Categoría: Geovanny Vicente

MINNEAPOLIS and NEW YORK, Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ:TECH) and the Mount Sinai Health System in New York, through its commercial affiliate Kantaro Biosciences LLC (Kantaro), today announced the anticipated launch of the COVID-SeroIndex, a Kantaro Quantitative SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody RUO kit. Bio-Techne and Kantaro will leverage a joint commercialization and distribution team to support rapid distribution of the assay to the vaccine development community.  The COVID-SeroIndex test kit is expected to be available for research use in early August.  

The COVID-SeroIndex test kit is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or ELISA, designed to measure the presence or absence of anti-COVID-19 antibodies in addition to measuring the titer (level) of antibodies a person has produced.  It utilizes not one, but two virus antigens: the full-length spike protein, and its receptor binding domain. The underlying technology was created by Mount Sinai’s internationally recognized team of virologists and pathologists and has been tested on over 50,000 patient samples.

«The launch of a RUO version of the COVID-19 serology test brings to the research community what we believe is the highest quality SARS-CoV-2 antibody assay available,» commented Dave Eansor, Bio-Techne’s Protein Sciences Segment President.  «The assay supports the life cycle of COVID-19 vaccine development, providing researchers with an objective way of measuring antibody titer.»

«The COVID-SeroIndex test kit is a natural extension of the previously announced Bio-Techne and Kantaro partnership,» said Chuck Kummeth, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bio-Techne.  «We are hopeful that this assay can accelerate the near-term launch of a successful COVID-19 vaccine due to its high level of accuracy and robustness.»

«Mount Sinai has invested heavily in this technology and in leading research and clinical care for COVID-19. We recognized the need to deliver a high-quality, accurate assay and there has been immense development and application of the underlying technology for this test at Mount Sinai,» said Erik Lium, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Innovation Officer at Mount Sinai. «We’re thrilled to launch this additional research assay with Bio-Techne, continue building our understanding of COVID-19, and make this tool available globally to researchers.»

Forward Looking Statements:

Bio-Techne‘s press releases may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the actual results of operations. The following important factors, among others, have affected and, in the future, could affect Bio-Techne‘s actual results: the market for and introduction, acceptance and performance of new products, obtaining the appropriate regulatory approvals, the impact of the growing number of producers of biotechnology products, including COVID-19 testing products, and related price competition, general economic conditions, manufacturing and supply chain disruptions, and the potential impact of COVID-19 on our operations or financial results.

For additional information concerning these and other such factors, see the section titled «Risk Factors» in Bio-Techne‘s annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bio-Techne undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made in its press releases due to new information or future events. Investors are cautioned not to place undue emphasis on these statements.

About Bio-Techne

Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) is a global life sciences company providing innovative tools and bioactive reagents for the research and clinical diagnostic communities. Bio-Techne products assist scientific investigations into biological processes and the nature and progress of specific diseases. They aid in drug discovery efforts and provide the means for accurate clinical tests and diagnoses. With thousands of products in its portfolio, Bio-Techne generated approximately $714 million in net sales in fiscal 2019 and has over 2,300 employees worldwide. For more information on Bio-Techne and its brands, please visit www.bio-techne.com.

Contact: 
David Clair, Senior Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
david.clair@bio-techne.com

About Kantaro Biosciences

Kantaro Biosciences («Kantaro»), a Mount Sinai Health System venture in partnership with RenalytixAI, is dedicated to ensuring that high-quality diagnostic tests for critical health challenges are accessible. The company provides rigorous, results-driven and reproducible diagnostics to advance the care and well-being of people, communities and society. Kantaro specializes in the rapid scale-up of groundbreaking diagnostic innovations and the creation of partnerships to bring these crucial technologies to market. For more information, visit www.kantarobio.com.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City‘s largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai is a national and international source of unrivaled education, translational research and discovery, and collaborative clinical leadership ensuring that we deliver the highest quality care—from prevention to treatment of the most serious and complex human diseases. The Health System includes more than 7,200 physicians and features a robust and continually expanding network of multispecialty services, including more than 400 ambulatory practice locations throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 14 on U.S. News & World Report‘s «Honor Roll» of the Top 20 Best Hospitals in the country and the Icahn School of Medicine as one of the Top 20 Best Medical Schools in country. Mount Sinai Health System hospitals are consistently ranked regionally by specialty and our physicians are in the top 1% of all physicians nationally by U.S. News & World Report.

For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About Renalytix AI

Renalytix AI is a developer of artificial intelligence-enabled clinical in vitro diagnostic solutions for kidney disease, one of the most common and costly chronic medical conditions globally. The Company‘s products are being designed to make significant improvements in kidney disease diagnosis, transplant management, clinical care, patient stratification for drug clinical trials, and drug target discovery. For more information, visit renalytixai.com

 

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SOURCE Bio-Techne Corporation

NESS ZIONA, Israel, Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kadimastem Ltd. (TASE: KDST), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing cell therapies for the treatment of severe debilitating diseases, announced today that its lead product, AstroRx®, showed a positive efficacy signal and a good safety profile in Cohort B of the Company’s Phase 1/2a clinical trial in ALS.

«The current study results are encouraging, as they suggest a clinically meaningful signal of effect. A further randomized, parallel-controlled, clinical trial is needed to confirm these positive effects of AstroRx® in the treatment of ALS,» said Dr. Marc Gotkine, Department of Neurology at Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem and the Principal Investigator of the Phase 1/2a clinical trial of AstroRx®. 

Kadimastem CEO Rami Epstein said, «We are excited by the positive and consistent clinical results, demonstrating both the good safety profile and therapeutic effect of AstroRx®. The comparison between the ALSFRS-R change before and after treatment convey a clinically meaningful decline of more than 50% in disease progression rate for a period of 3 months for both cohorts. The effect was even more profound in patients who deteriorate rapidly. Repeated administrations of the treatment, planned to be assessed in future clinical trials, will hopefully extend the duration of the beneficial effect. These results strengthen our commitment to bringing an innovative therapeutic treatment to ALS, a devastating disease currently having no effective treatment.»

Earlier this year, due to COVID-19, the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) of the Phase 1/2a clinical trial recommended to put additional cohorts on hold to ensure the safety and well-being of the patients. Considering the ongoing situation presented by COVID-19 in Israel, the uncertainty and setbacks imposed, the Company decided to not pursue the additional cohorts of the current Phase 1/2a clinical trial.

«The positive interim results of Cohort A and B strongly support our next global clinical development stages. We are now focused on advancing strategic FDA regulatory processes that will necessitate the conduct of global multi-center clinical trials. In support, the Company is also dedicating resources to production process scale-up as well as to the development of a 2^nd generation of AstroRx® as a frozen product that will accelerate our clinical development plan to support market authorization,» added Epstein.

To support these strategic processes, several senior managers with proven experience in leading such global processes have been appointed, including Dasy Mandel as Director of Business Development, Veronique Bellaiche as Director of Regulatory, and most recently Dr. Ruti Alon as the new Chairperson.

Professor Michel Revel, Kadimastem Founder and CSO added, «The strategic plan will benefit the patients and support the efforts of the medical community striving to bring a solution to this devastating disease. We value the contribution of the patients who volunteered to participate in our trial, as well as the physicians and clinical team at Hadassah Medical Center and look forward to continuing our collaboration during the next stages of global clinical trials.»

Study Design

The Phase 1/2a trial is an open label, dose-escalating, clinical study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of AstroRx® cells in patients with ALS. The primary objectives of the trial were safety evaluation and tolerability of a single administration of allogeneic astrocytes derived from human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC), administered in escalating doses. The secondary objective was to evaluate the efficacy, including ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R), the gold standard scale to assess ALS progression by monitoring patient muscle functions over time.

In the previously reported Cohort A, 5 patients were administered with a dose of 100X10⁶ AstroRx® cells. In Cohort B, 5 additional patients were treated with a single, higher dose of 250×10⁶ AstroRx® cells. Treatment was provided concomitantly with standard-of-care.

Primary Objective: Safety

Similarly to Cohort A, no treatment-related serious adverse events nor dose-limiting toxicities were reported and the treatment was well tolerated in the higher cell dose.

Secondary Objective: Efficacy

To identify decline in disease progression following treatment, ALSFRS-R slope analysis was performed and compared between the pre- and post-treatment periods. The starting point for the slope of the post-treatment period was referred to in the slope analysis in two ways: at first visit after treatment (Day 30, as previously published for Cohort A) and before treatment administration (Day -1). Both analyses were conducted.

• The rate of ALS disease progression in Cohort B patients, as assessed by the ALSFRS-R slope difference between pre-treatment and post-treatment (from Day -1) periods, was significantly reduced from -1.43/month during the 3-4 month run-in period before treatment to -0.78/month during 3-month follow-up after treatment, reflecting a clinically meaningful signal and statistically significant (p=0.0023) decline of 45% in disease progression rate.
• The rate of ALS disease progression in Cohort B patients, as assessed by the ALSFRS-R slope difference between pre-treatment and post-treatment (from Day 30) periods, was significantly reduced from -1.42/month in the pre-treatment period to -0.41/month in the post-treatment period (p=0.0006), reflecting a decline of 71% in disease progression rate.

 

• Pooling the data of the two Cohorts treated with AstroRx® (n=10, from Day -1) exhibited an even more robust and clinically meaningful effect: 
  – The ALSFRS-R slope was significantly reduced from -1.15/month in the pre-treatment period to a rate of -0.54/month post-treatment (p=0.0004). These results reflect a decline of 53% in disease progression rate.
  – Responder analysis, as assessed by the improvement of at least 25% in the ALSFRS-R rate of decline between pre-treatment and post-treatment periods, demonstrated that 70% of Cohort A & B patients treated with AstroRx® were identified as responders.

 

• Post-hoc efficacy (by ALSFRS-R) analysis of rapid progressors:
  Rapid progressors are defined as patients who deteriorate at least 1.1 points of ALSFRS-R per month in the run-in period.
  The treatment effect was even higher when assessing the rapid progressor subpopulation of patients from both cohorts (n=5/10, from Day -1): 
  – Slope analysis of ALSFRS-R demonstrated a reduction from -1.58/month in the run-in to -0.65/month during the post treatment, which reflects a decline of 59% in disease progression (p = 0.0003). 
  – Change from baseline in the mean decline of ALSFRS-R during the pre-treatment period in rapid progressors was -4.74 points over 90 days. In contrast, the mean decline in the post-treatment period was reduced to -2.77 over 90 days, a decline of 1.97 ALSFRS-R points per 3 months.
  – In Responder analysis, 80% of rapid progressor patients treated with AstroRx® were identified as responders.

 

The final results of the 6-month follow-up post-treatment for Cohort B are expected in Q4 2020.

About AstroRx®

AstroRx® is a cell therapy product developed and manufactured by Kadimastem at its GMP-compliant facility. AstroRx® contains functional, healthy astrocytes (nervous system support cells) derived from human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC) that aim to protect diseased motor neurons through several mechanisms of action.

The Company’s technology enables the injection of AstroRx® cells into the cerebrospinal cord fluid (CSF) of patients using a standard lumbar puncture procedure. The goal is to support the malfunctioning cells in the brain and spinal cord of patients suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), in order to slow the progression of the disease, improve quality of life and extend life expectancy for these patients. AstroRx® has been granted orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of ALS.

AstroRx® has shown to be safe and effective in preclinical trials and is now being further assessed in a Phase 1/2a open label clinical trial at Hadassah Medical Center, Ein-Kerem, Israel. The objective of the trial is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of escalating doses of AstroRx® cells in patients with ALS. Treatment is administered in addition to the appropriate standard-of-care.

Scientific literature indicates that astrocyte cells play a substantial role in supporting malfunctioning cells also in other neurodegenerative diseases, in addition to ALS. Accordingly, the Company is also evaluating other potential applications of the AstroRx® cell product.

About ALS 

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease causing dysfunction in the upper and lower motor nerves that control muscle function. ALS leads to muscle weakness, loss of motor function, paralysis, breathing problems, and eventually death. The average life expectancy of ALS patients is 2-5 years. According to the ALS Therapy Development Institute, it is estimated that there are approximately 450,000 ALS patients worldwide of which 30,000 reside in the US. According to the ALS Foundation for Life, the annual average healthcare costs of an ALS patient in the US are estimated at US$ 200,000. Thus, the annual healthcare costs of ALS patients in the US alone amount to US$ 6 Billion.

About Kadimastem

Kadimastem is a clinical stage cell therapy company, developing and manufacturing «off-the-shelf,» allogeneic, proprietary cell products based on its technology platform for the expansion and differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs) into functional cells. AstroRx®, the Company’s lead product, is an astrocyte cell therapy for the treatment of ALS, currently undergoing a Phase 1/2a clinical trial. IsletRx is the Company’s second product in development. IsletRx is comprised of functional pancreatic islet cells intended to treat patients with insulin dependent diabetes. IsletRx demonstrated safety and efficacy in a proof of concept preclinical study. Kadimastem was founded by Professor Michel Revel, CSO of the Company and Professor Emeritus of Molecular Genetics at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Professor Revel received the Israel Prize for the invention and development of Rebif^®, a multiple sclerosis blockbuster drug sold worldwide. Kadimastem is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: KDST).

Forward Looking Statement

This document may include forward-looking information as defined in the Securities Law, 5728 – 1968. Forward-looking information is uncertain and mostly is not under the Company’s control and the realization or non-realization of forward-looking information will be affected, among other things, by the risk factors characterizing the Company’s activity, as well as developments in the general environment and external factors affecting the Company’s activity. The Company’s results and achievements in the future may differ materially from any presented herein and the Company makes no undertaking to update or revise such projection or estimate and does not undertake to update this document. This document does not constitute a proposal to purchase the Company’s securities or an invitation to receive such offers. Investment in securities in general and in the Company in particular bears risks. One should take into account that past performance does not necessarily indicate performance in the future.

Social Media: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1222970/Kadimastem_AstroRx_ALS_Trial.jpg

Company Contacts:

Yossi Nizhar, CFO
y.nizhar@kadimastem.com 
+972-73-797-1604 

Marjie Hadad
General Manager
Must Have Communications
marjie@mhc-pr.com 
+1-917-790-1178 (US Press)
+972-54-536-5220 (International and WhatsApp)

Gil Kraiem
Pitch Media
gil@pitch-media.com 
+972-50-570-3090 (Israeli Press)

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SOURCE Kadimastem

MONTREAL , Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Dermadry is back with the second annual edition of its scholarship. The contest is open to students from around the globe who suffer from hyperhidrosis, a medical condition characterized by excessive sweating that affects approximately 5% of the global population.

Students with hyperhidrosis are faced with a unique set of challenges, which can have a significant impact on quality of life and interfere with their ability to complete daily tasks. Some of these challenges include constantly sweating through school uniforms, shying away from social activities or ruining books, papers, and technology tools due to uncontrollable sweaty hands. It can also lead to an increase in stress and anxiety levels, isolation and bullying.

Submissions

Dermadry is asking students to record themselves discussing their hyperhidrosis story and the impact that excessive sweating has had on their studies and daily life. Submissions are open globally and must be in a video format (minimum 60 seconds).

The prize for the contest is a US$2,000 scholarship and a Dermadry Total device (valued at US$499) to treat the condition. This contest furthers Dermadry’s mission of de-stigmatizing excessive sweating and raising awareness about hyperhidrosis, which is a common but seldom spoken-about condition. The company encourages all applicants over the age of 18 currently enrolled in a post-secondary educational program to come forward and share their stories.

Applicants must upload their completed video to a video-hosting platform (e.g., YouTube) and include a link to their video in their submission that must be completed on Dermadry’s website at this link. Submissions open on Aug. 3, 2020, and close on Aug. 19, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Finalists

Ten finalists will be selected by Dermadry and announced on Aug. 21, 2020. This year, Dermadry is asking participants to use their voice and platform to increase awareness of hyperhidrosis. Four extra finalist spots will be reserved for those with the most engagement on their post about the scholarship on the following platforms: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter. 

The vote will then be open to the public who can cast their votes for the winner on Dermadry’s website. The final vote tally will determine the winner, which will be announced on Aug. 26, 2020.

The contest is open worldwide and entries are welcome in all languages. Dermadry encourages all applicants to be creative. They can share their story, write a song, make an animation or create anything that showcases their creativity and individuality.

For more information and full contest rules, please visit Dermadry’s 2020 scholarship page on its website here. Here’s to a sweat-free school year!

About Dermadry

Dermadry is a Canadian medical device company headquartered in Quebec that manufactures an FDA-cleared iontophoresis device that treats hyperhidrosis. Learn more at dermadry.com and on social media @dermadry. 

Media Contact:

For any media inquiries, please contact media@dermadry.com.

Related Images

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SOURCE Dermadry

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today issued its 2019 Sustainability Report, focusing on performance of the environmental, social and governance factors that support the company’s 2020 Sustainability Goals from October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019 (FY 2019).

BD’s sustainability strategy is driven by its purpose – Advancing the world of health™ – and provides the framework for how it manages, and makes an impact on, the most relevant social and environmental issues for the company and its stakeholders.  

• Innovation – contributing to more sustainable health care systems by improving outcomes, reducing costs and protecting patients and health care workers
• Access – supporting health system improvements in emerging and developing economies, and reaching vulnerable populations globally
• Efficiency – working across the value chain to reduce environmental impacts and create positive social impact
• Empowerment – advancing a purpose-driven culture through workforce and community engagements

Highlights from this year’s report include:

• Innovation: In FY 2019, BD launched 25 products across the company’s three businesses – Medical, Interventional and Life Sciences – further increasing access to quality health care. The company continues to identify opportunities for innovation to help address health care challenges and drive business performance.
• Access: In August 2019, BD was recognized for its third time in five years by Fortune magazine, and named to its «Change the World List» for the company’s extensive efforts in helping combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through programs that raise awareness of AMR, as well as mobilize the health care industry, leaders and communities around the world to take action to extend the useful life of medications.
• Efficiency: Since setting its 2020 Sustainability targets in 2015, BD has continued to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption, and remains committed to waste reduction, and increasing use of renewable energy, including the installation of on-site solar power generation across BD’s sites – most recently at the company’s global headquarters in Franklin Lakes, NJ. Over the course of FY 2019, the company identified more than 200 energy reduction projects that will amount to over $5 million in energy savings, once completed. Projects include the replacement of existing lighting with LED lighting, recommissioning of an ice plant, combined heat and power projects, installation of solar panel projects and various equipment upgrades.
• Empowerment: BD is committed to fostering an environment that welcomes and empowers an inclusive and diverse workforce which has earned the company recognition by a number of organizations in 2019, including the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality), Bloomberg (2020 Gender Equality Index), and Forbes (Best Employers for Diversity 2020), among others. The company continues to place a strong focus on philanthropy, providing $10 million in cash donations and $14 million in product donations, as well as expertise and employee volunteer hours to non-profit organizations around the world.

«We are proud of our accomplishments in FY 2019, but we will never be satisfied with maintaining the status quo,» said Tom Polen, CEO and president. «Just as we continuously seek new innovations to help more patients live better lives, we strive to be the best employer, the best environmental steward and the best global corporate citizen we can possibly be.»

The company will announce new sustainability commitments later in FY 2021 which will focus on shared value creation – addressing unmet societal needs through business models and initiatives that also contribute to commercial success. For more information about the company’s sustainability goals, view the 2019 Sustainability Report here: https://www.bd.com/en-us/company/sustainability-at-bd.

About BD

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 65,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians’ care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers’ capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com. 

 

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SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today issued its 2019 Sustainability Report, focusing on performance of the environmental, social and governance factors that support the company’s 2020 Sustainability Goals from October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019 (FY 2019).

BD’s sustainability strategy is driven by its purpose – Advancing the world of health™ – and provides the framework for how it manages, and makes an impact on, the most relevant social and environmental issues for the company and its stakeholders.  

• Innovation – contributing to more sustainable health care systems by improving outcomes, reducing costs and protecting patients and health care workers
• Access – supporting health system improvements in emerging and developing economies, and reaching vulnerable populations globally
• Efficiency – working across the value chain to reduce environmental impacts and create positive social impact
• Empowerment – advancing a purpose-driven culture through workforce and community engagements

Highlights from this year’s report include:

• Innovation: In FY 2019, BD launched 25 products across the company’s three businesses – Medical, Interventional and Life Sciences – further increasing access to quality health care. The company continues to identify opportunities for innovation to help address health care challenges and drive business performance.
• Access: In August 2019, BD was recognized for its third time in five years by Fortune magazine, and named to its «Change the World List» for the company’s extensive efforts in helping combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through programs that raise awareness of AMR, as well as mobilize the health care industry, leaders and communities around the world to take action to extend the useful life of medications.
• Efficiency: Since setting its 2020 Sustainability targets in 2015, BD has continued to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption, and remains committed to waste reduction, and increasing use of renewable energy, including the installation of on-site solar power generation across BD’s sites – most recently at the company’s global headquarters in Franklin Lakes, NJ. Over the course of FY 2019, the company identified more than 200 energy reduction projects that will amount to over $5 million in energy savings, once completed. Projects include the replacement of existing lighting with LED lighting, recommissioning of an ice plant, combined heat and power projects, installation of solar panel projects and various equipment upgrades.
• Empowerment: BD is committed to fostering an environment that welcomes and empowers an inclusive and diverse workforce which has earned the company recognition by a number of organizations in 2019, including the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality), Bloomberg (2020 Gender Equality Index), and Forbes (Best Employers for Diversity 2020), among others. The company continues to place a strong focus on philanthropy, providing $10 million in cash donations and $14 million in product donations, as well as expertise and employee volunteer hours to non-profit organizations around the world.

«We are proud of our accomplishments in FY 2019, but we will never be satisfied with maintaining the status quo,» said Tom Polen, CEO and president. «Just as we continuously seek new innovations to help more patients live better lives, we strive to be the best employer, the best environmental steward and the best global corporate citizen we can possibly be.»

The company will announce new sustainability commitments later in FY 2021 which will focus on shared value creation – addressing unmet societal needs through business models and initiatives that also contribute to commercial success. For more information about the company’s sustainability goals, view the 2019 Sustainability Report here: https://www.bd.com/en-us/company/sustainability-at-bd.

About BD

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 65,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians’ care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers’ capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com. 

 

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SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)

DALLAS, Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Jacobs (NYSE:J) has launched a global Action Plan for Advancing Justice and Equality, which builds on Jacobs’ existing global inclusion and diversity strategy, TogetherBeyond^sm, and sets actionable initiatives and measurable objectives in the company’s continuing efforts to address embedded and systemic racial inequities.

«This action plan is about achieving true equality for all of our employees current and future – with a focus on ensuring Black employees have the tools needed to advance and achieve their ultimate goals at Jacobs,» said Jacobs Chair and CEO Steve Demetriou. «Using the power of Jacobs’ strong underlying culture of inclusion and diversity to drive innovation in solutions means higher value for our employees, our customers and communities, and inevitably, higher returns for our shareholders.»

Employees initiated the development of the action plan with a team who collaborated alongside Jacobs’ Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team to outline three key sets of commitments and specific, measurable actions with performance outcomes:    

No. 1 – Amplify culture of belonging

• Expand beyond our Conscious Inclusion program, training the full 55,000-person global workforce in Bystander Intervention by the end of FY21
• Engage 3,000 Jacobs leaders over the next 12 months to increase their focus on justice and equality through meaningful discussion and dialogue with leading speakers and scholars on anti-racism, justice and equality
• Require I&D as a priority in senior leaders’ annual performance plan tied to compensation for accountability
• Add Martin Luther King, Jr., Day as a U.S. holiday; actively encourage employees to engage in volunteer opportunities around racial equality and justice; and drive adoption of MLK Jr. Day in the industry
• Appoint TogetherBeyond leader to drive global I&D strategy and programs

No. 2 – Recruit, retain and advance Black employees based on merit

• Increase representation of Black employees at all levels over the next three years to proportionally reflect the overall external population, and provide continuous professional development and advancement
• Partner with external organizations to provide leadership development programs to accelerate advancement for Black employees to mid- and senior-level leadership
• Require senior leaders to sponsor and mentor two diverse employees (one of whom must be Black), ensuring global reach of mentoring opportunities and accountability for success
• Further strengthen diversity of the Board of Directors, including Black representation

No. 3 – Contribute to structural change in the broader society

• Donate $10M over the next five years in support of Black educational and professional development and scholarship opportunities
• Promote programs and volunteer opportunities for organizations committed to justice and equality through Jacobs’ Collectively^sm giving and volunteering program. An example includes applying our expertise in water in at-risk urban and rural communities
• Materially increase women- and minority-owned supplier and vendor spending over the next five years; expand Jacobs’ Mentor-Protégé program with local subcontractors, suppliers, and professional services firms to encourage more women and minority firm engagement and growth

To drive this action plan as well as the global I&D strategy, Jacobs has appointed Jeff Dingle as Vice President and Global Director of TogetherBeyond.

«Advancing justice and equality requires strong leadership and a relentless drive to deliver on the vision,» Demetriou said. «Jeff is the right person to lead this important work and grow a culture where employees want to join, stay and thrive.

«Ultimately, contributing to structural change at Jacobs and the broader society is about doing our part as a global leader, leveraging our scale within the industry to set the tone and influence peers. We must create a culture in which every person can access a future of opportunities. The time is now for us to get this right – once and for all.»

About Jeff Dingle
Jeff has more than 30 years’ experience across several markets as well as a strong global network, including leadership roles in many industry organizations in the U.S. He currently serves as Vice President and Global Strategic Sales Director within Jacobs’ People & Places Solutions line of business and brings a broad perspective to the TogetherBeyond role, having served in California state government, as well as a principal within three small minority-owned firms before joining Jacobs in 2008. Jeff is a registered professional engineer with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

About TogetherBeyond^sm
TogetherBeyond is Jacobs’ approach to living inclusion every day and enabling diversity and equality globally. This means creating a culture of belonging where all thrive by embracing all perspectives. The TogetherBeyond Global Strategy is built on four strategic pillars: Culture Building & Engagement, Leadership Commitment & Accountability, Developing Talent and Growing the Business.

About Jacobs
At Jacobs, we’re challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world’s most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $13 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management’s current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related reaction of governments on global and regional market conditions and the company’s business. For a description of some additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 27, 2019, and in particular the discussions contained under Item 1 – Business; Item 1A – Risk Factors; Item 3 – Legal Proceedings; and Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 26, 2020, and in particular the discussions contained under Part I, Item 2 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; Part II, Item 1 – Legal Proceedings; and Part II, Item 1A – Risk Factors, as well as the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law.

For press/media inquiries:
Kerrie Sparks
214.583.8433

 

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SOURCE Jacobs