Estrella Immunopharma stock rises as cancer therapy advances to Phase II

Investing.com -- Nayax Ltd (NASDAQ:NYAX) stock rose 5.1% in premarket trading Thursday after the global commerce enablement and payments platform announced the acquisition of Lynkwell, an AI-enabled EV charging platform.

The acquisition, which has received unanimous board approval from both companies, involves a purchase price of $25.9 million in cash for 100% of the business, with an additional earnout based on profitability metrics within the first 12 months post-closing. Nayax funded the transaction with cash on hand.

Lynkwell reported audited 2024 revenues of $17.1 million with substantial YoY growth. The platform has been approved by hundreds of utilities, funding programs, and state and government procurement contracts.

"Lynkwell is an important partner in our strategy to build a comprehensive platform for EV charging," said Aaron Greenberg, Chief Strategy Officer of Nayax. "Together we are opening the door to a more connected and intuitive charging experience, one where software and payments work in harmony to support the next generation of charging networks."

The acquisition reinforces Nayax’s strategy to deliver a comprehensive platform combining payment acceptance with operational management software. Lynkwell’s platform serves various public charging use cases including retail, multi-family, workplace, fleet, and government settings, and is the platform of choice for hundreds of fleets, including two of the largest in North America.

Nayax expects synergies from integrating Lynkwell into its ecosystem, potentially enhancing both revenue and operational efficiency. The transaction was completed as a simultaneous sign-and-close deal.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- Pliant Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:PLRX) stock jumped 6.5% in premarket trading Thursday after the company reported positive interim data from its Phase 1 trial of cancer drug PLN-101095.

The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company announced that its experimental drug, when combined with pembrolizumab, showed encouraging anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors who were previously resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

The trial demonstrated one complete response and three partial responses across the three highest dose cohorts in heavily pretreated patients. These responses were observed in various cancer types including cholangiocarcinoma, melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer.

Notably, patients showing responses had significant increases in plasma interferon gamma levels after initial monotherapy treatment with PLN-101095, providing a potential biomarker for treatment efficacy. The median time on treatment for responding patients reached 15 months.

"These first-in-human data suggest that this novel approach of selectively targeting αvβ8 and αvβ1 may hold promise for treating patients with advanced solid tumors resistant to checkpoint inhibitors," said Manish Sharma, M.D., Co-Director of Clinical Research at START Midwest in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

PLN-101095 is an oral, small molecule dual inhibitor of specific integrin receptors and represents the fourth clinical-stage drug from Pliant’s development platform. Based on these results, the company plans to accelerate development with a Phase 1b expansion trial in 2026.

The South San Francisco-based company also highlighted its strong financial position, noting that current cash reserves should support planned operations through 2028.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- Marex Group Plc is in discussions to acquire Levmet, a privately held metals and energy trader, as part of its strategy to expand in physical commodities and commodities futures markets, according to Bloomberg News, citing people familiar with the matter.

The London-based futures and options broker, which completed its initial public offering last year, has not reached a final decision on the potential acquisition, and the talks could still collapse, said the sources, who requested anonymity because the discussions are private.

This potential deal aligns with Marex’s ongoing efforts to grow its physical commodities business. In June, the company agreed to purchase Agrinvest Commodities, a Brazilian firm specializing in agricultural markets, including corn and soybeans.

If completed, the Levmet acquisition would further strengthen Marex’s position in the commodities trading sector, particularly in metals and energy markets.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.