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The World’s Wisest Minds Gather in Guiyang to Brainstorm Ideas to Promote Public Health

-The Opening Ceremony of the Fourth World Nobel Prize Laureate Summit

GUIYANG, China, Sept. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — On September 14th, the three-day Fourth World Nobel Prize Laureate Summit 2017 was kicked off at the Guiyang International Eco-conference Center. Five Nobel Prize laureates, more than ten academicians from China and the United States, over 2,000 prestigious experts, as well as domestic and overseas pioneering enterprises and senior investors in the biomedical industry all gathered in Guiyang to discuss issues concerning the innovations in China’s medical science and technology with a focus on the theme – “Science: Fact and Fiction”.


The Opening Ceremony of the 4th WNPLS (PRNewsfoto/Nobel Prize Laureate Summit)


5 Nobel Prize laureates in Summit Dialogue: “Science: Fact and Fiction” (PRNewsfoto/Nobel Prize Laureate Summit)

With the strong support from Guizhou provincial government and Guiyang municipal government, the Summit was jointly held by China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CATCM), China High-tech Industrialization Association (CHIA), China Centre for International Science and Technology Exchange (CCISTE), China Pharmaceutical Industry Association (CPIA), and International Society of Scientific Communications for Nobel Prize Laureates (ISSCNL), in a bid to build a platform for in-depth dialogues among top medical experts from home and abroad in the era of “mass entrepreneurship and innovation”, foster innovative ways of thinking, and provide more solutions for cooperation and challenges in the medical science field.

The Summit is, without doubt, the highest-level meeting in the bio-science sector, which has brought together the world’s most eminent scientists, including five Nobel Prize recipients (Richard J. Roberts, Steven Chu, Barry J. Marshall, Robert C. Merton, and Aaron Ciechanover), more than ten academicians, and a hundred medical experts, to examine the facts about the globally neglected big issues concerning the climate change and genetically modified organisms. They would also harvest collective wisdom and support to brainstorm the wisest ideas, and conduct in-depth discussions and exchanges on such topics as integration of Chinese traditional medicine (TCM) and western medicine, precision medicine, and industrial upgrading driven by innovations. The epoch-making dialogues among these experts and scientists during the meeting have attracted dozens of leading media from home and abroad to cover the whole event, including CCTV, People’s Daily, Reuters, Phoenix TV and Xinhua news agency.


Congratulation from Guizhou province government (PRNewsfoto/Nobel Prize Laureate Summit)

The secretary of provincial party committee of Guizhou province Sun Zhigang and the acting governor of Guizhou province Chen Yiqin sent a congratulations, the vice director of National health and family planning commission issued a written address, raising the Summit’s stimulation of communication between traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine, urging the Summit to continue to contribute to creative transformation and innovative development.

The Summit set up four key forums and multiple project investment sessions: Chinese Medicine Industry Innovation Development Forum to encourage academic discussions and industrial development; International Precision Medicine Summit Forum; World Youth Innovation Forum to inspire new thinking; and International Bio-medicine Industry Forum to promote capital investment and practical operations. Besides, it introduced many more activities, such as innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and exhibitions for innovative products and technologies.


Keynote speaker: 1997 Nobel prize laureate in physics Steven Chu (PRNewsfoto/Nobel Prize Laureate Summit)

As the highlight of this year’s summit, the world youth innovation forum brought today’s top Scientific leaders and tomorrow’s stars together. The “dream team”, consisting of 1997 Nobel prize laureate in physics Steven Chu, 1993 Nobel prize laureate in physiology or medicine Richard J. Roberts, 2005 Nobel prize laureate in physiology or medicine Barry J. Marshall, 1997 Nobel Prize laureate in economics Robert C. Merton, with young Chinese scientists and students, they had a deep and interesting exchange and discussion of the issues on global climate change, the truth of GMOs, etc. Young people cherished such a rare and valuable opportunity of contact with the Nobel laureates. The role model effects, technology celebrity guide effects and inspirational effects greatly aroused the enthusiasm for innovative and creative thinking, promoting positive values guide. On the forum, the excellent keynote speech of Chinese young scientists has also delivered the voice of Chinese youth to the world. We see the enthusiasm of China’s young people who are actively concerned about the issue of global development, and the goal of global sustainable development has attracted the attention of Chinese youth and even the world’s young people.


Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, director of Peking University Medicine Center Zhan Qimin in Precision Medicine Forum (PRNewsfoto/Nobel Prize Laureate Summit)

Recently, the necessity and significance of precision medicine has been attached with great importance to it by the healthcare industry and governments of different countries; and it has become one of the world’s hottest topics and has triggered the burgeoning growth of the healthcare market. Focusing on the development direction and strategy of precision medicine in China, the cross-field and interdisciplinary cooperation modes in precision medicine projects, and the future project implementation in different cities and provinces, the Precision Medicine Forum has summoned a number of renowned medical experts, scientists, policy-makers, and industrial leaders to study the field thoroughly from various dimensions, and has achieved remarkable results. Mr. Zhan Qimin, director of the PKU Health Science Center, said that precision is not only the ultimate goal of medical scientists, but the inexorable process of medicine development, during which the fundamental rule is innovations in scientific research. To this end, we should not just put emphasis on individual demands or simply regard it as part of genomics and big data. In fact, precision medicine is a diagnosis and treatment concept that focuses more on integration of different disciplines and takes proper consideration into the patients’ physical and mental conditions.

The future precision medicine should involve multiple disciplines – big data, genomics, molecular images, and molecular pathology, and make personalized and customized treatment plans based on patients’ conditions, living environment and lifestyle. In face of the historic opportunity of precision medicine – an area in which Chinese medicine may take the lead, this Forum explored the way of thinking across different disciplines and dimensions, and exhibited a new and comprehensive picture of precision medicine to the industry and the public.


Written address from Chinese medicine master Zhang Daning (PRNewsfoto/Nobel Prize Laureate Summit)

In recent years, the “Preventive Treatment of Disease” concept of traditional Chinese medicine and its strengths in preventing and curing modern diseases have been recognized by more and more countries and medical scientists, particularly after the State Council issued the Outline of the Strategic Plan on Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2016-2030) in 2016, which regards the development of Chinese medicines as a “national strategy” and opens a landmark chapter for the revival of traditional Chinese medicine in a great effort to rejuvenate the Chinese nation as a whole. In this sense, accelerating the development of traditional Chinese medicine has become a strategic issue concerning national confidence, national security and international competition. To meet the trend, Chinese Medicine Industry Innovation Development Forum, which is based in Guiyang – a city well-known for its leadership in the “Chinese medicine industry”, has solicited opinions and strategies from the participants on various issues including the development of Chinese medicine culture and healthcare services, inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine and folk medicines of ethnic minorities, new services of traditional Chinese medicine, and overseas development of traditional Chinese medicines (folk medicines and medical treatment of Miao minority in particular) from the global point of view and on the national strategic level. During the meeting, TCM master Mr. Zhang Daning, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Mr. Wu Yiling, along with other representatives from political and business circles, have reviewed and analyzed from various angles the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and the challenges it is now facing.

They have strived to encourage the combination of traditional Chinese medicine’s philosophical thinking and modern technologies so as to yield original and innovative results. In addition, they have made significant achievements in reviving traditional medicines worldwide, promoting the standard establishment, property intellectual rights, and future market of traditional Chinese medicine, and guiding the advances of life sciences – achievements that not only enhance the industrial development of traditional Chinese medicine itself, but make it a vehicle to carry forward China’s splendid culture across the world and effectively improve the cultural exchange and mutual learning among different countries.

Scientific and technologic development needs to be applied to practice – with this aim, in the International Bio-pharmaceutical forum, scientists, business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs, led by three Nobel Prize laureates, have conducted effective discussions from various dimensions on the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine, particularly trending issues regarding the development of Chinese medicine industry after China joined the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH), the vigorous investment and mergers & acquisitions in the medicine sector worldwide, and the “last mile” of technological innovation and industrialization, triggering the “brainstorming” of the participants. Relying on the platform of Nobel Prize International Innovation Center, communication meetings between governments and enterprises, and closed-door business discussions were successfully held to promote the cooperation on numerous international cutting-edge technologies and products in China.

The platform is also designed to create many business incubators in China and other countries (e.g. the United States, Israel, European countries, and Japan) by borrowing the experiences from the United States’ Silicon Valley and China’s Beijing Zhongguancun Life Science Park, in an effort to capitalize the energies from the “brainstorming” and the intellectual accomplishments through profound academic exchanges. The Forum made accurate forecasts of the development trends in the medicine industry and gave an impetus to the resources integration of different regions and around the world as well as the cultivation, exchange and reserve of talented experts – a move that will make active contributions to China’s healthcare causes and provoke tremendous responses from the industry and all walks of life.

The “Nobel Prize Star Award” will also be granted during this Summit. The previous Star Award winners who have completed their studies in a workshop established by some renowned Nobel Prize laureates will come back to the opening ceremony to share with us their learning experiences.

Meanwhile, a rich series of activities will also be conducted on the sideline of the Summit in the next three days, including the “Nobel Laureates’ China Tour” to various science parks, research institutes, hospitals, medical universities, enterprises, middle and primary schools in Guiyang.

The World Nobel Prize Laureate Summit (WNPLS) is a high-profile annual event hosted by the International Society of Scientific Communications for Nobel Prize Laureates (ISSCNL). The Summit was first initiated in 2014 and it was held in Beijing, Tianjin and Chengdu for the past three years. From the capital of China to the deep inland, from Nobel Prize winners, academic elites to prominent scientists from home and abroad, to a new generation of young students and scholars, the Summit has brought together the world’s most advanced medical and technological achievements and has received globally broad support and cooperation from the medical industry.

The vision of the meeting is to carry forward the heritage of the medical world and spread the knowledge among all countries. We expect that this year’s Summit will bring more excitement to the entire medical industry and the Chinese people.

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Frost & Sullivan Commends Philips for Revolutionizing Respiratory Care Through Its Innovative Trilogy Series of Home Care Ventilators

Philips’ Trilogy offer multiple ventilation modes, real time data sharing capabilities and a long battery life that allows patients to have a near normal quality of life.

SANTA CLARA, California, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Based on its recent analysis of the home ventilation market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Philips with the 2017 North American Home Ventilation Product Leadership Award for its Trilogy series of home care ventilators. Trilogy ventilators are cost-effective, invasive and non-invasive, with multi-mode capabilities providing easy-to-view and -share data for near-real-time patient care.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic lower respiratory disease is the third-leading cause of death in the United States. The prevalence of respiratory disease creates pressure on care providers and vendors to create population health management solutions to replace existing episodic care protocols. With reimbursements shifting away from traditional fee-for-service models to value-based care, hospitals are increasingly required to demonstrate improvements in care provision to qualify for reimbursements, including faster discharge rates, lower inpatient bed days, lower readmission rates, and better follow-up care and post-treatment management. To address these issues, ventilator manufacturers need to look at a combination of products and solutions to appeal to patients with chronic diseases, both at home and in sub-acute facilities. To help prevent hospitalization, the best ventilation products will be able to share ventilation data seamlessly with care providers.

Philips offers the Trilogy 100 and Trilogy 200 ventilators as part of its extensive sleep and respiratory care solutions. Both of these products are compact, portable, and have multiple circuit choices to help clinicians caring for patients with different chronic respiratory conditions and ventilation requirements.

“It’s worth noting that, in the United States, clinicians are using Trilogy 100 and Trilogy 200 ventilator units to treat hundreds of thousands of patients with different respiratory conditions,” said Senior Research Analyst, Tanvir Jaikishen. “Philips’ extensive experience in IT really strengthens and distinguishes it from competitors in the home ventilation space.”

Philips’ Trilogy products have a number of standout features:

  • Digital Auto-Trak, available on both the Trilogy 100 and Trilogy 200, is an algorithm that can detect inspiration and expiration to react and respond to every breath, with a Sensitive Auto-Trak setting for an enhanced triggering response for patients all while compensating for leak.
  • DirectView reporting software stores and analyzes data and streamline reporting to allow care providers to make adjustments using different ventilation modes as required.
  • Care Orchestrator, a patient management application, delivers data wirelessly from Bluetooth-enabled Trilogy devices directly to the tablets, mobile devices or desktops of care providers multiple times per day, enabling early intervention if needed.
  • The Trilogy 100 and Trilogy 200 ventilators display pressure and flow graphically in a waveform format using the Waveform screen. This format enables fast synchronization between the patient and the ventilator, thus allowing for an expeditious transfer from the hospital to a sub-acute or home care setting.

“Philips’ Trilogy ventilation products provide hospitals with improvements in care provision, including faster discharge rates, lower inpatient bed days, lower readmission rates, and better follow-up care and post-treatment management,” said Jaikishen. “This really helps hospitals to better adapt to the emergence of quality-based care payment models in the healthcare industry.”

The Trilogy Series ventilators allow for ease of viewing patient data, the ability to quickly and easily share data, and data analytics on large patient data sets. Philips is a pioneer in the IT and analytics industry and these products’ interplay between data management and patient management is why Frost & Sullivan is recognizing Philip with the 2017 Award for North American Home Ventilation Product Leadership.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed a product with innovative features and functionality, gaining rapid acceptance in the market. The award recognizes the quality of the solution and the customer value enhancements it enables.

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 Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips’ health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 70,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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:

Claudia Toscano
P: 210.277.8417
F: 210.348.1003
E: claudia.toscano@frost.com

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Galderma: Combined Use of Rosacea Therapies Ivermectin 1% Cream and Brimonidine 0.33% Gel Evaluated in MOSAIC Study

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the results of a study evaluating the combined use of topical rosacea treatments ivermectin 1% cream and brimonidine 0.33% gel were published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.

“This is the first study evaluating the benefit of using both ivermectin 1% and brimonidine 0.33% in combination to effectively target the multiple features of rosacea,“ commented study author Linda Stein Gold, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI. “This study develops a comprehensive and early treatment approach to this complex disease.“

“The visible signs of rosacea can significantly impact patients‘ quality of life,“ said Gregor Schaefer, Medical Lead at Galderma. “Galderma is committed to supporting patients through the development of practical treatment options.“

Reference:  

Stein Gold L, et al. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(9):909-916.

About Rosacea 

Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin disease that presents variable clinical characteristics, of which the most common are flushing, permanent erythema, and inflammatory lesions. It mainly affects the central areas of the face, such as the cheeks and nose. The disease can affect both adult men and women, usually after the age of 30. Additionally, symptoms such as stinging, burning and increased sensitivity of the skin are common. The eyes are often affected, and might present as red, dry or itchy.

Although the cause of the disease is still under debate, various trigger factors are known, including spicy foods, alcohol, emotional stress, sun/UV-exposure, hot baths and beverages. Demodex, generally harmless mites, can also be found in the skin in an elevated quantity in people with rosacea.

Rosacea may worsen over time if left untreated. People that suspect they suffer from rosacea should visit their dermatologist or healthcare provider for diagnosis and discuss what treatment is right for them. Because rosacea is a highly visible disease, it is known to cause embarrassment and anxiety in some patients, which in turn may cause frustration and have a negative impact on their social life.

About Galderma 

Galderma, Nestle Skin Health’s medical solutions business, was created in 1981 and is now present in over 100 countries with an extensive product portfolio to treat a range of dermatological conditions. The company partners with health care practitioners around the world to meet the skin health needs of people throughout their lifetime. Galderma is a leader in research and development of scientifically defined and medically proven solutions for the skin, hair and nails. For more information, please visit http://www.galderma.com

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Merck Collaborates with Angiex to Speed Clinical Readiness of New Cancer Therapy

– Project is first for Merck’s Massachusetts BioReliance® End-to-End Solutions center

– Collaboration gives Angiex access to Merck’s process development tools and technologies

DARMSTADT, Germany, Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced a new collaboration with Angiex, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA to support the biotechnology start-up’s ability to speed its lead oncology antibody drug candidate to clinical use. Angiex is developing an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy for cancer against a vascular target, TM4SF1.

The collaboration with Angiex is the first project to be undertaken at Merck’s new biodevelopment center in Massachusetts, USA. Merck will give Angiex access to end-to-end process development tools, education programs and training to support its success.

“Companies benefit from our expertise and experience in developing GMP manufacturing processes for early clinical development programs,” said Udit Batra, Member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science. “With an end-to-end approach, Merck can facilitate and accelerate scaling and technical transfer for companies like Angiex.”

Angiex CEO Dr. Paul Jaminet applauded Merck’s broad range of process development capabilities and services for customers at all stages of molecule development and commercialization. “Through this collaboration, Angiex hopes to accelerate our path to the clinic. We appreciate Merck’s expertise in bringing to cancer patients an innovative treatment capable of addressing the most dangerous solid tumors,” Jaminet said.

Merck’s BioReliance® End-to-End Solutions deliver products and services allowing biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate the progression of potential new therapies from the laboratory into clinical trial and on toward commercialization. The turnkey package includes process development, cGMP manufacturing, facility design, equipment for pilot-plant production, process and equipment training, technology transfer, equipment qualification and set-up for commercialization. To further support its global BioReliance® End-to-End Solutions, Merck will inaugurate its new biodevelopment center in Burlington, Massachusetts in October 2017.

Merck’s BioReliance® End-to-End Solutions is part of the Process Solutions business area within the Life Science business of Merck.

About Angiex
Angiex was founded by world-class scientists to develop vascular-targeted biotherapeutics. Angiex targets fundamental aspects of endothelial biology with a focus on angiogenesis. Angiex’s lead product is an antibody-drug conjugate therapy for cancer. Angiex is resident at LabCentral in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

All Merck news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

About Merck
Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 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 2016, Merck generated sales of €15 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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Why do hair loss prevention and treatment industries pay attention to P1P, a cell-regenerating substance developed in Korea?

-Its effectiveness in overcoming and preventing stress hair loss comes into light

ANYANG, South Korea, Aug. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — P1P (Phytosphingosine 1 Phosphate), a cell-regenerating substance developed in Korea, which is thought to be effective in overcoming hair loss caused by stress, is now drawing attention from the domestic hair loss prevention and treatment industry.


Dr. Myung-Joon Choi of KAIST who released P1P

It was learned that ‘S1P(Sphingosine 1 Phosphate),’ a substance found minimally in the blood, helps to regenerate cells in the body and prevent aging, is effective in preventing necrocytosis due to stress. However, the idea did not lead to the development of products owing to expensive prices.

Under such circumstances, a team of doctors at KAIST continued to delve into the matter in search of its analogs, and succeeded in identifying P1P. By applying P1P to cosmetic and hair loss prevention products, ‘P1P’, a ‘phytosia’ and aesthetic skin care brand, was launched into the market, earning a patent associated with prevention and treatment of hair loss, and a composition for hair growth. From this connection, a skin and hair society in Europe announced the effect of P1P on the mechanism of hair growth.

Dr. Myung-Joon Choi of KAIST who released P1P said, “While studies are actively under way on the application of P1P worldwide, the projects have met a limitation, that is, it is prohibitively expensive, making it a project of low marketability. Under such circumstances, I am so glad that we managed to open the possibility of commercializing the substance since we have secured a technology of synthesizing the substance for mass production. We will continue to work steadily on the project to introduce better products.” 

The P1P substance developed by Korea’s phyto-associated industries are expected to find extensive applications in the domestic medical and bio-industry for stem cell culture technology and the treatment of degenerative neurological diseases.

Contacts:

PHYTOS Co., Ltd.
Myeongjun Choi
Mobile: +82)10-9369-5339
Office: +82)70-7404-6642
Email: myeongjun@p1p.kr

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OpenEye Announces Pfizer To Adopt Orion Cloud Platform For Computational Chemistry

SANTA FE, New Mexico, Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — OpenEye Scientific Software, Inc., an innovative developer of molecular modeling and cheminformatics solutions, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Pfizer Inc., to provide Orion, OpenEye’s new cloud platform, to the company’s Medicinal Sciences division.  Orion will equip chemists with all of OpenEye’s software, extensive tools for data visualization and communication, useful data sources and customizable, task-oriented workflows, all in a robust, scalable, cloud environment.

“We believe that Orion has the potential to revolutionize how computation is delivered to the pharmaceutical industry,” said Dr. Anthony Nicholls, CEO and founder of OpenEye Scientific Software, Inc. “Orion marries the immense resource of cloud computing services, with our insights, science and tools from two decades of helping customers. It continues and expands our tradition of computing at scale, reliable, predictive science and facilitating local innovation. As an open, collaborative platform for both industry and academia we think it can enhance the drug discovery process.”

“We look forward to implementing Orion’s workflow tools to help our efforts to deliver potential breakthrough therapies for patients,” said Enoch Huang, Executive Director of Computational Sciences at Pfizer.

About OpenEye

OpenEye has built a reputation as a scientific leader in the field of molecular design based on two decades of delivering useful applications and programming toolkits. Our scientific approach has focused on the power of molecular 3D structure to inform and guide, in particular via the concept of shape similarity. We have changed industry perception of what is possible with the speed, robustness and scalability of our tools and have recently built these into a ground-up, cloud-native platform, Orion. Combining unlimited computation and storage with powerful tools for data sharing, visualization and analysis in an open development platform, Orion offers unprecedented capabilities for drug discovery and optimization. OpenEye Scientific is a privately held company headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, Cologne, Germany, Strasbourg, France and Tokyo, Japan.  For further information on the company and its products, see www.eyesopen.com.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OPENEYE SCIENTIFIC SOFTWARE, INC.

Jeffrey Grandy, Vice President, Sales

+1 505-473-7385 x60

Email: sales@eyesopen.com

PRNews

Tokyo Institute of Technology and Kawasaki City are Combining Forces in R&D on Computational Drug Discovery for Middle Molecules at Kawasaki KING SKYFRONT

TOKYO, Aug. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — On July 31, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and Kawasaki City announced that they are combining forces to conduct R&D, construct an infrastructure, and implement a business promotion program for the “Program to Industrialize an Innovative Middle Molecule Drug Discovery Flow through Fusion of Computational Drug Design and Chemical Synthesis Technology”. This highly unique program incorporates computational drug design methods into the field of drug discovery for middle molecules. The program fuses computational drug design that utilizes molecular simulation and machine learning by the Super Computer TSUBAME of Tokyo Tech and unique chemical synthesis technology such as artificial peptides and artificial nucleic acids. Through industry-academia-government partnerships including corporations in Kawasaki City, the program seeks to form an innovation ecosystem that bridges basic/fundamental research and the drug discovery business, thus dramatically improving the efficiency of developing middle molecule drugs.

In order to implement this research project, the Middle Molecule IT-based Drug Discovery Laboratory (MIDL) will be opened this fiscal year in Tonomachi KING SKYFRONT, an international strategic zone located in Kawasaki City. MIDL will possess enhanced research functions for middle molecules and will be the world’s first dedicated facility in this field with state-of-the-art computational approaches. Tokyo Tech will also open a Middle Molecule IT-based Drug Discovery Laboratory (MIDL) core facility inside the university campus and establish a system in which faculty cooperate across research fields. This research program was selected for support by the FY2017 Regional Innovation and Ecosystem Formation Program of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The MEXT program seeks to utilize regional technology seeds and to create a successful model of industrialization with significant social impact based on global expansion from that region. During the 5-year period until March 2022, the research program will receive annual grants-in-aid of 155 million JPY. The grants will be used to conduct R&D, to construct an infrastructure for creating a regional industrial ecosystem, and to implement a business promotion program.

Middle molecules refer to peptides, nucleic acids, and other molecules with a molecular weight of about 500 to 30,000. Conventional drug discovery mainly consisted of synthesizing small molecules with a molecular weight under 500; in other words, “small molecule drug discovery.” In recent years, there has been new drug discovery using large molecules for antibodies such as the anticancer drug OPDIVO. However, industrial synthesis is difficult and poses numerous issues such as the extremely high cost incurred for creation using animal cells under advanced control conditions. Middle molecules enable chemical synthesis while offering various benefits that are similar to large molecules. As such, middle molecules are expected to fulfill a leading role in new drug discovery. The efficiency of development is significantly increased through knowledge processing, machine learning and molecular simulation that utilizes information technology (IT) for computational analysis in a variety of stages from supporting decision-making for drug discovery target molecules and selecting actual candidate compounds to determining bio-stability, membrane permeability, and toxicity.


The membrane permeation process of a cyclic peptide. Supervised molecular dynamics (SuMD) accelerates molecular simulations and SuMD is useful tool for studying rare biological events such as membrane permeation.

Tonomachi KING SKYFRONT is a global innovation hub attracting the world’s leading corporations and laboratories in the areas of health, medicine, welfare and environment. Also designated as a special zone under the country’s new growth strategy, various privileges are offered to those operating at KING SKYFRONT. Tokyo Tech research institute MIDL that is scheduled to be opened at KING SKYFRONT will construct a research system that integrates researchers from different fields and will strength partnerships among IT, chemical, and drug discovery corporations in Kawasaki City. Corporations currently participating in the research program are as follows: Institute of Industrial Promotion Kawasaki; Kawasaki Shinkin Bank; The Bank of Yokohama, Ltd.; Hamagin Research Institute, Ltd.; Innovations and Future Creation Inc.; Fast Track Initiative, Inc.; MVP Inc.; PeptiDream Inc.; Level Five Co., Ltd.; IMSBIO Co., Ltd.; Catalyst Inc.; Modulus Discovery, Inc.

Yutaka Akiyama, Professor at the School of Computing at Tokyo Tech, said, “Computational prediction for the bio-stability and cell membrane permeability of middle molecules is very challenging. By using Tokyo Tech’s world-leading supercomputing techniques and extensive experience in machine learning, and by cooperating with many related corporations, I hope that MIDL will provide the world with practical technology for accelerating middle molecule drug discovery.”

“We are excited about this collaboration with Tokyo Tech, establishing an innovative research base for rapidly growing middle molecule drug discovery at our international strategic zone “KING SKYFRONT.” In cooperation with Tokyo Tech, we would like to make every effort to form an innovation ecosystem working with corporations in Kawasaki,” said Shigeyuki Shiratori, Director of International Strategy Promotion Department, Coastal Area International Strategy Headquarters, City of Kawasaki.

By accelerating the design of middle molecule drug discovery and the development of pharmaceuticals, this research program will resolve various issues such as the increased cost of developing manufacturing methods and maintaining production lines when using biological formulations. Ultimately, for people who require new treatment methods, the program will provide the blessings of drugs at an acceptable price.

About Tokyo Institute of Technology

Tokyo Institute of Technology stands at the forefront of research and higher education as the leading university for science and technology in Japan. Tokyo Tech researchers excel in a variety of fields, such as material science, biology, computer science and physics. Founded in 1881, Tokyo Tech has grown to host 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students who become principled leaders of their fields and some of the most sought-after scientists and engineers at top companies. Embodying the Japanese philosophy of “monotsukuri,” meaning technical ingenuity and innovation, the Tokyo Tech community strives to make significant contributions to society through high-impact research. www.titech.ac.jp/english/

About Tonomachi KING SKYFRONT

“Tonomachi KING SKYFRONT”, an international strategic zone located on the opposite bank of Haneda International Airport, is an open innovation base that creates new industries from the highest standards of research and development in the fields of health, medical, welfare and the environment where global growth is expected. Currently more than 50 companies / research institutions have accumulated and started to operate. New bridge that directly links KING SKYFRONT to Haneda Airport in Tokyo, to be completed in 2020. http://www.city.kawasaki.jp/en/category/132-5-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.html

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Frost & Sullivan Lauds CytoSorbents for Leading the Critical Care Immunotherapy Segment with its Novel Blood Purification Solution, CytoSorb®

By controlling dangerous inflammation, CytoSorb® is enabling superior outcomes in critically-ill patients, with reduced overall costs of intensive care in its sights

LONDON, Aug. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Based on its recent analysis of the blood purification market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes CytoSorbents Corporation with the 2017 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Leadership. CytoSorbents’ deceptively simple yet powerful blood purification therapy, CytoSorb®, helps critical care physicians and heart surgeons control deadly inflammation in their patients. CytoSorb® actively reduces circulating cytokines, toxins, and other substances in blood that feed and perpetuate uncontrolled inflammation in a diverse set of medical emergencies such as sepsis, infection, trauma, cardiac surgery, and liver failure. Its ultimate aim is to prevent a patient from being killed by his or her own out-of-control immune response.

“There were many factors that led to our selection of CytoSorb® for this year’s Global Product Leadership Award,” said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Aish Vivek. “Among the most important was the recognition that this innovative product is surprisingly well-positioned to help solve two long-standing, difficult, and tightly linked fundamental problems with hospital medicine today. These include the high rates of death from common critical illnesses such as sepsis that have no approved treatment, and the resulting staggering costs and losses in critical care that are financially crippling hospital networks and healthcare systems throughout the world.”

“Further strengthening CytoSorb’s position is the scarcity of viable competition in the lucrative and vast global critical care and cardiac surgery markets, the strong physician usage and revenue growth, and the external validation from well-respected industry partners, such as Fresenius Medical Care and Terumo Cardiovascular, and government funding agencies.  As a high margin, single-use product that works with existing blood pumps in hospitals, CytoSorb® also has an attractive business model that is expected to drive early and significant profitability of the company.”

“CytoSorb® has taken blood purification as a means to control inflammation to the next level, with its patented blood compatible, porous polymer bead technology,” concluded Aish Vivek. “This best-of-breed solution is approved in the European Union and has been used in more than 23,000 treatments to help save many lives across 44 countries.  As the clinical experience and scientific publications continue to grow, we predict that CytoSorbents, through CytoSorb®, will solidify its leadership in critical care and cardiac surgery, with expansion into other promising fields such as cancer immunotherapy, and treatment of chronic illness. We are also excited to follow along as CytoSorbents initiates a registration trial later this year that targets U.S. FDA approval.”

Overall, for positioning itself strongly with its CytoSorb® therapy and serving a wide array of applications, Frost & Sullivan is pleased to present CytoSorbents with the 2017 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Leadership in the blood purification market.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed a product with innovative features and functionality, gaining rapid acceptance in the market. The award recognizes the quality of the solution and the customer value enhancements it enables.

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 CytoSorbents Corporation

CytoSorbents Corporation (NASDAQ: CTSO) is a leader in critical care immunotherapy, specializing in blood purification. Its flagship product, CytoSorb®, is approved in the European Union with distribution in 44 countries worldwide, as a safe and effective extracorporeal cytokine adsorber, designed to reduce the “cytokine storm” or “cytokine release syndrome” that could otherwise cause massive inflammation, organ failure and death in common critical illnesses such as sepsis, burn injury, trauma, lung injury, complications of surgery, cancer immunotherapy, and pancreatitis. These are conditions where the risk of death is extremely high, yet no effective treatments exist. CytoSorb® is also being used during and after cardiac surgery to remove inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and free hemoglobin, which can lead to post-operative complications, including multiple organ failure. In 2017, the company plans to initiate a pivotal REFRESH 2 trial intended to support U.S. FDA approval.  CytoSorb® has been used safely in more than 23,000 human treatments to date.

CytoSorbents’ purification technologies are based on biocompatible, highly porous polymer beads that can actively remove toxic substances from blood and other bodily fluids by pore capture and surface adsorption. Its technologies have received non-dilutive grant, contract, and other funding in excess of $19 million from DARPA, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and others. The Company has numerous products under development based upon this unique blood purification technology, protected by 32 issued U.S. patents, multiple international patents, and many applications pending worldwide.  Products under development include CytoSorb-XL™, HemoDefend™, VetResQ™, ContrastSorb, DrugSorb, and others.  Visit www.cytosorbents.com and www.cytosorb.com

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:

Aish Vivekanandan
Phone: 210-477-8495
Email: aish.vivekanadan@frost.com

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Verdezyne Groundbreaking Ceremony in Malaysia Commemorates Initiation Of The World’s First Biobased DDDA Plant

-VerdePalm Plant to Use Sustainable Palm-based Materials to Manufacture Components of FerroShield™ Dibasic Acid Mixture for Superior Corrosion Inhibition

CARLSBAD, Calif. and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Verdezyne Inc., a synthetic biology company producing biobased chemicals, announced today that a groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 30th for its VerdePalm plant, Verdezyne’s first commercial-scale renewable chemicals manufacturing facility, at the Bio-XCell premier biotechnology and ecosystem park in Nusajaya, Iskandar, in southern Malaysia. The new facility is designed to produce biobased long chain diacids via fermentation of Verdezyne’s proprietary yeast, which has been engineered to use non-food biomass to produce high value chemicals.  The first product produced at VerdePalm will be dodecanedioic acid (DDDA), a 12-carbon diacid that is a component of many consumer products currently made from petroleum.  DDDA is a main building block of FerroShield™, Verdezyne’s nitrate-free dibasic acid mixture used in a variety of corrosion inhibitor applications.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the VerdePalm plant was co-hosted by Chad Waite, Chairman of the Verdezyne Board of Directors, and YBhg. Tan Sri Dato‘ Abdul Ghani Othman, Chairman of the Board of Sime Darby Berhad, the largest investor in Verdezyne Inc.  Attendees included Malaysian dignitaries and representatives from Verdezyne’s partners, Bio-XCell Malaysia and the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation.  The Guest of Honor, YAB Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Chief Minister of Johor, presented the Officiating Speech.

The VerdePalm plant is expected to be completed in 12-18 months.  VerdePalm will be the world’s first biobased plant for DDDA production.  “Importantly, the starting yeast will be made from the spent biomass that results from palm oil processing,” Waite stated.  “Crude palm oil and palm byproducts, as well as other plant-based raw materials, will be used to produce approximately 6,000 metric tons of industrial grade DDDA each year.  Verdezyne’s technology will enable a very low-value by-product of palm oil processing to become a high-value “green” product that reduces the use of petroleum.” 

“We are excited that a product made by Verdezyne and our Malaysian partners will be shipped around the world to be used as an alternative to the typical petroleum-derived intermediate chemicals,” said E. William Radany, Ph.D., President and CEO of Verdezyne. “The VerdePalm plant is part of our comprehensive strategy of expansion into Asia, and represents a major step toward our goal of replacing petroleum-derived chemicals with renewable drop-in replacements,” he noted.

“Malaysia is proud to host Verdezyne’s first commercial manufacturing plant, which is located at the Malaysin Bio-XCell park.  I believe the eco-system provided by the park will be an excellent fit for the VerdePalm facility.  Malaysia will continue to commit to the ongoing advancement of biotechnology in the country.  The groundbreaking ceremony signifies Verdezyne’s readiness to work with Malaysia and marks another milestone in our quest to add value to the palm industry using biotechnology as a catalyst,” said Zainal Azman B. Abu Kasim, Senior Vice President of BioIndustrials, Bioeconomy Corporation in Malaysia.

DDDA is a key component of FerroShield, which can be used in numerous corrosion inhibitor applications including metalworking fluids, engine coolants, metal cleaners, die cast release agents, and aqueous hydraulic fluids.  “Marketing of FerroShield was launched in February of this year,” Dr. Radany added. “The rust inhibition industry is in need of a high-performing dibasic acid mixture that can be easily incorporated into existing customer formulas.  We foresee strong demand for FerroShield in a number of countries in Asia and Europe, as well as in the U.S. and Canada.”

About Verdezyne 
Verdezyne is a synthetic biology company offering biobased chemicals manufactured via fermentation of its proprietary yeast cells. The company has two commercial products, BIOLON™ DDDA (dodecanedioic acid) and FerroShield™ dibasic acid mixture.  Current investors in Verdezyne include BP Ventures, DSM Venturing B.V., OVP Venture Partners, Monitor Ventures, and Sime Darby. For more information, visit www.verdezyne.com or connect with the company on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

For samples, orders or more information about Verdezyne’s FerroShield, please contact:

Verdezyne Media Contact:

Jenna Ngian 
Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing
JNgian@Verdezyne.com  
+1-760-707-5288 

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/414701/Verdezyne___Logo.jpg

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Frost & Sullivan Acclaims CGI’s Advanced Genomic & Biomarker Technologies That Drive Industry Innovation in Support of Precision Cancer Treatment

CGI’s technologies provide valuable insights across cancer diagnostics through the accurate and sensitive quantitation of clinically relevant genomic signatures & biomarkers from both blood and tissue samples

SANTA CLARA, California, July 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Based on its recent analysis of the precision oncology industry, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Cancer Genetics, Inc. (CGI or the Company) with the 2017 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Technology Innovation. CGI’s leading-edge technology platforms and comprehensive menu of diagnostic services enhance precision oncology by enabling earlier cancer detection, improving treatment management, and aiding the development of novel cancer therapies. The Company’s genomic products and services not only present diagnostic, prognostic, and theranostic information for routine clinical care, but also facilitate and accelerate drug development programs seeking to deliver targeted, more effective and safer drugs to market more quickly. With its comprehensive suite of both off-the-shelf and proprietary tests, technology-agnostic approach, global infrastructure, and extensive research collaborations, CGI is at the forefront of enabling precision medicine in oncology globally, from bench to bedside.

“CGI has a wide variety of assays for genomic and immuno-oncology related biomarkers, applicable across several therapeutic areas, including hematological malignancies, solid tumors, and hereditary cancers,” said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Vandana Iyer. “The Company offers a broad range of laboratory services that provide critical genomic and biomarker information for patient care and for clinical trials being performed by biotech and pharmaceutical companies. CGI’s recent launches of cutting edge tests, its ability to partner with innovative companies, and its extensive research collaborations with leading academic institutions and cancer centers are a testament to the value and depth of CGI’s commitment to driving industry innovation.”

Some of CGI’s prominent and recently launched technologies include:

  • Complete::IO™ is a unique and in-depth flow cytometry panel supporting informed therapeutic decisions and assessment of potential toxicities for novel immuno-oncology (IO) therapies in blood cancers and solid tumors.
  • Focus::Oncomine™ is capable of simultaneously testing DNA and RNA, enabling the detection of various types of genomic alterations in a single workflow that requires minimal sample quantities and boasts a rapid turnaround time. The Focus::Oncomine™ assay can detect thousands of clinically and pharmacologically relevant biomarkers in solid tumors, making it a valuable tool for clinicians and biopharma.
  • Focus::Lymphoma™ is the most comprehensive next generation sequencing (NGS) panel for B-cell lymphomas in the field.  Focus::Lymphoma™, sequences 220 clinically-actionable genes, allowing clinicians to determine the most effective treatment management for patients. Focus::Lymphoma™ is also offered to biotech and pharmaceutical companies to power efficient clinical trials focused on B-cell lymphomas.
  • Focus::Renal™ is a highly-sensitive NGS panel that provides thorough information for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy selection in renal cancers.  In a single test, Focus::Renal™ is able to detect mutations in 76 renal cancer-related genes, as well as genome-wide copy number changes, and critical single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Focus::Renal™ is the only NGS panel of its type, as it is disease-focused, and has been developed through collaboration with leading cancer centers and academic institutions, including MSKCC, Cleveland Clinic, Huntsman Cancer Center at University of Utah, and University Hospital of Paris.
  • Liquid::Lung-cfDNA™ is a CLIA-validated, multi-gene NGS panel for lung cancer liquid biopsies. The test can detect lung tumor-derived cell-free DNA (cfDNA) obtained from a single blood draw, and analyzes frequently-mutated SNPs and short indels in 11 genes with significant clinical relevance to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This groundbreaking assay is highly sensitive, with a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.05% or 1 mutant copy of DNA in a background of 2,000 wild-type copies of DNA.
  • Focus::HERSite™ is a hereditary cancer test that focuses on breast and ovarian cancers. The test analyzes the 16 genes most commonly associated with breast and ovarian cancers and provides in-depth coverage of BRCA1 and BRCA2.
  • Oncomine Dx Target Test is the first NGS-based companion diagnostic (CDx) test that simultaneously screens tumor samples for biomarkers associated with 3 FDA-approved therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). CGI is one of the first laboratories, and one of only three in the United States, to offer the Oncomine Dx Target Test.

CGI has established a global footprint with a presence in the United States, India, and China. The Company’s infrastructure, which has been developed through strategic acquisitions, and its unique business model, which incorporates routine clinical testing for cancer patients and fee-for-service solutions for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, have positioned it uniquely for diversified growth and access to the oncology community. These factors have supported the Company’s successful development of a durable business model through which to commercialize its oncology programs and testing capabilities.

“CGI is a technology-agnostic company with comprehensive diagnostic capabilities utilizing various platforms, including next generation sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, microarrays, RT-PCR, and flow cytometry. The Company boasts full NGS capabilities with both Illumina and Thermo Fisher platforms, offering a mix of proprietary panels and off-the-shelf assays,” noted Iyer. “CGI has several ongoing research collaborations with leading oncologists and cancer centers in both solid tumors and hematological malignancies, including kidney cancer, leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and HPV-associated cancers. The Company constantly strives for diversity and innovation, and has successfully achieved a balance between the two.”

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated uniqueness in developing and leveraging new technologies, which significantly impact both the functionality and the customer value of new products and applications. The award lauds the high R&D spend towards innovation, its relevance to the industry, and the positive impact on brand perception.

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 CANCER GENETICS, INC.

Cancer Genetics, Inc. is a leader in enabling precision medicine in oncology from bench to bedside through the use of oncology biomarkers and molecular testing. CGI is developing a global footprint with locations in the US, India and China. We have established strong clinical research collaborations with major cancer centers such as Memorial Sloan Kettering, The Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Keck School of Medicine at USC and the National Cancer Institute.
The Company offers a comprehensive range of laboratory services that provide critical genomic and biomarker information. Its state-of-the-art reference labs are CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited in the US and have licensure from several states including New York State.

For more information, please visit or follow CGI at:

Internet: www.cancergenetics.com
Twitter: @Cancer_Genetics
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CancerGenetics
Media Contact:
Panna Sharma
Cancer Genetics, Inc.
Tel: 201-528-9200
Email: panna.sharma@cgix.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Richard Moyer
Cameron Associates
535 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-554-5466
Email: richard@cameronassoc.com

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:

Andrea Steinman
P: 210.477.8425
F: 210.348.1003
E: andrea.steinman@frost.com