Stockwinners Market Radar for December 20, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:33 EST Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 158K shares of Block today -

20:31 EST Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 111K shares of Tesla today

19:50 EST Mullen Automotive trading halted, news pending

19:50 EST NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals trading halted, news pending

18:34 EST Polished not aware of any material change in business to account for price rise - Earlier this evening, the company stated: "In view of the unusual market activity in the Company's stock, the New York Stock Exchange contacted the Company in accordance with the NYSE's usual practice. The Company does not comment on market activity or rumors. However, the Company confirms that it is not aware of any undisclosed material change or development in its business and operations that would account for the recent increase in the share price and trading volume of the Company's stock." Shares of Polished were up 618% in regular trading at $7.61, up $6.55. The stock is down 28% afterhours at $5.50.

17:57 EST Joby, NASA simulation gets up to 120 air taxi operations p/h in busy airspace - Joby Aviation announced it has successfully completed a series of air traffic simulations with NASA's Ames Research Center that evaluated how air taxi operations can be integrated into today's airspace, including at busy airports, using existing air traffic control or ATC tools and procedures.The simulations, jointly developed by Joby and NASA airspace engineers following a multi-year airspace study, tested scenarios with dozens of eVTOL aircraft per hour flying into and out of the complex, busy airspace in the Dallas-Fort Worth,DFW, region using today's airspace system.

17:41 EST Agilent moves Cell Analysis Division into DGG to strengthen growth opportunities - Earlier on Wednesday, Agilent Technologie announced it has moved the company's Cell Analysis Division into its Diagnostics and Genomics Group DGG as part of a strategy to further strengthen growth opportunities for both organizations. "We believe having the cell analysis team as part of DGG is a natural fit given the markets they serve and the clear linkages to our genomics and diagnostics customers," said Mike McMullen, Agilent president and CEO. "This is an exciting opportunity to bring our unique collection of cell and molecular-based solutions together in ways that better align with how our customers are working. This will in turn expand workflow coverage and drive accelerated growth." Formerly part of Agilent's Life Sciences and Applied Markets Group LSAG , the company's cell analysis work has been an important growth driver for the company. Created primarily through the acquisitions of BioTek Instruments, ACEA Biosciences, and Seahorse Bioscience over the last eight years, the cell analysis organization has developed differentiated, industry leading products and represents a key example of the success of Agilent's "build and buy" growth strategy.

17:37 EST Nvidia VP Shoquist sells $10M in company shares - Nvidia VP Debora Shoquist disclosed the sale of 20,000 shares of company stock at $500.04 per share on December 18, for a total transaction amount of $10,000,860.

17:33 EST Sellas Life Sciences' treatment of T-cell lymphoma gets FDA orphan designation - According to a post on the FDA's website, Sellas Life Sciences' treatment of T-cell lymphoma was granted FDA orphan designation. Reference Link

17:32 EST Annexon outlines global registrational program for ANX007 in GA - Annexon outlined its global registrational program for ANX007, a first-in-class C1q and classical complement inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with geographic atrophy, or GA. Annexon has gained alignment with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on a Phase 3 registration program that includes using, for the first-time, the prevention of greater than or equal to15-letter loss of best corrected visual acuity as the primary outcome measure, as well as conducting a comparison of ANX007 to an injection agent, consistent with requests for trials across ophthalmic indications. Notably, the FDA has not required Annexon to study the slowing of lesion growth as measured by fundus autofluorescence (FAF), an anatomical endpoint used for the approval of other GA programs. Annexon's registration program will initiate first with ARCHER II, a global sham-controlled trial designed to confirm the results from the Phase 2 ARCHER trial, and potentially expedite the path to regulatory approval in Europe, where there are approximately 2.5 million people living with GA. Given the availability of FDA-approved treatments in the U.S., Annexon plans to conduct its injection-controlled head-to-head study, ARROW, against SYFOVRE(R), with the potential to underscore ANX007's unique mechanism of action and critical differentiation on visual function. ARCHER II is expected to begin enrollment in mid-2024, followed by ARROW in late 2024.

17:22 EST U.S. Steel CEO Burritt sells 252,458 common shares - In a regulatory filing, U.S. Steel president and CEO David Burritt disclosed the sale of 252,458 common shares of the company on December 18 at a price of $50.013 per share.

17:13 EST Lockheed Martin awarded $220.74M Navy contract modification - Lockheed Martin was awarded a $220.74M modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement. This modification exercises options to support calendar year 2024 modification and retrofit activities for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program to include program management, non-recurring engineering, aircraft induction, contractor field, depot site, and laser shock peening site support. Additionally, this modification adds scope for the procurement of material kits as well as special tooling and test equipment necessary to support F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft retrofit and modification efforts for the Air Force, Marines, Navy, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-U.S. Department of Defense, or DOD, participants. Work is expected to be completed in January 2026. Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:02 EST AutoZone authorizes additional $2B stock repurchase - AutoZone authorized the repurchase of an additional $2.0B of the company's common stock in connection with its ongoing share repurchase program.

16:54 EST Micron sees FY24 capital expenditures $7.5B-$8B - Says improved supply-demand environment in the current calendar quarter gives us additional confidence in the trajectory of its business. Says driven a strong inflection in industry pricing this calendar quarter. Says expects pricing to continue to strengthen through the course of calendar 2024. Says expects FY24 front-end cost reductions to track in line with our long-term expectations of mid-to-high single digits in DRAM and low teens in NAND. Says in data center, total server unit shipments are expected to increase by a mid-single-digit percentage in calendar 2024, following a year of low double-digit percentage decline in calendar 2023. Says expects calendar 2023 DRAM bit demand to grow in the high-single-digit percentage range, up from prior expectations for mid-single-digit growth. In NAND, the company continues to expect calendar 2023 bit demand growth in the high-teens percentage range. Looking forward, over the next few years, the company expects bit demand growth CAGRs of mid-teens in DRAM and low-20s percentage range in NAND. Says forecasts calendar 2024 bit demand growth for the industry to be near the long-term CAGR for DRAM and somewhat below the long-term CAGR for NAND. Says bit supply growth in fiscal 2024 is planned to be well below demand growth for both DRAM and NAND. Says expects to decrease our days of inventory in fiscal year 2024. Says expect calendar 2024 industry supply to be below demand for both DRAM and NAND, which will result in a contraction of industry inventory levels. Comments taken from prepared remarks to Q1 earnings conference call.

16:46 EST Signet Jewelers CEO Drosos sells 10,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Signet Jewelers CEO Virginia Drosos disclosed the sale of 10,000 common shares of the company on December 19 at a price of $103.1668 per share.

16:39 EST Mawson Infrastructure announces November operational update - Mawson Infrastructure Group announced its unaudited business and operational update for November 2023, reporting: Total monthly revenue equivalent of 132 BTC1 or about $4.81 million; 47% M/M growth in total revenue; Completed new customer co-location services deployment for a total of ~15,876 Bitmain S19 XP miners; Co-location services revenue ramped up significantly to $1.98 million; Self-mining revenue increased with 24% M/M growth to $2.29 million.

16:34 EST Immunovant announces results from initial cohort of batoclimab trial - Immunovant announced that results from the initial cohort of patients in an ongoing 24-week Phase 2 clinical trial of batoclimab in patients with Graves' disease meaningfully exceeded 50% response rates. This Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial is an open-label study to assess the safety and efficacy of batoclimab in Graves' disease. Patients who are hyperthyroid despite treatment with an anti-thyroid medication, or ATD, for more than 12 weeks are being enrolled to receive once-weekly subcutaneous, or SC, injections of 680 mg batoclimab for 12 weeks followed by once-weekly SC injections of 340 mg batoclimab for 12 weeks. Treatment response is defined as normalization of T3 and T4 hormone levels without increasing ATD dose. The primary and secondary outcome measurements of the trial are being measured at weeks 12 and 24. This design allowed for efficacy assessments between two distinct ranges of IgG reductions. Consistent with studies of batoclimab in other indications, 680 mg administered SC in the initial cohort demonstrated potential best-in class IgG reduction, up to 87%, with a mean IgG reduction of 81% after 12 weeks of treatment. The 340 mg IgG reductions were lower. A similar dose response was observed for anti-TSHR autoantibodies, with deeper reductions observed following treatment with 680 mg of SC batoclimab as compared to 340 mg of SC batoclimab. In addition, across a range of clinical parameters, numerically higher responses were observed following treatment with 680 mg of batoclimab as compared to treatment with 340 mg of batoclimab. These parameters included the percentage of patients whose ATD dose was reduced and the percentage of patients whose ATD was discontinued. Batoclimab was generally well tolerated with no new safety signals observed in the initial data set.

16:31 EST Merck says FDA issues CRL regarding gefapixant NDA - Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a Complete Response Letter regarding Merck's New Drug Application for gefapixant, an investigational, non-narcotic, oral selective P2X3 receptor antagonist, under development for the treatment of refractory chronic cough or unexplained chronic cough in adults. In the CRL, the FDA concluded that Merck's application did not meet substantial evidence of effectiveness for treating RCC and UCC. The CRL was not related to the safety of gefapixant. Merck is reviewing the FDA's feedback to determine next steps. Chronic cough is defined as a cough lasting longer than 8 weeks. In adults with RCC, the cough persists despite appropriate treatment of underlying conditions such as asthma or gastroesophageal reflux disease, and UCC is a cough where the underlying cause cannot be identified despite a thorough evaluation. "We thank our clinical trial participants and investigators for their important contributions that add to the body of knowledge related to chronic cough and help to raise awareness about the significant unmet medical need and the impact of RCC and UCC on patients," said Dr. Joerg Koglin, senior vice president, global clinical development, Merck Research Laboratories. "Acknowledging the absence of any approved treatments for refractory or unexplained chronic cough, we are disappointed in the FDA's response to our application for gefapixant."

16:21 EST EternaAppoints Sanjeev Luther as President and CEO - Eterna Therapeutics has appointed Sanjeev Luther as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the company's Board of Directors, effective January 1. Mr. Luther will replace Matt Angel, Ph.D., the current President and Chief Executive Officer.

16:10 EST Forward Air announces sale of Final Mile for $262M - Forward Air announces the sale of its Final Mile business to Hub Group, Inc. for an estimated total cash consideration of $262 million. For the twelve months ended September 30, 2023, Final Mile generated approximately $289 million in revenue. Final Mile has approximately 45 locations and more than 640 employees that will transfer to Hub Group, Inc.

16:07 EST Inventiva announces randomization of 1st patient in China in the NATiV3 trial - Inventiva announced that the first patient has been randomized in China in the global NATiV3 Phase III clinical trial and provided an update on its clinical development program. Following the randomization of the first patient in China, Inventiva is eligible to receive a $3M milestone payment from Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group or CTTQ . This would be the second of the two short-term milestone payments following the $2 M milestone payment from CTTQ received on July 19 under the license and collaboration agreement with CTTQ. Upon the anticipated receipt in January 2024 of this $3 M milestone, Inventiva is expected to have met all financial and operational conditions precedent required to draw the second EUR 25 M tranche under the finance contract with the European Investment Bank dated May 16, 2022. The Company expects to draw this second tranche in early 2024, following the issuance of warrants to the EIB as provided in the Finance Contract. Lanifibranor was granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for NASH by China's National Medical Products Administration,NMPA. Similar to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation, this designation is intended to accelerate the development and review of drugs for serious or life-threatening conditions. The NMPA granted "Breakthrough Therapy Designation" based on the results of Inventiva's Phase IIb NATIVE clinical trial. Inventiva believes that lanifibranor is the first drug candidate to receive "Breakthrough Therapy Designation" from both the FDA and the NMPA for the treatment of NASH.

16:07 EST BioMarin announces governance enhancements, value creation initiatives - BioMarin Pharmaceutical announced several initiatives to enhance corporate governance and long-term shareholder value creation. The Board has approved the appointment of three new independent directors: Barbara Bodem, Athena Countouriotis, M.D., and Mark Enyedy effective December 27, 2023. With these appointments, the company's Board will temporarily expand to 15 directors before returning to 11 directors effective no later than the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders. BioMarin's Board has also established a new Strategic and Operating Review Committee to conduct a review of the company to maximize its long-term value, including a review of the company's business, strategy and operations, financial and capital allocation priorities, and long-term planning and priorities. The Strategic and Operating Review Committee will be chaired by BioMarin Board chair Richard A. Meier and will include president and chief executive officer Alexander Hardy, BioMarin director Maykin Ho, Barbara Bodem and Mark Enyedy. The committee will present its recommendations to the full Board. The company has also committed to holding an investor day in 2024. As part of this process and to facilitate collaboration with Elliott Investment Management L.P., one of BioMarin's largest investors, BioMarin has entered into a Cooperation Agreement with Elliott and agreed to customary standstill, voting, and other provisions. Additionally, Elliott has entered into an information-sharing agreement to allow for a dialogue between Elliott and the company.

16:06 EST Floor & Decor announces grand opening of Allentown, PA store - Floor & Decor announced the grand opening of its sixth store in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, with the addition of its newest location in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Located at 1259 Whitehall Mall, the warehouse store and design center will open with a team of about 50 full-time and part-time associates led by Ashley Eggleston, the store Chief Executive Merchant. "We're thrilled to announce our newest store location in Allentown," said Eggleston. "For more than two decades, Floor & Decor has had the opportunity to serve professionals and homeowners throughout the nation, and we are excited to expand our footprint yet again in Allentown with this new location. We look forward to becoming part of the community and welcoming our newest neighbors into our store and making their renovation journeys easier, inspired and more affordable."

16:05 EST Micron reports Q1 gross margin 0.8% vs. 22.9% last year

16:04 EST Warner Bros. Discovery slides after report on Paramount merger talks - Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) were down 6% near the close after Axios reported on the company's CEO meeting to discuss a possible merger with Paramount (PARA).

15:39 EST C&F Financial announces share repurchase program for $10M - The board of directors of C&F Financial Corporation has authorized a program, effective January 1, to repurchase up to $10M of the Corporation's common stock through December 31 . Repurchases under the program may be made through privately negotiated transactions or open market transactions, including pursuant to a trading plan in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 and/or Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and shares repurchased will be returned to the status of authorized and unissued shares of common stock. n.

14:41 EST Diamond Hill Investment Group director Laird sells over $510K in shares - Director of Diamond Hill Investment Group Jame Laird disclosed the sale of 3,000 shares of company stock at $170.10 per share between December 18 and December 20, for a total transaction amount of $510,290.

14:36 EST Bobby Kotick says Activision Blizzard 'could not be in better hands' with Micros - Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick sent a message to employees ahead of his final day at the company following the Microsoft takeover: "Forty years later, as my last day leading this company inches closer, I marvel at how far the talented people at our company have come toward realizing the great potential of games. You have transformed a hobbyist form of entertainment into the world's most engaging medium. It has been the privilege of my lifetime to work alongside you as we broadened the appeal of games. Perhaps the most important part of my job has been to help bring talented people together, provide the best resources possible, and foster an environment that encourages inspiration, creativity, and unwavering commitment to excellence. I cannot adequately express the pride I have in the people who continue to contribute to our success and all those who have helped throughout my 32 years leading this company. We are now part of the world's most admired company. That isn't an accident. Phil Spencer has appreciated the magic of ABK for decades. When he approached Brian and me two years ago and proposed acquiring the company, it was immediately obvious that the combination of our businesses would enable us to continue to lead as the list of capable, well-resourced competitors grows. Phil shares our values and recognizes our talents. He is passionate about our games and the people who make them. He has bold ambition. As we move into our next exciting chapter, you could not be in better hands. I will always be profoundly grateful to the people who contributed tirelessly to building this company and I am confident you will keep inspiring joy and uniting people through the power of play." Reference Link

12:00 EST Gaotu Techedu falls -10.4% - Gaotu Techedu is down -10.4%, or -41c to $3.54.

12:00 EST Shares MSCI Taiwan Index Fund falls -11.1% - Shares MSCI Taiwan Index Fund is down -11.1%, or -$5.53 to $44.05.

12:00 EST SOS Limited rises 11.6% - SOS Limited is up 11.6%, or 46c to $4.38.

11:47 EST Sony's PlayStation 5 surpasses 50M units sold - Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the PlayStation 5 console has surpassed 50M units sold through to consumers as of December 9, 2023, about three years since its November 2020 launch. "Achieving this PS5 sales milestone is a testament to the unwavering support of the global PlayStation community and their passion for the incredible experiences created by the talented developers from PlayStation Studios and our partners," said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. "We're grateful for all of our players who have joined the PS5 journey so far, and we're thrilled that this is the first holiday season since launch that we have a full supply of PS5 consoles - so anyone who wants to get one can get one."

11:34 EST General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada awarded four C4ISR contracts - General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada was awarded four contracts cumulatively valued at up to C$1.68B by the Government of Canada to support the Land Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance system for the Canadian Army. The four contracts for the Land Command Support System are: System of Systems Engineering & Integration; Core Network Sustainment Services; Applications Sustainment Services; and Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance.

10:47 EST Winnebago sees 'relatively flat' retail environment in 2024 vs. 2023

10:35 EST Tonix Pharmaceuticals reports Phase 3 RESILIENT study met primary endpoint - Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding announced that the Phase 3 RESILIENT study evaluating TNX-102 SL met its pre-specified primary endpoint in the second of two positive Phase 3 clinical trials, significantly reducing daily pain compared to placebo in participants with fibromyalgia. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful results were also seen in all key secondary endpoints related to improving sleep quality, reducing fatigue, and improving overall fibromyalgia symptoms and function. Additionally, as it relates to improving daily pain, treatment with TNX-102 SL showed a robust and clinically meaningful analgesic effect size of 0.38, with rapid onset of action, separating from placebo for each week of the study. TNX-102 SL was well tolerated with an adverse event profile comparable to prior studies, and no new safety signals were observed. Tonix plans to submit a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the second half of 2024 for TNX-102 SL for the management of fibromyalgia. An estimated 6 million to 12 million U.S. adults are living with fibromyalgia, the majority of whom are women. TNX-102 SL is a tablet formulation containing 2.8 mg cyclobenzaprine HCl and is a novel, centrally-acting, non-opioid analgesic, designed to be taken once daily at bedtime for the management of fibromyalgia. RESILIENT was a 14-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg, in which 457 participants with fibromyalgia were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to TNX-102 SL or placebo across 33 sites in the U.S. All participants received one 2.8 mg tablet of TNX-102 SL or placebo for the first 2 weeks, which was increased to two 2.8 mg tablets of TNX-102 SL or placebo for the remaining 12 weeks. In December 2020, Tonix reported positive results from the first Phase 3 RELIEF study of TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg for the management of fibromyalgia. The RELIEF study met its pre-specified primary endpoint, significantly reducing daily pain compared to placebo in participants with fibromyalgia, and showing activity in key secondary endpoints. The RESILIENT study achieved statistical significance on the pre-specified primary efficacy endpoint: change from baseline in the weekly average of daily diary pain severity numerical rating scale scores for TNX-102 SL 5.6 mgversus placebo, analyzed by mixed model repeated measures with multiple imputation. In addition, all pre-specified sensitivity analyses of the primary endpoint were statistically significant. The statistically significant improvement in pain is further substantiated when diary pain was analyzed by another standard statistical approach, a 30 percent responder analysis, with 45.9% on active and 27.1% on placebo having a 30 percent or greater reduction in pain. TNX-102 SL showed statistical significance on all six pre-specified key secondary efficacy outcome measures. Consistent with the proposed mechanism that TNX-102 SL acts in fibromyalgia through improving sleep quality, TNX-102 SL showed statistically significant improvement of sleep by two main measures. For the daily diary sleep quality ratings, improvement in sleep quality for TNX-102 SL was significantly greater than that of placebo. For the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance instrument, TNX-102 SL also demonstrated significantly greater improvement over placebo on T-scores. Fatigue is another cardinal symptom of fibromyalgia and has a major impact on quality of life. TNX-102 SL showed significant improvement over placebo on the PROMIS Fatigue instrument T-scores. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire - Revised is a 21-item self-rated instrument that assesses level of function, overall impact, and symptoms due to fibromyalgia, and the symptoms and function domains were key secondary endpoints in RESILENT. At Week 14 on the FIQ-R Symptoms domain, there was significantly greater improvement with TNX-102 SL than with placebo. Similarly, TNX-102 SL resulted in greater improvement on FIQ-R Function. Although not a key secondary efficacy endpoint, TNX-102 SL also separated from placebo on the FIQ-R Impact domain. These results, along with the robust effects on improving sleep and fatigue, suggests broad symptomatic coverage of the syndrome of fibromyalgia. In the RESILIENT study, TNX-102 SL was well tolerated and consistent with prior trials, with no new safety signals observed. Among participants randomized to the TNX-102 SL and placebo arms, 81.0% and 79.2%, respectively, completed the 14-week dosing period. As expected based on prior TNX-102 SL studies, administration site reactions were the most commonly reported adverse events and were higher in the TNX-102 SL treatment group. Hypoaesthesia oral and paraesthesia oral, or tongue and mouth numbness or tingling, product taste abnormal, and tongue discomfort were local effects nearly always temporally related to dose administration and transiently expressed in most occurrences. The only treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred at a rate of 3.0% or greater in either arm were these four oral adverse events, along with COVID-19, somnolence, and headache. Adverse events resulted in premature study discontinuation in 6.1% of those who received TNX-102 SL compared with 3.5% of placebo recipients. There were a total of seven serious adverse events in five patients, five of which were experienced by three patients in the placebo arm, and two of which were in the TNX-102 SL arm. Of the two in the TNX-102 SL arm, one was renal cancer, deemed unrelated to study drug, and the other was acute pancreatitis with onset 14 days after dosing was completed and reported as possibly related to study drug.

10:16 EST Liquidia strength attributed to appeals court victory in patent fight - Shares of Liquidia (LQDA) are up $1.88, or 24%, to $9.76 in early trading, which Bloomberg attributes to an appeals court affirming a patent board decision related to the company's patent fight with United Therapeutics (UTHR).

10:12 EST Teck Resources says Trail Carbon Capture Pilot Plant now operational - Teck Resources announced the Carbon Capture Pilot Plant at its Trail Operations in southern British Columbia is now operating and successfully capturing carbon dioxide. The Carbon Capture Pilot Plant separates CO2 from the Acid Plant flue gas at Trail Operations at a rate of one tonne per day and will operate through 2024 for testing and data collection purposes. Teck's Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage pilot project is also evaluating options for the utilization and/or storage of the captured CO2 at Trail Operations. The CCUS pilot supports Teck's Net-Zero Climate Change Strategy, including our goal to reduce the carbon intensity of our operations by 33% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Teck Trail Operations is also currently advancing the potential development of a large-scale electric vehicle battery recycling facility. Trail Operations' current recycling program includes lead batteries, zinc alkaline batteries, and cathode ray tube glass.

10:00 EST FedEx falls -10.0% - FedEx is down -10.0%, or -$28.03 to $251.97.

10:00 EST Toro Company rises 9.4% - Toro Company is up 9.4%, or $8.43 to $97.66.

10:00 EST BIT Mining rises 12.3% - BIT Mining is up 12.3%, or 61c to $5.61.

09:52 EST Nabors Energy Transition Corp trading resumes

09:47 EST Biohaven falls -8.7% - Biohaven is down -8.7%, or -$3.35 to $35.01.

09:47 EST FedEx falls -10.9% - FedEx is down -10.9%, or -$30.61 to $249.39.

09:47 EST BIT Mining rises 9.6% - BIT Mining is up 9.6%, or 48c to $5.47.

09:45 EST Liquidia Technologies trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:39 EST Creative Medical Technology announces FDA clearance to begin Phase 1/2 trial - Creative Medical Technology Holdings reports the company has received clearance from the FDA to conduct a phase 1/2 clinical trial using their StemSpine treatment known as AlloStem "This study aims to determine the safety, efficacy and tolerability of CELZ-201-DDT, a proprietary, ready-to-use cell line developed by the company. The trial will focus on individuals with chronic lower back pain, providing them with an AlloStem injection surrounding the affected disc(s) using an ultrasound-guided, non-surgical procedure that is radiation-free. This delivery method aims to repair and remodel the surrounding tissue, improving the blood supply to the affected area and potentially alleviating the chronic pain symptoms experienced by the patient," the company stated. Timothy Warbington, CEO of Creative Medical Technology, said: "An estimated 20% of Americans suffer from chronic lower back pain, with many of these individuals relying on opioids as the standard of care for relief. With an opioid crisis in the United States, we believe that CELZ-201-DDT is potentially a more effective, sustainable, and safer non-surgical pain management option compared to opioids, and we look forward to advancing these studies."

09:36 EST Cuentas intends to broaden real estate construction ventures in South Florida - Cuentas has officially announced its strategic intentions to broaden its real estate construction ventures in South Florida. This follows the success of its inaugural project in Palm Springs, Florida, where the Lakewood Village apartment buildings were meticulously crafted with a composite material and designed to endure the onslaught of a Category 5 hurricane, thereby ensuring durability while also minimizing construction costs. The decision comes at a pivotal time as the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events escalate due to climate changes affecting the planet. This vulnerability to hurricanes is particularly pronounced across the entire state of Florida, resulting in a surge in insurance rates and the need to build durable and low-cost housing. Looking forward, the anticipated reduction in mortgage interest rates in 2024 is poised to catalyze incentives for affordable, weather-resistant, and expeditious construction projects. Cuentas is gearing up to play a pivotal role as a direct developer and investor in the flourishing real estate market. Over the last five years, Florida's home values have skyrocketed by an impressive 80%, and a positive trajectory is forecast for the next half-decade. Tampa, distinguished as the top real estate market in 2022 by Zillow, has experienced noteworthy spikes in housing prices. Despite the prevailing seller-friendly conditions in the robust Florida market, the potential of lower mortgage rates may entice prospective buyers to make significant property acquisitions. Cuentas, which holds a majority stake in its Tampa project, is poised to break ground in 2024. Cuentas management's approach is guaranteed in a 10-year supply agreement with Renco USA, the trailblazing manufacturer of modular building technology. The plastic blocks break at 16,000 PSI, which is 10 times stronger than traditional concrete. There is no need to use specialized tools or heavy equipment, and the building flies up with a construction crew following a color-coded diagram while snapping together the pieces. Construction costs are 20 percent less expensive than traditional construction, leading to lower insurance rates.

09:35 EST Century Aluminum sees $55M-$60M in FY23 net income benefit from IRA - In a regulatory filing yesterday, the company disclosed that as part of the Section 45X guidance on the IRA production tax credit, it expects to recognize an initial FY23 EBITDA and net income benefit of $55M-$60M. Reference Link

09:29 EST Volcon provides operational update for December - Volcon shared operational updates, including sales growth and an expansion of its distribution network during the holiday shopping season. The company has seen an increase in sales for its EVO and Volcon Youth Motorcycle lines as well as Brat e-bikes, attributing much of this success to effective holiday promotions and steady production advancements. Stag Model Update: The development of the Stag model has encountered some challenges, particularly with supply chain related issues. The company is working closely with vendors to ensure these issues are comprehensively addressed. Volcon is committed to releasing a product that meets the highest standards of quality, safety, and performance. Volcon will provide further updates once a final release date is determined. Holiday Sales: The EVO and Volcon Youth Motorcycles and Brat e-bikes have experienced growth in sales, buoyed by the season's promotional activities. This period has proven to be a critical time for Volcon ePowersports, showcasing the increasing popularity and demand for electric off-road vehicles. Promotional Success: The company's targeted holiday promotions for the Brat and Youth products have resulted in an increase in sales volume. These promotions have not only bolstered sales but also enhanced the brand's visibility and appeal among a broader range of consumers. Steady EVO Production and Americas Distribution: In a major operational milestone, the EVO model has achieved steady production and is now being shipped to a wide network of dealers and distributors across the Americas. This marks a pivotal step in Volcon ePowersports' commitment to providing accessible and innovative off-road electric vehicles. New Zealand Market Expansion: Expanding its global footprint, Volcon ePowersports has successfully introduced the Grunt EVO and Brat series into New Zealand. This expansion is a testament to the brand's growing international appeal and its capability to meet diverse market needs. Customer Purchase Advisory: With the holiday promotions nearing their end, Volcon encourages customers to promptly reach out to their local dealers to purchase these in-demand products. For assistance in locating or contacting a dealer, customers can directly contact Volcon for support. Quality and Safety Commitment: The company emphasizes its dedication to releasing products that adhere to stringent quality and safety specifications. The launch of the Stag will proceed only when the team is fully satisfied with the testing results, ensuring that customers receive a product that embodies the innovation and reliability of the Volcon brand.

09:26 EST PodcastOne acquires exclusive rights to podcast 'Was I In A Cult?' - PodcastOne (PODC), a leading podcast platform and a subsidiary of LiveOne (LVO), which owns ~80% of the PODC outstanding common stock, announced that is has acquired the exclusive distribution and sales rights to the critically acclaimed and award winning podcast, Was I In A Cult? from hosts Liz Iacuzzi and Tyler Measom who lend their own personal cultic experiences to the pod. "PodcastOne is thrilled to team with Liz and Tyler to reignite the fervor and phenomenon that surrounded Was I In a Cult? through their initial round of episodes. The cultural impact that this podcast had and the watercooler talk left a lasting impression in the world of podcasting, and we cannot wait to bring new episodes to listeners and to advertisers in 2024," said Kit Gray, President and Co-Founder of PodcastOne.

09:25 EST Cellebrite announces nearly $1M agreement with one of top ten largest PDs - Cellebrite DI announced a nearly one-million-dollar agreement that significantly expands its relationship with one of the ten largest local police departments, PDs, in the United States. "With Cellebrite Pathfinder, connecting the dots in cases will be that much easier for this police department," says Marque Teegardin, President of Americas at Cellebrite. "Data never lies. Our innovative solutions help law enforcement agencies work smarter and faster to closer more cases faster and to accelerate justice. This deal is emblematic of the progress we have made this year to fortify and grow our relationships across state and local government in the United States. We take tremendous pride in our ability to understand the challenges that local law enforcement agencies face and deliver solutions with powerful features and functionality that directly address those pain points. We are so grateful for the great work law enforcement does every day and are proud to be a strong partner in accelerating justice."

09:24 EST Skye Fund III issues letter regarding opposition of SomaLogic's proposed merger - Skye Fund III, which together with its affiliates, owns approximately 3.4 million shares of SomaLogic (SLGC), issued an open letter to the Company's shareholders regarding its opposition to the Company's proposed merger with Standard BioTools Inc. (LAB) and its intention to vote AGAINST the Proposed Merger at the upcoming special meeting of shareholders scheduled for January 4, 2024. "After reviewing both the Company's and Madryn Asset Management, LP's proxy materials with respect to the proposed merger between the Company and Standard BioTools, as well as other publicly available information, we conclude that the Proposed Merger is antithetical to the interests of SomaLogic shareholders. For this reason, explained in further detail below, we intend to vote AGAINST the Proposed Merger at the upcoming special meeting of shareholders scheduled for January 4, 2023. Please note that we are not activist shareholders and have never engaged in any proxy solicitation - but feel strongly that it is our duty to speak up in this instance in the interest of the Company's shareholders... the Proposed Merger - it grossly undervalues the potential of SomaLogic. An essential comparison is Olink Holding AB, a competitor that emerged a few years ago. Olink deployed technology originally developed by SomaLogic, and began introducing into European markets products similar to SomaLogic's. While the two companies were neck-and-neck in financial results in 2021, Olink was better managed and executed better thereafter, resulting in its current revenue exceeding SomaLogic's by more than 50%. In October of this year, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. announced its acquisition of Olink for $3 billion... However, it isn't just SomaLogic's revolutionary technology but the fact that SomaLogic has a strong, debt-free balance sheet with ample cash reserves of $450 million. We believe that SomaLogic's cash reserves are more than sufficient to develop the market for its products and pursue major commercial success... Yet, inexplicably, the Proposed Merger values SomaLogic at approximately $500 million. With cash reserves of $450 million, this means SomaLogic's revenue stream, technology, patent portfolio, customer base, industry reputation, commercial partnerships and knowledge are being valued at around $50 million. Considering that Olink sold for $3 billion, we believe that Standard BioTools's offer is absurdly low, manifestly unfair, and unjustified in many ways. We also agree with Madryn that there are several other concerning issues with the Proposed Merger... Finally, it would be one matter if Standard BioTools was an exemplary company with a spotless balance sheet and great prospects, but Standard BioTools' published results show flat revenue and net losses over eight years - no reason for optimism... For all of these reasons, Skye will be voting AGAINST the Proposed Merger. We believe that it offers no operational, strategic, or financial benefit to SomaLogic shareholders. Instead, we believe that the Board should focus on enhancing shareholder value, taking advantage of the ample opportunities SomaLogic currently has as a standalone company, and evaluating any corporate combinations with the interests of all of its shareholders foremost in mind."

09:19 EST FingerMotion provides update on Sapientus subsidiary - FingerMotion provided an update on its Big Data subsidiary branded Sapientus. Highlights include the following: Big Data models are well positioned for commercialization in the coming year. Sapientus expects to engage more partners for commercial applications and expanded use cases. Existing partners are in the integration phase, gradually ramping up adoption, and are expected to transition to large scale commercialization phase in the next 2-3 years. Big Data product modules are evolving at an ever-increasing pace, with insurance modules expected to move beyond underwriting and risk management to sales and customer engagements. In addition, a growing number of modules that extend beyond insurance will be designed and structured if well aligned. As developmental milestones are reached from these innovations, the Company looks to move from per-usage charges to profit sharing and/or commission-based arrangements. The past year has been transformative to Sapientus - the proprietary analytic models have been collaboratively tested and validated with empirical insurance data. The studies have demonstrated a high degree of accuracy in their predictive value in tracking substandard cases which is pivotal in the enhancement of the overall insurance underwriting experience. Within the health insurance segment, the algorithms have empowered reinsurance providers with more flexibility to manage insurance portfolios and hopefully improve profitability. Extending beyond insurance, the analytical capabilities of these intelligent models should assist in identifying ideal customers with higher engagement levels. Looking ahead to 2024, Sapientus targets the following objectives: Steady expansion of services to reach larger audiences via new and innovated modules that are bespoken, leveraging ongoing partnerships and our integrated analytics platform; Additional re/insurer partnerships following positive receptive feedback from recent business summits; and Brokerage services and solutions, perhaps through acquisitions or partnerships, to broaden our market footprint and capture a greater scope of commercial opportunities.

09:18 EST PetIQ announces the launch of the Portable Calming Diffuser from SENTRY line - PetIQ has announced the launch of the Portable Calming Diffuser for Dogs and Cats from its SENTRY Calming line of pet care products. "With the holiday season upon us, now is the time to be thinking of how to help your pets feel calm and safe from loud noises, large crowds, and unfamiliar situations," said John Pearson, PetIQ's Executive Vice President, Services and Manufactured Products. "By helping to reduce stress-related issues, like chewing, marking and barking with dogs, or scratching, marking and meowing with cats, all pet parents can feel secure knowing that SENTRY(R) Portable Calming Diffuser uses safe and scientifically proven technology."

09:14 EST Scilex's ZTlido most prescribed non-opioid pain treatment by pain specialists - Scilex Holding announced that according to prescription data from Symphony Health, ZTlido is the most prescribed non-opioid, branded pain treatment prescribed by pain specialists. Total ZTlido NRx market share grew to 14.2% in October 2023, compared to 11.8% in October 2022 according to prescription data from Symphony Health.

09:13 EST Neuraxis issues letter to shareholders - NeurAxis issued a letter to its shareholders. "I am pleased to take this opportunity to share the many developments that have occurred over the past 4 months and the future we envision for NRXS as we move into 2024. As we look back at the first 120 days since our IPO, we are very pleased with our accomplishments... We have now executed and delivered one of the strongest med-tech research publication portfolios in the industry. Our robust portfolio has led to numerous large insurance policy coverages even sooner than expected which has created an increase in revenues in the areas written policy coverage exists such as Massachusetts and Wisconsin. As we move into 2024, the strength of our publications has allowed us to schedule 10 major insurance company and policy decision meetings just in the first quarter... Regarding future opportunities, we are anticipating two new revenue opportunities to market in 2024. The first is for Functional Dyspepsia for children, which has a market opportunity of $2B and fits strategically with our current vertical as we are already calling on children's hospitals. We will be submitting for FDA clearance in Q1 2024. The second is for chronic constipation, through an agreement with the University of Michigan for the exclusive licensing of its innovative rectal expulsion device which also has a $2B market opportunity. This product will fuel the NeurAxis adult GI focus initiative... Key 4th Quarter Points of Interest: As we approach 10M covered lives for our existing product, we are confident that we will surpass our target of 75M covered lives by the end of 2024. Exceeded our goal of 12 publications by the end of 2023 by securing a total of 14. Having just announced CareFirst BCBS which goes effective January 1st, 2024, adding 3.5M lives, we continue to have great visibility into our insurance coverage pipeline which gives us confidence in realizing a significant revenue increase in 2024."

09:09 EST Adial Pharmaceuticals receives final reimbursement payment from Adovate - Adial Pharmaceuticals announced that on December 16, 2023, it received the final development cost reimbursement payment of $350,000 from Adovate under the terms of the final asset purchase agreement executed with Adovate for purchase of the assets and business of the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Purnovate, Inc. Under the agreement, the Company is also eligible to receive up to approximately $11 million in development and approval milestones for each compound, as well as a total of $50 million in additional commercial milestones, for a total consideration of up to $83 million with potential milestone payments on additional compounds. Additionally, the Company will receive a low, single-digit royalty and acquired a 15% equity stake in Adovate. The FAA also provides for anti-dilution protection from future Adovate equity raises in order to maintain at least 15% ownership in Adovate. The anti-dilution protection expires upon Adovate receiving $4,000,000 in cumulative funding.

09:06 EST Ibex appoints Jason Lockbaum as SVP, healthcare sales - ibex announced that healthcare sales veteran Jason Lockbaum has joined ibex as Senior Vice President, Healthcare Sales. Prior to joining ibex, he spent 15 years at Sitel and Teleperformance, where he partnered with payers, providers, life sciences, and medical device companies around the globe.

09:05 EST Mullen Automotive says Mullen ONE receives CARB certification - Mullen Automotive announces the achievement of a key commercial EV milestone with its all-electric Class 1 cargo van. The Mullen ONE received certification from the California Air Resources Board as a zero-emission vehicle in the state of California. The certification is awarded to vehicle manufacturers who meet specific emissions standards in compliance with CARB regulations. To date, a total of 15 states and the District of Columbia follow CARB regulations. The Mullen ONE previously received a certificate of conformity from the Environmental Protection Agency on Nov. 2, 2023, permitting sales in the majority of U.S. states. California as well as 14 other states and District of Columbia have adopted vehicle standards under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, which requires additional approvals beyond EPA regulations. Having received credentials from CARB and the EPA, Mullen can now sell the Mullen ONE in every state throughout the U.S.

09:04 EST MKS Instruments commits to reduce Scope 1, 2 carbon emissions by 42% by 2030 - MKS Instruments has committed to reduce its combined Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030 from its 2022 baseline, according to criteria established by the Science Based Targets initiative. MKS is also continuing to evaluate the Scope 3 emissions targets best suited to its business. Once MKS determines its Scope 3 emissions targets, MKS will submit all of these climate goals to SBTi to be validated against SBTi guidance.

09:02 EST Lakeland Bancorp, Provident Financial extend merger agreement - Provident Financial Services (PFS) and Lakeland Bancorp (LBAI) announced that the two companies have agreed to extend their merger agreement to March 31, 2024, to provide additional time to obtain the required regulatory approvals. Both parties remain committed to the merger and to obtaining regulatory approvals. When completed, the combined company will operate under the Provident name and will benefit from enhanced scale, opportunities for growth and profitability, and Provident's and Lakeland's complementary strengths will provide exceptional service to customers and communities served.

08:56 EST LPL Financial: Stephen Freeman joins Citizens Wealth Management - LPL Financial announced that financial advisor Stephen Freeman has joined Citizens Wealth Management, the wealth management and financial planning division of Citizens Bank & Trust, and has onboarded to the LPL Institution Services platform. He reported having served approximately $130 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets and joins from Raymond James.

08:53 EST LQR House initiates warrants cancellation, will postpone public offerings - LQR House has declared a significant step by cancelling representative warrants to bolster shareholder confidence. The Company is also committing to a hiatus on offerings and capital raises, redirecting its efforts toward expanding its e-commerce presence and cultivating marketing partnerships. With approximately $8 million in cash reserves, LQR House believes that the Company can preserve cash flow, sustain business growth, and prioritize profitability.On December 16, 2023, LQR House and designees of EF Hutton entered into several agreements to cancel EF Hutton's representative warrants to purchase a total of 9,335,696 shares of the Company's common stock. These warrants had been issued to EF Hutton designees in three public offerings of the Company's common stock completed since August 11, 2023, with exercise prices ranging from $5.00 per share to $0.07 per share, encompassing all outstanding warrants of the Company. In consideration for the cancellation, LQR House agreed to compensate EF Hutton designees a total of $60,000. Given the current business environment, LQR House has also opted to delay further offerings and capital raises at this time, choosing instead to explore ventures that may enhance Company's value. This strategic decision aligns with the Company's dedication to prudent financial management and long-term value creation for its shareholders.

08:49 EST SJI, Captona, RNG Energy to construct food waste-to-RNG facility in the U.S. - SJI remains committed to investing in projects to advance the clean energy and decarbonization goals of New Jersey and our region. SJI, Captona, and RNG Energy Solutions today announce their partnership to construct one of the largest food waste-to-renewable natural gas projects in the United States. The Linden Renewable Energy Project, based in Linden, NJ will convert organic waste into pipeline-quality RNG that can be used for a variety of applications to displace fossil fuels. This marks SJI's first non-utility led anaerobic digester project that will directly connect its utility customers with a New Jersey-based RNG producer. Elizabethtown Gas, one of SJI's primary utility subsidiaries, will blend the RNG from the Project into its existing natural gas distribution system. The LRE Project will accept a wide range of feedstock, including food waste from industrial, commercial, and institutional entities, as well as grease waste from restaurants and other food service establishments. Anaerobic digestion is a natural process that breaks down waste in the absence of oxygen to produce natural gas and a nutrient-rich material that can be used as fertilizer. As a result, the LRE Project will convert up to 1,475 tons of waste to produce up to 3,783MMBtu/day of RNG-this is the energy equivalent value of 30,200 gallons of gasoline per day. The LRE Project includes development and construction of multiple off-site food waste pre-processing and depackaging operations in New York City, New York State and New Jersey. The project will begin construction this month with a target completion date of Q1 2026.

08:40 EST BK Technologies appoints Joshua Horowitz as chairman of the board - BK Technologies Corporation announced that the Board of Directors has elected Joshua Horowitz as Chairman. Mr. Horowitz was elected to the Board of Directors by the Company's stockholders at the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on December 14, 2023. Mr. Horowitz succeeds previous Chairman, Kyle Cerminara, who has stepped away from the BK Technologies Board to focus on other endeavors. Prior to his election to the Board of Directors, Mr. Horowitz served as an adviser to the BK Technologies Board since November 2021. Since January 2012, Horowitz has served as a portfolio manager and Managing Director at various Palm entities, first with Palm Ventures LLC and currently with Palm Management.

08:37 EST Collective Audience announces formation of the Advisor Collective - Collective Audienc has formed the Advisor Collective, a new strategic advisory community designed to advance the company's mission of transforming the AdTech, MarTech and digital media industry. Collective members will include industry executives with decades of leadership experience. "Our new Advisor Collective will bring together a community of industry titans, disruptors, and thought leaders who share our vision of creating a next generation advertising and media platform," stated Collective Audience CEO, Peter Bordes. "They will function as a 'think-tank' or TED Talks group to hyper collaborate on solving the issues and challenges brands and agencies face in today's highly fragmented digital ad and marketing space-from the death of the cookie to fragmentation between buyers, sellers, audiences, and walled gardens-all further compounded by lack of liquidity, innovation and access to audience data."

08:36 EST DXC Technology names Raul Fernandez as Interim President and CEO - DXC Technology announced that the company's Board of Directors has named Board member Raul Fernandez Interim President and CEO, effective immediately. Fernandez brings a wealth of executive and operational experience in the technology and investment sectors to the position. He has served as CEO of several companies including Proxicom, which he founded, Dimension Data North America and ObjectVideo. Fernandez succeeds Mike Salvino, who served as DXC President and CEO since 2019 and as Chairman since 2022 and provided leadership for a significant restructuring of the Company's operations and balance sheet. In mutual agreement with the Board, he will transition from his role as Chairman of the Board, effective immediately, and will remain in an advisory role until March 31, 2024 to help ensure a seamless transition. Additionally, DXC Lead Independent Director David Herzog has been named Chairman of the Board, to work closely with Fernandez during this time. The Board will conduct a search for a successor CEO, which will include internal and external candidates.

08:35 EST SRM Entertainment launches new retail website for SipWithMe brand - SRM Entertainment announced the launch of their SipWithMeCup.com retail website. The website provides an enhanced user experience while it highlights the Company's in-house marketing team capabilities with new photos and product illustrations.

08:34 EST Workhorse Group receives first fleet order for W56 step van - Workhorse Group announced it has received its first fleet order for the W56 step van from Mission Linen Supply. The initial 15-vehicle order is expected to be delivered in 2024. "This purchase order marks an important milestone for Workhorse as we commercialize our purpose-built Class 5/6 vehicle," said Workhorse CEO Rick Dauch. "Following the start of W56 step van production in September, we were able to deliver a fully outfitted demo vehicle to Mission Linen Supply in just six weeks. The W56 performed well in field tests and their team quickly saw that we have engineered an incredibly capable and reliable delivery van. We look forward to working with both our dealer partner, Kingsburg Truck Center, and the team at Mission Linen Supply as they electrify their fleet."

08:33 EST Ascendis Pharma announces new analyses from OLE portions of ACcomplisH - Ascendis Pharma announced new analyses from the blinded and ongoing open-label extension, OLE, portions of ACcomplisH, the Company's Phase 2 trial of TransCon CNP in children ages 2-10 years with achondroplasia. In the trial, all 57 patients have now completed one year of treatment with TransCon CNP at 100 microgram/kg/week, the dose agreed with regulatory agencies for the active arm in the pivotal ApproaCH Trial. Ascendis analyzed available data for patients who only received TransCon CNP at the 100 microgram/kg/week dose in either blinded or OLE part and were treated for one year, compared to those administered placebo for one year. Results showed that these TransCon CNP treated patients showed significant improvements in health-related quality of life and disease impacts compared to those receiving placebo. Assessments were performed with the SF-10 and Achondroplasia Child Experience Measure, with statistically significant improved outcome in TransCon CNP treated versus placebo for: SF-10 Physical Summary; ACEM Daily Living Function; ACEM Emotional Well-being. The 46 children switching from placebo or a lower dose of TransCon CNP to the 100 microgram/kg/week dose in the OLE demonstrated improved growth after one year of treatment, similar to the growth benefits seen in the 11 children treated with 100 microgram/kg/week in the one-year randomized, double-blind period of ACcomplisH.

08:29 EST Argenx down 25% in pre-market after failed efgartigimod study data - Shares of Argenx are down 25% or about $112 at $340 after the company disclosed that its ADDRESS study evaluating efgartigimod subcutaneous, or SC, in adults with pemphigus vulgaris, or PV, and pemphigus foliaceus, or PF, did not meet its primary endpoint.

08:22 EST Purple Biotech appoints Margolin to board, announces resignation of CBO - Purple Biotech (PPBT) announced the appointment of Dr. Yael Margolin as an independent member of the Company's Board of Directors. Since 2019, Dr. Margolin has served as a board member to several public and private companies in the healthtech industry, including: Point Biopharma Global (PNT), Scinai Immunotherapeutics (SCNI), Quris AI, MakeSense, Neovac, Welltech Ventures, Ramot at Tel Aviv University and TAU Ventures by Tel Aviv University. In addition, Purple announces that Fabien Sebille, who served as the Company's Chief Business Officer, CBO, resigned from such position to pursue other opportunities as of the end of November 2023.

08:21 EST Nokia announces deal to sell DM, SMP businesses to Lumine - Nokia (NOK) announced an agreement under which Lumine Group (LMGIF) will buy Nokia's Device Management and Service Management Platform businesses. The deal will enable Nokia DM and SMP customers to benefit from Lumine's telecom industry expertise, financial resources, and strategy to invest in a long-term product roadmap. The Deal marks further progress in Nokia's strategy to actively manage its Cloud and Network Services business group portfolio in order to invest in other strategic areas and enhance technology leadership. The deal is valued at EUR 185 million, which includes a contingent consideration of up to EUR 35 million based on the performance of the business during the first year following close. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to certain terms, conditions, and consultations with works council or other employee representative bodies where required by law.

08:18 EST Inter&Co announces new brand to reflect company's evolution - Inter&Co has a new brand to reflect the company's evolution. Three years after its last rebranding, the institution is unveiling a new logo, consolidating its position as a financial Super App and a smarter financial choice for more than 30 million clients in Brazil and the United States. The new branding aim to support the company's business plan to reach 60 million customers by 2027, achieving an efficiency rate of 30% and a return on equity of 30% during the same period. The company's official website is already live with the updates and a new version of the Super App is available for download. Both have the brand's more modern look and feel. "In 2015, we launched Brazil's first digital bank and transformed people's relationship with banks and the financial system by offering a fairer alternative. Looking to the future, we want to break down more barriers and change the way people deal with money. The financial Super App is the solution we have found to fulfill this goal, as well as bringing Inter's main attributes: we connect our customers with the digital world and offer the best tools for them to use money in a smarter way," says Inter&Co's CEO, Joao Vitor Menin.

08:17 EST Evolus in 'dermal fillers' licensing pact with Symatese in stock and cash deal - Evolus announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with Symatese to be the exclusive distributor in the United Kingdom U.K and Europe of four unique dermal fillers in late-stage development with anticipated regulatory clearances in second half of 2024 and commercialization under the brand name Estyme fillers in 2025. It is the second agreement made with Symatese this year - with the first obtaining exclusive distribution rights to the same product line in the U.S., where it will be commercialized under the brand name EvolysseTM in 2025. As a result of the geographic expansion of the filler line, the company has doubled its total addressable international market to $1.8B..."We are extremely excited to expand our partnership with Evolus beyond the U.S. to now include the U.K. and Europe. We firmly believe in the growth opportunity for our innovative filler lines in these markets and also in Evolus' accelerating growth in the neurotoxin market. As such, we have agreed to receive payment for the license for the European markets in the form of Evolus' common shares. We have complete confidence in the Evolus team, and we look forward to pursuing this exceptional growth opportunity together," said Jean-Paul Gerardin, CEO of Symatese. In exchange for the exclusive distribution rights in the United Kingdom and Europe, Evolus will issue 610,000 shares of the company's common stock to Symatese. Two milestone payments will be made: EUR 1.2M on the second anniversary of certain regulatory approvals currently expected to be achieved in 2026, and EUR 1.9M on the earlier of the third anniversary of certain regulatory approvals or following a year in which Evolus achieves EUR 25 M in revenue in Europe, currently expected to be achieved by 2027, both of which will be after the commercialization of the applicable products. This agreement has no material impact on the company's continued expectation to be fully funded to profitability by 2025. Evolus will also pay Symatese a mid-single-digit royalty based on net sales and a transfer price for the product. Symatese will be responsible for the development of the products, including clinical studies, product testing and the conduct of regulatory activities required to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals. The initial agreement is for a term of 15 years, with automatic five-year renewal provisions.

08:16 EST Dare Bioscience announces PK, exploratory efficacy results from DARE-PDM1 study - Dare Bioscience announced positive topline results from the Phase 1 study evaluating the pharmacokinetics, PK, safety, and exploratory efficacy of DARE-PDM1. DARE-PDM1 is an investigational product designed to deliver diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, NSAID, vaginally via the company's proprietary hydrogel to treat primary dysmenorrhea, which is defined as painful menstruation in women with normal pelvic anatomy. DARE-PDM1 has the potential to be a first-in-category product, delivering diclofenac in a convenient vaginal format that may extend the duration of pain relief and reduce the risks associated with the oral delivery of NSAIDs. "We are encouraged by these data which indicate that our candidate, DARE-PDM1, was well-tolerated and safe for premenopausal women in both treatment groups," said Dr. Annie Thurman, Medical Director of Dare Bioscience. "The most common interventions for primary dysmenorrhea include oral NSAIDs and hormonal contraceptives, which often can produce undesirable side effects such as an increased risk of gastrointestinal adverse events, including nausea, vomiting, bloating, or ulcerations. These topline Phase 1 data indicate that by leveraging a vaginal route of administration, we can provide a more convenient and accessible treatment option for women that addresses the pain-related symptoms of the condition while minimizing side effects commonly seen with the use of oral medications."

08:15 EST Red Violet announces additional $5M share repurchase authorization - Red Violet announced that on December 19, 2023, its Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of an additional $5.0 million of the Company's common stock. The authorization is effective immediately and is additive to the previous $5.0 million program, which had approximately $500,000 remaining authorized and available for repurchase as of December 19, 2023. Since the Board's authorization of the previous $5.0 million share repurchase program on May 2, 2022, the Company has repurchased $4.5 million of its common stock at a weighted average price of $18.78. "With continued confidence in our business, our pipeline, and our ability to deliver strong free cash flow, the Board of Directors and management team believe that the Company's share repurchase program, in combination with the Company's continued investment in innovation, is an important component of delivering shareholder value," stated Derek Dubner, red violet's Chairman and CEO.

08:13 EST Enlivex Therapeutics completes enrollment in Phase II trial of Allocetra - Enlivex Therapeutics announced that the Company completed enrollment of all 120 patients in its Phase II trial of Allocetra in patients with sepsis. The Phase II trial is a placebo-controlled, randomized, dose-finding, multi-country, multi-center study, evaluating frozen-formulation Allocetra in addition to standard of care in patients with sepsis associated with pneumonia, biliary, urinary tract, or peritoneal infections. Sepsis is a life-threatening disease with no therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a high unmet need. Each year, more than 1.7 million adults in the United States develop sepsis, with annual mortality of more than 270,000 due to the disease.

08:13 EST Myriad Genetics announces launch of MCRR - Myriad Genetics announced the launch of the Myriad Collaborative Research Registry, MCRR. Formerly known as the Precise Treatment Registry, the MCRR includes new data across germline and tumor testing results from Myriad's cancer products on more than one million patients. The latest enhancements make the MCRR one of the largest pan-cancer registries freely available for research use and supports transparent clinical data sharing to advance the field. The Institutional Review Board, IRB, approved registry expands access to Myriad's extensive repository of linked genomic and clinical data for researchers to discover deeper insights and accelerate the pace of precision cancer research to better prevent, detect, and treat disease.

08:12 EST Winnebago down 6% in pre-market at $70.52 after Q1 earnings miss

08:11 EST Ardelyx reports employee inducement grants - Ardelyx announced that on December 18, 2023, the compensation committee of the company's board of directors granted sixteen new non-executive employees options to purchase an aggregate of 257,119 shares of the company's common stock, and granted eighteen new non-executive employees an aggregate of 201,981 Restricted Stock Units. Each stock option has an exercise price per share equal to $6.28 per share, which was the closing trading price of the company's common stock on the date of grant. The stock options and RSUs were granted as inducements material to each employee's decision to enter into employment with Ardelyx, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). Each stock option vests over four years, with 25% of the shares vesting on the first anniversary of the employee's first date of employment, and the remaining 75% of shares vesting monthly thereafter. Each RSU vests over four years, with 25% vesting on the first company designated quarterly RSU vest date following the first anniversary of the employee's first day of employment and the remaining 75% of shares vesting quarterly thereafter. Each stock option has a 10-year term and each option and RSU is subject to the terms and conditions of the company's 2016 Employment Commencement Incentive Plan and the award agreement covering the grant.

08:11 EST WiMi Hologram adopts group intelligence algorithm for artificial neural network - WiMi Hologram Cloud adopted a group intelligence algorithm to optimize the artificial neural network. This algorithm facilitates the process of determining the network structure and the training of the artificial neural network. The group intelligence algorithm is better at finding the optimal connection weights and biases during training compared to traditional algorithms. The group intelligence algorithm is a meta-heuristic optimization algorithm inspired by observing the behavioral patterns of groups of animals and insects as their environment change. These algorithms use the simple collective behavior of certain groups of biological organisms to generate group intelligence. This allows group intelligence algorithms to solve complex optimization problems using the interaction between groups of artificial search agents and the environment. Group intelligence algorithms can solve different types of optimization problems, including continuous, discrete or multi-objective optimization problems. Therefore, they have a wide range of applications in various fields.

08:09 EST Tracon Pharmaceuticals provides update on ENVASARC Phase 2 trial - TRACON Pharmaceuticals announced that the ongoing pivotal Phase 2 ENVASARC trial has enrolled more than 70 of the 80 planned patients in Cohort C of single agent envafolimab treatment at a dose of 600 mg subQ every three weeks. Additional safety and efficacy data were reviewed for 46 patients enrolled into cohort C who were the subject of the September independent data monitoring committee review. At that time, patients had completed a minimum of 12 weeks of efficacy evaluations and the objective response rate was 13% by investigator review and 8.7% by blinded independent central review. Since then, an additional patient has achieved an objective response by investigator review, which increased the ORR by investigator review to 15%. The most recent objective response has not yet been confirmed by BICR and the patient remains on treatment. Median duration of response by BICR remains greater than six months. In addition, envafolimab remains well tolerated and grade greater than 3 related toxicity has not been reported to date. "We continue to believe that these data position envafolimab to become a potentially compelling treatment option for patients with the refractory sarcoma subtypes of UPS and MFS based on the ORR and tolerability data to date," said Charles Theuer, M.D., Ph.D., TRACON's Chief Executive Officer. "ENVASARC enrollment continues to be brisk, reflecting the high unmet need that exists for these patients."

08:07 EST Rallybio announces data for RLYB11, extends runway to Q325 - Rallybio announced preliminary Phase 1 multiple ascending dose or MAD, data for RLYB116, an innovative, long-acting, low volume subcutaneously injected inhibitor of complement component 5 C5 , in development for patients with complement-mediated diseases. "The preliminary results from this Phase 1 multiple ascending dose study of RLYB116 support continued development in patients with gMG," said Eric Watsky, M.D., RLYB116 Program Lead for Rallybio. "We are encouraged by the free C5 reductions demonstrated by RLYB116 as well as the exposures achieved with subcutaneous administration...The Company is also updating its cash runway guidance and now expects its current cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities to extend the runway into the third quarter of 2025. "We are pleased to see substantial reductions in free C5 with once weekly subcutaneous dosing of RLYB116," said Stephen Uden, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Rallybio. "The Phase 1 MAD data show us that RLYB116 can be a potential therapeutic to treat gMG and other complement mediated diseases. In the spirit of managing our cash runway to realize the most value from our portfolio, we have decided to focus our RLYB116 investments on the manufacturing process with a goal of expanding the scope of therapeutic indications and addressing unmet medical need. In parallel, we continue to advance our lead program, RLYB212, and have extended our runway into the third quarter of 2025."

08:07 EST Nikola, FirstElement Fuel announce 10-year agreement - Nikola and FirstElement Fuel have formalized a definitive 10-year agreement to refuel Nikola's hydrogen fuel cell electric truck at FEF's hydrogen refueling station in Oakland, Calif. This collaboration unifies their commitment to driving the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and marks a significant step towards a greener and more sustainable tomorrow. Under this strategic partnership, FEF is appointed as an authorized Nikola Fueling Solutions Partner. This collaboration enables Nikola customers to access fueling services at the new FEF multi-use heavy-duty truck station situated strategically near the port in Oakland, Calif. The station, which uses FEF's proprietary design, anticipates a fueling capacity of approximately 200 trucks per day, and will boast the world's first heavy-duty truck H70 fast-fill lane for efficient hydrogen refueling. The station received funding from the California Energy Commission under the NorCal Zero Project. This agreement aligns seamlessly with Nikola's initial truck launch strategy, concentrating on the deployment of its zero-emissions trucks in areas adjacent to Maritime Ports throughout Calif. and serves as the first of many partner stations to come.

08:07 EST Crown Castle enters cooperation agreement with Elliott Investment Management - Crown Castle announced a comprehensive review of the Company's fiber business and the addition of two new independent directors to the Company's Board. The initiatives were announced in connection with a cooperation agreement with Elliott Investment Management L.P., pursuant to which Crown Castle will appoint Jason Genrich, Senior Portfolio Manager at Elliott, and Sunit Patel, former Chief Financial Officer of Level-3 Communications and Executive Vice President of T-Mobile, to the Company's Board of Directors. In connection with today's appointments, W. Benjamin Moreland and Maria M. Pope will be stepping down from the Board. As a result, the Board will be comprised of 12 directors, 11 of whom are independent. As previously announced, Jay Brown will step down as a Director of the Company, effective January 16, 2024. The agreement with Elliott also contains customary standstill, voting and other provisions. The full agreement between Crown Castle and Elliott will be filed on a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the charter for the new Fiber Review Committee will be available on Crown Castle's website.

08:06 EST Crown Castle announces comprehensive review of fiber business, CEO search - Crown Castle announced a comprehensive review of the Company's fiber business and the addition of two new independent directors to the Company's Board. The initiatives were announced in connection with a cooperation agreement with Elliott Investment Management, pursuant to which Crown Castle will appoint Jason Genrich, Senior Portfolio Manager at Elliott, and Sunit Patel, former Chief Financial Officer of Level-3 Communications and Executive Vice President of T-Mobile, to the Company's Board of Directors. As part of this agreement, Crown Castle has formed the following special committees of the Board: Fiber Review Committee. The Fiber Review Committee will direct a strategic and operating review of the Company's fiber business, with the goal of enhancing and unlocking shareholder value. The Fiber Review Committee will be chaired by P. Robert Bartolo and will include four additional directors, including Anthony J. Melone, Kevin A. Stephens, and newly appointed directors Mr. Genrich and Mr. Patel. Together, the Fiber Review Committee members will work to determine the best path forward for the fiber business and will make their recommendations to the full Board. The Company will not comment further on the strategic review unless and until the Board has approved a specific course of action or until it determines that further disclosure is appropriate or necessary. Financial advisors to the Fiber Review Committee will be Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and BofA Securities, and legal counsel will be Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. CEO Search Committee. In connection with the Company's previously announced CEO transition, the Board has established a CEO Search Committee to conduct the search to identify Crown Castle's next CEO. The CEO Search Committee will be chaired by Tammy K. Jones and will also include Mr. Bartolo, Mr. Genrich and Kevin T. Kabat.

08:04 EST Bit Digital announces receipt of first tranche of AI servers - Bit Digital is pleased to announce that is has received an initial batch of servers that are equipped with Nvidia HGX H100 GPUs from Super Micro Computer. To date, the company has received 89 servers which will be shipped and delivered to the datacenter in Iceland by the end of this month. Bit Digital expects to receive the remaining 103 servers by the first week of January 2024 and subsequently deploy them in Iceland during January 2024. Additionally, Bit Digital has amended the terms of its agreement such that the company has now received a three-month prepayment from its customer.

08:01 EST Recursion Pharmaceuticals enters partnership with Enamine - Recursion announced its partnership with Enamine to generate enriched screening libraries with insights from Recursion's protein-ligand interaction predictions spanning across Enamine's massive library of 36 billion compounds. To begin the partnership, Enamine and Recursion will mutually agree upon up to 100 biological targets around which they will build screening libraries. From there, Recursion will utilize MatchMaker's predicted protein-ligand interactions for Enamine REAL Space containing 36B compounds to design compound libraries enriched for molecules that are likely to bind to biological targets. Enamine may offer the resulting libraries to customers for purchase and will co-brand any libraries under both the Enamine and MatchMaker trademarks. As part of the agreement, Recursion will receive a significant number of unique REAL compounds of Recursion's choosing to augment its internal compound library, at no cost. Furthermore, Recursion will receive preferential pricing on any enriched screening libraries made available to Enamine customers as part of the collaboration.

07:44 EST BioLargo receives purchase order for AEC installment in NJ - BioLargo received a purchase order for its Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator to be installed at a water treatment facility in Stockholm, New Jersey. BioLargo's AEC is an eco-friendly water treatment technology for effectively removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from contaminated water, including drinking water.

07:42 EST GSK enters exclusive license agreement with Hansoh for HS-20093 - GSK plc and Hansoh Pharma, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, announced that they have entered into an exclusive license agreement for HS-20093, a B7-H3 targeted antibody-drug conjugate, or ADC, utilising a clinically validated topoisomerase inhibitor payload. Under the agreement, GSK will obtain exclusive worldwide rights, excluding China's mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, to progress clinical development and commercialisation of HS-20093. Hesham Abdullah, SVP, Global Head Oncology, R&D, GSK, said: "B7-H3 is highly expressed in a broad range of solid tumours where there remains a significant need for novel treatment options. We look forward to progressing this potential new treatment across several indications and in future potential combination approaches with our established portfolio." GSK plans to begin phase I trials for HS-20093 outside of China in 2024. In October 2023, GSK and Hansoh entered into an agreement for HS-20089, a B7-H4 targeted ADC currently in phase II clinical trials in China. HS-20089 has best-in-class potential in ovarian and endometrial cancer with opportunities in other solid tumours. Under the terms of this agreement, GSK will pay $185 million upfront. In addition, Hansoh will be eligible to receive up to $1.525 billion in success-based milestones for HS-20093. Upon commercialisation of HS-20093, GSK will pay tiered royalties on global net sales outside of China's mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. This agreement is subject to customary conditions, including applicable regulatory agency clearances under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act in the U.S.

07:38 EST GeoPark Ecopetrol - "GeoPark i(GPRK) s pleased to announce the appointment of Jaime Caballero Uribe to the position of CFO, effective January 15. Jaime will be responsible for GeoPark's financial stewardship and associated activities, including capital allocation, business planning, performance management and execution, oil and gas marketing/commercial, capital markets, shareholder value, tax, financial reporting and information technology. He brings more than 25 years of industry and finance experience to GeoPark, including senior positions in large corporations as well as in start-ups and entrepreneurial businesses. Until August, Jaime was Group CFO at Ecopetrol (EC)...

07:37 EST Trinity Capital expands Phoenix headquarters - Trinity Capital announced the expansion of its Phoenix headquarters, reaffirming Trinity's longstanding commitment to the region as it continues to scale its business. Trinity has doubled the total space leased at its corporate headquarters at 1 North 1st Street to 30,000 square feet by expanding to the fourth floor from its existing third-floor offices.

07:36 EST Altus Power acquires 'core business' of Unico Solar, no terms - "Continuing its growth momentum and further cementing its presence on the West Coast, Altus Power announced the strategic acquisition of the core business of Unico Solar Investors or Unico Solar. Altus will acquire Unico Solar's development platform, pipeline and senior leadership team as well as new offices in Denver and Seattle.This acquisition illustrates Altus Power's continued ability to efficiently acquire assets and platforms. As part of the acquisition, Unico Solar's development platform and pipeline will become wholly owned by Altus Power and Unico Solar's development team will be integrated with and into the customer-centric Altus team..."Unico Solar has built a dynamic solar development platform centered on overcoming customer adoption barriers for commercial rooftop and community solar projects, largely in the western U.S.," said Brett Phillips, co-Founder and Vice President, Unico Solar. "Joining forces with Altus Power brings together market leaders in the commercial and industrial solar energy vertical that will supercharge project development for real estate owners and users on a national scale."

07:36 EST Quest Diagnostics names Yuri A. Fesko, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer - Quest Diagnostics announced that Yuri A. Fesko, M.D., has been named senior vice president and chief medical officer, effective immediately. Prior to joining Quest, Dr. Fesko was medical director of oncology for Duke Cancer Center at Raleigh, N.C., where he focused on genitourinary oncology and multiple myeloma both in clinical practice and for clinical trials, and chief of oncology for Wake County in North Carolina.

07:34 EST Palatin completes sale of Vyleesi to Cosette Pharmaceuticals for up to $171M - Palatin Technologies announced the sale of Vyleesi to Cosette Pharmaceuticals for up to $171M, consisting of an upfront purchase price of $12M plus contingent, sales-based milestone payments of up to $159M. Vyleesi is the first and only as-needed treatment approved by the FDA for premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder.

07:34 EST Victory Square's Hydreight adds semaglutide to product offerings - Victory Square Technologies announced that portfolio company Hydreight Technologies announced that healthcare providers and their patients now have access to Semaglutide through the Hydreight platform. Semaglutide injections are commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. It can also be used together with diet and exercise to help control blood sugar and has become popular to help with weight management. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist and is only available with a doctor's prescription and needs to be injected on a regular basis.

07:32 EST Absci, PrecisionLife enter R&D partnership for AI-enabled drug pipeline - Absci and PrecisionLife announced a collaboration to develop a joint portfolio of potential therapeutics addressing unmet medical needs. The collaboration combines Absci's speed and strength in antibody design and optimization with PrecisionLife's deep understanding of complex disease biology and expertise in identifying the mechanisms, drug targets and treatments that are relevant to specific patients to create a pipeline of novel biotherapeutics. Under the partnership, Absci and PrecisionLife will work together to discover and develop a shared pipeline of biotherapeutics for up to five mutually agreed-upon targets and indications, then jointly evaluate options to most effectively advance programs against such targets. Absci and PrecisionLife will actively collaborate to select chronic disease drug targets linked to patients with unmet clinical needs and maximize the innovation potential of their respective approaches. The Partners will share in the potential value of programs developed against any specific targets. With this new partnership, Absci has now signed ten new Active Programs this year, achieving the Company's outlook for 2023.

07:28 EST Jeffs' Brands to invest in remote wireless power transmission technology - Jeffs' Brands signed an additional non-binding letter of intent with Sky Growth Partners, to invest in advanced laser- based wireless power transmission technology systems, for the remote charging of drones and unmanned aircrafts. The LOI, previously announced on December 15, 2023, follows the Company's announcement from November 29, 2023, in which the board of directors resolved to identify potential strategic transactions, in the field of advanced technologies, with the goal of maximizing shareholder value. According to the LOI, Sky Growth will establish and transfer all of its rights in the technology to a new Israeli company that will develop, manufacture and market the technology. Following an investment of $2.5 million by Jeffs' Brands, it will hold a 70% equity interest in NewCo. The LOI also includes certain milestone conditions that if achieved by NewCo, will grant the founders, for no additional consideration, additional equity interests in NewCo. NewCo plans on developing a technological system based on a pending patent. The system will enable wireless charging for drones and unmanned aircrafts. Unlike conventional charging methods, that rely on cumbersome cables, robust infrastructure, pads and more, Digital Light Processing wireless charging systems utilizes precision laser to transmit energy wirelessly to infrastructure, drones, unmanned aircraft and other platforms. This technology eliminates the need for physical connectors, making the charging process more efficient, seamless, convenient and enabling new technologies to be developed and adopted, for various uses, such as commercial drone applications. The Investment is subject to the successful completion of due diligence, the execution of binding definitive agreements with respect to the Investment and compliance with any regulatory requirements and approvals.

07:13 EST Laser Photonics completes equipment training exercise at Fort Liberty - Laser Photonics has completed an equipment training exercise at Fort Liberty following the U.S. Army facilities recent purchase of a CleanTech LPC-3000-CTHD laser cleaning system. To conduct the training, Laser Photonics' senior engineer traveled to Fort Liberty, formerly known as Fort Bragg, home of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. The training that took place focused on the fleet and equipment maintenance for which the product was purchased. Actual cleaning during the occasion was conducted by military personnel and guided by Laser Photonics.

07:10 EST Extreme Networks appoints Monica Kumar as CMO - Extreme Networks announced that Monica Kumar has been appointed as the company's new executive VP and chief marketing officer, or CMO. Kumar brings extensive B2B marketing experience with a history of accelerating growth through compelling product differentiation and impactful, revenue generating go-to-market strategies. Kumar will lead the company's global marketing organization and report to Extreme's President and CEO, Ed Meyercord. Prior to Extreme, Kumar served as CMO at Hitachi Vantara.

07:08 EST Henry Schein partners withTriMedand and Extremity teams to broaden orthopedics - Henry Schein announced plans to enter the upper- and lower-extremities specialty segment of the orthopedic market in line with our long-standing strategy. The Company announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire a majority interest in TriMed, a global developer of solutions for the orthopedic treatment of lower extremities, foot and ankle, and upper extremities, primarily hand and wrist . Headquartered in Santa Clarita, CA, TriMed had 2022 net sales of approximately $48M. The transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals and closing conditions, and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024. Henry Schein expects the transaction to be neutral to 2024 non-GAAP earnings per share and accretive thereafter. Financial terms were not disclosed. In addition, Henry Schein has entered into a strategic relationship with Extremity Medical , an innovative medical device company focused on developing new products for fusion, fixation, and motion preservation in the orthopedic treatment of the lower extremities and wrist. Headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, Extremity Medical will operate as a separate, stand-alone company. "Partnering with the TriMed and Extremity teams will provide Henry Schein with a platform to establish ourselves as a leading manufacturer and supplier in the Foot and Ankle as well as Hand and Wrist extremity segments of the orthopedic market," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. "We believe the experienced leadership team that we have assembled is well-positioned to leverage our deep and longstanding relationships with existing integrated delivery network and ambulatory surgery center customers."

07:07 EST ProMIS Neurosciences announces publication on novel target for ALS - ProMIS Neurosciences announced a publication identifying Receptor for Activated C-Kinase 1 as a novel misfolded protein target for ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The article published in the online edition of Acta Neuropathologica Communications is titled, "Targeting RACK1 to alleviate TDP-43 and FUS proteinopathy-mediated suppression of protein translation and neurodegeneration." "We are particularly pleased to have our data published in this well-regarded, peer-reviewed journal and contribute to the growing body of scientific knowledge on the pathogenic role of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative diseases," said Gail Farfel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of ProMIS Neurosciences. "In addition, these data on RACK1 deliver another target for our pipeline as we advance clinical development of our lead product, PMN310, for Alzheimer's disease."

07:05 EST InspireMD announces issuance of key U.S. patent covering SwitchGuard NPS - InspireMD announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 11,844,893, titled, "Shunts with Blood Flow Indicators." The patent covers key aspects of the company's SwitchGuard Neuroprotection System, NPS, along with future features in development that are expected to enable the treating physician to visualize flow through the system. The SwitchGuard NPS is designed to allow the physician to reverse blood flow to the brain during a carotid artery stenting procedure, including Transcarotid Artery Revascularization or other neurovascular procedures. The SwitchGuard NPS is designed to prevent embolic debris generated during the procedure from traveling to the brain. Marvin Slosman, Chief Executive Officer of InspireMD, stated, "The issuance of this patent demonstrates our continued priority to develop and build on our robust intellectual property to support our innovations, while expanding our product portfolio for optimal patient outcomes in the treatment of carotid artery disease with the utmost safety in mind. This coupled with our CGuard Prime Carotid Stent System should provide clinicians with innovation and safety during carotid revascularization procedures and minimize the risk of stroke."

07:03 EST Ginkgo Bioworks, OneOne Biosciences announce new partnership - OneOne Biosciences and Ginkgo Bioworks announced a new partnership. This collaboration will leverage Ginkgo's robust ag biologicals infrastructure, biotechnological expertise, and Strain Optimization Services to accelerate OneOne's research and product development in agricultural microbial solutions. OneOne's initial focus is on developing a Livepod for nitrogen fixation, a roughly $100B market. OneOne will work with Ginkgo for in vitro and in planta assays to test OneOne's concept. In a second phase, Ginkgo plans to use its Strain Optimization Services and ultra high throughput encapsulated screening to provide optimized strains for nitrogen fixation. The strains may then progress to field trials and regulatory preparations before commercialization.

06:57 EST Aecom appointed to Intelligent Automation framework agreement with NHS SBS - Aecom announced it has been appointed to an Intelligent Automation framework agreement with National Health Service Shared Business Services, which provides a procurement vehicle for all NHS and public sector organizations in the United Kingdom. The framework agreement will support the adoption, implementation, and ongoing development of Intelligent Automation to help increase efficiency, reduce costs and risks, and improve customer and patient experience. Aecom has been appointed to Lot 1 of the framework, which covers Intelligent Automation services and is designed to provide expertise and specialist support to help organizations set up and implement in-house Intelligent Automation services, with the end goal being to transfer the day-to-day running of Intelligent Automation back to the organization.

06:38 EST Integra Resources submits Draft Mine Plan of Operations for DeLamar Project - Integra Resources is pleased to announce that it has submitted the Draft Mine Plan of Operations to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for the DeLamar and Florida Mountain Project located in southwestern Idaho. During the MPO review process by the BLM, the company will continue permitting efforts in anticipation of the start of the NEPA and DEIS process at DeLamar. The baseline studies and MPO will serve as a basis for various permits, some that are required to be in place prior to construction, including Point of Compliance Permitting, Cyanidation Permits, and Air Permitting with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality as well as Section 404 of the Clean Water Act with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Upon receipt of a completeness determination from the BLM, Integra will begin the Notice of Intent process which initiates development of the DEIS in mid-2024. The company will also continue Tribal engagement and initiate the Programmatic Agreement process. The PA is a formal document established between the company, governmental agencies, and Tribal Nations. The PA includes framework for identifying, managing, and mitigating any potential impacts on culturally sensitive areas or historical sites.

06:36 EST EU new car registrations up 6.7% in November - In November, the EU's car market grew by "a modest but reasonably robust" 6.7%, the ACEA reported. "Despite a relatively low base of comparison, solid growth persisted, marking the sixteenth consecutive month of expansion," the industry group stated. Publicly traded companies in the space include Ford (F), General Motors (GM), Honda (HMC), Mercedes-Benz Group (DDAIF), Nissan (NSANY), Stellantis (STLA), Tesla (TSLA), Toyota (TM) and Volkswagen (VWAGY). Reference Link

06:33 EST Oculis announces first patient first visit in Phase 3 OPTIMIZE-2 trial of OCS-01 - Oculis Holding announced First Patient First Visit in OCS-01 Phase 3 OPTIMIZE-2 trial for the treatment of inflammation and pain following cataract surgery. Data from the Phase 3 OPTIMIZE-2 trial is intended to support the company's NDA submission to the FDA. If approved, OCS-01 has the potential to be the first once-daily, topical, preservative-free corticosteroid for treating inflammation and pain following ocular surgery.

06:09 EST Beam Global announces 20% increase in new unit sales from county-level entities - Beam Global announced over 20% increase in new unit sales year-over-year from county-level entities with a balance of new county customers (56%) and returning repeat county customers (44%). County parks, county hospitals, court systems, public works, public transit centers, fleet facilities and child support services are among the recipients of the solar-powered EV ARC EV charging infrastructure products.

06:05 EST SSR Mining announces sale of EMX units - SSR Mining (SSRM) is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement with Scotiabank under which Scotiabank will purchase by way of a block trade 6,161,524 units at a price of C$1.93 per Unit for gross proceeds to SSR Mining of C$11,891,741. Each Unit consists of one freely-tradeable common share of EMX Royalty Corp. (EMX) owned by SSR Mining and one right to purchase an additional common share of EMX owned by SSR Mining at a price of C$2.27 per share expiring on December 31, 2024. In the event all of the Options are exercised, the total gross proceeds to SSR Mining would be C$25,878,401 at a blended price of C$2.10 per share. Immediately prior to the Sale, SSR Mining owned 12,323,048 common shares of EMX representing approximately 11.0% of the issued and outstanding common shares of EMX. As a result of the Sale and prior to any exercise of the Options, SSR Mining's ownership in EMX has decreased to 6,161,524 common shares, representing approximately 5.5% of the issued and outstanding common shares of EMX. If all of the Options are exercised, SSR Mining will own no common shares of EMX. The Sale is expected to close on December 22, 2023, subject to customary closing conditions. Net proceeds of the Sale will be paid directly to SSR Mining. EMX will not receive any proceeds from the Sale. The proceeds of the Sale will be used towards SSR Mining's organic growth initiatives and ongoing capital returns, reflecting the company's successful strategy of reinvesting proceeds from non-core asset sales into higher-return opportunities within the company's portfolio. Since the start of 2021, SSR Mining has realized in excess of $300M in aggregate consideration for non-core asset sales.

06:03 EST Aurinia Pharmaceuticals submits IND application to FDA for AUR200 - Aurinia announced the submission of its Investigational New Drug application to the U.S. FDA for AUR200, a potential next generation therapy for B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases. Upon receiving FDA clearance to proceed with proposed research, Aurinia plans to initiate a Phase 1 study in the first half of 2024 to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of AUR200 in healthy volunteers.

05:59 EST Okta announces acquisition of Israeli cybersecurity company Spera - Okta on Tuesday announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Spera Security, an Identity security platform, to broaden its Identity threat detection and security posture management capabilities. In a blog post, Okta said: "Earlier this year, we announced key capabilities to Okta FastPass, our phishing-resistant, passwordless authenticator; unveiled Identity Threat Protection with Okta AI at Oktane; and released Okta Privileged Access in GA. This acquisition continues our investment in secure Identity product offerings and furthers our vision to free everyone to safely use any technology. We anticipate the acquisition to close during our fiscal first quarter beginning February 1, 2024. The acquisition has no impact on our previously communicated guidance." Reference Link

05:39 EST NaaS establishes strategic partnership with Shandong Hi-Speed New Energy - NaaS and its subsidiary Sinopower Holding formed strategic partnerships with Shandong Hi-Speed New Energy. The signing ceremony was held in Hong Kong Science Park. The parties plan to exploit respective resources, know-how and experience and team up with all ecosystem partners, to make a foray into all segments of the national or international new energy market, which include photovoltaic project development, construction and operation of charging stations, and development of smart microgrid systems, with a view to promoting regional low-carbon and green development.

05:26 EST Jupiter Acquisition announces termination of Filament Health combination - Jupiter Acquisition announced the mutually agreed termination of the previously announced business combination agreement with Filament Health Corp. The special meeting of stockholders of Jupiter scheduled to reconvene on Thursday, December 28. Eastern Time, at which stockholders of Jupiter were to be asked to vote to approve the business combination agreement and the business combination contemplated thereby, among other related matters, has been cancelled. Jupiter will redeem all of the outstanding shares of its Class A common stock issued as part of the units sold in Jupiter's initial public offering, effective as of the close of business on December 26 because Jupiter's board of directors has determined that Jupiter will not be able to consummate an initial business combination within the time period set forth in Jupiter's amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended. As permitted under the charter, the board has set December 19 as the termination date following which Jupiter will, in accordance with the charter, cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account not previously released to Jupiter to pay its taxes, divided by the number of the then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of the public stockholders, subject to applicable law, and as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to Jupiter's obligations under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. The per-share redemption price for the public shares is expected to be approximately $10.34. In accordance with the terms of the related trust agreement and the charter, Jupiter expects to retain interest earned on the funds deposited in the trust account to pay its tax obligations, if any, and $100,000 of dissolution expenses. Jupiter's initial stockholders have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to the outstanding shares of Class A common stock issued upon conversion of the shares of Class B common stock issued prior to the IPO and underlying the private placement units issued in connection with the IPO. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to Jupiter's warrants, which will expire worthless.

05:10 EST JinkoSolar extends share repurchase program - JinkoSolar announced that its board of directors has authorized the company to extend its existing share repurchase program launched in July 2022 for an additional 18-month period through June 30, 2025. Under the existing share repurchase program, the company is authorized to repurchase up to $200M of its ordinary shares represented by American depositary shares, or ADSs. As of the date of this press release, the company had repurchased approximately $9.1M of the ADSs authorized under the existing share repurchase program, and the remaining approximately $190.9M of the ADSs had not been utilized. Under the extended share repurchase program, the company may repurchase up to approximately $190.9M of its ordinary shares represented by the ADSs through June 30, 2025.