News Hub | News Direct

This Company Reports Moving Toward FDA Approval To Provide Pain-Free Diabetes Monitoring

Benzinga

Caused predominantly by genetic predisposition, immune disorders and other factors, such as unhealthy diet and exercise habits, diabetes is one of the most common lifelong chronic diseases in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are nearly 450 million cases of diabetes worldwide, and the number in the U.S. could reach 40 million by 2030 and more than 60 million by 2060. Many believe the numbers could be more significant because large numbers of the population might be undiagnosed and at high risk. In recent years, with the rise of global diabetes expected to reach nearly 700 million by 2035, a growing number of patients are suffering from pain and infections caused by the invasive and frequent nature of using mainstream commercial glucose meters. The most common cutaneous complications are wear-related erythema, itching, and induration, but more severe cases, typically related to bacteria infection, continue to grow as well ( source 1 and 2 ). This has led to the need for noninvasive blood glucose monitoring technology, which could relieve numerous issues that many diabetes patients face. Noninvasive blood glucose monitoring refers to the detection of human blood glucose without causing damage to human tissues. Many noninvasive blood glucose detection methods can be divided into the optical, microwave and electrochemical processes. Medical imaging technologies are gaining global relevance in the medical community to assist clinicians in the diagnosis and guiding therapeutic treatment of patients. The big plus is that it's noninvasive and offers high-resolution results. The most common medical imaging technologies are computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography. Noninvasive imaging techniques are used in almost every medical field as a diagnostic tool and to monitor pathological progression or the efficacy of treatments. Several imaging tools are available to provide structural and functional information about tissue and organ physiology. New hybrid devices and multimodal imaging offer opportunities for research and use in clinics. Companies like General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) Healthcare, Lantheus Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LNTH), Varex Imaging Corp. (NASDAQ: VREX) and OSI Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: OSIS) have invested heavily in medical imaging products, but most are better known for other medical offerings or other industries altogether. Know Labs Inc. (OTCQB: KNWN), an emerging developer in noninvasive medical diagnostics, focuses on developing its proprietary spectroscopic technologies using the electromagnetic spectrum. The goal is to accurately identify and measure a wide range of organic and inorganic materials, molecules and compositions of matter. Know Labs’ technology uses spectroscopy to direct electromagnetic energy through a substance or material to capture a unique molecular signature. It refers to its technology as Bio-RFID™, which can be integrated into various wearable, mobile or bench-top devices. The company’s patented and patent-pending technology makes it possible to effectively identify and monitor analyses that could only previously be performed by invasive, expensive and time-consuming lab-based tests. The first application of its Bio-RFID technology will reportedly be in a product marketed as a noninvasive glucose monitor, giving the user real-time information on blood glucose levels. Know Labs’ leadership says it's confident it will be the first company to bring an FDA-cleared noninvasive glucose monitoring device to market. Know Labs is conducting a 200-person internal clinical trial of Bio-RFID, which will help the company refine its algorithm and demonstrate Bio-RFID’s accuracy in a large population.. Previous internal tests demonstrated Bio-RFID has an accuracy on par or better than currently available solutions, which is an important step towards FDA submission. For more information on Know Labs Inc., visit knowlabs.co. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

August 10, 2022 02:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time

CleverTap Raises US$105M in Series D Funding Round Led by CDPQ

CleverTap

CleverTap, a leading global B2B SaaS platform for customer engagement and retention today announced it has signed definitive agreements to raise US$105M in a Series D funding round led by CDPQ, a global investment group who committed US$75M, with participation from IIFL AMC’s Tech Fund, along with existing investors Tiger Global and Sequoia India. The funds will be used to support CleverTap’s global expansion and enhance the development of its world-class solutions and technology. Founded in Mumbai in 2013 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, CleverTap’s customer engagement and retention SaaS platform leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to offer a comprehensive user engagement suite that enables brands to build valuable, long-term relationships with their customers. CleverTap’s subscription-based solution has been adopted by a loyal customer base of 1,200 brands in 100 countries representing 10,000 apps across industries including Fintech, eCommerce, Subscription, On Demand, and Streaming media. In June 2022, CleverTap completed the acquisition of San Francisco-based Leanplum, a leading multi-channel customer engagement platform, further strengthening its footprint in North America and Europe. In the same month, it also unveiled TesseractDB™, the world’s first purpose-built database designed to dramatically improve user engagement and retention for digital consumer brands. “Our vision has been to reshape the way businesses engage with their consumers and bring the tech to MarTech. The addition of long-term investors CDPQ and IIFL AMC Tech fund to CleverTap’s existing backers, Sequoia India, Accel, Tiger Global, and Recruit Holdings is a great endorsement of the successful business we have built, the innovation we bring to the market and the growth potential CleverTap holds,” said Sunil Thomas, Co-founder and Executive Chairman, CleverTap. “The fresh funds will help fuel our plans to further strengthen our presence in key geographies and expand our teams. The last few months have been quite exciting for us with the Leanplum acquisition and unveiling of TesseractDB™. And now with the new institutional investors coming on board we have all that we need to grow at a faster rate while consolidating our position as the global leader in the retention space.” “CleverTap has established itself as a partner of choice for its clients by helping them generate significant incremental revenue. Its subscription-based platform offers a single and reliable source of information that allows brands to maximize the lifetime value of their existing customers by engaging them in a highly personalized way” said Martin Laguerre, Executive Vice-President and Head of Private Equity, CDPQ. “As consumer brands are increasingly focused on customer retention and prioritize tools offering tangible return on investment, we believe CleverTap is well positioned to maintain its global growth trajectory and help more businesses enhance their customer experience.” “CleverTap is a fast-growing SaaS company that not only has recurring revenue streams and top tier financial metrics, but also a scalable business model with large addressable markets” added Meng Ann Lim, Managing Director, Direct Private Equity for Asia Pacific, CDPQ. “This investment is in line with our strategy to work with innovative companies that enable rapid digital transformation, especially in the Asia-Pacific region where high smartphone penetration is facilitating the digitalization of the economy at a rapid pace.” “Enterprises are increasingly looking to engage with customers in a real time and in a personalized manner across digital channels. CleverTap’s full stack approach to customer engagement allows them to perform user analytics and run personalized customer campaigns on a real-time basis which enables companies to improve user retention and understand user journeys across channels” said Chetan Naik, Fund Manager and Senior Executive Vice-President, Private Equity at IIFL AMC. “CleverTap has built a unique product suite and analytics capabilities that runs over a proprietary database. CleverTap is one of the fastest growing SaaS companies with best-in-class revenue retention rates. We are excited to partner with them in their journey of creating a leading global customer retention platform out of India.” “The latest fundraise reaffirms customer and market belief in CleverTap and our growth potential. This fundraise will help us elevate our growth trajectory and further enable us to innovate better and faster while staying ahead of the curve,” said Sidharth Malik, Chief Executive Officer, CleverTap. “The paradigms of user engagement are changing, and as industry leaders we are best positioned to help businesses adapt to this ever-evolving consumer landscape. Our recent acquisitions helped us expand our foothold in North America and Europe, and enhance our leadership in verticals such as on-demand and subscription.” As part of the transaction, CDPQ will join CleverTap’s Board of Directors upon closure of this funding round. IIFL AMC’s investment is subject to approval from Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). ABOUT CLEVERTAP CleverTap is the World’s No.1 retention cloud that empowers digital consumer brands to increase customer retention and lifetime value. CleverTap drives contextual individualization with the help of a unified and deep data layer, AI/ML-powered insights, and automation enabling brands to offer hyper-personalized and delightful experiences to their customers. 1,200 customers in 100 countries and 10,000 apps, including Gojek, ShopX, Canon, Electronic Arts, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa John’s, and Tesco, trust CleverTap to achieve their retention and engagement goals, growing their long-term revenue. Backed by leading investors such as Sequoia India, Tiger Global, Accel, CDPQ, IIFL and Recruit Holdings, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Sofia, São Paulo, Bogota, Amsterdam, Jakarta, and Dubai. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter. ABOUT CDPQ At CDPQ, we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public pension and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at December 31, 2021, CDPQ’s net assets totalled CAD 419.8 billion. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. CDPQ is a registered trademark owned by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and licensed for use by its subsidiaries. ABOUT IIFL AMC IIFL Asset Management (IIFL AMC) is a part of IIFL Wealth and Asset Management. IIFL AMC is an alternates-focused asset management and has been playing a pivotal role in the growth of the AIF industry in India. A disciplined and active management approach combined with research-led strategies allows IIFL AMC to tap into India’s potential for delivering on its commitments and long-term growth. The AMC’s diversified suite of mutual funds, PMS, alternative investment funds, credit funds and venture capital funds span public and private equities as well as fixed income securities and real estate. IIFL AMC’s distinctive products bring out the entrepreneurial edge, agility and speed of execution of a boutique asset management business, while providing gold standards of corporate governance of a large corporation with a long-term focus. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap's belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or any related damages. Contact Details Sony Shetty sony@clevertap.com Company Website https://clevertap.com/

August 10, 2022 11:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Slashing Methane Emissions 30% By 2030 Could Be Key To Achieving Net Zero Targets — Here’s What AgTech Companies Are Doing To Help

Pond Technologies Holdings Inc.

The latest estimates put annual global methane emissions at 580 million tonnes (Mts) per year, creating atmospheric concentrations that are 2½ times denser than preindustrial levels. About 25% of that methane comes from the agricultural sector alone — mostly from gassy cows whose burps contain methane. With an estimated 1.4 billion cows worldwide and each cow belching approximately 220 pounds of methane each year, those burps add up. President Biden has even supported a bill that would tackle this issue, to the tune of $20 billion, due to its impact on the environment. That’s why companies like Pond Technologies Holdings Inc. ( OTCQB: PNDHF ) are exploring cost-effective, scalable ways to cut agricultural methane emissions and help nations around the world meet their Global Methane Pledge. Nations Need To Cut Methane Emissions If They Hope To Hit Net Zero Goals As part of the Global Methane Pledge launched at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) last year, 111 countries collectively responsible for 45% of methane emissions committed to reduce those emissions to 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gasses in Earth’s atmosphere — it has over 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide and accounts for as much as 30% of the global temperature increase scientists expect to see in the next 20 years. Because of this enhanced warming effect, cutting 170 Mts, 30% of 2020 levels, in methane emissions would be the equivalent of scrubbing 4.7 billion to 6.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere per year. If the global temperature increase surpasses 1.5 C above its pre industrial average, scientists warn of the following changes in our climate could occur: Extreme heat events — like the recent record-breaking heat wave that swept Europe this summer, sparking wildfires in four countries and contributing to over 1,000 deaths — that used to happen once a decade or less would happen more than four times per decade. The risk of severe flooding will more than double for 73% of the world’s population. The total forest area at risk of forest fires would nearly double in the United States alone and fires could become about 37% more frequent. An average of more than 114 million people each month will be exposed to extreme drought conditions that could ruin food crops and make already-scarce drinking water even harder to come by. Curbing Agricultural Emissions Might Hinge On Discovering An Anti-Methane Diet For Livestock Methane in agriculture is produced primarily by livestock — especially cows — as their digestive process produces methane as a byproduct that is released when they burp. That means tackling methane levels for farmers means devising a way to make cows burp less. The approach that’s made the most progress is changing cows’ diet. Royal DSM (OTCQX: KDSKF), for example, has already shown some success with this approach using a feed additive called Bovaer that’s been shown to reduce methane from burping by around 30%. Algae May Hold Another Key To Slashing Methane Emissions In April, Pond Technologies partnered with Cross River Infrastructure Partners LLC and Livalta/AB Agri, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc (LSE: ABF) to identify algae strains that could reduce methane emissions when added to livestock feed. The research partnership could be a promising one as a separate study of red macroalgae (seaweed) found that it could cut methane emissions by up to 80% when added to cattle feed. However, scaling the production of seaweed would require turning large swaths of shorelines into seaweed farms, which could end up having its own environmental impacts on ocean and coastal ecosystems. That’s why Pond is partnering with these companies to explore microalgae strains that could offer the same methane-busting benefits as seaweed. Pond has already deployed what it reports is an innovative, scalable algae grow system that allows producers to grow microalgae in tanks where the conditions are optimized for algae growth. The tanks also help cut CO2 emissions themselves. Because algae use CO2 to grow, the proprietary Pond tanks can take the raw stack gas from power plants, factories and other high-emission facilities and convert it into clean, breathable air. The goal, then, is to identify microalgae strains that can be grown in these CO2-scrubbing platforms so that the companies can harvest them and turn them into feed additives. That way, each batch is pulling double duty: scrubbing emissions as it grows in the tank and curbing emissions again after it’s fed to livestock. Featured photo by Jan Koetsier on Pexels About Pond Technologies Located in Markham, Ontario, Pond has developed a proprietary system that can profitably transform CO2 into valuable products. Its Pond Carbon business focuses on absorbing greenhouse gas emissions, transforming these into food, feed, and nutraceutical ingredients. Pond recently added a Biotech division focused on the growth of unique strains of microalgae to be used as a reproductive medium for the expression of human antibodies and proteins. For more information, please visit https://www.pondtech.com/. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Pond Technologies, Inc. Grant Smith info@pondtech.com Benzinga Benzinga Brand Studio contributors@benzinga.com Company Website https://www.pondtech.com/

August 10, 2022 08:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Monkeypox Is Popping Up In Places It Shouldn’t But NanoViricides Says It May Have A Solution

NanoViricides, Inc.

https://profiles.smallcapsdaily.com/nnvc/ More than 30,000 confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported across 93 countries in the world. While those numbers are still small scientists are now concerned that this sudden and unusual outbreak could lead to monkeypox becoming endemic in these large numbers of new countries where it was only seen sporadically before. With no specific treatment approved for the virus, doctors are turning to old smallpox medications — a disease that hasn’t had a reported case in nearly 50 years — and off-label use of an antiviral approved for smallpox that was developed as a medical countermeasure for potential bioterrorism, SIGA Technologies Inc. ’s (NASDAQ: SIGA) TPOXX. TPOXX has a number of shortcomings. Its injectable form requires each dosing to be infused over 6 hours, twice daily for several days. The injectable form may be considered rapid-acting, for severe cases, but cannot be given to patients with renal impairment (kidney damage). However, there is an oral capsule form. In terms of mechanism, TPOXX inhibits orderly exit of a mature virion. However, most of the monkeypox virus particles exit due to cell lysis, and are infectious even though not fully mature; this mode is not affected by TPOXX. Most importantly, its utility in humans has not been established, as it was approved under the “Animal Rule” authority of the US FDA. It had shown effectiveness in monkeys to increase survival upon monkeypox virus infection. Importantly, TPOXX, during its development, has been known to give rise to resistant viruses or escape mutants. Something that scientists fear can give rise to new monkeypox viruses that may be worse than the current ones, as has been happening with the SARS-CoV-2 virus of COVID-19. Thus there is a clear and immediate need for rapid new drug development against monkeypox virus and potential variants. NanoViricides Inc. (NYSE American: NNVC ) reports that it may have a solution that would offer a more targeted treatment for the monkeypox virus that the virus may not escape from by mutations. The Strange And Sudden Outbreak Of Monkeypox What’s unusual about the outbreak is that although the “Patient Zero” in UK was connected to travel to Nigeria, and initial outbreaks occurred connected to raves in Europe, cases preceding to this outbreak have also been found to have occurred earlier, and not all the cases are linked to individuals who traveled to countries where the virus is usually found or have known contact with infected animals. While researchers are still trying to understand how that’s possible, the worry is that it’s been spreading silently and undetected for some time. And it can spread silently because an infected person is contagious even before the classic rash is present. The current outbreak also has different symptoms. Usually, a fever and swollen lymph nodes would precede the classic monkeypox rash and ulcers. However, with this virus, it appears that the rash can occur simultaneously with fever and swollen lymph nodes, or fever may even be absent. This is why possibly the rash of this virus was mistaken to be from other viruses such as herpes or shingles, although the monkeypox rashes behave distinctly differently from herpes or shingles rashes once formed. The Spread May Indicate Decreasing Immunity To Pox Viruses The monkeypox virus is a member of the poxviridae family along with smallpox, molluscum contagiosum and a few others. During the smallpox eradication program in the late 1960s, the vaccine used to prevent smallpox also helped curb monkeypox infections. Since 1980, smallpox has been declared to be entirely eradicated worldwide with successful worldwide vaccination campaigns. Smallpox does not have any animal reservoirs, it infects only humans, which contributed to its elimination. Monkeypox outbreaks have been regular in the endemic regions of Western and Central Africa, with annually thousands of cases. Many of these cases are deemed to be tied to transmission from animals rather than human to human transmission. But the recent uptick outside these regions may be related to the fact that many people born after the smallpox programs of the 60s stopped in 1980 have never had the smallpox vaccine. Even in those who received the smallpox vaccine, it has been over forty to sixty years, and the vaccine was expected to be effective for fifteen to twenty years only. With the last natural reported case of smallpox occurring in 1977, smallpox vaccines were seen as no longer necessary and widespread vaccination campaigns disappeared. While smallpox hasn’t come back, that decline in vaccination rates slowly brewed a generation of people who could be more vulnerable to other pox viruses in the family. The NanoViricides Platform May Offer A Rapidly Deployable Solution NanoViricides is a developmental-stage company working on an antiviral platform that a virus theoretically can’t outsmart. By chemically attaching a binding ligand to a nano-sized polymer, the company has created an antiviral that can attach to a virus’s binding site, which doesn’t mutate even as a virus evolves and looks similar across most viruses. Once attached, the nanoviricide engulfs the viral cell, blocking it from reproducing or infecting healthy cells. The company states that the broad-spectrum antiviral can be tailored to a wide range of viruses with the goal of providing a treatment that remains effective against just about any species and strain of virus that threatens the human population. With clinical candidates for COVID-19 and Shingles having successfully completed the full battery of IND-enabling studies, and preclinical research underway for a pipeline of additional treatments tailored to Herpesviruses, HIV, and more, the company has already found ways to adapt the platform to a broad range of difficult to treat viral infections. The company hopes to tailor an antiviral based on this platform to the recent and worrying resurgence of monkeypox cases. The Company has recently announced in its press releases that it is about to begin testing on its drug candidates for monkeypox virus treatment. The Company also said that it is following a two-pronged strategy: (a) The first one being to develop a quick drug to deploy rapidly that improves upon the existing drug tecovirimat so that it can be used widely including in patients that TPOXX is contraindicated; and (b) The second one being continued development of highly effective drugs against poxviruses and other DNA viruses that can add a strong drug to the current one-drug repertoire of poxvirus treatments. About NanoViricides NanoViricides, Inc. (the "Company") (www.nanoviricides.com) is a development stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for antiviral therapy. The Company's novel nanoviricide® class of drug candidates are designed to specifically attack enveloped virus particles and to dismantle them. Our lead drug candidate is NV-HHV-101 with its first indication as dermal topical cream for the treatment of shingles rash. In addition, we are developing a clinical candidate for the treatment of COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The Company cannot project an exact date for filing an IND for this drug because of its dependence on a number of external collaborators and consultants.The Company is now working on tasks for completing an IND application. The Company is currently pursuing two separate drug candidates for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. NV-CoV-2 is our nanoviricide drug candidate that does not encapsulate Remdesivir. NV-CoV-2-R is our other drug candidate that is made up of NV-CoV-2 with Remdesivir encapsulated in it. The Company believes that since Remdesivir is already US FDA approved, our drug candidate encapsulating Remdesivir is likely to be an approvable drug, if safety is comparable. Remdesivir is developed by Gilead. The Company has developed both of its own drug candidates NV-CoV-2 and NV-CoV-2-R independently.The Company intends to re-engage into an IND application to the US FDA for NV-HHV-101 drug candidate for the treatment of shingles once its COVID-19 project moves into clinical trials, based on resources availability. The NV-HHV-101 program was slowed down because of the effects of recent COVID-19 restrictions, and re-prioritization for COVID-19 drug development work.The Company is also developing drugs against a number of viral diseases including oral and genital Herpes, viral diseases of the eye including EKC and herpes keratitis, H1N1 swine flu, H5N1 bird flu, seasonal Influenza, HIV, Hepatitis C, Rabies, Dengue fever, and Ebola virus, among others. NanoViricides' platform technology and programs are based on the TheraCour® nanomedicine technology of TheraCour, which TheraCour licenses from AllExcel. NanoViricides holds a worldwide exclusive perpetual license to this technology for several drugs with specific targeting mechanisms in perpetuity for the treatment of the following human viral diseases: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Rabies, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2), Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), Influenza and Asian Bird Flu Virus, Dengue viruses, Japanese Encephalitis virus, West Nile Virus, Ebola/Marburg viruses, and certain Coronaviruses. The Company intends to obtain a license for poxviruses if the initial research is successful. The Company's technology is based on broad, exclusive, sub-licensable, field licenses to drugs developed in these areas from TheraCour Pharma, Inc. The Company's business model is based on licensing technology from TheraCour Pharma Inc. for specific application verticals of specific viruses, as established at its foundation in 2005. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details NanoViricides, Inc. +1 203-937-6137 info@nanoviricides.com TraDigital IR Colette Eymontt colette@tradigitalir.com Company Website http://www.nanoviricides.com

August 10, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Cortland Biomedical Announces Suite of Post-Processing Services and Technologies for Implantable Textiles

Cortland Biomedical

Cortland Biomedical, a full-service medical textiles product development partner that provides access to a full spectrum of global engineering, design and manufacturing capabilities, today announced that it has added a suite of post-processing services and technologies. Offered in conjunction with its extensive range of knitting, weaving, and braiding capabilities, the latest services will enable the company to provide its OEM customers with their implantable fabric or device in its final form. Cortland Biomedical is adept at working with customers to develop complex, customized textile structures with highly tailored mechanical properties. Its suite of post-processing capabilities now includes: Spin Finish Removal, which can improve the biocompatibility of implantable fibers in any textile construction. Edge Sealing, which is performed by using a variety of proprietary methods to apply heat and/or weld materials to minimize loose fibers and/or fraying without impacting the base material. Ultrasonic Welding, which can benefit implantable fabrics via the highly precise application of heat to create complex shapes via the attachments of components, etc. Heat Pressing, which provides the ability to further specialize and alter braided, woven, and knit textiles to stabilize and improve their performance. Shape Setting and Thermal Forming, which are processes that are employed to set a fabric into a specific and often complex geometry to suit a specific surgical application. Braid Tipping, which ensures that braided products are manufactured for optimal performance by stiffening the ends to reduce fraying. Laser cutting, which provides almost endless possibilities for the design and manufacturing of smaller components. “Our mission has always been to overcome the status quo when it comes to helping our customers develop innovative, sophisticated, customized textiles that may ultimately enable less invasive surgical procedures,” said Tara Yunkunis, business development manager, Cortland Biomedical. “Now, by offering this comprehensive suite of post-processing capabilities, we’ll be able to further help streamline product delivery and minimize the need for additional suppliers.” All services are performed at Cortland Biomedical’s state-of-the-art 35,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, which was strategically designed for purpose with input from medical device partners and seasoned textile engineers. Cortland Biomedical custom designs and manufactures high-performance biomedical textile structures leveraging years of experience in medical textile engineering methods including knitting, braiding and weaving. Its thoughtful design concepts challenge the status quo. Cortland Biomedical’s unique combination of advanced equipment and technology, a seasoned medical textile-specific engineering team, and first-rate R&D capabilities allows it to tackle customers’ complex challenges with the innovation and agility expected in the medical device industry. Learn more at cortlandbiomedical.com. Contact Details Jordan Bouclin, SVM Public Relations +1 401-490-9700 Jordan.bouclin@svmpr.com Company Website https://www.cortlandbiomedical.com/

August 09, 2022 10:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Kadimastem Receives US Patent For Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Treatment

Kadimastem

Kadimastem Ltd. (TASE: KDST), a clinical stage cell therapy company developing treatments for ALS and diabetes, has been granted a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its cell therapy technology for treating ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. This US patent joins additional patents granted to Kadimastem in the US, Israel and Europe for the treatment of ALS and for ALS drug screening. Kadimastem’s flagship product, AstroRx®, is a breakthrough technology that is comprised of a unique and large cell population of astrocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells. The cells are intended to support the survival of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS, brain and spinal cord). These neurons are damaged by ALS, due to the malfunctioning of the patient’s own astrocytes. This situation hampers and annuls the neuromuscular signaling, which negatively affects muscle activity and leads to eventual paralysis and death. In December 2020, Kadimastem announced the results of the first of its kind, Phase I/IIa clinical trial, in which healthy and functioning astrocyte cells (AstroRx®) were injected into the spinal fluid of 10 ALS patients. Data showed that AstroRx® has the potential to slow the progression of ALS, as indicated by a clinical score called ALSFRS-R. Kadimastem plans to test repeated doses every three months of AstroRx® to achieve a continuous delay of the disease. Based on data that the company has to date, the company estimates that approximately 3 years after the completion of the upcoming clinical trial and receiving marketing approval, the potential size of the ALS market could reach approximately 0.5 billion dollars annually [1]. “The patent announced today strengthens our intellectual property portfolio in the field of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. Not only is it a good sign that the patent was granted in the United States in advance of the next trial, but the timing also gives AstroRx® a clear advantage as it increases the strategic value of the product,” said Kadimastem CEO Asaf Shiloni. “We are currently engaged in intensive activities to submit the IND by the end of 2022 as well as preparations for the start of a Phase IIa clinical study in 2023 in the United States.” Kadimastem Chief Scientist Professor Michel Revel said, “The ALS program is progressing well. The company’s broad patent portfolio was strengthened today, and we are on track to begin the much anticipated clinical trial of AstroRx® within months. I am excited to see our original vision come to fruition. The goal is to improve improve the treatment of ALS patients.” [1] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/als/conditions/als_amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis.html. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/als/conditions/als_amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis.html. Based on data from the aforementioned source (there are 30,000 ALS patients in the US, as well as 5,000 new cases of ALS that are diagnosed each year), and under the following assumptions: (1) gradual entry into the market after receiving approval for the product; (2) each cellular treatment in the US will cost the payer at least about 25,000 US dollars (based on the benchmark work performed by the company); (3) Each ALS patient in the US will require about 4 cellular treatments from the company in one year, that is, an annual cost of at least about 100,000 US dollars. The company’s assessments regarding the tests that will be performed as part of the clinical trial, regarding the size of the potential market activity for the company in the US, the completion of the clinical trial and the receipt of marketing approval, constitute forward-looking information, as defined in the Securities Law, 1968, which is based, among other things, on data that the company has as of the date of this report. It is clarified that such estimates may not materialize and/or materialize in a materially different manner from the above. About Kadimastem: Kadimastem is a clinical stage cell therapy company, developing and manufacturing "off-the-shelf", allogeneic, proprietary cell products based on its technology platform for the expansion and differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs) into functional cells. AstroRx®, the Company's lead product, is an astrocyte cell therapy in clinical development as a treatment for ALS. IsletRx is the Company's second product in development. IsletRx is comprised of functional pancreatic islet cells intended to treat patients with insulin dependent diabetes. IsletRx demonstrated safety and efficacy in a proof-of-concept preclinical study. Kadimastem was founded by Professor Michel Revel, CSO of the Company and Professor Emeritus of Molecular Genetics at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Professor Revel received the Israel Prize for the invention and development of Rebif®, a multiple sclerosis blockbuster drug sold worldwide. Kadimastem is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: KDST). Forward Looking Statement: This document may include forward-looking information as defined in the Securities Law, 5728 – 1968. Forward-looking information is uncertain and mostly is not under the Company's control and the realization or non-realization of forward-looking information will be affected, among other things, by the risk factors characterizing the Company's activity, as well as developments in the general environment and external factors affecting the Company's activity. The Company's results and achievements in the future may differ materially from any presented herein and the Company makes no undertaking to update or revise such projection or estimate and does not undertake to update this document. This document does not constitute a proposal to purchase the Company's securities or an invitation to receive such offers. Investment in securities in general and in the Company in particular bears risks. One should consider that past performance does not necessarily indicate performance in the future. Contact Details Kadimastem Asaf Shiloni +972 73-797-1613 s.bazak@kadimastem.com Must Have Communications Marjie Hadad +1 917-790-1178 marjie@mhc-pr.com Company Website https://www.kadimastem.com/

August 09, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Industrial Defender Appoints Jay Williams as Chief Executive Officer

Industrial Defender

Industrial Defender, a leader in OT cybersecurity technology, today announced that Jay Williams has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Industrial Defender effective August 8, 2022. Williams is a highly regarded cybersecurity executive with 30 years’ experience in operational environments and industrial control systems and 25 years’ executive leadership experience. As CEO, Williams will leverage his industry expertise and passion for team building to lead Industrial Defender through its next phase of growth, opening and expanding go-to-market channels, scaling the sales and innovation functions, and strengthening relationships with key partners and customers around the world. Williams brings a vision to elevate Industrial Defender as an integral enabler of OT cybersecurity transformation. “Jay is a respected leader in the space, whose deep understanding of operational business drivers, relentless customer focus and strategic experience driving global growth will be invaluable assets to Industrial Defender,” said Joseph Roark, Operating Partner at Teleo Capital and Chairman of Industrial Defender. “We’re excited to have Jay as part of the executive team and look forward to working with him to further scale the business and solidify Industrial Defender’s position as the leader in OT cybersecurity.” “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead and nurture the amazing talent and technology at Industrial Defender. With almost two decades of successfully implementing OT cybersecurity solutions at scale, we will continue to invest in complete, cost competitive technology to meet the needs of the future,” said Williams. “We have some very exciting new solutions being launched in the coming months that will empower security teams with the programmatic technology necessary to manage their entire OT cyber transformation from beginning to end. Every organization deserves to be secure no matter their size or budget, and Industrial Defender is committed to providing companies of all sizes with a competitive solution to protect their critical infrastructure.” Williams’ impressive background includes roles creating and leading OT cybersecurity divisions at Ernst & Young, Veracity Networks, Parsons Corporation, and Siemens. He is also an associate of the ICS Village and member of the Cybersecurity Advisory Council for the Syracuse City School District, teaching the next generation of students the core concepts to understand, assess and protect information security systems. To learn more about Jay Williams, why he chose Industrial Defender, and where the future of OT cybersecurity is heading, connect with him in person during BlackHat and the Defcon ICS Village August 8-15, 2022 in Las Vegas, NV. About Industrial Defender Industrial Defender protects the world’s critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. As a leader in OT cybersecurity innovation, the company’s scalable platform is used by organizations around the world to empower security stakeholders with actionable data collected from their OT and IIoT infrastructure, enabling them to make informed risk management decisions and manage their OT cybersecurity program in a concise, single vendor dashboard. Learn more at www.industrialdefender.com. Contact Details Industrial Defender Erin Anderson +1 617-675-4206 eanderson@industrialdefender.com Company Website https://www.industrialdefender.com

August 08, 2022 09:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Learn More about Simply Better Brands Corp. from Benzinga

Simply Better Brands

Contact Details Simply Better Brands Investor Relations ir@simplybetterbrands.com Company Website http://www.simplybetterbrands.com

August 05, 2022 03:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Video

UNOS Extended Statement on the Senate Finance Committee Hearing on Organ Donation & Transplant

United Network for Organ Sharing

Yesterday, UNOS CEO Brian Shepard appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance to testify about the role of United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the organ donation and transplant community’s ongoing efforts to save lives and further improve the national system. We were disappointed by the Senate Committee on Finance’s misunderstanding of the role UNOS has been assigned by the government within the nation’s organ donation and transplant system. To clarify some of the confusion, here are the facts about what we do: As required in the Health and Human Services (HHS) Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) contract, UNOS utilizes confidential peer-review, a highly effective process in use across the healthcare system, to promote hospital and OPO quality. Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) holds oversight authority, including OPO certification and decertification. These roles are distinct, specified and critical to the system. The IT system designed, operated and maintained by UNOS is highly effective, safe and secure, fending off more than three million hacker attempts per day. The U.S. Digital Service (USDS), which released a negative report on our IT infrastructure, didn’t come on-site to review it. However, The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) routinely conducts on-site audits of the system, and has never found any of the purported deficiencies outlined by USDS. OPOs determine the best, safest way to transport donor organs. Transplant hospitals and OPOs coordinate between each other to ensure safe and timely transport and UNOS only becomes involved if contacted by one of these bodies. Though it is outside the scope of the HHS contract, UNOS responded to community needs by developing a GPS tracking tool that a quarter of OPOs now utilize. We were also very concerned that the Committee did not reference the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics (NASEM) yesterday, even though their important report, which was commissioned by Congress, includes many recommendations that our community is already undertaking and applauded UNOS’ approach to increasing equity through a new organ allocation framework. We remain dedicated to addressing these misperceptions and are looking forward to working with Congress to further improve. The U.S. organ donation and transplantation system is the most successful in the world and will soon exceed one million transplants in its history. Each represents a patient whose life was transformed. UNOS is proud of the community we have helped build and looks forward to continuing working together to serve all patients who rely on us. About UNOS United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the mission-driven non-profit serving as the nation’s transplant system under contract with the federal government. We lead the network of transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations, and thousands of volunteers who are dedicated to honoring the gifts of life entrusted to us and to making lifesaving transplants possible for patients in need. Working together, we leverage data and advances in science and technology to continuously strengthen the system, increase the number of organs recovered and the number of transplants performed, and ensure patients across the nation have equitable access to transplant. Contact Details United Network for Organ Sharing Eric Steigleder +1 804-782-4730 eric.steigleder@unos.org Company Website https://unos.org

August 04, 2022 05:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time