Public Company News

ASX listed biotech Company PharmAust has made significant progress in reformulating its promising anti-cancer drug Monepantel to improve its taste and deliver increased dosages of the substance in each pill. Monepantel has already shown pleasing results in initial clinical trials as a cancer treatment in humans and canines, with further tests of the drug planned for 2018.

Northern Minerals’ heavy rare earths project at Browns Range in the East Kimberley is rapidly taking shape, with construction of the process plant in China well advanced and the first modules headed for the site within weeks. Meanwhile, 50% of the ore has already been stockpiled as part of a fast-track development schedule that will see maiden shipments in the first half of 2018.

Calidus Resources have wrapped up control of the highly prospective greenstone belt at their flagship Warrawoona project under an innovative joint venture with neighbouring explorer Novo Resources. The deal will see Calidus earn up to 70% of the rights to any gold discovered in the basement rocks on Novo's tenements and provides a consolidation opportunity for Calidus that has eluded previous operators.

ASX listed Connected IO has secured yet another large purchase order for its cutting-edge next-gen modem like devices that allow everyday “things” and machines to be connected via the internet. The $348,000 purchase order came from California-based Premier Wireless after yet another referral from US Telco giant and Connected IO collaborator Verizon.

There aren’t many exploration projects where you can count on thick intercepts of mineralised sulphides, but Auroch Minerals probably can as it begins drilling for Cobalt, Gold and Copper and the historic Tisova Mine in the Czech Republic. Auroch have kicked off a four-hole diamond drill program at Tisova where waste dump grab samples provided some startling Cobalt and Copper assay grades.

Poseidon Nickel has given Lithium Australia access to a major processing plant at Lake Johnston and accelerated its push into Lithium processing with Lithium Australia's breakthrough Sileach technology. Under an MOU signed this week, the companies will look to jointly explore their tenements and evaluate processing opportunities using technology belonging to both companies.

Newly listed Calima Energy has boosted its acreage in the liquids-rich Montney oil and gas basin in Canada by 27% or 13,700 acres, establishing it is a significant new player in one of Canada’s hottest oil and gas regions. The additional acreage is immediately adjacent to Calima’s existing ground and was the result of some fortuitous bidding at a recent Government auction.

The deal-making skill that helped make Neometals become the first of a new breed of Australian Lithium producers has come to the fore once again. The ASX-listed company has landed a Serbian steel mill as its first licensed customer for the company’s “Neomet” mineral processing technology. The agreement will see Neometals use the deal as a showcase for a planned rollout of the technology worldwide

ASX-listed biotech PharmAust has been granted a core patent in Europe relating to the use of “aminoacetonitrile derivatives” as potent kinase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. The patent is another positive step for Perth-based company in shoring up its global IP protections. It follows the granting of similar patents in key markets including the US, Australia and China.

Connected IO has unveiled a range of cutting-edge WiFi routers targeted at the multi-trillion dollar "Internet of Things" sector with applications that include digital signage, point of sale, vending machines and security. The ASX junior said despite only launching its new range this week, it had already received significant early demand for the new devices which are targeted at large, enterprise level customers

Fresh from success at the giant Mt Marion Lithium project, Neometals have turned their attention to their other sleeping giant, the world-class Barrambie Titanium-Vanadium project near Cue in W.A. With the Titanium price jumping by 50% recently, Chinese Titanium producers are screaming for feedstock, creating a potential opportunity for Neometals to cash in via a direct shipping operation.

With Stage 1 of the giant Pilgangoora Lithium mine racing ahead, Pilbara Minerals has stepped up work on expansion plans that could make the project the world’s largest Lithium mine. The ASX-listed Lithium developer yesterday announced it had awarded further key contracts, including power generation and was reworking its expansion plans to boost Stage 2 capacity from 4Mtpa to 5Mtpa.