Stockwinners Market Radar for December 08, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:20 EST NMPRC rejects PNM Resources merger with Avangrid - The company states: "The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, or NMPRC, rejected the agreement reached by parties in the merger application involving PNM Resources (PNM), its wholly-owned subsidiary Public Service Company of New Mexico, and AVANGRID (AGR). The NMPRC voted 5-0 to reject the parties' agreements reached in the merger proceedings, following a 4-1 vote to deny a request for oral argument seeking to address concerns expressed by the NMPRC. Five federal agencies and the Public Utilities Commission of Texas had already completed their reviews and approved the proposed merger, leaving the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission as the only remaining approval necessary for the merger. The original application before the NMPRC was filed in November 2020."

20:02 EST Bank7 raises quarterly dividend to 12c per share from 11c - The dividend will be paid on January 7, 2022, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 23, 2021.

19:14 EST Avangrid 'disappointed' in New Mexico PRC decision - Avangrid (AGR) issued a statement in response to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission's decision to reject its proposed $4.3B takeover of PNM Resources (PNM): "We are disappointed with the Public Regulation Commission's decision to reject the agreement reached by the parties. We are evaluating the next steps before us. While we re-evaluate the path ahead, we remain dedicated to the work we do every day across 24 states to create economic, social and environmental value in all the communities we serve. While we hope to one day welcome New Mexico into the AVANGRID family, our future remains bright - we are grateful for the daily efforts of our dedicated team and inspired by recent groundbreaking of Vineyard Wind, America's first major offshore wind energy installation."

19:02 EST Qualcomm director sells $3.78M in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Qualcomm disclosed that its director Alexander Rogers sold 37.4K shares of common stock on December 7th in a total transaction size of $3.78M, reducing his stake by about 36%.

18:32 EST Alerus Financial to acquire Metro Phoenix Bank - Alerus Financial announced the signing of a definitive agreement and plan of merger to acquire MPB BHC, the bank holding company for Metro Phoenix Bank, the largest full-service community bank headquartered in Phoenix. The transaction represents the twenty-fifth acquisition for Alerus since 2000. The acquisition significantly increases the Alerus presence in Arizona and, following the completion of the transaction, Alerus will have the fifth largest deposit market share in the Phoenix metropolitan statistical area among community banks. On a pro forma basis, Alerus will operate three branch locations in Arizona. The combined company's Arizona operation will have approximately $439M in total loans and approximately $483M in total deposits. Alerus Chief Financial Officer Katie Lorenson, who will succeed Randy Newman as Alerus President and Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2022, led the negotiations for the acquisition. Upon completion of the transaction, Haggard will join Alerus as President of its Arizona Market, ensuring a smooth transition for clients and employees. In this role, he will also be a member of Alerus' leadership team and oversee growth for the company in the Arizona market. Subject to the terms of the agreement and plan of merger, MPHX shareholders will receive 0.74 Alerus common shares for each outstanding MPHX share, or approximately 2.58M Alerus shares in the aggregate. Using a price per share of Alerus common stock of $31.43 as of December 7, 2021, the transaction has an implied purchase price of $23.26 per share, which equates to an aggregate value of $85.3M, including $4.3M in consideration for option holders. The transaction is anticipated to be immediately accretive to Alerus' earnings per share, excluding one-time transaction related expenses, and approximately 8.5% accretive in the first full year. The agreement and plan of merger has been approved by the boards of directors of Alerus and MPHX. Completion of the merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals and the approval by the shareholders of MPHX. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022, and the data processing system conversion will occur in the first half of 2022 subsequent to the closing. Alerus currently intends to merge Metro Phoenix Bank into Alerus Financial, N.A. at that time.

18:14 EST Enfusion opens new office in Sydney, Australia - Enfusion announced the opening of a new office in Sydney, Australia, which will be Enfusion's first in Oceania. The location in Sydney will allow Enfusion to adequately respond to the increased demand for innovative operational solutions and extend its best-in-class SaaS platform and technology-enabled services to a growing base of investment managers in the region. "We doubled down in several regions including Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and North America over the past year, and due to the increasing demand for our solutions in Australia and New Zealand, we knew the best next step was to solidify our presence in Sydney, which also allows us to better serve our existing clients," said Thomas Kim, CEO of Enfusion. "Sydney will be our tenth global office as we continue to make our cloud-native SaaS platform and managed services solutions available globally, while catering to the unique needs for each market. We are thrilled to better support our existing clients in the region and look forward to the opportunities ahead."

18:09 EST Ibex authorizes repurchase of up to $20M in common stock - IBEX Limited announces that its board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $20M of the company's common stock.

18:04 EST Methode Electronics COO sells 20,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Methode Electronics COO Joseph Elias Khoury disclosed the sale of 20,000 common shares of the company on December 6 at a price of $45.45 per share.

18:02 EST Seagen announces updated results from HER2CLIMB trial - Seagen announced the presentation of new data from exploratory analyses from the pivotal HER2CLIMB trial showing that improvement in overall survival was maintained after an additional 15.6 months of follow-up when TUKYSA was combined with trastuzumab and capecitabine in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who had stable or active brain metastases. The data were featured today in a spotlight poster at the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. "The risk of breast cancer spreading to the brain is more pronounced for patients with aggressive subtypes of breast cancer, including HER2-positive breast cancer," said Nancy U. Lin, M.D., Director of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Program in the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber in Boston, MA. "These analyses provide a hopeful outcome for patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer when cancer has spread to the brain as they show that the TUKYSA regimen not only helped patients live longer but also slowed disease progression in the brain." "After more than two years of follow up, these exploratory analyses show the impact that TUKYSA can have on HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients and underscore its importance as a treatment option," said Roger D. Dansey, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Seagen. After a median follow-up of 29.6 months, the TUKYSA regimen improved OS for patients with brain metastases by 9.1 months compared to trastuzumab and capecitabine alone. The benefit extended to patients with active or stable brain metastases. TUKYSA treatment continued to show clinically meaningful benefit in progression-free survival in the central nervous system, representing a delay of cancer progression in the brain. The rates for intracranial objective response rate and duration of objective response were consistent with previous analyses.

17:45 EST India Globalization Capital says IGC-AD1 ph 1 trial provided 'valuable insight' - India Globalization Capital "announces preliminary results for its exploratory endpoints from its Phase 1 IGC-AD1 clinical trial. IGC-AD1 is a proprietary cannabis-based investigational new drug candidate for patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The Phase 1 clinical trial provided valuable insights on Pharmacokinetics and genotyping that will be essential in determining optimal dosing moving into subsequent trials, subject to FDA approval. The trial measured Tmax, the length of time it takes for the substance to reach its maximum concentration in the body, and T1/2, which is the length of time it takes for the concentration to decline to half the Tmax value. These two metrics provide guidance on when the maximum effects of the drug will be felt and when the impact of the drug will start to decline significantly. We measured Tmax and T1/2 for both THC and the metabolized substance OH-THC. The results indicate that dosing two or three times per day may be safe for patients, as the first and potentially second dose would be eliminated from the body before subsequent doses are given."

17:37 EST Nuvei backs FY21 guidance following short report - Nuvei reaffirmed the financial outlook it disclosed on November 9 for FY21 and reiterated its long-term growth targets for total volume, revenue and adjusted EBITDA margin also disclosed on that date. The company said, "Nuvei believes the recent report issued by a short seller is intentionally misleading and draws inaccurate conclusions, innuendo and character attacks on key executives, among numerous other issues. The personal attacks on Nuvei executives made by the short seller appear to have been made to distract from the Company's achievements and progress. The short seller admits that it stands to profit significantly from Nuvei's stock price decline, at the expense of Nuvei's shareholders, customers and employees."

17:16 EST Boeing awarded $366.46M Navy contract modification - Boeing awarded a $366.46M modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This modification increases the ceiling to extend the service life for up to 32 F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft. Work is expected to be completed in May 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:02 EST Johnson Controls raises quarterly dividend 26% to 34c from 27c per share - The increase will be effective from the fiscal first quarter dividend payment, which was approved by the Board of Directors, and will be payable on January 14, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 20, 2021. Johnson Controls has paid a consecutive dividend since 1887.

16:57 EST Solid Power to begin trading on Nasdaq on December 9 - Solid Power (SLDP) announced the completion of its previously announced business combination following a special meeting of Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation III's (DCRC) stockholders on December 7. The combined company will retain the Solid Power, Inc. name and its common stock and warrants are expected to commence trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbols "SLDP" and "SLDPW," respectively, on December 9.

16:36 EST Brunswick names Jill Wrobel chief HR officer - Brunswick Corporation announced the appointment of Jill Wrobel as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer effective December 8, 2021 and reporting to Chief Executive Officer Dave Foulkes. Wrobel joined Brunswick in December 2020 as Vice President, Enterprise Human Resources and Transformation Leader. In her current role, Wrobel has been responsible for leading human resources strategy across the company and partnering with senior leadership to develop organizational design and talent strategies to enhance the Brunswick's performance and capability. In her new role, Wrobel will have responsibility for all aspects of the human resource function. Wrobel will succeed Brenna Preisser, in her capacity as Chief Human Resources Officer. Since Ms. Preisser's appointment to Chief Human Resources Officer in 2016, her responsibilities have expanded to include President, Business Acceleration in 2019 and Chief Strategy Officer in 2020. Wrobel's appointment to CHRO is the result of a planned succession. Preisser will continue in her capacity as Executive Vice President, Strategy and President, Business Acceleration, the high growth shared access, services, and new business incubator for Brunswick.

16:32 EST Metals Acquisition receives noncompliance notification from NYSE - Metals Acquisition Corp. announced it had received a notification dated December 2, 2021 from the New York Stock Exchange informing the company that, because the number of public stockholders is less than 300, the company is not in compliance with Section 802.01B of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. The Listing Rule requires the company to maintain a minimum of 300 public stockholders on a continuous basis. The NYSE notification letter specifies that the company has 45 days to submit a plan that demonstrates how the company expects to return to compliance with the Listing Rule within 18 months of receipt of the notice. The business plan will be reviewed by the Listings Operations Committee of the NYSE. The Committee will either accept the plan, at which time the company will be subject to quarterly monitoring for compliance with this business plan, or the Committee will not accept the business plan and the company will be subject to suspension and delisting procedures. The company is working diligently to provide evidence of its meeting the minimum 300 public stockholders within 18 months.

16:31 EST Camping World to acquire Lloyd Bridges Traveland, terms not disclosed - Camping World announced an agreement to acquire the Lloyd Bridges Traveland RV dealerships in Chelsea, MI. The acquisition is anticipated to close early in 2022.

16:30 EST W.P. Carey raises quarterly dividend to $1.055 per share - W.P. Carey reported that its Board of Directors increased its quarterly cash dividend to $1.055 per share, equivalent to an annualized dividend rate of $4.22 per share. The dividend is payable on January 14, 2022 to stockholders of record as of December 31, 2021.

16:26 EST RH jumps 11% to $639.00 after Q3 results beat estimates, FY21 guidance raised

16:24 EST Full House Resorts' destination proposal selected by Illinois Gaming Board - Full House Resorts' American Place gaming and entertainment destination proposal was selected by the Illinois Gaming Board, subject to final licensing approvals. American Place was originally one of five proposals submitted in response to a "request for proposals" to develop and operate a new casino and entertainment destination in Waukegan, Illinois. This is the culmination of a competitive selection process launched in 2019. Completion of the full experience expected in 2024.

16:21 EST Landstar System to increase stock purchase program to 3.0M shares - Landstar System announced that on December 7, 2021, its Board of Directors increased the number of shares of its common stock that the company is authorized to purchase under its stock purchase program to 3.0M shares. The increase to the share purchase program reflects a new authorization to purchase 1.9M shares of Landstar System common stock in addition to the 1.1M shares remaining under the prior purchase authorization.

16:18 EST Digital Turbine, Bango partner over payment options - Digital Turbine (APPS) and Bango plc (BGOPF) announced a strategic partnership to offer app developers more secure payment options for their end users. The multiyear, global agreement commercially launches in the first quarter of 2022. "We are excited to work with Bango, a global leader in online payments whose clients include the world's largest merchants such as Amazon, Spotify and Microsoft. This partnership will drive better user experiences and greater revenue opportunities for all our partners. By integrating with the Bango payment platform, we open up in-app payments through direct carrier billing and unlock new revenue streams for mobile carriers," said Matt Tubergen, EVP Global Partnerships at Digital Turbine. "The partnership also presents several synergies through our recently acquired Fyber and AdColony businesses that collectively support over 50,000 app developers for ad monetization. With this partnership these developers can now access direct carrier billing for in-app payments, along with Digital Turbine's direct-to-device distribution network."

16:15 EST Carrier Global raises quarterly dividend 25% to 15c per share. - Carrier Global Corporation announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of 15c per outstanding share of Carrier common stock, which represents a 25% increase over the prior quarterly dividend. The dividend will be payable on February 10, 2022 to shareowners of record at the close of business on December 23, 2021. "Since becoming an independent company, Carrier has delivered outstanding results in a challenging environment, generated strong cash flow and has substantially improved our balance sheet position," said Carrier Chairman & CEO Dave Gitlin. "This dividend increase reflects those improvements, the Board's confidence in Carrier's financial strength and outlook, and supports our continued commitment to a balanced capital allocation strategy."

16:12 EST Otis Worldwide names Judy Marks as Chair of the Board - Otis Worldwide announced that its Board of Directors has elected Judy Marks as its Chair, effective February 3, 2022. Marks will also continue in her current role as President and CEO of Otis, a role she has held since June 2019. She will succeed Chris Kearney who has served as Executive Chair since Otis became an independent, publicly traded company in April 2020. He will remain on the Board. John Walker will continue in the role of Lead Independent Director.

16:09 EST Torrid board authorizes share repurchase of up to $100M of common stock - On December 6, 2021, Torrid's Board of Directors initiated a share repurchase authorization under which the company may purchase up to $100M of its outstanding common stock. Repurchases may be made from time to time, depending upon a variety of factors, including share price, corporate and regulatory requirements, and other market and business conditions, as determined by the company. The company may purchase shares of its common stock in the open market at current market prices at the time of purchase, in privately negotiated transactions, or by other means. The shares would be repurchased with cash on hand and cash from operations. The authorization does not, however, obligate Torrid to acquire any particular amount of shares, and the share repurchase authorization may be suspended or terminated at any time at Torrid's discretion.

16:04 EST Valens to begin trading on Nasdaq - Valens' application to list its common shares on Nasdaq Capital Market has been approved. The company's common shares are expected to commence trading on Nasdaq under the symbol "VLNS" on December 9. Valens' common shares will continue to be listed and trade on the TSX under the symbol "VLNS". The company's shares will continue to trade on the OTCQX under the symbol "VLNCD" until trading on Nasdaq commences. Shareholders are not required to take any action as a result of the up-listing and symbol change. The company's listing on Nasdaq remains subject to satisfaction of all applicable listing and regulatory requirements. In conjunction with this Nasdaq listing, Valens' common shares will become DWAC/FAST eligible for U.S. shareholders.

14:42 EST North American rail traffic dropped 6% in week ended December 4 - The Association of American Railroads, AAR, reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending December 4. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 527,406 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.8 % compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending December 4, were 255,044 carloads, up 3.9% compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 272,362 containers and trailers, down 8.4% compared to 2020. North American rail volume for the week ending December 4, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 346,727 carloads, down 0.6 % compared with the same week last year, and 344,311 intermodal units, down 10.8% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 691,038 carloads and intermodal units, down 6%. North American rail volume for the first 48 weeks of 2021 was 33,112,479 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.3% compared with 2020. Publicly traded companies in the space include CSX (CSX), Canadian National (CNI), Canadian Pacific (CP), Kansas City Southern (KSU), Norfolk Southern (NSC) Union Pacific (UNP), FreightCar America (RAIL), Trinity Industries (TRN), Greenbrier (GBX), and Wabtec (WAB). Reference Link

13:37 EST Pioneer Power trading resumes

13:19 EST Kraft Heinz: Bruno Keller to assume position of president of Latin America

13:16 EST Kraft Heinz to create the North America Zone to be effective in 2Q22

13:08 EST Nuvei says will 'aggressively respond' to short report - Speaking at the BMO 2021 Growth & ESG Conference, Phil Sayer, CEO of Nuvei, commented on "hurtful" report by short seller Spruce Point Capital, saying the company will "aggressively respond." Shares of Nuvei are under pressure on Wednesday following a short report from Spruce Point Research, saying it sees 40%-60% downside for the payments processing company.

12:29 EST NICE issues guidance for Dupixent as add-on for severe asthma - The U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence announced appraisal guidance for Regeneron's Dupixent for treating severe asthma with type 2 inflammation that is inadequately controlled in people 12 years and over. The drug's next review is in 2024. Reference Link

12:00 EST Nam Tai Property falls -12.1% - Nam Tai Property is down -12.1%, or -$1.46 to $10.58.

12:00 EST Weave Communications falls -18.0% - Weave Communications is down -18.0%, or -$2.98 to $13.55.

12:00 EST Paysafe rises 15.3% - Paysafe is up 15.3%, or 56c to $4.20.

11:44 EST Community Financial CEO Pasenelli to retire, Burke named next CEO - The Community Financial Corporation, the holding company for Community Bank of the Chesapeake, announced the appointment of James M. Burke, President of the company and the Bank, as President and Chief Executive Officer of both the company and the Bank, effective August 31, 2022. After many years of dedicated service, William J. Pasenelli, Chief Executive Officer of the company and the Bank, will retire from those positions, and as a member of the Boards of Directors of the company and the Bank, on that date. "We are incredibly grateful to Bill for his 21 years of distinguished service to the Bank and the Company," said Austin J. Slater, Jr., Chairman of the Boards of Directors of the Company and the Bank. "In his tenure as Chief Executive Officer, he has overseen a period of significant growth, particularly in our Virginia markets, the acquisition of County First Bank, the development of our relationship banking focus, significantly improved asset quality, earnings and expense management, and the expansion of the products and services that we offer our customers. In September 2021, the Company was also recognized by the Piper Sandler Bank & Thrift SM-ALL Stars Class of 2021 as one of the top-performing publicly traded small-cap banks and thrifts in the country. We believe that Bill and the management team have positioned the Company well for the future. We are confident that the management team, led by Jimmy, will continue to lead us forward. We could not be more pleased to appoint him as Bill's successor. Jimmy joined the Bank in 2005 as Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer, was appointed President of the Bank in 2016 and President of the Company early in 2021, and was elected to the Company's and the Bank's Boards of Directors in 2021. The Board of Directors believes that Jimmy will continue to leverage the capabilities and efficiencies we have achieved to date, and pursue the strategic vision we have for the Company's future. We are also pleased to announce that Jimmy and Bill, who have worked together for many years, and will continue to do so through and after Bill's retirement. To this end, we have entered into a consulting arrangement with Bill that will take effect on August 31, 2022 and he has agreed to serve as a consultant to the Company through August 31, 2023. This is a win-win situation for all of us."

11:35 EST New York AG announces $200M opioid settlement with Allergan - New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an agreement with Allergan Finance and its affiliates that would deliver up to $200M to New York state to help combat the opioid crisis. The agreement resolves claims brought by Attorney General James for the company's role in helping to fuel the opioid epidemic and requires the company to make full payment of the $200M by mid-2022 if certain conditions are met. The agreement makes enforceable a bar stopping Allergan and all of its subsidiaries, predecessors, and successors from selling opioids in New York and acknowledges Allergan's prior exit from the opioid business. As a result of today's agreement, Allergan will be removed from New York's ongoing opioid trial, currently underway in Suffolk County State Supreme Court. Allergan was acquired by AbbVie. Reference Link

11:29 EST Kroger announces customer fulfillment center in North Carolina - The Kroger Co. (KR) announced it will offer more Americans delivery through the addition of a new customer fulfillment center in North Carolina, powered by the Ocado Group (OCDGF) and combining vertical integration, machine learning, and robotics to provide an affordable, friendly, and fast fresh food delivery service as part of the company's seamless ecosystem. The North Carolina CFC, measuring 200,000 square feet, is expected to become operational within 24 months after the site breaks ground and will employ up to 700 associates over the next five years.

11:13 EST T-Mobile, 5G Open Innovation Lab, CoMotion collaborate for 5G hardware - 5G Open Innovation Lab, CoMotion at the University of Washington, and T-Mobile announced a collaboration that will enable hardware startups to develop, test and roll out new products, services, and prototypes powered by T-Mobile 5G. With a new Ultra Capacity 5G network deployed at CoMotion Labs on the UW campus, the facility is now the first 5G-equipped incubator in the region focused on supporting the growth of the hardware startup ecosystem. The new 5G network at CoMotion Labs hardware incubator allows entrepreneurs, researchers, and student teams to build, innovate, and integrate additional capabilities into their companies and products using next-generation connectivity. The types of use cases startups may test include biotech/medical devices, remote sensors, and edge computing.

10:33 EST Nuvei trading resumes

10:20 EST Radius Health says EMERALD trial meets both primary endpoints - The Menarini Group and Radius Health provided details on the elacestrant data from the EMERALD trial following the positive results presented today at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The data was presented as a "Late Breaker" and shared in an oral presentation by Dr. Aditya Bardia, MD. The EMERALD trial, a multicenter, international, randomized, open-label, controlled phase 3 trial evaluated elacestrant as a monotherapy versus SoC for the treatment of ER+/HER2- advanced or mBC. The trial enrolled patients who had received 1 or 2 prior lines of endocrine therapy. Prior progression on an ET plus CDK4/6 inhibitors was mandated for all patients. Up to 1 line of chemotherapy was allowed. EMERALD met its two primary endpoints: progression-free survival in the overall population and PFS in patients with tumors harboring Estrogen Receptor 1 mutations. Menarini plans to pursue combination studies and initiate activity in new lines of therapy such as the adjuvant setting, enabling elacestrant to be utilized in fully addressing the highest unmet needs for ER+/HER2-patients. In 2018, elacestrant received fast track designation from the FDA. Trial Results: All patients were mandated to be treated with CDK 4/6 inhibitors. Moreover, patient population characteristics showed that 69.4% of patients had visceral metastasis and 22.2% received chemotherapy. EMERALD met both primary endpoints, which measured PFS of elacestrant as a monotherapy vs. SoC in the overall and mESR1 populations: Overall Population Reduced risk of progression or death vs. SoC by 30% Extended median PFS by 2.79 months versus SoC of 1.91 At 12 months, probability of PFS was 22.3% with elacestrant vs. 9.4% with SoC Compared to fulvestrant, elacestrant reduced risk of progression or death by 32% ESR1 Mutation Population Reduced risk of progression or death versus SoC by 45% Extended median PFS by 3.78 months versus SoC of 1.87 At 12 months, probability of PFS was 26.8% with elacestrant vs. 8.2% with SoC Compared to fulvestrant, elacestrant reduced the risk of progression or death by 50%. In both patient populations, results in key pre-specified subgroups, including visceral metastases, number of prior lines, and geographical region, were consistent with the overall outcome A key secondary endpoint for the EMERALD trial is Overall Survival. A pre specified interim analysis indicates a trend favoring elacestrant over SoC in both patient groups. Final analysis is expected to occur in late 2022 or early 2023. Safety Results: Elacestrant was well tolerated with an encouraging safety profile consistent with other ETs: TEAEs leading to discontinuation: infrequent in both elacestrant and SoC arms Grade 3 and higher TRAE were 7.2% for elacestrant and 3.1% for SoC Grade 3 and higher adverse events for elacestrant: nausea, vomiting and diarrhea were 2.5%, 0.8% and 0%, respectively A detailed evaluation of data is ongoing and additional results are expected to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

10:11 EST Truist Financial announces partnership with AutoFi - Truist Financial announced a partnership with commerce platform company AutoFi. Under the agreement, financing options will be available to clients who are shopping for a car through a dealer that partners with Truist or Regional Acceptance as well as the AutoFi platform. This will enable clients to create and submit an online credit application. Clients will be able to use the new service beginning immediately. Truist Dealer Finance and Regional Acceptance have almost 1,000 automotive dealer relationships using the AutoFi platform today.

10:07 EST Cinedigm says content now available on demand on VIZIO WatchFree+ and SmartCast - Cinedigm (CIDM) announced its content is now included in the on demand programming available on Vizio's (VZIO) WatchFree+ streaming service. "Now millions of SmartCast users can access on demand titles like the trailblazing western Hicko or the intensely powerful Short Term 12. With this addition, SmartCast users can now access hundreds of existing WatchFree+ live streaming channels, as well as thousands of on demand titles, with no subscriptions, logins, or devices required for unlimited viewing," the company said.

10:00 EST Weave Communications falls -8.3% - Weave Communications is down -8.3%, or -$1.38 to $15.16.

10:00 EST SentinelOne falls -9.3% - SentinelOne is down -9.3%, or -$4.77 to $46.27.

10:00 EST United Natural Foods rises 12.5% - United Natural Foods is up 12.5%, or $6.14 to $55.26.

09:59 EST Taboola, La Depeche du Midi Group renew five-year partnership - Taboola announced a 5-year exclusive renewal of a partnership agreement with the La Depeche du Midi Group/ Since 2019, the La Depeche du Midi Group has leveraged several Taboola innovations, including Taboola Feed and Taboola Newsroom to boost engagement and subscriptions for its different media including www.ladepeche.fr, lindependant.fr and midi-libre.fr with more than 150 million visitors each month in France. La Depeche du Midi Group renews its exclusive partnership with Taboola for a period of 5 years with the aim of concentrating its efforts around the subscription strategy of the group's titles, in addition to generating revenue. By personalizing the publisher content offered to each reader, thanks to the data generated and the indicators made available by the Taboola tools, the Group can now adapt the advertising experience to a greater or lesser extent depending on the reader profile, potential subscriber or not, and enhance the content.

09:47 EST Nam Tai Property falls -10.3% - Nam Tai Property is down -10.3%, or -$1.24 to $10.80.

09:47 EST ReneSola falls -15.1% - ReneSola is down -15.1%, or -88c to $4.96.

09:47 EST ATI Physical Therapy rises 11.0% - ATI Physical Therapy is up 11.0%, or 39c to $3.95.

09:40 EST Insignia Systems trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:37 EST Rockley Photonics announces results of preliminary human studies - Rockley Photonics announced that the company has successfully completed the first stages of its preliminary human studies examining the measurement of core body temperature using its non-invasive biomarker sensing platform. In these studies, Rockley researchers have demonstrated that a photonics-based sensor detecting water spectra in different layers of the dermis can produce temperature measurements that correlate more closely with reference sensors for core body temperature than do auxiliary sensors like oral, ear, and infrared thermometers. By enabling the detection of core body temperature from a wearable device such as a smart watch or wristband, Rockley's sensing platform has the potential to provide real-time insights about a variety of health conditions and enable the early detection of disease states. Core body temperature is a critical parameter that influences the body's regular function and can affect one's very survival. A person's normal temperature can depend on a multitude of factors, and the human body constantly adapts its temperature to environmental conditions. Because today's common measurement tools and thermometers are designed for convenience, they cannot readily measure the temperature inside the body and therefore may not always reflect the body's true core temperature. Rockley's wearable sensing platform probes beneath the surface of the skin to measure core body temperature in a non-invasive and continuous manner. The Rockley sensing platform uses photonic integrated circuit sensors to generate numerous discrete, narrow-linewidth laser wavelengths across a wide spectral range. These laser wavelengths can detect a level of detail beyond today's LED-based sensors and are therefore able to discern varying signatures of water absorption. Rockley's platform can determine core body temperature by comparing these signatures to known properties of the water absorbance spectrum. Rockley's in-house core body temperature studies represent the first in a series of studies designed to evaluate and refine the performance of Rockley's biomarker sensing platform in measuring a wide range of biomarkers, including core body temperature, blood pressure, body hydration, alcohol, lactate, and glucose trends. The core body temperature studies have been approved by the WIRB - Copernicus Group Institutional Review Board.

09:31 EST ConocoPhillips to sell Indonesia Assets for $1.355B, adding to APLNG stake - ConocoPhillips announced two transactions intended to core up the important Asia-Pacific segment of its diverse global portfolio. The company announced it has entered into an agreement to sell the subsidiary that indirectly owns the company's 54% interest in the Indonesia Corridor Block Production Sharing Contract and a 35% shareholding interest in the Transasia Pipeline Company. The sale to MedcoEnergi for $1.355B is subject to customary adjustments and is expected to close in early 2022, subject to certain conditions precedent. The Indonesia assets being sold produced approximately 50 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day, MBOED, for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2021, and had year-end 2020 proved reserves of approximately 85 million barrels of oil equivalent. The effective date for the transaction will be Jan. 1. In addition, through its Australian subsidiary, the company announced that it has notified Origin Energy that it is exercising its preemption right to purchase up to an additional 10% shareholding interest in Australia Pacific LNG,APLNG, from Origin Energy for up to $1.645B which will be funded from cash on the balance sheet, subject to customary adjustments. The ConocoPhillips subsidiary currently holds a 37.5% APLNG shareholding interest and would own 47.5% of APLNG upon closing if the other relevant APLNG shareholder does not exercise its preemption rights. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022 and is subject to Australian government approval. ConocoPhillips' full-year 2020 production from APLNG was approximately 115 MBOED, and full-year 2021 distributions are expected to be approximately $750 million, excluding distributions resulting from any additional shareholding interest arising from preemption. The effective date of the transaction will be July 1, 2020.

09:28 EST Nuvei down 21% following short report from Spruce Point - Nuvei shares are down $20.46, or 21%, to $76.89 in pre-market trading.

09:26 EST Adial Pharmaceuticals appoints Cary Claiborne as COO - Adial Pharmaceuticals (ADIL) announced the appointment of Cary Claiborne as COO. Mr. Claiborne will continue to serve on the Board of Directors. In his new role, Mr. Claiborne will be responsible for overseeing the Company's strategic growth initiatives, including commercial preparations for AD04, advancement of the clinical pipeline, as well as identifying potential strategic/partnering opportunities related to addiction and the Company's adenosine platform through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Purnovate, Inc. Joseph Truluck who previously served as COO and CFO, will remain CFO of the Company. Claiborne previously served as CFO and board member of Indivior (INVVY), a publicly traded specialty pharmaceutical company developing medicines to treat addiction and serious mental illnesses.

09:20 EST Petros Pharmaceuticals reports positive label comprehension results for Stendra - Petros Pharmaceuticals reports positive over-the-counter - OTC - draft label comprehension study results for its erectile dysfunction Drug Stendra - avanafil -. This Pivotal Label Comprehension Study was designed to assess comprehension of a draft Stendra Drug Facts Label intended for OTC use. This study is a key component in the company's plans to engage in discussions with the FDA to expand the product's access through application for a possible OTC pathway. Early study indicators show positive label comprehension outcomes in the study. In the study, 453 subjects, including a significant number of low health literacy individuals, reviewed a draft OTC Drug Facts label, and were assessed to determine whether they could correctly understand nine key communication messages in the label. The company believes the topline results of this study demonstrate a strong assessment of comprehension of the draft OTC label communication messages, and that these label comprehension results will provide a framework for discussions with the FDA regarding the company's OTC development program.

09:18 EST Sonos accelerates product, organizational development with 'new leaders' - Sonos introduced two key new members of its leadership team. Shamayne Braman joins the company's executive management team as its new Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, and Rebecca Zavin joins as Senior Vice President, Software. "As we continue to grow, it's imperative we take an inclusive approach to the way we build products and services to better serve the needs of our customers as well as reaching new customers," said Sonos CEO Patrick Spence. "To build truly inclusive products, we must also build a diverse and inclusive culture, representative of the communities we participate in and the customers we serve. We are delighted to welcome Shamayne who will be driving strategic initiatives across the business that embrace diversity, foster inclusion, and fuel business outcomes." Based in Minnesota, Braman previously served as Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Target, where she was responsible for driving organizational strategies that advanced Target's DEI priorities and goals across stores, global supply chain and headquarters. Her past experience also includes global DEI roles at HealthPartners and Thomson Reuters, as well as driving education equity as a Teach for America corps member. Shamayne currently serves on the board of AchieveMpls, Penumbra Theater, and the Twin Cities Diversity and Inclusion Roundtable Executive Committee.

09:16 EST EzFill enters fleet fueling agreement with 1-800-GOT-JUNK? - EzFill Holdings announced the signing of a new fleet agreement with the Florida Southeast office of national franchisor 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. EzFill will supply regularly scheduled fueling to the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? fleet in the Miami area, with plans to expand and service its fleets in additional markets in Florida and other states in the near future. This comes on the heels of the Company's recently announced agreement with SERVPRO of North Miami.

09:15 EST Radius Health down 34% after wearABLe study did not meet primary endpoint - Shares of Radius Health are down $4.89, or 34%, to $9.49 in pre-market trading.

09:10 EST Verizon Frontline deployed to 128 named wildfires in 16 states in 2021 - Verizon Frontline deployed its network and public safety solutions in support of first responders as they battled 128 named wildfires across a total of 16 states in 2021. "This support, delivered by the Verizon Response Team at no cost to local agencies and incident managers, and provided at the request of area public safety officials, represents a continuation of Verizon Public Sector's commitment to working alongside our partners in public safety and government," the company said. To help enable mission-critical voice and data service during fire mitigation efforts in locations from California and Colorado to Montana and Minnesota, the Verizon Response Team delivered close to 2,000 Verizon Frontline solutions to nearly 200 communities. These solutions included everything from repeaters, mobile hotspots, routers, smart devices and drones to almost 70 deployable satellite solutions such as Satellite Picocells on Trailers.

09:09 EST NetApp appoints Harvinder Bhela as chief product officer - NetApp (NTAP) announced the appointment of Harvinder Bhela to the newly created role of chief product officer to accelerate the ongoing transformation of the company into a multi-cloud, storage, and data services leader. Reporting directly to NetApp's CEO George Kurian, Bhela will join NetApp in January 2022. Bhela's appointment follows the June announcement of the retirement of Brad Andersen, GM of NetApp's Hybrid Cloud Business at the end of FY22. Anthony Lye, executive VP and GM of NetApp's cloud management and platform services business unit, will continue to lead the company's growth and innovation in emerging technologies, furthering its leadership position in CloudOps, also reporting to George Kurian. Bhela joins NetApp after nearly 25 years at Microsoft (MSFT), where he held multiple executive leadership positions.

09:08 EST Sintx Technologies provides year-end business update - SINTX Technologies shared an end of the year 2021 business update including details from its biomedical, antipathogenic, and industrial business segments: Beginning in November 2021, SINTX successfully launched joint research efforts for the recently awarded National Institute of Health Small Business Technology Transfer grant for 3D-printed silicon nitride PEEK composite spinal implants. The goal of the nine-month collaboration with Drexel University, Thomas Jefferson University, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is to combine the familiar fit and feel of PEEK with the antibacterial and osseointegrative properties of silicon nitride to create a new generation of differentiated spinal implants for prospective partners. Initial efforts have been focused on determining printer parameters and characterizing antibacterial properties for the composite material. The 3D printer to be used in this study was purchased by SINTX in 2021. SINTX has also submitted several other grant applications such as an NIH grant for 3D printed craniomaxillofacial devices as well as a Department of Defense grant proposal for the development of SINTX coating technologies to reduce the infection burden associated with high-risk implantable device applications. The company plans to announce further details once the outcome of the grant submissions is known. SINTX has successfully completed proof-of-concept experiments to create a composite coating that integrates silicon nitride powder into Oxford Performance Materials proprietary polymer. Ongoing collaborative development is now focused on optimizing the coating's adhesion and antimicrobial properties. The Company is continuing to develop new applications and manufacturing technologies in medical devices, with a desire to deliver the osteogenic and antipathogenic benefits of silicon nitride to new areas of the human body. SINTX is leveraging the long-term successful outcomes with silicon nitride spinal implants to find interest in silicon nitride from medical device manufacturers - interest in monolithic silicon nitride, composites of silicon nitride and polymers, and in coatings of silicon nitride on metal implants. Silicon nitride-coated samples have recently been delivered to companies in the orthopedic and dental industries for testing. During 2021 conferences, SINTX garnered significant interest from the dental and foot and ankle communities, meeting with multiple exhibiting companies to explore partnerships in commercializing silicon nitride dental implant systems as well as osteotomy and fusion products. Foot and ankle companies have shown interest in monolithic silicon nitride and in composites of silicon nitride and polymers. The Company's new peck drilling and laser texturing capabilities and the intricately patterned surfaces they produce have contributed to successful engagement with new partners. SINTX continues to invest in its antipathogenic business and recently received a patent from the U.S. as part of its broad strategy to protect the IP the Company is developing. This newly-issued patent provides SINTX with significant IP on a method of reducing or eliminating human and animal viruses within 1 to 30 minutes using any device or apparatus incorporating silicon nitride powder. SINTX has leveraged an investment into an internal pre-pilot manufacturing cell and successfully developed a batch process for fabric infiltration that repeatedly results in a uniform and dense distribution of silicon nitride particles onto the fibers. The team continues to optimize this process in an effort to improve treatment homogeneity and design for manufacturability. These prototype samples consistently demonstrate antipathogenic properties. SINTX also has ongoing collaborations with both North Carolina State University and a private technology and engineering company based in Europe to explore large-scale fabric treatment technologies. The goal of both partnerships is the development of a process for manufacturing a silicon nitride-infiltrated fabric. Prototypes demonstrating the feasibility of these different technologies have successfully been prepared, and characterization and further development are ongoing. SINTX R&D engineers have demonstrated a novel method for incorporating antipathogenic powder into a commercial silicone contact layer wound dressing. SINTX has several commercial partners interested in this technology. Further research in this area, including testing of the treated fabric using standardized bacterial assays, is ongoing. Silicon nitride continues to offer great potential as an alternative to conventional antibacterial agents in wound dressings due to its low toxicity profile. SINTX continues to explore antipathogenic applications in new markets like floor scrubbers and flooring with various companies and looking for new OEM customers to develop antiviral and antimicrobial fabrics and coatings. Work with Iwatani has shifted to focus more heavily on coatings and filters and pivoted away from IT cases based on technical and strategic input from both companies. New opportunities in protective face masks and mask filters are available given the recent announcement to reassess the relationship with O2TODAY. Additionally, SINTX has entered into a new joint development agreement with O2TODAY to further pursue the development of antimicrobial fabrics for consumer masks. SINTX is also beginning a process to register silicon nitride with the EPA. This registration will be a crucial and potentially necessary step as the Company enters these new markets. SINTX has begun construction of the updates to the SINTX Armor building infrastructure to accommodate the new machines. SINTX has initiated equipment qualifications this month and plans to complete the qualification in the first half 2022. The Company is sending small samples to integration and ballistic companies for testing while continuing to get the facility up and running for full production. Additionally, high-strength silicon nitride is a preferred material for rocket thrusters and missile components due to its high-temperature properties and resistance to thermal shock. As a result, SINTX has sold prototypes to aerospace companies for jet engine and RF antenna components for further testing and application development. An additional application as a rocket nozzle is in development. SINTX's achievement of AS9100D certification and ITAR registration - steps taken in 2020 - were necessary to gain the opportunity to sell these parts. SINTX was notified in November that it has received full forgiveness of its Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program loan under the SBA's Second Draw Program in the amount of $509,148.00, which it had received on March 15, 2021, pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. The loan forgiveness covers all principal and accrued interest.

09:06 EST Radius wearABLe study does not meet primary endpoiint of NI for abalo-TDS - Radius Health announced phase 3 topline results from the wearABLe study evaluating the non-inferiority, NI, of abaloparatide transdermal system compared to abaloparatide subcutaneous injection, TYMLOS, in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. The wearABLe study did not meet its primary endpoint of NI for abalo-TDS 300 micrograms, ug, vs. TYMLOS 80 ug in the percent change from baseline in lumbar spine bone mineral density at 12 months based on a NI margin of 2.0%. PRIMARY ENDPOINT: Abalo-TDS group demonstrated an increase of 7.1% vs. baseline; TYMLOS group demonstrated an increase of 10.9% vs. baseline; Treatment difference: -3.7%. SECONDARY ENDPOINTS: Percent change in total hip and femoral neck BMD at 12 months vs. baseline: Abalo-TDS group: total hip and femoral neck BMD increased by an avg. of 2.0% and 1.9% and TYMLOS group: total hip and femoral neck BMD increased by an avg. of 3.7% and 3.4%. SAFETY RESULTS: Incidence of severe or serious treatment-emergent adverse events: similar in both groups: More subjects in the abalo-TDS group reported TEAEs related to the application site as compared to the TYMLOS group; and Fewer subjects in the abalo-TDS group had TEAEs leading to study drug withdrawal, interruption, or discontinuation than in the TYMLOS group. Bruce Mitlak, MD, Chief Medical Officer, commented, "We are pleased to see a clinically meaningful increase in lumbar spine and hip bone mineral density versus baseline for patients receiving the transdermal system. Despite missing the non-inferiority margin, the transdermal system demonstrated a clear bone building benefit to patients and was well tolerated with less than 10% of patients experiencing TEAEs leading to discontinuation." Dr. Mitlak continued, "TYMLOS is an outstanding molecule - it exceeded our efficacy expectations in this trial and with the recently completed ATOM study in men with osteoporosis, we remain highly committed to meeting the needs of our patients."

09:03 EST Philips receives FDA 510(k) clearance for acute patient monitors - Royal Philips announced that its Philips Patient Monitors MX750 and MX850 have received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Initially cleared for Emergency Use Authorization in 2020, the MX750 and MX850 are Philips' most advanced patient monitors uniquely designed to support scalability, alarm management, cybersecurity and enhanced infection prevention within the hospital. As health systems navigate the digital transformation, patient management solutions that can scale to meet hospital needs are in high demand. The MX750 and MX850 patient monitors are an integrated part of the company's future-focused acute patient management solution, enabling hospitals to standardize at a system level and customize the solution in a particular care setting, even virtual or decentralized, to help optimize patient care. The monitors provide full modularity and are interoperable with other devices and applications, including Philips Patient Information Center iX and IntelliVue XDS software, to display critical patient data remotely or at the point of care.

09:03 EST T. Rowe Price board formally approves appointment of Rob Sharps as CEO - T. Rowe Price Group announced that as planned its Board of Directors has formally approved the appointment of Rob Sharps to succeed Bill Stromberg as CEO and chair of the Management Committee, effective January 1, 2022. Sharps, who will retain his role as president, will also be appointed to the Board of Directors, effective on the earlier of January 1, 2022, or the first business day following the closing date of the firm's pending acquisition of Oak Hill Advisors. As previously announced, Stromberg is retiring as CEO on December 31, 2021, although he will continue to serve on the Board as nonexecutive chair.

09:02 EST NextNav, Bosch Sensortec partner for barometric sensor performance - NextNav announced a partnership with Bosch Sensortec to enable more precise vertical location in barometric pressure sensors. Bosch Sensortec's barometric pressure sensors will undergo rigorous testing through the NextNav Certified program to certify their accuracy and performance meet stringent standards across a variety of use cases. Through the partnership, Bosch Sensortec will validate the accuracy of measurements and provide robust performance assurance for Original Equipment Manufacturers utilizing its sensors in mass-market products including mobile phones, tablets, and wearables.

08:48 EST Thermo Fisher completes acquisition of PPD for $17.4B - Thermo Fisher (TMO) has completed its acquisition of PPD (PPD) for $17.4B. The transaction is expected to contribute $1.50 to Thermo Fisher's adjusted EPS in 2022. Thermo Fisher continues to expect to realize total synergies of approximately $125M by year three following close, consisting of approximately $75M of cost synergies and approximately $50M of adjusted operating income benefit from revenue-related synergies. Thermo Fisher will also assume approximately $3.0B in net debt of PPD. All assumed debt will be retired in connection with the closing of the transaction. In connection with the completion of the transaction, PPD's common stock ceased trading on Nasdaq prior to the opening of trading today. PPD will become part of Thermo Fisher's Laboratory Products and Services Segment.

08:43 EST Massey Ferguson announces new brand identity - Massey Ferguson is excited to announce a fresh new look for its iconic MF Triple Triangle logo and its new "Born to Farm" brand identity to celebrate its 175 year anniversary in 2022. "Massey Ferguson has been offering farmers around the world straightforward and dependable machines since its inception nearly 175 years ago. Few brands around the world can claim such a lasting impact in the agricultural industry. Massey Ferguson was truly 'Born to Farm'," said Eric Hansotia, chairman, president and chief executive officer of AGCO Corporation.The new logo will be progressively implemented across the globe. It has already begun to be featured in our digital channels and will be updated in all Massey Ferguson marketing material moving forward. This change builds momentum as we prepare to celebrate the 175th Anniversary starting in January 2022.

08:39 EST Alico publishes inaugural annual Sustainability Report - Alico announced the release and publication of its inaugural annual Sustainability Report. This report emphasizes Alico's commitment to measure and improve Alico's Environmental, Social and Governance, ESG, strategy and performance. Key highlights: Alico is using Sustainability Accounting Standards Board reporting standards to guide reporting of key Sustainability targets; Critical topics include energy and climate, water, sustainable agriculture, food safety, supply chain sustainability, data privacy and security, health and safety, diversity and fair labor; An ESG governance framework has been established, with oversight by the Company's Board of Directors, to drive culture, accountability and continuous improvement; Initial carbon footprint determines baseline metrics for Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas emissions. John Kiernan, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "I'm pleased to introduce Alico's inaugural 2021 Sustainability Report. While this is the first time that we have produced a report detailing our ESG performance, sustainability is not a new concept for us. Instead, this report is the natural outcome of treating the land as a precious resource, and of always remembering our obligations to, and connection with, the local communities in which we operate... We know that sustainability cannot be achieved in isolation, and we are eager to continue-or in some cases, to create-partnerships with suppliers, customers, industry groups and academic institutions to tackle the most challenging environmental issues that face our industry. Together, I am confident that we can achieve ambitious sustainability goals."

08:37 EST NanoVibronix to showcase Painshield products at WCI conference - NanoVibronix announced it will showcase its PainShield products at the Workers' Compensation Institute's 75th Annual Workers' Compensation Educational Conference on December 12-15, 2021 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida. PainShield is an ultrasound device that delivers a localized ultrasound effect to treat pain and induce soft tissue healing in a targeted area, while keeping the level of ultrasound energy at a safe and consistent level. Its range of applications includes acute and chronic pain resolution through its many mechanisms of action. The product has broad applications for sports injuries. PainShield can be used by patients at home or work or in a clinical setting and can be used even while the patient is sleeping. Patient benefits include ease of application and use, faster recovery time, high compliance, and increased safety and efficacy over existing devices that rely on higher-frequency ultrasound.

08:36 EST Berkshire Grey introduces Robotic Product Sortation solution - Berkshire Grey introduced its next generation Robotic Product Sortation solution for order fulfillment. This high-capacity automation solution robotically picks, sorts, and packs individual items into outbound order containers without the need for operator interaction. The latest version of BG RPS includes a host of new features including a unique dual wing design that increases speed by over 25% and doubles the simultaneous order processing capacity. This approach augments human labor to provide additional order processing capacity in existing operations and facilitates lights-out warehouse operations for customers looking to fully transform their fulfillment operations in the face of increasing labor shortages. Currently deployed at multiple Fortune 100 retailers, BG RPS is specifically designed to autonomously pick, sort, and pack large orders in high volume operations for store replenishment, eCommerce, and B2B fulfillment. BG RPS systems easily integrate into existing operations to process growing eCommerce and less-than-case order volumes to help fulfillment operations overcome labor scarcity issues. The systems are compatible with the broadest range of products, packaging, and order types including health and beauty items, apparel, electronics, housewares, packaged food, childcare products, pet care, office supplies, toys, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and other general merchandise items.

08:34 EST Supernus resubmits NDA for SPN-830 apomorphine infusion device - Supernus Pharmaceuticals announced it has resubmitted its New Drug Application, NDA, for its apomorphine infusion device, SPN-830, for the continuous treatment of motor fluctuations in Parkinson's Disease, PD. Following the original submission of the NDA for SPN-830, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Refusal to File, RTF, letter in November 2020 indicating that the NDA was not sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. The FDA provided additional clarity related to the contents of the November 2020 RTF letter and the requirements for resubmission during a Type A meeting with Supernus in March 2021. "SPN-830 is an important product candidate which, if approved by the FDA, represents a novel approach for PD patients," said Jack Khattar, President and CEO of Supernus Pharmaceuticals. "We believe the continuous subcutaneous infusion of apomorphine for the treatment of motor fluctuations can be an attractive alternative for patients who are seeking less invasive options."

08:30 EST Exela Technologies announces equity interest investment led by B. Riley - Exela Technologies (XELA) announced that B Riley Securities (RILY) and certain other investors have purchased and aggregate of $35M of the Company's common stock. Company's management and board members are purchasing, in aggregate, more than $1M of Company's common stock. The Company has taken substantial steps injecting investment and further enabling growth, including increasing capacity at its previously announced special purpose vehicle by $40M. As a result of these steps, the Company's reliance on at-the-market offerings has been vastly reduced. Par Chadha, Exela's Executive Chairman, noted, "I am very pleased with this milestone and believe we are now well on our way to unlocking significant shareholder value as Exela is undervalued on multiple metrics. The partnership we have forged with B. Riley can be no better encapsulated than by way of their equity investment in Exela. We remain thankful to our large, global shareholder base, our employees and our customers and are very pleased to further back this joint effort with share purchases by our management and directors, myself included."

08:28 EST Stereotaxis technology reduces incidence of silent cerebral embolism - Stereotaxis announced a publication in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine titled "Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Using Robotic Magnetic Navigation Reduces the Incidence of Silent Cerebral Embolism." This multi-center, prospective study evaluated 166 patients with paroxysmal or persistent Atrial Fibrillation, AFO, who underwent pulmonary vein isolation using either Stereotaxis' Robotic Magnetic Navigation, RMN, technology or manual contact force ablation catheters. All patients received cerebral magnetic resonance imaging within 48 hours before and after the ablation procedure to assess cerebral embolism. Patients treated using RMN had greater than 82% reduced incidence of silent cerebral embolism at 5.77% compared to 32.26% in patients treated with manual catheter ablation. The study concluded, "ablation technology is the only independent risk factor of SCEs, and RMN can significantly reduce the incidence of SCEs resulting from AF ablation." Stereotaxis' Robotic Magnetic Navigation technology introduces the benefits of robotic precision and safety to cardiac ablation, a common, minimally invasive procedure to treat arrhythmias.

08:26 EST Calibre files special meeting materials on proposed Fiore Gold transaction - Calibre Mining announced the filing and mailing of its management information circular and related materials for the special meeting of Calibre shareholders to consider and approve the issuance of common shares of Calibre pursuant to a plan of arrangement whereby Calibre will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Fiore Gold, which approval is required under the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange, and certain amendments to Calibre's amended and restated long-term incentive plan , which will be implemented only upon the completion of the Arrangement. The Arrangement will create a diversified, Americas-focused, growing mid-tier gold producer with targeted annual gold production of approximately 245,000 ozs.1 The combined company will have comprehensive technical capabilities to exploit a pipeline of development and exploration opportunities across a broader portfolio. This growth strategy will be supported by a strong balance sheet with a combined cash balance of $96 million and no bank debt. Calibre will be acquiring a 100% interest in Fiore's operating Pan Gold Mine, the adjacent advanced-stage Gold Rock Project and the past producing Illipah Gold Project in Nevada, as well as the Golden Eagle project in Washington State. The board of directors of Calibre unanimously determined that the Arrangement is in the best interests of Calibre and unanimously recommends that Calibre Shareholders vote FOR the issuance of Calibre Shares pursuant to the Arrangement and the LTIP Amendments. The Meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. Vancouver time on January 5, 2022 in a virtual-only format.

08:25 EST OncoCyte, Burning Rock complete second part of technology transfer - Oncocyte Corporation announced the completion of the second part of the technology transfer under its revised Exclusive Sublicense Agreement with Burning Rock Biotech. Per the agreement, Burning Rock has licensed Oncocyte's proprietary risk stratification DetermaRx test in China, and is now poised to launch the test to the world's largest early-stage lung cancer market. Under the terms of the revised Exclusive Sublicense Agreement, Oncocyte has achieved part two of the three-part technology transfer, which enables Burning Rock to launch the DetermaRx risk stratification test commercially. This part of the technology transfer included validation that DetermaRx test results achieved in Oncocyte's diagnostic laboratory can be reproduced in Burning Rock's diagnostic laboratories. Burning Rock intends to launch the test across its laboratory network in China, where the patient population that might benefit from DetermaRx is approximately 5 to 6 times larger than that of the US. The DetermaRx test is used to identify high-risk, early-stage lung cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment to improve their five-year survival. Ron Andrews, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oncocyte said, "Burning Rock is a leader in China for NGS-based precision oncology testing, and our collaboration with the Burning Rock team was a natural fit to ensure access to the world's largest eligible patient population, and China's major cancer centers as a part of Burning Rock's impressive and comprehensive portfolio of molecular tests. As we progress to the next part of our agreement, we look forward to scaling the distribution of our novel test in China in the first quarter of 2022." Part three of the technology transfer, and its associated $1M milestone payment to Oncocyte, involves Burning Rock's validation of updated reporting software, designed to enable scaling of testing and reporting, as well as delivery of standardized reference material needed to satisfy anticipated demand in China. Under the revised agreement, Oncocyte is scheduled to deliver the user guides and reference material to Burning Rock by the end of January 2022. The milestone payment to Oncocyte is subject to Burning Rock confirming completion of this final part of the technology transfer by April 30, 2022.

08:22 EST DavidsTea partners with wellness, sleep tracking app BetterSleep - DAVIDsTEA announced a new partnership with wellness and sleep tracking app BetterSleep. The partnership includes pairing specific wellness focused DAVIDsTEA blends with BetterSleep's curated collection of guided meditations, soothing music, playlists, and bedtime stories for adults. For example, DAVIDsTEA's Blood Orange Boost, which helps to enhance focus, has been paired with BetterSleep's Energized Morning guided meditation. It's the perfect combination to practice gratitude and positivity, while the friendly scent of rosemary lifts the spirit and enhances concentration. More expertly curated tea pairings that promote relaxation and help users fall into a peaceful slumber can be found on the DAVIDsTEA x BetterSleep page. To ensure each customers' wellness journey starts on the right foot, members of DAVIDsTEA's Frequent Steeper program will receive an exclusive offer to try BetterSleep free of charge, for the first 30 days. Moreover, all DAVIDsTEA employees and Super Steepers, the VIP tier of the brand's Frequent Steeper loyalty program, will be treated to a 50% discount on one-year app memberships.

08:20 EST Bionano Genomics announces publication of study on OGM to treat MDS - Bionano Genomics announced the publication of a study of 76 subjects by authors at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The study was published in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology. The study evaluated the utility of OGM as an alternative to traditional cytogenomic methods for the characterization of structural variation, SV, in myelodysplastic syndrome, MDS. MDS refers to disorders of the bone marrow in which it does not produce enough healthy blood cells. In this study, 76 subjects were selected for analysis by OGM using fresh and frozen bone marrow. Compared to karyotyping, OGM results were 100% concordant. According to this study, OGM resolution was much higher than conventional karyotyping, CK, and enabled precise mapping of SVs at gene-level determining the status of clinically informative biomarkers such as TET2, MECOM, TP53 and KMT2A, without the need for confirmatory assays, and facilitated detailed gene-level characterization of unknown fusions. Of significant interest, OGM identified 23 clinically significant SVs in 18% of the patients which eluded detection by CK. OGM also revealed a number of SVs with uncertain significance, which may be helpful in determining new algorithms for management of subjects after additional research is conducted.

08:18 EST Ocuphire Pharma expands MAB with six new KOLs - Ocuphire Pharma announced that it has appointed six new key opinion leaders, KOLs, across retina, refractive surgery, and optometry to its Medical Advisory Board, MAB. "The opportunity to assemble such a dynamic and admired roster of medical advisors is exciting and will certainly broaden Ocuphire's potential," said Mina Sooch, Founder and CEO of Ocuphire Pharma. "In the medical community, their clinical expertise and knowledge of ophthalmic drug development have earned them global distinction as key thought-leaders, panelists, authors, clinical investigators, and commercial launch experts in the field of ophthalmology. We look forward to their invaluable contributions and insights as we advance our lead clinical assets, Nyxol and APX3330 in reversal of mydriasis, presbyopia, night vision disturbance, and diabetic eye diseases." The new members of the Medical Advisory Board are: David Brown, M.D. F.A.C.S. is the director of research at Retina Consultants of Texas, chairs the Medical Leadership Board of Retina Consultants of America, and serves on the RCA board of directors. David Lally, M.D. F.A.S.R.S. is a retina surgeon at Baystate Medical Center, an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate, and the director of the Retina Research Institute at New England Retina Consultants. Y. Ralph Chu, M.D. is the CEO and Chief Medical Officer of the Chu Vision Institute and Chu Surgery Center in Minnesota. James Katz, M.D. is a board-certified ophthalmologist at the Midwest Center for Sight in Chicago. Mitchell Jackson, M.D. is the founder and CEO of Jacksoneye in Illinois and has practiced as a comprehensive ophthalmologist for 28 years. Douglas Devries, O.D. is the co-founder of Eye Care Associates of Nevada and Associate Clinical Professor of Optometry.

08:16 EST Converge Technology announces increase to credit facility - Converge Technology Solutions announced it has gained approval to increase its ABL credit facility from $190 million to $300 million in an agreement with a syndicate of banks led by CIBC. Converge will also add J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. to the Company's syndicate of banks.

08:16 EST Campbell Soup sees 'difficult' comparison in Q2, but 'positive' 2H performance

08:14 EST New Jersey Resources announces promotions including Roberto Bel as CFO - New Jersey Resources announced a series of executive and senior leadership promotions that position the company to execute on its growth strategy, sustainability goals and investment priorities. Patrick Migliaccio was named Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of New Jersey Natural Gas . Roberto Bel was promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NJR. Sean Annitto will succeed Vice President Timothy Shea, who is retiring from NJR Energy Services in February 2022, and lead NJR's unregulated wholesale natural gas marketing business. Robert Pohlman was promoted to Vice President of Strategy, Communications, Government Relations and Policy of NJR. Daniel Sergott was promoted to Treasurer of NJR. "The elevation of these proven, capable leaders to senior roles in our organization puts New Jersey Resources in an even stronger position to execute our strategy, deliver safe, reliable service to our customers and advance our clean energy and climate goals," said Steve Westhoven, President and CEO of New Jersey Resources. "Our team will continue to move NJR forward as a leader in sustainability and seize exciting new opportunities to invest and grow in the clean energy future."

08:13 EST Beam Global announves expansion of EV ARC fleet in federally funded center - Beam Global announced that a Federally Funded Research and Development Center has made a third repeat order to further expand its fleet of EV ARC solar powered EV charging systems to charge EVs, hybrids and NEVs, neighborhood electric vehicles, used in fleet operations and by employees. The latest system was purchased using the General Services Administration, GSA, Multiple Award Schedule, MAS, Contract Number 47QSWA21D0006 which simplifies the federal procurement process and ensures best pricing. The EV ARC system is equipped with a dual port charging station to serve the growing fleet of electric vehicles at the facility. It generates and stores its own clean electricity and delivers that electricity to power agency EVs day or night, and during inclement weather and power outages. "The U.S. Federal Government is currently the largest consumer of gasoline in the world but it will become the largest operator of electric fleets in the future. Executive Order 14008 has created a sense of priority and urgency in accelerating fleet electrification in federal and federally funded agencies," said Beam Global CEO Desmond Wheatley. "Solar-powered off-grid EV ARC systems are the fastest deployed permanent yet transportable EV charging solution on the market and they deliver a layer of resiliency that you can't get from the centralized grid."

08:11 EST Campbell Soup seeing signs of improvement from labor challenge actions

08:10 EST Grove to become public through Virgin Group Acquisition combination agreement - Grove and Virgin Group Acquisition (VGII), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Virgin Group, announced they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in Grove becoming a public company. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will continue to operate under the Grove name and will be listed on the NYSE under the new (GROV) ticker symbol. The combined company will be led by Stuart Landesberg, co-founder and CEO of Grove. The business combination includes an implied combined company pro forma enterprise valuation for Grove of $1.5B. The transaction will provide up to $435M in net proceeds to the company, including an $87M fully committed common stock PIPE at $10.00 per share from an affiliate of the sponsor of VGII and new and existing Grove investors, including Lone Pine Capital, Sculptor Capital Management, General Atlantic and Paul Polman, and $348M in proceeds from VGII's trust account net of estimated transaction expenses. The boards of directors of Grove and VGII have both approved the transaction. The transaction will require the approval of the shareholders of both Grove and VGII, and is subject to other customary closing conditions, including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in late Q1 or early Q2 2022. All of Grove's shareholders will roll their equity holdings into the new public company. Grove expects to use the proceeds from the transaction for working capital and general corporate purposes, in addition to covering transaction-related costs. Upon the closing of the transaction, and assuming none of VGII's public shareholders elect to redeem their shares, existing Grove shareholders are expected to own 72% of the combined company, VGII's sponsor is expected to own 3% of the combined company, the PIPE investors are expected to own 4% of the combined company, and public stockholders are expected to own 21% of the combined company. Additionally, VGII will nominate an appointee to the Grove board once the transaction closes.

08:10 EST Palisade Bio granted U.S. patent covering LB1148 - Palisade Bio announces that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted a new U.S. patent for the company's lead investigational drug product, LB1148, for use in treating adhesions and postoperative ileus. The U.S. Patent No. 11,202,768 will issue on December 21, 2021. The issuance of this grant is the first of a recent patent family directed to the use of LB1148 in treating ileus and adhesions, and it confers broad coverage of the components in LB1148 for such treatments until 2037. Palisade Bio is investigating LB1148 for use in reducing adhesions and postoperative ileus, which received Fast Track Designation from the FDA earlier this year. In Phase 2 clinical trials, LB1148 demonstrated statistically significant improvements in accelerating the time to return of postoperative bowel function in gastrointestinal and cardiovascular surgery, and early observations also point to a reduction in adhesions following GI surgery.

08:09 EST Arko Corp. opens new Scotchman truck stop in Rock Hill, SC - ARKO is announcing the completion of its latest remodeled store, the third this year. The 5,660 square foot Scotchman store in Rock Hill, South Carolina is a complete raze and rebuild. Earlier this year, ARKO announced remodeled locations in Collinsville and Mechanicsville as part of a larger remodel initiative. ARKO plans to remodel 360 out of approximately 1,415 company-operated stores across its family of community brands, investing approximately $360 million over three to five years to unify the stores in design while maintaining well-known local banners in each area. The goal of this initiative is to enhance the overall customer experience and value offerings, as well as expand product assortment.

08:08 EST Dentsply Sirona, 3Shape expand strategic partnership - Dentsply Sirona and 3Shape have taken the next step according to their agreement and now provide a secure integration of Dentsply Sirona's Connect Case Center with 3Shape's Dental System software. Dentists using Primescan or Omnicam intraoral scanners for digital impression-taking can now give dental labs secure access to the data through the Connect Case Center Portal. "With integrated hardware and software, even highly complex treatments can be efficiently planned and executed. Simplifying digital workflows, results in a closer working relationship between labs and their dentist partners," the company said. Both companies are now focusing on expanding customer access to an even wider range of technology choices.

08:06 EST Worksport working to become global original equipment manufacturer - Worksport continues its plan to become a global original equipment manufacturer, OEM. After a year of building, strategizing, and operational change management, the Company "started due diligence on potential automotive manufacturers as of third quarter this year - - to actively seek out partners interested in solar integration programs," the company said. Through active efforts, the Company is currently engaged in discussions with several global automotive manufacturers for OEM contracts. The Company believes that its new strategy of growth through obtaining OEM contracts will increase value for the Company's shareholders. "As we have built out, redefined, and matured the Company's automotive-based business over this past year, our new strategy has shown positive results in short order. I am confident as we continue on this path, we will significantly strengthen our market position. With a solid, innovative, full product foundation, Worksport & Terravis Energy can now handle any pressure and scrutiny a company would face from juggernauts in automotive manufacturing. We are deeply focused on bringing the best and most compelling sustainable energy products to market and look forward to deeper discussions with more automotive manufacturers as we pursue a number of opportunities," said Steven Rossi, CEO Worksport.

08:06 EST Bank of Nova Scotia and BestEx Research to build algorithmic trading platform - Scotiabank announced a strategic agreement with BestEx Research, a provider of algorithmic execution and measurement solutions for equities, futures, and foreign exchange trading, to reshape electronic trading for Canadian equities. Scotiabank will be the only Canadian bank to provide access to this trading platform in the Canadian market through its cross-asset electronic suite of products, ScotiaRED. BestEx Research's algorithms are built on quantitative order placement logic, a departure from the heuristic-based approach of most providers and includes a cloud-based Algo Management System.

08:04 EST Monopar dosing of camsirubicin to higher levels than previous trials - Monopar Therapeutics announced the positive recommendation from its safety review committee to escalate to the second dose level in its camsirubicin Phase 1b trial in patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma, ASTS. This decision was made following a review of safety data from the patients in the first dose cohort and will allow evaluation of a higher dose level of camsirubicin than has been administered in any prior clinical trial. "Camsirubicin belongs to a class of drugs, anthracyclines, that have repeatedly demonstrated a dose-dependent anti-tumor response," said Andrew Mazar, PhD, Monopar's Chief Scientific Officer. "Camsirubicin has already shown potential signs of anti-tumor activity in a traditional all-comer advanced cancer Phase 1 and in a pilot Phase 2 study in ASTS, so the ability to achieve a higher dose than previously used in those studies is an important milestone for the company."

08:03 EST Opko Health receives US FDA approval for 4Kscoe Test - OPKO Health announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved OPKO's 4Kscore Test. This test is approved for use in men age 45 and older who have not had a prior prostate biopsy or are biopsy negative and have an age-specific abnormal total PSA and/or abnormal digital rectal exam, DRE. The 4Kscore Test provides a numerical value to assess the presence of aggressive prostate cancer before a decision is made to perform a prostate biopsy. The 4Kscore Test is currently available at BioReference Laboratories, an OPKO Health Company, through its specialty oncology and urology division, GenPath. "The 4Kscore Test has been available as a Laboratory Developed Test since 2014. The FDA approval provides further validation of its value as an important tool in the diagnostic paradigm for prostate cancer," said Jon R. Cohen, M.D., Executive Chairman of BioReference Laboratories. The FDA approval is based on data from two prospective clinical studies carried out in the United States.

08:02 EST Hoth Therapeutics licenses lupus therapeutic back to Zylo Therapeutics - Hoth Therapeutics has entered into an agreement with Zylo Therapeutics to license its novel cannabinoid therapeutic, HT-005 for lupus patients, back to Zylo. Zylo Therapeutics has developed a patented topical delivery system using xerogel-derived particles called Z-pods. Hoth had an exclusive license to develop HT-005. Results demonstrated that the novel HT-005 loaded Z-pods were effective in reducing skin plaques associated with CLE, with statistical significance demonstrated in the overall average skin score as well as individual skin scores on the head and scapula.

07:49 EST Cannae Holdings says to engage in significant buyback activity - Cannae Holdings announced that the Company is actively repurchasing common stock in accordance with its previously authorized stock repurchase programs. William P. Foley, II, Chairman of Cannae, commented, "We have remaining authority to acquire approximately 11.6 million shares pursuant to our previously authorized programs granted by our Board of Directors. In addition, while we intend to continue to allocate capital to opportunistic investments, we also intend to engage in significant buyback activity for the foreseeable future. We have confidence in the fundamental value of the company and our portfolio holdings and believe reinvesting in our own shares is an optimal use of our capital. Furthermore, our Board has advised if this discounted value persists after exhausting existing authority, additional share repurchases may be considered." Purchases may be made from time to time in the open market at prevailing prices or in privately negotiated transactions through February 26, 2024. The repurchase programs do not obligate the Company to acquire any specific number of shares and may be suspended or terminated at any time.

07:44 EST Franchise Group boosts dividend 67% to 62.5c per share - Franchise Group yesterday announced that its board approved a 67% increase to its quarterly cash dividend to common stockholders of 6.25c per share. The dividend will be paid on or about January 15, to holders of record of the company's common stock on the close of business on December 31, 2021.

07:41 EST Blackstone authorizes repurchase of up to $2B common stock, partnership units - In a regulatory filing, Blackstone said that on December 7, its board authorized the repurchase of up to $2B of the company's common stock and Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units, which authorization replaced the company's prior $1B repurchase authorization. The company added: "As reflected in the Form 4 filed on December 7, 2021, Hamilton E. James, the Company's Executive Vice Chairman and a member of its board of directors, sold 5,275,992 shares of the Company's common stock on December 7, 2021. In that connection, the Company repurchased 3,718,854 shares of common stock under the repurchase program from Mr. James for an aggregate purchase price of $499,999,920.30, which reflected the same price per share received by Mr. James in a concurrent sale of shares of common stock to a third-party financial institution. Mr. James has said these sales are primarily sales by family trusts for Mr. James's heirs for estate planning and necessary diversification. Of his personal Blackstone shares held outside those trusts, he is selling only enough shares to partially fund the taxes owed on the exchange and is retaining 80% of his personal Blackstone shares. Mr. James has expressed his intention to remain a long-term Blackstone shareholder given his strong confidence in the firm's future."

07:33 EST Cybin confirms scientific advice meeting for CYB003 with UK MHRA - Cybin announced that it has confirmed a scientific advice meeting with the UK Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, for the first quarter of calendar year 2022. This program milestone brings the company closer toward advancing its lead investigational candidate CYB003 into clinical development for the treatment of major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder. The company plans to file a clinical trial application with the MHRA in the second quarter of calendar year 2022.

07:32 EST Oramed appoints Netanel Derovan as Chief Legal Officer - Oramed appointed Netanel Derovan to serve as Chief Legal Officer - General Counsel - and Company Secretary, effective January 9, 2022. Prior to joining Oramed, Derovan served as executive counsel, corporate and securities, in the legal department of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, as senior counsel in the International Corporate and Securities Department of Goldfarb Seligman & Co. and as an associate attorney in the International Corporate Department at Caspi & Co.

07:28 EST Reata Pharmaceuticals trading halted, news pending

07:17 EST Hudson Capital announces Freight App launches new carrier reporting offering - Hudson Capital announced that Freight App, a North American transportation logistics technology platform company that has signed a merger agreement, has launched a new offering to address tax and reporting requirements related to Carta Porte for transportation companies in Mexico. Javier Selgas, CEO of Fr8App, said, "As a leader in the transportation technology, Fr8App delivers solutions that improve the efficiency and profitability of our carrier and shipper partners. This new reporting offering is particularly helpful to carriers since 80% of them are owner-operators who do not have dedicated IT services in their companies. As recent changes in Carta Porte added complexity to tax and reporting requirements for transportation companies in Mexico, Fr8App quickly developed a solution to address the new requirements. We are proud to support our customers and will continue to add services as well as increase our value propositions to deepen our relationships with our customers."

07:16 EST Intema signs LOI to acquire Parabellum Media for $700,000 - Intema Solutions announced that it has entered into an arm's length letter of intent dated December 7, 2021, with Amuka Ventures to acquire all the outstanding shares of Parabellum Media, owner of Parabellum Esports and Northern Shield Academy. Parabellum Esports was founded in 2020 and is one of Canada's top esports teams. It is currently fielding rosters in Rainbow Six, Rocket League, CSGO and iRacing, supported by a team of 10 content creators, reaching over 300,000 followers on various social media platforms. Its roster includes both men and women and was one of the first Canadian teams to support competitive women esports. Parabellum is currently sponsored by Zowie, Corsair, Whoosh and CoinSmart, and is the top-selling Canadian esports brand at Sector Six Apparel. For its part, Northern Shield Academy is a developmental team that works with up-and-coming esports athletes to help them take their game to the next level. Participants in the academy have the opportunity to learn from professional coaches, analysts and scouts to help them reach the next level in their gaming careers. The letter of intent stipulates that the Corporation and Amuka Esports will negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement with respect to the Proposed Transaction providing for Intema to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Parabellum for a total consideration of $700,000, to be paid in common shares of Intema, which shares will be subject to a voluntary escrow on to the following terms: 25% of the shares will be subject to a resale restriction of four months and one day from the Closing Date; An additional 25% of the shares will be subject to a resale restriction of 12 months from the Closing Date; An additional 25% of the shares will be subject to a resale restriction of 18 months from the Closing Date; and The remaining 25% of the shares will be subject to a resale restriction of 24 months from the Closing Date. The Proposed Transaction is subject to completion of mutual due diligence, execution of the Definitive Agreement and the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, and is expected to close in January 2022.

07:14 EST iKena Oncology appoints Michelle Zhang as Chief Scientific Officer - Ikena Oncology announced the internal promotion of Michelle Zhang, Ph.D., to Chief Scientific Officer, CSO, effective as of late November 2021. Dr. Zhang has served many roles over her tenure at Ikena, most recently as Senior Vice President of Translational Research and Early Development at Ikena. As CSO, Dr. Zhang is primarily responsible for overseeing and executing Ikena's research strategy, advancing discovery programs through target validation and lead optimization toward development candidate nominations and IND filings. Jeffrey Ecsedy, Ph.D., has stepped to Chief Development Officer, CDO, a newly created role to drive Ikena's growing clinical-stage pipeline. Dr. Ecsedy is taking on broader development responsibilities.

07:13 EST Tecnoglass raises quarterly cash dividend 136% to 6.5c per share - Tecnoglass announced that its Board of Directors has declared a 136% increase in the quarterly cash dividend on its common stock, to 6.5c per share from 2.75c per share. At the new rate, the dividend on an annualized basis will be 26c per share compared to the previous rate of 11c per share. The Company's next quarterly cash dividend of 6.5c per share will be payable on January 31, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 2021.

07:12 EST Veritone subsidiary PandoLogic partners with SmartRecruiters - SmartRecruiters entered a new partnership with PandoLogic, the wholly owned subsidiary of Veritone, that powers the talent acquisition and intelligent hiring processes through advanced AI technology. Companies using SmartRecruiters' programmatic offering, SmartJobs, will benefit from PandoLogic's AI-enabled recruitment technology with talent analytics. SmartRecruiters will specifically partner with PandoLogic to enhance its SmartJobs Managed Service and In-App Offering. Terry Baker, President and Chief Executive Officer of PandoLogic, commented, "Given the pressing need to hire, the way companies think about recruiting is changing. PandoLogic understands that to recruit the right people, employers need to make sure their jobs get seen and applied to by the right candidates - and in today's market that requires the right technology. We're excited to work with SmartRecruiters to help drive successful hiring outcomes."

07:10 EST PureTech Health presents LYT-300 data at ACNP - PureTech Health announced the presentation of preclinical proof-of-concept data at the 60th American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, or ACNP, annual meeting that support the clinical advancement of LYT-300, PureTech's wholly-owned therapeutic candidate for the potential treatment of neurological and neuropsychological conditions, including depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, fragile X tremor-associated syndrome, essential tremor and epileptic disorders, among others. LYT-300 was recently advanced into a Phase 1 clinical study, which is designed to characterize the safety, tolerability and PK of orally administered LYT-300 in healthy volunteers and is expected to read out in the second half of 2022. LYT-300 is an oral form of allopregnanolone. Allopregnanolone is a natural neurosteroid that is a positive allosteric modulator of ?-aminobutyric-acid type A, or GABAA, receptors, which are known to play a key biological role in depression, epilepsy and other neurological and neuropsychological conditions. Natural allopregnanolone has poor oral bioavailability, thus limiting its development as a therapeutic. An injectable formulation of allopregnanolone is approved by the FDA as a 60-hour infusion for the treatment of post-partum depression, though the method of administration has limitations. Synthetic oral analogs of allopregnanolone have had variable clinical success, and comparable activity with natural allopregnanolone remains to be established. Using PureTech's proprietary Glyph technology platform, LYT-300 is designed to unlock the validated biology of allopregnanolone to potentially offer a new, oral treatment option for a range of conditions where there is significant patient need. The data presented at ACNP showed that systemic exposure of natural allopregnanolone was achieved after oral administration of LYT-300 in multiple preclinical models of increasing complexity. In contrast, systemic levels of allopregnanolone were not observed following oral administration of natural unmodified allopregnanolone. These results demonstrate the potential of the Glyph technology platform to enhance the systemic absorption of natural bioactive molecules and other small molecules with poor oral bioavailability.

07:07 EST Quest Resource acquires two asset-light waste services companies - Quest Resource announced that it has acquired two national asset-light waste and environmental services businesses: RWS Facility Services and InStream Environmental. RWS and Instream will expand Quest's presence in the commercial property space and meaningfully add to our industrial market customer base. "These transactions are estimated to increase our annual revenue, net income, and adjusted EBITDA by more than 50%, adding significant scale as well as customer diversification," said Quest President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Hatch. "Like Quest, RWS and InStream both have a reputation for providing exceptional service and building strong customer loyalty. With the increased scale and scope of our combined businesses, we are well positioned to maintain strong customer relationships and provide more services for existing and prospective customers," Hatch added. The Company agreed to acquire the membership interests of RWS for a total consideration of $33M in cash. The Company agreed to acquire the assets of InStream for a total consideration of $11M. The combined transaction price of approximately $44M is estimated to add more than $80M of revenue. As part of the transactions, Quest further announced that it has amended its lending agreement with Monroe Capital, increasing its borrowing facilities up to $75M, lowering borrowing costs by 350 basis points, and providing other improved terms.

07:06 EST Pembina Pipeline announces 2022 guidance, business update and ESG targets - Pembina Pipeline provided 2022 financial guidance and an end-of-year business update. Sees 2022 adjusted EBITDA of $3.35B-$3.55B and a 2022 capital investment program of $655M; cash flow from operating activities is expected to exceed dividends and the capital investment program in 2022. As such, Pembina expects to allocate up to the first $200M of the excess towards common share repurchases, with the balance available for incremental capital investment if sanctioned, debt repayment, or additional distribution to shareholders. Estimated capital cost of Peace Pipeline Expansion Phase VII has been revised lower by $110M to $665M, and the expected in-service date has been advanced to mid-2022. Executed an agreement with a second Montney producer for liquids transportation service for volumes from development of the producer's northeast British Columbia Montney acreage. Contracted 76% of the capacity on Alliance Pipeline, which was set to expire on October 31, 2022, with an average contract length of nearly four years. Set additional environmental, social and governance targets related to employee equity, diversity and inclusion, with a focus on advancing representation of women and other underrepresented groups at all levels of the organization. Continues to progress pre-final investment decision development activities for the Cedar LNG project.

07:04 EST Bio-Techne reports publication of lateral flow technology proof-of-concept data - Bio-Techne announced the publication of an important manuscript in the journal Scientific Reports, a Nature Research journal, showing proof-of-concept of its proprietary lateral flow technology. The manuscript is entitled SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid diagnostic test for resource limited settings. In this manuscript, Bio-Techne scientists demonstrate a method for developing an inexpensive alternate test for diagnosing active COVID-19 infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 with a minimally invasive anterior nares swab sample.The paper discusses a proof-of-concept lateral flow-based test that identifies the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 antigen with no equipment or laboratory infrastructure to administer. The test rapidly produces results after 15 minutes with a limit of detection of 2.0 x 102 TCID50/mL, 87.5% sensitivity, and 100% specificity.

07:04 EST Rocket Pharmaceuticals appoints Martin Wilson as General Counsel - Rocket Pharmaceuticals announces the appointment of Martin L. Wilson as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President. Mr. Wilson brings nearly 20 years of legal, compliance and executive experience and accomplishment within the life sciences industry. Mr. Wilson will be responsible for the Legal and Compliance functions and serve as a key member of the leadership team. "The Rocket family is thrilled to welcome Martin to our talented executive leadership team as we advance our world-class pipeline of gene therapies and unlock cures for patients facing devastating rare disease," said Gaurav Shah, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Pharma. "Martin's vast legal and compliance expertise, coupled with exceptional leadership experiences at life science companies of varying sizes, scales our existing capabilities as we rapidly expand in support of our ambition to seek gene therapy cures." Prior to joining Rocket, Mr. Wilson was General Counsel and Chief Corporate Officer at Ichnos Sciences, where he oversaw Legal, Compliance, Business Development, Human Resources and IT. Mr. Wilson helped establish Ichnos as an independent corporate entity and set up its corporate structure. Before Ichnos, Mr. Wilson served as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, Corporate Secretary and Head of Human Resources at Teligent, Inc. Prior to Teligent, he was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Endo Pharmaceuticals following the acquisition of Par Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Wilson held multiple roles of increasing responsibility at Par over the course of 11 years, including Chief Compliance Officer

07:03 EST Nuvation Bio announces FDA clearance of IND application for NUV-422 - Nuvation Bio announced that the U.S. FDA has cleared its investigational new drug application to evaluate NUV-422, a cyclin-dependent kinase 2/4/6 inhibitor, for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. The FDA accepted the company's first IND application for NUV-422 in October 2020 for the treatment of patients with high-grade gliomas, including glioblastoma multiforme. The company began a monotherapy Phase 1/2 study in December 2020 in high grade gliomas and later amended the protocol in the second quarter of 2021 to include HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer and metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. The company is continuing to enroll patients in the Phase 1 dose escalation portion of the study.

07:01 EST Paysafe leadership and directors purchase $2.8M in common shares - Paysafe CEO Philip McHugh has purchased approximately 290,000 shares of Paysafe's common stock for a total purchase price of approximately $1.0M. The shares were purchased on the open market on December 3rd. Additionallyother executive officers and independent Board members of Paysafe have purchased approximately 447K shares of Paysafe's common stock totaling approximately $1.8M. The shares were purchased on the open market between November 12th and December 3rd.

06:55 EST American Water names Susan Hardwick as Interim CEO - American Water announced its Board of Directors appointed Susan Hardwick, American Water's executive vice president and CFO as Interim CEO. The announcement occurred as Walter Lynch, president and CEO of American Water has been hospitalized and is now recovering from an injury. This action, part of our business continuity plan, permits Walter to focus on his full recovery and allows the business to operate without interruption during this time.

06:49 EST Crypto names retreat in pre-market as bitcoin falls back below $50,000 - The price of bitcoin has pared its two-day gains, falling back below the $50,000 level in early morning trading. Stocks levered to bitcoin prices are also retreating in the pre-market session, with Riot Blockchain (RIOT) down 3.5%, Marathon Digital (MARA) down 3.8%, and Coinbase Global (COIN) down 2.1%.

06:35 EST Endeavor Group creates Diamond Baseball Holdings, acquiring MLB PDL Clubs - Endeavor announced the creation of Diamond Baseball Holdings - DBH -, an organization dedicated to supporting, promoting and enhancing the sport of baseball through professional management, best practices, innovation and investment. Endeavor has also signed purchase agreements to acquire nine MLB Professional Development League - PDL - Clubs, which remain subject to customary closing conditions. Diamond Baseball Holdings will operate select Clubs affiliated with franchises in Major League Baseball, including the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and San Francisco Giants. Subject to the PDL approval process, DBH will also operate all four affiliates of the 2021 World Champion Atlanta Braves. Endeavor is also in late stage negotiations with other significant franchises. Endeavor has appointed Pat Battle and Peter Freund to oversee Diamond Baseball Holdings. Battle is Executive Chairman of DBH and currently Chairman of the Board of Learfield and serves as an advisor to Endeavor across multiple companies. Freund is CEO of DBH, and most recently consulted with the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball on the transition of Major League Baseball's licensed affiliates. DBH will support its Clubs with ticket sales, partnerships, naming rights, food & beverage, merchandising, content strategy, collectibles/authentics/NFTs and media rights.

06:32 EST Sage Therapeutics, Biogen announce new data from LANDSCAPE clinical program - Sage Therapeutics (SAGE) and Biogen (BIIB) announced new data from the LANDSCAPE clinical program evaluating the efficacy and safety of zuranolone for the treatment of major depressive disorder presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress taking place December 5-8 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Data from the SHORELINE and WATERFALL Studies in the LANDSCAPE clinical program further the understanding of the potential efficacy and safety profile of zuranolone for the treatment of MDD. Across the studies, zuranolone treatment led to improvements in depressive symptoms as well as in symptoms of elevated anxiety as assessed by multiple scales. In the WATERFALL Study, a rapid onset of effect in HAMD-17 was observed compared to placebo as early as Day 3, reaching statistical significance, followed by a stabilization of depressive symptoms through the follow-up period. Zuranolone has demonstrated a consistent safety profile in the totality of clinical data to date, with no increased incidence of adverse events of weight gain, sexual dysfunction, or sleep disruption relative to placebo, symptoms that are often the cause of standard of care antidepressant discontinuation. In an analysis of a subgroup of patients over the age of 65 in the SHORELINE Study, zuranolone efficacy and safety results for the initial 2-week dose treatment course were similar to that of the general study population. At the time of the analysis, retreatment data were only available for the zuranolone 30 mg cohort of the SHORELINE Study. In a subgroup of patients 65 years and older who responded to the initial 2-week treatment course of zuranolone 30 mg, and were followed for up to one year in the SHORELINE Study, more than half did not receive a second course of treatment during their time in the study.

06:10 EST Cenovus Energy releases 2022 budget, updated strategy and 5-year business plan - Cenovus Energy released 2022 budget, updated corporate strategy, five-year business plan and environmental, social and governance - ESG - targets. The 2022 guidance includes capital spending of $2.6B-$3.0B and total production of 800,000 BOE/d, factoring in major planned turnarounds and production impacts from assets sold in 2021. Anticipates 2022 downstream throughput of 555K bbls/d. Plans allocation of about 50% of excess free funds flow in 2022 to shareholder returns, including planned repurchase of up to 146.5 million common shares. As of December 7, there have been 9,719,100 shares repurchased by the company. Remaining excess free funds flow will continue to be allocated to the reduction of net debt to below $8B. Released latest new ESG targets, including plans for 35% reduction in absolute greenhouse gas - GHG - emissions by the end of 2035 and achieving net zero emissions from operations by 2050. Anticipates a reduction of 7% in overall unit operating costs in both the upstream and downstream segments, while general and administrative expenses and average annual sustaining capital requirements will remain flat. Over the longer term, Cenovus will aim for 1.0-1.5 times net debt to adjusted EBITDA and is committed to achieving a mid-BBB investment grade credit rating. In Q4, Cenovus doubled its common share dividend and once the company achieves net debt below $8B it expects to have further expanded capacity for increasing shareholder returns. In 2022, anticipates total upstream production of 780K-820K BOE/d, and 15,300 BOE/d of production divested in 2021. Canadian and U.S. Manufacturing throughput is expected to be 530K-580K bbls/d, an increase of about 6% over 2021. Anticipates integration costs related to its combination with Husky Energy of $100M-$150M in 2022, which is the remainder of the expected $500M-$550M in total integration costs for the transaction. The targeted annual run-rate of $1.2B in synergies has been achieved.

06:02 EST Hooker Furniture increases quarterly dividend 11.1% to 20c per share - Hooker Furnishings declared a quarterly cash dividend of 20c per share, payable on December 31 to shareholders of record at December 17. This represents a 11.1% increase over the previous quarterly dividend.

05:18 EST KT Corporation invests $5M in NeuroSigma - NeuroSigma announced that KT Corporation has made a $5M equity investment in NeuroSigma. NeuroSigma is the developer of the Monarch eTNS System, which uses non-invasive external trigeminal nerve stimulation to treat neurological and neuropsychiatric indications, including ADHD, depression, and epilepsy. The therapy is the first device-based, non-drug therapy approved by the FDA to treat pediatric ADHD. Investment proceeds will be used to fund the pilot commercialization of the Monarch eTNS System in the U.S., development of the next generation of the eTNS device, additional clinical studies, and application for expanded regulatory approvals in the U.S. and other territories.

05:15 EST Juniper chosen by Airtel to deliver upgrades for broadband coverage across India - Juniper announced that it has been selected by Bharti Airtel, India's communications solutions provider, to deliver network upgrades for the expansion of Airtel's nationwide broadband coverage across India. Airtel has expanded its Fibre-to-the-Home broadband coverage to over 430 towns with plans of covering 30M households in over 2,000 cities in the next three years. In support of this increased nationwide penetration into many previously underserved cities and markets, the latest network upgrades build on the long-term relationship between Airtel and Juniper Networks. As part of the deal, Juniper Networks will supply, install and provide support for upgrades to the MX Series routers and line cards as part of its broadband network gateway to manage their subscribers and services, as well as carrier-grade NAT solutions to ensure secure encryption across the network respectively.