Pyxis Tankers Announces Financial Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021

Maroussi, Greece, June 2, 2021 – Pyxis Tankers Inc. (NASDAQ Cap Mkts: PXS) (the “Company” or “Pyxis Tankers”), a growth-oriented pure play product tanker company, today announced unaudited results for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

Summary

For the three months ended March 31, 2021, our Revenues, net were $5.2 million, while our time charter equivalent revenues were $4.3 million, a decrease of $0.7 million, or 13.6% compared to the same period in 2020. Net loss attributable to common shareholders for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was $2.1 million, or a loss per share (basic and diluted) of $0.07 which was greater than the results from the comparable period of 2020. Our Adjusted EBITDA was $0.8 million which represented a decrease of $0.5 million over the comparable 2020 quarter. Please see “Non-GAAP Measures and Definitions” below.

Valentios Valentis, our Chairman and CEO commented:

“Our operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 reflected a continuation of a difficult chartering environment. The average daily time charter equivalent rates (“TCE”) for our medium range product tankers (“MR”) was $12,738 in the first quarter of 2021, which we believe was much better than rates that could have been achieved in the spot market. We benefited from staggered, shorter-term time charters which provided us predictable cash flow. As of June 1, 2021, 100% of available days in the second quarter of 2021 were booked at an average rate of $13,331 for our MR’s.

As previously disclosed, we completed the sale of the Pyxis Delta, our 2006 built non-eco tanker, in January 2020, which was the first step in a series of transactions to de-lever our balance sheet, enhance our debt profile, improve liquidity and better position us for growth opportunities. Since the beginning of the second half, 2020 we have completed two loan re-financings and two equity offerings, raising over $62 million in the aggregate. For example, during the first quarter of 2021, we completed a $25 million common stock private placement and a $17 million loan for the Pyxis Epsilon. More recently, we announced the acquisition of a 2013 built MR which we expect to take delivery by early July.

Based on commercial sources, the evidence of economic improvement has expanded from many parts of Asia to the U.S. and certain areas of Western Europe. Demand for refined petroleum products has improved as global inventories now approach five year averages. In April, the International Monetary Fund revised its forecast of global growth to 6% this year, followed by 4.4% in 2022. We believe the easing of government restrictions and protocols on personal and commercial activities for the prevention of Covid-19 to vastly improve mobility and consequently dramatically increase the global demand for transportation fuels. As the global economies return to a “New Norm” while still managing the uncertain path of COVID-19 and its various mutations, we expect the product tanker sector to continue to experience significant volatility in the short-term. However, we anticipate a meaningful, more sustainable recovery in our sector should start to occur this fall. Besides rising demand, the vessel supply outlook continues to improve. The ordering of new product tankers continues to be low. The uncertainty surrounding the chartering environment, expanding environmental regulations, new ship and engine designs, rapid escalating construction costs, evolving lower-carbon fuel choices and limited availability of competitive debt continue to constrain new ordering activity. In addition, a number of leading Asian shipyards are now booked through 2023 with vessel construction contracts from booming sectors, such as, drybulk and containerships. Lastly, the aging fleet should lead to more scrapping of older, less efficient tankers and further reduce the worldwide fleet. For example, according to a leading industry source, it was recently estimated that approximately 7% of the global fleet of MR2 are 20 years of age or more. By early May of this year, reportedly 16 MRs had been demolished, and if the same pace of scrapping continues for the balance of 2021, it could lead to the highest level over the past 11 years. High scrap metal prices are also contributing to this pick-up in activity. Overall, we expect net annual supply growth for MR’s to be approximately 2% in 2021 through 2022. Therefore, we continue to be optimistic for the long-term.”  

Results for the three months ended
March
3
1
, 20
20
and
20
2
1

For the three months ended March 31, 2021, we reported Revenues, net of $5.2 million, a decrease of $1.4 million, or 21.0%, from $6.6 million in the comparable period of 2020 primarily due to lower charter rates. During the first quarter of 2021, all of our Eco-MRs were under existing time charters resulting in an average daily TCE of $12,738.

Our net loss attributable to common shareholders for the period ended March 31, 2021, was $2.1 million, or a loss per share of $0.07 (basic and diluted), compared to a net loss of $1.2 million, or a loss per share of $0.06 (basic and diluted) for the same period in 2020. Lower daily TCE of $10,865 and lower utilization of 87.6% for the fleet during the quarter ended March 31, 2021, were compared to $11,917 and 91.4%, respectively, in the 2020 period. Operating expenses and vessel management fees were comparatively lower in the 2021 period as a result of the sale of our oldest MR in January 2020. The most recent quarter of 2021 was negatively impacted by a $0.5 million loss, or $0.02 per share, associated with loan refinancing of the Pyxis Epsilon at the end of March.   

Our Adjusted EBITDA was $0.8 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021, which represented a decrease of $0.4 million from $1.2 million for the same period in 2020.

  Three Months ended 
March
 3
1
,
  20
20
  20
2
1
  (Thousands of U.S. dollars, except for daily TCE rates)
Revenues, net 6,635   5,242
Voyage related costs and commissions (1,682)   (961)
Time charter equivalent revenues 1 4,953   4,281
       
Total operating days 2 416   394
       
Daily time charter equivalent rate 1, 2 11,917   10,865
       

1 Subject to rounding; please see “Non-GAAP Measures and Definitions” below.
2 Pyxis Delta was sold on January 13, 2020, and has been excluded from the calculation for the three months ended March 31, 2020 (the vessel had been under TC employment for approximately 2 days in January 2020 when it was redelivered from charterers in order to be sold).

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Results for the Three Months ended
March
3
1
, 20
20
and 20
2
1
(Amounts are presented in million U.S. dollars, rounded to the nearest one hundred thousand, except as otherwise noted)

Revenues, net
: Revenues, net of $5.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, represented a decrease of $1.4 million, or 21.0%, from $6.6 million in the comparable period of 2020, primarily due to lower chartering activity.

Voyage related costs and commissions: Voyage related costs and commissions of $1.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, represented a decrease of $0.7 million, or 42.9%, compared to $1.7 million for the same period in 2020. The decrease was primarily a result of a decline in spot activity for our MRs from 29 days during the three months ended March 31, 2020 to four days during the comparable period in 2021. Under spot charters, all voyage expenses are typically borne by us rather than the charterer and a decrease in spot chartering results in a decrease in voyage related costs and commissions.

Vessel operating expenses: Vessel operating expenses of $2.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, represented a decrease of $0.2 million, or 8.1%, compared to the same period in 2020 mainly attributed to the sale of Pyxis Delta that occurred in January 2020.

General and administrative expenses: General and administrative expenses of $0.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 were 13.8% higher than the same period in 2020 primarily due to higher professional fees at the time.

Management fees: For the three months ended March 31, 2021, management fees paid to our ship manager, Pyxis Maritime Corp. (“Maritime”), a company related to Mr. Valentios Valentis, our chairman and chief executive officer, and to International Tanker Management Ltd. (“ITM”), our fleet’s technical manager, were $0.3 million in aggregate, or 18.1% lower than in the 2020 period due to the elimination of one vessel.

Amortization of special survey costs: Amortization of special survey costs of $0.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, increased slightly due to three vessel drydockings completed in the second half of 2020.

Depreciation: Depreciation of $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, was flat compared to the same period in 2020.

Gain from the sale of vessel, net
: During the period ended March 31, 2020, we recorded a nominal gain from the sale of Pyxis Delta. No such gain was recorded for the comparable quarter in 2021.

Interest and finance costs, net: Interest and finance costs, net, for the three months ended March 31, 2021 of $1.1 million, represented a decrease of $0.2 million or 13.4% from the period in 2020. The decrease was primarily attributable to lower LIBOR rates paid on floating rate bank debt compared to the same period in 2020.

Loss from debt extinguishment: For the three months ended March 31, 2021 we have recorded a loss from debt extinguishment of $0.5 million primarily reflecting a prepayment fee and the write-off of remaining unamortized balance of deferred financing costs, both of which are associated with the loan on the Pyxis Epsilon that was refinanced at the end of the most recent quarter. No such loss was recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Unaudited
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive
Loss

For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for share and per share data)

    Three Months Ended   Three Months
Ended
    March
3
1
, 20
20
  March
3
1
, 20
21
         
Revenues, net $ 6
,
635
$ 5
,
2
42
         
Expenses:        
Voyage related costs and commissions   (1,682)   (961)
Vessel operating expenses   (2,728)   (2,508)
General and administrative expenses   (564)   (642)
Management fees, related parties   (181)   (149)
Management fees, other   (238)   (194)
Amortization of special survey costs   (49)   (101)
Depreciation   (1,095)   (1,091)
Gain from the sale of vessel, net   7  
Operating
income / (loss)
  105   (
404
)
         
Other
income / (
expenses
):
       
Gain from financial derivative instrument   3  
Loss from debt extinguishment     (458)
Interest and finance costs, net   (1,318)   (1,141)
Total other expenses, net   (1,315)   (1,599)
         
Net
loss
$ (1,210) $ (
2
,
003
)
         
Dividend Series A Convertible Preferred Stock     (85)
         
Net
loss attributable to common shareholders
$ (1,210) $ (2,08
8
)
         
L
oss per common share, basic and diluted
$ (0.06) $ (0.07)
         
Weighted average number of common shares, basic
and diluted
  21,420,697   29,21
7
,
976

Consolidated Balance Sheets

As of December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for share and per share data)

    December 31, 2020   March
31, 202
1

(unaudited)
ASSETS        
         
CURRENT ASSETS:        
Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,620 $ 16,613
Inventories   681   486
Trade accounts receivable   672   352
Less: Allowance for credit losses   (9)   (9)
Trade accounts receivable, net   663   343
Due from related parties   2,308   1,680
Prepayments and other assets   133   144
Total current assets   5,
405
  19
,
26
6
         
FIXED ASSETS, NET:        
Vessels, net   83,774   82,683
Total fixed assets, net   83,774   8
2
,
683
         
OTHER NON-CURRENT ASSETS:        
Restricted cash, net of current portion   2,417   2,450
Deferred charges, net   1,594   1,493
Total other non-current assets   4,011   3
,
94
3
Total assets $ 93,
190
$ 105
,
89
2
         
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
         
CURRENT LIABILITIES:        
Current portion of long-term debt, net of deferred financing costs $ 3,255 $ 4,453
Promissory note, current portion     1,000
Trade accounts payable   3,642   3,429
Hire collected in advance   726  
Accrued and other liabilities   677   709
Total current liabilities   8,
300
  9
,
59
1
         
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES:        
Long-term debt, net of current portion and deferred financing costs   50,331   41,425
Promissory note, net of current portion   5,000   4,000
Total non-current liabilities   55,331   4
5
,
425
         
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES    
         
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:        
Preferred stock ($0.001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized of which
1,000,000 authorized Series A Convertible Preferred Shares; 181,475 and 141,186
Series A Convertible Preferred Shares issued and outstanding as at
December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021, respectively)
   
Common stock ($0.001 par value; 450,000,000 shares authorized;
21,962,881 and 37,177,965 shares issued and outstanding as at December
31, 2020 and March 31, 2021, respectively)
  22   37
Additional paid-in capital   79,692   103,079
Accumulated deficit   (50,155)   (52,240)
Total stockholders’ equity   29,5
59
  50
,
8
76
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 93,
190
$ 10
5
,
89
2

Unaudited
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow
s

For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars)

    Three Months
Ended
  Three Months
Ended
    March 31, 20
20
  March 31, 20
21
         
Cash flows from operating activities:        
Net loss $ (1,210) $ (2,003)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided
by
operating activities:
       
Depreciation   1,095   1,091
Amortization of special survey costs   49   101
Amortization of financing costs   99   62
Loss from debt extinguishment     458
Gain from financial derivative instrument   (2)  
Gain on sale of vessel, net   (7)  
Changes in assets and liabilities:        
Inventories   (123)   195
Trade accounts receivable, net   114   320
Prepayments and other assets   88   (11)
Special survey cost   (119)  
Trade accounts payable   (847)   (347)
Due to related parties   (5,859)   628
Hire collected in advance   (960)   (726)
Accrued and other liabilities   118   81
Net cash
used in
operating activities
$ (7,564) $ (
151
)
         
Cash flow from investing activities:        
Proceeds from the sale of vessel, net   13,197  
Ballast water treatment system installation   (56)  
Net cash provided by
investing activities
$ 13,141 $
         
Cash flows from financing activities:        
Proceeds from long-term debt     17,000
Repayment and prepayment of long-term debt   (6,449)   (24,830)
Gross proceeds from issuance of common stock     25,000
Common stock offerings costs   (11)   (1,737)
Proceeds from conversion of warrants into common shares     202
Preferred stock dividends paid     (82)
Payment of financing costs     (376)
Net cash
(
used in
) / provided by
financing activities
$ (6,460) $ 15,
177
         
Net
(
decrease
) / increase
in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash
  (883)   15,02
6
         
Cash
and
cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the
period
  5
,
176
  4
,
037
         
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the
period
$ 4
,
293
$ 19
,
0
63


L
iquidity
,
Debt
and Capital Structure

Pursuant to our loan agreements, as of March 31, 2021, we were required to maintain minimum liquidity of $2.45 million. Total cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash, aggregated to $19.1 million as of March 31, 2021.

Total debt (in thousands of U.S. dollars), net of deferred financing costs:

    As
of
December
  As
of
March
    31,
20
20
  3
1
,
20
2
1
Funded debt, net of deferred financing costs $ 53,586 $ 45,878
Promissory Note – related party   5,000   5,000
Total $ 58
,
586
$ 5
0
,
878

Our weighted average interest rate on our total funded debt for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was 7.3%. However, the refinancing of the Eighthone Loan mentioned below has helped reduce our overall interest rate to less than 4.5%, currently.

Issuance of shares: On January 4 and April 2, 2021, following the second amendment to the Amended and Restated Promissory Note dated May 14, 2019 (the “Amended and Restated Promissory Note”) entered into by us and Maritime Investors Corp. (“Maritime Investors”), we issued 64,446 and 47,827, respectively, of our common shares at the volume weighted average closing share price for the 10-day period immediately prior to the quarter end, in order to settle part of the interest charged on the Amended and Restated Promissory Note.

Pyxis Regains Compliance with NASDAQ’s Minimum Closing Bid Price Rule: On July 2, 2020, NASDAQ had notified us of our noncompliance with the minimum bid price of $1.00 over the previous 30 consecutive business days as required by the listing rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market. On December 29, 2020, we received written notification granting us a 180-day extension, or until June 28, 2021, to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. Subsequently, from January 28, 2021 to February 16, 2021, our closing bid price for our common shares was $1.00 per share or greater and, on February 17, 2021, NASDAQ informed us that we had regained compliance with the exchange’s minimum closing bid price rule (NASDAQ Listing Rule 5550(a)(2)). Our share price is currently below $1.00 and we may not be in compliance with this rule in the near future.

Closing of $25.0 Million Private Placement of Common Stock: On February 24, 2021 we announced that we had closed our definitive securities purchase agreements with a group of investors, which resulted in gross proceeds to the Company of $25.0 million, before deducting placement offering expenses. We issued 14,285,715 shares of common stock at a price of $1.75 per share. We used a portion of the net proceeds from the offering for the repayment of outstanding indebtedness and will use some of the remaining proceeds for the vessel acquisition mentioned below. The securities offered and sold by us in the private placement were subsequently registered under the Securities Act, under a resale registration statement filed with the SEC which became effective on March 11, 2021. Any resale of our shares under such resale registration statement will be made only by means of a prospectus.

Series A Preferred Share Conversions & Warrant Exercises: Since January 1, 2021 through May 28, 2021, an aggregate of 40,289 of Series A Preferred Shares were converted into 720,423 registered common shares of the Company and 144,500 Warrants were exercised for 144,500 registered common shares.

Refinancing of Eighthone Loan: On March 30, 2021, we announced that we had successfully completed the refinancing of a previous $24 million loan facility secured by the Pyxis Epsilon (the “Eighthone Loan”) with a $17 million loan which has an interest rate of Libor plus 3.35% and is repayable over 5 years. Approximately $7.275 million in cash was also used in this refinancing. This loan refinancing resulted in an interest rate savings of approximately 7.5% per annum with scheduled principal amortization of $1.2 million per year.

Vessel Acquisition: On April 29, 2021, we announced that we have entered into a definitive agreement with an unaffiliated third party to purchase a medium range product tanker of approximately 47,000 dwt built in 2013 at Hyundai Mipo shipyard in South Korea. The purchase price of $20 million is expected to be funded by a combination of bank debt and cash. We have received a Commitment Letter from a European bank to provide a $13.5 million secured loan which is repayable over seven years. The facility is priced at Libor plus 4.8%. We have posted a $3 million deposit and will use available cash to fund the balance of the vessel purchase price and associated working capital. It is anticipated that the acquisition and the loan, which are subject to customary closing conditions, will be completed by early July 2021.

Monthly Series A Preferred Stock Dividend: During the months of January through May 2021, we paid cash dividends of $0.1615 per Series A Preferred Share for each month.

Update on Shares Issued and Outstanding: As of May 28, 2021, we had 37,225,792 issued and outstanding common shares, 141,186 Series A Preferred Shares and 1,590,540 warrants (exclusive of non-tradeable underwriter’s warrants of which 428,571 and 16,000 have exercise prices of $2.1875 and $1.40 per common share, respectively). As of that date, Mr. Valentis beneficially owned 17,592,857 or approximately 47.3% of our outstanding shares.

Restructuring of Amended and Restated Promissory Note: On May 27, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Company approved and Maritime Investors agreed to the restructuring of the existing unsecured Amended and Restated Promissory Note on the following basis: a) repayment of $1 million in principal, b) conversion of $1 million of principal into restricted common shares of the Company computed on the volume weighted average closing share price for the 10 day period commencing one day after public distribution of this press release, and c) remaining balance of $3 million in principal shall have a maturity date of April 1, 2023 and interest shall accrue at annual rate of 7.5%, payable quarterly in cash.

Non-GAAP Measures and Definitions

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) represents the sum of net income / (loss), interest and finance costs, depreciation and amortization and, if any, income taxes during a period. Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA before certain non-operating or non-recurring charges, such as vessel impairment charges, gain from debt extinguishment, gain/(loss) on sale of vessel and stock compensation. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not recognized measurements under U.S. GAAP.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are presented in this press release as we believe that they provide investors with means of evaluating and understanding how our management evaluates operating performance. These non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation from, as a substitute for, or superior to financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect:

  • our cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;
  • changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs; and
  • cash requirements necessary to service interest and principal payments on our funded debt.

In addition, these non-GAAP measures do not have standardized meanings and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The following table reconciles net loss, as reflected in the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

(In thousands of U.S. dollars)   Three Months Ended
March
3
1
,
    20
20
  202
1
Reconciliation of Net loss to Adjusted EBITDA        
         
Net loss $ (1,210) $ (2,003)
         
Depreciation   1,095   1,091
         
Amortization of special survey costs   49   101
         
Interest and finance costs, net   1,318   1,141
         
EBITDA $ 1,252 $ 330
         
Loss from debt extinguishment     458
         
Gain from financial derivative instrument   (3)  
         
Gain from the sale of vessel, net   (7)  
         
Adjusted EBITDA $ 1,242 $ 788

Daily TCE is a shipping industry performance measure of the average daily revenue performance of a vessel on a per voyage basis. Daily TCE is not calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We utilize daily TCE because we believe it is a meaningful measure to compare period-to-period changes in our performance despite changes in the mix of charter types (i.e. spot charters, time charters and bareboat charters) under which our vessels may be employed between the periods. Our management also utilizes daily TCE to assist them in making decisions regarding employment of the vessels. We calculate daily TCE by dividing Revenues, net after deducting Voyage related costs and commissions, by operating days for the relevant period. Voyage related costs and commissions primarily consist of brokerage commissions, port, canal and fuel costs that are unique to a particular voyage, which would otherwise be paid by the charterer under a time charter contract. Vessel operating expenses (“Opex”) per day are our vessel operating expenses for a vessel, which primarily consist of crew wages and related costs, insurance, lube oils, communications, spares and consumables, tonnage taxes as well as repairs and maintenance, divided by the ownership days in the applicable period.
        
We calculate fleet utilization by dividing the number of operating days during a period by the number of available days during the same period. We use fleet utilization to measure our efficiency in finding suitable employment for our vessels and minimizing the amount of days that our vessels are off-hire for reasons other than scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades, special surveys and intermediate dry-dockings or vessel positioning. Ownership days are the total number of days in a period during which we owned each of the vessels in our fleet. Available days are the number of ownership days in a period, less the aggregate number of days that our vessels were off-hire due to scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades or special surveys and intermediate dry-dockings and the aggregate number of days that we spent positioning our vessels during the respective period for such repairs, upgrades and surveys. Operating days are the number of available days in a period, less the aggregate number of days that our vessels were off-hire or out of service due to any reason, including technical breakdowns and unforeseen circumstances.

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and daily TCE are not recognized measures under U.S. GAAP and should not be regarded as substitutes for Revenues, net and Net income. Our presentation of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and daily TCE does not imply, and should not be construed as an inference, that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for a measure of performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.


Recent Daily Fleet Data:
         
(Amounts in U.S.$,
unless otherwise stated)
    Three Months Ended

March
3
1
,
      20
20*
  202
1
Eco-Efficient MR2: (2
of our vessels
)
         
  Daily TCE   15,676   13,679
  Opex   5,915   6,324
  Utilization %   97.3%   100.0%
Eco-Modified MR2: (1 of our vessels)          
  Daily TCE   14,875   10,856
  Opex   6,664   6,660
  Utilization %   100.0%   100.0%
Small Tankers: (2 of our vessels
)
         
  Daily TCE   5,603   6,785
  Opex   4,962   4,278
  Utilization %   81.3%   68.9%
Fleet: (
5 vessels) *
         
  Daily TCE   11,917   10,865
  Opex   5,683   5,573
  Utilization %   91.4%   87.6%
 

* Pyxis Delta, a standard MR, was sold on January 13, 2020, and has been excluded from the calculations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 (the vessel had been under TC employment for approximately 2 days in January when it was re-delivered from charterers in order to be sold).

Conference Call and Webcast

We will host a conference call to discuss our results at 8:30 a.m., Eastern Time, on Wednesday, June 2, 2021.

Participants should dial into the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time using the following numbers: 1 (877) 553-9962 (US Toll Free Dial In), 0(808) 238-0669 (UK Toll Free Dial In) or +44 (0) 2071 928592 (Standard International Dial In). Please quote “Pyxis Tankers.”

A telephonic replay of the conference and accompanying slides will be available following the completion of the call and will remain available until Wednesday, June 9, 2021. To listen to the archived audio file, visit our website http://www.pyxistankers.com and click on Events & Presentations under our Investor Relations page.

A webcast of the conference call will be available through our website (http://www.pyxistankers.com) under our Events & Presentations page.

Webcast participants of the conference call should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast and can also access it through the following link:

https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/3201198/4BE2EC8DC18160716E9453CD23DAC04C

An archived version of the webcast will be available on the website within approximately two hours of the completion of the call. The information discussed on the conference call, or that can be accessed through, Pyxis Tankers Inc.’s website is not incorporated into, and does not constitute part of this report.

About Pyxis Tankers Inc.

We own a modern fleet of five tankers engaged in seaborne transportation of refined petroleum products and other bulk liquids. We are focused on growing our fleet of medium range product tankers, which provide operational flexibility and enhanced earnings potential due to their “eco” features and modifications. We are positioned to opportunistically expand and maximize our fleet due to competitive cost structure, strong customer relationships and an experienced management team whose interests are aligned with those of its shareholders. For more information, visit: http://www.pyxistankers.com. The information discussed contained in, or that can be accessed through, Pyxis Tankers Inc.’s website, is not incorporated into, and does not constitute part of this report.

Pyxis Tankers Flee
t (as of June 1, 2021)

      Carrying     Charter Earliest
      Capacity Year Type of Rate Redelivery
Vessel Name Shipyard Vessel Type (dwt) Built Charter per day

1
Date
Pyxis Epsilon SPP / S. Korea MR 50,295 2015 Time $14,000 June 2021
Pyxis Theta 2 SPP / S. Korea MR 51,795 2013 Time $14,000 June 2021
Pyxis Malou   SPP / S. Korea MR 50,667 2009 Time $12,000 July 2021
Northsea Alpha Kejin / China Small Tanker 8,615 2010 Spot n/a n/a
Northsea Beta Kejin / China Small Tanker 8,647 2010 Spot n/a n/a
      170,019        

1)   Charter rates are gross and do not reflect any commissions payable.
2)   Pyxis Theta is scheduled to have her intermediate survey during the third quarter of 2021 with expected off-hire of 5 days and estimated cost of $0.1 million.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. These statements include statements about our plans, strategies, goals financial performance, prospects or future events or performance and involve known and unknown risks that are difficult to predict. As a result, our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “should,” “expects,” “seeks,” “predict,” “schedule,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “potential,” “likely” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Company’s control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.   The Company’s actual results may differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including changes in the Company’s financial resources and operational capabilities and as a result of certain other factors listed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with our business, please refer to our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation, under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any in information in this press release, including forward-looking statements, to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws.

Company

Pyxis Tankers Inc.
59 K. Karamanli Street
Maroussi 15125 Greece
[email protected]

Visit our website at www.pyxistankers.com

Company Contact

Henry Williams
Chief Financial Officer
Tel: +30 (210) 638 0200 / +1 (516) 455-0106
Email: [email protected]

Source: Pyxis Tankers Inc.

 



BrainsWay Announces Positive OCD Coverage Policy by Blue Cross Blue Shield® Licensee HCSC

HCSC Covers Approximately 17 Million Members Across Five States

CRESSKILL, N.J. and JERUSALEM, Israel, June 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BrainsWay Ltd. (NASDAQ & TASE: BWAY) (“BrainsWay” or the “Company”), a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders, today announced that that Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) has issued a positive coverage policy, effective June 15, 2021, applicable to the BrainsWay Deep TMS™ system for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

HCSC, an independent licensee of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is the largest customer-owned health insurance company, and fourth largest overall, in the U.S., covering approximately 17 million members. HCSC offers a wide variety of health and life insurance products and related services through its operating divisions and subsidiaries, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield® (BCBS) of Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

“We are thrilled to have received our first BCBS coverage policy for OCD from HCSC, one of the largest health insurers in the U.S.,” said Christopher von Jako, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of BrainsWay. “Coming on the heels of two other major recent OCD coverage announcements, this latest milestone is indicative of the strong reimbursement momentum we are experiencing in support of our Deep TMS treatment for OCD. We will continue our work to drive further positive coverage developments in this important indication from additional BCBS systems and other major health plans.”

About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and debilitating condition with a lifetime prevalence in the United States of 2.3%. Characterized by uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that the sufferer feels compelled to repeat over and over, OCD is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be one of the top 10 debilitating medical conditions associated with a decreased quality of life and loss of income.  Due to the complexity and heterogeneity of the condition, coupled with the high percentage of patients that are drug-resistant, many patients suffering from OCD do not respond well to first line treatment options. The economic burden on the U.S. healthcare system for OCD treatments is estimated to be over $7 billion per year.

About BrainsWay

BrainsWay is a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders. The Company is boldly advancing neuroscience with its proprietary Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMS™) platform technology to improve health and transform lives. BrainsWay is the first and only TMS company to obtain three FDA-cleared indications backed by pivotal studies demonstrating clinically proven efficacy. Current indications include major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and smoking addiction. The Company is dedicated to leading through superior science and building on its unparalleled body of clinical evidence. Additional clinical trials of Deep TMS in various psychiatric, neurological, and addiction disorders are underway. Founded in 2003, with offices in Cresskill, NJ and Jerusalem, Israel, BrainsWay is committed to increasing global awareness and broad access to Deep TMS. For the latest news and information about BrainsWay, please visit www.brainsway.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company only and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: inadequacy of financial resources to meet future capital requirements; changes in technology and market requirements; delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing planned studies and clinical trials; failure to obtain approvals by regulatory agencies on the Company’s anticipated timeframe, or at all; inability to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of Deep TMS products; unforeseen difficulties with Deep TMS products and processes, and/or inability to develop necessary enhancements; unexpected costs related to Deep TMS products; failure to obtain and maintain adequate protection of the Company’s intellectual property, including intellectual property licensed to the Company; the potential for product liability; changes in legislation and applicable rules and regulations; unfavorable market perception and acceptance of Deep TMS technology; inadequate or delays in reimbursement from third-party payers, including insurance companies and Medicare; inability to commercialize Deep TMS, including internationally, by the Company or through third-party distributors; product development by competitors; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, and the effect of the global COVID-19 health pandemic on our business and continued uncertainty and market impact relating thereto.

Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.

Contacts:

BrainsWay:
Scott Areglado
SVP and Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]

Investors:
Bob Yedid
LifeSci Advisors
(646) 597-6989
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Will Johnson
(201) 465-8019
[email protected] 



Alpine Immune Sciences Appoints Zelanna Goldberg, M.D., M.A.S. as Chief Medical Officer

Alpine Immune Sciences Appoints Zelanna Goldberg, M.D., M.A.S. as Chief Medical Officer

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALPN), a leading clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on developing innovative treatments for cancer and autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, today announced the appointment of industry veteran Zelanna Goldberg, M.D., M.A.S. as its Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Goldberg joins Alpine from Iovance Biotherapeutics, where she was Senior Vice President, Clinical Science.

“We are very enthusiastic about the addition of Zelanna to the Alpine team, particularly as we pursue an expanding scope of clinical development activities across oncology and inflammatory disease indications,” said Stanford Peng, M.D., Ph.D., President and Head of Research and Development at Alpine. “Zelanna is an experienced clinical development executive with a commitment to helping patients with life-threatening and debilitating diseases.”

“I am thrilled to join Alpine and lead the clinical strategy and development of the company’s extremely promising pipeline, including ALPN-101, ALPN-202, and ALPN-303,” said Dr. Goldberg. “I look forward to integrating within the research and development team to continue to advance these unique therapies and those that are coming next from Alpine’s directed evolution platform to meaningfully improve the lives of patients with cancer and life-threatening auto-immune diseases.”

Dr. Goldberg brings over 20 years of industry and clinical practice experience, including strategic and/or operational responsibility for multiple therapeutic products such as dacomitinib (Vizimpro), palbociclib (Ibrance), and avelumab (Bavencio). Most recently, Dr. Goldberg was Senior Vice President, Clinical Sciences at Iovance Biotherapeutics, where she oversaw multiple aspects of the clinical development program of lifileucel (LN-145). Prior to Iovance, Dr. Goldberg held roles of increasing responsibility at Sunesis, Oxigene and Pfizer, where she was the global clinical lead for multiple assets. Prior to entering industry, Dr. Goldberg was an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California, Davis Medical Center.

Dr. Goldberg received her M.D. degree from University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Goldberg completed her residency in Radiation Oncology at Ontario Cancer Institute/Princess Margaret Hospital-University of Toronto, and her post-doctoral training in radiosensitizing drugs at Stanford University.

Disclosure of Inducement Grant under Nasdaq Listing Rules

The compensation committee of Alpine’s board of directors granted Dr. Goldberg an option to purchase 160,000 shares of common stock. The option will vest with respect to 25% of the shares underlying the option on the one-year anniversary of Dr. Goldberg’s employment start date of June 1, 2021, and the remaining 75% of the shares underlying the option will vest in equal monthly installments over the 36-month period following the one-year anniversary of Dr. Goldberg’s employment start date, subject to her continued service to Alpine through each relevant vesting date. In addition, pursuant to the terms of Alpine’s change of control and severance policy, if there is a change of control and, upon or during the 12 months after the change of control, Dr. Goldberg’s employment is terminated either (i) by Alpine without cause or (ii) by Dr. Goldberg for good reason, the option will become fully vested and exercisable. The option has a ten-year term and an exercise price of $10.29, equal to the per share closing price of Alpine’s common stock as reported by Nasdaq on June 1, 2021.

The stock options were granted outside Alpine’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan as an inducement material to Dr. Goldberg entering into employment with Alpine in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The terms and conditions of the option are generally consistent with those in Alpine’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan.

About Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc.

Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc. is committed to leading a new wave of immune therapeutics. With world-class research and development capabilities, a highly productive scientific platform, and a proven management team, Alpine is seeking to create first- or best-in-class multifunctional immunotherapies via unique protein engineering technologies to improve patients’ lives. Alpine has entered into strategic collaborations with leading global biopharmaceutical companies and has a diverse pipeline of clinical and preclinical candidates in development. For more information, visit www.alpineimmunesciences.com. Follow @AlpineImmuneSci on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains 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 the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical fact and include statements regarding Alpine’s platform technology, potential therapies, future development plans, clinical and regulatory objectives and the timing thereof, and expectations regarding the potential efficacy and commercial potential of Alpine’s and its collaborator’s product candidates. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” and other similar expressions, among others. These forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions that involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, events, or developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include, but are not limited to: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, research and clinical development plans and timelines and results of operations, including the impact on our clinical trial sites, collaborators, and contractors who act for or on our behalf, may be more severe and prolonged than currently anticipated; clinical trials may not demonstrate safety and efficacy of any of our product candidates; our ongoing discovery and preclinical efforts may not yield additional product candidates; our discovery-stage and preclinical programs may not advance into the clinic or result in approved products; any of our product candidates may fail in development, may not receive required regulatory approvals, or may be delayed to a point where they are not commercially viable; we may not achieve additional milestones in our proprietary or partnered programs; the impact of competition; adverse conditions in the general domestic and global economic markets; as well as the other risks identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

“Secreted Immunomodulatory Proteins”, “SIP”, “Transmembrane Immunomodulatory Protein,” “TIP,” “Variant Ig Domain,” “vIgD” and the Alpine logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc. in various jurisdictions.

Alex Sharif

Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Development

Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc.

206-788-4545

[email protected]

Laurence Watts

Managing Director

Gilmartin Group, LLC.

619-916-7620

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Washington

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Oncology Health Other Health Research Science Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

MEDIA:

Sesen Bio Announces Global Supply Partnership with Qilu Pharmaceutical

Sesen Bio Announces Global Supply Partnership with Qilu Pharmaceutical

Technology transfer to Qilu Pharmaceutical on track for completion in 2021

Sesen Bio to receive $2M milestone payment upon completion of technology transfer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sesen Bio (Nasdaq: SESN), a late-stage clinical company developing targeted fusion protein therapeutics for the treatment of patients with cancer, today announced that on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 the Company entered into a global supply agreement for Vicineum™ drug substance and drug product with the Company’s partner in China, Qilu Pharmaceutical.

Under the terms of the global supply agreement, Qilu Pharmaceutical will be part of the manufacturing network for global commercial supply of Vicineum drug substance and drug product. In February 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted for filing the Company’s Biologics License Application (BLA) for Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and granted the application Priority Review, with a target Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of August 18, 2021. The Company anticipates initiating promotion to physicians and patients in the US upon approval, with commercial product supply broadly available to urology clinics by the fourth quarter of 2021.

In December 2020, Sesen Bio entered into a commercial manufacturing and supply framework agreement with Qilu Pharmaceutical in which both parties aligned on key components of the structure of a global supply partnership. The new global supply agreement with Qilu Pharmaceutical builds on the Company’s existing partnership by setting specific terms such as capacity, forecasts, pricing and product delivery. The completion of the global supply agreement expands the Company’s network of world-class partners committed to providing reliable supply of Vicineum worldwide. Sesen Bio is entitled to a $2 million milestone payment upon completion of technology transfer to Qilu Pharmaceutical, which the Company believes is on track for completion in 2021.

“Given the chronic product shortage issues that exist for patients with NMIBC, we have thoughtfully developed what we believe to be a very reliable and robust supply chain with world-class manufacturing partners,” said Dr. Thomas Cannell, president and chief executive officer of Sesen Bio. “Qilu Pharmaceutical has extensive biomanufacturing expertise and experience supplying products for commercial sale around the world, which positions them well to support the anticipated significant global demand for Vicineum.”

Sesen Bio also continues to support Qilu Pharmaceutical in the development and commercialization of Vicineum in China. In March 2021, the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Vicineum was approved by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) thereby triggering a $3 million milestone payment to Sesen Bio, which the Company received, net of taxes, on May 24, 2021. The approval of the IND enables Qilu Pharmaceutical to conduct the proposed clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of Vicineum for patients in China. It is anticipated that the first patient will be dosed in the trial within the next month. Assuming a successful trial, Qilu Pharmaceutical anticipates submission of the product market application for Vicineum in 2022 with potential approval in China expected in 2023.

About Vicineum™

Vicineum, a locally administered fusion protein, is Sesen Bio’s lead product candidate being developed for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Vicineum is comprised of a recombinant fusion protein that targets epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antigens on the surface of tumor cells to deliver a potent protein payload, Pseudomonas Exotoxin A. Vicineum is constructed with a stable, genetically engineered peptide tether to ensure the payload remains attached until it is internalized by the cancer cell, which is believed to decrease the risk of toxicity to healthy tissues, thereby improving its safety. In prior clinical trials conducted by Sesen Bio, EpCAM has been shown to be overexpressed in NMIBC cells with minimal to no EpCAM expression observed on normal bladder cells. Sesen Bio is currently in the follow-up stage of a Phase 3 registration trial in the US for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC. In February 2021, the FDA accepted for filing the Company’s BLA for Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC and granted the application Priority Review with a target PDUFA date of August 18, 2021. Additionally, Sesen Bio believes that cancer cell-killing properties of Vicineum promote an anti-tumor immune response that may potentially combine well with immuno-oncology drugs, such as checkpoint inhibitors. For this reason, the activity of Vicineum in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC is also being explored at the US National Cancer Institute in combination with AstraZeneca’s immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab.

About Sesen Bio

Sesen Bio, Inc. is a late-stage clinical company advancing targeted fusion protein therapeutics for the treatment of patients with cancer. The Company’s lead program, Vicineum™, also known as oportuzumab monatox, is currently in the follow-up stage of a Phase 3 registration trial for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). In February 2021, the FDA accepted for filing the Company’s BLA for Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC and granted the application Priority Review with a target PDUFA date of August 18, 2021. Sesen Bio retains worldwide rights to Vicineum with the exception of Greater China and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), for which the Company has partnered with Qilu Pharmaceutical and Hikma Pharmaceuticals, respectively, for commercialization. Vicineum is a locally administered targeted fusion protein composed of an anti-EpCAM antibody fragment tethered to a truncated form of Pseudomonas Exotoxin A for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.sesenbio.com.

About Qilu Pharmaceutical

Qilu Pharmaceutical is a leading vertically integrated pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative medicines. With a diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics, 10 manufacturing sites and more than 23,000 employees worldwide, Qilu Pharmaceutical is dedicated to transforming scientific innovation by internal R&D across 5 R&D platforms based in the US (Seattle WA, Boston MA, San Francisco CA) and China (Shanghai, Jinan), and external partnership globally into healthcare solutions to address unmet medical needs. To date, Qilu Pharmaceutical has launched 200+ products with 30+ products “First to launch” in China and 3 products “D181 launch” in US.

COVID-19 Pandemic Potential Impact

Sesen Bio continues to monitor the rapidly evolving environment regarding the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company. The Company has not yet experienced any disruptions to our operations as a result of COVID-19, however, we are not able to quantify or predict with certainty the overall scope of potential impacts to our business, including, but not limited to, our ability to raise capital and, if approved, commercialize Vicineum. Sesen Bio remains committed to the health and safety of patients, caregivers and employees.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for the Company, the Company’s strategy, future operations, and other statements containing the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: dependence on third parties for the Company’s supply chain for Vicineum, requirements to demonstrate product manufactured by third parties is comparable to that used in the Company’s clinical trials, the timing and receipt by the Company of any milestone payments from Qilu Pharmaceutical, the timing for completion of the manufacturing technology transfer with Qilu Pharmaceutical, the timing for the FDA’s decision on the Company’s BLA for Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC based on the FDA granting the BLA Priority Review and the target PDUFA date of August 18, 2021, the impact of COVID-19 on the Company, including its ability to raise capital, and, if approved, its ability to commercialize Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC, the timing and results of any clinical trial for Vicineum in China, the timing for submission and potential approval of the product market application for Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC to the National Medical Products Administration, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date hereof. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company’s views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.

Erin Clark, Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Investor Relations

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Massachusetts China United States North America Asia Pacific

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Research General Health Supply Chain Management Pharmaceutical Oncology Other Manufacturing Retail Clinical Trials Science Biotechnology FDA Health Manufacturing

MEDIA:

Logo
Logo

Janus International Secures Contracts with Strat Property Management Inc. and SmartStop Self Storage to Implement Nokē® Smart Entry Solutions

Janus International Secures Contracts with Strat Property Management Inc. and SmartStop Self Storage to Implement Nokē® Smart Entry Solutions

Two of the Industry’s Largest Owner Operators Select Nokē® by Janus as Go-Forward Smart Access Control Solution

TEMPLE, Ga.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Janus International Group, LLC (“Janus” or the “Company”), a leading global manufacturer and supplier of turn-key building solutions and new access control technologies for the self-storage industry, announced today that two of the largest independent self-storage owner operators in North America have signed agreements to implement its Nokē® Smart Entry (“Nokē Smart Entry” or “Nokē”) smart access control and security solutions. Strat Property Management, Inc., (“SPMI”), a real estate and management firm primarily focused in the self-storage and multi-family industries, and SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (“SmartStop”), a self-managed REIT that owns and operates nearly 150 self-storage facilities, will be implementing the Nokē Smart Entry system across multiple properties in their respective portfolios.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210602005375/en/

“We are thrilled to partner with forward-thinking self-storage owner operators like SPMI and SmartStop as they look to provide a more modern, convenient, and secure experience for their customers,” said Christine DeBord, President of Nokē. “We’re excited these two industry leaders have chosen Nokē Smart Entry as their smart access control and security solution and are pleased to see such rapid growth and adoption of the solution within the industry.”

San Diego, CA. based SPMI has already implemented the Nokē system at multiple locations and have committed to equipping at least 20 percent of their 70+ store portfolio with Nokē® ONE (“Nokē ONE”) smart locks by the end of 2021. Additionally, SPMI has committed to replacing 5,000 existing unit doors with new Janus doors locks and replace 135 access control keypads with Janus’ smart “Nokēpads” to enable mobile access for customer convenience and enhanced security. Over the next three years, SPMI intends to have Nokē ONE smart locks at every location.

Don Clauson, Owner and CEO of SPMI, commented, “We look forward to refreshing our Texas and California portfolios by installing Janus’s best-in-class doors and innovative smart locking solution, as we believe that investing in our facilities is integral to delivering an excellent customer experience. We chose to partner with the Janus team on these projects because of their track record of providing industry-leading, high-quality doors and hallways as well as innovative smart security solutions. We know that the Janus team is always there to support us as we make value-add improvements to our portfolio. Janus has first class people and products and we’re committed to our ongoing partnership.”

Janus has also signed a contract with SmartStop to add approximately 5,000 Nokē smart locks across five new construction projects expected to complete construction in 2021 and early 2022. SmartStop is the tenth largest self-storage company in the U.S., with approximately $1.7 billion of real estate assets under management, including an owned and managed portfolio of 152 properties in 19 states and Toronto, Canada and comprising approximately 103,000 units and 11.6 million rentable square feet.

Wayne Johnson, President and Chief Investment Officer of SmartStop, said, “SmartStop is committed to delivering cutting-edge technologies and unparalleled service to our customers across North America. As we plan our new construction projects, we are intently focused on building modern facilities that increase efficiency for our operations team and ease of use for our customers. We are pleased to install Nokē smart locks across five of our new developments and look forward to offering our customers a higher level of security and a more convenient storage experience through innovative technology solutions.”

Janus expects to complete its business combination with Juniper Industrial Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: JIH) and become a publicly listed company soon after the special meeting of shareholders scheduled for June 3, 2021. Clearlake, an investment firm, is the largest shareholder in Janus.

For more information about Nokē, please visit: https://www.janusintl.com/products/noke.

ABOUT JANUS INTERNATIONAL

Janus International Group, LLC (www.JanusIntl.com) is the leading global manufacturer and supplier of turn-key self-storage, commercial and industrial building solutions, including: roll-up and swing doors, hallway systems, re-locatable storage units and facility and door automation technologies. The Janus team operates out of several U.S. locations and six locations internationally.

ABOUT STRAT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Strat Property Management, Inc. is a real estate development and management firm that focuses on the multifamily housing and self storage classes of real estate. SPMI owns and manages more than 30 apartment buildings and complexes in San Diego, California and more than 65 self storage facilities in five states. For renters, SPMI strives to create an experience that is easy, convenient, and of incredible value. As an organization, SPMI works daily to equip its team of self storage and multifamily housing professionals with everything they need to grow personally and professionally. SPMI is based in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.stratprop.com.

ABOUT SMARTSTOP SELF STORAGE REIT, INC. (SmartStop)

SmartStop is a self-managed REIT with a fully integrated operations team of approximately 400 self storage professionals focused on growing the SmartStop® Self Storage brand. SmartStop, through its indirect subsidiary SmartStop REIT Advisors, LLC, also sponsors other self storage programs. SmartStop is the tenth-largest self storage company in the U.S., with approximately $1.7 billion of real estate assets under management, including an owned and managed portfolio of 154 properties in 19 states and Toronto, Canada and comprising approximately 104,000 units and 11.8 million rentable square feet. SmartStop and its affiliates own or manage 17 operating self storage properties in the Ontario, Canada, which total approximately 14,300 units and 1.5 million rentable square feet. Additional information regarding SmartStop is available at www.smartstopselfstorage.com.

ABOUT CLEARLAKE

Founded in 2006, Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. is an investment firm operating integrated businesses across private equity, credit and other related strategies. With a sector-focused approach, the firm seeks to partner with experienced management teams by providing patient, long term capital to dynamic businesses that can benefit from Clearlake’s operational improvement approach, O.P.S.® The firm’s core target sectors are industrials, technology, and consumer. Clearlake currently has approximately $38 billion of assets under management, and its senior investment principals have led or co-led over 300 investments. The firm has offices in Santa Monica and Dallas. More information is available at www.clearlake.com and on Twitter @ClearlakeCap.

ABOUT JUNIPER INDUSTRIAL HOLDINGS, INC. (NYSE: JIH)

Juniper Industrial Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“JIH” or “Juniper”), is a Special Purpose Acquisition Corporation targeting companies within the industrials sector. With $348 million in trust, Juniper was formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Juniper’s management team has a proven track record of identifying market-leading technologies across the industrial spectrum, and an affinity for businesses with strong brands and mission-critical offering. The Juniper team has a robust network of relationships within industrial and investment communities built over 60+ years of combined industry experience, and a deep understanding of industrial trends. More information is available at www.juniperindustrial.com.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

This communication is being made in connection with the proposed business combination involving Juniper and Janus under a new holding company, Janus Parent, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Janus Parent”). In connection with the proposed transactions, Janus Parent has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement on Form S-4 (as amended, the “Registration Statement”) containing a definitive proxy statement of Juniper and a definitive prospectus of Janus Parent. This announcement does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed business combination and is not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the business combination. Juniper’s shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed in connection with the proposed business combination, as these materials will contain important information about Juniper, Janus, Janus Parent and the business combination. Janus Parent has mailed the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials for the proposed business combination to shareholders of Juniper as of May 4, 2021 for voting on the proposed business combination. Shareholders are also able to obtain copies of the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by Juniper and Janus Parent may be obtained free of charge from Juniper at www.juniperindustrial.com/investors. Alternatively, these documents can be obtained free of charge by directing a request to: Juniper Industrial Holdings, Inc., 14 Fairmount Avenue, Chatham, New Jersey 07928.

PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION

Juniper, Janus and certain of their directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Juniper’s shareholders with respect to the proposed business combination. A list of the names of those directors and executive officers and a description of their interests in Juniper is contained in Juniper’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year-ended December 31, 2020, which is available free of charge at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by Juniper may be obtained from Juniper as described above under “Important Information and Where to Find It.”

NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such other jurisdiction.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this communication may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this communication are forward-looking statements. When used in this communication, words such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions, as they relate to the management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of the respective management of Janus and Juniper, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events, and involve factors, risks, and uncertainties that may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from such statements. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in Juniper’s filings with the SEC including, but not limited to, the risk factors and other uncertainties set forth under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of Juniper’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and in Juniper’s other filings. There can be no assurance that the events, results or trends identified in these forward-looking statements will occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and neither Janus nor Juniper is under any obligation, and each of them expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, alter or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Janus or Juniper or persons acting on its behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph.

In addition to factors previously disclosed in Juniper’s reports filed with the SEC and those identified elsewhere in this communication, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: (i) ability to meet the closing conditions to the merger, including approval by stockholders of Juniper on the expected terms and schedule and the risk that any regulatory approvals required for the merger are not obtained or are obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; (ii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could cause the termination of the merger agreement or a delay in the closing of the merger; (iii) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the proposed merger on Juniper’s business relationships, operating results, and business generally; (iv) failure to realize the benefits expected from the proposed transaction; (v) risks that the proposed merger disrupts Janus’s current plans and operations and potential difficulties in Janus’s employee retention as a result of the proposed merger; (vi) the effects of pending and future legislation; (vii) risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; (viii) the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and other charges related to the merger; (ix) risks of the self-storage industry; (x) the highly competitive nature of the self-storage industry and Janus’s ability to compete therein; (xi) litigation, complaints, and/or adverse publicity; (xii) the ability to meet NYSE’s listing standards following the consummation of the proposed transaction and (xiii) cyber incidents or directed attacks that could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.

This communication is not intended to be all-inclusive or to contain all the information that a person may desire in considering an investment in Juniper and is not intended to form the basis of an investment decision in Juniper. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Janus and Juniper, the proposed transaction or other matters and attributable to Janus and Juniper or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Juniper and Janus undertake no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Investor Contacts, Janus

Rodny Nacier/ Brad Cray

Phone: 770-562-6399

Email: [email protected]

Media Contacts, Janus

Phil Denning / Nora Flaherty

[email protected]

Media Contacts, Clearlake

Jennifer Hurson

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Georgia United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Architecture Commercial Building & Real Estate Construction & Property Textiles Building Systems REIT Manufacturing Residential Building & Real Estate

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Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) Hosts Webcast on Sustainability and Impact in the Company’s Next Growth Phase

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) Hosts Webcast on Sustainability and Impact in the Company’s Next Growth Phase

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Regulatory News:

Philip Morris International Inc.’s (NYSE:PM) Chief Executive Officer, Jacek Olczak, Chief Financial Officer, Emmanuel Babeau, and Chief Sustainability Officer, Jennifer Motles, will host a webcast presentation today on sustainability and impact in the company’s next growth phase, the subject of its recent Investor Day. Joining them for the Q&A session will be Dr. Moira Gilchrist, Vice President, Strategic & Scientific Communications.

“We are very excited to host our first webcast on ESG performance and sustainability strategy, said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer. “Sustainability is core to the transformation of our company, which is based on a deep sense of purpose to create value for our shareholders and other stakeholders.”

“Our priority is to address the health impact of our products, putting them at the core of our sustainability efforts, 2025 aspirations, and commitment to accelerate the end of smoking,” Jacek continued. “But we are also aiming for excellence across traditional ESG areas. In this regard, we are proud to announce that we now expect to reach our 2030 Scope 1 & 2 carbon neutrality target five years ahead of schedule.”

Webcast Details

The presentation and Q&A session will be conducted in a virtual format, beginning at approximately 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A live video webcast of the entire PMI session will be available, in a listen-only mode, at www.pmi.com/2021esg. Presentation slides will be available on the same site.

An archived copy of the webcast will be available at www.pmi.com/2021esg until Thursday, July 1, 2021. The archived webcast can also be accessed on iOS or Android devices by downloading PMI’s free Investor Relations Mobile Application at www.pmi.com/irapp.

2020 Integrated Report

The webcast follows the recent release of PMI’s 2020 Integrated Report, along with a new section for PMI’s website covering sustainability. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the company’s approach to ESG topics and its progress toward delivering a smoke-free future. The report also highlights PMI’s most material sustainability topics—including the health impacts of its products, an aspect often not captured by external ESG assessments—and describes how the company is researching and developing scientifically substantiated better alternatives than continued smoking for those adults who do not quit.

To complement the Integrated Report, PMI has also prepared an ESG Highlights document, which summarizes the report in a more data-driven format and provides direct access to indexes mapping its disclosures to internationally recognized frameworks (including GRI, SASB, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the IBC/WEF’s Measuring Stakeholder Capitalism).

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This press release contains projections of future results and other forward-looking statements. Achievement of future results is subject to risks, uncertainties and inaccurate assumptions. In the event that risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could vary materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements. Pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, PMI is identifying important factors that, individually or in the aggregate, could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements made by PMI.

PMI’s business risks include: excise tax increases and discriminatory tax structures; increasing marketing and regulatory restrictions that could reduce our competitiveness, eliminate our ability to communicate with adult consumers, or ban certain of our products; health concerns relating to the use of tobacco and other nicotine-containing products and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; litigation related to tobacco use and intellectual property; intense competition; the effects of global and individual country economic, regulatory and political developments, natural disasters and conflicts; changes in adult smoker behavior; lost revenues as a result of counterfeiting, contraband and cross-border purchases; governmental investigations; unfavorable currency exchange rates and currency devaluations, and limitations on the ability to repatriate funds; adverse changes in applicable corporate tax laws; adverse changes in the cost, availability, and quality of tobacco and other agricultural products and raw materials, as well as components and materials for our electronic devices; and the integrity of our information systems and effectiveness of our data privacy policies. PMI’s future profitability may also be adversely affected if we are unsuccessful in our attempts to produce and commercialize reduced-risk products (“RRPs”) or if regulation or taxation do not differentiate between such products and cigarettes; if we are unable to successfully introduce new products, promote brand equity, enter new markets or improve our margins through increased prices and productivity gains; if we are unable to expand our brand portfolio internally or through acquisitions and the development of strategic business relationships; or if we are unable to attract and retain the best global talent. Future results are also subject to the lower predictability of our reduced-risk product category’s performance.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant societal and economic disruption, and resulted in closures of stores, factories and offices, and restrictions on manufacturing, distribution and travel, all of which will adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial position during the continuation of the pandemic. Our business continuity plans and other safeguards may not be effective to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. Currently, significant risks include our diminished ability to convert adult smokers to our RRPs, significant volume declines in our duty-free business and certain other key markets, disruptions or delays in our manufacturing and supply chain, increased currency volatility, and delays in certain cost saving, transformation and restructuring initiatives. Our business could also be adversely impacted if key personnel or a significant number of employees or business partners become unavailable due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The significant adverse impact of COVID-19 on the economic or political conditions in markets in which we operate could result in changes to the preferences of our adult consumers and lower demand for our products, particularly for our mid-price or premium-price brands. Continuation of the pandemic could disrupt our access to the credit markets or increase our borrowing costs. Governments may temporarily be unable to focus on the development of science-based regulatory frameworks for the development and commercialization of RRPs or on the enforcement or implementation of regulations that are significant to our business. In addition, messaging about the potential negative impacts of the use of our products on COVID-19 risks may lead to increasingly restrictive regulatory measures on the sale and use of our products, negatively impact demand for our products, the willingness of adult consumers to switch to our RRPs and our efforts to advocate for the development of science-based regulatory frameworks for the development and commercialization of RRPs.

The impact of these risks also depends on factors beyond our knowledge or control, including the duration and severity of the pandemic, its recurrence in our key markets, actions taken to contain its spread and to mitigate its public health effects, and the ultimate economic consequences thereof.

PMI is further subject to other risks detailed from time to time in its publicly filed documents, including the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. PMI cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not a complete discussion of all potential risks and uncertainties. PMI does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that it may make from time to time, except in the normal course of its public disclosure obligations.

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company, its shareholders and its other stakeholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, as well as smoke-free products, associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. In addition, PMI ships versions of its IQOS Platform 1 device and consumables to Altria Group, Inc. for sale under license in the U.S., where these products have received marketing authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway; the FDA has also authorized the marketing of a version of IQOS and its consumables as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP), finding that an exposure modification order for these products is appropriate to promote the public health. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI’s smoke-free product portfolio includes heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of March 31, 2021, PMI’s smoke-free products are available for sale in 66 markets in key cities or nationwide, and PMI estimates that approximately 14.0 million adults around the world have already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

Philip Morris International

Investor Relations:

New York: +1 (917) 663 2233

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666

[email protected]

Media:

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: New York United States North America Canada

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Environment Other Philanthropy Retail Tobacco Philanthropy

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Bright Horizons Joins White House to Offer Free Child Care for Vaccines

Bright Horizons Joins White House to Offer Free Child Care for Vaccines

NEWTON, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Bright Horizons (NYSE: BFAM) has teamed up with the White House to offer free child care to help Americans get their COVID-19 vaccine. The initiative will help achieve the administration’s critical goal of getting 70% of American adults vaccinated by July 4. With summer break approaching, working parents have expressed concern over how and when they will be able to make it to a vaccination appointment.

Bright Horizons partners with employers who collectively represent 10 million Americans to provide back-up care and together they will support parent access to vaccinations and give their employees the support they need to protect their health and health of their families. Starting immediately, employees at Mars, Levi Strauss, Santander and USAA, as well as other participating organizations, can secure back-up child care at a Bright Horizons early education and child care centers while they receive their first dose, second dose, or if they need time to recover from any side effects of the vaccination. Employees can access the free child care through July 4.

“We are proud to stand with the White House to help get our nation vaccinated against COVID-19 and support parents in their effort to keep their family and children safe. While young children are still unable to be vaccinated themselves, the best thing we can do to keep them healthy is to get those who live with, care for and teach children, inoculated against COVID-19,” said Stephen Kramer, Bright Horizons Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud of our client partners who are stepping up to support their employees in protecting their health and getting vaccinated.”

In addition to providing free child care for parents to get vaccinated, Bright Horizons has been providing a $100 incentive for its own teachers and employees to get vaccinated as part of a comprehensive education and awareness campaign to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations and maintaining healthy workplaces.

The company has also been a leader in research to understand the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on working parents and their children’s development. The latest research can be found here: https://www.brighthorizons.com/newsroom/2021-modern-family-index.

A sample of participating employers includes:

Altria

Mars, Incorporated

Ally

MUFG

Cadence

RSM

COTA (Central Ohio Transit Authority)

Santander

Cummins Power Generation Inc.

T. Rowe Price

Edwards

TIAA

Dimensional Fund Advisors

USAA

Levi Strauss

ViaSat

Parents with access to Bright Horizons Back-up Care benefits can book their free child care here: https://www.brighthorizons.com/careforournation.

About Bright Horizons

Bright Horizons® is a leading global provider of high-quality child care and early education, back-up care, and workplace education services. For more than 30 years, we have partnered with employers to support workforces by providing services that help working families and employees thrive personally and professionally. We operate approximately 1,000 child care centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and India, and serve more than 1,300 of the world’s leading organizations. Bright Horizons’ child care centers, back-up child and elder care, and workforce education programs, including tuition program management, education advising, and student loan repayment, help employees succeed at each life and career stage. For more information, go to www.brighthorizons.com.

Michelle DeLuties

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Massachusetts

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Medical Supplies General Health Health Other Education Children Infectious Diseases Consumer Education

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Agilent Announces New SureSelect Human All Exon V8

Agilent Announces New SureSelect Human All Exon V8

Design provides comprehensive content and flexible exome options

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced the release of SureSelect Human All Exon V8 – a new exome design that provides comprehensive content and up-to-date coverage of protein coding regions from RefSeq, CCDS, and GENCODE. It also covers the TERT promoter and hard-to-capture exons that are omitted by other exomes on the market. The new design is available in three options – routine exome sequencing (Exome v8), clinical researchsequencing (v8 Clinical Plus), and translational research (v8 UTR Plus) – allowing for content flexibility to meet our customer’s needs.

Powered by machine learning-based probe design and an improved probe-printing process, the SureSelect Human All Exon V8 spans a 35.1 Mb target region of the human genome, with an efficient end-to-end design size of only 41.6 Mb. The panel delivers excellent enrichment performance for more uniform coverage, as well as efficient and cost-effective exome sequencing.

Kevin Meldrum, vice president and general manager for Agilent’s Genomics Division, discussed the impact of the release. “The SureSelect exome has been widely adopted in both clinical and translational research, and it has played an important role in shaping the rise of exome sequencing as a routine genomics technique,” he said. “The SureSelect Human All Exon V8 provides best-in-class enrichment performance and sequencing efficiency, and it shows our commitment to exceed customer expectations and continue our legacy as the benchmark exome to the genomics community.”

This new exome design is already delivering promising results in genetics by supporting virtual analysis of targeted genes important in germline investigations through seamless integration with Alissa Interpret for variant interpretation and reporting. In cancer, exome sequencing is commonly used to identify mutations that contribute to tumor progression, and the sequencing efficiency and coverage achieved with this new design will enable customers to get more out of each exome capture than ever before to identify critical genomic targets. In addition, large-scale manufacturing ensures the panel will provide consistent results for many years, another critical need in clinical research laboratories.

These new Exome designs can be automated on the Bravo automated liquid handling platform for high throughput applications and the Magnis NGS Prep System for complete, walkaway automation. The complete, pushbutton automation provided by the Magnis system will allow laboratories to efficiently deploy exome sequencing while reducing labor and operational expenses.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent is a leader in life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets, delivering innovative technology solutions that provide trusted answers to researchers’ most challenging scientific questions. The company generated revenue of $5.34 billion in fiscal year 2020 and employs 16,400 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com. To receive the latest Agilent news, please subscribe to the Agilent Newsroom. Follow Agilent on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Naomi Goumillout

Agilent Technologies

+1.781.266.2819

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America California

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Oncology Health Technology Genetics Software Biotechnology

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Pioneer Power Introduces PowerBloc in Response to Industry Demand

Pioneer Power Introduces PowerBloc in Response to Industry Demand

Extends and Expands Relationship with CleanSpark;

Declares One-Time Special Cash Dividend of $0.12 per Common Share

FORT LEE, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Pioneer Power Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPSI) (“Pioneer Power” or the “Company”), a company engaged in the manufacture, sale and service of electrical transmission, distribution and on-site power generation equipment, today announced that it has extended and expanded its agreement with CleanSpark, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLSK) (“CleanSpark”).

The Company also announced that it has launched a new integrated power systems solution, PowerBloc1, to address customer needs in the rapidly growing electric vehicle (“EV”) charging infrastructure market.

In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors has declared a one-time special cash dividend of $0.12 per common share. The special dividend will result in an aggregate distribution slightly exceeding $1 million based on the current number of shares outstanding.

Extends and Expands Distribution Agreement with CleanSpark

The Company signed a Distribution Agreement with CleanSpark, a diversified energy software, services and clean bitcoin mining company, that extends and expands the relationship between the two companies beyond their original agreement to the end of 2023. As part of this new agreement, Pioneer Power has expanded rights to use CleanSpark’s proprietary software, mPulse and GridFabric OpenADR solution and bundle it with PowerBloc, Pioneer’s integrated charging and power solution for EV infrastructure. In addition, CleanSpark received expanded rights to serve as a preferred distributor of PowerBloc.

Introduces PowerBloc, a Customizable ‘Grid-on-a-Skid’

The introduction of PowerBloc, which is supported by further investment in product dedicated sales and engineering talent, marks a strategic pivot for the future direction of Pioneer Power. PowerBloc is a solution engineered in response to increasing requests by EV infrastructure providers for a rapidly deployable, and customized product.

In addition, PowerBloc provides future adaptability to an EV charging site allowing for easy connection of on-site solar, wind, peak shaving or back-up generation.

Nathan Mazurek, Pioneer Power’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are pursuing this new market opportunity with EV charging as a direct response to requests from EV charging equipment and service providers. Many large electric vehicle infrastructure projects require equipment and engineering knowledge to manage the scale and complexity of their power requirements. Our decades of experience designing, integrating, and managing highly engineered power solutions enabled us to develop PowerBloc, our Grid-on-a-Skid, as a direct response to the power challenges of the EV charging market.

Dividend Declared

On June 1, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a one-time special cash dividend of $0.12 per common share. The dividend will be paid on July 7, 2021 to shareholders of record as of June 22, 2021. The dividend will be funded with surplus cash on the Company’s balance sheet.

About Pioneer Power Solutions, Inc.

Pioneer Power Solutions, Inc. manufactures, sells and services a broad range of specialty electrical transmission, distribution and on-site power generation equipment for applications in the utility, industrial, commercial and backup power markets. The Company’s principal products include switchgear and engine-generator controls, complemented by a national field-service network to maintain and repair power generation assets. To learn more about Pioneer, please visit its website at www.pioneerpowersolutions.com.

About CleanSpark

CleanSpark, Inc., a Nevada corporation, is in the business of providing advanced software, controls and technology solutions to solve modern energy challenges. CleanSpark has a suite of software solutions that provides end-to-end microgrid energy modeling, energy market communications, and energy management solutions. CleanSpark’s offerings consist of intelligent energy monitoring and controls, intelligent microgrid design software, middleware communications protocols for the energy industry, energy system engineering, custom hardware solutions, microgrid installation and implementation services, traditional data center services and software consulting services. The Company and its subsidiaries also own and operate a fleet of Bitcoin miners at its facility outside of Atlanta, Georgia. More information at www.cleanspark.com.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) the Company’s ability to successfully increase its revenue and profit in the future, (ii) general economic conditions and their effect on demand for electrical equipment, (iii) the effects of fluctuations in the Company’s operating results, (iv) the fact that many of the Company’s competitors are better established and have significantly greater resources than the Company, (v) the Company’s dependence on a single customer for a large portion of its business, (vi) the potential loss or departure of key personnel, (vii) unanticipated increases in raw material prices or disruptions in supply, (viii) the Company’s ability to realize revenue reported in the Company’s backlog, (ix) future labor disputes, (x) changes in government regulations, (xi) the fact that the Company’s chairman, who controls a majority of the Company’s voting power, may develop interests that diverge from yours, (xii) the liquidity and trading volume of the Company’s common stock and (xiii) an outbreak of disease, epidemic or pandemic, such as the global coronavirus pandemic, or fear of such an event.

More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s Annual and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

1 Trademark Pending

Brett Maas, Managing Partner

Hayden IR

(646) 536-7331

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America New Jersey

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Other Manufacturing Alternative Vehicles/Fuels Construction & Property Automotive Other Energy Utilities Manufacturing Building Systems Energy

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Arrow Electronics Announces Fabian Garcia as a New Director to Its Board

Arrow Electronics Announces Fabian Garcia as a New Director to Its Board

CENTENNIAL, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW) announced that Fabian Garcia, president, Unilever North America, and a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive Team, has joined the company’s board of directors. The addition of Mr. Garcia and the retirement of M.F. (Fran) Keeth leaves the total number of directors on the board at 11.

“I look forward to Fabian’s insights and counsel as a member of our board. He brings valuable executive leadership experience and a proven track record of guiding innovation on a global scale,” said Michael J. Long, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Arrow Electronics. “Fabian’s list of accomplishments and growth-oriented mindset have been enhanced by fostering sustainable business practices and inclusive corporate cultures.”

Prior to joining Unilever, Mr. Garcia was president and chief executive officer of Revlon Inc. from 2016 to 2018, where he led the company’s transformation into a digitally competitive enterprise while integrating a transformative acquisition and restoring health to iconic consumer brands. Previously, Mr. Garcia served in roles of increasing responsibility spanning marketing, customer development, global supply chain, and business services at Colgate-Palmolive Company. His tenure culminated in his position of chief operating officer responsible for global innovation and growth.

“I would like to thank Fran for her more than 16 years of valuable contributions as a member of our board and wish her well in her retirement,” added Mr. Long.

Arrow Electronics guides innovation forward for over 180,000 leading technology manufacturers and service providers. With 2020 sales of $29 billion, Arrow develops technology solutions that improve business and daily life. Learn more at fiveyearsout.com.

Steven O’Brien

Vice President, Investor Relations

303-824-4544

Media Contact: John Hourigan

Vice President, Global Communications

303-824-4586

KEYWORDS: United States North America Colorado

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Software Networks Hardware Electronic Design Automation Consumer Electronics Technology Semiconductor Other Technology

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