Market Newsdesk

SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Coupa Software (NASDAQ: COUP) published the findings from its Business Spend Index (BSI), Q4 2020 Outlook. The Coupa BSI analyzes billions of dollars of aggregated and anonymized business spend decisions across Coupa’s platform, often serving as an early indicator of macroeconomic health over the next three to six months. The Q4 Outlook shows that business spend sentiment improved over the prior quarter (an increase of 6 percent), but overall confidence is still well below trend.

Following a quarter of modest improvement in corporate spending, the Coupa BSI suggests that businesses are continuing to adjust to the new normal and are beginning to return to pre-COVID spending levels, albeit at a slower rate than in the prior quarter. Though still cautious about the global economic outlook, businesses are spending more in areas related to remote work, such as technology, shipping and freight, and contingent workforce support.

Data from the past quarter shows the following year-over-year changes in business spending:

• 97 percent decrease in business spending on air travel
• 22 percent decrease in business spending on office supplies
• 13.5 percent increase in business spending on technology, including hardware, software, and services
• 41 percent increase in contingent workforce spend
• 29 percent increase in business spending for shipping and freight

“The Coupa BSI Q4 Outlook indicates that business spend sentiment is continuing to recover from its sharp drop in Q1 as companies grow increasingly comfortable operating in the new normal,” said Jeff Collins, chief economist at Coupa. “However, despite the positive adjustments made by companies in most major sectors, our analysis shows that confidence in the economy is still low and is likely to remain below trend for at least the next three to six months.”

What to Expect in the Coming Months

• Businesses Overall: Spend data indicates that overall, business spend sentiment is continuing to increase from its sharp drop in Q1 but is still below the trend line.
• Financial Services: Despite rising default risk, business spend sentiment for financial services improved over the last two quarters and looks set to deliver solid growth for the next three to six months.
• Health and Life Sciences: Spend sentiment for health and life sciences increased significantly since last quarter. The sector likely benefited from the reduction in COVID-19 cases at the end of the summer and the return of elective surgeries.
• High Tech: The impact the pandemic has had on remote work has been largely beneficial for the tech sector, and as a result high tech held a steady increase in business spend sentiment quarter-over-quarter.
• Manufacturing: Spend sentiment for manufacturing continues to decline, and as a result, contribution of the sector to GDP is likely to decline over the next three to six months.
• Retail: Business sentiment in the sector indicates that retail has improved modestly; however, the sector is still below trend likely related to multiple retailers filing for bankruptcy in 2020.

To view the Coupa BSI Q4 2020 Outlook in its entirety, visit www.spendindex.com.

Disclaimer: The findings of the BSI are not necessarily indicative of trends happening with Coupa’s business.

The Coupa BSI Methodology
The Coupa BSI is an early indicator of potential economic growth based on current business spending decisions of hundreds of U.S. companies. It analyzes billions of dollars of anonymized transactions from the Coupa BSM Platform, which has cumulatively processed nearly $2 trillion in business spend, to measure confidence around U.S. economic growth at an aggregate level, as well as an industry level within financial services, health and life sciences, high tech, manufacturing, and retail. The index is based on three key measurements related to business spend: (1) spend volume, (2) average time to approve spend decisions, and (3) average rate of spend approval/rejection.

The Coupa BSI is normalized to a baseline value of 100, which represents the weighted composite value of the three components in the baseline reference period (July 2016). The weighting methodology is periodically updated based on recalibration of the model. This was most recently done for Q4 2020.

About Coupa Software
Coupa empowers companies around the world with the visibility and control they need to spend smarter and safer. To learn more about how Coupa can help you spend smarter, visit www.coupa.com. Read more on the Coupa Blog or follow @Coupa on Twitter.

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SOURCE Coupa Software

BEIJING, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. (BOE) recently released its 55-inch 4K active-matrix quantum dot light-emitting diode (AMQLED) display, the first of its kind in the world. This marks another milestone the display maker has achieved in the field of electroluminescent quantum dots following the launch of its high-resolution quantum light-emitting diode (QLED) technology at the beginning of this year.

BOE’s 55-inch UHD AMQLED display

Quantum dot technology has made its way into display products including photoluminescent quantum dot-based backlight unit (QD-BLU) and electroluminescent AMQLED. AMQLED displays do not require a backlight; instead, quantum dots can emit light themselves when stimulated by current. AMQLED displays present a variety of advantages such as self-emitting, a wide color gamut, and a long lifetime, representing the development trend of quantum dot displays. Additionally, the R&D of large quantum dot printing technology and products is a focus of attention in the industry.

Through technological innovation, BOE has made major breakthroughs in the uniformity and stability during large-size quantum dot printing. Based on its cutting-edge electroluminescent quantum dot technology, BOE’s first-ever 55-inch 4K AMQLED display features a resolution of 3840×2160, a color gamut of 119% NTSC, and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, having a broad application prospect in the field of large-size displays.

BOE is a world leading player in the field of quantum dot electroluminescent research and development. In 2017 BOE launched 5-inch and 14-inch AMQLED prototypes fabricated by inkjet printing, which won the Best in Show award in 2017 SID Display Week. As a global leader in the semiconductor display industry, BOE keeps close watch on frontier display technologies and is committed to bringing its innovative display products and solutions to myriads of scenarios, thereby delivering the best visual experiences to users.

 

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SOURCE BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — SVB Financial Group today announced Innovate Next, a new virtual summit on January 7, 2021, convening executives and investors from across the globe to discuss the most pressing topics and innovative solutions transforming healthcare.

The event will be hosted by SVB Financial Group entities Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), healthcare investment bank SVB Leerink, and SPD Silicon Valley Bank (SSVB), SVB’s joint venture bank in China. Together, these three firms’ deep knowledge of the global healthcare and technology industries, financing trends and opportunities for investors will create the essential industry event to kick off the new year.

“We’re thrilled to create a space where the world’s leading voices at the intersection of healthcare and technology can come together to share their knowledge, advice and solutions at a time when collaboration is more important than ever,” said Katherine Andersen, Head of Life Science and Healthcare Relationship Banking at Silicon Valley Bank. “SVB’s extensive network of global life science and healthcare companies and investors provides a unique opportunity for participants to learn and discuss the current trends impacting the space and what they can expect to see in the upcoming year.”

The Innovate Next agenda will feature keynotes from Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN, and Sylvia Mathews Burwell, President of American University and the 22^nd Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (2014 to 2017), in addition to panels and breakout sessions with change-makers from the world’s most pioneering companies and institutions. For example, one session will address rapid vaccine development and the implications for clinical trials in a post-COVID-19 world with Peter Marks, Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) division at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Geoff Porges, Director of Therapeutics Research and Senior Research Analyst at SVB Leerink.

Jim Kelly, Senior Managing Director and Head of Equity Research at SVB Leerink said, “Innovate Next provides healthcare leaders a front row seat to key insights on clinical developments, regulatory changes, commercialization dynamics, and much more. The unique perspectives discussed will allow those who are developing and commercializing innovative products and services to continue to define the future of healthcare.”

Sample session topics include:

• The outcome of the 2020 election and its impact on the markets, access to healthcare, valuations, commercialization and the Affordable Care Act
• Healthcare’s K-shaped recovery post-COVID-19
• The long-term effects of the pandemic on mental health, telemedicine and alternative care
• The international landscape and market dynamics of cross-border business
• The landscape for private and public fundraising, outlook on investing and exits
• Organizational challenges and opportunities, building successful and diverse management teams and advisory boards and focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion

Attendance at Innovate Next is by invitation-only, but investors and executives may request an invite and view the agenda and speakers at events.svb.com/innovatenext.

The Innovate Next Advisory Board comprises a diverse team with some of healthcare’s most prominent founders and thought leaders. Members include:

• Anna Protopapas, CEO, Mersana
• Brad Loncar, CEO, Loncar Investments
• Christian Gormsen, CEO, Eargo
• Emily Melton, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Threshold
• Josh Makower, General Partner, NEA
• Nate Chang, Partner, a16z
• Renee Ryan, CEO, Cala Health
• Rob Perez, Partner, General Atlantic
• Srini Akkaraju, Founding Partner, Samsara BioCapital

About SVB Financial Group

For more than 35 years, SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB) and its subsidiaries have helped innovative companies and their investors move bold ideas forward, fast. SVB Financial Group’s businesses, including Silicon Valley Bank, offer commercial and private banking, asset management, private wealth management, brokerage and investment services and funds management services to companies in the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity and venture capital, and premium wine industries. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, SVB Financial Group operates in centers of innovation around the world. Learn more at svb.com.

About SVB Leerink


SVB Leerink is a leading investment bank, specializing in healthcare and life sciences. The firm’s knowledge, experience and focus enable it to help its clients define and achieve their strategic, capital markets and investment objectives. SVB Leerink partners with companies that develop and commercialize innovative products and services that are defining the future of healthcare. SVB Leerink is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SVB Financial Group and is a member of FINRA/SIPC. For more information, please visit www.svbleerink.com.   

About SPD Silicon Valley Bank

Headquartered in Shanghai, China, SPD Silicon Valley Bank (SSVB) is a joint venture between Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co., Ltd. (“SPDB” SSE: 600000) and Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB” NASDAQ: SIVB (SVB Financial Group)). SSVB is the first technology and innovation bank in China serving as an independent legal entity. It is also the first Sino-US joint venture bank. SSVB’s mission is to “increase our clients’ probability of success” by providing unique financial products and services to the technology and innovation industry and redefining the banking experience for innovation companies of all sizes. SSVB aims to create the “Innovation Ecosystem” and strives to be the most sought-after bank for China’s innovation economy. Target clients include those in the hardware, software, Internet, mobile, consumer technology, life science, biotechnology and cleantech sectors. Learn more at www.spd-svbank.com/en/.

SVB Financial Group is the holding company for all business units and groups.
SVB, SVB FINANCIAL GROUP, SILICON VALLEY BANK, MAKE NEXT HAPPEN NOW, 
硅谷
银行
, 
硅谷
银行金融集团
, and the chevron device are trademarks, separately and in combination, of SVB Financial Group in China, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, and are used under license. Silicon Valley Bank is a member of the FDIC and the Federal Reserve System. Silicon Valley Bank is the California bank subsidiary of SVB Financial Group. 

SPD, SHANGHAI PUDONG DEVELOPMENT BANK, and 
浦
发银行有限公司
 are trademarks, separately and in combination, of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Ltd. in China, and are used under license.

SPD Silicon Valley Bank is a Sino-U.S. joint-venture bank of Silicon Valley Bank, the California bank subsidiary and commercial banking operation of SVB Financial Group, and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank.

 

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SOURCE Silicon Valley Bank

SEATTLE, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — (NASDAQ: RDFN) — Sales of vacation homes are soaring, even as millions of Americans grapple with financial devastation triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. In October, demand for second homes skyrocketed 100% from a year earlier—the fourth triple-digit increase in the last five months, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. That outpaced the 50% increase in demand for primary homes.

For its report, Redfin analyzed mortgage-rate lock data from real estate analytics firm Optimal Blue. A mortgage-rate lock is an agreement between a homebuyer and a lender that allows the homebuyer to lock in an interest rate on a mortgage for a certain period of time, offering protection against future interest-rate hikes. Homebuyers must specify whether they are applying to secure a mortgage rate for a primary home, a second home or an investment property.  Roughly 80% of mortgage rate locks result in actual home purchases.

Home sales are on the rise across the board due to record-low mortgage rates and a wave of relocations during the pandemic, but demand for second homes is particularly strong as affluent Americans work remotely, no longer need to send their kids to school in person and face travel restrictions, explained Redfin lead economist Taylor Marr.

“With mortgage rates at all-time lows and offices shut down across the country, the dream of having a second home outside of the city is becoming a reality for many wealthy Americans,” Marr said. “Unfortunately, at the same time, millions of less-fortunate families are behind on their mortgage or rent payments due to financial hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.”

Some of the second homes purchased this year will ultimately turn into primary homes, as it’s not uncommon for a buyer to close a deal on a second home before putting their current house on the market, Marr added.

As second-home purchases have soared during the pandemic, resort towns across the U.S. have attracted more homebuyers. A recent Redfin report found that eight of the 10 U.S. counties that have heated up the most over the past year are home to popular vacation spots, including Lake Tahoe, Cape Cod, Palm Springs, the Jersey Shore, and Bend, OR.

Melissa Killham, a Redfin real estate agent in Wisconsin, said that she’s seen demand surge in Lake Geneva—a popular resort town about an hour southwest of Milwaukee. 

“The home-tour rate in Lake Geneva has doubled—people from the city can’t travel for vacation so they’re looking for second homes,” she said. “The Lake Geneva school district is also still offering in-person learning, so a lot of families are buying second homes in the area so they can work remotely and send their kids to school.”

Home values have been climbing in seasonal towns across the U.S. The median sale price in seasonal towns grew 21% year over year in October to $420,000, outpacing the 14% growth in non-seasonal towns. Redfin defines a seasonal town as a town where more than 30% of housing stock is used for seasonal, recreational or occasional purposes.

“Even when offices reopen, folks will be able to spend more time than ever before in their second homes because many employers will continue to offer flexible remote-work policies,” Marr said.”With workers still commuting in one or two days a week, resort towns that are near major cities will likely continue to heat up.”

To view the full report, please visit: https://www.redfin.com/news/second-home-purchases-soar-coronavirus-pandemic  

About Redfin 

Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a technology-powered residential real estate company, redefining real estate in the consumer’s favor in a commission-driven industry. We do this by integrating every step of the home buying and selling process and pairing our own agents with our own technology, creating a service that is faster, better and costs less. We offer brokerage, iBuying, mortgage, and title services, and we also run the country’s #1 real estate brokerage search site, offering a host of online tools to consumers, including the Redfin Estimate. We represent people buying and selling homes in over 90 markets in the United States and Canada. Since our launch in 2006, we have saved our customers over $800 million and we’ve helped them buy or sell more than 235,000 homes worth more than $115 billion.

For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate agent, visit www.redfin.com. To learn about housing market trends and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center. To be added to Redfin’s press release distribution list, email [email protected]. To view Redfin’s press center, click here.

 

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SOURCE Redfin

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kintara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTRA) (“Kintara” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of new solid tumor cancer therapies, today announced interim data on its two Phase 2 trials of VAL-083, the Company’s lead compound for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).  The data are to be presented in two posters at the 25th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) which will be held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic on November 19-21, 2020.

“I’m extremely pleased with the continual progress being achieved by both of these ongoing Phase 2 clinical studies evaluating VAL-083, as the results garnered thus far are an indicator of the compound’s potential to be an important therapeutic option for GBM patients in the recurrent, newly-diagnosed first-line, and newly-diagnosed adjuvant treatment settings,” commented Saiid Zarrabian, Kintara’s Chief Executive Officer. “It is a pleasure to present the data updates at the Society for Neuro-Oncology’s Annual Meeting, as these studies have provided valuable insight in initiating the VAL-083 arm of the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research GBM AGILE registrational study which is expected to occur later this year.”

Dr. John de Groot, professor, Department of Neuro-Oncology at The University of Texas MD Andersen Cancer Center and also a founding member of Kintara’s Scientific Advisory Board stated, “These data continue to confirm VAL-083’s compelling potential as a potent DNA targeting cytotoxic agent for the treatment of GBM.  I’m particularly encouraged by VAL-083’s continued ability to demonstrate a favorable progression-free survival trend as compared to TMZ historical data in newly-diagnosed GBM, and improvement in overall survival compared to lomustine historical data in the recurrent setting.”

At the SNO Annual Meeting, Kintara is to present posters updating two Phase 2 clinical trials evaluating VAL-083 in patients with MGMT-unmethylated GBM as follows:

Newly-Diagnosed and Recurrent GBM

The first poster outlined interim data from two groups of patients receiving VAL-083 in the open-label, Phase 2 study in recurrent and adjuvant unmethylated GBM settings being conducted at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. 

In newly-diagnosed patients receiving VAL-083 as adjuvant therapy following treatment with radiation and TMZ, for the 27 efficacy evaluable patients (of a planned up to 36 patients) as of the data cut-off of October 23, 2020, median progression-free survival (PFS) is currently 10.0 months (confidence interval: CI 7.6-10.8). While not a head-to-head study, this PFS data compares favorably to historical TMZ control of 5.3 months* and 6.9 months**, respectively.

For patients in the recurrent group receiving second-line therapy with VAL-083 following first-line TMZ failure, 84 patients have been enrolled as of the data cut-off of October 23, 2020 with 35 patients (34 efficacy evaluable) having received an initial dose of 40 mg/m²/day and 49 (43 efficacy evaluable) having received the planned Phase 3 initial dose of 30 mg/m²/day (on days 1, 2 and 3 of a 21-day cycle). Median overall survival (mOS) for the 77 efficacy evaluable patients who have completed at least once cycle of treatment was 7.6 months (CI 6.4-10.6 months). Additionally, for the 43 efficacy evaluable patients initially receiving the planned Phase 3 initial dose of 30 mg/m²/day, mOS is currently 8.5 months (CI 6.8-13.7 months). While this is not a head-to-head trial, historically, lomustine, which is the most commonly used chemotherapy for these patients, has demonstrated mOS of 7.2 months***.

Consistent with prior studies, myelosuppression is the most common adverse event with VAL-083 in both the recurrent GBM and adjuvant treatment setting. In the 30 mg/m²/day starting dose cohort (the planned dose for the GBM AGILE pivotal study) three subjects have experienced a serious adverse event (SAE) possibly related to VAL-083 in the recurrent group and one patient has experienced a possibly drug-related SAE in the adjuvant group as of the relevant data cut-off dates.

First-Line GBM

The second poster outlined the open-label, Phase 2 study of VAL-083 as a first-line treatment in newly-diagnosed, unmethylated GBM patients being conducted at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in China. For the 29 patients who had completed at least their first efficacy assessment as of the October 21, 2020 cut-off date, median PFS with VAL-083 is currently 9.3 months (95% CI 6.4-12.0 months). Additionally, for the 25 patients initially receiving the treatment dose that will be carried forward in the GBM AGILE pivotal Phase 3 study of 30 mg/m²/day on days 1, 2 and 3 of a 21-day cycle, median PFS was reported to be 8.7 months (CI 6.4-12.5 months). While not a head-to-head study, this PFS data compares favorably to historical TMZ control of 5.3 months* and 6.9 months**, respectively.  Multiple treatment cycles of VAL-083 at the 30 mg/m²/day dose in combination with standard radiation treatment (2 Gy/day, 5 days/week) was shown to be generally safe and well-tolerated.

*Hegi et al N Eng J Med 352; 997-1003 (2005)

**Tanguturi et al. NeuroOncol. 19(7): 908-917 (2017)

*** Wick et al N.Eng.J.Med . 377:1954 1963 (2017)

ABOUT KINTARA

Located in San Diego, California, Kintara is dedicated to the development of novel cancer therapies for patients with unmet medical needs.

Kintara is developing two late-stage, Phase 3-ready therapeutics for clear unmet medical needs with reduced risk development programs.  The two programs are VAL-083 for GBM and REM-001 for cutaneous metastatic breast cancer (CMBC).

VAL-083 is a “first-in-class”, small-molecule chemotherapeutic with a novel mechanism of action that has demonstrated clinical activity against a range of cancers, including central nervous system, ovarian and other solid tumors (e.g. NSCLC, bladder cancer, head and neck) in U.S. clinical trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Based on Kintara’s internal research programs and these prior NCI-sponsored clinical studies, Kintara is currently conducting clinical trials to support the development and commercialization of VAL-083 in GBM.

Kintara is also advancing its proprietary, late-stage photodynamic therapy platform that holds promise as a localized cutaneous, or visceral, tumor treatment as well as in other potential indications. REM-001 therapy, has been previously studied in four Phase 2/3 clinical trials in patients with CMBC, who had previously received chemotherapy and/or failed radiation therapy. With clinical efficacy to date of 80% complete responses of CMBC evaluable lesions, and with an existing robust safety database of approximately 1,100 patients across multiple indications, Kintara is advancing the REM-001 CMBC program to late-stage pivotal testing. 

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the status of the Company’s clinical trials and the GBM AGILE study.  Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.  The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s operations and clinical trials; the Company’s ability to develop, market and sell products based on its technology; the expected benefits and efficacy of the Company’s products and technology; the availability of substantial additional funding for the Company to continue its operations and to conduct research and development, clinical studies and future product commercialization; and, the Company’s business, research, product development, regulatory approval, marketing and distribution plans and strategies.  These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2020, the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K.

CONTACTS:

Investors:
CORE IR
516-222-2560
[email protected]

Media:

Jules Abraham

Director of Public Relations
CORE IR
917-885-7378
[email protected]

 

 

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SOURCE Kintara Therapeutics

MONETT, Mo., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.^® (NASDAQ: JKHY) is a leading provider of technology solutions and payment processing services primarily for the financial services industry. Its Symitar^® division today announced that Georgia United Credit Union moved its Episys^® core platform to Jack Henry’s private cloud environment.

The $1.6 billion-asset credit union operated with an in-house processing environment with Jack Henry for decades. Its decision to transition to a private cloud infrastructure was based largely on the level of oversight and efficiency that Jack Henry provides.

Mark Bartholomew, CIO at Georgia United, explained, “This wasn’t the first time that we considered a private cloud environment, but what sealed the deal was the fail-safe redundancies and stability that Jack Henry offers. They provide a level of oversight that we cannot replicate. Our top priority is to provide a safe place for members to bank, and this reinforces our ability to be available to members whenever they might need us.”

Georgia United has been growing its field of membership throughout the state both organically and through acquisitions. The credit union’s long-standing partnership with Jack Henry equips it to continue steady growth while maintaining its reputation for superior member service. Operating in a cloud environment will grant Georgia United fast, open access to advancing technology, both from Jack Henry as well its other fintech partners.

Over 60% of Jack Henry’s core credit union customers have selected the private cloud environment, including a growing number of larger institutions such as Georgia United. The security, data resiliency and resources provided from a cloud-based infrastructure allow credit unions to focus IT efforts on areas that differentiate them. And, credit unions have found that when moving to the private cloud environment they do not lose the configurability and openness that they value from Jack Henry.

Shanon McLachlan, president of Symitar, added, “Outsourcing your core shouldn’t mean sacrificing control and ownership, but rather gaining the expertise of a skilled technology partner. Credit unions of all sizes are quickly realizing the benefits that can be gained by tapping into Jack Henry’s extensive industry, technology, and security resources. Plus, the migration to our private cloud helps credit unions manage change with ease, such as adapting to virtual work environments and rapidly advancing member services. Georgia United is now well positioned to take advantage of rapidly evolving opportunities and continue its plans for growth.”

About Symitar 
Symitar, a division of Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.^®, is the leading provider of integrated computer systems for credit unions of all sizes. Symitar has been selected as the primary technology partner by more than 800 credit unions, serving as a single source for integrated, enterprise-wide automation and as a single point of contact and support. Additional information is available at www.symitar.com. 

About Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. 

Jack Henry (NASDAQ:JKHY) is a leading provider of technology solutions primarily for the financial services industry. We are an S&P 500 company that serves approximately 8,700 clients nationwide through three divisions: Jack Henry Banking^® supports banks ranging from community banks to multi-billion-dollar institutions; Symitar^® provides industry-leading solutions to credit unions of all sizes; and ProfitStars^® offers highly specialized solutions to financial institutions of every asset size, as well as diverse corporate entities outside of the financial services industry. With a heritage that has been dedicated to openness, partnership, and user centricity for more than 40 years, we are well-positioned as a driving market force in future-ready digital solutions and payment processing services. We empower our clients and consumers with the human-centered, tech-forward, and insights-driven solutions that will get them where they want to go. Are you future ready? Additional information is available at www.jackhenry.com. 

Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking information.  Actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking information.  Specifically, there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by any forward-looking information.  Additional information on these and other factors, which could affect the Company’s financial results, are included in its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings on Form 10-K, and potential investors should review these statements.  Finally, there may be other factors not mentioned above or included in the Company’s SEC filings that may cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking information. 

JKHY-SY 

 

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SOURCE Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLRX), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapies for the treatment of fibrosis, today announced its participation in the Piper Sandler 32nd Annual Healthcare Conference to be held virtually December 1 – 3, 2020.

Bernard Coulie, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Pliant Therapeutics, will participate in a fireside chat with Tyler M. Van Buren, senior biotechnology analyst at Piper Sandler. The fireside chat will be pre-recorded and available beginning on Monday, November 23, 2020 at 10:00 am ET by visiting the “News & Events” section of the “Investors & Media” page of the Pliant Therapeutics’ website at www.pliantrx.com.

The webcast replay of the fireside chat will be archived for 90 days following the conclusion of the event.

About Pliant Therapeutics, Inc.
Pliant Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapies for the treatment of fibrosis. Pliant’s lead product candidate, PLN-74809, is an oral small-molecule dual selective inhibitor of a_vß₆ and a_vß₁ integrins that is in development for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF, and primary sclerosing cholangitis, or PSC. PLN-74809 has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for both IPF and PSC. Pliant is currently recruiting Phase 2a trials of PLN-74809 for the treatment of IPF and PSC. Pliant’s second product candidate, PLN-1474, is a small-molecule selective inhibitor of a_vß₁ for the treatment of liver fibrosis associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, which Pliant has partnered with Novartis. PLN-1474 is currently undergoing a Phase 1 trial. In addition to clinical stage programs, Pliant currently has two preclinical programs targeting oncology and muscular dystrophies. For additional information about Pliant Therapeutics, visit www.pliantrx.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Investor Contact:

Christopher Keenan

Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Pliant Therapeutics, Inc.
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Cambria Fuqua
Canale Communications
[email protected]

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SOURCE Pliant Therapeutics, Inc.

DETROIT, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) is supplying its award-winning EcoTrac® Disconnecting All-Wheel-Drive for Chrysler’s new 2021 Chrysler Pacifica minivan with AWD. AAM’s system seamlessly provides AWD safety and performance only when the vehicle senses it is needed including during cold temperatures, windshield wiper use, front wheel slip, heavy accelerations, electronic stability control activation, abrupt steering and rough road conditions.

“AAM’s was first to market with a disconnecting all-wheel-drive system on the Jeep® Cherokee,” said David C. Dauch, AAM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We are now expanding the relationship with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and supplying this innovative technology for one of the company’s key vehicles.”

AAM’s Pacifica’s Power Transfer Unit (PTU), Rear Drive Module (RDM) and the Drive Train Control Module (DTCM) are the heart of the Pacifica’s AWD system and use vehicle sensor data to constantly evaluate traction and assist the driver through difficult weather and challenging road conditions.

The PTU splits torque from the nine-speed automatic transmission and routes it to the rear drive module. The DTCM contains AWD system software that provides enhanced handling and improved traction to the rear wheels via the RDM.

When only front wheel drive is required, AAM’s PTU disconnects and stops spinning the driveshaft no longer sending power to the RDM. Less spinning helps increase efficiency and reduces emissions while still providing enhanced safety when needed.

AAM introduced the industry’s first disconnecting AWD system in late 2013. Since then, AAM has supplied more than 600,000 disconnecting AWD units that help make vehicles safer and more efficient.

About AAM

AAM (NYSE: AXL) delivers POWER that moves the world. As a leading global Tier 1 automotive supplier, AAM designs, engineers and manufactures driveline and metal forming technologies that are making the next generation of vehicles smarter, lighter, safer and more efficient. Headquartered in Detroit, AAM has approximately 20,000 associates operating at nearly 80 facilities in 17 countries to support our customers on global and regional platforms with a focus on quality, operational excellence and technology leadership. To learn more, visit aam.com. 

Contact: Andrea Knapp, [email protected]

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SOURCE American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — DirectBooks™, the capital markets consortium founded to optimize global financing markets, today announced that it has launched its core service to simplify and evolve the primary issuance process for corporate bonds. DirectBooks was formed and is supported by 9 global banks, consisting of Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo.

Addressing inefficiencies in the marketplace across multiple communication channels, DirectBooks simplifies the primary issuance process using a common set of structured data and streamlined communications. The new platform increases workflow efficiency and accuracy of deal information among market participants, distributed through a robust communications infrastructure that can be integrated into underwriter and investor systems.

“It is exciting to be able to launch our platform this year and move from start-up to scale-up,” said DirectBooks CEO, Rich Kerschner. “The combination of our market knowledge, talented team, advanced and scalable technology, and growing network of market participants, has enabled DirectBooks to continue to move forward despite challenging working conditions in 2020. We are delivering on our mission to optimize global financing markets, and this is the first step on our journey for the benefit of the market.”

The DirectBooks platform launched initially with deal announcement functionality for globally distributed U.S. Dollar Investment Grade issuances, offering a common set of structured deal data and document access for institutional investors. Orders and Allocations functionality will be added next, and the product set will continue to expand globally with Euro deals in the first half of 2021. Onboarding of additional dealers and institutional investors will continue to be phased in throughout this quarter and into 2021.

DirectBooks developed the platform in partnership with Axoni, a New York-based technology firm that specializes in multiparty financial workflows and distributed ledger technology, which has been deployed as critical infrastructure in a wide range of global capital markets.  The DirectBooks primary issuance platform leverages Axoni’s expertise and technology to deliver a service that is scalable across asset classes and regions.

For a detailed FAQ, please click here: www.directbooks.com

ABOUT DIRECTBOOKS

DirectBooks leverages its technology expertise and market knowledge to optimize global financing markets. DirectBooks improves the efficiency and accuracy of communications for underwriters, allowing institutional investors to focus on their investment process. DirectBooks was formed by 9 global banks, consisting of Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Barclays (NYSE:BCS), BNP Paribas (FR:BNP), Citi (NYSE:C), Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB), Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), J.P. Morgan (NYSE:JPM), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC). For additional information on DirectBooks, please visit www.DirectBooks.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Chris Rodriguez
[email protected]
(848) 888-7704

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SOURCE DirectBooks