HighTide Therapeutics Raises $107 Million in Series C/C+ Financing to Advance Innovative Pipeline and Business Collaborations

ROCKVILLE, MD and SHENZHEN, CHINA, Jan 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – HighTide Therapeutics Inc. ("HighTide"), a globally integrated clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel multifunctional therapies for metabolic and digestive diseases, today announced the closing of a $107 million Series C/C+ financing led by the TCM Healthcare Fund of Guangdong, managed by China Development Bank Capital. Other investors included Yuexiu Fund and Yuthai Fund.

Proceeds of the financing will be used to advance multiple global development programs, including mid-to-late-stage clinical trials, and the commercialization and business development of the company's robust pipeline. HighTide's lead candidate HTD1801, is a novel multifunctional molecule, being developed for the treatment of patients suffering from complex metabolic and digestive diseases.

HighTide has successfully completed multiple clinical trials of HTD1801 and continues to advance its global development programs as follows:

— A Phase 2 clinical study in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is near completion;
— A Phase 2b clinical study in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has been initiated; and
— A successful End-of-Phase 2 (EOP2) meeting was held with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on the positive findings from the Phase 2 clinical study in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

"After completing a successful $60 million Series B+ round at the end of 2020, we are thrilled to have well-recognized investors participate in our C/C+ round. We are grateful that our investors have such strong confidence in HighTide's team, the commercial value of our pipeline, and future development prospects," said Liping Liu, Ph.D., founder and Chief Executive Officer of HighTide. "The Series C/C+ financing is a significant milestone for HighTide. It will enable us to move aggressively to accelerate the clinical and commercial development of our innovative pipeline and external business collaborations."

About HighTide Therapeutics
HighTide is a globally integrated clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the discovery and development of novel multifunctional therapies for metabolic and digestive diseases with significant unmet medical needs. The company's lead drug candidate, HTD1801, is a first-in-class new molecular entity, currently in clinical development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation to HTD1801 for both NASH and PSC, as well as Orphan Drug designation for PSC. In China, HTD1801 has been included in the National Major New Drug Innovation Program. For more information, please visit www.hightidetx.com.

Contacts:

Investors
Nadia Gao
ir@hightidetx.com
+86-134-8219-0265

Media
Karl Schmieder
karl@messaginglab.com
+1-646-515-3392


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

Beauty Farm Medical and Health Industry Inc. Announces Proposed Listing on the Main Board of SEHK, Offer price at HK$19.32 per share

HONG KONG, Dec 30, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Beauty Farm Medical and Health Industry Inc. ("Beauty Farm" or "Company", stock code: 2373), the largest provider of traditional beauty services in China, today announces the proposed listing of its shares on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("SEHK").

Beauty Farm plans to offer an aggregate of 40,536,500 Offer Shares under the Global Offering (subject to the Over-allotment Option), consisting of 36,482,500 International Offer Shares (subject to reallocation and the Over-allotment Option) and 4,054,000 Hong Kong Offer Shares (subject to reallocation), at a price of HK$19.32 per share.

The Company will start its public offering in Hong Kong at 9 a.m. on 30 December, 2022 (Friday) and end at 12 noon on 6 January, 2023 (Friday). Dealings in shares on SEHK are expected to commence on 16 January 2023 (Monday), with the stock code of 2373 in board lots of 500 shares each.

Morgan Stanley Asia Limited, Haitong International Capital Limited and Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited are the Joint Sponsors; Morgan Stanley Asia Limited, Haitong International Securities Company Limited and Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited are the Overall Coordinators, Joint Global Coordinators, Joint Bookrunners and Joint Managers.

Beauty and health management service provider with diversified brand portfolio in China

Beauty Farm is a leading player of the chain service brand in China's beauty and health management service industry, which has large and loyal client base, extensive network with expansion efficiency, diversified services and product offerings as well as strong brand awareness. According to Frost & Sullivan, Beauty Farm is the largest provider of traditional beauty services and the fourth largest non-surgical aesthetic medical service provider in China with a market share of 0.2% and 0.6% respectively, as measured by revenue in 2021. The Company provides overall beauty and health management services through its well-established and widely recognized brand portfolio of BeautyFarm, Palaispa, CellCare and Neology. The service offerings of the Company cover traditional beauty services, aesthetic medical services as well as subhealth assessment and intervention services, across the full client lifecycle. As of June 30, 2022, the overall service network of Beauty Farm comprised 352 stores, including 177 direct stores and 175 franchised stores. Among the direct stores, 84 stores were located in tier-one cities and 73 stores were located in new tier-one cities.

Constant evolution of business model in response to market demand, offering clients overall beauty and health management services

As the leading chain brand in China's beauty and health management service industry, Beauty Farm has provided traditional beauty services to clients for nearly three decades. With insights into clients' increasingly diversified demand accumulated through years of services, the Company has extended its offerings by providing more sophisticated services such as aesthetic medical services since 2011. Thereafter, the Company commenced to build its subhealth assessment and intervention service capacity in 2018, in response to the rising demand of subhealth assessment and intervention services as a result of consumption upgrade and China's rising prevalence rate of subhealth status. Counting the revenue generated in 2021, traditional beauty services, aesthetic medical services, and subhealth assessment and intervention services represented 58.8%, 37.8% and 3.4% of the total revenue for the year. These service offerings of Beauty Farm complement each other and create a synergistic effect for the overall operations of the Company. The Company's long history in traditional beauty services has positioned the Company uniquely in the industry and fueled the revenue growth without significant increase in customer acquisition costs as the Company has become many members' lifelong trusted advisor on health and beauty. And 21.7% and 21.2% of members of the Company's traditional beauty services in 2021 and the six months ended June 30, 2022, respectively, purchased aesthetic medical services or subhealth assessment and intervention services, which is expected to further grow in the future. Likewise, the expansion of aesthetic medical services and subhealth assessment and intervention services can also further boost the growth of traditional beauty services going forward.

Standardized services supported by digitalized platform

Beauty Farm has established an integrated service platform to ensure high-quality services to its clients in a consistent manner across all stores. The digitalized platform of the Company is supported by standardized operating procedures and digital infrastructure covering stringent quality control, training system and supply chain management. The Company achieved one of the few highest service personnel annual retention rates in 2021 within the beauty and health management service industry. Among all the service personnel who have stayed with us for more than one year, they have an average of 6.1 years of retention. The standardization and digitalization of the business platform provides scale advantages across various aspects of the Company's operations that can be leveraged by its stores and service personnel. The integrated service platform is capable of consolidating and processing operational data accumulated from various systems across the store network. The Company also applies data mining and data analytics to obtain valuable insights to profile its clients' transaction patterns, consumption habits, and lifetime client value. Such tech-enabled enhancements allow the Company to customize its services according to clients' needs so as to maintain their stickiness and identify cross-selling opportunities. The platform-based operating model allows Beauty Farm to standardize various aspects of its operations to improve both client experience and the service performance of its service personnel. In addition, as the Company continues to accumulate and analyze digital information from its day-to-day business operations, the Company can further improve its operational efficiency.

A large client base of active members supported by CRM system

The comprehensive service offerings of Beauty Farm have attracted a large base of active clients, which is supported by a comprehensive client service system. In 2021, the direct stores of the Company served 77,356 active members, which was increased by 12.5% in 2020. The active members from direct stores on average made 10.8 visits (2020: 10.2 visits) and spent RMB20,832 in 2021 (2020: RMB20,151). 80.7%, 82.1%, 84.6% and 77.0% of the active members in 2019, 2020, 2021 and the six months ended June 30, 2022 made multiple purchases of the Company's services in the same period, respectively. In addition to the increasing client volume in direct stores, the franchised stores of the Company served 27,916 active members in 2021 and 22,552 active members in the six months ended June 30, 2022.

Sustainable development supported by organic growth and strategic acquisitions

Beauty Farm has a proven track record of rapidly expanding its geographic footprint across China and has achieved rapid and sustainable business growth through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The scalability and replicability of its business is evidenced by its ability to open new stores rapidly. The Company opened 45 new direct stores from 2019 to June 30, 2022. Beauty Farm is able to ramp-up its new stores and achieve profitability efficiently. Contributed by the Company's long-term business relationship with prime shopping malls and the ability to bring strong footage to the venue, the typical lead time from the completion of site selection to store opening is approximately three months. From 2014 to June 30, 2022, a new traditional beauty service store on average achieved initial breakeven in eleven months after commencement of operation.

Beauty Farm experienced a successful track record of identifying, acquiring and integrating stores into its network. The Company has completed 20 acquisitions in beauty and health management service industry from 2014 to June 30, 2022, most of which have successfully enhanced the Company's business offerings and management team. Upon the completion of integration, acquired stores typically witness improved business performance and rapid client expansion. For example, the acquisition of Palaispa shows the Company's acquisition power and capabilities in integration. Revenue generated from Palaispa members and franchisees increased from RMB102.4 million in 2017 to RMB185.7 million in 2021 at a CAGR of 16.0%. Those acquired stores were smoothly integrated into the Company's network, ensuring further synergies and value creation. Going forward, Beauty Farm will continue to identify and evaluate acquisition opportunities in high-quality stores to capture growth opportunities.

The success of Beauty Farm is also attributable to its visionary and dedicated management with extensive industry experience, as well as strong shareholder support. Since 2013, CITIC PE, who has extensive experience managing and growing companies in the beauty and health management service industry, has been working closely with Beauty Farm to establish a standardized and disciplined chain business with nationwide footprint and has made important contributions to the company's strategic formulation, merger and expansion, executive recruitment, brand and design, human resources, supply chain, marketing, finance and other aspects of management improvement.

Looking forward, Beauty Farm plans to carry out below key growth strategies to realize its development, including strategically expanding its service network and marketing channels to expand its client base and increase brand awareness; further enhancing its operational efficiency and client experience through standardization and digitalization of its system; improving client loyalty and fulfilling clients' evolving needs by introducing new technologies, equipment and products, and expanding its service offerings; continuing to cultivate, recruit and retain high-caliber talent and strengthen its human resources management mechanism; and integrating industry resources and promoting the development of industry standards by deepening cooperation with upstream suppliers and sharing its industry and management experience.

Beauty Farm Medical and Health Industry Inc.
Beauty Farm Medical and Health Industry Inc. ("Beauty Farm" or "Company", stock code: 2373) is a leading player in China's beauty and health management service industry, which has large and loyal client base, extensive network with expansion efficiency, diversified services and product offerings as well as strong brand awareness. According to Frost & Sullivan, Beauty Farm is the largest provider of traditional beauty services and the fourth largest non-surgical aesthetic medical service provider in China with a market share of 0.2% and 0.6% respectively, as measured by revenue in 2021. Leveraging 29 years of industry experience and adapting to evolving client demand, the Company provides overall beauty and health management services through its well-established and widely recognized brand portfolio of BeautyFarm, Palaispa, CellCare and Neology. The service offerings of the Company cover traditional beauty services, aesthetic medical services as well as subhealth assessment and intervention services, across the full client lifecycle.

This press release is issued by Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group for and on behalf of Beauty Farm Medical and Health Industry Inc. For further information, please contact:

Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group
Telephone: 852 3150 6788
Email: projectgarden.hk@pordahavas.com


Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Shares of Major Global Medical Device Manufacturer OrbusNeich Medical Group Commence Trading on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Dec 23, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Shares of OrbusNeich Medical Group Holdings Limited ("OrbusNeich" or the "Group"), a major global medical device manufacturer specialized in interventional instruments for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) procedures, today commenced trading on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("HKEX"), under the stock code 6929.


Mr. Teddy Chien, Chairman Emeritus and Founder (right) and Mr. David Chien, Chairman, Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer (left), together strike the ceremonial gong, marking the Group's listing on the Main Board of HKEX

Mr. David Chien, Chairman, Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer (right) presents a souvenir to HKEX

OrbusNeich makes a generous donation of HK$3,000,000 to HKEX Foundation to secure the auspicious stock code number "6929". Mr. David Chien, Chairman, Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer (right) presents the cheque to HKEX

(From left to right): John Chow,Executive Director and Head of Business Development; Jason Chen, Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary; Gloria Tam, Independent Non-executive Director; Denise Lau, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer; Teddy Chien, Chairman Emeritus and Founder; David Chien, Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer; George Lau, Independent Non-executive Director; Angus Chan, Independent Non-executive Director


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. 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 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Novotech is Gold Sponsor at Biotech Showcase 2023

SYDNEY, AU, Dec 20, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Novotech, the Asia Pacific centered biotech specialist CRO is proud to be Gold Sponsor at Biotech Showcase 2023. Novotech CEO Dr. John Moller and experts from the Novotech US and Asia Pacific teams will be attending the conference.

Meetings can be scheduled via the PartneringOne portal. https://informaconnect.com/biotech-showcase/partnering/

Novotech will share the Asia Pacific advantages for expedited clinical trials, where biotechs have access to Novotech's vast patient populations, strong local regulatory knowledge, extensive site and KOL networks, and reputation for data quality.

Novotech has more than 50 Leading Site Partnership agreements with major medical research institutions in Asia Pacific delivering exclusive benefits for sponsors.

The latest industry research publication by GlobalData and Novotech found almost 50% of new trials globally have sites in Asia Pacific. According to the new publication titled "State of the Global Biotech Landscape: Where the Opportunities Lie", demand for Asia Pacific trial sites is strong with almost half of the more than 27,000 clinical trials initiated in 2021 having sites in Asia Pacific. The data shows almost 12,900 of the new trials had sites in Asia Pacific.

Download the report here https://novotech-cro.com/whitepapers/state-global-biotech-landscape-where-opportunities-lie

The report also noted that the Asia Pacific region, which has more than 6,772 trial sites each with access to an average of 2,136 million people, has considerable underutilized capacity presenting an opportunity for growth in multinational trials in the region.

Novotech this month was awarded the Frost & Sullivan Company of the Year Award 2022 for Best Practices in the Asia-Pacific contract research organization industry. Novotech has been a recipient of the Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Best Practices awards since 2006.

Frost & Sullivan said: "Our approach involves the deployment of best practices and strategic analytics across a value chain. Against this backdrop, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Novotech for its valuable achievement. Novotech addresses the global drug development market's unmet needs with a strong leadership focus that incorporates client-centric strategies with best-practice implementation. From feasibility assessments to regulatory submission support, data management, medical monitoring, and project management, the company provides a 360-degree approach to drug development for its biotech clients."

Novotech also recently produced a new publication for biotechs considering China for their clinical research, and the relevant processes required for global regulatory approvals. The report details regulatory requirements for biotechs including NDA and IND processes as well as ex-US research guidance for a successful US FDA approval pathway. Novotech provides the relevant regulatory knowledge and drug development pathways specifically designed to support the US FDA approval process, avoiding delays and additional costs.

Download whitepaper here https://novotech-cro.com/whitepapers/china-biotech-landscape-opportunities-china-and-path-usfda-approval

Novotech has also recently been benchmarked as a top 10 CRO among the world's leading CROs, is a finalist in the prestigious Scrip awards, and has just been awarded the Gene & Cell Therapy Excellence Award.

About Novotech – https://novotech-cro.com

Novotech is internationally recognized as the leading Asia Pacific centred contract research organization (CRO) with global execution capabilities. Novotech is a clinical CRO with labs, phase I facilities, and drug development consulting services. It has accumulated experience in over 3,700 pre-clinical and clinical projects, including Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials and bioequivalence studies. Novotech is positioned to serve biopharmaceutical clients conducting clinical trials in Asia, the US and globally. Novotech has over 2500 staff working across our offices in 13 geographies. For more information visit https://novotech-cro.com/contact

Media Contact
David James
E: communications@novotech-cro.com
AU: +61 2 8218 2144
USA: +1 415 951 3228
Asia: +65 3159 3427

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

SinoMab Awarded the “Most Valuable Pharmaceutical and Medical Company” in the Selection of the “7th Hong Kong Golden Stocks Awards”

HONG KONG, Dec 19, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – SinoMab BioScience Limited ("SinoMab" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group", stock code: 3681.HK), a Hong Kong-based biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of immunological diseases, is pleased to announce that the Company was awarded the "Most Valuable Pharmaceutical and Medical Company" at the "7th Hong Kong Golden Stocks Awards Ceremony" held in Hangzhou today.


The Company Awarded the "Most Valuable Pharmaceutical and Medical Company"


The "Most Valuable Pharmaceutical and Medical Company" award aims to recognize Hong Kong-listed pharmaceutical and medical companies that have a healthy corporate governance structure, prominent industry status, sound governance structure, good main business, and the ability to provide investors with sustainable and stable values. SinoMab was awarded the "Most Valuable Pharmaceutical and Medical Company", highlighting the attention and recognition of the industry and investors on the Company's value and innovation capabilities, which is a great encouragement and even a spur to SinoMab.

SinoMab is the first Hong Kong-based listed biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of therapeutics, primarily monoclonal antibody ("mAb")-based biologics, for the treatment of immunological diseases. With R&D headquarter in Hong Kong and production base in China, the Company strives to become a leading global biopharmaceutical company for the development of novel drugs to fulfil unmet medical needs through its Hong Kong-based innovative R&D, and PRC-based manufacturing capabilities.

Currently, various candidate products for all-field indications of autoimmune diseases in SinoMab's layout have started clinical trials successively and are progressing steadily. In particular, SM03 (Suciraslimab), the Company's flagship product, is a potential global first-in target mAb for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis ("RA") and other immunological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease ("AD"), systemic lupus erythematosus ("SLE"), Sjogren's syndrome ("SS") as well as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ("NHL"). The Phase III clinical trial of SM03 for treatment of RA completed its enrollment on 31 December 2021, and is expected to complete the last subject visit (FV) in December 2022, read out clinical data in the first quarter of 2023 and submit a New Drug Application ("NDA") to the National Medical Products Administration (the "NMPA") of the People's Republic of China ("PRC") for commercialization in the second half of 2023 at the earliest.

Under normal operation of the human immune system, the B-cell receptor (BCR) pathway would be activated and create strong signals in response to foreign ("non-self") antigens and trigger a series of B-cell immune responses. To differentiate from our "self" antigens, our body would recruit molecules, like SHP-1, to inhibit or reduce BCR-induced signaling, thereby suppressing B-cell immune responses. SM03 can be used to recruit such immunosuppressive molecules as SHP-1 by conversion of cis-binding CD22 to trans-binding CD22, forming a stable CD22 trans-binding structure, thereby restoring the tolerance of B cells to our "self" antigens and inhibiting a series of immune responses of B cells to attack our "self" antigens, thus suppressing relevant immune responses.

Most of the mechanisms of action of existing RA therapies will result in the depletion or death of B cells, which can have a series of side effects on the human autoimmune system. In contrast, SM03 suppresses the autoimmune response by regulating the function of B cells and does not damage the B-cells and does not affect the normal function of B-cells in the immune system. Data from the Phase II clinical trial showed that SM03 has a comparable response rate and a significant safety advantage over competing products currently available on the market.

In addition, SN1011, a key product of the Company, has obtained four IND approvals from the NMPA for the treatment of SLE, pemphigus ("PV"), multiple sclerosis ("MS"), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder ("NMOSD") respectively. At the same time, the Company is planning an IND submission for MS in the U.S. SM17 (a humanized anti-IL-7RB monoclonal antibody for injection), another key product of the Company, its first healthy subject had been successfully dosed in a Phase I First-in-Human (FIH) clinical trial in the U.S. in June this year and the subjects are currently in normal condition.

Previously, SinoMab appointed Mr. Shanchun WANG as the President (China) of the Company, mainly responsible for the China operation. Mr. Wang has rich experience in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 30 years, served as the executive director of Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited and the president of Chia Tai – Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., and is a specialist that granted the special government allowances of the State Council and awarded as a national model worker. SinoMab's dedication to the field of autoimmune diseases and its vision of growing into a global leader in novel treatments of immunological diseases is highly consistent with the development model of Mr. Wang's service enterprises in the past. As one of the leaders in the biopharmaceuticals enterprise in China with rich experience and practical achievements in corporate strategic management, organizational management, innovation research and development and product commercialization, Mr. Wang's engagement as the President (China) of the Company will help expediting the Company's development from a global drug research and development enterprise to a biopharmaceutical company bearing commercialization capabilities and international perspective.

Dr. Shui On LEUNG, Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of SinoMab said that: "The Company is deeply honored to be awarded the "Most Valuable Pharmaceutical and Medical Company" in the selection of the "7th Hong Kong Golden Stocks Awards", which reflects the capital market's recognition of the Company's value, innovation capabilities and growth potential, and is a great encouragement to the Company. In the future, the Company will, in line with its original purposes, endeavor to discover and develop innovative drug targets, explore therapies for immune diseases, accelerate R&D and clinical trials of various products, and at the same time further expand the product pipeline and potential indications, accelerate the realization of product commercialization, strive to bring benefits to patients and create values for shareholders and investors. With the imminent completion of the Phase III clinical trial of its flagship product SM03, the Company is poised for a new leap of increase in value."

About the Selection of the "7th Hong Kong Golden Stocks Awards"
The selection of the "7th Hong Kong Golden Stocks Awards" was jointly organized by Zhitongcaijing.com, a leading Hong Kong and US stock information platform in China, with RoyalFlush Finance and China Galaxy Securities. This selection was rigorous and attracted over 1,000 entries from Hong Kong-listed companies, covering traditional industries such as petrochemicals, finance, and automobiles, as well as emerging industries such as chips, Internet, and medical and pharmaceuticals, which are leading the transformation of China's economy.

About SinoMab BioScience Limited
SinoMab BioScience Limited (stock code: 3681.HK) is dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of immunological diseases. The Company's flagship product SM03 is a potential global first-in-target mAb against CD22 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is currently in Phase III clinical trial for rheumatoid arthritis in China, which has been recognized as one of the significant special projects of Significant New Drugs Development of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan Period and the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan Period. In addition, the Company possesses other potential first-in-target and first-in-class drug candidates, some of which are already in clinical stage, with their indications covering rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Alzheimer's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), pemphigus (PV), multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), asthma, and other diseases with major unmet clinical needs.


Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Prenetics Acquires ACT Genomics; First M&A Deal since IPO, Set to Expand Footprint in Cancer Genomics

HONG KONG, Dec 16, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Prenetics Global Limited (NASDAQ: PRE) ("Prenetics" or the "Company"), a global leader in genomic and diagnostic testing, is acquiring a majority stake of ACT, an Asia based genomics company specializing in precision oncology with operations in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and the UK, for an upfront consideration consisting of 19.9 million shares of Prenetics common stock and US $20 million cash (the "transaction"). That is the first M&A deal Prenetics is to make since its listing, which will expand its footprint in the cancer genomics space, bringing it closer to realizing the vision of building an end-to-end health ecosystem. With the acquisition well underway, effective from January 1, 2023, Professor Tony Mok, Chairman of ACT, will join Prenetics Scientific Advisory Board.



Boasting cutting-edge technologies in cancer genomics and bioinformatics, ACT has a multi-diagnostic technology platform and offers a comprehensive range of products in clinical services with high pan-Asia coverage. In November 2021, ACT merged with Sanomics Holdings Limited ("Sanomics"), both of which were awarded the Elite Program funding by Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation ("HKSTP"), where the strongest technical ecosystem is provided locally to its park companies to grow and thrive. HKSTP is home to over 200 health tech related start-ups and several international research clusters in healthcare.

With the continuous support from HKSTP and the government, Prenetics will have an extended reach to the healthcare technology market in the Greater Bay Area and beyond. Financially, ACT's revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 60% between FY2022 and FY2026. Prenetics expects ACT to contribute revenues of approximately US$25-30 million in 2023.

When the acquisition is completed, leveraging ACT's R&D engines which specializes in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics in both tissue and liquid biopsy, Prenetics will have the scientific rigor to offer tests to patients throughout their cancer journey. This will also position Prenetics solidly within the US$80+ billion global precision oncology market.

Danny Yeung, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Prenetics, said, "This is a significant move for Prenetics, as it is our first M&A deal since listing and is set to enlarge our footprint in the cancer genomics space. It is our goal to democratize testing and make cancer genomics accessible to all. With Professor Mok and the ACT team on board, we believe Prenetics can deliver the information needed to enable best-in-class personalized cancer care and make new heights. Lastly, we are actively n close discussions on additional M&A opportunities which we believe will be in the interest to Prenetics and our shareholders."

Professor Tony Mok, Chairman of ACT Genomics, said, "We are very pleased to join forces with Prenetics. ACT has pioneered and made breakthroughs in cancer prevention and diagnostics since it was founded in 2014. Our flagship ACTOnco+ has provided oncologists and cancer patients with valuable biomarker information for therapy selection. I believe this transaction will give both companies enhanced financial strength and commercial and R&D capabilities to drive significant growth."

Mr. Albert Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, said, "We are thrilled to witness this milestone, which is a clear vote of confidence in Hong Kong's ambition to become a biomedical technology center of excellence. It was only last year when we saw the merger of two health tech pioneers from the Hong Kong Science Park, ACT Genomics and Sanomics. The acquisition by Science Park incubatee, Prenetics, is a testament to the high-quality innovation ecosystem and translational research infrastructure that have been established at the Park over the past 20 years. Backed by government support and its unique advantages, Hong Kong is open to innovators from around the world who want to come and accelerate their future success."

Under the terms of the transaction agreement, Prenetics has agreed to issue 19.9 million shares of Prenetics' class A ordinary shares and pay $20 million in cash. Upon closing, Prenetics will hold a majority stake in ACT. More details about the transaction can be found under link: https://prenetics.gcs-web.com/static-files/fd50a409-45b7-4827-96e0-1c207ccca5aa

About Prenetics

Founded in 2014, Prenetics is a major global diagnostics and genetic testing company with the mission to bring health closer to millions of people globally and decentralize healthcare by making the three pillars – Consumer Health, Clinical Care and Medical & Cancer Genomics – comprehensive and accessible to anyone, at anytime and anywhere. Prenetics is led by visionary entrepreneur, Danny Yeung, with operations across nine locations, including United Kingdom, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. Prenetics develops consumer genetic testing and early colorectal cancer screening; and provides COVID-19 testing, rapid point of care and at-home diagnostic testing and medical genetic testing. Prenetics is listed on NASDAQ with the ticker PRE. To learn more about Prenetics, visit www.prenetics.com.

About ACT Genomics / Sanomics

ACT Genomics is an innovation-driven cancer solution provider with offices in Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok and UK. With our Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, CAP-accredited laboratories, experienced bioinformatics team, and proprietary AI algorithms, we provide optimal cancer treatment planning, immunotherapy evaluation, cancer relapse & drug resistance monitoring, as well as cancer risk assessment services to medical professionals. Together, we "Turn Genomics into Action". To learn more about ACT Genomics, visit www.actgenomics.com.

Investor Relations contact:
investors@prenetics.com


Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Data Shows 50% of New Trials Have Sites in Asia Pacific

SYDNEY, AU, Dec 15, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Novotech, the Asia Pacific centered biotech specialist CRO said the latest industry research publication by GlobalData and Novotech found almost 50% of new trials had sites in Asia Pacific.



According to the new publication titled "State of the Global Biotech Landscape: Where the Opportunities Lie", demand for Asia Pacific trial sites is strong with almost half of the more than 27,000 clinical trials initiated in 2021 having sites in Asia Pacific. The data shows almost 12,900 of the new trials had sites in Asia Pacific.

Download the report here https://novotech-cro.com/whitepapers/state-global-biotech-landscape-where-opportunities-lie

The report also noted that the Asia Pacific region, which has more than 6,772 trial sites each with access to an average of 2,136 million people, has considerable underutilized capacity presenting an opportunity for growth in multinational trials in the region.

In addition, analysis of trial growth trends found that Asia Pacific has also seen high phase-level growth over the 5-year analysis period to 2022.
– Phases I and II were dominated by Asia Pacific, which served as a trial location in 57% and 49% of trials, respectively.
– US and EU remained stable at approximately 20% at phases I through III.
– RoW representation is low in phases I and II but on par with the US and EU in phase III.

Novotech this month was awarded the Frost & Sullivan Company of the Year Award 2022 for Best Practices in the Asia-Pacific contract research organization industry. Novotech has been a recipient of the Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Best Practices awards since 2006. Frost & Sullivan identifies companies that consistently develop growth strategies based on a visionary understanding of the future, and effectively address new challenges and opportunities.

Frost & Sullivan said: "Our approach involves the deployment of best practices and strategic analytics across a value chain. Against this backdrop, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Novotech for its valuable achievement. Novotech addresses the global drug development market's unmet needs with a strong leadership focus that incorporates client-centric strategies with best-practice implementation. From feasibility assessments to regulatory submission support, data management, medical monitoring, and project management, the company provides a 360-degree approach to drug development for its biotech clients."

In response to the Company of the Year Award announcement, Novotech CEO Dr. John Moller said this award is a credit to our entire global team which has decades of biotech drug development experience. "Our global clients benefit from access to our expert teams in Asia Pacific, which is the fastest-growing clinical trial region, due to its vast patient populations and sophisticated medical research infrastructure. Our consistent investment in advanced training and technology systems combine to deliver a specialist full-service biotech CRO solution."

Novotech also recently produced a new publication for biotechs considering China for their clinical research, and the relevant processes required for global regulatory approvals. The report details regulatory requirements for biotechs including NDA and IND processes as well as ex-US research guidance for a successful US FDA approval pathway. Novotech provides the relevant regulatory knowledge and drug development pathways specifically designed to support the US FDA approval process, avoiding delays and additional costs.

Download whitepaper here https://novotech-cro.com/whitepapers/china-biotech-landscape-opportunities-china-and-path-usfda-approval

Novotech has also recently been benchmarked as a top 10 CRO among the world's leading CROs, is a finalist in the prestigious Scrip awards, and has just been awarded the Gene & Cell Therapy Excellence Award. In Asia Pacific Novotech has more than 50 Leading Site Partnership agreements with major medical research institutions delivering exclusive benefits for sponsors.

About Novotech – https://novotech-cro.com

Novotech is internationally recognized as the leading Asia Pacific centred contract research organization (CRO) with global execution capabilities. Novotech is a clinical CRO with labs, phase I facilities, and drug development consulting services. It has accumulated experience in over 3,700 pre-clinical and clinical projects, including Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials and bioequivalence studies. Novotech is positioned to serve biopharmaceutical clients conducting clinical trials in Asia, the US and globally. Novotech has over 2500 staff working across our offices in 13 geographies. For more information visit https://novotech-cro.com/contact

Media Contact
David James
communications@novotech-cro.com
AU: +61 2 8218 2144
USA: +1 415 951 3228
Asia: +65 3159 3427

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Preventing Strokes and Heart Attacks Doesn’t Have to Come with the Risk of Life-threatening Bleeding

FREMONT, CA, Dec 14, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Verseon is delighted to announce that the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry has published a paper (www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0223523422007577) describing the company's groundbreaking research that led to promising novel drug candidates for cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the world. Hundreds of millions of patients worldwide need anticoagulants to prevent clots that lead to life-threatening events like strokes, heart attacks, and pulmonary embolisms.

However, currently prescribed so-called novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) carry well-documented risks of major bleeds, which in many cases require hospitalization and can be life threatening. Developing drugs that prevent unwanted clots while preserving the body's ability to stop excessive bleeding is the "Holy Grail" of anticoagulant drug programs. Verseon is developing a new generation of anticoagulants called PROACs (Precision Oral Anticoagulants) that address this significant unmet medical need.

The peer-reviewed paper documents how Verseon's medicinal chemistry team optimized various physicochemical properties — including potency, selectivity, and in vivo stability — of compounds from a novel class called N-acylpyrazoles. The resulting reversible covalent thrombin inhibitors are highly effective at preventing clots in vivo. Yet unlike NOACs, they do not inhibit thrombin-mediated activation of platelets, a critical step to stop injury-induced bleeding. Because of their unique mechanism of action, Verseon's drug candidates have demonstrated comparable efficacy to NOACs but with far lower bleeding risks in animal tests. The first lead candidate from this program is currently in clinical trials.

"We are pleased to publish the discovery of this novel class of direct thrombin inhibitors with unique pharmacology," commented Dr. David Kita, Verseon's Chief Scientific Officer. "We look forward to describing further work behind the development of our first PROAC clinical candidate (VE-1902), which we expect will address a significant unmet medical need affecting a very large number of cardiovascular patients worldwide."

The scientific paper, entitled "Discovery of novel N-acylpyrazoles as potent and selective thrombin inhibitors," is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114855.

About Verseon

Verseon International Corporation (www.verseon.com) is redefining delay, prevention, and treatment of disease. Using its unique physics- and AI-based molecule-engineering platform, Verseon is rolling out a steady stream of life-changing medicines. Each of the company's drug programs features multiple novel candidates with unique therapeutic properties. Verseon's pipeline currently includes seven drug programs spanning major cardiometabolic diseases and cancers.

Verseon's precision oral anticoagulants (PROACs) are potent, highly selective, reversible covalent inhibitors of thrombin. PROACs have shown excellent efficacy in multiple preclinical studies. The fact that PROACs do not disrupt platelet function and demonstrate correspondingly low bleeding risk makes them excellent candidates for use in long-term combination anticoagulant-antiplatelet therapy. The first development candidate, VE-1902, is currently in clinical trials. Among other unique properties of PROACs, VE-1902 has very low renal clearance, a highly desirable feature for patients with impaired kidney function. Verseon also has a second anticoagulant development candidate, VE-2851, which is expected to enter clinical trials at a later date.

Contact:
Walter Jones
mediarelations@verseon.com

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

EC Healthcare wins “Best in Healthcare Sector” at IR Magazine’s Greater China Awards 2022

HONG KONG, Dec 14, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – EC Healthcare (the "Company", which together with its subsidiaries is referred to as the "Group", SEHK stock code: 2138), the largest non-hospital medical group in Hong Kong, is pleased to announce the Group has garnered the "Best in Healthcare Sector" at IR Magazine's Greater China Awards 2022.

IR Magazine has honored excellence in investor relations around the world with awards which recognize companies that are leading the way for the IR community. This award is determined by the input of hundreds of analysts and portfolio managers, who give their opinions on which companies provide them with the best IR service. Winning this award showcases the Group's commitment to upholding the highest standard of investor relations and carries the weight of recognition from the entire investment community.

Mr. Eddy Tang, Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of EC Healthcare said, "The Group is honored to receive the "Best in Healthcare Sector" from IR Magazine Awards – Greater China 2022. This prestige Award demonstrates the recognition of our Group's efforts to achieve excellences in corporate governance, investor relations, transparency, and communication channel building. Looking forward, we will continue to spare tremendous effort with the aim of further consolidating the leading position in the healthcare market and make premium medical service affordable, attenable and sustainable. The Group wishes to excel together with our much-valued stakeholders to maximize overall welfare of our company and the greater community."

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


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Major Global Medical Device Manufacturer OrbusNeich Medical Group Announces Details of Proposed Listing on the Main Board of HKEX

HONG KONG, Dec 13, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – OrbusNeich Medical Group Holdings Limited ("OrbusNeich" or the "Group"), a major global medical device manufacturer specialized in interventional instruments for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) procedures, has today announced the details of its proposed listing on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("HKEX"). The Group intends to offer an aggregate of 54,633,000 shares, of which 49,169,000 shares will be for the International Offering (subject to reallocation) and 5,464,000 shares will be for the Hong Kong Public Offering (subject to reallocation). The offer price is HK$8.80 per Offer Share. The estimated net proceeds from the Global Offering will amount to approximately HK$366.8 million, after deducting underwriting commissions and other estimated expenses paid and payable by the Group in connection with the Global Offering.

Investment Highlights

— Headquartered in the Hong Kong Science Park, OrbusNeich is a major global medical device manufacturer specialized in interventional instruments for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) procedures, with a sales network covering over 70 countries and regions worldwide
— The only PCI balloon manufacturer headquartered in China 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 2021, its global sales volume of PCI balloon products reached approximately 866,000 units
— A major PTA balloon developer and manufacturer in the global PTA balloons market, ranked No. 3 in the Japan market and No. 4 in the U.S. market in terms of sales volume of PTA balloons in 2021
— Strong in-house R&D capabilities with over twenty years of product development experience, more than 180 granted patents globally and a robust pipeline consisting of around 40 products under development
— Diversified comprehensive product portfolio covers all major treatment processes in PCI and PTA procedures. All the self-developed products are manufactured in-house at its advanced production facilities in Shenzhen, China and Hoevelaken, the Netherlands
— Clear roadmap to further penetrate and expand product portfolio into complex cardiovascular intervention, structural heart diseases intervention and neuro-intervention fields
— Revenue rose to USD116.5 million and USD68.9 million in 2021 and 1H2022 respectively, while adjusted net profit surged to USD21.4 million and USD 12.3 million respectively. Profit margins remained high with gross margin at 69.3% and adjusted net profit margin at 17.9% in 1H2022

The Hong Kong Public Offer will commence on 13 December 2022 (Tuesday) and will end at noon on 16 December 2022 (Friday). Dealing of the shares is expected to commence on the Main Board of HKEX on 23 December 2022 (Friday) under the stock code 6929. The shares will be traded in board lots of 500 shares each.

China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited and CCB International Capital Limited are the Joint Sponsors, Overall Coordinators, Joint Global Coordinators, Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers of the listing. BNP Paribas Securities (Asia) Limited is the Overall Coordinator, Joint Global Coordinator, Joint Bookrunner and Joint Lead Manager. CLSA Limited and China Merchants Securities (HK)
Co., Limited are the Joint Global Coordinators, Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers, while Yue Xiu Securities Company Limited, Futu Securities International (Hong Kong) Limited and ZMF Asset Management Limited are the Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers of the listing.

Investment Highlights

Major global medical device manufacturer in the fast-growing PCI/PTA balloon markets with proven financial track record
OrbusNeich, headquartered in Hong Kong Science Park, is a major global medical device manufacturer specialized in interventional instruments for PCI and PTA procedures. It is the only PCI balloon manufacturer headquartered in China that ranked among the top 6 players in all major overseas PCI balloon markets including Japan, Europe, and the U.S.. In 2021, the Group's global sales volume of PCI balloon products reached approximately 866,000 units, ranking No. 2 in Japan, No. 4 in Europe, No. 6 in the PRC and No. 6 in the U.S.; while in terms of sales volume of PTA balloons in 2021, the Group ranked No. 3 in Japan and No. 4 in the U.S..

As a key market player, OrbusNeich has been maintaining revenue and profit growth during the Track Record Period. In particular, its adjusted net profit surged over 200% year-on year to approximately USD21.4 million in 2021 and a further 11.8% year-on-year to USD12.3 million in 1H2022 as compared to 1H2021. Profit margins remained high with gross margin at 69.3% and adjusted net profit margin at 17.9% in 1H2022.

The Group strategically focuses on the fast-growing coronary and peripheral vascular intervention markets. According to the CIC Report, the global market sizes of PCI instruments and PTA instruments are expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.1% and 11.1% from 2021 to 2030, respectively. Moreover, China-based endovascular interventional instrument developers and manufacturers have a relatively low penetration rate and market share in these markets, which provides the Group with enormous opportunities.

Diversified product portfolio indicating different endovascular interventional procedures backed by world leading technologies, strong R&D capabilities and advanced production facilities
OrbusNeich's diversified product portfolio covers all major treatment processes in PCI and PTA procedures. As of 30 June 2022, the Group had an aggregate of over 40 approved products, including 25 PMDA approved products, 22 products with CE Mark, 14 FDA cleared or approved products and 15 NMPA approved products, which were widely adopted by hospitals in over 70 countries and regions around the world.

In particular, the Group focuses on developing innovative products with high performances, which enable it to benefit from first-mover advantages. For example, it was the first company globally that developed the 1.75mm scoring balloons; its Sapphire 3 semi-compliant balloon series have an industry-leading 0.85mm outer diameter; and its proprietary "drug plus antibody" COMBO Plus is the first and the only commercialized double-coated stent in the world that promotes effective coronary vessel healing and that has obtained CE Mark and PMDA approvals.

The Group possesses strong in-house R&D capabilities with over twenty years of accumulated product development experience and continued investment in R&D activities. OrbusNeich owns more than 180 granted patents globally across key jurisdictions, including 31 and 56 granted patents in the U.S. and in the PRC respectively, as of 5 December 2022. Leveraging the Group's world leading technologies and proprietary know-how, it had a robust pipeline consisting of around 40 products under development, as of 30 June 2022.
Based on its technology reserve and knowledge in the conventional endovascular intervention area, the Group strategically opts to further penetrate and expand its product portfolio into complex cardiovascular intervention, structural heart disease intervention and neuro-intervention fields with high unmet medical needs, apart from developing coronary and peripheral products.

OrbusNeich has advanced production facilities in Shenzhen, the PRC and Hoevelaken, the Netherlands, which enabled it to manufacture all of its self-developed products in-house. For the six months ended 30 June 2022, the production facilities had an aggregate annualized production capacity of approximately 1,352,000 units of balloon products and approximately 56,400 units of stent products, thereby enabling it to supply large-scale and stable high-quality products to customers around the world. The production facilities have passed the audits and inspections by regulatory bodies like the NMPA, FDA, PMDA and NB. In particular, its production facilities in the PRC have passed onsite inspections by the FDA with Zero Observations in 2020.

Established global sales network and distinctive commercial competency
OrbusNeich has established a global sales network which consists of both distributorship and direct sales models that provide it with more flexible and effective sales strategies in its target markets. As of 30 June 2022, its global distributor network consists of approximately 207 distributors while global sales and marketing team consists of 142 members. In addition, the Group's sales network covered over 70 countries and regions worldwide, among which it built a direct sales force in the Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, France, Switzerland and Spain.

OrbusNeich has built amicable and long-term business relationships with most of its customers, with no less than 50% of its top five customers during the Track Record Period having over 12 years of business relationship. The Group distinctive commercial competency combining its extensive network of physicians and KOLs, hospitals and distributors enables it to gain first-hand knowledge of unmet clinical needs, physicians' preferences and clinical trends, as well as to identify potential pipeline products with high market potential.

Experienced management team supported by energetic and cohesive talent pool
OrubusNeich is led by Mr. David CHIEN, chairman, executive Director, chief executive officer and the controlling shareholder. With over 30 years of experience in the medical device industry, Mr. Chien has been well-respected in the industry for his leadership of the Company. The Group also has industry veterans with an average of over 20 years of experience leading its R&D, sales and marketing, product manufacturing, quality assurance and business development functions, while it has other dedicated senior management members with legal, finance and investment expertise focusing on collaborations and other aspects of the operations, setting the foundation for its long-term success.

Future Strategies

The Group's vision is to become a global leading medical device developer and manufacturer that offers a variety of endovascular and structural heart intervention products to effectively improve patients' quality of life. The Group plans to execute the following strategies to achieve this goal:

Further enhance the market penetration with the well-established brand recognition
The Group plans to leverage the well-established brand recognition of its renowned "OrbusNeich" brand and continue increasing the market share by devoting resources to further solidify its brand awareness and expand the distribution network through setting up additional sales offices and/or collaborating with more distributors, and further strengthening its marketing efforts in relevant markets.

For established markets such as Japan or Europe, the Group plans to leverage its existing brand strength, customer base and distribution channels to open up opportunities for new product distribution as well as further increase market share of other product by broadening its product offerings to existing customers and developing new customers. Moreover, it plans to commercialize matrix drug-eluting coronary and/or peripheral balloons in Japan in 2025.

For high growth markets such as the PRC or the U.S. where the Group intends to expand its presence and enhance the market share, it plans to capitalize on opportunities brought by the ongoing healthcare reforms, as well as to increase market adoption for its existing and pipeline products. In the PRC, OrbusNeich strives to strengthen its sales capabilities and enhance management of its distributors to capture fast-growing market demand; while in the U.S., it plans to continue rolling out new products in its pipeline and increasing the market adoption for relevant products.

Further enrich product offerings both vertically and horizontally
OrbusNeich's success depends on its ability to continuously develop innovative products that address the patients' evolving needs and growing market demand, thus its R&D staff will continue developing and expanding the pipeline products both vertically and horizontally.

Vertically, the Group's product portfolio strategically focuses on "simplifying the complex" where it aims to deepen its diversified product portfolio for PCI/PTA procedures. Horizontally, it intends to cover structural heart disease intervention products and neuro intervention products. It plans to recruit additional talent specialized in R&D to further enrich product offerings.

Work closely with physicians and KOLs to further enhance brand recognition and R&D capabilities
OrbusNeich intends to work closely with physicians and KOLs in different therapeutic areas and participate in major conferences to continuously enhance its brand recognition and R&D capabilities to solidify market position and to maintain long-term growth.

Pursue strategic acquisitions, partnerships and/or collaborations
In addition, the Group intends to explore technology-focused acquisitions opportunities to implement its market-driven R&D capabilities, and plans to focus on acquisitions involving innovative medical device products that have strong growth potential and/or high synergy with its existing and pipeline products to further expand the product portfolio.

Expand production capacity and continuously improve operational efficiencies
OrbusNeich's production volumes have been increasing over the years and the Group expects the demand for its products will continue to grow in the near future. In addition, according to the CIC Report, the CAGR for the global endovascular interventional instrument market is expected to be 12.9% from 2021 to 2030. The Group intends to construct a new manufacturing site to increase its overall production capacity to meet such growing market demand. In addition, it plans to build up manufacturing capabilities for its pipeline products at the manufacturing site, provide training to the production staff as well as recruit additional production staff as needed.

Financial Highlights

For the year ended December 31 For the six months ended June 30
(US$ million) 2020 2021 Change 2021 2022 Change
Revenue 88.5 116.5 +31.6% 57.3 68.9 +20.2%
Gross profit 58.0 81.2 +39.9% 40.5 47.7 +17.7%
Gross profit margin 65.6% 69.7% +4.1 ppt 70.7% 69.3% -1.4 ppt
Adjusted net profit* 7.1 21.4 +201.4% 11.0 12.3 +11.8%
Adjusted net profit margin 8.0% 18.3% +10.3 ppt 19.2% 17.9 % -1.3 ppt
* Note: The adjusted profit excludes the effect of the convertible redeemable preferred shares, derecognition of financial liability, Commodity Linked Fixed Rate Note, listing expense and share-based compensation

Use of Proceeds

Item / Approximate Percentage
Expansion of its production capacities: 54.2%
Development and commercialization of its pipeline products: 30.0%
Potential strategic acquisitions (Expand its product portfolio and strengthen its R&D capabilities): 10.8%
Working capital and other general corporate purposes: 5.0%

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. 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/


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