NA Proactive news snapshot: LexaGene, Contakt World, Namaste Technologies, BioSig Technologies, Ridgeline Minerals, Viscount Mining UPDATE…

LexaGene Holdings Inc (CVE:LXG) (OTCQB:LXXGF) (FRA:5XS2) announced Wednesday that it has initiated a program that uses the rapid configurability of its MiQLab system to investigate novel variants of SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that causes the COVID-19 disease. The company noted that SARS-CoV-2 mutates quickly and new variants were recently identified in the UK (B.1.1.7) and South Africa (B.1.351). Both new strains appear to be about 70% more contagious, making containment that much more challenging.  Also, some scientists are concerned that the South African strain may not be a good match for developed vaccines and antibody-based therapeutics. In a statement, CEO Dr Jack Regan said it is critical that medical authorities have the capability to not only detect whether a patient is COVID-19 positive, but also whether he or she is infected with a new variant. “We need to be able to more quickly and accurately identify new strains at the point-of-care, as this potentially could have helped better contain SARS-CoV-2 at the start of the outbreak." Contakt World, a technology company modernizing public health and safety, has been named a winner for best product in the 2021 BIG Innovation Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group. The annual business awards program recognizes organizations, products and people that are bringing new ideas to life in innovative ways. “We are so excited to be recognized by the BIG Innovation Awards,” said Deepti Pahwa, recently appointed chief innovation officer at Contakt World.  Namaste Technologies Inc (CVE:N) (OTCMKTS:NXTTF) (FRA:M5BQ) announced that it anticipates fourth quarter 2020 gross revenue of approximately $8 million, a 100% year-over-year increase, and a 21% rise from the $6.3 million it recorded during the third quarter of 2020. The company also said it expects its fiscal 2020 gross revenue, including cannabis revenue, to climb 59% year-over-year to approximately $27 million.   BioSig Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:BSGM) has announced a partnership with Vuzix Corporation (NASDAQ:VUZI), which will see the medical technology firm deploy Vuzix’s M400 Smart Glasses for remote servicing of its PURE EP System. The group said the deployment will support the planned nationwide rollout of BioSig’s novel real-time signal processing platform to the large and growing electrophysiology market in the US. The remote servicing support offers an ideal solution for compliance with coronavirus (COVID-19) travel restrictions, it added. Ridgeline Minerals Corp (CVE:RDG) (OTCQB:RDGMF) unveiled promising drill results from the Phase I drill program at its Swift project in Nevada on Wednesday. Highlights from the three holes assayed include up to 0.6 grams per ton (g/t) gold, 860 g/t silver and 392 ppm arsenic, which confirmed Ridgeline’s re-interpreted geological model of the Wenban formation. The results support Vancouver-based Ridgeline’s thesis that Swift has the potential to host a Carlin-type gold discovery similar to major operations in the state like the Goldstrike, Pipeline, and Cortez Hills deposits owned by Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Barrick Gold and Newmont Mining. Nextleaf Solutions Ltd (CSE:OILS) (OTCQB:OILFF), said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nextleaf Labs Ltd has received an amendment to its existing Cannabis Research Licence from Health Canada to conduct controlled human administration trials for sensory evaluation of cannabis at its processing facility in Metro Vancouver. The licence permits Nextleaf Labs to conduct R&D involving the administration of cannabis to human subjects for the assessment of taste, sight, or smell, subject to conditions laid out by Health Canada, said Nextleaf, billed as the world's most innovative cannabis extractor. Aurion Resources Ltd (CVE:AU) said its partner B2Gold Corp (TSE:BTO) on its Finnish joint venture has made new gold discoveries in two areas of the 29,000 hectare land package. At Sinermä, which is 23km from Agnico-Eagle's Kittilä mine, sampling results included 1.07 grams per ton (g/t) gold over 42.40 metres (m) and 1.30 g/t gold over 20.80m, while drilling returned intersects including 0.54 g/t gold over 40.20 m and 6.80 g/t gold over 0.75m. Meanwhile, at Kutuvuoma East, which lies along strike and in between Rupert Resources' Ikkari discovery and the Kutuvuoma prospect, a high-grade gold drill intercept was reported of 14.77 g/t gold over 1.60m. Sanatana Resources Inc (CVE:STA) reported assay results from 3Q and 4Q 2020 sampling at its Gold Rush project in the Timmins region of Ontario, which included 59.2 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and  41.7 g/t silver as well as a sample from the North Shaft prospect in excess of 100 g/t silver. The company noted that the initial surface sampling and prospecting programs, completed in November, identified what it called numerous gold-bearing and gold/silver-bearing quartz vein systems on the Gold Rush property. CO2 GRO Inc (CVE:GROW) (OTCQB:BLONF) CEO John Archibald told investors Wednesday that the company is focused on significant revenue generating opportunities in 2021. The CEO’s comments came as part of a corporate update and reflection on the agritech company’s milestones in 2020, when the firm signed multiple purchase agreements and announced direct sales of its Delivery Solutions technology, which helps greenhouses to achieve around 30% more plant yield. Archibald called 2020 – 4Q in particular –a period of “significant achievements” for CO2 GRO. The year saw the company achieve 18 CO2 Delivery Solutions sale agreements, announce three international marketing agreements, a fourth as part of a South American floriculture commercial feasibility, strengthen and increase its North American sales and support team, and announce a further 25 commercial feasibilities across hemp, cannabis, orchids, lettuce, strawberries roses and peppers.  CleanSpark Inc (NASDAQ:CLSK), an advanced software and controls technology solutions company focused on solving modern energy challenges, announced Wednesday an additional contract related to its residential initiative. The project is for an existing Santa Barbara, California home that has a history of power disruptions caused by natural disasters, the company said in a statement. CleanSpark said the agreement provides that CleanSpark will deliver energy modeling, analytics, and implementation of storage and controls for a microgrid designed to function in addition to or disconnected from the utility when economic or adverse conditions dictate. The system will be controlled by CleanSpark’s patented mPulse software, to ensure optimization of energy costs while delivering the highest level of resiliency. Viscount Mining Corp (CVE:VML) (OTCQB:VLMGF) reported the results from the first hole of ten sunk at the Silver Cliff property in Colorado, which included an intersection of 99.6 grams per ton (g/t) silver over 21.6 meters in one hole. As reported previously, the aim behind the 2020/2021 drill campaign was to expand the previously defined Kate resource, with the objective of adding to an earlier resource estimate of the KSR/Kate deposit and to further outline the South Kate high-grade zone and assess any other promising targets. Hole DDH-20-01 assayed 99.6 g/t silver over 21.6 meters from 19.5 meters to 41.1 meters, Viscount said, adding that strong showings were also encountered of 137.9 g/t silver from 19.5 meters to 25.3 meters and 202.7g/t silver, from 35.3 meters to 41.4 meters. Bragg Gaming Group Inc. (CVE:BRAG) (OTCMKTS:BRGGF) has said ORYX Gaming's entire RGS portfolio has gone live with leading global online sports betting and casino operator Betway via their market-leading ORYX Hub platform. The group noted that Betway is licensed in several key jurisdictions including the UK, Malta, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Ireland. With new legislation entering into force in Germany in 2021, the company said the country presents a great opportunity for both parties and ORYX’s content has been designed to be fully compliant with the latest German transition period guidelines and will also be ready for the next wave of requirements. Fury Gold Mines Limited (NYSEAMERICAN:FURY) (TSE:FURY) (FRA:AUN1) said on Tuesday that its 50,000-metre drill program at Eau Claire in the James Bay region of Quebec aims to "significantly expand" the current resource base and realize the potential of the Eau Claire deposit. While outlining exploration plans for 2021, the explorer said the infill program is focused on upgrading the easternmost area of the resource at depth, while the exploration drill program will focus on testing a 1 kilometre (km) down plunge extension of the Eau Claire deposit as well as drilling untested targets within the 7km deposit trend with the aim of identifying new discoveries. Willow Biosciences Inc (TSX:WLLW) (OTCQX:CANSF) (FRA:3D7) announced Wednesday that it is undertaking two initiatives to help its customers evaluate and better understand cannabigerol (CBG). In a statement, the company said CBG is its first commercial cannabinoid that is slated for production in the first quarter of 2021. Willow has engaged Signum Biosciences, a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative consumer products, to generate a robust safety and data package for Willow’s CBG product to demonstrate its safety and activity as a cosmetic ingredient.  Los Andes Copper Ltd (CVE:LA) (OTCMKTS:LSANF) (FRA:L41A) told investors Wednesday that refining the potential processing method at its flagship Vizcachitas project in Chile could improve recoveries of copper and molybdenum. Further metallurgical work on the ore from the project has shown that altering the flotation, the way the material is turned into concentrate, could improve the recovery of both metals. Orogen Royalties Inc (CVE:OGN) said Daniel Pace had become vice-president (VP) of exploration at the western North America-focused company, replacing Dave Groves, who is retiring. Before Orogen, geology graduate Pace was the exploration manager at Renaissance Gold working in Nevada and the western US where he was instrumental to several project acquisitions including the Silicon project. He also consulted for major Barrick Gold and helped with the drill program that defined the Redbird deposit as well as other exploration programs throughout the Bald Mountain district. Alpine 4 Technologies Ltd (OTCQB:ALPP), the owner of leading small market businesses, said on Tuesday that it expects to see its 2020 revenue jump by 19% to 24% despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. For the year 2020, the Phoenix, Arizona-based group, provided preliminary guidance of $33.5 million to $35 million in revenue, approximately 19% to 24% revenue expansion over 2019. In a statement, Alpine 4 CEO Kent B. Wilson said: "With all that has occurred in 2020, Alpine 4 and our business model of DSF ( (Drivers, Stabilizer, Facilitators) really showed its strength.” Lucky Minerals Inc (CVE:LKY) (OTCMKTS:LKMNF) (FRA:LKY1) has announced a private placing to raise up to C$5 million gross to continue its exploration at the Fortuna property in southern Ecuador and for working capital. The company is set to sell up to 62.5 million units at C$0.08 each, it said in a statement. Benchmark Metals Inc (CVE:BNCH) (OTCQB:CYRTF) has released more positive news from its flagship Lawyers gold-silver project in British Columbia, namely the discovery of a new significant precious metal system at the Marmot zone. Five diamond drill holes were sunk at Marmot, just one area at the 140 square kilometre project, and four holes returned significant near-surface gold and silver mineralization including an interval of 101.00 metres (m) showing 0.82 grams per ton (g/t) gold-equivalent (AuEq) Rideshare Rental Inc (OTCMKTS:YAYO), formerly YayYo Inc, announced that its CEO Ramy El-Batrawi has increased his stock position in the firm by five million shares. The Beverly Hills, California-based company said El-Batrawi received the shares through an exchange transaction valued at $3 a share for a total of $15 million with the company’s largest stockholder, the Gray Mars Venus Trust, Arizona 2015. The shares will be held as an asset of X, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, of which El-Batrawi is managing member and he will have sole voting and dispositive power over the shares received from the Trust. Ascendant Resources Inc (TSE:ASND) (OTCMKTS:ASDRF) (FRA:2D9) released initial drill results that showed high-grade sulfides and strong mineralization across wide intercepts from its ongoing program at the Lagoa Salgada project in Portugal.  The project, located on the Iberian Pyrite Belt in the country, houses a VMS deposit that contains over 12.8 million tonnes of measured and indicated resources and over 10.3 million tonnes in inferred resources of copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold. Kintara Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:KTRA) (FRA:3DM) announced Wednesday that patient recruitment is underway in the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR) registrational Phase 2/3 clinical trial of its drug VAL-083 for glioblastoma (GBM). The trial, titled GBM AGILE (Glioblastoma Adaptive Global Innovative Learning Environment), is an adaptive platform study designed to evaluate multiple therapies simultaneously in patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM. Val-083 is the only therapeutic agent in the trial being evaluated in all three GBM patient subtypes: newly diagnosed methylated MGMT, newly diagnosed unmethylated MGMT and recurrent.  Bam Bam Resources Corp. (CSE:BBR) (OTCPINK:NPEZF) (FRA:4NPB) said its board of directors has approved a three for one stock split of the company's common shares as of February 23, 2021. Consequently, shareholders as of the record date will receive, on March 2, 2021, two additional common shares for each common share held. In accordance with the company's Articles, shareholder approval was not required for the stock split. The company will not be changing its name, CUSIP or its current trading symbol in connection with the stock split. The common shares are expected to begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on or around February 22, 2021. AgraFlora Organics International Inc (CSE:AGRA) (FRA:PU31) (OTCPINK:AGFAF) said Wednesday it expects to enter the Canadian edibles market in the first quarter of 2021.  In a statement, the company said it has completed the first phase of research and development trials at its Health Canada-licensed, 51,000 square-foot, fully automated edibles manufacturing facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Prior to receiving a standard processing license from Health Canada, the company had commenced cultivating long-term production relationships through R&D trials utilizing the company’s Health Canada R&D license.  Great Bear Resources Ltd (CVE:GBR) (OTCQX:GTBAF) (FRA:0G6A) reported a host of drill results from the LP Fault at its flagship Dixie project in Red Lake, which continue to demonstrate the zone's credentials, including high grade and bulk tonnage gold mineralization. The LP Fault is basically an 18 kilometres (km) gold target that is being continuously explored by the company and the assays come from 22 further holes over 1.2km of strike there.  African Gold Group Inc (CVE:AGG) (OTCMKTS:AGGFF) (FRA:3A61) reported recent drill results from its Kobada Gold Project in Mali, West Africa, which included 11.95 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 4.0 metres (m) from 39.0m to 43.0m and grades as rich as 41.80 g/t gold and 19.70 g/t gold. The company noted that results from its current Phase 4 infill drilling program, plus the numerous recent intersections reported from outside the June 2020 resource estimate, will be included in an updated resource estimate planned for early 2021.  TruTrace Technologies Inc. (CSE:TTT) (OTCQB:TTTSF), the developer of a fully-integrated blockchain platform for the legal cannabis, food and pharmaceutical industries, has announced the appointment of Allan O'Dette as a director and chairman of its board and Pradeep Sood as a director. The company noted that O'Dette has over 30 years of experience in the public, private, not-for-profit and volunteer sectors driving organizational change. He is currently the CEO of the Ontario Medical Association (OMA). Prior to this role, he was appointed the first chief investment officer for the Province of Ontario, and also led the revitalization of Canada’s largest business association The Ontario Chamber of Commerce for more than five years. Nextech AR Solutions Corp (OTCQB:NEXCF) (NEO:NTAR) (FRA:N29), an augmented reality (AR) and virtual experiences company, will join Proactive Investors for a special livestream presentation at 11:30 am ET.  Nextech CEO Evan Gappelberg will talk candidly about the business trends he sees in the AR industry and what he is most excited about in 2021. Presenting with him will be Hareesh Achi, the president and managing director of the company’s 3D/AR ad network. Achi, who joined the company earlier this month, was previously president of Microsoft Online and the global operational lead for the company’s advertising business operations. He will discuss why he joined Nextech after 10 years with Microsoft and what he is focused on accomplishing in 2021 with the 3D/AR ad network.  Codebase Ventures Inc. (CSE:CODE) (FRA:C5B) (OTCQB:BKLLF) said it has extended the expiry date of an aggregate of 3,233,666 previously issued warrants for an additional 1 year. The warrants were originally issued February 12, 2019, with an original expiry date of February 12, 2021. The 3,233,666 warrants entitle the holders to purchase a common share of the company at an exercise price of $0.50. The exercise price of the warrants remains unchanged. The company also announced that it has issued a total of 4,400,000 options pursuant to its incentive stock option plan to management, employees and consultants. Each option entitles the holder to subscribe for one common share of the company for $0.23 for a period of 5 years, subject to the terms of the plan. Over the past quarter, 4,380,000 options have lapsed, been exercised or been cancelled. Vendetta Mining Corp (CVE:VTT) said the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to its non-brokered private placement announced November 5, 2020, November 16, 2020, and November 26, 2020, which sees the issue of 15,083,535 shares at a purchase price of 6 cents per share together with 7,541,768 share purchase warrants with an exercise price of 9 cents for a three-year period with 26 placees. O3 Mining Inc. (CVE:OIII) (OTCQX:OIIF) announced that it has changed its OTC Markets ticker from OQMGF to OIIIF effective January 13, 2021. No action is required by current shareholders relative to the ticker symbol change. Argo Blockchain PLC (LON:ARB) (OTCQB:ARBKF) said it has received approval to begin trading on the OTCQB venture market in the US from Wednesday under the ticker ‘ARBKF’. The UK cryptocurrency mining firm said its listing on the OTCQB will have no impact on its existing shares on the London Stock Exchange and that it will continue to rely on announcements made through the LSE and will have no SEC reporting requirements. Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU) (TSX:EFR) said that its president and CEO, Mark Chalmers, has been featured in an exclusive audio interview with NetworkNewsWire, a financial news and content distribution company and one of 50+ brands in the InvestorBrandNetwork. During the interview, Chalmers discussed Energy Fuel’s very active 2020 despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the company’s recently released Sustainability Report, as well as providing a bright outlook for 2021. The full interview can be accessed via the following link: https://nnw.fm/3HkVN