Artificial Intelligence
OpGen Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results and Provides Business Update
- OpGen takes strategic steps to expand the Unyvero platform and product pipeline, to focus on the pending Acuitas AMR Gene Panel (isolates) FDA clearance and expects to invest significantly in bioinformatics
- OpGen subsidiary Ares Genetics received notification of exercise of option to negotiate for a potential future license by its IVD Partner
- OpGen has discontinued Acuitas AMR Gene Panel (urine) clinical trial and will discontinue FISH product line globally by mid-2021
- Total Revenue for Q3 2020 was approximately $1.1 million dollars
- Maintained strong balance sheet with $10.5 million cash as of September 30, 2020
Conference call to be held at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time today
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Nov. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OpGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPGN, “OpGen”), a precision medicine company harnessing the power of molecular diagnostics and bioinformatics to help combat infectious disease, reported today its financial and operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and provided a business update. Total OpGen revenue for the third quarter of 2020 was approximately $1.1 million, up from $0.6 million in the third quarter of 2019. The financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2020 reflect the consummation of our business combination with Curetis GmbH on April 1, 2020. OpGen’s cash as of September 30, 2020 was approximately $10.5 million. The company has access to an additional $6.4 million under its expanded ATM program and has 594,000 warrants outstanding at an average exercise price of $2.16. In addition, the Company continues to have access to an additional €5.0 million tranche of non-dilutive debt financing for COVID-19 related R&D programs from the European Investment Bank.
As previously reported, OpGen announced details regarding a strategic reprioritization of its product portfolio, platform pipeline and priorities going forward. This reprioritization was based on feedback from extensive market research, a customer survey of 150 stakeholders in the decision making on new diagnostic platforms, and key-opinion-leader interviews conducted by an independent market research firm over the past two quarters. Following a review of this research, OpGen and its board decided to consolidate the company’s product portfolio on its proprietary Unyvero platform and unique bioinformatics capabilities. As a result of this change in priority, the company anticipates the following key impacts:
- Product portfolio going forward is centered around rapid, molecular diagnostic platform offerings and increased focus on value added bioinformatics solutions, including Ares Genetics’ next generation sequencing-based and artificial intelligence powered AMR and AST prediction capabilities.
- Following the successful completion of the three phases of the partnered R&D program as announced in the during our second quarter 2020 earnings call, Ares Genetics has recently received formal notification from its undisclosed global leading IVD corporation partner that they have exercised their option to exclusively negotiate with Ares Genetics the scope and terms of a potential exclusive license or other arrangement with Ares to Ares Genetics’ technology in the field of human clinical diagnostics in the coming months.
- Platform consolidation to realize significant operational synergies and cost savings over time as fewer products and platforms would need to be maintained from a regulatory, quality management and logistics and service standpoint.
- Unyvero platform and product portfolio to be expanded beyond lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia (LRT / LRT BAL) to include complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and invasive joint infections (IJI) in the U.S. with clinical trials for future FDA submission and clearance anticipated to start in 2021. Similar products in both clinical indication areas using the same sample types have already been successfully developed and CE-IVD marked and are commercially available in Europe and other markets.
- Recent notification from the FDA has indicated that the agency plans to continue prioritizing emergency use authorization (EUA) requests for diagnostic products intended to address the COVID-19 pandemic for at least the remainder of the year, which will impact the statutory review periods for ongoing submissions. During this time, the FDA plans to provide monthly updates regarding the ongoing impact of such prioritization of EUAs on our Acuitas AMR Gene Panel for Isolates submission. Despite such impact, OpGen has remained in open and ongoing dialogue with the FDA regarding the status of the Acuitas AMR Gene Panel for Isolates submission since our October 2020 formal response to the FDA’s Additional Information (AI) requests. If the Acuitas AMR Gene Panel for Isolates is cleared by the FDA, OpGen anticipates swift commercial launch in the U.S. in the following months.
- Legacy FISH products business including Quick FISH® and PNA FISH® to be discontinued by mid-2021 in Europe, the U.S. and rest of world with last production lots to be manufactured in early 2021. All customers in the U.S. and distributors in Europe have been informed of the discontinuation and OpGen expects last stocking orders to come in by year-end with several orders already received.
- Acuitas AMR Gene Panel (urine) clinical trial has been discontinued and all clinical trial sites have been notified as focus shifts to Unyvero platform for complicated UTI indication as well as additional future applications.
Oliver Schacht, President and CEO of OpGen commented, “Reprioritization efforts including the consolidation of our product portfolio highlights our focus on rapid, molecular diagnostic offerings and bioinformatics as we look to 2021 and beyond. Additionally, the discontinuation of the Acuitas AMR Gene Panel (urine) clinical trial and the Legacy FISH products business will result in significant operational synergies and cost savings for OpGen. We believe this shift will create meaningful, long term shareholder value for our investors, partners and healthcare provides alike as we continue to establish ourselves as industry leaders in molecular diagnostics and bioinformatics space.”
Third Quarter and Nine Month 2020 Financial Results
- Total revenue for the third quarter of 2020 was approximately $1.1 million, up from $0.6 million in the third quarter of 2019. Total revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $2.9 million, compared with $2.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019;
- Operating expenses for the third quarter of 2020 were $7.2 million, compared with $4.1 million in the third quarter of 2019. Operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 were $19.6 million, compared with $12.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019;
- The net loss for the third quarter of 2020 was $7.7 million or $0.40 per share, compared with $3.5 million or $3.95 per share in the third quarter of 2019. The net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $19.1 million or $1.36 per share, compared with a net loss of $9.9 million or $13.32 per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2019; and
- Cash and cash equivalents were $10.5 million as of September 30, 2020.
The company also announced accomplishment of the following key milestones in the third quarter of 2020 and year to date:
- OpGen’s subsidiary Curetis GmbH obtained CE mark certification in the European Union for its own SARS-CoV-2 Kit with PULB for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
- OpGen announced that subsidiary Ares Genetics GmbH won the Austrian national digitization award and was also nominated for the 40th Austrian Innovation Award for its artificial intelligence powered, next-generation sequencing based molecular antibiotic susceptibility test marketed under the brand name ARESupa – Universal Pathogenome Assay.
- OpGen’s subsidiary Curetis GmbH was awarded EUR 350 thousand in non-dilutive grant funding in a collaboration project with InfectoGnostics campus at Jena University Hospital.
- OpGen announced the award of a German Federal Government grant to its subsidiary, Curetis GmbH, and collaborators Carpegen GmbH and the Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine of the LMU Ludwig-Maximilians University to collaborate on a project focused on travel related and enteric diseases in small animals.
- OpGen’s subsidiary Ares Genetics GmbH in collaboration with researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, announced the publishing of a peer-reviewed study on modifiable risk factors for the emergence of ceftolozane-tazobactam resistance in P. aeruginosa in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
- OpGen announced the release of a new peer-reviewed publication that demonstrates the clinical utility of the Unyvero LRT panel and its potential impact on antibiotic use in hospitalized patients with suspected pneumonia compared to treatment directed based on microbiological culture results.
- OpGen successfully completed its study collaboration with Karolinska Institutet on bacterial co-infections in COVID-19 pneumonia patients and data on the Unyvero HPN Panel was presented by the Karolinska investigators at ECCVID 2020.
- OpGen significantly improved its working capital position in the third quarter of 2020 through the sale of approximately 1.8 million shares of common stock under the company’s ATM program and the exercise of warrants from the October 2019 financing for gross proceeds of $4.3 million during the third quarter. During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company sold approximately 11.4 million shares of common stock under the company’s ATM program and upon exercise of warrants from the October 2019 offering for gross proceeds of $24.4 million.
- The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) concluded its investigation of the OpGen business combination with Curetis with regards to its impact on the public order and security of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as national healthcare interests in the light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. No further action is expected from the Federal government on this matter.
Mr. Schacht commented, “I am pleased with our third quarter financial results and am encouraged by the exciting business updates that were issued this quarter including the CE mark certification for our SARS-CoV-2 Kit, notable awards and grants, peer-reviewed publications and the submission of our formal response letter to the FDA, which upon continued positive interactions with the FDA, makes us believe there should be a near-term clearance decision once the COVID-19 related FDA delays allow the agency to respond. In addition to the business and pipeline progress achieved this quarter, we are excited to provide further details about our reprioritization strategy aimed at creating both near-term and long-term growth potential for the company. As we wrap up 2020 OpGen is in a strong position to achieve pipeline and growth targets in the years ahead and I look forward to the company’s continued successes.”
Conference Call Information
OpGen’s management will host a conference call today, November 11 at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss the third quarter financial results and other business activities, as well as answer questions. Dial-in information is below:
Dial-in Information
U.S. Dial-in Number: +1 (877) 705 6003
International Dial-in Number: +1 (201) 493 6725
Webcast: http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=142176
Conference ID: 13712431
Following the conclusion of the conference call, a replay will be available through November 25, 2020. The live, listen-only webcast of the conference call may also be accessed by visiting the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.opgen.com. A replay of the webcast will be available following the conclusion of the call and will be archived on the Company’s website for 90 days. Replay access information is below:
Replay Information
U.S. Dial-in Number: +1 (844) 512 2921
International Dial-in Number: +1 (412) 317 6671
Replay PIN: 13712431
About OpGen, Inc.
OpGen, Inc. (Gaithersburg, MD, USA) is a precision medicine company harnessing the power of molecular diagnostics and bioinformatics to help combat infectious disease. Along with subsidiaries, Curetis GmbH and Ares Genetics GmbH, we are developing and commercializing molecular microbiology solutions helping to guide clinicians with more rapid and actionable information about life threatening infections to improve patient outcomes, and decrease the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms, or MDROs. OpGen’s product portfolio includes Unyvero, Acuitas AMR Gene Panel and Acuitas® Lighthouse, and the ARES Technology Platform including ARESdb, using NGS technology and AI-powered bioinformatics solutions for antibiotic response prediction.
For more information, please visit www.opgen.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes statements regarding OpGen’s third quarter 2020 results, the company’s strategic portfolio and product pipeline priorities, the ongoing integration of OpGen with its acquired subsidiaries, Curetis GmbH and Ares Genetics GmbH, and the impact of COVID-19 on the company and general market conditions. These statements and other statements regarding OpGen’s future plans and goals constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict, are beyond our control, and which may cause results to differ materially from expectations. Factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those described include, but are not limited to, our ability to successfully, timely and cost-effectively develop, seek and obtain regulatory clearance for and commercialize our product and services offerings, the rate of adoption of our products and services by hospitals and other healthcare providers, the realization of expected benefits of our business combination transaction with Curetis GmbH, the success of our commercialization efforts, the impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s operations, financial results, and commercialization efforts as well as on capital markets and general economic conditions, the effect on our business of existing and new regulatory requirements, and other economic and competitive factors. For a discussion of the most significant risks and uncertainties associated with OpGen’s business, please review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are based on our expectations as of the date of this press release and speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
OpGen:
Oliver Schacht
President and CEO
[email protected]
OpGen Press Contact:
Matthew Bretzius
FischTank Marketing and PR
[email protected]
OpGen Investor Contact:
Megan Paul
Edison Group
[email protected]
OpGen, Inc. | |||||||
Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||||||
(unaudited) | |||||||
September 30, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | ||||||
Assets | |||||||
Current assets | |||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 10,488,072 | $ | 2,708,223 | |||
Accounts receivable, net | 423,432 | 567,811 | |||||
Inventory, net | 2,975,060 | 473,030 | |||||
Note receivable | — | 2,521,479 | |||||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 1,072,364 | 396,760 | |||||
Total current assets | 14,958,928 | 6,667,303 | |||||
Property and equipment, net | 3,370,847 | 130,759 | |||||
Finance lease right-of-use assets, net | 571,329 | 958,590 | |||||
Operating lease right-of-use assets | 1,373,418 | 1,043,537 | |||||
Goodwill | 8,057,894 | 600,814 | |||||
Intangible assets, net | 16,071,680 | 817,550 | |||||
Other noncurrent assets | 300,744 | 203,271 | |||||
Total assets | $ | 44,704,840 | $ | 10,421,824 | |||
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | |||||||
Current liabilities | |||||||
Accounts payable | $ | 1,240,351 | $ | 1,056,035 | |||
Accrued compensation and benefits | 2,003,002 | 855,994 | |||||
Accrued liabilities | 2,664,581 | 1,046,661 | |||||
Deferred revenue | 51,622 | 9,808 | |||||
Short-term notes payable | 1,156,517 | 373,599 | |||||
Short-term finance lease liabilities | 348,000 | 579,030 | |||||
Short-term operating lease liabilities | 1,142,435 | 1,017,414 | |||||
Total current liabilities | 8,606,508 | 4,938,541 | |||||
Note payable | 18,159,433 | 329,456 | |||||
Deriviative liabilities | 74,239 | — | |||||
Long-term finance lease liabilities | 76,701 | 313,263 | |||||
Long-term operating lease liabilities | 554,295 | 547,225 | |||||
Other long term liabilites | 154,716 | – | |||||
Total liabilities | 27,625,892 | 6,128,485 | |||||
Commitments | |||||||
Stockholders’ equity | |||||||
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively | — | — | |||||
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 19,799,348 and 5,582,280 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively | 197,993 | 55,823 | |||||
Additional paid-in capital | 208,892,463 | 178,779,814 | |||||
Accumulated deficit | (193,625,510 | ) | (174,524,983 | ) | |||
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) | 1,614,002 | (17,315 | ) | ||||
Total stockholders’ equity | 17,078,948 | 4,293,339 | |||||
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ | 44,704,840 | $ | 10,421,824 | |||
OpGen, Inc. | |||||||||||||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss | |||||||||||||||
(unaudited) | |||||||||||||||
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||
2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||||||||
Revenue | |||||||||||||||
Product sales | $ | 601,562 | $ | 573,035 | $ | 1,569,799 | $ | 1,597,505 | |||||||
Laboratory services | 112,892 | 185 | 138,884 | $ | 5,435 | ||||||||||
Collaboration revenue | 342,311 | 75,000 | 1,153,400 | 1,075,000 | |||||||||||
Total revenue | 1,056,765 | 648,220 | 2,862,083 | 2,677,940 | |||||||||||
Operating expenses | |||||||||||||||
Cost of products sold | 1,350,296 | 262,373 | 2,340,766 | 681,568 | |||||||||||
Cost of services | 159,794 | 196,184 | 550,115 | 592,647 | |||||||||||
Research and development | 2,433,553 | 1,139,369 | 6,630,134 | 4,069,335 | |||||||||||
General and administrative | 2,356,413 | 1,560,706 | 6,549,432 | 4,901,136 | |||||||||||
Sales and marketing | 932,671 | 376,955 | 2,258,980 | 1,142,755 | |||||||||||
Transaction costs | — | 538,061 | 470,322 | 538,061 | |||||||||||
Impairment of intangible assets | — | — | 750,596 | — | |||||||||||
Impairment of right-of-use asset | — | — | — | 520,759 | |||||||||||
Total operating expenses | 7,232,727 | 4,073,648 | 19,550,345 | 12,446,261 | |||||||||||
Operating loss | (6,175,962 | ) | (3,425,428 | ) | (16,688,262 | ) | (9,768,321 | ) | |||||||
Other (expense) income | |||||||||||||||
Interest and other income/(expense) | 19,965 | 1,043 | 101,644 | (8,213 | ) | ||||||||||
Interest expense | (1,183,927 | ) | (49,099 | ) | (2,267,085 | ) | (142,672 | ) | |||||||
Foreign currency transaction losses | (501,168 | ) | (8,954 | ) | (794,832 | ) | (9,426 | ) | |||||||
Change in fair value of derivative financial instruments | 165,497 | — | 548,008 | 67 | |||||||||||
Total other expense | (1,499,633 | ) | (57,010 | ) | (2,412,265 | ) | (160,244 | ) | |||||||
Loss before income taxes | (7,675,595 | ) | (3,482,438 | ) | (19,100,527 | ) | (9,928,565 | ) | |||||||
Provision for income taxes | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||
Net loss | $ | (7,675,595 | ) | $ | (3,482,438 | ) | $ | (19,100,527 | ) | $ | (9,928,565 | ) | |||
Net loss per common share – basic and diluted | $ | (0.40 | ) | $ | (3.95 | ) | $ | (1.36 | ) | $ | (13.32 | ) | |||
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic and diluted | 19,116,864 | 882,280 | 14,016,896 | 745,471 | |||||||||||
Net loss | $ | (7,675,595 | ) | $ | (3,482,438 | ) | $ | (19,100,527 | ) | $ | (9,928,565 | ) | |||
Other comprehensive income – foreign currency translation | 1,266,901 | 7,298 | 1,631,317 | 5,174 | |||||||||||
Comprehensive loss | $ | (6,408,694 | ) | $ | (3,475,140 | ) | $ | (17,469,210 | ) | $ | (9,923,391 | ) |
Artificial Intelligence
More than $9 Million Awarded to High School Scientists and Engineers at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024
Grace Sun, 16, receives $75,000 Top Award for a new kind of organic electrochemical transistor at the world’s largest pre-college science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition.
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Society for Science (the Society) announced that Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won the $75,000 top award, the George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award, named in honor of the pioneering drug researcher and Regeneron co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer, in the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition. Other top prizes went to projects in second-order cone programming, microplastics filtration and multi-sensory therapy for dementia.
The top winners were honored during two award ceremonies: the Special Awards on May 16 and the Grand Awards Ceremony on the morning of May 17. In total, over $9 million USD was awarded to the finalists based on their projects’ creativity, innovation and depth of scientific inquiry. The competition featured nearly 2,000 young scientists representing 49 U.S. states and nearly 70 countries, regions and territories across the world.
Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won first place and received the $75,000 George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award for her research on building a better organic electrochemical transistor that she hopes will be used to develop new electronic devices that could help detect and treat serious illnesses like diabetes, epilepsy and organ failure. To overcome the problems that have previously prevented such devices from working effectively inside the body, Grace developed a new way of chemically treating their organic components, which greatly improved their laboratory performance.
Michelle Wei, 17, of San Jose, California, received one of two Regeneron Young Scientist Awards of $50,000 for her research to improve the speed and efficiency of a type of software that is useful in many fields such as machine learning, transportation and financial systems. Michelle’s new approach involved determining a quick approximate solution to the second-order cone programming problem, then splitting the initial cone into smaller cones, which enabled her new algorithm to greatly outperform previous approaches.
Krish Pai, 17, of Del Mar, California, received the second Regeneron Young Scientist Award of $50,000 for his machine-learning research to identify microbial genetic sequences that can be modified to biodegrade plastic. His new software, called Microby, scans databases of microorganisms and determines which ones can be changed genetically to biodegrade plastics. In tests, he identified two microorganisms that can be genetically modified to degrade plastic at a cost he believes would be ten times less than traditional recycling.
“Congratulations to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024 winners,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, Society for Science and Executive Publisher, Science News. “I’m truly inspired by the ingenuity and determination shown by these remarkable students. Coming from around the world with diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines, these students have shown that it is possible to come together in unity to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our world today, and I could not be prouder.”
Regeneron ISEF provides a global stage for the world’s best and brightest young scientists and engineers. Through this competition, Regeneron and the Society are fostering the next generation of STEM leaders who are pioneering solutions to improve our world. Since 2020, Regeneron has provided STEM experiences to approximately 2.4 million students, on track to meet its goal of 2.5 million by 2025.
“The talent, intelligence and potential of this year’s Regeneron ISEF finalists is truly inspiring, and I congratulate each on their remarkable achievements,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. “Science competitions like ISEF were pivotal in shaping my own career and fueling my passion to fight back against disease. I look forward to seeing these students continue to push the boundaries of science and technology to create positive and sustainable change for all humanity.”
Other top honors from the competition include:
Justin Huang and Victoria Ou, both 17, of Woodlands, Texas, received the Gordon E. Moore Award for Positive Outcomes for Future Generations of $50,000 for their new prototype filtration system that uses ultrasonic waves to remove microscopic plastic particles from water. In lab tests, the acoustic force from the high-frequency sound waves removed between 84% and 94% of the suspended microplastic particles in a single pass. The students are now working to scale up and fine-tune their experimental system.
Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, 17, of Hong Kong, China received the Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation of $10,000 for her research on using a multi-sensory therapy for dementia patients. Her mixed therapy app would allow patients to practice physical and cognitive skills through a personalized, immersive environment using virtual reality headsets. Ingrid conducted an eight-week study with six people living with dementia and found that the cognitive function of patients who used her prototype improved in several areas. She believes her app could serve as a viable option for dementia patients with limited access to in-person professional therapy.
Tanishka Balaji Aglave, 15, of Valrico, Florida, received the H. Robert Horvitz Prize for Fundamental Research of $10,000 for her investigation into a natural alternative treatment against citrus greening, a disease that threatens citrus farming in many parts of the world and is currently only treated with antibiotics. Tanishka injected the trunks of infected trees with an extract from the curry leaf tree, and found through tests that this potential method could effectively and sustainably manage citrus greening disease.
Maddux Alexander Springer, 18, of Honolulu, Hawaii, received the Peggy Scripps Award for Science Communication of $10,000 for his research into fibropapillomatosis (FP), a disease that is the primary cause of death in green sea turtles. Some turtles he studied in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, were stricken with a disease that causes internal and external tumors that inhibit their everyday lives. After analyzing the turtles’ diet of green algae, Maddux concluded that this disease, wastewater, invasive algae and the amino acid arginine all pose a grave risk to these endangered sea creatures.
Ria Kamat, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey; Anna Oliva, 17, of Houston, TX; and Shuhan Luo, 18, of Worcester, MA, received the Dudley R. Herschbach SIYSS Award, which provides finalists an all-expense paid trip to attend the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar during Nobel Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Jack Shannon, 18, of Clane, Kildare, Ireland, and Nikhil Vemuri, 17, of Cary, North Carolina, received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. Their projects will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Katowice, Poland.
For more information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
The full list of Special Award ISEF 2024 Finalists can be found at https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-special-awards-winners.
In addition to the Top Award winners, more than 450 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research, including “First Award” winners, who each received a $5,000 prize.
The following lists the First Award winners for each of the 22 categories, from which the Top Awards were chosen:
Animal Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceMaddux Alexander Springer, Honolulu, Hawaii
Behavioral and Social Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceAndrew Y. Liang, San Jose, California
Biochemistry, sponsored by RegeneronAmy Hong Xiao, Garden City, New York
Biomedical and Health Sciences, sponsored by RegeneronRia Kamat, Hackensack, New Jersey; Kevin Xuan Lei, Shanghai, China
Biomedical Engineering, sponsored by Alfred E. Mann CharitiesAyush Garg, Dublin, California; Divij Motwani, Palo Alto, California; Akash Ashish Pai, Portland, Oregon
Cellular and Molecular Biology, sponsored by RegeneronLara and Maya Sarah Hammoud, Beverly Hills, Michigan
Chemistry, sponsored by Society for ScienceAkilan Sankaran, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Arjun Suresh Malpani and Siddharth Daniel D’costa, Portland, Oregon
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, sponsored by RegeneronKun-Hyung Roh, Bronx, New York
Earth and Environmental Sciences, sponsored by Google.orgNikhil Vemuri, Durham, North Carolina; Justin Yizhou Huang and Victoria Ou, The Woodlands, Texas
Embedded Systems, sponsored by HPChloe Rae and Sophie Rose Filion, Welland, Ontario, Canada
Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design, sponsored by Siemens EnergyAlia Wahban, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationChiyo Nakatsuji, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, Japan; Kevin Shen, Olympia, Washington
Environmental Engineering, sponsored by JacobsKrish Pai, San Diego, California; Jack Shannon, Clane, Kildare, Ireland
Materials Science, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationGrace Sun, Lexington, Kentucky
Mathematics, sponsored by Akamai FoundationAnna Oliva, Houston, Texas
Microbiology, sponsored by Schattner FoundationMatthew Chang, Irvine, California
Physics and Astronomy, sponsored by Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust IIHarini Thiagarajan and Vishal Ranganath Yalla, Bothell, Washington; Shuhan Luo, Worcester, Massachusetts
Plant Sciences, sponsored by Society for SciencePauline Estrada, Fresno, California; Tanishka Balaji Aglave, Dover, Florida
Robotics and Intelligent Machines, sponsored by RegeneronMichal Lajciak, Dubnica nad Vahom, Trenciansky kraj, Slovakia; Anthony Efthimiadis, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Systems Software, sponsored by MicrosoftMichelle Wei, San Jose, California
Technology Enhances the Arts, sponsored by Society for ScienceAnant Khandelwal, Sritan Motati and Siddhant Sood, Alexandria, Virginia
Translational Medical Science, sponsored by RegeneronZheng-Chi Lee, West Lafayette, Indiana; Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, Hong Kong, China
The full list of all award-winning ISEF 2024 finalists is available here: https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-full-awards.
View all the finalists’ research here: https://projectboard.world/isef.
About the Regeneron International Science and Engineering FairThe Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), a program of Society for Science for over 70 years, is the world’s largest global science competition for high school students. Through a global network of local, regional and national science fairs, millions of students are encouraged to explore their passion for scientific inquiry. Each spring, a group of these students is selected as finalists and offered the opportunity to compete for approximately U.S. $9 million in awards and scholarships.
In 2019, Regeneron became the title sponsor of ISEF to help reward and celebrate the best and brightest young minds globally and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM to positively impact the world. Regeneron ISEF is supported by a community of additional sponsors, including Akamai Foundation, Alfred E. Mann Charities, Aramco, Caltech, Google.org, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Howmet Aerospace Foundation, HP, , Jacobs, King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, Microsoft, National Geographic Society, Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust II, Rise, an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Schattner Foundation, Siemens Energy, Annenburg Foundation, Ballmer Group, Broadcom Foundation, Cesco Linguistic Services, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Edison International, Insaco, Oracle Academy, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and US Army ROTC. Many are entrepreneurs across a wide range of industries. Learn more at https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/.
About Society for ScienceSociety for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).
About RegeneronRegeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.
Regeneron believes that operating as a good corporate citizen is crucial to delivering on our mission. We approach corporate responsibility with three goals in mind: to improve the lives of people with serious diseases, to foster a culture of integrity and excellence and to build sustainable communities. Regeneron is proud to be included on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Civic 50 list of the most “community-minded” companies in the U.S. Throughout the year, Regeneron empowers and supports employees to give back through our volunteering, pro bono and matching gift programs. Our most significant philanthropic commitments are in the area of early science education, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
For more information, please visit www.Regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X.
More information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
Media ContactsJoseph Brown, [email protected]
Gayle Kansagor, Society for [email protected]
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/more-than-9-million-awarded-to-high-school-scientists-and-engineers-at-the-regeneron-international-science-and-engineering-fair-2024-302149316.html
Artificial Intelligence
J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Announce Winner of Inaugural 2024 Life Sciences Innovation Summit
In conjunction with Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week 2024
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Group announced today Rayees Rahman of Harmonic Discovery as the winner of the inaugural J.P. Morgan Asset Management: Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery is a precision pharmacology company applying its generative chemistry platform to advance next-generation kinase inhibitors.
In partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the Summit took place on May 14-15, 2024 at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and showcased the 11 innovative finalists, as well as highlighted existing innovators and opportunities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The event also featured keynote speeches from Dr. Laurie Glimcher of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and Dr. David Ho of Columbia University Medical Center and provided attendees networking opportunities to gain valuable insights into the future of life sciences innovation.
In addition, the jury designated Chun-Hao Huang of Algen Biotechnologies as honourable mention. Algen Biotechnologies is a platform therapeutics and drug discovery company using world-leading CRISPR and AI to find treatments for cancer, inflammation and metabolic diseases.
The winners were selected by an esteemed, international panel of judges, which included:Laurie Glimcher, MD, President and CEO at Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteJorge Guzman, MD, CEO at Cleveland Clinic Abu DhabiProf. Shahrukh Khurshid Hashmi, MD, Director of Research, Department of Health, Abu DhabiYasmine Hayek Kobeissi, PhD, CQF, BSc., Executive Director at Blue Horizon AdvisorsAnya Schiess, Managing Partner at J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private CapitalWalid Zaher, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO, Carexso
Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Research and Innovation Centre at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi said: “Under the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership, and renowned for its world-leading medical infrastructure, Abu Dhabi stands at the forefront of healthcare excellence, offering an unparalleled opportunity for advancement in healthcare for global partners. It was our utmost pleasure hosting the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Life Sciences Innovation Summit 2024 on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week and we commend the winners for their pioneering efforts in driving impactful advancements in healthcare; their dedication to innovation not only transforms the landscape of medicine, but also holds the promise of improving lives worldwide.”
Stephen Squinto, PhD, Chief Investment Officer, J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital said: “We are thrilled with the level of biotech passion and innovation that we observed at this year’s Summit in Abu Dhabi. The energy was truly palpable we are thrilled to announce Rayees Rahman as the winner of our first Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery’s approach embodies the next generation of drug discovery and development. We appreciate the time and effort of all participants and cannot wait for our next event in the region.”
Nabil Kobeissi, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Horizon Advisors, said: “As the main sponsor, we are committed to nurturing and fostering the growth of all 11 finalists in this vibrant biotech ecosystem. This Summit marks the beginning of a transformative journey, and we are confident that it will pave the way for a flourishing hub in the region. We are also pleased to announce that we will commit to invest in and partner with the winner, Harmonic Discovery, to support its future growth in the region.”
Sponsors for the event included J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, J.P. Morgan Commercial Bank, Blue Horizon Advisors, United Al Saqer Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Salam Capital. The Summit organisation, logistics and finalist recruitment were facilitated by Lyfebulb.
Of importance, at the Summit, Mr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Sustainable Development at Masdar City, announced that Masdar City Free Zone would award all 11 Finalists complimentary business licenses to further support their establishment in the region. Masdar City is one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments and innovation hubs with a growing focus on life science entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi.
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Artificial Intelligence
Congregating in the Lion City for a Win-Win Future of Intelligent Computing at the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024
SINGAPORE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On May 17, 2024, the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024 was held in Singapore with the theme of “Power the Digital Era Forward.” At the summit, over 600 data center industry leaders, technical experts, and ecosystem partners gathered to discuss new trends and opportunities of the global data center industry in the intelligent computing era. The attendees also got to experience all-scenario, all-ecosystem, and all-service end-to-end (E2E) solutions, share innovative practices of green data centers in the Asia Pacific and Europe, and experience the exhibition vehicle to unveil the mystery of Outdoor PowerPOD that features one power system per container. By fully embracing the intelligent computing era, Huawei strives to power the digital era forward.
Seizing Opportunities Brought by AI and Jointly Building Green & Reliable Computing Infrastructure
At the opening speech, Charles Yang, Senior Vice President of Huawei and President of Marketing, Sales and Services, Huawei Digital Power, noted that since ChatGPT ushered in the AI era, large models keep pushing the limits of computing power and the intelligent computing industry is witnessing an unprecedented construction boom. As predicted, 100 GW will be added to the global data center installed capacity and the market value will exceed US$600 billion in the next five years.
According to Charles, with opportunities come challenges. The primary challenge concerning the data center industry is reliability and electricity. Data centers are scaling up from the MW-level to the GW-level. E2E reliability of data centers is becoming even more important than ever. In response to the opportunities, Huawei will work with customers and partners to expand the industry space.
Steering Data Centers to the AI Era with Product + Service + Ecosystem
During the summit, Sun Xiaofeng, President of Huawei Data Center Facility & Critical Power Business, delivered a speech titled “Power the Digital Era Forward. ” He stated that as AI large models are penetrating, the surging compute demands drive the expansive growth in data center.
To address the challenges, Huawei strives to build product + service + ecosystem E2E data center solutions that feature fast deployment, flexible cooling, green energy, and ultimate reliability.
Fast deployment: Data centers are fully modularized and prefabricated to ensure high quality and efficient construction.Flexible cooling: Air-liquid fusion and integrated cooling source emerges as the optimal cooling architecture for intelligent computing.Green energy: New generation-grid-load-storage integrated solution is built to ensure the sound operations of intelligent computing centers.Ultimate reliability: Data centers are safeguarded through reliable products and preventive protection.Currently, Huawei’s global service network covers more than 170 countries with over 1800 professional engineers, providing 24/7 technical support. With N+ flagship service centers, Huawei has built a one-hour service radius for its customers.
The ecosystem is a key part for a win-win future of intelligent computing. Huawei works with partners to develop comprehensive E2E solutions and provide customers with one-stop data center services.
During the summit, Huawei and the ASEAN Centre for Energy released a white paper on “Building Next Generation Data Center Facility in ASEAN.” The document provides insights into the status quo, challenges, and trends of data centers in the ASEAN region, and emphasizes that efficient and energy-saving products and solutions should be applied. It also proposes future-oriented policy recommendations for data center markets.
In the ecosystem exhibition area, Huawei showcased scenario-based solutions for large-, medium-, and small-sized data centers, and demonstrated data center consulting, design, integrated development, and delivery capabilities with dozens of ecosystem partners including CIMC, Weichai, CSCEC, and Huashi.
On a special note, the Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD exhibition vehicle made its global debut. The Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD features one power system per container, outdoor deployment, plug-and-play, and high protection rating and reliability. It has become the preferred choice for decoupling the power supply architecture.
A single tree cannot make a forest.
AI is presenting great opportunities. By delving into the industry, aggregating partner ecosystems, and making innovations applicable to transformations, Huawei will continue to help customers build reliable computing infrastructure, accelerating the industry to embrace AI and powering the digital era forward.
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/congregating-in-the-lion-city-for-a-win-win-future-of-intelligent-computing-at-the-global-data-center-facility-summit-2024-302148973.html
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