MissionIR Small-Cap Investor Blog: May 2014

Friday, May 30, 2014

Methes Energies International Ltd. (MEIL) Advanced Biodiesel Production Hardware, Comprehensive Software, Engineering and Support Spells Success

Methes Energies has devised a unique model for capturing growth in the biodiesel field, combining fully automated biodiesel processing hardware that has a small footprint/form factor and can handle a wide range of feedstocks to produce high-quality B100 fuel grades (100% biodiesel), with low-cost, in-house production of fuel using their own hardware. Unit sales of production hardware, to a market seeing increasing numbers of entrants, as well as new facilities each year, continues to drive the business forward and the company’s reputation gets better with each unit sold.

The company’s two primary hardware offerings to aspiring biodiesel producers are the Denami 600 (1.3M gallons per year) and the Denami 3000 (6.5M gal./year) models, which are capable of producing ASTM quality biodiesel (American Society for Testing and Materials). The company’s engineering team is so proficient they can pump out a new unit in just 16-20 weeks and the modularity of these units naturally lends itself to either new operations or operational expansion. Moreover, MEIL provides the kind of robust engineering support that can take customers from plant design and management determinations, through to any additional equipment or troubleshooting required, giving customers the ability to develop a facility-tailored solution that is right for their operational and expansion goals. The Denami series and associated support provided by MEIL is perfect for all types of customers. Small entities like an individual, corporation or municipality (many of whom already use a considerable amount of biodiesel) that want a “pipe to pipe” solution covering processing capability, lab equipment, and an environmental checklist, as well as the installation, personnel training, and long-term maintenance, are well-served by MEIL. Larger entities, who are seeking a production line and/or turn-key solution, will also find MEIL to be the ideal partner.

The company even offers full-spectrum business management software to handle all aspects typical among producers, from audit-friendly feedstock and biodiesel product tracking, to BQ-9000® standards compliance under NABE guidelines via BQ9000 LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System). Producers can do everything from logging maintenance and calibration done on their equipment, to handling sales and invoicing with this software platform, making the BQ-9000 producer and marketer validation process a snap. The platform is even fully integrated with accounting and can be accessed from any device, at anytime, day or night.

Methes itself was pleased to announce recently (May 22) that they have received the coveted BQ-9000 Producer and Marketer status from the NBAC (National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission), comfortably meeting the accreditation requirements set forth by this fusion of ASTM standards and ASTM D6751 (specs for B100 to be blended with middle distillates like kerosene or diesel), as well as a thorough quality control battery that spans distribution, fuel management practices, sampling and sample retention, in addition to shipping, storage, and testing. Given the relatively low number of NBAC-approved operations which are simultaneously accredited as both a producer and marketer, this was a big win for MEIL, reinforcing their prominence in the sector and signaling to customers and investors alike that the company’s automated, continuous flow, state-of-the-art biodiesel processors are a force to be reckoned with.

It is no surprise that biodiesel has really come into its own in recent years, what with mounting demand for energy throughout the developed and developing world, combined with increasing competition for fossil fuels. The drive to develop the infrastructure for a more sustainable, stable supply of fuel like biodiesel is accelerating and the US military in particular continues to be a leading force within this component vector, having an impressive biofuels program that cuts across all branches. The U.S. Navy’s plan to put an entire biofuel fleet in the water in 2016, called the Great Green Fleet (complete with destroyers, helicopters, jets and other ships), is a perfect example of how the U.S. military is a driving force in the sector and the DOD has set a 2016 capacity target of 150M gallons, creating an abundance of capital flow that is largely earmarked for producers to construct biofuel refineries.

The company recently closed (May 27) a public offering of common stock and plans to use the proceeds primarily to expand production capacity of high-grade, low-cost B100 at their main plant up in Sombra, Ontario. While other renewable energy forms have shown great potential, the economics and adaptability/flexibility of biodiesel, which can be generated from a wide range of feedstocks using the proper hardware (including non-food sources), presents a tremendous opportunity, especially when you consider that all the infrastructure is already essentially in place for transportation and the like. MEIL has the production angle down pat with the hardware and software, as well as R&D and support services needed to continue growing rapidly. Investors can expect to hear big things from the company as more and more producers pile into the market looking for top of the line production hardware like the company’s Denami series.

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VistaGen, Inc. (VSTA) Aims to Breathe Life into Shelved, High Potential Drug Candidates and Revitalize Drug Development

VistaGen is a biotech company applying pluripotent stem cell technology for drug rescue and regenerative medicine with a primary focus on heart and liver cells. A pluripotent stem cell, such as an embryonic stem cell, has the potential to differentiate into a variety of other cell types in a body, making it a valuable component in regenerative medicine.

The term “drug rescue” refers to R&D using small molecule drug candidates that were previously discovered and validated in efficacy studies, but that were dropped during development, prior to FDA approval, due to unexpected safety concerns. VistaGen’s mission is to develop a means to predict these toxicity concerns in early development, before the pharmaceutical developer spends considerable time and money on animal or human testing.

For more than 15 years, the company’s stem cell R&D teams have worked alongside key collaborators to develop proprietary methods for facilitating controlled-differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to produce several types of mature, functional adult human cells.

The result of these efforts are the CardioSafe 3D™ and LiverSafe 3D™ in vitro bioassay systems, which form the cornerstone of the company’s Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform.

Using mature cardiomyocytes (heart cells) differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells, VistaGen developed its CardioSafe 3D™ to predict toxic and non-toxic in vivo cardiac effects of small molecule drug candidates. LiverSafe 3D™, the company’s second novel stem cell technology-based bioassay system, was developed using mature hepatocytes (liver cells) and was also derived from human pluripotent stem cells.

Unexpected toxicity is one of the top reasons for safety-related drug failure during clinical development. Because VistaGen’s systems use human stem cells rather than animal, cadaver, immortalized or transformed cells, and are three dimensional cultures, its technology more accurately reflects the structures and biology inside the human body, giving it the power yield responses to drug candidates that are more predictive of human drug responses.

VistaGen continues to advance the pharmaceutical applications of stem cell-derived blood, bone, cartilage, heart, liver and pancreatic beta-islet cells, while exploring opportunities to leverage its stem cell technology platform for regenerative medicine purposes.

The company’s goal is to utilize its drug rescue programs to recapture the substantial value invested by pharmaceutical companies and others into once promising drug candidates, and to build a diverse pipeline of new, proprietary small molecule variants of discontinued candidates.

For more information, visit www.vistagen.com

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Thursday, May 29, 2014

Sovran Self Storage, Inc. (SSS) is “One to Watch”

Sovran Self Storage is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) with an acquisition portfolio of more than 400 company-owned and/or operated self-storage facilities spanning 30+ million square feet. Operating under the trade name Uncle Bob’s Self Storage®, Sovran serves a client base of more than 200,000 customers in 25 states. In tandem, the company offers value-added products and services like its Dri-guard dehumidification system, a fleet of Uncle Bob’s rental trucks, and a national Customer Care Center. Founded in 1982, the Buffalo, New York-based company now employs more than 1,100 people.

Sovran kicked off 2014 with an impressive first-quarter performance, which the company attributes to specific marketing and pricing strategies designed to attract long-term customers. Despite a 9.2% increase in rental rates (to $11.75 per square foot), the strategy was a success, and the company reported fewer move-outs in the quarter than in recent winter months and overall occupancy averaged nearly 89%.

Total first-quarter revenues increased 18.1% compared to the year-ago quarter, while net income grew to $16.7 million, or $0.51 per fully diluted common share, compared to net income of $14.3 million, or $0.47 per fully diluted common share, in the first quarter of 2013. The company set a quarterly dividend of $0.68 per share, or $2.72 on an annualized basis. Sovran finished the first quarter with approximately $6.3 million of cash on hand and $60 million available on its line of credit (excluding an additional $75 million available under the expansion feature). The company intends to spend up to $30 million on its expansion and enhancement program, and has also budgeted $16 million for recurring capitalized expenditures such as roofing, paving and office renovations.

In early 2014, Sovran increased its already established foothold in Southeast Florida, Portland, Maine, and San Antonio and Austin, Texas, spending $86.7 million on the acquisition of six properties spread across these key markets. Sovran also acquired an 86,000-square-foot facility in the Chicago market for $8.7 million. By the end of March, 2014, the company was under contract to acquire another 17 self-storage facilities for cash consideration of approximately $120.7 million.

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Noble Financial Prepares for Decade Two – D2 – Investor Conference at Club Med Resort

Four months after its successful 2014 annual equity investor conference, Noble Financial is gearing up for its 11th annual equity investor conference scheduled for January 18-21, 2015. Like last year’s conference, Noble is taking over the entire 200 acres of Club Med in South Florida to host its all-inclusive D2 Conference (Decade Two) for the “ultimate adventure in capitalism.”

A select group of 150 corporate executive teams and qualified institutional investors will experience the pinnacle blend of business and pleasure, enjoying the sunny beauty of Sandpiper Bay mixed with a range of dining, entertainment and social events that encourage business- dialogue and free-thinking innovation.

A Sunday watch party for the AFC/NFC Championship NFL Games will kick-off three days of formal presentations, cocktail receptions, one-on-one meetings, scheduled executives/investors lunches and dinners, and three evening events for additional networking opportunities.

Registration includes all food and beverage, HD video webcasting, and most athletic/sporting amenities at the resort. Companies that register early have first call on the date and time of their presentations, a $1000 discount on the cost of registration, and allowance for one executive from each company to bring his or her spouse/partner at no additional cost.

Noble is expecting record attendance for the beginning of its second decade of conferences – early registration for D2 is underway. For more information visit http://www.nobleresearch.com/D2/theAGENDA.htm

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LabStyle Innovations Corp. (DRIO) Develops Next-Gen Diabetes Monitoring Tool, Prepares for Global Launch

LabStyle Innovations was founded in 2011 as an enterprise vehicle to innovate and commercialize self-diagnostic technologies and platforms that enhance the way consumers engage, monitor and live healthier lifestyles. In September 2013, less than six months after its debut on the OTCQB market, the company was granted CE Mark for European marketing of its first brand, Dario™.

Dario is a compact diabetes monitoring device that integrates the latest smartphone technology, advanced software, and user-centered diagnostics and feedback loops. The tool combines an all-in-one self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) meter consisting of a lancet, strip dispenser, and innovative smartphone application that enables Internet-based data services, providing patients, caregivers and clinicians both real-time and historic data to allow for streamlined and easier management of blood glucose levels and improved health.

Users can use the device to track blood sugars with the all-in-one glucose meter or by manual input. If the user has low blood sugar, Dario sends an alert to any specified recipient, such as a caregiver or loved one. The Dario platform is equipped with a comprehensive database of foods and allows the user to store information on favorite meals or foods, as well as track insulin and exercise. Data is then pulled into a report to produce significant statistics that provide the user with information to better manage their diabetes on a daily basis. All information is securely stored in an online profile, accessible online or via smartphone; from here, the reports can also be sent to healthcare providers.

More than 382 million people worldwide have diabetes; by the year 2035, that number is expected to grow to 592 million, triggering a projected surge in the market for diabetes diagnosis and monitoring devices to $260 billion by 2018. LabStyle plans capture its share of this growing market with the launch of Dario in Europe later this year, followed by a product roll-out in North America upon receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

As historically proven in its initial years, LabStyle moves fast. Among other milestones achieved in the first quarter and early second quarter of 2014, LabStyle shipped the first units of the Dario™ Diabetes Management Solution to distributors in Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and also received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for core patent claims covering the Dario™ Personalized Smart Meter.

The company pursued and received national and regional insurance reimbursement approval for the Dario™ Personalized Smart Meter in Italy, and is currently seeking reimbursement in additional strategic territories. In February, LabStyle successfully closed a private placement, raising $3.8 million in net proceeds.

LabStyle has defined an aggressive business strategy and set of goals for the remainder of 2014, and this month hit the road to increase its marketing and brand visibility by presenting the product and technology at the Thru Equity 3rd Annual Microcap Investor Conference and at the Third Annual Marcum Microcap Conference.

Moving into the second-half of the year, LabStyle plans to expedite production of Dario™ Personalized Smart Meters in selected jurisdictions, as well as enhance logistics and shipment process in order to accelerate the shipment and delivery of the smart meters and test strips. The company also plans to expand its distributor network, establish an online sales strategy, and augment its intellectual property portfolio. LabStyle has already filed for 510K FDA clearance for the Dario™ personalized smart meter, which it hopes to obtain by the end of 2014.

For more information visit www.mydario.com

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Tuesday, May 27, 2014

CAMAC Energy, Inc. (CAK) Conducts Frontier Oil Exploration in 4 Key African Countries

In its 28-year existence, CAMAC Energy has transitioned from a private agricultural commodities trading company to a publicly traded company with dual-listing on the New York Stock Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Today, the Houston-based independent oil and gas exploration and production company operates a portfolio of nine exploration and production assets across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Gambia, Africa.

With more than 167 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and is Africa’s leading oil and gas producer. CAMAC’s Oyo Field is located in deepwater (200-500 meters) approximately 46 miles offshore Nigeria. In the first quarter of 2014, CAMAC reported the arrival of the Northern Offshore Energy Searcher drillship, and said it expects first production on the Oyo-8 well in October. From there, the drilling rig will move to complete and hook-up Oyo-7, with first production from the well expected before year-end.

Offshore oil deposits were discovered in Ghana, West Africa’s second-largest economy, in 2007, with commercial production following suit a short three years later. Ghana has proved oil reserves of 660 million barrels, and oil production in the country is expected to more than double to 250,000 barrels per day by 2021, according to Bloomberg. It is here that CAMAC operates under a Petroleum Agreement with the Government of Ghana covering the Expanded Shallow Water Tano (ESWT) block. The block is located in the Tano Basin offshore Ghana, where significant volumes of oil and gas have been discovered. Under this work program, CAMAC has partnered with a leading global independent petroleum consulting firm to assist with a required nine-month evaluation of the discovered fields’ economic viability. CAMAC Energy Ghana Ltd., CAMAC’s indirect 50%-owned subsidiary, is the operator of the ESWT block with a 60% participating interest.

Oil was discovered in the Turkana District of Kenya in March 2012. By May, CAMAC was awarded Blocks L1B and L16 onshore, and Blocks L27 and L28 offshore, and in August 2012 became the named operator with 100% net interest. The Kenyan government has the option to participate up to 20% upon development. Onshore, CAMAC has completed its Gravity and Magnetic Survey as well as an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study, and has submitted an “Invitation to Tender” request to active seismic companies in the region. Offshore, the company has acquired multi-client 2D seismic with processing currently underway; results from 2D interpretation will be used to outline the location for a 3D seismic acquisition expected in 2014/2015. The company is also building a dataset for a Geological and Geophysical Study of its offshore sites.

Gambia is one of Africa’s smallest countries, and due to poor soil quality is heavily dependent on peanut exports. Despite a long history of oil exploration in Gambia, oil has yet to be produced in the small country. Yet, the government believes “that oil not only exists in The Gambia, but exists in very large quantities,” according to an earlier statement by President Yahya Jammeh, who has voiced his desire to turn Gambia into an oil-producing state. CAMAC is participating in this quest, conducting frontier exploration activities offshore Gambia on Blocks A2 and A5. For 2014, CAMAC Energy is reprocessing existing 2D seismic; a regional geologic study and possible 3D seismic survey are also planned. The company anticipates that the first offshore exploration well in Gambia will be drilled in 2016.

CAMAC’s presence in the growing African oil industry demonstrates the company’s ability to identify and acquire attractive exploration assets, produce revenue and production growth, and form key partnerships and agreements in the countries in which it conducts exploration activities.

In the first quarter of 2014, CAMAC recorded revenues of $19.9 million on daily net production of 1,700 barrels of oil, net of royalties, for per barrel revenue of $109.11. CAMAC’s plan is to end 2014 with an estimated production rate of 14,000 barrels of oil per day from its Nigeria assets. The company posted a net loss of $4.6 million for the quarter, and reported cash on hand of approximately $70 million.

CAMAC is already calling 2014 a transformational year, inclusive of the first-quarter $270 million private equity investment from Public Investment Corp. for acquisition funding and drilling capital. For the remainder 2014, CAMAC is focused on increasing current production for revenue growth and following up on opportunistic acquisitions and strategic partnerships to further strengthen its expanding portfolio and exploration activities.

For more information visit www.camacenergy.com

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Friday, May 23, 2014

VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Joins HESI Cardiac Safety Committee, Sees Collaborative Benefits

VistaGen Therapeutics, a biotechnology company applying pluripotent stem cell technology for drug rescue and regenerative medicine, reports that it is now a member of the Cardiac Safety Technical Committee, Cardiac Stem Cell Working Group, and Proarrhythmia Working Group of the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI).

Using mature cardiomyocytes (heart cells) differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells, VistaGen developed its CardioSafe 3D™ bioassay system to predict the in vivo cardiac effects, both toxic and non-toxic, of small molecule drug candidates with greater speed and precision than the traditional, surrogate safety models most often used in drug development. The company’s pluripotent stem cell-derived heart cells and CardioSafe 3D are vital components of its Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform and drug rescue programs.

Ralph Snodgrass, Ph.D., VistaGen’s president and chief scientific officer commented, “We look forward to collaborating with leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and regulatory members of the HESI’s Cardiac Safety Technical Committee, and related working groups, to help advance, among other goals, the FDA’s CIPA initiative, which is focused on developing innovative preclinical systems for cardiac safety assessment during drug development.”

HESI, a global branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), boasts a membership roll that includes most of the world’s largest biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for which it provides an international forum to advance the understanding of scientific issues related to human health, toxicology, risk assessment, and the environment. ILSI is a nonprofit, worldwide organization whose mission is to provide science that improves human health and well-being and safeguards the environment.

Operating from its headquarters in San Francisco, California, VistaGen contends that better cells lead to better medicine and that the key to making better cells is controlling with precision the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells, which are the base cells of the human body.

For more information on the company visit www.VistaGen.com

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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Methes Energies International Ltd. (MEIL) Attains Biodiesel Fuel Marketing and Production Certifications from NBAC

Renewable energy company Methes Energies today announced that it has received producer and marketer certifications from the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC).

Through its cooperative and voluntary program, the National Biodiesel Accreditation Program, the NBAC awards certifications to producers and marketers of biodiesel fuel called BQ-9000®. The program consists of a blend of industry standard measures for biodiesel and a quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices.

For accreditation, companies must undergo a narrowly tailored review and in-depth inspection of their quality control processes by an independent auditing party. Companies that attain the program’s marketing or producer certifications have been shown to meet strict quality standards for producing biofuel or handling and selling it.

Nicholas Ng, president of Methes Energies, said, “We are very proud of this achievement. There are not many companies that are both accredited as a producer and a marketer by the NBAC. Our team has done a great job over the last several months to place the company in this unique position. Both accreditations send a strong message to our clients that we take quality and processes very seriously.”

More information about the certifications offered by the NBAC can be found at: http://www.bq-9000.org/

For more information visit: www.methes.com

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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Methes Energies International Ltd. (MEIL) Announces Pricing of Public Offering of Common Stock

Today Methes Energies International announced the pricing of its previously announced underwritten public offering. The company is offering to the investor community 2.5 million registered shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, at a price of $2.00 per share. In tandem with the public offering, Methes Energies International has also given the underwriter a 30-day option for purchasing up to 375,000 additional shares of common stock should any overallotments need coverage. National Securities Corporation, wholly owned subsidiary of National Holdings, Inc., is serving as sole book-running manager for the public offering.

Net proceeds will be used for necessary prep work for increasing the production capacity and other features at Methes Energies International’s Sombra plant, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes. The public offering is slated to close on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 subject to satisfaction or waiver of usual closing conditions.

A final prospectus supplement with details of the offering’s terms will be filed with the SEC. Copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus may be obtained, when available, by contacting National Securities Corporation at the following address:

410 Park Ave, 14th Floor

New York, NY 10022

Attn: Kim Addarich

Telephone: (212)-417-8164

Email: prospectusrequest@nationalsecurities.com

For more information about Methes Energies International, please visit: www.methes.com

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Tuesday, May 20, 2014

VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VSTA) Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Bioassay Technology Stands to Revolutionize $51B+ Drug R&D Space

VistaGen Therapeutics stands at the forefront of the biotech industry today with their human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation capabilities, which allow the company to produce a wide variety of functional adult human cells that can be used to benchmark complex disease behaviors and drug interactions. The company’s current emphasis is on the highly-lucrative drug rescue space (using small molecule drug candidates), where a vast stockpile of once-promising (yet discontinued) drugs exists, which are soon to be joined by yet more discontinued New Molecular Entities (NMEs) rejected by the FDA. Helping companies offset massive R&D outlays that fail to come to fruition due to toxicity and other complications, via their proprietary hPSC-enabled Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform, VSTA is able to assist major players like Bayer (OTCM: BAYRY), GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and Roche (OTCM: RHHBY), as well as smaller pharma developers, to recoup the increasingly high levels of R&D investment required to develop new drugs, offering comprehensive in vitro 3D “micro-organ” culture assay systems like their CardioSafe 3D™.

Predictive toxicology and drug metabolism assessment via 3D bioassays made of real human cells provides an unprecedented power to evaluate a given drug candidate well before expensive human trials ever begin. Technology like VSTA’s CardioSafe 3D represents over a decade and a half of applied science know how in hSPC differentiation between the company and its collaborators, and is a revolutionary leap beyond generally underperforming 2D cultures. The capacity to grow normal, non-transformed, human heart cells (cardiomyocytes) in a framework that produces intact 3D cell networks and tissue structures, more accurately models the structures and biology within the human body itself, resulting in heretofore unknown degrees of testing accuracy. Moreover, CardioSafe 3D is faster, in addition to being more accurate, making clinically relevant predictions for both toxic and non-toxic effects in cardiac tissue at rates virtually unattainable elsewhere.

This same technology stands behind VSTA’s other leading bioassay platform, LiverSafe 3D™, which uses mature, hSPC-derived liver cells (hepatocytes), solidly addressing one of the top two causes for drug failure, liver toxicity and adverse drug metabolism results. The underlying technology gives VSTA a developmental footprint that spans pharmaceutical applications ranging from stem cell-derived blood, to bone, cartilage, and even pancreatic beta-islet cells as well, ultimately dovetailing with the regenerative medicine space, where stem cell technology represents a huge future market. The regenerative medicine space is particularly attractive for VSTA as they will be able to do novel models for human disease, potentially leading to breakthrough new small molecule drug developments, as well as biologics that can trigger endogenous tissue repair and healing, effectively combating what are otherwise essentially untreatable degenerative diseases.

In the U.S. during 2013 alone the pharma sector dumped over $51B in R&D into new drug development, yet the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) approved only 27 NMEs, 13 of which went to the top five pharma players. In addition, competition from generics on expired drug patents, combined with the extant R&D costs and progressively diminishing product pipelines, puts a sharp focus on VSTA’s new and safer developing Drug Rescue Variants™. After spending millions of dollars and sometimes decades developing a new drug, it is a huge blow to a given company’s bottom line to have to discontinue development and marketing due to bad drug interactions or toxicity.

The fundamental trends in this space all add up to a very bright future for VSTA and the company’s recent (Apr 23) announcement that the USPTO issued a Notice of Allowance for their “Cell populations enriched for endoderm cells” (application 12/836,275), further reinforces VSTA’s already strong IP position, handsomely complementing existing patents licensed exclusively by VSTA from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in NY (#7,763,466, #8,512,957 and #8,143,009). This latest announcement regarding expansion of VSTA’s stem cell tech IP protection strengthens their LiverSafe 3D platform considerably and highlights the company’s world-class proficiency in hSPC differentiation, placing VSTA in the pole position when it comes to executing future collaborative efforts in the liver biology and drug metabolism assay arena. It also sets VSTA up nicely for regenerative cell therapy and drug applications using pancreatic beta-islet cells to address diabetes, a condition from which over 8.3% of the U.S. population suffered last year alone (25.8M diabetics) and which threatens as many as 79M Americans, who are pre-diabetic according to the same ADA® data.

The company’s AV-101 (L-4-chlorokynurenine) small molecule prodrug candidate for neurological disease and disorders has successfully exited Phase 1 development (aided by some $8.8M in grant funding from the NIH) and represents a godsend for chronic neuropathic pain patients, who must contend not only with broad-spectrum difficulties due to a compromised central nervous system, but attendant epileptic phenomena and depression as well. AV-101 is a huge out-licensing candidate for development and marketing that investors should keep an eye on, but the potential for VSTA’s hSPC-based bioassays in drug development are even more profound and deserve even greater consideration.

More info on VistaGen available at www.vistagen.com

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Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company Stands Out in the Industry

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company offers some of the industry’s most experienced experts to ask the right questions, provide the right answers, and deliver exactly the support that clients and their shareholders require. Unlike typical transfer agents, members of the company’s top-level management staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s one of the reasons that Continental has been recognized year after year in industry surveys as the leader in accessibility and responsiveness.

• Steven Nelson (President and Chairman) – With more than 30 years of industry experience, Steven is heavily involved in Continental Stock Transfer & Trust’s day-to-day organizational and administrative issues, and in the overall management of client initiatives.

• Donald Gress (Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Secretary) – A well-respected industry expert, Donald is actively involved in directing the company’s core co-agency relationships, overseeing all Internet-related operations, and acting as the interface between all departments and programming support staff.

• Frank DiPaolo (Chief Financial Officer and Compliance Officer) – Frank’s 30-plus years of experience in the trust banking industry, working for some of the largest banks in the world, has allowed him to accumulate and apply a broad range of managerial, organizational, and administrative skills.

• Mark Zimkind (Vice President and Director of Shareholder Services) – Mark has overseen complex business combinations in over 80 SPAC transactions while at Continental Stock Transfer & Trust, aggregating more than $15 billion.

• Michael Mullings (Vice President and Director of Restricted Transactions) – With more than 20 years of experience with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust, Michael usually interacts with clients’ senior officers, directors, and securities counsels regarding the latest SEC rules, providing advice and suggestions about complicated issues.

• Anthony Antonio (Vice President and Director of Recordkeeping and Reporting) – Anthony has spent over 40 years working with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust clients, and is known for developing especially strong personal relationships with them.

• Margaret Villani (Director of Client Administration) – With over 25 years of experience in relationship management positions, sales, and regulatory compliance, Maggie is the point of contact for all daily work activity, ensuring that client needs are met in a timely and professional fashion.

• Gail Schweda (Vice President and Director of Annual Meeting and Proxy Services) – With 27 years of industry experience, most notably 23 years with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, Gail works directly with clients to ensure the success of their annual meetings.

• Karri Van Dell (Vice President and Director of Sales & Marketing) – With over 25 years of service in the industry, Karri is responsible for strategically growing the business by nurturing relationships with new clients and partnerships interested in tailored, flexible, and best-in-class services, and by spearheading Continental Stock Transfer & Trust’s brand and marketing efforts.

For more information, visit www.ContinentalStock.com

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Thursday, May 15, 2014

Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc. (SBOTF) Scheduled to Present at Two Investor Conferences this Month

Earlier today, Stellar Biotechnologies announced that its executive management team will be presenting at the following investor conferences:

• Marcum MicroCap Conference at the Grand Hyatt in New York City on May 29, 2014

• Stansberry & Associates Investment Research Conference at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas, TX on May 31, 2014

Frank Oakes, President and CEO of Stellar Biotechnologies, will deliver presentations at both events and members of Stellar’s executive team will be available for one-on-one meetings. A link to the Marcum conference webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at http://ir.stellarbiotechnologies.com/events-calendar.

Stellar Biotechnologies is the world leader in sustainable manufacture of Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH), an important immune-stimulating protein used in wide-ranging therapeutic and diagnostic markets. KLH is both an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in many new immunotherapies (targeting cancer, infectious diseases, and immune disorders) as well as a finished product for measuring immune status. Stellar Biotechnologies is unique in its proprietary methods, facilities, and KLH technology.

For more information on Stellar Biotechnologies, visit www.StellarBiotech.com

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LD Micro 4th Annual Invitational Conference Just Around the Corner

LD Micro has invited 100 of the small-cap market’s leading and most promising companies to present at its invitational investor conference scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, 2014, at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

These companies, spanning a wide variety of industries and market segments, have been hand-picked by LD Micro to create an unprecedented collection of presenters.

Over the course of the day, participating companies will present and conduct private meetings to provide attending investors a wealth of information on operational and financial progress, product and technology innovations and advances, industry outlooks, and more.

To increase awareness of the event and presenting companies, MissionIR will leverage its powerful family of brands to relay real-time updates, blogs and information on each presenting company via its strong social media network.

As one of the first companies to utilize Twitter for investor relations services, MissionIR has considerable experience and resources to maximize social media outreach and response to the benefit of the MissionIR brand and its clients.

LD Micro is a by-invitation only newsletter firm focused on finding and highlighting undervalued companies operating in the micro-cap space. The Luxe Sunset Bel Air is currently accepting reservations for LD Micro guests who will be attending the June 4 invitational.

For more information contact visit www.LDMicro.com

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Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Fracking: Destruction of the American Dream for Short Term Profit

Part IV: Pick Your Poison – Earthquakes, Train Bombs, Leaking Pipelines

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has linked earthquake activity in Arkansas, Ohio, Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma, to fracking activity. Oklahoma has seen a 50% increase in earthquake activity since last year. Since 2009, when the fracking boom began, earthquake activity has been 40 times higher than in the previous 30 years. Most of which are only 2.5 on the Richter scale, but in 2011, one earthquake in Prague, Oklahoma reached 5.7 on the Richter scale and destroyed 14 homes. The cause is related not to the fracking process itself, but to the disposal of the waste water into deep injection wells.

Basically, to understand how the fracking-related activity causes an earthquake, think of an air hockey table. When the table is turned off and the compressed air is not flowing through the table, you have your puck sitting motionless on the table. If you turned the table diagonally slowly, the puck still stays motionless in place as it is held by static friction. The surface of the puck and table appear relatively smooth to the naked eye, but if you looked at the surfaces with a microscope you would see a surface with all kinds of cracks, nooks, and crannies, so the surfaces of the puck and table interlock. In physics this specific contact force is referred to as a static friction force. Turn the air hockey table on the puck flies off as the cushion of air acts like a lubricant. A fault line is basically when you have two huge pieces of the Earth’s crust separated by a fracture but pressing against each other, and they are held in place by static friction force. Well, you force the waste water into that fault line and it is just like turning the air hockey table on; the fault slips, and this leads to a seismic event. Outside of recycling the same water for another fracking, the industry can’t clean the water to the point where it can be released back onto the surface. There has been occasional dumping of fracked waste water on the surface, all of which are illegal.

Senator James Inhofe, who consistently fights against any regulation on the oil industry and denies global warming even exists, insists that it would be wrong and arrogant for man to claim he can do any significant damage to the Earth because Genesis 8:22 of the Bible insists that is not within man’s ability to do so. Unfortunately, evidence proves otherwise. For instance, Youngstown, Ohio experienced nearly 12 earthquakes in a row, and the epicenter seemed to be the North Star 1 deep injection well. Unfortunately, man has proven that he is quite effective at damaging the world. Although some politicians seem to fall back on them, religious arguments made in the name of maintaining the status quo among ongoing environmental crisis do far more harm than good.

The fracking boom has also put stress on an inadequate infrastructure in terms of transporting the resulting crude. The volume of crude oil shipped by rail in the United State increased from 9,500 carloads per year in 2008 to 400,000 per year carloads in 2013. Much of the oil is from the Bakken region in North Dakota, and the oil produced from fracked wells is far more flammable. Just this past Wednesday, April 30, 2014, we saw a fiery train derailment in Lynchburg, Virginia. About 15 train tanker cars derailed and exploded, many of which plunged into the James River, and continued burning thick plumes of black acrid smoke for hours. James River is an important source of drinking water for Richmond, VA, and as a result, intakes from the river had to be shuttered due to the oil leaking into the river. In January, another spectacular series of fireball explosions were witnessed as 17 tanker cars were derailed in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick of Canada. This last December, there was a train derailment which spilled 400,000 gallons of crude oil onto the prairie outside of Fargo, North Dakota which led to a fiery explosion. Last November, 2013, a train derailment shipping fracked oil led to fires that lasted nearly a week in Alabama. In the summer of 2013 a runaway train transporting 72 tankers of Bakken crude careened into the Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic, killing 47 people and incinerating the downtown. Quite literally, over half of Lac-Megantic is utterly destroyed as a million and a half gallons spilled into the town. There is a reason that rail workers now nickname these tanker trains as ‘bomb trains.’

As a side note, transporting the fracked oil by truck is even more hazardous with 20 incidents per billion-ton miles versus 2 incidents per billion ton miles by train.

These accidents have also fed into an argument that perhaps pipelines are so much better as there have been 0.6 incidents per billion-ton miles. However, the number of highly damaging pipeline spills just continues to pile-up as well. Just this past March, the Sunoco run Mid-Valley Pipeline had a 5-inch crack that led to spilling 20,000 gallons of crude oil into the Glen Oak Nature Preserve, just 20 miles north of Cincinnati, Ohio. That was the 40th such incident along this 1000 mile pipeline that runs from Texas to Michigan since 2006. Regarding pipeline incidents as a whole, since 1986 there have been nearly 8,000 significant pipeline incidents, resulting in more than 500 deaths, more than 2,300 injuries, and nearly $7 billion in damage. More than half the incidents occurred in three states: Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Though actually last year, in North Dakota, 20,600 barrels of oil spilled in a wheat field in what is considered to be the worse onshore oil spill disaster in the history of the country. The pipeline was managed by Tesoro Logistics and was carrying fracked oil from the Bakken shale formation. Also last year, an ExxonMobil pipeline spill that was very notable occurred in the residential area of Mayflower, Arkansas. What makes it so noteworthy is the people there had no idea they were living near the pipeline till the leak and spill occurred. It is still not known how much oil was spilled but estimates suggest 5,000 barrels at least and it has adversely impacted the health of the residents who experienced symptoms of nausea, shortness of breath, burning in the back of the throat, and so forth.

A tar sands oil pipeline spill occurred in Battle Creek, Michigan back in 2010 which is a much heavier bitumen oil that sinks in water. The oil company, Enbridge, insisted it should be able to effectively clean the area of oil within one month. Well, it is now well into the year 2014, they are still cleaning the area, residents are very angry and continually sick, with the same type of symptoms mentioned in the Mayflower incident. This should be quite the red flag as to why the Keystone XL pipeline should not be completed, as America has already experienced one very bad tar sands pipeline related spill.

Oil pipeline Kinder Morgan just this past May 5, put out a comprehensive report to settle the matter of what is the best way to transport oil. Their argument was, ‘yes, there are lots of pipeline spills, but spills create jobs and thus are great for economic growth.’ Basically, as quoted directly from their report:

“Spill response and cleanup creates business and employment opportunities for affected communities, regions, and cleanup service providers.”

Sometimes reality becomes a satire of itself.

The fracking boom has also led the industry to throw workplace safety standards right out the window. From 2008 to 2012, the number of oilfield related deaths totaled 545, with 216 occurring in the state of Texas, a 7.2% increase for that state from the prior five year period. Among the other states recording increased fatalities during the boom, North Dakota reported a more than 340 percent increase to 31 fatalities and Pennsylvania saw a 300 percent increase to 20 deaths. Oklahoma saw 68 deaths, up 24 percent.

So, looking overall at the fracking boom and seeing how it is impacting our society. We have to ask ourselves, why are we doing this?

From the viewpoint of dealing with climate change, the notion that fracking provides cheap natural gas and is a good bridge to a move toward renewable energy sources is pushed. Yes, natural gas is cleaner and it has half the carbon content of crude oil, but it’s still putting carbon into the atmosphere. So, wouldn’t we be better off leapfrogging into renewable energy sources? Next, the industry is primarily targeting oil. If there is no convenient pipeline or simple way to transport the natural gas from the fracking well that has struck oil, the natural gas is burned up in a flare stack at the site anyway.

Another big argument has been ‘American energy independence for the next 100 years.’ There is actually quite a raging debate among geophysicist on this matter. Evidence seems to indicate that unlike conventional wells, fracked wells decline in productivity by 70% in one year. It also appears that some of the best fracked sites have already been hit, so with such a law of diminishing returns overhanging this method of oil production, the notion of America becoming the ‘next Saudi Arabia’ of oil seems very unrealistic.

The actions of corporations and government for short term profits and savings always place a heavier burden on society. For example, your cable company cuts down the size of its phone rooms and replace their service department with a lengthy automated menu. Their savings is a cost on your valuable time as your trapped on the phone desperately trying to reach a live person. The state government saves money by cutting down on road repair leaving streets ridden with potholes. The cost is passed onto the people as this ultimately leads to higher car repair bills as auto suspension systems are damaged. In both situations, the decisions may result in economic growth on a business or municipal balance sheet, but result in cost to the people.

The short term profits gained by the oil and gas sector are ultimately placing a very heavy cost on society in terms of shrinking and polluting the water supply, lowering the air quality, creating earthquakes...

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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

The Oil & Gas Boom’s Wayward Effect on Local Housing Economies

New technologies introduced into the oil and gas industry have unlocked immense opportunity for exploration in rock formations that were once deemed unreachable and impenetrable. The result is a heavy increase of oil and gas activity in rural areas across the United States, which often causes considerable advantage and disruptions to the local economy and especially the local housing market.

The increased oil and gas activity leads to an influx of temporary workers, which collectively represent a sizable portion of the local population. On one hand, the oil and gas industry brings a large chunk of money to each geographic area in which it performs, generating tax revenue as well as fueling direct and induced economic benefits. However, this population of high-wage workers also dries up the areas of available affordable housing and ultimately drives up housing and motel rates to that comparable to new complexes in larger metro areas, well beyond the reach of local residents not employed by the drilling companies, subcontractors, or suppliers.

Another residual of the energy boom is an increasing student population, which drives job openings for new teachers who in turn find themselves in a considerable pinch to find affordable housing on a teacher’s salary.

A 2013 study by a panel of economists comprising the Gas and Oil Task Force (GOTF) offered insight on eight specific areas across the country where booms in energy exploration have had significant effects on local housing markets. The areas of focus are: the Bakken Formation in Montana and North Dakota; the Niobrara Formation in northern Colorado; the Piceance Shale Formation in western Colorado, the Permian Basin Formation in eastern New Mexico and Texas; the Barnett Shale Formation in northeastern Texas; the Eagle Ford Shale Formation in south Texas; the Marcellus Shale Formation in Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; and the Utica Shale Formation in Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

While GOTF found that while many energy boom areas have seen accelerated growth (single-year increases in the employment rate of as much as 41% were recorded in Williams County, North Dakota, and 27% in Dimmit and LaSalle counties in Texas), much of the employment and population growth in these areas is temporary. This creates a formidable snag in analyzing the data, as data collected on temporary or mobile workers are typically reported by place of permanent residence or that of their employer’s permanent facility. As such, census and employment data may show little change over the course of time though thousands of workers may be taking residence in the area for weeks or months.

According to an article on HUDUser.org penned by Kurt Usowski, deputy assistant secretary for Economic Affairs, oil and gas exploration-induced housing also adversely impacts the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) clients by tightening the housing market, shrinking supply and cramping operations of HUD’s rental subsidy programs. Landlords taking advantage of strong housing demand often terminate leases with local tenants and instead rent to energy exploration workers at much higher rates. Usowski also reported that in North Dakota, at least two affordable projects have opted out of HUD rental subsidy programs, doubled their rent charges, and quickly maxed out their vacancies.

GOTF’s study also revealed that the effect of oil and gas activity varies by region and type of formation. The panel continues to work toward developing a methodology for assessing the effects of oil and gas production on local housing markets to provide HUD with data to respond to housing and economic needs arising in these areas.

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