FDA advisory panel for approval to sell in the U.S. One of the final steps before official approval ā and a recommendation the FDA usually doesnāt go against ā it was a very promising sign for the company. Early investors were handsomely rewarded, with the stock leaping as much as 63% higher in the next dayās trading.
Of course, the converse is true as well. When the news is negative, early investors may find themselves holding little more than toilet paper. Take that same company from above, InterMune; just several weeks after its huge one-day jump, it tumbled 75% in one day after the FDA decided to go against the recommendation of the advisory committee by not approving the NDA for Esbriet. Instead the agency issued a complete response letter to InterMune requiring another clinical trial. ITMN stock fell from a close of $45.44 on May 4 to a close $11.38 on May 5.
And then thereās Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA). The FDA failed to approve this companyās obesity drug, Lorcaserin, late last year, and the stock fell 80% in the days surrounding the announcement.
The crux for valuation of Medizone is the ability to defend its patents. Following is a quote describing the situation MZEI faces. I forget the source.
āToday, the purpose of the patent system is to lock small companies out of markets which big companies find very profitable. The system is doing what big-company lobbyists want it to do. Since most legislation is written, in effect, by lobbyists, there is no chance that this will change anytime soon.ā
If Medizone tries to āgo it aloneā their patents will be considerably infringed upon; the Company will lack the ability to effectively defend them; and the Companyās value will be modest compared to its value if bought out.
I believe Ed Marshall understands this and, once our production machine is ready for sale, has every intention of selling out at that point. This would explain his failure to bring in the manpower and talent to operate an on-going business. Talent that had been brought in, say, six months ago, would have to have been told they would be out of a job when the Company would be sold in, say, six months from now. The only talent he needs is assistance in marketing the Company and negotiating the sale.
Let's give Eddiebali credit. His price forecasts over the last six months have been more accurate by a long shot than those of any other poster.
A partner would be a sizable company who would buy a large block directly from MZEI; they would not buy in the open market and directly drive the share price up.
Excellent post, Waterdog. It is in contrast to many of the whimsical postings on iHUB.
Do we know if the Shannon/Zoutman paper on the science has been completed and submitted for peer review yet? If not, when? Any expected date for being published?
If MZEI cannot perform its hospital beta test soon in Canada can they move their beta test equipment to one of their U.S. hospitals?
It has been suggested that Ed should be contacting Wall Street personel about MZEI. I feel this is premature. I feel that they would regard MZEI as another small tech company with some interesting lab results. I believe they would have interest only after successful completion of hospital beta tests.
With readers having information overload the news release titles have to state clearly and briefly what is significant. The latest news release title does not do this. "Medizone International Successfully Completes AsepticSureā¢ Third Round Test Program". How about "MRSA and Anthrax Surrogate Deactivataed in Lab Tests"? or "MRSA and Other Hospital Based Pathogens Deactivated in Lab Tests"?