Latest news with #CHB
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Catching Babies at Home – Cree midwifery celebrates historic milestone
An amendment to provincial regulations governing midwifery that took effect May 22 enables Indigenous trainees in community-based programs to provide full perinatal care throughout pregnancy, birth and new life. The change follows a campaign by the Cree Health Board, the Inuulitsivik Health Centre, the Ordre des sages-femmes du Québec and other organizations. 'We changed the law,' said Jasmine Chatelain, managing director of the CHB midwifery education program. 'Now our students are no longer limited and can learn all requirements for becoming a licensed midwife. The by-product is that Indigenous people can become midwives.' The health board's groundbreaking midwifery training program, Eeyou Istchee Pimâtîsuwin Chiskutimâchuwin (EIPC), launched last July with four learners in Chisasibi and one in Waskaganish. But they were legally restricted from delivering a baby and other procedures, such as injections and vaginal exams. The CHB hired students as Primary Care Community Representatives to provide counselling, take blood pressure, weigh babies, and check an unborn baby's position in the womb. Learning side-by-side with practicing midwives, they supported childbirth with what Chatelain calls 'four-handed catches'. 'Our program is focused on learning by doing so every single client has a student who follows them,' Chatelain explained. 'They do all the pre-natal and post-natal visits, a lot of the counselling and education, partly because they speak Cree. Our students can go on medevacs when women are transferred in labour or for something urgent.' However, before the regulatory change, only students in a Trois-Rivières university program and immigrating midwives in approved bridging programs were allowed to perform many professional acts. Despite Nunavik's longstanding community education program, Indigenous trainees were completely omitted from the law. The Ordre des sages-femmes du Québec regulates midwifery acts in the province, and were instrumental partners in lobbying the government to change the law. The OSFQ also collaborated with the EIPC program to ensure Cree graduates have equivalent competencies to university programs. 'We could not have done this without them,' Chatelain asserted. 'They've been very outspoken about being in this tricky position, responsible for public safety and wanting to be part of reconciliation, supporting Indigenous self-determination.' Several individuals and organizations issued letters of support for the regulatory change, including the National Council of Indigenous Midwives. It currently applies to four Indigenous midwifery programs running in Quebec's Cree, Inuit, Akwesasne and Innu communities. While expectant mothers from Nunavik were sent to Moose Factory starting in the 1970s, women began refusing to leave and communities mobilized to create the Inuulitsivik Midwifery Service in 1986. The EIPC program worked extensively with Inuulitisivik education coordinator Kimberly Moorhouse and her team to develop its curriculum. As the self-paced program requires trainees to attend 60 births, they will have access to clinical learning opportunities outside of the region to increase their birth volume, such as the Inuulitsivik Health Centre or Val-d'Or hospital. Expanding their exposure to different skill sets and environments will better prepare trainees to expect the unexpected. 'In Chisasibi now, we're doing 85% or 90% of pregnancies,' said Chatelain. 'Once a month, students lead a breastfeeding drop-in and it will be up to 30 people showing up. Every time the students do something public, we have an amazing turnout, so the community is really responding to it.' By the end of March, the Chisasibi trainees had accompanied 22 births, 300 pre-natal visits, 177 post-natal visits and 45 school workshops and community health education activities. Pre-natal and post-natal midwifery services expanded to Waskaganish last September, with births expected to begin towards the end of this year. Midwives are already doing 80% of follow-ups. One student began in Waskaganish in March with another to be added when capacity is available. A third birthing hub will eventually be developed in Mistissini. 'In labour, mothers are going right into their maternal language so having people there who can speak with them is incredible,' said Chatelain. 'There's a level of empathy. These students know what it's like to have their baby in Val-d'Or so can connect with these women in a way no other midwife can.' The EIPC program began with a week on the land, making a teepee, gathering medicines and learning traditional ceremonies. Elder Jane Matthew has shared her wealth of lifetime experience, from catching her first baby at about age 7 to her last one three years ago at age 91. 'We did a demonstration of how it was done a long time ago when women gave birth in the teepee,' recalled student Linda Gray. 'There was a placenta ceremony and naming ceremony. That helped me connect with my roots. It was awesome how the course started off.' Gray embodies the commitment of Cree midwives to reclaim the traditional practice, moving from Mistissini last summer to join this first cohort. Coming from a lineage of midwives, Gray has experienced the joy of witnessing babies being born surrounded by their families without having to leave their community. Although there are challenges participating in a program that continues to evolve and being on call all week to meet mothers, Gray wouldn't have it any other way. She believes bringing births back to the territory makes family bonds stronger with young fathers becoming more involved. 'When you catch that baby you're overjoyed,' Gray said. 'My first baby I attended to, I was crying with the little girl there at the birth of her sister. It's magical. We have a planned teepee birth this summer, so I'm excited for that. It will be my first time.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AusperBio Raises $50 Million in Series B+ to Advance Functional Cure for Chronic Hepatitis B
SAN FRANCISCO, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AusperBio Therapeutics, Inc. and Ausper Biopharma Co., Ltd. (collectively AusperBio), a privately held clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to advancing targeted oligonucleotide therapies to achieve a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), today announced the completion of an oversubscribed USD $50 million Series B+ financing round, led by an existing, industry-leading VC investor, with strong participation from Qiming Venture Partners, CDH Investments, Genesis Capital, YuanBio Venture Capital, HanKang Capital, and Sherpa Capital. This financing follows AusperBio's Series B round completed in December 2024 and reflects continued investor confidence in the company's lead product, proprietary platform, and strategic direction. The proceeds will support the ongoing clinical development of AHB-137, a novel unconjugated antisense oligonucleotide for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), including planned Phase II trials outside of mainland China. The funding will also enable scale-up of commercial manufacturing partnerships and support the company's long-term pipeline growth. Dr. Guofeng Cheng, co-founder and CEO of AusperBio, commented, "We are greatly honored by the continued support from our investors. It's a strong vote of confidence in our vision and the progress we've made so far. This new funding gives us the momentum to move AHB-137 into the next phase of global development. We are committed to stay focused on our mission to deliver a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B and bring life-changing therapies to patients worldwide." Dr. Chris Yang, co-founder and CSO, added, "We are strongly encouraged by the recent progress of AHB-137, particularly the positive Phase IIb data presented at the EASL Congress in Amsterdam. With strong investor support, the AusperBio team is fully motivated to continue our clinical strategies and efforts to bring new treatment options to people living with CHB." AusperBio is committed to delivering patient-centered innovations, aiming to alleviate the global health burden of CHB and transform treatment paradigms for this serious chronic disease. About AHB-137 AHB-137, a novel unconjugated antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) designed using AusperBio's proprietary Med-Oligo™ ASO technology platform, is being developed to achieve a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B. Its clinical development has generated compelling data, with key preclinical and clinical results presented at leading conferences such as EASL (2023, 2024, 2025) and AASLD (2024). This novel dual-mechanism ASO has completed its global Phase 1b trial and is currently advancing through multiple Phase 2 studies in China. Supported by a clear global development strategy, AHB-137 is progressing rapidly toward delivering a potential cure for HBV. About AusperBio. AusperBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with operations in the USA and China, dedicated to advancing oligonucleotide and targeted delivery technologies for transformative therapies, with an initial focus on achieving functional cure for chronic hepatitis B infection. The company has developed a proprietary Med-Oligo™ ASO platform which has been shown to substantially enhance the current ASO therapeutics, through novel insights into ASO design. Combining with efficient targeted delivery conjugation technologies, the modular Med-Oligo™ Platform empowers ASO therapeutics to treat a broad range of diseases, including viral infections, metabolic conditions, genetic disorders, and immune diseases. For further information, please contact: Media ContactEmail: info@ Investor Relations Contact:Tel: 650-888-1756 (US)Email: growth@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE AusperBio Therapeutics Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Drug Farm and Xiamen Amoytop Biotech Co., Ltd. Enter into Option Agreement for First-In-Class Innate Immunity Agonist, DF-006 to Treat Hepatitis B and Hepatocellular Cancer
SHANGHAI, China & XIAMEN, China & ALBANY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Drug Farm, a private biotechnology company utilizing genetics and artificial intelligence technologies to discover and develop innovative, immune-modulating therapies, today announced that it has entered into an option agreement with Amoytop. The two parties will engage in clinical collaboration with Drug Farm's first-in-class ALPK1 agonist, DF-006 in the field of hepatitis B and hepatocellular cancer in the Greater China region (Mainland China, Taiwan region, Hong Kong, and Macau). DF-006 is an orally administered ALPK1 agonist immunomodulator that potently stimulates local, innate immunity in the liver 1. DF-006 has successfully completed single and multiple ascending dose (MAD) evaluation in healthy volunteers, and MAD evaluation in virologically suppressed HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients where encouraging anti-HBV activity was observed 2. Dr. Tony, Xu, COO, Drug Farm, said:"DF-006 has a novel mechanism of action that is uniquely able to stimulate innate immunity in the liver to fight hepatitis B infection and hepatocellular cancer. In preclinical studies, DF-006 has shown enhanced efficacy against hepatitis B when combined with interferon-alpha. We look forward to assessing the clinical combination of DF-006 and Amoytop's approved drug, PEGBING ® as a potential new therapeutic regimen that may improve functional cure in hepatitis B patients.' Mr. Sun Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Amoytop, said: "Amoytop is dedicated to becoming the leading company developing a functional cure for CHB. PEGBING ® -based therapy has already demonstrated significant enhancement of functional cure rates across diverse HBV-infected populations. Through investigational research of a novel, innovative drug DF-006, we offer the potential for sustained functional cure with significant reduction of risk for hepatocellular cancer.' About Drug Farm Drug Farm is a private biotechnology Company developing innovative treatments targeting innate immunity for hepatitis B, heart and kidney diseases, and ROSAH (retinal dystrophy, optic nerve edema, splenomegaly, anhidrosis and headache) syndrome. Drug Farm's unique IDInVivo platform combines breakthrough technologies in genetics and AI to discover new treatments. IDInVivo technology allows the direct assessment of gene targets in living animals with intact immune systems. Using the IDInVivo platform, Drug Farm has identified novel innate immunity pathways and targets and is now rapidly advancing multiple first-in-class drug candidates into clinical development. For more information please visit: Reference: Gane, EJ, et al. Journal of Hepatology, Vol. 80, Supplement 1, S87, LBP-020, June 2024 About Xiamen Amoytop Biotech Co., Ltd. Xiamen Amoytop Biotech Co., Ltd. is an innovative biopharmaceutical company and a listed company on the Science and Technology Innovation Board (SSE STAR Market) in China, specializing in R&D, manufacturing and marketing of regular and long-acting recombinant protein drugs. Focusing on the R&D of immune-related cytokine medicines, Amoytop is committed to becoming a leader in solving cytokine medicine-based systemic immune problems, providing better solutions for major diseases (such as viral hepatitis, malignant tumors) and immunotherapy.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Drug Farm and Xiamen Amoytop Biotech Co., Ltd. Enter into Option Agreement for First-In-Class Innate Immunity Agonist, DF-006 to Treat Hepatitis B and Hepatocellular Cancer
Drug Farm enters into clinical collaboration with Amoytop SHANGHAI, China & XIAMEN, China & ALBANY, N.Y., May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Drug Farm, a private biotechnology company utilizing genetics and artificial intelligence technologies to discover and develop innovative, immune-modulating therapies, today announced that it has entered into an option agreement with Amoytop. The two parties will engage in clinical collaboration with Drug Farm's first-in-class ALPK1 agonist, DF-006 in the field of hepatitis B and hepatocellular cancer in the Greater China region (Mainland China, Taiwan region, Hong Kong, and Macau). DF-006 is an orally administered ALPK1 agonist immunomodulator that potently stimulates local, innate immunity in the liver1. DF-006 has successfully completed single and multiple ascending dose (MAD) evaluation in healthy volunteers, and MAD evaluation in virologically suppressed HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients where encouraging anti-HBV activity was observed2. Dr. Tony, Xu, COO, Drug Farm, said: "DF-006 has a novel mechanism of action that is uniquely able to stimulate innate immunity in the liver to fight hepatitis B infection and hepatocellular cancer. In preclinical studies, DF-006 has shown enhanced efficacy against hepatitis B when combined with interferon-alpha. We look forward to assessing the clinical combination of DF-006 and Amoytop's approved drug, PEGBING® as a potential new therapeutic regimen that may improve functional cure in hepatitis B patients." Mr. Sun Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Amoytop, said: "Amoytop is dedicated to becoming the leading company developing a functional cure for CHB. PEGBING®-based therapy has already demonstrated significant enhancement of functional cure rates across diverse HBV-infected populations. Through investigational research of a novel, innovative drug DF-006, we offer the potential for sustained functional cure with significant reduction of risk for hepatocellular cancer." About Drug Farm Drug Farm is a private biotechnology Company developing innovative treatments targeting innate immunity for hepatitis B, heart and kidney diseases, and ROSAH (retinal dystrophy, optic nerve edema, splenomegaly, anhidrosis and headache) syndrome. Drug Farm's unique IDInVivo platform combines breakthrough technologies in genetics and AI to discover new treatments. IDInVivo technology allows the direct assessment of gene targets in living animals with intact immune systems. Using the IDInVivo platform, Drug Farm has identified novel innate immunity pathways and targets and is now rapidly advancing multiple first-in-class drug candidates into clinical development. For more information please visit: Reference: Xu C, et al. Hepatology. 2023 Jan 1;77(1):275-289. doi: 10.1002/hep.32614. Epub 2022 Sep 17. Gane, EJ, et al. Journal of Hepatology, Vol. 80, Supplement 1, S87, LBP-020, June 2024 About Xiamen Amoytop Biotech Co., Ltd. Xiamen Amoytop Biotech Co., Ltd. is an innovative biopharmaceutical company and a listed company on the Science and Technology Innovation Board (SSE STAR Market) in China, specializing in R&D, manufacturing and marketing of regular and long-acting recombinant protein drugs. Focusing on the R&D of immune-related cytokine medicines, Amoytop is committed to becoming a leader in solving cytokine medicine-based systemic immune problems, providing better solutions for major diseases (such as viral hepatitis, malignant tumors) and immunotherapy. View source version on Contacts United States:Henri Lichenstein, Executive OfficerEmail: hlichens@ China:Tony Xu, and Chief Operating OfficerEmail: amoytop@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Outsourced staff's strike for regular jobs cripples PSPCL functioning
Just a week before the advent of the paddy season, the PSPCL is grappling with a severe crisis as an ongoing strike by outsourced complaint handling bike (CHB) and complaint handling wagon (CHW) workers has brought its regular operations almost to a halt. Faced with gusty winds, unscheduled power outages, infrastructure failures, the power utility is struggling to maintain even basic services. To cope up with the challenge, officials confirmed that the corporation has also halted issuance of new electricity connections, both domestic and industrial, across Ludhiana. With the strike entering its fourth consecutive day, field operations have also been directly impacted, leaving approximately 447 meter installations pending citywide. Over the past week, several areas in Ludhiana experienced prolonged, unscheduled power outages, especially during evening and night hours. In response, PSPCL instructed divisional officials to identify vulnerable spots and carry out repair and augmentation work on strained transformers and transmission lines to ensure uninterrupted power supply. However, this plan has been severely disrupted as the outsourced workers primarily handle these on-ground technical tasks, leaving limited manpower to manage repairs. The strike has also put pressure on regular PSPCL employees, whose working hours have been extended and their holidays suspended until the strike ends. Despite these efforts, the utility struggles to keep essential services afloat. The situation is grave in Ludhiana due to stark shortage of technical manpower. Official data reveals that out of 4,963 sanctioned posts for linemen and assistant linemen, 76% (3,767 posts) remain vacant. To serve over 17 lakh consumers in the city, only 1,196 linemen and assistant linemen are currently available, forcing the PSPCL to suspend all its other regular operations. Chief engineer Jagdev Singh Hans of PSPCL's central zone acknowledged the crisis, stating, 'Our topmost priority is to ensure uninterrupted power supply while other regular operations have been put on hold until the strike is resolved.' The strike began on May 20, involving around 3,500 outsourced CHB and CHW workers under the Powercom and Transco Contractual Workers Union, Punjab. Their key demands include stopping privatisation policies in the power department, removal of outsourced firms and direct recruitment by the PSPCL. They are also pressing for unconditional regularisation of outsourced employees, salary fixes as per the Minimum Wages Act (1948) and 15th Labour Conference recommendations, legal death compensation with government jobs and pensions for family members of electrocuted workers, salary increments or promotions after 3, 5, and 7 years of service, provision of housing at minimal rent, severance packages of at least ₹30 lakh post-retirement and various allowances including project, shift duty, risk, vehicle, medical, mobile, and fuel allowances. Additional demands include canceling unjustified remote transfers, arranging TTI training, reinstating terminated workers, enforcing work order benefits and timely payment of salaries. Commenting on the ongoing strike, Balihar Singh, state president of the union, said, 'We are on an indefinite strike until the state government and the PSPCL management agree to our demands. Despite several rounds of talks, the government has failed to ensure better working conditions for us.'
