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Starting November 12^th, the campaign will be featured nationally across social and digital platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – ELSE NUTRITION HOLDINGS INC. (TSXV: BABY.V) (OTC-QB: BABYF) (Frankfurt: 0YL.F) (“Else” or the “Company”) the plant-based baby, toddler and children’s nutrition company, today announced the launch of its first National U.S. brand campaign, ‘In an Else World.’

Ahead of its nationwide retail launch in 380 stores across the U.S., the company has enlisted the global creative agency, Allenby Concept House and the award-winning Animation Director, Sivan Kidron to conceptualize the creative for the campaign. Click here to  view the full version video.

The campaign includes an interactive Instagram Live series with featured appearances from leading pediatricians, registered nurses and dietitians, including Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN, LD and Hillary Sadler, MSN, RCN-OB, IBCLC as well as celebrity mom, Hilaria Baldwin. Tune into the series on Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. EST, by following @elsenutrition on Instagram.

The campaign aims to spread Else Nutrition’s mission of providing real, plant-based and no-compromise nutrition alternatives for parents to feed their child, building the kind of world where families can choose nutrition that aligns with their values and needs.

Coming to life through bold and colorful animation, Else Nutrition welcomes all consumers to an ‘Else World’ where whole-food, plant-based nutrition is everywhere, especially in the baby aisle.  Focusing on the brand’s core values of providing natural products that are better for the baby, the parent and the planet, Else is excited to showcase its sustainable and cleaner offerings, including its first, breakthrough product – ‘Else Plant-Based Complete Nutrition for Toddlers’.

“We’re excited to launch our first, national marketing campaign. We’re inviting all parents to join us in building an Else World: the kind of world our babies and children deserve: with cleaner, less processed, whole-food plant-based nutrition, and a healthier planet. Since launching Else Nutrition we’ve seen how our ground-breaking plant-based nutrition has helped families around the U.S. provide their children with proper nutrition,” said Mrs. Hamutal Yitzhak, CEO and Co-Founder of Else Nutrition. “We believe that babies and children should have the same clean label, plant-based nutrition choices as their parents do, without compromise. We are excited to have the opportunity to increase awareness with consumers that will bring these ideals and values to life for millions of families across North America.”

“Together with the inspiring Else Nutrition team, we have created a world in which alternative possibilities are always available and all you need to do is to be open  to them,” said Sivan Kidron, Animation Director. “The animation plays on this idea, showing us what is behind and beyond what we currently see, while continuously opening our minds to new and exciting alternatives and innovations.”

Follow @elsenutrition on Instagram. Join an Else World on Instagram and Facebook by following #ElseWorld. 

About Else Nutrition Holdings Inc.

Else Nutrition GH Ltd. is an Israel-based food and nutrition company focused on developing innovative, clean and plant-based food and nutrition products for infants, toddlers, children, and adults. Its revolutionary, plant-based, non-soy, formula is a clean-ingredient alternative to dairy-based formula. Else Nutrition (formerly INDI) won the “2017 Best Health and Diet Solutions” award at the Global Food Innovation Summit in Milan. The holding company, Else Nutrition Holdings Inc., is a publicly traded company, listed as TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol BABY and is quoted on the US OTC Markets QX board under the trading symbol BABYF and on the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol 0YL. Else’s Executives includes leaders hailing from leading infant nutrition companies. Many of Else advisory board  members had past executive roles in companies such as Mead Johnson, Abbott Nutrition, Plum Organics and leading infant nutrition Societies,  and some of them currently serve in different roles in leading medical centers and academic institutes such as Boston Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, USA, Tel Aviv University, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, Rambam Medical Center and Technion, Israel and University Hospital Brussels, Belgium.

For more information, visit: elsenutrition.com or @elsenutrition on Facebook and Instagram.

TSX Venture Exchange

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

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “will” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements with respect to the anticipated dates for filing the Company’s financial disclosure documents.  Such forward-looking statements reflect current estimates, beliefs and assumptions, which are based on management’s perception of current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. No assurance can be given that the foregoing will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements made in this press release assume, among others, the expectation that there will be no interruptions or supply chain failures as a result of COVID 19 and that the manufacturing, broker and supply logistic agreement with the Company do not terminate.  Actual results may differ from the estimates, beliefs and assumptions expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s expectations only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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SOURCE Else Nutrition Holdings Inc.

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Ambetter is utilizing technology to offer consumers personalized, step-by-step, virtual guidance to make the enrollment process easier and help members get the most out of their health plan coverage. From Ambetter’s one-stop online enrollment platform to Amber, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistant, consumers are able to easily navigate the experience of enrolling in and using their health coverage during open enrollment and beyond.

“As technology evolves, Ambetter must also adapt to the new ways people prefer to engage with their health coverage,” said Michael F. Neidorff, Chairman, President and CEO for Centene. “We are committed to making the insurance experience personalized and seamless, and through these new technologies, we’re able to alleviate any roadblocks that prevent people from getting the most out of their healthcare.” 

During open enrollment, Ambetter is extending three key technology services to members and those shopping for health insurance to simplify the experience:

• Online Enrollment Platform: Through Ambetter’s online enrollment platform, consumers can browse and compare health plan coverage, determine their eligibility for financial subsidies, and directly enroll in health coverage – all in one place. The platform is optimized for mobile access as well, so consumers can apply and enroll directly on their smartphones and smart devices. The platform even allows applicants to save their progress and sends reminders to those who wish to resume the application where they left off. Ambetter‘s enrollment platform offers the same privacy and security as enrolling through the federal exchange website, which helps ensure that consumers’ personal information is protected.
• Amber Assistant: Upon enrolling in Ambetter, members and new enrollees can engage with Amber, a virtual assistant powered by AI that answers questions about covered services and other health plan benefits. Amber can help members understand deductibles and costs, learn how to earn rewards, make a premium payment, set up a member portal account, and learn the basics of their coverage. Amber also delivers the member’s digital ID card, which can be saved to their Apple Wallet or mobile photo gallery. More than 60% of people who are introduced to Amber choose to engage with her, and users reported very high satisfaction with the experience and their readiness to use their coverage.
• 
  Ambetter Guide: While Amber helps with understanding how their coverage works, the Ambetter Guide helps members get access to the right care. Powered by data science, the Ambetter Guide makes recommendations for healthcare providers based on things that matter to the member. It helps to quickly and reliably match members with a wide range of high-quality, available, in-network providers that are conveniently located. It also eases access to virtual care, including local doctors who offer virtual visits and on-demand network doctors who are dedicated to telehealth.

The open enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace runs through Dec. 15, 2020. For more information about Ambetter and its health coverage plans, please visit www.ambetterhealth.com.

About Ambetter 
Ambetter is a health insurance offering that is available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, or exchange, established by the Affordable Care Act. It is one of the healthcare programs provided by Centene Corporation, a Fortune 100 multi-national healthcare enterprise. Ambetter is made available through local health plans and covers a wide variety of healthcare services, including preventative and wellness services, maternity and newborn care, pediatric services, mental health and substance abuse services, prescription drug coverage, and more. 

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SOURCE Centene Corporation

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 12, 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 its recent accomplishments and financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2020.

“We continue to look to the future with our Specialized BioTherapeutics business segment,” stated Christopher J. Schaber, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Soligenix. “With the recent successful completion of our pivotal Phase 3 FLASH (Fluorescent Light Activated Synthetic Hypericin) trial, SGX301 has demonstrated the potential to be a significant new treatment for early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).  In the double-blind, placebo controlled Cycle 1 portion of the study, a statistically significant treatment response (p=0.04) was achieved in the primary endpoint after just 6 weeks of therapy.  This positive treatment response continued to significantly improve with extended SGX301 treatment in the open-label treatment cycles at 12 weeks (Cycle 2) and 18 weeks (Cycle 3), reinforcing the positive SGX301 primary endpoint treatment response demonstrated in Cycle 1.  With the study now concluded, we will begin preparing our new drug application for submission to the FDA.  We also continue to progress our pivotal Phase 3 DOM-INNATE (Dusquetide treatment in Oral Mucositis – by modulating INNATE Immunity) study for SGX942 (dusquetide), for the treatment of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer receiving chemoradiation therapy.  With enrollment of 268 subjects completed, top-line final results continue to be expected before the end of the year.”

Dr. Schaber continued, “Under our Public Health Solutions business segment, supported by non-dilutive government funding, we continue to advance our work with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) and Hawaii Biotech Inc. on filovirus vaccines (protecting against viruses such as Ebola and Marburg) and the development of vaccines to potentially combat coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19.  We recently announced publication of positive pre-clinical data from immunogenicity studies with CiVax™ (heat stable COVID-19 vaccine candidate), demonstrating immunity of both broad-spectrum antibody and cell-mediated, rapid onset immunity is possible using the novel CoVaccine HT™ adjuvant in-licensed from BTG Specialty Pharmaceuticals (a division of Boston Scientific Corporation).  Our heat stable ricin vaccine, RiVax^®, continues to be supported with a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease contract award.  With over $11M in cash, not including our non-dilutive government funding, along with the at-the-market sales issuance agreement with B. Riley FBR, Inc. to judiciously supplement our cash runway as needed, we anticipate having sufficient capital to achieve multiple inflection points across our rare disease pipeline, including final top-line results in our SGX942 Phase 3 clinical trial in oral mucositis.”

Soligenix Recent Accomplishments

• On October 22, 2020, the Company announced the continued optional treatment with SGX301 (synthetic hypericin) across all lesions during the compassionate use, safety portion of the trial (Cycle 3), for a total of 6 months in the study, continued to significantly improve responses and remained safe and well-tolerated in its FLASH study. This data reinforces the positive SGX301 primary endpoint treatment response demonstrated in Cycle 1. SGX30l treatment in Cycle 3 further improved response rates, with 49% of patients electing to receive SGX301 for a total of 18 weeks demonstrating a 50% or greater reduction in their combined CAILS (Composite Assessment of Index Lesion Score) lesion score compared to 40% of patients demonstrating such a reduction after completing 12 weeks of SGX301 treatment in Cycle 2 (p=0.046). In addition, continued analysis of results has revealed that 12 weeks of SGX301 treatment (Cycle 2) is equally effective on both patch (response 37%, p=0.0009) and plaque (response 42%, p<0.0001) lesions of CTCL when compared to Cycle 1 placebo lesion responses. SGX301 continued to be very well tolerated, benefiting from the lack of hypericin circulation in the blood stream after targeted topical application to the lesions, as well as the use of visible light. To view this press release, please click here.
• On September 15, 2020, the Company announced the publication of nonclinical results characterizing filovirus protein antigens (including for Ebola and Marburg viruses) and their thermostabilization. The article, authored by collaborators at the University of Colorado, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) and Soligenix, is titled, “Preservation of Quaternary Structure in Thermostable, Lyophilized Filovirus Glycoprotein Vaccines: A Search for Stability-Indicating Assays” and has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. A copy of manuscript has been made available here. To view this press release, please click here.
• On September 10, 2020, the Company conducted an Investor Webcast presentation on the use of its thermostabilized glycoprotein vaccine platform for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, called CiVax™. To listen to this Webcast Event, please click here and to view the press release, please click here.

Financial Results – Quarter Ended September 30, 2020

Soligenix’s revenues for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 were $0.6 million as compared to $1.3 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019.  Revenues included payments on a contract in support of RiVax^®, our ricin toxin vaccine candidate, grants received to support the development of SGX943 for treatment of emerging and/or antibiotic-resistant infectious diseases, ThermoVax^®, our thermostabilization technology, and the assessment of SGX942 safety in juvenile animals.

Soligenix’s basic net loss was $1.8 million, or ($0.06) per share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, as compared to $2.7 million, or ($0.14) per share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2019.  This decrease in net loss was primarily the result of decreased research and development spending due to the completion of the CTCL trial.

Research and development expenses were $1.3 million as compared to $2.3 million for the quarters ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.  The decrease in research and development spending for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 was primarily attributable to the reduction in expense due to the completion of the CTCL trial.

General and administrative expenses were $0.8 million for both the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019.

As of September 30, 2020, the Company’s cash position was approximately $11.3 million.

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 SGX301 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.

NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK), a leading global technology company offering a creative platform for high-quality content, tools and services, today announced greater technology support for enterprise customers through a simple sign-on integration—the first offering of its kind among global content providers.

The offering, which can be set up in minutes, provides users with more secure access to a database of 350+ million high-quality licensed images, videos and music tracks through the Shutterstock platform. The seamless integration is designed to eliminate password fatigue and speed up workflows by quickly—and safely—authenticating users across a number of digital platforms and identity management solutions.

“As teams navigate the challenges of working from home, having secure and centralized access to tools and platforms is essential to productivity,” said Alex Reynolds, Shutterstock Vice President and General Manager of Platform Solutions. “The global rollout of SSO stems from our growing commitment to serve the rigorous and ever-changing needs of enterprise customers around the world.”

By implementing SAML 2.0 Single Sign-On (SSO), Shutterstock customers can also expand their access organization-wide, while gaining additional controls over security as marketing and creative teams embrace remote work and turn to online collaboration and tools to improve processes. With browse-only permissions and lightboxes of curated content, Shutterstock can provide more visibility into its content across an entire company, while mitigating risk of accidental purchasing. This will expand content to sales teams for presentations, human resources for intranet projects, business development for customer-facing documentation, and more.

Shutterstock’s SSO is now available to over 250,000 companies globally as Shutterstock partners with industry-leading identity solutions providers including Auth0, Microsoft’s Azure AD, Okta, OneLogin and Ping Identity, with many more in the works. Once deployed across these platforms, the turnkey solution will centralize purchasing activity and reduce employee spend by approximately 10 percent due to the accidental re-licensing of content, according to a recent Shutterstock analysis. Through the integration, greater security access is guaranteed, and users will see productivity gains as hours are relocated from IT discussions to the creative process itself.

To launch the new SSO integration and increase creative efficiency company-wide, contact the Shutterstock Integrations Team directly here: https://www.shutterstock.com/business/sso

About Shutterstock
Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK), directly and through its group subsidiaries, is a leading global provider of high-quality licensed photographs, vectors, illustrations, videos and music to businesses, marketing agencies and media organizations around the world. Working with its growing community of over 1 million contributors, Shutterstock adds hundreds of thousands of images each week, and currently has more than 350 million images and more than 20 million video clips available.

Headquartered in New York City, Shutterstock has offices around the world and customers in more than 150 countries. The company’s brands also include Bigstock, a value-oriented stock media offering; Shutterstock Custom, a custom content creation platform; Offset, a high-end image collection; PremiumBeat, a curated royalty-free music library; and Shutterstock Editorial, a premier source of editorial images and videos for the world’s media.

For more information, please visit www.shutterstock.com and follow Shutterstock on Twitter and on Facebook.

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SOURCE Shutterstock, Inc.

TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc. (“Supreme Cannabis” or the “Company”) (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) today announced that the Company has entered into a supply agreement with Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Inc., a subsidiary of Shoppers Drug Mart Inc.

Under the terms of the supply agreement with Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Inc., the Company will offer Truverra-branded medical cannabis products through the Medical Cannabis by Shoppers™ online sales platform accessible to patients across Canada.

“This is an important development that establishes Truverra as a valuable medical cannabis brand and provides further diversification of our revenue,” said Beena Goldenberg, President and CEO of Supreme Cannabis. “We are particularly pleased to introduce Truverra to Canadian patients, who will be able to order dried flower, pre-rolls and full-spectrum CBD oil. Included in our offering will be our Jean Guy strain, which is a tribute to the legendary variety offered by the Montreal Compassion Club. Also, through the Shoppers portal, patients can be assured of expert customer service from a trusted brand.”

The Medical Cannabis by Shoppers online platform is a convenient and trusted source of quality medical cannabis, providing patients with single-source access to a broad range of products. Through their national online platform, the Medical Cannabis by Shoppers business connects patients with cannabis products that meet the highest quality and safety standards and provides guidance and support via a dedicated team of cannabis-trained advisors and Pharmacists.

About Supreme Cannabis.

The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc., (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1), is a global diversified portfolio of distinct cannabis companies, products and brands. Since 2014, the Company has emerged as one of the world’s most premium producers of recreational, wholesale and medical cannabis products.

Supreme Cannabis’ portfolio of brands caters to diverse consumer and patient experiences, with brands and products that address recreational, wellness, medical and new consumer preferences. The Company’s recreational brand portfolio includes, 7ACRES, 7ACRES Craft Collective, Blissco,sugarleaf, and Hiway. Supreme Cannabis addresses national and international medical cannabis opportunities through its premium Truverra brand.

Supreme Cannabis’ brands are backed by a focused suite of world-class operating assets that serve key functions in the value chain, including, scaled cultivation, value-add processing, automated packaging and product testing and R&D. Follow the Company on Instagram,Twitter, Facebook,LinkedIn and YouTube.

We simply grow better.

Forward-Looking Information.

Certain statements made in this press release constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results and other statements that are not historical facts. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. 

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SOURCE The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE American: SYN), a diversified clinical-stage company leveraging the microbiome to develop therapeutics designed to prevent and treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in areas of high unmet need, today announced the appointment of senior biotech executive John Monahan, PhD, to the Company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Dr. Monahan replaces Scott L. Tarriff who has stepped down after serving on the board since 2012.     

Dr. Monahan has more than 45 years of executive leadership experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Dr. Monahan Co-Founded Avigen Inc. in 1992, a company which has become a leader in its sector for the development of novel pharmaceutical products for the treatment of serious human diseases. Over a 12 year period as Chief Executive Officer of Avigen he raised over $235 million in several private and public financings including its initial public offering. From 1989-1992, he was Vice President of Research & Development at Somatix Therapy Corp., Alameda, CA and from 1985-1989 he was Director of Molecular & Cell Biology at Triton Biosciences Inc., Alameda, CA. Prior to that from 1982-1985, he was Research Group Chief, Department of Molecular Genetics, Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc., Nutley, NJ, and from 1975 to 1977 he was an Instructor at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX. Dr. Monahan served as a scientific advisory consultant to the Company from 2015 to November 2020 and from 2010 through 2015 he was the Company’s Senior Executive Vice President of Research & Development. Dr. Monahan was also a Scientific Advisory Board member of Agilis Biotherapeutics (recently merged into PTC Therapeutics), from 2014 to 2019. He currently serves on the board of directors of Heat Biologics, Inc., Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (formerly ITUS Corporation), and Cellix Ltd. (Ireland). He has also served on a number of other public and private boards over the years. Dr. Monahan received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from McMaster University, Canada and his B.Sc. from University College Dublin, Ireland.

“John is a talented and accomplished executive with an impressive track record of scientific achievement and drug development,” said Steven A. Shallcross, Chief Executive and Financial Officer. “John’s considerable expertise as a leader and as a scientist extends from research and development to regulatory and commercial strategy. He will be invaluable to Synthetic Biologics as we continue to advance our clinical programs, and we intend to leverage his deep industry relationships as we explore strategic opportunities to further expand our pipeline. We look forward to John’s contributions as a Director during this important time for our company. I would also like to express my gratitude to Scott Tarriff for his years of service and valuable insights he brought to our Company. We wish him much success in his endeavors.” 

“I am honored to join the board of Synthetic Biologics at this important inflection in the Company’s development,” commented John Monahan, Ph.D.  “Specifically, I believe there is significant potential for both SYN-004 and SYN-020, as both of these therapies have the potential to address large and underserved markets. Moreover, the Company has an impressive team with deep sector expertise that can be easily leveraged by licensing or acquiring new assets.”

About Synthetic Biologics, Inc.

Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE American: SYN) is a diversified clinical-stage company leveraging the microbiome to develop therapeutics designed to prevent and treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in areas of high unmet need. The Company’s lead candidates are: (1) SYN-004 (ribaxamase) which is designed to degrade certain commonly used intravenous (IV) beta-lactam antibiotics within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to prevent (a) microbiome damage, (b) Clostridioidesdifficile infection (CDI), (c) overgrowth of pathogenic organisms, (d) the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and (e) acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients, and (2) SYN-020, a recombinant oral formulation of the enzyme intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) produced under cGMP conditions and intended to treat both local GI and systemic diseases. For more information, please visit Synthetic Biologics’ website at www.syntheticbiologics.com.     

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” and similar expressions, and include statements regarding the expected contributions of Dr. Monahan and leveraging Dr. Monahan’s  deep industry relationships as Synthetic Biologics explores strategic opportunities to further expand its pipeline and continuing to advance Synthetic Biologics’ clinical programs. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the contributions of Dr. Monahan to Synthetic Biologics, Synthetic Biologics’ ability to leverage Dr. Monahan’s industry relationships to further expand its pipeline, ability to obtain FDA clearance of the IND for the SYN-020 program, a failure of additional pre-clinical studies of SYN-020 to achieve similar results to those previously achieved or to provide support for exercise of the option, the ability to enter into a license to advance an expanded clinical development program for SYN-020, a failure to receive the necessary regulatory approvals for commercialization of Synthetic Biologics’ therapeutics, a failure of Synthetic Biologics’ clinical trials, and those conducted by investigators, for SYN-004 and SYN-010 to be commenced or completed on time or to achieve desired results and benefits, especially in light of COVID-19, a failure of Synthetic Biologics’ clinical trials to continue enrollment as expected or receive anticipated funding, a failure of Synthetic Biologics to successfully develop, market or sell its products, Synthetic Biologics’ inability to maintain its material licensing agreements, or a failure by Synthetic Biologics or its strategic partners to successfully commercialize products and other factors described in Synthetic Biologics’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and its other filings with the SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and Synthetic Biologics undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

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SOURCE Synthetic Biologics, Inc.

TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2020 /CNW/ – Further to the announcement on November 5, 2020 relating to the possible offer for RSA by Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC) (“Intact” or the “Company”) and Tryg A/S (“Tryg”) (together the “Consortium”), Intact announced today that it has entered into subscription agreements with subsidiaries of each of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (“CDPQ”), Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPP Investments”) and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (“Ontario Teachers'”) for the aggregate issuance of 23.8 million subscription receipts at a price of $134.50 per subscription receipt for gross proceeds of $3.2 billion. CDPQ, CPP Investments, and Ontario Teachers’ are committing $1.5 billion, $1.2 billion, and $0.5 billion, respectively. Completion of the offering is conditional upon the Consortium announcing a firm offer for RSA. Additional information on the proposed transaction is available at Intact’s website at https://www.intactfc.com/English/investors/.

Each subscription receipt will entitle the holder to receive one common share of Intact as well as a commitment fee upon closing of the acquisition of RSA. The completion of the offering is subject to approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and other customary closing conditions.

The subscription receipts and the common shares of Intact have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States, except in certain transactions exempt from, or not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these subscription receipts within the United States.

About Intact

Intact Financial Corporation is the largest provider of property and casualty (P&C) insurance in Canada and a leading provider of specialty insurance in North America, with over $11 billion in total annual premiums. The Company has approximately 16,000 employees who serve more than five million personal, business and public sector clients through offices in Canada and the U.S.

In Canada, Intact distributes insurance under the Intact Insurance brand through a wide network of brokers, including its wholly-owned subsidiary BrokerLink, and directly to consumers through belairdirect. Frank Cowan Company, a leading MGA, distributes public entity insurance programs including risk and claims management services in Canada.

In the U.S., Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions provides a range of specialty insurance products and services through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, wholesalers and managing general agencies. Products are underwritten by the insurance company subsidiaries of Intact Insurance Group USA, LLC.

About Caisse
de dépôt et placement du Québec

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and para-public pension and insurance plans. As at June 30, 2020, it held CA$333.0 billion in net assets. As one of Canada’s leading institutional fund managers, CDPQ invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. For more information, visit www.cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

About Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments™) is a professional investment management organization that invests around the world in the best interests of the more than 20 million contributors and beneficiaries of the Canada Pension Plan. In order to build diversified portfolios of assets, investments in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income are made by CPP Investments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, San Francisco, São Paulo and Sydney, CPP Investments is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm’s length from governments. At June 30, 2020, the Fund totalled C$434.4 billion. For more information, please visit www.cppinvestments.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

About Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (Ontario Teachers’) is the administrator of Canada’s largest single-profession pension plan, with $204.7 billion in net assets (all figures at June 30, 2020 unless noted). It holds a diverse global portfolio of assets, approximately 80% of which is managed in-house, and has earned an annual total-fund net return of 9.5% since the plan’s founding in 1990. Ontario Teachers’ is an independent organization headquartered in Toronto. Its Asia-Pacific regional offices are in Hong Kong and Singapore, and its Europe, Middle East & Africa region office is in London. The defined-benefit plan, which is fully funded as at January 1, 2020, invests and administers the pensions of the province of Ontario’s 329,000 active and retired teachers. For more information, visit otpp.com and follow us on Twitter @OtppInfo.

Forward-looking statements

Certain of the statements included in this press release about the proposed cornerstone private placement, the proposed acquisition of RSA (the “Acquisition”) or any other future events or developments constitute forward-looking statements. The words “may”, “will”, “would”, “should”, “could”, “expects”, “plans”, “intends”, “trends”, “indications”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “likely”, “potential” or the negative or other variations of these words or other similar or comparable words or phrases, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Unless otherwise indicated, all forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of November 12, 2020, and are subject to change after that date.

Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by management based on management’s experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition to other estimates and assumptions which may be identified herein, estimates and assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the receipt of all requisite approvals in a timely manner and on terms acceptable to the Company, the realization of the expected strategic, financial and other benefits of the Acquisition, and economic and political environments and industry conditions. However, the completion of the Acquisition is expected to be subject to customary closing conditions, termination rights and other risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, regulatory approvals, and there can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed. There can also be no assurance that if the Acquisition is completed, the strategic and financial benefits expected to result from the Acquisition will be realized. Many factors could cause the Company’s actual results, financial performance or condition, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein, including, without limitation, the following factors:

• expected regulatory processes and outcomes in connection with the Company’s business;
• the Company’s ability to implement its strategy or operate its business as management currently expects;
• the Company’s ability to accurately assess the risks associated with the insurance policies it writes;
• unfavourable capital market developments or other factors, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic conditions, which may affect the Company’s investments, floating rate securities and funding obligations under its pension plans;
• the cyclical nature of the P&C insurance industry;
• management’s ability to accurately predict future claims frequency and severity, including in the high net worth and personal auto lines of business;
• government regulations designed to protect policyholders and creditors rather than investors;
• litigation and regulatory actions, including with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• periodic negative publicity regarding the insurance industry;
• intense competition;
• the Company’s reliance on brokers and third parties to sell its products to clients and provide services to the Company and the impact of COVID-19 and related economic conditions on such brokers and third parties;
• the Company’s ability to successfully pursue its acquisition strategy;
• the Company’s ability to execute its business strategy;
• the uncertainty of obtaining in a timely manner, or at all, the regulatory approvals required to complete the Acquisition, the issuance of the subscription receipts and the issuance of the common shares issuable pursuant to the subscription agreements;
• unfavourable capital markets developments or other factors that may adversely affect the Company’s ability to finance the Acquisition;
• the Company’s ability to improve its combined ratio, retain business and achieve synergies and maintain market position arising from successful integration plans relating to the Acquisition, as well as management’s estimates and expectations in relation to future economic and business conditions and other factors in relation to the Acquisition and resulting impact on growth and accretion in various financial metrics;
• its ability to otherwise complete the integration of the business acquired within anticipated time periods and at expected cost levels; 
• the Company’s dependence on key employees and its ability to attract and retain key employees in connection with the Acquisition;
• the Company’s ability to achieve synergies arising from successful integration plans relating to acquisitions generally;
• the Company’s profitability and ability to improve its combined ratio in the United States;
• the Company’s ability to retain and attract new business in connection with the Acquisition;
• the Company’s participation in the Facility Association (a mandatory pooling arrangement among all industry participants) and similar mandated risk-sharing pools;
• terrorist attacks and ensuing events;
• the occurrence and frequency of catastrophe events, including a major earthquake;
• catastrophe losses caused by severe weather and other weather-related losses, as well as the impact of climate change;
• the occurrence of and response to public health crises including epidemics, pandemics or outbreaks of new infectious diseases, including most recently, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and ensuing events;
• the Company’s ability to maintain its financial strength and issuer credit ratings;
• the Company’s access to debt and equity financing;
• the Company’s ability to compete for large commercial business;
• the Company’s ability to alleviate risk through reinsurance;
• the Company’s ability to successfully manage credit risk (including credit risk related to the financial health of reinsurers);
• the Company’s ability to contain fraud and/or abuse;
• the Company’s reliance on information technology and telecommunications systems and potential failure of or disruption to those systems, including in the context of the impact on the ability of our workforce to perform necessary business functions remotely, as well as in the context of evolving cybersecurity risk;
• the impact of developments in technology and use of data on the Company’s products and distribution;
• changes in laws or regulations, including those adopted in response to COVID-19 that would, for example, require insurers to cover business interruption claims irrespective of terms after policies have been issued, and could result in an unexpected increase in the number of claims and have a material adverse impact on the Company’s results;
• COVID-19 related coverage issues and claims, including certain class actions and related defence costs could negatively impact our claims reserves;
• general economic, financial and political conditions;
• the Company’s dependence on the results of operations of its subsidiaries and the ability of the Company’s subsidiaries to pay dividends;
• the volatility of the stock market and other factors affecting the trading prices of the Company’s securities, including in the context of the COVID-19 crisis;
• the Company’s ability to hedge exposures to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates;
• future sales of a substantial number of the Company’s common shares; and
• changes in applicable tax laws, tax treaties or tax regulations or the interpretation or enforcement thereof.

All of the forward-looking statements included in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in the section entitled Risk Management (Sections 22-27) of our MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2019, the section entitled Risk Management (sections 17-18) of our MD&A for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 and elsewhere in this press release. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company. These factors should, however, be considered carefully. Although the forward-looking statements are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Investors should not rely on forward-looking statements to make decisions, and investors should ensure the preceding information is carefully considered when reviewing forward-looking statements contained herein. The Company and management have no intention and undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Disclaimer

This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer for sale or solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for any securities nor shall it or any part of it form the basis of or be relied on in connection with, or act as any inducement to enter into, any contract or commitment whatsoever.

The information contained in this press release concerning the Company does not purport to be all-inclusive or to contain all the information that an investor may desire to have in evaluating whether or not to make an investment in the Company. The information is qualified entirely by reference to the Company’s publicly disclosed information and the cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements included in this press release.

No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made or given by or on behalf of the Company or any of its the directors, officers or employees as to the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions contained in this press release and no responsibility or liability is accepted by any person for such information or opinions. In furnishing this press release, the Company does not undertake or agree to any obligation to provide investors with access to any additional information or to update this press release or to correct any inaccuracies in, or omissions from, this press release that may become apparent. The information and opinions contained in this press release are provided as at the date of this press release. The contents of this press release are not to be construed as legal, financial or tax advice. Each investor should contact his, her or its own legal adviser, independent financial adviser or tax adviser for legal, financial or tax advice.

SOURCE Intact Financial Corporation

LAFAYETTE, La., Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — LHC Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LHCG) announced today that it has agreed to purchase Grace Hospice of Oklahoma, located in Tulsa, Okla.

The agreement is expected to close on December 1, subject to customary closing conditions. LHC Group expects annualized revenue from this purchase of approximately $12.1 million and that it will not materially affect its 2020 diluted earnings per share. The provider will continue to operate under the Grace Hospice name.

“This is an outstanding opportunity to continue expanding our hospice service line as we make our initial entry into the state of Oklahoma,” said Keith Myers, LHC Group chairman and CEO. “Grace Hospice has achieved a remarkable reputation for service in their community, and we look forward to building on a trusted name and a record of providing high-quality hospice care to patients and families in Tulsa and across the region.”

This acquisition is the latest addition to LHC Group’s existing hospice footprint of more than 110 locations around the nation. The company plans to eventually establish home health services in the Tulsa market – in alignment with its ongoing growth strategy of co-locating other in-home healthcare services in communities and markets where there is a need and established, sensible benchmarks are met.

In-home, end-of-life hospice care helps patients live comfortably, with dignity, when a cure is no longer possible. Hospice professionals provide the emotional, spiritual, and medical support needed when patients are facing the final stages of life. Hospice care can be provided in any place a patient calls home, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

LHC Group is a leading national provider of in-home healthcare and hospice services and the joint venture partner of choice for almost 400 leading hospitals across the United States.

About LHC Group, Inc.

LHC Group, Inc. is a national provider of in-home healthcare services and innovations for communities around the nation, offering quality, value-based healthcare to patients primarily within the comfort and privacy of their home or place of residence. The company’s 32,000 employees deliver home health, hospice, home and community based services, and facility-based care in 35 states and the District of Columbia – reaching 60 percent of the U.S. population aged 65 and older. As the preferred joint venture partner for almost 400 leading U.S. hospitals and health systems, LHC Group works in cooperation with providers to customize each partnership and reach more patients and families with an effective and efficient model of care.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements and information in this press release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our objectives, plans and strategies, and all statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as “believe”, “hope”, “may”, “anticipate”, “should”, “intend”, “plan”, “will”, “expect”, “estimate”, “project”, “positioned”, “strategy” and similar expressions, and are based on assumptions and assessments made by LHC Group’s management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and LHC Group undertakes no duty to update or revise any such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from forward-looking statements are described in LHC Group’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including the sections entitled “Risk Factors”, as well LHC Group’s current reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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SOURCE LHC Group, Inc.

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