Stockwinners Market Radar for January 05, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:52 EST Fortune Rise Acquisition, OriginClear sign letter of intent to merge - Fortune Rise Acquisition (FRLA) and OriginClear (OCLN) announce that OriginClear's subsidiary, Water On Demand, Inc. has executed a Letter of Intent with Fortune Rise Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware special purpose acquisition corporation under which FLRA proposes to acquire all the outstanding securities of Water on Demand based on certain material financial and business terms and conditions being met. The LOI is not binding on the parties and is intended solely to guide good-faith negotiations toward definitive agreements. Subject to meeting NASDAQ quantitative and qualitative listing requirements, upon the closing of the business combination, the newly-combined entity will trade publicly on Nasdaq under a new trading symbol.

20:08 EST Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 1.16M shares of Ginkgo Bioworks today

20:06 EST Iridium to partner t with Qualcomm on satellite messaging and emergency services - Iridium Communications (IRDM) "announced it has entered into an agreement with Qualcomm Technologies (QCOM) to enable satellite messaging and emergency services in smartphones powered by Snapdragon Mobile Platforms. Qualcomm Technologies' new Snapdragon Satellite solution is supported by the fully operational Iridium satellite constellation. Emergency messaging using Snapdragon Satellite is expected to debut starting in the second half of 2023 in premium Android smartphones launched in select regions."

19:08 EST PG&E restored power to over 406K customers, 95.5K remain impacted by storm - The company states: "Pacific Gas and Electric Company crews are mobilized throughout Northern and Central California assessing the damage and making repairs to restore power. Over the 24 hours ending at 3 p.m. today, PG&E has safely restored power to more than 406,000 customers. As of 3 p.m., there are approximately 2,300 outages affecting 95,500 customers, with many in the North Coast, Bay Area and Central Coast areas. PG&E recognizes the urgency of restoring power and will work diligently until all customers are restored. Hazards such as fallen trees, floods and debris flows have made gaining access difficult in some areas and could delay power restoration efforts. Additional storms are forecast over the coming week, which will likely also impact restoration times and lead to additional widespread outages."

18:51 EST 2seventy Bio jumps 11% on release of positive results in KarMMa-3 study - Shares of 2seventy Bio are up 11% afterhours at $10.96 following the company's regulatory 8-K filing, stating: "On January 4, 2023, the EBMT-EHA released an abstract previously submitted by 2seventy bio (TSVT) and Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) for presentation at the EBMT-EHA 5th European CAR T-cell meeting. The abstract, available on the EBMT-EHA website, includes key data points from the positive results of the Registrant's KarMMa-3 study of ABECMA, idecabtagene vicleucel. Results from KarMMa-3, a pivotal Phase 3, open-label, global, randomized, controlled study evaluating ABECMA compared to standard combination regimens in adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma after two to four prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and were refractory to their last regimen. Ide-cel significantly improved progression-free survival versus standard regimens. Overall response rate was significantly improved with ide-cel versus standard regimens, 71% vs 42%, with deeper, more durable responses. Full results from the KarMMa-3 study will be presented at the EBMT-EHA 5th European CAR T-cell meeting, taking place from February 8-11, 2023, in Rotterdam, Netherlands."

18:38 EST LGI Homes closes 504 homes in December - LGI Homes "announced it closed 504 homes in December 2022, for a total of 1,448 homes closed in the fourth quarter of 2022 and 6,621 homes closed for the full year 2022. The Company had 99 active selling communities at the end of December 2022."

18:34 EST Dave board of directors approves 1-for-32 reverse stock split - Dave Inc "announced that its Board of Directors has approved a 1-for-32 reverse stock split of the Company's Class A common stock and Class V common stock. The reverse stock split will become effective at 5:01 p.m. Eastern Time today, January 5, 2023, after close of trading on The Nasdaq Global Market. The Company's Class A common stock is expected to commence trading on a split-adjusted basis when the markets open on January 6, 2023 under the existing trading symbol "DAVE." Based on the closing price as of January 5, 2023, the implied post-split share price is approximately $9.44."

18:23 EST Constellation Brands CEO: We're radically undervalued at this price point - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Bill Newlands said the stock price decline in reaction to the company's earnings was an over reaction. The company beat on all points and raised its guidance, he added, and noted that it has great cash flow. He said at this price point, the company would be "silly" not to buy back stock.

17:33 EST Emergent BioSolutions awarded $379.6M lotion contract for DoD - Emergent BioSolutions has signed an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity procurement contract with a maximum value up to $379.6M to supply RSDL - Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion Kit - for use by all branches of the U.S. military. Emergent's Canadian Subsidiary will serve as the sole subcontractor to deploy RSDL to the Department of Defense - DoD - through a new contract award to the Canadian Commercial Corporation. The new contract has a base year, which began in December 2022, and four single year option renewals.

17:23 EST Spruce Biosciences jumps almost 100% after licensing deal for tildacerfont - Shares of Spruce Biosciences jumped almost 100% or $1.21 per share on Thursday evening, to $2.46 per share after Spruce Biosciences and Kaken Pharmaceutical "announced that the companies have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of Spruce's product candidate, tildacerfont, for the treatment of congenial adrenal hyperplasia in Japan. Under the terms of the agreement, Spruce will receive an upfront payment of $15M from Kaken and will be eligible to receive additional payments upon the achievement of future development and commercial milestones, as well as tiered double-digit royalties on net sales in Japan.

17:15 EST Lockheed Martin awarded $139.7M U.S. Navy contract - Lockheed Martin, Rotary and Mission Systems was awarded a $139,651,671 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only, and firm-fixed-price contract for AEGIS fielding and sustainment. This contract provides engineering support, software development, in-service maintenance, integration, logistics and fielding support for AEGIS combat system configurations already delivered or in the process of being delivered to the Navy.

17:12 EST Protalix director buys $155.8K in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Protalix disclosed that its director Aharon Schwartz bought 110K shares of common stock on January 3 in a total transaction size of $155.8K. Shares are up 4.9% afterhours at $1.50.

17:01 EST Fusion, BWXT Medical announces actinium-225 partnership - Fusion Pharmaceuticals (FUSN) and BWXT Medical, a subsidiary of BWX Technologies (BWXT), announced that the companies have entered into a preferred partner agreement for the supply of actinium-225. Under the agreement, BWXT Medical will provide predetermined amounts of Fusion's actinium supply needs at volume-based pricing. Actinium-225 is an alpha-emitting isotope used in targeted alpha therapies that combine the isotope with specific tumor-seeking targeting vectors to kill cancer cells while minimizing the impact to healthy tissues. There is growing demand for the isotope but a limited number of suppliers who are currently able to produce meaningful quantities of high purity actinium. Fusion Chief Executive Officer John Valliant, Ph.D., said, "Fusion's portfolio of clinical-stage targeted alpha therapies is expanding, with three proprietary programs in clinical trials and additional programs advancing under our collaboration with AstraZeneca. Based on emerging clinical data in the literature which show the power of alpha particles over conventional beta emitters, we continue to proactively prioritize access to actinium as a critical component of Fusion's development plans and we are excited to partner with BWXT Medical. As an established global leader in medical isotope manufacturing and supply with proven ability to produce high purity actinium, BWXT Medical has the necessary infrastructure and shipping logistics capabilities to support both clinical and commercial scale manufacturing and distribution of medical isotopes. This agreement increases our existing actinium supply for both current programs as well as future business development opportunities and partnered programs, diversifies our supply chain, and establishes a relationship to collaborate on longer-term commercial production needs."

16:51 EST AnaptysBio announces portfolio update, discloses $575M in cash to end 2022 - AnaptysBio "announced a portfolio update including initiating development of its wholly owned best-in-class immune cell modulating antibodies in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with large and significantly underserved patient populations. With cash, cash equivalents and investments greater than $575 million as of December 31, 2022, the company anticipates having approximately 4 years of capital to execute against its non-risk adjusted research and development plan, excluding potential future royalties from its GSK immuno-oncology financial collaboration." The company states that it is: 1) Advancing rosnilimab, its PD-1 agonist, into a global Phase 2b trial to treat rheumatoid arthritis with study initiation in Q3 2023; 2) Advancing ANB032, its BTLA agonist, into a global Phase 2b trial to treat atopic dermatitis with study initiation in Q2 2023; 3) Advancing rosnilimab into a second Phase 2 trial, in an indication to be announced, with study initiation anticipated by year-end 2023; 4) Blinded interim review of alopecia areata Phase 2a data demonstrated rosnilimab "proof of mechanism" with robust reductions in peripheral PD-1 high and PD-1+ T cells and suggests administration was generally safe and well tolerated; However, absolute SALT scores were not supportive of the target product profile and further development in alopecia areata will not be pursued."

16:46 EST Aehr Test Systems jumps 14% after Q2 earnings beat, production order

16:35 EST Bruker acquires ACQUIFER Imaging GmbH, terms not stated - Bruker "announced the acquisition of ACQUIFER Imaging GmbH, a pioneer in big-data management solutions for bioimaging and high-content microscopy. This acquisition adds high-performance on-premise processing, secure storage and networking technology that complements Bruker's advanced fluorescence microscopy imaging products, such as light-sheet and super-resolution microscopy products, which generate high information content."

16:31 EST Asur reports December total passenger traffic up 22.9% vs. 2019 - Asur announced that passenger traffic for December 2022 reached a total of 6.4M passengers, 22.9% above the levels reported in December 2019. Compared to December 2019, passenger traffic increased by 33.2% in Colombia, 24.1% in Mexico and Puerto Rico by 6.4%. Passenger traffic growth in Colombia and Mexico was driven by domestic and international traffic and in Puerto Rico by domestic traffic.

16:31 EST CACI wins $2.25B DCSA contract - CACI International has been awarded the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency Background Investigation Fieldwork Services Contract, a five-year single-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract valued at $2.25B, to provide background investigation capabilities to the DCSA. CACI has a long-standing partnership with the DCSA and has supported national security by performing security clearance background investigations for three previous, consecutive iterations of the contract. DCSA is currently responsible for conducting more than two million background investigations per year on civilian and military applicants and Federal employees or employees of Government contractors and consultants to Federal programs. Under this enterprise technology contract, more than 1,000 of CACI's background investigators will conduct these initial investigations and periodic reinvestigations nationwide. John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "CACI brings more than 17 years of experience in conducting background investigations to DCSA. Our tenured background investigators are the first line of defense in identifying threats to our national security and preventing infiltration of our government facilities. CACI's support is crucial to securing the trustworthiness and integrity of the U.S. Government's workforce."

16:23 EST Acorda Therapeutics enters new long-term supply pact with Catalent on INBRIJA - Acorda Therapeutics (ACOR) announced that on December 31, 2022 it entered into a new long-term global supply agreement with Catalent (CTLT) for the manufacture of INBRIJA , or levodopa inhalation powder, at its Center of Excellence for Spray Dried Dispersions in Boston where Catalent will continue to manufacture INBRIJA through 2030. The new agreement includes the scale-up to the larger pharma grade spray-dryer at a PSD-7 scale, which will provide expanded capacity for the long-term world-wide manufacturing requirements of INBRIJA. Under the new supply agreement Acorda is required to purchase $8.5 million in INBRIJA supply in 2023 and $15.5 million in 2024, reduced from $18 million annually. Beginning in 2025, Acorda will pay a fixed capsule fee based on the amount of INBRIJA needed in the US and other markets. By 2026, an expansion in Catalent's manufacturing capacity is expected to reduce per-capsule prices significantly. In addition, Acorda will pay an $8 million termination fee to Catalent in connection with the termination of the prior global supply agreement, payable in two installments in June and December 2023, and $1 million in each of 2023 and 2024 for capital expenditures at the manufacturing plant to assist in the capacity expansion."

16:19 EST Costco reports December sales of $23.8B, up 7% - Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $23.8B for the retail month of December, the five weeks ended January 1, 2023, an increase of 7.0% from $22.24B last year. For the 18 weeks ended January 1, 2023, the company reported net sales of $82.16B, an increase of 7.6% from $76.34B last year.

16:16 EST Semtech, Sierra Wireless announces termination of HSR waiting period - Semtech Corporation (SMTC) and Sierra Wireless (SWIR) announced the termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended. As previously disclosed on October 18, 2022, Semtech and Sierra each received a request for additional information and documentary material from the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with the DOJ's review of Semtech's pending acquisition of Sierra. On January 5, 2023, Semtech and Sierra were notified that the waiting period had been terminated. The parties currently anticipate that the closing of the Transaction will occur on or about January 12, 2023, subject to the satisfaction of the closing conditions set forth in the Arrangement Agreement that by their nature are to be satisfied at the closing of the Transaction.

16:12 EST Rani Therapeutics provides update following pre-IND meeting with FDA - Rani Therapeutics announced that it completed a pre-Investigational New Drug, IND, meeting with FDA with respect to RT-102, the RaniPill GO containing a proprietary formulation of human parathyroid hormone analog for the potential treatment of osteoporosis, and provided a corporate update. Following feedback from a pre-IND meeting with the FDA, Rani believes that a 505(b)(2) pathway is suitable for the development of RT-102 in the U.S. In addition, Rani obtained guidance from the FDA on its preclinical and clinical development plans for RT-102, including the Phase 2 clinical trial which is expected to initiate in the second half of 2023. In December 2022, Rani announced positive topline results from Part 2 (repeat-dose portion) of the Phase 1 study of RT-102. RT-102 is being developed for the treatment of osteoporosis. The study achieved all of its endpoints, with repeat doses of RT-102 being generally well tolerated and delivering drug with high reliability to participants via the RaniPill GO.

16:11 EST Graphite Bio to voluntarily pause Phase 1/2 CEDAR study - Graphite Bio announced it is voluntarily pausing the Phase 1/2 CEDAR study of nulabeglogene autogedtemcel for sickle cell disease due to a serious adverse event in the first patient dosed with nula-cel, and the company's conclusion that the event is likely related to study treatment. As a result, the company will not meet its guidance for initial proof-of-concept data in mid-2023. The decision by Graphite Bio to voluntarily pause the CEDAR study follows a serious and unexpected adverse event of prolonged low blood cell counts requiring ongoing transfusion and growth factor support in the first patient dosed with nula-cel. The event has been reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The patient achieved study-defined neutrophil engraftment and has shown no evidence of myelodysplasia, a rare type of blood cancer. While the event did not meet study stopping requirements, based on evolving clinical data, Graphite Bio decided to voluntarily pause the study. Graphite Bio is comprehensively assessing the adverse event, risk factors and mitigation strategies, including potential modifications to the nula-cel manufacturing process. The clinical investigators and Safety Monitoring Committee for the CEDAR study have agreed with the company's decision to suspend dosing of additional patients pending this assessment. Based on the ongoing activities in the nula-cel program, Graphite Bio no longer expects to file an investigational new drug application for GPH102 in beta-thalassemia by mid-2024. The company is also working to identify operational efficiencies to extend its cash position to at least 2026.

16:08 EST SunPower, Maxeon Solar extend current supply relationship - SunPower (SPWR) and Maxeon Solar Technologies (MAXN) have announced the extension of their supply relationship through 2025. Today's updated agreement helps SunPower meet rising homeowner demand by providing SunPower with significant additional quantities of Maxeon's high efficiency interdigitated back contact solar panels, while also significantly enhancing Maxeon's presence in the U.S. residential market. Under the new supply agreement, Maxeon expects to sell additional volumes of its Maxeon 6 panels to SunPower on an exclusive basis. SunPower will also have the right to negotiate supply of future IBC next generation technology developed by Maxeon, which would enable SunPower to continue to provide homeowners the highest efficient solar technology available to date. Through these agreements, Maxeon cements the future of the relationship with SunPower and its proven track record of selling Maxeon's premium IBC technology, and obtains a framework for future collaboration as Maxeon develops its next generation technology and increases capacity.

16:08 EST Everest Re names Srini Maddineni chief information officer - Everest Re Group announced that effective January 16, 2023, Srini Maddineni, Everest's SVP and Global CIO for Insurance and Reinsurance Systems, will succeed Terry Walker as Group Chief Information Officer, reporting to Jim Williamson, Everest Group Chief Operating Officer. Walker will retire at the end of the first quarter of 2023. "Srini is an accomplished executive with significant experience delivering transformative technology capabilities on a global scale," said Jim Williamson, Everest Group Chief Operating Officer. "He has made a meaningful impact as Global CIO of Reinsurance and Insurance, having led all aspects of systems development across our global businesses. I look forward to collaborating with Srini and his talented team to drive our technology strategy forward." The company also promoted two IT executives to Deputy CIO roles. Hemal Patel, Deputy CIO - Corporate Applications & Services will lead Everest's Corporate Systems, Shared Services and Portfolio Management. Arron Lamp, Deputy CIO - Architecture, Data, and Analytics will lead IT Innovation and Digital Transformation. Both will report to Maddineni and will be responsible for advancing Everest's long-term technology strategy and goals.

16:07 EST Qiagen, Helix announce global strategic partnership - Helix announced a global strategic partnership with Qiagen to jointly develop companion diagnostics for hereditary diseases. As part of the collaboration, Helix will leverage the Helix Laboratory Platform to develop companion diagnostics in the U.S., and Qiagen will use the QIASeq Human Exome Kits in the rest of world. The Helix Laboratory Platform is a whole exome sequencing platform run in Helix's San Diego based CLIA / CAP next-generation sequencing lab and will be the basis for companion diagnostic development and earlier stage assay development in the United States. Helix is the first - and remains the only - company to receive De Novo Class II authorization of this platform from the U.S. FDA. Helix will develop companion diagnostics and clinical trial assays for all phases of clinical trials, as well as commercialize single site premarket approval companion diagnostics.

16:04 EST TPI and GE extend supply pacts and plan to collaborate on next-gen blade designs - TPI Composites (TPIC) announced that it has extended its supply agreements with GE Renewable Energy (GE) through 2025. GE and TPI also plan to work together on GE's next generation blade types including the possibility of adding more production lines in 2023, in addition to the nine production lines GE has in operation today with TPI. "We are pleased that GE has extended its relationship with TPI, and we look forward to collaborating on GE's next generation blade designs and growing our production for them in the US and internationally to continue to enable a cost-effective wind blade supply," said Bill Siwek, President and CEO of TPI."We appreciate the opportunity to expand our long-standing relationship with TPI through this strategic supplier agreement, which enables GE to continue providing competitive, high tech wind turbines to our customers," said GE Onshore Wind CEO, Vic Abate. "Wind energy has an important and exciting future in the US and around the world, and we look forward to working together with TPI and our customers to deliver on the energy transition. "In November, TPI announced that it signed an agreement with GE Renewable Energy which enabled them to secure a long-term lease extension of its manufacturing facility in Newton, Iowa, beginning in 2024. TPI has manufactured wind blades for GE since 2008.

16:03 EST Marinus Pharmaceuticals sees FY22 ZTALMY product revenue $2.8M-$2.9M - The company continues to target topline data for the ongoing Phase 3 trials in refractory status epilepticus and tuberous sclerosis complex in the second half of 2023 and first quarter of 2024, respectively. Second generation formulation program continues to advance with an update planned in the first quarter of 2023, Marinus added.

16:02 EST Marinus Pharmaceuticals sees Q4 ZTALMY product revenue $2.2M-$2.3M - "We are pleased with the successful launch of ZTALMY resulting from the strong commercial foundation established and look forward to another pivotal year for Marinus and ganaxolone," said Steven Pfanstiel, Chief Financial Officer of Marinus. "This launch progress validates our focused commercial investment approach for the CDKL5 deficiency disorder indication which we anticipate could become cash flow accretive within two years of launch. The investment also positions the company for its future as we continue to explore the full potential of ganaxolone for patients with seizure disorders."

16:01 EST Alnylam names Amy Schulman board chair - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals announced the appointment of Carolyn Bertozzi, Ph.D. a Nobel Laureate to the Board. Dr. Bertozzi is known is known for her work in chemical biology. She is a pioneer for emerging technology and has founded ten biopharmaceutical companies and guided more than a dozen academic and professional organizations and life sciences companies in leadership and board positions. Alnylam also announced that Board member and Lead Independent Director Amy W. Schulman, will assume the role of Chair of the Board from Michael W. Bonney, who will continue on the Board as a non-independent director. Mr. Bonney will be stepping down from his interim role as Executive Chair where he was focused on integrating the ethics and compliance function at Alnylam, a role he assumed for just over a year during which the company appointed a new Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer.

16:01 EST Graphite Bio trading halted, news pending

15:29 EST Walmart says drone delivery now operating in seven states - Walmart's drone delivery program is "soaring into the new year, having successfully completed its intended expansion plans for 2022," the company announced. The company now operates, with its vendors, 36 drone delivery hubs across seven states, including Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia, Walmart stated. "I'm incredibly proud of our team for creating the largest drone delivery footprint of any U.S. retailer and providing customers with an incredibly fast - and innovative - option for delivery. We're encouraged by the positive response from customers and look forward to making even more progress in 2023," added Vik Gopalakrishnan, vice president, innovation & automation, Walmart U.S.

14:43 EST One Group Hospitality drew full amounts available under delayed draw facility - In a regulatory filing last night, ONE Group Hospitality disclosed that on December 28, 2022, the company borrowed $50M of the delayed draw term facility and repaid $5M on its revolving credit facility. "The company drew the full amounts available under the delayed draw term facility to increase its cash position and preserve financial flexibility and may use the borrowed funds for accelerating restaurant openings and capital expenditures, and potentially to expand the company's share repurchase program or acquire additional restaurants or for other purposes permitted by the credit facility. The proceeds from the draw are currently being held on the company's balance sheet. The drawn principal accrues interest at a rate equal to SOFR plus 6.50%. Cash balances held by the company are currently earning interest income at approximately 3.75% and may change from time to time. The delayed draw amount must be repaid on August 6, 2026, unless repayment is accelerated as provided in the credit agreement or at the company's option," the filing stated. As previously disclosed, ONE Group Hospitality and certain of its subsidiaries, Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as collateral agent, and Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P., as administrative agent, entered into a fourth amendment to credit and guaranty agreement dated December 13, 2022, which among other things provided for a $50M delayed draw term facility available to draw for twelve months.

14:37 EST Skyworks says inventory overhang could possibly last into June - Says company starting to think overhang may last into March, possibly even June. Says previously believed it would be over by this December quarter. Says has "accepted the reality" surrounding inventory overhang. Comments taken from JPMorgan CES Tech/Auto Forum.

14:19 EST LiveOne raises FY23 adjusted EBITDA view to $9.5M-$12M

14:02 EST TowneBank names Clark COO - TowneBank announced the promotion of R. Lee Clark to Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Clark will have responsibility for bank operations and continue to oversee human resources. He will also become a member of the corporate management team. Regarding Clark's appointment, Chief Executive Officer Billy Foster shared, "Throughout his career at TowneBank, Lee has led with a steady hand and calm demeanor. His operational experience at TowneBank, track-record of consistent follow-through, and commitment to our culture of caring make him ideally suited to lead our knowledgeable and experienced operations group."

12:55 EST Mercedes-Benz partnering with ChargePoint in North America for charging network - Mercedes-Benz announced "far-reaching plans" to launch a global high-power charging network across North America, Europe, China and other key markets. It will begin to be built this year in the U.S. and Canada, followed by other regions around the globe, Mercedes-Benz announced at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. "The aim is to have the full network in place before the end of the decade, when Mercedes-Benz intends to go all-electric wherever market conditions allow. The Mercedes-Benz high-power charging network will greatly enhance customers' charging experience, accelerate the journey towards the all-electric future and create a global infrastructure asset with future value-creation potential. The Mercedes-Benz charging hubs will be located in key cities and urban population centers, close to major arteries, convenient retail and service destinations, including participating Mercedes-Benz dealership sites. The company believes this strategic move will significantly enhance the usability and convenience of its new generation of electric vehicles, differentiate the Mercedes-Benz ownership experience and accelerate the EV transformation. The charging network will focus first and foremost on Mercedes-Benz customers, who will enjoy preferential access via a reservation function and other benefits. However, it will also be open to drivers of all other brands with compatible technology. This comprehensive initiative, alongside ongoing support for shared networks such as IONITY, also aims to drive global adoption of electric mobility," the company stated. Collaboration partners in North America include MN8 Energy, "one of the largest solar energy and battery storage owners and operators" in the U.S., and ChargePoint (CHPT), the carmaker stated. "Mercedes-Benz already offers what we believe to be the finest EVs in the market. But to accelerate the electric transformation, we need to ensure that the charging experience keeps pace as well. Our customers deserve a compelling charging experience that makes electric vehicle ownership and long-distance travel effortless. We won't take a wait-and-see approach for this to be built. That's why we are launching a global high-end charging network. It's designed to become another differentiator of Mercedes-Benz ownership for our customers and an asset with value creation potential for our company. We are excited to start right here in North America with strong and experienced partners like MN8 Energy and ChargePoint," said Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Reference Link

12:46 EST Deere debuts new planting technology, electric excavator during CES 2023 - During John Deere's CES 2023 keynote address, the company revealed two new technologies, ExactShot and an electric excavator, that it says will help Deere's customers be more productive, profitable, and sustainable. ExactShot allows farmers to reduce the amount of starter fertilizer needed during planting by more than 60%, Deere said, adding that the electric excavator, powered by a Kreisel battery, will provide construction workers and road builders with lower daily operating costs, reduced jobsite noise, enhanced machine reliability, and zero emissions, without sacrificing the power and performance they need in a machine.

12:18 EST MDxHealth SA - ADR trading resumes

12:04 EST Northern Light Health, Optum announce strategic relationship - Northern Light Health and Optum announced a strategic relationship to enhance the health care experience for patients and providers throughout Maine. As part of this relationship, select Northern Light Health employees will become part of Optum, the companies said. "We are privileged to partner with Northern Light Health and build on their success by helping to transform the health care experience for patients, providers and communities across Maine," said Dan Schumacher, chief strategy and growth officer of UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of Optum.

12:00 EST Fortuna Silver Mines falls -12.1% - Fortuna Silver Mines is down -12.1%, or -47c to $3.44.

12:00 EST Silvergate Capital falls -46.5% - Silvergate Capital is down -46.5%, or -$10.21 to $11.74.

12:00 EST Dingdong rises 27.7% - Dingdong is up 27.7%, or $1.48 to $6.82.

11:30 EST Phunware authorizes $5M stock repurchase plan - Phunware announced that its board of directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan under which the company may repurchase up to $5M of the company's outstanding common stock. The stock repurchase plan is expected to be completed over the next 12 months. "We believe repurchasing our common stock is an attractive use of capital, given recent market prices," stated CEO Russ Buyse.

11:02 EST Verizon announces STARZ to join +play beta - Verizon (VZ) announced STARZ, a Lionsgate (LGF.A) company, as the latest streaming service to join +play beta. "We're building +play to not only solve for our customers' common pain points, but to give them value and savings they can't get anywhere else. Adding STARZ to the entertainment services available through +play beta gives our customers even more choice when it comes to accessing the content they love, and we're thrilled to have them aboard," said Erin McPherson, Verizon Chief Content Officer.

10:38 EST Stitch Fix announces 20% reduction of salaried workforce - Stitch Fix founder Katrina Lake told employees today: "I'm sharing the difficult news that we will be reducing the size of the Stitch Fix team by about 20% of salaried positions. In addition, we are closing our Salt Lake City distribution center, where our team is also impacted. We will be losing many talented team members from across the company and I am truly sorry. Everyone will get an email soon letting you know what this means for you." Reference Link

10:03 EST Conagra Brands sees gross margin up around 300bps in 2H - Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

10:00 EST RPM falls -9.0% - RPM is down -9.0%, or -$8.78 to $89.24.

10:00 EST Silvergate Capital falls -43.6% - Silvergate Capital is down -43.6%, or -$9.56 to $12.39.

10:00 EST ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas rises 11.0% - ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas is up 11.0%, or $3.38 to $34.03.

09:47 EST Applied DNA announces publication of peer-reviewed journal article on linearDNA - Applied DNA Sciences announced the publication of a peer-reviewed research article in "Molecular Therapy - Methods & Clinical Development," whose initial manuscript detailing the study's findings was published in preprint form on bioRxiv in July 2022. "The study demonstrated safety and immunogenicity of a linearDNA vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of family-owned felines. Prime-boost vaccinations were administered by electro-gene-transfer intramuscularly to the cohort, which induced robust neutralizing antibody titers and cellular immune responses," the company stated. "This peer-reviewed publication supports the innovative work we and our partners are conducting to advance linearDNA as a potential new class of human and veterinary therapeutics that combines the rapid design and manufacturing capabilities akin to mRNA therapies with the thermostability and relative manufacturing simplicity of linearDNA. Adding to already robust data supporting the potential of linearDNA in-hand, this study and others being conducted and planned make a compelling case for linearDNA as a next-generation, DNA-based vaccine platform, in addition to its utility in the manufacture of other nucleic acid-based therapies, such as mRNA and CAR T therapies," added Dr. James A. Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA.

09:47 EST Revolve Group falls -8.6% - Revolve Group is down -8.6%, or -$2.01 to $21.40.

09:47 EST Lamb Weston rises 8.6% - Lamb Weston is up 8.6%, or $7.53 to $95.01.

09:47 EST AMTD Digital rises 85.9% - AMTD Digital is up 85.9%, or $8.59 to $18.59.

09:42 EST Mount Rainier Acquisition Corp trading resumes

09:35 EST AMTD Digital Inc - ADR trading resumes

09:32 EST Mount Rainier Acquisition Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:31 EST SciSparc announces efficacy of psychedelic-based obesity treatment - SciSparc (SPRC) announced initial positive pre-clinical results for treatment for obesity and the potential treatment of metabolic syndromes using MEAI, a novel psychedelic molecule of Clearmind Medicine (CMND). The results are in connection with the provisional patent application for treating metabolic syndromes including obesity with Clearmind based on SciSparc's CannAmide's active ingredient Palmitoylethanolamide and Clearmind's MEAI, submitted in September 2022. "We are excited about Clearmind's results, in light of the potential synergistic effect between SciSparc's CannAmide and Clearmind's MEAI, as previously demonstrated in numerous studies for several conditions with MEAI's effective dose. According to the World Health Organization, approximately, 1 billion people worldwide, more than 30% of the global population, are overweight or obese, and we believe obesity treatment could quickly become a top-12 global therapy, growing from a $2.4 billion category in 2022 to $54 billion by 2030," commented Oz Adler, SciSparc's Chief Executive Officer. "We believe that this virtually untapped multibillion-dollar market creates significant opportunities for our joined collaboration with Clearmind by developing a unique drug candidate for the market to treat obesity." Clearmind's study, was conducted at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, included multi-parameter metabolic assessments such as body weight, fat mass, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, liver enzymes and fat accumulation as well as food consumption patterns. It included three groups of rodents: one was fed a standard diet, another a high-fat diet, and the third a high-fat diet group along with treatment with MEAI. The animals treated with MEAI showed increased energy expenditure, better fat utilization, and weight loss of 20%, while reducing their overall fat mass and preserving their lean body mass. No effect on motivation and well-being was observed. Additionally, the treatment yielded normalization of insulin levels, improved glucose tolerance as well as reduced fat and triglycerides accumulation in the liver. These results were significantly better than those obtained in the high fat, untreated group.

09:31 EST Relativity Acquisition Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:30 EST Cartesian Growth Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:26 EST Revive Therapeutics announces Type C meeting request granted by FDA - Revive Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, FDA, has granted the Company's Type C meeting request to obtain agreement on the revised protocol endpoints for the Company's Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Bucillamine, an oral drug with anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. The goal date for the FDA to provide its written responses is March 7, 2023. The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate or cure COVID-19 at this time.

09:26 EST Stitch Fix announces Spaulding to step down as CEO, Lake becomes interim CEO - Stitch Fix announced that Elizabeth Spaulding will step down as Chief Executive Officer, CEO, and as a member of the Board of Directors, effective January 5, 2023. Founder and former Chief Executive Officer Katrina Lake has been named Chief Executive Officer, also effective January 5, 2023, to serve in an interim capacity for six months or until her successor is appointed, unless otherwise agreed by Lake and the Board of Directors.

09:24 EST Flushing Financial announces retirement of board member Russo - Flushing Financial announced that Michael Russo, a Board Member, has retired effective January 4, 2023. Michael Russo, served as a Director on the Board of the Company and the Bank. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Company since its formation in 1994 and of the Bank since 1984.

09:19 EST Tetra Tech acquires enterprise technology services firm Amyx, no terms - Tetra Tech announced that it has acquired Amyx an enterprise technology services, cybersecurity, and management consulting firm based in Reston, Virginia. "The integration of Amyx's high-end technology applications and cybersecurity services with our subject matter expertise in water, environment and sustainable infrastructure continues to expand Tetra Tech's ability to provide innovative solutions for our clients," said Dan Batrack, Tetra Tech Chairman and CEO. "The addition of Amyx to our Federal Information Technology Division enables us to expand the use of advanced data analytics, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and agile software development solutions for our government and commercial customers." William Schaefer, Amyx President and CEO, said, "We are pleased to join the Tetra Tech family, adding our expertise to Tetra Tech's leading federal IT experts, while also gaining access to their global platform and numerous contract vehicles. Leveraging Tetra Tech's expertise in areas such as Artificial Intelligence and experience supporting customers with very similar mission needs to our own, not only creates more value for our clients, but also establishes exciting opportunities for our employees to grow professionally." The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Amyx is joining Tetra Tech's Government Services Group.

09:12 EST Kopin enters pact with Lightning Silicon Technology, to reduce workforce - Kopin announced it has entered in a technology license agreement with Lightning Silicon Technology, a California company. Lightning Silicon is a company formed by John C.C. Fan, Kopin's chairman of board, and former CEO, to develop and supply advanced organic light emitting diode, or OLED, microdisplays for the consumer augmented reality, or AR, and virtual reality, or VR, markets. Under the terms of the agreement Lightning Silicon will receive a license to certain Kopin intellectual property to develop, manufacture and sell OLED technologies for use in the consumer market. Kopin will receive an equity interest in Lightning Silicon and royalties from the sale of products related to the licenses. Kopin retains the ability and rights to develop, manufacture and sell OLED displays and complete optical solutions that include microdisplays to its core base in the defense and enterprise markets, as well as value added Consumer applications. We believe Kopin is the only provider that can offer fully integrated optical solutions with OLED, LCD, LCOS and micro-LED microdisplay technology, enabling it to provide the right technology for the application. "This Agreement is part of our plan to restore profitability to Kopin by focusing our resources on new and existing defense, industrial and consumer applications which are in line with our strategic plan," said Mr. Michael Murray, Kopin's CEO. "The agreement allows Kopin to reduce personnel, development and operational costs associated with OLED development, while continuing to both serve our core markets with all microdisplay technologies and participate in the consumer market upside, as it matures. In addition to the employees moving to Lightning Silicon, we also reduced headcount in our other product lines due in part to our operational improvement strategies providing increased efficiencies. As a result of the transactions above Kopin's annualized payroll expense, excluding severance and similar benefits, are expected to decrease by approximately 25% since December 31, 2022," said Murray.

09:12 EST Dominari Holdings provides update on share repurchase program - Dominari Holdings provided an update on the $2M share repurchase program authorized by the company's Board of Directors on December 5, 2022. On January 4, 2023, the company purchased 5,000 shares of common stock at $3.4730 per share.

09:10 EST Jack in the Box 's Del Taco opens new location in New Mexico - Del Taco announced the opening of its newest location in New Mexico at 200 US-550 in the city of Bernalillo. "Del Taco has a strong, loyal fan base here in the Albuquerque area, so we are excited to bring them another quick, convenient location to get their favorite Mexican food," said Dennis Ekstrom, owner of Del Taco Franchise Diamondback LLC. "We know the Bernalillo residents will appreciate our dedication to fresh quality ingredients, our vast 20 Under $2 value menu and that we are kicking off this new location with a week full of deals!"

09:08 EST Eagle Bulk Shipping acquires modern Ultramax bulkcarrier - Eagle Bulk Shipping announced that it has expanded its fleet with the purchase of a high-specification 2015-built Ultramax bulkcarrier for $24.3M. The vessel, which was constructed at the Chengxi Shipyard, will be renamed the M/V Gibraltar Eagle and is expected to be delivered to the Company during the first quarter of 2023. Following this transaction, Eagle's fleet will total 54 ships with an average age of 9.5 years. Since the Company commenced its vessel renewal and growth program, it has executed 52 S&P transactions, acquiring 31 modern vessels and divesting 21 of its oldest and least-efficient ships.

09:06 EST United Fire Group appoints Stephenson as new Chief Operating Officer - United Fire Group (UFCS) announces the appointment of Julie Stephenson as its new executive vice president and chief operating officer, COO, effective January 30, 2023. She succeeds the company's longtime COO Michael Wilkins, who retired from UFG at the end of September. Stephenson has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, most recently serving as global head of casualty reinsurance at Swiss Re (SSREY).

09:06 EST Lucira Health partners with Sesame for COVID-19 telehealth experience - Lucira Health and Sesame, a company aiming to build a healthcare system for uninsured Americans and those with high-deductible plans, announced their national partnership to increase access to high-quality, convenient and affordable COVID-19 testing and treatment. Via Lucira Connect, a recently-launched virtual care platform, patients who purchase Lucira's COVID-19 Test can now learn about treatment options, access a free telehealth consultation powered by Sesame, and if appropriate, receive a prescription from the Sesame telehealth visit, all from home for $29, the price of the test. If the test result is positive for COVID-19, users have the option to book a free telehealth consultation with a Sesame clinician within two hours and if deemed clinically appropriate, receive a prescription.

09:04 EST Lantern Pharma announces FDA grants orphan drug designation to LP-284 - Lantern Pharma announced that the FDA has granted LP-284 orphan drug designation, or ODD, for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma, or MCL. MCL is a rare and aggressive form of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma , or NHL, that is typically diagnosed at advanced stages in elderly patients.

09:03 EST Antelope Enterprise Holdings to divest ceramic tile business - Antelope Enterprise Holdings entered into a share purchase agreement to divest of its ceramic tile manufacturing business. On December 30, 2022, the company and New Stonehenge, a British Virgin Islands exempt company which is not an affiliate of the company or any of its directors or officers, entered into a Disposition SPA pursuant to which the buyer agreed to purchase the company's ceramic tile business, and in exchange the buyer will issue a 5% unsecured promissory note to the company with the principal amount of $8.5M and a maturity date that is the fourth anniversary of its issuance. The 5% interest and the principal amount on the Note is to be paid in four annual installments according to the schedule as set forth in the Note. Upon the closing of the transaction, the buyer will become the sole shareholder of the company's ceramic tile business and, as a result, assume all of its assets and liabilities and those of its subsidiaries. The closing of the Disposition SPA is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain closing conditions including the receipt of a fairness opinion from an independent firm, approval of a majority of the company's shareholders, and all consents required to be obtained from or made with any governmental authorities.

08:58 EST HeartBeam gets European patent for signal transformation - HeartBeam announced that its patent that enables generation of a synthesized 12-lead ECG by the HeartBeam AIMIGo credit card-sized device was issued by the European Patent Office. This patent offers protection for HeartBeam's flagship technology in multiple countries in Europe and has been validated in France, Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The innovation opens the pathway for a patient to record a set of signals using HeartBeam AIMIGo outside of a medical setting with a diagnostic synthesized 12-lead ECG immediately transmitted to a physician for review and diagnosis. According to data from the European Society of Cardiology ESC , more than 11M new cases of cardiovascular disease CVD occur in Europe as a whole, every year, with almost 49M people living with the disease in the EU alone at a cost as of EUR 210B a year. CVD remains the leading cause of mortality and a major cause of morbidity in Europe. A 12-lead ECG is the standard of care for detecting any cardiac condition and is considered one of the essential tools for heart attack detection. No single lead ECG product currently in the marketplace is able to help diagnose a heart attack. HeartBeam's technology will be the first and only 12-lead ECG solution that fits in a consumer's wallet for use anytime, anywhere. "This initial European patent strengthens our intellectual property protection for our HeartBeam AIMIGo technology offering 12-lead ECG capability as we expand our product applications to reach a variety of regions in the global marketplace," said HeartBeam CEO and Founder Branislav Vajdic, Ph.D. "We continue to enhance our intellectual property to provide protection of our technology in priority global markets."

08:52 EST Silvergate not seeing clients closing accounts, but taking pause in crypto

08:51 EST GE HealthCare names Taha Kass-Hout CTO - GE HealthCare (GEHC) announced that Taha Kass-Hout has been named CTO to lead the company's new science and technology organization. The new group, alongside the creation of the CTO role, demonstrates GE HealthCare's commitment to driving innovation, growth, and value through research and development. Reporting into GE HealthCare president and CEO Peter Arduini, Kass-Hout will help drive GE HealthCare's D3 precision care strategy, a framework and digital products that emphasize the company's smart devices, aligned to disease states and enabled by digital. D3 brings data and insights together to optimize the clinical and patient journey and enhances the company's ability to enable precision care. Prior to joining GE HealthCare, Kass-Hout served as VP, machine learning and chief medical officer Amazon (AMZN) and Amazon Web Services.

08:49 EST Intercontinental Exchange:December total average daily volume volume up 12% Y/Y - Intercontinental Exchange: December total average daily volume volume up 12% YoY. and up 6% y/y in 2022. Energy open interest up 5% y/y. Total Natural Gas OI up 15% y/y; ADV up 25% y/y in December, up 13% y/y in 4Q22 and up 17% y/y in 2022. North American natural gas OI up 25% y/y; ADV up 45% y/y in December, up 28% y/y in 4Q22 and up 24% y/y in 2022.

08:48 EST Nexalin Technology CEO provides letter to shareholders - Nexalin Technology provided the following business update and letter to shareholders from its Chief Executive Officer, Mark White: "I would like to thank all of you for your tremendous support, as we look towards a very bright future in 2023 and beyond... Our first-generation 4-milliamp frequency-based device was previously cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat patients with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. However, with the evolution of our business and regulatory strategy, we have implemented important technology enhancements to our Gen-1 device and waveform. The enhancements will increase the waveform power from 4 milliamps to 15 milliamps. Nexalin believes that a stronger and more powerful waveform will allow deeper penetration in the brain and provide enhanced patient response without any adverse side effects. A new improved modern enclosure, referred to as Generation 2, will administer the new waveform in a clinical setting. Additionally, the Nexalin design team has completed prototype designs for the new patient headset, referred to as Generation 3. Nexalin is planning to present Gen-2 and Gen-3 to the FDA in Q1 2023 for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia. Strategic planning for a PMA with the FDA for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder is planned for Q3 2023... Given the favorable results of recent safety data provided by the University of California San Diego, which supports the safety of utilizing our new waveform technology, we are excited to take the next step on this journey with a goal of bringing this new, effective, safe, and drug-free therapy to our patients with mental and neurodegenerative illnesses. On the heels of the approval of our Gen-2 medical device by China's National Medical Products Administration for insomnia and depression, we are making progress with the commercial rollout of our device in China through our joint venture partner, Wider Come Limited. We are currently making strategic plans for additional clinical trials for the use of Gen-2 and Gen-3 devices in China to scientifically validate the new advanced waveform. Most recently, we announced the publication of a white paper, titled, "A case report of Nexalin Gen-2 device in the treatment of somatic symptoms of anxiety," by the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, China, validating our Gen-2 device for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and associated somatic symptoms... In September 2022 we achieved a historic milestone for our Company by listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market and concurrently raising $9.6 million. This financing puts us on solid footing to execute our strategy and we believe our listing on a major U.S. exchange provides us increased visibility, liquidity, and the opportunity to attract a broader investor base."

08:47 EST TCR2 Therapeutics announces pipeline priorities for 2023 - TCR2 Therapeutics announced its pipeline priorities for 2023 as it concentrates resources on completing the ovarian cancer cohort in the Phase 2 clinical trial of gavo-cel and accelerating the development of its second-generation enhanced TRuC T-cell therapy programs, TC-510 and TC-520. "We continue to operate in a very challenging capital market environment and we must therefore focus our resources on generating near-term clinical data in large-market therapeutic indications where we could see the greatest probability of commercial success," said Garry Menzel, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of TCR2 Therapeutics. "The gavo-cel Phase 1 study provided strong clinical proof of concept for TRuC-T cells with partial responses observed in all indications treated and tumor regression in 93% of patients when used as a monotherapy. We are narrowing the focus of our ongoing Phase 2 study to evaluate gavo-cel solely in ovarian cancer in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and redosing strategies which we believe may increase the duration of benefit in patients. To ensure efficient use of our existing capital, we will gate subsequent material investment in gavo-cel on clinical data showing long-term durability of patient benefit and focus more on our second-generation enhanced programs which we believe will build upon the success of gavo-cel. This preserves our ability to generate meaningful clinical data in 2023 while investing in the future of the Company with additional enhancements and innovations." TC-510 is an enhanced version of gavo-cel that co-expresses a PD-1:CD28 chimeric switch receptor that the Company believes may lead to deeper responses and more durable benefit. TCR2 is currently treating patients in the Phase 1 study of TC-510 and expect to update with clinical data in 2H 2023. TC-520 is the Company's first TRuC-T cell targeting CD-70-expressing solid and liquid tumors which incorporates IL-15 pathway enhancements designed to improve T cell persistence. TCR2 is currently advancing TC-520 to Investigational New Drug status.

08:46 EST Silvergate Capital says could become target for larger banks in the future

08:43 EST 3D Systems appoints Bruce to Medical Advisory Board - 3D Systems (DDD) announced the appointment of Mr. Bert Bruce to the company's Medical Advisory Board. Bruce will join the five other members of the advisory board who have been named since the Board's establishment in May 2022. Bruce currently leads the U.S. Rare Disease Business Unit at Pfizer (PFE).

08:42 EST ChromaDex appoints Brianna Gerber as CFO - ChromaDex announced that it has appointed Brianna Gerber to the role of CFO, effective January 1. Gerber served as senior VP, finance / interim CFO of ChromaDex since August 11 and prior to that was the VP of Finance and Investor Relations of ChromaDex since September 17, 2018. Gerber has over 20 years of diverse experience in investment management, investor relations and finance, including strategic planning, operational efficiency programs, and capital market transactions.

08:41 EST ABVC announces FDA approved IND submission for study of ABV-1519 - ABVC BioPharma announced that the US Food & Drug Administration notified the company that the IND application for the proposed clinical investigation of BLEX 404, the primary active ingredient in ABV-1519, for advanced inoperable or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer has been approved and the study can proceed. The treatment, which is being co-developed by BioKey, a wholly owned subsidiary of ABVC based in Fremont, California and by the Rgene Corporation was submitted to the FDA by Rgene on November 30, 2022. The application, designated IND 161602, was approved on December 30, 2022. It contained the clinical protocol for ABV-1519 and was entitled "A Phase I/II, Open Label Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of BLEX 404 Oral Liquid Combined with Pemetrexed + Carboplatin Therapy in Patients with Advanced Inoperable or Metastatic EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients." "We are pleased the US FDA approved IND 161602 within the 30-day review period. As a result of that approval, our BioKey subsidiary has earned a milestone payment of $600,000 from Rgene, our development partner," said Dr. Howard Doong, Chief Executive Officer of the Company; "RGC-1501 is the first of three co-development projects with Rgene and will initially be conducted at Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan."

08:39 EST Duck Creek Technologies to acquire Imburse Payments - Duck Creek Technologies announced a definitive agreement to acquire Imburse Payments, a Swiss-based modern payments platform. Imburse's cloud-native software-as-a-service payment solution is built for the insurance industry. As part of Duck Creek, Imburse will continue to serve its existing client base and markets, while accelerating expansion plans for new clients across Europe and into North America and Asia-Pacific. The Imburse platform will continue to be available on a stand-alone basis and will also be fully integrated with Duck Creek's suite of technology solutions, further enabling carriers' digital transformation goals with modern tools. "Imburse has developed a great product for the global insurance industry that is not only easy to integrate and implement, but also gives carriers incredible flexibility and payment choices," said Mike Jackowski, CEO of Duck Creek Technologies. "Imburse has a strong team that embodies Duck Creek's core values. They have deep expertise across the payments ecosystem and will help to broaden Duck Creek's insurance industry leadership." The acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the second fiscal quarter of 2023.

08:38 EST 180 Life Sciences regains compliance with Nasdaq minimum bid price - 180 Life Sciences announced that the Company received a letter on January 4, 2023 from The Nasdaq Stock Market indicating that the Company has regained full compliance with the minimum bid price for continued listing on the Nasdaq pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). As indicated in the letter, Nasdaq determined that for 10 consecutive business days, the closing bid price of the Company's common stock was at or above $1.00 per share. Accordingly, the Company has regained compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement.

08:37 EST Sellas Life Sciences appoints Elnatan as VP, Head of Regulatory Affairs, CMC - SELLAS Life Sciences Group announced the appointment of Andrew Elnatan as Vice President, VP, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls, CMC, and Quality. He joins the Company's executive leadership team and is responsible for developing and executing regulatory strategies. Elnatan has extensive regulatory and CMC pharmaceutical industry experience in the areas of oncology, immunology, and hematological diseases. His career spans over 25 years.

08:35 EST Imunon enters collaborative research agreement with The Wistar Institute - IMUNON and The Wistar Institute announce the signing of a first collaborative research agreement to research and develop new vaccine formulations utilizing IMUNON's PLACCINE modality for the development of vaccines for infectious diseases. IMUNON's platform technologies are based on the delivery of nucleic acids with novel synthetic delivery systems. "We are delighted to enter into this collaborative research agreement with The Wistar Institute Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, possessing world renowned expertise in cancer, immunology, infectious diseases, and vaccine creation. Wistar is uniquely positioned to advance new vaccine formulations in collaboration with IMUNON," said Dr. Corinne Le Goff, President and Chief Executive Officer of IMUNON. "This collaboration will facilitate further expansion and development of PLACCINE with the goal of expanding vaccine targets ideally matched for our novel formulated DNA delivery platform and further optimizing quality attributes and the immunity of products."

08:34 EST RenovoRx strengthens intellectual property portfolio with eighth US patent - RenovoRx a biopharmaceutical company focused on the localized treatment of difficult-to-treat solid tumors, announced that on January 3 the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued US patent number 11,541,211 broadly covering methods for treating cholangiocarcinoma, bile duct cancer, by selectively delivering one or more therapeutic agents into targeted regions of the bile duct. This is RenovoRx's eighth US patent. "Our newest patent builds upon our strong IP portfolio, which now consists of eight US method and device patents, one EU delivery system patent, and eight additional pending patents in the US, EU, and Asia," said Shaun Bagai, CEO of RenovoRx. "Additionally, this additional patent bolsters the seven years of post-approval market exclusivity that we currently have with our lead oncology product candidate, RenovoGem(TM), through the Orphan Drug designation granted by the FDA for our first two indications."

08:30 EST Silvergate Capital says hard to launch new stablecoin in current market

08:28 EST ProPhase Labs closes acquisition of BE-Smart Esophageal Pre-Cancer test - ProPhase Labs announced it has completed its previously announced acquisition of the world-wide exclusive rights to the BE-Smart Esophageal Pre-Cancer diagnostic screening test and related intellectual property assets from Stella Diagnostics. The BE-Smart test is focused on the early detection of esophageal cancer, and is intended to provide health care providers and patients with data to help determine treatment options. The BE-Smart test has been tested on over 200 human samples by mProbe and has shown greater than 99% sensitivity and specificity to detect protein expressions in cells that are at high risk of becoming cancerous. The initial data appears to demonstrate accuracy and reproducibility as well as identification of potential biomarkers for therapeutic drug discovery to treat esophageal cancer. The Company acquired the rights to Stella's BE-Smart Esophageal Pre-Cancer diagnostic screening test and related intellectual property assets for approximately $4.6M dollars, comprised of approximately $3.6M in cash and $1M in ProPhase common stock. Under the terms of the asset purchase agreement, an additional $2M of Company common stock may be issued to Stella in the future upon the achievement of a revenue-based commercial milestone within the five-year period following the closing. Stella will also receive a 5% royalty based on adjusted gross margin generated from the commercialization of the intellectual property acquired from Stella.

08:25 EST BIO-key's PortalGuard IDaaS selected by Orleans County, New York - BIO-key International announced that Orleans County, NY has selected its PortalGuard IDaaS platform for improved data security and to achieve regulatory and insurance compliance. The County's IT team achieved this goal of enhancing workstation login security by using BIO-key's IBB solution as the primary authentication method for Microsoft Windows access. The solution also met the County's cyber insurance requirements. Incorporating PortalGuard's multiple authentication options, particularly BIO-key's biometric FIDO security keys, delivers user-friendly and secure protection against cyber security threats.

08:23 EST Ovid Therapeutics dosed healthy volunteers with OV329 in Phase 1 trial - Ovid Therapeutics dosed healthy volunteers with OV329 in late December 2022, as part of a Phase 1 study. The Company is conducting the study to evaluate the safety and target engagement associated with single and repeated doses of OV329. "Inhibiting the GABA-aminotransferase enzyme is a validated mechanism for reducing seizures," said Dr. Claude Nicaise, Head of Research & Development at Ovid. "We believe OV329 is an improved, potent GABA-AT inhibitor that may confer robust seizure reduction, an improved safety profile, and preferred dosing relative to the current medicine in the class. We thank the epilepsy community and individuals participating in this Phase 1 study. Results will inform our development plans, and hopefully, enable us to rapidly advance into trials with people experiencing treatment-resistant seizures."

08:20 EST DiaCarta announces completion of Oncuria validation study with Nonagen - DiaCarta and Nonagen Bioscience announced the successful completion of the validation study of Oncuria multiplex bladder cancer immunoassay as a laboratory developed test. DiaCarta also announced that it has begun receiving patient urine samples for testing in its CLIA certified lab in Pleasanton, California. "The results of our collaborative validation study with Nonagen Bioscience are exciting and showcase Oncuria as a truly novel test with potential as an aid for the early diagnosis of bladder cancer, monitoring of tumor recurrence, and predicting responses to therapy," said Aiguo (Adam) Zhang PhD, President & CEO of DiaCarta. "This product complements DiaCarta's existing suite of novel liquid biopsy tests, including the RadToxTM cfDNA test to monitor tumor response, and the ColoScapeTM Colorectal Cancer test, further strengthening our robust LDT portfolio," concluded Dr. Zhang. On October 14, 2022, DiaCarta and HH&L Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition corporation, entered into a definitive business combination agreement that would result in DiaCarta becoming a public company.

08:18 EST CPI receives $1.8M follow-on order for welded fluid tank assemblies - CPI Aerostructures announced that an undisclosed aerospace OEM has awarded CPI Aero a $1.8M contract for complex welded fluid tank assemblies for an unspecified application. Deliveries will begin in 2023 and end in 2024. "This follow-on order demonstrates our customer's satisfaction with CPI Aero's performance and continued commitment to excellence. This fluid tank assembly involves complex fusion and resistance welding, and leverages strategic investments CPI Aero has made in welded product capabilities since 2019. These investments were key to the successful transition of this program from development to production, resulting in improved quality and increased throughput," commented Dorith Hakim, president and chief executive officer of CPI Aero.

08:16 EST Bed Bath & Beyond down 13% after 'going concern' warning - Shares of are down 31c, or 13%, to $2.10 in pre-market trading.

08:14 EST Bed Bath & Beyond warns on 'substantial doubt' about remaining a 'going concern' - In a regulatory filing, Bed Bath & Beyond disclosed that based on business performance for the three months ended November 26, 2022, the company has determined the need for additional time to complete its quarter-end close procedures. The filing stated: "While the company continues to pursue actions and steps to improve its cash position and mitigate any potential liquidity shortfall, based on recurring losses and negative cash flow from operations for the nine months ended November 26, 2022 as well as current cash and liquidity projections, the company has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern. The company continues to consider all strategic alternatives including restructuring or refinancing its debt, seeking additional debt or equity capital, reducing or delaying the company's business activities and strategic initiatives, or selling assets, other strategic transactions and/or other measures, including obtaining relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. These measures may not be successful."

08:11 EST Energy Vault, PG&E partner on battery plus green hydrogen energy storage system - Energy Vault (NRGV) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E (PCG) announced the companies are partnering to deploy and operate a utility-scale battery plus green hydrogen long-duration energy storage system with a minimum of 293 megawatt-hours, or MWh, of dispatchable carbon-free energy. The BH-ESS is designed to power downtown and the surrounding area of the Northern California City of Calistoga for a minimum of 48 hours during planned outages and potential Public Safety Power Shutoffs, or PSPS, which is when the powerlines serving the surrounding area must be turned off for safety due to high wildfire risk. PG&E submitted the project contract for review and approval to the California Public Utilities Commission, or CPUC, on December 30, with a request for the issuance of a final resolution approving the project by May 15. The energy storage system will be owned, operated and maintained by Energy Vault while providing dispatchable power under a long-term tolling agreement with PG&E. The system's capacity may be expanded to 700MWh, which would allow it to operate for longer without refueling, enabling further flexibility for PG&E and the City of Calistoga. Energy Vault's BH-ESS will replace the typical, mobile diesel generators used to energize PG&E's Calistoga microgrid during broader grid outages. The project represents a major advance in community-scale microgrid development and a significant step toward realizing the CPUC's vision of cleaner forms of microgrid generation.

08:09 EST SAB Biotherapeutics announces results from project using DiversitAb platform - SAB Biotherapeutics announced results from a project in collaboration with global biotechnology leader CSL, confirming that SAB's DiversitAb platform can generate functional fully-human anti-idiotype polyclonal antibodies that can effectively target and neutralize autoantibodies associated with autoimmune diseases. In this project with CSL, SAB's DiversitAb platform used a specific autoantibody associated with neuromyelitis optica to successfully develop a functional and diverse anti-idiotype polyclonal antibody treatment that was able to bind to the NMO antibody and neutralize it in vitro and in vivo. "The promising results from this platform capabilities project are an important step in developing a scalable, effective and fully-human anti-idiotype therapeutic for people living with autoimmune disorders that are in need of treatment options," said Eddie Sullivan, co-founder, President & CEO of SAB Biotherapeutics. "The unique capabilities of our transchromosomic cows and DiversitAb(TM) platform continue to prove the power of polyclonals to address complex and very difficult to treat autoimmune diseases."

08:09 EST Neptune Wellness receives non-compliance letter from Nasdaq - Neptune Wellness has received a written notification from Nasdaq on December 29, 2022, notifying the company that it is not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rules which requires that the closing bid price for the company's common shares listed on Nasdaq be maintained at a minimum of $1.00. The Notification Letter has no immediate effect on the listing of the company's common shares on Nasdaq. The company has been provided 180 calendar days, or until June 27, to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. In the event the company does not regain compliance by June 27, the company may be eligible for additional time to regain compliance or may face delisting. The company intends to monitor the closing bid price of its common shares and may, if appropriate, consider implementing available options, including, but not limited to, implementing a reverse share split of its outstanding common shares, to regain compliance.

08:08 EST Home Depot expands Pro Xtra loyalty program - Beginning January 5, The Home Depot has expanded its Pro Xtra loyalty program, unveiling new membership tiers and new benefits for professional contractors and builders. With three new tiers, Member, Elite, and VIP, Pros will enjoy more benefits than ever that keep building as they spend. When customers enroll in Pro Xtra, they gain access to specialized perks, business tools to better manage and grow their businesses, exclusive sales and events in stores and online, paint rewards and more.

08:07 EST Iridium CEO sells $1.72M in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Iridium disclosed that its CEO Matthew Desch sold 31.8K shares of common stock on January 3rd in a total transaction size of $1.72M.

08:06 EST ABM delivers school infrastructure solution for Dooly County schools - ABM announced the initiation of an Energy Performance Contracting program for Dooly County School System in Georgia. Creating $3.7M in projected energy and operating cost savings over a twenty-year period, ABM's custom solution addresses capital and operational upgrades through ABM's unique ability to deliver both energy-saving infrastructure solutions and ongoing services such as custodial and maintenance. In addition to energy savings and operational cost reductions from improved lighting, controls, and HVAC equipment for Dooly County's K-8 Academy and High School, the project includes increased space for the bus maintenance facility and upgrades for student athletic facilities, including additional bathrooms, new lighting systems, and upgrades to playing surfaces for the track, tennis courts, and football/soccer field.

08:04 EST Designer Brands appoints Doug Howe to succeed CEO effective April 1 - Designer Brands announced a planned CEO transition process. The Board appointed Doug Howe, President of DSW, to succeed Roger Rawlins as CEO, effective April 1, 2023, at which time Rawlins will step down as CEO and as a member of the Board. Rawlins will continue to work with the company for a twelve-month period in a Strategic Advisor role to facilitate leadership transition. This transition is the direct result of the Board of Directors' long-term succession planning with respect to the CEO role. Howe currently serves as President of DSW and Executive VP of Designer Brands. Howe joined the company in May 2022, after four years as Chief Merchandising Officer at Kohl's. Prior to Kohl's, he was the Global Chief Merchandising Officer at Qurate Retail Group. He also held leadership roles at Gap, including product design and development of vertical brands, and various merchandise leadership roles at Walmart. Management will conduct a comprehensive search to identify the next President of DSW.

08:03 EST Paratek Pharmaceuticals receives $36.4M milestone payment - Paratek Pharmaceuticals announced the receipt of a $36.4M milestone payment associated with the second procurement of NUZYRA under the company's Project BioShield contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, BARDA, part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A total of $38.1M in procurement-related revenue was recognized by the company in December 2022 and is comprised of $36.4M from BARDA and approximately $1.7M in deferred revenue related to post-marketing commitments under the Project BioShield contract. The delivery of 2,500 anthrax treatment courses of NUZYRA to BARDA followed the company's previous announcement of positive top-line results from a pilot rabbit efficacy study evaluating NUZYRA's effectiveness in the treatment of pulmonary anthrax. The study demonstrated a 100% survival rate in all three dose groups of omadacycline-treated rabbits at the specified endpoint of 45 days post Bacillus anthracis challenge, while all rabbits treated with placebo died due to anthrax infection within three days. These data will be presented at a future scientific congress.

07:54 EST Curative Biotech announces completion of IND enabling HCL eye drop study - Curative Biotechnology announced that it has successfully completed its Investigational New Drug, IND, enabling Tolerance and Toxicology Study of Metformin HCL Solution by Topical Instillation in Rabbits. Paul Michaels, Chairman and President of Curative Biotechnology, said, "We are pleased to announce the successful completion of these important studies, outlined in our Pre IND meeting with the FDA. We are now able to move on to preparing the Company's first IND application to move our Metformin reformulation into a clinical trial to treat Intermediate Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Geographical Atrophy resulting from AMD." Michaels continued, "Both Dry AMD and GA are currently unmet medical needs with no FDA approved efficacious treatment options. As previously announced, we will be conducting the first in human study under a CRADA with the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda Maryland."

07:50 EST In8bio outlines 2023 pipeline goals - "We believe that 2023 will be a pivotal year for IN8bio as we advance our innovative chemotherapy-resistant cell therapy to improve outcomes for patients living with cancer," said William Ho, Chief Executive Officer of IN8bio. "We are encouraged to see greater durability of response with increased dosing of our cells, along with a continued favorable safety profile in this Phase 1 study of INB-200. We look forward to multiple milestones across our pipeline in the year ahead, including initiating our Phase 2 study of INB-400 in newly diagnosed GBM and advancing additional solid tumor indications outside of GBM." Anticipated 2023 Pipeline Goals: INB-100: Report Phase 1 ongoing trial data from leukemia patients undergoing haploidentical stem cell transplantation; define maximum tolerated dose for INB-100. INB-200 in GBM: Complete enrollment of Cohort 3 in the Phase 1 trial; report additional data and topline results with longer-term follow-up. INB-300: Present preclinical data demonstrating proof-of-concept of non-signaling CAR platform in 1H 2023. INB-400: Initiate patient enrollment in the company-sponsored Phase 2 trial of INB-400, a genetically modified autologous gamma-delta T cell therapy, targeting newly diagnosed GBM by Q3 2023. INB-410: Submit IND to the FDA for a Phase 1b trial of INB-410, a genetically modified allogeneic gamma-delta T cell therapy in newly diagnosed and relapsed GBM. New solid tumor indications: Announce and present relevant data at a scientific conference in 1H 2023.

07:49 EST Helen of Troy updates Project Pegasus, to reduce global workforce 10% - The company previously announced a global restructuring plan intended to expand operating margins through initiatives designed to improve effectiveness and efficiency. Project Pegasus, under the leadership of the COO, Noel Geoffroy, and with advice from a premium global consulting firm, includes initiatives to further optimize the company's brand portfolio, streamline and simplify the organization, accelerate cost of goods savings projects, enhance the efficiency of its supply chain network, optimize its indirect spending, and improve its cash flow and working capital, as well as other activities. The company anticipates these initiatives will create operating efficiencies, as well as provide a platform to fund future growth investments. As part of the Pegasus workstream focused on streamlining and simplifying the organization, the company is announcing three major changes to the structure of its organization. The first change results in combining the Beauty and Health & Wellness businesses into a single reportable segment that will be referred to and reported as "Beauty & Wellness." The second is the creation of a North America Regional Market Organization responsible for sales and go to market strategies for all categories and channels in the United States and Canada. The third is further centralization of certain functions under shared services, especially in Operations and Finance to better support the business segments and RMOs. The new structure will reduce the size of the global workforce by approximately 10%. The majority of the role reductions will be completed by March 1st, 2023. Nearly all of the remaining role reductions are expected to be completed before the end of fiscal year 2024. The company believes that these changes better focus business segment resources on brand development, consumer-centric innovation and marketing, the RMOs on sales and go to market strategies, and shared services on their respective areas of expertise while also creating a more efficient and effective organizational structure. Beginning with the company's fiscal 2023 Form 10-K, future disclosures will reflect the two reportable segments, Home & Outdoor and Beauty & Wellness. Consistent with the second quarter of fiscal 2023, the company continues to have the following expectations regarding Project Pegasus: Targeted annualized pre-tax operating profit improvements of approximately $75 million to $85 million, which the company expects to begin in fiscal 2024 and be substantially achieved by the end of fiscal 2026. Estimated cadence of the recognition of the savings will be approximately 25% in fiscal 2024, approximately 50% in fiscal 2025 and approximately 25% in fiscal 2026. Total profit improvements to be realized approximately 60% through reduced cost of goods sold and 40% through lower SG&A. Total one-time pre-tax restructuring charges of approximately $85 million to $95 million over the duration of the plan, which is expected to be completed during fiscal 2025 and will primarily be comprised of severance and employee related costs, professional fees, contract termination costs, and other exit and disposal costs. All of the company's operating segments and shared services will be impacted by the plan.

07:46 EST Helius Medical announces extension of its PTAP - Helius Medical Technologies announced the extension of a program that puts the company's Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator, PoNS, into the hands of qualified Americans with multiple sclerosis, MS, at a significantly reduced cost. This initiative, the Patient Therapy Access Program, PTAP, launched in June 2022 and was slated to expire at the end of last year. PTAP is now active until June 30, 2023, reflecting high interest in a program that partially subsidizes PoNS Therapy for people with MS who qualify through a proper prescription and letter of medical necessity. "Helius's passion is helping people with MS maximize their ability to walk, and we're excited to make cutting-edge neurotech like PoNS available to more people, more often," said Helius President and Chief Executive Officer Dane Andreeff. "PTAP brings PoNS to people who otherwise wouldn't be able to experience its benefits. Extending this program is just one initiative that illustrates our commitment to accessibility."

07:42 EST InflaRx provides update on planned Phase III study of vilobelimab - InflaRx N.V. announced details related to the design of its planned Phase III study with vilobelimab in ulcerative PG. The planned Phase III study is designed to enroll patients in the US, Europe and selected countries in other regions. The enrollment period is projected to be at least two years, depending on the total trial size after sample size adaptation. The multi-national, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III trial will have two arms: vilobelimab plus a low dose of corticosteroids and placebo plus the same low dose of corticosteroids. In both arms, corticosteroid treatment will be initiated on day 1 and will be tapered off within the first 8 weeks of the trial. The primary endpoint of the study will be complete closure of the target ulcer at any time up to 26 weeks after initiation of treatment. Treatment will be discontinued for patients whose disease progresses or fails to improve at defined time points during the study. The study has an adaptive trial design with an interim analysis blinded for the sponsor and investigators planned upon enrollment of approximately 30 patients. The interim analysis with a set of predefined rules will take into account the then-observed difference in complete target ulcer closure between the two arms and, accordingly, the trial sample size will be adapted or the trial will be stopped due to futility.

07:40 EST Surface Oncology announces first patient dosed in Phase 1/2 study of SRF114 - Surface Oncolog announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 1/2 clinical study investigating SRF114, a potential best-in-class, fully human, afucosylated anti-CCR8 antibody, as a monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors. "Helping patients fight cancer by depleting intra-tumoral regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been a key goal of many immunotherapy strategies for quite some time. We believe by targeting CCR8, SRF114 is well suited to explore the promise of this approach," said Alison O'Neill, M.D., chief medical officer of Surface Oncology. "We selected our SRF114 antibody based on its highly specific binding properties to human CCR8 exclusively, which we believe positions it as a potential best-in-class anti-CCR8 antibody for the treatment of advanced solid tumors."

07:38 EST Biogen promotes Singhal to EVP, Head of Development - Biogen announced that Priya Singhal, M.D., M.P.H., currently Head of Global Safety and Regulatory Sciences and Interim Head of Research & Development, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, EVP, Head of Development, following a decision to separate Research and Development into two distinct functions that will both report directly to the CEO. In addition, Biogen has initiated a search for a new Executive Vice President, Head of Research; Dr. Singhal will serve as interim head of Research until a new leader is named.

07:37 EST Tactile Systems appoints Volkart to board of directors - Tactile Systems Technology announced the appointment of Carmen Volkart to the Company's Board of Directors, effective January 5, 2023. Since 2018, Carmen Volkart has served as the Chief Financial Officer of NatureWorks.

07:37 EST Criteo and Magnite enter preferred relationship for CTV retailer audiences - Criteo (CRTO) and Magnite (MGNI) announced a preferred relationship that will enable Criteo's global retailer partners to leverage Connected TV - CTV - through Magnite. According to eMarketer, CTV and retail media are among some of the fastest-growing digital ad channels this year, with CTV projected to grow 27.2% and retail media by 20.5% in the US.

07:35 EST Red Cat's Teal Drones partners with Immervision - Red Cat announced a new partnership. Opening day of the Consumer Electronics Show, CES, in Las Vegas, Nevada, brought the announcement that Teal Drones, a Red Cat subsidiary, has partnered with Canadian optical products manufacturer Immervision, whose latest navigation camera module is used for surveillance and unmanned systems. Immervision will provide Teal's flagship drone with exceptional low-light capabilities - capabilities that Immervision demonstrated at CES. Teal said that the new model of its Golden Eagle drone, now under development, will be equipped with two Immervision low-light camera modules. In addition to enhancing autonomous navigation at night and in other light-denied situations, such as in fog, beneath bridges and inside buildings, having two cameras provides stereoscopic vision to Teal's autonomous pilot system. This enables the drone to create a 3D map it can use to navigate and locate itself geographically in low-light situations and in areas where a GPS signal is not available.

07:33 EST Landos Biopharma provides update on clinical development plans - Landos Biopharma announced a comprehensive update on its future clinical development plans. "After thorough analysis and careful consideration, we are confident that focusing our resources toward NX-13's clinical development has the potential to deliver the most value for Landos and our shareholders," said Gregory Oakes, President and Chief Executive Officer of Landos. "...We expect that the NX-13 Phase 2 trial will have two active arms and will be blinded, placebo-controlled, and statistically powered. We have already completed a series of startup activities and are on track for first site activation and patient enrollment in the second quarter of 2023. We look forward to sharing our progress and expect to report topline data by the fourth quarter of 2024." Clinical Stage Programs: NX-13 - Landos will be conducting a Phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical trial for NX-13, which will be dose ranging, blinded, placebo-controlled, and statistically powered. The Company is on track for first site activation and patient enrollment for the NX-13 Phase 2 trial in the second quarter of 2023. The Company expects to report topline data from the trial by the fourth quarter of 2024. In addition to UC, the Company believes NX-13 has the potential to treat CD. Omilancor - The Company is evaluating whether an enhanced formulation may improve absorption and local bioavailability of Omilancor to the colonic mucosa, and potentially increasing durable efficacy. LABP-104 - Today, Landos announced that it recently completed a successful Phase 1a clinical trial of LABP-104, which was well-tolerated in healthy volunteers and did not result in any serious adverse events. The Phase 1a clinical trial results for LABP-104 support its potential as a treatment for SLE and/or RA, and the Company is evaluating whether future formulations may provide enhanced absorption characteristics to maximize drug effects. Pre-Clinical Programs: LABP-66: As announced in August 2021, Landos entered into a research collaboration with Dr. Peter Calabresi, Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center and Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The research is funded by the National Institute of Health and is focused on further validating the NLRX1 immunometabolic pathway in MS. LABP-73: A novel NLRX1 agonist in development for the treatment of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. LABP-69: A novel PLXCD2 agonist in development for the treatment of RA and Diabetic Nephropathy. LABP-111: A novel LANCL2 agonist in development for the treatment of NASH and Diabetes.

07:32 EST Organon announces strategic investment in Claria Medical - Organon announced a strategic investment in Claria Medical, a privately-held company developing an investigational medical device being studied for use during minimally invasive laparoscopic hysterectomy. The agreement also grants Organon the option to acquire Claria Medical.

07:28 EST Athira Pharma provides 2023 pipeline outlook - Athira Pharma provided an update on its pipeline development programs and outlook for 2023. Athira's 2023 Pipeline Outlook: Status and Upcoming Milestones: Fosgonimeton - Small molecule designed to enhance the activity of hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor, MET, with the potential to protect and repair neural networks. LIFT-AD Phase 2/3 Study in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's Disease: The Company expects to complete enrollment of the LIFT-AD study in mid-2023 and to report topline data in early 2024. Open Label Extension study: The Open Label Extension study for the ACT-AD and LIFT-AD studies continues, with more than 200 patients currently enrolled. As of year-end 2022, greater than 85 percent of patients who have completed either study have elected to participate in the OLEX study. SHAPE Phase 2 Study in mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease dementia and Dementia with Lewy bodies: Athira enrolled 28 patients in the exploratory Phase 2 SHAPE study of fosgonimeton in participants with Parkinson's disease dementia or Dementia with Lewy bodies. The Company expects to complete the treatment of the 28 patients and to evaluate the learnings from these results to determine next steps for this program. ATH-1020 - Orally available, small molecule designed to enhance the HGF/MET system, as a potential treatment candidate for neuropathic pain or neurodegenerative disorders. Phase 1 Study in Healthy Volunteers: The Company plans to evaluate its options with this compound and will consider its advancement in relation to other opportunities and resources. ATH-1105 - A small molecule positive modulator of the HGF/MET system as a potential treatment candidate for ALS: The Company plans to submit an IND application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023 in order to initiate first-in-human studies of this promising product candidate as a treatment for ALS.

07:24 EST Flora Growth provides update on commercial cannabis operations in Colombia - Flora Growth provided an update on commercial cannabis operations out of Colombia. Following the April passage of Resolution 539 permitting licensed cannabis cultivators with export quotas to export dry cannabis flower, Flora successfully exported nearly 1,000kgs of dried cannabis and derivatives to Europe and the United States in the fourth quarter of 2022. These activities are a part of the full commercialization of the Cosechemos farm and Flora Lab One facility in Bucaramanga, Colombia. The company also updated its previously announced 43,000kg export quota to include multiple strains of THC flower, including four additional high-THC genetics, and increased limit to the production of psychoactive derivatives for domestic use in the Colombian medical market.

07:23 EST Novocure announces LUNAR study met primary endpoint - Novocure announced the LUNAR study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival over standard therapies alone. The LUNAR study is a pivotal, open-label, randomized study evaluating the safety and efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields together with standard therapies for stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, following progression while on or after treatment with platinum-based therapy. The LUNAR study also showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival when patients were treated with TTFields and immune checkpoint inhibitors, or ICI, as compared to those treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors alone, and a positive trend in overall survival when patients were treated with TTFields and docetaxel versus docetaxel alone. Patient enrollment was well balanced between the ICI and docetaxel cohorts of the experimental and control arms, and control arms performed in line with prior studies. TTFields therapy was well tolerated by patients enrolled in the experimental arm of the study. Novocure plans to release the full results of the LUNAR study at a future medical conference. Novocure expects to file a Premarket Approval application with the FDA in the second half of 2023. Novocure also expects to file for a CE Mark in the European Union concurrently with the FDA submission.

07:21 EST Unicycive Therapeutics announces acceptance of four abstracts at ISN's WCN - Unicycive Therapeutics announced that four abstracts have been accepted for presentation at the upcoming International Society of Nephrology's, ISN, World Congress of Nephrology, WCN, 2023. The following data will be presented at ISN's WCN: Data highlighting Renazorb's novel phosphate binding ability from a Phase 1 clinical study will be presented in a poster titled, "Lanthanum Dioxycarbonate Effectively Reduces Urinary Phosphate Excretion in Healthy Volunteers." Preclinical animal data evaluating Renazorb's ability to reduce urine phosphate levels will be reviewed in a poster titled, "In-Vivo Phosphate Reduction: Lanthanum Dioxycarbonate vs Lanthanum Carbonate Tetrahydrate." Outcomes from a study that evaluated the daily medication volume of various phosphate binders to determine the option with the lowest required daily volume will be presented in a poster titled, "Daily Medication Volume of Phosphate Binder Therapies." Preclinical data from a dog study that analyzed systemic exposure to UNI-494 and nicorandil will be presented in a poster titled, "Preclinical Pharmacokinetics of a Novel Nicorandil Prodrug." "We are delighted to be presenting this bolus of data in support of both Renazorb and UNI-494 as potential treatment advances in hyperphosphatemia and acute kidney injury, respectively," said Shalabh Gupta, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Unicycive Therapeutics. "With our recently announced successful bioequivalence study of Renazorb compared to Fosrenol(R), we are looking forward to filing a New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in mid-2023. These data provide further evidence of the benefits of Renazorb as a powerful phosphate binder and highlight its enhanced product profile, which is expected to improve medication compliance and, thereby, improve outcomes and quality-of-life for patients."

07:18 EST Frontier adds added 75K fiber broadband customers in Q4 - Frontier reported that it added 75,000 fiber broadband customers in the fourth quarter of 2022, "a new record for the company. Scott Beasley, Frontier's Chief Financial Officer, will provide an update to the investment community at Citi's 2023 Communications, Media & Entertainment Conference today at 11:30 am ET," said the company in a statement. " Frontier added 75,000 fiber broadband customers in the fourth quarter of 2022, the largest quarterly increase to date. Strong customer growth in Q4 led Frontier to finish 2022 with 17% more fiber broadband customers than it had at the end of 2021. tor Relations website.

07:17 EST Orchard announces U.S. FDA clearance of IND application for OTL-203 - Orchard Therapeutics announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, has cleared its Investigational New Drug, IND, application for OTL-203, a hematopoietic stem cell, HSC, gene therapy being developed for the treatment of the Hurler subtype of mucopolysaccharidosis type I, MPS-IH. The company expects to initiate a global registrational trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of OTL-203 compared to standard of care in the second half of 2023. "Based on data from the proof-of-concept trial, treatment with a single administration of OTL-203 has the potential to address a range of multisystemic manifestations of MPS-IH," said Leslie Meltzer, Ph.D., chief medical officer of Orchard Therapeutics. "Our recent interactions with the FDA have been productive and we look forward to advancing this registrational study designed to generate the data necessary to enable global regulatory submissions and potentially provide an urgently needed new treatment option for the MPS-IH community." The study is a multi-center, randomized, active controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of OTL-203 in patients with MPS-IH compared to standard of care with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. A total of 40 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of MPS-IH who meet the study inclusion criteria will be randomized 1:1 to receive either OTL-203 or allogeneic HSCT. The study is powered to demonstrate superiority of OTL-203 over HSCT. The primary endpoint, which will be measured at two years post-treatment, comprises a composite of clinically meaningful outcomes, including death, the need for rescue treatment, treatment failure, immunological complications, as well as severe cognitive and growth impairment. Secondary endpoints include biochemical markers, additional clinical assessments, as well as safety and tolerability. The company expects to open up to six sites in the United States and Europe.

07:14 EST WWE to host Money In The Bank in London - WWE announced that The O2 in London will host Money In The Bank on Saturday, July 1. Money In The Bank marks the first WWE Premium Live Event to be held in London in over two decades.

07:13 EST Virios Therapeutics announces scheduling of FDA meeting for IMC-1 program - Virios Therapeutics announced that its end-of-Phase 2 meeting request with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, to discuss advancing IMC-1 into Phase 3 development as a treatment for FM has been scheduled for mid-March 2023. At this meeting, the Company will discuss with the FDA plans for a Phase 3 program that would support submission of a new drug application for IMC-1 for the treatment of FM. The Company believes the safety and efficacy results from its FORTRESS Phase 2b FM study support progression of IMC-1 to Phase 3 development for "new" patients, who represent the vast majority of the FM patient community. Analysis of the Company's recent FORTRESS Phase 2b FM study data revealed: "New" FM patients treated with its novel FM development candidate, IMC-1 , who were recruited into FORTRESS via advertising, demonstrated statistically significant reductions in FM related pain, fatigue, anxiety and depressive symptoms and showed an overall improvement in their global health status. In contrast, "experienced" FM patients, who in the Company's view represent a more treatment refractory/resistant cohort of patients, did not exhibit meaningful treatment benefits. "New" patients treated with IMC-1 also exhibited a lower discontinuation rate due to adverse events as compared with "new" patients receiving placebo. All patients treated with IMC-1 demonstrated exemplary safety and tolerability in the FORTRESS study.

07:11 EST AxoGen announces independent publication on allograft, autograft, conduits - Axogen announced the independent publication of a comprehensive, retrospective clinical review comparing the meaningful recovery rates between allograft, autograft, and conduits using a meta-analysis methodology. The comparative peer-reviewed analysis was published online ahead of print by Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The publication, "A systematic review and meta-analysis of nerve gap repair: Comparative effectiveness of allografts, autografts, and conduits," analyzed 35 peer-reviewed studies with a total of 1,559 nerve repairs including 711 nerve allograft, 670 autograft, and 178 conduit repairs. The analysis concluded that meaningful recovery rates for allograft and autograft repairs were comparable across all gap lengths up to 70 millimeters. There were no statistical differences between allograft and autograft outcomes for either short or long gap lengths for both sensory and motor repairs. Allograft and autograft repairs delivered significantly better rates of meaningful sensory recovery in short gaps as compared to conduit repairs; 87.1% and 81.6% vs. 62.2%, respectively. The cost analysis found that allograft does not represent an increased economic burden compared to autograft. "This paper provides the strongest clinical evidence to-date of the performance of Avance Nerve Graft, the nerve allograft included in this study, across all gap lengths and nerve types. This comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed studies illustrates that compared to autograft, Avance is just as effective, with similar procedure costs, while eliminating the potential for complications or reduced quality of life resulting from autograft nerve harvesting," commented Karen Zaderej, chairman, CEO, and president of Axogen, Inc. "With more than 50,000 implants since launch, Avance is a proven solution for providing patients the opportunity to achieve meaningful functional recovery without the need for autograft harvest."

07:07 EST S&P Global acquires ChartIQ, terms not disclosed - S&P Global has announced the acquisition of ChartIQ, a premier charting provider for the financial services industry. The acquisition will form part of the S&P Global Market Intelligence division and further enhance its flagship S&P Capital IQ Pro platform, its digital investment solutions provider Markit Digital and other workflow solutions to provide the industry with leading visualization capabilities. S&P Global will continue to license the ChartIQ charting packages on a standalone basis and as part of integrated solutions. More information about ChartIQ can be found on the S&P Global Marketplace. Prior to this transaction, ChartIQ was part of Cosaic, a workflow solution provider that brings data visualization and smart desktop technology to the financial services industry. The transaction was signed on December 23, 2022 and closed on January 1, 2023. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

07:06 EST American Lithium receives approval to list on NASDAQ - American Lithium announces it has received approval to list its common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Trading is scheduled to commence on Nasdaq at the open of markets on Tuesday January 10, 2023, under the symbol "AMLI". Concurrently with the listing, the Common Shares will cease to be quoted on the OTCQB(R) Venture Market but will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange. Simon Clarke, CEO of American Lithium stated, "We are very pleased to be joining Nasdaq as this listing marks a major milestone for the Company and is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team. We are confident this listing will elevate American Lithium's profile in the United States capital markets by providing greater visibility and exposure to a broader institutional and retail investor base."

07:04 EST Genprex enters license agreement with University of Pittsburgh - Genprex announced it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with the University of Pittsburgh, granting Genprex a worldwide, exclusive license to a patent application and related technology and a worldwide, non-exclusive license to use certain related know-how, all related to gene therapy for Type 2 diabetes using the genes of the Pdx1 and MafA transcription factors. The preclinical technology, GPX-003, is believed to work by rejuvenating diminished beta cells to increase insulin expression by introducing transcription factors controlled by an insulin promoter.

07:02 EST Zimmer Biomet to acquire Embody for $155M at closing - Zimmer Biomet announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Embody, a privately-held medical device company focused on soft tissue healing, for $155M at closing and up to an additional $120M subject to achieving future regulatory and commercial milestones over a three year period. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to overall revenue growth and slightly dilutive to adjusted earnings per share in 2023. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in February 2023.

07:00 EST Southern Company CEO Thomas Fanning to relinquish role, Chris Womack to succeed - The board of directors of Southern Company announced that, effective March 31, Chris Womack has been appointed president of Southern Company and elected as a member of the board of directors of Southern Company. Womack also has been appointed CEO of Southern Company effective immediately following the conclusion of Southern Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Effective as of March 31, the board of directors of Southern Company also increased the size of the board of directors of Southern Company from 13 to 14 in connection with the election of Womack to the board. Thomas Fanning, 65, the current chairman of the board, CEO and president of Southern Company, will relinquish the role of president upon Womack's assumption of the role in March and assume the role of executive chairman of the Board of Directors upon Womack's assumption of the role of CEO.

06:56 EST The Buckle reports December SSS up 7% y/y - The Buckle announced that comparable store net sales, for stores open at least one year, for the 5-week period ended December 31, 2022 increased 7.0 percent from comparable store net sales for the 5-week period ended January 1, 2022. Net sales for the 5-week fiscal month ended December 31, 2022 increased 7.9 percent to $214.5 million from net sales of $198.7 million for the prior year 5-week fiscal month ended January 1, 2022. Comparable store net sales year-to-date for the 48-week period ended December 31, 2022 increased 3.2 percent from comparable store net sales for the 48-week period ended January 1, 2022. Net sales for the 48-week fiscal period ended December 31, 2022 increased 3.7 percent to $1.276 billion compared to net sales of $1.230 billion for the prior year 48-week fiscal period ended January 1, 2022.

06:55 EST Silvergate Capital reports Q4 financial metrics, provides business update - Silvergate Capital announced select unaudited and preliminary financial metrics for Q4 and provided a business update. Silvergate's total deposits from digital asset customers declined to $3.8B at the end of Q4. As customers began to withdraw deposits during the fourth quarter of 2022, Silvergate utilized wholesale funding to satisfy outflows. Subsequently, in order to accommodate sustained lower deposit levels and maintain its highly liquid balance sheet, Silvergate sold debt securities for cash proceeds. Silvergate is taking several actions, including recalibrating its expense base and evaluating its product portfolio and customer relationships going forward. In addition, Silvergate has made the decision to substantively reduce its workforce. The Silvergate Exchange Network continues to operate 24/7 with average daily volume totaling $1.3B during the 4Q22 vs. $1.2B in Q3. At December 31, 2022, SEN Leverage commitments declined to $1.1B vs. $1.5B at September 30. The average 4Q22 outstanding balance of SEN Leverage loans was $328M vs. $308M in 3Q22. All SEN Leverage loans continued to perform as expected with zero losses and no forced liquidations. Total deposits from digital asset customers declined to $3.8B at December 31, 2022, vs. $11.9B at September 30, 2022. Average deposits from digital asset customers declined to $7.3B during 4Q22 vs. $12.0B during 3Q22, with a high of $11.9B and a low of $3.5B during Q4. As of December 31, 2022, approximately $150M of Silvergate's deposits were from customers that have filed for bankruptcy. As of December 31, 2022, Silvergate held total cash and cash equivalents of approximately $4.6B, which is in excess of deposits from digital asset customers. Silvergate sold $5.2B of debt securities for cash proceeds during 4Q22. The sale resulted in a loss on the sale of securities and related derivatives of $718 million during the fourth quarter of 2022. At December 31, 2022, the company held $5.6B of total debt securities at fair value which include unrealized losses of approximately $0.3B. The company anticipates selling a portion of these securities in early 2023 to reduce wholesale borrowings, which will result in the recognition of a Q4 impairment charge related to the unrealized loss on those securities expected to be sold. At December 31, 2022, the company held $2.4B of short-term brokered certificates of deposit and $4.3B of short-term Federal Home Loan Bank advances.

06:48 EST MarketAxess reports December total trading average daily volume up 27% y-o-y - MarketAxess announced monthly trading volume for December 2022 and preliminary variable transaction fees per million for December and the quarter ended December 31. The company reported a 27% increase in total credit ADV to $10.6B, driven by a 26% increase in U.S. high-grade ADV and record estimated market share across high-yield, emerging markets, Eurobonds and municipals. Open Trading estimated price improvement was approximately $79M in December and average estimated price improvement per million was approximately $1,042. For FY22, estimated price improvement was approximately $946M, 65% above the prior year. Record 22.8% - +140 bps - composite corporate bond estimated market share, up from 21.4%; 26% increase in U.S. high-grade ADV to $5.1B with estimated market share of 23.4%. Estimated U.S. high-grade TRACE market ADV increased 27%. 25% increase in U.S. high-yield ADV to $1.6B with record estimated market share of 21.4%, up from 18.3%. Emerging markets ADV of $2.1B, down slightly; flat excluding the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. Emerging markets market volumes down 22%. 38% of total credit trading volume was executed via Open Trading, up from 36%. The preliminary FPM for total credit for December was $165, compared to $163 in November. For Q4, reported a 24% increase in total credit ADV to $12.0B, record 20.9% - +210 bps - composite corporate bond estimated market share, up from 18.8%; a 22% increase in U.S. high-grade ADV to $5.5B with estimated market share of 21.1%; estimated U.S. high-grade TRACE market ADV increased 23%; record U.S. high-yield estimated market share of 20.5% - +500 bps -, up from 15.5%, on ADV of $1.8 billion, representing an increase of 33%; emerging markets ADV of $2.7B, up 3%; up approximately 5% excluding the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. Emerging markets market volumes down 22%. Record 38% of total credit trading volume was executed via Open Trading, up from 36% in the prior year. Record $31B in portfolio trading volume, up from $13B in 4Q21, and $25B in 3Q22. The preliminary FPM for total credit for the quarter was $164.0, compared to $165.6 in 3Q22. The preliminary FPM for total rates for the quarter was $4.10.

06:42 EST MSC Industrial sees FY23 adjusted operating margin 12.7%-13.3% - Sees FY23 average daily sales growth 5%-9%.

06:31 EST Henry Schein unit acquires majority interest in Unitas PPO Solutions - Henry Schein announced that its subsidiary, eAssist Dental Solutions, has acquired a majority interest in Unitas PPO Solutions, a privately held service provider that works with dental practices to assess their commercial insurance participation, set competitive fee-for-service rates, and negotiate contracted reimbursement with commercial insurers. The addition of Unitas is the result of a long-standing strategic relationship with Henry Schein that was formed in 2014 and offers a variety of service plans tailored to the specific needs of a dental practice. Headquartered in Mesa, AZ, Unitas was founded in 2010 by Mike Alder to help dental practices negotiate PPO rates and optimize PPO participation. Mr. Alder will continue to manage the Unitas business as CEO, along with the current Unitas management team. In 2021, Unitas had sales of approximately $5M. This transaction is expected to be neutral to Henry Schein's 2022 diluted earnings per share and to be accretive thereafter. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

06:15 EST Yunji announces results from New Year Festive Goods Shopping Festival - Yunji announced that the final large-scale promotional event before the Lunar New Year, the New Year Festive Goods Shopping Festival, successfully concluded at the end of December 2022. The Event showcased and promoted Yunji's flagship products across a wide variety of different categories. Following the recent relaxation of COVID restrictions, Yunji has sharpened its focus on the development of its range of healthcare and pandemic prevention products. Among the company's private labels, the high-end health food brand Baiyueshan's nutritious products continued to be megahits with users. The brand's freeze-dried sea buckthorn powder and autumn pear grease have proved especially popular, with the buckthorn powder selling out within 10 hours, generating RMB 20M in sales. Building on its pledge to help its users better meet their health care needs, the company is ensuring that pandemic prevention and treatment products are available for purchase on its platform. Facing a complex external environment and nationwide shortages, Yunji is leveraging its robust supply chain capabilities and deploying additional resources to guarantee its users affordably-priced necessities including face masks, disinfectants, and pulse oximeters. As the Lunar New Year approaches, the company is dedicated to offering a seamless, high-quality shopping experience to all of its users during the festive period.

06:09 EST ViewRay enters master agreement with University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center - ViewRay announced that the University Hospitals, or UH, Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland has selected a MRIdian MR-Guided Radiation Therapy System as part of a master agreement for the purchase of up to four systems, and will be the first in Ohio at a research and teaching hospital to offer the precision of MRIdian's advanced MRI-guided radiation therapy to cancer patients throughout the region for pancreas, prostate, kidney, gynecological, lung, liver, breast, brain, spine, and oligometastatic cancers.

05:47 EST Masimo announces findings from before-and-after study of Patient SafetyNet - Masimo announced the findings of a before-and-after study published in PLoS ONE in which Ahmed Balshi and colleagues at King Saud Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, evaluated the impact of implementing remote patient monitoring with Masimo Patient SafetyNet on the efficacy of hospital rapid response teams, or RRTs. Comparing outcomes before and after implementation of Patient SafetyNet, they found that the "after" group experienced more RRT activations but had significantly lower incidence and rate of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, significantly shorter hospital length of stay, or LOS, and lower hospital mortality. Noting that RRT activation depends on the "timely detection of [patient] deterioration," the researchers sought to determine whether a remote patient surveillance system that automated calculation and relaying of early warning scores could lead to earlier recognition of changes in patient status and the improved efficacy of RRTs. They hypothesized that implementing such a system could decrease the rate of severe adverse events, as a result of potentially quicker RRT activation. To that end, they designed a "before" and "after" study at a large government hospital in central Saudi Arabia where the ICU provides outreach, in the form of an RRT, to the general ward. In the "before" period nurses manually recorded patient vital signs, calculated warning scores, and activated RRTs; in the "after" period", vital signs data collected at the bedside, alongside automatically calculated warning scores, were wirelessly relayed to nursing stations for centralized remote patient surveillance and RRT activation. Both before and after, activation of an RRT was triggered when a patient's vital signs deteriorated to the point they scored greater than or equal to 5 on the MEWS scale. "Before" group data was analyzed from 2,346 adult patients from January to August 2020, and "after" group data from 2,151 patients from September 2020 to April 2021. For the "after" group, Masimo Patient SafetyNet was used to automate transfer of bedside monitoring data to central nursing stations, with alarm and notification data also relayed to clinicians' smartphones using Masimo Replica. The researchers found that in the "before" group, there were 78 episodes of CPR over 20,510 total inpatient days, for an incidence of 3.3% and rate of 3.8 per 1000 inpatient days. In the "after" group, there were 42 episodes over 17,945 inpatient days, for an incidence of 1.95% and rate of 2.3 per 1000 inpatient days. CPR incidence in the "after" group was significantly lower. In addition, the CPR success rate was significantly higher in the "after" group. The average hospital LOS was higher in the "before" group. The number of RRT activations was lower in the "before" group. Overall hospital mortality was lower in the "after" group. Using multivariable logistic regression, they calculated that being in the "after" group decreased a patient's odds of needing CPR by 33%.

05:39 EST So-Young regains compliance with Nasdaq - So-Young announced that it has received a written compliance notification from the staff of the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq dated January 4, notifying the company that it has regained compliance with the minimum bid price of $1.00 per share requirement set forth under the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1).

05:24 EST Carmell Therapeutics to go public through Alpha Healthcare Acquisition III deal - Alpha Healthcare Acquisition III (ALPA) announced the execution of a definitive business combination agreement with Carmell Therapeutics, a Phase 2-stage biotechnology platform company developing allogeneic plasma-based biomaterials for bone and soft tissue healing indications. Upon closing of the transaction, ALPA will be renamed Carmell Therapeutics. Shukla will serve as chairman and Randy Hubbell will serve as CEO of the combined company. The combined company's common stock is expected to be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol (CTCX). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, Carmell's shareholders will receive an aggregate of 15M shares of ALPA's Class A common stock in exchange for their existing Carmell shares, as contemplated by the terms of the business combination agreement. Assuming that no ALPA shareholders elect to redeem their shares, the market capitalization of the combined company will be approximately $328M and it is estimated that the current shareholders of Carmell will own approximately 46% of the issued and outstanding shares in the combined company at closing. The combined company is expected to receive gross proceeds of approximately $154M at the closing of the transaction assuming no redemptions. The transaction has been approved by each of ALPA's and Carmell's Board of Directors and is subject to the approval of ALPA and Carmell shareholders and other customary conditions. The transaction is expected to close in H1, 2023.