Category: English

SHANGHAI, China, May 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd (“Junshi Biosciences”, HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, announced that the National Medical Products Administration (“NMPA”) has accepted the supplemental new drug application (“sNDA”) for the company’s anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, toripalimab, used in combination with albumin-bound paclitaxel for the treatment of PD-L1 positive (CPS ≥ 1) untreated metastatic or recurrent metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (“TNBC”).

According to GLOBOCAN 2020, breast cancer exhibited the highest incidence rates worldwide, with 2.26 million new cases and 0.68 million deaths in 2020. In China, 0.42 million new cases and 0.12 million deaths due to breast cancer were reported in 2020, accounting for 18.4% and 17.1% of global cases, respectively. Amongst these breast cancer cases, approximately 10% to 15% were classified as TNBC. TNBC is a more aggressive type of cancer with a higher risk of recurrence and a poor prognosis. Unfortunately, advanced TNBC does not respond well to targeted therapy and endocrine therapy, and there are currently no specific treatment methods available.

In recent years, clinical studies have shown that immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced TNBC can achieve better efficacy and tolerability. To this day, however, no immunotherapy drugs have been approved for advanced TNBC in China, and chemotherapy remains the primary treatment option. Alternative drugs include anthracyclines, taxanes, platinum-based drugs, etc. Both mono-chemotherapy and combination chemotherapy have poor efficacy, with a median survival time of about 9 to 12 months and a 5-year survival rate of less than 30%.

The supplemental new drug application is based on the TORCHLIGHT study (NCT04085276), which is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase III clinical study jointly conducted across 56 centers nationwide, with Professor Zefei JIANG from the Department of Oncology of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital and Vice President and Secretary General of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), serving as the principal investigator. The study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of toripalimab combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel versus placebo combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel in patients with an initial diagnosis of stage IV or recurrent metastatic TNBC. In February 2023, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) determined in an interim analysis that the primary endpoint of the TORCHLIGHT study had met its pre-defined efficacy boundary.

TORCHLIGHT study is the first domestic Phase III registered study to achieve positive results in advanced TNBC immunotherapy. The study results showed that, compared with albumin-bound paclitaxel alone, toripalimab in combination with albumin-bound paclitaxel in patients with an initial diagnosis of stage IV or recurrent metastatic triple-negative breast cancer could significantly prolong the progression-free survival (“PFS”) of PD-L1 positive patients. Meanwhile, the overall survival (“OS”), one of the secondary endpoints, also showed a clear trend of improvement in PD-1 positive patients as well as in all patients, regardless of PD-1 status. The safety profile of toripalimab is consistent with known checkpoint inhibitor-related risks, and no new safety signals were identified.

Details of the TORCHLIGHT results will be published in the form of a “Late-breaking Abstract (LBA)” (#LBA1013) oral presentation during the rapid abstract session at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

“Over 2 million breast cancer cases occur annually, making it the most prevalent cancer worldwide,” said Professor Zefei JIANG from the Department of Oncology of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital. “While advancements in breast cancer treatment have continued to improve patient prognosis, TNBC remains a challenging subtype characterized by its aggressive nature and poor prognosis. Effective treatment methods for TNBC are still lacking, and the 5-year survival rate for advanced TNBC patients falls below 30%. In our TORCHLIGHT study, we combined chemotherapy with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, which resulted in significantly prolonged PFS in TNBC patients, along with other significant survival benefits. I am delighted to see the acceptance of the NDA for toripalimab in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced TNBC. I eagerly anticipate its approval as it will provide better treatment options for TNBC patients in China!”

“For a very long time, the treatment of advanced TNBC has been incredibly challenging, and TNBC has posed a constant threat to patients’ lives,” said Dr. Jianjun ZOU, the Global Research and Development President of Junshi Biosciences. “We at Junshi Biosciences have remained steadfast in our patient-centric approach and successfully collaborated with researchers on the TORCHLIGHT study, which has demonstrated significant improvements in PFS and OS. We plan to work closely with regulatory authorities to expedite the approval process and address the unmet needs of countless TNBC patients in China as soon as possible.”

About Toripalimab

Toripalimab is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody developed for its ability to block PD-1 interactions with its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, and for enhanced receptor internalization (endocytosis function). Blocking PD-1 interactions with PD-L1 and PD-L2 promotes the immune system’s ability to attack and kill tumor cells.

More than forty company-sponsored toripalimab clinical studies covering more than fifteen indications have been conducted globally by Junshi Biosciences, including in China, the United States, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Ongoing or completed pivotal clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of toripalimab cover a broad range of tumor types, including cancers of the lung, nasopharynx, esophagus, stomach, bladder, breast, liver, kidney and skin.

In China, toripalimab was the first domestic anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody approved for marketing (approved in China as TUOYI^®). Currently, there are six approved indications for toripalimab in China:

1. unresectable or metastatic melanoma after failure of standard systemic therapy;
2. recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (“NPC”) after failure of at least two lines of prior systemic therapy;
3. locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that failed platinum-containing chemotherapy or progressed within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant platinum-containing chemotherapy;
4. in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine as the first-line treatment for patients with locally recurrent or metastatic NPC;
5. in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin in first-line treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced/recurrent or distant metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (“ESCC”);
6. in combination with pemetrexed and platinum as the first-line treatment in EGFR mutation-negative and ALK mutation-negative, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The first three indications have been included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) (2022 Edition). Toripalimab is the only anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody included in the NRDL for the treatment of melanoma.

In the United States, the Biologics License Application (BLA) for toripalimab in combination with gemcitabine/cisplatin for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced recurrent or metastatic NPC and toripalimab monotherapy for the second-line or later treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC after platinum-containing chemotherapy is under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). The FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designations for toripalimab in combination with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC as well as for toripalimab monotherapy in the second or third-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC. Additionally, the FDA has granted Fast Track designation for toripalimab for the treatment of mucosal melanoma and Orphan Drug designations for the treatment of esophageal cancer, NPC, mucosal melanoma, soft tissue sarcoma, and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

In Europe, marketing authorization applications (MAA) were accepted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for 1) toripalimab combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of patients with locally recurrent or metastatic NPC and 2) toripalimab combined with paclitaxel and cisplatin for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced/recurrent or metastatic ESCC, in December 2022 and February 2023.

About Junshi Biosciences

Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180) is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R&D pipeline comprising over 50 drug candidates, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Junshi Biosciences was the first Chinese pharmaceutical company that obtained marketing approval for an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody in China. Its first-in-human anti-BTLA monoclonal antibody for the treatment of various cancers was the first in the world to be approved for clinical trials by the FDA and NMPA and has since entered Phase Ib/II trials in both China and the US. Its anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody was the first in China to be approved for clinical trials by the NMPA.

In the face of the pandemic, Junshi Biosciences’ response was strong and immediate, joining forces with Chinese and international scientific research institutions and enterprises to develop an arsenal of drug candidates to combat COVID-19, taking the initiative to shoulder the social responsibility of Chinese pharmaceutical companies by prioritizing and accelerating COVID-19 R&D. In 2021, JS016 (etesevimab), China’s first neutralizing fully human monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2 administered with bamlanivimab, was granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) in over 15 countries and regions worldwide. Meanwhile, VV116 (deuremidevir hydrobromide), a novel oral nucleoside analog anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug designed to hinder virus replication, has been approved for marketing in China and Uzbekistan. The JS016 and VV116 programs are a part of the company’s continuous efforts towards innovation for disease control and prevention of the global pandemic.

Junshi Biosciences has about 3,000 employees in the United States (San Francisco and Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing, Guangzhou, etc.). For more information, please visit: http://junshipharma.com.

Junshi Biosciences Contact Information
IR Team:
Junshi Biosciences
info@junshipharma.com
+ 86 021-6105 8800

PR Team:
Junshi Biosciences
Zhi Li
zhi_li@junshipharma.com
+ 86 021-6105 8800

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8844506

ScyllaDB is fast becoming the go-to database for global media streaming leaders as well as India’s top gamechangers

BANGALORE, India and SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ScyllaDB announced today that ZEE5 is now using its high-performance database for its rapidly growing streaming business. By moving from DynamoDB to ScyllaDB Cloud (a fully managed database-as-a-service solution compatible with both DynamoDB and Cassandra), ZEE5 is able to handle an increased volume of database traffic faster, and at significantly lower costs.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) is a leading media and entertainment company that operates over 80 channels. The company distributes content to nearly 1.3 billion viewers over 190 countries. ZEE5, the OTT arm of ZEEL, is currently using ScyllaDB to power its watch history functionality and is in the process of moving additional business-critical content streaming use cases to ScyllaDB. The team behind this move anticipates that database traffic could triple in the next year; this move proactively prepares their infrastructure to respond to this massive scale.

“Ensuring a cloud-agnostic infrastructure is a key focus for us as ZEE5 continues to expand,” stated Mr. Kishore A K, the Chief Technology Officer of ZEE5. He further emphasized the significance of the partnership, stating, “This collaboration will elevate the user experience of our rapidly growing streaming business. By harnessing the power of ScyllaDB’s high-performance database, we can effectively manage increased database traffic, delivering enhanced speed and efficiency, all while achieving notable cost savings. The architecture of ScyllaDB, combined with its compatibility with modern cloud resources, positions it as an optimal solution for our critical content streaming needs. Ultimately, this partnership adds significant value for our viewers.”

“ScyllaDB has a unique architecture which allows our NoSQL database to take full advantage of modern cloud resources,” added Dor Laor, Co-Founder and CEO of ScyllaDB. “That’s how ScyllaDB achieves this impressive efficiency and price-performance that makes use cases that require predictable low latency and high throughput a perfect match for us. The ScyllaDB team is excited about our partnership with Zee and our growing presence within the dynamic IT high-technology industry in India. Zee joins an impressive group of ScyllaDB customers in the region – for example, gamechangers such as ShareChat and OlaCabs.”

About ScyllaDB

ScyllaDB is the database for data-intensive apps that require high throughput and low latency. It enables teams to harness the ever-increasing computing power of modern infrastructures – eliminating barriers to scale as data grows. Unlike any other database, ScyllaDB is built with deep architectural advancements that enable exceptional end-user experiences at radically lower costs. Over 400 game-changing companies like Expedia, Discord, Crypto.com, Zillow, Starbucks, Comcast, and Samsung use ScyllaDB for their toughest database challenges. ScyllaDB is available as free open source software, a fully-supported enterprise product, and a fully managed service on multiple cloud providers. For more information: ScyllaDB.com

Media Contact:

Wayne Ariola

wayne.ariola@scylladb.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8844411

HONG KONG, May 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Matthews announces that Beonca Yip has joined the firm as Head of Asia Pacific. Beonca will be responsible for overseeing the firm’s business in the Asia Pacific region as well as leading its distribution activities, with a particular focus on the firm’s growing institutional business. In her role, Beonca will continue to expand the firm’s growing client base in Asia Pacific and tailor investment solutions that meet the needs of investors in the region.

Matthews provides investors with a broad range of investment solutions across Emerging Markets, Asia and China. These include global, regional, country and thematic strategies available in SMAs, Active ETFs, mutual funds and closed end Funds. The firm also provides more customized solutions to clients such as strategies that have a sustainability focus as well as solutions for investors wanting to have more control over their China allocation in their portfolios.

“Asia Pacific remains a strategically important region for Matthews and Beonca enhances our focus on sophisticated institutional investors in the region. Along with Neil Steedman’s team in London, and Doug Byrkit’s team in San Francisco, Matthews continues to provide customized solutions backed by industry-leading client support for institutional and wealth management partners around the globe. Beonca’s network and enthusiasm will strengthen relationships with existing clients as well as accelerate the growth of our outreach across the region as investors seek more customized, active exposures to Emerging Markets and Asia,” said Cooper Abbott, Chief Executive Officer of Matthews.

Beonca joins the firm with over 28 years of experience in senior distribution leadership roles that serviced both sophisticated institutional asset owners and advisory channel clients across the APAC region. Previously, she led the distribution and client service teams at China Asset Management where she was Managing Director, Head of Global Client Group based in Beijing. Prior to that she held senior roles that included Head of Advisor Business – Asia at Investec Asset Management and Head of Retail Sales in Asia and Europe for Eastspring Investments.

Neil Steedman, Head of International Distribution commented, “I am pleased to welcome Beonca to the team. She brings almost 30 years of client-focused experience in the investment industry in Asia Pacific with an impressive track record of developing strong partnerships. Her appointment reinforces our commitment to the region, and our clients, as we continue to expand our footprint in these key markets.”

Beonca Yip said, “I am delighted to join Matthews and look forward to building on the success the firm has achieved. Matthews has a strong brand in the region and with over 30 years of experience investing in the Emerging Markets, the firm offers its clients a differentiated value proposition and product platform that I believe will resonate with a growing number of institutions and intermediaries.”

Media Contact in Asia:
Dukas Linden PR
Sarah Lazarus/Stephanie Dressler
+1 617 335 7823/+1 949-269-2535
sarah@dlpr.com/stephanie@dlpr.com

About Matthews Asia:
Matthews is an independent, privately owned investment manager founded in 1991 on a belief that Emerging Markets offers exceptional long-term growth potential. As a trusted and experienced guide to these markets, the firm takes a long-term fundamental investment approach to construct highly differentiated portfolios that focus on Emerging Markets, Asia and China. The firm manages assets on behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally in vehicles that include SMAs, mutual funds and active ETFs. For more information about Matthews, please visit matthewsasia.com.

Disclosure
This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not, in any way, constitute investment advice or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security or product mentioned herein. Investing in international and emerging markets may involve additional risks, such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation.

Matthews Asia is a brand for Matthews International Capital Management, LLC and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. 

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8844323

Leading mobile brokerage continues to innovate to meet the evolving needs of retail investors

NEW YORK, May 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Webull, a leading commission-free trading platform, is proudly celebrating its five-year anniversary. Since May 2018, Webull has offered its users professional level tools and analytics while creating an enjoyable, user-friendly investing experience.

To coincide with this important milestone, the company released the latest version of its platform, Webull 9.0, and launched Smart Advisor, an offering that leverages artificial intelligence to suggest a portfolio based on a user’s responses to a risk assessment.

Webull 9.0 boasts an even better user experience, featuring new content and sophisticated tools, including Sage Tracker, which enables clients to track the investment moves of leading institutional investors, and Cash Management, alongside the new Smart Advisor.

The company developed Smart Advisor’s algorithm in-house, which provides an easy user experience for customers. Smart Advisor will collect basic profile information including the customer’s goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon, before suggesting an investment portfolio based on the responses and investing funds automatically. Users always have access to their funds, and once a withdrawal request is submitted, Smart Advisor will automatically sell holdings to raise cash to meet the request. This product also helps users better manage day-to-day portfolio monitoring, allows for fractional share trading, and rebalances when necessary—all at a low cost.

Webull remains committed to its mission of changing the way retail investors trade by providing greater accessibility, education, and optimized user experience, all with no commission or subscription barriers.

Over the past year, Webull has accomplished:

• Cash Management APY: Eligible customers now earn 4.1% Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) interest on their uninvested cash balance.
• Recurring Investments: Customers now have the ability to automatically invest in stocks and ETFs.
• US Expansion: Webull has expanded operations in the US by opening a major office in St. Petersburg, Florida to support its ambitious growth plans.
• Brooklyn Nets & New York Liberty Partnerships: As part of Webull’s sponsorship of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty basketball teams and the company’s commitment to the New York City community in general, Webull has participated in initiatives like the opening of a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) center in Brooklyn, NY in partnership with Digital Girl, Inc.

“This milestone anniversary, the launch of Webull 9.0 and Smart Advisor is not only a time for reflection on the company’s accomplishments, but also demonstrates that we are at the forefront of the future of retail investing,” said Anthony Denier, CEO of Webull. “We are proud to introduce products to the market that make the investment experience easier and more efficient for our users.”

Denier added: “These past five years have been extremely rewarding and I am very proud of the team’s hard work, dedication, and all that they have achieved to create a more accessible platform for retail investors. I am incredibly excited about what the future holds for the company and its users.”

Smart Advisor is free for customers until June 30, 2023. Beginning in July, customers will be charged the standard annualized fee of 20bps of assets under management (AUM), billed monthly.

For more information on Webull and its offerings, please visit www.webull.com.

About Webull
Brokerage services offered through Webull Financial LLC (“Webull Financial”), an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Investment advisory services are offered by Webull Advisors LLC (“Webull Advisors”), a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered investment adviser.  Webull Financial and Webull Advisors are affiliates. All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. Neither entity guarantees profits or protection from losses.

Webull Media Contact
Catherine Toor
Webull@5wpr.com
(212) 999-5585

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8842017

Meltwater expands on 20 years of robust AI capabilities with integration of OpenAI models and advanced algorithms to deliver insights, moving away from the time and guesswork needed to make sense of billions of pieces of online data.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Meltwater, a global leader in media, social and consumer intelligence, today announces new AI-powered product innovations across multiple solutions that allow customers to surface insights, boost efficiency, and generate content.

New product enhancements powered by Meltwater’s AI engine:

• AI Writing Assistant – Empowering customers to work more efficiently and overcome writer’s block, leveraging the latest advancements in generative AI. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT model, this intuitive tool boosts productivity and creativity, providing users with an effortless way to craft highly engaging content, integrated seamlessly into their publishing workflow.
• Discovery AI-Based Insight Assistant – Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to automatically surface impactful consumer and market insights. By highlighting changes, shifts, and trends in online conversations that teams may have otherwise missed, the assistant allows them to stay ahead of the curve and make informed business decisions, solving for information overload with automated, actionable insights.
• Video Analysis – Enabling users to capture insights from video content on social platforms through advanced computer vision which identifies logos, celebrities, scenes and objects. This allows customers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their online brand and tackle everything from crisis management to content ideation.

These innovations are powered by Meltwater’s AI engine, capitalizing on nearly 20 years of investment and the largest, richest, and most global dataset in the industry. Across these AI enhancements, Meltwater customers are already saving time, benefitting from streamlined workflows, and seeing significant value from these new tools:

• The Discovery Insight Assistant is a fascinating feature, both for its ability to identify relevant information and for its accuracy. It simplifies the task of analyzing and identifying drivers of conversations with completeness and relevance. The potential of Discovery is immense, and it’s a major asset for anyone involved in social data. – Jean-Baptiste Mac Luckie, Senior Market & Business Insights Manager, Lacoste
• “Meltwater’s new Insight Assistant and Video Analysis capabilities have tremendous potential for agencies who are tasked with staying on top of multiple brands across a growing number of news and social channels. Our industry is always changing and evolving, and it’s a game-changer to be able to save time, have access to deeper, more accurate insights, and be alerted to key shifts in brand mentions – all powered by the latest innovations in AI.” – James Wright, Global CEO, Red Havas, and CEO, Havas Creative Network Australia

Meltwater delivers AI insights at scale drawing from an unprecedented amount of data – with more than 1.3 billion new documents added each day, applying 14 billion AI inferences, with support in over 240 languages. Additionally, Meltwater’s rich experience with LLMs (large language models), the foundation of generative AI models, puts the company in a leadership position to help customers find insights in the sea of external data.

“Meltwater has been investing in AI since day one, and these new generative AI enhancements will bring even more value to our customers. Harnessing the power of online data is no longer limited to teams with advanced technical skills. Our AI-powered tools bring the full value of media intelligence to organizations of all kinds by surfacing more relevant insights and generating content, ultimately saving time, streamlining workflows, and boosting productivity,” says Meltwater CTO Aditya Jami.

In the coming months, the company will release additional generative AI-powered enhancements that will provide value for Meltwater customers in numerous ways – from simplifying complicated Boolean search set-up, to generating concise content summaries and automating tags for news and social content. These features will drastically simplify how to search and organize data, accelerate user productivity, reduce time-to-strategic-insight, and unblock creative barriers for Meltwater’s 27,000+ customers.

Find out more at the upcoming Meltwater Summit in New York on June 21-22. During the Summit’s Product Keynote, Meltwater CEO John Box and CTO Aditya Jami will reveal exciting new launches that leverage AI to empower marketers and communication professionals to spend less time wrangling data and more time strategizing and engaging with their audiences.

To learn more and attend the Summit, visit meltwater.com/summit.

For more information contact:
Kelly Costello
pr@meltwater.com

About Meltwater: 
Meltwater empowers companies with a suite of solutions that spans media, social, consumer and sales intelligence. By analyzing ~1 billion pieces of content each day and transforming them into vital insights, Meltwater unlocks the competitive edge to drive results. With 27,000 global customers, 50 offices across six continents and 2,300 employees, Meltwater is the industry partner of choice for global brands making an impact. Learn more at meltwater.com.

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8843683

San Jose, CA, May 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Codex Labs, a Silicon Valley bio-skintech company, and Paula Simpson, nutricosmetics formulator, author and microbiome expert, recently announced the addition of Paula to the Codex Labs medical advisory board.

“As we delve deeper into skin-gut-brain integrative wellness solutions, we are excited to find partners who are experts in functional and clinical nutrition, as well as formulation of accessible skin-gut-brain supporting supplements. Our goal is to expand our ingestibles from acne to other skin conditions, and clinically prove and publish their efficacy through research studies with our medical advisory board dermatologists,”  said Dr. Barbara Paldus, Founder and CEO of Codex Labs.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of Codex Labs’ incredible team of medical, microbiome science & ethnobotany experts. With my integrated background, I hope to support Codex Labs in bringing forth unique and personalized formulations for healthy, balanced skin inside and out,” stated Paula Simpson, Author & Founder of Nutribloom Consulting.  “Our skin doesn’t function in isolation; it has a codependent relationship with the gut and immune system.  Via gut-skin axis, microbes are important contributors for healthy balanced skin. Nurturing it from the inside and out, can support and encourage those good bacteria to flourish and protect us from pathogens or stressors that have a negative effect on the health and appearance of our skin.”

About Codex Labs

Based in Silicon Valley and led by scientist Dr. Barb Paldus, Codex Labs is committed to creating  highly effective, clinically proven, microbiome-supporting skin-gut-brain integrative solutions  that contain potent, biotech-derived plant-based actives. Our products are focused on restoring/protecting the skin barrier, managing inflammation, and addressing skin conditions associated with aging, acne, eczema and psoriasis. Our free DermSCORE self-assessment app offers consumers a data-driven, derm-approved approach for managing acne.  The brand has been heralded by dermatologists for creating a new breed of effective, vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable dermo-cosmetic solutions.

Manny Valdez
Codex Labs
codex@mmlpr.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8843273

May 22, 2023

Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Nashville, TN, USA – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), home to the top-ranked adult and pediatric hospitals in the Southeastern U.S., today announced a collaboration that aims to reduce the health system’s carbon footprint while determining a blueprint to guide industry efforts. The project is with the radiology department, where efforts will focus on measuring and addressing energy consumption of VUMC’s diagnostic imaging devices including MR, CT, ultrasound and X-ray. The two organizations plan to publish their findings with the aim of promoting knowledge exchange and enabling others in the industry to enhance their environmental strategies.

The healthcare industry is responsible for an estimated 7.6% of U.S. and 4.4% of global emissions [1]; with its heavy energy, equipment, and supply usage, radiology is a significant contributor to the CO₂ emissions responsible for climate change [2]. Philips will work with VUMC to collect a range of equipment lifecycle data, including radiology data and measurements of the equipment energy consumption, analyze operational workflow efficiency and interview VUMC staff and faculty to build computational models on which to run simulations. The teams will then summarize piloted interventions to test the reduction of the department’s carbon footprint.

“We consider climate care as healthcare. Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity, it’s also a responsibility. The future of radiology requires us to be cognizant, aware and proactive about addressing this issue which directly affects the communities we live in and the patients we treat,” said Reed Omary, MD, MS, Carol D. and Henry P. Pendergrass Professor and Chair of Radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “We have a collective responsibility to help mitigate climate change, which is why we’ve entered into this collaboration. Working together will allow us to leverage Philips’ general healthcare and specific radiology expertise – as well as their own success in achieving CO₂ net-zero operations – to make important reductions in our carbon footprint.”

In addition to financial costs for a given diagnosis, VUMC’s Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences understands that there is also an additional carbon cost to make that diagnosis. Philips brings knowledge and a longstanding commitment to sustainability to the collaboration. Recently, Philips became the first health technology company to have its entire value-chain CO₂ emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) with strategic action plans in place. The company has reported solid progress in reducing CO₂ emissions across its innovations and supply chain, and has operated globally carbon neutral since 2020. Philips builds on decades of experience reducing energy consumption, waste, and materials and substances usage by embedding its EcoDesign criteria and circular business models across product innovation and ways of working. Through digitalization and collaboration, the company actively seeks to expand access to care, while working closely with customers and partners to improve the environmental impact of in-use diagnostic imaging technology.

“Philips and VUMC share a common vision – that systemically addressing climate change is going to take commitment and collaboration across the industry. Philips’ 2023 Future Health Index found that nearly half of U.S. healthcare leaders are planning to overcome challenges to implementing sustainability initiatives by sharing best practices and learnings from peers,” said Jeff DiLullo, chief region leader, Philips North America. “We are optimistic that results from this partnership will not only assist Vanderbilt in its effort to understand and address carbon emissions in its own radiology department, but serve as a model for others seeking to decarbonize their operations.”

[1] https://noharm-global.org/sites/default/files/documents-files/5961/HealthCaresClimateFootprint_092319.pdf
[2] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366649243_Climate_Change_Carbon_Dioxide_Emissions_and_Medical_Imaging_Contribution

For further information, please contact:

Avi Dines

Philips North America
Tel: + 1 781 690 3814
Email: avi.dines@philips.com

Mark Groves
Philips Global Press Office
Tel: +31 631 639 916
Email: mark.groves@philips.com

Vanderbilt Radiology Communications (please contact both):
Derek Scancarelli
Senior Communications Specialist
derek.scancarelli@vumc.org

Jackson Hicks
Associate Communications Specialist
Jackson.hicks@vumc.org

About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health. Philips generated 2022 sales of EUR 17.8 billion and employs approximately 74,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

About Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is the largest comprehensive research, teaching and patient care health system in the Mid-South region, with the highest ranked adult and children’s hospitals in the Southeast by U.S. News & World Report. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, VUMC sees over 3 million patient visits per year in over 200 ambulatory locations, performs 88,000 surgical operations and discharges 80,000 inpatients from its main-campus adult, children’s, psychiatric and rehabilitation hospitals and three regional community hospitals. The Medical Center is the largest non-governmental employer of Middle Tennesseans, with nearly 40,000 staff, including more than 3,000 physicians, advanced practice nurses and scientists appointed to the Vanderbilt University faculty. For more information and the latest news follow VUMC on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and in the VUMC Reporter.

Attachment

• Vanderbilt Medical Center