Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine ready for Phase II as vaccine development picks up pace, says GlobalData
Following the news that Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate received FDA approval to start Phase II clinical studies;
Philipp Rosenbaum, PhD, Infectious Diseases Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:
“With plans to start Phase III trials in early summer, Moderna’s ambitious timeline leaves some skepticism, as no data has been published to date. mRNA-based vaccines have yet to be proven to work in humans, and the history of vaccine development shows that setbacks and roadblocks are almost certain.
“Companies that have begun clinical trials of their COVID-19 vaccine candidates include BioNTech, which partnered up with Pfizer to develop its mRNA vaccine; and Oxford University’s Jenner Institute, which recently teamed up with AstraZeneca for the development and production of the viral vector vaccine, ChAdOx1.
“Inovio Pharmaceutical’s COVID-19 DNA-vaccine candidate INO-4800’s Phase I trial has a scheduled end date of April 2021, and Inovio’s novel delivery method using dermal electroporation has not yet been proven successful. Furthermore, several vaccine candidates started clinical studies in China, including CanSino Biologics’ recombinant vector vaccine, as well as Sinovac’s and Sinopharm’s inactivated virus vaccines.
“All of these developments increase the chance for a successful vaccine to emerge. However, the timeframe to global mass-market readiness for such a vaccine remains unclear. Successful candidates would first need to be distributed to healthcare workers and the high-risk population. At this early stage in vaccine development, it is hard to predict which vaccine candidate will be successful and the first to be widely available, but a launch in 2020 is very optimistic.”
How Sleep and Diet Work Together in Your Weight Loss Plan
When it comes to losing weight, there are many things that people say can help. It can get quite confusing to weed through the good information and the bad. When it comes to sleep and diet, we're going to share with you how these two interact with one another to assist you in achieving your weight loss goals.
Sleep
When it comes to losing weight, sleep is highly underrated. It's important to realize just how imperative sleep is to your overall body. First, it's not hard to realize that when you wake up with little sleep under your belt, you tend to make bad food choice decisions throughout the day. Scientifically, this is defined as your brain's frontal lobe not functioning to its fullest capacity due to lack of sleep. When you make bad decisions, you eat sugary food to get yourself through the day and you're more likely to skip out on exercise.
Dieting
When it comes to food consumption, it plays a huge role in your weight loss plan. It comes down to the simple equations of calories in and out. When you eat too many calories that your body can't use, it stores the excess as fat. When you eat fewer calories than your body needs to function throughout the day, you lose weight. Being strategic with your meal plan makes all the difference. Places like Plan 7 Coaching can assist you in structuring a meal plan that works to keep your calories low but your hunger fed.
The Metabolic Connection
On a metabolic level, too little sleep triggers an overproduction of cortisol. Yes, this is the stress hormone in the body. What this nasty hormone does is signal to your body that it needs to be conservative concerning energy in the body. So, it will have your body hanging onto more fat throughout the day as a conservative measure. To make things even worse, it will slow down the insulin production in your body. This is a necessary hormone for changing sugar and other foods into energy.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to sleep and dieting, they go hand in hand. While you could have the best diet laid out, a sleep-deprived state can have your efforts go to waste. Making bad decisions and slowing down your body's ability to burn excess fat are both side effects of not having enough sleep.
Hopefully, you've learned that your weight loss plan is affected by both your sleep levels and dieting. When it comes to getting rid of as much weight as possible, you need to set up both a diet and a sleeping schedule. They go hand and hand in allowing you to reach your weight loss goals.
Adhering to Strict COVID-19 Safety Measures, Autumn Brands Releases Bold New Strain
Sustainable farming operation Autumn Brands continues commitment to customer safety, product purity, and innovation in release of citrus-inspired Mandarin Glue
LOS ANGELES, California – (May 8th, 2020): In the wake of COVID-19, Autumn Brands announces the release of a potent new strain, as well as a look at the clear strategic measures taken to ensure that customer safety, product purity, and innovation remain top priorities. Backed by decades of sustainable farming expertise, 50% woman-owned Autumn Brands stands out as a sixth-generation, family-run operation with a health-centered holistic focus and refreshingly artisanal approach. Now, the Santa Barbara-based cannabis cultivator works tirelessly to maintain a safe and healthy farming operation for its employees while providing a steady supply of potent, quality strains backed by the latest research.
“We continuously seek to learn as much as possible about the various cannabinoids in our unique strains and the healing properties they provide,” explains Autumn Brands Owner and Head of Sales Hanna Brand. “While THC is often the main focus for buyers, the presence of other cannabinoids adds to the overall experience of a strain.” Carefully examining the Certificate of Analysis from each batch they send out, Brand makes sure to note not only THC levels but also the detectable amounts of CBG (cannabigerol) and CBC (cannabichromene). Recent research suggests that CBG could help to reduce intraocular pressure. Both CBG and CBC are thought to reduce bodily inflammation and inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells.
Always paying close attention to quality and sustainability, Autumn Brands takes additional steps to maintain customer safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with masks and gloves for all farm employees, hand sanitizer is required each time staff enters or leaves a room. Lunch breaks are staggered for all workers, ensuring enough time to adequately clean common areas between uses. The facility is currently closed to all visitors and tour groups. Any buyers or drivers picking up product must remain with their vehicles in a designated loading area, rather than entering the office space.
Adhering to these strict quality control measures and keeping customer safety top of mind, Autumn Brands proudly releases a bold new strain: Mandarin Glue. A hybrid cross of NYC Diesel Mandarin and GG#4, Mandarin Glue’s dense nuggets are a vibrant lime green with beautifully contrasting bright orange hairs awash in sparkling trichomes. Aromas of classic “glue” from the GG#4 lineage mingle with sweet ripe citrus for a mouthful of fruity, citrus flavor on the exhale. Higher in THC, this strain’s medicinal uses include combatting chronic pain, insomnia, stress, and anxiety. The West Coast cultivator’s highly anticipated Orange Crush strain - released for testing in January - is also now available for sale at partner dispensaries. The plant’s Certificate of Analysis reports 25.7% total cannabinoids with 21.5% THC content.
Learn more about Autumn Brands’ commitment to customer safety at AutumnBrands.com and discover new citrus-inspired, pesticide-free Orange Crush and Mandarin Glue strains, available now at select California dispensaries. Visit the company’s website to locate the nearest participating seller and browse a full selection of premium flower, pre-rolls, and pre-filled cartridges made from sun-grown, hang-dried buds, each hand-trimmed and cured to preserve maximum potency and full healing benefits. Follow on Instagram @AutumnBrands for the latest product releases and updates.
About Autumn Brands:
Autumn Brands is a licensed California cannabis cultivator dedicated to the synergy of health and wellness. The Autumn Brands’ family farm started in Holland more than a century ago, and today, sixth-generation farmers apply the same expertise garnered in growing the world’s finest tulips to producing pure and potent strains of cannabis in sunny, coastal Santa Barbara County. Autumn Brands is proud to be 50 percent woman-owned, united by the vision of two families, free of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. For more information, visit www.autumnbrands.com or email leighanne@anderson-pr.com.
For Nurses, the "New Normal" Is Really Not All That New (A Message for Nurses Week) Nurses Week is May 6-12. It's not going to be a "normal" week this year...but then again, says Rich Bluni, nurses don't do normal. He offers a few tips—along with a special video—to help nurses stay inspired during the pandemic.
Pensacola, FL (May 2020)—There's a lot of talk these days about the "new normal." But here's the thing about nurses, says Rich Bluni, RN: We never had an old normal. From the intense days of nursing school to the crazy things we see on those 12-hour shifts, we're used to chaos. The fact that life isn't normal these days doesn't scare us. What does scare us about the pandemic is that we are "not enough" and what that could mean for those around us.
But in honor of Nurses Week (actually, it's Nurses Month this time), Bluni wants us to know that we are enough. In fact, we are more than enough.
"Nurses are used to living with fear—whether we're running down the hall to a Code Blue, or having to give a family member bad news," says Bluni, himself an RN with over 25 years of experience in the ER, Trauma, and ICU and author of best-selling books Inspired Nurse (Huron|Studer Group Publishing, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-9749986-7-1, $24.95) andInspired Nurse Too (Huron|Studer Group Publishing, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-6221804-6-2, $28.00).
"But for us, the fear doesn't come only from worrying about what will happen to us," he adds. "It comes mostly from the prospect that we might harm someone else."
The fear that you might get sick and expose a patient to the virus can be pretty tough to live with when you're mission-driven by nature. But striving for perfection is an impossible bar to reach.
Bluni says that while we can't be "perfect," maybe today all we can hope for is beingpanderfect—a term he coined that essentially means "pandemic perfect." For Nurses Week, we need to give ourselves the gift of realizing and accepting that.
In fact, Bluni has created a special Nurses Week video on fear, the "new normal," and what we can do to make it through these extraordinary times with our inspiration intact. Click here to view it.
He offers the following tips:
Go easy on yourself. This Nurses Week, give yourself a break from trying to be perfect. Accept that you are doing the best you can.
Consciously reward yourself a little each day. When you're having a tough time, when you get a "moment," pop in your earbuds and listen to your "jam" or FaceTime your family.
Tell others they matter. Find one of your nurse peers, look them straight in the eye, and say, "You know, you really inspire me." Get specific about why: "I really admire the way you managed that family who was so scared."
But don't stop there. Look in the mirror and tell yourself, "You. Are. Inspiring!"Remind yourself of something you did that was great.
Write down your stories. When times get really, really stressful, write down what you did and how it felt. The most challenging times often bring out the best in you. Bluni recalls a time, during a hurricane, when he had to carry pond water to flush the hospital toilets.
"If somebody had told me that would bring out my best, I might have dumped that pond water on their head!" he says. "But looking back, I can see it's true. That's why you need to write it down. You'll forget it later if you don't."
If you're really struggling, talk to a friend or seek professional help. Don't try to endure this by yourself. Help is available, and you owe it to yourself to get it when you need it.
"Being a nurse means being part of one of the most trusted and loved professions," says Bluni. "This has always been true. And it's never been truer than it is at this moment."
# # #
About the Author: Rich Bluni, RN, is the author of the best-selling books Inspired Nurse, Oh No...Not More of That Fluffy Stuff!, and Inspired Nurse Too. He has an active and popular Facebook page called Inspired Nurse.
Rich has been an RN since 1993. He has worked as a nurse in Adolescent Oncology, Pediatric ICU, and Trauma ICU departments as well as serving as a pediatric flight and transport nurse. He has served as an ED nursing manager as well as a senior director of risk management, quality, and patient safety.
He came to Studer Group in 2007 as a coach working with dozens of healthcare organizations and leaders to drive outstanding results. He is presently a senior director with Huron and a Studer Group national speaker, having traveled across North America to speak in front of hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers and leaders in hundreds of healthcare organizations, large healthcare conferences, as well as virtual webinars.
About the Books: Inspired Nurse Too (Huron|Studer Group Publishing, 2016, ISBN: 978-1-6221804-6-2, $28.00) and Inspired Nurse (Huron|Studer Group Publishing, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-9749986-7-1, $24.95) are available from major online booksellers and the Huron|Studer Group website.
Japan will stamp out recent COVID-19 surge, but future surges are likely, says GlobalData
Japan has already witnessed a significant downturn in the number of new daily COVID-19 cases since the national emergency was declared. However, the country is likely to see additional surges in the future, according to an infection trajectoryforecast model by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. Kasey Fu, Director of Epidemiology at GlobalData, comments: “As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, analyzing differences in the infection trajectory is important to understand how the virus will continue to spread.” GlobalData has forecasted Japan’s trajectory in the next several weeks, along with the country’s historical data of daily new cases plotted against general transmission risk models.GlobalData has produced three-scenario peak-week models for all countries experiencing more than 100 cases of the COVID-19. While the peak-week models fit the epidemiology curves in markets such as the US and Western Europe, several Asian countries do not fit the expected exponential curves of a typical epidemiology outbreak in an immune-naïve population. Fu continues: “GlobalData’s epidemiology team used its experience in modeling the global COVID-19 outbreak to examine the factors causing Asian countries to have different outbreak trajectories and produced an alternate forecast model for Japan. One-size-fits-all recommendations to counter the outbreak will not be effective, as the pandemic is showing different outcomes in each country. Governments need to tailor solutions to their own unique situations.”A new severe viral infection with the number of new infections originating from a single case that is higher than 1, such as COVID-19, would be expected to spread rapidly after being introduced into an immune-naïve population. The general transmission risk models follow this expectation. Countries like the US, Italy and Spain experienced this type of trajectory, with cases in these markets doubling every two to five days during the first few months of the outbreak. However, this scenario did not play out in Japan because of the fast, strong, early counter measures that were taken. Japan responded rapidly in the beginning stages of the outbreak, likely due to its experience with past viral outbreaks such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), as well as the nation’s general hygiene practices and citizens’ tendency to wear masks when out in public.Fu concludes: “It is unclear what has caused the second surge in cases, but it is likely due to a combination of uncontrolled imported cases, undetected domestic transmission, and failure to meet testing demands. Unlike South Korea, testing in Japan was not scaled up to the general public and was limited to those fitting specific criteria.” ENDSFor more informationTo gain access to our latest press releases: GlobalData Media CentreAnalysts available for comment. Please contact the GlobalData Press Office:
EMEA & Americas: +44 (0)207 936 6400 Asia-Pacific: +91 40 6616 6809Email:pr@globaldata.comFor expert analysis on developments in your industry, please connect with us on:
GlobalData | LinkedIn | TwitterNotes to Editors:Quotes provided by Kasey Fu, Director of Epidemiology at GlobalDataThis press release is written using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData’s team of industry expertsAbout GlobalData4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.
Therapists report growing cases of PTSD, trauma, anxiety
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
(May 7, 2020) – May, Mental Health Awareness Month, is traditionally a time to reflect on conditions such as anxiety, depression and PTSD and the myriad of treatment options which can help them.
This year, Mental Health Awareness Month holds special significance. A growing number of people are experiencing trauma, anxiety and fear related to the novel coronavirus and the accompanying economic downturn.
"More than ever, it is important that we are connecting with our clients during this time," said Kelly Breeding, executive director of the Tampa-based nonprofit ART International. "This is a stressful time for everyone, and people with PTSD, people who have suffered from past trauma and people with anxiety feel that very intensely."
Thousands of therapists affiliated with ART International are practicing Accelerated Resolution Therapy TM through telehealth to help clients through this challenging period. ART is a fast and highly effective treatment for PTSD, trauma, anxiety, phobias, prolonged grief and other mental health conditions. ART works quickly; most clients report their symptoms completely fade in one to six ART sessions.
Clients follow a trained therapist’s hand movements with their eyes, a form of bilateral stimulation of the brain. The process enables clients to reconsolidate their memories; while they still recall the troubling event, they no longer experience unpleasant physical and emotional symptoms when thinking of it. ART clinicians are treating their clients through telehealth, using a unique set-up in which another person (usually a family member) must be present with the client while the session proceeds. That person assists the clinician and ensures that the client it safe.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy TM is an evidence-based psychotherapy that has demonstrated proven results in treating individuals with PTSD. The therapy empowers clients to resolve traumatic memories through a combination of relaxation and memory visualization. During an ART session, the therapist guides the client through the process of coming up with a new ending to a troubling memory. The client serves as a director of sorts, creating new associations with the past experience.
Unlike traditional talk therapies, clients do not need to disclose details of troubling memories to get results. Many frontline medical workers, first responders and members of the military choose to undergo ART because they do not need to disclose sensitive or confidential information.
To learn more about how ART clinicians are treating clients through telehealth, to schedule an interview with ART International executive director Kelly Breeding, an ART provider or further discuss mental health challenge amid the COVID-19 pandemic, or learn more about ART International, please contact Julie Scharper at Hillman Communications, jscharper@hillmanpr.com. For more information about ART, you may also visit ARTherapyInternational.org.
National Leaders Convene June 8-11 for First Virtual Aging Conference in the COVID-19 Era Age+Action to focus on key issues impacting older adults May 7, 2020 (Arlington, VA) - The National Council on Aging(NCOA), a trusted national leader working to ensure that every person can age well, has announced that its annual conference that brings together thought leaders in aging is going virtual this year. The 2020 Age+Action Conference, June 8-11, originally scheduled for Dallas, TX, will now be turned into a virtual experience for hundreds of leaders from community-based organizations across the country to discuss trends and issues impacting older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. With older adults and aging services professionals at higher risk for the virus, NCOA quickly worked to shift its conference from in-person to virtual. The event will feature over 150 sessions and 100 speakers, allowing professionals to connect, learn, and share best practices to better serve older Americans in their communities. “Now more than ever, professionals who are serving our nation’s older adults need to come together to learn and share,” said Josh Hodges, NCOA Chief Customer Officer. “While we must be physically distant, we must stay professionally connected. That’s why we quickly moved to a virtual conference this year. Our local partners are grateful that they can stay safe and still stay connected, so they can continue their important work.” NCOA has seen a significant uptick in registrants from across the U.S. Current registration is at 700, and NCOA projects the final registrant count will be over 1,300. Educational sessions will focus on areas such as healthy living, economic security, innovation, and diversity. Highlights include: ● COVID-19 Town Hall: NCOA Making an Impact in Communities● Let’s Talk: Women & Money as We Age● Honoring Aging Veterans: Helping Veterans Age in Place● Today’s Digital Divide for Older Adults: Why Conventional Solutions Won’t Bridge the Gap The full agenda is located here. During the COVID-19 crisis, NCOA has been active providing expert opinion and resources to help older adults stay healthy and financially secure, while supporting professionals in aging. NCOA has created a robust COVID-19 Resource Center at www.ncoa.org. Last month, the organization released an analysis on how the COVID-19 pandemic will impoverish millions of aging Americans. Earlier this week, it released findings from a survey of community-based organizations showing these local service providers are struggling to meet the shifting needs of older adults, but are pivoting to virtual programs. Press passes are available for the Age+Action 2020 Virtual Conference. Interested media should email maurisa@spottedmp.com for consideration. For more information about the conference, visit www.AgeAction.org. About National Council on Aging The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a trusted national leader working to ensure that every person can age well. Since 1950, our mission has not changed: Improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are struggling. NCOA empowers people with the best solutions to improve their own health and economic security—and we strengthen government programs that we all depend on as we age. Every year, millions of people use our signature programs BenefitsCheckUp®, My Medicare Matters®, and the Aging Mastery Program® to age well. By offering online tools and collaborating with a nationwide network of partners, NCOA is working to improve the lives of 40 million older adults by 2030. Learn more at ncoa.org and @NCOAging.
This Courageous Young Woman’s Story Is Testament That One Life Really Can Impact The World
Fort Wayne, IN, May 7, 2020 — One thing most of us can’t get enough of right now are inspiring stories that put all the stress, fear and worry of the current pandemic into perspective. How about a story of an incredible young woman who lived a life without limits and managed to enrich every life she touched – regardless of the fact she had a rare and incurable disease? Brittany Moser and her best friend, her dad, set out on the journey of a lifetime and their unforgettable adventure became the backdrop for Philip Moser’s book, Free and Fearless: The Amazing Impact of One Precious Life.
“This book is not about the grief of losing a child, but about making the most out of what we are given and living our lives positively and not out of fear,” writes author (and Brittany’s father) Philip Moser. “Brittany inspired me, an ordinary farm boy, to explore life, to climb mountains and to write a book.”
In 2015, Brittany was diagnosed with Addison’s disease, a rare condition that can lead to adrenal failure. She passed away in 2017.
The book is an honest, poignant account of Brittany’s legacy and the ripple effect that her outlook on life had on those around her. Among Brittany’s valuable life lessons that Philip shares with readers are:
1. How precious life is and how we can affect the people around us; 2. How an open mind and a positive attitude can inspire us to do things we never thought possible; 3. How to move out of our comfort zones and into a challenging existence that can turn each day into an exciting gift to be explored; 4. How to not let fear control us, and to use our abilities to seek unique, positive and inspiring adventures; 5. To embrace change as a natural part of life; 6. And finally, that we won’t be remembered by our things or our savings accounts, but by how we made other people feel.
“I want to share the same inspiration that I received for 32 years,” Philip added. “In the end, love truly does conquer all, and Brittany wanted us to know that.”
Author Philip Moser grew up on a farm in Angola, Indiana. After high school, he began working in different aspects of the grocery business, a career that continues to this day. He and his wife, Marilyn Wells, raised two incredible daughters, Camille and Brittany.
SASKATOON – Researchers used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan to identify a previously unrecognized family of enzymes that put us at risk for deadly diseases.
Klebsiella pneumoniae is responsible for a variety of hospital-acquired infections such as pneumonia and sepsis. The bacterium has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics, making it a focus of interest for health care professionals and researchers.
Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are large molecules found on the outer surface of some bacteria like K. pneumoniae. These molecules give bacteria an advantage against attacks from our immune system, but they can also be used as a target for vaccines.
Chris Whitfield and Matthew Kimber from the University of Guelph (U of G) and Todd Lowary from the University of Alberta used the CLS to visualize how enzymes in K.pneumoniae make the long polysaccharides that create the large surface LPS molecules, described in a new paper published by Nature Chemical Biology.
Whitfield’s lab has been working on polysaccharides like LPS throughout his career. Recently, collaborative work with Kimber and Lowary has led to several new discoveries.
Enzymes allow bacteria to grow and build the large molecules that help them to establish an infection.
Using the CMCF beamline at the CLS, the researchers identified a previously unrecognized family of enzymes on the part of a molecule referred to as DUF4422. Kimber explained that the DUF is unique and doesn’t closely resemble any known family of enzymes. “DUF4422 domains are found in the genomes of thousands of bacteria but, up until this point, nobody understood what they do. Discoveries like this help highlight the enormous diversity of strategies bacteria have evolved to build LPS,” Kimber said.
By analyzing the function of the DUF at the CLS, the team discovered how the bacterium assembles polysaccharides and, as a result, evades our immune defenses.
“The architecture of this enzyme ideally positions the dual catalytic sites to control polysaccharide synthesis at the membrane-cytoplasm interface,” Whitfield said.
K. pneumoniae resistance to antibiotics continues to be a major health threat worldwide. Whitfield believes there is an advantage to knowing how the targets are built. Their research will help other scientists understand what enzymes are needed and how they come together, which can assist in vaccine development.
Whitfield’s lab continues to focus on understanding these key enzymes and how they interact with others in the overall structure. He emphasized the importance of this kind of fundamental work that allows scientists to go after the bigger questions and hopefully lead to downstream translational discoveries.
The Canadian Light Source at the University of Saskatchewan is a national research facility, producing the brightest light in Canada—millions of times brighter than even the sun. One of the largest science projects in our country’s history, the CLS hosts annually more than 1,000 scientists from around the world who use our light to conduct ground-breaking health, agricultural, environmental and advanced materials research.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, National Research Council of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan fund our operations.
ARTMS and Telix Pharmaceuticals Announce Manufacturing Collaboration
VANCOUVER, British Columbia and MELBOURNE, Australia, May 06, 2020 - ARTMS Products Inc.(ARTMS), a global leader in the development of novel technologies enabling the production of the world’s highest demand diagnostic imaging isotopes, and Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (Telix), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing diagnostic and therapeutic products using Molecularly Targeted Radiation (MTR) announced today they have entered into a development collaboration agreement to employ ARTMS’ high activity production of Gallium-68 (68Ga) for the manufacture of Telix’s prostate cancer imaging product TLX591-CDx (68Ga-PSMA-11 injection) for the imaging of prostate cancer with Positron Emission Tomography (PET).
ARTMS’ flagship product, the QUANTM Irradiation System™ (QIS™) provides cost-effective, decentralized, local production of important medical isotopes, including 68Ga. ARTMS has recently presented data demonstrating industry leading multi-curie production of 68Ga following less than two hours of cyclotron irradiation time. Under the terms of the agreement, ARTMS’ cyclotron technology will be used to produce high-activity 68Ga which will then be validated for use with Telix’s production process for TLX591-CDx.
As part of the collaboration, ARTMS will also provide technical personnel to assist with Zinc-68 (68Zn) solid target irradiations and will utilize its intellectual property for high activity 68Ga processing. Telix will provide technical radiochemistry expertise to oversee radiolabeling and release testing of the final imaging product. Both parties intend to use the results of the collaboration in future marketing authorization applications and promotional activity.
Charles S. Conroy, Chief Executive Officer of ARTMS said, “ARTMS’ approach to 68Ga production is changing the way cancer is managed and is expected to be widely commercialized as a leading imaging isotope. We are proud to join forces with Telix to satisfy their supply need for high-value radiopharmaceuticals for detection of prostate cancer. This partnership brings us one step closer to our goal of providing uninterrupted global supply of high-quality medical isotopes for diagnostic purposes.”
CEO of Telix Pharmaceuticals, Dr Chris Behrenbruch said, “The clinical demand for 68Ga is growing exponentially and cyclotron-based approaches are likely to be an important complement to the use of 68Ge/68Ga generators. We are pleased to be working with ARTMS to be able to offer their targetry systems to customers who want to use 68Ga and wish to have a high-performance alternative to GE Healthcare. ARTMS has demonstrated best-in-class production of 68Ga, hence they are a natural partner for us.”
About Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide and, in 2018, 1.3 million men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Despite advances in treatments, prostate cancer still accounts for a large number of deaths. In 2018 more than 365,000 men died from their disease. Rates of diagnosis are increasing and the highest levels of prostate cancer are found in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Dr David N. Cade Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited CBO and Head of Investor Relations david.cade@telixpharma.com
About ARTMS Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, ARTMS Products Inc. is a global leader in the development of novel technologies and products which enable the high-quality and high-yield production of the world’s most-used diagnostic imaging isotopes. ARTMS’ flagship product, the QUANTM Irradiation System™ (QIS™), enables decentralized, cost-effective, large-scale production of important medical isotopes such as of gallium-68 (68Ga), zirconium-89 (89Zr), technetium‐99m (99mTc) and copper-64 (64Cu) using local, hospital-based medical cyclotrons empowering the user to control their supply chain. ARTMS commercializes these award-winning and proprietary Canadian inventions on a global basis and has the prospect of revolutionizing the nuclear medicine industry. For more information on the QUANTM Irradiation System™ and ARTMS Products, please follow us on Twitter @Quantm99 and LinkedIn and visit http://www.artms.ca/.
About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Telix is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of diagnostic and therapeutic products using Molecularly Targeted Radiation (MTR). Telix is headquartered in Melbourne (Australia) with international operations in Belgium, Japan and the United States. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical-stage oncology products that address significant unmet medical need in renal, prostate and brain cancer. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX). For more information visit www.telixpharma.com or follow us on Twitter @TelixPharma.
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GlobalData has produced three-scenario peak-week models for all countries experiencing more than 100 cases of the COVID-19. While the peak-week models fit the epidemiology curves in markets such as the US and Western Europe, several Asian countries do not fit the expected exponential curves of a typical epidemiology outbreak in an immune-naïve population. Fu continues: “GlobalData’s epidemiology team used its experience in modeling the global COVID-19 outbreak to examine the factors causing Asian countries to have different outbreak trajectories and produced an alternate forecast model for Japan. One-size-fits-all recommendations to counter the outbreak will not be effective, as the pandemic is showing different outcomes in each country. Governments need to tailor solutions to their own unique situations.”A new severe viral infection with the number of new infections originating from a single case that is higher than 1, such as COVID-19, would be expected to spread rapidly after being introduced into an immune-naïve population. The general transmission risk models follow this expectation. Countries like the US, Italy and Spain experienced this type of trajectory, with cases in these markets doubling every two to five days during the first few months of the outbreak. However, this scenario did not play out in Japan because of the fast, strong, early counter measures that were taken. Japan responded rapidly in the beginning stages of the outbreak, likely due to its experience with past viral outbreaks such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), as well as the nation’s general hygiene practices and citizens’ tendency to wear masks when out in public.Fu concludes: “It is unclear what has caused the second surge in cases, but it is likely due to a combination of uncontrolled imported cases, undetected domestic transmission, and failure to meet testing demands. Unlike South Korea, testing in Japan was not scaled up to the general public and was limited to those fitting specific criteria.” ENDSFor more informationTo gain access to our latest press releases: 
