June 15, 2022 – Page 3 – Asean Tribune

June 15, 2022

A New T-Cell activation assay based on Hyris qPCR Technology marks a disruptive approach for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 specific cellular immunity

A scientific paper recently published in Nature Biotechnology reveals new research regarding how we track and monitor T-cell patients’ immunity to SARS-CoV-2, leveraging the unique characteristics of Hyris System™. The study results from a joint effort of an international research team from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Singapore Duke-NUS Medical School, laboratory diagnostic service providers Synlab, and Hyris.

Hyris keeps supporting T cells Research

LONDON, June 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With over 460 million global cases thus far, 6 million of which have resulted in death, the COVID-19 pandemic from SARS-CoV-2 proved to be a dire health crisis on a global scale. In this concerning scenario, the unprecedented effort by the international scientific community is even more remarkable and led – in record time – to the deployment of mRNA and viral vector-based vaccines. With more than 10 billion total vaccine doses administered worldwide, vaccination campaigns have already started to attenuate this global crisis. In order to maximize vaccine effectiveness, the efficacy and duration of protective immunity will need to be systematically assessed and monitored as widely as possible.

A team of internationally renowned medical scientists recently published a related paper in Nature Biotechnology, addressing the efficacy and sensitivity of a new type of assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 cellular immunity.

“To date, antibody tests have been the typical, if not the only clinical endpoints commonly used to measure the immune response to SARS-CoV-2,” explains Antonio Bertoletti, Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School. “Both the humoral (antibodies) and cellular immune response act in coordination to achieve long-term protection from viral infections. Antibodies are important for preventing infection, protecting the body from disease, while cellular immunity is essential to eliminate virus-infected cells, thus helping to fight the disease itself,” concludes Professor Bertoletti.

Therefore, according to the study, measuring the T-cells’ response is a new disruptive approach to fighting SARS-CoV-2. An individual negative to an antibody test could still be protected thanks to responsive T-cells.

This new study thus shows the relevance of a quantitative PCR approach to T-cell testing, thanks to the joint effort with SYNLAB, one of the world’s leading providers of laboratory diagnostic services, and Hyris, a global biotech company focused on AI-powered genetic analysis.

The research leveraged Hyris’ signature technology, the disruptive Hyris System™.

“These highly scalable screening methods will be particularly important, to monitor the magnitude and duration of functional cellular immunity towards emerging variants, thus helping to prioritize revaccination strategies in vulnerable populations,” states Cristina Lapucci, Head of Genetics and Molecular Biology at SYNLAB Italy.

“We have been very committed to putting our System at such prestigious partners’ service,” says Stefano Lo Priore, Founder and CEO at Hyris. “Many medical institutions worldwide already adopted our technology, embracing the unprecedented simplicity, connectivity, and scalability of the Hyris System^TM.”

The rapid deployment of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to a large proportion of the population now suggests new approaches to measure the duration of the immune response, and the potential need for vaccine boosters should be evaluated.

“The assays used in our study rely on the quantification of CXCL10 mRNA after incubation of whole blood with SARS-CoV-2 specific peptides. The levels of induced CXCL10 transcripts correlate robustly with the IFN-gamma produced by activated antigen-specific T cells, serving as a proxy to detect cellular immunity in COVID-19 recovered and SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated subjects,” points out Ernesto Guccione, PhD, Professor of Oncological Sciences, and Pharmacological Sciences, at Icahn Mount Sinai.

“This is particularly important after the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants like Omicron that evade most of the neutralizing ability of antibodies, but not that of T-cells,” continues Megan Schwarz, a graduate student at Icahn School Mount Sinai and first author of the manuscript. “Precise measurement of cellular responses underlying virus protection, therefore, represents a crucial parameter of immune defence.”

“The solutions already present on the market are usually performed based on the traditional fluorescence methodologies typically used in the immunological domain,” adds Jordi Ochando, PhD, Assistant Professor of Oncological Sciences, Medicine (Nephrology), and Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine at Icahn Mount Sinai. “This research demonstrates that CXCL10 mRNA expression confirms data obtained with traditional methods (i.e., ELISpot) compared with naïve, COVID-19 convalescent and SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated subject,” he concludes.

This study could prove a key solution to further support the scientific community playing a strategic role in facing this global challenge.

Contact a Hyris expert to discover how to perform beyond your current diagnostic capability at info@hyris.net.

3D rendering of a T-cell attacking a Coronavirus. Hyris is committed to supporting the immunology sector, as the new frontier in the fight against COVID-19 and other pathologies

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Hyris keeps supporting T cells Research

June 15, 2022

McKinsey & Company’s new research shows the metaverse could grow up to $5 trillion in value by 2030

‘Value Creation in the Metaverse’ report examines the massive, global impact of the metaverse across key sectors and businesses

NEW YORK and LONDON and PARIS, June 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — McKinsey & Company released its new report “Value creation in the metaverse,” which shows the metaverse may be too big to ignore. McKinsey’s preliminary forecast shows the metaverse has the potential to grow up to $5 trillion in value by 2030. It shows e-commerce as the largest economic force ($2.6 trillion), ahead of sectors such as virtual learning ($270 billion), advertising ($206 billion), and gaming ($125 billion).

As companies of all different shapes and sizes look to enter the metaverse, this extensive report provides a clear view of what the metaverse is and is not, what first movers are doing, what’s fueling the investment, and the potential for consumer and B2B companies.

The report builds on multiple proprietary insights and analysis, including a survey of more than 3,400 consumers and executives on adoption of the metaverse, its potential, and its likely impact on behavior. The researchers also interviewed metaverse builders and industry experts.

“The metaverse represents a strategic inflection point for companies, and it presents a significant opportunity to influence the way we live, connect, learn, innovate, and collaborate,” said Eric Hazan, senior partner, McKinsey & Company. “Our ambition is to help leaders of both consumer and B2B companies better understand its power and potential, identify strategic imperatives, and act as a force for its evolution.”

What’s fueling the metaverse investment
Already this year, companies, venture capital, and private equity firms have invested more than $120 billion in the metaverse—more than double the $57 billion invested in all of last year.

Multiple factors are driving this investor enthusiasm:

ongoing technological advances across the infrastructure required to power the metaverse
demographic tailwinds
increasingly consumer-led brand marketing and engagement
increasing marketplace readiness as users explore today’s version of the metaverse, which is largely driven by gaming while applications emerge in socializing, fitness, commerce, virtual learning, and other uses

Already, more than three billion gamers worldwide have access to different versions of the metaverse.

“While the idea of connecting virtually has been decades in the making, it is now increasingly real, meaning real people are using it and spending real money and companies are betting big,” said Lareina Yee, senior partner, McKinsey & Company. “Yet this booming interest has made it difficult to separate hype from reality. It’s worth remembering that while the bust of the first dot-com boom resulted in the disappearance of scores of companies, the internet itself went from strength to strength, giving rise to new entrants.”

Consumers are already engaging in the metaverse
Consumers are already there. McKinsey’s research shows consumers are excited about transitioning life into the metaverse, with almost six in ten (59%) consumers preferring at least one metaverse experience over its physical alternative.

Among those consumers, certain types of activities stand out for being most preferred in the immersive world:

shopping—purchasing physical or virtual goods (79%)
attending virtual social events or playing social games (78%)
exercising using virtual reality (76%)

Senior leaders believe the metaverse will have a significant impact on their industry
Business leaders see the metaverse’s potential to drive impact and margin growth. Ninety-five percent of leaders say they expect the metaverse to have a positive impact on their industry within five to ten years, with 31 percent saying the metaverse will fundamentally change the way their industry operates. More significantly, a quarter of leaders expect the metaverse technology to drive more than 15 percent of their organization’s total margin growth in the next five years.

“The metaverse has put us at the cusp of the next wave of digital disruption,” said Tarek Elmasry, senior partner, McKinsey & Company. “It’s transformative. It will likely have a major impact on our commercial and personal lives, which is why businesses, policy makers, consumers, and citizens may want to explore and understand as much as they can about this phenomenon, the technology that will underpin it, and the ramifications it could have for our economies and wider society.”

For more insights and to read the full report, please click here.

About the report
McKinsey surveyed more than 3,400 consumers and senior executives across Asia–Pacific, China, Europe, and the United States to gain insight into the habits of current metaverse users—their motivations, what they are doing, and what they expect to do. In analyzing the metaverse’s value-creation potential and total investment landscape, we examined the drivers of activity among major corporations, venture capital, and private-equity funds. We examined the potential impact of the metaverse on sectors most closely tied to its technology and uses, supplementing our work with additional research, case studies, and real-world examples. The report also includes an in-depth analysis of five industries: apparel, fashion, and luxury; consumer packaged goods; financial services; retail; and telecommunications, media, and technology.

About McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm committed to helping organizations realize sustainable, inclusive growth. We work with clients across the private, public, and social sectors to solve complex problems and create positive change for all their stakeholders. We combine bold strategies and transformative technologies to help organizations innovate more sustainably, achieve lasting gains in performance, and build workforces that will thrive for in this generation and the next.

About Growth, Marketing & Sales, McKinsey & Company
The mission of McKinsey’s Growth, Marketing & Sales Practice is to help leaders of both consumer and business-to-business clients create Growth That Matters through meaningful transformations and marketing-driven profit. The practice helps its clients set their strategic direction, develop their marketing and sales capabilities, and connect their organization to realize the full potential of today’s omnichannel opportunities. Clients benefit from McKinsey’s experience in core areas of growth, marketing and sales such as growth strategy, branding, customer insights, marketing ROI, digital marketing, CLM, pricing, and sales and channel management.

For more information, please contact
US media contact: MaryLiz Ghanem, DiGennaro Communications, McKinsey-DiGennaro@digennaro-usa.com, +1 917 518 8422

UK media contact: Ruth Jones, 3THINKRS, mckinsey@3thinkrs.com, +44 0208 0872843

June 15, 2022

Former President of the Economist, Paul Rossi, Joins SportBusiness Group as CEO

New CEO of SportBusiness Group, Paul Rossi

Paul Rossi, new CEO of SportBusiness Group. Paul joins the Group with a wealth of digital publishing experience, most recently as President of The Economist Group and Publisher of The Economist magazine

LONDON, June 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SportBusiness is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Rossi as the new CEO of SportBusiness Group. Paul joins the Group with a wealth of digital publishing experience, most recently as President of The Economist Group and Publisher of The Economist magazine. It was at the Economist that Paul built that publication from a niche brand, which was dependent on advertising, into a diversified multi-platform business. As a key pillar of its growth strategy, SportBusiness Group has been successfully developing its digital presence for some time. Paul will lead the group’s digital transformation strategy to strengthen its position as the leading provider of data, intelligence and digital services in the business of Sport.

Paul’s work in building The Economist brand and launching new products in education, digital advertising, and marketing services led him to be named Executive of the Year by Adweek, a Top Innovator by Media Business, and recipient of the IAA’s inaugural Global Compass Award, alongside Ogilvy’s Chairwoman, Shelly Lazarus and Unilever’s CEO, Paul Polman.

After leaving The Economist Group in 2017, Paul took on the role of CEO of the independent, New York based branding agency CSA. At CSA and The Economist, Paul advised many of the world’s leading companies on brand and media strategy, especially as they responded to changing technologies, platforms, and consumer behaviour. After selling CSA in 2020, Paul worked as an independent consultant on media and brand strategy.

Paul will be based at SportBusiness’ London headquarters full-time.

As part of the group’s broader growth strategy, a new company, SB Consulting, has been established in Monaco. Roberto Dalmiglio, will be moving to Monaco to drive the success of this business, as its CEO.

Marco Auletta, Chairman of SportBusiness Group, commented:
“We are thrilled to have a CEO of Paul’s calibre joining us at a time when we feel his experience and capabilities can be most effective in driving the business forward. We have significant ambitions for the growth the business and believe that under Paul’s stewardship this potential can be realised.
“We are also very thankful for achievements to date of Roberto Dalmiglio and wish him every success in our new venture, SB Consulting.”

About SportBusiness Group
SportBusiness is the most trusted global intelligence service, providing – through innovative and dedicated digital platforms – unique news, analysis, data and events which deliver competitive advantage to executives in the business of sport such as broadcasters, rights holders, agencies, financial institutions, brands and universities.
Launched in 1996, the company is at the heart of the sports industry, close to the decision-makers who are driving the sector. Headquartered in London, the business has operations in the Americas, Middle East and Asia, including offices in Miami, Dubai and Singapore, giving the Company proximity to many of the leading companies in sport. This enables the respected editorial team to glean insight into commercial strategies, as well as business-critical data, which the Company’s clients can action and use in their businesses. The depth, accuracy and credibility of the Company’s analysis and data on media and sponsorship is what gives it a reputation for market-leading services in the sports business sector.

For more information:
LaPresse SpA Communication and Press Office Director
Barbara Sanicola – barbara.sanicola@lapresse.it

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3113cfd3-3bb7-463b-92e3-472fe613e278

The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.

June 15, 2022

More than 40 anti-regime protesters arrested in Yangon in two days

Myanmar’s military junta is targeting younger protesters in the country’s business capital, Yangon, arresting more than 40 men and women on Monday and Tuesday. Witnesses said those arrested were aged between 18 and 30.

An activist told RFA the military council tracked down the remaining members of an anti-regime group after rounding up protestors in Yangon’s Kyee Myin Daing township on Monday

“Seven or eight people in one house have been arrested. The junta forces are able to find the location of the rest of protesters and arrest them under the pretext of checking household guest lists. Most of the detainees were UGs [underground], supporters of anti-regime leaders and protesters on the ground,” said the person, who declined to be named for safety reasons.

Most of those arrested are from Kyee Myin Daing, San Chaung, Tamwe, Kyauktadar and Yan Kin townships. Junta forces raided their houses day and night under the pretext of checking household lists and forcefully arrested them, sources told RFA.

Protesters still at liberty and their families said the exact whereabouts of the more than 40 detainees are not yet known.

Witnesses and protesters who are currently in hiding said the police and army arrested activists and beat them at their homes, forced them to kneel in the road and tortured them to discover the whereabouts of remaining members.

Calls to a military council spokesman by RFA on Wednesday remain unanswered.

Anti-regime protesters in Yangon on June 3, 2022. CREDIT: Yangon People’s Strike

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said Tuesday that a total of 14,110 Anti-regime activists across the country have been arrested in more than 16 months since the military coup. Of those, 11,053 are still in custody.

Even younger opponents of the regime are being systematically targeted by police and troops according to a report by the United Nations.

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews called on world leaders to “take immediate coordinated action to address an escalating political, economic and humanitarian crisis that is putting Myanmar’s children at risk of becoming a lost generation.”

“During my fact-finding for this report, I received information about children who were beaten, stabbed, burned with cigarettes, and subjected to mock executions, and who had their fingernails and teeth pulled out during lengthy interrogation sessions,” Andrews said, describing the junta’s actions as “war crimes.”

The UN report said at least 142 children have been killed, more than 250,000 have been displaced by the military’s attacks and over 1,400 have been arbitrarily detained since the coup in February, 2021. It said at least 61 children, including several under 3-years-old, are reportedly being held as hostages, while the UN has documented the torture of 142 children since the coup.

June 15, 2022

Membership of a political party ‘cannot be grounds for arrest’ UN group says

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) has criticized the case against a Vietnamese Australian facing a 12-year sentence as lacking grounds for arrest.

The comments came in a report released in the first week of June, concerning the case of Chau Van Kham, an Australian resident and member of the banned U.S.-based Viet Tan opposition party. WGAD also released a report on Nguyen Bao Tien, a driver who volunteered for a publishing house founded by a jailed activist.

According to documents No. 13/2022 and No. 35/2022, approved by WGAD during its 93rd session from March 30 to April 8, 2022, the agency considers the arrests of Tien and Kham to be arbitrary. WGAD called on Vietnam’s government to take the necessary steps to remedy their situation immediately and in accordance with relevant international conventions, including those set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Chau Van Kham, 72, was arrested on January 13, 2019 on charges of “operating to overthrow the people’s administration.”

He was later sentenced to 12 years in prison on another charge of “terrorism aimed at opposing the people’s administration,” because he was a member of Viet Tan, labeled a “terrorist” organization by Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security. Viet Tan was described by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as a moderate activist group advocating for democratic reform.

WGAD said it was not the general rule to arrest Chau Van Kham without a warrant in violation of Article 9 of ICCPR.

The agency said the deprivation of his liberty was arbitrary because he was only exercising the freedoms of conscience and belief as well as the right of expression enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ICCPR. It said Kham’s connection to Viet Tan could not be considered grounds for arrest.

WGAD also criticized Kham’s limited consular access from the Australian Mission in Vietnam and inadequate legal assistance.

In an interview with Radio Free Asia this week, Viet Tan chairman Do Hoang Diem said:

“Right now we are in Australia and the purpose of our trip is to meet Australian politicians and elected officials to campaign for Mr. Chau Van Kham.”

“This UN ruling is very timely. With this verdict, it is clear that Mr. Chau Van Kham is innocent … We will fight for Mr. Kham to be free and return to his family.”

In March the Vietnamese government responded to criticism by saying Kham was arrested for violating Vietnamese law, not for his democratic views. The government said his arrest and sentencing were carried out in accordance with Vietnamese law, consistent with international conventions that Vietnam has ratified.

Hanoi said it had announced that Viet Tan was a terrorist organization with the aim of overthrowing the government by methods such as armed activity, directly threatening national security and social order, and recruiting and training members in the use of weapons and explosives.

The government said Kham illegally entered Vietnam on January 11, 2019, under the direction of Viet Tan, to organize recruitment and training for sabotage and terrorist activities.

Since his arrest, many civic groups and parliamentarians in Australia have called on the government in Canberra to put pressure on the Vietnamese government to secure his release. However, he is still detained and forced to do hard labor in a Vietnamese prison.

In a separate report the working group commented on 36-year-old Nguyen Bao Tien, a book courier and voluntary worker for Liberal Publishing House. The publishing house was founded by imprisoned activist Pham Doan Trang and is not registered with the Vietnamese government,

Tien was arrested on May 5, 2021 on charges of “conducting propaganda against the state” under Article 117 of the Criminal Code. He was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison on January 21 this year.

WGAD said Tien was punished only for peacefully exercising the right to freedom of expression and association as provided for in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ICCPR. It noted that during his detention and trial Tien was deprived of the right to a defense attorney.

In March the Vietnamese government said Tien was arrested for violating national law and that during his arrest and trial, his rights were guaranteed.

The government said Tien owned and distributed 108 books containing content defaming the regime’s policies in order to call for the overthrow of the people’s government.

WGAD operates under the auspices of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with the mandate to “investigate cases of deprivation of liberty imposed arbitrarily or inconsistently with the international standards set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or the international legal instruments accepted by the States concerned.”

In the last five years it has released documents criticizing the arbitrary arrest and conviction of dozens of prisoners of conscience, including Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, Pham Doan Trang, Nguyen Thuy Hanh and Le Van Dung. It has called on the Vietnamese government to release them.

However, Vietnam has sentenced them to lengthy prison terms and placed them in prisons with harsh living conditions.

June 15, 2022

Allmed becomes the first fully MDR compliant haemodialysis product producer in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region

Allmed becomes the first fully MDR compliant haemodialysis product producer in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region

Compliance with EU Medical Devices Regulation (MDR 2017/745) certified by the British Standards Institution (BSI) auditing body

LONDON, UK; 15 June, 2022 – Allmed Medical GmbH, part of Allmed Group (“Allmed” or “the Company”), a producer of end-to-end haemodialysis solutions, today announces that it has received Medical Device Regulation (EU MDR 2017/745) certification from its Notified Body, the British Standards Institution (BSI), ensuring continuous market access of the Company’s haemodialysis products in Europe.

With the certification, Allmed has become the first haemodialysis products producer in the EMEA region to accomplish and certify full MDR compliance on its medical devices.

Ahmed Sorour, Chief Executive Officer at Allmed Group, said: “Allmed’s mission is to make a meaningful difference to people living on dialysis and receiving MDR certification means that we will continue to do so. Becoming the first fully compliant haemodialysis product producer in the EMEA region is a testament to our commitment to delivering high quality, safe solutions to haemodialysis patients, and I am proud of the many months of hard work and commitment by Allmed’s Total Quality Management team.”

Haydar Jaafar, Operations Delivery Director at BSI, commented: “We are delighted to issue the essential MDR certificates to Allmed Medical GmbH, who have prioritised working to the new, more stringent MDR requirements. This achievement is a testament to their commitment to ensuring innovation remains at the forefront of their product development. These life-saving products will support patient safety at a critical time and are a sign of the resilience of our industry.”

The certificate, valid until 2027, will be officially registered on the European Database of Medical Devices and covers the following product groups, which are major components of Allmed’s dialysis portfolio:

Hollow fibre haemodialyzer “POLYPURE® Family sterilized by Steam and Gamma”
Hollow fibre haemodialyzer “BIOREMA® Family sterilized by Steam and Gamma”
Arterial Venous Bloodlines “Sterilized by Gamma and ETO”
Sodium Bicarbonate Cartridge “Non-sterile product”
Dialysis Cleaning/Disinfection Cartridge “Non-sterile product”
Infusion Set “Sterilized by Gamma and ETO”

Additionally, Allmed has successfully passed all MDR-related Quality Management System (QMS) audits and has been granted the corresponding certificate (BS EN ISO 13485:2016+A11:2021) valid until 2025.

About Allmed Group

Allmed Group is a global producer of end-to-end haemodialysis product solutions. It is headquartered in London and has product development and manufacturing operations in Germany and in Egypt. In addition, it has direct sales, marketing & distribution operations in the UK, Brazil, Egypt, Turkey, Poland, Germany and India. The Group employs more than 1,300 staff world-wide and exports to more than 40 countries across the globe.

About European Medical Device Regulation (MDR)

The MDR 2017/745 came into effect in May 2021, replacing the former European Directives for medical devices (AIMDD 90/385/EEC and MDD 93/42/EEC). It is intended to establish a robust, transparent, predictable and sustainable regulatory framework for medical devices to ensure a high level of safety and health whilst supporting innovation. EU MDR has significantly increased the requirements in respect of technical documentation, risk management approach, benefit-risk evaluation, Unique Device Identification (UDI), Economic Operators, clinical evaluation, vigilance, trend reporting and post-market surveillance, with more stringent scrutiny of Competent Authorities and Notified Bodies. It represents the biggest change in European medical device compliance standards in more than 20 years.

For further information, please contact:

Allmed Group
info@allmedgroup.com
Tel: +44-20-8899-6450

Consilium Strategic Communications
Matthew Neal/ Davide Salvi/ Lucie Foster
Tel: +44(0)20-3709-5700
Email: allmed@consilium-comms.com