Stockwinners Market Radar for January 11, 2022 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:36 EST Birks Group reports FY22 holiday period sales up 16.3% y/y, up 17.2% vs. FY20 - Birks Group "reported its sales results for the 9 week interim sales period ending December 25, 2021 including a 16.3% net sales increase as compared to the comparable period in FY2021 and a 17.2% net sales increase as compared to the comparable period in FY2020. For the FY2022 Holiday Period, net sales were 16.3% greater than last year, driven by a comparable store sales increase of 18.4%, primarily as a result of strong sales performances in the Bijoux Birks brand product sales and in the third party watches and jewellery categories. The 16.3% sales growth achieved in the FY2022 Holiday Period was also a result of the company's retail network being fully opened, as compared to the comparable period in FY2021 in which seven of the company's 29 retail locations were temporarily closed for in-person shopping due to government mandated COVID-19 closures. Net sales during the FY2022 Holiday Period represent a 17.2% increase over the comparable period in FY2020, a period unencumbered by COVID-19 restrictions. This increase was driven by sales growth in all categories and selling channels, and demonstrates the on-going success of the continued implementation of the company's strategic plan including an improved merchandising strategy and tailored marketing campaigns."

20:20 EST Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 266K shares of DraftKings today

20:18 EST Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 54.1K shares of Coinbase on Tuesday

19:54 EST DXP Enterprises names Nick Little and Paz Maestas as new COO and CM&TO - DXP Enterprise announced Nick Little and Paz Maestas were appointed the new Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing & Technology Officer, or CM&TO, respectfully, effective January 7, 2022. As COO, Nick Little is responsible for providing companywide leadership, team management and strategic vision to employees. Mr. Little began his career with DXP eighteen years ago as an application engineer. Paz Maestas was appointed Chief Marketing and Technology Officer. Mr. Maestas has been with DXP since 2002 and leads the company's e-commerce and Omni-Channel initiatives.

18:24 EST Franklin Resources reports AUM of $1.5781T at December 31, 2021 - Franklin Resources reported preliminary month-end assets under management of $1.5781T at December 31, 2021, compared to $1.5468T at November 30, 2021. This month's increase in AUM primarily reflected long-term net inflows, the acquisition of O'Shaughnessy Asset Management, and the positive impact of markets. For the quarter ended December 31, 2021, AUM reflected the positive impact of markets and long-term net inflows of $24.1B inclusive of the previously disclosed $7.4B of new client accounts related to the Investment Grade Credit team, partially offset by the $3.6B multi-asset institutional redemption that had minimal impact on revenue. Reinvested distributions were $23.5B. AUM also included $7.7 billion from the acquisition of OSAM and the merger of Franklin BSP Realty Trust and Capstead Mortgage Corp.

17:51 EST Virtus Investment reports preliminary total AUM $187.2B as of December 31, 2021 - The increase from September 30, 2021 reflected market performance and the addition of the Westchester Capital Management assets. Net flows for the fourth quarter were essentially breakeven, as positive net flows in retail separate accounts, institutional, and exchange traded funds were offset by net outflows from open-end funds. In addition, the company provided services to $3.8B of other fee-earning assets, which are not included in assets under management, at December 31, 2021.

17:32 EST Sierra Metals reports fatality at Bolivar mine in Mexico - Sierra Metals "regrets to report a fatality as a result of an accident that occurred at the Company's Bolivar Mine, located in Chihuahua State, Mexico. The injured party was evacuated to medical facilities in Cuauhtemoc where the injured party was later pronounced deceased following medical complications. The incident occurred on January 10, 2022 at the underground mining operation of the Bolivar Mine. There were no other injuries related to the accident."

17:27 EST Wells Fargo announces new efforts to limit overdraft-related fees - Wells Fargo announced new efforts to limit overdraft-related fees and give customers more flexible options to meet their personal financial needs. These offerings, which include earlier access to direct deposits, a 24-hour grace period before incurring any overdraft fees, the elimination of several fees, and a new, short-term loan, build on actions the company has taken over the past several years to improve customer experience. "Core to Wells Fargo's evolution is making sure we stay focused on our customers, first and foremost," said Mary Mack, CEO of Wells Fargo Consumer and Small Business Banking. "The enhancements we're announcing today add to changes we've made previously and give our customers more choice and flexibility in meeting their needs." Elimination of transfer fees for customers enrolled in Overdraft Protection - By the end of the first quarter, customers enrolled in Wells Fargo's Overdraft Protection service will no longer pay a fee when funds from a linked account are used to cover transactions on the customer's checking account. Elimination of non-sufficient funds fees - By the end of the first quarter, customers will no longer pay a returned item fee if Wells Fargo returns a check or electronic transaction unpaid because the customer does not have enough available funds in the deposit account to cover the payment. Early access to direct deposits - Customers who receive eligible direct deposits will be able to access funds up to two days earlier than scheduled, minimizing the potential to incur overdrafts. The new service is expected to be available in the third quarter. 24-hour grace period - Customers who overdraw their deposit account will have 24 hours to cover the overdraft before incurring an overdraft fee. The 24-hour grace period is expected to be offered in the third quarter. Together with early access to direct deposit, the 24-hour grace period expands and replaces Wells Fargo's existing Overdraft Rewind service. New easy-access, short-term credit product - To give consumers another option to meet personal financial needs, such as paying a bill or making a small purchase, Wells Fargo will offer qualifying customers a new, short-term loan of up to $500. The loan and an upfront flat fee will be repaid through monthly installments. This new product is expected to be offered by the end of 2022.

16:59 EST Artisan Partners reports AUM of $174.8B as of December 31 - Artisan Partners reported that its preliminary assets under management as of December 31, 2021 totaled $174.8B. Artisan Funds and Artisan Global Funds accounted for $84.4B of total firm AUM, while separate accounts and other AUM accounted for $90.4B.

16:54 EST Aclaris Therapeutics falls after reporting Chief Medical Officer departed - Shares of Aclaris Therapeutics fell almost 3% or approximately 40c per share to $12.50 in after-hours trading on Tuesday, after the company reported that David Gordon, Aclaris' Chief Medical Officer, left the Company effective January7.

16:34 EST BK Technologies announces retirement of CFO Bill Kelly - BK Technologies announced that Executive Vice President and CFO Bill Kelly will retire after a 26-year career with the Company. BK Technologies has initiated an external search for a new CFO and Kelly has agreed to stay on board through this process, no later than June 30, 2022, and serve in a consulting role through the transition as needed.

16:32 EST The Fresh Market appoints Adrian Bartella as CFO - The Fresh Market announced that it has appointed Adrian Bartella as CFO, effective January 17. Bartella has over 15 years of experience leading finance and accounting teams, most recently as CFO at Hudson Group.

16:32 EST Integra LifeSciences plans $125M share repurchase - Integra is planning a $125M share repurchase as a part of a previous approval by the Board of Directors, with an authorization of up to $225M. The company may repurchase shares at the company's discretion, subject to applicable regulatory and other legal requirements. The number of shares to be repurchased and the timing of such transactions will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions, regulatory requirements, other corporate considerations, and could be suspended or discontinued at any time as determined by Integra management. De Witte concluded, "Our ability to reinvest for growth and repurchase shares is a testament to our strong balance sheet and commitment to creating shareholder value. We are excited about the future of Integra as we deploy our capital in support of strong profitable growth and returns for our shareholders."

16:28 EST U.S. Steel selects Osceola, Arkansas for new steelmaking facility - United States Steel "announced that its next-generation highly sustainable and technologically advanced steel mill will be located in Osceola, Arkansas, close to U. S. Steel's Big River Steel plant. The facility is engineered to bring together the most advanced technology to create the steel mill of the future that delivers profitable solutions for our customers. Upon completion, this project will apply to become LEED certified. The site selection is subject to a number of factors, including final agreements with key partners. Permitting for the project is underway and the company expects to break ground in the first quarter of 2022, with project completion and full operation anticipated in 2024. When completed, the sophisticated new steelmaking facility in combination with Big River Steel will form a 6.3 million ton mega mill capable of providing many of the most advanced and sustainable steels in North America."

16:21 EST Allete CFO Robert Adams announces retirement - Allete announced Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Robert Adams will retire from the company later this year. As part of a planned transition, Adams will remain at the company until June 2022. Adams has held a variety of roles in his more-than-35-year career with ALLETE, working directly with both rate-regulated and non-rate-regulated/diversification activities, since joining the Duluth-based company in 1987 as a financial analyst. He was named vice president of finance of Minnesota Power in 1997, chief risk officer and vice president of business development in 2008, and promoted to senior vice president of energy-centric businesses in 2015, where he had responsibility for three of ALLETE's operating units: Superior Water, Light and Power; BNI Energy; and U.S. Water Services, Inc. In 2017, he advanced to senior vice president and CFO of ALLETE. He was also heavily involved in several successful company startups and was CEO of Reach-All Manufacturing for a period in the early 1990s. CEO Bethany Owen said Adams' planned retirement is part of an orderly succession plan, and that ALLETE has initiated steps to identify a new chief financial officer and expects to do so in February 2022.

16:20 EST Sinclair announces renewals of NBC, Fox affiliation agreements - Sinclair Broadcast (SBGI) announced that Sinclair has entered into multi-year renewals of the NBC (CMCSA) affiliations and Fox (FOXA) affiliations in a total of 20 Sinclair markets. Agreements with NBC include affiliates in San Antonio, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Providence-New Bedford, RI; Toledo, OH; Syracuse, NY; Tri-Cities, TN-VA; Johnstown-Altoona-State College, PA; Tallahassee, FL-Thomasville, GA; Traverse City-Cadillac, MI; Missoula, MT; Wheeling-Steubenville, OH; and Butte-Bozeman, MT. Agreements with Fox include affiliates in Bakersfield, CA; Chattanooga, TN; Corpus Christi, TX; Fresno/Visalia, CA; Lincoln, NE; Macon, GA; Omaha, NE; Sioux City, IA; Tallahassee, FL; and Wheeling, WV/ Steubenville, OH. The NBC affiliations were also renewed by Sinclair partners in four markets that Sinclair provides sales and other services to under a joint sales agreement or master service agreement: Cunningham Broadcasting Group, the licensee of KRNV, a station in Reno, NV; Deerfield Media, the licensee of WPMI in Mobile-Pensacola; Howard Stirk Holdings, the licensee of WEYI in Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, MI; and Roberts Media, the licensee of KMTR, KMCB and KTCW in Eugene, OR. The Fox affiliations were also renewed by Sinclair partners in seven markets that Sinclair provides sales and other services to under a joint sales agreement or master service agreement: Cunningham Broadcasting Group, the licensee of KCVU, a station in Chico-Redding, CA, KBVU in Eureka, CA, WYDO in Greenville-New Bern-Washington, NC, WPFO in Portland, ME and WEMT in Tri-Cities, TN-VA; New Age Media, the licensee of WOLF in Wilkes-Barre-Scranton, PA; and GoCom Media of Illinois, the licensee of WRSP in Champaign & Springfield-Decatur, IL. The 30 renewed markets serve approximately 11 million households.

16:18 EST Invesco reports preliminary AUM $1.61T as of December 31, 2021 - An increase of 2.4% versus previous month-end. The firm achieved net long-term inflows of $3.5B this month.

16:17 EST Medavail names Mark Doerr CEO - MedAvail Holdings announced that Mark Doerr, RPh, has joined the company as chief executive officer and director, effective January 10, 2022. Mr. Doerr succeeds Ed Kilroy, who retired as CEO and from the board of directors and is moving into an advisory role through March 31, 2022. Gerard van Hamel Platerink has stepped down as chairperson of the board of directors. Mr. van Hamel Platerink has served on MedAvail's board of directors since June 2012. He is succeeded by current director, Rob Faulkner. Helen Ciesielski, who has served on the board of directors since 2018, also stepped down. In addition to the appointment of Mark Doerr, the board of directors has also appointed two other new directors: Laurie McGraw and Paul Johnson. These changes to the board became effective as of January 10, 2022.

16:16 EST Advance Auto Parts names William Pellicciotti Chief Accounting Officer - Advance Auto Parts announced that William Pellicciotti has been appointed Senior Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, effective January 24, 2022. In this role, Pellicciotti will be responsible for enterprise-wide accounting operations, tax, external financial reporting and all related compliance.

16:13 EST Glaukos' iDose TR shows sustained IOP reduction in Phase 2b study - Glaukos announced that its iDose TR sustained-release travoprost implant continued to provide sustained substantial reductions in intraocular pressure in a 36-month analysis of the 36-month Phase 2b clinical trial conducted under a U.S. Investigational New Drug protocol. Administered during a micro-invasive procedure, the iDose TR contains a novel formulation of travoprost, a prostaglandin analog used to reduce IOP, and was designed to continuously release therapeutic levels of the medication for at least one year. Once all travoprost is released, the iDose TR was designed to be removed and replaced with a new iDose TR, thus potentially offering an alternative to daily eye drop treatment. Topline summary results and observations from the analysis of the iDose TR Phase 2b clinical trial at 36 months are as follows: 70% and 68% of subjects in the fast- and slow-release iDose TR arms, respectively, were well-controlled with the same or fewer IOP-lowering topical medications at 36 months versus screening, versus 46% of subjects in the timolol control arm; In this responder group, average IOP reductions from baseline observed at 36 months were 8.3 mmHg and 8.5 mmHg in the fast- and slow-release iDose TR arms, respectively, versus 8.2 mmHg in the timolol control arm; Overall, iDose TR subjects performed similarly to timolol subjects at 36 months in terms of mean IOP reductions with fewer topical medications versus timolol; The 36-month Phase 2 data also continued to demonstrate a favorable safety profile for iDose TR, with no clinically significant corneal endothelial cell loss, no serious corneal adverse events and no adverse events of periorbital fat atrophy and conjunctival hyperemia reported to date in either elution arm. "These latest Phase 2 results further underscore the potential of iDose TR to safely provide multiple years of sustained dropless therapy and help tackle the significant problem of patient non-adherence to and chronic side effects associated with topical glaucoma medication regimens," said Thomas Burns, Glaukos president and chief executive officer. "We believe there is an important unmet clinical need and strong appetite within the ophthalmic community for safe, effective and durable dropless pharmaceutical alternatives to traditional topical medications. These data reaffirm our excitement about the potential commercial prospects of iDose TR and mark another critical step forward in the advancement of our novel and comprehensive product pipeline designed to transform the treatment of chronic eye diseases for the benefit of patients worldwide."

16:12 EST Glaukos says first patient enrolled in presbyopia phase 2 trial - Glaukos announced that it has enrolled the first patient into a Phase 2 clinical trial of GLK-302 for the treatment of presbyopia. GLK-302 is the second investigational drug candidate utilizing Glaukos' iLution platform's patented cream-based drug formulations that are applied to the outer surface of the eyelid for dropless transdermal delivery of pharmaceutically active compounds for the treatment of eye disorders. GLK-302's active pharmaceutical ingredient is pilocarpine. The Phase 2 multi-center, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of three different dose levels of GLK-302 administered twice daily to the eyelid versus placebo over 28 days, for improving mesopic, high-contrast, binocular distance corrected near visual acuity while not deteriorating binocular best corrected distance visual acuity in presbyopic patients. The company anticipates it will enroll approximately 120 presbyopic patients in the study across clinical sites in the United States.

16:11 EST Glaukos announces first patient enrolled in dry eye disease Phase 2 trial - Glaukos announced that it has enrolled the first patient into a Phase 2 clinical trial of GLK-301 for the treatment of signs and symptoms of Dry Eye Disease. GLK-301 is the first investigational drug candidate utilizing Glaukos' iLution platform's patented cream-based drug formulations that are applied to the outer surface of the eyelid for dropless transdermal delivery of pharmaceutically active compounds for the treatment of eye disorders. GLK-301's active pharmaceutical ingredient is pilocarpine. The Phase 2 multi-center, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of three different dose levels of GLK-301 administered twice daily to the eyelids versus placebo over 28 days, followed by a 14-day safety follow-up period, in patients diagnosed with DED. Endpoints will include standard signs and symptoms characteristic of DED. The company anticipates it will enroll approximately 200 DED patients in the study across clinical sites in the United States. Additionally, approximately 20 patients with a diagnosis of DED due to Sjogren's Syndrome will also be enrolled. "Dry Eye Disease is a common ocular inflammation condition with high unmet clinical need, representing one of the world's largest ophthalmic markets worldwide. Today's announcement represents a significant milestone in the development of our iLution platform and for our company," said Thomas Burns, Glaukos president and chief executive officer. "We believe our iLution platform has the potential to address the major unmet need for patients suffering from Dry Eye Disease and other chronic eye diseases by providing an effective, easy to administer, safe, dropless transdermal therapeutic. We are delighted to have the opportunity to explore what GLK-301 can do for DED patients in our Phase 2 trial."

16:07 EST Citi to exit consumer, small business, middle market banking ops of Citibanamex - In a regulatory filing, Citigroup stated: "As part of its previously disclosed strategic review, on January 11, 2022, Citigroup Inc. announced that it intends to exit the consumer, small business and middle market banking operations of Citibanamex, which would advance Citi's strategic goals to invest in businesses aligned with Citi's core strengths, simplify its operations and drive long-term shareholder value. The businesses in the intended exit include the Mexico consumer and small business banking operations, reported as part of Citi's Global Consumer Banking segment, as well as the Mexico middle market banking business, reported in Citi's Institutional Clients Group segment. The Mexico consumer and small business banking operations included in the intended exit represent the entirety of the Latin America Global Consumer Banking unit. Citi will continue to operate a locally-licensed banking business in Mexico through its global Institutional Clients Group, which remains important to Citi's global network. The method and timing of Citi's exit from its consumer, small business and middle market banking operations in Mexico, which could include a sale or a public market alternative, will be determined by Citi and will be aligned with its objectives of maximizing shareholder value and strengthening both the businesses that Citi will exit and those it will retain. The exit process is subject to various conditions and approvals, including applicable regulatory approvals in both the U.S. and Mexico."

16:06 EST Postal Realty Trust collected 100% of rents in Q4 - Postal Realty Trust provided an update on its portfolio and on its collections and acquisitions for the fourth quarter of 2021. For the full year 2021, the Company acquired 239 properties for approximately $118 million, excluding closing costs. These properties comprise approximately 1.8 million net leasable interior square feet and have a weighted average rental rate of $5.56 per leasable square foot based on rents in place as of December 31, 2021. The weighted average cap rate for these acquisitions was between 7% and 7.5%, within the Company's targeted range. For the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company collected 100% of its rents and acquired 55 properties for approximately $42.8 million, excluding closing costs, comprising approximately 731,000 net leasable interior square feet. At year-end 2021, the Company's owned portfolio was 99.6% occupied, comprised of 966 properties across 49 states with approximately 4.5 million net leasable interior square feet and a weighted average rental rate for the occupied portfolio of $8.09 per leasable square foot based on rents in place as of December 31, 2021. At year-end 2021, the Company had $13 million outstanding under its $150 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility.

14:46 EST Walgreens CEO 'expects to move quickly' with Boots strategic review - Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer said during a presentation at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference: "Now, we are announcing that we have initiated a strategic review of the Boots business. This review is very much in line with our renewed priorities and strategic direction. In particular, our increased focus on U.S. health care. While the process is at an exploratory stage, we do expect to move quickly. The review is focused on our successful Boots business, including the number seven beauty company, and is happening against a backdrop of very strong results. As we noted with our earnings last week, Boots is growing strongly and driving international AOI growth of over 88% in the first quarter. For fiscal year 2022, Boots will be the major contributor to drive our international segment sales up 9% to 11% and segment AOI up over 50%. I believe that exploring our options is the right thing to do for all of our stakeholders. That includes our people, our customers, our patients and also our shareholders. We will share more on this process in due course."

14:32 EST Walgreens CEO seeing 'rapid progress' building out Walgreens Health - Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer said during a presentation at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference: "So as we aspire to be the leading partner in reimagining local health care and well-being for all, today, I will spend most of my time on our second and third strategic priorities, building our next growth engine with consumer-centric health care solutions and focusing our portfolio and optimizing capital allocation. Let me first drill down more on our second strategic priority. We are building a differentiated consumer centric, technology-enabled health care business that will fuel our acceleration to sustainable, low teens EPS growth after fiscal 2024. We are making rapid progress towards building out Walgreens Health. We will deliver improved health outcomes and lower cost for payers and providers by delivering care through owned and partnered assets. Consumer engagement occurs through a personalized and omnichannel experience. We are connecting our physical health corners with our digital app and our other unique complementary assets to meaningfully reduce costs and improve health outcomes and equity. When you factored in the continued expansion of our co-located clinics with VillageMD, nearly half of our footprint will be covered. We are quickly adding locations, partners and lives, and we are building community engagement today as only Walgreens can do through our trusted customer relationships, our local knowledge and our deep data and insights. We are connecting the patient journey across the care continuum. We will do this through both owned assets and enabling partnered assets. We closed on our shields and VillageMD majority investments in October and November, respectively, and our CareCentrix Investment is scheduled to close by the end of the third quarter. We are assembling a deep and experienced team. 70% of the Walgreens Health leadership team is already in place, and we are in the late stages of appointing an experienced health care executive to head up the segment. We are investing to fuel our future growth. Exiting fiscal year 2022, we expect annualized run rate sales of more than $4 billion, growing at more than 50% on a pro forma basis. We are accelerating quickly with a clear path to our goal of $9 billion to $10 billion in sales for Walgreens Health by fiscal '25. We are tracking well against our key milestones for Walgreens Health. In addition to Clover and Blue Shield of California, we are engaging other interested parties, and we are fast approaching our December 2022 goal of 2 million lives."

14:25 EST Roku adds 'major update' for live TV fans - Roku's Preston Smalley blogged for the company earlier: "Hi Streamers! We're making a major update for our Live TV fans. We've added a Live TV Zone on the left-hand navigation menu on your Roku devices. Our recent streaming survey revealed that 61% of users without traditional pay TV still watch live news at least multiple times a week so this update will give users direct access to live entertainment in just a few clicks. The Live TV Channel Guide gives you access to more than 200 free live linear television channels spanning a broad range of genres including news, sports, kids and family, lifestyle, Spanish language entertainment, and more in an easy to navigate, on screen guide experience." Reference Link

14:15 EST FDA grants J&J request to add warning on COVID-19 Vaccine fact sheet - The FDA granted Janssen Biotech's request to revise the Emergency Use Authorization of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 Vaccine. The EUA fact sheet for healthcare providers administering vaccine now states: "Reports of adverse events following use of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine under emergency use authorization suggest an increased risk of immune thrombocytopenia during the 42 days following vaccination. Individuals with a history of ITP should discuss with their healthcare provider the risk of ITP and the potential need for platelet monitoring following vaccination with the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine." Reference Link

14:00 EST Helbiz Inc (Class A Stock) trading halted, volatility trading pause

13:14 EST AMC Entertainment says 'On Demand' app now available on Apple TV - AMC Theatres announced in a tweet that the company's "On Demand" app is now available on Apple TV. "Find it on the app store & start watching movies now," the company's tweet said. Reference Link

13:01 EST Lakeland Financial board increases quarterly dividend 18% to 40c per share - Lakeland Financial Corporation, parent company of Lake City Bank, announced that the Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend for the first quarter of 2022 of 40c per share, payable February 7, 2022, to shareholders of record as of January 25, 2022. The quarterly dividend represents an 18% increase over the quarterly dividend rate paid in 2021. "We are pleased to announce an 18% increase in our dividend to our shareholders. Our strong dividend reflects excellent operating results and a fortress balance sheet," commented David M. Findlay, President and CEO.

12:00 EST Fathom falls -9.1% - Fathom is down -9.1%, or -54c to $5.33.

12:00 EST Sonendo rises 16.1% - Sonendo is up 16.1%, or 91c to $6.55.

12:00 EST Original Bark Company rises 21.7% - Original Bark Company is up 21.7%, or 78c to $4.38.

11:04 EST Keysight selected by Chunghwa Telecom for ORAN equipment verification - Keysight Technologies (KEYS) announced that Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) has selected Keysight Open Radio Architect solutions to accelerate verification of radio access network equipment based on standards defined by the O-RAN ALLIANCE.

10:30 EST Field Trip Health trading resumes

10:05 EST Document Security announces new bioplastics test results - Impact Biomedical, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of DSS, along with its scientific research partner Global Research and Discovery Group Sciences announced a project that is designed to take plastics in a whole new direction with the development of what we call Bio-plastics. Bio-plastics under development are designed to make everyday objects resistant to viruses, and also gentler to the planet. Building off of existing research Daryl Thompson, founder of GRDG Sciences, explored the globe searching for ways to develop new types of microbial plastics that break down and decompose quicker than current plastics. Thompson and his team focused on different types of biological sources that naturally prevent the unwanted growth of harmful bacteria or viruses. Early testing results on the new bioplastic prototypes is promising. The anti-microbial bioplastics reduced SARS-CoV-2 by more than 1 log fold by 30 minutes and approximately 2 log fold in 2 hours. These antimicrobial properties would be of obvious benefit in assisting to sterilize surfaces - especially as the world continues to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. As testing continues, the diverse uses of bioplastics are nearly limitless, from cups to countertops and even paper. The bioplastics could easily be integrated into all types of contexts, including health care, public spaces, and home settings, effectively always helping to protect people at every turn.

10:02 EST Field Trip receives notice of allowance for patent application covering FT-104 - Field Trip Health Ltd. announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for Field Trip's patent application No. 17/364,047 for claims related to FT-104, Field Trip's first novel psychedelic molecule in development. Claims in the allowed patent application titled, "Tryptamine Prodrugs", cover composition of matter, use and manufacturing of a family of hemi-ester compounds of hydroxytryptamines, including FT-104. Nathan Bryson, Field Trip's Chief Science Officer, commented: "Since inception, the strategy at Field Trip for our first development project was to create a novel drug substance that could produce a consistent trip time, in the range of three hours. We achieved this by combining a novel prodrug strategy to make demonstrable improvements on a known class of psychedelic substances."

10:00 EST Twitter makes minority investment in Aleph Group, terms not disclosed - Aleph Group announced that Twitter has made a minority investment in the company. The investment will help support the company's educational efforts worldwide including, building a proprietary educational tech platform, digital advertising education, training and certification to over 50,000 digital professionals in 90 countries across 5 continents, and efforts to create new digital jobs in underserved markets. The strategic investment closed in October 2021 and financial terms were not disclosed. Aleph currently serves as Twitter's exclusive advertising partner in 74 countries. The Company helps Twitter monetize their user base in emerging countries by providing dedicated local sales and support teams, proprietary technology to help advertisers maximize their Twitter investments, and a robust cross-border payment solution that helps Twitter efficiently generate incremental revenue in non-core markets.

10:00 EST Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. falls -20.1% - Capstar Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. is down -20.1%, or -$1.99 to $7.90.

10:00 EST Micro Focus rises 9.4% - Micro Focus is up 9.4%, or 53c to $6.17.

09:56 EST Sarissa intends to nominate directors to Alkermes board - Sarissa Capital Management, which owns 8.68% of Alkermes, or 14.04M shares, disclosed last night that it filed a notice with the company indicating its intention to nominate directors for election to the board at the 2022 annual general meeting of shareholders. Sarissa said it has had discussions with Alkermes and "other interested parties" regarding board composition, governance, operations and other matters and that it intends to continue these discussions.

09:47 EST IronNet falls -5.1% - IronNet is down -5.1%, or -18c to $3.35.

09:47 EST Heliogen falls -6.1% - Heliogen is down -6.1%, or -39c to $6.00.

09:47 EST Butterfly Network rises 8.4% - Butterfly Network is up 8.4%, or 53c to $6.85.

09:46 EST Nutriband Inc trading resumes

09:38 EST Universal Health drops 5% to $126.41 after CFO comments at JPMorgan conference

09:36 EST Universal Health CFO: Q4 has played out 'differently' than expectations

09:36 EST Universal Health hopes to see significant decline in Covid rates by early Feb.

09:32 EST Nutriband Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:30 EST AMA issues Nanox Category III CPT code for cardiac imaging solution - Nanox announced that the American Medical Association, AMA, has issued a new Category III Current Procedural Terminology code for quantitative CT tissue characterization, enabling potentially broader use of Nanox.AI's HealthCCSng, an FDA-cleared AI-enabled cardiac imaging solution that detects coronary artery calcium for patients in the U.S. The code will become effective on July 1. CAC is a recognized vital biomarker for detection of cardiovascular disease. Nanox.AI believes that early detection and subsequent treatment of cardiovascular disease has the potential to significantly decrease the morbidity and mortality of this highly prevalent condition. HealthCCSng can be incorporated into existing radiologist workflows, helping to identify and quantify CAC levels in their patients and stratify those patients based on their risk of cardiovascular disease and potential need for cardiac work up and treatment. "This is an important validation of our technology. We hope to promote detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease in the general population, many of whom don't know they are at risk of cardiovascular disease," said Zohar Elhanani, General Manager at Nanox.AI. "Nanox.AI is proud to shepherd the creation of a reimbursement pathway in the United States for AI technologies in radiology, setting the stage for broader adoption of these life-saving technologies and potential population health solutions." Chest CT scans are a common imaging modality used in cardiovascular medicine. However, assessing CAC levels in chest CT scans can be a cumbersome, time-consuming manual

09:21 EST Good Eating Company commits 15% of food budget to regenerative agriculture - Sodexo's Good Eating Company announced that is committing 15 percent of its food budget to source from farms with regenerative agriculture practices by 2025. Additionally, the company will identify additional producers that meet its qualifications and are interested in converting to regenerative practices. In 2017, Sodexo acquired the Good Eating Company in the U.K and Ireland and its 20 years of workplace dining experience has helped to successfully grow the company's food offerings and services. GEC is a premium food brand offering breakfast, lunch and grab-n-go food options made with locally sourced ingredients. Sodexo expanded GEC to the United States earlier this year. This effort is part of Sodexo's Better Tomorrow 2025 Roadmap and a great example of Sodexo's commitment to source responsibly and implement sustainable food practices.

09:18 EST Senmiao reports December completed orders up 13.9% from November - Senmiao Technology announced the operating metrics for its proprietary online ride-hailing platform for the month of December 2021. In December 2021, Senmiao reported approximately 1.1M total completed orders, a 13.9% increase from over 900,000 total orders completed in November 2021, as travel restrictions and lockdowns in Chengdu were lifted in December 2021. Numbers reported since August 2021 include the number of completed orders from Meituan's ride-hailing platform utilizing Senmiao's network of cars and drivers for a set monthly fee.

09:17 EST Matterport appoints Rob Hines as managing director, Americas - Matterport announced that Rob Hines has joined the company as Managing Director, Americas. Hines will oversee sales efforts across the region, including new business and revenue growth, people management and the execution of Matterport's strategic vision. Hines joins Matterport from Block.one, a leader in blockchain solutions, where he held the position of Chief Revenue Officer, leading the company's Blockchain as a Service solution launch and exceeding revenue targets.

09:16 EST CEA Industries appoints Ryan Gift as SVP, corporate development - CEA Industries announced the appointment of Ryan Gift as SVP of Corporate Development of the Company, effective immediately. He was most recently M&A Manager - North America at Alfa Laval, a leading global supplier of products & solutions for heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling.

09:14 EST Aligos Therapeutics expand collaboration with Merck - Aligos Therapeutics (ALGS) announced that it has expanded its ongoing collaboration agreement with Merck (MRK) to discover and develop oligonucleotide therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, NASH. Under the original agreement, Merck and Aligos committed to applying Aligos' oligonucleotide platform technology to discover, research, optimize and develop oligonucleotides directed against a certain undisclosed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, NASH, target and up to one additional target of interest in the cardiometabolic/fibrosis space. That agreement has now been expanded to include the in-license by Merck of an early-stage program with respect to a second undisclosed NASH target on which Aligos has previously been working independently and separately from Merck. Under the expanded agreement, Aligos will receive a payment from Merck for the in-license of the program directed at a second undisclosed NASH target. Additionally, Aligos will receive an additional payment upon designation of a third target for the collaboration. With respect to each target in the collaboration, Aligos will be eligible to receive up to ~$460M in development and commercialization milestones as well as tiered royalties on net sales. Aligos is primarily responsible for designing, synthesizing and evaluating the oligonucleotide candidates and delivering optimized lead molecules. Thereafter, Merck is responsible for subsequent research, clinical development and commercialization.

09:13 EST Onto Innovation announces $500M total order backlog - Onto Innovation announced a total order backlog of $500M comprised of more than $100M for its lithography and inspection products in support of the emerging heterogeneous packaging sector, which covers technology designed for 2.5D and next-generation 3D packages and those using hybrid bonding as a method of connecting stacked chips. Onto Innovation also received over $12M in orders for its Dragonfly G3 inspection system. This inspection system offers the sub-micron metrology resolution needed for advanced packages using the new hybrid bonding technology. Hybrid bonding is a key element in the next-generation of heterogeneous packaging and allows for true 3D die-to-die stacking.

09:12 EST Arcimoto, Island Bike Shop to introduce FUVs to Marco Island - Arcimoto announced that FUVs will soon be available to rent in Marco Island, Florida through Island Bike Shop. "We are thrilled to introduce the FUV to Marco Island, one of the premier tourist destinations in Southwest Florida," said Mark Frohnmayer, Arcimoto Founder and CEO. "Island Bike Shop is a well-established rightsized transportation rental operation, and we're proud to add the FUV to their line of customer options. E-bike shops represent a great 'plug 'n play' opportunity for Arcimoto's destination rental strategy, driving the potential to increase revenue per vehicle built, as well as generating the simplest form of awareness: people enjoying vehicles on the road in beautiful locations."

09:09 EST AgriFORCE provides update on planned acquisition of AgTech European consultancy - AgriFORCE Growing System provided an update on its planned acquisition of a leading AgTech European consultancy focused on driving agricultural optimization, innovation, solutions, and operational expertise in the agriculture, horticulture, and Controlled-Environment Agriculture sectors. Ingo Mueller, CEO of AgriFORCE Growing Systems, commented: "As we had reported, the target company achieved 2020 annual consulting audited revenues of over US$26M and EBITDA of US$3M. In addition to reviewing the financial and legal information, we conducted physical visits of the target's innovation centers. During these tours, we observed first-hand how these centers are being used as commercial testing grounds for optimizing crops in a real-world setting for both commercial farmers and suppliers-providing both with commercial results and innovation that are not easily replicated in other environments without extensive capital and working relationships." He added: "As a result of the completion of due diligence, we expect to finalize the definitive agreement by the end of January 2022, and hope to close as soon as it is practicable to do so."

09:08 EST Frequency Electronics announces award of contract from ONR for up to $20.2M - Frequency Electronics announces the award of a contract from the Office of Naval Research, ONR, to develop a Mercury Ion atomic clock for application to various US Naval platforms. Contract value, if all options are exercised, is approximately $20.2M. The base period of the contract is two years with two additional options of two years and one year respectively. FEI CEO Stan Sloane commented, "We are extremely pleased to announce this award and an expanding relationship with ONR on advanced technology atomic clock development. The baseline technology of the Mercury Ion atomic clock was first developed by a Jet Propulsion laboratory (JPL) and California Institute of Technology team, under the DARPA ACES program. FEI will work with its industrial partners and other ONR-funded government organizations to continue that development and deliver pre-production prototypes under the contract. We are looking forward to working with ONR and our other partners to advance this exciting and groundbreaking technology."

09:07 EST Infrastructure and Energy secures $75M award to support Illinois Wind - Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives announced that White Construction, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IEA, has secured a $75M award with Invenergy, a global developer, owner, and operator of sustainable energy solutions. Under the terms of the contract award, IEA will provide construction services for the Sapphire Sky Wind Project, a planned 250-megawatt utility-scale wind farm in McLean County, Illinois. The project commenced during the fourth quarter 2021, with targeted completion by the fourth quarter 2022. The development is expected to create nearly 300 new jobs for the state of Illinois during the period of construction. "Invenergy is a valued, long-term partner of IEA, a company whose commitment to building sustainable energy solutions of scale closely aligns with our vision and values," stated JP Roehm, CEO of IEA. "We are proud to partner with them on this important project, one that further positions Illinois as a leading producer of domestic wind energy, while providing significant socio-economic benefits to the citizens of McLean County."

09:06 EST Senmiao reports December completed orders up 13.9% from November - Senmiao Technology announced the operating metrics for its proprietary online ride-hailing platform for the month of December 2021. In December 2021, Senmiao reported approximately 1.1M total completed orders, a 13.9% increase from over 900,000 total orders completed in November 2021, as travel restrictions and lockdowns in Chengdu were lifted in December 2021. Numbers reported since August 2021 include the number of completed orders from Meituan's ride-hailing platform utilizing Senmiao's network of cars and drivers for a set monthly fee.

09:05 EST GeoVax Labs appoints Kelly McKee as Chief Medical Officer - GeoVax Labs announced the appointment of Kelly McKee, Jr., M.D., M.P.H., to serve as the Company's Chief Medical Officer, CMO. Dr. McKee brings over 30 years of experience in research and development, with specific expertise in vaccines, emerging diseases, biodefense, and respiratory viral infections.

09:03 EST Papa John's promotes Anne Fischer to chief marketing and digital officer - Papa John's announced the promotion of Anne Fischer to chief marketing and digital officer. Fischer will expand her responsibilities to include brand and advertising; media and field activation; and menu strategy and product innovation, in addition to continuing to oversee customer experience. She reports to Max Wetzel, EVP, chief commercial officer, and will join Papa Johns executive leadership team.

09:03 EST Centerspace appoints Bhairav Patel as CFO - Centerspace announced that Bhairav Patel has been appointed as the CFO of the Company. He succeeds John Kirchmann who announced in November 2021 that he would step down to pursue other opportunities. John will remain with the Company as EVP to insure a smooth transition. Patel is responsible for all aspects of the Company's financial strategy and operations including accounting, financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, treasury, and tax.

09:01 EST Zynex starts enrollments in clinical trial of CM-1500 fluid monitoring system - Zynex reported it has started enrollments in a clinical trial aimed at further characterizing the performance of its fluid monitoring system, CM-1500. The study, conducted at Vitalant Research Institute, tracks changes in the device's patented Relative Index during apheresis blood donation procedures. The company obtained FDA clearance of the fluid monitoring system in February 2020. The CM-1500 is a non-invasive monitor intended to monitor patients' fluid balance in hospitals and surgical centers. The company's focus in 2021 has been on the clinical evidence supporting the CM-1500 and preparing the next generation device, CM-1600, for submission to the FDA.

08:57 EST Ouster, Vecna Robotics team amid acceleration of material handling automation - Ouster announced that it has signed a strategic customer agreement with Vecna Robotics, an intelligent material handling automation company. The agreement includes a non-binding forecast for approximately three thousand OS digital lidar sensors through 2025 as Vecna Robotics scales production to meet increasing customer demand for warehouse and logistics automation. Vecna Robotics plans to fuse Ouster lidar into its multi-sensor autonomy stack to equip self-driving pallet trucks, tow tractors, and lift trucks for high-capacity material handling operations. The lidar helps the system confidently navigate dynamic environments, safely detect and avoid obstacles while working alongside human operations and manually driven vehicles, and intelligently map its path through real-time topological reasoning.

08:47 EST AbbVie confirms combined 2025 Rinvoq and Skyrizi risk-adjusted sales of $15B+ - AbbVie is confirming prior revenue guidance of greater than $15B in combined Rinvoq and Skyrizi risk-adjusted sales in 2025. AbbVie now expects 2025 risk-adjusted sales of greater than $7.5B for Rinvoq and greater than $7.5B for Skyrizi. The new Rinvoq sales guidance is the result of lower expected Rinvoq sales in the U.S. following the recent label updates in approved indications, partially offset by higher anticipated sales in international markets, as well as higher anticipated global sales in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis following positive Phase 3 study readouts. The updated Skyrizi sales guidance is based on continued strong performance in psoriasis.

08:45 EST SurgePays reports 30K mobile broadbrand subscribers as of Dec. 31 - SurgePays announced over 70% month over month revenue growth in its mobile broadband subscriber business SurgePhone Wireless, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary. Commenting on the growth in the mobile broadband business, Chairman and CEO Brian Cox stated, "Our mobile broadband channel has gone from zero to nearly $3,000,000 in monthly revenue in less than six months. We are positioned for continued hyper-growth in 2022 with a goal of achieving over 200,000 subscriber activations. We believe the infrastructure we have built positions us to serve the underbanked market at a grassroots level better than any company in the sector. Our SurgePays FinTech software enables community stores to become the financial tech-hubs for underbanked and underserved neighborhoods and now our mobile broadband devices are providing essential internet access in the homes of our target customers. We are cornering the underbanked market both at home and where these consumers shop." In August 2021, SurgePhone began a limited launch of its mobile broadband rollout and generated $115,212 in revenue in four states. As of December 31, 2021, total subscribers increased to approximately 30,000 in seven states.

08:43 EST Apollo Global Debt Solutions BDC launches with over $1B in AUM - Apollo Debt Solutions BDC announced that it has launched with more than $1B in assets under management. On Friday, January 7, the Fund broke escrow with approximately $657 million in equity net proceeds for its continuous public offering. In connection with breaking escrow, the Fund issued and sold 26,258,912 shares of beneficial interest in the Offering. The Fund intends to continue selling shares in the Offering on a monthly basis. The Fund invests primarily in directly originated assets, including debt securities, and in particular focuses on large-cap origination. The Fund is managed by an affiliate of Apollo, which has one of the world's largest alternative credit businesses with approximately $341B in credit AUM.

08:41 EST Chindata entered into transition agreement with Jing Ju - Chindata Group announced it entered into a transition agreement with Jing Ju, Abiding Joy Limited, a special purpose vehicle beneficially owned by Jing Ju, and certain other parties in connection with, among others, Ju's new position in the Company following his recent departure as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Transition Agreement: Positions: Effective from the date of the Transition Agreement, Ju will act as the non-executive vice chairman and a member of the strategy committee of the board of directors of the Company for no more than eighteen months from the Transaction Agreement. Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation: Ju and his affiliates will continue to be bound by certain customary non-competition and non-solicitation obligations. Termination of Voting Proxy: Following such termination, Abiding Joy Limited will no longer have any voting power with respect to any shares of the Company held by BCPE Stack ESOP Holdco Limited. Share Conversion: Ju will convert 4,958,769 Class B ordinary shares held by Abiding Joy Limited into Class A ordinary shares effective on the date of the Transition Agreement.

08:40 EST Jamf Holding helping over 60,000 active customers with Apple - Jamf announced it is now helping more than 60,000 active customers succeed with Apple and is running on approximately 26.5 million devices worldwide. 2021 was a pivotal year for Jamf, as the company added new functionality to its Apple Enterprise Management platform to help organizations connect, manage and secure their devices. Jamf added more than 6 million devices and 13,000 customers in 2021 and is now running on approximately 26.5 million devices and serves more than 60,000 customers. These organizations include: 9 of the 10 largest companies, as ranked by Fortune 500; 22 of the 25 most valuable brands, according to Forbes; 10 of the 10 largest U.S. banks, according to Bankrate.com; 10 of the top 10 global universities, according to U.S. News & World Report; 8 of the top 10 technology companies, as ranked by Fortune; In 2021, Jamf completed its three largest contracts in its history, and ended the year with its highest gross customer revenue retention rate since its founding in 2002.

08:37 EST Eaton partners acts as placement agent, advisor for Bonaccord Capital - Eaton Partners, one of the largest placement agents and financial advisory firms and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. (SF), is pleased to have acted as the placement agent and advisor for Bonaccord Capital Partners. Bonaccord Capital Partners I closed with approximately $740 million in capital commitments, supported by further co-investment commitments of approximately $500 million. BCP, a subsidiary of P10 Inc. (PX), seeks to acquire minority equity stakes in established private markets sponsors. Bonaccord's primary investment focus is on mid-sized managers across private markets strategies, including private equity, private credit, real estate, and real assets. GP Stakes investing involves acquiring minority interests in the business of established General Partners and has grown to include a handful of large investors over the past several decades. GP Stakes investors benefit from the overall cash flow generation and growth of the GP as a whole, as opposed to investing as a limited partner in an individual fund. GP Stakes can facilitate diversification in an investor's private equity program by providing exposure to stable cash yields generated by management fee streams.

08:36 EST Infobird announces contract with Changchun Rural Commercial Bank - Infobird announced that it has signed a contract with Changchun Rural Commercial Bank for implementation of the Company's digital banking offering designed as an accessible solution to help banks modernize their business and operations. By utilizing Infobird's digital and intelligent banking solutions, Changchun Rural Commercial Bank will promote the omnichannel integration and intelligent customer engagement model, in order to achieve a comprehensive transformation and upgrade of its banking services and marketing. Changchun Rural Commercial Bank is a regional bank based in Changchun, China for serving small and medium-sized enterprises and focuses on specialization and quality. As of the end of June 2021, Changchun Rural Commercial Bank has 72 branches and an asset of 70.116B RMB.

08:35 EST SciSparc to explore psychedelics as potential drug candidates for IP portfolio - SciSparc announced that it has begun to examine the possibility of including psychedelic compounds as potential drug candidates for its intellectual property portfolio. Adi Zuloff-Shani, PhD, Chief Technologies Officer of SciSparc, stated, "We have been tracking the research in psychedelics and are encouraged by the reports which appear to be favorable, particularly for disorders of the central nervous system. I expect our approach has the potential to be compatible with psychedelic compounds, so it behooves us to include them in the pool of candidates we consider when evaluating new opportunities." "The industry is still in its infancy, but if we are to believe the analysts, psychedelic-centric therapies represent a significant market opportunity and another reason it is in our interest to establish SciSparc as a leader in the sector," Zuloff-Shani concluded.

08:35 EST Markforged appoints Andrew Hally as CMO - Markforged announced that Andrew Hally has been appointed chief marketing officer, or CMO, effective immediately. As a member of the company's executive leadership team, Hally will be based in Markforged's headquarters in Watertown and report directly to Shai Terem, Markforged president and CEO. Hally brings 25 years technology marketing experience to this newly created role.

08:34 EST RE/MAX Holdings approves $100M stock repurchase program - RE/MAX Holdings also announced that its Board of Directors authorized a common stock repurchase program of up to $100M, reflecting confidence in the Company's performance and the strength of its balance sheet. Share repurchases may be made from time to time through a variety of methods, including by means of open market or privately negotiated transactions, through Rule 10b5-1 trading plans or in reliance on indirect purchases of common stock such as by using derivatives.

08:33 EST RE/MAX Holdings announces departure of CEO Adam Contos - RE/MAX Holdings, parent company of RE/MAX, announced that Adam Contos, who has served as the Company's CEO since 2018, has informed the Company's Board of Directors of his decision to leave the Company effective March 31 to spend more time with his family and pursue new entrepreneurial endeavors. He will also step down from the Company's Board effective March 31. The Company's Board expects to form a CEO search committee to identify a permanent CEO replacement and to retain an executive search firm to assist with the process, which will include evaluating internal and external candidates for the CEO role. Additionally, the Board expects to conduct a formal selection process to add one additional independent Board director who would then maintain the current size of the Board. The Company also announced that Nick Bailey has been named President and CEO of RE/MAX effective immediately and will continue to lead all aspects of the RE/MAX brand and business globally. Additionally, Ward Morrison has been named President and CEO of Motto Mortgage and wemlo effective immediately and will continue to lead all aspects of the Company's mortgage operations.

08:32 EST CVS Health: Retail has outperformed in Q4

08:31 EST CV Sciences launches +PlusCBD Pain Relief topicals - CV Sciences announced the launch of +PlusCBD Pain Relief topicals: four Over-the-Counter products formulated to pinpoint sources of minor pain and aches using active ingredients including warming camphor and cooling menthol along with premium hemp-derived CBD and other natural emollients for skin-softening effects. The company said, "The +PlusCBD Pain Relief Sport Recovery Stick is crafted for athletes and fitness enthusiasts that are active and on-the-go. This topical anti-inflammatory and analgesic stick is intended to provide temporary relief related to pain and inflammation while facilitating recovery from physical activity. The 1 oz Sport Recovery Stick is available in a convenient travel size for use on the go. Another topical analgesic cream, the +PlusCBD Pain Relief Penetrating Cream, is formulated to maximize the icy-heat effects of camphor and menthol, formulated with hemp-derived CBD, to alleviate occasional pain with sore muscles and aching joints.The +PlusCBD Pain Relief Muscle Cream can provide relief to individuals managing temporary muscle pain, stiffness or soreness related to tension, stress, overuse and other minor injuries. Finally, the +PlusCBD Pain Relief Arthritis Cream is formulated for arthritis patients, which represent over 22% of adults in the United States. The product's ingredients specifically target the joints to relieve arthritis-related pain and discomfort."

08:30 EST ElectraMeccanica issues 2021 CEO letter to shareholders - ElectraMeccanica Vehicles has issued a letter to shareholders from CEO, Kevin Pavlov. "Dear Shareholders, 2021 was transformational for ElectraMeccanica as we transitioned from a development stage company to a well-capitalized, high-quality automotive OEM. Most notably, we successfully commenced the first-ever commercial deliveries of our flagship, single-seat electric vehicle - the SOLO to retail and fleet customers... We are entering 2022 in a stronger position than ever. Not only do we expect production to ramp significantly, but we have the necessary infrastructure surrounding sales, marketing, logistics and service networks in place to ensure success. Backed by a balance sheet with over $228M to execute on our strategic priorities, we are confident in our ability to revolutionize the transportation space by providing consumers, fleets and ride share users a purpose-built solution to solve today's urban driving challenges."

08:28 EST CVS Health has repaid $21B in long-term debt since Aetna deal closed, CEO says

08:28 EST Esperion sees FY22 operating expenses $220M-$240M - The Company expects full-year 2022 operating expenses to be approximately $220M to $240M, including $25M in non-cash expense related to stock-compensation.

08:27 EST Healthcare Triangle appoints Sanjay Dalwani as Chief Revenue Officer - Healthcare Triangle (HCTI) announces the appointment of Sanjay Dalwani as Chief Revenue Officer. Dalwani will be responsible for HCTI's revenue growth & go-to-market strategy, sales execution, capability & industry solutions, client relationship value & success. Prior to joining Healthcare Triangle, Mr. Dalwani was an Executive Vice President and P&L leader of the consumer packaged, retail, and distribution business unit for Capgemini USA (CGEMY). Dalwani will report to Suresh Venkatachari, CEO, and serve on our Executive Team.

08:26 EST CVS Health administered 59M Covid-19 vaccines in 2021, says CEO Lynch - CEO Karen Lynch says CVS also administered 32M Covid tests in 2021. Lynch is speaking at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference.

08:25 EST Star Equity provides update on sales pipeline, acquisition initiatives - Star Equity Holdings provided an update on key achievements in 2021 as well as its sales pipeline and acquisitions initiatives for 2022. The company said, " The Healthcare division's Diagnostic Imaging business sold a record 39 cameras in 2021 compared to 16 in 2020 and 31 in 2019. With the Healthcare division as a whole having rebounded to more normal levels, the Company has begun to consider potential bolt on acquisition targets for the division, particularly in the area of healthcare staffing. Although there can be no certainty of a transaction occurring, the Company believes healthcare staffing is a natural addition to its existing Healthcare businesses and is eager to explore synergies with Digirad Health's current distribution channels, client base, and support for its own internal healthcare staffing needs. Furthermore, Rick Coleman, Star Equity's recently appointed Chief Operating Officer, has substantial experience and success in the staffing industry, most recently as CEO of Command Center, Inc., which merged with HireQuest in 2019. The Company's Construction division also saw improved results in both of its businesses: KBS Builders based in New England and EdgeBuilder/Glenbrook based in Minnesota. KBS produced approximately 350 modular units in 2021 compared to 280 units in 2020 and 230 units in 2019. The Company believes production capacity at KBS's South Paris, ME plant is approximately 500 modules per year and is working diligently to attain this production level. The Company has a goal of reopening its idle Oxford, ME plant, which would increase KBS's total production capacity to 750-1,000 modules per year. In addition, KBS's sales pipeline, which represents potential projects that could be won over the next 12 months, is approximately $65 million. A highlight of the sales pipeline is an $8 million-$9 million project to produce four new dormitories for a college in New England. This project, if won, would be one of the largest contracts in KBS's history and mark KBS's expansion into the student housing segment. Booked backlog at KBS is currently $7 million. EBGL delivered strong top line growth as a result of improved utilization and pricing and generated a strong rebound in profitability in the second half of 2021. Booked backlog at EBGL is currently $15 million." "We are highly encouraged with the revenue growth at our Construction division in 2021," said Jeff Eberwein, Star Equity's Executive Chairman. "We are confident in the growth outlook for our Construction division in 2022 and expect profitability to improve significantly. At the same time, we are evaluating bolt on acquisition opportunities for both Healthcare and Construction in addition to exploring entry into new business sectors."

08:23 EST Grove purchases new Florida distribution, sales center - Grove announced it has completed the purchase and has begun construction on its new Florida Distribution and Sales Center. The new Distribution and Sales Center, located in Clearwater, Florida, is expected to be approximately 30,000 square feet. Grove CEO, Allan Marshall, weighed in on the expansion and opportunities, "We've seen exponential growth in our business over the past two years and we are working to continue this trajectory. With this new facility we have added capacity, sales, distribution, and additional services for our clients. As many companies have experienced, we are operating in an extremely tight labor market with scarce inventory of Class A commercial space. We believe this new, modern facility will help us attract even more employees while providing the needed capacity for future growth."

08:22 EST Principal Solar CEO says transformed, elevated business model in 1H21 - Principal Solar released a letter to its shareholders from K. Bryce "Rick" Toussaint, CPA, MBA, the Company's Chairman and CEO. The letter read in part, " Thank you for being a stakeholder in Principal Solar. I am proud to report that in the time since my last letter, Principal's management has been diligently executing our new strategic approach with great success. We have emerged from the challenges and uncertainty of the pandemic with a singular focus, having developed new partnerships, made strategic investments in technologies, resources, companies, and relationships, commenced operations, and most importantly, having cultivated a slate of potentially profitable new opportunities in a broad array of relevant sectors. I sincerely believe 2022 will be a breakout year for the Company, and I appreciate your ongoing support as we pursue a multi-faceted, multi-revenue stream approach with the goal of producing accretive value for all stakeholders. During the first half of 2021, we transformed and elevated our business model and the scope of the Company's trajectory, solidifying Principal Solar as an emerging leader in the renewable energy sector. We now have five separate early-stage subsidiaries and/or strategic partnerships, several of which we believe can be scaled at an accelerated pace over the next 12 to 18 months...On a personal note, I'd like to thank you for trusting our team to be good stewards of your hard-earned investment capital and for remaining with us as we reshape and grow Principal into a thriving company with significant, long-term upside potential. The quality of our partnerships and the amazing opportunities before us are the result of hard work, transparency, and a long-term commitment to building value for all stakeholders. I also believe that our environmentally friendly approach resonates with organizations, investors, and partners seeking to make a positive impact on the world, helping to make it a better place today, tomorrow, and in the years ahead. I look forward to the future of Principal both as a public company and a leader in responsible energy solutions. I'm glad you're a part of our success."

08:19 EST iCAD announces appointment of two new members to board of directors - iCAD announced it has appointed Dana Brown and Timothy Norris Irish as new independent members of the Board of Directors, effective January 10, 2022. As previously announced, the Company also added Stacey Stevens, iCAD's President and incoming CEO to the Board of Directors, bringing the total number of Board members to eight. Brown is currently the Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at Susan G. Komen. Professor Timothy Norris Irish is currently a Professor at the Business School at King's College London.

08:19 EST Splash Beverage receives authorization for TapouT in Walmart stores in Florida - Splash Beverage Group (SBEV) announced it has received authorization to sell its TapouT performance drink in Florida beginning with 47 Walmart (WMT) stores located in major metropolitan regions. Walmart has approximately 341 stores in the state of Florida, the second largest number of stores by state in the U.S. "We are thrilled with this Walmart authorization, and this is a wonderful way to start 2022. Walmart is extremely selective in the brands they choose to offer their shoppers and selecting TapouT is great validation that TapouT can compete at the highest level with the biggest global brands," said Robert Nistico, Splash Beverage Group's Chairman and CEO. "We are grateful to Walmart for the opportunity, and equally grateful to our distribution partner AB One and the Anheuser Busch network, who's credibility with Walmart we are certain played an important role in our selection. The opportunity for significant growth within the Walmart Florida market and beyond is one that we will eagerly seize, and we appreciate the validation and confidence Walmart has demonstrated with us and the TapouT brand".

08:18 EST Fast Radius opens manufacturing technology campus on Chicago's Goose Island - Fast Radius announced the opening of its newest manufacturing technology campus on Goose Island in Chicago, including a microfactory and software technology center. In 2018, the World Economic Forum recognized Fast Radius' first Chicago microfactory as one of the nine best factories in the world, implementing technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution at scale-from design to manufacturing to fulfillment. The Goose Island facility replicates the award-winning microfactory operating model. It will offer cutting-edge CNC machining and industrial additive manufacturing, including Carbon Digital Light Synthesis and HP Multi Jet Fusion technology. The microfactory will produce component parts for companies across industries, including automotive, electric vehicles, medical and healthcare devices, and consumer goods. The Goose Island campus also includes space for software development, manufacturing technology development, a customer experience center, and general offices. The location will expand Fast Radius' manufacturing technologies, software capabilities and capacity available through the Cloud Manufacturing Platform. Fast Radius has built a Cloud Manufacturing Platform that integrates a suite of software products and a network of factories. The company's software and services help customers to design component parts, optimize them for production, make them when and where they're needed, providing transparency through the production lifecycle and supply chain. All Fast Radius microfactories and the company's network of suppliers are connected into our Cloud Manufacturing Platform. Customers are able to collaborate on part designs and gather real-time intelligence. They are then able to make and fulfill parts where and when they want, thereby increasing the sustainability of their work and eliminating wasteful logistics steps along the way. Fast Radius' microfactory network-including a microfactory in UPS' Worldport facility in Louisville, Kentucky-has served more than 2,000 global customers. Customers like Rawlings, Aptiv, and Satair are already using Fast Radius' microfactories and Cloud Manufacturing Platform for cost-effective production and management of industrial-grade parts. Fast Radius has chosen to locate the new factory in close proximity to the MxD headquarters on Goose Island. For almost five years, Fast Radius has partnered with MxD, the U.S. Institute for Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation, to strengthen American manufacturing and lead the way on what's next for the industry.

08:17 EST Fusion announces strategic research collaboration with 48 Hour Discovery - Fusion Pharmaceuticals announced the company has entered into a strategic research collaboration with 48 Hour Discovery to discover novel, peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of various solid tumors. "Fusion's versatile platform, supported by our internal research capabilities, allows us to create targeted alpha therapies, or TATs, using different classes of targeting molecules, tailoring the approach based upon the disease target," said Fusion CEO John Valliant. "With our antibody, bispecific, and small molecule programs in the clinic or progressing through investigational new drug-enabling studies, we are excited to announce our work with peptides. Partnering with a global leader in peptide discovery further diversifies our capabilities and assets needed to create differentiated TATs in multiple areas of high unmet medical need." Under the agreement, Fusion has global rights to develop and commercialize any peptides discovered under the collaboration.

08:14 EST Sterling Bancorp announces investment in JAM FINTOP Blockchain - Sterling Bancorp announced an investment in JAM FINTOP Blockchain, a venture fund that will focus its investments on blockchain infrastructure providers that help regulated financial institutions compliantly adopt and operate blockchain enabled applications in their business. The fund is managed by JAM Special Opportunity Ventures, an affiliate of Jacobs Asset Management and FINTOP Capital. "We are excited to invest in the JAM FINTOP Blockchain fund. Blockchain has the potential to transform the financial system and we are actively exploring specific use cases that align to our long term strategic priorities and advance our innovation agenda," said Bea Ordonez, Chief Financial Officer at Sterling Bancorp. "Partnering with the JAM FINTOP Network provides us an opportunity to collaborate with other forward thinking institutions, to become early adopters of this disruptive technology and to invest in companies that are providing solutions that drive transformation in the banking sector."

08:12 EST OLB Group leases PA-based 10,000 sqft cryptocurrency mining facility - The OLB Group has announced the company has signed a long term lease on a 10,000 square foot mining operation with capacity for up to 2,000 Antminer S19j PRO machines. Located in an industrial park adjacent to the Bradford Regional Airport in Bradford, Pennsylvania to eliminate potential noise complaints, the facility is in the process of being converted into a cryptocurrency mining data center powered on the local power grid in tandem with natural gas power. The Company anticipates utilizing debt financing for the capital investment necessary for additional crypto mining machines. "We are very pleased to be taking this next step in building the foundation for our planned aggressive development of our Bitcoin mining operation. Our first facility in Bradford is currently operating on natural gas. This second facility will be powered from the power grid. This blended power solution lays the foundation to establishing a sustainable, cost-efficient Bitcoin mining operation." "With room to install up to 2,000 Bitcoin mining machines in this second facility, this data center will eventually meet the challenge of minimizing our carbon footprint and operating a cost efficient and profitable operation."

08:10 EST Harpoon Therapeutics provides pipeline development milestones for 2022 - Harpoon Therapeutics provided a pipeline milestone update on its TriTAC development programs. "We are excited to begin 2022 with a catalyst rich year that will be driven by our multiple TriTAC clinical programs, including advancing our HPN217 program into the next phase of development," stated Julie Eastland, President and CEO, Harpoon Therapeutics. "We also expect to submit our first IND for HPN601, targeting EpCAM, from our ProTriTAC technology platform as well as advance an additional preclinical candidate into IND enabling studies as we continue to build out our future clinical pipeline." Anticipated 2022 Milestones: TriTAC Clinical Programs: HPN328 - Continue dose escalation to determine RP2D by year-end 2022; HPN217 - Select the RP2D and initiate dose expansion cohort during the first half of 2022; HPN536 - Complete dose escalation by year-end 2022; HPN424 - Complete dose escalation during the second half of 2022. Platform Technologies and Next Clinical Candidate: HPN601 - IND submission by year-end 2022; Platform technologies - Advance a clinical candidate into IND enabling studies during the second half of 2022.

08:09 EST Nasdaq partners with TRIBE Freedom Foundation - Nasdaq announced its partnership with UK-based charity TRIBE Freedom Foundation, a community focused on fighting human trafficking and modern slavery. Nasdaq will support TRIBE Freedom Foundation in the creation of TRIBE Survivor Financial Empowerment Programme, a centralized portal, including content, practical tools and educational financial literacy material, tailored for financial institutions and survivor support organizations to support survivors. Through its anti-financial-crime technology business, Nasdaq is focused on developing and leveraging advanced technology solutions to uphold market integrity and combat financial crime. The partnership with TRIBE Freedom Foundation is another step in Nasdaq's ambitions to advance its support to communities and victims most affected by financial crime.

08:09 EST Aldeyra announces top-line data from reproxalap ophthalmic solution trial - Aldeyra announced top-line data from a Phase 2 clinical trial comparing ocular discomfort and itching symptom scores of reproxalap ophthalmic solution 0.25%, an investigational new drug, versus Xiidra in patients with dry eye disease. Patient-reported ocular discomfort and itching were statistically lower with reproxalap than with Xiidra. The double-masked, crossover, single-center, Phase 2 clinical trial in 56 dry eye disease patients evaluated the activity of reproxalap compared to Xiidra for two endpoints: ocular discomfort symptom score and ocular itching symptom score. A single dose of test article was administered to both eyes approximately 5 minutes prior to a dry eye chamber exposure lasting 45 minutes, during which humidity was maintained at low levels in a setting of regulated air flow, temperature, and visual tasking. Symptoms were assessed approximately 15 minutes prior to chamber entry, and every 5 minutes beginning 5 minutes after chamber entry. No safety signals were observed in the trial, and there were no treatment-related discontinuations or moderate or serious adverse events related to drug. The most common adverse event in both treatment arms was mild instillation site discomfort. Reproxalap has now been evaluated in more than 1,500 patients. The approved commercial dosing regimen of Xiidra and the intended commercial dosing regimen of reproxalap include repeated administration of drug. Aldeyra plans to present data from the trial at an upcoming medical meeting.

08:07 EST Jiuzi Holdings subsidiary signs agreement with Shanghai Zhongtongji E-Commerce - Jiuzi Holdings (JZXN) announced that, on December 23, 2021, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Zhejiang Jiuzi New Energy Vehicles, has entered into a two-year strategic cooperation agreement with Shanghai Zhongtongji E-Commerce, a leading domestic E-Commerce and retail services provider founded by senior management of ZTO Express (ZTO). Pursuant to the Agreement, Zhejiang Jiuzi and Zhongtongji will jointly explore application of new energy delivery vehicles in an effort to promote the idea of "green" logistics. With its diversified products, Zhejiang Jiuzi will sell and rent to Zhongtongji new energy delivery vehicles such as Geely and Chongqing Ruichi branded minivan, van body truck and traditional truck to meet Zhongtongji's logistic needs, as well as offer the most optimal discount available to major clients on Zhongtongji's platform.

08:07 EST Climb Channel Solutions partners with IRONSCALES - Climb Channel Solutions announced a new partnership with IRONSCALES, a global leader in AI-powered email security solutions. IRONSCALES' cloud-native, API-based email security software platform is self-learning to continuously detect and remediate advanced threats, such as business email compromise, credential harvesting and account takeover in companies' mailboxes. The platform reduces identification of suspicious mail to seconds at scale across organizations. To complement its phishing detection and incident response capabilities, IRONSCALES' platform includes a phishing simulation and training module to educate employees and further bolster resiliency against cyber threats. Founded in 2014, IRONSCALES serves over 5,000 organizations globally of all sizes and across industries. The company plans to use the new funding to expand its international footprint and continue to grow its platform's capabilities.

08:06 EST Priority Technology teams with Brink's on merchant payments offering - Priority Technology Holdings (PRTH) and The Brink's Company (BCO) route-based secure logistics and payment s announced a cutting-edge partnership that combines Priority's credit and debit card processing capabilities with Brink's new digital cash payment solution, called BLUbeem by Brink's. "Our partnership with Brink's will allow us to provide merchant customers our current card acceptance platform as well as the Brink's digital cash payment solution, providing an industry-leading, end-to-end payment solution," said Tom Priore, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Priority. "Approximately 20% to 25% of our merchants' payments occur in cash, representing a huge opportunity to provide enhanced services for our customers. Expanding our reach into cash payments will allow Priority to introduce a variety of new solutions into the market, helping improve customer retention and driving growth into new channels."

08:06 EST BIO-key's PortalGuard IAM platform selected by Audrain County, MO - BIO-key International announced Audrain County, MO has selected its PortalGuard IAM platform, including WEB-key biometric authentication, to provide its hybrid workforce with a unified approach to meet their compliance requirements for securing access to mission-critical applications and data. "Considering that today's cyber and data security threats are tomorrow's insurance claims, all organizations must take proactive steps to implement a modern IAM solution that is both effective and compliant," said Mark Cochran, President of BIO-key - PortalGuard. "Our growing base of county government customers validate that PortalGuard and WEB-key offer the best blend of advanced security capabilities with the flexibility that organizations require to meet their compliance requirements without negatively impacting the user experience."

08:04 EST Dorman Products announces real-time inventory tool - Whenever you find a product you need on DormanProducts.com, you can now instantly see what auto parts stores near you have that product in stock, using a new real-time inventory tool announced today by Dorman Products. To use the new functionality, visitors to DormanProducts.com can search for a product using either vehicle year, make and model, keywords, VIN, OE number, or visual hardware drilldown. When you find what you need, scroll down on that product description's page to the updated Where To Buy section. There you can see on a map what stores near you have that part available, as well as get directions and click to call.

08:03 EST Covenant Logistics signs LOI for 50 Nikola Tre BEVs and FCEVs - Nikola (NKLA) and Covenant Logistics (CVLG) announced a collaboration that will further Covenant's sustainability objectives by adding 50 zero-emission vehicles to their fleet. This collaboration includes a Letter of Intent for 10 Nikola Tre battery-electric vehicles and 40 Nikola Tre fuel cell electric vehicles, following the satisfactory completion of a Nikola Tre BEV and Nikola Tre FCEV demonstration program. Delivery to Covenant of the first Tre BEV truck and mobile charging trailer for testing is anticipated to occur in Q2 2022, with the Tre FCEV testing expected to follow in 2023.

08:02 EST Everi Holdings to acquire assets, team from Atlas - Everi announced that it has agreed to acquire certain strategic assets, including game development technology and intellectual property of Atlas Gaming and Atlas Gaming Technologies, collectively Atlas, an Australia-based developer and provider of proprietary gaming content and products. Everi expects the acquisition to close within the next 60 days. In conjunction with the acquisition of these assets, Atlas development and engineering team members will join Everi. Everi will fund the acquisition from existing cash on hand. Dean Ehrlich, Everi's Executive Vice President and Games Business Leader, said, "We are excited to welcome members of the talented and experienced Atlas team to Everi. We look forward to Atlas' game developers and engineers bringing a global perspective that will help us execute a more robust product roadmap and support our growth strategy of delivering best-in-class content. This transaction strengthens Everi's development capabilities and will further bolster the future expansion and differentiation of our gaming products. We expect to leverage the Atlas development team and purchased assets to provide more original content for our current customer base while creating an opportunity to further penetrate the markets Atlas has historically served, including Australia."

08:00 EST NRx Pharmaceuticals announces planned study on BriLife booster vaccine - NRx Pharmaceuticals expanded on the information provided Monday at the H.C. Wainwright BioConnect Virtual Conference regarding the BriLife investigational vaccine for COVID-19. Last week, NRx met with experts from the Israel Institute for Biological Research to review data and research related to the ability of the BriLife vaccine to induce neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant. Based on the preliminary findings, NRx is currently designing a phase 2b/3 study of the BriLife vaccine as a booster to protect against COVID-19 variants of concern including the Omicron variant. Patients in the study will be fully vaccinated with mRNA vaccines. It is anticipated that the study will begin in the first quarter of 2021 in Israel and will be expanded in coordination with the health ministries of several countries. The IIBR previously published initial serological findings documenting a neutralizing antibody response against the Delta variant that was comparable to the response against the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 virus. NRx was contacted in late December by representatives of the US Department of Health and Human Services and several European Governments with a request to present Omicron findings. In further news, the Israel Ministry of Health recently approved a study investigating the NanoPass MicronJet intradermal injection system for the BriLife vaccine. The NanoPass system, invented in Israel, uses a patented microneedle system to deliver the vaccine into the skin with minimal discomfort. This approach is especially promising for the BriLife vaccine because it binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors, which are present in significantly larger quantities in human skin cells than in muscle cells where traditional vaccines are injected. In addition, early data with other vaccines suggests that intradermal delivery of BriLife may result in a more robust immune response at substantially lower vaccine dosing. As these studies are moving towards initiation, NRx continues technology transfer and scale-up activities in anticipation of commercial scale manufacture by Q4 2022.

07:40 EST Cybin says study using Kernel Flow, to measure ketamine's psychedelic approved - Cybin announced that an Institutional Review Board has approved a company-sponsored feasibility study using Kernel's quantitative neuroimaging technology, Kernel Flow, to measure ketamine's psychedelic effect on cerebral cortex hemodynamics. As part of Cybin's sponsorship of the feasibility study, the Company will retain an exclusive interest in any innovations that are discovered or developed through its independent analysis of the study findings. "By leveraging the Kernel Flow technology, we may have the ability to measure longitudinal brain activity before, during and after a psychedelic experience, and collect quantitative data as opposed to subjective patient reporting," said Doug Drysdale, Cybin's Chief Executive Officer. "We believe the results of this study will lead to future studies that will test the effectiveness of psychedelic treatments and will further support our mission to develop psychedelics into therapeutics."

07:37 EST First High-School Education announces preliminary dividend distribution plan - First High-School Education Group announced its preliminary dividend distribution plan. Subject to requirements of Cayman Islands law and any rights and restrictions set forth in the Company's Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association currently in effect, assuming the Company had achieved net income for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the Company intends to distribute a certain portion of its net income for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 as a cash dividend to be paid among the holders of the Company's ordinary shares in accordance with the Articles. The declaration and payment of the Dividend is conditional upon the passing of the relevant resolutions of the Company's board of directors provided that under no circumstances may the Dividend be paid if it would result in the Company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. The exact amount and the payment timing and manner for the Dividend will be determined by the Board in accordance with the Articles. The declaration and payment of the Dividend will depend upon, among other things, the Company's operations and earnings, capital requirements and surplus, financial condition, contractual restrictions, general business conditions and other factors as the Board may deem relevant.

07:36 EST Safe-T sees momentum in Asia-Pacific with 75 new clients - Safe-T Group announced that its ongoing investments into its enterprise privacy business in support of its penetration of the Asia-Pacific region in the fourth quarter of 2021, have driven significant new enterprises additions. APAC operations highlights: In October 2021, the Company expanded and upgraded the capabilities of its enterprise privacy solution in support of its planned entry into the APAC markets, supported by dedicated staffing, content localization, user interface translations and the addition of digital payment services; Since the enterprise privacy solution was launched in APAC in the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company has added more than seventy-five paying organizations in this region; New APAC customers are from the fields of e-Commerce, travel-tech, and data collection of NFTs.

07:35 EST Antares Pharma announces results from Phase I study for ATRS-1902 - Antares Pharma announced positive results from a Phase I study for ATRS-1902 for adrenal crisis. The positive results support the advancement of the ATRS-1902 development program to a pivotal clinical study for the treatment of acute adrenal insufficiency, known as adrenal crisis, in adults and adolescents. The results of the Phase I cross-over study met its primary objective showing ATRS-1902 delivered a comparable pharmacokinetic profile to Solu-Cortef, the reference-listed drug, in 32 healthy adults. The study also demonstrated that ATRS-1902 was safe and well tolerated. Robert Apple, President and Chief Executive Officer of Antares Pharma, added, "These positive results reinforce our commitment to improving the current standard of care for adrenal crisis patients and advancing our proprietary development pipeline. As a leader in rescue pen technology, our recently developed Vai device allows for a simple injection for patients in crisis. With a clear development timeline, we expect ATRS-1902 to support our future revenue growth and leverage our commercial organization and one of our current therapeutic footprints in endocrinology."

07:33 EST Century Fire Protection acquires Chesapeake Sprinkler - FirstService announced that its subsidiary, Century Fire Protection, has recently acquired Chesapeake Sprinkler Company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. "This transaction fulfills a key priority to expand our geographic footprint within the Mid-Atlantic U.S. region," said Scott Tutterow, CEO of Century. "Chesapeake brings a strong service reputation, market-leading position and long-standing client relationships. We are excited to add their capabilities and expertise to drive further growth in our combined operations."

07:32 EST Bank of America announces changes to overdraft services in 2022 - Bank of America announced significant changes to its overdraft services, including plans to eliminate non-sufficient funds fees beginning in February, and to reduce overdraft fees from $35 to $10 beginning in May. The company will also eliminate the transfer fee associated with its Balance Connect for overdraft protection service in May. These and earlier changes over the last decade, together with industry-leading solutions that can help consumer clients avoid overdraft fees - such as the no overdraft fee SafeBalance account and Balance Assist - will lead to overdraft fee revenues being reduced by 97% from 2009 levels.

07:31 EST Ero Copper provides five-year operating outlook through 2026 - Copper production is forecast to more than double compared to the Company's 2021 results to a range of 92,000 to 102,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate in 2025, assuming contributions from the Boa Esperanca Mine; Copper C1 cash costs are expected to average approximately $1.05 per pound of copper produced on forecasted production totaling approximately 350,000 tonnes from 2022 to 2026; Annual gold production is forecast to increase to a range of 55,000 to 60,000 ounces by 2024, an increase of over 50% compared to 2021 results; Gold C1 cash costs and AISC are expected to average approximately $515 and $675, respectively, per ounce of gold produced with production totaling approximately 265,000 ounces from 2022 through 2026; and, Key capital projects aimed at doubling copper production, positioning the MCSA Mining Complex for expanded operations, and achieving higher sustained gold production at the NX Gold Mine include: Approximately $300 million for the construction of the Boa Esperanca Project; Approximately $250 million for the construction of Pilar 3.0 including the larger external shaft, associated infrastructure, ventilation, cooling and equipment plus an estimated $35 million for ancillary capital costs including contingency and third-party construction management costs; Approximately $30 million to support expanded operations at the MCSA Mining Complex, including the expansion of mill capacity for the Caraiba Mill to 4.2 million tonnes per annum and long-term tailings storage capacity improvements to support the increased throughput and longer mine life; and, Approximately $10 million to support higher sustained gold production of approximately 60,000 ounces at the NX Gold Mine as part of the Company's "NX 60" initiative.

07:30 EST Sophia Genetics announces strong traction in DEEP-Lung-IV clinical study launch - Sophia Genetics announced strong traction in the launch phase of their DEEP-Lung-IV clinical study, or NCT04994795. Since officially launching last month, 12 sites across 5 countries have already signed up for participation in the study. Despite the clinical promise of immunotherapy, significant challenges remain as the majority of non-small cell lung cancer patients fail to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Today, PD-L1 is the only standard predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy, however it remains a very suboptimal biomarker with several well-characterized issues limiting its clinical utility.

07:28 EST Ero Copper plans creation of two-mine system at Pilar mine - Updated mineral reserve estimate for Deepening Extension Zone enables the creation of a two-mine system at the Pilar Mine with redesigned larger external shaft. The creation of a two-mine system at the Pilar Mine, known as "Pilar 3.0", whereby the upper levels of the mine will be serviced by the existing shaft, while the Deepening Extension Zone will utilize the new, larger external shaft, expected to result in significant growth in total production from the mine; Annual ore production from the Pilar Mine is now forecast to achieve approximately 3.0 million tonnes by 2026 versus the current production rate of approximately 1.3 million tonnes. From 2027 onwards, annual ore production is expected to range from 2.6 million to 3.0 million tonnes; and, Pilar 3.0 results in the deferral of capital related to the construction of higher operating cost ore- sorting projects at N8/N9 and Siriema.

07:26 EST Guardforce sees FY22 revenue $55M-$60M, increasing 66% versus 2021 - For the full year 2021, the Company expects: Net revenue of $33M-$35M, representing a decrease of 9.3% to 14.5% versus 2020. For the full year 2022, the Company expects: Net revenue of $55M-$60M, representing growth of more than 66% versus 2021. Inorganic revenues of approximately $21M, representing 36% of total net revenues. Non-cash revenues are expected to expand to approximately $25.5M, representing 44% of total net revenues. Terence Yap, Chairman of Guardforce AI, commented, "As we look towards the future, we are encouraged by the numerous possibilities and opportunities that exist within the global security industry. Throughout 2021, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to our clients, suppliers, staff and other stakeholders as we continue to weather COVID-related challenges. In 2022, we will continue our consolidation strategy to expand our geographical presence, technological capabilities and scale." "The guidance we have provided today highlights our commitment and confidence in successfully building a truly integrated security solutions provider," Yap added. "We will continue to focus on technology related solutions such as robotics, AI and cybersecurity. Our strategy of diversifying revenue streams to mitigate business risk and expand our business via strategic consolidations will continue. We are excited by the opportunities that lie ahead, and we look forward to continuing to execute on our growth strategies to deliver greater value to our shareholders."

07:24 EST Intema appoints Ty Root as CEO of HypeX.gg - Intema Solutions announced the appointment of Ty Root as the new CEO of its HypeX.gg subsidiary. Mr. Root replaces Evan Ryer, who has stepped down as CEO to pursue his professional goals. . Before joining Intema and HypeX, Ty was Vice-President of Production and Delivery Operations for Subvrsive, a studio/agency specialized in conceptualizing and creating immersive VR, AR and web-based experiences for brands and media companies.

07:22 EST PacBio, Genomics England collaborate to sequence biobanked rare disease samples - PacBio announced a collaboration with Genomics England to study PacBio's technology for identifying genetic variants in unexplained rare disease cases. Genomics England was initially created to deliver the 100,000 Genomes Project - the largest whole genome sequencing disease cohort of cancer and rare disease participants in the National Health Service. The study will re-sequence a selection of samples collected during Genomics England's 100,000 Genomes Project, which were previously analyzed with short read sequencing technology. The study is intended to reveal potential operational and clinical benefits of long-read sequencing in identifying genetic mutations associated with rare diseases.

07:21 EST CareDx announces NIH study on AlloSure Lung - CareDx announced the results of a study led by the National Institutes of Health, NIH, published in The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, "Donor-derived Cell-free DNA as a Composite Marker of Acute Lung Allograft Dysfunction in Clinical Care," that validates the ability of AlloSure Lung to detect signs of organ rejection and infection in asymptomatic lung transplant recipients in a real-world, home-based surveillance setting. The use of AlloSure Lung also identified episodes of acute rejection and infection that would have been missed using a biopsy strategy alone. ALARM was a real-world, multicenter, prospective study conducted from March 24 to September 1, 2020, at the height of the pandemic. The study showed that non-invasive AlloSure Lung effectively identified acute cellular rejection, antibody-mediated rejection, and infection in asymptomatic lung transplant patients during routine surveillance screening. "Few patients are more vulnerable during the pandemic than lung transplant recipients who are not only on immunosuppressive medications, but having a higher infection risk than any other organ transplant population," said Reg Seeto, CEO and President of CareDx. "The NIH study findings were achieved in real-world, home-based settings using our RemoTraC mobile phlebotomy service. This is a big step forward for non-invasive surveillance of lung transplant recipients."

07:18 EST American Lithium receives plan of operations, reclamation permit approvals - American Lithium is pleased to announce that the Bureau of Land Management and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection have approved the Plan of Operations and Reclamation Plan for the next phases of development and exploration work at the Company's Tonopah Lithium Claims Project located near Tonopah, Nevada. Highlights: The PO authorizes construction of 110 drill sites on the TLC project, exclusive of TLC North, and the excavation of 5 test pits; Public comments received during the consultation phase of the Environmental Assessment demonstrate broad public support for the Project; Enables extension / infill drilling of existing TLC deposit, targeting resource expansion / reclassification to further expand the current large, high-grade measured and indicated resource; Allows for all drilling and bulk sampling required for advanced metallurgical test work to enable company to move from maiden PEA into pre-feasibility / feasibility phase as quickly as possible; Approves additional exploration drilling across untested areas of the core TLC concessions; Continuation of the remaining 9 holes of the 15-hole Reverse Circulation exploration drill program at TLC North commenced in early December 2021, under a separate drill permit; and First 6 holes of this program encountered thick intersections of lithium bearing claystone, assay results are pending. Subject to results, the Company is contemplating expanding this drill program to facilitate establishing a maiden resource at TLC North. The BLM and NDEP approvals follow the completion of an EA on the project that included a 30-day public comment process, and the NDEP's review of the sufficiency of the reclamation bond amount. The BLM received several letters of support for the project from the public and Nye County during the public comment period for the Environmental Assessment. American Lithium has provided a US$ 1,415,666 reclamation bond to the BLM and NDEP, through its surety agent, Smith Manus. As such, all approvals are now in place to commence drilling. Q & D Construction LLC has been contracted to provide a sonic core drill rig to complete the in-fill and resource extension drilling planned under the PO on the existing TLC deposit, as well as additional exploration drilling outside the existing TLC resource area. This drill will complement the existing reverse circulation drill presently conducting exploration drilling at TLC North. Drilling at TLC will commence shortly.

07:17 EST NeoGenomics subsidiary receives CE mark for its RaDaR assay - NeoGenomics announced that its liquid biopsy focused subsidiary Inivata has received the CE mark for its RaDaR assay for the detection of molecular residual disease, or MRD, and recurrence, having met the requirements of the European In-Vitro Diagnostics Directive. In addition, Inivata has submitted to the MolDX program in the U.S. for the reimbursement of RaDaR for clinical testing.

07:16 EST Bluebird Bio provides update on program milestones - bluebird bio, announced planned updates to be presented at the 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare conference including 2022 program milestones and financial outlook. In 2022, bluebird is focused on the FDA review of two gene therapies - betibeglogene autotemcel,beti-cel, for beta-thalassemia and elivaldogene autotemcel , for cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy - and is prepared to launch both beti-cel and eli-cel for patients in the U.S. in mid-2022, if approved by the FDA. An FDA Advisory Committee to discuss the Biologics License Application for beti-cel is anticipated on March 9 . Additionally, bluebird bio expects to complete the manufacturing of commercial drug product validation lots for its third gene therapy, lovotibeglogene autotemcel, lovo-cel, for sickle cell disease in mid-2022. The Company is evaluating what impact, if any, the ongoing partial clinical hold of lovo-cel for patients under the age of 18 may have on the projected timing of the first quarter of 2023 for the submission of the BLA. "In 2021, bluebird bio relaunched as an independent company focused on severe genetic diseases," said Andrew Obenshain, chief executive officer, bluebird bio. "We believe in the potential of our one-time therapies to transform the lives of patients and their families and to give them more bluebird days together. This year, we intend to realize the promise of lentiviral vector gene therapy in the U.S. with the launch of beti-cel for beta-thalassemia and eli-cel for cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, and to lay the foundation for lovo-cel to be the first gene therapy for people living with sickle cell disease."

07:15 EST XPO Logistics renews partnership with Truckers Against Trafficking - XPO Logistics has renewed its platinum partnership with Truckers Against Trafficking for 2022. The announcement coincides with National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. LaQuenta Jacobs, XPO's chief diversity officer, said, "The transportation industry is in a unique position to help prevent modern-day human trafficking through education. XPO is proud to stand with Truckers Against Trafficking in raising driver awareness."

07:13 EST Amryt Pharma announces safety, efficacy data for Mycapssa - Amryt presents long-term safety and efficacy data from the open-label extension of its global Phase 3 MPOWERED non-inferiority clinical trial that compared Mycapssa to long-acting iSRLs for maintenance of biochemical response in patients with acromegaly. The MPOWERED trial was designed to support the marketing authorization application for Mycapssa by the EMA which is currently under evaluation. Mycapssa is approved in the United States for long-term maintenance treatment in acromegaly patients who have responded to and tolerated treatment with injectable octreotide or lanreotide. MPOWERED Phase 3 Trial - Open-Label Long-Term Safety & Efficacy Data: 60 patients that completed the 15 months core treatment phase elected to continue treatment with Mycapssa in the MPOWERED open label extension study. During the RCT 19 patients were treated with iSRLs and 35 were treated with Mycapssa. In addition, 6 patients were treated with a combination of Mycapssa and cabergoline. Key study outcomes included: 93%, 91% and 92% of patients completed year 1, 2 and 3 of the OLE, respectively, out of those that entered each year; The average IGF-1 levels of enrolled patients were stably maintained within the normal limits at the end of the OLE period; 86%, 81% and 87% of all patients maintained their biochemical response at year 1, 2 and 3 of the OLE respectively, while utilizing a non-response imputation; 94%, 90% and 93% of patients maintained their biochemical response at year 1, 2 and 3 of the OLE respectively, while utilizing the last observed carried forward imputation in patients treated with Mycapssa monotherapy; Of patients switching from iSRLs to Mycapssa during the OLE, 47% reported excellent or very good symptomatic control at the end of the Randomized Control Treatment, increasing to 79% at the end of the OLE; 58% had at least 3 active acromegaly symptoms on iSRLs at the end of the RTC decreasing to 37% at the end of the OLE after switching to Mycapssa; In addition, patients treated with iSRLs during the RCT improved when treated with Mycapssa in the OLE on the Emotional, GI interference, Treatment convenience and Treatment satisfaction domain scores of the Acromegaly treatment satisfaction questionnaire; Acromegaly patients were exposed to Mycapssa during the OLE for a median treatment duration of 2.2 years and a maximal exposure of 3.5 years. Including the 15 months core treatment phase, 10 patients were treated for more than 4 years and 22 patients for more than 3 years; Patients in the OLE demonstrated a median compliance rate of 99% over this period of time; The long-term safety profile of Mycapssa during the OLE, was consistent with the safety profile observed during the core study with no new safety signals with long- term exposure.

07:13 EST Exxon Mobil acquires 49.9% stake in Biojet, terms undisclosed - Exxon Mobil is expanding its interests in biofuels that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, acquiring a 49.9% stake in Biojet AS, a Norwegian biofuels company that plans to convert forestry and wood-based construction waste into lower-emissions biofuels and biofuel components. Biojet AS plans to develop up to five facilities to produce the biofuels and biofuel components. The company anticipates commercial production to begin in 2025 at a manufacturing plant to be built in Follum, Norway. The agreement enables Exxon Mobil to purchase as much as 3M barrels of the products per year, based on the potential capacity of five facilities. Biofuels and biofuel components can meet the requirements for advanced fuels under Norwegian, European Union and United Kingdom regulations. According to the European Union Renewable Energy Directive, biofuels produced from wood waste can help reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 85% compared to petroleum-based diesel. When produced, Biojet AS's biofuels can be used for passenger vehicles and heavy trucks. Additional opportunities for marine transportation and aviation may develop as the market for lower-emissions biofuels expands.

07:09 EST PacBio, Google collabare to use machine learning for data analysis - PacBio (PACB) announced a research collaboration with Google (GOOG, GOOGL). Under the terms of the collaboration, PacBio will explore the use of Google's genomic analysis, machine learning and algorithm development tools to further improve PacBio's already highly accurate variant calls for HiFi sequencing runs, unlocking more insights from PacBio sequencing data. The collaboration builds on previous research from PacBio and Google. A recent publication on the work available on bioRxiv, Deep Consensus: Gap-Aware Sequence Transformers for Sequence Correction, yielded improvements in variant calling and suggested that Google's DeepConsensus machine learning tool is capable of increasing the yield of 99.9 percent accurate HiFi reads by as much as another 27 percent per instrument run. PacBio hopes to improve the utility and overall value of HiFi data specifically for applications such as whole genome sequencing, full-length isoform, and targeted sequencing applications by integrating Google's deep learning technology into its future product releases. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

07:07 EST Evogene announces clearance for Phase I clinical trial of BMC-128 in Israel - Biomica, a subsidiary of Evogene (EVGN), announced that the Israeli Ministry of Health, or MoH, cleared the company to proceed with its Proof-of-Concept, or POC, Phase I clinical trial of Biomica's drug candidate BMC-128 in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, or NSCLC, Melanoma or Renal Cell Carcinoma, or RCC, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor, or ICI, immunotherapy. Biomica has entered into a supply agreement for the utilization of Bristol Myers Squibb's (BMY) Opdivo to evaluate the safety and tolerability of BMC-128 therapy in combination with nivolumab, a human anti-PD-1 therapy, in multiple cancer indications. The POC combination trial is designed to be a first-in-human, or FIH, open-label study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of BMC-128 in combination with BMS' Opdivo in patients with NSCLC, melanoma or RCC, clinical signals will be monitored as well. This study is expected to take place at Rambam Health Care Campus, as previously announced.

07:04 EST CGI Inc. awarded task order by ONRR worth up to $12.9M - CGI announced it has been awarded a new task order by the Department of the Interior's Office of Natural Resources Revenue to develop a new, modern, innovative data management environment that will improve the collection and disbursement of federal and Indian royalties. Enhanced data management through the new Data Management Environment will enable ONRR to better coordinate its activities with other federal agencies to support the Department's management of oil, gas, and other natural resources. This task order includes a 36-month period of performance with initial funding of $3.3M and a total task order value of $12.9M inclusive of all options.

07:04 EST Evogene announces clearance for Phase I clinical trial of BMC-128 in Israel - Biomica, a subsidiary of Evogene, announced that the Israeli Ministry of Health, or MoH, cleared the company to proceed with its Proof-of-Concept, or POC, Phase I clinical trial of Biomica's drug candidate BMC-128 in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, or NSCLC, Melanoma or Renal Cell Carcinoma, or RCC, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor, or ICI, immunotherapy. Biomica has entered into a supply agreement for the utilization of Bristol Myers Squibb's Opdivo to evaluate the safety and tolerability of BMC-128 therapy in combination with nivolumab, a human anti-PD-1 therapy, in multiple cancer indications. The POC combination trial is designed to be a first-in-human, or FIH, open-label study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of BMC-128 in combination with BMS' Opdivo in patients with NSCLC, melanoma or RCC, clinical signals will be monitored as well. This study is expected to take place at Rambam Health Care Campus, as previously announced.

07:02 EST Black Diamond Therapeutics announces FDA allowance of IND for BDTX-1535 - Black Diamond Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared an investigational new drug, IND, application for its MasterKey inhibitor BDTX-1535, an irreversible, mutant selective, brain-penetrant inhibitor of oncogenic mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor, EFGR, expressed in glioblastoma multiforme and intrinsic and acquired resistance EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC. The Company expects to initiate the Phase 1 study of BDTX-1535 in the first quarter of 2022 and expects to provide a clinical update in the second half of 2023. "We are incredibly pleased to announce the FDA allowance of our IND, representing a significant milestone for Black Diamond as we continue to mature our pipeline of MasterKey therapies," said David Epstein, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Black Diamond Therapeutics. "Based on the unique approach of our MAP discovery engine platform, we believe that BDTX-1535 is well positioned to address the unmet needs of EGFR mutant GBM and NSCLC with robust brain penetration... We look forward to the upcoming initiation of the Phase 1 Study in the first quarter of 2022."

06:52 EST Endeavour Silver reports Q4, FY21 production numbers - Endeavour Silver is pleased to report full year 2021 production of 4,870,787 silver ounces and 42,262 gold oz, for silver equivalent production of 8.3M oz. Fourth quarter production was 1,443,564 silver oz and 9,446 gold oz, for silver equivalent production of 2.2M oz AgEq. The company's 2021 full year production exceeded the upper range of its guidance of between 7.7M oz and 8M oz AgEq due to continuing strong performance at Guanacevi with higher grades and tonnage milled. Annual silver production exceeded guidance by 3% while gold production was in line with the upper range of guidance.

06:49 EST Optibase requests TASE delists its shares - Optibase announced that its board of directors resolved to delist the company's ordinary shares from trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, or TASE. Under applicable Israeli law, the delisting of the company's ordinary shares from trading on the TASE will become effective at least upon the lapse of three months from the date hereof, during such time the company's ordinary shares will continue to trade on the TASE. The company has notified TASE of its intention to delist its ordinary shares from TASE on April 13, however, the exact delisting date is subject to the approval of the TASE. The company will announce the exact date for delisting following the approval of the TASE for the delisting date. Following the delisting of the company's ordinary shares from the TASE, the company will no longer be subject to any reporting requirements in Israel, under the Israeli securities law. The ordinary shares of Optibase will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market.

06:46 EST Stewart acquires majority interest in Great American Title Company, no terms - Stewart Information Services announced the acquisition of a majority interest in Great American Title Company. GATCO is a provider of title and escrow services in the Greater Houston Metropolitan area, with the ability to operate in 38 counties across Texas. The acquisition creates additional scale in the area and continues to demonstrate Stewart's commitment to investing in key markets on its mission to become the Premier Title Services Company. Terms were not disclosed.

06:35 EST LumiraDx CRP test receives CE Marking - LumiraDx announced its C-reactive protein, or CRP, Test has achieved CE Marking. The LumiraDx CRP Test is a small, portable, fully automated, microfluidic immunoassay test used for the quantitative determination of C-reactive protein with results within four minutes. The measurement of CRP provides information for the detection and evaluation of infection, and inflammation. In patients with respiratory infection symptoms, especially suspected pneumonia, significantly high CRP suggests the need for antibiotic treatment, whereas normal or low CRP levels suggest patients have viral or self-limiting infection that does not require antibiotics.

06:31 EST Babcock & Wilcox Thermal segment awarded contracts for over $18M - Babcock & Wilcox announced that its B&W Thermal segment has been awarded contracts totaling more than $18M to install equipment to improve the operating efficiency, performance, and increase availability for two power plants for a large U.S. utility. B&W's subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., will install waterwall panels, reheater tubes, and other technologies.

06:16 EST Google SVP Lockheimer hits out at Apple's iMessage strategy on Twitter - Google (GOOGL) SVP Hiroshi Lockheimer on Saturday hit out at Apple's (AAPL) iMessage strategy, saying via Twitter: "Apple's iMessage lock-in is a documented strategy. Using peer pressure and bullying as a way to sell products is disingenuous for a company that has humanity and equity as a core part of its marketing. The standards exist today to fix this." Reference Link

06:04 EST Freyr Battery, Aleees to pursue LFP cathode manufacturing joint venture - Freyr Battery and Aleees, a producer of lithium iron phosphate cathode materials for batteries, have signed a Head of Terms agreement to pursue a Joint Venture with the ambition to establish an LFP cathode plant in the Nordic region. The joint venture partners will seek to commence production in 2024, coinciding with the anticipated ramp-up of operations from Freyr's first Gigafactory in Mo i Rana, Norway. The formation of the JV will seek to combine Aleees' 17 years of experience in LFP cathode production with FREYR's strategy of manufacturing decarbonized battery cells at scale and the Freyr team's extensive experience in conducting and constructing complex technical projects in the Nordic region.

06:02 EST Sana signs agreement with NCI for the rights to NIH's CD22 antigen receptor - Sana Biotechnology entered into an agreement with the National Cancer Institution, or NCI, an institute of the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, for worldwide exclusive commercial rights to the NIH's CD22 chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR, with a fully-human binder for use in certain in vivo gene therapy and ex vivo allogeneic CAR T applications for B cell malignancies. Engineered CAR T cell therapies for B cell malignancies use binders to target proteins expressed on the surface of B cells. One such protein, CD19, has been the target of all approved autologous CAR T therapies for B cell lymphoma and B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia to date. Unfortunately, incomplete responses or relapses occur in over 50% of CD19 CAR T-treated patients, often due to CD19 antigen loss. CD22, which is also a B cell surface protein, has emerged as an alternative to address failure to achieve durable complete responses with CD19-directed CAR T therapy. Under the terms of the agreement, Sana agreed to pay the NIH an upfront amount, certain milestone payments, and royalties on net sales of royalty-bearing products.

05:15 EST CME Group achieves record international ADV of 5.5M contracts in 2021, up 4% - CME Group announced that it achieved record international average daily volume, or ADV, of 5.5M contracts in 2021, up 4% from 2020. This record, reflecting all trading done outside the United States, was driven largely by growth in Interest Rate products, up 19%. "Market conditions in 2021 again created a heightened need for risk management globally as clients worldwide worked to navigate continued uncertainty and volatility," said William Knottenbelt, Senior Managing Director and Head of International, CME Group. "We saw record volumes in Europe and Asia and continue to work with clients in these regions and beyond to provide the financial and commodity risk management tools they rely on, around the clock and around the world."