SYDNEY and SINGAPORE, Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Finmo, a Treasury and Payments platform solving for speed, security, and control in modern finance, has officially gone live with Confirmation of Payee (CoP) in Australia, reinforcing its commitment to fraud prevention, regulatory readiness, and customer trust.

As the country begins its industry-wide CoP rollout, Finmo is among the first payment platforms to adopt the safeguard. Mandated by Australian Payments Plus (AP+) and supported by the New Payments Platform (NPP), CoP helps tackle rising fraud by verifying account details before funds are sent. It also helps prevent supplier fraud, misrouted payments, and delays in reconciliation, offering businesses greater confidence and control over every transaction.

Anthony Yeoh, Chief Compliance Officer of Finmo said, “Being among the first to implement CoP reflects Finmo’s proactive approach to compliance, risk and fraud management. It’s not just about meeting regulatory expectations; it’s about building trust into the foundation of every transaction. With global operations in multiple jurisdictions and partnerships across the financial ecosystem, we’re taking meaningful steps towards ensuring a safer global payments landscape.”

Finmo’s CoP integration is powered by Australian Settlements Limited (ASL), a Tier 1 NPP participant. This real-time connectivity allows Finmo to validate recipient details at the point of initiation, closing a gap in the payment lifecycle. CoP verifies the account name, number, and BSB – a six-digit code identifying the recipient’s bank and branch in Australia – before a payment is processed.

Akhil Nigam, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder of Finmo explained, “CoP is more than a compliance feature, it’s a powerful safety net that gives finance teams greater control and confidence. By automatically verifying payment details before money leaves your account, we’re helping shift fraud prevention from reactive to proactive, embedding trust into the very fabric of every transaction.”

Adrian Lovney, Chief Payments and Schemes Officer of AP+ said, “Confirmation of Payee is all about giving customers greater control and confidence when making payments. It’s a simple concept, but it adds a powerful extra layer of protection for everyday transactions.”

Mark Tibbles, Chief Executive Officer of ASL said, “We’re proud to support Finmo in delivering real-time Confirmation of Payee in the initial phase of market rollout. Moving quickly to bring this feature to Finmo users improves network safety and builds trust for businesses and consumers alike.”

This milestone builds on Finmo’s regulatory momentum, following its approval as a UK Electronic Money Institution (EMI) in July 2025. The licence authorises Finmo to issue e-money, provide domestic and cross-border payments, and offer FX services, while enabling direct access to UK clearing systems and the ability to issue IBANs and safeguard client funds locally. The UK EMI licence complements Finmo’s existing approval in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, and UK.

The newly FDA-cleared uMR^® Ultra and the uOmniscan™ are the first major announcements leading into the AHRA Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.

HOUSTON, Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — United Imaging, a global manufacturer of modern medical imaging technology, will again be among the largest exhibitors at AHRA 2025 in Las Vegas, the Association for Medical Imaging Management, with a very hands-on, interactive display of new software and hardware technology.

Building on examples of how it helps healthcare providers be successful, the company will showcase its breadth and scale across 85 countries (including its North American headquarters in Texas), its portfolio of six related companies, and constantly growing U.S. product portfolio, while also highlighting in very granular terms what makes them unique in the U.S. market.

Among the latest examples of United Imaging’s growing product set is the uMR Ultra, which received FDA clearance approximately two weeks ago and is now commercially available. The uMR Ultra is an advanced 3T MRI system that can observe and analyze body movement within the scan with detailed visualizations, expanding the system’s clinical applications. Building on this foundation, the uAIFI.LIVE platform on uMR Ultra represents a dynamic imaging innovation specifically tailored for motion visualization, enabling the transition of MRI from static “photography” to dynamic “videography.” Within United Imaging’s booth at AHRA customers will be able to see and feel its next-generation high-density coils and understand the power they bring to better patient care.

These coils, manufactured in-house, are also an example of the company’s strong vertical integration strategy.  Jeffrey M. Bundy, Ph.D., CEO of United Imaging Healthcare North America, commented: “vertical integration in manufacturing leads to speed, quality, and cost controls, which all benefit healthcare providers. Since we have manufacturing for almost all core components not only in-house but under one factory roof, we can be more nimble and mitigate the risk of delays that can come from working with too many third parties. This same approach also gives us stronger control over quality. Finally, with the cost savings we achieve by controlling our process from concept-to-launch, we invest in customer benefits such as Software Upgrades for Life, the United Performance Guarantee, and All-in Configurations – programs that improve cost-of-ownership for providers and keep their equipment modern, and are still unmatched after seven years.”

Another example of “Provider Success” that United Imaging will launch at its booth is uOmniscan, United Imaging’s multi-modality, multi-vendor, and multi-site remote scanning solution. It enables Technologists to perform MR scans remotely and provide real time assistance on difficult exams, regardless of where the exam is being performed. This cloud-based software provides solutions to many access challenges facing imaging providers today including; staff shortages, complex scanning, screening programs, scientific research, mobile MR scanning and fulfills United Imaging’s bold mission to provide Equal Healthcare for All™. United Imaging will be conducting live demos of this technology throughout AHRA.

Other hands-on features of United Imaging’s booth will include: the popular and highly mobile uDR® 380i Pro which attendees can drive on an obstacle course; our uMI PET/CT display showcasing how our industry-leading technology enables expanded services for Theranostics and beyond; and an interactive artificial intelligence display on the uCT^® ATLAS (fulfilling United Imaging’s promise of Software Upgrades for Life™, United Imaging’s Computed Tomography (uCT) customers are receiving a software update with seven new AI features, such as deep learning iterative reconstructions that improve signal, contrast, and resolution while allowing lower dose imaging). 

Another aspect of Provider Success for United Imaging is demystifying technologies like AI, and their breakfast symposium at AHRA will aim to do just that. Demystifying AI: The Fundamentals of AI for Provider Success will take place Tuesday August 5^th at 7am over breakfast and is eligible for a learning credit.

United Imaging will release an additional product announcement following its Provider Success product launch at AHRA, which will take place at booth #227 at 11:30am on Monday, August 4^th.

ABOUT UNITED IMAGING

At United Imaging, we develop and produce advanced medical products, digital healthcare solutions, and intelligent solutions that cover the entire process of imaging diagnosis and treatment. Founded in 2011, our company has subsidiaries and R&D centers across the world. Our North American headquarters in Houston includes our corporate offices, factory, product showroom, service training center, and service parts distribution center. With a cutting-edge digital portfolio and a mission of Equal Healthcare for All™, we help drive industry progress and bold change.

HANGZHOU, China, Aug. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Three-year-old Yu Shuya of Hangzhou proudly donned his Brazil jersey to greet 42-year-old Brazilian lawyer and rising political star, Renato de Almeida Freitas Junior. The excited boy instantly liked his first-time visitor over football. Deeply touched by this genuine warmth, Renato said later, “Hangzhou residents are just as hospitable as Brazilians!”

Talking about Hangzhou’s sister-city ties with Curitiba since 2001, Renato expressed full confidence that football could bring the cities closer. He envisioned joint grassroots training programs for coaches, players or youth teams.

Hangzhou’s global network thrives, maintaining 31 sister-city relationships and exchanging with 46 friendship cities across five continents as of July, 2025.

Hangzhou International Communication Center (HZICC) has been leveraging these ties to foster people-to-people exchanges. Its “A Tale of Two Cities” series features in-depth dialogues between Hangzhou residents and their counterparts from sister cities worldwide. Participants include Boston marathoners sharing sports stories, Bangkok conductors discussing music’s global dimensions, and New Zealand’s Queenstown tourism experts exploring collaborative travel models.

When Italian documentary filmmaker Leonardo Cinieri Lombroso met Hangzhou-based producer Gu Jiafeng, their conversation spanned from careers to connections, revealing how many shared traits are hidden between Verona and Hangzhou, two culturally rich cities. For teachers and students from Rockwell College and Hangzhou High School Qiantang, they found it fantastic to join Neil Charles Clarke, CEO of Ireland China Culture and Education Center, to start a dialogue on educational innovation and cultural exchange in digital age between Hangzhou and Cork.

Four young British young men discussed future cities and entrepreneurship as the tie between Hangzhou and Leeds goes closer. Max Wheatley, student of SOAS University of London, said at the end of the round-table dialogue:”A similarity between two people might be enough to cause initial connection and then the difference might be what actually become the enjoyable thing that solidifies the friendship.”

In April 2025, Niš, Republic of Serbia and Hangzhou signed a memorandum for friendly cooperation. HZICC brought city promos and citizen greetings to Serbia, where locals eagerly shared their China connections – including a Red Star Belgrade museum curator and an elderly lotus enthusiast who left a heartfelt message “Friendship lasts forever”. Ahead of the 10th anniversary of city friendship with Istanbul, HZICC engaged prominent Turkish archaeologists including Nezih Başgelen and Murat Sav who showed keen interest in Hangzhou’s Liangzhu Civilization with a commemorative Göbekli Tepe pottery carving.

SHANGHAI, Aug. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Luye Pharma Group today announced that the first subject has been enrolled in a Phase 1 clinical trial in China for its LY03021, which was filed through China’s Class 1 pathway for innovative drugs. LY03021 is an inhibitor of the norepinephrine transporter (NET), the dopamine transporter (DAT), and a gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor-positive allosteric modulator (GABA_AR PAM), intended for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

MDD has a high prevalence rate, a high disability rate, and a high recurrence rate. In China, the lifetime prevalence of this disease is 3.4%, and the 12-month prevalence is 2.1%.^[1] Existing antidepressants have failed to deliver satisfactory response and remission rates, their onset of action usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, ^[2] and patients taking them may have multiple residual symptoms and adverse reactions. Therefore, how to quickly and effectively control the symptoms of MDD and further improve the efficacy of antidepressants and patient prognosis is a challenge in developing such drugs today.

The onset of MDD is believed to be closely associated with imbalances in brain neurotransmitters, including serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Among them, GABA has emerged as a key therapeutic target for psychiatric disorders. A series of studies have implied critical roles of the altered GABAergic system, the major inhibitory signaling system of the central nervous system (CNS), in the pathogenesis of MDD.^[3] There is also evidence that GABAergic interneurons are involved in depression-related behaviors and rapid antidepressant responses.^[4] However, current antidepressants often excessively activate the synaptic GABA_A receptor (subtype α₁β₂γ₂), leading to adverse reactions such as excessive sedation, drowsiness, and even confusion. These side effects pose challenges such as a narrow therapeutic window and dose limitations.

Developed on Luye Pharma’s New Chemical Entity/New Therapeutic Entity (NCE/NTE) platform, LY03021 acts on all of the three targets: NET, DAT, and GABA_AR, a novel mechanism of action (MoA) that makes it a potential first-in-class antidepressant. By targeting synaptic GABA_A receptor (subtype α₁β₂γ₂) and extrasynaptic GABA_A receptor (subtype α₄β₃δ) at a more appropriate binding ratio, this drug enhances the GABAergic activation of GABA_A receptors, regulates the glutamate/GABA balance in the brain, inhibits the excessive activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and rapidly relieves depressive symptoms. At the same time, it also increases NE and DA levels in the brain by inhibiting NET and DAT, significantly improving core symptoms in addition to anhedonia and sexual dysfunction in MDD patients. Through the wake-promoting effects of NE and DA, it also reduces adverse reactions such as sedation, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness caused by GABA receptor activation.

Non-clinical studies showed that LY03021 significantly inhibited depressive symptoms in animal models 24 hours after administration, and continuous administration could maintain the efficacy until the end of a 21-day study. Apart from its rapid onset of action and sustained efficacy, this drug also has a good safety profile, for its NOAEL (no-observed-adverse-effect-level) is 50 times above its effective dose.

The Phase 1 clinical trial recently initiated in China is a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profile of LY03021 in healthy subjects.

There is a huge demand for CNS drugs, including those for treating MDD. However, new drug development in this area has been relatively slow. Luye Pharma has obtained marketing authorizations for a number of internationally competitive innovative drugs and formulations in China, the U.S., Japan, and other markets. Here are some examples: Erzofri^® (paliperidone palmitate) extended-release injectable suspension and Rykindo^® (risperidone) for extended-release injectable suspension, both approved for marketing in the U.S.; Rivastigmine Twice Weekly Transdermal Patch, which has been approved for marketing in multiple European countries, Japan, and China; and Ruoxinlin^® (Toludesvenlafaxine Hydrochloride Extended-Release Tablets) and Jinyouping^® (Rotigotine Microspheres for Injection), both have been approved for marketing in China. In addition, the company is also conducting clinical studies for several other investigational drugs filed through China’s Class 1 pathway, such as LY03020, which targets TAAR1 and 5-HT_2CR, LY03015, which targets VMAT2 and Sigma1, and LY03017, which targets 5-HT_2AR and 5-HT_2CR. 

About Luye Pharma Group

Luye Pharma Group is an international pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing, manufacturing, and selling innovative medications. With R&D centers in China, the U.S., and Europe, the company is an international leader in novel drug delivery systems such as microspheres, liposomes, and transdermal patches. It also has multiple innovative products in two categories: new chemical entities and antibodies. From 2021 to 2025, the company has had a total of 13 new drugs approved for marketing, with each of them in one or multiple countries such as the U.S., several European countries, Japan, and China.

The company has 8 manufacturing facilities worldwide, which follow the internationally accepted, GMP-compliant quality management and control systems. To date, the company has launched over 30 products in the central nervous system (CNS), oncology, cardiovascular and other therapeutic areas. It conducts business in over 80 countries and regions, including major pharmaceutical markets such as China, the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and also including fast-growing emerging markets.