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Wee-Wee® Eco Pads named among the Best Eco-Friendly Puppy Training Pads of 2023

NEPTUNE CITY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — $CENT #FourPaws — Four Paws®, a leading pet brand in the Central Garden & Pet portfolio (Nasdaq: CENT) (Nasdaq: CENTA), and their Wee-Wee® Eco Pads were listed among “The 7 Best Eco-Friendly Puppy Training Pads of 2023” by Treehugger, an award-winning sustainability website that provides information centered on eco-friendly lifestyles.


“Our Wee-Wee products provide a worry-free housetraining and waste management experience to help keep pets comfortable and give pet parents peace of mind with a cleaner home and cleaner environment,” said Glen S. Axelrod, President and CEO of Four Paws. “That’s why it’s our ongoing mission and responsibility to continue creating innovative solutions with a focus on sustainability that pet parents can trust.”

 

All products in Treehugger’s list were evaluated based on criteria including environmental impact, effectiveness, ease of use, design, and function. The website’s writers and editors independently research, test, review, and recommend products that are deemed the best.

 

Wee-Wee Superior Performance Eco Pads combine Earth-friendly materials with the proven dependability that the Four Paws brand has delivered for over 50 years. Featuring a leak-proof liner made of 50% recycled materials, each pad offers absorbent bleach-free & dye-free layers and 24-hour protection for a cleaner home—and a cleaner planet! As with all Wee-Wee branded pads, satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back.

 

Supporting the Four Paws Earth-friendly mission, these eco-centric pads are made with ethically sourced and sustainable materials. All Wee-Wee branded pads come in smarter, compact packaging to help minimize waste, improve transportation efficiency, and reduce pollution. In addition, Wee-Wee Pads are manufactured in facilities that utilize partial solar energy, partially recycled water, and operational efficiencies to help reduce waste, energy, and emissions.

 

Wee-Wee Eco Pads are available at select in-store retailers and online at Amazon, Petco, Chewy, and Walmart.com.

 

About Four Paws

Four Paws, a leader in innovative pet solutions for more than 50 years, offers products that simplify pet parenting. The brand’s dog & cat products make nose-to-tail care easy and include training pads, supplements, grooming tools, and beyond. For more information, visit www.fourpaws.com. Four Paws is a subsidiary of California-based Central Garden & Pet Company.

 

About Central Garden & Pet

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) (NASDAQ: CENTA) understands that home is central to life and has proudly nurtured happy and healthy homes for over 40 years. With fiscal 2022 net sales of $3.3 billion, Central is on a mission to lead the future of the Pet and Garden industries. The Company’s innovative and trusted products are dedicated to helping lawns grow greener, gardens bloom bigger, pets live healthier, and communities grow stronger. Central is home to a leading portfolio of more than 65 high-quality brands including Amdro®, Aqueon®, Cadet®, Farnam®, Ferry-Morse®, Four Paws®, Kaytee®, K&H®, Nylabone® and Pennington®, strong manufacturing and distribution capabilities and a passionate, entrepreneurial growth culture. Central Garden & Pet is based in Walnut Creek, California and has over 7,000 employees across North America and Europe. Visit www.central.com to learn more.

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PR Contact

Liz Nunan

Phone: (925) 878-9465

Email: Lnunan@central.com

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Oticon celebrates winners of the Annual Oticon Focus on People Awards

12 inspiring individuals recognized for empowering and advocating for people with hearing loss

 

SOMERSET, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #FOP — Oticon, Inc. announced the winners of the 2022 Oticon Focus on People Awards, a national program dedicated to honoring outstanding individuals who have made a positive impact on the hearing loss community. Thousands of people from around the world voted during Fall 2022 to determine this year’s winners in four categories.

 

The 2022 first place winners are:

  • Student: Erin Cembrale of Dunedin, Florida views her hearing loss as a strength that motivates her to try harder and never give up. This commitment has fueled a successful soccer career. Since age 3, Erin has played for a variety of club, high school and college teams, including the U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team (USDWNT), with whom she won gold in the 2022 Deaflympics in Brazil. This year, she will travel to Korea with the USDWNT to compete in the World Cup. Off the field, Erin inspires and mentors young soccer players with disabilities.
  • Adult: Zina Jawadi of Los Altos Hills, California is an advocate for people with hearing loss among medical professionals. She believes accommodations are essential in establishing trust, formulating a diagnosis, creating an effective treatment plan, and ensuring patients play an active role in their health. A medical student herself, Zina is the youngest ever member of the Hearing Loss Association of America’s Board of Directors. Her long-term goal is to increase representation of people with hearing loss in medicine and to address accessibility barriers for people with hearing loss and with disabilities more broadly. Zina plans to donate all prizes, including the hearing aids, from this award to the Hearing Loss Association of America.
  • Advocacy: Gregory Scott of New York, New York drew on his personal experiences with hearing loss to create SoundPrint, a crowdsourcing app that enables anyone to measure and report the sound levels in bars and restaurants. SoundPrint serves as an important free resource for people with and without hearing loss who are looking for quieter venues that make conversation easier. Additionally, the SoundPrint database is shared with venue managers, public health researchers, and hearing health advocates to let them know people care about noise.
  • Practitioner: Jamie Marotto of Fairfield, Connecticut is the Director of the Sacred Heart University (SHU) Undergraduate Program in Communication Disorders and Director of the Audiology Clinic. She knows the value of integrating classroom teachings with clinical experience, especially when caring for patients in underserved communities. In the clinic, students learn how evaluating and treating hearing loss across a lifespan can improve a patient’s ability to work, interact socially and minimize health risks associated with hearing loss. To further drive home the importance of using their knowledge and skills to give back, Dr. Marotto leads students on an annual service-learning trip to Guatemala to provide hearing-related services and hearing aid fittings to in-need children and adults.

 

“From the youngest students to accomplished professionals and global brands, the winners of this year’s Oticon Focus on People Awards are redefining perceptions of hearing loss, encouraging inclusivity, and empowering others around them,” said Nancy Palmere Mucha, Director of Consumer Marketing and Public Relations for Oticon, Inc. “Through their leadership, advocacy, and resilience, they are inspiring change and making the world a better place for people with hearing loss.”

 

As part of this year’s program, Oticon has also recognized Barbie with Hearing Aids and leading toy manufacturer Mattel with a special award for the brand’s commitment to creating dolls with a variety of looks to represent everyone. The brand unveiled Barbie with Hearing Aids in 2022 as part of their ongoing efforts to amplify diversity and inclusion.

 

“The Barbie brand believes in the power of representation, and we are committed to continuing to introduce dolls, like Barbie with Hearing Aids, that reflect the diversity children see in the world around them,” said Lisa McKnight, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel. “It’s important for young people to see themselves reflected in our products. And it’s equally important to encourage children to play with dolls that may not resemble them to help them understand and celebrate the importance of inclusion.”

 

The 2022 Oticon Focus on People Award winners were revealed on February 25 during the Oticon Next Conference, a gathering of hearing care professionals from around the country. As part of the event, Mattel donated more than 950 Barbie with Hearing Aids dolls to the hearing care professionals in attendance, equipping them with a valuable tool to connect with patients.

 

Established in 1997, the Oticon Focus on People Awards program has honored more than 300 outstanding individuals throughout the United States. This year’s second and third place winners are:

  • Student — Lauren Harris of Knoxville, Tennessee; Mercy Botchway of Everett, Massachusetts
  • Adult — Meaghan Thomas of Nashville, Tennessee; Shirley Forpe of Palatine, Illinois
  • Advocacy — Renee Polanco Lucerno of Culver City, California; Shanna Groves of Olathe, Kansas
  • Practitioner — Dawn Heiman of Woodridge, Illinois; Mary Frintner of Burbank, California

 

First place winners received a $1,000 prize as well as a $1,000 donation from Oticon to the non-profit organization of their choice. In addition, first place winners in the Student, Adult, and Advocacy categories received a pair of Oticon hearing aids.

 

To read the stories of all the Oticon Focus on People Awards finalists, visit Oticon.com/FOP.

Photos and videos from each of the 2022 Oticon Focus on People Award winners are available here.

 

Oticon, Inc. – Life-Changing Technology

Oticon is one of the world’s most innovative hearing device manufacturers, with more than 115 years’ experience in the design and development of hearing aids for adults and children. Our comprehensive portfolio of life-changing technology improves not only the quality of hearing but the overall quality of life for people with hearing loss. Oticon challenges conventions and pushes the limits of technology to bring to market hearing solutions that exceed the needs and expectations of people with hearing loss, so that they can live their lives without limit. Our groundbreaking BrainHearing™ technology is helping to provide better hearing with less effort by giving the brain the clearest, purest sound signals to decode. For more information visit oticon.com.

Contacts

Media
Allie Carroll

Gregory FCA

alliec@gregoryfca.com
267-294-7735

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Mercer Meadows to close Wednesday for prescribed burning

The Pole Farm, Reed Bryan Farm and Hunt House regions of Mercer Meadows will be closed to the public beginning Wednesday, March 8, until further notice, for prescribed burning.

 

The prescribed burn that had been scheduled for Feb. 14 was postponed. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has determined that the weather conditions on March 8 will be safe and suitable for prescribed burning. Rosedale Park will remain open. For your safety, please observe all closure signage posted at parking lots and on the trails.

 

The fire will be lit, monitored and managed by Forest Fire Service officials who have undergone rigorous training and are experienced in conducting safe and effective prescribed burns. Specific conditions must be met in order to burn, including temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction. All appropriate safety measures and precautions will be taken by those performing the burn, including having a contingency plan. While the burn is in progress and until the Section Warden has deemed the fire out, there will be law enforcement and fire personnel, equipment and vehicles present at Mercer Meadows and surrounding areas.

 

Forest Fire Service officials and Mercer County Park Commission staff will be on site and actively monitoring the burn site until it is determined the park is safe to reopen to the public. Local police and fire departments have been made aware of the activities.

 

In the days following the prescribed burn, it is normal to see smoldering and smoking logs and debris. If you believe fire is a threat, call 1-877-WARNDEP. Once the park is reopened, park users are encouraged to please stay on the trails.

 

For thousands of years, fire has been an active part of the New Jersey landscape.  Fires caused by natural conditions, lightning strikes, or fires intentionally set by Native Americans shaped the ecological communities present in our state today.  With the current lack of intermittent fire, many of the species that evolved with this disturbance have suffered. Properly conducted prescribed burns can replace the natural fire disturbance that was historically a piece of the New Jersey natural lands. Fire encourages native seed germination, reduces invasive plant pressure, and cycles nutrients into the soil; these effects all aid in increasing habitat quality and diversity, while promoting forest regeneration and grassland establishment.

 

While managing invasive species and promoting habitat regeneration and enhancement is an important component of the burn plan for Mercer Meadows, the Park Commission anticipates the burn to have additional benefits such as reducing hazardous fuel loads to prevent unplanned, higher-intensity wildfires. Prescribed burns have also been successful in reducing tick and insect pest populations.

 

In addition to the Park Commission, land managers throughout the State have been using this management tool for its ecological benefits and to reduce the chance of unplanned forest fires.

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Business Science

Merck’s investigational Activin signaling inhibitor Sotatercept improved six-minute walk distance by 40.8 meters at week 24 versus placebo in adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension on background therapy

Sotatercept demonstrated statistically significant improvements in 8 of 9 secondary measures, including reduction in risk of clinical worsening or death

Results presented today at ACC.23/WCC and published in The New England Journal of Medicine

 

RAHWAY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — $MRK #MRK — Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced full results from the Phase 3 STELLAR trial, which evaluated sotatercept, Merck’s novel investigational activin signaling inhibitor biologic, in combination with stable background therapy for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (WHO Group 1). Sotatercept significantly improved exercise capacity, increasing 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) by 40.8 meters (95% CI, 27.5-54.1; p<0.001) from baseline at week 24, the study’s primary endpoint.

In addition, sotatercept demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in eight of nine secondary outcome measures, including improvements in WHO functional class (WHO FC) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Sotatercept reduced the risk of clinical worsening or death by 84% compared to placebo with a median follow-up of 32.7 weeks (HR=0.16 [95% CI, 0.08-0.35]; p<0.001). The safety profile of sotatercept was generally consistent with that observed in previous studies with sotatercept. These data were presented today at the American College of Cardiology’s 72nd Annual Scientific Session together with World Heart Federation’s World Congress of Cardiology and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

 

“PAH is a rare, rapidly progressive, debilitating and ultimately life-threatening condition with a five-year mortality rate of 43 percent,” said Dr. Marius Hoeper, Hannover Medical School, Germany, and lead investigator. “Sotatercept demonstrated profound improvements across the primary endpoint of six-minute walk distance and multiple secondary endpoints, including improvements in WHO functional class and pulmonary vascular resistance. These landmark results show the potential of sotatercept and the approach of targeting cellular signaling associated with vascular hyperproliferation and pathological remodeling for the treatment of PAH.”

 

“The results from the Phase 3 STELLAR trial are immensely important to physicians and patients and highlight the critical role sotatercept may play in improving exercise capacity and other meaningful clinical outcome measures for patients with PAH,” said Dr. Dean Y. Li, president, Merck Research Laboratories. “These findings are compelling given the profound reduction in the risk of clinical worsening or death in patients treated with sotatercept on top of background therapy. We look forward to discussing these pivotal data with health authorities and are working with urgency to bring this potential new treatment option to patients.”

 

STELLAR is the first Phase 3 study to evaluate the efficacy of an activin signaling inhibitor added to background therapy in adults with PAH. Key findings from secondary endpoints included:

  • The proportion of patients who achieved multicomponent improvement at week 24 (defined as improvement in 6MWD, improvement in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level, and either improvement in WHO FC or maintenance of WHO FC II) was significantly greater with sotatercept versus placebo (38.9% [n=63/163] versus 10.1% [n=16/160]; p<0.001).
  • Sotatercept demonstrated a statistically significant reduction of -234.6 dyn·sec·cm−5 (95% CI, -288.4 to -180.8; p<0.001) from baseline at week 24 in PVR – a calculation of pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure and cardiac output – versus placebo.
  • Sotatercept demonstrated a statistically significant reduction of -441.6 (95% CI, -573.5 to -309.6; p<0.001) from baseline at week 24 in NT-proBNP levels versus placebo.
  • Patients receiving sotatercept were significantly more likely to improve and maintain WHO FC at week 24 versus placebo. 29.4% (n=48/163) of patients in the sotatercept group improved in WHO FC compared to 13.8% (n=22/160) in the placebo group (p<0.001).
  • Sotatercept significantly reduced events associated with clinical worsening (defined by death of any cause or specified non-fatal clinical worsening events). With a median follow-up of 32.7 weeks, 9 of 163 patients in the sotatercept group died or experienced a clinical worsening event versus 42 of 160 patients in the placebo group (HR=0.16 [95% CI, 0.08 to 0.35]; p<0.001).
  • A significantly greater proportion of patients treated with sotatercept achieved or maintained a low French risk score (attaining or maintaining all three low-risk criteria: WHO functional class I or II, 6-minute walk distance > 440 meters, and NT-proBNP level < 300 pg per milliliter) versus placebo (39.5% [n=64/163] versus 18.2% [n=29/160]; p<0.001).
  • In patient-reported outcomes using the PAH-SYMPACT® questionnaire, the average scores for Physical Impacts (change from baseline: -0.26 [95% CI, -0.49 to -0.04]; p=0.010) and Cardiopulmonary Symptoms (change from baseline: -0.13 [95% CI, -0.26 to -0.01]; p=0.028) were significantly reduced in patients treated with sotatercept versus placebo. PAH-SYMPACT® is a disease-specific patient-reported outcome instrument. Domain scores range from 0 to 4 with higher scores indicating greater severity of symptoms.
  • The average score for Cognitive/Emotional Impacts using PAH-SYMPACT® was not significantly different between patients treated with sotatercept versus placebo (p=0.156).

 

Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 90.8% of patients who received sotatercept versus 91.9% of patients who received placebo, while severe TEAEs were observed in 12.9% versus 18.1% of patients, respectively. Adverse events that occurred more frequently with sotatercept versus placebo were bleeding events, telangiectasia, increased hemoglobin levels, thrombocytopenia, increased blood pressure, and dizziness.

 

Study design and additional data from the STELLAR trial

STELLAR (NCT04576988) was a pivotal Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sotatercept in adult patients with PAH (WHO Group 1) being treated with background therapy with WHO Functional Class (FC) II or III. The primary endpoint of the study was exercise capacity, as measured by change from baseline in week 24 6MWD. Nine secondary endpoints, tested hierarchically in the following order, were multicomponent improvement, change in PVR, NT-proBNP level, improvement in WHO FC, time to clinical worsening or death, French risk score, and the PAH-SYMPACT® Physical Impacts, Cardiopulmonary Symptoms and Cognitive/Emotional Impacts domain scores; all assessed at week 24 except clinical worsening, which was assessed when the last patient completed the week 24 visit.

 

The study enrolled a total of 323 participants who were randomized to receive either sotatercept (n=163) once every 3 weeks at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg at visit 1 and a dose of 0.7 mg/kg thereafter or placebo (n=160) added to stable background PAH therapy. The study population characteristics were: mean [±SD] 47.9 ± 14.8 years of age; 89% white; 79% female; and average length of time since PAH diagnosis of 8.8 years. In total,198 of the randomized patients (61.3%) were receiving triple therapy and 129 patients (39.9%) were receiving prostacyclin infusion therapy. Demographic and baseline characteristics were similar between the sotatercept and placebo groups.

 

The safety profile of sotatercept was generally consistent with that observed in the Phase 2 PULSAR trial. Seven patients (4.4%) in the placebo group and two patients (1.2%) in the sotatercept group died during the study through the data cutoff date.

 

About pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, progressive and life-threatening blood vessel disorder characterized by the constriction of small pulmonary arteries and elevated blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation. Approximately 40,000 people in the U.S. are living with PAH. The disease progresses rapidly for many patients. PAH results in significant strain on the heart, leading to limited physical activity, heart failure and reduced life expectancy. The five-year mortality rate for patients with PAH is approximately 43%.

 

About sotatercept

Sotatercept is an investigational, potential first-in-class activin signaling inhibitor biologic being studied for the treatment of PAH (WHO Group 1). PAH is a rare disease caused, in part, by hyperproliferation of cells in the arterial walls in the lung, leading to narrowing and abnormal constriction. In pre-clinical models, sotatercept has been shown to modulate vascular cell proliferation, reversing vascular and right ventricle remodeling.

 

Sotatercept has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation and Orphan Drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as Priority Medicines designation and Orphan Drug designation by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of PAH. Merck acquired exclusive rights to sotatercept in the pulmonary hypertension field through the acquisition of Acceleron Pharma Inc. Sotatercept is the subject of a licensing agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb.

 

About Merck

At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. 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., Rahway, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, 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 candidates that the candidates 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 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 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:

Julie Cunningham

(617) 519-6264

Ayn Wisler

(917) 691-6218

Investor:

Peter Dannenbaum

(908) 740-1037

Damini Chokshi

(908) 740-1807

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Business Science

Iveric Bio to present at the Cowen 43rd Annual Health Care Conference

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — IVERIC bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISEE) announced today that Glenn P. Sblendorio, Chief Executive Officer, and Pravin U. Dugel, M.D., President, will participate in a fireside chat at the Cowen 43rd Annual Health Care Conference on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 2:50 p.m. Eastern Time.

 

Investors and the general public are invited to access the live webcast of the fireside chat on the Investor / Events & Presentations section of the Iveric Bio website at www.ivericbio.com. An archived replay of the on-demand presentation will be available on the Company’s website immediately following the conference and for at least 30 days thereafter.

 

Iveric Bio

Iveric Bio is a science-driven biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel treatments for retinal diseases with significant unmet medical needs. The Company is committed to having a positive impact on patients’ lives by delivering high-quality, safe and effective treatments designed to address debilitating retinal diseases including earlier stages of age-related macular degeneration. For more information on the Company, please visit www.ivericbio.com.

 

Forward-looking Statements

Any statements in this press release or made during the presentation referenced herein about Iveric Bio’s future expectations, plans and prospects constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of public filings made by Iveric Bio with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements represent Iveric Bio’s views only as of the date of this press release or the presentation, as applicable. Iveric Bio anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its views to change. While Iveric Bio may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Iveric Bio specifically disclaims any obligation to do so unless required by law.

ISEE-G

Contacts

Investor:
Iveric Bio

Kathy Galante

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

kathy.galante@ivericbio.com

Media:
Jeannie Neufeld

Senior Director, Public Relations and Communications

Jeannie.neufeld@ivericbio.com

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Education Healthcare Lifestyle Local News Science

Amid record nurse shortages, a top-ranking NJ nursing school is filling in the gap

Leading NJ nursing school prepares students for successful healthcare careers

  • TCNJ’s nursing program boasts simulation labs to safely give students hands-on professional experience.
  • The program’s students consistently exceed testing standards.

 

“TCNJ’s reputation speaks for itself. We have consistently had a 94-100% pass rate…”

— Dr. Tracy Perron, Professor & Chair, Nursing, TCNJ

 

Image

EWING, N.J. – Healthcare faces a staffing crisis like it has never seen before.

 

One study finds nurse turnover surged 8.4% between 2020 and 2021, propelling the national average to ~27%. In the face of this unprecedented industry-wide challenge, the School of Nursing and Health Sciences (SNHS) at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) is preparing young healthcare professionals to exceed standards and deliver best-in-class care.

 

To get a better idea of just how SNHS accomplishes this, look no further than TCNJ alumnus and Penn Medicine Princeton Health Labor & Delivery nurse, Sydney Doyle, BSN, RN. “My experience studying nursing at TCNJ helped me after graduation by equipping me with the tools to succeed in both clinical and professional environments. Through rigorous coursework and studying under highly-esteemed nurse leaders and experts, I was able to refine my time management, clinical, and critical thinking skills and develop professional etiquette,” says Doyle.

 

Beyond academic and hands-on experience, Doyle suggests TCNJ’s alumni network adds equal value. She explains, “TCNJ’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences has afforded me a network of colleagues both near and far that fostered my growth while I earned my BSN and continually support me in my professional endeavors.”

 

TCNJ’s SNHS offers an undergraduate Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, as well as a BSN to Registered Nurse (RN) track.

 

Dr. Tracy Perron, Professor and Chair of TCNJ’s Nursing Department, argues SNHS stands out as a leader in accelerating students directly into professional healthcare careers or advanced studies. “TCNJ’s reputation speaks for itself. We have consistently had a 94-100% pass rate and our students are gainfully employed within six months of graduation in some of the most notable healthcare facilities, such as Duke, Hopkins, CHOP, NYU, Sloan Kettering just to name a few. Also, our alumni get into some of the top graduate programs, like Duke, PENN, NYU, Rutgers, Hopkins, and Jefferson,” Perron says.

 

The success of TCNJ’s nursing program at state and national levels has increasingly attracted students seeking a high-quality education in healthcare. For transfer student Adriana Pagnillo, the unique benefit of pursuing TCNJ’s nursing track is access to hands-on experience before graduation. “One experience at TCNJ that has helped to shape my understanding of the nursing field has been the lab experiences the program provides. The hands-on simulation labs, including mannequins that mimic real-life scenarios, give students the closest thing possible to a human experience. This allows the students to make errors and learn from their mistakes without the risk of harming real patients.”

 

TCNJ’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences’ Dean Carole Kenner explains, “The national healthcare staffing shortage should worry just about everyone in the industry. Our School is honored to do its part to prepare medical professionals to perform at the top of their license.” The School rebranded in 2022 to reflect its robust and diverse, cross-disciplinary health science curricula.

 

TCNJ’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences educates aspiring health professionals to become future leaders across the healthcare industry. Faculty work closely with local healthcare partners to provide students with applicative skills and foundational knowledge. The nationally acclaimed school is dedicated to preparing individuals—through programs in nursing, public health, exercise science and physical education teaching—for the many rewards of guiding people, communities, and populations toward improved health outcomes. The School is nationally recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion.

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Business Healthcare Science

Teva announces FDA approval of AUSTEDO® XR (deutetrabenazine) extended-release tablets, a new once-daily formulation of AUSTEDO® (deutetrabenazine) tablets

  • New once-daily AUSTEDO XR regimen now approved in 6, 12, and 24 mg tablet strengths
  • AUSTEDO is the only vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor approved for both tardive dyskinesia (TD) and chorea associated with Huntington’s disease (HD) indications1,2
  • AUSTEDO is the only VMAT2 inhibitor with 3-year long-term data for both TD and HD chorea1,2

 

TEL AVIV, Israel & PARSIPPANY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved AUSTEDO XR (deutetrabenazine) extended-release tablets, a new once-daily formulation indicated in adults for tardive dyskinesia (TD) and chorea associated with Huntington’s disease (HD). AUSTEDO XR is an additional formulation of the currently marketed twice-daily AUSTEDO.

 

“The approval of AUSTEDO XR is a reflection of our ongoing innovation for people living with TD and HD chorea,” said Eric Hughes, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President of R&D and Chief Medical Officer at Teva. “For some patients living with TD and HD, treatment adherence can be a challenge that this new once-daily dosing option can help to address.”

 

Once-daily AUSTEDO XR has been shown to be therapeutically equivalent to the twice-daily formulation, providing another effective treatment choice. It will be available in three extended-release tablet strengths – 6 mg, 12 mg, and 24 mg – and can be taken with or without food. The new tablet strengths provide an updated regimen which may result in a decreased pill count for patients compared to the twice-daily formulation.

 

“Today’s approval marks an exciting milestone for patients with TD and HD chorea,” said Sven Dethlefs, PhD, Executive Vice President, North America Commercial at Teva. “Our commitment to patients suffering with these diseases is unwavering and we will continue our mission to address the needs of patients with neurodegenerative disorders.”

 

Since 2017, Teva has been supporting patients with TD and HD chorea and their prescribers by providing an effective treatment. AUSTEDO is the only vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor with 3-year data for both the TD and HD chorea indications. TD is a highly debilitating movement disorder affecting one in four people who take certain mental health treatments. Chorea associated with HD is involuntary, random and sudden, twisting and/or writhing movements associated with this devastating disease.

 

AUSTEDO XR is expected to be available in the U.S. later this year.

 

About AUSTEDO XR Extended-Release Tablets and AUSTEDO Tablets

AUSTEDO XR/AUSTEDO is the first and only vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in adults for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia (TD) and for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington’s disease (HD). AUSTEDO XR is the once-daily formulation of AUSTEDO. TD is a highly debilitating, chronic movement disorder that affects one in four people who take certain mental health treatments and is characterized by uncontrollable, abnormal, and repetitive movements of the face, torso, and/or other body parts, which may be disruptive and negatively impact individuals. HD is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by uncoordinated and uncontrollable movements, cognitive deterioration and behavioral and/or psychological problems. Chorea – involuntary, random and sudden, twisting and/or writhing movements – is one of the most striking physical manifestations of Huntington’s disease and occurs in approximately 90% of patients. Chorea can have a significant impact on daily activities and progressively limit peoples’ lives. Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

 

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

AUSTEDO® XR (deutetrabenazine) extended-release tablets and AUSTEDO® (deutetrabenazine) tablets are indicated in adults for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington’s disease and for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia.

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Depression and Suicidality in Patients with Huntington’s Disease: AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO can increase the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts and behavior (suicidality) in patients with Huntington’s disease. Balance the risks of depression and suicidality with the clinical need for treatment of chorea. Closely monitor patients for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidality, or unusual changes in behavior. Inform patients, their caregivers, and families of the risk of depression and suicidality and instruct them to report behaviors of concern promptly to the treating physician. Exercise caution when treating patients with a history of depression or prior suicide attempts or ideation. AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO are contraindicated in patients who are suicidal, and in patients with untreated or inadequately treated depression.

 

Contraindications: AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO are contraindicated in patients with Huntington’s disease who are suicidal, or have untreated or inadequately treated depression. AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO are also contraindicated in: patients with hepatic impairment; patients taking reserpine or within 20 days of discontinuing reserpine; patients taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or within 14 days of discontinuing MAOI therapy; and patients taking tetrabenazine or valbenazine.

 

Clinical Worsening and Adverse Events in Patients with Huntington’s Disease: AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO may cause a worsening in mood, cognition, rigidity, and functional capacity. Prescribers should periodically re-evaluate the need for AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO in their patients by assessing the effect on chorea and possible adverse effects.

 

QTc Prolongation: AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO may prolong the QT interval, but the degree of QT prolongation is not clinically significant when AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO is administered within the recommended dosage range. AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO should be avoided in patients with congenital long QT syndrome and in patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmias.

 

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), a potentially fatal symptom complex reported in association with drugs that reduce dopaminergic transmission, has been observed in patients receiving tetrabenazine. The risk may be increased by concomitant use of dopamine antagonists or antipsychotics. The management of NMS should include immediate discontinuation of AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO; intensive symptomatic treatment and medical monitoring; and treatment of any concomitant serious medical problems.

 

Akathisia, Agitation, and Restlessness: AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO may increase the risk of akathisia, agitation, and restlessness. The risk of akathisia may be increased by concomitant use of dopamine antagonists or antipsychotics. If a patient develops akathisia, the AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO dose should be reduced; some patients may require discontinuation of therapy.

 

Parkinsonism: AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO may cause parkinsonism in patients with Huntington’s disease or tardive dyskinesia. Parkinsonism has also been observed with other VMAT2 inhibitors. The risk of parkinsonism may be increased by concomitant use of dopamine antagonists or antipsychotics. If a patient develops parkinsonism, the AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO dose should be reduced; some patients may require discontinuation of therapy.

 

Sedation and Somnolence: Sedation is a common dose-limiting adverse reaction of AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO. Patients should not perform activities requiring mental alertness, such as operating a motor vehicle or hazardous machinery, until they are on a maintenance dose of AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO and know how the drug affects them. Concomitant use of alcohol or other sedating drugs may have additive effects and worsen sedation and somnolence.

 

Hyperprolactinemia: Tetrabenazine elevates serum prolactin concentrations in humans. If there is a clinical suspicion of symptomatic hyperprolactinemia, appropriate laboratory testing should be done and consideration should be given to discontinuation of AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO.

 

Binding to Melanin-Containing Tissues: Deutetrabenazine or its metabolites bind to melanin-containing tissues and could accumulate in these tissues over time. Prescribers should be aware of the possibility of long-term ophthalmologic effects.

 

Common Adverse Reactions: The most common adverse reactions for AUSTEDO (>8% and greater than placebo) in a controlled clinical study in patients with Huntington’s disease were somnolence, diarrhea, dry mouth, and fatigue. The most common adverse reactions for AUSTEDO (4% and greater than placebo) in controlled clinical studies in patients with tardive dyskinesia were nasopharyngitis and insomnia. Adverse reactions with AUSTEDO XR extended-release tablets are expected to be similar to AUSTEDO tablets.

 

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning.

 

About Teva

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) has been developing and producing medicines to improve people’s lives for more than a century. We are a global leader in generic and innovative medicines with a portfolio consisting of over 3,500 products in nearly every therapeutic area. Around 200 million people around the world take a Teva medicine every day, and are served by one of the largest and most complex supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry. Along with our established presence in generics, we have significant innovative research and operations supporting our growing portfolio of innovative medicines and biopharmaceutical products. Learn more at www.tevapharm.com.

 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “target,” “may,” “project,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” and other words and terms of similar meaning and expression in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to the development and commercial success of AUSTEDO (deutetrabenazine) tablets and AUSTEDO XR (deutetrabenazine) extended-release tablets; our ability to successfully compete in the marketplace, including our ability to develop and commercialize biopharmaceutical products, competition for our innovative medicines, including AUSTEDO, AJOVY® and COPAXONE®, our ability to achieve expected results from investments in our product pipeline, our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products, and the effectiveness of our patents and other measures to protect our intellectual property rights; our substantial indebtedness; our business and operations in general, including, the impact of global economic conditions and other macroeconomic developments and the governmental and societal responses thereto, and costs and delays resulting from the extensive pharmaceutical regulation to which we are subject; compliance, regulatory and litigation matters, including failure to comply with complex legal and regulatory environments; other financial and economic risks; and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, including in the section captioned “Risk Factors.” Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

_____________________________

1 Hauser, R. A., Barkay, H., Fernandez, H. H. et al. Long-Term Deutetrabenazine Treatment for Tardive Dyskinesia is Associated with Sustained Benefits and Safety: A 3-Year, Open-Label Extension Study. Frontiers in Neurology (2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.773999.

2 Frank, S., Testa, C., Edmondson, M.C. et al. The Safety of Deutetrabenazine for Chorea in Huntington Disease: An Open-Label Extension Study. CNS Drugs (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40263-022-00956-8.

Contacts

IR

United States
Ran Meir

(267) 468-4475

Yael Ashman

972 (3) 914-8262

PR

United States
Doris Yiu

(973) 265-3752

Yonatan Beker

(973) 917-0851

Categories
Environment Lifestyle Science Technology

FulcrumAir announces successful completion of pilot program to install BFDs using the latest in drone and robotic technology

WELLINGTON, CO. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — FulcrumAir is very pleased to announce that we have very successfully installed more than 1,500 Power Line Sentry Hawk Eye™ BFDs under a pilot program for Atlantic City Electric, which serves about 560,000 customers across southern New Jersey. The work was done by FulcrumAir, working in collaboration with MJ Electric, in South Jersey on five transmission lines in high-risk bird collision areas.


Patrick Arnell, CEO of FulcrumAir said, “We are very proud that Atlantic City Electric put the faith in us to demonstrate our industry leading technology. We have been working extremely hard on this for over five years and are excited to introduce it to the Pepco Holdings family of companies, which includes Atlantic City Electric.”

 

BFDs are installed on overhead wires where there is a risk of avian mortality and power outages due to bird strikes. By adopting the innovative installation technology developed by FulcrumAir, the Pepco Holdings companies can accelerate the implementation of their Avian Protection Programs due to the ease in which FulcrumAir’s equipment can be deployed. Road closures are no longer required to accommodate bucket trucks, helicopters are no longer required, and power outages no longer need to be taken.

 

Atlantic City Electric officials said that the pilot went very well, and they hope to have Fulcrum install more. “Atlantic City Electric is committed to providing safe and reliable service to our customers and communities, and a key part of that is the protection of wildlife and the environment,” said Cristina Frank, principal environmental program manager at Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric. “The successful pilot installation of BFDs took place where we have had known bird collision challenges. We see bird diverters installed by Fulcrum as an effective solution to protecting birds and look to leverage this innovative approach across Pepco Holdings.”

 

Atlantic City Electric is a unit of Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC), a Fortune 200 company and the nation’s largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers. Atlantic City Electric provides clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy service to approximately 560,000 customers in southern New Jersey.

 

FulcrumAir is a leader in the development Ariel Robotic Solutions for the Power line industry. New products are under development and will be released soon – stay tuned.

Contacts

For more information please do not hesitate to contact either:

Patrick Arnell

President/CEO

parnell@fulcrumair.com
(403) 617-0109

Greg Newara

Executive VP of Sales and Business Development

gnewara@fulcrumair.com
(561) 222-3846

Categories
Business Healthcare Lifestyle Local News Science

Investigational therapy UGN-102 may be delivered at home for the treatment of bladder cancer

–In a Small Feasibility Study, UGN-102 Achieves a Complete Response in 75% (6 of 8) Patients

–UGN-102 is Being Studied in Low-Grade Intermediate-Risk Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

 

PRINCETON, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — UroGen Pharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: URGN), a biotech company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative solutions that treat urothelial and specialty cancers, today announced preliminary results of a study to assess the feasibility of home instillation of UGN-102 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution, an investigational therapy in development for primary chemoablation of low-grade, intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (LG-IR-NMIBC). In this study, UGN-102 was suitable to administer at home by a visiting nurse under the supervision of a treating physician and resulted in 75% of patients achieving a complete response, defined as no detectable disease 3 months after starting treatment.

 

“Many bladder cancer patients are elderly and suffer from comorbidities that make frequent office visits for treatment a real burden,” said study investigator David Morris, M.D., F.A.C.S., Urologist at Urology Associates PC, Nashville, TN. “Moving healthcare out of the clinical setting and into a patient’s home would represent a new treatment paradigm for bladder cancer, which may reduce clinic and hospital costs while increasing patient comfort and convenience.”

 

Eight patients were enrolled and treated with UGN-102 by 4 investigators. Median age was 75 years (range 55-84). Six patients completed treatment (6 doses), and 2 patients discontinued the study (5 doses and 4 doses, respectively) due to adverse events (AEs) unrelated to treatment. All 8 patients were evaluable for treatment response, and 6 of 8 (75%) achieved a complete response 3 months after starting treatment. The 2 patients who discontinued were assessed as non-responders. Treatment-related AEs were mild to moderate in severity (most common: dysuria and fatigue in 2 patients), and 3 patients with significant comorbidities had a serious AE, all of which were unrelated to treatment with UGN-102.

 

Patients, nurses and investigators completed home instillation feasibility questionnaires. These standardized feasibility questionnaires highlighted that all 8 patients preferred at-home to in-office treatment, and 5 of 6 patients recommended UGN-102 home instillation instead of transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT). Home instillation was reported as feasible for visiting nurses, and 3 of 4 investigators considered at-home treatment “not different” than in-office treatment.

 

“As a urologic oncologist, I feel confident that the home instillation study results, appearing on the heels of our Phase 2 program and following the complete enrollment of our pivotal Phase 3 ENVISION study for UGN-102, provide us with even more reasons to believe that our novel approach to treating LG-IR-NMIBC has the potential to address genuine unmet needs of patients with bladder cancer,” said Arie Belldegrun, M.D., Board Chair of UroGen.

 

The study enrolled patients with recurrent LG-IR-NMIBC who agreed to receive UGN‑102 at home. Six weekly doses of UGN-102 were administered. The first dose was administered on-site by a physician and the five remaining doses were administered at home by a visiting nurse. Patients were followed for AEs and treatment response was evaluated by visual observation, for cause biopsy, and urine cytology 3 months after treatment initiation. Complete response was defined as the absence of disease by white light cystoscopy, cytology, and histopathology.

 

“This study is another example of how UroGen continues to advance its mission to pioneer the way urothelial cancers are treated,” says Liz Barrett, President and Chief Executive Officer, UroGen. “2023 will be a pivotal year for UroGen as we report on the ATLAS study of UGN-102 and start combinatorial treatments in the Phase 1 study of UGN-301. UroGen is in a strong position to achieve leadership in uro-oncology.”

 

About LG-IR-NMIBC

Approximately 800,000 people are living with bladder cancer in the U.S., of that 80,000 suffer from LG-IR-NMIBC. Patients with LG-IR-NMIBC face a future of recurrence and additional surgeries. Currently, the only primary treatment available is a surgical procedure known as TURBT, which requires anesthesia. Every time TURBT is performed it may impose more burden and serious risks on patients, including pain, bleeding, infection and injury (including perforation).

 

About UGN-102

UGN-102 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution is an investigational drug formulation of mitomycin in Phase 3 development for the treatment of LG-IR-NMIBC. Utilizing UroGen’s proprietary RTGel® technology, a sustained release, hydrogel-based formulation, UGN-102 is designed to enable longer exposure of bladder tissue to mitomycin, thereby enabling the treatment of tumors by non-surgical means. UGN-102 is delivered to patients using a standard urinary catheter in an outpatient setting. Assuming positive findings from the ENVISION Phase 3 study, UroGen anticipates submitting a New Drug Application (NDA) for UGN-102 in 2024. If approved, UGN-102 would be the first non-surgical primary therapeutic to treat a subset of bladder cancer characterized by high recurrence rates and multiple surgeries.

 

About UroGen Pharma Ltd.

UroGen is a biotech company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative solutions that treat urothelial and specialty cancers 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, and investigational treatment UGN-102 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution for patients with LG-IR-NMIBC, 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 statements regarding the Home Instillation Study of UGN-102, and the encouraging results from this study; the design and potential benefits of UGN-102 for the treatment of LG-IR-NMIBC, including benefits related to at home administration; the ongoing Phase 3 ENVISION trial and the design, timing and potential benefits thereof; UroGen’s plans to submit an NDA for UGN-102 and the expected timing thereof; UroGen’s optimism regarding the clinical potential of UGN-102, including UroGen’s belief that UGN-102 meets unmet needs of patients with bladder cancer; UroGen’s expectations for 2023, including that 2023 will be a pivotal year, the reporting on the ATLAS study of UGN-102 and start of combinatorial treatments in the Phase 1 study of UGN-301; management’s belief that UroGen is in a strong position to achieve leadership in uro-oncology; the potential of UroGen’s proprietary RTGel® technology to improve therapeutic profiles of existing drugs; and UroGen’s sustained release technology making local delivery potentially more effective as compared to other treatment options. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to: preliminary results from the Home Instillation Study of UGN-102 may not be indicative of results that may be observed in the future; the timing and success of clinical trials and potential safety or other complications thereof, including the Phase 3 ENVISION trial; unforeseen delays that may impact the timing of progressing clinical trials and reporting data; the ability to obtain regulatory approval within the timeframe expected, or at all, and to maintain regulatory approval; complications associated with commercialization activities; UroGen’s ability to attract or retain key management, members of the board of directors and personnel; the labeling for any approved product; competition in UroGen’s industry; the scope, progress and expansion of developing and commercializing UroGen’s product and product candidates; the size and growth of the market(s) therefor and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof vis-à-vis alternative therapies; and UroGen’s RTGel technology may not perform as expected and UroGen may not successfully develop and receive regulatory approval of any other product that incorporates our RTGel technology. 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 10, 2022 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

Sr. Director, Investor Relations

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

MEDIA:
Cindy Romano

Director, Communications

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

Categories
Environment Lifestyle Local News Science

Mercer Meadows closed Tuesday, Feb. 14 for prescribed burning

The Pole Farm, Reed Bryan Farm and Hunt House regions of Mercer Meadows will be closed to the public until further notice, beginning Tuesday, Feb. 14 for prescribed burning.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has determined that the weather conditions will be safe and suitable for prescribed burning. Rosedale Park will remain open. For your safety, please observe all closure signage posted at parking lots and on the trails. 

The fire will be lit, monitored and managed by the Forest Fire Service officials who have undergone rigorous training and are experienced in conducting safe and effective prescribed burns. Specific conditions must be met in order to burn, including temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction. All appropriate safety measures and precautions will be taken by those performing the burn, including having a contingency plan. While the burn is in progress and until the Section Warden has deemed the fire out, there will be law enforcement and fire personnel, equipment and vehicles present at Mercer Meadows and surrounding areas.  

Forest Fire Service officials and Mercer County Park Commission staff will be onsite and actively monitoring the burn site until it is determined the park is safe to reopen to the public. Local police and fire departments have been made aware of the activities.  

In the days following the prescribed burn, it is normal to see smoldering and smoking logs and debris. If you believe fire is a threat, call 1-877-WARNDEP. Once reopened, park users are encouraged to please stay on the trails.

For thousands of years, fire has been an active part of the New Jersey landscape.  Fires caused by natural conditions, lightning strikes, or fires intentionally set by Native Americans shaped the ecological communities present in our state today.  With the current lack of intermittent fire, many of the species that evolved with this disturbance have suffered. Properly conducted prescribed burns can replace the natural fire disturbance that was historically a piece of the New Jersey natural lands.  Fire encourages native seed germination, reduces invasive plant pressure, and cycles nutrients into the soil; these effects all aid in increasing habitat quality and diversity, while promoting forest regeneration and grassland establishment. 

While managing invasive species and promoting habitat regeneration and enhancement is an important component of the burn plan for both Mercer Meadows, the Park Commission anticipates the burn to have additional benefits such as reducing hazardous fuel loads to prevent unplanned, higher intensity wildfires. Prescribed burns have also been successful in reducing tick and insect pest populations.

In addition to the Park Commission, land managers throughout the State have been using this management tool for its ecological benefits and to reduce the chance of unplanned forest fires.