• This marks the first-ever collaboration between Engine Biosciences and Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Singapore’s national platform for drug discovery and development.
• The partnership will advance the development of first-in-class precision therapeutics for multiple cancer types that are highly prevalent in Singapore and globally, including breast, liver, kidney and prostate cancers. 

SINGAPORE, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Engine Biosciences (Engine), a Singapore– and Silicon Valley-based biotechnology company pioneering precision medicine for cancer, announced a new partnership with the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Singapore’s national platform for drug discovery and development hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). 

This first-of-its-kind collaboration unites Engine’s NetMAPPR platform and proprietary oncology intellectual property with EDDC’s drug discovery and development expertise to create first-in-class precision cancer treatments.

The first project under this partnership focuses on ENB-871, a novel pairing of a drug target and patient selection biomarkers discovered through Engine’s NetMAPPR platform. This platform combines AI, computation, biology, and chemistry to identify, validate, and prioritise drug targets with strong clinical and commercial potential, driving the development of new therapies that exploit specific vulnerabilities in tumours.

This program shows significant promise for treating tumours with particular genetic mutations that predict sensitivity to the ENB-871 targeted therapy, including breast, liver, kidney and prostate cancers – diseases afflicting large and growing patient populations in Singapore and worldwide. In total, the potential addressable population exceeds 500,000 patients per year.

The teams will collaborate to develop small molecule degraders targeting ENB-871, including demonstration of in vivo efficacy. By bringing together Engine’s proprietary technology and deep translational insights with EDDC’s strengths in designing and developing therapies, this partnership aims to create targeted cancer treatments tailored to patients’ specific profiles, improving treatment effectiveness and outcomes. Engine and EDDC may also identify additional drug targets and research programs for collaboration during the partnership.

“We’re excited by the synergies created by bringing together our two platforms, leveraging first-in-class Singapore research and innovation to advance transformative cancer therapies. This marks another key step in Engine’s mission to develop more effective, targeted and safer drugs for cancer patients.” said Jeffrey Lu, CEO and Co-Founder of Engine Biosciences.

“The future of drug development lies in precision-driven innovation. Our partnership with Engine enables us to develop therapies tailored to specific patient populations through Engine’s biomarker-driven patient selection approaches. We are particularly excited to launch our first collaborative project around monovalent small molecule degraders, building on EDDC’s expanding capabilities in this field. Beyond this, we look forward to strengthening our partnership by advancing more precision therapies that have the potential to transform the lives of cancer patients in need,” shared Damian O’Connell, CEO of EDDC.

About Engine Biosciences
Engine Biosciences (Engine) is a venture-backed Singapore and Silicon Valley based company discovering and developing impactful precision medicines by deciphering complex biology with integrated computation and experimentation, with particular depth in oncology gained over several years of substantial investment and focus. Having pinpointed many promising drug targets and predictive biomarkers for patients most likely to benefit, Engine is advancing its pipeline of oncology therapeutics towards the clinic internally and with collaborators, and in other disease areas through partnerships. Engine’s team is motivated by opportunities to address significant unmet needs with more selective and effective precision medicines. For more information, please visit www.enginebio.com, and follow Engine on LinkedIn.

About EDDC
The Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC) is Singapore’s national platform for drug discovery and development, formed from the integration of the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC), Drug, Discovery and Development (D3), and Experimental Biotherapeutics Centre (EBC) in 2019. EDDC aims to develop therapeutics and diagnostics that save and improve the lives of patients in Singapore, Asia and around the world. Hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), EDDC works collaboratively with public sector and industry partners to translate the great science arising from Singapore’s biomedical and clinical sciences R&D into innovative healthcare solutions. For more information about EDDC, please visit http://www.eddc.sg/

MELBOURNE, Australia, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In a forex market where Finance Magnates reports monthly volumes now hitting US$26.8 trillion globally, Mitrade has clinched the “Best Forex Broker Australia 2025” award from International Business Magazine amid the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) stricter OTC derivative reporting rules. This marks the 43rd accolade for Mitrade Group and reflects how Australian traders increasingly seek platforms with proven reliability for trading forex in a regulated environment. 

The Australian retail forex and CFD trading market demonstrates resilience despite geopolitical uncertainties. Finance Magnates Q4 2024 Intelligence Report shows growing traffic to Australian forex brokers, with traders selecting the best trading platform Australia options based on execution speed, spreads and regulatory compliance—areas where Mitrade has distinguished itself as a leading CFD broker. 

“The Australian market is unique — many traders are beginners. They trade alongside sophisticated players who rely on institutional-grade tools,” said Elven Jong, CEO of Mitrade AU entity. “Rather than the platform being a barrier, the future of forex depends on online brokers that empower traders, bridging the knowledge gap while also maintaining depth for experienced investors. At Mitrade, we focus on responsible trading education, ensuring that platforms evolve with traders’ growing expertise. We strive to be the best Australian trading platform, setting new standards in CFD trading worldwide.” 

The Forex Trading Statistics 2025 report shows that 55% of forex traders prefer mobile apps, while 45% use desktops. Mitrade’s past recognition as “Best Forex Trading App Australia” among others, aligns with this shift and CFD traders’ demand for high-performance, compliant platforms. As technology and regulation continue to shape the industry, the broker continues advancing toward becoming one of the best brokers Australia prefers. 

About Mitrade  

Mitrade is an award-winning CFD trading platform founded in Melbourne, trusted by 5M+ traders worldwide. It operates under top-tier financial regulators—Australia’s ASIC (AFSL398528), Cyprus’ CySEC (CIF438/23), the Cayman Islands’ CIMA (SIB1612446), and Mauritius’s FSC (GB20025791)—delivering a secure, seamless, and intuitive trading experience. 

Powered by AI, Mitrade provides CFDs on indices, forex, commodities, ETFs, and shares. With microsecond execution, razor-thin spreads, robust risk management, and multi-device compatibility, it is redefining the future of fintech for every type of trader. 

Trading involves risk. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, an offer, or a solicitation. 

Visit https://www.mitrade.com for more information. 

Opening new possibilities for medical and science

TOKYO, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Orbray Co., Ltd., has successfully developed a radiation detector utilizing its proprietary high-quality, large-diameter single-crystal diamond technology. The exceptional physical properties of diamond, including radiation hardness, allow Orbray’s diamond-based radiation detector to function in high-radiation environments where conventional detectors made from other materials would degrade. In addition, the composition of diamonds is closely equivalent to that of biological tissue, making it particularly well-suited for medical applications such as radiation diagnostics and therapy. Orbray has demonstrated that its diamond-based detector can achieve high-precision measurements across a wide range of radiation types—from low-energy diagnostic X-rays to high-energy therapeutic X-rays.

Diamonds have ideal physical properties for radiation detection, including high thermal and chemical stability and fast response. Additionally, diamonds are composed of carbon, with an atomic number of six, and are particularly closely equivalent to biological tissue. Diamonds have, therefore, been extensively studied as radiation detectors in the fields of nuclear engineering, nuclear fusion, high-energy physics, and medical applications. Until the 1990s, research relied on selected natural diamonds. Since the 2000s, advancements in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technology have enabled the synthesis of high-purity diamonds, significantly improving detector performance. Single-crystal CVD diamonds offer high sensitivity and excellent spectral characteristics. Polycrystalline CVD diamonds have been used to obtain high sensitivity by increasing the detection area. However, they exhibit lower sensitivity and inferior spectral characteristics compared to single-crystal diamonds.

Orbray announced that it had developed a 2-inch diameter high-quality (100) free-standing diamond substrate utilizing its proprietary step-flow growth method in 2021. Based on the diamond, radiation detectors (Fig. 1) have been developed in collaboration with Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tohoku University, Tohoku Institute of Technology, and Osaka University. These radiation detectors have exhibited high sensitivity and excellent spectroscopic characteristics in X-ray systems in medical settings. The detector can be scaled to the large area configuration (Fig. 2), enabling ultra-high sensitivity. Orbray will continue to develop products while conducting user evaluations.

At the Japan Radiology Congress 2025 in Yokohama Japan from April 10th to 13th, the diamond manufacturing methods and evaluation results of the detectors will be presented. The developed actual radiation detectors will be exhibited at the Exhibition held alongside there.

【Contact】

Orbray Co., Ltd., Diamond Division

TEL：+81-3-3919-0101  E-mail: diamond-sales@orbray.com 

Martin Sjolund appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 17, 2025

Vikram Atal to serve as senior advisor through December 31, 2025

NORFOLK, Va., April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — PRA Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRAA), a global leader in acquiring and collecting nonperforming loans, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed President of PRA Group Europe Martin Sjolund to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective June 17, 2025. Sjolund succeeds current President and CEO Vikram Atal, who announced that he will retire and serve as a senior advisor through December 31, 2025. Sjolund will be appointed to the Board upon assuming the role of President and CEO, and Atal will retire from the Board at that time.

President of PRA Group Europe Martin Sjolund appointed President and CEO of PRA Group effective June 17, 2025.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Vik for his leadership of PRA Group during a pivotal time,” said Executive Chair of the Board Steve Fredrickson. “Today’s announcement is the culmination of the Board’s ongoing succession planning process and commitment to enabling long-term, profitable growth.”

“It has been a privilege to lead PRA Group through this transformative time in the company’s history,” said Atal. “Since March 2023, I have worked closely with Martin, and I am highly confident in his ability to further strengthen our global leadership position. His strong track record in our European business, extensive industry knowledge, thoughtful leadership and commitment to our culture and customers will build on our strengths and create meaningful value for our shareholders in the years to come.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead PRA Group as we enter our next phase of growth,” said Sjolund. “As a team, we have already achieved record global portfolio purchases and double-digit cash growth, expanded our leadership team, improved operational processes and strengthened our capital structure. These actions have positioned us to continue driving the company forward while delivering value to our shareholders.”

About Martin Sjolund
Sjolund has served as President of PRA Group Europe since 2018, providing leadership across 15 markets in Europe, Canada and Australia. During his tenure, Sjolund oversaw nearly $3 billion of successful portfolio investments across Europe, all while significantly improving the profitability of the European business. He led our expansion into two new markets, modernized the IT infrastructure and contact platforms, enhanced the data and analytics function and ultimately created one of Europe’s most cost-efficient debt buying platforms.

Before being promoted to his current role, Sjolund served as Chief Operating Officer of Europe from 2015 until 2018. He was previously Director of Group Strategy and Corporate Development (Europe), a position he also held at Aktiv Kapital from 2011 until PRA Group acquired Aktiv Kapital in 2014.

Prior to joining Aktiv Kapital, Sjolund held leadership positions in global technology companies and was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company in Singapore and London. Sjolund holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and is a graduate of Georgetown University.

About PRA Group
As a global leader in acquiring and collecting nonperforming loans, PRA Group, Inc. returns capital to banks and other creditors to help expand financial services for consumers in the Americas, Europe and Australia. With thousands of employees worldwide, PRA Group companies collaborate with customers to help them resolve their debt. For more information, please visit www.pragroup.com.

News Media Contact:
Elizabeth Kersey
Senior Vice President, Communications and Public Policy
(757) 641-0558
Elizabeth.Kersey@PRAGroup.com

Investor Contact:
Najim Mostamand, CFA
Vice President, Investor Relations
(757) 431-7913
IR@PRAGroup.com

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Acclime, a leading global provider of business advisory, tax, and governance services, is pleased to announce the acquisition of The Advisory Group (TAG), a highly regarded professional services firm based in Auckland. Founded in 2006, TAG has grown to employ over 30 professionals, specialising in tax, advisory, and company secretarial services for SMEs, multinational corporations, and high-net-worth individuals.

This strategic acquisition allows Acclime to broaden its service offerings and provide TAG’s clients with enhanced opportunities for regional and global expansion through Acclime’s extensive network across 18+ markets worldwide. TAG’s expertise will complement Acclime’s existing services in New Zealand, including business advisory, virtual CFO services, film and entertainment services, tax advisory, and fund services.

Izzy Silva, Group CEO of Acclime, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome the talented TAG team to Acclime. Their extensive experience will significantly strengthen our presence and service provision across Australasia. As Acclime continues to expand its differentiated professional services in the region, New Zealand plays a pivotal role in supporting our clients, particularly those entering the market or seeking growth opportunities in Asia. We are also excited to have Sudhir Lala, Graham Lawrence, and Martyn Henderson join the New Zealand leadership team, and we look forward to working together to drive long-term value for our clients.”

Randolph van der Burgh, Acclime’s Regional Director Australasia, added: “The acquisition of TAG boosts our advisory capabilities in Australasia and solidifies Acclime’s position as a Top 20 accounting, tax, advisory, and governance firm in New Zealand.”

Sudhir Lala, Director of The Advisory Group, shared his thoughts on the acquisition: “We have experienced strong growth in recent years, and joining Acclime represents the next logical step in our journey. This partnership offers tremendous opportunities for both our team and our clients. We are already seeing positive outcomes as we collaborate to deliver greater value to our clients.”

Acclime’s existing Auckland office in Ellerslie will continue operations alongside TAG’s downtown CBD office. TAG will rebrand under the Acclime name later this year.

About Acclime

Acclime provides businesses with corporate, governance, and advisory services. It operates in 18+ markets, employing 1,600+ dedicated professionals. The firm provides a comprehensive range of professional services and business advisory to help businesses navigate complex regulatory environments and achieve their goals at all stages of the business life cycle.

www.acclime.com

About The Advisory Group

Founded in 2006, The Advisory Group is a boutique, chartered accounting practice specialising in providing accounting, taxation, and business advice to successful privately owned businesses and to high-net-worth individuals. Based in Auckland, The Advisory Group team has the experience and the expertise to advise on complex business affairs, and welcomes close, personal and trusting relationships.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society specializing in scientific content and knowledge management, and Cleveland Clinic, an academic health system with a global footprint, announced plans for a strategic collaboration that will unite the organizations’ unique expertise, technology, and data capabilities to fuel clinical research.

CAS and Cleveland Clinic

During the Cleveland Discovery & Innovation Forum, an event highlighting cutting-edge healthcare and life sciences research, the two global organizations announced that their collaboration’s first strategic focus area will be aiming to advance research on health, wellness, and healthy aging. Initial projects the organizations are discussing will focus on drug discovery for brain health, a priority underscored by the relative lack of effective, disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s due to the complex nature of the disease.

“This unique collaboration leverages Cleveland Clinic’s expertise in biomedical research and clinical care with CAS leadership in scientific data and technology,” said Lara Jehi, M.D., Cleveland Clinic Chief Research Information Officer. “By combining our strengths, we aim to create high-quality medical data, validate scientific models, and integrate research to ultimately enhance patient care and chronic disease management.”

The effort will harness the CAS Content Collection™, the world’s most comprehensive curated scientific information resource, with advanced technologies, including new AI models and quantum computing. As part of its partnership with IBM, Cleveland Clinic houses an IBM Quantum System One, the world’s first quantum computer fully dedicated to healthcare research.

The collaborators plan to build and train disease-specific models, starting with Alzheimer’s, focused on advancing preventative and predictive strategies, and potentially translating them to other chronic diseases in the future.

“CAS is delighted to partner with Cleveland Clinic, an institution renowned for its exceptional research and innovation,” said Manuel Guzman, CAS President. “Recognizing it takes 17 years for a scientific discovery in a lab to become an approved test or therapy, we are confident that together, we can close that gap. Led by our shared goal of improving people’s lives through scientific innovation, we will combine high-quality content, subject expertise, and advanced technologies to discover new paths to healthy aging and drive positive social and economic impacts.”

The initiative will benefit from the Cleveland Innovation District, which brings the State of Ohio and JobsOhio together with Cleveland’s healthcare and higher education institutions to create jobs, accelerate research, and educate the future workforce.

About CAS

CAS connects the world’s scientific knowledge to accelerate breakthroughs that improve lives. We empower global innovators to efficiently navigate today’s complex data landscape and make confident decisions in each phase of the innovation journey. As a specialist in scientific knowledge management, our team builds the largest authoritative collection of human-curated scientific data in the world and provides essential information solutions, services, and expertise. Scientists, patent professionals, and business leaders across industries rely on CAS to help them uncover opportunities, mitigate risks, and unlock shared knowledge so they can get from inspiration to innovation faster. CAS is a division of the American Chemical Society.

About Cleveland Clinic  

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 81,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,743 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,160 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,690-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 276 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2023, there were 13.7 million outpatient encounters, 323,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 301,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 132 countries.

• Kia Design returns to Milan Design Week for third consecutive year, providing a platform for artistic expression and cultural exchange
• Works by artists Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami curated to reflect the brand’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy
• ‘Marquee’, ‘The Cave’, ‘Beyond the Horizon’ and ‘The Eclipse’ deliver a sensory journey echoing the evolution of Kia’s design philosophy
• Exhibition runs from April 7-13 at Museo della Permanente in Milan, Italy

MILAN, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Kia Design has introduced the theme of its Milan Design Week 2025 exhibition, Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions, in collaboration with internationally acclaimed artists Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami (Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves).

This year’s exhibition continues Kia’s commitment to cultural exchange and creative exploration. Focusing on the brand’s evolving transformation – rooted in its core cultural values and creative identity – the event sparks conversations that challenge and inspire both Kia Design and the global creative community.

By bringing together visionary artists such as Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami, alongside Kia Design and other prominent members of the global creative community, the exhibition aims to offer an interactive experience where visitors can engage with the ideas, philosophies, and expressions that shape contemporary creativity.

Since its first participation in Milan Design Week in 2023, Kia Design has sought to support art and culture by providing a platform for artists to express their interpretations of the brand’s design philosophy, ‘Opposites United’. Participating artists collaborate on experimental approaches, expressing the ‘Opposites United’ theme through their works or performances, creating resonant experiences for visiting audiences.

The Eclipse

A central stage for performances and talk sessions, ‘The Eclipse’ features tiered seating reminiscent of the Colosseum, with content projected onto a layered system of shades. In this space, the audience is encouraged to become active participants, immersed in the content and interpreting it subjectively, rather than simply remaining as observers.

Eclipses have held significant scientific, religious, and cultural meanings throughout human history. These celestial events have inspired us to dream, look beyond our own existence, predict the future and advance our technologies.

Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions uses the space to embody the story of Kia Design, and its ambition to evolve relentlessly, through dramatic staging and spatial transformations.

To read the full text, please visit the Kia Global Media Center.