The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2016, about 22,280 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 14,240 women will die of ovarian cancer in the U.S. Mortality rates for ovarian cancer have declined only slightly in the forty years since the “War on Cancer” was declared. However, other cancers have shown a much greater reduction in mortality, due to the availability of early detection tests and improved treatments. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program reported that in 2012 in the U.S. approximately 192,446 women were alive who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer (including those who had been cured of the disease).

Early detection of cancer is the key to using the medicines available today to battle cancer and give the patient the best chance of beating this horrible disease and getting back to a normal life. Avant Diagnostics, Inc. (OTCQB: AVDX) has undertaken this heroic challenge with its OvaDx Pre-Symptomatic Ovarian Cancer Screening Test.

OvaDx is a sophisticated microarray-based test that measures the activation of the immune system in blood samples in response to early stage ovarian tumor cell development. Upon commercialization, it’s estimated that the market opportunity for OvaDX could be $50 million annually as a diagnostic test for ovarian cancer, and it could expand to over $2 billion if the test were to be approved as a generalized screening and/or monitoring tool.

Some form of cancer has affected almost every family in the U.S. either personally or through a member of their immediate family. The common denominator between cancer and any ailment is that the earlier it is detected, the better your chances of survival. Continual monitoring of treatment coupled with early detection can better the odds significantly and prolong your lifespan. If someone gets tested regularly and detects ovarian cancer early, their five-year survival rate is 93 percent compared to a five-year survival rate of only 18 percent if detected in the later stages.

For more information, visit the company website at www.avantdiagnostics.com

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Torchlight Energy Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRCH) is a high growth oil and gas Exploration and Production (E&P) company primarily focused on the acquisition and development of highly profitable domestic oil fields. Leveraging a diverse portfolio, carefully selected interests, and a strong management team are pillars of Torchlight’s broader success strategy.

The company maintains a diversified energy portfolio by holding interests in numerous projects in multiple established plays, and it currently holds interests in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, where its targets are established plays such as the Wolf Penn, Eagle Ford Shale, Mississippi Limestone and Hunton Limestone trends.

Torchlight is currently moving forward on the next phase of drilling on three new wells in its Orogrande Project in West Texas, where the company owns a 47.5% working interest on 168,000 acres alongside Founders Oil and Gas, LLC. Torchlight drilled the Rich A-11 well (6,091 feet) on the Orogrande Project in March last year and subsequently executed a $50 million JV farm-out agreement with Midland, Texas-based Founders Oil and Gas, who initiated frac work on the well in November.

The Marcelina Creek Project in South Texas, with its prime access to the Austin Chalk, Buda, and Eagle Ford formations, is surrounded on all four sides by leading Eagle Ford producers. Torchlight’s Johnson #4 well was recently re-entered and drilled laterally to approximately 2500 feet in the Austin Chalk Formation. With more than 20 additional drilling locations on its Marcelina Creek Asset, the project has the potential to positively impact cash flows and production sustainability.

Torchlight’s executive team and board of directors are led by CEO John Brda and COO Willard McAndrew III. Combined they have over 50 years of experience in the oil and gas industry as executives, investors and consultants to the industry. Their knowledge base includes all aspects of the business, including: operations, mid stream, capital formation, purchase and sale of assets, re-entries, investor relations and oil and gas consulting for public and private companies.

Key Investment Highlights:

• Defined strategy targets highly profitable oil fields in the United States
• Diversified energy portfolio enables projects in multiple established plays
• Primary focus on interest in major Orogrande Basin discovery in West Texas
• Strong management team with vast, relevant experience in energy industry

For more information on the company, visit www.TorchlightEnergy.com

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On Monday, Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBOT) (TSX-V: KLH), the leader in the sustainable manufacture of Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH), announced its financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2015. According to the report, the company successfully leveraged the increased visibility and improved access to institutional investors provided by its recent uplisting to the NASDAQ Capital Market (completed on November 5, 2015) to drive a 130 percent year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue.

“We are pleased to report good momentum heading into 2016, with what we believe are positive indicators for our core KLH business,” Frank Oakes, president, chief executive officer and chairman of Stellar, stated in the news release. “We are focusing on continuing to increase sales revenue, and we are working to expand our commercial and clinical opportunities with new collaborations.”

One such collaboration was proposed on January 20, 2016, in the form of a joint venture between Stellar and Neovacs, S.A, a leading biotechnology firm focused on an active immunotherapy technology platform (Kinoids) with applications in autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this proposed joint venture is to produce Neovacs’ Kinoid product candidates using Stellar’s KLH. The term sheet also outlined the possibility of manufacturing other KLH-based immunotherapies on behalf of third party customers in the future. As of writing, this proposed joint venture has yet to be consummated.

Additional highlights from Stellar’s financial report include:

• The company generated total revenues of $488,160 for the three months ended December 31, 2015, compared to $212,661 for the three months ended December 31, 2014
• Total expenses for the quarter were $1.8 million, compared to $1.5 million for the same period in 2014; the company attributed this increase to a combination of NASDAQ listing fees, compensation increases, increased share-based compensation and increased investor relations activity
• Stellar’s working capital as of December 31, 2015, was $8.97 million, compared to working capital of $7.49 million as of September 30, 2015
• The company maintained positive shareholders’ equity of $9.6 million and approximately 8.45 million shares outstanding as of December 31, 2015, compared to shareholders’ equity of $8.0 million and approximately 7.98 million shares outstanding at September 30, 2015

To view the full financial report, visit http://dtn.fm/t8W36

Stellar has applied decades of specialized aquaculture science to a pharmaceutical industry challenge, creating the only KLH production facility of its kind in the world and establishing itself as the world leader in the sustainable manufacture of this important immune-stimulating molecule. The company’s customers and partners include multinational pharmaceutical companies, renowned research centers, and developers of active immunotherapies and therapeutic vaccines.

For more information, visit www.StellarBiotech.com and http://ir.StellarBiotechnologies.com.

Star Mountain Resources, Inc. (OTC: SMRS), a microcap mining company, focuses its efforts on acquiring mineral properties and then developing them into major producing mines. The company plans to continue its upward growth through these acquisitions. Star Mountain Resources is currently developing operations to restart its Balmat zinc mining operation in St. Lawrence County, New York. This venture would turn the company into an active mining producer rather than a junior explorer. In November 2015, the company acquired Northern Zinc, LLC, a private company, and closed on the acquisition of the Balmat Holding Corporation from Hudbay Minerals, which gave Star Mountain Resources access to the Balmat zinc mine, a high-quality mineral asset.

According to Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), zinc is making a comeback by rallying 18% of mid-January lows at around $1,445. The mineral is making back most of the 20% loss it suffered in 2015. Last year, metal slumped 26% with China’s economic slowdown limiting the demand for metals. However, so far this year, zinc has the strongest “bull case” of all the base metals, because mine depletion and production cutbacks will tighten the supply even more, thus driving up prices. With zinc gaining 6.8% on the London Minerals Exchange in February alone, Goldman Sachs predicts that in twelve months the price of zinc will be $1,800 a ton.

In a recent report, Goldman Sachs analysts stated, “Against the backdrop of still significant short metals positioning (particularly copper and aluminum), we reiterate that the recent stabilization of the GS China Metals Consumption Index, the upcoming seasonal improvement in metals demand (post Chinese New Year), China State stockpiling, and potential further capacity closures could be catalysts for a short covering rally near term.”

The ICBC Standard Bank expects the global surplus of zinc to be greatly diminished this year, resulting in a deficit for 2017. This deficit in zinc will cause higher prices within the global metal market due to lack of substantial resources. These escalating zinc prices bode well for Star Mountain Resources as the company approaches the recommencement of mining operations at the Balmat zinc mine.

For more information, visit www.starmountainresources.com

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International Stem Cell Corp. (OTCQB: ISCO) builds shareholder value through the development of restorative medicine using stem cell technology. Through its innovative parthenogenesis technology, the company makes use of human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs), bypassing common ethical controversy that accompanies the destruction of the viable human embryo. Additionally, the company works with subsidiaries Lifeline Skin Technology and Lifeline Skin Care in the area of skin rejuvenation on a product that contains a nano-compound that facilitates the replenishment of the skin’s texture and elasticity.

Evidence of the company’s resolve to be a leader in the field of restorative medicine can be found in a recent partnership with The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, one of the world’s leading brain research centers. The agreement calls for the team to launch Phase I/IIa clinical trials research on the effects of human parthenogenetic stem cells in people with Parkinson’s disease.

The credibility The Florey Institute brings to ISCO’s mission to build shareholder value cannot be understated. The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health is one of the world’s leading brain research centers, employing a staff of over 500. The center’s scientists comprise the largest neuroscience research team in Australia. Its work is conducted on a range of serious diseases, including stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, depression, multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, motor neuron disease, schizophrenia, mental illness and addiction. Further, The Florey is viewed by many as a world leader in imaging technology, stroke rehabilitation and epidemiological studies.

The company’s human cell culture products are made up of adult stem cells and reagents for regenerative medicine aiding in the study of prostate disease, human renal and bladder diseases, human corneal cells present in corneal disease and other cell culture reagents and supplements for the growth, staining, and freezing of human cells. ISCO markets and sells skincare products through its website, channel sales, distributors and human cell culture products through its sales force, OEM partners, and brand distributors. International Stem Cell Corp. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.

For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com

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Earlier today, Torchlight Energy Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRCH) announced that the Orogrande Development Committee, which consists of members of the project operator, Torchlight and consulting geologist Rich Masterson, has elected to move forward on planning the next phase of drilling in the Orogrande Project. Following this decision, the project operator is expected to permit three new wells, beginning with the University Founders B-19 #1 well, to be drilled vertically for test purposes. These new wells will be designed with sufficient casing size to support lateral entry into any pay zones encountered during testing – including pay zones previously observed in the existing Cactus well.

“We are pleased that the project operator is underway on next steps in evaluating our Orogrande Project,” Will McAndrew III, chief operating officer of Torchlight, stated in the news release. “Drilling additional test wells is the appropriate next action, providing data necessary for validation of the play and the development plan for the entire 168,000 acres. Our principal strategy is to create control data by strategically placing wells across the acreage and thus creating a development thesis for the entire basin.”

Field operations stemming from this agreement are set to begin within 90 days and in line with the development agreement. Last September, Torchlight announced entry into a definitive agreement with Founders Oil and Gas, LLC of Midland, Texas, through which Founders will contribute $50 million in development capital by 2017 – including a $5 million reimbursement for initial project costs – in exchange for 50 percent working interest in the Orogrande Project. Following the commencement of new drilling operations, Torchlight will receive a payment of $500,000 resulting from this partnership.

“The capital and expertise being provided by our operating partner has set the stage for continued value creation for Torchlight and our shareholders,” concluded McAndrew.

Currently, Torchlight owns 95 percent working interest in the 168,000 acre Orogrande Project, which is located in Hudspeth County, Texas. The company is targeting 1,300 feet of pay at a depth of approximately 4,000 to 6,100 feet. In prior testing, Torchlight utilized the Rich A-11 well to gather key data for its field development thesis, but a poor cement bond discovered during testing prevented a cost-effective production test of the project’s primary pay zones. Repairing these defects was determined to be economically unfeasible, and, as a result, the development committee approved plans for drilling of the next wells with larger casings that can be utilized for both testing and commercial production moving forward.

For more information on the company, visit www.TorchlightEnergy.com

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In September 2015, Nutra Pharma Corporation (OTCQB: NPHC), in what CEO Rik Deitsch has called “the most substantial event in the history of our drug discovery efforts,” was granted Orphan Status for RPI-78M for the treatment of Juvenile or Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Orphan Status for a drug brings many advantages. It gives the sponsoring company tax credits that may amount to as much as 50% of the development costs attributable to qualified clinical testing. This could include remuneration to employees to supervise, carry out and support qualified clinical testing activities.

Orphan Status can also mean a reduction or exemption from FDA fees. Under various statutes, beginning with the Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 (PDUFA I), the FDA is authorized to assess user and application fees, but it can grant a waiver or deduction of these fees if ‘A waiver or reduction is necessary to protect the public health OR the assessment of the fee would present a significant barrier to innovation because of limited resources available to the person or other circumstances OR the applicant is a small business submitting its first human drug application… for review.’

Orphan Drug status also allows a sponsor exclusive marketing rights for a limited period. Orphan Drug Exclusivity (ODE) is typically for a period of 7 years. After it’s granted, the FDA may not approve applications for generic or second innovator products that contain the same active ingredient and are labeled for the same orphan indication. It may, however, accept such applications, and it may accept and approve applications for drugs having the same active moiety, for a different indication. Also, the FDA may accept and approve a subsequent orphan drug application for the ‘same drug’ and the ‘same orphan indication’, if the applicant demonstrates that the product is ‘clinically superior’, safer, more effective or significantly more convenient than the first drug.’

The Orphan Drug Act was passed by Congress in 1983 to encourage research and development of treatments for rare diseases. An orphan drug is a drug intended to treat a condition affecting fewer than 200,000 persons in the United States, or which will not be profitable within 7 years following approval by the FDA. Orphan status and FDA approval are not the same thing. Orphan status does not mean that the FDA has approved the drug.

The right to marketing exclusivity is a valuable one, as Martin Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals have shown. An enlightening article (http://dtn.fm/4bKpR) in Science Translational Medicine tells the amazing saga of Daraprim, or pyrimethamine. The drug was approved by the FDA back in 1953 and manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK), which disposed of its U.S. marketing rights to CorePharma in 2010. CorePharma was later acquired by Impax, which sold Daraprim to Turing for $55 million. In the GlaxoSmithKline days, Daraprim went for about $1 per tablet. After its acquisition by CorePharma, it was selling for around $10 per tablet. Now, Shkreli has appeared before Congress to explain Turing’s decision to raise the price from $13 to $750.

Nutra Pharm has also applied (in December 2015) for Orphan Status for its RPI-78M treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG). In a recent letter to shareholders, Deitsch said, “It is our goal to complete the Phase I/II trials in pediatric MS over the next 18 months and then either move into Phase III trials or seek a licensing partner. As we have always stated, it is our eventual goal over the next several years to market or license our drugs for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and HIV/AIDS. This represents the true potential of Nutra Pharma as a Bio-Pharmaceutical company.”

For more information on the company, visit www.NutraPharma.com

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Almost everyone loves to travel and seek out exotic destinations around the globe. However, accommodations can be such an expensive and unfulfilling experience when staying at hotels that all look the same and are located in the same areas of town. Wouldn’t it be great if we could stay in a luxurious, fully-furnished condo anywhere on the planet for a price that’s much less than the local Hilton (NYSE: HLT)? Well, the good news is that you can, and all you have to do is become a part owner of a timeshare or just have the desire to travel and take advantage of FlexWeek, Inc.’s (OTC: FXWK) innovative and efficient marketplace.

FlexWeek is a global peer-to-peer marketplace that allows timeshare owners to discover, book, and offer unused vacation time directly to the public and other timeshare owners. The company is similar to the very popular $20 billion business model of AirBNB, but FlexWeek is the first and only peer-to-peer marketplace exclusive to fractional vacation ownerships. With FlexWeek, there is no need for costly trading platforms such as Interval International or RCI. Also, since the platform charges booking fees to the renter of the vacation time instead of the property owner, FlexWeek eliminates the cost to the private timeshare owner.

Timeshare sales volume peaked at $10.6 billion in 2007, but then fell significantly in the next two years due to the recession – hitting a floor at $6.3 billion in 2009. Since 2009, the industry has undergone a steady growth period. In 2014, the industry recorded its fifth straight year of sales volume increase. With the industry getting better and more people investing in timeshares, the opportunities for a company like FlexWeek are bountiful. Much like Priceline (NASDAQ: PCLN) facilitates the process of finding the best deals on flights, rental cars, and hotels, FlexWeek makes the experience of finding the best deal on a timeshare anywhere in the world a very easy and affordable undertaking.

Traveling and seeing the different sights and sounds of various cultures should be breathtaking during the day while checking off your itinerary, but why not enjoy some of the comforts of home with a cozy, furnished timeshare for the same or a fraction of the price of an expensive resort or hotel? FlexWeek has the solution for this problem with its worldwide marketplace.

For more information, visit www.flexweek.com

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Earlier today, Agora Holdings, Inc. (OTC: AGHI), parent company of Geegle Media, announced that it is in the final stages of preparation for the launch of FRAME, an organizational tool for the management of popular social media and subscription-based accounts. FRAME, which is designed to meet the needs of consumers who use multiple social media websites and platforms on a daily basis, consolidates users’ social media accounts into a single, accessible location. According to company data, the social media management market offers considerable potential for future growth, as it is relatively new and features plenty of room for innovation moving forward.

“Imagine FRAME as a single door that leads to many rooms. Each room represents a website that we log into several times each day,” Dan Terziev, chief executive officer of Geegle Media, stated in a news release. “Rather than signing in several times, logging once into FRAME is sufficient to bring together all your social media accounts, making a far more organized and engaging social media experience.”

After logging into FRAME, users can seamlessly view news feeds and content from all of their supported social media accounts – including those from popular networks such as Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter (NYSE: TWTR). FRAME will also allow users to post content directly from its highly intuitive dashboard, greatly improving the efficiency with which consumers use social media. The desktop version of FRAME is ready for launch and set for release later this month, while the mobile version, which is being developed for both Android and iOS, remains in Beta stage.

Unlike many of the established players in the social media management space, Agora plans to offer free access to FRAME for non-commercial users, a strategy that’s expected to earn the platform a significant competitive advantage over existing social media management apps that charge all users a subscription fee. In addition to implementing this strategy to attract an active user base, the company has also outlined plans to expand its platform’s functionality with Facebook and Twitter while also integrating control of ancillary sites and services such as Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tumblr (NASDAQ: YHOO), eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) in the near future.

In a news release, Terziev went on to describe plans to implement control of email accounts in a future iteration of FRAME.

“It is not uncommon for the average person to have several running email accounts, be it for professional and personal use,” he stated. “We are looking into bringing FRAME’s one-password, all-access concept to emails as well.”

According to a 2015 study by Pew Research Center (http://dtn.fm/t7c6J), more than half of internet users are active on two or more social media sites, up from about 42 percent in 2013. Among these users, roughly 70 percent of Facebook users are active daily – along with 49 percent of Instagram users, 36 percent of Twitter users, 17 percent of Pinterest users and 13 percent of LinkedIn users. As it prepares to launch FRAME, Agora will look to capitalize on this expansive market, promoting strong industry growth in the months to come.

For more information, visit www.agoraholdingsinc.com

The recent announcement by OurPet’s Company (OTCQX: OPCO) of a new strategic partnership with the Japanese software developer, Aplix IP Holdings Corp., shows that the Fairport Harbor, Ohio, company is exploring new frontiers in the pet technology market. Just as new digital technologies have expanded and are continuing to expand our capabilities, they are opening up new possibilities for our pets.

There are existing pet tech devices on the market currently, allowing you to stay in complete contact with your pets. One of the most basic pet tech devices is, of course, a GPS tracker. A tracker can substantially reduce the amount of time you spend in a state of anxious insecurity regarding your pet’s whereabouts. Then, if you want to see where your dog goes (and who doesn’t?) there’s a company that makes a harness fitted with a camera. As pet-parents become more comfortable with new technologies for themselves, it’s apparent they will want to extend their application to the pet members of the family.

Social media is not only for pet-parents. You may have your Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) account. Your dog can have a homepage on Pack. Pack allows you or your dog, it’s not clear which, to ‘connect with your pack’. If you have a Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) account, why don’t you get one for your canine? Puppy Tweets is an electronic dog tag that sends messages to your home computer, and then Tweets to you. Welcome to a brave new world!

The technology that may help OurPet’s Company get a paw-hold in these lucrative markets may be the WirelessIDEA platform. Aplix IP Holdings Corp. showcased its WirelessIDEA software-based technology for machine to machine (M2M) applications at the International CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment trade show in San Diego back in October 2009. WirelessIDEA provides tools that enable rapid development of M2M applications. Aplix is well-known for its JBlend, a Java Micro Edition (Java ME) platform for embedded software, which has been installed in close to three-quarters of a billion devices worldwide.

This sort of innovation is nothing new to OurPet’s Company. The company has a history of developing bright ideas. Its first was the introduction of the Big Dog Feeder, which made it easier for big dogs to eat by elevating the feeding bowl – low tech, but effective. The Big Dog Feeder has, over the years, enjoyed great success, but OurPet’s Company isn’t the sort of outfit to rest on its laurels. Its founder is an enterprising dynamic engineer who has been elected to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Today, the company actually sells more toys for pets than feeding products. In recent years, OurPet’s Company has been growing at twice the rate of the industry. Since 2010, it has had an annual compounded growth rate of about 6%. That seems very likely to increase as OurPet’s Company gears up in pet tech.

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

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