MARY KAY INC. RECOGNIZED IN THE NATURE CONSERVANCY'S 2022 GLOBAL REEFS IMPACT REPORT

^{The Nature Conservancy and Mary Kay Inc. announced their partnership in 1990. Mary Kay has continued to generously support TNC’s work with an expanded focus on oceans work around the globe. (Credit: The Nature Conservancy)}


DALLAS, Nov 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Throughout 2022, Mary Kay Inc., a global advocate for corporate sustainability and stewardship, has worked to elevate ocean awareness in climate work and as an approach to address the climate crisis.

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This month, Mary Kay was recognized in The Nature Conservancy’s 2022 Global Reefs Impact Report. The Nature Conservancy’s report highlights their recent achievements and how the organization has partnered with the private sector to successfully implement innovative marine conservation programs that protect and preserve life in our oceans.

The report showcased a newly launched project focused on “Super Reefs.” Super Reefs are highly resilient and can survive in a warming ocean. The mission of the Super Reefs project is to identify, protect, and grow a global network of Super Reefs to secure the future of coral reefs. The Super Reefs team brings together experts in ocean science, conservation, and management from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Stanford University, and The Nature Conservancy, along with private sector support from Mary Kay, to support governments and communities at this critical moment in the history of coral reefs.

“I’ve seen reefs that have been destroyed, and I’ve seen reefs that have bounced back in my lifetime,” says Elizabeth McLeod, Global Reefs Systems Lead at The Nature Conservancy. “We have an imperative to get out in the water, to identify coral reefs that can survive climate change and ensure that they are protected from other impacts.”

“Our partnership with The Nature Conservancy stretches back more than 32 years—but we’re just getting started,” said Deborah Gibbins, Chief Operation Officer for Mary Kay Inc. “Throughout 2022, we’ve doubled down on our sustainability efforts, including a focus on ocean health. The health of our oceans is the health of our planet, and it’s essential we do our part to protect them.”

In 2022, Mary Kay supported 11 projects related to global ocean protection initiatives to improve ocean health for nature and people through the protection and restoration of critical habitats such as coral reefs, oyster reefs, and coastal wetlands. These important projects included:

• Restoring Asia Pacific shellfish reefs in Australia, Hong Kong, China, and the Coral Triangle;
• Ensuring that coral protection and restoration efforts in the Coral Triangle countries – Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands – are supported through conservation efforts and initiatives that positively impact the whole region;
• Supporting women environmental leaders in the Pacific in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands;
• Coastal conservation and restoration in the Gulf Coast and assessing the feasibility of blue carbon markets to support long-term wetland management; and
• Improving fisheries in Mexico to empower communities and women in the fishing industry.

To read more about Mary Kay’s commitment to sustainability, visit marykayglobal.com/sustainability and download Mary Kay’s global sustainability strategy: Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.

About The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters, and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably, and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 79 countries and territories, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.

About Mary Kay Inc.

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty company in 1963 with one goal: enriching women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. As an entrepreneurship development company, Mary Kay is committed to empowering women on their journey through education, mentorship, advocacy, networking, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in enriching lives today for a sustainable tomorrow, partnering with organizations from around the world focusing on promoting business excellence, supporting cancer research, advancing gender equality, protecting survivors of domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter.

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Contact

Mary Kay Inc.
Corporate Communications
marykay.com/newsroom
972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

The Nature Conservancy
Misty Edgecomb
Communications Director
medgecomb@tnc.org or 484-343-3223

Source : Mary Kay Inc.

ADAGENE ANNOUNCES CLINICAL DATA AT SITC 2022 ON ANTI-CTLA-4 NEOBODY™, ADG116, SHOWING DIFFERENTIATED SAFETY AND ANTI-TUMOR ACTIVITY IN HEAVILY PRE-TREATED PATIENTS WITH DIFFICULT-TO-TREAT TUMORS

- Interim phase 1b/2 data report safety profile of ADG116 across dosing levels, with repeat dosing of more than four cycles both as monotherapy and in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy -

- Results include two partial responses as monotherapy in Kaposi’s sarcoma and renal cell carcinoma, and a confirmed, durable complete response in combination with toripalimab in recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma -

- Preliminary update on study evaluating ADG116 in combination with pembrolizumab shows potent activity in MSS-CRC, with no dose limiting toxicities -


SAN DIEGO and SUZHOU, China, Nov 11 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adagene Inc. (“Adagene”) (Nasdaq: ADAG), a company transforming the discovery and development of novel antibody-based therapies, today announced clinical data from phase 1b/2 studies of its anti-CTLA-4 antibody candidate, ADG116, in two poster presentations at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s (SITC) Annual Meeting taking place in Boston.

One poster titled “A Phase 1b/2 Study of a Novel Anti-CTLA-4 NEObody™ ADG116 Monotherapy and in Combination with Toripalimab (Tori; Anti-PD-1 Antibody) in Patients with Advanced/Metastatic Solid Tumors” reviewed data from an open label, phase 1b/2 dose escalation and dose expansion trial evaluating ADG116 as monotherapy and in combination with toripalimab in heavily pre-treated patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors.

Comprehensive monotherapy safety data were reported in 50 patients at escalating doses of ≤6mg/kg (n=24), 10 mg/kg (n=23) and 15 mg/kg (n=3) to build a solid understanding of ADG116 safety in context of the known dose-dependent toxicity of anti-CTLA-4 therapy, especially the late-onset toxicity with repeat dosing across different dose levels. The safety and preliminary efficacy readout included patients with over 20 different tumor types, the majority (64%) of whom received three or more lines of prior therapies and over one third (36%) of whom progressed from prior immuno-oncology (IO) therapy. Combination data from dose escalation of ADG116 plus the anti-PD-1 therapy, toripalimab, were also reported from nine heavily pre-treated patients, close to half (44%) of whom received three or more lines of prior therapy.

Key findings as of the data cutoff date on September 19, 2022 include:

• Compelling, differentiated safety profile demonstrated with ADG116 monotherapy up to 15 mg/kg: ADG116 is well tolerated across dose levels with repeat dosing. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 28 (56%) and 3 (6%) patients, respectively. With repeat dosing and tracking for late-onset toxicities in the same 10mg/kg cohort, the overall rate of Grade 3 or higher TRAEs is 13%. For reference, the reported rate of TRAEs Grade 3 and higher for the currently approved anti-CTLA-4 therapy, ipilimumab, is approximately 36% at 10 mg/kg in first-line monotherapy in melanoma patients¹ . There were no Grade 3 or higher TRAEs reported at the 15 mg/kg dose level for ADG116 monotherapy.
   
• Monotherapy efficacy shown in heavily pre-treated patients: Among 36 efficacy evaluable patients, an initial partial response was observed after two cycles of treatment in a Kaposi’s sarcoma patient who was one of three treated with ADG116 monotherapy at 15 mg/kg. The overall disease control rate (DCR) was 33% across all monotherapy dose levels, with additional tumor reduction observed in patients with both warm and cold tumors.
  
  Of special note, an additional partial response was observed as of November 2, 2022 in a patient with renal cell carcinoma who progressed after two prior lines of therapy, including an anti-PD-L1 inhibitor. The patient received four cycles of ADG116 monotherapy at 10 mg/kg with no Grade 3 or higher TRAEs reported.

• Combination dosing optimization advances: ADG116 was dosed every three weeks at 3 mg/kg or 6 mg/kg in combination with 240 mg of toripalimab (N=9). Although ADG116 with toripalimab at 6 mg/kg did not meet the target toxicity level (TTL) (i.e., lower rate of Grade 3 or higher TRAEs than those approved for anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 combination therapies), 3 mg/kg of ADG116 every three weeks with toripalimab was both manageable within the TTL and demonstrated impressive efficacy in difficult-to-treat tumors. Further dose optimization is planned, including ongoing evaluation of an extended dosing interval of ADG116 every six weeks plus toripalimab to meet the desired TTL.
   
• Potential combination efficacy demonstrated in cold tumors, and an intriguing case study of a confirmed, durable complete response in head and neck cancer: Among seven efficacy evaluable combination therapy patients, one confirmed complete response was observed in a patient with platinum-refractory recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The patient received 3 mg/kg of ADG116 in combination with toripalimab and was one of five efficacy evaluable patients at that dose at the cutoff date (Objective response rate = 20%; DCR = 100% for these difficult-to-treat tumor types in heavily pretreated patient population). Lesions completely disappeared after two cycles of therapy, and the durable response has been maintained beyond six cycles.

Findings from a second poster, “A Phase 1b/2, Open-Label, Dose Escalation and Expansion Study of an Anti-CTLA-4 NEObody™ ADG116 in Combination with Pembrolizumab (Anti-PD-1 Antibody) in Patients with Advanced/Metastatic Solid Tumors: A Preliminary Update”, established a safe and potentially active dose level for ADG116 in combination with pembrolizumab.

Data evaluating ADG116 in combination with pembrolizumab in six heavily pre-treated patients primarily with cold tumors further support the differentiated safety profile of ADG116 dosed at 3 mg/kg every three weeks, and its efficacy potential when combined with pembrolizumab at a flat dose of 200 mg. No TRAEs higher than Grade 3 were reported and no DLT was observed.

Additionally, significant changes were observed in a tumor-related biomarker in two patients with metastatic microsatellite-stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC), who experienced a 43% and 27% reduction in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, respectively. Both patients had either liver or lung metastases and remain on treatment. The data support continued evaluation of ADG116 plus pembrolizumab as a combination of anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 therapies that may improve outcomes in certain patients with difficult-to-treat tumor types such as MSS-CRC observed here.

“These data provide compelling clinical evidence for our unique approach to targeting a distinct and highly conserved epitope of CTLA-4 with NEObody ADG116 to achieve enhanced anti-CTLA-4 blockade for both improved efficacy and safety profiles in single agent and combination settings, when combined with two different anti-PD-1 therapies,” said Peter Luo, Ph.D., Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Adagene. “These data further support our effort to optimize the dosing regimens ofADG116 in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy, as well as the intensified clinical development of its masked version, ADG126, in tumor types where encouraging anti-tumor efficacy is observed but current anti-CTLA-4 therapy is not approved or ineffective due to safety and/or efficacy reasons.”

Both posters presented at SITC are available on Adagene’s website at www.adagene.com/pipeline/publications.

References
¹ Ascierto PA, et al. J Immunother Cancer 2020;8:e000391. doi:10.1136/jitc-2019-000391

About Adagene
Adagene Inc. (Nasdaq: ADAG) is a platform-driven, clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the discovery and development of novel antibody-based cancer immunotherapies. Adagene combines computational biology and artificial intelligence to design novel antibodies that address unmet patient needs. Powered by its proprietary Dynamic Precision Library (DPL) platform, composed of NEObody™, SAFEbody^®, and POWERbody™ technologies, Adagene’s highly differentiated pipeline features novel immunotherapy programs. Adagene has forged strategic collaborations with reputable global partners that leverage its technology in multiple approaches at the vanguard of science.

For more information, please visit: https://investor.adagene.com. Follow Adagene on WeChat, LinkedIn and Twitter.

SAFEbody^® is a registered trademark in the United States, China, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and the European Union.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding certain clinical results of ADG116, the potential implications of clinical results of the product candidate, and Adagene’s advancement of, and anticipated clinical development, regulatory milestones and commercialization of Adagene pipeline candidates. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including but not limited to Adagene’s ability to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or regulatory approval; the content and timing of decisions made by the relevant regulatory authorities regarding regulatory approval of Adagene’s drug candidates; Adagene’s ability to achieve commercial success for its drug candidates, if approved; Adagene’s ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its technology and drugs; Adagene’s reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing and other services; Adagene’s limited operating history and Adagene’s ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development and commercialization of its drug candidates; Adagene’s ability to enter into additional collaboration agreements beyond its existing strategic partnerships or collaborations, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Adagene’s clinical development, commercial and other operations, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the “Risk Factors” section in Adagene’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Adagene, and Adagene undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.


Investor & Media Contact:
Ami Knoefler
Adagene
650-739-9952
ir@adagene.com

SOURCE : Adagene Inc.

TDCX INC TO REPORT Q3 2022 RESULTS ON NOV 22

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- TDCX Inc is scheduled to announce its third quarter (Q3) 2022 unaudited financial results on Nov 22, 2022.

In a statement, it said the TDCX senior management will host a conference call to discuss the unaudited financial results on that day.

Singapore-headquartered TDCX is an award-winning digital customer experience solutions provider for innovative technology and other blue-chip companies.

TDCX helps clients achieve their customer experience aspirations by harnessing technology, human intelligence and its global footprint.

The company employs over 18,000 employees across 27 campuses globally, specifically Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and India, among others.

More details at www.tdcx.com.

-- BERNAMA

Morrow Sodali acquires Australia’s Citadel-MAGNUS

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- Morrow Sodali, the world’s leading shareholder engagement and governance advisory firm has acquired Australian financial communications and investor relations agency, Citadel-MAGNUS.

It is the first acquisition since TPG Growth secured a majority stake in April this year.

The Australian-based acquisition represents a significant expansion of Morrow Sodali’s service offering in  Asia-Pacific to meet the rapidly growing global demand from corporations for strategic communications and investor engagement services.

According to a statement, Morrow Sodali chief executive officer Alvise Recchi said as part of its strategic global growth strategy, the addition of Citadel-MAGNUS will expand its service offerings to encompass a broader suite of board, C-suite and environmental, social, and governance advisory, investor relations and financial communications services.

Citadel-MAGNUS will be fully integrated into Morrow Sodali, enabling the firm to provide a seamless offering and the most comprehensive suite of investor relations and communications solutions to listed and private entities with the intention of rolling out the expanded services to other markets.

The acquisition marks a significant step forward in Morrow Sodali’s strategy to accelerate its growth by investing in services that create value for its clients worldwide.

Morrow Sodali is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022. It also secured a majority investment from TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equity platform of alternative asset firm TPG.

-- BERNAMA

AM BEST AFFIRMS CREDIT RATINGS OF ZHONGAN ONLINE P&C INSURANCE CO., LTD.

HONG KONG, Nov 10 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” (Excellent) of ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance Co., Ltd. (ZhongAn) (China). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect ZhongAn’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its marginal operating performance, favourable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

ZhongAn’s very strong balance sheet strength is supported by risk-adjusted capitalisation at the strongest level, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The company boosted its capital base through an initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2017; its capital and surplus reached RMB 16.8 billion (USD 2.6 billion) as of 2021. The company has also demonstrated good access to the capital market with an issuance of USD 1 billion senior unsecured notes in 2020, which supports its financial flexibility. In terms of investments, approximately half of ZhongAn’s financial assets are invested in fixed-income securities, while the remaining consists of cash and deposits, asset management products, equities, funds, and trust schemes. AM Best considers ZhongAn’s investment portfolio to be diversified with a good level of liquidity.

ZhongAn reported net losses during 2017 to 2019, but the company managed to turn its performance around in 2020; it reported net profits of RMB 757.1 million in 2021 and an adjusted return-on-equity ratio of 4.1%, compared with its five year average of -3.0% (2017-2021), as calculated by AM Best. The company’s underwriting performance was marginal, while its bottom line was predominantly driven by investment returns. ZhongAn’s combined ratio improved to below 100% in 2021 from 133.1% in 2017, primarily attributed to a downward trend in its expense ratio that resulted from a larger premium base and better control of management expense. AM Best expects that investment income will continue to be the main driver of the company’s bottom line over the short to medium term.

ZhongAn has leveraged its technology capability to provide insurance solutions and business model services to its domestic and overseas clients, which has resulted in revenue growth and an expanded customer base. AM Best views ZhongAn’s innovativeness as a supportive factor to its business profile, which will provide long-term financial enhancement. In addition, the company invested in a virtual banking business in Hong Kong in 2020 to achieve greater synergy with its technological capabilities. ZhongAn’s banking and technology business segments remain in start-up phases, and AM Best expects that these areas will continue to exert pressure on the company’s overall profitability over the short to intermediate term.

Negative rating actions could occur if there is significant adverse deviation from the company’s business plan, or if there is a material decline in its risk-adjusted capitalisation due to faster-than-expected growth in underwriting or asset risks. Negative rating actions may arise if its partnerships with key shareholders weaken such that it no longer supports a favourable business profile assessment.

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Contact

James Chan
Associate Director
+852 2827 3418
james.chan@ambest.com

Christie Lee
Senior Director, Analytics
+852 2827 3413
christie.lee@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Communications Specialist
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098
al.slavin@ambest.com

Source : AM Best

Tessa Therapeutics seals exclusive agreement with Baylor College of Medicine

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- Tessa Therapeutics Limited (Tessa), a clinical-stage cell therapy company has announced the execution of an exclusive agreement with Baylor College of Medicine for worldwide commercial rights to the allogeneic Epstein-Barr virus specific T-cell (EBVST) technology platform.

The platform is jointly developed by Tessa’s Scientific Co-Founder, Malcolm Brenner, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues Cliona Rooney Ph.D. and Helen Heslop M.D., D.Sc. at Baylor College of Medicine.

Tessa’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Willemsen, said in a statement: “Securing exclusive worldwide commercial rights for therapies developed using the EBVST platform is an important value driver for Tessa as we continue to advance TT11X as a potential treatment for CD30-positive lymphomas, while exploring opportunities to extend the technology to other cancer indications, including solid tumours.”

Tessa is currently advancing a pipeline of products that utilise CD30.CAR-modified EBVSTs, including its lead allogeneic cell therapy, TT11X, which is being co-developed for the treatment of relapsed or refractory CD30-positive lymphomas.

Clinical data from an ongoing Phase 1 study of TT11X in CD30-positive lymphomas (BESTA) has demonstrated a favourable safety profile and encouraging signs of efficacy with clinical responses observed in seven of nine patients.

TT11X was recently recognised in the “Most Promising Off-the-Shelf Therapies” category at the Asia-Pacific Cell & Gene Therapy Excellence Awards (ACGTEA) 2022.

-- BERNAMA

WIPRO NAMES SIMMI DHAMIJA AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR APMEA

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- Wipro Ltd, a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, has appointed Simmi Dhamija as the chief operating officer of the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) strategic market unit.

A seasoned leader with over two decades of experience in the technology industry, Dhamija would lead the delivery and operations of the strategic market unit across its different regions and effectively support its profitable growth ambitions, the company said in a statement.

“I am glad to have Simmi on board to drive our ambitious agenda across APMEA. She has a critical mission to lead the evolution of our operating model towards maximizing client centricity and employee empowerment while continuously improving our financial performance and bringing simplicity, agility and efficiency to the way we work,” executive board and chief executive officer, APMEA, Anis Chenchah said.

Prior to joining Wipro, Dhamija was the chief transformation officer at Tech Mahindra, where she led, among others, strategic initiatives across digital transformation, key customer engagements and managing 360-degree relationships with partners and ecosystem stakeholders.

An industry thought leader, sought-after speaker and recipient of many awards and accolades, Dhamija also serves on the advisory board of the Pinkishe foundation, a non-government organisation focused on the development, well-being, pride and happiness of girls and women.

-- BERNAMA