Laos has confirmed 14 new cases of Covid-19 today, bringing the total number of cases to 1,751.
Laos Extends Lockdown As Covid-19 Outbreak Continues
Laos has extended its lockdown across the country for a further 15 days as Covid-19 continues to spread in the country.
Trend Micro Named a Leader in Endpoint Security Software-as-a-Service
Independent research firm gives company highest possible score in threat prevention criterion
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 20 May 2021 – Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cybersecurity leader, today announced that it was named a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Endpoint Security Software As A Service, Q2 2021, which evaluated 12 of the top providers in the space, for its endpoint security offering, Apex One.
To read a full copy of the report, The Forrester Wave™: Endpoint Security Software as a Service, Q2 2021, please click here: https://resources.trendmicro.com/AMEA-Forrester-Endpoint-Leadership-Report.html
The Forrester report gave an evaluation of Trend Micro’s Apex One, which it described as offering “…comprehensive endpoint threat prevention, threat detection, secure configuration, attack response, and data security capabilities within a wider portfolio of security products and services.”
Endpoint security is an increasingly important part of organizations’ multi-layered threat defense posture, requiring exceptional visibility and cross-generational threat detection capabilities to mitigate the risk posed by sophisticated threat actors.
“Over the past year, SaaS endpoint security and XDR have played a crucial role in keeping organizations and their distributed workforces secure as threat actors probe for new gaps in protection,” said Wendy Moore, vice president of product marketing for Trend Micro. “We believe being named a Leader by a respected independent authority speaks volumes about our product, vision and ability to deliver value for customers in a highly competitive market.”
“Buyers enjoy complete feature parity between the company’s on-premises and managed versions of Apex Central, allowing for easy transitions during the ‘hybrid’ phase.” “[Trend Micro’s] extended detection capabilities are robust and accessible from Trend Micro Vision One…” The report states that Trend Micro Vision One provides “…a separate console designed to consume telemetry and environment data from Trend Micro and third parties spanning network, cloud workload, email, and endpoint sources.”
“Forrester expects Trend Micro will continue to serve large organizations well, especially those with comprehensive endpoint security requirements,” the report’s profile of Trend Micro concluded.
Overall, Trend Micro received the maximum score possible (5.0) in the Threat Prevention criterion and in a total of 14 criteria of evaluation including: Malicious Behavior Protection, Extended Detection Breadth, Mobile Security, Data Security, Product Roadmap, and Enterprise Penetration.
Trend Micro Vision One, a foundational part of the company’s cybersecurity platform, delivers visibility and cross detection and response (XDR). It uses telemetry from endpoints in addition to email, servers, cloud workloads and networks to correlate detections and built-in threat intelligence.
The SaaS model offers a more agile, low maintenance delivery model increasingly favored by organizations and their remote workforces. The Trend Micro Vision One provides organizations with the increased visibility they need across all security layers to enable faster detection and response.
About Trend Micro
Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro’s cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world. www.trendmicro.com.hk
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Laos Divides Districts Into Red Zones To Prevent Spread of Covid-19
The Ministry of Health has issued a notice detailing how villages in Laos are to be divided into three color-coded zones in accordance with Covid-19 infection severity.
Thai Ministry Says Vaccinations For Tourists in Laos is Fake News
Claims that Thais could enter Laos and receive free vaccinations against Covid-19 have been labeled fake news by Thailand’s public health ministry.
Achiko completes initial shipment of AptameX, its progressive Covid-19 diagnostic test, to Indonesia, delivering 77% sensitivity at low viral loads
- Production of first 1,000 AptameX test kits is concluded in Singapore (initial capacity to test 10,000 patients per day).
- AptameX delivers sensitivity of 77% (95% CI: 75.94 – 79.24) at a high industry CT score of 28.3, which is comparable to current lateral flow rapid tests.
- Moving to complete product registration in Indonesia and progressing to securing a CE mark in Europe with a view to approvals and sales in Q3 2021.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – EQS Newswire – 20 May 2021 – Achiko AG (SWX:ACHI, ISIN CH0522213468) completed production of the first 1,000 AptameX test kits and has commenced shipment to Indonesia. The Company also announces favourable preliminary Covid-19 diagnostic testing results at a high CT score; even at low viral loads, AptameX proves to be highly sensitive.
Against the background of the expansion of its production capacities in Singapore, Spain, Taiwan and Indonesia, the distribution of the test kits represents an important milestone for the Company, made possible after AptameX recently received a distribution certificate via Achiko’s joint venture partner PT Indonesia Farma Medis (“IFM”) in Indonesia. The Company is progressing forward with product registration and final validation trials, ensuring full test kit availability in early Q3 2021. Achiko’s and IFM’s joint venture company PT Achiko Medis Indonesia will undertake the initial rollout of AptameX and the mobile app Teman Sehat in Indonesia. Achiko earns a profit share relative to its 50% holding and a 10% licensing fee from gross sales.
“In geographies with little vaccination coverage, an ultra low cost, accurate testing service is crucial to both ensure safety and restore confidence in workplaces and public spaces amongst consumers, tourists and within manufacturing,” said Steven Goh, Chief Executive Officer of Achiko. “We believe that working together with our partners, reaching just 2% of Indonesia’s population of 270 million may be possible later this year. At 3-5 tests per person per month, that potentially equates to 15-25 million tests per month in Indonesia alone, producing an initial revenue stream of USD 30 – USD 50 million a month.”
In addition, Achiko reports that the testing of AptameX achieved 77% sensitivity (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 75.94 – 79.24) at a favourable CT score of 28.3, from both in-vitro tests in Spain and the subsequent Indonesian field testing of proprietory AptameX chemistry. These tests were conducted in a 96-well plate format and run against RT-PCR.
Scientifically, a CT value signals the number of cycles for a sample to go through to amplify and bring up the viral DNA to a traceable level. Consequently, the higher the CT score, the lower the viral load that can be detected. Currently, used CT score categories are low (<18.5), meaning the viral load in a sample is high, normal (18.5-25) and high (>25), meaning the viral load in a sample is low. It is encouraging that Achiko’s result of 77% sensitivity at a CT score of 28.3 is comparable to all lateral flow testing kits already in the market. The Company expects to announce further improvement on these numbers by a factor of at least 10% and at much higher CT scores.[i]
This breakthrough now sees Achiko undertaking selectivity and stability studies in Europe as a precursor to seeking full CE mark registration in Q3 2021. Following the CE mark registration, Achiko will respond to commercialisation interest across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.
These achievements for Achiko underscore the Company’s commitment to developing a rapid, accurate and cost-effective solution to diagnose those with Covid-19. The investments Achiko has made in transitioning from a fintech to a healthtech diagnostic company are beginning to show promise; the technologies of AptameX and Teman Sehat offer an extraordinary solution to managing further outbreaks of Covid-19 and other diseases in the future. Achiko can respond and act swiftly to global public health crises, not least in developing countries.
“I’m confident Achiko will shortly achieve its goal to deliver a diagnostic test that is available to the entire global population,” stated Mr Goh. “The road of transforming the Company to a healthtech entity has not been without its challenges, however, we are now encouraged and excited by the results and our recent pace of execution.”
Achiko has now shipped the product, and is in the process of obtaining regulatory approval in its initial target market of Indonesia and subject to that approval, the Company will be releasing it to market in Q3 2021. Achiko has invested millions in developing technologies for an accurate diagnostic that will dramatically shorten the time it takes to test and detect Covid-19, and not least at a fraction of the price of current solutions. The Company remains absolutely committed to delivering a product that stands up to the rigours of scrutiny and WHO standards.
Achiko will reinvest revenues in technologies developed as complements that enhance and expedite the safe and effective diagnosis of Covid-19, whilst working hand in hand with vaccine production and roll out. At the current rate of production, vaccination coverage extends to approximately 7% of the globe; which is significantly short of herd immunity.
“Our team has been working around the clock to produce a reliable diagnostic test that helps contain the spread of Covid-19, on order that we help improve the livelihood and socio-economic impact of populations severely hit by this dangerous disease,” said Dr Morris S. Berrie, President of Achiko. “Overcoming some early misinterpretations, we have now further elucidated those data results, and we are nothing short of exhilerated about the impact we can have, not least in those parts of the world that are most in need. Achiko is far from a one-trick pony; and we will be enhancing our current technology and putting out a broader range of related diagnostics as the year progresses.”
“Biomedtech/biopharmaceutical companies are working in close collaboration with government agencies and other stakeholders in the quest to beat Covid-19,”, Dr Berrie added. “Everyone has a unique role to play in combatting this pandemic and we are confident that diagnostics have a critical part to play, and that in accordance with the ‘Covid-19 Swiss Cheese model’[ii], it is a combination of technologies, particularly together with vaccination, that will succeed in overcoming the virus.”
[i] Guglielmi, G: Rapid Coronavirus tests: a guide for the perplexed, 202-205 Nature, Vol 590, 11 February, 2021
Boum, Y et al: Performance and operational feasibility of antigen and antibody rapid diagnostic tests for COVID-19 in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in Cameroon: a clinical, prospective, diagnostic accuracy study, Lancet Infect Dis 2021 online, March 25, 2021
Mak, G et al: Evaluation of rapid antigen detection kit from the WHO Emergency Use List for detecting SARS-CoV-2, J. of Clin. Virology, 134 (2021) 104712
Mak, G et al: Analytical sensitivity and clinical sensitivity of the three rapid antigen detection kits for detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus, J. of Clin. Virology, 133 (2020) 104684
[ii] Mackay, Ian M. (2020): The Swiss Cheese Respiratory Virus Defence
About Achiko AG
Achiko creates and develops new innovations in healthcare technology through its biotechnology division, AptameX, and its sister digital mobile health technology division, Teman Sehat. The Company has created a unique telehealth capability that provides user-friendly diagnostic testing integrated with a digital passport solution for the management of Covid-19.
AptameX comprises of DNA aptamer-based technology that is cost-effective, chemically synthesised and widely applicable to the evolving diagnostic field of healthcare. Together with the digital mobile health app Teman Sehat, Achiko is developing potential technologies that seek to deliver rapid, affordable diagnostic testing for a range of pathogenic diseases and therapeutic indications. The AptameX technology is licensed from Regenacellx.sl and Achiko has exclusive commercialisation rights.
Headquartered in Zurich, Achiko has offices in Hong Kong, Jakarta, Seoul and Singapore.
Further information can be found at www.achiko.com.
If you have any questions regarding the Company, please contact us.
Disclaimer
This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Achiko AG and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Achiko AG to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Achiko AG is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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Dramatic Rise in Numbers of People Concerned about Nature Loss as ‘Eco-Wakening’ Grips the Globe
New global research, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and commissioned by WWF, shows that public interest in, and concern for nature has risen markedly (16%) in the past five years and continues to grow during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Farmer Poisons Own Cows After Mixing Fertilizer With Water
A cattle breeder in Bokeo Province has witnessed the death of his crop after feeding fertilizer to cows in the hope of fattening them.
