Los Angeles-based fast fashion retailer F21 Opco, the licensee of Forever 21 in the U.S., said it will wind down its U.S. businesses while pursuing a going concern transaction or a sale of some or all of its assets. The company has filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, its second filing in six years.

“While we have evaluated all options to best position the company for the future, we have been unable to find a sustainable path forward, given competition from foreign fast fashion companies, which have been able to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to undercut our brand on pricing and margin, as well as rising costs, economic challenges impacting our core customers, and evolving consumer trends,” said F21 OpCo CFO Brad Sell. “As we move through the process, we will work diligently to minimize the impact on our employees, customers, vendors and other stakeholders.”

All stores will remain open while the bankruptcy process runs its course. In the event of a successful sale, the company may pivot away from a full wind-down of operations to facilitate a going-concern transaction.

The Chapter 11 filing does not affect Forever 21 stores outside the U.S., which are operated by other licensees. Additional information about bankruptcy proceedings may be accessed here.

Unisen Senior Living is having trouble finding tenants. Its 491-unit senior living facility has only a 21% occupancy rate. Operated by nonprofit Tampa Life Plan Village, the company owes $43 million to unsecured creditors and nearly $87 million to secured creditors. The amount includes $79 million in unpaid principal on secured bonds. The Tampa Business Journal reports after failed attempts to revitalize the business, the company now plan to wind down operations and try to sell the facility at auction in June.

A bankruptcy judge approved the asset sale and the relocation of the facility’s current residents. UMB Bank, Unisen’s secured lender, agreed to fund the relocation of Unisen’s 106 residents. Unisen is currently coordinating with nearby senior living communities to formulate and assist in the relocation plans.

Tampa Life Plan Village purchased the property, previously known as University Village, out of bankruptcy in 2020 from Westport Holdings Tampa. The nonprofit paid $16 million for the property and later received an additional $70 million in bond financing.

Global biopharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca is investing $300 million in an 84,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Rockville, MD to launch its cell therapy platforms in the U.S. for critical cancer trials and future commercial supply. Located at 9950 Medical Center Dr., it is expected to become operational in 2026.

More than 150 new highly skilled jobs will be created to initially focus on manufacturing T-cell therapies to enable clinical trials to be conducted around the world. Over time, the site may expand its focus to support other disease areas.

The Rockville facility is located less than five miles from one of the company’s five global R&D centers and sits within the life sciences corridor in Maryland. The company recently signed a full-building lease in Gaithersburg.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said: “AstraZeneca and the State of Maryland share a deep commitment to innovation. It makes us the perfect pairing for this next-generation cell therapy facility. This significant investment in our life sciences sector will help maintain Maryland’s leadership in the industry and sharpen our competitive edge.”