KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Adagio Therapeutics Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialisation of antibody-based solutions for infectious diseases with pandemic potential, has provided information related to the potential of its lead SARS-CoV-2 antibody, ADG20, to address the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant, and other known variants of concern.
ADG20 is an investigational monoclonal antibody (mAb) product candidate designed to provide broad and potent neutralising activity against SARS-CoV-2, including variants of concern, for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 with potential duration of protection for up to one year in a single injection.
“ADG20 was uniquely designed to combine breadth, potency and duration of protection against SARS-CoV-2 for up to one year in a single injection.
“We did this anticipating that SARS-CoV-2 would continue to evolve and potentially render some early therapies and vaccines obsolete,” said Tillman Gerngross, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of Adagio in a statement.
“Our global clinical trials are advancing with potential EUA submissions in mid-2022 for both prevention and treatment of COVID-19. We continue to engage with the FDA and other regulatory bodies and governmental agencies to discuss potential acceleration of development plans and the need for a portfolio of therapeutic solutions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Adagio co-founder and chief scientific officer Laura Walker, Ph.D said: “Due to the highly conserved and immunorecessive nature of the epitope recognised by ADG20, we expect that ADG20 will retain activity against Omicron, as we have observed in in vitro models with all other variants of concern identified previously.
Given the significant potential health crisis resulting from the emergence of Omicron, Adagio is undertaking a number of activities to support ADG20’s utility in addressing this newly emerged variant of concern, including conducting in vitro studies to evaluate the expected binding and neutralising activity of ADG20 against Omicron; and, recruiting patients in Adagio’s Phase 2/3 COVID-19 treatment trial, known as STAMP, across several clinical sites in South Africa to generate clinical data for ADG20 against infections due to the Omicron variant.
ADG20, an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses, is advancing through global clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2.
For more information, visit www.adagiotx.com.
-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
3 UAE GOVERNMENT, ASEAN MINISTERS FOR DUBAI'S MAIDEN GLOBAL BUSINESS FORUM ASEAN
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| https://broadpick.blogspot.com/2021/11/high-level-speakers-announced-for-first.html |
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Three UAE government ministers will join ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the first ever Global Business Forum ASEAN at Expo 2020 Dubai on Dec 8 and 9.Organised by Dubai Chamber in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai, GBF ASEAN will be held under the theme The New Frontiers, according to a statement.
The forum, featuring over 40 speakers and 25 panel discussions, will explore the changing dynamics of ASEAN countries and opportunities to increase bilateral trade, business and investment ties between the two regions.
Representing the UAE at GBF ASEAN will be Reem Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai; Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; and Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade.
The three UAE ministers will be addressing the event alongside Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of the Board of Dubai Chambers and Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber.
Government ministers from the ASEAN region participating at the forum include Ramon Lopez, Secretary (Minister), Department of Trade & Industry, Republic of the Philippines; William Dar, Secretary (Minister), Department of Agriculture, Republic of the Philippines; Fortunato De La Pena, Secretary (Minister), Secretary of Science and Technology, Vice Chairman, Philippine Space Council, Republic of the Philippines; Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary General, ASEAN Secretariat; and Mohmed Razip Haji Hasan, Director General, Islamic Tourism Centre.
“The line-up of high-calibre speakers reflects the strong commitment from the UAE and ASEAN countries in expanding economic cooperation and tapping into existing trade and investment synergies. There is vast potential to forge new partnerships between UAE businesses and their ASEAN counterparts and we look forward to exploring that at the upcoming forum,” said Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber.
Established in 1965, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a non-profit public entity, whose mission is to represent, support and protect the interests of the business community in Dubai by creating a favourable business environment, supporting the development of business, and by promoting Dubai as an international business hub.
-- BERNAMA
BAISE YIHAO SPECIAL TRAIN TRANSPORTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS COVERS ENTIRE COUNTRY, LINKING ASEAN
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Recently, the launching ceremony of ‘Baise Yihao’ special train of Baise-Shenzhen cold chain logistics special line was held in China-ASEAN Agricultural Products Trading Center.
This marked that Baise agricultural products officially entered Shenzhen market through cold chain logistics special train and became another effective means for Baise to deeply integrate into Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) construction, according to the Publicity Department of Baise City.
According to a statement, Baise City is a famous base for ‘transporting vegetables from the south to the north’, where more than three million mu of ecological vegetables are planted every year.
Since its official opening on Dec 11, 2013, ‘Baise Yihao’ cold chain special train is the national project benefiting the people by ‘transporting vegetables from the south to the north and fruits from the north to the south’.
It has not only continuously transported fruits and vegetables produced in Baise to more than 100 large and medium-sized cities, 23 provinces and autonomous regions such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, but also solved the sales problems of many fruits and vegetables with low unsalable prices in Baise, increasing farmers' income.
Moreover, it has brought revolutionary changes in the transportation of agricultural products, and made great contributions to the poverty alleviation and rural revitalisation.
‘Baise Yihao’ project has been listed by the Ministry of Transport as the first national demonstration project of cold chain logistics channel construction across Eurasia. In addition, Baise Yihao cold chain logistics system has been successfully integrated into the Belt and Road Initiative.
Relying on its vast network, Baise Yihao has basically achieved the goal of starting from Baise, based in Guangxi, influencing the entire country and linking ASEAN.
-- BERNAMA
Monday, November 29, 2021
XIAMEN MARINE ECONOMY TO MAKE BIG WAVES DURING 14TH FIVE-YEAR PLAN PERIOD
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Xiamen’s marine economy is expected to embrace high-quality development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) as it has recently been guaranteed a leading city status in developing marine sectors in East China’s Fujian province.
According to a statement, the municipal government released two development plans, which noted that efforts should be made to enhance its role in bolstering the province's marine economy.
According to the plans, Xiamen will set up strategic emerging marine industrial clusters by promoting the commercialisation of scientific and technological achievements.
Efforts will be made to speed up the construction of a national demonstration zone for the marine economy. Marine biological industries will also be cultivated, and build global supply bases for marine products.
In addition, Xiamen will foster new drivers of growth for marine economy, such as building itself into a Southeast International Shipping Center and improving the efficiency of the ocean shipping transportation system.
The plan noted that as of 2023, Xiamen will set up a modern marine industrial system supported by emerging marine industries, modern fisheries, port logistics, and high-end coastal tourism.
The local government has also stepped up efforts to improve basic research capability, and build a batch of marine scientific research institution. A wide range of supportive measures have been rolled out to further stimulate the vitality of scientific and technological innovation.
As a key port city of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Xiamen will beef up efforts to attract world-class marine enterprises and core technologies, encourage Xiamen enterprises to go abroad, and deepen opening-up and cooperation in the marine economy.
-- BERNAMA
According to a statement, the municipal government released two development plans, which noted that efforts should be made to enhance its role in bolstering the province's marine economy.
According to the plans, Xiamen will set up strategic emerging marine industrial clusters by promoting the commercialisation of scientific and technological achievements.
Efforts will be made to speed up the construction of a national demonstration zone for the marine economy. Marine biological industries will also be cultivated, and build global supply bases for marine products.
In addition, Xiamen will foster new drivers of growth for marine economy, such as building itself into a Southeast International Shipping Center and improving the efficiency of the ocean shipping transportation system.
The plan noted that as of 2023, Xiamen will set up a modern marine industrial system supported by emerging marine industries, modern fisheries, port logistics, and high-end coastal tourism.
The local government has also stepped up efforts to improve basic research capability, and build a batch of marine scientific research institution. A wide range of supportive measures have been rolled out to further stimulate the vitality of scientific and technological innovation.
As a key port city of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Xiamen will beef up efforts to attract world-class marine enterprises and core technologies, encourage Xiamen enterprises to go abroad, and deepen opening-up and cooperation in the marine economy.
-- BERNAMA
Saturday, November 27, 2021
NTHU: Taiwan successfully treats Japanese afflicted with malignant brain tumour
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 -- Japan has donated five batches of the AZ COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan, and Taiwan has reciprocated by providing treatment at NTHU’s Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Center (BNCTC) for a 20-year-old Japanese woman suffering from malignant brain tumour.
According to a statement, the treatment was a success, and she has now returned to school.
The doctor in charge of the treatment was Yi-Wei Chen of the Oncology Department at Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH). He said that only Taiwan and Japan have medical centres using boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) to treat cancer.
However, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare has not yet approved BNCT for treating malignant brain tumours, leaving Taiwan as the only source of treatment for malignant brain tumours that are difficult to treat by surgery.
Chen said that the Japanese patient was originally diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma of the right ear canal at age six. After surgery and chemotherapy, the condition was stable for a time.
Unexpectedly, the tumour recurred in 2018, and the tumour metastasised to the hindbrain. After it was determined that it turned out to be malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour, she received heavy particle and CyberKnife treatment in Japan, but the tumour still recurred.
She went to the THOR BNCT Cancer Center for treatment on Sept 17. After the injection of the Boron-10 drug and a 20-minute session of neutron source irradiation, she had a group photo in front of the NSTDC with the medical team, who presented her with a teddy bear wearing a graduation cap, as a way of wishing her a speedy ‘graduation’ from her cancer.
Working closely with the TVGH, the BNCTC has treated over 100 patients from all over the world, including Spain, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and China.
BNCT is a kind of targeted radiotherapy in which the patient is first injected with a boron-containing drug; once the drug has accumulated in the tumour, the neutron beam from the nuclear reactor is used to irradiate the tumour, and the high-energy particles generated by the boron neutron capture reaction effectively kill off the tumour cells, without damaging nearby normal cells.
-- BERNAMA
Milrem Robotics-led iMUGS Consortium demonstrates unmanned systems deployment
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 -- The iMUGS Consortium, in charge of a 32,6 MEUR project developing the European standard unmanned ground system (UGS), has demonstrated how defence forces can use tactical 4G/5G communications networks and UGS’ equipped with ISR and signal intelligence payloads, jammers, acoustic sensors, and various other technology to conduct missions.
The demonstration performed in September in Latvia, was led by LMT, a member of the integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (iMUGS) consortium, with the support of the project coordinator Milrem Robotics and featured an ensemble of different technology.
“The displayed scenarios showed that unmanned systems, enhanced with innovative communication systems and various defence technology, can be used for collecting and sharing tactical information, improve situational awareness, decrease troops physical load, and increase force protection,” explained Milrem Robotics Chief Executive Officer, Kuldar Väärsi.
Latvian National Armed Forces used two Milrem Robotics’ THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) during two scenarios to display the benefits of teaming up manned units with unmanned systems.
According to a statement, the units and UGVs used Bittium’s tactical communication network TAC WIN combined with LMT’s commercial 4G and a tactical 5G-SA bubble provided by Bittium and Cumucore.
In addition, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann’s (KMW) Dingo infantry mobility vehicle was used as the command centre from where UGVs were operated in Line of Sight (LOS) and Beyond the Line of Sight (BLOS) mode using Bittium’s SDR radios and to where the ISR and Signal Intelligence sensor feed was relayed and incorporated into LMT’s Battle Management System Viedsargs.
Additional equipment used in the demonstration include SRC Brasa's NATRIX UGV used for CASEVAC, high-speed First-Person View drone, Vertical Take-off, and Landing UAV STAR, and a gunshot detection and source recognition audio sensor by Riga Technical University (RTU).
The iMUGS project was launched in 2020 to develop a modular, cyber secure and scalable architecture for hybrid manned-unmanned systems.
Its goal is to standardise a Europe-wide ecosystem for ground platforms, command, control and communication equipment, sensors, payloads, and algorithms.
-- BERNAMA
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Unicommerce sets US$5 million investment towards Southeast Asia, Middle East expansion
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 -- Unicommerce, India’s largest e-commerce focused supply chain SaaS platform, has decided to invest US$5 million to strengthen its international operations and further expand its presence in Southeast Asia and Middle East. (US$1 = RM4.199)
Sharing his thoughts on the investment, Unicommerce Chief Executive Officer, Kapil Makhija said: “E-commerce adoption is growing at a rapid pace across various countries in Southeast Asia, therefore we decided to further strengthen our presence in the region.
“The pandemic-led e-commerce acceleration in Southeast Asia has created a need for a robust supply chain platform to ensure faster delivery and a seamless shopping experience to consumers.
“So far, we have been able to onboard clients in Singapore, Malaysia, and Philippines and soon will be adding clients in the Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand markets.
“Over the next couple of years, we will be expanding at a lightning-fast speed with strong capital infusion focused on client acquisition, creating brand awareness, and continuous product development.”
The company has been consistently investing and growing its Southeast Asia business and will continue to acquire more clients in these markets, according to a statement.
After becoming an undisputed leader in India, Unicommerce aims at establishing itself as a preferred choice of e-tailers and retail brands in the region.
In addition, Unicommerce will be investing in the areas of product enhancement, setting up local offices, sales and marketing along with hiring local talent in these regions.
With its experience of over nine years and working with clients across sectors in India, Unicommerce has created a truly global product portfolio designed for any e-commerce business.
The current investment will empower the company to achieve a whopping 400 per cent growth in its overseas business.
-- BERNAMA
ApplyBoard releases first annual trends report on international education future
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 -- ApplyBoard, the EdTech platform revolutionising the international student journey, has launched its first annual trends report on the future of international education.
To help shape recruitment plans and improve global access to education worldwide, ApplyBoard gathered data to uncover the latest trends in sector recovery, key factors motivating student decision-making, emerging markets for student recruitment, and predictions for the next decade.
The report is designed to inform and guide international students, recruitment partners and higher education institutions, according to a statement.
“As we head into 2022, we’re seeing lots of excitement and pent-up demand from international students eager to study abroad,” said Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder of ApplyBoard, Meti Basiri.
“The pandemic has led to shifting interests among international students who are paying closer attention to lower tuition prices, access to post-graduation work opportunities, and in-person learning opportunities.”
Notable findings from the report include: according to data from the ApplyBoard Platform, student application volumes are booming across the world.
From March to October 2021, UK student applications on the ApplyBoard Platform rose by more than 300 per cent, Canadian applications grew by over 200 per cent, and US applications spiked by 750 per cent compared to the same period in 2020.
As we move past the pandemic, international students are increasingly looking for lower tuition prices and access to post-graduation work opportunities. They are also considering alternative destination markets.
The findings also reveal that major players India and China will remain large source markets for the future of recruitment. But economic and demographic shifts point to a number of smaller markets primed to capture growing shares of the international student market.
ApplyBoard has assisted more than 250,000 students with their educational journeys. During the pandemic, ApplyBoard helped transform the international education recruitment and application processes through its intuitive digital platform.
-- BERNAMA
METRICSTREAM AWARDED OPERATIONAL RISK SOLUTION OF THE YEAR
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- MetricStream, the global market leader in integrated risk management and governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) solutions, has been awarded the Operational Risk Solution of the Year, as part of the Risk.net Asia Risk Awards and Technology Awards 2021.
“We are at the cutting edge, delivering new and innovative technologies that are driving value for our customers, who need to protect themselves from uncertainties, minimise losses, and elevate decision-making,” said Senior Vice President and Managing Director, APAC, MetricStream, Aravind Varadharajan.
“It’s an honour to receive this award, and confirmation we are helping our Asia-Pacific customers turn risk into a strategic advantage.”
According to Risk.net, “What makes this solution stand out is that it provides deep visibility for users into an organisation’s operational risks, controls, and losses, effectively enabling them to strengthen resilience, decision-making and business agility.
“This helps MetricStream customers realise their own operational efficiencies with a 66 per cent reduction in time to complete full risk assessments.”
MetricStream’s recognition by Risk.net, the world’s leading source of in-depth news and analysis on complex markets, follows significant momentum with its recent ESGRC release and Brazos product launch, according to a statement.
MetricStream’s Operational Risk Management (ORM) product provides a comprehensive set of capabilities to manage operational risks and related losses to establish risk management discipline across enterprises.
It focuses on solving inconsistencies in risk management processes while promoting strong data governance, actionable insights into top risks, advanced risk analytics, compliance related risks and issues mitigation, and risk quantification to measure risk exposure in monetary terms.
More details at www.metricstream.com.
-- BERNAMA
“We are at the cutting edge, delivering new and innovative technologies that are driving value for our customers, who need to protect themselves from uncertainties, minimise losses, and elevate decision-making,” said Senior Vice President and Managing Director, APAC, MetricStream, Aravind Varadharajan.
“It’s an honour to receive this award, and confirmation we are helping our Asia-Pacific customers turn risk into a strategic advantage.”
According to Risk.net, “What makes this solution stand out is that it provides deep visibility for users into an organisation’s operational risks, controls, and losses, effectively enabling them to strengthen resilience, decision-making and business agility.
“This helps MetricStream customers realise their own operational efficiencies with a 66 per cent reduction in time to complete full risk assessments.”
MetricStream’s recognition by Risk.net, the world’s leading source of in-depth news and analysis on complex markets, follows significant momentum with its recent ESGRC release and Brazos product launch, according to a statement.
MetricStream’s Operational Risk Management (ORM) product provides a comprehensive set of capabilities to manage operational risks and related losses to establish risk management discipline across enterprises.
It focuses on solving inconsistencies in risk management processes while promoting strong data governance, actionable insights into top risks, advanced risk analytics, compliance related risks and issues mitigation, and risk quantification to measure risk exposure in monetary terms.
More details at www.metricstream.com.
-- BERNAMA
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION LAUNCHES NEW GLOBAL CAMPAIGN 'COME PLAY WITH KOREA, K-VIBE FESTA' USING METAVERSE
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| A new campaign 'Come Play with Korea, K-VIBE Festa' using the metaverse platform on an extended reality (XR) to provide a new traveling experience to Korea is launched. As part of the campaign, Korea Tourism Organization introduces Korea's diverse attractions with 'K-Travelog', the Korean virtual travel experience platform, and provides the 'K-VIBE in ZEPETO' program that connects 3D avatars to Korea’s representative tourist destination Gyeongju. In addition, a 'K-VIBE Concert' with top K-pop artists will be held with Korean local attractions (K-Local) implemented on XR in the background, to display the charms of Korea. (Graphic: Business Wire) |
- A new traveling experience by touring trendy local attractions in Korea virtually -
- Spreading the charms of Korea around the world with K-Travelog, K-VIBE in ZEPETO and K-VIBE CONCERT -
- Spreading the charms of Korea around the world with K-Travelog, K-VIBE in ZEPETO and K-VIBE CONCERT -
SEOUL, South Korea, Nov 23 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Hee Hwang) and the Korea Tourism Organization (President Young-bae Ahn) launched a new campaign 'Come Play with Korea, K-VIBE FESTA' using the metaverse platform on an extended reality (XR) to provide a new traveling experience to Korea before visiting in person. Korea has gained more attention since the launch of the “Feel the Rhythm of Korea” series last year with songs such as “Tiger is Coming Down”. With the new campaign, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) uses the metaverse to introduce the unique features and charms of each region to the users around the world. As part of the campaign, KTO introduces Korea's diverse attractions with 'K-Travelog', the Korean virtual travel experience platform, and provides the 'K-VIBE in ZEPETO' program that connects 3D avatars to Korea’s representative tourist destination Gyeongju. In addition, a 'K-VIBE CONCERT' with top K-pop artists will be held with Korean local attractions (K-Local) implemented on XR in the background, to display the charms of Korea. Through K-Travelog, KTO provides a chance to experience Korea indirectly with a personalized itinerary. Various attractions and eateries in cities across the country including Busan, Andong, Gyeongju, Daegu, Yangyang, Seoul and more will be featured on its official website (www.kvibefesta.com), opened on November 16, 2021. Users can make a travel itinerary and plan their next dream trip to Korea. In addition, the Korea Tourism Organization will use the images of the campaign participant to create a travel video, which will be given to the participant as a gift. Through the video, participants can feel as if they were actually in Korea. The participants will also have a chance to receive a 'K-Random Box' containing limited-edition goods of Korean cultural items and K-pop artists. On the campaign page, a 'Fan Letter Event' will be held, where users can select an artist and location he/she wants to travel in Korea with. |
ICEF ROADMAP PRESENTED FOR LEVERAGING UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF CARBON MINERALIZATION
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- The Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF) roadmap was presented at an official side event of the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC).
It discussed ‘Pathways to Carbon Neutrality by 2050’ with cohosted organisations: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
At the Japan Pavilion of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), the roadmap launching event was held, where ‘Industrial, governmental and academic initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050’ were discussed with speakers from CEM CCUS Initiatives, Columbia University and Hitachi.
According to a statement, this year, ICEF roadmap is ‘Carbon Mineralization’. Each year, ICEF focuses on a technology that is expected to contribute significantly to long-term net-zero emissions and creates a roadmap.
ICEF is an international platform led by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) since 2014.
The mission is to solve the problem of climate change through innovative measures. This year's ICEF session was held as part of ‘Tokyo 'Beyond-Zero' Week’.
The latest roadmap features carbon mineralization, a natural process in which carbon dioxide (CO2) becomes bound in rocks as a solid mineral, permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
In this natural process, certain types of rocks react with CO2 and water, fixing CO2 as a harmless mineral without using energy.
Carbon mineralization could be implemented in dozens of countries worldwide because cement and industrial waste such as steel slag can also be used in addition to natural ores found in various countries.
More details at https://www.icef.go.jp/
-- BERNAMA
It discussed ‘Pathways to Carbon Neutrality by 2050’ with cohosted organisations: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
At the Japan Pavilion of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), the roadmap launching event was held, where ‘Industrial, governmental and academic initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050’ were discussed with speakers from CEM CCUS Initiatives, Columbia University and Hitachi.
According to a statement, this year, ICEF roadmap is ‘Carbon Mineralization’. Each year, ICEF focuses on a technology that is expected to contribute significantly to long-term net-zero emissions and creates a roadmap.
ICEF is an international platform led by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) since 2014.
The mission is to solve the problem of climate change through innovative measures. This year's ICEF session was held as part of ‘Tokyo 'Beyond-Zero' Week’.
The latest roadmap features carbon mineralization, a natural process in which carbon dioxide (CO2) becomes bound in rocks as a solid mineral, permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
In this natural process, certain types of rocks react with CO2 and water, fixing CO2 as a harmless mineral without using energy.
Carbon mineralization could be implemented in dozens of countries worldwide because cement and industrial waste such as steel slag can also be used in addition to natural ores found in various countries.
More details at https://www.icef.go.jp/
-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
GLOBALITY NAMED BY GARTNER® AS A 2021 COOL VENDOR FOR STRATEGIC SOURCING TECHNOLOGY
Globality recognized by leading analyst firm for its AI-powered platform and marketplace
PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov 23 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Globality, the company that is transforming the way high value services are bought and sold with its leading AI-powered digital solution, today announced it has been recognized as a Cool Vendor in the Gartner newly released 2021 report “Cool Vendors™ in Strategic Sourcing Technology.”1
Key findings in the report include:
PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov 23 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Globality, the company that is transforming the way high value services are bought and sold with its leading AI-powered digital solution, today announced it has been recognized as a Cool Vendor in the Gartner newly released 2021 report “Cool Vendors™ in Strategic Sourcing Technology.”1
Key findings in the report include:
- Even though the average procurement organization achieved a cost savings goal of 4% in 2020, at least 60% of organizations are under pressure to increase cost savings even further.
- Top tactics to achieve cost savings include deploying technology to automate processes and collaborating with suppliers to identify opportunities.
- AI and analytics are popular topics in procurement, and vendors are incorporating machine learning and virtual assistants, with success in targeted use cases.
Globality’s
Platform is used by leading global companies, including British
Telecom, Santander, HSBC, GEA, and Dropbox, to transform the sourcing of
high-value services by automating the demand creation, supplier
identification, proposal evaluation and statement of work creation
process through an intuitive self-service experience.
“We are pleased to be recognized as a Cool Vendor by Gartner for bringing artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art digital solutions to the sourcing and procurement of services, an area that has been untouched by sophisticated technology and characterized by archaic, analog processes, such as the paper-intensive RFP,” said Joel Hyatt, the Chairman, Co-founder and CEO of Globality. “Globality is advancing the concept of ‘Performance Spending,’ which acknowledges the huge impact of a company’s spend on its overall performance and its ESG goals. We are proud to be partnering with great Global 2000 companies on building a global ecosystem for B2B trade in services that is transparent, sustainable, and based on the merits of price, quality and performance.”
See why Gartner has recognized Globality as a “Cool Vendor in Strategic Sourcing Technology” here.
1Gartner, “Cool Vendors in Strategic Sourcing Technology,” [William McNeill, Koray Kose, Micky Keck, Patrick Connaughton, November 11, 2021]
Gartner Disclaimer
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Gartner and Cool Vendors are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
About Globality
Globality is a Silicon Valley-headquartered technology company co-founded by Joel Hyatt and Lior Delgo to revolutionize how companies buy and sell services. Through its AI-powered Platform and marketplace, Globality is bringing digital transformation to the sourcing industry. Globality’s AI digital solution replaces the archaic analog Request for Proposal, efficiently and effectively scoping needs, managing demand, matching companies with outstanding suppliers that meet their specific service needs and cutting the sourcing process from months to hours while delivering savings of 20% or more. In January 2021, Globality raised $138 million from Sienna Capital and the SoftBank Vision Fund, bringing the total investment it has raised since its founding six years ago to $310 million. For more information, visit www.globality.com.
View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211122005709/en/
Contact
Nardi Media for Globality (US)
Justin Goldstein
justin@nardimedia.com
Missive for Globality (UK)
James Gullis
james.gullis@missive.co.uk
Globality
media@globality.com
Source : Globality
“We are pleased to be recognized as a Cool Vendor by Gartner for bringing artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art digital solutions to the sourcing and procurement of services, an area that has been untouched by sophisticated technology and characterized by archaic, analog processes, such as the paper-intensive RFP,” said Joel Hyatt, the Chairman, Co-founder and CEO of Globality. “Globality is advancing the concept of ‘Performance Spending,’ which acknowledges the huge impact of a company’s spend on its overall performance and its ESG goals. We are proud to be partnering with great Global 2000 companies on building a global ecosystem for B2B trade in services that is transparent, sustainable, and based on the merits of price, quality and performance.”
See why Gartner has recognized Globality as a “Cool Vendor in Strategic Sourcing Technology” here.
1Gartner, “Cool Vendors in Strategic Sourcing Technology,” [William McNeill, Koray Kose, Micky Keck, Patrick Connaughton, November 11, 2021]
Gartner Disclaimer
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Gartner and Cool Vendors are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
About Globality
Globality is a Silicon Valley-headquartered technology company co-founded by Joel Hyatt and Lior Delgo to revolutionize how companies buy and sell services. Through its AI-powered Platform and marketplace, Globality is bringing digital transformation to the sourcing industry. Globality’s AI digital solution replaces the archaic analog Request for Proposal, efficiently and effectively scoping needs, managing demand, matching companies with outstanding suppliers that meet their specific service needs and cutting the sourcing process from months to hours while delivering savings of 20% or more. In January 2021, Globality raised $138 million from Sienna Capital and the SoftBank Vision Fund, bringing the total investment it has raised since its founding six years ago to $310 million. For more information, visit www.globality.com.
View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211122005709/en/
Contact
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Source : Globality
THE 7TH MARITIME SILK ROAD (FUZHOU) INTERNATIONAL TOURISM FESTIVAL TAKES OFF
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| Fushan Country Park, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China |
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- The 7th Maritime Silk Road (Fuzhou) International Tourism Festival kicks off on Nov 23.
The festival is hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the People's Government of Fujian Province and organised by the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the People's Government of Fuzhou.
Themed, Maritime Silk Road Cooperation for Thriving Culture and Tourism, the festival will be held both online and offline, highlighting its status as an international event for culture and tourism along the Maritime Silk Road.
According to a statement, the festival will present a wide range of core and associated activities, such as the Opening Ceremony and the Culture and Tourism Cooperation Summit, and the Night of the Maritime Silk Road.
Representatives from embassies and consulates of countries along the Maritime Silk Road, from tourism agencies of countries and regions along the Belt and Road, as well as from the Maritime Silk Road Tourism Promotion Alliance will be invited to attend this spectacular event, according to the Publicity Department of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee.
This will further provide opportunities for cultural exchange alongside the Maritime Silk Road. With a wide range of activities, the event will last until mid-December.
The Maritime Silk Road (Fuzhou) International Tourism Festival is an important project for Fujian Province and Fuzhou City, designed to accelerate the construction of the Core Area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It has been held for six consecutive years, from 2015 to 2020.
-- BERNAMA
CHONGQING LIANGJIANG NEW AREA LAUNCHES ONLINE GLOBAL RECRUITMENT
CHONGQING, China, Nov. 22, 2021 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
On November 20-21, along the Jialing River, the 2021 Chongqing Talent Conference was held in Yuelai International Conference Center. Chongqing Liangjiang New Area's global online recruitment special event was also launched, with about 70 enterprises providing more than 5,000 jobs with the highest annual salary of one million yuan. This is not only a part of the online talent attraction activity of the 2021 Chongqing Talent Conference, but also one of the regular measures of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area to carry out the "cloud talent attraction" initiative, according to Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Management Committee.
In recent years, Chongqing Liangjiang New Area has thoroughly implemented the strategy of reinvigorating the country through human resource development, closely adhered to the two major urban development goals of building an inland gateway for opening-up and a smart city, and been achieving the goal of high-quality development and high-quality life, striven to create an ecology of "attracting talents near and afar", and made every effort to build a high-level talent gathering highland and draw fully on their expertise.
At present, Chongqing Liangjiang New Area has gathered more than 500,000 innovative and entrepreneurial talents and 346 high-level talents of various types.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41674
On November 20-21, along the Jialing River, the 2021 Chongqing Talent Conference was held in Yuelai International Conference Center. Chongqing Liangjiang New Area's global online recruitment special event was also launched, with about 70 enterprises providing more than 5,000 jobs with the highest annual salary of one million yuan. This is not only a part of the online talent attraction activity of the 2021 Chongqing Talent Conference, but also one of the regular measures of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area to carry out the "cloud talent attraction" initiative, according to Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Management Committee.
In recent years, Chongqing Liangjiang New Area has thoroughly implemented the strategy of reinvigorating the country through human resource development, closely adhered to the two major urban development goals of building an inland gateway for opening-up and a smart city, and been achieving the goal of high-quality development and high-quality life, striven to create an ecology of "attracting talents near and afar", and made every effort to build a high-level talent gathering highland and draw fully on their expertise.
At present, Chongqing Liangjiang New Area has gathered more than 500,000 innovative and entrepreneurial talents and 346 high-level talents of various types.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41674
Monday, November 22, 2021
WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACCELERATOR PARTNERS WE EMPOWER UN SDG CHALLENGE
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Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator Logo (Graphic: WEA) KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- The Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator (WEA), a strategic multi-partnership convening five United Nations agencies and Mary Kay Inc, in support of last week’s Global Entrepreneurship Week and Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, announced a partnership with WE Empower UN SDG Challenge, a first-of-its-kind competition for women social entrepreneurs worldwide. “The WE Empower SDG Challenge powerfully showcases women entrepreneurs as ideal role models demonstrating positive business, social and environmental performance,” said Chief Operating Officer at Mary Kay Inc, Deborah Gibbins. The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge is a global business competition for women entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and inspiring entire communities to act to create the world they want by 2030. The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge honours women entrepreneurs who are advancing the SDGs through their business practices, according to a statement. The opportunity recognises their innovative work, ignites awareness of the invaluable contribution women entrepreneurs can make toward the SDGs, and provides awardees with capacity-building training sessions and connections with business experts around the world. The programme elevates and showcases the invaluable contributions women entrepreneurs and business leaders can make toward the SDGs and solving the world’s greatest challenges. WEA is designed to maximise the development impact of women entrepreneurship in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by creating an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs that fosters growth, sustainability, and resilience. UN Partners of WEA include International Labour Organization (ILO), International Trade Centre (ITC), UN Global Compact (UNGC), UN Development Programme (UNDP), and UN Women. During UN General Assembly (UNGA 76), WEA announced the launch of a series of impactful initiatives and knowledge products - all shaped through a gender lens. -- BERNAMA |
ZENAS BIOPHARMA BUYS FROM XENCOR EXCLUSIVE WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO OBEXELIMAB
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Xencor Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and Zenas BioPharma (Zenas), a global biopharmaceutical company, have announced that Zenas has acquired from Xencor exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise the investigational antibody obexelimab.
Obexelimab is a potential first-in-class bifunctional antibody that targets CD19 with its variable domain and uses Xencor's XmAb® Immune Inhibitor Fc Domain to target FcγRIIb, a receptor that inhibits the function of B-cells, which are important components in the immune system.
According to a statement, Xencor demonstrated through early-stage clinical studies that obexelimab effectively inhibits B-cell function without depleting the cells and generates an encouraging treatment effect in patients with multiple autoimmune diseases.
“Zenas is advancing a broad pipeline of differentiated drug candidates that are intended to bring best-in-class innovation to patients with underserved medical needs,” said Hua Mu, Ph.D., MD, president and chief executive officer at Zenas.
“Today, we are pleased to add obexelimab to our portfolio, and based on its clinical profile, we believe it is positioned as a first-in-class candidate with the potential to treat numerous autoimmune diseases.”
Under the terms of the new agreement, Zenas will issue to Xencor a warrant giving Xencor the right to acquire additional Zenas equity, such that Xencor’s total equity in Zenas would be 15 per cent of its fully diluted capitalisation following the closing of Zenas’ next round of equity financing, subject to certain requirements.
Xencor is also eligible to receive up to US$480 million based on the achievement of certain clinical development, regulatory and commercialisation milestones and is eligible to receive tiered, mid-single digit to mid-teen per cent royalties upon commercialisation of obexelimab, dependent on geography. (US$1 = RM4.187)
Zenas will have sole responsibility for advancing the research, development, regulatory and commercial activities of obexelimab worldwide.
More details at www.zenasbio.com.
-- BERNAMA
Obexelimab is a potential first-in-class bifunctional antibody that targets CD19 with its variable domain and uses Xencor's XmAb® Immune Inhibitor Fc Domain to target FcγRIIb, a receptor that inhibits the function of B-cells, which are important components in the immune system.
According to a statement, Xencor demonstrated through early-stage clinical studies that obexelimab effectively inhibits B-cell function without depleting the cells and generates an encouraging treatment effect in patients with multiple autoimmune diseases.
“Zenas is advancing a broad pipeline of differentiated drug candidates that are intended to bring best-in-class innovation to patients with underserved medical needs,” said Hua Mu, Ph.D., MD, president and chief executive officer at Zenas.
“Today, we are pleased to add obexelimab to our portfolio, and based on its clinical profile, we believe it is positioned as a first-in-class candidate with the potential to treat numerous autoimmune diseases.”
Under the terms of the new agreement, Zenas will issue to Xencor a warrant giving Xencor the right to acquire additional Zenas equity, such that Xencor’s total equity in Zenas would be 15 per cent of its fully diluted capitalisation following the closing of Zenas’ next round of equity financing, subject to certain requirements.
Xencor is also eligible to receive up to US$480 million based on the achievement of certain clinical development, regulatory and commercialisation milestones and is eligible to receive tiered, mid-single digit to mid-teen per cent royalties upon commercialisation of obexelimab, dependent on geography. (US$1 = RM4.187)
Zenas will have sole responsibility for advancing the research, development, regulatory and commercial activities of obexelimab worldwide.
More details at www.zenasbio.com.
-- BERNAMA
COME 2026, GLOBAL EV CHARGING SESSIONS TO EXCEED 1.5 BILLION - JUNIPER RESEARCH
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- A new study from Juniper Research has found the global volume of EV charging sessions, where an EV’s battery is charged using a charging point, will exceed 1.5 billion per annum in 2026, from just 200 million in 2021.
This remarkable growth rate of more than 665 per cent over the next five years will be driven by greater government incentives for electric vehicles, as well as more widespread charging service availability, according to a statement.
The research identified incentives for EV ownership as having significantly increased take-up in Europe, with coordinated incentives packages needed in North America to stimulate growth.
To support greater electrification, Juniper Research recommends EV charging vendors work with governments and other stakeholders, including fuel retailers, to plan coordinated public charging network roll‑outs, or the mass electrification of mobility will stall.
The new research, EV Charging: Key Opportunities, Challenges & Market Forecasts 2021-2026, found that home charging will decline slightly; accounting for over 70 per cent of all EV charging sessions in 2026, compared with just over 80 per cent in 2021.
However, the report found that this dominance does not directly translate into hardware revenue for charging point vendors, with public charging stations accounting for 56 per cent of charging point hardware revenue globally in 2026.
In addition, the research found that as EVs become longer range and more powerful, fast charging DC (direct current) stations will be the next key competitive battleground within the EV charging landscape.
The report recommends that vendors work on partnerships with key destinations, such as car parks and retailers now, in order to schedule fast charger roll-outs, or they will lose ground to faster-moving competitors.
Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector; providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.
-- BERNAMA
GRADIANT SECURES OVER US$100 MILLION IN SERIES C FUNDING
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Gradiant, a leading global end-to-end cleantech water treatment solutions provider and projects developer, announced it has raised over US$100 million in Series C funding. (US$1 = RM4.187)
The round was led by financial and strategic partners Warburg Pincus and Schlumberger New Energy and was oversubscribed from its initial target of US$65 million. The round brings Gradiant’s total funding to date to over US$200 million since inception.
Gradiant develops and delivers advanced water and wastewater treatment facilities worldwide, with primary focus in the rapidly growing Asia Pacific region for global brand owners and manufacturers with mission-critical needs in cleantech water and sustainable operations.
The funding will enable Gradiant to further expand into strategic markets and industries; finance the equity contribution into new project assets; accelerate the deployment of Gradiant’s innovation and technology offerings; and strategically acquire complementary and synergistic companies in cleantech water and sustainability.
According to a statement, the company plans to grow its business in key sectors such as food and beverage, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, and mining, from its already established geographies in the Asia Pacific, the United States, and the Middle East.
Gradiant has experienced tremendous growth, with 2021 revenue expected to triple versus the prior year and the near-term financial forecast expected to continue to expand at an accelerated pace through its growing backlog of design-build (DB) and design-build-own-operate-manage (DBOOM) contracts.
Recent strategic acquisitions of Sigma Water (Malaysia) and CRS Water (Australia) have created opportunities to access new customers, applications, and geographies when coupled with Gradiant’s clean water technologies and project development and financing capabilities.
Gradiant’s recent growth is driven by significant project wins in Asia Pacific, where the region’s rapid industrialisation and population growth have been driving the demand for clean water and sustainable technologies.
More details at www.gradiant.com.
-- BERNAMA
The round was led by financial and strategic partners Warburg Pincus and Schlumberger New Energy and was oversubscribed from its initial target of US$65 million. The round brings Gradiant’s total funding to date to over US$200 million since inception.
Gradiant develops and delivers advanced water and wastewater treatment facilities worldwide, with primary focus in the rapidly growing Asia Pacific region for global brand owners and manufacturers with mission-critical needs in cleantech water and sustainable operations.
The funding will enable Gradiant to further expand into strategic markets and industries; finance the equity contribution into new project assets; accelerate the deployment of Gradiant’s innovation and technology offerings; and strategically acquire complementary and synergistic companies in cleantech water and sustainability.
According to a statement, the company plans to grow its business in key sectors such as food and beverage, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, and mining, from its already established geographies in the Asia Pacific, the United States, and the Middle East.
Gradiant has experienced tremendous growth, with 2021 revenue expected to triple versus the prior year and the near-term financial forecast expected to continue to expand at an accelerated pace through its growing backlog of design-build (DB) and design-build-own-operate-manage (DBOOM) contracts.
Recent strategic acquisitions of Sigma Water (Malaysia) and CRS Water (Australia) have created opportunities to access new customers, applications, and geographies when coupled with Gradiant’s clean water technologies and project development and financing capabilities.
Gradiant’s recent growth is driven by significant project wins in Asia Pacific, where the region’s rapid industrialisation and population growth have been driving the demand for clean water and sustainable technologies.
More details at www.gradiant.com.
-- BERNAMA
Saturday, November 20, 2021
Trey Trahan is 2021 Laureate for The American Prize for Architecture
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 -- Trahan Architects announced its founder and CEO, Victor F. ‘Trey’ Trahan, III, FAIA, has been selected 2021 Laureate for The American Prize for Architecture by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The Chicago Athenaeum additionally recognised two Trahan Architects projects for American Architecture Awards—the Ochsner Center for Innovation and the New England Mixed-Use Development, according to a statement.
“Kindness and compassion are exactly what best exemplify the works of Victor F. ‘Trey’ Trahan, III, FAIA,” said architecture critic and museum president/CEO of The Chicago Athenaeum, Christian Narkiewicz-Laine.
“Over the past three decades, Trahan’s buildings have demonstrated a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment that have produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and to the built environment through the art of architecture.”
The Award, organised jointly by two public institutions, The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, honours American architects, and other global architects practising on multiple continents, whose body of architectural work, over time, exemplifies superior design and humanist ideals.
The American Prize for Architecture pays tribute to the spirit of the founder of modernism, Louis Sullivan, and the subsequent generations of Chicago practitioners such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Daniel H. Burnham and Holabird & Root.
“To be selected as the 2021 Laureate for the American Prize for Architecture by the Chicago Athenaeum’s International Advisory Committee and for two of our projects to be awarded The American Prize for Architecture is an honour,” said Trahan.
“These awards exemplify our ethos and commitment to rootedness, artistry, materiality and our responsibility to designing for spatial equity.”
Trahan Architects was founded by Trahan on the belief that the mindful design of everyday spaces can elevate the human experience.
It is a multi-disciplinary firm ranked the number one design firm by Architect 50, the annual ranking by Architect Magazine, the official publication of American Institute of Architects, which topped the list by building “dramatic, sumptuous and well-detailed projects.”
-- BERNAMA
Friday, November 19, 2021
LCNM PARTNERS NCSM & PFIZER TO IMPROVE HEALTH LITERACY ON LUNG CANCER
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Lung Cancer Network Malaysia (LCNM) and the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), supported by Pfizer, announced the launch of Malaysia’s first-ever digital lung cancer patient guide to empower society with the knowledge to recognise early warning signs and symptoms, understand indications for screening, make informed choices, as well as counter stigma and misconceptions about the disease and its treatments.
Launched in conjunction with Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, the patient guide was developed in English, Malay, and Mandarin as a digital resource to improve health literacy on lung cancer as well as to facilitate better communication between patients and their healthcare providers.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41621
Launched in conjunction with Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, the patient guide was developed in English, Malay, and Mandarin as a digital resource to improve health literacy on lung cancer as well as to facilitate better communication between patients and their healthcare providers.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41621
BUSINESS SCHOOL APPLICATION UPTICK REFLECTS STAYING POWER BEYOND 2020 - GMAC CEO
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- The Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC), a global association of leading graduate business schools has released its anticipated annual 2021 Application Trends Survey.
The survey of nearly 1,000 MBA and business master’s programmes found that in 2021, the volume of applications for graduate business school programmes grew 0.4 per cent from the year before, sustaining the elevated demand since the onset of a global pandemic in 2020 when business schools worldwide saw unusually high volume of applications due to the economic uncertainty.
“Candidates looked for alternative career options during the COVID induced recession and business schools introduced more flexible admissions policies, resulting in soaring application volumes last year,” said GMAC president and CEO, Sangeet Chowfla in a statement.
“The question was whether this was a fleeting event caused by the pandemic or the start of a new uptick in applications. In this context, the 2021 application cycle indicates that the surging demand for graduate business education is not a passing fad but has staying power beyond 2020.”
Among others, key findings have revealed that after years of unwelcoming immigration policies in parts of the world and months of global travel restrictions due to COVID-19, pent-up demand from international students for graduate business schools was evident in this year’s data.
Weighted absolute year-on-year change in application volumes from international candidates shows an increase of 4.1 per cent compared to a decline of 3.8 per cent from domestic candidates, the applicants who are citizens of the country where a programme is located.
The share of full-time two-year MBA programmes showing growth in applications from international candidates has doubled from 28 per cent in 2019 to 57 per cent in 2021.
Full-time MBA programmes continued gaining traction in 2021. Half of full-time one-year (52 per cent) and two-year (56 per cent) MBA programmes report an increase in applications in 2021, above all programmes averaged at 41 per cent.
To learn more, visit www.gmac.com
-- BERNAMA
BANDAI SPIRITS CO LTD OF TOKYO HOLDS 'TAMASHII NATION ONLINE 2021', NOV 19-21
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Under the flagship brand of adult target audience collectibles, ‘TAMASHII NATIONS’, BANDAI SPIRITS CO LTD of Tokyo will be holding the online event ‘TAMASHII NATION ONLINE 2021’ from Nov 19 to 21.
‘TAMASHII NATION’ is an event held once a year since 2008, featuring the latest in figures targeting the adult audience, according to a statement.
This year, the event will be powered by MIRAIKEN studio led by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
MIRAIKEN studio was established in 2021 as a standalone base of operations powered with the latest in equipment available in Japan to create and transmit the next generation in entertainment using technologies such as xR and real-time motion capture.
The event will be featuring approximately 550 hero and robot figures from the ‘MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM’ series, ‘MACROSS’ series, ‘KAMEN RIDER’ series, the ‘TIGER & BUNNY 2’ television anime that will be aired in 2022, and more, with approximately 180 figures new to the line-up.
Online initiatives such as multi-channel streaming programmes, access to a PIP function that enables viewing of videos while looking at the displays, use of a live commerce function to seamlessly purchase featured products, a 360-degree-view figure display function, comment posting function, and more can be enjoyed right at the viewer's fingertips.
The online event will be held in the virtual city, ‘TAMASHII NATION VIRTUAL WORLD’. Within this world are three display areas -- ‘Robot City’, ‘Live Action City’, and ‘Anime & Game City’. These cities will feature a ‘station’ for every featured product and brand where event participants can view a variety of themed products.
The visual concept for ‘TAMASHII NATION VIRTUAL WORLD’ was designed by Yohei Takamatsu who worked as art director for a number of Studio Ghibli titles and also cooperatively handled the art direction for ‘The Boy and the Beast’.
-- BERNAMA
MINING STARTUP, TITAN, ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF WHITELISTING AND SALE DATE FOR THE LUMERIN TOKEN
Titan’s Lumerin protocol allows Bitcoin hashpower to be a tradable, liquid financial asset, unlocking mining profitability and providing greater access to capital and investments.
CHICAGO, Nov 16 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Titan, an innovator in the mining ecosystem, announced today the whitelisting for its Lumerin Token (LMR), which is an important first step in making the token available for use. Developed by Titan, Lumerin is a peer-to-peer protocol that will make Bitcoin hashpower a tradable, liquid financial commodity unlocking mining profitability and increasing access to capital and investments for crypto miners and others who need access to hashpower.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211115006180/en/
The Lumerin token sale KYC & Registration will start Tuesday, November 16, at Noon PST, and the token sale will start on December 1, 2021.
"Titan is donating significant development effort and time to the Lumerin open source project and is actively looking for strategic partners to further develop this technology. As a result of this announcement, we can now move forward with our vision to create a global marketplace for hashpower for Bitcoin and proof-of-work mining pools. This will help to relieve the current market pressures and allow anyone to truly harness the power of crypto," said Ryan Condron, CEO of Titan.
The Lumerin Token will be an integral part of the Titan hashpower marketplace and its functionality and utility will support the efficient creation of both hashpower smart contracts as well as support the Lumerin Validator nodes in creating a secure, decentralized, and trustless environment.
Companies and individuals who need hashpower, but do not want to invest the funds required for crypto mining IT infrastructure, can buy/sell it on the Titan marketplace. In addition, using financial derivatives/futures and services for lending, custody, OTC, and trading, the mining ecosystem can create more income and investment growth than ever before.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211115006180/en/
The Lumerin token sale KYC & Registration will start Tuesday, November 16, at Noon PST, and the token sale will start on December 1, 2021.
"Titan is donating significant development effort and time to the Lumerin open source project and is actively looking for strategic partners to further develop this technology. As a result of this announcement, we can now move forward with our vision to create a global marketplace for hashpower for Bitcoin and proof-of-work mining pools. This will help to relieve the current market pressures and allow anyone to truly harness the power of crypto," said Ryan Condron, CEO of Titan.
The Lumerin Token will be an integral part of the Titan hashpower marketplace and its functionality and utility will support the efficient creation of both hashpower smart contracts as well as support the Lumerin Validator nodes in creating a secure, decentralized, and trustless environment.
Companies and individuals who need hashpower, but do not want to invest the funds required for crypto mining IT infrastructure, can buy/sell it on the Titan marketplace. In addition, using financial derivatives/futures and services for lending, custody, OTC, and trading, the mining ecosystem can create more income and investment growth than ever before.
KDDI & SUPERSHIP NEXT-GENERATION DIGITAL ADVERTISING PLATFORM FOR JANUARY LAUNCH
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- KDDI CORPORATION (KDDI), Supership Holdings Inc (Supership Holdings) and Supership Inc (Supership), all based in Tokyo, are jointly developing a next-generation digital advertising platform (the platform) for scheduled launch in January 2022.
The platform will prioritise data privacy while serving highly relevant advertising based on customer lifestyles, according to a statement.
At the core, patented technology provided by Novatiq Ltd (Novatiq), headquartered in Wales, the UK, enables advertisers to activate audiences using only permission-based data.
KDDI, Supership Holdings and Supership will integrate the platform with Supership's advertising platform to provide optimised digital marketing for advertisers.
To date, using third-party data to reach audiences based on customer interests and needs across websites and apps has been a mainstream practice in digital marketing. However, from a data privacy protection viewpoint, this is globally becoming more problematic, as much of this third-party data originates from tracking customer behaviour with cookies or advertising IDs (referred to as ADID) without consent.
The platform protects the customer's data privacy by generating a transient one-time token (referred to as ad delivery ID) for each website or mobile app interaction combined with KDDI's permission-based attribution (e.g. gender, age group, etc.). It enables advertisers to serve highly relevant ads using only permission-based data, ensures that customer privacy is protected, and supports effective marketing.
KDDI, Supership Holdings and Supership will utilise this new technology in their aim to spread the use of digital ad delivery that prioritises privacy.
Supership Holdings entered into a capital and business alliance with Novatiq in June this year. This agreement gives the Supership Group the exclusive rights to use Novatiq's patented technology in Asia.
Novatiq is a leading identity and audience activation platform empowering publishers, brands and telcos to reach their audiences at scale and provide better customer experiences -- all while prioritising privacy.
-- BERNAMA
RECUR-HELLO KITTY PARTNERSHIP CREATES PLATFORM BRINGING CHARACTER TO NFT SPACE
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- RECUR has announced a strategic partnership with iconic brand, Hello Kitty, to create a fan-focused platform that will bring the beloved character to the NFT space for the very first time.
RECUR is thrilled to create a bespoke experience for Hello Kitty fans, some of the most engaged and dedicated fans in the world, to buy, collect and trade Hello Kitty NFTs as digital products and collectables.
RECUR is eco-friendly and blockchain agnostic, ultimately enabling the Hello Kitty NFTs to be interoperable across chains. The Hello Kitty experience and NFTs will be available beginning in Q1 of 2022.
“Sometimes you may find yourself thinking 'I wish I could have been there when it happened.' Well, we are excited to share with our community that the RECUR Portal Pass is your chance,” say co-founders Zach Bruch and Trevor George in a statement.
"Through this one day, 24-hour sale, you will receive early access to what will be some of the greatest digital collectibles for generations to come, and that’s only the beginning. We are excited to be able to share our roadmap, one that features unbelievably extensive utility considering who our IP & collectible partners are.”
Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer, Sanrio – EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr Men – Worldwide said: “To explore this new and innovative business is for us a big challenge. For Sanrio, stepping into the NFT space adds a new way of being part of contemporary culture and provides our fans a new way to enjoy our brand.”
Additionally, RECUR is announcing its first proprietary NFT that will be available for purchase on Dec 9. The NFT, a ‘Portal Pass’, will offer early access to RECUR’s entire IP library and experiences, among other forms of utility.
The RECUR Pass roadmap and details can be found at www.recurforever.com/portal.
-- BERNAMA
RECUR is thrilled to create a bespoke experience for Hello Kitty fans, some of the most engaged and dedicated fans in the world, to buy, collect and trade Hello Kitty NFTs as digital products and collectables.
RECUR is eco-friendly and blockchain agnostic, ultimately enabling the Hello Kitty NFTs to be interoperable across chains. The Hello Kitty experience and NFTs will be available beginning in Q1 of 2022.
“Sometimes you may find yourself thinking 'I wish I could have been there when it happened.' Well, we are excited to share with our community that the RECUR Portal Pass is your chance,” say co-founders Zach Bruch and Trevor George in a statement.
"Through this one day, 24-hour sale, you will receive early access to what will be some of the greatest digital collectibles for generations to come, and that’s only the beginning. We are excited to be able to share our roadmap, one that features unbelievably extensive utility considering who our IP & collectible partners are.”
Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer, Sanrio – EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr Men – Worldwide said: “To explore this new and innovative business is for us a big challenge. For Sanrio, stepping into the NFT space adds a new way of being part of contemporary culture and provides our fans a new way to enjoy our brand.”
Additionally, RECUR is announcing its first proprietary NFT that will be available for purchase on Dec 9. The NFT, a ‘Portal Pass’, will offer early access to RECUR’s entire IP library and experiences, among other forms of utility.
The RECUR Pass roadmap and details can be found at www.recurforever.com/portal.
-- BERNAMA
HTEC GROUP BUYS MOMENTUM DESIGN LAB
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- HTEC Group, the global consulting, software engineering, and digital product development company founded in Serbia, has announced the acquisition of Momentum Design Lab, an award-winning Silicon Valley product design studio.
The acquisition, which will further strengthen HTEC’s product design capabilities alongside its core engineering offering, means the company now employs over 1,000 people globally across offices in the US, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, and Slovenia.
Since its inception in 2008, as a start-up in the Business Technology Incubator at the University of Belgrade, the company has grown from 250 employees in four development centres at the beginning of 2020, to now over 1,000 full-time employees spread across 12 locations in six countries across Southeast Europe.
According to a statement, Momentum will help HTEC build digital products that transform industries and businesses and improve the lives of people globally.
Momentum’s client roster ranges from 40 of the Fortune 500 companies to exciting start-ups. The company has propelled their technology clients to generate over US$41 billion in exits or valuation. (US$1 = RM4.179)
HTEC Group CEO, Aleksandar Cabrilo said: “I am delighted to welcome Momentum into our fast-growing team. In Momentum, we found values and a culture that matches our own — the urge for continuous learning and professional growth, a stellar reputation among its existing customers, and a clear passion for delivering excellence when designing digital platforms and products that matter.”
Momentum founder, David Thomson said: “As a company who is inventing the possible for our customers, it was important to find a partner that matched our design expertise and customer base with world class technology talent.
“HTEC’s deep technical knowledge exceeded our expectations and we're excited to join forces to build disruptive products, drive innovation and transform the way business is done from the inside out.”
-- BERNAMA
The acquisition, which will further strengthen HTEC’s product design capabilities alongside its core engineering offering, means the company now employs over 1,000 people globally across offices in the US, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, and Slovenia.
Since its inception in 2008, as a start-up in the Business Technology Incubator at the University of Belgrade, the company has grown from 250 employees in four development centres at the beginning of 2020, to now over 1,000 full-time employees spread across 12 locations in six countries across Southeast Europe.
According to a statement, Momentum will help HTEC build digital products that transform industries and businesses and improve the lives of people globally.
Momentum’s client roster ranges from 40 of the Fortune 500 companies to exciting start-ups. The company has propelled their technology clients to generate over US$41 billion in exits or valuation. (US$1 = RM4.179)
HTEC Group CEO, Aleksandar Cabrilo said: “I am delighted to welcome Momentum into our fast-growing team. In Momentum, we found values and a culture that matches our own — the urge for continuous learning and professional growth, a stellar reputation among its existing customers, and a clear passion for delivering excellence when designing digital platforms and products that matter.”
Momentum founder, David Thomson said: “As a company who is inventing the possible for our customers, it was important to find a partner that matched our design expertise and customer base with world class technology talent.
“HTEC’s deep technical knowledge exceeded our expectations and we're excited to join forces to build disruptive products, drive innovation and transform the way business is done from the inside out.”
-- BERNAMA
Polyplastics introduces new RENATUS (R) PET grades for auto exterior components
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 -- Polyplastics Group has announced the introduction of two new RENATUS (R) polyethylene terephthalate (PET) grades which deliver superior mechanical properties, appearance, and weather resistance for automotive exterior components.
This reaffirms Polyplastics' strong commitment to PET as a key pillar of its extensive resin business portfolio, according to a statement.
The two new glass-reinforced grades, RH030 (30 per cent glass-filled) and RH045 (45 per cent glass-filled), maintain their jet blackness and reduce whitening on the surface of molded articles in outdoor environments, making them ideally suited for applications such as automotive side mirrors and rear wiper arms/blades.
Since PET parts are not painted, weathering degradation can occur over time. The glass filler can start to float and the jet blackness can decrease.
Accelerated weather-resistance testing demonstrates that Polyplastics' new PET materials maintain lower index values than their competing products, thus indicating whitening is being reduced.
RENATUS (R) RH030 and RH045 PET are glass fibre-reinforced grades, but they can still produce molded articles with good surface appearance because of their superior mold transferability during molding.
Recent company testing shows that when compared to standard grade PBT-GF30, RH045 (PET-GF45) exhibits higher surface gloss even though it has a large amount of glass fibre added to the formulation.
Meanwhile, in terms of mechanical performance, PET typically has superior properties compared to PBT. At similar glass loadings, RH030 and RH045 PET grades have higher mechanical properties including greater tensile strength, flexural modulus, and deflection temperature under load compared to PBT grades.
Polyplastics Co Ltd is a global leader in the development and production of engineering thermoplastics, with product portfolio including POM, PBT, PPS, LCP, GF-PET, and COC.
-- BERNAMA
Thursday, November 18, 2021
34th Tokyo International Film Festival winners named
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 -- The 34th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) concluded with the announcement of winners at the Closing Ceremony recently.
The Tokyo Grand Prix was awarded to ‘Vera Dreams of the Sea’, directed by Kaltrina Krasniqi, the first TIFF selection from Kosovo; while ‘World, Northern Hemisphere’ by Hossein Tehrani won the Asian Future Best Film Award.
Other winning films included ‘La Civil’, ‘Poet’, ‘The Other Tom’, ‘The Four Walls’, ‘Crane Lantern’ and ‘Just Remembering’, as well as Amazon Prime Video Take One Awardees ‘Sunday and Calm Sea’ and ‘Under the Bridge’.
The 34th TIFF showcased 126 films selected from 1,533 submissions from 113 countries and regions between Oct 30 and Nov 8, according to a statement.
The Japan Foundation Asia Center (JF) and TIFF have co-presented Conversation Series at Asia Lounge.
With an advisory panel headed by Palme d'Or winner Kore-eda Hirokazu, the series brought together acclaimed filmmakers and actors from Asia and beyond to engage in friendly dialogue for eight days.
Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Asia Lounge featured both in-person and online guests, with audiences able to participate in person and to livestream Q and As for each of the talks, as well as it could also set up the physical lounge where filmmakers would enjoy free-form conversation and exchange.
International guests included TIFF Jury President Isabelle Huppert, Chang Chen, Kamila Andini, Bahman Ghobadi, Brillante Ma Mendoza, Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Bong Joon Ho.
The JF and TIFF also jointly showcased the rich and diverse cultures of Asian cinema in the Competition, Asian Future, Gala Selection, World Focus and newly launched TIFF Series sections.
More details at https://2021.tiff-jp.net/en/
-- BERNAMA
STABLE CREDIT RATINGS OUTLOOK FOR ETIQA GENERAL INSURANCE BERHAD - AM BEST
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ‘a-’ (Excellent) to Etiqa General Insurance Berhad (EGIB) Malaysia.
The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable, according to a statement.
The ratings reflect EGIB’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM), also factoring in a neutral impact from the company’s ultimate majority ownership by Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank group).
EGIB’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which is expected to remain at the strongest level over the medium term.
AM Best views the company as having a moderate risk investment strategy with it holding a combination of low-risk assets, including cash, deposits and fixed-income instruments.
In addition, the company exhibits high reinsurance usage and dependence, with a net retention ratio of 37 per cent in 2020. The company’s reinsurance recoverables are also a large balance sheet item, equivalent to three times its shareholders’ equity at the end of 2020.
EGIB’s operating performance is assessed as strong, with a five-year average non-life operating ratio of approximately 69 per cent (2016-2020).
Overall earnings have been supported by favourable underwriting performance and consistent investment income. Prospectively, AM Best expects a challenging operating environment arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued phased liberalisation of motor and fire insurance business in Malaysia.
Nonetheless, EGIB continues to enhance its pricing and risk selection capabilities, as well as strengthen its distribution and product design, which are expected to support continued strong underwriting and operating performance.
The business profile assessment of neutral reflects EGIB’s position as the sixth largest general insurer in Malaysia with a market share of over seven per cent, based on 2020 gross direct written premium.
For more information, visit www.ambest.com.
-- BERNAMA
ONWARD: NOVEL BLOOD PRESSURE STABILISATION THERAPY PRESENTED AT NEUROSCIENCE 2021
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Medical technology company, ONWARD Medical N.V. announced Grégoire Courtine, Ph.D. has demonstrated the effectiveness of ONWARD’s ARC Therapy to stabilise blood pressure after spinal cord injury during his Presidential Special Lecture at NEUROSCIENCE 2021.
Courtine is Professor of Neuroscience at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) and co-Director of NeuroRestore, according to a statement.
“Paralysis and loss of sensation are the more commonly known impacts of spinal cord injury, but a potentially more serious complication is orthostatic hypotension - low blood pressure tied to changes in body position.
“We were excited to demonstrate and discuss how this new approach may provide a viable and important therapy for people with spinal cord injury,” he said.
This novel therapy is currently being investigated in the STIMO HEMO study, building on a discovery first published in Nature that identifies the low thoracic spinal cord as a hemodynamic ‘hotspot’, which when stimulated via a proprietary algorithm called ARC Therapy, has the potential to restore blood pressure stability after spinal cord injury.
During his Presidential Special Lecture, Courtine showed how stimulation of the hemodynamic hotspot elevated blood pressure in one of the STIMO HEMO participants.
ONWARD Medical N.V. creates innovative therapies to restore movement, independence, and health in people with spinal cord injury.
ONWARD’s work builds on over a decade of basic science and preclinical research conducted at the world’s leading neuroscience laboratories.
It is headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, the Netherlands and the EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a growing US presence in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
-- BERNAMA
OKEX DIVULGES 308 PER CENT GROWTH IN 2021 TRADING VOLUMES
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Top cryptocurrency exchange and DeFi ecosystem, OKEx has reported 308 per cent growth in total trading volumes over the past year.
According to a statement, OKEx's total trading volume of all listed assets grew from US$1.8 trillion in October 2020 to US$7.4 trillion as of October this year. (US$1 = RM4.175)
Breaking down this massive growth, perpetual swap products on OKEx saw the highest increase, with trading volume growing by 455 per cent year-over-year. Cryptocurrency spot and futures products also saw impressive growth in terms of trading volumes — up 365 per cent and 209 per cent, respectively.
In October this year, BTC, DOGE, SHIB, OKB, ETH and SOL were among the top-10 assets with the highest trading volumes on OKEx spot markets. Total spot trading volumes for the 10 assets combined reached a monthly high of over US$6.5 billion, which reflects increasing industry-level interest in dog-themed memecoins, as well as decentralised finance.
OKEx's notable growth in trading volumes is accompanied by the firm's market-leading push into the DeFi, GameFi and nonfungible token (NFT) spaces.
This fall, OKEx launched a DeFi mode on both its website and mobile app, featuring a bespoke Web 3.0 wallet, as well as an NFT Marketplace and play-to-earn crypto gaming centre. The platform also recently launched an advanced trading feature, portfolio margin, specifically designed to improve capital efficiency for professional and institutional traders.
“We are extremely pleased to witness this positive growth trajectory over the past year,” said OKEx CEO Jay Hao, adding that this would not have been possible without the support from valued customers — the trusted OKEx family.
“To cater to institutional and professional traders, a CME-like portfolio margin system was introduced as part of our efforts to build the world’s most powerful trading platform for crypto traders. As we celebrate our fourth anniversary, we look forward to expanding our offerings and further growing our family in the global markets.”
-- BERNAMA
According to a statement, OKEx's total trading volume of all listed assets grew from US$1.8 trillion in October 2020 to US$7.4 trillion as of October this year. (US$1 = RM4.175)
Breaking down this massive growth, perpetual swap products on OKEx saw the highest increase, with trading volume growing by 455 per cent year-over-year. Cryptocurrency spot and futures products also saw impressive growth in terms of trading volumes — up 365 per cent and 209 per cent, respectively.
In October this year, BTC, DOGE, SHIB, OKB, ETH and SOL were among the top-10 assets with the highest trading volumes on OKEx spot markets. Total spot trading volumes for the 10 assets combined reached a monthly high of over US$6.5 billion, which reflects increasing industry-level interest in dog-themed memecoins, as well as decentralised finance.
OKEx's notable growth in trading volumes is accompanied by the firm's market-leading push into the DeFi, GameFi and nonfungible token (NFT) spaces.
This fall, OKEx launched a DeFi mode on both its website and mobile app, featuring a bespoke Web 3.0 wallet, as well as an NFT Marketplace and play-to-earn crypto gaming centre. The platform also recently launched an advanced trading feature, portfolio margin, specifically designed to improve capital efficiency for professional and institutional traders.
“We are extremely pleased to witness this positive growth trajectory over the past year,” said OKEx CEO Jay Hao, adding that this would not have been possible without the support from valued customers — the trusted OKEx family.
“To cater to institutional and professional traders, a CME-like portfolio margin system was introduced as part of our efforts to build the world’s most powerful trading platform for crypto traders. As we celebrate our fourth anniversary, we look forward to expanding our offerings and further growing our family in the global markets.”
-- BERNAMA
ANNUAL SIGNATURE FINANCIAL PLANNING SYMPOSIUM 2021 ORGANIZED BY FPAM, MFPC & MFPAA
Interplay of Ethics & Sustainability for Greater Growth
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- FPAM organized the Annual Signature Financial Planning Symposium 2021 in collaboration with Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC) and Malaysian Financial Planners and Advisers Association (MFPAA) with the theme of Interplay of Ethics & Sustainability for Greater Growth. The event attracted 370 participants streaming online.
Mr. Paul Low, FPAM President led the opening address and emphasized on building trust, integrity and ethics to achieve the highest standards of financial planning landscape, thus the collaboration amongst associations signifies industry development consistent with long-term growth.
The second opening address was by Mr. Vincent Kwo Shih Kang, MFPC President who spoke on best practices to maintain an ethical conduct and decision-making to enhance confidence of clients and relational trust.
The Guest of Honor, Datuk Zainal Izlan Zainal Abidin, Deputy Chief Executive, Securities Commission Malaysia delivered his keynote by the recent launching of Capital Market Masterplan 3 (“CMP3”).The financial planning and advisory industry have seen an increase of 57% growth and further added that a study on possible consolidation of licensing regime for both financial planners and advisers to be jointly pursued by SC and Bank Negara Malaysia to promote holistic advisory and reducing regulatory costs for intermediaries. He acknowledged that SC is supportive of the recently published code of ethics and best practices specifically for FPs which covers the six codes ranging from integrity, fairness and competency.
The topics covered comprises of the expansion of License Financial Planner, various keys on building sustainable practice, risk managements, the how’s on setting a sustainable practice firm as well as fee advice, and lastly on ethics and business suitability.
ANNUAL SIGNATURE FINANCIAL PLANNING SYMPOSIUM 2021 ORGANIZED BY FPAM, MFPC & MFPAA
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- FPAM organized the Annual Signature Financial Planning Symposium 2021 in collaboration with Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC) and Malaysian Financial Planners and Advisers Association (MFPAA) with the theme of Interplay of Ethics & Sustainability for Greater Growth. The event attracted 370 participants streaming online.
Mr. Paul Low, FPAM President led the opening address and emphasized on building trust, integrity and ethics to achieve the highest standards of financial planning landscape, thus the collaboration amongst associations signifies industry development consistent with long-term growth.
The second opening address was by Mr. Vincent Kwo Shih Kang, MFPC President who spoke on best practices to maintain an ethical conduct and decision-making to enhance confidence of clients and relational trust.
The Guest of Honor, Datuk Zainal Izlan Zainal Abidin, Deputy Chief Executive, Securities Commission Malaysia delivered his keynote by the recent launching of Capital Market Masterplan 3 (“CMP3”).The financial planning and advisory industry have seen an increase of 57% growth and further added that a study on possible consolidation of licensing regime for both financial planners and advisers to be jointly pursued by SC and Bank Negara Malaysia to promote holistic advisory and reducing regulatory costs for intermediaries. He acknowledged that SC is supportive of the recently published code of ethics and best practices specifically for FPs which covers the six codes ranging from integrity, fairness and competency.
The topics covered comprises of the expansion of License Financial Planner, various keys on building sustainable practice, risk managements, the how’s on setting a sustainable practice firm as well as fee advice, and lastly on ethics and business suitability.
ANNUAL SIGNATURE FINANCIAL PLANNING SYMPOSIUM 2021 ORGANIZED BY FPAM, MFPC & MFPAA
Joint Enviva-J-Power efforts decarbonise power generation in Japan
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 -- Enviva Partners, LP (Enviva), a global renewable energy company, and Tokyo-based utility Electric Power Development Co Ltd (J-Power), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
This is for the long-term, large-scale supply of sustainable wood biomass from Enviva's manufacturing facilities in the US Southeast to J-Power’s coal-fired power plants in Japan, according to a statement.
The agreement is designed to develop an executable and investable plan under which Enviva will build new infrastructure to produce and deliver up to five million metric tonnes of sustainable wood pellets to permanently replace coal in J-Power’s existing coal-fired power plants, significantly curbing the utility’s greenhouse-gas emissions.
The MOU provides a framework to advance the role of biomass as a renewable and sustainable energy source and help J-Power meet its ‘Blue Mission’ goal to be carbon-neutral by 2050.
“We are delighted that our partnership with J-Power can help this leading utility in Japan reach its climate goals with reliable, baseload energy that complements the intermittency of wind and solar,” said co-founder and executive vice president of sales and marketing at Enviva, Thomas Meth.
Under the agreement, the parties will jointly evaluate the most sustainable and cost-effective means to deliver on the potential of the coal-to-biomass conversion project, such as security of supply, port reception, delivery and storage logistics, safety measures, and project economics.
The investment will leverage J-Power’s existing coal-fired power plants by re-purposing them via conversion, resulting potentially in both dedicated as well as co-fired biomass plants.
Biomass ultimately provided by Enviva under the agreement will be certified under the European Union’s (EU) current sustainability criteria, which maintains and improves long-term forest health, growth, and capacity.
Earlier this year, Enviva announced its own Net-Zero Commitment that will reduce, eliminate, or offset all of its direct emissions by 2030.
-- BERNAMA
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
ICURE RECEIVES DONEPEZIL PATCH APPROVAL FOR ALZHEIMER’S-TYPE DEMENTIA TREATMENT
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Icure Pharmaceutical Inc, a biopharmaceutical company in Korea, announced its donepezil patch, a treatment of Alzheimer’s-type dementia, received a drug product approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea.
According to a statement, the drug product approval process took seven months after an application was filed in April this year. With the approval, Icure marks the first commercialisation of the donepezil patch in the world.
“Based on outstanding efficacy and marketability of donepezil along with our technological prowess, we expect our donepezil patch will sufficiently take over the market of donepezil oral products as we have seen a high conversion rate of rivastigmine patches in the past,” said Icure Chief Executive Officer, YoungKweon Choi, Ph.D. who led donepezil patch development.
Donepezil is a current typical treatment that has been widely prescribed for the longest period for Alzheimer’s disease patients in severity ranging from mild to moderate and severe ones among FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments.
Due to difficulty in the development of its formulations, donepezil has been commercialised for only oral administration to date.
With successful completion of a Phase III clinical trial for the first time in the world, the donepezil patch of Icure is expected to significantly improve the quality of life of patients with Alzheimer’s-type dementia and their caregivers by enhancing the convenience in its use from orally taking once daily to putting a patch on skin twice a week.
With nearly 400 mild and moderate dementia patients in Korea, Taiwan, Australia and Malaysia, Icure successfully conducted a Phase III clinical study for its donepezil patch.
Specifically, the study demonstrated noninferiority compared to oral donepezil in Alzheimer's disease assessment scale cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), a typical standard tool for evaluating abilities of memory, language, reorganisation, action and orientation in patients with mild and moderate Alzheimer’s-type dementia.
Now that its donepezil patch received FDA approval for Phase I clinical trial as an investigational new drug in April, Icure will start to administer it to patients in the latter part of 2022.
More details at https://icure.co.kr.
-- BERNAMA
According to a statement, the drug product approval process took seven months after an application was filed in April this year. With the approval, Icure marks the first commercialisation of the donepezil patch in the world.
“Based on outstanding efficacy and marketability of donepezil along with our technological prowess, we expect our donepezil patch will sufficiently take over the market of donepezil oral products as we have seen a high conversion rate of rivastigmine patches in the past,” said Icure Chief Executive Officer, YoungKweon Choi, Ph.D. who led donepezil patch development.
Donepezil is a current typical treatment that has been widely prescribed for the longest period for Alzheimer’s disease patients in severity ranging from mild to moderate and severe ones among FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments.
Due to difficulty in the development of its formulations, donepezil has been commercialised for only oral administration to date.
With successful completion of a Phase III clinical trial for the first time in the world, the donepezil patch of Icure is expected to significantly improve the quality of life of patients with Alzheimer’s-type dementia and their caregivers by enhancing the convenience in its use from orally taking once daily to putting a patch on skin twice a week.
With nearly 400 mild and moderate dementia patients in Korea, Taiwan, Australia and Malaysia, Icure successfully conducted a Phase III clinical study for its donepezil patch.
Specifically, the study demonstrated noninferiority compared to oral donepezil in Alzheimer's disease assessment scale cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), a typical standard tool for evaluating abilities of memory, language, reorganisation, action and orientation in patients with mild and moderate Alzheimer’s-type dementia.
Now that its donepezil patch received FDA approval for Phase I clinical trial as an investigational new drug in April, Icure will start to administer it to patients in the latter part of 2022.
More details at https://icure.co.kr.
-- BERNAMA
LEDDARTECH ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION AT VARIOUS DECEMBER EVENTS
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- LeddarTech®, a global leader in providing the most flexible, robust and accurate ADAS and AD sensing technology, has announced its participation as a host and co-presenter at various events in December.
According to a statement, these events will showcase LeddarTech’s comprehensive end-to-end technology platforms, which enable customers to solve critical sensing and perception challenges across the entire value chain of the automotive, mobility and off-road markets.
The featured solutions include the LeddarVision™ sensor fusion and perception platform for Tier 1s and OEMs and the cost-effective, scalable LiDAR XLRator development solution based on patented LeddarEngine™ technology designed for LiDAR makers and Tier 1-2 manufacturers.
On Dec 2, The Autonomous, a global member-only organisation that comprises technology companies committed to working together in shaping the future of autonomous driving, hosts LeddarTech at this exclusive virtual event.
‘Reimagining Autonomy: A Platform Approach’, this event will consist of keynote presentations, panel discussions and a roundtable deep dive session, with presenters including Frantz Saintellemy, President and COO from LeddarTech; and, Marco Angelici, MEMS Micro Actuators Business Unit Director from STMicroelectronics.
In addition, on Dec 6, All About Circuits, a leader in tech media, hosts LeddarTech and Omni Design for a global webinar.
For ‘Are Solid-State LiDARs Ready for Mass-Market Deployment?’, LeddarTech and Omni Design are collaborating to address this market requirement to enable mass production of solid-state LiDAR products that meet stringent automotive requirements.
Meanwhile on Dec 9, Reuters Events, a division of the international Reuters news organisation, will be hosting LeddarTech at this global event: ‘Sensor Fusion and Perception Solutions for Critical ADAS and AD Applications’.
In this exclusive hands-on workshop, LeddarTech and guests will explore why perception software is a crucial enabler and accelerator of ADAS and AD in Level 1-5.
More details at www.leddartech.com.
-- BERNAMA
According to a statement, these events will showcase LeddarTech’s comprehensive end-to-end technology platforms, which enable customers to solve critical sensing and perception challenges across the entire value chain of the automotive, mobility and off-road markets.
The featured solutions include the LeddarVision™ sensor fusion and perception platform for Tier 1s and OEMs and the cost-effective, scalable LiDAR XLRator development solution based on patented LeddarEngine™ technology designed for LiDAR makers and Tier 1-2 manufacturers.
On Dec 2, The Autonomous, a global member-only organisation that comprises technology companies committed to working together in shaping the future of autonomous driving, hosts LeddarTech at this exclusive virtual event.
‘Reimagining Autonomy: A Platform Approach’, this event will consist of keynote presentations, panel discussions and a roundtable deep dive session, with presenters including Frantz Saintellemy, President and COO from LeddarTech; and, Marco Angelici, MEMS Micro Actuators Business Unit Director from STMicroelectronics.
In addition, on Dec 6, All About Circuits, a leader in tech media, hosts LeddarTech and Omni Design for a global webinar.
For ‘Are Solid-State LiDARs Ready for Mass-Market Deployment?’, LeddarTech and Omni Design are collaborating to address this market requirement to enable mass production of solid-state LiDAR products that meet stringent automotive requirements.
Meanwhile on Dec 9, Reuters Events, a division of the international Reuters news organisation, will be hosting LeddarTech at this global event: ‘Sensor Fusion and Perception Solutions for Critical ADAS and AD Applications’.
In this exclusive hands-on workshop, LeddarTech and guests will explore why perception software is a crucial enabler and accelerator of ADAS and AD in Level 1-5.
More details at www.leddartech.com.
-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
ADAGIO THERAPEUTICS UNVEILS ADG20 COVID-19 ANTIBODY PROGRAM UPDATE, THIRD QUARTER 2021 FINANCIAL RESULTS
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Adagio Therapeutics Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has provided an update on its lead COVID-19 antibody program, ADG20, and reported third quarter 2021 financial results.
ADG20 is an investigational monoclonal antibody product candidate designed to provide broad and potent neutralising activity against SARS-CoV-2, including variants of concern, for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, according to a statement.
“We’ve made significant progress over the course of 2021, and 2022 is set to be a landmark year for Adagio as we prepare for potential EUA submissions for ADG20 for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19,” said co-founder and chief executive officer of Adagio, Tillman Gerngross, Ph.D.
For ADG20 COVID-19 Program Updates, Adagio continues to enroll adult and adolescent participants in its ongoing, global Phase 3 EVADE clinical trial evaluating ADG20 as a prevention for COVID-19 in both the pre-exposure and recent exposure settings.
In addition, Adagio continues to enroll patients in its ongoing, global Phase 2/3 STAMP clinical trial evaluating ADG20 as a treatment for COVID-19.
New in vitro data demonstrated retained neutralising activity of ADG20 against a diverse panel of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the newly emerged Lambda, Mu and Delta plus variants.
Data from a six-month evaluation in Adagio’s Phase 1 healthy volunteer trial of ADG20 confirmed the extended half-life of ADG20, which approached 100 days based on data from the 300 mg intramuscular dose that was given as a single injection.
On Oct 29, the United States Patent and Trademark Office mailed a notice of allowance to the company for a patent application that will provide patent protection for ADG20 in the US.
Meanwhile, for third quarter 2021 financial results, as of Sept 30, Adagio had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of US$666.3 million, which are expected to support the company’s current operating plans into 2023. (US$1 = RM4.163)
Research & development expenses including in-process research and development for the third quarter of 2021 were US$49.4 million, while selling, general & administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2021 were US$11.1 million.
More details at www.adagiotx.com.
-- BERNAMA
ADG20 is an investigational monoclonal antibody product candidate designed to provide broad and potent neutralising activity against SARS-CoV-2, including variants of concern, for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, according to a statement.
“We’ve made significant progress over the course of 2021, and 2022 is set to be a landmark year for Adagio as we prepare for potential EUA submissions for ADG20 for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19,” said co-founder and chief executive officer of Adagio, Tillman Gerngross, Ph.D.
For ADG20 COVID-19 Program Updates, Adagio continues to enroll adult and adolescent participants in its ongoing, global Phase 3 EVADE clinical trial evaluating ADG20 as a prevention for COVID-19 in both the pre-exposure and recent exposure settings.
In addition, Adagio continues to enroll patients in its ongoing, global Phase 2/3 STAMP clinical trial evaluating ADG20 as a treatment for COVID-19.
New in vitro data demonstrated retained neutralising activity of ADG20 against a diverse panel of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the newly emerged Lambda, Mu and Delta plus variants.
Data from a six-month evaluation in Adagio’s Phase 1 healthy volunteer trial of ADG20 confirmed the extended half-life of ADG20, which approached 100 days based on data from the 300 mg intramuscular dose that was given as a single injection.
On Oct 29, the United States Patent and Trademark Office mailed a notice of allowance to the company for a patent application that will provide patent protection for ADG20 in the US.
Meanwhile, for third quarter 2021 financial results, as of Sept 30, Adagio had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of US$666.3 million, which are expected to support the company’s current operating plans into 2023. (US$1 = RM4.163)
Research & development expenses including in-process research and development for the third quarter of 2021 were US$49.4 million, while selling, general & administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2021 were US$11.1 million.
More details at www.adagiotx.com.
-- BERNAMA
HITACHI ENERGY LAUNCHES IDENTIQ™ FOR SUSTAINABLE, FLEXIBLE AND SECURE POWER GRIDS
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, has launched IdentiQ™, its digital twin solutions for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and power quality solutions.
According to a statement, IdentiQ will help to advance the world’s energy system to be more sustainable, flexible and secure, accelerating the transition towards a carbon-neutral future.
“IdentiQ is a game-changing digital twin solution built on our unique domain expertise and leadership in power grid technologies and innovation,” said Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business, Niklas Persson.
“It is a significant addition to Hitachi Energy’s digital offering and supports our customers’ efforts to continuously enhance the efficiency and reliability of their grid investments.”
IdentiQ is the digital twin of a HVDC converter station, STATCOM or other power quality solution, providing all the relevant asset information, analytics and operational data in an intuitive and easy-to-navigate dashboard, which users can customise to match their needs.
IdentiQ includes 3D interactive visualisation of the complete asset, combined with one-click access to all the associated plant and equipment information, including engineering documentation, operational and maintenance procedures, safety training and live operational data for monitoring and analytics.
IdentiQ will enable customers to improve the management of power grid assets by clustering all information into one digital location for seamless access by all operational functions.
This approach stands at the core of Hitachi Energy’s vision for digital twin technology: delivering the right resources and information to the right people at the right time for optimised operations and smarter decision making.
-- BERNAMA
According to a statement, IdentiQ will help to advance the world’s energy system to be more sustainable, flexible and secure, accelerating the transition towards a carbon-neutral future.
“IdentiQ is a game-changing digital twin solution built on our unique domain expertise and leadership in power grid technologies and innovation,” said Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business, Niklas Persson.
“It is a significant addition to Hitachi Energy’s digital offering and supports our customers’ efforts to continuously enhance the efficiency and reliability of their grid investments.”
IdentiQ is the digital twin of a HVDC converter station, STATCOM or other power quality solution, providing all the relevant asset information, analytics and operational data in an intuitive and easy-to-navigate dashboard, which users can customise to match their needs.
IdentiQ includes 3D interactive visualisation of the complete asset, combined with one-click access to all the associated plant and equipment information, including engineering documentation, operational and maintenance procedures, safety training and live operational data for monitoring and analytics.
IdentiQ will enable customers to improve the management of power grid assets by clustering all information into one digital location for seamless access by all operational functions.
This approach stands at the core of Hitachi Energy’s vision for digital twin technology: delivering the right resources and information to the right people at the right time for optimised operations and smarter decision making.
-- BERNAMA
DAIRY COMPANY YILI GROUP UNVEILS 2021 FIRST THREE QUARTERS FINANCIAL RESULTS
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- Yili Group has released its financial results for the first three quarters of 2021.
During the period, Yili achieved a total operating revenue of RMB 85.007 billion and a net profit of RMB 7.967 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 15.23 per cent and 31.82 per cent, respectively. (RMB 100 = RM65.16)
Both indicators reached a record high, and the profit growth of more than 30 per cent far outstripped expectations, according to a statement.
Yili's net profit in the first three quarters has exceeded that of last year, signaling a new outlook for the company's growth prospects. The performance also indicated that Yili is now expected to become the first dairy company in Asia to exceed RMB 100 billion in revenue.
Yili has continued to stand out as the pacesetter of the market in liquid milk, ice cream, and other products. Yili Satine Organic Milk, AMBPOMIAL, and Changqing have clinched first place in their respective market segments.
In addition, new product sales have risen strongly, with brand potential beginning to emerge as the new force underpinning Yili's performance growth. High-growth categories, including cheese, mineral water, low-temperature milk, and milk formula, have all sustained rapid growth.
Yili's Xinhuo adult milk powder has led the market segment in sales volume, while Jinlingguan has been the infant formula brand which has seen the most rapid growth in China's market.
The company has proactively enriched categories and its strategic cooperation since the beginning of 2021. On Oct 27, Yili joined hands with goat milk leader Ausnutria Dairy and became the latter's largest shareholder.
It has also established a dedicated team working in digitalisation since 2019 and has developed its digitalisation-oriented transformation strategy for the next decade, laying out a roadmap for marketing, products and supply chains.
-- BERNAMA
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