Corporate Cronyism Hampers Growth and Innovation – Election of Three New Candidates to Board of Directors Proposed

Dissent and disagreement were revealed in a recent preliminary proxy statement from rare disease therapeutics company, Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. (formerly known as KemPharm, Inc.). In the preliminary proxy statement released February 27, 2023, the company announced that the Board nominated three directors for re-election at the Company’s Annual Meeting. The proposal to keep the same board after historically poor performance sparked a highly critical response from shareholder Dan Mangless, who has proposed three new candidates and a new direction for the company to unlock the technology and enhance shareholder equity. His letter to Zevra shareholders follows:

Dear Fellow Zevra Therapeutics (formerly KemPharm) Stockholders:

I am a proud owner, like you, of what should be a great pharmaceutical company developing and marketing world class drug products that change lives and creates value for stockholders. With the effective scientific leadership and vision, Zevra’s core technology could be leveraged to develop its existing pipeline and expand it beyond current opportunities to potentially license pipeline products as well as the technology to other pharmaceutical companies eager to enhance their existing portfolios.  With the proper executive and marketing leadership and assuming near-term approval of one or two of the existing pipeline products focused on treating rare diseases, we believe Zevra would quickly become a highly valuable enterprise and potential acquisition target for more established companies looking to enhance their offerings.  An alignment of successful executive and marketing experience with the knowledge and scientific vision associated with Zevra’s core technology would have Zevra on a path to growth and improved stockholder value.

Unfortunately, stockholders have suffered under the leadership of the current Board of Directors.  Rather than recognize their failure to perform, the existing leadership of the Board of Directors has continued to cause the destruction of shareholder value by:

• Failing to instill a culture of accountability.  Zevra has made significant grants of stock options to senior executives while its business was performing poorly, and its stock price was depressed without conditioning at least some of those stock options on company performance.   For example, Zevra awarded its former executive chairman who was retained as CEO 700,000 options priced at the closing share price on January 9, 2023, along with substantial awards to other executives at that time.
• Failing to properly plan for leadership succession. The current leadership of the Board of Directors left Zevra unprepared to pivot to the next generation of executive leadership.  In January 2023, the Board replaced the CEO with its Executive Chairman, who has  a dubious track-record of value creation without exhibiting any attempt to complete a comprehensive search for a new CEO from outside Zevra.
• Failing to align incentives with stockholders.  Board members and executives historically held a very small amount of Zevra shares.  For example, the Executive Chairman held only 9,847 shares prior to his becoming CEO.
• Failing to heed constructive shareholder input and showing little concern for the interests of shareholders.  The Board has not respected the views expressed by stockholders indicated by their voting.  For example, Mr. Joseph Saluri received less than 50% “For” votes from stockholders at the 2021 annual meeting and the Board did not take any action based on such voting.
• Wasting company resources.  Most recently, the Board spent corporate resources on a wasteful “re-branding” exercise in an attempt to distract stockholders from a track record of underperformance.

It is clear from the decisions and actions of Zevra, that a small cohort of potentially conflicted Board members who have been members of the Board for far too long are driving all major decisions of the company while the founder and chief architect of the company’s scientific successes is being completely sidelined to the detriment of the long-term enterprise value of the Company.

Most of the current Board of Directors, including the former Executive Chairman and current CEO and the current Chairman, have been on the Board for more than seven years, including 12 years for the Chairman, which is well beyond the typical service period for directors of publicly traded pharmaceutical companies:

• Matthew Plooster – March 2011 (named Chairman in January 2023)
• Joseph Saluri – January 2014

• Richard Pascoe – January 2014 (named Executive Chairman in November 2021 and CEO in January 2023)
• David Tierney, M.D. – March 2015

Zevra’s Board chose to appoint a chairman who has been with Zevra for the longest period, perpetuating the Board leadership that has held Zevra back from taking a new perspective on its growth.

During their tenure, the company’s share price has fallen precipitously.  In 2015, the stock sold high as $26.15 per share.  The stock was delisted from Nasdaq during 2020 and traded under $0.18 share, ultimately requiring Zevra to execute a 1-for-16 reverse stock split and dilutive fundraising to have its shares listed on Nasdaq again.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH BLUEALLELE

Mr. Saluri’s primary occupation is listed as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlueAllele, which describes its “mission” as “working to address the unmet therapeutic challenges in gene editing…. based on the core principles of innovating and developing the next level of safe and effective treatments for patients with genetic diseases.”      Until recently, Mr. Pascoe and Mr. Plooster were both listed as “Strategic Advisors” to BlueAllele. The removal of their names and bios from BlueAllele’s public website corresponded with Zevra’s becoming aware of my intent to nominate truly independent nominees at the upcoming annual meeting.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH DEERFIELD

At the time of the 2016 – 2018 proxy filings, Deerfield’s beneficial ownership was almost 10% and, on that basis, Dr. Tierney was elected to the Board.  It does not appear that Deerfield currently owns any shares of the company’s stock.  Despite the liquidation of their holdings and the dilution created through the equity offering to repay the debt obligations to Deerfield in 2021, Dr. Tierney remains on the Board of Directors.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER “EXPERIENCE”

Zevra’s January press release announcing the leadership change failed to mention the new CEO’s track record as a chief executive officer, which one would think would be highly relevant in selecting the next CEO of the Company.   Prior to being named Executive Chairman, the new CEO served as the chief executive officer of Histogen Inc.  During the period he served as chief executive officer of Histogen as a publicly listed company, its stock price declined from an opening price of $5.90 on May 26, 2020 to a closing price of $0.73 on November 8, 2021, an 87.6% decline in just 17 months.

PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY PLAN?

Zevra appears to have discarded its LAT platform, which is the foundation of its two FDA approved products, AZSTARYS® and APADAZ®, as well as its lead clinical asset, KP1077.  Zevra has also developed additional LAT-derived products, including KP879, and has referred in its public filings to a large pipeline of preclinical prodrugs in development.  Given this value potential, it would be expected that, in the least, Zevra would be actively seeking to partner or out-license the technology or individual products.  Yet all appearances and recent disclosures suggest the technology, along with its chief inventor, is being cast aside.

Businesses rarely fail from making a single mistake or error.  What causes business to fail over extended periods of time is making the same mistake over and over again, which is the trap Zevra currently finds itself in.  As one of the largest, if not the largest, individual shareholder of Zevra, I have decided enough is enough and it is time to offer a new path with truly independent members of a renewed Board of Directors challenging the status quo and asking the tough questions and holding the Board leadership accountable for the results.  So, this year I have decided to nominate three individuals to join the Board of Directors who have no financial relationship with me but rather will focus on the collective success of all Zevra shareholders.

I anticipate if they are elected my nominees will work with the rest of the Zevra Board of Directors on the following key initiatives:

1. Renew the relationship with the Zevra’s founder with a continued focus on developing the Company’s pipeline from the LAT platform.
2. Conduct a wide and independent search for a chief executive officer with an established track record of success to take Zevra into the future.
3. Push to establish an even more diverse and independent Board of Directors in the future including seeking Board support to eliminate the classified board structure.

My nominees bring a wide-range of experiences in corporate governance, investor relations, finance, health care, R&D strategies, pharmaceutical business development & licensing, insurance reimbursement, patient advocacy as well as mergers and acquisitions and cybersecurity, but most importantly they bring a fresh perspective and independent viewpoint into the board room.

We hope you will read the recently filed preliminary proxy statements and come to the same conclusion we have.

Please join me in supporting the election of John Bode, Douglas Calder and Corey Watton to the Zevra Board of Directors.

I am pleased to engage in further discussion with like-minded stockholders and can be reached via email at renewzevra@gmail.com.

Regards, Dan Mangless

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company’s SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

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• Coyuchi continues to define luxury, sustainability, and circular design, bringing organic cotton into the textile industry for home goods since its inception over 30 years ago
• Its focus has seen the company offer an assortment of products, cutting across bedding, bath, apparel, and lifestyle products and 1,400 SKUs
• With 70% of Coyuchi’s bedding purchases made through department stores, the company is looking to grow its partnerships with even more retailers in 2023

Coyuchi, an organic luxury bed, bath, and apparel company, is committed to expanding its partnerships and aggressively pushing for sustainability practices across all its operations. As a company founded on the idea of creating soft, comfortable, and lasting home textiles using only 100% organic cotton, Coyuchi is defining luxury, sustainability, and circular design, ultimately stamping its position as a leader in this growing environmentally-conscious market.

Since its inception 30 years ago, Coyuchi has sought to bring organic cotton into the textile industry for home goods. This focus has seen the company offer an expanding assortment of bedding, bath, apparel, and lifestyle products, now encompassing approximately 1,400 stock-keeping units (“SKUs”) (https://ibn.fm/A2XaW).

When Coyuchi was founded, according to Eileen Mockus, the company’s President and CEO, “the goal was to bring organic cotton into the textile industry for home goods, and we’ve really taken that mission to heart and are finding ways to expand on it, and continuing to look at the whole process of what we do,” noted Eileen Mockus, the company’s President, and CEO (https://ibn.fm/ZXaSV).

With products sourced sustainably from Germany, India, Portugal, Turkey, and the U.S.A., Coyuchi maintains a tight-knit yet robust supply chain through which it can closely monitor and guarantee the quality and accountability of every raw material that goes into these products. Such a level of commitment and sophistication embodies Coyuchi’s stand on sustainability and accountability while reflecting the luxury tag and value associated with its products.

Currently, 70% of Coyuchi’s bedding purchases are made through department stores, and the company’s management wants to grow its partnerships with other retailers in 2023 to tap into that sector, while also noting that “We’re an online business, and we want to show up with other retailers.”

Coyuchi continues to take advantage of the global cotton market, which is estimated to post a CAGR of 40% by 2028, growing from $518.7 million in 2020 (https://ibn.fm/Q0pfy). Furthermore, with the market currently driven by growing concerns over sustainability and pollution, Coyuchi believes that its unique approach, and strong emphasis on protecting the environment throughout all aspects of its products’ production and final use, will differentiate it from other players in the industry.

Coyuchi is already the gold standard in sustainable luxury home goods. As time progresses, the company will continue to embody the underlying principles that define its brand. With it comes the unlimited growth potential, expanding market share, and strengthening brand equity for a name that has been a staple in the industry for over 30 years.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Coyuchi.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Coyuchi are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/COYU

• The global waste-to-energy market size is projected to grow from $32.15 billion in 2021 to $44.62 billion in 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate of 4.3 percent
• Sea to Sky Soils (“SSS”), a unit of EverGen Infrastructure Corp., is a leading processor of organic waste in B.C., processes inbound organic waste for a fee, turning it into high-quality organic compost and soils
• In recent weeks, SSS signed multiple contracts for the processing of organic waste at its facility, which provides over 10,000 tonnes per annum. The contract updates provide SSS with increased certainty on the supply of organic feedstock through 2025

Owing to rapid urbanization and bloated landfills, amongst other factors, waste management has become a problem on a global scale. Waste-to-energy is a solution that is gaining traction, turning a liability into an asset while matching government mandates to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and slash emissions across the board. The uptake is beneficial to companies like EverGen Infrastructure (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQX: EVGIF) and its portfolio of projects specialized in converting municipal, agricultural, water, and other types of waste into readily usable energy.

Waste-to-energy is a technologically advanced method of waste management whereby organic material that would otherwise be burned, buried, or left to rot is processed into heat, energy, or other functional products, such as fertilizer. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global waste-to-energy market size is projected to grow from $32.15 billion in 2021 to $44.62 billion in 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate of 4.3 percent.

EverGen, known as “Canada’s Renewable Natural Gas (“RNG”) Infrastructure Platform” because of its market-leading position in the sector, is combating climate change and helping communities contribute to a sustainable future. The British Columbia-based company is partnered with municipalities, corporations, and farms to collect feedstock for its anaerobic digestors that start the process that produces biogas, digestate, or RNG, a green alternative that is indistinguishable from conventional natural gas.

On the downstream side, EverGen has multiple agreements to supply FortisBC, one of Canada’s largest natural gas utilities, with essentially all the RNG it can produce.

The company’s projects and operations include Fraser Valley Biogas, Net Zero Waste Abbotsford, GrowTec, Project Radius, and Sea to Sky Soils. EverGen has four assets generating revenue, two RNG expansions under construction, and one greenfield 3-phase in development. The pipeline includes 8,000,000 gigajoules of RNG production, 1.7 million of which are part of Project Radius in Ontario.

Sea to Sky Soils (“SSS”) is one of the current EverGen revenue generators as an organics processing facility in B.C. SSS is partnered with the Lil’wat Nation, operating on the community’s land since 2012 and employing the majority of staff from the First Nation community while actively supporting it. Working with the indigenous people is in tune with the Sea to Sky Soil’s focus of a circular economy creating top quality soil amendments and blends for use on farms, gardens, and landscapes from local municipal and agricultural waste.

The company processes inbound organic waste for a contracted tipping fee, subsequently converting it into high-quality organic compost and soils for farmers, gardeners, and developers.

In recent weeks, SSS signed multiple contracts with a B.C. regional district for the processing of organic waste at the facility, which provides over 10,000 tonnes per annum. The company has applied to expand permitted capacity to 60,000 tonnes per annum. The contract updates provide SSS with increased certainty on the supply of organic feedstock through 2025 with a preferred partner.

A top processor of organics in B.C., EverGen is committed to own and operate the best-in-class facilities to provide its municipal and commercial partners cost-effective, sustainable solutions for waste. The company is checking all the boxes for sustainability and regional support, including building infrastructure, supplying jobs, providing waste management solutions, helping local agriculture, and generating greenhouse-gas-free energy.

“Contracts such as this de-risk our core business and represent another step towards our goal of providing solutions for over 300,000 tonnes of organic waste per annum in the region,” said Chase Edgelow, CEO of EverGen.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EverGenInfra.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to EVGIF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/EVGIF

• Data443 Risk Mitigation has filed its 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which marks the fourth full year of audited financial statements filed with the SEC, allowing Data443 to be considered ‘seasoned’ by Nasdaq
• Data443 recently awarded ‘Best for Kiosk’ on their Ransomware Recovery Manager(TM), the only industry solution that actively recovers the device, operating system, and data with a simple reboot
• Data threats are increasingly affecting companies in the U.S., leading to financial and legal repercussions across a swathe of industry players
• The prevalence of remote working has also made a significant difference, with Data443 responding to this opportunity across its portfolio of nine different data security and privacy products
• The company continues to renew and service its existing customer base at a 99% renewal rate (including 20+ fintech companies, thousands of medium-sized businesses, and over 100,000 smaller organizations)

Over the past few years, reports of data breaches have become a near-everyday occurrence. In fact, for one seven-month stretch between December 2019 and June 2020, an array of companies, including Microsoft (December 2019), Estee Lauder (January 2020), Whisper (March 2020), Facebook (April 2020), and Wattpad (June 2020) all announced that they had suffered from data breaches – cumulatively losing over one trillion individual data records in the process. The losses at the time included various data segments, including identification details, purchase histories, and in some cases, payment information. Although breaches can lead to negative publicity and reputational damage for targeted corporations, the repercussions rarely stop there. Following its 2017 breach, which affected nearly 150 million Americans, Equifax faced litigation brought against it by 48 different U.S. states. The firm ended up settling its various enforcement actions for nearly $575 million (https://ibn.fm/U9YQR). Since then, costs have escalated, as have the frequency of attacks. For instance, in 2022, a U.S. company’s average cost of a data breach touched a high of $9.44 million. With 83% of U.S. organizations suffering more than one data breach, protecting their information to prevent future mishaps – and potentially onerous financial liabilities has become a leading corporate priority (https://ibn.fm/nLQZ2).

The increased prevalence of remote working from the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry shift towards cloud-based data storage, and the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals, all led to a surge in data security risks. All those factors were simultaneously at play in June 2020. That month, Sina Weibo, one of China’s largest social media platforms with a model akin to Twitter wherein users communicate via short messages, was hacked. The perpetrators subsequently posted the personal details of over 538 million users – including real names, usernames, gender, location, and in some cases, phone numbers, onto the dark net while offering the entire data set up for sale for a mere $250 (https://ibn.fm/WO2Cl).

Data443 Risk Mitigation (OTC: ATDS), a data security and privacy software company, has centered its mission around preventing the likes of the Sina Weibo hack from ever being repeated, stating its steadfast commitment to identifying and protecting all sensitive data regardless of location, platform or format. The statement has come at a timely juncture, as the ransomware landscape accelerating the rate at which most businesses are adopting data security solutions, and protecting against it has become a global priority. Meanwhile, a recent study by Gartner revealed that by 2024, over 30% of enterprises will have adopted data security platforms, up from less than 5% in 2019.

“The explosion of ransomware, zero-day attacks, third-party breaches, along with long-term remote work concerns & the integration of operational technology with IT systems have culminated into a crisis of confidence for IT security leaders” – IDG Security Priorities Study 2021 (https://ibn.fm/8Q8Hh).

In a similar light, Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), part of Amazon’s cloud computing operations, recently revealed that they would now encrypt all new objects added on to their cloud servers in response to growing industry concern around misplaced data (https://ibn.fm/3Jyw4). Similarly, Data443 has looked to cater to the needs of an increasing data security-conscious corporate sector through its extensive product suite offering, which boasts a range of solutions designed to securely manage data and data privacy needs on-premises, in the cloud, and in hybrid environments. Some of the key elements included within its product suite include – Data Identification Manager(TM), designed to inventory all data repositories automatically; Data Placement Manager(TM), enabling the secure transfer of sensitive data across public and private networks; Data Archive Manager, a purpose-built tool facilitating information archiving and retention; Data Hound for Collaboration, a data discovery, classification and capture toolset; as well as Ransomware Recovery Manager(TM), an industry-leading solution which can assist users targeted by a hack to recover their device, operating systems and data with a simple reboot.

Gartner recently valued the global cyber security market at $202.72 billion and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 12.3% between 2023 to 2030. Boasting an array of services, including an industry-leading antivirus product and a proprietary anti-ransomware system, Data443 is ideally positioned to benefit from increased online turmoil and rising end demand for its product offering.

Data443 recently filed its annual report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ending December 31, 2022. Data443 stated in January that it would no longer be subject to the Nasdaq’s higher seasoning threshold for price compliance, an event which the company hopes will hasten its uplisting to the Nasdaq. Data443 was also recently awarded as the ‘Best for Kiosk’ along with the ‘Best for Inexpensive Protection’ from PCMagazine, highlighting its capability to restore your PC to a previous malware-free state, wiping out any changes except your own files.

“We are excited to file our 2022 annual report and no longer be subject to Nasdaq’s 30-of-60-day price requirement for uplisting. We remain hopeful that completing our planned public offering and price compliance at that time will enable the company to complete our uplist to Nasdaq. Doing so will further position the company as a prominent cybersecurity and data management company, and deliver on our business plan, which is our top priority. As stated previously, our efforts to uplist to Nasdaq are central to our continued funding, acquisition strategy, and organic growth efforts,” said CEO and founder Jason Remillard.

Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. (ATDS) Investor Relations
Matthew Abenante
ir@data443.com 
919-858-6542

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://data443.com/.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ATDS are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ATDS

• Cybersecurity is a top concern for corporations around the world
• CISO signed an acquisition agreement to expand services into South America
• CEO notes that “cybersecurity requires global capabilities to properly address the security demands of businesses and organizations”

For the second year in a row, cybersecurity and potential cyber incidents are a leading worldwide corporate risk concern. In its continued commitment to provide global services and solutions, Cerberus Cyber Sentinel (NASDAQ: CISO), rebranding to CISO Global, is expanding its existing footprint in Latin America. This move is in keeping with global cyber demand and is seen as a strategic move to address the increasing frequency and cost of cyber incidents worldwide.

Cybersecurity Dive recently noted that “both cyber and business interruptions were the top concerns” for the 2,712 risk management experts surveyed in an Allianz study. The reality is that these incidents translate into hard costs for affected organizations. The most recent IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report shows that last year, the average cost of a data breach hit a record $4.35 million, and the average is expected to surpass $5 million this year. Those incidents add up to a staggering global spend, reaching $1 trillion worldwide, with cyber incidents being considered the “top risk” in 19 countries, including France, Japan, India, the United Kingdom and Canada (https://ibn.fm/Ta4QB).

The article also highlighted who in the marketplace is paying attention to these trends: “The potential threat of ransomware and data breaches has gained the attention of worldwide corporations.” Cybersecurity providers who can help companies unify their approach to network management, cybersecurity, and compliance will be best positioned to address these growing concerns.

With its eyes on continuing to expand its global, unified cybersecurity offering, Cerberus Cyber Sentinel Corp. recently signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of RAN Security, a cybersecurity company with headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and offices in Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay. The company reported that under the terms of the agreement, which is slated to close later this year, RAN Security will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Cerberus Sentinel (https://ibn.fm/9yLWU).

“RAN Security expands our growth strategy in Latin America and adds to our SOC/managed detection and response services,” said Cerberus Sentinel CEO and founder David Jemmett. “Cybersecurity requires global capabilities to properly address the security demands of businesses and organizations. RAN Security is an excellent cultural fit with the Cerberus Sentinel family of companies.”

The announcement noted that RAN Security, which will continue to be based in Argentina, “is part of a growing network of companies acquired by Cerberus Sentinel in Latin America, including Arkavia, CUATROi and NLT, to meet the cybersecurity needs of organizations across the continent.”

Since 2019, the company has grown on three continents: North America, South America and Europe. The company has built a reputation for being an industry leader as a managed cybersecurity and compliance provider. The company is rapidly expanding by acquiring world-class cybersecurity, secured managed services and compliance companies with top-tier talent that utilize the latest technology to create innovative solutions to protect the most demanding businesses and government organizations against continuing and emerging security threats and compliance obligations.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.CerberusSentinel.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CISO are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CISO

• McEwen Mining is an asset-rich diversified gold and silver producer in North and South America and has a large exposure to copper through its subsidiary, McEwen Copper
• McEwen Copper recently closed an investment by FCA Argentina S.A., a subsidiary of multinational automotive juggernaut Stellantis
• Valued at about USD 152.149 million, at the current official exchange rate of 0.0051 ARS/USD, the investment will help McEwen Copper advance the development of its 100% owned Los Azules copper project in Argentina
• McEwen Copper hopes to electrify and decarbonize mobility by quenching the growing demand for copper within the electric vehicle industry; thus, earning the attention of and investment by an automotive company may go a long way in making this a reality

McEwen Copper Inc., a subsidiary of McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX), recently closed an ARS 30 billion (approximately USD 152.15 million at the prevailing 0.0051 ARS/USD official exchange rate) investment by FCA Argentina S.A., a subsidiary of Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA). Stellantis is a renowned multinational automotive corporation and owner of such iconic brands as Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat, Maserati, Peugeot, and more (https://ibn.fm/h6SsQ).

The investment was closed on February 24, 2023, in a two-part transaction that consisted of a private placement of 2,850,000 common shares of McEwen Copper and the purchase of 1,250,000 common shares of McEwen Copper owned by McEwen Mining in a secondary sale. Proceeds from the investment will be directed toward advancing the development of McEwen Copper’s 100%-owned Los Azules copper project in San Juan, Argentina.

After the closing of the transaction and taking into account a recently announced but yet-to-be-closed additional US $30 million investment by Nuton, an innovative new venture that is intended to help grow the copper business of mining giant Rio Tinto, McEwen Mining owns 51.9% of McEwen Copper on a fully diluted basis, while Stellantis owns 14.2%. On its part, Nuton will own 14.2% of McEwen Copper once its planned investment closes on or before March 10, 2023. The transactions are valuing McEwen Coper at approximately USD 550 million (https://ibn.fm/xts2c).

Stellantis’ investment is part of its goal to lead the automotive industry with its commitment to be carbon net zero by 2038. This goal, STLA CEO Carlos Tavares says, “requires innovation and a complete redefinition of the entire business.” As a result, the corporation is taking crucial steps in Argentina and Brazil to decarbonize mobility and ensure “strategic supplies of clean energy and raw materials necessary for the success of the company’s global plans.”

“We are delighted to have Stellantis as a partner in the future development of our Los Azules copper project,” comments McEwen Copper CEO Rob McEwen. “Together, we share a vision to build a mine for the future based on regenerative principles that can achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2038. We are committed to delivering green copper to Argentina and the world, a product that will contribute to the electrification of transport and the protection of our atmosphere.”

McEwen Copper’s Los Azules project is regarded as one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper projects. According to a 2017 Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”), the project is expected to produce an average of 415 million pounds of copper annually for the first 13 years of operations (https://ibn.fm/fy1PE). The PEA also anticipates the project will be the world’s 25th largest copper producer during the first 10 years of the mine’s projected 36-year lifespan. Even so, McEwen Chair Rob McEwen is confident the mine will continue production well into the 22nd century (https://ibn.fm/w07d7).

Thus, there’s little doubt about McEwen Copper’s contribution to the global decarbonization goals, especially because copper is extensively used across a variety of electrification systems as well as in heat exchanges thanks to its excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Copper is found in solar panels, power grids, windmills, charging infrastructure, and buildings’ wiring. But a parameter that is perhaps of greatest interest to Stellantis is that electric vehicles use more than 2x the amount of copper used in internal combustion engine-powered vehicles (https://ibn.fm/ADNTx).

Connectedly, and as part of the recent investment, McEwen Copper and some of its affiliates entered into an Investor Rights Agreement (“IRA”) and a Copper Cathodes and Concentrates Purchase Rights Agreement (“CCCPRA”) with Stellantis. The CCCPRA, in particular, provides an option to Stellantis and its affiliates that, if exercised to its maximum extent, will allow them to buy a percentage of the copper concentrates or copper cathodes, or both, produced from the Los Azules project, in each case equal to their equity ownership percentage in the mining company.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.McEwenMining.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MUX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/MUX

• The PDAC convention has grown since 1932, becoming the choice event for the world’s mineral industry, hosting more than 1,100 exhibitors and 2,500 investors
• Ucore’s presentation will focus on its RapidSX(TM) technology which provides a North American opportunity in the REE industry, removing dependency from China’s current industry domination
• Ucore is currently working on near-term and long-term processing facilities in Canada, Alaska, and Louisiana

Registration for the world’s premier mineral exploration and mining convention, PDAC 2023, is currently open for attendees. The convention is known for attracting up to 30,000 attendees from over 130 countries, providing educational programming, network events, outstanding business opportunities, and fun.

Since 1932, the PDAC convention has grown in size, stature, and influence, becoming the choice event for the world’s mineral industry, now hosting more than 1,100 exhibitors and 2,500 investors. This year’s convention will take place in Toronto, Canada, from March 5th through March 8th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (“MTCC”). To register for the PDAC 2023 Convention, visit the PDAC site (https://ibn.fm/MLMzo).

Ucore Rare Metals (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF), a company engaged in the exploration for and separation and scalable production of rare earth elements (“REEs”) in Canada and the U.S., will be providing PDAC 2023 attendees with a brief presentation on its RapidSX(TM) technology and building a North American source for processed REEs. Ucore’s RapidSX(TM) technology provides additional industry options for overcoming the dominance of China in processing REEs through its development of near-term and long-term processing facilities in North America.

• Date: 3/6/2023
• Room: 801B
• Session start time: 2:00 PM
• Company presentation time: 3:38 PM
• Required time at session room: 1:40 PM latest
• Session Name: Electric materials / REE
• Speaker Name: Pat Ryan
• Company: Ucore Rare Metals Inc.

REEs are crucial to high-technology industries, including applications for mobile phones, rechargeable batteries, and military assets. Still, the current tensions between the U.S. and China have brought to light the urgency for North America to have its own REE processing alternatives. Ucore is disrupting China’s dominance with its near-term processing facility in Louisiana, subsequent Strategic Metals Complexes (“SMCs”) in Alaska and Canada, and the longer-term development of Boken Mountain on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.

According to Grand View Research, the global REE market was valued at $2.8 billion in 2018, with a forecast of $5.6 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 10.4% (https://ibn.fm/zXJBe). The growth of the market is attributed to the rising demand for electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions and the use of permanent magnets in these vehicles. With many countries on board to reach net-zero carbon emissions, Ucore is positioned to lead the charge in North America, supplying REE separation on a commercial scale and removing the dependency on China for REE production.

The processing facilities will incorporate Ucore’s RapidSX(TM) technology, which combines the time-proven chemistry of conventional solvent extraction (“SX”) with a new column-based platform that significantly reduces time to completion and plant footprint, as well as potentially lowering capital and operating costs. SX is currently the international REE industry’s standard commercial separation technology for bulk separation of heavy and light REE.

The commissioning process of Ucore’s RapidSX(TM) Demonstration Plant is underway in Kingston, Ontario. Once it is commissioned, the plant is designed to demonstrate the commercial capabilities of the RapidSX(TM) technology platform. The demo plant will show the following:

• The techno-economic advantages of the RapidSX(TM) technology platform
• The processing of tens of tons of heavy and light mixed REE concentrates in a simulated production environment
• The platform’s ability to operate for thousands of semi-continuous run-time hours
• Production of high-purity NdPr, praseodymium, neodymium, terbium, and dysprosium REEs for early OEM product qualification trials

The demo plant is located within the company’s 5,000-square-foot RapidSX(TM) Commercialization and Demonstration Facility, which is run by its laboratory partner, Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc. (“KPM”).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Ucore.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to UURAF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/UURAF

• Company’s investigational drug is being tested for the first time ever on humans in an FDA-approved study
• In phase 1 studies, IGC-AD1 shows potential to safely reduce debilitating symptoms
• IGC is actively building a portfolio of both cannabis-based and manufactured molecules that can address multiple areas of unmet medical needs

In groundbreaking work that establishes its commitment to being a pioneer in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, India Globalization Capital (NYSE American: IGC) is developing a cannabis-based investigational drug that is being tested for the first time ever on humans in an FDA-approved study (https://ibn.fm/qsc42). The company is developing its proprietary treatment, IGC-AD1, hoping to provide relief to the 55 million people worldwide struggling with agitation in dementia that results from Alzheimer’s.

IGC is focused on revolutionizing the treatment of Alzheimer’s with its game-changing treatment. In phase 1 studies, IGC-AD1 shows potential to safely reduce the debilitating symptoms that impact millions of Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. Featuring a low dose of THC, the treatment is the first natural cannabis-based investigational drug being tested in human FDA trials to treat Alzheimer’s patients; it provides medical benefits without psychoactive effects. “As millions of Alzheimer’s patients continue to suffer from agitation, anxiety, and depression, phase 2 clinical trials bring hope for a treatment,” the company reports.

In addition to IGC-AD1, IGC is actively building a portfolio of both cannabis-based and manufactured molecules that can address multiple areas of unmet medical needs (https://ibn.fm/0Q0iY). The company’s TGR-63 product is being studied for its potential to decrease Alzheimer’s markers, including plaque buildup, while also decreasing cognitive decline and improving memory. The company also has undisclosed molecules involved in exploratory activities.

With no current FDA-approved drugs to treat in Alzheimer’s patients, the company clearly has found a place where it can establish a foothold. In fact, last year less than 7% of drugs in clinical trials were focused on treating neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer’s. The time has clearly come for IGC. “What we do is important,” the company states. “With no known cure, our formulations have the potential to change lives.”

IGC develops advanced cannabinoid-based formulations for treating diseases, including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, and even pet seizures. The company sells various brands of CBD-based consumer products, including Holief, which includes gummies and pain relief creams for women experiencing premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea (period cramps), and Sunday Seltzer, which includes a CBD-infused energy beverage. The company operates facilities in the United States under Good Manufacturing Practices.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IGCPharma.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/IGC

• In a recent exclusive interview with Benzinga, Brian Haugli, SideChannel’s CEO, highlighted the looming cybersecurity issues threatening the cannabis industry, noting the vulnerabilities and glaring loopholes that could be exploited by individuals online with ill intent
• He emphasized the importance of addressing the human angle to cybersecurity, in addition to understanding that the sector has the same susceptibilities as the traditional agricultural sector
• This interview echoed SideChannel’s stand on matters of cybersecurity, as reflected in its annual meeting of stockholders held on February 15, 2023
• During the meeting, Deborah MacConnel was elected as chairperson, a welcome addition that also saw Anthony Ambrose and Kevin Powers join its board

In a recent exclusive interview with Benzinga, SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH) CEO Brian Haugli laid bare the looming cybersecurity issues threatening the cannabis industry. Of note was his focus on the complacency of players in this sector, with many downplaying cybersecurity threats with the pretext that “no one would hack a weed company” (https://ibn.fm/NU36F).

As a company on a mission to make cybersecurity simple and accessible, based on the belief that small and mid-sized organizations deserve the expertise of an experienced Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”), SideChannel is helping demystify issues surrounding cybersecurity across various industries. By making cybersecurity services more accessible, particularly to small and medium-sized businesses, the company is helping to keep businesses operational, intellectual properties secure, and workers protected from people online with ill intent.

Mr. Haugli noted that with the move toward online processing of payments, scheduling, and making payments, businesses within the cannabis space are exposing themselves to the same risks as those in other industries. The mere association with the cannabis space does not exclude them from the cybersecurity risks often associated with other sectors, especially in retail. In addition, given that the cannabis industry uses the same systems and has the same vulnerabilities as the traditional agricultural sector, players in this space ought to take cybersecurity much more seriously.

“People need to look at where they are in the cannabis supply chain, whether they’re growing, distributing, manufacturing, or selling cannabis products, and take the steps to address different risks,” Haugli noted.

In addition to having the appropriate cybersecurity infrastructure, Haugli emphasized the importance of addressing the human angle to cybersecurity and having a corporate culture that bolsters online safety. He highlighted SideChannel’s “focus on the people who do the operations and are the largest attack surface,” noting the importance of employee training for every position, safety training, and fire drills, among others.

“Companies are fine locking the front doors and hiring a security guard at their building, but sometimes they won’t patch or secure the computer systems or the cloud systems that hold their intellectual property,” Haugli noted.

“Nobody is going to physically steal the intellectual property of a cannabis company. It’s a lot easier to go through the system than through a wall,” he added.

This Benzinga interview echoed SideChannel’s stand on cybersecurity matters, as reflected in its annual meeting of stockholders on February 15, 2023. On the Investor Day broadcast, live-streamed on the same day, the company touched on the factors underpinning the growing demand for its cybersecurity program leadership and its focus on revenue relationships, evidenced by its trailing 12-month revenue.

“We appreciate the stockholder approval of our annual meeting proposals,” Haugli noted.

“We are committed to increasing direct engagement with our stockholders and were pleased with the participation at our investor day,” he added (https://ibn.fm/TuLig).

Haugli also noted SideChannel’s team’s commitment to delivering meaningful leadership to its clients, emphasizing why he wanted stockholders to understand why mid-market companies appreciated what the company does and why cybersecurity professionals love being on the SideChannel team.

During the stockholders’ meeting, Deborah MacConnel was elected chairperson, replacing Tom Wilkinson. This welcome addition also saw Anthony Ambrose and Kevin Powers join the board of directors. MacConnel will lend her knowledge and expertise from years of experience working in technology and software. She started at Adobe and just recently retired from IBM, where she was head of global sales teams and was responsible for transforming IBM’s internal processes in human resources.

“SideChannel is doing something special,” MacConnel noted.

“They are focused on solving a significant challenge for mid-market companies, and I look forward to working with the other members of the board to support and monitor SideChannel’s progress,” she added (https://ibn.fm/s97rF).

Haugli was optimistic about MacConnel’s appointment, noting that she would influence SideChannel’s go-to-market strategies and culture.

A replay of SideChannel’s Investor Day is available at https://ibn.fm/Gh0KT.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SideChannel.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SDCH are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SDCH

• During interview, Vajdic recounts first steps of journey in the United States
• CEO points to key lessons he learned that helped him found HeartBeam
• The company has developed the first and only 3D-vector 12-lead electrocardiogram (“ECG”) platform for heart attack detection anytime, anywhere

Growing up in Yugoslavia (now Serbia) as the only child of a well-known surgeon, HeartBeam (NASDAQ: BEAT) CEO and founder Branislav Vajdic, PhD, felt some pressure to study medicine and follow in his father’s footsteps. One day, at his father’s insistence, Vajdic observed a surgery — and fainted the moment he saw the first drop of blood. While that experience confirmed to Vajdic that medicine was not for him, decades later he is making his mark in the field of the detection and treatment of heart attacks.

“I was always fascinated with electronics; that was clearly my path,” said Vajdic during a recent “Authority Magazine” interview with David Leichner, part of an interview series focused on technology companies working to make a positive social impact (https://ibn.fm/rujH4). “As a junior in college, I spent a summer in the United States driving a truck and selling ice cream. I returned home, but in my mind, it was clear that I wanted to return to the U.S.

“And I did,” continued Vajdic. “Twenty-four hours after graduating with my bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, I was on a plane to Minnesota to pursue my graduate studies.” During the interview, Vajdic recounted the steps of his journey in the United States, which included earning a doctorate degree in electrical engineering and being hired by Intel Corporation, where he was part of a small team that developed Intel’s first prototype for Flash memory.

Despite the landmark technology, the project was “put on the shelf” when market research showed that demand for Flash memory was small. Fortunately, almost a year later, Intel CEO Andy Grove restarted the Flash memory project, and the tech became an integral part of digital videos and photography, cell phones, and numerous electronics. Vajdic learned an invaluable lesson: Inertia is the biggest enemy of innovation.

That was only one lesson Vajdic shared during the interview; others included leadership by example, risk as an integral part of progress, and, if you believe in something, going all the way. Those lessons have been key as Vajdic founded a cardiac technology company called HeartBeam.

“At HeartBeam, we are addressing the need to determine if someone who is experiencing signs of a heart attack at home, work, or any place outside of a medical setting is actually experiencing one,” said Vajdic, who lost his own father to a heart attack. “It’s a huge issue. On average, most people wait over three hours before seeking care.

“Why? It is human nature to want to believe that the symptoms will go away, and that chest pain may be due to a pulled muscle or indigestion,” he continued. “Add to that a typically high health insurance deductible for an ER visit and at least a few hours of lost time, and you start to understand why the delay is so significant. That wait time means that the mortality rate goes up by some 40%.”

HeartBeam is developing the first and only 3D-vector ECG platform for heart attack detection anytime, anywhere. By applying a suite of proprietary algorithms to simplify vector electrocardiography (“VECG”), the HeartBeam platform will enable patients and their clinicians to determine quickly and easily if symptoms are due to a heart attack so care can be expedited if required.

HeartBeam has two patented products in development. HeartBeam AIMI(TM) is software for acute care settings that provides a 3D comparison of baseline and symptomatic 12-lead ECG to identify a heart attack more accurately. HeartBeam AIMIGo(TM) is the first and only credit-card-sized, 12-lead output ECG device coupled with a smartphone app and cloud-based diagnostic software system to facilitate remote heart-attack detection. HeartBeam AIMI and AIMIGo have not yet been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for marketing in the United States or other geographies.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.HeartBeam.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to BEAT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/BEAT