Stockwinners Market Radar for July 06, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:15 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 34.6K shares of Netflix today

20:14 EDT Netflix Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 34.6K shares of Netflix today

20:12 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 68.1K shares of DocuSign today

19:19 EDT Allegro MicroSystems CEO sells 160K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Allegro MicroSystems disclosed that its CEO Ravi Vig sold 160K shares of common stock on July 1st in a total transaction size of $4.42M, reducing his stake by about 5%.

19:15 EDT Luminar director Simoncini buys 22.7K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Luminar disclosed that its board member Matthew Simoncini bought 22.7K shares of common stock on July 1st in a total transaction size of $500K, boosting his stake by about 250%.

19:04 EDT LGI Homes reports 997 home closings in June - LGI Homes announced it closed 997 homes in June 2021, up from 760 homes closed in June 2020, representing year-over-year growth of 31.2%. In addition, the Company announced record-breaking quarterly closings of 2,856 during the second quarter of 2021 compared to 2,005 closings in the second quarter of 2020, a 42.4% increase year-over-year. The Company finished the first six months of 2021 with a total of 5,417 closings, a 41.1% increase over 3,840 closings during the first six months of 2020. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had 106 active selling communities.

19:01 EDT China Renaissance expands post-trade processing partnership with Broadridge - China Renaissance has expanded its post-trade processing relationship with Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. via Stock Connect. "We have been impressed by the resilience of Broadridge's systems and, as a technology partner, Broadridge understands and supports multiple markets, including north and southbound trading across asset classes," said Andy Maynard, Managing Director, Global Head of Equities, China Renaissance. "We value our long-term relationship with Broadridge. Their experience with next-generation technologies for clearing and settlement will be beneficial for us to leverage as HKEX's Stock Connect evolves, and the relationship allows us to be ahead of the curve for our clients."

17:05 EDT Asur reports June traffic down 5.1% vs. 2019 - Asur announced that that total passenger traffic for June reached a total of 4.6M passengers, 5.1% below the 4.8M passengers reported June 2019 which reflects a lower demand for travel in general and restrictions in certain countries of the world to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. When compared to pre-pandemic levels of June 2019, passenger traffic declined 7.1% in Mexico and 15.6% in Colombia, while traffic in Puerto Rico increased 13.7%. This announcement reflects comparisons between June 1 through June 30 from June 1 through June 30, 2020 and June 1 through June 30, 2019. Transit and general aviation passengers are excluded for Mexico and Colombia.

16:43 EDT Immersion jumps 17% to $9.62 after preliminary Q2 results

16:34 EDT XBiotech announces special dividend of $2.50 per share - XBiotech's board has declared an extraordinary cash dividend of approximately $2.50 per share, or up to an aggregate of $75M, to holders of its common stock. This one-time, special dividend will be payable on July 23, 2021 to stockholders of record at the close of business on July 16, 2021.

16:33 EDT Parsons completes acquisition of BlackHorse Solutions - Parsons Corporation announced that it completed the previously announced acquisition of BlackHorse Solutions in an accretive deal valued at $203M. Parsons said the BlackHorse transaction is consistent with its strategy of completing accretive acquisitions of companies with revenue growth and adjusted EBITDA margins exceeding 10% while adding critical intellectual property that strengthens the company's existing portfolio.

16:31 EDT Steel Dynamics authorizes additional buyback of up to $1B - Steel Dynamics announced that the company's board of directors authorized an additional share repurchase program of up to $1B of the company's common stock. The authorization is effective immediately and is additive to the previous $500M program, which had $51M remaining authorized and available for repurchase at June 30, 2021. Since 2016, the company has repurchased $1.6B of its common stock, representing 19% of its outstanding shares, and has paid cash dividends of over $950M through June 30, 2021. "These actions reflect the Board's and senior leadership's continued confidence in our ability to consistently generate industry-leading strong free cash flow throughout all market environments," stated Mark D. Millett, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are committed to delivering shareholder value creation through profitable growth. We believe the strength of our operating model, capital structure, and liquidity profile provide us the unique ability to strategically grow, while also returning value to our shareholders and remaining committed to maintaining our investment grade credit ratings."

16:26 EDT iStar to expore market interest for its net lease assets - iStar "announced that it intends to explore market interest for possible sales of its net lease assets. The company has engaged Eastdil Secured as an advisor for this process. There can be no assurance as to whether iStar will sell some, all or none of its net lease assets, or as to the timing and terms of any sales. iStar's net lease portfolio includes assets that it owns directly and through joint ventures. The aggregate portfolio comprises 19 million square feet of institutional quality office, entertainment, and industrial properties located throughout the country."

16:17 EDT Eloxx Pharmaceuticals provides enrollment update for ELX-02 trial - Eloxx Pharmaceuticals provided an update on enrollment for the ongoing global Phase 2 clinical program for ELX-02 for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, or CF, in patients with at least one G542X allele. Based on enrollment to date, Eloxx expects to present data from the first four treatment arms of the study in Q4. As of the end of June, Eloxx has enrolled a sufficient number of patients to assess biological activity of ELX-02. Eloxx will continue to enroll additional patients to support Phase 3 clinical trial planning. The Phase 2 trials are designed to evaluate the safety of ELX-02 and assess its biological activity.

16:16 EDT E2open joins Russell 2000, Russell 3000 Indexes - E2open Parent Holdings has been added as a member of the broad-market Russell 3000 Index, effective June 28, 2021. Membership in the Russell 3000 Index, which remains in place for one year, means automatic inclusion in the small-cap Russell 2000 Index as well as the appropriate growth and value style indexes.

16:11 EDT BJ's Restaurants CEO Gregory Trojan to retire, CFO Gregory Levin to succeed - BJ's Restaurants announced that CEO Gregory Trojan will retire effective September 1, at which time current president and CFO, Gregory Levin, will be appointed president and CEO. Trojan is expected to continue to serve on the company's board of directors following his retirement, and Levin is expected to be appointed to the board of directors. In addition, the company's VP of strategy and financial planning and analysis, Thomas Houdek, will be appointed senior VP and CFO, also effective September 1. Greg Levin has served as the company's president, CFO and Secretary since January 2018 and as the company's CFO since joining BJ's in September 2005.

16:07 EDT Opiant: nasal nalmefene achieved higher plasma concentrations than injection - Opiant Pharmaceuticals announced positive top-line results from its confirmatory pharmacokinetic study for OPNT003, nasal nalmefene, for opioid overdose. The study was conducted in 68 healthy subjects and compared OPNT003, nalmefene hydrochloride nasal spray, 3 mg, "nasal nalmefene", with an intramuscular nalmefene hydrochloride injection, 1 mg, which was the comparator previously agreed upon with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA . According to an initial analysis, the top-line data demonstrated that nasal nalmefene achieved significantly higher plasma concentrations compared to an intramuscular injection . The time for nasal nalmefene to achieve maximum plasma concentrations was consistent with data from the previously completed pilot study . The maximum plasma concentration was higher than observed in the pilot study, and the plasma half-life of nasal nalmefene was consistent with reported values following other route of administration. Naloxone, currently the only FDA-approved treatment for opioid overdose, has a half-life of approximately 2 hours. "We are very pleased with the results of this confirmatory PK study. Importantly, the data are consistent with the findings of our initial pilot study," said Roger Crystal, M.D., CEO and President, of Opiant. "In the United States, where we've seen the opioid epidemic worsen during COVID-19, the nationwide spread of potent illicit synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, which is 50 times stronger than heroin, with a half-life more than seven hours1, is driving significant numbers of opioid overdose deaths. A rescue agent with a rapid onset and a long half-life, is critical to saving lives from overdose. We now look forward to the PD data later in the year."

16:06 EDT NextCure initiates NC762 trial - NextCure announced the initiation of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for NC762, a humanized B7-H4 monoclonal antibody. The Phase 1 dose-escalation portion of this open-label trial is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of NC762 in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors and to determine its pharmacologically active and/or maximum tolerated dose. After a recommended dose for the Phase 2 portion of the trial is determined, NC762 will be evaluated in select tumor types. A B7-H4 Immunohistochemistry assay has been successfully developed and will be used for patient selection in Phase 2.

16:05 EDT OncoSec announces agreement with Merck - OncoSec Medical (ONCS) announced it has entered into a Clinical Trial Collaboration and Supply Agreement with Merck (MRK) to evaluate the combination of OncoSec's DNA-plasmid interleukin-12 TAVO with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA, in a global Phase 3 randomized clinical trial, KEYNOTE-C87. The planned clinical trial will evaluate the overall survival of patients treated with the TAVO in combination with KEYTRUDA versus standard of care in late-stage patients with metastatic melanoma who are refractory to immune checkpoint therapy. TAVO has received Fast Track designation from the FDA, as a potentially first-in-class, intratumoral anti-cancer gene therapy that expresses IL-12 for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, following progression on KEYTRUDA or OPDIVO.

15:21 EDT Teck expects wildfire to cut Q3 steelmaking coal sales by 300-500 thousand tons - Teck Resources (TECK) provided an update on the effect of rail disruptions resulting from wildfires in British Columbia, or B.C. Rail service between Teck's steelmaking coal operations and west coast terminals has been disrupted due to damage to the rail line near Lytton, B.C. that occurred on June 30. Teck has implemented measures to mitigate the effect of the disruption, rerouting shipments to Ridley Terminals in Prince Rupert. Limited rail traffic flow to the Lower Mainland terminals was reinstituted the afternoon of July 5. Teck is assessing the overall impact to customer shipments and/or production, which will be dependent on the length of the rail disruption. Canadian Pacific (CP) and Canadian National (CNI) are working to assess damage and begin repairs. At this time, based on guidance provided by the railways with respect to the timeline for repairs, Teck's Q3 steelmaking coal sales are expected to be reduced by 300-500 thousand tons. Teck's Q2 sales are unaffected as the disruption began on the last day of the quarter. Teck is also taking steps to mitigate the effect of rail disruption to transportation of product from Highland Valley Copper operations, which is not expected to have a material effect on Q3 sales at this time. All of Teck's B.C. operations are currently continuing to operate, with steelmaking coal operations continuing to produce and taking advantage of low levels of clean coal inventory at the mines.

14:55 EDT Edenor announces appointment of Bleasdale as CEO, Ranftl as CFO - Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora norte S.A., or "Edenor," announces that Chairman of the Board Neil Bleasdale has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the company and German Ranftl as Chief Financial Officer.

14:32 EDT PetMed Express appoints CFO Bruce Rosenbloom as interim CEO - In a regulatory filing, PetMed Express stated: "As previously disclosed, on May 28, 2021, the board of directors of PetMed Express notified Menderes Akdag, President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, that the company will not extend Mr. Akdag's employment agreement with the company and that the employment agreement would therefore end on July 30, 2021, in accordance with the scheduled end date of the agreement. On July 3, 2021, the board appointed Bruce S. Rosenbloom, the company's Chief Financial Officer, as Interim Chief Executive Officer and President of the company, effective upon Mr. Akdag's departure until a permanent successor Chief Executive Officer is appointed." Rosenbloom has served as the CFO and treasurer of the company since May 2001, and he will continue in those roles, the company noted.

14:03 EDT Keysight says 5G 'industry-first milestone' reached in partnership with Qualcomm - Keysight Technologies (KEYS) announced a demonstration at Mobile World Congress 2021 of a ten gigabit per second data connection using 5G new radio dual connectivity, calling it "an industry-first milestone achieved in close collaboration" with Qualcomm Technologies (QCOM). "We're pleased to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies to reach another industry-first milestone that lays the foundation for consumers and enterprises to achieve wired-broadband grade speeds in this next phase of 5G. This accomplishment clearly reflects that the industry has entered the second phase of 5G NR deployment, which will enable advanced wireless communications built on the latest 3GPP Release 16 specification," said Cao Peng, vice president and general manager for Keysight's wireless test group.

13:40 EDT Kraton up 9% after report of exploring possible sale - Shares of polymer maker Kraton have jumped about 9% to $34.50 after Reuters, citing sources, said the company is exploring potential options including a possible sale.

12:53 EDT Microsoft says Pentagon 'faced a difficult choice' with cloud contract - Microsoft said in a statement, "Today the U.S. Department of Defense announced they will not move forward with the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract and instead will pursue a new procurement to meet its cloud computing needs. We understand the DoD's rationale, and we support them and every military member who needs the mission-critical 21st century technology JEDI would have provided. The DoD faced a difficult choice: Continue with what could be a years-long litigation battle or find another path forward. The security of the United States is more important than any single contract, and we know that Microsoft will do well when the nation does well. Because the security of the United States through the provision of critical technology upgrades is more important that any single contract, we respect and accept DoD's decision to move forward on a different path to secure mission-critical technology...It's clear the DoD trusts Microsoft and our technology, and we're confident that we'll continue to be successful as the DoD selects partners for new work...Even though we couldn't work directly with the DoD on JEDI while the protest was in the courts, the investments we've continued to make in support of the contract requirements ensure that Microsoft will be an even stronger competitor for future contracts...We stand ready to support the DoD as they work through their next steps and its new cloud computing solicitation plans." Reference Link

12:37 EDT Pentagon cancels $10B contract awarded to Microsoft, sees split with Amazon - The Department of Defense cancelled the $10B cloud-computing contract, known as JEDI, awarded in 2019 to Microsoft (MSFT) and plans to divide the work between Microsoft and Amazon.com (AMZN) instead. "With the shifting technology environment, it has become clear that the JEDI Cloud contract, which has long been delayed, no longer meets the requirements to fill the DoD's capability gaps," the Defense Department said in a statement to media outlets. The Pentagon plans for a "multi-vendor" project and said it "intends to seek proposals from a limited number of sources, namely Microsoft and Amazon Web Services," the only two companies it deems capable of meeting its requirements. It said other vendors will be considered if they can show they meet the contract terms. Shares of Microsoft are down 1% to $275.61 following the news.

12:18 EDT Second Sight's Argus R 2s Glasses assigned FCC ID - An FCC ID is the product ID assigned by the Federal Communications Commission to identify wireless products in the market. Reference Link

12:00 EDT Full Truck Alliance falls -15.2% - Full Truck Alliance is down -15.2%, or -$2.90 to $16.12.

12:00 EDT Affiliated Managers rises 7.3% - Affiliated Managers is up 7.3%, or $11.38 to $167.32.

12:00 EDT GasLog Partners rises 31.1% - GasLog Partners is up 31.1%, or $1.27 to $5.36.

11:09 EDT Amazon launches at-home Covid testing kit for $39.99 - Amazon.com announced that its COVID-19 Test Collection Kit DTC is now available to U.S. customers on Amazon.com for $39.99 and does not require a prescription. It is authorized for use by individuals 18 years or older, with or without Covid-19 symptoms. The collection kit includes Amazon Prime delivery at no additional cost. It requires a quick sample collection using a lower nasal swab. The process, including test registration and collection, takes less than 20 minutes to complete. The Amazon COVID-19 Test Collection Kit DTC has received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. The company said, "Amazon's top priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been the health and safety of our employees and customers. We've invested billions in that effort, including building an in-house COVID-19 testing program to ensure front-line employees have access to free, regular testing with state-of-the-art diagnostic laboratories in the U.S. and the UK. These labs have processed millions of tests from over 750,000 of our front-line employees, making Amazon a leader in employer-driven COVID-19 testing. We learned a lot through that process, and we're excited to extend this reliable and convenient COVID-19 testing service to our customers through Amazon.com." Reference Link

10:33 EDT Kandi America announces retail financing options - Kandi America (KNDI) announced it has entered into an agreement with Synchrony (SYF) to provide retail financing on all Kandi Neighborhood Electric Vehicles and Kandi Powersports off-road vehicles. Effective on July 1, 2021, eligible Kandi America customers can receive a 72-month installment financing offering on Kandi NEVs and up to 84 months on Kandi Powersports off-road vehicles with an APR as low as 2.99%. In addition to partnering with Synchrony to provide retail financing, Kandi is working with Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution Finance and Northpoint Commercial Finance to provide inventory financing to the company's network of dealers. The move of both wholesale financing and retail financing in place is designed to allow Kandi to expand its footprint and approve more applications for dealerships across the country.

10:31 EDT Senstar Technologies appoints Tomer Hay as CFO - Senstar Technologies announced that Tomer Hay has been appointed as CFO of the Company. Hay will replace Yaacov Vinokur, who has been Magal's CFO since 2016. Hay is expected to replace Vinokur following a transition period. Hay joined the Company in 2012 as Corporate Controller and progressed to the position of VP Finance before his appointment as CFO. As VP Finance, Hay was responsible for the Company's financial reporting, analysis, controls and tax matters.

10:01 EDT Digi International acquires Ctek, terms not disclosed - Digi International announced it has acquired Ctek, a company specializing in solutions for remote monitoring and industrial controls. Terms of the transaction were not immediately disclosed. "Combining focused hardware and software into a complete offering, Ctek targets industries that require ruggedized products for automation and remote management, such as lighting, agriculture/irrigation, and water/waste-water management," the company said in a statement.

10:00 EDT Tata Motors falls -10.1% - Tata Motors is down -10.1%, or -$2.33 to $20.72.

10:00 EDT DiDi falls -22.2% - DiDi is down -22.2%, or -$3.45 to $12.08.

10:00 EDT Welbilt rises 6.2% - Welbilt is up 6.2%, or $1.43 to $24.61.

09:47 EDT Tata Motors falls -10.4% - Tata Motors is down -10.4%, or -$2.40 to $20.65.

09:47 EDT DiDi falls -25.2% - DiDi is down -25.2%, or -$3.91 to $11.62.

09:47 EDT AMC Entertainment rises 5.5% - AMC Entertainment is up 5.5%, or $2.87 to $54.83.

09:36 EDT Synnex 'not an MSP in the context mentioned in recent media'

09:36 EDT Synnex aware of instances where outside actors have attempted to access apps - SYNNEX Corporation (SNX) confirms it is aware of a few instances where outside actors have attempted to gain access, through SYNNEX, to customer applications within the Microsoft (MSFT) cloud environment. These actions could potentially be in connection with the recent cybersecurity attacks of Managed Service Providers, or MSPs. While SYNNEX provides many services as part of its overall IT distribution business, including supporting Microsoft cloud applications, it is not an MSP in the context mentioned in recent media, it said in a statement. SYNNEX, in partnership with Microsoft and a leading third-party cybersecurity firm, have been conducting a thorough review of the attack since identified. SYNNEX internal and external environments remained online throughout the period of attack. SYNNEX will continue to focus on maintaining secure operations for its customers and their end-user environments. "We are a long-term distribution partner for Microsoft and along with them, responded with the requisite urgency to address the recent attacks and to limit the potential activities of these bad actors," said Dennis Polk, President and CEO of SYNNEX. "We will remain vigilant and focused on the security of our organization."

09:33 EDT Principal Solar announces acquisition of Moller lease, terms not disclosed - Principal Solar announced the acquisition of and preliminary production results of the Moller lease, located in Brazoria County, Texas. The lease is part of the Danbury Dome and is the Company's second acquisition in its oil well recycling program project with partner Lazy Jacks Petroleum. The Moller lease features two wells in addition to a saltwater disposal well. "As of July 6th, the first Moller well is producing 20-22 barrels of oil per day," said K. Bryce "Rick" Toussaint, CPA, MBA, Chairman and CEO of PSWW. "The second Moller well was a prolific gas well and we expect it to perform solidly when it is brought back online in the third quarter of 2021, at which point we anticipate that the Moller project will be producing a total of 80-100 barrels of oil and two to three million cubic feet of natural gas per day." A variety of factors contribute to overall well production performance, including initial well pressures, equipment testing and operational status, and the tested quality/acceptability of the oil produced. Additional details, including normalized production rates and the wells' anticipated financial performance, are expected to be made available once the initial evaluation periods are complete. Principal Solar is finalizing its capital plan for the next 18 months of the Lazy Jacks development partnership program. Principal expects to complete 25 wells by the end of 2021 and an additional 75 by the end of 2022. Given the strong current price environment, the Company believes there is the possibility that its performance may accelerate.

09:31 EDT Harbor Custom Development acquires 31 acres for $4.75M in Austin metro area - Harbor Custom Development announced that it has acquired 31 acres of commercial property for $4,750,000 in West Horseshoe Bay, Texas, located approximately 53 miles from Austin. The acquisition includes a 2,800 square foot office building that Harbor Custom Homes is utilizing for its design, marketing, and sales center serving the Austin metro market. Harbor plans to provide a variety of single family product ranging from 1,800 to 2,400 square foot cottages and villas to 4,000 to 5,000 square foot creek side homes on estate lots. "We are excited to acquire this unique property which provides Harbor Custom Homes a centralized office and sales center for the region. Austin's rapid growth combined with decreasing inventory in the bedroom, rural, and destination resort communities like Horseshoe Bay provide a great opportunity for our company," stated Sterling Griffin, President and CEO of Harbor Custom Homes.

09:25 EDT NRx Pharmaceuticals announces extension of phase 2/3 ZYESAMI trial - NRx Pharmaceuticals (NRXP) announced it is initiating clinical training of Nation of Georgia ICU physicians, in the use of intravenous ZYESAMI for emergency use in patients suffering with Critical COVID-19, and inhaled ZYESAMI for use in phase 2/3 clinical trials, for patients suffering with COVID-19. NRx also announced that the ongoing phase 2/3 trial for the use of inhaled ZYESAMI has extended to Georgia, with the potential to also extend to neighboring countries in the Caucasus region, in partnership with Cromos and Denk Pharma, operating as BriLife. NRx expects to ship clinical drug supplies to Georgia within two weeks. The development of intravenous Aviptadil-acetate, in non-GMP form was partially-funded by a collaboration agreement with Relief Therapeutics (RLFTF).

09:20 EDT Nintendo Switch OLED model to go on sale October 8 for $350 - Nintendo announced a new Switch model with a larger 7-inch 720p OLED display. The Switch OLED model will go on sale for $350 starting on October 8. Reference Link

09:19 EDT Legion Partners urges Genesco holders to consider board changes - Legion Partners Asset Management, which beneficially owns approximately 5.9% of the outstanding common shares of Genesco issued the below statement to urge fellow shareholders to focus on the need for further change in the Company's boardroom "following Institutional Shareholder Services, puzzling recommendation. As a reminder, Legion Partners is seeking to elect four highly-qualified and independent director candidates - Marjorie L. Bowen, Margenett Moore-Roberts, Dawn H. Robertson and Hobart P. Sichel - to Genesco's Board of Directors at the upcoming Annual Meeting of Shareholders on July 20. Chris Kiper and Ted White, Legion Partners' Managing Directors, commented: 'Legion Partners urges Genesco shareholders to continue to focus on the need for further boardroom change following the contradictory report issued by ISS. We question how ISS can repeatedly acknowledge Genesco's many years of financial and operational underperformance, but then recommend shareholders vote to elect all of the long-tenured directors on management's card. We contend this conflicting recommendation sends a terrible message: an insular and underperforming board of directors can avoid accountability when a sizable shareholder nominates by simply enacting incremental, unilateral refreshments. We believe boards should regularly refresh and improve their skill sets and experience - not just wait to do the least necessary only under pressure from shareholders. The fact that the Genesco Board has been so stale despite years of deteriorating performance offers strong evidence of an insular culture and lack of alignment with shareholders. This is the essence of the risk the ISS recommendation does not address. If shareholders allow this type of entrenchment maneuver to become accepted precedent, we fear there will be long-term negative consequences for the Company's investors, employees, consumers and other corporate stakeholders," said the firm in a a statement.

09:17 EDT Infor agrees to sell EAM business to Hexagon AB for $2.75B - Infor announced it has entered into an agreement to sell its global EAM business to Hexagon AB for approximately $2.75B in a combination of cash and stock, and form a strategic relationship with the company to better serve shared customers. The businesses will remain separate until the completion of the transaction, subject to regulatory approvals. In addition, Infor and Koch Equity Development, both subsidiaries of Koch Industries, are building strategic relationships with Hexagon. As a result of the transaction, Koch also will have an ownership stake in Hexagon, and Hexagon's main shareholder, MSAB, has the intention of suggesting Brett Watson, president of Koch Equity Development, to the Hexagon nomination committee for nomination to the Board of Directors as soon as feasible post-closing. Ola Rollen, Hexagon president and CEO, said, "By integrating Infor EAM's built-in, industry-specific asset management capabilities with our digital reality solutions and platforms, we can improve capital asset performance in ways beyond what EAM can achieve standalone - from enhancing predictive maintenance and reducing energy usage to supporting other sustainability initiatives. Infor EAM customers and partners can expect a smooth transition with significant synergies that will produce faster growth and greater opportunities, including expansion into new verticals, as well as underserved markets such as Asia Pacific."

09:13 EDT Goldman Sachs, NAIC announce new multi-year partnership - Goldman Sachs Asset Management and the National Association of Investment Companies announced the formation of a joint multi-year partnership that is designed to promote objectives focused on diversifying the alternative investment industry. "Among the various points of collaboration, Goldman Sachs will support two critical NAIC initiatives: Establishing the Next Generation of Private Equity Firms Symposium and the Women in Alternatives Initiative. NextGen is designed to train individuals who recently launched a fund or are seeking to launch a fund within the next 12 months. The series will include intensive virtual training sessions dedicated to educating and empowering a new generation of ethnically diverse and female general partners. Through WIAI, the partnership will leverage a three-pronged strategy to address the underrepresentation of diverse female professionals within the alternative investments industry. The ultimate goal will be to increase the number of women in the private equity and hedge fund sectors while also providing them with the support to navigate the industry and gain leadership positions," the company said. The partnership will be additive to Goldman Sachs' efforts to diversify its capital allocation, in addition to its talent pipeline. Through this partnership, Goldman Sachs will gain increased exposure to a broader universe of diverse-owned asset management firms - many of which generate returns that rank their funds in the top decile and top quartile of established industry benchmarks through NAIC's proprietary database of diverse managers.

09:10 EDT Senmiao Technology announces 2.1M completed rides in June - Senmiao Technology announced operating metrics for its proprietary online ride-hailing platform for the month of June 2021. From May 2021 to June 2021, the number of completed orders decreased approximately 4%, primarily due to a COVID-19 resurgence in Guangzhou, which resulted in travel restrictions and lockdowns being implemented by the local government. The number of drivers completing rides via the platform in June 2021 increased approximately 2% from May 2021. Since the launch of Senmiao's online ride-hailing platform in Chengdu in October 2020, in Changsha in December 2020, in Neijiang in January 2021, in Guangzhou at the end of March 2021, and in Nanchong and Panzhihua in June 2021, approximately 10.5M rides have been completed using the platform, including approximately 2.1M rides during June 2021. The average monthly growth rate of the number of completed orders and Active Drivers during the six months ended June 30, 2021, was approximately 29% and 28%, respectively.

09:09 EDT CoreVest partners with SS&C for automated loan servicing, accounting - SS&C Technologies announced that CoreVest, a Redwood Trust Company, will implement Precision LM loan management software to improve automation and operational efficiency, streamline data access and reporting, and reduce risk. "We are pleased to welcome the leading lender for residential real estate investors to the SS&C family. Mortgage REITs and other non-bank lenders continue to be a strategic focus area," said Dan Pallone, Vice President of Mortgage REIT and Loan Solutions at SS&C Technologies. "SS&C invests in our proven Precision LM platform to deliver the most advanced loan servicing and reporting platform to support our client's business."

09:08 EDT AccountingSuite announces new partnerhship with ShipStation - AccountingSuite announced a new partnership with ShipStation, subsidiary of Stamps.com. Through the partnership, AccountingSuite customers can now connect to hundreds of online stores through ShipStation, allowing users to sync items, sales, customers, and shipments and keep their day-to-day accounting and inventory up-to-date in real time.

09:07 EDT Roblox teams with Sony Music Entertainment for strategic partnership - Roblox (RBLX), a global platform bringing millions of people together through shared experiences, and Sony Music Entertainment (SNE) announced a strategic partnership that will bring more Sony Music recording artists into the Roblox metaverse. Under the agreement, Roblox and Sony Music will work together to develop innovative music experiences for the Roblox community that offer a range of new commercial opportunities for Sony Music artists to reach new audiences and generate new revenue streams around virtual entertainment. The agreement builds on an existing relationship between the two companies that includes previous collaborations such as Lil Nas X's hit virtual performance on Roblox in November 2020 and more recently the Zara Larsson Launch Party on Roblox in May 2021. "Sony Music has been a fantastic partner and I am pleased to deepen and lengthen our relationship. They truly understand the massive opportunity that the metaverse presents for their artists and we are committed to helping them unlock new creative and commercial opportunities on Roblox," said Jon Vlassopulos, Vice President and Global Head of Music, Roblox. "We are just scratching the surface of what Roblox can deliver to the music industry and to music fans around the world." "The billions of hours people around the world spend on Roblox every month provides a perfect opportunity for the new generation of music fans to discover, share, and get closer to music and artists they love. For artists, labels, and publishers, Roblox provides a unique and creative way to engage and attract millions of fans as well as drive new revenue streams through virtual launch parties and concerts, integrated in-experience music, persistent artist worlds, and virtual merchandise. Roblox respects the rights of all creators and uses advanced technology to screen all uploaded music. Roblox has no tolerance for repeat offenders and quickly responds to all submitted DMCA requests," said the company.

09:06 EDT eHealth announces new partnership with Adheris Health - eHealth announced a new partnership with Adheris Health, a MedAdvisor company, to help Adheris Health's partners support their Medicare populations while helping Medicare beneficiaries optimize their prescription drug coverage. Through the partnership, eHealth's coverage optimization technology will be integrated into communications for Medicare beneficiaries within Adheris Health's extensive network of approximately 180M patients, 140,000 prescribers, and approximately 25,000 pharmacies nationwide. "Adheris Health is a leader in the industry and our partnership with them is a key element in our strategy to broaden the reach of our Personalized Shopping Experience in the retail pharmacy vertical," said John Connor, eHealth's Vice President and General Manager of Strategic Partnerships. "Adheris Health's solid network of long-standing relationships coupled with their focus on the customer experience makes them a natural fit for eHealth. We are excited to welcome them as our partner."

09:04 EDT Safe Bulkers signs agreement to acquire Kamsarmax class newbuild vessel - Safe Bulkers announced that it has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of a Japanese-built, Kamsarmax class, 82,000 dwt, dry-bulk, newbuild vessel with scheduled delivery in the Q4 of 2023. The vessel is designed to meet the latest requirements of Energy Efficiency Design Index related to Green House Gas emissions 'EEDI, Phase 3' and also comply with the latest NOx emissions regulation, NOx-Tier III. Including this acquisition the total orderbook of the Company is comprised of five EEDI-Phase 3 compliant, NOx Tier III Japanese newbuild vessels, three of which are Post-Panamax and two are Kamsarmax. The acquisition will be financed from the cash reserves of the Company.

09:04 EDT Mr. Cooper to sell reverse servicing portfolio to MAM, terms undisclosed - Mr. Cooper announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its reverse servicing portfolio, operating under the Champion Mortgage brand, to Mortgage Assets Management and its affiliates. Upon the close of the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions and is expected prior to year end, MAM and its affiliates will assume Champion's reverse portfolio and related operations. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed; however, the company does not expect a significant impact on second quarter results. The sale will reduce Mr. Cooper's servicing portfolio by approximately $16B in unpaid principal balance and decrease its balance sheet by approximately $5B in HECM and other assets. Pending the close of the transaction, the company will carry the reverse business in discontinued operations.

09:03 EDT Bon Natural Life announces land acquisition to construct third production site - Bon Natural Life announced that they have received the certificate of a land use right for the future site of its third production facility in the city of Yumen. Once completed, the Yumen Plant will allow BON to increase combined overall production capacity by over 200%. "Being granted this land-use right in Yumen is a major step forward to expanding our production capacity to meet the increasing demand from our customers both domestically and abroad," said Richard Hu, the Chairman and CEO of Bon Natural Life Limited. He further added "the construction of the Yumen plant is expected to commence in July 2021 and be complete around June 2022. After two months of trial production, we expect to start ramping up manufacturing in September 2022. This will bring our overall production capacity from approximately 170 tons in our existing two facilities, to approximately 520 tons, an increase of 350 tons representing more than 200% growth. We look forward to providing further periodic updates to the marketplace about the development of this new facility."

09:03 EDT PFSweb to sell LiveArea to Merkle for $250M - PFSweb has agreed to sell LiveArea, its global customer experience and commerce agency business unit to Merkle, a leading technology-enabled, data-driven customer experience management, or CXM, company within Dentsu Group's international business, Dentsu International. Under the terms of the agreement, Merkle will purchase LiveArea for total consideration of approximately $250M, with net proceeds expected to range between $185M-$200M, after consideration of estimated taxes and transaction related expenses. Following the closing of the transaction, PFSweb expects to use a portion of the net proceeds, along with existing cash on hand, to pay down in full its senior financing facilities. For the trailing twelve months ended March 31, LiveArea generated approximately $85M in revenue on a standalone basis. The transaction is expected to close in the Q3, subject to customary closing conditions.

08:58 EDT Rritual Superfoods announces uplisting to the OTCQB market - Rritual Superfoods announces its successful uplisting from the OTC Pink Sheets to the OTCQB Venture Market. The company has commenced trading on the OTCQB under the symbol "RRSFF". "Listing on the OTCQB is another important milestone for Rritual. It provides us greater visibility within the investment community and provides valuable capital markets exposure. This is a vital step as we continue to partner with national, and local retailers and grow the Rritual Brand in the United States." stated David Kerbel, CEO and director.

08:49 EDT Y-mAbs Therapeutics announces NMPA submission of BLA for DANYELZA - Y-mAbs Therapeutics announced that SciClone Pharmaceuticals has submitted the Biologics License Application for DANYELZA for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory high-risk neuroblastoma to the National Medical Products Administration of China. Researchers at MSK developed DANYELZA, which is exclusively licensed by MSK to Y-mAbs. As a result of this licensing arrangement, MSK has institutional financial interests in the product.

08:48 EDT Real Brands files Form 10 with SEC - Real Brands has filed a Form 10 with the Securities Exchange Commission as its final step to becoming a fully compliant reporting publicly traded company. As part of the compliance and reporting process, Real Brands also completed two years of audited financial records, appointed outside independent directors to its Board of Directors, and created an audit committee composed of three independent directors. "Becoming a fully compliant, audited reporting company is a major milestone for Real Brands, as it provides the information and transparency into the company's business and finances that should make it more attractive to a broader array of potential investors, shareholders, clients, vendors and business associates," stated Thom Kidrin, Real Brands' President and CEO. "This should also make it easier to raise capital on favorable terms to fund our growth -- a win for our employees, shareholders and customers."

08:45 EDT Impact Biomedical provides updates on research projects, licensing opportunities - Impact Biomedical announced updates to several of its key research projects, including key collaborations, breakthroughs in treatment protocols and potential global licensing opportunities as a way to begin planning the next phase of its research agenda and position itself as a global leader in the future of biotech. Working with its advanced scientific research unit, Global Research & Discovery Group Sciences, Impact Biomedical Inc. has laid the groundwork for a future that is focused on scientifically-tested, high-impact solutions to global problems that humans face across the world. Impact Biomedical will continue to drive mission-oriented research and development that advances drug discovery to the next level with GRDG and Daryl Thompson as the lead. Research projects: The research collaboration between Impact Biomedical, Inc., GRDG Sciences and Thomas Swan & Co. will study Procombin, a plant-based preservation booster agent designed with the the intention of increasing effectiveness of antibiotics, preservatives, and other antimicrobials. The research will study Procombin's effectiveness for use in multiple applications, including household, institutional, and personal care products. Completed research on CRST-1, a probe molecule designed to accompany traditional cancer treatments to increase the effectiveness of certain cancer medications used is currently being peer-reviewed by a major U.S. University. According to the research, it was shown to inhibit PIM 1 and PIM 3 with IC50s 0.00014 M and 0.00018 M, respectively, in pre-clinical cell phosphorylation assays. CRST-1 is nontoxic and has yet shown no adverse side effects. The latest research results are expected to be published by the end of summer 2021. Research for Quantum Adjuvants is currently underway, and data should be available by the end of summer 2021. Quantum Adjuvants hold the possibility of a new way to make effective drugs and help de-escalate a looming patent cliff crisis in the biomedical industry. Quantum Adjuvants may hold a key for developing new medicines through the development of a new form of squalene that is more consistent and, possibly, more effective. Vanexn is a food preservative that, in our early studies, successfully inhibited proliferation of Aspergillus Niger, Talaromyces Pinophilus and Candida Albicans. The substance was discovered by GRDG during previous research in the Florida Everglades and potentially fills a need for new and more effective food preservatives. To deploy Vanexn in the food supply, the current formula is being researched to be positioned in bread and baked goods to reduce spoilage and improve shelf life. The current study is nearing completion. The results of the study will help Impact Biomedical determine the next steps for Vanexn. Projects ready for global licensing: Equivir is a novel blend of patented FDA Generally Recognized as Safe eligible polyphenols that have demonstrated antiviral effects as well as potential applications as a health supplement or medication. Initial research indicated a possible effectiveness as an anti-viral agent and to reduce an inflammatory response. We are in discussions for a global license of Equivir with formulations currently being created in a variety of products. Linebacker, a patented therapeutic medication, was issued an international patent in April 2021, which is currently available for global licensing. Laetose is the focus of a new study being conducted to better understand the positive effects of the substance on those with metabolic syndrome and diabetes. It is derived from a unique patented combination effort to address the negative impacts of excess sugar intake, and therefore being investigated to fight obesity and diabetes. 3F Biofragrance was designed for the Open-Air Defense Initiative, a strategy to protect large numbers of people where they gather, including containment areas, ports of entry, train stations, airports, convention centers, offices, schools, and hospitals. In our research studies, preliminary results show 3F DEET Booster was significantly more effective than DEET. 3F Antiviral has shown to be effective against E. coli, MRSA, Influenza, Rhinovirus, Tuberculosis, and COVID-19. 3F, which was issued a patent in April 2021, is believed to have applications, in normal household products such as laundry detergents, in shampoos, in high-end cosmetics, and in skincare products.

08:41 EDT Fluent appoints Ryan Schulke as CSO, chairman, Don Patrick as interim CEO - Fluent announced changes to its leadership and management team to place greater focus on strategic growth initiatives. As Co-Founder of the Company and having served as Fluent's CEO since the inception of the business, Ryan Schulke is invigorated by his move into the new role of Chief Strategy Officer. Ryan Schulke has also been appointed as Chairman of Fluent's Board of Directors, overseeing the strategic direction of the Company. Stepping into the new role of Chief Customer Officer, Matthew Conlin, who co-founded the company with Ryan Schulke and has served as Fluent's President for the last 10 years, will focus on the company's end-to-end customer acquisition strategy and capabilities in his new role. Mr. Conlin will continue to serve on Fluent's Board of Directors. Don Patrick, who has served as Fluent's COO for over three years, will take on the role of Interim CEO.

08:38 EDT Welbilt confirms receipt of revised acquisition proposal by Ali Holding - Welbilt (WBT) confirmed that it has received a revised unsolicited proposal from Ali Holding to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Welbilt common stock for $24 per share in cash, an increase from the previously disclosed $23 per share cash proposal made by Ali Group on May 25. Welbilt previously announced on April 21, that it had entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Middleby (MIDD), pursuant to which each Welbilt stockholder would receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.1240 shares of Middleby common stock for each share of Welbilt common stock in an all-stock transaction. In accordance with the terms of the pending merger agreement and in accordance with its fiduciary duties, Welbilt's board of directors is carefully evaluating the revised unsolicited proposal in consultation with its financial and legal advisors and will pursue the course of action that the board of directors believes is in the best interest of Welbilt and its stockholders. Welbilt's board of directors has not made any determination as to whether the revised unsolicited proposal constitutes a "Company Superior Proposal" under the terms of the pending merger agreement. Welbilt shareholders need take no action at this time.

08:36 EDT Assure Holdings collects $2.7M in June 2021 - Assure Holdings announced a monthly record for cash collection and number of procedures during June 2021. Results and expectations relating to billing and collections include: The Company collected a monthly record $2.7 million in June 2021. This includes collection of $1.6 million for IONM revenue that it retains 100%. Assure has collected more than $0.8 million of pre-acquisition accounts receivable owed to Sentry Neuromonitoring, LLC, a Texas-based IONM service provider the Company acquired on April 30, 2021. Based upon recent discussions with various insurance providers, Assure expects to continue the strong trend of collections in 2021. CEO John Farlinger said, "The Company reported more than 1,600 cases in June 2021, our highest number of monthly procedures ever. We are continuing to show particular strength in Texas and are benefitting from the Company's professional neurology services for IONM launched earlier this year, which is boosting our total number of cases performed. Assure continues to expect our case volume to grow by at least 70% in 2021." Assure onboarded its second remote supervising professional supporting the Company's telehealth professional neurology services in June 2021. Dr. Diego Tovar is a board-certified neurologist and epileptologist specializing in the comprehensive care of patients with epilepsy, the interpretation of all electroencephalogram modalities including prolonged video EEG, quantitative EEG, and intracranial EEG, planning of epilepsy surgery with implantation of intracranial electrodes, stereo EEG and use of neuro-modulation treatments. The Company expects to gradually ramp-up staffing for its telehealth professional neurology services function over the course of 2021 and beyond.

08:35 EDT IntercontinentalExchange reports Q2 total average daily volume up 12% y/y - Intercontinental Exchange reported June and second quarter 2021 trading volume and related revenue statistics. "The second quarter has seen record open interest reached across many of our asset classes, with particularly high activity in commodities and interest rates," said Ben Jackson, President of Intercontinental Exchange. "ICE connects customers to some of the largest and most liquid markets available, helping them to invest and manage risk efficiently, transparently and with greater certainty." June highlights include: Total average daily volume or ADV up 12% y/y and total open interest or OI up 11% y/y including record OI of 85.8M lots on June 10

08:33 EDT Air Industries receives follow-on agreement to produce F-35 landing gear - Air Industries announced that it has received a follow-on long-term agreement, or LTA, to produce landing gear components for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft. The LTA from our customer estimates purchases of between $12M and $18M dollars over the three-year period beginning in 2022 through 2024. Air Industries produces many landing gear components used on all three variants of the aircraft.

08:32 EDT Heron Therapeutics announces 340B prime vendor contract with Apexus - Heron Therapeutics announced that it has executed a contract for ZYNRELEF with Apexus. Apexus is the designated Prime Vendor for the 340B Drug Pricing Program. ZYNRELEF was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 12, 2021 for use in adults for soft tissue or periarticular instillation to produce postsurgical analgesia for up to 72 hours after bunionectomy, open inguinal herniorrhaphy and total knee arthroplasty. Under the agreement, Heron and the Prime Vendor Program, managed by Apexus, will collaborate to lower drug pricing for participating covered entities. The two organizations are working together to assure that covered entities have access to safe and effective non-opioid postoperative pain management.

08:30 EDT Biocept receives South Korean patent for primer-switch platform - Biocept has been awarded a South Korean Patent for its Primer-Switch technology, which detects rare mutations in circulating tumor DNA using real-time PCR and associated analysis methods. The paten is titled Methods for Detecting Nucleic Acid Sequence Variants. This is the fourth issued patent for the technology, which identifies rare cancer biomarkers found in tissue, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid. Primer-Switch provides a unique method for specifically enriching patient specimens for mutations of interest. It can be used to enhance the performance and specificity of the PCR method, the most widely used amplification approach for research and clinical diagnostic applications. It also enables the interrogation of fragmented DNA that is often found in biological fluids. "Primer-Switch methodology adds to the capabilities of our Switch-Blocker technology used in our Target Selector assays, providing key information about cancer biomarkers to aid physician decision-making, with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with cancer," said Michael Nall, Biocept's President and CEO. "Our strong and growing intellectual property portfolio enables Biocept to develop and commercialize our highly differentiated technologies and testing services." Biocept's core technologies and products are protected by more than 70 issued patents in the U.S., EU, Australia, China, Japan, and South Korea, as well as other countries. This includes worldwide patent protection on its highly sensitive methods for detecting cancer biomarkers that are used by physicians for treatment decisions.

08:27 EDT Utz Brands appoints Theresa Robbins Shea as general counsel - Utz Brands announced that Theresa Robbins Shea has been appointed executive VP, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective July 6. In this role, Shea will lead the legal team for Utz and serve on the executive leadership team, reporting directly to Dylan Lissette, CEO. Shea joins Utz from True Value Company, a hardware wholesaler that services independent hardware store owners, where she served as VP and general counsel since 2018 and as assistant general counsel, labor and employment, since 2007.

08:24 EDT Osisko Development announces drilling results from Cariboo project - Osisko Development is pleased to announce drilling results from the 200,000-meter 2021 exploration and category conversion drill program campaign at its Cariboo Gold Project in central British Columbia. A total of ten diamond drill rigs are currently active on the Project. Drilling Summary: 41,000 meters in 134 holes have been drilled at Island Mountain thus far in 2021. Island Mountain encompasses both the Mosquito Creek and Shaft Zone deposits. Recent assay results include holes IM-21-024 to IM-21-036. Drilling highlights include 35.25 g/t Au over 11.00 meters in hole IM-21-024 at Mosquito Creek within a silicified sandstone to calcareous sandstone unit with 5% pyrite hosted in axial planar veins and intersected by fault structures. Shaft Zone hole IM-21-035 assayed 18.80 g/t Au over 6.20 meters and included multiple high-grade samples such as 102.00 g/t Au over 0.70 meter and is a mineralized vein corridor with replacement mineralization. Detailed drilling results and a drill hole location plan map are presented at the end of this release. Recent Drilling Highlights: 35.25 g/t Au over 11.00 metres in hole IM-21-024 including 239.00 g/t Au over 1.50 metres; 11.14 g/t Au over 9.40 metres in hole IM-21-029 including 66.30 g/t Au over 0.50 meter; 21.69 g/t Au over 6.35 meters in hole IM-21-031 including 53.00 g/t Au over 1.00 meter and 50.10 g/t Au over 0.70 meter; 24.60 g/t Au over 1.20 meters in hole IM-21-033; 18.80 g/t Au over 6.20 meters in hole IM-21-035 including 102.00 g/t Au over 0.70 meter and 33.10 g/t Au over 0.75 meter; 21.11 g/t Au over 2.80 meters in hole IM-21-035 including 63.20 g/t Au over 0.75 meters. Mineralized quartz veins on Cariboo are overall sub-vertical dip and northeast strike. Vein corridors are defined as a high-density network of mineralized quartz veins within the axis of the last folding event and hosted within a brittle meta-sandstone or calcareous meta-sandstone. Vein corridors are modelled at a minimum thickness of 2 meters and average about 4.5 meters true width. Individual mineralized veins within these corridors have widths varying from centimeters to several meters and strike lengths from a few meters to over 50 meters. These corridors have been defined from surface to a vertical depth averaging 300 meters and remain open for expansion at depth and along strike. Gold grades are intimately associated with quartz vein-hosted pyrite as well as pyritic, intensely silicified wall rock haloes in close proximity to the veins.

08:24 EDT Hill International awarded contract by Rua Al-Madinah Holding - Hill International announced it has been awarded a contract by the Rua Al-Madinah Holding to provide project management support for the advance roadways package of the Madinah Central Area, or MCA, development-a 1.4-square kilometer project that will ultimately deliver greatly expanded retail and hospitality assets in the Municipality of Madinah. The development of MCA is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 program. The advance infrastructure package will enable the Al Amida road to serve as an alternative to the current ring road.

08:22 EDT Surmodics acquires Vetex Medical, and its ReVene thrombectomy catheter - Surmodics announced that it has acquired privately held Vetex Medical Limited. The Galway, Ireland based medical device developer and manufacturer has focused exclusively on venous clot removal solutions. The transaction expands Surmodics' thrombectomy portfolio with a second U.S. Food and Drug Administration 510k cleared device, the ReVene Thrombectomy Catheter. The ReVene mechanical thrombectomy catheter is specifically designed to remove large, mixed-morphology blood clots commonly found with venous thromboembolism. The device's dual action technology efficiently removes mixed-morphology clot in a single session, minimizing the need for thrombolytics and without capital equipment. "This acquisition demonstrates our commitment to the expansion of our thrombectomy platform to remove thrombus in venous vascular beds, with an exciting technology that offers significant improvements over current therapies," said Gary Maharaj, President and Chief Executive Officer of Surmodics. "Surmodics is now well positioned with two ground-breaking, FDA-cleared mechanical thrombectomy devices to treat both arterial and venous thrombosis. The synergies between the Vetex technology and their talented team, with our capabilities on our Pounce thrombectomy technology enables us to accelerate our thrombectomy platform development for the future treatment of pulmonary embolism, PE."

08:20 EDT Cerence adds ryd pay to Cerence Pay partner ecosystem - Cerence announced that it has broadened its Cerence Pay partner ecosystem with the addition of ryd pay, the largest cross-brand solution for mobile payments directly at the gas pump. Together, the companies will enable voice-powered fuel payments throughout Europe, directly from the car.

08:20 EDT Host Hotels acquires interest in Baker's Cay Resort Key Largo for $200M - Host Hotels & Resorts announced that it has acquired the fee simple interest in the 200-room Baker's Cay Resort Key Largo, Curio Collection for approximately $200 in cash. The purchase price represents an estimated 6.2% capitalization rate and a 14.5x EBITDA multiple based on 2021 property forecasts. James F. Risoleo, President and CEo, said, "We are pleased to announce the off-market acquisition of our first hotel in the Florida Keys which we believe will improve the EBITDA growth profile of our portfolio. After a complete $63 million renovation and repositioning in 2019, Baker's Cay shows like a new resort. Additionally, the Florida Keys market benefits from excellent supply-demand dynamics owing in part to strict development ordinances which have led to the highest 2019 upper-upscale RevPAR of any market in the US. We expect this resort to deliver over $300 of RevPAR and $69,000 of EBITDA per key in 2021, ranking eighth on both metrics in Host's 2019 pro forma portfolio."

08:19 EDT Tabula Rasa HealthCare announces two new additions to leadership team - Tabula Rasa HealthCare announces the addition of two proven healthcare executives to fill strategic positions as TRHC prepares for future growth. Kelli Kovak, RPh joins TRHC as Executive Vice President. She will be responsible for the overall leadership and strategic direction of TRHC's MedWise HealthCare Division among health plans, health systems, community pharmacies and other entities that would benefit from TRHC's MedWise science, technology, and clinical services. Pamela Lincoln-Giang, PharmD will serve as Senior Director, TRHC Office of Strategic Growth.

08:18 EDT Longeveron enrolls first patient in Phase 2b clinical study of Lomecel-B - Longeveron announced that the first patient has been enrolled and treated in the Phase 2b clinical study evaluating Lomecel-B intraventricular injection in infants with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, or HLHS. Lomecel-B is an investigational allogeneic, bone marrow-derived medicinal signaling cell, or MSC, product manufactured in Longeveron's cell processing facility in Miami, Florida. Longeveron' s HLHS program has transitioned to Phase 2, with a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial titled: Evaluation of Lomecel-B Injection in Patients with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: A Phase IIb Clinical Trial.

08:17 EDT Braemar Hotels & Resorts reports preliminary RevPAR results for second quarter - Braemar Hotels & Resorts reported preliminary RevPAR of approximately $211.43 for June 2021, representing an approximate increase of 366% versus June 2020 and a decline of 15% versus June 2019. This compares to RevPAR of $172.03 for May 2021, representing an approximate increase of 1,748% versus May 2020 and a decline of 25% versus May 2019, and RevPAR of $177.17 for April 2021, representing an approximate increase of 5,264% versus April 2020 and a decline of 20% versus April 2019. The company expects to report RevPAR for all hotels in the portfolio increased approximately 871% for the second quarter of 2021 compared to the second quarter of 2020, and decreased approximately 20% compared to the second quarter of 2019. "We continue to be pleased with the recovery trends we are seeing at our hotels driven by strong leisure demand at our luxury resort properties," said Richard Stockton, Braemar's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Comparable RevPAR for all hotels increased $186.72 during the quarter, based on ADR of $379.73 and 49.2% Occupancy. Looking ahead, new bookings have been strong and we believe Braemar is well-positioned to continue to execute on its disciplined strategy for growth."

08:16 EDT Bionano Genomics announces progress in China for Saphyr System - Bionano Genomics announced significant progress in China with the adoption of its Saphyr System for optical genome mapping, or OGM, by WeHealth Shanghai, a leading provider of genome analysis services in reproductive health. The adoption was announced at the Structural Variation Symposium in Shanghai, organized with support from the Shanghai Society of Genetics. WeHealth announced the launch of its complete genome-analysis offering with OGM combined with whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing.

08:14 EDT Soleno Therapeutics provides regulatory update on DCCR tablets treatment - Soleno Therapeutics provided an update following a recent interaction with the FDA regarding the development of once-daily DCCR extended-release tablets for the treatment of Prader-Willi Syndrome. On July 2 the Company received official meeting minutes from the June 11th. Type B meeting with the Division of Diabetes, Lipids and Obesity. Included in the meeting was the "patient voice" represented by the PWS advocacy organizations, as well as the family of a DCCR trial participant. The FDA continued to assert that based on the data they have seen to date, an additional clinical trial is necessary for the submission of a New Drug Application. However, the FDA strongly encouraged Soleno to submit the available data and clinical study reports for the Company's Phase 3 trial, DESTINY PWS, and its long-term, open-label extension study (C602) to allow them to assess if these studies may provide adequate evidence of safety and efficacy to support the submission of an NDA.

08:14 EDT H2O Innovation combines PWT, Genesys to become Specialty Chemicals Group - H2O Innovation is proud to announce that its two specialty chemical business lines, PWT and Genesys, came together on July 1, 2021, to form the H2O Innovation Specialty Chemicals Group. The Corporation will increase at the same time its sales force with the addition of new territory managers and its manufacturing capacity in its Cheshire facility. While both entities will continue to exist in this new group, and there will be no changes to the current product portfolio, the new combined management structure will leverage the strengths of the leadership of Genesys and PWT. It has been 18 months since H2O Innovation completed the acquisition of Genesys International Ltd, with the goal of eventually creating, with PWT, a single specialty chemicals group with a common vision. Mr. Steve Chesters will lead this team as Vice President and Managing Director, Ryan Furukawa will assume the role of Vice President - Technology, Matt Armstrong will become Vice President - Sales and Mazen Ellabban will take on the position of Global Mining Industry Manager. The specialty chemicals team has long considered the benefits of local presence in high-potential regions, such as Middle East and Asia. Starting July 1, 2021, Mr. Iqbal Ahmad will represent H2O Innovation in Southeast Asia. Iqbal has developed a tremendous level of expertise having worked extensively on significant projects across these regions in his long tenure in the water treatment industry. Currently based in New Zealand, he will be responsible for supporting growth of Genesys and PWT distributors, in part by continuing to implement the Corporation's Key Account strategy. Further hires in North America as well as internationally are also expected by the end of the fiscal year. The Corporation is also very excited to announce the expansion of operations in the Cheshire, UK, manufacturing facility. A project is underway that will nearly double the warehouse area, allowing the shop to manufacture PWT's dendrimer-based antiscalant, which will continue to be manufactured in Vista, CA, USA, as well. The project will also expand the capabilities of blending both Genesys and PWT powder products to better serve European and Asian costumers, reduce shipping delays as well as freight costs and improve gross profit by insourcing its manufacturing.

08:12 EDT Grove launches Qubes plant-based vitamin gummy brand - Grove expands into the rapidly growing plant-based market for gummy vitamins with their newest product line, Qubes. The brand currently offers customers unique products from Apple Cider Vinegar + Acai, Turmeric Immunity, and an upcoming Algae Oil supplement that will act as a plant-based alternative to fish oil for daily Omega-3 intake.

08:11 EDT Triterras receives not in compliance letter from NASDAQ - Triterras announced that, on July 1, it received a notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market stating that the Company is not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250 because it had not timely filed its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended February 28 with the SEC. Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250 requires listed companies to timely file all required public financial reports with the SEC. The Notice provides that the Company has until August 2, 2021 to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules. If Nasdaq accepts the Company's plan, then Nasdaq may grant the Company an exception of up to 180 calendar days from the due date of the 2021 Annual Report, or until December 27, 2021, to regain compliance.

08:10 EDT NMI Holdings reports 8,764 loans in default at June 30 - NMI Holdings reported selected operating statistics for the month of June 2021. At June 30, 2021, the company reported 8,764 loans in default and a default rate of 1.86%. Given the continuing normalization of the economic environment, the company will discontinue the monthly reporting of selected operating statistics initiated at the onset of the COVID pandemic. The company will continue to report selected metrics with its quarterly earnings releases.

08:09 EDT Immutep receives FDA, IRB approval for Phase IIb TACTI-003 trial - Immutep announces it has completed all the necessary competent authority steps with the US Food and Drug Administration and has received IRB approval to commence its phase IIb TACTI-003 trial in the United States. Patient recruitment for the TACTI-003 trial is expected to begin within this quarter. TACTI-003 will evaluate the Company's lead product candidate, eftilagimod alpha, in combination with MSD's KEYTRUDA as a first line therapy in approximately 154 patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. It is a randomised, controlled clinical study that will take place across Australia, Europe and the United States of America in up to 35 clinical sites. Immutep was granted Fast Track designation for efti to treat 1st line HNSCC patients by the US FDA in early April 2021. Pending approval by the European and Australian competent authorities and ethics committees, Immutep expects to broaden its recruitment sites into these regions.

08:09 EDT IT Tech Packaging tissue paper R&D center receives Level B certification - IT Tech Packaging announced that the company's tissue paper research and development center has received a Level B scale-above Certification as an industrial R&D enterprise institution in Hebei province after on-site inspection by regulators. ITP has also been granted six new utility patent certificates on paper manufacturing related equipments by the State Intellectual Property Office. Mr. Zhenyong Liu, CEO and Chairman of the Company commented, "This is the first batch of new utility patents obtained by the Company, which signals our achievements in technology innovation that is protected and recognized as intellectual properties. Such recognition will provide new motivation for ITP to keep its great work on technology innovation in the future."

08:07 EDT Synalloy appoints Doug Tackett as Chief Legal Officer - Synalloy (SYNL) has appointed Doug Tackett as chief legal officer. In this role, Tackett will serve as in-house legal advisor to the Company's executive team and board of directors on all legal matters related to the Company. Tackett brings to Synalloy over two decades of legal experience, including private practice and with global corporations, both public and private. Most recently, he served as chief legal officer of Support.com (SPRT), where he oversaw all legal, governance and compliance functions. Prior to that, Tackett spent over seven years as the global chief legal and compliance officer and secretary for Startek (SRT), where he led a global team of legal and compliance professionals serving a company operating in 13 countries and employing approximately 40,000 people worldwide. Tackett also previously held leadership roles at Comdata, Sitel and HCA. He began his legal career at the national law firm of Baker Donelson.

08:06 EDT Dynavax, Biological E commercial supply agreement for COVID-19 vaccine candidate - Dynavax Technologies and Biological E announced the execution of a commercial supply agreement of Dynavax's CpG 1018TM advanced adjuvant, for use in BE's subunit COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CORBEVAX. The commercial supply agreement extends through 2022. The agreement includes doses for delivery in 2021, which were manufactured under the previously announced funding agreement between the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and Dynavax. Pending conditional regulatory approvals in India, BE expects to commence product launch of CORBEVAX later this year.

08:06 EDT Magenta Therapeutics appoints Caren Deardorf as chief commercial officer - Magenta Therapeutics announced the appointment of Caren Deardorf as the company's first chief commercial officer. As chief commercial officer, Deardorf will serve as a member of the company's executive team and will be responsible for establishing the strategy, direction and execution of Magenta's global commercial capabilities. Deardorf has more than 25 years of international biotechnology leadership experience across a range of therapeutic areas. She comes to Magenta from Ohana Biosciences, where she served as the chief commercial officer, developing commercial strategy for fundraising and business development efforts, including planning for the company's first commercial product launch.

08:05 EDT Republic Bancorp hires Jeff Starke as CIO - Republic Bank & Trust announces the addition of Jeff Starke as Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer. Starke will lead technology team members and execute information technology strategy to deliver stable, secure, and innovative services for Republic's employees and customers. Jeff joins Republic from Bank OZK in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was the Chief Technology Officer, served as Chair of the Information Systems Steering Committee, and held various IT leadership positions during his 11-year tenure. Prior to joining Bank OZK, Jeff was employed by a community bank acquired by Bank OZK. He holds an Associate of Science, Network Systems Administration degree from ITT Technical Institute of Greenfield, Wisconsin and is a certified Project Management Professional. "We're excited to have Jeff join our team to lead IT strategies," said Logan Pichel, President of Republic Bank. "Republic has a long history of innovating for the future, and we pride ourselves on providing best-in-class mobile and online banking experiences for our clients. With Jeff's expertise and leadership, we will continue to develop innovative ways of using technology to better serve our employees and customers in the communities where we do business."

08:04 EDT Procore partners with Mubadala Investmen to expand into MENA - Procore announced its expansion into the Middle East and North Africa, or MENA, with a focus on the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Mubadala Investment, an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor and existing Procore shareholder, will partner with Procore to drive its expansion into MENA. The partnership will advance the opportunity for Procore's platform to connect information and teams, drive performance, and ensure the safety of workers in the region's construction industry.

08:04 EDT Viracta Therapeutics announces appointment of Ayman El-Guindy as CSO - Viracta Therapeutics announced the appointment of Ayman El-Guindy, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer, or CSO. In addition, Viracta announced the addition of Patric Nelson, MBA, as Senior Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Strategy and Biljana Nadjsombati, Pharm.D., as Vice President, Pharmaceutical Development. Ayman El-Guindy has over 23 years of experience studying the role of viruses in cancer and spent the last decade as a faculty member at Yale University School of Medicine, most recently as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Disease, and the Department of Pathology.

08:03 EDT PyroGenesis announces $4.6M increase in funding, $4M contract with HPQ Polvere - PyroGenesis Canada announced that, further to its press release dated May 27th, 2021, wherein it had announced a $700,000 grant from Sustainable Development Technology Canada to develop a novel production process to transform quartz into fumed silica, PyroGenesis has now signed a contract for approx. $4MM with HPQ Silica Polvere, a wholly owned subsidiary of HPQ Silicon Resources. This Contract is part of a project, valued for a total of approx. $5.3 MM. The difference is expected to be funded by an additional government agency for $630,000 as well as a contribution by PyroGenesis of $175,000. It is expected that all these amounts will be paid directly to PyroGenesis. PyroGenesis has been tasked, over the next 24 months, to design, develop and manufacture downstream business opportunities by converting quartz to fumed silica, using a novel one-step plasma-based reactor. Fumed Silica is a thickening agent used in a wide range of applications, such as paints, cosmetics, coatings, inks and resins. If successful, PyroGenesis' innovative green solution would not only be economical in and of itself, but would also eliminate the toxic by-products of conventional processes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 90%1. This would be a significant improvement over the current environmentally damaging fumed silica production processes, and could become a game changing process for the industry. Fumed silica is a white microscopic powder with high surface area and low bulk density. Its commercial applications encompass various industries including personal care, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, adhesives, sealants, construction, batteries and automotive to name a few. Research2 indicates that the demand for fumed silica is growing at 6% CAGR, with a global addressable market of US$ 1.5 billion in 2016 which is expected to grow to US$ 2.2 billion in 2022. The Contract with HPQ Polvere includes the sale of a provisional patent applicatio relating to the Reactor, for 3.3MM$ and the exclusive use, by HPQ Polvere, of the IP in the field of fumed silica manufacturing, together with a 10% royalty on the Client's future sales. PyroGenesis retains a royalty-free, exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license to use the IP for all activities outside of the Field. This royalty stream can, at any time, be converted by PyroGenesis into a 50% ownership in HPQ Polvere.

07:59 EDT InPlay Oil sees Q2 average production 5,325 boe/d - InPlay Oil s pleased to provide an operations update. InPlay's average production in the second quarter of 2021 is forecast to be approximately 5,325 boe/d based on field estimates, representing a record quarterly production rate for the Company. Production is ahead of forecast as a result of the continued outperformance of six 100% Cardium wells drilled in Pembina, three of which were brought on production in the fourth quarter of 2019 and three direct offsets that were brought on production in the first quarter of 2020. Production rates are also supported by the exceptionally strong results of the three 100% Pembina Cardium 1.5 mile wells drilled on our recently acquired lands which were brought on production at the end of the first quarter of 2021. These wells have produced an average of approximately 42,240 boe per well in the first ninety days of production, which is 45% above our forecast and 100% above proved undeveloped booked reserves in our December 31, 2020 independent reserve evaluation. The Company estimates, based on current performance, that these wells will pay out in six months at a West Texas Intermediate price of approximately USD $60.00/bbl and an even shorter time frame at current WTI pricing of approximately USD $76.00/bbl. With these tremendous results, InPlay has redirected drilling capital to wells on our recently acquired Pembina asset, as disclosed in our May 6, 2021 press release. The Company started drilling another three well pad directly offsetting the three wells drilled in the first quarter of 2021 and is currently drilling the third well on this pad. These wells are expected to be on production by the end of July. At this time, InPlay reiterates its 2021 estimated annual average production guidance of 5,100 to 5,400 boe/d and currently expects to be at the high end of the production range. The Company is scheduled to release its second quarter financial and operational results on August 11, 2021 and will provide updated 2021 average annual production guidance at this time as additional production data from the three wells currently being drilled will be available. This update is also expected to include revised commodity price estimates, as current forward strip WTI oil prices for the second half of 2021 are approximately USD $14.00/bbl higher than the last price forecast we published in May 2021. Our current 2021 guidance is expected to result in continued record production for the remainder of the year. These production levels combined with strong forward strip commodity prices and increased operating income profit margins from operational efficiencies are expected to result in a significant and record Adjusted Funds Flow for InPlay.

07:41 EDT Evogene's AgPlenus announces results for herbicide product candidate - AgPlenus, a subsidiary of Evogene, announced that it has achieved positive results in a Proof of Concept testing of a resistance trait for its leading novel Mode-of-Action herbicide product candidate, APH1. The preferred agricultural practice in field crops is utilizing herbicides that only affect weeds, and not the commercial crop. Today's announcement focuses on the progress in developing a resistance trait to AgPlenus' leading herbicide candidate, APH1.AgPlenus' herbicide program focuses on the discovery and targeting of new MoAs to overcome herbicide resistance issues. AgPlenus' herbicide candidate APH1 is the first chemical compound addressing a novel MoA from this program to reach the 'Lead' stage. This MoA is not present in higher organisms such as mammals, which may favorably impact its potential safety profile. In parallel, AgPlenus is working on developing crops resistant to its new MoA herbicides, to expand the potential of their commercial application. To achieve this POC, AgPlenus transformed tobacco plants to express a protein that made them resistant to APH1. These modified plants were grown in a greenhouse and sprayed with a high dose of APH1, equivalent to 2 kg/ha. Modified tobacco plants showed no harm from this application while the control plants were heavily damaged. The next step in the development of a resistance trait is to attempt to modify soybean plants to establish resistance to APH1 in this important commercial crop.

07:37 EDT Atlas's Seaspan enters into charters with ZIM for ten 7,000 TEU containerships - Seaspan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas (ATCO), announced that it has entered into long-term charters with ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) relating to ten ultra-modern 7,000 TEU dual-fuel liquefied natural gas containership newbuilds. Seaspan will enter into agreements with a major shipyard to construct the LNG Containerships, which are anticipated to begin deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023 and through 2024. The LNG Containerships are anticipated to be financed from existing liquidity, cash flow from operations, and additional borrowings. Transaction Highlights: ten modern 7,000 TEU dual-fuel LNG vessels; aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.05B; and 12-year charters totalling approximately $1.8B of gross contracted cash flow. Bing Chen, Chairman, President and CEO of Seaspan, commented, "We are very pleased to collaborate with ZIM on this forward-thinking project which provides advanced designs, competitive pricing and valuable deliveries. We see these modern 7,000 TEUs to be the natural successor to the aging global pool of conventional vessels in the 4,000 to 9,000 TEU range, where relatively little fleet renewal has taken place. We are experiencing strong customer interest for this vessel size."

07:36 EDT Full Truck Alliance on news of inquiry by China Cybersecurity Review Office - Shares of Full Truck Alliance are down over 17% in pre-market at $15.75 per share. Last night, the company "announced that pursuant to an announcement issued by the Cybersecurity Review Office of the Cyberspace Administration of China on July 5, 2021, CRO has initiated a cybersecurity review of FTA's Yunmanman apps and Huochebang apps. In order to facilitate the review and prevent the expansion of potential risks, these mobile apps are required to suspend new user registration in China during the review period. FTA will fully cooperate with CRO during the cybersecurity review process. FTA is conducting a comprehensive self-examination of any potential cybersecurity risks and will continue to improve its cybersecurity systems and technology capabilities. FTA hopes its full cooperation will assist CRO to complete its review process smoothly. Apart from the suspension of new user registration in China, FTA and its mobile applications maintain normal operation."

07:33 EDT Allegheny Technologies, United Steelworkers reach tentative agreement - Allegheny Technologies announced it has reached tentative agreement for its labor contract with the United Steelworkers covering approximately 1,300 represented employees located primarily within the Advanced Alloys & Solutions segment operations for the term covering March 1, 2021 - February 28, 2025. The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by USW members in the coming weeks. Once ratified, an orderly return to work process will begin. The company remains on-track with its previously announced strategy to exit standard stainless sheet products.

07:33 EDT Williams announces upstream operator and JV in the Wamsutter Field - Williams announced that it has finalized an upstream joint venture with Crowheart Energy in the Wamsutter Field of the Greater Green River Basin of Wyoming. The joint venture involves the consolidation of three legacy operating assets consisting of over 1.2 million net acres, over 3,500 operating wells, and more than 3,000 potential development locations. The transaction consolidates the legacy BP, Southland and Crowheart upstream assets into one contiguous footprint, delivering operational cost savings and synergies, while unlocking significant long lateral development inventory. Williams' strategic efforts to combine the Wamsutter Field reserves will enhance the value of its midstream and downstream natural gas and NGL infrastructure. "We are excited to enter into this joint venture with a strong and well-capitalized operator with an ownership structure that will reduce costs, stimulate development activity, drive volumes and position our midstream and downstream assets for growth," said Chad Zamarin, Williams Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategic Development. "Today's announcement is the culmination of Williams' consolidation efforts in the Wamsutter Field. With Crowheart as our operating partner, we position the upstream platform with a proven in-basin operator who is committed to optimizing and developing the consolidated assets." Under the joint venture, Crowheart will operate the parties' consolidated upstream position and Williams will continue to operate and retain full ownership of its midstream assets. Williams will also retain real estate, surface and other rights designed to enable further expansion of midstream and renewable energy opportunities in Wyoming. The existing large scale and efficient infrastructure will allow this resource to be produced in an environmentally responsible manner.

07:32 EDT BBTV Holdings announces proposed normal course issuer bid - BBTV Holdings announced that it has filed its Notice of Intention to make a Normal Course Issuer Bid, or NCIB, with the Toronto Stock Exchange. The NCIB remains subject to approval by the TSX. BBTV believes that share purchases pursuant to the NCIB will contribute to the facilitation of an orderly market and be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Under the NCIB, if approved by the TSX, the company may acquire, over a 12-month period, up to an aggregate of 5% of the Subordinate Voting Shares of the company issued and outstanding on the date of TSX approval of the NCIB.

07:30 EDT Iveric bio jumps over 20% after FDA agreement for GATHER2 Phase 3 trial - Shares of IVERIC bio are up over 20% at $9.61 in pre-market trading after the company announced that it received FDA agreement under SPA for GATHER2 Phase 3 trial.

07:28 EDT Satellogic to become public through CF Acquisition Corp. V merger agreement - Nettar Group, or Satellogic, and CF Acquisition Corp. V (CFV) announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that will result in Satellogic becoming a publicly traded company. The transaction is expected to be completed early in Q4, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. After closing, Satellogic will trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol (SATL). Satellogic entered into a definitive merger agreement with CFAC V. The transaction reflects an implied pro forma enterprise value of $850M for Satellogic, representing a multiple of approximately 1.1x projected revenue of approximately $800M by 2025. The transaction is expected to result in cash on the balance sheet of up to approximately $274M, after transaction expenses and debt repayment, through the contribution of up to $250M of cash held in CFAC V's trust account and a concurrent PIPE offering of $100M. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Satellogic and CFAC V, is subject to approval by CFAC V's stockholders and other customary closing conditions.

07:23 EDT Chart Industries, Hyzon Motors partner to develop liquid hydrogen powered truck - Hyzon Motors and Chart Industries announced an agreement to develop and produce a liquid, hydrogen-powered heavy-duty commercial vehicle with a range of up to 1,000 miles. "Using liquid in place of gaseous hydrogen in heavy transport brings numerous advantages. Because liquid hydrogen storage is twice as dense as the current 700 bar gaseous storage, a tank of liquid hydrogen fuels a vehicle for nearly twice the distance. Liquid hydrogen also improves a truck's payload capacity because the storage tanks weigh less than 700 bar tanks," the company said. While trucking provides a near-term commercialization opportunity, this technological advance could also pave the way to hydrogen-based, zero-emissions aviation, marine and train transport, key transportation sectors that will benefit from a liquid hydrogen supply chain.

07:21 EDT Flyht Aerospace receives follow-on order from OEM partner - FLYHT Aerospace Solutions has received a $338 thousand purchase order for Iridium modems and license fees from a long-time OEM customer. This order builds upon the relationship previously discussed in press releases dated July 15, 2014, August 1, 2019 and February 18, 2020. Under the terms of the existing agreement, the OEM will be licensing FLYHT's technology and delivering the automated flight information reporting systemto their European airframer customer for three certified aircraft platform types. FLYHT anticipates shipping all product, and therefore recognizing revenues, from this order during the third quarter of 2021.

07:17 EDT Huntington Ingalls to acquire Alion Science and Technology for $1.65B in cash

07:17 EDT Chart Industries and Hyzon to develop liquid hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks - Hyzon Motors and Chart Industries are teaming up to develop long-haul trucking with liquid hydrogen. Hyzon announced an agreement to develop and produce a liquid, hydrogen-powered heavy-duty commercial vehicle with a range of up to 1,000 miles.

07:15 EDT Atlas Crest Investment announces two top management hires - California-based Archer announced two new hires: veteran pilot Jeff Greenwood has joined the company as a Chief Flight Test Pilot and Dave Dennison has joined as Vice President of Engineering. In his role, Greenwood is tasked with developing the command center of the aircraft, as well as setting the test flight timeline and leading test flights. An experienced engineer and aircraft production line manager, Dennison will strengthen Archer's core leadership team as the company works through certification and brings its eVTOL aircraft to market. Previously, Greenwood served as a test pilot for Bell, where he helped develop, test, and certify leading industry rotorcraft. Prior to Bell, Greenwood served as a pilot in the United States Marine Corps. During his tenure, he developed his passion for test piloting and was a graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School. Dennison previously served as the Vice President of Engineering at Triumph Aerospace Structures, where he helped create innovative new thermoplastic structures technologies and led certification activities for the Bombardier Global 7500 and Embraer E2 programs.

07:14 EDT Xebec Adsorption announces Master Service Agreement for BGX Biostream units - Xebec Adsorption announced that it has signed a Master Service Agreement with a leading U.S.-based renewable natural gas dairy farm project developer for the purchase of BGX Biostream units. The MSA will support the order of an initial 18 units, with the potential for additional orders under the same service agreement. This agreement represents the single largest unit order the company has received to date for Biostream and the largest in number of systems ever awarded in North America for dairy farm biogas upgrading projects. As a result of the MSA and additional expected orders, Xebec has also started the production of 30 Biostream units for delivery over the next year. The company's increased manufacturing requirements are in part supported by the recently announced acquisition of Tennessee-based Nortec. Xebec's Canadian manufacturing facility is being modified and is expected to allow for the annual production of approximately 30 to 40 Biostream units. In addition, the company is exploring new capacity in the U.S. as more purchase orders are signed.

07:13 EDT Provention Bio receives CRL for the company's BLA for teplizumab - Provention Bio announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a Complete Response Letter, or CRL, for the company's Biologics License Application, or BLA, for teplizumab for the delay of clinical type 1 diabetes in at-risk individuals. In the CRL, the FDA stated that a single, low-dose pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic bridging study in healthy volunteers to compare planned commercial product with drug product originating from drug substance manufactured for historic clinical trials had failed to show PK comparability. "As PK remains the primary endpoint for demonstration of comparability between the two products, you will need to establish PK comparability appropriately between the intended commercial product and the clinical trial product or provide other data that adequately justify why PK comparability is not necessary." The company expects relevant additional PK/PD data being, or to be, collected from a PK/PD substudy in patients receiving 12-days of therapy in the ongoing Phase 3 PROTECT trial in newly diagnosed T1D patients later this quarter. These data will be analyzed by independent, unblinded third-parties to maintain the integrity of this placebo-controlled trial. Upon review of the results from this substudy, the company will determine whether to submit these data to the FDA for its review, along with any other relevant data and analyses based on our ongoing discussions with FDA, to support PK comparability or otherwise justify why PK comparability is not necessary. In the CRL, the FDA cited several additional considerations related to product quality, which the company believes have either been addressed in amendments already submitted to the BLA or can be addressed in the short-term. The CRL acknowledged that the FDA had not reviewed several amendments already submitted by the company in response to certain Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls information requests. The FDA also stated that certain deficiencies conveyed during a recent general inspection, not specific to teplizumab, at a fill/finish manufacturing facility used by the Company will need to be resolved before approval. The CRL did not cite any clinical deficiencies related to the efficacy and safety data packages submitted to the BLA and confirmed the acceptability of the proposed proprietary name for teplizumab. The FDA requested that the company provide a safety update as part of its BLA resubmission. The CRL contained other comments and recommendations that do not impact approvability, as well as general guidance regarding the resubmission process.

07:11 EDT Athira Pharma is enrolling patients for studies evaluating ATH-1017 - Athira Pharma announced that it is enrolling patients into an open label extension, or OLEX, study for its ongoing Phase 2/3 LIFT-AD and Phase 2 ACT-AD studies of ATH-1017 for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. "This treatment extension allows us to meet investigator and patient interest in continuing treatment with ATH-1017. We can now collect up to 1 year of safety and efficacy data on ATH-1017, and patients who received placebo during the randomized portion of the trial will now be able to receive up to 26 weeks of therapy," said Hans Moebius, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at Athira. "It's rewarding to have our first patients completing six months of study now continue their treatment. Our novel treatment approach is agnostic to the underlying disease pathology and is designed to focus on neuronal regeneration, which has the potential to improve clinical outcomes for patients." The LIFT-AD and ACT-AD trials are evaluating ATH-1017, a small molecule therapeutic designed to enhance the activity of Hepatocyte Growth Factor and its receptor, MET, which are expressed in the central nervous system, in order to promote brain health and function.

07:11 EDT Agrify, Curaleaf enter into multi-year vertical farming R&D partnership - Agrify Corporation (AGFY) announced that it has signed a definitive Collaboration Agreement forming a long-term research and development partnership with Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CURLF). The research will be focused on evaluating the impact of certain environmental conditions created and controlled by Agrify's Vertical Farming Units and Agrify Insights software platform on harvest yields, plant terpene profiles, and flavonoid concentrations. It will also explore and analyze techniques to enhance the aesthetic appeal, aroma, and overall chemical profile of cannabis flower. In addition, the joint research team plans to study the effect of regulated environments on the overall health and longevity of cannabis plants, including research on the maturation of the chemical profile of the plants over their lifecycle. Under the terms of the Agreement, Agrify will supply its VFUs and provide use of the Company's Agrify Insights software platform for a period of three years at Curaleaf's primary R&D facility located in Massachusetts, with an option to extend another three years. The collaboration combines Agrify's technology and expertise in creating optimized cultivation environments with Agrify Insights(TM)-based data and Curaleaf's expertise in cultivation and production of quality cannabis products. All test data collected by Agrify Insights will be jointly owned.

07:09 EDT Orgenesis reports multiple Ranpirnase development milestones - Orgenesis (ORGS)announces it has achieved multiple Ranpirnase development milestones and provides an update on its resultant plans. Orgenesis has completed its pre-Investigational New Drug, or IND, consultation with the FDA regarding the development of RanTop for the treatment of anogenital warts. The Company is on track to start phase 2 trials in this indication after completing the FDA pre-IND requests. Orgenesis' licensing partner, Okogen, has recently presented positive interim phase 2 clinical trial results of OKG-0301 in acute adenoviral conjunctivitis. Orgenesis and Leidos (LDOS), as part of the previously announced collaboration, are preparing additional materials leading to an IND submission for a clinical trial of Ranpirnase for the systemic treatment of patients infected by coronavirus 2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Feasibility studies to combine Ranpirnase with the Orgenesis Bioxome technology have started.

07:08 EDT Opthea's OPT-302 granted Fast Track designation for wet AMD - Opthea announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designation for the company's VEGF-C/-D 'trap' inhibitor, OPT-302, in combination with anti-VEGF-A therapy for the treatment of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. With the Fast Track designation, Opthea is eligible for more frequent regulatory meetings and communications with the FDA, as well as a Rolling Review of completed sections of its Biologic Drug Application which will help expedite the Phase 3 development program and subsequent approval review process. Under the Fast Track designation, OPT-302 may also be eligible for Accelerated Approval and Priority Review if relevant criteria are met. Opthea is currently recruiting patients into two concurrent global, multi-center, randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled Phase 3 trials known as ShORe and COAST. Both clinical studies will enroll ~990 treatment-naive patients each and assess the efficacy and safety of intravitreal 2.0 mg OPT-302 in combination with 0.5 mg ranibizumab, compared to ranibizumab or aflibercept monotherapy, respectively.

07:06 EDT Bridgeline Digital up 35% in pre-market as top trending name on StockTwits - Shares of Bridgeline Digital are up 35% at $12.11 in pre-market trading following Friday's 56% rally. The stock is a top-trending ticker on StockTwits in terms of message volume this morning.

07:06 EDT Unity Biotechnology announces data from Phase 1 study of UBX1325 - UNITY Biotechnology announced positive data from its Phase 1 safety study of UBX1325 in patients with advanced disease from DME or wet AMD for whom anti-VEGF therapy was no longer considered beneficial. UBX1325, a small molecule inhibitor of Bcl-xL and the first senolytic therapeutic evaluated in an ophthalmological clinical study, was well-tolerated with no treatment-related adverse events or dose-limiting toxicities. Additionally, the majority of DME and wet AMD patients treated with a single injection of UBX1325 demonstrated rapid improvements in best-corrected visual acuity central subfield thickness and sub- and intra-retinal fluid all key clinical measures of disease progression. The first patient has been dosed in a Phase 2a clinical study to assess the safety and efficacy of UBX1325 in a broader population of patients with DME, and data is expected in the first half of 2022.

07:05 EDT Franchise Group completes sale of Liberty Tax to NextPoint Acquisition - Franchise Group announced the completion of its previously announced combination of its Liberty Tax business (with NextPoint Acquisition Corp., a diversified financial services platform. Franchise Group received total consideration of approximately $249 million consisting of approximately $182 million in cash and approximately $67 million in shares of NextPoint. The Company repaid approximately $182 million of its outstanding debt with the cash proceeds from the transaction.

07:04 EDT Ocugen up 15% in pre-market as 2nd highest trending name on StockTwits - Shares of Ocugen are up 14.7% at $8.36 in pre-market trading following last week's 13% decline. The stock is the second highest trending ticker on StockTwits in terms of message volume this morning.

07:03 EDT Athenex announces update from FDA Type A meeting on oral paclitaxel - Athenex announced that the Company held a Type A meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during the second quarter of 2021 to discuss the deficiencies raised in the Complete Response Letter received in February. At the meeting, Athenex provided additional analyses, including overall survival data on patient subgroups, to provide a more comprehensive summary of the risk/benefit assessment. Athenex also proposed to collect additional OS data that could inform the design of a new clinical study. The FDA was supportive and encouraged the Company to continue development of oral paclitaxel and encequidar for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. The FDA also agreed that a well-designed and well-conducted trial may adequately address the deficiencies raised in the CRL. Athenex is evaluating the optimal design for a new clinical study which it intends to present to the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2021. Athenex is also developing oral paclitaxel and encequidar for the treatment of cutaneous angiosarcoma, for which it has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA. Athenex also received Orphan Designations from the European Commission for oral paclitaxel and encequidar for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma.

06:57 EDT CareMax to acquire DNF Medical Centers, terms not disclosed - CareMax announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DNF Medical Centers, medical practice in the Orlando Metro area that will add six medical centers serving more than 4,000 Medicare Advantage members to CareMax. CareMax intends to use DNF as the foundation for its further expansion in the Central Florida and Tampa Bay region, a market with more than 2M Medicare-eligible beneficiaries. The transaction will bring the total number of medical centers that CareMax operates to 42 and total membership to approximately 66,000 patients, including approximately 26,000 Medicare Advantage members. CareMax plans to deploy multiple near-term growth levers for DNF, including: Deploying CareMax's proprietary technology platform, CareOptimize, to provide data, analytics and rules-based decision tools/workflows for DNF care teams to customize high-touch, care and improve medical loss ratios; Leveraging DNF's large, high quality medical centers to continue to add multi-specialty care and other ancillary services to provide whole person care to patients in the Central Florida region; Utilizing CareMax's sales and marketing infrastructure and health plan relationships to drive organic growth to fill existing capacity in DNF's clinics; and Working with the DNF leadership team to identify additional underserved communities in the Central Florida and Tampa Bay markets that would benefit from the CareMax model and new de novo buildouts. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the third quarter. CareMax expects the transaction to be immediately accretive.

06:53 EDT Genesco receives ISS recommendation for all nine director nominees - Genesco announced that Institutional Shareholder Services, or ISS, has recommended that Genesco shareholders vote the blue proxy card for all nine of the company's director nominees at Genesco's annual meeting of shareholders to be held on July 20.

06:48 EDT FDA approves expanded indication for Merck's KEYTRUDA in cSCC - Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an expanded label for KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, as monotherapy for the treatment of patients with locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma that is not curable by surgery or radiation. This approval is based on data from the second interim analysis of the Phase 2 KEYNOTE-629 trial, in which KEYTRUDA demonstrated an objective response rate of 50%, including a complete response rate of 17% and a partial response rate of 33% in the cohort of patients with locally advanced disease. Among the 27 responding patients, 81% had a duration of response of six months or longer, and 37% had a DOR of 12 months or longer. In June 2020, KEYTRUDA was granted its first indication in cSCC, as monotherapy for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic disease that is not curable by surgery or radiation.

06:38 EDT GAP Airports reports June traffic down 2.2% compared to June 2019 - Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico announces preliminary terminal passenger traffic figures for the month of June 2021, which includes comparisons with the 2019 and 2020 figures to facilitate the reading and understanding of the passenger traffic trend. For June 2021, the total number of terminal passengers at GAP's 12 Mexican airports decreased by 2.2%, compared to the same period of 2019. Los Cabos, Tijuana, and Puerto Vallarta airports presented an increase in passenger traffic of 14.9%, 10.4% and 2.8%, respectively, while the Guadalajara and Guanajuato airports presented a decrease of only 14.3% and 14.4%, respectively, which demonstrates a positive trend in our Mexican airports.

06:33 EDT GFL Environmental forms RRA, to acquire CSSA - GFL Environmental announced that it has formed the Resource Recovery Alliance, or RRA, in response to the Government of Ontario's extended producer responsibility regulation requiring product and packaging producers to operate and fully finance Ontario's Blue Box program. RRA will become a producer responsibility organization, or PRO, under the new legislation and will be vertically integrated within GFL's service offerings. GFL also announced that RRA has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Canadian Stewardship Services Alliance, or CSSA. With the acquisition, RRA will be a resource recovery and compliance solution for producers in North America, augmenting GFL's existing capabilities in collection, sorting, processing, marketing, and reporting of blue box material in Ontario. The acquisition of CSSA, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in Q3 of 2021.

06:28 EDT Eli Lilly announces EMPEROR-Preserved trial meets primary endpoint - The EMPEROR-Preserved phase III trial met its primary endpoint, establishing Jardiance as the first therapy to reduce the risk of the composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure in adults, with or without diabetes, who live with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF. Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly announced the topline results. When added to the EMPEROR-Reduced trial results, these findings demonstrate Jardiance's efficacy in all forms of heart failure regardless of ejection fraction. The safety profile was generally consistent with the known safety profile of Jardiance. The EMPEROR-Preserved trial investigated Jardiance 10 mg compared with placebo. Full results from the EMPEROR-Preserved trial are scheduled for presentation at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2021 on August 27. Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly plan for regulatory submissions in 2021. These results add to previous findings from the EMPEROR-Reduced phase III trial, which showed that Jardiance significantly reduced the combined relative risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure by 25% compared to placebo in adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Together, these studies demonstrate the benefits of Jardiance for patients across the full heart failure spectrum. The EMPEROR-Reduced results formed the basis of the recent approval of a new indication for Jardiance for the treatment of adults with HFrEF by the European Commission. In the U.S., Jardiance is not approved for the treatment of heart failure. A supplemental New Drug Application for Jardiance to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure in adults with HFrEF has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with a decision expected later this year. Research is ongoing regarding Jardiance's effects on hospitalization for heart failure and mortality in post-myocardial infarction patients with high risk of heart failure. Jardiance is also currently being investigated in chronic kidney disease.

06:24 EDT Coda Octopus appoints Kevin Kane as CEO, Coda Octupus Colmek - Coda Octopus Group (CODA) announced the appointment of Kevin Kane as CEO of its US subsidiary, Coda Octopus Colmek, Inc. based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kane most recently served as vice president, international business development, for the L3Harris Technologies' Communications Systems (LHX) segment. In making this appointment, the company has now split the role of CFO and Divisional CEO of Coda Octopus Colmek, Inc. Mr. Mike Midgley who previously held both roles continues with the Group as its CFO and Mr. Kane assumes the role of CEO of Coda Octopus Colmek.

06:19 EDT Ikarian Capital reports 5.2% passive stake in Odonate Therapeutics - After market close on Friday, Ikarian Capital disclosed a 5.2% stake in Odonate Therapeutics, which represents about 1.99M shares. The filing does not allow for activism. Shares of Odonate are up about 33% at $4.61 in early pre-market trading.

06:13 EDT Kennedy Wilson invests $16M in 11-acre Opportunity Zone to build 268 units - Kennedy Wilson is expanding its presence in the Mountain States through an investment in an 11-acre Opportunity Zone site that will be developed into a 268-unit garden-style community named The Oxbow in Bozeman, Montana. Kennedy Wilson has committed $16 million to the venture in exchange for a 51% ownership in the development alongside equity and operating partner Roundhouse. Construction is already underway on The Oxbow, which is expected to reach completion in 2023. When complete, the new community will offer ample amenities for residents while promoting access and connection to the outdoors. Plans for The Oxbow include a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments across a collection of low-rise buildings with clean, mountain-modern designs that blend urban and natural amenities. The community will feature a variety of amenities including a coffee shop, a resort-style spa, fitness and yoga studio, as well as a community kitchen, working spaces and a dog wash station. The Oxbow is expected to contribute approximately $2.4 million of annual net operating income to Kennedy Wilson upon completion. The acquisition comes on the heels of several large apartment purchases by Kennedy Wilson in the Mountain States and reflects a continued focus on recycling capital from dispositions into high-quality multifamily properties in high-growth markets. The Oxbow will add 268 units to Kennedy Wilson's Mountain States portfolio, which now totals over 10,000 market-rate and affordable units, including those under development. The Oxbow also contributes to the overall expansion of Kennedy Wilson's multifamily portfolio, which has grown from 30,000 units at year-end 2020 to over 32,000 units at the close of Q2 2021.

06:11 EDT Patterson-UTI reports an average of 75 drilling rigs operating in June - Patterson-UTI reported that for the month of June, the company had an average of 75 drilling rigs operating. For the three months ended June 30, the company had an average of 73 drilling rigs operating.

06:10 EDT Kirkland Lake Gold reports drill results from Macassa Mine in Kirkland Lake - Kirkland Lake Gold reported new drill results from 54 holes of underground exploration drilling from the Macassa Mine in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. Holes in the program were completed from new drill platforms located on the east side of the 5300 and 5800 levels and designed to confirm and expand Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources in the SMC zone to the east as well as up and down dip. Tony Makuch, President and CEO of Kirkland Lake Gold, commented: "Today's drilling results at Macassa highlight the extensive potential that exists to add new Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources in the SMC, with high-grade intersections being reported outside of the existing deposit, to the east, south and north, as well as up and down dip. In addition, the new results also include high-grade intersections in the area where the SMC merges with the Amalgamated Break, as well as the identification of potential new high-grade lenses to the southeast and in the footwall of the main SMC structure. Of particular interest is the fact that, based on interpretations of the latest drilling, the SMC East mineralized structure appears to be swinging to the northeast in the direction of the large corridor of high-grade mineralization that we identified along the Main Break and announced last year."

06:10 EDT AstraZeneca gets European Commission clearance to acquire Alexion - The company states: "AstraZeneca's (AZN) proposed acquisition of Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) has achieved an important step towards completion by having cleared the European Commission review. The clearance follows competition clearances in the United States, Japan and other countries globally, with a complete list available on astrazeneca.com. Regulatory clearance in the UK is pending and remains a requirement to complete the deal. The proposed acquisition, first announced in December 2020, would enhance the Company's scientific presence in immunology by adding Alexion's innovative complement-technology platform and an extensive pipeline. Rare diseases represent a high-growth disease area with rapid innovation and significant unmet medical needs. Shareholders of both companies overwhelmingly supported the acquisition by their votes on 11 May 2021. Subject to completing the acquisition, a group focusing on rare diseases will be created. This group will be named 'Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease', and will be headquartered in Boston, US."

06:08 EDT Zomedica provides corporate update - Zomedica provided the following corporate update: As previously announced, Zomedica's flagship product - TRUFORMA - is intended to have five initial assays to test for adrenal and thyroid disorders, which will be followed by many more assays to address other disease states. Three of the initial assays currently are available. While waiting for the completion of the fT4 and ACTH assays by its development partner, Qorvo Biotechnologies. Zomedica will be focused on encouraging veterinarians to install the TRUFORMA instrument in order to test and utilize the TRUFORMA platform. This effort is underway and will continue through the summer of 2021. Zomedica also continues to recruit and hire top level sales representatives, professional services veterinarians, and support staff in order both to further the execution of the instrument placement programs and to prepare for an acceleration of its sales efforts once fT4 and ACTH are available for commercial release. Additionally, effective July 6 all Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Zomedica employees have returned to on-premises work. Strict masking and social distancing protocols still are being observed within all Zomedica facilities until further notice.

06:06 EDT Generac acquires Chilicon Power - Generac Holdings announced the acquisition of Chilicon Power, a designer and provider of grid-interactive microinverter and monitoring solutions for the solar market. The deal further positions Generac as a leader in the residential energy technology market and dramatically increases the Company's total addressable market opportunity. The acquisition closed on July 2. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

06:04 EDT Clarivate appoints Steen Lomholt-Thomsen as CRO, Jaspal Chahal as CLO - Clarivate announced that it welcomed two new executives to the company. Steen Lomholt-Thomsen will join on August 2 in the newly created position of chief revenue officer, or CRO, and Jaspal Chahal joins as chief legal officer, or CLO, and general counsel. Steve Hartman, general counsel and head of corporate development, and Jeff Roy, president, IP Group have stepped down to pursue opportunities outside Clarivate. Steen Lomholt-Thomsen, in the new role of chief revenue officer, will lead the revenue and customer engagement strategy with a focus on revenue growth. He brings over 25 years' experience in global sales leadership and organizational transformation having previously held positions with IBM, HP, IHS Markit and most recently, AVEVA. Jas Chahal is a lawyer and brings over 25 years of corporate, commercial and legal experience gained working for a range of industries and US-listed information services companies.

06:02 EDT HighPeak Energy announces 7.5c special dividend - HighPeak Energy announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly dividend of 2.5c per share of common stock outstanding. The Board of Directors also approved a special dividend of 7.5c per share of common stock outstanding. The dividends will be paid on July 26 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on July 15. The Company currently has approximately 92.7M shares of common stock outstanding. Jack Hightower, HighPeak's Chairman and CEO, said, "The Board elected to initiate a quarterly dividend program after considering the success of the Company's development drilling program. The Company is well capitalized and expects its drilling program to be cash flow positive as early as next year assuming well performance continues to meet our expectations and commodity prices remain relatively constant. If the Company continues its current course, we believe we could maintain a conservative balance sheet, while increasing production and cash flow providing the potential to increase the dividend in the future beyond the 2.5c per share."

05:34 EDT Hutchmed initiates HMPL-295 trial - Hutchmed has initiated a Phase I study of HMPL-295, its investigative and highly selective oral inhibitor of ERK, which is a downstream component of the RAS-MAPK1 pathway signaling cascade. HMPL-295 has the potential to address intrinsic or acquired resistance from upstream mechanisms such as RAS, RAF and MEK. This is the company's first of multiple candidates in discovery addressing the RAS-MAPK pathway. The first patient was dosed on July 2.

05:29 EDT Innate Pharma announces FORCE trial did not meet primary endpoints - Innate Pharma announced that FORCE, the investigator-sponsored, Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of its anti-C5aR1 antibody, avdoralimab, in COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia, did not meet its primary endpoints in all three cohorts of the trial. The FORCE trial was initiated based on pre-clinical data showing that patients who progress towards severe COVID-19 disease exhibit an activation of the C5a/C5aR1 pathway. These translational data were observed in the trial; however, they did not translate into clinical benefit over best supportive care. Investigators and the Independent Data Monitoring Committee observed slightly higher deaths in the treatment arm compared to placebo without causality being established. Results from this trial, including translational data, are planned to be submitted for publication. Based on these results, the =ompany will stop exploring avdoralimab in COVID-19. The results do not impact the investigator-sponsored, Phase 2 trial of avdoralimab in bullous pemphigoid, an inflammatory disease, which is currently enrolling patients. More than 100 patients have been treated with avdoralimab in inflammation and oncology clinical trials with no new or unexpected safety signals observed.

05:25 EDT Caledonia Mining sees FY21 gold production 61,000-67,000 ounces - Sees FY21 gold per annum 80,000 ounces. The company also reported that Central Shaft is now in operation. The company said, "With the Central Shaft now in operation, the anticipated combination of rising production and declining capital investment gives us confidence to further increase the dividend payment in addition to providing funding for investment in new projects, including the exploration prospects at Glen Hume and Connemara North, as announced at the end of 2020."

05:15 EDT TD Holdings enters cooperation framework agreement with Sinotech - TD Holdings announced that the company entered into a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Sinotech, a state-controlled company engaged in the exploration and development of commercial mineral resources and exploit global mineral resources. Pursuant to the framework agreement, the parties established a framework for guidance purposes and indicated their intentions to enter into definitive agreements in the future for various projects. The parties agree to cooperate closely on the exploration and development of domestic and foreign mining projects, and regularly exchange information and share opportunities for cooperation in mining projects. Sinotech agrees to act as a technical professional consultant for the company's mining development by leveraging its advantages, personnel and experience in mineral exploration, mining and processing, and the mineral market.

05:08 EDT Atlas Corp. subsidiary receives delivery of two containerships - Atlas Corp announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Seaspan, has received delivery of two 15,000 TEU scrubber-fitted containerships. The vessels were built in 2019 and are on a long-term charter with a long-standing global liner customer.