Categories
Healthcare Local News

Women’s Healthcare of Princeton, NJ, OB/GYN Maria Sophocles, M.D. says, ‘Put vaginal health first this V-Day’

PRINCETON, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Maria Sophocles, MD, Gynecologist, and Medical Director of Women’s Healthcare of Princeton, NJ, encourages women to embrace self-love on Valentine’s Day by prioritizing their vaginal health, whether it be scheduling a visit to the gynecologist, exploring period relief solutions, preparing for safe sex, or proactively maintaining vaginal flora.

“Don’t neglect vaginal health as it is the prelude not only to sexual intimacy but everyday comfort. Women have the power to maintain their vaginal health just as all other parts of the body. Putting vaginal self-care first can be empowering and rewarding,” says Dr. Sophocles. “And, most times, all it takes is a quick trip to the drugstore, but you’ve got to know what to look for.”

 

Top tips for maintaining vaginal health and wellness include:

  • Schedule a visit with your gynecologist: If you find that you haven’t seen your healthcare provider in a while, schedule a check-up and book regular annual gyn appointments. Ask any questions or concerns you might have, even though you think they may be embarrassing. Feel awkward asking about sex or discharge, odor, itch, or dryness? Don’t worry—your gyno’s heard it all!
  • Let her breathe: Lingerie is a popular item to shop for around Valentine’s Day, but not all underwear is created equally. Tight nylon underwear or spandex can cause friction, trap moisture and irritate the vagina. Instead, look for cute, breathable cotton underwear that makes for a healthy vagina.
  • Consider pH: Taking a bath is an easy and relaxing way to treat yourself this Valentine’s Day. However, fancy fragranced bubble baths and salts often do more harm than good as they can upset vaginal pH. Instead, try a few drops of natural essential oils, as they are more agreeable with the vagina’s pH balance. If your bath products end up irritating the vagina, get your pH back to its healthy range with RepHresh Gel which rebalances pH and eliminates itch, odor and discomfort. Also, consider incorporating a vaginal probiotic, into your daily routine to proactively maintain vaginal flora in the normal range—especially if you’re taking an antibiotic or suffer from chronic yeast and bacterial issues.
  • Indulge in some chocolate: If you’re on your period this Valentine’s Day, don’t be afraid to indulge in some dark chocolate, which satisfies period cravings and helps alleviate period pain. In fact, studies suggest that eating between 40–120 grams of dark chocolate per day, which is a source of magnesium (a.k.a. a muscle relaxer), may help reduce pain. Of course, if you are not on your period, you can still reap the health benefits of chocolate. The sweet treat is also known to be an aphrodisiac, as it contains chemicals that are linked to arousal.
  • Lube up: Whether practicing self-pleasure or having sex with a partner, don’t settle for vaginal dryness, which can be experienced by women of all ages and can be especially severe during breastfeeding, when on the pill, if you are postmenopausal, and more. Menopausal women can use a vaginal moisturizer such as Replens Long-Lasting to keep the vagina hydrated and healthy. Remember to always use a high-quality silicone lubricant like the Replens Silky Smooth just before penetration to decrease abrasion, help increase comfort and enhance intimacy for hours. Avoid silicone lubricants when using silicone toys and instead, try a water-based lubricant. For couples trying to conceive, use Pre-Seed fertility lubricant, which supports sperm quality and motility. And, if itch, abrasion, odor or soreness is an issue on the vulva (the exterior skin surrounding the vagina), RepHresh Vaginal Anti-Itch Cooling Relief Spray is a fast-acting topical formula with hydrocortisone and soothing aloe and chamomile to cool and alleviate discomfort immediately.
  • Protect your ‘V’ from STDs: Despite lockdown restrictions during the pandemic, STI rates are at an all-time high and continue to climb. So, protecting yourself from STIs has never been more important. The most popular STDs among women include gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. Thankfully, these infections are easily preventable with condoms. To practice safe, pleasurable sex, try the new ULTRA FIT collection by Trojan Brand Condoms to find the best shape and fit for you and your partner.

 

“Valentine’s Day is a great time to check in with your vagina. No matter how you’re planning to celebrate, have fun, show yourself some love, and put your vagina first on this romance-filled holiday,” adds Dr. Sophocles.

Contacts

Riley DeWolf

riley@gcomworks.com

Categories
Business

AM Best assigns Issuer Credit Rating to Definity Financial Corporation

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insuranceAM Best has assigned a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” (Good) to Definity Financial Corporation (Definity Financial) (Ontario, Canada). The outlook assigned to this Credit Rating (rating) is stable.

The rating reflects the company’s ownership of its operating subsidiary, Definity Insurance Company (DIC), as well as its intention to remain a non-operating holding company. DIC was previously named Economical Mutual Insurance Company (Economical), and is one of the largest property/casualty writers in Canada. DIC and Definity Financial recently finished the process of demutualizing and an initial public offering, respectively, on Nov. 23, 2021. In the process, Definity Financial became the owner of all outstanding DIC shares, and in December 2021 Economical was renamed to DIC.

 

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 use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

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 London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Brian Lynch
Financial Analyst
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5279
brian.lynch@ambest.com

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

Rosemarie Mirabella
Director
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5892
rosiemarie.mirabella@ambest.com

Jim Peavy
Director, Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644
james.peavy@ambest.com

Categories
Business

Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp. reports net sales of $3.17 million for third quarter 2022

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp. (“Tel” or the “Company”) (OTCQB: TIKK), a leading designer and manufacturer of avionics test and measurement solutions, today reported net income of $195K ($0.04 per common share) on revenues of $3.17 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2022 ended December 31, 2021.

 

Highlights include:

  • Revenues for the third quarter increased to $3.17 million, a 19% increase from the year-ago quarter.
  • Quarterly operating expenses decreased 10% to $1.1 million due to tight cost controls and a funded engineering project.
  • Operating income increased to $293K for the current quarter as compared to a loss of $224K in the year-ago quarter.
  • Nine-month operating income increased to $1.4 million versus $327K in the year-ago period.
  • Nine-month net income increased to $1.77 million, or $0.47 per common share.
  • Cash balances improved to $7.3 million, compared to $5.5 million at the start of the fiscal year.
  • Net worth improved to $6.8 million compared to $5.2 million at the start of the fiscal year.

 

Mr. Jeffrey O’Hara, Tel-Instrument’s President and CEO commented, “The Company recorded a profitable third quarter despite ongoing supply chain interruptions. Vendor lead times doubling and tripling in some cases with no sign of improvement in sight. This is causing ongoing issues in manufacturing and will negatively impact fourth quarter revenues. We are ordering additional components from our vendors to take the extended lead times into account. The positive news is that we are in a strong financial position to weather this supply disruption. We are also excited by the positive initial reception we have seen from customers on the SDR/OMNI test set. We are still working through component shortages on this test set, but initial production deliveries are still expected to commence in the second quarter of calendar year 2022. We believe that this will be a strong competitor in both commercial and military avionic and communication test set markets. The Lockheed Martin F-35 MADL development program had a successful Critical Design Review (“CDR”) in December. This contract will generate non-recurring engineering revenues over the next several quarters and should result in ongoing production revenues in what is essentially a new market for TIC. We are also actively working with the U.S. Navy on a “mid-life” update of our CRAFT test sets which could result in significant revenues over the next three to seven years.

 

With respect to the Aeroflex litigation, the Kansas Appeals Court is still working remotely and is not able to access the documents due to security restrictions. Aeroflex recently filed a motion with the Appeals Court to substantially increase the Bond Amount from the $2 million existing amount. We have filed a strong counter to this motion and expect it to be denied.

 

About Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp.

Tel-Instrument is a leading designer and manufacturer of avionics test and measurement solutions for the global commercial air transport, general aviation, and government/military aerospace and defense markets. Tel-Instrument provides instruments to test, measure, calibrate, and repair a wide range of airborne navigation and communication equipment. For further information please visit our website at www.telinstrument.com.

 

This press release includes statements that are not historical in nature and may be characterized as “forward-looking statements,” including those related to future financial and operating results, benefits, and synergies of the combined companies, statements concerning the Company’s outlook, pricing trends, and forces within the industry, the completion dates of capital projects, expected sales growth, cost reduction strategies, and their results, long-term goals of the Company and other statements of expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. All predictions as to future results contain a measure of uncertainty and, accordingly, actual results could differ materially. Among the factors which could cause a difference are: changes in the general economy; changes in demand for the Company’s products or in the cost and availability of its raw materials; the actions of its competitors; the success of our customers; technological change; changes in employee relations; government regulations; litigation, including its inherent uncertainty; difficulties in plant operations and materials; transportation, environmental matters; and other unforeseen circumstances. A number of these factors are discussed in the Company’s previous filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”) protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.

 

TEL-INSTRUMENT ELECTRONICS CORP.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

December 31,

2021

March 31,

2021

(unaudited)

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash

$

5,288,810

$

3,485,275

Accounts receivable, net

1,385,384

1,933,321

Inventories, net

2,748,275

3,437,989

Restricted cash to support appeal bond

2,011,050

2,011,050

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

286,507

263,067

Total current assets

11,720,026

11,130,702

Equipment and leasehold improvements, net

127,322

200,769

Operating lease right-of-use assets

1,768,343

1,922,805

Deferred tax asset, net

2,396,594

2,675,040

Other long-term assets

35,108

35,110

Total assets

$

16,047,393

$

15,964,426

LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Operating lease liabilities – current portion

$

192,487

$

201,883

Accounts payable

438,569

906,149

Deferred revenues – current portion

123,615

150,709

Accrued expenses ‐vacation pay, payroll and payroll withholdings

376,073

457,232

Accrued legal damages

6,045,924

5,889,023

Accrued expenses – other

220,115

365,975

Total current liabilities

7,396,783

7,970,971

Operating lease liabilities – long-term

1,575,856

1,720,921

Long term debt – PPP

722,577

Deferred revenues – long-term

307,578

332,428

Total liabilities

9,280,217

10,746,897

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholders’ equity:

Preferred stock, 1,000,000 shares authorized, par value $0.10 per share

Preferred stock, 500,000 shares 8% Cumulative Series A Convertible Preferred

issued and outstanding, par value $0.10 per share

3,695,998

3,695,998

Preferred stock, 166,667 shares 8% Cumulative Series B Convertible Preferred

issued and outstanding, par value $0.10 per share

1,147,367

1,147,367

Common stock, 7,000,000 shares authorized, par value $0.10 per share,

3,255,887 shares issued and outstanding, respectively

325,586

325,586

Additional paid-in capital

7,098,468

7,318,620

Accumulated deficit

(5,500,243

)

(7,270,042

)

Total stockholders’ equity

6,767,176

5,217,529

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$

16,047,393

$

15,964,426

TEL-INSTRUMENT ELECTRONICS CORP.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

Nine Months Ended

December 31,

2021

December 31,

2020

December 31,

2021

December 31,

2020

Net sales

$

3,171,532

$

2,672,742

$

10,914,787

$

8,948,575

Cost of sales

1,763,739

1,661,653

5,824,341

5,066,052

Gross margin

1,407,793

1,011,089

5,090,446

3,882,523

Operating expenses:

Selling, general and administrative

523,966

740,696

1,674,618

1,866,756

Litigation expenses

17,145

1,998

21,545

10,208

Engineering, research, and development

574,118

492,432

1,950,545

1,678,940

Total operating expenses

1,115,229

1,235,126

3,646,708

3,555,904

Income (loss) from operations

292,564

(224,037

)

1,443,738

326,619

Other (expense) income:

Interest income

996

1,591

2,977

6,316

Other income

758

35,854

14,612

Gain on forgiveness of PPP loan

722,577

722,577

722,577

Interest expense – judgement

(52,490

)

(52,490

)

(156,901

)

(180,124

)

Interest expense

(8,030

)

(27,190

)

Total other net (expense) income

(51,494

)

664,406

604,507

536,191

Income before income taxes

241,070

440,369

2,048,245

862,810

Income tax (benefit) expense

46,448

(59,264

)

278,446

29,449

Net income

194,622

499,633

1,769,799

833,361

Preferred dividends

(80,000

)

(80,000

)

(240,000

)

(240,000

)

Net income attributable to common shareholders

$

114,622

$

419,633

$

1,529,799

$

593,361

Basic income per common share

$

0.04

$

0.13

$

0.47

$

0.18

Diluted income per common share

$

0.04

$

0.10

$

0.35

$

0.16

Weighted average shares outstanding:

Basic

3,255,887

3,255,887

3,255,887

3,255,887

Diluted

5,095,665

5,095,665

5,095,665

5,065,665

Contacts

Pauline Romeo

Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp.

(201) 933-1600

Categories
Business

AM Best affirms credit ratings of Pacific International Insurance Pty Limited

SINGAPORE — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insuranceAM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” (Good) of Pacific International Insurance Pty Limited (Pacific) (Australia). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is negative.

The ratings reflect Pacific’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as adequate, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). These ratings also factor in a neutral holding company impact from Pacific’s ultimate ownership by Badger Mutual Wealth (Pty) Ltd (the Badger group), an insurance group domiciled in the Republic of South Africa.

 

Pacific’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, which was assessed at the very strong level as at fiscal year-end 2021, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Since its acquisition by the Badger group in May 2018, Pacific has received a series of capital injections to bolster capital adequacy and support the company’s material change in operational scope. Notwithstanding this, AM Best expects Pacific’s risk-adjusted capitalisation to decline over the near term as a result of its planned underwriting growth. AM Best also anticipates that Pacific’s capital adequacy will remain highly sensitive to the successful execution of its business plan, and to the achievement of performance targets and projected capital generation over the medium term.

 

Pacific reported operating losses with combined ratios above 100% over the last two fiscal years, primarily driven by elevated transitional expenses as the company brought on board at renewal a sizeable motor portfolio and made significant investment to support its market positioning following the acquisition by the Badger group. As the company’s operational scale expands in the coming years, AM Best expects Pacific’s expense ratio to trend lower and for the company to start to report underwriting profits from fiscal year 2022 onward. However, given the high level of projected premium growth, prospective profitability remains contingent upon the successful execution of the business plan and achievability of its performance targets.

 

AM Best views Pacific’s business profile as limited, reflecting the company’s modest scale of operation with a market share below 1% in the Australia general insurance market. Whilst Pacific’s insurance portfolio is predominantly motor and motor-related products at present, AM Best expects Pacific’s premium base to grow significantly over the next three years through the launch of pet insurance in New Zealand and due to a partnership with a motor vehicle novated lease distributor in Australia.

 

AM Best considers Pacific’s approach to ERM to be appropriate given the size and complexity of its current operations. However, AM Best views ongoing strengthening of the company’s ERM capabilities as necessary, in order to support its increasing operational scale and widened product offering in the near to medium term.

 

The negative outlooks reflect the heightened sensitivity of Pacific’s balance sheet strength and operating performance fundamentals to the execution of the company’s growth plan. AM Best considers the company’s latest business plan to present high levels of execution risk, and failure to achieve it successfully could weaken Pacific’s operating performance and risk-adjusted capitalisation materially.

 

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

 

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 use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

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

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Yi Ding
Financial Analyst
+65 6303 5021
yi.ding@ambest.com

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

Jason Shum
Associate Director, Analytics
+852 2827 3424
jason.shum@ambest.com

Jim Peavy
Director, Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644
james.peavy@ambest.com

Categories
Business

Hayward Holdings announces fourth quarter and full year 2021 earnings release and conference call date

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Hayward Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HAYW) a global designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad portfolio of pool equipment and associated automation systems, announced today that it will release its fourth quarter and full year 2021 earnings results on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Following the earnings release, the company will hold a conference call to discuss the results at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time that same day.

 

To access the live conference call, please register for the call in advance by visiting http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/8308368. Registration will also be available during the call. After registering, a confirmation e-mail will be sent including dial-in details and a unique conference call code for entry. To ensure you are connected for the full call please register at least 10 minutes before the start of the call.

 

Interested investors and other parties can also listen to a webcast of the live conference call by logging onto the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at https://investor.hayward.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx. An earnings presentation will be posted to the Investor Relations section of the company’s website prior to the conference call.

 

For those unable to listen to the live conference call, a replay will be available approximately two hours after the call through the archived webcast on the Hayward website or by dialing (800) 585-8367 or (416) 621-4642. The conference ID for the replay is 8308368. The replay will be available until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 14, 2022.

 

About Hayward Holdings, Inc.

Hayward Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:HAYW) is a leading global designer and manufacturer of pool equipment and technology all key to the SmartPad™ conversion strategy designed to provide a superior outdoor living experience. Hayward offers a full line of innovative, energy-efficient and sustainable residential and commercial pool equipment, including a complete line of advanced pumps, filters, heaters, automatic pool cleaners, LED lighting, internet of things (IoT) enabled controls, alternate sanitizers and water features.

Contacts

Investor Relations:
Hayward Investor Relations

908-288-9706

investor.relations@hayward.com

Media Relations:
Tanya McNabb

tmcnabb@hayward.com

Categories
Business Technology

TYME Technologies, Inc. provides business update and announces third fiscal quarter 2022 financial and operating results

Georgetown University and associated Georgetown Medstar Centers continued enrollment in Phase II OASIS trial evaluating the potential benefits of oral SM-88 for patients with metastatic HR+/HER2- breast cancer after treatment with a CDK4/6 inhibitor

On track for mid-2022 full enrollment of HopES trial for SM-88 used in patients with high-risk Ewing’s and other sarcoma types

Pursuing options to diversify the clinical pipeline

Well-capitalized position, with $92.0 million in cash and marketable securities as of December 31, 2021

Company to host live conference call and webcast today, February 11, at 8:30 AM ET

 

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — TYME Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: TYME) (the Company or TYME), an emerging biotechnology company developing cancer metabolism-based therapies (CMBTs™), announced financial and operating results for its third fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2021.

 

Third Fiscal Quarter 2022 Business and Recent Highlights:

OASIS Breast Cancer Trial

Patient enrollment in the Phase II OASIS breast trial continued during the third fiscal quarter 2022. The Company is collaborating with Georgetown University in a multicenter Phase II single-arm, open-label study examining SM-88 with methoxsalen, phenytoin, and sirolimus (MPS). The OASIS trial is an investigator-initiated prospective open-label Phase II trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of SM-88 with MPS for the treatment of metastatic HR+/HER2- breast cancer after treatment with a CDK4/6 inhibitor. This indication represents approximately 73% of the annual breast cancer diagnoses in the US each year. The trial is being conducted at Georgetown University at a total of five sites within the Georgetown/MEDSTAR system. The Company plans to provide an update on the OASIS breast cancer study during the first half of calendar year 2023.

 

HopES Sarcomas Trial

Patient enrollment in the HopES sarcomas trial continued during the third fiscal quarter 2022. The HopES trial is an open-label Phase 2 investigator-sponsored trial of SM-88 therapy in sarcoma, sponsored by The Joseph Ahmed Foundation. This trial has two cohorts, each expecting to enroll 12 patients. The first is SM-88 with MPS as salvage treatment in patients with mixed rare sarcomas, and the other is SM-88 with MPS as maintenance treatment for patients with metastatic Ewing’s sarcoma who had not progressed on prior therapy. The primary objective is to measure Overall Response Rate and Progression Free Survival. The Company anticipates that the trial will complete enrollment by mid-2022.

 

Pre-clinical Pipeline Program

The Company has begun a comprehensive translational preclinical program focused on SM-88 MOA and Biomarker Identification/Validation and has engaged Evotec, a leading global research and development company, to aid in the execution of these activities. TYME is also incorporating several complementary academic collaborations into this multi-faceted program. The overall goal of these activities is to potentially identify actionable biomarkers of sensitivity and activity to SM-88 in various cancers, complementary combination drugs strategies for SM-88, and other cancer metabolism targets that could be targeted for treatment. The goal of the biomarker preclinical program is to identify areas where SM-88 produces a significant response, with the aim of expanding to other indications.

 

“We had good momentum this past quarter enrolling patients in our breast and sarcoma trials. We also continued to advance our tumor targeting technology and COVID–19 pre-clinical programs. Additionally, our MOA and Biomarker work has commenced as planned,” said Richie Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer of TYME Technologies.

 

Precision Promise Trial

On January 26, 2022, the Company announced the discontinuation of SM-88 with MPS in the Precision Promise trial in metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPDAC) upon learning from the trial sponsor, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), that it discontinued the arm due to futility compared to the control of standard of care chemotherapy in second-line mPDAC. Based on the information provided by PanCAN, the overall survival for SM-88 with MPS in monotherapy was lower compared to standard of care chemotherapies with either Gemcitabine and Abraxane or modified FOLFIRINOX.

 

Strategic Review Update

A key goal coming out of the Company’s 2021 strategic review was to diversify the development pipeline by disease state, and TYME has commenced a process to examine additional options. A strong balance sheet, including $92.0 million of cash on hand, enables the Company to explore a number of avenues. Prior data indicated that SM-88 demonstrated confirmed responses in 15 different cancer types in both a First in Human study and a Compassionate Use program, and the Company is continuing its biomarker work to determine whether there is additional compelling data to commence a trial utilizing SM-88 in a new indication. Concurrently, TYME will be initiating searches for promising in-development cancer drugs that could be brought into the Company’s pipeline.

 

“I can assure you the process to diversify our pipeline will be a thorough and thoughtful one. We will carefully consider the benefits of commencing another internal SM-88 program versus looking outside the Company for a new compound. We firmly believe that SM-88 can be an effective agent in the fight against cancer. We also recognize that bringing in a product candidate with a different mechanism of action than SM-88 would add further diversity to our pipeline,” stated Cunningham.

 

Third Fiscal Quarter 2022 Financial Results

As of the quarter ended December 31, 2021, the Company had approximately $92.0 million in cash and marketable securities, compared to $96.6 million as of the quarter ended September 30, 2021. TYME’s operational cash burn rate for the third quarter of fiscal year 2022 was $4.5 million compared to $5.0 million for the second quarter and $5.9 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2021.

 

The burn rate was below the Company’s previous guidance and reflected expenses associated with ongoing clinical trials in breast cancer (OASIS), and sarcoma cancers (HopES), and the newly discontinued Precision Promise trial, as well as reduced costs associated with the discontinued pancreatic cancer trial, TYME-88-Panc Part 2. TYME anticipates that its quarterly cash usage or “cash burn rate” will range from $6.0 to $7.0 million for the remaining quarter of fiscal year 2022, based on costs associated with the Company’s active clinical trials, the ongoing and closeout activities related to the discontinued pancreatic cancer studies, the pre-clinical studies in biomarker and mechanism of action research of SM-88, and TYME-19 pre-clinical studies.

 

Net loss was $5.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, or ($0.03) per basic and diluted share, as compared to a net loss of $6.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, or ($0.05) per basic and diluted share. The decrease reflected lower ongoing trial costs primarily due to the discontinued TYME-88-Panc Part 2 trial.

 

Adjusted net loss for the three months ended December 31, 2021, was comparable to the GAAP net loss noted above, as the change in fair value of the warrant liability largely offset employee, director, and consultant stock options. Adjusted net loss and adjusted net loss per share are non-GAAP measures. See “Use of Non-GAAP Measures” below for a reconciliation to the comparable GAAP measures.

 

TYME has reported its full financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, in the Company’s Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). TYME’s 10-Q is located in the SEC filings section of the Company’s website.

 

Conference Call and Webcast Details

Date:

Friday, February 11, 2022

Time:

8:30 AM ET

Toll-free

(U.S.) (866) 601-3896

International

(636) 812-6499

Conference ID

1286376

The webcastwill be accessible on the Events & Presentations page of the Investors section of the TYME website, tymeinc.com, and will be archived for 90 days following the event.

 

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

Adjusted net loss and adjusted net loss per share as presented in this report are non-GAAP measures. The adjustments relate to the change in fair value of warrant liability, amortization of employees, directors and consultants stock options and gain on warrant exchange. These financial measures are presented on a basis other than in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“Non-GAAP Measures”). In the reconciliation tables that follow, we present adjusted net loss and adjusted net loss per share, reconciled to their comparable GAAP measures, net loss and net loss per share. These items are adjusted because they are not operational or because they are significant noncash charges and management believes these adjustments are meaningful to understanding the Company’s performance during the periods presented. These Non-GAAP Measures should be considered a supplement to, not a substitute for, or superior to, the corresponding financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Our definitions of adjusted net loss and adjusted loss per share may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other companies.

 

About TYME Technologies, Inc.

TYME is an emerging biotechnology company developing cancer metabolism-based therapies (CMBTs™) that are intended to be effective across a broad range of solid tumors and hematologic cancers, while also maintaining patients’ quality of life through relatively low toxicity profiles. Unlike targeted therapies that attempt to regulate specific mutations within cancer, the Company’s therapeutic approach is designed to take advantage of a cancer cell’s innate metabolic weaknesses to cause cancer cell death.

 

The Company is currently focused on developing its novel compound, SM-88, its preclinical pipeline of novel CMBTTM programs, as well as TYME-19 as a potential therapeutic for SARS CoV-2 diseases. The Company believes that early clinical results demonstrated by SM-88 in multiple advanced cancers, including prostate, sarcomas and breast, reinforce the potential of its emerging CMBT™ pipeline.

 

For more information about the Company, visit www.tymeinc.com and connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

 

About SM-88

SM-88 is an oral investigational modified proprietary tyrosine derivative that is believed to interrupt the metabolic processes of cancer cells by breaking down the cells’ key defenses and leading to cell death through oxidative stress and exposure to the body’s natural immune system. Clinical trial data have shown that SM-88 has demonstrated encouraging tumor responses across 15 different cancers, including lung, breast, prostate and sarcoma cancers with minimal serious grade 3 or higher adverse events. SM-88 is being evaluated in a Phase II study evaluating SM-88 in breast cancer (HR+/HER2-), as well as continuing enrollment of a Phase II study in high-risk metastatic sarcomas. SM-88 is an investigational therapy that is not approved for any indication in any disease.

 

Learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to historical information, this press release contains forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements within this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding our drug candidates and technologies (including SM-88 and TYME- 18) and their clinical potential and non-toxic safety profiles, our drug development plans and strategies, ongoing and planned preclinical or clinical trials, , preliminary data results and the therapeutic design and mechanisms of our drug candidates. The words “believes,” “expects,” “hopes,” “may,” “will,” “plan,” “intends,” “estimates,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “continue,” “seeks,” “anticipates,” and similar expressions (including their use in the negative) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can also be identified by discussions of future matters such as: the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated impact on the national and global economy as well as impacts on the Company’s ongoing clinical trials and ability to analyze data from those trials; the cost of development and potential commercialization of our lead drug candidate and of other new product candidates; expected releases of interim or final data from our clinical trials; possible collaborations; the timing, scope, status, objectives of our ongoing and planned trials; the success of management transitions and strategic initiatives; and other statements that are not historical. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management’s current expectations and projections which are subject to uncertainty, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any historical results and future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: the severity, duration, and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; our ability to achieve the intended benefits of our strategic initiatives; that certain information is of a preliminary nature and may be subject to change; uncertainties inherent in the cost and outcomes of research and development, including the cost and availability of acceptable-quality clinical supply, and the ability to achieve adequate start and completion dates, as well as uncertainties in clinical trial design and patient enrollment, dropout or discontinuation rates; the possibility of unfavorable study results, including unfavorable new clinical data, additional analyses of existing data and results that may lead to a discontinuation of trials; risks associated with early, initial data, including the risk that the final data from any clinical trials may differ from prior or preliminary study data or analyses and may not support further clinical development; and that past reported data are not necessarily predictive of future patient or clinical data outcomes; whether and when any applications or other submissions for SM-88 or other drug candidates may be filed with regulatory authorities; whether and when regulatory authorities may approve any applications or submissions; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding labeling and other matters that could affect commercial availability of SM-88 or other drug candidates; the ability of TYME and its collaborators to develop and realize collaborative synergies; competitive developments; the ability of TYME to maintain compliance with Nasdaq listing standards; and the factors described in the section captioned “Risk Factors” of TYME’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10, 2021 as well as subsequent reports we file from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission available at www.sec.gov.

 

The information contained in this press release is as of its release date and TYME assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of future events or developments.

 

Tyme Technologies, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
December 31,
Nine Months Ended
December 31,

2021

2020

2021

2020

Revenues

$

$

$

$

Operating expenses:
Research and development

3,463,281

3,548,992

11,143,108

12,971,735

General and administrative (including $47,000, $109,000, $313,000 and $450,000 of related party legal expenses, respectively)

2,424,294

2,321,974

7,325,552

7,992,735

Total operating expenses

5,887,575

5,870,966

18,468,660

20,964,470

Loss from operations

(5,887,575

)

(5,870,966

)

(18,468,660

)

(20,964,470

)

Other income (expense):
Change in fair value of warrant liability

550,095

(228,750

)

1,619,404

(3,002,449

)

Gain on warrant exchange

2,228,697

Other income

36,122

1,544

94,652

19,057

Interest expense

(16,306

)

(22,539

)

(56,933

)

(77,895

)

Total other income (expense)

569,911

(249,745

)

1,657,123

(832,590

)

Net loss

$

(5,317,664

)

$

(6,120,711

)

$

(16,811,537

)

$

(21,797,060

)

Basic and diluted loss per common share

$

(0.03

)

$

(0.05

)

$

(0.10

)

$

(0.17

)

Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding

172,206,894

130,172,441

172,206,417

127,611,426

Statements of Comprehensive Loss
Net loss

$

(5,317,664

)

$

(6,120,711

)

$

(16,811,537

)

$

(21,797,060

)

Other comprehensive loss
Unrealized loss on marketable securities, net of tax

(105,639

)

(164,196

)

Comprehensive loss

$

(5,423,303

)

$

(6,120,711

)

$

(16,975,733

)

$

(21,797,060

)

Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted Net Loss

Three Months Ended

December 31,

Nine Months Ended

December 31,

2021

2020

2021

2020

Net loss (GAAP)

$

(5,318,000

)

$

(6,121,000

)

$

(16,812,000

)

$

(21,797,000

)

Adjustments:
Change in fair value of warrant liability

(550,000

)

229,000

(1,619,000

)

3,002,000

Amortization of employees, directors and consultants stock options

604,000

785,000

1,864,000

2,738,000

Gain on warrant exchange

(2,229,000

)

Adjusted net loss (non-GAAP)

$

(5,264,000

)

$

(5,107,000

)

$

(16,567,000

)

$

(18,286,000

)

Reconciliation of Net Loss Per Share to Adjusted Net Loss Per Share

Three Months Ended

December 31,

Nine Months Ended

December 31,

2021

2020

2021

2020

Net loss per share (GAAP)

$

(0.03

)

$

(0.05

)

$

(0.10

)

$

(0.17

)

Adjustments:
Change in fair value of warrant liability * *

(0.01

)

0.02

Amortization of employees, directors and consultants stock options *

0.01

0.01

0.02

Gain on warrant exchange

(0.02

)

Adjusted net loss per share (non-GAAP)

$

(0.03

)

$

(0.04

)

$

(0.10

)

$

(0.15

)

* The effect of the change was negligible to the adjusted net loss per share.

Contacts

Investor Relations:
Lisa M. Wilson, In-Site Communications, Inc.

T: 212-452-2793

E: lwilson@insitecony.com

Categories
Business

AM Best affirms credit ratings of American Life & Security Corp.

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insuranceAM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “bbb+” (Good) of American Life & Security Corp. (American Life) (headquartered in Lincoln, NE). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is positive.

The ratings reflect American Life’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

 

The positive outlooks reflect a continued further improvement in American Life’s balance sheet strength metrics, especially financial flexibility, along with AM Best’s expectation that the company’s risk-adjusted capitalization will remain at the strongest level in the near term, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). AM Best also expects that the company will continue its upward trajectory in operating performance, supported by strong internal capital generation, and further enhance its domestic market position as it executes its strategic business plan.

 

The balance sheet strength assessment of strong also takes into account American Life’s conservative investment strategy and the high use of reinsurance agreements, even though there is a collateralized trust to support the reinsurance arrangements. For the most part, the technology–enabled life/annuity carrier has outperformed its financial targets over the past two years, except for 2020 when it fell a bit short; the early trends are still considered fairly modest as the company continues to obtain additional dedicated reinsurance partners as planned. AM Best believes that American Life will continue to focus on the execution of the company’s previously announced strategy despite the senior management changes, and expects the company to have, as planned, an upward trajectory in operating performance, supported by strong internal capital generation. AM Best will continue to monitor results closely against future growth projections.

 

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 use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

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 London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Igor Bass
Senior Financial Analyst
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5109
igor.bass@ambest.com

Edward Kohlberg

Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5664
edward.kohlberg@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

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

james.peavy@ambest.com

Categories
Business Lifestyle

Operator 5G engagements increase by more than 50%, driven by standalone core, network cloudification and operational agility

Spirent’s annual 5G Report shows rollouts accelerating and Service Assurance rapidly gathering pace

HOLMDEL, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #5GSpirent Communications plc (LSE:SPT), the leading provider of test and assurance solutions for next-generation devices and networks, today released its third annual 5G outlook report, based on analysis and takeaways from over 800 new global 5G engagements in 2021. The “5G 2022: Market Drivers, Insights & Considerations” report provides insights from across the 5G ecosystem on the current status of 5G, revealing geographic trends, technology advancements and revenue-generating use cases. The report is available here www.spirent.com/assets/the-spirent-2022-5g-report.

“Spirent has embarked on 1,800 5G engagements to date. In 2021 we saw service provider engagements increase by more than 50% year-on-year as customers race to make 5G a reality,” said Spirent’s Head of Market Strategy, Steve Douglas. “Market competition intensified, and the impact of the pandemic accelerated business automation plans. As a result, service providers established early partnerships with public cloud providers, and almost half of service provider activity focused on service assurance and service experience, including competitive benchmarking.

 

“It’s clear that the cloud-native and continuous testing automation strategy Spirent is able to offer is proving highly desirable to service providers, enabling us to become a critical 5G partner. By moving test labs and testing activity into the Cloud, operators are able to accelerate their software and innovation lifecycles from months, or even years, to just a matter of weeks.”

 

The report draws on Spirent’s work with service providers, network equipment manufacturers, governments, device makers and cloud players worldwide. It provides an update on the developments along the journey to global 5G. Key findings from the report include:

 

  • Geographic Trends – Spirent’s 5G business in the Americas grew by more than 40% in 2021, with a focus on service assurance, standalone (SA) core, cloud testing and service experience. The EMEA market saw more than 60% growth in engagements, after pandemic-induced delays in 2020. Attention centered on the 5G core and automation. With China taking the lead in the APAC region, network coverage, densification and subscriber growth continued to drive demand for multi-speed transport network and device testing.
  • Revenue-Generating Use Cases – Operators are evaluating key areas where they can mine meaningful revenues. These include Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), mobile multi-player gaming, augmented and virtual reality, security surveillance, content delivery networks, 5G speed boosters and 5G multi-view experiences.
  • 5G Core and Cloud – Spirent is engaged with more than 40 unique operators worldwide, including multi-country providers. There have been at least 19 small commercial SA launches to date, with more than 90 trials and vendor selection processes underway. And where there’s core, there’s cloud. Core and cloud combined now represent more than one-third of Spirent’s 5G work.
  • Private 5G Networks – Spirent estimates that the number of private LTE or 5G networks will explode from around 3,000 today to more than 14,000 in just a few years. The growth will be driven by trends including enterprise digitalization strategies advanced by 5G and Wi-Fi 6 convergence, capitalizing on breakthrough technologies across IoT, big data analytics and intelligent automation.
  • 6G Vision – The industry is beginning to coalesce around key ambitions. Chief among them is the combination of physical, digital, and biological worlds into metaverse-like realms where holographic, tactile feedback and physiological sensations can be transmitted. Remote operation of industrial machinery and virtual teleportation represent the earliest conceptions of possibilities.

 

Spirent’s “5G 2022: Market Drivers, Insights & Consideration” is available for download at https://www.spirent.com/assets/the-spirent-2022-5g-report.

 

About Spirent

Spirent Communications plc. (LSE: SPT) is the leading global provider of automated test and assurance solutions for networks, cybersecurity, and positioning. The company provides innovative products, services and managed solutions that address the test, assurance and automation challenges of a new generation of technologies, including 5G, SD-WAN, cloud, autonomous vehicles and beyond. From the lab to the real world, Spirent helps companies deliver on their promise to their customers of a new generation of connected devices and technologies. For more information, please visit www.spirent.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Contacts

MEDIA:

Americas:

Sherri Walkenhorst

Connect Marketing

T: +1-801-373-7888

sherriw@connectmarketing.com

Asia Pacific:
Janet Peng

Spirent Communications

T: +86 (10) 823 30055 (x160)

janet.peng@spirent.com

EMEA:
Anne Harding

The Message Machine

T: +44-7887-682943

anne@themessagemachine.com

Categories
Business Science

UroGen announces data that shows in-office nephrostomy tube administration of Jelmyto® is efficient for doctors and well tolerated by patients

–Investigator’s Retrospective Analysis Published in the Journal of Urology Provides Protocol for Antegrade Administration of Jelmyto, the only Non-Surgical, Kidney-Sparing Treatment for Adults with Low Grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer–

PRINCETON, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — UroGen Pharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: URGN), a biotech company dedicated to creating novel solutions that treat urothelial and specialty cancers, today announced the first published report of real-world experience utilizing the antegrade approach for Jelmyto® (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution administration in the Journal of Urology online on February 7, 2022. This report provides a stepwise treatment approach to low-grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (LG UTUC) from initial ureteroscopy to nephrostomy placement, Jelmyto administration, and eventual nephrostomy removal.

 

“While Jelmyto is approved for both retrograde and antegrade instillation, the instructions for administration address retrograde instillation, and this is the first time that data on antegrade instillation has been documented in a clinical setting for this chemoablative therapy,” says Katie Murray, DO, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO. “This report showed that antegrade instillation provided a well-tolerated and effective method of Jelmyto administration. In our experience we did not see a negative impact on patient comfort. Of note, our experience with antegrade administration in this analysis suggests that this approach, which minimizes manipulation of the ureter during instillation, may help protect against stricture formation which has been associated with repetitive instrumentation of the upper urinary tract. Given the potential benefits of antegrade versus retrograde administration of Jelmyto, we now have a replicable protocol to follow for antegrade administration using a nephrostomy tube.”

 

In both retrograde and antegrade approaches, Jelmyto can be administered as an outpatient procedure in the clinic. Retrograde administration requires administration by a physician via a ureteral catheter, requiring fluoroscopic guidance. Antegrade administration may be performed by trained nursing professionals under clean rather than sterile conditions and does not require fluoroscopy after a nephrostogram confirms placement at the first instillation.

 

“Choosing the optimal treatment modality for administration of Jelmyto is very important and can have significant implications for successful treatment and recovery,” said Mark Schoenberg, MD, Chief Medical Officer, UroGen. “Dr. Murray and her colleagues offer practical guidance for antegrade administration of Jelmyto, which can help reduce some of the complexity stakeholders may experience using retrograde administration.”

 

About the Study

This single-center retrospective study reports the investigator’s technique for antegrade administration along with early outcomes from a cohort of eight patients who have undergone treatment with Jelmyto via nephrostomy tube. All patients underwent follow-up ureteroscopy with complete response in four patients. Three patients reported five adverse events. One patient had two grade-one adverse events (hematuria and fatigue); one patient had a grade-two adverse event (rash requiring oral medication, requiring one week delay of treatment); and one patient had a grade-one adverse event (a palmar rash) and a grade-three adverse event (ureteral stricture). The ureteral stricture was found in the mid-ureter at follow up ureteroscopy and required laser incision. There were no other delays in therapy. In the post hoc review, there were no other ureteral strictures.

 

The median follow-up was seven months after last instillation (range six weeks – 14 months). At first follow-up ureteroscopy, four patients had a complete response, four patients had a partial response, one of whom (with a history of low-grade bladder cancer) also had a bladder tumor. Four of the seven patients who have had more than one surveillance ureteroscopy had an initial complete response. At four and 14 months, two patients continue to show no evidence of disease. Two patients had a recurrence at 13 and 14 months. All patients with an initial partial response who had a follow-up ureteroscopy underwent complete endoscopic tumor ablation. One patient who could not be completely resected during their pre-instillation ureteroscopy demonstrated partial response to Jelmyto that enabled residual disease to be resected with durable response at five months after last ablation. To date, no patient has required kidney removal. Aside from the patient with bladder tumor at first ureteroscopy, no patient has experienced tumor recurrence in the bladder.

 

There is a need for larger studies with longer follow-up to study more conclusively any potential advantages of antegrade Jelmyto administration when compared to retrograde instillation. Despite these limitations, this study offers a replicable protocol for antegrade administration of Jelmyto.

 

About LG UTUC

LG UTUC is a rare disease managed by endoscopic methods and radical nephroureterectomy. Endoscopic resection and laser ablation attempt to preserve the kidney, though there is a high risk of recurrence that may eventually necessitate removal of the kidney. Although kidney removal is the gold standard for treatment of high-grade UTUC, it may be over-treatment in LG UTUC, as kidney removal offers similar five-year survival as kidney-sparing procedures but is associated with significant morbidity. Jelmyto is efficacious as a primary chemoablative therapy in patients with LG UTUC.

 

About Jelmyto®

Jelmyto® (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution is a mitomycin-containing reverse thermal gel containing 4 mg mitomycin per mL gel indicated for primary chemoablative treatment of LG UTUC in adults. It is recommended for primary treatment of biopsy-proven LG UTUC in patients deemed appropriate candidates for renal-sparing therapy. Jelmyto is a viscous liquid when cooled and becomes a semi-solid gel at body temperature. The drug slowly dissolves over four to six hours after instillation and is removed from the urinary tract by normal urine flow and voiding. It is approved for administration in a retrograde manner via ureteral catheter or antegrade through nephrostomy tube. The delivery system allows the initial liquid to coat and conform to the upper urinary tract anatomy. The eventual semisolid gel allows for chemoablative therapy to remain in the collecting system for four to six hours without immediately being diluted or washed away by urine flow.

 

APPROVED USE FOR JELMYTO

JELMYTO® is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer of the lining of the upper urinary tract including the kidney called low-grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (LG-UTUC).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

You should not receive JELMYTO if you have a hole or tear (perforation) of your bladder or upper urinary tract.

Before receiving JELMYTO, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. JELMYTO can harm your unborn baby. You should not become pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO.

Females who are able to become pregnant: You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 6 months after the last dose.

Males being treated with JELMYTO: If you have a female partner who is able to become pregnant, you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 3 months after the last dose.

  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if JELMYTO passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with JELMYTO and for 1 week after the last dose.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you take water pills (diuretic).

How will I receive JELMYTO?

  • Your healthcare provider will tell you to take a medicine called sodium bicarbonate before each JELMYTO treatment.
  • You will receive your JELMYTO dose from your healthcare provider 1 time a week for 6 weeks. It is important that you receive all 6 doses of JELMYTO according to your healthcare provider’s instructions. If you miss any appointments, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment. Your healthcare provider may recommend up to an additional 11 monthly doses.
  • JELMYTO is given to your kidney through a tube called a catheter.
  • During treatment with JELMYTO, your healthcare provider may tell you to take additional medicines or change how you take your current medicines.

After receiving JELMYTO:

  • JELMYTO may cause your urine color to change to a violet to blue color. Avoid contact between your skin and urine for at least 6 hours.
  • To urinate, males and females should sit on a toilet and flush the toilet several times after you use it. After going to the bathroom, wash your hands, your inner thighs, and genital area well with soap and water.
  • Clothing that comes in contact with urine should be washed right away and washed separately from other clothing.

JELMYTO may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Swelling and narrowing of the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder (ureteric obstruction). If you develop swelling and narrowing, and to protect your kidney from damage, your healthcare provider may recommend the placement of a small plastic tube (stent) in the ureter to help the kidney drain. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop side pain or fever during treatment with JELMYTO.
  • Bone marrow problems. JELMYTO can affect your bone marrow and can cause a decrease in your white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests prior to each treatment to check your blood cell counts during treatment with JELMYTO. Your healthcare provider may need to temporarily or permanently stop JELMYTO if you develop bone marrow problems during treatment with JELMYTO.

The most common side effects of JELMYTO include: urinary tract infection, blood in your urine, side pain, nausea, trouble with urination, kidney problems, vomiting, tiredness, stomach (abdomen) pain.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1‑800‑FDA‑1088. You may also report side effects to UroGen Pharma at 1-855-987-6436.

Please see JELMYTO Full Prescribing Information, including the Patient Information, for additional information

About UroGen Pharma Ltd.

UroGen is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to building and commercializing novel solutions that treat specialty cancers and urologic diseases because patients deserve better options. UroGen has developed RTGel™ reverse-thermal hydrogel, a proprietary sustained release, hydrogel-based platform technology that has the potential to improve therapeutic profiles of existing drugs. UroGen’s sustained release technology is designed to enable longer exposure of the urinary tract tissue to medications, making local therapy a potentially more effective treatment option. UroGen’s first commercial product Jelmyto (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution, and investigational treatment UGN-102 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution for patients with low-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, are designed to ablate tumors by non-surgical means. UroGen is headquartered in Princeton, NJ with operations in Israel. Visit www.urogen.com to learn more or follow us on Twitter, @UroGenPharma.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits of antegrade administration of Jelmyto as compared to retrograde instillation. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to: results from initial reports of the antegrade administration of Jelmyto may not be indicative of results that may be observed in the future; potential safety and other complications from the antegrade administration of Jelmyto; and the ability to successfully replicate the protocol for antegrade administration of Jelmyto. In light of these risks and uncertainties, and other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of UroGen’s Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 15, 2021 and other filings that UroGen makes with the SEC from time to time (which are available at http://www.sec.gov), the events and circumstances discussed in such forward-looking statements may not occur, and UroGen’s actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied thereby. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to UroGen as of the date of this release.

Contacts

INVESTORS:
Vincent Perrone

vincent.perrone@urogen.com
609-460-3588 ext. 1093

MEDIA:
Cindy Romano

Director, Corporate Communications

cindy.romano@urogen.com
609-460-3583 ext. 1083

Categories
Business

Best’s Market Segment Report: AM Best maintains negative outlook on Brazil Reinsurance market

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Due to the macroeconomic volatility resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and political environment, AM Best is maintaining a negative market segment outlook on the Brazilian reinsurance market.

In its Best’s Market Segment Report, titled, “Market Segment Outlook: Brazil Reinsurance,” AM Best states that despite the prolonged effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s (re)insurance market still grew in 2021. However, macroeconomic and political uncertainties have re-emerged, heightening instability. Given the recent increase in inflation caused by high commodities prices and domestic currency devaluation, the Brazil’s Central Bank quickly raised interest rates. While high interest rates typically are beneficial for the (re)insurance segment, loss-cost inflation may minimize any actual benefit. The report also notes that loss-cost inflation also may slow the benefits of premium momentum carriers are seeing due to a hard market, as losses cost more.

 

“Overall, the segment’s growth is likely to face headwinds due to capacity limitations to underwrite risks, as the financial flexibility provided by the local capital markets dries up, and to global risk aversion, as international investors and players reconsider their domestic markets,” said Guilherme Monteiro Simoes, senior financial analyst, AM Best.

 

Currency devaluation also will shrink the size and profile of the Brazilian local reinsurance market, and potentially diminish its attractiveness to global reinsurance players. Additionally, regulatory restrictions on foreign assets have limited domestic reinsurers’ growth abroad. Moreover, according to the report, persistently high government debt has the potential to crowd out investment opportunities in the private sector when interest rates go up. The large fiscal deficit, magnified by the upcoming presidential elections, is likely to persist and bring volatility to the local currency.

 

To access the full copy of this market segment report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=317378.

 

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 London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Guilherme Monteiro Simoes
Senior Financial Analyst
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5301
guy.simoes@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey

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

Jim Peavy
Director, Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644
james.peavy@ambest.com