Stockwinners Market Radar for June 24, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:28 EDT Qantas to cut workforce by 6K roles, ground 100 aircraft for up to 12 months - In a Post-Covid Recovery Plan, Qantas announces intention to raise up to AUD 1.9B in equity to accelerate recovery, ground 100 aircraft for up to 12 months, and lay off at least 6,000 roles in its pre-crisis workforce across all parts of the business. Reference Link

19:20 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings rise to 1,176.85MT from 1,169.25M - This is the 4th consecutive increase and the highest level of holdings since April of 2013.

18:39 EDT Minnesota AG sues ExxonMobil, Koch Industries over climate change deception - Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a lawsuit in Ramsey County on behalf of the State and its residents to stop deceptive practices related to climate change and to hold ExxonMobil Corp., the American Petroleum Institute, and three Koch Industries entities accountable for perpetuating fraud against Minnesotans. The lawsuit includes claims for fraud, failure to warn, and multiple separate violations of Minnesota Statutes that prohibit consumer fraud, deceptive trade practices, and false statements in advertising. In addition to an injunction barring further violation of these laws, the complaint seeks restitution for the harms Minnesotans have suffered, and asks the Court to require defendants to fund a corrective public education campaign on the issue of climate change. The complaint asks the court to require these companies to use wrongfully-obtained profits to help Minnesota pay for the devastating consequences of climate change. Attorney General Ellison is asking for these companies to disgorge profits and to "fund a corrective public education campaign in Minnesota relating to the issue of climate change, administered and controlled by an independent third party," and that defendants "disclose, disseminate, and publish all research previously conducted directly or indirectly . . . that relates to the issue of climate change."

18:23 EDT KB Home down 13.5% after Q2 results, revenue outlook below consensus

18:03 EDT Dentsply Sirona wins summary judgment against Edge Endo, US Endodontics - Dentsply Sirona announced that on Tuesday, June 23rd, the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, in a ruling by Judge Joseph Bataillon, held that EdgeTaper Encore endodontic files sold by US Endodontics and Edge Endo infringe at least three valid claims of patents asserted by Dentsply Sirona Inc. Judge Bataillon granted Dentsply Sirona's motion for summary judgment that each of the three patent claims were infringed by EdgeTaper Encore and that Dentsply Sirona's three patent claims are valid. The Court also rejected Edge's request to dismiss Dentsply Sirona's claim that Edge's infringement was willful. A finding of willful infringement allows the Court to award treble damages and attorneys' fees against an adjudicated infringer. Dentsply Sirona's case against Edge and US Endo is scheduled for trial before a jury in Albuquerque, New Mexico beginning on August 17. At issue will be Dentsply Sirona's claims for willful infringement and damages with respect to the three claims that have already been held valid and infringed, as well as Dentsply Sirona's assertion of infringement with respect to additional patent claims.

17:53 EDT Criteo, advertising tech peers fall amid Apple changes to access ID - Shares of advertising technology companies fell after BMO Capital said Apple's (AAPL) changes to access ID for advertising presents a headwind from them. HEADWINDS FOR AD TECH: BMO Capital analyst Daniel Salmon downgraded Criteo (CRTO) to Market Perform from Outperform with a price target of $13, down from $16. Apple is making changes to access ID for advertising that present a headwind for advertising technology companies, Salmon told investors in a research note. While not the worst case scenario of immediate and complete elimination, Apple's moves present risk to Criteo's iOS app business in the near term as IDFA was a key signal used for targeting, attribution and other uses, noted the analyst. As a result, Salmon said he cannot recommend Criteo for new investment dollars "until we get greater clarity on the issue." PRICE ACTION: Shares of Criteo fell 16% to $11.00 per share on Wednesday. PEERS TRADE LOWER: Criteo's advertising technology peers also closed significantly lower, including Rubicon Project (RUBI), Cardlytics (CDLX), QuinStreet (QNST), Trade Desk (TTD), and TechTarget (TTGT).

17:31 EDT Merck's Keytruda approved by FDA in cSCC not curable by surgery or radiation - Merck announced that the FDA has approved KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, as monotherapy for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, or cSCC, that is not curable by surgery or radiation. This approval is based on data from the Phase 2 KEYNOTE-629 trial, in which KEYTRUDA demonstrated meaningful efficacy and durability of response, with an objective response rate of 34%, including a complete response rate of 4% and a partial response rate of 31%. Among responding patients, 69% had ongoing responses of six months or longer. After a median follow-up time of 9.5 months, the median duration of response had not been reached.

17:27 EDT Beer, booze makers fizzle amid COVID-19 spikes, dashed reopening hopes - Shares of beer and booze makers took a hit as the sad reality of delayed bar openings shook the confidence of investors on Wednesday after reports that COVID-19 cases are climbing quickly among the more socially aspirant young adults in a number of states where bars, stores and restaurants have reopened. According to national reports, four states -- California, Florida, South Carolina, and Oklahoma -- reported new single-day case highs. New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo announced two executive orders. The first would allow for liquor licenses to be immediately revoked from businesses in the event of violating reopening guidelines. The second would make these businesses responsible for the sidewalk or outdoor areas immediately outside their establishments. "As we go through these phases of reopening, the compliance and enforcement function of local government gets more difficult. We're going to take an added step by issuing executive orders to increase the State's enforcement capacity," said Cuomo. PRICE ACTION: Shares of all the major spirit makers were down, including Constellation Brands (STZ), Diageo (DEO), Molson (TAP), Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), Boston Beer (SAM), and Brown Forman (BF.A, BF.B).

17:18 EDT Retail Properties of America to replace TopBuild in S&P 600 at open on 6/30

17:16 EDT Goosehead Insurance CFO sells 16.5K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Goosehead Insurance disclosed that its CFO Mark Colby sold 16.5K shares of common stock on June 22nd in a total transaction size of $1.17M.

17:14 EDT AT&T announces additional early repayment of debt - AT&T continues to proactively manage its capital structure and reduce upcoming maturity towers. AT&T has issued notices for the redemption in full of all the outstanding principal amount of six series of bonds totaling approximately $4.3B and prepayment of term loans totaling $1B. The total principal of these prepayments is approximately $5.3B. When combined with recently announced repayment activity, and anticipated continued strong cash flow, the company's future near-term debt maturity towers are very manageable. This series of transactions is consistent with AT&T's plans to continue improving its credit quality even as it remains committed to paying a dividend to its shareholders and investing in its growth areas - fiber, 5G and HBO Max. For full-year 2020, AT&T expects its dividend payout of free cash flow ratio will be in the 60% range. This gives the company the flexibility to continue to reduce its debt levels during 2020.

17:05 EDT BlackBerry reports Q1 recurring non-GAAP software product revenue was over 90%

17:03 EDT BlackBerry CEO says 'starting to see signs of a recovery' - "BlackBerry QNX was impacted by macro headwinds in the auto and other embedded sectors but we are starting to see signs of a recovery," said John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO, BlackBerry. "On the enterprise front, we saw good demand from customers who recognized the necessity for BlackBerry's security, business continuity, and productivity solutions in an increasingly remote working environment. BlackBerry is capitalizing on the secular trends of securing and connecting endpoints."

16:49 EDT MasterCard reports cross border volume in week ending 6/21 down 41% - The company says its "switched volume continues to show an improving trend since the week ending May 28, in part due to the further relaxation of social distancing measures in several markets and the impact of fiscal stimulus in the United States....Cross-Border Volume has improved modestly, primarily due to an increase in intra-Europe travel, but remains low." Reference Link

16:33 EDT Air Lease announces lease placement of Airbus A319 jets with HiSky Moldova - Air Lease Corporation (AL) announced a long-term lease placement for one used Airbus (EADSY) A319-131 aircraft with HiSky Moldova. Scheduled to deliver this September, this aircraft will be the second aircraft in the fleet of the Moldovan startup airline. "ALC is pleased to announce this second lease placement with HiSky Moldova," said David Beker, Vice President and Head of Aircraft Sales and Trading of Air Lease Corporation. "We have been impressed with the business plan underpinning this new clean-sheet airline in Moldova and are honored to provide the first A319 and A320 aircraft to HiSky Moldova so that they can launch their airline later this summer. We look forward to growing and expanding our relationship over the coming years."

16:31 EDT Sinovac Biotech receives China approval for quadrivalent Influenza vaccine - Sinovac Biotech announced the China National Medical Products Administration issued a product license for its quadrivalent Influenza vaccine. Sinovac expects its QIV to be available to the China market for the 2020-2021 influenza season. QIV contains two A strains and two B strains, recommended by the WHO, and the vaccine protects a target group of 3 years and older against the influenza disease.

16:23 EDT Alpine Income Property acquires retail income property for $8M - Alpine Income Property announced the acquisition of a net-leased retail income property for a purchase price of approximately $8M, representing a going-in cap rate of 6.68%. The company acquired an approximately 55,000 square foot building leased to Hobby Lobby, situated on over four acres, with approximately 11 years remaining on the lease term that includes contractual rent escalations every five years. The property, developed in 2016, is in the Asheville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Including this single-tenant net leased retail income property, the company's portfolio now consists of 30 properties located in 20 markets and 13 states across 14 industries, with a weighted average remaining lease term of 8.7 years. The company has acquired approximately $55M of single-tenant net leased properties year-to-date with a weighted average going-in cap rate of 7.03%.

16:22 EDT USDA, FDA say no evidence of contracting COVID-19 from food - The Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn issued a following statement regarding food export restrictions pertaining to COVID-19: "The United States understands the concerns of consumers here domestically and around the world who want to know that producers, processors and regulators are taking every necessary precaution to prioritize food safety especially during these challenging times. However, efforts by some countries to restrict global food exports related to COVID-19 transmission are not consistent with the known science of transmission. There is no evidence that people can contract COVID-19 from food or from food packaging. The U.S. food safety system, overseen by our agencies, is the global leader in ensuring the safety of our food products, including product for export." Publicly traded meat producers include Hormel Foods (HRL), Pilgrim's Pride (PPC), Sanderson Farms (SAFM) and Tyson Foods (TSN).

16:16 EDT Two Harbors names William Greenberg President and CEO - Two Harbors announced the appointments of William Greenberg to President and CCEO and Matthew Koeppen to Chief Investment Officer. Thomas Siering will no longer serve as President and CEO; he will remain on the Board of Directors as a non-independent director until the next annual meeting of the Company's stockholders. These leadership changes are effective today. William Greenberg has served as Vice President and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Two Harbors since January 2020, with primary responsibility for the investment and hedging strategy of the company's portfolio of conventional MSR and securities.

16:15 EDT WillScot says 95% of WillScot and Mobile Mini stockholders approve pact - WillScot announced that at their respective special meetings of stockholders held recently, over 95% of WillScot and Mobile Mini stockholders present voted to approve the issuance of the merger consideration and the merger agreement, respectively, and the stockholders of each company voted in favor of all other proposals necessary to complete the merger of equals transaction combining WillScot, a leading specialty rental services provider of innovative modular space and portable storage solutions across North America, with Mobile Mini, a leading provider of portable storage solutions serving customers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. The transaction is expected to close on July 1, subject to customary closing conditions. The combined company will be named WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. as of the closing of the transaction and the combined company's common stock will trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "WSC". The final vote results on the proposals voted on at the special meetings will be set forth in the companies' separate Form 8-Ks filed with the SEC after certification by each company's inspector

16:14 EDT uniQure, CSL Behring enter license agreement for hemophilia B gene therapy - uniQure announced that uniQure and CSL Behring have entered into a licensing agreement providing CSL Behring with exclusive global rights to etranacogene dezaparvovec, uniQure's investigational gene therapy for patients with hemophilia B. Etranacogene dezaparvovec consists of an AAV5 viral vector carrying a gene cassette with the patent-protected Padua variant of Factor IX, or FIX-Padua. Under the terms of the agreement, uniQure will receive a $450M upfront cash payment and be eligible to receive up to $1.6B in payments based on regulatory and commercial milestones. uniQure will also be eligible to receive tiered double-digit royalties in a range of up to a low-twenties percentage of net product sales arising from the collaboration. The collaboration leverages CSL Behring's global reach and commercial infrastructure in hematology to accelerate access of etranacogene dezaparvovec to hemophilia B patients around the world. Under the terms of the agreement, uniQure will be responsible for the completion of the HOPE-B pivotal study, manufacturing process validation, and the manufacturing supply of etranacogene dezaparvovec until such time that these capabilities are transferred to CSL Behring. Clinical development and regulatory activities performed by uniQure under the agreement will be reimbursed by CSL Behring. CSL Behring will be responsible for regulatory submissions and commercialization of etranacogene dezaparvovec. The closing of the transaction is contingent on completion of review under antitrust laws in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. uniQure expects that the agreement will provide additional capital to accelerate and expand its pipeline of gene therapies, including advancing the Phase I/II study of AMT-130 in Huntington's disease, initiating IND-enabling studies of AMT-150 in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, selecting a lead candidate in Fabry disease and progressing other current and new candidates for central nervous system disorders and rare liver-directed diseases. Regarding AMT-130, uniQure recently announced the completion of the first two patient procedures in the Phase I/II study and anticipates announcing early safety data in the second half of 2020 and initial efficacy data in 2021. uniQure plans to continue to leverage its gene therapy platform, including the company's expertise with AAV5, to develop gene therapies. No patient treated in clinical trials with uniQure's AAV5 gene therapies has experienced any cytotoxic T-cell-mediated immune response to the capsid. Additionally, preclinical and clinical data show that AAV5-based gene therapies may be viable treatments in patients with pre-existing antibodies to AAV5, thereby potentially increasing patient eligibility for treatment. In addition, uniQure plans to strengthen its proprietary gene therapy platform by expanding its manufacturing capacity to support a broad pipeline, including product candidates for diseases with larger prevalence, as well as investing further in new technologies to improve the efficacy, safety and applicability of its gene therapies to patients. uniQure plans to de-prioritize its research program of AMT-180 for patients with hemophilia A.

16:12 EDT Hudson Technologies announces the passing of CEO Kevin Zugibe - Hudson Technologies issued the following statement: "It is with great sadness that we announce that Kevin J. Zugibe, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Hudson Technologies, passed away unexpectedly yesterday. The entire Hudson family mourns this loss. On behalf of our Board of Directors, management team and employees, we extend our deepest sympathies to Kevin's family. Kevin was our founder and an industry pioneer who brought his remarkable passion, experience and energy to Hudson." Vincent Abbatecola, Chairman of Hudson's Audit Committee, issued the following statement on behalf of the Board of Directors: "With the passing of Kevin J. Zugibe, Hudson Technologies has suffered a major loss. In accordance with our adopted succession plan, Brian Coleman, our President and Chief Operating Officer, will assume the duties of Chief Executive Officer. Brian has the complete confidence of the Board of Directors that he and the entire Hudson Technologies team will continue Kevin Zugibe's remarkable legacy."

16:05 EDT CBRE Group names Tim Dismond chief diversity officer - CBRE Group announced that Tim Dismond has been promoted to the newly created role of Chief Diversity Officer. Dismond will join CBRE's Executive Committee, the group of 12 global executives responsible for driving the company's business worldwide, and will report to Bob Sulentic, the company's president and CEO. Dismond is currently a Division President in the company's Global Workplace Solutions Enterprise business.

16:03 EDT Insmed says Phase 2 WILLOW study of brensocatib met primary endpoint - Insmed announced that final results from the Phase 2 WILLOW study of brensocatib in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis were presented during a virtual American Thoracic Society session titled Breaking News: Clinical Trial Results in Pulmonary Medicine. Brensocatib is a novel, oral, reversible inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase 1 being developed by Insmed for the treatment of bronchiectasis and other inflammatory diseases. The WILLOW study met its primary endpoint, with brensocatib significantly prolonging time to first pulmonary exacerbation over the 24-week treatment period versus placebo. The risk of exacerbation at any time during the trial was reduced by 42% for the 10 mg group versus placebo and by 38% for the 25 mg group versus placebo. Treatment with brensocatib 10 mg also resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of pulmonary exacerbations, a key secondary endpoint, versus placebo. Patients treated with brensocatib experienced a 36% reduction in the 10 mg arm and a 25% reduction in the 25 mg arm versus placebo. Change from baseline to the end of the treatment period in concentration of active neutrophil elastase in sputum demonstrated a significantly larger reduction with both brensocatib doses versus placebo. In addition to the previously reported primary and secondary endpoint data, Professor Chalmers presented new data today from a pooled analysis of patients treated with either dosage of brensocatib in the WILLOW study. This analysis showed that patients treated with brensocatib who achieved sputum NE below the limit of quantification post-baseline had a lower incidence of pulmonary exacerbations compared to patients who had a quantifiable level of sputum NE post-baseline. Importantly, the risk of having an exacerbation was 72% lower in these patients.

16:02 EDT Six Flags names Sandeep Reddy as new CFO - Six Flags announced that it has appointed Sandeep Reddy as Executive Vice President and CFO effective July 1, 2020. In his new role, Mr. Reddy will lead all aspects of the company's financial strategy and operations, including budgeting and planning, treasury, accounting, tax, financial reporting and investor relations. Leonard Russ, who has filled the CFO position on an interim basis since February 2020, will transition to an operational role and continue to report to Mike Spanos, President and CEO.

15:47 EDT WesBanco's Libs acquires 25,000 common shares - WesBanco director Gary L. Libs disclosed the purchase of 25,000 common shares of the company on June 22 at a price of $20.701 per share.

15:34 EDT SuRo Capital clarifies name change from Sutter Rock Capital - SuRo Capital issued the following statement to provide additional clarity regarding the name change from Sutter Rock Capital Corp. to SuRo Capital Corp., previously announced on Friday, June 19, 2020: "On March 12, 2020, a complaint was filed in the United States District Court in the Northern District of California by Sutter Hill Ventures alleging that we infringed on Sutter Hill's federally-registered service mark. Sutter Hill was seeking an injunction from our use of the SUTTER ROCK and SUTTER ROCK CAPITAL marks and trade names, an unspecified amount of damages and disgorgement of our profits, a determination that the alleged infringement was willful, intentional and deliberate, warranting an award to Sutter Hill under California law of three times our profits and three times Sutter Hill's damages, an award of attorney's fees and cost, and an award of prejudgment and post judgment interest. We believed from the outset, and continue to believe, that Sutter Hill's complaint was completely without merit. However, based on estimates from our legal counsel, fully defending this case could have cost up to $1 million and lasted over a year. As a result, our board of directors decided it was in our stockholders' best interest to satisfactorily settle the case with Sutter Hill and to change our name to SuRo Capital Corp. We do not believe this name change will have any impact on our goal of providing returns to stockholders."

15:29 EDT FDA approves Keytruda for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma - On June 24, the Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab, or Keytruda, from Merck for patients with recurrent or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma that is not curable by surgery or radiation. Efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab using a dosage of 400 mg every 6 weeks for cSCC was primarily based on the modeling of dose/exposure efficacy and safety relationships and observed pharmacokinetic data in patients with melanoma. The recommended pembrolizumab doses for cSCC are 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks. Reference Link

15:18 EDT Acceleron reports PULSAR trial achieved primary endpoint, key secondary endpoint - Acceleron Pharma presented topline results of the PULSAR Phase 2 trial of sotatercept in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, or PAH. During the "Breaking News: Clinical Trials in Pulmonary Medicine" session of ATS 2020 Virtual, study investigators reported that patients on stable background PAH-specific therapies treated with sotatercept experienced a statistically significant reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance, the trial's primary endpoint, at week 24 versus placebo. In this Phase 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 106 patients were randomized to receive placebo, 0.3 mg/kg of sotatercept, or 0.7 mg/kg of sotatercept subcutaneously every 21 days in combination with stable background PAH-specific therapies, including mono, double, and triple therapy over a 24-week treatment period. Of the 106 patients participating in the trial, 35% were receiving double background PAH-specific therapies and 56% were receiving triple background PAH-specific therapies. The trial achieved its primary endpoint, key secondary endpoint, and showed concordance of results across multiple additional endpoints and regardless of baseline characteristics. "We're thrilled to report the impressive magnitude of the positive effects that sotatercept, in combination with current therapies, was able to achieve in patients with PAH. Although the introduction over the past two decades of more than a dozen treatments for PAH has driven the development of today's combination-therapy strategies, the substantial morbidity still associated with PAH clearly signals the need for a new approach. As we work now with health authorities to move sotatercept into Phase 3 testing, we are increasingly encouraged that we will be able to deliver a truly innovative therapy to patients with this debilitating disease," said Habib Dable, President and Chief Executive Officer of Acceleron. ."

15:16 EDT Acceleron reports 'impressive magnitude of positive effects' in PULSAR trial

15:09 EDT Dare Bioscience announces publication of article reviewing PCT studies - Earlier, Dare Bioscience (DARE) announced the publication of a literature review article by Biology of Reproduction that identifies and reviews 10 postcoital test studies of vaginal contraceptives involving 9 test products, including Dare's investigational hormone-free, monthly contraceptive Ovaprene, currently under a license agreement with Bayer (BAYRY) for commercialization in the U.S. The literature review was conducted with the support and participation of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, and Dare Bioscience. Based on the literature review, the article concludes that, for evaluating vaginal contraceptives, the PCT is the closest analogue available as a predictor of contraceptive effectiveness and is the best indicator of whether a test product works before it is evaluated in a contraceptive effectiveness study. In January 2020, Dare announced that it entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Bayer for U.S. commercial rights to Ovaprene. Under the agreement, Dare received an upfront payment and access to Bayer's extensive clinical and market capabilities while retaining control over Ovaprene's development and regulatory approval process. Bayer received the right to obtain exclusive rights to commercialize the product in the U.S. following completion of the pivotal clinical trial being undertaken by Dare. If Bayer, in its sole discretion, makes payment to Dare of $20M, which Dare intends to apply to reimbursement of clinical study costs, then the exclusive license to commercialize Ovaprene in the U.S. will become effective. Dare will also be entitled to receive commercial milestone payments potentially totaling $310M, in addition to double digit tiered royalties on net sales.

14:58 EDT New Mountain Finance reports preliminary estimates for June 30 period results - New Mountain Finance disclosed that it has posted a presentation on its website containing preliminary estimates of the results for the period ending June 30. The interim update is intended to provide the company's shareholders information on the company's credit performance, leverage and liquidity since its last update on May 7 and ahead of the next quarterly earnings conference call. The slides state in part: "We believe our portfolio continues to be well positioned at a result of our defensive growth investment strategy...No material migration to any portfolio company's Risk Rating since our May 7, 2020 earnings call...We do not currently anticipate any additional portfolio companies to be placed on non-accrual status for Q2 2020 beyond the one retail healthcare position we discussed on the May call. Projected June 30, 2020 statuatory leverage ratio of 1.35x, down from 1.56x at March 31, 2020...Liquidity position remains strong as we currently have about $230M of cash and immediately available liquidity to handle future needs."

14:47 EDT Facebook's $5.7B investment in Jio Platforms approved by India regulator - The Competition Commission of India has approved Facebook's acquisition of a 9.99% stake in the digital services firm Jio Platforms: India's CCI said the following in a press release: "CCI approves acquisition of 9.99% stake in Jio Platforms by Jaadhu Holdings. The proposed combination envisages acquisition of approximately 9.99% stake inJio Platforms Limited by Jaadhu Holdings, Jaadhu. Jaadhu is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Facebook. Jaadhu is a newly incorporated company formed in March 2020 under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States. Facebook is a publicly traded company listed on NASDAQ, with headquarters in California, United States of America. Facebook was founded in 2004. Its mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. The Facebook group offers various products and services that help people connect to their friends and family, find communities, and grow businesses. Jio Platforms is a company organised and existing under the laws of the Republic of India, and a subsidiary of RIL. Jio Platforms owns (directly or indirectly) and operates digital applications and holds controlling investments in certain technology related entities. Jio Platforms also holds 100% of the issued and outstanding share capital of Reliance JioInfocomm Limited. RJIL is a public limited company incorporated in India, and is a licensed telecommunications operator, providing telecommunications services to users across the country." Reference Link

14:32 EDT New Mountain Finance trading halted, news pending

14:30 EDT Cinedigm in partnership pact with FreeCast - Cinedigm announced a partnership with North American OTT streaming company FreeCast to bring nine of Cinedigm's popular streaming networks to FreeCast's rapidly growing streaming service SelectTV. Operated by next-generation television provider FreeCast, SelectTV makes it easier than ever to watch TV Shows, Movies, Events, and more online by organizing all of the web's entertainment into the world's most comprehensive SmartGuide. Whether you're looking for the latest episode of your favorite TV Show, a fun movie for the whole family, or a live stream of tonight's big game, it's all just a click away with SelectTV. The SelectTV SmartGuide searches, updates, organizes, and manages over 2 million video sources daily, so viewers can spend less time searching and more time watching. The company's service is available in browsers, iOS and Android apps, and supports casting to most major TVs via Chromecast and Airplay support.The deal with FreeCast is the latest distribution expansion by Cinedigm Networks. The company plans on continued expansion this year of the company's more than 330 million addressable devices in North America and more than 365 million internationally. The company plans to continue rapid expansion with digital platforms, OEMs, telcos, and cable & broadband providers worldwide. "As families across North America seek more value out of their entertainment dollar, cord-cutting has truly become a mainstream phenomenon," said Erick Opeka, President of Cinedigm Digital Networks. "SelectTV provides an amazing value to consumers and their SelectTV service puts us in front of a fast-growing, highly engaged user base. This deal furthers our mission of putting Cinedigm's networks in every home in America, accessible on every connected device." "We are excited to bring Cinedigm's diverse array of channels and content to our fast-growing user base on SelectTV," said Tracy West, EVP Digital Content & Channel Distribution for FreeCast. "The high quality of programming across a diverse selection of genres makes Cinedigm a perfect fit for our customers."

14:12 EDT Mayne Pharma announces NDA for pregnancy prevention accepted by FDA - Mayne Pharma is pleased announced the New Drug Application, NDA, for E4/DRSP to prevent pregnancy has been accepted for review by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA. The FDA is expected to complete its review in the first half of calendar 2021. Developed by Mithra Pharmaceuticals E4/DRSP is a novel combined oral contraceptive pill containing 15 mg estetrol and 3 mg drospirenone . E4 is a naturally occurring estrogen that is produced by the human foetal liver during pregnancy. Following more than 20 years of research and development, Mayne Pharma's development and manufacturing partner, Mithra, can synthesise E4 at scale through a complex plant-based production process. The NDA submission incl udes results from two phase 3 clinical studies conducted in more than 3,725 women aged 16 to 50 years.

13:24 EDT B. Riley Principal Merger II, Eos announce LOI for business combination - B. Riley Principal Merger Corp. II (BMRG), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of B. Riley Financial (RILY), and privately held Eos Energy Storage LLC announced they have executed a letter of intent for a business combination transaction which would result in Eos becoming a publicly listed company. Eos Energy Storage is a provider of long-duration energy storage focused on providing a domestic solution to a global need: low-cost, safe, and environmentally friendly energy storage. The proposed transaction would provide Eos with access to new capital to help fund the rapid growth of its corporate strategy, which includes the expansion of its manufacturing capacity to meet customer demand, investment in personnel to further drive research and development and commercialization, in addition to general corporate purposes. "We are pleased to work towards bringing our stockholders this unique opportunity to participate in the rapid growth and expansion of a leading domestic energy storage business," said Dan Shribman, CEO of BRPM II, and Chief Investment Officer of B. Riley Financial. "We view the proposed combination of BRPM II and Eos to be a compelling transaction that would provide Eos with the necessary capital to support the expansion of its capital-efficient and scalable solution. Having followed Eos for several years, we believe now is the ideal time for management to unlock the full potential of a truly disruptive solution to address a clear need in the global energy storage market." The transaction contemplates a pre-money valuation for Eos of approximately $290M. The proposed transaction with BRPM II would provide Eos with approximately $225M of additional new equity financing, including $50M of proceeds from a fully backstopped PIPE by B. Riley Financial, assuming no public shareholders of BRPM II exercise their redemption rights at closing. The proposed transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2020, subject to, among other things, the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement providing for the transaction, the approval by BRPM II's shareholders, satisfaction of the conditions stated in the LOI and other customary closing conditions.

13:05 EDT Bayer expects to keep dividend policy, investment grade credit ratings - Bayer said in a press release, "Based on publications by the rating agencies and the company's communication with them, Bayer expects to keep investment grade credit ratings. With its strong underlying business, the company intends to keep its dividend policy. At the same time, deleveraging the balance sheet remains a high priority."

13:01 EDT Zoom Video names Jason Lee as Chief Information Security Officer - Zoom Video Communications (ZM) announced that Jason Lee will join the company as its Chief Information Security Officer, effective June 29, 2020. Lee was most recently the Senior Vice President of Security Operations at Salesforce (CRM), and previously was Principal Director of Security Engineering at Microsoft (MSFT). Lee will lead Zoom's security team and report to Aparna Bawa, Zoom's COO. Zoom said in a statement that it is nearing the end of its 90-day security and privacy plan, put into place during a time of unprecedented growth that has made Zoom the platform of choice for over 300 million daily meeting participants, including those at some of the world's largest enterprises. Lee will focus on continuing Zoom's path of putting the security and privacy of its users first by ensuring that the frictionless and easy-to-use platform remains secure. "Our customers' security is extremely important and is at the core of everything we do. We are excited to welcome Jason, who has deep industry experience, understands the complexity of servicing a wide variety of users, and can lead Zoom's efforts to strengthen the security of our platform during this time of rapid expansion," said Bawa.

12:56 EDT Bayer announces agreements to resolve most PCB water litigation - Bayer announced a series of agreements that resolve cases representing most of the company's exposure to PCB water litigation. Monsanto legally manufactured PCBs until ceasing their production in 1977, the company said in a statement. One agreement establishes a class that includes all local governments with EPA permits involving water discharges impaired by PCBs. Bayer will pay a total of approximately $650M to the class, which will be subject to court approval. At the same time, the company has entered into separate agreements with the Attorneys General of New Mexico, Washington, and the District of Columbia to resolve similar PCB claims. For these agreements, which are separate from the class, Bayer will make payments that together total approximately $170M.

12:53 EDT Bayer pays $10.1B-$10.9B to resolve 75% of current Roundup litigation - Bayer announced a series of agreements that it says "will substantially resolve major outstanding Monsanto litigation," including U.S. Roundup product liability litigation, dicamba drift litigation and PCB water litigation. The main feature is the U.S. Roundup resolution that will bring closure to approximately 75% of the current Roundup litigation involving approximately 125,000 filed and unfiled claims overall. The company will make a total payment of $10.1B to $10.9B to resolve current and address potential future Roundup litigation. The resolved claims include all plaintiff law firms leading the Roundup federal multi-district litigation or the California bellwether cases, and those representing approximately 95% of the cases currently set for trial, and "establish key values and parameters to guide the resolution of the remainder of the claims as negotiations advance," Bayer said in a statement. The resolution also puts in place a mechanism to resolve potential future claims efficiently, it added. The company will make a payment of $8.8B to $9.6B to resolve the current Roundup litigation, including an allowance expected to cover unresolved claims, and $1.25B to support a separate class agreement to address potential future litigation. The Roundup class agreement will be subject to approval by Judge Vince Chhabria of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The resolutions were approved unanimously by Bayer's Board of Management and Supervisory Board. The agreements contain no admission of liability or wrongdoing.

12:34 EDT SG Americas to pay $3.1M to settle SEC charges over blue sheet data - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settled charges against broker-dealer SG Americas Securities LLC, the U.S. broker-dealer unit of Societe Generale, for failing to provide complete and accurate securities trading information known as "blue sheet data." SG Americas agreed to pay a $1.55M civil penalty to resolve the SEC's charges and separately agreed to pay $1.55M to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to resolve parallel charges. According to the SEC's order, for more than five years, SG Americas made numerous deficient blue sheet submissions containing missing or inaccurate data, largely due to undetected coding errors. The order finds that SG Americas submitted missing or incorrect data for approximately 27.6M transactions and had inadequate processes designed to validate the accuracy of its submissions. Broker-dealers are required to provide trade data, which the SEC uses to carry out its enforcement and regulatory obligations, including investigations of insider trading and other fraudulent activity.

12:10 EDT Slack Technologies introduces Slack Connect for business communication - In a blog post, Slack Technologies (WORK) introduced Slack Connect, a "more secure and productive way for organizations to communicate together." Slack Connect is a secure communications environment that lets usersmove all the conversations with your external partners, clients, vendors and others into Slack, replacing email and taking business collaboration to the next level, the company said. "My favorite part of Slack Connect has been the co-creation with customers," says Tamar Yehoshua, Slack's chief product officer. "We've used Slack Connect to build Slack Connect with our customers, gathering feedback about the product and the ways they're using it with their external teams." Starting today, up to 20 organizations can come together in a single Slack channel, enabling customers to bring even more of their external ecosystem into Slack-such as their entire supply chain, corporate subsidiaries or industry peers. With Slack Connect, all kinds of teams can: Securely connect to external organizations; Get work done faster with partners and vendors; Strengthen business relationships. The company added that admins and security professionals can rest assured that all of Slack's enterprise-grade security features and compliance standards extend to Slack Connect: data loss prevention, retention and e-discovery. Slack also provides Enterprise Key Management via Amazon Web Services (AMZN), giving organizations complete control over their data and who can see it. Reference Link

12:02 EDT Square announces on-demand delivery for Square Online Store sellers - Square announced the availability of On-Demand Delivery for Square Online Store. With On-Demand Delivery, Square Online Store sellers can dispatch a courier through delivery partners for orders placed directly on their website. When an order is placed on the seller's online store, a courier from the restaurant's delivery partner is dispatched to the business location, picks up the order, and delivers it to the buyer. The buyer receives text updates with links to live maps to track delivery progress. Sellers pay a flat fee of $1.50 per order to Square, plus a fee to their delivery partner that is calculated in real-time based on distance and other factors. Sellers can pass this fee entirely to the buyer or offer custom delivery promotions. When applied across hundreds of delivery orders each month, sellers can save a significant amount on per-order costs. Sellers can get started with On-Demand delivery powered by Postmates now, with additional delivery partners coming soon. Processing is free on all on-demand delivery orders through July 8, 2020-up to $50,000 in sales. Plus, Square is also waiving dispatch fees until July 1, 2020.

12:00 EDT Contura Energy falls -18.4% - Contura Energy is down -18.4%, or -72c to $3.20.

12:00 EDT Small Cap Bear 3x rises 13.7% - Small Cap Bear 3x is up 13.7%, or $2.97 to $24.64.

12:00 EDT ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF rises 16.7% - ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF is up 16.7%, or $5.63 to $39.25.

11:36 EDT Apple acquires device management provider Fleetsmith - Fleetsmith, which automates setup, patching and security, for Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs announces it has been acquired by Apple. The company said in a blog post, "We started Fleetsmith to balance the management and security needs of IT with the experience users love about Mac, iPad, and iPhone. We're proud of the incredibly talented team we've built, and that we've stayed true to our mission: to make powerful, secure Apple fleet management available to everyone. We're thrilled to join Apple. Our shared values of putting the customer at the center of everything we do without sacrificing privacy and security, means we can truly meet our mission, delivering Fleetsmith to businesses and institutions of all sizes, around the world." Reference Link

11:15 EDT PacWest Bancorp reports resignation of CFO Rusnak - In a regulatory filing earlier, PacWest Bancorp disclosed that on June 22, Patrick Rusnak notified the company of his resignation as the company's Chief Financial Officer in order to pursue other interests. Rusnak's resignation will be effective January 1, 2021. Also on June 22, the board appointed Bart Olson as the company's CFO, effective January 1, 2021. Olson joined the company in February 2017 as Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer. He also serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of Pacific Western Bank.

10:47 EDT Sempra Energy completes $2.23B divestiture of Chilean businesses - Sempra Energy announced that it has completed the sale of its Chilean businesses, generating approximately $2.23B in total cash proceeds, subject to post-closing adjustments. The sale to State Grid International Development includes Sempra Energy's 100% stake in Chilquinta Energia. The sale also includes a 100% interest in Tecnored S.A., which provides electric construction and infrastructure services to Chilquinta Energia and third parties, and a 50% interest in Eletrans S.A., which owns, constructs, operates and maintains power transmission facilities. The completion of the Chilean transactions concludes Sempra Energy's sales of its South American businesses, resulting in approximately $5.82B in combined total cash proceeds, subject to post-closing adjustments. Proceeds from the sales will be used to further strengthen the company's balance sheet and liquidity position. In April, Sempra Energy announced the completion of the sale of its Peruvian businesses, including its 83.6% interest in Luz del Sur S.A.A., to an affiliate of China Yangtze Power International, generating approximately $3.59B in total cash proceeds, subject to post-closing adjustments.

10:25 EDT FangDD Network Group Ltd (ADS) trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:00 EDT Invesco Mortgage falls -9.7% - Invesco Mortgage is down -9.7%, or -41c to $3.77.

10:00 EDT VMware rises 6.5% - VMware is up 6.5%, or $9.69 to $158.92.

10:00 EDT Leaf Group rises 11.3% - Leaf Group is up 11.3%, or 34c to $3.39.

09:47 EDT St. Bernard Software falls -7.4% - St. Bernard Software is down -7.4%, or -66c to $8.30.

09:47 EDT Barings BDC rises 5.3% - Barings BDC is up 5.3%, or 39c to $7.81.

09:47 EDT Dell Technologies rises 10.3% - Dell Technologies is up 10.3%, or $5.07 to $54.08.

09:31 EDT Crescent Acquisition to acquire F45 training to create public fitness brand - F45 Training and Crescent Acquisition announced today that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Crescent Acquisition will acquire F45 to create a publicly-traded global fitness training and lifestyle brand. Upon closing of the transaction, which is expected in Q3, the combined company will retain the F45 Training name and will trade on the Nasdaq exchange. The combined company will continue to be led by CEO Adam Gilchrist, along with CFO Chris Payne, COO Heather Christie and its management team. Its board of directors will include the current members of the F45 board and Crescent Acquisition's sponsor will name two individuals to serve as directors.

09:29 EDT Sonos to eliminate approximately 12% of global headcount

09:19 EDT Alkaline Water announces national A88CBD topical distribution through UNFI - The Alkaline Water Company (WTER) announced that its entire line of hemp-derived A88CBD topicals is now being distributed nationwide through United Natural Foods (UNFI). A88CBD's line of topical hemp-derived CBD products includes a Hydrating CBD Body Lotion, Hydrating CBD Hand + Foot Cream, along with CBD Bath Salts, CBD Muscle Salve, and more.

09:16 EDT Ecolab, WPP partner to help brands reassure consumers after COVID-19 - Ecolab (ECL) has hired a team of WPP (WPP) agencies to collaborate on an effort to help brands build confidence in their consumers entering the post-COVID-19 economy. Ecolab recently launched the Ecolab Science Certified Program, which combines chemistry with new public health training and audit verification. The campaign to support this launch, delivered by WPP, will demonstrate to consumers that businesses sanitized by Ecolab will be as safe as possible and will ensure that its clients' brands stand out for food safety and public health.

09:12 EDT RedHill Biopharma announces publication of data from COVID-19 patients - RedHill Biopharma announced that results from the treatment of the first severe COVID-19 patients with its investigational drug, opaganib, have been published in medRxiv. The article, entitled 'Compassionate Use of Opaganib For Patients with Severe COVID-19' was published under an expedited process and is available publicly. Seven patients with severe COVID-19 were treated with opaganib under compassionate use in a leading hospital in Israel. Prior to treatment initiation, these patients were hospitalized and required treatment with supplemental oxygen via high-flow nasal cannula while being treated with standard-of-care. Opaganib was given on top of standard-of-care therapy. Five patients were included in the final published analysis4 of the active arm. An investigator-selected matched case-control group of patients with similar baseline characteristics at the same hospital was identified for comparison. A comparison of outcomes between patients treated with opaganib and the matched case-controls treated with standard-of-care alone for both clinical and inflammatory measures revealed: All patients in the opaganib-treated group were discharged from hospital on room air, without having required mechanical ventilation, whereas 33% of patients in the control group required mechanical ventilation. Median time to weaning from high-flow nasal cannula was reduced to 10 days in the opaganib-treated group, as compared to 15 days in the control group. Improvement in lymphocyte counts was faster in opaganib-treated patients as compared to patients in the control group. C-reactive protein showed faster improvement in the opaganib treated group as compared to the control group. In this cohort of severe COVID-19 patients, opaganib was found safe and well tolerated and improvement in clinical and laboratory parameters was demonstrated for opaganib-treated patients compared to matched case-controls. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2a clinical study with opaganib in the U.S. is open for recruitment. This study is set to enroll up to 40 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring hospitalization and supplemental oxygen. This clinical trial is not powered for statistical significance. In parallel, the Company has submitted Clinical Trial Applications in Russia, Italy and the UK for a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel-arm, placebo-controlled Phase 2/3 study with opaganib in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19. This study is planned to commence shortly and enroll up to 270 subjects across up to 40 clinical sites in these European and other countries.

09:09 EDT Aegion announces renewable diesel project at California refinery - Aegion Corporation announced that a subsidiary of the Energy Services segment, Schultz Industrial Services, has been awarded the mechanical construction services contract for a groundbreaking renewable diesel project at a California refinery. Schultz will provide overall project management and installation of piping and associated equipment throughout the refinery in order to convert an existing processing unit to produce renewable diesel fuel. The time and materials-based contract is valued at approximately $8M and is scheduled to begin late this month with expected completion in the first quarter of 2021. Schultz has been the lead outsourced maintenance provider at the site since 2013.

09:07 EDT UK CMA provisionally clears Amazon's 16% investment in Deliveroo - The United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority, or CMA, noted that it "provisionally cleared Amazon's investment on the basis that Deliveroo would have exited the market without it, because of the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its business. The CMA considered that the imminent exit of Deliveroo would have been worse for competition than allowing the Amazon investment to proceed. Since its initial provisional findings, the CMA has continued to gather and analyse evidence. A detailed assessment of Deliveroo's finances shows considerable improvement in its financial position, reflecting, in part, changes which were not foreseeable during the early stages of the pandemic. Consequently, the CMA has now provisionally concluded that Deliveroo would no longer be likely to exit the market in the absence of this transaction. Given this, the CMA is instead required to base its provisional decision specifically on the impact of the transaction on competition between the two businesses." Reference Link

09:05 EDT eXp World Holdings appoints Kent Cheng as global controller - eXp World Holdings announced the appointment of Kent Cheng to the role of Global Controller. Cheng will be responsible for leading and developing the organization's global accounting, finance practices and procedures. He also will ensure the preparation and analysis of all financial reports comply with all applicable regulations. These vital financial functions will allow eXp to continue its rapid growth trajectory and more quickly expand its international footprint. Most recently, Cheng was corporate controller of Ocean Spray Cranberries where he led all accounting and finance activities for the global company.

09:02 EDT Verizon offers new savings for Verizon Prepaid customers - Verizon Prepaid customers are eligible for new savings that lower monthly rates the longer they stay with Verizon. New and existing customers who sign up for these no-annual-contract plans can save as much as $15 per month with Auto Pay. The new Verizon Prepaid plans now feature discounts that lower monthly costs $5 after three months, and $10 after nine months. Customers who sign up for Auto Pay will receive an additional $5 off, bringing the total discount to $15 per month. The plan now includes talk, text, and data to and from Mexico and Canada. Unlimited customers can add-on Mobile Hotspot for $5 per month to extend connectivity to other devices. With new loyalty savings, customers can choose the 5GB plan, with Mobile Hotspot included, for as low as $25 a month. The 15 GB plan, with Mobile Hotspot and calling to Mexico and Canada, is as low as $35 a month.

08:49 EDT CatchMark Timber's Triple T JV and Georgia-Pacific amend wood supply agreement - CatchMark Timber's Triple T joint venture has amended its wood supply agreement with Georgia-Pacific WFS intended to achieve market-based pricing on timber sales. CatchMark invests in 1.1 million acres of East Texas timberlands through Triple T and acts as the general partner of the venture on behalf of a consortium of institutional investors. Under the amended supply agreement, Triple T also will be able to increase reimbursement for extended haul distances, sell timber to other third parties, and expand its ability to sell large timberland parcels to third party buyers. The supply agreement between Triple T and Georgia-Pacific has also been extended by two years from 2029 to 2031, with optimized harvest volume obligations to enhance and preserve long-term asset value. For these amendments to the agreement, Triple T paid Georgia-Pacific $145M. In connection with the Georgia-Pacific agreement, CatchMark also reported making an amendment to the Triple T joint venture agreement with its institutional partners to increase its asset management fee for the next two years, reflecting the impact of the Georgia-Pacific payment on the timberland investment. This amendment is immediately CAD accretive to CatchMark. In July 2018, CatchMark invested $200M in forming Triple T, which acquired the East Texas timberlands, subject to the Georgia-Pacific supply agreement, for approximately $1.39B.

08:37 EDT BOQI International Medical closes energy business spin-off - BOQI International Medical announced the closing of the previously announced sale of its legacy energy saving enhancement business. As previously disclosed, on March 31, 2020, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell its legacy energy saving enhancement business conducted through NF Energy Saving Investment Limited and its subsidiaries for $10M in cash. The transaction closed on June 23, 2020, at which time the Buyer paid the $10M in full.

08:35 EDT SAIC receives maximum $630M Air Force TADS contract - SAIC has received a contract from the U.S. Air Force 557th Weather Wing to manage and modernize the hardware and software for its technology application development and sustainment, or TADS, system to support the development of accurate and timely weather reports. The contract, new business for SAIC, includes application development, software integration, application infrastructure, cloud migration, hardware, security and data management. The IDIQ contract has a base five-year ordering period and a six-month extension. If all options are exercised, the contract has a ceiling value of $630M. The recipient of the contract, Unisys Federal, was acquired by SAIC in March. Under the TADS contract, SAIC will plan the prototyping and integration of new technologies to increase the relevance of environmental intelligence in mission planning and execution across Defense Department and coalition operations, while maximizing the use of modular, interoperable components. The new TADS system will fully integrate multi-level cybersecurity capabilities while increasing overall system reliability and performance with constant system operational availability in support of all combatant commands, national agencies and international organizations.

08:35 EDT ChemoCentryx identifies checkpoint inhibitor CCX559 for cancer treatment - ChemoCentryx announced that it has identified an orally administered checkpoint inhibitor, CCX559, and plans to initiate clinical development in the first half of 2021. Data to be presented on Wednesday, June 24 at 10:35 a.m. ET, during the virtual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, showed that the Company's optimized checkpoint inhibitors led to marked inhibition of the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and signaling in vitro and potent anti-tumor effects in animal models. The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway protects tumor cells from the immune system's cancer-fighting activity. Inhibition of PD-L1 has the potential to prevent PD-1 binding to PD-L1, thereby exposing tumor cells to the full force of the immune system's anti-tumor response. ChemoCentryx optimized several small molecule PD-L1 inhibitors it designed to disrupt the interaction of PD-1 with PD-L1. Active compounds were found to be highly potent in several functional cell-based assays, a mixed lymphocyte reaction assays, and by human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-mediated tumor cell killing assessments. Potential clinical candidate compounds were selected for potency and oral bioavailability and were evaluated in vivo using murine tumor models. Assessment of the tumor microenvironment demonstrated that the lead compounds almost completely blocked the interaction of PD-L1 on tumor cells with PD-1 on immune effector cells, thus enhancing the immune responses against tumor. Importantly, the in vivo anti-tumor effects of ChemoCentryx's small molecules were consistently as good or better than the antibody therapeutics to the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in these models.

08:32 EDT Ideanomics enters agreements with Town of West Hartford for fintech village - Ideanomics is pleased to announce it has entered into a series of agreements with the Town of West Hartford over its 58-acre property which it had acquired in October 2018 to develop as a fintech village technology park. The two parties entered into a series of agreements which include extending the ball field leases in exchange for the town assuming the landscaping of the 58-acre site. Additionally, the town of West Hartford has secured a right of first refusal to purchase the property and will conduct due diligence to explore the viability of purchasing the site to bring it under the town's control.

08:23 EDT Aduro Biotech doses first patient in Phase 1 study of BION-1301 - Aduro Biotech announced that the first patient with IgA nephropathy has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial of BION-1301, an investigational humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that blocks APRIL binding to both the BCMA and TACI receptors. Part 3 of the Phase 1 multi-center trial is evaluating the safety and tolerability of BION-1301 in two cohorts of 20 total adult subjects with IgA nephropathy in an open-label multiple dose design. Cohort 1 will receive a 450 mg intravenous dose of BION-1301 every two weeks. The dose and regimen for Cohort 2 will be determined after an assessment of the first five patients dosed in Cohort 1 and will be based on all available data, including safety, pharmacokinetic, free-APRIL and pharmacodynamic data. Parts 1 and 2 of the Phase 1 trial evaluated the safety and tolerability of BION-1301 in 63 healthy volunteers in double-blinded, placebo-controlled single-ascending dose and multiple-ascending dose settings. Healthy volunteers in the SAD portion of the study received placebo or a single IV dose of BION-1301 ranging from 10 mg to 1350 mg on day 1. Healthy volunteers in the MAD portion of the study received placebo or IV doses of BION-1301 ranging from 50 mg to 450 mg on days 1, 15 and 29.

08:21 EDT DTE Gas announces 2050 net zero goal - DTE Energy another major step in building a cleaner energy future for Michigan. Last September, the company announced a goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 in its electric company. Today it expanded its net zero goal to include DTE Gas. In a commitment unique to the industry, DTE Gas will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 -- from procurement through delivery. In addition, DTE Gas will be amplifying this net zero commitment by partnering with customers to address up to 100% of their own natural gas carbon footprint with programs that encourage energy efficiency and participation in the company's voluntary emissions offset program. DTE Gas is an industry leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a roadmap that includes suppliers and customers, as well as its own operations. This innovative plan sets a first-of-its-kind goal among gas delivery companies and significantly expands DTE Gas's 2018 commitment to reduce methane emissions by 80%. The company's net zero commitment, combined with customer participation in sustainability programs offered by DTE, would reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 6 million metric tons by 2050. This reduction is the equivalent of offsetting the natural gas emissions of 1 million homes or taking 1.3 million cars off the road annually.The three-fold approach includes: Working with suppliers: DTE Gas will require its suppliers to operate at net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This action by DTE Gas will help drive an industry-wide movement toward cleaner natural gas production, resulting in significant reductions in methane and CO2 emissions. DTE Gas operations: DTE Gas will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 through new operational improvements and carbon offsets, while continuing to provide its customers with safe, reliable and affordable energy. DTE Gas's current main renewal program and infrastructure modernization efforts will reduce both methane and combustion-related emissions from the company's operations. In addition, the company will invest in a combination of renewable natural gas and carbon offsets, such as biosequestration, the process of capturing and storing carbon in living organisms such as trees. Partnering with customers: The company will encourage customers to reduce their own emissions through energy efficiency programs. In addition, the company is enhancing its voluntary emissions offset program to allow customers to reduce up to 100% of their usage emissions through renewable natural gas and carbon offsets. Over time, DTE Gas will also leverage advanced technologies, such as hydrogen and carbon capture.

08:18 EDT Aerpio Pharmaceuticals initiates 28-day Phase 2 razuprotafib glaucoma trial - Aerpio Pharmaceuticals announced that it has commenced patient enrollment in its double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in patients with elevated intraocular pressure associated with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. There are now 20 clinical sites actively enrolling patients and 30 patients have been screened and enrolled. The study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a topical formulation of razuprotafib in approximately 195 patients followed over a 28-day period. Patients enrolled in the trial will be administered a baseline of latanoprost ophthalmic solution 0.005%, and then randomized in a 1:1:1 fashion to receive adjunctive therapy consisting of placebo, 40 mg/ml razuprotafib once-daily, or 40 mg/ml razuprotafib twice-daily. The primary endpoint of the study will be mean diurnal IOP at 28 days in the razuprotafib treated groups compared to the latanoprost monotherapy group.

08:16 EDT EU commercial vehicle registrations down 44.4% in May - In May, EU commercial vehicle registrations decreased by 44.4%, although the decline was less pronounced than in April as measures to contain COVID-19 were relaxed, reported the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Demand fell across all commercial vehicle segments, contributing to the sharp decline recorded last month. Looking at the four largest markets of the EU, Spain and Germany saw the biggest losses in May, followed by Italy and France, the group said. Publicly traded truck makers and suppliers include Daimler AG (DDAIF), Paccar (PCAR), CNH Industrial (CNHI), Navistar (NAV), Cummins (CMI) and Allison Transmission (ALSN). Reference Link

08:12 EDT Personalis completes 75,000 whole human genome sequenced under VA MVP contract - Personalis announced its completion of 75,000 whole human genome sequenced under its contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program, or VA MVP. All genomes were sequenced in the company's laboratory in Menlo Park, California. With over 825,000 veterans enrolled to date and a recently increased target of two million enrollees, the VA MVP is the largest population sequencing program in the U.S. Personalis was first contracted by the VA MVP to provide DNA sequencing and data analysis services in 2012.

08:08 EDT Biocept enters managed care provider agreement with MCCP - Biocept announces it has entered into a managed care provider agreement with Medical Cost Containment Professionals to process out-of-network claims for Biocept's Target Selector liquid biopsy testing. MCCP is a reference-based pricing insurance network that includes more than 150,000 providers nationwide.

08:06 EDT CVS Health launches Return Ready COVID-19 testing solution - CVS Health launched Return Ready, a customizable COVID-19 testing solution for employers and universities. The solution aims to help return employees to worksites and students, faculty and staff to campuses, and integrates COVID-19 testing for ongoing business continuity. The solution also includes: clinician-informed protocols and guidance for symptom checking and temperature screenings; on-site licensed professionals for COVID-19 testing and support; turnkey employee and student communications toolkit; digital tools for test scheduling and sharing of results; integrated reporting and analytics across testing locations; on-site immunization clinic with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended vaccination services; and access to add-on solutions such as thermal scanners, digital symptom monitoring and contact tracing technology. The testing technology options include point-of-care testing with results in a few minutes or third-party lab processed testing with results in a few days. The organization can choose to offer testing on-site in a testing environment set up by CVS Health or at one of the CVS Pharmacy drive-thru testing locations, anticipated to reach 1,400 sites by the end of the week. Return Ready also includes an analytics dashboard for ongoing oversight and trends across worksite location(s).

08:05 EDT Dare Bioscience announces publication of article reviewing PCT studiesBayer - Dare Bioscience (DARE) announced the publication of a literature review article by Biology of Reproduction that identifies and reviews 10 postcoital test studies of vaginal contraceptives involving 9 test products, including Dare's investigational hormone-free, monthly contraceptive Ovaprene, currently under a license agreement with Bayer for commercialization in the U.S. The literature review was conducted with the support and participation of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, and Dare Bioscience. Based on the literature review, the article concludes that, for evaluating vaginal contraceptives, the PCT is the closest analogue available as a predictor of contraceptive effectiveness and is the best indicator of whether a test product works before it is evaluated in a contraceptive effectiveness study. The accepted manuscript for the article entitled "The Postcoital Test in the Development of New Vaginal Contraceptives" is currently available in the Advance Articles section on the journal's website, or at https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaa099. Bayer (BAYRY) and Dare Bioscience Exclusive Licensing Agreement for U.S. Commercial Rights to Ovaprene: In January 2020, Dare announced that it entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Bayer for U.S. commercial rights to Ovaprene. Under the agreement, Dare received an upfront payment and access to Bayer's extensive clinical and market capabilities while retaining control over Ovaprene's development and regulatory approval process. Bayer received the right to obtain exclusive rights to commercialize the product in the U.S. following completion of the pivotal clinical trial being undertaken by Dare. If Bayer, in its sole discretion, makes payment to Dare of $20M, which Dare intends to apply to reimbursement of clinical study costs, then the exclusive license to commercialize Ovaprene in the U.S. will become effective. Dare will also be entitled to receive commercial milestone payments potentially totaling $310M, in addition to double digit tiered royalties on net sales.

08:03 EDT Titan Pharmaceuticals, Indegene enter Probuphine co-promotion partnership - Titan Pharmaceuticals announced that it has entered into a co-promotion partnership with Indegene to establish multichannel digital marketing programs throughout the United States and expand the capabilities for the engagement of health care providers who are eligible to prescribe Titan's Probuphine implant. Under the terms of the renewable four-year agreement, Indegene's sophisticated multichannel marketing tools, predictive analytics, webinars and social media campaigns will be used along with its dedicated tele-representatives to help expand the universe of Probuphine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy-certified HCPs and enable further expansion of maintenance treatment with Probuphine for eligible Opioid Use Disorder patients. Titan will continue its ongoing commercial efforts with its field sales and medical liaison personnel who will also provide support to Indegene as needed. Titan will be responsible for all training of HCPs, administration of the REMS program and regulatory affairs.

07:57 EDT Alexco Resource moves forward to production at Keno Hill - Alexco Resource (AXU) is pleased to announce that it has received a draft amended and renewed water use license for the Keno Hill Silver District from the Yukon Water Board. With the draft terms and conditions of the water license now issued and established, the company is moving forward with final development of its mines at Keno Hill, anticipating initial concentrate production and silver sales in Q4. The company has also entered into a non-binding term sheet to beneficially amend its silver purchase streaming agreement with Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM).

07:48 EDT Pentwater issues letter to Turquoise Hill calling for increased transparency - Pentwater Capital Management, the largest minority shareholder of Turquoise Hill Resources (TRQ), has written a letter to the Board of Directors. The company said, "The letter outlines yet another example of how the Board has benefited its largest shareholder Rio Tinto (RIO) by failing to disclose important and necessary financial information to TRQ shareholders. Several examples of the Board's dereliction of its duty to provide full and adequate disclosure include: Turquoise Hill refuses to disclose the amount of the cost overrun for Shaft 2 and the reason for that cost overrun. As the operator of the mine, Rio actually works for TRQ and is TRQ's contractor. In July 2018, TRQ reaffirmed that Shaft 2 would be completed by the end of 2018. Just ten weeks later, TRQ announced that there would be material delays at Shaft 2 that resulted in Shaft 2 not being completed until October 2019. How much of the delay was Rio's fault? How much did the delay of Shaft 2 contribute to the cost overruns? This information is certainly available to the Company since Shaft 2 was completed over 7 months ago. Why won't you let your shareholders know the truth?Turquoise Hill refuses to disclose if it was misled by Rio Tinto regarding the budget. On March 14, 2019, Turquoise Hill issued a press release which stated that it expected, "that project cost was expected to remain within the US$5.3 billion budget." Exactly four months later on July 15, 2019, Turquoise Hill issued another press release which stated that, "the development capital spend for the project may increase by US$1.2 to US$1.9 billion over the US$5.3 billion previously disclosed." Is it TRQ that was incompetent or Rio Tinto or both? Was there a coverup or failure to disclose information? Is this why one of TRQ's board members resigned 5 days prior to the July 15, 2019 press release? Why won't you let your shareholders know the truth? Turquoise Hill refuses to disclose the nature of its alleged $4 billion funding shortfall and provide sufficient explanation as to how that amount was lowered from $4.5 billion after just 60 days... Turquoise Hill refuses to disclose the proposed fee to be paid to Rio in connection with the potential construction of the power plant... We are seeking your support at the Company's upcoming annual and special meeting of shareholders to be held on July 24, 2020 to restore accountability at Turquoise Hill and give minority shareholders back their voice. We encourage our fellow shareholders to consider the facts and take action against the current culture of entrenchment, value destruction and misconduct at Turquoise Hill. The interests of the Company's minority shareholders have been disregarded for far too long. Your vote is critical to initiate much-needed change, to restore accountability and to safeguard minority shareholder interests in Turquoise Hill."

07:41 EDT Primoris announces solar award valued over $95M - Primoris Services Corporation announced a new solar award valued over $95M. The contract was secured by the Power, Industrial, & Engineering segment. The award is for the engineering, procurement, and construction of a utility-scale solar facility in the Southwest. The $95M award value excludes approximately $10M previously announced as a Limited Notice to Proceed on June 1. Work will commence in the third quarter of 2020, and completion is expected by the end of 2021.

07:38 EDT La Jolla to acquire Tetraphase for $43M upfront, potential future payments - La Jolla (LJPC) and Tetraphase (TTPH) announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, La Jolla would acquire Tetraphase, through a tender offer, for $43M in upfront cash plus potential future cash payments of up to $16M pursuant to contingent value rights, or CVRs. The board of Tetraphase unanimously recommends that stockholders tender their shares in the La Jolla tender offer once it is commenced. Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, the upfront cash consideration in the transaction will be as follows: $2.00 per share of Tetraphase common stock; $2.68 per share of Tetraphase common stock underlying the common stock warrants issued by Tetraphase in November 2019 and $2.69 per share of Tetraphase common stock underlying the common stock warrants issued by Tetraphase in January. Tetraphase equity holders would also be entitled to receive, for each share of Tetraphase common stock, one non-tradeable CVR. The holders of the CVRs would be entitled to receive payments of up to an additional $16M in the aggregate upon the achievement of certain net sales of Xerava in the United States as follows: $2.5M if 2021 Xerava U.S. net sales are $20M; $4.5 million if Xerava U.S. net sales are $35M during any calendar year ending on or prior to December 31, 2024 and $9M if Xerava U.S. net sales are $55M during any calendar year ending on or prior to December 31, 2024. Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, the tender offer will commence within three business days. Any shares not tendered in the tender offer will be acquired in a second-step merger at the same cash price as paid in the tender offer. Closing of the transaction is subject to specified closing conditions, including that a majority of Tetraphase's shares of common stock (treating the shares underlying Tetraphase's RSUs and PRSUs as outstanding) are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. Upon the closing of the transactions, Tetraphase will become a wholly owned subsidiary of La Jolla, and shares of Tetraphase's common stock will no longer be listed on any public market. Subject to certain limited exceptions, the CVRs will be non-transferable. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Tetraphase board of directors and is expected to close in Q3. Certain Tetraphase stockholders and warrant holders, including Armistice Capital, holding in the aggregate approximately 20% of Tetraphase's outstanding voting power, have signed support agreements or exchange agreements under which such equity holders agreed, among other things, to tender their shares in the tender offer and to the treatment of the warrants described above. Additionally, La Jolla owns shares in Tetraphase that represent approximately 15% of Tetraphase's outstanding voting power. Tetraphase terminated its previously announced merger agreement with Melinta Therapeutics (MLNT), dated as of June 4, in order to enter into the definitive merger agreement with La Jolla. In connection with the termination of the definitive merger agreement with Melinta, Tetraphase paid Melinta a termination fee in the amount of $1,150,000.

07:34 EDT La Jolla to acquire Tetraphase for $43M in upfront cash - La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (LJPC) and Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals (TTPH) announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, La Jolla would acquire Tetraphase, through a tender offer, for $43M in upfront cash plus potential future cash payments of up to $16M pursuant to contingent value rights. The Board of Directors of Tetraphase unanimously recommends that stockholders tender their shares in the La Jolla tender offer once it is commenced. Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, the upfront cash consideration in the transaction will be as follows: $2.00 per share of Tetraphase common stock; $2.68 per share of Tetraphase common stock underlying the common stock warrants issued by Tetraphase in November 2019; and $2.69 per share of Tetraphase common stock underlying the common stock warrants issued by Tetraphase in January 2020. Tetraphase equity holders would also be entitled to receive, for each share of Tetraphase common stock, one non-tradeable CVR. The holders of the CVRs would be entitled to receive payments of up to an additional $16M in the aggregate upon the achievement of certain net sales of XERAVA in the United States as follows: $2.5M if 2021 XERAVA U.S. net sales are greater than or equal to $20M; $4.5M if XERAVA U.S. net sales are greater than or equal to $35M during any calendar year ending on or prior to December 31, 2024; and $9M if XERAVA U.S. net sales are greater than or equal to $55M during any calendar year ending on or prior to December 31, 2024. Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, the tender offer will commence within three business days. Any shares not tendered in the tender offer will be acquired in a second-step merger at the same cash price as paid in the tender offer. Closing of the transaction is subject to specified closing conditions, including that a majority of Tetraphase's shares of common stock are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. Upon the closing of the transactions, Tetraphase will become a wholly owned subsidiary of La Jolla, and shares of Tetraphase's common stock will no longer be listed on any public market. Subject to certain limited exceptions, the CVRs will be non-transferable. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Tetraphase board of directors and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2020. Certain Tetraphase stockholders and warrant holders, including Armistice Capital, LLC, holding in the aggregate approximately 20% of Tetraphase's outstanding voting power, have signed support agreements or exchange agreements under which such equity holders agreed, among other things, to tender their shares in the tender offer and to the treatment of the warrants described above. Additionally, La Jolla owns shares in Tetraphase that represent approximately 15% of Tetraphase's outstanding voting power. On June 24, 2020, Tetraphase terminated its previously announced merger agreement with Melinta Therapeutics (MLNT), dated as of June 4, 2020, in order to enter into the definitive merger agreement with La Jolla. In connection with the termination of the definitive merger agreement with Melinta, Tetraphase paid Melinta a termination fee in the amount of $1,150,000.

07:28 EDT Pure Sunfarms' products ship to Saskatchewan, approved in Manitoba - Emerald Health Therapeutics announced that its joint venture Pure Sunfarms has begun shipping branded, packaged dried flower products to Saskatchewan following approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, which permits and monitors cannabis wholesalers and retailers in the province. Pure Sunfarms expects its products to be available to Saskatchewan consumers beginning next week. Pure Sunfarms has been accepted by the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation as an official supplier of non-medical adult-use cannabis to the province's licensed private sector retailers and will begin shipping branded packaged products to Manitoba as soon as possible. Following the launch of Pure Sunfarms' products in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, they will be available in five of Canada's six most populous provinces, representing over 70% of the Canadian population. Pure Sunfarms continues to advance discussions to supply cannabis to other Canadian provincial distributors. Pure Sunfarms continues to prepare the roll-out of its first bottled cannabis oils and its first Cannabis 2.0 offerings this summer. Its Cannabis 2.0 roll-out will include a selection of pre-filled 510 vape cartridges and bottled cannabis oil, available in the extract forms of its dried cannabis strains.

07:24 EDT Oncotelic granted access to IBM Clinical Development platform free of charge - Oncotelic, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mateon Therapeutics, announced that IBM has granted access to its IBM Clinical Development platform free of charge for the clinical trial evaluating the potential of Mateon's lead drug candidate OT-101 in COVID-19 patients. The award was made following IBM's review of the program and is designed to help accelerate the upcoming phase II COVID-19 clinical trial. IBM is supporting COVID-19 clinical research through an initiative to help support trial sponsors with promising therapeutic and vaccine candidates. The ICD platform offering from IBM Watson Health is a cloud-based, end-to-end clinical development system used by leading CROs and designed to reduce the time and cost of clinical trials. ICD solutions include electronic patient reported outcomes, data integration, reporting and analytics, quality and compliance, medical coding, endpoint analysis, randomization, and clinical trial supply management. Remote monitoring of patients is possible through the system's ePRO technology, which could become crucial in rapidly completing clinical studies as new "hot-spots" of infection arise across the globe.

07:21 EDT XP Inc., Vert lauch DuAgro platform - XP Inc. announced the launch of DuAgro, in association with VERT. The mission is to democratize access to appropriate credit lines for Brazilian rural producers. DuAgro is an integrated platform that utilizes technology to finance the purchase of agricultural inputs. The focus is on small- and medium-sized producers, that account for about 70% of Brazil's agricultural production. Despite their relevance, these producers still face difficulties in accessing credit, which is provided by a few banks that mostly focus on large rural producers. In DuAgro's platform, producer's credit limit will be defined by credit scores and relationships with other stakeholders in the chain. No guarantees will be required from borrowers and the granting of loans will be automated in an agile way, minimizing bureaucracies. The credit approval process is 100% digital: the producer confirms its registration data, uploads personal documents and electronically signs the financial CPR.

07:18 EDT Calibre Mining lowers 2020 gold production view to 110,000-125,000 ounces - Previous guidance 140,000-150,000 ounces. Calibre Mining provided its revised 2020 production and cost guidance following the temporary suspension of operations, as announced on March 25, 2020. After a 10-week suspension of operations, Calibre now expects 2020 gold production of between 110,000 and 125,000 ounces at Total Cash Costs of between $880 and $920 and All-In Sustaining Costs of between $1,070 and $1,100 an ounce, respectively. The Company has resumed exploration drilling with an expanded 60,000 metre program, increased from 47,000 metres. In addition, an unbudgeted 20,000 metre infill drilling program is underway targeting a significant upgrade in inferred to indicated resources for inclusion in the end of year 2020 Mineral Reserve and Resource estimate. Russell Ball, CEO, stated, "The phased restart of operations continues as planned with enhanced safety and health protocols in place and we anticipate reaching steady-state production levels in July. With operations suspended for the majority of the second quarter, we now estimate 2020 gold production of between 110,000 and 125,000 ounces, or approximately 20% less than our original guidance. Despite the fixed-cost nature of the business and an additional $40 per ounce in All-In Sustaining Costs from the unbudgeted increase in exploration drilling, and the unbudgeted infill drilling program, we are only guiding to a 4% increase in costs on a per ounce basis, as we see increased benefits from our 'hub-and-spoke' operating philosophy and are now starting to see the bottom-line impact of our increased focus on operating efficiencies and supply chain management practices."

07:13 EDT Visa launches Small Business Hub - Visa, alongside nearly 20 small business solution providers, announced a new online resource for small businesses, Visa Small Business Hub, to help entrepreneurs build customer relationships and expand their businesses. With a focus on how to start, run and grow a digitally-enabled business, Visa Small Business Hubs are now live in more than 20 countries and tailored to each region's small and medium-sized business needs. Each Small Business Hub delivers a range of tools, partner offers and tips that business owners can implement to their businesses.

07:11 EDT Applied Genetic to join Russell 3000, 2000 Indexes - Applied Genetic Technologies announced that the Company will be added to the Russell 3000 and 2000 Indexes, effective after the U.S. market opens on June 29, 2020, according to a preliminary list of additions posted on June 5. "We believe our addition to the Russell 3000 and 2000 Indexes validates the significant progress we have made in advancing our ongoing clinical programs in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa and achromatopsia," said Sue Washer, President and CEO of AGTC. "In 2020, we already announced positive data and completed enrollment in our XLRP trial, reported encouraging preliminary signs of biologic activity and completed adult enrollment in both ACHM trials, and strengthened our balance sheet with a successful financing. Our inclusion to the Russell Indexes represents an opportunity to further increase our visibility and exposure among a broader and growing group of institutional investors as we remain on track to provide multiple data readouts for our XLRP and ACHM clinical programs in the second half of 2020."

07:10 EDT Sprott approved to list on New York Stock Exchange - Sprott announced that its common shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange. The Company expects its common shares will commence trading on the NYSE as of market open on June 29, 2020 under the ticker symbol "SII".

07:08 EDT Fulcrum Therapeutics initiates multi-center Phase 3 trial with losmapimod - Fulcrum Therapeutics announced that it received early notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the company may proceed with initiating a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of losmapimod in higher risk hospitalized adults with COVID-19. Losmapimod is an orally available selective p38alpha/beta mitogen activated protein kinase inhibitor. The LOSVID trial is a Phase 3, international, multicenter trial designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a 15 mg twice per day oral dose of losmapimod compared to placebo for 14 days on top of standard of care in approximately 400 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and at risk of progression to critical illness based on older age and elevated systemic inflammation. The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients who progress to death or respiratory failure by day 28. Additional secondary endpoints include clinical status on days seven and 14 as measured on the nine point WHO ordinal scale of COVID-19 severity, total number of study days free of oxygen supplementation, all-cause mortality, length of hospitalization and ICU stay, adverse events and viral clearance. An interim analysis will be conducted in the fourth quarter of 2020 for futility and sample size re-estimation by an independent data monitoring committee when approximately 50 percent of subjects complete the 28-day visit. Topline data is expected to be reported in the first quarter of 2021. Based on its mechanism of action and preclinical and clinical studies, Fulcrum believes that inhibiting the p38 MAPK pathway with losmapimod has the potential to treat COVID-19 by reducing the acute exaggerated pro-inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and restoring the antigen-specific immune responses needed for viral clearance potentially leading to improved clinical outcomes.

07:06 EDT Karyopharm announces publication of XPOVIO Phase 2b SADAL study results - Karyopharm Therapeutics announced that the results of the Phase 2b SADAL study evaluating XPOVIO in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were published online in The Lancet Haematology. The SADAL study evaluated selinexor, the Company's first-in-class, oral Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export compound for the treatment of adult patients with RR DLBCL, not otherwise specified, who have received at least two prior therapies. "The clinical outcomes for patients with heavily pretreated relapsed or refractory DLBCL are typically very poor, and hence results from the multinational Phase 2b SADAL study are noteworthy," said Prof Nagesh Kalakonda, University of Liverpool, lead author of the manuscript. "In this population, single-agent oral XPOVIO demonstrated an overall response rate of 28%, including a complete response rate of 12%. Responses were seen in all subgroups regardless of age, gender, prior therapy, DLBCL subtype or prior stem cell transplant therapy. Importantly, patient responses were durable with a median duration of response of 9.3 months. Finally, responses were associated with longer survival, underscoring the potential of oral XPO1 inhibition as an oral, non-chemotherapeutic option for patients with RR DLBCL." The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved XPOVIO on June 22, 2020 for the treatment of adult patients with RR DLBCL, not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma, after at least two lines of systemic therapy. This indication was approved based on response rate under the FDA's Accelerated Approval Program, which was developed to allow for expedited approval of drugs that treat serious conditions and that fill an unmet medical need. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial. A Marketing Authorization Application for selinexor for RR DLBCL is planned for submission to the European Medicines Agency in 2021.

07:04 EDT Imara receives Orphan Drug Designation for IMR-687 for beta-thalassemia - IMARA announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation for IMR-687 for the treatment of patients with beta-thalassemia. The FDA previously granted Orphan Drug Designation for IMR-687 for the treatment of patients with sickle cell disease.

07:04 EDT Village Farms JV Pure Sunfarms begins shipping to Saskatchewan, Manitoba - Village Farms' majority-owned joint venture for large-scale, low-cost cannabis production, Pure Sunfarms, has begun shipping branded, packaged dried flower products to Saskatchewan following approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, the provincial regulator responsible for permitting and monitoring the operation of local cannabis wholesalers and retailers in the Province. Pure Sunfarms expects its products to be available to Saskatchewan consumers beginning next week. Saskatchewan ranks as the fifth largest Canadian province by cannabis sales, comprising approximately 6% of the country's total sales. Pure Sunfarms has also been accepted by the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation as an official supplier of non-medical adult-use cannabis to the Province's licensed private sector retailers and will begin shipping branded, packaged products to Manitoba as soon as possible. Manitoba ranks as the sixth largest Canadian province by cannabis sales, comprising approximately 4.5% of the country's total sales. Pure Sunfarms' continues to launch new product offerings, including pre-roll formats, new strains and new package sizes. Pure Sunfarms continues to prepare for the roll out of its first bottled cannabis oils, as well as its first Cannabis 2.0 offerings this summer.

07:03 EDT Main Street exits debt, equity investments in IDX Broker - Main Street Capital is pleased to announce that it recently fully exited its debt and equity investments in IDX Broker upon the sale of IDX to a sponsor-backed strategic acquirer. Main Street realized a gain of $9.3M on the exit of its equity investment in IDX. Main Street made its initial investment in IDX in 2013, consisting of a $10.6M first lien, senior secured debt investment and a direct equity investment of $5M. After its initial investment, Main Street made several additional follow-on debt and equity investments in IDX to facilitate certain changes to the company's capital structure and to support the company's ongoing operations and growth initiatives. On a cumulative basis since Main Street made its initial investment in 2013, Main Street realized an annual internal rate of return of 15.8% and a 1.9 times money invested return on its cumulative debt and equity investments in IDX.

06:36 EDT French Railway Administration selects Trimble solutions to serve as CDE system - Trimble announced that SNCF Reseau, the French Railway Administration, has selected an integrated solution of Trimble Quadri and Trimble Connect to serve as the central system within its enterprise common data environment, or CDE. The integration of these two collaboration solutions will enable planners, designers, construction teams and project owners to share information and data workflows. SNCF Reseau will use Trimble Quadri and Trimble Connect to address the requirements of railway construction and building construction data, respectively. The combined solution addresses building construction and infrastructure projects and is designed to facilitate teamwork between stakeholders and allow teams to share and receive each other's work. The solution provides SNCF Reseau a platform where models and other building information can be shared. An initial implementation phase expected to last 18 months aims to test many use cases covering the entire project lifecycle-from design and construction to operations and maintenance within the SNCF Reseau IT environment.

06:08 EDT La-Z-Boy has called back some 6,000 furloughed workers, restarting factories - Kurt L. Darrow, Chairman, President and CEO of La-Z-Boy, said on Tuesday: "As we have moved through this uncertain period and look to the future, we have remained agile and continued to make tough choices to align and strengthen our business with the new operating environment. We are pleased to have called back some 6,000 furloughed workers, who have eagerly returned or will return to work by July 1st. However, we also made the decision to permanently close our Newton, Mississippi manufacturing facility and reduce our global workforce by approximately 10%. We deeply regret the impact of our actions on affected employees, but these moves are in the best long-term interest of the company." The CEO added that "Moving forward, furniture retailers and La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores have reopened and we are seeing strong early demand. Our manufacturing facilities have ramped from zero production at the end of April and are moving toward 80% of prior-year production as we head into July. While time will tell how these trends continue to evolve, with the inherent strengths of the La-Z-Boy brand and our broad base of retail customers, I have every confidence we will emerge with strength and have the potential for market share gains as the demand environment improves. I am proud of our company's performance for the year, including our quick response to the pandemic and the aggressive ramp up we have achieved since re-starting operations. With a philosophy of fiscal conservatism, we entered the pandemic period with a solid cash position, managed through the early stages of the crisis well, and still generated $164.2 million in cash from operations and returned $68.4 million to shareholders through dividends and share purchases."

06:01 EDT California American Water acquires Hillview Water Company - California American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, has closed its agreement to acquire the operating assets of the Hillview Company to become the new water provider to its approximately 1,500 customers. Hillview Water Company is a family owned Class B Water Utility in Madera County and is regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission. It serves approximately 1,500 homes and businesses in Oakhurst, Raymond, and Coursegold. California American Water currently supplies water service to over 60,000 homes and businesses in the Central Valley and nearly 180,000 customers within the State of California. Hillview Water Company customers will be served by California American Water's water treatment and distribution operators who are experts in their fields certified through the California State Water Resources Control Board's Division of Drinking Water.

05:57 EDT WWE, Discovery announce new partnership in Italy - WWE (WWE) and Discovery (DISCA) announced a new multi-year agreement in Italy beginning Wednesday, July 1 that will make WWE's weekly flagship programming available exclusively live and on-demand with original U.S. commentary on DPlay PLUS, the OTT premium pay service of Discovery, along with versions featuring Italian commentary on DMAX (Channel 52). Every week, Dplay PLUS will exclusively air Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown live, captivating fans with a unique combination of edge-of-your-seat action, unpredictable drama and world-class athleticism. NXT will be available on-demand via Dplay PLUS every Thursday morning.

05:53 EDT GNC Holdings files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy - GNC Holdings announced that the company, certain of its North American entities, certain of its secured lenders, and key stakeholders have reached an agreement to pursue a dual-path process that will allow the company to restructure its balance sheet and accelerate its business strategy through Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. GNC expects the Chapter 11 process will benefit its stakeholders and best position the company for long-term success. U.S. and international franchise partners and all corporate operations in Ireland are separate legal entities and are not a part of the filing. GNC and all of its subsidiaries remain open for business. Consumers will continue to have access to their favorite products, as well as new, innovative brand solutions to meet their wellness goals wherever GNC products are sold. GNC continues to serve consumers through its retail stores in many areas and is offering safe and convenient curbside pick-up at shopping plaza locations. The company also continues to provide solutions for its customers anytime at GNC.com. Importantly, the overwhelming support of the Company's creditors will enable GNC to emerge from this process expeditiously. GNC enters this dual-path process with a signed restructuring support agreement that is executed by more than 92% of Term Lenders and 87% of ABL FILO Lenders. The company and these Supporting Secured Lenders have reached an agreement on a pre-arranged standalone plan of reorganization. Additionally, the company, a significant majority of the Supporting Secured Lenders, and Harbin Pharmaceutical Group Holding Co., Ltd., an affiliate of GNC's largest shareholder, have also just reached an agreement in principle for the sale of the company's business. The term sheet documenting that agreement outlines a $760M purchase price for the sale transaction, which would be executed through a court-supervised auction process at which higher and better bids may be presented. The sale transaction is subject to mutually acceptable definitive documentation. In support of the proposed sale path, GNC has commenced a comprehensive marketing process for its business. If the sale transaction is timely consummated as outlined, it would be implemented instead of the standalone plan transaction. GNC's largest vendor and a joint venture partner, IVC, is working with the Company to ensure a continued supply of products to the company and advance the proposed sale of GNC's business. With the support of its lenders and key stakeholders, the company expects to confirm a standalone plan of reorganization or consummate a sale that will enable the business to exit from this process in the fall of this year. GNC has secured approximately $130M in additional liquidity through (i) a commitment from certain of its term lenders to provide $100M in "new money" debtor-in-possession financing and (ii) approximately $30M to come from certain modifications to the existing ABL credit agreement. The company is confident that between financing and cash flow from normal operations, and with the continued support of its largest vendor, GNC will meet its go-forward financial commitments as it works to achieve its financial objectives.

05:47 EDT Sogou CFO Joe Zhou resigns, Fion Zhou to succeed - Sogou announced that Joe Zhou has resigned from his position as the company's CFO for personal reasons, effective June 30. The board of directors of the company has appointed Fion Zhou as the company's new CFO, effective July 7. Zhou will remain a consultant to Sogou until September 30, and he and Zhou will work together closely to ensure a smooth transition. Zhou will bring to Sogou 14 years of financial and public company experience. She most recently served as CFO of Yidian Zixun, China's leading mobile news aggregator.