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ADVANCING ENDOSCOPIC EXCELLENCE

Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur Reaches 50 POEM Cases, Leading the Way in Minimally Invasive, Incisionless Treatment

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur (PHKL) proudly celebrates a major milestone in its endoscopic journey, having successfully performed 50 Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) procedures since the service was introduced in 2020. This achievement highlights the hospital’s growing leadership in advanced, minimally invasive gastrointestinal treatments.

Dr Lau Peng Choong, our Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, with his first successful POEM patient in 2020—marking PHKL as the first private hospital in Malaysia to perform the procedure.
Dr Lau Peng Choong, our Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, with his first successful POEM patient in 2020—marking PHKL as the first private hospital in Malaysia to perform the procedure.

The POEM procedures are led by Dr. Lau Peng Choong, Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Surgeon at PHKL. POEM is a cutting-edge, incisionless procedure used to treat achalasia, a rare disorder that affects the ability of the oesophagus to move food into the stomach.

“We’re proud to reach this milestone of 50 POEM cases,” said Dr. Lau. “This treatment has significantly improved the quality of life for patients with achalasia—a condition that’s often misdiagnosed as acid reflux or anxiety. With POEM, we can now offer an effective, minimally invasive solution with quicker recovery and less discomfort.”

Unlike traditional or even laparoscopic surgeries, POEM is performed entirely using an endoscope passed through the mouth. The technique involves cutting the muscles at the lower end of the oesophagus to allow smoother passage of food, offering faster recovery times, less pain, and lower complication risks.

Expanding the Scope of Endoscopic Expertise

In addition to POEM, Dr. Lau Peng Choong, Consultant Upper GI Surgeon, and Dr. Gew Lai Teck, Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, have successfully performed Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) for close to 20 patients with Stage 1 gastrointestinal cancers, eliminating the need for minimally invasive or open surgery. ESD is a highly precise procedure that allows for the removal of complex growths—such as early cancers or large polyps—from the gastrointestinal tract without external incisions.

Both specialists are extensively trained in advanced endoscopic interventions, and their expertise is supported by a dedicated multidisciplinary team, ensuring that patients receive seamless, collaborative, and comprehensive care.

“With the recent introduction of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG), we’re further broadening our scope of minimally invasive treatment options,” shared Dr. Lau. “From cancer treatment to obesity management and digestive disorders, we’re committed to helping patients heal faster, feel better, and return to daily life sooner.”

PHKL is now offering ESG procedures at an introductory rate of RM25,000, making it an accessible solution for patients considering effective weight management treatments. The procedure is performed by Dr Lau Peng Choong, Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon, and Dr Gew Lai Teck, Consultant Gastroenterologist—both trained and experienced in advanced endoscopic techniques.

For further information on the technologies used in these procedures:

These advanced instruments are provided by PHKL’s official vendors—Olympus Medical Solutions and Boston Scientific.

For more information on Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, visit www.pantai.com.my/kuala-lumpur.

About Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur
For five decades, Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur has been the heartbeat of Kuala Lumpur, steadfastly delivering exceptional care to patients from all walks of life. Since its inception in 1974 with just 68 beds and 20 medical specialists, the hospital has grown into a healthcare icon today with 507 beds, over 200 consultants and counting. Our pursuit of quality healthcare, clinical excellence, and cutting-edge technology is underscored by our service quality and dedication towards clinical research.

This has earned us accreditations from the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI). Additionally, we hold certification as a Baby-Friendly Hospital and is a preferred hospital in Malaysia by the World Health Organization (WHO). As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur looks to the future, unwaveringly committed to continuing its legacy of excellence with world-class healthcare services and innovative treatments for generations to come. Learn more at www.pantai.com.my/kuala-lumpur.

SCG Showcases Leadership at INTERCEM Asia 2025, Propelling Global Cement Partnerships


BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 May 2025 – SCG successfully co-hosted INTERCEM Asia 2025, the world’s premier cement industry conference, welcoming over 1,000 leaders from 52 countries. This co-hosting opportunity marks a strategic milestone in SCG’s international business development, positioning the company as a catalyst for global collaboration in low-carbon cement innovation.

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The event established a platform for knowledge exchange and sustainable business development amid evolving environmental regulations. As co-host, SCG cultivated valuable connections with international cement producers, technology providers, and sustainability pioneers.

“Co-hosting INTERCEM Asia 2025 represents more than industry recognition—it’s a strategic accelerator for our global business growth,” explained Mr. Surachai Nimlaor, President of SCG Cement and Green Solutions Business. “This forum has enabled us to establish partnerships that amplify the impact of our low-carbon innovations while creating shared success throughout our value chain.”

The conference highlighted SCG’s “Inclusive Green Growth” mission, which harmonizes economic advancement with environmental stewardship. This approach positions SCG at the forefront of the industry’s transition toward sustainability-driven business models while building alliances with forward-thinking organizations worldwide.

SCG-Intercem-Asia-2025
SCG-Intercem-Asia-2025

SCG showcased breakthrough innovations generating international business opportunities:

  • SCG LC3 Structural Cement achieves a 30-40% reduction in carbon emissions while maintaining premium performance. This low-carbon cement has generated substantial interest from international markets, with several cross-border licensing discussions initiated during the conference.
  • SCG 3D Printing Technology integrates digital technology with sustainable construction practices. This solution enables creation of complex architectural structures while enhancing efficiency and reducing waste. Conference participants expressed interest in potential joint ventures across Southeast Asia.

During the SCG Home Experience center tour, international delegates witnessed the TORA S-ONE cement spraying system developed with Kubota, exemplifying SCG’s ability to develop market-ready solutions through strategic partnerships.

SCG’s vision extends to ecosystem development through the “Saraburi Sandbox” initiative—Thailand’s pioneering low-carbon city model attracting international attention. This project implements a Public-Private-People-Partnership targeting carbon reductions of 5 million tons by 2027.

The company’s sustainability approach encompasses four integrated pillars that have become benchmarks for international collaboration:

  • Green Products: Low-carbon innovations with EPD certification, generating export opportunities
  • Green Process: Targeting 70% alternative fuel and 53% renewable energy by 2030
  • Green Construction: Sustainable solutions through digital technology integration
  • Green Society: Collaborative partnerships establishing international sustainability alliances

“The successful co-hosting of INTERCEM Asia 2025 reinforces our position as a leader driving sustainable growth globally,” added Mr. Surachai Nimlaor. “Through relationships cultivated at this event, we’re establishing an ecosystem for low-carbon cement innovation that promises shared success worldwide.”

As a result, SCG has initiated discussions for joint ventures in emerging markets, technology licensing with European partners, and research collaborations with Asian academic institutions, all accelerating global adoption of low-carbon cement solutions.

For more information, call SCG Contact Center 02-586-2222, email contact@scg.com, or visit the company’s website www.scg.com.

Hashtag: #SCG #SiamCementGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

OceanBase Hosts Technical Symposium on Data x AI and Has Six Papers Accepted at ICDE 2025

HONG KONG, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — OceanBase hosted a technical symposium during the annual IEEE International Conference on Data Engineering (ICDE 2025), a leading global conference in data and information engineering held in Hong Kong this week. The symposium brought together database researchers and professionals from academia and industry to delve into the transformative intersection of database and AI technologies.

In the symposium, Charlie Yang, Chief Technology Officer of OceanBase, presented OceanBase’s vision for an AI-ready data infrastructure, emphasizing its commitment to empowering intelligent, scalable, and resilient data ecosystems. Notable professors, researchers and experts from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Northeastern University, and OneConnect Financial Technology (Hong Kong), shared their research findings and industry insights around data x AI innovations and applications.

OceanBase Technical Symposium at ICDE 2025
OceanBase Technical Symposium at ICDE 2025

Meanwhile, six papers authored or contributed to by the OceanBase team were accepted at ICDE 2025. Among them, “OceanBase Unionization: Building the Next Generation of Online Map Applications,” co-authored with Alibaba and Cornell University researchers, was recognized as the Best Industry and Application Paper Runner Up. This paper proposes the architectural design of OceanBase’s distributed database system, which “unitizes” services and operations into individual machines, bringing stronger disaster tolerance and achieving better performance in real-world testing with AMap, an online map application platform supporting large-scale distributed services.

Paper co-authored by OceanBase researchers recognized as the Best Industry and Application Paper Runner Up at ICDE 2025
Paper co-authored by OceanBase researchers recognized as the Best Industry and Application Paper Runner Up at ICDE 2025

Serving over 2,000 customers globally, including Alipay, Pop Mart, Trip.com, GCash and DANA, OceanBase remains dedicated to advancing database technologies in today’s AI-driven era. Since 2024, more than ten of its research papers have been accepted at top database conferences worldwide, including ICDE, SIGMOD, and VLDB. These papers cover a wide range of topics in distributed database technology, such as innovative algorithm for solving the fair clustering problem, Paxos-backed Append-only Log File (PALF) system, and functionality-aware database tuning.

Since its inception in 2010, OceanBase has actively collaborated with esteemed universities and research institutes such as East China Normal University, Renmin University of China, Wuhan University, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, to explore the forefront of database technologies. These collaborations involve establishing joint laboratories, pursuing research projects, and co-hosting database competitions.

Moreover, OceanBase has partnered with institutions like Ant Research and the China Computer Federation to establish funds to conduct in-depth research on major technical challenges for modern databases, including “stand-alone and distributed integrated architecture,” “transaction processing and analytical processing (TP and AP) integration,” “storage-computing separation,” and “database performance optimization”, and bring scientific research into real-world applications.

About OceanBase

OceanBase is a distributed database launched in 2010. It provides strong data consistency, high availability, high performance, cost efficiency, elastic scalability, and compatibility with mainstream relational databases. It handles transactional, analytical, and AI workloads through a unified data engine, enabling mission-critical applications and real-time analytics.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.oceanbase.com/

“Find Your Vibes” – A Bold New Campaign Showcasing the Vibrant Energy of Ho Chi Minh City

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As Vietnam commemorates the 50th anniversary of national reunification, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism proudly launches “Find Your Vibes” campaign – a fresh and forward-looking campaign that celebrates the city’s dynamic transformation and youthful spirit. Positioned as Southeast Asia’s rising star, Ho Chi Minh City invites global travelers to discover a destination where heritage meets innovation, and tradition pulses alongside creativity.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/ho-chi-minh-city-tourism/9337251-en-find-your-vibes-hochiminh-city

With the campaign tagline “Find Your Vibes,” this initiative invites the world to reconnect with Ho Chi Minh City — not just as a place on the map, but as a living experience full of energy, flavor, and cultural depth..

Discover Ho Chi Minh City Anew Through the Cinematic Journey of “50 Flashes”

At the heart of the campaign is “50 Flashes“, a cinematic short film capturing 50 unforgettable moments from across the city. More than a visual montage, the film is an emotional journey — weaving together iconic architecture, sacred temples, vibrant markets, and spontaneous street scenes into one fluid story of life in motion.

Blending heritage with modern cinematography, “50 Flashes” bridges past and present, offering travelers a soulful preview of the people, places, and passions that make Ho Chi Minh City so magnetic.

Photo Collection Showcases the Rich Heritage of Ho Chi Minh City

Renowned photographer Cao Ky Nhan lends his eye to the campaign through an exclusive photo series that captures 50 signature destinations and flavors of the city. Curated into four thematic pillars — Tourism, Historical Sites, Spiritual Culture, and Culinary Arts — the collection paints an authentic portrait of a city in constant renewal.

From incense-filled pagodas and French-era buildings to rooftop bars and steamy street food corners, each image is a chapter in the city’s unfolding narrative. The full collection is now live for global audiences to explore:

View the Gallery: https://online.fliphtml5.com/hpwwt/nawt/ 

Savor Saigon’s favorite rice dish with grilled pork and pickled veggies.
Savor Saigon’s favorite rice dish with grilled pork and pickled veggies.

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda – find yourself in zen at the largest temple in HCMC
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda – find yourself in zen at the largest temple in HCMC

Tan Dinh Church – the unique pink church that captures every traveler's
Tan Dinh Church – the unique pink church that captures every traveler’s

Ho Chi Minh City by night – vibrant experiences, dazzling lights, and river charm.
Ho Chi Minh City by night – vibrant experiences, dazzling lights, and river charm.

Hotel Continental Saigon – timeless elegance in the heart of bustling city
Hotel Continental Saigon – timeless elegance in the heart of bustling city

Your invitation to visit #VibrantHoChiMinhCity

Through this initiative, Ho Chi Minh City Tourism reaffirms its commitment to preserving the city’s living heritage while inspiring travelers to experience its vibrant layers and enduring spirit.

In addition to the campaign, Ho Chi Minh City Tourism proudly unveils a vibrant 50th Anniversary logo to mark this historic milestone. The design centers on a stylized heart, energized with bold blue and orange hues that symbolize peace, vitality, and creativity. It intricately weaves in 50 iconic landmarks, capturing the spirit of resilience, growth, and innovation that have defined the city over the past five decades.

Through the “Find Your Vibes’ campaign, Ho Chi Minh City extends a sincere invitation to travelers worldwide: experience a city where tradition and innovation coexist seamlessly, where every street reflects a rich cultural heritage, and where the energy of progress drives a vibrant and forward-looking future.

For media-related inquiries, please contact Ho Chi Minh City Tourism‘s Press Office via info@visithcmc.vn

About Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism

Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism is the official government body responsible for the promotion and development of tourism in the city. Through strategic roadshows, trade fairs, exhibitions, and global marketing initiatives, the department positions Ho Chi Minh City as a premier travel destination for both leisure and business tourism.

Media Contact:

Ms. Linh Pham
Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center
ptplinh.sdl@tphcm.gov.vn 

PR Newswire is the Official News Distribution Partner of HTPC

Hisense extends ITS ConnectLife platform to third-party devices via Google’s home APIs

QINGDAO, China, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, announced today the integration of Google’s new Home APIs into its ConnectLife app, enabling users to bring their third-party smart home devices into the ConnectLife ecosystem by this fall. This move enables Hisense’s ConnectLife app users to seamlessly onboard and control not only Hisense products, like TVs, refrigerators, and air conditioners, but also a wide array of popular third-party smart home devices, creating a more integrated smart home experience.

Coming this fall, the Hisense ConnectLife app will allow users to seamlessly onboard and control third-party smart home products, including those Matter and 'Works with Google Home' certified.
Coming this fall, the Hisense ConnectLife app will allow users to seamlessly onboard and control third-party smart home products, including those Matter and ‘Works with Google Home’ certified.

This announcement coincides with Google I/O 2025’s smart home announcements, where Hisense is featured as a launch partner for Google’s new Home APIs. This integration leverages Google’s Home APIs’ access to over 750 million devices, including Matter, “Works with Google Home” certified, and Google Nest devices. The expanded connectivity brings enhanced device compatibility and sophisticated automation capabilities, enabling users to control both Hisense products and third-party devices, such as smart plugs, lighting, doorbells, curtains, and more, all within a single app.

ConnectLife users will be able to seamlessly bring third-party devices to enable experiences that will enhance entertainment, pet care, air quality, and more. One-touch modes and customized automations can blend Hisense products with third-party devices to create intelligent home responses, such as air conditioners automatically adjusting based on third-party air quality sensors, or smart lights providing visual notifications when the Hisense refrigerator’s VersaTemp drawer reaches the ideal temperature for chilling drinks.

While visual notifications via smart lights have existed, Hisense’s integration allows users to easily configure these detailed cross-device interactions directly within the intuitive ConnectLife app. This simplifies setup for benefits like having third-party smart lights visually alert users who are hard of hearing, when hands are busy with tasks around the house, or when people prefer to keep their phones silenced, providing a seamless, unified smart home experience without the need to juggle multiple third-party apps for configuration.

“At Hisense, we are committed to simplifying smart living for everyone,” said Miguel Becerra, Director of Smart Home Experiences, Hisense Americas Region. “This integration enhances ConnectLife to create seamless experiences that make everyday life more convenient and enjoyable for our consumers.”

The enhanced ConnectLife app with Google Home APIs integration will be available this fall for both Android and iOS platforms.

About Hisense

Hisense, founded in 1969, is a globally recognized leader in home appliances and consumer electronics with operations in over 160 countries, specializing in delivering high-quality multimedia products, home appliances, and intelligent IT solutions. According to Omdia, Hisense ranks No. 2 worldwide in total TV shipments (2022-2024) and No. 1 globally in the 100-inch and over TV segment (2023-2024). As the first official partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, Hisense is committed to global sports partnerships as a way to connect with audiences worldwide.

Migrants, Including Lao, Deported from US to South Sudan Held in Djibouti

Deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Madison Sheahan, flanked by Acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, speaks during a news conference at ICE Headquarters, in Washington, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Photo:Jose Luis Magana/AP)

AFP, The Laotian Times  A group of migrants deported from the United States towards conflict-torn South Sudan will be held for now in Djibouti after a court ruling, the Trump administration announced on 22 May. 

The US government claims it expelled the eight migrants from a range of nations due to their past convictions for violent crimes.

The migrants left the United States on a flight on 20 May, bound for South Sudan instead of their nations of origin, after Washington failed to obtain approval from their respective governments to take them back.

The White House identified the eight men as two citizens of Myanmar, two Cubans, a Vietnamese man, a Lao man, a Mexican, and a South Sudanese citizen. The US government claims it expelled them due to their past convictions for violent crimes. 

The Lao individual has been identified as Thongxay Nilakout, 48. He was convicted of killing a German woman and wounding her husband in 1994 at age 17 while the couple visited a tourist lookout near Los Angeles. He was sentenced to life in prison but released in 2023 after a US Supreme Court ruling deemed mandatory life sentences for minors unconstitutional. That same year, an immigration judge ordered his repatriation to Laos. However, Thongxay waived his right to appeal.

They are currently detained by the Department of Homeland Security in Djibouti, where there is a major US military base.

United States District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston ruled Wednesday evening that the Trump administration had violated one of his previous orders, calling the timeframe given for the migrants to contest their expulsions “plainly insufficient.” 

In his ruling, Murphy said that migrants had to receive at least ten days to appeal the decision, as required by the United Nations Convention Against Torture. He also ruled that six of the migrants were entitled to invoke, with the aid of a lawyer, their “fear” of torture or ill-treatment in the third country.

Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform Thursday to decry Murphy’s order, saying he “has ordered that eight of the most violent criminals on Earth curtail their journey to South Sudan, and instead remain in Djibouti.” 

Trump claimed the courts are “absolutely out of control.”

Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin slammed the federal judge for suspending the expulsion, accusing him of “trying to force the United States to bring back these uniquely barbaric monsters.” 

McLaughlin told reporters that South Sudan was not the “final destination” for the migrants but declined to reveal their ultimate destination for “safety and operational security” reasons.

While the government said those scheduled for expulsion had ample warning, lawyers for the Vietnamese national and one Myanmar citizen said their clients only learned the night before or on the day of departure. The attorneys argue the government violated an earlier order by not allowing their clients time to file for protection under the United Nations Convention against Torture.

South Sudan, an impoverished nation grappling with insecurity and political instability, has a US State Department travel advisory. This case highlights ongoing legal challenges to Trump’s mass deportation efforts, which courts have repeatedly blocked over migrant rights concerns.


© Agence France-Presse

Antengene to Present Latest Clinical Results from Two Studies in CPI-resistant Solid Tumors at ASCO 2025

  • ATG-037, an oral small molecule CD73 inhibitor, in combination with MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), achieved an overall response rate (ORR) of 36.4% and disease control rate (DCR) of 100% in checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-resistant melanoma patients in the ongoing STAMINA-01 trial, with one patient maintaining a partial response (PR) and remained on treatment for over 2 years without any safety concerns.
  • In CPI-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the combination of ATG-037 and pembrolizumab achieved an ORR of 22% and DCR of 67% in the same study.
  • ATG-008, an oral dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor, in combination with toripalimab, achieved an ORR of 22.2% and DCR of 85.2% in CPI-resistant cervical cancer patients in the ongoing TORCH-2 trial.

SHANGHAI and HONG KONG, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Antengene Corporation Limited (“Antengene“, SEHK: 6996.HK), a leading innovative, commercial-stage global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class and/or best-in-class medicines for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, today announced that it will present the latest clinical data of its CD73 oral small molecule inhibitor ATG-037 and oral dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor ATG-008 in Poster Presentations at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, taking place from May 30th to June 3rd in Chicago, IL, the United States.

Details of the Poster Presentations:
ATG-037 (CD73 Small Molecule Inhibitor)
Title: A First-In-Human Phase I/Ib study of ATG-037 Monotherapy and Combination Therapy with Pembrolizumab in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors – STAMINA-01
Abstract: 3123
Session: Developmental Therapeutics—Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology
Date: June 2, 2025
Time: 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM (Central Time)
          2:30 AM – 5:30 AM, June 3, 2025 (Beijing Time)

  • Robust clinical benefit observed in CPI-resistant patients: As of April 27, 2025, the study has already completed the dose escalation part in which 43 patients were enrolled and received monotherapy. Among them, 28 CPI-resistant patients also received the combination therapy. Among patients treated with the combination therapy, 6 patients (4 melanoma and 2 NSCLC patients) achieved a confirmed PR with an ORR of 21.4%, and 16 patients achieved stable disease (SD) with a DCR of 78.6%. The combination regimen delivered particularly encouraging efficacy in melanoma, with all 11 CPI-resistant patients achieving disease control (DCR 100%) and an ORR of 36.4% (4 PRs), including 1 patient having maintained PR and remained in the study for over 2 years without any safety concerns. In CPI-resistant NSCLC, the combination regimen achieved an ORR of 22% (PRs) and a DCR of 67%. These results highlight the potential of ATG-037 to deliver meaningful clinical benefit across multiple tumor types, reinforcing its promise as a novel treatment option in CPI-resistant cancers.
  • Manageable safety profile: Treatment-related adverse events were reported in 56% (24/43) of patients receiving monotherapy and 61% (17/28) of patients receiving the combination therapy. The majority of these TRAEs were grade 1-2. Only one serious TRAE (grade 3 immune mediated hepatitis) was observed in the study.
  • Two key differentiators: ATG-037 is an oral small molecule CD73 inhibitor offering greater convenience over intravenous (IV) injectable agents and is uniquely designed to overcome the ‘hook effect’ commonly seen in anti-CD73 antibodies, enabling complete and more effective CD73 inhibition.
  • The STAMINA-01 trial: STAMINA-01 is a Phase I/Ib study jointly conducted by Antengene and MSD (Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA). The study was designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, and optimal dosing of ATG-037 as a monotherapy and in combination with MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), in patients with refractory/relapsed solid tumors. At present, dose optimization and dose expansion parts of the study are being carried out as planned in China and Australia.

KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.

ATG-008 (mTORC1/2 Small Molecule Inhibitor)
Title: A TORC1/2 inhibitor onatasertib combined with toripalimab in patients with advanced cervical cancers with prior anti-PD-(L)1 therapy
Abstract: 5540
Session: Gynecologic Cancer
Date: June 1, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Central Time)
          10:00 PM, June 1, 2025 – 1:00 AM, June 2, 2025 (Beijing Time)

  • The TORCH-2 trial: ATG-008 is an oral dual mTOR1/2 inhibitor. The TORCH-2 trial is a Phase I/II dose escalation and dose expansion study of ATG-008 in combination with the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody toripalimab in patients with advanced solid tumors. This abstract reports data from patients with advanced cervical cancer who had previously received at least prior 1 line of anti-PD-(L)1 therapy and 1 line of platinum chemotherapy, regardless of the PD-L1 expression. As of November 25, 2024, 30 qualified patients were enrolled and received ATG-008 15 mg orally once a day (QD) in combination with toripalimab 240 mg, once every 21 days (Q3W). Among them, 14 and 16 patients had received 1 and at least 2 prior lines of systemic therapy, respectively. The median time since initial diagnosis was 37 months.
  • Encouraging efficacy in patients with CPI-resistant cervical cancer: Among 27 efficacy-evaluable patients, the combination regimen achieved an ORR of 22.2% and a DCR of 85.2%. The ORRs of PD-L1 positive and PD-L1 negative populations were 30% (3/10) and 33.3% (2/6), respectively. The median time to response was 1.7 months (1.4, 4.2) and the median duration of response (DOR) was 5.7 months (95% CI: 2.7, NE). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.2 months (95% CI: 3.3, 5.8) and the median overall survival (OS) was 21.4 months (95% CI: 15.5, NE). These results underscore the potential of ATG-008 in combination with toripalimab in providing meaningful clinical benefit for CPI-resistant cervical cancer patients, reinforcing its promise as a novel treatment option for this difficult-to-treat patient population.
  • Manageable safety profile: All 30 patients experienced at least one TEAE, and 22 patients (73.3%) reported grade ≥3 TRAEs. The most common all-grade TRAEs were hyperglycaemia (56.7%), rash (43.3%) and white blood cell decreased (43.3%). Most TRAEs were grade 1-2, and no TEAE led to death.

About Antengene

Antengene Corporation Limited (“Antengene”, SEHK: 6996.HK) is a leading commercial-stage R&D-driven global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, manufacturing and commercialization of innovative first-in-class/best-in-class therapeutics for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, in realizing its vision of “Treating Patients Beyond Borders”.

Antengene has built a pipeline of 9 oncology assets at various stages going from clinical to commercial, including 6 with global rights, and 3 with rights for the APAC region. To date, Antengene has obtained 31 investigational new drug (IND) approvals in the U.S. and Asia, and submitted new drug applications (NDAs) in 11 Asia Pacific markets, with the NDA for XPOVIO® (selinexor) already approved in Mainland of China, Taiwan China, Hong Kong China, Macau China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia.

Forward-looking statements

The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement, please see the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2024, and the documents subsequently submitted to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Contacts: 
Donald Lung
E-mail: Donald.Lung@antengene.com  
Mobile: +86 18420672158

PR Contacts:
Peter Qian
E-mail: Peter.Qian@antengene.com 
Mobile: +86 13062747000

US Govt Revokes Harvard’s Right to Enroll Foreign Students

(FILES) Harvard sweatshirts are displayed for sale in a school store window on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 15, 2025. US President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday revoked Harvard's right to enroll foreign students -- more than a quarter of its annual enrollment -- in a major escalation of the president's fight with one of the world's most storied universities. Trump is furious at Harvard -- which has produced 162 Nobel prize winners -- for rejecting his demand that it submit to oversight on admissions and hiring over his claims that it is a hotbed of anti-Semitism and "woke" liberal ideology. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso/AFP)

By Gregory WALTON/AFP – Donald Trump’s administration on 22 May revoked Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign nationals, more than a quarter of the student body, in a quick escalation of the US president’s fight against the prestigious university.

The school in Cambridge, Massachusetts quickly slammed the move as “unlawful” and said it would hurt both the campus and the country, while one student said the community was “panicking.”

Trump is furious at Harvard, which has produced 162 Nobel prize winners, for rejecting his demand that it submit to oversight on admissions and hiring over his claims that it is a hotbed of anti-Semitism and “woke” liberal ideology.

The loss of such a large proportion of the student body could prove to be a huge financial blow to Harvard, which charges tens of thousands of dollars a year in tuition.

“Effective immediately, Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor (SEVIS) Program certification is revoked,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in a letter to the Ivy League institution, referring to the main system by which foreign students are permitted to study in the United States.

Harvard, which has sued the government over a separate raft of punitive measures, quickly fired back, calling the move “unlawful.”

“We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars,” it said in a statement, adding that it was working to offer students guidance and support.

“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”

Karl Molden, an international student from Austria, said he had applied to study at Oxford in Britain because he feared such measures.

“It’s scary and it’s saddening,” the 21-year-old government and classics student told AFP.

“I love Harvard, and getting into the school has been the greatest privilege of my life.

“It’s definitely going to change the perception of… students who (might) consider studying there — the US is getting less of an attractive spot for higher education.”

Leaders of the Harvard chapter of the American Association of University Professors called the move “the latest in a string of nakedly authoritarian and retaliatory moves against America’s oldest institution of higher education.”

“The Trump administration is unlawfully seeking to destroy higher education in the United States. It now demands that we sacrifice our international students in the process. Universities cannot acquiesce to such extortion,” it said.

‘Everyone’s Panicking’

Last month, Trump threatened to stop Harvard from enrolling foreign students if it did not agree to government demands that would put the private institution under outside political supervision.

“As I explained to you in my April letter, it is a privilege to enroll foreign students,” Noem wrote.

“All universities must comply with Department of Homeland Security requirements, including reporting requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program regulations, to maintain this privilege,” she said.

“As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies, you have lost this privilege.”

More than 27 percent of Harvard’s enrollment was made up of foreign students in the 2024-25 academic year, according to university data.

Fourth-year US student Alice Goyer told AFP “no one knows” what the development would mean for international students already enrolled.

“We just got the news, so I’ve been getting texts from a lot of international friends, and I think everyone’s just — no one knows,” she said.

“Everyone’s panicking a bit.”

On whether students would willingly transfer to other institutions, as suggested by Noem in the letter, Goyer said, “I doubt people would do that.”

“I would hope maybe there’s going to be a legal battle that’ll take place.”


© Agence France-Presse