Market Newsdesk

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: AGN) (FRANKFURT: AGW) (OTCQB: AGNPF) (the “Company” or “Algernon”) a clinical stage pharmaceutical development company, is pleased to provide a summary of the Company’s key activities this past calendar year.

NP-120 (Ifenprodil)
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) & Chronic Cough Clinical Research Program

• March 30 – Submitted for ethics approval in Australia for a Phase 2 study of the Company’s re-purposed drug Ifenprodil for IPF and chronic cough.
• May 6 – Received first ethics approval from the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital, Human Research Ethics Committee.
• July 7 – Began screening patients for suitability at five sites in total that are participating in the study, with three located in Australia and two in New Zealand.
• August 5 – Announced that the first patient had been dosed at the Waikato Hospital located in Hamilton, New Zealand.
• October 13 – Announced that the IPF and chronic cough study reached 25% of its enrollment target.

Ifenprodil
COVID-19 Clinical Research Program

• March 6 – Announced exploring the potential of using Ifenprodil as a novel treatment for COVID-19 based on an independent study that found that Ifenprodil significantly reduced acute lung injury and improved survivability in an animal study with H5N1 infected mice. H5N1 is the most lethal form of influenza known to date with an over 50% mortality rate.
• March 13 – Filed a pre-IND (Investigational New Drug) meeting request with the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (U.S. FDA), initiating formal communications to investigate Ifenprodil in a multinational Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for COVID-19.
• March 19 – Agreed to support an investigator-initiated Phase 2 clinical trial of Ifenprodil for COVID-19 patients in South Korea (subsequently withdrawn due to low patient enrollment).
• March 23 – Awarded the contract to manufacture the Company’s own supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredient for Ifenprodil, to U.S. based Cascade Chemistry. 
• April 22 – Submitted a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) to Health Canada for the Company’s planned multinational Phase 2b/3 COVID-19 study of Ifenprodil. 
• April 29 – Received a No Objection Letter from Health Canada for its CTA.
• May 25 – Submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. FDA for its planned multinational Phase 2b/3 COVID-19 study of Ifenprodil.
• June 4 – Received clearance from the U.S. FDA for its IND application.
• June 25 – Received ethics approval from a central institutional review board for U.S. study sites.
• July 16 – Completed a clinical trial agreement with Westchester Research Center at Westchester General Hospital in Miami, Florida, the first active U.S. clinical study site.
• August 5 – Announced enrollment of first patient for its Ifenprodil COVID-19 study.
• August 13 – Announced enrollment of its first patient from the U.S. for its Ifenprodil COVID-19 study.
• October 30 – Announced that at its second review meeting, the Ifenprodil COVID-19 study external Data and Safety Monitoring Board had once again unanimously approved the continuation of the Company’s Ifenprodil COVID-19 study (first approval announced on September 16^th). 
• November 30 – Announced that the final patient had been enrolled in its Ifenprodil COVID-19 study.
• December 15 – Reported, in a descriptive format, positive trending interim data for the Phase 2b part of the Company’s Ifenprodil COVID-19 study.
• December 24 – Announced that the last patient from the Phase 2b part of its Ifenprodil COVID-19 study had completed both the treatment period and two week follow up.

Finance

• February 21 – Closed a non-brokered private placement issuing an aggregate of 18,304,939 Units at the price of CDN$0.085 per Unit, raising gross proceeds of CDN$1,555,919.82. Each Unit was comprised of one Class A common share (a “Share”) and one Share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional Share at a price of CDN$0.12 per Share.
• May 13 – Closed a private placement offering of special warrants of the Company and issued 19,605,285 warrants at a price of CDN$0.35 each, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately CDN$6,861,849.00 (the Company filed a prospectus shortly thereafter to qualify the 19,605,285 special warrants issued, with each special warrant converted into one common share and one common share purchase warrant at $CDN.55). 
• November 16 – Received a refundable tax credit of approximately CDN$600,000 from its clinical research work in Australia, representing 40% of allowable expenses refunded from the Company’s Ifenprodil IPF and chronic cough Phase 2 clinical study, with additional refunds expected.
• December 23 – Exercised its acceleration right under the warrant indenture governing the common share purchase warrants of the Company (issued on November 1, 2019), when the daily volume-weighted average trading price of the common shares of the Company exceeded CDN$0.35 for the preceding 20 consecutive trading days on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Advisory & Board Appointments

• February 7 – Appointed Dr. Jacky Smith, Professor of Respiratory Medicine and a leading global scientific expert and clinician in the area of understanding the mechanisms underlying cough in respiratory diseases and the testing of novel anti-tussive therapies to the Company’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board.
• April 13 – Appointed U.S. Ambassador (Rtd) Howard Gutman, former United States Ambassador to Belgium, to the Company’s newly created Business Advisory Board.
• May 13 – Appointed Christopher J. Moreau, the Company’s CEO, to the board of the directors of the Company.
• October 9 – Appointed Dr. Mark Swaim, a former practicing physician and researcher to the Company’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board.

“While we have made significant progress this past year aggressively advancing our re-purposed drug compound Ifenprodil, by initiating two Phase 2 clinical trials and accomplishing additional related goals and milestones, we are planning for an even more active 2021,” said Christopher J. Moreau, CEO of Algernon Pharmaceuticals. “I want to thank all of our investors for their shared vision and continued support and wish everyone a happy, safe and hope-filled New Year.”

The Company advises that it is not making any express or implied claims that Ifenprodil has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain COVID-19 (or the SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time.

About NP-120 (Ifenprodil)

NP-120 (Ifenprodil) is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist specifically targeting the NMDA-type subunit 2B (GluN2B). Ifenprodil prevents glutamate signalling. The NMDA receptor is found on many tissues including lung cells, T-cells, and neutrophils.

The Company believes Ifenprodil may be able to reduce the infiltration of neutrophils and T-cells into the lungs where they can release glutamate and cytokines respectively. The latter can result in the highly problematic cytokine storm that contributes to the loss of lung function and ultimately death as has been reported in COVID-19 infected patients. 

About Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc. 

Algernon is a drug re-purposing company that investigates safe, already approved drugs for new disease applications, moving them efficiently and safely into new human trials, developing new formulations and seeking new regulatory approvals in global markets. Algernon specifically investigates compounds that have never been approved in the U.S. or Europe to avoid off label prescription writing.

Algernon has filed new intellectual property rights globally for NP-120 (Ifenprodil) for the treatment of respiratory diseases and is working to develop a proprietary injectable and slow release formulation.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Christopher J. Moreau
CEO
Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc.
604.398.4175 ext 701
[email protected]
investors@algernonpharmaceuticals.com
www.algernonpharmaceuticals.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to product development, licensing, commercialization and regulatory compliance issues and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “will”, “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “expects” and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions of the relevant securities exchange(s) and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law.

TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HTG Molecular Diagnostics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HTGM) (HTG), a life science company whose mission is to advance precision medicine, today announced that it has received notification of the issuance of Canadian patent number 2877729 for “Nuclease Protection Methods for Detection of Nucleotide Variants.”

The patented technology involves a nuclease protection method using wildtype and variant probes competing for binding to a target nucleic acid molecule, such as messenger RNA, to detect the presence, if any, of a variant nucleotide in the target. The patent, which expires in June 2033, is part of a family of patents and patent applications claiming this method, including U.S. patent number 9,765,385 issued on September 19, 2017.

“We continue to strengthen our intellectual property protection with the addition of this patent in Canada, and previously with a patent in Japan, covering this application of our core technology,” stated John Lubniewski, Chief Executive Officer of HTG. “We consistently seek to vigorously protect, expand and improve upon the uses of our nuclease-protection-based technologies in the U.S. and globally. We now have over 20 patents in this space, including our HTG EdgeSeq method patents.”

About HTG:
HTG is focused on NGS-based molecular profiling. The company’s proprietary HTG EdgeSeq technology automates complex, highly multiplexed molecular profiling from solid and liquid samples, even when limited in amount. HTG’s customers use its technology to identify biomarkers important for precision medicine, to understand the clinical relevance of these discoveries, and ultimately to identify treatment options. Our mission is to empower precision medicine at the local level.

Safe Harbor Statement:

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the patent described in the notification of issuance, the strength of our intellectual property portfolio and the benefits of our nuclease protection method. Words such as “expects,” “intends,” “indicator” “progress towards” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements necessarily contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based upon management’s current expectations, are subject to known and unknown risks, and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: the risk that the patent described in the notification of issuance may not be issued when expected, or at all; the risk that the patent, if issued, may not provide a basis for commercially viable products, may not provide us with any competitive advantages, or may be challenged and invalidated by third parties; and the risk that our technology does not perform as intended or expected. These and other factors are described in greater detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made, and we undertake no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Contact:

Ashley R. Robinson
Phone: (617) 430-7577
Email: [email protected]

 

WALTHAM, Mass., Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Morphic Therapeutic (Nasdaq: MORF), a biotechnology company developing oral integrin therapies, today announced that Praveen Tipirneni, M.D., president and chief executive officer, will present at the virtual 39^th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 4:30 PM ET.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Investor section of Morphic’s website at www.morphictx.com. An archived replay will be available on the company’s website following the conference.

About Morphic Therapeutic

Morphic Therapeutic is a biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, including autoimmune, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases, fibrosis and cancer. In collaboration with AbbVie, Janssen, and Schrödinger, Morphic is advancing its pipeline and discovery activities using its proprietary MInT technology platform which leverages the Company’s unique understanding of integrin structure and biology. For more information, visit www.morphictx.com.

Contacts

Morphic Therapeutic
Chris Erdman
[email protected]
617.686.1718

Media Contact
Adam Silverstein, Ten Bridge Communications
[email protected]
917.697.9313

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. (TSX-V: REVO), (Frankfurt: IJA2) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has officially launched the RevoluEX Cryptocurrency Exchange ahead of schedule.

RevoluEX Vertical

RevoluEX is the Company’s digital currency exchange permitting RevoluPAY app users to convert major cryptocurrencies directly, including BTC, ETH, LINK, XMR, XRP, XLM, DAI & LTC into Fiat money for instant deposit into their RevoluPAY E-Wallet.

PSD2 licensed RevoluPAY then allows users to immediately transfer the Fiat proceeds to a bank account, use them at over 53M VISA Merchants and +100M ATMs worldwide via their RevoluPAY VISA Card, or purchase goods and services from any of the Company’s multiple revenue verticals. Internationally compliant DCE Huobi processes all real-time cryptocurrency conversions. All consequential Fiat currency flows are processed by RevoluPAY for the DCE affiliates, either for final credit to the registered RevoluPAY app user or, in a bilateral manner, for eventual Huobi affiliates. The Company expects partner user onboarding to gradually commence during the first fortnight of January 2021, with reciprocal promotional campaigns increasing progressively into February and beyond.

Cryptocurrency Exchange

Through today’s launch, the Neobanking functionality of RevoluPAY continues to expand into a cutting-edge financial hub, embracing the current explosive growth of cryptocurrency in combination with one of the world’s most prominent DCE affiliates. The increasing white-label use of RevoluPAY to handle payment flows for this, and other financial sectors should engender shareholder value, declaring the Company’s entrance into the multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency arena.

Links Used in This News Release

RevoluEX Crypto Exchange https://www.revoluex.com/
Huobi https://www.huobi.com/
Huobi Daily Transactions https://nomics.com/exchanges/huobipro-huobi-global

About RevoluPAY®

The Company’s flagship Neobanking technology is RevoluPAY®, the Apple and Android multinational payment app. Conceived entirely in-house, RevoluPAY features proprietary, sector-specific technology of which the resulting source code is the Company’s intellectual property. RevoluPAY’s built-in features include Remittance Payments, Forex, Crypto-to-fiat exchange, Retail and Hospitality payments, Real Estate Payments, pay-as-you-go phone top-ups, Gift Cards & Online Credits, Utility Bill payments, Leisure payments, Travel Payments, etc. RevoluPAY employs blockchain protocols and is squarely aimed at the worldwide multi-billion dollar Open Banking sector and + $595 billion family remittance market. RevoluPAY® is operated by the European wholly-owned subsidiary RevoluPAY EP S.L situated in Barcelona. RevoluPAY is a dual-licensed Canadian FINTRAC and European PSD2 payment institution 6900 under the auspices of E.U. Directive 2015/2366 with EU Passporting. RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. controls five wholly-owned subsidiaries on four continents.

About
RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.
:

RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. is a multi-asset, multidivisional publicly traded Canadian Company deploying advanced technologies in the; Banking, Mobile Apps, Money Remittance, Mobile Phone Top-Ups, EGaming, Healthcare Payments, Esports, Invoice factoring, Online Travel, Vacation Resort, Blockchain Systems, and Fintech app sectors. Click here to read more.

For further information on RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. (TSX-V: REVO), visit the Company’s website at www.RevoluGROUP.com. The Company has approximately 171,645,885 shares issued and outstanding.

RevoluGROUP Canada, Inc.

“Steve Marshall”

______________________
STEVE MARSHALL
CEO

For further information, contact:
RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.
Telephone: (604) 332 5355
Facsimile: (604) 687 3119
Email: [email protected]

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.

Reston, Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Feb. 6-13, 202: Help us celebrate the ninth Court Reporting & Captioning Week national celebration hosted by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) and introduce someone to this exciting, rewarding, and unique profession.

This year’s theme: All you need is love and steno

Schedule an interview now: NCRA leadership and members working in the stenographic court reporting and captioning professions are available for interviews and demonstrations to help the public learn more about this little-know-about, viable, and unique career opportunity. A segment on this profession is always interesting to viewers and fun for the reporters doing the interview!

Did you know?

• Court reporters and captioners do not need to attend a four-year college which means they are able to enter the workforce quicker and will less debt than their college-bound friends?
• Right now there is a dire need for court reporters and captioners. Job opportunities are ample nationwide and internationally.
• Salaries are good and can reach upwards of six figures in some instances.
• Work schedules are flexible.
• Stenographic court reporters work both in and out of the courtroom and have the opportunity to work abroad.
• Captioners and CART providers can work from home or just about anywhere and can often be found on the sidelines of live sporting events, historic events, musical and theater venues, and more.
• Captioners and CART providers make vital information accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing communities in the classroom, boardroom, court room, and in the event of an emergency.

Learn more about this unique career and how you can learn the basics for free through NCRA’s A to Z® Intro to Steno Machine Shorthand to see if it is right fit for you. A career in court reporting or captioning is an attractive choice for undecided high schoolers, college redirects, second career seekers, and military spouses. Contact NCRA at [email protected] to find out more. Or visit NCRA DiscoverSteno.org.

“Court Reporting & Captioning Week is our time to shine the light on what we do, why we do it, and what makes us, human court reporters and captioners, so vital,” said NCRA President Christine Phipps, RPR, an agency owner from North Palm Beach, Fla.

“Whether we are preserving records of proceedings, gathering the stories of our war veterans, or ensuring that the spoken word is made available through captions to members of the deaf or hard of hearing community, the skills we employ as professionals are dynamic and unique and cannot ever be replaced by artificial intelligence or electronic recordings.”

About NCRA

The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) has been internationally recognized for promoting excellence among those who capture and convert the spoken word to text for more than 100 years. NCRA is committed to supporting its more than 14,000 members in achieving the highest level of professional expertise with educational opportunities and industry-recognized court reporting, educator, and videographer certification programs. NCRA impacts legislative issues and the global marketplace through its actively involved membership.

Forbes has named court reporting as one of the best career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the court reporting field is expected to be one of the fastest areas of projected employment growth across all occupations. According to 247/WallSt.com, the court reporting profession ranks sixth out of 25 careers with the lowest unemployment rate, just 0.7 percent. Career information about the court reporting profession — one of the leading career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree — can be found at NCRA DiscoverSteno.org.

Annemarie Roketenetz
National Court Reporters Association
7035849014
[email protected]

SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ecoark Holdings, Inc. (“Ecoark” or the “Company”) (OTC: ZESTD) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with a single institutional investor for the purchase of a total of 888,889 shares of its common stock and short-term warrants to purchase an aggregate of up to 888,889 shares of common stock, in a registered direct offering. The combined purchase price for one share of common stock and a warrant to purchase one share of common stock is $9.00. The warrants have an exercise price of $10.00 per share, will be immediately exercisable and will have a term of two years.

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as exclusive placement agent for the offering.

The gross proceeds from the offering are expected to be approximately $8.0 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds to support its previously announced 2021 drilling program for its oil and gas exploration and production business, to repay certain outstanding debt obligations, and for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

The offering is expected to close on or about December 31, 2020, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions.

The securities described above are being offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-249532) originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 16, 2020, as amended, and declared effective on December 29, 2020. A final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, when available, electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained from H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by email at [email protected] or by phone at (646) 975-6996.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these 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 any such state or jurisdiction.

About Ecoark Holdings, Inc.

Founded in 2011, Ecoark is a diversified holding company.  The company has three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Zest Labs, Inc. (“Zest Labs”), Banner Midstream Corp (“Banner Midstream”) and Trend Discovery Holdings (“Trend Discovery”).  Zest Labs, offers the Zest Fresh^TM solution, a breakthrough approach to quality management of fresh food, is specifically designed to help substantially reduce the amount of food loss the U.S. experiences each year. Banner Midstream is engaged in oil and gas exploration, production, and drilling operations on over 20,000 cumulative acres of active mineral leases in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Banner Midstream also provides transportation and logistics services and procures and finances equipment to oilfield transportation services contractors.  Trend Discovery invests in a select number of early stage startups each year as part of the fund’s Venture Capital strategy; we are open-minded investors with a founder-first mentality.  Trend Discovery LP has an audited track record of uncorrelated outperformance of the S&P 500 since inception.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements related to our ability to satisfy the closing conditions of the offering, the timing of the closing, our intended use of proceeds and other statements that are not statements of historical fact. The words “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “will,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other important factors, such as market and other conditions, many of which are outside management’s control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward looking statements are identified and discussed in Ecoark’s filings with the SEC, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 and the registration statement on Form S-3 filed on October 16, 2020, as amended. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Additional factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

ZEST FRESH™ and Zest Labs™ are trademarks of Zest Labs, Inc.

Investor Relations Contact:

John Mills
ICR
646-277-1254
[email protected]

RICHMOND, Calif., Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ekso Bionics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EKSO) (the “Company”), an industry leader in exoskeleton technology for medical and industrial use, today announced the election of Mary Ann Cloyd and Rhonda A. Wallen to its Board of Directors by vote of stockholders at its 2020 Annual Meeting on December 29, 2020, effective immediately.

“We are excited to welcome Mary Ann and Rhonda to our Board, both of whom add decades of business and healthcare knowledge,” said Jack Peurach, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ekso Bionics. “They are industry veterans with extensive experience serving on boards and overseeing corporate strategies. We are confident they will provide valuable perspectives as we continue to fulfill our mission to amplify human motion across medical and industrial verticals with advanced robotics.”

Ms. Cloyd brings nearly 40 years of experience in public accounting and advisory, corporate governance, and risk management and oversight. She currently serves on the Boards of Bellerophon Therapeutics, Fresh Del Monte Produce, and NCMIC Group. Active in professional and community organizations, Ms. Cloyd is also on the Board of the Geffen Playhouse and the Advisory Board of the UCLA Iris Cantor Women’s Center. From 1990 until her retirement in 2015, Ms. Cloyd was a senior partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”), where she served multinational corporate clients in a variety of industries, including the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. She was the leader of the PwC Center for Board Governance from 2012 to 2015 and has also served on both PwC’s Global and U.S. Boards. Ms. Cloyd also served on the Board of Trustees of the PwC Charitable Foundation, and previously served as President of the Foundation.

“I am honored to join Ekso Bionics’ Board and to be part of such an innovative company that is elevating the standard of care for medical patients and improving industrial workforce productivity,” said Ms. Cloyd. “I look forward to providing my industry and advisory expertise to strengthen customer and stockholder value.”

Ms. Wallen has 25 years of experience working within the life sciences and healthcare industries. With a focus on business management and corporate development, Ms. Wallen brings board oversight as well as investment expertise. Currently VP Marketing & Corporate Development of SteriLumen, the medical division of AppliedUV, she was most recently the Head of Corporate Development for Terumo BCT, the biomedical division of Terumo Corporation. Previously, Ms. Wallen served as the Chief Operating Officer of Andarix Pharmaceuticals. Also, during this time as a consultant with Cygnet Venture Management, she held senior level business development and marketing positions where she worked with life science CEOs and founders to validate the strategic direction of emerging growth companies, define key milestones and complete corporate financings. Ms. Wallen is a Director of Boulder Community Health, and a Board Advisor to venture-backed companies, DrugViu and Aromyx.

“I am thrilled to join the Board of Ekso Bionics, a company that provides unique medical and industrial solutions,” said Ms. Wallen. “I recognize the daily value that Ekso Bionics creates with its cutting-edge EksoNR and EVO exoskeletons, and am excited for the Company’s future in bringing differentiated and advanced robotics to recovering stroke patients as well as industrial clients.”

About Ekso Bionics
^®
 

Ekso Bionics^® is a leading developer of exoskeleton solutions that amplify human potential by supporting or enhancing strength, endurance and mobility across medical and industrial applications. Founded in 2005, the Company continues to build upon its industry-leading expertise to design some of the most cutting-edge, innovative wearable robots available on the market. Ekso Bionics is the only exoskeleton company to offer technologies that range from helping those with paralysis to stand up and walk, to enhancing human capabilities on job sites across the globe. The Company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “EKSO.” For more information, visit: www.eksobionics.com or follow @EksoBionics on Twitter.

Investor Contact:

David Carey
212-867-1768
[email protected] 

TORONTO, Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Newscope Capital Corporation (CSE: PHRM) (OTC Pink: PHRRF) (the “Company”), who through its wholly owned subsidiary, PharmaTher Inc., is a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of psychedelic pharmaceuticals, is pleased to announce that it has submitted its application for uplisting to the OTCQB® Venture Market (“OTCQB”).

FINRA has accepted the Company’s Form 211 which qualifies the Company’s shares to trade in the United States on the OTC Pink Market under the symbol “PHRRF”. The Company has also applied to the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for DTC eligibility which would greatly simplify the process of trading Company’s common shares. The Company will continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”) under its existing symbol “PHRM”.

The OTCQB Venture Market, operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., is designed for developing and entrepreneurial companies in the U.S. and abroad. Companies must be current in their financial reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process, including meeting a minimum bid price and other financial conditions. With more compliance and quality standards, the OTCQB provides investors improved visibility to enhance trading decisions. The OTCQB is recognized by the Securities and Exchange Commission as an established public market providing public information for analysis and value of securities.

Fabio Chianelli, CEO of the Company commented, “We are pleased to have initiated the process to list our common shares on the OTCQB as part of our strategy on building our awareness to a broader range of institutional and retail investors in the U.S. as we continue to meet the milestones of our clinical-stage product pipeline of FDA-approved ketamine to treat neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, depression and pain.”

The listing of the Company’s common shares on the OTCQB remains subject to the approval of the OTCQB and the satisfaction of applicable listing requirements. As more information becomes available, the company will keep its shareholders up-to-date on the status of the application.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.        

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX® Best Market, the OTCQB® Venture Market and the Pink® Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link® ATS and OTC Link ECN, PTC Market Group Inc. connects a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. The company enables investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how OTC Markets Group Inc. creates better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

About PharmaTher Inc.

PharmaTher Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newscope Capital Corporation (CSE: PHRM) (OTC Pink: PHRRF), is a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of psychedelic pharmaceuticals. PharmaTher discovers novel uses of psychedelic pharmaceuticals, such as ketamine and psilocybin, and combinations with FDA-approved drugs for FDA approval to treat neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, depression and pain.

Learn more at:  PharmaTher.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

For more information, please contact:        

Fabio Chianelli
Chief Executive Officer
PharmaTher Inc.
Tel: 1-888-846-3171
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.pharmather.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.        

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “could”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated”, “potential” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Newscope Capital Corporation’s (the “Company) current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward-looking information in this press release includes information with respect to the application of OTCQB listing, application of DTC eligibility, broadening U.S. institutional and retail investors, and meeting milestones of FDA-approved ketamine for neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, depression and pain, FDA approval, intellectual property portfolio,
psychedelic pharmaceuticals, Ketamine, Psilocybin and combinations with FDA approved drugs,
psilocybin and ketamine programs and product developments. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by the Company at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption “Risk Factors” in Company’s management’s discussion and analysis for the period of August 30, 2020 (“MD&A”), dated October 1, 2020, which is available on the Company’s profile at 



www.sedar.com



.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state, province, territory or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state, province, territory or jurisdiction.

 

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bionano Genomics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BNGO), announced today that Nasdaq has granted the Company an additional 180-day compliance period, or until June 28, 2021, to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum $1.00 closing bid price per share requirement.

Nasdaq’s determination is based on the Company meeting the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other applicable requirements for initial listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market with the exception of the bid price requirement, and the Company’s written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary.

In a letter dated April 22, 2020, Nasdaq had notified the Company that, based on the previous 30 consecutive business days, the Company’s common stock no longer met the minimum $1.00 closing bid price per share requirement. Therefore, in accordance with Nasdaq’s Listing Rules, the Company was initially provided 180 calendar days, or until December 16, 2019, to regain compliance.

If at any time during this additional compliance period the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock is at least $1.00 per share for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days, Nasdaq will provide written confirmation of compliance and the matter will be closed.

This notification from Nasdaq has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s common stock, which will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “BNGO.”

Erik Holmlin, PhD, CEO of Bionano Genomics commented: “We are pleased that Nasdaq granted our request for an extension. We have been making steady progress with our business and this extension gives us extra time to regain compliance as we continue to advance the Saphyr System in our target markets of discovery research and Cytogenomics.”

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 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, and 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: our ability to regain compliance with the minimum closing bid price requirement and the advancement of our commercialization efforts. 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 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 Contact:

Ashley R. Robinson
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
+1 (617) 430-7577
[email protected]

Media Contact:

Darren Opland, PhD
LifeSci Communications
+1 (617) 733-7668
[email protected]

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altimmune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has enrolled the first patient in its multinational Phase 2 clinical trial of HepTcell, a novel peptide-based immunotherapeutic under development for treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

The study is being conducted in the United States, Canada and Europe and is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of 80 adult patients with HBeAg-negative inactive CHB and HBsAg ≤ 100 IU/mL. HepTcell will be administered in 6 doses at 4-week intervals for 24 weeks, and patients will be followed for one year to evaluate safety and durability of response. The primary efficacy endpoint is virological response, defined as a 1-log reduction in HBsAg levels from baseline at 24 weeks. Secondary efficacy endpoints include reactivation of anti-HBV T cell responses, HBsAg clearance, and other assessments of virologic response.

According to World Health Organization estimates, CHB affects 292 million people worldwide, and nearly 900,000 people die annually of complications of the disease. There is no cure for CHB, and currently available antiviral medications only control the disease and require life-long treatment. These treatments represent a significant economic burden for chronic hepatitis B patients, due to the life-long commitment to medication and monitoring. If left untreated, CHB infection can lead to serious health issues including cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.

Acute Hepatitis B infections are cleared through a T cell-dependent immune response. However, in chronically infected patients, high viral antigen load can induce a state of immune tolerance that prevents T cells from clearing the infection. Restoring T cell function is considered essential to achieving a functional cure, defined as the loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the blood. Ultimately, the goal of all HBV therapeutics is to achieve a functional cure by reactivating the T cell immune response and overcoming immune tolerance.

“As one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide, there remains a significant unmet medical need for improved CHB therapies, as currently approved therapeutics prevent disease progression but rarely lead to a functional cure,” said Dr. Scott Harris, Chief Medical Officer of Altimmune. “We believe the T cell immune intolerance that characterizes the disease must be broken for the development of a functional cure. As a novel immunotherapeutic, HepTcell works by restoring dormant T cells to eliminate infection. While novel direct-acting agents under development, such as small inhibitory RNAs and capsid assembly modulators, have shown promise in reducing HBsAg load below 100 IU/mL, these agents have not resulted in the reactivation of T cell immunity and are unlikely to achieve durable virologic responses as monotherapies. Based on the encouraging preclinical and clinical data we are optimistic that HepTcell may be ideal in combination with novel direct-acting antivirals to achieve a functional cure for this disease.”

About HepTcell

HepTcell is a novel immunotherapeutic composed of nine synthetic HBV-derived peptides formulated with IC31®, a TLR9-based adjuvant from Valneva SE. The HBV peptides are designed to drive T cell responses against all HBV genotypes in patients of diverse genetic background.

In a Phase 1 clinical study of HepTcell conducted in the United Kingdom and South Korea, three monthly injections at two dose levels of HepTcell peptides were administered with and without IC31® adjuvant as add-on therapy to entecavir or tenofovir in patients with Hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic infections. In the Phase 1 study, all doses of HepTcell were generally well-tolerated and both high and low doses of HepTcell given in combination with IC31® resulted in potent T cell responses against HBV antigens – representing a break in immune tolerance with no evidence of immune-mediated adverse events.

About Altimmune

Altimmune is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing intranasal vaccines, immune modulating therapies and treatments for liver disease. Our diverse pipeline includes proprietary intranasal vaccines for COVID-19 (AdCOVID™), anthrax (NasoShield™) and influenza (NasoVAX™); an intranasal immune modulating therapeutic for COVID-19 (T-COVID™); and next generation peptide therapeutics for NASH (ALT-801) and chronic hepatitis B (HepTcell™). For more information on Altimmune, please visit www.altimmune.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

Any statements made in this press release relating to future financial or business performance, conditions, plans, prospects, trends, or strategies and other financial and business matters, including without limitation, the timing of key milestones for our clinical assets, our expectations for the potential of HepTcell as a therapy for HBV, the safety, efficacy and clinical progress of HepTcell (including, without limitation, the expected timing of the Phase 2 clinical trial), and the prospects for regulatory approval, commercializing or selling any product or drug candidates, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition, when or if used in this press release, the words “may,” “could,” “should,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict” and similar expressions and their variants, as they relate to Altimmune, Inc. (the “Company”) may identify forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward looking statements or historical experience include risks and uncertainties, including risks relating to: potential impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic such as delays in regulatory review, manufacturing and supply chain interruptions, access to clinical sites, enrollment, adverse effects on healthcare systems and disruption of the global economy the reliability of the results of studies relating to human safety and possible adverse effects resulting from the administration of the Company’s product candidates; the Company’s ability to secure regulatory approval for its AdCOVID investigational new drug application submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Company’s ability to manufacture clinical trial materials on the timelines anticipated; the Company’s ability to secure manufacturing approval from its SARS-CoV-2 cell licensor on the timelines anticipated; and the success of future product advancements, including the success of future clinical trials. Further information on the factors and risks that could affect the Company’s business, financial conditions and results of operations are contained in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 filed with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov.

Investor Contacts:
Will Brown	Ashley R. Robinson
Chief Financial Officer	LifeSci Advisors, LLC
Phone: 240-654-1450	617-430-7577
[email protected]	[email protected]
Stacey Jurchison
Sr. Director, Investor Relations
Phone: 410-474-8200
[email protected]