Cogstate Ltd conducts 2026 AGM, welcomes Darryl Inns to board of directors. Cogstate Ltd (ASX:CGS), a leader in neuroscience technology, held its 2026 Annual General Meeting on 15 October 2026. Chairman Martyn Myer addressed shareholders, introduced the company's board members, and highlighted the election of Darryl Inns as an Independent Non-Executive Director, which was presented as a resolution during the meeting. Key points. * Cogstate's 2026 Annual General Meeting took place on 15 October 2026, with Chairman Martyn Myer delivering the shareholder address. * Darryl Inns was appointed to the Cogstate Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director, with his election detailed as resolution 2. * Since 1 January 2026, Kim Wenn has chaired both the Nomination Committee and the Remuneration Committee. * Kylee Byrne from Pitcher Partners, the engagement partner for the external audit, attended the meeting to answer shareholder inquiries about the audit and financial statements. * CEO Brad O'Connor, who has led Cogstate since December 2005, also spoke at the meeting. Introduction of board members at the 2026 AGM. Chairman Martyn Myer commenced the meeting by presenting the Cogstate board. Richard Mohs, a neuropsychologist and former Eli Lilly executive, joined remotely from Chicago, contributing expertise in Alzheimer's disease, neuroscience, clinical trials, and pharmaceutical management. Ingrid Player, with a legal background and extensive experience in corporate governance, risk, and sustainability, chairs the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee. Kim Wenn, boasting over 30 years in innovation and digital technology, has chaired the Nomination and Remuneration Committees since 1 January 2026. Managing Director and CEO Brad O'Connor also addressed attendees. Appointment of Darryl Inns as Independent Non-Executive Director. During the AGM, Chairman Myer officially welcomed Darryl Inns to the Cogstate Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director. According to company filings, Inns brings more than 30 years of expertise in finance, commercial operations, and governance, including experience with ASX-listed companies, capital markets, investor relations, and business transformation. His election was listed as resolution 2 of the 2026 AGM. Inns also serves on the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee and the Nomination Committee. External auditor participation and FY26 highlights. Kylee Byrne from Pitcher Partners, the engagement partner for Cogstate's external audit, was present at the meeting to address shareholder questions regarding the audit and financial accounts. In his remarks, Chairman Myer characterized FY26 as a year in which Cogstate accelerated its momentum and expanded its opportunities, emphasizing the company's solid foundation for disciplined growth. The filing confirms the address was authorized for release by the Cogstate Ltd Board.

Health Check: Aged care operator Ryman unfazed by 'soft' housing conditions. * Trans-Tasman provider Ryman reports strong demand for retirement units and aged care beds * Cogstate rides interest in dementia and depression trial activity * Post Symphony trial, Aroa orchestrates deeper US sales effort Traditionally, there's a strong nexus between housing values and demand for - and valuations of - private sector aged-care accommodation. That makes sense, because the residents typically use the funds from their family home to finance the transition. But in a trading update today, trans-Tasman operator Ryman Healthcare (ASX:RYM) said the "soft" housing market had not dented demand on both sides of the ditch. Ryman is the biggest NZ provider and is expanding in Victoria, which unfairly or otherwise has become synonymous with the term 'basket case'. "While housing market conditions continue to be soft, demand for retirement living, assisted living and aged care remains resilient across New Zealand and Australia," Ryman CEO Naomi Jones said. This reflected "structural demographic drivers that are less dependent on housing market conditions." Ryman reports that new customers signed up for 379 retirement living occupation right agreements in the quarter. These included 312 resales - up 14% year-on-year and the highest level in eight quarters - and 67 new sales. A lead indicator of future sales, Ryman's net resales contract volumes of retirement units rose 11% year on year. This followed a 7% increase in the first (June) quarter. Ryman's unsold retirement living apartments fell by 67 to 347, bringing the total reduction since March 31, 2026 to 132 units. With the company's new Richard Hadlee Village in Christchurch opening the batting this month, Ryman remains on track to deliver on its full-year guidance of 157-169 new retirement units and aged care beds. On the aged care side, Ryman's occupancy rose 3.3 percentage points, to 94%. However, mature aged care centre occupancies dipped to 95.4% from 95.7% previously, "reflecting a more acute period of winter illness in some New Zealand villages". Stockhead think Stockhead know what they're getting at. Meanwhile Regis Healthcare (ASX:REG), the biggest ASX-listed aged care operator holds its AGM on November 17. Testing times for Cogstate - in a good way. CogState (ASX:CGS) is surfing the increased number of clinical studies in Alzheimer's disease/dementia and depression/mood disorders. Via self-administered tests, Cogstate seeks to provide doctors and patients with "brief, accurate and scientifically validated digital measures of cognition". Ahead of Cogstate's October 15 AGM, the company reports net sales contracts of US$25.1 million ($36m) for the quarter, 17% higher year-on-year and 120% better over the last two years. According to management, this also reflects Cogstate's ability to win market share in mood disorders. During the period the company added five phase III trials in either bipolar or depression, across two customers. These clients contributed more than 80% of the new total contract sales value during the quarter. "[Trial] sponsors commonly retain providers from earlier phases of development when progressing to phase III studies," Cogstate says. By enabling trial sponsors to work with their preferred data capture and clinical technology providers, "Cogstate was able to secure work that may historically have been more difficult to win independently". At September's end Cogstate's contracted revenue stood at $56.8m, compared with $48.3m at the end of the June quarter. Cogstate recognises revenue over the life of the contracts. These vary from several months for a phase I study, to 4-5 years for a phase III effort. Diabetic foot ulcer results 'future proof' Aroa. Aroa Biosurgery (ASX:ARX) CEO Dr Brian Ward says the results of a clinical trial of the company's Symphony wound care product will help to "future proof" it amid a US reimbursement crackdown. Last Monday Aroa said the diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) study resulted in a statistically significant improvement in wound healing times for the difficult condition. During an investor webinar today, Ward said Aroa would use the results to increase take-up of the product - a novel extracellular matrix - by US clinicians. He noted the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) had been carrying out more rigorous audits. In January CMS changed reimbursement to a flat rate, from a scale that encouraged clinicians to use the most expensive products. This resulted in a sector shakeout. Symphony already is covered by transitional reimbursement measures. "With more of a spotlight on the selection of treatments and why physicians are choosing particular treatments, having robust data that stands behind the product is becoming increasingly important," Ward said. "We are very well positioned now to defend the product and to show why Symphony should be selected." Enrolling 143 patients across 10 US sites, the randomised controlled study tested Symphony combined with the standard of care (SOC), versus a SOC-alone cohort. The trial found that 55% of DFUs from the Symphony arm achieved wound closure within 12 weeks. This compared to 35% for the SOC arm. The Symphony-treated wounds took a mean 65.4 days to heal, compared to 73.2 days for the SOC cohort. The trial included a mix of patients with DFUs of grades one and two on the Wagner measurement scale. Other studies typically only include the less serious Wagner ones, so no-one can accuse Aroa of grasping only the low-hanging fruit. CSL has come to suck more blood. CSL (ASX:CSL) has surprised the market by adopting a new plasma collection technique to improve the efficiency of its US blood centres. The company will transition from the Florida-based Terumo Blood Cell Technologies CT Inc's Rika's platform, to the Boston-based Haemonetics Corp. So, a win for the Democrats heartland over the Republicans base. Could that be an omen ahead of the mid-terms? Back in 2018, CSL said the Rika devices would enable more efficient delivery, by way of better yields and quicker extraction. Management has talked up Rika's advantages ever since - but nothing stands still. "We understand the Rika benefits were real, but CSL is seeking another step up in yield from Haemonetics' system," broker Citi says. "We do not know if termination arrangements for Rika involve payment from CSL or details of the implementation." Paradigm cites US data gap for study flop. Stockhead suspect this is academic now, but Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals (ASX:PAR) says the missing data that kyboshed its phase III knee osteoarthritis trial was tilted to its US study sites. Last month the company cancelled the 538-patient study, after an interim analysis found it did not reach the "pre-specific threshold" to continue. On September 30 Paradigm entered voluntary administration. On Friday the company said the most important missing data was "more frequent at the US sites". The company's initial observations of data from its non-US sites "appear encouraging". These sites were in Australia, Moldova and Hong Kong. While this might raise expectations that something can be salvaged from the effort, the company said these internal observations "do not change the previously announced decision that the phase III trial will not proceed". Paradigm has commissioned an independent post mortem, which may draw different conclusions. Paradigm shares are suspended indefinitely. At Stockhead Stockhead tell it as it is. While Aroa is a Stockhead advertiser, the company did not sponsor this article. Investor Guide: Health & Biotech 2026 featuring Tim Boreham