4 July 2025 Asia Quantitative Strategy GenAI in Asset Management - Top AI tools for investors (Part 2) Rupal Agarwal +65 6326 7641 rupal.agarwal@bernsteinsg.com Cheng Zhang, CFA, CQF +852 2123 2636 cheng.zhang@bernsteinsg.com In our last report, Gen AI in Asset Management - Top AI tools for investors, we covered key AI tools for research, portfolio management and workflow automation. Many investors reached out to get AI tools for technical analysis, stress-testing/scenario analysis, quant/ factor analysis, ...

Core Viewpoint - Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. has successfully closed a public offering of 15 million shares of common stock, raising gross proceeds of $45 million to advance the development of cytisinicline for nicotine dependence treatment [1][2]. Company Overview - Achieve Life Sciences is a late-stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing cytisinicline as a treatment for nicotine dependence, with a New Drug Application submitted to the FDA in June 2025 [5]. - The company has completed two Phase 3 studies and an open-label safety study for cytisinicline, and has also conducted a Phase 2 study for vaping cessation [5]. Product Information - Cytisinicline is a plant-based alkaloid that interacts with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain, aimed at reducing nicotine cravings and the satisfaction derived from nicotine products [7]. - Approximately 29 million adults in the U.S. smoke combustible cigarettes, and tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death globally, with over 8 million deaths annually [6]. - There are currently no FDA-approved treatments specifically for nicotine e-cigarette cessation, highlighting a critical need that cytisinicline aims to address [6]. Financial Details - The public offering included 15 million shares at a price of $3.00 per share, along with warrants to purchase up to 16,766,666 additional shares [1]. - Proceeds from the offering will be used for advancing cytisinicline towards FDA marketing approval and for general corporate purposes [2].

Core Viewpoint - Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. is conducting a public offering of 15 million shares of common stock and accompanying warrants at a price of $3.00 per share, aiming to raise approximately $45 million to support the development of cytisinicline for nicotine dependence treatment [1][4]. Company Overview - Achieve Life Sciences is a late-stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing cytisinicline as a treatment for nicotine dependence and smoking cessation [7]. - The company submitted a New Drug Application to the FDA for cytisinicline in June 2025, based on successful Phase 3 studies and an open-label safety study [7]. Offering Details - The public offering includes 15 million shares and warrants, with an additional 2.25 million shares available for underwriters to purchase [1][3]. - Each common warrant can be exercised for common stock at $3.00 or for pre-funded warrants at $2.999, expiring five years from issuance [2]. Financial Aspects - The gross proceeds from the offering are expected to be around $45 million, which will be used for advancing cytisinicline towards FDA approval and for general corporate purposes [4]. - The offering is expected to close around June 30, 2025, pending customary closing conditions [3]. Market Context - There are approximately 29 million adult smokers in the U.S., with tobacco use being the leading cause of preventable death [8]. - Cytisinicline has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA to address the need for effective treatments for nicotine e-cigarette cessation, as there are currently no FDA-approved options for this indication [9].

SEATTLE and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACHV), a late-stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the global development and commercialization of cytisinicline as a treatment of nicotine dependence for smoking cessation, today announced a proposed underwritten public offering in which it intends to offer and sell shares of its common stock (or pre-funded warrants to purchase common stock in lieu thereof) and accompanying common wa ...

Omnicom cross-agency collaboration to drive technology-led, innovative launch strategy Partnership brings together promising science, top-tier talent, and advanced technologies to enable a faster, smarter, and more effective path to address a critical public health need SEATTLE and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACHV), a late-stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the global development and commercialization of cytisinicline as ...

Smoking, the leading cause of preventable death and disease, continues to affect nearly 29 million adults in the U.S. alone If approved, cytisinicline will be the first new FDA-approved pharmacotherapy option for nicotine dependence in two decades More than 2,000 clinical trial participants contributed to the body of evidence submitted in the NDA demonstrating cytisinicline’s efficacy, safety, and tolerability profile SEATTLE and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achieve Life S ...

Fiscal 2025 Fourth Quarter Highlights: Consolidated delivered sales of $571 million Up 3% versus prior year Retail segment delivered sales increased 8% Company-owned La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries® network grew by a total of six stores; 203 company-owned store base now represents 55% of total network Wholesale segment delivered sales increased 2%GAAP operating margin of 5.2%; adjusted(1) operating margin of 9.4%, flat versus the year ago periodGAAP diluted EPS of $0.36 and adjusted(1) diluted EPS of $0.92, bo ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total net sales for Q1 2026 were $138.4 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 4.3% despite a 5% decline in the overall category [5][31] - Adjusted EBITDA loss improved by double-digit percentages year-over-year, with net loss for the quarter at $10.8 million, or negative $0.73 per share, compared to a net loss of $13 million, or negative $0.83 per share, in the prior year [5][35] - SG&A expense as a percentage of net sales decreased to 48.5% from 51.6% in the prior year, driven by lower professional fees and higher net sales [33] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Showroom net sales increased by $14.9 million, or 18.2%, to $96.5 million, driven by a 2.8% increase in omni-channel comparable net sales and the addition of 21 new showrooms [31] - Internet net sales decreased by $3.3 million, or 8.9%, to $33.3 million, while other net sales, including pop-up shops, decreased by $5.8 million, or 40.5% [32] - Sactional net sales increased by 4.5%, while SAC net sales increased by 6.4%, and other net sales, including decorative pillows and accessories, decreased by 17.1% [32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The overall market category is estimated to have declined by 5% for the comparable period, with the company gaining market share despite these headwinds [5][31] - The promotional environment remains aggressive, with competitors offering discounts around 40% to 45%, impacting gross margins [48] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on leveraging its innovative product offerings and strong customer relationships to drive growth, even in a challenging category [14] - The launch of the EverCouch product platform is expected to significantly expand the company's total addressable market, with initial positive feedback from customers [9][10] - The company plans to enhance its marketing efforts and expand its showroom presence to support the new product launches [10][24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while the category trends are currently negative, they remain optimistic about future growth driven by new product launches and marketing strategies [38] - The company is actively working to mitigate tariff impacts and believes it can manage these within existing guidance [14][39] - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth potential of the company, particularly as housing turnover and the replacement cycle for comfort seating are expected to improve [42] Other Important Information - The company ended its partnership with Best Buy, estimating a nonrecurring charge of approximately $2 million in Q2, while planning to expand its relationship with Costco [25][40] - The company has made significant progress in diversifying its manufacturing away from China, aiming for a more sustainable supply chain [66] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss the promotional environment and its impact on gross margins? - Management noted that discount levels remain high, with competitors offering significant promotions, but they are focusing on personalized promotions to drive showroom traffic and conversions [48][49] Question: What are the expectations for EverCouch sales and customer feedback? - Management indicated that it is too early to provide specific sales figures, but initial feedback has been positive, and internal goals are being exceeded [54][56] Question: Can you elaborate on the decision to exit the Best Buy partnership? - Management expressed excitement about new opportunities and emphasized the importance of expanding the Costco relationship, while acknowledging the benefits gained from the Best Buy partnership [60][62] Question: How are tariffs influencing manufacturing decisions? - Management stated that they are on a path to exit manufacturing in China entirely, focusing on producing closer to consumers for sustainability reasons [66][68] Question: How does the guidance account for new product performance? - Management clarified that the guidance does not overly rely on new products, as they can achieve targets even if core products remain flat [72][74] Question: How are price adjustments being considered in light of tariffs and promotions? - Management is continuously assessing pricing strategies, noting that their strong brand allows for surgical price increases without compromising competitive positioning [75][79]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the transformative potential of AI coding agents, highlighting their ability to generate code and automate programming tasks, thus enabling even those without extensive coding experience to become proficient developers [3][6]. Group 1: My Vibe Coding Journey - Vibe Coding refers to the practice of using coding agents to generate nearly 100% of the code, with tools like Cursor, Cline, and GitHub Copilot being popular choices [7]. - The author completed approximately 50,000 lines of code over three months, successfully developing three different products, demonstrating the effectiveness of AI in coding [8][9]. - The experience revealed that a lack of prior knowledge in certain programming languages can be advantageous when relying on AI, as it necessitates full dependence on the coding agent [8]. Group 2: Key Technologies of Coding Agents - Key coding agents include Cursor, Cline, GitHub Copilot, and Windsurf, with a strong emphasis on using the agent mode for optimal performance [13][14]. - The effectiveness of coding agents relies on three critical components: a powerful AI model, sufficient context, and an efficient toolchain [15][18]. - The article emphasizes the importance of providing clear and comprehensive context to the AI for successful task execution [11][12]. Group 3: Comparison of Coding Agents - Cursor is highlighted as the current leader in the coding agent space, particularly when using the Claude 3.7 Max model, capable of generating 100% of the code for large projects [44]. - Cline is noted for its open-source nature and superior support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), but it lacks semantic search capabilities, which limits its effectiveness in handling large codebases [45]. - GitHub Copilot is seen as lagging behind in context management and MCP support, but it has the potential to catch up due to Microsoft's strong development capabilities [46]. Group 4: The Bitter Lesson in Agent Development - The article references "The Bitter Lesson," which suggests that embedding too much human experience into AI systems can limit their potential, advocating for a design that allows AI capabilities to dominate [47][48]. - The author’s experience indicates that reducing human input in favor of AI-driven processes can significantly enhance product performance, achieving a test coverage rate of over 99% [48].

Achieve Life Sciences (ACHV) Conference Summary Company Overview - Achieve Life Sciences is focused on addressing nicotine dependence through its drug cytisinicline, which is positioned as a potential blockbuster treatment for smoking and vaping cessation [3][4][5] Industry Context - The U.S. faces a significant public health crisis with approximately 46 million individuals affected by nicotine dependence, including 29 million smokers and 17 million vapers [3][4] - The vaping population has increased by 6 million in the last 24 months, highlighting a growing concern [4] Key Points and Arguments 1. **Market Opportunity**: - The addressable market for nicotine dependence treatment is substantial, with an estimated annual market opportunity of $11 billion based on previous treatments like Chantix [33][35] - There are 15.4 million annual attempts to quit smoking, indicating a high demand for effective cessation tools [33] 2. **Product Development**: - Cytisinicline is expected to be the first new treatment for nicotine dependence in nearly 20 years, with an NDA filing planned for the end of June 2025 and anticipated FDA approval by mid-2026 [5][22] - The drug has shown a differentiated efficacy profile in clinical trials, with odds ratios of 5.3 and 5.8 in two phase three trials, indicating a significantly higher likelihood of quitting compared to existing treatments [19][20] 3. **Clinical Trials**: - Cytisinicline has undergone two large-scale phase three clinical trials involving over 1,600 patients, demonstrating robust efficacy and tolerability [5][25] - A phase two clinical trial for vaping cessation showed an odds ratio of 2.65, with plans for a phase three trial starting in early 2025 [27][23] 4. **Regulatory Pathway**: - The NDA submission is expected to be accepted within 74 days, with a clear regulatory pathway outlined by the FDA [22][43] 5. **Commercial Strategy**: - Achieve Life Sciences plans a targeted digital marketing strategy focusing on primary care physicians and patients, leveraging the lack of competition in the smoking cessation market since Chantix became generic [30][39] - The company aims to change the narrative around nicotine dependence from a lack of willpower to a medical condition, enhancing awareness and acceptance of cytisinicline [35][36] 6. **Safety and Tolerability**: - Cytisinicline has a favorable safety profile, with side effects significantly lower than those of existing treatments like Chantix, particularly in terms of nausea and vomiting [20][21] Additional Insights - The company has a strong intellectual property position and a proven leadership team, which is expected to drive shareholder value [43][44] - There is potential for future indications beyond nicotine dependence, including cannabis use, although the focus remains on the immediate market opportunity [50][52] Conclusion - Achieve Life Sciences is positioned to make a significant impact in the nicotine dependence treatment market with cytisinicline, addressing a critical public health issue while leveraging a well-defined commercial strategy and strong clinical data [44][54]