The Medlab share price is up 8.33% today to 26 cents per share. 

Medlab is a medical research and development company that's gained a lot of publicity for its innovative medical use of THC, one of the psychoactive compounds in cannabis.

It largely focuses on THC and other cannabinoid products as pain-relievers, but the company is also engaged in researching and formulating novel biotherapeutics or new therapeutic medicines derived from natural organisms.

Its products aim to improve health outcomes in early to moderate stage chronic diseases such as chronic kidney disease, pre-diabetes, and obesity.

What is Medlab's Nanocelle technology?

Medlab is currently focused on the development of Nanocelle technology that can increase the solubility of medicines. It does this through a sub-micron spray, which is administered to the membrane lining the inside of the mouth.

When sprayed, it provides faster and more effective absorption of active ingredients into the bloodstream, without the need for needles or pills.

Medlab considers Nanocelle "a commercially viable platform that offers unique opportunities for partnering with some of the biggest players in the pharma industry". It was behind considerable Medlab share price rises in February this year.

When the European Union grants Medlab's patent, it will be the second granted for Nanocelle, following receipt of an Australian patent in September 2020. Medlab has also filed patent applications in the United States, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada.

What Medlab management said

Medlab CEO Dr Sean Hall said the patent was the next step in Nanocelle's expansion into worldwide markets.

Receiving notice of intent from the European Patent Office represents another important validation of our NanoCelle drug delivery platform, offering Nanocelle protection in one of the world's largest markets.

The grant will not only bolster the competitive advantage of our pharmaceutical and nutraceutical portfolio, it will also support our robust research and development pipeline and commercial partnering focus. We are delighted with this recognition.

Medlab share price snapshot

The Medlab share price has been on a rocky road, rising from 15 cents in July 2020 to more than 36 cents in January this year. It's gained 6% in 2021 so far but lost 8% over the past 12 months and is down 40% against the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

The post Why is the Medlab (ASX:MDC) share price surging 8% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Consequently, at the time of writing, the Medlab share price is fetching 34 cents apiece, up 3.08%.

Below, we take a closer look at the deal between Medlab and Arrotex.

Milestone agreement

Medlab shares are in the green today after reporting an important agreement that will unlock new opportunities for the company.

According to its release, Medlab advised it has entered an exclusive non-binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) with Arrotex.

Under the deal, Arrotex will assist Medlab in accelerating its cannabinoid formulation NanoCBD for development and distribution to Australian pharmacies. This will include fast-tracking its final application with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Medlab hopes to position NanoCBD for pharmacist only medicines schedule (S3).

Interestingly, the HoA is the first time a pharma and biotech have formed a partnership to explore medical cannabis prospects in Australia.

The contract, which will include commercial terms, is expected to be finalised before 1 July 2021.

What did management say?

Medlab CEO Dr. Sean Hall hailed the new agreement, saying:

This is a major milestone for both the Australian market and the budding partnership between Medlab and Arrotex. Unlike many CBD producers, Medlab can deliver to the pharmaceutical standards required for TGA approval and this partnership will now enable direct application into clinical practice through Arrotex's extensive network. There is a clear alignment within both companies to deliver a superior, approved CBD product to Australian patients.

Dr. Hall went on to speak about the company's novel medicinal candidate, NanoCBD. He added:

A key differentiator of NanoCBD is the proprietary delivery platform NanoCelle that provides faster and more effective absorption of active ingredients into the bloodstream, without the need for needles or pills. It is a commercially viable platform that offer unique opportunities for partnering with some of the biggest players in the pharma industry.

How has the Medlab share price performed?

Shares in Medlab have been on a rollercoaster ride over the past 12 months, riding on volatile swings. Despite the company's shares being up a mediocre 11% since this time last year, Medlab has mostly recovered compared to its pre-COVID highs.

The post Here's why the Medlab (ASX:MDC) share price is rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four shares that have not let that hold them back today are listed below. Here's why they are storming higher:

The Clean TeQ Holdings Limited (ASX: CLQ) share price is up 3% to 19 cents. Investors have been buying the water treatment company's shares after it provided a contract update. Clean TeQ advised that progress is being made towards securing an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Townsville City Council for a large-scale water recycling plant utilising its HiROx process and BioLense encapsulated bacteria. HiROx is an ultra-high recovery water treatment process which combines Clean TeQ's continuous ion exchange technology with reverse osmosis.

The Medlab Clinical Ltd (ASX: MDC) share price has jumped 13% to 25.5 cents. This morning the cannabis focused biotech company provided an update on its NanaBis advanced cancer pain trial conducted at the Royal North Shore Hospital. According to the release, NanaBis met both the primary and secondary endpoints of the trial. Management advised that this allows it to now focus on Phase 3 designs.

The Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) share price is up 4.5% to $30.40. The gold miner's shares have been in demand with investors on Monday after the broad market selloff. Concerns over the coronavirus outbreak and a collapse in oil prices are weighing heavily on global markets. Safe haven assets such as gold, the gold miners, and treasury bonds have all benefited.

The Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS) share price is up over 3% to $1.37. As with Newcrest, increasing demand for safe haven assets is behind this strong gain. It isn't just Newcrest and Ramelius which are charging higher in the gold mining industry. At the time of writing the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index is up a sizeable 2.5%.

The post Why Clean TeQ, Medlab, Newcrest, & Ramelius are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The cannabis-focused biotech company's shares are up 15.5% to 26 cents in morning trade.

Why is the Medlab share price charging higher?

Investors have been buying Medlab's shares this morning following the release of an independent review of its NanaBis advanced cancer pain trial conducted at the Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH).

The clinical trial was a Single Ascending Dose (SAD), Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) investigation into pain management of patients with metastatic cancers.

According to the release, the trial met its primary endpoints and found that NanaBis is tolerable, efficacious, fast acting, and delivered improvements in quality of life measures. This was particularly the case in role and emotional functioning and insomnia.

In addition to this, secondary endpoints were met. This includes a meaningful pain reduction and significantly less morphine milliequivalent of dispensed opioid analgesics prescribed for breast or prostate cancers with bone metastasis.

Management believes this was a robust trial that has delivered strong results and allows it to focus on Phase 3 designs.

Dr Sean Hall, CEO of Medlab, advised, "With a strong trial design, that involved a professional and strong clinical trial team and collaborators, today we have primary evidence that NanaBis is safe, tolerable and provided a significant benefit in managing pain associated with metastatic cancers."

"There were a number of notable secondary gains, one of the biggest worth mentioning was a drastic reduction of breakthrough medication used by those patients with breast or prostate cancers with bone METs."

Dr Hall concluded: "We can confidently argue, NanaBis has a strong indication for use in pain management and is a compelling therapy for this patient group."

It is still very early days, but there is a potentially big opportunity for the product if everything goes to plan. The company notes that metastatic breast or prostate cancers have a high unmet need, with conservative 2017 numbers suggesting 600,000 patients in USA, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

The post Why this ASX cannabis share is shooting 15% higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

A large number of announcements have been made by Australian pot stocks today. Here's a summary of what's happening:

The BOD Australia Ltd (ASX: BDA) share price is up over 6% to 33.5 cents on the day of its annual general meeting. Ahead of the event, the cannabis centric healthcare company released a presentation which appears to have caught the eye of investors. That presentation reminded investors that the innovation arm of Health & Happiness Group acquired a 17.64% stake in Bod Australia through a $5.5 million investment at $0.37 per share in July. Health & Happiness Group is the company behind the Swisse brand.

The Cann Global Ltd (ASX: CGB) share price is up 5% to 2.1 cents this morning. This follows the release of a product launch update. According to the release, Cann Global has launched its new and nutritious Black Label Hemp Seed Oil and Hemp Seed mixes product range. It also provided an update on its Costco deal. Its VitaHemp Premium Hemp Seed Oil capsules are now available for purchase from Costco's Australian stores after meeting stringent standards.

The Medlab Clinical Ltd (ASX: MDC) share price is up over 7% to 36.5 cents following the release of its October update. According to the release, Medlab achieved a record month in cannabis revenue with 846 bottles dispensed. The company's lead pain drug candidate programme "has seen unprecedented increases in demand."

The THC Global Group Ltd (ASX: THC) share price is up over 8% to 39.5 cents after providing an update on its Southport manufacturing facility. According to the release, THC has been granted a Manufacture Permit from the Australian Office of Drug Control for the facility. This allows the company to accept medicinal cannabis plant material from any Australian licenced and permitted cultivator. Furthermore, it can now commence production of Australian medicinal cannabis medicines. It believes it has the capacity to support a minimum of 250,000 Australian patients in addition to having excess capacity for the global export market.

The post Why THC Global and these ASX cannabis shares are rocketing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The strong start to the trading week occurred after the medical life sciences company announced that it has executed a Heads of Agreement with American Nutritional Corp Inc (ANC) to rapidly expand its nutraceutical business in the United States (US). 

The terms of the agreement

Medlab announced this morning that it has signed a Heads of Agreement with ANC to enter the US market with its existing range of nutraceutical products. ANC is a company based in the US with audited and approved manufacturing capabilities for several large institutional US brands. 

Several of Medlab's current and unique range of nutraceuticals are well-positioned for clients of ANC. In the near term, Medlab's products are expected to enter the medical and consumer markets with larger companies that have established branding and distribution. While Medlab will still feature on the label of these products, the aim will be to rebrand them to suit the client's general branding strategy. 

Commercial terms and specific distribution partners are still to be finalised via the execution of a definitive commercial agreement. At this stage, management expects the first launch of these products into the United States to occur in or around December 2019. 

Medlab also intends to examine other potential international destinations for its products as a number of these institutional companies either market internationally, or are intending to expand internationally in the short to medium term. Furthermore, there remains an opportunity for Medlab to expand its relationship with ANC by capitalising on their manufacturing capabilities in order to provide ongoing economies of scale for the local market.

Notable nutraceutical products that are of interest include Medlab's NanoCelle delivery platform, NRGBiotic, which is currently used in ongoing depression trials at the Queensland University of Technology, and MultiBiotic. All of these products are currently available for sale in Australian pharmacies. 

How has the Medlab share price performed this financial year? 

After a strong start to today's session the Medlab share price has fallen back to $0.51. Shares of the medical life sciences company have now risen 51.4% in FY20 following a number of bullish announcements over the last several weeks.  

Other cannabis stocks such as AusCann Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: AC8) and Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX: CPH) have also risen 5.8% and 6.4%, respectively, in Monday trade. 

The post Why this ASX biotech is printing 52-week highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

For the June quarter, Medlab reported total revenue in excess of $3 million (excluding R&D incentive and after discounts). This was an increase of 135% over the same quarter last year. Furthermore, the company has achieved year on year growth in excess of 50% (excluding R&D incentive and after discounts). 

A closer look at Medlab Clinical

Medlab Clinical is a medical life science company that is developing therapeutic pathways for diagnosed chronic diseases. The company is developing therapies for pain management, depression and obesity in conjunction with earning revenue from the sale of nutritional products in Australia and the United States (US). Of particular note is Medlab's focus on developing cannabis-based medicines for pain management.

During the June quarter, Medlab implemented its rollout and placement for its self-branded nutraceutical range products into Priceline and Terry White Chemmart pharmacies. Medlab's range of products can now be found in more than 3,000 pharmacies in Australia. 

Medical cannabis presents growth opportunity

Regarding medical cannabis, the company is actively pursuing regulatory pathways via the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) in Australia, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and the European Medicine Agency. The core long-term objective remains to achieve a research-backed registered drug in major global markets. 

Research into Medlab's patented cannabis-based medicine NanaBis continues to progress well. The company has also entered into a number of agreements with multinational partners. In March, a heads of agreement was executed with Canadian pharmaceutical company Pharmascience Inc. for further development and distribution of NanaBis. In May, Medlab executed a heads of agreement with Thai pharmaceutical company Mega Lifesciences Public Company Limited for the distribution of NanaBis in parts of South America. 

Other cannabis stocks such as AusCann Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: AC8) and Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX: CPH) have also risen 4.2% and 1.0%, respectively, in Thursday trade. 

The post This small-cap ASX biotech's share price is soaring today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four shares that have not let that hold them back today are listed below. Here's why they have charged higher:

The Medlab Clinical Ltd (ASX: MDC) share price has zoomed over 11% higher to 39.5 cents after the medical life sciences company announced an agreement with Canadian pharmaceutical company, Pharmascience Inc, for the further development and global distribution of NanaBis. This product is a highly purified CBD/THC proprietary blend using the company's patented sub-micron delivery platform, NanoCelle. It is currently in the second stage of an Australian advanced cancer pain trial.

The Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS) share price has charged 6% higher to $2.83 a day after the release of its strategy and trading update. One broker that appears to have liked what it saw was Morgan Stanley. According to a note out of the investment bank, its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $3.40 price target on Metcash's shares.

The SKY and Space Global Ltd (ASX: SAS) share price has climbed 3.5% higher to 3 cents after the nanosatellite company announced a trial agreement with MTN Nigeria. Under the agreement, the two parties will examine the potential for collaborative projects using advanced Internet of Things and narrow band applications in several fields for application in the growing African market. MTN Nigeria is a leading mobile telecommunications provider serving over 52 million subscribers.

The WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) share price has pushed 2.5% higher to $20.65 despite there being no news out of the logistics platform provider. A number of the most popular tech shares on the ASX have inexplicably climbed higher today despite the overall market and the rest of the tech sector sinking into the red.

The post Why Medlab, Metcash, SKY and Space Global, and WiseTech shares charged higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's why these small cap shares are on the rise today:

The Imugene Limited (ASX: IMU) share price has jumped 9% to 2.4 cents after the clinical stage immuno-oncology company announced that it has completed the recruitment for its Phase 1b clinical trial of the HER-Vaxx cancer vaccine in HER-2 gastric cancer patients. The ongoing trial is testing three different doses in combination with current standard of care chemotherapy Cisplatin and either Fluorouracil or Capecitabine. Management expects to complete the analysis in the coming months before establishing the optimal dose for a larger Phase 2 study. This is positive news but a little soon to invest in my opinion.

The Medlab Clinical Ltd (ASX: MDC) share price has risen almost 7% to 48 cents after advising that it has received a licence to export cannabis from the Office of Drug Control in Canberra. The licence relates to its two cannabis-based medicines, NanaBis and NanaBidial. Both products utilise Medlab's patented NanoCelle delivery platform which allows the delivery of nano particles of the active pharmaceutical ingredients into the side of the cheek. The company is targeting the chronic disease market.

The Slater & Gordon Limited (ASX: SGH) share price has zoomed 14% higher to $2.80 after the embattled law firm announced its Get Your Super Back campaign. Slater and Gordon aims to bring big bank-owned super funds to account, saying the funds owe Australians more than one billion dollars. The law firm indicated that Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) owned Colonial First State and struggling financial services company AMP Limited (ASX: AMP) are likely to be the first targets in a series of legal actions.

The post These small cap ASX shares are on the rise today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But at the small cap end of the scale brokers are circling biological research company Medlab Clinical Ltd (ASX: MDC) as a potential buy in, albeit, it is only one to consider for investors who don't mind speculative stocks in their portfolio.

Analysts at Asia Pacific Prudential Securities (APP) have placed a buy rating on Medlab with a $1.20 target price – Medlab shares were down 0.7% to 66c per share at the time of writing.

It is forecast by APP that Medlab is about to enter a period of strong earnings growth off the back of its medicinal marijuana products with NanaBis.

Medlab completed a $24 million capital raising in January this year, but will likely need to raise more capital soon for the rollout of its new products.

It's a speculative pick for sure, and investors would have to do their own research before they make the call on Medlab, but the company has been granted licenses to supply Schedule 8 drugs, which will include NanaBis under the governments Special Access Scheme (SAS).

The post Is Medlab Clinical Ltd the best small cap healthcare buy on the ASX? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here are some companies that posted gains on Tuesday.

Hydroponics Company Ltd (ASX: THC)

The Hydroponics Company Ltd saw its share price gain more than 8 per cent on Tuesday as the company released a positive business update.

Shares in the Hydroponics Company are now trading for about 98.5 cents, having gained more than 140 per cent over the past year.

The company, with a market value of about $72 million, stated that it is proceeding with plans to alter its business model.

The Hydroponics Company intends to develop an end-to-end pharma service and product delivery capability, incorporating research and development, growing and manufacturing, importation, and clinical trials.

The company was previously focussed on medicinal cannabis and the manufacturing and distribution of hydroponics equipment.

But recent regulatory changes appear to have motivated the company to expand its repertoire.

Medlab Clinical Ltd (ASX: MDC)

The Medlab share price was up again, gaining about 1.4 per to add to a yearly return that now exceeds 30 per cent.

Medlab's Australian manufactured cannabis product is expected to be available this month.

The company, with a market cap of about $191 million, recently announced it received a licence to sell its cannabis-based products NanaBis and NanaBidial.

Medlab shares are now trading for about $1.07.

Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX: CPH)

The Creso Pharma Ltd share price was up slightly, gaining almost 0.5 per cent, with its shares now trading for about $1.07.

Creso Pharma shareholders have enjoyed staggering returns exceeding 400 per cent over the past year.

The company, with a market value of around $92 million, this month announced that it plans to launch a cannabis drink.

The first batch is set to be shipped in the next few months with sales expected to commence by September.

The post Why these pot stocks are moving higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The licence will also allow Medlab to sell these products in other Australian states and is the next step in the company's path towards commercialisation of its cannabis-based medicine.

The company's NanaBis product will be sold under the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA) Special Access Scheme to patients with specific needs. NanaBis is projected to be available for sale in late February 2018.

A clinical trial to be conducted at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney has also been approved. NanaBis will be administered for advanced cancer pain which 130,000 Australian residents are diagnosed with each year. Seriously ill oncology patients will be enrolled in the trial and administered NanaBis to assist pain management instead of being treated with opioids.

Medlab has recently renewed its Federal annual licences for continued cannabis importation which allows for a substantial increase in the amount of cannabis the company can import.

Management has estimated that the annual finished-product commercial value of its allowable cannabis importation is approximately $30 million in an estimated Australian market worth $250 million.

In the 2017 financial year, the company saw its revenues grow by 70% to $4.4 million. The strong growth in revenues was due to the 118% rise in sales to $3.27 million from the company's nutraceutical business. Despite soaring revenues, the company has not reached profitability after posting a $3.8 million loss in FY17.

At current prices, the company has a market capitalisation of approximately $194 million with $1.2 million in cash at the end of September. Medlab is just one of the pot stocks listed on the ASX that have enjoyed an excellent start to 2018, with the likes of Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX:CPH) and Zelda Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:ZLD) also enjoying gains of 16% and 29% respectively.

The post Why shares of Medlab Clinical Ltd have risen 37% in 2018 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's a look at how they have been performing.

The Auscann Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: AC8) share price has gained more than 200 per cent since the company listed in February.

Auscann is involved in the cultivation, manufacture and distribution of cannabinoid medicines.

Botanix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: BOT), which focuses on dermatology products, also has a hand in the medical cannabis market.

Its share price has gained more than 20 per cent in the past year.

Cannpal Animal Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: CP1) attracted attention when it said it was going to use cannabis to treat pets.

Cannpal, which listed in October, has so far seen its share price rise by about 14 per cent.

Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX: CPH), with a hand in the hemp-based medicines market, has seen its share price rise by more than 280 per cent in the past year.

Hydroponics Company Ltd (ASX: THC), which is involved in medicinal cannabis and the manufacturing and distribution of hydroponics equipment, has seen its share price gain more than 90 per cent since it listed in May.

Medlab Clinical Ltd (ASX: MDC) has not performed as well as others in the sector with its share price dropping by more than 10 per cent over the past year.

But, with the company stating that its Australian manufactured medical cannabis product will be available for prescription in February next year, things may turn around for Medlab.

MGC Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: MXC), another player seeking to crack the lucrative medicinal cannabis market, has seen its share price rise by more than 80 per cent over the past year.

The Zelda Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: ZLD) share price has gained more than 140 per cent in the past year as the company makes inroads with its medicinal cannabis products.

As such, 2017 has been a great year for most of the ASX pot stocks.

And it appears there will be more to come in 2018.

The post Here are 2017's best performing ASX pot stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The news comes on the back of an announcement made by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) stating that it has changed its Special Access Scheme to allow medical practitioners to use the type of cannabis medicine that Medlab is working with.

This clinical trial of Medlab's cannabis-based medicine NanaBis product is believed to be the first of its kind in the world, according to the company.

The trial is planned to take place at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.

It is to be conducted under the supervision of Professor Stephen Clarke OAM, a medical oncologist and professor of medicine at the University of Sydney, according to Medlab.

Patients in the trial are expected to be seriously ill oncology patients who are to be administered NanaBis to help with pain management instead of opioids.

Earlier this year, the President of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Michael Gannon, cautiously welcomed reforms that have led to a series of ASX-listed companies gearing up to capitalise on the potentially lucrative medical cannabis market.

"The truth is that it potentially does have limited application in a number of areas, including the palliative care setting and including symptom relief for nausea and pain and certainly for spasticity – certain neuromuscular conditions and certain forms of juvenile epilepsy," Dr Gannon said.

"Show us the scientific evidence and doctors will prescribe it selectively on a patient by patient basis."

It seems Medlab is one step closer to providing that evidence and the company's CEO Sean Hall said the TGA's changes will enable Medlab a faster route to commercialisation of its research.

"In pursuing a clinical trial route, we  are seeking to  make our medicines distinctive, giving medical practitioners,   government and industry stakeholders, such as the Australian Medical Association, confidence in prescribing for our products," Mr Hall said.

It's understood that Medlab, with a market cap of about $142 million, estimates that the value of its commercial product that it is allowed to import will be worth about $30 million per year.

Medlab wasn't the only medical cannabis company to see its share price shoot up on Thursday amid positive developments for the industry.

The Zelda Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: ZLD) share price was up 9.5 per cent, while Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX: CPH), which saw its share price fly up the charts this week, remains in a trading halt.

But it wasn't all good news for Australia's pot stocks.

The Hydroponics Company Ltd (ASX: THC), MGC Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: MXC), Auscann Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: AC8), all watched their share prices dip on Thursday.           

The post Here's Medlab Clinical Ltd's 'world first' plan to test cannabis on Sydney patients appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.