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VinFast exports the first batch of electric vehicles

HAI PHONG, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – 25 November 2022 – VinFast held a ceremony to mark its first batch of exports of smart electric vehicles including 999 VF 8s to international markets. This event is a remarkable milestone in the history of Vietnam’s automotive industry as Vietnamese-branded electric cars have officially entered the global market.

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The first batch of 999 VF 8s has been exported to the United States. This batch was transported by the Silver Queen – a Panamanian charter ship – and is expected to arrive in a California port (USA) about 20 days after deporting from MPC Port in Hai Phong, Vietnam. The first VinFast customers in the US can expect their cars by the end of December 2022.

This international export is the first batch of the 65,000 global orders already made for VinFast’s VF 8 and VF 9. Following this first batch of cars for the American market, VinFast will continue to export more VF 8 lots to Canada and Europe for customer deliveries in early 2023.

The first VF 9 models will be handed over to customers in Vietnam and international markets in the first quarter of 2023.

At the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Viet Quang, Vice Chairman and CEO of Vingroup, said:“The export of the first 999 VF 8s is a significant event for VinFast and Vingroup and a proud historical milestone for the Vietnamese automotive industry. It affirms that Vietnam has successfully produced high-quality standards electric vehicles that are ready to compete in the international market. We hope that, when VinFast’s smart electric vehicles roll out on the streets around the world, it will help promote the image of a new, dynamic and progressive Vietnam to the global audience.”

With a luxurious design, integrated advanced smart technologies, attainable pricing, and best-in-class after-sales policies, the VF 8 and VF 9 are VinFast’s premium electric SUV models in the D and E segments.

In addition to individual customers, VinFast has also received exceptional attention from fleet companies. At the Los Angeles Auto Show 2022, from November 17 to 28, 2022, VinFast announced a new order signed with Autonomy, the largest car subscription service firm in the US.

In addition to the VF 8 and VF 9, VinFast’s smart electric vehicle lineup comprises the VF 5, VF 6, and VF 7 in the A, B, and C segments, respectively. VinFast is expected to initiate reservations of the VF 5, VF 6, and VF 7 soon to meet the diverse needs of global customers.

Exporting the first batch of Vietnamese-made VF 8 units has opened a new era for the country’s automotive industry. In addition to affirming Vietnam’s capability, the major export actualizes the country’s passion for mastering automotive production held by many generations and contributes to raising the country’s position on the global stage.

Hashtag: #VinFast

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

About VF 8

The VinFast VF 8 is a 5-seater electric SUV in the D segment with overall length, width, and height dimensions of 4,750 mm x 1,934 mm x 1,667 mm, respectively. Vehicles are equipped with advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), including a series of advanced features that will be added and updated regularly, such as highway assist, automated lane changing assist, smart parking assist, smart summon mode, remote parking assist, and many more. In addition, a suite of Smart Services with integrated in-car entertainment and utility features such as vehicle voice control, remote vehicle management via the VinFast application, online shopping, playing video games on the car screen that sync passenger phones, and much more to bring an immersive experience to users.

The VF 8 has two trims, Eco and Plus. The VF 8 Eco version is equipped with an electric motor with a maximum power of 260kW, a maximum torque of 500Nm, and a battery with a target full-charge range estimate of 420km (WLTP standard). The VF 8 Plus version is equipped with an electric motor with a maximum power of 300kW, a maximum torque of 620Nm, and a battery with a target full-charge range estimate of 400km (WLTP standard). The absolute advantage of an electric motor over an internal combustion engine is its ability to instantly achieve maximum torque, which helps the VinFast VF 8 accelerate impressively, operate smoothly, and bring a completely different driving experience.

About VinFast
VinFast – a member of Vingroup – envisioned to drive the movement of global smart electric vehicle revolution. Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam. Strongly committed to the mission for a sustainable future for everyone, VinFast constantly innovates to bring high-quality products, advanced smart services, seamless customer experiences, and pricing strategy for all to inspire global customers to jointly create a future of smart mobility and a sustainable planet. Learn more at: .

About Vingroup
Established in 1993, Vingroup is one of the leading private conglomerates in the region, with a total capitalization of $35 billion USD from three publicly traded companies (as of November 4, 2021). Vingroup currently focuses on three main areas: Technology and Industry, Services and Social Enterprise. Find out more at: .

YS Biopharma Received Qualified Person Declaration for Its PIKA COVID-19 Vaccine Facility from European Union GMP

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 25 November 2022 – YS Biopharma Co., Ltd. (“YS Biopharma” or the “Company”), a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing new generations of vaccines and therapeutic biologics, today announced that its manufacturing facility for PIKA recombinant COVID-19 vaccine successfully passed an audit by a European Union (“EU”) Qualified Person (“QP”) and received QP declaration of its GMP equivalence to European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (“EU GMP”). PIKA recombinant COVID-19 vaccine is currently in a multi-country, multi-center, Phase III clinical trial in Southeast Asian and Middle East countries.

The audit was based on the guidance of EU GMP and the guiding principles of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The audit covered a comprehensive and in-depth audit focused on the manufacturing quality of PIKA adjuvant and PIKA recombinantCOVID-19 vaccine in the areas of pharmaceutical substance production, packaging system, quality management system and other aspects. The declaration demonstrates that the manufacturing facilities at YS Biopharma complies with European pharmaceutical GMP and has the ability to provide high quality pharmaceutical products for clinical studies and commercialization in European and international markets.

Hashtag: #YSBiopharma

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

About PIKA recombinant COVID-19 Vaccine

Empowered by PIKA immunomodulating technology, PIKA recombinant COVID-19 vaccine is combination of the PIKA adjuvant and the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) subunit protein. The antigen component of this candidate vaccine is based on the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein subunit with a stable prefusion S trimeric protein structure. PIKA adjuvant isa synthetic chemical analogue of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) acting as a TLR3 agonist, which elicits both Th1 and Th2immune responses. PIKA adjuvant is able to promote the activation and maturation of dendritic cells, upregulate theco-stimulatory molecules on dendritic cells and induce the activation and proliferation of both B and NK cells.

About YS Biopharma

YS Biopharma is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercialising new generations of vaccines and therapeutic biologics for infectious diseases and cancer. It has developed a proprietary PIKA® immunomodulating technology platform and a series of prophylactic and therapeutic biologics targeting Rabies, Coronavirus, Hepatitis B, Shingles, and influenza. YS Biopharma operates in China, Singapore, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines, with over 800 employees. For more information, please visit

Celebrate the love of giving at Mrs Claus Bakery in LANDMARK

This festive season, LANDMARK celebrates with four charity partners empowered by Hongkong Land HOME FUND

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 25 November 2022 – Celebrate the Love of Giving at LANDMARK this festive season with Mrs Claus and her team of over 80 Christmas Helpers as they create delicious cookie treats to share with family and friends at her magnificent bakery. A bakery complete with 16 festive attractions from the sweetest Gingerbread House, giant steaming Tea Pot House, towering Cookie Christmas Tree, to the Ingredients Library for everyone to join in the fun and enjoy.

Mrs Claus Bakery at LANDMARK

Mrs Claus Bakery at LANDMARK


Delight in the Festive World of Mrs Claus Bakery

This festive season, LANDMARK has been transformed into Mrs Claus Bakery, featuring a host of wonderous characters, including a Christmas Elves family who join Gingy the Gingerbread Man, Flippy the Penguin, Fluffy the Polar Bear and Dasher the Reindeer, to help Mrs Claus in her bakery. Discover a delightful world with Christmas cookies all around, a magically festive scene with a soaring giant Fluffy the Polar Bear hot air balloon, Flippy Penguin airship, and Dasher the reindeer flying-tricycle.

As part of the festive activities, families and friends can join in all the Mrs Claus Bakery excitement and partake in photo opportunities from 24th November 2022 until 2nd January 2023. Purchase a charity ticket to explore Gingy’s Gingerbread House; bounce as high as you can on a giant Tea Pot House trampoline; take a Turning Teacup ride or play on the cookie-made See-Saw all while keeping a look-out for selfie-opportunities with the real-life Mrs Claus and Gingy the Gingerbread Man.

Mrs. Claus and Gingy Meet & Greet Schedule
Monday to Thursday (19th to 22nd December) 3:30pm – 7:30pm
Friday (25th November to 23rd December) 3:30pm – 7:30pm
Saturday & Sunday (26th November to 25th December)

12:00noon – 6:00pm
Public Holiday (26th to 27th December) 12:00noon – 6:00pm

Exciting Digital-thrills with Mrs Claus Bakery Games

Enjoy a series of bakery-inspired digital-games and collect as many ingredients as quickly as you can from the Cookie Ingredient Catch game with the top 10 scorers rewarded with their very own avatar displayed on the Bakery Leaderboard. Create your very own avatar at Gingy’s Gingerbread House and watch the magical Mrs Claus’ mini bakery show to discover a secret spell to boost the energy of the Penguins. Take photos and collect Christmas stamps at the Dough Mixer and Packaging Stations and help Mrs Claus to decorate and prepare her cookies to deliver to friends in the Gingerbread ‘Pack and Dash’ interactive digital game, spreading the love of giving to all.

Visit the LANDMARK Christmas Campaign Site to pre-book time-slots for all Christmas installation activities. Log-in at https://www.landmark.hk/en/whats-on/happenings/mrs-claus-bakery to discover exciting pre-event experiences, including creating your very own personal Avatar, WhatsApp stickers and AR e-card to share your Christmas greetings to family and friends. Search for the three special stamps hidden around Mrs Claus Bakery to complete your e-stamp card collection and redeem festive rewards at the Sweet Treat Vending Machine.

Share in the Love of Giving this Christmas

LANDMARK always reminds us that goodwill and cheer should be shared during the festive season, with this year’s special Christmas theme celebrating the sentiments of ‘Love is in the Giving’.

This Christmas, LANDMARK once again aligns with Hongkong Land HOME FUND in supporting the initiatives on upward mobility of young people and promotion of social inclusion. LANDMARK celebrates the holiday season with the spirit of giving, with the proceeds from installation ticketing, merchandising and Christmas Charity Booths benefitting four designated charity partners Box of Hope; Make-a-Wish® Hong Kong; The Society of Rehabilitation & Crime Prevention, Hong Kong (SRACP); and Shine Skills Centre of Vocational Training Council.

Cookie Smiles join in the sharing with theirGingerbread for Good” Campaign Pop-up with sales of their delicious cookies benefitting Box-of-Hope and Shine Skills Centre; while Make-a-Wish®, in their 24th consecutive year of collaboration with Hongkong Land, make a welcome return with their Christmas Booth. Purchase the perfect festive stocking-fillers at Mrs Claus Bakery Gift Shop from a unique array of charity merchandise, including plush toy Penguins, Christmas character ornaments in different styles, Gingy the Gingerbread Man and Flippy the Penguin cookie cutters, decorative magnets, personalised Mrs Claus baking aprons and Christmas stockings, with the proceeds donated to SRACP.


Members of our BESPOKE loyalty programme can also join in the spirit of the season by converting their BESPOKE Reward Points into donations, which will be distributed amongst this year’s charity beneficiaries. Hongkong Land will then match their donations.

Indulge in a Feast of Christmas Treats and Delicacies

Indulge in all the tasty treats of the holiday season at LANDMARK, as participating F&B outlets join in the festivities with specially curated menus inspired by Mrs Claus and her cast of delightful Christmas friends.

Enjoy exclusive Mrs Claus Bakery themed tea sets at CAFÉ LANDMARK and LE SALON DE THÉ de Joël Robuchon created by Michelin-starred restaurant Joël Robuchon HK Executive Chef Julien and team, the restaurant is also creating Mrs Claus and Santa Paws lollipops and delicious Gingy Gingerbread Men. Tuck into the ultimate sweetest treats with delicious Penguin Cake by Vive Cake Boutique and mouth-wateringly creative Mrs Claus Bakery character-themed cupcakes and Gingerbread DIY kits at CATCHIC. Sink your teeth into the delicately delicious Ma Phraw Khas Tar Thai coconut custard at Mak Mak with assorted Christmas character topping designs. Don’t miss out on the unique limited-edition Flippy the Penguin Chocolate figures filled with toasted almond and orange candies specially ordered at The Mandarin Cake Shop. Coffee aficionados can sip on the special seasonal flavours lovingly-topped with six Mrs Claus’ Bakery characters to discover at Moxie, NODI and CREW.


Seasonal Shopping with BESPOKE Rewards

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and in the spirit of Christmas we are gifting festive rewards to members of our BESPOKE loyalty programme! From 24th November to 27th December 2022, they can earn BESPOKE Dollar rebates of up to 6%* and enjoy a selection of pampering surprises and gifts with a minimum spending of HK$10,000 at LANDMARK.

Spending Per Receipt (HK$) BESPOKE
Reward Points
Bonus Rewards
HK$500,000 and above 3.5x BEYORG Deluxe Organic Face & Hair Care Set (valued at HK$2,320) + a BASEHALL HK$100 gift certificate
HK$200,000 – HK$499,999 3x BEYORG A.O.R Super Glow Organic Skincare Set (valued at HK$1,610) + a BASEHALL HK$100 gift certificate
HK$30,000 – HK$199,999 2.5x BEYORG A.O.R Moisturising Organic Skincare Set (valued at HK$805) + a BASEHALL HK$100 gift certificate
HK$10,000 – HK$29,999 2x BEYORG A.O.R Deluxe Organic Mask Set (valued at HK$580) + a BASEHALL HK$50 gift certificate

*Terms and conditions apply. Please refer to https://www.landmark.hk/en/whats-on/happenings//mrs-claus-bakery/sweet-festive-rewards for more details.

Celebrate the Spirit of Christmas at LANDMARK

Embrace the spirit of giving with our charity partners, in sharing all the festive holiday fun with family, loved ones and friends this Christmas at LANDMARK.

Discover more about LANDMARK, receive our latest news and register for upcoming events by signing up for the LANDMARK eNewsletter at www.landmark.hk. Follow LANDMARK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/landmark.hk; Instagram at www.instagram.com/landmarkhk or search ‘landmarkhk’, and use the hashtags #landmarkhk, #landmarkchristmas, #mrsclausbakery and #loveisinthegiving. Look for LANDMARK’s WeChat account at “hklandmark’, Xiaohongshu account at “landmark_hk”and Sina Weibo account at www.weibo.com/landmarkhk.

Search the Christmas Installation Booking Mini Site & Price list of available experiences at LANDMARK @ https://mrsclausbakery.landmark.hk/

'Flippy' Penguin Plush

‘Flippy’ Penguin Plush

Mrs Claus' Bakery Stocking

Mrs Claus’ Bakery Stocking

Bakery Friends Christmas Ornaments

Perfect festive stocking-fillers including plush toy Flippy, Christmas characters ornaments, personalised Mrs Claus’ baking aprons, Christmas stockings and decorative magents, with the proceeds donated to charity beneficiary partner empowered by the Hongkong Land HOME FUND.

Christmas themed tea set from CAFÉ LANDMARK

Christmas themed tea set from CAFÉ LANDMARK

Enjoy an exclusive Mrs Claus Bakery themed tea set at CAFÉ LANDMARK.

Share a sweet treat with the Mrs Claus Bakery inspired afternoon tea set priced at HK$588 +10% service fee. CAFÉ LANDMARK customers can enjoy a complimentary character ornament with each Tea Set. A donation of HK$20 of each tea set sold will be donated to designated charity partner.

Christmas themed tea set , Mrs Claus and Santa Paws lollipops and delicious ‘Gingy’ Gingerbread

Created by Michelin-starred restaurant Joël Robuchon HK Executive Chef Julien and team, indulge in a delighfully delicious Christmas tea set for two priced at HK$888. An indulgent tea set with a half-bottle of Ruinart Rose is offered for HK$1,388 (all prices subject to 10% service charge). Customers can enjoy a complimentary cookie cutter set as gift with each tea set. Available starting from 1st Decemeber 2022 at LE SALON DE THÉ de Joël Robuchon.

LE SALON DE THÉ de Joël Robuchon has also created the cutest Mrs Claus and Santa Paws lollipops Red Mug Set (Priced at HK$238) available from 24th Novemeber and delicious ‘Gingy’ Gingerbread Men Cookies (Priced at HK$120 for 2pcs and HK$150 for 3pcs) available starting from 1st Decemeber 2022.

A donation of 10% of every Mug Set sold will be donated to the designated charity partner.

Limited Edition Flippy the Penguin Chocolate at The Mandarin Cake Shop

Limited Edition Flippy the Penguin Chocolate at The Mandarin Cake Shop

Creative chefs at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong have created the ultimate chocolate treat with the Mrs Claus Little Helper – Flippy the Penguin (Priced at HK$988 and available from 28th November 2022 onwards).

Sold in the The Mandarin Cake Shop, the limited 50-edition Dark Chocolate Penguin is filled with toasted Almonds and Candied Orange. All the sales proceeds will all go to our charity partner. Please pre-order while stocks last!

Limited Edition Flippy the Penguin Cake at Vive Cake Boutique

Limited Edition Flippy the Penguin Cake at Vive Cake Boutique

Vive Cake Boutique makes this festive season even sweeter with the stunning Flippy’s Festive Parade cake. Decked out with candy canes galore, this one comes in delightful flavours of chocolate, red velvet, banana (Priced at HK$1,680 serves 10 people and HK$1,980 serves 15 people).

A donation of 7% for every cake sold will be donated to the designated charity partner.

Spiced Pumpkin Latte at Moxie

Spiced Pumpkin Latte at Moxie

NODI Latte

NODI Latte

Shrek Coffee at CREW

Shrek Coffee at CREW

Inspired seasonal coffees and drinks with special flavours and lovingly decorated with 6 Christmas Bakery characters to sip, savour and discover across Moxie, NODI and CREW.

Moxie’s Spiced Pumpkin Latte
A winter’s drink served hot made up of pumpkin flavours with cinnamon & nutmeg for sweetness with extra added spices.
Price: HK$52 +10%

A donation of 10% of every Spiced Pumpkin Latte sold to designated charity.

Shrek Latte at CREW, BaseHall
In Shrek Latte (HK$65) there is so much more than Matcha. Enjoy this intense and complex latte and find out what is inside this sweet-and-bitter latte!

A donation of 5% of every Shrek Latte sold to designated charity.

Mrs Claus' cupcakes & festive DIY Kits at CATCHIC

Mrs Claus’ cupcakes & festive DIY Kits at CATCHIC

For the sweet of treats, tuck into delicious Bakery character cupcakes, featuring the Elves, Dasher the Reindeer and Gingy the Gingerbread Man, a DIY Gingy cookie and DIY Gingerbread House kit at CATCHIC. (available from 5th December 2022 onwards)

Christmas themed cupcakes (HK$32 each)
Mrs. Claus’ Elf Cupcakes
Gingy Cupcake
Flippy cupcake

Mrs. Claus’ Gingy DIY Kit priced at HK$80
Mrs. Claus’ Bakery Shop DIY Kit priced at HK$150

Festive Drinks & Desserts at Mak Mak

Festive Drinks & Desserts at Mak Mak

For a festive taste sensation enjoy the delicious Ma Phraw Khas Tar Thai coconut custard at Mak Mak with assorted character topping designs. HK$55 a serving.

Signature Christmas drinks:
Thai Sukh San Mojito priced at HK$95
Thai Gimlet priced at HK$90
Lod Chong Thai priced at HK$65

A donation of HK$15 of the festive dessert and festive drinks to designated charity.

Editors’ Note:

  • Hongkong Land HOME FUND: The Hongkong Land HOME FUND was launched in November 2020 with an initial investment of HK$100 million, demonstrating Hongkong Land’s long-term commitment to the development of future generations and its aspiration to contribute to the fostering of an inclusive society. Hongkong Land HOME FUND’s initial initiatives aim to address long-term underlying socio-economic issues, by supporting youth in unleashing their potential and improving the standards of living and the social upward mobility of low-income households.
  • Box of Hope began in 2008 when two Mothers, Nicole Woodhouse and Harriet Cleverly, had the desire to teach their children about the concept of child poverty. What began as a family project has grown into a huge initiative where we collected over 33,000 boxes in 2022.
  • Make-A-Wish Hong Kong® is one of Hongkong Land’s long-term charity partners. It is dedicated to creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses aged between 3 and 17, to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
  • The Society of Rehabilitation & Crime Prevention Hong Kong: The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong (SRACP), formerly known as The Hong Kong Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society, is a government recognised charitable organisation established in 1957. The SRACP provides quality rehabilitation and multifarious services for Hong Kong residents who are charged with a criminal offence, have been convicted of crimes, or released from prisons; as well as to provide community education, mental health service and crime prevention programmes for the general public of Hong Kong
  • Shine Skills Centre (SSC), is a member of VTC Group which offers skills training programmes for people with disabilities aged 15 or above to enhance their employability. The three offering sites of Shine Skills Centre are SSC (Kwun Tong), SSC (Pokfulam) and SSC(Tuen Mun). With its diverse programme choices, flexible training mode, wide range of support services, and committed teaching team, Shine Skills Centre engenders a learning environment filled with care and passion, where every student grows and shines.
  • Cookie Smiles. Amidst the Covid-19 upheaval in 2020, Agnes Chin (the director of Complete Deelite) sensed an opportunity to help spread joy and hope in a time when it was sorely needed. She partnered up with Jo Soo-Tang, an NGO advisor, fellow cooking aficionado, and mother to three, to create Cookie Smiles; an online fundraising platform. Born with a mission to support the disadvantaged, and to satisfy the world with the greatest comfort food ever – the cookie. Cookie Smiles is a social enterprise under the Edible Artists Global Academy Association (EAGAA), whose purpose is to help support two chosen charities per year via fundraising, offer training opportunities for the disadvantaged and provide jobs for the physically impaired.

Hashtag: #LANDMARK

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

About LANDMARK

LANDMARK represents the epitome of top-tier luxury shopping and lifestyle experiences. Drawing from a rich heritage which began in 1904 – LANDMARK today is the luxury shopping destination of Hongkong Land’s Central portfolio including 4 iconic connected buildings, LANDMARK ATRIUM, LANDMARK ALEXANDRA, LANDMARK CHATER and LANDMARK PRINCE’S. LANDMARK offers approximately 208 of the finest stores and restaurants, all seamlessly linked by pedestrian bridges. From high fashion and accessories to watches and jewellery, from luxury living to beauty and grooming, from international cuisine to authentic gourmet dining, LANDMARK brings the ultimate shopping experience to the discerning customer.

Official Website: Official Facebook:
Official Instagram:

About Hongkong Land

Hongkong Land is a major listed property investment, management and development group. Founded in 1889, Hongkong Land’s business is built on excellence, integrity and partnership.

The Group owns and manages more than 850,000 sq. m. of prime office and luxury retail property in key Asian cities, principally in Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Jakarta. Its properties attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands.

The Group’s Central Hong Kong portfolio represents some 450,000 sq. m. of prime property. It has a further 165,000 sq. m. of prestigious office space in Singapore mainly held through joint ventures, a luxury retail centre at Wangfujing in Beijing, and a 50% interest in a leading office complex in Central Jakarta. The Group also has a number of high quality residential, commercial and mixed-use projects under development in cities across China and Southeast Asia. In Singapore, its subsidiary, MCL Land, is a well-established residential developer.

Hongkong Land Holdings Limited is incorporated in Bermuda and has a primary listing in the standard segment of the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The Group’s assets and investments are managed from Hong Kong by Hongkong Land Limited. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

Land Rover with Fake Plates Apprehended in Luang Namtha

The driver of Lan Rover was apprehended for its irregular license plates.

Tax Department officials from the Ministry of Finance in the Nateuy District of Luang Namtha Province seized a white Land Rover with license plates registered to another person on Monday. The driver was apprehended at the scene of the incident.

Laos Cosmetics Boss Denies Connection to Thai Drug Bust

An image of the tanker that was confiscated in Thailand.

The self-described CEO of a cosmetics company came forward Thursday evening to maintain her innocence amid claims on social media that she may have been identified as the mysterious woman behind a drug trafficking scandal.

President of Laos to Visit Chinese President Xi Jinping

President Thongloun Sisoulith and President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in January 2020( Photo: South China Morning Post and AFP).

The President of Laos will pay a state visit to China from 29 November to 1 December in response to an invitation from the Chinese President, Xi Jinping.

HKBU joint research develops multifunctional nanoparticle for diagnosis and treatment of glioma

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 25 November 2022 – A Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) collaborative research team has synthesised a nanoparticle named TRZD that can perform the dual function of diagnosing and treating glioma in the brain. It emits persistent luminescence for the diagnostic imaging of glioma tissues in vivo and inhibits the growth of tumour cells by aiding the targeted delivery of chemotherapy drugs. The nanoparticle offers hope for the early diagnosis and treatment of glioma, especially cerebellar glioma, which is even harder to detect and cure with existing methods.

The research team led by Dr Wang Yi, Assistant Professor of the Department of Chemistry at HKBU, has developed a near-infrared persistent luminescence nanoparticle named TRZD for the diagnosis and treatment of glioma.

The research team led by Dr Wang Yi, Assistant Professor of the Department of Chemistry at HKBU, has developed a near-infrared persistent luminescence nanoparticle named TRZD for the diagnosis and treatment of glioma.

The research results have been published in Science Advances, an international scientific journal.

Limitations of existing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches

Glioma is the most common form of malignant primary brain tumour, and it accounts for about one-third of all brain tumours. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used to diagnose glioma, but the technology is not that sensitive. Cerebellar glioma, a relatively rare brain tumour, is even harder to detect with MRI. To facilitate early detection and treatment, an alternative method with improved sensitivity and precision is needed to diagnose glioma.

Doxorubicin, a chemotherapy agent, is an effective treatment for glioma. However, its application may also damage normal cells, and it is associated with a range of side effects. To enhance doxorubicin’s clinical efficacy and minimise its side effects, a novel approach is needed to apply the drug to tumour cells in a more targeted manner.

In response to the diagnostic and therapeutic needs of glioma, a research team co-led by Dr Wang Yi, Assistant Professor of the Department of Chemistry at HKBU, and Professor Law Ga-lai, Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has synthesised a novel near-infrared (NIR) persistent luminescence nanoparticle called TRZD, which can play a dual role in diagnostic imaging and as a drug carrier for glioma.

TRZD has the characteristic of emitting NIR persistent luminescence after excitation with ultraviolet (UV) light. The basic structure of TRZD is a combination of nanoparticles, loaded with the mesoporous structure of silica, which makes it a good carrier of doxorubicin particles. Its surface is coated with red blood cell membranes to increase its stability, and it is embedded with T7 peptides. T7 peptides have a strong affinity for transferrin receptors which are abundant on the surface of tumour cells, and they can facilitate TRZD’s penetration through the blood-brain barrier.

An imaging probe for glioma diagnosis

The research team evaluated the efficacy of TRZ (i.e. TRZD without doxorubicin) in diagnostic imaging for glioma with a mouse model. TRZ particles were first excited by UV light to initiate luminescence. Mice with tumour tissues injected into their cerebrum and cerebellum were then treated with TRZ. In the following 24 hours, TRZ luminescence was detected at the tumour sites of the mice.

However, when the same experiment was conducted with TRZ without T7 peptides, and TRZ without both the red blood cell membrane coating and T7 peptides, no luminescence was detected at the tumour sites of the mice. The results show that the red blood cell membrane coating can prolong the function of TRZ by stabilising the nanoparticle, and it can slow down its natural uptake by the human body. On the other hand, T7 peptides are instrumental in TRZ’s penetration into and accumulation in tumour cells, so that it can perform its imaging function for glioma.

Dr Wang said: “Our experiment suggests that TRZ is a promising bioimaging agent for the diagnosis of glioma. It was observed that TRZ’s luminescence can be detected in tumour cells in both the cerebrum and cerebellum regions of the brain, which is an encouraging result because glioma in the cerebellum region is difficult to detect with existing diagnostic methods. As a result, TRZ offers new hope for the timely and accurate diagnosis of glioma.”

TRZD inhibits the growth of glioma and extends the lifespan of mice

The research team further evaluated the anti-tumour efficacy of TRZD using a group of mice who had had their cerebrum and cerebellum injected with tumour tissues. After applying TRZD for 15 days, the average diameter of their tumours was reduced to 1 mm. They also survived 20 days longer on average compared to the control group, who had not received TRZD. Besides, cell death was observed in the tumour region but not in normal brain tissue.

Dr Wang said: “The experimental results indicate that TRZD’s therapeutic effect on glioma has good selectivity, because doxorubicin is brought specifically to tumour cells due to T7 peptide’s strong affinity with tumour cells’ surface receptors and its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. As a result, doxorubicin can be applied in a more targeted manner, and hopefully its side effects can be minimised with a reduced drug dosage.

“We concluded that TRZD demonstrates promising potential, and it could be developed into a new generation of anti-glioma drugs that can perform the dual function of diagnosis and treatment. It also offers hope for the development of treatment protocols for other brain diseases.”

Hashtag: #HKBU

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

Bank of the Lao PDR Changes its Logo

The Bank of Laos PDR.

Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) has announced that it would be using a new logo starting this week.