OPIOID AWARENESS FOUNDATION TO HOST RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY CELEBRATING JOINING THE BOCA RATON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Boca Raton, FL, July 17, 2018 – The Opioid Awareness Foundation(http://opioidawarenessfoundation.org) will be hosting their ribbon-cutting ceremony in celebration of joining the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce on July 25 at 5:30 pm.
The Opioid Awareness Foundation is a 501C3 non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and assist families who have been affected by the opioid crisis, fund new research for treatment, distribute Narcan to public and private organizations without a budget for it, and create a nationwide advertising campaign to heighten awareness of the opioid epidemic in the USA.
The Opioid Awareness Foundation ribbon-cutting ceremony will occur at their office in the Transmedia building located at 240 West Palmetto Park Road, Suite 310, Boca Raton, Florida.
“When a drug infiltrates a family, it’s like being in a war as it’s a constant battle,” said Adrienne Mazzone, President of Transmedia Group(https://www.transmediagroup.com/), who has witnessed first-hand the domino effect that plays out in this struggle. “The Opioid Awareness Foundation is fighting such a terrible epidemic and is doing great things for an important cause and we should all be supporting it in our own ways,” added Mazzone.
There will be hors’ devours provided by Chef Z as well as Family Food Brokers clients showcasing their products and refreshments donated by Dennis Taback throughout the Transmedia building during the event.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will occur at 6:15 pm in the front of the building just opposite Boca Raton City Hall. A business card drop will enter you in a raffle to win a variety of prizes including the new Moroccan Gold Series hair products as well as gift bags for the first 30 people.
Steve Bate, President of the Opioid Awareness Foundation, is a former politician, informational technology innovator and cancer survivor who will be making a speech during the ribbon-cutting ceremony
The board of directors is a diversified, knowledgeable and experienced influential team that includes Ronald Silver, an award-winning politician and legislator; Joseph Radich, the owner and clinical director of RENEWU Medical, a practice that endorses natural treatments and therapies; Joseph Shane Riveira, a behavioral therapist with experience in addiction treatment; Janet Walker, a large Certified Public Account firm owner ; Laurel Bennett, a healthcare informational technology specialist who is currently running for the Florida House of Representatives; Dr. Mitchell Davis, the gastroenterologist named top doctor in Florida; Peter Wein, a radio personality and community influencer; Jozette Herrera, a successful businesswoman and real estate agent and MMA fighter and activist Roger Krahl.
“The Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce is such an impactful local organization. We hope to be able to make a difference in our community and the world,” stated Steve Bate, President of Opioid Awareness Foundation.
Bate said joining the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce is a step towards bringing awareness to the opioid epidemic. The Opioid Awareness Foundation headquarters is located in Boca Raton and the organization is hopeful that the community will be active in the fight.
“Our goal is to help the city of Boca Raton become more aware of the opioid crisis and its effects on our community. Awareness is key in aiding the epidemic,” added Bate.
SQN Clinical Launches the Most Advanced Real-time Analytics Tool for Clinical Research
DISS, England, July 17, 2018 /CNW/ - SQN Clinical launches SQN Health Analytics, providing clinical professionals with a clear picture of the entire trial process and all collected data, whenever and wherever they need it.
(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/718232/SQN_Clinical_Infographic.jpg )
(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/718233/SQN_Health_Analytics_Infographic.jpg )
(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/718234/SQN_Health_Infographic.jpg )
With high-level summary information, advanced filtering options and the ability to drill down to individual patient records, SQN Health Analytics marks the end of manual, complex and time-consuming data exploration. Sponsors now have greater control, identifying potential issues before they arise and allowing for more robust trial management and in-trial decision making.
This cloud-based suite is the latest addition to SQN Health, the electronic data capture (EDC) system that incorporates the recently launched, patient-centric, electronic patient reported outcomes (ePRO) app.
"Reliable data is the cornerstone of clinical research and thanks to recent advances in technology we can now collect more meaningful and usable information than ever before," explains Tony Rees, Director at SQN Clinical. "The challenge is to maximise the use of data to better support the clinical trial process and patient oversight. Our advanced data analytics, incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) components, now delivers some of the most advanced project and clinical oversight capability within the industry."
Sponsors have to demonstrate effective oversight of their clinical trials and increasingly have the need to explore data relationships and various clinical parameters. SQN Clinical Analytics delivers this in real-time allowing for data review, patient profiling and exploratory analysis in dynamic ways not previously seen. This adds significant value to the management of patients and trials and is of particular benefit in supporting data safety monitoring boards (DSMB).
Responsive and flexible analytics that evolve with each trial
Joseph Jameson, Data Analyst at SQN, explains the concept behind SQN Health Analytics: "We recognised our clients' needs to improve clinical oversight and efficiency within clinical research. They need an analytics suite that is flexible, responsive and reflects the real-time fluctuations and unique evolution of their particular trials. Each trial is unique and we are now able to rapidly deploy bespoke analytics reports that specifically meet their needs.
"We can display any trial data in a clear and uncluttered way, real-time, anytime and anywhere. Reports and snapshots can still be generated for any point in the trial, providing reliable data for review meetings and to support decision making. The system allows for comparative analytics between or within trials, providing the opportunity to explore relationships and patterns that weren't easy to see before.
"Our analytics suite is fully integrated with our EDC and ePRO systems providing a seamless data ecosystem. It gives sponsors access to information according to their role and the predefined access rights given to them. Senior teams can view high-level data for oversight management, comparing multiple sites and tandem trials. Dashboards with user-defined KPIs provide an instant snapshot of any element of the trial, and the data can be sorted and filtered in multiple ways to show any combination of factors.
"By cross-comparing data from both the EDC and ePRO systems we can clearly see the impact of patient-reported outcomes on clinical trial data, supporting the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) focus on the importance of this information.
"Our analytics does not use generic software adapted from another unrelated industry but has been specifically designed and built to support the complexity of clinical trial designs and their unique underlying data needs. It brings the data to life in a way not previously seen and includes a dynamic option to export selected data for further review, analysis and reporting.
Keeping trials on track
"This development adds value for our clients and represents a significant step forward in the management of clinical trial data," states Rees. "SQN Health Analytics will enhance the ways in which our clients interact with and use their data and. With their input, we are already developing innovative new ways in which we can extend the analytics functionality."
"Future phases will include machine learning and further artificial intelligence to provide predictive modelling and forecasting capabilities. Our aim is to help professionals anticipate issues and events before they arise and enable them to take proactive steps to keep their trials on track.
"SQN Health Analytics gives clinical teams the ability to interrogate trail audit data in a way not previously possible, delivering a new standard in supporting trial integrity. Our goal is to help pharmaceutical and biotech companies to get their products to market in a safer, more effective way. We do that by giving them the insight and control they've long been looking for."
SOURCE SQN Clinical
Introducing Comvita - New Zealand's leading, certified UMF Manuka Honey brand, that is rapidly taking on the US Manuka market and now Canada!
Touted in the natural health world for thousands of years - and quickly taking on the mainstream - Manuka Honey is a simple, single-ingredient food that can be used in a number of ways including:
- Ingested for digestive and immune health support (a spoonful a day, is what we say - great for those winter colds)
- Added to tea, toast or smoothies - or any of your food faves - as a daily superfood for natural energy (a natural high, without the low)
- Included as part of your daily beauty routine (natural face masks, heck yes)
- Used topically as an antibacterial product for wound healing, staph infections, etc. (with certified UMF rating)
The Comvita brand, in particular, is one of the purest, most potent products in its category. For 4 decades they have ensured that every drop of its Manuka honey is protected all the way from the hives, so the Manuka flower is as alive in the jar as it was at its source. Comvita offers its Manuka Honey in a variety of grades (which I'm happy to dive more into with you) and sizes. It is now available at Costco and Comvita.com.

A new study shows that a particular kind of brain exercise improves performance at a key measure of cognition, even among people in their 80s in assisted living. The university-led, independent study of residents in 31 senior living communities demonstrates that the cognitive slowing, which is a normal part of aging and which exacerbates age-related decline, can be reversed with a unique speed of processing exercise.
The expression that older people are “slowing down” is literally true of their brain processing speed, which drives all sorts of decline in cognitive abilities (attention, reaction time, memory, decision-making), as well as decline in-real world abilities (balance/gait, driving, maintaining the ability to live independently). Prior studies of older adults using this exercise have shown improvements across those measures, but this is the first such study in an older and more impaired senior living environment.
The exercise examined is found exclusively in the BrainHQ mobile and web apps.
A copy of a press release on the study appears below. You can also access the peer-reviewed study report (which just published in the prestigious Journal of the American Geriatrics Society), and screenshots and videos of the exercise at https://www.brainhq.com/presskit. We’d be happy to help arrange interviews with scientists involved in
enGene Appoints Veteran Life Sciences Executive Jason D. Hanson as Chief Executive Officer and President
MONTRÉAL and BOSTON, July 16, 2018 /CNW/ - enGene Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel non-viral vector gene therapies to provide oral delivery of a wide range of protein drugs, including the Gene Pill™ , today announced the appointment of Jason D. Hanson as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Mr. Hanson will succeed enGene co-founder Anthony Cheung, Ph.D., who will assume the role of Chief Technology Officer at the company.
"We are excited to welcome an executive with Jason's depth of industry leadership to the enGene team," said Dr. Richard Glickman, Chairman of enGene's Board of Directors. "He has the ideal set of experiences to guide enGene through its transition to a clinical stage therapeutics company developing its own proprietary products, as well as products in collaboration with its pharmaceutical firm partners."
Mr. Hanson most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ohana Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, MA. Mr. Hanson previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for NuVasive, Inc. and as Corporate Vice President of General Electric Company and member of the senior executive team of GE Healthcare, a $20-plus billion dollar global pharmaceutical, medical device and healthcare services business. At GE Healthcare he had global business responsibilities for a range of portfolio management, corporate development, legal, compliance, and government relations activities. Prior to joining GE Healthcare, Mr. Hanson served as Company Group Chairman and Executive Vice President at Valeant Pharmaceuticals with responsibility for the company's Consumer, Ophthalmology, Latin American and Dental businesses, as well as the manufacturing and supply chain, R&D, regulatory and medical affairs teams. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation, where he led R&D and other critical functions and helped build the pre-eminent pipeline of prescription dermatology and aesthetic medicine products prior to its acquisition by Valeant for $2.6 billion. Mr. Hanson received a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Duke University School of Law.
"I am thrilled to lead enGene into its new phase of growth," said Mr. Hanson. "The company has made groundbreaking advancements to its gene delivery platform that will transform the way we treat many diseases. Our vision is to make protein therapies universally available and curative for the improvement of patient's lives."
"We are fortunate to have recruited someone with Jason's experience and talent and I really look forward to working with Jason as enGene enters this exciting new stage of development," said Dr. Cheung of enGene. "I am extremely proud that the promise of our innovative gene delivery platform and the milestones our team has accomplished to date have attracted an industry veteran of Jason's caliber to lead enGene."
About enGene Inc.
enGene Inc. is a biotechnology company developing a proprietary gene therapy platform for localized delivery of proteins to mucosal cells lining the gut, and other tissues of the body, for the treatment of a range of diseases. enGene has developed a unique gut-optimized gene delivery formulation into an orally available Gene Pill™ to provide oral delivery of a wide range of protein drugs. Oral gene delivery has the potential to be a revolutionary improvement over current protein-drug delivery methods that involve injections and represent risks of side effects, high cost, poor patient compliance and systemic problems due to the need to administer higher doses. enGene's investors include Forbion, Lumira Ventures, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Pharmstandard International S.A., and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC Inc.
Australian Oil and Gas industry will be among first movers in adopting AI, says GlobalData
Oil and gas (O&G) market is influenced by several factors outside the control of companies. As such, the long-term competitiveness of O&G industry will depend on the use of technology. Against this backdrop, the Australian O&G industry will be among the first movers in adopting artificial intelligence (AI) says leading data and analytics company GlobalData.
The Australian O&G market witnessed a strong overall decline in its value during 2013-17 thanks largely to falling crude oil prices. According to GlobalData, the total revenues of the Australian O&G market represented a compound annual rate of change (CARC) of -14.8% from 2013 to reach $21.4bn in 2017.
Dustin Kehoe, Technology Research Director at GlobalData, says: “Volatility is the new normal in the O&G industry. There are many factors influencing global energy prices such as geo-politics, changes in energy consumption, substitution, increasing regulation and current OPEC policies. However, the use of technology will help reduce costs, increase productivity and streamline business processes across a supply chain with hundreds of touchpoints.”
While only at its infancy, the key applications of AI today have been in exploration in areas such as natural seep detection, and drilling operations to improve site planning and extraction optimization for upstream suppliers especially when mapping the digital oilfield.
It is also being used in Australia to improve monitoring and compliance for health and safety. In fact, there are many interesting use cases across the supply chain, such as asset, personnel and fleet management. These areas help in storage, manufacturing, production, transport and distribution of O&G.
Kehoe adds: “In the not too distant future, the industry will see even more innovation such as intelligent robots, virtual assistants, augmented, virtual reality and drones which will offer sweeping improvements across the supply chain from site exploration in the digital oilfield to last mile distribution.”
While the data collected with the use of AI will be invaluable for the future of many industries, including O&G, businesses will also need to have a company-wide strategy in place for data collection, management and security. However, only 10% of businesses have such a system in place.
Kehoe concludes: “While our research shows the O&G sector to be big users of software-defined networking and wireless technology today, there will be a shift in cloud from dedicated private to infrastructure-as-a-service in Australia. We are also seeing the sector embracing a myriad of low-power wide-area network technologies for IoT and security. Beyond the use of technology, will be people. The industry should also consider new approaches to managing extreme uncertainty, such as Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and others, when the end-state is uncertain. While technology is not exactly sea
Plant-based Products Are Not Lowering Blood Pressure
UH Scientists Suggest Using a Naturally-Occurring Protein that Will
HOUSTON, July 16 – In the high-pressure world of lowering hypertension, a surprising favorite isn’t standing up too well in clinical trials.
“Plant products per se or traditional antioxidants like vitamins failed to have a positive impact on renal or cardiovascular health during clinical studies,” said Mustafa F. Lokhandwala, UH College of Pharmacy executive vice dean for research and director of the UH Heart and Kidney Institute. Plant-based products include chemical supplements like resveratrol, sulforaphane and curcumin.
So instead of relying on similar outward cures, Lokhandwala and Anees Banday, research associate professor of pharmacology, are looking inward, where they have found that a peptide, Angiotensin 1-7, that humans already possess can relieve oxidative stress and drive blood pressure back into normal ranges. Their hypothesis is backed by $2.64 million from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
High blood pressure is a common condition that can cause uncommon damage. With each beat of the heart, blood is pushed through arteries to the rest of the body. That’s force, or pressure. If that pressure is too high, either because of the amount of blood the heart pumps or the amount of resistance to pumping it, health problems including heart disease and stroke can occur.
It is well known that kidneys, or the renal system, regulate sodium and blood pressure. “Studies from our lab and others show that renal-specific oxidative stress could be an independent risk factor for systemic hypertension,” said Lokhandwala. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of free radicals (unstable atoms that can damage cells) and the body’s ability to counteract their threats.
In the kidneys, oxidative stress could cause high blood pressure mostly through poor sodium regulation.
Ang 1-7
Since its discovery in 1988, the Angiotensin 1-7 peptide has been linked to protective roles in cardiovascular disease and in the health of the kidney, brain and other organs. Lokhandwala and Banday collected experimental evidence to suggest Angiotensin 1-7 could protect kidney cells from oxidative stress and reduce blood pressure.
Eventually, a pill that could activate Angiotensin 1-7 signalling will be a better alternative to currently available medication, said Lokhandwala.
If Angiotensin 1-7 is found to be effective, it will avoid many of the side effects which limit the use of existing drugs.
“Today in hypertension treatment, effective therapy is important, but therapy with fewer side effects would be a plus,” said Lokhandwala. “Also, drugs to which patients do not develop tolerance is an important issue.”
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for excellence in undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse regions in the country, UH is a federally designated Hispanic- and Asian-American-Serving institution with enrollment of more than 45,000 students.
FROM LASERS TO BALLOONS: THE SKINNY ON SLIM-DOWN TREATMENTS
WWW.PSSPECIALISTS.COM
New treatments and procedures claiming to blast fat and smooth skin enter the market regularly, offering the possibility of a contoured, toned body. Many people who exercise regularly, and watch what they eat find stubborn weight collecting anywhere from the back, arms, abdomen, hips, thighs and derrière. Frustrated, they seek solutions, but which ones deliver and how safe are they? To give us answers, we turned to Dr. Stanley Poulos, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in the San Francisco Bay area and co-founder of Plastic Surgery Specialists who has over 3 decades expertise in body aesthetics.
What is driving women’s decisions to try these treatments and how have attitudes changed from a decade ago?
Ten years ago, women would come to my office with photos of celebrities who were working with highly effective fitness trainers. Today both women and men come to my office, show me a random “hot body” in their Instagram feed, looking fabulous in a swimsuit, and want to look like that person. Social media bombards people with images, and they feel if these people aren’t well-known celebrities and look great, then they can too.
What are the most common frustrations when it comes to achieving their desired look?
Well, most people try their best to work out, watch what they eat and try to take care of themselves. They notice, though, that through pregnancies, hormonal and metabolism shifts that happen with age, gravity is winning. Men notice more fat around the waist and “breasts”, women notice cellulite dimples in their thighs and buttocks, bra rolls, extra fat at the waist despite maintaining their diet and exercise routines. A workout routine at 45 will not yield the same results as 35; it becomes frustrating. Collagen production typically falls off a cliff at a certain point in the early 50s; this means treatments need to treat both fat deposits and skin tightening.
What do you advise them to do? There are so many treatments to choose from. It can be overwhelming.
Absolutely, and it’s very important to approach any procedure with the facts and a realistic expectation of what’s achievable, and required.. Some women think they just come in for a few hours and they are magically transformed. In some cases, results are immediate, and in other cases healing can take up to 2 to 3 months.
Ok so let’s explore these treatments. What’s the best one out there to deal with cellulite? It seems like most women struggle with cellulite.
Cellulaze
Yes, cellulite is a very common issue women want a solution for, and fast. Cellulaze is a treatment that safely and effectively treats cellulite under local anesthesia with initial results appearing in one to four weeks, with significant results due to thickening collagen by four months. The 2-hour treatment involves an injection of a local anesthetic and wetting solution onto the cellulite, which is then zapped with a laser. This unique side-cutting laser removes the contracted fibrous bands responsible for the cellulite. Finally, the subdermal region is treated for increased collagen production. The result is tight, smooth, supple skin where the cellulite once was. Many women opt to get Cellulaze along with liposuction to address several concerns at once.
Vaser Hi- Def liposculpture
Yes, let’s talk about liposuction. How has that treatment changed?
Well, I’ve seen significant improvements over the years. Now, we have a much more precise method called Vaser Hi-Def LipoSculpture. This method is liposuction, but with techniques and tools that precisely suction out localized fat deposits from various parts of the body. This technique is used effectively, for example, in “sculpting” the washboard abs so desired by many. The fat that is harvested can then be used to fill out other areas of the body. The differentiating factor between Vaser Lipo and traditional Liposuction is the preliminary step taken to break down the fat: ultrasound frequencies. The acronym Vaser stands for Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance.
The vibrations emitted cause expansion and contraction of air bubbles located in tumescent fluid which is ejected from the Vaser Lipo instrument. The procedure is tissue-selective, targeting fat while protecting other tissues from damage. This means eight times less blood loss, easier fat removal, stimulated skin elasticity, less bruising and a tiny incision. Through this process, the fat that is collected is separated to use for fat injections in other areas. The surgeon has the ability to truly sculpt the body.
Balloon Weight Loss Method
What about people who have 20-50 pounds to lose, but not enough weight for gastric bypass surgery?
These patients can be considered for the Balloon Weight Loss Method. An ideal candidate for this procedure has a body mass index of 30 to 40 and did not had previous weight loss surgery. Patients diagnosed with bulimia, binge eating, compulsive overeating, high liquid calorie intake habits or similar eating related psychological disorders are not good candidates.
This non-surgical outpatient procedure begins with a diagnostic endoscopy, to ensure that there are no contraindications and that it is safe to perform. Once the patient is mildly sedated and comfortable, the procedure can begin. The deflated gastric balloon is inserted through the esophagus and into the stomach. A syringe is then used to fill the balloon with a sterile saline solution. Once the weight loss balloon has been filled with saline, it expands to approximately the size of a grapefruit and remains there for 6 months. The entire procedure takes about 20 minutes. Patients can usually return home after the placement or removal procedures within 30 minutes. Over the last 20 years this procedure has helped over 277,000 people. The gastric balloon encourages portion control while patients make healthy changes to diet and lifestyle. After six months the balloon is then removed.
What’s key here is to find a doctor who provides the full support and team to address diet and exercise to achieve and maintain optimal results. Dr. Poulos has assembled a team that has achieved some of the best nonsurgical weight loss results in the country.
Regardless of what you choose it’s important to do your research by speaking to doctors and understanding the instruments used, the process and what’s needed for an optimal recovery and result.
About Dr. Poulos:
Dr. Poulos is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Co-Founder with Yngvar Hvistendahl, M.D of Plastic Surgery Specialists recognized as one of the premier aesthetic surgery clinics in Northern California.
Dr. Poulos helped pioneer the quick lift facial rejuvenation surgery in California and has extensive experience in body contour procedures. With over 30-years’ experience in aesthetic procedures, Dr. Poulos has been on the forefront of innovative procedures such as the quick-lift facial rejuvenation, mommy makeover, and vaser lipo-contouring. Dr. Poulos combines his consistent knowledge of new treatment options with his mastery of facial and body symmetry.
His recent focus has been on the gastric balloon, a groundbreaking, non-surgical, medically assisted, outpatient procedure offering weight loss to those seeking to lose between 30 and 75 pounds who may be ineligible for the more invasive gastric bypass surgery. This exciting new procedure allows patients to achieve optimal health and, when combined with exercise and proper nutrition, the results have been exceptional.
A graduate of the University of Texas Medical School, Dr. Poulos completed his internship and residency at UC San Francisco. He completed surgery and plastic surgery training in San Francisco prior to entering private practice in Marin County where he co-founded PSS (www.psspecialists.com)
FDA Approves Cannabis-Based Drug (CBD) For Epilepsy - Mother Who Gives Her Daughter CBD Oil For Epilepsy Available For Interviews
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the prescription cannabidiol medicine Monday to treat rare and severe forms of epilepsy. The new drug, Epidiolex, is a formulation of cannabidiol - CBD for short. It's derived from cannabis but doesn't contain the THC that recreational users value for providing "highs."
As a former TV producer and music entrepreneur, Nicole Zeitzer Johnson never thought she would be taking the world of neurological genetic science by storm. Johnson is co-founder of the FOXG1 Research Foundation (
https://www.foxg1research.org) and she gives her 6 & 1/2 year old child CBD oil to help with her seizures.
Johnson says that there can be a tremendous benefit to those who are not only suffering from FOXG1 but, seizures in general.
Nicole Zeitzer Johnson, co-founder of the FOXG1 Research Foundation is available for interviews.
Nicole desperately wants to save her daughter's life. In 2011, her daughter Josie was born with a devastating genetic condition called FOXG1 Syndrome. Nicole and her husband Rich are not carriers. It's called a "de novo" mutation when it begins with the child. And like most children with FOXG1 Syndrome, Josie is fed with a feeding tube and suffers from epilepsy.
FOXG1 is one of the first and most critical genes in brain development. It was originally called Brain Factor One as it provides blueprints for a protein that helps other genes switch on or off. Scientists believe that FOXG1 holds the key to unlocking many brain disorders such as Autism, Schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, Brain Cancer and more.
Sample Questions
What is CBD Oil and how does it help those who are suffering with seizures?
Do you feel giving CBD oil to your daughter is safe?
What is FOXG1 syndrome and how does it affect your daughter?
What is the most important thing that needs to happen for FOXG1 Research foundation to accomplish its goals?
What's your advice to parents who get a diagnosis of FOXG1 Syndrome or any other similar disorder?
| Simple design and improved functionality make British American Tobacco’s Glo successful in Japan, says GlobalData
Glo is a tobacco heating device launched by British American Tobacco (BAT) with unique features such as simple design and long battery life in Japan. Reportedly, over two million Glo devices have been sold since its launch in December 2016 and mid-January 2018. The success of Glo demonstrates that emerging tobacco innovations offer new benefits which are viewed by smokers favorably, says leading data and analytics company GlobalData.
The company’s report, ‘Success Case Study: British American Tobacco's Glo’, states that identifying the market leader product and attempting to overcome its weaknesses such as flavor variations and design, helped Glo to become a strong competitor.
The heated tobacco system was not new to the market when it was launched. Philip Morris' IQOS is the first ‘no-burn-tobacco’ device in Japan. However, the BAT device offers unique features – simple one-button design, improved functionality, flavor and device shape – over its main competitor.
According to GlobalData's research, ‘simple to use’ aspect is the top priority in the packaging of these products. In addition, Japanese smokers tend to rely on time-saving products and services more than non-smokers.

IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION – Please click here for a high resolution image
Glo comprises a battery-powered device that heats specially-designed tobacco sticks – Kent Neostiks – to approximately 240 degree Celsius. This process produces a nicotine-containing aerosol/ vapor with a natural tobacco taste. Glo allows users to smoke up to 30 Kent Neo Sticks with one full charge, which is also highly appealing, in comparison to IQOS which requires charging every time the user smokes.
Mitsue Konishi, Senior Innovation Analyst at GlobalData says: “Unlike IQOS, Glo combines its battery and heating device in one. The simple system appeals to Japanese smokers, as they generally seek tobacco and anti-smoking devices that are easy to understand how to use such as including simple instructions.”
GlobalData found that 66% of Japanese smokers prefer tobacco flavors among tobacco and anti-smoking products, followed by 13% who prefer minty/floral flavor. Currently, Kent Neosticks offer eight flavors compared to six offered by IQOS.
In addition, smokers in Japan tend to find customizable aspects appealing. BAT offers variations in the Glo device color and a colorful sleeve to customize the product to appeal to these smokers.
Konishi concludes: “Although regulations relating to tobacco products vary depending on markets, fundamentally understanding what smokers are looking for in tobacco products is essential and highly useful to develop new innovations. Glo demonstrates that a late comer product does not need to follow the same features of the first product in the market. It overcomes potential weaknesses in the IQOS and offers features that are different from its competitor.”
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
- Comments provided by Mitsue Konishi, Senior Innovation Analyst at GlobalData
- Information based on GlobalData’s report; Success Case Study: British American Tobacco's Glo
- This report was built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData’s team of industry experts.
About GlobalData
4,000 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. |
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