Stockwinners Market Radar for May 09, 2024 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:09 EDT Disney director James Gorman buys $2.12M in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Disney disclosed that its director James Gorman bought 20K share shares of common stock on May 8th in a total transaction size of $2.12M.

18:26 EDT RB Global raises FY24 adjusted EBITDA view to $1.20B-$1.26B from $1.17B-$1.23B - Affirms FY 24 Gross transaction value, or GTV, growth outlook of 1%-4%.

17:53 EDT Orthofix receives FDA clearance to market Rodeo Telescopic Nail - Orthofix announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance to market its Rodeo Telescopic Nail.

17:49 EDT Orion Group awarded $80M contract for marine construction business - Orion Group announced a contract award valued at nearly $80M for its Marine construction business. The contract was awarded by Port Everglades Seaport Engineering & Construction Division through Moss Construction as Managing General Contractor for the Port Everglades Bulkhead Replacement Project - Group 1, an infrastructure upgrade at one of the nation's busiest ports. Orion has supported Port Everglades and worked with Moss successfully on previous projects.

17:48 EDT Xbox game 'Sea of Thieves' best-selling digital PS5 game in Europe in April - Xbox Game Studios' (MSFT) 2018 multiplayer title "Sea of Thieves" was the best-selling video game on Sony's (SONY) digital PlayStation Store in Europe last month following the game's release on the PlayStation 5 in late April. In the European Union, four of the top ten best-selling games on PS5 are Microsoft-owned, including "Sea of Thieves," "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III," "Grounded," and "Fallout 4." "Sea of Thieves," meanwhile" was also the third best-selling PS5 game in the U.S. and Canada in April. Reference Link

17:15 EDT Pembina Pipeline increases cash dividend 3.4% to 69c per share - Pembina Pipeline declared a common share cash dividend for Q2 of 69c per share, an increase of 3.4% to be paid on June 28 to shareholders of record on June 17.

17:03 EDT Sun Life Financial raises quarterly dividend to 81c per share from 78c - The dividend is payable June 28, 2024 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 29, 2024.

16:51 EDT Granite secures $25M contract from McDonald Property Group near Ontario airport - Granite has been awarded a $25 million contract by McDonald Property Group to retrofit offsite infrastructure at the east end of the runway of the Ontario International Airport. The project was included in Granite's first-quarter CAP.

16:42 EDT Virtus Investment reports April AUM of $170.1B vs. $179.3B last month

16:34 EDT Bowlero acquires Thunderbowl Lanes in Michigan, terms not disclosed - Bowlero announced they have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Michigan, including the business and the underlying 8 acres of land. This transaction is expected to close in June 2024 and will be funded through an all-cash transaction. Thunderbowl Lanes is the largest bowling center in the United States. This expansive location spans over 98,000 sq. ft. and is home to 90 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, banquet and meeting rooms, a sports bar, billiards, and the Greater Detroit Bowling Association Hall of Fame. The acquisition of Thunderbowl Lanes marks the company's sixth location in Michigan. "We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Thunderbowl Lanes," stated Thomas Shannon, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bowlero. "Thunderbowl's impressive facilities and prime location near Detroit complement our existing portfolio, furthering our commitment to strategic growth and enhancing the guest experience in new markets. We eagerly anticipate integrating Thunderbowl Lanes into the Bowlero family as we continue our growth trajectory."

16:33 EDT Metallus still sees 2024 CapEx $60M

16:32 EDT AnaptysBio announces GEMINI-2 Phase 3 trial results - AnaptysBio announced positive top-line results from its global GEMINI-1 and GEMINI-2 Phase 3 trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of investigational imsidolimab in patients with generalized pustular psoriasis, a severe orphan disease that is potentially life-threatening if left untreated. In the 45-patient GEMINI-1 Phase 3 trial, patients were randomized 1:1:1 to receive a single infusion of 750mg intravenous imsidolimab, 300mg IV imsidolimab or placebo at Day 0. Of the patients who received a single dose of 750mg IV imsidolimab, 53% achieved a GPP Physician Global Assessment score of 0/1 at Week 4, compared to 13% of the patients on placebo. Of the patients who received a single dose of 300mg IV imsidolimab, 53% achieved GPPPGA 0/1 at Week 4. Sixteen GPPPGA 0/1 responder patients from GEMINI-1 were subsequently re-randomized to monthly maintenance dosing of either 200mg subcutaneous imsidolimab or placebo in the GEMINI-2 Phase 3 trial. Patients were followed for at least 24 weeks and up to a maximum of 92 weeks. Of the eight responding patients from GEMINI-1 who were re-randomized to monthly 200mg SC imsidolimab maintenance therapy, 100% maintained a GPPPGA score of 0/1 and none of them experienced a flare. Of the remaining eight responding patients from GEMINI-1 who were re-randomized to placebo, 25% maintained a GPPPGA score of 0/1 and 63% experienced a flare.

16:31 EDT AnaptysBio to receive $50M from amended agreement with Sagard - AnaptysBio announced the execution of an amended agreement with Sagard Healthcare for additional Anaptys Jemperli royalties. Anaptys intends to utilize the proceeds of the transaction to continue the broad development of its immune cell modulators, including its best-in-class checkpoint agonists, in heterogeneous, systemic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Upon closing of this transaction, which is anticipated by the end of next week, Sagard will pay Anaptys $50 million upfront in exchange for royalties payable to Anaptys under its GSK collaboration on all annual global net sales of Jemperli. The amended agreement now includes the royalty tiers of 12% to 25% for annual global net sales above $1 billion.

16:28 EDT Victory Capital reports AUM of $163.6B as of April 30, 2024 - Victory Capital Holdings reported Total Assets Under Management of $163.6B, Other Assets of $4.7B, and Total Client Assets of $168.3B, as of April 30, 2024. For the month of April, average Total AUM was $166.3B, average Other Assets was $4.9B, and average Total Client Assets was $171.2B.

16:26 EDT Revance announces commercial launch of DAXXIFY - Revance Therapeutics announced the commercial launch of DAXXIFY for injection for the treatment of cervical dystonia, providing patients and physicians with a compelling new treatment option for a painful and disabling chronic condition. The launch marks Revance's entry into the large and growing U.S. therapeutics neurotoxin market. "DAXXIFY provides a significant opportunity for Revance and marks the culmination of our decades-long mission to bring true innovation to the therapeutics market. Between DAXXIFY's differentiated clinical profile, compelling value proposition and safety profile, DAXXIFY has the potential to address the unmet needs of all stakeholders, including patients, physicians and payers," said President and Chief Executive Officer, Mark J. Foley. Following the FDA's approval of DAXXIFY for cervical dystonia in August 2023, Revance launched the DAXXIFY cervical dystonia PrevU early experience program with the objective of optimizing treatment outcomes for patients and ensuring smooth practice integration. Revance subsequently established its commercial infrastructure in preparation for launch, received a permanent J-Code for DAXXIFY from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (which streamlines the reimbursement pathway for providers), operationalized reimbursement support services to minimize potential hurdles to adoption, and launched patient affordability programs to support patients with out-of-pocket costs.

16:24 EDT National Healthcare raises quarterly dividend 3.4% to 61c per share - National HealthCare Corporation announced that it will pay a quarterly dividend of 61c per common share to shareholders of record on June 28, 2024 and payable on August 1, 2024. This represents a 3.4% increase over last quarter's regular common dividend.

16:21 EDT Evolent Health, Careology form strategic care navigation partnership - Evolent Health announced it is partnering with Careology, a digital cancer care platform, to enable more coordinated, connected and empowered journeys for people living with cancer in the U.S. The agreement will bring together Careology's "patient-first" digital solution with Evolent's comprehensive care navigation services. The joint offering will create a platform that connects and empowers patients with personalized information and intuitive tools to understand their diagnoses and treatment regimens, as well as manage symptoms and potential treatment side-effects. These navigation capabilities will enhance Evolent's expertise in best practices and clinical pathways to guide cancer treatment and tackle preventable and costly complications.

16:19 EDT Tyra Biosciences sees cash, equivalents sufficient to execute plan through 2026

16:17 EDT LinkBancorp announces sale of New Jersey operations - LinkBancorp announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, LINKBANK, entered into a definite purchase and assumption agreement under which American Heritage Federal Credit Union, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will acquire LINKBANK's banking operations and 3 branches in New Jersey. The transaction includes approximately $105M of deposits and $123M in loans. The 3 branches were previously part of the Liberty Bell Bank division of The Bank of Delmarva, which merged with LINBANK as part of the company's recent merger with Partners Bancorp. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second half of 2024.

16:10 EDT Funko names Cynthia Williams CEO - Funko announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Cynthia Williams as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective May 20, 2024. Williams is also expected to join the Funko Board of Directors on that date. Michael Lunsford will remain the company's Interim CEO until Ms. Williams joins the company in May. Williams will bring nearly two decades of senior leadership experience across the consumer products, gaming and e-commerce industries. Most recently, Williams served as president of Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Gaming division, where she oversaw the company's portfolio of games that includes Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Monopoly. During her tenure at Hasbro, Williams successfully scaled areas of growth and positioned the Gaming division for continued success amid evolving consumer demand. Prior to that, Williams spent several years at Microsoft, most recently as General Manager and Vice President, Gaming Ecosystem Commercial Team, where she drove the significant expansion of Xbox Gaming. Earlier, Williams was a senior executive at Amazon for over a decade, where she played a key role in the global growth of their e-commerce direct-to-consumer business, Fulfillment by Amazon.

16:09 EDT Granite Ridge Resources backs FY24 guidance - Still sees annual production of 23,250-25,250 Boe per day with oil as a percentage of sales volumes of 47%.

16:06 EDT Savers Value Village names Michael Maher CFO - Savers Value Village announced that Michael Maher has been appointed to the role of Chief Financial Officer, replacing current CFO, Jay Stasz, effective May 13, 2024. Mr. Maher will be based at the Company's headquarters in Bellevue, Washington and will report to Mark Walsh, Chief Executive Officer. In order to assist with a successful transition, Mr. Stasz has agreed to remain employed by the Company in an advisory role through August 12, 2024. "We are excited to welcome Michael to Savers' leadership team. He is a proven public company financial leader and is recognized for his strategic mindset, delivery of results, effective collaboration and strong communication skills. The Board and I believe Michael has the ideal skillset to help us capitalize on our growth opportunities ahead," said Mr. Walsh. "On behalf of the entire Savers Value Village organization, I want to thank Jay for his contributions to Savers, including his leadership during our successful transition to becoming a public company. We wish him all the best."

16:02 EDT Expensify sees FY24 free cash flow $11M-$13M

14:00 EDT ESG 'absolutely core' to what TeraWulf does, CFO tells The Fly

14:00 EDT TeraWulf CFO sees incrementally more value longer term in AI

13:28 EDT U.S. Cellular up 5% after report of Verizon, T-Mobile takeover interest

13:25 EDT Telephone and Data trading resumes

13:20 EDT U.S. Cellular trading halted, volatility trading pause

13:00 EDT Masimo offers to appoint Politan Capital nominee to board - Craig Reynolds, Masimo's lead independent director, sent a letter to Politan Capital Management's managing partner Quentin Koffey which stated in part, " I believe it is critical that Politan Capital Management LP and the Company reach an agreement with respect to the upcoming 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders that allows us to avoid the significant distraction and expense of a proxy contest, as you similarly noted in your press release issued on March 25, 2024. Toward that end, I am writing to reiterate the verbal settlement offer I extended on May 6, 2024. The Company is prepared to appoint your director nominee William R. Jellison as a Class II Director if Politan will withdraw its other nominee and drop its proxy contest...Reaching a settlement would provide stockholders immediate clarity on the path forward, confidence that management can focus on operational execution and not be distracted by a proxy contest, and reassurance that the separation process will continue uninterrupted. We have a clear path towards maximizing stockholder value through a separation of the Consumer Business approved by an independent board, 50% of which (3 of 6 directors) would be Politan-nominated directors."

12:33 EDT Cineverse Podcast Network reaches 9.6M unique listeners in April - Cineverse Podcast Network has achieved a new milestone, attracting 9.6 million unique listeners and generating 12.7 million downloads and streams in April 2024. This impressive growth has propelled the network to the #8 spot in North America for listeners, sandwiched between industry giants The New York Times and The Walt Disney Company, and #17 for downloads and streams.

12:19 EDT Wipro Hydraulics enters agreement to acquire Mailhot Industries - Wipro Hydraulics announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Mailhot Industries, a Novacap portfolio company, headquartered in Quebec, Canada, subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals. Established in 1956, Mailhot Industries has become a North American leader in hydraulic cylinder manufacturing. Mailhot Industries specializes in the refuse trucks and snow removal equipment market and is known for the reliability of their products in demanding work environments. The acquisition also includes JARP Industries, a part of Mailhot Industries and a leader in custom hydraulic and remanufactured cylinders for segments including utilities, mining, defense, and oil & gas.

12:01 EDT Endeavour Silver rises 19.3% - Endeavour Silver is up 19.3%, or 53c to $3.27.

12:00 EDT PlayAGS rises 27.5% - PlayAGS is up 27.5%, or $2.46 to $11.42.

12:00 EDT B&G Foods falls -24.4% - B&G Foods is down -24.4%, or -$2.81 to $8.73.

11:01 EDT CrowdStrike, Google Cloud announce strategic partnership agreement - CrowdStrike (CRWD) announced an expanded strategic partnership with Google Cloud (GOOGL) to power Mandiant's Incident Response and Managed Detection and Response services leveraging the CrowdStrike Falcon platform and the Google Cloud Security Operations platform. The partnership focuses on CrowdStrike's Endpoint Detection and Response, Identity Threat Detection and Response and Exposure Management solutions.

10:39 EDT Jaguar Health announces submission of clinical trial applications for crofelemer - Jaguar Health announced that Jaguar family companies Napo Pharmaceuticals and Napo Therapeutics have submitted a Clinical Trial Application to the Italian and German health authorities to initiate a phase 2 clinical trial of Jaguar's novel plant-based prescription drug crofelemer for treatment of short bowel syndrome, or SBS, with intestinal failure in adults. Napo Therapeutics has also submitted a CTA to AIFA, the Italian health authority, for the conduct of a clinical trial in pediatric patients with microvillus inclusion disease, or MVID, and the approval request process is also underway for this trial in the United Arab Emirates with Dubai Health. The MVID clinical trial is being conducted under an active U.S. Investigational New Drug in the U.S., the company noted.

10:05 EDT RAPT Therapeutics trading resumes

10:01 EDT BG Staffing falls -22.6% - BG Staffing is down -22.6%, or -$2.07 to $7.06.

10:00 EDT Warby Parker rises 17.3% - Warby Parker is up 17.3%, or $2.15 to $14.59.

10:00 EDT Compass rises 18.3% - Compass is up 18.3%, or 60c to $3.88.

09:59 EDT HHS announces Increasing Organ Transplant Access model - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, is announcing the Increasing Organ Transplant Access, or IOTA, Model. "The proposed model, which would be implemented by the CMS Innovation Center, aims to increase access to kidney transplants for all people living with end-stage renal disease, or ESRD, improve the quality of care for people seeking kidney transplants, reduce disparities among individuals undergoing the process to receive a kidney transplant, and increase the efficiency and capability of transplant hospitals selected to participate," the HHS stated in a press release yesterday.

09:48 EDT Warby Parker rises 14.7% - Warby Parker is up 14.7%, or $1.83 to $14.27.

09:47 EDT PlayAGS rises 21.1% - PlayAGS is up 21.1%, or $1.89 to $10.85.

09:47 EDT Enhabit falls -21.1% - Enhabit is down -21.1%, or -$2.05 to $7.65.

09:40 EDT Mingteng International Corp Inc trading resumes

09:38 EDT Cardlytics trading resumes

09:36 EDT Equinix says Audit Committee concluded financial reporting has been accurate - Last night, Equinix announced that the Audit Committee of the company's board of directors conducted and has substantially completed a previously announced independent investigation, with the assistance of independent third-party professional advisors. "Based on the findings of the independent investigation, the Audit Committee has concluded that Equinix's financial reporting has been accurate, and that the application of its accounting practices has resulted in an appropriate representation of its operating performance. The Audit Committee had full discretion over the scope of the investigation and was not restricted in any way. As part of this assessment, the Audit Committee did not identify any accounting inconsistencies or errors requiring an adjustment to, or restatement of, previously issued financial statements or non-GAAP measures. As previously disclosed, shortly after the release of the short seller report, Equinix received a subpoena from the U.S Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California. Additionally, on April 30, 2024, Equinix received a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is cooperating fully with both subpoenas and does not expect to comment further on such matters until appropriate to do so," the company stated. Following last night's earnings report and audit announcement, Equinix shares are up $88.88, or 13%, to $781.59 in early Thursday trading.

09:34 EDT Neuropace Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:33 EDT Nextech3D.AI says AI search engine accelerating production of 3D models - Nextech3D.AI announced the success of its proprietary AI-Powered 3D model search engine launched in Q1, 2024. This AI 3D model search engine uses AI powered by Nvidia's GPUs to speed-up and scale-up operations for the 3D modeling process. The AI search engine uses images to search Nextech's internal library of 3D models and meshes then recommends a close match to the given image. The Company is pleased to report that as a direct result of this AI search engine it is achieving as high as 40% increase in production thus increasing the number of 3D models the company can produce. The Company is continuing to develop patents around its proprietary technology while building and launching breakthrough AI for the mass scale of 3D models, which it sees as a significant growth market in 2024.

09:32 EDT Vivakor regains compliance with Nasdaq minimum bid price rule - Vivakor has received notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market informing the Company that, after having a closing bid price at or greater than $1.00 per share for 10 consecutive business days from April 19 to May 2, 2024, the Company has regained compliance with the minimum closing bid price requirement under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market, and that the matter is now closed.

09:30 EDT M2i Global partners with Australian research organization - M2i Global announces a strategic partnership with Nova Terra, an esteemed research organization at the forefront of innovation in critical mineral processing technologies. As the global demand for critical minerals continues to surge, driven by their indispensable role in various industries including technology, renewable energy, and defense, M2i recognizes the urgency in securing a sustainable supply chain. In pursuit of this goal, M2i has joined forces with Nova Terra, leveraging their complementary strengths and expertise to pioneer groundbreaking solutions. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the journey towards enhancing critical mineral supply. By combining M2i's extensive experience in battery metals, corporate finance, logistics and policy with Nova Terra's cutting-edge research in water treatment, copper processing, mine waste valorisation, and critical mineral technologies, the partnership aims to revolutionize the extraction, processing, and utilization of critical minerals.

09:30 EDT Pulse Biosciences announces 1st procedure with the CellFX nsPFA electrodes - Pulse Biosciences, announced the first procedure with the CellFX nsPFA Percutaneous Electrode System in the United States has been completed. The successful case is the first in the Company's pilot program which follows the March 2024 U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance for the ablation of soft tissue in percutaneous and intraoperative surgical procedures with the system. "I am very proud and excited that the first U.S. patient treatment with soft tissue ablation by the CellFX nsPFA system was performed this week in our Thyroid and Parathyroid Center here at Sarasota Memorial Hospital," said Dr. Ralph P. Tufano, Medical Director, Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery for the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in Sarasota, Florida. "The cell-specific mechanism of action of nsPFA allowed me to treat this patient with confidence, knowing that I was not going to cause collateral damage to acellular structures. The patient was treated for a large, symptomatic, benign, thyroid nodule in our office with just local lidocaine and tolerated the procedure extremely well, reporting no pain during nsPFA energy delivery, and is doing great. Based on the impressive results we have seen come out of Italy, I am confident the outcome of the procedure will be excellent. I am looking forward to continuing my collaboration with Pulse Biosciences to further refine the procedure and offer this life-changing new technology to my patients and to help to train other experts in this exciting new procedure."

09:29 EDT Accenture awarded $789M Navy contract - Accenture has been awarded a ten-year, $789M contract to support global U.S. Navy maritime forces with conducting unified cybersecurity operations across the SHARKCAGE environment, the Navy's shared set of systems built to protect a single, common, continuous security perimeter.

09:28 EDT Mobile X to acquire RaGE Systems for $2M in cash, $10M in stock - Mobix announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire RaGE Systems. RaGE Systems specializes in developing products for 5G communications, mmWave imaging, and Software Defined Radio targeting commercial, industrial, and defense & aerospace sectors. The RaGE Systems team is recognized for their groundbreaking technology and robust customer support, contributing to their steady growth. Mobix Labs is expected to complete the acquisition of RaGE in May. Total consideration consisted of approximately $2M in cash, approximately $10M worth of Mobix Labs stock and possible earn-out payments of up to $8M over eight fiscal quarters in a combination of cash and stock upon satisfaction of certain financial metrics.

09:25 EDT ACNB Corp. elects Alexandra Chiaruttini to Board of Directors - ACNB Corporation elected Alexandra Chiaruttini to its Boards of Directors, effective at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 7. Chiaruttini was also appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of ACNB Corporation's banking subsidiary, ACNB Bank. Chiaruttini is the Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel at the York Water Company based in York, Pennsylvania. Prior to her role with the York Water Company, . Chiaruttini served as Chief Counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Chiaruttini has also previously worked for over 15 years in private practice with regional law firms Stock and Leader based in York, Pennsylvania.

09:23 EDT Capricor Therapeutics to present exosome platform updates - Capricor Therapeutics announced that an abstract featuring new preclinical data highlighting the therapeutic potential of its StealthX exosome platform technology has been selected for an oral presentation at the ASGCT 27th Annual Meeting taking place in Baltimore from May 7-11. The findings highlight a potential exosome-based approach for the treatment of arginase-1 deficiency or ARG1-D, a rare genetic metabolic disease characterized by complete or partial lack of the enzyme arginase in the liver and red blood cells. Results showed the Arg1-exosomes were enzymatically active and able to convert arginine into urea in vitro. The data suggests that the Arg1-exosomes were able to not only catalyze arginine efficiently at a lower delivered dose to cells in vitro but also protect the Arg1 protein to be delivered into target cells and retain its enzymatic activity in cells. Taken together, Capricor's StealthX platform of engineered Arg1-exosomes as tested in vitro have the potential to serve as an enzyme replacement therapy to deliver Arg1 to hepatocytes and possibly have potential clinical benefits for the treatment of ARG1-D.

09:22 EDT Kartoon Studios, GFM Animation partner to develop animated feature films - Kartoon Studios signs a deal with the U.K.'s GFM Animation Limited to develop, finance, and produce a dynamic slate of five animated feature films, marking a significant milestone in the development of projects from the extensive SLU catalogue featuring stories and characters created by legendary comic book creator Stan Lee. Kartoon Studios' new partnership with GFM, which develops, produces, finances, and sells independent movies, aims to bring to life select properties from the SLU catalogue, each project chosen through mutual selection for their potential to appeal to a broad audience demographic and families. GFM has assembled team of LA-based talented writers with previous experience of working across Marvel projects, to develop the first scripts, working alongside the GFM team in London and Kartoon Studios. The first three treatments will be ready for presenting to distributors at the forthcoming Cannes Film Festival.

09:20 EDT N2OFF's NTWO OFF announces results in goal of reducing N2O emissions - N2OFF announced that its subsidiary NTWO OFF Ltd., has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in its mission to mitigate agriculture's environmental impact. A recent study conducted by NTWO OFF Ltd.'s research team has demonstrated remarkable success in its goal of reducing nitrous oxide emissions from wheat crops. The study transitioned from growth chambers to open greenhouse environments, allowing for larger pots and soil volumes. This adaptation facilitated the cultivation of more plants per pot and extended growth periods. The results exceeded expectations, with N2O emissions reduced by up to 54% compared to NTWO OFF Ltd.'s previous study result of emissions reduced by up to 44%, representing more than 22% improvement. NTWO OFF Ltd.'s proprietary technology revolves around two naturally occurring bacteria species isolated from wheat roots. These bacteria have demonstrated the ability to reduce N2O emissions across various environmental conditions. NTWO OFF Ltd. rigorously tests different formulations and soil types to optimize the effectiveness of this technology. Following the promising results achieved in its greenhouse experiments, NTWO OFF Ltd. is poised to expand its research efforts. Plans are underway to conduct larger-scale experiments in significantly larger containers, filled with various soil types. These endeavors aim to further validate the efficacy of NTWO OFF Ltd.'s technology across diverse agricultural settings.

09:19 EDT Verizon advances Private Wireless Network offerings with Nokia's 5G platform - Verizon (VZ) has completed the first phase of certification to add Nokia (NOK) Digital Automation Cloud - DAC - to its list of supported offerings in private networks that use Verizon's licensed spectrum. When added to its portfolio, Nokia DAC will expand Verizon Business' hardware and software options available to customers of Verizon Business' Private 5G Network offering. The Nokia DAC platform will also be used to enhance indoor coverage for Verizon consumers and enterprise customers. Once fully certified and added to Verizon's commercial lineup, the Nokia DAC platform will also be in-production and available in Verizon's innovation labs for Verizon's enterprise customers to trial.

09:17 EDT Rapid7 announces new patented ransomware prevention technology - Rapid7 announced new, patented ransomware prevention technology that delivers end-to-end ransomware coverage to anticipate advanced attacks as well as accelerate detection and response time. The pervasiveness and growing cost of ransomware has cemented defending against these highly damaging attacks amongst the top priorities for organizations and the security industry at large. Fighting modern ransomware requires a cohesive, multi-layered approach that constructs barriers along the attack chain to disrupt attacks wherever they begin. Now available within Rapid7 Managed Threat Complete, ransomware prevention technology creates an added layer of defense to disrupt the earliest stages of the attack chain and stop threats well before they become full-blown events.

09:17 EDT Precision Optics receives $9M production order for endoscope products - Precision Optics announced a $9M production order from a surgical company to supply single-use endoscope assemblies used in their cystoscopy surgery system. This is the largest order POC has ever received. Production deliveries are scheduled to begin July 2024 and proceed over several quarters. The company presently estimates approximately $2.2M in deliveries during its FY25, $4.6M in FY26, and the remainder in the first half of FY27. The company expects a related $0.5M order for related specialty engineering work over the next six months, bringing the total order value to approximately $9.5M. Initially, POC will produce all of the ordered units in its own facilities. The customer has the option to transfer production to non-POC manufacturing facilities in exchange for multi-year royalties back to POC.

09:16 EDT SAIC awarded $232M U.S. Army contract for systems engineering - Science Applications International has been awarded a $232M contract to develop signals intelligence and electronic warfare systems for the U.S. Army. SAIC was awarded this contract under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center's DoD IAC multiple-award contract MAC vehicle. These DoD IAC MAC task orders TOs are awarded by the U.S. Air Force's 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron to develop and create new knowledge for the enhancement of the DTIC repository and the R&D and S&T community.

09:14 EDT Arbor Realty issues statement on short reports - The company said, "Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., on Friday, May 3, 2024, released its first-quarter earnings press release and filed its first-quarter Form 10-Q. As you may be aware, Arbor has been, and continues to be the subject of certain "reports" by short sellers, who frequently make statements that reflect their opinions based on certain select data. In light of the current environment and the continued elevated short interest in our company, we anticipate more of these short seller "reports" in the near future, which may also be featured in the press. In an effort to minimize any confusion in the marketplace or with our investors, and instead of responding to each article that cites these "reports," we want to reiterate that we stand by Arbor's detailed filings, audited financial statements and the comments made on our earnings call. Rather than relying on short seller "reports," or press articles, we encourage everyone to carefully review our comprehensive public statements and disclosures. Our materials detail Arbor's continued success in managing through a very challenging environment and demonstrates our ability to consistently outperform our peers. Please refer to the Investor Materials page of the Investor Relations section of our corporate website for charts on our performance."

09:12 EDT Tian Ruixiang announces approval for 1-for-5 reverse share split - Tian Ruixiang announced that the company held an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on Monday, May 6, at which the shareholders approved the proposal for a 1-for-5 reverse share split of the company's ordinary shares. No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the share consolidation, and all fractional shares resulting from the share consolidation will be rounded up to the whole number of shares.

09:11 EDT Genco Shipping announces ISS recommendation to vote for its nominees - Genco Shipping announced that independent proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services, or ISS, has recommended that Genco shareholders vote for each of Genco's seven director nominees. ISS also recommended that Genco shareholders vote withhold on George Economou's nominee, Robert Pons and against his shareholder proposal at the company's annual meeting of shareholders on May 23. Commenting on the report, Genco issued the following statement: "We encourage our shareholders to follow the recommendations by leading independent proxy advisory firm ISS and vote "FOR" the re-election of each of Genco's seven director nominees, "WITHHOLD" on George Economou's nominee and "AGAINST" his shareholder proposal. The Genco Board is taking concrete steps to deliver on our Comprehensive Value Strategy to generate shareholder returns through drybulk market cycles and is committed to acting in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders."

09:10 EDT Volaris reports ASM capacity decreased 20.4% y/y in April - In April 2024, Volaris' ASM capacity decreased by 20.4% year-over-year due to the accelerated Pratt & Whitney engine inspections and the resulting aircraft groundings. RPMs declined by 21.3%, resulting in a load factor decrease of 1.0 pp YoY to 84.7%, impacted by the Easter holiday shift to March. Mexican domestic RPMs decreased by 28.1%, while international RPMs decreased by 6.3%. Volaris transported 2.3 million passengers during the month. Enrique Beltranena, Volaris' President and CEO, said: "Our adjustments to the domestic network have yielded positive results. As we prepare for the summer high season, we added capacity to the U.S-Mexico transborder market while trimming capacity in Central America. For the remainder of the second quarter, our booking curves are aligned with our guidance."

09:08 EDT Aldebaran Resources reports results for drill holes at Altar Copper-Gold project - Aldebaran Resources reports results for four drill holes of the 2023/2024 field campaign at the Altar copper-gold project in San Juan, Argentina. The holes reported herein were all substantial step-outs to the north or south of known mineralization. Hole ALD-24-074EXT was designed to extend mineralization in the Altar United trend. Hole ALD-24-241 was designed to achieve three goals: infill a gap in our drilling at the Altar United discovery, drill perpendicular to many of the previous holes within the United area to ensure there is no bias in grades because of hole orientation, and to test for continuity in between the existing fences of drill holes. Hole ALD-24-240 was designed to fill a gap in the existing drilling, and hole ALD-24-242 was designed to test the southern extent of the mineralized footprint at the Altar project. All holes successfully hit mineralization and expanded the footprint of the mineralized system, while ALD-24-241 returned one of the highest-grade intercepts from the project to date. All four holes will provide valuable information for the upcoming mineral resource estimate, scheduled for H2 2024. Highlights: ALD-24-241: 158.80 m of 0.45 g/t Au in oxide mineralization from 3.40 m depth Including 90.60 m of 0.52 g/t Au from 3.40 m depth; This area requires follow-up work to see if this style of mineralization is open; 1,018.60 m of 0.60% CuEq from 277.40 m depth Including 797.00 m of 0.71% CuEq from 499.00 m depth; Including 649.60 m of 0.81% CuEq from 646.40 m depth; Including 155.00 m of 1.00% CuEq from 871.00 m depth; Including 102.10 m of 0.96% CuEq from 1,064.90 m depth; The hole was lost due to operator error; the Company had intended to drill the hole deeper; Hole ended in mineralization with the final 7.00 m returning 0.80% CuEq. ALD-24-074EXT: 1,199.00 m of 0.38% CuEq from 128 m depth Including 82.00 m of 0.71% CuEq from 130 m depth; Extension of a historic hole, originally terminated at 607.60 m and extended to 1,327.00 m depth; Hole ended in mineralization with the final 11.00 m returning 0.62% CuEq. ALD-24-240: 1,085.00 m of 0.34% CuEq from 187.70 m depth Including 65.00 m of 0.55% CuEq from 701.00 m depth. ALD-24-242: 219.90 m of 0.28% CuEq from 779.50 m depth; Including 116.40 m of 0.36% CuEq from 883.00 m depth. John Black, CEO of Aldebaran, commented: "The Altar deposit continues to grow with each drill hole we complete. This batch of drill holes expands the mineralized footprint of the deposit and grows the higher-grade mineralization commonly found at Altar United. Hole 241, which targeted Altar United, represents one of the best holes we've drilled on the project to date, with long runs of very attractive-grade mineralization. All this information will be valuable as we move towards a mineral resource update, planned to be completed later this year."

09:08 EDT Cadiz engages MZ Group to enhance strategic investor relations program - Cadiz has engaged international investor relations specialists MZ Group to lead a comprehensive strategic investor relations and financial communications program across all key markets at a pivotal inflection point for the Company. Several key developments over the last six months demonstrate this inflection point including critical permitting and contracting milestones in the development of water and infrastructure assets. Susan Kennedy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cadiz, stated, "The decision to move forward with an external IR partner is strategically tied to the current inflection point within our Company. Cadiz is a totally different company today as compared to 20 years ago when Cadiz was one big water project looking for one big public agency customer. Today, with climate change wreaking havoc on water supplies around the world, and our acquisitions of pipeline assets and treatment technology in addition to our water supply and storage assets - Cadiz has some of the most valuable water assets in the US and we're in position to monetize them. Cadiz is an asset-rich company with exactly the right combination of water supply, infrastructure and technologies to address water access issues on a large scale."

09:07 EDT Capital Product Partners appoints Brian Gallagher as EVP, Investor Relations - Capital Product Partners appointed Brian Gallagher as EVP for Investor Relations. Brian previously held the position of Head of Investor Relations at Euronav NV from 2014 until the end of 2023 and served on the executive management board from 2016 onwards.

09:06 EDT Motorsport Games launches RaceControl.gg platform, partners with Coach Dave - Motorsport Games launched RaceControl.gg, a new dedicated platform designed to enhance player engagement. As part of this initiative, Motorsport Games has partnered with Coach Dave Academy to manage the content and development of RaceControl.gg. Coach Dave Academy will curate and manage the content on RaceControl.gg.

09:05 EDT AstroNova acquires MTEX NS for total enterprise value of EUR 24.3M. - AstroNova announced that on May 6 it acquired MTEX for a total enterprise value of EUR 24.3M. Additionally, the transaction provides for up to a EUR 4M earnout payable to the seller over three years based on the achievement of specified revenue growth targets. AstroNova expects the transaction to add an additional $8 M to $10M in revenue in this fiscal year. "MTEX NS is a highly innovative manufacturing and technology development company whose multiple lines of industrial grade products significantly expand our Product Identification portfolio. MTEX NS brings multiple complementary market adjacencies while broadening our addressable customer base and geographic reach," said Greg Woods, AstroNova's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Recently, MTEX NS introduced a breakthrough printer for direct-to-film DTF transfers that enables printing on a wide variety of materials including fabrics, leather, and hard-surface materials. The acquisition also further expands our sustainable packaging capabilities, such as recycled cardboard printing and environmentally friendly, water-based inks.

09:01 EDT PennantPark increases monthly distribution 14.3% to 8c per share - On May 8, the company declared a monthly distribution for June of 8c per share, an increase of 14.3% from the most recent distribution. The distribution is payable on July 1, to stockholders of record as of June 14. The distribution is expected to be paid from taxable net investment income.

08:59 EDT Diversified Energy report Q1 average production 723 MMcfepd - REports Q1 revenue C$193.6M vs. C$295.9M last year. Exit rate of 742 MMcfepd; Production essentially flat from 4Q23 adj. production of 725 MMcfepd. Rusty Hutson, Jr., CEO of Diversified, commented: "Building a portfolio of high-performing, mature producing assets and optimizing the cost structure has been the foundation of our strategic vision since inception. The Company's ability to continue to deliver solid results, both operationally and financially, reinforces the success of this strategy. I am pleased that our ongoing focus on cost reduction opportunities has translated directly into a 7% sequential quarterly operating cost improvement, allowing us to effectively navigate the current natural gas market headwinds. Additionally, I am excited to announce that our Black Bear processing facility has begun service. Completing this strategic project demonstrates our success in leveraging in-house expertise to unlock value and facilitate meaningful cash flow generation. This facility will integrate our own natural gas production in the area and is expected to deliver approximately $9 million of additional margin creation annually while providing additional potential upside from any non-utilized capacity to process third-party gas from other operators and accretive bolt-on acquisitions in the Cotton Valley and Haynesville region. We will continue to observe our commitment to our "Focus Five" priorities while looking to capture synergies, operate efficiently, and ensure Diversified remains the Right Company at the Right Time. We look forward to completing the acquisition of additional working interest production from Oaktree. This acquisition provides Diversified with increased volumes in our Central region, which has exposure to the LNG pricing markets on the US Gulf Coast. I am confident that the reliability and consistency of our assets will continue to provide meaningful cash flow, financial flexibility and support our ability to return value to shareholders."

08:57 EDT Braemar Hotels & Resorts shareholder Blackwells issues presentation - Braemar Hotels & Resorts shareholder Blackwells Capital released a presentation entitled "Too Little, Too Late" which may be found at https://nomoremonty.com/letters-presentations/. Jason Aintabi, Chief Investment Officer of Blackwells, said: "We have previously warned the Board against digging an even bigger hole for themselves by enabling the continued value destructive behaviour of Montgomery Bennett and Braemar's external advisor. We question the motivations that produced a very uninspiring price for Torrey Hilton, and led to the authorization of a suspiciously timed share buyback; this Board must pause any and all strategic initiatives until shareholders have their say at the ballot box." [https://nomoremonty.com/letters-presentations/]:[https://nomoremonty.com/letters-presentations/]

08:55 EDT Surrozen presents data demonstrating potentialfor Wnt mimetic technologies - Surrozen announced that preclinical data highlighting the potential for Surrozen's antibody-based Wnt mimetic technologies to treat cornea endothelial damage and Dry Eye Disease were presented on May 7, 2024 at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in Seattle. Exploring Cornea Endothelium Regeneration with Selective Wnt Mimetics: Preclinical studies evaluated whether Wnt signaling activation through Surrozen's antibody-based Wnt mimetic, that utilizes the SWAP technologies, can induce cornea endothelial cell proliferation and restore vision in cornea endothelial dystrophies when administered locally. The company evaluated a therapeutic approach to stimulate endothelial cell proliferation as human corneal endothelial cells have a limited capacity to regenerate. The studies profiled both human normal and Fuchs' patient cornea endothelium which determined that Frizzled was expressed in these tissues and that activating Wnt signaling via Fzd1/2/7 in human endothelial cell cultures increases proliferation. The lead molecule, a Surrozen Fzd 1/2/7 SWAP antibody, increased proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro in human cells. In a mouse model of cryoinjury, the Surrozen's antibody demonstrated: - activation of Wnt signaling, - reduced corneal edema and thickness, and - demonstrated improved corneal clarity. In eye diseases such as Fuchs' Endothelial Cell Dystrophy there is a loss of endothelial cells which leads to corneal swelling, haziness and vision loss. There are about 2.9 million diagnosed patients with FECD. Current therapies are limited to endothelial transplant or resection once the disease is in a late stage. There is a significant area of unmet need for therapies that could mitigate disease progression and/or improve surgical efficacy. Results presented by Surrozen demonstrate that activation of the Wnt pathway has the potential to stimulate endothelial cell proliferation, reduce central corneal thickness and improve visual clarity. Antibody based Wnt Mimetic Induced Lacrimal Gland Regeneration and Reverses Aqueous Tear Deficiency: Preclinical studies evaluated whether Wnt signaling activation using Surrozen's antibody-based Wnt mimetic, that utilizes SWAP technologies, can activate lacrimal gland acinar cells and restore tear secretion. Wnt receptors are present in the adult lacrimal gland tissue, and Surrozen's SWAP antibody activated Wnt signaling, stimulated acinar cell expansion, and accelerated tear volume recovery in preclinical models. Based on preclinical data, the company believes that Surrozen's antibody-based SWAP platform molecule has the potential to regenerate lacrimal gland tissue in dry eye disease. In diseases such as DED and Sjogren's Syndrome, the destruction of lacrimal gland function leads to reduced tear fluid production which leads to irritation, burning sensation, pain and damage to the eye. There are approximately 16 million people in the United States that have been diagnosed with Dry Eye Disease. Currently, there is no epithelial regeneration strategy available as treatment usually consists of anti-inflammatory topical eye drops and tear replacements.

08:53 EDT Warner Bros. Discovery says all direct-to-consumer subscribers nearing 100M mark - Says gaining ground in ad sales. Says script writing is underway for first of new "Lord of the Rings" movies anticipated to release in 2026. Says has ability to match any TV offer for NBA rights. Says "Suicide Squad" gaming release was disappointing. Says bundle with Netflix and Verizon doing much better than expected. Says Disney bundle will be both ad-lite and ad-free. Says Disney bundle pricing will be based off Max standalone and Hulu bundle. Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

08:52 EDT AgriFORCE delivers second-generation RCS units for Mexican market - AgriFORCE Growing Systems completed delivery of its first batch of eight second-generation AgriForce RCS-Hydroxyl devices, known as the "QuadPro," to be introduced into the Mexican market, as arranged by its Mexico distributor, Distributor Commercializadora DESICO, a leading distributor of Greenhouse heating, and air ventilation systems in Mexico

08:51 EDT UWM Holdings sees Q2 production $28B-$35B - The company said, "We anticipate second quarter production to be in the $28 to $35 billion range, with gain margin from 85 to 110 basis points."

08:49 EDT Alternus Clean Energy, Acadia Energy complete Joint Development Agreement - Acadia Energy has completed a Joint Development Agreement with Alternus Clean Energy to co-develop 200 Megawatts of microgrids in upstate New York. The partnership brings together Alternus' deep expertise in renewable energy development with Acadia's unique business model and pipeline of projects in the region. Acadia has created an innovative energy deployment model for the creation of microgrids. This new model creates localized, beneficial partnerships, with municipal entities, for the deployment of the microgrids as Sustainability Hubs. The Sustainability Hub acts as an economic development engine for local community's to attract new businesses by offering low-cost renewable energy, and simultaneously provide much needed energy discounts to the local residents, as well as existing and future businesses, an energy plan for all involved and a win/win scenario for everyone! The model concentrates on the core value proposition of allowing the local community control over the energy generated within their community, rather than sacrificing their property resources to benefit other remote locations or other regions. This first 200 MW phase of projects, which represents approximately $300 million in contract revenue, are in the predevelopment stage whereby property parcels, energy and interconnection assessments have been analyzed, with the two companies equally sharing the project costs, financing, and equity requirements. Acadia is also in discussions with various New York State regulatory agencies regarding microgrid implementation.

08:48 EDT Nuvo Group appoints Adriana Machado to board of directors - Holdco Nuvo Group D.G announced the expansion of its board of directors with the addition of Adriana Machado, who will help guide Nuvo's mission of addressing health disparities and social determinants of care through its advanced pregnancy monitoring technology. A celebrated business leader in Latin America, Machado was the first female CEO of GE Brazil, and is Founder of the Briyah Institute.

08:46 EDT Inhibikase Therapeutics announces final pre-IND meeting outcomes for IkT-001Pro - Inhibikase Therapeutics announced that the Company has received final meeting minutes from its recent pre-IND meeting with the Division of Cardiology and Nephrology of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for IkT-001Pro as a candidate treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Following review of the final meeting minutes, Inhibikase is preparing the Investigational New Drug application. In the final minutes from the pre-IND meeting, the FDA agreed that Inhibikase had built a bridge between imatinib's use in blood and gastrointestinal cancers and PAH and supported the Company's Phase 2/3 design as the initial clinical pursuit. The FDA requested the Company complete a pre-clinical cell culture-based study of the hERG ion channel to compare Pro to imatinib as Imatinib has previously been linked with certain cardiovascular abnormalities. The Company intends to complete this 7-day experiment prior to an IND submission. In parallel, the Company has initiated discussions with potential strategic partners in order to advance the development of Pro for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

08:46 EDT Bionano Genomics announces upgrades to cancer analysis suite - Bionano Genomics announced upgrades to its suite of computational tools for comprehensive cancer analysis. These advancements to the company's VIA software solution aim to enhance the detection and interpretation of aneusomies, and improve the analysis, visualization, interpretation, and reporting of data types including optical genome mapping, next generation sequencing, and microarray, for comprehensive assessment of hematological diseases. Advancements to the suite of tools include: enhanced detection of critical variants; automated analysis and interpretation of variants; and dynamic visualization for better representation of findings.

08:44 EDT Akoya, NeraCare enter exclusive agreement for personalized therapy selection - Akoya Biosciences and NeraCare announced an exclusive agreement under which the parties will develop market opportunities for combining Akoya's PhenoImager HT platform and NeraCare's Immunoprint assay for patient stratification and therapy selection in early-stage melanoma patients.

08:43 EDT Optimi Health receives export permit from Health Canada to ship MDMA - Optimi Health reports a significant update to its collaboration with The Institute for Psychedelic Research at Tel Aviv University. Optimi has obtained the Export Permit required from Health Canada for the shipment of its in-house manufactured MDMA active pharmaceutical ingredient to IPR-TLV. With the Export Permit confirmed, Optimi will be one of the first psychedelics pharmaceutical manufacturers to ship MDMA to the country.

08:41 EDT Fate Therapeutics announces first lupus patient treated in Phase 1 FT819 trial - Fate Therapeutics announced that the first patient with systemic lupus erythematosus - SLE - has been treated in the Phase 1 autoimmunity study of FT819, the company's off-the-shelf, CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell program. In addition, the company presented translational data from the Phase 1 study of FT819 in relapsed / refractory B-cell malignancies and initial clinical observations from the Phase 1 study of its FT522 off-the-shelf, CD19-targeted CAR NK cell program in relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma. The Phase 1 autoimmunity study of FT819 is designed to assess safety, pharmacokinetics, and anti-B cell activity for patients with moderate-to-severe SLE. FT819 induced rapid and potent depletion of the patient's CD19+ B cells in an ex vivo cytotoxicity assay. Translational data from the FT819 Phase 1B cell malignancies study support key therapeutic mechanisms of activity for B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Initial clinical observations of FT522 CAR NK Cell program in Phase 1B cell lymphoma study show rapid, deep, and sustained B Cell depletion and enhanced persistence in the periphery.

08:39 EDT Creative Realities to restructure debt through revolving credit facility - Creative Realities had signed a non-binding commitment letter with First Merchants Bank for a $20 million senior secured revolving credit facility with a $5 million accordion feature. A portion of the funds available from the Revolver will, upon closing, pay off all existing indebtedness of the Company. Along with closing costs and ancillary fees, the total amount of initial drawn funds on the Revolver is anticipated to be approximately $14.5 million at closing. Additional terms are disclosed in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on the date of this release. The parties intend to consummate the Revolver on or after May 17, 2024, subject to the completion of First Merchants' due diligence, definitive documentation and customary terms and conditions.

08:37 EDT Origin Agritech receives GMO safety certificate for BBL2-2 - Origin Agritech announced the issuance of a GMO safety certificate for its transgenic maize, BBL2-2, marking a significant milestone for the Company and the agricultural sector, heralding a new era in crop innovation. The newly certified BBL2-2 maize contains two insect-resistant genes, Cry1Ab and Cry3Bb, and one herbicide-tolerance gene, Cp4-epsps. This genetic composition makes the maize resistant to various lepidopteran pests such as corn borer, cotton bollworm, armyworm. BBL2-2 is a product with substantial commercial value and extensive application potential.

08:35 EDT Penske Automotive increases quarterly dividend 10% to 96c per share - Penske Automotive Group announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly dividend of $0.96 per share. "Based on the strength of our balance sheet and continued strong cash flow, we are pleased to provide our shareholders with a 10% increase in the cash dividend," said Penske Automotive Group President, Robert Kurnick, Jr. The dividend is payable June 4, 2024, to shareholders of record as of May 20, 2024.

08:34 EDT Moleculin Biotech announces U.S. patent issue notification for Annamycin - Moleculin Biotech announced it has received an Issue Notification from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO, for U.S. Patent number 11,980,634 titled, "Method of Reconstituting Liposomal Annamycin" to be issued on May 14, 2024 to Moleculin and The University of Texas System Board of Regents. Walter Klemp, CEO and Chairman of Moleculin, stated, "We remain committed to establishing a robust patent estate for Annamycin and driving its development forward. In addition to our recently announced composition of matter patent for Annamycin, we believe we are well positioned for the potential partnering discussions which we expect to have in the near future. The issuance of this patent further underscores the importance and proprietary nature of the innovation that makes this next generation anthracycline possible and bolsters our confidence in its potential to address a number of high-value indications where there remains unmet medical need."

08:33 EDT PlayAGS cancels Q1 conference call, will not issue earnings release - In light of the proposed transaction, AGS has canceled its previously announced conference call to discuss its first quarter 2024 financial results, which had been scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Additionally, AGS will not be issuing a quarterly earnings release. The Company expects to file its 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 with the SEC later today.

08:32 EDT Neurocrine announces initiation of Phase 1 study evaluating NBI-1076986 - Neurocrine Biosciences announced the initiation of its Phase 1 first-in-human clinical study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of investigational compound NBI-1076986 in healthy adult participants. NBI-1076986 is an investigational, oral, M4 subtype-selective muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist for the potential treatment of movement disorders that was discovered and developed by Neurocrine Biosciences. "This compound is an important part of our muscarinic portfolio, which enters the clinic as a potential treatment for movement disorders," said Eiry Roberts, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Neurocrine Biosciences. "Selectively targeting M4 receptors could benefit a broad range of motor coordination disorders, including Parkinson's disease tremor and dystonia."

08:30 EDT Aeon Biopharma provides update on development pipeline - Aeon Biopharma provided an update on the status of its late-stage clinical pipeline for ABP-450 that targets multiple indications. "In addition to our early-stage clinical programs, we have multiple late-stage programs designed to show the safety and efficacy of ABP-450 in the treatment of various indications. Several of these programs are ready to advance into the next stage of clinical development. When taking into consideration our clinical pipeline and combining it with our differentiated business model, we see a number of compelling opportunities to pursue," said CEO Marc Forth. "While we were disappointed that ABP-450 did not demonstrate statistically significant superiority over placebo in its interim Phase 2 readout for chronic migraine, this does not diminish our enthusiasm for our migraine program, which includes our issued patent for our novel migraine injection paradigm, nor the other indications that have well-founded scientific rationale to pursue in clinical trials." Completed Phase 2 study of ABP-450 for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine. Ready to initiate a Phase 3 study of ABP-450 in cervical dystonia, pending finalization of the trial protocol. Ready for a Phase 2 study of ABP-450 in gastroparesis; IND already cleared by the FDA. IND-enabling studies are already planned, which are designed to support the development of ABP-450 in PTSD.

08:27 EDT Knight Therapeutics enters supply, distribution agreement with Ironshore - Knight Therapeutics entered into an exclusive supply and distribution agreement with Ironshore Pharmaceuticals & Development, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ironshore Therapeutics, granting Knight the rights to seek regulatory approval and commercialize JORNAY PM in Canada and Latin America. Currently approved in the US, JORNAY PM, is an extended-release formulation of methylphenidate, a stimulant medication for the treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. JORNAY PM is the first and only evening-dosed methylphenidate product commercially available in the United States to treat ADHD in patients 6 years of age and older. JORNAY PM consists of microbeads with a delayed-release layer and an extended-release layer. The first layer delays the release of the active ingredient until morning while the extended-release layer controls the release of the active ingredient from the early morning and throughout the day. This unique formulation provides a pharmacokinetic profile that allows ADHD symptom control from the time patients wake up until they go to bed. JORNAY PM was studied in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 clinical trials. Both studies met their primary and key secondary endpoints demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in ADHD symptoms upon awakening, through the afternoon, and into the evening. JORNAY PM was submitted for approval in Canada in November 2023.

08:26 EDT SPS Commerce acquires Traverse Systems - SPS Commerce acquired Traverse Systems, an SaaS platform that provides retailers and their merchandise suppliers a unified view of supply chain performance to improve collaboration and enhance the consumer experience. Traverse Systems provides scorecarding and vendor performance management solutions for retailers. SPS Commerce acquired Traverse Systems for approximately $25M in cash and $4.3M in SPS Commerce stock. For Q2, SPS Commerce anticipates the acquisition will add approximately $600K in revenue and expects Adjusted EBITDA to be negatively impacted by approximately $200K. For FY24, the company expects the acquisition will add approximately $2.9M in revenue and breakeven in Adjusted EBITDA. For FFY25, the company expects the acquisition will add approximately $5M in revenue and approximately $1.5M in Adjusted EBITDA.

08:24 EDT Lifeist Wellness' Mikra partners with Virun NutraBiosciences - Lifeist Wellness' Mikra Cellular Sciences has partnered with Virun NutraBiosciences to offer CELLF 2.0, an enhanced nutraceutical gel for improving cellular health. CELLF 2.0 is available for sale now.

08:23 EDT FDA grants Can-Fite BioPharma's Namodenoson IND clearance for NASH - Can-Fite BioPharma announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA has granted Investigational New Drug IND clearance for Namodenoson, for the treatment of patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis MASH , also known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), for the Company's ongoing Phase IIb clinical study. Namodenoson is a small molecule orally bioavailable drug, targeting the A3 adenosine receptor, over-expressed on the surface of liver pathological cells in MASH but not normal cells. This potentially makes Namodenoson an ideal specific candidate for the treatment of MASH. Indeed, in a Phase IIa clinical study Namodenoson, has been shown to reduce hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis, with an excellent safety profile. Currently Can-Fite is enrolling patients for a Phase IIb clinical study in Europe and in Israel and the IND approval by FDA will allow for the recruitment of patients in the US.

08:21 EDT Verona Pharma announces $650M strategic financing with Oaktree, OMERS - Verona Pharma announces it and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Verona Pharma, have entered into strategic financing agreements providing access to up to $650 million from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management and OMERS Life Sciences. The agreements provide non-dilutive capital and additional financial flexibility ahead of Verona Pharma's planned US launch of ensifentrine and will support the Company's continued growth. Ensifentrine is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration and, if approved, is expected to be the first novel inhaled mechanism for the maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in more than 20 years. The strategic financing was led by Oaktree and is comprised of the following: Debt facility: Up to $400 million in term loans available in five separate tranches via a term loan facility. Revenue interest purchase and sale agreement: Up to $250 million in funding from the sale of a redeemable interest in future ensifentrine-related revenue, which is capped at 1.75x of the amount funded. The debt facility replaces the existing facility of up to $400 million with funds managed by Oxford Finance LLC and Hercules Capital. Under the terms of the debt facility, VPI is drawing $55 million at closing, and may draw, subject to certain conditions, an additional $70 million upon FDA approval of ensifentrine, $175 million in two separate tranches upon achievement of certain net sales milestones and, subject to the approval of the Lenders, $100 million to support strategic initiatives. VPI will pay only interest on the outstanding loans under the five-year debt facility on a quarterly basis with all amounts outstanding due at maturity. Approximately $52 million of the loans drawn at closing will be used to repay in full the existing facility, including to pay fees and associated costs thereunder. Under the terms of the RIPSA, VPI will receive $100 million upon FDA approval of ensifentrine and will be eligible to draw an additional $150 million upon the achievement of certain net sales milestones. The revenue interest financing rate is 5% and 6.5% of certain proceeds the Company receives from licensees that the Company may engage during the term of the RIPSA outside of the US and in the US, respectively, and 6.5% of global net sales of ensifentrine by the Company. The total revenue interest financing payable by the Company to Oaktree and OMERS is capped at 1.75x of the amount actually funded, with the ability to redeem the RIPSA at lower multiples within the first three years from funding.

08:19 EDT Acelyrin provides business and milestone update - Acelyrin provided an update on various corporate milestones. The ongoing Phase 3 trial of Izokibep in Hidradenitis Suppurativa, expected to be the first of two registrational trials, enrolled more rapidly than forecasted and enrollment is now completed with 258 patients. Top line data are now expected in Q3. For Lonigutamab in Thyroid Eye Disease, data from the ongoing Phase 1/2 proof-of-concept trial are continuing to be evaluated to determine the optimal dose and dose regimen for a Phase 2b/3 trial. This Phase 2b/3 trial, designed to be the first of two registrational trials in TED, is planned to be initiated in the second half of 2024. For Izokibep in Uveitis, expects to complete enrollment in the ongoing Phase 2b/3 trial this month and top line data are anticipated by year-end 2024. Early evaluation of SLRN-517 is ongoing. Expects to report cash, cash equivalents, and short-term marketable securities of $678.5M at March 31, 2024. Still expects cash position to fund operations into 2026 and is actively considering alternatives to further extend its cash runway. Completed enrollment in izokibep Phase 3 trial in hidradenitis suppurativa and enrollment completion in Phase 2b/3 trial in uveitis expected this month; top line data for both trials now expected by end of Q3 and Q4, respectively.

08:17 EDT Optinose sees FY24 XHANCE net revenue at $85M-$95M - CEO Ramy Mahmoud says: ""We appreciate the support of this group of new and existing investors. The landmark efficacy evidence from two controlled trials, followed by the first-ever FDA approval of XHANCE as a prescription treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps is a strong foundation for pursuing future growth opportunities. We expect the post-offering cash and cash equivalents of approximately $100 million to fund operations and debt service obligations through 2025. With a strengthened financial footing, our team looks forward to helping millions of patients suffering from chronic sinusitis by making the first effective prescription treatment broadly available. Right now, our launch is focused on a specialty prescriber audience, and we expect XHANCE net revenues to be between $85 to $95 million for full year 2024."

08:16 EDT Acelyrin CEO Shao-Lee Lin steps down, Mina Kim succeeding - Acelyrin announced that founder Shao-Lee Lin has stepped down as CEO and Mina Kim, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer, has been appointed CEO and to the company's Board of Directors. Kim has served as Chief Legal and Administrative Officer since November 2022. Prior to that, she served as Chief Legal Officer and Head of Corporate Development at Zymergen. In addition to Kim's appointment, Shephard Mpofu, who most recently served as SVP of Development, has been promoted to Chief Medical Officer, Gil Labrucherie, who serves as CFO, has been named Chief Business Officer in addition to CFO, and Sanam Pangali, who most recently served as SVP, Corporate Legal, has been promoted to Chief Legal Officer and Head of People.

08:12 EDT TScan announces first patient dosed in Phase 1 trial of TCR-T therapy - TScan Therapeutics announced that the first patient has been dosed in the Company's Phase 1 trial evaluating TCR-T therapy for the treatment of solid tumors. The patient, diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, was dosed with TSC-203-A0201 targeting the cancer-associated antigen PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma.

08:11 EDT Vera Therapeutics expects cash to fund operations through U.S. atacicept launch - Vera reported $403.7 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of March 31, 2024, which the Company believes to be sufficient to fund operations through approval and US commercial launch of atacicept.

08:09 EDT Arena Group drives audience engagement with EX.CO - EX.CO announced results from a recent case study of its partnership with media giant The Arena Group. The collaboration has driven 115% higher gross RPMs for video on average and a 27% increase in user dwell time across their network of sites, which include Men's Journal and Parade, within a six-month time period. "Our commitment to implementing the most innovative solutions to drive unprecedented business results extends beyond today's successes, as we continue to strive to create more meaningful video experiences that captivate and resonate with our audiences," said Jason White, chief product and technology officer at The Arena Group. "Our multi-layered partnership with EX.CO has allowed us to deliver more contextually relevant video content and cultivate stronger relationships with our audiences overall, and we're thrilled with the results."

08:08 EDT Ametek appoints Williams as VP, General Manager MRO Division - AMETEK announced the appointment of Patrick Williams as Vice President, VP, and General Manager, Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul, MRO, Division. Willams currently serves as Division Vice President and Business Unit Manager for the Power Protection and Quality Solutions business within AMETEK's Power Systems and Instruments Division.

08:07 EDT Lightspeed, MBAGCOA form strategic partnership - Lightspeed Commerce announced a new strategic partnership with the Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association, MBAGCOA, who represents over 70 premium golf courses in Myrtle Beach. Through this partnership, Lightspeed will serve as a strategic solutions partner of the MBAGCOA, providing and restaurant solutions integrated with Omni Golf's tee sheet technology.

08:05 EDT Movano submits trial results to FDA as part of filing CMD for Evie Med Ring - Movano Health announced that it successfully submitted updated pivotal clinical trial results as well as proof of enhanced medical device usability on April 22, 2024 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, as part of its 510(k) filing for the Company's first commercial medical device, CMD, the Evie Med Ring pulse oximeter. An FDA clearance would bring Movano Health a significant step closer in its pursuit to disrupt the wearables industry while unlocking significant partnership opportunities. The Company continues to expect a decision regarding its 510(k) clearance in July 2024. "From the outset, our vision has been to develop a wearable that fits with any lifestyle and is cleared by the FDA as a medical device," said John Mastrototaro, CEO of Movano Health. "The exemplary results of our latest study are a critical component of our FDA filing and lay the groundwork to fulfilling all aspects of that goal."

08:03 EDT VYNE Therapeutics expects cash to fund operations through 2025 - As of March 31, 2024, VYNE had cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities of $86.0 million. VYNE believes its cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities as of March 31, 2024 will be sufficient to fund its operations through the end of 2025.

07:59 EDT Generation Bio presents preclinical data on iqDNA, ctLNP platforms - Generation Bio presented five posters on its immune-quiet DNA and cell-targeted lipid nanoparticle platforms as well as its enzymatic synthesis manufacturing at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy 27th Annual Meeting. A sixth presentation on the company's ctLNP platform will be discussed in an oral presentation on Saturday, May 11. Data included in the posters describe iqDNA as a modified, structured, partially single-stranded DNA that evades innate immunity while remaining transcriptionally active in the cell. In mouse studies, the immune profile of iqDNA is consistent with avoidance of key innate immune pathways such as cGAS-STING, which is known to have a significantly lower binding affinity for single-stranded DNA than double-stranded DNA. Given the non-immunogenic nature of iqDNA, Generation Bio believes it can now create novel therapies with a wide therapeutic index, which has been a major challenge to the development of in vivo DNA-based genetic medicines. The company invented iqDNA using its proprietary rapid enzymatic synthesis for DNA production. RES is a cell-free process that permits chemical and structural changes with a high degree of control, facilitating heightened DNA functionality through engineering molecular design and components. Because RES does not rely on cellular or viral components, it consistently produces 99% pure material in approximately one week, marking a significant improvement over biologic methods, which are often lengthy and complex. Further, due to the nature of enzymatic processes, iqDNA can be manufactured at scale to support clinical and global commercial demands without the challenges faced by cell-culture based production. Generation Bio continues to leverage RES to advance its iqDNA platform by optimizing various structural and chemical elements. In new data presented at ASGCT, a second generation of iqDNA achieved higher luciferase expression than first-generation iqDNA. The company is currently testing formulations of second-generation iqDNA encoding Factor VIII. The company's ctLNP platform is designed to reach a broad set of target cell types and tissues with exquisite selectivity. Data presented at ASGCT describe the foundation of the platform, Generation Bio's "stealth" LNP, which was engineered in part by making structural modifications to the parental ionizable lipid composition. Cell-specific targeting is achieved by optimizing ligand selection and linker chemistry. Additional data on T cell delivery, including the in vivo delivery of therapeutic transgenes via ctLNP, will be discussed in an oral presentation on Saturday, May 11.

07:58 EDT Teleflex launches Arrow EZ-IO Intraosseous Access Procedure Tray - Teleflex launched the Arrow EZ-IO Intraosseous Access Procedure Tray. This sterile, single-use tray includes all the components required for the IO access procedure, enabling a streamlined clinician workflow. The new Arrow EZ-IO Procedure Tray includes the first FDA-cleared sterile, single-use, battery-powered driver, providing clinicians with an IO access option that can be used in a sterile field in the operation room and any other area of the hospital that requires a sterile field.

07:56 EDT X4 Pharmaceuticals announces $125M capital infusion - X4 Pharmaceuticals (XFOR) has completed the sale of its Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher to an undisclosed purchaser for $105 million and that it has drawn an additional tranche of $20 million under its existing loan facility with Hercules Capital, Inc. (HTGC). Both transactions result from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the company's first product, XOLREMDI. In late April. Under the Rare Pediatric Disease program, the FDA awards PRVs to sponsors of rare pediatric disease product applications that meet certain criteria to encourage development of new drugs and biologics for the prevention and treatment of rare pediatric diseases. The term loan facility with Hercules Capital provides for up to $115 million of term loans in the aggregate, available to be funded in multiple tranches, and is in an interest-only period until July 2027. The $105 million of gross funds received from the sale of the PRV and the $20 million drawn from the existing loan facility add to the $82 million in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term marketable securities reported as of March 31, 2024.

07:52 EDT Lucid SOS esophageal cell collection device subject to Class II FDA recall - Lucid Diagnostics (LUCD), a majority-owned subsidiary of PAVmed (PAVM), announced that the EsophaCap sponge-on-a-string, SOS, esophageal cell collection device, which it briefly supplied to third-party institutions for their own research studies, has been subjected to a Class II FDA recall due to two serious device failures reported in a recent publication of one of these studies. EsophaCap is not a commercial Lucid product. As the manufacturer of record, Lucid proactively informed the FDA of the reported device failures and concluded that a Class II recall of the EsophaCap SOS was necessary and was made effective as of April 25, 2024. Notice Letters were sent to the two research institutions which had been supplied with devices.

07:44 EDT Wave Life Sciences sees cash runway into 4Q25 - Cash and cash equivalents were $180.9 million as of March 31, 2024, compared to $200.4 million as of December 31, 2023. Subsequent to March 31, 2024, GSK advanced two programs to candidate development, triggering a $12.0 million aggregate initiation payment to Wave. Wave expects that its current cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund operations into the fourth quarter of 2025. Potential future milestone and other payments to Wave under its GSK and Takeda collaborations are not included in its cash runway.

07:40 EDT Ferrovial begins trading on Nasdaq - Ferrovial SE announces that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, declared its registration statement on Form 20-F effective on May 8. Ferrovial's ordinary shares will begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market at the opening of the U.S. market today under the ticker symbol "FER". Upon commencement of trading, Ferrovial will become the first company in the IBEX 35 index to list its ordinary shares on Nasdaq. The Company's ordinary shares will continue to be listed and traded, under the ticker symbol "FER", in Spain and in the Netherlands. The Company also notes that no shares are being offered as part of the additional U.S. listing. Following the Company's Nasdaq listing, the Company's share buyback program announced on April 11, 2024 will be extended to the U.S. markets.

07:37 EDT Standard Lithium reports cash, equivalents totaling C$15.7M - "In Q3, Standard Lithium continued to execute on our strategic plan, responsibly and efficiently advancing our projects," stated Standard Lithium CEO Robert Mintak. "While the lithium sector has experienced challenges over the past year, we see positive indicators pointing toward stability, and the fundamentals of the lithium market remain strong. This presents a timely moment to showcase our strengths: a strong asset base, favorable jurisdictions, and an industry-leading Direct Lithium Extraction platform. This transformative partnership with Equinor, a global energy company and recognized leader in renewables and low carbon solutions, validates our strategic path to leverage our Smackover resources and become a globally significant contributor within the lithium market. It strengthens our finances, provides essential expertise, manages risk, and accelerates our progress towards this goal, unlocking long-term value for our shareholders."

07:32 EDT Monte Rosa Therapeutics expects cash and cash equivalents sufficient into 1H26

07:17 EDT Ameren published its 2024 Sustainability Report - Ameren Corporation published its 2024 Sustainability Report, highlighting updates on Ameren's performance related to its environmental, social, governance and sustainable growth commitments. "I'm pleased with the progress Ameren has made over the past year as we pursue new ways to expand support for our customers and communities and accelerate renewable and on-demand energy generation so that we can continue providing safe and reliable energy in an environmentally responsible manner," said Marty Lyons, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Ameren.

07:15 EDT Danaher launches collaboration with John Hopkins University - Danaher Corporation launched a collaboration with Johns Hopkins University aiming to develop new methods for diagnosing mild TBI. As part of the Danaher Beacons program, researchers at Johns Hopkins University will leverage technology from Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, a Danaher subsidiary and leader in clinical diagnostics, to potentially establish correlations between a new biomarker panel and clinical outcomes.

07:14 EDT Monopar Therapeutics reports strategic focus on radiopharma pipeline - The radiopharma space has had numerous positive recent developments and announcements, from acquisitions to clinical data to reimbursement rates to commercial demand. Since this past December alone, four significant acquisitions have been publicly announced or completed which have had upfront payments ranging from approximately $1 billion to over $4 billion. Monopar has been generating promising preclinical data, and recently entered the clinic with its novel, proprietary MNPR-101 radiopharma program targeting the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor. Based on these advances, Monopar has made the strategic decision to focus its resources on the assets and capabilities it has been building up in the radiopharma space. As such, the Company is winding down its non-radiopharma programs, including camsirubicin as well as MNPR-202. The Company is targeting launching its second radiopharma clinical trial as early as the end of this year or the first quarter of 2025.

07:12 EDT Microsoft selects TeraSky for strategic partnership - TeraSky announced their new strategic partnership with Microsoft to advance Azure Public Cloud computing platform with Generative AI. The companies will leverage their respective strengths to help customers maximize the impact of migrating to Microsoft Azure and integrating Generative AI.

07:10 EDT Mersana sees cash, equivalents sufficient to support operating plan into 2026

07:06 EDT Cogent increases quarterly dividend to 97.5c per share - On May 8, Cogent's board approved a regular quarterly dividend of 97.5c per share payable on June 7 to shareholders of record on May 23. This second quarter 2024 regular dividend represents an increase of 1c per share, or 1%, from the first quarter 2024 regular dividend of 96.5c per share and an annual increase of 4.3% from the second quarter 2023 dividend of 93.5c per share.

07:00 EDT Aecom joint venture to provide environmental planning services for the U.S. Navy - AECOM announced that its joint venture with Stantec was awarded a five-year environmental planning contract by the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific. The joint venture will deliver environmental planning services, primarily within the Pacific Region, in support of Navy and Marine Corps compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Under this single-award, indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity contract with a $99 million ceiling, the Stantec GS-AECOM Pacific joint venture will research, prepare, update and review Navy and Marine Corps documents to support NEPA compliance. The scope of work also includes environmental, facilities and land use planning studies. With a continued commitment to supplier diversity, the JV has a skilled team of specialty subcontractors, including small, historically underutilized business zones, woman-owned, Native Hawaiian 8(a), veteran-owned, and small disadvantaged businesses.

06:54 EDT Tapestry 'looks forward to presenting strong legal arguments' for Capri deal - Tapestry (TPR) noted that on April 22, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the proposed acquisition of Capri Holdings (CPRI). Tapestry said "the company is confident in the merits and pro-competitive, pro-consumer nature of this transaction and looks forward to presenting its strong legal arguments in court, working expeditiously to close the transaction in calendar year 2024."

06:48 EDT Merck provides update on Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B21 trial - Merck announced that the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B21 trial evaluating KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment, with or without radiotherapy, did not meet its primary endpoint of disease-free survival for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed, high-risk endometrial cancer after surgery with curative intent. At a pre-specified interim analysis conducted by an independent Data Monitoring Committee, adjuvant treatment with KEYTRUDA plus chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy, did not meet the study's pre-specified statistical criteria for DFS compared to placebo plus adjuvant chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy. The study's other primary endpoint of overall survival was not formally tested since superiority was not reached for DFS. The safety profile of KEYTRUDA was consistent with that observed in previously reported studies; no new safety signals were identified. A full evaluation of the data from this study is ongoing. Merck will work with investigators to share the results with the scientific community. In the U.S., KEYTRUDA has two approved indications in endometrial cancer. One indication, based on KEYNOTE-775/Study 309, is in combination with LENVIMA, in collaboration with Eisai, for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma that is mismatch repair proficient. as determined by an FDA-approved test, or not microsatellite instability-high, who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. The second indication, based on KEYNOTE-158, is as a single agent, for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma that is MSI-H or mismatch repair deficient, as determined by an FDA-approved test, who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. Merck has a comprehensive clinical development program in endometrial carcinoma, including the NRG-GY018/KEYNOTE-868 trial evaluating KEYTRUDA in combination with standard of care chemotherapy, followed by KEYTRUDA as a single agent for the treatment of patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma. As previously announced, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review for Merck's supplemental Biologics License Application based on this study and has set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or target action, date of June 21, 2024. The program also includes the KEYNOTE-C93 study evaluating KEYTRUDA versus chemotherapy in dMMR advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma, as well as the MK-2870-005 study evaluating sacituzumab tirumotecan, an investigational trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2-directed antibody-drug conjugate being developed in collaboration with Kelun-Biotech, compared to a treatment of physicians' choice in patients with endometrial carcinoma who have received prior platinum-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

06:46 EDT Pathfinder Bancorp CFO Walter Rusnak to retire, Justin Bigham to succeed - Pathfinder Bancorp announced that Walter Rusnak, senior VP and CFO, will retire from the role after a career spanning more than forty years in finance effective June 28. Justin Bigham has been named to succeed Rusnak as senior VP, CFO. Rusnak will remain with the company in an advisory capacity to ensure a transition and to continue to oversee the Bank's investment securities portfolio and overall balance sheet management.

06:34 EDT Tilt Holdings secures funding to develop vertical strategy in Pennsylvania - Tilt Holdings announced that an experienced retailer and operator will lend capital to Tilt's Pennsylvania subsidiary, Standard Farms in order for Standard Farms to construct and operate dispensaries. Under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana Program, independent cultivators can apply for one permit that will allow for three dispensary locations. Standard Farms has been a grower and processor in the Pennsylvania market since 2019. Under the terms of a Secured Promissory Note, Standard Farms can borrow up to $10.5M, Proceeds from the Note will be used to construct dispensaries obtained via a permit issued from the Department of Health, Bureau of Medical Marijuana, of the Commonwealth. Standard Farms permit will allow the construction and operation of up to three medical marijuana dispensaries in the Commonwealth. Proceeds from the Note will also be utilized for the initial setup and operation of the Retail Locations. The Note will mature on December 31, 2027, and will initially bear interest at 20%. The interest rate will automatically increase to 30% upon Standard Farm's opening a Retail Location and completing a first commercial sale in the Commonwealth and will automatically increase to 40% six months after the Location Opening Date.

06:31 EDT Experian announces launch of Cashflow Attributes solution - Experian announced the launch of Cashflow Attributes, a solution to help expand fair and affordable access to credit, particularly for thin-file and credit invisible consumers. With over 900 income, cashflow and affordability attributes, Experian's cashflow insights are available now and allow lenders to seamlessly integrate banking data into their decision-making.

06:28 EDT Aurinia Pharmaceuticals presents safety, efficacy data on LUPKYNIS - Aurinia Pharmaceuticals announced the presentation of two studies at the annual Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East 2024 taking place in Destin, FL, May 9-12. The data reinforce previous findings on the safety and effectiveness of LUPKYNIS, a second generation calcineurin inhibitor, in combination with MMF and steroids, for the treatment of adult patients with active lupus nephritis, as shown in the AURORA Clinical Program. A propensity analysis of the Aspreva Lupus Management Study, AURA-LV, and AURORA 1 studies suggested that LUPKYNIS plus standard of care demonstrated superior reductions in proteinuria and reduced patient exposure to toxicities compared with higher doses of mycophenolate mofetil and glucocorticoids or cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids alone. Safety and efficacy outcomes for propensity-matched patients with active LN from the AURA-LV plus AURORA 1 studies were assessed at three and six months. Patients who received the LUPKYNIS-based regimen experienced reductions in exposure to glucocorticoids and more patients achieved a greater than50% urine protein creatinine ratio reduction from baseline compared to their propensity-matched counterparts in ALMS. In a subset analysis of three years of data from the AURORA Clinical Program, 44.4% of Black patients treated with LUPKYNIS, MMF, and steroids experienced an improvement in complete renal response at 36 months compared to 14.3% of Black patients who achieved complete renal response when treated with MMF and glucocorticoids alone. These findings among Black patients, a population that often experiences worse outcomes and lower responses to LN treatment, are consistent with the treatment response seen across all racial and ethnic groups treated with the addition of LUPKYNIS to the standard of care in the AURORA Clinical Program.

06:05 EDT Vertex Pharmaceuticals sees Q1 capex $20M-$205M - Sees Mobile Refinery Total Throughput Volume 70-76 Mbpd

06:04 EDT Vertex Energy announces optimization of hydrocracking capacity - Announced a production pause and pivot regarding the Company's renewable business; Optimizing the Mobile Refinery hydrocracker capacity from renewable diesel to conventional fuels; Expect to deplete Company inventories of renewable feedstocks prior to the conversion; Conversion will be timed with a planned catalyst change and maintenance turnaround that was already scheduled for 2024, after which hydrocracker production is expected to contribute additional upgraded conventional product volumes in Q4 2024; and Opportunity to optimize hydrocracker production in conventional service while maintaining the proven renewable diesel production flexibility when market conditions warrant. Mr. Benjamin P. Cowart, Vertex's Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We had a strong operational and financial quarter, as we maintained our commitment to operating safely and reliably. We saw an improved crack spread environment, which drove our Adjusted EBITDA higher by over $50 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. Additionally, we saw conventional throughput above our guidance and managed direct operating costs and capital expenditures below our guidance. Over the past few years, we have made material advancements and strategic decisions to grow Vertex. For the past two years we have operated safely and efficiently while investing capital into upgrading the Mobile Refinery. We built in flexibility with our capital spend to allow us to redeploy our renewable equipment back into conventional production if our strategy required adjustment. Due to the significant macroeconomic headwinds over the past 12 months, many of which we believe will continue to occur over the next 18 months and potentially beyond, we have decided to strategically pause our renewable diesel business and pivot to producing conventional fuels from the hydrocracker unit. We plan to reconfigure the hydrocracker in conjunction with a planned turnaround on the unit. I am appreciative of the team for their work in proving the hydrocracker in renewables service, obtaining multiple pathway approvals, and successfully incorporating a wide variety of renewable feedstocks. In the future, based on economics and macro conditions, we expect to optimize our hydrocracker capacity between conventional and renewables service. We believe this flexibility to produce based on market demand materially enhances our unit's long-term value potential. Our engineering and operations teams have worked diligently to preserve our optionality for the unit and to not degrade our ability to produce conventional products. We now have a more robust hydrocracking unit in either service mode. Relative to what's currently available for renewables, we believe that this shift will allow us to optimize available returns through higher yield capabilities and higher margin opportunities for conventional products. When modeling the unit in conventional service against first quarter 2024 historical data, we estimate the unit could have significantly improved our results providing an additional fuel gross margin contribution of roughly $40 million on conventional fuels. Our strategic priorities remain focused on increasing our cash position, reducing our operating costs, and improving margins. We believe that this decision, to allow for more optionality in the hydrocracking unit, is not only prudent but a necessary step toward accomplishing these for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025."

05:57 EDT P10 chairman Robert Alpert to step down, Luke Sarsfield to succeed - P10 announced several enhancements to its governance structure and policy. Robert Alpert informed the P10 board of directors of his decision to step down as executive chairman, effective June 14, concurrent with the P10 annual meeting. Alpert will continue to serve on the board as a director. Additionally, the board voted to appoint Luke Sarsfield to the role of chairman of the board, also effective June 14 and intends to appoint a lead independent director at the P10 annual meeting. The company's board also determined that its stockholder rights plan is no longer necessary for the preservation of federal income tax benefits and unanimously voted to terminate the rights plan effective as of the close of business on May 8. The stockholder rights plan, which was previously set to expire in October, was intended to help preserve the value of certain income tax assets, primarily tax net operating loss carryforwards. Stockholders do not have to take any action as a result of this termination.

05:47 EDT Volaris, Frontier Airlines reactivate codeshare agreement - Volaris (VLRS) announced Frontier Airlines (ULCC) reactivation of the Codeshare agreement between both airlines, facilitating travel between the United States and Mexico. Beginning immediately, Frontier customers will be able to book travel to Mexico on Volaris for flights departing May 16, onward. Volaris offers more than 460 daily flight segments, through an extensive network that connects 44 cities in Mexico and 29 in the United States, Central and South America. In Mexico, it includes popular destinations such as Mexico City, Cancun, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Acapulco, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Tijuana. With this reinstatement, Frontier customers can now book codeshare flights through their website, FlyFrontier.com, and the FlyFrontier mobile app, for both, nonstop Volaris and connecting Frontier/Volaris destinations in Mexico. In addition, Volaris customers have available all of Frontier's more than 100 destinations in the US when booking through Volaris.

05:37 EDT Teekay Tankers declares $2.00 per share special cash dividend - Teekay Tankers reported the company's results for the quarter ended March 31 and announced that its board of directors has declared a cash dividend of 25c per share for the quarter ended March 31. In addition, the board of directors has declared a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share. These cash dividends are payable on May 31 to all shareholders of record as at May 21.