Collaboration will harness AI technology to address an aging-related target

NOVATO, California, Aug. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Insilico Medicine, and Juvenescence Ltd announced today that they have formed Napa Therapeutics, Ltd to develop drugs against a novel aging-related target. The Buck Institute is one of the leading research centers in the world focused solely on research on aging and the elimination of age-related disease. Insilico Medicine is an AI company focused on a range of verticals devoted to aging. Insilico Medicine stands to earn more than $100M in milestone payments should the program be successful. Juvenescence is a company focused on developing drugs to modify aging and the diseases of aging.

Napa Therapeutics is based on groundbreaking research in NAD metabolism conducted in the lab of Eric Verdin, MD, President and CEO of the Buck Institute. The Verdin lab will collaborate with Napa, using Insilico’s drug development engine to speed the discovery of new compounds. “This is a unique opportunity to use cutting-edge AI to accelerate drug discovery,” said Dr. Verdin. “The Buck is excited to join forces with Insilico and Juvenescence as we work to eliminate the threat of age-related disease for this and future generations.”

“I am most excited by this model and the ability to combine the quality science of the Buck Institute with the remarkable deep learning engine at Insilico Medicine. To me this is another big step in the evolving process of using AI with HI (human intelligence) to extract the best of both systems,” said Gregory Bailey, MD, CEO of Juvenescence. “Napa Therapeutics lets Juvenescence deepen our collaboration with the Buck Institute and with Insilico Medicine. We hope to shorten the time required to identify molecules that can be brought to the clinic and most importantly help patients.”

“We are very happy to partner with the Buck Institute and Juvenescence around a very promising set of targets in a pathway overlooked by the pharmaceutical industry. Aging research is among the most altruistic causes that will improve and extend the lives of everyone on the planet and reduce the pain and suffering associated with the age-associated diseases. However, in order to scale, our efforts must become sustainable and provide reasonable returns to investors. If successful, Insilico Medicine alone stands to earn in excess of $100 million in milestone payment from this deal,” said Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine.

About Napa Therapeutics. Ltd
Napa Therapeutics, Ltd. is a biotechnology company focused on a novel target linked to one of the fundamental processes of aging. A privately held British Virgin Islands company with an office in the Isle of Man, Napa is developing small molecule drugs to address this target.

About the Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Our success will ultimately change healthcare. At the Buck, we aim to end the threat of age-related diseases for this and future generations by bringing together the most capable and passionate scientists from a broad range of disciplines to identify and impede the ways in which we age. An independent, nonprofit institution, our goal is to increase human health span, or the healthy years of life. Globally recognized as the pioneer and leader in efforts to target aging, the number one risk factor for serious diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, macular degeneration, heart disease, and diabetes, the Buck wants to help people live better longer.  Learn more at: https://buckinstitute.org

About Juvenescence, Ltd.
Juvenescence Limited is a company focused on developing therapies and drugs to increase human longevity and complementary investments in related sectors. It was founded in 2017. The Juvenescence team is composed of highly experienced entrepreneurs and drug developers focused on life science and commercial drug development. Juvenescence creates new ventures and invests time and money directly in both start-up and in conjunction with established longevity related companies offering operational support.

Juvenescence believes that advances in science have made real the possibility of slowing, halting or potentially reversing some elements of ageing and is assembling a pipeline of therapeutic agents through joint ventures.

About Insilico Medicine, Inc.
Insilico Medicine is an artificial intelligence company with R&D offices and resources in the US, Belgium, Russia, the UK, Taiwan and Korea, sourced through hackathons and competitions. The company and its scientists are dedicated to extending human productive longevity and transforming every step of the drug discovery and drug development process through excellence in biomarker discovery, drug development, digital medicine and aging research.

Insilico pioneered the applications of the generative adversarial networks (GANs) and reinforcement learning for generation of novel molecular structures for diseases with a known ligand and with no known targets. In addition to working collaborations with large pharmaceutical companies, the company is pursuing internal drug discovery programs in cancer, dermatological diseases, fibrosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, ALS, diabetes, sarcopenia, and aging. Through a partnership with LifeExtension.com the company launched a range of nutraceutical products, compounded using advanced bioinformatics and deep learning techniques. It also provides a range of consumer-facing applications, including Young.AI.

In 2017, NVIDIA selected Insilico Medicine as one of the Top 5 AI companies for potential in social impact. In 2018, the company was named one of the global top 100 AI companies by CB Insights. In 2018 it received the Frost & Sullivan 2018 North American Artificial Intelligence for Aging Research and Drug Development Award accompanied by industry brief. Brief company video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l62jlwgL3v8.
http://www.insilico.com

Contact: Qingsong Zhu, PhD
Insilico Medicine, Inc. 
9601 Medical Center Dr, Suite 127
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 443 451 7212 
Email: zhu@insilico.com

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The Asia Pacific Leaders’ Malaria Alliance (APLMA) joins with Yoma Strategic and Shopee to end malaria

SINGAPORE, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — To mark World Mosquito Day, the Asia Pacific Leaders’ Malaria Alliance (APLMA) will expand its efforts to end malaria through a new partnership with Yoma Strategic Holdings (“Yoma Strategic”) and an awareness campaign with e-commerce platform Shopee. This collaboration comes through M2030, a platform launched in April which engages international health organizations, consumers and prominent business leaders in eliminating malaria by 2030.

Established on World Malaria Day 2018, the M2030 initiative aims to reach close to 50 million people in the coming years to raise awareness about the urgent need to end malaria in the Asia Pacific region and to fund crucial programmes to stop this devastating disease.

Yoma Strategic joined this collective today at a special launch ceremony in Yangon. The organisation will spearhead the M2030 initiative in Myanmar through various private sector engagements, including planned campaigns with Wave Money, a mobile financial service agent network, and Pun Hlaing Siloam Hospitals. These campaigns will be executed through social media, as well as panel and roundtable discussions to support fundraising and malaria education.

“In Myanmar, an estimated 31 million people are at risk of contracting malaria^[i]. Along the border, we see particular challenges with high rates of transmission and drug-resistance,” said Melvyn Pun, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Yoma Strategic Holdings. “As an organization with deep roots in Myanmar, we are proud to partner with APLMA and M2030 to champion this cause and to stop malaria’s impact within our own borders.”

Shopee, one of M2030’s pioneer partners, launched its second regional educational campaign to raise awareness of the prevalence of malaria in Asia. The campaign, held across multiple markets in the lead up to World Mosquito Day, was able to reach out to millions of users across the region.

“As a homegrown company, it is important that we do our part to improve the lives of consumers across the region. We aim to leverage our reach in each of our markets to raise awareness and educate users on how they can contribute to a meaningful cause. This series of educational pushes is part of our long-term partnership with M2030, and Shopee will continue to work closely with M2030 to roll out more initiatives to support the fight against malaria in Asia,” said Chris Feng, Chief Executive Officer of Shopee.

Patrik Silborn, Head of External Relations at APLMA, further commented, “Malaria elimination is a big job, but it is also achievable. Bringing new partners, fresh perspectives and innovative thinking into this effort gives us the best opportunity to get over the finish line. I am confident that the valued support of Yoma Strategic and Shopee will drive us even closer to achieving this important goal.”

The partnership with Yoma Strategic and Shopee will see continued efforts to support malaria education, as well as public health initiatives like the testing and treatment of the disease in the region.

M2030 is a partnership comprised of Tahir Foundation, DT Families Foundation, Dentsu Aegis Network, Outdoor Channel Asia, Shopee, Yoma, WaveMoney and Pun Hlaing Siloam Hospitals.

About APLMA
APLMA is an affiliation of Asia and Pacific heads of government, formed to accelerate progress against malaria and to eliminate it in the region by 2030. APLMA was created by the East Asian Summit (EAS) leaders in 2013 to further strengthen anti-malaria efforts, both to help protect hard-won national gains and, ultimately, to defeat malaria in the region altogether.

About Yoma Strategic Holdings
Listed on the Main Board of the Singapore Securities Exchange Trading Limited (SGX-ST), Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. is a leading business corporation with a diversified portfolio of businesses in Real Estate, Consumer, Automotive & Heavy Equipment, Financial Services and Investments in Myanmar. Together with its partner, the SPA Group, the Group is taking a conglomerate approach to build a diversified portfolio of businesses in Myanmar. The Company was ranked in the top 5% of the Governance and Transparency Index 2018, ranked 26th out of top 100 largest Singapore companies in the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard 2017 and won the Best Managed Board (Gold) Award at the Singapore Corporate Awards in 2016.

About Shopee
Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. It is a platform tailored for the region, providing customers with an easy, secure and fast online shopping experience through strong payment and logistical support. Shopee aims to continually enhance its platform and become the region’s e-commerce destination of choice.

Shopee has a wide selection of product categories ranging from consumer electronics to home & living, health & beauty, baby & toys, fashion and fitness equipment.

Shopee, a Sea company, was first launched in Singapore in 2015, and has since expanded its reach to Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Sea is a leader in digital entertainment, e-commerce and digital financial services across Greater Southeast Asia. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology, and is listed on the NYSE under the symbol SE.

For any media enquiries, please contact:  

APLMA
Patrik Silborn
Tel: +65 (0) 8411 3061
Email: psilborn@aplma.org

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Stealth BioTherapeutics accelerates the development of a new pipeline candidate into Investigational New Drug enabling studies by leveraging Evotec’s INDiGO platform

BOSTON, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Stealth BioTherapeutics (Stealth), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a first-in-class platform of novel therapeutic compounds for the treatment of diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, announced today that it is advancing a new pipeline candidate into investigational new drug (IND) enabling studies in collaboration with long-term partner Evotec AG.

Stealth’s nomination of this novel pipeline candidate marks the culmination of a development initiative resulting in a diverse proprietary pipeline of compounds for the treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction arising in the context of both genetic mitochondrial diseases as well as age-related diseases. Stealth’s lead candidate, elamipretide, has received Orphan Drug and Fast Track designation with respect to late stage clinical development efforts in primary mitochondrial myopathy (PMM), Barth syndrome and Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Stealth is also developing elamipretide for dry age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. With this new pipeline candidate progressing toward IND, Stealth hopes to broaden its therapeutic horizons to address other areas of unmet medical need.

“We believe that our first-in-class mitochondrial medicines offer a novel approach to the treatment of human disease,” said Reenie McCarthy, chief executive officer of Stealth. “We hope to utilize our deep knowledge of mitochondrial therapeutics to improve the treatment paradigm for patients suffering from genetic diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as to potentially extend health span in the context of age-related diseases to which mitochondrial dysfunction is a known contributor.”

Stealth expects to advance its new pipeline candidate to clinical-stage studies by the end of 2019 utilizing Evotec’s INDiGO platform. INDiGO is a market-leading integrated drug development solution that accelerates early drug candidates into the clinic by reducing time from nomination to IND submission, typically in less than 52 weeks. Under the terms of the collaboration, Evotec will be responsible for all preclinical and toxicology/safety studies ahead of clinical trials in 2019.

“Our team at Stealth evaluated all options to help support the progression of our newest pipeline candidate through IND filing, and we are confident that Evotec, with its INDiGO platform and the team of experts they have assembled, is the best option to ensure the rapid and high-quality advancement of the compound,” said Mark Bamberger, chief scientific officer of Stealth.

“Our INDiGO platform reduces time and cost while consistently producing a quality data package for clinical trial agreements and investigational new drug filings,” said Dr. Mario Polywka, chief operating officer of Evotec. “We have a great scientific and personal relationship with Stealth and are excited for the opportunity to continue to help advance their programs.”

About Stealth
We are a privately held clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of therapeutics for diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction. We believe there is a strong rationale for our lead product candidate, elamipretide, in indications in these diseases based on encouraging preclinical and early clinical data. We are investigating elamipretide in three primary mitochondrial diseases – primary mitochondrial myopathy (PMM), Barth syndrome and Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) – for which we have both Fast Track and Orphan Drug designation. We are also investigating elamipretide in dry age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. We have a broad pipeline of novel mitochondria-targeting compounds we are evaluating for new indications, including neurodegenerative diseases. To learn more information about us and our pipeline, visit www.stealthbt.com.

About Evotec AG
Evotec is a drug discovery alliance and development partnership company focused on rapidly progressing innovative product approaches with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academics, patient advocacy groups and venture capitalists. We operate worldwide providing the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery solutions, covering all activities from target-to-clinic to meet the industry’s need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery. The INDiGO platform is a key value-generating component of Evotec’s broad EVT Execute business and represents a logical extension of its broad discovery platform. INDiGO accelerates early drug candidates into the clinic by reducing time from nomination to regulatory submission in 52 weeks, and under certain circumstances, even less. Accelerated development is achieved by tightly integrating traditional drug development activities into a single project managed under one roof. The program has been proven to reduce time and cost while achieving a quality data package for CTA/IND level regulatory filings. The scale of this capability means that Evotec works on 10-15 INDiGO’s at any one time. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on Twitter @EvotecAG.

Forward Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of Evotec as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Media Relations
dna Communications
Kate Contreras, 617-520-7088
Media@StealthBT.com

Investor Relations
Stern IR
Rachel Frank, 212-362-1200
IR@StealthBT.com

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– Mundipharma and Helsinn Group expand exclusive licensing and distribution agreement for anti-emetic medicine ALOXI^®

– This agreement builds on similar existing arrangements in a range of territories.

SINGAPORE and LUGANO, Switzerland, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Mundipharma and Helsinn Group signed a licensing and distribution agreement for the anti-emetic agent ALOXI^® in Vietnam, extending an international collaboration.

ALOXI^® (palonosetron hydrochloride), a 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist was approved in Vietnam. For additional information please see the Product Information.

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) is one of the most common and distressing side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Mundipharma and Helsinn are experts in the CINV field with decades of shared experience and are currently providing medicine to CINV sufferers.

Mundipharma CEO, Raman Singh said, “This important extension of our portfolio in Vietnam offers relief to patients suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy and enables patients and healthcare providers to benefit from our expertise in this area.”

Riccardo Braglia, Helsinn Group Vice Chairman and CEO, commented: “Helsinn and Mundipharma have an effective, longstanding partnership and Mundipharma successfully markets, promotes and distributes a number of our products across a range of territories. We’re delighted to be able to extend this relationship through this agreement.”

About the Helsinn Group

Helsinn is a privately owned pharmaceutical group with an extensive portfolio of marketed cancer care products and a robust drug development pipeline. Since 1976, Helsinn has been improving the everyday lives of patients, guided by core family values of respect, integrity and quality. The Group works across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and nutritional supplements and has expertise in research, development, manufacture and the commercialization of therapeutic and supportive care products for cancer, pain and inflammation and gastroenterology. In 2016, Helsinn created the Helsinn Investment Fund to support early-stage investment opportunities in areas of unmet patient need. The company is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, with operating subsidiaries in Switzerland, Ireland, the U.S., Monaco, and China, as well as a product presence in approximately 190 countries globally.

For more information, please visit www.helsinn.com and follow them on Twitter, LinkedIn and Vimeo

About Mundipharma

Mundipharma is a network of independent associated companies, which are privately owned entities, covering pharmaceutical markets in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The headquarters for these territories is in Singapore. Mundipharma 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.

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BURLINGTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Linkage, Inc., a global leadership development consultancy, announced that it has awarded the 2018 Warren Bennis Award for Excellence in Leadership to Sir Andrew Witty, a leader in the pharmaceutical industry.

Global healthcare leader Sir Andrew Witty will receive the 2018 Warren Bennis Leadership Award.

Sir Andrew Witty spent over three decades at GlaxoSmithKline, most recently serving as CEO from 2008 to 2017. He is credited with reshaping the pharmaceutical industry’s reputation by shifting GSK’s strategy to include a focus on affordable medicines and vaccines in the poorest countries. On July 1, he started his new role as CEO of Optum, an organization that leverages technology, data and expertise to improve health care delivery, quality and efficiency.

“Sir Andrew Witty is a remarkable leader characterized by his broad reaching impact in healthcare globally and by his success uniting populations around a common purpose for the greater good of mankind,” said Sam Lam, CEO of Linkage Asia and Chair of the Warren Bennis Award Committee.

The Award is named after Warren Bennis, referred to by Forbes Magazine as the “Dean of Leadership Gurus.” He was an exemplary leader who practiced, studied, wrote about and taught leadership for decades. Established by Linkage in 1999 to honor Bennis’ legacy, this Award honors a recipient who demonstrates courage, endurance, capability and success in his or her field and is a role model for current and aspiring leaders. It is presented annually at Linkage’s Global Institute for Leadership Development® (GILD®), a five-day immersive learning experience.

Past recipients include Mikhail Gorbachev (former President, Soviet Union), Rosabeth Moss Kanter (author and Harvard Business School Professor), and Howard Schultz (former CEO, Starbucks), among others.

Sir Andrew Witty will receive the award on October 4, 2018 at Linkage’s Global Institute for Leadership Development® in Palm Desert, CA.

About Linkage and the Warren Bennis Leadership Award

At Linkage, we are passionate about developing leaders who create lasting impact in and outside of their organizations. We believe that becoming the best requires a lifelong commitment to learning, improving, adapting and developing. Linkage established the Warren Bennis Award for Excellence in Leadership in 1999 to honor the legacy of long-time partner Warren Bennis. Warren co-founded Linkage’s Global Institute for Leadership Development® 22 years ago. Click here for a list of past recipients. Learn more about Linkage: http://www.linkageinc.com.  

Sarah Breigle | Director, Marketing
Linkage, Inc.
sbreigle@linkageinc.com
781-402-5599

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Source: Linkage, Inc.

Actively Propel the Strategy of Globalization

HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — China’s leading one-stop healthcare ecosystem platform, Ping An Healthcare and Technology Company Limited (“Ping An Good Doctor“, the “Company”, stock code: 1833.HK), is pleased to announce its 2018 interim results for the period ended June 30, 2018 (“the Period”). According to the results, Ping An Good Doctor recorded a revenue of RMB1,123 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 150.3%. Among which, the family doctor services business, the core business of the Company, recorded a revenue of RMB186 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 91.4%.

From left to right: Mr. FAN Yin, Managing Director, Mr. Edwin Morris Chief Financial Officer, Mr. WANG Tao Chairman of the Board, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ms. BAI Xue, Chief Operation Officer, Mr. WU Zongxun, Chief Product Officer, Mr. WANG Qi, Chief Technology Officer.

Meanwhile, Ping An Good Doctor’s three KPIs, including the number of registered users, monthly active users (MAU) and average daily consultations, maintained rapid growth. As of the end of June, the registered customers of the Company reached 228 million, increased by 35.20 million compared to the end of 2017; MAU reached 48.60 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 50.9%; average daily consultations reached 531,000 in the first half of 2018, representing a year-on-year increase of 58%.

Ping An Good Doctor recorded rapid growth in all of its businesses, thanks to the fact that the Company has grasped the development opportunities within the industry and established a one-stop, asset-light healthcare platform. While diligently implementing its strategy, the Company has witnessed rapid growth in various businesses. In the first half of 2018, Ping An Good Doctor focused on the users’ medical and health needs to provide convenient, high-quality healthcare services based on our in-house, AI-assisted medical team. Ping An Good Doctor also actively explored diversified forms of partnership with commercial insurance companies and built a payment mechanism for commercial issuers to settle their policyholders’ claims. This “Insurance + Health” model helped the policyholders manage their health and enhanced the insurers’ risk control.

In addition to announcing its 2018 interim results, Ping An Good Doctor also announced that it is actively carrying forward its internationalization strategy and established an international joint venture with Grab, a technology company that offers ride-hailing services through an app, in order to export Ping An Good Doctor’s outstanding medical services and AI technology. Ping An Good Doctor aim to pursue development opportunities in the Southeast Asian market, building a solid foundation for “the greatest medical healthcare ecosystem in the world”, with the help of Grab’s large user base in the Southeast Asian market.

Moreover, Ping An Good Doctor has signed the equity transfer agreement to acquire 100% shares of Ping An Wanjia Healthcare (Wanjia Healthcare). Wanjia Healthcare focuses on connecting and empowering primary medical institutions, to develop an overall primary medical solution of “System + Standard + Service” which will help it build the biggest primary medical services platform in China. Through the acquisition of Wanjia Healthcare, Ping An Good Doctor will accelerate its offline strategic layout, optimize the self-contained system of online and offline family doctor services, achieve both online to offline and offline to online medical engagement, to improve the connection with the insurance business, as well as help the Company explore the new business model of commercial insurance in the medical sector.

Rapid revenue growth in core business with great expansion of one-hour express pharmaceutical delivery services network

Through the integration of resources for our AI-assisted in-house medical team, external doctors and healthcare network, Ping An Good Doctor has established a self-contained servicing system that allows its users to consult doctors and purchase medicine online, or consult doctors online and receive offline medical treatment arranged for them by us. During the reporting period, the revenue of the family doctor business amounted to RMB186.2 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 91.4%. As of the end of June 2018, the in-house medical team consisted of 1,037 personnel, Ping An Good Doctor also contracted 4,650 external doctors (Assistant Supervisor Level or above from Class III Grade A Hospitals), and collaborated with over 3,100 hospitals (including over 1,200 Class III Grade A hospitals) and over 12,000 pharmacies outlets. At present, our one-hour express pharmaceutical delivery services network now covers over 80 cities in the country to allow users to enjoy more convenient and efficient family doctor services.

In the first half of this year, with the successful experience in Internet medical health, the Company has extended the family doctor services to the countryside. We undertook the “Village Doctor” project in the “Construction Project in Three Villages” of Ping An Group to alleviate poverty by improving health.

AI-assisted medical system greatly improved service efficiency and explored offline clinical application

As of the end of June 2018, Ping An Good Doctor’s AI R&D team has submitted 26 patent applications. Thanks to the continuous optimization of the AI-assisted medical system, Ping An Good Doctor was able to rapidly improve the online consultation efficiency and accuracy, as well as reducing the unit cost of online consultation. The average daily consultation volume reached 531,000 in the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 58%. At present, Ping An Good Doctor has accumulated more than 300 million online consultation records, and also started planning the “one-minute clinics”, which combined smart medicine cabinets with the AI-assisted medical system.

In the future, Ping An Good Doctor will continue to strengthen the AI research and development capabilities and enhance the accuracy and appropriateness of AI medical applications to create a powerful, intelligent engine.

Explore diversified forms of partnership with commercial insurance companies, provide a 360-degree healthcare management service

In the first half of 2018, Ping An good Doctor made a breakthrough in cooperating with insurance companies. The Company continued to deepen cooperation efforts with the Ping An Group to provide policyholders with one-stop healthcare solutions. To cater to the needs of policyholders in healthcare management, Ping An good Doctor launched the “Health 360” plan to provide an all-round 360-degree Healthcare Management Service that integrates online consultations, the facilitation of offline medical treatments and express pharmaceutical deliveries. The plan enables the users to enjoy a high quality healthcare service experience.

In the future, Ping An good Doctor will actively explore diversified forms of partnership with commercial insurance companies to help the policyholders manage their health and enhance the insurers’ risk control.

Future Vision: Become the Online Healthcare Platform With Global Influence

Since established, Ping An Good Doctor is committed to “providing a family doctor for every family, creating an e-health profile for everyone, and setting up a health management plan for everyone”. Looking forward, Ping An Good Doctor will continue to attract user traffic, expand the user base, invest in and integrate the healthcare industry, enhance platform strength and improve user experiences. At the same time, Ping An Good Doctor will enrich its product portfolio and expand distribution channels to serve a wider range of users, and also plan to enter overseas markets by introducing successful China model abroad, with the view of exporting the established technologies and services to resolve healthcare problems worldwide.

About Ping An Good Doctor

Ping An Good Doctor (01833.HK) is a leading one-stop healthcare ecosystem platform in China. The Company strives to provide a doctor for every family, an electronic healthcare record for everyone and a healthcare management plan for everyone via “mobile medical care + AI technology”. With a variety of vertical services, Ping An Good Doctor has established business segments, including family doctor services, a health mall, health management and wellness interaction, as well as consumer healthcare. 

Ping An Good Doctor employed a full-time team of more than a thousand medical professionals, offering users a wide scope of online to offline services varying from auxiliary diagnosis, rehabilitation guidance and medication suggestions via online consultations, simply by text conversations, image or by video call.

These core and prioritized services bring reliable convenience around the clock 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, thanks to mobile technologies with AI-enhanced capabilities. Ping An Good Doctor also utilizes the skills of tens of thousands of in-service medical professionals to provide hospital first appointment, online pre-check triage, referral and subsequent counseling, etc.

Ping An Good Doctor now covers approximately 3,100 hospitals including over 1,200 first class hospitals in China (Class III Grade A), and more than 2,000 healthcare institutions such as physical examination centers, dental clinics, cosmetic surgery institutions and more than 10,000 pharmacy outlets.

In less than 3 years after its official launch in April 2015, Ping An Good Doctor’s mobile application gained over 200 million registered users (RU) as of February, 2018, making it the most popular mobile healthcare mobile application in China. 

On May 4^th, 2018, Ping An Good Doctor became the first listed internet health-tech company in the world when it joined the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEx).

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BOSTON, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Adlai Nortye Ltd. (“Adlai Nortye” or “the Company”), a globally-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to becoming a leader in developing effective therapies for cancer treatment and unmet medical needs, announced the opening of its first US site in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston site was opened by CEO Carsten Lu, CDO Dr. Lars E. Bigerson, M.D., Ph.D. who is also President & CEO of Adlai Nortye USA Inc, and other core management team members.

The Boston site, which will form the target validation and translational medicine center of the company, is an “innovation center” dedicated to the development of important new treatments for cancer, especially immuno-oncology drugs based in the US. The center will support clinical stage programs of the company and serve as a platform to better integrate Adlai Nortye into the global biopharmaceutical research and development industry.

“Today marks the first step in our overseas expansion,” commented the CEO Carsten Lu, “The establishment of our Boston site is not just a significant step for our company, but also a sign of our relentless commitment to developing innovative, world-class therapeutic solutions for patients.”

“Adlai Nortye, unlike other domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers in China used to being associated with the production of “me-too” drugs or “me-better” drugs, aims to innovate through target validation to discover new translational medicines,” said CDO and President & CEO of Adlai Nortye USA Inc, Dr. Lars E. Bigerson, M.D., Ph.D. “The establishment of our first overseas site in Boston, will further help us to better integrate into the international biopharmaceutical market as we push forward the development of our treatments.”

Through successful collaboration with global partners, Adlai Nortye is well-placed at the forefront of the immuno-oncology industry. To date, the company has several products in its development pipeline, ranging from early-pre-clinical to stage 3 ready.

Including:

• REOLYSIN^®, a safe and well-tolerated intravenously delivered immuno-oncolytic virus (IOV) currently entering phase 3
• Buparlisib (AN2025), an oral pan-PI3K inhibitor that has received Fast-Track designation from the FDA for the treatment of HNSCC
• AN0025, an investigational, potentially first-in-class oral EP4 antagonist in phase 1 development

The new Boston site will focus on novel target identification, validation, and translational medicine research, such as mechanistic and biomarker studies. The site will also allow an internationally well placed Adlai Nortye to solidify its position as an innovative leader in the fields of immuno-oncology, and to expand this role as it seeks to move deeper into the global pharmaceutical research and development market.

About Adlai Nortye

Adlai Nortye is a science-led biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing new drugs in the field of oncology/immuno-oncology. Our mission is to improve patient lives by identifying and acquiring differentiated innovative medicines that help people live better and longer. Through close collaboration with global partners, we have successfully positioned ourselves in the fields of immuno-oncology/oncology and have several programs ongoing from early pre-clinical to phase 3 ready.

For further information about Adlai Nortye, please visit: http://www.adlainortye.com/en.php

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SHANGHAI, Aug. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Shanghai ChemPartner, a leading life science organization providing high-quality and cost-effective drug discovery and development  services, announced the closure of the merger deal with Quantum Hi-Tech China Biological.

Quantum, in a press release in 2017, announced their intent to join with Shanghai ChemPartner, a science-drive, technology-based Contract Research and Contract Manufacturing Organization (CRO/CMO) serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry worldwide. The merger and corporate restructuring were also addressed by ChemPartner in a press release in March 2017, and are part of the Company’s plans to leverage the capital market in China.

“We are excited to join with Quantum, and together achieve our vision and goals as a public company. This significant milestone was achieved as a result of hard work and rigorous due diligence. The successful outcome and approval of our merger provide confidence in the bright future ahead for ChemPartner, our employees and our clients,” stated Michael Hui, Chairman of Shanghai ChemPartner.

Michael Hui will remain the Chairman of the Shanghai ChemPartner, and will serve as the Vice Chairman of the Quantum Board of Directors.  The ChemPartner leadership team will remain intact, and the company will continue to operate as a standalone entity. 

Shanghai ChemPartner, which includes ChemPartner, China Gateway Pharmaceutical Development, China Gateway Biologics, and ChemExplorer, offers a broad range of drug discovery and development capabilities including biologics discovery, chemistry and medicinal chemistry, biology and pharmacology, DMPK and exploratory toxicology, and small and large molecule CMC.  Shanghai ChemPartner serves a diverse global client base and has laboratories, business offices and representatives in the US, Europe, China, and Japan.

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– Patent covers paired Cas9 nickase technology to reduce off-target effects, advance gene therapy and research

– Expands company’s foundational CRISPR cutting and integration IP necessary to correct genetic defects in gene therapy patients

– Merck to license CRISPR-related patents to interested parties

DARMSTADT, Germany, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Merck, the vibrant science and technology company, today announced that the Australian Patent Office has allowed the company’s patent application for the use of paired CRISPR nickases. Paired nickases represent a significant step in increasing safety by driving specificity through a highly flexible and efficient approach to reduce off-target effects. This improves CRISPR’s ability to fix diseased genes while not affecting healthy ones.

Paired CRISPR nickase methods build on other technologies in Merck’s CRISPR patent portfolio, including CRISPR integration. Commercial organizations need Merck’s IP for CRISPR-based insertion of DNA if they want correct genetic defects in the somatic cells of gene therapy patients. Merck is licensing this patent portfolio for all fields of use. (PRNewsFoto/Merck)

“We’ve made tremendous strides in recent years evolving CRISPR technology, and this is a pivotal time in scientific research,” said Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board, and CEO, Life Science. “Merck’s paired nickase CRISPR technology is important for researchers who need highly accurate methods when developing treatments for difficult-to-treat diseases. This new patent allowance represents a significant advancement in safety for CRISPR-enabled therapeutics.”

The allowed patent application covers a foundational CRISPR strategy in which two CRISPR nickases are targeted to a common gene target and work together by nicking or cleaving opposite strands of chromosomal sequence to create a double-stranded break. This process can optionally include an exogenous or donor sequence for insertion in the same manner as Merck’s patented CRISPR integration technology. The requirement of two CRISPR binding events greatly reduces the chances of off-target cutting at other locations in the genome.

In addition to allowing a patent application on paired nickases, the Australian Patent Office recently announced the formal grant of Merck’s 2017 CRISPR integration patent, following withdrawal of four independent, anonymously filed oppositions.

Merck’s CRISPR integration patent portfolio includes granted patents in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Israel, Singapore and South Korea. These CRISPR patents are directed to chromosomal integration, or cutting of the sequence of eukaryotic cells and insertion of a synthetic exogenous DNA sequence to make a desired genomic change.

Paired CRISPR nickase methods build on other technologies in Merck’s CRISPR patent portfolio, including CRISPR integration. Commercial organizations need Merck’s intellectual property for CRISPR-based insertion of DNA if they seek to correct genetic defects in the somatic cells of gene therapy patients. Merck is licensing this patent portfolio for all fields of use. 

As a company that for the past 14 years has been highly involved in genome-editing innovation, Merck recognizes that genome editing has resulted in major advancements in biological research and medicine. At the same time, the growing potential of genome-editing technologies has opened scientific, legal and societal concerns. As both a user and supplier of genome-editing technology, Merck supports research with genome editing under careful consideration of ethical and legal standards. Merck has established a Bioethics Advisory Panel to provide guidance for research in which its businesses are involved, including research on or using genome editing, and has defined a clear operational position taking into account scientific and societal issues to inform promising therapeutic approaches for use in research and applications.

Merck was the first company to offer custom biomolecules for genome editing globally (TargeTron™ RNA-guided group II introns and CompoZr™ zinc finger nucleases), driving adoption of these techniques by researchers all over the world. Merck was also the first company to manufacture arrayed CRISPR libraries covering the entire human genome, accelerating disease cures by allowing scientists to explore more questions about root causes.

In addition to basic genome-editing research, Merck supports development of gene- and cell-based therapeutics and manufactures viral vectors. In 2016, Merck launched a genome-editing initiative aimed at advancing research in novel modalities — from genome editing to gene medicine manufacturing — through a dedicated team and enhanced resources, further solidifying the company’s commitment to the field.

Follow Merck on Twitter @Merckgroup, on Facebook @merckgroup and on LinkedIn.

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About Merck
Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 53,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2017, Merck generated sales of €15.3 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the “Merck” name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

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SANTA CLARA, California, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Based on its recent analysis of the North America electronic prescribing market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Surescripts with the 2018 North America New Product Innovation Award for its integrated and streamlined approach to prescription price transparency and electronic prior authorization. This pioneering health information network enables safer and more affordable prescriptions while empowering healthcare professionals with actionable patient intelligence to ensure patient safety and workflow efficiencies. Unlike any other solution, Surescripts end-to-end workflow management capabilities can enhance medication adherence, reduce time delays, and improve prescriber, pharmacist, and patient satisfaction by reducing the administrative hassle associated with “sticker shock” at the pharmacy counter.

Frost_and_Sullivan___Surescripts_Award

“Leveraging its experience in industry-led collaborative measures, the Surescripts Network Alliance™ includes leading pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), electronic health records (EHRs) providers, pharmacies, clinicians, and health plans,” said Nancy Fabozzi, Principal Analyst, Digital Health. “This powerful network allows Surescripts to offer comprehensive patient intelligence at the point of care (POC), without steering prescribers to specific drugs or channels.”

Surescripts has found rapid adoption in the electronic prescribing market. In 2014, 94% of pharmacies and 57% of prescribers in the United States utilized e-prescribing on the Surescripts network; in 2017, those numbers increased to 98% of pharmacies and 69% of prescribers. In the same year, Surescripts introduced its Real-Time Prescription Benefit and expanded Electronic Prior Authorization solutions to offer both price transparency and prior authorization at the POC. Surescripts achieved this by employing actionable intelligence that helped optimize prescription benefits and prior authorization capabilities.

“Surescripts is honored to receive the Frost & Sullivan 2018 North America New Product Innovation Award for our innovative approach to price transparency and benefit optimization at the point of care,” said Tom Skelton, Chief Executive Officer of Surescripts. “Combined, these solutions deliver on our purpose of increasing patient safety, lowering costs, and improving quality of care for patients and the physicians and pharmacists who care for them.”

Organizations such as Allscripts, Aprima Medical Software, Cerner, CVS Health, Epic, and Express Scripts collaborate with Surescripts to provide personalized prescription benefit and pricing information in the EHR. The service is currently available to EHR vendors representing 69% of US physicians, and 65,000 prescribers nationwide are actively utilizing the service today. A rapidly growing number of clinicians will be able to view this information about drug benefits and costs in near real time, which will help them recommend clinically appropriate and affordable therapeutic alternatives. Furthermore, the company’s automated authorization workflow allows users to fill out forms within the EHR, delivering unparalleled value to both patients and providers.

“Due to the company’s strong relationships with PBMs, EHR vendors, and others across the Surescripts Network Alliance, both the Real-Time Prescription Benefit and Electronic Prior Authorization solutions experienced significant growth. In 2017, Surescripts processed 3.1 million Real-Time Prescription Benefit transactions,” noted Fabozzi. “Overall, Surescripts’ best-in-class offering is positioned to continue driving the flow of electronic health information among doctors, payers, and pharmacies.”

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that develops an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased return on investment (ROI) it gives customers, which in turn, raises customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Surescripts

Our purpose is to serve the nation with the single most trusted and capable health information network, built to increase patient safety, lower costs, and ensure quality care. Since 2001, Surescripts has led the movement to turn data into actionable intelligence, and convened the Surescripts Network Alliance™ to enhance prescribing, inform care decisions, and advance the healthcare industry. Visit us at surescripts.com and follow us at twitter.com/surescripts.

About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Estefany Ariza
P: 210.477.8469
F: 210.348.1003
E: estefany.ariza@frost.com

Kelly Jeffers
P: 202.215.1250
E: kelly.jeffers@surescripts.com