Market Newsdesk

– Company committed to building a robust global patent estate across
its innovative pipeline of NKT cell modulators

LA JOLLA, CA, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GRI Bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRI) (“GRI Bio” or the “Company”), a biotechnology company advancing an innovative pipeline of Natural Killer T (“NKT”) cell modulators for the treatment of inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases, today announced that European Patent Office (EPO) has issued a decision to grant notice for patent application number 19,166,502 titled, “Oxygenated Amino- or Ammonium-Containing Sulfonic Acid, Phosphonic Acid and Carboxylic Acid Derivatives and Their Medical Use.” Based on the intention to grant notice, the Company expects the EPO to issue a patent January 16, 2025.

“We have continued to make encouraging progress in our initiative to bolster our global patent estate covering our innovative pipeline of NKT cell modulators and library of over 500 proprietary compounds. We are pleased to add this anticipated European patent to our intellectual property portfolio. We continue to believe in our highly differentiated approach to the prevention and treatment of inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases and look forward to further advancing their development to ultimately address areas of significant unmet medical need,” Marc Hertz, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of GRI Bio.

The patent claims include coverage of GRI-0803, the Company’s novel activator of human type 2 NKT cells in development for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, with an initial focus on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Activation of type 2 NKT leads to a dendritic cell-mediated inhibition of iNKT cells. In the Company’s preclinical studies, type 2 NKT activating molecules, GRI-0803 and GRI-0124, were observed to inhibit both murine and human iNKT cells. Oral administration of these type 2 NKT activating molecules was observed to inhibit lupus nephritis and to significantly improve overall survival. The Company is currently focusing its available resources on GRI-0621, but, pending additional funding, the GRI-0803 IND-enabling and Phase1 program will continue in 2025.

The Company is currently advancing the development of its lead program, GRI-0621, in a Phase 2a, randomized, double-blind, multi-center, placebo-controlled, parallel-design, 2-arm study for the treatment of IPF. Interim data from the Phase 2a biomarker study is expected in the first quarter of 2025 and topline results are expected in the second quarter of 2025. For more information about the Phase 2a study, please visit clinicaltrials.gov and reference identifier NCT06331624.

About GRI Bio, Inc.

GRI Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on fundamentally changing the way inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases are treated. GRI Bio’s therapies are designed to target the activity of NKT cells, which are key regulators earlier in the inflammatory cascade, to interrupt disease progression and restore the immune system to homeostasis. NKT cells are innate-like T cells that share properties of both NK and T cells and are a functional link between the innate and adaptive immune responses. Type 1 invariant (iNKT) cells play a critical role in propagating the injury, inflammatory response, and fibrosis observed in inflammatory and fibrotic indications. GRI Bio’s lead program, GRI-0621, is an inhibitor of iNKT cell activity and is being developed as a novel oral therapeutic for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a serious disease with significant unmet need. The Company is also developing a pipeline of novel type 2 NKT agonists for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Additionally, with a library of over 500 proprietary compounds, GRI Bio has the ability to fuel a growing pipeline.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs and expectations. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company’s expectations with respect to development and commercialization of the Company’s product candidates, the timing of initiation or completion of clinical trials and availability of resulting data, the potential benefits and impact of the Company’s clinical trials and product candidates and any implication that the data or results observed in preclinical trials or earlier studies or trials will be indicative of results of later studies or clinical trials, the Company’s beliefs and expectations regarding potential shareholder value and future financial performance, the Company’s beliefs about the timing and outcome of regulatory approvals and potential regulatory approval pathways, the Company’s expected milestones for the first half of 2025, and the Company’s beliefs and expectations regarding the sufficiency of its existing cash and cash equivalents to fund its planned operations, its ability to raise additional funds, which may not be available to the Company on acceptable terms or at all, and capital expenditure requirements. Actual results may differ from the forward-looking statements expressed by the Company in this press release and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict, including, without limitation: (1) the inability to maintain the listing of the Company’s common stock on Nasdaq and to comply with applicable listing requirements; (2) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (3) the inability of the Company to raise financing in the future; (4) the success, cost and timing of the Company’s product development activities; (5) the inability of the Company to obtain and maintain regulatory clearance or approval for its respective products, and any related restrictions and limitations of any cleared or approved product; (6) the inability of the Company to identify, in-license or acquire additional technology; (7) the inability of the Company to compete with other companies currently marketing or engaged in the development of products and services that the Company is currently developing; (8) the size and growth potential of the markets for the Company’s products and services, and their respective ability to serve those markets, either alone or in partnership with others; (9) the failure to achieve any milestones or receive any milestone payments under any agreements; (10) inaccuracy in the Company’s estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for and the ability to obtain additional financing; (11) the Company’s ability to protect and enforce its intellectual property portfolio, including any newly issued patents; and (12) other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 28, 2024 and subsequently filed reports. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Investor Contact:

JTC Team, LLC
Jenene Thomas
(908) 824-0775
[email protected]

NEW YORK, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Notified, a globally trusted technology partner for public relations and investor relations professionals, unveiled its new case study demonstrating how GlobeNewswire^® can significantly increase blog readership and engagement.

By selecting 10 of the lowest-performing blog posts—previously only published on the corporate blog site—and redistributing them through GlobeNewswire, Notified saw a 33% overall increase in views, with the top-performing post achieving a 90% boost. The test included the distribution of concise write-ups paired with engaging visuals driving back to each blog, scheduled at various times to identify optimal distribution windows.

For comparative analysis, five of the blogs were also shared with Notified’s LinkedIn community, to further amplify content and track results.

“This test was a real eye-opener for us,” said Adam Christensen, Chief Marketing Officer at Notified. “Going forward, our team will not only continue to leverage GlobeNewswire for blogs but additional high-impact content opportunities, such as case studies, eBooks, white papers and webinars.”

To view the full case study, please click here.

About Notified

We are Notified, and your story goes here. It starts with GlobeNewswire, which for more than 30 years has been the globally trusted press release distribution and regulatory filing service to leading organizations. From there, gain deeper audience insights with our world-class media and social monitoring tools, and elevate shareholder confidence with our award-winning investor relations solutions, so that you—the modern PR, IR and marketing pro—are well-equipped to engage, educate and excite your audience.

Notified is a part of West Technology Group, LLC controlled by affiliates of certain funds managed by Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO).

Media Contact
Caroline Smith
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3bbf4afe-d27f-43a3-a6fc-60b8a49a45de

This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

LUMINA is an Advanced Minimal Residual Disease Detection Platform for Lung Cancer Harnessing the Power of Multi-omics Biomarkers and AI

LOS ANGELES and AMSTERDAM, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Renovaro Inc. (NASDAQ: RENB),  a pioneer in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics powered by artificial intelligence, today announced its subsidiary RenovaroCube (the ‘Cube’), a leader in AI-driven cancer diagnostics by integrating multi-omics with liquid biopsies, together with its consortium partners Flomics Biotech, Uppsala Universitet and Oncodia, received grant funding approval for the Lumina project from the Eurostars funding program after review by an independent expert panel.

Eurostars is part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises). The partnership is co-funded by the European Union through Horizon Europe. Eurostars is the largest international funding program for SMEs wishing to collaborate on R&D projects that create innovative products, processes or services for commercialization, with over €250M in expected public-private investment each year.

The Lumina project aims to deliver an advanced Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) detection platform for lung cancer. Harnessing the power of multi-omics biomarkers and AI-driven technology, this platform aims to transform recurrence risk prediction and treatment strategies for millions of patients worldwide.

“This award further validates our purpose-built AI platform in facilitating the discovery of biomarkers critical for early cancer detection, monitoring, and treatment personalization,” said David Weinstein, Chief Executive Officer of Renovaro. “In partnership with leading institutions and companies, including Uppsala University, Oncodia AB, and Flomics Biotech, the Lumina project is focused on improving lung cancer patient survival. Over 5.7 million lung cancer cases are treated or monitored globally each year, and of all curatively treated lung cancer patients, 60% will relapse. Lumina represents a significant opportunity to address this critical issue, and we look forward to continuing work with our partners to bring this product to market.”

A High-Performance Platform for Better Outcomes

The objective of the LUMINA project is to develop a cutting-edge platform designed to provide unparalleled accuracy in detecting minimal residual disease. To achieve this, liquid biopsies combined with multi-omics biomarker technology, represent a revolutionary approach. The LUMINA project’s AI-powered platform capitalizes on this potential, aiming to provide a highly accurate, non-invasive solution that addresses a critical unmet need in lung cancer care.

Collaborative Expertise

The LUMINA project is built on a strong foundation of collaboration with leading institutions and companies, including Uppsala University, Oncodia AB, and Flomics Biotech. These partnerships bring together world-class clinical expertise and a multi-omic approach, leveraging the analysis of cell-free DNA and RNA to ensure the platform’s success.

About Renovaro

Renovaro https://renovarogroup.com/ aims to accelerate precision and personalized medicine for longevity powered by mutually reinforcing AI and biotechnology platforms for early diagnosis, better-targeted treatments, and drug discovery. Renovaro Inc. includes RenovaroBio with its advanced cell-gene immunotherapy company and RenovaroCube.

About RenovaroCube

RenovaroCube is a pioneer in AI-based molecular diagnostics, committed to revolutionizing healthcare through advanced data analysis. Its platform integrates cutting-edge AI capabilities with state-of-the-art HPC infrastructure to provide unparalleled insights into multi-omic data for early detection of diseases based on non-invasive testing using liquid biopsy (blood).

RenovaroCube’s AI platform is purpose-built to process and analyze multi-omic molecular data, facilitating the discovery of biomarkers critical for early cancer detection, monitoring, and treatment personalization. Originally developed for the fintech sector, this platform is being reengineered for healthcare, offering:

• Sequence Processing: Transform raw molecular data from patient samples into clean, analyzable formats using advanced sequencing and alignment technologies, ensuring the highest quality for downstream analysis.
• Biomarker Discovery: Harness unique algorithms and multi-omic pipelines to identify biologically relevant cancer biomarkers, providing critical insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
• AI Factory: Employ sophisticated machine learning models to predict cancer presence, origin, and stage based on extracted biomarker features. These models are trained on vast datasets to enhance accuracy and reliability, supporting early detection and personalized treatment strategies.
• Precision Diagnostics: Offer an interactive interface for visualizing data, generating comprehensive clinical reports, and delivering actionable insights across various omic layers and biomarkers. This interface empowers healthcare professionals to make informed decisions with confidence.

About Flomics Biotech, S.L.

Flomics https://www.flomics.com/ is a fast-growing biotech company based in Barcelona, operating in the genomics and liquid biopsy space. Flomics’ objective is to develop a revolutionary diagnostic blood test based on Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) of cell-free RNA, suitable for the early detection of different complex diseases, in particular cancer. Additionally, as CRO, Flomics also offers the following services: biomarker discovery (on tissue and biofluids), support on bioinformatic analysis and an intuitive web-based platform suitable for the analysis of NGS data (Stratus). The team at Flomics has a strong background in RNA and liquid biopsy, as well as advanced bioinformatics analysis methods.

About Uppsala Universitet

Uppsala University is the first university in the Nordic countries and a world-class research institution. The Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology is dedicated to advancing cancer diagnostics and treatment through the study of molecular changes associated with cancer. The research aims to harness measurable molecular information to improve diagnosis and therapy, with a strong focus on developing liquid biopsy-based diagnostic tests. A key initiative is the U-CAN project, which provides a unique biobank of high-quality clinical samples and data from cancer patients to support translational research. This effort, combined with cutting-edge molecular biology and clinical expertise, underscores the university’s commitment to transforming cancer care.

About Oncodia AB

Oncodia is an innovative Medical Technology company based in Uppsala, Sweden. Oncodia is committed to providing in vitro diagnostic products that consistently meet customer needs, enhance patient treatment outcomes and adhere to regulatory and statutory requirements. Oncodia provides CE/IVD software for precision cancer medicine as well as CE/IVD products for DNA/RNA isolation from diagnostic tissue specimens. Their focus is to supply clinical pathology and oncology with the right solutions for optimal molecular diagnostics of solid tumors.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the success or efficacy of our pipeline, platform and fundraising. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “plans,” “expects,” “aims,” “intends,” “potential,” or similar expressions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in any of such statements due to various uncertainties, including as set forth in Renovaro’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Renovaro Inc. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

Investor Relations

Chris Tyson
Executive Vice President
MZ Group – MZ North America
949-491-8235
[email protected]
www.mzgroup.us

For media inquiries, please contact:

[email protected] and [email protected]

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. and LEAWOOD, Kan., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Busey Corporation (“First Busey”) (Nasdaq: BUSE), the holding company of Busey Bank, and CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. (“CrossFirst”) (Nasdaq: CFB), the holding company of CrossFirst Bank, today jointly announced that First Busey shareholders and CrossFirst shareholders have each voted to adopt and approve, as applicable, all proposals relating to the previously announced merger in which First Busey will acquire CrossFirst. The special shareholder meetings were held on Friday, December 20, 2024.

“Our shareholders’ overwhelming approval of this business combination is an important milestone in the process of closing this transaction,” said First Busey Chairman and CEO Van Dukeman. “This approval reflects our shareholders’ confidence in this compelling merger that will create significant upside for our associates, customers, communities and shareholders. The next step is receiving the required regulatory approvals, followed by the closing of the merger of the holding companies and successful integration of these two premier franchises. In our next chapter, First Busey will remain focused on providing enhanced financial services and expertise while maintaining the community bank values that our customers and communities expect and deserve.”

With completion of shareholder approvals, the companies believe the merger is on track to close in the first or second quarter of 2025. The transaction remains subject to the completion of the remaining customary closing conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals.

“These meetings demonstrate the high level of certainty shareholders have in the value of our combined company,” said Mike Maddox, CrossFirst CEO, President and Director. “It also underscores their support of our strategic rationale and the financial benefits of the merger. We are excited about what the future holds and look forward to the joining of two customer-centric financial institutions to continue delivering outstanding service and tailored financial solutions.”

The merger will create a premier full-service commercial bank serving clients from 77 full-service locations across 10 states with combined total assets of approximately $20 billion, $17 billion in total deposits, $15 billion in total loans and $14 billion in wealth assets under care. With a diversified client, loan and deposit base, this scale will provide opportunities to augment business models through new customer and product channels.

Through compatible banking philosophies and cultures, complementary business models, combined capital strength and increased economies of scale, the combination is also expected to significantly enhance key performance metrics with meaningful improvements in net interest margin and efficiency, driving increased profitability and returns to shareholders.

About First Busey Corporation

As of September 30, 2024, First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE) was an $11.99 billion financial holding company headquartered in Champaign, Illinois.

Busey Bank, a wholly-owned bank subsidiary of First Busey Corporation, had total assets of $11.95 billion as of September 30, 2024, and is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. Busey Bank currently has 62 banking centers, with 21 in Central Illinois markets, 17 in suburban Chicago markets, 20 in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area, three in Southwest Florida, and one in Indianapolis. More information about Busey Bank can be found at busey.com.

Through Busey’s Wealth Management division, the Company provides a full range of asset management, investment, brokerage, fiduciary, philanthropic advisory, tax preparation, and farm management services to individuals, businesses, and foundations. Assets under care totaled $13.69 billion as of September 30, 2024. More information about Busey’s Wealth Management services can be found at busey.com/wealthmanagement.

Busey Bank’s wholly-owned subsidiary, FirsTech, specializes in the evolving financial technology needs of small and medium-sized businesses, highly regulated enterprise industries, and financial institutions. FirsTech provides comprehensive and innovative payment technology solutions, including online, mobile, and voice-recognition bill payments; money and data movement; merchant services; direct debit services; lockbox remittance processing for payments made by mail; and walk-in payments at retail agents. Additionally, FirsTech simplifies client workflows through integrations enabling support with billing, reconciliation, bill reminders, and treasury services. More information about FirsTech can be found at firstechpayments.com.

For the first time, Busey was named among the World’s Best Banks for 2024 by Forbes, earning a spot on the list among 68 U.S. banks and 403 banks worldwide. Additionally, Busey Bank was honored to be named among America’s Best Banks by Forbes magazine for the third consecutive year. Ranked 40th overall in 2024, Busey was the second-ranked bank headquartered in Illinois of the six that made this year’s list and the highest-ranked bank of those with more than $10 billion in assets. Busey is humbled to be named among the 2024 Best Banks to Work For by American Banker, the 2024 Best Places to Work in Money Management by Pensions and Investments, the 2024 Best Places to Work in Illinois by Daily Herald Business Ledger, the 2024 Best Places to Work in Indiana by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and the 2024 Best Companies to Work For in Florida by Florida Trend magazine. We are honored to be consistently recognized globally, nationally and locally for our engaged culture of integrity and commitment to community development.

For more information about us, visit busey.com.

About CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc.

CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: CFB) is a Kansas corporation and a registered bank holding company for its wholly owned subsidiary, CrossFirst Bank. CrossFirst Bank is a full-service financial institution that offers products and services to businesses, professionals, individuals, and families. CrossFirst Bank, headquartered in Leawood, Kansas, has locations in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.

CrossFirst Bank was organized by a group of financial executives and prominent business leaders with a shared vision to couple highly experienced people with technology to offer unprecedented levels of personal service to clients. CrossFirst Bank strives to be the most trusted bank serving its markets, which we believe has driven value for our stockholders. We are committed to a culture of serving our clients and communities in extraordinary ways by providing personalized, relationship-based banking. We believe that success is achieved through establishing and growing the trust of our clients, employees, stakeholders, and communities. For more information, visit investors.crossfirstbankshares.com.

First Busey Corporation Contacts
For Financials:	For Media:
Jeffrey D. Jones, EVP & CFO	Amy L. Randolph, EVP & COO
First Busey Corporation	First Busey Corporation
(217) 365-4130	(217) 365-4049
[email protected]	[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements


This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with respect to Busey’s and CrossFirst’s beliefs, goals, intentions, and expectations regarding the proposed transaction the expected timing of completion of the proposed transaction; the anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction; and other statements that are not historical facts.

Forward
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looking statements are typically identified by such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “outlook,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “position,” and other similar words and expressions, and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, those relating to the terms, timing and closing of the proposed transaction.

Additionally, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made; Busey and CrossFirst do not assume any duty, and do not undertake, to update such forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Furthermore, because forward
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looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those indicated in such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, many of which are beyond the control of Busey and CrossFirst. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the management of Busey and CrossFirst and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties outside of Busey’s and CrossFirst’s control. Caution should be exercised against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include the following: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the Merger Agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Busey or CrossFirst; the possibility that the proposed transaction will not close when expected or at all because required regulatory approvals are not received or other conditions to the closing are not satisfied on a timely basis or at all, or are obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated (and the risk that required regulatory approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed transaction); the ability of Busey and CrossFirst to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction; the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of the common stock of either or both parties to the proposed transaction; the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction will not be realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where Busey and CrossFirst do business; certain restrictions during the pendency of the proposed transaction that may impact the parties’ ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the possibility that the parties may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in the merger within the expected timeframes or at all and to successfully integrate CrossFirst’s operations and those of Busey; such integration may be more difficult, time consuming or costly than expected; revenues following the proposed transaction may be lower than expected; Busey’s and CrossFirst’s success in executing their respective business plans and strategies and managing the risks involved in the foregoing; the dilution caused by Busey’s issuance of additional shares of its capital stock in connection with the proposed transaction; effects of the announcement, pendency or completion of the proposed transaction on the ability of Busey and CrossFirst to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers, and on their operating results and businesses generally; changes in interest rates and prepayment rates of Busey’s assets, fluctuations in the value of securities held in Busey’s or CrossFirst’s portfolio; concentrations within Busey’s or CrossFirst’s loan portfolio (including commercial real estate loans), large loans to certain borrowers, and large deposits from certain clients; the concentration of large deposits from certain clients who have balances above current FDIC insurance limits and may withdraw deposits to diversify their exposure; the level of non-performing assets on Busey’s or CrossFirst’s balance sheets; the strength of the local, state, national, and international economy; risks related to the potential impact of general economic, political and market factors or of exceptional weather occurrences such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, droughts on the companies or the proposed transaction; the economic impact of any future terrorist threats or attacks, widespread disease or pandemics or other adverse external events that could cause economic deterioration or instability in credit markets; changes in state and federal laws, regulations, and governmental policies concerning Busey’s or CrossFirst’s general business; changes in accounting policies and practices; increased competition in the financial services sector (including from non-bank competitors such as credit unions and fintech companies) and the inability to attract new customers; breaches or failures of information security controls or cybersecurity-related incidents; changes in technology and the ability to develop and maintain secure and reliable electronic systems; the loss of key executives or associates; changes in consumer spending; unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation, investigations, or inquiries involving Busey or CrossFirst (including with respect to Busey’s Illinois franchise taxes); other factors that may affect future results of Busey and CrossFirst and the other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of each of Busey’s and CrossFirst’s respective Annual Reports on Form 10
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K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10
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Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024, and other reports CrossFirst and Busey file with the SEC.

VANCOUVER, Wash., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Riverview Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq GSM: RVSB) (“Riverview” or the “Company”) today announced that on December 17, 2024, its Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share which remained unchanged compared to the preceding quarter. The dividend is payable on January 2, 2025, to shareholders of record as of January 14, 2025.

About Riverview

Riverview Bancorp, Inc. (www.riverviewbank.com) is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington – just north of Portland, Oregon, on the I-5 corridor. With assets of $1.55 billion on September 30, 2024, it is the parent company of Riverview Bank, as well as Riverview Trust Company. The Bank offers true community banking services, focusing on providing the highest quality service and financial products to commercial, business and retail clients through 17 branches, including 13 in the Portland-Vancouver area, and 3 lending centers. For the past 10 years, Riverview has been named Best Bank by The Vancouver Business Journal and The Columbian.

This press release contains statements that the Company believes are “forward-looking statements.” These statements relate to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance or business. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks and uncertainties, as well as any cautionary statements the Company may make including those described in 1A (Risk Factors) of the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. Moreover, you should treat these statements as speaking only as of the date they are made and based only on information then actually known to the Company.

Contacts:	Nicole Sherman and David Lam
	Riverview Bancorp, Inc. 360-693-6650