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Antheia Announces New Funding to Support Domestic Production of Critical Pharmaceutical Ingredients

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Company awarded government project agreement to onshore key pharmaceutical supply chains, alongside strategic investment from In-Q-Tel and Echo

MENLO PARK, Calif., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Antheia, the pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer transforming essential medicine supply chains, today announced $17 million in new funding via a government project agreement through the Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Preparedness Consortium (BioMaP-Consortium), alongside matching support from new strategic investors. The combined funding will support onshoring the production of critical pharmaceutical ingredients to the U.S. and accelerating the company’s commercialization strategy. The funding includes a non-dilutive two-year project agreement up to $11 million through the BioMaP Consortium and additional investment from In-Q-Tel, Inc. (IQT), Echo Investment Capital (Echo), and several existing investors, including Viking Global Investors.

“Biotechnology has a critical role to play in U.S. national and economic security,” said Dr. Christina Smolke, Antheia CEO and co-founder. “With the support of both the public and private sectors, we can leverage this technology to bolster essential medicine production in the U.S., with an agile, scalable biomanufacturing approach that leapfrogs existing pharmaceutical manufacturing practices.”

The BioMaP-Consortium is a multiple-purpose acquisition vehicle supporting the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and is composed of pharmaceutical, medical, academic, and scientific organizations. This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR); Office of Industrial Base Manufacturing and Supply Chain (IBMSC), under OT number #75A50123D00003.

The BioMaP-Consortium aims to meet the U.S. public health preparedness and response requirements by expanding the industrial and manufacturing base for medical countermeasures. As part of the BioMaP-Consortium award, Antheia will demonstrate the domestic production of three critical pharmaceutical ingredients at population scale using advanced biomanufacturing processes. 

In addition to the BioMaP-Consortium project agreement, Antheia brought in matching support from new strategic investors – including IQT and Echo – that represent the intersection of innovation, national security, and domestic manufacturing. IQT connects cutting edge innovation from the private sector to the U.S. government and its allies to advance national security in the 21st century. Echo is a multi-strategy investment firm that connects overlooked domestic resources and infrastructure with world-class founders, ideas, and capital to generate exceptional financial and social returns.

“The U.S. is a leader in biomanufacturing, synthetic biology, and computational biology, but there is more we must do to scale these advanced technologies to solve global problems like essential medicine shortages,” said Eugene Chiu, Senior Partner, IQT. “We are excited to support Antheia in advancing the U.S. bioeconomy and building resilient pharmaceutical supply chains.”

“Antheia’s disruptive innovation is dramatically changing the outlook for security and resiliency of our biopharmaceutical supply chains,” said Christian Kanady, Founding Partner & CEO, Echo. “We are proud to partner in advancing Antheia’s groundbreaking technologies and importantly renewing the domestic bioeconomy in the process.” 

Today’s financing news comes on the heels of significant 2024 momentum, including the company’s validated process for its first product , thebaine, and the opportunity to host U.S. Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken at its labs for a discussion on the importance of a robust domestic bioeconomy. Antheia continues to deliver on its commercial strategy and plans to ship its first orders to customers later this year. 

About Antheia 
Antheia is the next-generation pharmaceutical ingredient producer transforming essential  medicine supply chains to end drug shortages. Using its novel whole-cell engineering approach, Antheia’s biomanufacturing platform enables the reconstruction of biosynthetic pathways of unprecedented complexity in yeast cells and the scaling of fermentation processes to  commercial levels. This highly flexible approach enables on-demand, agile, and resilient biomanufacturing of critical pharmaceutical ingredients, replacing legacy approaches that cannot support the needs of modern healthcare. For more information, visit www.antheia.bio

MEDIA CONTACT:
Mission North for Antheia
antheia@missionnorth.com

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Capital Advantage, Inc. Offers Tailored Financial Services for Kaiser Permanente® and TPMG Employees

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WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Capital Advantage, Inc., a trusted name in wealth management, is proud to highlight its specialized services designed to meet the unique financial needs of Kaiser Permanente® and The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) employees.

At Capital Advantage, we understand the complexities of Kaiser Permanente® and TPMG benefit plans. Our team is dedicated to helping healthcare professionals navigate their robust and often intricate benefit options. With over 30 years of expertise and a deep understanding of Kaiser’s offerings, we craft personalized financial plans to help maximize the value of our clients’ benefits.

“We recognize the unique challenges and opportunities that healthcare professionals face in managing their financial lives,” says Ian Castille, CFP®, Principal and Senior Financial Advisor at Capital Advantage, Inc.

Donna Zinman, CRPC®, Principal and Senior Advisor, adds, “Our goal is to educate our clients about their attractive benefit options and help them make the most of these opportunities.”

Key services for Kaiser Permanente® and TPMG employees include customized portfolio strategies and personalized guidance on retirement savings plans, identification of ideal pension options and annual open-enrollment benefit selections, advice on traditional vs. Roth 401(k) options, advanced tax-saving strategies (such as mega-backdoor Roth contributions), and simplification of retirement planning by working directly with Kaiser/TPMG’s benefits department. These services are designed to provide Kaiser/TPMG employees with peace of mind, confidence, and financial empowerment as they navigate their retirement and benefits planning.

About Capital Advantage, Inc.

Capital Advantage is a trusted, independently owned wealth management firm with over 40 years of experience helping individuals and families to achieve their financial goals. As a 100% fee-only fiduciary, Capital Advantage strives to provide financial peace of mind to each and every client, delivering large institution expertise with the personalized care and attention of a boutique firm. Our experienced advisors work closely with pre-retirees and retirees, women navigating unique financial journeys, and Kaiser Permanente® and The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) employees to create strategies that provide clarity, confidence, and long-term success.

For more information on Capital Advantage’s services visit: Kaiser/TPMG Employees – Capital Advantage, Inc. or call (925) 299-1500 to contact one of our advisors for a no-cost initial consultation.

Disclaimer: Capital Advantage, Inc. is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Kaiser Permanente® or TPMG (The Permanente Medical Group)

Limitations: No amount of experience, recognition, or past success, nor the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if Capital Advantage is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. Please see Important Disclosure.

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NASA Sets Coverage for Firefly First Commercial Robotic Moon Launch

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Carrying NASA science and technology to the Moon as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 is targeting launch Wednesday, Jan. 15. The mission will lift off on a SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Live launch coverage will air on NASA+ with prelaunch events starting Monday, Jan. 13. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. Follow all events at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live/

After the launch, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander will spend approximately 45 days in transit to the Moon before landing on the lunar surface in early March. The lander will carry 10 NASA science investigations to further our understanding of the Moon’s environment and help prepare for future human missions to the lunar surface, as part of the agency’s Moon to Mars exploration approach. 

Science investigations on this flight aim to test and demonstrate lunar subsurface drilling technology, regolith sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system abilities, radiation tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation methods. The data captured could benefit humans on Earth by providing insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces impact Earth. 

The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. The agency’s media accreditation policy is available online. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.

Full coverage of this mission is as follows (all times Eastern):

Monday, Jan. 13
2:30 p.m. – Lunar science media teleconference with the following participants:

Chris Culbert, CLPS program manager, NASA’s Johnson Space CenterMaria Banks, CLPS project scientist, NASA Johnson

Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website:

https://www.nasa.gov/live/

Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 1:30 p.m. EST Jan. 13, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

Tuesday, Jan. 14
1 p.m. – Lunar delivery readiness media teleconference with the following participants:

Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA HeadquartersJason Kim, CEO, Firefly AerospaceJulianna Scheiman, director, NASA science missions, SpaceXMark Burger, launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron

Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website:

https://www.nasa.gov/live/

Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 12 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

Wednesday, Jan. 15
12:30 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+ and the agency’s website.

1:11 a.m. – Launch

NASA Launch Coverage
Audio only of the media teleconferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, or -7135. On launch day, the full mission broadcast can be heard on -1220 and -1240, while the countdown net only can be heard on -7135 beginning approximately one hour before the mission broadcast begins.

On launch day, a “tech feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel.

NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 12:30 a.m. EST Jan. 15, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on our launch blog for updates.

NASA Virtual Guests for Launch
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. Registrants will receive mission updates and activities by email, including curated mission resources, schedule updates, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch. Print your passport and get ready to add your stamp!

Watch, Engage on Social Media
Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Artemis. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:

X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis, @NASAMoon

Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, NASAArtemis

Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis

Coverage en Español
Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en español? Check out NASA en español on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for additional mission coverage.

Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.

For media inquiries relating to the launch provider, please contact SpaceX’s communications department by emailing: media@spacex.com. For media inquiries relating to the CLPS provider, Firefly Aerospace, please contact Firefly’s communication department by emailing: press@fireflyspace.com.
For more information about the agency’s CLPS initiative, see:

https://www.nasa.gov/clps

 

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Universal Brain Announces Publication of Groundbreaking Depression Research Using Multiple Event-Related Potentials

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New findings support the company’s neuroscience-driven approach to precision psychiatry, offering actionable insights for personalized depression treatment

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Universal Brain, a pioneering technology company focused on transforming mental healthcare through neuroscience, today announced the publication of its latest peer-reviewed study, “Neurotyping depression using multiple event-related potentials (ERPs): Leveraging task-based variation to predict remission in depression,” the paper introduces a novel framework for detecting unique neurophysiological patterns that can help predict which depressed patients are most likely to achieve remission from depression.

“By combining several EEG paradigms with novel statistical analyses, we’re moving closer to a future where depression therapies can be precisely tailored to each individual,” said Kazu Okuda, Chief Executive Officer of Universal Brain. “In particular, we are poised to leverage a battery of EEG paradigms to better subtype depression – which will pave the way for more precision in treatment development and selection.  These functional measures of brain activity (i.e., neurotypes) will be used to determine what treatment works best for whom.”

Key Highlights of the Study

Multi-Task ERP Analyses
The study leveraged multiple cognitive and emotional tasks to capture a broader spectrum of brain responses, thereby enabling more robust classification of distinct depression subtypes.Predictive Neurotyping
Through comprehensive ERP assessment, researchers identified patterns linked to a higher likelihood of remission in depression, paving the way for more targeted clinical strategies. Combining ERPs from multiple tasks outperformed classifications based on more traditional single-task analyses.Implications for Precision Psychiatry
These findings underscore the potential of individualized treatment pathways—an approach backed by emerging research in the field of precision psychiatry, which calls for data-driven, personalized solutions to improve outcomes in mental health.

“This work is especially exciting because it bridges the gap between laboratory-based assessments and potential real-world clinical practice. We believe our new method can help physicians potentially select treatment but also help clinicians fine-tune therapeutic interventions to an individual’s unique neural signature,” commented Greg Hajcak, Chief Scientific Advisor of Universal Brain. “By leveraging multiple ERPs in varying tasks, we can aim to better predict who will respond to specific treatments, a key step in transforming how we approach depression management.”

Championing Precision Psychiatry

Universal Brain’s overarching mission is to integrate cutting-edge neuroscience with clinical insights to advance precision psychiatry—a transformative model of care that personalizes interventions based on individual biological, behavioral, and environmental factors. This focus resonates with emerging trends in psychiatric research to enhance treatment outcomes.

In close collaboration with academic institutions, research hospitals, and clinical partners, Universal Brain continues to drive neuroscience-based innovation that bridges the gap between academic discoveries and real-world patient care.

For more information on Universal Brain’s research and the company’s commitment to developing neuroscience-driven solutions for mental health, please visit universal-brain.com or email us at media@universal-brain.com.

About Universal Brain

Universal Brain is a science-driven technology company dedicated to revolutionizing mental healthcare by unlocking the power of precision psychiatry. Drawing on advances in neuroscience, data analytics, and engineering, Universal Brain develops innovative tools and platforms that personalize psychiatric treatment and improve patient outcomes. To learn more, visit www.universal-brain.com.

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