Market Newsdesk

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — BlackLine, Inc. (Nasdaq: BL), the leading provider of accounting and finance automation solutions, has been recognized by The Stevie International Business Awards and the CEO World Awards for the company’s commitment to helping ensure business continuity and fostering wellbeing for both customers and employees in response to and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Stevie International Business Awards (IBAs) recognized BlackLine in two categories: ‘Most Valuable Corporate Response’ and ‘Most Valuable Technical Innovation’. Known as ‘The International Stevies’, the IBAs are open to all organizations worldwide – large and small, public and private, for-profit and non-profit. The 2020 competition attracted more than 3,800 nominations from organizations in 63 nations. The newly added COVID-19 response categories recognize “outstanding efforts by organizations and individuals to keep us busy, healthy, informed and safe during the pandemic.”

The CEO World Awards honored BlackLine in the category of ‘Company Work-From-Home Implementation of the Year’. CEO World Awards celebrate the achievements of “leading companies and their management teams behind the year’s most outstanding initiatives…setting industry benchmarks for excellence.” All organizations private or public, corporations, non-profits, associations, vendors and government organizations worldwide were eligible to enter.

“We’re honored to be recognized for our dedication to customer success and unwavering commitment to serving our employees, which are two founding principles at BlackLine,” said Marc Huffman, BlackLine’s president, chief operating officer and incoming CEO. “When the pandemic hit, we rallied to make sure both our customers and employees had everything they needed to make a smooth transition to working from home with as little disruption as possible, from both a business continuity and personal wellbeing standpoint. We continue to allocate extra resources to help them get through this storm and believe we will all come out even stronger on the other side.”

Here are some of the initiatives BlackLine put in place for its customers for which the company has received accolades:

Resource Hub for Closing Virtually
 to help Finance & Accounting professionals navigate new and unprecedented challenges in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, as organizations worldwide faced closing their books with a distributed workforce for the first time.

Open access to the entire BlackLine University library of educational online resources and self-led training – including CPE-eligible (Continuing Professional Education) courses.

BlackLine Task Management and Reporting free for six months for existing customers who hadn’t yet licensed these solutions.

Quick Deployment Remote Audit Package to help customers prepare for audits with confidence even in uncertain times.

Complimentary implementation for a limited time of

BlackLine MAP
 (Modern Accounting Playbook) to help reduce the burden on midsize companies that may be resource-constrained during these challenging times.

And to help employees:

BlackLine Community Help Network – a resource where employees can sign up to volunteer to help fellow employees impacted by COVID-19, or to request assistance, including a special ‘Parent’s Corner’ which provides resources and opportunities to connect fellow employees navigating working from home with kids.

Employee Assistance Program  – a confidential support service that helps employees and their dependents solve a wide range of problems and challenges in their lives, including access to professional counselors to help with stress, depression, anxiety and family challenges.

Online Training Courses – BlackLine is offering a wide range of online training classes to help employees learn how to effectively work from home, lead virtual meetings, and manage time and stress. BlackLine also offers classes on how to balance the demands of work with the challenges that go along with having children learning from home.

Workout Wednesdays and Thoughtful Thursdays – BlackLine has partnered with ClassPass and ZenSpot to host weekly, virtual sessions to care for employees’ physical and mental wellbeing.

Closing Time – BlackLine encourages employees to step away from work and engage either in a BlackLine-led group online activity (such as an employee-led cooking, meditation or Pilates class) or to get outside for a bit, or to just take time out together while physically distanced.

The Stevie International Business and CEO World Awards are both being announced this week via virtual online celebrations.

About BlackLine

Companies come to BlackLine (Nasdaq: BL) because their traditional manual accounting processes are not sustainable. BlackLine’s cloud-based solutions and market-leading customer service help companies move to modern accounting by unifying their data and processes, automating repetitive work, and driving accountability through visibility.  BlackLine provides solutions to manage and automate financial close, accounts receivable and intercompany accounting processes, helping large enterprises and midsize companies across all industries do accounting work better, faster and with more control.

More than 3,200 customers trust BlackLine to help them close faster with complete and accurate results. The company is the pioneer of the cloud financial close market and recognized as the leader by customers at leading end-user review sites including Gartner Peer Insights, G2 and TrustRadius. Based in Los Angeles, BlackLine also has regional headquarters in London, Singapore and Sydney. For more information, please visit blackline.com.

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SOURCE BlackLine

NEW YORK and MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP, N.J., Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Neurotrope, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTRP) and Metuchen Pharmaceuticals, L.L.C., a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative therapeutics for men’s health conditions (“Metuchen“), today announced the completion of their previously announced merger following the satisfaction of all closing conditions required by the amended merger agreement (the “Merger Agreement”).  Neurotrope shareholders also approved the spin-off of substantially all of Neurotrope’s existing assets, operations and liabilities, except for certain cash retained in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, into a separately traded public company.

In connection with the completed merger and pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Neurotrope and Metuchen have merged in an all-stock transaction forming a newly traded holding company named Petros Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Petros”).  Petros’ shares will commence trading on the Nasdaq Global Market on December 2, 2020, under the ticker symbol “PTPI”. Neurotrope shareholders will initially own approximately 49% of the combined company and Metuchen shareholders will initially own approximately 51% of the combined company.  Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Metuchen shareholders also may receive additional shares of Petros common stock issuable upon the achievement of certain milestones. Petros’ lead commercial asset is Stendra® (avanafil), a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”)-approved erectile dysfunction (“ED”) treatment (See indications and important safety information below.)  Petros is currently exploring the potential to convert Stendra^® from prescription-only status to non-prescription status. Petros will be led by Fady Boctor, Chief Commercial Officer of Metuchen, who has been named President and CCO.

“We are excited to complete this merger and create two publicly traded companies, Petros Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Neurotrope Bioscience, Inc. (“NBI”), each with the potential to create long-term value for our stakeholders,” said Josh Silverman, a Director of the newly formed Petros and Chairman of Neurotrope and NBI. “This transaction provides a unique opportunity to participate in the upside potential of Stendra^®, a distinct, FDA approved ED therapy. I am especially encouraged by Petros’ partnership with Foundation Consumer Healthcare, a world leading OTC company, as we develop strategies to bring our FDA approved ED therapy to consumers on a non-prescription basis.”  

“The closing of this merger transaction marks the beginning of a new chapter for Petros,” said Mr. Boctor. “With this merger, Petros will now have the opportunity to advance the commercial distribution of Stendra^® in the ED space and build a pipeline of other therapeutic products to improve men’s health, including a topical treatment H100™ for Peyronie’s disease (“PD”), as well as pursue innovative treatment options in other high-value disease areas.”

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, PC served as legal counsel to Neurotrope and NBI and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius served as legal counsel to Metuchen with respect to the transaction.

Lead Asset Stendra^® (avanafil)

Stendra^® (avanafil), originally launched by Auxilium Pharmaceuticals prior to that company’s sale to Endo Pharmaceuticals, is an oral phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor for the treatment of ED. Metuchen recently undertook a relaunch of Stendra^®, following Juggernaut’s acquisition of a majority position in Metuchen in 2018, generating gross revenues of approximately $30 million in 2019. Currently, Stendra^® is covered for 75% of commercially insured lives, with a co-pay as low as $0.

Lead Pipeline Program H100™

Metuchen’s lead pipeline program includes the recently in-licensed drug candidate H-100™, a non-invasive, compounded, topical investigational product for Peyronie’s disease.  In its current formulation, in a pilot study, H-100™ demonstrated efficacy and tolerability in a 22-patient prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with PD. Metuchen intends to optimize manufacturing and the patented formulation of H-100™, then seek FDA guidance on the studies necessary to achieve approval and labeling of the product.  PD is a progressive, wound-healing disorder of the penis involving the formation of plaques and the subsequent development of penile curvature or indentations. The current non-surgical standard of care in PD, an injectable, was granted Orphan Designation by the FDA in 1996.

About Stendra^® (avanafil)

Stendra^® (avanafil) is approved in the U.S. by the FDA for the treatment of ED. Metuchen Pharmaceuticals LLC has exclusive marketing rights to Stendra^® in the U.S., Canada, South America and India.

Stendra^® is available through retail and mail order pharmacies.

For more information about Stendra^®, please visit www.STENDRA.com.

Indications and Important Safety Information

Stendra^® (avanafil) is prescribed to treat ED.

Do not take Stendra^® if you take nitrates, often prescribed for chest pain, as this may cause a sudden, unsafe drop in blood pressure.

Discuss your general health status with your healthcare provider to ensure that you are healthy enough to engage in sexual activity. If you experience chest pain, nausea, or any other discomforts during sex, seek immediate medical help.

Stendra^® may affect the way other medicines work. Tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following; medicines called HIV protease inhibitors, such as ritonavir (Norvir^®), indinavir (Crixivan^®), saquinavir (Fortavase^® or Invirase^®) or atazanavir (Reyataz^®); some types of oral antifungal medicines, such as ketoconazole (Nizoral^®), and itraconazole (Sporanox^®); or some types of antibiotics, such as clarithromycin (Biaxin^®), telithromycin (Ketek^®), or erythromycin.

In the rare event of an erection lasting more than 4 hours, seek immediate medical help to avoid long-term injury.

In rare instances, men taking PDE5 inhibitors (oral ED medicines, including Stendra^®) reported a sudden decrease or loss of vision. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to these medicines or to other factors. If you experience sudden decrease or loss of vision, stop taking PDE5 inhibitors, including Stendra^®, and call a doctor right away.

Sudden decrease or loss of hearing has been rarely reported in people taking PDE5 inhibitors, including Stendra^®. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to the PDE5 inhibitors or to other factors. If you experience sudden decrease or loss of hearing, stop taking Stendra^® and contact a doctor right away. If you have prostate problems or high blood pressure for which you take medicines called alpha blockers or other anti-hypertensives, your doctor may start you on a lower dose of Stendra^®.

Drinking too much alcohol when taking Stendra^® may lead to headache, dizziness, and lower blood pressure.

Stendra^® in combination with other treatments for ED is not recommended.

Stendra^® does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

The most common side effects of Stendra^® are headache, flushing, runny nose and congestion.

Please see full patient prescribing information for Stendra^® (50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg) tablets.

About Petros Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Petros is committed to becoming the world’s leading men’s health company by identifying, developing, acquiring, and commercializing innovative therapeutics for men’s health issues including, but not limited to ED, endothelial dysfunction, psychosexual and psychosocial ailments, Peyronie’s disease (acute and chronic), hormone health and substance use disorders.

About Neurotrope Bioscience, Inc.

NBI is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that has historically worked to develop novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. NBI has conducted clinical and preclinical studies of its lead therapeutic candidate, Bryostatin-1, in Alzheimer’s disease, and preclinical studies for rare diseases and brain injury, including Fragile X syndrome, multiple sclerosis, stroke, Niemann-Pick Type C disease, Rett syndrome, and traumatic brain injury. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to NBI for Bryostatin-1 as a treatment for Fragile X syndrome. Bryostatin-1 has already undergone testing in more than 1,500 people in cancer studies, thus creating a large safety data base that will further inform clinical trial designs.

Additional information about Neurotrope may be found on its website: www.neurotrope.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding Petros, Neurotrope, Metuchen, the combined company and other matters. Words such as “could,” “may,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “will,” “predicts,” and variations on such words, and similar expressions that reflect current views with respect to future events and operational, economic and financial performance are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other influences, many of which Petros, Neurotrope and Metuchen have no control over. Actual results and the timing of certain events and circumstances may differ materially from those described by the forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, those described in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the joint proxy/prospectus Petros has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated from time to time in Petros’ subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors include, but are not limited to, the success of the combined company as a result of the merger among Petros, Metuchen and Neurotrope, including Petros’ ability to execute on its business strategy, including its plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates;  the market price of shares of Petros common stock; Petros’ ability to comply with obligations as a public reporting company; the ability of Petros to timely and effectively implement controls and procedures required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; the risk that the financial performance of the combined company may not be as anticipated by Metuchen and Neurotrope; risks resulting from Petros’ status as an emerging growth company, including that reduced disclosure requirements may make shares of Petros common stock less attractive to investors; risks related to Petros’ ability to continue as a going concern; risks related to Petros’ dependence on the commercialization of a single product, Stendra^®, and on a single distributor thereof; risks related to Petros’ commercial supply agreement with Vivus; and risks related to Petros’ ability to obtain regulatory approvals for, or market acceptance of, any of its products or product candidates.

New factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all such factors, nor can we assess the impact of each such factor on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements included in this release are based on information available to Petros as of the date of this release. Petros disclaims any obligation to update such forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.

Contact information:

Investors and Media – Petros Pharmaceuticals

Deirdre Walsh

Abernathy MacGregor

[email protected] 
212-371-5999

Investor and Media – NBI

Robert Weinstein

Chief Financial Officer – NBI
[email protected]
973.242.0005 x101

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SOURCE Neurotrope, Inc.

DUBLIN, Ohio, Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The Wendy’s Company announced today a new community-based giving program to benefit 23 charitable organizations. This program supports the Company’s announcement in June to donate at least $500,000 to support social justice, youth and education in the Black community.

In 2019, Wendy’s announced a partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which has now expanded, to support educational and career opportunities for Black students throughout the United States. In Columbus, Wendy’s is partnering with the YWCA of Columbus and the Columbus Urban League to help advance their missions of combatting racism and leveling the playing field of racial inequality. In addition, the Company allocated a portion of its $500,000 commitment to be directed by its employees to ensure Wendy’s could support worthy causes throughout its global restaurant footprint.

Wendy’s field-based employees were eligible to apply for a charitable grant on behalf of a local charitable organization, with a total grant pool of $100,000 available in 2020. An internal committee of Wendy’s Company employees reviewed the applications and selected 23 organizations to receive grants:

• Arizona Center for African American Resources (AZCAAR), Phoenix, AZ
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Green Bay, Green Bay, WI
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
• Casa Valentina, Miami, FL
• CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals, Toronto, Ont., Canada
• Children’s Home Society of Florida, Jacksonville, FL
• Dream Center of Lakeland, Lakeland, FL
• Every Child’s Hope, St. Louis, MO
• Faith, Hope & Love for Kids, Racine, WI
• Hearts Full of Grace, Virginia Beach, VA
• 
  Houston Area Urban League
  , Houston, TX
• Louisville Urban League, Louisville, KY
• Mentoring Positives, Inc., Madison, WI
• Mississippi Families for Kids, Jackson, MS
• Operation Breakthrough, Kansas City, MO
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, Nashville, TN
• The Amos House, Providence, RI
• Tree House Cultural Arts Movement, Inc., Newark, NJ
• Tropicana Community Services, Toronto, Ont., Canada
• 
  Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
• Urban League Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN
• Wyman Center, St. Louis, MO
• Youth Villages, Knoxville, TN

“As a brand, Wendy’s is committed to living our core values Do The Right Thing, Treat People With Respect and Give Something Back, and this includes supporting our Wendy’s family members and communities across the globe,” said Wendy’s Chief Communications Officer Liliana Esposito. “We are proud to support these worthy organizations this year and look forward to building sustainable partnerships in these communities.”

Several Wendy’s franchise partners have existing relationships with organizations that will receive grants from The Wendy’s Company, and these franchisees are also matching the grant amounts. These strong partnerships reinforce the brand’s commitment to develop and deepen long-term, sustainable relationships with community-based organizations whose missions we can help elevate. There are more than 6,800 Wendy’s restaurants around the world, and we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to serving as a trusted partner in the communities where we operate.

The Company has also committed to continue this level of charitable support in the future. In 2021, Wendy’s will combine this new program with its existing annual Community Ambassador Grant Program, substantially increasing the Company’s support for community-based giving.

About Wendy’s
Wendy’s® was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio. Dave built his business on the premise, “Quality is our Recipe®,” which remains the guidepost of the Wendy’s system. Wendy’s is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen beef*, freshly-prepared salads, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty® dessert. The Wendy’s Company (Nasdaq: WEN) is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company’s support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® and its signature Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® program, which seeks to find every child in the North American foster care system a loving, forever home. Today, Wendy’s and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 6,800 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world’s most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising. Visit www.wendys.com and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram using @wendys, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendys.

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska and Canada.

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Drake

614-764-3586, [email protected]

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SOURCE The Wendy’s Company

CARLSBAD, Calif., Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: QLGN) announces that it has completed the recertification of its supply of AS1411, and has begun final formulation and filling for use in the Company’s proposed Phase 2a efficacy trials of AS1411 for the treatment of patients with COVID-19.  Qualigen plans to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for and to begin these trials in the first half of calendar 2021.

Qualigen’s lead compound AS1411 is a nucleolin-targeting DNA aptamer drug candidate for the treatment of COVID-19 and other viruses. Preclinical studies at the University of Louisville’s (UofL) Center for Infectious Disease have demonstrated the ability of AS1411 to protect cells from the damaging effects of the novel coronavirus. In addition, AS1411 holds potential as a broad antiviral therapeutic agent, which could expand its applications and market potential.

“Even with the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, we see this virus being around for many years to come in different forms.  The mechanism by which AS1411 is believed to work, by blocking the ability of viruses to replicate in the body, may make our therapeutic effective against future mutations in COVID-19 as well as against other dangerous viruses including the flu,” stated Michael Poirier, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Qualigen.   

Mr. Poirier added: “Recertification of our AS1411 inventory represents another critical step in advancing our antiviral development program in a cost-efficient manner.  We continue to move forward with our IND-enabling studies and are on track to commence the efficacy stage of human trials in the first half of next year, upon obtaining IND approval from the FDA. We believe there is great potential for this drug to be an effective therapeutic for COVID-19, in addition to other viral infections.”

In June 2020, Qualigen signed an exclusive license agreement with UofL for U.S. patent rights covering the treatment of COVID-19 with AS1411, adding to Qualigen’s other AS1411 license exclusivities. Qualigen intends to work with UofL to complete investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies and plans to file an IND application with the FDA in early calendar 2021.  Qualigen’s aim is to initiate a Phase 2a clinical study in COVID-19 patients in the first half of calendar 2021. 

About Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc.
Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases, as well as maintaining and expanding its core FDA-approved FastPack^® System, which has been used successfully in diagnostics for 20 years. The Company’s cancer therapeutics pipeline includes ALAN (AS1411-GNP), RAS-F and STARS™. ALAN (AS1411-GNP) is a DNA coated gold nanoparticle cancer drug candidate that has the potential to target various types of cancer with minimal side effects. The foundational nucleolin-targeting DNA aptamer of ALAN, AS1411, is also a drug candidate for use in treating COVID-19 and other viral-based infectious diseases.   RAS-F is a family of RAS oncogene protein-protein interaction inhibitor small molecules for preventing mutated RAS genes’ proteins from binding to their effector proteins; preventing this binding could stop tumor growth, especially in pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancers. STARS is a DNA/RNA-based treatment device candidate for removal from circulating blood of precisely targeted tumor-produced and viral compounds. Because Qualigen’s therapeutic candidates are still in the development stage, Qualigen’s only products that are currently commercially available are FastPack System diagnostic instruments and test kits, used in physician offices, clinics and small hospitals around the world. The FastPack System menu includes rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests for cancer, men’s health, hormone function, vitamin D status and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.  Qualigen’s facility in Carlsbad, California is FDA and ISO Certified and its FastPack product line is sold worldwide by its commercial partner Sekisui Diagnostics, LLC. For more information on Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc., please visit https://www.qualigeninc.com/.  

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements by the Company that involve risks and uncertainties and reflect the Company’s judgment as of the date of this release. These statements include those related to potential future development, testing, efficacy, approval, manufacturing and commercialization of product candidates, including the possible effectiveness of AS1411 against COVID-19 or other viral infections and the approval and timing of clinical trials. Actual events or results may differ from the Company’s expectations. For example, there can be no assurance that clinical trials will be approved to begin by or will proceed as contemplated by any projected timeline; that the Company will successfully develop any drugs or therapeutic devices; that preclinical or clinical development of the Company’s drugs or therapeutic devices will be successful; that future clinical trial data will be favorable or that such trials will confirm any improvements over other products or lack negative impacts; that any drugs or therapeutic devices will receive required regulatory approvals or that they will be commercially successful; that patents will issue on the Company’s owned and in-licensed patent applications; that such patents, if any, and the Company’s current owned and in-licensed patents would prevent competition; that the Company will be able to procure or earn sufficient working capital to complete the development, testing and launch of the Company’s prospective therapeutic products; that the Company will be able to maintain or expand market demand and/or market share for the Company’s diagnostic products generally, particularly in view of COVID-19-related  deferral of patients’ physician-office visits and FastPack reimbursement pricing challenges; that adoption and placement of FastPack PRO System instruments (which are the only FastPack instruments on which the Company’s SARS-CoV-2 IgG test kits can be run) will be widespread; that the Company will be able to manufacture the FastPack PRO System instruments and SARS-CoV-2 IgG test kits successfully; that any commercialization of the FastPack PRO System instruments and SARS-CoV-2 IgG test kits will be profitable; or that the FDA will ultimately approve an Emergency Use Authorization for the Company’s SARS-CoV-2 IgG test.  The Company’s stock price could be harmed if any of the events or trends contemplated by the forward-looking statements fails to occur or is delayed or if any actual future event otherwise differs from expectations. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors affecting the Company’s business (including events beyond the Company’s control, such as epidemics and resulting changes) can be found in the Company’s prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at www.sec.gov.  The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements beyond the date of this news release, except as required by law. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

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SOURCE Qualigen, Inc.

ATLANTA, Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Graphic Packaging International (GPI), a global market leader in paper-based packaging solutions for the food, beverage, foodservice and consumer products segments, is continuing its commitment to innovation by expanding its global research and development center in Louisville, Colo. The facility is growing with a focus on innovating with customers to support strategic growth initiatives including plastic substitution.

GPI has been purposefully creating alternatives for plastic packaging by developing sustainable technologies and structural designs which utilize renewable and recyclable paperboard. Recent innovations include KeelClip™, a paperboard clip for beverage cans to replace plastic rings and shrink film, and PaperSeal^®, a barrier-lined paperboard tray to replace plastic trays for meat, seafood and produce.

“This expansion demonstrates our commitment to the discovery and support of new packaging concepts not only for our customers and their end users, but for the environment as well,” said Ricardo De Genova, Graphic Packaging’s senior vice president of global innovation and new business development. “Our expert team of chemists, engineers and designers is dedicated to improving the environmental profile and performance of our products and to meeting consumer needs for convenience, health and enhanced experiences.”

The research and development center footprint was increased by more than 30 percent. The facility is customer-centric and equipped to perform trials, develop prototypes and host seminars. The center is also fully equipped to conduct state-of-the-art structural and performance testing for new packaging solutions.

About Graphic Packaging International

Graphic Packaging International, a subsidiary of Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The Company, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a leading provider of paper-based packaging solutions for a wide variety of products to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer product companies. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons and paper-based foodservice products in the United States and holds leading market positions in solid bleached sulfate paperboard, coated unbleached kraft paperboard and coated recycled paperboard. The Company’s customers include many of the world’s most widely-recognized companies and brands. Additional information about Graphic Packaging, its business and its products is available on the Company’s web site at www.graphicpkg.com.

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SOURCE Graphic Packaging International

NEW YORK, Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: RILY) (“B. Riley” or the “Company”), a leading business advisory and financial services company, today announced it has acquired significant interest in clothing brand, Justice, through an investment in Bluestar Alliance, LLC’s (“Bluestar”) acquisition of the brand’s assets from ascena retail group, inc. (“ascena”). Bluestar owns the rights, title and licenses of Justice – including its e-commerce business – free and clear of Justice’s prior liabilities as a result of a winning bid in the auction of ascena’s assets under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

“This is an exciting investment which enhances our established foothold in brand licensing investments and our continued partnership with Bluestar. As a well-known brand that generated over $1 billion in annual revenue in 2019, Justice represents an extremely compelling investment at an attractive valuation,” said Bryant Riley, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of B. Riley Financial. “We believe there’s a significant opportunity to turn the Justice brand into a robust licensing model in categories such as girl’s sportswear, swimwear, accessories and more, as well as opportunities for global expansion, growing the e-commerce business and adding additional license product categories.”

This investment in Justice aligns with B. Riley’s broader investment strategy to generate recurring revenue for its platform. The Company seeks to grow licensing revenue from its brand holdings, in partnership with Bluestar Alliance, by leveraging its extensive relationships and strategic partnerships in the retail sector. B. Riley also intends to continue to pursue acquisitions of consumer brands, intellectual property, trademarks and licenses, and participate in select transactions as an equity owner.

B. Riley’s other brand investments include bebe, Hurley, Catherine Malandrino, English Laundry, Joan Vass, Kensie, Limited Too and Nanette Lepore.

About B. Riley Financial, Inc.
B. Riley Financial (NASDAQ: RILY) provides collaborative financial services solutions tailored to fit the capital raising, business, operational, and financial advisory needs of its clients and partners. B. Riley operates through several subsidiaries that offer a diverse range of complementary end-to-end capabilities spanning investment banking and institutional brokerage, private wealth and investment management, corporate advisory, restructuring, due diligence, forensic accounting and litigation support, appraisal and valuation, and auction and liquidation services. Certain registered affiliates of B. Riley originate and underwrite senior secured loans for asset-rich companies. B. Riley also makes proprietary investments in companies and assets with attractive return profiles. For the latest Company news and developments, follow B. Riley on Twitter @BRileyFinancial and LinkedIn. For more information about B. Riley, visit our website at www.brileyfin.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, our business, operating results, financial condition, and stock price could be materially negatively affected. You should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to us and speak only as of the date of this press release. Factors that could cause such actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the risks associated with the unpredictable and ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other risks described from time to time in B. Riley Financial, Inc.’s periodic filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, the risks described in B. Riley Financial, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. All information is current as of the date this press release is issued, and B. Riley Financial, Inc. undertakes no duty to update this information.

Contacts

Investor Relations

Brad Edwards


[email protected]

Media Relations

Jo Anne McCusker, Andrew Jennings
[email protected]

 

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SOURCE B. Riley Financial

ARMONK, N.Y., Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced that Gartner has positioned IBM as a Leader in its newly released 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Database Management Systems (DBMS). The firm examined IBM’s range of database management solutions, including IBM Db2 on Cloud, which features AI-powered capabilities to help companies modernize the management of both structured and unstructured data across hybrid cloud environments.

“As this is the first edition of the Magic Quadrant for Cloud Database Management Systems, we cannot compare previous years or shifts in the market in relation to specific vendors,” the report read. “However, we can say that the DBMS market’s shift in focus toward the cloud has opened up many opportunities for DBMS vendors to innovate, especially for public and private clouds and, in some cases, hybrid clouds. This focus also creates opportunities for end-user organizations either to migrate to the cloud or to use the cloud as a platform for new applications.”

“Any AI project will be accelerated or stymied by the breadth, depth and accessibility of trusted data,” said Daniel Hernandez, General Manager, Data and AI, IBM. “With Db2 and its availability within Cloud Pak for Data, we deliver what our clients need to put data to work with AI. And it’s great to see Gartner recognize our vision and execution in this market.”

Db2 runs on IBM Cloud Pak for Data, IBM’s fully integrated data and AI platform designed to help businesses modernize the way they collect, organize and analyze data in order to infuse AI. The cloud native solution runs on Red Hat OpenShift, the leading enterprise container platform, and is designed to enable businesses to easily add new capabilities for data management, DataOps, governance, business analytics and AI.

“We’ve been utilizing Db2 Warehouse on Cloud to enable greater analysis and deeper insights into how we promote and schedule our programming and reach potential viewers on a variety of platforms for the past few years,” said Vitaly Tsivin, Executive Vice President of Business Intelligence for AMC Networks. “The ability for us to run the integrated analytics of Db2 across our expansive landscape of public and private clouds has enabled us to bring Machine Learning to many more areas of our business.”

In the report, IBM’s integration of Db2 within Cloud Pak for Data was identified as a strength. “With its own cloud platform, IBM is aggressively pursuing a portfolio of partner offerings as rich as those of other Leaders, such as AWS, Microsoft and Google,” the report read. “In addition, its hybrid, governed Cloud Pak for Data is designed to give customers choice by enabling them to deploy IBM’s offerings on those vendors’ platforms as well. Its bold move to acquire Red Hat also reflects a focus on game-changing moves.”

Gartner also noted IBM’s integration of AI and hybrid cloud capabilities in Db2 Cloud. “IBM Db2 on Cloud augments traditional transactions, with in-database machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) running on its engine,” the report read. “Db2 on Cloud acknowledges multimodel trends with support for graph and spatial analytics, and offers mature, built-in workload management for automatic management of job scheduling and concurrency. Additional offerings from IBM and other vendors expand the possibilities for specialized requirements.”

For the report, Gartner examined IBM’s family of database management systems, including IBM Db2 on Cloud, IBM Db2 Warehouse on Cloud, IBM Cloud SQL Query, IBM Cloudant, the IBM Cloud Database family and IBM Event Streams. IBM Cloud Pak for Data, an integrated data and AI platform, is a Red Hat OpenShift integration layer for containerized DBMS services.

IBM’s solutions include managed services for PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, Redis, RabbitMQ, DataStax, EDB and more. IBM’s multicloud support covers AWS, Microsoft (Azure), Google Cloud, IBM Cloud and private cloud deployment (most offerings are also available on-premises).

Gartner Disclaimer
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Cloud Database Management Systems, Donald Feinberg, Merv Adrian, Rick Greenwald, Adam Ronthal, Henry Cook, 23 November 2020

IBM
For more information on the news, visit the IBM Cloud Blog.
Also visit IBM Cloud Pak for Data and IBM Db2 on Cloud. 

Contact

Michael Zimmerman

IBM Media Relations
[email protected] 

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SOURCE IBM