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AGBOOST SCALES AI-ENABLED GENETIC DATA ANALYSIS SOFTWARE FOR CATTLE PRODUCERS

AgBoost

After years of product development and field testing, AgBoost announced the global commercial expansion of its cloud-based data analysis platform that helps cattle producers interpret genomic data for selective breeding, health, market value and nutrition management. Despite a 65% increase in U.S. beef herd productivity over five decades, according to United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA), rising demand for sustainably produced meat and shrinking profit margins underscore the importance of genetic data for herd efficiency. "Too often, cattle producers invest in DNA technology without unlocking its full potential," said Sean Akadiri, founder and CEO of AgBoost, at the 2024 Animal AgTech Innovation Summit and World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit. "Our platform revolutionizes decision-making, empowering ranchers with faster, more precise choices. By putting genetics at their fingertips, we're reducing the average $2,000 loss per calf during breeding and development, giving ranchers a decisive advantage over the competition.” Traditionally, breeding decisions rely on visual appraisals and multi-generation written records of estimated genetic merit. AgBoost's software combines genomic and production data, including live birth weight and diverse phenotypic information, for individual animals. Users can track animals individually or group them, such as in replacement heifer groups. By selecting specific traits, producers gain a comprehensive view to inform feeding, animal health, and marketing decisions effectively. “Genomic testing data can feel like deciphering hieroglyphics to most producers. But AgBoost transforms complexity into simplicity, presenting data in a visual wheel that sparks meaningful conversations. Now, we can swiftly identify the top bulls with complementary traits for desired calves,” said Nick Jorgensen, CEO and CFO of Jorgensen Land and Cattle, who not only licenses the platform for its large seed stock operation but also invested in the company. Seedstock cattle producers depend on analytics for marketing in bull and production sales. AgBoost visually showcases genetic value and identifies DNA-linked traits, like production, maternal, and carcass traits, aiding in sorting and selecting specific characteristics. The tool also allows for scenario planning, including establishing keep/cull lines to distinguish the top and bottom of the gene pool. Poised for Rapid Expansion into New Geographies and Livestock Introduced to U.S. cattle producers in 2018, AgBoost now holds millions of genomic data records for individual cows. With recent patent approvals, the company aims to expand into top-producing markets like Brazil, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom. The global beef market, valued at $526.50 billion in 2023, is projected to grow at a 4.2 percent CAGR by 2030. Currently, AgBoost supports all sizes of seedstock and commercial cow/calf producers, regardless of breed association, with an interactive pedigree and sire link, with a breeding suggestion calculator coming in late 2024. As pioneers in the market, the company intends to broaden individual producer subscriptions, enterprise licensing agreements, and tailor the platform for additional livestock and related industries to meet current demand. For more information, visit www.Ag-Boost.com. About AgBoost Established in 2013 by engineers and cattle producers as a subsidiary of the animal agtech leader, Agric-Bioformatics, Inc., AgBoost pioneers affordable, user-friendly genetic management tools for livestock producers worldwide. Our comprehensive software streamlines the entire process—from ordering tests to interpreting data for actionable insights and creating effective marketing tools. At AgBoost, our mission is clear: to prioritize producers by empowering them to own and comprehend their data, unlocking maximum growth potential for the future. To learn more or request a demo, visit www.Ag-Boost.com. Contact Details AgTech PR for AgBoost Jennifer Goldston jennifer@agtechpr.com

March 18, 2024 12:17 PM Central Daylight Time

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Sevita Names David Callen as Chief Financial Officer

Sevita

Sevita, a leading national provider of community-based health care and support services, has announced David Callen as its new Chief Financial Officer. Callen brings more than 25 years of strategic and financial leadership with a focus on driving efficiency, sustainability, and growth. He will play a key role in leading the company’s performance as a means to serve more individuals. “We are proud to welcome David to Sevita,” said Philip Kaufman, CEO, Sevita. “In addition to his financial expertise, David brings with him a passion for purpose-driven organizations like ours. His collaborative leadership style, focus on optimization and innovation, and history of driving performance will help drive our mission forward across our teams, our communities, and the individuals and families we serve.” Prior to joining Sevita, Callen served as EVP and CFO at Sleep Number Corporation, a $2+ billion sleep-health and wellness company with more than 650 stores across the US, 23 manufacturing and distribution sites worldwide, and over 4,000 employees. Callen was instrumental in Sleep Number’s transformation to become an innovative, sleep-wellness company. He also led its corporate-wide risk management, capital allocation, investor relations, banking, tax, matrix-structure finance business partners, and all facets of financial controls and reporting. Callen brings a continuous improvement mindset from his experience across automotive, dental, high-tech, retail, and outdoor product industries. He also has a proven history of delivering growth through acquisitions, innovations, and market expansion as well as performance improvements through Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen processes. Sevita serves 55,000 individuals in 41 states, providing adults, children, and their families innovative, quality services and supports that lead to growth and independence. This includes residential care and periodic care services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; rehabilitation services for neurological injuries, illnesses, and other complex health needs; therapeutic and medically complex foster care; behavioral health supports; and clinically supported adult day health programs. Learn more at sevitahealth.com. Sevita is a leading provider of community-based specialized health care, inspired by our core values of respect, integrity, inclusion and growth. We provide people with quality services and individualized supports that lead to growth and independence, regardless of the physical, intellectual, or behavioral challenges they face. Weâve made this our mission for more than 50 years. Today our team members continue to innovate and enhance care for the 50,000+ individuals we serve. Contact Details Melissa Patricio media@sevitahealth.com Company Website https://sevitahealth.com/

March 18, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Abingdon Health CEO discusses strong interim results, robust pipeline and growth strategy

Abingdon Health PLC

Abingdon Health PLC (AIM:ABDX) CEO and co-founder Chris Yates discusses the company's interim results and business operations in an interview with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion. Abingdon Health is a lateral flow, contract development, and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), supporting customers from product ideation to commercial success. It offers services including development, scale-up manufacturing, regulatory and analytical laboratory provision, and packaging. Yates said a 117% revenue increase to £2.4 million during the interim period was primarily driven by its CDMO division. This growth was attributed to increases in development, operational revenues, and the emergence of regulatory area revenues. Despite an inflationary environment, Abingdon Health managed to maintain stable operating costs, resulting in improved gross margins to over 50%. The company has a robust opportunity pipeline with 29 ongoing projects, emphasizing its fully integrated solution's appeal to customers. Yates also highlighted a good start to the second half of the year, with revenues expected to grow significantly while controlling costs to enhance operating profit performance. Contact Details Proactive UK Proactive UK +44 20 7989 0813 UKEditorial@proactiveinvestors.com

March 18, 2024 07:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Faron Pharmaceuticals reports promising phase 1 results from BEXMAB study

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy

Faron Pharmaceuticals Limited (AIM:FARN) chief executive Dr Markku Jalkanen joins Proactive's Stephen Gunnion with additional positive data from the Phase 1 study of the ongoing bexmarilimab (BEXMAB) trial that has moved into Phase 2 for higher-risk (HR) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients failed on previous hypomethylating agent (HMA). Dr Jalkanen said the study demonstrated promising results in reducing cancer cells and extending life expectancy in patients. He highlighted the durability and effectiveness of the treatment, particularly in patients with a severe form of myeloid leukemia called MDS, where current treatment options are limited. Dr Jalkanen said the Phase 1 results showed a high overall response rate and an extended overall survival rate among patients, which could lead to a new treatment option for an underserved patient population. He emphasized the importance of continuing the study and engaging with regulators to bring the treatment to market as swiftly as possible. He also noted the potential for increased interest from other pharmaceutical companies based on the positive data released. Faron Pharmaceuticals has moved to the Phase 2 part of the study, focusing on finalising dosing and drug levels as per FDA guidance. The goal is to establish a clear pathway to market approval. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

March 18, 2024 07:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Candel Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CADL) Lead Product Candidate CAN-3110 Demonstrates Promise To Treat Deadly Brain Tumors

Candel Therapeutics

By Jeremy Golden, Benzinga Among brain tumors, high-grade gliomas are the most frequently diagnosed and fatal. Most of the patients with high-grade glioma will have glioblastoma, a more aggressive form of the cancer. The global burden of high-grade gliomas, which have a median overall survival of less than 15 months, cannot be understated, especially given the lack of available treatments to date. The unmet need is even greater in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma, where the expected median overall survival is less than 6 to 9 months. A leader in the development of therapies to treat this field of rare tumors, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Candel Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CADL), is developing CAN-3110 – a first-in-class drug candidate – to help patients combat these deadly tumors. Candel Therapeutics leverages the ability of viral gene constructs to activate cancer-killing mechanisms, exposing multiple tumor antigens and inhibiting the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. The company reports that this tactic has been shown to produce an individualized immune response specific to the patient and their cancer. The company’s viral immunotherapy approach utilizes intratumoral administration of genetically engineered viruses to selectively induce tumor cell death. This elicits an innate and adaptive systemic immune response against the injected tumor and uninjected distant metastases. Best of all, local delivery enables Candel to achieve these results while aiming to minimize systemic toxicity. The lead product candidate in Candel Therapeutics’ HSV platform, CAN-3110, is a replication-competent herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) engineered to enhance the selective killing of cancer cells while sparing healthy neighboring cells. Designed with dual activity for oncolysis and immune activation in a single therapeutic, CAN-3110’s activity is designed to be conditional to the expression of Nestin in cancer cells. CAN-3110 is being evaluated in a phase 1b investigator-sponsored clinical trial in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma. The results from this ongoing clinical trial were recently published in Nature. Investigators discovered that the drug candidate was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicity reported, and CAN-3110 was associated with improved survival. Pre-existing anti-HSV-1 immunity increased infiltrating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and expansion of the T cell repertoire after treatment were all associated with improved survival. “Single-timepoint intralesional injection of rHGG with CAN-3110 enriches the tumor microenvironment with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, inducing defined changes in peripheral and tumor T cell repertoires and tumor transcriptomic signatures,” investigators wrote in the report. “These changes are particularly evident in patients who are seropositive for HSV1 and are associated with improved survival in this otherwise therapy-refractory cancer. These findings therefore provide human immunological and biological evidence supporting the ability of CAN-3110 to convert the immunosuppressive one immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment characteristic of many solid cancers into a one that is more favorable to immunologic rejection of the tumor.” In the CAN-3110 clinical trial, Candel Therapeutics reports that a near-doubling of the expected median overall survival was observed after a single CAN-3110 injection, compared to historical reports of less than 6 to 9 months in this therapy-resistant condition. The company’s scientists and academic collaborators are currently evaluating the effects of multiple CAN-3110 injections in recurrent high-grade glioma, supported by the Break Through Cancer Foundation. Fresh off receiving FDA Fast Track Designation for the treatment of recurrent high-grade glioma, Candel Therapeutics plans to announce a data readout for the multiple injection cohort in CAN-3110’s phase 1 trial in 2H 2024. They expect initial results in the second half of 2024. How Does CAN-3110 Work? The off-the-shelf drug candidate is engineered for selective replication by placing ICP34.5 – the gene controlling HSV replication – under the control of the Nestin promoter. Nestin is highly expressed in high-grade glioma cells but absent in healthy adult brain cells, which could explain why dose-limiting toxicity was not observed in a study of a single injection of CAN-3110 into the brain tumor in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma. Nestin expression has also been detected in aggressive tumors other than high-grade glioma, broadening the potential reach of CAN-3110 into other indications outside the brain – creating a future pipeline-in-a-product. For more information on Candel Therapeutics, visit candeltx.com. Featured photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash. Candel is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing off-the-shelf multimodal biological immunotherapies that elicit an individualized, systemic anti-tumor immune response to help patients fight cancer. Candel has established two clinical stage multimodal biological immunotherapy platforms based on novel, genetically modified adenovirus and herpes simplex virus (HSV) gene constructs, respectively. CAN-2409 is the lead product candidate from the adenovirus platform and is currently in ongoing clinical trials in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (phase 2), borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (phase 2), and localized, non-metastatic prostate cancer (phase 2 and phase 3). CAN-3110 is the lead product candidate from the HSV platform and is currently in an ongoing investigator-sponsored phase 1 clinical trial in recurrent high-grade glioma (HGG). Finally, Candel’s enLIGHTEN™ Discovery Platform is a systematic, iterative HSV-based discovery platform leveraging human biology and advanced analytics to create new viral immunotherapies for solid tumors. This article includes certain disclosures that contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, express or implied statements regarding the timing and advancement of development programs, including the timing and availability of additional data, key data readout milestones, including CAN-3110 in HGG; expectations regarding the potential benefits conferred by Fast Track Designation; expectations regarding the therapeutic benefit of its programs, including the potential for its programs to extend patient survival; and expectations regarding cash runway and expenditures. The words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “target” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those risks and uncertainties related to the timing and advancement of development programs; expectations regarding the therapeutic benefit of the Company’s programs; that final data from our pre-clinical studies and completed clinical trials may differ materially from reported interim data from ongoing studies and trials; the Company’s ability to efficiently discover and develop product candidates; the Company’s ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of product candidates; the Company’s ability to maintain its intellectual property; the implementation of the Company’s business model, and strategic plans for the Company’s business and product candidates, and other risks identified in the Company’s SEC filings, including the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, and subsequent filings with the SEC. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent the Company’s views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Aljanae Reynolds +1 617-916-5445 areynolds@wheelhouselsa.com Company Website https://www.candeltx.com/

March 15, 2024 08:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Top Blacks in Healthcare 2024 Honorees Announced

BlackDoctor.org

BlackDoctor.org (BDO) today announces its highly anticipated finalists for the 9 th annual Top Blacks in Healthcare (TBH) awards, a celebration of history-makers and trailblazers in support of the Black community. TBH recognizes 15 distinguished honorees for innovative thinking, contributions and leadership that inspire greatness in our industry - for now and for generations to come. “The Top Blacks in Healthcare award honorees are role models who have reached a pinnacle in their careers supporting the Black community. As trust remains the number one gap and barrier to overcome, BDO is thrilled to spotlight their respective journeys, which lead the trajectory that reshapes our future,” said Reggie Ware, CEO, BlackDoctor.org (BDO). The 2024 Top Blacks in Healthcare award recipients include: Edrice Simmons, VP of US Oncology, AbbVie Charles Henderson, CEO, American Diabetes Association (ADA) Mike Edmondson, VP Performance Optimization, Amgen Richard Allen Williams MD, FACC, FAHA, FACP, Founder, Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) Founder, President and CEO, Minority Institute David M. Carlisle MD, PhD, President and CEO, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine (CDU) Rashad Burgess, VP Advancing Health & Black Equity, Gilead Sciences Katie Williams, Chief Marketing Officer US & Member of the Executive Team, Haleon Howard Reid, Global Head/SVP Global Public Health, Social Impact, Johnson & Johnson James Earl King Hildreth, MD, PhD, President, Meharry Medical College Chirfi Guindo, Chief Marketing Officer & Member of the Executive Team, Merck Yolanda Lawson, MD, President, National Medical Association (NMA) Negelle Morris, Senior Vice President, Head of US Cardiometabolic Sales, Novo Nordisk Rose Blackburne, MD, MBA, VP, Global Head General Medicine, Thermo Fisher Scientific Julie Spencer Washington, EVP, Chief Marketing, Communications & Customer Experience Officer, Trinity Health 15. Darrell M. Gray II, MD, MPH, FACG, President & CEO, Wellpoint Maryland BDO Executive Editor Jade Curtis states, “Celebrating honorees and sharing their incredible accomplishments inspire BDO’s audience to keep pushing toward their own personal greatness. As trust is our foundation, we must continue to reach Blacks in a trustworthy manner, in places they trust, by people they trust." The celebration of Black excellence will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC (1150 22nd St. NW). The historic day begins with the Thought Leadership Summit at the National Press Club and will culminate with the Top Blacks in Health Awards Gala. The Awards Gala is hosted by radio and television legend Donnie Simpson. The Thought Leadership Summit consists of day-long panels of healthcare leaders discussing topics to make health equity a reality. The panels are live-streamed to BDO’s Black community for a two-way dialogue and experience. For sponsorship, tickets and partnerships, email CommunityVoices@BlackDoctor.org. About BlackDoctor.org (BDO) BlackDoctor.org (BDO) is the leading and most trusted health platform for Black consumers, reaching a total audience of 20 million people, with six million monthly website visitors. BDO leverages culture, content and technology to improve health outcomes for Black consumers. BDO is committed to partnering with the pharma and biotech industry to support clinical trial recruitment and retainment with its Clinical Trial Resource Center, content and robust Find a Black Doctor tool. BDO positively impacts health disparities and health equity, which has become an increasing priority with health stakeholders. BDO's mission is to get every Black family as healthy as possible and has been able to build an activated, health-focused consumer base, about which it has deep insights. BDO works with leading Black medical and health experts to provide "how to do it, you can do it" content to an audience who needs it most. Contact Details BlackDoctor.org Media & Partnership Inquiries: CommunityVoices@BlackDoctor.org

March 14, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

How Theriva Biologics Is Using An Adenovirus To Develop A Novel Treatment For Pancreatic Cancer, As Well As Other Cancers With An Unmet Need

Benzinga

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga Pancreatic cancer has, unfortunately, been in the news lately due to the rising rates of early-onset cancer, especially in young people. The gastrointestinal cancer, which has a 12% five-year survival rate, is expected to become the second-highest cause of cancer-associated deaths in 2030 in the U.S. In 2024, it is projected that 64,440 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The global market size for pancreatic cancer was valued at $2.22 billion in 2022, and it is expected to be worth around $7.91 billion by 2032. Despite the multi-billion dollar market size, the industry is expected to grow at 13.6% through 2032, and pancreatic cancer still needs more therapeutic options – especially for advanced cases or when existing treatments don’t yield the desired results. Theriva Biologics (AMEX: TOVX) is a biotech company that is looking to use adenoviruses to help treat pancreatic cancer. Adenoviruses are a class of viruses with an established safety profile. They are highly prevalent in the environment, making them ideal candidates for therapeutic use in the cancer field. Theriva Biologics' lead product candidate, VCN-01, is a uniquely modified human adenovirus designed for systemic delivery to treat different types of cancer. Theriva Biologics reports that phase 1 clinical trials of VCN-01 have shown promising results for the treatment of several additional indications apart from pancreatic cancer, such as retinoblastoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) in combination with chemotherapy and immunotherapies. Currently, the company is conducting a phase 2b clinical trial of VCN-01 in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy for first-line metastatic pancreatic cancer. It is on track to complete enrollment into the VIRAGE Study by the first half of 2024. In the first quarter of 2024, a Drug Monitoring Committee (DMC) conducted a thorough safety review of VCN-01, and found that the VCN-01 safety profile permitted the VIRAGE study to continue without modification. By the second half of 2024, Theriva Biologics aims to perform an interim analysis of the data obtained from the VIRAGE Study. Pancreatic cancer presents several unique challenges that contribute to its high mortality rate and the difficulty in managing the disease. One major challenge is the aggressive nature of pancreatic cancer, which often spreads to other organs before being diagnosed. Approximately 50% of patients are diagnosed when the cancer has already metastasized, resulting in advanced-stage disease. Pancreatic cancer is also known for causing nonspecific symptoms, making it challenging to detect in its early stages. VCN-01 has a systemic delivery approach, which means it can target both the main tumor and distant metastases, which makes it a promising therapeutic option for advanced and difficult-to-treat cancers like pancreatic cancer. If the company can successfully harness the benefits of adenoviruses, it will present suffering patients around the globe with a novel solution to extend their lives. Featured photo by Olga Kononenko on Unsplash Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

March 14, 2024 08:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Meet Atlas Obscura, The Travel Platform That Combines The Wonder Of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not With The Breadth Of National Geographic’s Content

OurCrowd

By Meg Flippin, Benzinga Combining the wonderment and obscurity of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” with the high-quality production of National Geographic, Atlas Obscura is changing the way we travel and consume travel-related content. The U.S.-based travel media company, which counts millions of consumers as customers, is making a name for itself in the travel industry, creating and curating unique travel experiences whether in person, online or in print. You may not find a run-of-the-mill cruise to Mexico when you peruse this startup’s offerings, but you will find a tasting trip to Oaxaca where you can sample the culinary delights and soak up the culture of this bustling city. Don’t feel like leaving your home for a unique experience? With a click of the mouse, you can be part of a virtual tour of the Bone Museum in Brooklyn or hear a three-part lecture on the history of space exploration. Curating Content And Experiences For Travelers The company holds appeal for travel enthusiasts looking for unique experiences online and in person and for once-in-a-lifetime trips. It leverages the Atlas, its community-driven platform to provide travelers with access to over 25,000 wondrous places around the world. Unlike other leading travel media companies, Atlas is a collaborative project that depends on its community of explorers to help discover amazing places and share them with the world. In addition to offering over 137 unique international destinations and boasting a global community of 10 million explorers, Atlas Obscura reports that it operates the no. 1 travel podcast on Apple charts, published three consecutive New York Times bestsellers with more in the works and recently became one of six exclusive partners for Delta Airlines Inc.’s (NYSE: DAL) billion-dollar inflight entertainment hub Delta Sync Exclusives, sharing the deal with such heavy-hitters as T-Mobile US Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS), Paramount+, American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP), Resy and the New York Times Games. Through the deal Atlas Obscura will reach millions of flyers annually, providing them insider tips and destination information. The company already counts BrandUSA, Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas and Los Angeles as partners and creates content for some of the world’s largest brands including Land Rover, Nissan Motor Co. (OTCMKTS: NSANY), Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM). Out-Of-The-Box Travel In Demand What started more than a decade ago as a two-person passion project of Joshua Foer and Dylan Thuras to map the hidden wonders of the world has morphed into a media powerhouse with 6.5 million monthly active users, 3 million social media followers, 1.6 million monthly podcast downloads and 1.5 million email subscribers. To help Atlas Obscura grow even more in the travel industry click here. Investors Taking Notice That growth hasn’t been lost on investors either. John Backus, founder and managing director of PROOF.VC – an expansion-stage venture capital firm that invests in rapid-growth, breakout companies across the venture ecosystem – is an early backer of Atlas Obscura and is taking part in the company’s most recent Series A round on OurCrowd in which it's seeking to raise $10 million. “We love this company. It’s at scale. It’s about $20 million in revenue, and it’s been profitable for the last year,” Backus, who sits on the board, recently said. “This is a company that is profitable, that is growing, that is looking to invest in its media business and create content that can last in perpetuity.” Since the second quarter of 2023, the company has been profitable. Atlas Obscura’s popularity is driven by the fact that it's solving a common problem in the travel industry: a lack of cool places to visit. The world is vast and interesting with more and more travelers across all ages and demographics looking for unique vacations, yet finding them on traditional travel websites and apps can be difficult and time-consuming. When planning a trip, individuals on average search 40 travel websites. Meanwhile, visitor bureaus tasked with promoting tourism for their city, state or country are looking for ways to build their brands and provide better experiences for visitors. All of that plays to Atlas Obscura’s strengths. Nor is the company sitting back and enjoying its success. It plans to leverage its database of unique destinations by developing an AI tool that will create personalized travel itineraries in minutes. It’s betting that will not only accelerate growth but improve the user travel planning experience. Interested in investing in a company transforming the way we travel? Click here to learn how. Featured photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash. OurCrowd was started in 2013, driven by the idea that the business of building startups grows bigger and better when the global ‘crowd’ gains access to VC-level investment opportunities.Today, OurCrowd is a global venture and alternative investing platform that empowers institutions and individuals to invest and engage in emerging companies. OurCrowd vets and selects companies, invests its capital, and provides its global network with unparalleled access to co-invest and contribute connections, talent and deal flow. OurCrowd builds value for its portfolio companies throughout their lifecycles, providing mentorship, recruiting industry advisors, navigating follow-on rounds and creating growth opportunities through its network of multinational partnerships. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Lisa Graston lisa.graston@ourcrowd.com Company Website http://www.ourcrowd.com

March 14, 2024 08:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Arecor Therapeutics announces collaboration on oral GLP-1 drug for diabetes and obesity treatment

Arecor Therapeutics PLC

Arecor Therapeutics PLC (AIM:AREC) CEO Sarah Howell joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion with details of a collaboration with TRX Biosciences to develop an oral GLP-1 product for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity. GLP-1s are therapeutic peptides known for improving blood sugar levels and promoting weight loss. The market for GLP-1 products is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030. Currently, GLP-1 treatment options are predominantly injectable, which limits patient compliance and adoption. Arecor aims to develop an oral GLP-1 with enhanced bioavailability, making it a once-daily pill. This development could significantly increase access to effective treatments for these conditions. Howell told Proactive that Arecor is well-positioned for this development due to its successful track record with its Arestat technology platform, which enhances the profiles of existing therapeutics. The collaboration aims to overcome challenges faced by the only available oral GLP-1, such as low bioavailability and the need for dosing on an empty stomach, by leveraging Arecor's technology in conjunction with TRX Biosciences' Lipper core technology. She said the collaboration complements Arecor's existing diabetes portfolio, which includes two leading insulin products and Gluco, a product for severe hypoglycemia in diabetes patients. The focus is on reducing the daily burden of disease management and improving patient outcomes. TRX Biosciences was chosen for their complementary technology and expertise in oral peptide delivery. The initial development phase will last up to 18 months, aiming to demonstrate the feasibility of a stable, orally delivered GLP-1 with improved bioavailability. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

March 14, 2024 08:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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