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This Month's Tiny Gems - May 2015
HopTo, Inc. (HPTO)
OncoSec Medical, Inc. (ONCS)
RiceBran Technologies (RIBT)
HopTo, Inc. (HPTO)
HopTo, Inc. (HPTO) is providing a new standard in mobile productivity through the continued development of its hopTo workspace platform. The company’s proprietary system enables users to search, access, create, edit and share content directly from their mobile devices without compromising enterprise security by saving documents directly to a cloud drive or corporate network. Through its dedication to allowing production without boundaries, hopTo has established a presence on the leading edge of mobile development.
Mobile solutions for enterprise productivity have seen an explosion in overall popularity over recent years. According to digital advertising agency Vertic, an estimated 96.3 million enterprise tablets are expected to be shipped by 2016. When accounting for the presence of ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) options at many companies, it’s clear to see that the market for mobile productivity solutions is both substantial and rapidly expanding.
Despite the natural evolution of companies toward mobile infrastructure, two major concerns have limited the market’s growth in previous years: cost and security. The hopTo Work mobile app addresses both of these concerns, giving hopTo a strong strategic edge as the market continues to mature.
To address cost concerns, the company’s platform leverages existing infrastructure. By allowing users to avoid the need for additional hardware or software, hopTo eliminates complicated installation processes and costly startup expenditures. In this way, the company gives its customers the means to increase employee productivity without burdening existing IT personnel. Additionally, the ability to control accessibility remotely ensures that corporate data is always secure. This allows organizations to utilize a BYOD approach to mobility without risking sensitive data in the event of a lost device or termination of employment.
In the first quarter of 2015, hopTo has experienced promising growth that should propel the company towards continued prosperity in the competitive industry. With revenue growth of approximately ten percent from the previous year and the formation of powerful strategic partnerships, hopTo is in a strong position moving forward.
“We are pleased with the momentum that is taking place with the demand for hopTo Work,” stated Eldad Eilam, President and Chief Executive Officer of hopTo. “Feedback from our customers, prospective customers and the customers of our channel partners is extremely positive and we are beginning to see acceptance in many large international markets as well as the U.S.”
On the heels of an announced distribution agreement with Adapt Software – a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with over 1,200 clients, including GE, Samsung and Vodafone – hopTo is continuing to establish a powerful presence in the global mobile productivity market. As the company continues to refine and expand its product offerings, look for hopTo to realize significant growth opportunity in the years to come.
OncoSec Medical, Inc. (ONCS)
OncoSec Medical, Inc. (ONCS) is a biotechnology company pioneering new technologies designed to stimulate the body’s immune system to target and attack cancer. The company is currently conducting preclinical and clinical studies targeting various cancers using its proprietary investigational platform, ImmunoPulse™. Early study results have laid the groundwork for OncoSec’s eventual expansion into new DNA-encoded therapeutic candidates and tumor indications, which will allow the company to continue on its mission to harness the body’s immune system and take the fight against cancer directly to the tumor.
Based in San Diego, OncoSec currently has a promising clinical pipeline with four ongoing studies utilizing both monotherapy with the company’s ImmunoPulse™ IL-12 immunotherapy platform and specialized combination therapy. The company is currently proceeding with trials studying the safety and efficacy of its platform in treating multiple stages of metastatic melanoma, head and neck cancer, and triple negative breast cancer. These studies could prove to be monumental in the global battle against various forms of cancers, as illustrated by statistical data surrounding melanoma.
Despite accounting for less than two percent of skin cancer cases, melanoma causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. With diagnosis rates steadily increasing for more than three decades, the demand for improved treatment options is at an all-time high. In 2015, it’s estimated that over 73,000 new melanoma cases will be diagnosed and nearly 10,000 people are expected to die from the disease.
ImmunoPulse™ focuses on the delivery of DNA-based interleukin-12 (IL-12), which is a naturally occurring protein that’s been shown as effective in delivering immune-stimulating functions, directly to the tumor through a sequence of short electrical pulses. By establishing a localized presence of this powerful protein in the tumor microenvironment, the patient’s immune system learns to target and attack tumors throughout the body.
Early data from OncoSec’s trials is promising. The company’s multi-center Phase II trial recorded an overall response in nearly one-third of patients, with half of all patients showing complete regression in at least one untreated lesion. By reliably promoting regression in an untreated area, the company has a powerful proof of concept of the effectiveness of its immune system boosting platform.
Promising results have led to several significant collaborations throughout the biopharmaceutical industry for OncoSec. To date, the company is working with Merck, Heat Biologics, PerkinElmer and Plexxikon on clinical and preclinical collaborations to further study the effectiveness of its ImmunoPulse™ platform.
“With the support of our shareholders, we look forward to validating our ImmunoPulse™ technology in clinical and preclinical studies, generating more value for our investors, and securing our place in this long-awaited revolution in cancer treatment,” stated Punit Dhillon, Chief Executive Officer and President of OncoSec.
RiceBran Technologies (RIBT)
Until recently, rice bran and germ remained an underutilized byproduct of the commercial rice-milling industry. In the early 1990s, however, a group of innovators developed new technology to process this byproduct into nutritional food that features nearly limitless possibilities as a healthy ingredient. RiceBran Technologies (RIBT), through the dedication of its employees and strategic partners, is rapidly becoming one of the world’s leading suppliers of rice bran, effectively unlocking entry into a variety of vital and potentially lucrative markets around the globe.
RIBT currently operates an expansive network of production facilities around the United States and abroad. In Louisiana and California, the company operates three Stage One facilities, which process bran and germ as soon as it is removed from the kernel to deactivate the enzymes that cause rancidity in the product. In Montana, the company’s Stage Two facility processes, dries and packages the product for sale to food manufacturers and retail consumers. RIBT’s primary distribution facility is located in Texas. The company also operates a rice bran oil production facility in Brazil.
Unlike other forms of bran, the company’s rice bran and related byproducts are particularly marketable because they are nutrient rich, contain no major allergens and are free from cholesterol, gluten, lactose and trans fat. This versatility has allowed RIBT to establish a presence in multiple food industries as an ingredient, a meat emulsifier, a cooking oil and, even, a high-end feed for equine athletes and pets.
In the first quarter of 2015, RIBT turned its attention towards improving returns for investors and shareholders. In addition to a slight increase in gross margins from the previous year at its domestic production facilities, the company realized a 70.8 percent rise in segment revenue in Brazil as a result of increased production. Likewise, consolidated revenue saw a 25.7 percent spike from the previous year, giving potential investors strong incentive to consider this growing company.
“[W]e enter 2015 focused on improving financial performance,” stated W. John Short, Chief Executive Officer and President of RIBT. “As we move through 2015, we intend to work diligently to maximize both our top and bottom line financial performance to reach our goal of positive EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) in 2015.”
RIBT has established its position as a unique provider of healthy whole food nutrition products in recent years, and it appears to be on the cusp of substantial growth opportunities moving forward. With significant improvement projects at the company’s production facilities largely completed, RIBT’s renewed focus on financial performance should open the door for improved shareholder returns in the coming years.