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Business Wire
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Precision BioSciences Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Provides Business Update
DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Precision BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: DTIL), a clinical stage gene editing company utilizing its novel proprietary ARCUS ® platform to develop in vivo gene editing therapies for diseases with high unmet need, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, and provided a business update. 'We started 2025 with strong momentum and a focus on generating impactful clinical data across our in vivo gene editing pipeline. Early this year, data from the OTC-HOPE trial provided the first clinical validation for ARCUS in vivo gene insertion following a complete response in an infant with OTC-deficiency,' said Michael Amoroso, Chief Executive Officer of Precision BioSciences. 'In addition, the Phase 1 ELIMINATE-B trial evaluating PBGENE-HBV, our lead program for chronic Hepatitis B, is progressing as planned. We presented encouraging data at the recent EASL Congress highlighting the safety of PBGENE-HBV after repeat dosing as planned in the ELIMINATE-B protocol. We look forward to sharing additional updates from the ELIMINATE-B trial throughout 2025, including antiviral efficacy data from each cohort upon completion of three dose administrations. In addition, we recently received U.S. investigational new drug (IND) approval to expand this important global trial as well as Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) underscoring ARCUS' potential to deliver a curative treatment option for people in need living with chronic Hepatitis B.' 'In tandem with the ongoing clinical trials, we continued to advance our in vivo gene editing programs and shared encouraging data across multiple assets at ASGCT. Of note, we presented exciting proof of concept data from PBGENE-DMD. This data was the first pre-clinical proof of protein expression linked to improved and sustained muscle function across 3-, 6-, and 9-month time points in disease models. PBGENE-DMD makes a correction in the body's dystrophin gene to produce a near full length functional dystrophin that is present in nature. Due to its targeting of satellite muscle stem cells which are the progenitor cells for new muscle cells, PBGENE-DMD's one-time correction approach aims to offer the potential for durable functional improvement with lower doses of AAV. In consideration of the data, the high unmet need of those afflicted with DMD due to limited treatment options, and the established regulatory support and guidance within the FDA, we have prioritized this program to be our second wholly owned program with a target IND and/or clinical trial application (CTA) in 2025,' continued Mr. Amoroso. 'This reinforces our commitment to delivering transformative therapies in genetic diseases with the highest unmet need and driving near and long-term value while being prudent stewards of capital.' Wholly Owned Portfolio PBGENE-HBV (Viral Elimination Program): PBGENE-HBV is Precision's wholly owned in vivo gene editing program under investigation in a global first-in-human clinical trial, which is designed to be a potentially curative treatment for chronic Hepatitis B infection. PBGENE-HBV is the first and only potentially curative gene editing program to enter the clinic that is specifically designed to eliminate cccDNA and inactivate integrated HBV DNA, the root cause chronic Hepatitis B. The ELIMINATE-B trial is investigating PBGENE-HBV at multiple ascending dose levels with three dose administrations per dose level in patients with chronic Hepatitis B. In February 2025, Precision announced initial results from the first administration of PBGENE-HBV in cohort 1, the lowest dose level of the ELIMINATE-B trial. PBGENE-HBV was safe and well tolerated in all three participants in cohort 1 after the first administration of a 0.2 mg/kg dose. In addition to safety, PBGENE-HBV demonstrated a substantial reduction in Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in two of the three participants following the first administration at the lowest dose level. In March 2025, the FDA cleared PBGENE-HBV to commence Phase 1 clinical trials in the U.S and in April 2025, the FDA granted Fast Track designation to PBGENE-HBV for chronic Hepatitis B. Throughout 2025, the Company plans to share updates on full cohorts including antiviral efficacy at different dose levels as each cohort is completed following three dose administrations and appropriate follow up. Also, in April 2025, the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency cleared PGENE-HBV for Phase 1 trial making it the fifth country to clear a CTA or IND for PBGENE-HBV. On May 8, 2025, Precision presented initial safety data for PBGENE-HBV at the European Association for the Study of the Liver Congress (EASL), which indicated translation of PBGENE-HBV nonclinical pharmacokinetic and safety data from non-human primates into the clinic. These data support pre-planned repeat dosing as well as dose escalation of PBGENE-HBV with the goal of moving appropriate dose and schedule into Phase 2 expansion. PBGENE-DMD (Muscle Targeted Excision Program): PBGENE-DMD is Precision's development program for the treatment of DMD. DMD is a genetic disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene that prevent production of the dystrophin protein and affects approximately 15,000 patients in the U.S. alone. There are currently no approved therapies that can drive durable and significant functional improvements over time. PBGENE-DMD is designed to improve function over time and addresses more than 60% of patients afflicted with DMD by employing two complementary ARCUS nucleases delivered in a single AAV to excise exons 45-55 of the dystrophin gene with the aim of restoring a near-full length functional dystrophin protein within the body that more closely resembles normal dystrophin as opposed to synthetic, truncated dystrophin approaches with minimal functional benefit. In preclinical data presented at the muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) in March 2025 and additional new data presented at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) on May 14, 2025, PBGENE-DMD demonstrated the ability to target key muscle types involved in the progression of DMD and significant, durable functional improvement in a humanized DMD mouse model. PBGENE-DMD restored the body's ability to produce a near full length functional dystrophin protein across multiple muscles, including cardiac tissue and various key skeletal muscle groups. In addition, PBGENE-DMD edited satellite muscle stem cells, believed to be critical for long-term durability and sustained functional improvement. Based on these compelling data, the significant unmet need in DMD, and the clear regulatory guidance established for new therapeutics for DMD, Precision believes that PBGENE-DMD holds significant potential for the majority of patients with DMD. As a result, Precision is prioritizing and accelerating the development of PBGENE-DMD as its second wholly owned clinical program and targets filing an IND and/or CTA for PBGENE-DMD in 2025 with clinical data expected in 2026. PBGENE-3243 (Mutant Mitochondrial DNA Elimination Program): PBGENE-3243 is a first-of-its-kind potential treatment for m.3243-associated mitochondrial disease that is designed to specifically target and eliminate mutant m.3243G mitochondrial DNA, thereby eliminating the root cause of the disease. Currently, there are no curative treatments for m.3243-associated mitochondrial disease, which affects approximately 20,000 people in the U.S. alone and an even larger prevalent population globally. PBGENE-3243 is designed to alleviate muscular myopathy symptoms, providing a significant quality of life and functional improvement for patients. New preclinical data presented at ASGCT on May 14, 2025, highlight the ability of an ARCUS nuclease to eliminate mutant mitochondrial DNA and achieve therapeutically meaningful heteroplasmy shifts in vivo. Reductions of mutant mtDNA exceed the baseline cited in the literature to be sufficient to alleviate the clinical symptoms in patients with m.3243-associated disease. To accelerate development of PBGENE-DMD and maintain operational capability to deliver PBGENE-HBV and PBGENE-DMD data through Phase 1 clinical results, Precision plans to pause development of PBGENE-3243 and will stage future development of PBGENE-3243 alone or with partners following completion of the Phase 1 ELIMINATE-B HBV trial and after the PBGENE-DMD program reaches the clinic. Partnered Programs: iECURE-OTC (Gene Insertion Program): Led by iECURE, ECUR-506 is an ARCUS-mediated in vivo gene editing program currently in a first-in-human Phase 1/2 trial (OTC-HOPE) evaluating ECUR-506 as a potential treatment for neonatal onset ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency. In January 2025, iECURE reported clinical efficacy and safety data in the first patient dosed showing a complete clinical response from three months post-exposure to the end of study at six months, as defined by the study protocol. The patient is now more than one year old and is eating age-appropriate levels of protein for a child of this age. Clinical data from the first patient in the ongoing OTC-HOPE trial was presented at the 2025 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in March 2025 and additional data has been accepted for presentation at ASGCT 2025. The OTC-HOPE study is ongoing in the U.K., the U.S., Australia, and Spain, and iECURE expects to complete enrollment in 2025 and anticipates complete data from the trial in the first half of 2026. PBGENE-NVS (Gene Insertion Program): Precision continues to advance its gene editing program with Novartis to develop a custom ARCUS nuclease for patients with hemoglobinopathies, such as sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. The collaborative intent is to insert, in vivo, a therapeutic transgene as a potential one-time transformative treatment administered directly to the patient to overcome disparities in patient access to treatment with other therapeutic technologies, including those that are targeting an ex vivo gene editing approach. Quarter Ended March 31, 2025 Financial Results: Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash: As of March 31, 2025, Precision had approximately $100 million in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash. The Company expects that existing cash and cash equivalents, potential near-term cash from CAR T transactions, along with expected operational receipts, continued fiscal and operating discipline, and availability of Precision's at-the-market (ATM) facility to extend Precision's cash runway into the second half of 2026. Based on its expected cash runway, Precision believes it is sufficiently capitalized to advance its two lead wholly owned programs, PBGENE-HBV and PBGENE-DMD through Phase 1 data readouts. Revenues: Total revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, were less than $0.1 million, as compared to $17.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. The decrease of $17.6 million was due to revenue recognized from TG Therapeutics and Caribou Biosciences agreements in the quarter ended March 31, 2024, a decrease in the revenue recognized under the Prevail agreement following conclusion of the collaboration in April 2024, and a decrease in revenue recognized under the Novartis Agreement as Precision nears completion of its pre-clinical workplan. Research and Development Expenses: Research and development expenses were $13.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, as compared to $13.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. The increase of $0.3 million was primarily due to an increase in direct expense for PBGENE-DMD as the program advances towards the clinic. General and Administrative Expenses: General and administrative expenses were $8.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, as compared to $8.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. The increase of $0.2 million was primarily due to employee-related costs, partially offset by decreases in depreciation and amortization expense as well as taxes and insurance. Net Loss: Net loss was $20.6 million, or $(2.21) per share (basic and diluted), for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Net income was $8.6 million, or $1.70 per share (basic and diluted), for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. About Precision BioSciences, Inc. Precision BioSciences, Inc. is a clinical stage gene editing company dedicated to improving life (DTIL) with its novel and proprietary ARCUS ® genome editing platform that differs from other technologies in the way it cuts, its smaller size, and its simpler structure. Precision's two lead programs, PBGENE-HBV, for chronic Hepatitis B, and PBGENE-DMD, for Duchenne muscular dystrophy are focused on areas with large patient populations with high unmet need. Using ARCUS, the Company's pipeline is comprised of in vivo gene editing candidates designed to deliver lasting cures for the broadest range of genetic and infectious diseases where no adequate treatments exist. For more information about Precision BioSciences, please visit The ARCUS ® platform is being used to develop in vivo gene editing therapies for sophisticated gene edits, including gene insertion (inserting DNA into a gene to cause expression/add function), elimination (removing a genome e.g. viral DNA), and excision (removing a large portion of a defective gene by delivering two ARCUS nucleases in a single AAV). Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential of PBGENE-DMD to be a first-in-class in vivo gene editing approach addressing the majority of DMD patients; the safety data and antiviral activity established after the administrations of PBGENE-HBV; translation of results in preclinical studies of ARCUS nucleases to clinical studies in humans; the preclinical and clinical development and demonstrated, potential and expected safety, efficacy and benefit of PBGENE-HBV and PBGENE-DMD, as well as our other product candidates and those being developed by partners; the unique design of PBGENE-HBV to eliminate cccDNA and inactivate integrated HBV DNA with high specificity, potentially leading to functional cures; the expected timing and opportunities of regulatory processes (including filings such as INDs or CTAs for PBGENE-HBV and PBGENE-DMD and the acceptance of these filings by regulatory agencies); the suitability of PBGENE-HBV for the treatment of hepatitis and the targeting of the root cause of the disease; the key advantages of ARCUS and its key capabilities and differentiating characteristics; expectations about operational initiatives, strategies, further development, or timing of additional updates or data releases of PBGENE-HBV and PBGENE-DMD; plans to provide additional administrations of PBGENE-HBV at the first dose level; plans to escalate to higher dose levels and next cohorts in the ELIMINATE-B clinical trial; expansion of the ELIMINATE-B clinical trial to the United States and United Kingdom; expectations around accelerating the PBGENE-DMD program; the design of PBGENE-DMD to improve function over time and address more than 60% of patients with DMD; the potential for PBGENE-DMD to provide durable functional improvement with a one time lower dose of AAV; the complete enrollment of the OTC-HOPE study in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and Spain and timing of full data from the trial in the first half of 2026; expectations and announcements about achievement of key milestones; our expected cash runway and the sufficiency of our cash runway extending into the second half of 2026 to advance PBGENE-HBV and PBGENE-DMD through Phase 1 data readouts; and the staged development of PBGENE-3243 alone or with partners following completion of the Phase 1 ELIMINATE-B trial and after the PBGENE-DMD program reaches the clinic. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as 'aim,' 'anticipate,' 'approach,' 'believe,' 'contemplate,' 'could,' 'design,' 'designed,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'goal,' 'intend,' 'look,' 'may,' 'mission,' 'plan,' 'possible,' 'potential,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'pursue,' 'should,' 'strive,' 'suggest,' 'target,' 'will,' 'would,' or the negative thereof and similar words and expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, beliefs, and assumptions and on information currently available to us. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various important factors, including, but not limited to, our ability to become profitable; our ability to procure sufficient funding to advance our programs; risks associated with our capital requirements, anticipated cash runway, requirements under our current debt instruments and effects of restrictions thereunder, including our ability to raise additional capital due to market conditions and/or our market capitalization; our operating expenses and our ability to predict what those expenses will be; our limited operating history; the progression and success of our programs and product candidates in which we expend our resources; our limited ability or inability to assess the safety and efficacy of our product candidates; the risk that other genome-editing technologies may provide significant advantages over our ARCUS technology; our dependence on our ARCUS technology; the initiation, cost, timing, progress, achievement of milestones and results of research and development activities and preclinical and clinical studies, including clinical trial and investigational new drug applications; public perception about genome editing technology and its applications; competition in the genome editing, biopharmaceutical, and biotechnology fields; our or our collaborators' or other licensees' ability to identify, develop and commercialize product candidates; pending and potential product liability lawsuits and penalties against us or our collaborators or other licensees related to our technology and our product candidates; the U.S. and foreign regulatory landscape applicable to our and our collaborators' or other licensees' development of product candidates; our or our collaborators' or other licensees' ability to advance product candidates into, and successfully design, implement and complete, clinical trials; potential manufacturing problems associated with the development or commercialization of any of our product candidates; delays or difficulties in our and our collaborators' and other licensees' ability to enroll patients; changes in interim 'top-line' and initial data that we announce or publish; if our product candidates do not work as intended or cause undesirable side effects; risks associated with applicable healthcare, data protection, privacy and security regulations and our compliance therewith; our or our licensees' ability to obtain orphan drug designation or fast track designation for our product candidates or to realize the expected benefits of these designations; our or our collaborators' or other licensees' ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our product candidates, and any related restrictions, limitations and/or warnings in the label of an approved product candidate; the rate and degree of market acceptance of any of our product candidates; our ability to effectively manage the growth of our operations; our ability to attract, retain, and motivate executives and personnel; effects of system failures and security breaches; insurance expenses and exposure to uninsured liabilities; effects of tax rules; effects of any pandemic, epidemic, or outbreak of an infectious disease; the success of our existing collaboration and other license agreements, and our ability to enter into new collaboration arrangements; our current and future relationships with and reliance on third parties including suppliers and manufacturers; our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our technology and any of our product candidates; potential litigation relating to infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property rights; effects of natural and manmade disasters, public health emergencies and other natural catastrophic events; effects of sustained inflation, supply chain disruptions and major central bank policy actions; market and economic conditions; risks related to ownership of our common stock, including fluctuations in our stock price; our ability to meet the requirements of and maintain listing of our common stock on Nasdaq or other public stock exchanges; and other important factors discussed under the caption 'Risk Factors' in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025, as any such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at and the Investors page of our website under SEC Filings at All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, we have no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. Precision Biosciences, Inc. Balance Sheets Data (In thousands, except share amounts) March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 99,789 $ 108,468 Working capital 69,710 80,009 Total assets 124,411 136,388 Total liabilities 75,074 79,995 Total stockholders' equity $ 49,337 $ 56,393 Common stock outstanding 10,548,852 8,202,715 Expand
Los Angeles Times
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Connor Ohl, Newport Harbor girls shine at Sunset League swim finals
Connor Ohl sprinted into history on Friday at Golden West College. Before he even looked up at the scoreboard for his time after swimming the 50-yard freestyle at Sunset League finals, the Newport Harbor High junior heard the crowd cheering. 'I knew right then that I went 19 [seconds],' Ohl said. 'When I looked up, it was just the icing on the cake.' With his time of 19.79 seconds, he became the second-fastest high school swimmer in the event in Orange County history. The county record is a 19.69 by Olympian Michael Cavic of Tustin, set in 2002. Los Alamitos won the boys' Sunset League swimming championship, while Newport Harbor's girls used their depth to capture their third straight league crown. There were plenty of fast swims at the six-hour meet. Fountain Valley set five league records, with sophomore Alyssa Ton and junior Peter Vu setting two each in their individual events. Ohl was electrifying, splashing the water after seeing the time and clasping the hand of senior teammate James Mulvey to his right. Ohl, Mulvey and Dash D'Ambrosia swept the top three spots in the event for the Sailors. 'One-two-three is just incredible,' said Ohl, who also repeated as the boys' 100 free champion in 44.86 seconds. 'The fact that it's three water polo guys and not trained swimmers, it's even more incredible.' He added that he would be gunning for Cavic's county-record mark at next week's CIF Southern Section Division 1 championships. 'I never thought I'd ever be reaching levels like this,' Ohl said. 'It's unbelievable. … First it was breaking the Newport record, then it was breaking 20 [seconds] and now it's breaking this next record. It's just this progression of going faster and faster.' Newport Harbor's girls had lost by four points to Fountain Valley in a league dual meet, but won going away at league finals for their third straight crown. Senior Ariana Amoroso finished second in the 50 free and third in the backstroke to pace the Sailors. Amoroso is going to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which announced in March that it would be cutting its swimming program, though the school's swimmers are scrambling to raise money to try to save it. 'I'm happy to end on a win senior year,' said Amoroso, adding that it was bittersweet that the CIF finals would likely be her final swim meet. 'I'm happy to see improvements in my times after recently switching club teams, too.' Caitlyn Stayt finished third in the 200 individual medley and fourth in the backstroke for the Sailors girls, who also got a pair of 'A' finals appearances by freshman Vivian Muir. Stayt is one of two seniors who came out for swimming after helping the Sailors make the CIF Southern Section Open Division title match in water polo, along with Harper Price. 'The senior leadership has been amazing,' Newport Harbor coach Kevin Potter said. 'They came back and just really stepped up. Harper swam the breaststroke. Last time she swam breaststroke was freshman year at league finals, and this year, we needed a breaststroker. She stepped in and scored huge points for us in that 'A' final.' The versatile Ton won the girls' 200 freestyle in 1:44.50 and backstroke in 53.68, each time a personal-best. She said she enjoyed the fact that her events were spaced apart, which allowed her to cheer for her teammates. 'There's still some things to work on, but I'm really excited heading into CIF,' said Ton, a CIF champion in the 200 freestyle last year. Her Barons senior teammate, USC-bound Kaitlyn Nguyen, won the 200 IM (1:59.76). Nguyen was second in the breaststroke to Corona del Mar sophomore Sofia Szymanowski (1:00.97), who placed second in the IM. 'I think Sofia's got a really good chance of winning [CIF] next week [in the breaststroke], and I think Kaitlyn can also win it,' said Fountain Valley coach Nathan Wilcox, who coaches both in club swimming for Irvine Novaquatics. 'It's just going to come down to who wants it more. … I definitely think those girls are both top three next week.' Fountain Valley's girls' 200 medley relay, featuring Ton, Nguyen, freshman Audrey Prall and senior Leyna Nguyen, also won in a meet-record time of 1:44.00. Among other top girls' swimmers, CdM senior Nikki Lahey became a three-time league champion in both the 50 free (23.42) and 100 free (50.38). 'It's really focusing on the little details and improving those next week,' said Lahey, bound for San Jose State. 'I feel like I'm in a pretty good place with my times right now.' Edison senior Gaby Kelly became a four-time league champion in the 500 free, winning it in a school record time of 4:52.27. Kelly never lost the race in a league meet during her entire high school career. 'I was really stoked about it,' said Kelly, who placed second in the 200 free. 'Especially with all of the new teams coming into the league, I was a little nervous, but I was really stoked with how I went. Being able to have that achievement is really nice.' On the boys' side, Fountain Valley's Vu claimed the 200 individual medley (1:48.77) and breaststroke (54.62). Newport Harbor senior Aidan Arie blasted to a school-record 48.28 in the butterfly, and also won the 500 free in 4:36.93. He celebrated wildly after winning the butterfly, as he said he earned a Summer Junior Nationals cut. Add Arie to the list of those incredulous at what Ohl is doing. 'At this point, if he told me he was going 18 [seconds], I'd believe him, the way he's dropping,' he said. 'It's crazy. It's not normal.' Edison's Holden Lee won the backstroke (49.88) and was third in the butterfly. Isaac Squires, a talented water polo player, helped Huntington Beach win the medley relay and also was an individual champion in the 200 free, touching in 1:42.91. 'If I can't beat them in water polo, it's nice to beat them here in swim,' Squires said. 'It's fun, because it's competitive, but it also helps because you get faster and you're always conditioned.' Most of the league's top swimmers will compete in the Division 1 meet, which will have preliminaries at 9 a.m. Thursday at Mt. San Antonio College and finals at noon on Saturday. Fountain Valley looks to excel. Ton is seeded first in the girls' 200 free, while Nguyen and Vu are seeded first in 200 IM for both genders. Vu is also seeded first in the boys' breaststroke, and Szymanowski and Nguyen earned the top two seeds in the girls' breaststroke. Ohl and Arie are seeded first in the boys' 50 free and butterfly, respectively, with Ohl seeded second in the 100 free. Lahey earned top-four seeds in each of her sprint freestyle events, and Kelly is seeded third in the girls' 500 free. Edison's Lee is seeded third in the boys' backstroke. Wilcox said he's looking for a top-three finish at CIF for Fountain Valley's girls, who finished fifth last year.
Euronews
03-05-2025
- General
- Euronews
‘Turned into mere commodities': Inside South Africa's illegal leopard trade
ADVERTISEMENT Like many other big cat species, leopards are severely threatened by commercialisation. Alive or dead, they are traded as commodities to satisfy the growing demand for exotic pets, or for their bones, skulls, and skins to be used in traditional medicine, luxury products, or trophies. On International Leopard Day, 3 May, global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS is shining a spotlight on the exploitation of leopards in the global big cat trade. 'It's tragic to see how these majestic creatures have turned into mere commodities,' says Vanessa Amoroso, head of wild animals in trade at FOUR PAWS. Leopards are being killed as substitutes for tigers With the growing international demand for tigers, other big cat species like leopards are increasingly being targeted by poachers and wildlife traffickers, say FOUR PAWS. Purposely mislabelled as coming from 'tigers', bones, teeth and other body parts are traded in wildlife markets in Asia to become traditional medicine, luxurious accessories, trophies and more. Related Some shark bites are 'survival instinct', researchers say in defence of threatened predator Inside the new seal rescue centre caring for injured pups in the Netherlands Despite the pressure on their wild populations and having the strictest protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), around 12,000 leopards and their parts were traded between 2020 and 2023 worldwide, according to the CITES database. Tulani at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in Bethlehem, South Africa. © FOUR PAWS | Monika M Girardi 'Leopards across Africa, the Middle East and Asia have lost nearly 75 per cent of their natural habitats because of habitat destruction and poaching,' says Amoroso. 'While wild big cat populations are at the brink of extinction, others are bred in questionable breeding facilities for the sole purpose of being traded across the world - alive or as body parts.' South Africa is a major actor in the global big cat trade Despite international scrutiny, South Africa continues to play a key role in supplying and fuelling the global demand for big cats and their body parts. It does so by allowing this intensive captive breeding industry to flourish under their ineffective legislation, says FOUR PAWS. The group's Break the Vicious Cycle campaign documents South Africa's leading role in the commercial exploitation and trade of big cat species. 'The protection of big cats is not uniform across the world and varies from country to country. It even varies between big cat species,' says Amoroso. The protection of big cats is not uniform across the world. © FOUR PAWS 'Wildlife traffickers and dealers are aware of this and are always on the search for easy solutions to make money. If getting a tiger is too complicated, they will quickly move on to more accessible and less protected substitutes.' 'FOUR PAWS is urging governments across the world to align with international standards on wild animal protection, such as CITES, to end unscrupulous wildlife trafficking and exploitation for profit,' adds Amoroso. ADVERTISEMENT A big cat sanctuary for threatened leopards FOUR PAWS also advocates for the protection of big cats at their LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. It was established nearly two decades ago, in 2006, to give traumatised big cats rescued from exploitation a second chance with species-appropriate care. Tulani and Mike quickly found comfort in each other's company. © FOUR PAWS Two of its first inhabitants were the leopards Mike and Tulani. After being rescued in 2006, they are now a 'senior couple' at LIONSROCK. Related Millions of people are tuning in to watch a 24-hour livestream of moose migrating in Sweden Critically endangered Galapagos tortoises become first time parents at nearly 100 years old Tulani was born at a South African safari farm in 2002, before being bought as a cub by her previous owner to be kept as a pet. Mike was a wild leopard that was captured and kept in private captivity. ADVERTISEMENT Though leopards enjoy solitude, Tulani and Mike quickly found comfort in each other's company. Nearly twenty years have passed, but both leopards are still spotted enjoying the African sun together.
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Carducci Quartet review – terror and tumult as Shostakovich focus widens
A decade ago, marking 40 years since the composer's death, the Carducci Quartet played Shostakovich's 15 string quartets in a remarkable day-long marathon. This year is the 50th anniversary, but how do you follow that? For the Carduccis, the answer was to look outwards: programming the Shostakovich quartets they've played so often across five concerts alongside works by the Russian composer's students and sharing their platform with newer, up-and-coming groups. The Carduccis opened this penultimate concert with Shostakovich's String Quartet No 4, which runs from spare, plaintive folksiness to full-throttle pseudo-klezmer. The former showcased the Carduccis' exquisitely blended tone. The latter, the drama that can be generated from rustic pizzicatos, the hard catch of bow hair on string, the intensity of a cello melody eked out of a stratospheric thumb position. But there was also a hint of business as usual – the first violin always dominant, energy always injected by the cello, the overall sound always mellow. No such danger with the Elmore Quartet, which played Shostakovich's String Quartet No 13 with the ferocity of musicians determined to make an impact. Vibrato was banished; the vibrant array of tone colours came from bow control alone. The results were sometimes unearthly, sometimes brutal – the first violin's interjections at one point picked off the string in nasty little wedges and Shostakovich's wooden knocks (bow against instrument) terrifying. The audience fell absolutely silent. After the interval, the Elmores returned with Elena Firsova's String Quartet No 4 'Amoroso', with the composer present. The violins fired pizzicatos like gunshots and contrapuntal lines were served searing. But there were also moments of sudden beauty, poised amid the tumult. No Shostakovich quartet is better known than his Eighth, played here in Rudolf Barshai's chamber arrangement by the Carducci, Kyan and Oculus quartets plus two of the Elmores and double bassist Chris West. Such a lineup created a strange, occasionally scrappy blend: quartets, after all, fashion their own distinct sound and don't easily merge into an ad hoc string orchestra. But this remained gripping in parts, its stabbed chords grizzly, its repeated theme nightmarish, the double bass casting shadow across the texture like a bruise. The Carducci festival at Highnam, Gloucestershire, is on 16-18 May
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This week's releases feature Boca, Colonia and LOTS of Brazilian football 👕
This week's releases feature Boca, Colonia and LOTS of Brazilian football 👕 This week's releases feature Boca, Colonia and LOTS of Brazilian football 👕 This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here. The first week of April brought several new developments in the world of CAMISAS - with a focus on Brazucas (Botafogo, Bahia, Vitória...). Advertisement There are also new uniforms from Boca Juniors, centenary Colo-Colo, Colônia, San Antonio Bulo Bulo, and many more. Check out the images below and leave your comment: which one is the most beautiful? Launches of the week 📆 To start, the new DIFFERENT uniform of Boca Juniors. The third shirt is part of the campaign Gloria y Estrellas. However, Brazilian football DOMINATES the launches of the week. For example, there is the new shirt of Bahia: And also from Bahia's biggest rival, Vitória: Still from the Northeast comes the new shirt of Ceará, with thick black and white stripes and black sleeves. Going down the map, we arrive at the interior of São Paulo, with the new uniform of Guarani, with Amoroso and Luizão as models. From Minas Gerais comes the new uniform of América-MG and this beautiful combination of black and green. Did you like it? Leave your comment. And also, there is the shirt of Botafogo just out of the oven. Check out the uniform announced this Friday (4): Jumping to Europe... Colônia presents its special shirt in a campaign for diversity - CLICK HERE and find out more. Back to South America... Colo-Colo has a special shirt for the club's centenary - with Arturo Vidal as a model. And in Uruguay, Peñarol also has a new uniform: the third shirt of the South American giant is beige, with black details. Still in South America, but with a less traditional club... Here is the new shirt of San Antonio Bulo Bulo: And there, which shirt is the most beautiful among the launches of the week? Comment!
