Eisai to Launch Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Equfina in South Korea

ruth 1 2 月

5 minutes

TOKYO, Feb 1, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that Eisai Korea Inc., Eisai's subsidiary in South Korea, has launched the Parkinson's disease treatment Equfina (safinamide mesilate, "safinamide"). This is the first launch of Equfina in the Asian region excluding Japan.The estimated number of patients with Parkinson's disease is approximately 150,000 in South Korea. Parkinson's disease has high unmet medical needs because of inadequate symptom control using current medications, necessitating new treatment options. This disease is designated as a rare intractable disease in South Korea.The marketing approval of this drug in South Korea is primarily based on a double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase III Study (SETTLE study) conducted overseas (including South Korea) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 24-week oral administration of the once-daily safinamide as an add-on to levodopa in patients with Parkinson's disease with motor fluctuations(1).Under the license agreement signed between Eisai and Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd., Eisai, as the manufacturer and distributor, is responsible for distribution of Equfina in Japan. In Asia, Eisai has exclusive rights fo...

Olympus launches comprehensive global educational platform for healthcare professionals

indie 1 2 月

3 minutes

Tokyo / Hamburg, Feb 1, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Olympus Corporation (Director, Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO: Yasuo Takeuchi) today announced the launch of a new comprehensive educational platform designed to provide healthcare professionals (HCPs) all over the world with learning opportunities and training to put their skills into practice and keep them performing at their best.The "Olympus Continuum" (www.olympuscontinuum.com) platform will empower HCPs at every stage of their career with innovative, premium education and specialized training experiences. The platform builds on the existing Olympus training program, which trains more than 25,000 HCPs annually over 1,400 courses.Chief Medical Officer, Ross D. Segan, MD, MBA, FACS, said: "Healthcare professionals work in a variety of settings and have a multitude of needs--and their expectations for training courses have evolved well past traditional skills-based learning. Our new platform connects the continuum of care with the continuum of learning. A truly blended experience, Olympus Continuum maximizes digital self-guided pre-learning, direct in-person training, and post-learning collaboration to support h...

Blank-check company craze that’s taken Wall Street by storm now spreading to Asia

elean 1 2 月

3 minutes

HONG KONG (BLOOMBERG) - A raft of funds and financiers in Asia is leveraging their deal-sourcing capabilities and understanding of US capital markets to jump on one of the hottest bandwagons on Wall Street - special-purpose acquisition companies or SPACs. Among them are former Deutsche Bank and Lehman Brothers banker Joaquin Rodriguez Torres, who is now talking with more than a dozen companies in the region for his SPAC Poema Global Holdings that just raised US$345 million (S$458.6 million). Others diving into the action include LVMH-backed L Catterton's Asia unit, Hong Kong tycoon Richard Li, Singapore-based health-care entrepreneur David Sin and former hedge fund manager George Raymond Zage. "Asia is the next big treasure trove for SPAC candidates," said MR Torres, co-founder of investment fund Princeville Capital. "Funds that have expertise in both companies operating in Asia and how US capital markets work hold significant advantage." Known as blank-check companies, SPACs raise money from investors and then look to acquire another business, usually a private one. A record 248 SPACs debuted on US exchanges in 2020, raising nearly US$83 billion, and at least 93 have already begun...

PuduBot Gets a Job at an Australian BBQ Restaurant

indie 1 2 月

3 minutes

MELBOURNE, Feb 1, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Recently, a famous Korean BBQ restaurant on Elizabeth Street in the CBD of Melbourne, Australia, took in a new member to deliver food in the store. That is PuduBot, the iconic delivery robot from Pudu Robotics.PuduBot has been well received by the locals since its introduction in the restaurant. While waiting for the food to be served, many customers use their mobile phones to take photos or videos of PuduBot hustling and bustling around.Robot waiters are nothing new in the modern world, but people may wonder "How does the robot deliver food to the designated location? How does it avoid people coming and going? Is it reliable? And how can it ensure the food is not spilled or dropped?"Well, it's all a piece of cake for PuduBot!PuduBot is developed by Pudu Robotics, a world-leading provider of commercial robots. The company is headquartered in Shenzhen, the global epicenter of hardware innovation, and has set up R&D centers in Shenzhen, Beijing and Chengdu, and hundreds of offices across the country. Pudu has developed over 400 patents, more than 60% of which are utility patents. Relying on the core technologies of low-speed autonomous dr...

GameStop: US senators call for action against hedge funds as Wall Street braces for more market mayhem

elean 1 2 月

5 minutes

WASHINGTON (AFP, REUTERS) - Progressive US senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren called on Sunday (Jan 31) for action against what they said were the Wall Street abuses by hedge funds revealed by the recent frenzy over GameStop shares. "We need an SEC investigation," Ms Warren told CNN, referring to the federal Securities and Exchange Commission. "What's happening with GameStop is just a reminder of what's been going on on Wall Street now for years," the Democratic senator said. "It's a rigged game, and it's been a set of players who come in and manipulate the market." Amateur investors who organised over Reddit and other online forums have in recent days targeted shares of companies including GameStop that had been "short-sold" by hedge funds in a bet that the price of the shares would fall. The Reddit group's tactics caused massive spikes in share prices. The SEC said on Friday that it was "closely monitoring and evaluating the extreme price volatility of certain stocks' trading prices" and would "act to protect retail investors when the facts demonstrate abusive or manipulative trading activity that is prohibited" by federal law. But Ms Warren called for more decisive act...

Singapore retail investors to vote on fate of struggling shipping firm PIL

elean 1 2 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE (BLOOMBERG) - Creditors to distressed Singapore shipper Pacific International Lines will vote on Monday (Feb 1) on a restructuring deal that involves a capital injection from a unit of Temasek Holdings. It's an important day for investors who oppose the plan like Singapore businessman Kuah Ann Thia, an unsecured noteholder - the most vulnerable in the bond world. He and other individual investors hold parts of PIL's $60 million security that came due in November but which the shipper hasn't repaid. Mr Kuah had initially felt relief last year when he heard that the Temasek unit was providing a US$600 million (S$798 million) package comprising debt and equity to PIL. But he said he became worried when he saw the company's restructuring plan. Under the so-called scheme of arrangement, it could be at least five years before unsecured noteholders saw actual cash payments, according to presentation materials. In contrast, some secured lenders like banks could get payments for their claims subject to the company having sufficient excess cash. PIL said in May last year it received an in-principle approval from a majority of its financial lenders, constituting 97.6 per cent of the...

HSBC, banks repayment hopes fade with Hin Leong liquidation plan

elean 1 2 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE (BLOOMBERG) - HSBC Holdings and other global banks owed US$3.5 billion (S$4.66 billion) by Hin Leong Trading may recoup less than expected from the collapsed Singapore oil trader after a sale process failed to attract bids for the company. Hin Leong's court-appointed managers plan to file an application next week to wind up the company after three potential bidders walked away from the process to buy Hin Leong and two related companies as a combined entity, according to a letter PricewaterhouseCoopers sent to creditors this week that was seen by Bloomberg. Assets of Hin Leong's sister companies Ocean Tankers Ltd. and Xihe Holdings may still draw interest from potential bidders, according to the letter. Banks including HSBC and DBS Group Holdings were already facing recoveries of pennies on the dollar following one of the largest corporate collapses ever in Singapore. An acquisition of Hin Leong and Ocean Tankers and Xihe Holdings as a combined entity would have eased the pain for lenders and helped them recover more than the firm's US$257 million in estimated assets. The liquidation of a company usually results in a fire sale of its assets, which raises less than a formal...

Skyscrapers lose lustre for Japanese companies during Covid-19 pandemic

elean 1 2 月

3 minutes

TOKYO (BLOOMBERG) - Japan's decades-long love affair with status-symbol office towers is now fading, as the pandemic upends work styles and puts a strain on company finances. In a country where companies have long taken pride in owning their buildings, advertising agency Dentsu Group and logistics firm Nippon Express are now considering selling their Tokyo headquarters. Avex, an entertainment company, also plans to offload its head office in the Japanese capital. Companies around the world are paring office space as workers stay at home during the pandemic, giving firms an opportunity to save costs and raise cash. In Tokyo, office vacancies have surged to a five-year high and may continue to climb as the government urges people to work remotely to curtail the latest wave of coronavirus cases. "Not many companies in Japan have sold headquarters buildings before, but we may see more of it," said Kakyu Tanaka, a senior researcher at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Research Institute. Firms that are faced with tough business prospects but have room to reduce office space through remote work may do so, he said. With thousands of its employees working from home, Dentsu is looking to sell its 48-fl...

HDB launches new app for shoppers at Oasis Terraces in Punggol

aseanpr 31 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Those who buy from shops at HDB shopping complex Oasis Terraces in Punggol can now use an app to redeem points that can be exchanged for items such as parking credits and gifts as part of a pilot initiative. They can also use the app, ShopperLink, to access a comprehensive directory that lists the shops and services that are available in the mall, view products and services offered by retailers, as well as find out about ongoing events and programmes at the mall. "This will help heartland retailers to transform their business models, keep pace with the evolving retail landscape, and provide more personalised services to shoppers," said the Housing Board in a statement on Sunday (Jan 31), adding that the move to roll out the app was made in response to feedback gathered from heartland retailers in 2019. Another app, RetailerLink, will complement the ShopperLink app. HDB shops can upload their product and service offerings on the app, and use a chat function to respond to customers' inquiries, among other things. New functions will eventually be added, said the HDB, such as those that enable shop owners to book event space and access reports on sales data. So far, about 9...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Jan 31

aseanpr 31 1 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, Jan 31. Singapore's nightclubs and karaoke outlets in the dark after pilot fails to take off Many had invested a significant amount in preparing for the pilot, which was to have started this month. READ MORE HERE Singapore's teen ISA case: Is the Internet to blame for youth self-radicalisation? News that a Singaporean teenager had planned to carry out a terror attack has parents worried about their children’s activities online. But is the Internet solely to blame? READ MORE HERE Do not lay out trays of CNY goodies; practise strict hand hygiene during visits, say experts This is because this kind of communal eating increases the risk of spreading Covid-19. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Lunch With Sumiko: Hip-hop and honesty go hand in hand, says rapper Yung Raja Yung Raja’s uniquely Singaporean English-Tamil hip-hop is inspired by his own experience as the son of immigrant parents. READ MORE HERE askST: What is a stay-home notice and how is it enforced in Singapore? The government has been constantly updating quarantine requirements for travellers as the ...

Look at him dance

aseanpr 31 1 月

1 minute

Yung Raja arrives for lunch with manicured nails. Pink, green, yellow, purple - they run the range of candy pop colours. "I've always been thick-skinned and confident in myself," the rapper says when I ask him why he paints his nails. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

Don’t let new variants deter you from getting vaccinated: Experts

aseanpr 31 1 月

6 minutes

New variants of the virus that causes Covid-19 have recently caused some concern that they may evade the immune response induced by existing vaccines, but there is no evidence yet of this occurring, said experts here, urging people not to hesitate over getting vaccinated. "Existing vaccines work against the virus variants circulating in the community, so people should continue to step up to receive the vaccine," said Professor Benjamin Seet, deputy group chief executive for education and research at the National Healthcare Group and a member of the expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination. "The more people who are vaccinated, the more who will be protected against current variants and, likely, new variants as well." Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, began mutating soon after it was discovered. The new variants that were first identified in Britain (B117), Brazil (P1) and South Africa (B1351) appear to be more contagious. In pre-emptive moves, vaccine developers are preparing to modify their vaccines against these variants. "There is no immediate cause for concern, as these new variants have not been shown to cause more serious illness," said Prof Seet, who chairs an exper...

Amid global warming, Singapore’s an innovation hot spot: McKinsey chair

aseanpr 31 1 月

1 minute

So, Davos week has just ended and appropriately enough, the World Economic Forum (WEF) themed this year's discussions around the Great Reset. As always, the Geneva-based forum got its timing right. What better time to be discussing Asia than when it has moved front and centre to the world of geopolitics, economics and the big issue of our time - climate change. According to WEF's projection, Asia now accounts for fully half of global gross domestic product, when adjusted for purchasing power parity. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

4 human factors to note in wills

elean 31 1 月

1 minute

It's not the law that makes the administration of wills complicated, but people like us, with all our faults and foibles. Issues arise because the testators (owners of the wills) have not given enough thought to individuals who could cause trouble after their deaths. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

GameStop rallies again as US regulators eye wild trading

elean 31 1 月

3 minutes

NEW YORK • The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) waded into the battle between small investors and Wall Street hedge funds, warning brokerages and social media traders it was on alert for any wrongdoing in last week's roller-coaster trade. GameStop shares rallied again, awarding retail investors the advantage in the latest round of their week-long slugfest against major financial institutions that had shorted the video game retailer. The so-called "Reddit rally" has inflated stock prices for GameStop and other previously downtrodden firms that individual investors championed on social media forums such as Reddit's Wallstreetbets, which has almost six million members. GameStop surged 68 per cent on Friday after brokerage apps including Robinhood eased some restrictions on trading. GameStop shares fell on Thursday following the curbs, which drew calls for scrutiny from regulators and outrage from celebrities and politicians on both sides of the political aisle. Robinhood said late on Friday that opening new positions in 50 securities including GameStop is currently allowed, but limited. Koss Corp was up 53 per cent, but both the headphone maker and GameStop remai...

How to make your resume stand out when applying for a job in a new sector

elean 31 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Here's what a Workforce Singapore career coach says: A resume is a space for you to communicate your story and it is the employer's first impression of you. Whether you are applying for a job with or without experience, it is crucial to ensure that your resume provides what the prospective employer is looking for. The first thing to do when you decide to apply to an industry in which you have no work experience or prior training is research the industry and the different job roles, their scopes and the skills that are required for each role. You should also take stock of the transferable and marketable skill sets you have that will enable you to stand out from other job seekers. This will be especially helpful when you start crafting your resumes and customising them to the role and company that you are applying to. As a prospective newcomer to the industry, you should portray yourself as being agile and willing to learn new skills and adapt to new working environments. Here are more resume tips from the career coach: • As many employers use an "applicant tracking system" software to filter resumes, it is important to tailor your resume using keywords that match the job...

How a Reddit user roiled GameStop stock and the markets

elean 31 1 月

4 minutes

NEW YORK • In mid-2019, a Reddit user - known as "Roaring Kitty" on some social media accounts - posted a picture on an online forum depicting a single US$53,000 (S$70,000) investment in video game retailer GameStop. The post attracted little attention, except from a few people who mocked the bet on the struggling company. "This dude should sell now," a Reddit user named cmcewen wrote at the time. But Roaring Kitty was not deterred. Over the next year, he began tweeting frequently about GameStop and making YouTube and TikTok videos about his investment. He also started live streaming his financial ideas. Other Reddit users began following his every move and piling into GameStop. Roaring Kitty - who is 34-year-old Keith Gill, a former financial educator for an insurance firm in Massachusetts - has now become a central figure in the stock market frenzy. Inspired by him and a small crew of individual investors who gathered around him, hordes of young online traders took GameStop's stock on a wild ride, pitting themselves against sophisticated hedge funds and upending Wall Street's norms in the process. Their actions - pushing up GameStop's price by buying so-called options contracts t...

Me & My Career: Veteran enjoys helping clients to meet environmental goals

elean 31 1 月

7 minutes

SINGAPORE - Environmental sustainability is a hot topic now, but the history of the environmental services sector in Singapore is quite short compared with European countries, Japan or South Korea, says Mr Lim Chin Khuang. Still, the Republic has made strides in that area, says the managing director of environmental services company Tee Environmental. "There's a lot of technology being employed today, a lot of data we can gather to assist the authorities in formulating policies. People are becoming more and more conscious about waste output and ways of recycling," Mr Lim, 55, an industry veteran of two decades, says. "As a service provider, I have a chance to be very actively involved in working with various parties to help in this push," he adds. Mr Lim worked at Sembcorp Environment for 17 years and was senior vice-president before joining Tee Environmental two years ago. Tee Environmental serves primarily commercial and industrial clients with its more than 400 vehicles and waste containment systems across Singapore. Its services include collecting waste and processing recyclables. It has more than 300 staff in Singapore and operates out of three facilities, including a dedicate...

Commuters with mobility issues can learn to take buses at Jurong East interchange

aseanpr 30 1 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Commuters with mobility issues can practise boarding and alighting from buses at the interim Jurong East interchange as part of bus operator Tower Transit Singapore's efforts to boost their confidence when taking public transport. It is part of a free course, with trainers guiding such commuters through the layout of public buses and the interchange, which is located next to JCube along Jurong Gateway Road. The two-session course is open to the public, as well as social service agencies and hospitals looking to equip their clients and patients. Tower Transit launched the programme on Saturday (Jan 30), along with several other initiatives aimed at promoting inclusivity in the public transport sphere. For the first run of the course, Tower Transit has partnered SPD, a charity which helps people with disabilities, to coach its clients. Mr Kishon Chong, Tower Transit's customer experience and inclusivity officer who will facilitate the course, said it would help commuters with mobility issues to "regain some independence and confidence to travel on public buses". Mr Chong, a wheelchair user, added: "It will teach participants to board, ride and alight from a moving bus saf...

Man arrested in Malaysia for allegedly extorting from woman in Singapore he met on dating app

aseanpr 30 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 33-year-old man in Malaysia has been arrested for allegedly extorting sexual favours and money from several women he had befriended online. Among the victims is a woman from Singapore. She was persuaded to travel to Malaysia, where compromising videos she had sent him earlier were used to extort from her, the Singapore Police Force said in a statement on Saturday (Jan 30). To stop him from circulating the videos, the woman transferred about $200,000 to a bank account provided by the man. Police here were alerted to the incident when the victim made a report on Oct 19 last year. The victim said she had met the man via a dating app, and claimed he told her to send compromising videos of herself. After doing so, he suggested they meet, but in Malaysia. When she got there, the man sent a male driver to pick her. The suspect then purportedly threatened to circulate the videos she had sent him, unless she had sex with the driver. She relented to the demand. After she returned to Singapore, she said she continued to receive threats from the suspect and was told to transfer money to prevent circulation of the videos. Between February and October last year, the victim transfer...

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