New, improved educational website realized with global member feedback

BOTHELL, Washington, Oct. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc., specialists in developing cutting-edge, point-of-care ultrasound solutions, today announced the launch of its redesigned SonoSite Institute, a comprehensive online educational resource dedicated to empowering and educating healthcare providers about point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Based on the feedback of current global users, the enhanced website now features an improved user experience, easier to locate content, and reconfigured learning paths.

“We’re proud to introduce this latest version of SonoSite Institute which is based on extensive user input and was carefully redeveloped with the goal of helping healthcare providers advance their point-of-care ultrasound expertise across specialties to improve patient care,” said Rich Fabian, President and Chief Operating Officer of FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. “FUJIFILM SonoSite has long been committed to education for clinicians as well as sonographers. It is gratifying to hear from our users that the SonoSite Institute increases their confidence in performing both diagnostic and procedural POCUS applications.” 

Originally launched in November 2015, SonoSite Institute is a content-rich, web-based resource available on any internet-enabled device—phone, tablet or PC—allowing users to learn and study whenever and wherever is convenient for them. Self-paced, users learn at the speed that works best for them to gain the confidence required to use POCUS in everyday practice while also branching out and becoming proficient in a variety of specialties.

New and enhanced features include an intuitive platform that allows users to quickly search for specific POCUS applications including case studies, webinars, clinical images, videos and more—across a wide array of specialties. The redesigned learning paths include courses that allow users to rate their base knowledge and track progress with built-in evaluation benchmarks as well as print out certificates upon successful completion of each course. In addition, users will find fresh specialty-specific content created by POCUS practitioners including deep dives into topics such as central line management and eFAST exams, as well as trending applications like perioperative, TEE, and nerve blocks for opioid avoidance. Finally, SonoSite Institute also offers reimbursement guides for coding and billing procedures in the U.S.

“For healthcare providers who don’t typically use ultrasound on a daily basis, suddenly using it at the point of care can feel intimidating,” said Diku Mandavia, MD, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer of FUJIFILM SonoSite. “But we’re confident that healthcare providers can master point-of-care ultrasound if armed with the right tools and mindset. That’s why SonoSite provides thousands of hours of online POCUS content to millions of viewers, and why we host hundreds of educational workshops every year; over the past 20 years we’ve seen the positive difference that healthcare providers trained in POCUS can make in the lives of patients. Increasing the number of improved patient outcomes is our main goal, and education is the conduit that can make that happen.” 

SonoSite Institute is available exclusively to SonoSite customers and is included with all system purchases. Customers can register with a SonoSite ultrasound serial number. To learn more, please visit https://www.sonosite.com/education/sonosite-institute.   

About Fujifilm
FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. is the innovator and world leader in bedside and point-of-care ultrasound, and an industry leader in ultra high-frequency micro-ultrasound technology. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by a global distribution network in over 100 countries. SonoSite’s portable, compact systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high-performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. For more information, please visit www.sonosite.com.

FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation in Tokyo, Japan, brings innovative solutions to a broad range of global industries by leveraging its depth of knowledge and fundamental technologies derived from photographic film. Its proprietary core technologies contribute to the fields of healthcare, graphic systems, highly functional materials, optical devices, digital imaging and document products. These products and services are based on its extensive portfolio of chemical, mechanical, optical, electronic and imaging technologies. For the year ended March 31, 2018, the company had global revenues of $23.0 billion, at an exchange rate of 106 yen to the dollar. Fujifilm is committed to responsible environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmholdings.com.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/656583/FUJIFILM_VisualSonics_Logo.jpg

Source: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc.

BERKELEY, California, Oct. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Young Century Micro Tech, Inc. has announced the availability of its new microwave power equalizing technology (MPET), with applications in energy, lumber, agriculture, medical, and home-appliance industries. The technology’s various applications support green practices and greater energy efficiency.

The new technology produces a uniform distribution of microwave radiation, resulting in more effective use in current and new applications. MPET’s uses in the energy sector, for example, include “clean coal.” Properly dried coal burns more efficiently and produces lower levels of environmental pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, mercury, and carboxylic acid, thereby reducing energy costs.

In the lumber industry, MPET can achieve faster drying of lumber and more effective compression of wood. Lumber and timber has traditionally been air dried. MPET helps expedite the drying process, thereby shortening the production-sales cycle and increasing profitability. The technology also enables a more effective way to dry sawdust for companies producing compressed wood panels, which are in high demand due to the current strong housing market.

Agricultural applications include soil sterilization, which eliminates nematodes, parasites that attack root structures in crops, and faster, less energy-intensive drying of fruits and nuts.

MPET can be used by hospitals and other medical facilities for sterilizing bio waste, greatly reducing the costs of medical-waste disposal. Specialized equipment can be placed onsite at medical facilities, including as a contracted service provided by independent vendors.

The new technology also has applications in home and commercial microwave ovens, to heat food more quickly and uniformly than conventional microwave appliances. MPET produces no sparking when metal objects are exposed to microwave radiation, unlike conventional microwave-oven technology.

MPET sterilization and drying systems are eco-friendly, using no harmful chemicals or gases of any kind. The technology was developed in South Korea by Young Century Micro Tech, Inc., which is currently seeking development partners for these and other applications.

CONTACT:
Young Century Micro Tech, Inc.
888-719-6105
info@youngcenturymicrotech.com 

Source: Young Century Micro Tech, Inc.

Tan will lead the positioning of Cerecin’s pipeline of highly innovative neurotherapeutics

SINGAPORE, Oct. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Brain health-focused pharmaceutical company Cerecin, today announced the appointment of Cheryl Tan as Vice President, Commercial and Partnering. Ms Tan is based in Cerecin’s global headquarters in Singapore.

Cerecin today announced the appointment of Cheryl Tan as Vice President, Commercial and Partnering.

Ms Tan has over 20 years’ experience in commercialization of pharmaceutical and medical nutrition products and has held senior management positions in several leading pharmaceutical companies. She joins Cerecin’s senior management team from Sanofi Genzyme, where she was previously Head of Hematology and Pediatrics for Emerging Markets (Asia, MENA, Latin America) and Head of Marketing for Asia. At Cerecin, she will lead the commercial strategy for the pipeline of innovative drugs that are in development and the commercialization of Axona® in the Asia Pacific region. Axona® is a medical food intended for the dietary management of the metabolic processes associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Prior to Sanofi Genzyme, Ms Tan worked for Actelion Pharmaceuticals, where she was instrumental in establishing and driving the growth of Actelion specialty portfolio in Asia. She has also worked in Abbott Laboratories in various divisions — Pharmaceuticals, Medical Nutrition and Hospitals. Prior to her role at Abbott, she held regional positions in Allergan, Becton Dickinson, Novartis and GSK. She has an honours degree in Pharmacy, a MBA from the London School of Economics. She has also attended executive training programs with INSEAD, HARVARD and IMD. She was on the Board of Directors of the Singapore Association of Pharmaceutical Industries, and currently serves as Board member of Pearl Care.

Commenting on her appointment, Cheryl said, “I am excited to be joining Cerecin’s executive team and be part of the growing team headquartered in Singapore. Neurology, particularly neurodegenerative disease, is a huge area of unmet medical need. Cerecin’s strategy to address novel targets with differentiated compounds is cutting edge. I look forward to leveraging my experience in different therapeutic areas, geographies and products categories to help Cerecin develop therapeutics that will impact millions of lives.”

Charles Stacey, President and CEO of Cerecin, said, “We are very pleased to have Cheryl join our team and spearhead the commercial strategy for Cerecin. We believe it is critically important for innovative companies like ours to have strong commercial guidance and input into all of our programmes. Cheryl’s career has demonstrated her commercial acumen, broad and entrepreneurial expertise in medical marketing and strong network. Cheryl will help us ensure that our innovative products are developed, and ultimately positioned, to have maximum impact on patients and families across the world.”

About Cerecin

Cerecin, previously Accera, is a global healthcare company focused on developing brain health solutions and therapeutics for patients around the world. Cerecin is led by an expert executive management team with globally recognized specialists in central nervous system diseases and supported by two partners, Nestlé and Wilmar International. Cerecin’s lead compound, tricaprilin, is intended to address the metabolic deficit that is known to be characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease by providing the brain with an alternative energy substrate. Cerecin is currently preparing this newly reformulated compound for global pivotal studies. Bringing together the deep industry expertise of its leadership team and the extensive market access capabilities of its strategic investors, Cerecin is growing its global presence to build a brighter future for Alzheimer’s patients.

For more information visit www.cerecin.com.

About Axona®

Axona is a medical food that is intended to address glucose hypometabolism in the Alzheimer’s brain. It is designed to address the cerebral hypometabolism that occurs decades before the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Axona has been on the market in the United States since 2009. Last year, Cerecin announced the first regional Asian license agreement signed with Korean pharmaceutical company, DuChemBio.

For more information, visit http://www.cerecin.com/axona.html.

© 2018 Cerecin AC-18-837 10/18

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181023/2276473-1

Most Powerful Sequencer to Date

SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — MGI, a subsidiary of BGI Group, introduced its newest model of genetic sequencer, MGISEQ-T7, which vastly improves speed, throughput and flexibility, at the 13th International Conference on Genomics (ICG-13) in Shenzhen. The most powerful MGI sequencer to date, MGISEQ-T7 is built with innovative quadruple flow-cell staging that allows simultaneous but independent operation of 1 to 4 flow cells in a single run. The MGI proprietary technology used in T7 delivers higher accuracy and improves efficiency through upgrades to the flow cell, fluid, and biochemical and optical system. A supercomputer for the life science industry, MGISEQ-T7 takes the production capacity of the sequencer to a new level with daily output of data up to 6Tb.

Jian Liu, Executive Vice President of MGI, unveiled MGISEQ-T7

“Now customers have complete flexibility for a wide range of sequencing all in one machine,” said MGI CEO Feng Mu.

The MGISEQ-T7’s innovations include:

Unique Quad-Flowcell Platform, supporting independent operation of 1-4 chips
A quad-flow cell platform enables multiple flow cells with different read lengths and applications to be processed independently at any time in a single run. The platform supports whole genome sequencing, ultra-depth exome sequencing, epigenome sequencing, and large-panel tumor gene detection.

Sequencing speed increased by over 50%
MGISEQ-T7 runs much faster than any other sequencer to date. PE150 takes less than 24 hours at full load to complete.

Single chip density increased by 20%
MGISEQ-T7’s chip density is increased by 20%. Terabyte-level data can be produced with a single chip.

Partners and customers worldwide who have been using the MGI platform have recognized its distinct advantages, including researchers from RIKEN, the Mayo Clinic, the Karolinska Institutet, Curetis and Weill Cornell Medicine.

“MGI is the first company that can achieve affordable and essentially error-free genome sequencing,” said Dr. George Church, Professor of Genetics, and Health Sciences and Technology of Harvard and MIT.

The ultra-fast, ultra-high-throughput MGISEQ-T7 can complete WGS for up to 60 human genomes in a single day, breaking barriers for what a next generation sequencer can do. MGISEQ-T7 accelerates the development of nationwide genomics projects, since a T7 can complete the sequencing of 10,000 genomes within a year.

BGI Group President Jian Wang said such research will benefit human beings everywhere. “The mission of MGI is to help people live better and healthier lives.”

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181025/2279483-1

SUZHOU, China, Oct. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — CStone Pharmaceuticals (“CStone”) today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently granted approval to the company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the independently developed recombinant humanized anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody (mAb) CS1003. This represents CStone’s second drug candidate to receive IND approval from the FDA less than one month after US clinical trial approval for CS1001 (PD-L1), and demonstrates CStone’s global clinical development capability.

“Since May this year, CS1003 has now quickly received clinical trial approvals in Australia, China, and the United States, indicating that there are high expectations behind the product itself,” said Dr. Frank Jiang, Chairman and CEO of CStone. “I hope that in the future CS1003 can play a key role within combination cancer drug therapies.”

CS1003 is a full-length, humanized immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody that has shown a good tolerability and efficacy profile in preclinical in vivo studies. The forthcoming clinical trial in the United States extends the Phase I study that began in Australia in May this year to US research centers, and will determine the recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) for CS1003 in solid tumor patients.

Dr. Jason Yang, CStone’s Chief Medical Officer commented: “PD-1 and PD-L1 immunotherapy have been shown to produce strong therapeutic effects in various cancers both as single agents or in combination with multiple cancer therapeutics. CS1003 is a key pipeline candidate for CStone and is currently progressing smoothly through Phase I trial in Australia. We will continue to push forward CS1003’s development in China and around the world to provide patients with a new treatment option at the earliest opportunity.”

About CS1003 and the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway

PD-1, or programmed death-1, is an inhibitory checkpoint receptor expressed on T cells. Under normal circumstances, it binds with its ligands, programmed death ligand-1 or ligand 2 (PD-L1/PD-L2), inhibiting T cell and cytokine activation, serving to dampen the immune response in order to prevent damage to healthy tissues. However, studies have shown that PD-L1 can be abundantly expressed on the surface of many solid tumors as well as hematological malignancies. Cancer cells can therefore make use of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway to successfully avoid immune system recognition. Targeting of the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint by anti-tumor drugs can block the “tumor immune evasion mechanism” and restore anti-cancer immune ability in patients.

Unlike other anti-PD-1 mAbs, CS1003 recognizes both human and murine PD-1, providing a unique competitive advantage during efficacy testing in syngeneic mouse tumor models particularly for development of effective combination therapies.

About CSTONE

CStone Pharmaceuticals is a China-based innovative biopharmaceutical company devoted to meeting patient needs, focused on development of innovative tumor drugs and immunotherapies. Established at the end of 2015, CStone has built a world-class management team with experience ranging across the drug development life cycle from clinical development to commercialization. Our international-standard clinical research and development team gained experience developing some of the world’s best-selling anti-tumor drugs. In terms of business model, CStone’s approach combines independent research, clinical development capabilities, and commercial partnering. The company has built one of the largest anti-cancer drug pipelines in China, with 14 anti-tumor drugs under research including independently developed and internationally partnered products. Exclusive cooperation and licensing agreements have been reached with Blueprint Medicine and Agios. CStone’s business model have been recognized by partners and investors in Series A and B financing rounds that were record-breaking within the biopharmaceutical field at that time, raising a combined total of USD 410 million. CStone aims to become a leading Chinese biopharmaceutical company with international prestige and serve as the cornerstone for the future health of patients.

For more information about CStone Pharmaceuticals, please visit: www.cstonepharma.com.

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FLORENCE, Italy, Oct. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Did you know that Botticelli‘s Birth of Venus was the first painting after the fall of the Roman Empire to feature a completely nude woman? And that when painting the Medusa, Caravaggio was most likely inspired by his own facial expressions?
All of this and much more is now available on the new “Pills of Art“ section of the Menarini website; an area dedicated to the art world. 

This new initiative confirms the artistic vocation of the company which, on an annual basis for more than 60 years, has published bespoke monographs dedicated to the great masters of paintings and sculptures including Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raffaello, Caravaggio and Giotto. The curiosities of their works can now be found in video clips on the new section of the Menarini website, “Pills of Art”, which is dedicated to the art world. Merely one click away; a journey which starts in Florence, the home of the Pharmaceutical Group, among the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery.

To widen the appreciation and knowledge of Italy’s artistic heritage abroad, especially in the 136 countries where Menarini’s products are available, the video clips have been produced in both Italian and English, and they will soon be translated into other languages including Chinese, Spanish, German and Russian.

“Menarini has a long-standing artistic tradition, one that endures with time and continues to evolve, today with the Pills of Art project,” stated Valeria Speroni Cardi, Director of Menarini Group Press & Media Relations. “Menarini’s art collections, characterised by their simple language, invite readers to not only look at the images, but to discover the details that so often remain unseen. With the publication of these video clips, the Pharmaceutical Group aims to involve those who are discovering the world of paintings and sculptures for the first time, revealing the anecdotes and stories behind the great masterpieces of Italian art. We are proud to have accomplished our mission under the exceptional guidance of Eike Schmidt, Director of the Uffizi Museum who, among many other things, showed us the technique used by Caravaggio to create the Medusa.”

The Coronation of the Virgin by Fra’ Angelico, Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci, Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi, Eleanor of Toledo by Bronzino,The Birth of Venus and Primavera by Botticelli are just some of the video clips you can find on the new section of the Menarini website.

http://www.menarinipillsofart.com

Source: Menarini I.F.R.

-Forum held to share the idea of inclusivity in diversity with teachers and students

BEIJING, Oct. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Dr Lui Che-woo, Chairman of K. Wah Group and Director of LUI Che Woo Charity, announced the donation of RMB200 million to Tsinghua University to fund the construction of two new blocks at the Tsinghua University Biomedical Sciences Building, which are set to provide better research and teaching facilities for the faculties and students, as well as support the development of medical, pharmaceutical science and other related disciplines of Tsinghua University. To recognize Dr Lui for his enthusiasm and contributions to the development of Tsinghua University, the new blocks are named “Lui Che Woo Building”.

(From left to right) Professor Yang Bin (Vice President of Tsinghua University), Dr Lui Che-woo (Chairman of K. Wah Group and Director of LUI Che Woo Charity), and Professor Chen Xu (Chancellor of Tsinghua University)

Professor Chen Xu, Chancellor of Tsinghua University (right) presented a certificate of donation to Dr Lui Che-woo (left) as a token of thanks to his generous donations to Tsinghua University

Dr Lui Che-woo, Chairman of K. Wah Group and Director of LUI Che Woo Charity (fourth from left), Mr Zhang Xiaoming, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council (second from left), Mr Qiao Xiaoyang, Former Deputy Secretary-General of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (fifth from left), Mrs Lui Chiu Kam Ping (third from left), Ms Paddy Lui, Executive Director of K. Wah International Holdings Limited (second from right)

The signing ceremony for Lui Che Woo Building of the Tsinghua University Biomedical Sciences Building was held at Tsinghua University in Beijing today. Professor Chen Xu, Chancellor and Professor Yang Bin, Vice President, signed the donation agreement with Dr Lui on behalf of Tsinghua University and Tsinghua University Education Foundation respectively. Dr Lui was presented with a donation certificate as a token of appreciation and commendation of his donations and ardent support for scientific research in biomedical science.

Dr Lui revealed the reasons for making this donation in his speech, “Tsinghua University’s commitment to nurturing top-class talents with global vision, social consciousness and becoming a world-class university, as well as its motto of ‘nurturing virtues and personal growth’ are in perfect tandem with my own convictions in education, hence the decision to support the development of the Biomedical Sciences Building. Tsinghua University’s School of Life Sciences, School of Medicine and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences are the top frontier research academic institutions in China, so I hope this donation will encourage academic research in and applications of innovative scientific technologies, thereby bolstering our nation’s soft strengths.”

Mr Zhang Xiaoming, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Qiao Xiaoyang, Former Deputy Secretary-General of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Ms Yu Jianming, Deputy Director of the Central United Front Work Department, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, Ms Qiu Wei, Deputy Director of the Central United Front Work Department, the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Bureau, Mr Hu Zhengyue, former Commissioner of Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Mr Wang Lianduan, Executive Deputy Director of Bureau No. 1 of The National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr Liu Wenda, Deputy Director of Department of Liaison of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Qu Chaoqun, Deputy Director of the Central United Front Work Department, the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Bureau, Mrs Lui Chiu Kam Ping, Ms Paddy Lui, Executive Director of K. Wah International Holdings Limited, Professor Chen Yinghua, Secretary of School Committee of Communist Party of China, School of Life Sciences, Professor Wang Xinquan, Deputy Dean of School of Life Sciences, Professor Hong Bo, Secretary of School Committee of Communist Party of China, School of Medicine, Professor Zhang Jingren, Deputy Dean of School of Medicine, Professor Liu Qingfei, Secretary of School Committee of Communist Party of China, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ms Yuan Wei, Secretary General of Tsinghua University Education Foundation, Mr Li Bing, Vice Secretary General of Tsinghua University Education Foundation and members of the senior management of K. Wah Group were joined by 150 faculty members and students of Tsinghua University to witness this important moment.

Professor Chen Xu, Chancellor of Tsinghua University, expressed that, “Dr Lui generously supports our university in building new medical science building — ‘Lui Che Woo Building’, which fully reflects his dedication in education and deep affection for Tsinghua. I believe that the ‘Lui Che Woo Building’ will definitely lay an important foundation and further equip Tsinghua to becoming world-class university in medicine.”

Following the signing ceremony, Dr Lui joined a symposium with Professor Yang Bin, Vice President of Tsinghua University, hosted by Professor Long Denggao, Director of the Centre for Chinese Entrepreneur Studies. Dr Lui told the story of his business venture and shared the idea of inclusivity in diversity with faculty members and students. He shared the beliefs and insights behind the establishment of the international award, “LUI Che Woo Prize — Prize for World Civilisation”. He encouraged the students to pay more attention to current world issues and promote sustainable development with a global mindset. Dr Lui answered some of the questions raised by Tsinghua students and the symposium ended in the warm applause from the audience with student representative presented flowers to Dr Lui.   

Dr Lui has always been a passionate benefactor for the development of biomedicine and education. In 2015, he founded the “LUI Che Woo Prize — Prize for World Civilisation” in Hong Kong as an annual, first of its kind international cross-sector innovative award for advancing world civilization and inspiring people to build a more harmonious world. It aims to recognize and honour individuals or organization all over the world for outstanding contributions and encourages the continuation of that work in promoting sustainable development of the world, betterment of the welfare of mankind and positive life attitude and positive energy. Mr Xie Zhenhua, Tsinghua University alumni and Vice Chairman of the Committee of Population, Resources and Environment of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference who was awarded the “Sustainability Prize” in the “LUI Che Woo Prize — Prize for World Civilisation” in 2017, donated full amount of the cash award to Tsinghua University to set up the “Global Climate Governance and Green Development Fund”, supporting international cooperation in low-carbon development and climate governance, develop related projects and provide scholarships, in a full effort to drive initiatives in the prevention of climate changes and general climate governance.

The planned Biomedical Sciences Building will be mainly used by the School of Life Sciences for teaching and scientific research in life sciences, medicine, pharmaceutical sciences and other cross-disciplinary subjects. It will also house top scientific research institutions including Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Structural Biology, McGovern Institute for Brain Research and National Centre for Protein Science. Lui Che Woo Building, comprising Blocks C and D, is intended to provide the venue for teaching and scientific research in pharmaceutical sciences developments and cross-disciplinary subjects in life sciences, while housing scientific research institutions such as Global Health Drug Discovery Institute (Beijing), Tsinghua Pharmaceutical Innovation Centre and Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.

About K. Wah Group

K. Wah Group was founded in 1955 by Dr Lui Che-woo, who transformed the company into a multinational corporation. Core businesses include property development and investment, entertainment and leisure resorts, hospitality and construction materials. The Group has a business presence in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asia and major cities in the US. The Group includes two Hong Kong-listed flagships: K. Wah International Holdings Limited (“KWIH”; HK stock code: 00173) and Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited (“GEG”; HK stock code: 00027 and a member of the Hang Seng Index). Other major subsidiaries include Stanford Hotels International and K. Wah Construction Materials Limited and, in the US, Stanford Hotels Corporation and Cresleigh Homes. To date, the Group has over 200 subsidiaries and close to 30,000 staff worldwide.

Website: http://www.kwah.com

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181025/2279608-1-a
Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181025/2279608-1-b
Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181025/2279608-1-c

Source: K. Wah Group

ADELAIDE, Australia, Oct. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ —

• Mayne Pharma Group Limited (“Mayne Pharma”) (ASX: MYX) has acquired the FDA approved halobetasol propionate foam 0.05% for an investment of up to US$32 million and an ongoing earn out payment
• Halobetasol foam is a highly complementary dermatology product treating plaque psoriasis that will be marketed through Mayne Pharma’s existing Specialty Brands sales team
• New leadership talent on board to further drive and grow Specialty Brands

Mayne Pharma is pleased to announce it has acquired the US and Australian rights to halobetasol foam 0.05% for an investment of up to US$32.0 million (comprising US$10.0 million in cash up front, US$5.0 million at commercial launch plus contingent payments of up to US$17.0 million based on reaching cumulative net sales targets, patent issuance and potential capital spend to support the project). In addition, there is an ongoing earn-out payment based as a percentage of net sales over a 10-year period. Under the terms of the asset purchase, license and commercialization agreement, Mayne Pharma has also acquired the approved US regulatory filing, medical and technical data, and a portfolio of pending US patent applications.

This product received US Food and Drug Administration approval in May 2018 and Mayne Pharma is planning for the commercial launch of this product in early 2019. The product received three years of marketing exclusivity and has four pending patent applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Halobetasol foam is a potent corticosteroid used to treat plaque psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis affects more than 7.5 million Americans with potent topical corticosteroids prescribed to approximately 80% of psoriasis patients diagnosed[1]. The market for potent topical corticosteroids is estimated at US$600m with approximately 10 million units sold per annum, of which halobetasol dosage forms (cream, ointment and lotion) account for US$64 million and 0.8 million units[2].  The halobetasol market has been growing 10% per annum over the last three years².

Rationale for the acquisition

Commenting on the acquisition, Mayne Pharma’s CEO, Mr Scott Richards said: “Halobetasol foam is a new formulation that provides a highly desirable treatment option for patients in the management of plaque psoriasis. Adding halobetasol foam to our dermatology product portfolio is a material step forward in supporting psoriasis patients. We can now offer a potent steroid along with steroid-free Sorilux^® for psoriasis treatment giving our patients more treatment options with the benefits of an elegant foam formulation.” 

“The acquisition broadens our portfolio of innovative dermatology products with strong growth potential, further diversifies earnings and strengthens Mayne Pharma’s position in the US dermatology market. Halobetasol foam will be supported by our existing psoriasis focused sales team, leveraging existing commercial infrastructure across market access, customer service, medical affairs and supply chain.”

New leadership talent on board to drive Specialty Brands

Brant Schofield has joined Mayne Pharma as Executive Vice President (EVP) of Specialty Brands. Brant brings more than 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience including more than 15 years at Galderma Laboratories, a leading global dermatology and skin health company.

Previously, he was Vice President and General Manager Dermatology at Sandoz US where he was responsible for the brand and generic product portfolio with revenues of approximately US$500m. Prior to Sandoz, he was Vice President of New Business for Nestlé Skin Health (parent entity of Galderma) and he was also Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Galderma US, where he led a 300+ person sales and marketing team and was responsible for more than US$1.0b of sales across prescription, over-the-counter and aesthetic dermatology markets.

“I am extremely pleased that Brant Schofield has joined the leadership team at Mayne Pharma. Brant will be a valuable addition to our business, bringing a proven track record of success in commercialising and growing specialty product portfolios. Brant brings a wealth of experience across sales and marketing, strategy, finance, supply chain and business development activities. Our specialty product portfolio is poised for growth with the pipeline of products under development including the New Drug Application for SUBA^®-Itraconazole capsules which the Company filed with the US Food and Drug Administration earlier this year as well as our on-market portfolio of dermatology products which have significant untapped potential.” 

For further information contact:

Lisa Pendlebury
+61 419 548 434,
lisa.pendlebury@maynepharma.com

About Mayne Pharma

Mayne Pharma is an ASX-listed specialty pharmaceutical company focused on applying its drug delivery expertise to commercialize branded and generic pharmaceuticals, providing patients with access to better and more affordable medicines. Mayne Pharma also provides contract development and manufacturing services to more than 100 clients worldwide.

Mayne Pharma has a 30-year track record of innovation and success in developing new oral drug delivery systems and these technologies have been successfully commercialised in numerous products that have been marketed around the world.

Mayne Pharma has two product development and manufacturing facilities based in Salisbury, Australia and Greenville, USA with expertise in the formulation of complex oral dose forms including potent compounds, controlled substances, modified-release products and inherently unstable compounds.

For further information, visit maynepharma.com 

About halobetasol foam

Halobetasol propionate topical foam is a corticosteroid indicated for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis in patients eighteen years of age and older. Halobetasol foam was evaluated for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in two multicentre, randomised, double-blind, vehicle-controlled studies. These studies were conducted in 560 subjects with plaque psoriasis involving between 2% and 12% body surface area. A foam vehicle can have many benefits including being aqueous-based, absorbed quickly without residue or greasiness and easy to apply to both hair-bearing and non-hair bearing skin.

Important Safety Information                              

Halobetasol propionate foam is a topical corticosteroid that has been shown to suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.  Systemic effects of topical corticosteroids may include reversible HPA axis suppression, with the potential for glucocorticosteroid insufficiency. This may occur during treatment or upon withdrawal of treatment of the topical corticosteroid. The potential for hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) suppression with halobetasol propionate foam was evaluated in a study of 25 adult subjects with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis involving ≥15% of their body surface area. halobetasol propionate foam produced laboratory evidence of HPA axis suppression when used twice daily for two weeks in 6 out of 25 (24%) adult subjects with plaque psoriasis. Recovery of HPA axis function was generally prompt with the discontinuation of treatment.

Systemic effects of topical corticosteroids may also include Cushing’s syndrome, hyperglycemia, and glucosuria. Use of more than one corticosteroid-containing product at the same time may increase the total systemic exposure to topical corticosteroids.

Local adverse reactions from topical corticosteroids may include atrophy, striae, telangiectasias, burning, itching, irritation, dryness, folliculitis, acneiform eruptions, hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, secondary infection, and miliaria.  These may be more likely to occur with occlusive use, prolonged use, or use of higher potency corticosteroids, including halobetasol propionate foam. Some local adverse reactions may be irreversible.  Use of topical corticosteroids may increase the risk of posterior subcapsular cataracts and glaucoma.

Please see full prescribing information for halobetasol proprionate foam here.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact at Mayne Pharma at 1-844-825-8500 or FDA at 1 800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

About Plaque Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic (life-long) skin condition. It occurs when the immune system “speeds up” the growth cycle of skin cells. A normal skin cell matures and falls off the body in about a month.  For people with plaque psoriasis, it can take only three or four days for new skin cells to develop. Instead of falling off, the cells remain on the skin and form thickened patches (lesions or plaques). While plaque psoriasis is a chronic condition, many patients experience times when their symptoms improve or worsen.

Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis. It typically causes raised, red lesions covered with silvery white scales.  Plaque psoriasis can occur on any part of the body, but most commonly on the scalp, knees, elbows, and torso.

Sorilux® is a registered trademark of Mayne Pharma

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mayne-pharma-acquires-fda-approved-halobetasol-foam-complementing-us-dermatology-portfolio-300738511.html

Source: China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc.

SHANGHAI, Oct. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ —

Fullerton Healthcare Corporation Limited (“Fullerton Health” or the “Group”), a leading vertically integrated healthcare platform in Asia Pacific, announced today that Fullerton Health China Limited (“Fullerton China“) has completed an equity investment of RMB300 million in Shanghai Redleaf International Women’s & Children’s Hospital (“Redleaf Hospital”). This is Fullerton China’s first investment in the specialty hospitals sector, following which Fullerton China will become a key strategic shareholder of Redleaf Hospital.

The investment in Redleaf Hospital is an important step that demonstrates Fullerton China’s commitment to the domestic healthcare market. In May 2018, Fullerton China acquired a majority stake in Jiangsu Kangruijia Medical Investment Management Co., Ltd (“Global Doctor”), a leading primary care clinic group in China with healthcare services network of eighteen clinics.

This strategic investment from Fullerton China provides Redleaf Hospital with an even stronger platform for future growth. Redleaf Hospital, which currently focuses on pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, will expand into a multi-specialty hospital covering other specialties such as orthopedics and ophthalmology. Fullerton Health and Fullerton China will leverage their deep sector expertise, established over years of operating professional healthcare institutions across the Asia Pacific region, to guide the successful implementation of Redleaf Hospital’s expansion plan. A new upgraded hospital is expected to open at the end of 2019.

Additionally, Fullerton China and Redleaf Hospital also plan to jointly invest RMB200 million to set up a chain of primary care clinics in Shanghai. Through leveraging Fullerton Health’s resources and expertise in healthcare centre operation and management, the clinics will provide GP, specialist outpatient, health screening and other services, which are consistent with the Chinese government’s plans to establish an effective and multi-tiered healthcare system in the country.

David Sin, Deputy Chairman of Fullerton Health, commented: “As one of China’s leading women’s and children’s healthcare institutions, Redleaf Hospital has a strong reputation among clients, healthcare professionals and the broader industry. We are extremely excited to partner with Redleaf Hospital as Fullerton Health accelerates its expansion in the Chinese market. China is focused on the development of a diversified healthcare system and there is increasing demand from the public for quality healthcare services. Against this backdrop, Fullerton China’s strategic investment in Redleaf Hospital comes at an important moment. The strategy and strengths of both sides are highly complementary, and we will aim to provide patients with higher quality, more efficient and more accessible healthcare services.”

Ma Xuanhua, Chairperson of Redleaf Hospital, said: “We warmly welcome Fullerton China’s investment into Redleaf Hospital. Over the years, we have earned an excellent reputation in the industry through our professional services, as well as our solid patient base and strong medical team. The investment from Fullerton China will inject new growth and lead to a brighter future for Redleaf Hospital. We look forward to working with Fullerton China to expand our capabilities and to provide more comprehensive, more sophisticated, healthcare solutions to benefit a greater number of patients in the Shanghai metropolitan area.”

Since its entry into the Chinese market in 2017, Fullerton Health has secured a substantial investment from Ping An Capital Co., Ltd and completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Global Doctor in May 2018.    

– End – 

About Fullerton Health 

Fullerton Health is a leading vertically integrated healthcare platform in the Asia Pacific region. Founded in Singapore in 2011, today they serve clients through over 500 healthcare facilities and a large global network of healthcare providers across eight markets in Asia. Fullerton Health’s value proposition is the integration of healthcare service offerings with customized management and advisory capabilities, in line with its mission to transform Asian healthcare and make it affordable and accessible for the patients.

For more information on Fullerton Health, please visit http://www.fullertonhealth.com/.  

About Shanghai Redleaf International Women’s & Children’s Hospital

Founded in 2011, Shanghai Redleaf International Women’s & Children’s Hospital, is a leading private hospital that provides comprehensive, quality healthcare and consultation services for women and children in Shanghai with its international and professional medical staff. Redleaf prides itself on being the first comprehensive international-standard women’s hospital in China.

For more information on Redleaf Hospital, please visit http://www.redleafhospital.com/index/main.  

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