Anti-cancer effect proved by research team of Kangwon National University’s Professor Jang Ae-ra
Expected to help dispel misunderstanding that red meat expedites colorectal cancer
SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — A recent study has shown that Korean beef (Hanwoo) inhibits the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells.
Korean beef (Hanwoo) inhibits the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells
On August 29, the research team of Kangwon National University’s Professor Jang Ae-ra, in their study appointed byHanwooboard andentitled “Study on changes in phytonutrients in Korean beef and their influence on the inhibition mechanism for colorectal cancer,” proved that the phytonutrients in Korean beef (carnosine and L-carnitine) inhibit the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells.
The research team explained that carnosine is a substance that changes the growth cycle of colorectal cancer cells, thus preventing them from increasing in number, while L-carnitine expedites the growth of active oxygen species inside colorectal cancer cells, which generates increased stress levels inside the cells and thus ends up preventing the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. The research added that both substances are present in Korean beef in quantities higher than beef from other countries (United States, Australia, etc.).
The research team investigated the effects of Korean beef consumption on colorectal cancer by injecting a test animal (mimicking the body conditions of a 60-kilogram adult) with a fluid prepared from Korean beef (low concentration: 57 grams, high concentration: 115 grams) on a daily basis for six weeks. It was found that the colorectal cancer of the test animal did not worsen, even when the highly concentrated fluid was administered, but instead showed improved lipid metabolism and an alleviation of colitis via the increased activity of antioxidants within the large intestine.
Chang’s team also discovered that, upon injecting peptides from Korean beef into the test animal, there was a noticeable improvement in colorectal cancer symptoms (increase in beneficial microorganisms and decrease in harmful bacteria within the intestine), despite the relatively short period over which the injections were administered (seven days).
The aim of the study was to convey accurate information on Korean beef to consumers by uncovering the changes in phytonutrients in Korean beef; conducting a scientific investigation of the influence of such phytonutrients on colorectal cancer; and the efficacy of anti-cancer treatments.
Hanwooboard Chairman Min Gyeong-cheon said, “The study by the Kangwon National University team clearly shows that colorectal cancer is not caused by the consumption of red meat per se but rather is attributable to a diverse range of factors, including stress, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and a high-sodium diet.”
TOKYO, Aug. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — KinoPharma, Inc., and the National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology are pleased to announce that they have entered a contract for collaborative research on efficacy evaluation of the compound KPO1143, developed by KinoPharma, to prevent the accumulation of protein called tau (hereafter “tau protein”) (*1), which is considered a cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The National Institutes’ research group is led by MD & PhD Makoto Higuchi from the Department of Functional Brain Imaging Research of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS).
Under the public R&D funding of A-STEP by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), KinoPharma, Inc., embarked on research for discovering drugs that can inhibit excessive phosphorylation of tau protein, which may trigger the abnormal aggregation of such protein, and eventually succeeded in acquiring a candidate compound, dubbed KPO1143.
This collaborative research is intended to evaluate the pharmacological actions of KPO1143 as a candidate therapeutic drug for AD by administering the compound to mice with transgenically overexpressed human tau protein, and verifying its inhibitory effects on tau protein accumulation in the living brain, using the PET (*2) tracer technology developed by QST-NIRS.
In the project “Establishment of a research and development consortium on novel imaging diagnostics and therapeutics targeting tau pathologies,” offered by the Japan Agency for Medical R&D (AMED), QST-NIRS developed a PET tracer that allows the visualization of tau protein within the living brain. This collaborative research aims to capitalize on the drug discovery platform including the efficacy evaluation system using tau protein as a biomarker.
About AD
According to the estimate of Alzheimer’s Disease International, one individual/person newly developed dementia every 3 seconds worldwide as of 2015. In Japan, a survey conducted by a research group of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare found that approximately 4.62 million patients had dementia as of 2012, and predicted that the number of patients will continue to increase. In the brain of patients with AD, who account for about half of all dementia patients, the accumulation of amyloid beta (A beta) (*3) and tau protein promotes the death of neurons, causing symptoms such as forgetfulness. The pathological cause of AD has not been elucidated; thus, no curative treatment has been established yet. In recent years, the accumulation of abnormal aggregation of tau protein has been widely accepted as a cause of AD. Evidence showing that abnormal tau protein accumulating in the brain of AD patients are highly phosphorylated may suggest a close relationship between tau protein phosp horylation and its aggregation/accumulation.
About KinoPharma, Inc.
KinoPharma, Inc., is an academic biotech spin-off established in April 2005 by an entrepreneurial scientist, Professor Masatoshi Hagiwara (currently a professor at the graduate school of medicine and faculty at Kyoto University, formerly a professor at Tokyo Medical and Dental University). KinoPharma strives for R&D on novel small-molecule drugs targeting kinases involved in various viral diseases such as viral warts, epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, and hepatitis B, as well as treatment drugs for neurodegenerative diseases such as ADs. The company is headquartered in Chuo-ku Tokyo, and its CEO is Masafumi Kuroishi.
About National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST)
The National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) was newly launched as a National Research and Development Agency on 1 April 2016. QST combines the research and development abilities of five Japanese national institutes in the fields of radiology, quantum beams and nuclear fusion to form a world-class institution in quantum science and technology research. Among these institutes, the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) is mainly engaged in R&D into innovative medical use of radiation and research into the impact of radiation and radiation medicine. It is headed by President Toshio Hirano.
(*1) Tau protein Tau protein binds to and stabilize the microtubules of neural cells, which contributes to cellular structural formation and transportation. It is already known that in various neurodegenerative disorders such as AD, tau protein undergoes abnormal phosphorylation that results in abnormal accumulation within cells, which is considered to induce the onset and progression of the diseases.
(*2) PET PET stands for positron emission tomography, a diagnostic technology. PET allows non-invasive observations (or visualization) of biomolecular processes in the living body. The technology involves the administration of a PET agent labeled with a specific radioisotope to patients, and the detection of gamma rays stemming from positrons emitted by the PET agent allows the localization of the agent deep inside the body in a three-dimensional manner.
(*3) Amyloid beta A beta is one of the main components of the pathological hallmarks that are commonly observed in AD, such as senile plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. A beta itself has been reported to have toxic effects on neurons.
Set above a bustling row of restaurants, BEYOND MOVEMENT is quiet and serene making them the perfect place for a peaceful workout. Although at first glance the studio may look bare, it is in fact filled with perfectly arranged equipment.
When we stepped foot into the studio the instructor, Ong, was in the midst of having a private Pilates class. So we were invited to sit nearby until the class was over. However, there was no time to chat as she moved on directly to the group GYROKINESIS® class.
What is GYROKINESIS®
For those who have not heard of GYROKINESIS® before the explanation is clearly defined in the GYROTONIC® website. It states:
“The Gyrokinesis Method is a movement method that addresses the entire body, opening energy pathways, stimulating the nervous system, increasing range of motion and creating functional strength through rhythmic, flowing movement sequences. It is an original and unique method, which coordinates movement, breath and mental focus.”
If that sounds like a boring Yoga and/or Pilates class to you, you would be wrong. The similarity of flowing movement ends there. For one, you begin a GYROKINESIS® class by sitting on a stool with your feet firmly on the floor or mat. Second, you have already done the movements involved in your daily life so you basically will have no problem doing it, such as yawning.
Ong helping our tester with a movement
The Class
Our tester today is a male in his 40s who does calisthenics exercises regularly with some kettlebell exercises. Was he sore after the class? Not quite, but he was surprised at the intensity of the class as he sweats more than he thought he would.
With that in mind, men will have to note that the only problem they may face during a GYROKINESIS® class is not being the token male; it will be pointing their toes.
The class seems easy to an observer as Ong gives out easy to follow instructions with descriptive explanations such as kayaking, hummingbird, and hands in pocket. These memorable instructions allow participants to perform the movements correctly.
Ong does not hesitate, however, to help participants who have problems performing a movement. She will instruct, position and explain until the participant is able to do the movement.
Our tester performing a movement
After the class
There is no Namaste ending after a GYROKINESIS® class. Participants simply say “Thank you”, and proceed to clean the provided mats and put them back in their place. Ong stays back to engage with students by answering any questions they may have.
As mentioned earlier, almost all students end up sweating after the vigorous workout. Ong says that GYROKINESIS® helps not only with blood circulation but with moving our joints as well. This is important as most of us are sedentary at the workplace.
“By doing more exercise correctly, you can do more,” she says.
The verdict
Our tester said he didn’t expect the GYROKINESIS® class to be that vigorous but he appreciated the guided explanation and breathing that accompanied it. Sometimes, just as he thinks he has the movements down pat Ong appears to assist him and he realizes he was doing it wrong.
But the assistance helps him improve and he says, “I moved muscles I never knew I had.” He also mentions how parts of his body opened up and he feels as if his body is somewhat lighter. He does say to not underestimate the class though.
Ong is an excellent instructor albeit with the ability to be no-nonsense at the same time. But as she constantly reminds participants – most of the movements are movements that we are already doing every day.
So, should you attend a GYROKINESIS® class at Beyond Movement? You definitely should. But to fully utilize the experience, use the classes as a complementary exercise to what you’re already doing.
SUZHOU, China, Aug. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — CStone Pharmaceuticals (CStone) announced today that its IND application for CS1002, an investigational cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (CTLA-4) monoclonal antibody, has been approved by the China National Drug Administration (CNDA).
“We are very pleased to obtain our third China IND approval of our investigational drugs in 2018. CStone already initiated CS1002’s Phase I clinical trial in Australia and dosed the first patient in May.” said Dr. Frank Jiang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CStone. ” With today’s IND approval of CS1002, CStone is currently the only biopharmaceutical company in China that has all three immuno-oncology ‘backbone’ products (anti-PD-L1, anti-PD-1, and anti-CTLA-4 mAbs) in the clinical stage.”
“CS1002 has demonstrated a high level of selectivity, specificity and high affinity to CTLA-4 in preclinical studies,” said Dr. Jingrong Li, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Manufacture at CStone. “Combination therapies of anti-CTLA-4 mAb with anti-PD-1 mAb have demonstrated promising efficacy in multiple tumor types by global clinical trials. CStone will explore combination potentials between CS1002 and other drug candidates in our pipeline to provide better therapies for cancer patients in China and beyond.”
As of today, CStone has built a portfolio of 14 oncology products, 8 of which are at clinical development stage, including 3 in registration studies. CS1001, China’s first fully human, full-length anti-PD-L1 mAb developed by CStone, has entered pivotal Phase II clinical studies, and will potentially become one of the first locally-developed anti-PD-L1 cancer drugs launched in China. In June 2018, CStone announced the exclusive collaboration and license agreements with Blueprint Medicine and Agios Pharmaceuticals. With these two deals, CStone in-licensed 4 post proof of concept assets, including ivosidenib, which is recently approved by U.S. FDA for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) mutation, and avapritinib, which has entered global Phase III clinical studies.
About the CTLA-4 pathway
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), also known as CD152, is a transmembrane protein encoded by the CTLA-4 gene that can down-regulate the activity of T cells when binding with its ligands, B7.1 and B7.2, a pathway also used by tumor cells to avoid T lymphocyte attack. Consequently, blockade of the CTLA-4 pathway can stimulate T cell activation and proliferation to induce or enhance anti-tumor immune responses. CTLA-4 provides a new immuno-therapeutic approach to a number of diseases, including tumors.
Presently, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Yervoy (ipilimumab) is the only anti-CTLA-4 antibody to gain a market approval worldwide, although Yervoy has not yet been approved in China. Pre-clinical tests have shown that CS1002 has a relatively strong affinity to CTLA-4 and is expected to match Yervoy in terms of efficacy.
About CStone Pharmaceuticals
CStone Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company devoted to the development of innovative drugs. With a broad pipeline, the company engages in the development of cancer therapeutics with a special focus on immuno-oncology based combination therapies. All members of the management team are seasoned executives from top multinational pharmaceutical companies. CStone has successfully built up its core competency in clinical development and translational medicine. The company is backed by prestigious VC/PE funds via two financing rounds to date, raising $150 million in a Series A round in July 2016, followed by $260 million in a Series B round in May 2018. With an experienced team, a rich pipeline, a robust R&D model, and substantial funding, CStone is well positioned as the partner of choice for multinational pharmaceutical / biotech companies to develop drugs in China and the Asia-Pacific region.
For more information about CStone Pharmaceuticals, please visit: www.cstonepharma.com
U.are.U® and TouchChip Sales Exceed 750,000 in Unit Sales
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida, Aug. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Crossmatch®, a globally-recognized leader in biometric identity management and secure authentication solutions, announced today that sales of its silicon and optical single finger readers, modules and sensors in India surpassed 750,000 units, primarily through its Indian partner AqTronics Technologies and their affiliates.
The company’s silicon-based TouchChip line of readers, modules and sensors provide a low profile and small footprint for OEM device integration. Fingerprint images are captured at the well-established native 500 ppi standard as required by the Standardization Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) and FBI. This ensures the ability to capture digital imaging at the highest commercial resolution, providing the broadest range of finger features including those of the very young and old, which results in fast, accurate matching performance for mission critical Aadhaar applications. 500 ppi is also the native resolution at which fingerprints were initially enrolled in the Aadhaar program, as mandated by STQC, further enhancing match speed and accuracy.
The TouchChip line includes touch and swipe sensor configurations, as well as a chipset model for on-device matching. Surface coating options are also available for added durability in extremely high volume and/or harsh environment use cases. It is estimated that Crossmatch biometric modules are embedded in approximately 50% of the fingerprint-enabled point-of-sale devices in the market.
Like the TouchChip line, U.are.U® 500 ppi optical fingerprint readers and modules provide fast, high-quality fingerprint image capture for a wide range of skin conditions, are easy to use and are offered at economical price points. A robust software development kit (SDK) enables developers to rapidly integrate the benefits of fingerprint biometrics for assured identity.
“India represents an important market for the company,” noted John Hinmon, marketing lead for Crossmatch. “Through our valued local partners and distributors, the U.are.U and TouchChip lines are sold for use in a wide range of applications, including secure transaction authentication, supported by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Aadhaar program.”
Crossmatch is currently in the UIDAI Biometric Authentication Devices – L1 – Registered Device certification process with its TCS1 line of biometric readers, modules and sensors. The L1 – Registered Device certification is to be used by all Authentication Eco partners in India. Crossmatch was awarded L0 – Registered Device certification in September 2017.
Registered device certification refers to devices that are registered with the Aadhaar system for encryption key management. The Aadhaar authentication server can individually identify and validate these devices and manage encryption keys on each registered device.
As one of the original UIDAI STQC certified biometric capture device vendors, Crossmatch has a long history of providing high-performing biometric enrollment and verification devices in support of Aadhaar.
About Crossmatch
Crossmatch® solutions solve security and identity management challenges for hundreds of millions worldwide. Our DigitalPersona® composite authentication software protects enterprise using an optimal set of authentication factors, designed to meet today’s unique risk requirements. Crossmatch also delivers high performing, trusted biometric identity management hardware and software for critical applications. Serving financial, retail, commercial, government, law enforcement and military markets in over 80 countries, Crossmatch sets the standard for innovation and reliability. Learn more: Crossmatch.com.
CHONGQING, China, Aug. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — From artificial throats helping the deaf or hard of hearing to “speak”, to electronic skin that can feel hot, cold and pain, 10 mind-boggling tech products were launched at the first Smart China Expo (SCE 2018) that opened this week in China’s western city of Chongqing.
10 Mind-boggling Tech Products Launched at SCE 2018 in Chongqing.
Referred to as “Cool tech”, or “Black Technology” in China, these amazing products – also including self-driving new energy vehicles (NEVs) and Nano-Robots used in hospitals — stood out as the embodiment of the phenomenal achievements humankind has made to date.
Under the theme of “Mind-boggling technologies: the “Unimaginable Future,” the ten featured futuristic products were selected from 1,082 candidates following three rounds of strict reviews by experts from a variety of sectors, including universities, enterprises, and venture capital firms. The newly released list gives SCE visitors a glimpse of how many aspects of our lives could be shaped by technology in the not too distant future.
Additional ground-breaking technologies launched during the event also included:
Laser-Induced Graphene (LIG) Artificial Throat by Tsinghua University
Highly stretchable and expandable E-skin by Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems
L4 Autonomous NEV by Changan Automobile
Nano-Robots in Medicine by the Harbin Institute of Technology and University of California, San Diego
Thought-controlled neuroprosthesis by The Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology
Dissolvable electronic components by Zhejiang University
AI Medical Innovation System (AIMIS) by Tencent
iFLYTEK mobile translator 2.0 by iFLYTEK
Person Re-Identification (REID) system by CloudWalk Technology
ET Industrial Brain by Alibaba Cloud.
Some of these products have already been brought to market, while others are still in the R&D process.
SCE also played host to competitions including the International Drone Racing Grand Prix (IDRGP) and i-VISTA autonomous car racing.
The side events at SCE also highlights host city, Chongqing’s ambition to become China’s pioneer in Big Data Intelligence, as well as the city’s willingness to attract talents and investments in the field of smart technology to the region.
“Chongqing has adopted an innovation-led growth strategy that will breathe new life into its traditional industries with the help of Big Data Intelligence, and will maximize commercial, governmental and civil use of technology,” said Tang Liangzhi, mayor of Chongqing. “Holding SCE is a key step toward developing smart technologies, and we expect to deepen our cooperation with partners all over the world and jointly create a better future under the theme of ‘Smart Technology: Empowering the Economy and Enriching Life'”.
Held in Chongqing, the Smart China Expo (SCE) is a world-class, national-level Expo that supports the development of big data and smart technologies in Western China. SCE serves as a platform for Chongqing’s Smart Endeavors in the era of big data and smart tech, as well as for exchanges among organizations, enterprises, experts and scholars from around the world.
IDRGP, one of the most influential drone racing event in the world has been brought to the SCE.
Cold Defence™ is a natural product with anti-viral effects that helps to eliminate 99% of cold and flu viruses and shorten the duration of common colds.
First launched in Asia in 2017, the over-the-counter treatment is already available in more than 12 countries as part of Mundipharma’s BETADINE® range of consumer healthcare products.
SINGAPORE, Aug. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Mundipharma will be introducing Cold Defence™, a new early treatment hailed as a “world-first” [i], in Turkey and Canada to help families stay healthy and fight the common cold.
Professor Ronald Eccles, who established the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University in 1988 and has been involved in over 120 clinical trials for over 30 years, said “This is one of the most exciting developments I’ve ever seen,” and described it as “safe and effective”.[ii]
Common cold and flu-like illnesses are viral infections that affects adults twice per year on average. The impact is greater for children who can typically contract them up to five to seven times per year due to their close proximity at school and play.
Clinical trials have shown that this treatment reduced duration of disease by up to two days for children, and by two days for adults, increased viral clearance and reduced severity of cold and flu-like symptoms.
Cold Defence™ is a natural product with anti-viral effects that helps reduce duration of colds in adults and children. It is delivered as a nasal spray and contains the ingredient iota-carrageenan, also called Carragelose®. It is available in adult and children’s formulations and is recommended for use at the first sign of cold and flu-like symptoms.
Several large scale clinical trials involving close to 600 adult and paediatric patients were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the product. The analysis of children and adults suffering from virus-confirmed common cold after two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials demonstrated that it appeared as an effective treatment of common cold [iii],[iv]
Mundipharma CEO, Raman Singh, said “Every year the common cold interrupts family, school and working life, soaking up medical leave, putting pressure on productivity and colleagues and interrupting people’s daily life. As an early treatment to manage the Cold and other flu-like illnesses, Cold Defence™ can help keep families and workplaces productive and healthy.“
“Providing Cold Defence™ in Canada and Turkey continues our commitment to the day-to-day wellbeing of families.”
[i] Interview about Cold Defence nasal spray with Professor Ron Eccles, Weekend Sunrise, Channel Seven Melbourne, Sunday 6th May at 8.18AM
[ii] Interview about Cold Defence nasal spray with Professor Ron Eccles, Weekend Sunrise, Channel Seven Melbourne, Sunday 6th May at 8.18AM
[iii] ‘Lessons learned from a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled study with a iota-carrageenan nasal spray as medical device in children with acute symptoms of common cold’, Tamas Fazekas, Philipp Eickhoff, Nathalie Pruckner, Georg Vollnhofer, Gustav Fischmeister, Christopher Diakos, Margit Rauch, Maria Verdianz, Andreas Zoubek, Helmut Gadner and Thomas Lion, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, The official journal of the International Society for Complementary Medicine. Published, 5 September 2012.
[iv] Koenighofer, M., et al. Carrageenan nasal spray in virus confirmed common old: individual patient data analysis of two randomized controlled trials. Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine. 2014;9:57.
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.
®: BETADINE is a Registered Trademark of Mundipharma.
®: Carregelose is a Registered Trademark of Marinomed.
Registered indications differ country to country hence please check with a local Mundipharma office for more information on the local approved prescribing information.
SHANGHAI, Aug. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — WuXi AppTec (603259.SH), a leading global pharmaceutical and medical device open-access capability and technology platform company, today announces the appointment of Mr. Edward Hu as Co-CEO of the company. Mr. Hu will continue to report to Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec.
Edward Hu, Co-CEO of WuXi AppTec
As the company’s Co-CEO, Mr. Hu will share business management responsibilities with Dr. Li, including the small molecule drug discovery, development, manufacturing services, drug and medical device testing services, etc. Mr. Hu will continue to act as the CFO in charge of corporate finance, investment, and mergers and acquisitions, until a new CFO comes on board.
Since joining WuXi in 2007, Mr. Hu has served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, and later Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer. Over the past decade, he has scored significant achievements in operational excellence, financial management, and WuXi’s global business expansion. Mr. Hu was elected to the Board of Directors in March 2016.
“Ed’s extraordinary business leadership has been, and will continue to be critical to the growth of WuXi AppTec,” stated Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec. “I look forward to working closely with Ed as we enter an exciting new era of growth, and please join me in wishing him even greater success in his new role.”
“I’m very grateful for the trust placed in me by the board and Dr. Li,” said Mr. Hu. “It’s our vision to enable anyone and any company to realize their R&D dream, so that patients can benefit from earlier access to better medicines. Together, we will strive to fulfill WuXi’s dream that every drug can be made and every disease can be treated.”
Prior to WuXi, Mr. Hu served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Tanox.
His earlier career spanned managerial and financial positions at Biogen and Merck respectively. Mr. Hu has an MBA and Master’s degree in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University.
About WuXi AppTec
WuXi AppTec is a leading pharmaceutical and medical device open-access capability and technology platform company with global operations. As an innovation-driven and customer-focused company, WuXi AppTec provides a broad and integrated portfolio of services to help our customers and partners worldwide shorten the discovery and development time and lower the cost of drug and medical device R&D through cost-effective and efficient solutions. With its industry-leading capabilities such as small molecule R&D and manufacturing, cell therapy and gene therapy R&D and manufacturing, and medical device testing, the WuXi platform is enabling nearly 3,000 innovative collaborators from more than 30 countries to bring innovative healthcare products to patients, and to fulfill WuXi’s dream that “every drug can be made and every disease can be treated.” Please visit: http://www.wuxiapptec.com
SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — The Fourth China Smart City International Expo 2018 (CSCE) was inaugurated at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center on August 21, 2018. The expo is co-hosted by the China Center for Urban Development, the National Development and Reform Commission, Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government and Ping An of China. At the event, Ping An of China, for the first time, delivered and made public a presentation on China’s first “1+N” smart city platform system and solutions. The presentation demonstrated how the platform was designed based on the “intelligent and efficient” building concept, and relies on four core technologies – intelligent cognition, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and cloud. At this year’s CSCE, an important gateway for smart healthcare, Ping An Medical Technology showcased its latest medical technology solutions in a move to publicize Ping An of China’s smart city medical ecosystem.
Ping An of China’s smart city sand table
Ping An Technology showcases five smart medical solutions
Intelligent eye screening platform
Diseases of the ocular fundus can be easily detected and diagnosed early with AI. At the exhibition, Ping An Medical Technology released for the first time an OCT intelligent diagnostic system for ocular fundus diseases jointly developed with US-based Optovue. The system is the industry’s first AI image screening system that seamlessly combines OCT fundus examination and AI lesion screening. From OCT examination to patient scan code to obtain an intelligent screening report, the entire process can be completed in three minutes. Based on Ping An’s deep learning technology, the intelligent eye screening platform can study and analyze thousands of data points collected during the course of the examination of the fundus, to screen for diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). At present, the platform has an accuracy rate for recognizing diabetic retinopathy of 98.5%, and its AMD model can automatically locate the drusen (yellow deposits under the retina) and conduct relevant quantitative analysis. The platform was built based on Ping An Technology’s deep knowledge in the field of computer vision, and won a world first in EX (hard exudates) image segmentation, world second in HE (bleeding) segmentation and world third in MA (microaneurysm) segmentation task at the Indian Diabetic Retinopathy Image Dataset (IDRiD) fundus analysis competition held by ISBI, an international conference.
OCT intelligent ocular fundus disease diagnosis system jointly developed by Ping An Medical Technology and US-based Optovue
Intelligent imaging quality control platform
Based on the AI algorithms, the platform identifies the lesions automatically and smartly assists in the diagnosis according to the images displayed in a standard medical image format. In addition, the system is able to control the quality of the imaging diagnosis using AI technology with the aim of reducing the number of missed imaging-based diagnoses and improving the usefulness of imaging for clinical diagnosis as well as productivity at hospitals. After the hospital technician uploads the images, quality control experts use the online image quality control assessment functionality to deliver final rating results. The advantages of the platform include examining the images using advanced AI technology and clearly displaying the conditions of lesions. The platform provides physicians with real-time visibility of data on quality control results and the comparisons between quality and quantity of the images examined in terms of the device, location of the lesions, profile of the patient and timestamp.
Intelligent imaging diagnostic system
Early this year, Ping An Technology broke world records for the detection of lung nodules and reduction in the number of false positives with accuracy rates of 95.1% and 96.8% respectively, placing the firm in the leadership position in terms of these two indexes which are part of the Lung Nodule Analysis (LUNA) assessment standard, the internationally accepted standard within the medical imaging field. By leveraging the advanced technology, the company’s intelligent medical imaging screening system can complete the AI-based interpretation of CT scans and intelligent reporting within one minute. Ping An Technology has developed medical imaging models targeting over 30 types of diseases, 200 million patients and 600 million people identified as in need of disease screening. The system plays a key role in local hospitals. Within one week of deploying the system at a county-level hospital, over 60 patients were detected with lung nodules and one patient was detected with suspicious lung nodules and immediately transferred to a superior Grade III, Class A hospital due to the severity of the finding.
Intelligent disease risk prediction system
Built on big data, AI and machine learning technology, the intelligent disease risk prediction system mines the data that can identify disease risk factors from a large number of characteristics. The system, which covers prediction models for 30 chronic diseases including cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and respiratory diseases as well as their complications, automatically screens for disease risk factors from more than 3.5 million physical examinations and electronic medical records and builds intelligent disease prediction models using a machine learning method.
Taking cardio-cerebrovascular diseases as an example, it only takes approximately five minutes to generate prediction results for five main cardio-cerebrovascular diseases including coronary heart disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation, heart failure and myocardial infarction. Developed in collaboration with several medical authorities including the Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health and Family Planning Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, the system has achieved success in the prediction of infectious diseases and risk factor screening of chronic diseases. It can predict the incidence of infectious diseases one week in advance of existing methods, with an over 86 percent accuracy rate for influenza and hand-foot-and-mouth disease and an over 90 percent accuracy rate during peak periods of occurrence.
Intelligent medical assistant
The intelligent medical assistant is a chat robot based on natural language processing (NLP) technology. Rooted in medical knowledge and covering pre- and post-diagnosis medical scenarios, the assistant comes equipped with four main functions: triage, guidance, patient Q&A and follow-up. The algorithms of the triage model support the identification of more than 2,000 symptoms and the diagnosis of 500 diseases including 35 common diseases, with the accuracy rate for the top most common five answers reaching 95 percent. In terms of patient Q&A, a diabetes Q&A model is now available and has compiled over 800 frequently asked questions covering 90 key categories from more than 40 million questions, with an 90.1 percent accuracy rate, 20 percent higher than data-trained open AI platforms for general purposes.
The five flagship solutions provided by Ping An Medical Technology have all seen application in real life. The company has established partnerships with nearly 100 Chinese healthcare organizations, including Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and the Fourth People’s Hospital of Datong, among several other Grade-III, Class-A hospitals, as well as the people’s hospitals of Longli county, Guizhou province and Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County, Hunan province, in addition to several other Grade-II and local medical organizations.
Ping An Medical Technology was formerly known as Ping An Technology Smart Medical Center. Ping An Technology, a high-tech hub within Ping An Group, has been regarded as one of the key engines in terms of technology research and development. With the gradual maturity and wide adoption of medical technologies and capabilities, Ping An Medical Technology has been given a mission to create a closed-loop medical ecosystem. From establishing technological partnerships with medical manufacturers, including Sanofi and Optovue, to expanding into consumer applications, the company is outlining a vision for the smart medical sector that includes all of its key technologies, with the aim of helping build a new smart city.
About Ping An Technology
Ping An Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ping An Group, is committed to using AI, intelligent cognition, blockchain, cloud and other cutting-edge technologies to create a new cloud-based life for people. As a subsidiary, Ping An Technology is the high-tech core and tech business incubator within Ping An Group, and is responsible for the development and operation of the critical platforms and services for the group. As an independent entity, Ping An Technology strategizes with smart technology and manufacturing to focus on healthcare, finance, and smart city areas. Ping An Technology is dedicated to implementing the corporate philosophy of “technology changes life” by applying the international certificated technological capabilities to actual business scenarios.
More than 4,000 IT professionals and management experts form a high-level R&D force to provide expert-level technical support for the stable and reliable operation of the platform. The established cloud ecosystem has already been accessed by over 400 million of internet users.
About Ping An Medical Technology
Based on leading AI technology and the Ping An Cloud, Ping An Medical Technology, a medical center within Ping An Group, has improved its end-to-end solution portfolio that spans the entire process from pre-diagnosis to post-diagnosis by assisting the government in implementing smart medical programs and helping medical organizations enhance medical efficiency. The intelligent portfolio includes disease risk prediction, triage, medical image screening, auxiliary diagnosis and treatment, ICU management and follow-up visit systems. With a complete medical knowledge spectrum, including medicines, diseases, prescriptions and risk factors, the company’s network covers over 700 smart auxiliary diagnosis and treatment models for common diseases as well as some 800 million patients. Ping An Medical Technology has worked closely with the medical administrations of many Chinese provinces and cities, and established partnerships with nearly 100 Chinese medical organizations.
BEIJING, Aug. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBPO) (“China Biologic” or the “Company”), a leading fully integrated plasma-based biopharmaceutical company in China, today announced that the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) has received a letter dated August 23, 2018 from CITIC Capital MB Investment Limited, an affiliate of CITIC Capital Holdings Limited (“CITIC”), withdrawing its preliminary non-binding proposal dated June 11, 2018, with immediate effect. The Company further announced that the Board has unanimously decided to reject the previously announced preliminary non-binding proposal dated August 17, 2018 from the consortium (the “Consortium”) consisting of Feng Tai Global Limited, a company beneficially owned by Mr. David (Xiaoying) Gao, the former Chairman and CEO of the Company, GL Sandrose Investment L.P., World Investments Limited and CDH Utopia Limited.
After careful review of the Consortium’s proposal, the Board has unanimously determined that it is not in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as it did not reflect the intrinsic value of the Company and would abrogate the shareholders’ opportunity to enjoy the long-term return from the Company’s execution of its business strategy of growing into a leading global biopharmaceutical company.
In addition, the Company announced that it has entered into definitive agreements (the “Share Purchase Agreements”) for the issuance and sale of an aggregate of 5,850,000 ordinary shares of the Company, which represents 14.9% of the enlarged share capital post the issuance and is expected to raise gross proceeds of approximately US$590 million. The Company intends to use such proceeds to support its business expansion plan and strategic acquisitions. Under the Share Purchase Agreements, Centurium Capital Management Ltd. (“Centurium”), CITIC, Hillhouse Capital Management, Ltd. (“Hillhouse”), each via its respective investment vehicle(s), and PW Medtech Group Limited (“PWM”, and together with Centurium, CITIC and Hillhouse, the “Investors”) will subscribe for and purchase 3,050,000, 1,000,000, 1,000,000 and 800,000, respectively, newly issued ordinary shares of the Company at a per share purchase price of US$100.90, representing the closing price per share as quoted by the NASDAQ Global Market on August 23, 2018, and a premium of 2.5% and 7.9%, respectively, over the Company’s 30 and 90 trading day volume weighted average price as quoted by the NASDAQ Global Market through August 23, 2018.
The closings of the transactions are subject to customary conditions, and the first tranche consisting of an aggregate of US$383.42 million investment from Centurium, CITIC and Hillhouse is expected to close today. The rest of the investment is expected to close within 30 days from today. Upon the consummation of all the closings, Centurium, CITIC, Hillhouse and PWM will beneficially own approximately 7.76%, 6.82%, 6.63% and 16.08% of the Company’s total outstanding shares, respectively. In connection with the subscription for the new shares, each of the Investors has agreed to certain transfer restrictions, including a two-year lockup of the shares acquired in this transaction, transfer restrictions with respect to the Company’s competitors, and voting agreement in accordance with the Board’s recommendations at the Company’s shareholders’ meetings.
Centurium is affiliated with two directors of the Board, Mr. David Hui Li and Mr. Joseph Chow, and PWM is the single largest shareholder of the Company with a director representative, Ms. Yue’e Zhang, on the Board. Therefore, the Board formed a special committee consisting of two independent directors, Dr. Yungang Lu and Mr. Qi Ning to negotiate and evaluate the Share Purchase Agreements and the transactions contemplated thereby. After careful deliberation and upon the recommendation of the special committee, the Board with the affiliated directors abstaining from deliberating and voting, unanimously approved the Share Purchase Agreements and the transactions contemplated thereby.
“We are delighted to be partnering with this group of highly respected and experienced investors to accompany China Biologic as we grow and evolve into a world leading biopharmaceutical company,” said Dr. Bing Li, CEO of China Biologic. “Through the additional capital and strategic partnerships gained through this private placement, China Biologic will be very well situated to acquire and develop the leading technologies and assets that will help drive exceptional shareholder value for the long term. I am confident that we now have the right management team, strategy, and committed investor base to fully realize China Biologic’s potential as an industry leader.”
About China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc.
China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBPO) is a leading fully integrated plasma-based biopharmaceutical company in China. The Company’s products are used as critical therapies during medical emergencies and for the prevention and treatment of life-threatening diseases and immune-deficiency related diseases. China Biologic is headquartered in Beijing and manufactures over 20 different dosage forms of plasma products through its indirect majority-owned subsidiary, Shandong Taibang Biological Products Co., Ltd. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Guizhou Taibang Biological Products Co., Ltd. The Company also has an equity investment in Xi’an Huitian Blood Products Co., Ltd. The Company sells its products to hospitals, distributors and other healthcare facilities in China. For additional information, please see the Company’s website www.chinabiologic.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” relating to the business of China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein, are “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “intend,” “believe,” “expect,” “are expected to,” “will,” or similar expressions, and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the expected timing of the completion of the private placement, the Company’s future business development and strategies, and those other risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company’s periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.
Contact:
China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. Mr. Ming Yin Senior Vice President Phone: +86-10-6598-3099 Email: ir@chinabiologic.com
