Spotlight on Healthcare Collaboration and Innovation at Asia Summit on Global Health and HK International Medical and Healthcare Fair

HONG KONG, Nov 10, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Global healthcare collaboration and innovation are key themes of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)'s inaugural International Healthcare Week, currently taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The week is comprised of two anchor events: the second Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH), co-organised with the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the 13th Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair.

The second Asia Summit on Global Health, co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the HKTDC, runs under the theme "Charting a New Course in Healthcare through Collaboration" today and tomorrow.

Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization

Cao Xuetao, Vice-Minister of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China

The two-day summit kicks off today in hybrid format under the theme of "Charting a New Course in Healthcare through Collaboration", with the second day going online. The 13th International Medical and Healthcare Fair from 9 to 11 November features more than 300 exhibitors showcasing their latest products and developments and brings together industry professionals, institutions and the research and development community. The two concurrent events are catered towards both the upstream and downstream healthcare industries and together create synergies and opportunities for medical and healthcare industry professionals as well as businesses and investors.

As healthcare and the life sciences grow in importance globally, ASGH has brought together more than 80 speakers, including global business leaders and healthcare investors, science and medical experts, healthcare officials, financial specialists and professional service providers to discuss the latest trends and developments in the healthcare and medical fields. Topics covered include business opportunities and challenges for the global healthcare industry, Asia's transformational landscape in healthcare, Hong Kong's strengths in innovation and fundraising for global health as well as how the city facilitates global collaboration through partnerships to tap the opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and beyond.

John Lee, Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR) Chief Executive, spoke at the summit's opening ceremony this morning, along with Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, Zsuzsanna Jakab, Deputy Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO); and Cao Xuetao, Vice-Minister of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China. In her welcome remarks, Margaret Fong said: "The pandemic catalysed collaboration. We need to continue this momentum to pave the way to new prospects. These prospects can be found in Asia, the world's fastest-growing healthcare market. Hong Kong as a global financial, business and investment hub and gateway to Mainland China and Asia markets is the ideal base for international companies to seize new opportunities. It is the place to do business and the perfect location for International Healthcare Week."

Addressing ASGH participants at the opening session, John Lee said: "Since taking office in July, my team and I have made substantive progress in lifting restrictions, while containing the number of confirmed cases and protecting the healthcare system and our high-risk population. We are working on specific and dedicated plans to ensure major events and economic activities can be held smoothly, to open up Hong Kong – to bring a world of business back to Hong Kong – as quickly, and as safely, as we can. This Summit, as well as last week's Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit and Fintech Week, are welcome examples."

Zsuzsanna Jakab added: "As COVID-19 has made clear, health, people's lives and the broader well-being of society are inextricably linked. Yet, COVID-19 has also exposed glaring global inequities. We have an opportunity, indeed an obligation, to learn from this pandemic and accelerate progress towards ensuring that more people benefit from universal health coverage, are protected from health emergencies and enjoy better health and well-being. The WHO will help countries connect and collaborate so that they can work as one team. We will make the greatest impact by working together."

Cao Xuetao stated: "The National Health Commission will be actively supporting Hong Kong in three key areas: persevering in its control of the pandemic; strengthening Hong Kong's medical exchange and integration with the rest of the country; and giving full play to Hong Kong's healthcare talent and resources, which would allow it to participate in important national initiatives and make greater contributions to the work involved in connecting the country to the world and achieving the health goals of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

Industry leaders share insights on latest healthcare and medical developments

To address the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and help prepare for future healthcare, economic and environmental challenges, this morning's ASGH plenary session "Charting a New Course in Healthcare through Collaboration" invited heavyweight speakers, including Ulrich Betz, Senior Vice President Innovation at Merck; Ruilin Song, Executive President of the China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association; Luhan Yang, Co-Founder and CEO of Qihan Biotechnology; and Alex Zhavoronkov, Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine. They examined the latest trends in the healthcare and medical sectors and the urgent need for global collaboration to strengthen healthcare cooperation for a sustainable future.

A panel discussion titled "The Next Development in China's Healthcare Sector" was held on the first day, with Lo Chung-mau, Secretary for Health of the HKSAR, sharing his views on Hong Kong's role as a strategic conduit connecting Mainland China and the world in the healthcare arena. Additionally, Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR, delivered special remarks, sharing his valuable insights in a session titled "How Innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Reshapes Global Healthcare". Peter Piot joined the summit and shared his expert perspective on how the world deals with healthcare challenges from Ebola to COVID-19. He is European Union (EU) Chief Scientific Adviser Epidemics and Special Adviser to the European Commission President and former Director and Handa Professor of Global Health of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. In addition, the HKTDC and Haitong International published a joint research report on the future of the healthcare industry in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

A plethora of online sessions will be staged tomorrow, covering important topics, such as preparedness for epidemic viruses, health equity, opportunities in the Asia market, the outlook for the biotech industry and medical robotic development. A number of industry leaders and experts have been invited to share their expertise at the summit.

Holistic platform for project owners and potential investors

Following the success of last year's inaugural ASGH, a series of deal-sourcing and matchmaking sessions are taking place to meet the business matching needs of project owners and investors and generate new business opportunities. The exhibition area at ASGH included more than 180 exhibitors, including health innovation and technology companies, research and development institutions, incubation centres and more.

More than 110 start-ups and projects are on view at the InnoHealth Showcase on-site. Live pitching sessions were organised where start-ups presented their innovations in transforming global healthcare and connected with potential investors and business partners for new business opportunities. Private equity and venture capital investors, family offices and high-net-worth individuals joined one-on-one online-to-offline meetings with project owners from around the world through ASGH Deal Flow Matchmaking. The summit also featured the Business of Healthcare Advisory Zone that provides a full range of advisory services to start-ups.

Meanwhile, the 13th International Medical and Healthcare Fair featured the latest medical technologies and devices, healthcare and beauty products and related solutions and services.

Themed zones showcase latest medical products and solutions

The HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair, co-organised with the Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association (HKMHDIA), attracted more than 300 exhibitors from Hong Kong and different countries and regions, including seven local universities and pavilions formed by the HKMHDIA, the Hong Kong China Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness and the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The fair is held in hybrid format under the HKTDC's new EXHIBITION+ model. The physical show opened yesterday at the HKCEC and runs until 11 November, while exhibitors and buyers across the world can also connect through the smart business-matching platform Click2Match until 18 November.

Under the theme of "Decoding MedTech Trends", the event features various zones, such as Biotechnology, Hospital Equipment, Rehabilitation and Elderly Care Product and World of Health and Wellness, alongside the Startup Zone. Exhibitors presented a wide array of products that highlight the latest medical trends and market demands, such as the ultrasonic Inofab Spiroclinic Pro – IoT Spirometer; the POD Telemedicine Health Checkup Station and a host of other products. Meanwhile, 24 start-up companies are displaying their accomplishments and solutions in the field of medical technology.

The HKMHDIA MedTech Forum 2022 was held yesterday under the theme "Opportunities in the Greater Bay Area". Experts and representatives from the Department of Health of the HKSAR, the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, Johnson & Johnson, Konica Minolta and The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, among others, discussed topics, such as market opportunities for medical technologies in the GBA and innovative medical technologies. Industry professionals can watch videos of the events through the fair website ( https://bit.ly/3DNBBXy ). Also, seminars and workshops for industry players are being organised during the fair by the Hong Kong Doctors Union, the Golden Age Foundation and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks.

The HKTDC has implemented its new EXHIBITION+ model to run the Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair. EXHIBITION+ comprises four key exhibition elements, including the physical fair, the smart business-matching platform Click2Match, online-to-offline seminars under the Intelligence Hub and the hktdc.com Sourcing platform, extending face-to-face interactions from physical exhibitions to an online smart business-matching platform to help enterprises connect with business partners proactively.

Websites
– International Healthcare Week: https://internationalhealthcareweek.hktdc.com/en
– Asia Summit On Global Health: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en
– Programme: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en/programme
– Speakers: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en/speaker
– Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkmedicalfair/en
– Interesting Product List: https://bit.ly/3DOhppL
– Activity Schedule: https://bit.ly/3DehRvF
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3A20Ow6

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

Media Enquiries

For enquiries please contact:

Asia Summit on Global Health
Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Agnes Yiu, Tel: +852 3428 5690, Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Fung Wong, Tel: +852 3428 3122, Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org
Sam Ho, Tel: +852 2584 4569, Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org

Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair
HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Frankie Leung, Tel: +852 2584 4298, Email: frankie.cy.leung@hktdc.org

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

Led by Legend Capital, PureFDA Secures Over CNY100 million in the Series B Round

HONG KONG, Nov 10, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Recently, PureFDA Medical Technology (Guangzhou) Co., LTD. (hereinafter referred to as "PureFDA") announced the completion of the Series B round of financing of over CNY100 million, which was led by Legend Capital and followed by the existing shareholder Bayland Capital. This round of funds will mainly be used for the construction of overseas medical device resources, the expansion of the professional talent team, the strategic expansion of the medical devices field, and the upgrading and iteration of the big data information platform.

Founded in June 2020, PureFDA is a global-leading SaaS + Data service life science service provider that focuses on whole-process informatization of medical devices going overseas in the global market. Besides, the company is dedicated to providing whole-process consulting services for compliance access to the global market for products such as medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and medical software AI, covering device regulations consultation, local authorized representatives, product certification and registration, overseas clinical trials, technical documentation and system guidance, product testing, etc.

Relying on its top-notch expert team with regulatory certification and extensive clinical experience, PureFDA provides one-stop solutions such as whole-process consulting services for compliance access to the global market and overseas clinical trials. The company's service network has spread to 10 countries and regions worldwide, including the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Poland. Moreover, it has been doing business with over 100 Chinese and international medical and biotech companies and has been widely recognized by industry insiders. PureFDA has 8 branch companies and possesses scarce clinical resources in the industry. Its overseas clinical centers in Europe and the United States have been certified with qualifications such as CLIA, CAP and ISO 17025.

Regarding this financing, MENG Zhu, the founder of PureFDA, said, "Our original intention is to help Chinese medical device enterprises go overseas and expand overseas clinical resources. With 10 major clinical centers, we are committed to creating a one-stop and full-chain service ecosystem. Through the accumulation of experience in the field of computer technology and big data, we empower medical innovation by using the new generation of information technology to establish a standardized and digital system for medical devices going overseas. With the professional consulting service for multinational medical device market access and high-quality overseas clinical resources, PureFDA is capable of meeting the needs of Chinese medical device enterprises for cross-border registration of CROs in multiple countries and categories. PureFDA's development is inseparable from the strong support of new and existing shareholders and customer partners. With the fresh proceeds, we will continue to upgrade the global regulation intelligence platform and help medical device enterprises license-out their products by providing data services such as trade analysis, overseas dealer network and clinical trend research."

Joe ZHOU, managing director of Legend Capital, said: "Going overseas has become a consensus in the development of China's medical device enterprises, but it also faces a series of difficulties and challenges, of which the sore points are mainly concentrated in the access and marketing to the overseas market. With the increasing tightening of global device regulations, it is difficult, costly, long cycle, low efficiency and low success rate for enterprises to independently complete overseas access, leading a great need for the assistance of CRO service providers who focus on going overseas. However, the traditional expert CRO services are difficult to meet the diversified demands of the highly dispersed downstream device enterprises for their products to go overseas, and the scale effect and profitability of CRO enterprises also encounter bottlenecks. With its rich overseas clinical resources and new digital CRO services driven by data and algorithms, PureFDA has successfully achieved cross-country, cross-department and cross-category CRO capabilities, as well as significant advantages in cost reduction and efficiency enhancement. PureFDA is a company expected to break the bottleneck of traditional device CRO enterprises and bring disruptive changes in the equipment CRO industry."

About Legend Capital

Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

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

Bintai Kinden Ventures into Telco through Agreement with MN Permai Netcom

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, Nov 10, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Bintai Kinden Corporation Berhad (Bursa: BINTAI, 6998), a mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineering services specialist, today announced that the Company's wholly-owned sub-subsidiary, Johnson Medical International Sdn. Bhd. (JMI), has formalised a strategic venture with MN Permai Netcom Sdn. Bhd. (MNP) for the sales, marketing and installation of telecommunication services to healthcare centres and other medical sites governed by the Ministry of Health of Malaysia (MOH) under JMI's portfolio.

Azri Azerai, Executive Director of Bintai Kinden

JMI is specialised in healthcare solutions and medical support systems while MNP is an end-to-end telecommunications solutions provider covering smart fiber-to-the-home, smart cloud solutions, broadband, 3G as well as 4G/5G offload, smart poles and business cloud solutions, among others.

Under the agreement, JMI will market telecommunication services to the MOH or any private hospital provided by MNP, which will be involved in sales as well as the installation of the services.

Services provided by MNP include managing the backhaul network; supplying and installing access network equipment; interconnection with third parties; designing the interconnection and backhaul network infrastructure; designing infrastructure access network; maintaining the access network; supplying and installing technical-based on-site requirements and; providing maintenance services.

Azri Azerai, Executive Director of Bintai Kinden (Download) Azri Azerai, Executive Director of Bintai Kinden said, "This agreement leverages on the strengths of both parties. JMI has a network of hospital contacts with a solid presence in Malaysia and understand the needs of hospitals and people who work in them. We listen to our customers and want to provide them with services or products that solves their problems or fulfil their needs. The telecommunications services offered by MNP enables faster data transfer speed as well as application performance, faster streaming of videos, reduces buffering, increases data transfer capability and enables interactivity."

Malik Faizal Bakar, Managing Director of MNP said, "We look forward to working with JMI to provide telecommunications infrastructure and services to hospitals. Ever since our establishment in 2014, we have expanded to become a provider of comprehensive services ranging from planning, building, operating and optimising networks including inside plant solutions, outside plant solutions and technical support. We also have the expertise in managing large telco infrastructure projects as we were awarded a 120-km fiber optic project in Penang."

Bintai Kinden Corporation Berhad: 6998 [BURSA: BKC], http://bintai.com.my/

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

Legend Capital Portfolio Company Giant Biogene Successfully Lists on the HKEX

HONG KONG, Nov 7, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – On November 4, 2022, Legend Capital portfolio company Giant Biogene (2367.HK) was successfully listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The number of Giant Biogene's offer shares under the global offering is 22,608,800 shares at an issue price of HK$24.3 per share, which includes 2,261,200 Hong Kong offering shares, 20,347,600 international offering shares, as well as a 15% over-allotment option.

Giant Biogene is a leader in the bioactive ingredient-based professional skin treatment product industry in China and the first company in the world to successfully develop and industrialize recombinant collagen skin treatment products. Giant Biogene has been the largest collagen-based professional skin treatment product company by retail sales in China for the latest three consecutive years since 2019. According to Frost & Sullivan, Giant Biogene was the second-largest professional skin treatment product company in China in 2021, and its Collgene and Comfy, the flagship brands of recombinant collagen-based products, were the third and the fourth best-selling professional skin treatment brands, respectively. Giant Biogene is the first company to obtain a medical device registration for recombinant collagen-based products in China.

Legend Capital participated in Giant Biogene's only round of financing in 2021. Following the investment, Legend Capital provided Giant Biogene value-added services on core issues such as business strategy discussion, upstream and downstream business resource docking, executive talent introduction, and IPO listing process.

Richard LI, President of Legend Capital, said: "Congratulations to Giant Biogene on its successful listing on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Legend Capital is very honored to be an investor in Giant Biogene and to carry out in-depth investment cooperation with the company. With 22 years of development and unremitting efforts under the leadership of the company's management, Giant Biogene has achieved excellent results and has become a pioneer enterprise in the field of biosynthetic materials and products in China. We hope that Giant Biogene will make steady progress and achieve greater achievements in the future development and continue to brave the wind and the waves in the changing market."

Tony WANG, Managing Director of Legend Capital, said: "Giant Biogene is a pioneer in the synthetic biology industry. It not only builds a leading technology platform for genetic engineering, tissue engineering and material engineering but also applies scientific research results to the field of healthcare. Giant Biogene demonstrated the best practice out of the combination of production, education and research. We look forward to this diligent and pragmatic team continuing to go forward and leading Chinese brands to the international market in the future."

About Legend Capital

Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

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

Handover of National Centre for Pandemic and Infection Diseases in Myanmar; Advanced Facility Built with Donation from AW Foundation

YANGON, Myanmar, Nov 5, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – AW Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Asia World Group of Companies, handed over to the Ministry of Health the newly completed Wai Bar Gi New Wing – National Centre for Infectious Diseases on 3rd Nov, 2022. Dedicated to the treatment of infectious diseases and pandemics such as COVID-19 which exerted heavy patient load on the public healthcare sector, it is the most advanced medical centre to date in Myanmar.

The Newly-Constructed Wai Bar Gi New Wing- National Centre for Infectious Diseases

Side Views of Wai Bar Gi New Wing- National Centre for Infectious Diseases

Interior Views of Wai Bar Gi New Wing- National Centre for Infectious Diseases

Lieutenant General Aung Lin Dwe, the secretary of the State Administration Council, unveiled a plaque commemorating the handover of the three-story, 110-bed medical Centre, which was completed with a donation of 6 billion kyats and USD 3.1 million from the Foundation.

The Wai Bar Gi New Wing was mooted in November 2020 by the AW Foundation team based on the personal experience of colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of quarantine hospitals, beds, and oxygen supply, and critically, the exposure of the devoted medical frontliners taking care of patients in general hospitals were gaps in the healthcare system evidenced during the critical period.

The 51,055 square feet (4,745sqm) Centre is equipped with airflow control (negative-positive pressure), integrated oxygen access, isolation rooms, and water treatment and features that combine to make it one of the most technologically-advanced public healthcare facilities in the country. AW Foundation believes the new Centre will support the public healthcare system for the treatment of COVID-19 and any future pandemic.

Construction of Centre

A ground-breaking ceremony was held on-site on 5 January 2021. Construction was delayed due to a nationwide lockdown arising from the pandemic.

The Centre is equipped with:

– Donning and Doffing for medical staff
– Staff corridors and lifts for use by Patients and Staff
– Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) for full-time automatic disinfection of the air-flow system in the hospital building
– Room communication systems and other electrical communication facilities (PABX, PA & Intercom)
– Sound-Proof Generator for emergency use
– Emergency response alarm systems that can automatically respond to fire and various natural disasters (fully equipped as required for an infectious disease treatment hospital)

Sustainable Garden Hospital

The Centre was conceptualized and constructed with deep consideration of the environment. Sustainable solar energy and the creation of new greenery at the Centre also create an environment to enhance the recovery process of patients and the well-being of the healthcare community.

About AW Foundation (AWF) – Together, we can make change happen

AW Foundation is a non-profit organization and the philanthropic arm of the Asia World Group of Companies. AWF supports projects that develop the well-being of the people of Myanmar, focusing on healthcare, education, disaster relief, and community development. It was established in 2014, building on a strong tradition of philanthropy of the Asia World Group of companies since 1992.

AW Foundation aims to develop and advance the livelihoods of people throughout Myanmar and is passionate about exploring new projects that benefit all.

Through our commitment to quality and continued efforts to help those in need, AWF strives to deliver exceptional value and improve the lives of Myanmar's citizens. https://aw-foundation.org/

For media queries, please contact the AW Media Office at media@aw-foundation.org

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

SinoMab Announces Appointment of Mr. Shanchun WANG as the President (China) of the Company

HONG KONG, Nov 4, 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, Mr. Shanchun WANG has been appointed as the President (China) of the Company. Mr. Wang will mainly be responsible for the China operation.

Mr. Shanchun WANG, served as the executive director of Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited (stock code: 1177) and the president of Chia Tai – Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., joined SinoMab lately as the President (China) of the Company. Mr. Shanchun WANG has rich experience and practical achievements in corporate strategic management, organizational management, innovation research and development and product commercialization. He is a specialist that granted the special government allowances of the State Council and awarded as a national model worker, a Jiangsu Province Technology Advanced Worker, a Jiangsu Province Model Labour, a winner of the Shanghai Technology Advancement First Honour Award, a Jiangsu Province Outstanding Entrepreneur, a Jiangsu Province Young and Middle-aged Expert with Outstanding Contribution, a Jiangsu Advanced Individual with Outstanding Contribution in Manufacture etc.

Mr. Shanchun WANG said that: "Under the leadership of Dr. Shui On LEUNG, SinoMab has gathered a very strong R&D force, forged a unique B-cell therapeutic platform, and prospectively launched a pipeline with a series of potential key products, with truly internationally recognized original innovation strength. At the same time, 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 my service enterprises in the past, which is also an important reason why I chose to join SinoMab."

Dr. Shui On LEUNG said that: "It is a great pleasure to have Mr. Shanchun WANG joining the Company. Our Group has been engaging extensively in the field of autoimmune disease and with the mission of growing into a global leader in the novel treatments of immunological diseases. We have a strong research and development capabilities. Leveraging on our Group's B-cell therapeutic platform, Alarmins-pathway therapeutic platform and selective T-cell therapeutic platform, the Group has a strategic plan in expanding and diversifying our product pipeline. We believe that Mr. Wang's rich experience in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 30 years, and as one of the leaders in the biotech industry in China, 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. Mr. Wang's engagement as the President (China) of the Company while also subscribing shares of the Company also reflects the confidence and commitment of Mr. Wang and our senior management towards the long-term and sustainable growth of the Group, and the continuous support of our senior management will be beneficial to the long-term business development of the Group."

The Company entered into a subscription agreement with Mr. Wang earlier. Pursuant to the subscription agreement, Mr. Shanchun WANG conditionally agreed to subscribe for and the Company conditionally agreed to allot and issue 14,340,000 subscription shares. This reflects his confidence and commitment towards the long-term and sustainable growth of the Group.

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), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), pemphigus, 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

Led by Legend Capital, ClinBrain Completes Nearly CNY200 million Series C Round

HONG KONG, Nov 1, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Recently, the healthcare big data leader ClinBrain completed the Series C round of financing of nearly CNY200 million, led by Legend Capital. This round of financing will facilitate ClinBrain to continuously deepen its expertise in the field of healthcare big data, explore the deep integration of big data and AI in the healthcare industry, promote the R&D of underlying technologies and scenario-based applications, and accelerate the promotion of industrial digital and intelligent upgrading.

As a high-tech enterprise focusing on the healthcare big data intelligence platform, digitalized and intelligent application services, ClinBrain was shortlisted as the SDRI (specialized, refined, differential and innovative) "little giant" enterprise by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology this year.

At the beginning of its establishment in 2013, ClinBrain realized that healthcare, as a data-intensive and knowledge-intensive industry, is inseparable from the support of data, no matter in clinical services, operations management or medical research. ClinBrain has been committed to the direction of data governance and intelligent application of hospitals. By leveraging years of its industry experience and technical capabilities, the company has made breakthroughs in many fields, such as collecting data from hospital business systems without an interface, effectively identifying the data structure of complex business systems, effectively cleaning the business data of different versions and different manufacturers, forming effective and practical data quality rules to improve the data quality of hospitals, and conducting structured processing of unstructured data such as medical records and pathology. Moreover, with its powerful natural language processing (NLP) capabilities and robust rule and knowledge base, including more than 3900 data cleaning and quality rules embedded and tens of millions of medical concept term relationships accumulated, ClinBrain is also capable of automatically identifying the data structure of each version of more than 500 business manufacturers and realizing high-quality data cleaning and structured processing of unstructured data.

LIU Huanchun, Chairman of ClinBrain, said, "Under the complex and volatile economic background and the ongoing pandemic situation, the recognition by many investors has reflected the market position, technological level and value of ClinBrain. After this round of financing, ClinBrain will promote the company's development to a new level by making further efforts in scientific and technological innovation and talent introduction."

Raymond CHEN, Co-chief Investment Officer of Legend Capital, said, "Healthcare big data is a key driver of the digital and intelligent transformation of the pharmaceutical industry, which is in line with the long-term megatrend of new healthcare infrastructure. As a leading healthcare big data enterprise in China, ClinBrain provides full-link solutions from data governance to medical scenario applications based on its rich industrial theoretical knowledge and practical experience. We are optimistic that ClinBrain will create a new development form in healthcare big data by continuously expanding more products and customer application scenarios."

About Legend Capital

Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

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

Led by Legend Capital, Easy-Flow Raises Tens of Millions of CNY in Angel Round

HONG KONG, Nov 1, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Shanghai Easy-Flow ("Easy-Flow") recently completed its Angel financing round by raising tens of millions of CNY, led by Legend Capital. The fresh capital will be used for the R&D of Easy-Flow's peripheral intervention pipeline.

Data shows that there are a large number of patients with peripheral vascular disease, of which about 40 million patients with lower extremity arteries and about 100 million patients with varicose veins. Given the number of patients is increasing yearly, there is a huge clinical demand foreseeable, indicating that the peripheral vascular interventional device trajectory is likely to be the next market worth CNY10 billion.

Founded in November 2021, Easy-Flow is committed to efficiently creating a complete set of solutions in the field of peripheral interventional devices. The company develops products such as drug balloons, catheters, stents, and thrombus removal equipment for treating peripheral arteriovenous diseases. Since its establishment, Easy-Flow has been committed to creating peripheral interventional product packages, and developing Me-too, Me-better and Me-only products at the same time. It is expected that several products will be submitted for registration or initiated into clinical practice by 2030.

In addition to its independent R&D, Easy-Flow also simultaneously carries out external cooperation to further expand its product pipeline. Easy-Flow recently has reached a cooperation with Control Medical in the United States to introduce the FDA-approved Control(TM) mechanical thrombus removal system, which can be manually controlled by doctors to achieve efficient and controllable thrombus aspiration.

The founder of Easy-Flow, MIAO Zhenghua, who has more than 20 years of experience in the field of vascular intervention, said: "At present, the biggest challenge to many startups is how to rapidly commercialize their certified products. On the one hand, many founders have R&D backgrounds but lack experience in marketing their products quickly, and some companies only focus on one or two items, making them hard to cover marketing expenses with their revenue and profits. On the other hand, there are many product categories in the field of peripheral interventional devices. The treatment of disease often requires multiple products, and it is difficult to support the market with a single product. Therefore, the integrated package of peripheral interventional products is more suitable for commercial promotion."

Regarding this financing round, Joe ZHOU, managing director of Legend Capital, said: " Legend Capital has long focused on investment in medical devices. We have invested in a number of companies focusing on the unmet clinical needs of major diseases, especially chronic diseases. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular-related fields have always been the focus of systematic analysis and research of the Legend Capital team. Easy-Flow has a talent team with extensive experience, led by the founder MIAO Zhenghua. We are very pleased to cooperate with Easy-Flow and participate in the development of the company. In the future, Legend Capital will give full play to the advantages of the healthcare portfolio ecosystem to support Easy-Flow's development and move forward hand in hand."

About Legend Capital

Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

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

Inaugural International Healthcare Week promotes Hong Kong as leading healthcare hub

HONG KONG, Oct 31, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Developments such as the COVID-19 pandemic and a global ageing trend have significantly increased the demand for healthcare products and services. The inaugural International Healthcare Week, driven by Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will run from 1 to 15 November 2022, helping to promote innovation, investment and exchange by fully utilising Hong Kong's strategic role as an innovation and investment hub for Asia's healthcare industry. The two flagship events of International Healthcare Week are the second Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH) co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the HKTDC, and the 13th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair organised by the HKTDC.

HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong; Prof Lo Yuk-lam, Chairman of GT Healthcare Capital Partners & President of the HK Bio-Med Innotech Association (L); Rupert Mok, Secretary General of Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association (R)

Yuan Hua Technology presents its research results at the press conference.

Cellomics Holdings Limited features its product and service at the press conference.

The two concurrent events encompass both upstream and downstream healthcare industries, from technology research and development, investment matching and medical device manufacturing, to medical products and services. Together they form a comprehensive one-stop platform to create synergies for medical and healthcare industry professionals.

Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: "Since the pandemic, healthcare and the life sciences have become a global focus. From our work in promoting technology and medical devices over the years, we see that Hong Kong has considerable strengths in both the upstream and downstream elements of the healthcare, medical and life sciences ecosystem that can support the city in developing into a leading global healthcare and life sciences hub. In launching the first-ever International Healthcare Week this year, the HKTDC is inviting policymakers, healthcare experts, leaders in scientific discovery as well as business and financial leaders from around the world to share the latest industry knowledge and build business networks, and in the process cementing Hong Kong's position at the forefront of Asia's rapidly expanding healthcare industry."

Building a sustainable post-pandemic future

The second Asia Summit on Global Health will take place on 10 and 11 November. Activities on the first day will be held physically at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) with a live online broadcast, while the second day will be entirely virtual. Under the theme "Charting a New Course in Healthcare through Collaboration", the summit will feature more than 80 speakers including healthcare officials and organisations from around the world, international science and medical experts, investors, key industry players, business leaders, financial specialists and professional service providers. They are gathering to share their experience on the latest developments in public health, medical technology, international business collaboration and investment, and to explore future opportunities in the medical and healthcare industry.

In the opening session, John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, will deliver the opening remarks, while Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, World Health Organization Deputy Director-General, will address the summit as a guest speaker. Prof Lo Chung-mau, Secretary for Health, and Prof Dong Sun, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR, will also share their insights on how we can formulate more sustainable future policies on public healthcare and health innovation.

Explore China's healthcare opportunities in the GBA

In the plenary session, "Charting a New Course in Healthcare through Collaboration", the speakers will discuss the role of Asia in the global development of the healthcare industry, as well as how stakeholders around the world can collaborate in preparation to address future challenges in terms of public health, the economy and environmental protection. In view of the rapidly increasing demand for high-quality healthcare and private hospital services, the panel discussion titled "The Next Development in China's Healthcare Sector" will see industry players gather to examine the latest trends and strategies in relation to healthcare investment and explore how to grasp investment opportunities in this rapidly growing market.

The importance of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as a hub for advanced manufacturing, services, technology and innovation will be addressed in two sessions, namely "How Innovation in the GBA Reshapes Global Healthcare" and "Hong Kong as a Fundraising Hub for Global Biotechnology and Healthcare". Guest speakers including Thomas Herget, Head of Merck China Innovation Hub; Nicolas Aguzin, HKEX Chief Executive Officer; and Benjamin Xiaoyi Li, Chairman of the Board, Executive Director and CEO of Zhaoke Ophthalmology Limited, will share on the importance of the GBA in reshaping global healthcare in the future, as well as the role of Hong Kong in helping the GBA to become a world-class health technology hub and mobilising capital for health research and innovation.

The two-day summit will also feature Fireside Chats and Thematic Sessions, covering topics such as the development of China's healthcare sector, opportunities in the GBA and Asian markets under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the outlook for the biotech and genomics sectors, business opportunities in healthcare robotics, the application and ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, environmental, social and governance (ESG) development in the healthcare industry, health equity and mental health.

Effective and professional platform to facilitate buying and selling of medical products

The 13th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair opens in November at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), running in a hybrid format under the HKTDC's new EXHIBITION+ model. The physical fair runs from 9 to 11 November, while exhibitors and buyers can also connect through the smart business-matching platform Click2Match from 9 to 18 November.

This year's fair, themed "Decoding MedTech Trends", has attracted more than 300 exhibitors from Hong Kong and different countries and regions, including companies from Canada, Mainland China, Korea and Taiwan, that will join under the physical and online format. Highlighted zones include Biotechnology, Hospital Equipment, Rehabilitation and Elderly Care, World of Health and Wellness, along with the Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association (HKMHDIA) pavilion's exhibition area and the Startup Zone. The zones will feature a range of the latest medical technologies and equipment, healthcare and beauty products, healthcare solutions and related services. The fair will provide the opportunity for industry professionals to get a comprehensive understanding of the latest trends in the medical industry as well as enabling them to source the latest products and services.

Latest technologies and medical innovations on show

The fair will showcase multiple innovative medical and health-related products, including the Pocket Smartphone Ophthalmoscope, which is an ophthalmoscope that can be mounted over a smartphone camera, making it possible for caregivers to take fundus images of care recipients. The digital images are then sent direct to an ophthalmologist for diagnosis, making it quicker to detect eye-related problems and increasing the availability of early eye disease screening. The Implant Simulator, on the other hand, predicts the probability of different orthopaedic implant designs resulting in bone cracking. The system provides fast and accurate outcomes and has been used by five of the world's top 10 implant manufacturers. Another solution on show is AccuPos-Patient Tracking, a system that offers dashboard reports to caregivers in hospitals and elderly care centres for monitoring care recipients' locations in real time. Other featured products include 3D Anatomy Educational Software, the Robotic Flexible Endoscopic System, the Portable Digital Blood Pressure Monitor and many more. Six universities in Hong Kong, including the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the Education University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Baptist University and the Lingnan University, will also participate in the physical exhibition to showcase their achievements in innovation and technology for the healthcare industry.

Twenty-two start-up enterprises will showcase their innovation and technology achievements at the show to capture new business opportunities. Various medical technology solutions will be on display, such as an advanced platform by HerBChain that uses blockchain technology to document supply chain data – from growing herbs to marketing herbal products – with the aim of improving the quality of herbs. Another innovation featured at the fair is the CTC100 Cell Sorting Platform that enables the isolation of circulating rare cells from blood to promote the early screening and treatment of cancer along with continuous monitoring for the benefit of patients.

Industry professionals share insights at HKMHDIA MedTech Forum

Organised by the HKMHDIA in strategic partnership with the HKTDC, the HKMHDIA MedTech Forum 2022 will be held on the first day of the fair (9 November) at the HKCEC, accompanied by an online simulcast. Under the theme "MedTech Opportunities in the GBA", the forum has invited representatives from the Department of Health of the HKSAR Government and the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province as well as industry experts from BGI Health (HK), HUAWEI Mobile Cloud, Johnson & Johnson, Konica Minolta, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital and UMP Healthcare Holdings, among others. They will discuss topics of key interest to the medical industry including medical technology market opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the regulatory framework for medical devices, and innovative medical technologies. On 10 and 11 November, seminars and workshops on topics such as atrial fibrillation, medtech and applications of artificial intelligence will be staged by the Hong Kong Doctors Union, the Hong Kong Federation of Senior Citizen Industries and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks.

Deal Flow Matchmaking, showcasing new medical and health innovations

During the two highlight events, a series of deal sourcing and matchmaking sessions will be held to help enterprises, start-ups, investors and buyers build connections and expand their businesses. The first day of the summit will feature Deal Flow Matchmaking which connects project owners with potential investors and business partners worldwide. The projects will cover the life sciences, medical devices and medications, AI and digital health, community health and more. The InnoHealth Showcase and exhibition area will be available on the first day of the event, featuring more than 180 healthcare start-ups and connecting them with potential investors or partners to explore new business opportunities.

This year, the summit will feature six major local universities – The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, City University of Hong Kong, the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University – to showcase their start-ups and inventions on-site, with organisations such as the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC), Cyberport, and NAMI acting as Health Innovation Partners. The ITC is featuring 17 healthcare-related research and development (R&D) centres under its InnoHK initiative to demonstrate Hong Kong's strength as a global innovation powerhouse. Project pitching and various other activities will be held physically and virtually to highlight next-generation start-ups and projects in order to connect them with potential investors and partners worldwide.

In addition, biotechnology and healthcare start-ups can take advantage of the Business of Healthcare Advisory Zone on-site or online on the first day of the summit. Investors and industry experts will be at hand to provide a full range of professional consulting services, including fundraising, R&D cooperation, intellectual property licensing arrangements, market access and distribution models, as well as incubation services to help start-ups formulate business strategies.

EXHIBITION+ helps exhibitors find business partners and expand opportunities

The Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair will run under the new EXHIBITION+ model. It comprises four key exhibition elements, including the HKTDC-organised physical fair, the smart business-matching platform Click2Match, online-to-offline seminars under the Intelligence Hub, and the hktdc.com Sourcing platform, extending face-to-face interactions from physical exhibitions to an online smart business-matching platform to help enterprises connect with business partners proactively.

In addition to the two highlight events, the first International Healthcare Week will also feature other related events including the Gerontech and Innovation Expo cum Summit 2022, the Hong Kong Urological Association 27th Annual Scientific Meeting and the Hong Kong International Optometric Symposium.

Websites
– International Healthcare Week: https://internationalhealthcareweek.hktdc.com/en
– Asia Summit On Global Health: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en
– Programme: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en/programme
– Speakers: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en/speaker
– Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkmedicalfair/en
– Interesting Product List: https://bit.ly/3DOhppL
– Activity Schedule: https://bit.ly/3DehRvF
– Industry facts and figures supplementary sheet: https://bit.ly/3WhQF83
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3fjoDZ8

Members of the media interested in interviewing ASGH speakers can send an email to janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org or ayiu@yuantung.com.hk on or before 8 November.

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.

Media Enquiries

For enquiries please contact:

Asia Summit on Global Health
Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Agnes Yiu, Tel: +852 3428 5690, Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Fung Wong, Tel: +852 3428 3122, Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department
Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org
Sam Ho, Tel: +852 2584 4569, Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org

Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair
HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Frankie Leung, Tel: +852 2584 4298, Email: frankie.cy.leung@hktdc.org

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

Zhaoke Ophthalmology’s Partner Vyluma Announces Positive Results from Phase III CHAMP Study of NVK002 for Treatment of Myopia Progression in Children

HONG KONG, Oct 28, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Zhaoke Ophthalmology Limited ("Zhaoke Ophthalmology" or "the Company", SEHK: 6622), a leading ophthalmic pharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of treatments that address significant unmet medical needs, is pleased to announce that the Company's partner Vyluma, Inc. ("Vyluma") , a biopharmaceutical company developing multiple assets for the treatment of refractive errors, announced top-line results from its Phase III CHAMP (Childhood Atropine for Myopia Progression) clinical study.

Analysis of this multi-center, international study, performed after three years of treatment and follow up, demonstrates strong safety and efficacy for NVK002 as a potential treatment for the progression of myopia in children. The results were shared on 27 October in an oral presentation at the American Academy of Optometry annual meeting in San Diego, CA.

"CHAMP is the largest and longest placebo-controlled, prospective pediatric myopia study conducted to date and we are very encouraged by the results from the first stage," said Navneet Puri, PhD, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Vyluma. "Myopia is a growing global epidemic that can have serious consequences for the vision of millions of children later in life, yet there are no currently available, regulatory approved pharmaceutical treatments. While we are conducting analyses of the data to assess the full results, the top-line results represent a significant landmark in myopia management and signify a potential new and more hopeful era on the horizon."

Developed by Vyluma, NVK002 is a proprietary, investigational, low-dose, preservative-free atropine eye drop administered nightly. NVK002 leverages what is known about a well-characterized therapeutic agent, atropine, in a new low-dose, preservative-free formulation to help address the urgent need for pharmacological control of myopia. CHAMP is a three-arm, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical study conducted across the U.S. and Europe in nearly 600 children and adolescents aged three to seventeen years at enrollment. The study consists of two stages: a completed three-year treatment period to evaluate the safety and efficacy of NVK002, after which enrolled patients were re-randomized for a masked, ongoing one-year treatment period to characterize cessation of therapy.

NVK002 at a dose of 0.01% atropine achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful differences from placebo in every key outcome measure, including responder analysis, mean change from baseline in Spherical Equivalent Refraction (SER), and mean change from baseline in axial length at month 36. NVK002 at a dose of 0.02% demonstrated efficacy at several time points, including a statistically significant mean change in axial length compared to placebo at 36 months. Responder analysis was not statistically significant at month 36.

NVK002 at both doses demonstrated strong safety and tolerability which were comparable to placebo. There were no ocular serious adverse events (SAEs) and the incidences of non-ocular SAEs and discontinuations due to non-ocular SAEs were similar across treatment groups. The most common ocular adverse events were hyperemia, photophobia, allergic conjunctivitis, eye pruritis, and eye irritation.

"Myopia is a serious condition that impacts the vision of 30% of the world's population today and is expected to impact an estimated 5 billion people by 2050. The earlier myopia is addressed, the better,"1,2 said Karla Zadnik, OD, PhD, FAAO, lead investigator and Glenn A. Fry Professor of Optometry and Physiological Optics and Dean at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. "The CHAMP study shows us that Vyluma's novel formulation of low-dose atropine can make a clinically meaningful difference in treating children with myopia. This new evidence increases our scientific understanding of the safe and effective ways we can tackle this growing global burden."

Vyluma has partnered with Laboratories Thea and Zhaoke Ophthalmology for commercialization of NVK002. Thea, the leading independent European pharmaceutical group in ophthalmology, will be responsible for the commercialization of NVK002 in Europe, and for the registration and commercialization in Canada, Mexico, and selected South American countries. Zhaoke Ophthalmology, a leading ophthalmic pharmaceutical company, will be responsible for the clinical development and commercialization of NVK002 in Greater China, South Korea, and certain select countries in Southeast Asia (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam).

"In China, hundreds of millions of children and adolescents suffer from myopia. We are excited by the encouraging data in the U.S. and Europe. This adds to the evidence for the NVK002 NDA submission to the Chinese regulator. Our intention is to bring this drug to market as soon as possible and these results take us one step closer in our mission to transform visual health in China," said Dr. Li Xiaoyi (Benjamin), Chairman of the Board of Directors, Executive Director and CEO, Zhaoke Ophthalmology.

Vyluma plans to submit a New Drug Application for NVK002 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as early as Q1 2023. If approved by the FDA, NVK002 would be a first-in-class, clinically proven pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of myopia progression in children. For more information about Vyluma and NVK002, please visit www.vyluma.com.

About Myopia
Myopia is a serious and irreversible condition that causes loss of vision due to eye elongation. It is considered to be a growing global epidemic that will affect roughly half the world's population by 2050.1 Myopia prevalence is accelerating because of increased exposure to close work on digital screens and reduced time outdoors, both of which have been exacerbated by COVID-19.3 If left untreated, childhood myopia increases the risk of vision loss and eye complications later in life, due to cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disease.4 Myopia progresses most rapidly between the ages of 5 and 15 when eyes are developing quickly.5 Vision correction with single vision contact lenses and spectacles does not slow myopia progression, leaving children at risk of serious consequences later in life.6,7,2

About Vyluma, Inc.
Vyluma is a development-stage biopharmaceutical company with a focus on pharmaceutical treatments for refractive errors of the eye. Vyluma has a robust pipeline of assets in various stages of development which address important unmet treatment needs of patients with refractive errors or eye pain. Vyluma itself is a subsidiary of Nevakar Inc., a holding company whose subsidiaries are also engaged in developing products for the injectable markets. For additional information please visit www.vyluma.com.

About Nevakar Inc.
Nevakar Inc. is a fully integrated privately held, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with an extensive portfolio of products in the ophthalmic and injectable areas. Founded in 2015, and headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey, the Company is focused on developing and commercializing innovative products to address unmet medical needs, thereby improving patients' quality of life and healthcare outcomes. Nevakar utilizes the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, along with its proven expertise in the development of novel and proprietary sterile pharmaceutical products to identify, develop, and obtain regulatory approval for its products. Additional information is available at www.nevakar.com.

About Zhaoke Ophthalmology
Founded in 2017, Zhaoke Ophthalmology (SEHK: 6622) is a leading ophthalmic pharmaceutical company dedicated to the research and development, manufacturing and commercialization of therapies that address significant unmet medical needs in the world. The company was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 29 April 2021.

Zhaoke Ophthalmology has a comprehensive drug portfolio of innovative and generic treatments covering six major eye diseases across both the front and back of the eye. Many of the drugs are being produced in its state-of-the-art and fully functional development and production facility in Nansha, Guangzhou.

Zhaoke Ophthalmology is focusing on advancing towards the goal of product commercialisation, and achieving the objective of improving visual health in China through scientific research as soon as possible.

Through its ambitious growth strategy, including partnering with domestic and international pharmaceutical companies, Zhaoke Ophthalmology's goal is to become a leader in ophthalmology in the world.

For more information, please visit: www.zkoph.com

Media Contact:
Artemis Associates
Diana Footitt, CEO
M: +852 9183 0667
E: diana.footitt@artemisassociates.com

Bowen Chui, Director
M: +852 9783 0643
E: bowen.chui@artemisassociates.com

Iris Pei, Director
M: +86 15000 465 016
E: iris.pei@artemisassociates.com

References
1. Holden, B. A., Fricke, T. R., Wilson, D. A., Jong, M., Naidoo, K. S., Sankaridurg, P., Wong, T. Y., Naduvilath, T. J., & Resnikoff, S. (2016). Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology, 123(5), 1036-1042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.01.006.
2. Sankaridurg, P., Tahhan, N., Kandel, H., Naduvilath, T., Zou, H., Frick, K. D., Marmamula, S., Friedman, D. S., Lamoureux, E., Keeffe, J., Walline, J. J., Fricke, T. R., Kovai, V., & Resnikoff, S. (2021). IMI Impact of Myopia. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 62(5), 2. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.62.5.2.
3. Rusnak, S., Salcman, V., Hecova, L., & Kasl, Z. (2018). Myopia Progression Risk: Seasonal and Lifestyle Variations in Axial Length Growth in Czech Children. Journal of Ophthalmology, 2018, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5076454.
4. Ritchey, O. E. D., PhD. (2020, September 18). Myopia Increases the Risk of Serious, Sight-Threatening Eye Disease. Review of Myopia Management. https://reviewofmm.com/myopia-increase-the-risk-of-serious-sight-threatening-eye-disease/.
5. Verkicharla, P. K., Kammari, P., & Das, A. V. (2020). Myopia progression varies with age and severity of myopia. PLOS ONE, 15(11), e0241759. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241759.
6. Deere, K., Williams, C., Leary, S., Mattocks, C., Ness, A., Blair, S. N., & Riddoch, C. (2009). Myopia and later physical activity in adolescence: a prospective study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(7), 542-544. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2008.049288.
7. Wolffsohn, J. S., Jong, M., Smith, E. L., Resnikoff, S. R., Jonas, J. B., Logan, N. S., Morgan, I., Sankaridurg, P., & Ohno-Matsui, K. (2021). IMI 2021 Reports and Digest – Reflections on the Implications for Clinical Practice. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 62(5), 1. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.62.5.1.

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