Month: August 2023

UN Agencies Launch World Breastfeeding Week, Stress Need for Greater Breastfeeding Support

United Nations agencies kicked off World Breastfeeding Week on Tuesday, emphasizing the need for greater breastfeeding support across all workplaces.

In the last decade, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding has increased by a remarkable 10 percentage points, to 48 per cent globally, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Promoting and supporting breastfeeding at workplaces can help drive the progress higher and towards the global target of 70 per cent by 2030, the organizations stated.

“Supportive workplaces are key. Evidence shows that while breastfeeding rates drop significantly for women when they return to work, that negative impact can be reversed when workplaces facilitate mothers to continue to breastfeed their babies,” Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director noted.

Highlighting the benefits of supporting breastfeeding for mothers, babies and businesses, UNICEF and WHO urged governments, donors, civil society, and the private sector to support all working mothers – including those in the informal sector or on temporary contracts.

The UN agencies also called for sufficient paid leave for all working parents and care-givers to meet the needs of their young children as well as increased investments in breastfeeding support policies and programs in all settings.

WHO and UNICEF further recommend that breastfeeding should begin within the first hour of birth and continue through the first six months of a child’s life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is a global campaign celebrated every 1-7 August to raise awareness and galvanize action on themes related to breastfeeding.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Gov’t of Azerbaijan Expresses Readiness to Enhance Cooperation with Ethiopia

State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, met at his office with the Chairman of Azerbaijani State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations (ASAN), Ulvi Mehdieyev.

The State Minister, during their conversation, commended the Azerbaijani Government for its keenness to cooperate with the Ethiopian Government on matters pertaining to public service delivery.

The Government of Ethiopia is interested to learn from the Azerbaijani experience to boost its multifaceted reforms in both at federal and regional states levels, the State Minister stressed.

Mehdieyev, on his part, expressed the readiness of his government to enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as public service delivery as well as development assistance, education, tourism and cultural ties.

Diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Azerbaijan began in 1992.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Green Legacy Initiative Unique Model, Illustration of Willingness to Mitigate Climate Change: Morocco Ambassador

The planting of tree seedlings in Ethiopia through the Green Legacy Initiative is a unique model and a very clear illustration of willingness to mitigate climate change in Africa, Morocco's Ambassador Nezha Alaoui M'hammdi said.

The Green Legacy Initiative is a flagship program that succeeded in planting 25 billion seedlings, fruit trees and cattle feeds within four years.

The second phase of the program was launched to plant another 25 billion seedlings in June 2023, targeting to plant another 25 billion seedlings in the coming four years.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, the Moroccan ambassador said she was impressed by the project because the diplomatic corps has been invited to take part in planting trees.

“It is very impressive for many reasons because it is a unique model and it is a very clear illustration of willingness to mitigate climate change in African countries in an area or region where climate change is affecting not only agriculture and economy but also the population.”

The ambassador noted that we talk about displaced people because of security, but we have in Africa unfortunately displaced people for climate change reasons and the Horn of Africa is a clear illustration of that.

“Having a country like Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa and in Africa in general, showing this very commendable project of planting trees every year is an example for not only African countries, but also for other countries out of Africa because fighting or mitigating climate change today is not a luxury. It is necessity because we live it,” M'hammdi underscored.

Elaborating on the significance of the project, she stated that as a resident of Addis Ababa just this year it is the first time for her to see that the rainy season is no longer like before; and this is the impact of the climate change. Therefore, this endeavor is impressive and an example for all of us.

Many experts point out that the Green Legacy will have irreplaceable role for Ethiopia’s economic growth and development by enhancing the nation’s forest coverage and withstanding the impact of climate change.

Following the massive tree seedlings in Ethiopia, forest coverage has jumped over 17 percent in the past four years through the Green Legacy Initiative.

Moreover, Ethiopians across the country have recently planted 500 million seedlings in 12 hours or half a day as part of the second phase of the Green Legacy Initiative.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Ethiopian Embassy Launches Green Legacy in Pakistan by Planting Saplings on Premises

The Embassy of Ethiopia in Islamabad, Pakistan, launched the Green Legacy Initiative today by planting diverse species of tree seedlings on the premises of the embassy.

Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula, alongside federal ministers and business representatives, planted diverse species of trees, including jacaranda, avocado, pine, and olive, among others.

According to the embassy’s press release, the ambassador praised the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the occasion and commended the Green Legacy Initiative for its significant impact in addressing climate challenges, conserving the environment, generating employment opportunities, and ensuring food security in Ethiopia.

He said 25 billion seedlings of trees, fruits, and cattle feeds were planted during the first phase of the Green Legacy Initiative which was launched in 2019.

On 17th July 2023, the second phase commenced under the theme "Let's plant our future today," aiming to plant another 25 billion seedlings across Ethiopia.

Notably, Ambassador Jemal said Ethiopia achieved a remarkable feat on 17th July 2023 by planting over 550 million seedlings in 12 hours, which was a success that garnered immense support from more than 32 million people participating in the initiative this year.

Beyond national borders, he stated that the Green Legacy Initiative earned recognition at the international and regional levels, inspiring neighboring countries to undertake massive tree plantation campaigns to shield the African continent from the adverse impacts of climate change.

Pakistani Minister for Aviation and Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique extended gratitude to the Government of Ethiopia for supporting his country in carrying out flood relief activities in the country in the recent past.

He also welcomed the Green Legacy Initiative in Pakistan and vowed cooperation with the Ethiopian Government in this regard.

Pakistani Aviation and Railways Minister Khaja Saad Rafique, Narcotics Control Minister Nawabzada Shazain Bugti, PM Special Advisor Ahsan Zafar Bakhatawari, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President, representative of diplomatic corps, senior officers from the Climate Change Ministry, religious leaders, youth association, and media outlets attended the plantation, the release said.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Zenas BioPharma Announces Publication of Phase 2 Study of Obexelimab, an Investigational Treatment for IgG4-Related Disease (IgG4-RD), in The Lancet Rheumatology

Study found obexelimab produced rapid, strong, and sustained clinical improvement, including complete clinical remission, in most patients with active IgG4-RD

Results support the continued development of obexelimab for the treatment of IgG4-RD and potentially other B cell-mediated autoimmune conditions

WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zenas BioPharma, a global biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of immune-based therapies, announces The Lancet Rheumatology has published findings from a Phase 2 study evaluating obexelimab for the treatment of patients with IgG4-Related Disease (IgG4-RD). Based on the results of this study, a Phase 3 study in patients with IgG4-RD is ongoing to further investigate the efficacy and safety of obexelimab administered as a subcutaneous injection.

IgG4-RD is a chronic, immune-mediated fibro-inflammatory disease that can affect multiple organs including the major salivary glands, orbits, lacrimal glands, pancreas, biliary tree, lungs, kidneys, and retroperitoneum. Approximately 20,000 patients are diagnosed with IgG4-RD in the United States alone. Despite its increasing recognition, there remains a need for further research and effective therapeutic options for individuals living with this debilitating disease.

Across the world, the use of glucocorticoids is widely considered to be the standard of care for treating IgG4-RD. There are no approved treatment options for this condition. While commonly used, glucocorticoids and available B cell depleting therapies rarely lead to long-term, treatment-free remissions, and are associated with a high risk of toxicity in these patients. Such therapies also impair vaccine responses, including those for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza.

In a prospective, open-label, single arm, single-center pilot study to assess the efficacy and safety of obexelimab in the treatment of patients with IgG4-RD (clinicaltrials.gov registration NCT02725476), obexelimab demonstrated strong improvement in the IgG4-RD Responder Index, a measure of disease activity, by inhibiting B cell function, without depleting B cells.

The published manuscript, titled “Obexelimab for the Treatment of Patients with IgG4-Related Disease: An Open-Label, Single-Arm, Pilot Study to Evaluate Efficacy, Safety, and Mechanism of Action,” is available online and will appear in the August issue of The Lancet Rheumatology 2023;5(8) [E428-E429].

The following are the key findings in the paper:

  • Obexelimab produced rapid, strong, and sustained clinical improvement, including complete remission (IgG4-RD Responder Index score of 0), in most patients with active IgG4-RD.
  • During obexelimab treatment, reductions in circulating B cells, including plasmablasts, were observed without evidence of cell death.
  • Additionally, reduction of circulating B cells and rapid return to near normal levels after treatment discontinuation suggests that obexelimab may lead to B cell sequestration in lymphoid organs or the bone marrow.
  • Obexelimab was well tolerated. The majority of treatment-related adverse events were grades 1 or 2, with the most common adverse events being gastrointestinal infusion-related events, most of which were mild.

“Our findings are a significant step forward in understanding the underlying mechanisms of IgG4-Related Disease; paving the way for more targeted treatment strategies,” said John Stone, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and the Edward A. Fox Chair in Medicine at Mass General Hospital. “Our team is honored to have our research recognized by The Lancet Rheumatology, and we are immensely grateful to the patients who participated in this groundbreaking study.”

About Obexelimab

Obexelimab is an investigational Phase 3-stage, bifunctional, non-cytolytic, humanized monoclonal antibody that mimics the action of antigen-antibody complexes by binding CD19 and FcγRIIb to inhibit B-lineage cell activity. In several early-stage clinical studies in various autoimmune diseases, 198 subjects were treated with obexelimab. In these clinical studies, obexelimab demonstrated effective inhibition of B cell function without depleting the cells, resulting in encouraging treatment effect in patients with various autoimmune diseases. Zenas acquired exclusive worldwide rights to obexelimab from Xencor, Inc.

More information on the Phase 3 (INDIGO) study for the treatment of IgG4 Related Disease is available at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT05662241.

About Zenas BioPharma

Zenas BioPharma is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of immune-based therapies for patients around the world. With clinical development and operations globally, Zenas is advancing a deep and balanced global portfolio of potential first- and best-in-class autoimmune therapeutics in areas of high unmet medical need while meeting the value requirements of the dynamic global healthcare environment. The company’s pipeline continues to grow through our successful business development strategy. Our experienced leadership team and network of business partners drive operational excellence to deliver potentially transformative therapies to improve the lives of those facing autoimmune and rare diseases. For more information about Zenas BioPharma, please visit www.zenasbio.com and follow us on Twitter at @ZenasBioPharma and LinkedIn.

Investor and Media Contact:
Joe Farmer, President & COO
Zenas BioPharma
IR@zenasbio.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8884766

Conagen and Sumitomo Chemical jointly develop a new era of renewable carbon materials

Bedford, Mass., Aug. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Conagen, the bioplatform innovator and biomanufacturer, and Sumitomo Chemical, Japan’s leading chemical company, have announced to jointly develop p-hydroxystyrene (HS) and its polymer, poly p-hydroxystyrene (PHS), using a combination of biosynthesis, chemosynthesis, and polymerization. The monomer and the polymer are 100% renewable carbon, marking a new era of sustainable production.

Developing PHS using a combination of biosynthesis, chemosynthesis, and polymerization represents a significant breakthrough in sustainable material production. Efforts to reduce reliance on petroleum and transition towards renewable and sustainable alternatives have gained momentum in recent years. With renewable biomass as the starting material, this joint devolvement between Conagen and Sumitomo Chemical creates an environmentally friendly and cost-effective product. The partnership is in the lead position of active global initiatives to reduce petroleum-based products’ consumption and environmental impact.

This partnership represents a significant milestone in developing sustainable materials, and this approach to PHS production is expected to reduce the carbon footprint associated with traditional chemical synthesis methods. It is a crucial step towards more sustainable manufacturing processes with a positive impact.

The Conagen-Sumitomo partnership leverages Conagen’s expertise in microbial strain design and development with Sumitomo Chemical’s proficiency in chemical production and commercialization. The collaboration aims to create a platform that enables the production of sustainable chemicals to replace petrochemicals in an extended range of many applications.

PHS is used to produce polymers, resins, and other chemicals. The monomer HS can also be used as an input for the synthesis of other substances, such as pharmaceuticals and fragrances. The applications of HS and PHS are limitless and can span uses from electronics to personal care and other consumer products.

“This partnership represents a significant step forward in pursuing green chemicals for sustainable material production,” said J. McNamara, Ph.D., V.P. of chemical applications at Conagen. “Our commitment is a testament to the power of collaboration and the potential of combining our technologies with synthetic and polymer chemistries to create innovative, sustainable solutions that can significantly reduce petroleum-based products in the environment,” McNamara stated. “Together, we’re marking a new era of carbon-neutral material production efforts.”

The monomer HS, with the chemical formula C8H8O, is a derivative of styrene in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is attached to the aromatic ring’s para position (carbon atom 4). The HS and PHS are examples of green chemistry for minimizing waste, reducing hazardous chemicals, and using catalysts that can be easily separated and reused. This joint development project promises to potentially pave the way for developing novel renewable and sustainable materials. “Similar technology can be used to produce other key chemical ingredients by fermentation at industrial scale, such as cinnamic acid, monohydroxy-benzoic acid, and dihydroxy-benzoic acid,” said McNamara.

About Conagen

Conagen is making the impossible possible. It is a product-focused, synthetic biology R&D company with large-scale manufacturing service capabilities. Its proprietary strain development, fermentation, and scale-up technologies enhance our partners’ sales, production, and profitability across a broad spectrum of current and developing markets in food, beverage, nutrition, flavor and fragrance, pharmaceutical, and renewable materials.

About Sumitomo Chemical

Sumitomo Chemical is Japan’s leading chemical company, with a global presence in the chemicals, petrochemicals, and plastics industries. The company is committed to sustainability and has a product portfolio contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.Top of Form

Attachments

Ana Capretz, Head of Public Relations and Communications
Conagen
+1-781-271-1588
ana.capretz@conagen.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8884420

Summit: Sports to build bridge between Russia, Africa – Matytsin

Russian Minister of Sports, Oleg Matytsin, said expanding cooperation with African countries in high-performance and mass sports would build a bridge between Russia and Africa.

Matytsin said this in a statement released by Roscongress, organisers of the Second Russia-Africa Summit 2023, on Monday.

He said this could be achieved through the World Friendship Games, educational programmes and joint training camps.

Matytsin made the remarks at a panel session titled: “Sport: A Bridge of Friendship between Russia and Africa,” at the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

“Today, Russia is ready to offer a smart, competitive sports strategy for African countries, as well as a roadmap for its implementation.

“We propose to expand and organise joint training camps at Russian federal sports bases, conduct educational programmesfor African specialists, and send Russian coaches to prepareAfrican athletes for major international events.

“Nelson Mandela, a great sports fan and a great man, once said: ‘Sport has the power to change the world. Sport has the power to inspire.

“It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination’,” said Matytsin.

Irina Viner, President of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, expressed readiness to work with African athletes.

“Africa is very important to us now. It is a continent with brilliant athletes. There is a huge potential in sports there, including rhythmic gymnastics.

“I have always dreamed of having a girl from Africa on my team. We can offer our theories and practices of sports development,” said Viner.

Umar Kremlev, President, International Boxing Association, noted that sport should unite people.

“When you take the flag away from an athlete, you humiliate them, because athletes compete on behalf of their nations.

“He feels pride precisely because his national anthem is being played and the flag is being raised. Let’s take our responsibilities seriously,” Kremlev said.

Alexey Sorokin, Head of the Organising Committee of the World Friendship Games Games, said the games would be a large-scale tournament in which all athletes would perform under the flags of their countries.

“We feel the demand for new competitions where there is no place for slogans and politics, where it is all about sport. That is why we created the Friendship Games, a multi-sport tournament in 27 athletic disciplines.

“These competitions will unite all countries that want to participate without regard to political views. The only criterion in these Games is sporting achievements.

“This is not an alternative to the existing formats, but a powerful addition to them with a significant prize fund. The tournament will be held from Sept. 15 to Sept. 29 2024 in Moscow and St. Petersburg,” said Sorokin.

Stanislav Pozdnyakov, President of the Russian Olympic Committee, was emphatic that sport was an avenue to eliminate discrimination.

“Sport is one of the most important components of humanitarian cooperation between our countries.

“As a trendsetter in sport, Russia is always ready to share its practices. In this part, it is very telling that a friend in need is not just in their words, but in their actions.

“We understand now who our real friends are, and who has been pretending to be,” said Pozdnyakov.

Adam Mthethwa, President, Eswatini Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, agreed that Russia had great experience in training athletes.

“Cooperation with Russia inspires our athletes as your country is known for great achievements in sport.

“When Namibia was just on the road to independence, Russia supported us as a friend. And we appreciate that very much.

“When we got our independence, Russia was also with us. And this relationship has lasted for a long time,” said Abner Xoagub, President, Namibia National Olympic Committee.

Alioune Traore, Technical Director of the Malian National Olympic Committee, said: “Our dream is to win medals at the Olympics through cooperation with Russia. I hope that Russia will help us to achieve this goal.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Ex-police boss tasks FG on sports development at all levels

CorpsAfrica/Ghana, a non-profit organisation that recruit, train and deploy young volunteers to facilitate community-led projects, has organised its maiden 'Project Demo Day' in Accra. The event was aimed at promoting a culture of African philanthropy and build the professional skills youth in proposal development, presenting, pitching, fundraising, and networking. Mr Moses Cofie, Country Director for CorpsAfrica/Ghana explained that the demo day was inspired by American TV show, Shark Tank, which gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to pitch and secure funds for their businesses. He said some 16 volunteers had been deployed to 16 communities across the Central, Volta and Northern Regions of Ghana to help identify their needs and find lasting solutions to them. The community development projects of the volunteers, including building schools, wells, agriculture and irrigation systems, and supporting small businesses start-up, are in Ghana, Morrocco, Malawi, Rwanda and Kenya. Meanwhile, CorpsAfrica has secured a US$59.4 million partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to increase volunteers work to Nigeria, Uganda, and Ethiopia, largely, to help fight against poverty. 'These amazing volunteers, who have served the communities for seven months, have been able to assist their communities to identify major challenges they are facing and taken on the great responsibility of helping them solve the identified challenge,' Mr Cofie said. He urged development partners, philanthropists, corporate bodies and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to respond to the funding appeal from volunteers to enable them implement their respective community-identified projects. The six selected volunteers who pitched their community-identified projects were Joana Doudu Owusu, Martin Rasheed Musah, Victoria Wintonya Ndebugri, Ibrahim Ismail, Susana Kolog and Joshua Kwawuvi. During the five-minutes presentation, they provided a description of their respective projects, the expected impact, budget and sustainability plan. The projects included facilitating trainings in vocational skills for women and girls in Nantong Zoo, providing teachers' bungalow and a nursery school in Anweem Kissi, and constructing a technical training workshop in Peki-Tsibu. The other projects are constructing a three-classroom block with staff room in Chanzegu, constructing a Community-based Health Planning (CHPS) compound in Kwameatta and constructing a place of convenience in Kanfiehiyii. Some representatives from Compassionate Ghana, Vodafone Ghana, Peace Corps, Mastercard Foundation, Access Bank, Camfed, Future for Africa, Send Ghana, Global Shea Alliance, GIZ-Ghana, West Africa Civil Society Institute (WASCI), Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), witnessed the ceremony. Some of the representatives at the event commended CorpsAfrica/Ghana for their community-based initiatives and pledged to work together to inspire young Africans in solution-oriented philanthropic works.

Source: Ghana News Agency