Category: Press Releases

Substantial modernization of a key transmission system in Canada will support the transfer of electricity between Montreal and New York.

Zurich, Switzerland, Dec. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, today announced that it has been selected by Hydro-Québec for its high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology for the transmission of electricity, which will ensure the sustainability of the energy exchange between the Quebec network, in eastern Canada, and New York State in the northeastern United States.

Hydro-Québec, the largest hydroelectricity producer in Canada and one of the largest hydroelectricity producers in the world, is a public company that generates, transmits, and distributes reliable, clean and renewable electricity in Québec. Thanks to its surplus energy, it supplies the Canadian provinces and the northeastern United States.

The Châteauguay HVDC system will enable the transmission of up to 1,500 megawatts of electricity between the electrical networks of Quebec and the state of New York which will contribute to maintaining a low carbon footprint in the region. This new system will replace existing equipment which has been in operation since 1984^*1, increasing the efficiency and controllability, plus raising the power conversion capacity of the Châteauguay HVDC system^*2 by 50 percent.

*1 Châteauguay “back-to-back” HVDC converter station

*2 Subject to authorization by the Régie de l’énergie du Québec of the project to replace the converter units at Châteauguay substation.

“We are proud to be returning to the Chateauguay HVDC station, after helping to build it almost four decades ago,” said Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business. “This new system represents an important enhancement to the ability to transmit large-scale hydro power between Canada and the United States, which will support the shift away from fossil fuel.”

Hitachi Energy is supplying a “back-to-back” converter station, which converts AC power to DC then reconverts it to AC from DC enabling the interconnection of the 735 kilovolt Canadian and 765 kilovolt New York grids which are “out of phase” and cannot be connected directly via traditional AC systems.

Note to editors:

Hitachi Energy’s HVDC solution combines world-leading expertise in HVDC converter valves; the MACH digital control platform^*3, which enables renewables integration and manages voltage and frequency disturbances in the grid; converter power transformers and high-voltage switchgear; as well as system studies, design and engineering, supply, installation supervision and commissioning.

*³ Modular Advanced Control for HVDC (MACH)

HVDC Light^® is a voltage source converter technology developed by Hitachi Energy. It is the preferred technology for many grid applications, including interconnecting countries, integrating renewables and “power-from-shore” connections to offshore production facilities. HVDC Light’s defining features include uniquely compact converter stations and exceptionally low electrical losses.

Hitachi Energy pioneered commercial HVDC technology almost 70 years ago and has delivered more than half of the world’s HVDC projects.

HVDC website:

https://www.hitachienergy.com/offering/product-and-system/hvdc

About Hitachi Energy Ltd.

Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world’s energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 40,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD.

https://www.hitachienergy.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachienergy

https://twitter.com/HitachiEnergy

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society with data and technology. We will solve customers’ and society’s challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products, under the business structure of Digital Systems & Services, Green Energy & Mobility, Connective Industries and Automotive Systems. Driven by green, digital, and innovation, we aim for growth through collaboration with our customers. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2021 (ended March 31, 2022) totaled 10,264.6 billion yen ($84,136 million USD), with 853 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 370,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at https://www.hitachi.com.

Attachments

• Chateauguay
• Map of Chateauguay

Jocelyn Chang
Hitachi Energy
+41793847775
jocelyn.chang@hitachienergy.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8715203

Privately grown to $100M+ ARR, the company’s first funding round will be used to accelerate product development for its QMS and MES SaaS offerings

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MasterControl, a leading provider of quality and manufacturing software solutions for the life sciences, today announced its first ever funding, a $150 million Series A round led by Sixth Street Growth. MasterControl has grown profitably for nearly 30 years, and with this funding is valued at $1.3 billion. The proceeds will be used to accelerate the development of SaaS solutions serving the company’s global life sciences customers, which include Pfizer, Cochlear, Thermo Fisher Scientific and more than 1,100 others worldwide.

“For nearly three decades, we’ve been laser-focused on our mission to make life-changing products available to more people sooner. This commitment has led us to attack inefficiencies in quality and manufacturing that were extending product research and delivery cycles. We see an urgent need to help our customers to deliver their breakthrough technologies to the market faster and at a lower cost,” said Jon Beckstrand, CEO of MasterControl. “Our goal is to add a strategic partner with resources and expertise to help us to meet the significant need for our solutions. We’re fortunate to have the experienced investment team at Sixth Street Growth to help make that a reality.”

MasterControl will use the financing to continue to build and enhance its solutions while also placing more focus on technology that will predict and prevent quality events, and enable true AI assisted manufacturing optimization. Investing in new technologies like AI, machine learning and natural language processing will improve customers’ business outcomes and reduce the time and cost of compliance and red tape, getting life changing products to patients in timeframes that were previously not possible.

Before taking on funding, MasterControl bootstrapped its way to more than $100M in ARR with over 25% YoY growth to date. Well into its expansion to disrupt the $17B manufacturing execution system (MES) market through the launch of Manufacturing Excellence in 2019, it has attracted well over 100 new customers in the MES market and seen more than 100% growth in sales every year. With half of the top 50 pharma and med device companies as customers, MasterControl is poised to enter new markets adjacent to its core pharmaceutical and medical device segments, such as contract development and manufacturing, personalized medicine, and cell and gene therapy.

“MasterControl is the SaaS leader helping strengthen the manufacturing industry’s digital transition and ensuring that life sciences and other highly regulated organizations get the safest products to consumers as fast as possible,” said Nari Ansari, Managing Director at Sixth Street Growth. “It has a proven business model, an accomplished leadership team, a marquee client base, and a solid track record of growth. We’re honored to be the company’s first external investor and look forward to supporting its continued success.”

William Blair acted as advisor to Sixth Street Growth in connection with the investment. For more information about MasterControl, please visit www.mastercontrol.com.

About MasterControl
MasterControl is a leading provider of cloud-based quality and manufacturing software for life sciences and other regulated industries. For three decades, our mission has been the same as that of our customers – to bring life-changing products to more people sooner. MasterControl helps organizations digitize, automate, and connect quality and manufacturing processes. Innovative MasterControl tools have a proven track record of improving product quality, reducing cost, and accelerating time to market. Over 1,100 companies worldwide use MasterControl solutions to streamline operations, maintain compliance, easily analyze and interpret large amounts of data, and visualize business insights in real time. For more information, visit www.mastercontrol.com.

About Sixth Street Growth
Sixth Street Growth makes private investments in mid- and late-stage growth companies. The Sixth Street Growth team partners with founders and management teams to provide differentiated capital solutions to accelerate organic and inorganic growth. Sixth Street Growth is the dedicated growth investing platform of Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm with over $60 billion in assets under management and committed capital. Sixth Street has invested over $9 billion in more than 70 companies through its Growth franchise since inception. Select Sixth Street Growth investments include Airbnb, AvidXchange, ConcertAI, Contentsquare, Datavant, Gainsight, Heap, MDLIVE, Spotify, and Sprinklr. For more information, visit www.sixthstreetgrowth.com, and follow Sixth Street on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Media Contacts:
Jennifer Sefakis
MasterControl
jsefakis@mastercontrol.com
+1-801-560-9608

Patrick Clifford
Sixth Street Growth
pclifford@sixthstreet.com
+1-646-906-4339

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8714758

UK marketing authorisations for IOPIDINE® (apraclonidine) fully transferred to Essential Pharma as change in UK NICE guidelines for glaucoma treatment expected to lead to increase in patients’ need for product

Recent change in NICE guidelines indicating laser surgery as first line therapy for glaucoma is expected to increase need for IOPIDINE to control or prevent post-surgical elevations in intraocular pressure

Continuation of global marketing authorisation transfer from Novartis for this important product

Zug, Switzerland & Egham, UK – 15 December 2022 – Essential Pharma, an international specialty pharma group focused on ensuring that patients have sustainable access to low volume, clinically well-established pharmaceutical products across key therapeutic areas, announces that it has completed the transfer of the UK marketing authorisations for IOPIDINE® (apraclonidine) in both available concentrations, IOPIDINE® 0.5% and 1%, following its acquisition of the product from Novartis in December 2021.

IOPIDINE® is a short-term adjunctive therapy for patients with chronic glaucoma to prevent or control intraocular pressure*,¹ including after selective laser therapy, a form of laser eye surgery now recommended as the initial treatment for open angle glaucoma.²

A recent change in regulations by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which placed laser surgery as first line therapy for glaucoma, means that IOPIDINE®, especially IOPIDINE® 1% which is indicated to control or prevent post-surgical elevations in intraocular pressure that occur in patients after selective laser therapy (SLT), will continue to be an important treatment for glaucoma patients that require additional intraocular pressure reduction.²

The acquisition of this long-established therapy sold across more than 20 global markets including several countries in the EU plus Canada, Australia and Japan, is in line with Essential Pharma’s commitment to ensure the sustainable supply of essential specialty medicines to patients. The acquisition also demonstrates Essential Pharma’s strong integration capabilities for newly acquired products and underlines the group’s strategy to be a trusted partner to regional and global pharma companies looking to streamline their portfolios across international markets.

Steen Vangsgaard, CEO of Essential Pharma, commented: “We are delighted to have completed the MA transfer, enabling us to ensure the continued supply of IOPIDINE® and fulfilling a vital need for patients, as has been demonstrated by the change in recent NICE guidelines. We are also pleased that Novartis chose us as a trusted partner for its divestment, further underlining Essential Pharma’s expertise and commitment to ensuring long-term, structured supply of established medicines.”

Gus Gazzard, Professor of Ophthalmology (Glaucoma Studies) UCL & Director of Surgery at Moorfields, commented: “Based on a 3-year scientific study, we compared the treatment of glaucoma using continuous daily eye drops with initial selective laser therapy. This study has shown that SLT has favourable cost-effectiveness versus treatment with daily eye drops.³ Followed by a public consultation finalised in 2021, NICE decided to change the guidelines to recommend SLT as a first line therapy for all open angle glaucoma, which is expected to contribute to meaningful savings to the NHS over the coming years.” ²

In the UK, chronic open angle glaucoma (COAG) affects around 2% of people aged over 40 and can rise to almost 10% in people aged over 75. Ocular hypertension (OHT) affects 3-5% of people in the UK over 40 years of age and occurs when pressure inside the eye is higher than normal, which can cause glaucoma. According to latest NICE guidelines which were updated in 2022, SLT is now recommended as a first line option to treat glaucoma and ocular hypertension allowing patients to quickly receive effective treatment to improve their quality of life.²

1.   IOPIDINE® Summary of Product Characteristics. Available from https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/839/smpc. Accessed December 2022

2.   NICE, Press Release 26 January 2022. Selective laser therapy recommended to treat glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Available from https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/selective-laser-therapy-recommended-to-treat-glaucoma-and-ocular-hypertension#:~:text=News,Selective%20laser%20therapy%20recommended%20to%20treat%20glaucoma%20and%20ocular%20hypertension,(Wednesday%2C%2026%20January). Accessed December 2022

3.   Gazzard G, Konstantakopoulou E, Garway-Heath D, et al. Selective laser trabeculoplasty versus eye drops for first-line treatment of ocular hypertension and glaucoma (LiGHT): a multicentre randomised controlled trial, Lancet. 2019 Apr 13;393(10180):1505-1516. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30862377/. Accessed December 2022)

About Essential Pharma

Essential Pharma is an international specialty pharmaceutical group dedicated to maintaining access to well-established, “at risk” products essential to patients across multiple therapeutic areas. The group has been an important and valued partner to healthcare providers for over 20 years by giving patients access to medicines that otherwise may not be available.

Essential Pharma operates globally, supplying a portfolio of over 150 essential medicines across multiple therapeutic areas. Essential Pharma’s growth strategy is based around identifying and acquiring mature, at-risk products from larger pharmaceutical groups looking to streamline their product portfolios.

Essential Pharma is a trusted partner to multiple pharma companies of all sizes with a proven history of integrating assets, managing complex technology and product transfers while ensuring continual and sustainable supply to patients.

Essential Pharma maintains strong relationships with partners at multiple manufacturing sites across Europe and the US in order to ensure the continuing manufacture of its products to the highest regulatory standards.

Essential Pharma’s growth strategy is backed by Gyrus Capital, an investment firm dedicated to transformational investments in sectors with long term sustainable growth, including healthcare.

For more information, please visit essentialpharmagroup.com

CONTACTS

Essential Pharma

Steen Vangsgaard, CEO

Tel: +44(0)1784 477 167

Email: info@essentialpharmaceuticals.com

Consilium Strategic Communications

Mary-Jane Elliott / Tracy Cheung / Matthew Cole

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700

Email: Essentialpharma@consilium-comms.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000772445

TEMECULA, Calif., Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (“Group”), a part of the Nikkiso Co., Ltd (Japan) group of companies, is proud to have been awarded DNV’s Management System Certificate and ISO 9001:2015 certification. The award was presented to George Pappagelis, President of Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases group’s Process Systems unit. The certificate was issued to Cosmodyne LLC in Seal Beach California.

ISO 9001 is defined as the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS), helps businesses and organizations be more efficient and improve customer satisfaction. By obtaining and implementing the ISO 9001 certification and standardized management system, we can lower operational costs, improve our bottom line, offer a competitive advantage, improve reputation, and deliver better products and services – all of which ultimately benefit our customers!

“We believe that quality is a continuous process that requires us to never stop trying to improve,” according to George Pappagelis, President of Nikkiso Cosmodyne. “Our internal corrective action system helps assure that all of our internal systems, future processes and designs are as trouble-free as possible.”

ISO 9001 certification ensures that quality orientation is lived by each of our employees every day.

ABOUT CRYOGENIC INDUSTRIES
Cryogenic Industries, Inc. (now a member of Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) member companies manufacture and service engineered cryogenic gas processing equipment (pumps, turboexpanders, heat exchangers, etc.) and process plants for Industrial Gases, and Natural Gas Liquefaction (LNG), Hydrogen Liquefaction (LH2) and Organic Rankine Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery. Founded over 50 years ago, Cryogenic Industries is the parent company of ACD, Nikkiso Cryo, Nikkiso Integrated Cryogenic Solutions, Cosmodyne and Cryoquip and a commonly controlled group of 20 operating entities.

For more information, please visit www.nikkisoCEIG.com and www.nikkiso.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Anna Quigley
+1.951.383.3314
aquigley@cryoind.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8714983

VERZUZ by Triller kicks off #VerzuzDESI: A Celebration of Emerging Artists; First In series debuts December 22 at 9.30 PM IST/ 4.00 PM GMT/ 11.00 AM EST

Delhi, NCR, India, Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global trendsetter Triller, an AI-powered open garden technology platform for creators; today announced the global expansion of their most successful live streaming IP, VERZUZ by Triller– created by legendary Hip-Hop producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. VERZUZ by Triller is a celebratory battle between musical artists, ranging from legends, contemporaries and emerging talent and will now expand its celebration of global music audiences with a special series called #VerzuzDesi. Putting a spin on the iconic VERZUZ format, #VerzuzDesi is partnering with Big Bang Music and highlighting rising hip-hop artists Panther and Gravity. The event will live-stream across multiple social media platforms and audiences both in person and watching online will experience the first of its kind hip-hop music battle from India. The first event in the series is set to launch on 22nd December 2022 in Delhi, India at 9.30 PM IST/ 4.00 PM GMT/ 11.00 AM EST live on Triller Facebook, Instagram and Youtube from Social Saket, DLF Avenue.

“2022 has been a banner year for VERZUZ and expanding the property to India where Triller has seen immense growth is exciting for the company. Making industry inroads to highlight emerging talent and creators is a key pillar for the Triller brand and the VerzuzDesi platform will spotlight India’s rising talent to a global audience,” says Mahi de Silva, CEO of Triller.

More about the Artists performing at #VerzuzDesi:

Panther – Coming from a small village of Uttar Pradesh, India, Panther has set his foot in the Indian Music Industry by his lyrical and musically rich performances in MTV Hustle 2.0. He has given Classics like Bus Ek Baar, Loriyaan, Bhasad, Vande Mataram, Kaha Hai Tu, etc during his Hustle performances. Earlier to that, he has released quite a few singles independently and also with labels like Kalamkaar, an EP and a 17 songs mixtape called Jungle and Animals Within. The journey has just begun, he aims to bring a revolution through music and that seems to be going in a very right direction! #buildingpanther

Gravity – Akshay Jagdish Poojary, better known as Gravity, represents the evolution of the Indian hip-hop sound. Having mastered the art of delivering the best acts including ‘Jalaluddin & Maut ka Manzar’ on national television through MTV Hustle 2.0. Gravity has been part of the evolution of hip-hop culture in India through every milestone. Known for delivering conceptual albums & EPs like Prashna Chinha (2018), Putrapaksh (2019),  Walls of Jericho & Walls of Jericho (Deluxe) (2021) & 3:16 (2022). Gravity is the co- founder of multiple hip-hop collectives including Bombay Lokal, Lokal Gang & his first crew Death Clutch Music.

VERZUZ was launched in March of 2020. What started as a battle between two friendly rivals has grown into a global phenomenon celebrating some of the greatest artists of our time, highlighting their careers and generating powerful surges in sales and streams. VERZUZ by Triller has taken its celebration of culture beyond music with successful collaborations in sports, comedy, and more. For more information, visit www.verzuztv.com and follow @verzuztv on Instagram.

Tune-in on 22nd of December at 9:30 PM IST/11 AM EST to watch the live-stream of the exclusive event and be part of the #VerzuzDesi conversation:

Triller India Instagram
Verzuz Intl
Triller India Facebook
Triller Global Facebook
VerzuzTV Youtube
FITE

Follow @VerzuzIntl and @TrillerIndia for more updates.

About Triller
Triller is the AI-powered open garden technology platform for creators. Pairing music culture with sports, fashion, entertainment, and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology, Triller encourages its influencers to post the content created on the app across different social media platforms and uses proprietary AI technology to push and track their content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks, enabling them to reach millions of additional users. Triller additionally owns VERZUZ, the live-stream music platform; combat sports brands Triller Fight Club, Triad Combat and BKFC; Amplify.ai, a leading customer engagement platform; FITE.tv, a premier global PPV, AVOD, and SVOD streaming service; Thuzio, a leader in B2B premium influencer events and experiences; Fangage, a platform for creators to engage fans and monetize content and Julius, a platform for brands and agencies to harness creators for social engagement and social commerce.

About Big Bang Music
Big Bang Music is a new age pop culture company, building powerful music stories for artists, platforms, and brands. The label is a joint venture of Sony Music & Collective Artists Network, India’s largest talent management agency. Over the past three years, Big Bang Music has been cracking new codes for artist discovery, pop culture crossovers, and integrating music with Bollywood, gaming, social and more.

Media Contact:

Triller

press@triller.co

Media Contact:
Triller

press@triller.co

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8714829

Today, the United Nations Member States acknowledged the courage of the Iranian women and girls leading this revolution and acted in favor of women’s rights by voting to revoke the regime’s membership on its preeminent body on gender issues.

NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

This fall, a coalition of Iranian women, along with Vital Voices Global Partnership and For Freedoms launched a campaign calling for the immediate removal of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) after the tragic death of Mahsa Jina Amini and ensuing protests. The following is a statement issued by the group in response to today’s vote by the Commission in favor of the IRI’s removal: 

Today the United Nations and its Member States heeded the call of Iranian women to remove the Islamic Republic of Iran from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. Earlier this year, to the dismay of women’s rights advocates around the world, the Islamic Republic began a second four‑year term on the 45‑member entity that serves as the preeminent global body dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. The final decision included 29 Member States voting in favor of removing the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commision.

Today’s vote marks a pivotal step forward with the U.N. Member States removing a country from the Commission with an appalling record on women’s rights from its membership. Every day that the Islamic Republic of Iran was a member of the Commission on the Status of Women, the body lost credibility.

As we previously stated in an open letter published in The New York Times, the IRI’s long‑standing, systematic oppression of women and the absence of tangible improvements after decades of engagement, should have disqualified them from election to the Commission on the Status of Women.

Yesterday, Iranian women currently imprisoned inside the notorious Evin prison came out with tremendous courage in listing their names in support of this effort.

For decades, gender inequality and discrimination against women have been legally enshrined in the IRI. Under the regime’s penal code and other laws and regulations, Iranian women’s rights are severely restricted in marriage, divorce, inheritance and custody. In addition, they must comply with the IRI’s mandatory hijab laws from the onset of puberty.

Yet, the IRI was elected to the Commission on the Status of Women.

Today, we commend the Member States for upholding their duty to mandate and defend values that support gender equality and for standing on the right side of history by showing their outrage in the face of blatant state violence.

This is a critical moment for leaders in the international community to continue to vocally and unequivocally demonstrate their support for women’s rights by standing in solidarity with Iranian women and girls.

In solidarity with Iranian women and girls who are courageously demonstrating for their fundamental human rights, we condemn the brutal violence against peaceful protesters and the violence at the forceful hands of the Islamic Republic’s regime that includes executions, targeted attacks on women’s bodies, sham trials, mass imprisonment, sexual assault, beatings and torture.

To world leaders who are watching, we urge you to continue to meet the courage of the women leading this revolution and act within your realm of power and influence in favor of women’s rights, fairness and equality.

To the Iranian women who are on the ground continuing to fight tirelessly for basic human rights, we will continue to listen to you, support you, and boldly move in ways that provoke justice, fairness and equality for you and all women, all life and all freedom.

In Solidarity,

– Coalition of Iranian women leaders alongside Vital Voices and For Freedoms
www.womenlifefreedom.today

Visual Assets Available for Use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqiBdtq2nnI

Attachments

• Statement from Woman Life Freedom
• Statement from Woman Life Freedom (2)

Woman Life Freedon
Vital Voices, For Freedoms, and a Coalition of Iranian Women
media@vitalvoices.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8714699

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ Iceotope
Damien Wells, Spa Communications
e: dwells@spacomms.com
m: +44 (0) 7900 302102