Stockwinners Market Radar for August 24, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:19 EDT AWS general availability of Amazon EBS io2 Volume - Amazon Web Services announced general availability of io2, the next generation Provisioned IOPS SSD volumes for Amazon Elastic Block Store. The new io2 volume is designed for 100x higher volume durability when compared to the 99.9% durability offered by io1 Amazon EBS volumes. Higher volume durability reduces the likelihood of storage failures and makes the primary copy of customers' data more resilient, resulting in better application availability. With io2, customers can drive 10x higher input/output operations per second from their provisioned storage at the same price as io1, so performance improves significantly without increasing storage cost. io2 is ideal for performance-intensive, business critical applications that need higher availability like ERP, CRM, and online transaction systems and the databases like SAP HANA, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, Apache Cassandra, MySQL, and PostreSQL that back them.

17:41 EDT Honeywell up 3.6% at $165.24 after being added to DJIA

17:40 EDT Salesforce up 3.7% at $216.30 after being added to DJIA

17:35 EDT Honeywell to replace Raytheon Technologies in DJIA at open on 8/31

17:33 EDT Salesforce to replace Exxon Mobil in DJIA at open on 8/31

17:23 EDT Regeneron's Goldstein sells 1,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Regeneron director Joseph L. Goldstein disclosed the sale of 1,000 common shares of the company on August 21 at a price of $617.18 per share.

17:08 EDT Peoples Bancorp CFO John Rogers retires, Katie Bailey to succeed - Peoples Bancorp announced that John Rogers plans to retire as Peoples' Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer, effective September 30, after a distinguished 39 year career in public accounting and financial services, including the past five years in his current position with Peoples. Rogers will also retire from his position as Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer of Peoples' banking subsidiary, Peoples Bank. He has held these positions since joining the company in 2015. Peoples further announced that, pursuant to its succession plan, it promoted Katie Bailey to the position of Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer of Peoples and Peoples Bank, in each case effective October 1. Bailey has most recently served as Director of Finance for Peoples and as Senior Vice President, Director of Finance, for Peoples Bank, since January 2019. She has been with Peoples Bank since May 2011.

16:40 EDT BOQI International Medical receives noncompliance notification from Nasdaq - BOQI International Medical reported that it received a notification letter from Nasdaq stating that, because the company has not yet filed its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, the company is no longer in compliance with Nasdaq. Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250 requires listed companies to timely file all required periodic financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In accordance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules, the company was provided 60 calendar days to submit its plan to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules. If Nasdaq accepts the company's plan, then Nasdaq may grant the company up to 180 days from the prescribed due date for filing the Form 10-Q to regain compliance. If Nasdaq does not accept the company's plan, then the company will have the opportunity to appeal that decision to a Nasdaq hearings panel. The company said it is diligently working to file the Form 10-Q within the period provided to submit its plan of compliance.

16:31 EDT Atlas Financial gets Nasdaq notice of additional reporting delinquency - Atlas Financial announced that it received a delinquency notification letter from the Listing Qualifications Staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC on August 18, 2020 due to the Company's non-compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) as a result of the Company's failure to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. As previously disclosed, the Company received notices from the Staff on June 9, 2020 regarding its non-compliance with the Rule following the Company's delay in the filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and on July 1, 2020 regarding its non-compliance with the Rule following the Company's delay in the filing of its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The company will continue to work diligently to complete and file the Form 10-K, the Q1 Form 10-Q, and the Q2 Form 10-Q as soon as practicable.

16:23 EDT Palo Alto Networks slips 2.3% after Q4 results

16:17 EDT Flexsteel Industries approves $8M buyback - Flexsteel board approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the company to purchase up to an aggregate of $8M of the company's common stock.

16:13 EDT Palo Alto Networks reports Q4 billings up 32% to $1.4B - Deferred revenue grows 32% year over year to $3.8B.

16:12 EDT Palo Alto Networks sees Q1 total billings $1.03B-$1.05B - Representing year-over-year growth of between 15%-17%.

16:07 EDT Organogenesis announces resignation of CFO Timothy Cunningham - Organogenesis announced the resignation of CFO Timothy Cunningham effective August 18. The company said Cunningham's resignation is not the result of any dispute or disagreement with Organogenesis or any matter relating to the company's accounting practices or financial statements. Henry Hagopian, the company's VP of finance and treasurer has assumed the role of interim CFO in addition to his current responsibilities. The company has initiated a national search process to identify a permanent CFO.

16:05 EDT Qiagen up 2.8% at $53 per share on announced launch of 10-minute COVID assay

16:00 EDT SeaWorld pops over 3% after plans for limited reopening at San Diego - Shares of SeaWorld SeaWorld Entertainment are up 3.13% or 59c a share to $19.46 in late Monday trading after announcing earlier the launch of a NEW park experience - Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews. This limited capacity, ticketed and reservation required experience "will provide guests with the opportunity to not only delight their taste buds with an exciting variety of refreshing craft brews and mouthwatering BBQ, but also explore 40 acres of the park's expansive property to enjoy outdoor animal exhibits and fan-favorite marine life animal presentations with physical distancing measures in place. "We want to thank our guests for their continued patience and support, and are beyond excited to announce the launch of this unique zoo experience, in a limited capacity format, as we safely welcome everyone back to the park for Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews," said Marilyn Hannes, president of SeaWorld San Diego. "We have enhanced our already strict health and safety measures to implement best practices in health and safety protocols that will promote an outdoor experience for families and friends that is fun, memorable and safe."

15:15 EDT Xtant announces U.S. commercial launch of the Matriform Si for spinal fusion - Xtant Medical Holdings announced the U.S. commercial launch of the Matriform Si, a silicated synthetic bone graft strip designed and cleared for spinal fusion procedures. The Matriform Si Strip is resorbable, osteoconductive, and has a cancellous bone-like structure. It is prepared from Beta-tricalcium phosphate and porcine collagen for its intended use in filling and bridging degenerative or traumatic bone defects. "We are excited to launch Matriform Si in the U.S., which expands our biologics portfolio offering and increases our footprint in the U.S. orthopedic Bone Graft Substitute market," said Kevin Brandt, Chief Commercial Officer of Xtant Medical. "This innovative synthetic is an ultraporous, interconnected structure that is designed to enhance new bone formation and mechanical stability while preventing premature dissolution for spinal fusion procedures. Our team remains committed to advancing our product portfolio, supporting distributors, and providing new tools for surgeons to drive better patient care.

15:00 EDT ElectraMeccanica jumps 7% after announcing production start for 3-wheeled EV - Shares of ElectraMeccanica are up 7% or 18c to $2.78 per share on Monday after announcing, earlier today, an official start date of August 26th for the commencement of production for its flagship SOLO EV.The SOLO is a purpose-built, all-electric, three-wheeled vehicle for the modern urban environment. Engineered for a single occupant, it offers a unique driving experience for the environmentally conscious consumer. The SOLO has a range of over 100 miles and a top speed of 80 mph, making it safe for any road or highway. The vehicle features front and rear crumple zones, triple-side impact protection, roll bar, torque-limiting control and many premium comfort features, such as power steering, power brakes, air conditioning and a Bluetooth entertainment system. The SOLO blends a cool, modern look with state-of-the-art technology at an attainable price point. ElectraMeccanica will be working in close partnership with its contract manufacturing partner and strategic investor, Zongshen Industrial Group, in Chongqing, China on the initial production vehicles. The Company has targeted late November/early December for initial deliveries to select members on its pre-order list before ramping production to meet growing demand. Distribution will begin in three locations where the Company has an existing retail footprint: Southern California, Scottsdale, AZ and Portland, OR. Additional deliveries will be made to key markets along the West Coast as the Company continues to expand. Owing to strong consumer demand, ElectraMeccanica has already accumulated a substantial waiting list and encourages potential customers to place their pre-orders as soon as possible to secure their position in line. The SOLO is currently available for pre-orders on the Company website here. "August 26 will be a momentous occasion for our business, and I could not be prouder of all the efforts from our collective team to make our SOLO dream a reality," said ElectraMeccanica CEO Paul Rivera. "We will be working continuously with our manufacturing partners throughout the next several months to ship fully-assembled vehicles and put them into the hands of our early adopters. Going forward, we are making every effort to ensure that the driver experience and customer care are fully supported. We are thoughtfully considering every detail to ensure that the 'Drive SOLO' experience is truly exceptional."

13:57 EDT Treasrer of TE Connectivity Mario Calastri sells $1.02M in shares - Treasrer of TE Connectivity Mario Calastri disclosed in a filing that he had sold 10,757 shares of company stock at $94.60 per share on August 24 for a total transaction value of $1,017,633.

13:14 EDT Spotify and League of Legends developer Riot Games in multiyear pact - In an earlier blog posting, Spotify (SPOT) and Riot Games (TCEHY) announced that "Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, MOBA, game League of Legends is the biggest esport in the world. Last year, tournaments were held in over 37 different cities across five continents, with a record-breaking viewership of 21.8 million average minute audience watching the 2019 World Championship Final unfold. But gamers and fans aren't just playing: they're also streaming. The official League of Legends soundtrack racks up over 4.8M Spotify listeners per month-a sizable number of both gamers and Spotify users. That's why Spotify and Riot Games, the video game developer behind League of Legends, are joining forces for a first-of-its-kind multiyear partnership. Spotify is also now the official-and exclusive-audio -streaming partner for League of Legends global events. Music is already important in the League of Legends world, but we're taking it one step further by creating a hub. Get excited for new and existing music, podcasts, and playlists inspired by the gaming community, including Official League of Legends and Road to Worlds 2020 playlists. Keep an ear out for more coming soon." Reference Link

12:55 EDT Zoom Video: 'Everything should be working properly now!' - Zoom said via Twitter: "Everything should be working properly now! We are continuing to monitor the situation. Thank you all for your patience and our sincere apologies for disrupting your day." Reference Link

12:31 EDT Veterans Affairs to negotiate vagus nerve stimulator with electroCore - The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to solicit and negotiate a sole source, firm-fixed-priced purchase order with only one source, ElectroCore, for the procurement of gamma core sapphire 3 non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator for the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, the General Services Administration Federal Government posted on its website. Reference Link

11:31 EDT Apollo Global slips as Virgin Islands AG said to subpoena founder Leon Black - Shares of Apollo Global Management are down 74c, or 1.5%, to $46.29 following a report that Leon Black, the founder of Apollo, will be issued a civil subpoena as officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands seek information about his decades-long ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Attorney general Denise George informed a local court last week that she would issue civil subpoenas to Black and several entities connected to him seeking financial statements and tax returns and subpoenas will also go to Apollo and entities that help manage Black's art collection, the New York Times' Matthew Goldstein, Steve Eder and David Enrich reported over the weekend. Reference Link

11:05 EDT Zoom Video rolling out fixes for today's outages - Zoom Video said on its website, "We are in the process of deploying a fix across our cloud. Service has been restored already for some users. We are continuing to roll this out to complete the fix for any users still impacted."

10:45 EDT Orion Group provides update on explosion, fire involving Waymon Boyd - Orion Group Holdings provided an update on the explosion and fire in the Port of Corpus Christi involving its dredge Waymon Boyd. "On Friday morning a fire occurred in the Port of Corpus Christi Ship Channel near one of the Company's dredges, the Waymon Boyd, and the vessel caught fire. The bodies of two missing crew members have been recovered and recovery efforts continue for two crew members who remain missing. Several crewmen were injured in the incident, some seriously, and are being treated for their injuries." "We greatly appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and other first responders in their efforts to recover our missing crewmen," said Mark Stauffer, Orion's President and CEO. "Our focus is on supporting our employees and their families during this difficult time and our thoughts and prayers are with them and all the first responders. We continue to work alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, the Port of Corpus Christi Authority and the other agencies to assist in the recovery of our personnel and the wider investigation into this incident." The company has notified its insurers of this incident, continues to focus on safely executing its projects, and does not expect any material adverse impacts as a result of this incident.

10:02 EDT BAE Systems wins $495M contract to continue range instrumentation support - The U.S. Air Force has awarded BAE Systems a $495M contract to continue to provide a wide range of instrumentation support and sustainment services to military and government agencies for the U.S. and its allies. BAE Systems has been involved in the Instrumentation Range Support Program for 35 years and this new contract extends the company's role in ensuring the accuracy and operational reliability of tracking systems in support of national security missions. The single-award contract has a ceiling amount of $945M over seven years.

10:00 EDT OneSmart falls -5.9% - OneSmart is down -5.9%, or -26c to $4.14.

10:00 EDT LG Display rises 13.2% - LG Display is up 13.2%, or 74c to $6.33.

10:00 EDT Rocket Companies rises 15.6% - Rocket Companies is up 15.6%, or $4.03 to $29.92.

09:47 EDT The China Fund falls -3.9% - The China Fund is down -3.9%, or -99c to $24.49.

09:47 EDT AMTD International falls -8.0% - AMTD International is down -8.0%, or -52c to $5.98.

09:47 EDT Velocity Financial rises 11.2% - Velocity Financial is up 11.2%, or 59c to $5.86.

09:46 EDT Captona forms Catamaran Renewables JV with South Jersey Industries - Captona, a North America-focused investment company specializing in power generation and energy infrastructure assets, announced the formation of Catamaran Renewables, a 50/50 joint venture between Captona and SJI subsidiary Marina Energy, to develop, own and operate renewable energy projects. The new Catamaran joint venture brings over 1.3 GW of combined operational experience across all types of renewable energy and transactional experience above $1B in the renewable energy industry. The joint venture also announces its first acquisition in the vehicle, a 7.5 MW fuel cell portfolio in Staten Island, New York from NineDot Energy, a renewable energy developer based in the NYU Urban Future Lab cleantech incubator in Brooklyn, NY. The projects are currently under construction and scheduled to be placed into service this year. All project revenue qualifies under New York's VDER program.

09:33 EDT Smartsheet to acquire Brandfolder for $155M - Smartsheet said in a release, "Smartsheet announced that it has agreed to acquire Brandfolder, the market momentum leader in digital asset management, or DAM, as awarded in a 2020 G2 Report. Combining Brandfolder's world-class DAM capabilities with Smartsheet's leading collaborative work management platform will create a dynamic solution that manages workflows around content and collaboration, and enable organizations to break down silos, execute more effectively, and make better decisions faster. Smartsheet will pay approximately $155 million for the acquisition, subject to certain customary adjustments and indemnification obligations, with a combination of cash and stock. Closing is expected to occur in September. Additional details regarding the anticipated financial impact of the acquisition will be provided in conjunction with our second quarter of fiscal year 2021 earnings announcement on September 2."

09:30 EDT Mohawk Group to acquire Truweo for approximately $16.4M - Mohawk Group announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the assets of Truweo, a leading ecommerce brand in the health and personal wellness category. The company will pay approximately $16.4M (approximately $13.9M in cash at closing and approximately $2.5M in the form of an unsecured promissory note), which reflects an approximately 2.5x multiple on Truweo's trailing twelve month operating income measured as of July 31. Truweo's TTM revenue and operating income, ending as of July 31, were approximately $14M and $6.5M, respectively. The acquisition is contingent upon obtaining certain required third party approvals and the satisfaction of customary conditions, and is expected to close on or about August 26.

09:27 EDT XpresSpa to begin rapid testing for COVID-19, signs contract with Abbott - XpresSpa (XSPA) said it has has made a "major stride" in advancing airport COVID-19 testing by "slashing the waiting time for results from 48 hours or more to under 15 minutes." The company has signed a contract with Abbott (ABT) securing 100 ID NOW testing instruments. This rapid molecular testing technology has emerged as a part of the diagnostic landscape to help fight the pandemic by allowing fast, accurate diagnosis. Securing the use of the Abbott devices is part of XpresCheck's strategy to deliver testing and healthcare services to airports across the country. This first mover advantage in the airport space will roll out in September at its locations in JFK International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

09:20 EDT Moderna confirms discussions to provide EC 80M doses of COVID-19 vaccine - Moderna announced that the company has concluded advanced exploratory talks with the European Commission, or EC, to supply 80M doses of mRNA-1273, Moderna's vaccine candidate against COVID-19, as part of the European Commission's goal to secure early access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Europe. The potential purchase agreement with the European Commission of 80M doses provides for an option for Member States to purchase an additional 80M doses for a total of up to 160M doses. The discussions are intended to ensure that Member States have access to Moderna's vaccine. The Phase 3 study of mRNA-1273 began on July 27 and enrollment of approximately 30,000 participants is on track to complete in September. Moderna is scaling up global manufacturing to be able to deliver approximately 500M doses per year and possibly up to 1B doses per year, beginning in 2021. In Europe, the company is working with its strategic manufacturing partners, Lonza of Switzerland and ROVI of Spain, for manufacturing and fill-finish outside of the United States. This is a dedicated supply chain to support Europe and countries other than the United States that enter into purchase agreements with Moderna.

09:16 EDT Accelerate Diagnostics names Nedal Safwat Chief Strategy Officer - Accelerate Diagnostics announced that Nedal Safwat has been appointed Chief Strategy Officer. Dr. Safwat joins Accelerate from BioMerieux, a microbiology diagnostics company.

09:12 EDT Charah Solutions receives contract extension from Exelon - Charah Solutions (CHRA) said in a release, "Charah Solutions announced that its Allied Power division has signed a multi-year contract extension for nuclear maintenance and technical services with Exelon Generation Company (EXC) the largest owner and operator of nuclear plants in the United States and the largest producer of emissions-free energy. Allied Power will provide maintenance and modification services for twelve Exelon nuclear plants and 21 units in four states as well as fleet wide staff augmentation services through mid-August 2025, with an option for a five-year renewal. Allied Power's services are designed to support Exelon's objectives for safe, event-free outage and operational performance at Exelon's sites in Illinois, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania."

09:09 EDT NantKwest signs collaboration agreement with ImmunityBio - NantKwest and ImmunityBio, a privately held immunotherapy company, announced the signing of a definitive agreement to jointly develop, manufacture, market, and commercialize therapeutics and vaccines for combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The companies said in a release, "Under the terms of the definitive agreement, the two companies agree to share equally the costs incurred after August 21 of development, manufacturing, marketing, and commercialization of the products each is developing related to COVID-19. Should a product be commercialized successfully, the companies have agreed to a 60-40 percentage split of net profits, with the larger share going to the company that developed the product. The agreement also details the structure of shared governance of the joint collaboration. The two product candidates currently in development under the agreement are a mesenchymal stem cell therapeutic from NantKwest, whose goal is to reduce the time a critically ill patient spends on a ventilator; and a COVID-19 vaccine product from ImmunityBio, which is anticipated to soon enter into a phase I clinical trial."

09:08 EDT Regions Financial branches now open for walk-in service - Regions Bank today announced it has reopened branch lobbies for walk-in service and implemented health and safety best practices to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. In March, Regions temporarily limited in-person branch-banking services to drive-through and lobby service by appointment only as part of the bank's comprehensive response to COVID-19. Since the pandemic emerged, Regions has taken decisive action to implement health and safety best practices, provide tailored assistance to customers facing hardship, and support community organizations in the markets Regions serves. As Regions welcomes customers for walk-in service, the bank has implemented a variety of health and safety best practices in the interest of customers and associates: All bankers will undergo a wellness check before entering the branch. All bankers have been provided face coverings and will wear them when interacting with customers. Face coverings are required for customers in the branch. Each branch will maintain posted occupancy limits based upon facility size and type; a Regions banker will assist with managing occupancy. Regions has instituted enhanced cleaning and sanitizing practices in all facilities using products recommended by the CDC and is also providing hand sanitizer for customers and associates. Protective shields have been installed at cash lines and banker desks. Floor markers and signage are posted throughout the branches to assist with CDC-recommended social distancing guidelines. Customers are encouraged to schedule appointments for in-branch services in advance through the Make an Appointment feature on Regions.com, through online and mobile banking or by calling the branch directly to set up a time for service. Branch contact information is available through the Locations tab on Regions.com. Regions also offers a variety of contactless banking options in addition to in-branch services. Customers may access their accounts and complete banking transactions through Regions' online and mobile banking capabilities and network of 2,000 ATMs, many of which provide Video Banking service during extended hours as well as check cashing and deposit services. Regions continues to invest in technology innovations to improve the customer experience and provide additional choice and convenience."

09:06 EDT FTS International announces agreement with majority of secured debtholders - FTS International said in a release, "FTS International announced that it has entered into a restructuring support agreement with approximately 75 percent of the holders of the Company's 6.250% senior secured notes due 2022 and approximately 64 percent of the Company's secured debt claims. The Agreement outlines a comprehensive restructuring that will deleverage the Company's balance sheet by $437.3 million and provide it with the financial flexibility to deliver results-oriented and innovative well completion solutions to its customers. Importantly, the Agreement contemplates that the Company's vendors, suppliers, and customers will remain unaffected by the transaction."

09:02 EDT One Stop Systems receives two purchase orders of $4.3M for DSUs - One Stop Systems has received two anticipated purchase orders of $4.3M for OSS mil-spec data storage units, or DSUs, to be fulfilled in the second half of 2020. These purchase orders are in conjunction with the previously announced $36M, five-year sole-source supplier agreement to provide mil-spec flash storage arrays for an airborne military radar application. The DSUs use high-speed flash storage contained in removable canisters for the transport of high volumes of data from surveillance aircraft to ground-base stations. The systems are capable of storing encrypted data collected in real-time from advanced radar and other airborne sensors. These orders are inclusive of airborne and ground systems, spare canisters and support services.

08:41 EDT Ligand announces Amgen KYPROLIS approved by FDA - Ligand Pharmaceuticals said in a release, "Ligand Pharmaceuticals (LGND) announces that a major Captisol customer Amgen (AMGN) has received FDA approval for the expansion of the KYPROLIS U.S. prescribing information to include its use in combination with DARZALEX plus dexamethasone in once- and twice-weekly dosing regimens for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received one to three previous lines of therapy."

08:39 EDT Barnes & Noble Education to pursue standalone go-forward strategy

08:38 EDT Editas Medicine granted RPD designation for EDIT-301 by FDA - Editas Medicine announced that the FDA has granted rare pediatric disease, or RPD, designation for EDIT-301, an experimental, autologous cell medicine, being developed as a potentially best-in-class, durable medicine for sickle cell disease. The company plans to file an investigational new drug application, or IND, for EDIT-301 by the end of 2020.

08:36 EDT Inpixon receives FCC certification for new multi-technology sensor - Inpixon announced it has received certification for its new multi-technology sensor from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The sensor includes Ultra-Wideband, Cellular, Wi-Fi and BLE detection.

08:34 EDT Turning Point Therapeutics receives fast-track designation for repotrectinib - Turning Point Therapeutics announced the FDA granted a third fast-track designation to its lead drug candidate, repotrectinib. The designation was granted for the treatment of patients with advanced solid tumors that have an NTRK gene fusion who have progressed following treatment with at least one prior line of chemotherapy and one or two prior TRK tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or TKIs, and have no satisfactory alternative treatments. Repotrectinib was previously granted two fast track designations for the treatment of ROS1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients, first for patients with one prior line of platinum-based chemotherapy and one prior ROS1 TKI, and second for patients without prior ROS1 TKI treatment. There are no approved targeted therapies for patients previously treated with another ROS1 or TRK TKI.

08:33 EDT Smith & Wesson Brands names Deana McPherson as CFO - Smith & Wesson Brands named Deana McPherson as Executive Vice President, CFO, Treasurer, and Assistant Secretary, in a previously announced transition, which follows the retirement of Jeffrey Buchanan and the completion of the spin-off of the company's outdoor products and accessories business. McPherson joined Smith & Wesson in June 2007 as Corporate Controller, was later promoted to Vice President of Finance and Corporate Controller, and became Chief Accounting Officer in 2017.

08:31 EDT Lightbridge receives patent from Korean Intellectual Property Office - Lightbridge announced that it has received a notification of patent grant from the Korean Intellectual Property Office for a divisional patent application relating to a co-extrusion method of manufacturing Lightbridge four-lobe helically twisted metallic fuel rods, based on its 2011 Patent Cooperation Treaty ( patent application.

08:29 EDT Marathon Patent Group installs 1,360 miners, increases hashrate 230% - Marathon Patent Group announced that it received 700 WhatsMiner M31S+ Miners from MicroBT and 600 S19 Pro Antminers from Bitmain. All 1,360 have been deployed at the company's hosting facility with Compute North, and the new installations have increased the company's Hashrate by 130/Ph to 186/Ph. Between May 19 and June 11, the company announced the purchase of 1,000 additional S19 Pro Antminers. Overall, 500 of these units are scheduled to arrive in September and another 500 in December of this year. When received and deployed, these 1,000 S-19 Pro Miners will add an additional 110/Ph to the company's production and December which will add an additional 153.4/Ph to the company's production, thus increasing total production to 296/Ph before year's end. The company expects to receive the first S19 Pro Antminers from the recently announced 10,500 unit long term purchase agreement with Bitmain, beginning in January 2021 with final deliveries expected in June 2021. The addition of these 10,500 Miners will increase the company's Hashrate production by 1,155/Ph. When all Miners are installed, the company's total estimated aggregate Hashrate Production will approach approximately 1.5 Exahash.

08:22 EDT Cassava Sciences lead drug candidate assigned chemical drug name sumifilam - Cassava Sciences announced that its lead drug candidate PTI-125 has assigned the chemical drug name sumifilam by the United States Adopted Names, or USAN, Council. Future references to PTI-125 will be sumifilam. A commercial brand name for sumifilam is expected to be announced at a future date. Sumifilam is an investigational new drug and has not been approved for any indication. Sumifilam is the first of a new class of drugs that bind filamin proteins. For this reason, USAN is expected to grant this class of drugs its own name stem, i.e., -filam. Any future drug by any company that targets filamin protein is expected to incorporate the -filam name stem as part of its drug name.

08:17 EDT BeiGene enters license, distribution, supply agreement with Bio-Thera Solutions - Bio-Thera Solutions and BeiGene announced that the companies have executed a license, distribution, and supply agreement for China for Bio-Thera's BAT1706, an investigational biosimilar to Avastin. The companies said in a release, "The China National Medical Products Administration, or NMPA, recently accepted Bio-Thera's Biologics License Application, or BLA, for BAT1706. Bevacizumab has been approved in China for advanced, metastatic, or relapsed non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic colorectal cancer. The agreement is subject to approval by the shareholders of Bio-Thera at a meeting to be held in September. Under the terms of the agreement, Bio-Thera has agreed to grant BeiGene the right to develop, manufacture, and commercialize BAT1706 in China, including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Bio-Thera will retain rights outside of the partnered territory. Bio-Thera will receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive payments upon the achievement of regulatory and commercial milestones up to a total of $165 million. Bio-Thera will also be eligible to receive tiered double-digit royalties on future net product sales."

08:13 EDT LM Funding announces contracts with new associations - LM Funding said in a release, "LM Funding announced contracting with two additional South Florida condominium owners associations to provide funding for potential budget shortfalls resulting from the pandemic driven economic downturn. These new contracts add 8,000 doors to the Company's total door count for Associations under contract with active accounts to approximately 33,000. According to data from Community Association Institute (www.caionline.org) over 9.8 million people live in over 48,000 Florida condominium or homeowners associations. These community associations are not for profit corporations governed by board of directors elected by property owners. The community associations pay for maintenance of common amenities with assessments collected from owners."

08:11 EDT Immunovant appoints Michael Elliott as chief scientific officer - Immunovant (IMVT) announced the appointment of Michael Elliott as chief scientific officer. Elliott is a physician scientist with over 23 years of R&D industry experience. He spent 17 years in leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), serving most recently as VP of immunology scientific innovation. In that role he focused on clinical and scientific due diligence of new acquisition targets and developing partnerships between industry and academia. Michael's career at the Johnson & Johnson family of companies also includes experience in developing novel medicines, with particular focus on monoclonal antibodies, or mAb. As senior VP at J&J's Centocor, Elliott led the clinical development of mAb products in immune and inflammatory disorders from Phase 1 through 3, including the anti-TNF mAbs Remicade and Simponi for a broad range of inflammatory and rheumatic diseases, as well as the anti-IL-12/23 mAb Stelara for psoriasis.

08:09 EDT Smith & Wesson Brands completes spin-off of American Outdoor Brands - Smith & Wesson Brands (SWBI) announced that it has completed the previously announced spin-off of its outdoor products and accessories business. Smith & Wesson Brands will continue to trade on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "SWBI." The spin-off company, American Outdoor Brands (AOUT), will begin trading tomorrow on NASDAQ under the symbol "AOUT." The spin-off distribution was completed at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on August 24 to stockholders of record of SWBI as of the close of business on the record date of August 10. Each SWBI common stockholder received one share of AOUT common stock for every four shares of SWBI common stock held as of the record date.

08:07 EDT Chesapeake Utilities partners with Atlanta Gas Light on CNG filling station - Chesapeake Utilities (CPK) announced that the company has entered into an agreement with Atlanta Gas Light, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southern Company Gas (SO), for AGL to construct and maintain a compressed natural gas filling station at the Port Fuel Center located in Port Wentworth near the Port of Savannah in Georgia. The station will provide a strategic staging area and CNG supply source for the Company's Marlin Gas Services subsidiary's CNG virtual pipeline operations. Marlin is a premier North American supplier of mobile CNG utility and pipeline natural gas solutions, and the Savannah location will provide greater access to Marlin's customers in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The Port Fuel Center is a 15-acre fully permitted site with additional fueling amenities, restaurants and a convenience store. The Center will provide the full array of fueling choices, including diesel and gasoline, to serve the more than 12,000 trucks that pass the site daily. The CNG fueling station, which is slated to open in early 2021, has received the endorsement of the city of Port Wentworth and the Georgia Ports Authority

08:07 EDT Catalent signs agreement with AstraZeneca to expand COVID vaccine manufacturing - Catalent (CTLT) said in a release, "Catalent announced that Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy will provide drug substance manufacturing to AstraZeneca (AZN) for the University of Oxford's adenovirus vector-based COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222, at Catalent's commercial gene therapy manufacturing facility located in Harmans, Maryland. Catalent will prepare the Harmans facility, close to Baltimore-Washington International airport, to enable multiple production trains to run in parallel to produce the vaccine candidate drug substance commencing late in the third quarter of 2020. This agreement expands Catalent's support of the AZD1222 program following the announcement in June that Catalent's facility in Anagni, Italy, will provide large-scale vial filling and packaging of AZD1222. The adenovirus vector-based vaccine candidate, AZD1222, was co-invented by the University of Oxford and its spin-out company, Vaccitech, and licensed by AstraZeneca. The vaccine candidate is currently in clinical trials."

08:02 EDT Fang Holdings names Ke Wang as acting CFO, replacing Zijin Li - Ke Wang has been appointed as Fang's acting CFO to replace Zijin Li, effective August 31. Li has resigned from the company for personal reasons. His resignation did not result from any disagreement with the company on any matter relating to the company's operations, policies or practices. Prior to joining Fang, Wang was CFO of two companies in Beijing and has extensive experiences in financial management.

07:59 EDT Unisys announces pact with Inspire Health Alliance - Unisys announced a relationship with Inspire Health Alliance to support Inspire's offer of real-time COVID-19 registration, testing and access control that is both cost effective and scalable to organizations of any size. The solution combines content from Inspire and Unisys for companies looking to bring their employees back to offices, manufacturing facilities and transportation hubs, and students, faculty and staff back to schools. The portable, point-of-care testing machines, along with licensed healthcare administrators, are capable of administering both COVID-19 antibody and antigen tests, with test results available in under 15 minutes.

07:47 EDT Phreesia appoints Allison Hoffman as General Counsel - Phreesia has named Allison Hoffman as its General Counsel, effective August 24. Phreesia said in a release, "Hoffman joins Phreesia from Intersection, a digital technology company focused on improving life in cities and public spaces, where she served as Chief Legal & Administrative Officer since 2016. As General Counsel, Hoffman will oversee Phreesia's Legal, Compliance, Risk, Privacy and Security teams."

07:43 EDT Onconova announces INSPIRE study fails to meet primary endpoint - Onconova announced that INSPIRE, the company's pivotal Phase 3 study assessing the efficacy and safety of IV rigosertib in higher-risk MDS, or HR-MDS, patients, did not meet its primary endpoint of improved survival. The primary endpoint of the trial was overall survival, comparing IV rigosertib plus best supportive care to physician's choice, or PC, plus best supportive care in patients who had progressed on, failed to respond to, or relapsed after previous treatment with a hypomethylating agent, or HMA, within nine cycles over the course of one year after initiation of HMA treatment. A pre-specified analysis in the very high risk, or VHR-MDS, patient subgroup was also conducted. Results of INSPIRE demonstrated that in the intent-to-treat analysis patients randomized to IV rigosertib achieved overall survival of 6.4 months, versus 6.3 months for PC in the overall HR-MDS population. Overall survival in the pre-specified VHR-MDS subgroup of patients was also not significantly different between the two study arms. There was an increase in overall survival in the PC arm post-interim analysis that was unexpected. The company is conducting additional analyses. Safety analysis indicates that IV rigosertib was generally well tolerated, with reported adverse events similar to those observed in previous clinical studies with IV rigosertib in MDS. Serious adverse events, or SAEs, were uncommon, with a similar profile of SAEs in both study arms.

07:39 EDT AnPac Bio Philadelphia lab gains U.S. CLIA lab certification - AnPac Bio said in a release, "AnPac Bio-Medical Science announced that the company received a certificate of registration this month under the U.S. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, or CLIA, for its approximately 7,000 square foot lab in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The AnPac Bio Philadelphia lab is dedicated to cancer differentiation analysis, or CDA, liquid biopsy research as well as various other commercial diagnostic testing."

07:37 EDT Odonate Therapeutics says CONTESSA Phase 3 study met primary endpoint - Odonate Therapeutics said in a release, "Odonate Therapeutics announced positive top-line results from CONTESSA, a Phase 3 study of tesetaxel in patients with metastatic breast cancer, or MBC. CONTESSA is a multinational, multicenter, randomized, Phase 3 study of tesetaxel, an investigational, orally administered taxane, in patients with MBC. CONTESSA is comparing tesetaxel dosed orally at 27 mg/m2 on the first day of each 21-day cycle plus a reduced dose of capecitabine (1,650 mg/m2/day dosed orally for 14 days of each 21-day cycle) to the approved dose of capecitabine alone (2,500 mg/m2/day dosed orally for 14 days of each 21-day cycle) in 685 patients randomized 1:1 with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, or HER2, negative, hormone receptor, or HR, positive MBC previously treated with a taxane in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting. Capecitabine is an oral chemotherapy agent that is considered a standard-of-care treatment in MBC. Where indicated, patients must have received endocrine therapy with or without a cyclin-dependent kinase, or CDK, 4/6 inhibitor. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival, or PFS, as assessed by the Independent Radiologic Review Committee, or IRC. The secondary efficacy endpoints are overall survival, or OS, objective response rate, or ORR, as assessed by the IRC and disease control rate, or DCR, as assessed by the IRC. CONTESSA is being conducted at 180 investigational sites in 18 countries in North America, Europe and Asia. CONTESSA met the primary endpoint of improved PFS as assessed by the IRC. Median PFS was 9.8 months for tesetaxel plus a reduced dose of capecitabine versus 6.9 months for the approved dose of capecitabine alone, an improvement of 2.9 months. The risk of disease progression or death was reduced by 28.4%; for tesetaxel plus a reduced dose of capecitabine versus the approved dose of capecitabine alone."

07:31 EDT Samsung Electronics joins Carrier Alliance program - Carrier Global (CARR) is proud to announce that Samsung Electronics (SSNLF) has joined the Carrier Alliance program and signed a strategic long-term agreement with Carrier. Samsung will supply compressors and inverter technologies for use across Carrier's Residential HVAC portfolio. The agreement also specifies that Samsung will supply Carrier-branded replacement compressors, a benefit for Carrier contractors ordering aftermarket parts.

07:15 EDT Vir Biotechnology, Harbour BioMed sign strategic collaboration - Harbour BioMed announced that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with Vir Biotechnology to discover, develop and commercialize potential novel therapeutic molecules in the fields of Immuno-Oncology and infectious diseases. HBM will leverage its tools in next-generation technologies including its transgenic Harbour Mice platforms to generate antibodies for the collaboration. Both parties will then combine their expertise in basic science to accelerate the development of these innovative immunotherapies into the clinic studies for patients suffering from cancers and infectious diseases.

07:12 EDT LiveXLive Media partners with Strax Networks - LiveXLive Media announced that it has partnered with Strax Networks Inc. to bring its augmented reality StraxAR SaaS platform to LiveXLive. The two companies will collaborate to bring Strax Networks' new augmented reality technology across the LiveXLive platform and its vast OTT distribution network.

07:11 EDT GlobalSCAPE announces expiration of 'go-shop' period - GlobalSCAPE announced the expiration of the 35-day "go-shop" period provided for under the terms of the previously announced definitive merger agreement, pursuant to which HelpSystems will acquire all outstanding shares of GlobalSCAPE for $9.50 per share in cash. Pursuant to the merger agreement, GlobalSCAPE, with the assistance of Stephens Inc., its financial advisor, actively solicited alternative transaction proposals from third parties during the period which ended at 12:01 a.m. on August 24, 2020. During this process, GlobalSCAPE contacted 186 parties and engaged with 8 parties. GlobalSCAPE did not receive any alternative transaction proposals from any third parties during this period. Following the expiration of the "go-shop" period, GlobalSCAPE became subject to customary "no-shop" restrictions that limit its and its representatives' ability to solicit alternative transaction proposals from third parties, subject to customary "fiduciary out" provisions. As previously disclosed, under the terms of the merger agreement between GlobalSCAPE and HelpSystems, HelpSystems has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of GlobalSCAPE for $9.50 per share. The transaction is structured as a tender offer, followed by a merger. The tender offer commenced on July 31, 2020 and expires one minute after 11:59 p.m. on August 27, 2020, unless the tender offer is extended or earlier terminated pursuant to its terms.

07:09 EDT Nuance, MITRE announce strategic collaboration - Nuance and MITRE announced a strategic collaboration to advance the mCODE data standard for improved cancer research and treatment using the AI-powered Nuance Dragon Medical One solution. Clinicians can now populate vital cancer data directly into electronic health records using their voice, which will improve the quality of documentation and reduce data entry burden for oncologists. Improved cancer patient data is critical to support analytics that can identify safer care, lead to improved outcomes, and lower costs.

07:07 EDT CODA announces 'significantly advanced development' of Next-GEN 2.0 DAVD - Coda Octopus Group, or CODA, said in a release, "CODA announced that its R&D team had accelerated the development of the GEN 2.0 Diver Augmented Vision Display, or DAVD, system during the pandemic shutdown and is making significant progress on completing the DAVD GEN 2.0 developments. CODA had previously released the GEN 1.5 upgrade, with fully integrated diver head tracking in the head-up display, or HUD, just prior to the pandemic shutdown. It is expected that a rapid and smooth transition to GEN 2.0 capabilities will occur in late 2020. CODA also announced the successful development of a DAVD companion product, a diver-specific Echoscope4G C500 Inspector solution that includes a custom rapid-deployment frame for surface or seafloor deployment. Coda Octopus Products has started to receive initial orders for DAVD GEN 1.0 systems, GEN 1.5 Upgrades and the companion DAVD C500 Inspector System. The ground-breaking DAVD diver management system is funded by the Office of Naval Research through its Future Naval Capabilities program, and continues to be managed by NAVSEA 00C3. The DAVD Launch Team - comprised of Coda Octopus 3D experts, NAVSEA Master Divers and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division engineers - is currently trialling the newly developed DAVD GEN 2.0 features, during its GEN 1.0 roll-out to the U.S. Navy Fleet. The roll-out program restarted in mid-July after a delay since early March, due to the restriction of movement."

07:04 EDT FCPT announces second outparcel portfolio with Seritage Growth Properties - Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT) said in a release, "FCPT announced that it has signed an amendment to the deal originally announced on October 30, 2019, for the purchase of nine additional single tenant outparcel properties from Seritage Growth Properties (SRG) for $27.3 million. The transaction is priced at a cap rate in a range consistent with past FCPT transactions. The transaction is expected to close in various tranches with the majority closing in 2020 and the remainder in 2021, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The nine outparcels span four restaurant brands, three bank branches and two retail brands. The properties in this transaction have contractual rent growth, net-lease structures and strong tenancy with credit-worthy operators. The retail outparcels are located within highly trafficked and populated corridors in California, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, South Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin and Virginia. Of the nine leases, eight are with the brand's corporate entities and one is with a franchisee. Each property has a separate individual lease and the leases have a weighted average remaining term of approximately 9 years. The aggregate portfolios between FCPT and Seritage Growth Properties totaled $96 million / 32 properties, of which $45 million / 14 properties have closed to date. After adjusting for certain properties that have been removed from the first portfolio, FCPT currently has $36 million / 13 properties remaining under contract to acquire from Seritage Growth Properties."

07:03 EDT Proteostasis, Yumanity Therapeutics announce merger agreement - Yumanity Therapeutics and Proteostasis Therapeutics announced that the companies have entered into a definitive merger agreement. The combined company, operating under the name Yumanity Therapeutics, will leverage a common scientific expertise in the area of protein misfolding to advance Yumanity's pipeline of innovative, disease-modifying programs for neurodegenerative diseases. Yumanity has raised more than $100M from leading investors that include Alexandria Venture Investments, Biogen, Fidelity, Merck, Pfizer, Redmile Group, and Sanofi Ventures. The company also recently entered into a strategic research collaboration with Merck for the discovery and development of novel agents for the treatment of ALS and FTLD with Yumanity eligible to receive future payments totaling approximately $500M in addition to royalties on the net sales of any marketed products. Upon the anticipated closing of the merger between PTI and Yumanity, Richard Peters, M.D., Ph.D., President, CEO and Director of Yumanity, will become President, CEO and Director of the combined company. Under the terms of the merger agreement, PTI will acquire all outstanding shares of Yumanity in exchange for newly-issued shares of PTI common stock. Upon completion of the proposed acquisition, it is anticipated that existing PTI shareholders will own approximately 32.5% of the combined company and Yumanity shareholders will own approximately 67.5% of the combined company. The actual allocation will be subject to adjustment based on each company's outstanding equity ownership and Proteostasis' net cash balance at the time of closing of the merger. Following completion of the merger, the Yumanity Board of Directors will be expanded to nine persons to include the appointment of two current Proteostasis directors. The existing Yumanity Directors will continue to serve in their current positions and Dr. Coles will remain as chairperson. The transaction has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies. The merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval of the merger by the shareholders of PTI. The combined company is expected to trade on the NASDAQ Global Market under the ticker symbol YMTX. In conjunction with this merger announcement, PTI has reduced its workforce by 79%. As of today, PTI has five full time employees supporting the proposed merger transaction and strategic efforts related to PTI's CF assets.

06:52 EDT Avient appoints Jamie Beggs as CFO - Avient said in a release, "Avient has announced that Jamie Beggs has joined the company as Senior Vice President, CFO. She replaces Bradley Richardson who has decided to retire later this year after an exceptional career, including the last seven as CFO at Avient. Beggs most recently served as CFO of Hunt Consolidated."

06:51 EDT Noble Energy announces special meeting to approve merger with Chevron - Noble Energy (NBL) announced that the Special Meeting of Shareholders to approve the pending combination with Chevron (CVX) is scheduled to take place on Friday, October 2 at 10:00 am Central time. The Record Date for Noble Energy shareholders entitled to vote at the Special Meeting is the close of business on Friday, August 21.

06:46 EDT Merck's KEYTRUDA receives two new approvals in Japan - Merck announced that KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, has received two new approvals from the Japan Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency. KEYTRUDA monotherapy is now approved for the treatment of patients whose tumors are PD-L1-positive, and have radically unresectable, advanced or recurrent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who have progressed after chemotherapy. Additionally, KEYTRUDA was approved for use at an additional recommended dosage of 400 mg every six weeks administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes across all adult indications, including KEYTRUDA monotherapy and combination therapy. This new dosage option will be available in addition to the current dose of 200 mg every three weeks. With these approvals, KEYTRUDA has 13 indications across seven tumor types plus MSI-H tumors in Japan.

06:32 EDT Digital Realty announces new long-term power purchase agreement in TX - Digital Realty said in a release, "Digital Realty announced it is expanding its renewable energy capacity in Texas with a new long-term power purchase agreement to source solar power for the company's Dallas-area data center portfolio from Pattern Energy's 82.5 MWac Phoenix Solar Project located in Fannin County, Texas. The company also announced that 2323 Bryan Street, a major regional connectivity hub in downtown Dallas, is being upgraded to meet the area's growing networking needs with additional colocation capacity. Digital Realty contracted 78% of the project's total capacity, approximately 65 MWac, with the remainder held by Pattern Energy Group LP, the project developer and owner. With the addition of this solar project, Digital Realty's entire Greater Dallas portfolio will be powered by 70% renewable energy once the Phoenix Solar project reaches commercial operation by mid-2021. This agreement marks the latest milestone in Digital Realty's continued focus on reducing its carbon footprint, in line with the Science Based Targets Initiative."

06:16 EDT Ingevity names John Fortson as CEO, effective September 1 - Ingevity announced that it has named John Fortson as the company's president and CEO, and that he would join the board of directors. Fortson had previously served as Ingevity's executive vice president, CFO and treasurer. The appointment will be effective September 1. Fortson joined Ingevity in October 2015 from AAR Corporation where he served as vice president, CFO and treasurer since July 2013.

06:05 EDT KBR awarded two contracts by Ningxia Baofeng Energy for project in China - KBR has been awarded two contracts by Ningxia Baofeng Energy for its 500KTA coal to olefins project and 500KTA C2-C5 utilization project to be built in Ningdong Town, Lingwu City, Ningxia, China. Under the terms of the contracts, KBR will provide process technology licensing and process design packages for this project, which will have an annual production capacity of 1M tons of olefins. Once completed, the complex will be the largest single-train methanol to olefins, or MTO, plant in the world. KBR will use a combination of its Score steam cracking and MTO recovery technologies to achieve Baofeng Energy's project objectives of highest yields and lowest capital investment. The Score steam cracking unit will convert the ethane and propane feedstock into ethylene and propylene, which are later separated and further purified in the MTO recovery section to ensure the quality needed to produce polymer grade ethylene and propylene.

06:02 EDT Check Point announces partnership with edX - Check Point announced a new partnership with edX, a trusted Harvard and MIT-founded online learning platform used by 30M learners as well as the world's top-ranking universities and industry-leading companies globally. The partnership will offer a growing series of Check Point cyber-security courses and content to security and network professionals. All Check Point courses available on the edX platform are free of charge to remove the barrier of cost, location, and access to help reduce the skills gap.

06:01 EDT OneWater Marine acquires website domain, Boatsforsale.com, terms not disclosed - OneWater Marine announced that it has purchased the website domain, Boatsforsale.com, which will enhance its online marketplace for new and pre-owned boats, as well as financing & insurance.

05:21 EDT Grifols jumps after FDA issues emergency use authorization for plasma - Shares of Grifols (GRFS) are up 6%, or 94c, to $17.63 in premarket trading after the FDA issued an emergency use authorization for investigational convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. The news is positive for Grifols which, together with CSL (CSLLY) and Takeda (TAK), is one of the main producers of plasma derivatives in the U.S., Equita analyst Gianmarco Bonacina told investors in a research note, according to Bloomberg.

05:16 EDT ASLAN Pharmaceuticals resumes recruitment of new patients into ASLAN004 study - ASLAN said in a release, "ASLAN Pharmaceuticals announced the resumption of patient recruitment into its randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multiple ascending dose, or MAD, study of ASLAN004 in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. ASLAN paused recruitment of new patients on 13 April 2020 in line with government restrictions enforced in Singapore to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Patients are now being recruited into the second of three dose cohorts at all screening sites in Singapore. To accelerate recruitment, ASLAN is in the process of opening additional study sites in Australia and the U.S. ASLAN expects to report interim, unblinded data from all 3 dose cohorts in Q4."

04:45 EDT Microsoft says Epic having access to Apple technology best for game makers - Microsoft''s head of Xbox said Sunday via Twitter, "Today we filed a statement in support of Epic's request to keep access to the Apple SDK for its Unreal Engine. Ensuring that Epic has access to the latest Apple technology is the right thing for gamer developers & gamers." Publicly traded companies in the video game space include Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Electronic Arts (EA), GameStop (GME), Nintendo (NTDOY), Take-Two (TTWO) and Ubisoft (UBSFY). Reference Link