Here are the notable ASX small cap gainers and losers at 12.45pm AEDT Thursday.

Gainers

Viralytics (ASX:VLA) shares soared this morning after the biotech announced its acquisition by US big pharma Merck.

The shares were trading up 173 per cent at $1.68 by 12.45pm AEDT.

Under the arrangement, Merck will acquire all Viralytics shares at $1.75 a share – at a 284 per cent premium to their closing price on Wednesday.

Embattled delivery logistics developer GetSwift (ASX:GSW) has bounced back from three days of falls, rising from Wednesday’s closing price of 51c to trade at 67.5c midway through Thursday — a 32 per cent increase.

The company was yesterday hit with a class action from disgruntled shareholders claiming breaches of its continuous disclosure obligations and misleading and deceptive conduct.

Dragon Mountain Gold (ASX:DMG) was trading up 43 per cent at 2c despite no news and little action at its projects.

In its latest quarterly the company told investors it was still undertaking due diligence on a deal for gold and mineral rights with Wingstar Investments — dating back to 2016.

Now it awaits results from its Caswe project and expects to spend $100,000 in the current quarter.

Bollard maker SafeRoads (ASX:SRH) delighted investors with a 73 per cent earnings increase in its half yearly report.

The news sent shares up 26 per cent to 19.5c.

SafeRoads told shareholders orders from major rental customers would be delivered in the quarter to come and represented a clear sign of confidence in its products.

ASX debutante Simble Solutions (ASX:SIS) surged 25 per cent after joinign the local bourse. The stock listed at 25c — compared to an issue price of 20c.

The software provider raised $7.5 million in an oversubscribed IPO to commercialise its Simble Energy Platform that monitors, controls and monetises power usage in real-time.

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In the red

A review of Carbine Resources (ASX:CRB) was less than glowing for investors this morning, sending the share price down 56 per cent to 3.5c by 12.45pm AEDT.

It told investors the all-in sustaining cost had increased from $594 an ounce to $862 an ounce — up 68 per cent from its initial feasibility study estimates.

Carbine said it was down to higher cyanide consumption and lower by-product credits due to a lower pyrite price.

RXP Services (ASX:RXP) results did little to excite investors despite key acquisitions.

Profits were down 27 per cent at 51c — a result put down to exiting commercially unviable work and a reduction in work with two major clients.

BPS Technology (ASX:BPS) board changes were to blame for its share price slide this morning, down 24 per cent to 37c at 12.45pm AEDT.

It slashed its forecasts almost in half to $2.7 million, down from a previously expected range of $4 million to 4.5 million.

Meanwhile, both the CFO and CEO have resigned leaving gaping holes in its management.

Catapult Group (ASX:CAT)‘s latest results left investors skittish, with shares trading down 19 per cent at $1.31.

It told investors a half-year loss of $14 million (compared to loss of $5 million the same period last year) was in line with expectations.

After a cracker trading day yesterday, NuCoal Resources (ASX:NCR) gave back 22 per cent to trade at 2.8c by 12.45pm AEDT.

It comes after continued dialogue around legal action against the NSW government for seizure of its licences.

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