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Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Secures $1.9 Million Sales Contract for Latin America

Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Voyageur Pharmaceuticals CEO Brent Willis joined Steve Darling from Proactive to announce a significant milestone for the company with the signing of its first sales contract valued at USD $1.9 million. The contract spans a three-year term and involves a distribution partner specializing in radiology drugs in Latin America. Under the agreement, the distribution partner will have exclusivity in two Latin American countries, facilitated by covering all regulatory and licensing costs. The contract pricing structure is based on achieving volume milestones, providing incentives for both parties to drive sales growth. Willis highlighted that this major sales distribution agreement positions Voyageur to expand its market presence across Latin America. The company's flagship product, SmoothX®2% w/v, will serve as the lead entry product, with plans to introduce additional products, including Vision HD® 98%, Vision LD® 96%, Smooth HD® 105%, Smooth LD® 60%, and V-Gas®. SmoothX®2% w/v, currently available for immediate sales and distribution, is a contrast media designed for use in Computed Tomography (CT) of the gastrointestinal tract. The product's formulation of barium supports high-quality imaging, offering reproducible results for accurate diagnosis and image comparison. Clinical tests have demonstrated patient preference for SmoothX over existing products used in CT imaging, indicating its potential for market success. This sales contract signifies an important step forward for Voyageur Pharmaceuticals, positioning the company for growth and expansion in the Latin American market. Contact Details Proactive Investors +1 604-688-8158 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

May 28, 2024 09:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Analysts’ Consensus Reaffirms Significant Upside Potential for Cardiol Therapeutics

RazorPitch CRDL

Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL), a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on the research and clinical development of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for the treatment of heart disease, has been attracting substantial interest from investors looking for opportunities in the biotech sector. CRDL is currently developing CardiolRx™ and CRD-38 therapies for heart diseases, including recurrent pericarditis, acute myocarditis, and heart failure. Over the past year, CRDL stock has surged by more than 250%, illustrating the increasing level of investor interest in the company. The stock now trades around $2.35 per share and appears to be on track to test its next potential resistance at $3. For investors who may be wondering whether they missed out on Cardiol Therapeutics' (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) impressive rally, here’s some good news. The stock has the potential for further upside considering the fact that Cardiol will release topline data for its Phase 2 MAvERIC-Pilot clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of CardiolRx™ for the treatment of recurrent pericarditis sometime in early June, which, if positive, has the potential to send the stock higher. Moreover, several analysts have reiterated that the stock has the potential for significant upside, further reaffirming Cardiol’s growth prospects. For instance, Joe Gantoss of Chimera Research Group says he won’t be surprised to see Cardiol’s price break past the 3-year high at $4.96 if the recurrent pericarditis data show a clear success and open the path to move to the next stage with Phase 3 trial. According to Gantoss, Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) has many things going in its favor right now heading into a critical Phase 2 trial readout in recurrent pericarditis in June that he believes will lead to a positive outcome. Those include a strong rationale for its mechanism of action as well as receipt of FDA Orphan Drug Designation (ODD), which suggests a positive signal in an early data subset, plus a tried-and-true recurrent pericarditis trial design with experienced investigators at the helm. Thanks to the FDA ODD grant, CardiolRx™ has a clear path to expedite the development timeline and will ensure a market exclusivity period of at least 7 years. And the great thing is that there’s a robust market for innovation in this indication, as evidenced by a successful recent drug launch. At a current market cap of $162 million, this is clearly underappreciated and unrecognized by the market at the present time. For reference, company peer Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals (KNSA) now has a $1.4 billion market cap on expected sales of $360-$380 million for treating recurrent pericarditis, with single to low double-digit market penetration. We also note the example of Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ) buying out company peer GW Pharma (GWPH) for approximately $7 billion after Epidiolex, a formulation sharing a similar active ingredient with CardiolRx™, reached half a billion in sales in epilepsy over 2 years (now guiding for a US $1-billion-dollar franchise in the years to come). “Clearly, a $160 million market cap does not do Cardiol justice. With positive data in Q2, the path to market becomes a slam dunk, and the stock should surge to the upside in response,” says Gantoss. In addition, analyst Vernon Bernardino of H.C. Wainwright & Co reiterated their Buy rating and issued a $9 price target, which implies that Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) has a potential upside of about 300% from current levels. There is currently only one FDA-approved therapy for recurrent pericarditis. With CardiolRx™’s strong safety profile vs. anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, the analyst believes CardiolRx™ has the potential to be a safe, new approach to recurrent pericarditis treatment and is underappreciated. Likewise, Bernardino also expects topline results from MAvERIC-Pilot to be a positive catalyst in early June. ARCHER is Cardiol’s Phase 2 multi-center, international, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigating the safety, tolerability, and impact of CardiolRx™ on myocardial recovery in patients presenting with acute myocarditis. ARCHER trial design, rationale, and blinded baseline data on the first 50 patients randomized were the subject of an oral presentation at the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure earlier this month. According to Bernardino, they are positive about the results as they look for ARCHER to assist in furthering understanding of the therapeutic potential of CardiolRx™ and complement the MAvERIC-Pilot Phase 2 study. ARCHER patient recruitment has been accelerating, with the trial expected to enroll 100 patients in the United States, Canada, France, Brazil, and Israel. In fact, ARCHER has now exceeded 85% of target enrollment, and as a result, H.C. Wainwright & Co. believes prospects for its completion by early 2025 are good. Huge unmet medical need Pericarditis is a heart disorder consisting of inflammation of the pericardium, the membrane or sac that surrounds the heart and protects it from damage during contraction. Acute pericarditis lasts about 4-6 weeks before resolving, but often patients can experience a second episode. If another episode occurs following a period of 4-6 weeks without symptoms, this is considered recurrent pericarditis. At the moment, the first-line conventional treatment for recurrent pericarditis is NSAIDs or aspirin, with or without colchicine. For the second-line therapy, for patients with continued recurrence and inadequate response, corticosteroids are administered despite safety issues and difficulty tapering or discontinuation. The only FDA-approved therapy, ARCALYST® (rilonacept) averages over $150,000 per year and is primarily used for over three recurrences. The most common complication of pericarditis is recurrence, occurring in 15-30% of first-time pericarditis cases, some complications can be deadly, and an estimated 5% of all hospitalizations for chest pain in the US and Europe are due to pericarditis. In the US, the annual prevalence is about 160,000 cases (based on 40/100,000) which includes 38,000 cases with a recurrence. Hospitalization costs average $20 – $30k with a 6 – 8-day length of stay. So far, ARCALYST® has had impressive results in recurrent pericarditis and strong market uptake since its launch in 2021, and this is bullish for Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) since it reflects a market in need of innovation and ready to embrace new alternatives. Takeaway In summary, the near-term pericarditis clinical proof-of-concept data expected in early June could be a major catalyst and turning point for Cardiol and its valuation. Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) has a strong financial position, being debt-free and is well-capitalized to achieve corporate milestones into 2026, which is why analysts remain confident in the company’s long-term growth prospects. Disclaimers: RazorPitch Inc. "RazorPitch" is not operated by a licensed broker, a dealer, or a registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investment advice. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides investors a safe harbor in regard to forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions, or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact may be forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on expectations, estimates, and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those presently anticipated. Forward looking statements in this action may be identified through use of words such as projects, foresee, expects, will, anticipates, estimates, believes, understands, or that by statements indicating certain actions & quote; may, could, or might occur. Understand there is no guarantee past performance will be indicative of future results. Investing in micro-cap and growth securities is highly speculative and carries an extremely high degree of risk. It is possible that an investors investment may be lost or impaired due to the speculative nature of the companies profiled. RazorPitch has been retained and compensated by Cardiol Therapeutics to assist in the production and distribution of content related to CRDL. RazorPitch is responsible for the production and distribution of this content. It should be expressly understood that under no circumstances does any information published herein represent a recommendation to buy or sell a security. This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained in this article constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by RazorPitch or any third party service provider to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments. All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in this article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the article constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. RazorPitch is not a fiduciary by virtue of any persons use of or access to this content. Contact Details RazorPitch Inc Mark McKelvie +1 585-301-7700 mark@razorpitch.com Company Website http://razorpitch.com

May 28, 2024 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Oncimmune Reports Robust Interim Results, Exceeding Previous Year's Revenue in Just Six Months

Oncimmune Holdings PLC

Oncimmune CEO Martin Gouldstone joined Steve Darling from Proactive to announce the company's interim results for the six months ended February 29, 2024. During this period, Oncimmune achieved revenue of £1.19 million, marking a significant milestone in the company's financial performance. This revenue surpasses the £1.15 million generated from continuing operations in the entire fiscal year 2023, indicating a notable improvement and reflecting a strategic shift initiated in October 2023. Gouldstone expressed satisfaction with the company's performance in the first half of fiscal year 2024, highlighting the substantial increase in revenues compared to the ImmunoINSIGHTSTM business in fiscal year 2023. This achievement underscores the effectiveness of Oncimmune's new strategic approach and commercial endeavors, which are gaining momentum. Moreover, Gouldstone revealed that Oncimmune secured contracts for seven new projects during the reporting period. These contracts are expected to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2024, contributing to the company's revenue growth trajectory. Additionally, Oncimmune entered into a Master Services Agreement with Freenome, further enhancing its commercial portfolio. Looking ahead, Oncimmune is well-positioned for continued growth, with 15 new commercial opportunities in the proposal stage as of April 2024. These opportunities represent a total weighted pipeline value exceeding £2.5 million. While some revenue is anticipated to be recognized in fiscal year 2024, the majority is expected in fiscal year 2025, reflecting the company's ongoing expansion efforts and future revenue prospects. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

May 24, 2024 12:34 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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College of American Pathologists: Cancer Rates Soaring in Younger Adults

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/rq8XcHBnPw0 Cancer doesn’t discriminate by age today. Consider celebrities like Chadwick Boseman, who died from colon cancer; Olivia Munn, who recently underwent a double mastectomy; Ninja, a popular streamer on Twitch diagnosed with skin cancer; and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, who is currently being treated for the disease. All of them were diagnosed before the age of 50. Why is this happening and what can we do to catch it early? There are several reasons: diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors. The College of American Pathologists is emphasizing the importance of early detection, screening, and being vigilant regarding symptoms. A nationwide media tour was conducted to discuss this important issue featuring Dr. Donald Karcher, president of the College of American Pathologists. Topics that Dr. Karcher discussed included: • What is behind the soaring trend of younger adults being diagnosed with cancer? • What symptoms to look for to improve cancer outcomes. • What cancers can and should be screened for? • What if you don’t meet the minimum age requirements for screening but are having symptoms? • Discussing the importance of early detection. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: YOURPATHOLOGIST.ORG Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

May 23, 2024 02:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Shedding Light on Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

YourUpdateTV

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare, progressive, and genetic disease that currently affects about 40,000 people in the United States. CF is the result of a defective gene, inherited from each parent, and the disease can impact people of all races and ethnicities. Recently, KC White, Board Chair of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the disease, her personal journey, and how the Foundation is helping progress care and treatment options. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/8wj8u0JEqLU CF is a life-shortening disease that prevents our bodies from clearing mucus. This can lead to lung infections, poor nutrition, lung disease, and a host of unique challenges that can impact every aspect of a person’s life. When it was first discovered, it was considered a fatal pediatric disease. But due to transformative advancements in treatments and high-quality care, the life-expectancy for someone born with CF today is 56. While that number is climbing there is still a long way to go and unfortunately, not all people with CF equally benefit from this progress. KC White was elected chair of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2022 after serving on the Board since 2005. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 3, White has been a committed volunteer and inspiring advocate for the Foundation since childhood and is the first person with CF to serve as board chair. When she was diagnosed, she wasn’t expected to live past high school age, but her family refused to accept that fate, which prompted their dedication to the Foundation’s work. Because of recent treatments known as modulators, about 90% of the CF population (including KC) experienced an incredible transformation in their health. With this though, comes navigating unplanned challenges including careers, finances, family, and more. In addition to fueling the research, particularly in genetic therapies, that will lead to transformative treatments for the entire CF population, the CF Foundation works to support the CF community in all aspects of their lives through support programs and fostering connection opportunities. Every May, the cystic fibrosis community comes together for CF Awareness Month to educate the public about the rare disease, share personal stories, and encourage people to get involved and unite behind a shared mission: finding a cure for all people with CF. The CF Foundation is committed to finding a cure and providing all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives. The Foundation is aggressively funding research and drug development, advancing high-quality, specialized care, and partnering with and advocating for the CF community. For more information, visit CFF.ORG/CFMONTH About KC White KC White was elected chair of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2022 after serving on the Board since 2005. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 3, White has been a committed volunteer and inspiring advocate for the Foundation since childhood, speaking at her first Foundation event when she was only 9 years old. She is the first person with CF to serve as board chair. White received her Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 and currently serves as an assistant instructor in the program. She is also the Head Varsity Women’s Lacrosse coach for the Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Tigers. She and her husband, Justin, have one son, Mac. About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization leading the relentless pursuit of a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation is committed to providing all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives by funding research and drug development, advancing high-quality, specialized care, and partnering with and advocating for the CF community. The Foundation funds more CF research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. The organization supports and accredits a national network of over 130 CF care centers recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. Also, the Foundation manages support programs and fosters connection opportunities for the CF community. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation’s impact is made possible by the work of nearly 70 local chapters across the country. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

May 23, 2024 12:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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PathAI and Aster Insights Partner to Deliver Combined AI-Derived Structured Pathology and Multimodal Real-World Data Solutions

PathAI

PathAI, a global leader in AI-powered pathology, and Aster Insights, the leading provider of scientific and clinical intelligence for oncology discovery, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership to develop curated multimodal datasets that pair PathAI’s PathExplore 1 artificial intelligence (AI) tumor microenvironment (TME) quantification panel with Aster Insights’ Avatar clinical, molecular, and digital pathology imaging data. By combining their respective best-in-class platforms, PathAI and Aster Insights will be able to expedite the development of novel insights to accelerate the discovery and development of new treatments for patients with cancer. The partnership will allow PathAI to utilize digital whole slide imaging (WSI) from Aster Insights’ Oncology Research Information Exchange Network ® (ORIEN). ORIEN ® members participate in Total Cancer Care ® (TCC), the world’s largest and longest-running observational research study in oncology, which has accrued over 400,000 patients to date. Digital pathology images contain a wealth of untapped data, and PathAI’s PathExplore is the world’s first structured, standardized, and scalable product that leverages AI to characterize the TME from routinely available hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained digital WSIs. PathExplore exhaustively detects and classifies the millions of cell and tissue regions across H&E WSIs to provide researchers access to important insights, such as patterns of immune cell infiltration and presence of complex tissue structures. These data are critical for better understanding existing treatments and the development of novel therapeutics. PathExplore features are paired with Aster’s Avatar multimodal data including tumor whole exome and whole transcriptome sequencing, which allows researchers to follow a patient throughout their cancer journey and access rich information about their cancer biology. Avatar provides a powerful set of data, allowing for a deeper understanding of disease pathology, and what happens to patients when they are exposed to certain treatments. “Analysis of histopathology images uniquely allows researchers to define and quantify spatial changes in the tumor microenvironment resulting from treatment or disease progression,” said Andy Beck, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of PathAI. “Our collaboration with Aster Insights is empowering researchers with robust multimodal datasets to explore hypotheses such as identifying and analyzing novel histological biomarkers correlated with patient treatment, outcomes, and gene expression.” “Our approach to leveraging AI with multimodal data will lead to new information and deeper insights than currently possible,” said Anand Shah, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Aster Insights. “Together with PathAI, we are creating new knowledge that is critical for researchers and life sciences partners to expand therapeutic options.” PathAI and Aster Insights are offering these joint solutions to biopharma customers to support targeted and pan-cancer initiatives across the drug development lifecycle. For more information, please contact Aster Insights and PathAI. You can also connect with both companies at ASCO in Chicago, IL, from May 31-June 4, 2024. Footnotes 1 PathExplore is For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. About PathAI PathAI is the only AI-focused technology company to provide comprehensive precision pathology solutions from wet lab services to algorithm deployment for clinical trials to the industry leading AISight Image Management System. Rigorously trained and validated with data from more than 15 million annotations, its AI-powered models can be leveraged to optimize the analysis of pathology samples to improve efficiency and accuracy of pathology interpretation, as well as to better gauge biomarker status and accelerate drug development for complex diseases. For more information, please visit www.pathai.com. About Aster Insights Aster Insights is the leading provider of scientific and clinical intelligence for oncology discovery. We partner with drug, biologics, diagnostics, and medical device developers to accelerate oncology product discovery and development. Aster Insights leads the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network® (ORIEN), a consortium of the nation's leading cancer centers that conduct Total Cancer Care®, the world's largest and longest running observational research study in oncology. Together, we are changing the way cancer is studied, treated, and prevented. Learn more at www.AsterInsights.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details SVM Public Relations and Marketing Communications Maggie Naples +1 401-490-9700 pathai@svmpr.com Aster Insights Dawn Thomas-Smith dawn.thomas-smith@asterinsights.com Company Website https://www.pathai.com/

May 23, 2024 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Technology Is Enabling Remote Work In More And More Fields – Could Surgery Be Next? Surgical Robot Maker Monogram Orthopedics (NASDAQ: MGRM) Believes So

Benzinga

By Meg Flippin, Benzinga From far-flung corners of the world to rural towns across America, remote, robotic surgeries have the potential to change the way doctors treat patients. Using advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, teleconferencing and the internet, doctors can perform everything from knee replacements to gastric bypass without ever leaving their healthcare facility. That is already changing how care is delivered. Remote surgeries can provide cheaper and faster solutions – improving the accessibility of high-quality surgical care, overcoming surgeon shortages and saving patients money by removing the need to travel long distances for healthcare. Then there’s the enhanced accuracy and improved outcomes surgeons can achieve by using robotics to perform surgeries that otherwise would be manual and subject to potential human error. Take knee replacements, for one example. As it stands, 88% of knee surgeries are still performed manually, opening patients up to errors that could require more treatment and care. The benefits don’t end there. By using minimally invasive robotic methods, patients often see a reduction in complications, pain and infections. Not to mention, these methods can lead to faster recovery times and shorter hospital stays. All of those positives haven’t been lost on the medical community and are driving demand for telesurgery. According to Research and Markets, the surgical robots market is poised to hit $7.3 billion by 2030, up from $6.4 billion in 2022 – growing at a CAGR of 13.5% during the forecast period. The need for robotics can be found in every area of surgical care but seems particularly poised to grow in orthopedics. The orthopedic device market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% through 2030, reaching $80.28 billion, according to Fortune Business Insights. Driving the growth is a rising prevalence of osteoporosis and musculoskeletal diseases, an aging population and an increase in sports-related injuries. The technology and procedures used today are antiquated, and robots could help with an overhaul. Monogram Demonstrates Its Prowess When it comes to remote robotic surgery, many players are trying to advance this type of treatment care. One company that seems to be seeing success is Monogram Orthopedics Inc. (NASDAQ: MGRM), the Austin, Texas medical technology company aiming to revolutionize orthopedic joint replacement surgery with its robotic technology, which links 3D printing and robotics with advanced pre-operative imaging. The company is developing a robot that it believes could help improve the standard of care in orthopedics in the future. Accompanying the robot are what the company describes as its “patient optimized” mPress implants that the company believes, when combined with robotics, could help surgeons deliver personalized care. Last year, the company made history by completing what it says is the first fully remote simulated robotic surgery in orthopedics. On March 7, 2023, Douglas Unis, MD of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and founder of Monogram Orthopedics, completed a fully remote total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedure on a cadaver, controlling the Austin-based robot from New York City in real-time via the system’s user-operated foot pedal. Unis said at the time that despite being 1,700 miles away, the real-time system was very responsive with little in the way of latency. The successful simulated cadaveric surgery was live-streamed for the world to see. Internet Reliability On Display To demonstrate the capabilities and ensure the surgery went off without a hitch, Monogram tapped Real-Time Innovations’ RTI Connext® Anywhere software to provide real-time connectivity, which is extremely important for remote surgeries to be a success. To address the technical challenges of teleoperation, Monogram required a flexible software connectivity solution that was designed for distributed, secure and reliable data flow. Connext Anywhere, based on the Data Distribution Service (DDS™) standard, accelerates the development of intelligent and connected platforms and provides a range of reliability features to optimize and prioritize real-time data flow over intermittent networks. That proved true during the remote surgery. "A joint-replacement surgery is incredibly invasive, stressful and is still a largely manual process today, with 100,000 knee replacements failing each year," Kamran Shamaei, CTO at Monogram said at the time. "We feel strongly that our total knee replacement system, with RTI's underlying technology, could eventually help to dramatically reduce this number, hopefully helping patients to have a more stable, better-fitting knee replacement with fewer complications in a fraction of the time it takes today." It’s Just The Beginning Since Monogram’s successful demonstration, the company has made inroads in bringing robotic surgeries to the mainstream. It recently announced it delivered its first surgical robot, mBôs, to one of the world’s largest global robotics distributors. It marked the first sale for Monogram Orthopedics. In pre-clinical simulated cadaveric surgeries, Monogram’s robot was able to complete an orthopedic surgery in 40 minutes – about half the time it has taken some systems today. The goal is to try and get surgical timed down to 20 minutes with the help of the company’s recently announced mVIsion navigation. Remote robotic surgeries are just taking off as companies like Monogram aim to revolutionize surgical care. Telesurgery has the potential to level the playing field, help surgeon adoption and potentially improve patient outcomes, and make treatment more accessible and affordable for people residing in even the most remote locations. Just like video conferencing transformed the way we communicate, telesurgery is poised to change the way doctors across the world perform surgeries. Monogram is positioning itself to play a major role in that revolution. Featured photo by Piron Guillaume on Unsplash. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

May 23, 2024 08:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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MAIA Biotechnology's Unique Telomere Targeting Agent Currently In Clinical Development Shows Promise For The Multi-Billion Dollar Cancer Therapy Market

Benzinga

By Kyle Anthony, Benzinga MAIA Biotechnology (AMEX: MAIA) is a cutting-edge biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative therapies for cancer treatment. The company’s mission is to discover, develop and deliver transformative cancer therapies that improve patients' lives worldwide. MAIA Biotechnology envisions a future where cancer is manageable and patients can live longer, healthier lives. The firm is at the forefront of revolutionizing oncology, leveraging advanced scientific research and technological advancements to drive its progress, with the goal of bringing treatments that target cancer's replication mechanism in a more efficacious and less harmful manner than traditional therapies. Company Background Founded in August 2018 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, MAIA Biotechnology is led by an experienced management team and supported by scientific advisors with extensive drug development experience who are committed to advancing promising agents into human clinical trials. MAIA Biotechnology specializes in telomere-targeting therapies for cancer treatment. As such, the firm’s current product focus is the development of first-in-class drugs that target proteins that control how cancer cells grow, divide and spread. MAIA Biotechnology's pipeline includes several promising candidates in various stages of development, but its premier product offering is THIO (6-thio-2′-deoxyguanosine), a first-in-class telomere-targeting agent designed to selectively kill telomerase-positive cancer cells, which are present in most human cancers. The Role Of Telomeres In Cancer Telomeres play a crucial role in cellular aging and cancer development. Research published by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute explains that cancer cells often avoid senescence or cell death by rebuilding and maintaining their telomeres despite repeated cell divisions. This is possible because the cancer cells activate an enzyme called telomerase, which adds genetic units to the telomeres to prevent them from shortening to the point of causing cell death. As a result, cancer cells essentially become immortal. Telomerase is silenced in most normal cells but is active in an estimated 85% to 95% of human cancer cells. Since telomerase is active in cancer cells but not normal cells, it is seen as a promising target for cancer therapy. Due to telomerase inhibition, activity or expression, telomere-targeting drugs might kill tumor cells by allowing telomeres to shrink or by provoking apoptosis, the process of programmed cell death. By incorporating into telomeres, THIO disrupts their function, leading to cancer cell death. This approach has shown promising preclinical results and has been undergoing clinical trials. Product Development Pipeline THIO is MAIA Biotechnology’s most advanced product offering, which has shown positive efficacy findings in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in clinical trials. The ongoing clinical trial is testing the hypothesis that lower doses of THIO administered before immune checkpoint inhibitor Libtayo® treatment (i.e., stimulation of the immune system to attack cancer cells) would enhance and prolong responses in subjects with advanced NSCLC who did not respond or progress after first-line treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor, a type of drug that blocks proteins called checkpoints that are made by some types of immune system cells such as T cells and some cancer cells. These checkpoints help keep immune responses from being too strong and sometimes can keep T cells from killing cancer cells. The clinical trial's positive results support THIO's tolerability and safety as an anticancer therapy and a priming immune activator. Treatment with THIO sequenced with Libtayo® treatment was found to be well-tolerated in a heavily pre-treated population thus far. MAIA Biotechnology is also researching other drug treatments, using its expertise in telomere-targeting agents as a foundation. The company’s second-generation program aims to discover new compounds with potentially improved specificity toward cancer cells relative to normal cells and potentially increased anticancer activity. This program will allow MAIA Biotechnology to strengthen its patent portfolio over time, which already has five issued patents and 29 applications pending worldwide. Market Potential and Industry Impact Research published by Coherent Market Insights estimates the cancer therapy market will be worth $205.10 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $466.21 billion by 2031. The driving factors behind this growth are the rising occurrence of cancer worldwide and the increasing demand for cancer treatment. As such, MAIA Biotechnology‘s THIO addresses a large and growing market. As outlined in their most recent corporate presentation, lung and colon cancer are the first and second most prevalent cancer types globally, respectively, and treating them specifically would generate billions in sales. Given the current opportunity, MAIA Biotechnology will continue to protect its intellectual property while expanding its patent portfolio. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a third orphan drug designation (ODD) to THIO as a treatment for glioblastoma; the drug also holds ODDs for hepatocellular carcinoma and small-cell lung cancer. The glioblastoma market is expected to grow from $2.2 billion to $3.2 billion globally in the next three years. The FDA’s ODD program provides multiple incentives to make orphan drug development more financially feasible for companies. These include up to seven years of market exclusivity for the approved orphan drug, up to 20 years of 25% federal tax credit for expenses incurred in conducting clinical research within the U.S., and waiver of Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) fees for orphan drugs, a value of approximately $2.9 million in 2021. Conclusion MAIA Biotechnology’s approach to cancer treatment differentiates it from its peers, potentially placing the company in a unique market position. As incidences of cancer continue to rise globally, drug treatment options, such as THIO, will likely rise in demand. As such, the benefit that MAIA Biotechnology provides and the value proposition the firm espouses will likely continue to have industry resonance. Featured photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

May 22, 2024 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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AGC Biologics and BioConnection Partner to Offer new End-to-End Biopharmaceutical Drug Substance and Drug Product Development and Manufacturing Offering

AGC Biologics

AGC Biologics, a leading global Biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), and BioConnection, a specialized contract manufacturing organization (CMO) focusing on aseptic filling of vials and syringes for clinical and commercial production, today announced a new strategic partnership. The companies are partnering to provide end-to-end biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing capabilities for drug substance and drug product using the development and manufacturing expertise of AGC Biologics and the specialized aseptic filling capabilities of BioConnection. The new partnership offers a seamless, full-service clinical-stage development and manufacturing solution that accelerates timelines and brings life-saving therapies to market more efficiently. By combining world-class drug substance and drug product services, AGC Biologics together with BioConnection now offer one convenient “gene to vial” value chain service with a single contract and project management team for the project lifecycle. Further, developers will save time and resources by avoiding long, complex processes associated with negotiating a separate drug substance and drug product contract and be able to conveniently plan drug filling activities for as soon as their substance release is scheduled – all through this new offering. New Solution for Companies Potentially Impacted by U.S. BIOSECURE Act This new strategic partnership addresses the ongoing needs of the industry in the wake of the proposed U.S. BIOSECURE Act. By having a combined end-to-end solution that uses facilities in Japan, the United States and Europe, developers now have a reliable and secure supply of services for development, manufacturing (including freeze-drying) and aseptic filling for their drug product’s needs. AGC Biologics is especially well-positioned to support the needs of developers that may be impacted by this legislation, as it is one of the largest CDMO networks in the world offering single-use bioreactor technology. Developers seeking alternatives from their current outsourcing partner benefit from access to AGC Biologics’ single-use network utilizing ubiquitous bioreactor technology, enabling an easier transfer of platform processes and reduction in process changes associated with changing outsourcing partners. Combined Expertise and Resources Through this new joint offering AGC Biologics and BioConnection are providing comprehensive solutions to meet the increasing demand for high-quality biopharmaceutical manufacturing services, while also continuing to offer their services independently. AGC Biologics offers a broad range of protein-biologics services spanning from cell line development to commercial-scale manufacturing across its global network of facilities on three continents, supporting drug substances for microbial and mammalian-based systems, plasmid DNA (pDNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA). With a proven track record of delivering innovative biopharmaceutical solutions to clients worldwide, including supporting more than a dozen commercial products since 2018, AGC Biologics is renowned for its teams with deep technical and scientific expertise at its global facilities, and a commitment to quality, reliability, meeting product timelines and collaborating with developers to meet their needs. BioConnection specializes in aseptic filling of vials and syringes, providing clients with tailored solutions for both clinical and commercial production of either liquid or freeze-dried products. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and a highly skilled team, BioConnection is dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of product quality and safety. Clients have valued BioConnection since 2005 for this and for its unmatched customer-oriented approach. “Now more than ever global pharmaceutical companies and developers need reliable facilities to produce and fill their drug products, and by combining our resources with BioConnection we are offering a new end-to-end solution for them under one contract with AGC Biologics,” said Patricio Massera, CEO of AGC Biologics. “We believe BioConnection has a strong acumen, and this partnership will enhance our biopharmaceutical manufacturing offering by providing drug product services for protein biologics, allowing us to create deeper relationships with developers to help get their products to patients in need.” Similarly, Alexander Willemse, CEO of BioConnection, commented, "We are excited to join forces with AGC Biologics to offer integrated manufacturing solutions that address the complexities of biopharmaceutical development. Together, we are well-positioned to support our clients at every stage." For more information about AGC Biologics please visit www.agcbio.com. Visit www.bioconnection.eu to learn more about BioConnection. About BioConnection: BioConnection is a specialized contract manufacturing organization (CMO) focusing on aseptic filling and lyophilization of vials and syringes for clinical and commercial production. With state-of-the-art facilities, a proven successful EMA and FDA track record and a team of experienced professionals in Oss, The Netherlands, BioConnection provides tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of clients in the biopharmaceutical industry. BioConnection is specialized in fill & finish and lyophilization of small and large molecules, orphan drugs, personalized medicine and controlled substances. Its customers value BioConnection for its reliability. BioConnection is renowned for its reliability, with customers appreciating the certainty of delivery made possible by its extensive capacity. The company combines this reliability with a personalized approach to client relations. Discover more at www.bioconnection.eu. About AGC Biologics: AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a strong commitment to delivering the highest standard of service as we work side-by-side with our clients and partners, every step of the way. We provide world-class development and manufacture of mammalian and microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells. Our global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with cGMP-compliant facilities in Seattle, Washington; Boulder and Longmont, Colorado; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Chiba, Japan. We currently employ more than 2,500 Team Members worldwide. Our commitment to continuous innovation fosters the technical creativity to solve our clients’ most complex challenges, including specialization in fast-track projects and rare diseases. AGC Biologics is a part of AGC Inc.’s Life Science Company. The Life Science company runs more than 10 global facilities focused on biopharmaceuticals, advanced therapies, small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients, and agrochemicals. To learn more, visit www.agcbio.com. Contact Details AGC Biologics Nick McDonald +1 425-419-3555 nmcdonald@agcbio.com BioConnection Dennis Link +31 412 846 036 Company Website https://www.agcbio.com/

May 22, 2024 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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