Stockwinners Market Radar for August 31, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:22 EDT Gogo to sell its Commercial Aviation Business for $400M - Gogo announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Commercial Aviation business to Intelsat S.A.for $400M in cash, subject to customary adjustments. The Gogo board has approved the transaction. Intelsat expects to finance the transaction utilizing cash on hand and borrowings under its $1B debtor-in-possession credit facility and has obtained support from key economic stakeholders, as well as approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, to complete the acquisition. The transaction, which is expected to close before the end of the first quarter 2021, remains subject to customary closing conditions and certain regulatory approvals. Gogo, which will remain a public company, will use the proceeds from the transaction to improve its net debt position and continue to invest in growth opportunities such as Gogo 5G. With greater financial flexibility, including a lower cost of capital over time, the new Gogo will be better positioned to enhance the scale and profitability of its Business Aviation segment, which is uniquely well-positioned in an attractive and underpenetrated market. As part of the transaction, Gogo will enter into a 10-year network services agreement under which Intelsat will have exclusive access to Gogo ATG services for the CA market in North America, subject to minimum revenue guarantees of $177.5M. Intelsat intends to operate the CA business as an independent business unit, led by current CA President John Wade. The CA business will remain based in Chicago.

19:17 EDT Home Bancorp board approves repurchase of up to 444,000 shares - Home Bancorp announced that the Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase plan. Under the 2020 Repurchase Plan, the Company may purchase up to 444,000 shares, or approximately 5% of the Company's outstanding common stock. Share repurchases under the 2020 Repurchase Plan may commence upon the completion of the Company's 2019 Repurchase Plan. There are 21,063 shares remaining that may be repurchased under the 2019 Repurchase Plan. The repurchase plans do not include specific price targets and may be executed through the open market or privately-negotiated transactions depending upon market conditions and other factors. The repurchase plans have no time limit and may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

19:03 EDT Arrow Electronics CEO sells 68.8K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Arrow Electronics disclosed that its CEO Michael Long sold 68.8K shares of common stock on August 31st in a total transaction size of $5.4M.

18:51 EDT Eastman Kodak up 32% after D.E. Shaw discloses 5.2% passive stake - Eastman Kodak shares are up 32.5% at $7.90 per share afterhours. After the close, D.E. Shaw disclosed a 5.2% stake in the stock, which represents over 3.9M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

18:38 EDT W.R. Grace: No injuries or damage to Lake Charles facility from Hurricane Laura - W. R. Grace & Co. issued a statement that its initial assessment shows no injuries to employees and no significant damage to its refining catalysts manufacturing facility in Lake Charles, LA, where Hurricane Laura made landfall last week. There was no impact to Grace's other operations along the U.S. Gulf Coast. The company said, "The devastation to the Lake Charles, Sulphur, and surrounding communities is severe and widespread. The safety of employees is our first priority and the company has contacted all affected employees with no reports of injuries. At the Lake Charles manufacturing facility, Grace implemented its hurricane protocol, focused on safety, security, customers, and business continuity including the suspension of operations prior to the storm. Recovery and start-up crews are working with the local utility to restore full electrical power to the site. Teams will complete the full inspection and testing of all systems prior to restart. Grace is working closely with employees, many of whom experienced severe damage to their homes and communities, to provide temporary housing, food service, and essential supplies so employees can safely return to the site to support start-up activities. Grace does not expect this event to have any significant impact on customer deliveries. Shipments from Lake Charles inventory will resume this week in parallel to restart activities. Additionally, multiple manufacturing facilities are capable of producing the FCC and hydroprocessing catalysts made at our Lake Charles plant. Catalyst production is being shifted, as needed, to other plants to meet customer shipments until operations resume in Lake Charles."

17:58 EDT BlackLine CEO sells 144.4K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, BlackLine disclosed that its CEO Therese Tucker sold 144.4K shares of common stock on August 28th in a total transaction size of $12.4M.

17:39 EDT Biomerica discloses SEC investigation related to COVID-19 Rapid Test samples - In a regulatory filing, Biomerica disclosed an ongoing SEC investigation, stating, "On July 2, 2020, we received a notice of investigation and subpoena to produce information and documents from the Division of Enforcement of the SEC. The subpoena seeks information and documents related to events and circumstances leading up to our March 17, 2020 announcement that we had commenced shipping samples of our COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test to countries outside of the United States, and had initiated the application process with the United States Food and Drug Administration under the COVID-19 Emergency Use Authorization for approval to market and sell the test in the United States. The subpoena also seeks information and documents about the identity of any persons who were aware of the substance of the March 17, 2020 announcement prior to that date. We are cooperating and intends to continue cooperating fully with the SEC's investigation. At this time, we are unable to predict the duration, scope or outcome of this investigation."

17:38 EDT Zoom Video says customers w/ over 10 employees grew 458% in Q2 - Says "ended Q2 at 988 customers generating over $100K in trailing twelve months revenue, up 112% year-over-year. This is an increase of 219 customers over Q1, the highest number of adds in a quarter." Says "Americas business grew at a rate of 288% year-over-year and the combined APAC and EMEA revenue accelerated to 629% year-over-year and represented approximately 31% of revenue." Says Q2 gross margin was 72.3% vs. 82.2% last year and 69.4% in Q1. Says Q2 deferred revenue at the end of the quarter was $743M, up 309% year-over-year. Says expect to increase capital expenditures for additional data center infrastructure. Says "we did experience a significantly higher level of overall churn in Q2 as compared to historical rates. As customers with 10 or fewer employees have increased to 36% of our revenue, we are assuming a higher rate of churn due to this mix shift." Comments taken from investor presentation slides. Reference Link

17:17 EDT Silvercorp reports 18% increase in measured and indicated silver resources - Silvercorp reports 18% increase in measured and indicated silver resources and 4% increase in proven and probable silver reserves, on top of 21M ounces of silver produced between June 2016 and December 2019 at the Ying Silver-lead-zinc mining district. The company noted that estimated mineral resources of 20.1M tons in the measured and indicated categories grading 234 grams per tonne g/t silver, Ag, 0.15 g/t gold ,Au, 3.64% lead Pb,and 1.28% zinc , containing 151 million ounces silver, 98 thousand oz gold, 732 thousand tons lead, and 257 thousand tons zinc. In comparison with the 2017 technical report measured and indicated resource tons have increased by 23%, and contained metal has increased by 18% for silver, 16% for lead, 20% for zinc, and 109% for gold. In comparison with the 2017 technical report, inferred resource tons have increased by 78%, and contained metal has increased by 42% for silver, 38% for lead, 32% for zinc and 450% for gold.

17:02 EDT Westport awarded long-term electronics supply contract - Westport announced that it has been awarded a long-term agreement for the supply of electronic control units to a Tier One automotive supplier. Westport Fuel Systems will manufacture and supply the electronic control units that will be integrated in the electric water pumps of two light-duty vehicle models of the counterparty automotive original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, in Europe, starting in Q1 of 2021. The electric coolant pump is the core component of the vehicle cooling system and will result in reduced energy consumption and lower emissions. The electronic control units are to be supplied over a seven-year period with an estimated sales value of $58M.

16:48 EDT B. Riley Principal Merger, Eos expect definitive merger agreement 'imminently' - Eos Energy announced additional details regarding the potential business combination transaction with B. Riley Principal Merger (BMRG), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of B. Riley Financial (RILY), announced on June 24. On June 24, Eos and . Riley Principal Merger, or BRPM II, announced the execution of a letter of intent for a business combination transaction, which would result in Eos becoming a public reporting company. Eos and BRPM II anticipate executing a definitive agreement for the business combination imminently. If the definitive agreement for the business combination is executed as anticipated, the potential business combination is expected to be completed during Q4, subject to certain closing conditions, including but not limited to approval of the business combination by BRPM II's stockholders and other customary closing conditions. "We are pleased with our steady progress to enter into a definitive agreement for a business combination of BRPM II and Eos," said Dan Shribman, CEO and CFO of BRPM II and CIO of B. Riley Financial. "We believe the business combination will serve as the catalyst to accelerate the growth of Eos' disruptive technology. We look forward to sharing our full business plan with the market shortly."

16:39 EDT Regeneron director sells 10K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Regeneron disclosed that its director George Sing sold 10K shares of common stock on August 31st in a total transaction size of $6.1M.

16:35 EDT MBIA director Rinehart sells over $202K in shares - MBIA director Charles Rinehart sold 25,000 shares at $8.11 per share on August 28 for a total of $202,750.

16:34 EDT Orion Engineered CAO Andre Isfort to depart, Bob Hrivnak to succeed - Orion Engineered (OEC) announced the appointment of Bob Hrivnak as chief accounting officer, or CAO, of the company. Hrivnak has over 30 years of experience as an accomplished financial executive with a track record in leading corporate finance and accounting control functions of public companies. Hrivnak joins the company from Clearwater Paper (CLW), where he served as CFO and CAO. Hrivnak will succeed Andre Isfort, who had a nine-year tenure as CAO of the company. Isfort will transition his duties to Hrivnak over the next four months.

16:32 EDT GSK says first participant vaccinated in Phase 3 trials of MenABCWY candidate - GlaxoSmithKline announced that a multi-national phase III clinical program investigating its 5-in-1 meningitis vaccine candidate compared to licensed meningococcal vaccines, BEXSERO and MENVEO has begun globally, with patient dosing expected to commence in Canada in September 2020. Emmanuel Hanon, Senior Vice President and Head of Vaccines R&D for GSK, said: "Entering the final stage of clinical trials with our 5-in-1, MenABCWY vaccine candidate is a major step toward GSK's goal of reducing meningococcal disease around the world. This vaccine candidate builds on the heritage of BEXSERO and MENVEO and we would like to thank all the scientific researchers, medical partners, advocates and families around the world who also hope for a successful outcome."

16:23 EDT Zoom Video up over 7% at $348 per share after Q2 beat, Q3 guidance - Shares of Zoom Video are up 7% at $348 per share after its Q2 earnings beat and better than expected guidance for Q3. The company also raised its FY21 EPS view to $2.40-$2.47 from previously guided $1.21-$1.29 and revenue view to $2.37B-$2.39B from $1.775B-1.80B

16:19 EDT Brickell Biotech and partner Kaken get patent from Japanese Patent Office - Brickell Biotech announced that Brickell and its Japanese development partner, Kaken Pharmaceutical, were granted by the Japanese Patent Office a composition of matter patent with claims directed to the novel polymorphic, or crystalline, forms of sofpironium bromide, a retrometabolically designed new chemical entity, currently under development in the United States and Japan as a potential best-in-class treatment for primary axillary hyperhidrosis. This patent is expected to provide additional protection in Japan through 2040 for these newly developed and distinct characterized crystalline forms of sofpironium bromide. Patent protection for these crystalline forms of sofpironium bromide currently is being pursued worldwide, including in the United States. "The issuance of this new composition of matter patent is a key accomplishment in protecting and expanding upon our intellectual property portfolio," commented Robert Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Brickell. "We are pleased by this important new patent issuance in Japan, as well as the continued progress Kaken is making in their commercial planning for sofpironium bromide in Japan. Kaken expects to receive a regulatory decision for sofpironium bromide gel, 5% in Japan, later this year."

16:16 EDT Flowers Foods names Brad Cashaw as Chief Supply Chain Officer - Flowers Foods (FLO) announced that Brad Cashaw has been named chief supply chain officer, effective September 8. Cashaw will be responsible for Flowers' supply chain operations and report to Brad Alexander, COO. Before joining Flowers, Cashaw was executive vice president and chief supply chain officer at Dean Foods (DF).

16:13 EDT Workiva CFO sells 32.3K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Workiva disclosed that its CFO Stuart Miller sold 32.3K shares of common stock on August 27th in a total transaction size of $1.9M.

16:11 EDT Jewett-Cameron Trading Company Ltd. signs supply pact with SECOS - Jewett-Cameron is deepening its commitment to long term sustainability by signing a significant supply agreement with SECOS, a compostable bag manufacturer based in Australia. SECOS will supply compostable pet waste bags made from their Cardia proprietary biopolymer resins for Jewett-Cameron's Lucky Dog ZERO PLASTIC poop bags. SECOS is an experienced compostable bag manufacturer capable of producing millions of bags per month and provides Jewett-Cameron with the capacity to meet demand from both retail channel partners and online. The agreement is estimated at $3M annually and encompasses initial market entry and distribution both in North America and internationally.

16:09 EDT Scansource initiated $30M expense reduction plan - The company states: "In July 2020, ScanSource initiated a $30 million annualized expense reduction plan to address the business impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for the next phase of growth."

16:08 EDT Mid-Southern Bancorp announces adoption of additional stock repurchase program - Mid-Southern Bancorp announced that the Company's Board of Directors has adopted an additional stock repurchase program. Under the new repurchase program, the Company may repurchase an additional 162,000 shares of its common stock, or approximately 5% of the current outstanding shares. The Company repurchased 136,670 shares of its outstanding common stock at an average price of $12.42 per share under the stock repurchase plan it adopted on May 27, 2020. There are currently 34,330 shares remaining to be purchased under the previous stock repurchase plan in addition to the 162,000 shares approved by its Board of Directors. Repurchases will be made at management's discretion at prices management considers to be attractive and in the best interests of both the Company and its stockholders, subject to the availability of stock, general market conditions, alternative uses for capital, and the Company's financial performance. Open market purchases will be conducted in accordance with the SEC's Rule 10b-18 and other applicable legal requirements.

16:02 EDT FP Corp switches to Rimini Street to support its SAP applications - Rimini Street (RMNI) announced that FP Corporation, the largest maker of plastic food containers and related packaging materials in Japan, has switched to Rimini Street Support for the company's SAP (SAP) ECC 6.0 applications. The company states that :"by switching to Rimini Street, FPCO reduced the cost of its annual software support fees by 50% and deferred a costly migration to S/4HANA while the company evaluates options over time for its next-generation ERP platform. Under Rimini Street third-party support, FPCO can run its existing SAP applications for at least 15 years from the time that it switched support providers, with no required upgrades or migrations."

15:28 EDT Delta Air Lines permanently eliminates change fees for travel within the U.S. - Delta is eliminating change fees permanently for tickets purchased for travel within the U.S. At Delta's Investor Day in December 2019, the airline shared its intent to overhaul its change fee structure. Since then, Delta has implemented a waiver to eliminate change fees in March. Delta is now making this policy permanent for tickets purchased for travel within the U.S. The elimination of change fees is effective immediately and includes tickets purchased for travel within the domestic U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands in Delta's First Class, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin, with the exception of Basic Economy tickets. Additionally, Delta will extend its waiver on change fees for newly purchased flights, including international flights and Basic Economy fares, through the end of the year and will extend its expiration on travel credits through December 2022 for tickets booked before April 17.

15:05 EDT A's-Mariners series postponed through Wednesday - The Oakland Athletics announced via Twitter that the team's series with the Seattle Mariners has been postponed through Wednesday "out of an abundance of caution to allow for continued testing and contact tracing." Publicly traded companies in the gambling space that could be impacted by this MLB news 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

14:29 EDT Massachusetts AG sues Credit Acceptance over practices in auto loan business - A lawsuit has been filed against national auto lender Credit Acceptance for allegedly "making unfair and deceptive auto loans to thousands of Massachusetts consumers, providing investors with false or misleading information regarding auto securities they offered, and engaging in unfair debt collection practices," Attorney General Maura Healey announced. The complaint, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that since 2013, CAC failed to inform investors that the company topped off the pools of loans that they packaged and securitized with higher-risk loans, despite claiming otherwise in disclosures to investors. The complaint also alleges that CAC has made high-interest subprime auto loans to Massachusetts borrowers that the company knew borrowers would be unable to repay, in violation of state law. Reference Link

14:02 EDT Allegiant pays Sixth Street $19.8M to end construction loan agreement - Allegiant Travel (ALGT) along with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sunseeker Florida, entered into an agreement with certain lenders affiliated with Sixth Street Specialty Lending (TSLX) to terminate the construction loan agreement dated March 18, 2019 under which Sunseeker Florida was to borrow funds for the construction of Sunseeker Resorts at Charlotte Harbor. "With the COVID-19 pandemic and its extreme impact on the airline and travel industry, the Company previously announced its suspension of the construction of the Project. With no clear line of sight into the duration and extent of the pandemic's effect on the travel industry, the Company and the Lender negotiated an agreement to compromise amounts which would have otherwise been due to Lender under the Construction Loan Agreement," Allegiant said in a statement. Under the agreement, Allegiant will pay Sixth Street $19.8M prior to the end of the year and the lender will release all of its interest in the project and the construction loan agreement will be terminated. Allegiant added that it continues to evaluate other options to fund the completion of the construction of or to dispose of the project.

13:57 EDT Honda discusses voluntarily, binding pact with California for reduced emissions - This month, Honda voluntarily entered into a binding agreement with California that will reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions from its automobiles beyond levels required by law, the company announced. "This decision has drawn international attention and is - perhaps not surprisingly - a frequent topic of inquiry from both inside and outside our company. People have asked me why Honda chose to do this - particularly now, at such a challenging time for our industry. The answer comes down to responsibility... The decision to voluntarily over-comply is not just about our long-term commitment to address climate change. It also is a conscious commitment to our customers. Simply put, this agreement enables Honda to produce vehicles that will meet emissions standards in all 50 states, rather than attempting to meet a patchwork of regulations that would result in increased costs for our customers. In that respect, the agreement is a win-win for the environment and our customers: we will continue pursuing our goal to address climate change while providing products of the highest quality and value to our customers," Honda stated in a post to its website. Reference Link

12:36 EDT LVMH says 'vigilant' on rest of year, Tiffany closing date depends on approvals - In the company's August letter to investors, Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, said in part: "LVMH showed exceptional resilience to the serious health crisis the world experienced in the first half of 2020. Our Maisons have shown remarkable agility in implementing measures to adapt their costs and accelerate the growth of online sales. While we have observed strong signs of an upturn in activity since June, we remain very vigilant for the rest of the year. We continue to be driven by a long - term vision, a deep sense of responsibility and a strong commitment to environmental protection, inclusion and solidarity. In the current context, we remain even more firmly dedicated to showing continuous progress in these areas. Thanks to the strength of our brands and the responsiveness of our organization, we are confident that LVMH is in an excellent position to take advantage of the recovery, which we hope will be confirmed in the second half of the year, and to strengthen our lead in the global luxury market in 2020... After a second quarter severely affected by the crisis, we can hope that the recovery will materialize gradually in the second half. Our strategy of focusing on the highest quality across all our activities, combined with the dynamism and unparalleled creativity of our teams, will enable us to reinforce LVMH's global leadership position in luxury goods once again in 2020. The closing date of the planned acquisition of Tiffany & Co depends on the receipt of the final regulatory approvals. The decision to pay an interim dividend will be discussed by the Board of Directors in October and announced, as appropriate, at that time." Reference Link

12:28 EDT Veolia makes offer to acquire Engie's 29.9% stake in Suez - Veolia Environment (VEOEY) announced yesterday that it has made an offer to Engie (ENGIY) for the acquisition of 29.9% of the Suez shares it holds. This offer follows Engie's announcement on July 31 of the launch of a strategic review including its stake in Suez (SZEVF). This offer at a price of EUR 15.50 per Suez share, which can be implemented immediately, is valid until September 30, Veolia said in a statement. The proposed price of Euro 15.50 per share represents a premium of 50% over the closing price of Suez on July 30, unaffected by the announcement of Engie's intentions. This offer, unanimously approved by Veolia's Board, would be paid in cash. If it is accepted by Engie, Veolia intends, following the acquisition of the 29.9% of Suez shares, to file a voluntary tender offer for the remaining Suez shares. The entire transaction would be accretive from the first year, according to Veolia.

11:39 EDT Radio One awarded $431,900 contract modification from NIH - Urban One subsidiary Radio One was awarded a $431,900 contract modification from the U.S. National Institutes of Health on August 28, 2020. The reason for the modification was to exercise an option on the contract. Reference Link

10:23 EDT Regis warns of effect of Walmart COVID restrictions - In a filing, Regis (RGS) said that, "At June 30, 2020, we had 2,068 SmartStyle or Cost Cutters salons within Walmart (WMT) locations, including 4 salons opened during fiscal year 2020. Walmart is our largest landlord, and we believe we are Walmart's largest tenant. Our business within each of those 2,068 salons relies primarily on the traffic of visitors to the Walmart in which it is located, so our success is tied to Walmart's success in bringing shoppers into their stores. We have limited control over the locations and markets in which we open new SmartStyle locations, as we only have potential opportunities in locations offered to us by Walmart. Furthermore, Walmart has the right to close up to 100 of our salons per year for any reason, upon payment of certain penalties; to terminate lease agreements for breach, such as if we failed to conform with required operating hours, subject to a notice and cure period; and to terminate the lease if the Walmart store in which it sits is closed. Furthermore, in an effort to manage traffic flow and direction during COVID-19, Walmart has elected at some stores to close one or more of its primary entryways. We have found that when the entry way nearest to our salon is closed, foot traffic in the salon is materially reduced. We are currently discussing this issue and other issues related to COVID-19 with Walmart, but there is no assurance they will be resolved... In the fourth fiscal quarter of 2020, Walmart issued a mandatory mask requirement for customers who visit their U.S. store operations. In order to enforce this requirement, Walmart has closed several entrances to its stores including entrances at the front of their brick and mortar locations where many of our SmartStyle and Cost Cutters salons are located. Although we appreciate and support Walmart's national effort to require the use of masks by their customers their decision to close entrances located near our salons has materially reduced customer traffic and salon revenues in both our franchise and company-owned operations. We have addressed these issues directly with Walmart and are hopeful that this will prove to be a temporary policy. However, we cannot be certain when or if Walmart will reopen their store entrances. As a result, this could lead to further deterioration in, or subsequent closures of, our SmartStyle or Cost Cutters brands during the period of the pandemic or as long as Walmart continues to close these entrances or potentially expose Regis to litigation, sublease rent default exposure, or could compel the company to pursue certain other remedies from Walmart up to or including litigation and/or termination of certain locations."

10:17 EDT Canadian National signs MoU to acquire 50 Lion Electric zero-emission trucks - CN and The Lion Electric Co. announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, or MoU, for CN to acquire 50 zero-emission trucks as part of its fleet of trucks for intermodal use. In April of 2019, CN launched a pilot program to test the use of custom-built electric trucks engineered by Quebec-based The Lion Electric Co. "These zero-emission trucks, slated for intermodal use, will be tested in a variety of situations and environments across the CN network, from urban delivery, container shuttle service, to port operations," the companies said.

10:06 EDT GameStop up 19% in early trading after RC Ventures discloses stake - In a regulatory filing after the close on Friday, RC Ventures, which is managed by Ryan Cohen, disclosed a 9.0% stake in GameStop. In the filing, Cohen's RC Ventures stated that it acquired the securities based on the belief that the securities, when acquired, were "undervalued and represented an attractive investment opportunity." In Monday morning trading, shares of GameStop are up $1.02, or 18.8%, to $6.41.

10:00 EDT Cango falls -8.7% - Cango is down -8.7%, or -56c to $5.90.

10:00 EDT Graf Industrial rises 5.2% - Graf Industrial is up 5.2%, or $1.03 to $20.73.

10:00 EDT Genworth rises 28.4% - Genworth is up 28.4%, or 67c to $3.04.

09:47 EDT GameStop rises 13.0% - GameStop is up 13.0%, or 70c to $6.09.

09:46 EDT MDC Partners proposes change of jurisdiction of incorporation to Delaware - MDC Partners announced it has filed a registration statement, including a management proxy circular, with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to which the Company proposes to change its jurisdiction of incorporation from the federal jurisdiction of Canada to the State of Delaware pursuant to a "continuance" effected in accordance with Section 188 of the Canada Business Corporations Act and a concurrent "domestication" effected in accordance with Section 388 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. Following SEC clearance of the Company's registration statement, the Company will hold a special meeting of shareholders to seek shareholder approval for the U.S. Domestication. Details of the Company's special meeting of shareholders will be announced at a later date.

09:40 EDT BioRxiv posts pre-print article on Sintx Technologies' SARS-CoV-2 candidate - A pre-print article of a study supported by SINTX Technologies was published by bioRxiv, which notes that "bioRxiv is receiving many new papers on coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. A reminder: these are preliminary reports that have not been peer-reviewed. They should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or be reported in news media as established information." The article, entitled "Silicon Nitride Inactivates SARS-CoV-2 in vitro," states "Surface treatment strategies based on silicon nitride may offer novel methods to discourage SARS-CoV-2 persistence and infectivity on surfaces and discourage the spread of COVID-19." Reference Link

09:31 EDT Portman Ridge Finance enters 10b5-1 stock trading plan - Portman Ridge Finance announced that it has entered into a Rule 10b5-1 stock trading plan to facilitate the repurchase of shares of its common stock in accordance with its $10M share repurchase program previously announced on March 9. An independent U.S. broker-dealer is acting as the company's agent to purchase its shares on pre-arranged terms pursuant to the Rule 10b5-1 plan during a period beginning on August 31.

09:27 EDT Lineage Cell Therapeutics receives $24.6M payment from Juvenescence - Lineage Cell Therapeutics said in a release, "Lineage Cell Therapeutics announced it received $24.6 million in cash from Juvenescence Ltd., representing principal and interest due under a convertible promissory note. The note was issued in August 2018 as partial payment for the sale by Lineage to Juvenescence of 14.4 million shares of common stock of AgeX Therapeutics, Inc."

09:19 EDT Emcore awarded SDI500 IMU contract by Raytheon Technologies - EMCORE Corporation (EMKR) announced that it has been awarded a contract by Raytheon Technologies (RTN) valued at $3.6 million to deliver SDI500 IMUs for the MK 54 lightweight torpedo program. The units are expected to be delivered by September 2021.

09:16 EDT Churchill Downs to reopen Calder Casino in Florida - Churchill Downs plans to resume operations at Calder Casino in Miami Gardens, Florida on Monday, August 31, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Calder will open with modified operational hours and restricted service offerings in compliance with Miami-Dade County guidelines and will implement the "CDI 360 Degree Approach to Safety," which includes initiatives to facilitate social distancing, personal protection and enhanced cleaning. Some of these protocols include: Increased frequency of cleaning and sanitizing of all high-touch surfaces, including door handles, gaming machines, handrails and kiosks; Plexiglass or polycarbonate dividers in areas of high touch transactions; Hand sanitizer dispensers and sanitary wipes will be located throughout the facility; Visual aids will enable adequate social distancing; Mandatory temperature checks and usage of face masks for all guests and team members upon entering the building; and Required training for all team members on safety protocols.

09:13 EDT Booz Allen awarded $950M IDIQ contract - Booz Allen said in a release, "On July 1st, the U.S. Air Force awarded Booz Allen Hamilton one of several positions on an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, or IDIQ, contract valued at $950 million to support development of the Advanced Battle Management System, or ABMS, which will enable rapid decision making and all-domain command and control. Part of the Department of Defense's Joint All-Domain Command and Control, or JADC2, concept, ABMS aims to enable all services to operate together as part of a joint team-connecting sensors, decision makers, and weapons through a secure data network to engage across multiple domains more effectively. Booz Allen has been selected by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's, or AFLCMC, Chief Architect Integration Office, or CAIO, and will compete for task orders to support digital transformation across all aspects of the Air Force's command and control enterprise. By leveraging open systems design, modern software, and AI and machine learning applications, the team will develop a connected ecosystem of digital capabilities and technologies across multiple platforms and domains. This interoperable framework will support rapid data collection and analysis, communication, faster decisions, and enhanced performance-from the Continental United States (CONUS) to the tactical edge."

09:11 EDT Usio appoints Enersto Beyer to board of directors - Usio announced the appointment of Ernesto Beyer to its Board of Directors, effective August 29, 2020. Mr. Beyer will serve as a member of the Company's Audit, Compensation, and Nominations and Corporate Governance Committees. Mr. Beyer will replace Mr. Miguel Chapa, who unexpectedly passed away on August 19, 2020. Ernesto Beyer is currently serving as Latin America Market Manager of Xcoal Energy & Resources.

09:10 EDT Enthusiast Gaming closes acquistion of Omnia - Enthusiast Gaming announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Omnia Media from Blue Ant Media Solutions and has closed the related public offering of common shares in the capital of the Company including the exercise of the over-allotment option in full, raising gross proceeds of C$17.25 million. Through the Acquisition, Enthusiast Gaming has created the largest gaming media, esports and entertainment platform in North America by users, with 300 million video game and esports fans monthly. Based in Los Angeles, California, Omnia is a leading global gaming YouTube platform which creates, manages and operates a multi-channel YouTube network that distributes premium, original content. Its platform is one of the most highly visited on YouTube for video game related content. Omnia produces and programs over 30 weekly shows across AVOD and OTT channels and represents over 500 gaming influencers across YouTube and Twitch. Its distribution network reaches over 90 million unique viewers and boasts a significant U.S. market inventory of over 1,000 channels, over 500 million subscribers and over 3.2 billion monthly total video views. The Acquisition closed on August 30, 2020. Enthusiast Gaming acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Omnia from Blue Ant for consideration consisting of 18.25 million Common Shares, $11.0 million in cash subject to adjustments, and a vendor-take-back note with a face value of $5.75 million. All $ figures are in Canadian dollars unless noted otherwise. Enthusiast has appointed Robb Chase, chief financial officer of Blue Ant, to serve on its board of directors pursuant to a nomination rights agreement entered into in connection with the Acquisition. The Nomination Agreement entitles Blue Ant to nominate a director to the board of directors of Enthusiast Gaming until Blue Ant ceases to hold either at least 75% of the Share Consideration or 10% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares.

09:09 EDT Hoth Therapeutics names Stefanie Johns, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer - Hoth Therapeutics announces the appointment of Stefanie Johns, Ph.D., to the position of Chief Scientific Officer, effective in September. In her role, Dr. Johns will further advance Hoth's pipeline through both preclinical and clinical stages. Prior to joining Hoth, Dr. Johns served as Director of Regulatory Affairs at Enable Injections.

09:07 EDT PDL BioPharma sells three royalty interests to SWK Holdings - PDL BioPharma announces the signing and closing of a definitive agreement for the sale of three royalty interests for Kybella, Zalviso, and Coflex to SWK Funding, a wholly owned subsidiary of SWK Holdings, in exchange for PDL to receive $4.35M in cash. In addition to the cash proceeds from the sale to SWK, PDL believes that this transaction may qualify for Federal tax benefits under the CARES Act. In connection with its monetization process, PDL expects to execute transactions in 2020 that may result in the recognition of ordinary tax losses that, under the CARES Act, could be applied to prior tax years in which PDL was a substantial tax payor. At this time, however, there can be no assurance that such tax benefits will be realized.

09:04 EDT Titan announces option to earn up to 100% in the Mineral Ridge Gold Project - Titan Mining announced the signing of an Option Agreement on the Mineral Ridge Property located in Esmerelda County, Nevada from Scorpio Gold Corporation through its US affiliates. Mineral Ridge Highlights: Current open pit Mineral Resource of 350,000 oz gold at an average grade of 1.16 g/t; Fully permitted for production and drill-ready; Widespread mineralization, only sporadic exploration completed to date; Historical drill results, never followed up, on including: 1.17 oz gold per ton over 25 ft or 40.1 g/t gold over 7.6m. 0.55 oz gold per ton over 30 ft or 18.9 g/t gold over 9.1m. 0.31 oz gold per ton over 40 ft or 10.6 g/t gold over 12.2M. 0.34 oz gold per ton over 30 ft or 11.7 g/t gold over 9.1m. 0.28 oz gold per ton over 40 ft or 9.6 g/t gold over 12.2m.

08:57 EDT Novavax agrees to supply Canada with up to 76M doses of COVID-19 vaccine - Novavax announced it has reached an agreement in principle with the Government of Canada to supply up to 76 million doses of NVX-CoV2373, Novavax' COVID-19 vaccine. Novavax and Canada expect to finalize an advance purchase agreement under which Novavax will supply doses of NVX-CoV2373 to Canada beginning as early as the second quarter of 2021. This purchase arrangement will be subject to licensure of the Novavax vaccine by Health Canada. NVX-CoV2373 is currently in multiple Phase 2 clinical trials. The Phase 2 portion of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of NVX-CoV2373 began in August in the United States and Australia, and expands on the age range of the Phase 1 portion by including older adults 60-84 years of age as approximately 50 percent of the trial population. Secondary objectives include preliminary evaluation of efficacy. In addition, a Phase 2b clinical trial to assess efficacy began in South Africa in August.

08:38 EDT Motorola Solutions acquired Callyo, terms not disclosed - Motorola Solutions said in a release, "Motorola Solutions announced it has acquired Callyo, a cloud-based mobile applications provider for law enforcement. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Callyo is a software as a service company (SaaS) serving thousands of public safety customers across North America. Its portfolio includes two application suites - 10-21, which simplifies communication between first responders and citizens, and Callyo, which provides investigative tools that improve digital evidence collection. This acquisition adds to Motorola Solutions' existing command center software suite critical mobile technology capabilities that enable information to flow seamlessly from the field to the command center."

08:37 EDT Revive announces IRB approval for Phase 3 trial protocol for bucillamine - Revive Therapeutics announcee that the Company's Phase 3 clinical trial protocol to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Bucillamine in patients with mild-moderate COVID-19 received approval from the independent Institutional Review Board at Advarra, a premier IRB services company in North America. An IRB operates under FDA regulations and is an FDA registered constituted group that has been formally designated to review and monitor biomedical research involving human subjects. In accordance with FDA regulations, an IRB has the authority to approve, require modifications, or disapprove research. The purpose of IRB review is to assure, both in advance and by periodic review, that appropriate steps are taken to protect the rights and welfare of humans participating as subjects in the research. To accomplish this purpose, IRBs use a group process to review research protocols and related materials to ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of human subjects of research.

08:35 EDT Curaleaf announces first retail location in Utah market - Curaleaf Holding, announced the company's first retail location in the Utah market with a new pharmacy at 3633 N. Thanksgiving Way in Lehi, marking its 90th retail location nationwide. Curaleaf UT, LLC, was awarded one of the state's 14 licenses in the state of Utah in 2019. Lehi is known as one of the state's highest growth cities and its surrounding area is home to more than 50% of the state's total qualifying patients; Utah County has 44% of the certified 10,400 patients.

08:33 EDT Inpixon announces collaboration agreement with FSI - Inpixon announced a collaboration agreement with FSI Limited. FSI is headquartered in the United Kingdom with offices in North America, Australia and Asia. Inpixon and FSI are teaming to pursue joint opportunities for their solutions, with an initial emphasis on enterprise implementations that address pandemic-related challenges. Indoor spaces can be a transmission vector for viruses, underlining the importance for tools to help organizations safeguard their employees and visitors.

08:33 EDT CSG CEO Bret Griess to step down, Brian Shepherd named CEO - CSG said in a release, "CSG announced that Bret Griess, president and CEO of the company has shared his plans to step down at the end of the year, following nearly 25 years of service with the company. Brian Shepherd, executive vice president and group president has been selected to succeed Griess as president and chief executive officer of the company, effective January 1, 2021. In addition, Shepherd will be appointed to the Board on the same date. Shepherd joined CSG in 2016 and has helped accelerate the growth and strategic direction of the company's global business, leading CSG's profit and loss organization."

08:31 EDT Marriott to delist from NYSE Chicago Stock Exchange - Marriott announced plans to withdraw its common stock from listing on NYSE Chicago, formerly known as the Chicago Stock Exchange. Marriott has decided to withdraw the listing to reduce administrative costs and requirements. Marriott anticipates that the withdrawal will be effective on September 20, and that NYSE Chicago will suspend trading in its common stock before the market opens on September 21. Marriott's common stock will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

08:29 EDT Medical device company expands deployment of BIO-key biometric authentication - BIO-key International announced that its long-time customer, global medical device manufacturer ICU Medical, Inc., has expanded its use of BIO-key biometric authentication to its new staff training program, streamlining check-in and automating FDA compliance recordkeeping. ICU Medical has been successfully using BIO-key biometric authentication solutions since 2005, initially to streamline and automate an FDA-regulated Quality Control signoff process within Oracle ERP during product manufacturing. This lean-process innovation shaved significant time off the production of their infusion products while ensuring in real-time that the signing QC staff member was properly authorized and trained to perform the specific QC process, compliant with Code of Federal Regulations 21 part 11. As ICU Medical has grown over the past 15 years, BIO-key biometric authentication has enabled the company to seamlessly add users and worldwide locations without having to buy, issue, or track any physical tokens for each staff member. The integration of BIO-key has greatly simplified ICU Medical's onboarding and offboarding process. Recently, ICU Medical wanted to add a secure, user-friendly method to authenticate access to iLearning, a staff training platform from Seertech that incorporates content, accounting, and reporting functions. They leveraged the existing successful BIO-key authentication platform for a larger group of users and are seeing the benefits in terms of faster training sign-ins, simplified accounting, and a better user experience.

08:27 EDT Chiasma announces U.S. commercial launch, availability of MYCAPSSA - Chiasma announced the commercial launch and availability of MYCAPSSA capsules in the United States for patients with acromegaly. MYCAPSSA, the first and only oral somatostatin analog, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on June 26, 2020 for the long-term maintenance treatment of patients with acromegaly who have responded to and tolerated treatment with octreotide or lanreotide.

08:25 EDT Onconova appoints James Marino as chairman of the board of directors - Onconova Therapeutics announced the election of James Marino, JD, MBA as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Marino has served as a Director of Onconova since July 2015, a Director of Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. since March 2017, and previously as a Director of Pharmacopeia, Inc. The Company also announced the resignations of Michael Hoffman and E. Premkumar Reddy, Ph.D., from its Board of Directors.

08:22 EDT Golar LNG Partners, Golar Power enter cooperation agreement for LNG terminals - Golar LNG Partners and Golar Power have entered into a cooperation agreement where the parties intend to work together to develop hub-spoke LNG terminal solutions utilizing GMLP's available asset portfolio, where GMLP's assets are technically suitable. The terms and structure of the commercial cooperation will be worked on a project by project basis given the customized nature of each potential terminal. As part of the agreement, Golar Power and Golar Partners have agreed to terminate the existing Omnibus agreement between the entities.

08:19 EDT Pretium Resources EVP, CFO Tom Yip to depart - Pretium Resources Inc. (OVG) announces that Tom S.Q. Yip, EVP and CFO, will be departing the Company on October 30, 2020 or such earlier date as may be mutually agreed. Further, Pretivm is pleased to announce that Matthew Quinlan will be joining the Company on September 9, 2020 as VP, Finance and, following Mr. Yip's departure, as CFO. Mr. Yip will continue to assist in his current role until his departure, in order to ensure an orderly transition. Mr. Yip joined the Company in February of 2011 as a member of its Board of Directors, stepping down from that role in 2015 to join Pretivm's management as CFO. Quinlan recently served as the interim CFO of Trevali Mining Corporation (TREVF).

08:14 EDT Vir Biotechnology, GSK begin Phase 2/3 study of COVID-19 antibody treatment - Vir Biotechnology (VIR) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that the first patient was dosed last week in a Phase 2/3 study with VIR-7831 monoclonal antibody, for the early treatment of COVID-19 in patients who are at high risk of hospitalization. The aim of the COMET-ICE study, which will enroll approximately 1,300 patients worldwide who have early symptomatic infection, is to assess whether VIR-7831, as a single-dose monoclonal antibody, can prevent hospitalization due to COVID-19. Initial results may be available before the end of this year, with complete results expected in the first quarter of 2021, and potentially early access to the antibody treatment as soon as the first half of 2021. Last week's initiation of the study follows the signing of a collaboration between the two companies in April 2020 to research and develop solutions for coronaviruses. Monoclonal antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19, are being investigated as a potential therapeutic and prophylactic approach against the disease. They are produced, or cloned, from immune cells in a laboratory. Vir's antibody platform has identified unique antibodies from survivors that may work by blocking the virus from infecting new cells and by recruiting the immune system to eliminate infected cells. A key feature of SARS-CoV-2 is the spike protein that covers the virus' outer surface. The virus uses these spike proteins to bind to and enter human cells, leading to infection. It is hypothesized that monoclonal antibodies directed against the spike proteins could represent a therapeutic approach against COVID-19. Pre-clinical studies with VIR-7831, which was identified through Vir's antibody platform, showed affinity for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and high potency in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2, suggesting a high barrier to resistance and an ability to recruit immune cells to kill already infected cells. In addition, VIR-7831 has been designed to enhance lung bioavailability. The COMET-ICE multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2/3 study investigating VIR-7831 in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progression to severe disease comprises two parts. The first part will serve as the first-in-human assessment. The Lead-In phase will assess the safety and tolerability of a single 500 mg intravenous infusion of VIR-7831 or placebo over a 14-day period in non-hospitalized patients. It aims to recruit 20 patients across the United States. Following this initial safety assessment, the second part will progress with the aim of reducing the need for hospitalization. The Expansion phase will assess the safety and efficacy of a single IV infusion of VIR-7831 or placebo in approximately 1,300 non-hospitalized participants globally. The primary efficacy endpoint is the proportion of patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 who worsen, as defined by the need for hospitalization or death, within 29 days of randomization. The COMET clinical development program for VIR-7831 also includes two additional planned trials-one for the treatment of severely ill hospitalized patients and another for the prophylaxis of symptomatic infection. Later this year, the companies expect to start a Phase 2 trial of their other investigational SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody, VIR-7832, which shares the same characteristics as VIR-7831 but may also function as a therapeutic and/or prophylactic T cell vaccine.

08:11 EDT ATIF Holdings to launch online financial consulting service platform, IPOEX.com - ATIF Holdings announced that it plans launch of an online financial consulting service platform, IPOEX.com. IPOEX will provide equity financing advisory and pre-IPO consulting services for corporate clients via an innovative internet-based channel, which intends to offer a professional one-stop solution for clients in equity financing advisory, press relations and various aspects along their way to IPO.

08:10 EDT Regulus restructures Sanofi, Oxford loan agreements - Regulus Therapeutics announced that pursuant to an amendment of its term loan agreement with Oxford LLC, the company is eligible for up to an additional seven months of interest only payments in the event the company pays down $10M in loan principal before April 30, 2021 utilizing proceeds from the sale of materials to, and potential milestones received from, Sanofi (SNY). In the event the Principal Paydown Event does not occur by April 30, 2021, the company will make principal and accrued interest payments, in arrears, commencing May 1, 2021, in accordance with the previously amended terms. If the Principal Paydown Event occurs after April 30, 2021 but on or before July 31, 2021, then the company will recommence an extended interest only payment period through December 31, 2021. In the event the company receives the additional interest only period, principal and accrued interest payments will recommence on January 1, 2022.

08:08 EDT Comscore announces new partnership with World Surf League - Comscore announced a new partnership that provides the World Surf League. Comscore will provide the WSL with access to Comscore's signature Media Ratings solutions, including Comscore Video Metrix in the United States, Australia and Brazil, and Media Metrix Multi-Platform in the U.S., to better understand audience behavior and media consumption across desktop and mobile devices.

08:07 EDT Kiniksa presents data on survey assessing impact of recurrent pericarditis - Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals (KNSA) presented findings from a real-world patient survey assessing the substantial impact of recurrent pericarditis on health-related quality of life at ESC Congress 2020, the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology. Martin LeWinter, MD, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, was the lead author of the virtual poster Clinical Characteristics and Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients with Recurrent Pericarditis in the United States: Findings from a Patient Survey. The materials are available through the Science section of Kiniksa's website. Kiniksa reported positive data from RHAPSODY, a global, randomized withdrawal design, pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of rilonacept in recurrent pericarditis. RHAPSODY showed that rilonacept improved clinically meaningful outcomes associated with the unmet medical need in recurrent pericarditis for patients in the study. The primary efficacy endpoint of time-to-first adjudicated pericarditis recurrence in the randomized withdrawal period was highly statistically significant: rilonacept treatment resulted in a 96% reduction in risk of recurrent pericarditis events. All major secondary endpoints were also highly statistically significant. Rilonacept was discovered and developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, (REGN) and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the brand name ARCALYST for the treatment of for Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes. Kiniksa licensed rilonacept from Regeneron in 2017 for evaluation in diseases believed to be mediated by both interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-1 beta, including recurrent pericarditis. The FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to rilonacept for recurrent pericarditis in 2019 and Orphan Drug designation to rilonacept for pericarditis in 2020. Based on the Phase 3 RHAPSODY data, the Biologic License Application for CAPS will transfer to Kiniksa, and the company plans to submit a supplemental Biologic License Application in recurrent pericarditis to the FDA this year. Upon receipt of FDA approval for rilonacept in recurrent pericarditis, Kiniksa will assume the sales and distribution of rilonacept for the approved indications in the United States and evenly split profits on sales with Regeneron.

08:04 EDT MSC Industrial names Kristen Actis-Grande as CFO - MSC Industrial (MSM) announced that it has named Kristen Actis-Grande to the role of Executive Vice President and CFO. Actis-Grande joins MSC following a 17-year tenure with Ingersoll Rand (IR). She most recently served as Vice President of Investor Relations and Financial Planning and Analysis for the diversified industrial company

08:03 EDT Mustang Bio announces Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for MB-207 - Mustang Bio announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to MB-207, Mustang's lentiviral gene therapy for the treatment of patients with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency, also known as bubble boy disease, who were previously treated with a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and for whom re-treatment is indicated. MB-207 is currently being assessed in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for XSCID in patients over the age of two, who have received prior HSCT, at the National Institutes of Health. Mustang expects to file an investigational new drug application with the FDA to initiate a multi-center Phase 2 clinical trial of MB-207 in this patient population in the fourth quarter of 2020. Another Phase 1/2 clinical trial for XSCID in newly diagnosed infants under the age of two is underway at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco and Seattle Children's Hospital. The product in this trial is designated MB-107. In May 2020, Mustang submitted an IND to the FDA to initiate a multi-center Phase 2 clinical trial of MB-107 in newly diagnosed infants with XSCID who are between two months to two years of age. The trial is expected to enroll 10 patients who, together with 15 patients enrolled in the current multi-center trial led by St. Jude, will be compared with 25 matched historical control patients who have undergone HSCT. The primary efficacy endpoint will be event-free survival. The initiation of this trial is expected early in the fourth quarter of 2020. Mustang is targeting topline data from this trial in the second half of 2022. The FDA previously granted a Rare Pediatric Disease Designation in August 2020 and Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy Designation in August 2019 to MB-107 for the treatment of XSCID in newly diagnosed infants. Additionally, the European Medicines Agency granted Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product Classification to MB-107 in April 2020.

08:02 EDT Omeros IND for OMS906 cleared by FDA - Omeros said in a release, "Omeros Corporation today announced that its Investigational New Drug Application, or IND, to begin clinical trials with OMS906 has been cleared by the FDA. OMS906 is the company's lead human monoclonal antibody targeting mannan-binding lectin-associated serine protease-3 (MASP-3), the key activator of the complement system's alternative pathway. FDA's clearance of the IND allows the initiation of the clinical program for OMS906. A Phase 1, placebo-controlled, double-blind, single-ascending-dose and multiple-ascending-dose study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of OMS906 administered subcutaneously and intravenously to healthy subjects. Enrollment is planned to begin in early September. The trial will provide additional information regarding the anticipated OMS906 dosing regimen in patients, which is targeted for once monthly subcutaneous administration. Following adequate Phase 1 data collection and analysis, the initial Phase 2 clinical trial is planned in patients with life-threatening paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a rare disease characterized by red blood cell destruction, blood clots and impaired bone marrow function."

07:51 EDT Baxter announces FDA De Novo authorization granted to Theranova - Baxter announced the FDA has granted the De Novo application for Theranova, the company's novel dialysis membrane. Theranova was designed to deliver expanded hemodialysis, or HDx, therapy, which filters a wider range of molecules from the blood than traditional hemodialysis, or HD, filters, like high-flux membranes, by targeting effective removal of conventional and large middle molecules. These middle molecules may be associated with inflammation and cardiovascular disease in patients with kidney failure.

07:47 EDT Clean TeQ achieves formal completion of first DESALX plant in Australia - Clean TeQ Holdings(CTEQF) announces the successful achievement of formal completion and handover of a ground-breaking Continuous Ion Exchange Desalination plant at the Fosterville Gold Mine in Victoria, Australia owned by Kirkland Lake Gold (KL). At the Fosterville Gold Mine in Victoria, Australia, Clean TeQ was engaged to design, supply and commission a two million litre-per-day Clean TeQ DESALX mine water treatment plant. The plant is designed to deliver a sustainable water management solution by treating mine process water. The plant construction was completed in late 2019, with commissioning and operations commencing in early 2020. The Company is pleased to confirm that the Clean TeQ designed and constructed plant has now passed the performance tests specified in the engineering, procurement and construction contract and the customer has issued a formal notice of acceptance and completion. At Fosterville, the equipment provided by Clean TeQ includes a precipitation package to remove Antimony and Arsenic. The effluent from the clarifiers is treated by the DESALX plant to remove Sulphate, Calcium, and Magnesium with gypsum as the only by-product. The DESALX effluent is then further treated by reverse osmosis to produce water for re-use. The Clean TeQ system is a key enabling component of the customer's overall water management strategy which includes a medium-term target of creating a true 'zero liquid discharge' solution that does not produce any saline brine and includes aquifer reinjection. Clean TeQ Water is now focused on completing one additional key project at a copper-cobalt mine in the DRC, and a number of pilot programs in China. This Clean TeQ system, as well as the plants recently completed in Oman and Australia, are the first of their type anywhere in the world and have been deployed as part of three different technical solutions. The successful delivery and commissioning of these plants provides strong demonstration of the efficacy of Clean TeQ's suite of proprietary ion exchange technologies and their versatility for metal extraction and waste water treatment. As commercial scale plants, the facilities provide a valuable platform from which to now rapidly grow Clean TeQ Water.

07:35 EDT Alliance Data launches private lable credit programs for Sally Beauty - Alliance Data (ADS) announced its Card Services business, a premier provider of branded private label, co-brand and commercial card programs, has launched two new private label credit programs with Sally Beauty Holdings (SBH). Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Alliance Data is providing private label card services for the company's two business units, Sally Beauty Supply, which sells to both retail consumers and salon professionals, and Beauty Systems Group, whose Cosmo Prof stores sells exclusively to professional stylists and salons.

07:32 EDT SOTIO acquires rights to BOXR CAR-T platform, products from Unum Therapeutics - SOTIO announced that it has acquired the rights to Unum Therapeutics' BOXR cell therapy platform and BOXR lead programs to develop novel T cell therapies for the treatment of solid tumors. The proprietary Bolt-on Chimeric Receptor technology incorporates novel transgenes to enhance T cell function in the solid tumor microenvironment. SOTIO will build on Unum's R&D data, its team and a portion of its laboratory and manufacturing facility to create an R&D Center of Excellence for T cell therapies in Cambridge, MA. SOTIO aims to develop multiple enhanced Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T cell therapies for the treatment of solid tumors based on the BOXR technology. The lead program, BOXR1030 for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and other solid tumors, is expected to initiate first clinical studies in 2021. In preclinical studies, BOXR1030 T cells expressing a GPC3 CAR and a Bolt-on gene were resistant to suppressive tumor microenvironment-like conditions, showing improved T cell proliferation under both hypoxic and low glucose conditions and superior efficacy in comparison to classical GPC3-targeted CAR-T cells. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes isolated from the tumors of treated animals revealed that BOXR1030 cells were more resistant to dysfunction and had fewer markers of exhaustion as compared to the control CAR-T cells. Under the terms of the agreement, SOTIO will make an upfront payment of $8.1M for the BOXR technology and success dependent future milestone payments up to $3.4M. SOTIO will leverage its broad cell therapy expertise, including its in-house GMP cell therapy manufacturing site in Prague, to streamline process development and clinical grade cell therapy manufacturing by collaborating closely with the BOXR team in Cambridge. In addition to acquiring the BOXR platform, several of Unum's experienced research team members who were responsible for the research and development of the BOXR technology, including Geoff Hodge, former chief technology officer of Unum, will be joining SOTIO to continue advancing the BOXR R&D programs.

07:26 EDT Gilat Satellite says trial over Comtech transaction scheduled for early October - The company said, "The acquisition of Gilat (GILT) by Comtech Telecommunications Corp (CMTL) remains subject to certain conditions to closing, including regulatory approvals in Russia. As previously reported, Comtech filed a complaint against Gilat in the Delaware Court of Chancery seeking declaratory judgments that certain actions, if taken by Gilat in connection with Russia regulatory approval would breach Gilat's obligations under the Merger Agreement and that Gilat has suffered a Material Adverse Effect, as defined in the Merger Agreement, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a consequence, Comtech contends that it is not required to consummate the merger. Gilat strongly rejects all such allegations, and on July 21, 2020, Gilat filed a complaint against Comtech in the Delaware Court of Chancery, seeking a Court order requiring Comtech to specifically perform its obligations under the merger agreement, including using its reasonable best efforts to obtain regulatory approval as soon as practicable (as well as seeking all other relief deemed proper, including damages). The Complaint also seeks a declaratory judgment that, if Russian regulatory approval is not obtained by the termination date of the merger agreement, satisfaction of the Russian regulatory condition be excused, and a declaratory judgment that Gilat has not suffered a "Material Adverse Effect". Trial is scheduled for early October 2020."

07:15 EDT I-MAB expects multiple data readouts across progressing pipeline in near future - "I-Mab continues to advance our robust pipeline, create value through innovation, and is well positioned to become a fully integrated global biopharmaceutical company. The differentiation of our innovative assets has become validated as the clinical trials progress, as exemplified by our positive preliminary clinical results for lemzoparlimab," said Dr. Jingwu Zang, Founder, Honorary Chairman and Director of I-Mab. "Looking ahead, we remain excited and confident in our science and increasing capabilities to deliver the promised corporate and pipeline development milestones and create value for patients as well as for our shareholders." The company expects multiple data readouts across a progressing pipeline in the coming months. These include the clinical results of phase 1 clinical trial in the U.S. and China for lemzoparlimab, initial data from uliledlimab, the differentiated CD73 antibody, Part 2 clinical update from plonmarlimab in patients with cytokine release syndrome associated with severe COVID-19, as well as phase 2 results from olamkicept in patients with ulcerative colitis. Felzartamab, the company's in-licensed CD38 antibody, is being evaluated in two parallel registrational studies in China for the treatment of multiple myeloma and is on track for subject enrollment. In addition, the company's recent appointment of Chief Commercial Officer Ivan Yifei Zhu marks the company's commitment to building commercial capability and executing our commercialization plans for upcoming product launches. The remarkable progress in pipeline and corporate development demonstrated during this period significantly strengthens the company's position to achieve longer-term growth into 2021 and beyond.

07:13 EDT Broadwind announces approx. $21M in wind tower orders from existing customer - Broadwind provided an update on new order activity and current business conditions. Broadwind announced that it has received wind tower orders from an existing wind turbine customer, representing a total value of approximately $21M. Broadwind will manufacture the tower sections at its Abilene, Texas facility. The Company expects to deliver the tower sections to its customer during the first half of 2021. A wind turbine OEM customer has chosen to postpone a portion of a tower order originally scheduled for the third quarter 2020 to the first quarter of 2021. Further, within the Company's Gearing segment, demand conditions remain below prior-year levels, with expectations for improved order activity into 2021. Due to the reduced plant capacity utilization, Broadwind estimates that up to $2.5M of adjusted EBITDA will shift from the second half 2020 to the first half 2021. The Company believes that most of the revenue and EBITDA shift will adversely impact third quarter 2020 results. Importantly, the Company has not experienced any material customer cancellations within its order book.

07:11 EDT Caesarstone to acquire majority stake in Lioli Ceramica for $12M - Caesarstone said in a release, "Caesarstone announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Lioli Ceramica, an India-based producer of cutting-edge porcelain countertop slabs, operating innovative and technologically advanced manufacturing facilities in Asia, with annual revenue of approximately $18 million. Under the terms of the transaction, Caesarstone has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Lioli for a cash investment of approximately $12 million, representing an enterprise value of approximately $34 million, including the assumption of debt and additional consideration of up to approximately $10 million upon the achievement of certain milestones. The transaction is expected to close in 2020, subject to customary closing conditions, and is expected to have a favorable impact to earnings beyond 2020."

07:08 EDT Akari Therapeutics announces international development program of nomacopan - Akari Therapeutics announces its intention to develop nomacopan as a potential treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia through integrated clinical trial programs in U.S., U.K. and Brazil. Akari's strategy for advancing clinical development of nomacopan as a potential COVID-19 pneumonia treatment includes: identifying biomarkers to optimize patient selection; completing initial proof of principle studies in hospitalised COVID-19 patients; conducting integrated randomized clinical trials in the U.S., Brazil and the U.K, and seeking regulatory approval if the results of the randomized clinical trials satisfactorily demonstrate the safety and efficacy of nomacopan as a treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia. An observational study relating to biomarkers that may identify COVID-19 patients who are particularly suitable for nomacopan treatment is ongoing in the U.K. Data has been collected on approximately 50 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and analysis of the samples is in process with data expected early in the fourth quarter of 2020. The second part of the program, a longitudinal study taking repeat samples from COVID-19 patients with worsening disease is ongoing. Initial POP treatment in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia via expanded access programs are ongoing in the US. In Brazil, recruitment to a similar POP treatment study has been completed and the data will be reviewed for safety by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board. If the DSMB concludes that the drug is safe, the program in Brazil will progress to a randomized study in the fourth quarter of 2020. These COVID-19 programs build on the existing Akari clinical experience in the use of nomacopan, underpinned by 35 cumulative patient-years of nomacopan safety data with no reported drug related SAEs, and clinical response across a range of inflammatory conditions in Phase II and Phase III development. Akari intends to conduct multiple randomized controlled studies in the U.S., U.K. and Brazil based on the same clinical study design. In the U.S., Akari is collaborating on a proposed investigator-led multi-center randomized study the commencement of which is subject to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of a related IND. In Brazil, the POP study is expected to progress into a similar randomized trial, pending successful outcome of the DSMB review. In the U.K., nomacopan has been selected by the AGILE platform as a new potential treatment for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. AGILE is a dedicated therapeutic development platform supported by the Wellcome Trust and UNITAID to identify, support and develop promising treatments for COVID-19. The AGILE program is sponsored by the Royal Liverpool Hospital, U.K. With AGILE's support, Akari is also exploring extending the nomacopan COVID-19 clinical program into multiple countries in Africa, with potential patient recruitment starting in the fourth quarter of 2020. Subject to additional comments from regulators, the trial protocols for the planned randomized clinical trials would provide for patients to be randomized 2:1 nomacopan plus standard of care or SoC alone, with an initial target of around 60 patients in each of the individual study settings. Patients would be on supportive oxygen and be recruited following admission to hospital. The primary endpoint is time to normalization of oxygen, while the secondary endpoint will include need for intubation and mortality. Patients will receive a daily subcutaneous dose of nomacopan for up to 14 days, with study monitoring and completion after two months. The SoC arm for the trials incorporates the latest treatments where available, including dexamethasone and remdesivir, both of which have a different mode of action to nomacopan and as such, nomacopan has the potential to add additional efficacy to either or both of these treatments. In examining the efficacy of nomacopan Akari expects to consider the totality of the data across these studies using the same endpoints.

07:05 EDT Acasti Pharma not planning to conduct additional trials for CaPre

07:04 EDT PayPal announces 'Pay in 4' installment solution - PayPal announced "Pay in 4," a short-term installment offering for customers in the U.S. Pay in 4 can help merchants drive conversion, revenue and customer loyalty without taking on additional risk or paying any additional fees, while enabling consumers to make a purchase and pay over four, interest-free installments. Pay in 4, which is part of PayPal's growing suite of Pay Later solutions, enables merchants and partners to get paid upfront while enabling customers to pay for purchases between $30 and $600 over a six-week period. Pay in 4 is included in the merchant's existing PayPal pricing, so merchants don't pay any additional fees to enable it for their customers. Consumers pay no fees or interest, and payments are seamless with automatic re-payments. Pay in 4 will also appear in the customer's PayPal wallet, so they can manage their payments in the PayPal app. Pay in 4 will be available to consumers on qualifying purchases in early Q4.

07:02 EDT Can-Fite BioPharma cleared by FDA to commence Phase II COVID-19 study - Can-Fite BioPharma said in a release, "The FDA has issued a "safe to proceed" notice for Can-Fite's Investigational New Drug application for a Phase II study of its lead drug candidate Piclidenoson in the treatment of COVID-19. The 40 patient, 28-day study is cleared to commence patient enrollment. Piclidenoson has been dosed in over 1,400 patients in prior trials as well as two ongoing Phase III studies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis."

07:01 EDT BioCryst receives Orphan Drug designation for BCX9930 in PNH - BioCryst Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug designation for its oral Factor D inhibitor, BCX9930, for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. In addition to the Orphan Drug designation, the FDA also has granted Fast Track designation for BCX9930 in PNH.

06:54 EDT AIR Worldwide sees insured losses for Hurricane Laura $4B-$8B - Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide estimates that industry insured losses to onshore property resulting from Hurricane Laura's winds and storm surge will range from $4B-$8B. AIR Worldwide is a Verisk business.

06:41 EDT NGL Energy Partners signs extension, expansion of acreage dedication - NGL Energy Partners announced that the Partnership signed a long-term extension and expansion of an acreage dedication with an existing customer. The extension of this agreement is with a leading, investment grade independent producer customer operating in Lea and Eddy Counties, New Mexico within the Delaware Basin. The new agreement increases our acreage dedication by 22,000 acres, increasing the new total dedicated acres with this customer to approximately 122,000 acres, and extends the term through 2027.

06:07 EDT Regis says 82% of company's portfolio open at end of August - Regis said, "As of the end of August 2020, 80% of our franchise salons and 89% of our company-owned salons were open, representing approximately 82% of the company's portfolio. Excluding salons in California, that are temporarily closed due to California state mandate, 90% of franchised salons and 88% of company-owned salons, representing approximately 90% of the company's portfolio, have reopened. In June 2020, the company took further action to eliminate administrative costs and personnel with expected annualized savings of $6 million. The company continues to make meaningful progress in its multi-year strategy to convert to a fully-franchised model. During the quarter, it sold and transferred 112 company-owned salons to its asset-light franchise portfolio. The company expects that the economic uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic may further impact the number of salons to be sold, the pace of sales to franchisees and the proceeds from the sales. The company is still committed to converting to a fully-franchised capital-light business."

06:04 EDT Great Elm Capital announces non-transferable rights offering - Great Elm Capital announced that its Board of Directors has approved the terms of a non-transferable subscription rights offering to purchase shares of its common stock. The company will issue to its stockholders of record as of 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on September 4, non-transferable rights to subscribe for up to an aggregate of 10,761,950 shares of the company's common stock. Record date stockholders will receive one right for each share of common stock owned on the record date. The rights entitle the holders to purchase at the subscription price one new share of common stock for every one right held, and record date stockholders who fully exercise their rights will be entitled to subscribe, subject to certain limitations set forth in the prospectus and subject to allotment, for additional shares of common stock that were not subscribed for by other holders of record. Stockholders may exercise their rights at any time during the subscription period, which commences on September 8, and ends at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 28, unless extended by the company in its sole discretion.

05:55 EDT Huami CFO David Cui resigns, Leon Cheng Deng appointed CFO - Huami said in a release, "Huami announced that Mr. David Cui has tendered his resignation as CFO, effective October 1, for personal reasons. Mr. Cui will become a consultant to the company for a transitional period of time after his resignation as the CFO becomes effective. Huami has appointed Mr. Leon Cheng Deng as the new CFO, effective October 1. Mr. Deng comes to Huami from Royal Philips, where he was most recently Global Head of Finance for Philips Domestic Appliances Division. The company's guidance provided on the recent second quarter call of August 18, remains in effect."

05:36 EDT Bilibili announces equity investment in Huanxi Media - Bilibili said in a release, "Bilibili announced that it has entered into a definitive subscription agreement with Huanxi Media Group, a company principally engaged in media- and entertainment-related businesses, including development of and investment in films and TV drama series, as well as operation of a streaming platform. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, Bilibili will subscribe for 346,626,954 newly issued ordinary shares of Huanxi Media at the subscription price of HK$1.48 per Subscription Shares for an aggregate consideration of approximately HK$513,007,892. The Subscription Price was arrived at after arm's length negotiations between the Company and Huanxi Media with reference to the recent trading price and trading volume of the shares of Huanxi Media traded on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. The closing of this transaction is conditional upon the following conditions being fulfilled: (a) the Listing Committee of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange granting listing of, and permission to deal in, the Subscription Shares; and (b) the Business Cooperation Agreement coming into effect. Upon completion of this transaction, the Company will beneficially own approximately 9.90% of the total enlarged share capital of Huanxi Media. Simultaneous with the execution of the Subscription Agreement, two wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company also entered into a five-year business cooperation agreement with a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Huanxi Media, which will become effective prior to the completion of the subscription of the Subscription Shares. The Company and Huanxi Media will pursue collaboration opportunities in online entertainment for the Chinese market, including films and TV drama series, and developing derivative intellectual property rights of the films and other TV programs owned by Huanxi Media. Pursuant to the Business Cooperation Agreement, Bilibili will gain exclusive online broadcasting rights other than Huanxi's own online platform to existing and upcoming releases of Huanxi Media-owned films and TV drama series, including the highly anticipated releases of LEAP (Duo Guan) and Run for Young (Feng Quan Shao Nian De Tian Kong). Bilibili will also be granted first right of refusal to any new films and TV drama series developed under Huanxi Media's expansive portfolio of broadcasting contracts with a number of China's leading directors."

05:32 EDT DBV up 7% to $2.21 after Nestle acquires competitor Aimmune

05:26 EDT Berkshire Hathaway acquires stakes in five Japanese trading companies - Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) announced Sunday that its wholly-owned subsidiary, National Indemnity Company, will notify Japan's Kanto Local Finance Bureau that it has acquired slightly more than 5% of the outstanding shares in "five of the leading Japanese trading companies." The companies, listed alphabetically, are Itochu (ITOCY), Marubeni (MARUY), Mitsubishi (MSBHY), Mitsui (MITSY) and Sumitomo (SSUMY). These holdings were acquired over a period of approximately twelve months through regular purchases on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Berkshire said its intention is to hold its Japanese investments for the long term. Depending on price, Berkshire Hathaway may increase its holdings up to a maximum of 9.9% in any of the five investments, it added. However, Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has pledged that the company will make purchases only up to an ownership of 9.9% in any of the five investments. The company will make no purchases beyond that point unless given specific approval by the investee's board of directors. Buffett said, "I am delighted to have Berkshire Hathaway participate in the future of Japan and the five companies we have chosen for investment. The five major trading companies have many joint ventures throughout the world and are likely to have more of these partnerships. I hope that in the future there may be opportunities of mutual benefit." Berkshire Hathaway has 625.5B of yen-denominated bonds outstanding, maturing at various dates beginning in 2023 and ending in 2060.

04:46 EDT Aimmune jumps 170% to $34.01 after Nestle acquires for $34.50 per share