Calgary – October 12, 2026 -- XORTX Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: XRTX | TSXV: XRTX | Frankfurt: ANU) said board chairman Anthony Giovinazzo is stepping down from the board of directors, citing personal reasons and a wish to pursue other interests.

Giovinazzo leaves after several years as chairman and committee member

Giovinazzo led the board as chairman for the past several years and also served on key committees. Co-CEO Dr. Allen Davidoff credited him with leadership and ethics of the highest standards in both roles. Davidoff said management and the board extend their appreciation for his efforts.

The company did not name a successor chairman or give a departure date. The release also did not say whether Giovinazzo's committee seats will be refilled.

XORTX advances five programs in gout and kidney disease

The late-stage clinical pharmaceutical company is developing three clinically advanced products:

Calgary – October 12, 2026 -- XORTX Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: XRTX | TSXV: XRTX) has rescinded a US$2.5 million investor relations agreement with IR Agency LLC and recovered the full fee. The company is postponing its marketing push while it exits the TSX Venture Exchange.

XORTX terminates 90-day IR contract effective August 7, 2026

The agreement, dated May 13, 2026, ran for 90 days from May 18, 2026. It covered 10 marketing days of news distribution campaigns for an aggregate fee of US$2.5 million, payable in advance. The fee had been fully earned on receipt and was non-refundable.

Both parties agreed to rescind the arrangement, and all services under it have been discontinued. The funds were returned to XORTX in August 2026. The release cites both August 7 and August 14 as the return date.

Calgary – October 12, 2026 -- XORTX Therapeutics Inc. has re-engaged IR Agency LLC for investor relations and marketing services, following completion of its voluntary delisting from the TSX Venture Exchange.

XORTX restores IR Agency LLC consulting agreement on previously disclosed terms

The new consulting agreement carries substantially the same terms the company disclosed in news releases dated May 19, 2026 and August 28, 2026. The source gives no fee, share-based compensation or contract-length figures for the renewed engagement.

Delisting from TSX Venture Exchange precedes the renewed marketing push

The re-engagement comes after XORTX completed the delisting it had announced earlier. The company's filings reference ongoing compliance with Nasdaq listing standards, and its release states that Nasdaq has not approved or disapproved its contents.

Calgary – October 12, 2026 -- XORTX Therapeutics (NASDAQ: XRTX) plans to submit an Investigational New Drug application to the U.S. FDA in the fourth quarter of 2026 for its XRx-026 gout program, and estimates the program addresses a US$700M annual market opportunity.

XORTX targets an NDA filing in about one year, contingent on funding

The IND describes the company's clinical development plan for XORLOTM, its proprietary oxypurinol formulation, and its intention to file a New Drug Application after completing the two-part XRX-OXY-102 clinical trial. The trial is designed to characterize the pharmacokinetics and efficacy information the FDA needs to evaluate a future NDA.

Calgary – October 12, 2026 -- XORTX Therapeutics (NASDAQ: XRTX) plans to run the first part of its two-part XRX-OXY-102 gout study in Canada, a move it expects to speed delivery of the clinical data needed for a New Drug Application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

XORTX prepares Health Canada filing in parallel with FDA track

The company has outlined an anticipated Clinical Trial Application (CTA) to Health Canada for its XRx-026 gout program. The study evaluates XORLO, XORTX's proprietary formulation of oxypurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor. Drug development teams have been preparing the CTA in parallel with the planned FDA NDA submission.

Columbus – October 12, 2026 -- American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) has launched a registered underwritten offering of $2.6 billion of common stock, structured around forward sale agreements with three banks.

BofA, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley lead the underwriting

BofA Securities, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Morgan Stanley are acting as joint book-running managers. Subject to certain conditions, the forward counterparties or their affiliates are expected to borrow all shares from third parties and sell them to the underwriters.

Columbus – – October 12, 2026 -- American Electric Power, acting for its subsidiary Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), has opened a request for proposals to build, operate and maintain a natural gas pipeline lateral serving the Benton Unit 1 CCGT Natural Gas Project in Bossier Parish, Louisiana.

Gas Facilities will supply the plant's primary fuel

The scope covers the pipeline lateral and associated natural gas facilities, which the source collectively calls the "Gas Facilities." Once built, they will deliver natural gas as the primary fuel for the Benton Unit 1 combined-cycle plant.

Bidders must also offer mainline firm transportation capacity

The proposal package also seeks offers of mainline firm transportation capacity. Respondents can therefore pair physical construction and operation of the lateral with upstream capacity commitments.

Corpus Christi – October 12, 2026 -- AEP Texas, a subsidiary of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), has agreed to a loan of up to $3.26 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Dominance Financing, with projected customer savings of $685 million over 30 years.

The financing will fund a portfolio of nearly 100 projects aimed at improving grid reliability and supporting load growth in one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States.

AEP Texas plans work on about 2,800 miles of transmission lines

The utility intends to rebuild or reconductor existing transmission lines and build new ones, covering approximately 2,800 miles. The investment is projected to increase the capacity of existing transmission infrastructure and reduce power interruptions for customers.

Columbus – October 12, 2026 -- American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) placed in the top three among electric utilities for both employee satisfaction and financial performance in TIME's America's Best Companies 2026 list.

TIME and Statista build ranking on three measures

TIME partnered with Statista to compile the list, which scores companies on employee satisfaction, financial performance and sustainability. The employee component draws on survey feedback from more than 200,000 employees at companies in the United States.

The financial component uses multi-year results rather than a single reporting period. The sustainability component applies standardized metrics covering environmental, social and governance performance.

Columbus – October 12, 2026 -- American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 95 cents per share on its common stock, the company's board of directors announced.

AEP sets Sept. 10, 2026 payment date for the 95-cent dividend

The dividend is payable on Sept. 10, 2026, to shareholders of record as of Aug. 10, 2026.

The board described the payout as a regular quarterly dividend. The announcement did not mention any change to the amount or the schedule.