Japan's Osaka Expo temporarily suspends water shows after high levels of bacteria detected
A view of 'Water Plaza' at the site of the World Exposition in Osaka, on June 4, 2025.(Atsuhiro Maeda/Kyodo News via AP)
TOKYO — Popular daily fountain shows and a shallow pool area at Expo 2025 in Osaka have been temporarily suspended due to bacterial contamination that required cleaning and safety checks, the event organizers said on Monday.
The aquatic show at the Water Plaza has been suspended since June 4 when legionella bacteria of up to 20 times the legal limit was detected in the water, a week after lower levels of contamination had been found.
Another water area, called the Forest of Tranquility — a shallow reservoir over 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres) where visitors can soak their feet and relax — has also been closed for cleaning due to the legionella contamination, which can cause pneumonia.
The bacteria contamination is the latest problem hitting the Expo site, where swarms of midges have been bothering visitors for weeks.
The venue, built on a former industrial waste burial site in the Osaka Bay in western Japan, where methane gas was detected days before the opening in April.
The use of insecticides have so far not effectively blocked the midges. Organizers say they now believe the source of the midges is the Water Plaza and that additional measures are under way, such as installing an insect screen.
Organizers have also taken anti-bacterial measures at the water areas, including increased sanitation, cleaning drainage pipes and increasing water circulation, to improve water quality at the reservoir and get approval for a reopening from the health authorities.
Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said the organizers should have acted more quickly to close down the water area after detecting increased levels of contamination.
'We deeply apologize over the inconveniences we have caused to the visitors who were looking forward to the (water) shows,' Ishige told a media briefing on Monday.
Organizers says there has been no reported health issues.
The Osaka Expo involves participants from more than 160 countries, regions and organizations who are showcasing their futuristic exhibits. Organizers had expected 28 million visitors through mid-October.
Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press
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Japan's Osaka Expo temporarily suspends water shows after high levels of bacteria detected
A view of 'Water Plaza' at the site of the World Exposition in Osaka, on June 4, 2025.(Atsuhiro Maeda/Kyodo News via AP) TOKYO — Popular daily fountain shows and a shallow pool area at Expo 2025 in Osaka have been temporarily suspended due to bacterial contamination that required cleaning and safety checks, the event organizers said on Monday. The aquatic show at the Water Plaza has been suspended since June 4 when legionella bacteria of up to 20 times the legal limit was detected in the water, a week after lower levels of contamination had been found. Another water area, called the Forest of Tranquility — a shallow reservoir over 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres) where visitors can soak their feet and relax — has also been closed for cleaning due to the legionella contamination, which can cause pneumonia. The bacteria contamination is the latest problem hitting the Expo site, where swarms of midges have been bothering visitors for weeks. The venue, built on a former industrial waste burial site in the Osaka Bay in western Japan, where methane gas was detected days before the opening in April. The use of insecticides have so far not effectively blocked the midges. Organizers say they now believe the source of the midges is the Water Plaza and that additional measures are under way, such as installing an insect screen. Organizers have also taken anti-bacterial measures at the water areas, including increased sanitation, cleaning drainage pipes and increasing water circulation, to improve water quality at the reservoir and get approval for a reopening from the health authorities. Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said the organizers should have acted more quickly to close down the water area after detecting increased levels of contamination. 'We deeply apologize over the inconveniences we have caused to the visitors who were looking forward to the (water) shows,' Ishige told a media briefing on Monday. Organizers says there has been no reported health issues. The Osaka Expo involves participants from more than 160 countries, regions and organizations who are showcasing their futuristic exhibits. Organizers had expected 28 million visitors through mid-October. Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press
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Japan's Osaka Expo temporarily suspends water shows after high levels of bacteria detected
TOKYO (AP) — Popular daily fountain shows and a shallow pool area at Expo 2025 in Osaka have been temporarily suspended due to bacterial contamination that required cleaning and safety checks, the event organisers said on Monday. The aquatic show at the Water Plaza has been suspended since June 4 when legionella bacteria of up to 20 times the legal limit was detected in the water, a week after lower levels of contamination had been found. Another water area, called the Forest of Tranquility — a shallow reservoir over 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres) where visitors can soak their feet and relax — has also been closed for cleaning due to the legionella contamination, which can cause pneumonia. The bacteria contamination is the latest problem hitting the Expo site, where swarms of midges have been bothering visitors for weeks. The venue, built on a former industrial waste burial site in the Osaka Bay in western Japan, where methane gas was detected days before the opening in April. The use of insecticides have so far not effectively blocked the midges. Organizers say they now believe the source of the midges is the Water Plaza and that additional measures are under way, such as installing an insect screen. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. Organizers have also taken anti-bacterial measures at the water areas, including increased sanitation, cleaning drainage pipes and increasing water circulation, to improve water quality at the reservoir and get approval for a reopening from the health authorities. Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said the organizers should have acted more quickly to close down the water area after detecting increased levels of contamination. 'We deeply apologize over the inconveniences we have caused to the visitors who were looking forward to the (water) shows,' Ishige told a media briefing on Monday. Organizers says there has been no reported health issues. The Osaka Expo involves participants from more than 160 countries, regions and organizations who are showcasing their futuristic exhibits. Organizers had expected 28 million visitors through mid-October.
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Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Wet-AMD) Drugs Market 2034: Clinical Trials, EMA, PDMA, FDA Approvals, Medication, Therapies, Statistics, Revenue, Prevalence, and Companies by DelveInsight
Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Companies are Boehringer Ingelheim, Tyrogenex, Regenxbio, Ribomic, Outlook Therapeutics, Gemini Therapeutics, AiViva BioPharma, Opthea Limited, Iconic Therapeutics, Huabo Biopharm, Alkahest, IVERIC bio (formerly Ophthotech Corporation), Curacle, Dobecure, RemeGen, Isarna Therapeutics, Bio-Thera Solutions, Kodiak Sciences, AngioLab Inc, and others. (Albany, USA) DelveInsight's ' Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast-2034 ' report delivers an in-depth understanding of the Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration, historical and forecasted epidemiology as well as the Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration market trends in the United States, EU5 (Germany, Spain, Italy, France, and United Kingdom) and Japan. The Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration market report provides current treatment practices, emerging drugs, the market share of the individual therapies, and the current and forecasted Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration market size from 2020 to 2034, segmented by seven major markets. The Report also covers current Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration treatment practice/algorithm, market drivers, market barriers, and unmet medical needs to curate the best opportunities and assesses the underlying potential of the Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration market. Key Takeaways from the Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market Report In May 2025, Kodiak Sciences Inc announced results of a Prospective, Randomized, Double-masked, Active Comparator-controlled, Multi-center, Three-arm Phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Intravitreal Tarcocimab Tedromer and Tabirafusp Tedromer Compared With Intravitreal Aflibercept in Participants With Neovascular (Wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) In May 2025, NexThera Co., Ltd announced results of a Randomized, Open-Label, Parallel-group, Multicenter Phase 1/2 Study to Evaluate the Safety and Exploratory Efficacy of NT-101 Topical Ophthalmic Solution in Patients With Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) In April 2025, Kodiak Sciences Inc. announced phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Intravitreal Tarcocimab Tedromer and Tabirafusp Tedromer Compared With Intravitreal Aflibercept in Participants With Neovascular (Wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) In the assessment done by DelveInsight, the estimated total diagnosed prevalent cases of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in the 7MM were nearly 40 million in 2023. The highest total diagnosed prevalent cases of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) were accounted by the US in 2023 (~14 million), which are expected to show a rise in the future. Among the European countries, Germany had the highest diagnosed prevalent cases of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) with ~6 million cases in 2023. On the other hand, Spain had the lowest prevalent population (~2 million cases). Japan had nearly 8 million total diagnosed prevalent cases of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in 2023, accounting for approximately 21% in 7MM. Based on age-specific segmentation, the people in the age group of 70-79 were affected the most by Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Wet AMD) in the US, accounting for approximately 406 thousand cases in 2023. The DelveInsight analysis indicates that in Japan, there are more number of cases of people with Dry AMD than people with Wet AMD, with approximately 90% of total cases and 10% of cases in 2023. Among the European countries, Germany had the highest diagnosed prevalent cases of Wet AMD with ~595 thousand cases, followed by France, which had prevalent population of ~389 thousand in 2023. On the other hand, Spain had the lowest prevalent population (~160 thousand cases). Japan had ~840 thousand total diagnosed prevalent cases of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Wet AMD) in 2023, accounting for approximately 21% in 7MM. In 2023, in the US, the age-specific diagnosed prevalent cases of Wet AMD were highest for age group 70-79 (~407 thousand), followed by 60-69 (~393 thousand), =80 (~304 thousand), and 50-59 (~252 thousand). The increase in Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market Size is a direct consequence of the increasing patient population and anticipated launch of emerging therapies in the 7MM. As per DelveInsight analysis, the Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market is anticipated to witness growth at a considerable CAGR. The leading Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Companies such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Tyrogenex, Regenxbio, Ribomic, Outlook Therapeutics, Gemini Therapeutics, AiViva BioPharma, Opthea Limited, Iconic Therapeutics, Huabo Biopharm, Alkahest, IVERIC bio (formerly Ophthotech Corporation), Curacle, Dobecure, RemeGen, Isarna Therapeutics, Bio-Thera Solutions, Kodiak Sciences, AngioLab Inc, and others. Promising Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Pipeline Therapies such as RGX-314, Tarcocimab tedromer, Aflibercept, KSI-301, Eyp-1901, ALK4290, and others. Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Epidemiology Segmentation in the 7MM The epidemiology section of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration offers insights into both historical and current patient populations, as well as forecasted trends across seven major countries. This section aids in understanding the factors behind present and projected trends through analysis of various studies and input from key opinion leaders. Additionally, this portion of the market report provides information on the diagnosed patient pool, trends, and underlying assumptions. Download the report to understand which factors are driving Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Epidemiology trends @ Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Marketed Drugs • BEOVU (Brolucizumab): Novartis BEOVU (Brolucizumab), developed by Novartis, is a potent anti-VEGF treatment used for Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Wet-AMD). It works by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor, reducing abnormal blood vessel growth and fluid leakage in the retina. BEOVU offers a longer dosing interval, allowing up to 12-week dosing schedules. • EYLEA (aflibercept): Regeneron Pharmaceuticals EYLEA, developed by Regeneron, is used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (wet-AMD), diabetic eye disease, and other retinal issues. The drug, aflibercept, is an injectable treatment that slows vision loss by blocking abnormal blood vessel growth in the eye. EYLEA works as a soluble decoy receptor, inhibiting VEGF-A and PlGF to prevent abnormal blood vessel formation. The standard dosage is 2 mg every 4 weeks for the first 3 months, then every 8 weeks. Regeneron is currently testing less frequent dosing and higher doses in ongoing phase III trials. • VABYSMO (faricimab): Roche/ Genentech, Inc. VABYSMO (faricimab) is the first bispecific antibody designed for the eye. It targets and inhibits two signalling pathways linked to a number of vision-threatening retinal conditions by neutralizing angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). Ang-2 and VEGF-A contribute to vision loss by destabilizing blood vessels, causing new leaky blood vessels to form and increasing inflammation. By blocking both pathways involving Ang-2 and VEGF-A, VABYSMO is designed to stabilize blood vessels. Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Emerging Drugs • OPT-302: Opthea Limited OPT-302 (sVEGFR-3) is the first 'Trap' inhibitor of VEGF-C and VEGF-D designed specifically for the eye. OPT-302 blocks the two members of the VEGF family which cause blood vessels to grow and leak. Aberrant blood vessel growth and vascular leakage are hallmarks of several eye diseases, including wet AMD and DME. In combination with anti-VEGF-A therapies, OPT-302 completely shuts-down VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 activity and targets mechanisms of resistance and suboptimal clinical response to existing therapies. • KSI-501: Kodiak Sciences Inc. KSI-501 is a novel anti-VEGF biologic designed to rapidly inhibit VEGF and provide extended durability of action to reduce the burden of frequent anti-VEGF injections. Delivering potent and sustained VEGF inhibition enables patient compliance, results in long-term efficacy, and improves visual acuity outcomes. Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market Outlook Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wet AMD) is a progressive eye condition characterized by the growth of abnormal blood vessels beneath the retina, which can lead to severe vision loss. Treatment aims to manage symptoms, slow disease progression, and preserve vision. The primary therapeutic approach for wet AMD is anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy. These medications, including ranibizumab (LUCENTIS), aflibercept (EYLEA), and brolucizumab (BEOVU), work by inhibiting VEGF, a protein that promotes the growth of abnormal blood vessels. Administered via intravitreal injections, these drugs reduce fluid leakage and vascular growth, stabilizing or improving vision in many patients. The Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) market is driven by several key factors, including the rising prevalence of the disease due to an aging global population, increased awareness and early diagnosis, and ongoing advancements in treatment options such as anti-VEGF therapies and emerging gene therapies. Additionally, robust research pipelines, growing healthcare expenditure, and supportive government initiatives further contribute to market growth. However, the market also faces notable barriers, such as the high cost of treatment, limited accessibility in low-income regions, the need for frequent intravitreal injections, and challenges in achieving long-term efficacy and patient adherence. Moreover, competition among therapeutic alternatives and the complex nature of drug development for retinal diseases can also hinder market expansion. Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Drugs Uptake The drug chapter of the Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration report provides a comprehensive analysis of both marketed drugs and late-stage pipeline drugs for this condition. It delves into the details of clinical trials, pharmacological actions, agreements, collaborations, approvals, patents, and advantages, and disadvantages of each drug, as well as the latest news and press releases related to Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Major Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Companies are Opthea Limited (ASX: OPT), Outlook Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OTLK), Kodiak Sciences (NASDAQ: KOD), Regenxbio (NASDAQ: RGNX), Dobecure (Private), Gemini Therapeutics (NASDAQ: GMTX), Huabo Biopharm (Private), Isarna Therapeutics (Private), IVERIC bio (NASDAQ: ISEE), Ribomic (TYO: 4591), Curacle (KOSDAQ: 301300), Bio-Thera Solutions (SHA: 688177), AngioLab Inc. (KOSDAQ: 251280), Alkahest (Acquired by Grifols – BME: GRF), Tyrogenex (Private), Iconic Therapeutics (Private), AiViva BioPharma (Private), Boehringer Ingelheim (Private), RemeGen (HKEX: 9995, SHA: 688331), and others Scope of the Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market Report Coverage- 7MM Study Period- 2020-2034 Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Companies- Boehringer Ingelheim, Tyrogenex, Regenxbio, Ribomic, Outlook Therapeutics, Gemini Therapeutics, AiViva BioPharma, Opthea Limited, Iconic Therapeutics, Huabo Biopharm, Alkahest, IVERIC bio (formerly Ophthotech Corporation), Curacle, Dobecure, RemeGen, Isarna Therapeutics, Bio-Thera Solutions, Kodiak Sciences, AngioLab Inc, and others. Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Pipeline Therapies- RGX-314, Tarcocimab tedromer, Aflibercept, KSI-301, Eyp-1901, ALK4290, and others. Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market Dynamics: Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market Drivers and Barriers Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Market Access and Reimbursement, Unmet Needs and Future Perspectives Discover more about Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Drugs in development @ Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Clinical Trials Assessment and FDA Approvals Table of Content 1 Key Insights 2 Report Introduction 3 Wet AMD Market Overview at a Glance 4 Wet AMD Market: Future Perspective 5 Executive Summary 6 Key Events 7 Disease Background and Overview 8 Epidemiology and Patient Population 9 Patient Journey 10 Marketed Drugs 11 Emerging Drugs of Wet AMD 12 Wet AMD: Market Analysis 13 Key Opinion Leaders' Views 14 SWOT Analysis 15 Unmet Needs 16 Market Access and Reimbursement 17 Appendix 18 DelveInsight Capabilities 19 Disclaimer About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading healthcare-focused market research and consulting firm that provides clients with high-quality market intelligence and analysis to support informed business decisions. With a team of experienced industry experts and a deep understanding of the life sciences and healthcare sectors, we offer customized research solutions and insights to clients across the globe. Connect with us to get high-quality, accurate, and real-time intelligence to stay ahead of the growth curve. Media Contact Company Name: DelveInsight Business Research LLP Contact Person: Ankit Nigam Email: Send Email Phone: +14699457679 Address: 304 S. Jones Blvd #2432 City: Albany State: New York Country: United States Website:
