News Hub | News Direct

Healthcare

Addiction Biotech Cannabis Genetics Healthcare Medical Devices Pharmaceutical Science Veterinary
Article thumbnail News Release

New COVID Testing Centers in Southeastern, North Carolina

COVID Testing Solutions

Today, COVID Testing Solutions™ announced the opening of eight new COVID-19 testing centers in Southeastern North Carolina. The eight new centers are located in Wake County, Asheboro, Southern Pines, Fayetteville, Rockingham, Laurinburg, Wilmington, and Jacksonville. Each center will collect saliva specimens for analysis using the company’s own PCR testing equipment. The goal is to deliver test results within 48-hours in the hope of reducing the spread of the virus. COVID Testing Solutions is prepared operationally to efficiently collect and test specimens from individuals and assist organizations, including churches, schools, and small and large organizations, with their COVID testing needs. The saliva-based (non-nasal probe) PCR test includes indirect indicators of viral load (i.e., level of infection) by measuring Thermal Cycles and can detect COVID-19 infection, regardless of strain, including the delta and omicron variants. The test is available at NO COST with or without insurance. COVID Testing Solutions is affiliated with COVID Treatment Clinics. COVID Treatment Clinics provides personalized, integrated plans that combine conventional and alternative treatment options. The physician-directed plans may include nutritional supplements, pharmaceuticals (monoclonal antibodies), oxygen therapy, and IV therapies. “COVID-19 is far from being contained. Our mission is to provide early testing and treatment that will save lives. Strengthening the immune system through early and individualized intervention is essential to reduce the short- and long-term impact of the disease.” James Taylor, MD COVID Testing Solutions/COVID Treatment Clinics Benefits of COVID Testing Solutions include: 1. No-cost saliva-based testing instead of the nose probe. 2. Quick results. 3. Indirect indicators of viral load which can help direct therapy. 4. Treatment options that go beyond mere bed rest and fluids. Dr. James Taylor created COVID Testing Solutions and COVID Treatment Clinics after his own bout with COVID-19. COVID testing is available today (January 6, 2022) at the Integrated Pain Solutions clinics in Asheboro, Southern Pines, Fayetteville, Rockingham, Laurinburg, Jacksonville, and Wilmington. A dedicated testing center is located in Wake County. COVID-related healthcare services are available for individuals, schools, employers, and organizations. To learn more, go to: COVID19testingsolutions.com or call 910-704-5299. Contact Details Gregory F. Toso +1 610-750-3039 Info@covidtreatmentclinics.com

January 06, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Q-VANT Biosciences Launches to Solve the Pharmaceutical Industry Problem of Limited Quillaja Saponin-Based Adjuvants for Life-Saving Vaccines

Q-Vant Biosciences

Q-VANT Biosciences has launched as the first company to achieve a 100% sustainable way to meet the growing global vaccine market demand for Quillaja saponin-based adjuvants including QS-21. QS-21 is considered the “Gold Standard” adjuvant for enhancing immune response to vaccine antigens and is a vital component in more than 17 human vaccine candidates, including the FDA-approved GSK Shingrix® shingles vaccine and the WHO-authorized, GSK Mosquirix® malaria vaccine. In addition, saponin-based adjuvants are a key component in the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, which has been shown to be highly effective in clinical trials and has recently been authorized for emergency use by the European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Q-VANT is led by a team with world-class knowledge of vaccine and adjuvant development, Quillaja extract supply, processing, formulation, purification quantification R&D and application, and decades of experience in pharmaceutical R&D, supply chain, manufacturing, commercialization, and regulatory approvals. Chief Executive Officer, Doug Klaiber, is joined by Chief Commercial Officer, Juan Jose Albarran, and Chief Operating Officer, Hans Konsens. The team was recently rounded out by three robust additions including Chief Scientific Officer Bruce Forrest, MD, MBA; Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Jack Love, PhD; and Vice President of Business Development, Stein Lokstad. “Bruce, Jack and Stein bring unparalleled leadership expertise, insights and connections gleaned from their decades working at the likes of companies such as Pfizer and Brenntag Biosector,” said Doug Klaiber, Chief Executive Officer, Q-VANT Biosciences. “Their experience in successfully bringing some of the world’s leading vaccines and adjuvants to market will be invaluable as we scale our efforts to produce as much of this highly valuable adjuvant as is needed.” QS-21 is traditionally extracted from the bark of mature trees native to Chile known as the Quillaja saponaria -- a harvesting process that negatively impacts the forest and the sustainability of the resource. Today, with regulatory restrictions on deforestation of this tree, and projected demand for QS-21 in the billions of doses annually, shortages of QS-21 are affecting the pharmaceutical market’s ability to meet the surging need for vaccine dosages globally. Q-VANT’s Q-SAP™ (Quillaja Sustainable Adjuvant Platform) is a technology platform combining computational learning techniques and a proprietary multi-step purification process to systematically enhance Quillaja sourcing options and to drive extremely effective outputs. The first of its kind, Q-SAP enables Q-VANT to obtain adjuvant products from a wide range of Quillaja-based plant materials, which can increase production volumes by as much as 1,000, leading to billions of doses in a 100% sustainable way. “The market opportunity has expanded rapidly for QS-21 as an adjuvant, especially with the race to research, develop and produce vaccines to combat COVID-19,” said Juan Jose Albarran, Chief Commercial Officer, Q-VANT Biosciences. “Our technology is not only able to fulfill the growing demand for QS-21, but also do it in a fully sustainable way which protects the forest and long-term stability of the supply for the adjuvant.” The company is ramping up its pharma cGMP production and in the process of submitting a Drug Master File (DMF) with FDA in 2022. About Q-VANT Biosciences Q-VANT is a privately held company that has solved the supply chain problem of QS-21 and other Quillaja-based saponin adjuvants for the global human and animal pharmaceutical markets. The company's next-generation technology platform combines computational learning techniques with a proprietary multi-step purification process to increase the supply of QS-21 by more than 1,000% enabling the production of billions of doses annually to meet today's increasing global market demand. Led by a team with unrivaled experience in vaccine and adjuvant development, manufacturing and global regulatory requirements, and with world-class knowledge in Quillaja saponin supply chain, agronomy, extraction and purification, Q-VANT is the first company that is vertically integrated to combine a secured sustainable Quillaja raw material supply with pharma cGMP commercial-scale production of QS-21 and other saponin-based adjuvants. For more information, visit www.q-vant.com. Contact Details Hillary Lima +1 401-490-9700 hillary.lima@svmpr.com Company Website https://q-vant.com/

January 06, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Michael Edwards CEO MedMinder Announcement

MedMinder

MedMinder Systems Inc. (“MedMinder”), the leading fully integrated, end-to-end pharmacy, medication adherence and connected care solution, today announced that Michael F. Edwards has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer. “I am delighted to welcome Mike as our new Chief Executive Officer,” said David Shulkin M.D., Chairman of the Board of Directors of MedMinder. “The COVID-19 Pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of access to medications and remote care. MedMinder is purpose built to assist polychronic patients improve medication adherence and simplify digital care solutions. Mike brings the right set of skills and experience to build upon MedMinder’s platform and take the organization to the next level. Finally, I would like to thank Eran Shavelsky, the founder of MedMinder who led the company from inception into becoming a leading provider of online pharmacy and connected care solutions. Eran’s vision and persistence made MedMinder what it is today.” “I am so proud of the MedMinder team for building such a valuable digital health solution which helps so many people,” said Eran Shavelsky, MedMinder Founder. “I am confident that under Mike’s leadership the company will further grow and expand.” Mike has a passion for helping solve some of the biggest problems in healthcare. As a veteran healthcare executive Mike has built and led high performing organizations within pharmacy, technology and consumer engagement. Prior to joining MedMinder, Mike was Chief Commercial Officer at Truveris. Mike held various executive roles at Optum, a subsidiary of United Health Group (NYSE:UNH). Most recently Mike was President, Commercial Markets at OptumRx. Prior to that role, Mike was part of the executive team at Catamaran where he was instrumental in executing the integration with Optum. Mike held leadership positions at Vitals, Express Scripts and Medco, where he began his healthcare career. Mike holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a Masters degree from NJIT in International Business Finance as well as an MBA in the Management of Technology. Mr. Edwards commented: “I’m impressed by MedMinder’s unique ability to engage customers, deliver measurable health outcomes, and simplify the inherent complexity associated with pharmacy care. I look forward to being part of a team with a restless ambition to improve patient experiences and unlock the potential of combining pharmaceutical and digital care.” ABOUT MEDMINDER MedMinder is the leading fully integrated, end-to-end pharmacy, medication adherence and connected care solution for elderly and polypharmacy patients. Founded in 2007 by Eran Shavlelsky, MedMinder currently employs over 150 team members between its Massachusetts and New York locations and is recognized as an ultra-high-growth digital healthcare company. MedMinder’s touch screen-enabled, automatic pill dispenser is the first device on the market capable of delivering medications from its pharmacy directly to patients’ doors in pre-organized daily trays for the entire month. With a customer-first approach, MedMinder is continually innovating to improve and meet the evolving needs of patients, caregivers, practitioners and payors. More information can be found at https://www.medminder.pharmacy. Contact Details MedMinder Systems Inc. Ethan Davis +1 339-777-4662 ethan.davis@medminder.com Company Website https://www.medminder.pharmacy

January 05, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Cortland Biomedical Announces New Product Development Team Appointments to Support Continued Growth

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 the appointment of three new hires to its New Project Development team. Robert Demaree has been appointed as a Senior Process Engineer. He brings 25 years of experience in various technical roles throughout his career with experience in development of fiber optic cable processes, printed circuit board materials, and electrical generators. He also served as a subject matter expert in composite materials and management of the chemistry group at IMR Test Labs. Rob holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Tony Maslowski joins the team as a Senior Project Manager to oversee new product development programs and drive projects toward timely completion. He brings more than 30 years of experience in various technical and project management roles throughout his career. He has worked in the chemical and medical device industries, notably with companies such as DePuy and Aesculap. Tony holds a bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Science and Engineering from Penn State and an MBA from Temple University. Additionally, Tony is co-owner of two US patents and holds several certifications in project management. Zach Robbins has been hired as a Textile Process Engineer to help develop processes related to knit and woven fabric product development projects. Zach comes to Cortland with four years of experience in the textile industry, most recently working with finishing and dyeing of knitted products at Gehring Tricot. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Materials Science Engineering – Polymers, Textiles and Fibers from Georgia Tech. Cortland Biomedical’s team nearly doubled in size during the 2021 calendar year, with a particular focus on engineering hires to support its robust new product pipeline. The company is looking to fill additional positions across engineering, manufacturing and administrative support. “We’re proud to be growing in the Cortland Community and continuing to add topnotch talent to further our mission of adding maximum value and innovation to meet our customers’ needs for custom biomedical textile solutions fabricated for their specific medical device applications,” said Eric Brown, Director of Operations, Cortland Biomedical. “We welcome Robert, Tony and Zach to the team and look forward to seeing their contributions to new product development in the year ahead.” In 2021, Cortland completed the transition to its state-of-the-art facility, which construction began on in 2018. Cortland’s ISO 13485:2016 -certified facility on Lime Hollow Rd. has 20,000 sq.ft. of cleanroom manufacturing space, with Class 7 and Class 8 cleanrooms third party-certified to ISO14644. It also features a qualified ASTM Type 1-B water system with sustained monitoring. About Cortland Biomedical 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/

January 05, 2022 10:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

The Signs, Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Disease Discussed as Part of New, On-Demand Webinar Hosted by Industry-Leading Quidel Corporation

Quidel Corporation

An important public health webinar focused on the Bartonella species, the bacterium that causes Bartonellosis, is now available on demand at https://education.quidel.com/educational-categories. Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, is also discussed as a coinfection on this PACE-accredited webinar, the third in a series hosted by Quidel Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) in collaboration with Global Lyme Alliance. Titled “The Diversity of Bartonellosis Manifestations and Challenges to Treatment,” the webinar is conducted by Monica E. Embers, Ph.D.,* associate professor of microbiology and immunology and director of vector-borne disease research at Tulane National Primate Research Center in Covington, Louisiana. Her research at Tulane focuses on the effectiveness of antibiotics and other therapeutics to eradicate Borrelia burgdorferi from the body while also exploring the many avenues related to persistent Lyme disease. Dr. Embers currently serves on the 2021 Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, which was established by Congress as part of the 21st Century Cures Act. Appointed to this position by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Working Group serves as a federal advisory committee to provide expertise and recommendations regarding all tick-borne diseases, evaluate tick-borne disease research priorities and help ensure coordination between federal agencies. The primary function of the Working Group is the development of a report of findings and recommendations regarding the federal response to tick-borne disease prevention, treatment and research, which it submits to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. On the webinar, Dr. Embers describes the possible clinical presentations (signs and symptoms) of Bartonellosis; compares Bartonellosis to Lyme borreliosis in terms of detection, persistence and treatment; and identifies research efforts needed to better diagnose and cure Bartonellosis. The timing and relevance for the webinar is particularly important as Lyme disease is on the rise to record numbers throughout the country and potentially affected as many as 476,000 citizens in 2021. Among those invited to view the webinar are physicians; allied health professionals; health researchers; and representatives of physician offices, laboratories, urgent care centers, patient advocacy associations and others interested in the subject. About Quidel Corporation Quidel Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) is a leading manufacturer of diagnostic solutions at the point of care, delivering a continuum of rapid testing technologies that further improve the quality of health care throughout the globe. An innovator for over 40 years in the medical device industry, Quidel pioneered the first point-of-care test for influenza in 1999 and was the first to market a rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in the U.S. Under trusted brand names, Sofia®, Solana®, Lyra®, Triage® and QuickVue®, Quidel’s comprehensive product portfolio includes tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, cardiac and autoimmune biomarkers, as well as a host of products to detect COVID-19. Quidel’s mission is to provide patients with immediate and frequent access to highly accurate, affordable testing for the good of our families, our communities and the world. For more information about Quidel, visit quidel.com. *Dr. Embers receives an honorarium for conducting the webinar sponsored by Quidel. Contact Details breakwhitelight JAMES YEAGER +1 818-264-6812 jim@breakwhitelight.com Company Website http://Quidel.com

January 05, 2022 06:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

AppYea completes acquisition of SleepX, entering a $6-9 billion sleep treatments market: expects to begin marketing during 2H2022

Appyea

AppYea (OTC: APYP), a medical device technology company, announced today the deemed completion of its previously announced acquisiiton of SleepX, an innovative medical device company focused on the development of SleepX’s flagship product DreamIT – an uncompetitively accurate wearable monitoring solution to treat sleep apnea and snoring and fundamentally improve quality of life. After the acquisiiton, SleepX will continue operating under its own brand name as a fully owned AppYea subsidiary. The merged company will focus on further development and commercialization of SleepX’s solution, including continued R&D investments and new initiatives in sales and marketing. Also, SleepX intends to begin a calibration trial with DreamIT. “I am delighted that we have completed the acquisition of SleepX. The company develops a wearble technology solution to treat snoring and sleep apnea, which is patent protected in the US, EU and Israel, and caters to two growing markets in high demand", said Boris (Bary) Molchadsky, AppYea’s Chairman. “This aqisition allows us to execute our growth strategy towards the beginning of DreamIT’s marketing during the second half of 2022, while continuing its development with the Biomedical Department at Ben Gurion University in Israel, and launching our first calibaration trial. Meanwhile, we are examining the acquisition of other synergetic activities that will complement the SleepX vision to improve sleep quality and quality of life globally.” According to the market intelligence company Fior Markets, the global anti-snoring treatment market is expected to grow at a 9.07% CAGR to USD 8.6 billion by 2028. The global sleep apnea devices market is expected to grow at a 6.2% CAGR to USD 6.1 billion by 2028, according to Grand View Research’s report. About SleepX SleepX, an AppYea (OTC: APYP) subsidiary, is a medical device company, focused on the development of uncompetitively accurate wearable monitoring solutions to treat sleep apnea and snoring and fundamentally improve quality of life. The company’s solutions are based on its proprietary IP portfolio of AI and sensing technologies for the tracking, analysis, and diagnosis of vital signs and other physical parameters during sleep time, offering extreme accuracy and resistance at affordable cost. SleepX’s flagship solution is DreamIT – a patented wristband communicating with its smartphone app to gently vibrate with every breathing interruption, and cause a shift from deep to lighter sleep, training the brain to breath properly. The app tracks sleep patterns and using the company’s machine learning technology to adapt the treatment and recommend improvements according to the user’s sleep and breathing patterns. In addition to reducing snoring and improving sleep quality, users will be able to access important statistics relating to their sleep patterns via the app to track and detect anomalies over time. DreamIT is being developed in collaboration with the Biomedical department of the Ben Gurion University of the Negev and is patent protected in the US, EU and Israel. According to the market intelligence company Fior Markets, the Global Anti-Snoring Treatment Market is expected to grow to USD 8.6 billion by 2028, at a 9.07% CAGR during 2021-2028. The global sleep apnea devices market size was valued at USD 3.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a 6.2% CAGR from 2021 to 2028, reaching USD 6.1 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc SleepX was founded in 2019, and following the acquisition, its headquarters are in Boca Raton, Florida. Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Statements This release includes forward-looking statements. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth herein. No statement herein should be considered an offer or a solicitation of an offer for the purchase or sale of any securities. Although APYP believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements in this report are reasonable, we cannot assure stockholders and potential investors that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to our ability to raise capital needed to develop amd market our products, our ability to maange the business post acquisition, economic conditions, intense competition, entry of new competitors and products, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, inadequate capital, unexpected costs and operating deficits, increases in general and administrative costs, unanticipated losses, financial condition and stock price, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans and other specific risks. APYP does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement. Neither APYP nor SLEEPX are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact Details AppYea Inc. Asaf Porat info@appyea.com Company Website http://www.appyea.com

December 31, 2021 08:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Inaugural VinFuture Prize Award Ceremony – Celebrating 4 Scientific Innovations for Humanity

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 20 December 2021 - One year after its launch, the VinFuture Prize Council has completed the evaluation process and selected 4 groundbreaking scientific innovations that have made and will continue to make positive impacts in the everyday lives of millions of people around the world. Prize winners will be announced at the inaugural VinFuture Prize Award Ceremony to be held on January 20, 2022 at the Hanoi Opera House and the VinFuture Sci-tech Week during January 18-21, 2022 in Hanoi. This is an international event to honor outstanding scientific achievements and promote innovations for humanity in 2021 with the participation of world-leading scientists, policy makers, leaders of technology corporations, and the Prize winners. The award ceremony will be held on January 20, 2022 evening to honor the winners of the inaugural VinFuture Prize, including the VinFuture Grand Prize and 03 Special Prizes for female innovators, innovators from the developing countries, and innovators with outstanding achievements in emerging fields. As part of the Award Ceremony event series, VinFuture will organize a sci-tech week for the scientific community, business and start-up leaders in industry and technology. The Foundation will also hold dialogues and interactive sessions with the Prize Council members and the VinFuture Laureates which will catalyze the intellectual connection between Vietnam's scientific and technological community and the world as well as bridge academia and industry, thus contributing to the transformation of science and technology innovations into real life applications. Commenting on the upcoming events, Professor Sir Richard Henry Friend – Chair of the VinFuture Prize Council and a 2010 Laureate of the Millennium Prize, said: " Science and technology need to deliver benefits to all peoples and all nations. The VinFuture Prize will recognize those whose brilliant science or engineering achievements can have positive impact on the lives of millions of people across the planet." The VinFuture Foundation is founded by Mr. Pham Nhat Vuong - Chairman of Vingroup, and his wife - Mrs. Pham Thu Huong, with the vision of creating meaningful change in the everyday lives of millions of people. In its inaugural year, VinFuture received 599 quality nominations from more than 60 countries around the world. Among these, nearly 100 nominations came from the world's top 2% most-cited scientists, many of whom are laureates of distinguished awards, such as the Nobel Prize, Breakthrough Prize, Tang Prize, Japan Prize, among others. All the nominations were assessed in multiple evaluation and selection rounds by a 12 member- Pre-screening Committee, and then by 11 members of the Prize Council. With a large number of quality nominations going through a rigorous assessment process conducted by the Prize Council of globally influential scientists and leaders in academia, research, and innovation, the 2021 VinFuture Prize is expected to identify breakthrough inventions and innovations that will bring about practical applications and meaningful impacts on the everyday lives of people. Remarkably, the in-person presence of great minds of the global science and technology community at the inaugural VinFuture Prize Award Ceremony and the VinFuture Sci-tech Week will contribute to positioning Vietnam as a new destination full of potentials and open up opportunities to build direct and multi-dimensional cooperative relationships between scientists and entrepreneurs, promoting the commercialization and application of scientific innovations into the real world. Besides the Laureate Announcement and the Award Ceremony on January 20th, 2022, there will be academic activities taking place from January 18-21, 2022, which include: - Conversation with the VinFuture Prize Council members - Symposium: Science for Life - Scientific Dialogue with the inaugural VinFuture Prize Laureates. The VinFuture Prize Foundation, introduced on International Solidarity Day, December 20 th, 2020, is an independent and non-profit organization in Vietnam. The Foundation was established with the vision of catalyzing meaningful change in the everyday lives of millions of people by honoring transformational technological innovations at a global scale. The Foundation's core activity is awarding the annual VinFuture Prize for breakthrough scientific and technological innovations that have made or have the potential to create meaningful changes in people's lives. In addition, the Foundation will conduct many activities to accomplish its mission, such as funding research projects, collaborating in academic development, and promoting STEMM education. A total of four prizes are awarded by the VinFuture Prize Foundation every year, consisting of the VinFuture Grand Prize valued at US$3 million - one of the largest ever annual prizes globally. VinFuture also awards 03 Special Prizes, each valued at US$500,000, dedicated to female innovators, developing country innovators, and innovators with outstanding achievements in emerging fields. Contact Details Vingroup Media Contact v.nammh@vingroup.net

December 20, 2021 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Record 40,000 Transplants Honors Legacy of Donors

United Network for Organ Sharing

Today, Dec. 17, 2021, the United States has officially surpassed 40,000 transplants in one year, a historic first for the nation. This is according to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the engine that powers the national organ donation and transplantation system under contract with the federal government. 2020 marked the 10th consecutive record-breaking year for organ donations from deceased donors and the 8th in a row for deceased donor transplants. “Reaching 40,000 organs transplants in a single year is a testament to the lifesaving work being done day in and day out that makes our donation and transplantation system the highest performing in the world,” said Matthew Cooper, M.D., president of the UNOS Board of Directors. "It is also a testament to the generosity of so many inspiring donors and their courageous families who gave the gift of life. “This news serves as a reminder that no matter what challenges we face as a nation, our community of doctors, patients, donor families, hospitals, organ procurement professionals, and advocates are dedicated to building on past successes to save even more lives. But there is always more work to do.” As of today, 106,962 men, women and children are on the waiting list for a transplant, which is at the lowest it has been since 2009. The list topped 124,000 at its height in 2014. "Every one of us has the potential to save multiple lives by registering to be an organ, tissue and eye donor," Cooper said. Learn more about organ donation and transplantation and how to register to be a donor at www.unos.org. Matthew Cooper, M.D., FACS, is president of the UNOS Board of Directors, Director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, and a professor in the department of surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine. ### About United Network for Organ Sharing United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a non-profit, charitable organization that serves as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under contract with the federal government. The OPTN helps create and define organ allocation and distribution policies that make the best use of donated organs. This process involves continuously evaluating new advances and discoveries so policies can be adapted to best serve patients waiting for transplants. All transplant programs and organ procurement organizations throughout the country are OPTN members and are obligated to follow the policies the OPTN creates for allocating organs. Contact Details United Network for Organ Sharing Eric Steigleder +1 804-782-4730 eric.steigleder@unos.org Company Website https://unos.org

December 17, 2021 06:43 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

METER Group Unveils Major Update to AQUALAB Vapor Sorption Analyzer Software

METER Group, Inc.

Moisture Analysis Toolkit enables food and pharma manufacturers to address ingredient source changes, accelerate product formulation, extend shelf life, and employ the most cost-effective packaging using research-tested predictive models that present complex isotherm and water activity data as clear, actionable insights METER Group, Inc. USA (METER) today unveiled a major update to the AQUALAB Vapor Sorption Analyzer (VSA) Moisture Analysis Toolkit, enabling food and pharma companies to harness analytics and predictive modeling that accelerates product formulation, maximizes cost-efficiency of packaging, and extends shelf life. The AQUALAB VSA Moisture Analysis Toolkit (MAT) is a first-of-its-kind, intuitive, full-featured modeling solution that transforms moisture data into solutions using research-tested predictive models. This software helps overcome key water-related research and development challenges. It is particularly relevant as food manufacturers turn to high-tech solutions to increase profitability in the face of supply chain issues and consumer concern over safety and sustainability. Like most manufacturers, food producers are increasingly impacted by supply chain shortages. The pandemic has exacerbated existing ingredient sourcing problems caused by climate change. With the Moisture Analysis Toolkit, manufacturers can use high-resolution moisture data to predict the effect of new ingredient candidates on moisture in the final product. “In a new supplier situation, our clients rely on the toolkit to make faster decisions and react quickly to new ingredient sourcing,” says METER Executive Vice President Takuya Ohki. “That’s what the toolkit is all about—faster, data-driven decisions that allow our clients to stay competitive in a fast-changing marketplace.” Ohki says that data-driven decision making is at the heart of the MAT, which includes tools for selecting the correct packaging and determining shelf life. “Historically, companies have tended to over-package and set a conservative best-by date. Now consumers are pushing companies to address issues of 30-40 percent waste in the food supply—while still demanding a mold-free product. Tackling safety and sustainability in tandem requires our best use of science. Too much of this research is still not implemented in industry. The Moisture Analysis Toolkit is something designed to make this science immediately accessible, to allow food manufacturers to solve these problems today.” The MAT takes advantage of a unique moisture map created by METER Group’s AQUALAB VSA. The VSA generates a high-resolution isotherm called a Dynamic Dewpoint Isotherm (DDI) curve. DDI curves can save companies months spent identifying a critical water activity in low and intermediate moisture food and pharmaceutical products, because they clearly illustrate the change in sorption properties. While competitor instruments use just the DVS method, METER Group’s MAT not only delivers DVS isotherms, but it also provides truly dynamic high-resolution DDI isotherm curves, uncovering granular details which have never been seen before. Unlocking access to these critical insights allows for more precise formulation, more accurate predictions, and more complete product knowledge. The business benefits and value are significant. For example, a dry ingredients company struggling with excessive labor, time, and space spent on shelf-life studies reduced the amount of physical shelf-life tests by 75 percent, cutting expenditures on testing from $300,000 to less than $50,000 per year. METER’s Moisture Analysis Toolkit also lets manufacturers work backward, picking a final water activity that maximizes shelf life and then getting guidance on specific formulation decisions around ingredient selection. This not only makes the formulation process more precise, but also speeds it up. A cold press bar company used the MAT with VSA-generated DDI isotherms to assess moisture migration during the R&D process, allowing them to release new products 5x faster and bring new flavors to market before competitors. “We see our clients succeeding from a profitability standpoint, but to me, that’s only part of the equation,” says Ohki. “The Moisture Analysis Toolkit empowers food and pharma companies to eliminate waste and inefficiencies across their respective supply chains on an unprecedented scale. That’s about more than profitability—it’s about putting existing science to work on the big problems we have to tackle as a society.” About METER Group METER Group, a Decagon and UMS combined company, delivers real-time, high-resolution data that fuels production and processes for the food quality, environmental research, urban and agriculture sectors. Through the power of its employees, METER combines science, engineering, and design expertise to turn physical measurements into useful information. Learn more at www.metergroup.com. Contact Details JMRConnect Mostafa Razzak +1 202-904-2048 m.razzak@jmrconnect.net

December 16, 2021 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

1 ... 162163164165166 ... 212