Day: June 21, 2021

AREA 23, Woojer, and Claire’s Place Foundation Collaborated to Create the World’s First Music-Powered Airway Clearance Vest Revolutionizing Therapy For Children With Cystic Fibrosis

NEW YORK, June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AREA 23, an FCB Health Network company, swept the Cannes Lions health awards circuit, winning the rarely-awarded Pharma Grand Prix alongside one Gold and one Bronze Lions for its ‘SICK BEATS’ innovation created for Woojer.

For 30,000 people in the U.S. living with cystic fibrosis (CF) —a chronic, life-long, and life-shortening disease, involving the buildup of heavy mucus within the lungs – a primary goal of treatment is to keep the airways clear to avoid serious infection. For kids with CF, airway clearance therapy is the worst part of their day. The current approach to airway clearance is bulky vests that pound the chest until the mucus is loosened and coughed out.

Since 2018, Area 23 has been developing an idea to transform this experience and joined forces with Claire’s Place Foundation, a non-profit organization providing support to children and families affected by CF, numerous pulmonologists, and consumer tech company Woojer, to develop a new approach to treatment.

“This recognition from Cannes and the industry is validation that SICK BEATS is a magical idea that has the power to transform lives,” said Tim Hawkey, Chief Creative Officer at Area 23. “Winning the Gold and Bronze Lions would have been rocket fuel for this project, but winning the Pharma Grand Prix is surreal and will help get vests to the kids that need them that much faster.”

Working with Woojer – a pioneer in the field of haptic technology, Area 23 redesigned their consumer haptic vest to create SICK BEATS, the world’s first music-powered airway clearance vest for people with CF. The revolutionary vest uses the clinically proven modality of soundwave therapy to merge the music kids love with the daily treatment they need.

“We always knew that haptic technology had a very wide range of untapped applications,” said Woojer CEO Kfir Bar-Levav. “But in our wildest dreams, we never imagined that our entertainment technology could one day transform such an unpleasant medical procedure into a source of so much fun.”

The SICK BEATS vest syncs with a smartphone to pull therapeutic 40Hz frequencies from music and send them to the chest. The SICK BEATS experience uses a curated Spotify library of 40Hz songs. Kids can find new 40Hz music and create custom therapeutic playlists for the vest, all in the Spotify App.

“Airway clearance was always the most dreaded time of day for my daughter Claire Wineland,” said Claire’s Place Foundation Executive Director Melissa Yeager. “It is such an honor to be part of this collaboration to finally advance airway clearance therapy with the SICK BEATS vest. This project will impact the CF community in many positive ways, a very well deserved recognition.”

The vest is currently in clinical development to demonstrate effectiveness. The road ahead will involve a multicenter trial and application for FDA approval. After FDA approval, the vest is expected to be available at a significantly lower cost compared to current $10,000 vests, creating more accessibility for the CF community.

Pediatric Pulmonologist, Dr. Kate Lewinter, MD who has been studying the effects of 40Hz frequency for years, and is a Co-Medical Director for the SICK BEATS program said: “Given how challenging adherence can be, particularly in the adolescent population, a fun airways clearance regimen can make a huge difference when it comes to clinical outcomes.”

Pulmonologists who are interested in participating in future clinical trials of the vest can contact the Woojer team on SickBeatsVest.com.

About Woojer
Woojer is a pioneer in the field of haptic technology with patented knowhow that enhances the rich emotion of sound and physical sensation. The Woojer product range delivers high fidelity immersiveness that catapults music, gaming, movies and VR to unexpected levels. www.woojer.com

About Claire’s Place Foundation
Claire’s Place Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing support to children and families affected by cystic fibrosis (CF). Claire’s Place Foundation is named in honor of Claire Wineland who lived with CF her entire life and passed away at the age of 21. Claire was an activist, author, TEDx Speaker, social media star and received numerous awards. Claire’s foundation was a way for her to assure that others living with CF enjoyed the same hope, strength and joy that she enjoyed.  Recipient of Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Small Nonprofit of the Year,” the foundation provides grants to families affected by CF, offering both emotional and financial support. Today, Claire’s Place Foundation continues to carry on Claire’s legacy. For more information and to make a donation, please visit www.clairesplacefoundation.org.

About FCB Health Network
FCB Health Network is one of the world’s most awarded communications networks, focused on creating game-changing marketing solutions for consumers, patients and healthcare professionals. With specialized units covering a wide range of health and wellness practices, FCB Health Network employs more than 2,800 people across an extensive global network, delivering multichannel capabilities that include DTC and HCP communications, professional education, branding, scientific services, strategic planning and media services. Its integrated agency offering includes AREA 23, AREA 23 ON HUDSON, BX – Brand Experience Design Group, FCB Health &Robin Copenhagen, FCB Health Afirma Belgrade, FCB Health Amsterdam, FCB Health Brasil, FCB Health Canada, FCB Health Energy Milan, FCB Health Frankfurt, FCB Health Hampshire, FCB Health LL Conseil Paris, FCB Health London, FCB Health Madrid, FCB Health New York, FCB Health Reaktör Istanbul, FCB Health Zurich, FCBCURE, IPG Health Frankfurt, IPG Health Munich, Mosaic Group, Neon, ProHealth, Solve(d), Studio Rx, Trio and YuzuYello. The Network is home to 19 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies and countless startups, biotechs and biopharmaceutical companies. Cannes Lions, the world’s preeminent annual creative awards festival, named the Network’s AREA 23 unit “Healthcare Agency of the Year” in 2017, and named FCB Health Network “Healthcare Network of the Year” in 2018. Medical Marketing & Media (MM&M) named an FCB Health Network company “Agency of the Year” in 2007, 2010, 2015 and 2017. Clio Health Awards named FCB Health Network “Network of the Year” in 2019. In 2020, the Network’s FCB Health New York and FCBCURE units were named to MM&M’s “Best Places to Work” list, marking the third consecutive year that FCB Health New York was honored with the title. In 2021, Med Ad News’ Manny Awards named FCB Health Network “Network of the Year” for the second time in three years. In 10 of the past 12 years, an FCB Health Network company has received the “Most Creative Agency” honor at the Manny Awards, while “Agency of the Year” was awarded in 2006, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020.

Contacts:
FCB Health Network	Woojer	Claire’s Place Foundation
Chido Tsemunhu	Ronit Kakon	Carrie Callahan
chido.tsemunhu@FCB.com	press@woojer.com	carrie@nashcallahan.com
718.500.0944	+972 50-211-0565	617-413-4589

 

LOWELL, Mass., June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rapid Micro Biosystems, Inc., an innovative life sciences technology company providing mission critical automation solutions to facilitate the efficient manufacturing and fast, safe release of healthcare products, is pleased to announce the addition of veteran Asia Pacific (APAC) commercial leader Sean Maynard to support its vision of becoming the trusted standard in the global microbial quality control (MQC) marketplace. In his role as APAC Commercial General Manager, Maynard reports to Scott White, VP of Global Sales, and is based in Singapore.

“I am incredibly excited to welcome Sean to our team,” said White. “I believe he has the right experience to lead our APAC expansion with both new and current customers who use our technology to support the manufacture of drug products such as biologics, sterile injectables, cell and gene therapies, and vaccines.”

Maynard’s background includes 15 years leading commercial sales teams in the APAC region, most recently achieving strong growth results as the APAC commercial leader for the microbiology division at Thermo Fisher Scientific, based in Singapore. He holds a program certificate from Harvard Business School, as well as a Diploma of Applied Science in Biological Chemistry Technology from University of Western Sydney.

Rapid Micro Biosystems CEO Robert Spignesi described Maynard’s hiring as a strategic move aimed at expanding the company’s presence in the APAC region. “There is significant demand for our Growth Direct^® platform from pharmaceutical manufacturers in Asia Pacific,” said Spignesi. “With Sean’s addition, coupled with continued investment in APAC, we believe we are well-equipped to capitalize on our significant growth potential in the region.”

About Rapid Micro Biosystems

Rapid Micro Biosystems is an innovative life sciences technology company providing mission critical automation solutions to facilitate the efficient manufacturing and fast, safe release of healthcare products such as biologics, vaccines, cell and gene therapies, and sterile injectables. The company’s flagship Growth Direct^® platform automates and modernizes the antiquated, manual microbial quality control (MQC) testing workflows used in the largest and most complex pharmaceutical manufacturing operations across the globe. The Growth Direct^® platform brings the quality control lab to the manufacturing floor, unlocking the power of in-line/at-the-line MQC automation to deliver faster results, greater accuracy, increased operational efficiency, better compliance with data integrity regulations, and quicker decision making that customers rely on to ensure safe and consistent supply of important healthcare products. The company is headquartered and has U.S. manufacturing in Lowell, Massachusetts, and global locations in Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. For more information visit www.rapidmicrobio.com. Follow RMB at @rapidmicrobio or LinkedIn.

Contact(s)

Courtney Makolandra
Rapid Micro Biosystems
CMakolandra@rapidmicrobio.com
978.349.3200

Lens® decision intelligence platform connects the dots across a rapidly changing energy landscape

LONDON/HOUSTON/SINGAPORE, June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wood Mackenzie, the leading provider of commercial intelligence for the world’s natural resources sector, today welcomes Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners as a development partner for the industry-leading Lens decision intelligence platform.

With its analytics-ready power and renewables data integrated into a single platform, Lens Power enables organisations to maximise investment opportunities in clean energy and be on the forefront of the energy transition.

Wood Mackenzie, a Verisk business (Nasdaq:VRSK), is collaborating with early adopters to design a power solution that provides a holistic understanding of what is happening in the world of energy, allowing organisations to analyse, screen and value assets or companies quickly and confidently to improve profitability and minimise risk.

Global Power Generation Assets by Energy Source

Source: Wood Mackenzie Lens Power

Matt Overbeck, Wood Mackenzie Senior Vice President, Head of Power and Renewables, said: “We’ve been in the power modelling business for a decade and have invested heavily to build out our energy transition division, both organically and through acquisition. We’re delighted to partner with Quinbrook, a specialist investment management firm focused exclusively on low carbon and renewable energy infrastructure investment and operational asset management.”

Quinbrook is widely recognised for making positive contributions towards Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing, winning multiple awards for its Low Carbon Power Fund, and for its role as a value-add investment manager of clean energy infrastructure.

William Blake, Senior Vice President at Quinbrook, said: “Partnering with an established global energy data analytics company like Wood Mackenzie offers us a collaborative and responsive setting to discuss, implement, and improve the data, technology, and tools that aid our evaluation and monitoring of market trends and investment opportunities across the clean energy landscape.

“The energy transition to a zero-carbon future is driving a significant amount of investment opportunity, but it is also spawning new and complex risks for investment managers and market participants to navigate. Identifying, understanding, and actively addressing these risks head-on is fundamental to our approach in creating long-term and resilient asset value for our investors.

“Having access to the Wood Mackenzie Lens Power platform provides us with data-driven insight critical in supporting a disciplined underwriting when allocating our investor’s capital.”

Lens Power, integrating conventional power, solar, wind, energy storage, and hydrogen data sets in an integrated and easy-to-use platform, is attractive to energy players in the financial, utility, manufacturing, and oil and gas sectors.

About Wood Mackenzie Lens®
Wood Mackenzie’s Lens® platform is the industry standard in critical decision-support, harnessing the power of big data to provide answers to complex questions, enabling customers to manage their operations, processes, and capital swiftly and efficiently, wherever they are. https://www.woodmac.com/wood-mackenzie-lens-power/

For further information contact:
Laura Hindley
Senior Global PR Manager
laura.hindley@woodmac.com

About Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie, a Verisk Analytics business, is a trusted source of commercial intelligence for the world’s natural resources sector. We empower clients to make better strategic decisions, providing objective analysis and advice on assets, companies, and markets. For more information, visit: www.woodmac.com or follow us on Twitter @WoodMackenzie

WOOD MACKENZIE is a trademark of Wood Mackenzie Limited and is the subject of trademark registrations and/or applications in the European Community, the USA and other countries around the world.

About Quinbrook
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (www.quinbrook.com) is a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on lower carbon and renewable energy infrastructure investment and operational asset management in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. Quinbrook is led and managed by a senior team of power industry professionals who have collectively invested over US $8 billion of equity in energy infrastructure assets since the early 1990s, representing a total enterprise value of US $28.7 billion or 19.5 GW of power supply capacity. Quinbrook’s investment and asset management team has offices in Houston, London, Jersey, and the Gold Coast of Australia. Quinbrook’s global investment and portfolio company teams are actively developing and constructing a portfolio exceeding 17GW of onshore wind, solar PV, reserve peaking power, battery storage projects, grid support infrastructure, Virtual Power Plants and Community Energy Networks across the U.S., U.K., and Australia.

About Verisk
Verisk (Nasdaq:VRSK) provides predictive analytics and decision support solutions to customers in the insurance, energy and specialized markets, and financial services industries. More than 70 percent of the FORTUNE 100 relies on the company’s advanced technologies to manage risks, make better decisions and improve operating efficiency.

The company’s analytic solutions address insurance underwriting and claims, fraud, regulatory compliance, natural resources, catastrophes, economic forecasting, geopolitical risks, as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters. Celebrating its 50^th anniversary, the company continues to make the world better, safer and stronger, and fosters an inclusive and diverse culture where all team members feel they belong. With more than 100 offices in nearly 35 countries, Verisk consistently earns certification by Great Place to Work.

For more: Verisk.com, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

ZHUHAI, China, June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jafron Biomedical, a pioneer in the blood purification industry, announced it’s founding the Global Advisory Board, which includes the world’s top medical experts in clinical research and critical care medicine.

The six members of the recently founded Global Advisory Board include: Prof. Claudio Ronco, Full Professor of Nephrology at the University of Padova, Italy; Prof. Rinaldo Bellomo, Head of Research of the Department of Intensive Care at the Austin Hospital of Melbourne, Australia; Prof. Thomas Rimmelé, Chief of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine of Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France; Dr. John R. Prowle, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Intensive Care Medicine at Barts, UK; Dr. Antoine Schneider, intensive care specialist at the Adult Intensive Care Unit at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) of Lausanne, Switzerland; Prof. Olivier Joannes-Boyau, Associate Head of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care department SUD at Bordeaux University Hospital, France.

This international non-commercial expert team funded by Jafron Biomedical aims to establish reliable, evidence-based data to further guide the application of hemoadsorption therapy. “Very pleased to join the advisory board. Through the screening of published clinical experience and further trials, the Advisory Board is committed to providing the medical community with further guidance and new solutions for the clinical usage of MOST (multi-organ support therapy),” said Prof. Rinaldo Bellomo.

“We are honored to have the support of an outstanding group of world-renowned clinicians and researchers in these fields. Their international leadership, extensive clinical expertise will be invaluable in the future development of Jafron”, stated Mr. Dong Fan, Founder and Chairman of Jafron. “This is a successful model of cross-field cooperation between research and industry in coordination with our Global Senior Consultant Mr. Jean Paul Menneguerre, which will make a great contribution in critical care and help more patients in the future.”

Prof. Claudio Ronco is a Full Professor of Nephrology at the University of Padova, Italy. He is also director of the Department of Nephrology and the International Renal ResearchInstitute (IRRIV) of San Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy. He is considered a pioneer in many areas of nephrology, including peritoneal dialysis, critical care nephrology, CRRT, cardiorenal syndromes, and wearable dialysis technology. He has received several international awards and invented the first CRRT machine for neonates CARPEDIEM (Cardio-Renal Pediatric Dialysis Emergency Machine).

Prof. Rinaldo Bellomo is Director of Intensive Care Research at the Austin Hospital; Professor of Intensive Care Medicine, University of Melbourne. Together with Dr. Prof. Ronco, Prof. Bellomo has been a lead investigator in the field of blood purification in sepsis, renal replacement therapy, and multi-organ support therapy for three decades with hundreds of publications in these fields of research and clinical practice.

Prof. Thomas Rimmelé is the Chairman of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France, and Chairman of the Department of Organ Harvest Coordination for the Hospices Civils de Lyon. Prof. Rimmelé’s academic interests include blood purification for sepsis, acute kidney injury, renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit, and simulation in healthcare. He is also the co-director of the simulation center at Lyon University.

Dr. John R. Prowle is an Honorary Consultant Physician in Intensive Care Medicine and Renal Medicine at The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK. Dr. Prowle’s academic interests include the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment, and Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury, Continuous Renal Replacement Therapies in the ICU, Fluid Therapy, and Medical Complications of Major Surgery.

Dr. Antoine Schneider works as an attending physician at the Adult Intensive Care Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland. His area of research entitles renal perfusion, epidemiology of acute renal failure, and blood purification. He is currently the deputy chair of the AKI section of the ESICM and Course Director of the CRRT masterclass.

Prof. Olivier Joannes-Boyau, MD, is a full-time clinician in a 35 beds intensive care unit in a tertiary university hospital in Bordeaux (France). He has worked in the field of acute kidney injury, Renal Replacement Therapy, and multi-organ support therapy for about 20 years. He is the president of the ICU committee at the French society of anesthesiology and critical care (SFAR), a member of the European society of intensive care (ESICM), and the International Pan-Arab critical care medicine society (IPACCMS).

Please visit en.jafron.com to learn more about the hemoadsorption therapy and services offered.

About Jafron: Jafron Biomedical is an A-shared GEM listed corporation established in 1989. As pioneer enterprise in hemoadsorption industry, Jafron provides comprehensive solutions with full line hemoperfusion products including HA Series Hemoperfusion Cartridges, BS Bilirubin Adsorption Column and DNA Immunoadsorption Column. Annually there are over 3 million cases using Jafron hemoadsorption therapy in more than 80 countries, 6000 major hospitals worldwide. With the support of its new Global Advisory Board, Jafron strives to contribute the global medical community with more extensive research and guidance in blood purification and its cutting-edge technology.

Media Contacts
Company name: Jafron Biomedical Co., Ltd
Address: No. 98 Technology Six Road, High-tech Zone,Zhuhai City, China
Phone Number: +86-756-3689708
Website: en.jafron.com
Jafronclub: https://www.jafronclub.com

WATERLOO, Ontario, June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq: DSGX) (TSX: DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announces that online Swiss beauty vendor haar-shop.ch AG significantly improved order fulfillment productivity by over 40% and increased its warehouse utilization rate by more than one third by using Descartes’ cloud-based ecommerce warehouse management solution (WMS).

As haar-shop.ch‘s online business grew, it quickly became clear that manual fulfillment processes needed to be modernized. Its existing inventory management system did not offer advanced warehouse management capabilities such as “chaotic warehousing,” which speeds the put away process and maximizes warehouse space utilization. Employee processing and warehouse capacity quickly reached their limits. “We had sorted the shelves by brand, so every employee was required to memorize the product location in the warehouse,” said Markus Stoller, Head of IT at haar-shop.ch. “Our warehouse operations were inefficient as a result, and we couldn’t implement multi-order picking to improve employee productivity.”

With the Descartes solution, haar-shop.ch not only optimized the use of warehouse space, but also significantly increased shipping speed. “Our goals were exceeded. We gained over 35% storage space and increased productivity in order fulfillment by more than 40%,” Stoller explained. “By automating fulfillment processes, manual steps are reduced, which initiated massive changes in daily routines, but definitely paid off quickly. In fact, the benefits we had aimed for were achieved in only two weeks!”

Part of Descartes’ ecommerce solution suite, the Descartes Ecommerce WMS solution helps direct-to-consumer brands, ecommerce retailers, and traditional retailers rapidly scale in combination with providing a remarkable customer experience. The solution helps ensure that clients can ship on time, ship the right items, do not oversell existing inventory, and have full transparency into warehouse operations. The Descartes Ecommerce WMS solution is pre-integrated to major ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Magento or Shopware to accelerate implementation and time to value. Order information is automatically available to be executed via mobile driven multi-order pick-and-pack strategies and then fed into parcel shipment systems.

“The Descartes solution can help haar-shop.ch’s warehouse logistics processes scale along with their online store’s sales growth. We’re very proud to be able to support haar-shop.ch in offering its customers an outstanding shopping and delivery experience,” said Dirk Haschke, VP & General Manager, Ecommerce at Descartes. “For companies with ecommerce warehouse operations, excellence in order fulfillment is a key element for sustainable, successful business growth.”

About haar-shop.ch AG

Launched around 11 years ago, haar-shop.ch is the Swiss online specialist for professional hair and beauty products, now offering over 21,000 products. Based in Uetendorf in the canton of Bern, the company employs around 70 people. haar-shop.ch not only offers a wide range of products, but its customers also benefit from attractive prices and fast, reliable delivery. For more information, visit https://www.haar-shop.ch/en/.

About Descartes

Descartes (Nasdaq: DSGX) (TSX: DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, performance and security of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, schedule, track and measure delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Global Media Contact
Andra Schaz                                                       
Tel: +49 (0)89 961 60 61 66                            
aschaz@descartes.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ solution offering and potential benefits derived therefrom including potential efficiency gains and potential productivity improvements; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada including Descartes most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Summary:

• Centrient Pharmaceuticals has started production at its newly built statins API manufacturing unit in Toansa, India.
• With this expansion the company is doubling its production capacity of Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin, meeting the increased demand for its high-quality uniquely produced statins.
• Centrient Pharmaceuticals’ statins are one of the most sustainably produced in the industry by eliminating harmful solvents, generating less waste, and a reduced carbon footprint of 32% as compared to traditional manufacturers.
• Using backward integrated manufacturing methods, and dedicated production facilities, Centrient Pharmaceuticals is able to offer its customers security of supply.

Centrient Pharmaceuticals (“Centrient”), the global leader in sustainable antibiotics, next-generation statins and anti-fungals, announced today to have started production at its new statins manufacturing unit. With the building of its second dedicated unit on the Toansa site in India now completed, the company will double its statins production capacity. This will enable Centrient to meet growing demand for its sustainably manufactured Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).

Statins are currently the most prescribed drug class globally for the treatment of high cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases and are among the top-selling drugs worldwide. The markets for Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin in particular, has shown steady growth in the past years, as a result of the continued global prevalence of high cholesterol issues, replacement of older generation statins, and genericization of the market.

Starting almost a decade ago, Centrient has grown today into one of the leading statin API suppliers worldwide, servicing large pharma companies around the globe.

Next to high-quality features like long shelf life and large batch sizes, the company offers security of supply to customers through its dedicated statins production facility and backward integration. Being backward integrated, Centrient is independent from external imports of starting materials. Its enzymatic route of synthesis and patented technology minimise the use of harmful solvents, generate less waste, and reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 32% as compared to traditional manufacturers.

The news of the facility expansion follows major milestones on statins that the company reached in the past years. In 2012, under the name of DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals, it was the first pharmaceutical manufacturer worldwide to offer generic Atorvastatin APIs under a Certificate of Suitability to the Monograph of the European Pharmacopoeia (CEP). Since 2014, it has produced the unique Atorvastatin APIs in its state-of-the-art facility in Toansa, India for third-party customers.

In addition, the company was one of the first three companies worldwide that started to offer generic Rosuvastatin APIs under CEP in 2016. Two years later, the first generic Rosuvastatin and Atorvastatin finished dosage forms were launched in Western Europe.

“With the doubling of our production capacity, we demonstrate our commitment to maintain our leadership position in line with our strategy and to continue supporting our customers’ business growth. Guided by our brand promise of Quality, Reliability, and Sustainability, Centrient’s Rosuvastatin and Atorvastatin offer superior performance in all three areas to the benefit of our customers and the environment.”, says Frans Vlaar, Chief Commercial Officer at Centrient.

Ground breaking of the new manufacturing unit started at the end of 2019 and commercial supplies from the new unit will start in mid-2021. With the new manufacturing line being operational and doubling the production capacity, Centrient will be even better positioned to secure supply, meeting the growing demand from customers and helping to improve the lives of patients who are in need of these medicine.

“We are extremely proud that we have been able to complete this project in a timely way given the challenges of executing such a complex project in the midst of the COVID pandemic,” says Jim McPherson, Chief Quality & Technical Operations Officer. “It reinforces our absolute commitment to meet the expectations of our customers as a partner of choice – delivering reliable and secure supply using leading sustainable technologies. The facility incorporates design features that allow further improvements in GMP and energy utilization, and enable greater automation for improved process control.”

———————————————————————————————————————————–

About Centrient Pharmaceuticals

Centrient Pharmaceuticals is the leading manufacturer of beta-lactam antibiotics, and a provider of next generation statins and antifungals. We produce and sell intermediates, active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished dosage forms.

We stand proudly at the centre of modern healthcare, as a maker of essential and life-saving medicines. With our commitment to Quality, Reliability and Sustainability at the heart of everything we do, our over 2200 employees work continuously to meet our customers’ needs. We work towards a sustainable future by actively participating in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Founded 150 years ago as the ‘Nederlandsche Gist- en Spiritusfabriek’, our company was known as Gist Brocades and more recently DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals. Headquartered in Rotterdam (Netherlands), we have production facilities and sales offices in China, India, the Netherlands, Spain, Egypt, the United States and Mexico. Centrient Pharmaceuticals is wholly owned by Bain Capital Private Equity, a leading global private investment firm.

For more information please visit www.centrient.com or contact Centrient Pharmaceuticals Corporate Communications, Alice Beijersbergen, Director Branding & Communications. E-Mail: alice.beijersbergen@centrient.com.

Forward-looking statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to Centrient Pharmaceuticals’ future financial performance and position. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of Centrient and information currently available to the company. Centrient cautions readers that such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and therefore it should be understood that many factors can cause actual performance and position to differ materially from these statements. Centrient has no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release, unless required by law. The English language version of the press release is governing.

Alice Beijersbergen
Centrient Pharmaceuticals
alice.beijersbergen@centrient.com

London/Sioux Falls, June 21, 2021

CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the capital stock of Raven Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: RAVN), a US-based leader in precision agriculture technology for US$58 per share, representing a 33.6% premium to the Raven Industries 4-week volume-weighted average stock price, and US$2.1 billion Enterprise Value. The transaction will be funded with available cash on hand of CNH Industrial. Closing is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including approval of Raven shareholders and receipt of regulatory approvals.

The acquisition builds upon a long partnership between the two companies and will further enhance CNH Industrial’s position in the global agriculture equipment market by adding strong innovation capabilities in autonomous and precision agriculture technology.

“Precision agriculture and autonomy are critical components of our strategy to help our agricultural customers reach the next level of productivity and to unlock the true potential of their operations,” said Scott Wine, Chief Executive Officer, CNH Industrial. “Raven has been a pioneer in precision agriculture for decades, and their deep product experience, customer driven software expertise and engineering acumen offer a significant boost to our capabilities. This acquisition emphasizes our commitment to enhance our precision farming portfolio and aligns with our digital transformation strategy. The combination of Raven’s technologies and CNH Industrial’s strong current and new product portfolio will provide our customers with novel, connected technologies, allowing them to be more productive and efficient.”

“Our Board and Management are excited about this partnership and what it means for our future,” said Dan Rykhus, President & Chief Executive Officer for Raven Industries. “For 65 years, our company has been committed to solving great challenges. Part of that commitment includes delivering groundbreaking innovation by developing and investing in our core capabilities and technology. By coming together with CNH Industrial, we believe we will further accelerate that path as well as bring tremendous opportunities and value to our customers — once again fulfilling our purpose to solve great challenges. Our relationship with CNH Industrial has expanded over decades, and we have a deep respect for one another and a shared commitment to transform agriculture practices across the world. We look forward to CNH Industrial leveraging the Raven talent and culture, as well as the Sioux Falls community, as part of their vision and future success.”

“Raven Industries’ capabilities, innovation culture, entrepreneurial spirit and engineering talent are impressive and will continue to thrive as part of the CNH Industrial family. Sioux Falls is and will continue to be a true center of excellence,” added Wine. “We are incredibly excited to collaborate in bringing our customers more integrated precision and autonomous solutions, not only to improve productivity and profitability, but also promote more sustainable solutions and environmental stewardship. Together, our teams will create a stronger business for our employees, dealer network, and customers, enabling us to shape the future of agriculture, augment our world-leading sustainability credentials, and maximize our growth opportunities.”

Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Raven Industries is organized into three business divisions: Applied Technology (precision agriculture), Engineered Films (high-performance specialty films) and Aerostar (aerospace) with consolidated net sales of US$ 348.4 million for the twelve months ended January 31, 2021. The company is a global technology partner for key strategic OEMs, agriculture retailers and dealers. The transaction is expected to generate approximately US$400 million of run-rate revenue synergies by calendar year 2025, resulting in US$150 million of incremental EBITDA from synergies.

The Engineered Films and Aerostar segments are industry leaders in the high performance specialty films and stratospheric platform industries, respectively, and CNH Industrial believes they represent attractive independent businesses with excellent near and long-term potential. Accordingly, CNH Industrial plans to undertake a strategic review of each business to best position them for future success and maximize shareholder value.

CNH Industrial does not expect the proposed acquisition will have any impact on its guidance for 2021. The acquisition is expected to be funded with Group consolidated cash¹ not affecting third party debt of industrial activities². Cash consideration for the transaction is not included in the free cash flow definition, and consequently it will not affect its free cash flow guidance for the FY 2021E.

Barclays and Goldman Sachs acted as financial advisors to CNH Industrial and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as its legal advisor. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as financial advisor to Raven and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP as its legal advisor.

Conference Call

CNH Industrial will host an investor conference call today at 2:30 p.m. CEST/ 1:30 p.m. BST/ 8:30 a.m. EDT to discuss this transaction. The call can be followed live online at this link and a recording will be available later on the Company’s website www.cnhindustrial.com. A presentation will be made available on the CNH Industrial website prior to the call.

About CNH Industrial
CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI /MI: CNHI) is a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Each of the individual brands belonging to the Company is a major international force in its specific industrial sector: Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Steyr for tractors and agricultural machinery; Case and New Holland Construction for earth moving equipment; Iveco for commercial vehicles; Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus for buses and coaches; Iveco Astra for quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus for firefighting vehicles; Iveco Defence Vehicles for defence and civil protection; and FPT Industrial for engines and transmissions. More information can be found on the corporate website: www.cnhindustrial.com

About Raven Industries, Inc.
Raven Industries (NASDAQ: RAVN) provides innovative, high-value products and systems that solve great challenges throughout the world. Raven is a leader in precision agriculture, high-performance specialty films, and aerospace and defense solutions, and the company’s groundbreaking work in autonomous systems is unlocking new possibilities in areas like farming, national defense, and scientific research. Since 1956, Raven has designed, produced, and delivered exceptional solutions, earning the company a reputation for innovation, product quality, and unmatched service. For more information, visit https://ravenind.com.

Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. In connection with the proposed transaction, Raven Industries, Inc. (“Raven”) will file a proxy statement on Schedule 14A with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), as well as other relevant materials regarding the transaction. Following the filing of the definitive proxy statement, Raven will mail the definitive proxy statement and a proxy card to its shareholders in connection with the transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF RAVEN ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CNH INDUSTRIAL N.V. (“CNH INDUSTRIAL”), RAVEN, THE TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain copies of the proxy statement (when available) as well as other filings containing information about CNH Industrial and Raven, without charge, at the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov, and Raven stockholders will receive information at an appropriate time on how to obtain transaction-related documents free of charge from Raven.

Participants in Solicitation
Raven and its directors and executive officers, and CNH Industrial and its directors and executive officers, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Raven is set forth in the proxy statement for Raven’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 9, 2021. Information about the directors and executive officers of CNH Industrial is set forth in CNH Industrial’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020, which was filed with the SEC on March 3, 2021. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interest of such participants by reading the proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the proposed transaction between CNH Industrial and Raven, including statements regarding the benefits of the transaction, the anticipated timing of the transaction, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties with respect to the transaction, CNH Industrial’s, Raven’s and/or the combined group’s estimated or anticipated future business, performance and results of operations and financial condition, and other statements that are not historical facts. These statements may include terms such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “could”, “should”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “remain”, “on track”, “design”, “target”, “objective”, “goal”, “forecast”, “projection”, “outlook”, “prospects”, “plan”, or similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Rather, they are based on CNH Industrial’s and Raven’s current state of knowledge, expectations and projections about future events and are by their nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. They relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur or exist in the future and, as such, persons reading this communication are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them.
These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; the risk that Raven stockholders may not approve the transaction; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or that such approvals will subject to conditions that are not anticipated; risks that any of the other closing conditions to the proposed transaction may not be satisfied in a timely manner; adverse effects on CNH Industrial’s or Raven’s operating results because of a failure to complete the proposed transaction; the failure to realize the expected benefits and synergies of the pending acquisition; the failure to successfully and effectively integrate Raven’s businesses; significant transaction costs and/or unknown or inestimable liabilities; risks related to potential litigation associated with the proposed transaction; risks related to financial community and rating agency perceptions of each of CNH Industrial and Raven and its business, operations, financial condition and the industry in which it operates; risks related to the disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed merger; failure to realize the benefits expected from the proposed merger; effects of the announcement, pendency or completion of the proposed transaction on the ability of CNH Industrial or Raven to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers, and on their operating results and businesses generally; general economic and business conditions that affect the combined companies following the consummation of the pending acquisition, including the significant economic uncertainty and volatility caused by COVID 19; changes in government policies regarding banking, monetary and fiscal policy; legislation, particularly pertaining to capital goods-related issues such as agriculture, the environment, debt relief and subsidy program policies, trade and commerce and infrastructure development; government policies on international trade and investment, including sanctions, import quotas, capital controls and tariffs; volatility in international trade caused by the imposition of tariffs, sanctions, embargoes, and trade wars; development and use of new technologies and technological difficulties; and other similar risk and uncertainties and the success of CNH Industrial and Raven in managing the risks and uncertainties involved in the foregoing. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may give rise to risks that are currently unknown or amplify the risks associated with the foregoing factors.
Any forward-looking statements contained in this document speak only as of the date hereof and CNH Industrial and Raven disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Further information concerning CNH Industrial and Raven and their respective businesses, including additional risks and uncertainties, are included in CNH Industrial’s reports and filings with the SEC, the Autoriteit Financiële Markten and Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa and Raven’s reports and filings with the SEC.

Media Contacts:

CNH Industrial
Email: mediarelations@cnhind.com

Richard Gadeselli, Tel: +44 207 7660 346
Francesco Polsinelli, Tel: +39 335 1776091
Rebecca Fabian, Tel: +1 312 515 2249

Raven Industries
Email: media@ravenind.com

Margaret Carmody, +1 605 336 2750

Investor Relations

CNH Industrial
Email: investor.relations@cnhind.com

Federico Donati, Tel: +44 207 7660 386
Noah Weiss, Tel: +1 630 887 3745

Raven Industries
Email: irinfo@ravenind.com

Jared Stearns, Tel: +1 605 336 2750

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1 Consolidated cash refers to Cash and Cash Equivalents of the Group, which amounted to $7.1 billion at the end of March 2021
2 Third party debt of Industrial Activities amounted to $6.3 billion at the end of March 2021

Attachment

• 20210621_PR_CNH_Industrial_Raven

Partnership brings popular esports tournament 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour to APAC audience

NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J., June 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kiswe, the global interactive video company, and Rock Entertainment Holdings announced a collaboration to easily and cost-effectively localize the world’s biggest esports tournaments for broadcast in the APAC region. The partnership will enable Rock Entertainment to bring esports content from around the world and make it specific to APAC, creating fully immersive, customized gaming experiences for players and fans in their native language.

As part of the collaboration, Kiswe Studio localized popular esport tournament 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour Stage 1 and 2 – Challengers Hong Kong/ Taiwan for Rock Entertainment and then streamed onto their linear channel “Blue Ant Extreme” in March and April 2021. Viewers can also look out for 2021 VALORANT Champions Tour Stage 3 Finals – Challengers Hong Kong/ Taiwan LIVE in July 2021, as well as other upcoming esport matches.

The esports industry is forecasted to reach $1.5B for 2023. Yet despite being virtual, many tournaments are currently being produced with commentary, graphics, and video that cater only to local markets, missing a huge opportunity to extend their reach and monetize much broader audiences. Kiswe Studio empowers event organizers to create and scale personalized content anywhere and in any language.

The partnership will allow esports producers and casters to work remotely, eliminating travel and equipment costs and risks associated with onsite production, and creating new opportunities to offer premium content and competitions and grow diverse audiences. Networks will also have the ability to cost-effectively localize games, tap new markets for innovative content, and open up new monetization avenues. Gamers can look forward to watching and interacting with bespoke, top-tier competitive gaming content from around the world in their own native languages.

“We are excited to be working with Kiswe to bring Valorant and other live and localized esports broadcasts to our viewers across Asia,” said Beatrice Lee, CEO Asia Pacific, Rock Entertainment Holdings. “This partnership is about delivering the content our esports fans love in a personalized and inclusive way.”

“The globalization of exports also necessitates its localization and simple translation is not enough,” said Kiswe CEO, Mike Schabel. “Kiswe Studio can adapt esports games from anywhere so that even the most subtle cultural nuances are captured for any region, delivering the most enjoyable gaming experiences.”

About Kiswe
Kiswe is an interactive video company that creates real-time live streams to engage digital audiences and unique communities around the world. Kiswe’s award-winning technology also unlocks ways for people to stay connected over live events through a content creation and mobile platform that bridges media companies with consumers. Kiswe is headquartered in New Jersey, USA and has offices in New York, Seoul, Belgium, and Singapore. Learn more at www.kiswe.com.

About Rock Entertainment:
Rock Entertainment distributes content on a branded and unbranded basis across the globe. Offerings include natural history, factual, entertainment, short-form digital and pre-school kids programming that engage audiences worldwide through multiple platforms, including television, digital, OTT and live events. Rock Entertainment’s channel business offers a portfolio of media brands such as Love Nature 4K, ZooMoo Networks (International), Smithsonian Channel (Asia, Middle East & Africa + Turkey), Blue Ant Entertainment (Asia), Blue Ant Extreme (Asia) and Makeful (Asia), with a catalogue of 2,000+ hours of content, including the largest 4K natural history offering on the market.

About Blue Ant Extreme:
Blue Ant Extreme is a channel fully dedicated to extreme content. Audiences can expect adrenaline-pumping, exclusive content across a variety of genres, including extreme sports, reality, paranormal, gaming and adventure. Spine thrilling series include Paranormal Survivor and My Worst Nightmare; extreme adventure content with Spy Games, Ninja Warrior UK and Conquering Northern China; and exciting gaming action from celebrated digital brands, Arcade Cloud and Wisecrack.

Cassady Nordeen
Purpose Worldwide
Cassady@purposenorthamerica.com
(718) 644-0273