Market Newsdesk

Philadelphia, PA, April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clark Capital Management Group, an independent asset manager founded in 1986, announced that Jim Warren has joined the firm as Chief Operating Officer.

Jim brings with him nearly 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and joins Clark Capital from SEI, where he served as Head of Platforms and Solutions of their Global Wealth Management Services division. During his over 20-year tenure at SEI, he was responsible for managing platforms across their wealth management, banking, investment management and hedge fund businesses. 

“I’m excited to join such a dynamic firm and culture,” said Warren. “Together with my colleagues, I look forward to finding new ways we can better serve Clark Capital’s advisors and their clients.”

Reporting directly to Chief Executive Officer Brendan Clark, Jim will join Clark Capital’s Executive Team. He will also work closely with the firm’s Technology Team to continue streamlining and enhancing the firm’s capabilities. 

Jim’s hire comes during a period of steady, organic growth for the firm. Clark Capital has grown its assets under management from $3 billion in 2015 to a new all-time high, reaching over $23.6 billion as of February 28, 2021.

“Jim’s depth of industry knowledge will help us continue to build scale and deliver asset management excellence to advisors and their clients,” said Brendan Clark, CFA®, Chief Executive Officer. “His experience as a strategic leader in our industry will be a great asset to Clark Capital, and we are excited to welcome him to the team.”  

About Clark Capital Management Group

Clark Capital Management Group is an independent asset management firm providing institutional quality investment strategies to individual investors, corporations, foundations, and retirement plans. The Firm was founded in 1986 by Harry Clark, Executive Chairman, and has been entrusted with over $23.6 billion* in assets.

Our investment philosophy is driven by a single-minded focus: to add value for our collective clients. This focus enables us to seek superior risk-adjusted returns over full market cycles through a disciplined process focused on three principles: meaningful diversification, opportunistic asset allocation, and personalized risk management. It compels us to maintain a long-term perspective and provide innovative investment management strategies that enable advisors to deliver investment success to their clients. 

Portfolio managers utilize both a relative strength, top-down methodology and a fundamental, bottom-up methodology across fixed income, equity, alternative, and diversified asset allocation strategies.

Clark Capital Management Group is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about Clark Capital’s investment advisory services can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. For more information, visit navigatorfunds.com, ccmg.com and follow @ClarkCapital on Twitter.

*as of 2/28/2021, includes sub-advised assets.

Patty Quinn McAuley
Clark Capital Management Group
Cell: 267-632-1245
[email protected]

Manassas, VA, April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Real-world data on the performance of the ForeseeHome® AMD Monitoring Program, a home-based diagnostic that helps detect the conversion from intermediate dry to wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), was recently published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine as part of the “Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Age-Related Macular Degeneration” special issue¹. The large scale data analysis of 3.2 million tests showed that the use of ForeseeHome provided a significant benefit to patients by helping to detect their wet AMD earlier with better visual acuity, a factor previously shown² to improve long-term visual outcomes of anti-VEGF treatment.

The retrospective analysis of medical records from the Notal Vision Diagnostic Clinic in Manassas, VA, medical provider of the ForeseeHome remote monitoring program, identified 306 eyes that converted to wet AMD between October 2009 and September 2018. Functional vision (20/40 or better) at conversion was maintained in 81% of patients in the real-world ForeseeHome cohort compared to only 34% in the IRIS® Registry real-world data using standard of care.²

Standard of care is defined by routine office visits and use of an Amsler grid, developed in the 1940s, is often recommended. Testing with the Amsler grid alone does not often result in early detection³ and wet AMD may be present for 6-12 months before detection and treatment, meaning that when a distortion is noticed on the Amsler grid, vision loss may have already progressed.⁴ It is difficult for physicians to rely on their patients to notice and report distortions, since compliance is often poor and difficult to verify.

“This real-world data analysis confirms that the use of ForeseeHome provides a significant benefit to patients as a means of increasing the early detection of wet AMD when vision is good,” said Allen C. Ho, MD, the study’s principal author and Director of Retina Research of Wills Eye Hospital and Professor of Ophthalmology at the Kimmel School of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. “Earlier detection of wet AMD with this FDA-cleared device is a strong predictor of better vision over time with current anti-VEGF therapy. ForeseeHome can be a useful strategy to monitor at-risk intermediate AMD and help protect vision. The era of at-home digital monitoring of medical conditions including AMD continues to evolve and improve for patient benefit.”

Additional authors of the paper include Jeffrey Heier, MD, Nancy Holekamp, MD, Richard Garfinkel, MD, Byron Ladd, MD, Carl Awh, MD, Rishi Singh, MD, Michael Elman, MD, Anat Loewenstein, MD and David Eichenbaum, MD.  “Dry age-related macular degeneration is a chronic, slowly progressive disease that is characterized by gradual visual changes. The acute onset of wet disease can be difficult to detect with conventional means such as infrequent office visits and home Amsler Grid testing,” added Dr. Heier, Director of the Vitreoretinal Service and Director of Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston. “Artificial-intelligence enabled home monitoring between office visits could be extremely helpful in early detection of conversion and the ForeseeHome program is a meaningful complement to the at-risk dry AMD patient’s care plan.”

ForeseeHome is part of a comprehensive monitoring program provided by the Notal Vision Diagnostic Clinic, which includes patient engagement, compliance monitoring and alert generation services. Patients perform a short, daily test on an easy-to-use device and their results are automatically transmitted to the Diagnostic Clinic. When a statistically significant change in visual distortion is detected, the Diagnostic Clinic alerts the referring physician so they can determine the best course of action for the patient.

“The newly published real-word data shows  that the performance of the ForeseeHome program resembles the findings from the randomized controlled AREDS2-HOME⁵ study, which ultimately led to Medicare coverage,” said Kester Nahen, PhD, CEO of Notal Vision. “The Notal Vision Diagnostic Clinic is proud to partner with physicians by providing complementary care for their patients.”

References

1. Ho AC, Heier JS, Holekamp N et al. Real-World Performance of a Self-Operated Home Monitoring System for Early Detection of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration, J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10,1355.

2. Ho AC, Kleinman DM, Lum FC, et al. Baseline Visual Acuity at Wet AMD Diagnosis Predicts Long-Term Vision Outcomes: An Analysis of the IRIS Registry, Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:633-639.

3. Loewenstein A, Malach R, Goldstein M, et al. Replacing the Amsler grid: a new method for monitoring patients with age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2003;110(5):966-970.

4. Ho AC, Albini TA, Brown DM, Boyer DS, Regillo CD, Heier JS. The potential importance of detection of neovascular age-related macular degeneration when visual acuity is relatively good. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2017;135(3):268-273.

5. Chew EY, Clemons TE, Bressler SB, et al; AREDS2-HOME Study Research Group. Randomized trial of a home monitoring system for early detection of choroidal neovascularization home monitoring of the Eye (HOME) study. Ophthalmology. 2014;121(2):535-544.

About Notal Vision

Notal Vision is a diagnostic services company that operates the Notal Vision Diagnostic Clinic, a medical provider with a proven platform for engaging patients and AI-enabled analyses of high-volume personalized health data that extends disease management from the clinic to the home to improve vision outcomes, reduce treatment burden, and improve health economics. www.notalvision.com

The ForeseeHome® AMD Monitoring Program is a comprehensive program, which includes an FDA-cleared device that monitors visual changes in intermediate dry AMD patients at risk of vision loss from undiagnosed wet AMD. The clinical utility for ForeseeHome was established in the Home Monitoring of The Eye (HOME) Study, part of the National Eye Institute-sponsored AREDS2 study, in which 94% of patients using ForeseeHome twice weekly who progressed to wet AMD, maintained 20/40 or better vision compared to only 62% of patients whose diagnosis was at a routine eye exam or a visit triggered by symptoms. Based upon the robust level-1 evidence and compelling clinical outcomes demonstrating the ability to detect choroidal neovascularization (CNV) earlier, the ForeseeHome AMD Monitoring Program gained Medicare coverage in 2016. To learn more, visit www.foreseehome.com.

Notal Vision’s Home OCT system will enable wet AMD patients to perform technician-free OCT testing at home with rapid and self-guided fixation – critical components, especially for elderly patients frequently with pre-existing vision loss. The Notal OCT Analyzer (NOA^TM), a proprietary machine learning algorithm, developed in-house, performs automated analysis of the Home OCT scans and generates a report to the physician when a physician specified change in disease activity is detected. The Notal Vision Diagnostic Clinic provides referring physicians patient data via an online portal. In addition, physicians will be provided 24/7 access to all of their patients’ B-scan images from each Home OCT test with the location of the fluid annotated on each B-scan. Following physician receipt of an alert report, patients may be brought to the office for evaluation and treatment at the doctor’s discretion. NOA can also analyze the output of other commercial OCT devices, and published study data indicate that the performance of NOA in detecting disease activity was similar to that of retina physicians when each was compared to a panel of experts. Notal Vision’s Home OCT has the potential to support current and future advances in retinal disease management.

Candice Morin
Notal Vision
7039533339
[email protected]

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PHAT), a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel treatments for gastrointestinal diseases, announced today that members of the management team will participate in a fireside chat at the 20th Annual Needham Virtual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 10:15 a.m. ET.

Company management will also participate in one-on-one meetings during the virtual conference which runs from April 12-15, 2021.

To access the live webcast and archived recording of the presentation, visit the News & Events section of the Phathom website at https://investors.phathompharma.com/news-events/events-and-presentations. The recording will be available for 90 days following the event.

About Phathom

Phathom Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel treatments for gastrointestinal diseases and disorders. Phathom has in-licensed the exclusive rights in the United States, Europe, and Canada to vonoprazan, a novel potassium competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) in late-stage development for the treatment of acid-related disorders. For more information about Phathom, visit the Company’s website at www.phathompharma.com or follow the Company on social media: LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/phathompharma and Twitter @PhathomPharma.

CONTACTS

Media Contact:

Nick Benedetto
1-877-742-8466
[email protected]

Investor Contact:

Todd Branning
1-877-742-8466
[email protected]

What you need to know:

• Nearly half (49 percent) of businesses surveyed said that changes to remote working practices made during lockdown adversely affected their cybersecurity.
• 40 percent think mobile devices are their company’s biggest IT security threat.
• However 45 percent of businesses sacrificed the security of mobile devices to “get the job done.”
• Results based on an independent survey of 856 professionals responsible for the buying, managing and the security of mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) devices for their companies.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to quickly support remote working practices, often without proper security measures in place. The Verizon Business Mobile Security Index (MSI) 2021 reveals that many businesses may have left themselves vulnerable and open to cybercriminals in the rush to ensure their workforce could operate remotely. Forty-nine percent of businesses surveyed in the latest edition of Verizon’s MSI stressed that changes made to remote working practices during lockdown adversely affected their company’s cybersecurity.

Interestingly, even though 40 percent of businesses surveyed recognized that mobile devices are their company’s biggest IT security threat, 45 percent of them knowingly sacrificed the security of mobile devices to “get the job done” (e.g., meet a deadline or productivity targets) and nearly a quarter (24 percent) sacrificed the security of mobile devices to facilitate their response to restrictions put in place due to the pandemic.

“The pandemic caused a global shift in the way organizations operate, many of which ramped up their digital transformation agendas and working models to meet the fast-changing needs of both employees and customers,” said Sampath Sowmyanarayan, Chief Revenue Officer, Verizon Business. “While businesses focused their efforts elsewhere, cybercriminals saw a wealth of new opportunities to strike. With the rise of the remote workforce and the spike in mobile device usage, the threat landscape changed, which for organizations, means there is a greater need to hone in on mobile security to protect themselves and those they serve.”

The effect of the pandemic on the workforce is going to have a lasting impact. According to the report, a large majority (70 percent) of those that had seen remote working grow following the introduction of pandemic restrictions expected it to fall again afterward. However, 78 percent said that it would still remain higher than before lockdown. Overall, our respondents said that they expected the number of remote workers to settle at around half (49 percent).

Small and Medium-Sized Businesses are also under threat

Over half of those surveyed (52 percent) said that small and medium-sized businesses are more of a target than larger enterprises but even though this is the case, 59 percent of small and medium-sized businesses had sacrificed security with 22 percent suffering a mobile compromise. Seventy-eight percent stated that they should take mobile-device security more seriously.

Security should always be front and center

Of those surveyed, 72 percent of organizations are worried about device abuse or misuse. Part of the problem is that many companies struggle to develop an effective Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) — 57 percent didn’t have one at all.

The MSI details people and behaviors, apps, devices and things and networks and cloud as the four sectors of the mobile threat landscape. Additionally, it provides expert insights into how to help safeguard against pending cybercrime attacks, such as establishing a “zero trust network access (ZTNA)” model and a secure access service edge (SASE) architecture, which is designed for a mobile-first and cloud-first world.

About the Verizon Mobile Security Index 2021

The Verizon Mobile Security Index 2021 findings are based on an independent survey of 856 businesses across Australia, the U.S. and the U.K. It surveyed professionals that are responsible for the buying, managing, and security of mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) devices for their companies.

It provides unique insights into the current mobile threat landscape and what organizations are, or in many cases aren’t, doing to protect their data and key systems. In addition to analysis from Verizon’s experts, the report includes insights and real-world data from leading security and management companies Asavie, Blackberry Cylance, Check Point, IBM, Ivanti, Lookout, NetMotion, Netskope, Proofpoint, Qualcomm, Thales, VMware, and Wandera.

Read the full Verizon Mobile Security Index 2021, as well as the Public Safety, Public Sector and small and medium-sized businesses snapshots, and learn more about what Verizon is doing to help address cybersecurity threats.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

Media contact:
Kyle Ragonese
[email protected]
732.236.3526
@KyleRagonese

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security, today announced that the State of Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) selected and implemented Zscaler Internet Access™ (ZIA™) and Zscaler Private Access™ (ZPA™) products, part of the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform, to simplify the IT operations, quickly scale remote access for all employees anywhere they reside, and protect government data and applications from cybersecurity threats.

When the pandemic hit, the State of Oklahoma needed to rapidly support more than 30,000 teleworking employees as they adapted to evolving workstyle requirements. Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) needed to prepare for up to 50% increase in requests for benefits month over month.

Using their legacy remote access solutions, many State agencies initially experienced outages as networks were overwhelmed with external logins and service requests. The State’s legacy VPN solutions simply could not meet the increased volume and scalability demands. This resulted in a surge in calls to service desks and hundreds of VPN tickets a day, as well as increased cyber risk.

OMES deployed ZPA, a cloud-based zero trust network solution and ZIA, a cloud-based secure internet and web gateway solution, strengthening security, policy enforcement, and significantly improving the user experience. With Zscaler:

• The OMES team provided secure direct access for 10,000 users in days, and fully implemented ZPA within just 48 hours, deploying to 90+ State agencies to date.
• The Department of Corrections (DOC) standardized their remote access solution and scaled down expensive connected services, which ultimately sped up VPN efficiency by five to six times. This efficiency resulted in reduced costs, increased productivity, and enhanced user experience.
• OKDHS reduced the number of tickets and DOC provided five times faster secure access than its legacy VPN solution.

“The more complex an environment, the more difficult that environment is to secure,” said PJ Joubert, Public Sector Regional Sales Manager, Zscaler. “For Oklahoma, as well as other states and Federal agencies, Zscaler simplifies remote access and accelerates digital transformation progress,” said Joubert. “This means government teams keep employees safe, productive, and focused on serving citizens and reducing cyber risk.”

“We’ve completely changed the cybersecurity posture of the State of Oklahoma in the last 18 months – Zscaler played a big part in that,” said Matt Singleton, CISO, Office of Management and Enterprise Services, State of Oklahoma. “The integration of the different platforms is giving us unprecedented visibility into the environment. We can respond faster. In some cases, we can forecast where we may have issues, and address those things before they become a problem.”

Learn more about the partnership and customer success stories on the Zscaler website at https://www.zscaler.com/customers/all-customers.

About Zscaler

Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 150 data centers globally, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.
Zscaler™ and the other trademarks listed athttps://www.zscaler.com/legal/trademarksare either (i) registered trademarks or service marks or (ii) trademarks or service marks of Zscaler, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Any other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

Media Contact:

Natalia Wodecki
[email protected] 

Investor Relations Contact:

Bill Choi, CFA
[email protected] 

SAN DIEGO, April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bionano Genomics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BNGO) announced today a publication in the peer-reviewed journal Genes describing an analysis by optical genome mapping (OGM) of representative examples of common genetic syndromes that are the basis of prenatal genetic testing recommended by medical associations in the US and around the world. The paper’s authors have outlined a potential framework for OGM to be developed as the basis of a new standard of care in prenatal genetic analysis because of its ability to identify all types of structural variants (SVs).

“What we are seeing now, on a consistent basis, is the demonstration of utility for OGM in a variety of applications. Development and validation of OGM assays for pre-natal analysis is an area where the field could transform itself and help physicians and their patients,” commented Erik Holmlin, PhD, CEO of Bionano Genomics. “Over the last year alone, we have seen a great number of publications and presentations that demonstrate Saphyr’s prowess in cytogenetic analysis of genetic diseases, leukemias and solid tumors. While there remains significant work for these proof-of-concept studies to translate into broader, mainstream adoption, we believe the momentum is strong.”

The publication is presented as a commentary in the special issue of Genes titled “Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies”, which addresses the increasingly complex decisions physicians and couples face about the quality and quantity of genetic information they wish to access as the technology for genetic testing advances. As non-invasive prenatal screening tests (NIPT) become the standard screening tool for pregnancies around the world, OGM could provide a high-throughput, comprehensive and high-resolution follow up genome analysis in case of a positive NIPT screen or for high-risk pregnancies following an abnormal ultrasound. The study authors led by Bionano chief medical officer Dr. Alka Chaubey and Augusta University professor Dr. Ravindra Kolhe state that development and validation of assays based on OGM would enable clinicians to accurately detect all types of genetic disorders with a single technology, resulting in a workflow that is both cost-effective and has a fast turn-around time.

Global medical associations including ACOG, ISUOG, ACMG recommend prenatal testing for the detection and prevention of genetic disorders using cytogenetic methods such as karyotype analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), and chromosomal microarray (CMA). Additionally, multiple molecular methods are used to identify repeat expansion and contraction disorders in routine clinical laboratories.

In this study OGM with Saphyr was used to detect a variety of genetic abnormalities in amniotic fluid and chorionic villus samples collected during pregnancy. The paper shows examples of how different OGM assays identified cases of trisomy 21 or Down syndrome, sex chromosome aneuploidy where additional copies of the X chromosome were present, DiGeorge syndrome, the most common microdeletion syndrome affecting about 1 in 4,000 births, a repeat expansion causing fragile X syndrome, and an unbalanced translocation in the fetus caused by a balanced translocation in the parent. The site-to-site reproducibility of the OGM prenatal workflow was also evaluated by analyzing 5 samples in replicates at two different sites, on different instruments, and with different operators, showing concordance across both sites.

The publication is available at https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/3/398/htm

About Bionano Genomics

Bionano is a genome analysis company providing tools and services based on its Saphyr system to scientists and clinicians conducting genetic research and patient testing, and providing diagnostic testing for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disabilities through its Lineagen business. Bionano’s Saphyr system is a research use only platform for ultra-sensitive and ultra-specific structural variation detection that enables researchers and clinicians to accelerate the search for new diagnostics and therapeutic targets and to streamline the study of changes in chromosomes, which is known as cytogenetics. The Saphyr system is comprised of an instrument, chip consumables, reagents and a suite of data analysis tools. Bionano provides genome analysis services to provide access to data generated by the Saphyr system for researchers who prefer not to adopt the Saphyr system in their labs. Lineagen has been providing genetic testing services to families and their healthcare providers for over nine years and has performed over 65,000 tests for those with neurodevelopmental concerns. For more information, visit www.bionanogenomics.com or www.lineagen.com. 

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes and are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: the potential for OGM with Saphyr to serve as a foundation for a new standard of care in prenatal genetic analysis; our expectations or beliefs regarding past and potential future publications and presentations that demonstrate Saphyr’s capabilities; the potential for OGM with Saphyr to improve outcomes for physicians and patients, including in the field of prenatal analysis; our beliefs regarding the potential benefits of Bionano’s Saphyr technology; Saphyr’s capabilities in comparison to and in conjunction with other genome analysis technologies, including in prenatal genetic testing; the potential for Saphyr to reduce or eliminate sequential and confirmatory assays and expedite patient treatment; expectations that Saphyr can allow clinicians to accurately detect all types of genetic disorders with a single technology; and the execution of Bionano’s strategy. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include the risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and the global economy; general market conditions; changes in the competitive landscape and the introduction of competitive products; changes in our strategic and commercial plans; our ability to obtain sufficient financing to fund our strategic plans and commercialization efforts; the ability of medical and research institutions to obtain funding to support adoption or continued use of our technologies; the loss of key members of management and our commercial team; and the risks and uncertainties associated with our business and financial condition in general, including the risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and in other filings subsequently made by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise.

CONTACTS

Company Contact:

Erik Holmlin, CEO
Bionano Genomics, Inc.
+1 (858) 888-7610
[email protected] 

Investor Relations and

Media Contact:

Amy Conrad
Juniper Point
+1 (858) 366-3243
[email protected] 

New York, April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Grayscale Investments^®, the world’s largest digital currency asset manager and manager of Grayscale^® Digital Large Cap Fund (OTCQX: GDLC) (the Fund), today announced the updated Fund Component weightings for the Fund in connection with its quarterly review.

Grayscale has adjusted the Fund’s portfolio by selling the existing Fund Components in proportion to their respective weightings and using the cash proceeds to purchase Chainlink (LINK) in accordance with the Fund’s construction criteria.

This announcement follows the recent launch of Grayscale^® Chainlink Trust, a single-asset investment product offering investors exposure to the price movement of the LINK token. 

Chainlink is a decentralized data routing protocol that is built on Ethereum. Through a wide network of nodes, Chainlink facilitates the transfer of data from off-chain sources to on-chain applications, in what is commonly referred to as an oracle service. The LINK token is the native token of Chainlink and is used to incentivize Chainlink node operators to provide oracle services.

For investors who wish to learn more about Chainlink, Grayscale also recently published an introduction to the digital currency, available here.

As of the end of the day on April 2, 2021, the Fund Components were a basket of 79.8% Bitcoin (BTC), 17.5% Ethereum (ETH), 0.80% Bitcoin Cash (BCH), 1.00% Litecoin and 0.90% Chainlink (LINK) and each Share represented 0.00046619 Bitcoin (BTC), 0.00287637 Ethereum (ETH), 0.00046869 Bitcoin Cash (BCH), 0.00166308 Litecoin and 0.00973831 Chainlink (LINK). The Fund does not generate any income and regularly distributes Fund Components to pay for its ongoing expenses. Therefore, the amount of Fund Components represented by each Share gradually decreases over time.

About Grayscale^® Digital Large Cap Fund

Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund enables investors to gain exposure to a market-cap weighted portfolio of large-cap digital currencies through a singular investment vehicle without the challenges of buying, storing, and safekeeping digital currencies directly. Through a rules-based portfolio construction methodology, the Fund targets coverage of the upper 70% of the digital currency market and is re-evaluated each quarter; however, the weightings of each Fund Component change daily and are published around 4:00 p.m. NY-time.* Investors can obtain real time visibility into the daily performance and composition of the Fund through the TradeBlock Grayscale Digital Large Cap Index (DLCX): https://tradeblock.com/markets/dlcx.

The Fund’s investment objective is for its Shares to reflect the value of Fund Components held by the Fund, less its expenses and other liabilities. To date, the Fund has not met its investment objective and the Shares quoted on OTCQX have not reflected the value of Fund Components held by the Fund less, the Fund’s expenses and other liabilities, but have instead traded at a substantial premium over such value.

The Fund is an investment vehicle with Shares titled in the investors name, providing a familiar structure for financial and tax advisors and easy transferability to beneficiaries under estate laws. Additionally, Shares are eligible to be held in certain IRA, Roth IRA, and other brokerage and investor accounts.

For more information, please visit: https://grayscale.co/investors/.

Grayscale is issuing this release in accordance with the disclosure obligations of OTCQX^®. The Fund’s Annual Report and other disclosures, published to satisfy the Alternative Reporting Standard disclosure guidelines for OTCQX, are available at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/GDLC/disclosure.

 *The composition of the Fund is evaluated on a quarterly basis to remove existing Fund Components or to include new Fund Components in its portfolio, in accordance with the Fund’s Construction Criteria established by Grayscale. Additional information about the Fund’s Construction Criteria can be found in the annual report available at https://backend.otcmarkets.com/otcapi/company/financial-report/258607/content. 

This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be illegal, nor shall there be any sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.

About Grayscale Investments^®

Grayscale Investments is the world’s largest digital currency asset manager, with more than $46B in assets under management as of April 5, 2021. Through its family of 14 investment products, Grayscale provides access and exposure to the digital currency asset class in the form of a security without the challenges of buying, storing, and safekeeping digital currencies directly. With a proven track record and unrivaled experience, Grayscale’s products operate within existing regulatory frameworks, creating secure and compliant exposure for investors. For more information, please visit grayscale.co or follow us on Twitter, @Grayscale.

[email protected] 

NORCROSS, Ga., April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Galectin Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:GALT), the leading developer of therapeutics that target galectin proteins, today announced the launch of NAVIGATEnash.com, its dedicated trial website. The new website intends to educate patients and physicians about liver cirrhosis resulting from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) as well as support NAVIGATE, the Company’s innovative, seamless adaptive Phase 2b/3 study in NASH cirrhosis.

There is currently no treatment to stop the progression and more serious complications of NASH cirrhosis. The NAVIGATE Study is offering patients and their families an opportunity to contribute to the development of the first potential therapy targeted specifically at NASH cirrhosis and designed to improve clinical outcomes.

“Discussions in our broad community tend to focus on investment and intervention in early stages of NASH, with little attention given to patients who have progressed to NASH cirrhosis. However, since assuming my role in September, I have been moved by the determination of this overlooked patient community and the physicians who treat them. Both deserve dedication and investment in finding a meaningful treatment,” said Joel Lewis, Chief Executive Officer and President of Galectin Therapeutics. “NAVIGATEnash.com is not only meant to engage this important community – who may be looking to participate in NAVIGATE – and inform others about NASH cirrhosis, it is intended to send a message to a much broader community that we are willing to overcome the largest challenge in this space.”

“NASH is quickly becoming the number one cause of liver cirrhosis. Unfortunately, the only treatment option for patients who progress to NASH cirrhosis is a liver transplant, something we, at Galectin Therapeutics, hope to change,” said Pol F. Boudes M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Galectin Therapeutics. “We want to provide the necessary information to patients and physicians about our study, since, unlike other clinical trials in NASH, NAVIGATE specifically targets the prevention of a potentially life-threatening manifestation of NASH cirrhosis.”

NAVIGATEnash.com is designed to educate patients, their families, and friends on the causes and potential complications of NASH cirrhosis. The site provides resources for additional information, details about NAVIGATE, and how, potentially, to participate. A “For Physicians” section provides physicians information on NASH cirrhosis and guidance on whether participating or referring patients to NAVIGATE might be appropriate.

The goal of the NAVIGATE Study is to prevent the development of esophageal varices, thought to be an early sign of more serious complications of NASH cirrhosis. Bleeding esophageal varices are a cause of death in about one-third of cirrhotic patients. An earlier clinical trial showed that belapectin, a galectin-3 inhibitor, may prevent the development of esophageal varices in patients with compensated NASH cirrhosis and was well tolerated and appeared safe.

About NASH Cirrhosis

NASH cirrhosis is the end stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is characterized by the presence of excess fat in the liver. Over time, scar tissue and regenerative nodules resulting from the inflammation and fibrosis of NASH replace healthy liver tissue, preventing the liver from functioning normally. Over 28 million people in the U.S. are thought to suffer from NASH, and an estimated 1 to 2 million of them will eventually progress to NASH cirrhosis. NASH cirrhosis will soon become the number one reason for liver transplants.

About Belapectin (GR-MD-02)

Belapectin (GR-MD-02) is a complex carbohydrate drug that targets galectin-3, a critical protein in the pathogenesis of NASH and fibrosis. Galectin-3 plays a major role in diseases that involve scarring of organs including fibrotic disorders of the liver, lung, kidney, heart and vascular system. Belapectin binds to galectin-3 and disrupts its function. Preclinical data in animals have shown that belapectin has robust treatment effects in reversing liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. A Phase 2 study showed belapectin may prevent the development of esophageal varices in NASH cirrhosis. Galectin-3 also has a significant role in cancer, and the Company is supporting a Phase 1 study in combined immunotherapy of belapectin and Keytruda^® in treatment of advanced melanoma and in head and neck cancer.

About the NAVIGATE Study

The NAVIGATE Study (originally named the NASH-RX trial) is an international, seamless, adaptively-designed Phase 2b/3 trial of the galectin-3 inhibitor belapectin (GR-MD-02), the company’s lead compound, in NASH cirrhosis patients who have clinical signs of portal hypertension and are at risk of developing esophageal varices. Belapectin had previously been shown that it could prevent the development of new varices in this patient population. The NAVIGATE Study is expected to enroll approximately 315 NASH patients in the Phase 2b part of the trial at approximately 130 sites in 12 countries in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. After 18 months of treatment, an interim analysis will be conducted to determine the optimum dosage of belapectin, and the NAVIGATE Study will move into Phase 3 with additional patients for another 18 months of treatment.

More information on the NAVIGATE Study can be found at NAVIGATEnash.com.

About Galectin Therapeutics

Galectin Therapeutics is dedicated to developing novel therapies to improve the lives of patients with chronic liver disease and cancer. Galectin’s lead drug belapectin (formerly known as GR-MD-02) is a carbohydrate-based drug that inhibits the galectin-3 protein which is directly involved in multiple inflammatory, fibrotic, and malignant diseases, for which it has Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The lead development program is in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with cirrhosis, the most advanced form of NASH-related fibrosis. This is the most common liver disease and one of the largest drug development opportunities available today. Additional development programs are in treatment of combination immunotherapy for advanced melanoma and other malignancies. Advancement of these additional clinical programs is largely dependent on finding a suitable partner. Galectin seeks to leverage extensive scientific and development expertise as well as established relationships with external sources to achieve cost-effective and efficient development. Additional information is available at www.galectintherapeutics.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or future financial performance, and use words such as “may,” “estimate,” “could,” “expect” and others. They are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the statements. These statements include those regarding the hope that Galectin’s development program for belapectin will lead to the first therapy for the treatment of fatty liver disease with cirrhosis and those regarding the hope that our lead compounds will be successful in cancer immunotherapy and in other therapeutic indications. Factors that could cause actual performance to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, among others, that trial endpoints required by the FDA may not be achieved; Galectin may not be successful in developing effective treatments and/or obtaining the requisite approvals for the use of belapectin or any of its other drugs in development; the Company may not be successful in scaling up manufacturing and meeting requirements related to chemistry, manufacturing and control matters; the Company’s current NAVIGATE clinical trial and any future clinical studies as modified to meet the requirements of the FDA may not produce positive results in a timely fashion, if at all, and could require larger and longer trials, which would be time consuming and costly; plans regarding development, approval and marketing of any of Galectin’s drugs are subject to change at any time based on the changing needs of the Company as determined by management and regulatory agencies; regardless of the results of any of its development programs, Galectin may be unsuccessful in developing partnerships with other companies or raising additional capital that would allow it to further develop and/or fund any studies or trials. Galectin has incurred operating losses since inception, and its ability to successfully develop and market drugs may be impacted by its ability to manage costs and finance continuing operations. Global factors such as COVID-19 may limit access to NASH patient populations around the globe and slow trial enrollment and prolong the duration of the trial and significantly impact associated costs as well as impact other trial related activities including, amongst others, manufacturing and regulatory reviews. For a discussion of additional factors impacting Galectin’s business, see the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and subsequent filings with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although subsequent events may cause its views to change, management disclaims any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Company Contact:

Jack Callicutt, Chief Financial Officer
(678) 620-3186
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Gregory FCA
Lexi Burchmore, Account Supervisor
(215) 301-1181
[email protected]

Galectin Therapeutics and its associated logo is a registered trademark of Galectin Therapeutics Inc. Belapectin is the USAN assigned name for Galectin Therapeutics’ galectin-3 inhibitor GR-MD-02.

• Driver monitoring technology combines camera and interior mirror
• Fully integrated, intelligent system detects, predicts and alerts distracted driver
• Distracted driving related incidents are on the rise, emphasizes need for tech-based solutions

AURORA, Ontario, April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of vehicle accidents around the world, Magna is combining its expertise in cameras and mirrors to help automakers make roads safer. Magna’s new Driver Monitoring System is an advanced technology that alerts drivers when they take their eyes off the road for too long.

The market-ready solution is integrated into an interior mirror and meets global regulations related to the detection of distracted driving. It utilizes proven camera-based technology to monitor the driver’s head, eye and body movement to detect distracted behavior, drowsiness and fatigue.

In addition, the technology accounts for normal driving actions, such as looking in the side-view mirrors. If distracted behavior is detected, the driver is alerted through customizable audible or visual notifications. Integrating the camera with the interior mirror provides the best unobstructed view to the driver and offers the best vantage point for additional occupant monitoring features. The system is scalable to also include features such as child presence detection, seat belt detection and identifying specific passengers to enable user preference memory settings.

“Magna’s Driver Monitoring System offers automakers and consumers a future-focused solution that addresses a significant societal issue – distracted driving,” said John O’Hara, President of Magna Mirrors and Electronics. “The system is a natural extension of our leadership expertise in cameras and mirror technology and demonstrates our systems-level approach that brings innovative solutions to industry challenges.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), marks each April as Distracted Driving Month and reminds us that distracted driving has become a leading cause of accidents and fatalities on U.S. roadways. NHTSA estimates that distracted driving killed 3,142 people in 2019, a 10% increase from 2018.

Magna’s flexible, full-systems approach allows driver monitoring technology to be easily integrated with an interior mirror or other vehicle structures utilizing a camera and electronic control unit, or camera and domain controller solution based on the varying needs of our customers.

TAGS
ADAS, mirrors, cameras, distracted driving

INVESTOR CONTACT
Louis Tonelli, Vice-President, Investor Relations
[email protected], 905.726.7035

MEDIA CONTACT
Tracy Fuerst, Vice President, Corporate Communications & PR
[email protected], 248.761.7004

ABOUT MAGNA
We are a mobility technology company. We have more than 158,000 entrepreneurial-minded employees and 342 manufacturing operations and 91 product development, engineering and sales centres in 27 countries. We have complete vehicle engineering and contract manufacturing expertise, as well as product capabilities that include body, chassis, exteriors, seating, powertrain, active driver assistance, electronics, mechatronics, mirrors, lighting and roof systems. Our common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MG) and the New York Stock Exchange (MGA). For further information about Magna, visit www.magna.com.

THIS RELEASE MAY CONTAIN STATEMENTS WHICH CONSTITUTE “FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS” UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LEGISLATION AND ARE SUBJECT TO, AND EXPRESSLY QUALIFIED BY, THE CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMERS THAT ARE SET OUT IN MAGNA’S REGULATORY FILINGS. PLEASE REFER TO MAGNA’S MOST CURRENT MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL POSITION, ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM AND ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 40-F, AS REPLACED OR UPDATED BY ANY OF MAGNA’S SUBSEQUENT REGULATORY FILINGS, WHICH SET OUT THE CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMERS, INCLUDING THE RISK FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL EVENTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE INDICATED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW ON MAGNA’S WEBSITE AT
WWW.MAGNA.COM
.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/37437923-157d-4c32-8118-3fafcf92e6a6

LOS ANGELES, CA, April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via InvestorWire — Clubhouse Media Group, Inc. (OTCMKTS:CMGR) (“Clubhouse Media” or the “Company”), an influencer-based marketing and media firm with a vast aggregate global social media reach, is excited to announce that Andrew Omori, partner at renowned venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (www.a16z.com), is coming on board as a key member of the Company’s official Advisory Board. Andreessen Horowitz is well known for leading investments in hit social audio app, Clubhouse, as well as Airbnb and Coinbase.

Andrew is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz (“a16z”), one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent and successful venture capital firms, with $17.6 billion in assets under management. Prior to joining a16z, Andrew served as a VP at JMP Group and as a successful technology investment banker.

Andrew has dedicated his career to helping technology companies scale and has worked with a variety of social companies including Snap, Pinterest, Roblox, and the Clubhouse app. His current firm, a16z, was founded by tech titans Marc Andreessen (co-founder of Netscape) and Ben Horowitz (best-selling author and founder of Opsware).

As an early-stage investor in Facebook, Instagram, Lyft, Slack, Oculus VR, Roblox, and many other successful breakthrough technology companies, a16z has developed a reputation for spotting core trends in their early stages and identifying landmark opportunities ahead of the crowd. The firm has also been a significant investor in pre-IPO fintech unicorn, Robinhood.

“In coordinating influencer-based marketing and media into a larger and more scalable technology-augmented platform, we are doing something new and innovative,” noted Chris Young, President of Clubhouse Media. “Andrew will be a tremendous asset as we scale this model and pursue optimal pathways for monetizing the huge reach we have already built. He will also be instrumental in providing access to relationships, branding opportunities, and partnerships that hold the potential for further gains in shareholder value.”

Clubhouse Media does not own, and is not otherwise affiliated with, the Clubhouse app.

About Clubhouse Media

We believe Clubhouse Media represents the future of influencer media and marketing, with a global network of professionally run content houses, each of which has its own brand, influencer cohort and production capabilities. Clubhouse Media offers management, production and deal-making services to its handpicked influencers, a management division for individual influencer clients, and an investment arm for joint ventures and acquisitions for companies in the social media influencer space. Clubhouse Media’s management team consists of successful entrepreneurs with financial, legal, marketing, and digital content creation expertise.

Please follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ClubhouseCMGR

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by the Company and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management’s current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “will” and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance.

Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for products and services of the company, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this report.

Corporate Contact
Simon Yu, MBA
Phone: +1-702-479-3016

Investor Relations
Tiger Marketing & Branding Agency
[email protected]

Wire Service Contact

InvestorWire (IW)
Los Angeles, California
www.InvestorWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
[email protected]