Healthcare

Addiction Biotech Cannabis Genetics Healthcare Medical Devices Pharmaceutical Science Veterinary
News Release Digital Asset Direct

New Research Finds Severity of COVID-19 Does Not Differ According to Trimester

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Research shows that pregnant people who contract COVID-19 are at increased risk of severe complications, including hospitalization, ventilation, and death, compared to pregnant people without COVID-19. However, little is known about how the timing of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy might impact a pregnant person’s risk of developing severe symptoms. In a new study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s (SMFM) annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting™, which is being held virtually, researchers will unveil findings that suggest that the severity of COVID-19 does not differ by trimester. “Regardless of what trimester they are in, pregnant people are at risk of developing severe COVID illness,” said one of the study’s authors, Rachel Schell, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Researchers identified a group of pregnant people at a single urban hospital in Dallas, Parkland Hospital, and followed the progression of their COVID-19 symptoms. From March 18, 2020 to May 31, 2021, 1,092 pregnant people were diagnosed with COVID-19. Sixty-seven people (6 percent) were diagnosed in the first trimester, 309 (28 percent) in the second trimester, and 716 (66 percent) in the third trimester. There were no significant demographic differences between the groups. Across all trimesters, 993 out of 1092 people (90.9 percent) were either asymptomatic or had mild COVID-19 symptoms, and 35 out of 345 people (10.1 percent) who were initially asymptomatic developed moderate, severe, or critical symptoms. Among pregnant patients who were initially asymptomatic or had mild symptoms in any trimester, 5 percent developed moderate, severe, or critical illness. “This research is helpful for us in counseling patients who test positive for COVID,” said another one of the study’s authors, Emily Adhikari, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and medical director of perinatal infectious diseases at Parkland Hospital. “There is no reason to be hesitant to get vaccinated because you are early in your pregnancy. You’re still at risk of getting really sick from COVID in your first trimester.” Researchers are in the process of expanding their research to look at whether there are significant differences or changes in COVID severity by trimester due to the Delta variant. SMFM, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend all pregnant people get vaccinated against COVID-19, noting that the vaccines are safe and effective. Vaccination rates among pregnant people continue to remain low despite evidence showing vaccines can help to prevent severe illness during pregnancy. The latest figures from the CDC show that fewer than 36 percent of pregnant people are vaccinated; vaccination rates are even lower among pregnant people who are Black and Hispanic. The abstract has been published in the January 2022 supplement of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG ) and can be accessed at no cost on the AJOG website. To view the presentation of this abstract or other Pregnancy Meeting™ abstracts and events, visit the SMFM website or contact Karen Addis at karen@addispr.com or 301-787-2394. ### The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), founded in 1977, is the medical professional society for obstetricians who have additional training in high-risk, complicated pregnancies. SMFM represents more than 5,000 members who care for high-risk pregnant people and provides education, promotes research, and engages in advocacy to reduce disparities and optimize the health of high-risk pregnant people and their families. SMFM and its members are dedicated to optimizing maternal and fetal outcomes and assuring medically appropriate treatment options are available to all patients. For more information, visit SMFM.org and connect with the organization on Facebook and Twitter. For the latest 2022 Annual Meeting news and updates, follow the hashtag #smfm22. EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Feb. 3, 2022 9:00 a.m. EST Contact Details Karen Addis +1 301-787-2394 KAREN@ADDISPR.COM Company Website https://www.smfm.org/

February 03, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd Announces $12 Million Private Placement

G Medical Innovations Holdings

G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:GMVD) (the "Company"), a telehealth, medical device, and remote patient monitoring company providing clinical-grade solutions for consumers, medical professionals, and healthcare institutions, today announced it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with a single institutional investor to issue, in a private placement, 2,400,000 ordinary shares (or pre-funded warrants in lieu thereof) and warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 2,400,000 ordinary shares, at a purchase price of $5.00 per ordinary share (or pre-funded warrant) and associated warrant, for expected gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $12 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The warrants will have an exercise price of $5.00 per ordinary share, will be exercisable immediately upon issuance, and will have a term of five years from the date of issuance. The closing of the private placement is expected to occur on or about February 2, 2022 subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the private placement for partial repayment of existing debt and working capital purposes. A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners is acting as the sole placement agent for the private placement. The offer and sale of the foregoing securities are being made in a transaction not involving a public offering and the securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws. Under an agreement with the investors, the Company agreed to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") covering the resale of the ordinary shares to be issued to the investors (including the ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the warrants) no later than 15 days after the closing and to use commercially reasonable efforts to have the registration statement declared effective as promptly as practical thereafter, and in any event no later than 60 days in the event of a "full review" by the SEC. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About G Medical Innovations G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. is an early commercial stage healthcare company engaged in the development of next generation mHealth and telemedicine solutions and monitoring service platforms. The Company’s solutions and services can empower consumers, patients, and providers to better monitor, manage and improve clinical and personal health outcomes, especially for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease (or CVD), pulmonary disease and diabetes. The Company’s current product lines consist of its Prizma medical device (or Prizma), a clinical grade device that can transform almost any smartphone into a medical monitoring device enabling both healthcare providers and individuals to monitor, manage and share a wide range of vital signs and biometric indicators; its Extended Holter Patch System, a multi-channel patient-worn biosensor that captures electrocardiography (or ECG) data continuously, including its QT Syndrome Prolongation Detection Capabilities Patch. In addition, the Company is developing its Wireless Vital Signs Monitoring System (or VSMS), which is expected to provide full, continuous, and real time monitoring of a wide range of vital signs and biometrics. Its monitoring services include provision of Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (or IDTF) monitoring services and private monitoring services. Visit https://gmedinnovations.com/. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, G Medical is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the closing of the private placement and the expected use of proceeds. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on G Medical’s current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance, or achievements of G Medical could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in G Medical’s prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 28, 2021, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, the companies undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. G Medical and McDade Products are not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: G Medical Innovations Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com Contact Details Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com Company Website https://gmedinnovations.com/

January 31, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

BitX Funding Triumphs With Record 2021 Results

BitX Funding

Fairfield, CT., January 24, 2022— BitX Funding, one of the most prominent alternative lenders in Southern Connecticut, announced a banner year for growth in 2021. Overall, revenue went up 10%, new users increased by 70%, impressions went up 300%, and business applications came in at a rate of 1,275% more than the previous year. Out of all the loans that BitX sold, Startup loans had the highest increase. “Our economy saw solid growth in small business lending and the startup loan category lead the way due to the great resignation”, said Todd Rowe, president of BitX Funding. “We continue to grow BitX revenue with support from internal sales, record marketing results, CT Innovations mentor support, and our raving fans. Our 2022 goals are to continue to build out our lending platform, grow our lender base, obtain our own lending facility, and drive client growth. Our goals are to increase revenue by 160%, have a 133% increase in units sold, and a loan amount increase of 200% in 2022.” Rowe continues to promote his company as a marketplace for small business loans, especially with young entrepreneurs. With one click, you can get a response to your loan request within 24 hours. That makes BitX Funding a partner you can trust in 2022. BitX Funding is an omnichannel marketplace for alternative small business loans and business insurance. BitX connects their clients with the right loan and lender from SBA 7a, start-up loans, short-term loans, mid-term loans to merchant cash advances and business lines of credit. BitX is where lenders compete for your business. Our top-rated lenders focus on real-life business data and cash flow, which means you can qualify for small business loans even if your credit score isn’t perfect. We care about small business and it’s our mission to secure the right funding when you need alternative small business loans within our small business loan marketplace. Contact Details BitX Funding Todd Rowe +1 203-763-1430 info@bitxfunding.com Company Website https://www.bitxfunding.com

January 27, 2022 01:05 PM Eastern Standard Time

2021 In Numbers: Mass. Cannabis Industry Testing Statistics

MCR Labs

Following another year of unpredictability, change, and challenges for the Massachusetts cannabis industry, MCR Labs is releasing data that may provide insight into the industry’s continued development. Here are MCR Labs’ most notable stats from Jan. 1, 2021 to Jan. 2, 2022: The Lab saw a 19% increase in samples submitted for testing, in comparison to 2020’s 38% increase. While flower sample submissions decreased by 8%, concentrate and vape submissions grew by 22%. The decrease in flower samples can be reasonably attributed to a regulatory change in batch size enacted in March. Solventless extract sample submission increased by 85%, and can most likely be attributed to the rising popularity of Hash Rosin. Hash Rosin submissions increased by 700%. Samples submitted to MCR in 2021 had a 92.3% pass rate for safety screens, up from 91.2% in 2020. For concentrate and vape samples, the pass rate decreased from 93.5% in 2020 to 91.8% in 2021, which can be attributed mostly to an increase in residual solvent failures. “As more and more facilities come online and employ hydrocarbon extraction techniques, we expect failures to remain the same or increase due to the extremely low regulatory limits,” said Jonathan Wani, Vice President of Business Development at MCR Labs. MCR Labs is licensed as an independent testing laboratory in both the Medical and Adult Use Marijuana programs, both overseen by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). The statistics provided here account for product samples submitted for compliance testing by cultivators and product manufacturers from the medical and adult-use programs, as well as home growers, patients, researchers, or curious consumers. About MCR Labs: MCR Labs is one of the longest operational cannabis testing laboratories on the East coast with facilities operating in several legal cannabis markets. We are ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited providers of analytical cannabis product testing and R&D services committed to assisting licensed marijuana establishments, patients, researchers, entrepreneurs, and advocates. Our team of chemists and pharmaceutical scientists are dedicated to advancing public health and safety through leading-edge chemical analysis of cannabis products and offering unparalleled guidance and support for partners, regulators, and the communities we serve. For more information visit http://mcrlabs.com. Contact Details MCR Labs Alexandra Gomes +1 508-782-9772 alexandra@mcrlabs.com Company Website http://mcrlabs.com

January 27, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

G Medical Innovations Joins Forces with Serology Covid Testing to Support Safer Classroom Learning in California School Districts Amid Omicron Variant Surge

G Medical Innovations Holdings

G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:GMVD) (“G Medical” or the "Company"), a Telehealth, medical device, and remote patient monitoring company providing clinical-grade solutions for consumers, medical professionals, and healthcare institutions, today announced it has formed an agreement with Serology Covid Testing to provide zero-cost COVID-19 testing to students, families, and school employees across the State of California. G Medical’s wholly owned subsidiary, G Medical Tests and Services, Inc., will provide end-to-end testing services including setup; certified medical staff; testing kits, supplies and necessary personal protective equipment; and an online patient portal to easily administer tests and provide digital certified lab results. "It's an honor for us to partner with Serology Covid Testing and collaborate with educators and public health officials across the State of California to help keep children and their families safe," said Dr. Yacov Geva, President and CEO of G Medical. "Testing programs like these give schools the freedom and flexibility they need to halt transmission chains and minimize disturbance to all of the vital activities that take place in school communities daily." As phase one of the agreement, the co-branded testing venture includes contracts with multiple private and public institutions enabling more than 5,000 students (not including families and faculty) to be tested weekly. On average, G Medical expects to collect an average of $197.88 per patient encounter, which could amount to more than $1,000,000 in gross revenue per week. The agreement stems from a shared commitment to "keeping schools open" by assisting in the recovery of the U.S. teaching market, reducing educational staff turnover, and assisting in the reversal of the pandemic's disproportionate impact on the education-sector workforce. As the Omicron variant continues to escalate, California school systems are facing teacher shortages, lack of rapid testing options, and the daunting task of keeping schools open for its students statewide. "We are thrilled to establish this long-term partnership with G Medical. This relationship is especially meaningful to us because our testing services are now endorsed by a pioneering healthcare company," said Caroline Grotewiel, CEO of Serology Covid Testing. "As a result of our collaborative efforts, we can help students, educators, and their families have more peace of mind, and our classrooms will be more conducive to in-person learning.” Communities across the country have turned to COVID-19 testing to monitor the virus as more vaccine trials for people under the age of 16 are just getting started, and efforts to track and mitigate viral spread remain critical. Together, the companies will offer on-site Rapid Antigen Testing with confirmatory PCR tests, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). “Hundreds of students and staff have tested positive for the virus since schools reopened after the holidays, forcing some districts to switch to remote learning just days after reopening,” added Andrew Benavente, Vice President of Serology Covid Testing. “By implementing these free testing services at their doorstep, we can empower students and teaching staff to return to school as quickly and safely as possible after a potential exposure.” "G Medical has long been at the forefront of medical devices, offering remote patient monitoring tools to help keep patients healthy. We're excited to expand our portfolio to offer COVID-19 testing options that help to detect the virus early and enable individuals, businesses, and schools to take appropriate action to prevent further spread in the community," concluded Geva. If you are interested in offering your school free on-site COVID-19 testing services, please contact Andrew Benavente at Serology Covid Testing; +1 310-747-5473; Andrew.m@Serology-Testing.com. About Serology Covid Testing Serology Covid Testing is a consulting group, distributor, and executor of advanced testing that specializes in bringing new health and wellness solutions and technologies to market. With over 20 years of experience, relationships, and well-established partnerships, we participate in implementing innovative technologies within our network of clinics in addition to bringing full-service testing services to businesses, schools, and events Nationwide. Serology Covid Testing is dedicated to meeting the urgent need for COVID-19 testing by utilizing cutting-edge technology, FDA or EUA approved assays, and highly trained laboratory professionals to deliver rapid results of unwavering quality. To learn more, visit: https://www.serology-testing.com/ About G Medical Innovations G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. is an early commercial stage healthcare company engaged in the development of next generation mHealth and telemedicine solutions and monitoring service platforms. The Company’s solutions and services can empower consumers, patients, and providers to better monitor, manage and improve clinical and personal health outcomes, especially for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease (or CVD), pulmonary disease and diabetes. The Company’s current product lines consist of its Prizma medical device (or Prizma), a clinical grade device that can transform almost any smartphone into a medical monitoring device enabling both healthcare providers and individuals to monitor, manage and share a wide range of vital signs and biometric indicators; its Extended Holter Patch System, a multi-channel patient-worn biosensor that captures electrocardiography (or ECG) data continuously, including its QT Syndrome Prolongation Detection Capabilities Patch. In addition, the Company is developing its Wireless Vital Signs Monitoring System (or VSMS), which is expected to provide full, continuous, and real time monitoring of a wide range of vital signs and biometrics. Its monitoring services include provision of Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (or IDTF) monitoring services and private monitoring services. Visit https://gmedinnovations.com/. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, G Medical is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the agreement with Serology Covid Testing, providing end-to-end testing services including setup; certified medical staff; testing kits, supplies and necessary personal protective equipment; and an online patient portal to easily administer tests and provide digital certified lab results, the number of COVID-19 testing to be conducted and the timing thereof, and anticipated gross revenue. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on G Medical’s and McDade Products’ current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance, or achievements of G Medical and McDade Products could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in G Medical’s prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 28, 2021, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, the companies undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. G Medical and McDade Products are not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. INVESTOR RELATIONS AT GMEDICAL CONTACT: G Medical Innovations Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com SEROLOGY COVID TESTING CONTACT: Serology Covid Testing Andrew Benavente +1 310-747-5473 Andrew.m@Serology-Testing.com Contact Details Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com Company Website https://gmedinnovations.com/

January 25, 2022 04:03 AM Eastern Standard Time

Winners of VinFuture's $4.5m global sci-tech prizes announced

Vingroup

The VinFuture Prize is aligned with one or more of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is grounded in recognising proven, real-life impact Winners demonstrated breakthrough innovations in science and technology focused on driving meaningful and scalable change through improvements in health, prosperity, productivity, equity, and sustainability Recipients were selected from nearly 600 nominations across 60 countries HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 21 January 2022 - The inaugural VinFuture Award Ceremony honors inventors of core mRNA vaccine technology; metal-organic frameworks (MOFs); flexible semiconductors with the sensing properties of human skin; and tenofovir gel for the prevention of HIV. These projects are exceptional scientific accomplishments that will positively impact the lives of billions of people on Earth in the present and future. Professor Katalin Kariko (third from right), Professor Pieter Cullis and Professor Drew Weissman (first and second from left) win VinFuture Grand Prize Honouring exceptional minds whose research and technological innovations will improve quality of life and ensure sustainable living for future generations, The VinFuture Prize was launched on International Solidarity Day 2020 and is uniquely aligned with one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The award programme is part of the VinFuture Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit set up by Mr. Phạm Nhật Vượng, the first Vietnamese billionaire and Founder and Chairman of the largest Vietnamese conglomerate, Vingroup Corporate, together with his wife, Mrs. Phạm Thu Hương, to create meaningful change in the everyday lives of millions by recognising and rewarding transformative innovation in sci-tech. Attracting almost 600 nominations across 60 countries in its inaugural year, the Prize represents the best in science and technological breakthroughs in these fields. Of these nominations, nearly 100 came from the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists, many of whom are themselves laureates of distinguished awards, such as the Nobel Prize, Breakthrough Prize and Tang Prize, among others. The Grand Prize, valued at US$3 million, is awarded to three scientists: Katalin Kariko (USA), Drew Weissman (USA) and Pieter Cullis (Canada) for their work on mRNA technology, which paved the way for effective COVID-19 vaccines. In their research, they were able to modify mRNA and encapsulate it in lipid nanoparticles, preventing the immune system from reacting to foreign mRNA entering the body and avoiding cytokine induction, toxicity, and off-target effects. Based on Kariko and Weissman’s discovery, and Cullis’s development of lipid nanoparticles, pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were able to produce effective COVID-19 vaccines in record time. Besides serving as a global line of defense against the increasing infections and deaths caused by the pandemic, mRNA technology also has the potential to generate vaccines against HIV, cancer, autoimmune diseases and genetic diseases, potentially saving the lives of billions of people in the future. In addition to the Grand Prize, three Special Prizes, each valued at US$500,000, have been dedicated specifically for female innovators and to recognize innovations in emerging fields and in developing countries. The first Special Prize, dedicated to “Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields”, is awarded to Professor Omar Yaghi (USA) for his work on discovering metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). MOFs are a new class of materials formed as networks of charged molecules linked to metal ions, with permanent porosity with high surface area and impressive stability. With tuneable pore sizes that enable the absorption and storage of gas and water molecules, MOFs provide solutions for the capture, storage, separation, and chemical manipulation of different types of gases and particles, and have the potential to create a cleaner environment and cleaner air, energy, and water sources. In particular, Professor Yaghi’s MOF water harvester has been proven to have the potential to generate clean water at any time, in any place. If successfully implemented, MOFs can improve the lives of millions of people in regions that lack access to clean water, helping increase water independence and increase quality of life. The second Special Prize, dedicated to “Female Innovators”, is awarded to Professor Zhenan Bao (USA) for her work on developing flexible electronics with the sensing properties of human skin. The electronics are made from a type of flexible molecular semiconductor material that has self-healing and biodegradable properties, allowing electronics to be integrated seamlessly into the human body. They have great potential in medical diagnosis and smart healthcare and can also be applied to wearable and implantable electronic devices, enhancing the quality of life of millions of people with disability and sparking future medical breakthroughs. Professors Salim Abdool Karim (second from right) and Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim (second from left) win VinFuture Special Prize The Special Prize, for “Innovators from Developing Countries”, is awarded to Professors Salim Abdool Karim and Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim from South Africa for their research on effective HIV prevention. With extensive experience in the field of epidemiology, the two scientists developed a tenofovir-based gel that prevents sexual transmission of HIV, laying the foundation for the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) method of preventing HIV. Salim Abdool Karim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim also created an oral medicine to create an HIV prevention strategy across the world, including for women and infants. The Karims’ research was recognized by UNAIDS and WHO as a pivotal scientific breakthrough, with significant impact on the prevention of an epidemic in the African continent and the world. Speaking about the results of the inaugural season of the VinFuture Prize, Professor Sir Richard Friend, VinFuture Prize Council Chair, stated: “The VinFuture Prize 2021 recognizes truly outstanding scientific work that has made and will make, a positive impact on the lives of millions, or even billions, of people around the world. The winners have brought new solutions for some of the most significant challenges that humanity is facing, such as infectious diseases and meeting the urgent need for zero carbon energy. The VinFuture Prize celebrates the power of science and technology to solve global problems.” On behalf of the Prize Laureates, Professor Katalin Kariko shared: “It is an incredible honor to learn that the Prize council selected me, together with my fellow scientists Drew Weissman and Pieter Cullis, to receive the inaugural VinFuture Grand Prize. We, as scientists, work at the bench in the laboratory, performing experiments day-after-day and hope that one day – maybe in our lifetime – we can witness that the advancements we made will be beneficial for the common good. We are all relieved and thrilled that our scientific discoveries laid the foundation for the development of the mRNA vaccines. It is also important to note that the vaccines were developed based on a century of scientific and technological progress and recent discoveries by hundreds of thousands of scientists, doctors, engineers and experts who advanced the knowledge of their respected fields, and the combination of that work led to the creation of these very effective and safe mRNA vaccines. We hope that our scientific adventure will also inspire the next generation of researchers and doctors, and that their contributions will advance our scientific knowledge on a higher level leading to the treatment of patients with unmet medical needs.” The first VinFuture Award Ceremony was broadcasted live on major communication channels across the world, with the appearance of Mr. Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam, leaders of domestic ministries and agencies, global ambassadors, industry leaders, and in particular, eminent international scientists. The Award Ceremony signals the end of the first season of the VinFuture Prize, with results far exceeding the expectations of the Prize Council in terms of both quantity, quality, and practical application potential of the nominations. The early success of the Prize lays the foundation for broadening the Prize’s impact in coming years, recognising scientists who seek and deliver solutions to humanity’s problems, contributing to creating a better life for everyone, and building a sustainable environment for future generations. Officially starting the second season of the VinFuture Prize The second cycle of the VinFuture Prize has now started, immediately following the conclusion of the inaugural VinFuture Award Ceremony. The VinFuture Foundation will open the nomination portal from February 15 running until June 3, 2022. Contact Details Vingroup Media Contact v.nammh@vingroup.net

January 20, 2022 08:26 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image

The V Foundation for Cancer Research Receives $1 Million Gift

Advisors Excel

Pediatric cancer research recently received a million dollar infusion during an Advisors Excel training event. The V Foundation for Cancer Research will administer the funds through an open grant process. The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano with one goal in mind: to achieve Victory Over Cancer®. Since 1993, the V Foundation has awarded nearly $290 million in cancer research grants nationwide. It has become one of the premier supporters of cutting-edge cancer research. “Advisors Excel headed by Cody Foster and David Callanan, gave us at The V Foundation a golden opportunity to help youngsters in their battle vs. cancer,” said Dick Vitale, legendary sports commentator. “They blew us away with their generosity from their annual event by donating an incredible 1 million dollars that will go for pediatric cancer research through The V Foundation. I simply say the clients and staff of Advisors Excel are awesome baby with a capital A.” Advisors Excel raised funds in conjunction with more than 500 of the nation’s top financial professionals attending a three-day training event in Orlando. Each year, the company hosts the event, including an opportunity to raise money for a worthy cause. Since 2008, Advisors Excel and its affiliated independent financial professionals have raised approximately $6.3 million to help incredible nonprofits and organizations around the country. Private funding of pediatric research is critical to saving the lives of children with cancer. The disease is the leading cause of non-accidental deaths among American children. Government funding for pediatric research is minimal, and without funding, better tests and treatments cannot be developed. About 15,000 kids (infant to 19) are diagnosed with cancer every year. There have been great strides against the disease – the death rate for pediatric leukemia has declined by 70% over the last 45 years. The goal is to grow that number even more and to make those same strides against other cancers. For more information about the V Foundation, visit www.v.org. ### About Advisors Excel: Advisors Excel, founded in 2005, has redefined the role a marketing organization can play in supporting independent financial advisors. Their growth has been unparalleled in the industry and is achieved by working with a smaller group of select advisors. With a focus on making good advisors great business owners, Advisors Excel has revolutionized how financial professionals build and operate their businesses. In 2021, the 500 advisors working with Advisors Excel did over $8.9 billion in annuity, Medicare, and life insurance production. Their affiliated Registered Investment Advisory Firm, AE Wealth Management, currently manages over $18.8 billion and has been named one of the fastest-growing RIAs in the country. Contact Details Advisors Excel Tracey Stratton, Public Relations Manager +1 866-363-9595 tracey.stratton@advisorsexcel.com Company Website https://advisorsexcel.com

January 20, 2022 01:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image

BirchAI RAISES $3.1M SEED ROUND FOR HEALTHCARE CUSTOMER SUPPORT PLATFORM POWERED BY CUTTING EDGE AI

BirchAI

BirchAI, the leading AI platform for healthcare customer support, today announced $3.1 million in seed financing led by the AI-focused venture capital firm Radical Ventures. Leveraging groundbreaking natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, the company is set to significantly improve efficiency in the healthcare sector by automating resource-intensive aspects of customer support including the summarization, classification and analysis of customer calls. BirchAI is a spinout from the Allen Institute for AI (AI2), one of the world’s leading AI research organizations. In addition to Radical and AI2, Flare Capital Partners and WRF Capital are participating in the funding round. In many sub-sectors of healthcare, front-line phone-based customer support teams are staffed by clinically or otherwise highly trained employees. The industry already faced the retirement bulge of Baby Boomer staff aging out of these roles, and the pandemic has made finding qualified support staff a pressing issue for the medical device, pharmaceutical and health insurance industries. Using state-of-the-art AI, BirchAI is tackling this costly dilemma by automating after-call work for large enterprises, while simultaneously capturing the data from these calls to provide customer insights. BirchAI was founded by Kevin Terrell, Sumant Kawale, and Yinhan Liu. The team has worked together in AI applications before starting BirchAI, and brings together deep expertise in cutting-edge AI, healthcare, and enterprise AI deployment. “Many calls in the healthcare industry are complex, lengthy, and costly, due to significant documentation requirements,” said Kevin Terrell, co-founder and CEO of BirchAI. “Our initial focus is on complex calls, which generate over $10 billion in annual costs to the healthcare system. With BirchAI, companies will make it easier for their employees to document and analyze calls. Our platform lowers costs and improves the quality of the customer and employee experiences.” BirchAI’s world-class AI team is led by its co-founder and CTO Yinhan Liu. Prior to BirchAI Yinhan was a star researcher at Facebook AI Research (FAIR), where she was lead author on some of Facebook’s most important work in NLP, including the well-known RoBERTa and BART papers. Yinhan is responsible for building BirchAI’s NLP technology from the ground up, allowing for accurate language documentation and summarization at a greater scale. “The BirchAI team brings extraordinary technological depth and industry experience to tackling a very real problem facing the healthcare industry,” said Radical Ventures Partner Rob Toews, who has joined the BirchAI board. “The BirchAI NLP platform goes beyond delivering cost savings and efficiencies. AI technology of this nature also unlocks insights that can fuel strategic product and business decisions for its customers.” WHY BIRCH.AI MATTERS Leading-edge NLP can now be applied to the healthcare industry’s most costly customer support challenges. Integration allows for a simple platform deployment so there’s no disruption to critical business and customer service. The platform detects trends well ahead of traditional analysis allowing for an earlier warning system if a potential harmful pattern appears. Automation of call handling lowers After Call Work on average by 50 to 75%, saving time and money while improving employee engagement and customer satisfaction. The additional funding will accelerate the Birch.ai team’s growth, address its customer backlog, and allow the company to advance its AI platform. BirchAI is currently working with multiple Fortune 500 healthcare companies, including a payer and a leading medical device firm. The company is also focusing on growing its client base in the pharmaceutical sector to help with the pharmacovigilance process. “BirchAI’s intelligent automation platform transforms and digitizes some of the most complex and manual call-based workflows in healthcare, enabling customer support teams to provide higher-quality patient care guided by new clinical insight, while also reducing the cost of this care,” said Parth Desai at Flare Capital Partners. “Flare Capital is excited to support the BirchAI team on their mission.” For more information about BirchAI, please visit www.birch.ai or follow Birch_ai on Twitter and LinkedIn. About BirchAI: BirchAI was founded in 2020 by leading experts in artificial intelligence, process improvement and the healthcare industry. Backed by the Allen Institute of AI (AI2), Birch.ai provides a solution to tackle fundamental problems within our healthcare system through AI and natural language processing. About Radical Ventures: Radical Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in people applying artificial intelligence to shape the future of how we live, work and play. From healthcare and financial services to infrastructure and manufacturing, Radical partners with entrepreneurs who understand the transformational power of AI. Learn more at www.radical.vc. About AI2: AI2 was founded in 2014 with the singular focus of conducting high-impact research and engineering in the field of artificial intelligence, all for the common good. AI2 is the creation of Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder, and is led by Dr. Oren Etzioni, a leading researcher in the field of AI. AI2 employs more than 100 top-notch researchers and engineers from across the globe. AI2 prides itself on the diversity and collaboration of our team and takes a results-oriented approach to complex challenges in AI. Learn more at allenai.org. Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://birch.ai/

January 19, 2022 09:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

The mission of VinFuture has touched human hearts

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 19 January 2022 - The VinFuture Prize has hugely inspired all the scientists involved and it will go a significant way to put the country on the world's science map and honour those willing to go the extra mile to make scientific breakthroughs - those with endless curiosity that think outside of the box. "Talk with VinFuture Prize Council and Pre-Screening Committee" in the morning of January 18th, 2022 "For the community" prize Talking about the journey to VinFuture, Professor Albert P. Pisano (California University, San Diego, USA), co-chairman of the VinFuture Pre-Screening Committee spoke about his first time hearing about VinFuture. "The first idea on my mind is that we rarely see a prize that can acknowledge such devotion from scientists, since when the ideas were formed until the realization is made, and impacting millions of people, as with VinFuture," said Pisano during VinFuture's talk with the public on the morning of January 18, 2022, at Almaz Convention Center, Hanoi. Professor Richard Henry Friend, chairman of VinFuture Prize Council, said he still remembers the "excitement" when he heard about VinFuture. Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen, California University, Santa Barbara (USA), co-chairwoman of VinFuture Pre-Screening Committee, said: "To me, this is not simply a prize fund, it is the prize for Vietnamese people." Professor Quyen is persuaded by the fact that technology all over the world has not changed the lives of poor farmers and labourers. Born in a small village in Việt Nam where there was no electricity for 16 years, she knows better than anyone else. Accordingly, she wants to contribute a scientific idea that can reach the majority, especially the poor. Quyen could not hide her happiness that there are almost 600 nominees for the prize. "The mission of the prize has touched the hearts of many. There are plenty of candidates coming from various continents," she said. Professor Richard Friend confirmed that the quality of entrants was marvellous, and beyond the standards they were expecting. "If we don't knock, no door is opened" A much-awaited part of the talk is the stories of popular and learned "judges" about how they made breakthroughs in technology. The journeys of the professors all came from a simple thing: "curiosity." Nguyen Thuc Quyen loved literature and history, but only when she turned 25 did she find her true calling, during a science lesson. Professor Albert P. Pisano accidentally met a relative who made glasses and cups from different materials, which ignited his curiosity and first steps in science. "The aim of science, after all, is curiosity, exploration, and the journey to walk on," said Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen. Professor Dang Van Chi, Ludwig Cancer Research Institute, told the story of his u-turn when he raised "a question that never been questioned." These questions can be doubted at first; some questions may be wrong, but the important thing is that "among many wrong questions, there will be a right question," he said. Professor Quyen believes the beauty of science originally comes from the act of stepping out of your comfort zone, to be brave enough to run and step into a new zone. "If we don't knock, no door will be opened. No one can stop us from dreaming and reaching dreams high above," she said. Professor Richard Friend thinks that we need the forum to explore together and create a "can do" culture to inspire the young. "Talents need to be inspired, authorised, and we must never stop exploring," he said. Meanwhile, Professor Albert P. Pisano said that this prize was a precious lesson to everyone, so scientists can show off their potential, express their love to human beings, and be confident in the way they choose. Professor Richard Henry Friend said: "We must not judge young people when they are walking on different paths of their own. The crucial thing is that we need to build a culture of respecting education and training, to encourage the students to walk freely with proper orientation. They can be outside regular standards, as long as they are successful." "This is the only event that has had such a positive impact on Việt Nam and the whole world." The VinFuture Sci-Tech Week shall have three more main events: January 19: "Science for Life" Symposium. January 20: At 8:10 pm, the Inaugural Award Ceremony of VinFuture Prize shall be officially held live on VTV1, and other national and international social media channels. January 21: Talk with the laureates of VinFuture Prize. To ensure the safety of the world-class event, the organization board has carried out procedures for controlling and testing for COVID-19 under strict conditions. Contact Details Vingroup Media Contact v.nammh@vingroup.net

January 19, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image

1 ... 160 161 162 163 164 ... 210