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GSK and Vir Biotechnology Announce United States Government Agreements to Purchase Sotrovimab, a COVID-19 Treatment

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– US government contracts for approximately $1 billion1 (USD) now in place to purchase sotrovimab, further expanding access nationwide –

– This brings the total number of doses secured through binding agreements to more than 750,000 globally –

– Final data from the COMET-ICE Phase 3 trial showed sotrovimab reduces hospitalization and risk of death by 79% in adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progression to severe disease –

– In vitro data indicate sotrovimab maintains activity against the Delta variant of concern and other variants being monitored –

LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced US government contracts totaling approximately $1 billion1 (USD) to purchase sotrovimab, an investigational monoclonal antibody for the early treatment of COVID-19, which the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in May 2021. GSK will supply these doses to the US government by December 17, 2021, enabling further expanded nationwide access to sotrovimab for patients.

In addition to the doses that will be supplied this year, the US government will have the option to purchase additional doses through March 2022.

Including the contracts announced today, GSK and Vir have received binding agreements for the sale of more than 750,000 doses of sotrovimab worldwide, with additional doses reserved through other agreements including the previously announced Joint Procurement Agreement with the European Commission.

Sotrovimab is an FDA EUA-authorized investigational single-dose intravenous (IV) infusion SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody. Under the EUA, sotrovimab can be used for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) with positive test results for COVID-19, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.

Dr. Hal Barron, Chief Scientific Officer and President R&D, GSK, said: “Given the large number of patients who continue to become ill with COVID-19 across many regions in the US, there is an ongoing need for access to effective treatments. We are proud to work with the US government to help make sotrovimab available for these patients.”

George Scangos, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Vir, said: “Monoclonal antibodies play an essential role in the treatment of certain patients with COVID-19, and we’re grateful that this agreement will allow more healthcare providers and patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19 to access sotrovimab. Given ongoing evidence, which demonstrates its ability to maintain activity against the tested circulating variants of concern, including Delta, we are confident sotrovimab will continue to be important in the fight against COVID-19.”

The US government purchase was funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response through Department of Defense – contract numbers W58P0521C0008 and W58P0522C0002.

In June 2021, GSK and Vir announced confirmatory full results for the COMET-ICE Phase 3 trial, which resulted in a 79% reduction (adjusted relative risk reduction) (p<0.001) in hospitalizations for more than 24 hours or death due to any cause by Day 29 compared to placebo, meeting the primary endpoint of the trial.

The companies also recently announced headline data from the randomized, multi-center, open-label COMET-TAIL Phase 3 trial, which achieved its primary endpoint, demonstrating intramuscular (IM) administration of sotrovimab was non-inferior to IV administration for the early treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in high-risk, non-hospitalized adults and adolescents (12 years of age and older).  The companies plan to progress regulatory submissions globally.

GSK and Vir are committed to ongoing evaluation of sotrovimab as the COVID-19 landscape continues to evolve at different rates across the globe and new variants of concern and interest emerge. Updated in vitro data, published in bioRxiv, demonstrate that sotrovimab retains activity against all current variants of concern and interest of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as defined by the World Health Organization, plus others, including, but not limited to, Delta (B.1.617.2), Delta Plus (AY.1 or AY.2) and Mu (B.1.621).

About sotrovimab
Sotrovimab is an investigational SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibody. The antibody binds to an epitope on SARS-CoV-2 that is shared with SARS-CoV-1 (the virus that causes SARS), indicating that the epitope is highly conserved, which may make it more difficult for resistance to develop. Sotrovimab, which incorporates Xencor’s Xtend™ technology, has also been designed to achieve high concentration in the lungs to ensure optimal penetration into airway tissues affected by SARS-CoV-2 and to have an extended half-life.

About global access to sotrovimab

  • Sotrovimab is authorized for emergency use in the United States and received a positive scientific opinion under Article 5(3) of Regulation 726/2004 from the Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) in the European Union (EU). Sotrovimab has been granted a provisional marketing authorization in Australia and a conditional marketing authorization in Saudi Arabia. In Japan, it has been approved via the Special Approval for Emergency Pathway. Temporary authorizations have been granted in Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Italy, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • Sotrovimab is supplied in several countries around the world, including through national agreements in the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, Singapore and the UAE. We have also signed a Joint Procurement Agreement with the European Commission to supply doses of sotrovimab. Additional agreements are yet to be announced due to confidentiality or regulatory requirements.

About the sotrovimab clinical development program

  • COMET-ICE: a Phase 3, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated IV infusion of sotrovimab in adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk of progression to severe disease, who are not hospitalized and not requiring oxygen. The final COMET-ICE trial results in the full trial population of 1,057 participants demonstrated a 79% reduction (adjusted relative risk reduction) (p<0.001) in hospitalization for more than 24 hours or death due to any cause by Day 29 compared to placebo, meeting the primary endpoint of the trial. Interim data were published in The New England Journal of Medicine on October 27, 2021 and final data were pre-published on November 8, 2021 on medRxiv.
  • COMET-TAIL: a Phase 3, randomized, multi-center, open-label, non-inferiority trial of IM versus IV administration of sotrovimab for the early treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in high-risk non-hospitalized adult and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older). The trial’s primary endpoint was met, and headline data demonstrated that intramuscularly administered sotrovimab was non-inferior and offered similar efficacy to intravenous administration for high-risk populations. The companies plan to submit the full COMET-TAIL data set to a peer-reviewed journal for publication in the first quarter of 2022.
  • COMET-PEAK: a Phase 2, randomized, multi-center, parallel group trial evaluating IV and IM administration of sotrovimab in outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Data available to date from open-label Part B of the trial (500mg IV vs. 500mg IM) demonstrated equivalence on the virological response between the IM and IV arms. The companies plan to submit the full COMET-PEAK data set to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.
  • GSK and Vir are also partnering to investigate the use of sotrovimab in uninfected immunocompromised adults to determine whether sotrovimab can prevent symptomatic COVID-19 infection. GSK and Vir are supporting investigator-sponsored studies and fostering scientific collaborations with both experienced investigators and networks, who are involved in the continuum of care of immunocompromised patients, to understand the role sotrovimab for prophylaxis could play in this population. Discussions with regulatory authorities regarding the prophylaxis program will take place in due course.

Sotrovimab in the United States
The following is a summary of information for sotrovimab. Healthcare providers in the U.S. should review the Fact Sheets for information about the authorized use of sotrovimab and mandatory requirements of the EUA. Please see the FDA Letter of Authorization, full Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers and full Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents, and Caregivers.

Sotrovimab has been authorized by the U.S. FDA for the emergency use described below. Sotrovimab is not FDA-approved for this use.

Sotrovimab is authorized only for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of sotrovimab under section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner. 

Authorized Use
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to permit the emergency use of the unapproved product sotrovimab for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.

Limitations of Authorized Use
Sotrovimab is not authorized for use in patients:

  • who are hospitalized due to COVID-19, OR
  • who require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19, OR
  • who require an increase in baseline oxygen flow rate due to COVID-19 (in those on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non-COVID-19 related comorbidity)

Benefit of treatment with sotrovimab has not been observed in patients hospitalized due to COVID‑19. SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies may be associated with worse clinical outcomes when administered to hospitalized patients with COVID‑19 requiring high flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation.

Important Safety Information

CONTRAINDICATIONS
Sotrovimab is contraindicated in patients who have a history of anaphylaxis to sotrovimab or to any of the excipients in the formulation.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
There are limited clinical data available for sotrovimab. Serious and unexpected adverse events may occur that have not been previously reported with sotrovimab use.

Hypersensitivity Including Anaphylaxis and Infusion-Related Reactions
Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been observed with administration of sotrovimab. If signs and symptoms of a clinically significant hypersensitivity reaction or anaphylaxis occur, immediately discontinue administration and initiate appropriate medications and/or supportive care.

Infusion-related reactions, occurring during the infusion and up to 24 hours after the infusion, have been observed with administration of sotrovimab. These reactions may be severe or life threatening.

Signs and symptoms of infusion-related reactions may include: fever, difficulty breathing, reduced oxygen saturation, chills, fatigue, arrhythmia (eg, atrial fibrillation, sinus tachycardia, bradycardia), chest pain or discomfort, weakness, altered mental status, nausea, headache, bronchospasm, hypotension, hypertension, angioedema, throat irritation, rash including urticaria, pruritus, myalgia, vaso-vagal reactions (eg, pre-syncope, syncope), dizziness and diaphoresis.

Consider slowing or stopping the infusion and administer appropriate medications and/or supportive care if an infusion-related reaction occurs.

Hypersensitivity reactions occurring more than 24 hours after the infusion have also been reported with the use of SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies under Emergency Use Authorization.

Clinical Worsening After SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibody Administration
Clinical worsening of COVID‑19 after administration of SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody treatment has been reported and may include signs or symptoms of fever, hypoxia or increased respiratory difficulty, arrhythmia (eg, atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, bradycardia), fatigue, and altered mental status. Some of these events required hospitalization. It is not known if these events were related to SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody use or were due to progression of COVID‑19.

Limitations of Benefit and Potential for Risk in Patients with Severe COVID‑19
Benefit of treatment with sotrovimab has not been observed in patients hospitalized due to COVID‑19. SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies may be associated with worse clinical outcomes when administered to hospitalized patients with COVID‑19 requiring high-flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation. Therefore, sotrovimab is not authorized for use in patients: who are hospitalized due to COVID‑19, OR who require oxygen therapy due to COVID‑19, OR who require an increase in baseline oxygen flow rate due to COVID‑19 in those on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non‑COVID‑19 related comorbidity.

ADVERSE EVENTS
Hypersensitivity adverse reactions have been observed in 2% of patients treated with sotrovimab and 1% with placebo in COMET-ICE.

The most common treatment-emergent adverse events observed in the sotrovimab treatment group in COMET-ICE were rash (1%) and diarrhea (2%), all of which were Grade 1 (mild) or Grade 2 (moderate). No other treatment-emergent adverse events were reported at a higher rate with sotrovimab compared to placebo.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Pregnancy
There are insufficient data to evaluate a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcome. Sotrovimab should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk for the mother and the fetus.

Lactation
There are no available data on the presence of sotrovimab in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Individuals with COVID-19 who are breastfeeding should follow practices according to clinical guidelines to avoid exposing the infant to COVID-19.

About the Vir and GSK Collaboration
In April 2020, Vir and GSK entered into a collaboration to research and develop solutions for coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The collaboration uses Vir’s proprietary monoclonal antibody platform technology to accelerate existing and identify new anti-viral antibodies that could be used as therapeutic or preventive options to help address the current COVID-19 pandemic and future outbreaks. The companies will leverage GSK’s expertise in functional genomics and combine their capabilities in CRISPR screening and artificial intelligence to identify anti-coronavirus compounds that target cellular host genes. They will also apply their combined expertise to research SARS-CoV-2 and other coronavirus vaccines.

GSK Commitment to Tackling COVID-19
GSK’s response to COVID-19 has been one of the broadest in the industry, with potential treatments in addition to our vaccine candidates in development with partner organizations.

GSK is collaborating with several organizations on COVID-19 vaccines by providing access to our adjuvant technology. We are working with Sanofi, Medicago and SK bioscience to develop adjuvanted, protein-based vaccine candidates, and all are now in Phase 3 clinical trials. The use of an adjuvant can be of particular importance in a pandemic since it may reduce the amount of vaccine protein required per dose, allowing more vaccine doses to be produced and contributing to protect more people in need.

GSK is also working with mRNA specialist, CureVac, to jointly develop next generation, optimized mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 with the potential to address multiple emerging variants in one vaccine.GSK is also exploring treatments for COVID-19 patients, collaborating with Vir Biotechnology to investigate monoclonal antibodies that could be used as therapeutic or preventive options for COVID-19.

Vir’s Commitment to COVID-19
Vir was founded with the mission of addressing the world’s most serious infectious diseases. In 2020, Vir responded rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging our unique scientific insights and industry leading antibody platform to explore multiple monoclonal antibodies as potential therapeutic or preventive options for COVID-19. Sotrovimab is the first SARS-CoV-2-targeting antibody Vir advanced into the clinic. It was carefully selected for its demonstrated promise in preclinical research, including an anticipated high barrier to resistance and potential ability to both block the virus from entering healthy cells and clear infected cells. Vir is continuing to pursue novel therapeutic and prophylactic solutions to combat SARS-CoV-2 and future coronavirus pandemics, both independently and in collaboration with its partners.

About GSK
GSK is a science-led global healthcare company. For further information please visit www.gsk.com/about-us. 

About Vir Biotechnology
Vir Biotechnology is a commercial-stage immunology company focused on combining immunologic insights with cutting-edge technologies to treat and prevent serious infectious diseases. Vir has assembled four technology platforms that are designed to stimulate and enhance the immune system by exploiting critical observations of natural immune processes. Its current development pipeline consists of product candidates targeting COVID-19, hepatitis B virus, influenza A and human immunodeficiency virus. For more information, please visit www.vir.bio.

GSK cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2020, GSK’s Q3 Results and any impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vir Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “plan,” “potential,” “aim,” “promising” and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Vir’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the ability of sotrovimab to treat and/or prevent COVID-19 either through IV or IM administration, Vir’s collaboration with GSK, whether or not the US government will exercise their option, the timing and expected number of therapeutic doses that Vir and GSK will be able to supply to governments and patients, planned discussions with regulatory authorities, the timing of availability of clinical data, program updates and data disclosures, the clinical development program for sotrovimab, and the ability of sotrovimab to maintain activity against circulating variants of concern and interest. Many factors may cause differences between current expectations and actual results, including unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical or clinical studies, challenges in the treatment of hospitalized patients, difficulties in collaborating with other companies or government agencies, challenges in accessing manufacturing capacity, successful development and/or commercialization of alternative product candidates by Vir’s competitors, changes in expected or existing competition, delays in or disruptions to Vir’s business or clinical trials due to the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical changes or other external factors, and unexpected litigation or other disputes. Other factors that may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in Vir’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the section titled “Risk Factors” contained therein. Except as required by law, Vir assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations, even as new information becomes available.

¹Editor’s Note: Financial considerations
The total value of the two current agreements with the US government for supply of sotrovimab in 2021 is about $1 billion, with GSK supplying the agreed number of doses to the US government by December 17, 2021. This new agreement is included within GSK’s financial guidance of an expected contribution to 2021. Adjusted EPS from COVID-19 solutions of 7% to 9% at CER.

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Artificial Intelligence


More than $9 Million Awarded to High School Scientists and Engineers at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024





 






Published
 1 day ago 
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 May 17, 2024





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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]

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2416174/Regeneron_ISEF_2024_Winners_Photo.jpg 

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2416197/Society_for_Science_Logo.jpg 


 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


 



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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





 






Published
 2 days ago 
on
 May 17, 2024





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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.


 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/jp-morgan-life-sciences-private-capital-blue-horizon-advisors-and-united-al-saqer-announce-winner-of-inaugural-2024-life-sciences-innovation-summit-302149186.html


 



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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





 






Published
 2 days ago 
on
 May 17, 2024





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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.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2415818/Global_Data_Center_Facility_Summit_2024.jpg


 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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