HINGHAM, Mass., Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HINGHAM INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS (NASDAQ:HIFS) ("the Bank”), Hingham, Massachusetts, announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.63 per share. The dividend will be paid on January 15, 2025 to stockholders of record as of January 6, 2025. Robert H. Gaughen, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, in announcing the dividend, stated, "Returns on equity and assets in 2024 have been significantly lower than our long-term performance, reflecting the challenge from the increase in short-term interest rates over the last twenty-four months and a historically long and deep inversion of the yield curve. These conditions have posed a significant - albeit ultimately temporary - challenge to our business model. Our core business has been particularly challenged during this period and our investment operations have been critical to sustaining some growth in book value per share in this environment. As our assets continue to reprice higher and our liabilities, including both deposits and wholesale funding, reprice lower, conditions have become somewhat more favorable for our model. While this market environment has been extraordinarily challenging, the Bank's business model has been built over time to compound shareholder capital through economic cycles. During all such periods, we remain focused on careful capital allocation, defensive underwriting and disciplined cost control - the building blocks for compounding shareholder capital through all stages of the economic cycle. These remain constant, regardless of the macroeconomic environment in which we operate. I believe that over the past twenty-four months we have retained this focus and it will serve us well as our business emerges from this period.” The Bank regularly considers all capital allocation options and continues to return capital to the ownership through both regular and special dividends. This will be our 124th consecutive quarterly dividend. The Bank has also generally declared special cash dividends in each of the last twenty-nine years, typically in the fourth quarter, but did not declare a special dividend in 2023 and 2024. These special dividends have varied considerably, as the Bank sets the level of the special dividend based on the Bank's capital requirements and the prospective return on other capital allocation options. This may result in special dividends, if any, significantly above or below the regular quarterly dividend. Given the present environment and the Bank's capital generation capacity, the Bank believes that the prospective returns in the Bank's core business currently warrant reinvestment of incremental capital to support lending at attractive pricing. Incorporated in 1834, Hingham Institution for Savings is one of America's oldest banks. The Bank maintains offices in Boston, Nantucket, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. The Bank's shares of common stock are listed and traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol HIFS. CONTACT: Patrick R. Gaughen, President & Chief Operating Officer (781) 783-1761NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Monday, with those benefiting the most from lower interest rates and a stronger economy leading the way. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% to pull closer to its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 440 points, or 1%, to its own record set on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Treasury yields also eased in the bond market amid what some analysts called a “Bessent bounce” after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants Scott Bessent , a hedge fund manager, to be his Treasury Secretary. Bessent has argued for reducing the U.S. government’s deficit, which is how much more it spends than it takes in through taxes and other revenue. Such an approach could soothe worries on Wall Street that Trump’s policies may lead to a much bigger deficit, which in turn would put upward pressure on Treasury yields. After climbing above 4.44% immediately after Trump’s election, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell back to 4.26% Monday, down from 4.41% late Friday. That’s a notable move, and lower yields make it cheaper for all kinds of companies and households to borrow money. They also give a boost to prices for stocks and other investments. That helped stocks of smaller companies lead the way, and the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped 1.5%. It finished just shy of its all-time high, which was set three years ago. Smaller companies can feel bigger boosts from lower borrowing costs because of the need for many to borrow to grow. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks the market’s expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do with overnight interest rates, also eased sharply. The Fed began cutting its main interest rate just a couple months ago from a two-decade high, hoping to keep the job market humming after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. But immediately after Trump’s victory, traders had reduced bets for how many cuts the Fed may deliver next year. They were worried Trump’s preference for lower tax rates and higher spending on the border would balloon the national debt. A report coming on Wednesday could influence how much the Fed may cut rates. Economists expect it to show that an underlying inflation trend the Fed prefers to use accelerated to 2.8% last month from 2.7% in September. Higher inflation would make the Fed more reluctant to cut rates as deeply or as quickly as it would otherwise. Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle expects that to slow by the end of next year to 2.4%, but he said inflation would be even lower if not for expected tariff increases on imports from China and autos favored by Trump. In the stock market, Bath & Body Works jumped 16.5% after delivering stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The seller of personal care products and home fragrances also raised its financial forecasts for the full year, even though it still sees a “volatile retail environment” and a shorter holiday shopping season this year. Much focus has been on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. Last week, two major retailers sent mixed messages. Target tumbled after giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Another big retailer, Macy’s, said Monday its sales for the latest quarter were in line with its expectations, but it will delay the release of its full financial results. It found a single employee had intentionally hid up to $154 million in delivery expenses, and it needs more time to complete its investigation. Macy’s stock fell 2.2%. Among the market’s leaders were several companies related to the housing industry. Monday’s drop in Treasury yields could translate into easier mortgage rates, which could spur activity for housing. Builders FirstSource, a supplier or building materials, rose 5.9%. Homebuilders, D.R. Horton, PulteGroup and Lennar all rose at least 5.6%. All told, the S&P 500 rose 18.03 points to 5,987.37. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 440.06 to 44,736.57, and the Nasdaq composite gained 51.18 to 19,054.84. In stock markets abroad, indexes moved modestly across much of Europe after finishing mixed in Asia. In the crypto market, bitcoin was trading below $95,000 after threatening to hit $100,000 late last week for the first time. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

The Prime Minister is set to promise a named, contactable police officer for every neighbourhood in England and Wales as he lays out his “plan for change” on Thursday. In a speech billed as setting out the “next phase” of his Government, Sir Keir Starmer is expected to detail ambitious “milestones” for achieving the five missions laid out in Labour’s manifesto. He will say: “My Government was elected to deliver change, and today marks the next step. People are tired of being promised the world, but short-term sticking plaster politics letting them down.” But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has already branded the speech an “emergency reset” after a challenging five months in office. Downing Street said the milestones would focus on raising living standards, rebuilding Britain, ending hospital backlogs, putting more police on the beat, giving children the best start in life and securing home-grown energy. The Prime Minister is expected to describe the move as “a relief to millions of people scared to walk their streets they call home”, and promise a range of policing reforms to improve performance alongside £100 million to support neighbourhood policing. Labour has already pledged to recruit 13,000 new police officers, PCSOs and special constables, which would bring the total police workforce to a level above its 2010 peak. Police numbers following the 2010 election, before rising again after 2019 as the previous government pledged to recruit 20,000 police officers. While the number of officers reached record levels, the number of PCSOs and special constables continued to decline. The promise of a named officer for each community is intended to improve relations between the police and the public. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper speaks to police officers (Leon Neal/PA) “This marks a return to the founding principles of British policing – where officers are part of the communities they serve.” But the Conservatives said only a third of the 13,000 new recruits would be full police officers, while the £100 million would not cover what was needed to pay for them, leading to cuts elsewhere. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: “The Conservatives recruited over 20,000 extra police officers and gave the police an extra £922 million for policing this year, ensuring the police could protect the public and prosecute more criminals. “Starmer has once again misled the public by claiming to recruit an extra 13,000 officers when the actual number is 3,000, and even that is not properly funded.” Sir Keir’s policing announcement is expected to be one of several focused on the “missions” Labour set out in its manifesto, which were securing the “highest sustained growth” in the G7, making Britain a “clean energy superpower”, halving serious violent crime, breaking down “barriers to opportunity” and building an NHS “fit for the future”. Along with the targets set to be announced on Thursday, the Prime Minister is expected to propose a significant programme of public sector reform as his Government continues to face questions on how it will achieve its aims without further raising taxes or borrowing. The Prime Minister will say: “Hard working Brits are going out grafting every day but are getting short shrift from a politics that should serve them. “They reasonably want a stable economy, their country to be safe, their borders secure, more cash in their pocket, safer streets in their town, opportunities for their children, secure British energy in their home, and an NHS that is there when they need it. “My mission-led Government will deliver.”

A festive call for unity

BIZENGRI ® is the first and only therapy approved by the FDA specifically for pancreatic adenocarcinoma and NSCLC that harbor NRG1 gene fusions and are advanced unresectable or metastatic 1 Merus and Partner Therapeutics announced a license agreement for U.S. commercialization UTRECHT, The Netherlands and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merus N.V. (Nasdaq: MRUS) [Merus, the Company, we, or our], a clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative, full-length, multispecific antibodies (Biclonics ® and Triclonics ® ), announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved BIZENGRI ® (zenocutuzumab-zbco), the first and only treatment indicated for adults with pancreatic adenocarcinoma or non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that are advanced unresectable or metastatic and harbor a neuregulin 1 ( NRG1 ) gene fusion who have disease progression on or after prior systemic therapy. These indications are approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR). Continued approval for these indications may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s). BIZENGRI ® has a Boxed WARNING for Embryo-Fetal Toxicity and warnings for infusion-related reactions (IRRs), hypersensitivity and anaphylactic reactions, interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis, and left ventricular dysfunction. 1 See Important Safety Information below. We believe this approval fills an important need for patients with NRG1 + cancer who have not previously had treatment options approved to specifically target this driver. BIZENGRI ® (zenocutuzumab-zbco) 20 mg/mL Injection for Intravenous Use is expected to be available to patients in the coming weeks. “The FDA approval of BIZENGRI ® marks an important milestone for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma or NSCLC that is advanced unresectable or metastatic and harbors the NRG1 gene fusion. I have seen firsthand how treatment with BIZENGRI ® can deliver clinically meaningful outcomes for patients,” said Alison Schram, MD, an attending medical oncologist in the Early Drug Development Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a principal investigator for the ongoing eNRGy trial. “I am extraordinarily grateful for the patients and families who participated in the trial.” “BIZENGRI ® is Merus’s first approved medicine based on our highly innovative and proprietary Biclonics ® technology platform and offers significant promise for patients with NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma and NRG1 + NSCLC,” said Shannon Campbell, Chief Commercial Officer of Merus. “This approval is a testament to both our technology and strong execution as we continue to develop our multispecific platforms and pipeline, including our lead asset petosemtamab.” The approval of BIZENGRI ® is based on data from the eNRGy trial, a multicenter, open-label clinical trial that enrolled patients with NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma or NRG1 + NSCLC that is advanced unresectable or metastatic and had disease progression on or after prior systemic therapy. In patients with NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma (n=30), BIZENGRI ® demonstrated an ORR of 40% (95% CI, 23%-59%). DOR in NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma ranged from 3.7 months to 16.6 months. In the same trial, patients with NRG1 + NSCLC (n=64) who were treated with BIZENGRI ® demonstrated an ORR of 33% (95% CI, 22%-46%). The median DOR in NRG1 + NSCLC was 7.4 months (95% CI, 4.0-16.6). Response rates were measured using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). In the pooled safety population (N=175), the most common (≥10%) adverse reactions were diarrhea, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, nausea, infusion-related reactions (IRR), dyspnea, rash, constipation, vomiting, abdominal pain, and edema. The most common Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities (≥2%) were increased gamma-glutamyltransferase, decreased hemoglobin, decreased sodium, decreased platelets, increased aspartate aminotransferase, increased alanine aminotransferase, increased alkaline phosphatase, decreased magnesium, decreased phosphate, increased activated partial thromboplastin time, and increased bilirubin. “The Personalized Medicine Coalition applauds the approval of BIZENGRI ® , a new targeted therapy for NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma and NRG1 + NSCLC that are advanced unresectable or metastatic,” said Edward Abrahams, President of the Washington-based education and advocacy organization. “In keeping with the growing number of personalized medicines on the market today, BIZENGRI ® offers the only approved NRG1 + therapy for patients with these difficult-to-treat cancers.” The company plans to help appropriate patients gain access to BIZENGRI ® by providing resources and support based on each patient's needs and situation. PTx AssistTM is available to help guide patients through treatment, from providing educational information to helping to understand insurance coverage and identifying potential financial assistance options. For more information, patients and providers can call 1-844-637-8777, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, at www.BIZENGRI.com/pi . About BIZENGRI ® BIZENGRI ® is a bispecific antibody that binds to the extracellular domains of HER2 and HER3 expressed on the surface of cells, including tumor cells, inhibiting HER2:HER3 dimerization and preventing NRG1 binding to HER3 . BIZENGRI ® decreased cell proliferation and signaling through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. In addition, BIZENGRI ® mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. BIZENGRI ® showed antitumor activity in mouse models of NRG1 + lung and pancreatic cancers. 1 About the eNRGy Trial The eNRGy trial (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02912949) is a multicenter, open-label clinical trial that includes patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma or NRG1 + NSCLC who have disease progression on or after prior systemic therapy. There were 30 patients in the NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma group and 64 patients in the NRG1 + NSCLC group. The main outcome measures were ORR and DOR, as determined by BICR according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1. 1 In the NRG1+ pancreatic adenocarcinoma group, the median age was 49 years (range, 21-72 years); 43% were female; 87% were White, 7% were Asian, and 3.3% were Black or African American. All patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1, and all patients had metastatic disease. Patients received a median of 2 prior systemic therapies (range, 0-5); 97% had prior systemic therapy with prior chemotherapy. 1 In the NRG1+ NSCLC group, the median age was 64 years (range, 32-86 years); 64% were female, 33% were White, 56% were Asian, and 3.4% were Black or African American. ECOG performance status was 0 or 1 in 97% of patients or 2 in 3% of patients, and 98% of patients had metastatic disease. Patients received a median of 2 prior systemic therapies (range, 1-6). 1 IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION BOXED WARNING: EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Exposure to BIZENGRI ® during pregnancy can cause embryo-fetal harm. Advise patients of this risk and the need for effective contraception. WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Infusion-Related Reactions/Hypersensitivity/Anaphylactic Reactions BIZENGRI ® can cause serious and life-threatening infusion-related reactions (IRRs), hypersensitivity and anaphylactic reactions. Signs and symptoms of IRR may include chills, nausea, fever, and cough. In the eNRGy study, 13% of patients experienced IRRs, all were Grade 1 or 2; 91% occurred during the first infusion. Administer BIZENGRI ® in a setting with emergency resuscitation equipment and staff who are trained to monitor for IRRs and to administer emergency medications. Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of infusion reactions during infusion and for at least 1 hour following completion of first BIZENGRI ® infusion and as clinically indicated. Interrupt BIZENGRI ® infusion in patients with ≤ Grade 3 IRRs and administer symptomatic treatment as needed. Resume infusion at a reduced rate after resolution of symptoms. Immediately stop the infusion and permanently discontinue BIZENGRI ® for Grade 4 or life-threatening IRR or hypersensitivity/anaphylaxis reactions. Interstitial Lung Disease/Pneumonitis BIZENGRI ® can cause serious and life-threatening interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis. In the eNRGy study, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 2 (1.1%) patients treated with BIZENGRI ® . Grade 2 ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2) resulting in permanent discontinuation of BIZENGRI ® occurred in 1 (0.6%) patient. Monitor for new or worsening pulmonary symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis (e.g., dyspnea, cough, fever). Immediately withhold BIZENGRI ® in patients with suspected ILD/pneumonitis and administer corticosteroids as clinically indicated. Permanently discontinue BIZENGRI ® if ILD/pneumonitis ≥ Grade 2 is confirmed. Left Ventricular Dysfunction BIZENGRI ® can cause left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decrease has been observed with anti-HER2 therapies, including BIZENGRI ® . Treatment with BIZENGRI ® has not been studied in patients with a history of clinically significant cardiac disease or LVEF less than 50% prior to initiation of treatment. In the eNRGy study, Grade 2 LVEF decrease (40%-50%; 10 - 19% drop from baseline) occurred in 2% of evaluable patients. Cardiac failure without LVEF decrease occurred in 1.7% of patients, including 1 (0.6%) fatal event. Before initiating BIZENGRI ® , evaluate LVEF and monitor at regular intervals during treatment as clinically indicated. For LVEF of less than 45% or less than 50% with absolute decrease from baseline of 10% or greater which is confirmed, or in patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure (CHF), permanently discontinue BIZENGRI ® . Embryo-Fetal Toxicity Based on its mechanism of action, BIZENGRI ® can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. No animal reproduction studies were conducted with BIZENGRI ® . In postmarketing reports, use of a HER2-directed antibody during pregnancy resulted in cases of oligohydramnios manifesting as fatal pulmonary hypoplasia, skeletal abnormalities, and neonatal death. In animal models, studies have demonstrated that inhibition of HER2 and/or HER3 results in impaired embryo-fetal development, including effects on cardiac, vascular and neuronal development, and embryolethality. Advise patients of the potential risk to a fetus. Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of BIZENGRI ® . Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with BIZENGRI ® and for 2 months after the last dose. ADVERSE REACTIONS NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive Unresectable or Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Serious adverse reactions occurred in 23% of patients with NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma who received BIZENGRI ® . There were 2 fatal adverse reactions, one due to COVID-19 and one due to respiratory failure. In patients with NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma who received BIZENGRI ® the most common (≥20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were increased alanine aminotransferase (51%), diarrhea (36%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (31%), increased bilirubin (31%), decreased phosphate (31%), increased alkaline phosphatase (28%), decreased sodium (28%) musculoskeletal pain (28%), decreased albumin (26%), decreased potassium (26%), decreased platelets (26%), decreased magnesium (24%), increased gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (23%), decreased hemoglobin (23%), vomiting (23%), nausea (23%), decreased leukocytes (21%), and fatigue (21%). NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive Unresectable or Metastatic NSCLC Serious adverse reactions occurred in 25% of patients with NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive NSCLC who received BIZENGRI ® . Serious adverse reactions in ≥ 2% of patients included pneumonia (n=4) dyspnea and fatigue (n=2 each). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 3 (3%) patients and included respiratory failure (n=2), and cardiac failure (n=1). Permanent discontinuation of BIZENGRI ® due to an adverse reaction occurred in 3% of patients. Adverse reactions resulting in permanent discontinuation of BIZENGRI ® included dyspnea, pneumonitis and sepsis (n=1 each). In patients with NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive NSCLC who received BIZENGRI ® , the most common (>20%) Adverse Reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were decreased hemoglobin (35%), increased alanine aminotransferase (30%), decreased magnesium (28%), increased alkaline phosphatase (27%), decreased phosphate (26%) diarrhea (25%), musculoskeletal pain (23%), increased gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (23%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (22%), and decreased potassium (21%). Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, at BIZENGRI.com/pi. About Merus N.V. Merus is a clinical stage oncology company developing innovative full-length human bispecific and trispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Multiclonics ® . Multiclonics ® are manufactured using industry standard processes and have been observed in preclinical and clinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional human monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. For additional information, please visit Merus’ website https://merus.nl and LinkedIn . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation, statements regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of BIZENGRI ® (zenocutuzumab-zbco); our belief that this approval fills an important need for patients with NRG1 + cancer who have not previously had treatment options approved to specifically target this driver; the expectation of BIZENGRI ® to be available to patients in the coming weeks; the promise BIZENGRI® holds for patients with NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma and NSCLC; its implication to our technology and execution as we continue to develop our multispecific platforms and pipeline, including our lead asset petosemtamab; and our expectation to provide patients with access to BIZENGRI ® , as well as offering helpful resources and support based on each patient's needs and situation. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Merus. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our need for additional funding, which may not be available and which may require us to restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or antibody candidates; potential issues associated with regulatory approval, which would impact our ability to commercialize our product candidates and affect our ability to generate revenue; the lengthy and expensive process of clinical drug development, which has an uncertain outcome; our reliance on third parties to conduct our clinical trials, and the potential for those third parties to not perform satisfactorily; impacts of the volatility in the global economy, including global instability, including the ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East; we may not identify suitable Biclonics ® or bispecific antibody candidates under our collaborations, or our collaborators may fail to perform adequately under our collaborations; our reliance on third parties to manufacture our product candidates, which may delay, prevent, or impair our development and commercialization efforts; protection of our proprietary technology; our patents may be found invalid, unenforceable, circumvented by competitors, and our patent applications may be found not to comply with the rules and regulations of patentability; we may fail to prevail in potential lawsuits for infringement of third-party intellectual property; and our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented, or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. These and other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on October 31, 2024, and our other reports filed with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change, except as required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Multiclonics ® , Biclonics ® , Triclonics ® , and BIZENGRI ® are registered trademarks of Merus N.V. Reference: 1. BIZENGRI. Prescribing information. Merus N.V.; 2024. ©2024 Merus N.V. All rights reserved. MAT-0247 V4 12/24Reactions have trailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s first presidential media chat, which took place on Monday, at his residence in Bourdillon, Ikoyi lagos. The president highlighted why some of his reforms are necessary for the development of Nigeria, including the removal of Fuel Subsidy, which says he has no regret in removing. The president also described recent stampede that has claimed the lives of over 70 Nigerians, as a grave error by the organisers, adding that he has been sharing palliatives in his Lagos residence for 25 years without an incident. In Delta State, Renowned Philanthropist, Tony Elumelu Donated 1800 bags of rice to the people of Onicha-Uku in Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state, his hometown to celebrate Christmas, Recipients of the donation, including the Ede of Onicha Uku, Steve Osakwe expressed gratitude for the gesture, and reflected on the immense contributions of the renowned banker towards the development of his community, Nigeria, African and world at large. In Kaduna State now, the state Governor Uba Sani, attended the Christmas Carol organised by the Kaduna chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, and urged residents to live in peace, love and unity for the overall progress and development of the state. The Governor who is Muslim, is attending the Christmas Carol for the second year since he assumed office, he said attended the carol to celebrate with Christians because when he took the oath of office, he promised to treat everyone equally, irrespective of their religious, tribal, or political affiliations, the governor also advised residents of the state to shun ethnic and religious antics. In Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday launched the first-ever Lagos Shopping Festival, a 72-hour non-stop shopping and entertainment experience, at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan. The festival, running from December 23 to 25, is described by organizers as Africa’s largest of its kind, blending commerce with creativity and entertainment. During the event, the Governor thrilled the crowd dancing to Wasiu Ayinde’s Marshals hit song ‘E Yonu Simi’. A video showing a heartwarming moment where high life musician Flavour visited his alma mater, Igbariam Primary School in Enugu on Monday has made rounds on social media. The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday directed the Nigerian police to either arraign Olamide Thomas, the activist who cursed at Seyi Tinubu, Son of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, within 48 hours or release her unconditionally, declaring her prolonged detention a violation of her fundamental rights. Olamide, who is a nurse, was arrested for calling for the death of Seyi Tinubu on Social Media. She was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on cyberbullying, She was among the protesters arrested by the police on October 20th, during the rally to commemorate the fourth anniversary of #EndSARS at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos. The activist was also accused of insulting the inspector general of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and Police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi in a Facebook video recorded after her arrest. In Rivers State, a video has surfaced online showing four police officers assaulting a young man for allegedly wearing camouflage-style trousers. Some Nigerians on social media have tackled the minister of works Dave Umahi over his projection that all federal roads wil be motarable, this Christmas! Umahi spoke back in October, in Akure, the Ondo state Capital, during a town hall meeting organised by the ministry of works. In the United Kingdom, Super Eagles Midfielder, Alex Iwobi has opened a temporary shop where poor families can get free food for Christmas! The shop, which is called Alexpress, is located in Canning Town in East London, where the footballer was raised. In an interview with the BBC, Iwobi said his parents are his role models, and inspired him to be selfless since he was young man. Follow us on:

It’s almost winter, but much of the U.S. is still unusually dryBy MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won’t include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn’t sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump” who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.NEW YORK/ LONDON :MSCI's global equity gauge was lower on Friday while bond yields climbed as investors waited for clues about the future path for interest rates from next week's U.S. Federal Reserve meeting. In U.S. Treasuries, benchmark 10-year yields rose to a three-week high and were on track for their fifth-straight daily gain as investors bet that Fed chair Jerome Powell will signal a pause in policy easing after a widely expected 25-basis-point rate cut next Wednesday. The U.S. central bank is grappling with inflation staying stubbornly above its 2 per cent annual target. Data released on Thursday showed higher-than-expected U.S. producer prices in November. Friday's data showed U.S. import prices barely rose in November as increases in food and fuel costs were partially offset by decreases elsewhere, thanks to a strong dollar. "The market is assuming that Powell cuts next week and then pauses. I think that's the right assumption because we're seeing a tension between the inflationary data and the labor-market data," said Matt Rowe, head of portfolio management and cross-asset strategies at Nomura Capital Management. While bets on a December rate cut are almost unanimous, CME Group's Fedwatch tool implies just two cuts in 2025. “They have to take into account that in an economy where inflation is showing itself at this point to be sticky, and you're very highly likely going to get further fiscal stimulus, deregulation, and some aspect of tariffs coming through, there's just no way you can validate why you keep cutting in that instance,” said Tom Fitzpatrick, head of global market insights at R.J. O'Brien in New York. While a rally in chipmaker Broadcom boosted Wall Street, the indexes made no strong move in either direction. At 2:59 p.m. EST (1959 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 61.58 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 43,852.54, the S&P 500 fell 0.80 points, or 0.01 per cent, to 6,050.55 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 19.33 points, or 0.10 per cent, to 19,922.17. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe fell 2.30 points, or 0.26 per cent, to 866.11. Europe's STOXX 600 index closed down 0.53 per cent earlier, breaking a three-week winning streak, as investors sought clarity on Europe's rate policy amid concerns about economic growth and a potential trade war. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 7.5 basis points to 4.399 per cent, from 4.324 per cent late on Thursday while the 30-year bond yield rose 6.7 basis points to 4.615 per cent. The two-year note yield, which typically moves with Fed-rate expectations, rose 5.5 basis points to 4.241 per cent. In currencies, the dollar eyed its biggest weekly gain in a month on the prospect of slower U.S. rate cuts next year. Sterling fell after a surprise contraction in UK economic activity while the euro clawed back some recent losses in the wake of the European Central Bank's rate cut on Thursday. On the day, the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, rose 0.04 per cent to 107.00, with the euro up 0.26 per cent at $1.0494. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.69 per cent to 153.68, having risen all week as traders scaled back bets on a Bank of Japan rate hike next week. In energy markets, oil prices settled at a three-week high on expectations that more sanctions on Russia and Iran could tighten supplies and that lower U.S. and European interest rates could boost fuel demand. U.S. crude settled up 1.8 per cent, or $1.27 at $71.29 a barrel and Brent settled at $74.49 per barrel, up 1.5 per cent or $1.08 on the day. In precious metals, gold fell on the day but was set for a weekly gain. Spot gold fell 1.05 per cent to $2,653.17 an ounce. U.S. gold futures fell 0.96 per cent to $2,661.70 an ounce.