Q’Apel Medical Inc. Granted CE Mark Under MDR for Their Walrus Balloon Guide Catheter

FREMONT, CA, Mar 28, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Q'Apel Medical Inc. was granted the CE Mark under MDR for Walrus, their U.S. market-leading Balloon Guide Catheter (BGC) utilized in treating patients suffering an acute ischemic stroke. The Walrus BGC has been utilized by Neuro Interventional physicians since 2019 and has successfully treated over 20,000 patients in the United States.

The Walrus BGC is a unique development in the field of Mechanical Thrombectomy procedures. It provides physicians with not only the known benefits of BGC use clinically, but unique to Walrus, superior ease of use in preparation in these urgent procedures. Importantly, Walrus enables the physicians to navigate the catheter into a more distal location easily and safely compared to other systems, which is associated with improved patient outcomes from stroke.

"The anticipation of Walrus in our international markets has been enormous, and we look forward to the same performance and loyalty around Walrus we have been fortunate to experience in the United States," said King Nelson, Q'Apel Medical's CEO.

"We are thrilled to be entering the EU and other international markets with Walrus and providing more physicians in more countries the unparalleled performance of our flagship catheter. This CE Mark certification represents a significant growth milestone for Q'Apel Medical providing access to new markets," commented Jodie Fam, Chief Marketing Officer & GM International.

About Q'Apel Medical

Q'Apel Medical designs highly innovative technologies for neurovascular interventions and unmet clinical needs. Q'Apel's portfolio comprises three products, the Walrus Balloon Catheter System, the Wahoo Hybrid Access System and Armadillo Radial Access System. Before Walrus came along, balloon-based variable stiffness catheters brought all manner of technological constraints. Not anymore. By blending flow control, trackability, support, and access into one revolutionary solution, Walrus offers truly unmatched functionality. The Wahoo Hybrid Access System and Armadillo Radial Access System are dual-mode catheters and part of the SelectFlex(TM) Family of Neurovascular Catheters. These devices feature two distinct operational modes, allowing physicians to easily switch modes at any point during a clinical case and reducing the need for multiple catheters in challenging procedures.

Media Contact:

Jodie Fam
415 244 9885
+44 7500702108
jfam@qapelmedical.com
info@qapelmedical.com
www.qapelmedical.com

Contact Information
Jodie Fam
Chief Marketing Officer & GM International
jfam@qapelmedical.com
4152449885

SOURCE: Q'Apel Medical Inc.

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Envision Pharma Group Appoints Richard Gorman as President, Strategic Consulting

Philadelphia, PA, Mar 28, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Envision Pharma Group (Envision) has appointed Richard "Rich" Gorman to the role of President, Strategic Consulting and member of the Executive Leadership Team.

Rich is a 30-year veteran of the life sciences industry and a respected leader with a track record of success in pharmaceutical commercialization. He is an experienced head of high-performing teams that build go-to-market strategies to deliver on business development and revenue generation goals.

Rich will be responsible for leading the Strategic Consulting business across Envision's commercial, medical, and technology sectors. He will lead a team of scientific, medical, and commercial strategists with deep expertise in the life sciences industry while combining its technology and AI platforms to accelerate the business and scientific momentum of clients' strategies.

Prior to joining Envision, Rich served as Chief Commercial Officer and Global Head of Strategy for Amplity Health. Before that, he held various leadership positions and senior business development roles at Syneos Health. His background includes serving as a CEO for a specialty pharmaceutical company, as well as several positions within the field of contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.

Rich shares, "I am delighted to be joining Envision Pharma Group at this pivotal and exciting time. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this talented team of strategy consultants. Combining their proven capabilities with the Envision technology platform will create a powerful option for manufacturers looking to efficiently bring new science and products to patients."

Meg Heim, Chief Executive Officer of Envision Pharma Group, states, "We are so excited to have Rich join our team as we continue to accelerate Envision's business expansion, mission, and commitment to our clients' needs. Rich's proven expertise will be critical in partnering with our clients to execute upon their goals, improve performance, and meet their unique business needs with the support of our technology platforms and strategic advisory expertise."

About Envision Pharma Group

Founded in 2001, Envision Pharma Group is a leading global technology-enabled strategic solutions partner for the life sciences industry, working with over 200 pharma and biotech companies, including 18 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies. Envision supports clients across the product life cycle through a comprehensive suite of services and industry-leading technology solutions that include artificial intelligence and natural language processing, commercialization and integrated strategic consulting, evidence-based scientific communications and engagement, HEOR/market access and data analytics, medical capabilities, and omnichannel solutions. Learn more at www.envisionpharmagroup.com.

Contact Information
Colleen Carter
Communications
colleen.carter@envisionpharma.com
1 (508) 505 8856

SOURCE: Envision Pharma Group

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

OrbusNeich Plans to Set up Its Largest R&D and Production Base in Fuchun Bay New Town, Hangzhou, the PRC

HONG KONG, Mar 28, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – OrbusNeich Medical (Zhejiang) Company Limited ("OrbusNeich Zhejiang"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of OrbusNeich Medical Group Holdings Limited ("OrbusNeich" or the "Group"; stock code: 6929), a major global medical device manufacturer specialized in interventional instruments for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) procedures, today entered into a commercial agreement with Hangzhou Fuchun Bay New Town Management Committee in relation to the investment in and construction of an R&D and production base for vascular interventional medical devices (the "Project"), with investment in fixed assets amounting to approximately RMB300 million. Upon completion of construction and commencement of production, the Project is expected to have an annual production capacity of approximately 2.4 million units of products.


(From Left to Right) Mr. David Chien Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of OrbusNeich and
Mr. Yu Naiqun, Member of the Standing Committee of Fuyang District Committee/ Member of the Party Leadership Group,
Fu Yang District People's Government, Hangzhou


Pursuant to the commercial agreement, the Group is to build its R&D and production base in Fuchun Bay New Town, Hangzhou, on a site of about 20,000 m2 and with construction area reaching 50,000 m2. When completed, the facility will focus mainly on R&D and production of medical devices such as PCI and PTA intervention products, as well as structural heart disease interventional products, among others. The land parcel destined for industrial use will be sold by the Ministry of Natural Resources through open tender, auction and listing in open market. OrbusNeich Zhejiang will follow the required procedures to obtain land use right.

Mr. David Chien, Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of OrbusNeich, said, "Since listed on HKEX last December, the Group has pushed forward with implementing its corporate development strategies, with capacity expansion being an important component. In recent years, Fuchun Bay New Town has vigorously developed such emerging strategic industries as information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, high-end equipment, with preferential policies in place in relation to land, talent and R&D for such enterprises. As a major global medical device manufacturer owning more than 180 granted patents, OrbusNeich setting up an operation base there will bring new and advanced technologies into the region and facilitate local industrial upgrading. We believe the cooperation will benefit the development of both the Group and Fuchun Bay New Town."

Currently, the Group has production facilities in Shenzhen, the PRC and Hoevelaken, the Netherlands, with an aggregate annual designed capacity of approximately 1,350,000 units of balloon products and approximately 56,000 units of stent products. According to the report from China Insights Industry Consultancy, the global PCI instruments and PTA instruments markets are expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.1% and 11.1%, respectively, between 2021 and 2030, pointing to huge growth potential. For the Group, it has in the pipeline about 40 products in different development stages for new business segments such as neuro-intervention and structural heart disease intervention products, and new product series. All circumstances considered, the Group expects its existing production capacity to be saturated in the future, commanding building of new production facilities to meet medium to long-term market demand and for effective capacity allocation.

Fuchun Bay New Town is in Fuyang District, Hangzhou. After the completion of construction of the new base, it will not only be the Group's largest R&D and production facility, but also a strategic location in the Yangtze River Delta. Capitalizing on the advantages of Yangtze River Delta as a transportation hub and talent pool, the Group can expand its production capacity, while enhancing its overall operational capabilities.

About Hangzhou Fuchun Bay New Town Management Committee
Hangzhou Fuchun Bay New Town Management Committee was established in January 2013. It is authorized by the Fuyang District Government of Hangzhou to develop, build and manage the Fuchun Bay New Town. It is responsible for construction in mainly the key area that reaches south of Fuchun River and parts north of the Hangzhou-Qiandaohu Expressway, spanning in all about 53.3 km2, with the goal of building in the area a new green industry-city integrated town that has creative and intelligent R&D, energetic entrepreneurship, smart manufacturing, cultural and leisure offerings, tourism and sight-seeing experiences, and transportation convenience all under one roof.

About OrbusNeich Medical Group Holdings Limited
OrbusNeich is a major global medical device manufacturer specialized in interventional instruments for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) procedures. Headquartered in Hong Kong, China, OrbusNeich sells products to over 70 countries and regions worldwide, and it is also the only PCI balloon manufacturer headquartered in China that ranked among the top 6 players in all major overseas PCI balloon markets including Japan (Ranked No. 2), Europe (Ranked No. 4), and the U.S. (Ranked No. 6) in terms of sales volume of PCI balloons in 2021 in accordance with the CIC Report. In addition, in terms of sales volume of PTA balloons in 2021, it ranked No. 3 in Japan and No. 4 in the U.S., respectively. It also specializes in coronary stent products and is actively expanding into neuro vascular intervention and structural heart disease areas. OrbusNeich owns more than 180 granted patents globally as of December 2022. Its in-house R&D team has over twenty years of product development experience and has developed proprietary, world leading technologies.

For more details, please visit the Group's official website: https://orbusneich.com/


Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

EC Healthcare Collaborates with New Horizon Health to form Strategic Partnership To Jointly Launch CerviClear in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Mar 24, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – EC Healthcare (2138.HK) and New Horizon Health (6606.HK) host ceremony today to form an exclusive strategic partnership. Both parties will consolidate the resources to empower the launching, distribution, and promotion of CerviClear in Hong Kong. It is expected this home-use cancer screening product will help to increase the awareness penetration of Cervical cancer prevention, and achieve better prevention efficacy. Under the Partnership, EC Healthcare is the exclusive partner of New Horizon Health.


Left to right: Mr. ZHENG Weixian Senior Director of Operation management, New Horizon Health, Dr. Rita Shih Head of International R&D Center, New Horizon Health, Mr. Li Yan Vice President, New Horizon Health, Mr. Zhu YeQing Chairman and CEO, New Horizon Health, Mr. Leslie LU Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive Officer, EC Healthcare,Dr. Eric CHU Chief Business Officer, EC Healthcare, Dr. Julie CHOW Chief Proposition Officer (Healthcare), EC Healthcare


Cervical cancer is a common malignant tumor for women. The morbidity and mortality have been rising in recent years, with a notable trend of rejuvenation. Cervical cancer is also the only cancer with evident cause and can be eliminated through early intervention. Developed by New Horizon Health, CerviClear is the first Urine-based HPV Detection and Cervical Cancer Screening Test in the world . It is the only product comprehensively covering all 14 high-risk HPV virus and achieves non-invasive home-based urine self-sampling. The product has already obtained a CE Mark, and is qualified for launching in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

Mr. Leslie Lu, Executive Director and Co-CEO of EC Healthcare said, "We are glad to partner with New Horizon Health, a leading cancer screening company. The Group treasures strategic cooperation with upstream partners in the pharmaceutical field as the core strategy. Through collaboration with partners in biotech and pharmaceutical industry, the Group will further improve the preventive medicine market influence and further consolidate its industry leading position. This Partnership enables the Group to further diversify its service product mix by leveraging vaccination, health check and multiple medical specialties services to complete the one-stop ecosystem. We believe the collaboration will also accelerate the Group to achieve vertical integration of the industry value chain."

Mr. Zhu Yeqing, Executive Director and CEO of New Horizon Health said: "The effective way to promote the prevention of high-risk cancer is to provide convenient, reliable and compliant innovative screening products. CerviClear is the first product in the world that achieves urine self-sampling. Compared with the clinical examination, patients no longer needs to visit a hospital and the sampling procedure is non-invasive and painless. It is expected to significantly lower the time cost and pressure level for patients. EC Healthcare is the leading healthcare services provider in both Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. We are glad to partner with EC Healthcare and believe the partnership becomes a milestone for our pipeline and innovation commercialization."

About EC Healthcare
EC Healthcare is Hong Kong's largest non-hospital medical service provider*, leveraging its core businesses of preventive and precision medicine, and committed to developing medical artificial intelligence by integrating its multi-disciplinary medical services. The move, which is supported by the Group's high-end branding and quality customer services, is aimed at offering customers safe and effective healthcare and medical services with professionalism. The Group is a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Composite Index and the MSCI Hong Kong Small Cap Index.

The Group principally engages in the provision of one-stop medical and health care services in Greater China. The Group provides a full range of services and products under its well-known brands, including those of its one-stop aesthetic medical solutions provider DR REBORN which has ranked first in Hong Kong by sales for years, a professional hair care center HAIR FOREST, primary care clinics jointly established with health management centre re:HEALTH, a vaccine centre Hong Kong Professional Vaccine HKPV, General outpatient clinic Tencent Doctorwork, the largest one-stop pain management centre in Hong Kong New York Medical Group, the comprehensive dental centres Bayley & Jackson Dental Surgeons, EC DENTAL CARE and Health and Care Dental Clinic, an advanced diagnostic and imaging centre HKAI, an oncology treatment centre reVIVE, a day procedure centre HKMED, a specialty clinic PREMIER MEDICAL CENTRE, SPECIALISTS CENTRAL and NEW MEDICAL CENTER, a paediatric centre PRIME CARE, a gynaecology specialist ZENITH MEDICAL CENTER AND PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS CENTRE, PathLab Medical Laboratories, Ophthalmology Center VIVID EYE and EC Veterinary Hospital and Imaging Center.

*According to independent research conducted by Frost and Sullivan in terms of revenue in 2020 and 2021

About New Horizon Health
Founded in 2015, New Horizon Health is a pioneer and leader in China's cancer screening market, focusing on early home screening of high-incidence cancers, aiming to promote innovation in cancer screening technology and accelerate the popularity of cancer screening technology in China. On February 18, 2021, New Horizon Health was successfully listed on the SEHK with stock code 6606.HK, which became "the first listed Chinese cancer early screening company".

New Horizon Health has three marketed products. ColoClear, Pupu Tube and UU Tube have all been approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China and are officially commercialized. ColoClear is the only cancer screening product approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China for people aged 40-74 who are at high risk of colorectal cancer. UU Tube is the only consumer self-test product for Helicobacter pylori approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China. Pupu Tube is the first FIT at-home self-test device approved in China. In addition, the Company has three pipelines of products in development for liver cancer (LiverClear), cervical cancer (CerviClear ) and nasopharyngeal cancer screening. The Company has global rights to all of its marketed and pipeline products.

New Horizon Health works extensively with hundreds of hospitals, health check-ups, insurance companies, pharmacies and online channels. The Company has a class 100,000 clean production workshop that meets ISO13485 and ISO9001 international certification standards. The third parties medical testing laboratories in Beijing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou have been certified by international quality standards and the local health care commission and issued licenses to practice, with an annual testing capacity of 2 million people.


Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Health-ISAC Releases Annual Report on Current and Emerging Cyber Threats to Healthcare

ORMOND BEACH, FL, Mar 22, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Health-ISAC, a nonprofit, member-driven organization, has published its annual cyber threat report on current and emerging threat activity in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton Cyber Threat Intelligence.



The annual threat report enables healthcare security professionals worldwide to ensure operational resilience by enhancing situational awareness and strengthening their ability to detect, mitigate and respond to cyber threats.

Health-ISAC's Current and Emerging Healthcare Cyber Threat Landscape report reviews and analyzes the cybercriminal, geopolitical and nation state threats healthcare organizations currently face, as well as threats on the horizon, such as product abuse and synthetic accounts. As noted in the report, an increase in connected medical devices also increases the attack surface of healthcare institutions. While newer medical device designs have improved cybersecurity controls, organizations must prepare for and defend across a broad spectrum of technology while also dealing with software end-of-life issues in legacy medical devices and the many cyber threats detailed in the report.

"Healthcare professionals can use the Health-ISAC annual threat report to not only stay ahead of the day-to-day threats facing the health sector but they can use the information strategically to communicate long-term challenges the sector is facing and help justify additional investments in cyber security spending and where more resources are needed – all in the name of improving patient safety and security," said Denise Anderson, Health-ISAC President & CEO.

The report was published for Health-ISAC members only in February. A public, executive summary was released as part of this press announcement.

"While cyber adversaries continue to get more creative as shown in Health-ISAC's annual threat report, simple attacks, like social engineering, are unfortunately still very effective. Information security practitioners who believed Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) was the silver bullet are now reeling from major breaches that leveraged social engineering and technical measures to defeat it," said Errol Weiss, Chief Security Officer at Health-ISAC. "All of this spells the need for continuous awareness – we need to stay on top of new threats and attack techniques, and most importantly, active information sharing that provides for community defense that will ultimately help improve the resilience of our healthcare sector networks."

ABOUT HEALTH-ISAC

Health-ISAC – a nonprofit, private sector, member-driven organization – plays an essential role in providing situational awareness around cyber and physical security threats to the Healthcare Sector so that companies can detect, mitigate, and respond to ensure operational resilience. Health-ISAC connects thousands of healthcare security professionals worldwide to share peer insights, real-time alerts, and best practices in a trusted, collaborative environment. As the go-to source for timely, actionable, and relevant information, Health-ISAC is a force-multiplier that enables healthcare organizations of all sizes to enhance situation awareness, develop effective mitigation strategies and proactively defend against threats every single day.

Contact Information:
Julia Annaloro
Marketing and Communications II
jannaloro@h-isac.org
+1-321-593-1470

SOURCE: Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Health-ISAC)

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

With U.S. Health Systems Under Growing Pressure to Fill Staff Vacancies, CGFNS Alliance Releases Updated Standards for Ethical Recruitment of Foreign Health Workers

Philadelphia, PA, Mar 21, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – As U.S. healthcare employers confront major staffing challenges, the Alliance for Ethical International Recruitment Practices, a division of CGFNS International, Inc. (CGFNS), has updated and strengthened its ethical recruitment code, which establishes best practice standards for fair and transparent recruitment of foreign-educated health professionals into the U.S.



The fourth edition of the Health Care Code for Ethical International Recruitment and Employment Practices, known as the "Alliance Code," strengthens recommendations around contract transparency and orientation programs. The Alliance Code was developed by a multistakeholder group representing interests across the sector, including employers, unions, recruiters, and representative nurse organizations.

It comes at a time when a growing global health worker shortage has left health systems struggling to fill vacancies and considering a variety of options, including sometimes turning to recruiting trained professionals from abroad. In the past five years, CGFNS has seen a doubling of its applications from foreign-trained health workers who are seeking eligibility to work in the U.S.

This trend has raised further concerns about ensuring that international recruitment practices are ethical, that they protect the rights of migrating health workers while establishing their obligations, and that recruiting agencies and employers are held accountable in the process. First published in 2008, the Alliance Code is reviewed and updated every five years to adapt to changes in the recruitment landscape and ensure its provisions continue to address basic rights and responsibilities of both migrating health professionals and those who recruit them to work in the U.S. The Code provides guidelines for recruitment agencies and employers, addressing migrant rights including the right to receive a fair contract, to provide informed consent and to access justice.

The Code has been voluntarily adopted by 12 firms that collectively recruit thousands of employees each year and that have undergone the Alliance's rigorous certification process, including a contract review and health professional survey. A list of recruitment firms that have been certified as in compliance with the Alliance Code can be found here. https://www.cgfnsalliance.org/certification_process/view-certified-recruiters/

The 2023 Alliance Code is being released after a year of internal and external review by the Alliance's Board of Governors.

"With the recent pandemic having further driven the growth in global demand for nurses and other health workers, there is increasing concern about ensuring that international recruitment processes are ethical and sustainable," said Alliance Director, Mukul Bakhshi, JD. "This updated 2023 Code reflects recent changes in the recruiting landscape, and we hope it will help push the industry forward in ensuring that recruitment practices are fair and respect basic rights."

"Our organization has been engaged in the work of the Alliance since its inception and fully endorses the Alliance Code," said AONL Chief Executive Officer, Robyn Begley, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL). "A fair and equitable process of recruiting foreign-educated nurses is foundational to achieving a professional practice environment for all nurses. We remain committed to the advancement of high standards of treatment for all staff."

"As the global leader in international credentials evaluation to support health worker mobility, at CGFNS we know that health worker migration into the U.S. brings individuals with critical skills to provide life-saving care. With the shortage persisting and employers stepping up their recruitment of foreign-trained nurses and other health workers, we must all work together to provide better protections to prevent exploitation," said CGFNS President and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Preziosi, PhD, RN, CAE. "We are proud of our work through the Alliance to continue to do our part to support nurses coming into the U.S."

About CGFNS International, Inc.

Founded in 1977 and based in Philadelphia, CGFNS International is an immigration-neutral not-for-profit organization, proudly serving as the world's largest credentials evaluation organization for the nursing and allied health professions. For more information, visit www.cgfns.org.

About The Alliance for Ethical International Recruitment Practices

Since 2008, the Alliance has fostered compliance to standards that advocate responsible, ethical, and transparent recruitment practices in the health care sector. The Alliance monitors certified recruitment organizations and verifies their processes to ensure that these standards are upheld and provides foreign-educated professionals resources to make informed decisions. The Alliance became a division of CGFNS International, Inc., in September 2014. For more information, visit www.cgfnsalliance.org.

Contact Information:
Mukul Bakhshi, Esq.
Chief of Strategy and Government Affairs
mbakhshi@cgfns.org
(215) 243-5825

SOURCE: CGFNS International

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Singapore family cord blood bank Cryoviva upgrades to AXP II System for cord blood processing

  • Widely recognised as a benchmark for volume reduction of cord blood processing, this FDA-cleared, functionally closed automated system allows for high recovery rate of mono-nuclear cells (MNCs) with greater safety and better quality, benefiting families storing their child’s cord blood.

Singapore, Mar 21, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Cryoviva Singapore, reputed to be among the top family cord stem cell banking companies in Southeast Asia, is making a significant upgrade to its cord blood processing capability with a switch to the AXP® II system.



The fully automated and programmable cell separation and recovery system, that allows for a fast and reproducible separation of cord blood in a sterile environment, reduces human error, accurate processing without damage to the cells and delivers consistent results. The AXP® II system, which has received both the CE mark and FDA 510K clearance, complies with good tissue practices (cGTP) and good manufacturing practices (cGMP). Globally, the system has already processed over a million cord blood units (CBU).

Designed to provide high-quality stem cell concentration from cord blood, the AXP® II system has demonstrated viable CD34+ stem cell recovery of >97% that is higher than most other known available systems. Moreover, CBUs processed with this system are seen to be richer in MNC than units that are conventionally processed with similar total nucleated cells (TNC).

“We are excited to be upgrading to the AXP® II system, which we believe provides the best outcomes for both our customers and us. Not only will our customers benefit from the quality and consistency of cord blood processing, but the system will also enhance the efficiency of our lab operations significantly with complete automation and software-driven tracking capabilities,” said Dr.Toh Keng Kiat, Medical Director.

“Cryoviva Singapore is committed to provide our customers with quality that is of the highest standard. Our upgrade to the AXP® II system is another investment towards that goal. The faster speed and efficiency accorded by the system’s capabilities will also improve our scalability and help us serve even more families. We will continue to invest in technologies and systems that will help us fulfil our mission to enable every family to discover the miracle of cord stem cells,” said Rajesh Nair, CEO of Cryoviva Singapore.

About Cryoviva Singapore

Established in 2014, Cryoviva Singapore (https://cryoviva.com.sg) is a reputed home-grown family cord blood bank in Singapore. The company is backed by reputed multinational investor organisations like RJ Corp, Indorama and MMI Singapore. The Cryoviva group has successfully stored over 160,000 umbilical cord blood units. Cryoviva Singapore’s cord blood storage facility is MoH-licensed, AABB accredited for both cord blood and cord tissue and ISO 9001:2015 QMS Certified. Cryoviva Singapore adheres to stringent processes and quality standards. Thanks to being centrally located and proximity to most major maternity hospitals in Singapore, cord blood samples reach its facilities very quickly and efficiently to ensure top quality maintenance upon storage.

Media Contact:
Natalie Lim
Marketing Manager
Tel: +65-83398482
E-mail: marketing@cryoviva.com.sg



Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Avantor Named Best Bioprocessing Company in Chromatography at the Asia-Pacific Bioprocessing Excellence Awards

Singapore, Mar 16, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Avantor, a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences, education, government and advanced technologies & applied materials industries, has been accorded the Best Bioprocessing Company for Chromatography at the Asia-Pacific Bioprocessing Excellence Awards 2023 (ABEA).


Narayana Rao Rapolu, Vice President – Biopharma AMEA and General Manager, SEAT (left) receiving the award from Dr Wei Kuang Chi (right) Distinguished Consultant, Development Center for Biotechnology


The award recognizes Avantor's ongoing efforts to provide innovative chromatography solutions that enable biopharmaceutical manufacturers to optimize processes and enhance product quality. With over four decades of experience in bioprocessing, Avantor is committed to addressing the complex challenges of downstream chromatography by providing a comprehensive range of equipment, products and services.

"Chromatography is one of the most important components in enabling scientific breakthroughs and bringing promising biologics to market effectively. This award is a testament to our commitment to developing and delivering innovative solutions that help our customers optimize their bioprocessing operations," said Narayana Rao Rapolu, Vice President – Biopharma AMEA and General Manager, South East Asia & Taiwan (SEAT) at Avantor. "Our chromatography solutions can play a critical role in supporting biopharmaceutical manufacturers' acceleration of their drug development timelines and improving the quality of their products."

"We are exceptionally proud to have been selected by the panel of industry experts and honored at this year's ceremony as the Best Bioprocessing Company – Chromatography. Avantor's chromatography solutions have demonstrated innovation and effectiveness in addressing the challenges faced by biopharmaceutical manufacturers, and we are excited to see the continued impact of these solutions in the industry," said Christophe Couturier, Executive Vice President of Asia, Middle East & Africa.

About Avantor

Avantor, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries. Our portfolio is used in virtually every stage of the most important research, development and production activities in the industries we serve. Our global footprint enables us to serve more than 300,000 customer locations and gives us extensive access to research laboratories and scientists in more than 180 countries. We set science in motion to create a better world. For more information, visit avantorsciences.com and find us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/avantorinc/, Twitter (https://twitter.com/Avantor_News) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/Avantorinc/).

About Asia Pacific Bioprocessing Excellence Awards (ABEA)

The Asia-Pacific Bioprocessing Excellence Awards (ABEA) seeks to give recognition to exceptional Asian bioprocessing, biologistic, clinical trials and aseptic fill & finish experts, organizations and technologies over the past year. It celebrates outstanding achievements and innovations in the bioprocessing industry across the Asia Pacific region. The awards are judged by a panel of industry experts, and winners are selected based on their contributions to the advancement of the bioprocessing industry.

Regional Media Contact
Christina Koh
Director, Communications – AMEA
Avantor
M: +65 9720 0169
Christina.Koh@avantorsciences.com

SOURCE: https://bit.ly/3yMsNic

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Amazfit Launches GTR Mini in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 15, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Zepp Health Corporation (Zepp), a leading smart wearable and health technology specialist, today launched the Amazfit GTR Mini of smartwatches in Malaysia packed with the super-sleek design and all-round functions of the GTR Mini.


Wu Jin, Amazfit General Manager of APAC

Forth from left Benky Lin, Country Manager of Amazfit Malaysia, Wu Jin, Amazfit General Manager of APAC, Law Kar Man, CEO of Comsat Distributions Sdn Bhd


Amazfit is the premium smart wearable hardware brand owned by Zepp that fuses fashion and innovative technology reflecting the personal style of wearers while at the same time allowing them to seamlessly connect their healthy and active lifestyles through a range of cutting-edge devices.

Amazfit General Manager of Asia Pacific, Wu Jin said, "The GTR Mini punches above its own weight, offering wearers the flexibility in style to go with their everyday lives, together with the fashionably sleek design and cutting-edge technology that Amazfit smartwatches are well known for. We are delighted to finally launch the GTR Mini in Malaysia as another addition to our range of smart wearables."

The unique and compact round body of the Amazfit GTR Mini packs into a 9.2mm slim stainless steel middle frame and button with a mirror-polished finish, together with a skin-friendly silicone strap weighing a light 24.6g. Designed with practicality in mind, its minimalist style allows wearers to mix and match with various outfits while the HD AMOLED display offers a clear and vibrant visual experience with more than 80 watch faces, including the new portrait watch face, to match the mood and fashion of wearers.

With up to 14 days of battery life, wearers can go about their activities freely as the GTR Mini also comes with over 120 sports modes with smart recognition of seven sports, 5 satellite positioning system and 5 ATM water-resistance. Health-tracking features include blood-oxygen level measurements, heart rate and stress monitoring, sleep quality monitoring and menstrual cycles. The Zepp operating system 2.0, which comes with 16 mini apps including three new mini games, can help manage wearers' work and life more efficiently.

The competitively priced Amazfit GTR Mini comes in Midnight Black, Misty Pink and Ocean Blue. The screen is made with 2.5D curved glass to enhance the rounded feeling and the anti-fingerprint coating also keeps the screen glass clean and bright.

The Amazfit GTR Mini is now available at a launch price at RM579, exclusively on Shopee for three days. It comes with a ONE year warranty and will retail at RM599 each after the launch.

Find out more about the Amazfit GTR Mini smartwatch at https://www.amazfit.com/my or Amazfit's e-commerce partner platform https://bit.ly/AmazfitMY_Shopee.

Amazfit: www.amazfit.com

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Prenetics Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Financial Results, New Business Strategy Focused on Precision Oncology

LONDON AND HONG KONG, Mar 14, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Prenetics Global Limited (NASDAQ: PRE) ("Prenetics" or the "Company"), a leading genomics and precision oncology company, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022.




Financial Highlights
— Revenue of US$275.8 million in the full year 2022
— Revenue of US$52.3 million in the fourth quarter 2022
— Adjusted EBITDA of US$58.3 million in the full year 2022
— Adjusted EBITDA of US$12.1 million in the fourth quarter 2022
— Cash and other short-term assets of US$242.1 million as of December 31, 2022

Recent Highlights
— Embarked on a new business strategy focused on precision oncology, as the Company exits the COVID-19 testing business.
— Acquired ACT Genomics, the first Asian company to receive FDA clearance for its comprehensive genomic profiling test for solid tumors, a significant milestone for Prenetics in executing its new focus in precision oncology.
— Formed a new Scientific Advisory Board with a diverse group of highly respected experts in precision oncology and genomics, to provide strategic input and guide the further development of Prenetics' cancer genomics diagnostic platform.
— Reposition CircleDNA into a global consumer health business, leveraging on its 300,000+ global affluent customers and over 1 million subscribers as an entry way into the precision oncology.

Danny Yeung, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Prenetics, said "Looking back over the last twelve months, we are pleased with our recent transformative progress. When the pandemic started three years ago, we made a strategic decision to pivot from our core genomics business to play a leading role in fighting COVID-19 in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. We are extremely proud to have safe-guarded those communities with more than 28 million COVID-19 tests processed. It was truly a monumental team effort and something that I'm sure my team and I will remember for the rest of our lives. With the pandemic behind us, our team has rehomed our focus back to our foundational genomics business. This has already been evidenced with the formation of our distinguished Scientific Advisory Board, our acquisition of ACT Genomics, enabling us to offer an FDA-cleared cancer genomics profiling test. Furthermore, I am immensely optimistic with our new business strategy in precision oncology. With our strong balance sheet, we intend to make significant investments to develop our oncology product pipeline, especially in early detection for cancer. Given our progress, we believe our current market cap (currently below cash and cash equivalent) is not reflective of our true value and will now look to execute upon our previously announced US$20 million share buy-back program in which we believe our shareholders will benefit from it."

Danny continued: "We are also proactively restructuring our operations with a focus on streamlining resources and reducing cost, including executing a global workforce reduction of approximately 60% since December 2022, resulting in annual headcount reduction costs of approximately US$10 million. These are important moments to sharpen our focus, control our costs, and deploy our resources and capital to our highest priorities. While implementing such changes are challenging, we are confident this restructuring will allow us to effectively and efficiently achieve our new objective of delivering innovative solutions in precision oncology."

New Business Strategy on Precision Oncology
Prenetics is focusing its business strategy to genomics and precision oncology, and is dedicated to transforming patients' care through advanced genomic and molecular technologies. The acquisition of ACT Genomics marked Prenetics' first milestone in positioning itself in the global precision oncology market. ACT's flagship product ACTOnco+ is currently the first and only Asia-based product to receive FDA clearance for a comprehensive genomic profiling test for solid tumors.

Recently, the Company also appointed Prof. Tony S. K. Mok, Chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, non-executive director of AstraZeneca PLC., independent director of HUTCHMED (China) Limited and a world-renowned expert in the application of precision medicine for advanced lung cancer, as Chairperson of its Scientific Advisory Board. Prof. Mok will lead the Scientific Advisory Board in advancing Prenetics' mission to acquire, develop, and commercialize innovative solutions in the field of precision oncology, and overcome cancer through early detection and precision medicine.

COVID-19 Update and Rebalancing of Resources
Prenetics has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 by providing highly accurate and rapid testing at scale and dedicating significant resources to the social responsibility of protecting our community. With the pandemic and COVID-19 testing now behind us, the company has been developing a new strategic focus on genomics and precision oncology. In view of the Company's new strategic focus, it is undergoing a rebalancing of resources to improve efficiency, reduce costs in less strategic areas, and deploy resources and capital to areas of high priority. Prenetics believes that these initiatives are important to enable it to achieve its largest growth opportunities in genomics and precision oncology. Prenetics remains committed to investing in strategic areas of its business, aligning talent to delivering innovative solutions in genomics and precision oncology, especially in early detection of cancer.

Fourth Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights
— Revenue was US$52.3 million for the fourth quarter 2022 compared to US$64.7 million for the fourth quarter 2021, a decrease of 19.2% year-over-year.
— Gross margin was 51.6% for the fourth quarter 2022 compared to 36.7% for the fourth quarter 2021.
— Profit from operations was US$4.6 million for the fourth quarter 2022 compared to loss from operations of US$30.8 million for the fourth quarter 2021.
— Adjusted profit attributable to equity shareholders of Prenetics was US$9.7 million for the fourth quarter 2022 compared to adjusted loss of US$10.3 million for the fourth quarter 2021.
— Adjusted EBITDA was US$12.1 million for the fourth quarter 2022 compared to US$(5.9) million for the fourth quarter 2021.

Full Year 2022 Financial Highlights
— Revenue was US$275.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to US$275.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
— Gross margin was 47.7% for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 38.5% for the year ended December 31, 2021.
— Loss from operations was US$23.3 million for year ended December 31, 2022 compared to US$10.2 million for year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of 128.1% year-over-year.
— Adjusted profit attributable to equity shareholders of Prenetics was US$39.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to adjusted loss of US$17.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
— Adjusted EBITDA was US$58.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to US$34.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Full Year 2022 Financial Results
The Company had net loss for the year mainly due to non-cash and/or non-recurring: (i) impairment loss in respect of restructuring costs in relation to diagnostic business; (ii) fair value loss on preference shares liabilities; (iii) fair value loss on financial assets; and (iv) share-based payment on listing. After adjusting for such non-cash losses and other non-recurring items, the Company recorded an adjusted profit attributable to equity shareholders of Prenetics of US$39.2 million and adjusted EBITDA was US$58.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Fair value loss on preference shares liabilities
This loss was attributable to Prenetics' preference shares issued prior to our listing on NASDAQ. This is a non-cash loss and would not recur subsequent to our listing on May 18, 2022.

The Company had preference shares with mandatory conversion provision that required them to be converted in full to ordinary shares at time of listing. These preference shares were accounted for as financial liabilities under IFRS, and its conversion provision was recognized as derivative financial liabilities and measured at fair value through profit or loss. An increase of the equity value of the Company (prior to our listing) therefore would result in a corresponding increase in the derivative financial liabilities and a non-cash fair value loss.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the fair value loss on preference shares liabilities was US$60.1 million. At completion of our listing on NASDAQ on May 18, 2022, all of the preference shares were fully converted into ordinary shares, and therefore such fair value loss would not recur going forward.

Share-based payment on listing
Share-based payment on the listing was US$89.5 million and was non-cash and non-recurring in nature. Prenetics was listed on NASDAQ on May 18, 2022 via a de-SPAC transaction by merging with Artisan Acquisition Corp. ("Artisan"). This acquisition of the net assets of Artisan has been accounted for as a share-based compensation for the service of a stock exchange listing and is charged to our profit and loss upon the completion of the transaction. The amount of this payment is calculated based on the excess fair value of consideration transferred over the fair value of Artisan's identifiable net assets acquired.

Fair value loss on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
This loss is unrealized. Fair value loss on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss was US$9.4 million due to market volatility.

Restructuring costs (including assets write-downs) in relation to diagnostic business
This is a non-cash and non-recurring item. Restructuring costs (including assets write-downs) in relation to the diagnostic business were US$30.4 million, due to impairment loss arising from our exit from the COVID-19 testing business, recognised on (i) intangible assets of US$19.1 million; (ii) goodwill of US$3.3 million; (iii) property, plant and equipment of US$4.5 million; and (iv) write-off of prepayment of US$3.5 million.

The restructuring primarily involves realigning workforce to ensure the Company's resources are focused on business areas with more robust growth prospects and higher profitability. This restructuring of operation will result in significant cost savings in the long run and position the Company for sustainable growth. Prenetics holds positive outlook toward the future of business and are committed to transparent communication with our stakeholders.

2023 Financial Guidance
The Company will be discussing guidance upon release of Q1 2023 results and providing an update on M&A discussions.

About Prenetics
Prenetics is a leading genomics and precision oncology company dedicated to transforming patient care through advanced genomic and molecular technologies. Our new business focus is on precision oncology, specifically on early detection and treatment. We recently acquired ACT Genomics, the only Asia-based company to receive FDA clearance for a comprehensive genomics profiling test for solid tumors. ACT has also enabled us to expand our capabilities and offer comprehensive cancer solutions to patients worldwide. Our team of world-class scientists, healthcare experts, and technology innovators are committed to driving forward precision oncology to improve patient outcomes. At Prenetics, we believe that every patient deserves personalized, effective, and affordable cancer care, and we are dedicated to making that a reality. Prenetics is listed on NASDAQ with the ticker PRE. To learn more about Prenetics, visit www.prenetics.com.

Investor Relations Contact:
investors@prenetics.com

ICR Westwicke:
Caroline Corner +1 415 202 5678 Email: caroline.corner@westwicke.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's goals, targets, projections, outlooks, beliefs, expectations, strategy, plans, objectives of management for future operations of the Company, and growth opportunities are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and forecasts and reflect the views, assumptions, expectations, and opinions of the Company, which involve inherent risks and uncertainties, therefore should not be relied upon as being necessarily indicative of future results. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to: the Company's ability to further develop its business, including new products and services; its ability to execute on its new business strategy in genomics and precision oncology; its ability to identify and execute on M&A opportunities, especially in precision oncology; its ability to reduce costs and improve efficiencies through its restructuring efforts; its expectations on ACT Genomics' contribution to its revenues. In addition to the foregoing factors, you should also carefully consider the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's registration statement on Form F-1 and the prospectus therein, and the other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

Basis of Presentation
Unaudited Financial Information and Non-IFRS Financial Measures has been provided in the financial statements tables included at the end of this press release. An explanation of these measures is also included below under the heading "Unaudited Financial Information and Non-IFRS Financial Measures."

Unaudited Financial Information and Non-IFRS Financial Measures
To supplement Prenetics' consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), the Company is providing non-IFRS measures, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted gross profit and adjusted profit/(loss) attributable to equity shareholders of Prenetics. These non-IFRS financial measures are not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by IFRS and are not necessarily comparable to similarly-titled measures presented by other companies. Management believes these non-IFRS financial measures are useful to investors in evaluating the Company's ongoing operating results and trends.
Management is excluding from some or all of its non-IFRS results (1) Employee equity-settled share-based payment expenses, (2) depreciation and amortization, (3) finance income and exchange gain or loss, and (4) certain items that may not be indicative of our business, results of operations, or outlook, including but not limited to non-cash and/ or non-recurring items. These non-IFRS financial measures are limited in value because they exclude certain items that may have a material impact on the reported financial results. Management accounts for this limitation by analyzing results on an IFRS basis as well as a non-IFRS basis and also by providing IFRS measures in the Company's public disclosures.

In addition, other companies, including companies in the same industry, may not use the same non-IFRS measures or may calculate these metrics in a different manner than management or may use other financial measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of these non-IFRS measures as comparative measures. Because of these limitations, the Company's non-IFRS financial measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with IFRS. Investors are encouraged to review the non-IFRS reconciliations provided in the tables captioned "Reconciliation of profit/(loss) from operations under IFRS and adjusted EBITDA (Non-IFRS)", "Reconciliation of gross profit under IFRS and adjusted gross profit (Non-IFRS)" and "Reconciliation of profit/(loss) attributable to equity shareholders of Prenetics under IFRS and adjusted profit/(loss) attributable to equity shareholders of Prenetics (Non-IFRS)" set forth at the end of this document.


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