LYC Healthcare Reports Strong Q3 FY2024 Results of RM36.0 Million

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – LYC Healthcare Berhad (“LYC Healthcare” or the “Group”), a leading provider of comprehensive healthcare and specialist in mother and child care services, is pleased to announce the financial results for the third quarter ended 31 December 2023 (“Q3 FY2024”), demonstrating significant revenue growth and an improvement in operational results.

In Q3 FY2024, LYC Healthcare achieved a robust revenue of RM35.9 million, a notable increase from RM23.5 million in the same quarter of the previous year (“Q3 FY2023”). This growth is primarily attributed to the Group’s strategic focus on nutraceutical business and beneficial outcomes from lease modifications. Despite facing industry-wide challenges, LYC Healthcare successfully narrowed Loss Before Tax (“LBT”) to RM1.2 million, down from RM1.8 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, underscoring the effectiveness of the Group’s operational and strategic initiatives.

On a regional basis, Malaysia segment continues to contribute significantly to the Group’s performance, generating RM24.0 million in revenue for the quarter, up from RM13.4 million in the previous year’s quarter. The LBT in this segment decreased to RM2.0 million from RM3.2 million, reflecting improved outcomes from the nutraceutical business.

In Singapore, the healthcare operations continued to excel, generating revenue of RM11.9 million and a profit before tax of RM0.8 million. This performance is an improvement in revenue compared to the previous year, although there was a slight decrease in profit before tax from RM1.5 million, attributed to strategic investments in the region’s healthcare sector for future growth plans.

Cumulatively, for the nine months ended 31 December 2023 (“9M FY2024”), LYC Healthcare posted a revenue of RM95.0 million, up from RM66.6 million in the same period last year. The Group’s LBT improved significantly to RM2.9 million from RM6.4 million, driven by contributions from profit guarantee contributions, gains on lease modifications, and robust performance in both the Singapore healthcare businesses and the nutraceutical sector.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, LYC Healthcare’s revenue increased from RM32.4 million in the preceding quarter to RM35.9 million, with LBT narrowing to RM1.2 million from RM2.0 million, further evidencing the Group’s strong performance momentum.

Mr. Sui Dong Hoe, Managing Director cum Group Chief Executive Officer of LYC Healthcare expressed optimism about the Group’s direction, stating, “The positive trends we are observing in Q3 FY2024 are a clear indication that LYC Healthcare is on the right trajectory towards profitability and sustained growth. Our strategic investments, particularly in T&T Medical Group Pte Ltd (“T&T”) and HC Orthopedic Surgery Pte Ltd (“HCOS”), and operational enhancements are beginning to bear fruit. The full acquisition of T&T and HCOS, coupled with our plans to list these entities under LYC Medicare (Singapore) Pte Ltd on the Catalist board of the Singapore Exchange (“SGX”), showcases our commitment to capitalizing on these opportunities. These steps are pivotal in further strengthening our market position and delivering value to our stakeholders.”

TechInvention Lifecare announces the ground breaking of its state-of-the-art Global Collaborative Centre for Medical Countermeasures

MUMBAI, INDIA, Feb 28, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – In a significant stride towards enhancing global health security and pandemic preparedness, TechInvention Lifecare Pvt. Ltd. is proud to announce the ground breaking of its Global Collaborative Centre for Medical Countermeasures (GCMC) with an investment of approx. USD 15 million. The centre is strategically located close to the upcoming international airport in Navi Mumbai, India.

Prototype - Global Collaborative Centre for Medical Countermeasures (GCMC) — Prototype – Global Collaborative Centre for Medical Countermeasures (GCMC)

GCMC has been acknowledged for its global significance at the 2nd World Local Production Forum in The Hague on 6-8 November 2023, organized by the WHO. The objective of GCMC is well aligned to WHO’s call to action, CEPI’s 100 days mission, India’s National Biotechnology Development Strategy (2020-2025), and other global key initiatives.

This facility will serve the needs of both public and private organizations, such as academic institutes, start-ups, MSMEs, and R&D organizations, to provide a comprehensive ecosystem, facilitating the transition from R&D to GMP-scale production for pre-clinical/clinical batches with required regulatory approvals.

GCMC is a unique eco-friendly centre to cater to crucial medical countermeasures—the entire cycle of vaccine development, from strain to supply, biotherapeutics and diagnostics for both human and veterinary segments, while ensuring sustainable manufacturing. This initiative aligns with the One Health approach, emphasizing the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health.

Mr. Syed S. Ahmed, Director and CEO of TechInvention, expressed, “The current challenges posed in biologics equity arise from the disparity in translational research dissemination from the centres of excellence to the regional manufacturing ‘hub and spoke’ model setups. We believe that GCMC would be the needed intervention, strengthening the hubs by providing ‘scaled-up’, regulatory-approved, cost-effective, and free of IP infringement biosolutions sourced from both indigenous research and centres of excellence worldwide”.

About TechInvention Lifecare Pvt. Ltd.: https://techinvention.biz/

TechInvention Lifecare Pvt. Ltd. distinguishes itself as a unique Indian biotech company, supporting the ‘One Health’ concept by integrating three pivotal interventions: diagnostics, vaccines, and biotherapeutics, catering to both human and veterinary sectors. Its innovation is dedicated to advancing global health through novel solutions. With a focus on research and development, the company is committed to addressing the health challenges that may emerge in the future.

For further details, please contact:
Mr Sarang Pathak
+91 99606 16481
sarang@techinvention.biz

Avance Clinical CEO Talks with SCRIP about US Biotech Sector “Green Shoots” and a New CRO Report

Adelaide, AU & North Carolina, USA, Feb 28, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Avance Clinical, the award-winning Australian and North American market-leading CRO for biotechs, has today spoken with SCRIP about their positive outlook for the US biotech sector following the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference and Biotech Showcase meetings. (read the full article here)

Avance Clinical CEO, Yvonne Lungershausen was interviewed by SCRIP Intelligence about the current biotech financial and drug development climate in the US and signs of growth.

Lungershausen noted there was a positive shift in sentiment compared to the previous year, with some companies even announcing their Series A funding during the conference. However, she emphasized that investors remained cautious, demonstrating a low-risk appetite in their investment decisions.

“We’re seeing green shoots in terms of funding coming through now in the US, but I think it’s still a bit of a tough road ahead. Investors are really being super cautious about where they’re investing and relatively, there’s not a high-risk appetite,” Lungershausen said to SCRIP in the interview.

The Avance Clinical team engaged with industry leaders at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference and Biotech Showcase, sharing insights into the evolving landscape of biotech funding, their strategic partnerships in the AI sector, and ground-breaking developments in oncology study design.

The interview also covered AI saying “Lungershausen indicated that Avance had taken the position of having an innovation and technology group specifically to look at how the CRO can best support clients to get the data that they need for their trials as quickly as possible.

Avance Clinical, she said, is looking at partnerships with companies developing AI and making the assessment of “whether or not that’s something that we should bring in-house and offer to our clients”. It is also keen to work with some of those companies in terms of helping them “understand what the landscape requires”.

According to the interview “Avance’s CEO maintained that Australia also featured “high on the agenda” for a lot of the biopharma companies at JPM “because time is money”.

“That came through over and over again and the ability to start fast with high-quality data that is readily accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory agencies was very important,” she explained.

While a 43.5% rebate on clinical trial costs in Australia provides biopharma clients “a longer runway with their money”, there’s also the exchange rate advantage that typically comes into play.

Importantly, sponsors also don’t require to have an active own-country IND to initiate trials in the island continent. That, Lungershausen stated, is the “biggest advantage” and is possible because Australia has a streamlined and efficient regulatory process.”

According to the interview she said “that amid the generally tight funding environment what also came through strongly…was the need for biotechs to find the right partner”.

SCRIP Intelligence noted that Avance Clinical presented at JPM and Biotech Showcase a new analysis by market research leader, Frost & Sullivan on the biotech sector and the challenges they have finding the right fit or size CRO (See report here).

The analysis has shed light on critical hurdles faced by more than 60% of US biotechs seeking the right CRO partner to propel their drug development programs forward.

SCRIP Intelligence said Lungershausen believes that Avance Clinical “is ideally positioned being able to support biopharma with the advantages of Australia for early phase trials and “start fast but then pivot back to the US very quickly”.

“They’re looking for a partner that can seamlessly help transition them and there’s a lot of excitement about that,” she said.

The comprehensive report underscores the increasing preference of biotechs to collaborate with mid-sized, agile, and responsive CROs with a proven track record of swiftly advancing high-quality clinical programs. The findings suggest that large multinational CROs may be perceived as less responsive and less adept at adapting to the fast-paced nature of biotech demands.

Key insights from the analysis:

1. Challenges in Partner Selection: The analysis reveals that 60 to 65% of US biotechs encounter challenges in identifying the right-sized CRO partner capable of delivering at every phase of their drug development program.

2. Perception of Large Multinational CROs: There is a notable perception among biotechs that large multinational CROs may be less responsive and adaptable to the dynamic requirements of the biotech industry.

3. Biotech Funding Decline: The report highlights challenges faced by biotechs, including a decline in biotech funding, increased drug development complexity, evolving FDA regulatory review processes, and costly delays due to slow patient recruitment.

4. Engagement with Multiple CROs: More than 50% of biotechs engage with more than one CRO during their clinical program, leading to increased costs, delays, and challenges in knowledge and data transfer.

Find out more:

Learn about the GlobalReady model here https://www.avancecro.com/avance-clinical-north-america-operations/

For more information about the benefits of running your next study with Avance Clinical contact us: enquiries@avancecro.com

Media Contact:
Avance Clinical
Kate Thompson
media@avancecro.com

About Avance Clinical

Avance Clinical is the largest premium full-service Australian and North American CRO delivering quality clinical trials, with globally accepted data, in Australia, New Zealand and the US for international biotechs. The company’s clients are biotechs completing Phase I to Phase III of their drug development program that requires fast, agile, and adaptive solution-oriented clinical research services.

Frost & Sullivan Awards
Avance Clinical, a Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific CRO Market Leadership Award recipient for the past four years, has been providing CRO services in the region for more than 26 years.

Pre-clinical through to mid to late phase
Avance Clinical offers pre-clinical services with their experienced ClinicReady team right from pre-clinical through to Phase III clinical services leveraging significant Australian Government incentive rebates of up to 43.5% and rapid start-up regulatory processes.

With experience across more than 120 indications, the CRO can deliver world-class results and high-quality internationally accepted data for FDA and EMA review.

Technology
Avance Clinical uses state-of-the-art technology and gold standard systems across all functional areas to provide clients with the most effective processes. Medidata, Oracle, TrialHub, Certinia, Salesforce, Zelta and Medrio are just some of the technology partners.

www.avancecro.com

CGFNS International Unveils New Think Tank to Advance Health Workforce Development Scholarship and Solutions Worldwide

PHILADELPHIA, PA, Feb 24, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – CGFNS International announced today it has established a Global Health Workforce Development Institute. The new think tank will conduct original research and leverage knowledge developed by CGFNS over its half-century of providing credentialing services — as well as its vast experience with workforce mobility issues — to advance scientific knowledge about the evolution of health workforce roles and the development of credentialing and certification programs and policies.

CGFNS International

A long-term objective of the Institute will be to create rigorous global certification programs that streamline the assessment and recognition of practice competency. These will empower nurses and other health professionals around the world to achieve “work-readiness” regardless of where they choose to apply their knowledge and skills, while enabling them to showcase their competencies to employers, regulators, and educators worldwide.

“Amid an unprecedented health workforce crisis, and with an increasing number of health workers being displaced by the impacts of climate change and armed conflict, the patchwork quilt of standards and qualifications between countries threatens to prevent health workers from practicing to their capacities, much less helping to alleviate workforce shortages in high-need countries and improve healthcare access for underserved populations,” said Peter Preziosi, President and CEO of CGFNS.

“This new Institute will be the centerpiece of our effort to address this challenge and ease mobility for health workers to practice where they want and where they are needed,” he added.

Leading the new Institute as its Chief is Julia To Dutka, EdD, a renowned global expert and strategist in credential assessment and global labor mobility who is widely published in the fields of education, regulation, and language teaching and testing. Dr. To Dutka brings to the Institute a unique integration of experience from her many years of service at CGFNS, as well as from higher education and from the assessment industry, where she has led large-scale global assessment initiatives.

The Institute will comprise three centers of excellence:

The Center for Global Assessment and Certification will lead efforts in the setting of global standards and assessment of competencies in the health professions. Its senior director, Joseph McClintock, PhD, has more than 20 years’ experience in all aspects of certification and educational assessment, including test design and creation, item and test development, standards setting and job task analysis. He joins the Institute after serving as vice president of Measurement, Inc., a leading provider of customized educational assessment services.
The Center for Knowledge Management will manage CGFNS International’s extensive international education and health regulatory databases, along with other knowledge assets, with a focus on leveraging the educational and regulatory data to advance initiatives, policies and further research in global health workforce development. Its senior director, Emily Tse, MPhil, is a recognized expert in the credential evaluation field who previously managed the Country Index series on educational systems around the world at the International Education Research Foundation (IERF).
The Center for Global Research and Policy will catalyze a robust research and development agenda and contribute to global human resources for health scholarship through inquiry around global health workforce development, care delivery, and lifelong learning issues. Its senior director, Lauren Herckis, PhD, joins CGFNS from the faculty of Carnegie Mellon University, where she has led interdisciplinary research efforts focused on evidence-based practice for using emerging educational technologies across diverse cultural contexts.

“With our nearly 50-year mission of evaluating nurses and allied health professionals who have chosen to live and work in their country of choice through assessment protocols centering on academic and professional credentials, it is time for CGFNS to recommit itself to improving the health and well-being of the world’s populations,” said To Dutka. “The Institute will enable CGFNS to serve as a thought leader, to advance new and innovative certification systems, and to support models of care delivery that will accelerate health workforce growth and evolution worldwide.”

About CGFNS International, Inc.

Founded in 1977 and based in Philadelphia, CGFNS International is an immigration-neutral not-for-profit organization proudly serving as the world’s largest credentials evaluation organization for the nursing and allied health professions. CGFNS International is an NGO in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is a member of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO).

Contact Information:
David St. John
dstjohn@cgfns.org

SOURCE: CGFNS International

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DC Healthcare Announces Expansion with New Branches in Johor Bahru and Ipoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – DC Healthcare Holdings Berhad (“DC Healthcare” or the “Group”), an aesthetic medical services provider specialising in the provision of non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures, is pleased to announce the openings of the Group’s new branches in Johor Bahru (Taman Molek), and Ipoh (Bandar Seri Botani). These new facilities underscore DC Healthcare’s ongoing commitment to extending reach and making premier aesthetic treatments more accessible across Malaysia.

Equipped with advanced aesthetic technologies and staffed by a team of seasoned professionals, the new branches reflect DC Healthcare’s dedication to excellence and patient-centered care. The introduction of these facilities aligns with the Group’s strategic vision to enhance its service portfolio and fortify the presence within the aesthetic medicine industry.

Dr. Chong Tze Sheng, Managing Director of DC Healthcare, shared his insights on the expansion, “The inauguration of our new branches in Johor Bahru and Ipoh, are key milestones in our journey of growth. These developments not only enhance our service capabilities but also bring us closer to our clients, offering them unparalleled access to top-tier aesthetic solutions. We are excited about the future and remain committed to leading the way in aesthetic medicine in Malaysia and beyond.”

As DC Healthcare continues to navigate the evolving landscape of aesthetic medicine, its strategic initiatives with the branch expansions, position the Group well for sustained success and leadership in the industry.

Dr. Chong Tze Sheng, Managing Director of DC Healthcare

Hyris Technology Supports the Fight Against One of the World’s Deadliest Diseases, Malaria

LONDON, Feb 20, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Hyris, working with an international team of researchers, has developed a prototype field-deployable surveillance system to detect insecticide-resistant malaria vector mosquitoes in the field without the need for transportation to sophisticated laboratories. The prototype can diagnose a mosquito for insecticide resistance at the field site three or less hours after capture. Current approaches can take up to six months since samples must be collected in remote areas and then transported to centralized laboratories for testing.

Hyris fights malaria
Disease vector mosquito

The early and cost-effective detection of mosquito resistance to insecticides is essential for planning and implementing effective malaria control strategies. Mosquito-killing insecticides remain key weapons in preventing malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa and other malaria-endemic parts of the world. However, mosquitoes often develop resistance to insecticides, rendering them ineffective in disrupting the spread of the disease.

The research team is led by Professor George Dimopoulos at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, and together with Professor Charles Wondji at the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases in Yaoundé, Cameroon the team has been working since 2021 conducting laboratory R&D, and field testing in malaria-endemic areas of Cameroon. This is enabled by the distinctive features of the Hyris System™ for molecular testing that is based on a simple portable battery-powered device rather than a heavy laboratory-based benchtop machine.

The newly developed Hyris technology of pre-filled dried cartridges enables running the diagnostic assay by simply adding the mosquito sample to a well already containing all other reagents, simplifying the testing workflow. The stability of the dried reagents enables their storage at room temperature for up to six months thereby not requiring freezers which are lacking at most sample collection sites in the field.

This research project was supported by a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant made to Johns Hopkins University.

“This new test is deployable right in-field,” explains Lorenzo Colombo, CTO and Managing Director at Hyris. “Our technology enables researchers to collect a mosquito sample in the field and conduct the molecular diagnostic assay right there, with real-time acquisition, from a central lab, of insecticide resistance data from the disease-endemic area.”

The team is currently exploring the path for nationwide deployment of the mosquito insecticide resistance surveillance system in Cameroon, something that would enable real-time informed decision-making on malaria mosquito control campaigns using the most effective insecticides.

Stefano Lo Priore, Founder and CEO at Hyris, further explains the advantages of this new test: “The necessity of cold chain has always been a critical roadblock for any test distribution in remote areas. This new malaria mosquito insecticide resistance test does not require any cold chain for shipping, making it one hundred percent field-deployable.” Lo Priore also highlights how such projects perfectly align with Hyris’ commitment to developing advanced biotech solutions for critical environments. “We work to provide increasingly efficient ways to manage outbreak readiness and health prevention, especially in the most challenging situations.”

For more information, feel free to contact a Hyris specialist at info@hyris.net.

Contact Information
Gabriele Salaris
Global Experience Manager
gabriele.salaris@hyris.net
+39 345 555 3379

SOURCE: Hyris Ltd

View the original press release on newswire.com.

Embrace the Fortune of Health this CNY with LAC’s Activated Liver Protector and Belli Lean

SINGAPORE, Feb 8, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – The festive season is often synonymous with feasting, merry-making and creating unforgettable memories. As we embrace the moments of abundance, LAC’s Activated Liver Protector and Belli Lean offer a helping hand to keep the delicate balance of health and celebration.

With the consideration of the possibilities of over-indulgence during the festive new year, LAC’s Activated Liver Protector and Belli Lean aim to keep the balance in check – LAC Liver Protector, with its cutting-edge formulation, features an advanced blend of antioxidants and natural extracts, actively nurturing and fortifying the liver, which will certainly be overworking through the late nights of feasting, mahjong sessions and get-togethers.

LAC Belli Lean works hand-in-hand with the body’s natural metabolism, further enhancing the body to metabolise fat more effectively. Crafted with natural ingredients, Belli Lean is a delicious and convenient way to reduce belly fat and look your best for gatherings with loved ones this year.

LAC is also proud to debut their red packet design for 2024, featuring motifs of golden swallows to symbolise good fortune and auspiciousness. Surrounding the swallows are patterns of colourful circles embedded within the Chinese character “” to wish recipients “prosperity” and add a dynamic and visually appealing element to the overall design.

As the Chinese saying goes, “Health is Wealth” – our health remains paramount to our well-being even as we celebrate.

New T-FINDER Platform Provides Deep Insights Into T Cell Responses Against Novel Cancer Vaccine

HEIDELBERG, Germany, Feb 6, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – BioMed X and the Universitätsmedizin Mannheim announced today the publication of two manuscripts in the field of cancer immunology in the journal Science Advances. The work is based on a collaboration between both institutions and researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University of Heidelberg, and the Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON). The main objective of the collaboration was to understand the role of specific T cell responses in a patient with an aggressive subtype of diffuse glioma who showed sustained remission after receiving a neoepitope peptide vaccine at the University Hospital Mannheim.

T cells are critical for maintaining human health by eliminating tumor cells from the body – a process that is driven by the specific interaction of unique receptors on the surface of T cells (T cell receptors or TCRs) to mutant peptides (antigens) on the surface of tumor cells. The identification of such cancer-specific antigens and the TCRs that bind them underlies current efforts to develop targeted cancer therapies. Until now, functionally robust high-throughput approaches to this challenge were lacking.

Dr. John M. Lindner and his research team at the BioMed X Institute in Heidelberg designed the T-FINDER platform to solve this problem. The platform, published now in Science Advances, is capable of rapidly screening thousands of potential interactions between TCRs and antigens on the surface of potential target cells for their ability to activate T cells. Driven by a trio of lead scientists (Miray Cetin, Dr. Veronica Pinamonti, and Dr. Theresa Schmid), the team first generated a highly sensitive reporter cell line for T cell activation. This reporter lies at the heart of T-FINDER, which can sensitively read out the specificity of any number of T cell-activating receptors (for example, CAR-T receptors in addition to classical TCRs) and ligands. For the latter, Dr. Pinamonti provided solutions to key aspects of enabling the detection of class II HLA-presented peptides during her PhD thesis work, leading to the development of novel strategies for boosting antigen processing and presentation by the target cell. This class of ligand was, until now, very challenging to investigate experimentally and together with its superior sensitivity form the foundation of T-FINDER’s advantages in the field.

In a companion manuscript also appearing today, the team collaborated with a research team led by Dr. Ed Green from the Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology (Head: Prof. Michael Platten) at DKFZ and University Hospital Mannheim. The researchers applied T-FINDER to decode the immune response of two diffuse midline glioma patients vaccinated against the H3 mutation that was driving their cancer. Patients receiving the H3-vaccine have shown promising but heterogeneous results, and with the aid of T-FINDER, the two groups could precisely map the functional immune response of a patient in remission to TCRs binding HLA class II-presented epitopes of mutant H3. This work provides key insights into the mechanism of anti-tumor T cell responses in these patients and will support ongoing vaccination studies.

“We are excited about the publication of the results of our collaboration with Ed Green, Michael Platten, and colleagues,” said John Lindner, Head of Immunology Discovery at the BioMed X Institute. “Our joint research demonstrated the unique sensitivity, flexibility, and overall performance of our new T-FINDER platform, especially for class II HLA-presented targets, which have always been a challenge in the past.”

“Previously, we have been limited in the tools we could use to study class II-presented epitopes such as mutant H3. The T-FINDER platform has enabled us to identify and benchmark dozens of H3-reactive TCRs, allowing us to track patient responses to vaccination today, as well as benchmark TCRs for the autologous cell therapies of tomorrow,” said Ed Green, Head of the ImmunoGenomics team in Michael Platten’s lab at the DKFZ.

About BioMed X

BioMed X is an independent research institute with sites in Heidelberg, Germany, New Haven, Connecticut, XSeed Labs in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and a worldwide network of partner locations. Together with our partners, we identify big biomedical research challenges and provide creative solutions by combining global crowdsourcing with local incubation of the world’s brightest early-career research talents. Each of the highly diverse research teams at BioMed X has access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure and is continuously guided by experienced mentors from academia and industry. At BioMed X, we combine the best of two worlds – academia and industry – and enable breakthrough innovation by making biomedical research more efficient, more agile, and more fun.

About Universitätsmedizin Mannheim

The Universitätsmedizin Mannheim (UMM) stands for quality-assured maximum care, research and teaching. As one of the largest university medical institutions in the Metropolitan Region Rhine-Neckar, it unites two strong partners – the Medical Faculty Mannheim of the renowned Heidelberg University and the University Hospital Mannheim. Every year, the University Hospital offers a wide range of state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment procedures to around 45,000 inpatients and day patients as well as 170,000 outpatients. In 30 specialist clinics and institutes, around 5,500 employees are involved in patient care, research and teaching at the hospital and the faculty. The Medical Faculty is a recognized partner of renowned research institutions and is currently training around 1,950 medical students in its successful model programme MaReCuM. The scientific profile is shaped by the four main research focus areas of Vascular Biology and Medicine, Oncology, Translational Neurosciences and Medical Systems Technologies.

Contact Information
Flavia-Bianca Cristian
Recruiting & Communications Manager
fbc@bio.mx
+49 6221 426 11 706

Related Images

SOURCE: BioMed X Institute

View the original press release on newswire.com.

Formerra Launches New Nordic Hub to Power Global Healthcare Innovation

ROMEOVILLE, IL, Feb 5, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Formerra, a leader in performance materials distribution, announces the opening of a new warehouse in Malmö, Sweden, marking a significant step in its global expansion strategy. The modern facility will support existing customers with an emphasis on serving the growing production demands of medical device and equipment production in Europe.

Formerra Global Distribution Network

Formerra’s facilities network has expanded to include a new warehouse in Malmö, Sweden that will serve medical device OEMs and suppliers in Europe and Nordic countries.

The new Nordic hub underscores Formerra’s commitment to providing tailored solutions to customers where needed in support of meeting the stringent requirements of the healthcare industry. By pairing an expansive portfolio of products from leading suppliers with its expertise in REACH certification and US-manufactured medical-grade materials, Formerra is uniquely positioned to help customers navigate the complexities of healthcare regulations, ensuring rapid compliance and market entry.

“With this new facility, Formerra is expanding geographically and, at the same time, intensifying our focus on the healthcare sector, where precision, reliability, and rapid innovation are paramount,” explains Cathy Dodd, Chief Executive Officer at Formerra. “Our Malmö warehouse provides Nordic and European customers with a gateway to advanced material solutions, designed to meet the rigorous demands of their medical applications.”

This network expansion further represents Formerra’s deep understanding of the healthcare industry’s challenges, ranging from the growing government regulations to global trade requirements. Housing a comprehensive range of materials capable of supporting these demanding requirements, the new facility positions Formerra as a vital partner in the development and production of medical devices and equipment.

The Malmö facility is strategically located to ensure efficient distribution across Europe. Likewise, the new warehouse will complement Formerra’s existing presence and warehouses in Ireland and the UK, the result of its acquisition of distributor Total Polymer Solutions (TPS) in April 2023. TPS has officially been renamed Formerra, a significant milestone in integrating this important acquisition and expanding the Formerra brand and presence into Europe.

Formerra’s vision extends beyond healthcare. The Malmö location sits amid regional hubs for growth industries such as telecommunications, electronics, powersports, and utility vehicles, industries Formerra currently serves.

Formerra will be exhibiting at MD&M West in Anaheim, California this week in Booth 610.

About Formerra

Formerra is a preeminent distributor of engineered materials, connecting the world’s leading polymer producers with thousands of OEMs and brand owners across healthcare, consumer, industrial, and mobility markets. Powered by technical and commercial expertise, it brings a distinctive combination of portfolio depth, supply chain strength, industry knowledge, service, leading e-commerce capabilities, and ingenuity. The experienced Formerra team helps customers across multiple industries to design, select, process, and develop products in new and better ways – driving improved performance, productivity, reliability, and sustainability. To learn more, visit www.formerra.com.

Contact Information
Jackie Morris
Marketing Communications Manager, Formerra
jackie.morris@formerra.com
+1 630-972-3144

SOURCE: Formerra

View the original press release on newswire.com.

China Medical System (00867) Obtained Exclusive License of a First-line Phosphate-lowering Drug Velphoro(R)

SHENZHEN, CHINA, Feb 4, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – China Medical System Holdings Limited (“CMS” or the “Group”) is pleased to announce that on 2 February 2024, the Group through its wholly-owned subsidiary entered into a Novation Agreement (the “Novation Agreement”) with Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma Ltd. (“VFMCRP”) and Winhealth Investment (HK) Limited (“Winhealth Investment”) for sucroferric oxyhydroxide chewable tablets Velphoro® (the “Product”).

Winhealth Investment and VFMCRP entered into a License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) for the Product on 28 June 2023. In accordance with the License Agreement, Winhealth Investment gained an exclusive license to registerï¼Œimport, promote, distribute, use and sell the Product in Mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan Region (the “Territory”). The License Agreement commenced on its effective date and continues to be valid until the fifteenth anniversary of the date of the Product’s first commercial sale in the Territory. Upon the expiration of the aforementioned term, the License Agreement may automatically be renewed for ten years as per certain conditions defined in the License Agreement. Thereafter, unless the parties reach a new agreement, the License Agreement will terminate upon expiration.

In accordance with the Novation Agreement, Winhealth Investment novated its above-mentioned rights and obligations for the Product to a wholly-owned subsidiary of CMS.

Velphoro® (Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide Chewable Tablets )

As of 2 February 2024, the Product is the first iron-based, non-calcium phosphate binder (PB) approved by National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China1, filling the gap of phosphorus-lowering treatment for Chinese paediatric patients aged 12 to 18 years old with CKD stages 4-5 or CKD on dialysis.

Velphoro® is a Class 5.1 imported innovative drug, which was approved through the priority review and approval procedure in China in February 2023 for the control of serum phosphorus (sP) levels in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD), and meanwhile, for the control of sP levels in paediatric patients 12 years of age and older with CKD stages 4-5 (defined as glomerular filtration rate <30mL/min/1.73 m²) or CKD on dialysis. The Product has been newly included in category B of China’s National Reimbursement Drug List for Basic Medical Insurance, Work-Related Injury Insurance and Maternity Insurance (2023 Version) (the “National Reimbursement Drug List”). There is an issued patent that protects the formulation, usage, particle size and manufacturing methods of the Product in China.

Hyperphosphatemia is a common complication in CKD patients, especially in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis, characterized by a high morbidity and a low compliance rate. It is an independent risk factor for nephropathy progression, secondary hyperparathyroidism, cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in CKD patients2. Controlling sP levels can significantly improve the outcomes of CKD patients.

Since non-calcium PB has no risk of vascular calcification, domestic and foreign guidelines consistently recommend non-calcium PB as first-line treatment for reducing sP levels, and limit the use of calcium-based PB. Velphoro® is a new generation of iron-based, non-calcium PB, reducing sP levels of patients and increasing the sP compliance rate. Velphoro® has been launched in 51 countries/territories including the US, EU and Japan, maintaining a leading position in the global PB market.

It is demonstrated in multiple global clinical studies and real-world research data (as published in academic journals including International Urology and Nephrology, and Clinical Nephrology) and the Chinese instruction of the Product that compared with other PBs, patients maintained on Velphoro® used about 50% fewer PB pills/day3, and the proportion of patients achieving target sP increased by 95%4. Velphoro® has characteristics of good safety5 and patient compliance6 without risk of calcium and heavy metal accumulation. In addition, the Product holds the advantages of unaffected absorption of oral liposoluble vitamin D7, maintaining stable iron parameters8, improving the nutritional status in patients9, reducing hospitalization rates, and alleviating patients’ medical financial burdens10. Velphoro® is expected to further improve the dialysis patients’ quality of life and become a new option of phosphorus-lowering treatment for CKD dialysis patients in China.

CMS continues to invest in and develop differentiated innovative products, providing a continuous source of momentum for the long-term and stable development of the Group. Velphoro® is a newly approved innovative drug in China in 2023 and has been successfully included in category B of the National Reimbursement Drug List. It will rapidly expand the Group’s marketed innovative product portfolio and kidney disease product portfolio, and will synergize with the Group’s marketed products XinHuoSu (recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide for injection), Plendil (felodipine sustained-release tablets) and the innovative drug Desidustat tablets (intended to treat anemia in CKD patients) which is in the clinical development stage for registration in terms of expert network and market resources. It is expected to have a positive impact on the Group’s financial results.

More information about Hyperphosphatemia

The total number of CKD patients reaches 132 million in China, of which nearly 1 million existing patients receive dialysis treatments11, and continues to increase at a rate of approximately 10% per year. The prevalence of hyperphosphatemia reaches 72.1%12 in CKD patients on dialysis, and nearly 50% of dialysis patients need to receive oral PB to control sP levels13. According to the survey in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder, combined with real-world findings, on the basis of existing phosphate-lowering treatments, the sP compliance rate of CKD dialysis patients in China is only 24.3%14. The low sP compliance rate is currently the clinical pain point of hyperphosphatemia, and there is an urgent need for more potent drugs with lower pill burden and better adherence to satisfy the clinical treatment demand of hyperphosphatemia.

Reference
1. Drug registration information can be found on the NMPA official website, as follows: https://www.nmpa.gov.cn/datasearch/search-result.html
Or can be found in the public medical insurance materials, as follows
http://www.nhsa.gov.cn/attach/Ypsn2023/YPSW202300180/YPSW202300180-W1(ppt).pdf
2. XQ Yu, et al. Chin J Nephrol, 2018. 34(11): 867-871
3. The Instructions for Sucrose HydroxyIron Oxide Chewable Tablets
4. Coyne DW, et al. Clin Nephrol. 2017 Aug;88(8):59-67.
5. Xie, D., Ye, N. & Li, M., Int Urol Nephrol 50, 905-909 (2018)
6. Floege J, et al. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2015 Jun;30(6):1037-46
7. Sprague SM,et al.Am J Nephrol. 2016;44(2)104-12
8. Vervloet MG et al. Clin Kidney J 2021;14:1770-9
9. Kalantar-Zadeh K, et al. BMC Nephrol . 2019 0ct 29;20(1):396
10. Kidney Med. 2020 May-Jun; 2(3): 307-316
11. The data of China’s CNRDS reported by academician, Meixiang Chen., on 2023 Annual Conference of Chinese Nephrologist Association.
12. YF Chen, et al. Chin J Blood Purif. 2022; 21(05): 305-308.
13. Kidney International Supplements, 2020, 10(2): e97–185
14. Hong, D. et al. Sci Rep 12, 16694 (2022).

1. This news/article is intended to share cutting-edge medical information. It is only for reference by medical and health professionals for academic purposes and is not for advertising purposes; it does not recommend any drugs, medical devices and/or indications.
2. The information involved in this news/article is for reference only. Please follow the advice or guidance of your doctor or other medical and health professionals. Any treatment-related decisions made by healthcare professionals should be based on the patient’s specific circumstances and in accordance with the drug package insert.

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Source: China Medical System Holdings Ltd.