AUSTIN, Texas and FREDERICK, Md., March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ethos, a leading life insurance technology company on a mission to democratize access to life insurance, today announced an expansion of its relationship with Banner Life Insurance Company ("Banner Life"), a leading provider of term life insurance, to offer two new Ethos-branded whole life insurance products, Simplified Issue Whole Life and Guaranteed Issue Whole Life through Ethos' technology platform. The collaboration marks a deepening ...

Core Critical Metals Corp. Announces Non-Brokered LIFE Offering and Concurrent Private Placement ELEMENT--Back to the NewsroomCore Critical Metals Corp. Announces Non-Brokered LIFE Offering and Concurrent Private PlacementVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire/ March 17, 2026 / Core Critical Metals Corp.("CCMC" or the "Company") (TSXV:CCMC)(OTC PINK:CCMCF)(WKN:A41G8G), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of up to 3,000,000 units of t ...

Core Viewpoint - Endurance Gold Corporation has successfully completed a private placement offering, raising a total of $8,342,082.50 through the sale of flow-through units and HD units, which will be utilized for exploration and operational purposes [1][5]. Group 1: Offering Details - The offering consisted of 4,188,500 flow-through units sold at $0.955 each, generating gross proceeds of $4,000,017.50, and 6,680,100 HD units sold at $0.65 each, generating gross proceeds of $4,342,065 [1]. - Each flow-through unit includes one common share and one-half of a common share purchase warrant, while each HD unit consists of one common share and one-half of a warrant [2]. - The offering was facilitated by a syndicate of agents led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Agentis Capital Markets, with a total cash commission of C$457,232.35 paid to the agents [3]. Group 2: Use of Proceeds - The gross proceeds from the sale of flow-through units will be allocated to eligible Canadian exploration expenses related to the company's projects, with a commitment to renounce these expenditures to initial subscribers by December 31, 2026 [4]. - The net proceeds from the HD units will be directed towards drilling, exploration, testing at the Reliance Gold Project, and general corporate purposes [5]. Group 3: Regulatory and Compliance - The offering was conducted under the listed issuer financing exemption, allowing for private placement to Canadian residents and other qualifying jurisdictions, with no hold period for Canadian subscribers [6]. - The participation of certain insiders in the offering constituted a related party transaction, which was conducted in compliance with relevant regulations [8].

Core Viewpoint - ESGold Corp. has successfully closed a private placement offering, raising gross proceeds of C$7,264,440 to advance its Montauban Project and for general corporate purposes [1][3]. Group 1: Offering Details - The offering consisted of 10,683,000 units sold at a price of C$0.68 per unit [1]. - Each unit includes one common share and one-half of a common share purchase warrant, with each warrant allowing the purchase of one common share at C$1.00 until March 10, 2029 [2]. - Red Cloud Securities Inc. acted as the sole agent and bookrunner for the offering, receiving a cash fee of C$406,531 and 597,840 non-transferable common share purchase warrants as compensation [5]. Group 2: Use of Proceeds - The net proceeds from the offering will be utilized for advancing the Montauban Project in Québec, as well as for general working capital and corporate purposes [3]. Group 3: Regulatory Compliance - The units were issued under the listed issuer financing exemption, making them immediately freely tradeable for Canadian purchasers [4]. - The offering is subject to final approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange [6]. Group 4: Company Overview - ESGold Corp. is a fully permitted, fully funded, pre-production mining company focused on a scalable clean mining model across North and South America [8]. - The Montauban Gold-Silver Project in Quebec is under construction, with production anticipated in 2026 [8].

Core Viewpoint - Trinity One Metals Ltd. has successfully closed its non-brokered private placement offerings, raising a total of $5,340,000 through the issuance of 26,700,000 units at a price of $0.20 per unit [1][2]. Group 1: Offering Details - Under the LIFE Offering, the company issued 16,700,000 units, generating gross proceeds of $3,340,000, with no statutory hold period for the securities issued [2]. - In the Concurrent Offering, the company issued 10,000,000 units for gross proceeds of $2,000,000, with a statutory hold period expiring on July 7, 2026 [2]. - Each unit consists of one common share and one-half of a transferable common share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant allowing the purchase of an additional common share at an exercise price of $0.30 for 36 months from the closing date [3]. Group 2: Financial Aspects - The company paid a total of $259,000 in cash finder's fees and issued 1,299,000 finder's warrants, representing a 6% commission based on the proceeds raised [4]. - The net proceeds from the offerings will be utilized for exploration, technical evaluation, project advancement activities, and general working capital [5]. Group 3: Company Overview - Trinity One Metals Ltd. is focused on exploring precious and base metals, aiming to build a portfolio of high-growth projects with strong geological fundamentals [11].

Clinical Development and Trials - Efzofitimod is in clinical development for interstitial lung disease (ILD) and has received orphan drug designations from the FDA for sarcoidosis and systemic sclerosis (SSc) [21] - The EFZO-FIT study involved 268 patients and did not meet its primary endpoint, but showed a clinically meaningful improvement in the King's Sarcoidosis Questionnaire (KSQ)-Lung score for the 5.0 mg/kg dose compared to placebo (p=0.0479) [22] - The study demonstrated a reduction in mean daily oral corticosteroid (OCS) dose to 2.79 mg for the 5.0 mg/kg efzofitimod group versus 3.52 mg for placebo (p=0.3313) [22] - The EFZO-CONNECT study is a Phase 2 trial for SSc-ILD, with a primary endpoint of reduction in forced vital capacity (FVC) and expected enrollment completion in the first half of 2026 [26] - The EFZO-FIT study results will be reviewed in a Type C meeting with the FDA scheduled for mid-April 2026 to determine the path forward for efzofitimod [25] - The Phase 3 clinical trial (EFZO-FIT) enrolled 268 adults with pulmonary sarcoidosis, evaluating efzofitimod at doses of 3.0 mg/kg and 5.0 mg/kg versus placebo over a 52-week period [60] - The primary endpoint of the EFZO-FIT study was steroid reduction, with secondary endpoints including lung function measures assessed by FVC and health-related quality of life [60] - The Phase 1b/2a clinical trial for efzofitimod included 37 patients and evaluated safety and tolerability across three dose levels: 1.0 mg/kg, 3.0 mg/kg, and 5.0 mg/kg [65] - The Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT study for SSc-ILD is a 28-week trial with a primary endpoint of reduction of forced vital capacity (FVC) [70] - Interim data from the EFZO-CONNECT study showed three out of four efzofitimod-treated diffuse SSc-ILD patients had clinically important improvement at 12 weeks [70] Mechanism of Action and Therapeutic Potential - Efzofitimod is a selective modulator of neuropilin-2 (NRP2) aimed at resolving chronic inflammation without immune suppression [39] - Efzofitimod specifically binds to NRP2, a receptor expressed on various immune cell types, indicating a novel therapeutic approach for immune-mediated and fibrotic diseases [49] - Efzofitimod has shown significant reduction in lung inflammation and fibrosis, improving respiratory function parameters in multiple animal models of lung fibrosis [44] - In preclinical studies, efzofitimod significantly reduced histological lung fibrosis and inflammation, restoring normal lung function and reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ and IL-6 [48] - Efzofitimod has demonstrated downregulatory effects on key inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 in both animal models and human clinical trials [59] - Efzofitimod demonstrated a steroid reduction of 58% overall from baseline in the 5.0 mg/kg treatment group compared to placebo [72] - Efzofitimod's mechanism of action aims to improve patient quality of life while avoiding the side effects associated with long-term glucocorticoid therapy [86] Market and Financial Aspects - The Kyorin Agreement has generated $20.0 million in upfront and milestone payments, with potential for an additional $155.0 million upon achieving certain milestones [27] - The global market opportunity for efzofitimod in pulmonary sarcoidosis and SSc-ILD is estimated to be between $2 billion and $5 billion [90] - Efzofitimod is currently the most advanced drug candidate for pulmonary sarcoidosis, addressing a substantial unmet need for safer therapies [88] - The company has licensed rights to Kyorin for the development and commercialization of efzofitimod in Japan, indicating strategic partnerships for market expansion [92] Regulatory and Compliance Challenges - The process for obtaining FDA approval requires substantial time and financial resources, with no guarantee of timely approval for product candidates [115] - A Biologics License Application (BLA) must include all relevant data from preclinical studies and clinical trials to establish safety and effectiveness [124] - The FDA may issue a Complete Response Letter (CRL) outlining deficiencies in a BLA submission, which may require additional testing or information [128] - The FDA's approval process includes inspections of manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) [126] - The FDA's Fast Track designation allows for more frequent interactions during development and eligibility for priority review, potentially reducing the review period to six months [130] - Under the accelerated approval program, the FDA may approve a BLA based on surrogate endpoints that predict clinical benefit, requiring post-marketing trials to verify clinical benefits [131] - Orphan drug designation can provide financial incentives such as grant funding and user-fee waivers, but does not shorten the regulatory review process [139] - The FDA requires ongoing compliance and may impose restrictions or recalls if compliance issues are identified post-approval [136] - The approval process for drugs varies significantly across jurisdictions, potentially leading to delays in obtaining regulatory approval [144] - The company faces intense competition from larger pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, which may have greater resources for research and development [85] Manufacturing and Supply Chain Considerations - Manufacturing is contracted to third-party CDMOs, which have met clinical development requirements and are expected to provide sufficient quantities for ongoing studies [96] - The company has successfully completed required upstream and downstream batches for efzofitimod, ensuring compliance with process performance qualification specifications [98] - The company is assessing the impact of relocating its CDMO's manufacturing site, which may affect future production batches [196] - Manufacturing compliance is critical, as any failure could result in significant disruptions to clinical or commercial supply chains [195] - The manufacturing of product candidates faces challenges due to the inherent instability of larger molecules and the need for uniformity across different facilities, leading to potential product loss and delays [196] - The company may face significant challenges due to tariffs affecting the availability and cost of imported raw materials, potentially leading to shipment delays and inventory shortages [198] Employee and Operational Aspects - The company has 58 employees as of December 31, 2025, with 56 being full-time, and all employees are based in the United States [158] - The company operates in a highly competitive biotechnology industry, emphasizing the importance of attracting and retaining talented employees [161] - The company is subject to various federal and state laws targeting fraud and abuse in the healthcare industry, which may impact its operations [154] Research and Development Focus - The company aims to build a diverse pipeline of biologics based on its understanding of extracellular tRNA synthetase biology [38] - The company is focusing its R&D efforts on extracellular functions of tRNA synthetase biology, a newly discovered area [217] - Future success is highly dependent on the development of product candidates like efzofitimod and others derived from tRNA synthetases [217] - ATYR0101 and ATYR0750 are product candidates from the tRNA synthetase biology program currently in preclinical studies [217] - No drugs have been developed using the extracellular tRNA synthetase-based approach to date, representing a novel class of protein therapeutics [217] - The mechanism of action and safety of tRNA synthetase-derived therapeutics have not been extensively studied in humans [217] - The therapeutic product candidates may not have the expected physiological functions or therapeutic applications [217] - There are potential safety concerns that have not yet been identified regarding the new therapeutic candidates [217]

Financial Position - aTyr Pharma ended 2025 with a cash position of $80.9 million, including cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and investments[2]. - Total assets decreased from $96,830 million in 2024 to $93,003 million in 2025, a decline of approximately 2.9%[17]. - Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash increased from $75,076 million in 2024 to $80,922 million in 2025, an increase of about 7.7%[17]. - Total stockholders' equity decreased from $69,832 million in 2024 to $67,288 million in 2025, a decrease of approximately 3.6%[17]. - Long-term operating lease liability decreased from $11,144 million in 2024 to $10,308 million in 2025, a reduction of about 7.5%[17]. - Current portion of financing lease liability increased from $541 million in 2024 to $630 million in 2025, an increase of approximately 16.4%[17]. - Other receivables decreased significantly from $1,736 million in 2024 to $873 million in 2025, a decline of about 49.7%[17]. - Property and equipment, net decreased from $4,850 million in 2024 to $4,263 million in 2025, a decrease of approximately 12.1%[17]. - Prepaid expenses and other assets decreased from $8,159 million in 2024 to $825 million in 2025, a decline of about 89.9%[17]. - Current portion of operating lease liability increased from $711 million in 2024 to $836 million in 2025, an increase of approximately 17.6%[17]. - Total liabilities and stockholders' equity remained unchanged at $93,003 million in 2025 compared to 2024[17]. Revenue and Expenses - The company reported a consolidated net loss of $74.1 million for the year ended 2025, compared to a net loss of $64.0 million for the year ended 2024[15]. - The total revenues for the year ended 2025 were $190,000, a decrease from $235,000 in 2024[15]. - Research and development expenses for the year ended 2025 were $60.2 million, primarily for the Phase 3 EFZO-FIT™ and Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT™ studies[12]. - General and administrative expenses for the year ended 2025 were $17.6 million[12]. Clinical Studies - The Phase 3 EFZO-FIT™ study evaluated 268 patients with symptomatic pulmonary sarcoidosis, but did not meet its primary endpoint of reducing mean daily oral corticosteroid dose at week 48[5][6]. - Clinical benefits were observed for the 5.0 mg/kg efzofitimod group across multiple efficacy parameters, including a significant improvement in the King's Sarcoidosis Questionnaire-Lung score (p=0.0479)[6]. - The Phase 2 EFZO-CONNECT™ study is on track to complete enrollment in the first half of 2026, targeting patients with systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease[8]. - aTyr Pharma plans to meet with the FDA in mid-April 2026 to discuss the Phase 3 EFZO-FIT™ study results and the future of efzofitimod in pulmonary sarcoidosis[5]. - The company presented promising interim data for ATYR0101, demonstrating a favorable pharmacokinetic and immunogenicity profile[8].

Core Viewpoint - Scandium Canada Ltd. has announced an increase in its bought-deal offering due to strong investor demand, aiming to raise a total of C$15,000,040 by selling 68,182,000 units at C$0.22 each [1]. Group 1: Offering Details - Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant, allowing the holder to acquire an additional share at C$0.30 for 30 months [2]. - The underwriters have an option to sell up to an additional 10,227,300 units for gross proceeds of up to C$2,250,006 [3]. - The offering is expected to close around March 17, 2026, subject to necessary approvals [6]. Group 2: Use of Proceeds - The net proceeds will be allocated for project expenditures on the Crater Lake project, development of proprietary Al Sc alloys, and general corporate purposes [4]. Group 3: Regulatory and Compliance Information - The offering will be conducted under the "listed issuer financing exemption" and is expected to be freely tradable under Canadian securities legislation [5]. - The securities may also be offered in the U.S. and other jurisdictions under applicable laws [5]. Group 4: Company Overview - Scandium Canada Ltd. aims to become a market leader in scandium production, focusing on the development of aluminum-scandium alloys to meet the demand for high-performance materials [10].

Ethos Technologies Conference Call Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Ethos Technologies (NasdaqGS:LIFE) - **Industry**: Life Insurance - **Core Mission**: To transform the buying, selling, and risk management of life insurance through a multi-sided platform serving consumers, agents, and carriers [1][2] Key Points Business Model and Operations - Ethos compresses the traditional 6-8 week life insurance application process into a 10-minute online purchase, eliminating medical exams and extensive paperwork [2] - The platform accelerates agents' working capital cycles by paying them the next day after a policy sale, allowing for reinvestment into prospecting activities [3] - Ethos manages end-to-end operations for carrier partners, including application, underwriting, policy issuance, and long-term administration, while maintaining target underwriting profitability margins [4] Underwriting and Technology - Ethos has automated 95% of its applications, with over 90% of applicants receiving risk-adjusted offers [11] - The company utilizes a proprietary automated underwriting engine that processes around 250,000 data points per applicant, allowing for near-perfect health information assessment [12] - Ethos employs a sophisticated knowledge graph and over 1 million rules to make pricing decisions, ensuring a precise underwriting process [13] Market Position and Growth Potential - The U.S. life insurance market is valued at approximately $140 billion annually, with Ethos currently holding a low single-digit percentage of new policies sold [54] - The life insurance industry is highly fragmented, with the largest carrier holding only about 9% market share, indicating significant growth potential for Ethos [54] - Ethos aims to broaden its product portfolio beyond life insurance to include annuities and supplementary health products, enhancing its market presence [55] Competitive Advantage - Ethos differentiates itself by being a fully digital platform, which allows for efficient data processing and underwriting compared to traditional carriers that rely on legacy systems [23] - The company has achieved 98% gross margins due to its automated operations and effective use of machine learning and AI [49][50] - Ethos is well-positioned to adapt to changes in consumer behavior driven by advancements in AI and machine learning, potentially reducing sales and marketing costs [51] Agent and Consumer Engagement - Ethos launched its agent business to provide transformative value, with 15,000 agents using the platform in the last year, up from 10,000 the previous year [31] - The company focuses on recruiting new agencies and improving agent productivity through technology enhancements and new product offerings [32] - Ethos aims to simplify the life insurance buying process for consumers, making it more accessible and less cumbersome, thus attracting new customers to the market [63] Future Outlook - Ethos is committed to becoming the largest issuer of life insurance globally, leveraging its unique model and technology to capture a larger market share [5] - The company believes that its differentiated distribution and customer experience will drive growth, as life insurance is often viewed as an emotional purchase rather than a purely price-driven commodity [55] Additional Insights - Ethos has a Net Promoter Score (NPS) over 70, indicating strong customer satisfaction compared to other industries [56] - The company recognizes the potential for incremental market growth by attracting consumers who previously viewed life insurance as cumbersome or unnecessary [65]

Core Viewpoint - Ethos Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:LIFE) is recognized as one of the best low-priced growth stocks to invest in currently, with strong operational momentum and growth potential [1][5]. Financial Performance - Ethos reported Q4 revenue of $110.1 million, surpassing consensus expectations of $108.32 million, and achieved a year-over-year revenue growth of 65% [3]. - For Q1 2026, Ethos anticipates total revenue between $144.0 million and $146.0 million, indicating approximately 53% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [4]. - The company projects full fiscal year 2026 revenue of $510.0 million to $514.0 million, reflecting about 32% year-over-year growth at the midpoint, alongside adjusted EBITDA of $99.0 million to $103.0 million [4]. Market Position and Strategy - Ethos Technologies leverages AI and data science to modernize life insurance distribution through a three-sided platform that serves consumers, agents, and carriers [5]. - The company has reached a significant milestone of 500,000 activated policies, highlighting the adoption of its digital life insurance platform [3]. Analyst Insights - Citi raised the price target for Ethos Technologies to $16 from $15, maintaining a Buy rating, and noted that the acceleration in Q4 has continued into Q1, reinforcing confidence in the company's top-line durability and earnings leverage [2][7].