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ISX Financial Reports €6.3M Profit in Q2 2025 Amid Continued Operational Efficiency and Strategic Investment

NICOSIA, Cyprus, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ISX Financial EU Plc (“ISXX“), an innovative provider of regulated transactional banking services and real-time payment technology across Europe and the UK, today announced its unaudited Q2 2025 financial results, demonstrating strong profitability, disciplined cost management and ongoing investment in technology and talent.

Profit Milestones: ISXX delivered an unaudited profit of €6.3 million, representing a 2% increase from Q1 2025 and a 7% increase year-over-year (YoY), despite a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) decline in revenue and transaction volumes. The result was supported by efficiency gains, a reduction in tax and operating expenses, and a reversal of impairment related to assets.

ISXX achieved a 57% EBITDA margin, reflecting continued operational strength and a scalable cost structure, even amid a softer quarterly revenue environment.

This quarter’s performance reaffirms the strength of our business model and our commitment to long-term growth” said Ajay Treon, Chief Financial Officer of ISXX.We remain disciplined in cost control, focused on innovation, and intentional in how we invest in our people and technology. Despite short-term variability, our strategy continues to deliver sustainable profitability, product advancement, and growing shareholder value.”

Total Transaction Volume: ISXX maintained YoY growth of 4% in total transaction volumes. This indicates continued underlying demand across ISXX‘s core services despite seasonal or cyclical variability.

Revenue: for Q2 stood at €13.7 million, down from Q1 but reflecting a 5% YoY increase, underscoring ISXX‘s growth trajectory over the medium term.

Balance sheet: resilience remained a hallmark in Q2. Own Funds increased by 13% QoQ and 82% YoY, while Net Assets rose by 95% YoY, reinforcing financial strength and capital efficiency. Despite a €20.4 million reduction in funds held on behalf of business customers, the Group’s book value per share increased by 13% to €0.492, reflecting ongoing value creation.

Q2 2025 Key Financial Highlights:

  • Profitability: Unaudited profit of €6.3 million, up 7% YoY and 2% QoQ
  • EBITDA Margin: Maintained at a strong 57%
  • Revenue: €13.7 million, up 5% YoY, down 14% QoQ
  • Transaction Volumes: Increased 4% YoY, decreased 12% QoQ
  • Operating Expenses: Decreased €2.0 million, 23% QoQ
  • Own Funds: Increase of €5.3 million, 13% QoQ, €20.1 million 82% YoY
  • Net Assets: Increased €6.1 million 13% QoQ, 95% YoY
  • Book Value per Share: Rose by €0.06 to €0.492, up 13% over the quarter

You can view the report in full here:
https://www.isx.financial/hubfs/isxreports/25Q2.pdf

About ISX Financial EU Plc
ISX Financial EU Plc is a leading European & UK electronic money institution and transactional banking provider, offering secure, real-time payments via bank and card rails. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Probanx, the ISXX Group delivers innovative Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions to banks and financial institutions across the globe, including interconnecting banks with central banks.

Media enquiries:
+35722015740
media@isxfinancial.com

The 10th Kubuqi International Desert Forum to Open: Ordos Becomes a Beacon of Green Hope for the World


ORDOS, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 July 2025 – From September 8 to 9, 2025, the 10th Kubuqi International Desert Forum will convene in Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. As a vital international exchange platform for desertification prevention and control, this forum, with the theme “Scientific Desertification Control, Green Development”, will host delegates from international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UNCCD Secretariat, as well as government officials, experts, and scholars from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and other regions, to jointly explore innovative approaches to desertification prevention and control. Beyond showcasing Ordos’ success in desertification control, this gathering will share Chinese wisdom and solutions in the fields of ecological restoration and sustainable development with the global community.

An oasis in Kubuqi Desert, Hangjin Banner, Ordos
An oasis in Kubuqi Desert, Hangjin Banner, Ordos

From Sea of Death to Economic Oasis: Kubuqis Remarkable Ecological Turnaround

As China’s seventh-largest desert, Kubuqi was once branded as the “Sea of Death”. However, after decades of scientific desertification control, this area has undergone a fundamental ecological transformation. According to statistics, Kubuqi’s desertification control rate surged from 7% to 40% in 2024, with ambitious targets of 50% by 2025 and 70% by 2030. Central to this success is a 420-kilometer northern shelterbelt integrated with a “four-pillar desertification prevention” system, combining photovoltaic arrays, silt dams and other measures. These interventions have reduced soil erosion by 5.7 million mu (380,000 hectares) since 1995, raised soil-water conservation efficiency to 61.4%, and prevented 300 million tons of sediment from entering the Yellow River over the past decade.

This transformation is driven by the pioneering “PV + Desertification Control” model. Within the Kubuqi Desert, 10.02 gigawatts of solar capacity now doubles as an ecological restoration engine across approximately 46,700 hectares of rehabilitated desert land. The integrated system delivers three-dimensional benefits, namely clean energy generation atop panels, sustainable agriculture beneath them, and livestock grazing between arrays. This approach has simultaneously increased green energy production and ecological recovery while lifting average incomes by over 30,000 RMB through “work-relief programs”. Landmark projects like Dalad Banner’s “Steed Solar Park”, where 196,000 photovoltaic panels form a galloping horse design, have become a Chinese landmark in the global fight against desertification.

How Ordos Tamed the Desert: Systematic Approach and Tech-Powered Solutions

Ordos’s success in desertification control stems from its holistic “ecosystem integration” philosophy applied through “four strategic measures” in the campaign to address the ecological challenges at the Yellow River’s “Great Bend”:

Financial Integration: Strategic allocation of 14.9 billion RMB to priority projects including desert-marginal forests and PV-controlled rehabilitation zones. Technological Integration: Accelerated iteration and upgrading of desertification control models and technologies, achieving a 60% field application rate of forestry and grassland technologies. Benefit Integration: Balancing desert control with increasing the income of farmers and herdsmen by allocating 16% of key project funds to “work-relief programs” and issuing Inner Mongolia’s first forest carbon credit certificate. Collaborative Integration: Unprecedented mobilization of resources including over 30 state-owned enterprises such as China Three Gorges Corporation, CHN Energy, and Inner Mongolia Energy Investment Group, over 100 private enterprises and non-profit organizations such as Yitai Group, Mengtai Group, and Ant Foundation, over 500 engineering teams and cooperatives, and 25,000 farmers and herdsmen.

Shuofang New Energy Mega-Base in Kubuqi Desert, Hangjin Banner, Ordos
Shuofang New Energy Mega-Base in Kubuqi Desert, Hangjin Banner, Ordos

Furthermore, the Kubuqi model now crosses borders through technical exchanges with Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, and other nations. The Kubuqi model, as remarked on by the UNEP, is a replicable template for global desertification control.

Green Transformation and Livelihood Improvement: A Win-Win Path of Desertification Control and Development

Ordos’s desertification control efforts have not only reshaped its ecology but also invigorated its economy. Annually, Ordos establishes over approximately 66,667 hectares of new plantations of caragana shrubs, drought-resistant species crucial for stabilizing sandy soils. This brings the total conserved caragana grassland to over approximately 933,333 hectares. Local processing facilities convert caragana shrubs into 35,000 tons of livestock feed and 10,000 tons of biofuel annually, creating economic value from ecological restoration. In former coal-mining subsidence zones, “New Energy and Ecological Regeneration” integrated demonstration bases now operate where solar arrays power adjacent sustainable farms. In 2024, the city achieved a total output value of 7.5 billion RMB from forestry and grassland, and established 190,000 hectares of carbon-sequestering forests, equivalent to 2.6 times the land area of Singapore, standing as tangible proof that clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets.

Where deserts once advanced, greenery now prevails. Where land lay wounded, sustainable economies now thrive. Ordos proves by action that desertification prevention and control and high-quality development can resonate in harmony.

The 10th Kubuqi International Desert Forum convenes amid escalating global desertification challenges. According to the UNCCD Secretariat’s latest data, 40% of the land around the world is now degraded, impacting nearly half of humanity. The practice of Ordos delivers a compelling case for achieving the UNCCD’s goals.

From Kubuqi to Riyadh, from the Yellow River to the Sahara Desert, China’s scientific solutions are promoting global ecological recovery. The 10th Kubuqi International Desert Forum will open a new chapter in global desertification prevention and control.

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

Autohome Inc. Announces 2025 Q2 Earnings: AI-Driven Product Upgrades and Breakthroughs in Global Expansion

HONG KONG, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM; HKEX: 2518) (“Autohome” or the “Company”), the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China, today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2025. The Company reported total revenue of RMB1,758.1 million for the second quarter, with adjusted net income attributable to Autohome reaching RMB475.7 million. Notably, the revenue of online marketplace and others increased by 20.5% year-on-year.

Mr. Yang Song, Chief Executive Officer of Autohome, stated that in the first half of 2025, the Company continued to advance its O2O strategy, accelerate AI-driven product innovation, optimize user decision-making efficiency, and help clients reduce costs while improving efficiency. Looking ahead, the Company will continue to expand AI applications across its products and services, deepen its one-stop O2O automotive ecosystem, and closely align with the transformative waves of electrification, intelligence, and globalization in the industry, further driving the transformation of the automotive consumption experience.

Business Highlights for the Period:

  • Autohome has been accelerating the development of its one-stop O2O automotive ecosystem for NEVs, leveraging technology to redefine the consumer experience. By the end of June, the total number of Autohome Space stores and satellite stores has exceeded 200, continuously expanding the service coverage and reaching a broader consumer base.
  • On digitalization, Autohome has adopted a development strategy centered on “data + technology” as the core development driver. It integrates proprietary data resources and industry analysis models to upgrade and launch five major digital intelligence product lines, including AI Marketing Brain, AI Customer Acquisition, AI Leads Master, AI Sales Champion and AI Vehicle Inspector, delivering a comprehensive set of intelligent solutions that effectively drives improvements in customer business efficiency.
  • Autohome continues to strengthen its content ecosystem and accelerate globalization. According to QuestMobile, its average mobile DAUs reached 75.74 million in June 2025, up by 11.5% from the same period last year. Notably, in late June, the Company officially launched the international version of its Autohome website, featuring over 1,900 vehicle models from 52 Chinese automobile brands going global, marking a crucial step forward in its international business expansion.
  • In the used car business, Autohome officially launched its Flagship Certified Used Car section in late June. The section features a curated selection of top-tier brands for cooperation and ensures vehicle condition is safe and transparent while providing reliable after-sales support. At present, the first group of dealers has already successfully joined the platform.
  • Autohome continues to promote multi-platform and multi-scenario collaborations. In May, the Company formed a strategic partnership with Alipay to launch dedicated car viewing and selection service for Alipay users and certified car owners, including a special subsidy section to serve trade-ins and potential car buyers.

About Autohome

Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM; HKEX: 2518) is the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China. According to QuestMobile, in June 2025, the average mobile DAUs reached 75.74 million with an increase of 11.5% year-over-year. Its mission is to engage, educate and inform consumers about everything auto. Autohome provides occupationally generated content, professionally generated content, user-generated content, and AI-generated content, a comprehensive automobile library, and extensive automobile listing information to automobile consumers, covering the entire car purchase and ownership cycle. The ability to reach a large and engaged user base of automobile consumers has made Autohome a preferred platform for automakers and dealers to conduct their advertising campaigns. Further, the Company’s dealer subscription and advertising services allow dealers to market their inventory and services through Autohome’s platform, extending the reach of their physical showrooms to potentially millions of internet users in China and generating sales leads for them. The Company offers sales leads, data analysis, and marketing services to assist automakers and dealers with improving their efficiency and facilitating transactions. Autohome operates its “Autohome Mall,” a full-service online transaction platform, to facilitate transactions for automakers and dealers. Further, through its websites and mobile applications, it also provides other value-added services, including auto financing, auto insurance, used car transactions, and aftermarket services.

For further information, please visit: https://www.autohome.com.cn/about/index.html

Asia Go IPO Summit 2025 Unveils Speaker Lineup and Agenda

HONG KONG and NEW YORK, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Asia Go IPO Summit, co-hosted by Nasdaq and MarcumAsia and organized by AUM Advisors, will convene on September 12th at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, bringing together the region’s most influential market participants to demystify the path to U.S. public listings.

From navigating regulatory hurdles to building post-IPO investor engagement, the Summit delivers an unmissable day of strategy and insight for leaders of ambitious growth companies.

The full-day Asia Go IPO Summit will bring together senior executives, investment bankers, and expert advisors from North America and across Asia to explore key topics, including IPO readiness, cross-border compliance, and capital raising opportunities in the U.S. public markets. Panels will feature professionals who have guided Asian companies through traditional IPOs, SPAC transactions, and strategic post-listing activities—offering firsthand insights into navigating regulatory complexity, building investor engagement, and maximizing liquidity.

“The surge of interest from Asian issuers reflects a new generation of leaders eager to tap the unmatched depth and flexibility of the U.S. capital markets,” said Drew Bernstein, Co-Chair of MarcumAsia. “We are extremely pleased to have the senior leaders and top practitioners in cross-border IPOs gather in one room to share their insights and real-time market information. This Summit equips attendees with practical intelligence, drawn directly from successful transactions and the expertise of those who make them happen.”

“Cross-border listings from Asia have long been a roller coaster ride, and the dynamic regulatory and geopolitical environment in 2025 has been by turns thrilling and heart-stopping,” said Crocker Coulson, CEO of AUM Advisors. “But despite those headwinds, Asia has contributed 67 new US IPOs in 2025 year-to-date, or 56% of total listings by operating companies, according to Renaissance Capital. CEOs and CFOs will learn how to navigate the path to a public listing and, even more importantly, leverage that public status to accelerate growth and generate returns for their shareholders.”

Featured Speakers and Panels

The Asia Go IPO Summit will feature a dynamic lineup of speakers, including:

  • Welcome and Introductory Remarks
    Drew Bernstein, Co-Chair, Marcum Asia CPAs LLP
  • State of the U.S. IPO Market, Nasdaq
    Chris Hao, Nasdaq
  • Elements of IPO Success: What Investors Expect
    David Boral, CEO, D. Boral Capital
    Johnson Ngie, Head of Corporate Finance, Asia, UBS 
    Frank Giglio, CEO, Hong Kong, BNY
    Edric Yi Guo, CEO & Head of Investment Banking, Univest Securities, LLC
    -Kamal Masud, Managing Director, Roth Capital
  • Conversation with the SEC: Cross-border Listings and Compliance
    -Perrie Weiner, Chair of North American Securities Litigation practice, Baker McKenzie
    Katy Wanner, Senior Trial Counsel, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
  • SPACs: Advantages and Lessons Learned 
    Kester Ng, Co-CEO, Black Spade Acquisition I and II 
    Mitch Nussbaum, Co-Chair, Loeb & Loeb 
    Brandon Sun, Cohen &Co
    -Arila Zhou, Partner, Robinson & Cole
  • Preparing for the IPO: Legal, Accounting, and Audit
    Rich Anslow, Partner, Ellenoff, Grossman & Schole 
    David Danovich, Partner, Sullivan & Worcester  
    Joshua Kaufman, Co-Chair, Capital Markets DLA
    Ying Li, Partner, Hunter Taubman
    Eric Luo, Founding Partner, JS Capital 
    Joy Pan, Partner, MarcumAsia
  • Special Challenges for PRC Companies: Navigating the US-China Divide
    Albert Li, CFO, Tim Hortons Coffee China (NASDAQ: THCH)
    Matt Roberts, Asia Head of Corporate, Maples and Calder LLP
    James Tunkey, COO, I-On Asia
    -Mengyi “Jason” Ye, Partner, Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP
  • Developing a Following on Wall Street: IR, Research Coverage, and Trading 
    Inez Chew, Director, DFIN
    -Crocker Coulson, CEO, AUM Advisors
    Esther Luo, Director, Nasdaq
  • Tapping the Markets: Shelf Offerings, ATMs, and PIPEs
    Stephanie Hu, Co-head of Investment Banking, D. Boral Capital
    Alex Jin, Managing Director, Maxim Group
    Wei Wang, Partner, Ellenoff Grossman & Schole
    Mark Zagotti, President, Cathay Securities, Inc. 
  • M&A as a Public Company
    Karen Cheung, Partner, BDA Partners
    Raymond Choy, Partner, Beyond Century
    Lawrence Venick, Loeb & Loeb
    Li Xin, Managing Director, CICC

Registration is now open for this invitation-only event. Attendance is free, but space is limited.
Request to register here — https://www.asiagoipo.com/register 

Press Contact:
Crocker Coulson

CEO, AUM Advisors
crocker.coulson@aummedia.org
(646) 652-7185 office

RESEARCH ADVANCES FROM THE 2025 ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

TORONTO, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — New research results reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® 2025 (AAIC®) advanced scientific understanding of risk, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Highlights include:

  • Two lifestyle interventions in the U.S. POINTER clinical trial improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. A structured intervention with more support and accountability showed greater improvement compared to a self-guided intervention, helping to protect against normal age-related decline for up to two years.
  • The Alzheimer’s Association released its first clinical practice guidelines on use of blood biomarker tests by specialists to assist in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Taking a combination of common drugs to treat blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes may slow cognitive decline, according to data from five studies.
  • Lead in the atmosphere and environment may be linked to memory problems 50 years later, based on a study of more than 600,000 people.
  • Walking and other lifestyle interventions could benefit people with the strongest known genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, the APOE4 gene variant.
  • The first results from “real world” studies of new amyloid targeting Alzheimer’s drugs confirmed findings from the late-stage clinical trials, and patients expressed satisfaction.
  • Participation in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is linked to slower cognitive decline, according to a first-of-its-kind long-term study.
  • New research gives insights into critical sex-based differences in brain health, including how traumatic brain injuries impact women and men differently, and new understanding of cognitive symptoms for women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.

AAIC is the premier annual conference for presentation and discussion of the latest Alzheimer’s and dementia research. This year’s conference in Toronto attracted nearly 19,000 registered attendees and included more than 6,400 scientific submissions.

Positive Results from the U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) Study 
The Alzheimer’s Association U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) — a two-year, multi-site clinical trial testing two different lifestyle interventions in a representative population of older adults at risk for cognitive decline and dementia — found that both interventions improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline.

Trial participants in the structured intervention showed greater improvement on global cognition compared to the self-guided intervention, helping to protect against normal age-related decline for up to two years. This means that, relative to the self-guided group, participants in the structured group performed at a level comparable to adults one to nearly two years younger in age — an effect that likely increases resilience against cognitive decline.

This extra benefit was similar across all subgroups of U.S. POINTER participants — regardless of sex, ethnicity, genetic risk or heart health (blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels). More than 30% of participants were from groups that have been historically underrepresented in dementia research.

Both interventions focused on increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, cognitive and social challenge, and health monitoring. The structured intervention differed from the self-guided intervention in intensity, structure, accountability and the support provided.

U.S. POINTER was a large-scale, rigorous, randomized controlled clinical trial. These positive results underscore the message that healthy behavior has a powerful impact on brain health, and encourage us to look at the potential for a combination of a lifestyle program and drug treatment as the next frontier in the fight against cognitive decline and possibly dementia.

Read the press release on U.S. POINTER study results.

First Clinical Practice Guideline For Blood Biomarker Tests in Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
The Alzheimer’s Association released its first evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) on the use of blood-based biomarker (BBM) tests at AAIC 2025, a big step toward transforming Alzheimer’s diagnosis and management in specialty care settings. The CPG provides rigorous, evidence-based recommendations to help specialist clinicians to use BBM tests more confidently and consistently.

The recommendations are aimed at a variety of specialists in settings like neurology, psychiatry, geriatrics and more who diagnose and evaluate cognitive impairment, and are based on a review of available evidence through November 2024.

The recommendations suggest that specialists can use BBM tests as a triaging tool in the diagnostic workup of Alzheimer’s when they have at least 90% sensitivity and 75% specificity, but a positive triaging test should always be confirmed with more traditional tests like cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) or amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The guidelines permit BBM tests with at least 90% sensitivity and 90% specificity to substitute for PET imaging or CSF testing. However, experts caution that many commercially available BBM tests do not yet meet these thresholds.

This CPG is part of ALZPro from the Alzheimer’s Association, the comprehensive hub of resources and tools for health care professionals and researchers from across disciplines to reduce risk, advance early detection, improve care and expand equitable access for all communities.

Read the press release on clinical practice guidelines for blood-based biomarker tests.

Combination of Heart-Health Drugs May Also Protect the Brain
Taking a combination of common drugs used to treat blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes may have an added benefit: slower cognitive decline. A study of more than 4,500 older adults showed cognitive test scores similar to people three years younger for participants who took a combination of drugs targeting vascular or metabolic conditions, all of which are known risk factors for dementia.

Participants who were on all three of the vascular drugs had the greatest cognitive benefits, and their brains showed fewer signs of Alzheimer’s-related changes at autopsy. For those who took only two of the drugs, the most effective pairing for cognitive protection was blood pressure and cholesterol drugs.

Lead Pollution Linked to Memory Problems in Older Adults
Historic pollution levels from the era of leaded gasoline may be contributing to cognitive issues 50 years later, according to a first-of-its-kind research study. Researchers tracked how exposure to airborne lead from 1960-1974 — when leaded gasoline use was at its highest — impacted brain health later in life. The report estimated that half the U.S. population at that time, more than 170 million people, were exposed to high lead levels in early childhood.

The researchers linked the pollution data from the 60s and 70s to a contemporary study conducted between 2012 and 2017. They estimated that 17 to 22% of people living in areas with moderate or high atmospheric lead reported memory issues. While leaded gas has long been phased out, other sources of exposure remain, such as old lead paint, pipes and industrial pollution. Experts say people who had past lead exposure should focus on reducing other risk factors for dementia, including managing high blood pressure, quitting smoking and avoiding social isolation.

Read the press release on lead pollution and memory problems.

Lifestyle Change Benefits May Be Strongest for Carriers of Alzheimer’s Risk Gene
People with a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease may benefit the most from healthy lifestyle interventions like walking, according to a decade of data from three large international studies. Older adults who carry the Alzheimer’s risk gene known as APOE4 had higher cognitive benefits from non-drug interventions like exercise, diet and cognitive training than non-carriers.

In this study, walking was found to be the most effective healthy habit for slowing down cognitive damage. Like many healthy lifestyle changes, the key was making it a habit, as the study showed that sticking with it for at least two years produced cognitive benefits up to seven years later.

Participants in SNAP Food Assistance Program Had Slower Cognitive Decline
People who participated in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) had slower cognitive decline over 10 years than non-participants, according to new research reported at AAIC 2025. Scientists examined data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study to compare participants in SNAP, which helps low-income individuals and families buy food, to those who were eligible for the program but didn’t participate.

They found that SNAP participants had a 0.10% slower decline in overall cognitive function. The difference is significant in the long-term, adding up to an estimated two to three additional years of cognitive health over the study’s 10-year period.

The study group of 1,131 SNAP participants studied included Whites, Blacks and Hispanics. A control group included 1,216 people who were SNAP-eligible but didn’t participate. Researchers found that all groups benefitted, but White participants showed much slower decline than other groups. The findings highlight the potential benefits of food assistance programs to support older adults’ cognitive health.

Read the press release on SNAP benefits and slower cognitive decline.

Real-World Results for New Alzheimer’s Drugs Show Effectiveness, Patient Satisfaction
While newly available anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s disease drugs have shown effectiveness in tightly controlled clinical trials, they have not been tested in real-world settings until now. Dozens of abstracts reported at AAIC 2025 showed that real world experience with the drugs lecanemab and donanemab produced comparable or better safety to large clinical trials, and patients were satisfied with the results.

Researchers tracked the drugs’ safety and effectiveness in patients from a variety of settings including U.S. clinics, memory care centers and international universities. Several of the sites are part of the Alzheimer’s Network for Treatment and Diagnostics (ALZ-NET), which was created by the Alzheimer’s Association to collect voluntary real-world data about patients receiving the new treatments, track their long-term health, and share data with scientists and clinicians.

New Insights Into Cognitive Health Differences Between Men and Women
New research announced at AAIC 2025 sheds light on crucial differences between men and women in risk for Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia. One study found that traumatic brain injuries (TBIs, a well-known risk factor for dementia) were more likely to shrink dementia-related areas of the brain in women than men. Another looked closer at “chemobrain” — declines in thinking and memory reported by about one-third of women receiving breast cancer chemotherapy.

Women make up nearly two-thirds of the more than 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s. The chemobrain study is the first to show that brain changes, inflammation and shrinkage related to the cancer treatment are connected to symptoms like memory lapses and trouble focusing or finding words. The study adds to growing evidence that chemotherapy impacts brain health.

The Alzheimer’s Association supports research to better understand sex-based differences in cognitive health and prevent negative side effects for chemo patients. Clinicians can learn more about early detection, diagnosis and treatment of dementia using ALZPro, the newly-launched library of online tools and resources for professionals from the Alzheimer’s Association.

The Alzheimer’s Association extends a thank you to the AAIC 2025 Platinum Sponsors: Biogen, Eisai, Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

About the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®)
The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community.
AAIC 2025 home page: www.alz.org/aaic/
AAIC 2025 newsroom: www.alz.org/aaic/pressroom.asp
AAIC 2025 hashtag: #AAIC25

About the Alzheimer’s Association®
The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

Zilliz Sets New Industry Standard with VDBBench 1.0 for Benchmarking Real Vector Database Production Workloads

This Open-source solution eliminates the multi-billion-dollar gap between benchmark promises and production reality.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. , July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Zilliz, the company behind the popular open-source vector database Milvus, recently announced the release of VDBBench 1.0, an open-source benchmarking platform designed to test vector databases under realistic production conditions. Unlike traditional benchmarks that rely on static data and idealized scenarios, VDBBench evaluates systems during streaming data ingestion, metadata filtering, and concurrent workloads that mirror actual enterprise deployments.

“The vector database market has experienced explosive growth since 2023, but our benchmarking methodologies haven’t kept pace,” said James Luan, VP of Engineering at Zilliz. “Organizations are making multi-million dollar infrastructure decisions based on misleading benchmarks that don’t reflect production realities. VDBBench 1.0 fundamentally changes this dynamic by establishing new standards for authentic, production-relevant performance evaluation.”

What’s New in VDBBench 1.0
  • Advanced Filtering Analysis: Systematically tests metadata filtering across selectivity levels (50% to 99.9%), revealing the “hidden performance killer” that dramatically impacts query speeds and recall accuracy in production.
  • Streaming Read/Write Testing: Simulates continuous data ingestion while serving queries, conditions where many databases fail despite impressive static benchmarks.
  • Modern Datasets: Uses vectors from state-of-the-art embedding models, including OpenAI and Cohere, with dimensions ranging from 768 to 1,536, reflecting current AI workloads.
  • Custom Dataset Support: Organizations can benchmark using their production data and embedding models for industry-specific testing requirements.
  • Production-Focused Metrics: Prioritizes P95/P99 tail latency, sustainable throughput under load, and recall accuracy for realistic capacity planning.

VDBBench also features a redesigned dashboard with interactive visualizations that help engineers quickly identify performance gaps. Testing results for major platforms including Milvus, Zilliz Cloud, Pinecone, and Elasticsearch are available on the VDBBench Leaderboard.

Open Source Availability

VDBBench is available on GitHub with complete documentation and community support. Organizations ready to move beyond misleading benchmarks can access the platform immediately and customize it for specific testing requirements.

Download VDBBench 1.0 → | View Leaderboard → | Contact us for Support

About Zilliz

Zilliz builds next-generation database technologies that help organizations unlock the value of unstructured data and rapidly develop AI applications. Headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, Zilliz is backed by leading investors, including Aramco’s Prosperity7 Ventures and Temasek’s Pavilion Capital. Learn more at www.zilliz.com.

 

Alphamab Oncology Announces Anti-HER2 Biparatopic ADC JSKN003 Received U.S. FDA IND Approval to Initiate a Phase II Clinical Study for Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

SUZHOU, China, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Alphamab Oncology (stock code: 9966.HK) announced that anti-HER2 biparatopic antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) JSKN003 has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a Phase II clinical study in the United States (study number: JSKN003-202) for the treatment of platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, or fallopian tube cancer, not restricted to HER2 expression levels.

JSKN003 is an anti-HER2 biparatopic ADC developed inhouse which can bind HER2 on the surface of tumor cells and release topoisomerase I inhibitors (TOPIi) through cellular endocytosis, thereby exerting anti-tumor effects. Compared with its ADC counterparts, JSKN003 demonstrated significant differentiated advantages including better serum stability and stronger bystander effect, which effectively expands the therapeutic window. In multiple clinical studies at various stages in China and Australia, JSKN003 has shown promising tolerability, safety, and significant antitumor activity.

In China, three Phase III clinical studies of JSKN003 for the treatment of HER2-low expressing breast cancer (BC), platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC), and HER2-positive BC are currently undergoing smoothly. In March 2025, JSKN003 was granted breakthrough therapy designation by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA) for the treatment of PROC, not restricted to HER2 expression levels.

JSKN003-202 is a randomized, open-label, multi-center Phase II clinical study aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of JSKN003 in the treatment of patients with platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer, and determine the recommended phase III dose (RP3D). The FDA approval of this U.S. Phase II trial marks a significant milestone in Alphamab Oncology’s global development strategy for its innovative pipeline, which will further strengthen the Company’s competitive edge in oncology therapeutics.

About JSKN003

JSKN003 is a bispecific ADC developed based on KN026 using Alphamab’s proprietary glycan-specific conjugation platform. JSKN003 can bind HER2 on the surface of tumor cells and release topoisomerase I inhibitors (TOPIi) through cellular endocytosis, thereby exerting anti-tumor effects. Compared with its ADC counterparts, JSKN003 demonstrated better serum stability and stronger bystander effect, which effectively expands the therapeutic window.

Results of multiple clinical studies at various stages of JSKN003 in China and Australia have demonstrated favorable safety profile, with promising efficacy of JSKN003 in heavily pretreated patients with advanced solid tumors, especially in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC), HER2-expressing breast cancer (BC), or high HER2-expressing solid tumors. JSKN003 was granted breakthrough therapy designation by CDE for the treatment of platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, or fallopian tube cancer. It has also been granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of gastric cancer and gastroesophageal junction cancer (GC/GEJ). Three Phase III clinical studies of JSKN003 for the treatment of HER2-low expressing BC, PROC, and HER2-positive BC as well as multiple exploratory Phase II clinical studies are currently undergoing smoothly.

In September 2024, the Company entered a licensing agreement with JMT-Bio Technology Co., Ltd. (“JMT-Bio”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (“CSPC”) (stock code: 1093.HK), pursuant to which, JMT-Bio was granted the exclusive license and sublicense rights to develop, sell, offer for sale and commercialize JSKN003, for the treatment of tumor-related indications (the “Field”) in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan) (the “Territory”) and become the sole marketing authorization holder for JSKN003 for the Field in the Territory. Alphamab retains the sole right to supply JSKN003.

About Alphamab Oncology

Alphamab Oncology is an innovative biopharmaceutical company focusing on oncology therapeutics. On December 12, 2019, the Company was successfully listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, trading under the stock code 9966.

By leveraging its proprietary core technology platforms including single-domain antibodies, bispecific antibodies, glycan-specific conjugation, linker-payload, dual-payload antibody conjugation, and subcutaneous high concentration formulation for biologics, the Company has established a product portfolio with differentiated innovation and global competitiveness, covering cutting-edge areas such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, and single-domain antibodies.

The Company has one product approved for marketing (Envafolimab, the world’s first subcutaneously injectable PD-(L)1 inhibitor), which has made a significant breakthrough in the convenience and accessibility of cancer treatment. Additionally, the Company has multiple bispecific antibodies and bispecific ADCs in clinical stage, while rapidly advancing the preclinical pipeline prioritizing bispecific ADCs and dual-payload ADCs. Multiple strategic collaborations based on innovative products or technology platforms have been established with partners such as CSPC, ArriVent, and Glenmark.

Our overarching mission is to make cancer manageable and curable by addressing unmet clinical needs in oncology. Alphamab Oncology is continuously dedicated to the development of effective, safe, and globally competitive anti-tumor drugs, delivering China-innovated cancer therapies to benefit patients worldwide.

 

FRV Announces Strategic Partnership with Envision, a Leader in Total Renewable Energy Solutions, for H2 Cumbuco Project in Brazil

MADRID, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), part of Jameel Energy, announced today its selection of Envision Energy (“Envision’) as its strategic partner in green ammonia project in Brazil. Envision has been selected for its leadership and proven expertise across a total renewable energy system, from renewables through to green hydrogen – all orchestrated by AI technology.

FRV Announces Strategic Partnership with Envision for H2 Cumbuco Project in Brazil
FRV Announces Strategic Partnership with Envision for H2 Cumbuco Project in Brazil

This agreement will see Envision bringing to H2 Cumbuco – a landmark green ammonia project located in Brazil’s Pecém Port its globally recognized expertise in integrated renewable energy solution, building on its pioneering scalable clean energy models that are modular and replicable across the world.

The partnership brings together FRV’s extensive experience in clean energy solutions —backed by 3 GW of operational renewable and storage assets—and Envision’s AI-integrated total renewable energy system to build an electrolysis facility of up to 500MW electrolysis facility and an integrated ammonia plant, which is expected to be operational by 2030 and targeting key markets in Brazil, Europe and Asia.

This collaboration is more than a step towards decarbonization; it is a blueprint for how global energy transition can be operationalized. Together with FRV, we are reshaping the entire renewable energy system and advancing Brazil’s green energy infrastructure.” said Henry Peng, Senior Vice President and President of Latin America and the European Region.

Envision recently delivered the world’s largest off-grid AI-enabled green hydrogen and ammonia plant and its first green marine ammonia bunkering operation in Dalian, China – proof of its capability to orchestrate complex and total renewable solutions at scale.

FRV (Fotowatio Renewable Ventures) is a leading developer of sustainable energy solutions with a deep commitment to accelerating the energy transition. With a strong presence across key international markets—including Europe, Australia, Middle East, and Latin America—FRV continues to drive innovation and sustainability in the renewable energy sector.

Aligned with this commitment, FRV has also been actively engaged for several years in the development of renewable hydrogen projects. In Spain, the company has secured public funding for two green hydrogen-related initiatives.

In line with this strategy and leveraging on FRV’s long presence and commitment in Brazil, FRV has been developing the H2 Cumbuco project in Brazil since 2023. The project is in advanced development in areas such as engineering and environmental permitting, and has secured key resources, including land and water rights.

“At FRV, we firmly believe that the development of renewable hydrogen and its derivatives is a fundamental pillar in advancing global decarbonization. We see Brazil as a country with the potential to become a global leader in this sector, thanks to its strategic geographic position, strong commitment to the energy transition, and broad public support. We are excited about the potential that this alliance with Envision can bring to the H2 Cumbuco project, in order to provide clean, competitive, and sustainable energy solutions while supporting Brazil’s economic and environmental development,” stated Felipe Hernández, Chief Innovation Officer of FRV.

This partnership comes as Brazil, host of COP30 this year, develops a competitive low carbon economy with a focus on green hydrogen and green ammonia production not just for its domestic market, but for export to other parts of the world.