Stockwinners Market Radar for June 29, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:51 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 858.1K shares of UiPath today

19:02 EDT Fox News to pay $1M settlement following NYC human rights panel probe - The New York City Commission on Human Rights announced a settlement with Fox News Network LLC after the Commission initiated its own investigation into a series of high-profile reports alleging a culture of pervasive sexual harassment and retaliation at the network. The Commission fined Fox News $1,000,000 in civil penalties - the highest ever ordered for violations under the NYC Human Rights Law. This settlement represents the first of its kind against a major news network by a civil rights enforcement agency in the country. "With this settlement, the Commission not only ordered the largest civil penalty in the Commission's history, but has mandated dramatic and critical policy changes at Fox News Network," said Chair and Commissioner of the NYC Commission on Human Rights Carmelyn P. Malalis. "Among these policy changes is a remarkable shift in how Fox News Network uses mandatory arbitration. Employers seeking to improve transparency and accountability on discrimination and harassment should look to this change in mandatory arbitration as a model for future policy. The Commission takes all allegations of sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination, and retaliation very seriously and our settlement today demonstrates that in New York City no one is above the law. Every New Yorker, whether in a newsroom or lunchroom, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect in their workplace." Reference Link

18:28 EDT Rio Tinto declares force majeure at Richards Bay Minerals - The company states: "Rio Tinto has declared force majeure on customer contracts at Richards Bay Minerals in South Africa due to an escalation in the security situation at the operations. This has led to the decision to cease operations until the safety and security position improves. All mining and smelting operations at RBM have been halted until further notice. The Zulti South project has remained on full suspension since the security and community issues in 2019."

18:08 EDT Allegiant announces new service to three cities from Melbourne Orlando - Allegiant announced new nonstop service from Melbourne Orlando International Airport to three destinations: Pittsburgh, Pa.; Nashville, Tenn. and Concord, N.C. beginning in November. "We're thrilled to bring our brand of friendly, convenient service to Melbourne, gateway to Central Florida and the Space Coast," said Drew Wells, Allegiant senior vice president of revenue and planning. "Now more than ever, travelers choose to fly Allegiant because we connect them from point-to-point without the hassle of layovers or connections. We think area travelers will love having ultra-low-cost options for a getaway to any of these great destinations - whether it's for vacation or a chance to reconnect with family and friends."

17:33 EDT Clean Harbors to acquire assets from Vertex Energy for $140M - Clean Harbors (CLH) announced the signing of a definitive agreement with Vertex Energy (VTNR) to acquire certain assets related to Vertex's used motor oil collection and re-refinery business in an all-cash transaction for $140M, subject to working capital and other adjustments. The acquisition is expected to close in the Q3,subject to approval by U.S. regulators and Vertex shareholders, and other customary closing conditions. Based on current market pricing of Vertex's re-refining products and production levels of its plants, the assets are expected to generate annual revenues of more than $100M. Clean Harbors expects the acquired assets to achieve Adjusted EBITDA in the first full year of operations of at least $15M. The Vertex assets being acquired include a 20-million-gallon re-refinery in Columbus, Ohio and a 69-million-gallon re-refinery in Marrero, Louisiana. The deal involves 17 service branches strategically located throughout the Midwest and Gulf Coast, supported by approximately 200 employees and a fleet of collection vehicles. Davis, Malm & D'Agostine is serving as legal counsel to Clean Harbors. For Vertex, Houlihan Lokey is serving as financial advisor and Ruddy Gregory is serving as legal counsel.

17:24 EDT Coatue Management reports 9.99% passive stake in Confluent - Coatue Management disclosed a 9.99% stake in Confluent, which represents over 2.36M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

17:04 EDT Voxx jumps 5.8% to $14.47 after being initiated with Buy at DA Davidson

16:56 EDT Alamo Group director Robinson sells $651K in shares - Alamo Group director Ronald Robinson disclosed in a filing that he had sold 4,299 shares of company stock at $151.44 per share between June 28 and June 29 for a total transaction value of $651,021.

16:47 EDT Oyster Point Pharma provides supply chain update regarding OC-01 nasal spray - Oyster Point Pharma announced information regarding a key supply chain insight for OC-01 nasal spray following the announcement that an unrelated manufacturer of varenicline oral tablets has suspended distribution due to impurities discovered in one or more lots of its product. Oyster Point Pharma has not observed any measurable impurities in its OC-01 nasal spray. Oyster Point Pharma is developing OC-01 nasal spray to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Oyster Point Pharma currently sources OC-01 nasal spray active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, varenicline tartrate, from a supplier unrelated to the manufacturer that has suspended distribution due to nitrosamine being above acceptable levels. Oyster Point Pharma takes seriously the quality of products in development and patient safety. To date, Oyster Point Pharma has tested samples of varenicline tartrate API intermediate, multiple lots of varenicline tartrate drug substance used in OC-01 nasal spray finished product, and multiple lots of OC-01 nasal spray finished product with no evidence of nitrosamine levels being above the lower limit of detection from the assay used for measuring presence. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date for OC-01 nasal spray is October 17 with a planned U.S. launch in Q4, if approved by the FDA. OC-01 nasal spray is an investigational new drug and has not been approved for any use in any country. The safety and efficacy of OC-01 nasal spray have not been established.

16:35 EDT RA Capital reports 9.4% passive stake in Cyteir Therapeutics - RA Capital disclosed a 9.4% stake in Cyteir Therapeutics, which represents over 3.24M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:32 EDT Green Plains appoints Negil McPherson as chief people officer - Green Plains announced that Negil McPherson has joined the company's senior leadership team as chief people officer. McPherson will be responsible for leading human resources strategy, including talent management, as well as compensation and benefits. He will also be focused on the company's ongoing cultural transformation toward Green Plains 2.0. McPherson brings more than 28 years of experience in talent management, human resources practices and performance development strategies. Prior to joining Green Plains, McPherson was a leader on the learning and organizational development and project management office teams at engineering firm HDR, from 1999 to 2021.

16:31 EDT Valaris announces jackup contract award with ARO Drilling - Valaris announced that it has been awarded a 200-day extension to its bareboat charter agreement with ARO Drilling for VALARIS JU-250, a heavy-duty ultra-harsh environment jackup. The extension is in direct continuation of the existing contract and, as a result, the VALARIS JU-250 is now expected to be under contract through the end of 2021. ARO Drilling's contract with Aramco has been extended for the same period.

16:28 EDT Encompass Health, Altru Health finalize JV pact to operate inpatient rehab unit - Encompass Health Corp. and Altru Health System announced the finalization of their joint venture agreement to own and operate Altru's existing inpatient rehabilitation unit. Altru's 23-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit is located on Altru's South Washington Medical Park campus in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Altru's inpatient rehabilitation unit, which will be Encompass Health's first location in North Dakota, will undergo a name change to Altru Rehabilitation Hospital. Encompass Health and Altru will renovate the current space to increase the private patient room count from 23 to 40, create an activities of daily living suite, expand the therapy gym and start providing in-house dialysis services for rehabilitation patients that require them during their stay. The joint venture will begin operating the rehabilitation hospital once the renovation is complete, which is projected for summer 2022.

16:18 EDT Angion Biomedica ALI-201 trial did not meet primary, secondary endpoints - Angion Biomedica announced that its exploratory Phase 2 ALI-201 trial of ANG-3777 in patients with severe COVID-19 related pneumonia at high risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, did not meet the primary or secondary efficacy endpoints. The adverse events and overall safety of the trial were consistent with previously published reports in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. The ALI-201 study was a small exploratory Phase 2 double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial conducted in Brazil to evaluate the safety and efficacy of four doses of ANG-3777 in the reduction of severity and progression of acute lung injury in patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia who are at high risk of progressing to ARDS. The primary endpoint of the trial was survival free from the need for mechanical ventilation or dialysis at 28 days. The active arm of the trial did not show a statistically significant difference over the standard of care arm. A total of 120 patients were randomized 1:1 in the trial, with 59 patients in the active treatment arm and 61 patients in the standard of care arm. The number of adverse events, serious adverse events, and fatal events reported in ALI-201 were slightly higher for those subjects in the active treatment arm compared to those in the standard of care control arm, although no new or unexpected safety signals resulted from the trial. None of the fatal events in this trial of advanced COVID-19 patients were attributed by study investigators to either ANG-3777 or standard of care in the control arm. The company expects to report data from the ANG-3777 Phase 3 registration trial in transplant-associated acute kidney injury, also known as delayed graft function, by the end of 2021. The company also expects to report data from the ANG-3777 Phase 2 proof of-concept trial for the treatment of acute kidney injury associated with cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in the second half of 2021. "We were pleased to be part of the attempt to help patients severely ill with COVID-19 and extend our deepest gratitude to the patients, their families, investigators, and site staff who participated in this study," commented Jay Venkatesan, Angion's president and CEO. "With the increasing availability of approved COVID-19 vaccines and the widespread assumption vaccines will reduce infection rates around the world, we will not continue the development of this COVID-19 program. Based on the promising activity of ANG-3777 in multiple animal models of lung injury, we will continue to evaluate the clinical development of ANG-3777 for acute lung injury populations."

16:17 EDT Climate Change SPAC stockholders approve EVgo combination - Climate Change Crisis Real Impact I Acquisition Corporation (CLII) announced that its stockholders voted to approve the previously announced business combination with EVgo Services, LLC (EVGO) at CLII's special meeting of stockholders held on June 29, 2021. More than 99% of the votes cast at the Special Meeting were in favor of the approval of the business combination. CLII stockholders also voted overwhelmingly to approve all other proposals presented at the Special Meeting. CLII plans to file the results of the Special Meeting, as tabulated by an independent inspector of elections, on a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission today. Subject to the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions, the business combination is expected to close on July 1, 2021 and CLII will change its name to from "Climate Change Crisis Real Impact I Acquisition Corporation" to "EVgo Inc." EVgo Inc.'s Class A common stock and EVgo Inc.'s warrants are expected to commence trading on The Nasdaq Global Select Market LLC under the symbols "EVGO" and "EVGOW," respectively, on July 2, 2021.

16:16 EDT Angion Biomedica ALI-201 trial did not meet primary, secondary endpoints

16:14 EDT Altimmune to terminate further enrollment, evaluate future options for T-COVID - Altimmune provided an update on its AdCOVID investigational vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19. The company also provided an update on its T-COVID Phase 1/2 clinical trial to evaluate the potential of T-COVID to prevent clinical worsening in patients with early COVID-19. The T-COVID Phase 1/2 trial completed dosing in 2 of the 3 planned dose cohorts. The first 2 cohorts were designed to assess the safety of T-COVID treatment and were comprised of COVID-19 infected patients 49 years or younger with a low risk of progression to serious disease. In these cohorts, T-COVID was well tolerated without any serious adverse events observed. The 3rd cohort was intended to evaluate the efficacy of treatment and enroll patients over the age of 65 or with increased risk of serious sequelae by virtue of pre-existing comorbidities. However, the effective rollout in the United States of authorized COVID-19 vaccines and decreasing incidence of disease significantly reduced the number of patients meeting these criteria, and Altimmune has been unable to enroll subjects in the final cohort. As a result of these enrollment challenges, the company has decided to terminate further enrollment and evaluate options for future T-COVID development following an assessment of the available data and discussions with its partners, the U.S. Army Medical Research & Development Command and the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium.

16:10 EDT Brickell Biotech announces final patient completes Cardigan I study - Brickell Biotech announced that the final patient has completed the Phase 3 pivotal Cardigan I study, and that all planned patients have been enrolled in the Phase 3 pivotal Cardigan II study. Both studies are evaluating sofpironium bromide gel, 15% in patients with primary axillary hyperhidrosis.

16:08 EDT Qiagen to partner with Verogen to offer HID sequencing and analysis solutions - Qiagen "announced a commercialization partnership with San Diego-based human identification specialist Verogen that will provide customers of both companies with superior tools and comprehensive support for human identification workflows in their laboratories. The deal enables QIAGEN to offer Verogen's preeminent HID sequencing and analysis solutions that run on MiSeq FGx sequencers from Illumina, decisively expanding QIAGEN's forensics leadership that already covers sample collection and preparation, genetic testing analysis and workflow automation. The agreement grants QIAGEN the rights to distribute the Verogen portfolio globally - including kits based on the proprietary Verogen ForenSeq assay, the Verogen MiSeq FGx Sequencing System and the Universal Analysis Software - and covers an expansion of the partnership through future ForenSeq-based assays. Verogen and QIAGEN will also cooperate to commercialize a menu of forensically validated workflows for next-generation sequencing that combine Verogen's library-prep products with QIAGEN's QIAseq products, automation solutions and expertise. QIAGEN will market Verogen products globally alongside its portfolio of forensics instruments, kits and services. Financial details of the deal are not being disclosed."

16:05 EDT Altimmune announces update on AdCOVID Phase 1 Clinical trial - Altimmune provided an update on its AdCOVID investigational vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19. The Company also provided an update on its T-COVID Phase 1/2 clinical trial to evaluate the potential of T-COVID to prevent clinical worsening in patients with early COVID-19. The Phase 1 AdCOVID clinical trial is evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of the intranasally administered vaccine candidate in approximately 80 healthy adult volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55. Subjects received either 1 or 2 doses of AdCOVID as a nasal spray at 3 dose levels. In addition to the primary study endpoint of safety and tolerability, the immunogenicity evaluation of AdCOVID included serum binding and neutralizing antibody titers and mucosal IgA antibody from nasopharyngeal swabs post-vaccination. "The immune response to AdCOVID was inferior to that seen in our NasoVAX influenza vaccine trial," commented Scot Roberts, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Altimmune. "Unlike the NasoVAX study, the AdCOVID study population lacked immunity from prior infection or vaccination. We believe that prior immunity in humans may be important for a robust immune response to intranasal dosing with AdCOVID."

16:02 EDT Altimmune to discontinue further development of AdCOVID vaccine

16:00 EDT Ventas names Terika Richardson as new COO - Ardent Health Services has appointed Terika Richardson chief operating officer, effective September 7. In her new role, Richardson will oversee the operations of Ardent's 30 hospitals and more than 200 sites of care across six states. Richardson most recently served as president of Advocate Aurora Health's Central Chicagoland Patient Service Area where she oversaw the operations and strategic growth of their hospitals, clinics and ambulatory operations.

16:00 EDT Altimmune trading halted, news pending

15:26 EDT HBO Max launches in 39 territories in Latin America, the Caribbean - AT&T's HBO Max streaming service is rolling out in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, marking the streaming platform's first launch outside of the U.S. and kicking off its global expansion, the company said in an emailed statement. "HBO Max has made a commitment to produce 100 local originals in Latin American over the next two years, in addition to offering subscribers access to its catalog of fan-favorite brands and programming," the company said. "Later this year, soccer fans in Brazil and Mexico will be able to enjoy matches of the UEFA Champions League, one of the most prestigious and followed soccer competitions in the world. With this launch, subscribers of the HBO Max ad-free plan in the U.S. will be able to access the platform while traveling throughout any of these 39 newly supported territories, and Latin American subscribers will also be able to access the platform while traveling in the U.S."

14:49 EDT Bally's announces beta launch of mobile sportsbook in Iowa - Bally's Interactive, a division of Bally's Corporation that operates the omni-channel provider's sports betting, iGaming, free-to-play, and daily fantasy sports platforms, announced the beta launch of its mobile sportsbook, Bally Bet, in Iowa. "The launch expands the sports betting platform's presence into its second state, following last month's launch of Bally Bet in Colorado. Bally's maintains its mobile sports betting skin in Iowa through its market access partnership with Elite Casino Resorts, which owns Grand Falls, Rhythm City, and Riverside Casino and Golf Resorts," the company stated.

14:39 EDT GM reiterates support for UAW efforts to organize employees at Ultium plants - GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra declared the company "would prioritize equitable climate action to help ensure its all-electric future is inclusive for its current and future workforce; customers; and communities that may be more likely to disproportionately experience the effects of climate change." The company announced the creation of a new $25M Climate Equity Fund to complement the company's $35B global investment in EV and AV programs, research, technology, manufacturing and charging infrastructure. Barra also shared more about the company's broader focus on equitable climate action, reinforced the prioritization of its current salaried and represented workforce, including reiterating its "long history of supporting unions to promote safety, quality, training and jobs for American workers." GM also "publicly reiterated its support for the UAW's efforts to organize employees at the Ohio and Tennessee Ultium Cells LLC battery cell manufacturing plants," the company stated in a press release.

14:14 EDT Facebook launches newsletter platform Bulletin - Facebook has launched its long-rumored standalone newsletter platform, Bulletin, that primarily lives outside of the main Facebook app. "We built Bulletin on a separate website to enable creators to grow their audience in ways that are not exclusively dependent on the Facebook platform. Branding on Bulletin publications will be creator-first and readers will not need to be logged into Facebook to read free content," according to Bulletin's website. "Some of the Bulletin content exists behind a paywall, and you can access premium benefits (subscriber-only Facebook groups, badges and more) if you pay for a subscription. If you're not ready to pay, there's still a lot of free content to enjoy."Reference Link

13:55 EDT Intel pushes out launch of its latest server processor 'Sapphire Rapids' - Lisa Spelman Corporate Vice President, General Manager of the Xeon and Memory Group for Intel said, in part, in an earlier blog post: "It's been a few months since we launched our 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors and I thought it was a good time to share an update on our next-generation Xeon Scalable processor,code-named "Sapphire Rapids," which we are hard at work on. We've talked at a high level about what's coming in this platform, and today I want to highlight two of the breakthrough technologies featured in Sapphire Rapids and provide an update on timing...Demand for Sapphire Rapids continues to grow as customers learn more about the benefits of the platform. Given the breadth of enhancements in Sapphire Rapids, we are incorporating additional validation time prior to the production release, which will streamline the deployment process for our customers and partners. Based on this, we now expect Sapphire Rapids to be in production in the first quarter of 2022, with ramp beginning in the second quarter of 2022. The Fly notes that the Intel had originally its Xeon server microchip offering would be in production by 2021-end. Reference Link

13:06 EDT EssilorLuxottica to close acquisition of GrandVision on July 1 - Following the approval by its Board of Directors, EssilorLuxottica announces its decision to complete the acquisition of HAL's 76.72% interest in GrandVision on July 1, 2021 as per the terms and conditions of the agreement entered into on July 30, 2019. "After assessing all our options, we have made the decision to proceed with the completion of the deal without further delay. The strategic rationale of the transaction remains strong and unchanged, and after two years of efforts and relentless work, we are now ready to turn a page and start a new chapter of EssilorLuxottica's history, with GrandVision. In doing so, we will use the learnings and experience gathered over the past years to ensure GrandVision and its 37,000 talented employees are integrated successfully. As the industry returns to growth following the pandemic, we believe this is the perfect time to expand our retail network, so that we can engage more effectively with consumers and thus raise the visibility and quality of the entire industry. This will benefit all stakeholders, including our customers to whom we remain fully committed", said Francesco Milleri and Paul du Saillant, respectively CEO and Deputy CEO of EssilorLuxottica. Reference Link

12:40 EDT NIH says J&J Covid vaccine provides 'robust' response against variants - The immune response to the Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Covid-19 vaccine "remained robust" against variants of SARS-CoV-2, the National Institutes of Health said in a statement. "Although the vaccine produced fewer neutralizing antibodies against the variants than the original virus, the overall immune response suggests strong protection," it added. "The researchers tested antibodies and immune cells from samples taken 57 days after vaccination. They tested activity against the original strain of SARS-Cov-2 as well as several variants. These included the alpha, beta, and gamma variants, and another first isolated in California...As expected, no neutralizing immune responses - those able to stop infection - were seen in people who received placebo shots. Among those who received Ad26.COV2.S, the team found neutralizing antibodies against the variants. However, there was a reduction in antibodies that could neutralize the variants compared with the original virus. For example, the team saw a 3-fold reduction in antibodies that could recognize and bind to the gamma variant. They found a 5-fold reduction in those targeting the beta variant." Reference Link

12:23 EDT Alaska Air announces launch of codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways - Alaska Airlines announced the launch of a codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways that it said "further strengthens the partnership between the two airlines and provides travelers with exciting and convenient options." Alaska Air stated that beginning July 1, the agreement allows passengers on Qatar Airways to book travel and easily connect to more than 150 routes throughout Alaska's network. "On the West Coast, Qatar Airways has nonstop service connecting its main hub in Doha to three of Alaska's primary gateway cities - Los Angeles with twice daily flights, and daily flights at San Francisco and Seattle - allowing for seamless connectivity," the company said.

12:00 EDT Virgin Galactic falls -12.4% - Virgin Galactic is down -12.4%, or -$6.79 to $48.05.

12:00 EDT Tetra Technologies rises 10.2% - Tetra Technologies is up 10.2%, or 40c to $4.28.

12:00 EDT Coupang rises 13.6% - Coupang is up 13.6%, or $5.21 to $43.46.

11:39 EDT NHTSA orders crash reporting for vehicles equipped with ADAS - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a Standing General Order requiring manufacturers and operators of vehicles equipped with SAE Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems or SAE Levels 3-5 automated driving systems to report crashes. This action will enable NHTSA to collect information necessary for the agency to play its role in keeping Americans safe on the roadways, even as the technology deployed on the nation's roads continues to evolve. "NHTSA's core mission is safety. By mandating crash reporting, the agency will have access to critical data that will help quickly identify safety issues that could emerge in these automated systems," said Dr. Steven Cliff, NHTSA's Acting Administrator. "In fact, gathering data will help instill public confidence that the federal government is closely overseeing the safety of automated vehicles." Within one day of learning of a crash, companies must report crashes involving a Level 2 ADAS or Levels 3-5 ADS-equipped vehicle that also involve a hospital-treated injury, a fatality, a vehicle tow-away, an air bag deployment, or a vulnerable road user such as a pedestrian or bicyclist. An updated report is due 10 days after learning of the crash. Every month, companies must report all other crashes involving an ADS-equipped vehicle that involve an injury or property damage. Reference Link Publicly traded companies in the space include Daimler AG (DDAIF), Ford (F), General Motors (GM), Honda (HMC), Nissan (NSANY), Stellantis (STLA), Tesla (TSLA), Toyota (TM) and Volkswagen (VWAGY).

11:33 EDT LinkedIn says scraped data sold is not data breach - Microsoft's LinkedIn said in a statement: "Our teams have investigated a set of alleged LinkedIn data that has been posted for sale. We want to be clear that this is not a data breach and no private LinkedIn member data was exposed. Our initial investigation has found that this data was scraped from LinkedIn and other various websites and includes the same data reported earlier this year in our April 2021 scraping update. Members trust LinkedIn with their data, and any misuse of our members' data, such as scraping, violates LinkedIn terms of service. When anyone tries to take member data and use it for purposes LinkedIn and our members haven't agreed to, we work to stop them and hold them accountable." Reference Link

11:04 EDT Lincoln Financial appoints Elena French as head of corporate marketing - Lincoln Financial Group announced that Elena French, senior vice president, has been named head of Corporate Marketing, Communications and Brand. In her new role, French leads the company's corporate advertising, brand, consumer insights, communications, social media and sponsorships initiatives. She reports to Jamie Ohl, executive vice president, president, Workplace Solutions, head of Operations and Brand. Previously, French was the company's head of Corporate Communications, a position she held since 2018.

10:39 EDT Royal Caribbean CEO reports Freedom of the Seas Conditional Sailing Certificate - Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley announced in a Facebook post: "Royal Caribbean International received the Conditional Sailing Certificate for Freedom of the Seas, which provides approval for passenger voyages. This follows the successful completion of the ship's simulated voyage earlier this month. Freedom's first revenue sailing will celebrate Fourth of July weekend, July 2-5, departing from Miami and visiting Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island destination, in The Bahamas. Freedom is the cruise line's first ship to resume sailing from the U.S." Reference Link

10:00 EDT Moderna announces emergency use authorization for Covid-19 vaccine in India - Moderna announced that the government of India has issued a registration certificate and a permission to import the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna for restricted use in an emergency situation. Moderna has also received emergency authorization for use of its COVID-19 vaccine from health agencies in more than 50 countries and an Emergency Use Listing from the World Health Organization.

10:00 EDT Mister Car Wash falls -6.2% - Mister Car Wash is down -6.2%, or -$1.39 to $21.01.

10:00 EDT Sprinklr rises 6.8% - Sprinklr is up 6.8%, or $1.63 to $25.64.

10:00 EDT Doximity rises 7.8% - Doximity is up 7.8%, or $4.54 to $62.89.

09:53 EDT Charlotte's Web to be exclusive hemp CBD provider for Life Time - Charlotte's Web and Life Time unveiled a new multi-year exclusive agreement. Charlotte's Web and CBDMEDIC branded hemp CBD products will be available for purchase in more than 140 Lifecares destinations located with Life Time's athletic resorts and on its online health store at shop.lifetime.life. Additionally, as the exclusive CBD product partner of Life Time, Charlotte's Web products will also be featured on in-club signage, as well as in the Experience Life magazine and online digital content.

09:48 EDT Graphite Bio Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:47 EDT Mister Car Wash falls -5.3% - Mister Car Wash is down -5.3%, or -$1.18 to $21.22.

09:47 EDT UiPath falls -5.4% - UiPath is down -5.4%, or -$3.85 to $67.43.

09:47 EDT Sprinklr rises 7.2% - Sprinklr is up 7.2%, or $1.74 to $25.75.

09:43 EDT Two Harbors says granted in part, denied in part motion to dismiss PRCM suit - In a regulatory filing yesterday, Two Harbors Investment noted that as previously disclosed, on April 13, 2020, Two Harbors announced that it had elected not to renew the management agreement with PRCM Advisers LLC. Subsequently, on July 15, 2020, the company provided PRCM Advisers with a notice of termination of the management agreement for "cause" and the company terminated the management agreement for "cause" on the basis of certain material breaches and certain events of gross negligence on the part of PRCM Advisers in the performance of its duties under the agreement. On July 21, 2020, PRCM Advisers filed a complaint against the company in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Subsequently, PRCM Advisers filed an amended complaint, or the Federal Complaint, on September 4, 2020. The Federal Complaint alleges, among other things, the misappropriation of trade secrets in violation of both the Defend Trade Secrets Act and New York common law, breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unfair competition and business practices, unjust enrichment, conversion, and tortious interference with contract. The Federal Complaint seeks, among other things, an order enjoining the company from making any use of or disclosing PRCM Advisers' trade secret, proprietary, or confidential information; damages in an amount to be determined at a hearing and/or trial; disgorgement of the company's wrongfully obtained profits; and fees and costs incurred by PRCM Advisers in pursuing the action. On September 25, 2020, the company filed a motion to dismiss the Federal Complaint. On June 23, 2021, the Court granted in part and denied in part the company's motion to dismiss. "The Court dismissed PRCM Advisers' claims challenging the termination of the management agreement, including PRCM Advisers' claims for breach of contract with respect to Sections 13(a) and 15 of the Management Agreement and for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, as well as certain of PRCM Advisers' other claims. The company believes that the Federal Complaint is without merit and that the company has fully complied with the terms of the management agreement," Two Harbors stated in its filing.

09:30 EDT Vale invests C$150M to extend life of Manitoba operations - Vale announced a C$150M investment to extend current mining activities in Thompson, Manitoba by 10 years while aggressive exploration drilling of known orebodies holds the promise of mining well past 2040. The Thompson Mine Expansion is a two-phase project. Today's announcement represents Phase 1 and includes critical infrastructure such as new ventilation raises and fans, increased backfill capacity and additional power distribution. The changes are forecast to improve current production by 30%. Coupled with the announcement, Vale is continuing an extensive drilling program to further define known orebodies and search for new mineralization. The Thompson orebody was first discovered in 1956 by Vale (then known as Inco) following the adoption of new exploration technology and the largest exploration program to-date in the company's history. Mining of the Thompson orebody began in 1961.

09:28 EDT MediWound down 34% after receiving CRL from FDA for NexoBrid application - Shares of MediWound (MDWD) are down $1.93, or 34%, to $3.71 in pre-market trading after the company announced it received a Complete Response Letter from the U.S. FDA regarding the Biologics License Application seeking approval of NexoBrid for eschar removal in adults with deep partial-thickness and/or full-thickness thermal burns. Shares of Vericel (VCEL), MediWound's development partner, are down $9.81, or 14%, to $58.00 following the CRL news.

09:20 EDT Cummins to acquire 50% of Momentum Fuel Technologies from Rush Enterprise - Cummins (CMI) and Rush Enterprises (RUSHA, RUSHB) announced that they have signed a Letter of Intent for Cummins to acquire a 50% equity interest in Momentum Fuel Technologies from Rush Enterprises. The proposed transaction is expected to close later this year, subject to completion of customary pre-closing activities and entering into mutually agreeable transaction documentation. The joint venture between Rush Enterprises and Cummins will produce Cummins-branded natural gas fuel delivery systems for the commercial vehicle market in North America, combining the strengths of Momentum Fuel Technologies' compressed natural gas fuel delivery systems, Cummins' powertrain expertise, and the engineering and support infrastructure of both companies. "This collaboration shows Cummins' continued commitment to natural gas powertrains," said Srikanth Padmanabhan, President of the Engine Business at Cummins. "This partnership will improve customers service for both CNG and RNG through an improved support network. We are thrilled to expand our network of clean and reliable power solutions." "The immediate environmental benefits of CNG and RNG, combined with upcoming regulatory requirements, will drive growth in natural gas vehicles for the foreseeable future," said W.M. "Rusty" Rush, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Rush Enterprises, Inc. "This partnership will enable Rush Enterprises to continue to provide unparalleled support to our customers through our mutual, wide-ranging portfolio of Cummins' and RushCare aftermarket solutions and keep trucks up and running across the country."

09:17 EDT Chicken Soup for the Soul's Crackle App to launch of Cox TV boxes - Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment announced the launch of a Crackle app experience available to Cox Communications' TV customers via their Contour TV set-top boxes and Contour Stream Player.

09:16 EDT VivoPower, Tottenham Hotspur complete feasibility studies for SES projects - Tottenham Hotspur has announced that its Official Battery Technology Partner, VivoPower International has completed feasibility studies to assess initial opportunities for sustainable energy solutions at both Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Club's Hotspur Way Training Centre in Enfield. The Club and VivoPower are now exploring the potential of moving forward with the implementation of one or more SES projects. Following on from the announcement of the unique partnership in February, VivoPower completed an engineering review of both facilities to pinpoint optimal solutions and an array of potential projects to reduce both carbon footprint and energy costs. The Club is now working with VivoPower to assess the engineering and design of renewable energy infrastructure that could be installed at both the stadium and training centre.

09:15 EDT American International Holdings engages Milestone Management Services - American International announced it has engaged Milestone Management Services to act as a strategic advisor to the Company and to assist with their corporate communications and investor awareness campaign.

09:15 EDT MediWound trading resumes

09:15 EDT Urban-Gro to acquire MJ12 Design Studio for $9.1M - urban-gro announced that it has agreed to acquire MJ12 Design Studio and parent company, 2WR+ Partners. urban-gro will fund the transaction of $9.1M through a combination of cash and UGRO common stock, including contingent consideration of up to $2M based on achievement of certain performance metrics. The company expects the transaction to be accretive to earnings in its current fiscal year. Upon closing, urban-gro, Inc. will acquire MJ12 Design Studios, along with its parent company 2WR+ Partners, a multi-state architectural and interior design firm. The combined 23-person firm, including Senior Principal and Partner Sam Andras, AIA, will join the urban-gro team. Mr. Andras will serve on the executive leadership team, heading urban-gro's architecture, engineering, and design offering, which collectively now features experience in over 400 CEA facilities. While urban-gro will acquire MJ12 for coordinated architecture, engineering, and design services in the CEA market, the company will continue to work with other architectural partners at our clients' request. Similarly, 2WR will continue to work with and develop new relationships with other engineering and design partners, as well as provide services in non-cultivation markets including education, healthcare, commercial, civic, multi-family, and hospitality.

09:13 EDT Kraft Heinz partners with eko, Walmart to launch cooking experiences - Walmart (WMT) and eko announced the launch of 11 new Kraft Heinz (KHC) episodes focused on healthy, convenient meal solutions for any season. The custom brand-integrated experiences will be featured across Walmart Cookshop, a shoppable video hub for cooking enthusiasts, that brings choice to food shopping and meal planning in a way that is both entertaining and useful for consumers. Later this year, the brand will unveil a Kraft Heinz-exclusive "Sandwich Shop" featuring a delicious, always-on selection of seasonal sandwich recipes. Other future experiences on Walmart Cookshop include seasonal hacks like Thanksgiving leftover meals, great holiday baking recipes for the family, and unique spins on other seasonal moments like fall tailgating. The campaign will include a wide variety of products and brands from Oscar Mayer to Kool-Aid to Philadelphia Cream Cheese and, of course, Kraft cheese and Heinz condiments.

09:10 EDT Intrado Digital, Encore enter strategic partnership to lead business events - Apollo Global's Intrado and Encore announced a strategic partnership between Intrado Digital Media and Encore. The strategic partnership enables customers of both companies to deliver enterprise-grade, fully integrated events. "The expansion into virtual channels has had a profound impact on the business events industry. Our partnership with Encore will propel the industry forward by providing fully-immersive hybrid events, at scale," said Ben Chodor, President of Intrado Digital Media. "Now, our collective clients can leverage Encore's vast event technology and production capabilities in a seamless combination with Intrado Digital Media's proven technology platform to deliver consistent and engaging experiences for even the most technologically complex global events. We look forward to partnering on innovative events with Encore all over the world." Through the partnership, Intrado Digital Media and Encore will offer one of the world's largest comprehensive event technology solutions while leveraging Encore's extensive production capabilities across the globe. Clients of both companies will no longer need to manage multiple vendors for hybrid events.

09:08 EDT Zoom Video to acquire Kites, terms not disclosed - Zoom Video Communications announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Karlsruhe Information Technology Solutions - Kites GmbH, a start-up dedicated to developing real-time Machine Translation solutions. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Kites was founded in 2015 and has academic roots with Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, where co-founders Dr. Alex Waibel and Dr. Sebastian Stuker are faculty members. Kites' talented team of 12 research scientists will help Zoom's engineering team advance the field of MT to improve meeting productivity and efficiency by providing multi-language translation capabilities for Zoom users. Dr. Stuker and the rest of the Kites team will remain based in Karlsruhe, Germany, where Zoom looks forward to investing in growing the team. Zoom is exploring opening an R&D center in Germany in the future. Dr. Waibel will become a Zoom Research Fellow, a role in which he will advise on Zoom's MT research and development.

09:07 EDT Legion Partners addresses Genesco's need for boardroom change - Legion Partners Asset Management which collectively with the other participants in its solicitation beneficially owns approximately 5.9% of the outstanding common shares of Genesco issued the below statement in response to the Company's decision to publicize a disingenuous private letter issued by its Board of Directors roughly six weeks ago on May 19, 2021. Chris Kiper and Ted White, Legion Partners' Managing Directors, commented: "We believe Genesco's Board has once again validated our case for urgent change by disseminating blatant distortions and misrepresentations to its shareholders. Rather than try to comprehensively respond to the substantive presentations we issued last week and yesterday, Genesco released a six-week-old private letter that mischaracterizes settlement discussions in an attempt to imply a lack of engagement on our part. We view this as nothing more than a disingenuous ploy to try to mislead independent proxy advisory firms and shareholders ahead of what is likely the most critical annual meeting in the Company's long history.

09:06 EDT Hudson Technologies receives 5-year renewal award for DoD contract - Hudson Technologies announced that the United States Defense Logistics Agency has exercised its renewal option to contract Hudson for an additional five years as the prime contractor for the management and supply of refrigerants, compressed gases, cylinders and related items to US Military Commands and Installations, Federal civilian agencies and Foreign Militaries. The contract renews the Company's original five-year agreement entered into with the DLA in July 2016 and represents a potential total of $400M in sales to the Department of Defense, or DoD, over the total 10 year contract period. The renewal is a firm-fixed-price contract with quarterly economic price adjustments subject to indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity. The primary users include the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Brian Coleman, CEO of Hudson Technologies, commented, "We are in the process of completing our fifth year supporting the DoD, and have received exceptional ratings across all of the performance categories measured by the agency. This renewal is an indication of the strength of our capabilities as a strategic supply partner and the success of our partnership with DoD. We're pleased to have secured a continuation of our contract to provide critical industrial and refrigerant gases to the wide range of locations and facilities the DoD oversees."

09:04 EDT Verizon, Disney trialing caching technology to improve customer experience - The Walt Disney (DIS) and Verizon (VZ) recently began trialing content caching technology in the Fios network that will improve the experience for customers streaming Disney+ content over their Verizon FIOS service. Throughout the past few months, building on Verizon's existing edge caching capabilities, the companies have collaborated on a trial using Verizon's new Open Caching platform. Based on open specifications developed by the Streaming Video Alliance, Verizon's Open Caching platform stores the most requested streaming video content in network facilities closer to the customer which results in content starting faster, while also reducing freezing, pausing or playback failures during streaming. "The ability for us to scale Disney+ internet distribution and create optimal streaming experiences for subscribers around the content is paramount to our continued success as the flagship streaming service from The Walt Disney Company," said Joe Inzerillo, Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer. "As we experience increased demand for Disney+ content, we are encouraged with the success of the OpenCache standards and the growing install base of that platform across global networks like Verizon. These deployments have given us scale while providing valuable distribution diversity enabling us to engage millions of more subscribers with the highest quality streaming."

09:04 EDT Tetra Tech receives $37M contract from USAID - Tetra Tech announced that the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, awarded the company a five-year, $37M single-award contract to promote the socioeconomic empowerment of women and girls in Colombia. Through the USAID Generating Equity Activity, Tetra Tech will support the Government of Colombia to empower women and girls by engaging the public and private sector to reduce gender-based violence, transform gender norms and attitudes, create economic opportunities for women, and improve awareness and implementation of gender-related policies and services.

09:02 EDT Turning Point Therapeutics appoints Paolo Tombesi as CFO - Turning Point Therapeutics (TPTX) named Paolo Tombesi as executive vice president and CFO, effective July 26. Tombesi brings 30 years of global financial and accounting experience to Turning Point from multiple prior financial leadership roles within biotech and pharmaceutical companies, most recently serving as CFO of Epizyme (EPZM).

09:02 EDT My Size partners with Delhivery - MySize announced a partnership with India's largest supply chain services provider, Delhivery. MySize's AI-driven sizing solution BoxSize will empower the industry-leading logistics company with tools to boost efficiency and operational management. MySize's BoxSize empowers logistics companies to more efficiently utilize their resources and strategically plan their logistics, protecting both the environment and the company's bottom line.

08:54 EDT Vericel: MediWound receives CRL from FDA regarding NexoBrid BLA - Vericel Corporation (VCEL) announced that its development partner, MediWound (MDWD), received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding the Biologics License Application for NexoBrid, a potential treatment for eschar removal in adults with deep partial-thickness and/or full-thickness burns. The FDA communicated to MediWound that it had completed its review of the BLA, as amended, and has determined that it cannot approve the BLA in its present form. The FDA identified issues related to the Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls section of the BLA and requested that MediWound provide additional CMC information. The FDA stated that it has not reviewed several amendments submitted by MediWound in response to the CMC information requests for this action. The FDA also stated that inspections of manufacturing facilities in Israel and Taiwan are required before the BLA can be approved, but that it was unable to conduct the required inspections during the current review cycle due to COVID-related travel restrictions. In addition, the CRL referenced observations that were made during good clinical practice inspections related to the DETECT study and requested that MediWound address questions regarding the impact of the observations on the study's efficacy findings. The FDA also requested that MediWound provide a safety update as part of its BLA resubmission.

08:52 EDT MediWound: FDA says NexoBrid BLA cannot be approved in present form - MediWound (MDWD) announced it received a Complete Response Letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding the Biologics License Application seeking approval of NexoBrid for eschar removal in adults with deep partial-thickness and/or full-thickness thermal burns. The FDA communicated that it had completed its review of the BLA, as amended, and has determined that the application cannot be approved in its present form. The FDA identified issues related to the Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls section of the BLA and requested additional CMC information. The FDA acknowledged receipt of several CMC amendments, submitted in response the CMC information requests, which were not reviewed for this action. The FDA also stated that an inspection of NexoBrid's manufacturing facilities in Israel and Taiwan, are required before the FDA can approve the BLA, but it was unable to conduct the required inspections during the current review cycle due to COVID-related travel restrictions. The FDA stated that it will continue to monitor the public health situation as well as travel restrictions and is actively working to define an approach for scheduling outstanding inspections. In addition, the CRL cited certain observations identified during good clinical practices inspections related to the U.S. Phase 3 study, and requested the company to provide its perspective on the potential impact, if any, of these observations on the efficacy findings in the study. The FDA also requested to provide a safety update as part of its BLA resubmission, although there were no safety issues raised in the CRL. NexoBrid is approved in the European Union and other international markets and has been designated as an orphan biologic drug in the United States, European Union and other international markets. Vericel Corporation (VCEL) holds an exclusive license for North American commercial rights to NexoBrid. Funding and technical support for the development of NexoBrid is being provided by the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, including the ongoing expanded access protocol in the U.S., which allows for the continued clinical use of NexoBrid during FDA's review of the NexoBrid BLA. In addition, BARDA procured NexoBrid for the U.S. emergency stockpile as part of its mission to build national preparedness for public health emergencies.

08:44 EDT Genasys secures $1M in infrastructure protection, wildlife preservation orders - Genasys announced international LRAD 1000Xi systems orders totaling $1M for critical infrastructure protection and wildlife preservation. Offshore oil platforms in Nigeria will be equipped with LRAD 1000Xi systems to communicate to and warn away security threats, encroaching fishing boats, and approaching vessels not responding to radio calls. "Flags, lights and flares are ineffective in stopping encroaching boats from entering restricted areas around oil & gas platforms," said Richard S. Danforth, Chief Executive Officer of Genasys Inc. "LRAD's long-range alert tone and exceptionally clear voice broadcasts provide platform security personnel more time to determine the intent of approaching vessels and scale responses appropriate to the incursions." The orders also include LRAD systems integrated with avian radar from DeTect, Inc. to humanely deter waterfowl and other wildlife from entering hazardous water and waste areas at a large mining operation in northern Canada.

08:43 EDT Duos Technologies Group added to Russell Microcap Index - Duos Technologies Group was added to the Russell Microcap Index at the conclusion of the 2021 Russell indexes annual reconstitution, effective immediately.

08:41 EDT Jones Soda creates custom 12-pack for Costco Bay Area stores - Jones Soda Co. (JSDA) announced that it has created a limited-edition, three-flavor Red, White and Blue 12-pack for Costco's (COST) 57 Bay Area locations. The new pack will be available at Costco in time for Fourth of July sales, marking the latest success for Jones Soda's strategy of offering mass-market variety packs to increase its footprint in the club channel. The new 12-pack includes Jones' Strawberry Lime, Lemon Lime and Berry Lemonade flavors to provide a red, white and blue theme.

08:40 EDT Lakeview Investment Group urges Tessco to conduct 'full, fair' sale process - Lakeview Investment Group & Trading Company, which beneficially owns 1,031,591 shares of common stock of TESSCO Technologies, making it Tessco's second largest stockholder, issued a letter to the Board of Directors of the Company calling upon the Board to retain a reputable investment bank to run a full and fair process to sell the Company. The letter read, in part, Lakeview Investment Group & Trading Company owns 1,031,591 shares of TESSCO Technologies Incorporated, representing approximately 11.6% of the outstanding shares, making Lakeview the Company's second largest stockholder. We are writing today to express our view that Tessco retain a reputable investment bank to run a full and fair process to sell the Company. We have followed the Company closely for two decades, from the relatively early days of the cellular wireless industry. After a long history of profitability, the past five years have seen the Company's profit turn increasingly negative. After our initial discussions with CEO Sandip Mukerjee not long after he was hired in 2019, we were hopeful that a turnaround would occur, but in recent quarters, any confidence we had has dissipated. Mukerjee has now been with the Company for two years, during which time there has been more value destruction than any two-year period in the Company's nearly 30-year history as a public company. Under his leadership, the Company has consistently overpromised and underdelivered, guiding toward breakeven in recent quarters, but has completely missed the mark and lost approximately $15.6 million from continuing operations before taxes in the past year alone. Furthermore, at a run rate of approximately $85.5 million of selling, general, and administrative expenses, or approximately 22.9% of sales, the Company is spending stockholder capital at an unsustainable rate. The Company also appears to be losing significant market share, as the revamp of the Company's sales team, highlighted by the hiring of Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales Eddie Franklin, who was brought on in April 2020 following Mukerjee's hiring but who left the Company just over a year later, has clearly fallen well short of expectations. Although the Company continues to try to spin its recent performance in a positive light, its financial and stock performance indicate the opposite, particularly when viewed in comparison to other companies that Tessco identifies as its peers. Although the Company has blamed in part the impact of COVID-19 for its recent underperformance, the pandemic does not explain the continued margin deterioration it has experienced over the last few years, whereas both of its public competitors have seen margins recover after a brief COVID-19 related dip. This discrepancy in financial performance is borne out in the chart below, included in the Company's most recent Form 10-K, comparing Tessco's stock performance against its self-identified competitors as well as the Russell 2000. In the face of a rising bull market overall, and strong performance by the Company's self-selected peers, Tessco has destroyed tremendous stockholder value. While management claims to have a turnaround plan and preaches patience, no guidance has been forthcoming from the Company and the details of that plan remain vague. Undertaking a turnaround in the glare of the public markets is fraught with execution risk and will require proper management overnight and substantial time and expense to reverse the Company's mounting losses and bloated cost structure, all for a highly uncertain future. Therefore, we strongly believe that a sale of the Company is the optimal outcome for stockholders. Tessco is at a major inflection point, and if the Company does not expeditiously pursue a bona fide sale process, we fear that considerably more value will be destroyed for stockholders. Tessco trades below its net asset value and has sufficient liquidity available on its line of credit, plus unencumbered real estate that our due diligence suggests is worth at least $30 million and for which the public markets do not give it credit. However, we are highly concerned that as the Company continues to lose money, the debt will continue to build, the net asset value will continue to decline, and the stock price will follow. As a nano-cap public company with extremely low trading volume, minimal analyst coverage, consistently poor performance in recent years, and inflated public company costs, we believe there is no justification for Tessco to remain public...We look forward to having a direct and constructive engagement with the Board to ensure that the Company pursues a full and fair sale process with the singular goal of maximizing value for stockholders."

08:40 EDT MediWound trading halted, news pending

08:38 EDT Jerash Holdings to acquire manufacturing facility in Jordan for $2.8M in cash - Jerash Holdings announced its wholly owned subsidiary Jerash Garments and Fashions Manufacturing had signed a definitive agreement with MK Garments MFG Co. Jordan to acquire Mustafa and Kamal Ashraf Trading for the Manufacture of Ready-Made Clothes, the operator of a 71,000 square-foot apparel manufacturing facility in Amman, Jordan, for approximately $2.8M in cash. The transaction is anticipated to close in August. The new facility is expected to enable Jerash to produce approximately 2.5M to 3.5M additional garments per year, adding about 20% to Jerash's current annual capacity. Under the terms of the agreement, Jerash will assume the manufacturing licenses and existing physical operations of MK Garments, including all machinery equipment, 500 employees and a dormitory. Upon completion of the transaction, this facility will immediately cease production for MK Garments' customers, and in August, Jerash will start producing CM orders from Jerash's customers and subsequently produce knitted jackets and other more complex products from this facility.

08:36 EDT Orbcomm partners with Calian Group to develop station equipment for OGx service - ORBCOMM (ORBC) announced that it has signed a contract with Calian Group (CLNFF) to develop earth station equipment for ORBCOMM's next-generation, global IoT satellite service, OGx. ORBCOMM is collaborating with Inmarsat to develop OGx products and services to operate on Inmarsat's L-band satellite constellation, offering the best-in-class combination of high bandwidth data packets with low-cost terminals. Through its partnership with Calian, ORBCOMM will provide the equipment that will be installed at three Inmarsat land earth station facilities to enable global service for its OGx services. As part of the development process for the earth station equipment, ORBCOMM and Calian expect to meet key milestones beginning in mid-2022, including factory acceptance testing and engineering and alpha trials, followed by delivery and installation of the equipment by the end of 2022. With the initial deployment of the groundbreaking OGx service expected at the end of 2022, ORBCOMM will offer a higher data rate service designed to be nearly 40 times faster than the current IDP service, allowing for much larger messages and faster delivery times. ORBCOMM's current generation IDP terminals can be seamlessly upgraded over-the-air to the higher data rate OGx service. In addition, ORBCOMM plans to offer an extremely power-efficient data service to support a daily message for multiple years on a satellite terminal utilizing a single AA battery, making it ideal for remote monitoring and environmental sensing applications. Both OGx offerings are designed to have expanded broadcasting capabilities to send data to large groups of terminals and leverage multiple modes of operation that can be tuned specifically for the required application.

08:34 EDT Sabre extends agreement with Indonesia's Lion Air Group - Sabre announcedan extended and enhanced agreement with Indonesia's Lion Air Group to improve its performance with new technology. Lion Air Group and Sabre have a valued and long-standing relationship, with the carrier already using Sabre's SabreSonic Customer Sales and Service as well as a suite of crew management, operations, and scheduling solutions to help optimize daily functions, reduce costs and plan strategically across the Lion Air group, which also includes Batik Air Indonesia, Wings, Malindo Air and Thai Lion Mentari. The group also distributes its inventory globally through Sabre's GDS platform.

08:32 EDT Color Star Technology announces $3M revenue from Color Star APP - Color Star Technology announces that its revenue from the online celebrity video portion of its interactive entertainment platform, Color Star APP, exceeds $3M and the profits totals $1.5M for the first half of 2021, surpassing the Company expectations. Since its official launch on December 31, 2020, Color Star APP has hosted several online celebrity performances. Videos of these performances have been well received and sought after by fans. During the pandemic, lockdowns and other social measures have transformed the entertainment industry from mostly live to almost entirely online. The above announced revenue has not been audited.

08:24 EDT MetaBank appoints Christoper Soupal to commercial finance division president - MetaBank announced the promotion of Christopher Soupal to Commercial Finance Division President. He will report to Brett Pharr, co-president and COO of MetaBank. He will lead all aspects of Commercial Finance, including the Crestmark and AFS/IBEX divisions as well as commercial operations. Soupal joined Crestmark in 2014 as national sales director of the newly formed government guaranteed lending group which he grew into an industry-leading platform providing SBA and USDA loans to niche industries.

08:21 EDT Northern Star Resources reports on ownership in Superior Gold - Northern Star Resources (NESRF) to file an early warning report advising of the sale of common shares of Superior Gold (SUPGF). Northern Star disposed of an aggregate of 6,300,000 Common Shares through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange on June 28, 2021 at a price of $0.63 per Common Share for an aggregate cash consideration of $3,906,000. Immediately prior to the Disposition, Northern had ownership and control of 18,346,261 Common Shares and 13,960,561 Warrants. The Common Shares held by Northern Star represented approximately 15.1% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis. On a partially-diluted basis, assuming exercise of the Warrants, Northern Star would have owned and controlled 32,306,822 Common Shares, representing approximately 23.8% of the outstanding Common Shares. Following the Disposition, Northern Star has ownership and control over an aggregate of 12,046,261 Common Shares. Immediately following completion of such transactions, the 12,046,261 Common Shares over which Northern Star has ownership and control of represents approximately 9.9% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis. On a partially-diluted basis, assuming exercise of the 13,960,561 Warrants owned by Northern Star, Northern Star would have ownership and control of 26,006,822 Common Shares, representing approximately 19.2% of the outstanding Common Shares.

08:18 EDT Catalyst Pharmaceuticals appoints Molly Harper to board of directors - Catalyst Pharmaceuticals (CPRX) announced the appointment of Molly Harper to the company's Board of Directors. Harper has over 20 years of experience focusing on strategic planning and cross-functional leadership at life sciences companies of all sizes. Since May 2020, Harper has served as Executive Vice President of Operations for Relmada Therapeutics (RLMD), a late-stage biotechnology company addressing diseases of the central nervous system.

08:16 EDT H-CYTE announces publication of real-world data use of PRP-PBMC treatment - H-CYTE announced the publication of its clinical observational study titled, "Longitudinal Assessment of FEV1 Change Following Autologous Cellular Therapy." The study, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Regenerative Medicine & Biology Research, relates to the company's autologous treatment, and concludes that patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in pulmonary function at both 3 months and 12 months and quality of life post treatment. The study, which involved 281 participants with COPD demonstrated that 23% of patients saw an improvement in their lung function by at least 15% from baseline at 3 months post-treatment, and 29% of patients saw the same improvement at 12 months post-treatment. At 3 months and 12 months post-treatment, 64% and 67% of participants respectively, experienced a significant quality of life improvement. All participants tolerated the procedure well, and there were no reportable adverse or unexpected events. All participants were able to stay on their physician prescribed medications to manage their COPD. The efficacy, quality of life and safety shown in this study were above and beyond that achieved with their maintenance therapy.

08:16 EDT Tracon Pharmaceuticals announces orphan drug designation for envafolimab - TRACON Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to envafolimab, a novel, single-domain antibody against PD-L1, for the treatment of patients with soft tissue sarcoma following submission of an amended application that included Phase 1 clinical trial data from sarcoma patients treated with single agent envafolimab. Clinical trial data were submitted in response to an FDA request to provide data using envafolimab to treat patients with soft tissue sarcoma that demonstrated a therapeutic effect. The Orphan Drug Designation submission for envafolimab in sarcoma included clinical data demonstrating confirmed objective partial responses by RECIST with duration of response in excess of six months, in two of five patients with refractory metastatic alveolar soft part sarcoma who received single agent envafolimab in Phase 1 clinical trials conducted by TRACON's partners 3D Medicines and Alphamab Oncology. Patients with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma or myxofibrosarcoma were not treated as part of Phase 1 trials.

08:14 EDT Reneo Pharmaceuticals added to Russell 2000, Russell 3000 Indices - Reneo Pharmaceuticals joined the broad-market Russell 3000 Index at the conclusion of the 2021 Russell indexes annual reconstitution, effective after the close of the markets on June 28, 2021.

08:12 EDT TravelCenters has been added to the Russell 2000 Index as of June 28 - TravelCenters of America announced it has been added to the Russell 2000 Index as of June 28 as part of Russell Investments' annual reconstitution of its comprehensive set of U.S. and global equity indexes. "We are pleased to be included in the Russell 2000 Index, one of the most widely used performance benchmarks for small-cap companies," said Jon Pertchik, Chief Executive Officer of TA. d improved liquidity tha"This is an important milestone for TA, and we look forward to the broadened visibility in the investment community ant we expect from our inclusion in Russell's world-class market index."

08:11 EDT Synaptics' Rio family of OLED touch controllers support Oppo, One Plus devices - Synaptics announced that its Rio family of OLED touch controllers is being used to support LTPO-enabled OLED displays in new flagship mobile phones from leading manufacturers Oppo and One Plus. LTPO displays improve power efficiency by adapting their refresh rate to the content being played while also being sensitive to interference from touch controllers that do not properly support constantly shifting refresh rates. The Synaptics Rio family dynamically adapts to the LTPO panel refresh rate, enabling a smooth touch experience without interfering with the display performance.

08:09 EDT Horizon says 1st patient enrolled in systemic lupus erythematosus trial - Horizon Therapeutics announced the first patient has enrolled in a Phase 2 trial to evaluate its development-stage medicine HZN-7734 a first-in-class, fully human monoclonal antibody targeting immunoglobulin-like transcript 7 to treat people with moderate to severely active systemic lupus erythematosus. SLE, which accounts for 70 percent of lupus cases1, is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues. The Lupus Foundation of America estimates at least 5 million people worldwide are living with a form of lupus, 90 percent of whom are women.2,3 "Systemic lupus erythematosus has many manifestations, its severity can negatively impact a patient's quality of life and there are limited treatment options," said Victoria Werth, MD, professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and chief of dermatology at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veteran's Administration Medical Center. "This trial will help determine the safety and efficacy of Horizon's ILT7 antagonist in reducing overall disease activity for patients who live with moderate to severely active SLE."

08:09 EDT FTA awards low or no emission program grants to procure Proterra services - Proterra announced that 10 transit agencies have been awarded Federal Transit Administration, FTA, Low or No Emission Program Grants, Low-No, to procure Proterra electric transit buses, charging infrastructure, and Proterra Powered low-floor shuttles in partnership with Optimal Electric Vehicles. It marks the sixth consecutive year under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation, FAST, Act that the FTA has awarded transit agencies Low-No grants to procure Proterra buses and charging systems.

08:07 EDT Cenovus Energy release 2020 ESG data report - Cenovus Energy (CVE) has published its 2020 environmental, social & governance data report, the first for the company following its combination with Husky Energy Inc. on January 1, 2021. This report is one of several important sustainability milestones for Cenovus this year and highlights the ESG metrics for each legacy company enabling investors, the financial community and rating agencies to assess our ongoing performance. Following the Husky (HUSKF) transaction, Cenovus conducted a robust materiality assessment to establish its ESG focus areas for the combined company. Working with global advisors and engaging internal and external stakeholders, the company reaffirmed that safety and asset integrity, and corporate governance remain foundational to its business. Cenovus also identified the five most significant ESG focus areas for the company: climate & greenhouse gas emissions, water stewardship, biodiversity, Indigenous reconciliation and inclusion & diversity. Our reporting structure, underpinned by these focus areas, aligns with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and IPIECA frameworks. It is anticipated that in the fourth quarter of 2021, the company will release its comprehensive 2020 ESG report. In addition to aligning with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, the report will include new ESG targets for each focus area, as well as pro forma metrics for the combined company.

08:06 EDT Tabula Rasa HealthCare signs deals with 12 state pharmacy associations - Tabula Rasa HealthCare is collaborating with four more state pharmacy associations to bring TRHC's MedWise technology to association members. MedWise medication decision support tools identify simultaneous, accumulative, multi-drug interactions, enabling pharmacists to improve medication safety, efficacy, and adherence. The addition of California, Arizona, Michigan, and Washington brings the total number of state associations that have signed agreements with TRHC to 12. The first eight associations include: Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, North Dakota, Maryland, Virginia, and Oregon. The purpose of the partnerships is to encourage pharmacists to proactively help reduce the risk of Adverse Drug Events through educational initiatives, best-practice exchanges and deployment of TRHC's propriety MedWise medication safety technology. Members also have access to the Certified MedWise Advisor program, through which they gain expertise about aggregated medication risk, adverse drug event prevention, evidence-based pharmaceutical care, enhanced patient outcomes, and outcomes-focused cost-reduction.

08:06 EDT Enphase Energy launches Encharge battery storage system in Germany - Enphase Energy announced the launch of its Encharge battery storage system in Germany, the product's first expansion into a market outside of the United States. The Encharge battery storage system offers configurations ranging from 3.5kWh to 42kWh, along with the option to upgrade and expand through the lifetime of the system. The introduction of battery storage to Enphase's existing microinverter business in Germany will help meet installer and homeowner needs for a safe and reliable all-in-one solution. Homeowners can also use the Enphase Enlighten mobile app to intelligently manage their solar energy in Self-Consumption Mode to minimize the use of electricity from the grid, which saves on energy bills. Installers in Germany can buy Encharge battery storage from IBC SOLAR AG, with more distributors coming online in the coming weeks.

08:05 EDT Synnex and ORock Technologies sign distribution agreement - ORock Technologies, a hybrid cloud service provider announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with SYNNEX. The agreement with the Fremont, Calif.-based value-added distributor will allow ORock to expand its cloud business, accelerate sales cycles and inter-operate with the extensive ecosystem of SYNNEX channel partners.

08:04 EDT Abiomed announces Impella RP with SmartAssist receives FDA pre-market approval - Abiomed's newest right heart pump, the Impella RP with SmartAssist, has received FDA pre-market approval, or PMA, as safe and effective to treat acute right heart failure for up to 14 days.

08:04 EDT Paratek Pharmaceuticals announces first procurement of NUZYRA valued at $38M - Paratek Pharmaceuticals announced Paratek has delivered the first procurement of NUZYRA to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and BARDA has taken title of the product. This procurement is valued at approximately $38M and will be recognized in the Company's second quarter 2021 net sales of NUZYRA. "This is an important milestone and validation of the continued commitment by BARDA to our ongoing partnership," said Evan Loh, MD, CEO, Paratek. "Paratek continues to execute and deliver on all aspects of this unique public-private partnership with BARDA to develop NUZYRA for the treatment of pulmonary anthrax, a bioterrorism threat deemed critical to develop novel treatments to address for national security by BARDA. We believe that NUZYRA, with its once-daily oral and intravenous formulations, approved for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, is well-positioned to help address potential public health emergencies, including pandemics, at a time when antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat."

08:03 EDT Danimer Scientific receives U.S. patent for renewable, biodegradable marking wax - Danimer Scientific announced that it received a U.S. Patent for a renewable, biodegradable marking wax that serves as an alternative to petrochemical-based paraffin wax. The patent was jointly awarded to Danimer Scientific and its partner in developing the material, Rob Falken, an environmentally focused material developer based in San Diego. The material can be used to make plant-based, compostable crayons that reliably break down in industrial composting facilities and home compost bins, unlike traditional crayons made with non-renewable paraffin wax that can take decades to decompose.

08:02 EDT SAIC awarded U.S. Air Force contract to support DoD combatant commands - Science Applications International won a new contract with the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle and Management Center, Force Protection Division to help the U.S. Department of Defense Combatant Commands mitigate small unmanned aircraft systems threats and protect U.S. forces. Under the contract, SAIC will provide a broad range of integrated logistics support and sustainment services necessary to modernize defenses against the rapidly evolving threat of sUAS in the U.S., host nations, and global contingency locations. The single-award contract has a one-year base period of performance with three one-year options, and is worth up to $90M. SAIC currently supports the U.S. Army's counter-sUAS programs and will continue its work through this new Air Force Contract.

08:02 EDT Cullinan receives FDA clearance of IND application for CLN-619 - Cullinan Oncology announced that the Food and Drug Administration has cleared Cullinan MICA's IND application for CLN-619. CLN-619 is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody designed to promote an antitumor response by engaging both natural killer and T cells through the MICA/B-NKG2D axis, with therapeutic potential for both solid and liquid tumor indications. "The MICA/B-targeted antibody CLN-619 represents a novel approach to broadly engage both innate and adaptive immune cells to achieve tumor cell lysis through multiple mechanisms of action," stated Jennifer Michaelson, Cullinan's Chief Development Officer, Biologics. "Given that MICA/B ligands are expressed across a wide range of solid and liquid tumors and the strong biological rationale for combination with other therapies, successful clinical development of CLN-619 may demonstrate the potential to become a novel backbone agent for immuno-oncology therapy. We are excited to now focus our efforts on initiating a clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability and single-agent anti-tumor activity of CLN-619 in multiple solid tumor types. The trial design also includes a module to evaluate the safety, tolerability and anti-tumor activity of CLN-619 in combination with checkpoint inhibitor therapy."

07:51 EDT Sonim awarded design contracts by leading U.S. carrier - Sonim Technologies announced that the company has secured design win awards with a leading U.S. carrier for two of Sonim's next-generation ultra-rugged phones expected to be introduced in 2022 - an upgraded feature phone with enhanced PTT capabilities, and a smartphone with 5G capabilities. The carrier design win awards were made based on the design specifications, feature set and costs provided by Sonim as part of an RFP process.

07:50 EDT Jacobs selected by NICDC for project in South India - Jacobs has been selected by National Industrial Corridor Development, or NICDC, to deliver master planning and preliminary engineering design services for three greenfield industrial developments in South India. The projects, under the third phase of the NICDC's National Industrial Corridor Development Program, aim to reimagine industrial cities in India and create new global manufacturing and investment destinations with world-class road, rail, water, power and social infrastructure. The clusters, located at Palakkad in Kerala, and Ponneri and Dharmapuri-Salem in Tamil Nadu, will extend the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor to Kochi. Jacobs will also deliver the economic feasibility assessment to help shape environmentally and economically resilient developments long into the future.

07:42 EDT VBI Vaccines announces data from VBI-2902a COVID-19 vaccine candidate study - VBI Vaccines announced Phase 1 data from its Phase 1/2 trial of the first of its enveloped virus-like particle, or eVLP, COVID-19 vaccine candidates, VBI-2902a, in healthy adults age 18-54 years of age. The five microgram dose of VBI-2902a, which expresses an optimized SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen and is adjuvanted with aluminum phosphate, was generally well-tolerated and elicited potent immune responses significantly higher than those seen in human convalescent sera. The data establish a human proof-of-concept, at a low dose without the use of a next-generation adjuvant, demonstrating the potency of the eVLP particulate delivery platform against COVID-19. The ongoing adaptive Phase 1/2 clinical study is a randomized, observer-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The Phase 1 portion of the study assessed a 5microgram dose of VBI-2902a, adjuvanted with aluminum phosphate, in both one- and two-dose vaccination regimens, with the second immunization given 28 days after the first. 61 healthy, previously unvaccinated adults, age 18-54, were enrolled in the Phase 1 portion of the study. VBI-2902a was well-tolerated with no safety signals observed, with a safety profile consistent with that seen in prior eVLP clinical studies. VBI-2902a induced neutralization titers in 100% of participants, with a GMT of 329, 4.3x the GMT of the convalescent serum panel, after two doses. After two doses, VBI-2902a also induced antibody binding titers in 100% of participants, with a GMT of 4,047 units/mL, 5.0x the GMT of the convalescent serum panel. Data from this study also support the assessment of a one-dose booster regimen in seropositive individuals. Data was compared to a panel of 25 sera of convalescent patients who had contracted COVID-19, with mild-to-moderate illness. In Q3 it is expected that initiation of the next phase of the ongoing adaptive Phase 1/2 study, assessing one and two doses of VBI-2905a, VBI's eVLP candidate expressing the spike protein of the Beta COVID-19 variant. Expected initiation of the first clinical study of VBI's multivalent candidate, designed to increase breadth of protection against COVID-19 is scheduled for the first half of 2022.

07:39 EDT Flora Growth establishes long-term commitment to environmental sustainability - Flora Growth announced that its commitment to environmental sustainability will be represented across the Company's value chain. Flora Growth's sustainability initiatives will focus on the modern eco-conscious consumer looking for products made with cruelty-free, natural ingredients in sustainable, biodegradable packaging. Flora Growth considers its impact on the environment at the global level and acts at a local level to have a positive impact on the community and consumers. Flora Growth maximizes return on capital invested by utilizing the entire plant to reduce waste and sensibly maintain operational flexibility to scale production and capitalize on growing wholesale and retail demand for its premium product portfolio. Some recent initiatives include: Flora Growth follows organic cultivation practices which help prevent loss of topsoil, toxic runoff, water pollution and soil contamination. It also ensures consumers have access to all-outdoor organic cannabis. Flora Growth's skin care brand Mind Naturals, founded by former Miss Universe Paulina Vega, launched its Extra Hydrating Cream with cannabidiol in a 100% biodegradable container and plans to implement this effort across the product portfolio. Mambe, the primary brand behind Flora's KASA Wholefoods division, currently uses 100% recyclable glass bottles for their beverage products. Stardog Loungewear, the inaugural brand from Flora's Hemp Textiles division, caters to consumers looking for comfortable loungewear made from natural materials and who value quality over wasteful fast fashion. The products are hand-made in Colombia and fair trade, and utilize the whole of the cannabis plant to decrease waste.

07:37 EDT Oriental Culture Holding relocates principle executive officer to Hong Kong - Oriental Culture announced it has relocated its headquarters to Hong Kong, effective on June 28, 2021. The new office address is: Room 1402, Richmake Commercial Building, 198-200 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong. The company's main phone number has also been changed to 852-21103909. "The relocation of our headquarters to Hong Kong, an international business and financial center, meets our current strategic business plans and supports our efforts to streamline the operational efficiencies of the Company." said Mr. Lewis Wan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company.

07:36 EDT Probe Metals, Midland Exploration commence drilling at Gaudet-Fenelon project - Probe Metals in partnership with Midland Exploration is pleased to announce the start of a 4,500-metre drilling program to test new high-priority targets on the Gaudet-Fenelon project. This project is located less than 5 kilometres south of the Fenelon Gold project held by Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd and is a 50/50 joint venture between Probe and Midland. The Gaudet-Fenelon project covers more than 35 kilometres of favourable yet underexplored structures in the vicinity of the Lower Detour Fault, which runs immediately south of the Fenelon Gold deposit where Wallbridge is currently completing a resource estimate. This program is part of the 20,000 metres of drilling allocated for the Detour Quebec Project. This maiden drilling program being undertaken by Probe and Midland on the Gaudet-Fenelon joint venture project will test at least 15 high-priority targets recently identified following geophysical IP surveys that are coincident with biogeochemical anomalies identified in a regional survey completed in 2021. A total of 100 kilometres of IP were completed and 1055 biogeochemistry samples were collected in 2020 and 2021, in preparation for the drilling program. To maximize the chances of new discoveries, targets were prioritized by combining favourable structures interpreted from geophysical surveys, high-chargeability axes, and biogeochemical anomalies. As a result of this process, a total of 15 high-priority targets were selected for this drilling program, slated to begin in July 2021.

07:36 EDT Rigel Pharmaceuticals' fostamatinib selected for NIH ACTIV-4 COVID-19 trial - Rigel Pharmaceuticals announced that fostamatinib, the company's novel oral spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been selected for a National Institutes of Health ACTIV-4 trial in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The ACTIV-4 Host Tissue trial is a large, multi-site trial funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH and coordinated by Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The trial is evaluating treatments, including fostamatinib, that aim to protect and heal host tissues in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

07:34 EDT Jiuzi Holdings announces cooperation agreement with Hemei Auto Holdings - Jiuzi Holdings announces the Company's operating entity Zhejiang Jiuzi New Energy Vehicles entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Hemei Auto Holdings on June 2 in Yuyao, of China's Ningbo City. Pursuant to the agreement, Jiuzi New Energy and Hemei Auto will strive to seek bilateral gains via resources sharing to jointly develop smart logistics system and new city logistics business models. Hemei Auto will first provide to Jiuzi New Energy 2,000 intelligent light-weight delivery vehicles, which will be sold through Jiuzi New Energy's stores in the Zhejiang province.

07:33 EDT Stem Holdings CEO provides shareholder update during virtual road show - Stem Holdings, Inc. d/b/a Driven by Stem, announced the availability of its virtual road show presentation on ChannelChek. During the presentation CEO, Adam Berk, provides shareholders with an update on its vertical integration Farm-to-Home strategy, as well as the Company's organic and acquisitive growth plans.

07:32 EDT Aehr Test Systems receives $1.4M in orders for Full-Wafer WaferPak contactors - Aehr Test Systems announced it has received orders totaling $1.4M for WaferPak Contactors from its lead silicon carbide customer for production test and burn-in of the customer's line of silicon carbide devices. The orders include additional WaferPaks to meet production capacity of previously designed and qualified WaferPaks as well as another new silicon carbide design win. This customer is a leading Fortune 500 supplier of semiconductor devices with a significant customer base in the automotive semiconductor market, and is using Aehr's FOX-XP system's unique test and burn-in capabilities to ensure the highest device quality for high volume production burn-in and infant mortality screening of silicon carbide devices at wafer level for electric vehicle power modules. Gayn Erickson, President and CEO of Aehr Test Systems, commented, "These orders from our lead silicon carbide customer for our proprietary WaferPak Contactors accompanies the order we announced on June 1st for an additional FOX-XP production test system and reflects their increased high volume production capacity needs. This FOX-XP system is configured to test eighteen silicon carbide wafers in parallel while contacting and testing 100% of the devices on each wafer. These WaferPaks enable the FOX-XP system to make electrical and thermal contact to the silicon carbide wafer and not only test and burn-in 100% of the devices on each wafer in parallel, but also accurately monitor the temperature of each WaferPak to ensure that the wafer under test is getting to the correct burn-in conditions as well as apply and monitor the electrical conditions on each and every device independently."

07:22 EDT JFrog to acquire Vdoo for $300M in cash, stock - JFrog announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Vdoo Connected Trust in a cash and stock-based deal valued at approximately $300M. The company said, as part of the JFrog Platform, Vdoo will accelerate JFrog's vision of becoming the company behind all software updates and creating a world of Liquid Software by expanding its end-to-end DevOps Platform offering, providing holistic security from the development environment all the way to edges, IoT and devices. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, JFrog has agreed to acquire Vdoo for a total purchase price of $300M subject to adjustments as set forth in the purchase agreement for cash free debt free basis, to be paid in a combination of cash and share consideration. Of the purchase price, approximately $90M will be paid with JFrog ordinary shares based on the average close price of the shares during the last 15 trading days.

07:18 EDT Atlas Technical Consultants added to Russell 3000 Index - Atlas Technical Consultants has been added as a member of the broad-market Russell 3000 Index, effective after the US market opens today and as part of the 2021 Russell indexes reconstitution.

07:17 EDT Tilray urges stockholders to support key initiatives - Tilray distributed a proxy statement, which included an open letter from Irwin D. Simon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tilray, to its stockholders seeking support for several important proposals to be voted on at the Special Meeting of Tilray stockholders, scheduled for July 29. Tilray is seeking to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock, so that it may use its stock to acquire and finance attractive businesses that would help Tilray grow and create value for stockholders. Tilray is also asking stockholders to approve certain amendments and modifications to Tilray's organizational documents to provide for increased shareholder rights.

07:15 EDT Comscore partners with data intelligence platform Retargetly - Comscore announced it has partnered with Retargetly, the data intelligence platform, to deliver the first cookieless targeting solution specifically tailored for the Latin America region. The agreement is regional, with a focus on the main countries in the region: Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil, and marks the first solution of its kind in the region. The solution uses artificial intelligence to understand which contexts are most akin to Retargetly audiences and allows to reach those audiences without the need for cookies or other user-tracking IDs.

07:14 EDT New Pacific Metals starts initial discovery drilling at Carangas Silver Project - New Pacific Metals announced that the company has commenced an initial discovery drill program at the Carangas Silver Project, Oruro Department, Bolivia. The company has identified near-surface bulk-tonnage and high-grade vein-hosted silver-rich polymetallic targets centered on and adjacent to the historically exploited West and East Dome areas. Phase I of the 5,000-metre drill program will be comprised of approximately 20 drillholes for initial 3,000 meters to be completed over an eight-week period. Contingent on the success of initial results, follow-up drilling will complete the budgeted 5,000-metre program. The Carangas exploration camp and support facilities are now fully operational and the Project's Bolivian drill contractor has commenced drilling with a single diamond drill rig. Drill core samples will be sent to ALS Global in Oruro, Bolivia for preparation and to ALS Global in Lima, Peru for geochemical analysis. The Company will announce results as they become available.

07:13 EDT Yunji launches new "Yunji 99" special sales portal on mobile app - Yunji announced that it has officially launched its "Yunji 99" special sales portal on its Yunji App. Prominently featured on the Yunji app's main page, the portal funnels the platform's core traffic to a refined selection of megahit products across all categories. The addition of this section reinforces the company's strategy of cultivating megahit product sales by connecting Yunji members to quality items with viral appeal. The "Yunji 99" special sale portal will feature a curated selection of up to 99 products each day. Products will be selected based on sales volume and customer ratings, highlighting items with cumulative sales of more than 100,000 units and top selling products from each category. Of the selection, the top ten best sellers will be highly endorsed. Providing such high-quality brands at affordable prices enhances the Yunji shopping experience and encourages consumer orders. The company will continue to optimize its merchandise selection and utilize data-driven insights to enhance the Yunji shopping experience and provide its users a true one-stop solution.

07:12 EDT Oasis Petroleum to use proceeds from offering to redeem common units - Oasis Petroleum (OAS) announced that upon the closing of the offering by Oasis Midstream Partners (OMP) of 3,623,188 of its common units at a price of $24 per unit, OMP would use the proceeds of the Offering to redeem an equal number of common units held by a subsidiary Oasis. The closing of the Offering and the Redemption are scheduled to occur today, June 29. The Offering was designed to improve OMP's liquidity while highlighting the value of Oasis's ownership. OMP remains a valuable and important asset to Oasis. In connection with the Offering, the Redemption will reduce Oasis's approximate ownership from 77.1% to 69.6%.

07:12 EDT Canadian Solar awarded 86 MWp in Japan's 8th solar energy auction - Canadian Solar announced that it has been awarded 86 MWp in Japan's 8th solar energy auction, accounting for the largest share of the total capacity auctioned. The total of 86 MWp includes three projects located in the Tohoku region: an 80 MWp project in Miyagi Prefecture, a 3 MWp project located in Fukushima Prefecture and a 3 MWp project located in Aomori Prefecture. Once constructed, these projects will enter into a 20-year power purchase agreement with Tohoku Power Electric Company at a weighted average rate of Y10.77 ($0.098) per kWh. The company expects the projects to reach commercial operation between the years of 2024 and 2026.

07:10 EDT Zealand Pharma to present data on glepaglutide at CIRTA - Zealand Pharma announced it will present three posters at the upcoming 17th Congress of the Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplantation Association, or CIRTA, which is being held both virtually and in Auckland, New Zealand June 30-July 2, 2021. The company's research presented at CIRTA 2021 will feature multiple posters related to glepaglutide for the treatment of short bowel syndrome. "We look forward to presenting our research at CIRTA 2021, including data on glepaglutide that suggest dose adjustment may not be necessary when treating SBS patients with renal impairment," said Adam Steensberg, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Zealand Pharma. "Renal impairment is a common comorbidity in SBS patients that often necessitates adjusting treatment regimen. However, we found no difference in the pharmacokinetic profile of glepaglutide in patients with severe renal impairment, or end stage renal disease, compared to healthy subjects, suggesting that dosage may not need to be adjusted for SBS patients with renal impairment."

07:10 EDT Southwest Gas unit to acquire Riggs Distler for $855M in cash - Southwest Gas Holdings announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centuri Group, has entered into a definitive agreement under which Centuri will acquire Riggs Distler & Company and its affiliates. Founded in 1909, and based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Riggs Distler has extensive relationships and long-term Master Service Agreements with nearly all of the major investor-owned electric utilities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions and provides unionized installation and repair services to its utility customers. Under the terms of the transaction, Centuri will acquire a 100% ownership interest in Riggs Distler for $855M in cash subject to customary adjustments, including working capital. The all-cash purchase is expected to be fully funded by new Centuri debt. The transaction, which is expected to be accretive to SWX earnings in the first full year following its completion, will broaden Centuri's electric services platform to include 5G telecom and renewables services, where Riggs Distler helps utility customers design, build and integrate essential decarbonization solutions including deployment of smart meters, electric vehicle charging stations, battery storage and microgrids. The acquisition will expand Centuri's operating footprint into new markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region and allow it to serve additional customers with an increased array of complementary capabilities and partner with those customers on their long-term programmatic infrastructure spending plans. The transaction also will enhance Centuri's utility service offerings for existing customers, further positioning the combined companies for future growth. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to Hart Scott Rodino clearance and other customary closing conditions. Following the close of the transaction, Riggs Distler will operate as a standalone subsidiary of Centuri within its Power Group and will continue to be led by Zemaitatis and its current senior leadership team.

07:09 EDT Canadian Pacific urges STB to reject CN-KCS' voting trust proposal - Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP) has filed a reply to Canadian National (CNI) and Kansas City Southern's (KSU) joint motion for voting trust approval with the Surface Transportation Board. In urging the STB to reject CN and KCS' voting trust application, CP detailed the significant public interest harm associated with a voting trust and potential CN-KCS combination: "Hundreds of shippers, governments and other stakeholders across North America have written the Surface Transportation Board to warn about the potential... A CN-KCS combination would reduce freight transportation service options for over 340 shippers across the United States. If CN and KCS enter into trust, CN would immediately take on over $19 billion of additional debt, creating significant risks to its business, employees and the future of North American rail infrastructure. Allowing CN to use a voting trust to acquire KCS would create immediate pressure for further downstream consolidation in the railroad industry. Approval of a CN voting trust eliminates the potential for the CP-KCS combination to create a new north-south rail artery that will bring new competitive options to shippers in America's Heartland, between Canada and the U.S. Gulf Coast."

07:08 EDT Microbot Medical secures patent allowance in China - Microbot Medical announced that China has become the latest global jurisdiction to issue a Notice of Allowance for the Company's innovative 'One & Done' guidewire technology, joining the European Union along with those received earlier this year from Japan and Israel. Globally, the company now holds a total of 44 patents issued/allowed and 24 pending patent applications. "This latest patent allowance will expand protection of our One & Done technology, while we pursue solutions that provide better patient outcomes and healthcare economics," commented Harel Gadot, CEO, President and Chairman. "We secured three patents in the last year that we believe have strengthened our place in large addressable markets, and we intend to continue to strategically pursue more jurisdictions to create further barriers for entry to fortify our competitive advantage."

07:07 EDT Canadian Pacific urges STB to reject CN-KCS' voting trust proposal

07:07 EDT Arbutus Biopharma, Antios Therapeutics announce clinical collaboration - Antios Therapeutics and Arbutus Biopharma announced that the companies have entered into a clinical collaboration agreement to evaluate a triple combination of Arbutus' proprietary GalNAc delivered RNAi therapeutic, AB-729, Antios' proprietary active site polymerase inhibitor nucleotide, ATI-2173, and Viread, for the treatment of subjects with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. ATI-2173, AB-729 and Viread will be evaluated in combination in a single cohort in the ongoing Antios Phase 2a ANTT201 clinical trial. The multi-center, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose cohort will evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and antiviral activity of the combination of ATI-2173, AB-729 and Viread. This cohort is expected to initiate in the second half of 2021. Antios will be responsible for the costs of adding this single cohort to its ongoing clinical trial. Arbutus will be responsible for the manufacture and supply of AB-729.

07:06 EDT Maverix Metals acquires royalty portfolio from Pan American Silver - Maverix Metals (MMX) is pleased to announce the acquisition of a portfolio of precious metals royalties from Pan American Silver (PAAS). Maverix has acquired a portfolio of six royalties from Pan American Silver in exchange for 491,071 common shares of Maverix and a cash payment of $7M.

07:05 EDT Orchard Therapeutics announces regulatory, clinical updates on lead programs - Orchard Therapeutics announced several program updates for the company's portfolio of approved and investigational hematopoietic stem cell gene therapies. These updates follow recent regulatory interactions for multiple programs within the company's clinical-stage pipeline targeting metachromatic leukodystrophy, mucopolysaccharidosis type I Hurler syndrome, and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Orchard recently held a meeting with the FDA and has received written feedback concerning the clinical package expected to support a Biologics License Application for OTL-200 in MLD. Based on the feedback from this meeting and previous interactions, the company is now preparing for a BLA filing for OTL-200 in pre-symptomatic, early-onset MLD in late 2022 or early 2023. This approach and timeline are subject to the successful completion of the remaining regulatory activities in advance of an expected pre-BLA meeting with FDA, including CMC interactions and demonstration of the natural history data as a representative comparator for the treated population. Additional Regulatory and Clinical Updates. OTL-203 for MPS-IH: Orchard recently received feedback on the design of a global registrational trial for OTL-203 following a parallel scientific advice meeting with FDA and the European Medicines Agency. The interaction offered guidance on the proposed clinical trial protocol from each of the regulatory agencies, including elements of the trial design, comparator arm and recommended endpoints. Orchard will be incorporating this feedback in a revised global clinical study protocol, with study initiation now expected to occur in 2022. OTL-201 for MPS-IIIA: The proof-of-concept trial for OTL-201 has met its recruitment goal with the enrollment of a fifth patient. Interim data from this study is expected to be presented at medical meetings in the second half of 2021 and 2022. OTL-103 for WAS: Orchard is updating its guidance regarding the Marketing Authorization Application and BLA submissions for the OTL-103 program in WAS. The company now expects the MAA submission timeline to shift from 2021 to 2022. Orchard will provide updated guidance regarding the timing of a BLA submission, previously expected in 2022, following further regulatory interactions with FDA.

07:02 EDT 2U to acquire substantially all of edX's assets for $800M in cash - 2U and edX, an online learning platform and education marketplace, announced they have entered into a definitive agreement to join together in an industry-redefining combination that will help power the digital transformation of higher education, expand access and affordability, and usher in a new era of online learning. 2U will acquire substantially all of edX's assets for $800M in cash. Together, 2U and edX will reach over 50M learners globally, serve more than 230 partners, and offer over 3,500 digital programs on the world's most comprehensive free-to-degree online education marketplace. The acquisition has been approved by 2U and edX's boards of directors and the boards of MIT and Harvard. The transaction is expected to close within approximately 120 days, subject to customary closing conditions and certain regulatory and governmental approvals. edX's team members are the foundation of the company's success to date, and 2U plans to retain all current edX employees that do not remain with the nonprofit continuing under Harvard and MIT's leadership. edX founder and CEO Anant Agarwal will continue to be deeply involved in the delivery of the edX mission and will determine his future role in the coming months.

07:02 EDT Trillium Therapeutics doses first patient in Phase 1b/2 study of TTI-621 - Trillium Therapeutics announced that it has dosed the first patient with TTI-621, an investigational checkpoint inhibitor of the innate immune system, in combination with doxorubicin in a Phase 1b/2 study in leiomyosarcoma. TTI-621 binds CD47, an innate immune checkpoint that binds SIRPalpha and delivers a "don't eat me" signal to suppress macrophage phagocytosis. Overexpression of CD47 can allow tumor cells to escape immune surveillance. TTI-621 is a fusion protein consisting of the CD47 binding domain of SIRPalpha linked to the Fc region of human IgG1. It is designed to enhance phagocytosis and tumor cell destruction by blocking the CD47-SIRPalpha interaction and delivering an activating signal to macrophages. The IgG1 backbone can also activate NK cell-mediated anti-tumor activity. Published preclinical studies suggest that anti-CD47 agents may exhibit anti-tumor activity against LMS cells.

06:59 EDT DiaMedica Therapeutics reports results from Phase 2 REDUX trial of DM199 - DiaMedica Therapeutics announced positive interim results from its Phase 2 REDUX trial of DM199 in chronic kidney disease, or CKD. The REDUX trial is studying the treatment of CKD in three populations with rare or high unmet medical needs: African Americans, non-diabetic and hypertensive; IgA Nephropathy; and diabetic kidney disease. All participants have proteinuria and an eGFR between 30-90 ml/min/1.73m. DM199 is demonstrating clinically meaningful improvements in kidney function in Cohorts 1 and 2, as measured by simultaneously stabilizing estimated glomerular filtration rate and decreasing urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). In participants who were hypertensive, DM199 also reduced blood pressure by clinically significant levels.

06:47 EDT Merck's KEYTRUDA receives approval from EC for new combination with chemotherapy - Merck, known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, announced that the European Commission, or EC, has approved KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with platinum- and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic carcinoma of the esophagus or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative gastroesophageal junction, or GEJ, adenocarcinoma in adults whose tumors express PD-L1. This approval is based on results from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-590 trial, in which KEYTRUDA plus 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin demonstrated statistically significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival compared with 5-FU and cisplatin alone in all pre-specified study populations.

06:41 EDT SoFi Technologies up over 4% on Reddit WSB focus - Shares of SoFi Technologies are up another 4.4% in early pre-market trading at $20.10 following yesterday's 4.1% advance. The stock is the highest ranked name in terms of WSB board message volume over the past 24 hours.

06:38 EDT System1 to go public via merger with Trebia Acquisition Corp - System1, an omnichannel customer acquisition platform, and Trebia Acquisition Corp. (TREB) announced a definitive agreement for a business combination that would result in System1 becoming a publicly listed company. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will be named System1 Group and is expected to be listed on the NYSE and trade under the new ticker symbol "SST". The company's RAMP platform has enabled it to scale its business to a projected $120 million of billings-based Adjusted EBITDA this year. Between 2018 and 2022, System1 expects to grow its billings-based revenue at a 31% compound annual growth rate, with billings-based EBITDA growth slightly faster at 32% over the same time period. The business grew during the pandemic despite the significant disruption in the online advertising industry as a whole. The transaction is anticipated to provide approximately $175M of cash, assuming no redemptions by TREB's public stockholders. These proceeds will be used to continue to fund the company's growth initiatives, invest in the company's RAMP platform, and for acquisitions. The $518M of cash held in Trebia's trust account is backstopped by the $200M equity commitment from Cannae (CNNE), together with $218M of the BofA Securities debt commitment, which will be utilized as a backstop for potential future redemptions by Trebia public stockholders. This in conjunction with the potential for management to roll additional equity creates a 100% backstop for potential future redemptions. Holders of a significant majority of equity of System1 and Protected.net have committed to roll their equity into the combined company. The post-money enterprise value of the combined company is $1.4B at the $10.00 per share price. Michael Blend, System1's Co-Founder & CEO, and Tridivesh Kidambi, its CFO, will continue in their current roles along with the rest of the System1 executive team. Michael Blend will remain Chairman of the Board of System1 and will be joined by William P. Foley, II and Frank R. Martire, Jr. after the transaction closes. The company expects to add up to 4 more directors in the upcoming months. The boards of directors of both System1 and TREB have approved the proposed transaction, subject to, among other things, the approval by TREB's stockholders and satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions stated in the definitive documentation. The transaction is expected to close in Q4.

06:34 EDT Ault Global Holdings subsidiary receives authorization for purchase order - Ault Global Holdings announced that its subsidiary, Coolisys Technologies, has through its subsidiary Digital Power Corporation, or DPC, received authorization to expedite a purchase order for $1.3M to provide comprehensive electrical and electronic systems to power radio and other classified instruments installed and operated in customized military multi-mission tactical vehicles. This customer purchase order from a defense contractor was originally to be fulfilled over a three-year period but has now been authorized to be completed this year. These vehicles are designed to serve special forces units operating in an urban warfare environment and close-quarters combat. They are designed to be airmobile, capable off-road vehicles that can handle extreme terrain in a general reconnaissance role. The solution provided by Coolisys will include an electrical system featuring electronic hardware embedded with management software that is approved and qualified by a Foreign Military Teleprocessing Branch, after extensive testing. A defense contractor specializing in customized off-road vehicles will be implementing Coolisys' solution in the multi-mission vehicles.

06:31 EDT Cerevel Therapeutics announces results from Phase 1b clinical trial of CVL-231 - Cerevel Therapeutics announced positive results from its Phase 1b clinical trial of CVL-231, a novel muscarinic M4-selective Positive Allosteric Modulator, or PAM, in adult patients with schizophrenia. CVL-231 was generally well-tolerated, and discontinuation rates were similar between CVL-231 and placebo in the six weeks of dosing, at 22% each. Importantly, both the 30 mg once-daily and the 20 mg twice-daily doses demonstrated clinically meaningful antipsychotic activity with an overall well-tolerated profile compared with placebo. The CVL-231 30 mg once-daily dose resulted in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful mean reduction from baseline of 19.5 points in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, or PANSS, total score and a mean reduction of 12.7 points in PANSS versus the placebo group. The CVL-231 20 mg twice-daily dose resulted in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful mean reduction from baseline of 17.9 points in PANSS total score and a mean reduction of 11.1 points in PANSS total score compared with the placebo group (p=0.047). These results were further supported by clinically meaningful reductions in the PANSS Positive and PANSS Negative subscales.

06:21 EDT Deutsche Boerse to buy two-thirds stake in Crypto Finance - Deutsche Borse Group has acquired a majority stake in Crypto Finance AG, a financial group under consolidated FINMA supervision that offers trading, storage, and investment in digital assets to institutional and professional clients. Through the acquisition, Deutsche Borse further extends its offering for digital assets by providing a direct entry point for investments, including post-trade services such as custody, it said in a statement. With its investment in a moderate three-digit CHF million range, Deutsche Borse will hold a two thirds majority in the 2017 founded fintech. The remaining shares stay with existing investors, including CEO and founder Jan Brzezek, who will continue to lead and manage the business. The parties expect to close the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2021, following regulatory approvals. Further terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Reference Link

06:19 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment discloses 82K shares of Coinbase bought yesterday

06:11 EDT Gravity announces Ragnarok Origin officially launched in Japan - Gravity (GRVY) announced that Ragnarok Origin, a MMORPG mobile game, has been officially launched in Japan on June 28. Ragnarok Origin ranked as the first in free download in Apple (AAPL) App Store and Google (GOOG, GOOGL) Play in Japan on the first day of its release.

06:08 EDT High Tide opens new stores Ontario and Alberta - High Tide announced that its Canna Cabana stores located at 949 Fort William Rd. in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and 1328 Mayor Magrath Dr. S in Lethbridge, Alberta, have begun selling recreational cannabis products for adult use. The new stores bring High Tide's total branded retail locations selling recreational cannabis products and consumption accessories across Canada to 89. In line with the Company's strategy of driving organic growth in profitable neighbourhoods, the new stores are located off high traffic arterial roadways and are near several popular restaurant chains and big box stores. The new Thunder Bay store is also High Tide's first location in northwestern Ontario's largest city with a population of over 110,000.

06:06 EDT FS Development Corp. II, Pardes Biosciences announce merger agreement - Pardes Biosciences, an early-stage biopharmaceutical company, and FS Development Corp. II announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, the company will be renamed "Pardes Biosciences" and will be led by Uri A. Lopatin, M.D., CEO of Pardes. The combined company's common stock is expected to be listed on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "PRDS." A group of premier institutional and strategic healthcare investors has committed to participate in the transaction through a common stock PIPE of approximately $75M at $10.00 per share. Institutional investors in the PIPE include lead investors Foresite Capital, an affiliate of FS Development Corp. II, RA Capital Management, Frazier Life Sciences, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., GMF Capital LLC, EcoR1 Capital, Monashee Investment Management LLC, as well as strategic investor, Gilead Sciences. Assuming no redemptions are exercised, the combined company is expected to receive total proceeds of approximately $276M at the closing of the transaction, inclusive of the FS Development Corp II trust account balance. Proceeds from the transaction are expected to provide Pardes Biosciences with the capital needed to progress its lead product candidate, PBI-0451, and to advance additional early discovery programs that leverage the company's tunable, reversible covalent chemistry platform. Pending regulatory approval, the company anticipates initiating clinical trials later this year and plans to study PBI-0451 for prophylaxis and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Post-closing of the transaction, Dr. Tananbaum, who is on the boards of directors of FS Development Corp. II and Pardes, will be joined by the other board members from Pardes to form the Combined Company's five-person board of directors, which may be increased up to seven prior to closing.

06:05 EDT United Airlines adds 270 Boeing, Airbus aircraft as part of 'United Next' plan - United Airlines (UAL) announced the purchase of 270 new Boeing (BA) and Airbus (EADSY) aircraft - the largest combined order in the airline's history and the biggest by an individual carrier in the last decade. The "United Next" plan is expected to increase the total number of available seats per domestic departure by almost 30%, lower carbon emissions per seat and create tens of thousands of jobs by 2026. When combined with the current order book, United expects to introduce more than 500 new, narrow-body aircraft: 40 in 2022, 138 in 2023 and as many as 350 in 2024 and beyond. That means in 2023 alone, United's fleet will, on average, add about one new narrow-body aircraft every three days. United's new aircraft order - 50 737 MAX 8s, 150 737 MAX 10s and 70 A321neos - will come with a new interior that includes seat-back entertainment in every seat, larger overhead bins for every passenger's carry-on bag and in-flight WiFi. The airline expects to fly the first 737 MAX 8 with the new interior this summer and to begin flying the 737 MAX 10 and the Airbus A321neo in early 2023. United intends to upgrade 100% of its mainline, narrow-body fleet to these standards by 2025, a retrofit project that, when combined with the number of new aircraft joining the fleet, means United will deliver its inflight experience to tens of millions of customers. This order will also boost United's total number of mainline daily departures and available seats across the airline's North American network, as well as the number of premium seats, both United First and Economy Plus. Specifically, United expects it will have on average 53 premium seats per North American departure by 2026, an increase of about 75% over 2019, and more than any competitor in North America.

06:01 EDT PLBY Group to acquire Honey Birdette for $333M in cash and stock - PLBY Group announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Honey Birdette, the fast-growing, luxury lingerie and lifestyle brand. The female-founded, Australia-based business was established in 2006 and has significantly grown its consumer reach and operations to North America and Europe. The acquisition of Honey Birdette will expand PLBY Group's brand portfolio with a new high-end franchise, and will provide PLBY Group with the product design, sourcing and direct-to-consumer capabilities that the company will leverage to accelerate the growth of its core apparel and sexual wellness businesses. The company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the equity of Honey Birdette for a purchase price of approximately $333M in cash and stock. Honey Birdette expects approximately $73M of revenue and approximately $28 million of EBITDA for the twelve months ending June 30, 2021, representing growth of over 40% and over 95%, respectively, over the prior year period. The acquisition will support the company's focus on expanding its leadership in the sexual wellness category and enhance its shared sourcing and product design capabilities. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter.

05:26 EDT H.B. Fuller enters distribution agreement with JACPL - H.B. Fuller has announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Jubilant Agri and Consumer Products Limited, or JACPL, a 100% subsidiary of Jubilant Industries, to address the growing demand for adhesive applications in the B2B woodworking segment. Headquartered in greater Noida, India, and encompassing three major businesses, JACPL will now serve as a national channel partner of H.B. Fuller. The company said this strategic collaboration will help expand the reach of H.B. Fuller's high-performing adhesive solutions through a wide range of technologies, including water-based, hot melt moisture cures, and polyurethanes to better meet customers' specific adhesion and sustainability requirements, while also offering access to global specialists and local expertise, service and technical support.

05:22 EDT NXP Semiconductors announces collaboration with Jio Platforms - NXP Semiconductors and Jio Platforms, a subsidiary of RIL, announced a collaboration to implement a 5G NR O-RAN small cell solution that incorporates NXP's Layerscape family of multicore processors. The combined solution will power new RAN networks that will deliver performance, enabling a wide range of 5G use cases for broadband access as well as Industry 4.0 and IoT applications, including tele-medicine, tele-education, augmented/virtual reality, drone-based agricultural monitoring and more. Jio Platforms is a technology company that delivers 4G and 5G solutions and is the holding company of Jio, the largest mobile network operator in India and the third largest mobile network operator in the world.

05:18 EDT CoreLogic extends collaboration with Xceedance - CoreLogic announced an extended collaboration with Xceedance, a provider of insurance consulting, managed services and technology. Under this expanded arrangement, re/insurers and brokers will now gain access to CoreLogic's complete suite of 180+ catastrophe models via transactional, on-demand catastrophe modelling services performed by Xceedance.

05:15 EDT Collins finishes design review, starts electric motor fabrication for Airlander - Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies business, announced it has completed critical design review and started fabrication of a 500 kilowatt electric motor for the Airlander 10 aircraft under a partnership with Hybrid Air Vehicles and the University of Nottingham. Flight qualification testing of the motor is expected to occur in 2023, followed by hybrid-electric operation of Airlander 10 by 2025 and all-electric, zero-emission operation by 2030. To achieve these improvements, the aircraft's four fuel-burning engines will be replaced by Collins' 500 kilowatt electric motors-beginning with the two forward engines in 2025 and the two rear engines in 2030. Collins is designing and testing the motor at its Electronic Controls and Motor Systems Center of Excellence in Solihull, U.K., where it recently invested $18M to expand the campus and add power electronics and motor development capabilities.

05:07 EDT China Finance Online receives noncompliance notice from Nasdaq - China Finance Online announced that it has received a notice from Nasdaq stating that as reported in the company's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ending December 31, 2020, the company is no longer in compliance with the $10M minimum stockholders' equity requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450. Further, the company did not meet the continued listing requirements under alternative standards relating to the market value of listed securities or the total assets or total revenue of the company. As of December 31, 2020, the Company's shareholders' equity was approximately $4.6M. This notification has no immediate effect on the Company's listing or on the trading of the Company's ADSs.