Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common form of cancer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it’s the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths. This dangerous form of cancer begins as a growth of abnormal malignant cells in the ovaries before spreading to other sites within the body. Although we still don’t know exactly what causes ovarian cancers, we do know that some factors make women more likely to develop epithelial ovarian cancer during their lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, both inherited genetic mutations and acquired genetic changes can place women at a heightened risk of developing this dangerous condition.

For women in an elevated risk category for ovarian cancer, regular screening and, if necessary, early detection can play a major role in overall health and wellbeing. If diagnosed in its early stages, ovarian cancer is an extremely survivability illness. When discovered in stage one, approximately 92 percent of ovarian cancer cases surpass the recorded five-year survival milestone. Despite this statistic, the average five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is just 44 percent. This is because only 15 percent of ovarian cancers are currently diagnosed during stage one, according to Healthline.

Avant Diagnostics, Inc. (OTCQB: AVDX) is on a mission to improve the survivability of ovarian cancer by giving women access to more effective early detection technology. The company’s pre-symptomatic ovarian cancer screening test, OvaDx®, is a leading breakthrough in the field of ovarian cancer diagnostics. 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. In clinical research, the test has indicated high sensitivity and specificity for all types and stages of ovarian cancer.

Following FDA approval, Avant intends to offer OvaDx as an elective test for women in the elevated risk category for ovarian cancer, as well as those seeking greater wellness. As the market’s first large panel screening test for ovarian cancer, OvaDx is expected to greatly improve the early diagnosis rate of ovarian cancer and, as a result, advance the survivability of this deadly disease.

For more information, visit www.avantdiagnostics.com

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VolitionRx (NYSE MKT: VNRX) is a life sciences company focused on developing simple to use, yet effective diagnostic tests for cancer and other conditions by identifying and measuring nucleosomes in the bloodstream or other bodily fluid – an indication that disease is present. In recent months the company has made impressive strides toward its goal to bring its diagnostic products to market by obtaining patent protection for its technologies and leveraging invaluable personnel expertise.

VolitionRx today announced Dr. Jason Terrell, MD as its full-time chief medical officer and head of U.S. operations. Dr. Terrell has served in a part-time capacity in these roles since March 2013, and, on a full-time basis, he will continue to lead and coordinate VolitionRx’s U.S. operations in preparation for initial market entry of the company’s NuQ® blood tests for cancer in the U.S. and worldwide.

“The recent results of clinical trials by VolitionRx have been so compelling that we feel the time is right to employ a full-time head of U.S. operations in preparation for introducing our NuQ® blood tests to the U.S. market,” said Cameron Reynolds, president and chief executive officer of VolitionRx. “In the past few months, we have secured U.S. patents to protect our key technologies and are making strong progress toward our goal of commercialization of NuQ® products. As a doctor holding medical licenses in 14 states across the U.S., Jason brings comprehensive experience and knowledge regarding the U.S. regulatory environment and competitive situation, which should be invaluable in developing VolitionRx’s strategy to enter the U.S. market and gain FDA approval of our NuQ® cancer tests. In his role as VolitionRx’s chief medical officer, Jason will continue to bring first-hand insights of a medical practitioner and a deep understanding of patient requirements.”

Through his part-time tenure with VolitionRx, Dr. Terell is well-familiar with the potential of VolitionRx’s NuQ® tests and what they could mean for oncology patients.

“In addition to now demonstrating more than 90% accuracy in detecting colorectal, pancreatic and lung cancers, NuQ® tests are non-invasive for patients, requiring only a single drop of blood, and are simple for doctors to administer on existing clinical laboratory instruments,” said Dr. Terrell. “As a doctor myself, it’s very exciting to be involved with bringing NuQ® tests to market as they have the potential to make major advances in the early detection of cancer, lead to a greater number of individuals being screened for various cancers, and significantly improve patient outcomes.”

Dr. Terrell earned his medical degree at the University of Texas and affiliate MD Anderson Cancer Center, with expertise in both clinical medicine and the laboratory diagnostics business. He has a strong grounding in diagnostics and product commercialization and has both executive and board directorship experience with publicly traded companies in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Dr. Terrell previously served on the board of directors and as medical director for CDEX Inc., a company developing drug validation technology. In addition, over the last six years, Dr. Terrell has built and sold multiple private diagnostic laboratories and currently serves as a National Franchise Corporate Medical Director for Any Lab Test Now, which includes overseeing more than 70 franchises in 14 states.

Dr. Terrell earned a Bachelor of Science Biochemistry from Hardin-Simmons University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude, receiving the Holland Medal of Honor as the top graduate in the School of Science and Mathematics. He then attended the University of Texas at Houston Medical School and affiliate MD Anderson Cancer Center to become Doctor of Medicine. He undertook his General Medicine Internship, and Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. In February 2014, Dr. Terrell was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from Hardin-Simmons University.

For more information visit www.volitionrx.com

Social media and business marketing go hand in hand for small- and medium-sized businesses trying to get over the many hurdles associated with business development and growth. Moxian, Inc. (OTCQB: MOXC) offers an affordable, efficient vehicle for small- and medium-sized businesses in Asia and the Middle East to increase their users while also networking with other merchants across the region.

Moxian employs a social marketing platform, known as “MO-Promo,” which is an online sales promotion website for its clients’ businesses. The platform consists of the following constituents: 1) Social Customer Relationship Management (SCRM); 2) MO-Points; 3) online games; 4) a social networking website known as MO-Zone; and 5) Social Loyalty Program which rewards MO-Pal users or customers who are using MO-Points. The way MO-Promo works is quite ingenius and very common with some of the most popular revenue-generating apps currently used in the social media marketplace. Users are rewarded with MO-Points for free by playing games and winning prizes that are sponsored by Moxian and client merchants.

Gathering user information, offering rewards and ensuring smart ad placement are essential when conducting an effective marketing campaign. Plus, if you can have fun while doing it, there is really nothing else to think about. Moxian is using a proven business model and applying it to an untapped market in Asia and the Middle East. Consistent growth of its users and merchants, along with attainable growth targets for 2016, has Moxian in the spotlight of companies to watch with nearly unlimited upside potential.

The Asian market is growing rapidly. China is expected to become the world’s largest economy by 2020 and India is expected to rank fourth on the global economic scale by 2025. Unsurprisingly, Asia is considered a key strategic growth market in various fields. This is not just because of the region’s vast population – more than half the current world population lives in Asia – but also because the area continues to develop, innovate and gain more influence on a global scale, according to the Novagraaf.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ir.moxian.com/html-en/

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‘Made in the USA’ used to mean something. In the days of our grandparents and World War II, the pride of working hard to make high quality products right here in the states was much more prevalent than it is today. Outsourcing jobs to third world countries is commonplace in the economy of today because of higher profit margins, but the quality is never as high because of lackluster standards and facilities.

Oakridge Global Energy Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: OGES) is the only lithium ion battery maker with production done completely at home in the U.S. on Florida’s space coast. The company uses two state-of-the-art production facilities in Florida to produce its batteries and has a perfect mix of science project winners and investment professionals, as needed to become a leader in the industry.

When you think of a recession-proof business, batteries should jump to the front of the line. Cutting back on expenses to save money during a downturn in the economy is not only smart, but also necessary to maintain your quality of life. That’s why we don’t buy the new smartphone every time it comes out or the new model golf cart to show off to our golfing buddies. What we will always have a need for, though, are batteries for seemingly every gizmo we use to stay in contact with everyone and everything. This is the business at which Oakridge Global is excelling, all while keeping all the jobs in the USA.

More jobs mean a better economy, increased quality of living, better education for the next generation and a more positive attitude toward life in general. When someone is working to put food on the table, gas in their cars, books in the kids’ backpacks or batteries in their gizmos, everyone in the local community, along with the national GDP, benefits.

Oakridge Global understands this very important variable more than most and realizes that in order to sustain a business that will persevere through good times and bad, you need a dedicated workforce, a high quality product, and demand for that product. Through the domestic production of lithium ion batteries for golf carts, motorcycles, home storage, drones, and other applications, the company has accomplished this feat.

For more information, visit www.oakg.net

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In a news release issued earlier today, Moxian, Inc. (OTCQB: MOXC) announced the formation of a new corporate subsidiary, Moxian Technologies (Beijing) Co. Ltd. The company’s new subsidiary is housed in a nearly 2,000-square-foot office located in Beijing’s Dongcheng district, which is in close proximity to the world-famous Guomao business district. Through Moxian Beijing, Moxian will focus primarily on growing its sales in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while deepening the market penetration of its social marketing and promotion platform amongst local merchants and users.

“We’re proud to set up our Moxian subsidiary company in Beijing – an impressively developed economy city with numerous opportunities for small and medium businesses like ours,” Tan Meng Dong James, chief executive officer of Moxian, stated in a news release. “The establishment of a Beijing office represents a qualitative leap and immeasurable bright future for Moxian.”

As of the announcement, Moxian Beijing was staffed with 15 employees, but the company has already detailed plans to expand upon this workforce. Moxian expects to increase its in-house Beijing sales team to include roughly 50 salespeople in the coming months as it pursues maximum market penetration. With more than 20 million residents, Beijing represents an immense opportunity for Moxian to carve out a sustainable foothold in one of the world’s most rapidly expanding markets.

Moxian engages in the business of providing a social marketing and promotion platform to merchants who desire to promote their businesses through online social media. The company aims to become a world leader in the online to merchant (O2M) sphere by offering products and services that enhance the interaction between users and merchant clients by allowing merchants to thoroughly review consumer behavior from a comprehensive database of user activity.

With this goal in mind, formal entry into one the PRC’s largest markets is an intriguing move for the company. According to government data from the China Internet Network Information Center, China boasts in excess of 668 million active internet users, and roughly 659 million of those individuals are social media users. For retailers, this market size represents a huge opportunity. In the first half of 2015, consumer ecommerce in the PRC generated more than $253 billion in sales, accounting for approximately 10 percent of the nation’s total consumer retail sales.

As Moxian looks to grab a portion of this market through its new subsidiary, the company is in a favorable strategic position to promote sustainable financial growth. Look for Moxian to adhere to its expansion plans in the months to come as it continues to develop and lead a personalized social network platform that fits the specific needs of both users and businesses.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ir.moxian.com/html-en/

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Everyone loves the holidays, especially the food and drinks that come with them. Christmas ham and holiday eggnog are two favorites, but the eggnog, usually from a family recipe passed down for generations, is saturated with sugar. No one is suggesting cutting out the eggnog, but how about enjoying the best of both worlds and using low-fat milk and stevia instead of whole milk and sugar? This is just one quick and easy healthy adjustment to a holiday favorite that Content Checked Holdings, Inc.’s (OTCQB: CNCK) SugarChecked app can help you with.

There is really no substitute for being healthy and extending your lifespan. In today’s world of smartphone apps like SugarChecked, coming up with excuses just doesn’t sound as appealing as it used to. SugarChecked identifies four main types of sugars that consumers can avoid – including added sugars, artificial sweeteners, natural low-calorie sweeteners and sugar alcohols. This application is an easy shopping tool that helps consumers decipher often-misleading food labels and receive recommendations for healthier alternative products in real time as they shop.

Understanding the effects to your health of adding alcohol to your holiday drinks is a big reason to use the SugarChecked app as well. In a recent article titled ‘Sip it or Skip it: Healthiest and Unhealthiest Holiday Drinks’ featured on The Daily Meal and MSN Lifestyle, Content Checked Registered Dietitian Tory Tedrow stated: “Some champagne varieties contain the least amount of added sugar. A four ounce flute contains about 100 calories.”

Content Checked is spearheading an effort to educate the technology hungry, health conscience consumer with its suite of mobile apps. Progress, not perfection should be the mantra of everyone attempting to convert to a healthier way of living. The more we do it, the easier it gets, and, after a while, it becomes second nature. However, faith without work is dead; just reading and talking about it isn’t nearly enough. Getting consumers to buy healthy alternatives and substitute them into current recipes are the actions the company is striving for with its family of apps.

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

Whatever party theme captures your child’s imagination, Giggles N’ Hugs (OTCQB: GIGL) has it covered. The Los Angeles-based company serves up a magical mix of nutritional menu offerings with themes such as superheroes for both boys and girls, princess, pirate, mermaid, cartoon pups, jungle, dinosaur, rock star and many more.

The company’s start in 2010 was due to Dorsa and Joey Parsi realizing there were no practical places to take their daughter where the establishment truly catered to the needs of young children. It was at this point that the couple began to wonder why that was the case.

It became strikingly apparent to the Parsi’s that all of the ‘kid friendly’ restaurants offered only adult-sized surroundings from furniture to utensils and, worse yet, greasy and unhealthy menu selections. Like any conscientious mother, Mrs. Parsi was always thinking of ways to make life more fun for her daughter while making it a little easier for herself.

At Giggles N’ Hugs, the ‘going out to dinner experience’ no longer means compromising adult standards for those of children. All of the food at Giggles N’ Hugs is made with the freshest quality ingredients on the market. The company offers a variety of organic, healthy food, which, in turn, provides parents with the peace of mind that their children are eating food that is healthy for them. By weaving nutritional menu offerings in with customized party themes targeted to a child’s imagination, the company finds itself occupying a niche poised for shareholder value and long term growth.

Giggles N Hugs, Inc. owns and operates kid-friendly restaurants in California with play areas for children 10 years old and younger. The company owns and operates a restaurant in the Westfield Mall in Century City, a restaurant in the Westfield Topanga shopping center in Woodland Hills, and a restaurant in the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California. Founded in 2010, the company is based in Los Angeles, California.

For more information, please visit www.gigglesnhugs.com

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Earlier today, Nutra Pharma Corporation (OTCQB: NPHC), the company behind innovative pharmaceutical products such as Nyloxin® and Pet Pain-Away, released a letter to shareholders. In the letter, Rik J. Deitsch, the company’s chief executive officer, gave investors a brief overview of Nutra Pharma’s progress during 2015, as well as its goals and expectations for the coming months.

“We have had a very busy year at Nutra Pharma,” Deitsch explained in the news release. “2015 has been an inflection year for the company, launching our first new product in over two years (Pet Pain-Away), allowing us to begin to get back into clinical research on our lead drug candidates and bringing our drug platform into focus with the granting of orphan designation for RPI-78M for the treatment of pediatric multiple sclerosis.”

Among the most exciting news for Nutra Pharma’s prospective investors was the company’s progress with its therapeutic drug pipeline. In September, the company received orphan status for drug candidate RPI-78M for the treatment of pediatric multiple sclerosis, an indication with no approved treatments currently on the market. In addition to clearing the way for reduced costs and an accelerated development timeline, orphan designation provides Nutra Pharma with a seven-year period of market exclusivity in the U.S. following FDA approval. In an effort to maximize the benefits of this program, the company has also applied for orphan status for RPI-78M for the treatment of Myasthenia Gravis (MG). After receiving this status, Nutra Pharma expects to initiate clinical trials by the end of 2016.

In addition to its work on the drug development front, Nutra Pharma continues to make progress toward expanding its retail distribution network for its over-the-counter products. Sales from Nyloxin and Pet Pain-Away are expected to bring in additional revenue for the company that will be essential to the financing of proposed clinical studies. Nutra Pharma has already announced plans to begin distribution of Nyloxin in Canada in the coming months, and the company has also received acceptance from CPAM, the medical authority in China, to expand its distribution network into the Asian nation.

By reinitiating clinical work for its lead drug candidates, RPI-MN and RPI-78M, Nutra Pharma is once again progressing toward its goal of marketing or licensing its drugs for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS. As it aims to meet its true potential in the bio-pharmaceutical space, the company represents an intriguing option for investors in the coming months.

The shareholder letter is available on the company’s website at http://www.nutrapharma.com/Dec2015_shareholder_letter.pdf

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

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The success of any growing business depends on a wide variety of factors, but few decisions can impact a company’s prospects for growth more than choosing the right industry or market niche in which to operate. In a recent article on Entrepreneur.com, Christina Baldassarre outlined the benefits of one of the most intriguing market sectors for investors on the hunt for long-term plays with huge upside – the pet industry.

There are plenty of distinguishers to keep in mind when studying an industry’s viability. Is it recession-proof? Is it predictable? Is it experiencing consistent growth? When it comes to the pet industry, the answers to these questions are overwhelmingly positive. In the Entrepreneur.com article, the author studied the effects of the recent recession on the pet industry by taking an in-depth look at Google Trends for the search terms ‘dog toys’ and ‘cat toys’ over the past decade. Interest in both phrases maintained a consistent pattern throughout the 10-year period, with searches spiking toward the holiday season each year.

Overall, industry statistics support Google’s (NASDAQ: GOOG, GOOGL) data. Over the past 20 years, the domestic pet market has more than tripled in size, growing from $17 billion in 1994 to just over $60 billion this year, according to the American Pet Products Association. Among these expenditures, just over 25 percent were attributed to veterinary care, leaving nearly three-quarters of the total pet industry divided amongst retailers and service businesses. For companies operating in this space, there’s plenty of room for financial growth. Most retail businesses seek margins of approximately 60 percent or more, but some of the most popular pet toys and bones offer margins in excess of 70 percent.

With an expansive and consistent market and an educated customer base, it’s surprising to find that the pet industry is comparatively sparse when it comes to pure plays. Currently, the industry is extremely fragmented, with hundreds of small, relatively unknown brands jostling for a piece of the growing pie. However, one company, OurPet’s Company (OTCQX: OPCO), has been building a strong presence in the market for nearly two decades.

OPCO’s business model centers on marketing products designed to satisfy the mental and physical health, safety and comfort of pets around the world. The company is already a significant player in domestic sales of bowls/feeders; cat and dog toys and accessories; and feline waste management solutions. OPCO’s distribution network includes agreements with some of the most recognizable retail brands in the world – including PetSmart, Kroger (NYSE: KR), Walmart (NYSE: WMT) and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN).

With a growing foothold in the third largest consumer market in the country and an expanding portfolio of more than 1,500 SKU’s and 225 patents, OPCO represents an intriguing investment option that a contributor to Seeking Alpha recently referred to as “one of the only non-retail pure pet plays left in the industry.” As the company makes efforts to increase its brand awareness by targeting dedicated shelf space in retail stores, it could be primed to continue building on its past growth while promoting strong, sustainable returns for shareholders.

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

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Nutra Pharma Corp. (OTCQB: NPHC) is introducing new healthcare solutions to the globe. Through ReceptoPharm, a subsidiary, Nutra Pharma is discovering, researching and developing biopharmaceutical products to prevent and/or treat multiple sclerosis (MS), HIV/AIDS, adrenomyeloneuropathy (ADM), herpes, rheumatoid arthritis and pain.

Drug Discovery & Development

Nutra Pharma is in the business of acquiring, licensing and commercializing pharmaceutical products and technologies, along with homeopathic and ethical drugs for managing pain and neurological disorders, autoimmune and infectious diseases and cancer.

The company has several pipeline products both in the market and under research and development. Within the over-the-counter pain management market, Nutra Pharma is already marketing:

• Nyloxin and Nyloxin Extra Strength, homeopathic drugs used to alleviate moderate to severe chronic pain; and
• Pet Pain-Away, a homeopathic, non-addictive, non-narcotic pain reliever aimed at treating moderate to severe chronic pain in companion animals.

Nutra Pharma also has more than a few novel therapies in various stages of development, including:

• Nyloxin Military Strength, a pain relieving drug intended for sale to the U.S. Military and Veteran’s Administration;
• RPI-MN, a drug designed to treat viral diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and herpes;
• RPI-78, which is geared toward managing pain and arthritis;
• RPI-70, another pain reliever;
• Equine Nyloxin, a topical therapy for horses; and
• RPI-78M, which is designed to treat neurological diseases and autoimmune diseases, including MS, ADM and rheumatoid arthritis.

Through RPI-78M, Nutra Pharma reached new heights this year. In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted RPI-78M “orphan drug status” for the treatment of multiple sclerosis in children – a major milestone for the company. Not only is juvenile MS an important disease area, but it is one that is not being addressed by other drugs currently on the market. This creates a significant market opportunity for Nutra Pharma, as does the designation of RPI-78M as an orphan drug. With that label, Nutra Pharma has a 7-year period of market exclusivity in the U.S. once the drug is approved, and, based on its pre-clinical and open-label studies, the company feels quite strongly that it has the ability to successfully pass through this approval process.

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

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