Stockwinners Market Radar for August 12, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:35 EDT II-VI to acquire Ascatron, outstanding interests in INNOViON, terms not stated - The company states: "II-VI Incorporated announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all the outstanding shares of Ascatron AB, a leader in silicon carbide epitaxial wafers and devices for power electronics. II-VI also announced that it will acquire all the outstanding interests of the owners of the parent of INNOViON Corporation, a leader in ion implantation technology for silicon and compound semiconductor devices. Both transactions are scheduled to close by the end of calendar year 2020. Ascatron produces state-of-the-art SiC epitaxial wafers and devices that enable a wide range of high-voltage power electronics applications. Ascatron is led by a team of experts in wide-bandgap materials with more than 200 person-years in the SiC and semiconductor industry, bringing world-class competence to SiC development and production processes."

18:39 EDT Babcock & Wilcox names Jimmy B. Morgan COO - Babcock & Wilcox announced plans to align its market-facing segments and financial reporting under three new brands--B&W Environmental, B&W Renewable and B&W Thermal--that better reflect its core markets, products and strategies. The re-branding is expected to improve the Company's organizational structure to support its growth as B&W expands its global sales team and geographic presence and pursues strategic investments in new technologies. As part of the re-branding of its product and service offerings, B&W's new branding is designed to highlight its comprehensive offerings and unique market position to support sustainable energy and industrial infrastructure. The Company's market-facing strategy and branding take effect immediately, and B&W expects to begin reporting its financial results under these new segments starting with its full-year 2020 results. As part of this initiative, B&W has named Jimmy B. Morgan as Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. In this role, Morgan will be responsible for the Company's strategic and operational performance under each of the new brands and growth platforms. Morgan joined B&W in February 2016 and most recently held the position of Senior Vice President, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, leading B&W's aftermarket, new-build and environmental products and services businesses world-wide.

18:02 EDT Quidel's Lyra Direct SARS-CoV-2 assay gets Health Canada authorization - Quidel announced that it has received Health Canada authorization to market and sell the Lyra Direct SARS-CoV-2 Assay in Canada. Under the authorization, the Lyra(R) Direct SARS-CoV-2 Assay does not require an upfront sample extraction. The Lyra Direct SARS-CoV-2 Assay uses a reformulated buffer that replaces extraction with a simple 10-minute heat step, saving approximately 50 minutes in processing time.

17:46 EDT AbbVie says 'positive' Phase 3 VIALE-A data published in NEJM - AbbVie announced the publication of results from the Phase 3 VIALE-A clinical study in patients with AML in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study, which evaluated newly-diagnosed AML patients who had not yet been treated and were unable to tolerate traditional intensive chemotherapy, found that venetoclax in combination with azacitidine extended overall survival compared to azacitidine plus placebo. The manuscript titled, "Azacitidine and Venetoclax in Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia," was published in the August 13, 2020 issue of NEJM. "The ability of venetoclax plus azacitidine to improve outcomes of newly-diagnosed AML patients unable to tolerate intensive chemotherapy represents a potentially practice-changing advance in AML treatment," said Courtney D. DiNardo, M.D., MSCE, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the lead study investigator.

17:33 EDT Macerich holder Passive Investment reports 6.8% stake, saw shares 'undervalued' - As of the close of business on August 11, the Trust directly owned 10,175,100 shares of Macerich, with the percentage approximately 6.8% Passive Investment purchased the Shares based on Passive Investment's belief that the Shares, when purchased, were undervalued and represented an attractive investment opportunity. Passive Investment is supportive of and encouraged by Macerich's recent engagement with management and the board of directors of Macerich and expect to continue to engage with management and the Board. Depending upon overall market conditions, other investment opportunities available to Passive Investment, and the availability of Shares at prices that would make the purchase or sale of Shares desirable, Passive Investment may endeavor to increase or decrease their position in the Issuer through, among other things, the purchase or sale of Shares on the open market or in private transactions or otherwise, on such terms and at such times as Passive Investment may deem advisable.

17:20 EDT New York Times CEO sells 186K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, New York Times discloses that its CEO Mark Thompson sold 186K shares of common stock on August 10th-11th.

17:13 EDT Cisco says Americas demand no better than three months ago - Says orders weakest from smaller businesses, bigger customers still investing. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:02 EDT Wheaton Precious Metals cuts FY20 gold production view to 365K-385K oz - Previous view 390K-410K. Wheaton is providing a revised 2020 production forecast as all mining partners have now resumed operations that were previously suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the second quarter of 2020, six of the company's mining partners' operations located in Mexico and Peru on which the Company has precious metal purchase agreements were temporarily suspended due to government restrictions focused on reducing the spread of COVID-19, consisting of the Constancia, Yauliyacu, San Dimas, Los Filos, Penasquito and Antamina mines. The revised 2020 and long-term forecasts assume that operations will continue throughout the remainder of the year without major interruptions. Wheaton's long-term production forecast remains unchanged at 750,000 gold equivalent ounces per year on average between 2020 and 2024.

17:01 EDT Chevron announces Series A investment in Zap Energy - Chevron announced a Series A investment in Zap Energy, a Seattle-based start-up company developing a next-generation modular nuclear reactor with an innovative approach to advancing cost-effective, flexible, and commercially scalable fusion. Chevron Technology Ventures' investment in fusion is an opportunity to enhance the company's focus on a diverse portfolio of low-carbon energy resources with the capacity to provide communities across the globe access to affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy.

16:46 EDT NTN Buzztime receives noncompliance notice from NYSE American - NTN Buzztime announced it received a letter from the NYSE Regulation stating that it is not in compliance with NYSE American LLC continued listing standards. Specifically, the letter states that the company is not in compliance with Section 1003ai of the NYSE American Company Guide because it reported stockholders' equity of less than $2M as of June 30, 2020 and had net losses in two of its three most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2019. The company's stockholders' equity was $1.9M as of June 30, 2020.

16:38 EDT ArcelorMittal announces intention to build an EAF at AM/NS Calvert - ArcelorMittal announced its intention to build an Electric Arc Furnace, EAF, steel making facility at AM/NS Calvert. Once completed the planned facility will be capable of producing 1.5Mt of steel slabs for the Hot Strip Mill and producing a broad spectrum of steel grades required for Calvert's end user markets. Construction is expected to take 24 months and the new facility is anticipated to create 300 additional jobs in the community. "An electric arc furnace at Calvert makes strategic sense as it allows our asset to be more reactive to the local market as well as being in line with the USMCA. Furthermore, it aligns with our ambition of producing smarter steels for a better world." Commenting, Mr. Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal said: "An electric arc furnace at Calvert makes strategic sense as it allows our asset to be more reactive to the local market as well as being in line with the USMCA. Furthermore, it aligns with our ambition of producing smarter steels for a better world."

16:30 EDT Victory Capital reports total AUM $132.5B on July 31

16:26 EDT One Medical reports plans to enter North Carolina and Wisconsin - One Medical announced plans to enter greater Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina and parts of Wisconsin, marking its 14th and 15th metropolitan markets. "This follows entry into Atlanta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and Orange County, California in 2020 and behind its anticipated entry into Austin, Texas. Partnering in North Carolina with Duke Health, one of the world's premier academic health systems, the two organizations intend to deliver seamless, coordinated care across the Greater Raleigh-Durham region through clinical and digital integrations between primary and speciality care settings... Additionally, One Medical will expand its relationship with an existing health system partner upon its intended entry into parts of Wisconsin next year. One Medical has now established health network partnerships in all its current and announced markets, advancing coordinated care and efficiencies across primary and specialty care settings," the company said.

16:24 EDT One Medical sees FY20 ending membership count of 505K-515K - For the full year of 2020, the company expects ending membership count in the range of 505,000 to 515,000. "Management has not provided net revenue, care margin, or adjusted EBITDA guidance for the full year of 2020 because of uncertainties around the duration and extent of the continued COVID-19 pandemic and related community self-isolation practices and any impact that these two items may have on the company's financial performance for full year 2020," One Medical said.

16:22 EDT Vroom reports Q2 average vehicle selling price $25.4K, down 17.4% from last year - Reports Q2 adj. EBITDA ($39.0M) vs. ($29.8M) last year.

16:18 EDT CACI acquires Ascent Vision Technologies - CACI International announced it has acquired Ascent Vision Technologies, LLC, a provider of technology and solutions that support multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, unmanned aircraft system, air defense, and counter-unmanned aircraft system operations. AVT provides low size, weight, power and cost electro-optical, infrared imaging systems designed for airborne, ground, and maritime platforms, delivering effective ISR and target acquisition capabilities for day and night operations. Dr. J.P. (Jack) London, CACI Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board, noted, "CACI has an outstanding track record of successful acquisitions that deliver distinctive benefits for our customers and employees while providing long-term value to our shareholders. The cultures of CACI and AVT are aligned with an unwavering commitment to integrity, ethics, and innovation." According to John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer, "The combination of CACI and AVT brings unique advantages to our defense and national security customers with critical ISR and c-UAS missions. Their accomplished leadership team, led by founder and CEO Tim Sheehy, and highly skilled technical employee population drives a unique culture of agile innovation and differentiated performance. The synergies between AVT and CACI's offerings establish unapparelled technologies and capabilities in this growing area of ISR and c-UAS within CACI's business. We welcome the talented and mission-focused AVT employees to CACI."

16:12 EDT ClearSign Combustion to partner with Zeeco for joint process burner line - ClearSign has entered into a collaboration agreement with Zeeco for the global process heater market. The parties expect to jointly develop, sell and supply a product line of best in class ultra low NOx burners for the global oil processing and petrochemical industries by combining the company's ClearSign Core technology with the engineering, global manufacturing and sales footprint of Zeeco. The agreement is contingent on a successful burner validation test at the Zeeco test facility anticipated later this year. Zeeco is a manufacturer of advanced combustion technology and environmental solutions. The global headquarters for Zeeco's more than 1,000 employees and 25 other worldwide facilities is in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

16:09 EDT Cisco reports Q4 non-GAAP total gross margin of 65.0% - On a non-GAAP basis, total gross margin, product gross margin, and service gross margin were 65.0%, 63.2%, and 69.8%, respectively, as compared with 65.5%, 64.7%, and 67.9%, respectively, in the fourth quarter of 2019. For the first quarter of fiscal 2021, Cisco expects to achieve a non-GAAP gross margin rate of 64%-65% and a non-GAAP operating margin rate of 30%-31%.

16:08 EDT SpartanNash reports retail SSS up 17.1% - Reports Q2 adj. EBITDA up 33.5% at $59.2M. "The strength and resiliency of our team was demonstrated by their ability to continue to execute in a dynamic operating environment as they supported the surge in consumer demand related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which enabled us to exceed our financial expectations for the second quarter," said Dennis Eidson, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer.

16:07 EDT One Group has resumed in-person dining at 34 of 36 domestic restaurants - As of August 12, 2020, the Company has resumed in-person dining at 34 of 36 domestic restaurants and will resume in-person dining at its Miami STK restaurant and re-open its San Juan STK restaurant as soon as conditions permit. The Company has also resumed in-person dining at 6 of 8 international STK restaurants in conjunction with the increase in its restaurant activity. The Company has recalled approximately 3,000 furloughed employees.

16:06 EDT Scipher Medicine and Galapagos sign collaboration in inflammatory bowel disease - Galapagos and Scipher Medicine announce a collaboration to advance novel drug targets identified by Scipher for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Scipher combines its proprietary Network Medicine Platform with molecular patient data and AI-based methods to identify novel targets and pathways in autoimmune diseases, including IBD. Scipher and Galapagos will jointly validate a suite of novel IBD targets discovered by Scipher after which Galapagos has the exclusive option to progress up to five targets into further drug discovery and development. Under the terms of the agreement, Scipher is eligible to receive upfront, opt-in and milestone payments and Galapagos will retain the rights for the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutics for the selected targets. "Our breakthrough approach combines extensive patient-level molecular data with AI methods to discover novel targets with the potential to treat specific groups of patients, including those not responding to therapies currently available," said Alif Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of Scipher Medicine. "This partnership with Galapagos is a recognition of our innovative approach to discover and validate novel targets that could offer a solution for IBD patients."

16:00 EDT United Airlines adds new nonstop service to Florida - United Airlines announced plans to add up to 28 daily nonstop flights this winter connecting customers in Boston, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New York/LaGuardia, Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio to four popular Florida destinations. The new, nonstop flights reflect United's continuing strategy to aggressively, and opportunistically manage the impact of COVID-19 by increasing service to destinations where customers most want to fly. The airline will incrementally add in these flights starting November 6 with new roundtrip service from Boston, Cleveland and New York/LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa. In December, the airline will increase service to Florida with additional flights from Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis; Milwaukee and Pittsburgh to Fort Myers and Tampa. Tickets are now available for purchase on united.com and the United mobile app. From Nov. 6, 2020 through January 10, 2021, United will operate nonstop service from Boston, Cleveland and New York/LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa on peak days.

15:48 EDT AzurRx issues clarification, not looking to raise capital for MS1819 programs - AzurRx BioPharma issued a letter to its shareholders and the investment community from James Sapirstein, President and CEO, which stated in part: "I am writing to provide clarification on yesterday's press release and conference call where we discussed the positive interim data from the first patient cohort of our combination therapy trial. We have also received a number of questions from investors regarding the study, our clinical trial timelines, our financing needs and recent changes to our proposed 2020 equity incentive plan and I would like to take this opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings and update you on recent developments. As reported yesterday, we believe that the interim data from the first cohort of five patients in the trial of daily dose of PERT with MS1819 in patients with cystic fibrosis with severe exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is positive and clinically meaningful. Our data and analysis shows that MS1819 is clearly responsible for the change in the Coefficient of Fat Absorption and the improvements in the primary and secondary efficacy endpoints were consistent for all patients, across all visits...On July 22, we announced the initiation of the Phase 2b OPTION 2 clinical trial of MS1819 in patients with cystic fibrosis, with the first patient screened and the first three clinical trial sites activated. The trial is proceeding according to schedule and we will be providing updates in due course... Prior to COVID-19 we anticipated top-line results from both Phase 2 clinical trials by the end of Q4 2020. Subsequently, we have revised this to the release of topline data for OPTION 2 in Q1 2021 and the release of topline data for the combination therapy trial in Q2 2021, barring any major disruptions from a second wave of COVID-19. Based on communication with our clinical trials sites in the U.S. and Europe we do not anticipate delays to these new timelines... As a result of the Series B Private Placement, the company is in a secure financial position with a debt-free balance sheet and sufficient cash on hand to fund our operations for over a one-year period, currently expected through Q3 2021, that will enable us to complete our two Phase 2 clinical trials and initiate preparations for a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of MS1819. As such, I want to reiterate that we are not looking to raise any additional capital to fund the Phase 2 MS1819 clinical programs."

15:29 EDT Aaon's Lackey, Jr. sells over 10,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Aaon director Paul K. Lackey, Jr. disclosed the sale of 10,124 common shares of the company on August 11 at a price of $60.38 per share.

14:53 EDT New Jersey reports July gaming revenue down 20.9% to $264.5M - New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement reports total gaming revenue for July was $264.5M, compared to $334.4M in July 2019, reflecting a 20.9% decrease. Internet gaming win was $87.5M in July, compared to $39.3M in the prior period, reflecting an increase of 122.5%. Sports wagering gross revenue was $29.6M for the month. Publicly traded companies in the gambling space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Churchill Downs (CHDN), DraftKings (DKNG), Flutter Entertainment (PDYPY), Gan Limited (GAN), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN), William Hill (WIMHY) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN). Reference Link

14:20 EDT FDA grants accelerated approval to NS Pharma's DMD treatment Viltepso - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to Viltepso injection for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or DMD, in patients who have a confirmed mutation of the DMD gene that is amenable to exon 53 skipping. The FDA is granting the approval to NS Pharma. "This is the second FDA-approved targeted treatment for patients with this type of mutation. Approximately 8% of patients with DMD have a mutation that is amenable to exon 53 skipping," the FDA stated. Previously, on December 12, 2019, Sarepta Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved Vyondys 53, an antisense oligonucleotide from Sarepta's phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer platform, indicated for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in patients with a confirmed mutation amenable to exon 53 skipping.

14:01 EDT TikTok announces multi-year partnership with New York Yankees, YES Network - TikTok announced a new strategic partnership with the New York Yankees and the YES Network beginning immediately. As a part of the multi-year partnership, the Yankees and YES Network will bring exposure to the TikTok community. With exclusive TikTok content featured on YES Network, this new partnership brings the joy of baseball and TikTok to a broader audience. "We are excited to launch this innovative partnership with TikTok," said Michael J. Tusiani, New York Yankees Senior Vice President, Partnerships. "Being able to provide prominent TikTok signage to our audience and engage within TikTok's popular, forward-leaning platform will undoubtedly generate unique opportunities to connect with our younger fans." The Fly notes that TikTok parent ByteDance is under pressure from the White House over concerns about data privacy, and companies such as Twitter (TWTR) and Microsoft (MSFT) are reportedly interested in acquiring TikTok's U.S. operations. Other publicly traded companies in the social media space include Facebook (FB) and Snap (SNAP). Reference Link

13:39 EDT Exelon's ComEd says about 171K customers remain without power after derecho - ComEd, unit of Exelon Corporation, announced that it has restored power to more than 625,000 families and businesses, or nearly 80% of the customers affected by the derecho that slammed northern Illinois on Monday afternoon causing significant damage across the region. The storm brought hurricane force winds with gusts higher than 90 miles per hour, extensive lighting, golf ball-sized hail and seven confirmed tornados, the company noted. About 171,000 customers remain without power, ComEd stated.

13:18 EDT American National Bankshares announces new officer appointments - American National Bankshares, parent company of American National Bank and Trust Company, announced that Edward Martin, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer for both the company and the bank, will assume the newly created position of Chief Administrative Officer. The Chief Credit Officer position will be assumed by Mark Smith, who is currently Senior Vice President and Regional Credit Officer of the bank.

13:02 EDT Phillips 66 to convert SF refinery into 'world's largest' renewable fuels plant - Phillips 66 announced that it plans to reconfigure its San Francisco Refinery in Rodeo, California, to produce renewable fuels. "The plant would no longer produce fuels from crude oil, but instead would make fuels from used cooking oil, fats, greases and soybean oils. The Phillips 66 Rodeo Renewed project would produce 680 million gallons annually of renewable diesel, renewable gasoline, and sustainable jet fuel. Combined with the production of renewable fuels from an existing project in development, the plant would produce greater than 800 million gallons a year of renewable fuels, making it the world's largest facility of its kind," Phillips 66 stated. If approved by Contra Costa County officials and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, renewable fuels production is expected to begin in early 2024. Once reconfigured, the plant will no longer transport or process crude oil. Phillips 66 also announced plans to shut down the Rodeo Carbon Plant and Santa Maria refining facility in Arroyo Grande, California, in 2023. Associated crude oil pipelines will be taken out of service in phases starting in 2023.

12:52 EDT Magal Security wins $6.5M contracts to secure military assets - Magal Security Systems announced that its Senstar division has been chosen to provide equipment to secure deployable military assets used throughout the world. Senstar will provide physical security, perimeter detection, video surveillance, access control, public address and associated command and control equipment. Senstar's perimeter electronic security system will augment existing security to provide greater protection for the military equipment and personnel. The contract has a total value of $6.5M, with final acceptance expected in the second half of 2021.

12:40 EDT 'Diana: A New Musical' to premiere on Netflix before Broadway opening - Producers Grove Entertainment, Frank Marshall and The Araca Group announced that "Diana: A New Musical" will premiere on Netflix next year ahead of the Broadway opening. "Diana," the upcoming new musical, currently on hiatus due to Covid-19, began previews on Monday, March 2, 2020, and was scheduled to open on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, at the Longacre Theatre on Broadway. The musical is now set to open on Broadway on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. In a joint statement, the Diana producers said, "We speak for the entire company when we say that we couldn't be more excited to finally be able to share our show with theater lovers everywhere. Though there is no substitute for the live theater, we are honored to be a part of the quality entertainment that Netflix provides its subscribers worldwide." Reference Link

12:10 EDT Cadence announces enhancement of Xcelium Logic Simulator with ML technology - Cadence Design Systems announced the Cadence Xcelium Logic Simulator has been enhanced with machine learning technology, called Xcelium ML, to increase verification throughput. Using new machine learning technology and core computational software, Xcelium ML enables up to 5X faster verification closure on randomized regressions. Using computational software and a proprietary machine learning technology that directly interfaces to the simulation kernel, Xcelium ML learns iteratively over an entire simulation regression. It analyzes patterns hidden in the verification environment and guides the Xcelium randomization kernel on subsequent regression runs to achieve matching coverage with reduced simulation cycles. Cadence's Xcelium Logic Simulator provides best-in-class core engine performance for SystemVerilog, VHDL, mixed-signal, low power, and x-propagation. It supports both single-core and multi-core simulation, incremental and parallel build, and save/restart with dynamic test reload. The Xcelium Logic Simulator has been deployed by a majority of top semiconductor companies, and a majority of top companies in the hyperscale, automotive and consumer electronics segments.

12:00 EDT Griffon falls -12.4% - Griffon is down -12.4%, or -$2.98 to $21.09.

12:00 EDT Horizon Global rises 15.2% - Horizon Global is up 15.2%, or 85c to $6.45.

12:00 EDT Tufin rises 17.2% - Tufin is up 17.2%, or $1.79 to $12.18.

11:35 EDT Big 12 Conference to proceed with fall sports' seasons - The Big 12 Conference's board of directors has agreed to proceed with plans for the fall sports' seasons. Big 12 members have committed to enhanced COVID-19 testing that includes three tests per week in "high contact" sports, like Football, Volleyball and Soccer. Additionally, return to play protocols after positive occurrences will include an EKG, troponin blood test, echocardiogram, and cardiac MRI. Non-conference football opponents must also adhere to COVID-19 testing protocols that conform to Big 12 standards during the week leading up to competition. In moving forward with planning for the upcoming fall sports season the Conference is also releasing its revised 2020 conference football schedule. The "9+1" scheduling model features a September 26 start date for Conference play. Each team will have a minimum of two bye dates and potentially a third bye late in the season. The Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game is tentatively scheduled for December 12. All non-conference games must be completed before September 26 and the match-ups will be announced by each individual conference member. Stadium capacities will be determined by each member institution in accordance with local and/or state health ordinances, and working with government officials. Publicly traded companies in the gambling space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Churchill Downs (CHDN), DraftKings (DKNG), Flutter Entertainment (PDYPY), Gan Limited (GAN), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN), William Hill (WIMHY) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN). Reference Link

11:28 EDT Athersys partner Healios says ARDS cohort of ONE-BRIDGE trial fully enrolled - Healios announces that it has fully enrolled the planned five patients in the COVID-19 induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, or ARDS, cohort of its ONE-BRIDGE clinical trial of HLCM051 to treat ARDS in Japan. Along with its earnings report on August 10, Gil Van Bokkelen, Chairman and CEO of Athersys, said, "We remain focused on supporting our partner Healios while it approaches completion of enrollment in both the TREASURE and ONE-BRIDGE trials in Japan, while we advance towards the establishment of new alliances in other key geographies, including Europe." Reference Link

11:02 EDT Preprint article on Dynavax COVID vaccine efforts published by bioRxiv - A preprint article, entitled "Development of CpG-adjuvanted stable prefusion SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen as a subunit vaccine against COVID-19," has been published by bioRxiv. Dynavax is listed among the authors of the paper, which includes a notice that "bioRxiv is receiving many new papers on coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. A reminder: these are preliminary reports that have not been peer-reviewed." In morning trading, shares of Dynavax are down 29c, or 4%, to $6.80. Reference Link

10:19 EDT T-Mobile expands 'Test Drive' program to business customers - T-Mobile announced it is extending its "Test Drive" consumer program to businesses. The new program "lets businesses try T-Mobile's bigger, better network for free before they switch," said T-Mobile, which added that it will offer a free phone, free service and a switch incentive as part of the program.

10:01 EDT BAE Systems wins five year $85M contract from AFRL to manage secure networks - The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded BAE Systems a five-year $85M contract to continue to develop, deploy, modernize, and maintain cross-domain solutions that allow for secure transfer of sensitive information between government networks. The work on the contract will enable the secure exchange of data-including streaming video, images and audio-to enhance mission collaboration. BAE Systems will also provide research, development, and evaluation of new technologies, including the integration of innovative artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. "As the military cyberspace battlefield expands, we understand how critical it is that secure, innovative intelligence solutions are available to warfighting commands and combat support agencies to communicate safety and effectively," said Pete Trainer, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems' Air Force Solutions business. "We are pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory and provide our expertise in high-assurance, cross-domain technologies to meet this new mission need. Our services will provide end-users access to virtual information and analysis faster, allowing them to make informed decisions quickly."

10:00 EDT Griffon falls -10.2% - Griffon is down -10.2%, or -$2.46 to $21.61.

10:00 EDT Tufin rises 15.6% - Tufin is up 15.6%, or $1.62 to $12.02.

10:00 EDT Cornerstone Building Brands rises 21.5% - Cornerstone Building Brands is up 21.5%, or $1.57 to $8.89.

09:47 EDT Griffon falls -12.6% - Griffon is down -12.6%, or -$3.04 to $21.03.

09:47 EDT Franklin Financial Network rises 8.8% - Franklin Financial Network is up 8.8%, or $2.60 to $32.15.

09:47 EDT Tufin rises 16.1% - Tufin is up 16.1%, or $1.67 to $12.06.

09:22 EDT U.S. Bancorp announces $1M in grants to black-led CDFIs - U.S. Bankcorp announced $1.15M in grants to more than a dozen Black-led Community Development Financial Institution - or CDFI - partners and-in partnership with the U.S. Bank Foundation-a grant to the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs. This is part of U.S. Bank's overall $116M commitment to addressing social and economic inequities. A total of 15 CDFIs will receive grants ranging from $50K to $100K while the African American Alliance will receive $150K to support Black-led CDFIs. Grants will be used for direct support to Black businesses, families and individuals to offset financial stresses caused by COVID-19, or for organizational capacity building.

09:16 EDT Alteryx enters strategic partnership with UiPath - Alteryx and UiPath announced a strategic partnership to speed end-to-end automation across data-driven business processes. The companies said in a release, "Together, UiPath and Alteryx offer a solution that empowers business leaders, analysts, data scientists and data engineers to increase operational efficiency and automate time-to-insight, bringing together the benefits of APA and RPA to drive faster business outcomes. The companies also introduced their integration via the Alteryx Activity Pack, allowing users to easily trigger Alteryx workflows within UiPath Studio, and the UiPath Activity Pack, available in the Alteryx Gallery. The Alteryx Analytic Process Automation Platform integrates with UiPath's Platform to enable end-to-end process automation spanning robot-driven, analytic and data-driven processes. The resulting impact eliminates manual hand-offs in data pipelines and between groups. RPA extends the value of APA by automating high-volume tasks, bringing in new and complex data sources for analytic processing within Alteryx and using robots to automate manual output tasks to downstream operational systems."

09:14 EDT Churchill Downs announces updates to Kentucky Derby safety plan - Churchill Downs announced an update to the detailed 62-page Kentucky Derby 146 Safety Plan released by Churchill Downs Racetrack. The Safety Plan applies to all live race days during this year's rescheduled Kentucky Derby Week and will limit the attendance to less than 23,000 fans for the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, September 5, 2020. Attendance will be limited to guests with reserved seats with a maximum of 40% occupancy of reserved seats. All General Admission ticket options including the Infield are eliminated. Temperature checks, medical questionnaires, physical distancing and face coverings will be required upon entrance and movement within the 190-acre Churchill Downs facility. Highlights of the Safety Plan include: Attendance will be limited to guests with reserved seats with a maximum of 40% occupancy of reserved seating. All outdoor ticket holders will be reseated in a new comparable location either prior to or during the event to provide for maximum distancing. There will be no general admission available throughout Kentucky Derby Week. Pre-purchased General Admission tickets will be refunded. Wearing cloth face coverings will be required throughout the entire venue, both indoors and outdoors, when not actively consuming food or beverage. Each person entering Churchill Downs will be screened via a medical questionnaire and a contactless thermometer. Individuals with a temperature in excess of 100 degrees will be prohibited from entering. Each guest will receive a courtesy "Healthy at the Track" bag, which will include a disposable mask, pocket-sized hand sanitizer and personal stylus for non-contact self-service wagering. More than 500 hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the facility. Pari-mutuel tellers will be properly spaced and provided PPE for betting transactions. Guests are encouraged to wager online through TwinSpires.com, the official advance deposit wagering platform of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. Concession stand options will be limited to mostly pre-packaged foods. Plated meals and meal packages from pre-set menus will be served in select locations. Guest shuttles from offsite parking locations will be eliminated. Kentucky Derby Week activities have been eliminated including autograph signings, concerts in the Plaza, fashion contests, Taste of Derby, the Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade and the Kentucky Derby Red Carpet. Key programming elements will transition to digital platforms. The stable area will be restricted to essential personnel. Guests and gatherings in the stable area for morning workouts and during race days will be prohibited. Additional protocols for stable area personnel and race participants will be finalized in the coming days. The complete Safety Plan can be viewed online at KentuckyDerby.com/updates. Compliance of Churchill Downs' public safety measures is a condition of admittance and will be strictly enforced. Offenders will receive a warning; repeat offenders will be escorted from the property.

09:12 EDT Assurant appoints Vadim Lipovetsky as chief investment officer - Assurant announced that Vadim Lipovetsky has been named chief investment officer. He will report directly to Richard Dziadzio, executive vice president, chief financial officer. Most recently, Lipovetsky served as senior vice president, head of Investment Actuarial.

09:11 EDT Pure Storage partners with Cohesity for data protection solution - Pure Storage and Cohesity announced a strategic partnership that brings to market Pure FlashRecover, Powered by Cohesity. Pure and Cohesity have formed this partnership based on customer demand for an integrated all-flash data protection solution that empowers customers to back up and recover their data at scale. Pure FlashRecover, Powered by Cohesity delivers all-flash data backup and recovery capabilities that enterprises require for restoring data rapidly in the face of a disaster or a ransomware attack. Pure FlashRecover, powered by Cohesity is being tested by joint customers and will be generally available in the U.S. in Q4 and in countries outside the U.S. in the coming quarters.

09:08 EDT Northrop Grumman announces award of DARPA 'Gamebreaker' contract - Northrop Grumman announces it was recently awarded a contract from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, Strategic Technology Office for the "Gamebreaker" program, which the company calls an "innovative program that seeks to develop and apply artificial intelligence to existing real-time strategy games to break a complex model or create an imbalance." Northrop Grumman will use this opportunity to evaluate and develop technology to improve flexible planning, optimization and discovery in products that operate dynamic environments, the company said.

09:06 EDT Alkaline Water adds DSD distributor Mahaska to expand Midwest footprint - The Alkaline Water Company announces that The Alkaline Water Company's entire line of beverage offerings, including flavored waters, will be carried by Mahaska, a leading Direct-Store-Deliver provider in some of the major markets in the Midwest.

09:03 EDT Mylan, Sesame Workshop announce partnership - Mylan and Sesame Workshop announced a new effort to help children and families cope with the ongoing transitions and uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a $1M donation from Mylan, Sesame Workshop will create a series of educational resources and engaging videos to meet the pressing socio-emotional needs that families across generations and around the world are experiencing.

09:02 EDT Cigna appoints Noelle Eder as Global Chief Information Officer - Cigna has named Noelle Eder, Global Chief Information Officer, effective September 14. Eder comes to Cigna from Hilton Worldwide Holdings, where she served as the company's Chief Information and Digital Officer. Prior to Hilton, she served as Chief Card Customer Experience Officer for Capital One Financial Corporation

08:53 EDT Wilhelmina implemented layoffs of approx. 36% of staff effective July 1 - The Company has taken the following actions to address the impact of COVID-19 and the current recessionary environment, in order to efficiently manage the business and maintain adequate liquidity and maximum flexibility: In April 2020, obtained approximately $2.0 million in loans under the Paycheck Protection Program of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Eliminated all discretionary travel and entertainment expenses. Suspended share repurchases. Did not renew the leases on two New York City model apartments when the terms ended in June 2020. Suspended efforts to fill two highly compensated executive roles following the resignation of the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Vice President in early 2020. Obtained from the landlord of the Company's New York City office a deferral of $41 thousand in July 2020 rent until January 2021. Negotiated discounts with various vendors and service providers, in effect through the remainder of 2020. Effective July 1, 2020, implemented layoffs of approximately 36% of its staff, including employees at each of the Company's five offices, and effected temporary salary reductions for remaining staff. The salary reductions are expected to return to full salaries when business conditions improve.

08:47 EDT Marimed granted three adult-use licenses in Massachusetts - MariMed announced that at their August 6th session the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission gave final approval to issue the Company three adult-use licenses for cultivation, production, and retail, subject to final inspections. The cultivation and production licenses will be deployed at its 70,000-square-foot cannabis manufacturing facility in New Bedford, Mass., and the retail license at its Panacea Wellness Dispensary in Middleborough, Mass. The Company continues to actively develop two additional dispensary locations for its other provisional adult use and medical licenses.

08:42 EDT Everi Holdings highlights roadmap for cashless gaming implementations - Everi Holdings highlights its current in-market solutions and its roadmap for near- and mid-term cashless product implementations. Everi's cashless/contactless solutions, which include products that are already live in casinos and CashClub Wallet, the Company's fully cashless integrated mobile solution that is expected to be live in the first casinos in the fourth quarter of 2020, collectively demonstrate the Company's positioning as an industry innovator and leader for both cash and cashless funding solutions to address the unique needs of the highly regulated gaming industry. "For almost two decades, our cash access solutions have been at the forefront of innovative player funding technology across the gaming industry," said Chief Executive Officer Michael Rumbolz. "In 2019, we facilitated more than 115 million transactions that delivered $30 billion of cash to casino floors and generated $165 million in revenue for Everi. We have a large base of casinos and other facilities using our fully integrated FinTech network today, as well as our portfolio of compliance services and loyalty products. We stand ready to leverage the strengths of our current product suite, already live on casino floors, with our deep development pipeline of products and services to enhance our status as provider of choice in the gaming industry well into the future. Our focused innovation and breadth of integrated capabilities enables us to provide casino patrons with a seamless transition to our cashless alternatives, positioning us to meet players' and casino operators' preferences, whether players want to select cash or a cashless funding solution. "In the near-term, we expect players' choice for funding on the casino floor will continue to favor existing cash access solutions, such as ATM withdrawals or cash advances. Going forward, and over time, adoption of cashless and contactless funding solutions will grow, allowing players the ability to move value across gaming and non-gaming venues within our customers' land-based operations, but also into and out of a casino's online and sports wagering offerings, and finally back to the patrons' checking, credit and debit accounts. These bi-directional funding solutions are the hallmark of Everi's CashClub Wallet ecosystem. Players will have the opportunity to transfer funds into and out of their wallet from the comfort of their own home before arriving at their favorite casino. This will create additional opportunities for new incremental transactions and provide tremendous value for patrons," added Rumbolz. "By providing cashless options for players, we are creating new revenue opportunities for our customers and Everi. With our superior solutions for cash and cashless funding access, combined with our money transmitter capabilities and our integration with third-party, cashless wagering systems, we're strategically positioned to provide seamless, cost-efficient back-of-the-house functionality to solve the unique regulatory needs of casino operators - creating a fully integrated, multi-jurisdictional, on premise and online, cashless financial- and loyalty-based ecosystem that will provide compelling value for both casino operators and players." CashClub Wallet Ecosystem: The hallmark of Everi's CashClub Wallet Ecosystem is that it enables one-source bi-directional funding and provides a seamless bridge between the front and back-of-house. Everi's extensive, integrated FinTech and Loyalty product lines, including anti-money laundering and other compliance services necessary in the regulated gaming industry, provide unified and cost-efficient benefits on the casino floor - both front- and back-of-house - enabling card-based and mobile scenarios, while remaining agnostic to third-party integrations. This one-source, bi-directional functionality of the integrated CashClub Wallet makes it a convenient and cost-effective solution for casino and resort operators who desire 360-degree visibility and compatibility across their "On Premise and Online" player amenities. Everi's integrated offering of cash and cashless options, together with their full suite of integrated products and services, provides operators with a seamless and low-cost transition for their patrons who switch from cash to cashless.

08:39 EDT Ford issues safety recall for 2020 Lincoln Corsair vehicles - Ford is issuing a safety recall for select 2020 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. Affected vehicles may have insufficient clearance between the left and right rear coil springs and the toe link bracket. This may result in a condition in which the spring and bracket touch, potentially wearing away the protective coating on the coil spring. Over time, corrosion due to removal of the protective coating may reduce the full life of the spring and may result in fracture of the spring. A fractured rear coil spring may separate from the vehicle and cause a potential road hazard for traffic following behind, increasing the likelihood of a crash for other vehicles. Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition. This action affects 2,965 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories, 491 in Canada and 141 in Mexico. Affected vehicles were built at Louisville Assembly Plant from Jan. 7 to Oct. 21, 2019.

08:38 EDT Ford issues safety recall for Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles in NA - Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall for select 2015-18 Ford Edge and 2016-18 Lincoln MKX vehicles: Affected vehicles have front brake jounce hoses that could rupture. A ruptured front brake jounce hose will cause a progressive brake fluid leak. If the brake fluid reservoir is depleted below a certain level, the brake fluid warning indicator light will illuminate. The driver may experience an increase in brake pedal travel, together with a reduction in the rate of deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition. This action affects 488,594 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories, 62,876 in Canada and 7,140 in Mexico. Affected vehicles are: 2015-18 Ford Edge vehicles built at Oakville Assembly Plant from June 25, 2014, to Dec. 21, 2017 and 2016-18 Lincoln MKX vehicles built there from Nov. 11, 2014, to Dec. 21, 2017

08:37 EDT Eton Pharmaceuticals says FDA extends EM-100's goal date to September 15 - The company said, "Eton was notified by its partner that due to a proprietary name change submission, the FDA has extended EM-100's goal date to September 15th. The company is not aware of any deficiencies besides this labeling-related item and remains confident that the product will be approved shortly."

08:36 EDT Boxlight, Samsung enter strategic partnership for U.S. education market - Boxlight (BOXL) and Samsung Electronics America (SSNLF) announced a strategic partnership to bundle classroom displays, classroom software and professional development for the education market. The companies said in a release, "The education bundles combine Samsung display innovations with Boxlight's OKTOPUS education software and online professional development courses. The bundles provide teachers a complete solution that can be easily adopted to create an engaging learning environment for students. Samsung display solutions for education include digital signage, interactive Flip 2 and QBH-TR displays. Boxlight's OKTOPUS software provides a presentation solution that offers subject specific tools for teaching, assessment and polling functions, grading and reporting features, and personal device collaboration. OKTOPUS also allows existing third-party lessons to be uploaded and used in the teaching software. In addition to OKTOPUS, the education bundles include OKTOPUS Blend, a library of over 10,000 master-teacher created lessons, and GameZones, a gaming component that features over 90 games that focus on concepts and skills appropriate for K-8 students. Boxlight's professional development courses provide training for both front of classroom Samsung displays and the OKTOPUS education software. The courses are offered online and are interactive, requiring learners to apply new skills via practice exercises. Teachers can check their knowledge and review course content as needed."

08:33 EDT PDL BioPharma enters into settlement agreement with Wellstat - PDL BioPharma has entered into a settlement agreement with related entities of Defined Diagnostics, f/k/a Wellstat Diagnostics, resolving previously reported litigation relating to loans made to Wellstat Diagnostics by PDL. The loans totaling $44.1M were made pursuant to a loan agreement between Wellstat Diagnostics and PDL dated August 2013, and the notes were carried on PDL's balance sheet for $51,391,184 as of June 30, 2020. The parties agreed that the Wellstat Parties would pay an amount of $7.5M upon the signing of the Agreement and either $5M by February 10, 2021 and $55M by July 26, 2021; or $67.5M by July 26, 2021. Upon payment of either $5M prior to April 21, 2021 or completion of the payment of $67.5M by July 26, 2021, the company will transfer to Wellstat Diagnostics on an "as is" and "where is" basis certain assets currently owned by the company which were obtained through the company's credit bid in 2017 for the assets of Wellstat Diagnostics. If the Wellstat Parties fail to make payment in full by July 26, 2021, the Company shall be authorized to record and confess judgment against the Wellstat Parties for an amount of $92.5M or such lesser amount as may be owed under the agreement.

08:26 EDT Akari Therapeutics announces end-of-phase II meeting with FDA on nomacopan - Akari Therapeutics announces a successful End of Phase 2 meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding Akari's proposed pivotal Phase III program for the treatment of BP. The FDA has agreed to a two-part pivotal trial with Part A and Part B having the same structure, duration, endpoints and target population of moderate and severe BP patients. In the Phase III study, patients will be randomized to receive either nomacopan plus oral corticosteroids or placebo plus OCS. Following an initial stabilization phase, the steroids will be tapered according to disease response to a minimal level of OCS which is considered safe. If disease response is rapid, as was seen in the nomacopan Phase II study in patients with BP, OCS could be tapered to the minimal level within six weeks. The goal of conventional OCS tapering is to achieve minimal therapy within four to six months after initiation of treatment1. Patients will only have their OCS tapered if their disease continues to respond to treatment as the OCS dose is decreased. Once patients are on minimal OCS plus either nomacopan or placebo, the primary endpoint will be achieved by those patients with complete disease remission for eight weeks or longer. The duration of the study is six months after which patients may be eligible to enter a separate one-year long-term safety study to provide at least six months of additional safety data. Part A of the study is the same design as Part B but smaller and with the objective of comparing the Company's target dose with a lower dose of nomacopan and with placebo. Following Part A and discussion with the FDA, Part B will be conducted at the same trial sites using the optimal dose from Part A.

08:21 EDT Cassava Sciences sees 2020 net cash use $5M

08:17 EDT LKQ Corp. appoints Jacob Welch to board of directors - LKQ Corporation announced that it has appointed Jacob H. Welch of ValueAct Capital to its Board of Directors effective August 12, 2020. Mr. Welch is a Partner of ValueAct Capital, one of LKQ's largest stockholders. ValueAct Capital owns approximately 7% of LKQ's outstanding common stock. In connection with Mr. Welch's appointment, the Company and ValueAct entered into a Nomination and Cooperation Agreement, which will be filed as part of a Current Report on Form 8-K.

08:15 EDT Lodestone Security appoints Frank Luzsicza as CEO - Lodestone Security, a wholly owned subsidiary of Beazley, has appointed Frank Luzsicza as CEO. Frank will lead Lodestone's cyber security and breach response teams in helping clients in North America to build their resilience and manage an incident should one occur. He joins from TundefinedV Rheinland Group where he was executive vice president and a member of the group executive council.

08:14 EDT Seattle Genetics receives approval from Australia for Tukysa combination - Seattle Genetics announced that Australian regulatory authorities have approved Tukysa in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine for the treatment of patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases, who have received one or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. Australia joins U.S., Switzerland, Canada and Singapore that approved Tukysa under Project Orbis, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among participating international regulatory agencies.

08:10 EDT Arcadia Biosciences to collaborate with GoodMills to sell Goodwheat in Europe - Arcadia Biosciences announced a collaboration with GoodMills Innovation, an affiliate of GoodMills Group, Europe's largest milling company, for commercialization of wheat with improved nutritional value across Europe. The GoodWheat portfolio of wheats includes attributes such as higher fiber, fewer calories and reduced allergenicity, as well as extended shelf life. The ingredients are the output of Arcadia's proprietary ArcaTech platform, which accelerates discovery, development and breeding of new wheat varieties using advanced non-GM techniques.

08:08 EDT Omnicell to acquire 340B Link business from PSG for $225M - Omnicell said in a release, "Omnicell announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with Pharmaceutical Strategies Group, or PSG, to acquire its 340B Link business for total aggregate cash consideration of $225 million, subject to customary adjustments. Omnicell The acquisition will add a comprehensive and differentiated suite of software-enabled services and solutions used by certain eligible hospitals, health systems, clinics, and entities to manage compliance and capture 340B drug cost savings on outpatient prescriptions filled through the eligible entity's pharmacy or a contracted pharmacy partner. The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program has provided financial assistance to hospitals serving vulnerable communities for more than 25 years. The program offers drug discounts to support eligible entities, including certain hospitals and other federally-qualified health centers, that provide care for the nation's underinsured and uninsured patients. The 340B program continues to be an important source of funding for vital patient care as covered entities face rising healthcare costs, reimbursement cuts, and uncompensated care. To manage the increasing complexities of program compliance, eligible hospitals and other entities rely on software-enabled services to manage the program. The importance of the 340B program continues to grow as covered entities seek solutions to help manage rising healthcare costs and uncompensated care. The acquisition of the 340B Link business accelerates Omnicell's journey to the fully Autonomous Pharmacy, building on the company's recent launch of Omnicell One, which leverages cloud-based data and predictive, prescriptive analytics to provide real-time visibility with actionable insights and workflow optimization recommendations to improve outcomes across the pharmacy supply chain. Under the terms of the agreement, PSG will receive total aggregate cash consideration of $225 million, subject to customary adjustments, at closing as provided for in the equity purchase agreement. The transaction, which is expected to be completed in 2020, is subject to Hart-Scott-Rodino clearance and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. The 340B Link business that is being acquired recorded approximately $35 million of total revenue (unaudited) for the twelve months ended June 30. Omnicell will use cash available on its balance sheet and proceeds from its existing $500 million revolving credit facility to finance the transaction. Upon closing, the transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to Omnicell's non-GAAP earnings per share."

08:06 EDT National Amusements announces death of Sumner Redstone - National Amusements, the parent company of ViacomCBS, issued the following statement: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sumner M. Redstone, the self-made businessman, philanthropist and World War II veteran who built one of the largest collections of media assets in the world. He passed away yesterday at the age of 97."

08:06 EDT Nektar, Vaccibody AS: First patient dosed in Phase 1/2a study of VB10.NEO/bempeg - Vaccibody AS and Nektar Therapeutics announced that the first patient has been dosed in the combination therapy of the Phase 1/2a study evaluating bempegaldesleukin, Nektar's CD122-preferential IL-2 pathway agonist, with VB10.NEO, Vaccibody's personalized neoantigen cancer vaccine, in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

08:04 EDT Royal Caribbean secures commitment for $700M term loan facility - Royal Caribbean (RCL) announced that it has secured a binding commitment from Morgan Stanley (MS) for a $700M term loan facility. The company may draw on the facility at any time prior to August 12, 2021. Once drawn, the loan will bear interest at L + 3.75% and will mature 364 days from funding. The facility will be guaranteed by RCI Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company that owns the equity interests in subsidiaries that own seven of the company's vessels. The company has the ability to increase the capacity of the facility by an additional $300M from time to time subject to the receipt of additional or increased commitments and the issuance of guarantees from additional subsidiaries of the company. If drawn, the company expects to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes.

08:03 EDT Stein Mart trading halted, news pending

07:40 EDT New Hampshire Lottery announces opening of DraftKings Sportsbook at The Brook - DraftKings, The Brook and the New Hampshire Lottery announced the opening of the new DraftKings Sportsbook at The Brook with enhanced safety and sanitization protocols in place. The sportsbook will serve as the first of its kind for the state, allowing sports fans to place legal bets on all major professional and collegiate U.S. sports at a retail location. Eureka Casino Resorts, which acquired and re-branded The Brook in 2019, spent months designing a new safety and sanitization plan to guide staff and guests. The plan includes physical distancing and hand sanitizer stations throughout the space, including in seating areas and on the gaming floor, in addition to requiring guests and employees to wear a mask. In consultation with regulators and public health officials, DraftKings Sportsbook at The Brook may add to or update its safety and sanitization procedures. Outfitted with betting kiosks and video walls, the sportsbook exists within The Brook's "Stadium" sports entertainment space to deliver the ultimate gaming experience. The opening coincides with the return to action of many professional U.S. sports leagues and marks DraftKings' eighth retail location in the United States.

07:36 EDT Kamada appoints Lilach Asher Topilsky as chairman of the board - Kamada announced changes to the composition of its Board of Directors. Lilach Asher Topilsky, a Director on the Company's Board and a Senior Partner at FIMI Opportunity Funds, the leading private equity investor in Israel and Kamada's largest shareholder, has been appointed Chairman of the Board. The current Chairman, Leon Recanati, will remain on the Board as a Director. In addition, Ari Shamiss MD, MPA, a veteran hospital senior executive, has joined as a new Director, to serve until the Company's next annual meeting of shareholders, at which he will stand for election by the shareholders. The Company's Board now consists of nine members.

07:34 EDT Eloxx Pharmaceuticals resumes enrollment in Phase 2 CF trial of ELX-02 - Eloxx Pharmaceuticals announced that enrollment in its Phase 2 clinical trial for ELX-02 in cystic fibrosis has resumed at certain clinical sites in the U.S. after being temporarily paused in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 17, 2020, we announced that enrollment had been resumed in the Phase 2 clinical trial in cystic fibrosis in Europe and Israel after a temporary pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

07:20 EDT Hepion Pharmaceuticals announces publication of CRV431 data in PLOS ONE - Hepion Pharmaceuticals announced that the peer-reviewed journal, PLOS ONE, has published a paper that further elucidates antiviral activities of CRV431, Hepion's lead drug candidate, which is currently in a Phase 2a clinical trial for NASH fibrosis. The article reviews a study, conducted by Philippe Gallay's research group at The Scripps Research Institute, investigating the ability of CRV431 and NV556, two structurally different cyclophilin inhibitors, to inhibit hepatitis C virus, or HCV, replication in vivo. Mice implanted with human hepatocytes were subsequently infected with HCV and simultaneously administered either 50 mg/kg CRV431, 50 mg/kg NV556 or vehicle control. Vehicle-treated mice demonstrated HCV replication reaching peak viremia at nine weeks post infection, whereas HCV infection was completely abolished in mice treated with CRV431 or NV556. When CRV431 and NV556 were administered to mice at three- and six-weeks post HCV infection, HCV replication was totally inhibited at nine- and 12-weeks, respectively. In addition, no viral rebound was observed five months following a single CRV431 or NV556 administration, indicating the possibility of the complete suppression of an established viral infection.

07:15 EDT Applied Genetic formalizes Patient Advisory Council - Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation announced the formation of a Patient Advisory Council to build on its focus of incorporating the patient and caregiver voice into the Company's culture and clinical and pre-clinical programs. Engagement with patients and caregivers has provided AGTC with substantive information that has guided its clinical trial design, enhanced its understanding of retinal disorders, and inspired its patient centric culture. The Council, spearheaded by Jill Dolgin, PharmD, Head of Patient Advocacy at AGTC, is comprised of individuals with inherited retinal diseases and members from the global community of organizations that represent them. In July, AGTC announced next steps in the clinical development of the Company's potential treatment of XLRP caused by mutations in the RPGR gene following receipt of written feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. AGTC is expanding the ongoing Phase 1/2 trial to dose additional patients in two masked dosing arms to collect additional functional data. In parallel, a planned Phase 2/3 trial, which is expected to begin in Q1 2021, will be designed to evaluate sustained efficacy across multiple measures of potential benefit in patients with XLRP. Organizations and advocate members of the Patient Advisory Council include: Foundation Fighting Blindness: Brian Mansfield, PhD Executive Vice President of Research, Interim Chief Scientific Officer, and oversees the My Retina Tracker Registry patient database; Todd Durham, PhD Vice President, Clinical Outcomes Research; Michelle Glaze Associate Director, Professional Outreach, and an individual affected by retinitis pigmentosa; Richard Faubion Senior Director, Development; individual affected by XLRP, and a stem cell transplant clinical trial participant. Fighting Blindness Canada: Shari Shaw, MHSc Health Information Officer, and an individual with RP. Retina International: Avril Daly CEO; Vice President, Board of Directors of the European Organization for Rare Diseases, and an individual affected by RP. Sofia Sees Hope: Laura Manfree President and Founder, and parent of a child with Leber Congenital Amaurosis; Alison Lynch, JD Disabilities attorney, individual affected by achromatopsia, and non-gene therapy clinical trial participant.

07:12 EDT Ascendis Pharma receives Orphan Designation for TransCon CNP - Ascendis Pharma announced the European Commission has granted Orphan Designation to TransCon C-Type Natriuretic Peptide for the treatment of achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. TransCon CNP is a investigational long-acting prodrug of CNP, designed to provide continuous exposure of CNP at safe, therapeutic levels via a single, weekly subcutaneous dose. TransCon CNP also received orphan designation for the treatment of achondroplasia in the United States in February 2019. Currently, there is no medical therapy approved for the treatment of achondroplasia.

07:08 EDT Bristol-Myers to spend $300M to address health inequity - Bristol Myers Squibb and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation announced a combined investment of $300M as part of a series of commitments. For Bristol Myers Squibb and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, the commitments are designed to address health disparities, increase clinical trial diversity and for Bristol Myers Squibb, to increase the company's spend with diverse suppliers and continue to increase Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino representation at all levels of the company. These commitments build on each entity's experience addressing health disparities and, for Bristol Myers Squibb, its investments in increasing the diversity of its workforce. The combined $300M investment to health equity focuses on raising disease awareness and education, increasing health care access, and improving health outcomes for medically underserved populations. The BMS Foundation's commitment to clinical trial diversity focuses on building clinical trial infrastructure in diverse communities and high disease burden areas in the U.S. and increasing the diversity of investigators through a fellowship program over five years.

07:07 EDT Southwestern Energy agrees to acquire Montage Resources in all-stock deal - Southwestern Energy (SWN) and Montage Resources (MR) announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Southwestern Energy will acquire Montage Resources in an all-stock transaction. The companies said in a release, "Based on the 3-day average closing share prices of the companies as of August 11, 2020 and under the terms of the agreement, Montage Resources shareholders will receive 1.8656 shares of Southwestern for each Montage Resources share. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the Montage Resources shareholders. Highlights include: Represents a step change in free cash flow; approximately $100 million annual free cash flow beginning in 2021 based on current strip pricing; Accretive to per share financial metrics as well as leverage, margin and returns; Anticipated synergies of approximately $30 million in annual G&A savings captured following the transaction close, in addition to operational efficiencies; Maintains peer leading maturity runway and strong balance sheet; Combined company will be the third largest producer in Appalachia, expected total equivalent production of approximately 3 Bcfe per day; and Enhances economic inventory, with investment opportunities in proven, high-return Marcellus super rich and core Utica dry gas windows."

07:04 EDT Lowe's expands supply chain network, opens second direct fulfillment center - Lowe's announced an update on its supply chain transformation to improve home delivery and support growing demand from DIY and Pro customers. Over the next 18 months, the company plans to open 50 cross dock delivery terminals, seven bulk distribution centers and four e-commerce fulfillment centers. This includes 20 cross dock terminals and one West Coast e-commerce fulfillment center in the second half of fiscal 2020. Together, the goal is to provide more same-day and next-day service offerings and enable faster e-commerce shipping across the country. The company will open the West Coast e-commerce fulfillment center in Mira Loma, California in October 2020, which will offer faster shipping options direct to consumer. This direct fulfillment center will improve two-day delivery options to reach nearly 100% of customers nationwide. This is the company's second direct fulfillment center - its first was opened in 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee.

06:58 EDT Brinker reports Q4 comparable restaurant sales down 36.7%

06:46 EDT Lazard reports preliminary AUM approximately $222.5B as of July 31 - The month's AUM included market appreciation of $4.5B, net outflows of $1.4B and foreign exchange appreciation of $4.7B.

06:35 EDT Cellular Biomedicine enters into definitive merger agreement, will go private - Cellular Biomedicine Group said in a release, "Cellular Biomedicine Group announced that it has signed a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by a newly-formed entity formed on behalf of a consortium consisting of (i) Bizuo (Tony) Liu (CEO of CBMG) and certain other members of CBMG management (Yihong Yao, Li (Helen) Zhang and Chengxiang (Chase) Dai), (ii) Dangdai International Group Co., Limited, Mission Right Limited, Wealth Map Holdings Limited, Earls Mill Limited, OPEA SRL, Maplebrook Limited, Full Moon Resources Limited, Viktor Pan and Zheng Zhou and (iii) Yunfeng Fund III, L.P., TF Capital Fund III L.P., Velvet Investment Pte. Ltd., and Bizuo (Tony) Liu. Under the terms of the merger agreement, CBMG's stockholders will receive US$19.75 in cash for each outstanding share of common stock held immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, other than (i) the shares owned by Parent or its subsidiaries, (ii) the shares held by CBMG as treasury stock, (iii) certain shares held by rollover stockholders, including the Consortium Rollover Stockholders and (iv) the shares in respect of which appraisal rights have been properly and validly exercised under Delaware law. In connection with the Merger, the shares held by the Rollover Stockholders will be cancelled without payment of any consideration and the Rollover Stockholders will subscribe for newly-issued shares of Parent. The Rollover Stockholders collectively hold approximately 51.5% of the outstanding CBMG shares. The $19.75 per share price represents a premium of approximately 31.4% over the 30 trading-day average price of the Company's common stock as of August 11, 2020, and a premium of approximately 11.8% over CBMG's closing stock price on November 8, 2019, the last trading day prior to the public announcement of the consortium's initial proposal. The Company's Board of Directors, acting on the unanimous recommendation of the special committee formed by the Board of Directors (the "Special Committee"), approved the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement and resolved to recommend that the Company's stockholders adopt the merger agreement and approve the merger. The Special Committee, which is comprised solely of independent and disinterested directors of the Company, exclusively negotiated the terms of the merger agreement with Parent, with the assistance of its independent financial and legal advisors. Under the terms of the merger agreement, CBMG (at the direction of the Special Committee) will conduct a 30-day "go shop" process, during which CBMG is permitted to solicit, initiate, facilitate or encourage acquisition proposals and to participate in discussions or negotiations with respect to any acquisition proposal. Following the "go shop" process, CBMG may respond to certain unsolicited acquisition proposals and, during the first 15-day period following the "go shop" process, CBMG may continue to engage with certain third parties that have made acquisition proposals during the "go shop" process, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement. CBMG will have the right to terminate the definitive agreement to accept a superior proposal, if one is received, subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement. There can be no assurance that this "go-shop" process will result in a superior proposal or that any other transaction will be approved or completed. CBMG does not intend to disclose developments with respect to the "go-shop" process unless and until the Special Committee makes a determination requiring further disclosure. Upon closing of the merger, CBMG will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. CBMG is expected to remain headquartered in Maryland. The merger is subject to approval by CBMG's stockholders, including a non-waivable condition requiring approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of CBMG common stock that are not beneficially owned by Parent, the Rollover Stockholders, the Equity Investors or their respective affiliates, as well as regulatory and certain other customary closing conditions. The merger is not subject to a financing condition. The Company will call a meeting of stockholders for the purpose of voting on the adoption of the merger agreement in due course. If completed, the merger will result in the Company becoming a privately held company, and CBMG's common stock would no longer be listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market."

06:33 EDT Cellular Biomedicine enters into definitive merger agreement, will go private

05:42 EDT Cellcom Israel announces dismissal of purported class action lawsuit - Cellcom Israel announced the dismissal of the recently announced purported class action filed against the company, alleging that the company misled its customers by failing to disclose certain information in relation to a certain service. The amount claimed from the company, had the lawsuit been certified as a class action, was estimated by the plaintiff to be approximately NIS 179M.

05:33 EDT Unico American announces $5M share repurchase program - Unico American announced that, its board authorized a share repurchase program for up to $5M of its outstanding common stock. The company intends to fund the share repurchases from cash on hand.

05:11 EDT Aflac increases share repurchase program by up to 100M shares - Aflac said in a release, "Aflac's board has authorized the purchase of up to 100 million shares of its common stock. This authorization is in addition to the 21.9 million shares as of June 30, that remained under the August 8, 2017 authorization, bringing the total number of shares available for purchase to approximately 121.9 million. The company anticipates that the repurchase of shares will be conducted from time to time in open market or negotiated transactions, depending on market conditions."