Day: January 20, 2022

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UAB announces first clinical-grade transplant of gene-edited pig kidneys into brain-dead human

UAB announces the first clinical-grade transplant of gene-edited pig kidneys into brain-dead human

A doppler probe is used to assess blood flow inside the right porcine (pig) kidney after transplantation into the brain-dead recipient.Hands left to right: Katie Stegner, Dr. Babak Orandi, M.D., Ph.D. (holding the probe), Jayme Locke, M.D. (holding the kidney)Photo taken by Jeff Myers, UAB

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

UAB researchers have achieved several world’s firsts with pig-to-human kidney transplant:

  • First peer-reviewed/published study of a genetically modified pig kidney transplanted into the body of a brain-dead human recipient
  • First such study on a pig-to-human kidney transplant using genetically modified kidneys with 10 key gene edits that may make the kidneys suitable for direct clinical-grade therapeutic use in humans
  • First validation of a UAB-developed test for compatibility before xenotransplant
  • First peer-reviewed/published study to establish brain death as a viable preclinical human model

Notably, the study was designed and conducted to meet standards directly comparable to those that would apply to a Phase I clinical trial and mirrored — as much as possible — every step of a conventional transplant between humans. Importantly, this study included removing the human brain-dead recipient’s native kidneys before replacing them with genetically modified pig kidneys.

UAB announces first clinical-grade transplant of gene-edited pig kidneys into brain-dead human

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine announces today the first peer-reviewed research outlining the successful transplant of genetically modified, clinical-grade pig kidneys into a brain-dead human individual, replacing the recipient’s native kidneys. These positive results demonstrate how xenotransplantation could address the worldwide organ shortage crisis.

In the study published in the American Journal of Transplantation, UAB researchers tested the first human preclinical model for transplanting genetically modified pig kidneys into humans. The study recipient had two genetically modified pig kidneys transplanted in his abdomen after his native kidneys were removed. The organs were procured from a genetically modified pig at a pathogen-free facility.

“Along with our partners, we have made significant investments in xenotransplantation for almost a decade hoping for the kinds of results published today,” said Selwyn Vickers, M.D., dean of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and CEO of the UAB Health System and UAB/Ascension St. Vincent’s Alliance. “Today’s results are a remarkable achievement for humanity and advance xenotransplant into the clinical realm. With this study, our research teams have also demonstrated that the decedent model has significant potential to propel the xenotransplantation field forward.”

For the first time, the pig kidneys transplanted were taken from pigs that had been genetically modified with 10 key gene edits that may make the kidneys suitable for transplant into humans. This process demonstrates the long-term viability of the procedure and how such a transplant might work in the real world. The transplanted kidneys filtered blood, produced urine and, importantly, were not immediately rejected. The kidneys remained viable until the study was ended, 77 hours after transplant.

“This game-changing moment in the history of medicine represents a paradigm shift and a major milestone in the field of xenotransplantation, which is arguably the best solution to the organ shortage crisis,” said Jayme Locke, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Transplant Institute in UAB’s Department of Surgery and lead surgeon for the study. “We have bridged critical knowledge gaps and obtained the safety and feasibility data necessary to begin a clinical trial in living humans with end-stage kidney failure disease.”

Gene editing in pigs to reduce immune rejection has made organ transplants from pigs to humans possible, which could offer help to thousands of people who face organ failure, disease or injury. The natural lifespan of a pig is 30 years, they are easily bred and can have organs of similar size to humans.

Genetically modified pig kidneys have been extensively tested in non-human primates. In addition to testing in non-human primates, evaluating genetically modified pig kidneys in a human preclinical model research may provide important information about the potential safety and efficacy of kidneys in human transplant recipients, including in clinical trials.

“This human preclinical model is a way to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the pig-to-non-human primate model, without risk to a living human,” Locke added. “Our study demonstrates that major barriers to human xenotransplantation have been surmounted, identifies where new knowledge is needed to optimize xenotransplantation outcomes in humans, and lays the foundation for the establishment of a novel preclinical human model for further study.”

This effort is supported by biotechnology pioneer United Therapeutics Corporation, which awarded a grant to UAB to launch the innovative xenotransplantation program. Revivicor, Inc., a subsidiary of United Therapeutics, provided the genetically modified pig that was the source of the investigational xenotransplant kidneys called UKidney™.

“All of us at Revivicor are in awe of the historic achievements at UAB with our investigational 10-gene xenokidney, or UKidney,” said David Ayares, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Revivicor and a trailblazing genetic engineer since his early work cloning the world’s first pigs and the first alpha-Gal knockout pigs. “We feel confident that this UKidney may turn out to be a life-saving solution for thousands of people on dialysis, subject to successful completion of our clinical trials and achievement of FDA approval in the next several years.”

About the study
The peer-reviewed research is a study of ambitious scope and great significance, given that more than 800,000 Americans are living with kidney failure. Most never make it to the waiting list, and far too few human organs are available to put a dent in that number. Although dialysis can sustain life for some time, transplantation offers a better quality of life and a longer life for the few individuals who can gain access to transplantation. Each stage of this decedent xenotransplant study approximated the steps that might be taken in a Phase I xenotransplant clinical trial:

  • The kidneys were removed from a donor pig housed at a pathogen-free, surgically clean facility. The kidneys were then stored, transported and processed for implantation, just as human kidneys are.
  • Before surgery, the brain-dead recipient and donor animal underwent a crossmatch compatibility test to determine whether the genetically modified pig kidney and its intended recipient were a good tissue match. A crossmatch is done for every human-to-human kidney transplant; however, this pig-to-human tissue-match test was developed at UAB and marked the first time a prospective crossmatch has been validated between the two species.
  • The pig kidneys were placed in the exact anatomic locations used for human donor kidneys, with the same attachments to the renal artery, renal vein and the ureter that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder.
  • The brain-dead recipient received standard immune-suppression therapy used in human-to-human kidney allotransplantation.

The study was conducted to meet the standards directly comparable to those that would apply to a Phase I human clinical trial, mirroring every step of a standard transplant between humans. It included Institutional Review Board and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval, a tissue compatibility confirmation before starting the operations, using the standard procedures of human-to-human transplants to remove, preserve, transport and transplant the kidneys into a human, and giving the standard immunosuppression therapy to the recipient.

Transplant recipient Jim Parsons helps open doors to the future of organ transplantation
This scientific and medical breakthrough would not have been possible without Jim Parsons, the recipient, or his family.

Parsons, 57, was a registered organ donor through Legacy of Hope, Alabama’s organ procurement organization, and he had longed to have his organs help others upon his death; but his organs were not suitable for donation. His family permitted UAB to maintain Parsons on a ventilator to keep his body functioning during the study. His native kidneys were removed, and two genetically modified pig kidneys were transplanted.

“Mr. Parsons and his family allowed us to replicate precisely how we would perform this transplant in a living human. Their powerful contribution will save thousands of lives, and that could begin in the very near future,” Locke said. “Mr. Parsons’ gift honors his legacy and firmly establishes the viability, safety and feasibility of this preclinical model. Because of his gift, we have proposed this to be known as ‘The Parsons Model.’”

Parsons’ ex-wife, Julie O’Hara, and their children, Ally, David and Cole, made the decision (along with Jim’s sisters and mother) to take part in the study after they were approached by Alan Spriggs with Legacy of Hope and Locke.

“Jim was a never-met-a-stranger kind of guy who would talk to anyone and had no enemies — none,” O’Hara said. “Jim would have wanted to save as many people as he could with his death, and if he knew he could potentially save thousands and thousands of people by doing this, he would have had no hesitation. Our dream is that no other person dies waiting for a kidney, and we know that Jim is very proud that his death could potentially bring so much hope to others.”

The critical need for other organ donation options
Kidney disease kills more people each year than breast or prostate cancer, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Although transplantation is the gold standard treatment for end-stage kidney disease, fewer than 25,000 kidney transplants are performed each year in the United States and 240 Americans on dialysis die every day. Many of these deaths could be prevented if an unlimited supply of kidneys were available for transplant.

The wait for a deceased donor kidney can be as long as five years, and in many states, it is closer to 10 years. Almost 5,000 people per year die waiting on a kidney transplant.

About UAB transplant and the xenotransplant team
UAB Medicine is a world leader in organ transplantation and has performed 9,055 kidney transplants from Jan. 1, 1988, to Dec. 31, 2021 — the second-most kidney transplants in the United States during that time. The focus of UAB’s xenotransplantation program is to address the organ shortage by safely transplanting genetically modified pig kidneys into humans with kidney failure. Learn more.

About UAB
Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a part of the University of Alabama System, is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center. UAB consistently exceeds $600 million in annual research awards and totaled almost $850 million last year, including one-time COVID-related funding. UAB is Alabama’s largest single employer, with more than 26,000 employees, and was named America’s Best Large Employer by Forbes in 2021. The institution’s annual economic impact on the state exceeds $7 billion each year. The pillars of UAB’s mission include education, research, innovation and economic development, community engagement, and patient care. Learn more at www.uab.edu.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The University of Alabama at Birmingham is one of three doctoral research universities in the University of Alabama System. In your first reference to our institution, please use University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB on subsequent references.

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/UAB.edu TEXT: www.uab.edu/news
TWEETS: www.twitter.com/uabnews VIDEO: www.youtube.com/uabnews

Media Contacts:
Tyler Greer, 205-934-2041
Nicolas Kressmann, 732-532-5318

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33d4e6ff-7c94-45e9-b4b2-54b02013eabc

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/90656f74-a325-479f-9177-9d9538f11799

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Tottenham earn miraculous victory over Leicester City with Bergwijn’s injury time double

Steven Bergwijn scored a very late double to lead his team Tottenham Hotspur to a thrilling English Premier League victory over Leicester City 3-2 late Wednesday.

 

Home team Leicester City’s forward Patson Daka finished over Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 24th minute at King Power Stadium as the Foxes took a 1-0 lead.

 

Tottenham star Harry Kane scored on a quick counter attack after skipping Leicester City’s Turkish defender Caglar Soyuncu. Spurs leveled the game in the 38th minute.

 

The match was 1-1 until Leicester City midfielder James Maddison scored in the area to give the Foxes a 2-1 lead in the 76th minute.

 

Spurs took risks for an equalizer as Dutch winger Bergwijn, who was subbed in the 79th minute, made it 2-2 in the 95th minute.

 

He was unmarked in the box to score a right-footed volley that beat Kasper Schmeichel.

 

Then Leicester City lost the ball in the midfield as Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg intercepted the pass and did not waste any time to pass it to Kane.

 

Kane played a long through ball to find Bergwijn, who was running towards the Foxes goal.

 

Bergwijn was chased by Soyuncu, however the Dutchman dribbled past Schmeichel to score the winning goal for Tottenham in the 97th minute, 3-2.

 

So Spurs completed the comeback after Bergwijn’s solo effort.

 

Tottenham have 36 points to climb to the fifth position in the Premier League standings. They have three remaining matches.

 

They are one point behind West Ham United.

 

Fourth-placed West Ham played 22 matches to bag 37 points.

 

Leicester City are currently in the 10th position with 25 points.

 

In the other match of Wednesday night, Manchester United visited Brentford to earn a 3-1 win, which is the Red Devils’ first Premier League victory of 2022.

 

Source: Anadolu Agency

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Egypt advances to last 16 of Africa Cup of Nations

Egypt qualified for the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations by narrowly beating Sudan on Wednesday in a Group D match.

 

Mohamed Abdelmonem scored the winning goal at Yaounde’s Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameron with a header from a corner as the Pharaohs finished three points behind the group winners, Nigeria.

 

Nigeria secured a 2-0 victory against Guinea-Bissau with goals from Umar Sadiq and William Troost-Ekong at Roumde Adjia Stadium in the Cameroonian city of Garoua.

 

Nigeria are atop the group, winning all their matches. Egypt collected six points and are in second place after three matches.

 

Five-time champion Cameroon is the host nation of the 33rd edition of Africa’s flagship football tournament that is held every two years.

 

Following the group stage with 24 nations in six groups that ends Jan. 20, the Round of 16 will be held from Jan. 23-26.

 

The final will take place on Feb. 6 at Yaounde’s Olembe Stadium.

 

Source: Anadolu Agency

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NBA legend Lusia Harris dies at 66

Lusia Harris, the only woman to be drafted by an NBA team, passed away Tuesday, her family announced. She was 66.

 

“We are deeply saddened to share the news that our angel, matriarch, sister, mother, grandmother, Olympic medalist, The Queen of Basketball, Lusia Harris has passed away unexpectedly today in Mississippi,” the NBA quoted her family as saying in a statement.

 

Harris, who died in her native Mississippi, was drafted by the New Orleans Jazz in the seventh round in 1977, but did not try out for the team because she was pregnant at the time.

 

The 1976 Olympic silver medalist became the first Black woman inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. She later entered the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.

 

“She will be remembered for her charity, for her achievements both on and off the court, and the light she brought to her community, the state of Mississippi, her country as the first woman ever to score a basket in the Olympics, and to women who play basketball around the world,” the statement said.

 

She was the subject of a 2021 short film, The Queen of Basketball, that detailed her career.

 

Source: Anadolu Agency

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Biden meets with US senators on Ukraine amid invasion fears

US President Joe Biden met behind closed doors with a bipartisan group of senators to address concerns that Russia is preparing for an invasion of Ukraine, the White House said Wednesday.

 

The group of lawmakers included seven who recently returned from Ukraine where they met President Volodymyr Zelensky.

 

Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the president and senators “exchanged views on the best ways the United States can continue to work closely with our allies and partners in support of Ukraine, including both ongoing diplomacy to try to resolve the current crisis and deterrence measures.”

 

“President Biden commended the strong history of support for Ukraine from both sides of the aisle, and agreed to keep working closely with Congress as the Administration prepares to impose significant consequences in response to further Russian aggression against Ukraine,” she added in a statement.

 

Russia’s military buildup along its border with Ukraine totals more than 100,000 troops alongside a significant deployment of artillery and armored vehicles. The Kremlin has denied allegations that it is preparing for an invasion, maintaining its troops are there for exercises.

 

The US and its European allies have warned of “devastating” economic sanctions should Russia again invade Ukraine following its illegal annexation of Kyiv’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014. That year also saw Moscow begin its support for separatists rebels in eastern Ukraine, a policy it has continued for eight years.

 

Source: Anadolu Agency

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JWA Dubai unveils inaugural panel of judges

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 20 January 2022 – In line with its goal of recognising the growing importance of the gemstone and jewellery trade in the Middle East, JWA Dubai has named the judges for its inaugural edition. 

Nirupa Bhatt, a Business Coach and Strategic Advisor to the gems and jewellery industry, has served as managing director of GIA India and the Middle East. “The Middle East is a very unique and interesting region that caters to local and international consumers. I would like to extend my compliments to the JWA team for launching JWA Dubai in recognition of these outstanding businesses,” said Bhatt.

While DMCC Executive Chairman and CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem, has grown a business that currently has over 20,000 member companies from 180 countries since 2003. “It is a tremendous honour to have been invited into the judging panel of JWA Dubai, which trains the spotlight on the UAE and the opportunities its world-class jewellery sector brings,” added Bin Sulayem, also the Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) and the DGCX.

Bhatt and Bin Sulayem lead the judging panel as principal judges.

CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri is also a judge. “In less than two decades, Dubai has evolved into a key innovator in the industry as a city whose name has become synonymous with design excellence — just as the Middle East has become one of the most important markets in the global trade,” said Cavalieri.

Italian Exhibition Group S.P.A (IEG) Global Exhibition Director Marco Carniello, who has also worked in strategy consultancy with Accenture and Bain & Co, also joins the panel. “Dubai continues to grow as a strategic gateway for jewellery businesses in the Middle East and beyond. Hosting the trade events further affirms its role in the industry today,” he shared.

Rounding off the panel is Chairperson and Founder of JWA at Informa Markets Jewellery (IMJ) Letitia Chow. “It is our honour to have the support of various industry experts to join the judging panel of JWA Dubai. We are ready to recognise individuals and companies who contribute immensely to the region’s burgeoning trade,” added Chow, who also chairs JWA Dubai’s judging panel.

Organised by IMJ and IEG, the first edition of JWA Dubai is supported by Official Partner DMCC, along with Title Sponsors Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group and Jawhara Jewellery. The awards ceremony will be held at JGT Dubai on Monday, 21 February.

Media Contact: info@JWADubai.com

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Arctech Expands Global Footprint: Shine Forward in 2022

SHANGHAI, Jan. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Arctech, the world’s leading tracking, racking, and BIPV solutions provider, reviewed the major milestones in 2021 and stepped into the new year with the expansion of its global footprint.

In 2021, Arctech has been taking a leap on expanding its global footprint and manufacturing bases close to its major markets worldwide. In Latam, the company announced its official subsidiary in Chile. With a portfolio of close to 1.6 GW in Latam, the company has now five local offices in Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, providing engineering, manufacturing and after-sales support for Arctech’s local operation, with an intent to source materials for its tracking systems from within the region to shore up competitiveness and diversify supply sources.

Arctech has also officially launched the Saudi Arabian subsidy early this year after successfully developing world-class projects, including Arctech’s 2.1GW Al Dhafra PV2 project in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The plant will be the largest of its kind in the Middle East when completed. The company has been awarded the “Regional Technology Provider of the Year Award” by Middle East Solar Industry Association for empowering the market with upfront technology.

The company has also been working on the consumer adoption of its champion tracker products in the US market. In 2021, Arctech witnessed a major breakthrough by successfully introducing SkySmart II, the first rigid 2P (two-in-portrait) tracker with multi-point parallel drive tracking system certified by TÜV Rheinland Group, to the US market.

Arctech has been enhancing its overseas OEM production capacity to meet the logistics cost challenges brought by the high sea freight charges. Now, the company has suppliers from 14 countries worldwide including US, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Vietnam among others.

Further announced its vertically integrated production plan in India, the company is amping up 3GW tracker products to meet the demand from global markets by building an Indian manufacturing base. It is estimated to enter operation in the first half of 2022. India is one of the biggest markets for Arctech, which is proved by Wood Mackenzie’s 2021 report. The report says the company has topped the ranking in the Asian Pacific region with a 35% market share, aided by the unparalleled leadership in the Indian solar market, where it maintained the No. 1 tracker supplier for three consecutive years. Arctech struck a deal with one leading Indian developer to supply 1.7 GW of 1P SkyLine trackers to two projects in Rajasthan. In particular, the 860MW AEML solar power plant is the largest bifacial tracker power generation project in India.

Besides the Indian manufacturing base, Arctech has a fully-operational manufacturing facility with a production capacity of 6.4 GW, and an additional 2.8 GW production capacity from the Fanchang manufacturing base in trial operation.

“2022 will be a year of both opportunities and challenges. We will also stay alert to the challenges and uncertainties and continuously gear up for global expansion.” Remarked Allen Cao, the General Manager of International Business at Arctech.

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Bybit Announces Launch of NFT Platform With Mystery Boxes of Monster Galaxy NFTs, Exclusive Artworks Curated by ONBD and REALY Apparel

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 20 January 2022 – Bybit, one of the world’s fastest growing cryptocurrency exchanges, announced the launch of the Bybit NFT Marketplace, a non-fungible token (NFT) platform that aims to streamline digital ownership and support the development of blockchain gaming and the metaverse.

The Bybit NFT Marketplace is set to become a one-stop shop that brings together artists, creators and collectors. Bybit users will not be required to link their personal wallet addresses to the platform. Instead, they can buy, sell or trade NFTs on the Ethereum ERC-721 standard through their Bybit spot accounts — opening the door to digital ownership to collectors of all knowledge and skill levels.

The Bybit NFT Marketplace also allows users to conduct multi-chain transactions, making it easy for everyone to participate in the exciting NFT, GameFi, and metaverse marketplaces. Bybit’s secure and reliable infrastructure means that NFT collectors can verify the authenticity and the chain of custody of their favorite NFTs, making it easy for users to authenticate its origin and value.

Bybit NFT Marketplace Opens Its Doors With Monster Galaxy NFTs, Artworks Curated by ONBD and REALY Apparel

To further spur interest among the community, Bybit is launching campaigns featuring exclusive NFTs from Monsters Galaxy, ONBD and REALY as its debut into the NFT world.

Inspired by crowd favorites like Pokémon and Monster Hunter, Monsters Galaxy is a social role-playing mobile game developed by Gaia Online that allows players to participate in epic monster battles with their teams of monsters, or capture wild monsters. So far, it has attracted over 25 million players across the globe to be part of its fanbase.

As a curatorial brand and incubator focused on discovering, conceptualizing and realizing NFT projects, ONBD collaborates with crypto-native artists and traditional artists alike to onboard them to the metaverse. The first series from ONBD on the Bybit NFT Marketplace features more than 100 unique NFT artworks from nine artists from around the world.

The REALY Metaverse, also known as KOOOLA virtual city, is a lively metaverse inspired by street culture where users can meet, trade and play games in a fully immersive experience. Players will get to interact with real-life brands and scenarios in the virtual world as avatars (e.g. purchase and wear virtual clothing by real world brands).

What to Expect From Bybit’s NFT Marketplace

Whether you’re new to digital collectibles or an NFT collector, Bybit’s NFT marketplace promises one of the best collections available, along with reliability, stability and a seamless user experience.

Other than partnerships with Monsters Galaxy, ONBD and REALY, Bybit will be curating and releasing exclusive unique NFTs of high value from up-and-coming artists, renowned celebrities as well as athletes, with mystery boxes up for grabs. Artists and creators can look forward to the deep liquidity and access to over 5 million Bybit users. More collaborations will be announced in coming weeks.

“While some may be skeptical of the investment value of NFTs, it remains a fact that NFTs not only make it possible for everyone to participate in and appreciate digital ownership, but also enable artists and creators to exercise control over the ownership of their work,” said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit. “We are excited to provide a premier NFT platform for Bybit users, so they can be part of the creation of a new marketplace and new world called the metaverse.”

“The Monster Galaxy series has a rich legacy and an established fanbase in mobile gaming. Our aim is to nurture and grow this community, as we lead them into a blockchain enabled Web 3.0 ecosystem. Bybit’s NFT Marketplace is focused on creating a seamless user experience for new users of crypto, backed by their robust infrastructure and deep exchange liquidity which make them the ideal partners for our maiden NFT collection drop. We look forward to working closely with their team,” said James Cao, founder and CEO of Monster Galaxy.

“ONBD is proud to be building a strong Web 3.0 community of dedicated artists and collectors of the highest caliber. We are very excited to be working with Bybit and their new world class NFT Marketplace to engage with their community and introduce our internationally renowned artists to a new audience,” said Eva Ren, founder and CEO of ONBD.

“REALY’s goal is to be at the forefront of the street culture metaverse and we are very excited to achieve this milestone with Bybit, which is known for their deep liquidity and their no-down-time commitment. The Bybit NFT Marketplace is a clear choice for us to debut our street culture NFTs,” said George Yang, founder and CEO of REALY.

About Bybit

Bybit is a cryptocurrency exchange established in March 2018 to offer a professional platform where crypto traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, excellent customer service and multilingual community support. The company provides innovative online spot and derivatives trading services, mining and staking products, as well as API support, to retail and institutional clients around the world, and strives to be the most reliable exchange for the emerging digital asset class.

For more information please visit: https://www.bybit.com

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For media enquiries, please contact: press@bybit.com

 

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Sweegen Praises New Framework on Stevia Technology By International Food Safety Authority

Sets Global Example on Standards for Countries

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Jan. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sweegen’s health and wellness commitment through global sugar reduction solutions became stronger after Codex Alimentarius (Codex), the international food standard safety authority, recently adopted the specifications for all four stevia technologies, including Sweegen’s bioconversion.

“The new Codex framework is timely as the benefits of steviol glycosides, the sweet component in the stevia leaf, fit into the broader health and wellness narrative, which is something consumers want to see more of, and global food and beverage manufacturers want greater access to,” said Luca Giannone, senior vice president of sales.

The significance of the adoption is that there is now a more streamlined approach to regional adoption of new production technologies. This will provide greater access to less common and better-tasting steviol glycosides at scale and a more sustainable supply of the sugar-like tasting ingredients.

Sweegen’s support for adopting the “Framework for Stevia Technology” started four years ago as a member of the alliance group, the International Stevia Council (ISC). Adopting the framework was a stevia industry effort and collaboration internationally where Sweegen represented bioconversion technology.

“With this framework, most countries in the world will gradually adopt this standard, and our global stevia footprint can expand more rapidly into countries where we are seeking approval for offering our pure, clean, and great-tasting Signature Bestevia ingredients produced by bioconversion,” said Giannone.

Modern technology advancements, such as bioconversion, produce clean new generation sweetener molecules such as Rebaudiosides M, D, and E, originally found in small quantities in the stevia leaf. Unlike first-generation ingredients like Rebaudioside A, these rebaudiosides impart a clean sugar-like taste with a better sensory profile and are highly sought-after by food and beverage manufacturers in countries where they have regulatory approvals.

“The adopted framework is good news for brands that want greater access to Sweegen’s pure and clean tasting stevia ingredients, Rebs D, E, M, and more,” said Giannone. “By leveraging proprietary bioconversion technology, we start with the stevia leaf, and with the support of enzymes, produce a final product that is a single purified steviol glycoside (not a mixture) that naturally occurs in the stevia leaf.”

Under the new framework, all of Sweegen’s rebaudiosides are approved by Codex. Last year, Sweegen earned regulatory approval for its Signature Bestevia Reb M in Europe, which enables greater flexibility in satisfying regional preferences for sweetness and great taste.

“We welcome the adoption of the Codex framework and the opportunity to support our customers globally with new sugar reduction innovations,” said Steven Chen, Sweegen’s chief executive officer. “Sweegen is proud to be part of this collaborative effort to bring much-needed innovation to the food and beverage industry.”

About Sweegen

Sweegen provides sweet taste solutions for food and beverage manufacturers around the world.

We are on a mission to reduce the sugar and artificial sweeteners in our global diet.  Partnering with customers, we create delicious zero-sugar products that consumers love.  With the best next-generation stevia sweeteners in our portfolio, such as Bestevia® Rebs B, D, E, I, M, and N, along with our deep knowledge of flavor modulators and texturants, Sweegen delivers market-leading solutions that customers want, and consumers prefer. Be well. Choose well.

For more information, please contact info@sweegen.com and visit Sweegen’s website, www.sweegen.com.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, among other statements, statements regarding the future prospects for Reb M stevia leaf sweetener. These statements are based on current expectations but are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are beyond the control of Sweegen, Inc.

Relevant risks and uncertainties include those referenced in the historic filings of Sweegen, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, and therefore should be carefully considered. Sweegen, Inc. assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements due to new information or future events or developments.

Attachment

Ana Arakelian
Sweegen
949-709-0583
ana.arakelian@sweegen.com