Anaqua’s IP Management Platform Enables Businesses To Achieve Maximum Value

KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Bernama) -- Anaqua, an innovation and intellectual property (IP) management technology provider, has launched artificial intelligence (AI)-powered AQX 11, its most significant platform release in 20 years, to help corporations and law firms achieve maximum value from their IP assets.

The launch coincides with the first day of the Anaqua Experience Conference and is part of the company’s 20th-anniversary celebrations, according to a statement.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Bob Romeo in a statement said Anaqua is excited to commemorate its anniversary and share this achievement with its global client community, who has been integral in making this possible.

Meanwhile, Anaqua Senior Vice President of Product & Innovation, Vincent Brault said: “This release empowers our clients to optimise operational efficiency and strategic decision-making through groundbreaking AI capabilities and automation.

“By enabling IP practitioners to extract vital insights from essential data and streamline portfolio decisions and patent classification, AQX 11 sets a new standard in IP management technology.”

An IP platform designed for operational and strategic advantage, AQX 11 brings a fresh look and feel to the world of IP management while dramatically enhancing decision-making capabilities and efficiency for IP attorneys and operations teams.

A suite of new features includes AI capabilities in which users can easily summarise patent claims and inventions, as well as automatically classify and map both internal and competitor patents; attorney workspace where attorneys can quickly access critical data related to IP matters in one central place; and organisations can accelerate innovation and maximise value in strategic planning through Innovation Management.

-- BERNAMA

Fortrea’s AI Innovation Studio Revolutionises Clinical Trials Execution

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Bernama) -- Fortrea, a global contract research organisation (CRO), has launched its artificial intelligence (AI) Innovation Studio, signalling a strategic investment in reshaping the execution of clinical trials today and into the future.

According to Fortrea in a statement, the studio will develop and deploy AI and machine learning (ML) technologies to drive speed, agility, quality and enhanced patient safety in the clinical research process by equipping and empowering people to focus on the critical human element of clinical trials.

“Fortrea’s AI Innovation Studio will enable enhanced technological capabilities that will allow AI-enabled systems to perform cutting-edge processes, such as trial simulations, predictive analytics and pattern recognition, as well as repetitive, administrative, ‘machine-friendly tasks’,” said Fortrea Chief Information Officer, Alejandro Martinez Galindo.

Fortrea’s AI Innovation Studio aims to partner across Fortrea and with its customers to provide technology solutions for bespoke site and sponsor innovation strategies; develop net new, greenfield technology innovations; and support existing infrastructure and operations with enhanced technology.

Technologies under development in the studio include smartphone-enabled data collection; specialised large language models for text comprehension and generation; symbolic AI with real-valued logic, namely building decision logic using real-world scenarios and data; mixed reality and augmented intelligence; advanced data mining and predictive analytics; as well as digital twinning.

Strategic application of these technologies is expected to result in meaningful advancements in patient recruitment and retention, protocol creation/optimisation, risk-based quality monitoring and overall delivery speed and quality.

These technologies can also deliver an improved patient experience and greater productivity for Fortrea customers, sites and employees.

Developments from the AI Innovation Studio will be critical to Fortrea’s clinical technology platform, which is being designed to integrate clinical trial technology into a consumer-grade, location-agnostic, omni-channel, persona-based experience accessible through a single screen.

Fortrea’s solutions leverage three decades of experience spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas, a passion for scientific rigour, exceptional insights and a strong investigator site network, with a team working in more than 90 countries to deliver focused and agile solutions to customers globally.

-- BERNAMA

EMPOWERING MALAYSIA'S GAMING FUTURE: HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA AND XSOLLA CURINE ACADEMY FORGE PATH FOR LOCAL GAMING TALENT

Source: HWUM

PUTRAJAYA, June 28 (Bernama) --The Ministry of Digital Malaysia has announced that the country's gaming industry is expected to reach a revenue of US$649 million by 2024, with a growth rate of 7.55% from 2024 to 2027, projecting a market volume of US$807 million by 2027.

In light of these promising prospects, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia ("HWUM" or "University") and Xsolla Curine Academy ("XCA") have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") to nurture and harness local talent.

The MoU signing at the University's campus in Putrajaya marks a pivotal moment for both parties, symbolising a concerted effort to cultivate a robust talent pipeline for the gaming industry. The MoU was signed by Kaveh Wong, Co-Founder of XCA and Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Provost and Chief Executive Officer, Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi, with the senior management teams from both organisations present to witness the event.

Professor Mushtak said: "We are deeply honoured by this partnership. Through this MoU, we are committed to nurturing talent within the gaming industry, aligning with our purpose-driven approach to education. Our goal is to provide equal opportunities for our students, nurture purpose-driven leaders capable of positively impacting the gaming world, and drive innovation and growth within the industry in Malaysia and beyond."

Kaveh Wong expressed: "This partnership highlights the collective commitment of both Xsolla Curine Academy and Heriot-Watt University Malaysia to nurture talent, foster innovation, and propel Malaysia's gaming startup ecosystem to new heights. XCA is here to bridge the gap between global demand and local talent, not just in Malaysia but internationally. This collaboration aims to nurture the next generation of leaders and innovators in the dynamic game development sector by providing students with the necessary resources and opportunities."

Through this collaboration, HWUM and XCA will foster and promote the local game development community, showcasing Malaysians' immense capabilities and achievements in creating original Intellectual Property within the gaming sector.

As part of the collaborative efforts, informative sessions featuring industry experts will be organised for HWUM students. These sessions will offer invaluable insights, experiences, and tools relevant to game development, equipping students with the necessary knowledge to thrive in the industry. Additionally, HWUM will receive support in facilitating connections with international game developers, ensuring that students are exposed to global industry standards and requirements.

To further bolster the local game development community, collaborative initiatives will include organising events such as the Global Game Jam or Game Developer Meetups. These events will serve as platforms for knowledge exchange, networking, and skill enhancement, creating a vibrant ecosystem that fosters innovation and growth within the gaming industry. Through the partnership, HWUM will also be recognised by XCA as a prominent supporter or member of the "Local Game Development Empowerment Club" or similar entities.

SOURCE: HWUM

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Diyana Kamar
Email: N.Shamsul_Kamar@hw.ac.uk

--BERNAMA

H.I.G. Capital Closes US$1.3 Bln Infrastructure Fund

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- H.I.G. Capital (H.I.G.), a global alternative asset management firm, has announced the closing of H.I.G. Infrastructure Partners (Fund), with aggregate capital commitments of approximately US$1.3 billion. (US$1=RM4.70)

The Fund seeks to make control-oriented, infrastructure equity investments focused on the middle market segment, leveraging the firm’s focus on the middle market and its operational value creation expertise.

To date, across North America and Europe, the Fund has made seven investments, two of which are expected to close in the third quarter of this year, according to a statement.

“We greatly appreciate the strong support from our investors for our Infrastructure strategy. Their confidence in our investment approach to infrastructure underscores the power of the firm’s platform and our ability to generate strong returns through value creation in the underserved middle market,” said H.I.G. Co-Founders, Sami Mnaymneh and Tony Tamer.

Meanwhile, H.I.G. Infrastructure Co-Heads, Andrew Liau and Ed Pallesen commented that the Fund is well-positioned to capitalise on opportunities in the less efficient middle market.

“H.I.G.’s unique platform provides us with a demonstrated, differentiated sourcing model and a deep pool of resources focused on operational value creation. We believe this allows us to generate strong returns, especially as the industry adjusts to higher interest rates and macro volatility.”

The Fund was supported by a diverse and global group of limited partners that include sovereign wealth funds, public and private sector pensions, as well as insurance companies in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Based in Miami, H.I.G. has invested in and managed over 400 companies worldwide since its founding in 1993 with current portfolio includes more than 100 companies.

-- BERNAMA

Acino Gains Commercial Rights For Allecra’s Antibiotic Drug

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- Acino and Allecra Therapeutics (Allecra) have signed an exclusive licensing agreement under which Acino gains the rights to commercialise Allecra’s antibiotic drug EXBLIFEP (cefepime/enmetazobactam).

Acino has the rights to commercialise the drug within the Republic of South Africa and the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) alliance, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, effective June 12.

In addition, the companies have signed a supply agreement under which Allecra will supply the cefepime/enmetazobactam finished product in that territories, according to a statement.

Acino Interim Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Bird said the company is incredibly excited to partner with Allecra to offer access to this innovative product in two key geographic regions and, potentially, beyond.

“We are committed to expediting the registration process in these designated markets to ensure hospitals’ swift access to EXBLIFEP as they continue to fight against high-risk infectious diseases in patients,” he said.

Meanwhile, Allecra Therapeutics Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director, Andreas Kranzusch said: “This agreement reflects the understanding that there remains a significant global need to address the dangerous increase of resistance to standard-of-care antibiotics, and we look forward to working with Acino to address this.”

In February, the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved EXBLIFEP as a treatment for complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), in patients 18 years and older.

Meanwhile, in March, the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorisation for EXBLIFEP on the treatment of adult patients with cUTI; hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP); and bacteraemia that occurs in association with, or is suspected to be associated with any of the infections listed previously.

Headquartered in Zurich, Acino is a Swiss pharmaceutical company that delivers quality pharmaceuticals to promote affordable healthcare in these emerging markets and leverage its high-quality pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities and network to supply leading companies via contract manufacturing and out-licensing.

-- BERNAMA

China’s BYD Unveils Energy Solutions, Celebrates 1 Mln Installed BatteryBox Systems

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- BYD Co Ltd, one of the world’s largest rechargeable batteries and electrical vehicles manufacturers, showcased its renewable energy solutions at “The Smarter E Europe” from June 19 to 21.

The exhibition featured the latest BatteryBox energy storage systems, BatteryMax Lite, and BYD MC Cube-T for utility-scale, commercial and industrial applications, according to the company in a statement.

BYD Residential Energy Storage Director, Jiang Feng highlighted the importance of European markets and the company’s goal to provide green energy solutions, in which its partnership with UEFA Euro 2024 aligns with promoting eco-friendly energy and mobility solutions.

Since its debut in 2015, the BYD BatteryBox series has become a leading residential energy storage solution worldwide, now boasting over one million installations with an impeccable safety record.

The full BYD BatteryBox Premium portfolio, including high-voltage models HVS/HVM and low-voltage models LVL/LVS, were on display. A new battery control unit (BCU) for HVM and HVS series was also introduced, simplifying installation by eliminating the need to remove covers for cable connections.

Launched at ees Europe 2024, the new BatteryMax Lite is designed for commercial and industrial applications, offering scalable solutions from 30 kilowatt-hours (kWh) to 90kWh, and up to 5.76 Megawatt-hours (MWh) with parallel connections.

Compatible with inverters from brands like SMA and Goodwe, BatteryMax Lite will be available for pre-order from August with shipments starting in late summer, and system availability in Europe expected by October.

To thank its partners, BYD hosted a special event whereby its Energy Storage General Manager, Yin Xiaoqiang presented the certificates and prizes such as UEFA Euro 2024 final tickets and BatteryBox systems to the distributors and installers. 

Meanwhile, on ees Europe 2024, BYD was awarded the recognition of “Top Brand PV Storage Europe 2024” and the “Top Brand PV Storage 2024” country-level awards for several European markets, including Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Austria, and the United Kingdom.

-- BERNAMA

WeRide, CTM Roll Out Driverless Sweepers By Year-end In Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (Bernama) -- WeRide, a global leader in autonomous driving technology, announced a partnership with Chye Thiam Maintenance (CTM), Singapore’s renowned sanitation company, to jointly advance the commercial deployment of WeRide Robosweepers in Singapore.

According to a statement, the first batch of WeRide Robosweepers has successfully arrived in the country and begun safety testing, with official operations expected to commence by the end of this year.

The partnership between WeRide and CTM will provide the latest cutting-edge technology and high-quality unmanned sanitation services for urban cleaning in Singapore.

WeRide Robosweeper S6 features multiple high-precision sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, enabling it to efficiently perform various urban sanitation tasks such as road sweeping, water spraying, and disinfection.

The Robosweeper can automatically detect road conditions, avoid pedestrians and obstacles, ensuring safe and reliable operation while enhancing cleaning efficiency.

Additionally, the WeRide Robosweeper is powered by an all-electric drive system, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 10,000 kilogrammes per month on average, to ensure its low-carbon footprint while significantly contributing to the green transformation of Singapore's sanitation sector.

As the country achieved remarkable results in urban sanitation, with tree-lined streets, numerous gardens, and a picturesque landscape, earning it the reputation of a "Garden City", the launch in Singapore marks WeRide’s successful entry into the global market, expanding its commercial landscape and potential.

WeRide will view Singapore as a strategic centre, collaborate with local partners, and rapidly enter the Southeast Asian sanitation market, bringing efficient and high-quality unmanned sanitation services to more countries and cities.

Since September 2022, WeRide's smart sanitation services have been rolled out in multiple cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Beijing. These deployments contribute to model projects for smart city development, enhancing the livability and tourism appeal of these urban areas.

-- BERNAMA