NA Proactive news snapshot: Champignon Brands, Tetra Bio-Pharma, Matinas BipPharma, Killi, Heritage Cannabis, Benchmark Metals UPDATE …

Champignon Brands Inc (CSE:SHRM) (OTCQB:SHRMF) will begin offering esketamine for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults at its flagship clinic in September, the company announced Thursday. The company’s clinic, the Canadian Rapid Treatment Centre of Excellence (CRTCE) in Mississauga, Ontario, will be the first multidisciplinary community clinic offering rapid-onset treatments for depression in Canada, Champignon said. In May, Health Canada approved esketamine — an altered form of ketamine — for the treatment of MDD.

Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc (TSX:TBD) (OTCQB:TBPMF), a leader in cannabinoid-derived drug discovery and development, announced Thursday it has mapped out CBD metabolites in humans who were administered QIXLEEF by vaporization. QIXLEEF is Tetra’s first-generation therapeutic for treating uncontrolled pain in advanced cancer patients. Defining THC and CBD metabolites in human plasma is a critical step for the US Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada to characterize the safety profile of the drug product in patients consuming cannabis, the company noted. The company says inhalation provides a superior safety profile for CBD administration versus oral administration. 

Matinas BipPharma Holdings Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:MTNB) announced Thursday that it completed enrollment of a head-to-head trial of its drug MAT9001 against Vascepa in a battle to lower triglycerides. The ENHANCE-IT (Pharmacodynamic Effects of a Free Fatty Acid Formulation of Omega-3 Pentaenoic Acids to ENHANCE Efficacy in Adults with Hypertriglyceridemia) will evaluate MET9001’s effective in reducing triglyceride levels and other important lipid markets. The upcoming study is MAT9001’s second competitive trial against Vascepa, the company said. Topline results are expected in early 2021.

Killi Ltd (CVE:MYID) (OTCMKTS:MYIDF), a consumer-first data company, said Thursday that it has filed its management, discussion and analysis documents for the second quarter and first half of 2020. The Toronto-based company said it plans to hold an investor call in mid-September to discuss its financial position and outlook for the future, in addition to taking questions from shareholders. Killi also announced that it has repriced 290,000 stock options held by employees to an exercise price of C$0.07 per share and will reprice an additional 60,000 options on September 5 to the company’s closing price on that day.

Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp (CSE:CANN) (OTCMKTS:HERTF) said Thursday it has started developing its full spectrum cannabis vape cartridges for Sugarbud Craft Growers Corp (CVE:SUGR) as part of its previously announced contract manufacturing agreement between the two companies. Heritage’s subsidiary Voyage Cannabis Corp will produce the vape cartridges for Sugarbud using the latter’s high-quality cannabis, according to a statement. The deal sees the two companies collaborating to develop pre-filled vape cartridges. Toronto-based Heritage will provide Sugarbud with extraction, formulation and production services in exchange for a minimum of 100,000 grams of dried cannabis per month for a 24-month period beginning May 1, 2020.

Benchmark Metals Inc (CVE:BNCH) (OTCQB:CYRTF) said Thursday that it had discovered new mineralized structures, broad zones of alteration, veining, and sulphide mineralization at the Marmot zone at its flagship Lawyers gold and silver project in northern British Columbia. The Edmonton, Alberta-based mineral exploration company said “drill-hole planning is complete” and the company will kick off drilling soon. The mineralized structures show a strong resemblance to Benchmark’s largest mineralized area, the Cliff Creek Zone that lies 3 kilometers (km) to the northwest. The Marmot area has yielded high-grade rock grab samples up to 61.3 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold and 3,890 g/t silver. The Marmot area represents a highly prospective region measuring 2km-by-3km. In addition, Benchmark’s flagship gold-silver project road is easily accessible and lies in British Columbia’s prolific Golden Horseshoe area.

ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp (NASDAQ:SOLO) is launching “Drive SOLO,” a brand-new marketing campaign aimed at educating consumers about its flagship SOLO electric vehicle now in production. The Vancouver-based company said it has created an innovative, three-wheeled, single-occupant all-EV that will transform urban transportation and revolutionize the world’s driving eco-system. In a statement Thursday, ElectraMeccanica said the campaign challenges consumers to reconsider their driving habits, particularly when commuting to work, the gym, or visiting friends. When you are driving solo…”Drive SOLO.” The campaign launched earlier this week with a takeover of one of Los Angeles’ iconic billboards will be followed by a digital storytelling campaign across all social and digital media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the company’s website. 

Asterion Cannabis Inc said Thursday its research partner had received sativa seeds for a tissue culture program designed to enable high volume and pathogen-resistant plant cultivation for medicinal purposes. The Vancouver-based company said the seeds were received by the University of Queensland’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) last week. QAAFI has begun the program, which is aiming to expedite clonal propagation of elite sections of marijuana plants to allow for high-volume and uniform plant cultivation. Clonal propagation is the multiplication of genetically identical copies of individual plants.

Todos Medical Ltd (OTCQB:TOMDF) announced Thursday that it has entered into a sales agreement with a New York-based laboratory to supply it with the necessary COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing equipment and supplies. Under the $4.5 million, 12-month contract, Todos said it will supply automated extraction machines, liquid handlers and PCR machines. Todos also has been granted a priority right to supply the lab with up to 75,000 COVID PCR tests per day in the event the laboratory sees significant additional testing demand.

The Flowr Corporation (CVE:FLWR) (OTCMKTS:FLWPF) has reported higher revenues in the second quarter of its current year following a jump in sales and its harvest of dried cannabis. For the quarter ended June 30, the cannabis cultivator reported net revenues of $2.3 million, a 6% increase on the same period a year ago, while the company’s adjusted (EBITDA) loss was $2.9 million, a $4 million improvement from the first quarter of 2020.

China Xiangtai Food Co Ltd (NASDAQ:PLIN), a pork processing company, announced that the grand opening of its first hot pot restaurant would take place on Friday in Chongqing, China. Hot pot is a Chinese dining experience in which a simmering pot of soup or stock is brought to the table along with a variety of sliced meats, vegetables and other ingredients. Diners cook what they want to eat in the soup to their liking and can dip their food in the provided sauces. CEO Zeshu Dai said the company planned to use a franchise model to open 200 restaurants with its own brand by 2021.

TRACON Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:TCON) has announced a $5 million private placing to conduct the previously announced ENVASARC pivotal study of envafolimab in sarcoma cancer and for working capital. In a statement on Thursday, the company said it had struck a definitive securities purchase agreement with an institutional health care focused fund to raise total gross proceeds of around C$5 million through a private placing of its shares and pre-funded warrants. The group will sell around 3.1 million of its common shares, or in lieu of common shares, pre-funded warrants to buy shares. The purchase price of each share (or pre-funded warrant) is around $1.64. The pre-funded warrants will have a per share exercise price of $0.01 and will expire seven years from issue. Earlier this month, the firm revealed that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had given the go-ahead for its human trial of envafolimab for sarcoma cancer and the firm said it expects to start enrolling patients in the trial at 25 sites in the US in the fourth quarter of 2020. Envafolimab (KN035) is a novel, single-domain antibody against PD-L1, is the first subcutaneously injected PD-(L)1 inhibitor to be studied in registrational trials.

O3 Mining Inc (CVE:OIII) says it is encouraged by the results of outcrop stripping and channel sampling at the Alpha property in Quebec, which has shown some high gold grades. Outcrop stripping and channel sampling began in July this year and so far, 22 stripping’s have been completed on the eastern part of the property, which includes the Valdora, Sabourin and Jolin zones, known as Sector 2. A highlight result was 176 grams per ton  (g/t) of gold, 38 g/t silver, 0.1% copper over 0.6 metres at the Valdora Zone 4. Elsewhere 9 g/t of the yellow metal over 1.3 metres was encountered in channel samplimng at the Valdora Zone L17. “These initial results are very encouraging as they confirm that Valdora Zone 4 can deliver high-grade gold related to well-constrained deformation zones,” O3 Mining CEO Jose Vizquerra told investors in a statement.

Medallion Resources Ltd (CVE:MDL) (OTCPINK:MLLOF) has accepted for filing documentation over a private placement announced on August 7 to raise up to C$1.5 million. Over 10 million shares will be issued at C$0.15 each and over 5.3 million warrants to buy the same number of warrants with an initial exercise price of C$0.20. The warrants expire after three years and there are 32 placees.

Canafarma Hemp Products Corp (CSE:CNFA) revealed that Senegalese-American record producer Djibril Gibson Kagni has joined the hemp-focused firm as its head of Media Management. The brand builder’s CV includes helping shape the successful careers of stars like Akon, Timati and others. He has worked with A-list artists such as Snoop Dogg, Jason Deroulo, Pitbull, Hardwell, Booba, Ja Rule and Diddy. “I am very pleased to welcome Gibson to the Canafarma executive team. His accomplishments and knowledge of the music and media industry will be very valuable to the company as we accelerate the growth of our Confectionary, Beauty and Pain Relief industry verticals,” said David Lonsdale, the CEO of the group.

Aftermath Silver Ltd (CVE:AAG) (OTCQB:AAGFF) is poised to bring in C$12.5 million via a private placing, with resource investor and gold bull Eric Sprott investing over C$5.3 million. In a brief statement, the junior explorer said it would issue up to 19.25 million shares at C$0.65 each. “The company intends to use the net proceeds for drilling and other technical studies on the Berenguela Silver-Copper project in Peru, and the Challacollo and Cachinal Silver-Gold projects in Chile, and for general working capital purposes,” it said.

Next Green Wave Holdings Inc (CSE:NGW) (OTCQX:NXGWF) announced Wednesday that five dreictors were elected to its board on Tuesday at its annual general and special meeting of shareholders. The appointed directors were Michael Jennings, David Wilson, Robert Dzisiak, Glen David Harder and Paul Chow. Voting shareholders, which represented roughly 43% of issued and outstanding shares, also reappointed Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton LaBonte LLP as the company’s auditor and approved a stock options plan, reserving for grant options to acquire up to 10% of common shares.

AEX Gold Inc’s (LON:AEXG) (CVE:AEX) chief executive has hailed a “significant increase in activity” across its portfolio in the first half of its current year. Eldur Olafsson added that following a C$72.7mln fundraise and AIM listing in July, the Greenland-focused gold group “is in a very strong position” and funded for planned work at its Nalunaq project, where it is currently performing exploration and pre-development work. He added that the company is also undergoing additional exploration work across its wider portfolio in southern Greenland, where he believes there is “significant upside for investors in what is a materially undeveloped region.”

NexTech AR Solutions Corp (OTCQB:NEXCF) (CSE:NTAR) announced Thursday that Carnegie Mellon University has chosen its InfernoAR platform for a virtual series beginning next month. Carnegie Mellon, a globally recognized leader in higher education, will host its third-annual INTERSECT@CMU Conference beginning on September 10.  The virtual conference series will continue throughout the month and into October, featuring conversations and panel discussions about the COVID-19 pandemic’s long-term global effects on four foundational elements of society: health and healthcare, education, the economy, and sustainability.

Milestone Scientific Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:MLSS), the medtech group, focused on painless and precise injections, said it will be presenting at the virtual LD 500 Investor conference, which is being held on September 1 to 4 this year. The firm’s interim chief executive Len Osser is scheduled to present on Tuesday, September 1 at 2:40 pm EST. The presentation will be webcast live on the conference event platform, which can be accessed HERE.

Hannan Metals Limited (CVE:HAN) (OTCPINK:HANNF) gave an update to its ongoing exploration program at its Tabalosos copper-silver claim in Peru, where the firm has defined four key zones within a 30-kilometre trend. The explorer wrapped up a remote geological study at the claim on the San Martin project and identified two target styles on the property along the trend and over a five-kilometre cross strike width. The new interpretation at Tabalosos is the first in the district to combine seismic data with modern remote observation from high resolution satellite imagery, Hannan told shareholders.

AgraFlora Organics International Inc (CSE:AGRA) (OCTMKTS:AGFAF) said it has received a necessary CRA tax license and is now creating test cannabis edibles products through its Health Canada licensed research & development (R&D) lab at the group’s edibles manufacturing facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

TRACON Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:TCON) has announced a $5 million private placing to conduct the previously announced ENVASARC pivotal study of envafolimab in sarcoma cancer and for working capital. In a statement on Thursday, the company said it had struck a definitive securities purchase agreement with an institutional health care-focused fund to raise total gross proceeds of around C$5 million through a private placing of its shares and pre-funded warrants. The group will sell around 3.1 million of its common shares, or in lieu of common shares, pre-funded warrants to buy shares. The purchase price of each share (or pre-funded warrant) is around $1.64. The pre-funded warrants will have a per share exercise price of $0.01 and will expire seven years from issue. Earlier this month, the firm revealed that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had given the go-ahead for its human trial of envafolimab for sarcoma cancer and the firm said it expects to start enrolling patients in the trial at 25 sites in the US in the fourth quarter of 2020. Envafolimab (KN035) is a novel, single-domain antibody against PD-L1, is the first subcutaneously injected PD-(L)1 inhibitor to be studied in registrational trials.

Biocept Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOC), a leading commercial provider of liquid biopsy tests, says CEO Michael Nall will present at the LD Micro 500 Virtual Conference on September 2 at 10:40 am ET. The live presentation can be accessed here and will be archived on the Investor Relations section of the Biocept website.

Story by ProactiveInvestors