Stockwinners Market Radar for April 13, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:28 EDT Splunk CEO sells 15.5K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Splunk disclosed that its CEO Douglas Merritt sold 15,465 shares of common stock on April 12th in a total transaction size of $2.24M, reducing his stake by about 5%.

18:54 EDT J&J pauses vaccinations in all COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials - In an updated statement, Johnson & Johnson said that it has made the decision to proactively delay the rollout of its COVID-19 vaccine in Europe and pause vaccinations in all Janssen COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials while it updates guidance for investigators and participants. "We have been working closely with medical experts and health authorities, and we strongly support the open communication of this information to healthcare professionals and the public," the company said. Reference Link

18:21 EDT New Gold reports Q1 gold equivalent production 96,026 ounces - Reports Q1 gold production 66,650 ounces. Reports Q1 copper production 13.8 Mlbs. "During the quarter, the Rainy River Mine delivered to plan. Waste stripping was strategically prioritized during the winter months, which will set the mine up for higher grades and a stronger production profile in the second half of the year. The New Afton Mine continues to safely and sequentially ramp-up operations and we look forward to initiating ore extraction from the B3 zone. I am very proud of the progress the team has made at New Afton, and coupled with the execution at Rainy River, we remain on-track to achieve our annual guidance estimates," stated Renaud Adams, President & CEO. "Late last year, we re-launched exploration drilling programs at both operations after an extended period of inactivity. We are encouraged by the early-stage results to date."

17:42 EDT Novavax CFO Greg Covino to step down - Novavax announced the promotion of Gale Smith, Ph.D., to Senior Vice President, Discovery and Pre-Clinical Research and Chief Scientist, and the appointment of Troy Morgan as Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer. The company also announced that Greg Covino will be stepping down as CFO and will take on a new role as executive adviser to the company. Covino is stepping down from his position as CFO for personal reasons and will remain with the company as an executive adviser. John Trizzino, Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Business Officer, will assume the CFO role on an interim basis while a search is under way for Covino's replacement.

17:40 EDT Capital Senior Living says March average occupancy was 75.2% - The company states: "Capital Senior Living has completed first, secondand third roundsof COVID-19 vaccinations atallits communities.To date,88%ofresidents arefully vaccinated with 90% ofresidentshavingreceivedat least one doseof the COVID-19 vaccine." CEO Kimberly Lody says: "In the past month, our communities have been able to ease restrictions in a variety of areas, and inquiries for our senior housing and services have returned to pre-pandemic levels. March average occupancy in the Company's 60 owned communities was 75.2%, and spot occupancy on March 31st was 76.7%."

17:20 EDT Bell Boeing awarded $143.2M Navy delivery order for Osprey components - Bell Boeing was awarded $143.2M for a delivery order under previously awarded performance-based logistics requirements contract for the logistics and repair support of MV-22B, CMV-22 and CV-22 Osprey components. All work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas. Work is expected to be completed by December 2025. FY21 working capital funds in the full amount of $143.2M will be obligated at time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support is the contracting activity.

17:03 EDT Great Panther Mining reports Q1 consolidated metal production 30,556 Au eq oz - Great Panther Mining announces production results for the three months ended March 31, from its three wholly-owned mines: Tucano in Brazil, and Topia and the Guanajuato Mine Complex, or GMC in Mexico. Q1 production highlights include: Consolidated metal production of 30,556 gold equivalent ounces, or Au eq oz, inclusive of 24,978 gold ounces, or Au oz, and 360,070 silver ounces, or Ag oz; Total gold production at Tucano of 22,996 Au oz; Total silver equivalent production at Topia of 363,318 silver equivalent ounces, or Ag eq oz; Total silver equivalent production at the GMC of 279,306 Ag eq oz; and auccessful completion of annual maintenance at Tucano including replacement of the primary crusher and realignment of the SAG mill motor. "I am pleased to report that operations continue safely despite COVID-19 and we remain on track with our proposed guidance for the year," commented Rob Henderson, Great Panther's President & CEO. "Our safety protocols are being meticulously executed in order to protect our workforce and the communities that we operate in. As previously stated, the first quarter was planned to be a low production quarter due to heavy stripping. Production is expected to ramp up quarter-over-quarter for the remainder of the year as mining progresses into sectors with lower strip ratios."

16:46 EDT SAP saw 'sharp acceleration' in new cloud business in Q1 - The company states: "SAP saw a sharp acceleration in new cloud business across its cloud portfolio, as well as a strong start for 'RISE with SAP' which is driving customers' business transformation in the cloud. Software licenses had strong, double-digit growth at constant currencies. SAP had significant competitive wins in ERP, digital supply chain and across its broader cloud solution portfolio. Despite the continued impact of global travel restrictions on Concur's business, SAP's cloud revenue growth was resilient in the first quarter, up 13% at constant currencies. SaaS/PaaS cloud revenue outside the Intelligent Spend business was up 24% at constant currencies. Looking forward, SAP's strong new cloud business performance is expected to reaccelerate cloud revenue growth." Reference Link

16:34 EDT Air Lease delivers one new Airbus A321-200neo aircraft to Air Arabia - Air Lease (AL) announced the delivery of one new Airbus (EADSY) A321-200neo LR aircraft on long-term lease to Air Arabia. This aircraft, featuring CFM International LEAP-1A32 engines, is the sixth of six new A321-200neo LRs to deliver to Air Arabia from ALC's order book with Airbus.

16:27 EDT Victory Capital reports AUM $154.3B as of March 31st - Victory Capital reported assets under management of $154.3B on March 31, 2021 vs. $150.6B prior month-end.

16:21 EDT Procter & Gamble raises quarterly dividend 10% to 86.98c per share - The Board of Directors of The Procter & Gamble Company declared an increased quarterly dividend of 86.98c per share on the Common Stock and on the Series A and Series B ESOP Convertible Class A Preferred Stock of the company, payable on or after May 17, to Common Stock shareholders of record at the close of business on April 23, and to Series A and Series B ESOP Convertible Class A Preferred Stock shareholders of record at the start of business on April 23. This represents a 10% increase compared to the prior quarterly dividend.

16:19 EDT Shore Bancshares announces new branch in South Ocean City, Maryland - Shore Bancshares announced that its banking subsidiary, Shore United Bank, will open a new office on 34st South Ocean City, Maryland. The new South Ocean City branch is set to open a full-service banking office on Ocean Gateway, Ocean City, Maryland sometime in 2022. "South Ocean City or the 'Island' is an ideal location for Shore United Bank," said Lloyd L. "Scott" Beatty, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer. "We have been working with businesses and customers on the island of Ocean City for a very long time and have grown many relationships in the past few years thanks to the efforts of our West Ocean City branch and LPO team. Recently, we participated and provided PPP ("Payroll Protection Program") lending to many businesses within Ocean City that were greatly impacted by the pandemic. We strive to meet the needs of our customers by delivering unmatched customer service. The growth in this market has warranted expansion for some time and the new location couldn't be better as it provides more accessibility to many of our business customers. We are thrilled to support our lending team and valued customers in Ocean City with another full-service branch."

16:18 EDT Stitch Fix CEO Lake to transition to executive chairperson role - Stitch Fix, Inc. announced Founder and CEO Katrina Lake will transition to the role of Executive Chairperson of the Board, effective August 1, 2021. Stitch Fix's Board of Directors will be appointing President, Elizabeth Spaulding, to the role of Chief Executive Officer of Stitch Fix and electing her to the Board of Directors, effective August 1 2021. Lake will remain closely connected to the company. In addition to her role as Executive Chairperson, she will remain an employee with a focus on Stitch Fix's social impact efforts, in particular the intersection between sustainability and technology in apparel retail.

16:08 EDT Entegris director Lederer sells 7,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Entegris director James Lederer disclosed the sale of 7,000 common shares of the company on April 9 at a price of $121.76 per share.

16:06 EDT Manning & Napier reports preliminary AUM $21.1B as of March 31 - Which included approximately $15.5B in separately managed accounts and approximately $5.6B in mutual funds and collective investment trusts.

15:47 EDT Procter & Gamble announces multi-year partnership with Major League Soccer - Procter & Gamble announced a "multifaceted" partnership with Major League Soccer ahead of the kickoff of the league's 26th season this week. "As part of the agreement, P&G will also sponsor the Mexican National Team's U.S. Tour (Mex Tour), Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup and the MLS All-Star Game. Futbol and the passionate fandom of both the Mexican National Team and MLS teams transcend generations as a source of cultural identity and pride throughout Hispanic communities across America. P&G is excited to celebrate and honor the cultural significance of futbol for all of its diverse fans through this new partnership. Over the next several years, P&G and MLS look forward to collaborating on efforts to support local communities and bring even greater equity and inclusion to the sport. While soccer is one of the most accessible sports for youth, unfortunately there are barriers that make it difficult for some of these talented young men and women to progress to the collegiate level and beyond. P&G will work with MLS and other partners to help families overcome barriers like cost and travel to ensure more equal access to the game at all levels," the company stated.

15:09 EDT Microsoft issues patch for on-premise Exchange Servers after NSA tip - In a post to the Microsoft Security Response Center, Microsoft states in part: "This month's release includes a number of critical vulnerabilities that we recommend you prioritize, including updates to protect against new vulnerabilities in on-premise Exchange Servers. These new vulnerabilities were reported by a security partner through standard coordinated vulnerability disclosure and found internally by Microsoft. We have not seen the vulnerabilities used in attacks against our customers. However, given recent adversary focus on Exchange, we recommend customers install the updates as soon as possible to ensure they remain protected from these and other threats. Customers using Exchange Online are already protected and do not need to take any action." In a link from the post, the company identifies the National Security Agency, or NSA, as the security partner that identified the new vulnerabilities. Reference Link

14:40 EDT FDA grants accelerated approval to Trodelvy for advanced urothelial cancer - The FDA has granted accelerated approval to sacituzumab govitecan, or Trodelvy, from Immunomedics for patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer, or mUC, who previously received a platinum-containing chemotherapy and either a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor. On October 23, 2020, Gilead Sciences announced the completion of its transaction to acquire Immunomedics.

13:17 EDT Leupold announces sale of Redfield brand to Academy Sports - Leupold & Stevens announces the sale of the Redfield brand to Academy Sports + Outdoors. The sale includes the brand rights for the Redfield brand of sports optics. "Academy will develop and sell quality sports optics exclusively for Academy Sports + Outdoors under the Redfield brand going forward. Leupold will continue to support the warranty obligations for any legacy purchases of Redfield optics. Redfield will join Academy's portfolio of exclusive brands which already includes outdoor brands like Magellan Outdoors, Monarch, H2O Xpress, and Game Winner," the company stated.

12:53 EDT Penns Woods Bancorp authorizes repurchase of up to 5% of outstanding shares - Richard A. Grafmyre, CEO of Penns Woods Bancorp, announced that the company's Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to 5% of the outstanding shares of the company. The repurchase plan is for a one-year period ending April 30, 2022 and allows for the repurchase of up to 353,000 shares. The repurchase plan replaces the company's existing repurchase plan, which expires on April 30, 2021.

12:35 EDT Blucora filed 'inaccurate,' 'misleading 8-Ks, says former CEO's attorney - Attorney Rogge Dunn released the following statement in response to Blucora's recent 8-K filings: "Former Blucora CEO John Clendening is compelled to set the record straight. Blucora's Board of Directors is in a protracted proxy battle with Ancora Holdings, Inc. Ancora is seeking to replace four sitting Blucora Board members Georganne Proctor, Mary Zappone, Steven Aldrich, and John MacIlwaine. In response to Ancora's efforts to change Blucora's Board, Blucora filed inaccurate and misleading 8-Ks. Blucora's statement in the March 15, 2021 8-K that "since it became clear during a four-day business and strategy review by the Board in September 2019, the Company was no longer on the optimal path for long-term value creation, the Blucora Board has taken aggressive actions, including: replacing the CEO and CFO in early 2020," is simply not true. Other attendees can confirm that at that meeting the Board thought--just like Blucora's January 16, 2020 press release and 8-K stated--that Blucora was on the optimal path to deliver long-term value to shareholders. Blucora's own prior 8-K filings directly contradict and do not materially mirror Blucora's recent 8-K filings made in response to Ancora's efforts to hold Blucora's Board accountable. Blucora's January 16, 2020 8-K filing stated "the departure resulted from differences in view on the scope of Mr. Clendening's authority as CEO. Blucora's financial position and cash flows are strong, and the decision was unrelated to Blucora's business performance, strategic vision, goals, financial, or internal controls." While now the Board is criticizing the Company's strategy under prior management, at the time in a January 30, 2020 8-K and press release, Blucora CEO Chris Walters stated he had "...played a key role in creating our current strategy...." Mr. Clendening does not relish publishing this response. After leaving Blucora as CEO and a Board member, Mr. Clendening hoped Blucora's Board would be honest and consistent about the circumstances of his departure. It has become clear that Blucora--with its back against the wall--is publishing mischaracterizations, misrepresentations, and outright untruths. Accordingly, Mr. Clendening is compelled to correct the record so Blucora's shareholders and the investing public know the truth. Blucora has now directly contradicted the facts contained in Blucora's prior January 16, 2020 press release and Blucora's January 16, 2020 8-K filing. It's clear that either Blucora was untruthful in its press release and 8-K filing on January 16, 2020, or it's being untruthful in its 8-K filings on March 15, 2021 and March 31, 2021."

12:00 EDT Navios Acquisition falls -7.7% - Navios Acquisition is down -7.7%, or -29c to $3.50.

12:00 EDT Bally's falls -10.3% - Bally's is down -10.3%, or -$6.28 to $54.52.

12:00 EDT Intermountain Community Bancorp rises 299.3% - Intermountain Community Bancorp is up 299.3%, or $193.19 to $257.73.

11:48 EDT LVMH says 'well-equipped to build upon the hoped-for recovery' - The company said, "In a context that remains turbulent, LVMH is well-equipped to build upon the hoped-for recovery in 2021 and regain growth momentum for all its businesses. The Group will continue to pursue its strategy focused on the development of its brands, driven by strong innovation and investment as well as by a constant quest for quality in their products and their distribution. LVMH relies on the talent and motivation of its teams, the diversification of its businesses and the geographical balance of its revenue to further strengthen its global leadership position in luxury goods in 2021."

11:09 EDT Boeing reports 196 gross commercial airplane orders in March - Boeing reported airplane gross orders of 196 in data shared on its website. The commercial plane orders listed are all for the 737 MAX model series. Reference Link

11:07 EDT Tractor Supply to expand Carhartt footprint in over 100 retail stores - Tractor Supply Company announced plans to expand its Carhartt offering in dozens of retail stores. Carhartt will add several thousand additional square feet of branded, in-store shopping space to provide consumers with a dedicated shopping experience, the company said in a statement. The new "shop-in-shop" concept, which is currently in 10 stores, will roll out in more than 100 Tractor Supply stores in 2021, with an additional 25 stores added next year.

11:04 EDT Boeing announces 77 commercial airplane deliveries in Q1 - Boeing announced major program deliveries across its commercial and defense operations for the first quarter of 2021, including 77 total commercial airplane deliveries. These included 63 deliveries in Q1 of 737 planes, Boeing noted.

10:06 EDT JetBlue, Qatar Airways expand strategic codeshare agreement - JetBlue announced it is expanding its codeshare with Qatar Airways to offer customers more ways to book travel to international destinations aboard the global partner airline, the companies said in a statement. The new codeshare flights are available for booking on jetblue.com today for travel beginning April 19, 2021. These codeshare routes will provide connectivity between the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa, Asia and the Middle East. "JetBlue and Qatar Airways lead the industry with our award-winning service and exceptional inflight experiences, which is why our partnership has been such a great success for the past decade," said Scott Laurence, head of revenue and planning, JetBlue. "Now, with an expanded codeshare covering nearly a dozen major U.S. gateways or connecting points, even more travelers can enjoy a seamless global travel experience between our airlines."

10:00 EDT Bank United Corporation falls -6.1% - Bank United Corporation is down -6.1%, or -$2.92 to $44.83.

10:00 EDT Bally's falls -11.5% - Bally's is down -11.5%, or -$6.99 to $53.81.

10:00 EDT Nam Tai Property rises 10.0% - Nam Tai Property is up 10.0%, or $1.19 to $13.09.

09:50 EDT AdaptHealth places co-CEO Luke McGee on unpaid leave

09:47 EDT White House says J&J pause will not significantly impact vaccination plan - The White House said in a statement: "As FDA and CDC announced earlier today, out of an abundance of caution, they have recommended a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as they review data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The FDA and CDC will be providing details at their briefing later this morning. This announcement will not have a significant impact on our vaccination plan: Johnson & Johnson vaccine makes up less than 5 percent of the recorded shots in arms in the United States to date. Based on actions taken by the President earlier this year, the United States has secured enough Pfizer and Moderna doses for 300 million Americans. Over the last few weeks, we have made available more than 25 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna each week, and in fact this week we will make available 28 million doses of these vaccines. This is more than enough supply to continue the current pace of vaccinations of 3 million shots per day, and meet the President's goal of 200 million shots by his 100th day in office-and continue on to reach every adult who wants to be vaccinated. We are working now with our state and federal partners to get anyone scheduled for a J&J vaccine quickly rescheduled for a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine."

09:47 EDT Bally's falls -14.5% - Bally's is down -14.5%, or -$8.84 to $51.96.

09:47 EDT Tata Motors rises 7.6% - Tata Motors is up 7.6%, or $1.41 to $19.97.

09:33 EDT BioSig Technologies completes enrollment in PURE EP 2.0 clinical study - BioSig Technologies announced it completed enrollment in the PURE EP 2.0 clinical trial. The multi-center, prospective clinical trial was conducted at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center in Austin, TX, Mayo Clinic Florida Campus in Jacksonville, FL, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. During the trial, the PURE EP System was used in all types of arrhythmia cases, including atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and atrial flutter. The PURE EP System has been awarded FDA 510(k) clearance. The company commenced commercialization in 2020, having recently announced commercial sales to St. David's HealthCare of Austin, Texas, an HCA Healthcare-owned hospital, and Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Clinical data, collected under the terms of the PURE EP 2.0 study, will support the national rollout to medical centers across the U.S., BioSig said in a statement.

09:25 EDT Johnson & Johnson to 'proactively delay' rollout of vaccine in Europe - Johnson & Johnson issued the following statement on its COVID-19 vaccine: "The safety and well-being of the people who use our products is our number one priority. We are aware of an extremely rare disorder involving people with blood clots in combination with low platelets in a small number of individuals who have received our COVID-19 vaccine. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases out of more than 6.8 million doses administered. Out of an abundance of caution, the CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the use of our vaccine. In addition, we have been reviewing these cases with European health authorities. We have made the decision to proactively delay the rollout of our vaccine in Europe. We have been working closely with medical experts and health authorities, and we strongly support the open communication of this information to healthcare professionals and the public." Reference Link

09:23 EDT Synlogic presents data from Phase 1 study of SYNB1618 for treatment of PKU - Synlogic presented data from the Phase 1 study of SYNB1618 for the treatment of Phenylketonuria, or PKU, during the American College of Medical Genetics, or ACMG, annual meeting, being held virtually April 13-16. The poster presentation, "Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study of Lyophilized Formulation of SYNB1618 in Healthy Adult Volunteers," was delivered by Marja Puurunen, Synlogic's Senior Medical Director. The presentation recording will be available throughout the duration of the conference. PKU is an inherited metabolic disease that manifests at birth and is marked by an inability to break down phenylalanine, an amino acid that is commonly found in many foods. YNB1618 is an oral investigational Synthetic Biotic medicine designed to break down phenylalanine in the GI tract as a potential treatment for patients with PKU. A solid oral lyophilized powder formulation was evaluated in a Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers. In this study, the safety, tolerability and pharmacodynamics of multiple doses of SYNB1618 were assessed. Findings reported include: the solid oral formulation of SYNB1618 was well tolerated and metabolically active in the human GI tract; SYNB1618 reduced the increase of plasma D5-Phe following an oral dose of the tracer in a dose-dependent manner in healthy volunteers; SYNB1618 demonstrated evidence of activity in the fasted state. These data support the further clinical development of this therapy for the treatment of PKU. SYNB1618 continues to advance in a proof of concept Phase 2 clinical trial in adults with PKU, SynPheny, with data expected in the second half of 2021.

09:15 EDT Akers proposed merger partner MyMD Pharmaceuticals to begin Covid trial - Akers Biosciences announced that its proposed merger partner, MyMD Pharmaceuticals "a clinical stage pharmaceutical company committed to extending healthy lifespan by focusing on developing two therapeutic platforms," has completed the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board. The board will be chaired by Katharine Whartenby, Ph.D., associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Department of Neurology, Department of Oncology and in Cellular and Molecular Medicine."Each member of our Scientific Advisory Board was hand-selected for their wealth of knowledge and passion in the areas of autoimmune, aging and age-related diseases," said Chris Chapman, M.D., President and Chief Medical Officer at MyMD Pharmaceuticals. "I'm honored to work alongside true leaders in these fields," said Katharine Whartenby, Ph.D., Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board. "We have an excellent opportunity to help shepherd MyMD Pharmaceuticals' pipeline of therapeutic platforms to address many of the unmet needs in medical treatment today."

09:09 EDT Aon announces new solution to protect global COVID-19 vaccine shipments - Aon introduced a new solution, through broad industry collaboration, that will provide supply chain protection for global COVID-19 vaccine shipments. The solution provides transparent cargo insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines by combining sensor data and analytics. The offering enhances All Risk Marine Cargo insurance with timely payment for doses that fall outside of the agreed-upon temperature range while being transported or stored, enabling more effective risk management and claims support. Real-time reporting of any temperature deviation will also provide for the mitigation of losses and help maximize the number of doses that are administered to the public. Aon will donate 100 percent of all revenues earned from this new solution in 2021 to a charity dedicated to eradicating the global human and economic toll of the pandemic. The offering is made possible through a collaboration with insurtech firm Parsyl, which will serve as the dedicated data platform for the solution on behalf of the insurers, and specialist underwriter Ascot Group acting as the lead underwriter, binding insurers Chubb European Group SE and AIG, with reinsurance support from Munich Re. Other insurers include AEGIS London, Antares Managing Agency, AXA XL, AXIS Insurance, Beazley, Fidelis, MS Amlin and Talbot.

09:06 EDT NiSource subsidiary and Capital Dynamics' CEI sign BTA for solar project - Northern Indiana Public Service Company, a subsidiary of NiSource, and the Clean Energy Infrastructure, or CEI, business of Capital Dynamics, an independent global private asset management firm, announced that they have signed a build transfer agreement, or BTA, to bring 200 MW of solar energy to Indiana with the Elliot Solar project. Located in Gibson County, Indiana, the Elliot Solar project is expected to begin construction in summer 2022 and begin commercial operations in summer 2023. Capital Dynamics will construct the project, and NIPSCO will enter into a joint venture once construction is complete.

09:05 EDT Tetra Tech awarded six-year USACE contract - Tetra Tech announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, awarded Tetra Tech a six-year, multiple-award contract to assess and manage flood risks, reduce coastal erosion, and restore ecosystems. Tetra Tech engineers, biologists, and planners will perform site characterization studies, conduct biological surveys, and develop engineering designs to improve the resilience of navigation channels and shorelines. Using predictive modeling and advanced analytics, our team will design innovative structural and non-structural resilient infrastructure solutions, such as living shorelines and sustainable marshes and wetlands to reduce impacts from storm events.

09:03 EDT Yellow Corp announces the promotion of Darrel Harris to president - Yellow announced the promotion of Darrel Harris to President of Yellow. Harris joined Yellow in November 2020 as Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. "Darrel is well-positioned to help drive Yellow toward a vibrant future. He brings innovative, exciting ideas and leadership to his new role," said Darren Hawkins, CEO of Yellow. "He started his trucking career working the docks, and few are better positioned to understand this industry than those who have worked at all levels. I'm proud to see him in this expanded role."

09:02 EDT Broadcom, Google Cloud to accelerate digital transformation in enterprise - Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) and Google Cloud (GOOGL) announced a strategic collaboration to accelerate innovation and strengthen cloud services integration within the core software franchises of Broadcom. Under this partnership, Broadcom will deliver its suite of security and enterprise operations software on Google Cloud, enabling businesses to deploy Broadcom solutions in security, DevOps and more on Google Cloud's global infrastructure, the companies said in a statement.

08:47 EDT Ortho Clinical Diagnostics receives CE marking for its SARS-CoV-2 antigen test - Ortho Clinical Diagnostics announced it received CE Marking for its VITROS SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test, initially launched in October 2020. The CE Mark allows for more convenient sample collection and expanded viral transport media. Updates to Ortho's COVID-19 antigen test include: More convenient sample collection, additional viral transport media, and new sensitivity data now demonstrates 98% and 92.3% sensitivity, nasopharyngeal and nasal, respectively, for samples with a PCR cycle threshold of less than 30.

08:40 EDT eMagin reports audit opinion with 'going concern' qualification - eMagin announced that, as previously disclosed in its recently filed Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2020, the company has received an audit opinion with a going concern qualification. "This additional disclosure is required pursuant to NYSE American listing requirements," the company noted.

08:39 EDT Navios Acquisition announces entry into new secured loan facility - Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation announced that Navios Acquisition entered into a secured loan agreement with a subsidiary of N Shipmanagement Acquisition Corp., an entity affiliated with Navios Acquisition's Chairman and CEO, for a loan of up to $100M to be used for general corporate purposes. The Loan has a term of two years, scheduled amortization and bears interest at a rate of 11% per annum, payable quarterly. The Borrower may elect to defer all scheduled amortization and interest payments, in which case the applicable interest rate is 12.5% per annum.

08:38 EDT OSI Systems receives $16M contract for security inspection systems - OSI Systems announced that its Security division received a multi-year contract valued at approximately $16M from an international customer to provide maintenance, repair, upgrades and support services for several platforms of cargo, vehicle and baggage inspection systems that are currently deployed at certain customer checkpoints. "We look forward to supporting this customer's continued goal to secure its borders as we service its fleet of inspection systems," said OSI Systems' Chairman and CEO, Deepak Chopra.

08:36 EDT Apollo to acquire majority stake in ABC Technologies for C$10.00 per share - ABC Technologies announced that its majority shareholder, ABC Group Canada, an affiliate of funds managed by Cerberus Capital has entered into a share purchase agreement, with certain funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global to sell a majority stake in the company to the Apollo Funds. Under the terms of the agreement, the Apollo Funds will purchase 51% of the outstanding common shares of the company from ABC LP for C$10.00 per common share. Upon closing of the transaction, the parties will enter into an amended and restated investor rights agreement, which will provide Apollo with, among other things, certain director nomination rights, registration rights, pre-emptive rights and information rights. At closing, Apollo will be entitled to nominate five of the nine members of the board, while ABC will retain the ability to nominate three members of the board. The parties anticipate announcing the future composition of the board closer to the closing date. Closing is subject to customary closing conditions including the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals in Canada, United States, Mexico, Spain and Poland. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, the acquisition price may be increased to C$10.64 per common share upon consummation of one or more acquisitions by the company, meeting certain agreed upon thresholds, if entered into prior to or within 12 months following closing. The acquisition is exempt from the take-over bid requirements of applicable Canadian securities law. At closing, the Apollo Funds would acquire 27.7M common shares from ABC LP for C$10.00 per common share, representing aggregate consideration of C$276.6. Assuming the additional consideration becomes payable, the Apollo Funds will pay additional consideration of C$0.64 per common share, representing total consideration payable to ABC LP of C$10.64 per common share and C$294.3M in the aggregate.

08:35 EDT Longeveron: Lomecel-B Phase 1 study met primary endpoint - Longeveron announced the final results of its Phase I clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of intravenous administration of Lomecel-B, an allogeneic bone marrow-derived medicinal signaling cell product, in subjects with mild Alzheimer's disease. Preliminary results were previously reported in the company's S-1/A Registration Statement as part of Longeveron's successful Initial Public Offering in the first quarter of 2021. The study met its primary safety endpoint, which paves the way for future trials in subjects with Alzheimer's disease. Importantly, several pre-specified secondary efficacy endpoints and biomarker results support potential benefit from Lomecel-B. The complete trial results are currently being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, and will be posted on the Company's website in the future. Longeveron also indicated they are on track to commence a Phase 2 study of Lomecel-B in Alzheimer's disease in the second half of 2021. The phase 1 trial, funded in part by an Alzheimer's Association Part the Cloud Challenge on Neuroinflammation grant, used a randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind design testing single i.v. infusion of Lomecel-B 20 million cells, Lomecel-B 100 million cells, or placebo. Subjects were followed for 52 weeks post-infusion. Key findings from new and previously disclosed data: Lomecel-B infusion was well-tolerated in this trial, with no treatment-related serious adverse events observed throughout the 1-year follow-up, including no indications of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging.

08:34 EDT AzurRx BioPharma partners with PPD for clinical trial for niclosamide - AzurRx BioPharma (AZRX) announced that it has entered into an agreement with PPD (PPD) for its planned Phase 1b/2a clinical trial evaluating proprietary formulations of micronized niclosamide for grade 1 colitis and diarrhea in oncology patients receiving treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Under the terms of the agreement, PPD will manage the Phase 1b/2a clinical trial using both oral immediate-release tablet and topical rectal enema foam formulations of micronized oral niclosamide, also known as FW-420. AzurRx anticipates initiating the trial during the second quarter of 2021.

08:33 EDT BOQI International Medical announces SPA to acquire three hospitals - BOQI International Medical announced the signing of a stock purchase agreement with two individuals on April 09, 2021 to acquire three private hospitals in China, namely Yunnan Yuxi Minkang Hospital, Wuzhou Qiangsheng Hospital and Suzhou Eurasia Hospital. Pursuant to the SPA, BIMI will purchase the Hospitals for an aggregate consideration of RMB 162,000,000. Partial consideration for the purchase will be paid at the scheduled closing in late April 2021 through a combination of cash in the amount of RMB 20,000,000 and 4,000,000 shares of common stock of the company, the value of which was agreed by BIMI and the Sellers to be RMB 78,000,000, subject to necessary regulatory approvals. The remaining purchase price of RMB 64,000,000 is subject to post-closing adjustments based on the performance of the Hospitals in 2021 and 2022. Specifically 50% of the Earnout Amount will be payable to the Sellers if the aggregate net profit of the Hospitals in 2021 equals or exceeds a net profit target of RMB 10,000,000 prorated based on the closing date of the transaction. Should the Hospitals fail to meet the performance target a reduced Earnout Amount will be payable based on the ratio of the actual aggregate net profit to the net profit target. The Sellers will be entitled to receive 50%, or a smaller portion, of the Earnout Amount subject to the Hospitals reaching similar target in 2022.

08:31 EDT T. Rowe Price reports preliminary AUM $1.52T at March 31 - Client transfers from mutual funds to other portfolios, including trusts and separate accounts, were $1.7B in March and $5.6B for the quarter-ended March 31. These client transfers include $1.3B and $4.9B, respectively, transferred to the target-date retirement trusts during March and the quarter-to-date period.

08:20 EDT Purple Biotech presents additional data for NT219 at AACR 2021 meeting - Purple Biotech announced that additional preclinical data supporting the mechanism of action of NT219, a dual inhibitor, novel small molecule that simultaneously targets IRS1/2 and STAT3, were presented in a poster entitled "Adaptation of colorectal cancer cells to the brain microenvironment: The role of IRS2," at the American Association of Cancer Research 2021 Annual Meeting. These data update and expand on the results previously reported by the company from its collaboration with Professor Ido Wolf, Head of the Oncology Division at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. In an in vitro system mimicking the brain microenvironment, IRS2-overexpressed colorectal cancer, or CRC, cells showed prolonged survival. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated significant enrichment of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway by IRS2. CRC cells expressing IRS2 showed increased mitochondrial activity and glycolysis-independent viability. Inhibition of IRS2 using NT219 dose-dependently inhibited IRS2-expressing cells viability and OXPHOS genes expression. The Wnt/b-catenin pathway was among the most significantly enriched pathways in the brain metastasis, as IRS2-expressing cells showed increased transcriptional activity of the b-catenin. In addition, NT219 decreased the transcriptional activity of b-catenin in IRS2-expressing CRC cells to a greater extent than AKT and PI3K inhibitors, and suggested relevance of IRS2 in activating b-catenin. It was further shown that 5-FU, a chemotherapy approved for treating CRC, elevated b-catenin expression, and that NT219 diminished both 5FU-induced and the basal level of the b-catenin expression. Utilizing an intracranial animal model, it was also demonstrated that while 5-FU alone had no significant effect, the combination of 5-FU and NT219 significantly inhibited the formation of brain metastasis and extended survival rates of the study mice.

08:16 EDT WiMi Hologram Cloud announces partnership with Toyota subsidiary - WiMi Hologram Cloud (WIMI) announced that it has established a partnership with an electronic subsidiary of Toyota Group (TM).

08:13 EDT United Airlines launches Eco-Skies Alliance program - United Airlines continues to lead the industry towards a more sustainable future with the launch of the first-of-its-kind Eco-Skies Alliance program. Working with the airline, more than a dozen leading global corporations will collectively contribute towards the purchase of approximately 3.4M gallons of sustainable aviation fuel this year. With its nearly 80% emissions reductions on a lifecycle basis compared to conventional jet fuel, this is enough SAF to eliminate approximately 31,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or enough to fly passengers over 220M miles. "While we've partnered with companies for years to help them offset their flight emissions, we applaud those participating in the Eco-Skies Alliance for recognizing the need to go beyond carbon offsets and support SAF-powered flying, which will lead to more affordable supply and ultimately, lower emissions," said United CEO Scott Kirby. "This is just the beginning. Our goal is to add more companies to the Eco-Skies Alliance program, purchase more SAF and work across industries to find other innovative paths towards decarbonization."

08:11 EDT Voltron Therapeutics announce pandemic preparedness presentation - Voltron Therapeutics announced that the company presented to Congressional Offices and Agencies, including HHS, NIH, FDA and the DoD on Thursday April 8th. This follows dozens of recent one-on-one briefings with Congressional staffers. Presentations focused on "current challenges being faced by governments due to COVID-19 mutations and why further vaccine development and innovation, especially in vaccine platforms, is vital. This is not just true for COVID-19, but for emerging variants and future pandemic pathogens. Panelists also discussed a potential solution under development that is based on Self-Assembling Vaccine technology developed at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital's Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center and licensed by Voltron. This technology is designed to ensure that the US is ready to protect both citizens and warfighters from existing, emerging and mutating pathogens," the company said. Panelists provided an overview of Emerging Infectious Diseases, while discussing past development of vaccines, including how the current COVID-19 vaccines were developed. Voltron recently announced positive data from its second set of preclinical animal testing of its HaloVax Self-Assembling Vaccine against COVID-19. HaloVax is being developed in conjunction with Hoth Therapeutics. The current study consisted of a full near GLP preclinical mouse study evaluating whether the self- assembling vaccine, consisting of the immune activating MTBhsp70-avidin component and antigen targeting biotinylated immunogenic peptides, increased the immune response relative to controls or peptides alone. Results demonstrated that the self-assembling vaccine construct did indeed significantly increase both helper and cytotoxic T cell responses to the vaccine targeted antigens compared to controls. This proof of concept for the SAV platform is critical to both the COVID-19 program as well as the oncology application of this cutting-edge technology. Development of both applications is ongoing.

08:09 EDT Public Storage acquires ezStorage in $1.8B 'immediately' accretive to FFO deal - Public Storage announced the acquisition of ezStorage, one of the highest quality self-storage portfolios in the United States, for $1.8B. The portfolio comprises 48 properties or 4.2 Mn net rentable square feet, located in submarkets with strong demand drivers and high barriers for new property development across Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland. Public Storage's industry-leading development team will assume responsibility for one property that is under construction and expand eight additional properties, resulting in a 10% increase in square footage through 2023. In combination with its existing market presence, the Company's Mid-Atlantic portfolio will be unmatched in coverage and quality with 163 properties and 11.3 million net rentable square feet. The Company plans to fund the acquisition with unsecured debt. The transaction will be immediately accretive to FFO following an anticipated closing in May 2021. A presentation with further detail regarding the transaction is available on the Investor Relations section of PublicStorage.com The transaction reflects Public Storage's continued execution of its opportunistic growth strategy. Capitalizing on its industry-leading brand, operating scale, and growth-oriented balance sheet, the Company has been actively expanding its portfolio through acquisitions and development. Since the start of 2019, Public Storage has expanded its portfolio by approximately 21 million net rentable square feet, or 13%, through $4.1 billion of acquisitions, development, and redevelopment, including properties under contract. "We are pleased to welcome the ezStorage customers to Public Storage's industry-leading brand and platform," said Joe Russell, Public Storage Chief Executive Officer. "The acquisition is a direct reflection of Public Storage's unique positioning for growth through acquisitions, development, redevelopment, and third-party management."

08:06 EDT VSE in 15-year engine accessories distribution pact valued at $1B - VSE Corporation announced that it has entered into a 15-year distribution agreement valued at approximately $1B over the life of the contract with a global aircraft engine manufacturer. Under the terms of the agreement, VSE Aviation will be the distributor for more than 6,000 flight-critical components used in more than 100 business and general aviation and regional aviation engine platforms. VSE will support customers with both new and exchange components. VSE expects to service more than 5,000 U.S.-based aircraft with on-demand, flight-critical components on a 24/7 basis to support scheduled line maintenance and AOG events. Strategic Rationale

08:06 EDT Carlyle Group confirms acquisition of majority stake in Beautycounter - Counter Brands, parent company of Beautycounter, and The Carlyle Group announced that Carlyle has acquired a majority stake in Beautycounter. The partnership will allow Beautycounter to accelerate its strategic initiatives, including increasing brand awareness as well as bolstering the company's innovative, integrated, omni-channel business model. The transaction values the company at $1B.

08:04 EDT Happiness Biotech announces record-high sales of $14M in March - Happiness Biotech Group announced that the Company's e-commerce business recorded sales of over $14M in March, the highest single month's sales since the establishment of the Company's E-commerce department in September 2020. Among the sales of the e-commerce business, Happy Buy recorded over $11.8 million, exceeding the previous expectation of $8M-$10M, and Happy Auto recorded sales of more than $2.6M in March. Since the launch of the company's E-commerce business in September 2020, the revenue of the Company's e-commerce business has exceeded $28M in the past six months, 30% higher than the total revenue of $21.88M of the whole Company during the six months ended September 30, 2020.

08:04 EDT SpartanNash appoints David Petko as chief supply chain officer - SpartanNash announced that David Petko has joined the company as senior VP and chief supply chain officer, effective immediately. Petko has 25 years of supply chain and distribution logistics experience in roles of increasing leadership responsibility, including serving as senior VP of supply chain for C&S Wholesale Grocers from 2019 to 2021.

08:02 EDT Beam Global expands EV charging program with a leading Georgia utility - Beam Global announced that a leading Georgia utility has deployed two EV ARC sustainable EV charging systems for public use. The units are located in high traffic areas accessible to the public, with one unit in metropolitan Atlanta and the other in rural Georgia. "Utilities continue to take advantage of the unique ability of the solar-powered EV ARC to be placed where EV charging is needed most, without the limitations of lengthy permitting and costly construction projects," said Beam Global CEO Desmond Wheatley. "Utilities are adopting Beam's innovative infrastructure solution, implementing off-grid EV charging powered by locally generated and locally stored energy. These systems are becoming part of an emerging energy resilience strategy for utilities."

08:02 EDT BlackBerry and IBM established new partnership - BlackBerry (BB) and IBM (IBM) established a new partnership to bring BlackBerry's Spark platform to organizations across Canada. IBM will resell BlackBerry's endpoint management, endpoint security and critical event management software, to enterprises and governments nationwide.

07:57 EDT Adjupharm signs supply agreement with MediPharm Labs - IM Cannabis provided a corporate update on its operations in Germany, including the expansion of its product portfolio following the signing of a new supply agreement. IMC's German-based subsidiary and EU GMP-certified medical cannabis distributor, Adjupharm GmbH , serves as the Company's distribution hub for EU expansion. It has binding sales agreements with distributions partners, reaching over 6,000 pharmacies. Adjupharm recently signed a supply agreement with Northern Green Canada to provide Adjupharm with EU GMP-certified medical cannabis.

07:53 EDT Moderna up 7% to $149.10 after CDC, FDA recommend pause in J&J vaccine use - Pfizer (PFE) shares are up 1% to $37.47 following news that the FDA and CDC are recommending a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) COVID-19 vaccine "out of an abundance of caution" following six 6 reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the vaccine.

07:47 EDT Jacobs Engineering selected by FGEN LNG for Offshore Terminal Project - Jacobs has been appointed by FGEN LNG to deliver Owner's Engineer services for the engineering, procurement and construction of FGEN LNG's Interim Offshore Terminal Project to be located in the First Gen Clean Energy Complex in Batangas City, Philippines. The project involves the modification of an existing liquid fuel jetty to accommodate a floating storage regasification unit, as well as liquefied natural gas, or LNG, carriers for the receipt, storage and delivery of a safe, reliable and competitive supply of LNG to the Philippines. The scope includes modifications to the jetty head, berthing and mooring facilities; a trestle bridge with high-pressure gas pipeline and utilities; and a jetty monitoring building and control room. As Owner's Engineer, Jacobs will undertake design review, project management and supervision of the construction of the project. The modified terminal will help meet the power demands of 4.5 million homes by supplying LNG to existing gas-fired power plants, which in 2019 were responsible for delivering 13,876 GWh into the Luzon grid.

07:45 EDT BridgeBio announces collaboration agreement with UC San Diego - BridgeBio Pharma and the University of California, San Diego announced a partnership to translate research in genetically driven conditions into potential therapeutic applications for patients, with a focus on oncology and neurology. "UC San Diego is a leading research institution with a top pharmacology department and a strong profile in neurology and oncology. By leveraging their expertise through our collaboration partnership, we hope to advance discoveries into potential treatments as quickly and safely as possible," said BridgeBio founder and CEO Neil Kumar, Ph.D. Under this partnership, BridgeBio and UC San Diego will collaborate on identifying research programs with strong potential for therapeutic applications that address areas of unmet need. BridgeBio will potentially sponsor research programs and support the development of identified programs toward potential clinical investigation through its licensing and affiliate development model.

07:44 EDT BridgeBio announces collaboration with GlycoNet - BridgeBio Pharma and the Canadian Glycomics Network, or GlycoNet, announced a collaboration to translate scientific research in glycomics into potential treatments for patients with genetic diseases. BridgeBio will work alongside GlycoNet researchers to identify research programs that may have the potential to become treatments for genetic diseases. BridgeBio will potentially sponsor research programs and support clinical investigation through its licensing and affiliate development model. Genetic disease research has benefitted substantially from the study of glycomics, which relates to the functions of glycans, or sugar, in biological systems. "We are thrilled to be partnering with GlycoNet, an institution at the forefront of developing carbohydrate-based drugs to address areas of unmet need," said BridgeBio founder and CEO Neil Kumar, Ph.D. "We understand the clinical benefit research in glycomics could have for certain genetic diseases and by partnering together, we hope to advance potentially life-changing medicines as rapidly as possible."

07:42 EDT GeoPark reports Q1 consolidated oil, gas production of 38,131 boepd - GeoPark announced its operational update for the three-month period ended March 31. Reports Q1 consolidated oil and gas production of 38,131 boepd. Reports Q1 CPO-5 block oil production increased to 13,213 bopd gross. Proven developed reserves were 58.5 mmboe, 1P reserves of 109.3 mmboe, 2P reserves of 174.7 mmboe and 3P reserves of 270.9 mmboe. The company reports 1P and 2P reserve life index of 7.4 and 11.9 years

07:39 EDT Blade Urban Air Mobility to secure up to 20 ALIA Electric Vertical Aircraft - Blade Urban Air Mobility announced a binding agreement to secure up to 20 BETA Technologies ALIA Electric Vertical Aircraft, or EVA, for purchase by its network of operators, subject to certain conditions. The agreement includes a commitment for Blade operators, or third-party financing sources who will enter into leasing arrangements with operators, to purchase up to 20 of BETA's first passenger-configured EVAs, scheduled for delivery beginning in late 2024, ahead of the Company's 2025 target for its launch of EVA services. Blade intends to deploy these initial BETA EVAs on routes between its network of dedicated terminals in the Northeast, where BETA has agreed to provide and install charging infrastructure at certain key locations. Blade has also entered into an arrangement with Jet Linx Aviation, a U.S. aircraft operator supported by equity capital from RedBird Capital Partners, relating to the purchase of EVAs from BETA. RedBird is also a strategic investor in both BETA and Blade. The arrangement enables Jet Linx to own and operate EVA for Blade flights, subject to entering into definitive agreements. The company will support EVA purchases by Jet Linx and other Blade operators through minimum flight hour guarantees. As part of the agreement, BETA has committed that ALIA will meet the necessary specifications required to operate on Blade's key routes prior to delivery. Purchases of ALIA EVA are conditioned on FAA type certification of the aircraft prior to the scheduled delivery date. Blade has committed to facilitate the purchase of at least five and up to 20 aircraft by its network of operators or third parties that will lease the aircraft to Blade operators. Blade recently announced it would become a public company through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, Experience Investment Corp. Closing of the merger is subject to approval by the stockholders of both Blade and Experience Investment Corp. and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other conditions. The agreement between Blade and BETA relating to the purchase of ALIA EVAs is conditioned on completion of the merger.

07:38 EDT Partner Communications rejects offers for 20% of company's fiber optic rights - Partner Communications announces that, following the company's report dated February 21, the company decided to reject the bids received from various investors to acquire 20% of the rights to use the company's existing and future fiber optic network for services to private households.

07:36 EDT BridgeBio announces collaboration agreement with The Lundquist Institute - BridgeBio Pharma and The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center announced a collaboration to translate research in genetically driven diseases and cancers into potential treatments for patients. "The Lundquist Institute is renowned for its scientific research and drug discoveries, and we look forward to developing a close relationship with their talented scientists in the hope of translating their discoveries into medicines with meaningful benefit for patients," said BridgeBio CEO and Founder Neil Kumar, Ph.D. Under the established two-year partnership, BridgeBio will work closely with The Lundquist Institute researchers to identify programs that may have the potential to become therapies for patients with genetically driven conditions and cancers. BridgeBio will potentially sponsor research programs and support the development of Lundquist programs and clinical investigations through its licensing and affiliate development model.

07:34 EDT Aleafia Health introduces wellness brand Noon & Night - Aleafia Health announced the launch of its new cannabis wellness brand Noon & Night. It launches with two new product formats, Omega CBD Soft Gels and Lavender Fizz CBD bath bombs, both of which are now available in the adult-use market, the company said in a statement. "Noon & Night is highly differentiated, filling a clear gap in the cannabis brand landscape with its exclusive focus on health and wellness conscious consumers," said Aleafia Health CEO Geoffrey Benic. "This forms an important part of our concerted entrance into the Canadian adult-use market, perfectly complementing our recently launched edibles brand Bogart's Kitchen and everyday cannabis brand Divvy. The consistent theme in the rapid expansion of our product portfolio is through leaning on our core competitive advantages."

07:33 EDT BridgeBio announces formal collaboration with Brown University - BridgeBio Pharma and Brown University announced a formal collaboration to advance research in genetically driven neurological disorders into potential life-changing medicines for patients. "Brown University is a leader in critical neurology research, and we look forward to partnering with their scientists to focus on discovering and advancing new targeted treatment approaches to potentially address challenging and complex diseases of the brain," said BridgeBio founder and CEO Neil Kumar, Ph.D. Under the partnership, BridgeBio will work with scientists at Brown to evaluate new discoveries in neurology research that have promise to advance toward clinical investigation. Select therapeutic programs may be spun out and advanced in BridgeBio affiliate companies, with an opportunity for Brown University scientists to support as company leaders and guide ongoing development, BridgeBio said in a statement.

07:31 EDT vTv Therapeutics receives breakthrough therapy designation for TTP399 from FDA - vTv Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for TTP399 as an adjunctive therapy to insulin for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. TTP399 is a novel, oral, investigational once-daily glucokinase activator. The Breakthrough Therapy designation for TTP399 in type 1 diabetes was supported by the recent positive results from the phase 2 SimpliciT-1 Study, a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, adaptive study assessing the safety and efficacy of TTP399 as an adjunct to insulin therapy in adults with type 1 diabetes. In this trial, treatment with TTP399 resulted in a statistically significant improvement in HbA1c relative to placebo and a clinically meaningful decrease in the frequency of severe and symptomatic hypoglycemia. TTP399 demonstrated a favorable safety profile, with abnormal levels of serum or urine ketones detected less frequently in patients taking TTP399 than those taking placebo. "This FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation is an important milestone in the development of TTP399 for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, a serious, life threatening, and life-long condition impacting the day-to-day lives of more than a million Americans," said Steve Holcombe, CEO of vTv. "Hypoglycemia remains a leading cause of morbidity and potential mortality in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Patient and prescriber fear of hypoglycemia often precludes tight glycemic control and this FDA designation highlights the potential of TTP399 to address this serious unmet medical need. We look forward to working with the FDA as we advance the development of TTP399, and in particular as we begin pivotal trials later this year."

07:15 EDT Extreme Networks appoints John Abel as CIO - Extreme Networks announced John Abel has joined the company as CIO. John has more than 30 years of experience in the IT industry leading large teams and driving results for global Fortune 500 companies. He most recently served as Senior Vice President and CIO at Veritas. As CIO at Extreme, Abel will be responsible for all aspects of the global IT organization and will report to Norman Rice, COO. As SVP and CIO at Veritas, Abel drove significant improvements in the IT landscape and team that enabled the company to exceed its financial goals, achieve higher renewal rates, and improve employee retention over a three-year period. Prior to Veritas, John was SVP and CIO for Ellie Mae where he built a strategy around automating, scaling, and securing the enterprise backed by the cloud. Previously, John served as SVP of IT at Hitachi Data Systems, and before that was VP of Information Technology at Symantec Corporation where he led the integration of applications following its merger with Veritas in 2005. Ahead of Symantec, Abel worked at JDS Uniphase and started his career at KPMG Consulting.

07:14 EDT Extreme Networks appoints John Abel as CIO - Extreme Networks announced John Abel has joined the company as CFO. John has more than 30 years of experience in the IT industry leading large teams and driving results for global Fortune 500 companies. He most recently served as Senior Vice President and CIO at Veritas. As CIO at Extreme, Abel will be responsible for all aspects of the global IT organization and will report to Norman Rice, COO. As SVP and CIO at Veritas, Abel drove significant improvements in the IT landscape and team that enabled the company to exceed its financial goals, achieve higher renewal rates, and improve employee retention over a three-year period. Prior to Veritas, John was SVP and CIO for Ellie Mae where he built a strategy around automating, scaling, and securing the enterprise backed by the cloud. Previously, John served as SVP of IT at Hitachi Data Systems, and before that was VP of Information Technology at Symantec Corporation where he led the integration of applications following its merger with Veritas in 2005. Ahead of Symantec, Abel worked at JDS Uniphase and started his career at KPMG Consulting.

07:13 EDT Correction: Extreme Networks names John Abel as Chief Information Officer

07:10 EDT Bausch Health eye health business announces GOBI trial meets all endpoints - Bausch + Lomb, a global eye health business of Bausch Health, and Novaliq announced statistically significant topline data from the first Phase 3 trial, GOBI, evaluating the investigational drug NOV03 as a first-in-class eye drop with a novel mechanism of action to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease, or DED, associated with meibomian gland dysfunction, or MGD. Dry eye disease is one of the most common ocular surface disorders causing discomfort for millions of Americans, with MGD playing a key role in the development of the disease. The GOBI trial met both of its co-primary endpoints, including: change from baseline in total Corneal Fluorescein Staining, or tCFS, a measure of assessing damage to the eye, achieved statistical significance at day 15, with continued results through day 57 compared to control [p-value less than 0.001; change from baseline in dryness score achieved statistical significance at day 15, with continued results through day 57 compared to control, as rated on a visual analogue scale, or VAS ranging from 0-100. The GOBI trial also met all of its secondary endpoints, showing statistically significant improvements in both the signs and symptoms of DED associated with MGD that were studied. The Phase 3 program for NOV03 includes an ongoing second Phase 3, multi-center, randomized, double-masked, saline-controlled trial, or MOJAVE study, and a multi-center, open-label, single-arm 12-month safety extension trial, or KALAHARI study. Topline results from MOJAVE, if positive, will allow for a filing to the FDA in 2022. The data was based on results from 597 participants aged 18 years and older who were randomized to either receive treatment with NOV03 four times daily or administration of placebo four times daily. The multi-center, randomized, double-masked, saline-controlled Phase 3 study, which was conducted at 26 location in the United States, also included four prespecified secondary endpoints, which all demonstrated statistical superiority over placebo: change from baseline in tCFS at day 15; change from baseline in dryness score at day 15; change from baseline in VAS burning/stinging at day 57 and change from baseline in cCFS at day 57. NOV03 was well tolerated with instillation site reactions below 0.5%. No treatment emergent adverse events, or TEAEs, were reported by more than 2% of subjects in either treatment group. Overall, the number of patients reporting at least one ocular TEAE was similar between the treatment and control arms: 9.6% and 7.5% for the treatment and control arms, respectively.

07:08 EDT Evogene's Biomica demonstrates efficacy of BMC128 in studies - Biomica, a subsidiary of Evogene, announced additional positive pre-clinical results in its immuno-oncology program demonstrating efficacy of its live biotherapeutic product consortium BMC128, this time in melanoma. In these studies, Biomica tested BMC128, which consists of four live bacterial strains, in a mouse model of melanoma. Dr. Elran Haber, CEO of Biomica, stated: "We are very excited with the results of this study demonstrating the effectiveness of BMC128 in treating additional types of solid cancer tumors. These positive pre-clinical results indicate the potential of BMC128 to become best-in-class in the treatment of solid cancer tumors, and help validate Biomica's computational-based drug design approach. We look forward to providing incremental updates as we work towards a first-in-human, proof of concept clinical trial."

07:07 EDT Castle Biosciences says DecisionDx-Melanoma is significant predictor of outcomes - Castle Biosciences announced the publication of prospective, multi-center long-term outcomes data in cutaneous melanoma as impacted by DecisionDx-Melanoma. DecisionDx-Melanoma is Castle's gene expression profile test that uses an individual patient's tumor biology to predict risk of cutaneous melanoma metastasis or recurrence, as well as sentinel lymph node positivity, independent of traditional staging factors. The article, titled "Long-term outcomes in a multicenter, prospective cohort evaluating the prognostic 31-gene expression profile for cutaneous melanoma," was published in the peer-reviewed journal, JCO Precision Oncology.

07:05 EDT Bally's to acquire Tropicana Las Vegas from Gaming and Leisure Properties - Bally's (BALY) announced that it has agreed to purchase the Tropicana Las Vegas, Nevada casino from Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI). Bally's estimates the transaction to be valued at approximately $308M. The purchase price for the Tropicana property's non-land assets is $150M. In addition, Bally's has agreed to lease the land underlying the Tropicana property from GLPI for an initial term of 50 years at annual rent of $10.5M, subject to increase over time. Bally's and GLPI will also will enter into a sale-and-leaseback transaction relating to Bally's Black Hawk, CO and Rock Island, IL casino properties for a cash purchase price of $150M payable by GLPI. The lease will have initial annual fixed rent of $12M, subject to increase over time. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Bally's shareholders long-term and will require no cash outlay from Bally's at closing. Bally's and GLPI have agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to negotiate and enter into definitive documents with respect to these transactions as promptly as practicable in order to fully reflect the contemplated terms. The transaction is expected to close in early 2022, subject to customary real estate and working capital adjustments, receipt of required regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Bally's is already licensed in Nevada as a result of the recently closed acquisition of the MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. .

07:03 EDT Apellis provides 24-month update from phase 1b study of pegcetacoplan - Apellis announced 24-month data from the Phase 1b APL2-103 study of pegcetacoplan, an investigational targeted C3 therapy, in patients with advanced geographic atrophy, or GA, secondary to age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, and low vision. The Phase 1b study, designed to enroll approximately 12 patients with bilateral GA, was initiated to assess the safety of the Phase 3 formulation of pegcetacoplan. Patients were dosed monthly with pegcetacoplan in one eye using the fellow eye as an untreated control. The current post hoc analysis includes eight patients for whom data were available for at least 24 months. In this population, the growth rate of GA lesions in the treated eye was 46% slower than the untreated fellow eye. It has been shown that lesions in both eyes tend to grow at the same rate in patients with bilateral GA. Of the 13 enrolled patients, there were no reported cases of inflammation and two patients developed new-onset exudation during the 24-month study duration.

07:01 EDT Tiziana Life Sciences reports plan to list Accustem Sciences in the U.S. - Tiziana Life Sciences plc announced that its former subsidiary, Accustem Sciences Limited, intends to file a listing application with the Nasdaq Stock Market shortly after completion of the distribution of shares in Accustem to Tiziana Life Sciences plc shareholders. The board of directors of Accustem has resolved that the Nasdaq listing venue is more appropriate to the nature of Accustem's business.

06:53 EDT Fastenal says combined, 34.8% of sales generated digitally in Q1 - Fastenal said, "Combined, 34.8% of our sales were generated digitally in the first quarter of 2021. We view our digital sales to be a combination of our sales through FMI (FAST Vend, FAST Bin, and FAST Stock) plus that proportion of our e-commerce sales that do not represent billings of FMI services."

06:46 EDT Waddell & Reed reports preliminary AUM $76B as of March 31 - Compared to $75.5B on February 28.

06:36 EDT Cerevel Therapeutics announces $125M financing transaction for tavapadon - Cerevel Therapeutics announced an up to $125M non-dilutive financing transaction with NovaQuest and Bain Capital to fund the full Phase 3 development program for tavapadon in Parkinson's disease, also known as the TEMPO trials. Under the terms of the transaction, NovaQuest and Bain Capital are each expected to pay up to $62.5M, for a total of up to $125M, in four installments over four years. In exchange, NovaQuest and Bain Capital will receive payments based on an approval milestone, sales milestones, and royalty payments, the total of which will not exceed 4.25x the full amount paid to Cerevel; Cerevel holds the option to accelerate payment at a reduced cap starting at 3.0x the amount received, under certain conditions. Under the terms of the deal, Cerevel will make milestone and royalty payments upon successful U.S. regulatory approval. NovaQuest and Bain Capital will be entitled to an approval milestone, sales milestones based on cumulative U.S. net sales, and combined mid-single digit to low-double digit royalty payments on annual U.S. net sales. Cerevel will retain meaningful upside potential for tavapadon in the U.S. along with full worldwide commercial rights. Cerevel is currently dosing patients with early- and late-stage Parkinson's disease in all three of its Phase 3 trials of tavapadon, known as TEMPO-1, TEMPO-2, and TEMPO-3, as well as the open label extension trial, known as TEMPO-4. The four TEMPO trials make up the full Phase 3 program for tavapadon and will serve as the basis for the NDA submission for broad use in patients with Parkinson's disease. Preliminary data readouts from the Phase 3 program are expected to be available beginning in the first half of 2023.

06:33 EDT Eli Lilly announces Diogo Rau as chief information, digital officer - Eli Lilly (LLY) announced that Diogo Rau will join the company on May 17 as senior VP and chief information and digital officer. Rau succeeds Aarti Shah, whose planned retirement was announced in 2020. Shah will retire after 27 years of service to the company. Rau most recently served as the top executive of information technology for retail and online stores at Apple (AAPL). During his 10 years at Apple, he led the development and implementation of the technology supporting the Apple Online Store and Apple retail stores, including the e-commerce platform, mobile point of sale, the Apple Store App, and systems used by store team members.

06:32 EDT Avenue Therapeutics: FDA still reviewing NDA resubmission for IV tramadol - Avenue Therapeutics announced that the U.S. FDA was still reviewing its New Drug Application for IV tramadol and had not provided a decision regarding the NDA. An acknowledgement letter from the FDA in February 2021 stated that the company's resubmission of its NDA for IV tramadol was a complete, class 1 response to the Complete Response Letter dated October 9, 2020 and the resubmission had been assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act goal date of April 12, 2021. The NDA for IV tramadol was resubmitted following the receipt of official minutes from a Type A meeting with the FDA, which was conducted following a CRL issued by the FDA in October 2020. The resubmission package included revised language relating to the proposed product label and a report relating to terminal sterilization validation.

06:19 EDT Synchrony says will not renew financing partnership with Gap - In a regulatory filing, Synchrony (SYF) said, "Synchrony will not renew its financing partnership with Gap (GPS) when it expires on April 30, 2022. Synchrony was unable to reach contractual and economic terms with Gap that made sense for our company and our shareholders. The portfolio represents approximately 5 percent of Synchrony's loan receivables. Synchrony expects to recognize a gain on sale of the portfolio in the second quarter of 2022 and will redeploy approximately $1 billion of capital to repurchase shares and invest in higher growth programs. Synchrony expects that exiting the Gap partnership will be EPS neutral relative to current program economics and accretive to expected renewal terms. All Gap and affiliated brand credit cards issued by Synchrony can continue to be used through April 30, 2022."

06:07 EDT KBR signs license agreement with JS Energy for K-PRO PDH technology - KBR announced that it has signed a license agreement with JS Energy for its K-PRO Propane Dehydrogenation, or PDH, technology to convert propane into propylene for JS Energy's planned PDH project in Pakistan, which is expected to be commissioned in 2024.

06:04 EDT Aurora Mobile and Hangzhou Yivi enter into a partnership - Aurora Mobile announced that it has entered into a partnership agreement with Hangzhou Yivi Intelligent Technology, a ride-hailing service platform in China. By leveraging the technology strengths and expertise of both companies, Aurora Mobile will jointly explore opportunities with Yivi to empower digital innovation in smart travel, and develop highly efficient AI-powered ride-hailing services. Launched in 2014, Yivi operates "Yivi Hitch", a ride-hailing APP that pledges to provide ride-sharing customers with "safer and more convenient ride-hailing services". Since its establishment, Yivi has been committed to promote greener transportation and safe ride-sharing practices as it continues to expand its leading position in China's urban mobility market.

06:02 EDT Molina Healthcare subsidiary selected by Ohio Department of Medicaid - Molina Healthcare announced that its Ohio health plan subsidiary has been selected as an awardee in all three regions across the state pursuant to the Medicaid managed care RFA issued on September 30, 2020, by the Ohio Department of Medicaid, or ODM. The new contract for Molina's Ohio health plan is expected to begin in early 2022, and will offer health care coverage to Medicaid beneficiaries through the State of Ohio's Covered Family and Children, Expansion, and Aged, Blind or Disabled programs which in total cover approximately 3.0M members.

05:29 EDT Dr. Reddy's gets emergency use authorization for Sputnik vaccine in India - Dr. Reddy's announced that it has received the permission from the Drug Controller General of India, or DCGI, to import the Sputnik vaccine into India for restricted use in emergency situations as per the provisions of the New Drug and Clinical Trials rules, 2019 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. In September 2020, Dr. Reddy's had partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund to conduct the clinical trials of Sputnik V and distribute the vaccine in India. In addition to the trials conducted in Russia by RDIF. Phase II / III clinical trials of the vaccine were carried out by Dr. Reddy's in India.

05:10 EDT Avaya enters global reseller partnership with Semafone - Semafone announced a global reseller partnership with Avaya. This agreement brings Semafone into the Avaya ecosystem of alliances, with the goal of helping contact center customers solve the security and compliance challenges faced as they embrace a work from anywhere model. Additionally, with many industries moving to remote working models, the need for increased security is at an all-time high.