Market Newsdesk

PHILADELPHIA, PA, Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cohen & Company Inc. (NYSE American: COHN) and INSU Acquisition Corp. III (NASDAQ:IIIIU) today announced that INSU Acquisition Corp. III (the “Company”), a blank-check company sponsored by Cohen & Company and formed for the purpose of acquiring or merging with one or more businesses or entities in the insurance industry, completed its initial public offering of 25,000,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit, which includes 3,200,000 units issued pursuant to the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, for gross proceeds to the Company of $250,000,000. The Company’s units began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “IIIIU” on December 18, 2020. Each unit issued in the offering consists of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock and one-third of one warrant, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A common stock and warrants are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “IIII” and “IIIIW,” respectively. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade.

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and Wells Fargo Securities served as joint book-running managers for the offering. 

A registration statement relating to the units and the underlying securities was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 17, 2020. 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.

The offering was made by means of a prospectus, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 499 Park Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10022; Email: [email protected]; or by contacting Wells Fargo Securities, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, 500 West 33rd Street, New York, New York, 10001, at (800) 326-5897 or emailing a request to [email protected]. Copies of the registration statement can be accessed for free through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the initial public offering. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this press release, except as required by law.

About Cohen & Company

 Cohen & Company is a financial services company specializing in fixed income markets. It was founded in 1999 as an investment firm focused on small-cap banking institutions but has grown to provide an expanding range of capital markets and asset management services. Cohen & Company’s operating segments are Capital Markets, Asset Management, and Principal Investing. The Capital Markets segment consists of fixed income sales, trading, and matched book repo financing as well as new issue placements in corporate and securitized products, and advisory services, operating primarily through Cohen & Company’s subsidiaries, J.V.B. Financial Group, LLC in the United States and Cohen & Company Financial (Europe) Limited in Europe. The Asset Management segment manages assets through collateralized debt obligations, managed accounts, and investment funds. As of September 30, 2020, the Company managed approximately $2.7 billion in fixed income assets in a variety of asset classes including US and European trust preferred securities, subordinated debt, and corporate loans. As of September 30, 2020, 77.4% of the Company’s assets under management were in collateralized debt obligations that Cohen & Company manages, which were all securitized prior to 2008. The Principal Investing segment is comprised primarily of investments the Company holds related to its SPAC franchise and other investments the Company has made for the purpose of earning an investment return rather than investments made to support its trading, matched book repo, or other capital markets business activity. For more information, please visit www.cohenandcompany.com. 

Contact Information:

Amanda Abrams
Cohen & Company, LLC
[email protected]
(215) 701-9693

Joseph W. Pooler, Jr.
Cohen & Company Inc.
[email protected]
(215)-701-8952

OXNARD, Calif., Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mission Produce, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVO) (“Mission” or the “Company”), the world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh avocados, today announced it will release its financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and full year ended October 31, 2020 on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. The Company will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its financial results at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on the same day.

Conference Call Details

The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing (877) 407-9039 or for international callers by dialing (201) 689-8470, or by live webcast, accessible in the News & Events section on the Company’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.missionproduce.com. 

A replay of the call will be available through February 2, 2021 by dialing (844) 512-2921 or for international callers by dialing (412) 317-6671; the passcode is 13714366. An archived replay of the webcast will also be available on our website shortly after the live event has concluded.

About Mission Produce, Inc.:
Mission Produce is the world’s most advanced avocado network and recognized leader in the worldwide avocado business. For over 35 years Mission has been sourcing, producing and distributing fresh avocados, servicing retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. The vertically integrated Company owns 11,000 acres globally and operates four state-of-the-art avocado packing facilities in key growing locations including California, Mexico & Peru and has additional sourcing capabilities in Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, New Zealand, & South Africa. Mission’s global distribution network includes eleven forward distribution centers in North America, China & Europe that offer value-added services such as ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. Mission is the largest global supplier of the World’s Finest Avocados, for more information please visit worldsfinestavocados.com

Contacts:

Investor Relations Contact:
ICR
Jeff Sonnek
646-277-1263
[email protected]

Media:

Denise Junqueiro
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
Mission Produce, Inc.
[email protected]

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a clinical-stage oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of investigational antibody therapeutics based on its Probody® technology platform, today announced the appointment of Mani Mohindru, PhD to the Company’s board of directors. Dr. Mohindru brings to CytomX deep and varied experience across the life sciences industry, with particular experience in finance and corporate strategy.

“We are pleased to welcome Mani to CytomX’s board of directors,” commented Sean McCarthy, D.Phil., president, chief executive officer (CEO) and chairman of CytomX. “Mani brings a unique combination of scientific, financial and strategic acumen to the board that will prove invaluable as we advance our clinical pipeline towards multiple significant data updates in 2021 and execute towards our long-term vision.”

Dr. Mohindru is an experienced biotech executive with several years of biopharmaceutical industry leadership as well as Wall Street experience. Most recently she was the CEO of CereXis, Inc., a biotech company focused on rare tumor indications. Earlier, she also served as chief financial officer and chief strategy officer at Cara Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CARA) and chief strategy officer at Curis, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRIS). Prior to her leadership roles in the biotechnology industry, Dr. Mohindru spent many years as an equity research analyst covering the biotechnology sector at UBS, Credit Suisse and ThinkEquity. She also co-founded a privately-held biotechnology company and was a healthcare industry consultant. Currently, she is a member of the board of directors of SAB Biotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing a new class of immunotherapies. Dr. Mohindru received her Ph.D. in neurosciences from Northwestern University and her Masters in biotechnology and BS in human biology (Hons) from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

“I am excited to join CytomX’s board as the Company continues to develop and advance its innovative Probody platform, which holds the potential to unlock highly effective cancer therapies by exploiting previously undruggable targets,” Dr. Mohindru added. “I look forward to leveraging my experiences across drug development and corporate strategy to help advance the Company’s leadership in the field of conditional activation of antibody-drug conjugates and other therapeutic modalities.”

About CytomX Therapeutics

CytomX is a clinical-stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company with a vision of transforming lives with safer, more effective therapies. We are developing a novel class of investigational antibody therapeutics, based on our Probody® technology platform, for the treatment of cancer. CytomX has strategic drug discovery and development collaborations with AbbVie, Amgen, Astellas, and Bristol Myers Squibb.

Probody therapeutics are designed to remain inactive until they are activated by proteases in the tumor microenvironment. As a result, Probody therapeutics are intended to bind selectively to tumors and decrease binding to healthy tissue, to minimize toxicity and potentially create safer, more effective therapies. As leaders in the field, our innovative technology is designed to turn previously undruggable targets into druggable targets and to enable more effective combination therapies. CytomX and its partners, comprised of leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, have developed a robust pipeline of potential first-in-class therapeutic candidates against novel, difficult to drug targets and potential best-in-class immunotherapeutic candidates against clinically validated targets. The CytomX clinical-stage pipeline includes first-in-class product candidates against previously undruggable targets, including a CD166-targeting Probody drug conjugate wholly owned by CytomX (CX-2009) and a CD71-targeting Probody drug conjugate partnered with AbbVie (CX-2029). CD166 and CD71 are among cancer targets that are considered to be inaccessible to conventional antibody-drug conjugates due to their presence on many healthy tissues. The CytomX clinical-stage pipeline also includes cancer immunotherapeutic candidates against validated targets such as the CTLA-4-targeting Probody therapeutics, BMS-986249 and BMS-986288, partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb, and our wholly-owned anti-PD-L1 Probody therapeutic, CX-072. For additional information about CytomX Therapeutics, visit www.cytomx.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

CytomX Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control, and may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in such statements. Accordingly, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements, including those relating to the potential benefits, safety and efficacy or progress of CytomX’s or any of its collaborative partners’ product candidates, including CX-2009, CX-2029, BMS-986249 and BMS-986288, the potential benefits or applications of CytomX’s Probody platform technology, CytomX’s ability to develop and advance product candidates into and successfully complete clinical trials, including the ongoing and planned clinical trials of CX-2009, CX-2029, BMS-986249 and BMS-986288, and the timing of the commencement of clinical trials and other development milestones. Risks and uncertainties that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: the unproven nature of CytomX’s novel Probody Platform technology; CytomX’s clinical trial product candidates are in the initial stages of clinical development and its other product candidates are currently in preclinical development, and the process by which preclinical and clinical development could potentially lead to an approved product is long and subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including the risk that the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic may continue to negatively impact the business, research and clinical operations of CytomX or its partners, including the development of preclinical drug candidates due to delays in and disruption of research activities and the development of clinical drug candidates due to delays in or disruption of clinical trials, including impacts on the enrollment of patients in clinical trials or other clinical trial disruptions; the possibility that the results of early clinical trials may not be predictive of future results; the possibility that CytomX’s clinical trials will not be successful; the possibility that current preclinical research may not result in additional product candidates; CytomX’s dependence on the success of CX-2009, CX-2029, BMS-986249, BMS-986288, and CX-072; CytomX’s reliance on third parties for the manufacture of the company’s product candidates; and possible regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries. Additional applicable risks and uncertainties include those relating to our preclinical research and development, clinical development, and other risks identified under the heading “Risk Factors” included in CytomX’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 5, 2020. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on information currently available to CytomX and speak only as of the date on which they are made. CytomX does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

Probody is a U.S. registered trademark of CytomX Therapeutics, Inc.

CytomX Contact:

Chau Cheng, PhD MBA
VP, Investor Relations & Corp. Communications
[email protected]
650-273-4999

Investor and Media Contact:

Stern Investor Relations
Stephanie Ascher
[email protected]
212-362-1200

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Allakos Inc. (NASDAQ: ALLK), a biotechnology company developing lirentelimab (AK002) for the treatment of eosinophil and mast cell-related diseases, today announced the appointment of Natalie Holles, president and chief executive officer of Audentes Therapeutics, to the Allakos board of directors.

“Natalie’s extensive background in company-building and commercial readiness makes her an exceptional addition to our board and will provide valuable insights as we continue to advance late-stage clinical trials of lirentelimab and begin laying the foundation for its potential commercialization,“ said Robert Alexander, PhD, chief executive officer of Allakos.

Ms. Holles has contributed to the leadership and success of several biotechnology companies. She has more than two decades of experience in senior-level leadership, business development, corporate strategy and commercial operations across a range of therapeutic areas. Ms. Holles is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Audentes Therapeutics (acquired by Astellas Pharma in 2020) which she joined in 2015 as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Audentes, Ms. Holles served as senior vice president, corporate development at Hyperion Therapeutics (acquired by Horizon Pharma in 2015). Earlier in her career, Ms. Holles served as vice president, business development at KAI Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Amgen in 2012) and also held corporate development and commercial roles at InterMune (acquired by Roche in 2014).

Ms. Holles is a member of the Board of Directors for Rubius Therapeutics. She holds an M.A. in molecular, cellular and developmental biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute predoctoral fellow, and an A.B. in human biology from Stanford University.

“I am honored to join the Allakos Board of Directors, and I share the company’s vision of developing innovative therapies that transform patients’ lives,” said Ms. Holles. “I look forward to working with existing board members and the Allakos management team to support their goal of developing and commercializing a unique treatment for people with eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases.”

About Allakos

Allakos is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing antibodies that target immunomodulatory receptors present on immune effector cells involved in allergic, inflammatory, and proliferative diseases. The Company’s lead antibody, lirentelimab (AK002), is being evaluated in a Phase 3 study in eosinophilic gastritis (EG) and/or eosinophilic duodenitis (EoD) and a Phase 2/3 study in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Lirentelimab targets Siglec-8, an inhibitory receptor selectively expressed on human mast cells and eosinophils. Inappropriately activated eosinophils and mast cells have been identified as key drivers in a number of severe diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract, eyes, skin, lungs and other organs. Lirentelimab has been tested in multiple clinical studies. In these studies, lirentelimab eliminated blood and tissue eosinophils, inhibited mast cells and improved disease symptoms in patients with EG and/or EoD, EoE, mast cell gastrointestinal disease, severe allergic conjunctivitis, chronic urticaria and indolent systemic mastocytosis. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.allakos.com.

Source: Allakos Inc.

Investor Contact:
Adam Tomasi, President, COO and CFO
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Denise Powell
[email protected]

ROSH HA’AYN, Israel, Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kornit Digital (Nasdaq: KRNT), a company that develops, manufactures and markets industrial digital printing technologies for the textile industry, today announced that management will present at the following conferences:

Citi 2021 Global TMT West Virtual Conference

Date: Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Virtual Presentation Time: 11:00 am ET

23

^rd

Annual Needham Virtual Growth Conference

Date: Thursday, January 14, 2021
Virtual Presentation Time: 10:45 am ET

The presentations will be available via live audio webcast and archived replay on Kornit’s investor relations website at http://ir.kornit.com/.

About Kornit Digital

Kornit Digital Ltd. (NASDAQ: KRNT) develops, manufactures and markets industrial digital printing technologies for the garment, apparel and textile industries. Kornit delivers complete solutions, including digital printing systems, inks, consumables, software and after-sales support. Leading the digital direct-to-garment printing market with its exclusive eco-friendly NeoPigment printing process, Kornit caters directly to the changing needs of the textile printing value chain. Kornit’s technology enables innovative business models based on web-to-print, on-demand and mass customization concepts. With its immense experience in the direct-to-garment market, Kornit also offers a revolutionary approach to the roll-to-roll textile printing industry: digitally printing with a single ink set onto multiple types of fabric with no additional finishing processes. Founded in 2002, Kornit Digital is a global company, headquartered in Israel with offices in the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific, and serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Investor contact

Kelsey Turcotte
The Blueshirt Group
[email protected] 
917-842-0334

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CTO Realty Growth (NYSE American: CTO) (the “Company”) announced today the closing of the sale of a property located in Aspen, Colorado leased to an affiliate of A.G. Hill Partners, a Dallas, Texas based family office (the “Master Tenant”). The Master Tenant exercised their tenant repurchase option at a sales price of $28.5 million.

“We’re very pleased with the execution related to this asset sale and we look forward to the opportunity to redeploy the sales proceeds into higher-yielding multi-tenant properties through our diversified investment strategy,” noted John P. Albright, President and Chief Executive Officer of CTO Realty Growth. “As we look ahead, our recent REIT conversion and the opportunity to continue to recycle lower-yielding assets into higher-yielding assets strongly positions us to support our dividend in 2021 and beyond.”

Proceeds from the sale are expected to be part of Section 1031 like-kind exchanges, and with the closing of this transaction, the Company has approximately $23.5 million of proceeds held in 1031 restricted cash accounts.

About CTO Realty Growth, Inc.

CTO Realty Growth, Inc. (NYSE American: CTO) is a publicly traded diversified real estate investment trust that owns and operates a diversified portfolio of income properties comprising approximately 2.4 million square feet in the United States. CTO also owns an approximate 23.5% interest in Alpine Income Property Trust, Inc., a publicly traded net lease real estate investment trust.

We encourage you to review our most recent investor presentation, which is available on our website at www.ctorealtygrowth.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release (other than statements of historical fact) are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements can typically be identified by words such as “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “will,” “could,” “may,” “should,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “forecast,” “project,” and similar expressions, as well as variations or negatives of these words.

Although forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s present expectations and reasonable beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect upon the Company, a number of factors could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Such factors may include, but are not limited to: the Company’s ability to remain qualified as a REIT; the Company’s exposure to U.S. federal and state income tax law changes, including changes to the REIT requirements; general adverse economic and real estate conditions; the ultimate geographic spread, severity and duration of pandemics such as the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus, actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain or address the impact of such pandemics, and the potential negative impacts of such pandemics on the global economy and the Company’s financial condition and results of operations; the inability of major tenants to continue paying their rent or obligations due to bankruptcy, insolvency or a general downturn in their business; the loss or failure, or decline in the business or assets of PINE or the entity that holds approximately 1,700 acres of undeveloped land in Daytona Beach, Florida, in which the Company owns a retained interest; the completion of 1031 exchange transactions; the availability of investment properties that meet the Company’s investment goals and criteria; the uncertainties associated with obtaining required governmental permits and satisfying other closing conditions for planned acquisitions and sales; and the uncertainties and risk factors discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, each as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

There can be no assurance that future developments will be in accordance with management’s expectations or that the effect of future developments on the Company will be those anticipated by management. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the information contained in this press release to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances.

Contact:

Matthew M. Partridge Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (386) 944-5643 [email protected]

NEWARK, Calif., Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ShotSpotter, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSTI), a leader in precision policing solutions that enable law enforcement to more effectively respond to, investigate and deter crime, today announced new contracts with seven U.S. cities, all with populations less than 50,000, to deploy ShotSpotter Respond™, the company’s flagship gunshot detection solution, as part of an increasing trend of small cities adopting big city tools for preventing and reducing gun violence.

In a year of a global pandemic, along with unprecedented social and political unrest, the rate of gun violence has skyrocketed across the U.S. To help small cities address gun violence, ShotSpotter began an outreach program to this underserved segment. The result has been new ShotSpotter customers adopting the Company’s flagship gunshot detection technology including four that have already been deployed, in North Chicago Ill., Monroe, La., Kankakee, Ill., and Ferguson, Mo., as well as soon-to-be deployed cities of McKeesport, Pa., Mansfield, Ohio and Freeport, Ill.

North Chicago, a suburb 30 miles outside Chicago with 30,000 residents, has been using ShotSpotter since September. “We are a smaller city, but are no less susceptible to the ravages of gun violence in our community,” said Mayor Leon Rockingham, Jr. of North Chicago. “Rather than wait for a problem to get out of hand, our city has chosen to preemptively address this issue with ShotSpotter. In just the first three months we have already seen very impressive results. We look forward to the long term impact ShotSpotter will make for the safety of the residents of North Chicago.”

With approximately 26,000 residents, Kankakee is 60 miles south of Chicago and began its deployment in November. “We are finding that the ShotSpotter technology is making our community safer in a financially responsible way by maximizing the impact of our officers’ response to shots fired calls,” said Frank Kosman, Kankakee Chief of Police. “With this tool, officers are able to respond quicker and to the precise location of shootings with more information. Giving agencies of our size access to this important tool is critical for increasing the effectiveness of the investigations of shots fired calls and makes a statement that our city is taking proactive steps to reduce gun violence.” 

These small city contracts reflect a significant new customer segment for ShotSpotter and include more than 850 potential law enforcement agencies across the country. ShotSpotter has been widely used for years typically by large to medium sized cities such as Miami, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, Baltimore and Chicago.

“Reducing gun violence is a shared goal for every city – large, small, red, blue – it is something we can all agree on and ShotSpotter’s goal is to be part of the solution,” said Ralph A. Clark, President and CEO of ShotSpotter. “Smaller cities are particularly receptive to the benefits of ShotSpotter as they can move quickly to evaluate, adopt and deploy the technology for results that impact their communities exponentially.”

About ShotSpotter

ShotSpotter (NASDAQ: SSTI) is a leader in precision policing solutions that enable law enforcement officials to more effectively respond to, investigate and deter crime. The company’s products are trusted by more than 100 U.S. cities to help make their communities safer. The platform includes its flagship product, ShotSpotter Respond™, the leading gunshot detection, location and forensic system, and ShotSpotter Connect™, patrol management software to dynamically direct patrol resources to areas of greatest risk and more effectively deter crime. ShotSpotter’s CrimeCenter™ investigative case management software helps detectives connect the dots and share information more effectively to improve case clearance rates. ShotSpotter also serves the corporate and college security markets and has been designated a Great Place to Work^® Company.

For more media information for ShotSpotter, contact:

Media Contact:

Liz Einbinder 
ShotSpotter, Inc. 
+1 (510) 794-3147
[email protected]

Investor Relations Contacts:

Matt Glover
Gateway Investor Relations
+1 (949) 574-3860
[email protected]

JoAnn Horne
Market Street Partners
+1 (415) 445-3240
[email protected]

SINGAPORE, Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Grindrod Shipping Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRIN) (JSE: GSH) (“Grindrod Shipping” or “Company” or “it” or “we” or “our”), a global provider of maritime transportation services in the drybulk and product tanker sectors, announced the following transactions.

On December 22, 2020, the Company entered into a sale and leaseback transaction with a Japanese shipowner relating to the 2016-built medium range product tanker Matuku for a cash amount of $26.8 million (before commissions but net of charter pre-payments). The Company will bareboat charter the vessel back for a period of up to 15 years and has the right, but not the obligation, to acquire the vessel beginning in May 2022. The Matuku constituted the security package for our $27.0 million Senior Secured Credit Facility scheduled for maturity in 2021, for which the remaining balance of approximately $17.1 million was repaid in full in connection with the closing of the transaction. We intend to utilize the approximately $9.3 million of net proceeds of the refinancing, together with cash on hand, to repay early $10.0 million of our other $35.8 million Senior Secured Credit Facility, thereby materially reducing our net interest expense and remaining scheduled maturities in 2021.

On December 23, 2020, the Company expects to take delivery of the IVS Atsugi, a Japanese-built eco ultramax drybulk carrier newbuilding. As previously disclosed, the vessel will be chartered-in from its owner for a minimum period of two years with options to extend for up to two additional years, at the Company’s election. In addition, the Company holds options to purchase the vessel in the future.

Martyn Wade, the Chief Executive Officer of Grindrod Shipping, commented:

“The sale and leaseback of Matuku is another testament of our ability to leverage our long-standing relationships with leading Japanese industry participants, one of our company’s distinct competitive advantages. Furthermore, the addition of the IVS Atsugi to our fleet is in line with our strategy to focus on Japanese built “eco” vessels, which enjoy distinct operational and commercial advantages.”  

About Grindrod Shipping Holdings Ltd.

Grindrod Shipping owns and operates a diversified fleet of owned and long-term and short-term chartered-in drybulk vessels and product tankers. The drybulk business, which operates under the brand “Island View Shipping” (“IVS”) includes a fleet of 15 handysize drybulk carriers and 16 supramax/ultramax drybulk carriers on the water, including the IVS Atsugi. The tanker business, which operates under the brand “Unicorn Shipping” (“Unicorn”) includes a fleet of three medium range tankers and one small tanker. The Company is based in Singapore, with offices in London, Durban, Tokyo, Cape Town and Rotterdam. Grindrod Shipping is listed on NASDAQ under the ticker “GRIN” and on the JSE under the ticker “GSH”.  

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, including, without limitation, Grindrod Shipping management’s examination of historical trends, data contained in the Company’s records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Company’s control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, those discussed in Grindrod Shipping’s public filings with the SEC. Except as required by law, Grindrod Shipping undertakes no obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Company Contact: Martyn Wade / Stephen Griffiths CEO / CFO Grindrod Shipping Holdings Ltd. 200 Cantonment Road, #03-01 Southpoint Singapore, 089763 Email: [email protected]    Website: www.grinshipping.com

Investor Relations / Media Contact: Nicolas Bornozis / Daniela Guerrero Capital Link, Inc. 230 Park Avenue, Suite 1536 New York, N.Y. 10169 Tel.: (212) 661-7566 Fax: (212) 661-7526 Email: [email protected]

PHOENIX, Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mobivity Holdings Corp. (OTCQB: MFON) a global provider of customer engagement solutions that increase customer engagement through mobile messaging and personalized digital offers, and drives digital transformation for brands, today announced the closing of the previously announced early exercise of warrants to purchase common stock. This private placement brought gross proceeds to Mobivity of $3.3 million. The private placement will strengthen Mobivity’s balance sheet and accelerate growth into 2021.

As was previously announced, the exercised warrants were originally issued by Mobivity in a private placement that closed in September of 2019.   All of the holders of the September 2019 class of Warrants exercised early and have received a new warrant to purchase common stock at $2.00 per share for every one exercised. These new warrants expire three years from their original issue.

“The proceeds from this early warrant conversion will allow us to capitalize on the tremendous tailwinds propelling digital transformation across our target markets,” commented Dennis Becker, Mobivity Chairman and CEO. “As partnerships such as Par Technologies and Pepsi expand our sales pipeline, we will be focusing on expanding our sales and marketing resources to accelerate new customer acquisition and revenue growth. We’re excited to have the support of these investors and excited to continue Mobivity’s transformation in 2021.”

Details of the warrant conversions will be available by way of a Form 8-K to be filed by Mobivity with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

The warrants to be issued in the private placement have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Accordingly, these securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction or an appropriate exemption therefrom.

About Mobivity

Brick and mortar stores struggle to manage customer connections in a digital world. Mobivity provides a platform to connect national restaurants, retailers, personal care brands, and their partners with customers to increase retention, visits, and spend. Mobivity’s Recurrency platform increases customer engagement and frequency by capturing detailed POS transaction data, analyzing customer habits, and motivating customers and employees through data-driven messaging applications and rewards. For more information about Mobivity, visit mobivity.com or call (877) 282-7660.

Media Contacts

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• Guidelines provide recommendations on the diagnosis and management of glaucoma within the EU
• Nine MicroPulse TLT studies presented at the annual EGS meeting supporting its safety, effectiveness, and versatility in the treatment of glaucoma

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IRIDEX Corporation (NASDAQ: IRIX), a provider of innovative ophthalmic laser-based medical products for the treatment of glaucoma and retinal diseases, reports that MicroPulse Transscleral Laser Therapy (TLT), which is performed using the IRIDEX Cyclo G6® Laser System and MicroPulse P3® Delivery Device, has been included in the European Glaucoma Society (EGS) Terminology and Guidelines for Glaucoma. The EGS guidelines represent recommendations on the diagnosis and management of glaucoma to standardize practice within the European Union. The new guidelines, the Society’s 5^th edition, were presented at the Annual EGS Meeting on December 12-13, 2020.

“We are very encouraged with the broadening recognition of MicroPulse TLT in the ophthalmic community,” said David Bruce, CEO, IRIDEX. “Inclusion in the EGS guidelines plus nine papers presented in the Society’s meeting shows the growing adoption of this effective non-incisional therapy for the management of glaucoma disease.”

MicroPulse TLT is a non-incisional procedure that substantially reduces intraocular pressure (IOP) for a broad range of glaucoma types and severity. The procedure can be used for primary open-angle, closed-angle, and refractory glaucoma. It’s a repeatable treatment option that can be performed before, during, or after other glaucoma interventions. More than 140,000 patients have been treated with MicroPulse TLT in top ophthalmic hospitals around the globe.

Also presented at the EGS meeting, were nine MicroPulse TLT studies. These studies were conducted in several countries which exemplify the continued global expansion of MicroPulse TLT. Featured studies included:

• 
  P248: MicroPulse Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation: Step by Step
  ; Rita Basto, et al. (Poland) 
  This study represents a 6-month retrospective review of glaucoma patients (38 eyes) treated with MicroPulse TLT. The percentage of IOP reduction was 43.4 ± 16.2% (8.9% – 70.6%). A success rate (defined as >20% IOP reduction and IOP ≤ 21 mmHg) was obtained in 81.6% of cases with no records of serious complications. The authors concluded that MicroPulse TLT is easily performed, can be repeated with good results, is an efficient and safe strategy to reduce IOP, and can be used in a wide spectrum of glaucoma disease.

• 
  P350: Use
  
  
  of
  
  
  MicroPulse Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation in Glaucoma Associated with Penetrating Keratoplasty or KPRO
  ; Consuelo Gajardo Menzel, et al. (Peru)
  The authors presented 1-year follow-up of MicroPulse TLT in glaucomatous patients with corneal grafts. Patients’ IOP was reduced by an average of 50%, and the authors concluded that MicroPulse TLT in patients with corneal transplants is effective and safe.

• 
  P359:
  
  
  Microimpulse
  
  
  Cyclophotocoagulation in Combined Neovascular Glaucoma Treatment
  ; Nazir Khodzhaev, et al.(Russia)
  This study evaluated a combined treatment of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) injections and MicroPulse TLT in 15 patients (15 eyes) with secondary neovascular glaucoma (NVG). Initial outcomes demonstrated an IOP reduction of approximately 26%, with a reduction in drops from 3.5 to 2.7, concluding that anti-VEGF and MicroPulse TLT are a safe and effective treatment in NVG patients.

• 
  430: Topical Anesthesia for Diode Transscleral MicroPulse
  
  
  Cyclophototherapy
  
  ;
  Maria Cecilia Aquino, et al.
  (Singapore)
  This study evaluated the use of topical anesthesia and oral paracetamol in a prospective case series of 22 patients receiving MicroPulse TLT. Although a majority of patients experienced moderate pain during treatment, all patients tolerated the entire treatment lasting for 100 seconds without additional peribulbar anesthesia. The post-operative pain in the immediate 24-hours after treatment was unremarkable requiring no oral analgesic medications.

Other studies presented:

• P043: MicroPulse Transscleral Laser in Children – The Auckland and Singapore Experience; Marcus Tan, et al. (New Zealand)
• P211: Short-term Efficacy and Safety of MicroPulse Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation in Asian Glaucoma Patients; Mi Sun Sung, et al. (South Korea)
• P226: Mid-Term Results of Micro-Pulse Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation with Diode Laser on Treatment of Glaucoma: A Retrospective Analysis; Guido Barosco et al. (Italy)
• P245: Outcomes of MicroPulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation in Patients with Glaucoma
  –
  A Case Series; Wojciech Maruszczyk, et al. (Poland)
• P485: A Modified MicroPulse Transscleral
  Cyclophototherapy
  technique for the Treatment of Refractory Glaucoma; Victor Teck Koh, et al. (Singapore)

More information can be found at: www.iridex.com/egs

About IRIDEX

IRIDEX is a worldwide leader in developing innovative and versatile laser-based medical systems, delivery devices and consumable instrumentation for the ophthalmology market. The Company’s proprietary MicroPulse® technology delivers a differentiated treatment that provides safe, effective, and proven treatment for targeted sight-threatening eye conditions. IRIDEX’s current product line is used for the treatment of glaucoma, diabetic macular edema and other retinal diseases. IRIDEX products are sold in the United States and Germany through a direct sales force and in more than 100 countries through a network of independent distributors. For more information, visit www.iridex.com/MicroPulseP3.

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