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Hess Achieves Leadership Status in CDP’s Global Climate Change Report

Hess Achieves Leadership Status in CDP’s Global Climate Change Report

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Hess Corporation (NYSE:HES) has been recognized for climate change stewardship in CDP’s Climate Change Report 2020. Hess has earned Leadership status for 12 consecutive years from CDP, an international nonprofit that runs a global environmental disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions. This year, Hess is one of only two U.S. oil and gas producers to achieve Leadership status.

“CDP’s rating recognizes our continued leadership in transparency and performance as we address climate-related risks and opportunities,” said Alex Sagebien, Vice President, Environmental, Health and Safety. “Hess will continue to be guided by our values and longstanding commitment to sustainability as we help to meet the world’s growing need for energy while reducing our carbon footprint.”

CDP scores are based upon a company’s climate related governance, disclosure practices and management of risks. Ratings for the complete list of companies from around the world can be found at https://www.cdp.net/en/scores.

In addition, Newsweek today published its second annual ranking of America’s Most Responsible Companies and once again included Hess. Of the 400 companies on the 2021 list, Hess is the highest ranked oil and gas producer. The ranking is based on an analysis of 2,000 public companies by a research firm using an independent survey and publicly available key performance indicators for environmental, social and corporate governance. The complete list and methodology are available here.

For more information about sustainability at Hess, including annual Sustainability Reports, please visit www.hess.com/sustainability.

Hess Corporation is a leading global independent energy company engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. More information on Hess Corporation is available at www.hess.com.

Investor:

Jay Wilson, (212) 536-8940

Media:

Lorrie Hecker, (212) 536-8250

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Europe United States United Kingdom North America New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Commercial Building & Real Estate Construction & Property Finance Other Energy Oil/Gas Professional Services Alternative Energy Other Natural Resources Energy Natural Resources

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IIROC Trading Halt – FRU.R

Canada NewsWire

TORONTO, Dec. 9, 2020 /CNW/ – The following issues have been halted by IIROC:

Company: Freehold Royalties Ltd.

TSX Symbol: FRU.R

All Issues: No

Reason: Pending Closing

Halt Time (ET): 8:00 AM

IIROC can make a decision to impose a temporary suspension (halt) of trading in a security of a publicly-listed company. Trading halts are implemented to ensure a fair and orderly market. IIROC is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada.

SOURCE Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) – Halts/Resumptions

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New Quest Diagnostics Health Trends™ Survey Reveals COVID-19 Testing Hesitancy Among Americans, With 3 of 4 Avoiding a Test When They Believed They Needed One

Nationwide survey believed to be the first to reveal insights into U.S. consumer behaviors and attitudes toward COVID-19 testing and health effects since fall-winter COVID-19 wave began

Medical treatment delays and worsening chronic conditions during pandemic may lead to surge in non-COVID-19 health conditions, with nearly one-third (31%) of those living with a chronic health condition saying their health has gotten worse since pandemic began

Parents and women suffer disproportionate health impacts amid pandemic

PR Newswire

SECAUCUS, N.J., Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — A new Quest Diagnostics Health Trends™ study finds that three in four Americans who believed they needed a COVID-19 test (74%) chose not to get one, or delayed getting one, primarily due to concerns about exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus (30%).  

The nationally representative survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) between November 10-12, 2020, among 2,050 U.S. adults. This survey is believed to be the first to evaluate attitudes about COVID-19’s impact on medical care and testing since the recent fall-winter wave of COVID-19 cases began to sweep across the United States.

The findings suggest large numbers of Americans are putting off medical care they may need – including COVID-19 diagnostic lab tests as well as preventative and chronic care – due to fears and other barriers, with likely long-term consequences for patients and the U.S. healthcare system.  

Among the key findings:

  • Of those Americans who believed they needed a COVID-19 test, 74% chose not to get or delayed getting one. The primary reason was concern about exposure to the virus (30%); with others citing that they thought it was very unlikely they had COVID-19 (21%); concerns over having to quarantine while waiting for results or if they were positive (15%); and cost (15%). Lab testing for COVID-19 is an important tool in preventing COVID-19 disease spread, given that as many as 40% of infected individuals may lack symptoms and not know they are infected and able to pass the infection to othersi
  • A larger proportion of Hispanic/Latinx adults (83%) vs. Whites (non-Hispanic) (72%) and Blacks (72%) chose to avoid or delayed getting a diagnostic COVID-19 test when they believed they needed one.
  • Black Americans, who are overrepresented among America’s essential workforce, who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and are more likely to be in essential jobs that put them at exposure risk, found greater access to testing even more important: specifically, 73% of Blacks compared to 55% of Whites feel greater access is “absolutely essential” or “very important” to slow the pandemic.

“Our Health Trends data show that while most Americans understand the vital role testing plays in helping to control the COVID-19 pandemic, people are scared of exposure to the virus. This fear keeps them from getting tested when they believe they needed it, and out of the doctor’s office for routine care and treatment,” said Harvey W. Kaufman, M.D., Senior Medical Director, Head of the Health Trends Research Program for Quest Diagnostics. “Those who are concerned about exposure should discuss their concerns with their healthcare provider or local health department, so that they can access a test, if appropriate, and other important health care services.”

Delayed Health Care during Pandemic Could Lead to Surge of Chronic Disease and Non-COVID-19 Health Conditions and Emergencies

In the meantime, while they await a vaccine, Americans revealed deep concerns about undiagnosed and worsening chronic health conditions during the pandemic. Worries about exposure to the virus are at the top of the list of reasons why U.S. adults have avoided or delayed in-person health care (53%), but many of them also recognize that forgoing this care has now led to other health problems, like greater stress about a health condition (31%), delayed treatment (23%) or diagnosis (18%) and worsening symptoms (17%).

At the same time, Americans’ reluctance to maintain routine or preventive medical visits due to the pandemic could lead to a wave of non-COVID-19 health conditions once the pandemic abates or a vaccine is distributed.

According to the findings:

  • The majority of U.S. adults (60%) have skipped or delayed some in-person medical treatments or appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, Hispanic/Latinx adults (67%) (compared to 59% White and 58% Black). About one in five Americans (22%) skipped or delayed blood work or lab testing specifically.
  • Over a third of Americans do not plan to resume attending in-person medical treatments and appointments until the pandemic is under better control (39%) or until a vaccine is available (33%).
  • One in two Americans (51%) said that only a severe illness or injury would motivate them to seek in-person medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Nearly one in three Americans who have a chronic health condition (31%) said their condition had gotten worse since the pandemic began and two in five Americans (41%) are somewhat/very concerned that they may currently have an undiagnosed health condition.
  • Current attitudes toward delaying care are also supported by Quest Diagnostics lab data. According to other Health Trends™ research, the rate of cancer diagnoses across six common cancer types decreased by 46% between March 1 and April 18, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.ii And the rate of diabetes (hemoglobin A1c) testing declined by as much as 66% during approximately the first two months of the pandemic, compared with the previous year.iii

Women and Parents Have Borne the Brunt of the Pandemic’s Impact

More women than men say COVID-19 has negatively impacted their mental (49% of women vs. 36% of men), financial (42% vs. 37%) and physical health (33% vs. 26%).

Meanwhile, parents of children under 18 years of age are more likely to have delayed in-person medical treatment or appointments during the pandemic: 71% have delayed an appointment, compared to 54% of those who don’t have children under age 18. Specifically, parents are more likely than those without children under age 18 to have delayed or skipped:

  • An annual physical exam (31% vs. 22%)
  • Blood work/lab testing (30% vs. 18%)
  • Preventative vaccinations or screenings (24% vs. 12%)

Dr. Kaufman continued, “With a vaccine likely not making its way to the general public until spring at the earliest, the healthcare community needs to do a better job of helping Americans get back to routine care now. Early diagnosis can save lives and putting off preventative care and chronic disease treatment could make the difference between life and death.  Chronic diseases take a toll on the body each day. Delays in diagnosis and treatment will cause, for many people, irreversible damage, require more aggressive and less effective treatments, and contribute to a higher death rate. As Benjamin Franklin advised, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.'”   

Methodology

On behalf of Quest, The Harris Poll conducted an online survey of 2,050 adults 18 years and older across the United States from November 10-12, 2020. The survey sample included 337 Hispanic/Latinx, 265 Black and 1,278 White adults. Harris weighted figures for age by sex, region, education, household size, marital status and household income by race/ethnicity where necessary to make them representative of their actual proportions in the population. The Harris Poll is one of the longest running surveys in the U.S. tracking public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963 that is now part of Harris Insights & Analytics, a global consulting and market research firm that delivers social intelligence for transformational times.

About Quest Diagnostics Health Trends™

Quest Diagnostics Health Trends™ is a series of scientific reports that provide insights into health topics, based on analysis of objective clinical laboratory data, to empower better patient care, population health management and public health policy. The reports are based on the Quest Diagnostics database of 48 billion de-identified laboratory test results, believed to be the largest of its kind in healthcare. Health Trends has yielded novel insights to aid the management of allergies and asthma, prescription drug monitoring, diabetes, Lyme disease, heart disease, influenza and workplace wellness. Quest Diagnostics also produces the Drug Testing Index (DTI)™, a series of reports on national workplace drug positivity trends based on the company’s employer workplace drug testing data.
www.QuestDiagnostics.com/HealthTrends

About COVID-19 testing at Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics is at the forefront of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, working to broaden access to laboratory insights to help us all lead healthier lives. We provide both molecular diagnostic and antibody serology tests to aid in the diagnosis of COVID-19 and immune response.  Through our team of dedicated phlebotomists, air fleet team, couriers and laboratory professionals, Quest Diagnostics works hard every day to help patients and communities across the United States access quality COVID-19 testing. 

For more information about the latest developments with our COVID-19 testing, visit:     newsroom.questdiagnostics.com/COVIDTestingUpdates

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world’s largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 47,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com


i Centers for Disease Control. COVID-19 Pandemic Planning Scenarios. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/planning-scenarios.html. Accessed December 2020.


ii Kaufman HW, Chen Z, Niles J, Fesko Y. Changes in the Number of US Patients With Newly Identified Cancer Before and During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(8):e2017267. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.17267


iii Fragala MS, Kaufman HW, Meigs JB, Niles JK, McPhaul MJ. Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic: reduced hemoglobin A1c diabetes monitoring [published online ahead of print June 29, 2020]. Popul Health Manag. doi:10.1089/pop.2020.0134

 

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SOURCE Quest Diagnostics

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Identity and Access Management Provider BIO-key Presents at LD Micro Virtual Main Event 2020 Conference, Tuesday December 15th at 3:20pm ET

WALL, N.J., Dec. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BIO-key International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BKYI), an innovative provider of identity and access management (IAM) solutions powered by biometrics will present at the LD Micro Virtual Main Event 2020 Investor Conference on Tuesday, December 15th. BIO-key’s Chairman and CEO Mike DePasquale will give an introduction and address questions from an investor panel, beginning at 3:20pm ET and ending at 3:40pm ET.

The LD Micro Virtual Main Event conference takes place December 14th and 15th and will feature over 200 small / micro-cap companies.

To learn more or to register for the Main Event
please visit:

https://ve.mysequire.com/

Chris Lahiji, Founder of LD, commented, “This year’s Main Event features a unique format that will make it the first virtual conference this year that is engaging instead of repetitive. There have been too many 20-minute PowerPoints, and investors have lost the desire to watch one more of the same thing. We intend to showcase great companies in a much more engaging format.” 

View 
BIO-key’s
LD Micro profile here:
 
http://www.ldmicro.com/profile/BKYI

About LD Micro

LD Micro is a leading independent information resource and investment community event platform providing valuable tools for everyone in the small and micro-cap investment universe. The LD Micro Index (the LDMi), the first pure microcap index, was launched in 2015 to provide a useful benchmark and flow of information to support participants in the micro-cap sector. Please contact David Scher at [email protected] or visit www.ldmicro.com for more information.

About BIO-key International, Inc. (


www.bio-key.com


)

BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication with biometric centric, multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) solutions, including its PortalGuard IAM solution, that provide convenient and secure access to devices, information, applications and high-value transactions. BIO-key’s proprietary software and hardware solutions, with industry leading biometric capabilities, enable large-scale on-premise and Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solutions as well as customized enterprise and cloud solutions.

Engage with BIO-key 
Twitter:
StockTwits:
@BIO_keyIR
 
BIO_keyIR

Investor & Media Contacts

William Jones, David Collins
Catalyst IR
212-924-9800
[email protected]

 



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Novavax Appoints Vaccine Industry Expert Margaret G. McGlynn to Board of Directors

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a late-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced the appointment of Margaret G. McGlynn, R. Ph. to its board as an independent director. Ms. McGlynn brings extensive pharmaceutical industry, vaccine and non-profit experience to her role on the Novavax Board of Directors.

“Margie’s deep experience in vaccine commercialization and understanding of global public health will be invaluable as we move closer to collecting Phase 3 clinical data and submitting NVX-CoV2373, our COVID-19 vaccine candidate, for regulatory authorization and approval,” said Stanley C. Erck, Novavax President and Chief Executive Officer.

Ms. McGlynn is currently President and Board Chair for HCU Network America, an advocacy organization she founded in 2016 that is dedicated to supporting the needs of those impacted by the rare genetic condition homocystinuria (HCU) and related disorders. Prior to founding HCU Network America, Ms. McGlynn served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), where she led extensive partnership efforts to advance the development, global launch and access to a broadly effective HIV vaccine. She previously spent more than two decades at Merck, where she held roles of increasing responsibility, including President of Merck Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, and President, U.S. Hospital and Specialty Products Division.

“This is a very exciting time to be joining the Novavax Board, and I look forward to working with my fellow directors to support Novavax’ critical priority to advance and deploy NVX-CoV2373 globally to help end this devastating pandemic, as well as progress the broader vaccine portfolio,” said Ms. McGlynn.

She currently serves on the boards of directors of Amicus Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. In addition to her corporate experience, Ms. McGlynn has served as a Board member for several non-profit organizations, including Hilleman Institute for Developing World Vaccine Research, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), and Life Science Cares Philadelphia.

Ms. McGlynn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy, a Master of Business Administration in marketing, and an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

About Novavax

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) is a late-stage biotechnology company that promotes improved health globally through the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. The Company’s proprietary recombinant technology platform combines the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles designed to address urgent global health needs. Novavax is conducting late-stage clinical trials for NVX-CoV2373, its vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. NanoFlu™, its quadrivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccine, met all primary objectives in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in older adults and will be advanced for regulatory submission. Both vaccine candidates incorporate Novavax’ proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies.

For more information, visit www.novavax.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Novavax Forward Looking Statements

Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax and the ongoing development of its vaccine and adjuvant products are forward-looking statements. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include those identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Novavax Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at sec.gov, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.



Contacts:         
Investors
Erika Trahan
[email protected]
240-268-2022

Media
Brandzone/KOGS Communication
Edna Kaplan
[email protected]
617-974-8659

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Celldex Doses First Patient in Phase 1b Study of CDX-0159 in Chronic Inducible Urticaria

HAMPTON, N.J., Dec. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:CLDX) announced today that the first patient has been dosed in its open label clinical trial in cold contact urticaria and symptomatic dermographism, the two most common forms of chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU). CDX-0159 is a humanized monoclonal antibody developed by Celldex that binds the KIT receptor with high specificity and potently inhibits its activity. The KIT receptor tyrosine kinase is expressed in a variety of cells, including mast cells, which mediate inflammatory responses such as hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. KIT signaling controls the differentiation, tissue recruitment, survival and activity of mast cells. As previously presented, CDX-0159 demonstrated a favorable safety profile as well as profound and durable reductions of plasma tryptase, indicative of systemic mast cell ablation in a Phase 1a single dose, healthy volunteer study. In October, Celldex also announced the initiation of a Phase 1b study in chronic spontaneous urticaria.

“Inducible urticarias can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life, including insomnia, lack of energy, poor self-image, social withdrawal and depression,” said Dr. Marcus Maurer, Professor of Dermatology and Allergy and Director of Research at the Department of Dermatology and Allergy at the Allergie-Centrum-Charité of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin in Berlin and the lead investigator for the study. “This is especially true for cold contact urticaria and symptomatic dermographism as avoiding the triggers for these diseases is extremely difficult and therapies that address the root cause of disease—mast cell activation—are sorely needed. We look forward to completing this study and believe CDX-0159 could be a much needed disease-modifying drug for these patients.”

“With the initiation of our second study in urticaria, Celldex has laid an exciting foundation for the CDX-0159 program,” said Diane C. Young, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Celldex Therapeutics. “The CIndU study should provide rapid clinical proof of concept in a disease setting that is clearly driven by mast cells. In addition to continuing to assess the safety and potential clinical benefit of CDX-0159, we also hope to confirm its impact on mast cells through the collection and analysis of serial skin biopsies, answering an important question about CDX-0159’s mechanism of action.”

The Phase 1b study is an open label clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety of a single dose of CDX-0159 in up to 20 patients with cold contact urticaria (n=10) or symptomatic dermographism (n=10) who are refractory to antihistamines. Patients’ symptoms will be induced via provocation testing that resembles real life triggering situations. Secondary and exploratory objectives include pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic assessments, including changes from baseline provocation thresholds, measurement of tryptase and stem cell factor levels, clinical activity outcomes (impact on urticaria symptoms, disease control, clinical response), quality of life assessments and measurement of tissue mast cells through skin biopsies. CDX-0159 will be administered intravenously (3.0 mg/kg) as add on treatment to H1-antihistamines. More information about this study is available on www.clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04548869). Initial data from the study are expected at the end of the first quarter of 2021.

CIndUs are forms of urticaria that have an attributable cause or trigger associated with them, typically resulting in hives or wheals. Approximately 0.5% of the total population suffers from inducible urticarias. Celldex is exploring the two most common forms, cold-induced and dermographism (scratch-induced) urticarias. People afflicted with cold induced urticaria experience symptoms like itching, burning wheals and angioedema where their skin comes in contact with temperatures below skin temperature. Symptomatic dermographism is characterized by the development of a wheal and flare reaction in response to a stroking, scratching or rubbing of the skin, usually occurring within minutes of the inciting stimulus. For both of these diseases, mast cell activation leading to release of soluble mediators is thought to be the driving mechanism leading to the wheals and other symptoms. There are currently no approved therapies for CIndUs and patients attempt to manage symptoms associated with their disease through avoidance of triggers and the use of antihistamines. Celldex believes that CDX-0159 has significant potential to directly inhibit and/or ablate mast cells which, in turn, could be disease modifying for patients.

About CDX-
0159

CDX-0159 is a monoclonal antibody that binds the KIT receptor with high specificity and potently inhibits its activity. The KIT receptor tyrosine kinase is expressed in a variety of cells, including mast cells, which mediate inflammatory responses such as hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. KIT signaling controls the differentiation, tissue recruitment, survival and activity of mast cells. Celldex is currently studying CDX-0159 in chronic urticarias. Currently approved therapies for chronic urticarias target symptomatic relief. Celldex believes that CDX-0159 has significant potential to interfere with mast cells at multiple steps upstream of current treatments, which, in turn, could be disease modifying for patients. In addition, Celldex is also evaluating additional opportunities in other mast cell driven diseases where CDX-0159’s potency and high specificity for KIT could be important.

About Celldex Therapeutics, Inc.
Celldex is a clinical stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing monoclonal and bispecific antibodies that address devastating diseases for which available treatments are inadequate. Our pipeline includes antibody-based therapeutics which have the ability to engage the human immune system and/or directly effect critical pathways to improve the lives of patients with inflammatory diseases and many forms of cancer.

Forward Looking Statement

This release contains “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are typically preceded by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “will,” “may,” “should,” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect management’s current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, they give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct or that those goals will be achieved, and you should be aware that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our ability to successfully complete research and further development and commercialization of Company drug candidates; the effects of the outbreak of COVID-19 on our business and results of operations; the uncertainties inherent in clinical testing and accruing patients for clinical trials; our limited experience in bringing programs through Phase 3 clinical trials; our ability to manage and successfully complete multiple clinical trials and the research and development efforts for our multiple products at varying stages of development; the cost of paying development, regulatory approval and sales-based milestones under our merger agreement with Kolltan, including the cost, timing, and outcome of our declaratory judgment action against the Kolltan stockholder representative with respect to certain of those milestones; the availability, cost, delivery and quality of clinical and commercial grade materials produced by our own manufacturing facility or supplied by contract manufacturers, who may be our sole source of supply; the timing, cost and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approvals; the failure of the market for the Company’s programs to continue to develop; our ability to protect the Company’s intellectual property; the loss of any executive officers or key personnel or consultants; competition; changes in the regulatory landscape or the imposition of regulations that affect the Company’s products; our ability to continue to obtain capital to meet our long-term liquidity needs on acceptable terms, or at all, including the additional capital which will be necessary to complete the clinical trials that we have initiated or plan to initiate; and other factors listed under “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. We have no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update, revise or correct any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Company Contact

Sarah Cavanaugh
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Administration
Celldex Therapeutics, Inc.
(781) 433-3161
[email protected]



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Orbital Energy Group Regains Nasdaq Compliance

PR Newswire

HOUSTON, Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Orbital Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: OEG) (“Orbital Energy” or the “Company”), today announced that it received official notification from The NASDAQ Stock Market that the Company has regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market.

On December 8, 2020, NASDAQ provided confirmation that for the last 11 consecutive business days, from November 20th to December 7th, 2020, the closing bid price of Orbital Energy’s common stock has been at $1.00 per share or greater. Accordingly, the Company has regained compliance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) and this matter is now closed.

About Orbital Energy Group

Orbital Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: OEG), formerly known as CUI Global, Inc., is creating a diversified energy services platform through the acquisition and development of innovative companies. Orbital Energy’s group of businesses includes: Orbital Gas Systems, Inc., Orbital Power Services and Orbital Solar Services. Orbital Gas Systems is a 30-year leader in innovative gas solutions, serving the energy, power and processing markets through the design, installation and commissioning of industrial gas sampling, measurement and delivery systems. Orbital Power Services provides engineering, construction, maintenance and emergency response solutions to the power, utilities and midstream markets. Orbital Solar Services provides engineering, procurement and construction (“EPC”) expertise in the renewable energy industry and established relationships with solar developers and panel manufacturers in the utility scale solar market. As a publicly traded company, Orbital Energy is dedicated to maximizing shareholder value. But most important, our commitment to conduct business with a high level of integrity, respect, and philanthropic dedication allows the organization to make a difference in the lives of their customers, employees, investors and global community.

For more information please visit: www.orbitalenergygroup.com 

Important Cautions Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company may experience significant fluctuations in future operating results due to a number of economic, competitive, and other factors, including, among other things, our reliance on third-party manufacturers and suppliers, government agency budgetary and political constraints, new or increased competition, changes in market demand, and the performance or reliability of our products. These factors and others could cause operating results to vary significantly from those in prior periods, and those projected in forward-looking statements. Additional information regarding these and other factors, which could materially affect the Company and its operations, are included in certain forms the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Relations:
KCSA Strategic Communications
David Hanover
T: 212-896-1220
[email protected]   

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SOURCE Orbital Energy Group, Inc.

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IBM Launches New Innovative Capabilities for Watson; Leading Global Brands including EY and Regions Bank use Watson to Infuse Intelligence into Workflows

– IBM Research innovations in natural language processing, automation and building trust to be commercialized in Watson products

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced innovative new capabilities planned for IBM Watson designed to help scale the use of AI by businesses.

Developed by IBM Research, the new capabilities are designed to improve the automation of AI, provide a higher degree of precision in natural language processing, and foster greater trust in outcomes derived from AI predictions. They include:

  • Reading Comprehension is based on an innovative question-answering (QA) system from IBM Research. Currently in beta in IBM Watson Discovery, it is planned as a new feature that can help identify more precise answers in response to natural language queries from vast troves of complex enterprise documents. It also provides scores that indicate how confident the system is in each answer.
  • FAQ Extraction uses a novel NLP technique from IBM Research to automate the extraction of Q&A pairs from FAQ documents. Currently in beta in IBM Watson Assistant‘s search skill, it is planned as a new feature to help businesses keep virtual assistants up-to date with the latest answers and reduce the time-consuming process of manual updates.
  • A new intent classification model is now available in IBM Watson Assistant. It is designed to more accurately understand an end-user’s goal or intent when engaging with a virtual assistant and to enable administrators to train the system faster. The model provides more accurate results from less data versus compared commercial systems1. This can help businesses go live with virtual assistants in a few days while achieving high accuracy.
  • IBM Watson Discovery now includes support for 10 new languages including Bosnian, Croatian, Danish, Finnish, Hebrew, Hindi, Norwegian (Bokmål), Norwegian (Nynorsk), Serbian and Swedish. IBM has continued to add support for additional languages to help businesses build global, enterprise-grade NLP solutions.

Read more about the natural language processing updates here. 

“This past year has shown us that the real power of AI is in helping companies take action and respond to changing conditions in real time. That means in minutes and hours — not weeks or months,” said Daniel Hernandez, General Manager of Data and AI, IBM. “Today’s new AI capabilities are yet another example of how cutting-edge AI advancements coming out of IBM Research help us to deliver innovations for language, automation and building trust in IBM Watson that are changing the game for businesses of all sizes and across all industries.”

Advancing AI Governance Capabilities to Help Build Trust and Transparency in Business Outcomes

IBM also announced plans to commercialize IBM Research-developed ‘AI Factsheets’ in Watson Studio in Cloud Pak for Data throughout the next year. Like nutrition labels for foods or information sheets for appliances, AI Factsheets are designed to provide information about a product’s important characteristics. Standardizing and publicizing this information will help build trust in AI services across the industry.

To complement this, IBM Services for AI at Scale, a new consulting offering, provides businesses with a framework, methodology, and underlying technology to guide organizations on their journey to  trustworthy and ethical AI. IBM Cloud Pak for Data also has new capabilities to provide a complete foundation for AI that can run on any cloud. Read more about the AI Governance updates here.

Leading global brands are using IBM Watson to infuse intelligence into their workflows. For instance, a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy and transactions and consulting services, EY is transforming the M&A due diligence process using IBM Watson Discovery. Following the expansion of its global alliance with IBM earlier this summer, EY launched Diligence Edge, which includes a custom NLP model trained on EY proprietary M&A language, to help deal makers identify and leverage valuable insights throughout the transaction’s lifecycle, as well as make informed decisions on deal value opportunities to gain an advantage in competitive deal processes.

Regions Bank has worked with IBM to complete a model monitoring use case that leverages IBM Cloud Pak for Data and Watson OpenScale. Regions was able to have a continuous read on model accuracy in production and achieved a higher confidence in the quality of predictions. IBM provides a standardized and disciplined approach to tracking model performance and will further Regions’ end-to end model lifecycle management program. The company is also using IBM Watson to enhance customer service and reports having decreased call wait times by 40 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic using Watson Assistant.

EY and Regions Bank join a growing list of companies using IBM Watson, including Japan Airlines,  NatWest, Maricopa County  and many more. 

Today’s news is another step from IBM to advance its AI for business strategy: from commercializing advanced NLP capabilities from Project Debater; expanding its AI-powered automation capabilities with the launch of IBM Watson AIOps, acquisitions of WDG Automation and Instana2 and expanded ecosystem partnerships including ServiceNow; and helping businesses, healthcare organizations, governments and academic institutions use IBM Watson Assistant to get information they deem trustworthy on the pandemic to stakeholders.

For more information on today’s announcement, please visit: https://newsroom.ibm.com/new-innovative-capabilities-for-watson

[1] Qi et. al, 2020: Benchmarking Intent Detection for Task-Oriented Dialog Systems https://arxiv.org/pdf/2012.03929.pdf

[2] Expected to close within several weeks.

About IBM Watson

Watson is IBM’s AI technology for business, helping organizations to better predict and shape future outcomes, automate complex processes, and optimize employees’ time. Watson has evolved from an IBM Research project, to experimentation, to a scaled, open set of products that run anywhere. With more than 30,000 client engagements, Watson is being applied by leading global brands across a variety of industries to transform how people work. To learn more, visit: https://www.ibm.com/watson.


Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

IBM’s statements regarding its plans, directions, and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice at IBM’s sole discretion.   Information regarding potential future products is intended to outline our general product direction and it should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision. The information mentioned regarding potential future products is not a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality. Information about potential future products may not be incorporated into any contract. The development, release, and timing of any future features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion.

Contact:

Zachery Bishop

IBM Media Relations
[email protected]

Sarah Murphy

IBM Media Relations
[email protected]

 

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SOURCE IBM

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4Front Ventures to Open Mission Dispensary in Calumet City, Illinois

PR Newswire

Second Illinois retail location will open on Tuesday, December 15 at 9AM CT with a grand ceremony

PHOENIX, Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — 4Front Ventures Corp. (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) (“4Front” or the “Company”) continues to focus its efforts in the Illinois market and is pleased to announce that it will open its second Mission Dispensary in Calumet City, IL on December 15th. This new 3,000- square-foot facility located at 1330 Torrence Avenue, is about 20 miles south of Chicago and the closest dispensary to the Indiana state line.

4Front previously announced that it received its special use permit on July 22nd for an additional retail location in Calumet, IL. Shortly thereafter, Cannabis Facility Construction (CFC) broke ground and began the build of the space. On December 15th at 9am CT, Mission Calumet City will host a socially distant, grand-opening ceremony which will include a tour of the dispensary for special guests and appearances by Mission/4Front executives to mark this momentous occasion. The doors will open to the public at large at 10 am.

“The opening of Mission Calumet City is another significant milestone for the Company and a testament to our commitment to the Illinois community. It is important for us to demonstrate that we are fully committed to being a contributing member of the community, adding to economic development during a difficult time,” said 4Front and Mission President Kris Krane. “This expansion into Calumet City was a natural next step as we aim to provide access to cannabis products. We are excited to launch here and look forward to becoming a staple in the community and meeting the needs of our customers.” 

The grand opening ceremony at Mission Calumet City will be held on Tuesday December 15th at 9 a.m. CT featuring community members and local officials.

Following the grand opening, Mission Calumet City will officially open its doors to customers at 10 a.m. CT while following all social distance protocols as recommended by the CDC.

To receive company updates and be added to the email distribution list please sign up here.

About 4Front Ventures Corp.

4Front (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) is a national multi-state cannabis operator and retailer, with a market advantage in mass-produced, low-cost quality branded cannabis products. 4Front manufactures and distributes a portfolio of over 25 cannabis brands including Marmas, Crystal Clear, Funky Monkey, Pebbles, and the Pure Ratios wellness collection, distributed through retail outlets and their chain of strategically positioned Mission branded dispensaries.

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, 4Front has operations in Illinois, Massachusetts, California, Michigan and Washington state. From plant genetics to the cannabis retail experience, 4Front’s team applies expertise across the entire cannabis value chain. For more information, visit 4Front’s website www.4frontventures.com.

4Front Investor Contacts

Andrew Thut, Chief Investment Officer
[email protected] 
602-633-3067

Phil Carlson / Elizabeth Barker
[email protected]
212-896-1233 / 212-896-1203

4Front Media Contacts

Anne Donohoe / Nick Opich
KCSA Strategic Communications
[email protected] / [email protected] 
212-896-1265 / 212-896-1206

This news release was prepared by management of 4Front Ventures, which takes full responsibility for its contents. The Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in 4Front Ventures’ periodic filings with securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as “will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should,” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements related to future developments and the business and operations of 4Front Ventures, developments with respect to legislative developments in the United States, expectations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, future revenue or Adjusted EBITDA expectations, statements regarding when or if any contemplated or in-progress transactions will close or if/when required regulatory approvals are attained, and other statements regarding future developments of the business. The closing of the transactions described in this news release, including the divesture of Pennsylvania and Maryland assets and the sale of convertible debt, is subject to customary conditions and there can be no guarantee that such transactions will close.

Although 4Front Ventures has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; investing in target companies or projects which have limited or no operating history and are engaged in activities currently considered illegal under U.S. federal laws; change in laws; limited operating history; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindering market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry and; regulatory or political change.

There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management’s expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. 4Front Ventures disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and 4Front Ventures does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.

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SOURCE 4Front

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Texas Instruments makes high-reliability products immediately available for purchase on TI.com

TI opens its inventory of thousands of space-grade and military-grade products to help aerospace and defense electronics companies meet growing demand

PR Newswire

DALLAS, Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Texas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) today announced that it is making most of its high-reliability (HiRel) semiconductor products immediately available for online purchase on TI.com, helping aerospace and defense companies quickly get the authentic TI products they need for their next-generation space-grade and military-grade designs. For more information, visit www.ti.com/TIHiRel-pr.

Engineers and purchasing managers can now access TI’s inventory of thousands of HiRel products on TI.com, including radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant products in the qualified manufacturers list (QML) plastic, ceramic or metallic packages used in space, avionics and defense system designs. Additionally, purchasers now have multiple options to select date and lot codes before placing an order.

“Increasingly, customers are developing highly sophisticated satellites and other advanced electronics that must operate in harsh conditions, and our customers expect shorter supplier lead times to meet mission-critical project timelines,” said Gary Reichmuth, general manager for aerospace and defense systems at Texas Instruments. “With the vast inventory of our HiRel products available on TI.com, supported with lot selection options and associated documentation, customers will be able to obtain HiRel products and get to production faster than with other semiconductor suppliers.”

TI’s long history in aerospace and defense electronics

For over 60 years, TI integrated circuits have been used in many spacecraft and defense electronics in the United States, Europe and other regions. TI has a long track record of manufacturing HiRel products, helping assure a steady supply of parts to customers who develop space, commercial and military applications. More than half of TI’s manufacturing sites are QML-certified, enabling the company to quickly qualify, manufacture and ship high-quality, reliable analog and embedded processing products.

Product innovation

Two of TI’s newest HiRel space products include DC/DC buck converters intended to help customers meet key power management challenges of different satellite mission profiles. The TPS7H4001-SP provides industry-leading power density for full QML-V, radiation-hardness-assured satellite applications, and the TPS7H4010-SEP offers the widest voltage range for the shorter missions of low-earth-orbit satellites.

In addition to power management, aerospace companies can purchase other TI devices on TI.com, such as the LMX2615-SP 40-MHz to 15-GHz wideband radio frequency synthesizer with phase synchronization and the new LMK04832-SP ultra-low noise clock jitter cleaner. Both of these clock and timing devices support the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) JESD204B standard and help to reduce design complexity and weight, while increasing system stability in satellite systems.

Instant access to QML ceramic package material information

Traditionally, one of the biggest barriers to obtaining QML-V and QML-Q products has been access to material content information for ceramic packaging before purchasing those products. To help solve this challenge, TI has added a quality, reliability and packaging data download feature on TI.com to obtain detailed ceramic package material information for up to 100 parts at once, as well as details about restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS); registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals (REACH); and green status.

New TI HiRel product ordering features available on TI.com

TI offers the following specific features to simplify aerospace and defense manufacturers’ purchasing experience at any stage, from concept to production:

  • Immediately available inventory
    : Customers can select from thousands of authentic TI HiRel products to get their space-grade and military-grade systems to market quickly.
  • Multiple date and lot-code options: New options on TI.com enable users to select specific date and lot codes as needed before placing an order. Each QML lot ships with a certificate of conformance – a quality conformance inspection and a processing conformance report summarizing traceability and testing performed – per Military Performance Specification (MIL-PRF)-38535.
  • Multiple payment options
    : TI continues to make it more convenient for companies to purchase and obtain authentic TI products at the lowest online price.* Customers can now easily transact on TI.com in U.S. dollars (USD), euros (EUR), British pounds (GBP) and other currencies. TI also offers a line of credit in USD or EUR through Apruve.
  • Fast, reliable shipping: Whether companies need to order a single part or multiple HiRel product quantities, TI simplifies delivery by handling the logistics and importation process in select countries, making it easier for customers to get the products they need.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN) manufactures, tests and sells analog and embedded processing chips for markets such as industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment and enterprise systems. Our passion to create a better world by making electronics more affordable through semiconductors is alive today, as each generation of innovation builds upon the last to make our technology smaller, more efficient, more reliable and more affordable – making it possible for semiconductors to go into electronics everywhere. We think of this as Engineering Progress. It’s what we do and have been doing for decades. Learn more at TI.com.

Trademarks

The TI logo and other designated brands included herein are trademarks of Texas Instruments Incorporated. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

*Lowest online prices on 1,000-unit quantities for 99% of TI’s immediately available inventory. Excludes expired products and products sold by nonauthorized sources.

 

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SOURCE Texas Instruments