Jostens and College Football Playoff Renew Agreement to Present CFP National Championship Rings

Longstanding partnership renewed to award exquisitely handcrafted rings

Minneapolis, Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the throws of the 2020-21 college football championship season, the College Football Playoff (CFP) has renewed its agreement with Jostens to create its College Football Playoff National Championship ring through the 2022 season.  Jostens is the leading provider of championship rings and custom, hand-crafted fine jewelry for college and professional sports teams, including 36 of the past 54 Super Bowls.    

“Jostens is honored to have created the original National Championship Ring for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) over 20 years ago and we are excited to continue our relationship with the CFP to honor the highest level in college football,” said Chris Poitras, Vice President and General Manager of Jostens College and Professional Sports Division. “From the Super Bowl LIV Champion Kansas City Chiefs to last year’s College Football National Champion LSU, Jostens has a rich tradition of helping teams celebrate their highest levels of achievement, and the CFP Championship ring will continue that tradition for these teams, their schools and their fans.” 

Jostens has created CFP Championship Ring since the inaugural 2014 championship.  Past CFP national championship rings have been awarded to Ohio State University (2014), the University of Alabama (2015 and 2017), Clemson University (2016 and 2018) and Louisiana State University (2019).

Created by the Jostens Championship Design team, the CFP’s custom designed, handcrafted ring features more than 50 stones set in Silver Elite, Jostens’ exclusive mix of fine metals. One side features a custom team design, with the other side featuring the CFP logo and additional team personalization.

 

About Jostens

Jostens is a trusted partner in the academic and achievement channel, providing products, programs and services that help its customers celebrate moments that matter. The company’s products include yearbooks, graduation products, publications, jewelry and consumer goods that serve the K-12 educational, college and professional sports segments. Founded in 1897 and based in Minneapolis, Minn., Jostens is owned by Platinum Equity and can be found online at www.jostens.com.

 

About the College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1 ranked team vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game. This season’s Playoff Semifinals will take place Friday, January 1, 2021, at the Rose Bowl Game and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 11, 2021, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Attachments



Jeff Peterson
JOSTENS
952.830.3348
[email protected]

EnWave Announces Fourth Quarter and 2020 Annual Results

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (“EnWave”, or the “Company”) is pleased to report the Company’s operational and consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year-ended September 30, 2020. Fiscal 2020 was a very challenging year for EnWave due to macroeconomic headwinds brought on by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Despite the Company’s toils, Q4 2020 was far stronger than Q2 2020 and Q3 2020, and the Company anticipates continued improved financial performance through Fiscal 2021.


($ ‘000s)
Three months ended

September 30,
  Year ended

September 30,
  2020   2019   Change
%
  2020   2019   Change
%
               
Revenues 10,784   16,188   (33 %)   32,883   42,842   (23 %)
Direct costs 8,629   11,597   (26 %)   24,112   29,236   (18 %)
        Gross margin 2,155   4,591   (53 %)   8,771   13,606   (36 %)
               
Operating expenses              
General and administration 939   1,164   (19 %)   5,469   4,329   26 %
Sales and marketing 1,282   2,524   (49 %)   6,470   5,787   12 %
Research and development 577   317   82 %   1,989   1,692   18 %
  2,798   4,005   (30 %)   13,928   11,808   18 %
               
Net income (loss) for the period after taxes 1   (425 ) (100 %)   (4,441 ) (1,986 ) 124 %
Adjusted EBITDA(*) 20   864   (98 %)   (3,219 ) 3,186   (201 %)
Loss per share – basic and diluted (0.00 ) (0.01 )     (0.04 ) (0.02 )  

  * Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure. Refer to the disclosure below and in the Company’s MD&A
   regarding non-IFRS financial measures.

EnWave’s annual and interim consolidated financial statements and MD&As are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company’s website www.enwave.net.

The onset of COVID-19 challenged our machine sales – a business that relies highly on travel and person to person contact with our prospective partners and travel to install and commission new processing lines. Our NutraDried business also suffered greatly as building distribution and adding retailers for Moon Cheese® is also very much a person to person effort.   For an extended period of time during the year many retailers were not taking meetings to consider new products.

But the Company persevered. EnWave started the year with the strength of a $18.6 million cash cushion. We adapted. Staff levels and commensurate G&A expenses in EnWave Canada were drastically reduced. NutraDried cut back on marketing and operating expenses. Travel was essentially nixed. Person to person contact was replaced with video calls, virtual engagement tools and significantly more phone time. Our website information and instruction libraries were enhanced substantially. Everybody in our organization took on the new way of business. We ended the fiscal year with a $14.7 million cash position. As of the date of this release, the Company has just over $18 million in cash to support the Company’s pursuit of meaningful growth in 2021. Our strategies have shifted away from preservation and we have returned to aggressively pursuing growth.

Key Financial Highlights for Q4 2020 (expressed in ‘000s):

  • Revenue was $10,784 in Q4 2020 compared to $5,998 in Q3 2020, an increase of $4,786 or 80%. EnWave Canada had revenue of $1,601 in Q4 2020 compared to $1,609 in Q3 2020. NutraDried had revenue of $9,183 in Q4 2020 compared to $4,389 in Q3 2020. In Q4 2020, NutraDried had a national promotion for Moon Cheese® in all U.S. regions of Costco.
  • Revenues of $10,784 in Q4 2020 were lower than in Q4 2019 of $16,188 by $5,404. The decrease to revenues during this period is primarily attributed to higher discounts on NutraDried product shipped to Costco for the national promotions in both respective periods as well as fewer large-scale machines under fabrication for cannabis companies.
  • Gross margin was 20% for Q4 2020 compared to 26% for Q3 2020 and 28% for Q4 2019. The lower gross margin in Q4 2020 reflects higher discounts from NutraDried for the Costco promotion as well the impact of fixed manufacturing overhead over lower revenue base. Management expects margins to improve in future quarters as the discount offered on the national Costco promotion was for a singular event. The Company intends to benefit in the future from being able to deliver more revenue without proportionally increasing its fixed manufacturing overhead costs.
  • SG&A and R&D expenses were $2,798 for Q4 2020 compared to $4,005 for Q4 2019, a reduction of $1,207 or 30%. In April 2020, the Company implemented significant cost containment measures implemented in response to the current global pandemic. The Company successfully reduced quarterly spending more than its previously announced target of $1.0 million, while maintaining core capabilities and investing in areas to deliver revenue growth over the near and long-term.
  • Adjusted EBITDA(*) was positive $20 in Q4 2020 compared to negative $1,034 in Q3 2020 and positive $864 in Q4 2019. The Company has reduced expenses in several areas while maintaining strategic investments in sales and marketing capabilities with the goal of reaching sustained positive cash flows.
  • Maintained a strong balance sheet with a working capital surplus of $24,168 and cash balance of $14,712. Our cash position was largely unchanged from Q3 2020, a result of the cost containment strategies implemented in the second half of 2020. The Company is well positioned with a robust treasury to advance the expansion of the global deployment of Radiant Energy Vacuum (“REVTM”) technology, including the build-out of the REVworx™ toll manufacturing facility.

Key Financial Highlights for Fiscal Year 2020 (expressed in ‘000s):

  • EnWave Canada reported revenues for 2020 of $9,934 compared to $12,848 for 2019, a decrease of $2,914. EnWave Canada’s lower revenues in 2020 reflect the impacts of substantial contraction of capital spending and facility expansion within the Canadian cannabis sector, along with restrictions on international travel due to COVID-19. Revenues from machine sales were downwardly impacted by the inability for the business development team to travel internationally to drive the global adoption of REV™ technology. Despite this adversity, the Company signed ten new royalty-bearing license agreements and sold eleven 10kW machines in 2020. Further improvements are expected in fiscal 2021.
  • NutraDried reported revenues for 2020 of $22,949 compared to $29,994 for 2019, a decrease of $7,045. NutraDried’s results for 2020 were downwardly impacted by fewer product rotations at Costco, a single customer. Aside from Costco, NutraDried gained new distribution in the grocery, c-store and online channels during the year.
  • SG&A and R&D expenses were $13,928 for 2020 compared to $11,808 for 2019, an increase of $2,120. NutraDried’s spending on sales and marketing increased for the duration of 2020 in an effort to increase distribution for Moon Cheese® nationally in the U.S. For the second half of 2020, the Company took significant steps to lower SG&A costs in response to the impacts of COVID-19 and fewer product rotations at Costco. The results of Q4 2020 reflect the cost reduction measures and the Company plans to operate with cost containment measures in place into 2021, and will make further reductions if required.
  • Adjusted EBITDA(*) for 2020 was a loss of $3,219 compared to income of $3,186 for 2019, a change of $6,405. The Adjusted EBITDA(*) loss for 2020 was largely driven by the lower product rotations at Costco from NutraDried paired with higher fixed selling costs from NutraDried during the year. NutraDried’s financial plan for 2021 includes meaningful distribution growth of Moon Cheese® in retail grocery and management plans to adapt the level of fixed overhead to properly align with performance.
  • Royalty revenue for 2020 was $835 compared to $735 for 2019, an increase of $100 or 14%. The installation of several large-scale REV™ machines that were sold in 2019 was delayed due to international travel restrictions and infrastructure delays at our partner’s facilities. The installed royalty-base of machinery will be increase with large-scale installations planned in the near-term for Aurora (120kW), Fresh Business (100kW), and Pitalia (100kW).
  • The consolidated net loss for 2020 was $4,441 compared to $1,986 for 2019, an increase of $2,455. In addition to measures taken by the Company to reduce costs for Q3 and Q4 2020, the Company received $1,619 in government assistance from the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program and the U.S. Paycheck Protection Program.

Significant Corporate Accomplishments in Q4 2020:

Significant accomplishments made during Q4 2020 include:

  • Sold a 10kW machine to Intakt Snacks, which doubles their royalty-bearing manufacturing capacity for cheese snacks in Chile. The increased capacity was necessary after Intakt Snacks secured meaningful new distribution for its products in both the U.S. and South American markets.
  • Sold a 10kW machine to Metamount Schweiz AG for the commercial drying of medical hemp for cannabidiol extraction in Switzerland.
  • Signed an exclusive royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with Dairy Concepts IRL (“DCI”), a leader in innovative dairy snacks. DCI has rights to use REV™ technology in Ireland and the United Kingdom and is paying EnWave fees to retain exclusivity until it purchases large-scale machinery in 2021.
  • Signed an exclusive royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with Orto Al Sole Di Gandini Claudio (“Orto Al Sole”), a family-owned Italian fruits and vegetable producer. Orto Al Sole purchased a 10kW machine to initiate commercial production of premium dried fruit and vegetable snack products for the European market.
  • Entered three new technology evaluation agreements with major food companies interested in developing new products using REV™ technology. Under the technology evaluation period the future prospective licensees will rent pilot-scale machinery for internal product development work.
  • Obtained a Health Canada cannabis research license for the Company’s pilot plant facility and completed the build-out of a cannabis R&D lab to conduct in-house testing. With an in-house Health Canada licensed facility EnWave is better positioned to conduct demonstration trials as well as collect data to assist with our cannabis sales strategy.
  • Executed a month-long national promotion for Moon Cheese® at Costco in the U.S. and had the product on-shelf in all U.S. regions under a promotional discount. The majority of product for this promotion shipped in September 2020 and reported in Q4 2020, with a smaller portion shipped in October 2020 that will be reported in Q1 2021. The major shipment liquidated a substantial portion of NutraDried’s inventory, improving the balance sheet and cash position of the Company.
  • Commissioned three 10kW machines for companies internationally, including two remotely. EnWave developed a remote installation and training program for 10kW machines in response to international travel restrictions due to COVID-19 and intends to complete additional remote installations to expedite the start-up of new 10kW machinery.

Significant accomplishments made after Q4 to the date of this release include:

  • Secured a purchase order for a 100kW REV™ machine from Patatas Fritas Torres (“Torres”), a royalty partner of the Company producing cheese snack products in Spain. The purchase of the 100kW machine marks the scale-up of another global dairy partner for the large-scale production of cheese snacks.
  • Signed an exclusive royalty-bearing license agreement with NuWave Foods, Inc (“NuWave”), a Canadian company focused on commercializing innovative shelf-stable donut and bakery products. NuWave has made a non-refundable deposit to secure 70kW of REV™ machinery for its facility in Edmonton. The Company aims to confirm the purchase order for this machinery early in 2021.
  • Signed an exclusive royalty bearing license with Nippon Trends Food Service, Inc. (“Nippon Trends”) for the use of EnWave’s dehydration technology for the commercial production of ready-to-eat ramen noodle products. Nippon Trends purchased a 10kW REV™ machine to initiate commercial production in Canada.
  • Confirmed the first royalty-bearing commercial license agreement for cannabis dehydration in the United States with HHC Holdings, LLC d.b.a. GentleDry Technologies. GentleDry Technologies will initiate commercial production with a 10kW REV™ machine.
  • Advanced the joint development agreement with GEA Lyophil GmbH (“GEA”) for the development and scale-up of GMP-pharma machinery for the global pharmaceutical industry. GEA has purchased a lab-scale REV machine for installation at its pilot facility in Hürth, Germany, and plans to utilize the machine to showcase the capabilities of microwave-assisted lyophilization technology to prospective target customers.
  • Shipped the first of two 120kW machines to Aurora Cannabis Inc. (“Aurora”) for installation in early 2021 at its facilities in Alberta.
  • Made significant progress in December toward the installation and start-up of two additional large-scale REV™ machines for royalty-bearing processing in Costa Rica and Peru.
  • Completed the remote commissioning of three additional 10kW machines for royalty partners internationally.
  • Obtained TSX Venture Exchange approval for a Normal Course Issuer Bid (“NCIB”) for the Company to acquire up-to 10,918,104 common shares, representing 10% of the public float.

Conference Call

The Company has scheduled a conference call to discuss the results for its fiscal year, fourth quarter ended September 30, 2020 and fiscal 2021 outlook Monday, December 21st, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time). Brent Charleton, Chief Executive Officer, John Budreski, Executive Chairman and Dan Henriques, Chief Financial Officer will host the call and a question and answer period.

Date: December 21, 2020
Time: 7:00am PST / 10:00am EST
Participant Access: 1-877-407-2988 (toll free number)
Webcast: https://78449.themediaframe.com/dataconf/productusers/enw/mediaframe/42117/indexl.html


(*)

Non-IFRS Financial Measures:

Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under IFRS. We define Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before deducting amortization and depreciation, stock-based compensation, foreign exchange gain or loss, finance expense or income, income tax expense or recovery, and non-recurring impairment, restructuring and severance charges and government assistance. This measure is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies and should not be construed as an alternative to net income or cash flow from operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS. Please refer to the discussion included in the Company’s annual MD&A for year-ended September 30, 2020.

About EnWave

EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed a Radiant Energy Vacuum (“REV™”) – an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patented methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV™ technology, shortening the time from harvest to marketable cannabis products.

REV™ technology’s commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors, including legal cannabis. EnWave’s strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with innovative, disruptive companies in multiple verticals for the use of REV™ technology. The company has signed over forty royalty-bearing licenses to date spanning twenty countries and five continents. In addition to these licenses, EnWave established a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to manufacture, market and sell all-natural dairy snack products in the United States, including the Moon Cheese® brand.

EnWave has introduced REV™ as a disruptive dehydration platform in the food and cannabis sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently offers two distinct commercial REV™ platforms:

  1. nutraREV® which is a drum-based system that dehydrates organic materials quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; and,
  2. quantaREV® which is a tray-based system used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying.

EnWave is also active in the pharmaceutical industry through a joint development agreement with GEA Lyophil, a leader in GMP drying machinery.

More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net.

EnWave Corporation

Mr. Brent Charleton, CFA
President and CEO

For further information:

Brent Charleton, CFA , President and CEO at +1 (778) 378-9616
E-mail: [email protected]       

Dan Henriques, CA, CPA, Chief Financial Officer at +1 (604) 835-5212
E-mail: [email protected]

Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management’s expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company’s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing are forward-looking statements. All third party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

 



ODU’S STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH REPORT: COVID-19 DEFINED LIFE IN VIRGINIA IN 2020, AND ITS IMPACT WILL PERSIST FOR YEARS

Norfolk, VA, Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Twelve months ago, Old Dominion University’s State of the Commonwealth Report predicted a sixth straight year of economic growth, low unemployment and rising incomes. Well down the list of threats was news of a troubling respiratory virus emerging in China.

The march of that virus into the global COVID-19 pandemic means that the 2020 State of the Commonwealth Report has taken a different tone. The introduction to the sixth annual report included this line: “We now live in a world where our temperatures are checked, questions about our health are asked and exposure to the coronavirus means, at a minimum, a two-week quarantine.”

The 142-page report was released online on Sunday by the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. Its overwhelming focus is on the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected how Virginians live and work,” said Robert M. McNab, professor of economics and Dragas Center director. “While Virginia has, comparatively, fared better than many other states, unemployment is higher, food security is lower and Virginians are left to ponder the question of when life will return to some semblance of normality.”

The pandemic brought to an end 11 straight quarters of economic growth, from the second quarter of 2017 to the fourth quarter of 2019, the report noted. Real GDP contracted by 27% in the second quarter of 2020, ensuring that this year will see negative economic growth. The pace of recovery in 2021 depends in part on how quickly recently approved vaccines can be deployed across the country. “A troubled presidential transition has not eased uncertainty,” the report said.

The pandemic’s impact would be still challenging if it was evenly felt. However, the effect has disproportionately hit minority communities, particularly African Americans.

According to death certificate data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans accounted for 27% of COVID-19 deaths in Virginia through Nov. 28 despite making up only 19% of the population in 2019. The State of the Commonwealth notes that African Americans comprised more than 39% of continuing claims for unemployment insurance in October, more than two times higher than their share of the population. “If anything, the pandemic has thrown the fractures of our society into sharp relief,” McNab said.

Other chapters in the State of the Commonwealth Report include:

The Way We Were: 2010-2019 – A look back at the previous 10 years to seek clues for how Virginia can position itself for a strong recovery from the COVID-19-induced recession.

Feeding Virginia – An examination of hunger in the commonwealth, and a suggestion that the 1 in 10 citizens who are food insecure face a host of challenges, which in turn affect issues like learning outcomes and workplace productivity.

Youth Mental Health in Virginia – The past decade has seen a swelling in the numbers of young Virginians reporting being anxious or depressed. With the pandemic and its accompanying lockdowns, that number is poised to soar, which can cause an array of societal problems.

Virginia’s Opioid Epidemic Continues – The report revisits its 2017 chapter on opioid addiction in the state, exploring whether the COVID-19 pandemic is making it worse.

For six years, the Dragas Center has produced the State of the Commonwealth Report, a multi-faceted, data-driven examination of issues of importance to Virginians. The statewide report is a companion to the annual State of the Region Report, founded in 2000 by former Old Dominion University President James V. Koch. A downloadable copy of this year’s State of the Commonwealth or any of the Dragas Center’s reports are available at http://www.ceapodu.com/.

###

ABOUT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY: 

Old Dominion University is Virginia’s entrepreneurial-minded doctoral research university with more than 24,000 students, rigorous academics, an energetic residential community and initiatives that contribute $2.6 billion annually to the Commonwealth’s economy

Attachment



Joe Garvey
Old Dominion University
757-683-6479
[email protected]

New Publication in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics Highlights Data from Preclinical Development of exoIL-12™ for the Treatment of Cancer

– exoIL-12 has demonstrated tissue-retained pharmacology, enhanced anti-tumor activity, potent M1 myeloid recruitment, and superior T cell responses in vivo –

– Novel engineered exosome therapeutic candidate currently in Phase 1 clinical trial with data from healthy volunteers expected at year end –

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Codiak BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDAK), a clinical-stage company focused on pioneering the development of exosome-based therapeutics as a new class of medicines, today announced the online publication of a new manuscript, Exosome surface display of IL-12 results in tumor-retained pharmacology with superior potency and limited systemic exposure compared to recombinant IL-12, in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. exoIL-12 is a novel engineered exosome therapeutic candidate currently being investigated in a Phase 1 clinical trial as a single agent for the treatment of early-stage cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) and potentially other cancers. This publication details the findings from the preclinical development program and highlights the potential of exoIL-12 to inhibit tumor growth by facilitating potent local pharmacology, precisely quantified doses, undetectable systemic exposure, and the robust generation of systemic anti-tumor immunity superior to recombinant IL-12 (rIL-12).  

“We believe exoIL-12 represents a potentially first-in-class approach for a number of cancers that have previously shown clinical responses to IL-12, a potent anti-tumor cytokine for which prior development has been limited due to unwanted systemic exposure and related toxicity,” said Sriram Sathyanarayanan, PhD, Senior Vice President, Preclinical Research, Codiak. “This publication profiles the strength of the preclinical results that supported the advancement of exoIL-12 into the clinic and provides preclinical evidence that we can leverage the inherent biology of exosomes as delivery vehicles and potentially widen the therapeutic window of this potent cytokine.”

exoIL-12 is the first engineered exosome therapeutic candidate to be evaluated in humans and one of two Codiak programs currently in clinical development. exoIL-12 was engineered using the company’s proprietary engEx™ Platform and designed to display IL-12 on the exosome surface using the exosomal protein, PTGFRN, as a scaffold, the capability of which was identified by Codiak scientists.

Data from the Phase 1 single-ascending dose trial of exoIL-12 in healthy volunteers are expected by the end of 2020, including safety, tolerability, and systemic IL-12 exposure. The trial, which consists of two parts, is designed to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of exoIL-12 first in healthy volunteers, followed by repeat dose exoIL-12 in patients with stage IA-IIB CTCL. Patients with CTCL will be monitored for safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamic effects in blood and tumor biopsies, and local and systemic anti-tumor efficacy using validated CTCL assessment criteria. Safety, biomarker and preliminary efficacy results from CTCL patients are anticipated in mid-2021.

About exoIL-12™

exoIL-12 is Codiak’s exosome therapeutic candidate engineered to display fully active IL-12 on the surface of the exosome, using the exosomal protein, PTGFRN, as a scaffold protein, and designed to facilitate potent local pharmacology at the injection site with precisely quantified doses. By limiting systemic exposure of IL-12 and associated toxicity, Codiak hopes to enhance the therapeutic index with exoIL-12, delivering a more robust tumor response, dose control and an improved safety profile.

Codiak intends to focus development of exoIL-12 on tumors that have, in previous clinical testing, shown clinical responses to IL-12 used as a monotherapy. This includes cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, Kaposi sarcoma, glioblastoma multiforme and triple negative breast cancer.

About the engEx™ Platform

Codiak’s proprietary engEx Platform is designed to enable the development of engineered exosome therapeutics for a wide spectrum of diseases and to manufacture them reproducibly and at scale to pharmaceutical standards. By leveraging the inherent biology, function and tolerability profile of exosomes, Codiak is developing engEx exosomes designed to carry and protect potent drug molecules, provide selective delivery and elicit the desired pharmacology at the desired tissue and cellular sites. Through its engEx Platform, Codiak seeks to direct tropism and distribution by engineering exosomes to carry on their surface specific targeting drug moieties, such as proteins, antibodies/fragments, and peptides, individually or in combination. Codiak scientists have identified two exosomal proteins that serve as surface and luminal scaffolds. By engineering the exosome surface or lumen and optimizing the route of administration, Codiak aims to deliver engEx exosomes to the desired cell and tissue to more selectively engage the drug target, potentially enhancing the therapeutic index by improving potency and reducing toxicity.

About Codiak BioSciences

Codiak is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on pioneering the development of exosome-based therapeutics, a new class of medicines with the potential to transform the treatment of a wide spectrum of diseases with high unmet medical need. By leveraging the biology of exosomes as natural intercellular transfer mechanisms, Codiak has developed its proprietary engEx Platform to expand upon the innate properties of exosomes to design, engineer and manufacture novel exosome therapeutic candidates. Codiak has utilized its engEx Platform to generate a deep pipeline of engineered exosomes aimed at treating a broad range of diseases, spanning oncology, neuro-oncology, neurology, neuromuscular disease and infectious disease. For more information, visit http://www.codiakbio.com and follow @CodiakBio.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among other things, statements concerning the development and therapeutic potential of exoSTING and exoIL-12, including timing of release of data, and statements regarding the capabilities and potential of Codiak’s engEx Platform and engineered exosomes generally. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause our actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Codiak’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, and in subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties and other important factors in Codiak’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is current as of the date of this report, and Codiak undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law. 

Investor Contact

Christopher Taylor
VP, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
T: 617-949-4220
E: investor@codiakbio.com

Media Contact

Lindy Devereux
Scient PR
T: 646-515-5730
E: [email protected]

 



HMS to be Acquired by Veritas Capital-Backed Gainwell for $37.00 Per Share

Transaction Expands Gainwell’s Capabilities as an Analytics-Driven Healthcare Technology Provider

            Cotiviti to Subsequently Acquire Certain Business Lines, Expanding Health Plan Solutions

            All-Cash Transaction Values HMS at Approximately $3.4 Billion

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HMS (Nasdaq: HMSY) (“HMS”), an industry-leading technology, analytics and engagement solutions provider helping organizations reduce costs and improve health outcomes, and Veritas Capital (“Veritas”)-backed Gainwell Technologies (“Gainwell”), a leading provider of solutions that are vital to the administration and operations of health and human services programs, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Gainwell will acquire HMS. Under the terms of the agreement, HMS shareholders will receive $37.00 in cash per share. The per share purchase price represents a 52% premium to HMS’ unaffected share price as of October 2, 2020, the last trading day prior to when reports of a possible transaction were published, and a 17% premium over the 30-day volume-weighted average price per share of HMS’ common stock through the close of trading on December 18, 2020, the last trading day before the announcement of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021.

Veritas will look to optimize the HMS solution set across Gainwell and Veritas-backed Cotiviti, Inc. (“Cotiviti”), a leading provider of data-driven healthcare solutions. Gainwell will acquire the HMS capabilities focused on the Medicaid market, including solutions delivered to states and managed care organizations, and Cotiviti will acquire the HMS capabilities focused on the commercial, Medicare, and federal markets. The addition of the HMS business lines will further expand Gainwell’s and Cotiviti’s capabilities with unique, data-driven technology and service solutions expected to drive greater impact in the healthcare market. Clients will be offered a broad range of complementary, scalable and flexible solutions that improve outcomes and quality as well as reduce waste and inefficiencies through technological innovation, service excellence and unparalleled industry expertise.

“HMS has built a market-leading healthcare technology and analytics enterprise, and we believe this transaction delivers compelling and certain value to our shareholders while enhancing our ability to provide clients with world-class, data-driven analytics solutions,” said Bill Lucia, Chairman and CEO of HMS. “Our board of directors and executive leadership team conducted a thorough review of a wide range of strategic alternatives and, after careful consideration, we determined this outcome to be the best path forward for our shareholders, clients and employees.”

Ramzi Musallam, CEO and Managing Partner of Veritas, a leading investor in government and healthcare technology businesses, said, “HMS has developed a highly differentiated set of capabilities that deliver tangible value across the government and commercial healthcare payer spectrum. By aligning HMS’ market focus with Gainwell and Cotiviti, these organizations can become even more strategically aligned to their customers’ missions. We look forward to working closely with the talented teams at HMS, Gainwell and Cotiviti to ensure successful combinations while advancing the collective goal of reducing costs and improving health outcomes nationwide.”

Paul Saleh, President and CEO of Gainwell, said, “We are thrilled to bring together two exceptional heritages in the healthcare technology marketplace. Through this partnership, our continuum of capabilities will enable us to deliver more value to our clients as we work together to bend the healthcare cost curve and improve outcomes. With the support and strategic guidance of Veritas, we look forward to bringing together our teams, technologies and solutions to continue to innovate for our clients.”

Emad Rizk, President and CEO of Cotiviti, said, “HMS’ capabilities are highly complementary to Cotiviti’s product portfolio. We are excited to broaden our impact by reaching more customers and introducing new technologies to the marketplace. Together, our commitment to helping organizations better assess, manage, and improve clinical and financial outcomes is more compelling than ever.”

Transaction Details

The transaction will result in an enterprise value for HMS of approximately $3.4 billion. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by HMS’ Board of Directors, is expected to close in the first half of 2021. The closing of the transaction is subject to the approval of HMS shareholders and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals.

Advisors

Barclays is acting as financial advisor to HMS, and Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as legal advisor to HMS.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Gainwell, and Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP is serving as legal advisor to Gainwell.

About HMS

HMS advances healthcare by helping organizations reduce costs and improve health outcomes. Through our industry-leading technology, analytics and engagement solutions, we save billions of dollars annually while helping consumers lead healthier lives. HMS provides a broad range of payment accuracy and population health management solutions that help move healthcare forward. For more information, visit www.hms.com.

About Gainwell Technologies

With over 7,500 employees, Gainwell Technologies supports clients across 42 U.S. states and territories with offerings including Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS), fiscal agent services, program integrity, care management, immunization registry and eligibility services. With over 50 years of proven experience, Gainwell carries forward a reputation for technological innovation, service excellence and unparalleled industry expertise in offering clients scalable and flexible health and human services solutions for their most complex challenges. For more information, visit www.gainwelltechnologies.com.

About Cotiviti

Cotiviti is a leading solutions and analytics company that is reshaping the economics of healthcare, helping its clients uncover new opportunities to unlock value. Cotiviti’s solutions are a critical foundation for healthcare payers in their mission to lower healthcare costs and improve quality through higher performing payment accuracy, quality improvement, risk adjustment, and network performance management programs. Cotiviti’s healthcare solutions are powered by Caspian Insights, a proprietary data and analytics platform spanning thousands of unique member and provider data types across financial and clinical domains, representing the most comprehensive longitudinal data set in healthcare. The company also supports the retail industry with data management and recovery audit services that improve business outcomes. For more information, visit www.cotiviti.com.

About Veritas Capital

Veritas is a leading private investment firm that invests in companies that provide critical products and services, primarily technology and technology-enabled solutions, to government and commercial customers worldwide, including those operating in the healthcare, national security, software, education, aerospace & defense, government services, communications and energy industries. Veritas seeks to create value by strategically transforming the companies in which it invests through organic and inorganic means. For more information, visit www.veritascapital.com.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed merger, HMS plans to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and mail or otherwise provide to its stockholders a proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction. HMS may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. This document is not a substitute for the proxy statement or any other document that may be filed by HMS with the SEC. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, HMS’ STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED BY HMS WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE THEREIN BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND THE PARTIES TO THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and stockholders may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement and other documents HMS files with the SEC (when available) through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. HMS makes available free of charge at www.HMS.com (in the “Investors” section), copies of materials it files with, or furnishes to, the SEC.

Participants in the Solicitation

This document does not constitute a solicitation of proxy, an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. HMS and its directors, executive officers and certain employees and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from HMS’ stockholders in connection with the proposed merger. Security holders may obtain information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of HMS’ directors and officers in HMS’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, which was filed with the SEC on February 24, 2020 and its definitive proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 30, 2020. To the extent the holdings of HMS securities by HMS’ directors and executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in HMS’ proxy statement for its 2020 annual meeting of stockholders, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of such individuals in the proposed merger will be included in the proxy statement relating to the proposed merger when it is filed with the SEC. These documents (when available) may be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and HMS’ website at www.HMS.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains certain information, including statements as to, among other things, the expected timing, completion and effects of the proposed merger, which may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements relate to our current expectations, projections and assumptions about our business, the economy and future events or conditions. They do not relate strictly to historical or current facts.   All statements other than statements of historical fact or relating to present facts or current conditions included in this communication are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “future,” “may,” “plans,” “will,” and similar references, although some forward-looking statements may be expressed differently. Factors or events that could cause actual results to differ may emerge from time to time and are difficult to predict. Should known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results may differ materially from past results and those anticipated, estimated or projected. We caution you not to place undue reliance upon any of these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences, include, but are not limited to: our ability to execute our business plans or growth strategy; our ability to innovate, develop or implement new or enhanced solutions or services; the nature of investment and acquisition opportunities we are pursuing, and the successful execution of such investments and acquisitions; our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and realize synergies; and other factors, risks and uncertainties described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by law, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The forward-looking statements contained in this communication, including without limitation statements regarding anticipated benefits and effects of the proposed merger, are based on assumptions that HMS has made in light of its industry experience and its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors that HMS believes are appropriate under the circumstances. These statements are not guarantees of performance or results. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual results may differ materially from past results and from those indicated by such forward-looking statements if known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove inaccurate. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: the inability to consummate the proposed merger within the anticipated time period, or at all, due to any reason, including the failure to obtain required regulatory approvals or the failure to satisfy the other conditions to the consummation of the proposed merger; the failure by Gainwell to obtain the necessary financing arrangements set forth in the commitment letters received in connection with the proposed merger; the risk that the proposed merger may be terminated in circumstances requiring HMS to pay a termination fee; the risk that the proposed merger disrupts HMS’s current plans and operations or diverts management’s attention from its ongoing business; the effect of the announcement of the proposed merger on the ability of HMS to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and others with whom it does business; the effect of the announcement of the proposed merger on HMS’s operating results and business generally; the amount of costs, fees and expenses related to the proposed merger; the risk that HMS’s stock price may decline significantly if the proposed merger is not consummated; the nature, cost and outcome of any litigation and other legal proceedings, including any such proceedings related to the proposed merger and instituted against HMS and others; the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and the responses to the pandemic, and their effects on our business and operations, including those of our customers and partners, and general economic, business and market conditions; our ability to execute our business plans or growth strategy; our ability to innovate, develop or implement new or enhanced solutions or services; the nature of acquisition, investment, strategic relationship and divestiture opportunities we are pursuing, and our ability to successfully execute on such opportunities; our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and operations and realize synergies; significant and increased competition related to our solutions and services; variations in our results of operations; our ability to accurately forecast the revenue under our contracts and solutions; our ability to protect our systems from damage, interruption or breach, and to maintain effective information and technology systems and networks, including during a catastrophic or extraordinary event, such as COVID-19; our ability to protect our intellectual property rights, proprietary technology, information processes and know-how; our failure to maintain a high level of customer retention or the unexpected reduction in scope or termination of key contracts with major customers; customer dissatisfaction or our non-compliance with contractual provisions or regulatory requirements; our failure to meet performance standards triggering significant costs or liabilities under our contracts; our inability to manage our relationships with data sources and suppliers; our reliance on subcontractors and other third party providers and parties to perform services; our ability to secure future contracts and favorable contract terms through the competitive bidding process; pending or threatened litigation; unfavorable outcomes in legal proceedings; our success in attracting and retaining qualified employees and members of our management team; our ability to generate sufficient cash to cover our interest and principal payments under our credit facility; changes in tax laws, regulations or guidance and unexpected changes in our effective tax rate; unanticipated increases in the number or amount of claims for which we are self-insured; accounting changes or revisions; risks relating to our international operations, including political, regulatory, economic, foreign exchange, tax compliance and other risks; changes in the healthcare environment or healthcare financing system, including regulatory, budgetary or political actions that affect healthcare spending or the practices and operations of healthcare organizations; our failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations governing individual privacy and information security, domestically and internationally, or to protect such information from theft and misuse; our ability to comply with current and future legal and regulatory requirements; negative results of government or customer reviews, audits or investigations; state or federal limitations related to outsourcing of certain government programs or functions; restrictions on bidding or performing certain work due to perceived conflicts of interests; the market price of our common stock and lack of dividend payments; anti-takeover provisions in our corporate governance documents; and the other important factors discussed under the headings “Business,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” of our 2020 Form 10-K, and in other documents we file with the SEC.

Any forward-looking statements made by HMS in this communication speak only as of the date on which they are made. HMS undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Contacts  
   

HMS
 
   
Investors: Media:
Robert Borchert Lacey Hautzinger
SVP, Investor Relations Sr. Director, External Communications
[email protected] [email protected]
469-284-2140 469-284-7240
   

Gainwell, Cotiviti and Veritas Capital
 
Andrew Cole/Julie Rudnick/Julie Casale  
Sard Verbinnen & Co  
[email protected]  



180 Degree Capital Corp. Announces the Initiation of Repurchases under Its $2.5 Million Stock Buyback Program, a 1-for-3 Reverse Stock Split, and Q4 2020 Updates

MONTCLAIR, N.J., Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 180 Degree Capital Corp. (NASDAQ:TURN) (“180” and the “Company”), today announced that it plans to begin share repurchases under its $2.5 million stock buyback program, that it will be initiating a 1-for-3 reverse stock split effective on January 4, 2021, and provided additional Q4 2020 updates. Each of these topics are discussed in more detail below in the following letter to shareholders.

Fellow 180 Shareholders,

I now know what it is like to live the life of a dog; in that every dog year lived is equivalent to seven years lived for human beings. 2020 has definitely felt like more than one year; it has actually felt like a decade. This year has been a trying one for many as a global pandemic claimed over 320,000 lives in the United States. To put that into horrific perspective, that is the equivalent of having a 9/11 terrorist attack, where over 3,000 lives were lost, every day for 107 straight days. I sympathize with anyone, who, because of the pandemic, has had to endure a loss of a loved one. I equally sympathize with those that suffered from economic hardship as a result of the fallout from the events of this year. For those that have sought to minimize the effects of the pandemic, I question their sanity, their belief in facts and science, and their overall motives. Thankfully, vaccines are here and are being distributed. We are now near the end of what has been a year to forget as far as I’m concerned. Over the years, I have had so many wonderful conversations with 180 shareholders and I truly hope all of our shareholders are safe and well.

As we exit the year, we are going to be instituting two actions for 180 shareholders. First, effective January 4, 2021, we will be initiating a 1-for-3 reverse stock split. Second, we will begin share repurchases under our $2.5 million stock buyback program, particularly in the event that our share price responds in the opposite way to what is intended by this announcement of the reverse stock split. I think almost everyone who has followed us over the last four years knows that we are fully transparent with all that we are doing in our effort to create value for our shareholders. As such, we wanted to discuss each of these steps in more detail with you.

First things first, the reverse stock split. By definition, a stock price split has no inherent effect on a company’s enterprise value. The market capitalization of 180 after the split should have exactly the same value as it does before the split. If I was cooking and the recipe called for a stick of butter, would it make a difference if I added a whole stick or two halves? No. You would have exactly the same amount of butter. But in the three-dimensional psychological analysis world of stock splits, to some, reverse stock splits are perceived to be a “bad” thing, while the popular 2-for-1 (or whatever the ratio is) stock splits are perceived to be a “good” thing. It is true that some reverse stock splits are enacted from low quality companies whose price per share is below $1. These companies face delisting from stock exchanges that have minimum share price rules. Well, that’s obviously not 180. As of the close of business December 18, 2020, we have grown our cash and securities of publicly traded companies to nearly $58 million or $1.86/share. That is up from $17 million net of outstanding debt, or $0.55/share, in mid-2016. Over our history we have carved out a name for ourselves for our unique strategy in the asset class we invest in. 180 has a remade balance sheet, a healthy business model, and hopefully you agree, both a short and long term shareholder friendly view of value creation. We have heard from a number of shareholders that a higher priced stock would attract more attention from both the institutional and retail world of investors. Many institutions require a company’s stock price to be above $3/share, or even $5/share before they even consider investing in the company. Many of our shareholders have asked us to do the reverse stock split to make us more attractive to a more diverse set of shareholders. That is it. There is nothing more complicated about why we sought and obtained shareholder approval for the reverse stock split at our 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. There is no bad news here and there is no ulterior motive! As a matter of fact, while there are still a couple weeks left in the year, we currently believe we will grow our net asset value per share (“NAV”) once again in Q4 2020.

Now, for those that maintain some sort of negative view on a reverse stock split, while I will never agree with your view based on math, I do not live under a rock as it relates to understanding the perception issue related to them. Should unexpected weaknesses arise, we will use the opportunity to repurchase our stock under our Board-authorized $2.5 million share repurchase program. Since our shareholder call in November, we have continued to grow our net asset value through our public investment strategy. While there are still a couple weeks left in 2020, we currently estimate that our NAV will be back above $3.00 by December 31, 2020. Within this estimated NAV, cash and securities of publicly traded companies account for approximately $1.86/share, or approximately $58 million, as of December 18, 2020. This amount of cash and securities of publicly traded companies does not include the carried interest on our separately managed account that we currently estimate will be more than $2 million. Our closing stock price as of December 18, 2020, was $1.91, which suggests investors are ascribing virtually zero value to our private portfolio holdings. To be blunt, I find our public market valuation to be absurd. I have consistently stated that over the last year as our management team has personally reached into our pockets and bought TURN in the open market. Today’s accretive share repurchase is the next step towards the goal of creating value for our shareholders.

This repurchase says nothing about our belief in our ability to create value from our strategy. This has everything to do with our own stock price. This management team has bought over 5% of the Company with its own after-tax dollars in the last four years. We have completely transformed our business with competitive public market stock picking performance. We have grown our cash and securities of publicly traded companies by over $40 million since I joined 180’s Board. Our NAV is currently expected to climb to above $3.00 by year end. And for all that, the market believes our business is worth $1.91? We do not. As such, we will be aggressive in our share repurchases.

If anyone wants to discuss any of these announcements, you know where to find us and I will look forward to that call. On behalf of all of 180, I hope everyone has a happy holiday season, and we look forward to talking to you in 2021.

Best Regards,

Kevin M. Rendino
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

About 180 Degree Capital Corp.

180 Degree Capital Corp. is a publicly traded registered closed-end fund focused on investing in and providing value-added assistance through constructive activism to what we believe are substantially undervalued small, publicly traded companies that have potential for significant turnarounds. Our goal is that the result of our constructive activism leads to a reversal in direction for the share price of these investee companies, i.e., a 180-degree turn. Detailed information about 180 and its holdings can be found on its website at www.180degreecapital.com.

Press Contact:
Daniel B. Wolfe
180 Degree Capital Corp.
973-746-4500

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. These statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs, and a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in this press release. Please see the Company’s securities filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business and other significant factors that could affect the Company’s actual results. Except as otherwise required by Federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events or uncertainties. The reference and link to the website www.180degreecapital.com has been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such website is not incorporated by reference into this press release. 180 is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites.



Turning the tide at Wallace Bay

DUC’s salt marsh restoration at Wallace Bay will help combat coastal erosion and beat back climate change

Halifax, N.S., Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has completed the work that began this summer to restore a wetland site in the Wallace Bay National Wildlife Area back to its original saltwater state.

Administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service, the Wallace Bay National Wildlife Area consists of more than 580 hectares of marshes, fields, and forests. Developed in the 1970s, DUC partnered with the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) to create managed wetlands that became home to species like the ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, and American black duck. At Wallace Bay, biodiversity has flourished here for 50 years, with DUC and CWS working together to monitor habitat conditions, adjust water levels and maintain the infrastructure.

Over time, with sea levels rising, one of the segments (Wallace Bay #3) became more challenging to oversee. Tides were topping the dike, speeding up its erosion, and making it harder to maintain. The mix of saltwater and freshwater in the ecosystem wasn’t as welcoming to plants and wildlife that originally called the area home. After consultation, CWS and DUC decided the best thing to do was restore the site to the original salt marsh.

With that end goal in mind, the DUC team got to work in September 2020, breaching the dike around Wallace Bay #3 and working to carefully connect the tidal channels together again.

With the tide now flowing, salt water is pouring back into the marsh, revealing mud flats and letting the seeds of salt grasses buried deep in the soil pop back to life. Most changes will happen incrementally, so DUC has partnered with the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq (CMM) to monitor both the Wallace Bay site and a control salt marsh, located just a kilometre away, for at least three years. CMM is hoping to see a resurgence of sweetgrass, a common salt marsh plant, and one that’s particularly important to the Mi’kmaq.

Full story: https://www.ducks.ca/stories/atlantic/keeping-tidal-forces-at-bay/

Quote:


“As sediments build up, we actually see a buffer of land created in the intertidal zone from the physical forces of the marine environment.” Millett said. “Plus, the cordgrasses take in carbon to grow, and they also solidify those soils as well. From a waterfowl perspective, these tidal wetlands will be important areas for Canada geese and American black ducks during migration.”
– Lee Millett, DUC conservation program specialist, Nova Scotia

Ducks Unlimited Canada delivers wetland conservation that benefits every Canadian. We keep the water in your lakes and rivers clean. We protect your community from the effects of flood and drought. We save wildlife and special natural places. We use science to find solutions to the most important environmental issues of the day and we collaborate with people who are helping create a healthier world. The wetlands we save aren’t just for ducks; they’re for all of us.

Attachments



Lee Millett
Ducks Unlimited Canada
902-667-2227
[email protected]

Progress and Ingram Micro Strengthen Alliance to Bring IT Management to Iberia

Partners and Resellers in Iberia Now Have Full Availability of Progress MOVEit and WhatsUp Gold IT Management Solutions through Ingram Micro

BEDFORD, Mass., Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Progress (NASDAQ: PRGS), the leading provider of products to develop, deploy and manage high-impact business applications, has again expanded its partnership agreement with Ingram Micro, one of the largest technology solution enablers, into the Iberian Peninsula, including Spain and Portugal. Last year, Ingram grew its partnership with Progress into the UK and the Middle East. Channel partners and resellers in Iberia now have increased access to Progress® MOVEit® and Progress® WS_FTP® for secure file transfer as well as Progress® WhatsUp® Gold for network monitoring through Ingram Micro.

“Ingram Micro delivers a broad and deep spectrum of technology and services to businesses around the world,” said Gary Quinn, SVP, Worldwide Sales Core Products, Progress. “Our partnership continues to grow because together we enable customers to operate more efficiently and effectively–something that all businesses are looking to do.”

The Progress portfolio, now offered through Ingram Micro, includes:

  • MOVEit is used by thousands of organizations worldwide to provide security, compliance, traceability and control over business critical-file transfer activities. Its secure data transfer capabilities, available on-premise or in the cloud, allows enterprise customers to securely transfer critical business information between users, locations and partners in compliance with data security regulations such as HIPAA, PCI DSS and the EU’s GDPR.

  • WhatsUp Gold is a unified, powerful and easy-to-use network monitoring solution that helps IT staff proactively find and fix problems fast while providing outstanding value in both time and cost savings. Customers have an at-a-glance dashboard and an interactive map for visibility into the status and performance of networks, servers, storage devices and applications across on-premises and cloud with a single network interface.

  • WS_FTP Server software provides the unique business-grade features required to assure reliable and secure transfer of critical data. WS_FTP Server software delivers flexibility to create a more efficient and customized file transfer process for specific organizational needs.

“Progress’ acquisition of Ipswitch only enhances the value of these solutions to the market,” said Robert Ballart, Senior Business Manager Value Division, Ingram Micro. “As part of a larger portfolio and with the added scale and resources available within Progress, we’re confident that our relationship will not only continue to be fruitful but will deliver increased benefit for our customers.”

While this agreement authorizes Ingram Micro to distribute the Progress IT management portfolio in Iberia, the partnership agreement may extend for increased global reach in the future.

About Ingram Micro Cloud

Ingram Micro Cloud is a division of Ingram Micro and a master cloud service provider (mCSP), offering channel partners and professionals access to a global marketplace, expertise, solutions and enablement programs that empower organizations to configure, provision and manage cloud technologies with confidence and ease. For more information on Ingram Micro, please visit https://es.ingrammicro.eu.

About Ingram Micro

Ingram Micro helps businesses Realize the Promise of Technology™. It delivers a full spectrum of global technology and supply chain services to businesses around the world. Deep expertise in technology solutions, mobility, cloud, and supply chain solutions enables its business partners to operate efficiently and successfully in the markets they serve. Unrivalled agility, deep market insights and the trust and dependability that come from decades of proven relationships, set Ingram Micro apart and ahead. More at www.ingrammicro.com.

About Progress
Progress (NASDAQ: PRGS) provides the best products to develop, deploy and manage high-impact business applications. Our comprehensive product stack is designed to make technology teams more productive and we have a deep commitment to the developer community, both open source and commercial alike. With Progress, organizations can accelerate the creation and delivery of strategic business applications, automate the process by which apps are configured, deployed and scaled, and make critical data and content more accessible and secure—leading to competitive differentiation and business success. Over 1,700 independent software vendors, 100,000+ enterprise customers, and a three-million-strong developer community rely on Progress to power their applications. Learn about Progress at www.progress.com or +1-800-477-6473. 

Progress,
MOVEit, WhatsUp,
and WS_FTP are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the US and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Press Contact:           
Kim Baker           
Progress        
+1 781-280-4000           
[email protected]



Mapi Pharma Provides Enrollment Update in Phase III GA Depot Clinical Trial

Patient recruitment in Phase III trial has surpassed 60%

Trial is expanded to Israel with first clinical site at Tel Aviv Medical Center

NESS ZIONA, Israel, Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mapi Pharma Ltd., a fully integrated, late clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that patient enrollment has surpassed 60% in the ongoing GA Depot (glatiramer acetate) Phase III trial for Relapsing forms of Multiple Sclerosis (RMS).

GA Depot is a long acting injection version of the approved Glatiramer Acetate products (Copaxone® and its generic versions) for treating multiple sclerosis (RMS), designed to be administered as an intramuscular injection once every four weeks. GA Depot is currently evaluated in a multinational Phase III clinical study and also in an international Phase II for Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS).

The on-going Phase III study is a prospective, multinational, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo controlled study designed to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of GA Depot in subjects with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS). A total of 960 subjects are randomized into two groups in this study. During the placebo-controlled portion of the Phase III, subjects receive either 40mg of GA Depot or placebo, via intramuscular injection (IM), once every 4 weeks for a total of 13 doses. Subjects who complete the initial placebo-controlled period are given the option to continue into the open label period for an additional 52 weeks, in which all subjects will receive 40mg of GA Depot IM once every 4 weeks.

As the recruitment to the study is progressing ahead of schedule, the Company is currently expanding the study into additional countries, including Israel. The first clinical site in Israel is the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.

Over 60% of the study subjects have been recruited, bringing the total number of patients dosed to over 600. The Multiple Sclerosis International Foundation (MSIF), established by MS neurologists and research experts, published guidelines on October 23, 2020, that glatiramer acetate, unlike other MS therapies, is unlikely to impact negatively on COVID-19 severity.

Ehud Marom, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mapi, said, “We very pleased with the recruitment rate into our Phase III study and our expectation now is that Last Patient In (LPI) will occur in the first half of 2021. In the first Data Monitoring Committee review no safety concerns were raised and the Committee (which acts independently) advised that the study should continue without modifications.”

The rights to GA Depot for use in RMS have been exclusively licensed to Viatris (formerly Mylan) to commercialize the product.

Rajiv Malik, President of Viatris, commented, “Viatris is uniquely positioned to increase access to healthcare and address unmet needs for patients around the world, including those living with MS. We are encouraged by the progress of this trial and in parallel continue to advance commercial operations and supply chain planning in order to bring GA Depot to market at the earliest opportunity. We look forward to expanding our MS portfolio through our strong collaboration with Mapi and increasing access to treatment for those who need it.”

About Mapi Pharma
Mapi is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company, engaged in the development of high barrier-to-entry and high added-value life cycle management (“LCM”) products that target large markets and generic drugs that include complex active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”) and formulations. The GA Depot injection, administered once every four weeks, is the first in a series of depot long-acting injections in the company’s pipeline, for the treatment of MS. The product is a LCM version of Copaxone®, which requires injections daily or every other day. Mapi Pharma partnered with Viatris (NASDAQ: VTRS, formerly Mylan) for GA Depot in an agreement under which Viatris was granted an exclusive license to commercialize the GA Depot injection product for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Mapi is built on strong chemical and pharmaceutical R&D capabilities, a deep understanding of the global market and of regulatory needs. Mapi is headquartered in Israel, with R&D facilities in Israel and China, an API production facility in the Neot-Hovav Eco Industrial Park and an aseptic manufacturing and a Fill & Finish facility for injectable Finished Dosage Forms in Jerusalem. Mapi has a strong IP position, filing numerous patent applications for APIs and formulations. Mapi Pharma was founded by Ehud Marom who serves as Chairman & CEO of Mapi Pharma and Stem Cell Medicine. For more information, please visit: www.mapi-pharma.com.

Contacts:
Alex Mogle
Vice President, Corporate Development
Mapi Pharma
+972 52 6080297
[email protected]

Bob Yedid
Managing Director
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
646-597-6979
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Huntington Ingalls Industries Delivers REMUS 100 UUVs to the German Navy

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) announced today that it delivered new REMUS 100 Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) to the German Navy. The vehicles will be used to expand the German Navy’s current fleet of REMUS 100 UUVs used for mine countermeasure (MCM) operations.

The new REMUS 100 UUVs have advanced core electronics and endurance of up to 12 hours. Built on the REMUS Technology Platform, the vehicles are open architecture and have enhanced modularity.

“We value our ongoing partnership with the German Navy and are proud to help enhance their national security capabilities,” said Duane Fotheringham, president of Technical Solutions’ Unmanned Systems business group. “Their new REMUS 100s will provide the latest technology to assist them in conducting their MCM operations.”

A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/file/remus-german-navy.

The German Navy previously acquired legacy REMUS 100 UUVs after extensive trials by the Federal Office of Defense Technology & Procurement. For the past seven years, the German Navy has been using these successfully for area search, debris field mapping, and topographic ocean floor mapping in water down to 100 meters. The UUVs are outfitted with side scan sonar, using sound to create images of the ocean floor and increasing search efficiency in low visibility areas.

HII collaborated with J. Bornhöft Industriegeräte GmbH, exclusive provider of HII’s REMUS to Germany-based customers, to deliver this technology to the German Navy. Germany is one of 12 NATO member countries, including the United States, which use REMUS UUVs.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division supports national security missions around the globe with unmanned systems, defense and federal solutions, and nuclear and environmental services. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 42,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit:

• HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com
• HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries
• HII on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hiindustries  
• HII on YouTube: www.youtube.com/huntingtoningalls
• HII on Instagram: www.instagram.com/huntingtoningalls

Statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these statements. Factors that may cause such differences include: changes in government and customer priorities and requirements (including government budgetary constraints, shifts in defense spending, and changes in customer short-range and long-range plans); our ability to estimate our future contract costs and perform our contracts effectively; changes in procurement processes and government regulations and our ability to comply with such requirements; our ability to deliver our products and services at an affordable life cycle cost and compete within our markets; natural and environmental disasters and political instability; our ability to execute our strategic plan, including with respect to share repurchases, dividends, capital expenditures and strategic acquisitions; adverse economic conditions in the United States and globally; health epidemics, pandemics and similar outbreaks, including the COVID-19 pandemic; changes in key estimates and assumptions regarding our pension and retiree health care costs; security threats, including cyber security threats, and related disruptions; and other risk factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. There may be other risks and uncertainties that we are unable to predict at this time or that we currently do not expect to have a material adverse effect on our business, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements that we may make. This release also contains non-GAAP financial measures and includes a GAAP reconciliation of these financial measures. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as being more important than comparable GAAP measures.

Contact:

Beci Brenton
[email protected]
(202) 264-7143