SHANGHAI, Dec. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — LABWorld China 2019, hosted by CCCMHPI, UBM EMEA and UBM Sinoexpo, will be held at Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) on June 18-20, 2019. As an industry weather vane, LABWorld China 2019 will focus on R&D, inspection and analysis in the pharmaceutical chemical and biotechnology fields, and set up a bridge of communication between the broad laboratory equipment and analytical instrument manufacturers and pharmaceutical enterprise end-users, together with CPhI & bioLIVE China 2019.

The General Plan of China Food and Drug Administration for Key Laboratories (2018-2020) issued by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) in the first half of 2018 proposed forming a key laboratory system for food and drug regulation that has a reasonable layout, specific tasks, close collaboration, and efficient operation by 2020. Therefore, the market demand for scientific instruments and laboratory equipment in the pharmaceutical field is expected to experience continual, explosive growth.

LABWorld China 2019 will join hands with CPhI & bioLIVE China 2019, to attract over 50,000 professional visitors from the pharmaceutical industry from over 120 countries and regions to join the highly influential laboratory instrument event, and connect over 3,200 upstream and downstream pharmaceutical enterprises.

LABWorld China, a leader in the Asian laboratory instrument exhibitions, has been committed to providing a round-the-clock, one-stop trade platform for the pharmaceutical industry since first launching in 2010. It has received consistent praise from Chinese and overseas well-known enterprises, by depending on the unique advantages of high internationalization, and content that covers the full industrial chain.

P-MEC Layout

Scale of 2019 exhibition to be fully upgraded; Chinese and overseas excellent brands to join the event

The scale of LABWorld China will be fully upgraded in 2019, wherein, international well-known enterprises will be located in Hall N1, and excellent Chinese brands will gather in Hall W5. Hall N1 & Hall W5 is connected by the E2 Entrance Hall, which will not only satisfy different demands of visitors by providing a total solution, but also create a more precise and deeper communication platform for Chinese and overseas instrument brands and promote R&D, inspection and analytical technique development of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology field.

Site of LABWorld China 2018; LABWorld China 2018

To explore and create unlimited business opportunities through diverse supporting conferences and activities

LABWorld China successfully held several conferences and activities in 2018, such as Drug Safety and Quality Management Forum, Hot Topic Discussion on Pharm Lab and Supply Chain, Microbe and Medium Risk Detection and Quality Control Forum, and InnoLAB Salon. Those conferences and activities focused on hot topics and the latest policies of the industry and provided a first-class platform for pharmaceutical R&D and QA/QC personnel, and laboratory peers to share knowledge, expand connections, and establish cooperation. The 2019 exhibition will create more diversified topic contents and build brand-new participation and visiting experiences for exhibitors and buyers.

High Level of Participation in the Thematic Forum and Salon of LABWorld China 2018; Rave Reviews on the Salon of LabWorld China 2018

LABWorld China 2019
June 18-20, 2019 | Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC)
http://en.pmecchina.com/

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181130/2314127-1-a
Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181130/2314127-1-b
Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181130/2314127-1-c

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ —  Korean-American med-tech company NEOFECT officially began trading on the KOSDAQ, securing more than $17 million in funding. NEOFECT, a member company of the K-ICT Born2Global Centre, which makes gamified rehabilitation solutions to help stroke survivors and individuals with spinal cord injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, or neurological conditions, had been valued at more than $114 million. As of market close in Korea, shares were being traded at $6.83.

The Korean IPO will propel NEOFECT’s U.S. operations, enabling the company to further expand its footprint in the U.S. and help more people with neurological and musculoskeletal injuries recover and improve their quality of life.

“The IPO will escalate manufacturing activities and expedite our software development roadmap, including our proprietary AI-based algorithms, so we can better meet the demands of an aging population increasingly at risk for stroke and dementia,” says Scott Kim, co-founder and CEO of NEOFECT USA. “At the same time, it will enable us to ramp up our marketing efforts in the United States, which is the biggest market for our business.”

Over the past 18 months, NEOFECT expanded its direct-to-consumer market and has supported more than 700 consumers using its at-home solutions.

NEOFECT’s line of artificial intelligence and VR-like rehabilitation solutions, including its flagship product, the RAPAEL Smart Glove for Home, is used worldwide by individual patients and clinical partners, like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, NewYork-Presbyterian, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, and Barrow Neurological Institute. The company recently branched out from rehabilitation solutions with the development of the NeoMano, a robotic glove that helps people with hand paralysis operate more independently. 

Published studies in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science and the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, research conducted by Stanford and presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual event, and studies conducted by the National Rehabilitation Center in Korea demonstrate the efficacy of NEOFECT’s award-winning solutions.

For more detailed information on NEOFECT, visit https://home.neofect.com

About NEOFECT

Med-tech startup NEOFECT (https://home.neofect.com) helps stroke survivors and people with spinal cord injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, or neurological conditions regain independence and live fuller, more active lives. Its game-based rehabilitation solutions deliver more engaging, quantifiable therapy to improve cognitive, hand, and upper arm function, while its robotic orthosis creates an artificial grip to increase hand mobility.

About K-ICT Born2Global Centre

K-ICT Born2Global Centre (www.born2global.com) is a full-cycle service platform for global expansion. Since inception in 2013, Born2Global has been setting the standard for successful startup ecosystem as the main Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Born2Global has expanded and transformed startups to be engaged, equipped and be connected with the global market.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neofect-usa-to-benefit-from-korean-ipo-debut-300757511.html

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, Nov. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — NeoGraft®, an innovative global leader in precision FUE hair restoration technology, announces the launch of a new on-demand hair transplant technician scheduling app for their physician partners.

NeoGraft_NeoGraft__Launches_New_On_Demand_Hair_Transplant_Techni

The NeoGrafters™ app for physicians is now available on Google Play and the App Store and was designed to help simplify and streamline the technician scheduling process for partners offering NeoGraft® follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant services.

“On-demand services are becoming increasingly popular, so we looked for ways to improve our technician scheduling process for our physician partners,” said David Bays, Vice President of Business Development for Venus Concept, Ltd., the parent company for NeoGraft®. “Our new app will allow our NeoGraft® physicians to create a booking request, choose their preferred technicians based on availability, review all estimated charges, and submit right from their phones. Once the procedures are completed, the physician can then review the final details, including graft counts, provide an in-app signature, and pay their balance via credit card,” Bays continued.

In addition to streamlining scheduling processes, NeoGraft® has enhanced their technician and nurse recruitment and training programs. “Our recruiting process is very selective and on average, our hair transplant professionals have a minimum of 10 years of experience,” said Stephani Boyd, Director of the NeoGrafters™ program. “We closely monitor each member of our team to ensure high standards are being maintained and require all to successfully complete a yearly recertification review. Working under the direct supervision of the practice physician, our experienced NeoGrafters™ professionals are there to ensure patient safety is maintained and best possible procedure outcomes are achieved,” Boyd continued.

For more information on NeoGrafters™ or to download the app, please visit www.neografters.com.

About NeoGraft®
Eight years ago, NeoGraft® launched its automated follicular unit extraction (FUE) system in North America. Today, NeoGraft® is considered one of the most trusted hair restoration brands in the world and collaborates with top aesthetic surgeons. By combining next-generation, minimally-invasive surgical techniques with decades of data, the company designed NeoGraft® 2.0 to be more than just a device – it is engineered to allow NeoGraft® to be true partners with physicians. Wireless connectivity enables remote access for diagnostics, maintenance, automatic upgrades, and procedural data. The touchpad operates like your favorite tablet, and software communicates with the hand tools to provide real-time extract and implant graft counts. Today, NeoGraft® boasts over a 90% patient satisfaction rating on the world’s leading independent consumer website, RealSelf. For more information, please visit www.neograft.com.

About Venus Concept®
Venus Concept is a leading global medical technology company that develops, commercializes, and delivers safe, efficacious, and easy-to-use aesthetic technologies and related practice enhancement services in a unique, industry-disruptive subscription-based business model. Venus Concept’s devices have been designed in cost-effective and proprietary ways that enable the company to expand beyond the aesthetic industry’s traditional markets of dermatology and plastic surgery, and into non-traditional markets—such as family practice, general practice, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and medical spas. Approximately 70 percent of its devices are sold in non-traditional markets. The company has expanded its subscription platform and is now selling its devices in over 60 countries, including 27 with direct offices. Venus Concept now has over 400 global employees whose customer-centric approach has supported the company’s rapid growth. For more information, please visit www.venusconcept.com.

For further information: David Bays, Phone: (888) 907-0115 ext. 134, Email: dbays@venusconcept.com  

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/790122/NeoGraft_NeoGraft__Launches_New_On_Demand_Hair_Transplant_Techni.jpg

UDINE, Italy, Nov. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — LimaCorporate is pleased to announce the launch of the SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid, the latest addition to the SMR Shoulder System.

The SMR Shoulder System is a total shoulder replacement designed to provide surgeons a wide range of options to address the different patients’ pathologies. There have been over 150,000 implants performed worldwide.

SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid is the first glenoid component with hybrid fixation convertible from anatomic to reverse. Being part of the SMR Shoulder System, SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid has been designed to provide an innovative solution for glenoid replacement allowing for proper soft tissues management thanks to an optimal range of sizes, mismatch options, and a reliable fixation supported by a combination of polyethylene and Trabecular Titanium, LimaCorporate’s proprietary 3D printed technology.

After a limited release phase, the SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid has been launched in the USA and New Zealand. SMR TT Hybrid Glenoid has also received the CE mark and will be officially launched next year in February during the Paris Shoulder Course.

This important accomplishment has been reached thanks to the contribution of a panel of experienced shoulder surgeons coming from all over the world.

This year, the SMR Shoulder System has been awarded by the Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel (ODEP) in the UK, two ratings (ODEP ratings can be found on odep.org.uk) a 10A rating for the SMR Reverse with Uncemented Fixation (Metal Glenosphere / Polyethylene Liner Combination), making it the only Reverse with a 10A rating available on the market and a 5A ODEP Rating – SMR Reverse HP with Uncemented Fixation (Polyethylene Glenosphere / Metal Liner Combination).

“We are very excited about the introduction of this innovative device on the market, which allows LimaCorporate to further complete the Shoulder portfolio, keeping its outstanding clinical heritage and approaching a new fixation philosophy,” said Luigi Ferrari, CEO of LimaCorporate.

About LimaCorporate 

LimaCorporate is a global medical device company providing reconstructive and custom-made Orthopaedic solutions to surgeons who face the challenges of improving the quality of life of their patients. Based in Italy, LimaCorporate is committed to the development of innovative products and procedures to enable surgeons to select ideal solution for every individual patient. LimaCorporate’s product range includes large joint revision and primary implants and complete extremities solutions including fixation.

For additional information on the Company, please visit: limacorporate.com

Limacorporate S.p.A.
Via Nazionale, 52
33038 Villanova di San Daniele del Friuli
Udine – Italy
T: +39-0432-945511
E: info@limacorporate.com

Source: Limacorporate S.p.A.

CHICAGO, Nov. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Huiyihuiying, a Chinese hi-tech company that uses big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and radiomics to help radiologists improve diagnostic efficiency and accuracy, announced on November 26 at the Radiological Society of North America’s Annual Meeting (RSNA 2018) the release of two full-cycle AI products worldwide. “Breast Cancer Artificial Intelligence Full Cycle Health Management Platform” and “AORTIST2.0 Aorta Artificial Intelligence Cloud Platform” are different from other AI products in that they extend AI from screening to treatment support and prognosis prediction.

“AORTIST2.0 Aorta Artificial Intelligence Cloud Platform” is a smart stent placement solution for type B aortic dissection, jointly developed by the Chinese PLA General Hospital and Huiyihuiying. According to Guo Wei, Director of Vascular Surgery of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, this is the first automatic segmentation method for type B aortic dissection artificial intelligence on a global scale. The other product, “Breast Cancer Artificial Intelligence Full Cycle Health Management Platform“, is dedicated to providing breast cancer artificial intelligence full-cycle medical treatment solutions, with comprehensive data of mammography, nuclear magnetic and pathology, to quantify diagnosis results. When combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the platform reduces tumor clinical stage tumors, improves the rate of breast-conservation and the success rate of breast-conservation surgery. In addition, combined with radioomics, accurate prognosis prediction and personalized follow-up plans can be achieved.

“Some of the operations performed in many top hospitals are prosthetic operations, and the proportion of postoperative recurrence is high. To cure this complex disease, prognosis prediction and follow-up management are equally important. Our goal is to design a product that covers the entire medical cycle of patients, from prevention and screening, diagnosis and treatment, prognosis prediction and follow-up management. In addition to improving surgical accuracy, the AORTIST system integrates the radiomics cloud platform we developed, embedding the prognostic prediction model, which determines whether postoperatively adverse events will occur in type B dissection patients,” said Chai Xiangfei, founder and CEO of Huiyihuiying.

“In addition, our big data intelligent analysis platform based on radiomics collected more than 500 different projects from different hospitals. Currently, there is a lot of well-labeled image data, combined with massive clinical data, test data and pathological data, constructing a full data center. This is the basis for real-time artificial intelligence medical treatment,” Chai Xiangfei said.

“Patient-centric, data-driven” are the two developing concepts from Huiyihuiying that coincide with the spirit of the RSNA 2018 annual meeting. In the keynote address of “How Emerging Technology Will Empower Tomorrow’s Radiologists to Provide Better Patient Care“, the chairman of RSNA 2018, Vijay M. Rao said that the benefits of future AI and machine learning methods for radiology will be enormous, and these technologies will make radiologists’ work more efficient, allowing more time to be transferred to the patients’ care. Technological innovation will enable imaging technology to move toward “faster, safer, quantitative, precise and affordable”. With important imaging files, clinical information, genetic characteristics and risk factors on the information hub, it will greatly help patients achieve individualized treatment .

Huiyihuiying also launched a new product at RSNA: intelligent screening of tuberculosis, which can be screened via X-ray to detect whether patients have tuberculosis. In combination with CT analysis, location and shape of tuberculosis texture can be quantified. Radiologists and clinicians can make a diagnosis and treatment plan based on these features.

Previously, Huiyihuiying signed a commercial cooperation agreement with Nuance, the world’s largest professional R&D and sales company for speech recognition software, and the back supporter of Apple Siri’s voice recognition technology. The four mature AI algorithms of Huiyihuiying have been successfully launched on Nuance’s AI algorithm store platform. Huiyihuiying and Nuance attended RSNA 2018 together to further introduce the products.

Recently, Huiyihuiying’s AI products have received investment from Intel and Core Kinetic Energy. The products include lung nodule screening, bone fracture screening, chest X-ray screening, and tuberculosis screening, as well as two full-cycle products. They have been utilized in more than 800 hospitals in China, and there applications are in use in more than 50 hospitals in Japan, the United States, Kazakhstan, and Brazil.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huiyihuiyings-full-cycle-medical-ai-products-makes-their-debut-at-rsna-2018-300758125.html

Investment Will Accelerate Growth and Solidify Company’s Leadership in China’s Premium Fitness Sector

SINGAPORE and GREENWICH, Connecticut, Nov. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — L Catterton Asia, the Asian unit of the largest and most global consumer-focused private equity firm in the world, today announced a significant investment in Will’s Group (the “Company”), China’s leading provider of membership-based fitness facilities and services. L Catterton will partner with the existing management team and further its mission of building China’s leading premium fitness lifestyle brand. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in Shanghai in 1996, Will’s Group currently operates more than 130 fitness clubs serving nearly 400,000 members in 12 Chinese cities. With three distinct club brands, Will’s Group is the market leader in the Chinese fitness industry and is redefining the fast-growing premium fitness and wellness segment. The Company provides a complete and integrated offering, including general fitness space, group classes, personal training, body-building, swimming, yoga, spa and nutrition planning.

China is experiencing an unprecedented surge in enthusiasm for both competitive and recreational sports and its citizens are devoting an increased proportion of their time and spending on personal health and wellness. As a result, Chinese consumers are seeking more customized, flexible, convenient, service-oriented, and professional fitness centers that offer a variety of athletic and mindfulness activities. The strong appeal of the Will’s Group brand to health-conscious, young and affluent urban consumers strategically positions it as the leading lifestyle brand to provide the “fourth living space” for its customers, alongside office, home and social environments.

L Catterton Asia’s investment will accelerate the Company’s growth in China. Strategic priorities include expanding Will’s Group’s premium fitness lifestyle offerings in both major and secondary cities, recruiting additional fitness operation executives and offering staff training to support its world-class standards of service. The Company will benefit from L Catterton’s deep expertise in the fitness and wellness segment and will be fully supported by the industry resources, integration capabilities and international reach of L Catterton, including the firm’s strategic relationship with LVMH. Will’s Group will also have the opportunity to leverage and partner with companies in the L Catterton network to bring high-end lifestyle brands such as athleisure clothing, equipment and health products to Will’s Group customers across China.

L Catterton Asia Chairman and Managing Partner Ravi Thakran, stated, “The fitness industry is experiencing rapid growth in China. When Will’s Group was founded in 1996, only three marathon races were held across the country – last year, five million runners participated in over 1,100 marathons. With this phenomenal increase in sport and health activities, we see tremendous upside in China’s fitness industry. With Will’s Group’s expertise in fitness as a lifestyle, along with a growing member base and its strong relationships with real estate developers in prime locations, the Company is positioned to build the most prominent premium fitness brand in China. This is an unparalleled opportunity for Will’s Group to lead the industry as it responds to the needs of China’s health-conscious consumers.”

Will Wang, Founder of Will’s Group, commented, “We are proud of Will’s Group’s success as a pioneer in the fitness sector and are delighted to partner with L Catterton as we further scale up our services as China’s most successful fitness lifestyle brand. I am confident our partnership with L Catterton will enrich our members’ fitness experience, deliver operational efficiencies and offer exciting opportunities to our employees. L Catterton’s deep experience in building some of the world’s most successful health and fitness lifestyle brands, including Equinox, CorePower Yoga and Peloton will be invaluable as Will’s Group enters its next phase of growth.”

L Catterton actively invests in health and fitness brands globally, such as Equinox, CorePower Yoga, Peloton, 2XU, Pure Barre, Sweaty Betty, and ClassPass. In the Asia region, other notable investments include Pepe Jeans, OWNDAYS, Gentle Monster, YG Entertainment, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality.

About L Catterton Asia
With over $15 billion of equity capital across six fund strategies in 17 offices globally, L Catterton is the largest and most global consumer-focused private equity firm in the world. L Catterton’s team of more than 160 investment and operating professionals partners with management teams around the world to implement strategic plans to foster growth, leveraging deep category insight, operational excellence, and a broad thought partnership network. Since 1989, the firm has made over 200 investments in leading consumer brands. L Catterton was formed through the partnership of Catterton, LVMH and Groupe Arnault. For more information about L Catterton, please visit lcatterton.com.

Launched in 2009, L Catterton Asia (previously known as L Capital Asia) is the Asian franchise of L Catterton, the world’s leading consumer growth investor. It has offices in Singapore and Mauritius, with further regional advisory presence in Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai and Sydney. L Catterton Asia invests in select consumer lifestyle businesses that will benefit from growing discretionary consumption in Asian markets. L Catterton Asia leverages its strategic relationship with LVMH and Groupe Arnault across the entire investment process, from proprietary deal origination and industry-specific due diligence to post-investment operational value-add to its portfolio companies. L Catterton Asia’s investments in China include Trendy International, Marubi, Xin Hee Co. Limited, Sasseur and Secoo, Asia’s largest online integrated upscale products and services platform.

About Will’s Group
Founded in Shanghai in 1996, Will’s Group currently operates more than 130 fitness clubs servicing nearly 400,000 members in 12 Chinese cities. Covering a diverse range of consumer’s needs, Will’s Group currently operates under three distinct brands in regular, premium and VIP club categories. The Company provides an integrated selection of services, including general fitness space, group classes, personal training, body building, swimming, yoga, spa and nutrition planning. Will’s Group is the clear leader in the Chinese fitness industry and a first mover in the fast-growing premium fitness segment.

L Catterton Contact
Andi Rose / Andrew Squire
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
+1 212-355-4449

L Catterton Asia Contact
Joanna Donne
Brunswick
+65 6426 8188
LCATTERTONASIA@brunswickgroup.com 

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/791805/l_catterton.jpg 
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/791803/Will_s.jpg

• The Scrip Awards are the leading global awards for the pharmaceutical sector and recognize excellence and responsibility.
• Mr. Singh’s win further enhances Mundipharma’s status as a global healthcare leader

SINGAPORE, Nov. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Mundipharma CEO, Raman Singh, has won Executive of the Year — For Small Cap & Private Pharma Companies at the annual Scrip Awards, which were held in London on 28 November.

The pre-eminent global healthcare awards recognise and celebrate responsible people and companies in the pharmaceutical industry that help improve healthcare for people around the world.

With Mr Singh at the helm, Mundipharma has become a global leader in developing medical solutions that have improved the quality of life for millions of people around the world, and achieved extraordinary growth, which has enabled the organisation to touch the lives of an ever-increasing number of patients and their families.

In relentlessly pursuing this objective, Mr. Singh has, this year alone, been recognised for his work numerous times. As well as the Scrip award, he has won: CEO of the Year 2018 — Influential Brands; Executive of the Year, Pharmaceuticals, 2018 — SBR; Top 100 Global CEOs 2018 — CEO Magazine; and been named the 3rd Most Powerful Person in Healthcare 2018 — Medicine Maker.

Acknowledging the latest accolade, Mr. Singh said, “I am humbled and delighted on behalf of Mundipharma to win this award — it’s a reflection of the quality of our people and their exceptional hard work.”

“Success in business requires building high-performing, ambitious teams and I’m privileged to lead a fantastic group of people. It’s nice to be recognized in so many ways, but what drives everybody at Mundipharma is the number-one value underpinning our culture — putting people and patients at the heart of everything we do. For me winning this award is a testament to the culture we’ve created and the people who embody it,” he said.

“We’re also well aware of, and motivated by, the many serious healthcare challenges the world faces and will continue our hard work to develop new and innovative solutions and strategies to combat them,” added Mr Singh.

About Mundipharma

Mundipharma is a network of independent associated companies which are privately owned entities. Mundipharma is a prime example of an organization that consistently delivers high-quality medicines while standing by the values it represents. Its mission is to alleviate the suffering of patients and to substantially improve their quality of life. Mundipharma is dedicated to bringing to patients the benefit of novel treatment options in fields such as pain, oncology, oncology supportive care, ophthalmology, respiratory disease and consumer healthcare.

For more information please visit: www.mundipharma.com.sg

Logo – http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150302/8521501264LOGO

CHICAGO, Nov. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — As the leader in healthcare with AI technology and the only company in China with a full range of AI based medical solutions and products, YITU healthcare released two brand new products, Intelligent Diagnostic and Treatment Platform for Cancer Screening and CARE.AI^TM Intelligent 4D Imaging System for Chest CT, at the annual meeting of Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), which is widely acknowledged as the wind vane of the global radiology community.

In particular, CARE.AI^TM Intelligent 4D Imaging System for Chest CT is the first AI system in the world to break through detection of pulmonary nodules and realize the real-time imaging of a wide variety of other lesions. Together with other cancer screening solutions, it will greatly reduce the workload of radiologists, become a clinical assistant to radiologists, and provide the possibility for large-scale early cancer screening worldwide.

This comes amidst a backdrop of the latest Annual World Cancer Report, released by the WHO on November 3, 2018. This year alone, it is expected that there will be 18.1 million new cancer cases and 9.6 million cancer deaths worldwide. The incidence of lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, gastric cancer, and other cancers is still growing rapidly and show no sign of slowing down.

AI is China’s powerful tool in the quest to improve public health on a large scale

China’s medical AI has developed rapidly over a short period of time, but most companies focus on detection of pulmonary nodules, which only account for about 50% of lung lesions in a chest CT. Professor Zhengyu Jin, Chairman of Chinese Society of Radiology, said that products that can only detect lung nodules are not assistants to radiologists, as the complete clinical diagnosis process for chest CT imaging has to include other types of lesions such as patchy shadow, stripe shadow and cystic shadow.  

CARE.AI^TM Intelligent 4D Imaging System for Chest CT, the world’s first product that can perform imaging based diagnosis for all the type of lesions mentioned above, is a centralized display of the scientific research achievements made by YITU Healthcare in recent years, and can provide information sign analysis and diagnosis to achieve efficacy prediction and evaluation.

Referring to this product, Professor Jin said this system basically realizes the full-dimensional detection of lesions for chest CT imaging, improves the functions of medical AI and promotes its application in clinical practice.

In addition to CARE.AI^TM Intelligent 4D Imaging System for Chest CT, Intelligent Diagnostic and Treatment Platform for Cancer Screening, covering multiple cancers, was also released at the same time. This platform relies on YITU Healthcare’s disease-centered massive multimodal medical data to provide doctors with imaging detection, lesion analysis, clinical decision-making assistance, patient management and other services.

For a long time, it has been difficult to widely promote large-scale early screening of diseases, especially cancer screening, restricted by the availability of limited high-quality medical resources. The emergence of high-level medical AI makes it possible for AI systems to assist doctors becoming providers of medical services to a certain extent and provides the possibility for large-scale early screening of tumors.

According to Dr. Cathy Fang, Vice President of YITU Healthcare, a large-scale cancer screening program named “AI Map for Cancer Screening” has been launched in China. At present, the program covers 19 provinces and autonomous regions in China and coverage is still increasing. The preliminary screening results from a collaboration project between YITU Healthcare and the 2^nd Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University identified 10 cases of lung cancers out of over 1,300 high-risk people, including 9 early cancer patients, all of whom have been verified by pathological testing and are in a state of recovery after prompt treatment. This is the world’s first time to use AI solutions on cancer screening on a large population.

“Medical AI products with advanced and reliable performance, which meet clinical needs and can be quickly replicated, are great creations in human history, and China is making rapid progress in this field,” said Dr. Fang. “YITU’s series of AI products have been widely applied in more than 200 Grade-A tertiary hospitals throughout China and cover the regional medical centers at the municipal and county levels in numerous provinces and cities. We look forward to bringing advanced AI products to all parts of the world and working towards promoting the improvement of human health care level.”

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yitu-releases-the-worlds-first-ai-based-cancer-screening-solutions-at-the-2018-rsna-annual-meeting-300757463.html

SHANGHAI, Nov. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — TRACON Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: TCON), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel targeted therapeutics for cancer, and I-Mab Biopharma (“I-Mab”), a China-based clinical stage biopharmaceutical company exclusively focused on the development of innovative biologics in immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases, today jointly announced the establishment of a series of strategic collaborative partnerships for developing multiple immuno-oncology programs, including I-Mab’s proprietary CD73 antibody TJD5, a novel immuno-oncology asset with best-in-class potential from I-Mab’s broad immuno-oncology portfolio, as well as several proprietary bispecific antibodies (“BsAbs”) under development by I-Mab.

TRACON and I-Mab entered into a cost-sharing product development collaboration whereby TRACON will be responsible for the regulatory and clinical development of TJD5 and up to five of the BsAbs in North America, with the majority of the development effort expected to occur in the U.S. TRACON will bear the costs of early phases of clinical trials and I-Mab will share the costs for more advanced development stages and commercialization. TRACON will also share the North America rights of any selected BsAbs with I-Mab for each collaborative program, with opt-in rights to in-license the BsAbs from I-Mab in certain territories.

“There is a great strategic fit between the two companies. We have complementary development capabilities and share a passion for science. We are pleased to work with TRACON to facilitate clinical development of TJD5 and any selected BsAbs in North America through a capital efficient partnership,” said Jingwu Zang, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of I-Mab. “This partnership recognizes and values the potential of our innovative assets and strong drug discovery and development capabilities.”  “Partnering with TRACON is an important part of our global development strategy to bring innovative biologics to patients worldwide. It further strengthens our presence in North America following the establishment of our US office and is the latest addition to our growing global partnerships spanning from drug candidates to clinical assets,” Zang added.

“We are excited to enter into this broad strategic transaction with I-Mab, an innovative biologics company with a broad pipeline of immuno-oncology assets with great potential to impact the treatment of cancer patients. We are particularly impressed with the similarities in corporate cultures between I-Mab and TRACON.” said Charles Theuer, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of TRACON. “This agreement expands TRACON’s portfolio of potential first-in-class and best-in-class immuno-oncology therapies and further validates TRACON’s product development solution for companies looking to develop innovative products in the U.S. In particular, we believe our existing in-house drug development expertise can reduce both the cost and time of clinical development for our partners and, when combined with our willingness to cost share, this can be an attractive development option. Given TRACON’s ability to expand our development capacity for additional products, we expect to continue leveraging our platform.”

About  TJD5

TJD5 is a novel, humanized antibody against CD73, an ecto-enzyme expressed on stromal cells and tumors that converts extracellular adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to adenosine, which is highly immunosuppressive.   TJD5 is currently completing IND-enabling studies and is expected to begin clinical testing in the U.S. in the first half of 2019 in a trial to assess safety and preliminary efficacy as a single agent and when combined with PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced solid tumors.

About TRACON

TRACON develops targeted therapies for cancer and ophthalmic diseases. The Company’s clinical-stage pipeline includes: TRC105, an endoglin antibody that is being developed for the treatment of multiple cancers; DE-122, the ophthalmic formulation of TRC105 that is being developed in wet AMD by corporate partner Santen Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.; TRC102, a small molecule being developed for the treatment of lung cancer and solid tumors; and TRC253, a small molecule being developed for the treatment of prostate cancer. To learn more about TRACON and its product candidates, visit TRACON’s website at www.traconpharma.com.

About I-Mab

I-Mab is a dynamic and fast-growing global company exclusively focused on developing first-in-class and best-in-class biologics in the areas of immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases through internal R&D capabilities and global partnerships. I-Mab’s pipeline is driven by the company’s development strategy to address unmet needs in China and to bring innovative assets to the world. The company is prepared to submit additional INDs in order to initiate clinical trials in China and the U.S., including multiple Phase II and Phase III studies. I-Mab is on a fast track towards becoming an end-to-end fully integrated biopharma company. The company has been well-recognized by capital markets with the recent $220 million Series C financing representing one of the largest amounts ever raised by an innovative biotech company in China. www.i-mabbiopharma.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward‐looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding TRACON’s and I-Mab’s plans to further develop product candidates, potential benefits of the collaborations between TRACON and I-Mab, expectations regarding the timing of regulatory submissions and clinical trials, potential payments and activities under the collaboration with I-Mab, expected development milestones, TRACON’s plans to leverage its product development platform and potential benefits derived from the platform, and potential utility of TRACON’s product candidates. Risks that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward‐looking statements include: risks associated with clinical development; whether TRACON or others will be able to complete or initiate clinical trials on TRACON’s expected timelines, if at all; the fact that future preclinical studies and clinical trials may not be successful or otherwise consistent with results from prior studies; the fact that TRACON’s collaboration agreements are subject to early termination; whether any BsAbs are selected to be developed under TRACON’s and I-Mab’s collaboration, potential changes in regulatory requirements in the United States and foreign countries; TRACON’s reliance on third parties for the development of its product candidates, including the conduct of its clinical trials and manufacture of its product candidates; whether TRACON will be able to obtain additional financing; and other risks described in TRACON’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the heading “Risk Factors”. All forward‐looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. TRACON undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tracon-pharmaceuticals-and-i-mab-biopharma-announce-strategic-partnerships-for-multiple-immuno-oncology-programs-300757481.html