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LOS ANGELES — The locker room after the Rams’ 37-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles was as quiet as any this season. Players shouldered blame in quiet, shorts responses to reporters’ questions before filing out and into the night. As they dissected what had just happened, the Rams (5-6) also looked ahead and stated they could not afford for this game to spiral into the next game, which is Sunday’s matchup with the New Orleans Saints (4-7). “Just make sure you turn the page. Obviously, there are things that we want to correct from the game and find ways to be better moving forward, but make sure that we come out with great energy today. It starts today,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said before Wednesday’s practice. “There are going to be things we want to clean up from practice, make sure we do that and move on day-to-day with the right attitude and the right spirit.” As the Rams have gone about making those corrections, a consistent word has come to mind: Consistency. Asked what he’s looking for from the defense Sunday after its worst performance since the early weeks of the season, head coach Sean McVay used that word. He spoke about playing as a unit, sticking to assignments, coverage and pass rush complementing each other. Then he added with a smile, “Same things I’m looking for on the defense would be exactly how I would answer your offensive question as well.” Even 11 games into the season, we still haven’t seen the Rams offense perform with the type of consistency you would expect from a group with this much talent. Against the Eagles, the Rams moved the ball well in the first quarter, reaching the red zone twice without needing a third down. But any momentum was quickly lost with a 10-play second quarter that resulted in a loss of six yards. It was the same story a week before, with the offense blazing in the second and third quarters against the Patriots while going nowhere in the first and fourth quarters. “It’s kind of the word ‘consistency’ right now,” Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. “There are times where it feels like we go right down the field and put it in, and there are other times where it just feels a little bit harder than it should. I think that’s the biggest key right now.” The defense is facing a similar obstacle. The Rams are among the best in the NFL at holding teams without a touchdown in the red zone, limiting opponents to a 48.8% success rate. That ranks eighth in the league, but the flip side is that the Rams allow teams 3.7 trips into the red zone per game, which is tied for 28th. Defensive tackle and captain Kobie Turner raised the issue of allowing too many long drives following the Eagles loss, and defensive coordinator Chris Shula agreed with the assessment. “Some of that, especially the other night, they were in third downs a decent amount of time and it was a third and favorable,” Shula said. “Then, finding a way to get stops, finding a way to play, get them off track, get them into 2nd-and-longs where you get those 3rd-longs, and you can earn the right to rush the passer.” Entering Week 13, it’s not encouraging that the Rams are still struggling to find consistency in their execution. But to this point, it hasn’t upended their season. The wild card might be out of reach, but the NFC West title is still up for grabs. But that starts with a road win against a Saints team playing with nothing to lose. “We know that it’s going to be a great challenge, especially at their place. It’ll be rocking atmosphere and environment with the holidays and the momentum they have,” McVay said. “We’ve a lot of guys that are experiencing things for the first time. I have seen the resolve of this group show itself. Now, we’ve to do it.” RAMS (5-6) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-7) When: 1:05 p.m. Sunday Where: Superdome, New Orleans TV/radio: FOX (Ch. 11)/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 382, 226KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Acting Senior Director for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Henry Gray, says the entity is set to revolutionise its operations, foster efficiency and significantly reduce costs. Dr Gray informed JIS News that with the ‘Digital First’ transformational strategy in place, “over the next four years, we expect to see some significant changes within the organisation.” “One of the major changes will be a reduced need for physical infrastructure, as we adopt cloud-based solutions in several areas,” he said. The transformation will also improve technology adoption rates among staff, aided by comprehensive digital literacy training. Dr Gray pointed out that early indications of success are already visible. “Even now, we are seeing small wins,” he noted, citing efforts to reduce paper usage as an example. “Currently, the organisation’s client service delivery process uses over 1,000,000 sheets of paper each year. By digitising this process, paper usage will be reduced to approximately 800,000 sheets by the end of the financial year,” he said. “When you consider that each sheet of paper costs $15.00, this reduction will save us over $18 million, resulting in the organisation saving approximately $260 million by reducing printing need over the next four years,” Dr Gray added. He also addressed concerns about job displacement due to automation, assuring stakeholders that jobs will be repositioned for greater efficiency. “These roles can evolve to focus on more productive activities, as we move forward with digital transformation,” he said. To further enhance customer service, HEART/NSTA Trust is implementing online assessments, with tablets available for use at business offices. Special accommodation will be made for individuals with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity throughout the process. The organisation is also leveraging modern technologies, such as SharePoint and HEART TV, to provide training and support for its transformation journey. This, combined with staff motivation and public support, sets the stage for HEART/NSTA Trust to achieve its vision. “We are inviting the public to support our mission and vision as we move towards becoming a more digitally-driven organisation,” Dr. Gray encouraged. With projected outcomes of increased efficiency, significant cost savings and a modernised workforce, the HEART/NSTA Trust is poised to lead the way in digital transformation across Jamaica. – JIS
SUGAR LAND, Texas, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. AAOI (" AOI ," " we ," " us " or " our ") announced today that it has closed its exchange with holders (the " Noteholders ") of its 5.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the " 2026 Notes ") of approximately $76.7 million principal amount of the 2026 Notes for (i) $125 million aggregate principal amount of 2.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2030 (the " 2030 Notes "), (ii) 1,487,874 shares of our common stock (the " Exchange Shares ") and (iii) approximately $89.6 thousand in cash representing accrued interest on the 2026 Notes and the value of fractional shares (such transactions, collectively, the " Exchanges "). The 2030 Notes are our senior, unsecured obligations and are equal in right of payment with our existing and future senior, unsecured indebtedness, senior in right of payment to our existing and future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated to the 2030 Notes and effectively subordinated to our existing and future secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness. The 2030 Notes bear interest at a rate of 2.75% per year, payable semiannually in arrears on January 15 and July 15 of each year, beginning on July 15, 2025. The 2030 Notes will mature on January 15, 2030, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. The 2030 Notes are convertible at the option of holders of the 2030 Notes under certain specified circumstances, as set forth in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes. We will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of our common stock or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock, at our election, based on the applicable conversion rate. The initial conversion rate is approximately 23.0884 shares of our common stock per $1,000 principal amount of 2030 Notes, representing an initial conversion price of approximately $43.31 per share of our common stock, an approximately 27.50% premium to the closing price of our common stock on December 18, 2024. If a Make-Whole Fundamental Change (as defined in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes) occurs, and in connection with certain other conversions, we will in certain circumstances increase the conversion rate for a specified period of time. Except in connection with the completion of the Specified Divestiture (as described below), we may not redeem the 2030 Notes prior to January 15, 2027. On or after January 15, 2027, and on or before the 40 th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, we may redeem all or part of the 2030 Notes for cash if the last reported sale price per share of our common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price on (i) each of at least 20 trading days, whether or not consecutive, during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the trading day immediately before the date we send the related redemption notice; and (ii) the trading day immediately before the date we send such redemption notice, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the 2030 Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. Holders may require us to repurchase their 2030 Notes upon the occurrence of a Fundamental Change (as defined in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes) at a cash purchase price equal to the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. In addition, the 2030 Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option at any time, and from time to time, on or before the 40 th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the 2030 Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, if the "Specified Divestiture" (as defined in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes) is completed. If the Specified Divestiture is completed, each holder will have the right to require us to repurchase its 2030 Notes for cash at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such 2030 Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the repurchase date. The issuance of the 2030 Notes, the Exchange Shares and the shares of our common stock issuable upon conversion of the 2030 Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " Securities Act "), and the 2030 Notes, the Exchange Shares and such shares issuable upon conversion of the 2030 Notes may not be offered or sold without registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state or other jurisdictions' securities laws, or in transactions not subject to those registration requirements. Concurrently with the Exchanges, AOI issued an aggregate of 1,036,458 shares of common stock, at a purchase price of $33.97 per share, in a registered direct offering (the " Registered Direct Offering "). Estimated net proceeds from the Registered Direct Offering are approximately $33.7 million after deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses incurred by us. We intend to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, capital expenditures and working capital. We may also use such proceeds to fund acquisitions of businesses, technologies or product lines that complement our current business; however, we have no present plans, agreements or commitments with respect to any potential acquisition. Stefan Murry, AOI's Chief Financial Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, stated that "AOI expects to benefit from the convertible debt exchange transactions and the concurrent registered direct offering by, among other things, extending our convertible debt from 2026 to 2030, reducing our existing interest expense and strengthening the cash position of our balance sheet by approximately $30.2 million through the registered direct offering. In addition, the convertible debt exchange transactions increase our financial flexibility by removing certain existing restrictive covenants in our 2026 Notes. We were able to execute these transactions with minimal additional dilution of approximately 0.5%, compared to the implied dilution of the shares underlying the 2026 Notes." The Registered Direct Offering was made pursuant to an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR (Registration File No. 333-283905), which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC ") on December 18, 2024, and became effective immediately upon filing, including the prospectus contained therein, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated December 18, 2024 filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on December 20, 2024. The prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the Registered Direct Offering are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . Raymond James & Associates, Inc. acted as AOI's exclusive financial advisor in connection with the Exchanges and acted as the sole placement agent in connection with the Registered Direct Offering. Haynes Boone LLP acted as legal advisor to AOI and Mayer Brown LLP acted as legal advisor to Raymond James & Associates, Inc., in connection with the Exchanges and the Registered Direct Offering. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "believe," "may," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "could," "would," "target," "seek," "aim," "predicts," "think," "objectives," "optimistic," "new," "goal," "strategy," "potential," "is likely," "will," "expect," "plan" "project," "permit" or by other similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such forward-looking statements reflect the views of management at the time such statements are made. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions and current expectations, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: reduction in the size or quantity of customer orders; change in demand for our products due to industry conditions; changes in manufacturing operations; volatility in manufacturing costs; delays in shipments of products; disruptions in the supply chain; change in the rate of design wins or the rate of customer acceptance of new products; our reliance on a small number of customers for a substantial portion of its revenues; potential pricing pressure; a decline in demand for our customers' products or their rate of deployment of their products; general conditions in the internet datacenter, cable television (CATV) broadband, telecom, or fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) markets; changes in the world economy (particularly in the United States and China); changes in the regulation and taxation of international trade, including the imposition of tariffs; changes in currency exchange rates; the negative effects of seasonality; the impact of any pandemics or similar events on our business and financial results; and other risks and uncertainties described more fully in our documents filed with or furnished to the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024. More information about these and other risks that may impact our business are set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of our quarterly and annual reports on file with the SEC. You should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to us as of the date hereof, and qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this press release to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations. About Applied Optoelectronics Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical products, including components, modules and equipment. AOI's products are the building blocks for broadband fiber access networks around the world, where they are used in the CATV broadband, internet datacenter, telecom and FTTH markets. AOI supplies optical networking lasers, components and equipment to tier-1 customers in all four of these markets. In addition to its corporate headquarters, wafer fab and advanced engineering and production facilities in Sugar Land, TX, AOI has engineering and manufacturing facilities in Taipei, Taiwan and Ningbo, China. Investor Relations Contacts: The Blueshirt Group, Investor Relations Monica Gould +1-212-871-3927 ir@ao-inc.com Cassidy Fuller +1-415-217-4968 ir@ao-inc.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.MrBeast’s $1M Ronaldo Challenge Brings Sports Legends Together—But Fans Want More
Maureen Arndt, left, founding principal of 720 Design Consultants of Dallas, discusses potential elements for a new Northeast Regional Library at an open house Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at Dupuis Recreation Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Lafayette residents have until Nov. 30 to take an online survey telling planners what spaces and activities they want to be considered when designing the new Northeast Regional Library off Louisiana Avenue. The survey is available on the Lafayette Public Library website at https://lafayettepubliclibrary.libwizard.com/f/nerl1 . Committee member Alton Trahan asked residents to spread the word and encourage others to take the survey by Nov. 30. Participants are asked which library they use and how often, what they usually use it for, how they want the new library to feel, such as such as cozy, energetic or relaxing, and what services or spaces they want in the new library, like a computer lab, study rooms and teen area. As of Thursday, 1,099 people responded to the online survey, Larry Angelle, library system operations manager, told the Northeast Library Committee. Of the respondents: 31% are under 18 years old. 93% have a library card. 25% visit a library weekly or biweekly. 71% use the library mostly to check out books. Asked what library services are most valuable to them, Angelle said the top answers were fiction and best sellers selected No. 1 by 731 of the 1,099 respondents, followed by nonfiction materials chosen by 453 respondents. The top-ranked answer to how they want the new library to feel was "cozy," he said, ranked No. 1 by 406 online respondents. In addition to the online survey, design consultant Maureen Arndt, founding principal of 720 Design Consultants of Dallas, hosted an open house for residents of which 22 attended Nov. 6, as well as focus groups of which six educators attended, five community and business leaders attended and seven government leaders attended. Each participant voted on spaces they want designed into the new library. Their overall top responses were: Storytime/activity space Technology/training lab STE(A)M learning area Study window seats Walking paths Quiet reading room Interactives Study rooms High-tech maker space Garden There were some differences between how the 22 citizens attending the open house voted compared with the 18 who participated in the focus groups. For example, 10 votes were cast at the open house for quiet reading rooms and a community living room, while nobody in the focus groups selected those as priorities for the Northeast Regional Library. Ten votes at the open house went to study window seats, while only two from the focus groups made that selection. Storytime/activity space, the top overall vote-getter, received 16 open house votes compared with only four from the focus group attendees. Nine open house attendees voted for study rooms while only one in the focus groups did. Regarding outdoor spaces at the new library, 10 attending the open house want walking paths and six want a plaza compared with only 2 in the focus group selecting walking paths and none selecting a plaza. Those participating in the open house and focus groups were asked to rank broader categories they'd like to see the new library focus on, which also revealed differences between the residents and focus group participants. Residents at the open house selected learning and interactive as their top category, followed by community living and gathering space. Focus group participants also selected learning and interactive as their top category, but selected gathering as second and tech and trends as third. The consultant will compile these results and the online survey results into a draft master plan, Angelle said. Ideas will be prioritized based on public input, staff input and the library system's mission and compiled into a plan that will fit the budget and the "ideal library the community is telling us we need," he said. On Jan. 31, Angelle said, the draft plan goes to the Northeast Library Committee to review and to be discussed at its Feb. 13 meeting. The committee may recommend changes before the plan goes to the library board on Feb. 17 for a vote. Once the board finalizes the plan, a notice to proceed will be issued for the architects to begin schematic designs, he said. The former Lafayette City-Parish Council earmarked $8 million in 2019 to build the new library to the east of Evangeline Thruway, a socio-economically challenged area cut off from other libraries by interstates and Evangeline Thruway. In May, parish officials finalized the $339,000 cash purchase of six acres of land at 100 Shadow Bluff Drive near Louisiana Avenue for the new library.Michigan aims to cap lost season by beating Ohio State
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a new chapter for Syria can begin that's free of terrorism and suffering for its people. In a social media post on X on Sunday, Trudeau said the fall of the Assad dictatorship "ends decades of brutal oppression." Syrian President Bashar Assad fled the country on Sunday and is now reported to be in Moscow, bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war. The toppling of Assad comes after opposition forces entered the Syrian capital of Damascus, ending half a century of rule by his family. Trudeau said Canada is monitoring the transition closely, and he urged "order, stability, and respect for human rights." Ottawa is urging Canadians to avoid all travel to Syria and to consider leaving the country if it's safe to do so. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre told a news conference on Sunday that Assad "was a puppet for the tyrants of Tehran." "He has carried out genocides against the Sunni people in his own country, and now he appears to have been toppled," Poilievre said in Ottawa. Poilievre said it's unknown who will replace Assad, adding it isn't Canada's fight and that he doesn't believe Canada should get involved. "We should stand with our allies, including Israel, against the terrorists. We should focus on protecting our own country." Ottawa describes the security situation as volatile, and said the Damascus and Aleppo airports as well as some border crossings are closed. An updated travel advisory from the Canadian government warns people to avoid the Middle Eastern country due to what it calls "ongoing armed conflict, terrorism, criminality, arbitrary detention, torture and forced disappearance." Canada has urged its citizens to leave Syria since November 2011, and its embassy in Damascus suspended its operations in 2012. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2024. — With files from The Associated Press. The Canadian Press
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25, making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as "The Game." Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. "I don't think none of that matters in this game," Moore said Monday. "It doesn't matter the records. It doesn't matter anything. The spread, that doesn't matter." How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. "We're going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. "We know they're going to come in here swinging, too, and they've still got a good team even though the record doesn't indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. "You come to Michigan to beat Ohio," said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. "It doesn't necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan." AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Buggs' 15 lead East Tennessee State over Austin Peay 79-57UK to scrap warships, military helicopters and fleet of drones to save money despite threats abroad
Dried Tha Khut Pwint (mangrove trumpet flower) receives overseas orders especially from Thailand and MalaysiaCOPENHAGEN, Denmark--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 8, 2024-- Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB): today announced results from the Phase 1b/2 EPCORE ® CLL-1 clinical trial evaluating epcoritamab (Abstract #883), a T-cell engaging bispecific antibody administered subcutaneously, demonstrated an overall response rate (ORR) of 61 percent and a complete response (CR) rate of 39 percent in difficult-to-treat adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treated with epcoritamab monotherapy. These results, from the monotherapy expansion (EXP) cohort (n=23) of the trial, along with the first safety data from the optimization (OPT) cohort, were presented at the 66 th Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), during the ASH Annual Meeting Press Program. The data will be presented during an oral session on December 9, 2024. In the EXP cohort, the median time to response was two (2.0) months and the median time to CR was 5.6 months. Among all patients in the cohort, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12.8 months and median overall survival (OS) was not reached (median follow-up was 22.8 months). An estimated 65 percent of patients were alive at 15 months. Among 12 responders evaluable for minimal residual disease (MRD) by next-generation sequencing in peripheral blood, nine patients (75 percent) had undetectable MRD. The most frequent non-hematologic treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) in the EXP cohort were cytokine release syndrome (CRS; 96 percent), diarrhea (48 percent), peripheral edema (48 percent), fatigue (43 percent), and injection-site reaction (43 percent). Cytopenias were common (anemia, 65 percent; thrombocytopenia, 65 percent; neutropenia, 48 percent); however, most patients had baseline anemia and thrombocytopenia, suggesting that these events were largely disease-related. Three cases of immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were reported (one Grade 1; two Grade 2), and there was one clinical tumor lysis syndrome (CTLS) case (Grade 2). These cases did not lead to treatment discontinuation. Four fatal TEAEs occurred - two cases of pneumonia, one case of sepsis and one case of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. The EXP cohort followed a 2-step step-up dose regimen, and CRS was manageable and primarily low grade (9 percent Grade 1, 70 percent Grade 2, 17 percent Grade 3). In the first data from the separate OPT cohort, which followed a 3-step step-up dose regimen, CRS severity was substantially reduced with only low-grade events (71 percent Grade 1, 12 percent Grade 2). In both cohorts, CRS events primarily occurred following the first full dose, and none led to treatment discontinuation. No ICANS or CTLS cases were reported in the OPT cohort. “These EPCORE CLL-1 data are encouraging, especially as the majority of patients were heavily pre-treated with at least four lines of therapy,” said Alexey Danilov, MD, PhD, Marianne and Gerhard Pinkus, Professor and Director of Early Clinical Therapeutics and Associate Director of the Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center, Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope. “Despite progress in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia, there remains a tremendous need for additional therapeutic options for high-risk patients whose disease has progressed following standard chemoimmunotherapy and targeted therapies.” Additional data from the EXP cohort showed high response rates in patients with high-risk factors treated with epcoritamab, including TP53 aberrations, IGHV-unmutated disease and double-exposed disease – prognostic markers that are associated with disease progression and decreased survival. i,ii,iii In patients with TP53 aberrations (n=15), the ORR was 67 percent with a CR of 33 percent. Among patients with IGHV-unmutated disease (n=16), the ORR was 63 percent, and the CR was 44 percent. In double-refractory patients, the ORR was 53 percent, and the CR was 37 percent. All patients in the trial had prior chemoimmunotherapy, and most patients had previously received targeted therapies such as BTK and BCL2 inhibitors (double-exposed) and had high-risk disease characteristics. “Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is incurable, and patients often need a variety of treatments throughout their lifetime, especially if their disease has high-risk prognostic factors, has relapsed or has become refractory to the current standard-of-care, including targeted therapies,” said Dr. Judith Klimovsky, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Genmab. “These early data show the potential therapeutic applicability of epcoritamab in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and further reinforce the potential of epcoritamab as a core therapy for the treatment of B-cell malignancies.” Use of epcoritamab in CLL is not approved in the U.S. or in the EU or in any other territory. The safety and efficacy of epcoritamab for use in CLL have not been established. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most prevalent type of leukemia, affecting over 200,000 people in the United States alone. iv Chronic lymphocytic leukemia can be classified as either slow growing (indolent) or fast growing (aggressive). v CLL is incurable, and many patients will likely relapse and progress on frontline therapies. vi Most patients will experience consecutive episodes of disease progression and will require several lines of treatment in their lifetime. vii,viii EPCORE ® CLL-1 is a Phase 1b/2, open-label, multi-center trial to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of epcoritamab as a monotherapy and in combination with standard of care agents in patients with difficult-to-treat relapsed/refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), R/R small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and Richter's Syndrome (RS). The trial consists of two parts: a dose-escalation phase (Phase 1b) and an expansion phase (Phase 2). Patients with RS are only included in the expansion phase. The primary objective of Phase 1b is to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose and the maximum tolerated dose as well as establish the safety profile of epcoritamab monotherapy and epcoritamab plus venetoclax in participants with R/R CLL. The purpose of Phase 2 is to assess and evaluate the preliminary efficacy, safety and tolerability profiles of epcoritamab monotherapy and epcoritamab plus venetoclax for patients with R/R CLL and SLL. Additionally, epcoritamab monotherapy and combination therapy will be evaluated in patients with RS to assess their efficacy, safety and tolerability profiles. More information on this trial can be found at (NCT: 04623541). Epcoritamab is an IgG1-bispecific antibody created using Genmab's proprietary DuoBody ® technology and administered subcutaneously. Genmab's DuoBody-CD3 technology is designed to direct cytotoxic T cells selectively to elicit an immune response toward target cell types. Epcoritamab is designed to simultaneously bind to CD3 on T cells and CD20 on B cells and induces T-cell-mediated killing of CD20+ cells. ix Epcoritamab (approved under the brand name EPKINLY ® in the U.S. and Japan, and TEPKINLY ® in the EU) has received regulatory approval in certain lymphoma indications in several territories. Epcoritamab is being co-developed by Genmab and AbbVie as part of the companies' oncology collaboration. The companies will share commercial responsibilities in the U.S. and Japan, with AbbVie responsible for further global commercialization. Both companies will pursue additional international regulatory approvals for the investigational R/R FL indication and additional approvals for the R/R DLBCL indication. Genmab and AbbVie continue to evaluate the use of epcoritamab as a monotherapy, and in combination, across lines of therapy in a range of hematologic malignancies. This includes five ongoing Phase 3, open-label, randomized trials including a trial evaluating epcoritamab as a monotherapy in patients with R/R DLBCL compared to investigator's choice chemotherapy ( ), a trial evaluating epcoritamab in combination with R-CHOP in adult patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL ( ), a trial evaluating epcoritamab in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide (R 2 ) in patients with R/R FL ( ), a trial evaluating epcoritamab in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide (R 2 ) compared to chemoimmunotherapy in patients with previously untreated FL ( ), and a trial evaluating epcoritamab in combination with lenalidomide compared to chemotherapy infusion in patients with R/R DLBCL ( ). The safety and efficacy of epcoritamab has not been established for these investigational uses. Please visit for more information. EPKINLY is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with certain types of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), high-grade B-cell lymphoma, or follicular lymphoma (FL) that has come back or that did not respond to previous treatment after receiving 2 or more treatments. EPKINLY is approved based on patient response data. Studies are ongoing to confirm the clinical benefit of EPKINLY. It is not known if EPKINLY is safe and effective in children. should be hospitalized for 24 hours after receiving their first full dose of EPKINLY on day 15 of cycle 1 due to the risk of CRS and neurologic problems. if you develop a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher; dizziness or lightheadedness; trouble breathing; chills; fast heartbeat; feeling anxious; headache; confusion; shaking (tremors); problems with balance and movement, such as trouble walking; trouble speaking or writing; confusion and disorientation; drowsiness, tiredness or lack of energy; muscle weakness; seizures; or memory loss. If you have any symptoms that impair consciousness, drive or use heavy machinery or do other dangerous activities until your symptoms go away. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for symptoms of CRS, neurologic problems, infections, and low blood cell counts during treatment with EPKINLY. Your healthcare provider may temporarily stop or completely stop treatment with EPKINLY if you develop certain side effects. have an infection, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. If you receive EPKINLY while pregnant, it may harm your unborn baby. your healthcare provider should do a pregnancy test before you start treatment with EPKINLY and you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment and for 4 months after your last dose of EPKINLY. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant or think that you may be pregnant during treatment with EPKINLY. Do not breastfeed during treatment with EPKINLY and for 4 months after your last dose of EPKINLY. include CRS, tiredness, muscle and bone pain, injection site reactions, fever, stomach-area (abdominal) pain, nausea, and diarrhea. include decreased white blood cells, decreased red blood cells, and decreased platelets. include injection site reactions, CRS, COVID-19, tiredness, upper respiratory tract infections, muscle and bone pain, rash, diarrhea, fever, cough, and headache. include decreased white blood cells and decreased red blood cells. These are not all of the possible side effects of EPKINLY. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or or to Genmab US, Inc. at 1-855-4GENMAB (1-855-443-6622). Please see and , including Important Warnings. Genmab is an international biotechnology company with a core purpose of guiding its unstoppable team to strive toward improving the lives of patients with innovative and differentiated antibody therapeutics. For 25 years, its passionate, innovative and collaborative team has invented next-generation antibody technology platforms and leveraged translational, quantitative and data sciences, resulting in a proprietary pipeline including bispecific T-cell engagers, antibody-drug conjugates, next-generation immune checkpoint modulators and effector function-enhanced antibodies. By 2030, Genmab’s vision is to transform the lives of people with cancer and other serious diseases with knock-your-socks-off (KYSO ® ) antibody medicines. Established in 1999, Genmab is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with international presence across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit and follow us on and . i Campo, et al. TP53 Aberrations in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: An Overview of the Clinical Implications of Improved Diagnostics. . 2018 Nov 15;103(12):1956–1968. . ii Galieni, et al. Unmutated IGHV at Diagnosis in Patients With Early Stage CLL Independently Predicts for Shorter Follow-Up Time to First Treatment (TTFT). 2024. . iii Zuber, et al. Efficacy and Effectiveness Outcomes of Treatments for Double-Exposed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Patients: A Systematic Literature Review. . 2024. . iv Fedele, et al. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Time to Care for the Survivors. . 2024. . v Penn Medicine. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). Accessed November 2024. . vi Odetola, et al. Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). . 2023 Jun 6:1–14. doi: 10.1007/s11899-023-00700-z vii Moreno, Carol. Standard Treatment Approaches for Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia After Frontline Chemoimmunotherapy. . 2020 Dec 4;2020(1):33-40. doi: 10.1182/hematology.2020000086. viii Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Relapsed and Refractory CLL. Accessed November 2024. . ix Engelberts PJ, et al. DuoBody-CD3xCD20 Induces Potent T-Cell-Mediated Killing of Malignant B Cells in Preclinical Models and Provides Opportunities for Subcutaneous Dosing. . 2020;52:102625. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.102625. View source version on : CONTACT: David Freundel, Senior Director, Global R&D & Portfolio Communications T: +1 609 430 2481; E:dafr@genmab.com Andrew Carlsen, Vice President, Head of Investor Relations T: +45 3377 9558; E:acn@genmab.com KEYWORD: DENMARK EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RESEARCH FDA CLINICAL TRIALS BIOTECHNOLOGY HEALTH PHARMACEUTICAL OTHER SCIENCE SCIENCE ONCOLOGY SOURCE: Genmab A/S Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/08/2024 11:00 AM/DISC: 12/08/2024 11:02 AM
The Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) are set to play the Los Angeles Rams (5-5) on Sunday night. The Week 12 matchup will feature an Eagles team inching closer to securing the NFC East title. The Rams are in a three-way tie with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks for second place in the NFC West. The Eagles had several key players battling injury this week. Bryce Huff has been dealing with a wrist injury since Philadelphia’s 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 3. The Philadelphia Eagles lose Bryce Huff for four games Per the Eagles website, Huff was placed on injured reserve Friday “Huff was scheduled to undergo a wrist procedure on Thursday that will hopefully allow him to return before the end of the season. He will miss at least the next four games, starting with Sunday night’s prime-time showdown in Los Angeles.” Sirianni praised Huff for battling through the injury. “He’s really done a good job of batting through, but this will hopefully help him get some more function in that hand,” Sirianni said. Huff has recorded 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 2024. He’s made five starts and appeared in 10 games. DeVonta Smith will not play Sunday night The Eagles had more awful news before Sunday’s contest. Per the Week 12 injury report released on Friday, the Eagles have ruled out wide receiver DeVonta Smith due to a hamstring issue. The star receiver has battled the injury for a few weeks, but will not make it Sunday night. Friday's Injury Report #PHIvsLAR pic.twitter.com/hEyV5JAj0Q — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 22, 2024 Smith is the Eagles second-leading receiver with 41 receptions for 516 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.Japan and Peru have agreed to partner in critical minerals mining—which would strengthen supply chains for both countries by using Japanese technology—amid China’s growing influence in South America. This agreement was announced on Nov. 17 during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte unveiled a 10-year roadmap of strategic cooperation. Just three days prior, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping participated remotely in inaugurating the new deep-water Chancay Port in Peru. This port, in which Beijing invested $1.3 billion in its first phase, was developed under the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s geopolitical influence platform through global infrastructure development. The CCP hailed the project as the starting point of a “new land-sea corridor between China and Latin America.” South America’s vast natural resources are a significant attraction for foreign investments. Critical minerals such as copper, zinc, and manganese are essential for electric vehicle battery production and other green energy products. The partnership will provide Japan, a country with limited natural resources, with the much-needed raw materials for its economic development. Under the roadmap through 2033, Japan and Peru have also committed to enhancing ministerial-level dialogues, including defense and trade. Peru is home to the second-largest population of Japanese immigrants and descendants in Latin America. Ishiba also expressed his wish to strengthen bilateral relations by engaging with the Nikkei communities, which consist of around 200,000 Japanese immigrants and their descendants and act as a bridge between the two countries. Japan’s economic relationship with Latin America spans a long history, with the region accounting for 8–9 percent of Japan’s global direct investments in recent years. However, this new agreement is the first step for the Asian country to begin a sizable investment in Peru. In comparison, China controls a substantial share of the world’s processing capacity of rare earths, handling up to 60–90 percent of key base metals, including cobalt, lithium, and nickel. This dominance in processing gives China significant leverage, as it can impose export restrictions on these critical minerals. In December 2023, for example, China imposed a ban on the export of rare earth extraction and separation technologies, citing national security concerns. Its near-monopoly control of the sector has raised alarms among countries heavily reliant on China for these vital resources. Professor Lee Deng-ker, a Taiwanese political scholar and professor of foreign affairs at the National Chengchi University, told The Epoch Times that along with its growing economic influence in Latin America, China’s dominance in critical minerals will continue to increase, posing potential risks to the security of global supply chains, especially for Japan, which the Chinese communist regime often portrays as an adversary of China. As a result, Lee said, protecting its mineral industries has become a pressing concern for Japan. China’s growing influence in South America has also been a major concern for the United States, as this shift has allowed China to further exert its control over critical metals. Over the past decade, China has surpassed the United States to become South America’s largest trading partner. Between 2000 and 2020, trade between China and Latin America increased 26-fold, from $12 billion to $315 billion, according to the World Economic Forum. This trend continued, with trade reaching $450 billion by 2022. Gracelin Baskaran, director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said building critical minerals security is a pressing concern for the United States. Baskaran urged President-elect Donald Trump to incentivize domestic processing capacity and build strategic partnerships with mineral-rich countries to counter China’s dominance in the sector. Likewise, Taiwan-based Lee said he hopes the United States and its allies, including Japan and Taiwan, can help Latin American nations by promoting economic development and increasing trade, as this would reduce the base from which China projects influence. “This would be a win-win situation and a very important strategy,” he said.
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