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Microbix Biosystems Inc

Microbix Biosystems Inc (MBX)

0.335
0.00
(0.00%)
Closed April 26 4:12PM

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Key stats and details

Current Price
0.335
Bid
0.335
Ask
0.35
Volume
2,500
0.335 Day's Range 0.335
0.23 52 Week Range 0.47
Market Cap
Previous Close
0.335
Open
0.335
Last Trade
1000
@
0.335
Last Trade Time
Financial Volume
-
VWAP
-
Average Volume (3m)
73,612
Shares Outstanding
137,911,000
Dividend Yield
-
PE Ratio
-1,100.00
Earnings Per Share (EPS)
-0
Revenue
16.52M
Net Profit
-39k

About Microbix Biosystems Inc

Sector
Biological Pds,ex Diagnstics
Industry
Biological Pds,ex Diagnstics
Headquarters
Mississauga, Ontario, Can
Founded
1970
Microbix Biosystems Inc is listed in the Biological Pds,ex Diagnstics sector of the Toronto Stock Exchange with ticker MBX. The last closing price for Microbix Biosystems was $0.34. Over the last year, Microbix Biosystems shares have traded in a share price range of $ 0.23 to $ 0.47.

Microbix Biosystems currently has 137,911,000 shares outstanding. The market capitalization of Microbix Biosystems is $45.51 million. Microbix Biosystems has a price to earnings ratio (PE ratio) of -1100.00.

MBX Latest News

Microbix Collaborator Introduces New Lab Accreditation Program

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer, and exporter, announces that...

Microbix Presenting at the 2024 Bloom Burton Conference

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer, and exporter, announces it will be...

Microbix Announces Annual and Special Meeting Voting Results

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQB: MBXBF) (“Microbix®” or the Company”), a life sciences innovator and exporter, announces the...

Microbix’s Clot-Buster Drug Project Advances

MISSISSAUGA, Canada, March 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer, and exporter, announces that its...

Microbix Unveils Test Controls for Head and Neck Cancer

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer, and exporter, announces that it is...

Microbix Announces Issuance of Stock Options

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer and exporter, announces the...

Microbix Reports Record Results for Q1 Fiscal 2024

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Feb. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer, and exporter, reports results for...

Microbix Schedules Release of Results for Q1 Fiscal 2024 

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Feb. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer, and exporter, announces that it...

Dually-Listed Biotech Shares Up Big On Tuesday

A small biotech company based out of Ontario is turning heads on Tuesday after the company announced the execution of an agreement to return Kinlytic ® urokinase to market, To read the full...

PeriodChangeChange %OpenHighLowAvg. Daily VolVWAP
1-0.02-5.63380281690.3550.3550.335363120.33864269CS
4-0.035-9.459459459460.370.3850.335412650.35784035CS
12-0.05-12.9870129870.3850.450.335736120.38720535CS
260.04515.51724137930.290.450.23792290.35230629CS
52-0.05-12.9870129870.3850.470.23612190.3450688CS
156-0.365-52.14285714290.70.870.23721540.51555837CS
2600.085340.250.870.171103400.41611014CS

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MBX Discussion

View Posts
yielddude yielddude 4 months ago
In addition to Kinlytic, Microbix has three other product lines. Antigens, which are used in PCR diagnostic testing. This business is historically about $12M/year. It slowed during the pandemic, but is now nearly back to historical levels, and at higher gross margins, due to improvements in moving from rolling bottles to bioreactors. There is also opportunity for expansion in to the China market.

Second product is VTM (viral transport medium), the vials (with solution) that are used to transport samples taken for respiratory diseases (swab your nose for covid/etc ...). This was about $5M/year for 2021/2022, but has dried up. It may return, or they will use that manufacturing space for their other products.
The third product is their quality assurance products (QAP's), that are used to validate that diagnostic test equipment is working correctly. This business is growing, and is expected to be the main driver of growth. They are partnering with diagnostic testing companies to include with their testing products, as well as providing to labs around the world.
Last year, the company did about $18M in sales, are targeting roughly $30M for 2024, and have geared up their facilities to do $100M in the next 3 to 5 years. This company is not well known, but should be. They are a hidden gem, and this is an excellent time to get onboard. They have a great balance sheet, will not need any financing, and they are buying back stock (to retire) through their NCIB program.
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yielddude yielddude 4 months ago
Currently this market is a monopoly for TPA by Genetech. The catheter clearance market in the U.S. is estimated currently at $350M+. It will likely take 3 years to bring Kinlytic to market. Estimated fair value of Kinlytic is roughly $95M. Current market cap on Microbix is $38M. This is an FDA approved drug. They have to find a manufacturer, then show that the newly manufactured drug is similar/equivalent to the previous product. Sequel Pharma will be paying the estimated $35M for this process. Microbix/Sequel have been in discussions with the FDA about how to proceed, and based on these discussions, Sequel has made the commitment to fully find this and proceed.
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yielddude yielddude 4 months ago
Kinlytic continued ...

Back in May, Microbix partnered with Sequel Pharma to bring back Kinlytic to the market. So far, they have received $4M in payments, will receive another million upon filing the supplemental BLA, can earn $30M with sales milestone payments. ALSO, they will earn double digit royalties on sales, which are estimated at $15 to $25M per year once fully ramped up.
This is based on the catheter clearance market in the U.S. only. Eventually that may expand to Europe, Canada, and other continents/countries. It may also expand to other indications (thrombolytic therapy/embolism). And Microbix will continue to get royalties.
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yielddude yielddude 4 months ago
Kinlytic:

Kinlytic is a thrombolytic injectable drug, commonly known as a clot buster. It has been used to treat over 4 million patients with life-threatening pulmonary embolism and clot obstructed intravenous catheters. Microbix owns the rights to the drug, which is approved in the United States and Canada for treatment of life threatening blockages to blood flow in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) and to remove blood clots from intravenous catheters, essential to patient treatment for drug administration and nutrition.

The active ingredient in Kinlytic is urokinase, a serine protease found normally in the human body. Kinlytic is the low molecular weight form of urokinase (LMW-UK) produced through a biotechnology based cell culture process. Urokinase is effective in clearing clot related blockages via its protein cleaving enzymatic action leading to breakdown of fibrin, a major structural component of blood clots. Physicians have used urokinase to treat over 4 million patients in North America given its well established reputation for efficacy and safety. Kinlytic is the only LMW-UK approved worldwide for patient treatment.
Microbix developed its urokinase manufacturing experience by building on its knowledge of cell culture and purification used in its diagnostic products manufacturing processes. Originally, Microbix planned to compete with Abbott Laboratories by manufacturing a biosimilar drug. Subsequently the Company acquired the Abbokinase assets, which had been rebranded as Kinlytic, including the “NDA approvals” in both the US and Canada. With the acquisition, Microbix became the sole owner of regulatory approvals and know-how for the production of low molecular weight urokinase.
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yielddude yielddude 7 months ago
some mention of Microbix, but mostly extolling Cue Health POC tests ...
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374078037_Performance_of_the_Cue_COVID-19_point-of-care_molecular_test_insights_from_a_multi-site_clinic_service_model
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yielddude yielddude 9 months ago
Analyst report on Kinlytic (extensive 7/18/23)
https://microbix.com/wp-content/Krugel-MBX%20-%20KU%20Report%20Public%20-%20FINAL%20-%202023-7-19.pdf
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yielddude yielddude 11 months ago
fyi only, to explore later ...
NovaCardia spinoff Sequel Pharma draws on $20M for heart drug — Fresh from the sale of NovaCardia to Merck (see our coverage here), officials of that heart-drug company founded a second startup, San Diego’s aptly named Sequel Pharmaceuticals, and raised $20 million in a first funding round. Investors included Domain Associates, Forward Ventures, InterWest Partners, Montreux Equity Partners, and Skyline Ventures.

Sequel owns the rights to one of NovaCardia’s former drugs, which it intends to develop as a treatment for atrial fibrillation, a problem characterized by uncoordinated pumping and electrical activity in the heart’s upper chambers that can put people at risk of blood clots and strokes. The company also plans to develop novel drugs for its pipeline.
https://venturebeat.com/business/life-sciences-briefing-friday-sept-28-2007/
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yielddude yielddude 1 year ago
New post on twitter, continuing to expand their capabilities ...

@Microbix
?? Exciting news! We're expanding our portfolio to include fungi, just in time to tackle the urgent threat of Candida auris.

Read more about it in this
@CDCgov
news release. Stay tuned for updates on our progress!
https://cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0320-cauris.html
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yielddude yielddude 1 year ago
This write-up is from May 2021, but is a great primer, I don't think I'd seen it before ....
https://trilliummfg.ca/profile/microbix/
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yielddude yielddude 1 year ago
Job posting for sales support specialist (seems geared towards QAP's)
https://www.ziprecruiter.com/c/HIRinc/Job/Sales-Support-Specialist-Biotech/-in-Mississauga,ON?jid=22c73fd4366a4b8a&lvk=PrFrOAVk4jSUFIixDSvfgQ.--MnE0hROSV
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yielddude yielddude 1 year ago
Life Sciences Ontario Microbix summary from 11/22
Microbix is a profitable and growing, publicly-traded (TSX, OTCQX), awardwinning, Ontario-headquartered, world leader in the development and
manufacture of specific biotechnology solutions for human health. The
company has over 110 skilled employees based in Mississauga. It is currently
ISO9001- and ISO13485 (Medical Device)-accredited, has a Pathogen and
Toxin license issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada and a Medical
Device Establish License (MDEL) from Health Canada. The company’s current
34,000ft2
campus comprises R&D, manufacturing, and testing facilities.
The company makes a range of critical materials for the global diagnostics
industry, notably infectious disease antigens for diagnostic immunoassays and
its laboratory quality assessment products (QAPs™) that support clinical lab
proficiency testing, enable new test validation, or ensure the optimum accuracy
of testing in clinical diagnostics laboratories. Microbix’s antigens enable the
antibody tests of over 120 international diagnostics companies, while its QAPs
are sold to globally to clinical laboratory accreditation organizations, diagnostics
companies, and clinical laboratories.
BARRIERS TO SUCCESS
The health of Ontarians will be improved, and delivery costs reduced, if Ontario authorities
maintain a Quality- and Value-based approach to strategic procurement, with meaningful focus
on longer-term planning. Focus should also be on local procurement to support Ontarians and
mitigate future supply chain issues. This approach will allow Ontario companies to plan for
growth and more Ontarians to find high-quality employment.
KEY WINS
Microbix has more than doubled in size (footprint and staff) in the last 3 years. It provides
Ontarians with rewarding, high-quality jobs. Microbix’s current QAPs portfolio is now available
in over 30 countries. This encompasses over 200 separate products. Within these there are
currently over 30 fully-regulated IVD medical devices that ensure testing accuracy for human
diseases, including QAPs controls for all major variants of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Microbix
has received support from FedDev Ontario to support this growth. In response to the COVID-19
pandemic, and with a grant from the Ontario Together Fund (MEDJCT), Microbix applied its
expertise in sterile manufacturing, automation and quality management to produce a state-ofthe-art IVD viral transport medium (DxTMTM brand) to support COVID-19 (and other) testing in
Ontario. To date, Microbix has provided over 2 million units of this vital, locally-made, product
to the province. Microbix will continue helping Ontario and other provinces optimize infectiousdisease testing for respiratory viruses, sexually-transmitted infections, and other human
pathogens of concern.
LOOKING FORWARD
COVID-19 has amply demonstrated the need for locally-derived capabilities to manage human
infectious diseases. In future, other such diseases must be managed to support the health
of Ontarians. These include respiratory infections (RSV, Flu, etc.), gastrointestinal pathogens,
sexually-transmitted infections and antibiotic-resistant organisms. Microbix works in all of these
areas, and more. In the coming years, Microbix will continue its profitable growth and will acquire
further facilities and talented staff. The company intends to create a secure, Ontario-based
global leadership position for assuring the best possible testing for human infectious diseases.

https://lifesciencesontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Success-Stories-2022-FINAL.pdf
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yielddude yielddude 1 year ago
Updated Investor CC ...

The webinar information for "Microbix (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF) Investor Update", which you previously registered for has been updated by the host.

Date Time: Nov 28, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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yielddude yielddude 1 year ago
good article about current flu/respiratory season for kids ... no mention of Microbix, but this is what their antigens help detect, and may cause need for more of their QAP's and VTM.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2022/10/rise-of-rsv-flu-covid-infections-kids/671947/
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yielddude yielddude 1 year ago
There will be an investor update CC on Nov. 21st, 11AM

I'm looking forward to it, as the company seems to be making good on the execution of their plan, and hopefully there will be some updates.
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Microbix Announces Initiation of Normal Course Issuer Bid

Microbix to Repurchase up to 5% of its outstanding shares over 12 months


MISSISSAUGA, CANADA, September 28, 2022 – Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer, and exporter, announces the initiation of a Normal Course Issuer Bid (“NCIB”) program for the repurchase and cancellation of outstanding common shares.




Specifically, the NCIB enables Microbix to repurchase up to 6,949,568 Common Shares ("Shares"), that being approximately five percent (5%) of the 138,991,374 Shares outstanding as at September 26, 2022, through the facilities of the Toronto Stock TSX (“TSX”) over a 12 month period starting on October 3, 2022 and ending on October 2, 2023. The actual number of Shares repurchased pursuant to the NCIB will be determined by management.




The NCIB has been approved by Microbix’s Board of Directors; however it is subject to acceptance by the TSX and, if accepted, will be conducted in accordance with the applicable rules and policies of the TSX and Canadian securities laws. Under the NCIB, Shares may be repurchased in open market transactions on the TSX, or by such other means as may be permitted by the TSX and applicable Canadian securities laws. Microbix will pay the prevailing market price at the time of its Share repurchases.



Pursuant to TSX rules and policies, the maximum number of Shares that may be repurchased in one day pursuant to the NCIB will be the greater of 1,000 or 11,532 (25% of the average daily trading volume (“ADTV”) of the Shares on the TSX for the most recently completed six calendar months, subject to certain prescribed exceptions). The ADTV on the TSX for the six calendar months ended August 31, 2022 is 46,128.



Microbix has entered into a pre-defined automatic securities purchase plan with its broker, Haywood Securities Inc., to allow for the repurchase of Shares at times when it ordinarily would not be active in the market due to Microbix’s internal trading blackout periods, insider trading rules, or otherwise. Any such plans will be adopted in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. Outside of such restricted periods, the timing of repurchases will be determined by Microbix management. Decisions regarding repurchases will be based on market conditions, Share price, best uses of available cash, and other factors. The funding for any repurchases pursuant to the NCIB will be financed out of working capital and all Shares will be repurchased for cancellation. Microbix may also use its NCIB to acquire Shares pursuant to the exercise of stock options in order to offset the dilutive effect of options that have been exercised.

?


The Board of Directors believes Microbix’s underlying value is not reflected in the current market price of its Shares. As a result, depending upon future price movements and other factors, the Board believes that the repurchase of Shares is an appropriate use of corporate funds and in the best interests of Microbix and its shareholders. Furthermore, the NCIB is expected to benefit persons who continue holding Shares by increasing their proportionate equity interest in Microbix as the repurchased Shares are cancelled.



A copy of Microbix’s notice of the NCIB to the TSX may be obtained by any shareholder without charge, by contacting Jim Currie, the Company's Chief Financial Officer.
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Microbix mention on ProPartModular post ...

https://www.pro-part.com/case-studies/microbixs-iso-certified-system-40-clean-room/
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Q3 Conference Call Transcript
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4535354-microbix-biosystems-inc-mbxbf-ceo-cameron-groome-on-q3-2022-results-earnings-call-transcript

Cameron Groome

Perfect. Perfect. Thank you so much. Well, I'll make a few comments, maybe and then I can ask what Jim and Ken might want to supplement. And Deborah, you can certainly please do step in with any particular questions that you've gotten from shareholders. And I understand that shareholders can also submit questions on the Q&A section of zoom, that that certainly we'll address to the best of our ability, as long as it's not jeopardizing any delicate, on-going discussions.

So I summarize by saying, certainly, from management's perspective, we're very much executing according to plan. Q3 I would classify as a solid quarter within range of our top line and bottom line expectations. And to the extent that, that anybody's asking and forecasting, I think was within range of those forecasts as well.

By business units, I would say, very much the highlight would be our first major and multiyear agreement to provide QAPs to a multinational diagnostics company. And is everyone who's perhaps attended prior presentations would know one of our objectives for our quality assessment products of QAPs has been to secure alliances whereby those QAPs will be included its fixed ratios in the kits of test cartridge consumables of major multinationals particular point of care diagnostics. So that if someone's selling, for example, a billion cartridges a month and our QAPs are concluded ratios of one to 25, for example, that means 40,000 units a month of sales for Microbix and that certainly very favorable pricing.

And this alliance that we announced just for the quarter on August 10, we're we've been working with that party for a long time, many, many months, before securing this purchase and supply agreement really showcases exactly that kind of business, we've been working with cheap business that is recurring, relatively high margin, very sticky business associating with these companies. And it's been our objective all along the lock that end and this is a contract as we hope to secure many others that started several million dollars of incremental sales here, certainly, on the order of 5 million for this contract and grows thereafter, across its five year initial term.

And I'd also want to highlight very much the breadth of that relationship. We're very much absolutely the further thing from any kind of COVID-19 play. The infectious disease area is so much more broad in our biological world and this purchase and supply agreement really reflects that threat [ph]. This is an alliance that covers a portfolio of cutaneous or skin lesion diseases, covers gastrointestinal infections covers a whole panel of respiratory diseases, viruses, and sexually transmitted diseases, literally addressing dozens of pathogens, and shows showcases the breadth of our expertise, and just the breadth, what is circulating in our communities and continues to circulate whether or not they're in the headlines on a day-to-day basis.

So this is exactly the type of customer agreement that we wanted, spoken about, and that we're committed to replicating. And many times, and I was looking at the definite dictionary definition of many earlier just to confirm. So this again, and it speaks to why we've been investing in our people, our systems, our equipment and our facilities. It's all in order to support this emerging growth from a top line basis, from a gross margin dollars basis, and from a debt earnings and cash flow basis, you're targeting, just again, emphasize that a top line of at least $100 million within the next several years, that's what we're building to support our infrastructure for.

And in fact, we soon see Microbix moving from its current level of about $5 million of sales per quarter plus or minus that we've talked about, to run rate closer to $10 million a quarter with our objective of getting to that run rate by the end of fiscal 2023. And that sounds like a lot of growth, extraordinary sales growth, but in fact, just required bores, on-going success in locking new QAPs purchase and supply agreements alongside relatively status quo, top line for antigen and VTM businesses, which certainly we’ll hope to exceed those two businesses well, so numbers that are achievable. And of course, there are external elements such as supply chain disruptions that we don't control, particularly when they're on behalf of our customers.

And that's why at some levels, you've seen us delivering, but not precisely on the timelines that we've originally spoken about, because we can only control the internal factors that affect our business, I think we've been very successful in managing through a great deal of economic market and healthcare turbulence over the past several years, and are committed to keep achieving for shareholders and keep delivering very real and sustained value creation. And ultimately, that gets reflected in the visibility of the company and the success of the company and in the multiple widgets trades, which right now is certainly lower than we might have expected. But it's reflective of a general risk off approach in the market where investors are generally staying away from smaller capitalization companies and although we're in an incredibly strong position with revenues with positive EBITDA with positive cash flow, positive net earnings, and the incredible balance sheet strength, I think we get bucketed in a little bit with that small cap are tarred with that small cap brush, even though we are indisputably strong in our financial position, and are very much healthy, strong operating business getting bigger, getting stronger and ultimately will achieve the visibility and the market recognition that is justified by our performance.

So that'll be my general comment and characterizing the core. And maybe, Deborah would you like to address some questions from shareholders or perhaps we should have Jim and Ken supplement my comments with a few of their own.

Ken Hughes

I'm happy to extend what you said there, Cameron, as we've been talking about for a long time COVID, our COVID product portfolio is basically exemplifies what we do, it's not even close to the entirety of what we do. This new opportunity in terms of full portfolio of cuts in multiple disease states, illustrates our intellectual property, and our scientific and production capabilities that we've been building up in Microbix.

We spent the last little while and I've used the term future proofing and capacity building many times here. And we're set up with the necessary capacity to service this and multiple other opportunities now, and going forward, and we continue to build our capacity, and the necessary systems and expertise in teams to make sure we can meet these opportunities that come our way.

The supply chain thing applies to everybody, including us, but we've managed supply chain very well and a lot are slightly it and there will be slight, it will be associated with supply chain chains elsewhere. Our capacity is in place, with people with science, with facilities, what we can do going forward and I hope everybody recognizes this opportunity that we're very, very much more than the COVID clear, which we've been seeing over and over again last year or so.

Cameron Groome

Thank you, Ken. Jim, what would you comment on?

Jim Currie

No, I think you've covered mostly. I mean, I can go into lots of details about the quarterly results and where they're from and what's happened. But I think what's probably best is maybe await some of the questions that people might have, and respond to those questions as they come out.

Cameron Groome

Very good. And Jim, maybe you could comment just on some of the financial strength ratios, I think, with concerns about capital market conditions and so forth. Could you comment on our balance sheet and, and a little bit of our directionality in terms of cash generation or uses?

Jim Currie

Sure. I think what we've as Cameron’s alluding to, is we've spent a bit of time over the last, I'd say year and a half two years, improving our balance sheet. And this current quarter, we're sitting with a current ratio of close to eight to one, and the debt equity ratio of point three, five, excellent numbers for a company like ourselves. We've continued to grow our cash, which is going to be utilized to support the strategic initiatives that we've got underway. Both Cameron and Ken have identified where we're prepared, and we're capitalized, to support the growth, and we will have no trouble being able to generate the production and the sales that are reflected in some of these new agreements that we're seeing.

We've got one, like certainly, as Cameron indicated, I think he indicated, we certainly expect more and more in the coming months. And we are prepared to build against that order flow that we see going forward.

Cameron Groome

That's great. Thank you Jim.

Deborah Honig

I have an audience questions. You guys are ready.

Question-and-Answer Session

A - Cameron Groome

Sure thanks.

Deborah Honig

And so why would a large multinational diagnostics developer come to Microbix for test controls versus developing their own internally?

Cameron Groome

It comes down to so many things and you know what Ken you're absolutely chomping champing at the bit to go after that? So go go go? I'll, I'll do clean up on that one.

Ken Hughes

Well, I mean, we have -- the expertise and in intellectual property in this area. So from a scientific perspective, from a quality management system perspective, from production and manufacturing perspective, this is what we do when we do it very well. Our clients normally do it very well. And we do it better than they do. And so they come to us for our expertise. But they also come to us because we're a third party. From a regulatory perspective, using a third party control say for their testing platform, gives them the surety that our regulators surety that they're not gaming the system because we're not them. So they come to us for our expertise. They come for us for regulatory requirements, and they come for us, because we know we respond quickly.

I think we've mentioned before the Omicron controls that we developed in eight weeks to fully develop IVDs nobody else can do that in a meaningful way. And they are well aware of that. They have audited us have been in our facility to see what we do. They know what good at what we do, and we have the ability to build it from there. So they want to form these relationships to support and secure their testing and of course they work with us because we're not the competitors. We don't make tests. We make everybody's tests better. And they're well aware of that. And that's why they work with us.

Cameron Groome

Great, great answer Ken all boy that trying to improve on that good one, but I'll try to supplement it a little bit. We work with a tremendous breadth of organisms as well. So we have within our libraries internally, we have all the organisms or can access them. We know how to work with them, and titrate to controls towards the limited protection of their assays. So it's a real challenge from a quality perspective of the test to say, hey, is it really working to the level it's supposed to? We have the format's that are required, whether it's liquid, or on flocked swabs, we also have the ability to stabilize these samples, and ensure they are of course, ensuring they're non-infectious as well.

So it's really the full toolkit. And as Ken was mentioning, all the quality systems and the scaling, and that's been a big thing we've done over the past few years as well. We used to make 100,000 files a year of the small vial quality assessment products. And then, of course, more recently, we moved to make 100,000 files a week of our viral transport team. So not only can we do this work of quality, we can do this work at scale. And somebody needs to know that they're not going to have their critical, a critical piece of their overall value proposition fall down and prevent them from making any revenue.

So they need to know that we're a secure partner. And that's one of the reasons why these relationships will be very sticky for us. So it's just the highest quality of business you want to get. And that pretty much Jim, was there anything we missed there?

Jim Currie

And I was just on muting. But no, I can't answer the technical side of things. But I think one of the things that Ken did identify is that, if they did, they just can't have the auditing themselves, or to be seen auditing themselves to use an analogy. So that's why they want to use third party controls, to make sure that their systems are working and functioning, as they say they are.

Ken Hughes

The clients are very, very well aware of the excellence of our R&D and scientific teams. And then that leads into the quality management system and the manufacturing and skill and the compliance we have, which is also excellent. So they're well aware of this continuum of support we can provide and then use it accordingly. There's no point reinventing the wheel when we have a better wheel and a third party wheel as previously discussed.

Deborah Honig

And how is QAPs penetration going among clinical labs?

Cameron Groome

I think the clinical lab side has been slower penetration than we anticipated at the gate. We've exceeded our expectations of working with the test manufacturers for providing in kit controls, and I would say the penetration amongst labs has been slower. A large part of that has been due to COVID related matters more difficult to get in and physically see people of course, and then the focus on COVID is limited the broader discussions that need to be had and should be had. So that would be, that would be tailing our expectation or by our objectives on the clinical lab side. But I think that's a question of delay not derailed.

Deborah Honig

Okay. I had a question for you, Cameron. Actually, maybe you can walk us through what happens if the U.S. decides that COVID is essentially over and removes the emergency designation for a lot of the testing. How does that impact Microbix?

Cameron Groome

Well, there are a lot of respiratory tests out there that were approved under the emergency use authorizations. And effectively the requirements for compliance controls was waived temporarily. So if the emergency use authorizations are withdrawn or given a runoff timeline sunset whatever you want to call it, those companies have a choice, they either need to get compliant with controls, or they have to withdraw their tests from the U.S. market. And if you build up a market in the U.S. for COVID testing or for respiratory multiplex testing, the last thing you want to do is have to tell your customers sorry, we don't have a compliant control, we'll need to withdraw from markets.

So that's actually leading companies to Microbix to say, gosh I know this is coming. I might not know precisely when, but I need to get serious about this. And we're, we're seeing some discussions that have been simmering, certainly moving much closer to a boil if not already at work. So it should be very much a benefit for us in that respect.

Ken Hughes

And of course, COVID is not going to go away. But let's say for the COVID’s discussion, it did. There's a whole portfolio of other testing, viral testing that needs to be done. One of the things that was delayed because of COVID was our full portfolio of human papilloma virus testing for cervical cancer and other cancers, that is taking off throughout the world now and keeping the capabilities to test is going to drive that market. And we’re absolutely right there to support it. We've talked about gastrointestinal other sexually transmitted diseases as all our portfolio stuff, which we develop in our labs for controls that will be needed down the line. And of course, there's the respiratory portfolio on top of that. With COVID miraculously disappeared, which it won't, there's a whole lot of opportunity first down the line. So, but it will be incremental to COVID going forward, and we'll be able to service it all.

Deborah Honig

Okay, great. Let's stay on the QAPs theme for now. So we're not jumping around, are there any risks or challenge that scaling the QAPs production capacity to several 10s of millions of dollars over time.

Cameron Groome

I think there are always risks and challenges. But let's specifically identify them. One of those is the is the physical volume of production. And we've been looking carefully at our space needs for the physical spacing of that as well as laying in automation of pinch points steps so that we don't hit pinch points in an unanticipated fashion.

So we're, we've been looking at things like pouch handling and sealing methods and making sure that those are bulletproof and scalable. And ultimately, we'll move in the direction of front to back automation. But that won't happen immediately.

But we can produce now well into the millions of units per year. And we'll be looking at carefully to make sure we don't get a pinch point without adding space or capacity well in advance of that point.

In terms of so those would be, really the scaling challenges. They're more technical elements that we need to keep watch of, such as making sure that there's no cross contamination between product lines, and there's proper line clearance and so forth. But those are more normal course of what we do. And what would you what would you want to flag there?

Ken Hughes

Well, we have that additional capacity for the growth we're enjoying right now. And we'll continue to enjoy it for the next little while. But basically, like back to future proofing and capacity building, we're staying ahead of the curve to make sure by the time the capacity of the class the needs are larger; we have the capacity to service them. We don't anticipate any sort of interruption our capabilities to scale, the technologies involved are well understood to us since some of that becomes redundant and modular. And some of it is already in place as we move forward from there. So we don't anticipate any problems in scaling to meet the market trajectory we're on.

And again, we're getting ahead of that. Now, the complexity of the business increases with multiple skews as we start selling them. But that's why we're upgrading our QRS system to fully integrated eQMS. And also upgrading our ERP and integrating it fully. And that's why we hired the director of IT to build that capacity to manage those files as we move forward, including more complex inventories, and so on and so forth. All that’s in place, all of that’s ahead of the curve for where we're going. And so we don't anticipate any particular problem and always be nice.

In terms of what we do, we are very well positioned to service the growth we're going to enjoy in the next few years.

Cameron Groome

It's well said. Jim anything you want to comment on about control systems, ERP and so forth?

Jim Currie

No, other than that the ERP systems, I think, our investment in IT in general, and our infrastructure is incredibly, incredibly important as we go forward and grow. And, again, it's something that a game that we're putting into place, well in advance of the need for it. But we've identified that need and desire.

Cameron Groome

Right. Thank you, Deborah. I'm getting I'm getting frightened, because I see the the number of questions going up not going down. We've got, we've got we've got time. So you curate, and, and we'll address.

Deborah Honig

I'd like to stay on QAPs. But since we're talking about the automation, there's a few questions on, are you looking around for a foresight. I think you've provided a pretty clear update on automation. And for QAPs and VTM, that maybe we can address some of those questions quickly.

Cameron Groome

Sure. Gosh, with regards to a force site, where we're actually having dialogue about that, even as we speak. The operations and manufacturing team is doing a magnificent job of maximizing the utility of the spaces we have. We're looking though, and saying what is the what is the cost versus the what is the cost of having space versus the cost of not having space. And as our businesses is now really moving into a very strong growth phase, the cost of hundreds of hundreds of thousands of dollars we’re having, for example, for the site might be offset against an opportunity cost of 10s of millions, potentially if not having foresight.

So we are in fact, actually looking at that potential now. And, and I think we'll be taking that decision within days to weeks as to which where we see, we don't want to be getting too far ahead of ourselves, but we don't want to risk falling behind either. So these are, these are questions that are related to, high growth businesses, and we want to take good reasoned judgment and make sure we're, we're viewing the risks and the benefits and taking the right path on them. But, but yes, very much on our minds.

Deborah Honig

Okay, going back to QAPs, I had a very specific question on the recent announcement. So sorry, it's just on my email. So let me just read it out. In your most recent announcement on the QAP supply agreement, you stated Microbix may generate incremental capsules of approximately 5 million Canadian related to this agreement, and it's initially fiscal year of 2023. Can you give us an idea of how big this potentially can get beyond 2023? And what would be supporting factors for the contract to get bigger? Is there a chance this contract turns out to be less than 5 million annually in the future?

Cameron Groome

I would be shocked if this contract turned out to be less than 5 million. In the future, I expect that certainly its first year achievement will comfortably come in at or above that 5 million number or we would not have cited it in our news release. And I would look for it to grow substantially from there. So I could see this as the different tests that are that are going to into which our QAPs will be an integral part gained traction and success in the marketplace. I would see it rising multiples of that $5 million number over the five year initial term.

And ideally, these are forever relationships. We're not getting into these with the intention of pulling the ripcord at the end of five years. These are relationships that I would hope will span multiples of that time.

Deborah Honig

And then maybe can you comment a little bit on the pipeline for QAPs for the second half of the year and maybe first half of next year and what the biggest hurdles to signing additional contracts are?

Cameron Groome

Some of the hurdles are including some of the hurdles are internal, certainly formulating products that are suitable for the individual companies tests. Some of them are relatively off the shelf. Some of them require tuning for the specific limits of detection of different tests assays, you want to come in to pose a genuine challenge to the test and say, is this towards the limit of the lower limit of detection, so that you are checking truly if everything's working properly. So there can be that element of customization. I think our team is brilliant at that. I don’t see that as a big hurdle. Likewise, with multiplexing, and formulating some of the challenges we've had, and frankly, this agreement, I think we were hoping that it might have been signed six months ago. But there are supply chain issues affecting our customers and technical issues, and formal and finalizing assays and regulatory filings that are not within our controls within our control, not within our controls.

So those are the things, I think there are challenges at the level of our customer, are they ready to roll out those tests? Are they ready to accept the incorporation controls? Those are some of the rate limiting factors. And then, of course, because all of the companies are operating under quality systems as much as we might be comfortable doing so these sorts of agreements can't be done on a handshake, they have to be fully documented by both parties. And just the documentation of these agreements can take some time.

Deborah Honig

Okay, and just winning that big QAPs contract make it any easier or harder to win other contracts, i.e. other tests manufacturers gain comfort with you, or conversely, other test manufacturers don't want to use the same provider as a competitor?

Cameron Groome

It's a great question. I would say that it goes in on the comfort. I mean, we're still growing into this business. And folks that have done their due diligence checks and say, well, wow, yes, Microbix is a reliable strategic partner to have winning subsequent agreements and subsequent contracts. I see it getting progressively easier, not harder. And as Canada indicated earlier, we're not competing with every anybody here. We're not, we don't have our own tests that we're fighting to get market share on, we're trying to make everybody else's tests better. And defining our niches, where we can be the best and say, let us take this off your hands, you may be dealing with cartridge construction and microfluidic and software and other elements, we will handle the quality side for you. Let us do that. Take that worry away from.

Deborah Honig

Okay. Couple more QAPs questions that I think we should move on. Is the new QAPs agreement for partners have been well established market share or for testing systems to be launched or early in their launch?

Cameron Groome

Both. There are some within that portfolio that are existing and established. And some that are new. And people were trying to do a little bit 20 questions on me is to nail that down. But I would urge people to take a deep, take a long read as a news release. And I think you can start to piece together a shortlist, but I'm not going to go warmer and colder on who it is. It would not be respectful of them. And they're great, wonderful people. We love them dearly. They're great. And they say guys; we'd love to disclose this with you. But we can't corporately set a precedent where major component suppliers, every one of them wants to do, joint news releases or whatnot with us. So we ask they respectfully declined. But they were well aware of what we're putting out in advance.

Deborah Honig

They're secretly dating you, Cameron. They don't want to make it official. I've got one for you, Ken. So I would assume the automation manufacturing of QAPs is going well. And do you feel that any bugs have already been worked out?

Ken Hughes

Well, of course. I mean, we continue to knock them off one by one. And we have a process development group to address that and very, very matter. We have certain processes, which we've described as your semi-automated and we're working on four lanes as well, which dovetail into discussions of capacity. I suppose it’s most useful in this in this forum to see the automation we have online right now, which has been made and has been validated by our team is more than enough to deal with what we need right now and for the next little while. That same team is working on further expansion of capacities and capabilities going forward to be ahead of that curve.

Getting out that there's always there for me, those are little things you have to work out but we do it ahead of time. So when the rubber hits the road, we're ready to go mix my metaphors there. But you know what I mean.

So in terms of when we forget, we just have an excellent process development team, there's no two ways about it. And our clients know that. And that's why they come to us. So I don't anticipate any particular problem in this regard. We will move around a bit, we could talk about the bioreactor Rubella and the types of yields we're getting right now, which are so far ahead of where we were before, just another description of the process development excellence we have in Microbix. And that's going to continue.

So I'm fully expecting to be able to support what we need to do in the business development side. I mean, not easily but efficiently and competently, which we always have.

Deborah Honig

Okay, let's switch gears to something other than QAPs. Cameron, do you want to talk about some big old or something new?

Cameron Groome

Either one on game?

Deborah Honig

All right, let's hit urokinase first. Maybe you can give us a bit of an update on what's going on there. I had one question that was asking to us recap why this product initially failed in the marketplace and why it could become a viable alternative. Maybe if we can just spend a few minutes there.

Cameron Groome

Sure. We’re certainly going back in in time in terms of matters. Urokinase was extremely loose, we're talking about low molecular weight, urokinase made in cell culture. It was a back in the day brand it is Abbokinase and later became Kinlytic. And the product was extremely well perpetuated in the marketplace, millions of patients treated successfully for both the catheter clearance application, which is our focus area. And for pulmonary embolism and for others systemic clots.

And the product worked extremely well, and was extremely safe and extremely effective. The then owner of product was asked by the Food and Drug Administration to just do normal course updates with the best practices of its manufacturing. And I think it was riding pretty high at the time and refused. So you can patch in that perspective to refuse to me, manufacturing systems upgrades by a regulator is not a good place to be. So at that time, the regulator refused them to release subsequent batches to prove them for sale. So there was this deadlock. And the product came out of the market for a time. Cooler heads ultimately prevailed. And the ban over the product said yes, well, gosh, we'll make those upgrades. They made the upgrades product started to come back on the market successfully again, safely and effectively.

And then that company cruised into a big corporate restructuring, whereby it sold off all of its hospital directed products. And most of its products went into one basket, this one had just returned to market and thought orphaned. And it was bought by another company that said, well, we'll sell off inventory, and be able to set up manufacturing self-generated cash flow, they weren't able to do so. And it's at that point that Microbix bought the full rights to this innovative drug.

So beyond the fact that we what we call the drug master file associated with this as well as its registration, but in turn, well, we couldn't make it at our facilities. No regulator in their right mind is going to let you bid manufacture human therapeutic in a facility dedicated to growing viruses and bacteria. So we had to find another site build it, and for different reasons the company was going after the entire market, which would be a much more expensive endeavour rather than going after the specific path or clearance niche, which has been our focus. It's grown tremendously over the years.

So now we're focused on partnering for catheter clearance which is about a 400 billion a year U.S. market and continued which continues to grow and we would look to capture with our partner portion of that market. So gives you a bit of the backstory it will go further down that rabbit hole with very good reasons for it all. And discussions are still active but they are securing a partner for Kinlytic and bring it back we're committed that it won't be at the expense of growing our revenue oriented businesses and we don't want to start those businesses for capital. So we want to find a partner who will commit all or at least be very much the lion's share of the commitment. And for us to secure, purely additive revenue, a royalty stream associated with the reintroduction of that very clinically important product.

Deborah Honig

Okay, and there are active conversations and still potential buyers for the asset.

Cameron Groome

Yes, there are I confirm that.

Deborah Honig

All right, let's talk about monkeypox. Does this represent an opportunity? What kind of products can be manufactured around it? And more importantly, do I get to go live on a beach for a year again?

Cameron Groome

I'm sorry. Which part of the question is from shareholders again? The -- Yes, with regards to monkeypox, we've been watching it very carefully, obviously. And we were looking to see does this go, does this go exponential? Or does it continue with arithmetic or is it a slope line upwards or a line going for? Don't see it thankfully, as something that goes exponential or, becomes a incredible global pandemic, but it has become a new pathogen that's become endemic in Europe, United States and other countries. So it will be an on-going problem, and pop up in different communities in different geographies.

And we do see a market for that. So we have evaluated that. And we're looking at what exactly would be the composition of a optimal test control for molecular testing for monkeypox. And, we will, I think likely introduce a product that will support that testing further quality. But it's something we're not; we don't want to be chasing the headlines here. Everything we do is about the yield market opportunities. And it's working to define the real market opportunity will create a real product for it that will generate real sales.

Deborah Honig

Make sense. And while I clean up some of these questions, I know a lot of them are dealing with BTM. Maybe you can provide an update there on discussions with the Ontario government, other provinces, other countries?

Cameron Groome

Yes, we are having dialogue continuing. Of course, with the Ontario government. We've had the election cabinet shuffles tremendous assortment of the different levels of staff within the governments. So there is tremendous change over there and maintain the continuity of relationships within departments. We do see an on-going desire and for domestic supply of VTM, for ministerial level, and we see a fundamental need for product, we are working to broaden out the usages of Microbix as DxTM is it's not just about COVID. This can support transport, and sample collection of any virus. And of course, we're also reaching out to other provinces to make sure that they're aware of the existence of our DxTM and that works very well with for their own different viral testing needs. And really making Microbix part of their supply chain certainly, likely not 100% of their supply, but a meaningful proportion so that we can support them for surge capacity as well as baseline capacity also.

With regards to other countries, of course, the principal ones would be the United States that would be involving filing what's called a 510-K premarket notification with FDA. It's something we could do and can do. It's not hit our radar at this point of view as a priority. But we will continue to evaluate whether that is appropriate. It makes sense strategically.

Deborah Honig

Do you see this revenue line as potentially dropping obviously it's been lumpy, but kind of on an annualized basis? Do you still view this as a growth area?

Cameron Groome

Yes, we do. We'll have additional capacity coming online. I think what -- we're a bit damned if we do damned if we don't because we created this business line so quickly. And shots zero to sales for proximately five years, the immediate criticism comes with that as well. You have customer concentration now? Well, yes, we had to start somewhere, of course. And now having a baseline base customer with Ontario, we're looking to broaden out the usages and the customers for that. But it's really reflective of the youth relative use of that product line.

Deborah Honig

And what happened to capacity for VTM? And can you give us an update on capacity expansion, when it will be fully automated?

Cameron Groome

Certainly. Ken, why don’t you jump in?

Ken Hughes

Yes, it's really easy for us to do 100,000 units a week right now. And capacity will go up four to five times that in the next couple of months. So we're putting these lines together. And right now with clearly NBS [ph] groups did manufacture these types of throughput devices, but we'll be installing it in the next at the end of this month, and then subsequently, in September, October, everything will be rolling. So the capacity is going to go up right now. So we're in really good shape from a capacity business.

Deborah Honig

And other potential use cases beyond COVID?

Cameron Groome

Oh, absolutely. Ken keep rolling. You're on it.

Ken Hughes

Yes. Yes, I mean, before COVID existed kind of imported over $50 million worth of VTM, from various sources of variable quality. So there's opportunities outside of COVID, of course, I mean, the infectious disease testing, if anything has been exemplified by COVID, it'd be nice, it's a good idea to do it, because if you don't do it, well, you suffer the consequences. So multiple opportunities in all sorts of different viruses and other pathogens in VTM, and VTM portfolio are going to be developing in the future. And of course, we have that expertise in manufacturing and development at scale, to support that.

So yes, there's going to be a number of schemes coming out. There’s going to be a number of pathogens are going to be addressed with this going forward. And of course, we're providing a Canadian solution. So hopefully, there won't be another pandemic. But if there isn't another one, we won't be caught without trousers down again. So we're really, we have a Canadian secure supply for multiple applications going forward, when intending to build it accordingly.

Cameron Groome

I got nothing to add on that.

Deborah Honig

All right, I think that's all the questions that I had on VTM. I had a question about the R&D budget. So it looks like your R&D budget doubled in the quarter. What do you see as an on-going rate? And there was a follow up? And what direction is your what direction is your R&D directed? Think that's meaning, what are you investing in?

Cameron Groome

Great questions. Yes, our guess our R&D budget is going up. And that really reflects an intensity of product development for diagnostics companies on the QAP side that we're creating multiplex specific multiplex controls to support tests that will look for anywhere from four different pathogens to a dozen from one sample, and challenge each channel of those tests. So very important, very economic and very complex.

So a lot of that work on R&D is directed to be of on-going work on improving the yields and reliability and consistency of yields with our antigen production that is on-going R&D work we have further applications and validations. And it's perhaps formulations of a viral transport medium. So all that is, is going up from an R&D commitment point of view. And all of that will be generating returns, we were not doing the so much of the our part is we are the -- and all of the projects we undertake, we have very specific objectives in mind that are going to be additive to our revenues and our margins.

Jim Currie

Just one other item. If people are comparing versus last year, we were still receiving funding from the Ontario government for some of our research and development activities. And that stopped at the end of last fiscal year. So that makes it look even larger the gap. But we certainly have increased our investments in research and development and we plan on doing so as we move forward.

Cameron Groome

Great, great point to make Jim. Thank you very much for making that comparison. If you're looking at several $100,000 difference between the prior year in terms of the grant offsets and the prior year.

Jim Currie

Yes.

Deborah Honig

Okay. Let's talk a bit about the antigen side of the business. I've got a great segway question into that. Would be great to get some color on the specific product mix and customers that drove the recovery of the antigen segment. Also, was the antigen segment recovered for the whole quarter? Or did it improve throughout the quarter to get a sense of its steady state or heading into queued for. I guess, if it's accelerating or not?

Cameron Groome

That's a fairly compound question. So I'll try to I'll try to break that down a little bit. We're seeing that across a number of customers that are that are coming back and seeing their cash flows start to normalize a little bit more. And, and that's very encouraging. And we're seeing that inclusive now of our distributor in China, which is, which is good as well, as those some of those Asian markets where one of the areas we were principally looking for growth on the antigen business side.

I won't go into the specific, quarter by quarter product mix, other than to say, there's, there's a decent amount of variability in margins between our antigens, some antigens have very high margins, comparatively, some have lower margins. So the antigen area is, is the side of our business where they're the most quarter-to-quarter flocks, in terms of the gross margins. And you can see that the gross margin for Q3 is different than the prior year quarter had a point difference in the gross margins year-over-year and the better part of that is reflective of just the fluctuation of product mix of what shipped in antigens in a particular quarter.

So it does inject some volatility in gross margins for the quarter, but we're continuing to work on improving the margins of each and every product in that portfolio. And that's through technical, technical upgrades and improvements, as well as making sure that we're putting through appropriate price increases to reflect changes to our input costs. And part of that includes becoming, making sure we're staying competitive from a compensation point of view with that we're rewarding our staff appropriately.

Deborah Honig

In terms of gross margin, do you have a target that you're willing to share with investors?

Cameron Groome

Yes, I wouldn't say so. We like to see new products coming in above our current gross margin, aggregate gross margin, to keep nursing that up. And, I think we certainly would love to see margins start with a seven integer, I think that's a bit of a stretch goal. But, but to get and keep margins in the 60s would certainly be something that that we're pushing for.

Deborah Honig

Right. On the antigen theme, you mentioned the Asian sales side of that business. Are you anticipating any disruptions to the antigen packet following the acquisition of meridian?

Cameron Groome

No, we're not. Interestingly, I think probably the most successful side of Meridian has been their ingredients, sales, business and different antibodies, antigens and reagents with whom we compete in some markets and collaborate and others. But all indications are that that our relationships will continue both competitively and cooperatively.

Deborah Honig

Gearing through for any other antigen questions, maybe I can just move on to some general questions. Are you still considering a stock buyback due to the continued continuing depress stock price and potential for buyouts?

Cameron Groome

Yes, that's a succinct answer. It's certainly been on our on our radar and on our minds, there's a lot of TSX requirements that need to be fulfilled and frankly, even though I've had a 30 plus year career in life sciences and capital markets, their life science company doing a share buyback is probably is where as hen's [Ph] teeth as the saying goes. So we've been familiarizing ourselves with that, looking to design things optimally for how we behave outside of quarterly blackouts, how we behave inside of quarterly blackouts and what the appropriate instructions to agents would be their compliance with regulations.

But it is very much something that we intend to do. We see it as an extremely appropriate use of our capital, as we're generating strong cash flows right now. And certainly if we start looking at any kind of potential forward multiple of, of where shares are trading on a price to earnings basis, we see it as an effective use of shareholder capital. And also, protecting the value of Microbix as a currency to make sure that any bid is in the worst of one or abusive one. And if we were looking to make an accretive acquisition, that we protected the value of our currency. Jim, anything you want to supplement on that?

Jim Currie

No you've covered everything. Well, Cameron, related to that, I think it's, as we've continually indicated that we truly believe that there's more value in our company than is reflected in the current market.

Deborah Honig

Okay, another question. You recently hired Dr. Anu Rebbapragada, and I apologize to the doctor for probably butchering the name. They had quite an impressive resume; can you give us an idea of their role within the company?

Cameron Groome

Yes. Anu is, is it just has a mind blowing resume if I'm not sure I'm at liberty to share that, but, but she is everything that is reflective of that, and brings deep operational expertise in clinical laboratory medicine. Having been a senior director with major multinational diagnostics company, having been, I think, national lab director for Dynacare. So brings just a level of detailed operational knowledge and as well as tremendous relationships and a wonderful person.

So we see Anu as helping us further our penetration and relationships within the clinical oratory industry, through her knowledge and contacts, as well as start building into a greater portfolio of services offerings, that pair extremely well with things like the DxTM, and paths and even our antigens for that matter. So we see a tremendous number of opportunities, and we're just thrilled that it came together with Anu to have us join her join us, as it did with our IT director, Dennis Haikalis who came in with tremendous clinical laboratory expertise as well as, as soon as his IT expertise. So we see these two directors just as fabulous hires, and are just delighted to add such great quality people from a capability as well as just a personality and great people as well as extremely well trained professionals. So delighted that the team in that way.

Deborah Honig

We're up on the hour, Cameron, I'm not sure if we've got a lot of extra time, but I do still have about nine questions left do you do?

Cameron Groome

I'm not going anywhere. I've got a hard stop at one. But I'm good for now.

Deborah Honig

Okay, so a lot of these are now disordered because they came in after we moved on from sections. So maybe we just go rapid fire. Okay, so this question continues to keep coming up in different forums. So maybe we can just address it holistically, talking about what percentage of current business is COVID related? Has just been impacted by a slowdown? Maybe we can go segment by segment and give us sort of what the outlook is in the post pandemic world.

Cameron Groome

Repeat that question. I apologize. I was just double checking my schedule and realizing that I had a hard stop at 12:30 not one. So apologies. But I'm back.

Deborah Honig

That's okay Cameron, [Indiscernible]. So the question was really just I keep getting questions about COVID and what the end of the pandemic means. And I think we've addressed them in certain business lines, but maybe we can just look at the company holistically and go through each business line and say this is what it looks like the outlook in a post COVID pandemic world challenge like that.

Cameron Groome

Sure. For us, we're not we're not in the travel testing business for COVID. We're not in, we don't support necessarily the little immuno chromatography strip, antigen tests that people get in the pharmacy, that's not our business. So that has zero impact on us the ebb and flow of those. We are much more about well controlled point of care testing, that may happen in a -- laboratory testing that happens in a hospital or industrial setting, where there's a quality system appended to that testing.

And those tests have already migrated or migrating to multiplex testing, where you're not just looking at COVID. But you're checking somebody who might have respiratory symptoms, for at the very least COVID, flu type A, flu type B and another common virus called RSV. So that shift is already happened.

For DxTM, we're going to see again, in the institutional settings, more multiplex testing rollout; we already know that DxTM is extremely suitable for testing for other viruses as well. So I think the -- and then for our antigen business, we don't sell COVID antigens, so we're selling every other type of antigen or many other types of antigens. And as people go in for prenatal workups, and people go in for other forms of infectious disease testing, or just seeing their doctor more often, those elements help us.

So I don't see a very great impact, the only one notionally is DxTM, but we're still you know, we're still a minority proportion of the overall supply to Ontario, and any, anybody looking at it strategically would be the saying you keep your domestic supply, and cut your importation, not the other way around. So we'll certainly work with policy makers to make sure that that intelligent approach is undertaken.

For the rest of our business, I see nothing positives and we mentioned the emergency use application regencies authorization, my apologies, if those are sun setting, that's actually going to help our QAPs business. And, it just speaks to the breadth of the business and we're not a we're not a COVID.

Ken Hughes

COVID is a great example of what we do. It is not what we do. And so there's a whole load of activity that went on before COVID. We talked; I talked earlier about how much VTM was important before COVID was a thing. And, we have HPV we have more [Indiscernible], gastrointestinal we have all the sexually transmitted diseases that we've been involved in before COVID. And subsequently COVID, the whole amount of testing capacity now that needs to be deployed, it needs to have controls, it needs to have VTM.

So we we will be addressing all of those markets as we go forward, building the capacities to address them. So basically, the way to think about COVID, it was a nice exemplify, because everything else got shut down right at the height of the pandemic. But as we come out of it, and everything opened up again, we've demonstrated how good we are at this, and our portfolio will take off from there.

Cameron Groome

Yes, and that's a great point. HPV Human Papilloma Virus screening is a great case in point All countries were finally getting ready to move to wave from 1950s Pap testing, where you're actually looking for cancer cells on a microscope slide into PCR based testing to look for those signatures of the viruses that actually drive the formation of the cancers. And that was delayed for two years plus, as COVID swallowed up all the PCR capacity and build far more than it ever existed.

Now as COVID is starting to calm down. We're seeing all sorts of jurisdictions, including Ontario, finally getting back to saying okay, we've got to roll out these HPV, molecular PCR screening programs that we plan to do two, three years ago. And Microbix is right in the thick of that as well. So these are things that will benefit us likely, far more than COVID.

Deborah Honig

You talked about multiplex testing, what are the barriers to adoption and how do you see sales evolving for these new testing methodologies?

Cameron Groome

Well, good, good question. Price is always an issue and price is, you always have to look at price versus value. So if you're going in and you've got the respiratory disease symptoms, for example, you can look in and you can probably get now, a little COVID immunological antigen test for 10 bucks at pharmacy, or you could get a multiplex PCR test for probably 50 bucks, that would distinguish between and tell you exactly what virus you have. And that has clinical implications.

And as we see the availability of those, what is what is one is price, the other is value. And we need to see the policy makers globally recognizing the difference. And I think in many jurisdictions they do and look and say this is clinically relevant. And that applies in a whole bunch of variants, somebody is going in and they thought symptoms of a genital infection, for example, is that is that Chlamydia is that, Gonorrhea is that Trichomonas Vaginalis is that, Mycoplasma Genitalium, all of those have clinical implications you want to know. And then you can take it to the next level and in some case, and in all cases, say, what does this mean from a patient treatment and cure point of view, and the next generation testing be looking at the antibiotic resistance profiles of the specific infection. So let's first type it, then let's figure out how best to treat it. And boy isn't that a lot better for everybody? If you make those decisions quickly, and accurately, and then don't have complicated, morbidity and mortality associated with doing the wrong thing or not doing anything?

The wonderful thing that I love about diagnostics is this is all about spending 10s of dollars to save hundreds, 1000s 10s of 1000s, hundreds of 1000s this is these aren't ridiculous billion dollar patient treatment costs. These are talking about spending 10s of dollars to save many, many, many, many times that amount. So again, I'd say cost versus value.

Deborah Honig

Got it. And then I guess it's somewhat related question deals with point of care diagnostics. I think the question relates to not Multiplex but just single use? Do you feel that the POC diagnostics will grow faster than the PCR market? Are they becoming more accurate and reliable?

Cameron Groome

Let me handle the backside of that question first. It's our job to make sure that they've become more accurate, more reliable. And if Microbix has anything to say about it, then, we'll be a part of those, all of those tests, making sure that they're accurate, reliable. So that's why we're excited.

And the other element is it's pretty widely thought I think you can, everybody can Google this pretty readily that most market research sources believe that point of care side of testing is growing at somewhere around double the rate of the laboratory based testing market. And, and sort of, I grew up as a kid watching Star Trek and Dr. McCoy going round with the tricorder and you say, Hey, isn't this great? What's wrong with you? Well, we're getting, it's, you probably didn't see a koi stuffing and nasal pharyngeal swab up anybody's nose. But, we're moving closer to being having that lab in your hands in a real fashion. And it won't be something you carry around on a purse strap, but it may be available in the pharmacy in a school in a in an industrial setting. And to have a menu of tasks that are all multiplex that are all well controlled, quality setting, and that can give you that rapid diagnostic information that we all we all want. So very exciting times.

Deborah Honig

Ken, and looks like you got something to add.

Ken Hughes

Yes, I was going to say we don't make tricorders [Ph] we just make everybody's tricorders better. Sorry, I couldn't resist this.

Cameron Groome

Well, okay.

Deborah Honig

Okay. So I think we've addressed this but another question came in what is the status of QAPs automation in the current building? When will full automation be completed? And are there still we already addressed plans for?

Cameron Groome

Yes, QAPs is now we’ve automated pinch points of QAPs production in the current building in 235 Watline. And our manufacturing specialists are still looking at where do we hit capacity on a semi-automated basis. And your best estimate I have right now that these numbers are changing as we as we look and do more and more runs. But with visible contracts that we're hoping to have concluded or hope to conclude shortly, we may be at around 60% of capacity at 235 sold through shortly.

So that's where we think about what can we automate within 235 without having to shut down production at 235. So at some point, we look and say, do we, can we do that and well, still working and not disrupting flow? Or do we just need an empty tile for physical space to do that, and then and then backfill with further or further automation. And again, this isn't about getting rid of people. This is about getting rid of drudgery, and redeploying people progressively to higher value tasks and lower directory tasks.

So we can grow sales without dramatically growing headcount. And we'll always keep the semi-automated capacity for short run custom products, where it doesn't make sense to spool up a more automated production line. So you really want that flexible manufacturing, depending on lot size is very effective. Ken, anything you'd want to supplement there.

Ken Hughes

Yes, on QAPs there are multiple unit operations that can be automated, can be optimized and automated. And that's going on an on-going basis. So we've actually come and alluded to post ceiling recently, the labeling opportunities and various other unit operations that can be readily automated and we're moving on that. It's not a case of dropping off for production lines soup to nuts in any one particular time. Or we're building towards that. The idea is really to have the capacity needed for where we are in the game right now, when we have more than enough capacity in QAPs.

With VTM, we have the semi-automated system in place already, we can do that in parallel, we continue increasing capacity, but then we've got the full line in soup to nuts. QAPs is a little bit more diverse in its activities and unit operations can all be optimized and operated. And that's what we're doing on an on-going basis well with the development team.

Deborah Honig

How easily can the lines be retooled between the business segments?

Cameron Groome

Not sure what you mean by the question ever, could you rephrase it?

Deborah Honig

Can you take QAPs production and you know change into VTM or VTM production and switch it over to QAPs with a separate…

Cameron Groome

Well with the QAPs we had a demand for large amount of liquid form QAPs for example, there jigs we can swap out in the retool in the VTM line, moving from the larger VTM file to a smaller QAPs file would be certainly possible in that regard. With regards to the swab formatted QAPs, though those are their own specific format and we'd be able to look at different swabs for example in a automated or semi-automated swab production. So if we needed to go from a nasal pharyngeal swab to a vaginal swab, for example, those are more trivial changes that would be…

Deborah Honig

Okay. I've got another compound question for you, Cameron. Looking backwards total quarterly revenue has stagnated for a year from a high level, can you explain what we should be looking for? That will tell us to anticipate what pace we should expect to get closer to capacity? We've been optimistic about top line growth for a number of quarters and it hasn't fully materialized yet other than the recent 5 million recurring QAPs deal, just looking for some color on the pace of things.

Cameron Groome

Yes, absolutely. There have been delays on the part of our customers in concluding due to supply chain and other issues with their enrollments. So, we've been looking to see that breakout from the sort of 5 million run rate moving towards the 10. And we see that beginning in Q4 and that will gain steam, going into fiscal 2023. And through fiscal 2023, as we see different customers coming on, coming on, what's the word I'm looking for coming online, in terms of QAPs take up from us.

So, certainly that's been delayed, not derailed. And I think there was some other people who are looking for our revenues to fall off a cliff as if we were some travel testing company, related in relation to COVID. And certainly, that hasn't happened. So we built the foundation. And now, it's all starting, it's all coming together in in a planned way for us to move up next level of revenues.

Deborah Honig

Okay, got a couple other small ones? What kind of inventory do you currently have on hand to VTM now? And as VTM order, sorry, as VTM capacity comes online, will you build products in advance of hopeful orders? Or will you wait for orders to materialize before ramping?

Cameron Groome

There's about a month long production cycle for VTM between production and a whole step to ensure stability. So there is a time to build inventory, we have built some significant inventory for fall. And we want that available on an as needed basis. Certainly, we were able to respond very quickly, last Christmas with the Christmas Eve delivery as the Omicron wave moved through. And we want to show the same sort of value added and responsiveness going into the fall this year, when you know, the UV isn't so strong and people start to have to move indoors, we will see a resurgence of respiratory viruses, whether that's COVID or flu or something else. That's why you call it flu season.

Deborah Honig

Okay. And I had a hell of a question for urokinase. So I do not see any OEM or large medical supply company ever be selling urokinase without having an opportunity to own it outright? Can you provide some insights here?

Cameron Groome

Well, of course, that's opinion not fact. For us, this is about a partner that's committed to provide the economic support to revalidate a new source of manufacturing of drug substance, the active ingredient in drug product, the finished format, and then to do the marketing. You're not a drug marketing specialist of knowing all the vagaries of regulation in candidates less on that. We do know how to make the product. We will supervise a qualified contractor making product assist with the regulatory and assay revalidation and help that partner bring it forward.

And, whether that is somebody else owning the biological license application, the PLA with us having it paid back, right? If they don't perform or fund or execute accordingly, or whether we own it, they have a license, frankly, that's, six to one half of those the other two us provided that their performance requirements in that regard, and that we're getting a significant slug of the economics once the product returns to market.

Deborah Honig

Okay, I have one final question Cameron. And I think it's a good place to leave off. Somebody just asking kind of a better capital markets strategy and why there seems to be very low reaction to news lately, and what we're doing to promote the company to get more awareness. I mean, I could take the first part of it, which is less who's…

Cameron Groome

That’s going to say I blame our lead capital, but hey, that's just me. Right?

Deborah Honig

Yes. Well, I mean, the fact that most of our webinars run for 90 minutes and there's 50 or so questions for the audience certainly suggest to me that we don't have a small disengaged audience. But I would say for the last six to eight months, the markets have been really tough, especially for small QAPs. So a lot of news items have been liquidation events not just for Microbix, but for small QAPs and in terms of more awareness I know that we're doing a few new conferences and trying to focus more on the U.S. market right now. Yes, I mean, always trying to get out and do new things and meet new shareholders. We picked up coverage from a couple investment banks over the last few years. I feel like we're just on the cusp of being able to really reach the institutional investors, but probably take some top line growth and market cap growth to get the rest of the way. Cameron, your thoughts?

Cameron Groome

Yes, I’d agree with you, Deborah. I mean, we certainly we've taken a hit with the broader small QAP market on coming down from our 52-week high. I think the difference is, we are continuing to gain strength. I mean, if you look at our year-over-year, our financial ratios, September 30 to June 30, last year to June 30 this year, we went from 3.7 on the current ratio to 7.8. We went from 0.55 debt-to-equity to improve to 0.35. I mean, we're moving in the right direction. The company is getting better and stronger while the share prices going down that can't last forever. So, whether that's proven in market tone, whether we make it to market cap that appeals to a broader audience, at some point, the lines intersect, and we'll see a dramatic valuate revaluation.

I joke, we can't control when the, the jack in the box jumps out of the box, we can just keep cranking the handle. And, that's what we're doing is running the business and building value for shareholders and we are shareholders. So this is every everybody on the call here and everybody in the management team owns stock and have capital at risk as well as options. So we're, we watched the downside along with shareholders and we drive the upside for shareholders.

Deborah Honig

I agree, I think the business about the stock. But that being said, we are looking for new initiatives and trying to market to new audiences. And if anyone has suggestions, please feel free to reach out. I'm all here.

Cameron Groome

Yes, and we know how two analysts covering us of course, Industrial Alliance and Bloom Burton, Chelsea Stellick and Paul Stuart's at Industrial Alliance and Antonia Borovina at Bloom Burton and certainly we’ll welcome others and hope to gather other investment banks covering us as a healthy and well run growing business.

Deborah Honig

And don't forget Bruce.

Cameron Groome

Yes, and Bruce absolutely. And Bruce Krugel working for, of course, commissioned by Microbix, but very well respected and no bent and not supportable in terms of his own.

Deborah Honig

Yes. And just as a reminder, there is a new presentation that went up on the website today. So feel free to check that out. And if you have any feedback on it, again, feel free to reach out if any of your questions were not answered today. Please feel free to email me and I'll get you response from Cameron. And yes, thanks, everyone, for participating. Thanks for your questions. I think there was some interesting new ones covered today, that's exciting. Cameron, if there anything you wanted to discuss today that we didn't know.

Cameron Groome

No, I would just reiterate that, we have, we have clear goals, to continue growing our revenues and our current earnings intelligently and continue to work towards executing. So thank you and just thank everybody for their interest and support. We really do appreciate it. And we couldn't be doing this without everybody's help and support. So thank you.

Deborah Honig

Well, thank you, Cameron. Thanks, Jim. Thanks, Ken, for taking a break from your vacation to be with us today. And congratulations definitely exciting times for Microbix.

Cameron Groome

Well, thank you, everybody. And if any questions occur to anybody, coming out of this call, please don't hesitate to reach out to any one of us and we'll endeavor to address it.

Ken Hughes

Thanks, everyone.

Cameron Groome

Thanks everyone. Thanks, everybody. Take care. Bye.

Deborah Honig

Goodbye.
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Message to Shareholders
Results for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 ended June
30, 2022 (“Q3”) provide a seventh consecutive quarter
of profitability. In turn, the nine months of fiscal
2022 (“YTD”) realized year-over-year sales growth of
14%, along with a large increase in cash-flow from
operations. This progress is the result of our successful
transformation into a creator, maker, and marketer of
innovative, proprietary, branded, and fully-regulated
medical devices.
Shortly before this message was finalized, Microbix
disclosed an important new phase of sales growth:
Supplying QAPs to include in kits of consumables sold
by a leading global point-of-care test maker. Microbix
is thereby realizing our objective to be the partner-ofchoice for providing in-kit controls for new generations
of infectious-disease diagnostic tests, including multipathogen tests (i.e., multiplex tests), cancer screening
(e.g., HPV testing), and for antimicrobial-resistance
profiling (i.e., AMR tests).
The investments we have made, and continue
to make, in product development, clinical and
regulatory support, manufacturing scale-up, process
validation, and relationship-building have been with
the objective of securing such high-volume ongoing
purchase and supply agreements. We expect that the
announced contract will be the first of many and lead
our QAPs to become the largest segment of Microbix
sales, with such sales doubling and redoubling over
the next several years.
In addition to our multi-faceted work on QAPs, we
continue to add to our overall capabilities. Recent
quarters have seen the addition of management
directors to support enhanced IT capabilities (a
belated welcome to Mr. Dennis Haikalis), as well as
deeper clinical lab expertise (a more timely welcome
to Dr. Anu Rebbapragada). Microbix expects to
continue to add to our leadership team on a crossfunctional basis, as well as to promote from within as
merited and whenever possible.
Q3 has seen still more positive milestones, including
the completion of renovations to our third site,
commissioned for semi-automated production of
DxTM™, offices, and warehousing. Fully-automated
DxTM production is now targeted to start in fall of
2022, in time for winter respiratory virus testing. In
preparation for that expanded capacity, Microbix
is engaged with outreach to labs in other Canadian
provinces to provide a domestic supply option.
In its other major business line, our antigens testingredients business, Microbix is seeing a recovery in
the demand that had been supressed as a result of
the pandemic disrupting care patterns. Specifically,
Q3 sales of antigens neared $2.3 million, up 42% from
their low-point just the prior quarter. Our outlook for
antigens is positive with a solid order book over the
balance of fiscal 2022 and into 2023.
Each of Microbix’s revenue-oriented business lines is
progressing, enabled by our talented and dedicated
team. To retain and incentivize our staff in the face of
much higher inflation, we’ll keep working to provide
optimal pay and career opportunities. One such
action will be the start of a deferred profit-sharing
plan, as part of emphasizing performance-linked
compensation measures across Microbix.
Microbix’s many shareholders continue to be key
in driving our growing success. Your support helps
us to navigate the business, economic, and social
issues of these times and we can happily report still
better measures of financial solvency alongside our
profitability. In tandem, any working capital not
needed immediately for operations is being directed
into short-term investments and our leadership will
likewise evaluate further debt repayment, share
buybacks, and acquisitions if accretive to earnings.
To conclude, Microbix is starting to emerge as a distinct
brand in the diagnostics sector – A firm that doesn’t
market particular tests, but instead makes everyone’s
tests work better. This quality-centric message unifies
our three business lines, whether it be supporting test
production (antigens), securing sample collection or
ensuring test-accuracy (DxTM and QAPs). We remain
excited, motivated, and thankful about our work and
our company!
Personally and on behalf of our team, I thank you for
your continuing support and wish you all the best.
Cameron L. Groome
Chief Executive Officer and President
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Microbix has an upside of 136 per cent, Industrial Alliance says (8/11/22)
Microbix
A new development at Microbix Biosystems (Microbix Systems Stock Quote, Chart, News, Analysts, Financials TSX:MBX) has Industrial Alliance Securities analyst Chelsea Stellick reaffirming her bullish stance on the stock.

Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Mississauga, Microbix Biosystems develops and commercializes proprietary biological and technological solutions for human health and wellbeing in North America, Europe and internationally.

On August 10, Microbix announced that it had executed a purchase and supply agreement by which Microbix QAPs (quality assessment products) will support assays on what the company described as an “industry-leading molecular (polymerase chain reaction) and antigen-based point-of-care testing platforms”.

“Our firms have been working together for many months and it is a pleasure to fully formalize our close and positive relationship,” said senior VP of sales Phil Casselli. “This Microbix customer is continuing to ensure optimal diagnosis of infectious diseases via leading-edge point-of-care PCR and antigen-based testing, including the quality management system support provided by our FLOQSwab-formatted QAPs.”

Stellick says this recurring revenue signals the next stage of growth for Microbix.

“Investments in R&D and sales and marketing to scale up to the next level of growth have paid off through the addition of approximately $5M in annual incremental QAPs™ sales, through an initial large contract with a diagnostic OEM,” she said. “This supply agreement will materially increase revenues and benefit Microbix’s brand by expanding its reach through the consumable assay kits of a multinational diagnostics company. With a strong balance sheet, improving current ratio, and declining debt ratio, Microbix has the capacity and flexibility to secure additional large customers and expand its reach within the growing diagnostics vertical.”

In a research update to clients Wednesday, Stellick maintained her “Buy” rating and one-year price target of $1.25 on Microbix, implying a return of 135.8 per cent at the time of publication.

Stellick thinks the company will generate EBITDA of $4.8-million on revenue of $20.5-million in fiscal 2022. She expects those numbers will improve to EBITDA of $6.4-million on a topline of $24.5-million the following year.
https://www.cantechletter.com/2022/08/microbix-has-an-upside-of-136-per-cent-industrial-alliance-says/#
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Microbix QAPs to Support Molecular & Antigen Test Platforms for Multiple Diseases

MISSISSAUGA, CANADA, August 10, 2022 – Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator, manufacturer, and exporter, announces the execution of a purchase and supply agreement (“Agreement”) by which Microbix “QAPs™” quality assessment products will support assays on industry-leading molecular (PCR) and antigen-based point-of-care testing platforms.

QAPs mimic positive or negative patient samples to validate the proper functioning of operators, assays and instruments. QAPs formatted onto Copan® FLOQSwabs® are ideal support for point-of-care test workflows and are room-temperature stable for 24 months for compatibility with test-cartridge storage and handling conditions. Microbix has over 80 types of QAPs, including multiplexes to support clear diagnosis of cutaneous, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and sexually-transmitted infectious diseases. QAPs are used to support staff training and qualification of new instruments as “ONBOARDx™” kits, or incorporated into kits of assay consumables as an integral part of test quality management procedures.

Under the Agreement, Microbix is providing a leading multinational diagnostics developer, manufacturer, and marketer with monoplex and multiplex QAPs – for incorporation into kits of test cartridges for the customer’s molecular instrument platform across multiple disease categories. Additionally, Microbix ONBOARDx kits are being provided to assist new purchasers with staff training and assay qualification for both the antigen-based and molecular-based instrument platforms of the customer. Purchase and supply has already begun under the Agreement, which has an initial term of five years and includes provisions for development of further QAPs to support future assays of this customer.
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The Agreement is expected to materially increase Microbix’s QAPs revenues starting in Q4 fiscal 2022. In connection with this Agreement, the customer will be providing confidential QAPs demand forecasts to Microbix, with a portion of such forecasts being binding and to be updated on a regular basis. If its current expectations are realized, Microbix may generate incremental QAPs sales of approximately C$ 5.0 million related to this Agreement in its initial year of fiscal 2023.

Phil Casselli, Senior Vice President of Sales and Business Development of Microbix, stated, “Our firms have been working together for many months and it is a pleasure to fully formalize our close and positive relationship. This Microbix customer is continuing to ensure optimal diagnosis of infectious diseases via leading-edge point-of-care PCR and antigen-based testing, including the quality management system support provided by our FLOQSwab-formatted QAPs.”

Cameron Groome, CEO and President of Microbix also commented, “We’re delighted to support making clinically-important diagnostic testing more widely available. Microbix believes accurate multi-pathogen point-of-care testing will improve patient care and that multiplex QAPs will help enable this evolution.”
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Microbix Executes Substantial QAPs Supply Agreement

If its current expectations are realized, Microbix may generate incremental QAPs sales of approximately C$ 5.0 million related to this Agreement in its initial year of fiscal 2023.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microbix-executes-substantial-qaps-supply-110000179.html
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Nice presentation Torrey Hills from last month ...

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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Moving closer to expansion completion...

https://ca.indeed.com/jobs?q=microbix&l=Toronto%2C%20ON&vjk=1862915c5e357c85
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Bloom Burton coverage $1 one year PT

https://www.bloomburton.com/research/MBX20220606.pdf
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Nice microbix mention at 38:45 mark by Eden Rahim, top biotech/life sciences fund manager.

https://www.nextedgecapital.com/update-and-outlook-next-edge-biotech-and-life-sciences-opportunities-fund-may-2022/
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Message to Shareholders
Results for the second quarter of fiscal 2022 ended
March 31, 2022 (“Q2”) provided Microbix with a sixth
consecutive quarter of profitability. In turn, sales for
our first-half of fiscal 2022 (“H1”) demonstrated yearover-year sales growth of 30% and an increase of over
70% in net profit. This progress is the result of our
successful transformation into a creator, maker, and
marketer of innovative, proprietary, branded, and
fully-regulated medical devices.
Notably, sales have been on either side of $5.0
million for five quarters now, a time in which we’ve
been intensely active – in product development,
clinical and regulatory work, manufacturing process
validations, and customer relationship-building. All
this has been conducted alongside global leaders in
the diagnostics industry, who we believe will shortly
become Microbix customers. Consequently, we are
aiming to soon achieve a break-out to a much higher
level of quarterly revenues – principally driven by
sales of our QAPs to leading diagnostic test-makers
and likely beginning as soon as Q4 of fiscal 2022.
Such product, process, and business development
work necessarily happens “behind the scenes,” as
we can’t provide real-time details about with whom
we’re working or on what – such information is
commercially-sensitive and confidential. Happily
though, the intensity-level of our work can be in-part
measured by our participation in, and product results
presentations at, leading diagnostics industry events
such as the four which we’ve attended just in April,
2022 (at which data generated over many months has
been presented). The sales cycle for our product areas
are lengthy, but we are far from idle and I believe we
are making progress that will result in unprecedented
financial results.
It is to support such greater sales that we are making
further investments in our people, equipment,
facilities, and software control systems. Each such
investment is intended to help enable us to achieve
annual sales on the order of $100 million over the next
several years. There is of course no assurance we’ll
achieve such sales with these investments, but it is
certain that we would never achieve such sales if we
do not make these capacity-oriented upgrades.
I’m likewise pleased to report that each of our salesdriven business areas are performing very well;
namely our antigens (test ingredients), QAPs (test
controls), and DxTM (viral transport medium). Our
segment leadership and staff are all doing great work
and ensuring that we are achieving optimum margins
on every dollar of product sold. Please join me in
thanking them for their skill and dedication, which is
very much reflected in the 64% and 65% gross margins
attained in Q2 and H1 respectively.
In light of all our fundamental progress, it may be
a source of frustration that Microbix’s share price
is near to its 52-week low. In recognizing this fact,
I’m reminded that most life sciences stocks have
performed poorly since the start of 2022, with the TSX
Healthcare Sub-Index down 58% from its high. So this
price-pressure does not seem specific to Microbix and,
with our very strong cash position and balance sheet
ratios, we have no need or intention to issue shares
and have all funds that we believe are necessary to
execute our current growth plans.
I should also note that we are continuing to monitor
and adapt to global health, economic, and political
conditions. With regards to health, we are watching
the evolution of the COVID pandemic and more. With
regards to economics, we are keenly conscious of
inflationary pressures and supply-chain issues. And
with regards to the latter, we are very pleased to
welcome our new Board Director, Jennifer Stewart,
who is a leading expert in public affairs.
In summary, you own a strong and growing
business. As fellow shareholders, your company
board, management, and staff are committed to
disciplined execution of well-reasoned expansion
plans. We believe we have the innovative products
and the customer relationships needed to drive
sales growth, and we are now hard at work at
making certain we have the capacity and support
systems necessary to realize our objectives and
create sustained value for shareholders.
Personally and on behalf of our team, I thank you for
your continuing support and wish you all the best.
Cameron L. Groome
Chief Executive Officer and President
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Microbix mention in article:

Looking ahead, Chelsea Stellick, Calgary-based iA Capital Markets senior equity research analyst focused on health care and biotech, expects the testing sector to continue to have applications post-pandemic. While testing control companies like Microbix Biosystems Inc. saw significant demand during COVID-19, the need for testing is expected to continue or pick up for other conditions after being put on hold due to the pandemic, she says.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-new-applications-for-pandemic-era-innovation-may-lead-rebound-in/
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Microbix is a Buy ahead of quarterly earnings, says iA Capital

(yielddude - fwiw, I feel this is very conservative. She's not pricing in any of the potential increases in the automation, that should send their revenue soaring in late 2022)

Chelsea Stellick of iA Capital Markets stands solidly with Microbix Biosystems (Microbix Biosystems Stock Quote, Chart, News, Analysts, Financials TSX:MBX), maintaining a “Buy” rating and target price of $1.70/share for a projected return of 142.9 per cent in an update to clients on Thursday.

Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Mississauga, Microbix Biosystems develops and commercializes proprietary biological and technological solutions for the healthcare industry in North America, Europe, and internationally.

Stellick’s updated analysis comes as a preview to the company’s financial results for the first quarter of 2022.

“MBX is expected to continue rapidly growing its business as an essential player in domestic testing for the omicron variant and other pathogens,” Stellick said. “Q1/F22 is expected to be solid for the VTM segment and we expect continued progress in QAPs while the antigens segment maintains its gross profit. Testing will remain a priority in Q1 due to the combination of flu season and COVID-19.”

Microbix reached an agreement with the Province of Ontario on December 24 of a second order of $4.7 million for its viral transport medium DxTM, an 11 per cent increase in capacity from its April order. Stellick expects approximately $1.75 million in revenue from this transaction to come in this quarter, approximately $1.6 million in the second quarter, and the remainder in the third quarter.

Stellick also expects Ontario to do a reorder sometime in the second half of 2022 given the current public health climate.

According to Stellick, the company is also targeting new markets for its quality assessment products including diagnostics OEMs and previously untapped laboratories and clinical laboratories, with Stellick expecting automation to materialize sometime this year.

With 2021 now in the rearview mirror, Stellick has modified some of her financial projections, forecasting revenue of $22.7 million for 2022 (previously $24.3 million) to imply a year-over-year increase of 22 per cent, followed by a smaller projected increase to $24.5 million in 2023 (previously $27.3 million), indicating year-over-year growth of 7.9 per cent.

Stellick’s reductions are partially on account of lengthened timelines for the company’s antigens segments to start growing again thanks to reduced testing for non-COVID diseases.

Meanwhile, after a $5.3 million positive turn in 2021, Stellick expects the company’s EBITDA to continue growing to $7.3 million in 2022 (previously $7.6 million) for an implied margin of 32.2 per cent, then moving to a projected $8.1 million in 2023 (previously $8.8 million) for a margin of 33.1 per cent.

In terms of valuation multiples, Stellick expects a spike in the company’s EV/Revenue multiple from the reported 1x in 2021 to a projected 4.7x in 2022, then going down slightly to a projected 4.3x in 2023. Meanwhile, the EV/EBITDA multiple remains on a downward trend, with Stellick projecting a drop from 20.5x in 2021 to 14.5x in 2022, then to 13x in 2023.

Microbix Biosystems has seen mixed results with its stock price, up 51.1 per cent over the last 12 months despite being down 16.1 per cent in 2022. Christmas Eve yielded Microbix’s 52-week high of $0.84/share, while its low for the same time period was $0.45/share a year ago today.

https://www.cantechletter.com/2022/01/microbix-is-a-buy-ahead-of-quarterly-earnings-says-ia-capital/#

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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Chelsea Stellick of iA Capital Markets remains a supporter of Microbix Biosystems (Microbix Biosystems Stock Quote, Chart, News, Analysts, Financials TSX:MBX), maintaining a “Buy” rating and target price of $1.70/share for a projected return of 117.9 per cent in an update to clients on December 23.
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
A good primer and update webinar on Microbix from 2 days ago ...

https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2813/43824

A couple of comments stood out to me ...

They will do about $18M in revenues in 2021. In three years, they are expecting to do closer to $100M. From another interview, I think revenues should start to ramp up considerably in 4th 2022, s/b close to $10M, as this is when the benefit of all the expansion and upgrades should kick in. I believe I remember $29M revenue estimate for FY2022, and I'm extrapolating about a 50% increase in revs again for the next two years.

They know they are undervalued compared to their peers, and realize they could become an acquisition target. Mr. Groome has experience in the M&A field, and will be a good person to have in charge to know whether any suitors are legit and reasonable. However, I believe he would rather have fun the next few years growing the company to that $100M mark.
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
ESPACE Microcaps Microbix write-up from 10/12/21

https://microbix.com/wp-content/2021-10-12%20-%20Microbix%20Biosystems%20-%20Espace%20MicroCaps%20Investment%20Thesis.pdf
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Daily testing in Ontario going up, almost double over a couple of weeks ago.

TORONTO -- Ontario health officials are reporting more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time since late spring.

The province confirmed 1,031 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday. The last time the province reported more than 1,000 new cases in a single day was on May 30 when 1,033 new cases were logged.

This past week, officials reported 788 new cases on Monday, 687 new cases on Tuesday, 780 new cases on Wednesday and 949 new cases on Thursday.

Ontario’s rolling seven-day average now stands at 866, up from 711 at this point last week.

With 39,748 tests processed in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health says the positivity rate in the province stands at about 2.9 per cent.

Of the new infections reported Friday, 589 cases involved people who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown. The remaining 442 infections involved people who are fully vaccinated.
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-reports-more-than-1-000-new-covid-19-cases-for-first-time-in-six-months-1.5692338
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yielddude yielddude 2 years ago
Microbix Receives $2.7 Million from Exercise of Warrants
Further Capital to Assist with Increasing Capacity and Efficiency

MISSISSAUGA, CANADA, October 27, 2021 – Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator and exporter, announces that it has received C$ 2.7 million from the partial exercise of two series of expiring share purchase warrants.

The first series of such warrants were issued in connection with a private placement undertaken in October, 2015, and had an exercise price of C$ 0.55 and a five-year term. The original term of these warrants was extended by one year, as announced by Microbix on September 17, 2020. A total of 1,200,000 of these warrants have been exercised, representing 80% of the total outstanding warrants and providing C$ 660,000 of further equity capital to Microbix.

The second series of such warrants were issued in connection with a private placement undertaken in October, 2017, and had an exercise price of C$ 0.36 and a three-year term. The original term of these warrants was extended by one year, as announced by Microbix on September 17, 2020. A total of 5,658,819 of these warrants have been exercised, representing 97% of the total outstanding warrants and providing C$ 2,037,175 of further equity capital to Microbix.

The total C$ 2,697,175 received from the exercise of these warrants more than offsets the funds used for the early repayment of the C $1.3 million 9% debenture made on October 1, 2021. As of today, Microbix has over C$ 11 million in cash on its balance sheet, along with an undrawn line of credit for up to C$2.0 million. Some of the available funds are being used to drive increasing production capacity for QAPs™ and DxTM™, and for increasing the capacity and efficiency of all operations – to improve margins and earnings.

A total of 375,002 of the 2017 warrants were exercised by Insiders, for whom the term extension was approved by shareholders at Microbix’s Annual General Meeting on March 30, 2021. After addition of all new shares resulting from warrant exercises, Microbix has 129,967,086 common shares outstanding.

Cameron Groome, CEO and President of Microbix, stated, “We greatly appreciate the confidence that our shareholders are demonstrating by exercising their expiring warrants to purchase common shares. We commit to appropriately deploy the additional equity capital that they are committing. Such new equity capital will be used to create further value for our shareholders by helping enable Microbix to support much greater sales and achieve better gross margins and net earnings.”

Jim Currie, CFO of Microbix, also commented, “With these warrant exercises and our recent debenture repayment, Microbix now has a debt-to-equity ratio of less than 0.5 and a current ratio of over 4.0. This financial strength helps demonstrate to prospective customers that we are a reliable long-term partner and should thereby accelerate the growth of our business. Among other matters, our available funds and ongoing positive cash flow are being used to add new product development labs and manufacturing spaces, and to upgrade quality management and enterprise resource planning systems.”
About Microbix Biosystems
Microbix develops proprietary biological technology solutions for human health and well-being, with about 100 skilled employees and sales nearing C$ 2.0 million per month. It makes a wide range of critical biological materials for the global diagnostics industry, notably antigens for immunoassays and its laboratory quality assessment products (QAPs™) that support clinical lab proficiency testing, enable assay development and validation, or help ensure the quality of clinical diagnostic workflows. Microbix antigens enable the antibody tests of over 100 international diagnostics companies, while its QAPs are sold to clinical laboratory accreditation organizations, diagnostics companies, and clinical laboratories. Microbix QAPs are now available in over 30 countries, distributed by 1WA (Oneworld Accuracy Inc.), Alpha-Tec Systems, Inc., Diagnostic International Distribution SpA., Labquality Oy, The Medical Supply Company of Ireland, R-Biopharm AG, SDT Molecular Pte Ltd, Seegene Canada Inc., and Thomas Scientific LLC. Microbix is ISO 9001 and 13485 accredited, U.S. FDA registered, Australian TGA registered, Health Canada establishment licensed, and provides CE marked products.

Microbix also applies its biological expertise and infrastructure to develop other proprietary products and technologies, most notably viral transport medium (DxTM™) to stabilize patient samples for lab-based molecular diagnostic testing and Kinlytic® urokinase, a biologic thrombolytic drug used to treat blood clots. Microbix is traded on the TSX and OTCQX, and headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Microbix 2-minute video posted today on twitter, very positive

I'm not positive when it was recorded, so not sure if brand new but definitely in the past two months.

https://twitter.com/Microbix
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TheHappyVulcan TheHappyVulcan 3 years ago
I'm liking what I'm seeing here. I may just have to take a position. After a little more DD, we may hit the green light.

Spock.....beacons in space use a different color.

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TheHappyVulcan TheHappyVulcan 3 years ago
I'm liking what I'm seeing here. I may just have to take a position. After a little more DD, we may hit the green light.

Spock.....beacons in space use a different color.

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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
New 52 week highs today ...
MBX.TO .74 728K volume
MBXBF .5763

I'm impressed. Stock was holding the 60's past couple of weeks on no big news, now it has moved up to 52 week highs (multi year high).

They just finished 4th quarter, and it should be a record quarter, so that is 4 record earnings quarters in a row. They will now have a P/E etc. to use as comparison to other comparable companies, rapidly growing revenues, margins, cash flows, and earnings. With catalysts to come.

Catalysts:
4thQ and yearly earnings - we know it will be good, but still don't know the exact numbers.
New VTM contract with Ontario - feel like we've been waiting, but I'm confident it will come.
QAP's - lots of references in CC's that this could grow rapidly, so I'm optimistic there will be some news on this front in the next few months.
Kinlytic - there was a mention a while back that they hoped to secure a deal by calendar year-end. Hopefully that is still on track, as that will be a nice bonus, and likely a surprise to anyone that does not follow the company closely.

Microbix is expanding their manufacturing capacity, and their growth in revenues/earnings/cash flow should continue through 2022 and beyond. IT has been a slow (but positive) grind, but it appears the acceleration is within sight.

I'm still optimistic about $1 by year-end 2021, and $2 by YE 2022.
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
This is a very nice write-up and recommendation. It explains their business well, with solid conservative reasoning for a buy recommendation.

https://espacemc.com/2021/10/12/espace-microcaps-top-picks-microbix-biosystems-mbx-to/?lang=en
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Update at the 42:30 mark for the October Adelaide Digital Newletter.


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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Microbix Presents at MicroCap Leadership Summit 2021
(good interview for current status of company and where they are headed)


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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Microbix Presenting Product Results at AACC
QAPs to Support Testing for COVID Viral Variants

MISSISSAUGA, CANADA, September 27, 2021 – Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQX: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator and exporter, announces that it has been invited to present about the performance of its COVID-19 test quality assessment products (QAPs™) at “AACC” the annual scientific meeting & clinical laboratory exposition of the American Association of Clinical Chemistry, taking place in live and virtual formats from Atlanta, GA, September 26-30, 2021.

The abstract poster presentation is titled “Advanced SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) whole genome materials for use as verification, external quality assessment (EQA) and prospective quality control samples.” It reviews the performance of Microbix’s novel, innovative, and proprietary PROCEEDx™FLOQ® branded QAPs, formatted on Copan® FLOQ®Swabs and room-temperature stable, for use to help verify the performance of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) that detect SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern (VOCs). Results reported relate to the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and WT variants, formerly known as the UK, South African, Brazilian, and Wuhan strains. The results demonstrate that these Microbix QAPs are compatible with over 20 widely-used COVID-19 NAATs, including those that can detect and differentiate VOCs.

Such results continue to demonstrate how Microbix is addressing the need for workflow controls to effectively support the quality objectives of testing for SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, as for all forms of testing relating to the pandemic. The overall Microbix QAPs portfolio now comprises more than 70 distinct products across multiple categories of infectious diseases, test types, and test formats.

The abstract presentations were co-authored by ten members of Microbix’s product development (R&D), operating, and customer support teams, led by Pavel Zhelev, Director of Product Management (QAPs), and Dr. Amer Alagic, Director of R&D. The poster details the performance results of the QAPs in a complete and succinct fashion and will be made available on the company website, https://microbix.com, upon their presentation at AACC 2021 on September 29. The poster includes Microbix’s thankful acknowledgement of five collaborator organizations in Canada and internationally.

Purchase enquiries for Microbix’s QAPs can be directed to one of its nine distributors for the Americas, Australasia, Europe, and Scandinavia, as cited later in this news release. QAPs product enquiries can also be e-mailed directly to Microbix at customer.service@microbix.com.
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Getting some online support ....

How did blackDot.ca help?
blackDot.ca was hired to work on Microbix’s Shopify website as well as to act as an online marketing arm. To help facilitate their various business channels, we developed a support website, reseller marketplace, and quick lookup functionality to help customers and partners along their journey.

https://www.blackdot.ca/webdevelopment-microbix.php
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
"We're going to need a bigger boat."
I like these hires. Not one, but two customer service specialists. Good times ahead.

Our client, Microbix, is looking to fill 2 positions in its Customer Service rolls. In this entry level position as a Customer Service Specialist, you will be working with our Sales, Marketing and Business Development Team as we grow our business. In this fast-paced roll, you will work closely with the sales and product management teams as well as our customers. Primary duties will include entering orders, performing front line customer service, coordinating production with shipping dates and handling many customer facing activities.

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/customer-service-specialist-at-hirinc-2732194651/?originalSubdomain=ca
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Microbix MBX.TO MBXBF more paraphrasing from interview at 5:45 ....


We did 10.5M last year, we'll do over $18M this year, and we're currently budgeting for 2022, which will be another record year and substantially up from fiscal 2021.

which leads into his undervaluation comment.

So they have 3 record quarters in a row, expect a record year in 2022, and letting investors know that if they continue to be undervalued, it's likely a life sciences company will recognize that and take them out (buyout). That's pretty much what I have been seeing and thinking. Time will tell.
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
the same interview video on youtube.

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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
New interview Paraphrase "If investors don't recognize our value, we may get taken out by a life sciences company that does". About the 6:00 mark.

https://ca.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/960457/microbix-biosystems-products--gaining-increasing-success--with-diagnostic-manufacturers-and-clinical-labs-960457.html
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Outlook Statement from MBX


Microbix’ primary business is the result of over three decades of experience manufacturing high quality viral and bacterial antigens – for use in the medical diagnostic testing industry. Its many antigen products have received widespread and longstanding acceptance by “immunoassay” diagnostic test makers, with continuing growth in demand being the general trend prior to the pandemic. Microbix antigens are now used by over 100 diagnostics manufacturers and are the critical biology inside tens of millions of medical tests for bacterial and viral diseases.

From 2017 until the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, growth in demand for Microbix’ antigens had been stronger to end-customers in both established and emerging markets. Much of that growth was believed to be due to a number of diagnostics for infectious diseases important to public health beginning to be adopted in the Asia-Pacific region. In fiscal 2018 and across fiscal 2019, we saw the emergence of this Asian demand materialize in orders from our distribution partner for such markets, as well as from customers based in North America and Europe that were achieving growing sales into Asia. While we believe Asia-Pacific demand for antigens should continue to grow over time, sales to this newer market were also adding to the quarter-to-quarter volatility of Microbix’s revenues. From fiscal 2020, antigen demand has demonstrated further volatility as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on patient behaviours and global allocation of testing resources.

Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-term effect of increasing Asia-Pacific test usage may be to take Microbix’s potential antigens market from being the population of North America and Western Europe to closer to the much larger overall global population. As a leading global supplier of such vital native antigens that has created and validated leading-edge production techniques, Microbix believes it is now well-prepared to fulfill such demand growth.

In fiscal 2020, a different antigens market driver emerged in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Microbix does not currently supply native or recombinant antigens for immunoassay tests for the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19 disease (properly called the SARS-CoV-2 virus), it does expect to see lasting long-term benefits within its antigens business. Such benefits would initially come from increased testing capacity in general, and specifically from increased immunologic testing for exposure to respiratory pathogens other than the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Notably, healthcare practitioners and public health authorities are likely to want a definitive diagnosis of the reason for illness if a patient tests negative for SARS-CoV-2 (i.e., if not that, then what?) and may want to know if a patient is co-infected with another respiratory pathogen if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 (e.g., at greater risk because co-infected with an influenza virus or a resulting bacterial infection). Microbix has begun to see its flow of orders for some of its respiratory antigens increase, as its products form an integral part of some approved tests. However, at present, patient testing in relation to diseases other than respiratory infections are continuing to be disrupted as a result of several factors, including testing resources limitations, patient reluctance to see medical professionals for non-emergency issues, and recurring societal lockdowns. It is important to note that these factors are not unique to Microbix, but are affecting the entire diagnostics industry on a worldwide basis.

Microbix’s QAPs business involves the use of antigens, nucleic acids or proteins (collectively, biomaterials) for purposes beyond the large-scale manufacturing of medical test kits. This newer usage packages a very small amount of such stabilized and inactivated biomaterials into individual small vials (e.g., ~1.0 ml) or dried onto sample collection swabs (i.e., Copan® “FLOQSwabs®”). Such samples are used as tools to establish whether the quality objectives of clinical laboratories are being met – for example to assess whether testing equipment is functioning properly, if staff has been adequately trained and is performing properly, or if reagents have spoiled. Such innovative, proprietary, and branded quality assessment products (QAPs™, pronounced as “caps”) are a high value end-use of Microbix’s biologicals expertise and there is a growing need for such products as regulators progressively tighten their surveillance of the competence of medical testing labs. Notable drivers for such demand are the U.S. “CLIA” regulations, European Union IVD-D and IVD-R regulations, and ISO 15189 standards, that are all encouraging labs to increase use of quality products from qualified third-parties across their ever- broadening portfolio of tests. In the nine months of the current fiscal 2021 year-to-date (YTD) , Microbix derived over one-quarter of its sales from providing QAPs – to laboratory accreditation organizations, diagnostic test and instrument-makers and to clinical laboratories (directly and via distributors). This is an increase from 15% across fiscal 2020, and 10% historically – reflecting the strong growth of the QAPs product category (e.g., sales increase of
243% for YTD fiscal 2021 compared to the prior year equivalent period).

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a pertinent illustration of the need for QAPs and Microbix’s capabilities to create, license/register, and manufacture such products. As Microbix concluded this emerging pathogen had potential to create a pandemic, it began the development of QAPs products directed at supporting the accuracy of emerging molecular (RT-PCR) tests for the virus. Discussions around the development of this product began in February, 2020, were followed by Canadian, EU and U.S. licensings/registrations through the spring, and led to first sales in all three markets prior to June 30, 2020. Subsequently, Microbix has also announced QAPs to support RT-PCR testing for multiple COVID variants- of-concern, for COVID antigen-tests, and, most recently, for COVID serological tests. However important, COVID remains only a portion of Microbix’s QAPs portfolio, which now comprises more than 70 discreet products that are principally in the respiratory and sexually-transmitted disease categories. That broad portfolio of QAPs has enabled Microbix to build-out a global distribution network for this product line, with a total of nine distributors now providing end-user access and sales support in over 30 countries.

In fiscal 2021, Microbix announced further projects to support the fight against the pandemic – including its project to produce viral transport medium (DxTM) in support of Ontario’s RT-PCR testing for COVID-19 disease. An Ontario Together Fund grant to support this project was announced in fiscal Q1, Microbix completed its technical file to enable Canadian sales in fiscal Q2, and a material first order of $4.25 million was received from Ontario-based procurement Authorities in April, 2021. The benefits from that first order are reflected in the results for fiscal Q3, as they will again across fiscal Q4, 2021.

It is worth repeating that everyone at Microbix has been working hard to help conquer the new challenges to human health and well-being throughout this very challenging pandemic.

Due to the positive prospects of each of the above lines of its business and products, Microbix continues to reinvest to better ensure that it can meet expected growth in demand. Such work includes upgrading its manufacturing technologies, quality systems, processes and training, capacity and allocation of resources, along with developing and launching new products. This has involved many steps to both de-bottleneck and de-risk our production processes, work that will be ongoing as Microbix continues to grow sales across our product lines. Starting in fiscal 2018, multiple upgrades to facilities have been made and further investments will continue to be made in infrastructure going forward, such as those discussed in the Public Offering prospectus dated May 19, 2021 Additionally, Microbix will be investing in our people – with efforts to enhance training, career progression, and retention.

Benefits of the manufacturing upgrades have now become readily apparent, with Microbix capable of supporting year-over-year sales growth of over 80% in Q3, 2021 and 66% YTD. Additionally gross margins for Q3 2021 improved to 63% from just 47% the prior year due to both a greater proportion of branded products (55% vs. 20%), better control of production processes and an improved product mix. Fiscal Q3
2021 is the first quarter that fully reflects Microbix’s work in positioning for continuing sales growth, to materially improve its percentage gross margins, and drive toward a higher proportion of higher margin products. This statement is most conclusively supported by the $1.5 million of net earnings recorded for Q3 of fiscal 2021, for a gratifying net earnings margin of 28%.

More broadly speaking though, fiscal 2020 and 2021 have proved to be challenging for many companies, including Microbix. The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting normal antigen ordering patterns and has delayed the widespread uptake of Microbix’ novel and innovative QAPs for such areas as high- risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) molecular testing. The development and registration of leading-edge QAPs to support COVID-19 test accuracy have partially, but not fully, offset these disruptions and delays in fiscal 2020 and 2021. However, 2021 is now providing firm evidence of the interest in Microbix’s QAPs from the global diagnostics and clinical laboratory industries, with YTD fiscal 2021 sales of approximately $3.5 million demonstrating substantial growth from prior year-to-date. Management sees this growth continuing.

Going forward, Microbix is working to keep improving its percentage gross margin while also growing its sales of antigens and QAPs, and of DxTM. Percentage gross margin improvements, such as those seen in Q3 fiscal 2021, should be achievable by way of operational discipline across antigens, QAPs and DxTM, although variation in product sales mix will drive some quarter-to-quarter volatility. Achievement of Microbix’s sales and gross margin goals is expected to lead to increasingly meaningful quarterly net earnings, with results reporting to regularly update shareholders on progress with such operational goals.

With regards to Kinlytic urokinase, Microbix’s biologic clot-buster therapeutic, it is management’s opinion that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the difficulty of securing a partnering agreement to obtain the required re-development funding. This is for two reasons: (i) the pandemic has disrupted the business of the hospital-oriented product companies that are the logical partners for this asset (due to fewer normal-course procedures being done) and thereby constrained the new product budgets of such companies, and (ii) ongoing restrictions on physical travel (i.e., closed borders, quarantines, etc.) are making it more difficult to advance negotiations, conclude partnerships, and manage off-site manufacturing or clinical trial work.

Accordingly, Microbix cannot represent a precise timeline for securing a funding partner to advance the re-development of Kinlytic to sBLA filing and renewed commercial sales. As a consequence, management followed International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and fully impaired the book value of this asset in Q4 of fiscal 2020. However, since that time, management has continued efforts to partner this asset and thereby return the drug to the United States market for its catheter-clearance sub-indication. Microbix remains optimistic that it will achieve that objective and thereby derive value from this asset.

To summarize, the company continues to target double-digit annual percentage growth in sales, while concurrently expanding gross margins and net earnings. Sustainable growth and consistent profitability are core goals for Microbix. Those objectives should be attainable based on increasing long-term demand for antigens, implementation of innovative antigen production methods, the launch of new QAPs product lines, material sales of DxTM, and successful partnering of Kinlytic. It is intended for success with such initiatives to drive share price appreciation.

https://www.sedar.com/CheckCode.do
(don't know if link will work, but from Sedar filing of 8/12/21 management discussion and analysis MDA)
Nod to Raze on Stockhouse where I first saw it.
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Microbix Reports Record Results for Q3 Fiscal 2021

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microbix-reports-record-results-q3-113000372.html
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Microbix Announces Quality Products Distribution Agreement
(yielddude note - this PR seems a little more aggressive than past PR's - I like it. Go get em.)

Microbix Biosystems Inc.
Wed, July 7, 2021, 7:00 AM

Appointment of Thomas Scientific as U.S. Distributor

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, July 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQB: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator and exporter, announces the appointment of Thomas Scientific LLC as distributor of Microbix’s quality assessment products (QAPs™) for the United States.

Under an agreement between the parties, Thomas Scientific has been appointed as the second distributor of Microbix’s QAPs in the United States. Thomas Scientific will thereby provide customer service, sales and marketing, distribution, and related logistical support for Microbix’s QAPs. Thomas Scientific is one of the largest pure-play scientific distributors in the United States, delivering relevant diagnostic products to healthcare professionals, hospitals, and clinical laboratories to improve the lives of patients. Thomas Scientific provides advanced logistics, including strategically-situated warehousing facilities throughout the territory to enable cost-effective and rapid provisioning. Thomas Scientific has a strong track-record with its large customer-base, employing over 175 general sales professionals and five specialists in molecular diagnostics with a specific focus on infectious diseases. Thomas Scientific will thereby bring highly-professional service to U.S.-based infectious disease diagnostics customers for QAPs.

Microbix’s QAPs line now consists of over 70 products to help support the accuracy of various diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. This line includes QAPs to support the accuracy of molecular (e.g., RT-PCR) diagnostic tests for variants of concern of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19 disease) – including the so-called UK, South African and Brazilian variants and, in late-stage development, QAPs to support tests for the “Delta-Plus” variant. It is important to patient care for public health authorities to know whether test accuracy is impacted by these variant strains and the extent of their prevalence in the population.

Thomas Scientific is well-regarded in the industry and is now investing to broaden its portfolio of molecular diagnostics products. The addition of Microbix QAPs is a strategic addition to its product line, facilitating a more complete offering for its customers. Further information about Thomas Scientific is available at https://www.thomassci.com.

Phil Casselli, SVP of Sales and Business Development of Microbix stated, “We’re aiming for the U.S. market to achieve 10x the QAPs revenue we do in Canada, and now with 175 active sales professionals generating leads and five molecular specialists helping close them, our targets should be achieved.”

Carl Hilliker, Molecular Director of Business Development at Thomas Scientific also commented, “We are enhancing our molecular diagnostics assay portfolio, and the addition of Microbix QAPs, standards, and controls to our portfolio will facilitate substantial opportunities for engagement with our growing customer base. Microbix’s QAPs cover many high-volume tests and are already endorsed by many of the largest makers of diagnostic tests.”

About Microbix Biosystems
Microbix develops proprietary biological technology solutions for human health and well-being, with about 90 skilled employees and sales now approaching C$ 2.0 million per month. It makes a wide range of critical biological materials for the global diagnostics industry, notably antigens for immunoassays and its laboratory quality assessment products (QAPs™) that support clinical lab proficiency testing, enable assay development and validation, or help ensure the quality of clinical diagnostic workflows. Microbix antigens enable the antibody tests of over 100 international diagnostics companies, while its QAPs are sold to clinical laboratory accreditation organizations, diagnostics companies, and clinical laboratories. Microbix QAPs are now available in over 30 countries, distributed by 1WA (Oneworld Accuracy Inc.), Alpha-Tec Systems, Inc., Diagnostic International Distribution SpA., Labquality Oy, The Medical Supply Company of Ireland, R-Biopharm AG, SDT Molecular Pte Ltd,, Seegene Canada Inc., and Thomas Scientific LLC. Microbix is ISO 9001 and 13485 accredited, U.S. FDA registered, Australian TGA registered, Health Canada establishment licensed, and provides CE marked products.

Microbix also applies its biological expertise and infrastructure to develop other proprietary products and technologies, most notably viral transport medium (DxTM™) to stabilize patient samples for lab-based molecular diagnostic testing and Kinlytic® urokinase, a biologic thrombolytic drug used to treat blood clots. Microbix is traded on the TSX and OTCQB, and headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Sales or distribution inquiries should be directed to customer.service@microbix.com.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microbix-announces-quality-products-distribution-110000903.html
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yielddude yielddude 3 years ago
Microbix Secures Third Ontario Manufacturing Site

Leasing and Equipping 10,000 Square Foot Building Adjacent to Current Sites

MISSISSAUGA, June 3, 2021 – Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQB: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator and exporter, announces that it has secured a third manufacturing site in Mississauga, Ontario, by way of a long-term lease agreement for a property adjacent to its two current sites.

Specifically, Microbix has secured a multi-year lease to a 10,000 square foot industrial building located at 275 Watline Avenue – Immediately next to its owned biologicals facility that is used for antigens production located at 265 Watline, and closely adjacent to its leased administrative and QAPs manufacturing facility at 235 Watline. As an aside, while Microbix now controls three adjacent properties, management commits not to begin putting-up houses or hotels, regardless of what the rules of the iconic board-game Monopoly® may suggest.

It is intended that this third site will be reconfigured and equipped to support additional business activities, including, but not necessarily limited to, the following:

Implementation of further scale-up and full automation of production processes for its DxTM™ branded viral transport medium (generically known as “VTM”) can support molecular (e.g., RT-PCR) and antigen testing for various diseases, and is presently focused upon COVID-19.

Commissioning of additional space for other fully-automated production processes, including vial-formatted or FLOQSwab®-formatted quality assessment products (QAPs™).

Building-out further spaces for product development laboratories, quality control laboratories, warehousing and logistics staging areas, office spaces, and enhanced amenities for staff.

This third site takes Microbix’s total available industrial space to approximately 35,000 square feet across its three adjacent buildings, which should prove sufficient to support of near and medium-term corporate growth objectives. Management believes that the multi-year duration of this new lease justifies the leasehold improvement investments that will be required, that the location of the property is ideal, and that the rental terms are favorable.

Microbix will be taking possession of this third site as of July 1, 2021 and will immediately begin the design and approval processes for the necessary renovations. The funds required to renovate and equip this third site were secured by way of the public offering and concurrent private placement that were completed in May, 2021, and the amounts to be invested at this third site are currently expected to be in accordance with the disclosures in Microbix’s short-form prospectus dated May 12, 2021.
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