Category Archives: Life Extension

SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Kindred Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: KIN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on saving and improving the lives of pets,today unveiled positive results in a new long-acting interleukin (IL)-31 antibody program (KIND-039) that integrates the company's novel half-life extension technology. Results from the pharmacokinetic study of the molecule demonstrate that the fully caninized, high-affinity antibody has up to a three-fold longer half-life compared to tirnovetmab. This extended half-life is expected to allow for up to three-fold longer interval between dosing.

"One of the main unmet needs in the canine dermatitis market is reduced dosing frequency and increased convenience. With these exciting results, we believe our new long-acting IL-31 antibody program has the potential to become a best-in-class therapeutic and the treatment of choice in the large and growing dermatitis market," said KindredBio's Chief Executive Officer,Richard Chin, M.D. "We expect to initiate the pivotal study for this molecule as early as the end of this year."

KindredBio's half-life extension technology is designed to improve therapeutic performance in a multitude of ways. The reduced dosing frequency and/or amount of dosing can lead to improved patient convenience and compliance. The technology can also significantly reduce the cost of goods and enhance profitability and market positioning. In addition, higher drug concentration using the same dose and dosing interval as the parent antibody can result in extended and more uniform therapeutic exposure and potentially improve efficacy and safety. KindredBio plans to leverage this platform technology for long-lasting therapeutics to develop to best-in-class products across multiple indications.

The new long-acting IL-31 program is expected to be complementary to the company's tirnovetmab monoclonal antibody program targeting IL-31, for which a pivotal study was initiated in December, 2020. KindredBio's market research shows that longer intervals between dosing is a key determinant of commercial success, but given the large size of the market and the heterogeneous nature of canine dermatitis, both products are expected to be well-received by veterinarians and owners.

KindredBio first announced its half-life extension technology for canine antibodies in January 2020.

About Kindred Biosciences

Kindred Biosciences is a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative biologics focused on saving and improving the lives of pets. Its mission is to bring to pets the same kinds of safe and effective medicines that human family members enjoy. The Company's strategy is to identify targets that have already demonstrated safety and efficacy in humans and to develop therapeutics based on these validated targets for dogs and cats. KindredBio has a deep pipeline of novel biologics in development across many therapeutic classes, alongside state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing capabilities and a broad intellectual property portfolio.

For more information, visit: http://www.kindredbio.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our expectations about the trials, regulatory approval, manufacturing, distribution and commercialization of our current and future product candidates, and statements regarding our anticipated revenues, expenses, margins, profits and use of cash.

These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations. These statements are not promises or guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following: our limited operating history and expectations of losses for the foreseeable future; the absence of significant revenue from our products and our product candidates for the foreseeable future; the likelihood that our revenue will vary from quarter to quarter; our potential inability to obtain any necessary additional financing; our substantial dependence on the success of our products and our lead product candidates which may not be successfully commercialized even if they are approved for marketing; the effect of competition; our potential inability to obtain regulatory approval for our existing or future product candidates; our dependence on third parties to conduct some of our development activities; our dependence upon third-party manufacturers for supplies related to our products and our product candidates and the potential inability of these manufacturers to deliver a sufficient amount of supplies on a timely basis; the uncertain effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations and financial condition; uncertainties regarding the outcomes of trials regarding our product candidates; our potential failure to attract and retain senior management and key scientific personnel; uncertainty about our ability to enter into satisfactory agreements with third-party licensees of our biologic products and uncertainty about the amount of revenue that we will receive from such agreements; our significant costs of operating as a public company; potential cyber-attacks on our information technology systems or on our third-party providers' information technology systems, which could disrupt our operations; our potential inability to repay the secured indebtedness that we have incurred from third-party lenders, and the restrictions on our business activities that are contained in our loan agreement with these lenders; the risk that our 2020 strategic realignment and restructuring plans will result in unanticipated costs or revenue shortfalls; uncertainty about the amount of royalties that we will receive from the sale of Mirataz to Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC; the risk that the revenue from our delivery of services or products under any contract may be less than we anticipate if the other party to the contract exercises its right to terminate the contract prior to the completion of the contract or if such party is unable or unwilling to satisfy its payment obligations under the contract; our potential inability to obtain and maintain patent protection and other intellectual property protection for our products and our product candidates; potential claims by third parties alleging our infringement of their patents and other intellectual property rights; our potential failure to comply with regulatory requirements, which are subject to change on an ongoing basis; the potential volatility of our stock price; and the significant control over our business by our principal stockholders and management.

For a further description of these risks and other risks that we face, please see the risk factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), including the risk factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent updates that may be contained in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. As a result of the risks described above and in our filings with the SEC, actual results may differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update or revise these statements, except as may be required by law.

The results stated in this press release have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration or the United States Department of Agriculture Center for Veterinary Biologics, as applicable.

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For investor inquiries:Katja Buhrer[emailprotected](917) 969-3438

SOURCE Kindred Biosciences, Inc.

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Kindred Biosciences Unveils Positive Results from its Long-Acting Interleukin-31 Antibody PK Study - PRNewswire

President Xi has called amount of food wasted in China "shocking and distressing"

Eyebrows may have been raised last year when, in the teeth of the Covid-19 outbreak, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a "green recovery" of the world economy.

After all, China is usually close to the top of the table of the world's biggest polluters, especially when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions.

However, while there may have been a road to Damascus moment for President Xi and his government, there are also more pressing reasons of a non-altruistic manner for why Beijing is embracing sustainability.

And in the area of food, those reasons are intrinsically linked to security.

With a population of 1.4 billion, some 22% of the world's population, China is acutely aware it needs to fight on a number of fronts to keep everyone fed.

One of those fronts is the Clean Plate campaign, which was announced last August.

The initiative is an attempt to cut down on food waste, after Xi called the amount wasted in the country "shocking and distressing". And, while this is a campaign largely targeted at consumers and the foodservice market, there are implications for the wider food industry.

A huge issue for China and its food supply is climate change. Mass flooding across the south of the country last year wreaked havoc with rice and grain harvests. Urbanisation is another big issue as more and more people move into cities and use foodservice outlets.

The culture of over-ordering food to impress guests is another key concern for China's government. And the on-going trade war with the US is having an impact on a country that imports an estimated $75bn of food a year.

But, even after announcing the Clean Plate initiative, what the Chinese government has not yet done is issue a series of rules and regulations relating to food waste. Instead, it is relying on foodservice operators and consumers to do the right thing.

To a degree, there are signs it seems to be working. The Wuhan Catering Industry Association, for example, has urged restaurants in the city to limit the number of dishes served to diners implementing a previous system known as N-1 where groups must order one dish less than the number of diners.

Overall, the strategy would seem to be a recognition on the part of the Chinese government that, while it would like to tackle food security, tackling food waste may be an easier win.

Michelle Huang, a consumer foods analyst for Netherlands-based financial-services group Rabobank in Shanghai, says: "More and more people have moved into the cities in China. There is less space for families, people in cities are likely to have more hectic lives and this leads to more and more consumers looking for convenience and food delivery.

"China's food delivery businesses are booming but we have also seen a rise in terms of food waste. At the same time, we have got climate change and weather events that are affecting agriculture production. The last rice harvest was damaged by flooding. This puts food waste into a more urgent agenda and there is a need to take action."

Tao Zhang, co-founder of investment fund Dao Foods International, which backs meat-alternative businesses in China, also understands the need for action but has some concerns about whether the Clean Plate campaign is short-term thinking.

"This [the Clean Plate campaign] is about China's food security concerns. It should be adopted as it helps but it's not necessarily a long-term solution to the issue," he says.

"Food waste should be approached in a more holistic way. Short-term factors are the pandemic and the impact it has on the global supply chain and the flooding last year which wiped out the harvest and added to increased food prices. Also the US-China trade war."

Zhang suggests climate change and China's lack of self-sufficiency when it comes to food production are central to concerns over the country's food security.

"It's hard to feed 22% of the world's population when you are not necessarily self-reliant," he says. "China is still importing a lot of food more than $75bn so the trade war with the US is not helping."

With regard to Clean Plate, both Huang and Zhang suggest the self-policing inherent in the campaign involves a huge cultural shift.

"Chinese people have a culture of over-ordering to boost their economic status," Huang says. "Restaurants could offer smaller portions. Or you could have different pricing strategies that might charge customers a premium if they can't finish all the food they have ordered at buffet restaurants.

"I think at the consumer end, it is a sort of education. When people are having big gatherings they will have to order less than before and will take the surplus home as a takeaway."

Zhang adds: "If your guest's plate is empty at the end of a meal you are not doing a good job. China's government is aware of this cultural problem and is trying to address it. But foodservice providers are business people so they want people to order as many dishes as possible."

For Zhang, the wider issue is to do with food security challenges at the macro level.

"China is pretty much self-sufficient in grain producing more than 90% of rice, corn, and grains but more than 80% of soybeans are imported," he says.

"China should focus on the protein challenge. It needs to be resolved sooner rather than later. China's new middle class is used to having good protein products."

The danger here was brought home last year when pork prices rose 135% in one month due to the African swine fever crisis that has hit China's pork industry.

Zhang believes that, while Beijing has so far relied on the goodwill of foodservice operators and consumers to an extent, tougher measures could be introduced further down the line.

"They are trying to make it more of a moral campaign but at some point, it may have to be baked into rules and regulations to make people accountable," he says.

A close eye on supply

While the main focus of the campaign is on foodservice outlets and consumer habits, the Chinese government also has an eye on food waste in the supply chain between manufacturers and grocery outlets, especially in the area of shorter shelf-life fresh produce.

"There is also a lot of food waste linked to food production and logistics," says Zhang. "Chinese people like to buy food fresh: vegetables, meat, and other food items. If veg is not sold within one or two days, the supermarket won't be selling it."

"This is a technology issue. Those involved in production and transportation need to solve the issue. It is an area where the government can step in and subsidise R&D efforts in areas such as cold-chain technology and better storage technology. This would help to ensure that waste in production, processes, and transportation is kept to a minimum."

One company already working on this issue is US fruit and vegetable major Dole Food Co.

Some 90% of Dole's business in China revolves around fresh produce such as bananas, pineapples, and avocados, which it either imports into the country or sources from local providers, in the case of produce such as peaches and corn.

Welcoming the Chinese government's move, Singapore-based Christian Wiegele, who is division president of Dole's Asia Fresh business, says the company is looking at initiatives focusing on extending shelf-life, cold-chain technology and 'ugly' fruit.

"We are looking at opportunities to extend the shelf-life of the fresh produce," he says. "We have launched a fund to look for partners to come up with ideas around shelf-life extension.

"Moving bananas from the Philippines to China might mean a shelf-life of a maximum of 30 days. It would be significant if we could extend that."

With China and Dole itself trying to avoid plastic packaging, a popular idea at present appears to be putting a natural protective coating on the fruit.

"We are also investing in cold-chain technology, especially around tier-three cities and more rural areas," Wiegele adds.

"We are working with logistics partners in this area. Bananas, for example, need to be in a cold chain a maximum of three hours after they have been harvested until they reach the retailer, without disruption. We need to improve in this area through data and hard assets.

"And, with 'ugly' fruit, there is a perception that food has to look perfect. If not, people don't buy it or discard it and it becomes waste. As an industry, we have to educate consumers that fruit that is not perfect on the outside is perfect on the inside."

Wiegele is sure the industry will be asked by the Chinese government to do more, whether that is in the form of regulations or not.

"We are set up from a mindset perspective," he says. "But will we have all the assets in place? This is a long journey and we are just at the beginning of it. But we embrace it [the Clean Plate campaign]. As a responsible supplier, we have a role to play here and we are working on reducing food waste in the supply chain."

This article was initially published in the April 2021 issue of just-food's digital magazine.

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Why 'Clean Plate' must only be part of China's war on food waste - just-food.com

Kindred Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:KIN) shares rose Wednesday after the company disclosed results from its long-acting Interleukin-31 antibody PK study.

The San Francisco-based Kindred, a biopharmaceutical company focused on saving and improving the lives of pets, today unveiled positive results in a new long-acting interleukin (IL)-31 antibody program (KIND-039) that integrates the company's novel half-life extension technology.

The company news release says results from the pharmacokinetic study of the molecule demonstrate that the fully caninized, high-affinity antibody has up to a three-fold longer half-life compared to tirnovetmab. This extended half-life is expected to allow for up to three-fold longer interval between dosing.

CEO Richard Chin remarked, "One of the main unmet needs in the canine dermatitis market is reduced dosing frequency and increased convenience. With these exciting results, we believe our new long-acting IL-31 antibody program has the potential to become a best-in-class therapeutic and the treatment of choice in the large and growing dermatitis market.

"We expect to initiate the pivotal study for this molecule as early as the end of this year."

KindredBio's half-life extension technology is designed to improve therapeutic performance in a multitude of ways. The reduced dosing frequency and/or amount of dosing can lead to improved patient convenience and compliance. The technology can also significantly reduce the cost of goods and enhance profitability and market positioning.

KIN shares improved 22 cents, or 4.7%, to $4.93.

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Kindred Up on Study Results - Baystreet.ca

The cliquishness, classism, and racial insensitivities of Greek life have never exactly been hidden. So its no surprise that the racial justice protests in summer 2020 combined with a pandemic affecting all college students has sparked a new wave of anti-Greek sentiment over the past year.

But instead of concerned parents or annoyed neighbors bringing attention to the dangers of fraternities and sororities, its college students who have been at the forefront of the call to abolish them. Students are quick to point out that these are institutions established for and by white men from a higher social class, where racism, rape culture, and classism are not unfortunate side effects but direct consequences of the system. And more recently, colleges have been forced to deal with the results of fraternities ignoring coronavirus restrictions in favor of holding large gatherings: campus-wide Covid-19 outbreaks.

After joining a sorority, Ann Marie Elpa, whose Filipino parents immigrated to Canada, wrote about her realization that the system was not built for individuals like [her] in a HuffPost op-ed. The fact that many students of color feel similarly is not an accident. Fraternities were founded on the principles of racial exclusion, many of which can still be seen today, in practices such as Old South parades and students in blackface. In fact, senior surveys of the classes of 2009 and 2010 at Princeton University found that 77 percent of sorority members and 73 percent of fraternity members were white.

Then there is the longstanding problem of sexual assault in Greek life. Women in sororities are 74 percent more likely to experience rape than other college women and some of this treatment of women is baked into the culture and system itself. For example, the National Panhellenic Conference, an organization that oversees 26 womens sororities at colleges in the US and Canada, bans alcohol in sorority houses, which by extension means that instead of throwing their own soirees, members have to attend frat parties. This means that the women have to go into fraternities, into mens homes, said Natalie Chun, a student at Northwestern University. Just being in those spaces can be very unsafe and open up possibilities for sexual assault.

Greek life is discriminatory in another way, too: the heavy monetary dues. Fraternities and sororities require payment from their members to cover things such as social events, athletic programs, house maintenance, and general operations. The total cost varies: According to Campus Explorer, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill estimates that average costs for new fraternity members are $1,631 per year, while the cost of membership at a Kansas University frat (including room and board) is $5,300. This built-in barrier that prevents many students from joining is actually to the schools advantage it promotes a cycle fed by rich college kids craving an elite experience who are likely to become donors after graduation.

The abolish Greek life movement has been gaining popularity and support over the past year, encouraging current and former Greek members to talk about the social exclusion, sexual coercion, and microaggressions they faced. But activism has extended beyond social media. Fariha Rahman, a student at American University who writes for the schools newspaper, said, I feel like there was this expectation of people to disaffiliate. At AU alone, Rahman told me, two sororities and one fraternity were forced to dissolve because their membership numbers ran too low. At Vanderbilt University, more than 300 Greek members have dropped; meanwhile, Northwestern Universitys Sigma Nu chapter suffered a loss of about 75 percent of its pledges, and dropout numbers across the country continue to rise.

Hank Nuwer, founding board member of HazingPrevention.org and an emeritus professor of journalism at Franklin College, is cautiously optimistic. Although he believes disaffiliation can bring good on an individual level, once the students who care about change leave, Youre left with the students who want to stick with the status quo, Nuwer said. This means that, while its a start, Greek members simply leaving will not solve the problems inherent in Greek life. These problems intersect, Nuwer said, and must be addressed together. You cant address just the racism issue, the alcohol issue, or the hazing issue. A myriad number has to all be attacked at once, he added.

I spoke to three college students who joined this wave of disaffiliation to find out why they chose to leave. Their stories have been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.

One of the red flags was the willful ignorance in my frat. There was this kid in my law class who I saw every day, hung out with and partied with, and then during the Black Lives Matter movement over the summer, somebody posted screenshots of him texting the n-word in a group chat. This guy is white, and hes a very promising kid. Like, hes had internships with the governor, the mayor of New Jersey hes going places for sure. When I saw what he did, I thought, we dont need one more person whos going to get away with ignorance like this get put into a position of power and then be able to make decisions that are going to affect communities like mine.

Being a Black person, I needed to do something because silence was like compliance at that point. So I reposted the screenshots on my social media and got the school involved. What really rubbed me the wrong way was the silence from my fraternity. They didnt support me at all. If youre my brothers, you would be speaking out on issues like this with me. You wouldnt be silent or have an issue with me talking about it.

After I decided to leave my frat, they basically disowned me. I was friends with these people even outside the frat house, and were supposed to be brothers, right? But I havent heard from them in like six months. To be honest, though, I knew almost right after I got into my frat that it wasnt for me. I was interning at a homeless shelter and involved in student organizations on campus on top of studying law, and those types of things werent valued in my frat.

And there were other red flags. I realized the hypocrisy in this system because there are these values that were supposed to learn before we join the frat what a man is and how hes supposed to behave and no one ends up meeting those standards. None of them follow that.

One time my friend told me about this experience that she had at a party, where one of the frat brothers was pressuring her and trying to take her upstairs, even though she was under the influence and didnt want to go with him. It got to the point where she didnt feel comfortable coming to any of our parties anymore.

And I didnt bring that up. I didnt say anything. I didnt even talk to my brothers about it like, thats the problem. Were part of the problem. No one wants to do anything about it because they dont want Greek life and party culture to get shut down. They feel like theyre taking something away from everybody by speaking up. But that something is not important. Whats important is for everybody to be safe. Thats why I left.

Even though it was about 75 percent white, the sorority I joined didnt feel like the typical sorority you see in the movies. I met so many great people and ended up joining the executive council as the education vice president, so I was pretty involved right up until I left. Looking back on my time there, I think, yes, I had an overall positive experience but at what cost?

It all changed last summer, when we posted a graphic on Instagram addressing Black Lives Matter and showing our support for our Black sisters. Pretty quickly, the post got a ton of comments from current and former members who said we were being hypocrites for claiming to be supportive when they had experienced heavy discrimination and racial violence while they were part of the sorority.

We started looking into the comments and trying to figure out how to report people and help students who had been harassed. Then we started getting emails from alums who had been part of the sorority, and they told us that we should consider disbanding because of the harm that we caused as a group. Honestly, we didnt know that was an option, but we voted on it, and the majority of our chapter agreed to disband.

I dont know if everyone had the right intentions, like some might have voted just so they wouldnt be on the wrong side of the conversation. Northwestern is an overwhelmingly liberal school, and when people say something is racist, the people who disagree will get quiet.

Theres an overall trend with Greek life, which is a lack of accountability, especially for fraternities. Theres this power dynamic where rich white men get to do whatever they want. Overwhelmingly, weve seen this with sexual assault, and if you look into the insurance costs for frats, youll see that theres a lot of preparation in case a fraternity gets sued. The amount of effort thats put into protecting fraternity members above the women they sexually assault is so disturbing.

Now its extended to Covid-19 restrictions. I regularly walk by off-campus frat houses hosting parties that are definitely too big. There is already an understanding on campus that frat members are going to do what they want and not face consequences, so to me, it totally makes sense that they would be spreading Covid and not caring or getting in trouble.

One of the good things to come from last summer and our sororitys disaffiliation was that we got the chance to reflect on our community and figure out whats causing harm, and I think we can clearly see that the institution of Greek life is causing harm.

A huge part of this for me was realizing that we dont have a system to protect each other, and the system as a whole doesnt protect us.

I was bullied really badly in high school, so I wanted to build better relationships in college. My dad was in a fraternity, and Ive seen the bond that he still has with his frat brothers, so I thought I could find the same. But Greek life has not changed with society in the ways it should, and when I decided to rush, I didnt really know what I was getting myself into.

Rush week started the weekend before classes began in January, and I dropped out after only two days. I remember walking into the first house and the judgment in the air was instantly so clear. I had just gotten glasses and since it was a new prescription, I didnt want to wear contacts yet. A girl said to me, Wow, youre one of the only girls Ive seen wearing glasses during rush. Youre really brave. I was so confused. Im brave for wanting to see? Another girl asked me what my favorite vacation Id ever been on was, and I told her I really liked Rehoboth Beach and LA. She asked, Oh, youve never been to Europe? My familys been to Europe, like, five times. I havent met many people who have never been. Youre not supposed to bring up money during rush, so I just had to brush it off. But I knew I couldnt be part of an environment like this, and I decided to drop.

The movement to abolish Greek life at Vanderbilt gained traction in May 2020 because of a video that surfaced from spring break. A bunch of white Greek students were having a party and screaming the n-word. I was shocked because Vanderbilt knew about it but the frat and sorority chapters involved stayed on campus. At the end of the day, we all know its because of the money. Most students in Greek life have a financial head start, so theyre the ones who will donate back to Vanderbilt, which makes it hard to abolish them.

Most students who arent in Greek life want it gone, but its intimidating because those in Greek life are the most powerful students on campus. Its like an extension of high school the same social hierarchy exists. Girls who were in the popular cliques join sororities and guys who were on the football team join frats. They have money, social capital, and influence, so it can be scary. I really dont care about what a bunch of frat boys think of me, though, so I have no issue getting involved with the movement.

I think abolishment is possible. At a school like Vanderbilt, its going to depend on how educated the incoming freshmen are about the problems inherent in Greek life. But there will always be schools where people dont really care about the issues that theyre perpetuating.

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Greek life is losing members. Heres why. - Vox.com

In the last few months, a torrent of scorn has been heaped upon the F-35 stealth fighter jet program, seemingly just in time for the fiscal year 2022 defense budget cycle.

The timing, volume, and the sameness of the talking points from the F-35 jets opponents is enough to make you wonder where its all coming. Not from F-35 pilots certainly, who overwhelmingly favor the aircraft over their previous jets.

Cui bono is Latin for who benefits? And thats the question we probably should be asking. Who benefits from the United States making a decision to abandon the F-35 program?

Russia and China immediately come to mind. Each in their own way has tried to copy the F-35 but thus far have come up short in manufacturing a comparable plane. Theyd love the United States to stop buying the F-35 fighter.

After all would Russia, which has seen fit to meddle with U.S. elections and mount sophisticated disinformation campaigns which undermine confidence in U.S. coronavirus vaccines, and even target U.S. armed forces, pass up an opportunity to sway U.S. public opinion against the F-35 jet? Why wouldnt they target the worlds most advanced fighter weapons systems to minimize its fielding, while they figure out how to make their own stealth work?

What about China? They also created their own false narratives about the origins of the coronavirus, and western countries responses. They also tried to influence elections in Taiwan. While their J-20 stealth jet fighter looks a lot like the F-35 fighter, beneath the surface, it cannot compare. Theyd love to see the U.S. stop buying F-35 jets, which would likely defeat J-20s by the vast margins in combat.

Not that it has to be one of Americas adversaries. Even a rival company could orchestrate a campaign to malign the F-35 jet fighter. But it could never be effective. People would see right through it. Wouldnt they?

Maybe. Or maybe not. Americans generally trust what they read. A recent survey reveals false headlines fool adults 75 percent of the time.

So just how could the Russians, Chinese, or even a competitor company accomplish such dastardly work?

Proxies perhaps? Sounds like the movie Conspiracy Theory, right? But walk with me down this path for a moment.

You might be surprised to learn there is a thriving Washington, D.C. cottage industry of public relations firms hiring authors with seemingly bonafide credentials to write opinion articles on a variety of topics. They are aided in this effort because many legitimate media outlets dont disclose the role of a PR firm in placing an Op-Ed. Even the author may not know who is ultimately paying him for his work.

Once such an article is written, paid or automated agents of industry or adversarial nations can immediately amplify the story by reposting and retweeting it.

But false narratives need false facts, and to support their case, critics of the F-35 have latched onto a few to make their case. Most recently, they have cited the cost and the decision to delay the full-rate production decision as cause to give the F-35 a second look.

So, lets look at cost. Critics cite the F-35s projected lifetime costs of $1.7 trillion as unaffordable.

No matter who you are, $1.7 trillion is a lot of money. But at what point in the history of fighter aircraft has anyone ever added up all of the costs for development, acquisition, maintenance, fuel and support for the projected lifetime of that weapons system?

You cant name one because this is a new whim, a tactic if you will, of the sound-bite world.

But for the sake of argument, lets pick one. Add up the lifetime costs of the F-16 jet fighter from its design in early 1970s through the fielding of all ten variants, its service life extension program, the development and fielding of its new electronically scanned array radar, four different engines, the navigation and multiple targeting pods, maintenance, fuel and support costs for the last forty-six yearsand lets not forget the remaining twenty-six years of its projected life.

Or pick the lifetime costs of the A-10, the AV-8B, or the FA-18A/B/C/D warplanes, their major modifications and service life extension programsand, because the acquisition of the F-22 stealth fighter jet was curtailed, you have to include at least some portion of the F-15A/B/C/D model fleet. All five weapons systems began development in the late 1960s or 1970s and their support costs will still be racking up years beyond the here and now.

And then remember that the F-35 is going to replace them all.

Thats rightyou would have to add up totals for all of them to support a claim that the F-35 is a rathole for dollars.

Program critics have recently latched onto the Pentagons decision to halt the F-35 full rate production declaration for the foreseeable future.

Not because of the jets performancebut because the Joint Simulation Environment isnt working. Thats right, a simulation is unable to test and validate the performance of a simulated F-35 against simulated threats to prove that it can meet performance expectations in that simulated world.

No other fighter has ever been held back from full-rate production because of a simulation. Not any fourth-generation fighter. Not even Americas other stealth fighter, the F-22 jet.

And yet the maligning efforts of the F-35s competitors and Americas adversaries alike have taken hold, in spite of the facts.

Pilots who have flown fourth-generation aircraft and are now flying the F-35A jet love it. It costs 30 percent less to acquire than a combat-capable F-15EX jet and the cost per flying hour of those two jets are now a wash. And unlike that dated fighter, the F-35 jet can successfully employ in and around missile systems that will be lethal for aircrews who face them in an F-15EX fighter.

Americas adversaries would like nothing better than for the United States to curtail its buy of the F-35, just like Washington did for the F-22, because there is not an allied or adversary platform in production that can come close to competing with the F-35.

And if policymakers really had doubts about how the F-35 will perform in a simulated high-threat environment, why dont we just ask the Israelis how it does in a real one?

This piece originally appeared in the National Interest https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia-and-china-would-love-see-f-35-fail-it-wont-183247

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Russia and China Would Love to See the F-35 Fail. But It Won't. - Heritage.org

LEIDEN, Netherlands & CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProQR Therapeutics N.V.(Nasdaq:PRQR), a company dedicated to changing lives through the creation of transformative RNA therapies for severe genetic rare diseases, today announced a virtual oral presentation of data from the Companys Phase 1/2 InSight extension trial of sepofarsen and live Q&A session at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) held May 1-7, 2021. This is an encore presentation of the InSight study data that was presented during the Expert Perspectives Call in July 2020. We expect to present new data from the InSight study in H2 2021.

ProQRs Presentation

Presentation title:Safety and efficacy of sepofarsen in the second treated eye in a Ph1b/2 extension trial in Leber Congenital Amaurosis type 10 (LCA10)Presenter:Stephen R. Russell, MD, Professor and Director of Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Service, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of IowaPresentation type: Oral paper presentation followed by a live Q&A session.Session: Stem cells/gene therapy/transplantationDate:May 6, 2021 at 5:15pm EDT

About Leber Congenital Amaurosis 10 (LCA10)

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is the most common cause of blindness due to genetic disease in children. It consists of a group of diseases of which LCA10 is the most frequent and one of the most severe forms. LCA10 is caused by mutations in the CEP290 gene, of which the p.Cys998X mutation has the highest prevalence. LCA10 leads to early loss of vision causing most people to lose their sight in the first few years of life. To date, there are no treatments approved that treat the underlying cause of the disease. Approximately 2,000 people in the Western world have LCA10 because of this mutation.

About Sepofarsen

Sepofarsen (QR-110) is being evaluated in the pivotal Phase 2/3Illuminatetrial and is a first-in-class investigational RNA therapy designed to address the underlying cause of Leber congenital amaurosis 10 due to the p.Cys998X mutation (also known as the c.2991+1655A>G mutation) in theCEP290gene. The p.Cys998X mutation leads to aberrant splicing of the mRNA and non-functional CEP290 protein. Sepofarsen is designed to enable normal splicing, resulting in restoration of normal (wild type) CEP290 mRNA and subsequent production of functional CEP290 protein. Sepofarsen is intended to be administered through intravitreal injections in the eye and has been granted orphan drug designation in the United States and the European Union and received fast-track designation and rare pediatric disease designation from the FDA as well as access to the PRIME scheme by the EMA.

About ProQR

ProQR Therapeutics is dedicated to changing lives through the creation of transformative RNA therapies for the treatment of severe genetic rare diseases such as Leber congenital amaurosis 10, Usher syndrome and retinitis pigmentosa. Based on our unique proprietary RNA repair platform technologies we are growing our pipeline with patients and loved ones in mind.Learn more about ProQR at http://www.proqr.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "look forward to", "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include those relating to our presentation at ARVO and statements regarding sepofarsen and its clinical development and therapeutic potential, including statements about the InSight trial and timing of new data from this trial. Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information available to management only as of the date of this press release. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons, including, without limitation, the risks, uncertainties and other factors in our filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including certain sections of our annual report filed on Form 20-F. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future, except as required by law.

ProQR Therapeutics N.V.

Investor Contact:Sarah KielyProQR Therapeutics N.V.T: +1 617 599 6228skiely@proqr.comorHans VitzthumLifeSci AdvisorsT: +1 617 430 7578hans@lifesciadvisors.com

Media Contact:Cherilyn Cecchini, MDLifeSci CommunicationsT: +1 646 876 5196ccecchini@lifescicomms.com

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ProQR Announces Virtual Presentation of Phase 1/2 Sepofarsen Extension Trial Data at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)...

Galway Technology Centre, which provides office space for growing companies, is to expand in a move that it claims could lead to a sharp rise in jobs for the region.

The centre, which was established in 1994 as a social enterprise in the wake of the closure of Digital Equipment Corporation, is to embark on a 22,000sq ft (2,043sq m) expansion that will see the total floor area extend to 72,000sq ft (6,689sq m) and with the number of floors in the facility growing from two to four.

Owned by Galway Chamber and WestBIC, which supports companies operating in the Border, Midlands and West regions, the centre is also backed by Enterprise Ireland.

Over the past 25 years it has housed more than 300 different companies, who between them have created more than 3,000 jobs. It is home to 41 companies, with 326 people employed directly on site.

Among the organisations to have been based there are Electronic Arts, SAP and Wayfair.

The centre forecasts that expansion will lead to 828 new jobs and 62.4 million investment per annum by year five. The cumulative total over the next 15 years could reach as high as 12,500 roles and 1.4 billion in investment locally, it said.

The AcademyWest expansion represents a significant new phase in the life of Galway Technology Centre. It will drive substantial employment growth, while expanding the technology cluster and knowledge economy throughout Galway and the west over the coming years, said Noreen Conway, acting manager of the centre.

This enhanced modern facility will have a further transformative effect on the regional ICT ecosystem. It will help attract and retain dynamic high performance start-ups who wish to scale their enterprise and also act as a second site for growing, innovative companies, she said.

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Galway Technology Centre hopes for jobs increase with extension - The Irish Times

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Adagio Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing best-in-class antibodies to broadly neutralize coronaviruses, today announced the completion of a $336 million Series C financing led by RA Capital Management, with participation from new investors, including Redmile Group, Federated Hermes, Foresite Capital, ArrowMark Partners, PremjiInvest, and another leading healthcare investor. Existing investors Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC, OrbiMed, Polaris Partners, Mithril, GV, Population Health Partners, Adimab and Omega Funds also participated in the financing.

The financing will support continued advancement of ADG20, Adagios lead clinical candidate being developed as a single agent for both the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, as well potential future coronaviruses. ADG20 is distinguished from other antibody treatments targeting SARS-CoV-2 by virtue of its ability to effectively and durably neutralize a broad range of sarbecoviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants, with high potency. Preclinical data generated by Adagio and validated by the University of Oxford in a recent Cell manuscript, show that ADG20 uniquely combines potency, breadth and complete neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 and all currently known variants of concern.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a major health crisis worldwide, and even with emergency use authorizations for vaccines and antibody-based therapies, there remains a significant need for medications to treat and prevent COVID-19 infection. We are advancing ADG20 through a rapid development strategy based on preclinical data that demonstrate its best-in-class potential for treating all known variants of COVID-19 today, said Tillman Gerngross, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of Adagio. This financing is a testament to the quality of our science, the relentless execution by the Adagio team and to Jane Henderson, who joined us as CFO earlier in the year and brings a 32-year track record of financial and corporate strategy, execution and operations. With the support of this sophisticated group of investors, we are properly capitalized to continue our expedited development and ultimate commercialization of ADG20 to benefit the many people at risk of COVID-19 mortality.

Adagio has initiated a Phase 1 study of ADG20 in healthy volunteers and a pivotal Phase 1/2/3 clinical trial in high-risk individuals with mild or moderate COVID-19, the STAMP trial. The trial is strategically designed to enable the rapid advancement of ADG20 to proof-of-concept data, which if positive, are intended to support an Emergency Use Authorization submission. In addition, the company is on track to initiate a third clinical trial in the second quarter of 2021, evaluating ADG20 for the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

As we mapped out the vaccine and therapeutic landscape in the face of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, we recognized that the world is going to need the kind of convenient, potent and long-lived, broadly neutralizing antibodies that Adagio has developed, said Peter Kolchinsky, Ph.D., managing partner of RA Capital. Well not only need these antibodies to treat patients and keep them out of hospitals, but to passively vaccinate the millions of patients who dont mount a strong enough response to available vaccines, allowing them to contribute to our herd immunity. Thats going to take large-scale manufacturing, and it makes sense to put those resources towards the best antibodies. Beyond SARS-CoV-2, the technology could have applicability against future disease outbreaks, extending even to seasonal flu, which kills tens of thousands each year. We think Adagio is positioned for both near-and long-term success with the potential to have a profound impact on global health. We are excited to support Adagios highly talented team and their innovative science in the fight against these respiratory viruses.

Ms. Henderson added, Since joining Adagio earlier this year, I have witnessed the passion and enormous progress made by our team to advance treatments to address the millions of lives impacted by COVID-19. I believe ADG20 is just the first opportunity in our mission to bring forward safe and effective therapies that both treat and prevent future global outbreaks. With this financing and investor syndicate, we are in an even stronger position to execute our top priority of bringing ADG20 to patients worldwide, while also planning our pipeline for the future.

Ms. Henderson has a combination of corporate, board and investment banking experience growing public and private biopharmaceutical companies. Ms. Henderson has held executive level roles in finance and corporate development at numerous biotechnology companies, including Turnstone Biologics, Voyager Therapeutics, Kolltan Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Celldex) and ISTA Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Bausch + Lomb). In addition to her industry experience, Ms. Hendersons extensive healthcare investment banking experience includes the execution of more than 95 mergers and acquisitions, advisory and financing deals as managing director and other senior roles at HSBC Holdings plc, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Lehman Brothers and Salomon Brothers. Ms. Henderson holds a B.S. in psychology from Duke University and currently serves on the board of directors of several publicly traded companies.

About ADG20

ADG20, a monoclonal antibody targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses, is being developed for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. ADG20 was designed and engineered to possess high potency and broad neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 and additional clade 1 sarbecoviruses, by targeting a highly conserved epitope in the receptor binding domain. ADG20 displays potent neutralizing activity against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain as well as all known variants of concern. ADG20 has the potential to impact viral replication and subsequent disease through multiple mechanisms of action, including direct blocking of viral entry into the host cell (neutralization) and elimination of infected host cells through Fc-mediated innate immune effector activity. ADG20 is formulated at high concentrations, enabling intramuscular administration for both prevention and treatment of COVID-19, and was engineered to have a long half-life, allowing for immediate and durable protection. Adagio is advancing ADG20 through multiple clinical trials on a global basis.

About Adagio Therapeutics

Adagio is developing best-in-class antibodies that can broadly neutralize SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and additional pre-emergent coronaviruses. The companys portfolio of antibodies has been optimized using Adimabs industry-leading antibody engineering capabilities and are designed to provide patients and clinicians with an unsurpassed combination of potency, breadth, durable protection (via half-life extension), manufacturability and affordability. Adagios portfolio of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies includes multiple, non-competing broadly neutralizing antibodies with distinct binding epitopes, led by ADG20. Adagio has secured manufacturing capacity for the production of ADG20 with third-party contract manufacturers through the completion of clinical trials and, if approved by regulatory authorities, through initial commercial launch. For more information, please visit http://www.adagiotx.com.

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Adagio Therapeutics Announces $336 Million Series C Financing to Support Rapid Advancement of Novel ADG20 Antibody for the Treatment and Prevention of...

There are four Cottonwood Extension District Positions that will be on the November ballot. While the election is still over six months away, the deadline to file for a position is just around the corner. When the Cottonwood District formed in 2017 our eight-member board was appointed by the County Commissioners in both Barton and Ellis County. So that all positions would not come open at the same time, four members served two-year terms while the other four board members were appointed to serve four-year terms. From now on, all terms are four years in length.

Each of our eight board members have a commitment to create a budget that is reasonable for you, the taxpayer, while still supporting the delivery of valuable Extension education materials for lifelong learners in our district. Extension board member qualifications include:

At least 18 years of age and a resident of the local unit

Interested in working within the mission of K-State Research and Extension.

Willing to work closely with the local unit director, regional director and other members of the board.

Sincere interest in improving the quality of life for local unit residents.

A more detailed board member position description can be viewed on the KSRE website.

https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/boardleadership/board-leadership-modules/recruiting-board-and-pdc-members/Extension%20Board%20Member%20Position%20Description.pdf

My hope is that you have utilized our services in one or many ways. Perhaps Lauren Fick, our district horticulture agent, has provided the answer to a lawn, garden or tree question. Our agriculture and natural resources agents, Stacy Campbell and Alicia Boor, are always ready to field questions about weed control, and research-based information related to crops or livestock. Our programming related to healthy families is covered by Berny Unruh and myself. We have programming in place to help people of all ages improve their lives. And 4-H and other youth in our communities are participating in learning opportunities under the direction of Susan Schlichting and Michelle Beran. Theresa Meis and Brenda Walton provide the office professional duties that keep us connected to you.

If you would like to get involved by running for a position on the Cottonwood Extension District Board, you will need to fill out the paperwork and pay a $20 filing fee at the County Clerks office where you reside. The filing deadline is Thursday, June 1, at noon. The two candidates who receive the most votes will begin their term as soon as the November election results are certified.

Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions related to serving on our Extension Board!

Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District. Contact her at 620-793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu.

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Consider serving on the Cottonwood Extension Board - GREAT BEND TRIBUNE - Great Bend Tribune

Probiotics For Weight Management Market Breakdown Data by Prime Companies, Key Regions, Types and Application segmentation History and Global Forecast 2021-2027

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Global Probiotics For Weight Management Market Is Thriving Worldwide by 2021-2027 | Top Players VSL, Ortho Molecular Products, Garden of Life The...