$STRP Definitive Acquisition Agreement by $T, $95.63 per Share, All Stock Deal

Today, Straight Path Communications Inc. (NYSE MKT: STRP) and AT&T (NYSE: T) announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement under which AT&T is to acquire Straight Path for $95.63 per share in an all-stock merger intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization. Straight Path is one of the largest holders of 28 GHz and 39 GHz millimeter wave spectrum. The transaction, which was approved by the Board of Directors of both companies, brings Straight Path’s previously announced strategic alternatives process to a conclusion and maximizes Straight Path shareholder value. The transaction has a total value of $1.6 billion which includes liabilities and amounts to be remitted to the FCC per the terms of Straight Path’s January 2017 consent decree. Straight Path shareholders will receive $1.25 billion, or $95.63 per share, which will be paid using AT&T stock.

Key strategic benefits of the transaction:

The acquisition of Straight Path for $95.63 per share in AT&T stock, implies a premium of 204% to the closing price of STRP common stock of $31.41 on January 11, 2017, the day before Straight Path announced its FCC settlement and strategic alternatives process, and 162% premium to the closing stock price of $36.48 on April 7, 2017. Stock consideration received by Straight Path shareholders will be based on a variable number of AT&T common stock issued at transaction close to ensure fixed consideration of $95.63 per share. The companies anticipate a closing within 12 months, subject to FCC review. The transaction is supported by Straight Path’s majority shareholder, Howard Jonas, who has entered into a voting agreement with AT&T and agreed to vote his Class A shares (held through a trust) in support of the transaction, subject to certain limitations.

Evercore served as exclusive financial advisor to Straight Path and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as company counsel on this transaction.

Straight Path Communications CEO Davidi Jonas commented:

“The merger of AT&T and Straight Path Communications marks a vital point for us. Importantly, this merger provides Straight Path shareholders with a compelling return since Straight Path’s spin-off to become an independent public company in 2013, with an initial price per share of $6.40 on July 31, 2013.”

About Straight Path Communications Inc.

Straight Path (NYSE MKT: STRP) holds an extensive portfolio of 39 GHz and 28 GHz wireless spectrum licenses. Straight Path is developing next generation wireless technology through its Straight Path Ventures subsidiary. Straight Path holds licenses and conducts other business related to certain patents through its Straight Path IP Group subsidiary. Additional information is available on Straight Path’s websites. Corporate: www.straightpath.com. Spectrum: www.straightpath39.com.

Important Additional Information Will Be Filed With the SEC

Straight Path plans to file with the SEC and mail to its stockholders a Proxy Statement/Prospectus in connection with the proposed transaction. THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT AT&T, STRAIGHT PATH, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and the other documents filed with the SEC by AT&T and Straight Path through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus by phone, e-mail or written request by contacting the investor relations department of Straight Path at the following:

Safe Harbor

In this press release, all statements that are not purely about historical facts, including, but not limited to, those in which we use the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate, “target” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment of what may happen in the future, actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these statements due to numerous important factors, including, but not limited to, those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2016 and our other periodic filings with the SEC (under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”). We are under no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Participants in the Solicitation

Straight Path and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. Information regarding Straight Path’s directors and executive officers is contained in Straight Path’s Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2016 and its proxy statement dated November 22, 2016, which are filed with the SEC. A more complete description will be available in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.

No Offer or Solicitation

This document does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Straight Path
Yonatan Cantor, 804-433-1523
yonatan.cantor@straightpath.com

$KOOL Keynotes 2017 Shenzhen International Precision Medicine Summit

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., April 07, 2017 — Cesca Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:KOOL), a market leader in automated cell processing and point-of-care, autologous cell-based therapies, today announced that Dr. Xiaochun (Chris) Xu, Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer, delivered the keynote speech, entitled, “Cell Therapy – The Next Wave of Future Medicine,” at the 2017 Shenzhen International Precision Medicine Summit, which took place yesterday and today (April 6-7) in Shenzhen, China. The summit was organized in honor of James D. Watson, Ph.D., who discovered the double helix structure of DNA in 1953 and later made a significant contribution to the Human Genome Project.

“As a leading developer of integrated cellular therapies and delivery systems, Cesca Therapeutics is uniquely positioned to advance the practice of regenerative medicine globally and we are therefore honored to have been asked to give the keynote speech at this important event,” commented Dr. Xu. “Earlier this year, we announced our intention to further expand into the China market, which has the world’s largest population and ranks among its fastest-growing economies. With this in mind, our long-term goal is to establish a leadership position in China through an expanded sales network and the creation of scientific and strategic collaborations that leverage our strong internal development capabilities in autologous cell-based therapies.”

About the International Precision Medicine Summit

The 2017 Shenzhen International Precision Medicine Summit is focused on new advances in precision medicine and brought together leaders in scientific research, the investment community and government officials, along with over 1,000 attendees from different countries. The conference covered hot topics in the field of immuno-oncology, cancer vaccines, cell therapeutics, genetic analysis and gene therapies.

About Cesca Therapeutics Inc.

Cesca is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of cellular therapies and delivery systems for use in regenerative medicine. The Company is a leader in the development and manufacture of automated blood and bone marrow processing systems that enable the separation, processing and preservation of cell and tissue therapeutics. Cesca is an affiliate of the Boyalife Group (http://www.boyalifegroup.com), a China-based industrial-research alliance among top research institutes for stem cell and regenerative medicine.

Forward-Looking Statement

The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. A more complete description of risks that could cause actual events to differ from the outcomes predicted by Cesca Therapeutics’ forward-looking statements is set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Cesca Therapeutics’ annual report on Form 10-K and other reports it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, and you should consider each of those factors when evaluating the forward-looking statements.

Investor Contact: 
Rx Communications
Paula Schwartz
917-322-2216
pschwartz@rxir.com

$ASRV to Webcast 2017 Annual Shareholder Meeting

JOHNSTOWN, Pa., April 7, 2017 — AmeriServ Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASRV), the holding company of AmeriServ Financial Bank and AmeriServ Trust and Financial Services Company, with branch locations in five southwestern and southcentral Pennsylvania counties and loan production offices in Altoona and Monroeville, Pa; and Hagerstown, Maryland announced today there will be a live webcast of AmeriServ’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Craig G. Ford, AmeriServ’s chairman of the board; Jeffrey Stopko, president and chief executive officer; and Michael Lynch, senior vice president and chief financial officer, will host the meeting and answer shareholder questions.  The public is invited to listen.

Pertinent User Information:

What:   2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders

When: 1:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Where: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1438/20394

Participants are asked to access the webcast approximately 10 to 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the meeting.  The replay of the meeting will be available at the same site 24 hours after the meeting has concluded.

About AmeriServ Financial, Inc. and AmeriServ Financial Bank

AmeriServ Financial, Inc. is a $1.1 billion bank holding company that is headquartered in Johnstown, Pa. and trades on NASDAQ under the symbol ASRV.  Its principal subsidiary, AmeriServ Financial Bank, was established in 1901 and operates in five counties across southwestern and southcentral Pennsylvania, with loan production offices in Altoona and Monroeville, Pa; and Hagerstown, Maryland.  For more information, visit www.ameriserv.com.

$KURA Doses First Patient in Phase 1 Trial of ERK Inhibitor KO-947

LA JOLLA, Calif., April 07, 2017  — Kura Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ:KURA), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of precision medicines for oncology, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 1 clinical trial of  KO-947, a potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2).

“We are committed to the discovery and development of product candidates that target oncogenes and oncogenic pathways for the treatment of cancer,” said Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., President and CEO of Kura. “We believe KO-947 holds much promise as a potential therapeutic, and its advancement into the clinic underscores Kura’s productivity and commitment to building a diverse pipeline of precision medicines.”

“The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway is dysregulated in more than 30% of human cancers, including tumors arising from mutations in KRAS, NRAS and BRAF, encompassing a number of cancer indications with significant unmet medical need,” said Antonio Gualberto, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Kura. “We believe the unique and differentiated drug properties of KO-947, as well as a significant body of preclinical data including data just presented at the AACR meeting this week, make it a compelling therapeutic candidate, and we look forward to evaluating its tolerability and activity in the clinic.”

The Phase 1 trial of KO-947 is designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose of KO-947 in patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic, relapsed and/or refractory, non-hematological malignancies. The trial design includes a dose escalation, maximum–tolerated dose expansion and one or more tumor-specific extension cohorts. Currently, two tumor-specific cohorts, non-small cell lung cancer with mutations in RAS or BRAF and squamous cell carcinomas, have been identified as potential extension cohorts. Additional information about this clinical trial is available at clinicaltrials.gov using the identifier: NCT03051035

About KO-947

KO-947 is a potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of ERK1/2 kinases. KO-947 exhibits potent anti-proliferative activity across a broad panel of tumor cell lines with mutations in BRAF, NRAS or KRAS and demonstrates prolonged pathway inhibition, both in vitro and in vivo. Durable tumor regression has been observed with KO-947 in preclinical cell line and patient derived xenograft models, including KRAS- and BRAF-mutant adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas lacking BRAF/RAS mutations.

About Kura Oncology

Kura Oncology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing the promise of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer. The company’s pipeline consists of small molecule drug candidates that target cancer signaling pathways where there is a strong scientific and clinical rationale to improve outcomes by identifying those patients most likely to benefit from treatment. Kura Oncology’s lead drug candidate is tipifarnib, a farnesyl transferase inhibitor, which is currently being studied in multiple Phase 2 clinical trials. Kura’s pipeline also includes KO-947, an ERK inhibitor, currently in a Phase 1 trial, and KO-539, an inhibitor of the menin-MLL protein-protein interaction, currently in preclinical testing. For additional information about Kura Oncology, please visit the company’s website at www.kuraoncology.com.

Forward-Looking Statements     

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, the potential utility of KO-947, the conduct, results and timing of preclinical studies and clinical trials and plans regarding future research and development. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include the risk that compounds that appeared promising in early research or clinical trials do not demonstrate safety and/or efficacy in later preclinical studies or clinical trials, the risk that Kura Oncology may not obtain approval to market its product candidates, uncertainties associated with regulatory filings and applications, the risks associated with reliance on outside financing to meet capital requirements, and the risks associated with reliance on collaborative partners for further research, clinical trials, development and commercialization of product candidates. You are urged to consider statements that include the words “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “promise,” “potential,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “continues,” “designed,” “goal,” or the negative of those words or other comparable words to be uncertain and forward-looking. For a further list and description of the risks and uncertainties the Company faces, please refer to the Company’s periodic and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov. Such forward-looking statements are current only as of the date they are made, and Kura Oncology assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT INFORMATION

INVESTOR CONTACT:
Robert H. Uhl
Managing Director
Westwicke Partners, LLC
(858) 356-5932
robert.uhl@westwicke.com

MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Corbae
Vice President
Canale Communications
(619) 849-5375
mark@canalecomm.com

$AXGN Announces 2017 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting

Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Renaissance Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, FL

ALACHUA, Fla., April 07, 2017 — AxoGen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXGN), a global leader in developing and marketing innovative surgical solutions for peripheral nerve injuries, today announced that it will hold its Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on Wednesday, May, 24, 2017. The meeting will take place at the following location:

Renaissance Orlando Airport Hotel – Amphitheater Room
5445 Forbes Place
Orlando, FL  32812

Shareholders can also attend the meeting via phone or internet as follows:

Phone:  1-877-328-2502 or 1-412-317-5419

Internet Link:  www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/axogen17

The Proxy Statement, with the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting, and the 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K are available on the AxoGen website at http://ir.axogeninc.com/sec-filings.

Shareholders of record of the Company’s common stock at the close of business on March 30, 2017 are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Shareholder Meeting.

Shareholders who are unable to attend the meeting can vote by telephone (1–800–690–6903) or internet (www.proxyvote.com) no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 or vote by completing, signing, and promptly returning the proxy card by mail.

About AxoGen
AxoGen (AXGN) is a global leader in innovative surgical solutions for peripheral nerve injuries. AxoGen is the only company focused specifically on the science, development and commercialization of technologies for peripheral nerve regeneration and repair. We are passionate about restoring nerve function and quality of life to patients with peripheral nerve injuries by providing innovative, clinically proven and economically effective repair solutions for surgeons and health care providers. Peripheral nerves provide the pathways for both motor and sensory signals throughout the body. Every day, people suffer traumatic injuries or undergo surgical procedures that impact the function of their peripheral nerves. Damage to a peripheral nerve can result in the loss of muscle or organ function, the loss of sensory feeling, or the initiation of pain.

AxoGen’s portfolio of products includes Avance^® Nerve Graft, an off-the-shelf processed human nerve allograft for bridging severed nerves without the comorbidities associated with a second surgical site, AxoGuard^® Nerve Connector, a porcine submucosa extracellular matrix (ECM) coaptation aid for tensionless repair of severed nerves, AxoGuard^® Nerve Protector, a porcine submucosa ECM product used to wrap and protect injured peripheral nerves and reinforce the nerve reconstruction while preventing soft tissue attachments, and Avive™ Soft Tissue Membrane, a minimally processed human umbilical cord membrane that may be used as a resorbable soft tissue covering to separate tissue layers and modulate inflammation in the surgical bed. Along with these core surgical products, AxoGen also offers AcroVal™ Neurosensory & Motor Testing System and AxoTouch™ Two-Point Discriminator. These evaluation and measurement tools assist health care professionals in detecting changes in sensation, assessing return of sensory, grip, and pinch function, evaluating effective treatment interventions, and providing feedback to patients on nerve function. The AxoGen portfolio of products is available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and several other European and international countries.

Cautionary Statements Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This Press Release contains “forward-looking” statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current expectations or predictions of future conditions, events, or results based on various assumptions and management’s estimates of trends and economic factors in the markets in which we are active, as well as our business plans. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “continue,” “may,” “should,” “will,” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding our assessment on our internal control over financial reporting, our growth, our 2017 guidance, product development, product potential, financial performance, sales growth, product adoption, market awareness of our products, data validation, our visibility at and sponsorship of conferences and educational events. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. Forward-looking statements in this release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect AxoGen’s business and its market, particularly those discussed in the risk factors and cautionary statements in AxoGen’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements are representative only as of the date they are made and, except as required by law, AxoGen assumes no responsibility to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contacts:
AxoGen, Inc.
Peter J. Mariani, Chief Financial Officer
InvestorRelations@AxoGenInc.com

The Trout Group – Investor Relations
Brian Korb 
646.378.2923
bkorb@troutgroup.com

$IHT Hotel Revenues up 15%, Conference Sells Out Exhibitor Space

$RLJE Quinton Aaron (The Blind Side) & Marcus Henderson (Get Out) star in #HALFWAY

Exclusive Premiere, Friday, April 21, 2017 April Features Also Include Romantic Stage Play Ladies Book Club and Entertainment Documentary This is for Toronto

LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2017  — An involving and smartly observed drama that puts a human face to a national crisis, Halfway offers some poignant reflections on America’s broken justice system and the overall conflict of race relations within the nation. Premiering on UMC, Friday, April 21, 2017, the film tells the story of Byron (Quinton Aaron, The Blind Side), a recently released convict who finds himself trapped between his criminal past and his new life on probation as the only black man in a conservative white Wisconsin farming town. Physically imposing, yet socially reserved, Byron struggles to adjust to a family riven with problems and a world far beyond his comfort zone.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering up with the Urban Movie Channel for this exclusive premiere of Halfway. It has been a great journey for us with this film and we are excited for it to now reach a wider audience. We are so appreciative to Angela [Northington] and her team for believing in us,” said Jonny Paterson, the producer of the film.

The debut feature from writer/director Ben Caird with lead actor Quinton Aaron, Tommy Oliver (The Perfect Guy), and Nnamdi Asomugha (Crown Heights) serving as executive producers, the film has only been seen at select film festivals throughout the country. During its run on the festival circuit, the film picked up several awards including the Ultra Indie Award at the Woodstock Film Festival, the Best Film Award at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, and the Best Film Award at the Weyauwega Film Festival. “A truly excellent film” (Huffington Post), Halfway also stars Marcus Henderson (Get Out), Gillian Zinser (90210), T.J. Power (Eat Pray Love), Jeffrey Demunn (The Walking Dead) and Amy Pietz.

Premiering today, April 7, 2017, comes the Swirl Films Production, Ladies Book Club. Bunny (Angell Conwell, Baby Boy) and Carlyle (Lyriq Bent) have been best friends since high school. Now in their 30’s, they are also roommates. Despite their undeniable attraction for one another, they have managed to keep their relationship platonic. Bunny’s group of friends, plus her meddling mother (Jackee Harry), known as the Ladies Book Club, would love to see the best friends cross that line once and for all. Directed by Fred Thomas Jr., Ladies Book Club also stars Elise Neal (No Regrets, Logan) and Amanda Seales (HBO’s Insecure).

Also premiering on UMC this month from up and coming Canadian filmmakers Sheldon Shaw, Johnwoo Richardson, and Shawn Harris, is the entertainment documentary This is for Toronto. An ode to the fourth largest city in North America, This is for Toronto explores the rise of entertainment culture in the Canadian mecca and the global impact that it has been making on the industry. In the documentary, veterans and the new generation share their insights on how far the Toronto has come, where it is going and the milestones that continue to be achieved by its natives worldwide. This is for Toronto premieres on Friday, April 14, 2017. Available at www.UMC.tv, UMC is the first premium subscription streaming service that showcases quality African American and urban entertainment across all genres from RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE).

About UMC
Created by Robert L. Johnson, Chairman of RLJ Entertainment and founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), Urban Movie Channel (UMC) is the first subscription streaming service created for African American and urban audiences in North America that features quality urban content and showcases feature films, documentaries, original series, stand-up comedy, and other exclusive content. UMC is available on Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Amazon Prime, Amazon Fire TV, and online at www.UMC.tv. UMC offers a free 7-day trial and thereafter is just $4.99/month or $49.99/year. Keep up with UMC on Facebook at Facebook.com/UrbanMovieChannel and on Twitter/Instagram @WatchUMC.

UMC Press Contact: Farah Noel, 301.830.6247, fnoel@umc.tv

$JAZZ Reaches Settlement with Hikma Pharmaceuticals Related to Xyrem Patent Litigation

Hikma Granted Right to Sell Authorized Generic of Xyrem in 2023

DUBLIN, April 5, 2017  — Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ) today announced that certain of its subsidiaries have entered into agreements with Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC and related entities (“Hikma”) resolving patent litigation related to Xyrem® (sodium oxybate) oral solution. The litigation, which has been pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey since 2010, resulted from the submission by Roxane Laboratories, Inc. (which was subsequently acquired by Hikma) of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval to market a generic version of Xyrem.

In connection with the settlement, Jazz has granted Hikma and its wholly owned subsidiary, West-Ward Pharmaceuticals Corp. (West-Ward), the right to sell an authorized generic (AG) version of Xyrem in the U.S. under the Xyrem New Drug Application (NDA), commencing on January 1, 2023, or earlier under certain circumstances customary for settlement agreements of this nature. The AG product will be marketed through the Xyrem Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. The initial term of the AG arrangement is six months, and Hikma has the option to continue the sale of the AG product for up to a total of five years. Jazz will receive a meaningful royalty on net sales of the AG product, with the royalty rate increasing during the initial AG term based on increased AG sales. There will be a substantial increase in the royalty rate should the AG term be extended beyond one year. Jazz will also be paid for supply of the AG product and will be reimbursed for a portion of the service costs associated with the operation of the Xyrem REMS and distribution of the AG. Specific financial and other terms related to the AG product are confidential. Hikma has been granted a license to sell its generic sodium oxybate product under its ANDA at the end of the AG term.

“This settlement arrangement provides additional clarity related to our Xyrem intellectual property as we continue our strategy to expand and diversify our product portfolio and R&D pipeline, in line with our goal of delivering new clinically meaningful therapeutic options for patients,” said Bruce Cozadd, chairman and chief executive officer of Jazz Pharmaceuticals. “We are pleased that this settlement positions us to facilitate the safe distribution of West-Ward’s AG of Xyrem through the Xyrem REMS.”

As required by law, Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Hikma will submit the settlement agreement to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for review.

Similar patent litigation brought by Jazz Pharmaceuticals against four other companies that have filed ANDAs with the FDA seeking approval to market a generic version of Xyrem remains pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

For additional information related to the settlement between Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Hikma, please refer to the Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Jazz Pharmaceuticals with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ) is an international biopharmaceutical company focused on improving patients’ lives by identifying, developing and commercializing meaningful products that address unmet medical needs.  The company has a diverse portfolio of products and product candidates, with a focus in the areas of sleep and hematology/oncology.  In these areas, Jazz Pharmaceuticals markets Xyrem® (sodium oxybate) oral solution, Erwinaze® (asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi) and Defitelio® (defibrotide sodium) in the U.S. and markets Erwinase® and Defitelio® (defibrotide) in countries outside the U.S.  For more information, please visit www.jazzpharmaceuticals.com.

About Xyrem
Xyrem® (sodium oxybate) oral solution, CIII, is indicated for the treatment of cataplexy in narcolepsy and for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in narcolepsy. Xyrem may only be dispensed to patients enrolled in the Xyrem REMS Program. Xyrem was first approved in the U.S. in 2002.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Xyrem (sodium oxybate) is a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant. In clinical trials at recommended doses, obtundation and clinically significant respiratory depression occurred in Xyrem-treated patients. Almost all of the patients who received Xyrem during clinical trials in narcolepsy were receiving central nervous system stimulants.

Xyrem (sodium oxybate) is the sodium salt of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). Abuse of GHB, either alone or in combination with other CNS depressants, is associated with CNS adverse reactions, including seizure, respiratory depression, decreases in the level of consciousness, coma, and death.

Because of the risks of CNS depression, abuse, and misuse, Xyrem is available only through a restricted distribution program called the Xyrem REMS Program using the central pharmacy that is specially certified. Prescribers and patients must enroll in the program. Further information is available at www.XYREMREMS.com or 1-866-XYREM88^® (1-866-997-3688).

Xyrem is contraindicated in combination with sedative hypnotics or alcohol and in patients with succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency. Use caution when considering the concurrent use of Xyrem with other CNS depressants. Healthcare providers should caution patients against hazardous activities requiring complete mental alertness or motor coordination within the first 6 hours of dosing or after first initiating treatment until certain that Xyrem does not affect them adversely. Xyrem is a Schedule III controlled substance. The rapid onset of sedation, coupled with the amnestic features of Xyrem, particularly when combined with alcohol, has proven to be dangerous for the voluntary and involuntary user (e.g. assault victim). Monitor patients for emergent or increased depression and suicidality and for impaired motor/cognitive function. Episodes of sleepwalking should be fully evaluated and appropriate interventions considered. Consider the amount of daily sodium intake in each dose of Xyrem in patients sensitive to salt intake.

In three controlled clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 5% and twice the rate of placebo) in Xyrem-treated patients were nausea (20%), dizziness (15%), vomiting (11%), somnolence (8%), enuresis (7%), and tremor (5%).

Please click here to see the full Prescribing Information for Xyrem, including BOXED Warning.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements related to anticipated results and actions to be taken under the settlement agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, review of the settlement agreement by the FTC and DOJ, the anticipated dismissal of related pending litigation, the company’s strategy to expand and diversify its product portfolio and R&D pipeline and its goal of delivering new clinically meaningful therapeutic options for patients, and other statements that are not historical facts.  These forward-looking statements are based on the company’s current plans, objectives, estimates, expectations and intentions and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties.  Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with: approval of the settlement agreement and dismissal of related pending litigation by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey; review of the settlement arrangement by the FTC and DOJ; regulatory restrictions and requirements applicable to Xyrem; ongoing patent litigation and related proceedings; the regulatory approval process; protecting and enhancing the company’s intellectual property rights; whether additional third parties may seek to market generic versions of Xyrem, including the risk that any company or companies may decide, before applicable ongoing patent litigation is concluded, to launch a generic sodium oxybate product at risk of potentially being held liable for damages; delays or problems in the supply or manufacture of the company’s products and product candidates; complying with applicable U.S. and non-U.S. regulatory requirements; government investigations and other actions; and other risks and uncertainties affecting the company, including those described from time to time under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports (Commission File No. 001-33500), including the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2016 and future filings and reports by the company.  Other risks and uncertainties of which the company is not currently aware may also affect the company’s forward-looking statements and may cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from those anticipated.  The forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the forward-looking statements, even if they are subsequently made available by the company on its website or otherwise.  The company undertakes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made.

$IZEA Reports Q1 Bookings of $7.8 Million

IZEA, Inc. (NASDAQ:IZEA), operator of IZEAx, the premier online marketplace connecting brands and publishers with influential content creators, reported bookings of $7.8 million for the first quarter of 2017, up 5% from $7.4 million in the same year-ago quarter.

Bookings is a measure of sales orders minus any cancellations or refunds in a given period. Management uses bookings as a leading indicator of future revenue recognition as revenue is typically recognized within 90-120 days of booking. However, larger contracts, such as some of those booked in Q1, may be recognized over twelve months from the original booking date.

“We continue to see a pattern of increasing average deal size with our clients, particularly when dealing brand direct,” said Ted Murphy, IZEA’s Chairman and CEO. “In Q1, our managed services average deal size was 11% greater than our annual average in 2016. This ongoing march towards brand direct relationships and larger commitments is positive, but does impact the length of time it takes to get through contracting. We were effected by some contracting delays in Q1, but these bookings should be realized in early Q2 and our outlook for 2017 remains strong and intact.”

The company expects revenue in 2017 to increase to $32-$33 million compared to $27.3 million in 2016. Gross margins are expected to range between 47% to 48% compared to 48% in 2016.

The company plans to provide financial results for the first quarter on May 10, 2017.

About IZEA

IZEA operates IZEAx, the premier online marketplace that connects marketers with influential content creators. IZEA creators range from leading social media influencers to accredited journalists. Creators are compensated for producing and distributing unique content on behalf of marketers including long form text, videos, photos and status updates. Marketers receive influential consumer content and engaging, shareable stories that drive awareness. For more information about IZEA, visit https://izea.com.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on IZEA’s current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond IZEA’s control. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, competitive conditions in the content and social sponsorship segments in which IZEA operates, customer order cancellations, failure to popularize one or more of the marketplace platforms of IZEA, inability to obtain additional capital on a timely basis, difficulties in integrating technology and operations of acquired businesses and achieving the expected benefits from the acquisitions, and changing economic conditions that are less favorable than expected. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information contained in this press release will in fact occur. Please read the full statement and disclosures here: https://izea.com/investors/safe-harbor-statement/.

IZEA:
Lindsay Broadhurst, 407-215-6218
Director, Corporate Events & Communication
ir@izea.com

$FRED Appointment of Linda Longo-Kazanova to Board of Directors

Fred’s Inc. (“Fred’s Pharmacy” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:FRED) today announced that it has appointed Linda Longo-Kazanova to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. In connection with today’s announcement, Steven R. Fitzpatrick will retire from the Board and not stand for reelection at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Today’s announcement is part of the Board’s ongoing reconstitution process, with the assistance of Spencer Stuart, a leading executive search firm, to add world-class, highly-qualified and experienced directors to the Board.

Ms. Longo-Kazanova brings to the Board her 16 years of experience as Chief Human Resources Officer with growing companies and businesses-in-transition, as well as significant expertise working with public company boards of directors on a variety of matters, including significant M&A and divestiture transactions. Most recently, Ms. Longo-Kazanova was Chief Human Resources Officer at Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., where she was responsible for all aspects of global human resources. While at Keurig, she contributed to the company’s growth from $1.3 billion to $4.5 billion in revenue, supporting transformation in the board, management team and culture as the business expanded. Prior to working at Keurig, Ms. Longo-Kazanova served as Vice President, Human Resources and Medical at Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (BNSF), and in a number of positions at Kraft Foods, Inc., including global Director, Management and Organization Development.

“Linda is an accomplished executive and we are excited to add her to the Board as part of our ongoing reconstitution process,” said Thomas H. Tashjian, Chairman of the Board. “Fred’s will benefit from her significant HR and integration leadership experience specifically related to talent acquisition and development, compensation and benefits, culture and workplace environment, and employee communications and development, including during complex M&A situations. Linda’s appointment increases the Board’s independence and bolsters its expertise and oversight as we continue executing our transformation and strategic plan. This announcement also follows the recent appointments of Chris Bodine and Pete Bocian who, together with Linda, will provide the Board with decades of public company director and executive leadership experiences across the consumer, retail, pharmaceutical and technology industries.”

Tashjian continued, “I want to thank Steve for his years of dedicated service to the Fred’s Board. We are grateful for Steve’s immense contributions and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

“I am delighted to join the Fred’s Pharmacy Board of Directors,” said Ms. Longo-Kazanova. “This is an exciting time for the company as it continues executing its plan to improve performance. I look forward to begin working with the rest of the Board and management team and contributing immediately as we build on the momentum and progress underway.”

About Linda Longo-Kazanova

Ms. Longo-Kazanova is a seasoned global C-suite executive with a business background diversified across multiple industries, including consumer packaged goods, transportation, information services and insurance with companies from $1-15 billion in revenue. She most recently served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Keurig.

Prior to working at Keurig, Ms. Longo-Kazanova served as Vice President, Human Resources and Medical at BNSF from 2007 to 2010, managing the human resources function for 38,500 employees, and as SVP, Human Resources and Business Optimization, at Bell and Howell Company (later known as ProQuest Company) from 2000 to 2007. She also worked at Kraft Foods, Inc. from 1985 to 1995 where she served in a number of positions including global Director, Management and Organization Development.

As a trusted partner to three public company boards (Keurig, BNSF, and Bell and Howell Company, as well as the private board for Keurig after its acquisition by JAB Holdings) she has significant experience working closely with boards and their advisors to align executive compensation with business strategy and regulatory compliance, ensure succession and a talent pipeline. She has managed departures, searches and onboarding of new leaders and was integral in recruiting new board members. Ms. Longo-Kazanova previously served as a board member for Susan G Komen For the Cure, Fort Worth and as a Trustee for Trinity Valley School in Texas.

Ms. Longo-Kazanova holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Northwestern University, a Masters in Counseling Psychology and Bachelors in Anthropology from University of Delaware.

About Fred’s Pharmacy

Tracing its history back to an original store in Coldwater, Mississippi, opened in 1947, today Fred’s Pharmacy is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and operates 601 pharmacy and general merchandise stores and three specialty pharmacy-only locations, including 14 franchised Fred’s Pharmacy locations. With a unique store format and strategy that combines the best elements of a healthcare-focused drug store with a value-focused retailer, Fred’s Pharmacy stores offer more than 12,000 frequently purchased items that address the healthcare and everyday needs of its customers and patients. This includes nationally recognized brands, proprietary Fred’s Pharmacy label products, and a full range of value-priced selections. The company has two distribution centers, one in Memphis, Tennessee, and Dublin, Georgia.

For more information about the Company, visit Fred’s website at www.fredsinc.com.

$FGEN Announces Pricing of Follow-On Offering of Common Stock

SAN FRANCISCO, April 06, 2017 — FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ:FGEN), a science-based biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the company has priced an underwritten follow-on offering, which is expected to raise gross proceeds of approximately $120 million.

FibroGen is offering 5,228,750 shares of its common stock at an offering price of $22.95 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions. All of the shares are being offered by FibroGen. The offering is expected to close on April 11, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions.

Leerink Partners and Stifel are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.

These securities are registered pursuant to an automatic shelf registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2017 and the offering is being made only by means of a written prospectus. A copy of the final prospectus relating to these securities, when available, may be obtained from Leerink Partners LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, MA 02110, via telephone at (800) 808-7525, ext. 6132 or by email to syndicate@leerink.com; or Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Attention: Syndicate, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, CA 94104, via telephone at (415) 364-2500, or by email to syndprospectus@stifel.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About FibroGen, Inc.
FibroGen, Inc., headquartered in San Francisco with subsidiary offices in Beijing and Shanghai, is a leading science-based biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing a pipeline of first-in-class therapeutics. The company applies its pioneering expertise in fibrosis and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) biology and clinical development to advance innovative medicines for the treatment of anemia, fibrotic disease, and cancer. Roxadustat (FG-4592), the company’s most advanced product candidate, is an oral small molecule inhibitor of HIF prolyl hydroxylase activity in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD), and is entering Phase 3 development for anemia in lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Pamrevlumab (FG-3019), a fully-human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the activity of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), is in Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), pancreatic cancer, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). FibroGen is also developing a biosynthetic cornea in China.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements, including with respect to the anticipated closing of the offering described herein, intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. You should be aware that the forward-looking statements in this press release represent management’s current judgment and expectations, but our actual results, events and performance could differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the risks discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 1, 2017. We caution you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, other than as required under the Federal securities laws.

Contact
Karen L. Bergman
FibroGen, Inc.
VP, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
+1 (415) 978-1433
kbergman@fibrogen.com

$AKTX to Present at the Jefferies Complement Symposium

NEW YORK and LONDON, April 03, 2017 — Akari Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AKTX), an emerging growth, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today that Dr. Gur Roshwalb, Chief Executive Officer, will present at the Jefferies Complement Symposium on April 6, 2017, in Boston, Massachusetts.  The company is scheduled to present at 2:10 PM ET.

About Akari Therapeutics Plc
Akari is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of life-transforming treatments for a range of rare and orphan autoimmune and inflammatory diseases caused by dysregulation of complement C5 and Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), including paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (“PNH”), atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (“aHUS”), and Guillain Barré syndrome (“GBS”). Akari’s lead product candidate, Coversin™ complement inhibitor, a second-generation complement inhibitor, acts on complement component-C5, preventing the release of C5a and the formation of C5b–9 (also known as the membrane attack complex or MAC), and independently also inhibits LTB4 activity. C5 inhibition is growing in importance in a range of rare autoimmune diseases related to dysregulation of the complement component of the immune system, including PNH, aHUS, and GBS. Exploiting the power of nature, Akari is also developing other tick derived proteins and expects to bring additional compounds to clinical trials over the next several years. The pipeline is focused on developing bioengineered versions of native tick salivary proteins that act as anti-inflammatory compounds allowing the tick to remain on its host. These compounds include PGP sparing LTB4 inhibitors, classical and alternative complement inhibitors, anti-histamines, and serotonin inhibitors as examples. Akari is also developing engineered forms that allow for potential oral absorption, as, for example, a potential orally absorbed C5 inhibitor, and tissue specific proteins, as, for example, Coversin™ that acts specifically at the neuromuscular junction for diseases like myasthenia gravis

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to us and on assumptions we have made. Although we believe that our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects as reflected in or suggested by those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that the plans, intentions, expectations or strategies will be attained or achieved. Furthermore, actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements and will be affected by a variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control. Such risks and uncertainties for our company include, but are not limited to: an inability or delay in obtaining required regulatory approvals for Coversin and any other product candidates, which may result in unexpected cost expenditures; risks inherent in drug development in general; uncertainties in obtaining successful clinical results for Coversin and any other product candidates and unexpected costs that may result therefrom; failure to realize any value of Coversin and any other product candidates developed and being developed in light of inherent risks and difficulties involved in successfully bringing product candidates to market; inability to develop new product candidates and support existing product candidates; the approval by the FDA and EMA and any other similar foreign regulatory authorities of other competing or superior products brought to market; risks resulting from unforeseen side effects; risk that the market for Coversin may not be as large as expected; inability to obtain, maintain and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights or the unexpected costs associated with such enforcement or litigation; inability to obtain and maintain commercial manufacturing arrangements with third party manufacturers or establish commercial scale manufacturing capabilities; the inability to timely source adequate supply of our active pharmaceutical ingredients from third party manufacturers on whom the company depends; our inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; unexpected cost increases and pricing pressures; uncertainties of cash flows and inability to meet working capital needs; and risks and other risk factors detailed in our public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 23, 2016. Except as otherwise noted, these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of these statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after this press release. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Contact: 
Investor Contact:
The Trout Group
Lee Stern                             
lstern@troutgroup.com                
646–378–2922 
Media Contact:
Susan Forman / Laura Radocaj
Dian Griesel Int'l.
(212) 825-3210

$NVFY New Facility in Response to Continued Surge in Paying Customers

New Facility in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong Features Attractive Classroom Setting

LOS ANGELES, April 06, 2017 — Nova LifeStyle, Inc. (Nasdaq:NVFY) or (the “Company”), a U.S. based fast-growing, innovative provider of modern lifestyle products and services today announced that the Company reported a record number of new paying customers and student members signing up for Nova’s online and classroom-based Blockchain programs during the month of March, following on the heels of robust customer enrollment experienced in February.

The number of sign-ups in March topped 2,000, approximately doubling from the record-setting performance of 1,000 in February, with training set to begin this month. Nova LifeStyle owns and operates the site “Nova-Mart,” www.nova-mart.com, an online transaction platform for customers and merchants worldwide to offer products and business services based on Blockchain technology.

Tawny Lam, President and Interim CEO of Nova LifeStyle commented, “We continue to see strong customer and student member sign-ups for our lecture-based programs as well as on our Blockchain technology-based Nova-Mart site, with each successive month featuring growth in enrollment. This strong performance drove our decision to continue expanding our Blockchain programs, highlighted by the opening of our new Digital Assets Cultural Hall in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong.”

The recently opened Digital Assets Cultural Hall is designed to accommodate customers seeking to participate in Nova’s Blockchain training program. Nova LifeStyle now has training centers located in Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan, enabling the Company to continue successfully capturing the growing interest in Blockchain based technology.

About Nova LifeStyle
Nova LifeStyle, Inc., a NASDAQ Global Market listed company headquartered in California, is a fast growing, innovative designer, manufacturer and distributor of modern LifeStyle furniture; primarily sofas, dining rooms, cabinets, office furniture and related components, bedrooms, and various accessories in matching collections. Nova LifeStyle also owns and operates Nova-Mart, www.nova-mart.com, a Blockchain technology based transaction platform that offers a large variety of products and services to millions of customers worldwide. Visit Nova’s website: www.NovaLifeStyle.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ from the company’s expectations. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements in this press release as they reflect Nova’s current expectations with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks described in Nova’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Company Contact:
Investor Relations:
The Equity Group Inc.
In U.S.
Adam Prior, Senior Vice President
+1 (212) 836-9606
aprior@equityny.com

In China
Katherine Yao, Senior Associate
+86-10-6587-6435
kyao@equityny.com

$CLBS to Participate at Upcoming April Conferences

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., April 05, 2017 — Caladrius Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLBS) (“Caladrius” or the “Company”), a cell therapy company with a select therapeutic development pipeline focused on immune modulation announces today that the Company’s leadership and experts will participate at the following April conferences:

10^th Diabetes Drug Discovery & Development

• Date and Time: Thursday, April 6, 2017, 9:20 AM ET
• Website: https://www.gtcbio.com/conferences/diabetes-drug-discovery-development/?section=agenda#day2
• Venue: Hyatt Regency, Boston, Massachusetts
• Plenary: Tolerogenic Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes, A Phase 2 Randomized Study of Autologous Regulatory T-cells Adolescents with Recent Onset T1DM
• Speaker: Douglas W. Losordo, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Caladrius

6^th Annual Stem Cell Product Development & Commercialization

• Date and Time: Thursday, April 6, 1:50 PM ET
• Website: https://www.gtcbio.com/conferences/stem-cell-product-development-commercialization/?section=agenda
• Venue: Hyatt Regency, Boston, Massachusetts
• Presentation: Global Regulation of Cell Therapies
• Presenter: William Sietsema, PhD, Executive Director, Global Regulatory Affairs, Caladrius

24^th Annual Future Leaders in the Biotech Industry

• Date: Friday, April 7
• Website: https://www.biocentury.com/conferences/future-leaders-2017
• Venue: Millennium Broadway Hotel & Conference Center, New York, New York
• Format: One-on-One Meetings
• Participant: Joseph Talamo, Chief Financial Officer, Caladrius

Alliance for Regenerative Medicine’s 5^th Annual Cell & Gene Investor Day

• Date and Time: Thursday, April 27, 2017, 4:45 PM ET
• Website: http://arminvestorday.com
• Venue: The State Room, Boston, Massachusetts
• Presentation: Company Presentation
• Presenter: David J. Mazzo, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Caladrius

About Caladrius Biosciences

Caladrius Biosciences, Inc. is a cell therapy development company with cell therapy products in development based on multiple technology platforms and targeting autoimmune and cardiology indications. The Company is investigating its lead product candidate, CLBS03, for the treatment of recent-onset type 1 diabetes in a currently enrolling Phase 2 trial. The Company’s subsidiary, PCT, is a well-known development and manufacturing partner exclusively focused on the cell therapy industry and has served over 100 clients since 1999. For more information on Caladrius please visit www.caladrius.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations, as of the date of this press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Factors that could cause future results to materially differ from the recent results or those projected in forward-looking statements include the “Risk Factors” described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 17, 2017, and in the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC. The Company’s further development is highly dependent on, among other things, future medical and research developments and market acceptance, which are outside of its control.

Contacts:
Investors:
LHA
Anne Marie Fields
Senior Vice President
Phone: +1-212-838-3777
Email: afields@lhai.com                   

Media:
Caladrius Biosciences, Inc.
Eric Powers
Director, Communications and Marketing
Phone: +1-212-584-4173
Email: epowers@caladrius.com

$FCEL Announces Grid Resiliency Project with PSEG Long Island

• Supplying predictable power to PSEG Long Island electrical substation under Clean Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (FIT) II via multi-year power purchase agreement
• Fuel cell power plant to be located at a commercial operation that  will utilize the high grade heat
• Demonstrates utility adoption of distributed power for cleanly enhancing grid reliability and resiliency

DANBURY, Conn., April 05, 2017 — FuelCell Energy, Inc.  (Nasdaq:FCEL), a global leader in delivering clean, innovative and affordable fuel cell solutions for the supply, recovery and storage of energy, today announced the execution of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with PSEG Long Island to supply an existing electrical substation with the electricity generated by a SureSource 1500^™ fuel cell plant.  This project is part of the Clean Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff II program.  The fuel cell plant will be located at an industrial operation on Long Island, New York that will utilize the high grade heat for their production process, reducing both their operating costs and their emissions.

“We are pleased to deliver this clean and affordable energy solution to support Long Island’s electric grid with predictable power that avoids harmful emissions, operates quietly, and uses minimal land,” said Chip Bottone, President and Chief Executive Officer of FuelCell Energy, Inc. “Fuel cells are one of the most land-efficient  clean energy technologies qualified under the New York State Renewable Portfolio Standard, and this project will help demonstrate the many benefits of integrating fuel cells into New York’s energy mix.”

Utilizing this fuel cell power plant will avoid the emission of 3,300 tons of CO₂ annually, which is equivalent to the emissions from 650 cars.  Utilizing fuel cells will also reduce smog producing NO_x emissions by five tons per year, and the SO_x emissions, which contribute to acid rain, by one ton per year, as well as avoid particulate emissions, benefitting public health.

This project was awarded under the Clean Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (FIT) II program administered by PSEG Long Island, which supports the adoption of clean on-island power generation to enhance grid reliability and resiliency.  Separately, PSEG Long Island issued a 40 megawatt FIT IV RFP for fuel cells, for which FuelCell Energy submitted bids. Results of the FIT IV RFP have not been announced.

Fuel cells use chemistry to convert a fuel source into electricity and heat in a highly efficient process that emits virtually no pollutants as the fuel is not burned.  The combination of near-zero pollutants, modest land-use needs, and quiet operating nature of these stationary fuel cell power plants facilitates installation in urban locations where the power is used.  Customers benefit with operating cost reductions delivered in a manner that supports sustainability goals and enhances power reliability. With high availability and capacity factors, fuel cell power plants make meaningful contributions to Renewable Portfolio Standard targets.

About FuelCell Energy
FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ:FCEL) delivers efficient, affordable and clean solutions for the supply, recovery and storage of energy.  We design, manufacture, undertake project development, install, operate and maintain megawatt-scale fuel cell systems, serving utilities, industrial and large municipal power users with solutions that include both utility-scale and on-site power generation, carbon capture, local hydrogen production for transportation and industry, and long duration energy storage.  With SureSource™ installations on three continents and millions of megawatt hours of ultra-clean power produced, FuelCell Energy is a global leader with environmentally responsible power solutions.  Visit us online at www.fuelcellenergy.com and follow us on Twitter.

SureSource, SureSource 1500, SureSource 3000, SureSource 4000, SureSource Recovery, SureSource Capture, SureSource Hydrogen, SureSource Storage, SureSource Service, SureSource Capital, FuelCell Energy, and FuelCell Energy logo are all trademarks of FuelCell Energy, Inc.

$NEOT Announces Issuance by USPTO of Eighth Patent Directed to LIPO-202 Lead Clinical Asset

SAN DIEGO, April 05, 2017 — Neothetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NEOT), a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for the aesthetic market today announced the issuance of U.S. Patent Number 9,597,531 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  This patent is directed to specific methods of using LIPO-202 and other agents for the reduction of fat accumulation. The ’531 patent is expected to expire no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2031, extending the coverage time of the company’s intellectual property portfolio. This is the eighth issued U.S. patent directed to Neothetics’ lead product candidate LIPO-202, which is being evaluated for the reduction of submental fat.

“This patent further strengthens our comprehensive intellectual property portfolio protecting our lead clinical asset, LIPO-202,” said Martha J. Demski, a member of Neothetics’ Operating Committee and Board of Directors.

To receive Neothetics’ press releases and other investor information, please go to the Investor Relations page of the company’s website at investors.neothetics.com and register for email alerts.

About LIPO-202
LIPO-202 is a proprietary, first-in-class injectable formulation of the well-known long-acting ß2-adrenergic receptor agonist, salmeterol xinafoate, which is an active ingredient of FDA-approved inhaled products such as SEREVENT DISKUS®, ADVAIR HFA® and ADVAIR DISKUS®. Our studies suggest that salmeterol xinafoate activates ß2 -adrenergic receptors on fat cells, triggering the body’s natural process of metabolizing stored triglycerides (fat) resulting in a reduction in size and volume of the fat cells in the treatment area without damage of nearby tissues. LIPO-202 has an extremely favorable safety profile, with little to no adverse post treatment effects.  LIPO-202 is being evaluated for the reduction of submental fat commonly referred to as a double-chin.

About Neothetics, Inc.
Neothetics is a San Diego based clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for the aesthetic market. Our initial focus is on localized fat reduction and body contouring. Our lead product candidate, LIPO-202, is a first-in-class injectable formulation of the long-acting ß2-adrenergic receptor agonist, salmeterol xinafoate, which is an active ingredient in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, approved inhaled products SEREVENT DISKUS®, ADVAIR HFA® and ADVAIR DISKUS®. For more information on Neothetics, please visit www.neothetics.com. Neothetics, LIPO-202, LIPO-102 and the Neothetics logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Neothetics, Inc. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the ability to develop a modified formulation of LIPO-202, timing of conducting and obtaining results from Phase 2 trials and proof of concept study with a modified formulation of LIPO-202, whether our modified formulation of LIPO-202 is able to demonstrate positive results, Neothetics’ plans to research, develop and commercialize LIPO-202 and other product candidates, our expectations regarding the potential market size and opportunity of LIPO-202, as well as expected timing for reporting results from clinical trials. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Neothetics’ current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with clinical trials, such as the ability to timely initiate clinical trials and enroll a sufficient number of patients on a timely basis into clinical trials, the extent to which top-line data is available and whether the clinical trials achieve positive results, product development activities, obtaining regulatory approval to commercialize LIPO-202 and other product candidates, Neothetics’ use of cash,  and the need to raise additional funding, when needed, in order to conduct our clinical trials and other business, the degree of market acceptance of LIPO-202 by physicians, patients and others in the medical community, our reliance on third parties, including third-party suppliers for manufacturing and distribution of products, regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries, Neothetics’ ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for LIPO-202 and its product candidates, competition in the aesthetics industry and other market conditions. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Neothetics undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factor disclosure set forth in the reports and other documents the company files with the SEC available at www.sec.gov, including without limitation, Neothetics’ Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

COMPANY CONTACTS:

Susan A. Knudson
Chief Financial Officer
858-500-7780
sknudson@neothetics.com

Fara Berkowitz, R.Ph, Pharm.D
Senior Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Development
646-494-1589
fberkowitz@neothetics.com

$NEPT Commercial Distribution JV in China with Shanghai Chonghe Marine Industry

Neptune Wellness Solutions
Mario Paradis
VP & CFO, Neptune
1.450.687.2262 x236
m.paradis@neptunecorp.com

Investor Relations Contact (Canada)
Pierre Boucher
MaisonBrison
1.514.731.0000
pierre@maisonbrison.com

Investor Relations Contact (U.S.)
James Carbonara
Hayden IR
1.646.755.4712
james@haydenir.com

$PLUG & $AMZN Sign Agreement for Multi-Site GenKey Deployments

LATHAM, N.Y., April 05, 2017 — Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG), a leader in providing energy solutions that change the way the world moves, announced that it has reached an agreement with Amazon to utilize Plug Power fuel cells and hydrogen technology in its fulfillment network. At select fulfillment center locations, Amazon will begin powering its industrial equipment such as forklifts using the GenKey technology which will enable faster charging times, reduced costs, and support energy-efficiency in Amazon’s fulfillment operations.  Revenues associated with the commercial agreements are expected to be around $70 million in 2017.

“This agreement is a tremendous opportunity for Plug Power to further innovate and grow while helping to support the work Amazon does to pick, pack and ship customer orders,” said Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug Power. “Our hydrogen fuel cell technology, comprehensive service network, and commitment to providing cost-savings for customers has enabled Plug Power to become a trusted partner to many in the industry and we are excited to begin working with Amazon.”

Additionally, Amazon and Plug Power will begin working together on technology collaboration, exploring the expansion of applications for Plug Power’s line of ProGen fuel cell engines.

Plug Power has granted Amazon warrants to acquire up to 55,286,696 of Plug Power’s common shares at $1.1893 per share (Exercise Price), which is based on the volume weighted average closing price of Plug Power common shares for the thirty trading days ending April 4, 2017.  Vesting of the warrants is tied to payments totaling $600 million in the aggregate made by Amazon, directly or indirectly, in connection with the purchase of goods and services from Plug Power.  An adjustment to the Exercise Price will occur after the first 34,917,912 warrants have vested, and will be based on the volume weighted average closing price, at the time that such warrants vest. The details of the warrants and vesting is described in more detail in a report on Form 8-K filed by Plug Power with the SEC earlier today.

About Plug Power Inc.  
The architects of modern hydrogen and fuel cell technology, Plug Power is the innovator taking hydrogen fuel cell technology from concept to commercialization. Plug Power has revolutionized the industry with its simple GenKey solution, which is designed to increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints in a reliable, cost-effective way. Plug Power’s GenKey solution couples together all the necessary elements to power, fuel and serve a customer.

Plug Power’s hydrogen and fuel cell solutions for material handling applications replace lead acid batteries to power electric industrial vehicles, such as the lift trucks Amazon uses in its fulfillment centers. Material handling professionals experience a more productive workforce as trucks operate at maximum power for an entire shift, and they can eliminate costly battery changes that impact productivity and safety. The use of hydrogen fuel cells also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improving a customer’s environmental footprint.

Plug Power’s ProGen platform of modular fuel cell engines empowers OEMs and system integrators to rapidly adopt hydrogen fuel cell technology. Through ProGen, Plug Power extends its reach into the on-road electric vehicle market, increasing its served market for fuel cell products and hydrogen fueling stations. The ProGen fuel cell engine solution addresses a wide range of applications, including parcel delivery and service trucks, municipal and government fleets, taxis and port vehicles. ProGen engines are proven today, with more than 6,000 ProGen engines in service, supporting some of the most rugged operations in the world.

Plug Power is the partner that customers trust to take their businesses into the future. For more information about Plug Power, visit www.plugpower.com[plugpower.com].

Additional Information about the Transaction and Where to Find It
This communication is being made in respect of the transactions between Plug Power Inc. (the “Company”) and Amazon.com, Inc. (“Amazon”), and the related issuance of warrants, described herein. The issuance of the warrants, and the exercise thereof, with respect to shares of the Company’s common stock representing more than 20% of the Company’s shares of common stock outstanding as of the date of issuance of such warrants will be submitted to the Company’s stockholders for their approval (the “Stockholder Approval”). The Company intends to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a proxy statement for its 2017 annual meeting of stockholders (the “Proxy Statement”) that will include a proposal relating to the Stockholder Approval. This communication does not constitute a solicitation of any vote or proxy from any of the Company’s stockholders. Investors are urged to read the Proxy Statement carefully and in its entirety when it becomes available and any other relevant documents or materials filed or to be filed with the SEC or incorporated by reference in the Proxy Statement, because they will contain important information about the transactions between the Company and Amazon, the issuance of the warrants and the proposal relating to the Stockholder Approval. The Proxy Statement will be mailed to the Company’s stockholders. In addition, the Proxy Statement and other documents will be available free of charge at the SEC’s internet website, www.sec.gov[sec.gov]. When available, the Proxy Statement and other pertinent documents may also be obtained free of charge at the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, www.plugpower.com[plugpower.com], or by directing a written request to Plug Power Media & Investor Relations, 968 Albany Shaker Road, Latham, New York 12110 or at tel: (518) 738-0269 or email: media@plugpower.com.

The Company and its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders in favor of the Stockholder Approval. Information about the Company’s directors and executive officers is included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the SEC on March 10, 2017. Additional information regarding these persons and their interests in the transactions will be included in the Proxy Statement when it is filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

Cautionary Note on Forward Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve significant risks and uncertainties about the Company, including but not limited to statements about the Company’s expectations regarding the number and timing of GenKey deployments with Amazon, expansion of applications for ProGen and the achievement of operational efficiencies and long-term profitability. Investors are cautioned that such statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times that, or by which, such performance or results will have been achieved. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in these statements. In particular, the risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the risk that the Company will not obtain the Stockholder Approval that may be required with respect to the equity arrangements expressed in the agreements with Amazon; the risk that the anticipated benefits of the agreements with Amazon will not be realized when expected, or at all; the possibility that Amazon may terminate its agreements with the Company; the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by the agreements with Amazon; the risk that the Company continues to incur losses and might never achieve or maintain profitability; the risk that the Company will need to raise additional capital to fund its operations and such capital may not be available; the risk that the Company’s lack of extensive experience in manufacturing and marketing products may impact its ability to manufacture and market products on a profitable and large‑scale commercial basis; the risk that unit orders will not ship, be installed and/or be converted to revenue, in whole or in part; the risk that a loss of one or more of the Company’s major customers could result in a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition; the risk that a sale of a significant number of shares of stock could depress the market price of the Company’s common stock; the risk of potential losses related to any product liability claims or contract disputes; the risk of loss related to an inability to maintain an effective system of internal controls; the Company’s ability to attract and maintain key personnel; the risks related to the use of flammable fuels in the Company’s products; the risk that pending orders may not convert to purchase orders, in whole or in part; the cost and timing of developing, marketing and selling the Company’s products and the Company’s ability to raise the necessary capital to fund such costs; the Company’s ability to obtain financing arrangements to support the sale or leasing of its products and services to customers; the Company’s ability to achieve the forecasted gross margin on the sale of its products; the cost and availability of fuel and fueling infrastructures for the Company’s products; the risk of elimination of government subsidies and economic incentives for alternative energy products; market acceptance of the Company’s products and services, including GenDrive units; the Company’s ability to establish and maintain relationships with third parties with respect to product development, manufacturing, distribution and servicing and the supply of key product components; the cost and availability of components and parts for the Company’s products; the Company’s ability to develop commercially viable products; the Company’s ability to reduce product and manufacturing costs; the Company’s ability to successfully market, distribute and service its products and services internationally; the Company’s ability to improve system reliability for its products; competitive factors, such as price competition and competition from other traditional and alternative energy companies; the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property; the cost of complying with current and future federal, state and international governmental regulations; the risks associated with potential future acquisitions; the volatility of the Company’s stock price; and other risks and uncertainties referenced in the Company’s public filings with the SEC.

For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by the Company, see disclosures contained in the Company’s public filings with the SEC, including the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. Investors should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included in this communication and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements as a result of new information.

Plug Power Investor Contact
John Cococcia
investors@plugpower.com

Plug Power Media Contact
Teal Vivacqua
media@plugpower.com

$EXPI Projects Agent/Broker Count Will Rise To 5,500-6,500 By Year End 2017

$NBEV Acquires Coco-Libre

Enables New Age Beverages to penetrate the fast growing coconut water segment Delivers on New Age group’s portfolio strategy in healthy functional beverages Brings important additional revenue and profit scale to New Age Beverages Corporation

$GNUS Issues Shareholder Letter

Investor Relations
Porter, LeVay and Rose
Michael Porter
T: 212-564-4700
Email contact

$APOP Receives Notice of Intention to Grant from European Patent Office

Patent to provide coverage in both U.S. and EU

Method of treatment patent provides protection in diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, graft-versus-host disease and transplant rejection

TEL AVIV, Israel, April 03, 2017 — Cellect Biotechnology Ltd. (Nasdaq:APOP), (TASE:APOP), a developer of stem cell isolation technology, announced today that it has received a formal notice of Intention to Grant for a patent (Application No. 11751949.6-1466) covering a key method of treatment from the European Patent Office. The allowed claims relate to the engineering of regulatory immune cells with enhanced apoptotic activity to be used for immunomodulation in treating or preventing immune-related disorders.

Earlier this year, Cellect received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for the same patent.

The patent is expected to protect Cellect’s technology and method when used to treat multiple medical conditions with significant unmet needs, such as diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, graft-versus-host disease and transplant rejection. The patent covers a segment of cell-based therapeutics that is separate from the one Cellect is currently working in, is relevant to the fast-growing class of immune therapies and Cellect believes may create an opportunity to enhance Cellect’s pipeline.

Shai Yarkoni, Cellect’s CEO, commented, “Now covering both the U.S. and the EU, this patent is a base for the future commercialization of our global business. Cellect has seven families of patents and patent applications to protect its core assets for enabling stem cell regenerative medicine. With this patent, Cellect has the opportunity to diversify its pipeline and open up new commercialization routes for additional market segments.”

About Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.

Cellect Biotechnology is traded on both the NASDAQ and Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (NASDAQ: “APOP”, “APOPW”, TASE: “APOP”). The Company has developed a breakthrough technology for the isolation of stem cells from any given tissue, a technology that aims to improve a variety of stem cells applications.

The Company’s technology is expected to provide pharma companies, medical research centers and hospitals with the tools to rapidly isolate stem cells in quantity and quality that will allow stem cells related treatments and procedures. Cellect’s technology is applicable to a wide variety of stem cells related treatments in regenerative medicine and that current clinical trials are aimed at the cancer treatment of bone marrow transplantations.

Forward Looking Statements          
This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Company’s expectations, beliefs and intentions. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believe”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “seek”, “target”, “will”, “project”, “forecast”, “continue” or “anticipate” or their negatives or variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical matters. For example, forward-looking statements are used in this press release when we discuss our expectation that the allowed patent will be issued in the EU and in the U.S., that, if approved, the patent will protect Cellect’s technology and method when used to treat multiple medical conditions with significant unmet needs, such as diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, graft-versus-host disease and transplant rejection, that the patent may create an opportunity to enhance Cellect’s pipeline, may serve as a base for the potential future commercialization of Cellect’s global business and may provide an opportunity to diversify Cellect’s pipeline and potentially open up new commercialization routes for additional market segments and that Cellect’s technology is expected to provide pharma companies, medical research centers and hospitals with the tools to rapidly isolate stem cells in quantity and quality that will allow stem cells related treatments and procedures. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company only, and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. In addition, historical results or conclusions from scientific research and clinical studies do not guarantee that future results would suggest similar conclusions or that historical results referred to herein would be interpreted similarly in light of additional research or otherwise. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: changes in technology and market requirements; we may encounter delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing our clinical trials; our products may not be approved by regulatory agencies, our technology may not be validated as we progress further and our methods may not be accepted by the scientific community; we may be unable to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of our products; unforeseen scientific difficulties may develop with our process; our products may wind up being more expensive than we anticipate; results in the laboratory may not translate to equally good results in real clinical settings; results of preclinical studies may not correlate with the results of human clinical trials; our patents may not be sufficient; our products may harm recipients; changes in legislation; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, which could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading “Risk Factors” in Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, which is available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov and in the Company’s period filings with the SEC and the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange.

Contact
Cellect Biotechnology Ltd. 
Eyal Leibovitz, Chief Financial Officer
www.cellectbio.com
+ 972-9-974-1444

LifeSci Advisors
Bob Yedid, Managing Director
646-597-6989
bob@lifesciadvisors.com

$RESN Expands Licensing Agreement with Existing Customer

Resonant Inc. (NASDAQ: RESN), a designer of filters for radio frequency front-ends, or RFFE, that specializes in delivering designs for difficult bands and complex requirements, today announced it has signed an extension to a licensing agreement with an existing customer, a leading RFFE component vendor.

The expanded agreement encompasses the development of Resonant’s fifth quadplexer, and second for this customer. Upfront payments and milestone payments have been agreed upon, but will not be disclosed due to the confidential nature of such agreements.

“This extension to our licensing agreement with an RFFE supplier requiring a stable supply of high performance filters, continues to validate our competitive advantage,” said George Holmes, CEO of Resonant Inc. “Quadplexers enable carrier aggregation (CA), where multiple frequency bands are combined for higher data rates – a key feature of LTE-Advanced mobile phones. However, the design complexity for these multiplexers has dramatically increased, which has so far limited quadplexer availability. Quadplexers in a small footprint are being driven by the ongoing demand for smaller, lighter and thinner mobile devices with increasing video and other high data-rate capabilities. As our collaboration with this customer evolves, we look forward to pursuing additional opportunities.”

About Resonant Inc.

Resonant is creating software tools and IP & licensable blocks that enable the development of innovative filter designs for the RF front-end, or RFFE, for the mobile device industry. The RFFE is the circuitry in a mobile device responsible for the radio frequency signal processing and is located between the device’s antenna and its digital baseband. Filters are a critical component of the RFFE that selects the desired radio frequency signals and rejects unwanted signals and noise. For more information, please visit www.resonant.com.

About Resonant’s ISN® Technology

Resonant can create designs for difficult bands and complex requirements that we believe have the potential to be manufactured for half the cost and developed in half the time of traditional approaches. The Company’s large suite of proprietary mathematical methods, software design tools and network synthesis techniques enable it to explore a much bigger set of possible solutions and quickly derive the better ones. These improved filters still use existing manufacturing methods (i.e. surface acoustic wave (SAW) and/or temperature compensated surface acoustic wave (TC-SAW))) and can perform as well as those using higher cost methods (i.e. BAW or FBAR). While most of the industry designs filters using a coupling-of-modes model, Resonant uses circuit models and physical models. Circuit models are computationally much faster, and physical models are highly accurate models based entirely on fundamental material properties and dimensions. Resonant’s method delivers excellent predictability, enabling achievement of the desired product performance in roughly half as many turns through the fab. In addition, because Resonant’s models are fundamental, integration with its foundry and fab customers is eased because its models speak the “fab language” of basic material properties and dimensions.

Safe Harbor/ Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which include the following subjects, among others: the status of filter designs under development and the capabilities of our filter designs. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document and are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the following: our limited operating history; our ability to complete designs that meet customer specifications; the ability of our customers (or their manufacturers) to fabricate our designs in commercial quantities; the ability of our designs to significantly lower costs compared to other designs and solutions; the risk that the intense competition and rapid technological change in our industry renders our designs less useful or obsolete; our ability to find, recruit and retain the highly skilled personnel required for our design process in sufficient numbers to support our growth; our ability to manage growth; and general market, economic and business conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by our forward-looking statements are under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our most recent Annual Report (Form 10-K) or Quarterly Report (Form 10-Q) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update forward-looking statements.

$PRTK Positive #Phase3 Study of #Omadacyclin in Pneumoniae

• Omadacycline met all FDA primary and secondary endpoints and EMA co-primary endpoints
• Omadacycline was generally safe and well tolerated
• U.S. New Drug Application planned as early as Q1 2018
• Company to host a webcast and conference call for investors at 4:30 PM ET to review top-line results

BOSTON, April 03, 2017 — Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:PRTK) announced today positive top-line results from a global, pivotal Phase 3 clinical study comparing its once-daily oral and IV, broad spectrum investigational antibiotic, omadacycline, to moxifloxacin in the treatment of patients with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP).  This study represents the second positive Phase 3 registration study of omadacycline, which will be used to support marketing applications to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

“This successful study demonstrates the potential of omadacycline to treat community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, a significant and serious health issue,” said Michael Bigham, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Paratek. “This Phase 3 study in pneumonia along with our previously announced successful Phase 3 study in skin infections satisfy the regulatory filing requirements of our special protocol assessment with the FDA. We look forward to sharing these data with the FDA and EMA. Our plan is to submit our NDA in the U.S. as early as the first quarter of 2018 with an EMA submission later in 2018.”

Study Results
The global, pivotal Phase 3 clinical study known as OPTIC (Omadacycline for Pneumonia Treatment in the Community), compared the safety and efficacy of once-daily, IV-to-oral omadacycline to IV-to-oral moxifloxacin for treating adults with CABP.  In the study, 774 patients were randomized.  Omadacycline met the FDA-specified primary endpoint of statistical non-inferiority (NI) in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population (10% NI margin, 95% confidence interval) compared to moxifloxacin at the early clinical response (ECR) 72-120 hours after initiation of therapy. The ECR rates for the omadacycline and moxifloxacin treatment arms were 81.1 % and 82.7%, respectively.

Additionally, the FDA-specified secondary endpoints evaluated omadacycline at the post treatment evaluation (PTE) visit 5-10 days after the completion of therapy in both the ITT population (87.6% for omadacycline vs. 85.1% for moxifloxacin) and in the clinically evaluable (CE) population (92.9% for omadacycline vs. 90.4% for moxifloxacin) as determined by investigators. The secondary endpoints also achieved statistical non-inferiority.

The co-primary endpoints for the EMA were non-inferiority in the ITT and CE CABP populations in those patients with Pneumonia Severity Index (PORT) III and IV at the PTE time point. Omadacycline demonstrated a high response rate and met statistical non-inferiority to moxifloxacin for both populations using a prespecified 97.5% confidence interval. High success rates were observed with response rates of 88.4% (omadacycline) vs. 85.2% (moxifloxacin) and 92.5% (omadacycline) vs. 90.5% (moxifloxacin), respectively.

“We now have experience with omadacycline in more than 1,500 patients in our clinical program and we are very pleased with the safety, tolerability, and efficacy profile that we have seen to date,” said Evan Loh, M.D., President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Medical Officer at Paratek.  “We are deeply indebted to the patients, investigators, and entire Paratek team for their commitment to advancing omadacycline. We are delighted to have achieved this significant milestone for the program and the company as we work to bring omadacycline to patients.”

In the study, omadacycline was generally safe and well tolerated, consistent with prior studies of omadacycline. The most common treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) in omadacycline-treated patients (occurring in > 3% of patients) were ALT increase (3.7% with omadacycline vs. 4.6% with moxifloxacin) and hypertension (3.4% with omadacycline vs. 2.8% with moxifloxacin).  Gastrointestinal adverse events of interest for omadacycline vs. moxifloxacin included: vomiting (2.6% vs. 1.5%), nausea (2.4% vs. 5.4%), and diarrhea (1.0% vs. 8.0%), respectively. There were no cases of clostridium difficile colitis or infection in patients treated with omadacycline, compared with seven cases (1.8%) in patients treated with moxifloxacin.

Rates of TEAEs were 41.1% for omadacycline vs. 48.5% for moxifloxacin. Drug-related TEAEs were 10.2% for omadacycline vs. 17.8% for moxifloxacin. Discontinuation for TEAEs was uncommon, 5.5% for omadacycline vs. 7.0% for moxifloxacin. Serious TEAEs occurred in 6.0% of omadacycline patients and 6.7% of moxifloxacin patients; four of these were considered related to study drug, two for omadacycline and two for moxifloxacin. The mortality rate was 2.1% with omadacycline and 1.0% with moxifloxacin. Drug-related serious TEAEs leading to premature discontinuation of test article were 2.6% with omadacycline and 2.8% with moxifloxacin.

“Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia results in approximately 3.3 million hospitalizations in the United States each year with a significant mortality risk of more than 5 percent seen in observational studies, putting a significant burden on the healthcare system,” said Dr. Thomas M. File Jr., M.D., MS, Chair of the Infectious Disease Section, Northeast Ohio Medical University, and Chair of the Infectious Disease Division, Summa Health. “Antibiotic resistance is a national issue as susceptibility rates have decreased across most antibiotics since 2010, underscoring the need for new, effective therapies. The positive top-line results of omadacycline in community-acquired bacterial pneumonia is welcome news.”

Results of this study will be submitted for presentation at an upcoming scientific congress.

Conference Call and Web Cast
The company will host a webcast and conference call for investors at 4:30 pm ET today. The live webcast can be accessed under “Events and Presentations” in the Investor Relations section of Paratek’s website at www.paratekpharma.com. The webcast can also be accessed at this link http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=123672. The webcast will be available for one year.

Domestic callers wishing to participate in the call should dial 877-407-9039 and international callers should dial 201-689-8470. Replays of the call will be available until April 17. Using the same conference ID, replays can be accessed by domestic callers by dialing 844-512-2921. International callers should dial 412-317-6671. The replay PIN is 13659016.

About the OPTIC Study Design
The OPTIC study was a double-blind, active-controlled, global, multi-center study that enrolled 774 adult subjects with moderate to moderately severe CABP and included approximately 14% PORT Class II, 57% PORT Class III, and 28% PORT Class IV.  Patients initially received IV administration of either 100 mg of omadacycline or 400 mg of moxifloxacin. Study investigators were permitted to switch patients to oral dosing of their assigned drug (300 mg once daily omadacycline or 400 mg once daily moxifloxacin) for a total of 7 to 14 days based on assessment of clinical stability.

About Omadacycline
Omadacycline is a once-daily oral and IV, well-tolerated broad spectrum investigational antibiotic being developed for use as empiric monotherapy for patients suffering from serious community-acquired bacterial infections, such as acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, urinary tract infections and other community-acquired bacterial infections, particularly when antibiotic resistance is of concern to prescribing physicians.  Omadacycline has been granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product designation and Fast Track status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the target indications.

About Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies based upon its expertise in novel tetracycline chemistry. Paratek’s lead product candidate, omadacycline, is the first in a new class of tetracyclines known as aminomethylcyclines, with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative and atypical bacteria.  In June 2016, Paratek announced positive efficacy data in a Phase 3 registration study in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) demonstrating the efficacy, general safety, and tolerability of intravenous (IV) to once-daily oral omadacycline compared to linezolid. A Phase 3 registration study in ABSSSI comparing once-daily oral-only dosing of omadacycline to twice-daily oral-only dosing of linezolid was initiated in August 2016. Top line data from this study are expected as early as the end of June. A Phase 1B study in uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) was initiated in May 2016 and positive top-line PK proof-of-principle data was reported in November 2016.  The company plans to begin enrolling patients in a proof-of-concept Phase 2 study in complicated UTI as early as December of 2017.

In October 2016, Paratek announced a new cooperative research effort with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) to study omadacycline against pathogenic agents causing infectious diseases of public health and biodefense importance. These studies are designed to confirm dosing regimens and assess efficacy of omadacycline against biodefense pathogens, including Yersinia pestis (plague) and Bacillus anthracis (anthrax).

Paratek’s second Phase 3 product candidate, sarecycline, is a well-tolerated, once-daily oral, narrow spectrum tetracycline-derived antibiotic with potent anti-inflammatory properties for the potential treatment of acne and rosacea in the community setting.  Allergan owns the U.S. rights for the development and commercialization of sarecycline. Paratek retains all ex-U.S. rights. Allergan and Paratek reported positive results from two identical Phase 3 registration studies of sarecycline for the treatment of moderate to severe acne vulgaris in March 2017 and Allergan plans to submit a New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the second half of this year.

For more information, visit www.paratekpharma.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements including statements related to our overall strategy, product candidates, clinical studies, prospects and expected results, including statements about the timing of advancing omadacycline and otherwise preparing for clinical studies, the timing of enrollment in our clinical studies and of our reporting of the results of such studies, the potential for omadacycline to serve as an empiric monotherapy treatment option for patients suffering from ABSSSI, CABP, UTI, and other bacterial infections when resistance is of concern, the prospect of omadacycline providing broad-spectrum activity, and our ability to obtain regulatory approval of omadacycline for the treatment of CABP. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release are forward-looking statements, and are identified by words such as “advancing,” “believe,” “expect,” “well positioned,” “look forward,” “anticipated,” “continued,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. We may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Our actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those included in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. These and other risk factors are discussed under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein.

CONTACTS:

Media:
Michael Lampe
Scient Public Relations
(484) 575-5040
michael@scientpr.com

Investors:
Hans Vitzthum
LifeSci Advisors, LLC.
212-915-2568

$NVCR Landmark #GBM Results: #Optune™ with Standard of Care Chemo, #Temozolomide

Novocure (NASDAQ:NVCR) announced today final results from its phase 3 pivotal EF-14 trial adding Optune to standard temozolomide chemotherapy for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM). Landmark analyses show a consistent and maintained improvement in overall survival at two, three, four and five years. The final results include data from all 695 patients included in the EF-14 trial with a median follow-up of 40 months.

The two-year survival rate increased from 30 percent to 43 percent for patients treated with Optune together with temozolomide versus patients treated with temozolomide alone. The five-year survival rate increased from five percent to 13 percent for patients treated with Optune together with temozolomide versus patients treated with temozolomide alone. These are the best results reported for newly diagnosed GBM patients in a phase 3 trial to date and represent clinically meaningful increases in landmark survival rates (hazard ratio, 0.63; p<0. 00006).

EF-14 Principal Investigator Roger Stupp, M.D., Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, presented these late breaking results today, April 2, during a press briefing and oral presentation (Abstract CT007) at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017 in Washington D.C.

“When I started treating patients with GBM 20 years ago, the majority of patients died within less than one year and long-term survival was nearly absent. Now, we see a meaningful improvement in survival at two years and beyond,” Dr. Stupp said. “With the combination of Optune and temozolomide, one out of seven patients is living longer than five years.”

“This is the first positive phase 3 trial in newly diagnosed GBM since we demonstrated the efficacy of temozolomide in 2005, establishing it as a standard first-line therapy,” continued Dr. Stupp. “Beyond GBM, I believe this trial establishes an entirely different approach to cancer treatment with minimal toxicity which may be well suited for combination with conventional treatments for many other cancer types.”

GBM is the most common form of primary brain cancer. An estimated 12,500 people are diagnosed with GBM in the United States each year. Prior to the approval of Optune, the median overall survival for patients with newly diagnosed GBM was approximately 15 months with standard therapies. Combining Optune with temozolomide resulted in a statistically significant extension of median overall survival to 21 months in Novocure’s phase 3 pivotal EF-14 trial.

“We are excited that combination therapy with Optune plus temozolomide continues to show a meaningful extension of long-term survival for newly diagnosed GBM patients,” said Elizabeth M. Wilson, President and CEO of the American Brain Tumor Association. “Before temozolomide was approved, newly diagnosed GBM patients only had a 1.9 percent five-year survival rate, so to see numbers that are over six times that rate shows the significant progress that has been made in treating this disease.”

The data presented confirmed that the overall survival benefit of Optune together with temozolomide compared to temozolomide alone was seen across all patient subgroups including young versus elderly patients, patients with methylated versus unmethylated MGMT promoter and patients who underwent any extent of tumor resection. The data showed a safety profile consistent with previous reports of data from the study.

“These data further support our belief that Optune plus temozolomide is an essential combination treatment for patients with newly diagnosed GBM,” said Asaf Danziger, Novocure’s CEO. “The efficacy shown in EF-14 for GBM gives us hope that TTFields used in combination other cancer treatments may increase survival without significantly increasing side effects for a variety of solid tumors.”

About Novocure

Novocure is an oncology company developing a profoundly different cancer treatment centered on a proprietary therapy called TTFields, the use of electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt solid tumor cancer cell division. Novocure’s commercialized product, Optune, is approved for the treatment of adult patients with glioblastoma. Novocure has ongoing or completed clinical trials investigating TTFields in brain metastases, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.

Headquartered in Jersey, Novocure has U.S. operations in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Malvern, Pennsylvania, and New York City. Additionally, the company has offices in Germany, Switzerland and Japan, and a research center in Israel. For additional information about the company, please visit www.novocure.com or follow us at www.twitter.com/novocure.

Approved Indications

In the United States, Optune is intended as a treatment for adult patients (22 years of age or older) with histologically-confirmed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

In the United States, Optune with temozolomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed, supratentorial glioblastoma following maximal debulking surgery and completion of radiation therapy together with concomitant standard of care chemotherapy.

In the United States, for the treatment of recurrent GBM, Optune is indicated following histologically-or radiologically-confirmed recurrence in the supratentorial region of the brain after receiving chemotherapy. The device is intended to be used as a monotherapy, and is intended as an alternative to standard medical therapy for GBM after surgical and radiation options have been exhausted.

In the European Union, Optune is intended for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed GBM, after surgery and radiotherapy with adjuvant temozolomide, concomitant to maintenance temozolomide. The treatment is intended for adult patients, 18 years of age or older, and should be started more than 4 weeks after surgery and radiation therapy with adjuvant temozolomide. Treatment may be given together with maintenance temozolomide and after maintenance temozolomide is stopped.

In the European Union, Optune is also intended for the treatment of patients with recurrent GBM who have progressed after surgery, radiotherapy and temozolomide treatment for their primary disease. The treatment is intended for adult patients, 18 years of age or older, and should be started more than 4 weeks after the latest surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

In Japan, Optune (NovoTTF-100A) is approved in the treatment of adult patients with supra-tentorial glioblastoma (GBM) and is used following maximal safe surgical resection and radiation therapy.

Patients should only use Optune under the supervision of a physician properly trained in use of the device. Full prescribing information is available at www.optune.com/safety or by calling toll free 1-855-281-9301 in the US or by email at supportEMEA@novocure.com in the European Union.

Important Safety Information

Contraindications: Do not use Optune if you have an active implanted medical device, a skull defect (such as, missing bone with no replacement), or bullet fragments. Use of Optune together with implanted electronic devices has not been tested and may theoretically lead to malfunctioning of the implanted device. Use of Optune together with skull defects or bullet fragments has not been tested and may possibly lead to tissue damage or render Optune ineffective.

Do not use Optune if you are known to be sensitive to conductive hydrogels. In this case, skin contact with the gel used with Optune may commonly cause increased redness and itching, and rarely may even lead to severe allergic reactions such as shock and respiratory failure.

Warnings and Precautions: Use Optune only after receiving training from qualified personnel, such as your doctor, a nurse, or other medical personnel who have completed a training course given by Novocure (the device manufacturer).

Do not use Optune if you are pregnant, you think you might be pregnant or are trying to get pregnant. It is not known if Optune is safe or effective in these populations.

The most common (≥10%) adverse events involving Optune in combination with temozolomide were low blood platelet count, nausea, constipation, vomiting, fatigue, scalp irritation from device use, headache, convulsions, and depression.

The most common (≥10%) adverse events seen when using Optune alone were scalp irritation from device use and headache.

The following adverse reactions were considered related to Optune when using the device alone: scalp irritation from device use, headache, malaise, muscle twitching, fall and skin ulcer.

All servicing procedures must be performed by qualified and trained personnel.

Do not use any parts that do not come with the Optune Treatment Kit, or that were not sent to you by the device manufacturer or given to you by your doctor.

Do not wet the device or transducer arrays.

If you have an underlying serious skin condition on the scalp, discuss with your doctor whether this may prevent or temporarily interfere with Optune treatment.

Please see http://www.optune.com/safety to see the Optune Instructions For Use (IFU) for complete information regarding the device’s indications, contraindications, warnings, and precautions.

Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to historical facts or statements of current condition, this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide Novocure’s current expectations or forecasts of future events. These may include statements regarding anticipated scientific progress on its research programs, development of potential products, interpretation of clinical results, prospects for regulatory approval, manufacturing development and capabilities, market prospects for its products, and other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts. You may identify some of these forward-looking statements by the use of words in the statements such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” or other words and terms of similar meaning. Novocure’s performance and financial results could differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements due to general financial, economic, regulatory and political conditions as well as more specific risks and uncertainties facing Novocure such as those set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 23, 2017, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks and uncertainties, any or all of these forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Therefore, you should not rely on any such factors or forward-looking statements. Furthermore, Novocure does not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Any forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date hereof. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits this discussion.

Media and Investors:
Novocure
Ashley Cordova, 212-767-7558
acordova@novocure.com

$EXPI Reports 137% Revenue Growth in FY16, Record Q4

2016 Agent Growth of 178%; Drives Revenue Growth of 137% to Record $54.2 Million

$ERS Enters Into Merger Agreement With Ta Chen

FORT LEE, N.J., March 31, 2017 — Empire Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: ERS), a distributor of value added, semi-finished metal products, announced today that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired for $7.00 per share in cash by a unit of Ta Chen Stainless Pipe Co., Ltd., a leading master distributor of stainless, aluminum and nickel alloy products. The acquisition will be completed by means of a tender offer for all outstanding Empire shares. The tender offer will be followed by a merger in which all shares not acquired in the tender offer will be converted into the right to receive the offer price. The acquisition is subject to customary conditions, including the tender of shares resulting in Ta Chen’s ownership of a majority of the fully diluted shares of Empire.

The $7.00 per share price represents a premium of approximately 19.2% percent over Empire’s average closing price during the three month  trading period ending March 30, 2017.

The aggregate value of the transaction is approximately $58 million for all of the outstanding shares of Empire. The Empire Board of Directors has unanimously approved the agreement.

Nathan Kahn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Empire, commented: “This agreement with Ta Chen represents the culmination of our effort to unlock the substantial value of Empire for our shareholders while creating a combined company with highly complementary strengths and greater resources for the benefit of our customers and employees.

“We believe that customers of both companies will benefit from Empire’s recognized service levels and Ta Chen’s excellent internet platform, just-in-time delivery capabilities and its extensive warehouse network in the U.S. I am pleased to note that under the agreement, Empire will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ta Chen, with Empire’s current team unchanged and reporting structure intact over the coming year.”

Nathan Kahn and Sandra Kahn, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Empire, who together own approximately 46.3% percent of the Company’s outstanding shares, have agreed to tender their shares into the offer. Ta Chen owns approximately five percent of Empire’s common stock prior to this announcement. The closing of the tender offer is subject to customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2017. There can be no assurance that the tender offer will be completed, or if completed, that it will be completed in the second quarter of 2017.

Harpeth Capital LLC served as financial advisor to Empire Resources and provided a fairness opinion to the board of directors in connection with the transaction.

About Empire Resources, Inc.

Empire Resources, Inc. is a distributor of a wide range of semi-finished metal products to customers in the transportation, automotive, housing, appliance and packaging industries in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. The Company maintains supply contracts with mills in various parts of the world.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) the loss or default of one or more suppliers; (ii) the loss or default of one or more significant customers; (iii) a default by counterparties to derivative financial instruments; (iv) changes in general, national or regional economic conditions; (v) an act of war or terrorism that disrupts international shipping; (vi) changes in laws, regulations and tariffs; (vii) the imposition of anti-dumping duties on products the Company imports; (viii) changes in the size and nature of the Company’s competition; (ix) changes in interest rates, foreign currencies or spot prices of aluminum; (x) the loss of one or more key executives; (xi) increased credit risk from customers; (xii) the Company’s failure to grow internally or by acquisition and (xiii) the Company’s failure to improve operating margins and efficiencies. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Notice to Investors:  

The tender offer for the outstanding common stock of Empire Resources referred to in this press release has not yet commenced. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The solicitation and the offer to buy shares of the Company common stock will be made pursuant to an offer to purchase and related materials that Ta Chen intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. At the time the offer is commenced, Ta Chen will file a tender offer statement on Schedule TO with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and thereafter the Company will file a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the offer. The tender offer statement (including an offer to purchase, a related letter of transmittal and other offer documents) and the solicitation/recommendation statement, as they may be amended from time to time, will contain important information that should be read carefully and considered before any decision is made with respect to the tender offer. These materials will be sent free of charge to all stockholders of Empire Resources when available. In addition, all of these materials (and all other materials filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission) will be available at no charge from the Securities and Exchange Commission through its website at www.sec.gov.

$BBRY From Smartphones to Smart Enterprises: Blackberry Targets the Enterprise of Things

BlackBerry Media Contact:
BlackBerry Media Relations
(519) 597-7273
mediarelations@BlackBerry.com

BlackBerry Investor Contact:
BlackBerry Investor Relations
(519) 888-7465
investor_relations@BlackBerry.com

$LTRX to Present at the MicroCap Conference on April 4, 2017

IRVINE, Calif., March 31, 2017  — In a release issued yesterday by Lantronix, please note that in the headline and first paragraph of the release, the presentation date should be April 4, not April 3 as previously stated. The corrected release follows:

Lantronix, Inc. (NASDAQ:LTRX), a global provider of secure data access and management solutions for Internet of Things (IoT) and information technology (IT) assets, today announced that President and CEO Jeff Benck, and CFO Jeremy Whitaker will present at the MicroCap Conference on Monday, April 4, 2017 at 8:30 AM Eastern Time (5:30 AM Pacific Time) at the Essex House in New York City. A live webcast and copy of the Company’s slide presentation will be available on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.lantronix.com.

Investors attending the conference who wish to meet with Lantronix management should contact E.E. Wang at investors@lantronix.com.

About Lantronix 
Lantronix, Inc. is a global provider of secure data access and management solutions for Internet of Things (IoT) and information technology (IT) assets. Our mission is to be the leading supplier of IoT gateways that enable companies to dramatically simplify the creation, deployment and management of IoT projects while providing secure access to data for applications and people.

With more than two decades of experience in creating robust machine to machine (M2M) technologies, Lantronix is an innovator in enabling our customers to build new business models and realize the possibilities of the Internet of Things. Our connectivity solutions are deployed inside millions of machines serving a wide range of industries, including data center, medical, security, industrial, transportation, retail, financial, environmental and government.

Lantronix is headquartered in Irvine, California, with offices in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.lantronix.com.

Learn more at the Lantronix blog, www.lantronix.com/blog, featuring industry discussion and updates. To follow Lantronix on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/Lantronix. View our video library on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LantronixInc or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/lantronix.

© 2017 Lantronix, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lantronix Contact:        
E.E. Wang
Director, Corporate Marketing and Investor Relations
investors@lantronix.com
ee.wang@lantronix.com 
949-614-5879

Jeremy Whitaker
Chief Financial Officer
investors@lantronix.com

$CIDM Announces Major OTT Platform Expansions For 2017

Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) announced today plans to significantly extend the availability of its fast-growing OTT services by supporting Google’s Chromecast and Android TV Platforms, as well as Amazon Fire TV for the first time.

The expansion will begin with Google Chromecast, with availability scheduled for April 21^st, 2017. This will be followed by Amazon Fire TV support, releasing in June 2017, and Android TV, releasing in July 2017. Cinedigm’s OTT channels can currently be viewed across a broad spectrum of connected devices including Roku Players and Roku TV models, Android, Apple’s iOS and tvOS, and all major web browsers. Additionally, Cinedigm’s channels are available to Amazon Prime members as part of Amazon’s Streaming Partners Program.

These expansions will extend Cinedigm’s OTT Channel reach by more than 60 Million new devices. According to research firm eMarketer, Chromecast is the most popular OTT device in the US, with more than 30 million users, and Amazon’s Fire TV is the fastest-growing connected device platform. Additionally, Google’s Android TV platform has exceeded 50% market share of new Smart TV shipments, according to IHS Research.

The addition of Android TV will significantly expand Cinedigm’s Connected TV footprint, reaching major manufacturers including Sharp, Sony, Phillips, RCA, Hisense and TCL, among others.

“Given the success of our networks on Roku, iOS and Android to date, it is our number one priority to extend the reach of our world-class channels, Dove, CONtv, Docurama and Wham,” said Erick Opeka, EVP of Digital Networks for Cinedigm. “Adding these platforms expands our reach to over 90% of the connected device market, and gives our existing user base expanded choices to enjoy their content where, when and how they want.”

In addition to the aforementioned platform expansions, Cinedigm will be releasing upgraded versions of its iOS and Android applications. The new versions will provide simplified subscription processes and enhanced user engagement features, and will be available in May 2017.

“This expansion follows the tremendous progress we have seen in our OTT channels over the last few months, including our rollout on Apple TV, our upgraded interface and the exciting announcement of our newest channel focused on gaming and e-sports, The WHAM Network,” continued Opeka.

Cinedigm has also recently added MPAA-grade digital rights management to support the recent licensing of over 150 hours of high-quality Studio programming.

Cinedigm channels include:

Dove Channel: targeting the family values audience with movies and shows families can enjoy together. The content offering includes mainstream and classic family movies, documentaries, heartwarming TV series and children’s programs. All of Dove Channel’s carefully curated content reflects the time-honored standards of The Dove Foundation and its trusted Family Seal of Approval.

CONtv: catering to the enormous and avid Comic Con audience. The channel currently boasts 2,500 hours of original programming, curated films and TV episodes, and exclusive Comic Con panel coverage from dozens of annual nationwide conventions.

Docurama: targeted to the avid documentary audience with over 1,200 titles, including full-length and short-form documentaries, non-fiction TV programming, and behind-the-scenes interviews.

The WHAM Network: providing news, information and entertainment 24/7 focused on the fast growing global e-sports and gaming audience. Launches Fall 2017.

About Cinedigm

Cinedigm powers custom content solutions to the world’s largest retail, media and technology companies. We provide premium feature films and series to digital platforms including iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon, cable and satellite providers including Comcast, Dish Network and DirecTV, and major retailers including Walmart and Target. Leveraging Cinedigm’s unique capabilities, content and technology, the Company has emerged as a leader in the fast-growing over-the-top channel business, with four channels under management that reach hundreds of millions of devices while also providing premium content and service expertise to the entire OTT ecosystem.

[CIDM-G]