Daily Special: Immutep, Etherstack, Clever Culture Systems, Ceretas, Hawk Resources

Australian shares traded near flat at midday, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 0.04 per cent to 9,096.10 at 12.16pm AEST. Eight of the 11 sectors were lower, with weakness in mining and technology stocks offset by gains across the major banks. The subdued session followed a hawkish speech from US Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh, which revived expectations of a September rate rise. Wall Street fell, the US dollar strengthened and US Treasury yields jumped as investors reassessed the outlook for interest rates.

In small cap company news,

Immutep Limited (ASX:IMM) reported $14.6 million in FY26 revenue, largely reflecting revenue recognised from its licensing and collaboration agreement with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories. The biotechnology company recorded a net loss of $79.3 million as higher clinical trial costs lifted research and development spending. Despite the discontinuation of its TACTI-004 Phase III trial, Immutep continued to progress its broader oncology and autoimmune disease pipeline. The company ended FY26 with around $68.9 million in cash, cash equivalents and term deposits and expects its cash runway to extend well into the first half of 2028. Key priorities for FY27 include determining the path forward for efti and advancing its IMP761 autoimmune program. To view full announcement, please click here.

Etherstack (ASX:ESK) has agreed to an expanded scope for its primary UK government project, adding £500,000, or around US$700,000, in additional revenue. The expanded project will also increase ongoing support and maintenance fees. Management expects the additional revenue to benefit the first half of FY27 and said projects of this type can provide opportunities for further functional, duration and revenue growth over their lifecycle. To view full announcement, please click here.

Clever Culture Systems (ASX:CC5) reported FY26 revenue of $4.67 million, including $2.89 million from sales of its APAS Independence instruments and $1.23 million from annual licence, maintenance and support fees. Revenue was down 29.6 per cent from the previous year, while the company recorded a net loss after tax of $2.24 million. The company ended June with $1.7 million in available cash and expects at least $3.4 million in cash inflows over the following two quarters from trade receivables, its R&D tax incentive claim and committed customer payments. To view full announcement, please click here.

Ceretas Limited (ASX:CTS) has received ethics committee approval for its Phase 2 CERE-CALM trial, allowing two additional Australian clinical sites at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and the John Hunter Medical Research Institute to be activated. The trial is evaluating the company’s non-invasive ultrasound technology for behavioural and psychological symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease. The company’s first clinical site, Cognivus Research, has completed its site initiation visit and is progressing start-up activities. Ceretas said it is approaching enrolment of its first patients and expects to add further Australian trial sites in the coming months.

Hawk Resources (ASX:HWK) has received approval for a Mining Entry Permit at its Olympus scandium project in Western Australia, along with the required cultural heritage clearance. The company is preparing to begin exploration in September, subject to final government approval. Initial work will include soil and rock sampling, geophysical surveys and RAB drilling. The project contains a large historical scandium soil anomaly measuring around seven kilometres by four kilometres, with previous RAB drilling returning intersections including 11 metres at 934 parts per million scandium from surface.