Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKBA), a biopharma company that focuses on the development of innovative treatments for chronic kidney disease-related anemia, is maintaining its ‘Buy’ rating, with a recommended stock price target of $18 compared to the current $8.90, according to an Aegis Capital Corp. report (http://dtn.fm/2z8XE) released on November 15. The rating and suggested stock price were based on discounted cash flow analysis and the estimated 2016-2022 EBITDA, with a discount rate of eight percent, the report said.

The analysis also assumed a 60 percent probability of clinical success for Akebia’s lead product candidate Vadadustat, currently in development as an oral treatment for anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease. The treatment was developed based on hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) and more specifically based on a novel action mechanism called HIF Prolyl-hydroxylase inhibition. It was designed to help regulate hemoglobin levels by activating red blood cell production in a way that mimics the human body’s natural adjustments when exposed to the lower oxygen levels of higher altitudes.

Vadadustat is currently in phase III trials, after encouraging results were reported during phase II testing. The first trial is called PRO2ECT and is focused on non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease patients, with 3,100 patients expected to enroll by the second half of 2017. The second phase III trial is called INNO2VATE and targets dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease patients, with 2,600 patients to enroll by the first half of 2018. Both trials have been vetted and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

According to Aegis Capital, Akebia’s current cash and cash equivalents of $163 million, as reported by the company in its Q32016 results, should be sufficient to fund operations through the second quarter of 2017. The estimate did not include cash from the company’s Asian distributor, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (OTC: MTZPY), or possible contributions from a potential EU partner. The valuation was based solely on estimated Vadadustat sales of approximately $515 million by 2022, the report said. As for Akebia’s Q32016 results, the analysis underlines that they were in line with estimates, with a $0.96 loss per share amounting to $36.3 million.

Akebia entered a partnership agreement with Japan’s Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation in December 2015, under which the latter was provided with exclusive Vadadustat development and commercialization rights in Japan and Asia. In exchange, Akebia is receiving funding for phase III trials of the therapy, being eligible to receive up to $350 million. So far, the Japanese company paid a $100 million milestone. According to Aegis Capital, Akebia is looking for a similar agreement with an EU corporation, and it is very likely for a European partnership to become reality in early 2017.

Reiterating a ‘Buy’ rating with a stock price target of $18, Aegis Capital analysts also outlined the risks of which potential Akebia investors should be aware. The report identified a series of typical risks associated with investments into healthcare companies such as regulatory, R&D and manufacturing risks, as well as specific risks derived from investing in Akebia, such as intense competition, pricing and reimbursement pressure, potential multiple binary events, the fact that the company has no history of profitability and that more funds might be required to actually develop and commercialize its therapies successfully.

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

In its latest quarterly report (10-Q), National Waste Management Holdings (OTC: NWMH), a solid waste management company headquartered in central Florida, demonstrated impressive growth. The company is currently running at full speed to achieve its stated objective of becoming a leading national solid waste company through organic growth and acquisitions. Revenues for the third quarter ended September 2016 were stellar at $1.8 million, rising by 269 percent over the third quarter 2015 figure of $0.5 million. Revenues for the nine-month period ended September 2016 were $4.9 million, representing similar growth over 2015 same period revenues of $1.3 million. Now with an aggressive acquisition strategy on the cards, National Waste Management Holdings is set to expand further.

At present, four major acquisition initiatives are planned. The one likely to be executed first is for the construction and demolition (C&D) and Class III Transfer Station in Port Richey, Florida, and due diligence on the deal has already commenced. This facility is centrally located between the company’s Hernando, Florida, landfill and its roll-off operations in Odessa, Florida, which became part of NWMH when Gateway Rolloff Services, LP was acquired.

The acquisition of a cardboard and paper recycling facility in Mulberry, Florida, is also in the offing. Successful completion of this deal, which will include roll-off services, will expand NWMH’s footprint throughout the Lakeland, Florida, area and move the company closer to the Orlando market. Also in Florida, a search is in progress for the acquisition of an industrial-permitted five-acre site meant to be used as a transfer station.

A paper shredding facility in Kingston, New York, is also being considered for possible acquisition. This facility would open NWMH to a large market stretching from New York City to Albany. Due diligence on all of these possible acquisitions is underway.

At present, National Waste Management Holdings operates as a vertically integrated waste management company. The company offers landfill, transfer station, garbage collection and container services for both commercial entities and residential customers in Central Florida and Upstate New York. NWMH’s Sunshine State markets include Citrus, Hernando, and Marion Counties.

Since it began operations, National Waste Management Holdings has disposed of, on average, 200,000 cubic yards of construction debris at its 54-acre landfill facility. The company commenced business with just one roll-off truck but now operates 14 roll-off trucks and approximately 800 containers. In addition, since 2000, the company has been contracted with Citrus County Solid Waste Management landfill to back-up its roll-off trucks. In its quest for national expansion, National Waste Management Holdings is wasting no time.

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

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Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: CTXR), a specialty biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapeutics products, has been a topic of conversation among analysts since the initiation of its phase III clinical trial of Mino-Lok™, an antibiotic lock solution used to salvage infected central venous catheters and treat bloodstream infections that stem from catheters.

This phase III randomized, double-blind, multi-center study involves 700 patients and has a primary goal of measuring whether or not the majority of subjects have overall success maintaining the treated central venous catheters during the cure test in week eight. The company will also be testing the drug for safety, tolerability, vital signs, serious adverse events, physical examinations, and clinical laboratory evaluations.

According to the company, the phase III clinical trial is expected to take two years to complete, with enrollment of the first patient anticipated for the beginning of 2017. Citius also has a second drug in late stage development, a hydrocortisone and lidocaine cream, which the company expects to become the first prescription product to treat people with hemorrhoids in the U.S. market that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The company has been described by Insider Financial (http://dtn.fm/wEd80) as one of the most exciting situations it has seen in small caps, and, in October of this year, Oracle Dispatch (http://dtn.fm/i7q2X) said, “Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a micro-cap stock that’s grabbed hold of the attention of traders during the stock’s recent bounce off of key support in the $0.60-$0.75 ranged.” The company is currently trading at $0.46 per share, representing a 4.55% growth rate.

According to the article by Insider Financial, Citius Pharmaceuticals recently completed a private placement offering of 7.6 million units for net proceeds of over $4 million. Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. now has a market cap of approximately $54.7 million, with total assets equating to over $23 million. The combination of two promising drugs on the horizon and an investment of $3 million in the company from Chairman Leonard Mazur (in exchange for five million restricted shares) gives CTXR sufficient funding to move forward.

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

The human imagination is capable of incredibly brilliant creations, including the technological innovations that Agora Holdings, Inc. (OTC: AGHI) is developing to create tools that can help people and companies save time and improve performance, all while publishing more content.

Agora Holdings, together with subsidiary Geegle Media and its affiliates, is a global family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: consumer products, interactive media, media networks, studio entertainment and television.

Agora Holdings engages in the development of bespoke software applications from its base in North York, Canada. Agora and its subsidiary Geegle Media are committed to delivering media products to fulfill the growing needs for social, TV on Demand and data storage applications, as well as other optimizing software solutions. By fully embracing innovation, Agora brings together the best elements of media and technology to create the finest online and entertainment experiences.

In recent months, Geegle Media has focused on enhancing and advancing its FRAME social media management platform to enable optimal use by businesses, public relations firms and investor relations agencies.

FRAME’s singular technology allows companies to use an intuitive, comprehensive dashboard to publish brand-relevant messages to multiple social media accounts, effectively enabling them to build campaigns in a faster, easier and more efficient way. FRAME also offers scheduled publishing, which can contribute significantly to an organization’s bottom line. It saves time and money by releasing content in a manner best suited for the strategic objectives of an organization.

FRAME’s advanced features, which include comprehensive reporting, measurement of campaign success via social media performance and engagement and customer care tools, offer insight into how many times content is reposted and monitor social media mentions and brand-related conversations. These unique publishing and monitoring capabilities make the platform ideal for companies looking for more convenient and efficient ways to interact with their customers, track and measure the performance of their social media campaigns and execute the strategic distribution of their branded content.

FRAME is already integrated with leading social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and operating on Android, iOS and Windows systems. Geegle Media is also working to integrate the platform with LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube and Tumblr.

For more information, visit www.agoraholdingsinc.com

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Zogenix, Inc (NASDAQ: ZGNX) is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company committed to the development and commercialization of therapies for central nervous system disorders that address specific clinical needs for people living with orphan diseases. The company’s lead product candidate, ZX008, is currently being evaluated for the treatment of one such disease – Dravet Syndrome.

Despite the name, orphan diseases affect adults as well. The soubriquet ‘orphan disease’ arose because pharmaceutical companies showed no interest in ‘adopting’ them due to their comparatively small market size. However, the Orphan Drug Act (ODA) of 1983 created financial incentives for drug and biologics manufacturers to devote resources to developing treatments for such diseases, including tax credits for costs of clinical research, government grant funding, and assistance for clinical research. Most importantly, the FDA promised to give a seven-year period of marketing exclusivity to the sponsor of an orphan-designated product who first obtains market approval for that indication.

Dravet Syndrome is a rare genetic epileptic encephalopathy (brain disorder) that, typically, begins during the first year of life. Up until 1989, the condition was referred to as either epilepsy with polymorphic seizures, polymorphic epilepsy in infancy (PMEI) or severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEI).

In June, Zogenix initiated the second phase III clinical trial, a multi-national study, of ZX008 as an adjunctive treatment of seizures in children with Dravet Syndrome. ZX008 is designated as an orphan drug in both the U.S. and Europe, and received Fast Track designation in the U.S. for the treatment of Dravet syndrome.

Zogenix is also exploring the efficacy of ZX008 (Fenfluramine) in treating Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). LGS is a particularly debilitating type of epilepsy that, in many cases, impairs intellectual development. Sufferers exhibit different types of seizures, particularly tonic (stiffening) and atonic (drop) seizures. Although LGS accounts for only two to five percent of childhood epilepsies, its seizures are hard to control and require life-long treatment.

Interim data from that efficacy study will be presented at a poster session, or presentation of research information or findings, on December 3 at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society. Data covering eight weeks from the open label dose finding study will be made public in a presentation entitled ‘Effectiveness and Tolerability of Low Dose Fenfluramine (ZX008) in Lennox Gastaut Syndrome: A Pilot, Open-Label Dose Finding Study’.

A recent report from Aegis Capital (http://dtn.fm/V1JFd) has put a price target of $28.00 on Zogenix. The stock is currently trading at about $12.80 on the NASDAQ under the symbol ZGNX. The current valuation of $329.8 million based on outstanding shares of 24.8 million at $13.30, the market price at November 23, is based on an 80 percent chance of success in the clinical development process of ZX008 for the treatment of Dravet Syndrome.

For more information, visit www.zogenix.com

Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: MTNB), is a biopharmaceutical company still in its clinical stages, focused on identifying and developing treatments for fungal and bacterial infections. Founded in 2012, the company’s goal is to change the way in which potent medicines are delivered and administered, with the aim of giving both physicians and patients better, safer, and more effective solutions to fight these infections.

MTNB is working toward unique benefits through its lead drug candidates, MAT2501 and MAT2203. These benefits include oral administration and bioavailability, multi-organ protection, and targeted delivery directly to the infected areas. MAT2501 is used to treat gram negative bacterial infections, and MAT2203 is a drug used in patients with refractory mucocutaneous candidiasis.

Most recently, the company announced that it has started enrollment and that the first group of patients have been dosed in its phase II clinical study of MAT2203. The phase II study is a randomized, multicenter, evaluator blinded study for which approximately 75 patients will be enrolled. In addition, the company is in the process of evaluating the drug in a phase IIa open label dose titration study. The study is being undertaken to establish whether or not the drug is efficient, safe, and tolerable for patients with a long standing or recurrent mucocutaneous candidiasis infection.

As a result of this progression, Aegis Capital Corp. (http://dtn.fm/6twE7) recently updated the company to a ‘Buy’ rating with a target price of $8 per share based on its estimated FY2022 EPS of $2.55 per share. This news came after the company reported that its coming milestones for the phase II study of MAT2203 and phase I study of MAT2501 are on schedule. However, Aegis is not the only one to review Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc.

Earlier this month, Maxim Group (http://dtn.fm/U33oS) initiated coverage on Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc., offering the company a ‘Buy’ rating. In addition to these reports, MarketExclusive.com (http://dtn.fm/8JMoT) stated that if the company succeeds in its phase II trial, it could take over Gilead’s $350 million market for its own version of the drug. According to a report from The Cerbat Gem Market News and Analysis (http://dtn.fm/UOh4i), MTNB has been trading at approximately $1.54 per share with a trading volume of 25,525 shares. The company’s market cap stands at $88.23 million.

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

Before the opening bell, Monaker Group, Inc. (OTCQB: MKGI) announced the launch of a new travel service and loyalty program as part of its ongoing partnership with Recruiter.com, a leading global recruiting service and job market technology platform. According to the news release, the new travel program, which will be available to qualified Recruiter.com members at no additional cost, is designed to give these individuals access to a variety of special member benefits, including discounted travel and vacation packages offering a “best price” promise, customizable options to build trips with friends and associates, complimentary flight insurance, access to fast pass visa and passport services and exclusive savings on luxury travel and experiences.

“Monaker is committed to integrating real-time vacation home rentals into the main stream travel sector,” Bill Kerby, chairman and chief executive officer of Monaker, stated in this morning’s news release. “To accomplish this with the Recruiter travel program, we have integrated the Monaker Booking Engine for our vacation home rentals along with partnering with ‘best of breed’ travel partners to deliver an exceptionally strong travel product and service offerings to Recruiter.com’s millions of business and leisure travelers in their addressable membership base.”

The new program also features a premium upgrade package, which is expected to provide a sustainable revenue source benefitting both Monaker and Recruiter.com moving forward. Features available through the premium package include concierge services, airport lounge access, baggage rebate, best rates on cruises and hotels, private medi-jet service, and great deals on vacation rentals not typically available to the public. For Monaker, the premium upgrade, as well as the free travel program, is expected to provide an “exceptionally strong channel” to deliver the company’s Maupintour travel services to a previously untapped market.

“The demographics of our members suggest they have high demand for both business and leisure travel,” Miles Jennings, chief executive officer of Recruiter.com, added in the news release. “As a known innovator in the employment arena, we saw the ability to be a first mover by delivering a specialized travel platform that offers value and convenience. Our partners at Monaker Group have helped develop an outstanding technology platform that bundles together an incredible array of travel services and products.”

In addition to demonstrating the synergies between the two parties, the new Recruiter.com travel program represents an opportunity for Monaker to increase its presence in the global travel market. Recruiter.com’s highly-engaged membership base features hundreds of high-profile clients and employers, including chief information officers, project managers, chief financial officers and chief marketing officers of companies operating around the globe. Additionally, the job market technology platform boasts a social media following of more than 2.8 million people.

Recruiter.com members can start taking advantage of the travel savings and member-only benefits offered through the innovative loyalty program today. To learn more, check out the new travel club at https://travel.recruiter.com.

For more information, visit www.MonakerGroup.com

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According to a past article on MarketWatch (http://dtn.fm/ruK1O), after the Fukushima nuclear disaster there was an increase in liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand in 2012. This meant that the LNG carrier fleet was operating at a 98% utilization rate. These numbers eventually decreased due to the delay of several liquefaction projects and slowing LNG demand in Asia, but things have since been looking up. Australia and North America will see the addition of significant liquefaction capacity over the next few years. According to the original article, this is expected to increase spending on LNG carriers for supply transportation, with a market boost due to the need for more flexibility in the LNG fleet.

For companies such as Dynagas LNG Partners LP (NYSE: DLNG), this is good news. The company is a growth oriented partnership that operates liquefied natural gas carriers employed on multi-year charters. As well as conventional LNG shipping, DLNG aims to focus its efforts on a fleet that is equipped for trading flexibility, including some of the coldest, sub-zero areas in the world.

Most recently, the company released its results for the third quarter of 2016, showing an increase of distributable cash flow from $23 million during the first three months to over $68 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Not only this, net income rose from just over $17 million to $51.4 million in less than a year, with adjusted net income coming in at just under $57 million in the first nine months of 2016. Earnings per common unit grew from $0.44 to $1.30 in the six-month period, and adjusted earnings per common unit went from just under $0.50 to $1.45.

The company also entered into a new long-term charter agreement with Gazprom Marketing & Trading Singapore Pte Ltd. The agreement allows DLNG to employ the company’s 2007-built 150,000 cbm steam turbine LNG carrier, Clean Energy. This new partnership is expected to start in mid-2018 and continue for a duration of seven years and nine months. During this period, the agreement is expected to generate over $130 million in gross contracted revenues.

In addition to the above, the partnership agreed to cut down the charter hire rate on two existing contracts, Yenisei River and Lena River, both of which were built in 2013. As of this month, the contracted revenues will be reduced by just under $9 million for the Yenisei River and closer to $10 million for the Lena River over the remainder of the current charter terms. CEO of the partnership, Tony Lauritzen, reported that these new charter arrangements increase the partnership’s contracted backlog to around $1.6 billion.

According to a recent article published by Engelwood Daily (http://dtn.fm/0QnNN), Wall Street released predictions that DLNG’s earnings per share will be $0.41 by the time the company releases its earning at the end of February 2017. Price targets released by Wall Street range from $9 to $18, and, according to the ABR ranking, where one represents a ‘Strong Buy’ and five is a ‘Strong Sell’, the company now has an ABR of two, representing a ‘Buy’ rating.

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

For six decades, Monaker Group (OTCQB: MKGI) has catered to leisure travelers seeking to book “vacations of a lifetime” or find “travel made easy” options. Along the way, the company has gained the knowledge and experience to be considered an industry-leading, technology-driven travel company. Now, equipped with decades of experience and leveraging over 60 years of operation in leisure travel, Monaker is expanding its reach to business travel, using the full resources of its multiple brands and divisions to offer novel travel products to executives and professionals traveling for work.

Over the years, management has combined vital partnerships and established travel brands to form foundation stones that support Monaker’s corporate goal: to expand its offerings until it becomes the “one stop” vacation center.

NextTrip.com, an online marketplace for the alternative lodging rental (ALR) industry, is one of those key travel brands that Monaker has developed for the leisure traveler. With this flagship product, Monaker introduced to the ALR industry the first booking engine to feature alternative and specialty lodging (e.g. vacation home rentals, resort residences and unused timeshares) side by side with a wide selection of airlines, hotels, cruises, rental cars, destination tours/activities and concierge services. What’s more, all of NextTrip.com’s services are offered under a single platform that gives travel customers the power to choose exactly when they want to book their vacations.

Monaker is now extending that power to corporate travelers, starting with the development of a custom travel club offering for the members of Recruiter.com – an online global recruiting and career service with its own industry-leading technology platform. One of the most influential career sites around, Recruiter.com boasts of a highly engaged membership base and manages a social media following of more than 2.8 million people while matching top talent to top jobs. In April 2016, Monaker signed on to help it create the Recruiter.com Travel Club, a powerful new incentive to be added to the Recruiter.com Rewards Program and offered to the site’s current members and followers.

With this partnership, Recruiter.com is counting on Monaker offering its Travel Club members personalized travel and lifestyle offerings, including highly-discounted travel and vacation packages as well as special benefits such as concierge support, exclusive experiences and premium upgrades. Monaker, on the other hand, is counting on the partnership to open up another distribution line for its ALR inventory and other business and vacation travel products within its portfolio.

It has been seven months since Monaker and Recruiter formed their partnership and it is going well. In August, the companies expanded the terms of their initial agreement and Monaker became the exclusive provider of travel services to Recruiter.com. With this new title, Monaker gained a means to communicate directly with Recruiter’s broad list of customers, largely comprised of senior corporate executives. Now, on a weekly basis, a choice selection of Monaker’s travel products and services will be marketed to a list of approved members and their respective companies as well as other Recruiter.com followers, a development that gives Monaker and its platforms, inventory and travel products significant exposure to decision makers at over a million global companies.

For more information, visit www.MonakerGroup.com

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Earlier today, eXp World Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: EXPI) announced that the Tucson-based Marsee Wilhems Team, one of the premier real estate teams in the country, has joined the Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage®. The addition continues on eXp Realty’s recent trend of attracting top real estate professionals from across the country to its ranks. Within the last six weeks alone, the company has welcomed the Brent Gove Team, one of the top real estate teams in California; Darren James Real Estate Experts, which was ranked 51st in the nation by The Wall Street Journal in 2015; and the Eric Burch Real Estate Team, which is currently among the top two real estate groups in all of Arkansas.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the continuing and growing appeal to the very top teams in the United States whose entrepreneurial leaders and members benefit from one low universal cap across all markets, a centralized and collaborative team meeting location that can be accessed from anywhere, and access to some of the top lead generating systems and programs in the industry, while building an ownership interest in the brokerage that they contribute to, own and help build,” Vikki Bartholomae, president of eXp Realty, stated in this morning’s update.

The accomplishments of the Marsee Wilhems team stack up favorably with the very best in the industry. In 2016, Wilhems earned the top spot in The Wall Street Journal’s real estate rankings for the State of Arizona, as well as the 16th spot on the national list. As the former owner of RE/MAX (NYSE: RMAX) Majestic, she and her team sold more than 4,000 homes in Greater Tucson while generating more than 600 new buyer leads monthly through innovative marketing efforts. In addition to establishing her position atop the Arizona real estate market, this performance also helped Wilhems become the only agent in Tucson to earn the official endorsement of Shark Tank investor and New York real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran.

“Our team has been fortunate to achieve market share and great success in Tucson over the years,” Wilhems noted in this morning’s news release. “We’ve invested a lot in our business, in our marketing and in our agents so this is a big move for us and we make it knowing that eXp Realty represents the best opportunity for us as a team and as individuals.”

As of November 15, eXp Realty had attracted a roster of more than 2,130 real estate professionals across 41 states, the District of Columbia and Alberta, Canada, marking an increase of more than 150 percent over the end of Q3 2015. The rapid growth of the company’s agent base has sparked similar financial growth, with EXPI reporting $15.7 million in total revenues for the three-month period ended September 30, 2016, a year-over-year rise of 112 percent. This performance also garnered EXPI an upward revision to both near-term and long-term growth forecasts from independent research firm Fundamental Research Corp. (http://dtn.fm/MsH84).

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

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