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EAGAN, Minn., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — In an effort to help assess the value of hemophilia A treatments relative to total health care costs and emergency department visits, Prime Therapeutics LLC (Prime) has finalized an arrangement with Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502/NYSE:TAK) (“Takeda”) for the factor replacement product ADVATE^® [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant)], which is used in the treatment and prevention of bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia A (congenital factor VIII deficiency).

Hemophilia treatment options have increased in recent years, including innovative therapies. However, these innovations come at a high price. Therefore, it is important to establish integrated medical and pharmacy benefit contracts between payers and product manufacturers on existing treatments. The arrangement between Prime and Takeda provides:

• an opportunity to assess clinical outcomes and cost implications with an existing treatment for hemophilia A,
• a health plan remuneration model based on the level of certain quantifiable medical costs associated with unsuccessful treatment under a total cost of care model.

Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder that results from a lack of the essential clotting protein called factor VIII.1 About 80 percent of the approximate 18,000 people living with hemophilia in the United States have hemophilia A.2 Arrangements such as this help Prime better evaluate what treatments may provide the best outcomes at the best costs for members and health plan clients.

“Our work since pioneering such contracts over a decade ago has been targeted and intentional – and this agreement with Takeda is no different,” said Kelly McGrail-Pokuta, vice president of trade relations and strategy and chief trade relations officer at Prime. “Members with hemophilia need treatments that work for them at a reasonable price, and that’s exactly what drives this collaboration.”

“Takeda has a rich heritage of serving patients and providing innovative medicines to those who need them. This agreement with Prime will help us continue to deliver on our promise to provide critically important treatments with personalized care approaches to fit each patient’s needs, and to demonstrate the treatment’s overall value,” said Richard Ascroft, senior vice president managed markets and patient services at Takeda.

1. National Hemophilia Foundation. “Fast Facts.” National Hemophilia Foundation website. Available here: https://www.hemophilia.org/About-Us/Fast-Facts. Last accessed October 2020.
2. National Hemophilia Foundation. “Frequently Asked Questions About Hemophilia.” National Hemophilia Foundation website. Available here: https://www.hemophilia.org/walk/docs/NHFFAQs.pdf. Last accessed October 2020.

About Prime Therapeutics

Prime Therapeutics LLC (Prime) makes health care work better by helping people get the medicine they need to feel better and live well. Prime provides total drug management solutions for health plans, employers, and government programs including Medicare and Medicaid. The company processes claims and offers clinical services for people with complex medical conditions. Prime serves more than 30 million people. It is collectively owned by 18 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, subsidiaries or affiliates of those plans. For more information visit www.primetherapeutics.com or follow @Prime_PBM on Twitter.

ADVATE Professional Important Information
About ADVATE [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant)]
Indications

ADVATE is a recombinant antihemophilic factor indicated for use in children and adults with hemophilia A (congenital factor VIII deficiency) for:

• Control and prevention of bleeding episodes.
• Perioperative management.
• Routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes.

ADVATE is not indicated for the treatment of von Willebrand disease.

DETAILED IMPORTANT RISK INFORMATION

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Patients who have life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, to mouse or hamster protein or other constituents of the product.

WARNINGS & PRECAUTIONS

Hypersensitivity Reactions

Allergic-type hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been reported with ADVATE. Symptoms include dizziness, paresthesia, rash, flushing, facial swelling, urticaria, dyspnea, pruritus, and vomiting. Discontinue ADVATE if hypersensitivity symptoms occur and administer appropriate emergency treatment.

Neutralizing Antibodies

Neutralizing antibodies (inhibitors) have been reported following administration of ADVATE predominantly in previously untreated patients (PUPs) and previously minimally treated patients (MTPs). Monitor all patients for the development of factor VIII inhibitors by appropriate clinical observation and laboratory testing. If expected plasma factor VIII activity levels are not attained, or if bleeding is not controlled with an expected dose, perform an assay that measures factor VIII inhibitor concentration.

ADVERSE REACTIONS  

• Serious adverse reactions seen with ADVATE are hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, and the development of high-titer inhibitors necessitating alternative treatments to factor VIII.
• The most common adverse reactions observed in clinical trials (>5% of subjects) were pyrexia, headache, cough, nasopharyngitis, arthralgia, vomiting, upper respiratory tract infection, limb injury, nasal congestion, and diarrhea.

Click here for Full Prescribing Information:
https://www.shirecontent.com/PI/PDFs/ADVATE_USA_ENG.pdf

About Hemophilia

Hemophilia is a chronic disease that causes longer-than-normal bleeding due to absent or deficient clotting factor in the blood.1  In 2018, hemophilia A affects about 158,225 people worldwide, whereas hemophilia B affects about 31,247 people worldwide.5 People with hemophilia, working closely with their healthcare professionals, can live healthy lives with proper care and adequate treatment. Treatment regimens typically include on-demand and/or regular prophylactic infusions of factor replacement therapy to control or prevent the risk of bleeding.1,3

About Takeda Hematology 

Takeda is a leader in hemophilia with the longest heritage and a market-leading portfolio, backed by established safety and efficacy profiles with decades of real-world experience. We have 70+ years of experience driving innovation for patients and a broad portfolio of 11 products across multiple bleeding disorders. Our experience as leaders in hematology means we are well prepared to meet today’s needs as we pursue future developments in the treatment of bleeding disorders. Together with the hematology community, we are committed to raising expectations for the future, including earlier diagnosis, individualized bleed protection, and more personalized patient care.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Diseases, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people’s lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries.

Contact: Denise Lecher Public Relations Manager 612.777.5763 [email protected]

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SOURCE Prime Therapeutics LLC

XIAMEN, China, Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology (“Blue Hat” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BHAT), a leading producer, developer and operator of augmented reality (“AR”) interactive entertainment games, toys and educational materials in China, today announced that Fuzhou Csfctech Co., Ltd. (“Csfctech”) is actively exploring overseas markets and is currently testing five new gaming products for overseas distribution. The Company recently announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire 51% of Csfctech and two subsidiaries (Link to Previous Release).

The acquisition of Csfctech is an important step in the development of Blue Hat’s mobile games unit, which along with AR gaming and interactive education make up the three pillars of the Company’s strategy.

Development of Five New Games

The five new gaming products under development are:

• Qule King of Fishing War, a competitive fish catching game with multiple players to win prizes
• Qule Battle The Landlord, a music selection puzzle game
• MOMO Remove, a brain teaser game
• MOMO Link, a game of casual puzzle elimination
• MOMO Hexagon, a block matching game

The Company’s development program also includes Fish King War and Fun Two Dozen One, which are two popular chess-themed games that have been tested online on the Google Play platform.

At present, the Qule King of Fishing War has been licensed by more than 200 countries on Google Play, and will be ready to launch outside of China with an initial focus on Asian markets via the App Store.  After launching, the Company also plans to release regional updates for games such as Qule Battle The Landlord. These two games are expected to enter a stable operation phase in 2021 with the average monthly revenue of USD 0.3 million.

In the future, Csfctech’s will launch a series of casual games in the markets outside of China, with constant improvements and new updates to the platformer, hack and slash and other RPG (role-playing game) games once released to improve the market share of each game.

Mr. Jinlin Zhan, founder of Csfctech said, “We have a robust gaming pipeline for 2021. Csfctech has astrong industry competitiveness in terms of research and development, operational experience, channel resources and IP reserves. With the combination of Blue Hat, we can focus on gaining a global footprint for our games as part of a unified strategy going forward. Csfctech has accumulated a wealth of promotional resources in Southeast Asian countries and regions, as well as North America, leveraging the power of such online platforms as Facebook, Admob, Twitter and other platforms.”

Mr. Xiaodong Chen, CEO of Blue Hat, stated, “We are confident that we can drive the rapid growth of the gaming business segment. Looking at the moment, the boom in the gaming market is evident, even after the industry shock in the first half of 2020. We saw a rapid increase in the timing of individuals entering the gaming space, which we intend to capitalize on in the coming months.  With the continuous upgrading of the game business and the launch of new products, Csfctech will provide more adequate promotional resources and new gaming content for players. For the already launched online games, we will also invest more energy and capital to provide regular updates that will be both regional and seasonal in nature, and ultimately drive user growth. We believe the totality of all of our efforts will help drive revenue growth, margin expansion, and net profits in our mobile game development segment.”

About Blue Hat

Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology is a producer, developer and operator of AR interactive entertainment games and toys in China, including interactive educational materials, mobile games, and toys with mobile game features. The Company’s interactive entertainment platform creates unique user experiences by connecting physical items to mobile devices, which creates a rich visual and interactive environment for users through the integration of real objects and virtual scenery. Distinguished by its own proprietary technology, Blue Hat aims to create an engaging, interactive and immersive community for its users. For more information, please visit the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.bluehatgroup.com. The Company routinely provides important information on its website.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the Company’s SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

 

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SOURCE Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology

PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Soligenix, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNGX) (Soligenix or the Company), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products to treat rare diseases where there is an unmet medical need, announced today that it has entered into a $20 million convertible debt financing agreement with Pontifax Medison Debt Financing (Pontifax), the healthcare-dedicated venture and debt fund of the Pontifax life science funds.

“The access to less dilutive capital provided by this facility is designed to increase our financial flexibility as we continue to advance our rare disease pipeline, and build toward commercialization in the United States with SGX301 for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and SGX942 for the treatment of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients,” stated Christopher J. Schaber, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Soligenix.

“Pontifax is pleased to enter into this strategic financing partnership with Soligenix as it continues to advance its pipeline of clinically meaningful products for treating rare diseases,” said Momi Karako, Partner at Pontifax. “Soligenix has deep expertise in development of products that treat diseases such as CTCL and oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients, which is a perfect fit with our portfolio of transformative, cutting-edge life science companies.”

Under the terms of the agreement with Pontifax, Soligenix will have access to up to $20 million in convertible debt financing in three tranches, which will mature over a four and a half year period and have an interest-only period for the first two years. Upon the closing of this transaction, the Company has accessed the first tranche of $10 million, and has the option to draw the second tranche of $5 million at any time over the next 12 months and the third tranche of $5 million upon filing of the SGX301 new drug application, subject to certain conditions.

Pontifax may elect to convert the outstanding loan drawn under the first two tranches into shares of Soligenix’s common stock at any time prior to repayment at a conversion price of $4.10 per share. Soligenix also has the ability to force the conversion of the loan into shares of its common stock at a conversion price of $4.92 per share, subject to certain conditions.

About Pontifax Ventures

Founded in 2004, Pontifax is a healthcare-dedicated venture capital firm with over $775 million under management. It seeks transformative, cutting-edge life sciences technologies at all development stages. Its portfolio comprises of about 80 companies that develop breakthrough solutions to substantial unmet needs.

About Soligenix, Inc.

Soligenix is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products to treat rare diseases where there is an unmet medical need. Our Specialized BioTherapeutics business segment is developing SGX301 as a novel photodynamic therapy utilizing safe visible light for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, our first-in-class innate defense regulator (IDR) technology, dusquetide (SGX942) for the treatment of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer, and proprietary formulations of oral beclomethasone 17,21-dipropionate (BDP) for the prevention/treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders characterized by severe inflammation including pediatric Crohn’s disease (SGX203) and acute radiation enteritis (SGX201).

Our Public Health Solutions business segment includes active development programs for RiVax^®, our ricin toxin vaccine candidate, SGX943, our therapeutic candidate for antibiotic resistant and emerging infectious disease, and our research programs to identify and develop novel vaccine candidates targeting viral infection including Ebola, Marburg and SARS-CoV-2 (the cause of COVID-19). The development of our vaccine programs incorporates the use of our proprietary heat stabilization platform technology, known as ThermoVax^®.  To date, this business segment has been supported with government grant and contract funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the Defense Threat Reduction Agents (DTRA) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

For further information regarding Soligenix, Inc., please visit the Company’s website at www.soligenix.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect Soligenix, Inc.’s current expectations about its future results, performance, prospects and opportunities, including but not limited to, potential market sizes, patient populations and clinical trial enrollment.  Statements that are not historical facts, such as “anticipates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “intends,” “plans,” “expects,” “goal,” “may,” “suggest,” “will,” “potential,” or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements.  These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from what is expressed in, or implied by, these statements, such as experienced with the COVID-19 outbreak.  Soligenix cannot assure you that it will be able to successfully develop, achieve regulatory approval for or commercialize products based on its technologies, particularly in light of the significant uncertainty inherent in developing therapeutics and vaccines against bioterror threats, conducting preclinical and clinical trials of therapeutics and vaccines, obtaining regulatory approvals and manufacturing therapeutics and vaccines, that product development and commercialization efforts will not be reduced or discontinued due to difficulties or delays in clinical trials or due to lack of progress or positive results from research and development efforts, that it will be able to successfully obtain any further funding to support product development and commercialization efforts, including grants and awards, maintain its existing grants which are subject to performance requirements, enter into any biodefense procurement contracts with the US Government or other countries, that it will be able to compete with larger and better financed competitors in the biotechnology industry, that changes in health care practice, third party reimbursement limitations and Federal and/or state health care reform initiatives will not negatively affect its business, or that the US Congress may not pass any legislation that would provide additional funding for the Project BioShield program. In addition, there can be no assurance as to the timing or success of the Phase 3 clinical trial of SGX942 (dusquetide) as a treatment for oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer receiving chemoradiation therapy, or any of our other clinical/preclinical trials.  Despite the statistically significant result achieved in the HYBRYTE Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, there can be no assurance that a marketing authorization from the FDA or EMA will be successful.  Further, there can be no assurance that RiVax® will qualify for a biodefense Priority Review Voucher (PRV) or that the prior sales of PRVs will be indicative of any potential sales price for a PRV for RiVax^®. Also, no assurance can be provided that the Company will receive or continue to receive non-dilutive government funding from grants and contracts that have been or may be awarded or for which the Company will apply in the future. These and other risk factors are described from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Soligenix’s reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K.  Unless required by law, Soligenix assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

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SOURCE Soligenix, Inc.

– X Series combines equipped with ActiveVision cameras, can help farmers see inside the combine’s grain tank and observe tailings so they can monitor the condition of harvested grain, down to individual kernels. The combines make automatic adjustments so they can run at peak levels, even as harvesting conditions change.

– X Series combines feature proprietary artificial intelligence, computer vision, in-field machine-to-machine communication and integrated sensors for connectivity and self-driving capabilities.

– X Series combines can monitor themselves and enable farmers and service technicians to manage issues remotely, minimizing downtime and supporting profitability.

OLATHE, Kan., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — John Deere (NYSE: DE) has been honored in the Robotics category of the 2021 CES Innovation Awards, which recognize outstanding product design and engineering in consumer technology products. This is the second straight year John Deere has received a CES Innovation Award.

John Deere is a CES Innovation Award Honoree for its new X Series combines that are equipped with ActiveVision camera technology that helps farmers see inside the combine’s grain tank and observe tailings so they can monitor the condition of harvested grain, right down to individual kernels. This technology is fueled by proprietary algorithms and provides farmers with information to make critical decisions in the moment, and to gather data over time to inform future actions.

“John Deere is honored to receive this award as it highlights our ongoing commitment to agriculture, innovation and technology,” said Jahmy Hindman, chief technology officer for John Deere. “The award recognizes our efforts to build cutting-edge smart machines, systems, and solutions that unlock customer economic value through enhanced precision, automation, speed and efficiency previously not possible.”

The X9 1100 is the largest John Deere X Series combine and helps farmers harvest faster without risking grain loss or quality. These machines can thresh, separate, and clean more bushels per hour—or harvest more acres per day—even under unpredictable conditions. Compared with previous models, the X9 1100 can harvest up to 70% more wheat per hour.

The artificial intelligence, computer vision, in-field machine-to-machine communication, integrated sensors and self-driving capabilities included on the X Series help make this increased harvesting productivity possible. For example, the combine can automatically adjust itself to adapt to changing conditions to run at peak levels while helping farmers with in-the-moment decision making. The combines also monitor themselves and enable farmers and John Deere service technicians to manage concerns remotely, thereby minimizing downtime and supporting profitability.

The CES Innovation Awards program is an annual competition honoring outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products. The Robotics category highlights programmable or otherwise intelligent machines capable of performing specific tasks or replicating human movement or interactions. Products are reviewed and scored by a panel of judges comprised of designers, engineers, and technology media. Products are also evaluated on their engineering and functionality, aesthetics, and design; and what makes the product unique and innovative.

“Technology and innovation are at the core of how John Deere helps farmers overcome uncertainty and improve efficiency,” said Hindman. “To make our customers the most profitable and sustainable farmers in the world, John Deere challenges the status quo to deliver smart, highly autonomous and connected machines, like our X Series combines that unlock opportunities for them to make more informed and accurate decisions at scale, which in turn supports the greater goal of feeding a growing world population.”

CES 2021 will be an all-digital, virtual format this year to allow the tech community to safely share ideas and introduce products that will help shape the future. CES showcases companies including manufacturers, developers and suppliers of consumer technology hardware, content, technology delivery systems and more.

About John Deere
Deere & Company (www.JohnDeere.com) is a world leader in providing advanced products, technology and services for customers whose work is revolutionizing agriculture and construction — those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure.

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SOURCE Deere & Company

PLEASANTON, Calif., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Interest rates continued to decline and fell below three percent in November with the 30-year note rate reaching 2.97 percent, one percent lower than the same time in 2019. This is according to the latest Origination Insight Report from Ellie Mae^®, the leading cloud-based loan origination platform provider for the mortgage industry and now ICE Mortgage Technology, a division of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE). The 30-year note rate for FHA and Conventional loans dropped below the three percent mark for the first time to 2.99 percent, and the note rate on VA loans continued to decrease, hitting 2.72 percent for November.

Refinances continued to rise, reaching 61 percent of total closed loans in the month, up one point from the month prior. In November of 2019, refinances accounted for 49 percent of total closed loans, a significant year-over-year difference. Purchase loans dropped to 39 percent of all closed loans in the month, down one point from the prior month. Conventional loans held at 82 percent of all closed loans for the second straight month.

Other statistics of note in November included:

• The time to close all loans increased to 55 days in November, up from 54 days in October. Time to close for purchase loans increased to 49 days in November, up from 48 days in October. Time to close for refinances increased to 59 days in November, up from 57 days in October.
• The average FICO score for all loans decreased slightly to 752.
• Closing rates decreased slightly to 75.6 in November, down from 76.7 in October.  

“As we near the conclusion of 2020, we are still seeing a robust appetite for refinances, accounting for the lion’s share of closed loans in the month. Interest rates continue to fall below three percent, driving demand for both purchases and refinances as homebuyers stretch their spending potential or take advantage of the opportunity to reduce their monthly mortgage payment,” said Joe Tyrrell, president, ICE Mortgage Technology. “With many parts of the country entering the next phase of pandemic-related shutdowns, lenders will need to take advantage of technology to enable virtual capabilities for their employees and homebuyers and provide automated workflows to simplify processes and improve engagement with interested parties.”

The Origination Insight Report mines data from a robust sampling of approximately 80 percent of all mortgage applications that were initiated on the Encompass^® all-in-one mortgage management solution. Ellie Mae believes the Origination Insight Report is a strong proxy of the underwriting standards employed by lenders across the country.

In addition to the Origination Insight Report, Ellie Mae also distributes data from its monthly Ellie Mae Millennial Tracker on the first Wednesday of each month. The Ellie Mae Millennial Tracker focuses on mortgage applications submitted by borrowers born between the years 1980 and 1999.

Ellie Mae also offers Ellie Mae Insights™, the only analytics solution in the market that provides peer benchmarking comparison analysis in near real time. Ellie Mae Insights analyzes key metrics such as efficiency levels, operational costs, rates and market penetration, demographic data and pull through rates to help lenders of all sizes to make informed decisions.

MONTHLY ORIGINATION OVERVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2020

*All references to months should be read as month ended.

PROFILES OF CLOSED LOANS FOR NOVEMBER 2020

More information and analysis of closed and denied loans by loan purpose and investor are available in the full report at

http://www.elliemae.com/about-us/news-reports/ellie-mae-reports/

.

To get a meaningful view of lender pull-through, Ellie Mae reviewed a sampling of loan applications initiated 90 days prior—or the August 2020 applications—to calculate an overall closing rate of 75.6 percent in November 2020 (see full report).

About the Ellie Mae Origination Insight Report

The Origination Insight Report focuses on loans that closed in a specific month and compares their characteristics to similar loans. The closing rate is calculated on a 90-day cycle rather than on a monthly basis because most loan applications typically take one-and-a-half to two months from application to closing. Loans that do not close could still be active applications or applications withdrawn by consumers or denied for incompleteness or non-qualification.

The Origination Insight Report details aggregated, de-identified data pulled from Ellie Mae’s Encompass origination platform.

News organizations have the right to reuse this data, provided that ICE Mortgage Technology is credited as the source.

About Ellie Mae

Ellie Mae, now a part of ICE Mortgage Technology, a division of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), is the leading cloud-based loan origination platform provider for the mortgage industry. Ellie Mae’s technology solutions enable lenders to originate more loans, lower origination costs, and reduce the time to close, all while ensuring the highest levels of compliance, quality, and efficiency. Visit ‪EllieMae.com or call ‪(877) 355-4362 to learn more.

© 2020 Ellie Mae, Inc. Ellie Mae®, Encompass®, AllRegs®, Mavent®, Velocify®, Capsilon®, the Ellie Mae logo and other trademarks or service marks of Ellie Mae, Inc. appearing herein are the property of Ellie Mae, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Other company and product names may be trademarks or copyrights of their respective owners.

 

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SOURCE Ellie Mae

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) today announced more than 4,000 specialty contractors across all industry segments – from mechanical to earthwork, HVAC, concrete, interior buildouts and more – now turn to Autodesk Construction Cloud technology for their projects. Helm Mechanical, Veit & Company and MAREK are three leading specialty contractors that have all standardized on Autodesk Construction Cloud products to increase collaboration, mitigate risk and reduce rework.

• Helm Mechanical, formerly known as Mechanical, Inc., recently renewed their enterprise contract and standardized on BIM 360 to move away from paper-based processes and keep teams better connected.
• Veit & Company, one of the Midwest’s leading specialty contractors focused on earthwork, utilities, demolition, foundations and dredging and diving, has renewed a multi-year contract and standardized on PlanGrid to double down on collaboration and transparency.
• MAREK, a Houston-based specialty contractor with more than 1,500 employees and seven regional offices throughout the southern United States, has standardized on PlanGrid to improve jobsite communication and the transfer of real-time data between the office and the field.

These three subcontractors join Binsky & Snyder, a large mechanical contractor in New Jersey and leader in prefabrication construction methods, which has adopted BIM 360 to manage documents and collaborate with other project trade partners to ensure they consistently deliver high quality, timely work on their projects.

“Specialty contractors have shown incredible resiliency in the last year, tackling difficult economic and safety challenges as well as a skyrocketing level of complexity in project work,” said Jim Lynch, vice president and general manager, Autodesk Construction Solutions. “We remain committed to delivering technology that strengthens and evolves with the industry, enabling trade partners to continue to overcome any obstacles they may face. With a full breadth of connected solutions, real-time data and powerful automation, Autodesk Construction Cloud is helping specialty contractors improve collaboration, increase efficiency and future-proof their businesses.”

Helm Mechanical digitizes document management and keeps crews connected

Illinois-based Helm Mechanical, winner of PM Magazine’s Mechanical Contractor of the Year, has standardized on BIM 360 Docs to easily share models and documents between their team and partners across the project lifecycle, enabling their teams to collaborate more effectively.

“We knew we needed to move to a platform that allowed for better flow of information to our job sites,” said Jeff Knoup, vice president of operations of Helm Mechanical. “By migrating all our files to BIM 360 Docs, we were able to not only digitize our workflows, but also facilitate more collaboration between the field and the office. We can now easily share models and documents between our team and partners, all within a platform we’re really comfortable using.”

Veit & Company standardizes field collaboration workflows across all projects

Veit & Company, one of the Midwest’s leading specialty contracting companies focused on earthwork, utilities, demolition, foundations and dredging and diving, has standardized on PlanGrid to increase collaboration and establish a single source of truth for all construction documents.

“We pride ourselves on being able to take on projects that no one else can – the more abstract, the better,” said Britton Lawson, director of construction technologies for Veit & Company. “Part of the reason we’re able to do so is because we have such a strong investment in implementing a holistic approach through technology. Standardizing on PlanGrid allows everyone to see the same critical job information all in one place – no matter what the project or team. As a result, our team spends less time learning technologies or job structures and more time on what matters.”

MAREK bridges the gap between the field and office through real-time data and collaboration

MAREK, known for their work across a range of services such as metal framing, ceiling work and drywall, uses PlanGrid on all projects to keep teams in the office and field in sync through collaboration and cross-functional access to real-time data.

“Using the most advanced technology puts us at a massive advantage across all our projects,” said Marcus Bollom, director of construction operations at MAREK. “Autodesk Construction Cloud helps contribute to our advantage by enabling better data sharing and streamlining communication and collaboration. Our whole team works from the most up-to-date information – keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring things are built right the first time.”

Binsky uses BIM 360 to stay in lockstep with trade counterparts

Binsky & Snyder, a leading mechanical contactor and early leader in prefabrication construction methods, has leveraged BIM 360 design to build strong, collaborative relationships with their trade counterparts during projects where their functions overlap.

“We typically work with many different specialty contractors on a project and we often prefabricate skids to work concurrently with them,” said Bob Snyder, CEO of Binsky. “BIM 360 enables us to collaborate and stay closely coordinated with our counterparts to drastically reduce rework and help complete projects faster, and with more precision. We are able to stay in lockstep with our counterparts and fire on all cylinders across the entire project to build more efficiently.”

Autodesk Construction Cloud streamlines workflows to empower specialty contractors to deliver complex work, faster

Autodesk Construction Cloud allows specialty contractors to work more efficiently across a variety of project management workflows in the design, planning, building and operating phases of a project – leading to accelerated benefits from standardizing workflows, keeping crews connected and capturing the extent of completed work.

• Model Conditioning: Autodesk Construction Cloud provides tools to deepen and enrich the information available within models, import custom assembly codes, apply unit costs to model elements and more.
• Cloud-based Quantification: Estimators and preconstruction teams can collaborate using Autodesk’s comprehensive, cloud-based quantity takeoff tools that ensure everyone is working from the most up-to-date models and drawings.
• Bid Management: Autodesk Construction Cloud provides a single shared environment where specialty contractors can keep track of bid invites, stay ahead of deadlines, accurately measure success of won business, issue more bids and increase bid accuracy.
• Field Collaboration: Contractors in the field can quickly connect with their office teams and access drawings, models, documents, punch lists, photos, tasks and more – all from one location.
• Document Management: Office and field teams can organize, distribute and share files on one connected document management platform ensure all team members have access to the information they need, when they need it.
• Project Management: By connecting stakeholders in a common data environment between design, plan, build and operate, contractors can keep their projects on track, improve communication and uphold their contractual obligations.
• Project Closeout: Automatic project activity collection helps subcontractors easily compile accurate living as-builts and quickly deliver complete project close outs.

To learn more about how Autodesk Construction Cloud empowers specialty contractors to increase win rates, work more productively and save cost on materials, visit our Specialty Contractor-focused resources page.

About Autodesk

Autodesk makes software for people who make things. If you’ve ever driven a high-performance car, admired a towering skyscraper, used a smartphone, or watched a great film, chances are you’ve experienced what millions of Autodesk customers are doing with our software. Autodesk gives you the power to make anything. For more information visit autodesk.com or follow @autodesk.

Safe Harbor Statement:

We may make statements regarding planned or future development efforts for our existing or new products and services. These statements are not intended to be a promise or guarantee of future delivery of products, services or features but merely reflect our current plans, which may change. Purchasing decisions should not be made based upon reliance on these statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist or change after the date on which they were made.

Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, Autodesk Construction Cloud, BIM 360, PlanGrid are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

© 2020 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

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SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Noodles & Company (NASDAQ: NDLS), known for serving classic noodle, Zoodle and Caulifloodle dishes from around the world, today announced that it is testing new ravioli and tortelloni dishes at 21 locations across Colorado, Illinois, and Ohio. Expanding its menu with even more flavors and options, the new stuffed pastas from Noodles & Company offer guests elevated choices with flavorful and fresh sauce pairings at an unmatched value. Each stuffed pasta dish is filled with premium ingredients and sautéed with fresh vegetables, creating a delicious yet lighter twist on the usual stuffed pasta.

“Our new ravioli and tortelloni dishes offer a fresh take on the recipes that our guests love, loaded with specialty ingredients such as caramelized onions, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses in the tortelloni, and a blend of ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, and mozzarella cheeses with a light touch of breadcrumbs in the ravioli,” said Nick Graff, executive chef at Noodles & Company. “We truly have something on the menu for everyone, and with these new additions, there’s even more for our guests to enjoy.”

For 25 years, Noodles & Company has led the industry in innovating its menu with food and flavor trends. From creating a new, lighter twist on the noodle with Zoodles, to bringing forward bold flavors such as Gochujang in Spicy Korean Beef Noodles, the company’s chef-led approach to menu development continues to set Noodles apart. By following both flavor trends and listening to guest feedback, Noodles’ culinary team spent more than a year developing its new ravioli and tortelloni dishes, focused on bringing forward flavor and fresh ingredients while also ensuring that the dish could travel well to meet guests’ needs. The new stuffed pasta options will vary by location and include:

• 3-Cheese Tortelloni Rosa: Tortelloni filled with a blend of ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, onions and garlic in spicy tomato cream sauce, with mushrooms, Roma tomato, spinach and parmesan.
• 3-Cheese Tortelloni Pesto: Tortelloni filled with a blend of ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, onions and garlic in basil pesto cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, tomato, and parmesan.
• Roasted Garlic Cream Tortelloni: Cheese-filled tortelloni in light roasted garlic & onion cream sauce with zucchini, mushrooms and spinach, finished with MontAmoré cheese and parsley.
• Parmigiano Ravioli Rosa: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese-filled ravioli in spicy tomato cream sauce with mushrooms, Roma tomato, spinach and parmesan.
• Parmigiano Ravioli Pesto: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese-filled ravioli in basil pesto cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, tomato, and fresh parmesan.
• Roasted Garlic Cream Ravioli: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese-filled ravioli in light roasted garlic & onion cream sauce with zucchini, mushrooms and spinach, finished with MontAmoré cheese.

Starting today, guests can try out Noodles & Company’s new ravioli and tortelloni dishes at participating locations for a limited time. Noodles Rewards members can receive free delivery on all orders through December 31, and today through December 19, all Noodles Rewards members who buy any size bowl will receive an offer for a free regular size bowl to use on their next visit. Orders must be placed via Noodles.com or the Noodles Rewards app to redeem offers. Signing up for Noodles Rewards is fast and easy, just download the Noodles Rewards app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, or sign up online at noodles.com/rewards.

About Noodles & Company:Since 1995, Noodles & Company has been serving noodles your way, with noodles and flavors that you know and love as well as new ones you’re about to discover. From indulgent Wisconsin Mac & Cheese to better-for-you Zoodles and Other Noodles, the company serves a world of flavor in every bowl. Made up of more than 450 restaurants and thousands of passionate team members, Noodles was named one of the Best Places to Work by the Denver Business Journal for its unique culture built on the value of “Loving Life,” which begins by nourishing and inspiring every team member and guest who walks through the door. To learn more or find the location nearest you, visit www.noodles.com.

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SOURCE Noodles & Company

FAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Futuris Company (OTC: FTRS) (“Futuris” or the “Company”), a Human Capital Management (HCM) company focused on the acquisition and operation of Executive Search, Staffing and Consulting Companies and Technology Services, today issued a letter to shareholders from its President, Kalyan Pathuri, providing a year-in-review, corporate initiatives and vision for 2021.

Dear Shareholders:

In August 2020, we successfully announced the closing of our share exchange agreement with Mission Mining Co. We subsequently changed our name to Futuris Company, symbol to ‘FTRS’ and reverse split our share price. These critical milestones were the first of many as we continue to make progress towards becoming a fully reporting public company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We continue to work feverishly on several other key aspects of our evolution as a public company that we anticipate being resolved at the latest during the first half of 2021.

Futuris Company was created with the vision to acquire and operate undervalued Executive Search, Staffing and Consulting Companies that specialize in professional service verticals such as Medical, Accounting/Finance, Information Technology, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and Human Resources through a public company platform. We see tremendous opportunity in the staffing industry for not only consolidation, but to also make strategic investments in undervalued assets with option to acquire in a combination of cash, equity and/or debt in the best interest of our shareholders.

Our business model is uniquely structured to build a premium staffing organization by providing diversified staffing services leveraging our five core pillars – 1) strategic and disciplined acquisitions, 2) consolidation of technologies and back office infrastructure synergies, 3) streamlining of corporate overhead through consolidation, 4) market branding and leadership in high growth staffing markets, and 5) cross-selling synergies amongst the diversified service offerings.

All of our acquisition targets have existing revenue and through the integration of their operations and cost efficiencies, are highly accretive achieving economies of scale. The first acquisition we closed was Pioneer Global, Inc., a U.S. staffing services company providing a variety of staffing solutions to various businesses and organizations, helping them improve their business performance through cutting-edge technologies. By providing world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct-hire basis, Pioneer Global has generated approximately $5 million in revenue for the trailing twelve months.

Our second acquisition closed was TalentBeacon International, a consulting and delivery organization for global talent acquisition, management and retention solutions. TalentBeacon’s central area of expertise is deep knowledge of how international talent acquisition can be leveraged to help companies achieve their growth targets, while providing highly consultative and collaborative insights into the opportunities and challenges of working in, and from, these locations.

Our acquisition pipeline continues grow, with very interesting opportunities, collectively totaling over $300 million in annualized revenue. All of these acquisitions are private and as such extensive due diligence and negotiation is required to close. We are managing diligently through this process and as we execute agreements, we will be notifying our investors.

Suffice it to say, the staffing industry remains a very large and relatively stable even amidst the global pandemic. According to the American Staffing Association / U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. companies employ over 17 million temporarily and contract employees annually, which has grown consistently each year since 2014. In healthcare alone, which is a core vertical of ours, the total addressable market is estimated to be $45.2 billion by 2026.

There remains no shortage of opportunities as we head into 2021. We look forward to closing several other acquisitions in the new year and continuing to bolster our staffing portfolio. In addition to completing our audit for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2020, there are several other important corporate governance initiatives that are a priority for our team (update below).

Lastly, we are continuing to improve our communications practices for complete transparency with our shareholder base including relaunching our corporate and investor relations website as well as unveiling new social channels. We thank all our shareholders for their continued support and belief in the future vision of Futuris Company.

Please find below further company updates. Happy safe and healthy new year and look forward to a prosperous 2021.

Sincerely,

Kalyan Pathuri, President

Appointment to Executive Management Team:
In anticipation of continued growth in 2021 and beyond, Futuris Company has made a dedicated effort acquiring talent for the executive management team and Board of Directors. Upon closing of the Company’s share exchange agreement Kalyan Pathuri was appointed as President and Amit Jain as CFO – link. Additionally, in September 2020, the Company appointed Kalyan Pathuri and Larry Gaffey to its Board of Directors – link.

Recently, the Company appointed Allan Hartley as a Board Advisor. Mr. Hartley is a serial entrepreneur and staffing industry expert that has held numerous leadership positions for both public and private companies. Most recently, he was the founder and CEO of Hire Technologies (TSX.V: HIRE), formerly Bay Talent Group. Prior to that, Mr. Hartley was founder and CEO of Staffing 360 Solutions (NASDAQ: STAF), founder and President of AccountAbilities, which was listed on the OTC before being sold, founder and CEO of Creative Financial Staffing; that partnered with CPA firms worldwide to put them in the staffing business and started and managed KForce’s (Romac) national contract division and is on Nasdaq (KFRC). He started his career at Robert Half in Boston (Nasdaq – RHI). During his career, notably, Mr. Hartley was contracted to manage Norrell’s professional staffing group in preparation for merger with Spherion.

Corporate Governance:
Closing of the share exchange agreement was a critical first milestone in becoming a public company. Since, then the Company has continued to take a number of corporate governance steps including filing its updated financial statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and working closely with the Over the Counter (OTC) Exchange to resolve its dark designation as well as updating its company profile. These outstanding corporate governance steps are anticipated to be completed by the beginning of 2021.

Enhanced Corporate Communication:
In additional to engaging KCSA Strategic Communications as Investor Relations Counsel, upon closing of the Share Exchange Agreement, we engaged Preya Narain as Social Media Manager and Corporate Advisor.

We are in the process of relaunching our new corporate website. In the meantime, please follow us on the following social media channels to get the latest information on Futuris Company:

Twitter 
Facebook 
LinkedIn

About Futuris Company
Futuris is a Human Capital Management (HCM) company focused on the acquisition and operation of Executive Search, Staffing and Consulting Companies that specialize in professional service verticals such as Medical, Accounting/Finance, Information Technology, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and Human Resources. The Company is committed to building a global staffing company through highly targeted and accretive acquisitions and operational efficiencies. For more information, please visit http://futuris.company/.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, anything relating or referring to future financial results and plans for future business development activities, and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties some of which cannot be predicted or quantified based on current expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in reports filed by Futuris Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of our business and although the company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Consequently, future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward the forward-looking statements contained herein. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly release statements made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

Contact Information
Futuris Company
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: 347-837-0626

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SOURCE Futuris Company

‘Buy One, Gift One’ is combinable with ‘View & Verandah’ offer that includes stateroom upgrades, free gratuities, beverage package, one-night specialty dining, 10% off shore excursions and more

SEATTLE, Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — To help spread holiday cheer, Holland America Line is offering a free second stateroom with cruise bookings – a huge cruise value and rarity in the industry, and a promotion that has never been offered by the premium cruise line. Cruisers can share the joy of travelling with a loved one with an unprecedented “Buy One, Gift One” promotion that gives a free interior stateroom with the booking of a verandah or suite on the same cruise departure.

“Buy One, Gift One” runs from Dec. 17, 2020, through Jan. 5, 2021, and applies to select 2021 Alaska, Europe, Caribbean and Mexico cruises departing through Dec. 18, 2021.

The promotion can be combined with Holland America Line’s “View & Verandah” offer that provides cruisers with up to $3,800 in added value, depending upon length of cruise and stateroom category booked.  With “Buy One, Gift One”, cruisers also get a free interior stateroom with a value up to $5,600.

“View & Verandah” includes free stateroom upgrades, Signature Beverage Package, an evening at the Pinnacle Grill or Tamarind specialty restaurants, 10% off shore excursions, 50% reduced deposits, and free or reduced fares for kids or any third and fourth guests in the same stateroom, plus free gratuities when booked by Jan. 5.

Free Stateroom Can Be Single or Double Occupancy

Single or double occupancy is permitted with the free interior stateroom, with no additional charge for single occupancy. Those who want to upgrade the free interior stateroom can do so for the difference in the fares between the interior and the desired stateroom category. “View and Verandah” promotional amenities do not apply to guests in the interior stateroom, and taxes, fees, port expenses and gratuities are additional each guest.

For more information about Holland America Line and the above promotions, contact a travel advisor or call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog.  Access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com.

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:  CCL and CUK)]

Holland America Line has been exploring the world since 1873 and was the first cruise line to offer adventures to Alaska and the Yukon more than 70 years ago. Its fleet of premium ships visits more than 470 ports in 98 countries around the world, offering an ideal mid-sized ship experience. A third Pinnacle-class ship, Rotterdam, is under construction and will join the fleet in July 2021.

The leader in premium cruising, Holland America Line’s ships feature innovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination exploration and personalized travel. The best live music at sea fills each evening at Music Walk, and dining venues feature exclusive selections from Holland America Line’s esteemed Culinary Council, comprising world-famous chefs.

In light of COVID-19, Holland America Line is currently enhancing health and safety protocols and how they may impact future cruises. Our actual offerings may vary from what is displayed or described in marketing materials. Review our current Cruise Updates, Health & Safety Protocols and CDC Travel Advisories.

 

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SOURCE Holland America Line

LEXINGTON, S.C., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — First Community Corporation, headquartered in Lexington, South Carolina and the holding company of First Community Bank, is pleased to announce that Ray E. Jones, a Partner in the Columbia office of Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Attorneys and Counselors at Law,­ has been named to its Board of Directors.

With more than 20 years of experience, Mr. Jones brings a wealth of knowledge of South Carolina businesses, local government, public finance, affordable housing and economic development and will be an invaluable asset.

“We are pleased to welcome Ray to the First Community team,” said Mike Crapps, President and CEO. “His experience and areas of expertise will add great value to so many important aspects of our business.”

In his role as Partner in the Columbia office of Parker Poe, Mr. Jones provides advice and counsel to a broad spectrum of clients in matters relating to public finance, local taxation, financing of affordable housing and economic development.

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Mr. Jones attended the University of South Carolina where he received a Bachelor’s in Finance, a Master’s in International Business Administration through the Darla Moore School of Business and a Juris Doctorate through the School of Law. He has since served on several boards and is the past Chairman of the Saluda Shoals Foundation.

“The board is extremely pleased to have Ray joining us,” said First Community Chairman of the Board, J. Thomas “Tommy” Johnson. “His extensive knowledge and diverse experience make him a wonderful addition, and I believe he will serve the company, our customers, our employees and our shareholders very well.”

First Community Bank, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Lexington, South Carolina, is a wholly owned subsidiary of First Community Corporation (NASDAQ: FCCO). First Community is a full-service commercial bank offering deposit and loan products and services, residential mortgage lending, and financial planning/investment advisory services for businesses and consumers. First Community serves customers in the Midlands, Aiken and Greenville, South Carolina, markets, as well as the Augusta, Georgia area. For more information on First Community Bank, visit www.firstcommunitysc.com.

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SOURCE First Community Corporation