Earlier this week, Trio Resources, Inc. (TRII-OTC) announced that it has started the process of automating a mill that was recently purchased for its Duncan-Kerr Property. Trio is a Canadian exploration-stage and small-scale processing company focused on developing the current mineral potential of historically rich mining regions. 

Yesterday, T3 Motion, Inc. (TTTM-OTC) announced plans to offer service and preventative maintenance for its electric vehicles through a nationwide program—known as T3 Fleet Services. The program is set to launch November 1st in the Western region of the U.S., with plans to expand services nationally by year’s end.

The benefits of the T3 Fleet Services program include:

Neonode Inc. (NEON-NASDAQ), a company that specializes in touch-sensing technologies for electronic devices, continues to improve its proprietary platform technology while expanding its potential applications. The Company’s patented MultiSensing® Technology enables users to interact with electronic devices by touching areas on a screen. Neonode’s technology recognizes any object (e.g., finger, stylus) and supports multiple touches on the screen simultaneously. It can sense an object’s size, pressure on a surface, depth, velocity, or proximity to the screen’s surface.

Second-Gen Chip Improves Touchscreen Performance, Cost, and Function

International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO-OTCQB) has announced new results from its preclinical Parkinson's disease program. ISCO is developing a novel approach that uses self-renewing human parthenogenetic neural stem cells (hPNSCs), which are derived from the Company’s proprietary histocompatible human pluripotent stem cells, to treat Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects four million to six million people worldwide (Source: National Parkinson Foundation). It belongs to a group of motor system disorders that result from the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain.

ISCO is currently evaluating its Parkinson's therapy in final preclinical primate studies. Data collected as part of a collaboration with the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute, summarized below, was announced at the American Neurological Association's 2013 Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

• The neural stem cells were shown to migrate a significant distance from the site of implantation (in the striatum) to the main region where the loss of dopamine-releasing (“dopaminergic”) neurons occurs in Parkinson's patients—the substantia nigra. No evidence of migration outside the brain was observed.

• Regarding safety, ISCO’s neural stem cells elicited a lower immunogenic response versus other cell types included in the study.

• The study conclusively demonstrated that the neural stem cells were able to differentiate into the specific type of neurons lost in Parkinson’s disease.

LRAD Corp. (LRAD-NASDAQ) has announced that it has loaned six acoustic hailing devices (AHDs) to the National Guard to aid in relief efforts following the massive flood in Northern Colorado. At least eight individuals were killed by the flooding and hundreds more remain missing. The flood caused an estimated $2 billion in property damage to buildings, roads, power and phone lines and other infrastructure in the area, hindering communication as well as search and rescue efforts.

Earlier today, International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO-OTC) announced that it has signed a master clinical research agreement with Duke University to conduct clinical trials research in Parkinson's disease using ISCO's innovative neural stem cell product. The research is expected to be coordinated by the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) and led by Mark Stacy, M.D., vice dean for clinical research, neurology at Duke University School of Medicine and one of the preeminent experts on neurology, having published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers on Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. The collaboration with DCRI also provides ISCO with access to Duke's clinical expertise in cell therapy clinical trials as well as an extensive patient population, giving the Company an opportunity to evaluate its stem cell therapy in Parkinson's disease.

CardioComm’s HeartCheck™ SMART Monitoring services are designed to support consumers who seek to prevent or manage cardiac disease by enabling these patients to track their ECGs anytime and anywhere in the world. The HeartCheck™ PEN (shown below) is currently being sold for $259 for the device. Each customer who purchases a HeartCheck™ PEN is also offered one complimentary ECG report provided by call center (C4) physicians, which encourages the patient to establish a relationship with a C4 physician and also serves as a baseline ECG reading for future reference. Subsequent ECG readings are charged on a per-use basis.

Last week, Jeff Kraws sat down with Rhonda Schaffler at Reuters to discuss opportunities and trends in the biotech space. Mr. Kraws is a veteran Wall Street sell-side analyst with more than 20 years of experience and is also cofounder and CEO of Crystal Research Associates. If you enjoyed the short clip of this interview released earlier this week, the full segment (available below) goes into more detail on individual biotech stocks and the events every investor should be watching out for.

Today, AtheroNova Inc. (AHRO-OTC) announced that it has initiated a Phase I clinical trial with AHRO-001, the Company’s lead compound. This milestone marks AtheroNova’s transition to a clinical-stage company. AHRO-001 is intended to treat and prevent atherosclerosis, a disease in which the buildup of cholesterol, fats, or other fatty substances along the walls of the arteries causes thickening, blockage, and hardening. Atherosclerotic plaque is the main cause of cardiovascular disease. 

Currently, lipid regulators, specifically statins, are the most effective method for reducing serum cholesterol levels. However, at commonly prescribed dosage levels, statins are ineffective at reducing plaque, carry significant drawbacks in their tolerability, and may pose complications resulting from long-term use. Despite these disadvantages, the global market for lipid regulators was $38.7 billion as of 2011 (Source: IMS Health).

"We are very excited to partner with a great organization like Crystal Research. With fewer sell-side firms capable and willing to provide research coverage for small and microcap stocks, we see tremendous value in independent research. After seeing Jeff and his team work with a few of our clients, we were extremely impressed with their diligent process and comprehensive reports. Forming this partnership allows us to leverage our collective strengths to help investors fully understand our client's stories and to increase investor and media awareness and interest in our client's companies."

Yesterday, Crystal Research Associates published a 12-page Quarterly Update on MetaStat, Inc., a life sciences company developing next-generation diagnostic and therapeutic products for metastatic cancer. MetaStat is currently focused on three key initiatives within its pipeline: two diagnostic platforms (MetaSite™ Breast and MenaCalc™) as well as one therapeutic program (MenaBloc™). These candidates are overviewed on pages 5-8 of MetaStat's Quarterly Update.

Key Developments

Crystal Research Associates has released a Quarterly Update on AtheroNova Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the research and development of compounds that safely regress atherosclerotic plaque and improve patients’ lipid profiles. The 12-page report is available here.

Atherosclerotic plaque is a buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances. These plaque deposits, which progressively narrow and block the arteries, are the main underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). 

Crystal Research Associates, LLC Issues Executive Informational Overview (EIO) on
MetaStat, Inc.