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BIOSAPIEN CLOSES $1.8M SEED ROUND LED BY SOSV & HIKMA VENTURES

Biosapien

BioSapien, a biotech company has announced it has raised $1.8M in seed round funding led by global venture capital investor SOSV. Co-investors in the round include Hikma Ventures, Microventures, Infinity Capital Ventures, JPIN VCATS, Side Door Ventures, and other high-net worth angels and investors (Additional investors listed below*). In addition to the seed round funding, a non-dilutive grant of $256K from the National Science Foundation will accelerate the development of BioSapien’s patented product, MediChip ™: a 3D printed biodegradable mesh chip designed to deliver cancer drugs directly to the tumor site while reducing side effects. “It’s great to have the support of these esteemed investors in BioSapien,” says Dr. Khatija Ali, CEO and co-founder of BioSapien. “The seed round funds will advance development of MediChip ™ and give access to global distribution channels and manufacturing. Chemotherapy can cause devastating side effects for patients. MediChip ™ is designed to deliver cancer drugs straight to hard-to-reach tumor sites, for increased efficacy with reduced toxicity.” MediChip ™ is a novel biodegradable drug delivery platform designed to precisely administer any type of FDA-approved drug, locally and in a sustained manner. Pre-clinical research shows that in comparison to systemic chemotherapy, MediChip ™ mitigates systemic side-effects through localized controlled release. For cancer indications, it has the potential to improve the patient’s quality of care and life. It is designed to be a first-line treatment option for stage III locally advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients during surgery for adjuvant chemotherapy delivery. MediChip ™ was granted its patent in February 2021 with a priority date of December 21, 2018. Potential For Stage III, IV Pancreatic Cancer The current clinical pipeline includes BioSapien’s lead indication of pancreatic cancer and others including lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and colorectal cancer. There are approximately 57,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer in the US every year. Founded in 2018, in New York City, NY, BioSapien has already garnered global attention. In addition to the seed round funding and NSF grant which Inspiralia assisted in securing, BioSapien has been recognized in high profile biotech pitch competitions, winning the Pitch Night by Amazon and the Get in the Ring Start Up Competition. The company is currently a semi-finalist in the PacBio 2021 conference. Now, with backing from SOSV, Hikma, and JPIN VCATS, MediChip ™ has strategic partners, financial backing, and global reach to progress towards achieving the goal of impacting patient care worldwide. * Additional investors include; SOSV, Hikma Ventures, Microventures, Infinity Capital Ventures, JPIN VCATS, Side Door Ventures, Harbr, Beni VC, Cedas Foundation, Kartik Garg - The Modern Nomad, George and Saul, and other angels About BioSapien BioSapien Inc. is a venture-backed biotechnology company focused on innovative therapies to transform patient care. The company invented MediChip ™: a patented treatment that early research has shown can reduce the system-wide side effects of cancer chemotherapy treatments. The 3D printed biodegradable mesh is designed to allow for a more exact delivery of already approved FDA pharmaceuticals without the adverse effects. For more information, visit www.biosapien.com. About SOSV SOSV is a global venture capital firm headquartered in Princeton, NJ. The firm has more $900 million in assets under management and more than 1,000 portfolio companies. SOSV operates the startup development programs HAX (hard tech), IndieBio (life sciences), Chinaccelerator and MOX (cross-border growth in Asia) and dlab (blockchain). Sean O'Sullivan, a serial entrepreneur and technologist, is the founder of SOSV. The firm has 8 general partners and a 130-person staff across seven locations in the US, Europe and Asia. About Hikma Hikma helps put better health within reach every day for millions of people around the world. For more than 40 years, Hikma has been creating high-quality medicines and making them accessible to the people who need them. Headquartered in the UK, Hikma is a global company with a local presence across the United States (US), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Europe, and uses their unique insight and expertise to transform cutting-edge science into innovative solutions that transform people's lives. Hikma is committed to their customers, and the people they care for, and by thinking creatively and acting practically, Hikma provides them with a broad range of branded and non-branded generic medicines. Together, Hikma’s 8,600 colleagues are helping to shape a healthier world that enriches everyone’s communities. Hikma is a leading licensing partner, and through their venture capital arm, are helping bring innovative health technologies to people around the world. For more information, please visit: www.hikma.com. About Hikma Ventures Founded in August 2015, Hikma Ventures operates as the corporate venture capital arm of Hikma Pharmaceuticals. Hikma Ventures invests in global start-ups where Hikma's expertise can accelerate revenue growth and enhance value creation by providing ventures with access to the resources of a multinational pharmaceutical company. For more information, please visit www.hikmaventures.com. About Biosapien Biosapien Inc. is a venture-backed biotechnology company focused on innovative therapies to transform patient care. The company developed MediChip ®: a patented treatment that reduces the system-wide side effects of cancer chemotherapy treatments. The 3D printed biodegradable mesh allows for a more exact delivery of already approved FDA pharmaceuticals without the adverse effects Contact Details WantLeverage Communications Julie Livingston +1 347-239-0249 julie@wantleverage.com Company Website https://biosapien.com/

November 11, 2021 08:03 AM Eastern Standard Time

Powering Through a Sore Throat: Understanding the Symptoms and Seeking Relief

YourUpdateTV

From a first date to a big audition, to an important presentation, having a sore throat can easily put a damper on important moments and your everyday life. Recently, Family Medicine Physician, Dr. Jennifer Caudle, teamed with Mucinex and YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to discuss how to relieve sore throat symptoms. With another cold and flu season upon us, we know the impact of symptoms like cough, body aches, fever and more can really impede on our everyday lives. Recent findings show that sore throat pain is one of the top three most debilitating symptoms alongside fever and migraine. To better understand the impact sore throat pain has on people’s lives, Mucinex surveyed 2,005 U.S. adults in partnership with One Poll* about their experiences coping with it. Despite this, 55% of people are most likely to “power through” a sore throat—meaning they would continue working, going to school, running errands, completing housework, etc. while dealing with difficult sore throat pain. While cold and flu season can be so unpredictable each year, there are many over-the-counter medications that can be of help in relieving those unpleasant symptoms. For instance, Mucinex recently introduced Mucinex InstaSoothe, a new product line of lozenges and sprays designed to numb, soothe and relieve that sore throat pain. The lozenges contain ingredients like Hexylresorcinol (also known as Hex), a local anesthetic for topical use on the mucous membranes, which helps to deliver that ‘numbing’ effect to throat and mouth, providing that much needed relief. The holiday season adds more to-dos and pressure, causing us to set high expectations and race to accomplish tasks. According to Dr. Caudle, if your energy is low, simply rest and take the time you need to focus on important tasks. Keep those vitamins handy and be sure to fuel your body with the right nutrients to help maintain a healthy immune system. Finally, for those of you back at work or school, be sure to bundle up in the colder weather, wear a mask, wash your hands and remember to continue social distancing. People must use over-the-counter products as directed. If your symptoms persist, you should contact your healthcare professional and get checked out if deemed necessary. For more information on how to power through this cold and & flu season, visit Mucinex.com. About Dr. Jennifer Caudle: Dr. Jen Caudle is a board-certified family medicine physician and associate professor in the department of Family Medicine at Rowan University-School of Osteopathic Medicine. She appears regularly as an on-air health expert for local and national news outlets, including ‘The TODAY Show’, CNN, FOX News, PBS, Fox 29 Philadelphia News, and many others. Dr. Jen’s health articles have been published in The Daily Beast, CNN.com, and ABCNews.com, among others. Dr. Jen graduated with honors from Princeton University and earned her medical degree from UMDNJ – School of Osteopathic Medicine. About the Survey*: This random double-opt-in survey of 2,005 Americans was commissioned by Mucinex between August 26 and August 30, 2021. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research ( AAPOR ) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research ( ESOMAR ). About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

November 09, 2021 05:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Microban® International Announces a New Range of Antiviral Technologies

Microban International

Microban International, the global leader in antimicrobial solutions, odour control and residual sanitisation/disinfection solutions, is pleased to announce a new range of antiviral technologies that are proven to reduce viral loading on products and surfaces. Microban has long been a trusted partner in a wide range of sectors – from consumer and healthcare to industrial and construction – and this announcement adds to the versatility of the company’s technology portfolio. Microban ® technology can be incorporated into various materials during manufacturing, becoming part of the product’s structure to provide inherent and enduring protection from microbes. Recent data demonstrates that new antiviral technologies from Microban conform to both ISO 18184 – which assesses the antiviral performance of treated textile products, such as woven and knitted fabrics, fibres, yarns, and braids – and ISO 21702, which measures activity in treated plastics and other non-porous surfaces. Thorough testing was performed to evaluate the efficacy of each product type against many viruses, including bacteriophage Phi6, an important surrogate virus for SARS-CoV-2. The results showed that articles treated with these technologies can now benefit from reduced viral loading* by up to 99 %. Antiviral technologies from Microban inhibit the viruses’ ability to remain viable on surfaces. The modes of action vary, disrupting the structure of either the outer protein coat – to prevent viruses from recognising or binding to host cells – or nucleic acid payload, to prevent viral replication. This gives manufacturers a valuable product feature and provides consumers with added peace of mind. Michael Ruby, President of Microban International, explained: “We are excited with the latest results confirming the antiviral activity of our new technologies. Assessing antiviral efficacy in treated products to a standard that meets the complex regulatory landscape is an arduous process, but we have been confident throughout that our innovative solutions conformed to the rigorous ISO standards. Our world-class research team and global in-house regulatory department worked diligently to ensure that the technology is recognised as effective and compliant across various markets, to support partners with their claims and give customers even greater confidence in products protected with Microban antiviral technology.” Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a monumental upsurge in demand for antiviral technology in products and it is readily acknowledged that Microban was not the first in the industry to make antiviral claims. Instead, the company invested a considerable amount of time and resources to ensure that its antiviral technologies were not only scientifically proven to be effective in reducing viral loading on surfaces and products, but that they could also be used in a regulatory compliant manner by brands and manufacturers across a variety of territories and product types. Microban is committed to being a reliable and trusted industry leader, and its unrivalled regulatory expertise can help to ensure that partners are aware of the implications that antiviral claims can have on their product types in the countries where they are being sold. For more information on Microban’s new range of antiviral technologies and registration requirements in your territory, visit www.microban.com/antiviral/technologies or contact your Microban representative. *Antiviral efficacy may vary depending on substrate type, application dosage of the treatment, impurities, and application procedure. Only Microban antiviral technologies that are registered with US EPA and are EU BPR compliant are being offered for sale. In the US, antiviral technologies may only be incorporated into products that are or will be registered with the US EPA. Contact your Microban representative for further information. About Microban International: Part of Barr Brands International (BBI), Microban International is home to the most trusted and well-known global brands in the antimicrobial, odour control, and sanitisation / disinfection markets – Microban ® and Ultra-Fresh ®. Our organisation has experienced over 100 collective years of growth and has revolutionised the industry. As the global leader, our proactive systems keep products cleaner, and control odours better by preventing problems before they start. Microban International drives innovation by combining science and creative solutions that enhance high-quality consumer, textile, industrial and medical products around the world. Today, the Microban and Ultra-Fresh brands and our technologies are featured on thousands of products worldwide. The company is headquartered in North Carolina with operations in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.microban.com. © 2021 kdm communications limited Editorial contact for further information or follow-up Sarah Khan or Audrey Jestin at kdm communications limited, St Neots, UK Tel. +44 (0) 1480 405333 Fax: +44 (0) 1480 477833 Contact Details kdm communications limited Sarah Khan +44 1480 405333 ideas@kdm-communications.com Company Website https://www.microban.com

November 09, 2021 07:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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VinFuture foundation hosts public dialogue about "Renewable energy & new materials for the future" with Nobel-Winning professor

Vingroup

VinFuture Foundation will hold its Online Science Dialogue series’ second installment discussing “Renewable energy and new materials for the future" on November 12th, 2021. The Dialogue will see the attendance of world-class scientists, most notably Professor Konstantin (Kostya) Sergeevich Novoselov, a Nobel Prize laureate in Physics. The event is aimed at bringing science and technology closer to the general public with solutions that have high real-world applicability. HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 8 November 2021 - This November, VinFuture 's Dialogue is titled "Renewable energy and new materials for the future" and centers around foundational knowledge and applications of new energy and materials in humanity's response to the global energy crisis. As part of the program, young scientists will also have chances to converse with world-leading scientists, and to discuss the opportunities and challenges they encounter in their start-ups, thereby bringing research projects into industrial production and out into the world. Most notably, leading the discussion on "Future materials" will be the Nobel Prize laureate in Physics - Professor Konstantin (Kostya) Sergeevich Novoselov. As the youngest scientist to have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics since 1973, Prof. Novoselov has a global influence in condensed matter physics and nanotechnology. His achievements with graphene - the strongest ultra-thin material in human knowledge - promise to deeply change the fields of Science and Technology, Industry, and Medicine. Prof. Novoselov is currently a Fellow of the Royal Society, a member of the US National Academy of Science, as well as the National University of Singapore's Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor and Director of the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials. Since 2014, Prof. Kostya Novoselov has always been featured as one of the most cited scientists globally and as part of the world's top 0.01% in the field of Science and Nanotechnology (PLOS, 2021). Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen, Director for Polymers and Organic Solids, Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), will speak at the Dialogue on the topic of solar energy. With more than 418 research projects and 24 patents on renewable energy, electronic - organic devices, solar cells and photovoltaics, etc., Prof. Thuc Quyen was one of the world's most influential scientific minds and Top 1% Highly Cited Researchers in Materials Science according to Thomson Reuters and Clarivate Analytics for 5 consecutive years, from 2015 to 2019. Dr. Corey Hoven, Founder and CTO of Next Energy Technologies, will bridge the gap between scientific research and practical application. His company has successfully commercialized smart windows that can generate electricity for high-rise buildings using solar energy. VinFuture's Science Dialogue series aims to provide a space for open dialogue with the public, spreading the values of "science at the service of humanity" and contributing to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Dialogue gives special attention to undergraduates, postgraduates, scientists, and young technology entrepreneurs in Vietnam and around the world. They will have the opportunity to share new perspectives, discuss breakthrough ideas, and raise their concerns about research topics or start-up projects and innovations in order to be discussed and addressed by the guest speakers. Dr. Le Mai Lan, Vice Chairman of Vingroup and Representative of VinFuture Foundation, shared: "Through the public dialogue series, we hope that leading scientists and researchers around the world can share their great contributions to the public in easy-to-understand language, turning science into a familiar and inseparable part of people's lives. At the same time, we would like to inspire youth to take on responsibility for pressing global issues, thereby encouraging them to pursue scientific research to find solutions." Previously, in September 2021, the first dialogue titled "How Science is Changing Global Health?" was successfully organized by VinFuture Foundation with the participation of world-leading scientists in the field of health management, such as Prof. Ezekiel Emanuel (Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, USA), Professor Alta Schutte (Principal Theme Lead of Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia),... All VinFuture webinars will be open to the public free-of-charge via Zoom and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VinFuturePrize/ (Language: English). Register to participate in the event here. About VinFuture Foundation VinFuture Foundation is an independent and non-profit foundation operating in Vietnam. It was founded with the vision of creating meaningful changes in people's daily lives through the celebration of global technological innovations. 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. https://www.facebook.com/VinFuturePrize/ #VinFuture Contact Details Vingroup v.chidqd@vingroup.net Company Website https://www.vingroup.net/en

November 08, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Improving the Lives of Caregivers

YourUpdateTV

There will be more people over 65 than under 18 by 2030 -- the boomer generation is living longer and wants to age at home. The result is more than 53 million family caregivers in the U.S., caring for more than 80 million people, and spending more than $187 billion on home health care. Recently, Bianca Padilla, CEO and Co-Founder of Carewell, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the importance of supporting caregivers around the country. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/Z8i-N0yyx30 One-fifth of Americans will act as informal caregivers at some point in their lives, but there is little in the way of vetted products, product knowledge, guidance, and service to help those in the position of caring for a loved one. The biggest trend in caregiving over the past few years is aging at home. 90% of Americans want to stay in their homes for the rest of their lives. They don’t want change, and it’s up to the younger generations to help them do this safely and comfortably. 84% of caregivers report needing more information, so providing access to educational resources is vital for this audience, especially as conditions change - and usually worsen - over time. Carewell is redefining home healthcare by helping caregivers manage their loved one’s conditions, as well as their own lives. Carewell strives to make this population feel seen and understood by providing the products, service, and community support they need along with a level of customer service and convenience rarely found in healthcare. Carewell offers support to family caregivers with a library of information and caregiving guides to remove guesswork. For more information, visit Carewell.com About Bianca Padilla: Bianca Padilla is the CEO and co-founder of Carewell, a family-founded company that simplifies life for caregivers by providing personalized service, compassionate content, and expert-vetted home care products. A graduate of New York University with a B.A. in Economics, Bianca attended the Disney Institute and formed the Charlotte chapter of Aging 2.0, for which she currently serves as an ambassador. Prior to founding Carewell, Bianca worked as a software engineer at LiveNinja and as an analyst for CCMP Capital Advisors and Pantheon Ventures. A Miami native, Bianca enjoys spending time with her co-founder husband Jon and dog Henry, traveling, being an unabashed foodie, and reading books about entrepreneurship, leadership, tech, and comedy. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

November 03, 2021 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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British fintech Nimbla attracts £5.1m investment as embedded insurance takes off

Stockwood Strategy

Fintech business insurance startup Nimbla has today announced a £5.1m funding round led by Silicon Valley venture fund Fin VC with participation from Barclays Bank. The funding comes as Nimbla seeks to scale its operations with increased demand from embedded credit risk solutions through its API with banks and alternative lending platforms. Founded in 2016, the Nimbla platform has given businesses the confidence to trade with a peace of mind using invoice insurance with quotes provided within seconds. Their proprietary digital automated credit risk platform is able to process requests immediately and provide real time quotes. Nimbla has processed over 67m invoices worth £2.5b. During the pandemic, volumes of invoices tripled as economic uncertainty and supply chain concerns increased and Nimbla continued writing new business. Flemming Bengtsen, CEO at Nimbla commented: “We have been growing steadily over the past few years, ramping up our technology and team to better understand businesses, the nature of B2B debt and to make faster decisions to serve our growing customer base. 2020 was a seminal year for Nimbla, at a time of global crisis, we were there for businesses enabling them to trade with a peace of mind and giving them confidence to carry on. This funding round will enable us to expand our platform, grow the team as we enable a confident and trusted trading environment for businesses across the UK and beyond”. Nimbla has worked directly with businesses and brokers to provide invoice insurance cover and more recently has launched a new API for Banks, fintech lenders and B2B platforms to enable more business to access the service. Nimbla partnered with Barclays Bank in 2020 to give their one million small business customers the ability to take out insurance against individual invoices, rather than the whole book. “We have built a powerful and robust credit risk model, automated large parts of the process and have now launched a new API to enable others to embed seamless credit risk solutions into their platforms” added Flemming Bengtsen. On investing in funding round Henry Cashin, Head of EMEA at Fin VC, commented: “Nimbla is giving businesses the confidence to trade again. They have a proven credit risk model and its tech is being adopted by top tier banks and a host of lending platforms. We believe this will scale their reach and help more businesses benefit long term”. Looking ahead, Flemming Bengtsen commented: “UK companies have added £1.9tn debt in 2020 to their balance sheets, taking the total amount outstanding to over £6.6tn. This number was inflated by the various government loan schemes. Over half of them are carrying ‘toxic debts’ which carries enormous risk for their trade creditors, there is a huge opportunity and responsibility for Nimbla to give companies a peace of mind and insure their invoices against insolvencies”. About Nimbla Nimbla makes sure businesses get paid for their hard work, even if a customer becomes insolvent. Founded in 2016, the company is on a mission to give SMEs the confidence to trade with a peace of mind using invoice insurance. Nimbla’s digital insurance platform backed by expert risk analysts, allows businesses to check a buyer’s ability to pay and insure individual invoices against non-payment in a fast and affordable way. This will enable business owners to safeguard against insolvent customers, expand into new and existing markets and secure better borrowing terms. The platform can be accessed directly (www.nimbla.com) and through partnerships with Barclays and insurance brokers. Based in London, Nimbla aims to bring the trade credit industry into the 21st century. Challenging traditional insurance models, the cover is flexible and adapts to fit your business — whether it’s a one-off invoice or multiple transactions. Contact Details Nimbla Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.nimbla.com/

November 03, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Quidel Corporation to Sponsor Distinguished Speaker Series Conducted by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation

Quidel Corporation

Quidel Corporation announced today that it will serve as sponsor for the upcoming Distinguished Speaker Series being conducted by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation. Quidel is a California-based diagnostic health care manufacturer known for successfully developing rapid diagnostic health solutions, including the industry-leading Sofia ® 2 Lyme FIA test for Lyme disease. The Distinguished Speaker Series are free community events that provide new information on various Lyme-related topics. Speakers typically feature an esteemed scientific researcher paired with a Lyme survivor sharing their inspirational story in an open-discussion format. The events are designed to create a more informed, connected and inspired public, which, in turn, will lead to stronger families, schools, businesses and communities. “We share the Bay Area Lyme Foundation’s mission to make Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure,” said Judi Tilghman, Ph.D., vice president of technology assessment at Quidel. “Over the years the Foundation has collaborated with world-class scientists and institutions to accelerate medical breakthroughs for Lyme disease and to build a more informed and engaged public. We are honored to sponsor this important speakers series in support of those efforts.” On Nov. 3, the series will feature a researcher, physician and Lyme patient advocate who will discuss how the immune system “can protect or attack” when it comes to Lyme disease. The discussion will focus on the importance of using a broad and comprehensive diagnostic and treatment approach to Lyme disease. Speakers include Liz Horn, Ph.D., MBI, principal investigator, Lyme Disease Biobank, and principal, LHC Biosolutions; Victoria Blaho, Ph.D., assistant professor, Sanford Burnham Prebys, Immunity and Pathogenesis Program; and David N. Haney, Ph.D., researcher and family caregiver. The Nov. 3 event will be held from 4-7 p.m. in the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in San Diego. Reservations are required and can be made at SpeakerSeries@bayarealyme.org or by calling 650-530-2684. Full vaccination is required for this venue. Lyme disease is on the rise to record numbers throughout the country and has the potential to affect as many as 476,000 citizens before the year is out. Leading the way in Lyme disease testing is the innovative Sofia ® 2 Lyme FIA by Quidel. This revolutionary test provides the patient and physician with indicative results within 15 minutes, as opposed to days, which has historically been the norm (and during which time organisms can spread and become systemic). It can be performed in the privacy of a doctor’s office, local clinic or even by a nurse at a children’s summer camp; and it is the only test that can get results from a simple finger prick of blood. 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 FDA-cleared 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. With products made in America, 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. Contact Details breakwhitelight JAMES YEAGER Yeager +1 818-264-6812 jim@breakwhitelight.com Company Website http://Quidel.com

November 02, 2021 09:44 AM Pacific Daylight Time

SMEs “keep calm and carry on” despite rising costs from suppliers

Stockwood Strategy

Supply chain issues and increasing costs have impacted SMEs countrywide and yet they seem to be handling it in their usual resilient stride. Fintech business lender MarketFinance asked 1,000 SME owners 1 across the UK how they are managing rising supplier prices, what measures they have put in place and sought their long term outlook on the increasing costs of doing business. Supplier costs Four out of five (79%) SMEs have faced increased prices from suppliers over the past 6 months. An increase of cost of raw materials was the top ranked rationale for price increases by suppliers, most keenly felt by businesses in the north west of England (85%). This was followed by staff shortages, the ongoing impact of the pandemic slowdown and supply chain disruptions owing to a shortage of truck drivers. Across the UK, a quarter of SMEs reported supplier prices have almost doubled over the past 6 months. Impact A third of SMEs (32%) have been able to absorb the increased costs without passing them on to customers, suggesting that these businesses have the necessary cash reserves to handle the impact. Only a fifth (21%) are passing a portion of the increased costs onto customers. Businesses in the south west of England and Northern Ireland are least likely to absorb the costs while businesses in the north west and Yorkshire are the most likely to do so. Their customers are proving to be equally understanding of the wider supply chain situation with only a fifth (20%) challenging business owners about the price rises. Outlook Looking ahead to the festive season, SMEs feel they will be able to manage the situation but some could increase prices if the pressure gets too much. Two fifths reported they could increase their prices by as much as 10% in the run up to Christmas. Longer term, three quarters (73%) of SMEs are already preparing for the current higher prices to be the norm until at least the end of 2022. A third of SMEs (34%) have taken out loans or are using other finance facilities to manage the increased cost of doing business. Anil Stocker, CEO at MarketFinance, commented: “ The current economic environment with rising costs is presenting some headwinds and headaches for SME owners but they are proving to be as resilient as ever. The vast majority have been thinking ahead and accounted for the longer term scenario, which will hold them in good stead to do business. It’s great to see that SME owners are taking the long view and preserving their customer relationships and managing suppliers by having a finance facility in place to deal with the overhead for now. The British Business Bank announced last week that it will extend its Recovery Loan Scheme to June 2022. This extension will give SMEs easier access to more affordable finance they need to continue running and growing operations in the face of ongoing challenges such as staff shortages and supplier price increases.” 1 Research findings based on a survey of 1,000 UK companies (who are employers with a minimum turnover of £100,000) conducted for MarketFinance in October 2021 by LMRMC Research (a Market Research Society approved partner and ESOMAR corporate member). About MarketFinance MarketFinance is a fintech business lender which believes that SMEs are building the world. By making finance frictionless, they’re solving the cash flow issues getting in the way of progress. MarketFinance uses smart technology to deliver better access to faster, more affordable finance; with one-to-one help whenever businesses need it. Since 2011, MarketFinance has advanced over £2.6 billion worth of invoices and loans, enabling thousands of UK businesses to bridge today’s funding gaps and fuel tomorrow’s big ambitions. MarketFinance is an accredited Recover Loan Scheme lender and has a wide-reaching network of strategic partners including Barclays Bank UK PLC, Tide, Equals Group and Ebury. MarketFinance is backed by Barclays Bank UK PLC, Mouro Capital, Paul Forster (co-founder of Indeed.com) European venture capital fund Northzone (invested in Klarna, iZettle and Trustpilot), Viola Capital and private equity group MCI Capital (also invested in iZettle, Azimo and Gett). Contact Details MarketFinance Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://marketfinance.com/

November 02, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Omega Healthcare Announces Senior Leadership Changes to Usher in the Next Phase of its Growth Journey

Omega Healthcare

Omega Healthcare Management Services (“Omega”), a leading provider of technology-enabled business process services across the healthcare ecosystem, announced today that co-founder and current Chief Executive Officer Gopi Natarajan has decided to retire after 18 years of leading the firm. Co-founder and President Anurag Mehta has been appointed as the Company’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective November 01, 2021. Gopi co-founded Omega Healthcare in 2003 with Anurag Mehta and has been instrumental in building the company to be the leader in the tech-enabled healthcare solutions industry. He has had a tremendous impact on Omega, mentored the firm’s senior leadership over the years, and helped drive innovations in the healthcare industry. “As a platform, Omega is extremely well positioned in the healthcare services market to continue to be a leader. With Anurag and Sumithra at the helm, the company is poised to scale greater heights supported by the able senior leadership talent. I wish them the very best in their new roles,” Gopi commented. He will continue to be closely associated with Omega as a key advisor to the Company in several capacities. “I have had the privilege of working with Gopi for over 20 years now. Not only has he been an invaluable leader for Omega, but he has also been an incredible business partner and friend. I am delighted that he will stay connected as an advisor to the company. I would also like to congratulate Sumithra on her new role. Her invaluable experience will help Omega strengthen its market-leading position,” said Anurag. With more than 20 years of experience within the healthcare industry, Anurag will be instrumental in driving the Company’s next phase of expansion. As a co-founder of Omega, Anurag has a deep understanding of the business and is well poised to spearhead the organization into its next phase of growth with his strong leadership and extensive healthcare industry relationships. Omega also announced today that a current member of the Board of Directors, Sumithra Gomatam, has been appointed as the Executive Chair of the Omega board. Sumithra brings over 30 years of experience in the information technology and business process services industry. She most recently held several senior roles at Cognizant, a publicly-listed global professional services company, where she spent over 24 years. At Cognizant, she was President of Digital Operations, which she scaled to nearly $2 Billion in revenues and transformed it to be technology-driven with Intelligent Process Automation and Platforms and a significant focus on Healthcare and Big Tech clients. Prior to that, she was at Tata Consultancy Services, a publicly-listed global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization. “It has been a pleasure to work with the Omega team for the last year. I look forward to continue to work closely with the Omega leadership to accelerate growth in the business, provide customer excellence, and drive deeper technology into our processes,” Sumithra noted. She will strengthen the leadership and work closely with Anurag and the senior management team to drive strategy and scale the organization. About Omega Healthcare Management Services Founded in 2003, Omega helps payers, providers, and pharmaceutical companies eliminate administrative burdens, accelerate cash flow, and reduce health management costs while enhancing patient care. The company streamlines medical billing, coding, and collections processes and provides virtual nursing services, including triage, care continuation, clinical documentation improvement, and re-admittance avoidance. Combining the largest medical coding staff in the world with proprietary technology, analytics, and automation capabilities, Omega provides the most comprehensive outsourced solutions in the industry and is ranked among the top revenue cycle management business process services by industry analysts. Omega, backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Everstone Group, has about 19,000 employees across India, the Philippines, and the United States. For more information, visit www.OmegaHMS.com Contact Details Omega Healthcare Management Services Kristy Gierosky Kristy.Gierosky@omegahms.com

November 01, 2021 10:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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