Author: Michelle Dryden

Categories
Digital - AI & Apps

Majesco launches new product portal to expand and accelerate customer’s planning and use of Majesco solutions today and for the future

Portal provides faster and easier access to robust product information and insight to product roadmaps and future of insurance technologies

MORRISTOWN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Majesco (NASDAQ: MJCO), a global provider of cloud insurance platform software, today announced a new product portal – providing customers fast and easy access to robust product information and insight to product roadmaps and future of insurance technologies that will expand and accelerate customer’s planning and use of Majesco solutions today and for the future.

“We’re thrilled to provide our customers with a robust resource that allows them to stay on top of Majesco’s latest product advancements, product roadmaps and assessment of future of insurance technologies,” says Manish Shah, President & Chief Product Officer at Majesco. “We’re constantly pushing boundaries and creating products that redefine the next generation of solutions that enable insurers to digitally transform to a new era of insurance. The new product portal enables our customers to keep a pulse on the latest innovative technology and enhancements we’re working on to create the future of insurance.”

Within the product portal customers will have access to the latest information including:

  • Product Roadmap – Visibility into the release schedule of new product features and capabilities
  • Idea Portal – Platform that allows customers and partners to submit ideas for product enhancements and to view and vote on enhancement ideas submitted by other customers
  • Majesco Technology Office – Future of Insurance Technologies – Thought-provoking articles and videos on technology and architecture from Majesco’s Technology Office
  • Release Notes – Information regarding enhancements and defect fixes included in each Majesco product release
  • User Guides – Step-by-step instructions on how to use Majesco’s products
  • Installation Guides – Step-by-step instructions for how to install and configure Majesco’s products
  • API Documentation – Full documentation of Majesco’s APIs including an overview of the API, authentication, response samples, and error handling
  • Product Certifications – Outline of the certified technology stack on which Majesco products should be deployed including recommended deployment topology
  • Performance Benchmark Reports – The latest performance benchmark reports for various Majesco base products
  • Security Assessment Reports – The latest Security Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test results for Majesco products
  • Infrastructure Sizing Guidelines – Usage-based recommendations for infrastructure settings (CPU, Memory) by product

About Majesco

Majesco (NASDAQ: MJCO) provides technology, expertise, and leadership that helps insurers modernize, innovate and connect to build the future of their business – and the future of insurance – at speed and scale. Our platforms connect people and businesses to insurance in ways that are innovative, hyper-relevant, compelling and personal. Over 200 insurance companies worldwide in P&C, L&A and Group Benefits are transforming their businesses by modernizing, optimizing or creating new business models with Majesco. Our market-leading solutions include CloudInsurer® P&C Core Suite (Policy, Billing, Claims); CloudInsurer® LifePlus Solutions (AdminPlus, AdvicePlus, IllustratePlus, DistributionPlus); CloudInsurer® L&A and Group Core Suite (Policy, Billing, Claims); Digital1st® Insurance with Digital1st® Engagement, Digital1st® EcoExchange and Digital1st® Platform – a cloud-native, microservices and open API platform; Distribution Management, Data and Analytics and an Enterprise Data Warehouse. For more details on Majesco, please visit www.majesco.com.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of management, are not guarantees of performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in Majesco’s reports that it files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and which you should review, including those statements under “Item 1A – Risk Factors” in Majesco’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended by its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to: the adverse impact on economies around the world and our customers of the current COVID-19 pandemic; our ability to achieve increased market penetration for our product and service offerings and obtain new customers; our ability to raise future capital as needed; the growth prospects of the property & casualty and life & annuity insurance industry; the strength and potential of our technology platform and our ability to innovate and anticipate future customer needs; our ability to compete successfully against other providers and products; data privacy and cyber security risks; technological disruptions; our ability to successfully integrate our acquisitions and identify new acquisitions; the risk of loss of customers or strategic relationships; the success of our research and development investments; changes in economic conditions, political conditions and trade protection measures; regulatory and tax law changes; immigration risks; our ability to obtain, use or successfully integrate third-party licensed technology; key personnel risks; and litigation risks.

These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events and Majesco cannot assure you that the events or circumstances discussed or reflected in these statements will be achieved or will occur. If such forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. You should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by Majesco or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified timeframe, or at all. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this presentation. Majesco disclaims any obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Contacts

Laura Tillotson

Director, Marketing Communications and Creative Services

+ 201 230 0752

Laura.Tillotson@majesco.com

Categories
Business

AM Best removes from under review with developing implications and affirms credit ratings of National Lloyds Insurance Company and American Summit Insurance Company

OLDWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AM Best has removed from under review with developing implications and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of “a” of National Lloyds Insurance Company (NLIC) and American Summit Insurance Company (ASIC), collectively referred to as National Lloyds Group. The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. NLIC and ASIC are domiciled in Dallas, TX.

The ratings reflect the National Lloyds Group’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorizes as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

The rating actions follow Hilltop Holdings Inc.’s recently finalized sale of its wholly owned subsidiary, National Lloyds Corporation, an intermediate insurance holding company that owns NLIC and ASIC, to ReAlign Insurance Holdings, LLC a new insurance holding company formed by ReAlign Capital Strategies, LLC and private investors. The rating actions also consider the subsequent execution of an intercompany pooling agreement between the operating entities. The balance sheet strength assessment considers the change in ownership, updated dividend plan and the execution risk related to adding commercial auto and commercial property business to the NLIC and ASIC pool. Align Financial Holdings LLC, an affiliated program administrator with extensive experience underwriting profitable program business, will produce the new business. The operating performance assessment considers NLIC and ASIC’s favorable, but volatile, five-year average total return measures that are driven by frequent and severe weather-related events, a reflection of geographic concentration of the current book of business. This factor will be mitigated by the renewed emphasis on limited geographic and product expansion in 2021.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media – Proper Use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2020 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Janet Hernandez

Senior Financial Analyst

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5767

janet.hernandez@ambest.com

Joseph Burtone

Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5125

joseph.burtone@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey

Manager, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Jim Peavy

Director, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644

james.peavy@ambest.com

Categories
Business

IEEE-ISTO Printer Working Group (PWG) announces updated Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) extensions to support additive manufacturing/3D Printing and a specification for Safe G-Code that avoids 3D printing commands with safety or security concerns

PISCATAWAY, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The IEEE-ISTO Printer Working Group (PWG) has released IPP 3D Printing Extensions v1.1 (PWG 5100.21-2019) and PWG Safe G-Code Subset for 3D Printing v1.0 Best Practices (PWG 5199.7-2019).

These documents build on previously defined extensions to the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) Internet Standard (IETF STD92) that combine existing high-level 3D file formats with the IPP network printing protocol and Job Ticket formats to describe the printer’s capabilities, the objects to print, and the status of submitted jobs to better and more portably produce physical objects with additive manufacturing devices, also known as 3D printers.

The IPP 3D Printing Extensions specification v1.1 (PWG 5100.21-2019) extends IPP for 3D printing with a focus on popular Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) devices that melt and extrude filaments of ABS, PLA, or other materials in layers to produce a physical 3D object. These IPP extensions can be used for other printing methods such as selective laser sintering (SLS) and stereolithography (SLA), as well as many other materials, such as concrete printing.

The v1.1 update clarifies that the requirements for implementing the 3MF file format are limited to those printers that do on-board slicing, adds attributes describing the build platform shape, nozzle and chamber environment, describes how to use the IPP Shared Infrastructure Extensions [PWG5100.18] with 3D printing, and defines a structured naming convention for the “material-type” attribute for values that aren’t registered with the PWG. This last addition is very important because it provides IPP with an extensible convention for specifying material identifiers from the wide variety of other standard and non-standard material identifiers.

The new PWG Safe G-Code Subset for 3D Printing v1.0 Best Practices document (PWG 5199.7-2019) defines a “safe” subset of G-code for use in 3D printing with IPP along with the capabilities and parameters needed to allow a client to generate G-code compatible with the printer. PWG Safe G-Code eliminates direct device control (e.g., “set extruder temperature”) and hardware access (e.g., “write file to SD card)” commands that pose serious safety and security concerns.

The PWG invites participation (open as always to members and non-members) from anyone in the 3D printing/additive manufacturing community. Non-members are always welcome to participate in PWG standardization efforts. Sample code implementing the IPP 3D Printing Extensions specification v1.1 has been published in the PWG’s IPP Sample Code project on GitHub (https://github.com/istopwg/ippsample). More info can be found on the PWG 3D Printing page: https://www.pwg.org/3d/.

About the PWG

The IEEE ISTO Printer Working Group (PWG) is a Program of the IEEE Industry Standard and Technology Organization (ISTO) with members including printer and multi-function device manufacturers, print server developers, operating system providers, print management application developers, and industry experts. Originally founded in 1991 as the Network Printing Alliance, the PWG is chartered to make printers, multi-function devices, and the applications and operating systems supporting them work together better. The PWG enjoys an open standards development process. More information is available at https://www.pwg.org.

Social media: Printer Working Group #PWG @IEEEISTO updates #IPP specifications to standardize additive manufacturing & 3D printing and provides safe subset of G-code to address safety and security concerns www.pwg.org. Sample code https://bit.ly/PWGcode.

Contacts

Anne Price, PR Works, Inc.

602-330-6495

pr@pwg.org

Categories
Business

AM Best affirms credit ratings of State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company and its operating subsidiaries

OLDWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” of State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company (State Auto) and its operating subsidiaries. Concurrently, AM Best has affirmed the Long-Term ICR of “bbb-” of State Auto’s intermediate holding company, State Auto Financial Corporation (STFC) [NASDAQ: STFC]. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. All of the above companies are headquartered in Columbus, OH. (See below for a listing of the companies.)

The ratings reflect State Auto’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorizes as strongest, as well as its marginal operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

The balance sheet assessment of strongest is derived from risk-adjusted capitalization also being at the strongest level, a high credit quality investment portfolio, favorable overall loss reserve development and adequate reinsurance protection. State Auto also benefits from the financial flexibility and access to capital afforded by its publicly traded intermediate holding company, STFC.

Operating performance has been marginal with State Auto impacted over the past five years by severe weather events, technology costs, fluctuating premium volume and above average commissions. Higher underwriting losses were experienced in 2019, largely reflecting a greater catastrophe impact influenced by adverse development of hurricane losses from the specialty segment, which remains in run off. State Auto continues to focus on risk management initiatives designed to reduce severity, along with aggressive price monitoring efforts and rate increases.

State Auto writes a diversified mix of personal and commercial lines of business. There is a fair spread of risk by geography with modest concentration in the Midwest, exposing the group to storm loss frequency. The company has maintained a formalized ERM framework that is appropriate for its size, scope and risk profile.

Positive rating action could occur if the group improves its operating results over an extended period of time, such that its operating performance assessment could be categorized as adequate rather than marginal. Negative rating action could occur if there is an occurrence of a sudden large or catastrophic loss that materially hinders risk-adjusted capitalization or if other balance sheet considerations, such as loss reserve development or underwriting leverage, trend in such a way that weakens overall balance sheet strength.

The FSR of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of “a-” have been affirmed for the following operating subsidiaries of State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company:

  • State Auto Property & Casualty Insurance Company
  • Milbank Insurance Company
  • State Auto Insurance Company of Ohio
  • Patrons Mutual Insurance Company of Connecticut
  • Meridian Security Insurance Company
  • State Auto Insurance Company of Wisconsin
  • Rockhill Insurance Company
  • Plaza Insurance Company
  • American Compensation Insurance Company
  • Bloomington Compensation Insurance Company

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media – Proper Use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2020 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Chris Draghi

Senior Financial Analyst

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5043

chris.draghi@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Michelle Baurkot
Director
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5314

michelle.baurkot@ambest.com

Jim Peavy
Director, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644

james.peavy@ambest.com

Categories
Local News

Construction starts show additional gains in June

Improvement in nonresidential and nonbuilding activity push starts higher

NEW JERSEY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Total construction starts increased 6% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $641.4 billion. This marks the second consecutive monthly gain in construction starts following the COVID-19 induced declines in March and April. In June nonresidential building starts gained 6% and starts in the nonbuilding sector moved 27% higher. Residential starts, by contrast, fell 6% during the month.


Through the first six months of the year, starts were down 14% from the same period in 2019. Nonresidential starts fell 22%, nonbuilding starts were down 14%, and residential starts dropped 5%. For the 12 months ending in June 2020, total construction starts were down 2% from the previous 12 months. Nonresidential building starts were down 7% and residential building starts were flat, but nonbuilding starts were 3% higher in the past 12 months. In June, the Dodge Index moved 6% higher to 136 (2000=100) from the 128 reading in May. Compared to a year earlier, the Dodge Index was down 28%

“Construction starts activity remains significantly weaker than year-ago levels, even though it has been slowly increasing since its nadir in April,” stated Richard Branch Chief Economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “May’s gain in starts was fueled by a handful of very large projects, but June’s gain appears to be much more organic in nature. Construction starts should continue to post modest gains in the months to come as the economy continues to recover from the shortest and steepest recession in U.S. history. However, the recent acceleration in new COVID-19 cases in states such as Texas, Florida, and California is a significant downside risk to the economy and the construction industry’s growth trajectory.”

Nonbuilding construction rose 27% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $191.1 billion. Utility/gas plants moved 108% higher in the month due to the start of over $2.0 billion in renewable power projects (split between solar and wind facilities). The miscellaneous nonbuilding category rose 63% in June, while environmental public works moved 38% higher. Construction starts for highways and bridges dropped 4% during the month.

The largest nonbuilding project to break ground in June was the $1.4 billion Federal Way Link Extension in Seattle WA. Also starting during the month were the $600 million Golden Hills Wind Project in Sherman county OR and the $438 million Athos I solar facility in Desert Center CA.

Through June, total nonbuilding starts were down 14% compare to the same time period in 2019. Highway and bridge construction starts were up 8%, while environmental public works and the miscellaneous nonbuilding sector were each 20% lower through the first six months of the year. Utilities/gas plants were down 40% on a year-to-date basis. On a 12-month rolling basis, total nonbuilding starts were up 3% from the 12 months ending June 2020. Starts in the utility/gas plant category were 14% higher, while miscellaneous nonbuilding starts increased 6%. Street and bridge starts were 1% lower for the 12 months ending June, while environmental public works were down 4%.

Nonresidential building starts moved 6% higher in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $198.5 billion. Institutional building starts rose 15% during the month, while commercial building starts moved 4% higher. Manufacturing starts, however, fell 32% following the start of a $950 million steel plant in May.

The largest nonresidential building project to break ground in June was the $384 million Women’s and Children’s hospital tower in San Antonio TX. Also starting in June was the $306 million Aligned Energy Data Center in Ashburn VA and the $294 million renovation of SeaTac International Airport in Seattle WA.

On a year-to-date basis, total nonresidential building starts were 22% lower than the first six months of 2019. Institutional building starts were down 15%, while commercial starts were 27% lower. Manufacturing starts dropped 38% on a year-to-date basis. On a 12-month total basis, total nonresidential building starts were 7% lower than the 12 months ending June 2019. Commercial starts have dropped 8%, while institutional starts were down 9%. Manufacturing starts are 9% higher on a rolling 12-month basis.

Residential building starts fell 6% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $251.8 billion. Both multifamily and single family starts were lower during the month, with single family falling 7% and multifamily dropping 4%.

The largest multifamily structure to break ground in June was a $170 million mixed-use project in Jersey City NJ. Also starting during the month were the $113 million Flower Mart Apartments in Mountain View CA and the $100 million 509 4th Avenue project in New York NY.

Through the first six months of 2020, residential construction starts were down 5% versus the same time period in 2019. Single family starts were 1% lower, while multifamily starts were down 16% year-to-date. For the 12 months ending in June, total residential starts were flat when compared to the prior 12 months. Single family starts were up 3%, while multifamily starts were off 6%.

About Dodge Data & Analytics: Dodge Data & Analytics is North America’s leading provider of analytics and software-based workflow integration solutions for the construction industry. Building product manufacturers, architects, engineers, contractors, and service providers leverage Dodge to identify and pursue unseen growth opportunities and execute on those opportunities for enhanced business performance. Whether it’s on a local, regional or national level, Dodge makes the hidden obvious, empowering its clients to better understand their markets, uncover key relationships, size growth opportunities, and pursue those opportunities with success. The company’s construction project information is the most comprehensive and verified in the industry. Dodge is leveraging its 100-year-old legacy of continuous innovation to help the industry meet the building challenges of the future. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

Contacts

Media:

Nicole Sullivan | AFFECT Public Relations & Social Media | +1-212-398-9680, nsullivan@affectstrategies.com

 

Categories
Healthcare

Humanigen expands partnership with Catalent biologics to manufacture investigational COVID-19 therapeutic candidate lenzilumab

  • Humanigen’s investigational monoclonal antibody, lenzilumab, was developed using Catalent’s proprietary GPEx® cell line development technology
  • Expanded partnership established product supply for lenzilumab, an investigational Phase 3 product for COVID-19
  • Catalent’s OneBio® integrated biologics suite expected to accelerate development, manufacturing and supply of lenzilumab for clinical trial use in COVID-19 patients and potential commercialization

SOMERSET, N.J. & BURLINGAME, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Catalent and Humanigen, Inc. (HGEN) (“Humanigen”) today announced the expansion of their relationship, under which Catalent will provide development, manufacturing and commercialization services for lenzilumab, Humanigen’s proprietary Humaneered® anti-human granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) monoclonal antibody.

Catalent is the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies, development, manufacturing and clinical supply solutions for drugs, biologics, cell and gene therapies and consumer health products. Humanigen is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on preventing and treating cytokine storm with lenzilumab, the company’s lead therapeutic candidate.

Mayo Clinic recently announced data on the first clinical use of lenzilumab in 12 patients with severe and critical COVID-19 pneumonia, the majority of whom showed rapid recovery and hospital discharge. A Phase 3 study is currently underway evaluating hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

“Based on lenzilumab’s promising clinical data, we are pleased to expand our relationship with Catalent to solidify our ability to manufacture and supply lenzilumab,” commented Cameron Durrant, MD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Humanigen. “If we are able to secure FDA approvals or Emergency Use Authorization, Catalent Biologics’ deep expertise and integrated OneBio solution will accelerate our ability to get this therapy to patients that need it most.”

“Catalent has partnered closely with Humanigen to develop and supply lenzilumab for clinical trials,” commented Karen Flynn, President of Catalent Biologics and Chief Commercial Officer. “The experience we already have with lenzilumab, and our OneBio integrated offering from development to supply, make Catalent uniquely suited to support Humanigen in the journey to make this promising therapy available to COVID-19 patients as soon as possible following receipt of regulatory approvals.”

To date, Catalent Biologics has provided early-stage development and clinical cGMP drug substance manufacturing for lenzilumab at its facility in Madison, Wisconsin to support Humanigen’s ongoing clinical trials across various disease categories. Under the expanded partnership, Catalent is also providing clinical supply support for Humanigen’s Phase 3 potential registration study in COVID-19 from its Philadelphia facility.

Lenzilumab was originally manufactured in Catalent’s Madison facility using Catalent Biologics’ proprietary GPEx® cell line development technology. As part of the expanded partnership, Catalent intends to provide additional drug substance clinical supply for Humanigen’s clinical trials, Expanded Access Program (EAP), as well as additional late-stage development and clinical and potential commercial drug substance manufacturing and vial filling at its Madison and Bloomington, Indiana, sites.

Catalent Biologics’ Madison facility provides development and drug substance manufacturing, including GPEx cell line development, process development, process validation, formulation development, and clinical and commercial cGMP manufacturing. Its Bloomington facility has deep expertise in sterile formulation, with drug substance development and manufacturing and drug product fill/finish capacity across liquid and lyophilized vials, prefilled syringes, and cartridges as well as primary and secondary packaging.

Catalent’s OneBio Suite is an integrated solution for the development, manufacturing, and supply of biologic drugs. Launched in May 2019, the suite of offerings is designed to integrate activities and accelerate timelines, reduce risk and simplify development with a single contract, program manager, and development timeline from cell line development to supply, with harmonized quality systems.

About Humanigen, Inc.

Humanigen, Inc. is developing its portfolio of clinical and pre-clinical therapies for the treatment of cancers and infectious diseases via its novel, cutting-edge GM-CSF neutralization and gene-knockout platforms. We believe that our GM-CSF neutralization and gene-editing platform technologies have the potential to reduce the inflammatory cascade associated with coronavirus infection. The company’s immediate focus is to prevent or minimize the cytokine release syndrome that precedes severe lung dysfunction and ARDS in serious cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The company is also focused on creating next-generation combinatory gene-edited CAR-T therapies using strategies to improve efficacy while employing GM-CSF gene knockout technologies to control toxicity. In addition, the company is developing its own portfolio of proprietary first-in-class EphA3-CAR-T for various solid cancers and EMR1-CAR-T for various eosinophilic disorders. The company is also exploring the effectiveness of its GM-CSF neutralization technologies (either through the use of lenzilumab as a neutralizing antibody or through GM-CSF gene knockout) in combination with other CAR-T, bispecific or natural killer (NK) T cell engaging immunotherapy treatments to break the efficacy/toxicity linkage, including to prevent and/or treat graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Additionally, Humanigen and Kite, a Gilead Company, are evaluating lenzilumab in combination with Yescarta® (axicabtagene ciloleucel) in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma in a clinical collaboration. For more information, visit www.humanigen.com.

About Catalent Biologics

Catalent Biologics is a global leader in development, manufacturing and analytical services for new biological entities, cell and gene therapies, biosimilars, sterile injectables, and antibody-drug conjugates. With over 20 years of proven expertise, Catalent Biologics has worked with 600+ mAbs and 80+ proteins, produced 13 biopharmaceutical drugs using GPEx® cell line development technology, and manufactured 35+ commercially approved products. Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy, a unit of Catalent Biologics, is a full-service partner for adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors and CAR-T immunotherapies, with deep experience in viral vector scale-up and production. Catalent recently acquired MaSTherCell, adding expertise in autologous and allogeneic cell therapy development and manufacturing. Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy has produced 100+ cGMP batches across 70+ clinical and commercial programs. For more information, visit biologics.catalent.com.

About Catalent

Catalent is the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies, development, manufacturing, and clinical supply solutions for drugs, biologics, cell and gene therapies, and consumer health products. With over 85 years serving the industry, Catalent has proven expertise in bringing more customer products to market faster, enhancing product performance and ensuring reliable global clinical and commercial product supply. Catalent employs over 13,500 people, including over 2,400 scientists and technicians, at more than 40 facilities, and in fiscal year 2019 generated over $2.5 billion in annual revenue. Catalent is headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

More products. Better treatments. Reliably supplied.™

Humanigen’s Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, they give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct and you should be aware that actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Words such as “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “potential,” “possible,” “goals,” “accelerate,” “continue,” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding our expectations for the Phase III study and the potential future development of lenzilumab to minimize or reduce the severity of lung dysfunction associated with severe and critical COVID-19 infections or to be approved by FDA for such use or to help CAR-T reach its full potential or to deliver benefit in preventing GvHD. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risks inherent in our lack of profitability and need for additional capital to conduct the Phase III study and grow our business; our dependence on partners to further the development of our product candidates; the uncertainties inherent in the development and launch of any new pharmaceutical product; the outcome of pending or future litigation; and the various risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” sections and elsewhere in the Company’s periodic and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Contacts

Chris Halling

+44 (0)7580 041073

chris.halling@catalent.com

Richard Kerns

+44 (0) 161 728 5880

richard@nepr.agency

Categories
Healthcare

Bristol Myers Squibb announces expiration and final results of Registered Exchange Offers

PRINCETON, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$BMY–Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) (“Bristol Myers Squibb”) announced today the expiration and final results of its offers to exchange (the “Registered Exchange Offers”) any and all of its outstanding (i) $19,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes previously issued on May 16, 2019 (“May Notes”) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and (ii) $18,545,623,000 aggregate principal amount of its outstanding senior unsecured notes previously issued on November 22, 2019 (the “November Notes” and, together with the May Notes, the “Original Notes”) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, for an equal principal amount of new notes in a transaction registered under the Securities Act (the “Registered Notes”).

The Registered Exchange Offer expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 15, 2020 (the “Expiration Date”). As of the Expiration Date, the aggregate principal amounts of Original Notes set forth in the table below had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. Bristol Myers Squibb has accepted for exchange all such tendered Original Notes in the Registered Exchange Offers.

Title of Series of Original Notes

Amount

Outstanding at

Commencement

Amount

Tendered as of the

Expiration Date

Percentage

2.875% Senior Notes due 2020

$1,243,777,000

$1,186,279,000

95.38%

3.950% Senior Notes due 2020

$436,313,000

$425,282,000

97.47%

Senior Floating Rate Notes due 2020

$750,000,000

$712,942,000

95.06%

2.875% Senior Notes due 2021

$434,815,000

$406,758,000

93.55%

2.250% Senior Notes due 2021

$464,576,000

$452,743,000

97.45%

2.550% Senior Notes due 2021

$1,000,000,000

$963,195,000

96.32%

3.250% Senior Notes due 2022

$861,709,000

$855,002,000

99.22%

3.550% Senior Notes due 2022

$891,870,000

$890,930,000

99.89%

Senior Floating Rate Notes due 2022

$500,000,000

$485,088,000

97.02%

2.600% Senior Notes due 2022

$1,500,000,000

$1,488,572,000

99.24%

2.750% Senior Notes due 2023

$697,660,000

$688,878,000

98.74%

3.250% Senior Notes due 2023

$932,101,000

$924,851,000

99.22%

4.000% Senior Notes due 2023

$636,086,000

$624,976,000

98.25%

3.625% Senior Notes due 2024

$882,510,000

$882,403,000

99.99%

2.900% Senior Notes due 2024

$3,250,000,000

$3,208,481,000

98.72%

3.875% Senior Notes due 2025

$2,379,532,000

$2,368,581,000

99.54%

3.200% Senior Notes due 2026

$2,250,000,000

$2,243,559,000

99.71%

3.450% Senior Notes due 2027

$961,528,000

$960,491,000

99.89%

3.900% Senior Notes due 2028

$1,456,162,000

$1,450,092,000

99.58%

3.400% Senior Notes due 2029

$4,000,000,000

$3,968,935,000

99.22%

4.125% Senior Notes due 2039

$2,000,000,000

$1,995,600,000

99.78%

5.700% Senior Notes due 2040

$245,785,000

$245,637,000

99.94%

5.250% Senior Notes due 2043

$391,925,000

$388,625,000

99.16%

4.625% Senior Notes due 2044

$976,477,000

$975,977,000

99.95%

5.000% Senior Notes due 2045

$1,959,524,000

$1,958,923,000

99.97%

4.350% Senior Notes due 2047

$1,236,433,000

$1,236,433,000

100.00%

4.550% Senior Notes due 2048

$1,456,840,000

$1,447,340,000

99.35%

4.250% Senior Notes due 2049

$3,750,000,000

$3,749,500,000

99.99%

Total

$37,545,623,000

$37,186,073,000

99.04%

Upon the settlement of the Registered Exchange Offers, holders of Original Notes who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw such notes prior to the Expiration Date will receive a like principal amount of Registered Notes of the applicable series. Bristol Myers Squibb expects that such settlement will occur on or about July 17, 2020.

The terms of the Registered Notes to be issued in the Registered Exchange Offers are substantially identical to the terms of the corresponding series of Original Notes, except that the issuance of the Registered Notes will be registered under the Securities Act and the transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional interest provisions applicable to the Original Notes will not apply to the Registered Notes. Bristol Myers Squibb will issue the Registered Notes under the same indentures that govern the applicable series of Original Notes. The Registered Exchange Offers do not represent a new financing transaction.

A Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-238533) (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the Registered Exchange Offers was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 20, 2020 and was declared effective on June 15, 2020. The Registered Exchange Offers were made pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in a prospectus dated June 16, 2020 (as the same may be amended or supplemented, the “Prospectus”), which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and forms a part of the Registration Statement.

This press release is not an offer to sell or exchange or a solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange any of the securities described herein.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “should,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “target,” “may,” “project,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will” and other words and terms of similar meaning and expression in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance, although not all forward-looking statements contain such terms. One can also identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements are likely to relate to, among other things, our ability to execute successfully our strategic plans, including our business development strategy generally and in relation to our ability to realize the projected benefits of our acquisition of Celgene, the full extent of the impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on our operations and the development and commercialization of our products, the expiration of patents or data protection on certain products, including assumptions about our ability to retain patent exclusivity of certain products and the impact, and the result of governmental investigations. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed.

Such forward-looking statements are based on historical performance and current expectations and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other matters include, but are not limited to, risks relating to: integrating Bristol Myers Squibb’s and Celgene’s business and operations, including with respect to human capital management, portfolio rationalization, finance and accounting systems, sales operations and product distribution, pricing systems and methodologies, data security systems, compliance programs and internal controls processes; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits from the Celgene acquisition; the impact of our significant additional indebtedness that we incurred and our issuance of additional shares in connection with the Celgene acquisition on our ability to operate the combined company; various risks related to public health outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations, the possibility of the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the timing of the FDA’s approval decisions and that we cannot reasonably assess or predict at this time the full extent of the adverse effect that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining and maintaining regulatory approval; increasing pricing pressures from market access, pharmaceutical pricing controls and discounting and other restrictions in the United States, the European Union and other regions around the world (including changes in rules and practices of managed care organizations and institutional and governmental purchasers); the possibility of difficulties and delays in product introduction and commercialization; our ability to obtain and protect market exclusivity rights and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights; the risk of certain novel approaches to disease treatment (such as CAR T therapy); industry competition from other manufacturers; the risk of an adverse patent litigation decision or settlement and exposure to other litigation and/or regulatory actions; the impact of any U.S. healthcare reform and legislation or regulatory action in the U.S. and markets outside the U.S. affecting pharmaceutical product pricing, reimbursement or access; changes in tax law and regulations; any decline in our future royalty streams; the failure of our suppliers, vendors, outsourcing partners, alliance partners and other third parties to meet their contractual, regulatory and other obligations; our ability to execute our financial, strategic and operational plans; our ability to identify potential strategic acquisitions, licensing opportunities or other beneficial transactions; our ability to attract and retain key personnel; our ability to effectively manage acquisitions, divestitures, alliances and other portfolio actions and to successfully realize the expected benefits of such actions; our dependency on several key products; potential difficulties, delays and disruptions in manufacturing, distribution or sale of products, including, without limitation, interruptions caused by damage to our and our suppliers’ manufacturing sites; regulatory decisions impacting labeling, manufacturing processes and/or other matters; the impact on our competitive position from counterfeit or unregistered versions of our products or stolen products; the adverse impact of cyber-attacks on our information systems or products, including unauthorized disclosure of trade secrets or other confidential data stored in our information systems and networks; political and financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations, credit and foreign exchange risk management; and issuance of new or revised accounting standards.

The foregoing list sets forth some, but not all, of the factors that could have an impact upon our ability to achieve results described in any forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements that we make in this press release are qualified by (i) the information contained under this heading and (ii) the information discussed under the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as updated by the risk factors discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Persons reading this press release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are and will be based upon management’s then-current views and assumptions regarding future events and operating performance and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. You also should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors and that this list should not be considered a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Investors also should realize that if underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or if unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from our projections. Except as otherwise required by law, we are not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, alter, or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time relating to any of the matters discussed in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, as of any future date.

Contacts

Media:

media@bms.com
609-252-3345

Investors:

Tim Power

609-252-7509

timothy.power@bms.com

Categories
Healthcare

FDA grants priority review to Merck’s New Drug Application for Vericiguat

Application Based on First Contemporary Outcomes Study Focused Exclusively on Chronic Heart Failure Patient Population Following a Worsening Event

KENILWORTH, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$MRK #MRK–Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for priority review the New Drug Application (NDA) for vericiguat, an orally administered soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization following a worsening heart failure event in patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), in combination with other heart failure therapies. The FDA has set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), or target action date, of Jan. 20, 2021. Vericiguat is being jointly developed with Bayer AG.

“This submission builds on Merck’s commitment to patients with cardiovascular disease and long legacy of advancing cardiovascular research to meet unmet medical needs,” said Dr. Roy Baynes, senior vice president and head of global clinical development, chief medical officer, Merck Research Laboratories. “We look forward to working with the FDA as they review this New Drug Application for vericiguat.”

The application is based on results from the Phase 3 VICTORIA trial, which is the first contemporary outcomes study focused exclusively on a population with worsening chronic heart failure who are at high risk for cardiovascular mortality and repeated heart failure hospitalizations. Data from VICTORIA were presented at the virtual American College of Cardiology’s 69th Annual Scientific Session together with World Congress of Cardiology (ACC.20/WCC) and published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

About the VICTORIA Trial

VICTORIA (NCT02861534) is a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multi-center, double-blind, Phase 3 study of vericiguat versus placebo when given in combination with available heart failure therapies in patients with worsening chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association class II-IV), a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction of <45% within 12 months prior to randomization following a decompensation event. The primary endpoint of the study was the composite of time to first occurrence of heart failure hospitalization or cardiovascular death. Secondary endpoints included time to occurrence of cardiovascular death, time to first occurrence of heart failure hospitalization, time to total heart failure hospitalizations (including first and recurrent events), time to the composite of all-cause mortality or heart failure hospitalization, and time to all-cause mortality.

The study enrolled a total of 5,050 patients who were randomly selected to receive either vericiguat once daily (titrated up to 10 mg) or placebo when given in combination with available heart failure therapies. The study was co-sponsored by Merck and Bayer, conducted under the scientific oversight of the Canadian VIGOUR Centre and the Duke Clinical Research Institute, and executed by Merck in more than 600 centers in 42 countries including in Europe, Japan, China and the U.S.

About Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction

HFrEF, formerly known as systolic heart failure, is characterized by the compromised ability of the heart to eject blood sufficiently during its contraction phase. In the U.S., 6.5 million people have heart failure, and approximately 40-50% of these patients have HFrEF. Annually, approximately 30% of patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure will experience worsening of the disease, which is marked by progressive symptoms and/or a recent heart failure event. Approximately half of patients with worsening chronic HFrEF are rehospitalized within 30 days of a worsening event, and an estimated one in five patients with worsening chronic HFrEF will die within two years.

About the Worldwide Collaboration Between Bayer and Merck

Since October 2014, Bayer and Merck (known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada) have pursued a worldwide collaboration in the field of sGC modulators. The collaboration brings together two leading companies that have stated their intent to fully evaluate this therapeutic class in areas of unmet medical need. The vericiguat program is being co-developed by Bayer and Merck.

About Merck

For more than 125 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of the recent global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Contacts

Media

Pamela Eisele, (267) 305-3558

Elizabeth Sell, (267) 305-3877

Investor

Peter Dannenbaum, (908) 740-1037

Michael DeCarbo, (908) 740-1807

 

Categories
Business

Topcon acquires Henson perimeter business

Company Adds Leading Perimetry Screening Devices to Its Global Product Portfolio

NEWBURY, United Kingdom–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#SeeingEyeHealthDifferently–Topcon Healthcare, a leading provider of medical devices and software solutions for the global eye care community, announced today that it has acquired the Henson line of perimetry products, including the Henson 9000 and 7000, from Elektron Eye Technology (EET) of Cambridge, UK.


The acquisitions include the transfer of a number of EET staff to Topcon’s team. Manufacturing will continue in the UK as it has throughout the years past.

The Henson line of perimetry products are well regarded in the eye care industry for their accuracy, speed and ease of use. The Henson 9000 is the ideal perimeter for the early detection of glaucoma and the ongoing monitoring of established loss, while the Henson 7000 is an affordable, lightweight, mobile perimeter designed to perform suprathreshold glaucoma screening in the central field.

Mr. John Trefethen, Global VP of Marketing & Product Design for Topcon Healthcare commented, “The acquisition of the Henson range of products will provide us with the opportunity to strategically develop this area of the company’s product portfolio. With Topcon’s growing emphasis on screening and early disease detection, the Henson product range perfectly complements our global strategy. I welcome the EET team members to the Topcon Healthcare Family.”

Mr. Trefethen continued, “As the global rate of glaucoma continues to rise, Topcon is pleased to incorporate the award-winning Henson perimeters into our brand portfolio. We look forward to working with Professor Henson and the talented team from EET to further develop this innovative product line, bringing critical glaucoma screening, monitoring and early disease detection tools to the global eye care community. Topcon’s mission remains the same, to enable greater and greater access to healthcare providers in all faucets of disease detection and diagnosis. We remain fully committed to the continued development of medical devices and software platforms that allow today’s eye care providers to practice smarter, safer and more efficiently, including our screening, automated and remote diagnostics solutions.”

For more information on Topcon Healthcare, please visit www.topconhealth.com.

About Topcon Healthcare

Topcon Healthcare sees eye health differently. Our vision is to empower providers with smart and efficient technologies for enhanced patient care. Keeping pace with the ever- changing landscape of the healthcare industry, we offer the latest integrated solutions including advanced multimodal imaging, vendor-neutral data management, safe distancing and ground-breaking remote diagnostic technology.

A globally-oriented business, Topcon is focused on developing solutions towards solving societal challenges in the mega-domains of healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure. In healthcare, these challenges include increasing eye disease, rising medical costs, access to healthcare and physician shortages. By investing in value-driven innovations, Topcon works to enable people to enjoy good health and a high quality of life.

About Elektron Eye Technology (EET)

Elektron Eye Technology (Cambridge, UK) is a subsidiary of Elektron Technology and home to spectrum of world-class fast-moving engineered product (FMEP) brands, including the Henson Perimeters and the Macular Pigment Screener (MPS II). They are the ophthalmic instruments of choice for eye care professionals involved in the screening and monitoring of glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Designed in partnership with respected eye care professionals, their accuracy, efficiency and ease of use ensures that they meet the needs of optometrists and ophthalmologists, as well as the patients they work with every day.

Contacts

John Trefethen, MFA

Global Vice President, Marketing & Product Design Topcon Healthcare

E-mail: jtrefethen@topcon.com

Categories
Politics

Fierce fight forward as presidential primaries poll prospects

Even though the American people are anticipating a fierce fight between the Democratic and Republican candidates for the 2020 presidential elections, a critic says one candidate is “weak.”

Greg Tift is a former State of N.J. employee, board member of CWA, and opinion writer and critic.
— Provided photo

While Rep. Incumbent President Donald J. Trump is looking forward to a second term in the Oval Office, he will have to contest the Democratic Party Presidential Nominee Joe Biden in the official presidential elections Nov. 3, this year.

With the 2020 Presidential Primary elections now wrapping up after voters have been going to both the polls and mailing in ballots, the critic questions Biden’s candidacy, while also criticizing Prez. Trump’s worthiness.

Greg Tift, a former State of New Jersey employee, Communications Workers of America (CWA) board member, and opinion writer, states that Biden is “Joe, the tailor-made foe.”

Tift explains that, “while Democrats are hopeful Biden will be the man that can defeat Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Elections, Republicans are thrilled by the prospect.”

He claims this is the case because Biden is “tailor-made” for the Republicans to campaign against because he is a “Republican sympathizer,” despite the way they treated his boss, Former Prez. Barack Obama (the first U.S. black president), when he was Obama’s vice president for eight years prior to Trump.

In his criticism, Tift claims that Biden still believes, “there are fine Republicans, and I look forward to working with them.”

And when criticizing Prez. Trump’s worthiness, Tift states that “although it was obvious from day one that Trump was woefully unfit to be president, it didn’t matter because he was a white man superseding a black man.”

He continues that, despite being the worse president imaginable, Trump survives lying, treason and impeachment, just so he can get a second term, all while destroying the country in the process.

With the claim that there is fear in the country that the demographics will change and that will make it more difficult for the Republicans to win presidential elections in the future, he said now is the “time to exploit white-anxiety for political gain.”

2020 Democratic Party Presidential Nominee Joe Biden.
— Provided photo

He infers Trump’s, “playbook/strategy: resentment, fear, and yes, hate. Thus, “’make America (hate) great again.’”

Thus, with all these issues, Tift believes that the Republicans are also looking forward to working with Biden because he is “either a double-agent or naïve.”

He also says the Republicans have a lot of dirt on Biden and that they still hate Obama.

“Joe will be treated like Obama during the election, win or lose,” he states.

And, “losing against Biden is the last thing Republicans worry about. …they are already celebrating. Biden…can’t be trusted, and he is weak…just the way the Republicans like it,” he states.

 

  • Greg Tift contributed to this report