Category: Asean

Bedford, Mass., Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Biotech innovator, Conagen announced the development of its fermentation-derived vitamin K2 – a high-purity all-trans menaquinone-7 (MK-7).  This is the first molecule from a proprietary platform for producing novel, pure, long-chain menaquinone forms of the vitamin. The platform enables low-cost manufacturing and yields high-quality products, making it attractive to health brands.

“Conagen’s MK-7 technology produces a clean profile of the vitamin without other similar molecules, such as ubiquinone,” said Casey Lippmeier, Ph.D., senior vice president of innovation at Conagen. “Our process allows us to make pure forms of any long-chain menaquinone, be it 6, 7, 8, 9, and these can be consumed in various combinations with other vitamins or with each other to make the most effective supplement possible. As the clinical evidence evolves, so can the supplement.”

Vitamin K2 helps to regulate calcium mobility in bones and restricts calcium buildup in blood vessels, leading to stroke and heart disease. MK-7 is the more bioavailable form of K2 on the market; the other major form is MK-4, which both have taken a strong position in the markets for bone and cardiovascular health.

The biological activity of MK-7 is strictly linked to its all-trans configuration, which is naturally found in fermented superfoods such as natto. Cis-analogues are considered biologically inactive. Synthetic versions of MK-7 contain some amount of the cis-isomer form. Low-quality sources containing cis forms affect the efficacy of the vitamin.

Other long-chain forms of vitamin K2, such as MK-8 and MK-9, exist naturally in cheeses. Research on the health benefits of these other K2 forms has only begun to emerge.

Personalized nutrition is popular with consumers looking for technological breakthroughs in functional foods and nutrition. Conagen’s cost-effective fermentation-derived MK-7 provides new opportunities for brands to develop products to meet the demand of the growing aging population.

“We’re demonstrating our capabilities with innovative technologies that expand market choices in nutrition,” said Lippmeier. “Our fermentation and bioconversion platforms have also produced the clean nutrient ergothioneine and the antioxidant taxifolin, further demonstrating the versatility of our platform technologies.”

Conagen’s research into the MK-7 production process was done in part as a 3-year collaboration with the lab of Prof. Anthony Sinskey at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Health brands interested in non-GMO, vegan vitamin K2 MK-4 and MK-7 and special ingredients, such as ErgoActive® L-Ergothioneine® and Taxifolin BC DHQ® for nutrition and food and beverage preservation, respectively, can contact Blue California, a pipeline partner of Conagen. To inquire more about Conagen’s products or partnerships, please visit www.conagen.com.

About Conagen

Conagen is a product-focused, synthetic biology R&D company with large-scale manufacturing service capabilities. Our scientists and engineers use the latest synthetic biology tools to develop high-quality, sustainable, nature-based products by precision fermentation and enzymatic bioconversion. We focus on the bioproduction of high-value ingredients for food, nutrition, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceutical, and renewable materials industries.

Attachments

• Conagen develops high-purity vitamin K2 MK-7 with fermentation platform — promising more MKs.
• Vitamin K food sources

Ana Arakelian, Head of Public Relations and Communications
Conagen
+1.949.750.6812
ana.arakelian@conagen.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8685378

Roseau, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Anichi Resort & Spa will be providing a 2% annual return to investors despite being under construction. The management of the much-anticipated five-star luxury resort and spa in Dominica has said that the project is in full swing, and that once construction is completed, annual returns will be based on the resort’s operation.

Following an official update, an estimated 70% of the project is now complete; this includes the flooring as well as an extensive electricity infrastructure. The resort is being built on 12 acres of land, with 128 rooms. I will host world-class amenities, such as a lagoon swimming pool, an infinity pool, restaurants, a business centre and many others. Overlooking a picturesque beach, the resort will tastefully blend its modern architecture with the landscape’s tropical foliage.

Developed by Oriental Developers (Caribbean) Ltd, the resort will form part of the Autograph Collection, a premium international brand developed by renowned hotelier Marriott International. This links the resort to more than 100 luxury lifestyle hotels across 30 countries and territories – all of which have been constructed as part of Autograph Collection Hotels. Furthermore, Anichi Resort will be managed by Highgate, a dominant player in major US gateway cities with a growing footprint in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Anichi Resort & Spa is also one of the premium real estate options approved by the Dominican government’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme. The CBI Index of 2022, published by the PWM Magazine of the Financial Times, recognises it as the “World’s Best Citizenship by Investment Programme”. The minimum investment threshold for Anichi Resort & Spa is $220,000 (USD), an expenditure which also comes with lifetime Dominican citizenship and property ownership.

The resort will bolster the tourism sector and generate extensive employment for locals. The country already occupies a notable position, ranking first among 25 other Caribbean islands – winning due to its lush green jungles, hot springs and striking black-sand beaches. Annually, scores of investors fly to Dominica owing to its large number of government-approved investment projects. The Citizenship by Investment Programme of Dominica allows these individuals to purchase freehold shares in government-approved properties.

Anichi Resort & Spa provides investors and CBI applicants with a Return on Investment (ROI) as well as a route towards diversifying their portfolios and planning their wealth. 

The Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, praised the CBI Programme, “Thanks to the real-estate investment option of the Citizenship by Investment Programme,” he noted, “the country is catching the attraction of travel-enthusiasts and is now known for [its] luxury tourism offering. Under the Citizenship Programme, investors looking to expand their real estate portfolio have the opportunity to invest in established luxury hotel brands and villas.” 

Dominica’s real estate investment option has long provided premium, luxury projects for investment. A prior example of this is Secret Bay, a real estate property which paid out more than $1 million (USD) in returns to investors. The Residences at Secret Bay also promises great returns, having drawn more than 100 Citizenship by Investment (CBI) owners. The resort has already won a number of awards, and it is anticipated that Anichi Resort & Spa will likewise be counted as one of the jewels in Dominica’s real estate crown.

Anichi Resort promises to be a meaningful asset during this time of global uncertainty. CS Global Partners, a legal consulting firm working in the investment citizenship field, noted that, beyond the resort’s world-class architecture and lush surrounding environment, “[t]he project also brings in interest from investors keen to participate in the development through Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. Once completed, the resort promises to transform Dominica’s tourism sector while also boosting employment for the local community”.

Concurrently, Dominica is witnessing the construction of several other hotels, including a Hilton hotel, which will also fall under the government-approved real estate investment options of the country’s CBI programme. Many of these properties are being built to be sustainable and climate-resilient, with the continued construction of such resorts and hotels positioning the island as a top destination for eco-luxury resorts.

Dominica’s real estate is thus proving to be a popular option among investors and high net-worth individuals (HNWIs). Bolstering investment is the strength of the country’s CBI programme. The credibility and trustworthiness of Dominica’s programme has been maintained since its launch almost three decades ago, and it has been ranked the world’s best CBI programme for its sixth consecutive year. Alongside alternative citizenship, the Citizenship by Investment Programme of Dominica provides a number of other opportunities to investors. These include:

• The ability to become a global citizen and be part of a global community transcends Dominica’s land borders.
• The ability to hold multiple citizenships.
• A citizenship that is granted for life and can be passed on to future generations.
• An opportunity to provide families and children with a peaceful, stable, safe and welcoming home.
• Access to countless business opportunities, with the option of portfolio diversification.
• Enhanced opportunities for wealth planning and expanding business overseas.
• A stable currency, with Dominica’s currency, the East Caribbean Dollar (XCD), pegged to USD.

These factors, combined with alternative citizenship, present individuals with a rich array of business and personal advantages. As the success and promise of the Anichi Resort & Spa attest, the island along with its CBI programme offers investment with unrivalled returns.

PR Dominica
Commonwealth of Dominica
001 (767) 266 3919
mildred.thabane@csglobalpartners.com
.

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8685334

The Open Letter, Published in Sunday’s New York Times, Calls for the Immediate Expulsion of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The world’s preeminent women leaders in business, politics, advocacy and the arts published an open letter in Sunday’s New York Times calling for the immediate removal of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Signatories of the letter include Sec. Hillary Clinton, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, Media Leader & Philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate & Education Activist Malala Yousafzai, Economic & Political Leader Christine Lagarde, former First Lady of the United States & Advocate of Girls Education Michelle Obama, former Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former head of UN Climate Change Convention Christiana Figueres DBE, former First Lady of the United States & Education Advocate Laura Bush, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate & Human Rights Activist Nadia Murad and women in leadership positions from 14 countries (and counting).

This global effort—a partnership between Vital Voices, For Freedoms and a coalition of Iranian women leaders—comes amid more than 40 days of worldwide protests launched and led by Iranian women and girls after the tragic death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini. The protestors are demanding justice after Amini died on September 16, 2022 while in police custody. Amini was arrested by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s “morality police” for allegedly not complying with mandatory hijab laws.

Reports of extreme punishments and harsh crackdowns against protestors by Iranian authorities have flooded international headlines and social media feeds in the weeks since Amini’s death, gaining worldwide attention and scrutiny.

The group of women leaders who signed on to the letter came together in solidarity with Iranian women and girls with a clear call to action: the immediate removal of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women.

Within the first few days of going live, the letter received more than 21,000 signatures and growing. Additionally, more than 130,000 petitioners have also signed a letter asking for the same outcome on Change.org.

The open letter states: “We condemn the brutal violence of security forces against peaceful protesters … Earlier this year, to the dismay of women’s rights advocates around the world, Iran began a four–year term on the UN’s 45–member Commission on the Status of Women. This preeminent global body is exclusively dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s long–standing, systematic oppression of women should have disqualified them from election to the CSW.”

The letter also laments the Islamic Republic of Iran’s record on women’s rights, citing gender inequality and legalized discrimination against women regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, child custody cases and attire. These restrictions include the mandate that requires women to wear head coverings at the onset of puberty.

The signatories of the letter warn that the violence and loss of life will continue without global intervention at the highest levels, and that the Commission on the Status of Women will lose credibility each day the Islamic Republic of Iran remains a member.

“This is a critical moment for leaders in the international community to vocally and unequivocally demonstrate their support for women’s rights by standing in solidarity with Iranian women and girls,” states the letter.

Members of the public are invited to read the full letter here. To join the movement, sign on here.

About Vital Voices Global Partnership
Now celebrating 25 years, Vital Voices Global Partnership has directly invested in more than 20,000 women leaders across 184 countries and territories since its inception in 1997. Driven by the universal truth that women are the key to progress in their communities and nations cannot move forward without women in leadership positions, Vital Voices has provided early support for leaders who went on to become Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, U.S. Youth Poet Laureates, prime ministers, award-winning innovators, pioneering human rights defenders, and breakthrough social entrepreneurs, including Amanda Gorman and Malala Yousafzai. In an effort to advance and expand this work, in 2022 Vital Voices opened the doors to the world’s first global embassy for women, the Vital Voices Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership. It is a first-of-its-kind space that allows for convening, innovation, planning, and action—all in the pursuit of serving women leaders who are taking on the world’s greatest challenges.
www.vitalvoices.org

About For Freedoms
For Freedoms is an artist collective that centers art and creativity as a catalyst for transformative connection and collective liberation.

By wielding the power of art, we aim to deepen and expand our capacity to interrogate what is and imagine what could be.

Together, we seek infinite expansion.
www.forfreedoms.com

Attachments

• Sign the Petition
• The Open Letter

Vital Voices Global Partnership
media@vitalvoices.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8685121

LONDON, Oct. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arthur D. Little (ADL) has launched a report on current and future transformation in healthcare, and the effect these far-reaching changes will have on the life sciences and insurance sectors. To asssess that from more than one perspective, ADL and Munich Re, a leading provider of reinsurance, primary insurance and insurance-related risk solutions, have pooled their expertise and recommendations.

The combination of aging populations, changing urban and work environments, technical innovations in data processing and analysis, and current advances in diagnosing and treating diseases will not only dramatically transform healthcare but also our way of living. Healthcare systems and wider society must therefore prepare for these innovations to ensure preparedness and greater resilience.

Disruptive developments such as digitization, far-reaching advances in medical technology, and the latest findings in life sciences interrelate and reinforce each other to an unprecedented extent. Consequently, the report sets out how everyone within the ecosystem needs to collaborate around a common goal – bringing innovations to patients faster and pushing the boundaries of insurability.

Describing the impacts of transformation and providing insights, imperatives and key takeaways for both the insurance and life sciences industries, the report focuses on opportunities in five key areas of healthcare:

–        Digital Health
–        Advanced therapeutics & new paradigms in treatments
–        Power of genes & omics
–        Mental health
–        Pandemic risk

Dr. Ulrica Sehlstedt, Managing Partner, and Global Practice Leader, Healthcare & Life Sciences at Arthur D. Little, comments: “Innovation is driving a revolution at every step of the patient journey. This impacts every player within the life sciences and healthcare industry, including insurance companies. The imperative is on the whole ecosystem to work together to provide positive solutions and mitigate current and future risks, which is why we are delighted that Munich Re has contributed to bring together knowledge, experience and perspectives within this in-depth report.”

Dr. Franziska Thomas, Partner and Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences of Arthur D. Little Germany, comments: “The last two years has seen an enormous acceleration in multiple areas of medicine – and indeed across wider society. The patient journey is transforming to become more personalized and decentralized. As this report explains, it is only through convergence between all areas within the ecosystem that solutions can be delivered to meet the rapidly changing needs of patients.”

To download the report visit: https://tinyurl.com/mszkfz28

A pdf accompanying this announcement is available at:

http://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/703e8c10-23ce-43a1-8ad4-98c37003af32

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000753249

TEMECULA, Calif., Oct. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries’ Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (“Group”), a part of the Nikkiso Co., Ltd (Japan) group of companies, is pleased to announce that Cong Thanh Nguyen has been named Business Development Manager for their Cryogenic Equipment & Solutions market serving Vietnam.

Based in Hanoi, Vietnam, Cong will be on the front line of the region’s growing Industrial Gas and LNG business, providing solutions from our industrial products line and offering strong service and local support. He will be responsible for expanding the brand awareness of the Group to a broad range of local customers. Additionally, this will complete three major business lines of Nikkiso in Vietnam besides Aerospace and Medical divisions.

Cong was previously Business Development Manager for Vietnam Industrial Gas. His responsibilities included collaborating with numerous departments to develop and implement improvement strategies. He has a Master of Arts degree in International Business from the University of Greenwich, England (Singapore Campus).

“Cong’s industry and international business experience combined with his knowledge of the local market will be of great benefit, as we work to develop the opportunities in this region” according to Tim Born, Vice President, Southeast Asia.

With this addition, Nikkiso continues their commitment to provide direct support and be both a global and local presence for their customers.

ABOUT CRYOGENIC INDUSTRIES
Cryogenic Industries, Inc. (now a member of Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) member companies manufacture and service engineered cryogenic gas processing equipment (pumps, turboexpanders, heat exchangers, etc.), and process plants for Industrial Gases, Natural gas Liquefaction (LNG), Hydrogen Liquefaction (LH2) and Organic Rankine Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery. Founded over 50 years ago, Cryogenic Industries is the parent company of ACD, Nikkiso Cryo, Nikkiso Integrated Cryogenic Solutions, Cosmodyne and Cryoquip and a commonly controlled group of approximately 20 operating entities.

For more information, please visit www.nikkisoCEIG.com and www.nikkiso.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Anna Quigley
+1.951.383.3314
aquigley@cryoind.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8683201

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8683135

FcResolv NOG Models Provide Greater Clarity and More Translatable Data

RENSSELAER, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Taconic Biosciences, a global leader in providing drug discovery animal model solutions, has launched the FcResolv NOG portfolio, the first and only super immunodeficient mouse models lacking residual murine Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) known to confound results in antibody-based therapy studies.

Murine FcγRs can cause false positives or false negatives, leading to incorrect conclusions and derail drug discovery. FcResolv NOG models knock out these receptors for greater clarity in antibody-based drug studies, affording investigators greater confidence and more translatable data with fewer studies and fewer animals. With applicability in oncology, immuno-oncology, and autoimmune disease, FcResolv NOG models are suitable for engrafting a wide range of human cells and tissues, including simultaneous human tumor engraftment and immune system humanization.

“Antibody-based therapies represent one of the fastest-growing classes of drugs, creating a pressing need for better preclinical tools to assess therapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and bispecific antibodies,” said Dr. Michael Seiler, vice president of commercial products at Taconic. “Taconic’s FcResolv NOG portfolio enables researchers to evaluate drug candidates like these on their own merits, free of interference from residual murine Fc gamma receptor activity.”

FcResolv NOG models eliminate the false negatives that occur when an antibody-based therapeutic’s Fc domain interacts with murine FcγRs as well as the false positives that result when FcγRs trigger residual murine immune activity. They also eliminate costly deconvolution steps otherwise needed to distinguish true drug efficacy from off-target effects mediated through the mouse immune system. With more reliable answers, researchers can target their drug discovery investments more strategically and effectively.

The FcResolv NOG model portfolio is based on the super immunodeficient CIEA NOG mouse^®. The portfolio currently includes two models:

• FcResolv NOG, for tumor xenografts using cell lines or patient-derived tumors, engraftment of other normal or pathological human cells and tissues, and immune system humanization studies
• FcResolv hIL-15 NOG, which supports engraftment of human NK cells and is suitable for efficacy studies on antibody-based therapeutics with an antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) mechanism of action

To learn more about the FcResolv NOG portfolio, visit www.Taconic.com/fcresolv. Or call 1-888-TACONIC (888-822-6642) in the US, +45 70 23 04 05 in Europe, or email info@taconic.com.

About Taconic Biosciences, Inc.

Taconic Biosciences is a fully licensed, global leader in genetically engineered rodent models and services. Founded in 1952, Taconic provides the best animal solutions so that customers can acquire, custom-generate, breed, precondition, test, and distribute valuable research models worldwide. Specialists in genetically engineered mouse and rat models, microbiome, immuno-oncology mouse models, and integrated model design and breeding services, Taconic operates service laboratories and breeding facilities in the U.S. and Europe, maintains distributor relationships in Asia and has global shipping capabilities to provide animal models almost anywhere in the world.

Media Contact:

Louise Baskin, Senior Director New Product Pipeline

303-432-2495

Louise.Baskin@taconic.com