FSIS ISSUES PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT FOR CHICKEN AND PORK TAMALES CONTAINING FDA-REGULATED DICED TOMATOES IN PUREE THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO POSSIBLE FOREIGN MATTER CONTAMINATION

Washington, DC, Nov. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

  

                                                                     

Public Health Alert
  Congressional and Public Affairs
Maria Machuca (202) 720-9113

[email protected]

 

FSIS ISSUES PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT FOR CHICKEN AND PORK TAMALES CONTAINING FDA-REGULATED DICED TOMATOES IN PUREE THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO POSSIBLE FOREIGN MATTER CONTAMINATION

 

 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken and pork tamale products containing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated diced tomatoes in puree that have been recalled by the producer, due to concerns that the products may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically hard plastic. The hard plastic may pose a choking hazard or cause damage to teeth or gums. FSIS is issuing this public health alert out of the utmost of caution to ensure that consumers are aware that these products, which bear the USDA mark of inspection, should not be consumed.

 

The frozen RTE chicken and pork tamale items were produced between Oct. 22, 2020 and Nov. 9, 2020 by Tucson Tamale Wholesale Co. LLC, an establishment in Tucson, Ariz.  The following products are subject to the public health alert:

 

  • Cases containing eight individually packed tamales with the labels “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE CHICKEN TAMALE” or “TUCSON TAMALE Green Chile Chicken Tamales” with lot codes F20296 and F20309 and sell by dates of 10/23/22 and 11/05/22.
  • Cases containing six packages with two tamales each of “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE CHICKEN TAMALES” with lot codes F20309 and F20296 and sell by dates of 10/23/22 and 11/05/22.
  • Cases containing 30 tamales of “TUCSON TAMALE Green Chile Pork & Cheese Tamales” with lot codes F20303 and F20307 and sell by dates of 10/30/22 and 11/03/22.
  • Cases containing eight individually packed tamales of “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE PORK & CHEESE TAMALE” with lot codes F20307 and F20314 and sell by dates of 11/03/22 and 11/10/22.
  • Cases containing six packages with two tamales each of “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE PORK & CHEESE TAMALES” with lot codes F20303 and F20307 and sell by dates 10/30/22 and 11/03/22.
  • Packages containing two tamales of “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE PORK & CHEESE TAMALES” with lot codes F20303, F20307 and F20302 and sell by dates of 10/29/22, 10/30/22 and 11/03/22.
  • Cases containing 30 tamales of “TUCSON TAMALE Green Chile Chicken Tamales” with lot code F20296 and sell by date of 10/23/22.

 

The products bear establishment number “EST. 45860” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were sold online and also shipped to distributors for further distribution to retail locations and restaurants nationwide.

 

The problem was discovered by Tucson Tamale Wholesale Co. when they identified pieces of hard plastic in the cans of diced tomatoes in puree that they received from their ingredients supplier. The ingredients supplier initiated a recall of the diced tomatoes in puree with the FDA. As more FDA information becomes available, FSIS will update this public health alert.

 

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

 

 FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

 

Consumers and members of the media with questions can contact Sherry Martin, CEO of Tucson Tamale Wholesale Co., at (520) 398-6282.

 

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to [email protected]. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

 

 

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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at FSIS’ website at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Follow FSIS on Twitter at twitter.com/usdafoodsafety or in Spanish at: twitter.com/usdafoodsafe_es.

 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). 

         
         



USDA FSIS
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
[email protected]

CMIC Supports Clinical Trials for Digital Therapeutics Using SUSMED’s Trial Management System

CMIC Supports Clinical Trials for Digital Therapeutics Using SUSMED’s Trial Management System

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
CMIC Co., Ltd. (henceforth “CMIC”)(TOKYO:2309) has launched services using SUSMED, Inc.’s (henceforth “SUSMED”) trial management system covering subject registration, software assignment and distribution for digital therapeutics (DTx).

The system is able to overcome the common challenges of DTx clinical trials, ensuring blinded assignment and preventing unauthorized access. By employing this system, CMIC will offer more efficient operations for DTx trials, such as for the assignment and delivery of software applications (apps) to trial participants, cutting development costs.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201115005172/en/

*The system allows for seamless management of both intervention/sham app assignment and app distribution. (Graphic: Business Wire)

*The system allows for seamless management of both intervention/sham app assignment and app distribution. (Graphic: Business Wire)

In a DTx clinical trial, the software app must be installed on a device, such as a smartphone. Additionally, a placebo app (sham) is often used as a control in comparison to the actual treatment app (intervention), so it is essential that each app is correctly distributed to each patient, as assigned. For this reason, many processes and tasks differ from general drug development, such as loaning pre-installed, study-specific devices to trial subjects. This results in a heavy burden on companies developing DTx. Furthermore, because everything from assignment to patient distribution is done digitally, it is vital to take security measures in order to prevent any unauthorized access.

When using SUSMED’s system, each patient will be registered in a secure environment, and an app (intervention or sham) will be assigned to each patient with a specific ID. The patient can start his or her assigned treatment by installing the app using the issued ID. As this ID-assignment function allows patients to install their assigned app to their personal device, device rental is unnecessary, cutting development costs significantly. In addition, higher quality data and treatment compliance is expected because patients are already familiar with their own device.

Making the most out of the system’s features, CMIC will effectively complete each DTx clinical trial by formulating the best distribution strategies for each therapeutic intervention.

“We have developed this service as an extension of the strategic partnership with SUSMED that we announced on October 21st this year. By introducing SUSMED’s trial management system, we hope to overcome some of the security and cost challenges of DTx development. We will continue to promote open innovation and the growth of the DTx market, in order to answer the needs of clients, healthcare providers and patients, as soon as possible.” said Toru Fujieda, President of CMIC Co., Ltd.

“Since its founding, SUSMED has developed new technology in order to achieve sustainable medicine through ICT. There are several challenges in DTx development that differ from drug development. By providing this trial management system, we hope to contribute to faster and more efficient development of DTx. We will continue to contribute to the growth of DTx by combining SUSMED’s technology and CMIC’s comprehensive clinical trial services.” said Taro Ueno, CEO of SUSMED, Inc.

To learn more about this service, please contact us at [email protected]

About CMIC group

CMIC Group was founded in 1992 as the first Contract Research Organization (CRO) in Japan. Today CMIC Group is the largest clinical CRO in Japan with global footprint, providing comprehensive services in drug development, clinical site management, clinical to commercial GMP manufacturing, regulatory consulting and contract sales & marketing solutions. We can help pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies to enter Japan market, to conduct clinical trials in Asia, or to bridge drug development and manufacturing needs in the US, Europe, Japan and broader Asia. CMIC Group has over 7,000 employees and 25 sites globally. For more information about CMIC Group and services, please visit our website.

https://en.cmicgroup.com/

About SUSMED, Inc.

SUSMED Inc., is a research and development firm that is working to advance digital therapies. In addition to developing an app for treating insomnia, SUSMED provides a universal platform for developing medical apps, along with clinical trial support systems and automated AI analysis systems. SUSMED is advancing digital therapy grounded in technology, with patents in medical apps and blockchain applications in medical treatment.

https://www.susmed.co.jp/en

 

CMIC HOLDINGS Co., LTD.

PR group

Yuko Ishikawa

E-mail: [email protected]

SUSMED, Inc.

E-mail: [email protected]

KEYWORDS: Japan Asia Pacific

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Technology Mobile/Wireless Software Clinical Trials Pharmaceutical

MEDIA:

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*The system allows for seamless management of both intervention/sham app assignment and app distribution. (Graphic: Business Wire)
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Great Elm Capital Group, Inc. Reports First Fiscal Quarter 2021 Financial Results

  • DME fiscal Q1 revenue grew 10.4% year-over-year and 5.0% sequentially highlighting the business’ ability to grow despite the negative impact from COVID-19 on new equipment rental set-ups
  • DME fiscal Q1 net loss of $0.5 million improved from a net loss of $0.8 million year-over-year while adjusted EBITDA of $2.8 million decreased from $3.0 million primarily reflecting the incremental costs of operating during the pandemic
  • Investment Management is poised for growth in AUM, revenue, and earnings following the successful completion of the $31.7 million GECC rights offering

WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Great Elm Capital Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEC, “Great Elm”) announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. Great Elm will host a conference call and webcast on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its first fiscal quarter 2021 financial results. Please see below for details.

Select highlights from the first quarter 2021 include:

  • Operating Companies:

▪ For the three months ended September 30, 2020, $14.6 million of revenue, $0.5 million of net loss and $2.8 million of adjusted EBITDA
▪ Having completed significant investments into the platform, DME management is focused on continuing organic growth, driving improved margins, and making add-on acquisitions
▪ New PAP patient setups declined 24.7% year over year but increased sequentially 2.8% as the business recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic 

  • Investment Management:

▪ For the three months ended September 30, 2020, $0.8 million of revenue, net loss of $0.1 million and $0.2 million of adjusted EBITDA
▪ Great Elm Capital Corp. (“GECC”), managed by our wholly owned subsidiary, Great Elm Capital Management, Inc. (“GECM”), raised gross proceeds of $31.7 million through the completion of a rights offering.
▪ GEC purchased approximately 3.0 million shares in the offering for $8.8 million

“We made significant progress toward the achievement of our strategic goals for both our DME and Investment Management businesses during the quarter, ” remarked Peter A. Reed, Great Elm’s Chief Executive Officer. “DME added key management talent, continued to improve operationally and is actively pursuing attractive add-on acquisition opportunities.  For Investment Management, not only will the successful rights offering at GECC enable the pursuit of attractive acquisitions in the specialty finance sector, it enhances GECM’s revenue, earnings and cash flow potential which ultimately benefits our shareholders.”      

Alignment of Interest

The employees and directors of Great Elm and GECM collectively own or manage 7.1 million shares or approximately 27% of Great Elm’s outstanding shares.

FINANCIAL REVIEW: SEGMENT FINANCIALS

As of September 30, 2020, Great Elm had four operating segments: Durable Medical Equipment, Investment Management, Real Estate and General Corporate.


Durable Medical Equipment

Three Months Ended September 30, 2020:

Revenue:

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized $14.6 million in total revenue vs. $13.2 during the same period in the prior year.

Net Income (Loss):

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized a net loss of $0.5 million vs. $0.8 million of net loss during the same period in the prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA:

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized $2.8 million in adjusted EBITDA vs. $3.0 million during the same period in the prior year.

Commentary:

  • During the quarter, PAP supply sales remained strong while rental revenues continued to be negatively impacted by suppressed referral pipelines for new equipment set-ups during the pandemic.  We remain intently focused on exploring ways to lower DME’s cost of capital and obtaining additional funds for potential future acquisitions.


Investment Management

Three Months Ended September 30, 2020:

Revenue:

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized total investment management revenue of $0.8 million vs. $0.9 million during the same period in the prior year.

Net Income (Loss):

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized a net loss of $0.11 million vs. a net loss of $0.05 million during the same period in the prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA:

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized adjusted EBITDA of $0.2 million vs. $0.4 million during the same period in the prior year.

Commentary:

  • During the quarter, GECC benefitted from strong performance of its specialty finance investments, the redeployment of funds into attractive risk-adjusted opportunities and the rebounding of the valuations of certain of its investments following COVID related volatility in the prior quarter.  Great Elm intends to continue to focus on attractive acquisition opportunities in the specialty finance sector going forward.


Real Estate

Three Months Ended September 30, 2020:

Revenue:

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized $1.3 million in rental revenue vs. $1.3 million during the same period in the prior year.

Net Income (Loss):

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized $0.1 million in net income vs. $0.1 million in net income during the same period in the prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA:

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized $1.1 million in adjusted EBITDA vs. $1.1 million during the same period in the prior year.

Commentary

  • Great Elm continues to manage the Fort Myers investment to monetize significant net operating loss carryforwards.


General Corporate

Three Months Ended September 30, 2020:

Revenue:

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized $0.09 million in revenue vs. $0.02 million in revenue during the same period in the prior year.

Net Income (Loss):

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized $3.4 million in net loss vs. net loss of $2.5 million during the same period in the prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA:

  • During the three months ended September 30, 2020, Great Elm recognized $(1.1) million in adjusted EBITDA vs. $(1.7) million during the same period in the prior year.

Commentary:

  • During the quarter, Great Elm made significant progress on reducing its corporate overhead, driven largely by a reduction in audit cost.  Great Elm intends to continue to focus on reducing its corporate overhead going forward.

Conference Call & Webcast

Great Elm will host a conference call and webcast on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its first quarter 2021 financial results.

All interested parties are invited to participate in the conference call by dialing +1 (844) 559-0750; international callers should dial +1 (647) 689-5386. Participants should enter the Conference ID 4790827 when asked. For a copy of the slide presentation that will be referenced during the course of our conference call, please visit: https://www.greatelmcap.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx.

The conference call will be webcast simultaneously at: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/2625162/1D4EAD6DA2778005450B2AF1E04864A3 [event.on24.com]

About Great Elm Capital Group, Inc.

Great Elm is a publicly-traded holding company that seeks to build a business across two operating verticals: Operating Companies and Investment Management. Great Elm’s website can be found at www.greatelmcap.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Statements in this press release that are “forward-looking” statements, including statements regarding revenue, adjusted EBITDA, expected growth, profitability, free cash flow and outlook involve risks and uncertainties that may individually or collectively impact the matters described herein. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made and represent Great Elm’s assumptions and expectations in light of currently available information.  These statements involve risks, variables and uncertainties, and Great Elm’s actual performance results may differ from those projected, and any such differences may be material. For information on certain factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from Great Elm’s expectations, please see Great Elm’s filings with the SEC, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Additional information relating to Great Elm’s financial position and results of operations is also contained in Great Elm’s annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC and available for download at its website www.greatelmcap.com or at the SEC website www.sec.gov.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The SEC has adopted rules to regulate the use in filings with the SEC, and in public disclosures, of financial measures that are not in accordance with US GAAP, such as adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”). Adjusted EBITDA is derived from methodologies other than in accordance with US GAAP. Great Elm believes that Adjusted EBITDA is an important measure for investors to use in evaluating Great Elm’s businesses. In addition, Great Elm’s management reviews Adjusted EBITDA as they evaluate acquisition opportunities.

Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it either in isolation from, or as a substitute for, analyzing Great Elm’s results as reported under US GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures reported by Great Elm may not be comparable to similarly titled amounts reported by other companies.

Set forth below is a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable US GAAP financial measure, net income. The information in the table below represents Great Elm’s assumptions and expectations in light of currently available information. Great Elm’s actual performance results may differ from those projected in in the table below, and any such differences may be material.

     For the three months ended September 30, 2020 
$ in thousands   DME     Investment Management     Real Estate     General Corporate     Consolidated  
EBITDA:                              
Net income (loss) – GAAP   $                (458 )   $                (107 )   $                    67     $             (3,365 )   $             (3,863 )
Interest expense   709     26     650     572     1,957  
Depreciation & Amortization   2,211     128     430         2,769  
Tax expense               99     99  
EBITDA   $               2,462     $                    47     $               1,147     $             (2,694 )   $                  962  
Adjusted EBITDA                              
Stock based compensation       194         235     429  
GECC dividend income               (524 )   (524 )
GECC Unrealized (gains) / losses               1,902     1,902  
Other (income) expense   3             (1 )   2  
Transaction and integration costs 2   112             33     145  
Severance   27                 27  
Location start up expense   54                 54  
DME management and monitoring fees   116             (91 )   25  
Adjusted EBITDA   $               2,774     $                  241     $               1,147     $             (1,140 )   $               3,022  
     For the three months ended September 30, 2019 
                               
                               
$ in thousands   DME     Investment Management

1
    Real Estate     General Corporate     Consolidated  
EBITDA:                              
Net income (loss) – GAAP   $                (819 )   $                  (45 )   $                    60     $             (2,474 )   $             (3,278 )
Interest expense   996     42     658         1,696  
Depreciation & Amortization   2,508     179     431         3,118  
Tax expense               242     242  
EBITDA   $               2,685     $                  176     $               1,149     $             (2,232 )   $               1,778  
Adjusted EBITDA                              
Stock based compensation       175         118     293  
Change in contingent consideration 2               (195 )   (195 )
Dividend income from GECC               (490 )   (490 )
GECC Unrealized (gains) / losses               983     983  
Other (income) expense   (3 )               (3 )
Transaction and integration costs 2   148             120     268  
Severance   2                 2  
Location start up expense   135                 135  
                               
                               
DME management and monitoring fees   48             (23 )   25  
Adjusted EBITDA   $               3,015     $                  351     $               1,149     $             (1,719 )   $               2,796  

(1)   Prior year non-GAAP adjustments have been updated to conform to current year presentation by removing adjustments associated with the adoption of ASC 606 Contracts with Customers.
     
(2)   Transaction and integration related costs include costs to acquire and integrate acquired businesses.  This also represents change in contingent consideration liability since the initial valuation at the acquisition date.
     

Media & Investor Contact:

Investor Relations
+1 (617) 375-3006
[email protected]



NIKOLA 24 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Former Louisiana Attorney General and Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Remind Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuits Against Nikola Corporation – NKLA, NKLAW, f/k/a VectoIQ Acquisition Corp. VTIQ, VTIQW, VTIQU

PR Newswire

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (“KSF”) and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have only until November 16, 2020 to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuits against Nikola Corporation (NasdaqGS: NKLA, NKLAW) f/k/a VectoIQ Acquisition Corp. (NasdaqCM: VTIQ, VTIQW, VTIQU), if they purchased the Company’s securities between March 3, 2020 and October 15, 2020, inclusive (the “Class Period”) or owned VectoIQ shares as of the May 8, 2020 record date and were entitled to vote on VectoIQ’s proposed transaction with Nikola.  These actions are pending in the United States District Courts for the District of Arizona, Eastern District of New York and Central District of California.

What You May Do

If you purchased securities of Nikola or VectoIQ as above and would like to discuss your legal rights and how these cases might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-nkla  to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in these class actions by overseeing lead counsel with the goal of obtaining a fair and just resolution, you must request this position by application to the Court by November 16, 2020.

About the Lawsuit

Nikola and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. 

On September 10, 2020, Hindenburg Research published a report alleging that evidence showed the Company was “an intricate fraud built on dozens of lies.”  Subsequently, it was reported that the Company was the subject of probes by both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department. Then, on September 21, 2020, the Company announced the sudden resignation of Founder and Executive Chairman, Trevor Milton. Then, in several interviews on October 15-16, 2020, the Company’s CEO made statements indicating that the Company’s strategic manufacturing partnership with General Motors could fall through.

On this news, the price of Nikola’s shares plummeted.

The first-filed case is Borteanu v. Nikola Corporation et al., 20-cv-01797.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation’s premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients – including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors – in seeking to recover investment losses due to corporate fraud and malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner
[email protected] 
1-877-515-1850
1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200
New Orleans, LA 70163

Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nikola-24-hour-deadline-alert-former-louisiana-attorney-general-and-kahn-swick–foti-llc-remind-investors-with-losses-in-excess-of-100-000-of-deadline-in-class-action-lawsuits-against-nikola-corporation—nkla-nklaw-fka-ve-301173202.html

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

BEST Inc. Announces Wind Down of BEST Store+ and Management Change to Increase Focus on Core Businesses

PR Newswire

HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) (“BEST” or the “Company”), a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China, today announced that it will begin to wind down its BEST Store+ (“Store+“) business.

The Company believes that by phasing out Store+, it can eliminate the significant cashflow requirements associated with this early stage business, allowing the Company to further prioritize capital allocation towards its core businesses.

The Company expects to cease all operations of Store+ by the end of the year except for the self-operated WoWo convenience stores, which the Company plans to continue running while evaluating various strategic options. The online merchandise sourcing and store management platform will be handed over to independent third parties for continued operations.

“Store+ provided a creative solution for last-mile delivery and empowered many small merchants to participate in online-to-offline commerce,” said Johnny Chou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BEST Inc. “Over the past several quarters, Store+ has been making encouraging progress in reducing losses. However, as we continue to deploy capital towards our core businesses in order to strengthen our position in the increasingly competitive market environment, we concluded that phasing out Store+ is in the best interest of our Company as a whole and in line with our commitment to sustainable profitability and enhancing shareholder value.”  

In addition, the Company announced a management change to BEST Express. Effective as of the date of this announcement, Mr. Shaohua Zhou will cease his role as Senior Vice President, General Manager of BEST Express, and take up a new role as special assistant to Mr. Johnny Chou. Mr. Xiaoqing Wang will assume the position of Vice President, General Manager of BEST Express.

Prior to taking up the new role, Mr. Wang had been General Manager of BEST’s Jiangsu province branch since 2009, spearheading BEST Express and other service lines in Jiangsu province, China. From 2004 to 2009, Mr. Wang was senior sales manager of the Nanjing branch of UTStarcom China. Mr. Wang received a bachelor’s degree in economics and management from Nanjing Agricultural University and an EMBA degree from the University of Texas.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as BEST’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. BEST may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about BEST’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: BEST’s goals and strategies; BEST’s future business development, results of operations and financial condition; BEST ‘s ability to maintain and enhance its ecosystem; BEST ‘s ability to continue to innovate, meet evolving market trends, adapt to changing customer demands and maintain its culture of innovation; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and other countries in which BEST operates, and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in BEST’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and BEST does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

About BEST Inc.

BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) is a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China. Through its proprietary technology platform and extensive networks, BEST offers a comprehensive set of logistics and value-add services, including express and freight delivery, supply chain management and last-mile services, truckload service brokerage, international logistics and financial services. BEST’s mission is to create a smarter, more efficient supply chain in the new retail era by leveraging technology and business model innovation. For more information, please visit: http://www.best-inc.com/en/.  

Investor and Media Contacts

BEST Inc.
Investor Relations Team
E-mail: [email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.
Yang Song
Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
E-mail: [email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.
Brandi Piacente
Tel: +1-212-481-2050
E-mail: [email protected]

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SOURCE BEST Inc.

Zeavola Resort Has Signed up to UNESCO’s Sustainable Tourism Pledge, as One of the First Hotels in Thailand

Zeavola Resort Has Signed up to UNESCO’s Sustainable Tourism Pledge, as One of the First Hotels in Thailand

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Wedge Holdings is pleased to announce that the Zeavola Resort, a luxury resort owned by our Group and located on the island of Phi Phi Phi, Thailand, was one of the first hotels to sign up to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Sustainable Tourism Pledge (a pledge on sustainable travel) and has been officially accredited and featured on the UNESCO website.

The Sustainable Tourism Pledge is an initiative by UNESCO, in cooperation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Expedia Group, to promote sustainable tourism and the conservation of world heritage sites, and is scheduled to be rolled out globally, starting with Thailand. Member hotels that operate in an environmentally friendly manner will make it clear that they are committed to reducing plastic consumption and other tourism initiatives to meet the international goals set out in the United Nations’ recommended Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Zeavola Resort has long been a pioneer in the field of sustainable tourism in Thailand, and has received numerous media articles and hotel awards for its environmentally friendly management approach.

*Article: Zeavola Resort wins three consecutive hotel awards in one month (2019)

https://www.carrushome.com/en/zeavola-resort-in-thailand-wins-three-awards-in-a-month/

https://latteluxurynews.com/2019/11/12/zeavola-resort-scoops-suite-of-awards/

Reflecting these efforts, Zeavola became one of the first hotels in Thailand to join the scheme. Many hotels have since joined the scheme, and Zeavola Resort was featured on the UNESCO website as a member hotel.

(https://unescosustainable.travel/en/zeavola-resort)

Zeavola Resort is now accepting bookings through its own website as well as through all major hotel booking websites, and is offering attractive packages to domestic visitors in line with the current Thai tourism market. For more information, please visit the following websites

Zeavola Resort’s official website: https://www.zeavola.com/

Wedge Holdings Co., Ltd

Contact PIC: Yasuhiro Kotake

TEL: +81-3-6225-2207

KEYWORDS: Thailand Japan Asia Pacific

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Environment Vacation Lodging Destinations Travel

MEDIA:

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Idemitsu invests in European Open Innovation Venture Capital Fund from Emerald

Idemitsu invests in European Open Innovation Venture Capital Fund from Emerald

 

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan), has decided to invest in an open innovation evergreen fund, managed by Emerald Technology Ventures, a Swiss clean technology-focused venture capital organization (Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland). In addition, Idemitsu has decided to establish a new open innovation promotion base in Switzerland. For new business creation, Idemitsu strengthens its efforts to accelerate innovations with start-up companies, not only in Japan, but around the world.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201115005016/en/

The Emerald fund portfolio focuses on industrial innovations in both material chemistry and clean technologies that can help resolve social issues with improvements to energy efficiencies and reductions in carbon dioxide levels. Idemitsu’s investment in this evergreen fund and the creation of a partnership with Emerald will realize new synergies that play on Emerald’s technological expertise and market insight, as well as Emerald’s access to start-up companies in North America, Europe and Israel, together with Idemitsu’s existing technologies and cultivated business networks. Those synergies will in turn lead to the creation of a resilient business portfolio that can flexibly and tenaciously respond to changes in business conditions by incorporating technological innovations from start-up companies.

To further accelerate global open innovations, Idemitsu also plans to establish a European open innovation promotion base in the Swiss canton of Basel-Stadt.

“To resolve the priority themes in our Medium-term Management Plan*, we not only pursue maximal synergies with technologies that are related to those our corporate group has already developed, but will also stress the promotion of open innovations that build on external technologies and ideas,” said Hajime Nakamoto, Managing Executive Officer in Innovation Strategy Planning, Electronic Materials Business, Agri-Bio Business, Lithium Battery Material, Intellectual Property, and Research at Idemitsu. “This investment and the establishment of overseas bases are momentous steps forward for us. Though implementation of open innovation is a long-term objective, we, especially our young employees, drive ourselves forward to laying the foundations early.”

Idemitsu is taking on the challenge of creating new values through the promotion of global open innovation.

Notes:

* Idemitsu’s Medium-term Management Plan (FY2020-2022)

https://sustainability.idemitsu.com/en/themes/259

[Overview of Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd.]

Company Name

Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd.

Business Description

Sustainable supply of various forms of energy and materials

Website

www.idemitsu.com/index.html

[Overview of Emerald Technology Ventures]

Company Name

Emerald Technology Ventures

Business Description

Open Innovation Venture Capital

Website

www.emerald-ventures.com

 

Public Relations Section, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.

https://www.idemitsu.com/contact/flow/index.html

Yuuka Sakata (Ms.)

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Australia Australia/Oceania Japan United States Switzerland North America Asia Pacific Israel Europe Middle East India Canada

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Professional Services Other Energy Small Business Oil/Gas Energy Finance

MEDIA:

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Tatsuo Tanaka to Retire as Citi Japan Chairman, Vice Chairman Fumiaki Kurahara Appointed as Next Chairman

Tatsuo Tanaka to Retire as Citi Japan Chairman, Vice Chairman Fumiaki Kurahara Appointed as Next Chairman

 

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Citi announced that Citi Japan Chairman Tatsuo Tanaka will retire on December 31, 2020 and has appointed Fumiaki Kurahara, current Vice Chairman to succeed as Chairman on January 1, 2021. Tanaka will retire from his role as Director, Chairman of Citigroup Japan Holdings Corp.(CJH), Citigroup Global Markets Japan Inc. (CGMJ), and Citibank N.A. Tokyo Branch (CBNA Tokyo). He will continue to stay on as a Senior Advisor to Citi Japan.

Chairman Tanaka has spent 47 years in the industry and eight years of dedicated service to Citi. Chairman Tanaka joined Citi as a Director, Chairman CJH in 2012. He was also appointed as a Director (non-executive) of CGMJ in the same year and a Director, Chairman (non-executive) of Citibank Japan Ltd. in 2015. Since 2017, he has been a Director, Chairman of CGMJ and CBNA Tokyo. Chairman Tanaka oversaw the CGMJ Board and helped strengthen our control and governance capability. Prior to joining Citi, Chairman Tanaka was Deputy President of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Representative Director and Deputy President of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and also served as Chairman of the Board of Union Bank N.A.

Vice Chairman Kurahara joined Citi Japan last October from Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) where he was the President and CEO of SMBC Trust Bank Ltd. Prior to that, he was the Deputy President and Board Member of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). In SMFG, he has worked internationally and was responsible for the Wholesale Banking Unit and Structured Finance Unit.

Lee Waite, Citi Country Officer for Japan commented, “Throughout his tenure with us, Chairman Tanaka has always acted in the best interest of Citi and shown to be a true leader and asset to our franchise. His business wisdom and management insights have been critical in building and establishing our business model and enhancing our relationship with our clients. He also played an instrumental role in our relationship with the regulators in respect to our governance structure and has always been great counsel for the senior management at Citi Japan. I am grateful for Chairman Tanaka’s many contributions to Citi and wishing him all the best as we continue to work with him in his new advisory capacity.”

“As Vice Chairman for the year, Kurahara has already contributed to Citi Japan based on his senior client network and experience over a 36-year banking career. I have enjoyed working with Vice Chairman Kurahara, whose deep understanding of the financial business has served us well, and I am looking forward to working together with him in his new responsibilities as the Chairman of Citi Japan.”

About Citi:

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.jp | www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi

Corporate Affairs

Citi Japan

03-6776-5112

KEYWORDS: Japan Asia Pacific

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Banking Professional Services Finance

MEDIA:

Burning Rock Announces In-Licensing of Myriad myChoice® Tumor Testing in China

GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Burning Rock Biotech Limited (NASDAQ: BNR, the “Company” or “Burning Rock”) today announced that it entered into a development and commercialization agreement with Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN, “Myriad”) which will bring myChoice® tumor testing for homologous recombination deficiency, or HRD, to China.

The Myriad myChoice CDx test enables physicians to identify patients with tumors that have lost the ability to repair double-stranded DNA breaks, resulting in potentially increased susceptibility to DNA-damaging drugs such as platinum drugs or PARP inhibitors. In May 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved myChoice CDx for use as a companion diagnostic to identify patients with advanced ovarian cancer with HRD-positive status, who are eligible or may become eligible, for first-line maintenance treatment with Lynparza (olaparib) in combination with bevacizumab. In August 2020, myChoice was exclusively cited and the only named commercial companion diagnostic by the American Society of Clinical Oncology in new recommendations on the use of PARP inhibitors for the treatment and management of certain patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The new recommendations, based on clinical trial results, were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Through the partnership with Myriad, Burning Rock will perform myChoice HRD testing in China for collaborative drug development studies and for clinics.

“The myChoice test is highly synergistic with Burning Rock’s existing testing platforms. With the growing significance demonstrated on PARP inhibitors in a range of cancer types, HRD has become an important yet challenging characteristic to identify for patients with cancer, while myChoice has been regarded as the ‘gold-standard’ for determining HRD status. We are excited to bring in this best-in-class HRD test for the benefit of Chinese patients, leveraging Burning Rock’s strengths in oncology NGS testing and commercial access in China,” said Yusheng Han, CEO of Burning Rock.

“Through close collaboration with Burning Rock in China, we are bringing the clinical benefits of myChoice testing to additional markets and patients, advancing personalized treatment for patients around the world,” said Nicole Lambert, president of Myriad Genetic Laboratories.

About Burning Rock

Burning Rock Biotech Limited (NASDAQ: BNR), whose mission is to guard life via science, focuses on the application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology in the field of precision oncology. Its business consists of i) NGS-based therapy selection testing for late-stage cancer patients, with the leading market share in China and over 185,000 tissue and liquid-based tests completed cumulatively, and ii) cancer early detection, which has moved beyond proof-of-concept R&D into the clinical validation stage.

For more information about Burning Rock, please visit: ir.brbiotech.com.

About Myriad myChoice

Myriad myChoice is the most comprehensive homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) test, enabling physicians to identify patients with tumors that have lost the ability to repair double-stranded DNA breaks, resulting in increased susceptibility to DNA-damaging drugs such as platinum drugs or PARP inhibitors. The myChoice test comprises tumor sequencing of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and a composite of three proprietary technologies (loss of heterozygosity, telomeric allelic imbalance and large-scale state transitions). For more information, visit: https://myriad-oncology.com/mychoice-cdx/

About Myriad Genetics

Myriad Genetics Inc., is a leading precision medicine company dedicated to being a trusted advisor transforming patient lives worldwide with pioneering molecular diagnostics. Myriad discovers and commercializes molecular diagnostic tests that: determine the risk of developing disease, accurately diagnose disease, assess the risk of disease progression, and guide treatment decisions across six major medical specialties where molecular diagnostics can significantly improve patient care and lower healthcare costs. Myriad is focused on three strategic imperatives: transitioning and expanding its hereditary cancer testing markets, diversifying its product portfolio through the introduction of new products and increasing the revenue contribution from international markets. For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company’s website: www.myriad.com.

Myriad, the Myriad logo, BART, BRACAnalysis, Colaris, Colaris AP, myPath, myRisk, Myriad myRisk, myRisk Hereditary Cancer, myChoice, myPlan, BRACAnalysis CDx, Tumor BRACAnalysis CDx, myChoice CDx, Vectra, Prequel, Foresight, GeneSight, riskScore and Prolaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and foreign countries. MYGN-F, MYGN-G.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “target,” “confident” and similar statements. Burning Rock may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Burning Rock’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon management’s current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Burning Rock’s control. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such statements. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Burning Rock does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law. 



Contact: [email protected]

BioAegis Therapeutics Expands Phase 2 COVID-19 Treatment Clinical Trial in EU for Inflammation Regulator


No drug-related safety signals identified by the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board.

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Nov. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BioAegis Therapeutics Inc., a clinical stage, private company developing therapies for infectious, inflammatory and degenerative diseases through a portfolio built around gelsolin technology, announced that it has expanded its clinical trial in severe COVID-19 to additional sites in Europe. The study has recruited more than one third of the expected enrollment and the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has recently recommended continuation of recruitment based on a review of the safety data.

BioAegis’ Phase 2 clinical trial of recombinant human plasma gelsolin (rhu-pGSN) for the treatment of severe COVID-19 was initiated in August in Spain where COVID-19 cases were spiking. The study assesses rhu-pGSN, and its ability to regulate the overactive inflammatory response often responsible for causing lung damage and death in COVID-19 patients. Rhu-pGSN does not compromise the immune response as compared to other immune suppressive anti-inflammatory agents (e.g. dexamethasone). Low levels of this human plasma protein are associated with severe illness, organ failure and mortality in COVID-19 patients. 

Expanding the
Clinical
Footprint
within Spain and
i
nto Romania

In addition to Hospital Universitari Saint Joan de Reus in Tarragona Spain, BioAegis is expanding its clinical trial footprint by adding a second Spanish site, Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII. BioAegis has already begun recruiting patients at the new site.

The company also received approval from the Romania National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (NMMD) to extend the trial into Romania. Recruitment for this third site has begun.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept trial of rhu-pGSN is added to standard of care of patients with severe pneumonia due to COVID-19. The study will assess the efficacy (survival without organ failure on Day 14 without mechanical ventilation, vasopressors or dialysis) of three doses of rhu-pGSN administered intravenously to hospitalized subjects with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia and a severity score of 4, 5 or 6 on the World Health Organization (WHO) 9-point severity scale. It will also measure the safety and tolerability of treatment along with secondary outcomes.

According to Susan Levinson, PhD, CEO of BioAegis, “The independent Data Safety Monitoring Board has reviewed data from the initial patients and recommends that we continue the study as planned. With enrollment numbers growing, we look forward to further data including clinically meaningful endpoints in these severely ill COVID-19 patients once the study is completed.

Details of the study can be found at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04358406

Gelsolin is a Key Component of the Body’s Immune System

Gelsolin is a human protein that is abundant in healthy individuals. It is a ‘master regulator of inflammation’In the case of severe injury or infection, the body’s supply of gelsolin becomes depleted, which can lead to an overexuberant inflammatory response, organ damage and death, as seen in COVID-19. With the ability to replete gelsolin depleted by disease with rhu-pGSN, BioAegis is in a unique position to deliver therapeutics that have the potential to disrupt the course of the cytokine storm created by COVID-19.

Supplementing depleted systemic levels of gelsolin has enormous potential to prevent debilitating and potentially lethal ravages of inflammation, without compromising its essential function to fight infection and promote repair. Its unique qualities are:

  • Host-based, not pathogen specific. Recent findings demonstrate gelsolin’s ability to treat both viral and bacterial infections, even those resistant to antibiotics.
  • Naturally occurring human protein. Gelsolin is part of our innate immune system and our body’s first line of defense against pathogens.
  • Controls excess inflammation without suppressing the immune response to threats. Unlike current anti-inflammatory treatments and steroids rhu-pGSN is non-immunosuppressive.

About
BioAegis

BioAegis Therapeutics Inc. is a NJ-based clinical stage, private company whose mission is to capitalize on a key component of the body’s innate immune system, gelsolin, to prevent adverse outcomes in diseases driven by inflammation and infection.

BioAegis has the exclusive license to broad, worldwide intellectual property through Harvard-Brigham and Women’s Hospital. It holds over 40 patents issued for coverage of infection, inflammatory disease, renal failure, multiple sclerosis and other neurologic diseases. BioAegis has US biologics exclusivity and has recently filed new IP.

Investor Inquiries:

Steven Cordovano
203-952-6373
[email protected]

Media Inquiries:

Christine Lagana
[email protected]

This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations of management. These statements relate to, among other things, our expectations regarding management’s plans, objectives, and strategies. These
statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. BioAegis assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements appearing in this press release in the event of changing circumstances or otherwise, and such statements are current only as of the date they are made.