July 24, 2023

Curia expands biologics capabilities with access to Touchlight’s doggybone DNA

Curia collaborates with Touchlight to expand its mRNA manufacturing offering to enable access to enzymatic doggybone DNA (dbDNA)

ALBANY, N.Y. and HAMPTON, United Kingdom, July 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Curia, a leading contract research, development and manufacturing organization, and Touchlight, a company pioneering enzymatic DNA production, today announced an agreement which will provide Curia and its clients a streamlined means of access to Touchlight’s doggybone DNA (dbDNA). The arrangement expands Curia’s mRNA manufacturing offerings with an additional differentiated source of DNA raw material that is immediately available to be accessed by Curia customers. Under the arrangement, Touchlight will directly manufacture dbDNA on behalf of Curia’s customers.

“Curia remains committed to strengthening our biologics offerings and end-to-end mRNA manufacturing capabilities,” said Christopher Conway, President of R&D, Curia. “With the addition of enzymatic DNA through our partnership with Touchlight, our customers will have a critical advantage in terms of scalability and speed to market.”

Touchlight’s dbDNA is a linear, double-stranded, covalently-closed DNA vector. DNA serves as the template for making mRNA therapies. Through a simple enzymatic process called in vitro transcription, genetic information is copied from DNA to mRNA. This mRNA is then able to teach the cells to make precise proteins that are used to treat or prevent diseases. Touchlight’s enzymatic DNA is produced with a cell-free enzymatic process that offers unmatched benefits in speed, quality and capacity when compared to traditional plasmid DNA production.

Karen Fallen, CEO, Touchlight commented: “We are delighted to work with Curia in order to further expand access to dbDNA as a critical starting material. Working in parallel with fellow CDMOs is a key component of our focus upon enabling broad market access to dbDNA. Curia is building a comprehensive mRNA solution, and this arrangement enables both companies to extend their offering to a wider audience.”

Touchlight’s dbDNA is a novel solution that is widely applicable and versatile, advancing Curia’s mRNA manufacturing capabilities as a complement to its bioprocessing-grade plasmid offering.

About Curia

Curia is a leading contract research, development, and manufacturing organization providing products and services from R&D through commercial manufacturing to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical customers. Curia’s nearly 4,000 employees at 29 locations across the U.S., Europe, and Asia help its customers advance from curiosity to cure. Learn more at CuriaGlobal.com.

About Touchlight

Touchlight is a privately-owned CDMO based in London, U.K., focused on providing DNA services and manufacturing enzymatically produced doggybone DNA (dbDNA) to enable the development of genetic medicines. Touchlight provides rapid, enzymatic DNA development and manufacturing for all advanced therapy production, including mRNA, viral and non-viral gene therapy, and DNA API. dbDNA is a minimal, linear, covalently closed structure, which eliminates bacterial sequences. Touchlight’s revolutionary enzymatic production platform enables unprecedented speed, scale, and the ability to target genes with a size and complexity that is impossible with current technologies. Clients can be supported from pre-clinical through development and supply to licensing and tech transfer for use in-house.

Curia Contact Information:
Viana Bhagan
+1 518 512 2111
corporatecommunications@CuriaGlobal.com

Touchlight contact information:

Karen Fallen, Chief Executive Officer
Robin Bodicoat, Head of Marketing
E: info@touchlight.com
T: +44 20 8481 9200

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8879177

July 24, 2023

OPEN Health announces a new team of experts will lead its HEOR & Market Access Scientific Office

London, UK, July 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OPEN Health, a global provider of consultancy, HEOR and market access, and scientific communications services, today announced a new team of experts will lead its HEOR & Market Access Scientific Office. This expert team will be led by Dr. Elisabeth Fenwick as Chief Scientific Officer with support from Professor Ben van Hout as Scientific Founder.

Both Elisabeth and Ben joined OPEN Health through its acquisition of Pharmerit International. Elisabeth Fenwick is most widely known for working on the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC), creating the cost-effectiveness acceptability frontier, and for her work in value of information analyses for research decisions. She has over 20 years of experience in the industry and has published more than 50 publications globally. Ben van Hout is most commonly known for being one of the co-founders of the EQ-5D (a standardized measure of health-related quality of life) and as the developer of the CEAC. He was also one of the first researchers to perform a discrete event simulation and is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. He has over 35 years of experience in the industry and was honored with the ISPOR Avedis Donabedian Outcomes Research Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

“The purpose of the Scientific Office is to ensure that science is at the center of everything we do. Our scientific experts are here to support the HEOR and market access team with their amazing research developing innovative solutions.” Elisabeth commented.

The Scientific Office is made up of experts who bring unique skillsets from across OPEN Health’s HEOR & market access service areas. The appointed team consists of Maarten Treur, MSc, Vice President and Global Head of Modeling & Meta-Analysis; Dr. Viktor Chirikov, Director of Real‑World Evidence & Data Analytics; Dr. Marco Boeri, Director of Preference Research in Patient-Centered Outcomes; and Emanuele Arcà, MSc, Senior Research Consultant in Strategic Market Access. Craig Bennison, MSc, Executive Director and Global Innovation Lead for OPEN Health HEOR & Market Access, will also join the team and will focus specifically on innovation.

“Over the last few years, the scientific contributions and leadership of these experts have played instrumental roles in shaping our reputation and research efforts, working in partnership with our clients to improve health outcomes and patient wellbeing,” said Richard Jones, President of OPEN Health Evidence & Access. “This team will ensure our scientific expertise, thought leadership, and innovation stay front and center of our HEOR and market access offering.”

To learn more about the team of experts in the Scientific Office, please explore this interactive publication.

About OPEN Health

OPEN Health unites deep scientific knowledge with wide-ranging specialist expertise to unlock possibilities that improve health outcomes and patient wellbeing. Working in partnership with our clients, we embrace our different perspectives and strengths to deliver fresh thinking and solutions that make a difference. OPEN Health is a flexible global organization that solves complex healthcare challenges across HEOR and market access, medical communications and creative omnichannel campaigns. For more information on OPEN Health, visit www.openhealthgroup.com.

Candice Subero
OPEN Health
candicesubero@openhealthgroup.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8878752

July 24, 2023

Sharp drop in grain production in Jendouba

Grain production in the governorate of Jendouba fell sharply this season, with an estimated harvest of around 309,000 quintals compared with 1.9 million quintals in 2022.

The quantities collected in the governorate of Jendouba up to July 24 have reached 309,000 quintals, or 98% of the total grain harvest in the region, a source at the Local Authority for Agricultural Development said.

Estimates by the latter, based on a production of 500,000 quintals, were revised after rain damaged 200,000 quintals of the harvest.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

July 24, 2023

Devastating fires engulf Melloula Village, residents evacuated

Devastating fires have once again erupted in the locality of Melloula in Tabarka, of Jendouba Governorate, encircling the village from all sides, as Civil Protection agents proceed with the evacuation of its inhabitants.

“The situation is serious and frightening,” emphasised local director of Civil Protection in Jendouba Adel Abidi, attributing the resurgence of fires to the intense heatwave coupled with strong winds and the persistence of fire hotspots that broke out in the region last week.

A number of Melloula village residents have fled the area in a state of high alert, hastily grabbing a few household supplies, fearing they might be caught in the flames.

They have urged the authorities to expedite intervention and mobilise all available resources to combat the immense fires.

In response to this disaster, Jendouba Governor Samir Kouka called on central authorities to dispatch military firefighting aircraft to the scene and provide exceptional logistical support to contain the fire, which continues to expand and is now heading towards the outskirts of Tabarka town.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

July 24, 2023

Fire under control n Chotrana, Ariana

Civil protection units succeeded, on Monday afternoon, in bringing under control a fire which broke out in three different places located at avenue El Bassatine de Chotrana 1 in Soukra (governorate of Ariana).

Colonel Jamel Ouerfelli, Regional Director of Civil Protection, told TAP that, according to preliminary information, the fire was caused by a falling electricity pole, adding that no material or human damage had been caused.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

July 24, 2023

FIFA to grant FTF TND 9 million to upgrade sports infrastructure

FIFA had approved the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF)’s strategic programme for upgrading its sports infrastructure and had agreed to granting some TND 9 million (around $3 million), FTF President Wadie Jari announced on Monday.

The FTF had submitted a file to the FIFA setting out its strategic plans to upgrade its infrastructure.

The agreement had been reached following a recent inspection by a team commissioned by the FIFA, Jari added.

The latter voiced in a statement, his gratitude to the FIFA for its ongoing support to the FTF, adding that the international authority does not grant any aid without ensuring the transparency of the federations’ financial transactions.

Jari further pointed out that the FIFA had approved new projects to equip the federation’s sports medicine centre with the most advanced medical and paramedical equipment, which was 95% complete, as well as the construction of an academy for referees and a residence for women’s teams, adding that this work would continue until 2026.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

July 24, 2023

Nakuru Boosts HPV Vaccination Efforts

Nakuru County Government, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), has rolled out a campaign to raise awareness about the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and enhance vaccination uptake among 10-year-old girls against HPV, said to be the major cause of cervical cancer.

The County Nursing officer, Wendy Tirop, said at least 5,200 women in the country are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, with more than 2,000 dying from the disease.

Tirop regretted that women dying from cervical cancer in the county were more than those dying from maternal complications, adding that they were committed to changing the trends through the enhancement of public health services and ensuring that teachers and students are knowledgeable about HPV issues.

She said that the HPV vaccination was most effective when administered to girls before they are sexually active, regretted that signs of apathy towards the HPV vaccine, which have been witnessed in the country, especially among religious leaders, were on the rise, and advised that citizens should be educated on its economic benefits.

‘The vaccine targets the HPV subtypes, which are accountable for more than 70 per cent of cervical cancers. Many might not see the immediate effect of the vaccine, so that is why they might procrastinate. We are exploring a number of strategies and creating awareness to make people care about the benefits,’ she explained.

Tirop lamented that the HIV agenda had been pushed so much that the country had forgotten about other equally lethal sexually-transmitted viruses such as HPV, a virus she described as a viral infection that spreads through sexual contact and affects both males and females.

The Nursing Officer warned that while HPV infection is cleared away naturally by the immune system of some people, in others the virus could persist and cause cervical cancer within a number of years if no early interventions are taken.

‘In HIV-positive women, it takes even less time for the virus to cause cervical cancer. HPV also causes non-cancerous, nipple-like bumps called warts on the skin in the genital area or in other parts of the body, as well as ulcerations. She explained that the ulcerations may make women more vulnerable to other STIs, such as HIV.

She noted that unlike other STIs, HPV infection causes havoc silently, adding that it does not produce any symptoms until in its advanced stages, when it has caused cervical cancer.

Tirop explained that men often carry the virus and transmit it to women during sex, while in men the infection is often linked to penile, anal, and throat cancers, though cases are still rare in Kenya.

The Nursing Officer pointed out that despite the huge dangers posed by HPV, an overwhelming majority of Kenyans remained unaware of the virus and how to protect themselves.

‘Not knowing that HPV causes cervical cancer is like not knowing that HIV causes AIDS. Just like HIV testing is done to identify those infected before they progress to the stage of immunodeficiency, so should HPV be tested before women progress to the pre-cancerous and cancer stages, because once identified as positive, someone can be treated,’ she explained.

‘The fact that less than 5% of women in Kenya know about the link between HPV and Cervical Cancer should be a wake-up call to all stakeholders to raise public awareness so that they can protect themselves,’ she added.

Tirop advised Kenyan women to seek regular cervical cancer screening to avoid falling victim to the deadly virus.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the deadly virus, which has no cure yet and is spread through vaginal, oral, and anal sex, has become so common that nearly all sexually active women get it at some point in their lives.

The screening can be done using a Pap smear or Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA). The two methods check if the virus has caused any abnormal changes in the cervix associated with cervical cancer and give early treatment before it becomes full-blown cancer.

In October 2009, Kenya became the 16th country in Africa to introduce the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine into its routine immunisation schedule. This vaccine targeted 800,000 girls aged 10 years.

According to the World Health Organisation, HPV is medically attributed as the most prominent single contributor to cervical cancer.

The virus plays the most central role in the development of this type of cancer. Currently, there are about 100 types of HPV. At least fourteen of these HPV types cause cancer. Two HPV types, known as 16 and 18, cause 70 percent of cervical cancers and lesions.

Cervical cancer is currently ranked as the second-most common cancer among women in the country. It is also ranked as the most common cancer among women aged between 15 and 44 years.

Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. In 2018 alone, 18.1 million new cases were diagnosed worldwide, with 9.6 million deaths reported.

The World Health Organisation says that there are three types of HPV vaccines. These include the bivalent, quadrivalent, and nonavalent vaccines.

‘All three vaccines are highly efficacious in preventing infection with virus types 16 and 18, which together are responsible for approximately 70 percent of cervical cancer cases globally,’ says the WHO.

WHO explains that the quadrivalent vaccine is also highly efficacious in preventing anogenital warts, which is a common genital disease that is almost always caused by infection with HPV types 6 and 11.

‘The nonavalent vaccine provides additional protection against HPV types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58,’ states the WHO.

Meanwhile, according to the WHO, HPV vaccination can prevent more than 90 percent of cancers that are caused by HPV infections.

This is echoed by the CDC, which states that with the administration of the HPV vaccine, infections that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts drop by as much as 88 percent among teenage girls and 81 percent among young adult women.

Source: Kenya News Agency

July 24, 2023

Nyeri Partners With MasterCard Foundation To Boost Digital Economy

Nyeri is partnering with the MasterCard Foundation and other stakeholders through a public-private Partnership (PPP) to ensure the establishment of Innovation and ICT hubs at the Asian Quarters Bus Termini in Nyeri County.

This initiative will provide an enabling space for the youth’s skills development and use of technology for creativity, as well as provide them with a platform to source for online jobs.

Subsequently, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, together with his Deputy David Kinaniri Waroe, held a meeting with a team from the Master Card Foundation led by David Bagenda, who had paid a courtesy call to the governor’s office.

Kahiga said the county government is committed to supporting digital transformation in partnership with the private sector and other development partners.

The governor noted that these efforts are geared towards adopting sustainable technology innovations that will have a greater impact on livelihoods and create sustainable solutions through job creation for young people.

‘With the youth population growing so rapidly in Kenya, a lot of them enter the labour market each year, thus creating a high rate of unemployment that the government is now trying to address through the online platform,’ he said.

Kahiga said digital advancements were changing the world of work. It is estimated that over the next 10 years, 9 out of 10 jobs globally will require digital skills.

The governor said his administration has contributed to digital transformation and youth empowerment through partnerships with several organisations, which have created jobs for youth in the county.

On his part, Bagenda said the Master Card Foundation will also provide open spaces for entrepreneurship and establish Digital Libraries in the area, which will provide a portal for residents to access information electronically, thus providing them with speedy and broad access to information.

Source: Kenya News Agency

July 24, 2023

Sh105 Million Allocated For Nile Co-Operation Climate Resistance Project

The World Bank has allocated Sh. 105 million towards the implementation of the Nile Co-operation Climate Resistance Project.

The implementation of the project will be undertaken in all seven East African partner states, namely Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Southern Sudan.

Lake Victoria Basin Commission Deputy Executive Secretary Eng. Colletha Ruhamya confirmed that the bank has already committed to supporting the initiative, whose main aim is to improve mechanisms for cooperation on water resources management and development in the Nile Basin.

Eng. Ruhamya said that through the funding, the commission will implement water quality in the Lake Victoria sub-basin, harmonise policy, and develop a strategy and action plan.

She said, ‘We appreciate the great support of the World Bank coming at a time when a huge population of people living within the Nile basin is facing major problems. This funding will go a long way in sorting out the existing challenges.’

Eng. Ruhamya said the activities will be covered in all seven Nile equatorial lake countries and the East African partner states.

She said the overall objective of the activity will be to harmonise and strengthen the water quality policies that govern the sub-basin countries.

In addition, Eng. Ruhamya said the commission is in discussion with the World Bank on maritime issues, remote sensing for water quality, and Lake water level monitoring.

‘The permanent secretaries from the seven partner states have committed to ensuring that they mobilise resources that will help in the smooth implementation of these projects,’ she said.

The Nile basin has been facing serious threats, among them deforestation, overgrazing, and soil erosion due to poor agricultural practises within the lake catchment.

The sustainability of water supply in the context of an increased human population and persistent drought has also been identified as a major challenge affecting people living within the basin.

Lake Victoria, which is the second-largest freshwater body in the world, is also faced with pollution that threatens both human and aquatic life.

Eng. Ruhamya said the East Africa Cooperation (EAC) body has developed a consultation plan that has been validated by all seven member states.

‘As a commission, we are focusing on ensuring that the lake is well conserved by emphasising the reduction of plastic waste,’ she said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

July 24, 2023

Teen Climate Activists Step Up Fight Against Climate Change

As the climate clock ticked below six years on Saturday, teen climate activists in Kisumu urged the government to take immediate action to avert the adverse effects of climate change.

The Climate clock is a system devised by scientists and organisations worldwide showing how much time is left before continued CO2 emissions lock in at least 1.5 degrees of global warming, a key threshold for global climate goals under the Paris Agreement 2015.

Through the Kisumu Environmental Champions, an organisation which runs a campaign to clean up and restore Lake Victoria, the activists want the government to develop a policy on plastics and enforce a ban on single-use plastic bags to save the lake’s ecosystem.

The organisation representative, George Bush, speaking during Climate Emergency Day celebrations, said plastic pollution was a threat to the existence of the lake, which is a source of livelihood for millions of people.

Bush said the lake was instrumental in Kenya’s climate mitigation measures, urging the government to urgently address pollution concerns facing the water body.

He said Kisumu Environmental Champions has rolled out an initiative dubbed, Let Lake Victoria Breath Again, which targets to restore the lake ecosystem for the benefit of future generations.

‘We are engaged in cleanups and tree planting, where we are supporting the county government of Kisumu’s initiative to plant three million trees. We are also creating awareness about the relationship between the lake and climate change,’ he said.

The activities, the group representative said, were in line with Sustainable Development Goals 13, 14, and 15, which address climate change, life below water, and life on land.

Bush lauded the county government of Kisumu for adopting the campaign slogan, while calling on other county governments within the lake region to follow suit to ensure that the lake is conserved.

The government, he added, must reach out to Uganda and Tanzania, which share the lake, to scale up conservation measures.

‘Climate change is affecting communities differently. That is why we are calling on the government to undertake urgent measures to bring the climate situation to the green line because if steps are not taken within the next five years, then we’ll be in a crisis,’ Bush said.

On his part, Let Lake Victoria Breath Again Campaign Director Clive Henry called for a scale-up of interventions by the government and the private sector to cut green gas emissions.

‘As the clock is ticking down to five years, it means that we are entering into a period where humanity has to act on all fronts to enhance renewable energy and climate mitigation measures,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency