Category: Pakistan

World Record Bug Hotel Certificate

Highland Titles – World Record Holders

DUROR, Scotland, March 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On Monday 28th March 2022, conservation company Highland Titles achieved a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORD® for the world’s biggest bug/insect hotel, which means Highland Titles are “Officially Amazing!”®

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c6d0e716-dbd2-4737-934d-660fac898b70

The 199.9 cubic metre structure is located on the Highland Titles Nature Reserve at Duror in the Scottish Highlands and already houses a variety of species. It breaks the previous world record of 89.37 cubic metres, which was held by the Polish Association of Developers in Warsaw, Poland.

The world record-breaking bug hotel was made using felled sitka spruce from the nature reserve, masonry bricks, bamboo canes, wood chips, forest bark, wildflower seeds, clay pipes and strawberry netting.

World Record Bug Hotel

The World Record Bug Hotel is 199.9 cubic metres

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f7ca5a3-5c5c-4d71-a475-daceb2ca6aff

“This record-breaking initiative is about the environmental message,” says Douglas Wilson, CEO of Highland Titles. “We bought this land in 2006 when it was a poorly performing commercial forestry plantation of non-native Sitka Spruce.

“Like much of the Highlands, it was inappropriately planted in the late 1980s with no thought or consideration given to biodiversity. Using these same trees for something that puts nature first symbolises that the world has changed, and we hope our efforts will inspire others. We’d be delighted if someone beat our record in the future!”

Nature Reserve Manager, Stewart Borland, was part of a team of 7 who were involved in its construction which started in September 2021 and was completed in early March 2022. In addition to the environmental message, Mr Borland hopes that it encourages people to visit:

“In 2019, we had more than 10,000 visitors to the nature reserve from all over the world. The pandemic really put a dent in our visitor numbers, so we hope that this – together with the new track which is adored by cyclists – will encourage people to visit now that travel is opening up again. The more visitors we get, the more people can see the work that we’re doing.”

About Highland Titles

Highland Titles began in 2006 with a mission to conserve Scotland, one square foot at a time. The conservation project – now encompassing 5 nature reserves and over 800 acres of Scottish wilderness – is funded by selling gift-sized souvenir plots of land.

The Highland Titles community of souvenir plot owners are invited to style themselves as the Lords and Ladies of Glencoe™. Over 300,000 plots of land have been sold to date.

The Highland Titles Nature Reserve near Glencoe is an official 4* tourist attraction and, according to Trip Advisor, one of the most popular nature reserves in the country.

Resources

For more information on the World’s Biggest Bug Hotel, visit here

For more photographs or video content, please email support@highlandtitles.com with your email address, name and phone number

Contact

Douglas Wilson, CEO
douglas@highlandtitles.com

Risk of symptomatic COVID-19 was reduced by 71% compared to placebo in pre-exposure prophylaxis and 75% compared to placebo in post-exposure prophylaxis

Risk of hospitalization or death in participants with mild to moderate COVID-19 was reduced by 66% compared to placebo in the primary efficacy analysis population and by 77% compared to placebo in participants who received treatment within three days of symptom onset

Full year and fourth quarter 2021 financial results reported; $591 million in cash and investments expected to be sufficient to fund operations into second half of 2024

WALTHAM, Mass., March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Adagio Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADGI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of antibody-based solutions for infectious diseases, reported that the primary endpoints were met with statistical significance for all three indications in the company’s ongoing global Phase 2/3 clinical trials evaluating its investigational drug adintrevimab (ADG20) as a pre-and-post-exposure prophylaxis (EVADE) and treatment (STAMP) for COVID-19. EVADE and STAMP were primarily conducted during a time when pre-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants were dominant. Following the emergence of the Omicron variant, in a pre-specified exploratory analysis in a subset of the pre-exposure cohort, a clinically meaningful reduction in cases of symptomatic COVID-19 was observed with adintrevimab compared to placebo. Across both trials, a single intramuscular (IM) administration of adintrevimab at the 300mg dose had a similar safety profile to that of placebo. Based on these data, Adagio plans to engage with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and to submit an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application in the second quarter of 2022 for adintrevimab for both the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

In addition, Adagio provided an update on its ongoing Phase 1 study evaluating adintrevimab at higher doses and on research activities related to adintrevimab re-engineering and the identification of new antibodies to potentially address COVID-19 and other viruses.

“COVID-19 continues to pose significant challenges globally as waning immunity combined with the emergence of resistant variants has led to ongoing waves of disease. We believe that a suite of options – spanning prophylaxis and treatment – is needed to effectively address this virus as it continues to evolve, and these data give us confidence in the potential role adintrevimab can play in physicians’ arsenals,” said David Hering, MBA, interim chief executive officer and chief operating officer of Adagio. “Based on the data from both EVADE and STAMP, including the impacts observed in preliminary analyses from participants enrolled after the emergence of the Omicron variant, our team is initiating discussions with the FDA and preparing an EUA submission for adintrevimab. With more than one million doses of adintrevimab secured for 2022 and a solid financial position expected to take us into the second half of 2024, we are optimistic about the road ahead and the impact adintrevimab could have for the many people around the globe, particularly those at high risk with co-morbidities, who continue to need options.”

Michael Ison, M.D., M.S., professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and of Surgery in the Division of Organ Transplantation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, added, “the compelling data generated on adintrevimab in both of Adagio’s clinical trials represent an important step toward further addressing the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am particularly encouraged by the consistent treatment effect observed across all three clinical settings and patient subpopulations, and the favorable safety profile, with just a single dose and convenient IM delivery for all patients. The risk-reduction in the post-exposure prophylaxis setting regardless of serostatus translates to real-world use when clinicians might not know the vaccination or prior infection status of their patients. In the STAMP trial, adintrevimab showed prevention of hospitalization and death in the face of the ‘highest-risk’ variant (Delta) to-date.”

EVADE Preliminary Data
EVADE is a global, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2/3 clinical trial evaluating adintrevimab at the 300mg IM dose in two independent cohorts for the prevention of COVID-19. The study includes a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) cohort and a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) cohort. The study population is comprised of adults and adolescents at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to reported recent exposure or whose circumstances placed them at increased risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection and developing symptomatic COVID-19.

In the primary efficacy analysis of the PrEP cohort, adintrevimab was associated with a lower incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 compared with placebo through month three or the emergence of Omicron, whichever was earlier (12/730, 1.6% vs. 40/703, 5.7%, respectively). The standardized risk difference was -4.0% (95% CI –6.0, -2.1; p <0.0001), demonstrating a 71% relative risk reduction in favor of adintrevimab through three months. There were five (0.7%) COVID-19 related hospitalizations in the placebo group compared to none in the adintrevimab group. In a pre-specified exploratory analysis of the PrEP cohort, which included 402 participants (196 and 206 in the adintrevimab and placebo groups, respectively) following the emergence of Omicron (BA.1), a clinically meaningful reduction in cases of symptomatic COVID-19 was observed with adintrevimab, as compared to placebo. Adintrevimab was associated with a relative risk reduction of 59% and 47% with a median follow-up duration of 56 and 77 days, respectively (nominal p <0.05).

In the primary efficacy analysis in the PEP cohort, adintrevimab met statistical significance and was associated with a lower incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 through day 28 compared with placebo (3/173, 1.7% vs. 12/175, 6.9%, respectively). The standardized risk difference was -4.9% (95% CI: -8.8, -1.0; p=0.0135), demonstrating a 75% relative risk reduction in favor of adintrevimab through 28 days. There were two (1.1%) COVID-19 related hospitalizations in the placebo group compared to none in the adintrevimab group.

In the EVADE cohorts across 1,239 adintrevimab-treated participants with a median range of follow up of 140 days for the PrEP cohort and 126 days for the PEP cohort as of the March 2, 2022, data cut off, the safety profile was similar to that of placebo. The incidence of adverse events (AEs), including serious adverse events (SAEs), was similar between adintrevimab and placebo groups. No study drug related SAEs, including deaths, were reported. The most frequently reported AEs were injection-site reactions, the majority of which were mild or moderate in severity and occurred with similar frequency in both groups.

STAMP Preliminary Data
STAMP is a global, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2/3 clinical trial evaluating adintrevimab at the 300mg IM dose in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for disease progression. Adintrevimab was associated with a statistically significant lower incidence of COVID-19 related hospitalization or all cause death through day 29 compared with placebo (8/169, 4.7% vs. 23/167, 13.8%), with a standardized risk difference of -8.6% (95% CI: -14.65, -2.57; p=0.0052), demonstrating a 66% relative risk reduction in favor of adintrevimab. There was one death (0.6%) in the adintrevimab group, compared with six deaths (3.6%) in the placebo group through day 29. In patients treated within three days of symptom onset (adintrevimab n=91, placebo n=85), adintrevimab reduced the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization or death from any cause by 77% compared to placebo. STAMP enrolled 63 participants (29 in the adintrevimab group and 34 in the placebo group) with COVID-19 infection with the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. There were two events of COVID-19 related hospitalization and no deaths through day 29 among the patients with the Omicron variant, and both events of hospitalization occurred in the placebo group.

In STAMP, across 192 adintrevimab-treated participants with a median follow up of 73 days in the adintrevimab group as of the February 2, 2022, data cut off, the incidence of AEs, including SAEs, was lower in the adintrevimab group. No study drug related SAEs, including deaths, were reported. The most frequently reported AEs were injection-site reactions, all of which were mild or moderate in severity and occurred with similar frequency in both groups.

“On behalf of the entire Adagio team, I’d like to thank the numerous investigators, clinical teams and, most importantly, the patients, families and caregivers for their participation in our clinical trials. We are encouraged by the data and look forward to submitting an EUA and discussing these results with the FDA and other regulatory authorities. Further, we are continuing our research efforts to improve adintrevimab activity against Omicron and identify antibodies targeting novel domains, which will provide potential additional product candidates to take into clinical development. Collectively, these efforts showcase the ability of our platform and expertise to discover, design and engineer novel antibodies, and execute global clinical trials, to potentially address infectious diseases,” said Ellie Hershberger, Pharm.D., chief development officer of Adagio.

Additional Development and Research Updates
Adagio continues to leverage its platform and expertise by conducting numerous efforts to address COVID-19, other coronaviruses, influenza and other infectious diseases, including:

• Advancing a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers to evaluate pharmacokinetics and safety of additional higher doses of adintrevimab to supplement the data generated to date, which has evaluated doses up to 600mg IM. Preliminary safety data through two weeks post-dosing suggest a favorable safety profile at the 1200mg dose administered with IM injection or intravenously (IV).
• Ongoing efforts to modify adintrevimab to improve binding to the Omicron subvariants (BA.1 and BA.2) in order to enhance neutralization potency while retaining the broad neutralization observed in vitro against other SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Re-engineered variants of ADG20 show over 100-fold improvement in binding and up to 40-fold enhanced neutralizing activity against the Omicron BA.1 variant while maintaining activity against all other variants of concern tested to date.
• Ongoing discovery efforts to assess additional monoclonal antibodies from the company’s proprietary library of previously isolated SARS-CoV-2 antibodies for neutralization breadth and potency, which could be developed as a standalone treatment or combination therapy. Novel antibodies isolated from Omicron breakthrough infection donors have displayed in vitro activity against the 2003 SARS virus and all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern tested to date, including the BA.1 and BA.2 variants.
• Continuing discovery efforts to identify novel, broadly neutralizing antibodies that target epitopes both within and outside the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 and pan betacoronavirus neutralizing antibodies.

Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2021 Financial Results

• Cash Position and Financial Guidance: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $591.4 million as of December 31, 2021. Based on current operating plans, Adagio expects its existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will enable the company to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into the second half of 2024.
• R&D Expenses: Research and development (R&D) expenses, including in-process research and development expenses, were $68.4 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, and $190.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
• SG&A Expenses: Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $14.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, and $36.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
• Net Loss: Net loss was $83.0 million, or $0.77 basic and diluted net loss per share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, and $226.8 million, or $5.32 basic and diluted net loss per share, for the year ended December 31, 2021.

About Adintrevimab
Adintrevimab (ADG20), Adagio’s lead product candidate, is designed to be a potent, broadly neutralizing antibody for both the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, including disease caused by most variants, as either a single or combination agent. Adintrevimab is being assessed in two separate Phase 2/3 clinical trials: the EVADE trial for the prevention of COVID-19 in both the post-exposure and pre-exposure settings, and the STAMP trial for the treatment of COVID-19. Preliminary data from these trials demonstrated that in the pre-Omicron population, adintrevimab met the primary endpoints across all three indications, demonstrating statistically significant and clinically meaningful efficacy. Across each of the trials, intramuscular (IM) administration of adintrevimab at the 300mg dose had a similar safety profile to that of placebo. Adintrevimab is also being evaluated in a Phase 1 study to evaluate safety and pharmacokinetics at higher doses, and as of an interim data cut, no study drug related adverse events, serious adverse events, injection-site reactions or hypersensitivity reactions were reported across all dose levels evaluated. Adintrevimab is an investigational monoclonal antibody that is not approved for use in any country. The safety and efficacy of adintrevimab have not been established.

About Adagio Therapeutics
Adagio (Nasdaq: ADGI) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of differentiated products for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. The company is developing its lead product candidate, adintrevimab, for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Beyond COVID-19, Adagio is leveraging robust antibody discovery and development capabilities that have enabled expedited advancement of adintrevimab into clinical trials to develop therapeutic or preventative options for other infectious diseases, such as additional coronaviruses and influenza. Adintrevimab is an investigational monoclonal antibody that is not approved for use in any country. The safety and efficacy of adintrevimab have not been established. For more information, please visit www.adagiotx.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “could”, “expects,” “intends,” “potential”, “projects,” and “future” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning, among other things, the timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies and clinical trials of adintrevimab, the review and analysis of data from our ongoing trials and the timing thereof, the initiation, modification and completion of studies or trials and related preparatory work, and our research and development programs; our plans related to engaging with regulatory authorities, including the timing of any regulatory submissions or applications; our pursuit of other strategies to broaden our portfolio of SARS-CoV-2 mAbs to address other SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including the Delta and Omicron variants; our discovery efforts to identify novel broadly neutralizing antibodies that target distinct epitopes both within and outside the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 and other beta coronaviruses; our expected cash runway; and other statements that are not historical fact. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and those of our collaborators, our clinical trials and our financial position, unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical studies or clinical trials, the predictability of clinical success of adintrevimab based on neutralizing activity in pre-clinical studies, variability of results in models used to predict activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that are lower than expected, changes in expected or existing competition, changes in the regulatory environment, and the uncertainties and timing of the regulatory approval process, including the outcome of our discussions with regulatory authorities concerning our Phase 2/3 clinical trials and the result of any emergency use application submission. Other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are described under the heading “Risk Factors” in Adagio’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and in our other filings with the SEC, and in Adagio’s future reports to be filed with the SEC. Such risks may be amplified by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of this date, and Adagio undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Contacts
Media Contact:
Dan Budwick, 1AB
dan@1abmedia.com

Investor Contact:
Monique Allaire, THRUST Strategic Communications
monique@thrustsc.com

ADAGIO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(UNAUDITED)
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

ADAGIO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(UNAUDITED)
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

(1)  Includes related-party amounts of $4,150 for the year ended December 31, 2021 and $595 for the period from June 3, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020.
(2)  Includes related-party amounts of $7,500 for the year ended December 31, 2021 and $39,915 for the period from June 3, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020.

TEMECULA, Calif., March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries’ Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (“Group”), a part of the Nikkiso Co., Ltd (Japan) group of companies, is pleased to announce that Umit Ciftci has been named Regional Business Development Manager for Turkey and the surrounding areas.

Based in Istanbul Turkey, he will be responsible for the Group’s full product line, and will report to Ole Jensen, NCE&IG GmbH Germany.

Umit received a degree in Management Engineering, which provided a solid background in engineering as well as business and finance. He has over 25 years of experience in Compressed Air working at various positions including sales engineer, marketing and business line manager in Turkey and Business Development Manager in UAE for Atlas Copco.

“Umit’s experience, as well as market and industry knowledge will be of great benefit to NCEIG GmbH, as we work to develop the potential opportunities in this market. We look forward to his positive contributions,” according to Ole Jensen, Vice President NCEIG Europe.

With this addition, Nikkiso continues their commitment to be both a global and local presence for their customers.

ABOUT CRYOGENIC INDUSTRIES
Cryogenic Industries, Inc. (now a member of Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) member companies manufacture engineered cryogenic gas processing equipment and small-scale process plants for the liquefied natural gas (LNG), well services and industrial gas industries. Founded over 50 years ago, Cryogenic Industries is the parent company of ACD, Cosmodyne and Cryoquip and a commonly controlled group of approximately 20 operating entities.

For more information please visit www.nikkisoCEIG.com and www.nikkiso.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Anna Quigley
+1.951.383.3314
aquigley@cryoind.com

The Prize’s 44th session awards eminent figures in each of its Arabic Language & Literature and Service to Islam categories

Riyadh, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Two mathematicians and a scientist were among this year’s King Faisal Prize’s seven laureates who received their prizes on 29 March in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for having enriched humanity with key and invaluable achievements and discoveries, and excelled in the fields of Medicine, Science, Arabic Language & Literature, and Serving to Islam.

The Medicine Prize was awarded to Professor David Liu, Richard Merkin Professor and Director of the Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, who invented the first gene “base editor” in 2016.

This technology laid the foundation for possibly treating thousands of genetic diseases like sickle cell disease and muscular dystrophy. Professor David Liu used “base editors” in mice to correct the genetic mutation behind progeria, a rare condition characterized by premature aging, retarded development, and early death. Still, more work needs to be done before gene “base editors” can be used in humans.

Initiating a revolution in genome editing, “base editors” have received great global demand. They were distributed over 9,000 times to more than 3,000 laboratories around the world. Scientists were able to publish more than 300 papers on this technique, used in different organisms ranging from bacteria to mice.

“Base editing” is a precise genome editing method; like a genetic pencil, that rewrites DNA base letters, which cause genetic mutations and potentially genetic diseases. This technology, which is in constant development, chemically rewrites one DNA base to another by rearranging the atoms of one DNA base to resemble a different base. In 2019, Professor David Liu created with his team “prime editing” which offers more targeting flexibility and greater editing precision.

With over 75 issued U.S. patents, Professor Liu was referred to as the “Gene Corrector” by Nature magazine topping its list of “Ten People Who Mattered This Year” in 2017 and was included in the “Foreign Policy Leading Global Thinkers list”. He is also a biotech entrepreneur, cofounding “Editas Medicine”, which uses CRISPR therapies (tool for editing genomes) to “discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize transformative, durable, and precise genomic medicines for a broad class of diseases”.

The Science Prize (Mathematics) was awarded jointly to Professor Martin Hairer, Chair in Probability and Stochastic Analysis at Imperial College’s Department of Mathematics, and to Professor Nader Masmoudi, a distinguished Professor of Mathematics at the New York University of Abu Dhabi and head of his Research Center on Stability, Instability and Turbulence.

Professor Martin Hairer developed the theory of regularity structures which gave a precise mathematical meaning to several equations that were previously outside the scope of mathematical analysis. He published his theory in 2014 providing tools and manuals for solving many previously incomprehensible equations called the stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs). These equations involve chance and describe how randomness throws disorder into different phenomena like coin tossing, stock price changes, wind movement in a tunnel, or forest fire growth. He transformed the area of SPDEs by introducing fundamental new techniques and was able to solve equations like KPZ equation which describes the evolution of the boundary at which two substances meet over time.

Professor Hairer is a world leader in probability theory and analysis and has authored a monograph and over 100 research articles. His work has been distinguished with several prizes and awards, most notably the LMS Whitehead and Philip Leverhulme prizes in 2008, the Fermat prize in 2013, the Fröhlich prize and the Fields Medal in 2014, a knighthood in 2016, and the Breakthrough prize in Mathematics in 2020.

As for Professor Nader Masmoudi, he was able to unlock the mystery around many physics problems which remained unsolved for centuries. He found a flaw in “Euler’s” mathematical equations which for more than two centuries described the motions of fluids under any circumstance. He discovered that Euler’s equations do not apply to all circumstances, as previously thought, and proved that they could break or fail under certain conditions related to fluids. His work helped solve and understand many problems related to fluid-modeling like weather predictions and airplane turbulence.

For the past 20 years, Professor Masmoudi’s research has been at the forefront of Partial Differential Equations, Fluid Mechanics, and Dynamical Systems. He has been cited by more than 8000 papers for his works in pure and applied mathematics. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Best Scientific Paper Award in Annales de l’Institue Henri Poincaré, a Chair from the Fondation Sciences Mathematiques de Paris, The Fermat Prize, and the Chair Schlumberger from the IHES in Paris.

In addition to Medicine and Science, King Faisal Prize recognized this year the achievements of outstanding thinkers and scholars in the field of Arabic Language & Literature, and honored exemplary leaders who played a pivotal role in serving Islam, Muslims, and humanity at large.

The Arabic Language and Literature Prize about “Arabic Literature Studies in English” was awarded to Professor Suzanne Stetkevych, Chair of the Department of Arabic & Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, and to Professor Muhsin Al-Musawi, Professor of Arabic and Comparative Literary Studies at Columbia University.

Professor Suzanne Stetkevych was awarded the prize for her extensive research and work analyzing Arabic literature with unmatched depth from the pre-Islamic period to the revivalist period. Her research approach resulted in the renewal of the critical perspective and methods of studying classical Arabic poetry.

Professor Muhsin Al-Musawi received the prize for being a well-established authority in the field of Arabic literature demonstrating his encyclopedic knowledge in both classical and modern Arabic literature. His research and studies have made great impact on students and researchers in the field of Arabic studies, both in the Arab world and the West. He handled Arabic literature as a world literature.

The Service to Islam Prize was awarded to the former Tanzanian President His Excellency Ali Hassan Mwinyi and to Professor Hassan Mahmoud Al Shafei. His Excellency Ali Hassan Mwinyi actively participated in Islamic advocacy, spreading the spirit of religious tolerance, educating Muslims, and translating many Islamic resources and references into Swahili language. In parallel, Professor Hassan Mahmoud Alshafei served Islamic sciences through teaching, writing, authenticating, and translating, and has contributed to the establishment of the International Islamic University in Islamabad and the development of its colleges’ curricula.

The Islamic Studies Prize for this year on “Islamic Heritage of Al- Andalus” was withheld because the nominated works did not meet the criteria of the prize.

Since 1979, King Faisal Prize in its 5 different categories has awarded 282 laureates from 44 different nationalities who have made distinguished contributions to different sciences and causes. Each prize laureate is endowed with USD 200 thousand; a 24-carat gold medal weighing 200 grams, and a Certificate inscribed with the Laureate’s name and a summary of their work which qualified them for the prize.

Attachments

• King Faisal Prize Award Ceremony 2022
• King Faisal Prize Award Ceremony 2022 

Maysa Shawwa
King Faisal Prize
00966581747005
Maysa.Shawwa@kff.com

Funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for Conagen’s Conamax platform benefits developing countries and patients globally.

Bedford, Mass., March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given a grant to Conagen to support further development of its Conamax(TM) platform for the production of accessible low-cost and high-quality monoclonal antibodies, benefitting developing countries and patients globally.

The high cost of monoclonal antibody (mAb) production makes blockbuster drugs expensive, limiting the markets in which these molecules can be applied and limiting access to large patient populations in developing and industrialized countries. The reason for high production costs is, in part, intrinsic to the use of mammalian cell expression systems for antibody manufacturing.

“The Conamax platform was originally conceived to address this global unmet need, so we are thrilled to have the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help develop affordable antibody therapeutics,” said Casey Lippmeier, Ph.D., vice president of innovation at Conagen.

With rapid cell growth, human-compatible glycan structures, and demonstrated world-scale fermentation bioprocesses, the Conamax platform holds several advantages over Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines and other mammalian expression systems, as well as other microbial platforms.

The foundation grant funds the bench-scale development of a proof-of-concept study of a continuous purification process, customized to inputs from Conamax and potentially other microbial host organisms. With large-scale advancements, Conagen envisions that this process will be capable of continuously purifying mAbs from material generated in bioreactors with volumes greater than 250,000 liters.

As a significant advantage, the process will not require expensive binding proteins or other expensive column purification steps. This process will enable economies of scale which are not accessible to CHO or other mammalian-derived cell systems while also providing rapid, high-throughput purification of large amounts of antibody.

“Incumbent antibody manufacturing and purification processes based on Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines have brought tremendous advancements to biopharmaceuticals,” said Lippmeier. “However, CHO cell systems are comparatively low volume, expensive, and do not enable low cost and efficient purification of large amounts of antibodies.”

According to McKinsey, in 2019, global sales revenue for all mAb drugs was nearly $163 billion, representing about 70% of the total sales for all biopharmaceutical products, approximately $230 billion. That is about a 50% growth in sales and proportion since 2013, when it was $75 billion.

Continued growth in sales of currently approved mAb products, along with more than 1,200 mAb product candidates currently in development — many for multiple indications — will continue to drive the overall sales of all biopharmaceutical products.

“We’re unlocking the way to make drugs more affordable and, while doing so, opening additional markets for biologics,” said Lippmeier.

###

About Conagen
Conagen is a product-focused synthetic biology R&D company with large-scale manufacturing service capabilities. Our scientists and engineers use the latest synthetic biology tools to develop high-quality, sustainable, nature-based products by precision fermentation and enzymatic bioconversion. We focus on the bioproduction of high-value ingredients for food, nutrition, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceutical, and renewable materials industries. www.conagen.com

Attachment

• Conagen’s Grant Award Opens New Markets for Monoclonal Antibodies

Ana Arakelian, head of public relations and communications
Conagen
+1.781.271.1588
ana.arakelian@conagen.com

Environmental perception technology for safer autonomous driving with better detection

QUEBEC CITY, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LeddarTech^®, a global leader in providing the most flexible, robust and accurate ADAS and AD sensing technology, is pleased to announce its participation at Automotive Tech.AD Berlin at the Titanic Chaussee Hotel Berlin as an exhibitor and keynote speaker.

April 4-5, 2022: LeddarTech’s LeddarVision™ Demonstrator Space (live and virtual)

Join the LeddarTech team for real-world demonstrations of LeddarVision. The only sensor fusion and perception software using raw data fusion that simplifies complex sensor sets eliminates the dependency on hardware and provides customers the flexibility to quickly scale solutions across vehicle models, delivering greater ADAS and AD performance.

Meet the CTO of LeddarTech, Pierre Olivier, a pioneer in sensing with over 30 years of experience presenting at these events during the conference:

• Sunday, April 3, 2022, 19:45 – 23:00 CET: Icebreaker Session

Topic: The Road to Full Automation – Progress and Challenges

• Monday, April 4, 2022, 10:00 – 10:30 CET: Presentation

Topic: Sensing and Perception Technology – Solutions That Solve Critical Sensing Challenges

Learn about LeddarVision, a raw-data sensor fusion and perception platform that generates a comprehensive 3D RGBD environmental model with multi-sensor support for camera, radar and LiDAR configurations. This software-centric solution delivers superior perception performance exhibited through path planning, free space detection and enhanced object detection, tracking and classification.

About Automotive Tech.AD Berlin

Tech.AD Europe fuels you with new ideas, connections and inspiration. This event is directed at advanced engineers and automotive experts from OEMs, Tier 1s, automotive suppliers, solution providers and leading research institutes focusing on AI + machine learning, sensor and perception technologies, software architectures and AV platforms, testing and validation, commercial vehicles and early deployment, connectivity and 5G, infrastructures and smart cities, safety and security and more. Join over 500 of the most influential technical autonomous vehicle experts and executives in Berlin and online! Join LeddarTech either in person or digitally by registering today at https://www.autonomous-driving-berlin.com/.

About LeddarTech

Founded in 2007, LeddarTech is a comprehensive end-to-end environmental sensing company that enables customers to solve critical sensing, fusion and perception challenges across the entire value chain. LeddarTech provides cost-effective perception solutions scalable from Level 2+ ADAS to Level 5 full autonomy with LeddarVision™, a raw-data sensor fusion and perception platform that generates a comprehensive 3D environmental model from a variety of sensor types and configurations. LeddarTech also supports LiDAR manufacturers and Tier 1-2 automotive suppliers with key technology building blocks such as LeddarSteer™ digital beam steering and the LiDAR XLRator™, a development solution for automotive-grade solid-state LiDARs based on the LeddarEngine™ and core components from global semiconductor partners. The company is responsible for several innovations in cutting-edge automotive and mobility remote-sensing applications, with over 100 patented technologies (granted or pending) enhancing ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities.

Additional information about LeddarTech is accessible at www.leddartech.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Contact:
Daniel Aitken, Vice-President, Global Marketing, Communications and Investor Relations, LeddarTech Inc.
Tel.: + 1-418-653-9000 ext. 232
daniel.aitken@leddartech.com

Investor Relations contact : InvestorRelations@leddartech.com
https://investors.leddartech.com/

Leddar, LeddarTech, LeddarSteer, LeddarEngine, LeddarVision, LeddarSP, LeddarCore, LeddarEcho, VAYADrive, VayaVision, XLRator and related logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeddarTech Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners.

Multimedia Retailer to Offer PicStorage Cloud Solution to Millions of Customers

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (“Synchronoss” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SNCR), a global leader and innovator in cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, today announced that Kitamura, the leading multimedia retailer in Japan, has launched a white-label version of the Synchronoss Personal Cloud under the name PicStorage.

Kitamura is one of Japan’s leading retailers offering image-related services and products, including cameras, photo printing, video dubbing, photo studio, photo books and more. The retailer has over 1,000 retail locations across the country with over 20 million paying visitors each year and approximately 10 million consumers registered in its online services. Through this integration, Kitamura will be able to provide seamless online and retail experiences with the new PicStorage personal cloud offering.

“In addition to our carrier and service provider partners, Synchronoss is exploring new applications for our cloud platform,” said Yosuke Morioka, General Manager, Synchronoss Japan. “Our collaboration with Kitamura and their launch of PicStorage is just one example of how the Synchronoss Personal Cloud can be leveraged as a value-add service across multiple industries and verticals. “

Kitamura will offer PicStorage as a subscription-based service. It will include a branded app and access to an online portal to store, manage, and share digital content.

“The launch of PicStorage is a perfect extension of our product and services portfolio,” said Hajime Yanagisawa, Chief Digital Officer & Managing Executive Officer, Kitamura. “Now millions of our customers will be able to safeguard their digital content in the cloud and share them with friends and family. PicStorage allows the customer to experience new ways to organize and enjoy their photos and memories. Kitamura will continue to expand this service with photo related services that will enhance the customer experience.”

In addition to Kitamura, Synchronoss has customers in the US, Europe, and Asia, including Verizon, AT&T, Tracfone, Assurant, Allstate Protection Plans, Telkomsel, BT, Proximus and SFR.

About Kitamura
Kitamura is a leading company of photographic and video-related products and services in Japan. The company owns Japan’s largest in-house laboratories (photo and video processing factories) and delivers its services and products via more than 1,000 retail stores nationwide and online. It is the company’s mission to provide services to shape customer memories not only at that moment but also for decades to come, restore photos, and revive precious memories.

About Synchronoss

Synchronoss Technologies (Nasdaq: SNCR) builds software that empowers companies around the world to connect with their subscribers in trusted and meaningful ways. The company’s collection of products helps streamline networks, simplify onboarding, and engage subscribers to unleash new revenue streams, reduce costs and increase speed to market. Hundreds of millions of subscribers trust Synchronoss products to stay in sync with the people, services, and content they love. That’s why more than 1,500 talented Synchronoss employees worldwide strive each day to reimagine a world in sync. Learn more at www.synchronoss.com.

Media Relations Contact:
Domenick Cilea
Springboard
dcilea@springboardpr.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover / Tom Colton
Gateway Group, Inc.
SNCR@gatewayir.com

100,000 times sweeter than table sugar

Bedford, Mass., March 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Food and beverages brands get two more tools for their sugar reduction toolkits as Conagen announced the successful scale-up production of two new high-intensity sweeteners, thaumatin I and thaumatin II. The development will expand commercial partner Sweegen’s robust sugar reduction solutions of zero-sugar natural sweeteners.

Thaumatin is a group of proteins found in the fruits of the tropical plant Thaumatococcus danielli. Each protein, thaumatin I and thaumatin II, varies slightly in sweetness profiles. Both proteins have been evaluated as 100,000 times sweeter than sugar on a molar basis and 3,000 times sweeter on a weight basis. The high sweetness factor can translate into a strategic cost-effective sugar reduction solution for brands seeking to get the most out of a natural sweetener.

The thaumatin proteins were developed from Conagen’s peptide production platform, which had previously been used for the scaled production of another peptide sweetener, brazzein. “Conagen constantly improves its protein and peptide production platforms to generate more exciting new products,” said Casey Lippmeier, vice president of innovation at Conagen. “In this case, the platform has been leveraged to make thaumatin by several innovative approaches, but under a significantly shorter R&D timeline.”

These two new, high-purity thaumatin proteins add to Sweegen’s creative portfolio of sugar reduction solutions to help brands make low-calorie products. Brands can now explore the synergistic benefits of formulations that contain thaumatin and other products from Sweegen’s Signature Sweetener portfolio, including brazzein and stevia. This diversity of natural, high-intensity sweeteners represents the most cost-effective approach for reducing sugar in food and beverages to deliver the best tasting match for the sweetness of sugar.

The desire for natural sweeteners will drive the demand for fruit and plant-based sweeteners, such as thaumatin and stevia, respectively. The main advantages to sweetening food and beverages with thaumatin are its familiarity and acceptance by consumers and the fact that it is approved for use in products by the majority of the countries in the world.

Health-conscious consumers are generally more accepting of natural sweeteners than sugar and artificial sweeteners. According to FMCG Gurus, Top 10 Future Trends 2030, “60% of global consumers currently believe natural sweeteners are healthier alternatives to sugar.” The trend report further stated, “Increasingly, consumers will want only products that contain real and authentic ingredients, and sweeteners will be no exception to the rule. As such, this will drive demand for sweeteners sourced directly from fruits and plants, something that the industry will respond to.”

Like most other proteins, when thaumatin proteins are consumed, they are digested into amino acids.  However, because thaumatin communicates such a strong sweet taste, the levels used in most applications contribute almost no calories. It is one of the most intense sweeteners ever discovered.

Consumers increasingly expect to stock their pantries with low-to-no sugar products with food and beverages that fit into their lifestyle and diets. Thaumatin can complement a number of consumer lifestyles, such as diabetic, ketogenic, or low-to-no carbohydrate diets. These sweet proteins are low on the glycemic index.

“Thaumatin is the second announced product generated from our peptide platform, which fits well into our existing world-scale, precision fermentation infrastructure.” Lippmeier further added, “Peptides and small proteins like brazzein and thaumatin can be very difficult to make economically; however, now that we have successfully scaled multiple peptides and proteins, we are willing to collaborate with other customers to make other novel peptide products.”

Regulatory approval for thaumatin as natural sweeteners has passed in the European Union (E957), Israel, and Japan. In the United States, it is generally recognized as safe as a flavoring agent (FEMA GRAS 3732).

About Conagen
Conagen is a product-focused, synthetic biology R&D company with large-scale manufacturing service capabilities. Our scientists and engineers use the latest synthetic biology tools to develop high-quality, sustainable, nature-based products by precision fermentation and enzymatic bioconversion. We focus on the bioproduction of high-value ingredients for food, nutrition, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceutical, and renewable materials industries. www.conagen.com

Attachment

• Conagen produces two thaumatin protein natural sweeteners at scale 

Ana Arakelian, head of public relations and communications
Conagen
+1.781.271.1588
ana.arakelian@conagen.com

Four-way distribution partnership provides quality, consistent rasH2 supply to India and China, better serving global customers

RENSSELAER, N.Y., March 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Taconic Biosciences, a global leader in providing drug discovery animal model solutions, has appointed Nomura Siam International Co., Ltd. (NSI) and Nomura Jimusho. Inc. (NJI) as sales agents and distributors of the rasH2 Mouse Carcinogenicity Test System in India and China, respectively. These distribution arrangements greatly improve rasH2 access for the burgeoning pharmaceutical industry in the Asia-Pacific region.

The rasH2 transgenic mouse model is the only short-term (6-month) carcinogenicity test system that is both accepted by global regulatory authorities and readily available in commercial production. Invented by the Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA), the rasH2 model is widely used as an alternative to the 2-year carcinogenicity bioassay, providing a faster, more accurate test system that better aligns with Russell & Burch’s 3R tenets. Taconic and CLEA Japan, Inc (CLEA) have provided validated and consistent rasH2 mice for use in North America, Europe, and Asia since 2006, though access in India and China has been limited. As drug discovery and development activity increases in India and China, access to a carcinogenicity assay that is accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as local authorities, is vital.

Under the new agreement, NSI serves as sales agent and distributor for India and NJI as sales agent and distributor for China. These distributors and sales agents greatly simplify the transaction process for users located in these countries. NSI and NJI will leverage CLEA and Taconic production colonies in Japan, Denmark, and the US to meet customer demand, facilitating investigator access. Taconic, CLEA, and CIEA closely monitor these colonies and perform regular functional studies using positive control compounds to assure performance critical for drug safety assessment. The arrangement also allows CLEA and Taconic to align production to meet global demand through improved visibility into rasH2 global use and needs.

“The rasH2 model has delivered on the promise of transgenic technology by demonstrating exceptional value in carcinogenicity assessment of new drugs, and the worldwide adoption of this system is a testament to its advantages in terms of speed, specificity, and total cost,” said Dr. Michael Seiler, vice president commercial products at Taconic.

“This historic collaboration ensures customers in every country have full access to the rasH2 carcinogenicity test system,” said Ryuta Nomura, CIEA chairman of the board and CEO. “This partnership will significantly increase the likelihood that all customers globally receive rasH2 as requested with minimal delay, enabling studies to be performed sooner and ultimately helping to get new life-saving medications on the market faster.”

To learn more about the rasH2 model, please call 1-888-TACONIC (888-822-6642) in the US, +45 70 23 04 05 in Europe, or email info@taconic.com.

About Taconic Biosciences, Inc.

Taconic Biosciences is a fully-licensed, global leader in genetically engineered rodent models and services. Founded in 1952, Taconic provides the best animal solutions so that customers can acquire, custom-generate, breed, precondition, test, and distribute valuable research models worldwide. Specialists in genetically engineered mouse and rat models, microbiome, immuno-oncology mouse models, and integrated model design and breeding services, Taconic operates service laboratories and breeding facilities in the US and Europe, maintains distributor relationships in Asia, and has global shipping capabilities to provide animal models almost anywhere in the world.

About CIEA:

Central Institute for Experimental Animals is a private and independent non-profit institute, founded in 1952 with the aim of contributing to medical care and medical science based on animal experiments.

About CLEA:

CLEA Japan Inc. was founded in 1965 as a total system supplier of laboratory animals, their diet and equipment, to support bioscience research and development with a vision of health, welfare, and environment for humans.

CLEA operates four breeding facilities in Japan, a joint venture facility in Thailand, and Technical Service Center near Mt. Fuji in Japan.

About Nomura Siam International Co. Ltd. (NSI):

Nomura Siam International Co. Ltd., based in Bangkok, Thailand, was jointly established in 2012 by CLEA Japan, Inc. and Nomura Jimusho, Inc. to provide a one-stop service for the laboratory animal field. As a one-stop service supplier, NSI not only sells laboratory animals but also handles a wide range of related products, including equipment for rearing animals and experiments, feeds, and bedding, as well as provides consulting services for preclinical research and designing facilities for laboratory animals.

About Nomura Jimusho. Inc. (NJI):

Established in 1933 for petroleum-related businesses and diversified the activities to deal in products with unique and distinct characteristics in fields such as oil-refining catalysts, special materials, plastic containers, specialty chemicals, and life sciences. In the life sciences field, NJI/NSI have been supplying laboratory animals and various laboratory animal equipment for over a decade to overseas market, such as China, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and recently India in the partnership with Taconic Biosciences, Inc.

Media Contact:

Aidan Bouchelle
Associate Director, Marketing Operations
518-949-7598
Aidan.Bouchelle@taconic.com