Market Newsdesk

• Midwest pipeline expanding into Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, facilitating the addition of five Green Plains biorefineries
  
• Green Plains committed an additional 424 million gallons of annual capacity from its Shenandoah, Iowa and four Nebraska locations to the carbon pipeline network
• Total pledged commitment of 658 million gallons of annual capacity translates to approximately 1.9 million metric tons of carbon captured and sequestered annually
  

OMAHA, Neb., April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE), today announced that all four of its Nebraska biorefineries and its Shenandoah, Iowa biorefinery have entered into a long term carbon offtake agreement with Summit Carbon Solutions, a subsidiary of Summit Agricultural Group (SCS). The agreement is part of an announced pipeline expansion into Nebraska of the SCS carbon capture and sequestration project that will develop the infrastructure to capture and transport CO2 for long-term deposit into geologic storage.

“Expanding our partnership with Summit Carbon Solutions is critical to the ongoing transformation of our biorefinery platform,” said Todd Becker, president and chief executive officer. “Dramatically lowering the carbon intensity of our plants is important to our Ultra-High Protein ingredients and renewable corn oil as customers are increasingly looking to improve the carbon footprint of their own products. The pure CO2 coming from our fermentation process is ideally suited for capture and long term sequestration and we believe this carbon reduction could earn additional income from low carbon fuel standard credits, 45Q tax credits and voluntary carbon credit markets as they develop in the future.”

Green Plains will connect its biorefineries in Shenandoah, Iowa, Atkinson, Neb., Central City, Neb., Wood River, Neb., and York, Neb. bringing its total commitment to 658 million gallons of annual capacity, or nearly 70% of its platform. Green Plains’ biorefineries in Obion, Tenn., Mount Vernon, Ind. and Madison, Ill. are all candidates for direct carbon dioxide injection into geologic storage and are being considered for future non-pipeline projects. Green Plains’ expanded annual commitment is approximately 1.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the same amount of carbon sequestered by 2.3 million acres of U.S. forests in a year, according to the EPA. The expanded project is anticipated to begin operation in 2024.

“Participating as an investor in the development company of the pipeline project expands Green Plains’ optionality to capture additional value from this growing industry for our shareholders. In addition to lowering the carbon of our biorefinery products, participating in the pipeline economics for an increasingly low carbon focused world is important to our transformation plans,” added Becker. “As one of the largest producers in Nebraska, our decision to expand this project into our home state adds significant opportunity to reduce the carbon impact across a greater number of biorefineries across the Midwest.”

“We’re excited to see Green Plains, the largest producer of biofuels in Nebraska, anchor this project expansion into the state by committing all of their biorefinery carbon offtake to this project. This will help drive significant investment to the state in carbon capture and sequestration,” said Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts. “The biofuels industry is a major driver of our state’s economy, and we are encouraged by the opportunities presented by large scale carbon capture investments to further enhance the sustainability of Nebraska agriculture, the backbone for our state’s economic success over the last 20 years.”

About Green Plains Inc.

Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE) is a leading biorefining company focused on the development and utilization of fermentation, agricultural and biological technologies in the processing of annually renewable crops into sustainable value-added ingredients. This includes the production of cleaner low carbon biofuels, renewable feedstocks for advanced biofuels and high purity alcohols for use in cleaners and disinfectants. Green Plains is an innovative producer of Ultra-High Protein and novel ingredients for animal and aquaculture diets to help satisfy a growing global appetite for sustainable protein. The Company also owns a 48.9% limited partner interest and a 2.0% general partner interest in Green Plains Partners LP. For more information, visit www.gpreinc.com.

About Summit Agricultural Group

Summit Agricultural Group is a diversified agribusiness operator and investment manager with operations in the United States and Brazil. Summit deploys capital across the agricultural supply chain with a particular focus at the intersection of agriculture and renewable energy. For more information, visit: www.summitag.com

Green Plains Inc. Contacts

Investors: Phil Boggs | Senior Vice President, Investor Relations | 402.884.8700 | [email protected]
Media: Leighton Eusebio | Manager, Public Relations | 402.952.4971 | [email protected]

ATLANTA, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Paya Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PAYA) (“Paya” or the “Company”), a leading integrated payments and commerce solution provider, today announced that the Company will release its first quarter 2021 financial results on Friday, May 7, 2021 before market open. Paya CEO Jeff Hack and CFO Glenn Renzulli will host a conference call to discuss these results at 8:00am EDT on Friday, May 7, 2021.

Investors are invited to listen to a live webcast of the conference call through the investor relations section of the Paya website at investors.paya.com. The conference call can also be accessed live by dialing 833-665-0668 and referencing conference ID 1959296. A replay will be available shortly after the live call and can be accessed by dialing 855-859-2056 and referencing conference ID 1959296.

About Paya

Paya (NASDAQ: PAYA) is a leading provider of integrated payment and frictionless commerce solutions that help customers accept and make payments, expedite receipt of money, and increase operating efficiencies. The company processes over $35 billion of annual payment volume across credit/debit card, ACH, and check, making it a top 20 provider of payment processing in the US. Paya serves more than 100,000 customers through over 2,000 key distribution partners focused on targeted, high growth verticals such as healthcare, education, non-profit, government, utilities, and other B2B end markets. The business has built its foundation on offering robust integrations into front-end CRM and back-end accounting systems to enhance customer experience and workflow. Paya is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with offices in Reston, VA, Fort Walton Beach, FL, Dayton, OH, Mt. Vernon, OH, Dallas, TX and Tempe, AZ.

Investor Contact:

Matt Humphries, CFA
Head of Investor Relations
[email protected]

Media Contact:

Kerry Close
212-784-5717
[email protected]

 

HOUSTON, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — C-Bond Systems (the “Company” or “C-Bond”) (OTC: CBNT), a nanotechnology solutions company, announced today that its premier distributor, A1 Glass Coating, has increased its pipeline for C-Bond BRS (ballistic-resistant system) projects to 12 schools in six different Texas school districts. A1 Glass Coating expects to recognize more than $200,000 in revenue from these pending jobs using C-Bond BRS.

C-Bond BRS is a ballistic-resistant film system that consists of the patented C-Bond glass strengthening technology and security film. The C-Bond technology chemically bonds to the defects randomly distributed on the glass surface to increase impact resistance and prevent breakage. C-Bond BRS is validated by an independent third-party laboratory to provide National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Level I, Level IIA, Level II, and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 752 ballistic-resistant protection.

“A1 Glass Coating has built a strong reputation and they have been an expert installer of C-Bond BRS at schools and other facilities throughout Texas for years,” said Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and CEO of C-Bond. “More and more schools are installing advanced protection systems for their students and school personnel to prevent tragedies, and these orders continue to validate our technology as one of the leading safeguard solutions for school systems.”

C-Bond BRS can be installed on existing glass surfaces or can be easily retrofitted into the existing framing system without the additional cost for structural changes to business design. Videos demonstrating the capabilities of C-Bond BRS can be found on the Company’s website.

C-Bond’s glass strengthening protection solutions including C-Bond Secure, which is the Company’s forced entry system, and C-Bond BRS, have been installed in more than 80 schools, government buildings, media sites, and other high-security facilities around the country. C-Bond’s technology is protected by 22 patents and patent pending applications.

About A1 Glass Coating

A1 Glass Coating in San Antonio, Texas, provides quality window tint solutions for auto, home, and business owners across Texas and has been doing so for over 30 years. The Company specializes in automotive window tinting, residential window film, and commercial window film that stops harmful UV rays from passing through its films, resulting in reduced glare, comfortable temperatures, and lower energy bills. The Company also carries products that offer forced-entry protection and films that protect glass from scratches, graffiti, other types of vandalism, and even bullets.

About C-Bond                
C-Bond Systems, Inc. (OTC: CBNT) is a Houston-based advanced nanotechnology company and marketer of the patented and patent-pending C-Bond technology, developed in conjunction with Rice University and independently proven to significantly strengthen glass in key automotive and structural applications. The Company’s Transportation Solutions Group sells C-Bond nanoShield, a liquid solution applied directly to automotive windshields, sold through distributors. The Company’s Safety Solutions Group sells ballistic-resistant glass solutions directly to private enterprises, schools, hospitals, and government agencies. The Company also sells disinfection products, including MB-10 Tablets. For more information, please visit our website: www.cbondsystems.com, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbondsys/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBondSys.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release about our future expectations, including the likelihood that A1 Glass Coating expects to recognize more than $200,000 in revenue from these pending jobs using C-Bond BRS; the likelihood that more and more schools are installing advanced protection systems for their students and school personnel to prevent tragedies, and these orders continue to validate our technology as one of the leading safeguard solutions for school systems; constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and our actual results could differ materially from expected results. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, C-Bond’s ability to raise capital; the Company’s ability to successfully commercialize its products; the effect of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the Company’s and its customers’ ability to operate; the Company’s ability to source materials; the Company’s ability to retain key employees and consultants; as well as other risks. Additional information about these and other factors may be described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) including its Form 10-K filed on April 14, 2021, its Forms 10-Q filed on November 16, 2020, August 14, 2020, and May 15, 2020, and in future filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Contact:

Allison Tomek
C-Bond Systems
6035 South Loop East
Houston, TX 77033
[email protected]

Brokers and Analysts:
Chesapeake Group
410-825-3930
[email protected]

League City, Texas, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Muscle Maker, Inc. (Nasdaq: GRIL) the parent company of Muscle Maker Grill, Healthy Joe’s, MMG Burger Bar and Superfit Foods, a fast-casual concept known for serving “healthier for you” meals, today announced it will start accepting bitcoin as an alternative to cash, credit or debit forms of payment.

Bitcoin payments will be rolled out on each level of the business individually, starting with accepting bitcoin for initial franchise fees for new franchisees, then expanding to online meal plan subscriptions with Superfit Foods, and eventually companywide for everyday food purchases at individual locations and online orders.

Michael Roper, CEO of Muscle Maker, commented, “Today’s digital world continues to grow exponentially. The acceptance of bitcoin is a natural progression for companies looking to stay relevant. Millennials are in search of healthy food, giving them the ability to pay with a crypto currency makes it even easier to eat healthy. Our strategy is to get healthy food to consumers through non-traditional locations and methods, accepting bitcoin will allow Muscle Maker to continue to provide innovative ways of delivering on this strategy.”

About Muscle Maker Grill

Founded in 1995 in Colonia, New Jersey, Muscle Maker Grill features high quality, great tasting food, freshly prepared with proprietary recipes. The menu, created with the guest’s health in mind, is lean and protein based. It features all-natural chicken, grass fed steak, lean turkey, whole wheat pasta, wraps, bowls and more. It also offers a wide selection of fruit smoothies in a variety of assorted flavors, protein shakes and supplements. For more information on Muscle Maker Grill, visit www.musclemakergrill.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include “forward-looking statements” pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. To the extent that the information presented in this press release discusses financial projections, information, or expectations about our business plans, results of operations, products or markets, or otherwise makes statements about future events, such statements are forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “should”, “may,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “expects,” “plans,” and “proposes.” Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in documents that we file from time to time with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are contained, and Muscle Maker, Inc does not undertake any duty to update any forward-looking statements except as may be required by law.

Contact:
Muscle Maker Grill Marketing
[email protected]

Investor Relations:
[email protected]

Gaithersburg, MD, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Verus International, Inc. (“Verus” or the “Company”) (OTC Pink: VRUS), an international food, CBD and hemp-based products company, today released a corporate update letter from its CEO Andy Dhruv.

Valued Shareholders,

I have spent my first two months as CEO of Verus International behind the scenes, working to understand the issues and opportunities, and tackling some of the tasks required to move us forward in 2021. Now that much of that heavy lifting is complete, I thought this would be a good time to introduce myself and provide you with a better understanding of the direction I will be taking the Company in the future.

First off, I think you should know a bit about my history and how my experience will shape our strategy. My story is a pretty familiar one to many of our wholesale customers, who like me, were newcomers to this country who learned about business from the ground up. I came to the U.S. in 2001 and worked in family-owned gas stations during those early years – 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. With that kind of schedule, every year is like two, so you gain experience quickly. I eventually moved to Orlando, Florida and transitioned into the wholesale consumer products business as a sales person.

That was a great training ground for how to sell into the very markets where I still operate today. In 2007, I partnered with British expats to set up a wholesale company from scratch, giving me start-up experience and paving the way for my own future start-ups. A year later, I began buying gas stations and by 2014 had six stations. I moved even deeper into the distribution business during that time, when I created Accent Marketing, which grew from just 50 customer locations to more than 20,000 in multiple states by 2017. I entered the CBD business in 2018 and was instrumental in helping to launch the Elephant Brand of CBD products, along with our new Waffles brand.

I am sharing this history with you today, because my strategy at Verus will be rooted in my approach to selling — which begins with identifying timely, high profit-margin products that generate above-average inventory turns. When your business journey encompasses the entire path from a $200/month clerk to an owner-operator and then a distributor, you tend to know every nook and cranny of your customers’ operations and what it takes to gain your spot on that precious shelf or counter.

So, what have we been doing and what are we going to do to turn Verus around as a public company?

First, I would like to address the proposed class action lawsuit against the Company, which surfaced on Friday, April 23rd. We consider these claims to be meritless and intend to vigorously defend our Company against the allegations set forth in this complaint. In the meantime, we will be moving forward with our turnaround plans and strategy.

All turnarounds start in the same place — and that is with cost


rationalization.
In recent months, we let go of business units that had high ongoing and future capital expenses, downsized our corporate footprint, and combed through every line item we could rationalize so that profitability became more than just a distant concept. To put this in perspective, getting out from under pending professional sports licensing payments and long-term lease obligations alone will save us over $700,000 in recurring annual expense – commitments that had to be paid whether we sold a single product. These steps were necessary to restart our growth, but just as importantly, they removed some potentially deal-killing commitments from our financials that were unattractive to new M&A candidates. You saw the first results of our cost-rationalization efforts in our last quarterly report and we will carry that theme into the following quarter and beyond.

Now, we are ready to get back to growth, which is the next phase of our turnaround. I won’t sugarcoat the task, as this will be a process of adding revenue while managing a lean operation and whittling away at our debt. To accomplish this, we first simplified the business into two segments – international sales of basic foods and U.S. consumer products. We also adopted a very practical strategy for what kind of products we want to sell. We are looking for five characteristics in our product lines – royalty-free company-owned branding, higher profit-margins than our traditional food SKUs, better payment terms to reduce our capital needs, newness in the marketplace, and above-average inventory turns. CBD and hemp-based products fit this model well, but we have other consumer products in mind that will also check these boxes.

We are just getting started with the Waffles line and plan to have our own booth at future industry trade shows. So far, the reaction and feedback has been excellent, so we believe this will provide us a runway for much wider distribution. Our profit-margins on our new products are typically at least 3-times greater than our traditional profit-margins, so it takes less revenue to be profitable. Given the recent history of the Company, it may seem impossible to hear that word “profitable” used this early in our turnaround plan, but I am laser-focused on making it a priority. Over the last several years, Verus spent millions of dollars developing products that generated little to no revenue, so today’s Verus is going to operate quite differently. Simply put – I am stressing the goal that we should make a healthy profit on every shipment that leaves our warehouse.

I know many of you are wondering about the M&A that we were pursuing prior to our reverse stock-split. We felt that it was important to streamline the Company before moving in that direction, out of fairness to both our existing shareholders and any potential new partners. Given our valuation, that has proven to be the right decision. Our goal is to only enter into M&A that enhances shareholder value, so that is the starting point as we reengage on these partnership opportunities. We are prioritizing next steps and will be able to provide better guidance within our next update, but suffice it to say that we are pursuing whatever brings the best value – which as of today, looks like a combination of organic growth and M&A.

As your new CEO, I am putting in long hours on your behalf during this turnround phase and am genuinely optimistic. I have an exhaustive list of things to accomplish, but my two most important near-term goals are to reach profitability and to return to growth. The next four to six weeks will be an important time for Verus, because we will obtain a better understanding of the potential of our Waffles line and we will be back at the table considering M&A. I look forward to providing more frequent updates as we implement these growth initiatives.

Sincerely,

Andy Dhruv
Chief Executive Officer

About Verus
International

Verus is an emerging multi-line consumer packaged goods (CPG) company developing branded product lines in the U.S. and on a global basis. The Company trades on the OTC market (OTC Pink: VRUS). Investors can find real-time quotes and market information for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. Additional information is also available at the Company’s website, www.verusfoods.com, and via the official Twitter feed @Verus_Foods, and the Pachyderm Labs subsidiary Twitter feed @PachydermLabs.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are identified by the use of the words “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “continue,” “predict,” “potential,” “project” and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that these plans, objectives, expectations or intentions will be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience and present expectations or projections. Actual results could differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and the trading price for our common stock may fluctuate significantly. Forward-looking statements also are affected by the risk factors described in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contacts

Investor Contact:

MKR Group Inc.
Todd Kehrli or Mark Forney
[email protected]

UPPSALA, Sweden, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Olink Holding AB (publ) (Nasdaq: OLK), a global leader in proteomics, today announced that it will release financial results for the first quarter of 2021 before the market open on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Company management will host a conference call to discuss financial results at 8:00 a.m. ET.

Investors interested in listening to the conference call may do so by dialing (833) 562-0120 for domestic callers or (661) 567-1096 for international callers, followed by Conference ID: 5167217. A live and archived webcast of the event will be available on the “Investors” section of the Olink website at investors.olink.com.

About Olink

Olink Holding AB (Nasdaq: OLK) is a company dedicated to accelerating proteomics together with the scientific community, across multiple disease areas to enable new discoveries and improve the lives of patients. Olink provides a platform of products and services which are deployed across major biopharmaceutical companies and leading clinical and academic institutions to deepen the understanding of real-time human biology and drive 21st century healthcare through actionable and impactful science. The Company was founded in 2016 and is well established across Europe, North America and Asia. Olink is headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden.

Contacts

Stina Thorman
[email protected]
+46707187354

ZUG, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CRSP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases, today announced that members of its senior management team are scheduled to participate in the following virtual investor conferences in May:

Truist Securities Life Sciences Summit

Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Time: 11:20 a.m. ET

2021 Bank of America Healthcare Conference

Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET

A live webcast of these events will be available on the “Events & Presentations” page in the Investors section of the Company’s website at https://crisprtx.gcs-web.com/events. A replay of the webcasts will be archived on the Company’s website for 14 days following each presentation.

About CRISPR Therapeutics
CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary gene editing technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. CRISPR Therapeutics has established a portfolio of therapeutic programs across a broad range of disease areas including hemoglobinopathies, oncology, regenerative medicine and rare diseases. To accelerate and expand its efforts, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic collaborations with leading companies including Bayer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and ViaCyte, Inc. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and business offices in San Francisco, California and London, United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.crisprtx.com.

CRISPR THERAPEUTICS^® word mark and design logo are trademarks and registered trademarks of CRISPR Therapeutics AG. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Investor Contact:

Susan Kim
+1-617-307-7503
[email protected]

Media Contact:

Jennifer Paganelli
Real Chemistry on behalf of CRISPR
+1-347-658-8290
[email protected]

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Caladrius Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLBS) (“Caladrius” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of cellular therapies designed to reverse disease, today announced that the Company will report its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. (ET). To join the live conference call, please refer to the dial-in information provided below.

Dial-in information:

U.S. Toll-Free: 866-595-8403
International: 706-758-9979
Conference ID / Access code: 6892792

A live webcast of the call will be available on the Caladrius website under the Investors & News section. A replay of the webcast will also be available for 90 days following the conclusion of the call.

For those unable to participate on the live conference call, an audio replay will be available that day starting at 7:30 p.m. (ET) until May 13, 2021, by dialing 855-859-2056 (North America) or 404-537-3406 (International) and by entering the access code: 6892792.

About Caladrius Biosciences

Caladrius Biosciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of cellular therapies designed to reverse disease. We are developing first-in-class cell therapy products based on the finely tuned mechanisms for self-repair that exist in the human body. Our technology leverages and enables these mechanisms in the form of specific cells, using formulations and modes of delivery unique to each medical indication.

The Company’s current product candidates include: CLBS16, the subject of both a recently completed positive Phase 2a study and a newly initiated Phase 2b study in the U.S. for the treatment of coronary microvascular dysfunction (“CMD”); HONEDRA® (CLBS12), recipient of  orphan designation for Buerger’s Disease in the U.S. as well as  SAKIGAKE designation and eligible for early conditional approval in Japan for the treatment of critical limb ischemia (“CLI”) and Buerger’s Disease based on the results of an ongoing clinical trial; CLBS201, designed to assess the safety and efficacy of CD34+ cell therapy as a treatment for diabetic kidney disease (“DKD”); and OLOGO™ (CLBS14), a Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (“RMAT”) designated therapy for which the Company is in discussion with the FDA to finalize a Phase 3 protocol of reduced size and scope for a confirmatory trial in subjects with no-option refractory disabling angina (“NORDA”).  For more information on the Company, please visit www.caladrius.com.

Contact:

Investors:
Caladrius Biosciences, Inc.
John Menditto
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Phone: +1-908-842-0084
Email: [email protected]

Media:
Real Chemistry
Kelly Wakelee
Phone: 610.639.2774
Email: [email protected]

TORONTO, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (“RioCan” or the “Trust”) (TSX: REI.UN) today announced a new mixed-use project (“QA Masterplan”), located at Queen and Coxwell in Toronto. This project is to be developed in a 50/50 partnership with Context (together with RioCan – the “Partners”) and in collaboration with the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”). QA Masterplan will contribute to the revitalization of the neighbourhood and address different levels of housing affordability with housing types ranging from condominiums to market and affordable rental units. The condominium component (“QA Condos”) has achieved 88% of pre-sales in line with projections.

Steps from the waterfront of Lake Ontario and Ashbridges Bay in Toronto East, the 3.5 acre site at Queen and Coxwell is located between the highly coveted Leslieville and the Beaches neighbourhoods. The thoughtfully designed QA Masterplan will include:

• Developing a new building to replace the TCHC’s existing 120 apartment units on the site, which will be retained and owned 100% by TCHC;
• Adding new residential space consisting of 367 new condominium units, 183 market rental units and 50 affordable rental units, as well as 32 affordable rental units that will ultimately be sold to the City upon completion at a pre-determined price; and
• Building ~16,000 square feet of new podium retail space.

“We are very pleased to be playing a part in creating a new community that will provide much-needed housing for all income levels and introduce vital retail amenities to serve this growing neighbourhood. The significant progress on condominium pre-sales at this up-and-coming mixed-used community is a clear indication of its desirability and the demand for this type of product,” said Jonathan Gitlin, President & CEO of RioCan. “This project perfectly aligns with our evolution into Canada’s leading major market, mixed-use focused REIT. It will provide us income and asset diversification through purpose-built rental and will add to our expanding condominium inventory which fuels our FFO and NAV per Unit growth.”

The site is currently owned by TCHC and land title transfer to the Partners is expected in the summer of 2021 upon part-lot severance, at which point the Partners will proceed with demolition activity. In the interim, the Partners have proceeded with the pre-construction phases of the project including condominium pre-sales. QA Condos form part of the 1,609 condominium and townhouse units currently under construction or pre-sale by RioCan and its partners as summarized in the following table:

	# of Units (at a 100%)	RioCan Ownership		Estimated Inventory Profit (at RioCan Interest)	Anticipated Date of Completion
U.C. Uptowns – Townhomes Windfields Farm – Oshawa, ON	153	50	%	$4.5M-$5.0M	2021-2022
U.C. Tower – Condominiums Windfields Farm – Oshawa, ON	503	50	%	$16.0M-$17.0M	2022
11YV – Condominiums Yorkville – Toronto, ON	586	50	%	$72.0M-$76.0M	2025
QA – Condominiums Queen & Coxwell –Toronto, ON	367	50	%	$40.0M-$50M1	2024-2025

1) Based on very preliminary estimates

RioCan has many options to utilize the 42mm square feet of identified GFA density that is inherent in its existing portfolio.  In addition to the projects noted above, the Trust will continue to utilize some of this density for condominium and for housing ownership developments, particularly as components of larger multi-phased mixed use communities. These inventory projects represent yet another lever for RioCan’s growth going forward. The prominence of this utilization will be governed by the market conditions at the time and the make-up of the Trust’s balance sheet. 

Building on RioCan’s history of investing in the communities that it serves and aligned with its Environmental, Social and Governance strategy, the Partners will be supporting the City’s Community Economic Development Initiative as part of this project. The Partners’ contributions to the initiative includes a $100,000 scholarship fund for TCHC tenants, a $250,000 economic and social development fund and a minimum of $500,000 in value for job opportunities.

The Partners have applied for financing through the Rental Construction Financing Initiative (“RCFI Financing”) to help finance the non-condominium components of the project. RCFI Financing is provided directly by the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (“CMHC”) for eligible affordable rental housing projects and typically bears interest at rates lower than standard CMHC insured loans. If the application is successful, such financing will serve to further augment the overall project economics.

RioCan has forward purchase obligations to purchase Context’s 50% interest in the retail and residential rental components of the project at pre-determined purchase prices upon meeting certain pre-determined thresholds such as reaching certain stabilized NOI target, certain time limits, or certain planning act compliance requirements. More information will be disclosed upon land transfer and start of project construction.

Founded in 1997, Context is focused on the development of mixed-use projects, condominiums and affordable rental housing in Toronto’s central neighbourhoods. Context is a pioneer in downtown intensification with buildings based on quality design, sustainability and innovative city planning.

About RioCan

RioCan is one of Canada’s largest real estate investment trusts. RioCan owns, manages and develops retail-focused, increasingly mixed-use properties located in prime, high-density transit-oriented areas where Canadians want to shop, live and work. As at December 31, 2020, our portfolio is comprised of 223 properties with an aggregate net leasable area of approximately 38.3 million square feet (at RioCan’s interest) including office, residential rental and 14 development properties. To learn more about us, please visit www.riocan.com.

Forward Looking Information

This News Release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. This information reflects RioCan’s objectives, our strategies to achieve those objectives, as well as statements with respect to management’s beliefs, estimates and intentions concerning anticipated future events or expectations that are not historical facts. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “outlook”, “objective”, “may”, “will”, “would”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “should”, “plan”, “continue”, or similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events.

Such forward-looking information reflects management’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. All forward-looking information in this News Release is qualified by these cautionary statements.

Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future events or performance and, by its nature, is based on RioCan’s current estimates and assumptions, which are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those described in the “Risks and Uncertainties” section in RioCan’s MD&A for the period ended December 31, 2020 and in our most recent Annual Information Form, which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the forward-looking information contained in this News Release.

Although the forward-looking information contained in this News Release is based upon what management believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with this forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this News Release are made as of the date hereof, and should not be relied upon as representing RioCan’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this News Release. Management undertakes no obligation, except as required by applicable law, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Information

RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust
Jonathan Gitlin
President & CEO
(416) 866-3099

Charging Robotics


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ed its robot can be directed to find a specific spot under the vehicle and optimize its position for high-efficiency wireless charging

OMER, Israel, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Medigus Ltd. (Nasdaq: MDGS), a technology company engaged in advanced medical solutions and innovative internet technologies, announced today that Charging Robotics Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Medigus, completed a first technological milestone in the proof of concept of its autonomous robotic charging pad for wireless charging of electric vehicles.

Charging Robotics completed the assembly and testing of its robot, showing it can be directed to find a specific spot under the vehicle and optimize its position for high-efficiency wireless charging. Charging Robotics intends to further integrate charging components onto the robotic platform to complete the proof of concept in full.

Charging Robotics is developing an on-demand autonomous charging system to be used anywhere, anytime. The wireless charging system being developed is intended to have self-aligning capabilities to electric vehicle battery chargers. The autonomous Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technology, once developed, is intended to seamlessly and efficiently charge the vehicle upon demand, it will carry the Wireless Power Transfer from a charging station or charging truck, to a customer’s vehicle that needs electric charging.

About Medigus

Medigus is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market. To learn more about Medigus’ advanced technology, please visit www.medigus.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements that are “Forward-Looking Statements,” which are based upon the current estimates, assumptions and expectations of Medigus’ management and its knowledge of the relevant market. Medigus has tried, where possible, to identify such information and statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “envision,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” “contemplate” and other similar expressions and derivations thereof in connection with any discussion of future events, trends or prospects or future operating or financial performance, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. For example, Medigus uses forward looking statements when it discusses theintention to integrate charging components onto the robotic platform,the completion of the proof of concept in full, that the on-demand autonomous charging system is intended to be used anywhere and anytime, that the WPT technology is intended to seamlessly and efficiently charge the vehicle upon demand and it will carry the WPT from charging station or charging truck, to a customer’s vehicle that needs electric charging, as well as the planned features and functionality of the WPTtechnology. These forward-looking statements represent Medigus’ expectations or beliefs concerning future events, and it is possible that the results described in this press release will not be achieved, due to inter alia the spread of COVID-19 as well as the restriction deriving therefrom and difficulties arising from the development and manufacture of wireless charging products.Nothing in the description herein should be understood or construed as an announcement of completed products or an existing proof of concept. By their nature, Forward-Looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause future results of Medigus’ activity to differ significantly from the content and implications of such statements. Other risk factors affecting Medigus are discussed in detail in Medigus’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-Looking Statements are pertinent only as of the date on which they are made, and Medigus undertakes no obligation to update or revise any Forward-Looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Neither Medigus nor its shareholders, officers and employees, shall be liable for any action and the results of any action taken by any person based on the information contained herein, including without limitation the purchase or sale of Medigus’ securities. Nothing in this press release should be deemed to be medical or other advice of any kind.

Contact (for media only)
Oz Adler
Chief Financial Officer
+972-8-6466-880
[email protected]