Latest news with #Lexington
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Hemanext Announces Close of Series B3 Equity Financing Round
Lexington, MA July 22, 2025 --( )-- Hemanext Inc., a leading innovator in blood processing, storage and transfusion technology, announced the close of its Series B-3 equity financing round. The round raised $18.9 million at a post-money valuation of $172 million or $0.275 per share, with support from new investors and repeat investments from those participating in the Series B-2 capital round. The funds will position Hemanext strongly to meet specific commercial and clinical objectives in the near term ahead of its planned institutional Series C financing. Advancing a New Standard in Red Blood Cell Therapy The HEMANEXT ONE® RBC Processing and Storage system limits oxygen, the fuel for oxidative damage, providing a higher quality blood product. (1,2,3) It has the potential to benefit all patients requiring transfusion for chronic conditions, such as thalassemia (4), sickle cell disease (SCD)[5], and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS),(6) as well as those in need of critical transfusions during acute bleeding in surgery, trauma and other medical procedures (7) Hemanext ONE has been granted marketing authorization for commercial distribution via the De Novo process by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, is patented, and is CE marked which allows its commercial distribution within the market of the European Economic Area (EEA). Hemanext has extensive patent coverage extending through 2039 and additional pending patent applications. Hemanext has also recently received our first US Health Care Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) reimbursement code from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for hypoxic blood at $487 per unit for out-patient use — the first new code for a red blood cell product in 20 years. The Hemanext ONE System integrates seamlessly into existing transfusion medicine workflows and requires minimal clinician training or additional equipment to commence adoption. Hospitals in select geographies have begun treating patients with hypoxic red blood cells (RBCs) produced using the Hemanext ONE system, while other leading institutions are actively validating the technology. Hemanext has: · Begun producing hypoxic RBCs at Vitalant, one of the largest nonprofit blood centers in the United States, for use at a large, leading U.S. hospital. · Initiated validation of the Hemanext ONE system at a world-renowned U.S. medical institution recognized for pioneering clinical research and patient care. · Initiated use of Hemanext ONE system in Greece among patients with thalassemia. · Commenced enrollment in a randomized controlled clinical trial in Norway for transfusion-dependent hematologic malignancy patients. Use of Proceeds Hemanext expects the proceeds from the B3 round to enable execution of critical commercial and clinical objectives through Q1 2026, including: · Expanding early access deployments across hospitals and blood centers in the U.S. · Generating real-world transfusion data across a range of clinical settings. · Accelerating customer adoption using established reimbursement pathways. · Establishing recurring sales from early adopter blood banking and hospital partners. Andrew Dunham, Chief Executive Officer of Hemanext, commented, 'We are thankful for the continued trust of our existing investors and are pleased to welcome new investors who share our vision for transforming transfusion care. The capital raised gives us a clear path to generating the commercial and clinical evidence required to generate substantial revenue in 2026.' Steve Eckert, Chairman of the Board, added, 'This financing underscores strong confidence in Hemanext's ability to achieve our mission of delivering innovations that improve the standard of care for patients who rely on transfusions by transforming RBCs through protecting their quality, functionality, and viability during storage. In addition to patient benefit, Hemanext is able to deliver a compelling value proposition to customers and investors alike. With a pure consumable model, no upfront capital investment required, simple integration into existing workflows, and materially improved reimbursement economics for providers, the company is uniquely positioned to reshape the transfusion landscape.' About Hemanext Hemanext is a privately held medical technology company based in Lexington, MA that is dedicated to improving the quality, safety, efficacy, and cost of transfusion therapy. The company's research and development efforts focus on the study of hypoxically stored RBCs. The company's aim is to significantly improve the quality of stored RBCs worldwide. Visit to learn more about the Company. About Hemanext ONE Hemanext ONE has been granted marketing authorization for commercial distribution via the De Novo process by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It is intended to process and store CP2D/AS-3 Red Blood Cells, Leukocytes Reduced (LR RBC) that have been prepared within the standard 8-hour hold time. Processing of Red Blood Cells processed with the HEMANEXT ONE system must be initiated within 8 hours of collection and completed within 12 hours of collection. The Red Blood Cells must be processed at room temperature (20-26°C). The HEMANEXT ONE system limits O2 and CO2 levels in the storage environment. Red Blood Cells Leukocytes Reduced, O2/ CO2 Reduced may be stored for up to 42 days at 1-6°C. HEMANEXT ONE is used for volumes no greater than 350 mL of LR RBC. In Europe, Hemanext ONE is CE marked, which allows its commercial distribution within the market of the European Economic Area (EEA). HEMANEXT ONE creates hypoxic RBCs, RBCs that have been processed to reduce oxygen and carbon dioxide content of RBCs and to maintain this level throughout storage up to 42 days. (3) Hypoxic RBCs have demonstrated positive impacts on multiple in vitro metrics of RBC quality in preclinical studies. (8,9) Clinical studies are underway to determine the impact of hypoxic RBCs on patient outcomes and estimate potential cost savings from expected improvements in care and reductions in transfusion volumes. (10) References 1. Rabcuka J, Blonski S, Meli A, et al. Metabolic reprogramming under hypoxic storage preserves faster oxygen unloading from stored red blood cells. Blood Adv.2022;6(18):5415-5428. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2022007774. 2. Reisz JA, Wither MJ et al. Oxidative modifications of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase regulate metabolic reprogramming of stored red blood cells. 2016;128(12): e32-42. 3. HEMANEXT ONE® (Blood container set used to process and store CP2D/AS-3 Red Blood Cells, Leukocytes Reduced, and O2/CO2Reduced) [US Instructions for Use]. Lexington, MA: Hemanext Inc. 4. Farmakis D, Porter J, Taher A, et al. 2021 Thalassemia International Federation Guidelines for the management of transfusion-dependent thalassemia. 2022;6:8. 5. Chou S, Alsawas M, Fasano R, et al. American Society of Hematology 2020 guidelines for sickle cell disease: transfusion support. Blood Adv. 2020;4:2. 6. Germing U, Oliva E, Hiwase D, and Almeida A. Treatment of anemia in transfusion-dependent and non-transfusion-dependent lower-risk MDS: current and emerging strategies. 2019;3(6). doi: 10.1097/HS9.0000000000000314 7. American College of Surgeons. ACS TQIP massive transfusion in trauma guidelines. ACS TQIP.2014; 8. Yoshida T, Blair A, D'Alessandro A, et al. Enhancing uniformity and overall quality of red cell concentrate with anaerobic storage. Blood Transfus.2017;15(2):172-81. 9. Yoshida T, McMahon E, Croxon H, et al. The oxygen saturation of red blood cell concentrates: The basis for a novel index of red cell oxidative stress. Transfusion. 2022;62(1):183-193. doi: 10.1111/trf.16715. 10. Reikvam H, Hetland G, Ezligini F, et al. Safety of hypoxic red blood cell administration in patients with transfusion-dependent hematological malignancies: An interim analysis. Transfus Apher Sci.2023; doi: 10.1016/ Contact Information: Hemanext Daan Kok, Head of Business Development and Strategy +41782061460 Contact via Email Read the full story here: Hemanext Announces Close of Series B3 Equity Financing Round Press Release Distributed by
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
FBI claims to know who killed a federal witness in Lexington. No one's been charged
Investigators say they know who ambushed a federal witness and shot him to death in September 2023 on Trade Street in Lexington. Four men followed Kristopher Lewis, 28, for days, police say. They wore masks and attacked him in an industrial area off Leestown Road. They split the reward money for the targeted assassination. All four of the men are identified by name in new court filings. But no one has been charged in Lewis' killing. The details are included in new federal court filings in the case of Quincino Waide Jr., accused of unrelated misdemeanor charges of possession of a firearm by a felon and domestic violence. Prosecutors have argued he is involved with the four suspects who killed Lewis — members of the West End gang Hot Boyz — and should be denied bail in his case as a result. An initial round of court documents filed last month in Waide's case revealed a portion of police's claims about Lewis' death. Another round, filed July 11, painted a clearer picture of the federal witness's death. The Herald-Leader is not naming the four men FBI officials say killed Lewis because they have not been charged with a crime. Hannah Sloan, spokesperson for the Lexington Police Department, said the investigation is ongoing, and she referred questions to federal prosecutors. The United States' Attorney's Office declined to comment on the case. Lewis was facing drug charges at the time of his death, and he was cooperating with police, according to court documents. He was indicted alongside Rollie Lamar in 2022 for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and commit money laundering. Lamar had more than $2 million in assets, including luxury cars, high-end jewelry and guns, when he was arrested, prosecutors say. And in 2023, police allege, he used some of those funds to order a hit on Lewis. Lamar was convicted anyway in a February 2024 trial and sentenced to 18 years in prison, according to online court records. Men arrived in masks, followed victim for days At 8:15 a.m. Sept. 29, 2023, Lewis went to work at Koch Air, on Trade Street. When he parked and got out of his vehicle, four men in masks exited a dark colored sedan and shot Lewis before fleeing the scene, police say. Witnesses told investigators the sedan had been sitting in the parking lot for a 'significant' time before Lewis arrived, according to court documents. Witnesses didn't think the vehicle was occupied, but then it was turned on just before Lewis arrived for work. Police used Flock camera technology to locate a black Acura that matched the description of the suspects' vehicle. That led police to suspect the gang's involvement. Several key pieces of evidence followed. Shell casings at the scene of Lewis' killing matched two other shootings where the same Acura was captured by video at the scene. Police also obtained cellphone records that showed one of the four suspects meeting Lamar in Louisville three days before Lewis was killed. The four suspects began following Lewis after that meeting, police say. Cellphone data showed one of the suspects in the area of Lewis' work and home for two days before the shooting. And text messages from the morning of Lewis' killing revealed the suspects were coordinating picking each other up and the location of gloves, according to court documents. No charges filed in Lewis' death Despite the detailed narrative of Lewis' death in Waide's unrelated case, none of the four men mentioned by name have been charged. In the Lexington Police Department's homicide investigation database, the suspect field for Lewis' case is blank. Police also say in court documents that Waide drove the getaway car after Lewis' killing — though he hasn't been charged in the case, either. Still, federal prosecutors argue he has significant ties to Lexington's Hot Boyz gang, who they say left a trail of bodies in their wake in recent years. That connection, police say, is enough to keep Waide in custody despite his relatively minor charges. Waide's attorney filed a motion to revoke the judge's detention order. A hearing is scheduled for July 30 in Frankfort.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Drumline' star Jason Weaver becomes honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi
The post 'Drumline' star Jason Weaver becomes honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi appeared first on ClutchPoints. Actor Jason Weaver recently hit a huge milestone in his career that also serves as a full-circle moment for a beloved character. Last week, Weaver was officially inducted as an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity. He shared the announcement on his social media accounts as he went to the national convention for the fraternity held in Lexington, Kentucky. 'I'm bringing in my birthday this year on a very high note this morning after officially crossing over as an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity,' he said in an Instagram caption on his page recapping his time at the national convention. 'Respectfully, I just want to publicly express/share that it is TRULY an honor to be a member who will proudly represent on behalf of this prestigious fraternity. The honor and privilege of becoming an honorary member of @ has actually been 25 YEARS in the making since playing the role of 'Ernest' in the classic film 'Drumline', and I want to personally THANK my good friend Dr. Donald Lee of @scsusga1896 for making this all happen for me. I waited a long time to be able to honorably accept and celebrate this special moment in my life, BUT I must say that it was well worth the wait.' As Weaver said in his caption, he played the role of 'Ernest' in the 2002 HBCU-centric film Drumline. In the movie, Ernest often find himself being secretive and evasive about his plans, most famously in a scene in a restaurant with some of his fellow Atlanta A&T band members as he quickly ate a burger and fries before running off. At the end of the movie, it was revealed that Ernest was working to become a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, and Devon Miles and his crew found him at his probate ceremony. Founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma State University, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity is an honorary fraternity for current and former university band members. Alongside Weaver, the fraternity boasts several notable members such as former President Bill Clinton, comedian and syndicated radio host Rickey Smiley, and legendary Singers Ray Charles and Lionel Richie. Related: Georgia, Tennessee added to Tennessee State's future football schedule Related: Fred Hammond becomes honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
19 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Celtics' Amari Williams Discusses Protective Nature, Rare Skills, & Message From Mentor
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - MARCH 01: Amari Williams #22 of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates in the first ... More half against the Auburn Tigers at Rupp Arena on March 01, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by) If Amari Williams is on the court, there's a good chance he started the day with his version of the breakfast of champions: Weetabix. It's a light, crispy, whole-grain cereal that's popular in the UK. The Nottingham, England native can't always get his hands on it in the U.S., but to his surprise, it was an option at Summer League in Las Vegas. "Surprisingly, I've seen it at the breakfast table [on] the first day we got here, which caught me off guard," a delighted Williams told Forbes after the Boston Celtics wrapped up practice near the end of their stay in Sin City. "But I only have Weetabix on game days, so that's when I've been having it." When he does, his preference is to do so with warm milk and sugar. However, the countless combinations to enhance this pregame staple are part of its appeal. "I actually poured honey in it the other day. That was nice, too," shared Williams. In his final collegiate season, a campaign spent with the Kentucky Wildcats, the seven-foot center would often settle for a few pieces of toast for breakfast before road games. It was at the NCAA Tournament when his head coach, Mark Pope, realized this. He knew that had to change. He encouraged Williams to add more fuel before tip-off. As luck would have it, the team was able to find it in stock in Lexington, Kentucky, as well as at an international store in Milwaukee. As Williams helped lead the Wildcats on a run to the Sweet 16, Big Blue Nation elevated Weetabix to the top-selling cereal on Amazon, per Tyler Thompson of That led to Williams getting on the cover of the cereal his parents used to force him to eat as a kid. "After the NCAA tournament, I got two personalized boxes with my face on it," he told Forbes. Coach Pope and teammate Brandon Garrison also indulged in Weetabix as Kentucky made its mark on March Madness. It was an example of the bond Williams cultivated with those he shared a locker room with. "He is unbelievable," Coach Pope conveyed to Forbes in an exclusive interview where he raved about the person the Celtics' center is off the court. "You talk about a guy who cares about all the right things. He's incredibly protective of his teammates. He loves his teammates. He would take a bullet for his guys, and that's not a cliche. That's actually deep in his heart. Like, it matters. His locker room matters to him. His guys, his staff, they matter to him. And so he's going to be a welcome addition in the locker room." That's quite the role to take on after arriving in "The Blue Grass State" following four years at Drexel. While discussing the roots of that protective nature, Williams shared, "I just knew that all of us were new last year, and just trying to meet new guys. It was different than a lot of teams, which we've all been on in the past. But I feel like in the summer, living together in the lodge, we all gelled well, and those relationships will last a lifetime." Amari Williams has a unique offensive arsenal The No. 46 selection in this year's NBA Draft grew up as a guard. From age 14 to 15, he shot up from about five-foot-11 to roughly six-foot-four, he recalls. Luckily, Williams retained his passing prowess and comfort level handling the ball. It also helps that even after his height took him from floor general to patrolling the pivot, "My high school team was positionless basketball. So, anyone could push it in transition." That's a part of the appeal the Celtics saw when deciding to draft Williams, who is expected to join Boston on a two-way deal. It's a talent that feels more valuable than ever, given the NASCAR-like pace of today's NBA. "It's an incredible luxury," Coach Pope expressed to Forbes. "It also allows you to take elite-level scorers -- it allows you to take them, and instead of them being on the ball to start a possession, you could get them away from the ball and let them use some actions coming back to the ball early in a possession, early in the clock. So, the point guard doesn't have to give up the ball and get it back. He can start with it out of his hands, or a two guard, or a shooting guard, or a scoring guard can start with it out of his hands. "Amari can do that work of getting the ball down the floor, and then they can be the first one to come back to it in a scoring position. I think it affords coaches an incredible luxury, with how to rethink the game." Williams's standout trait also comes from growing up with the ball in his hands. He's an impressive facilitator, frequently delivering dimes to teammates cutting to the basket. "I didn't even know he was a good passer, like such a good passer," Celtics teammate Jordan Walsh told Forbes at Summer League. "Eventually, I just started cutting, all the handoffs he was coming at me with, I just started back-cutting them, and he'd find it, and I was like, 'Oh, my goodness.' "I didn't know he was such a good passer. He's a really good passer. And he's bringing the ball up the court, too, and facilitating, it's nice." "It's been a lot of fun," voiced Baylor Scheierman about playing off a center with Williams's passing proficiency. "His vision and his passing ability is something that is unique." As he works to sharpen his strongest suit, Williams is modeling that part of his game after three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, an offensive hub with elite court vision and a Patrick Mahomes-like ability to deliver perfect passes from any angle. Specifically, he's studying Jokic's "Passing and being patient. I feel like it's easy to throw passes right away, but we [have] got to see the game out," stated Williams. "Take your time with a lot of things. So, I'll say patience and deciding when to throw the right pass." Williams's defensive upside stems from being a multi-sport athlete When he wasn't on the hardwood, the Nottingham, England, native was honing his craft on the pitch. His soccer background has helped him prove more nimble than your typical, plodding seven-foot center. "I feel like it helped a lot, just being able to move quicker than the average big," Williams told Forbes. Celtics assistant coach and Summer League bench boss Matt Reynolds conveyed, "Traditional centers, where they don't switch, I think he can. He can do some switching. He's got long arms, got good instincts, [and] active hands. So when you know he's in position to guard the ball one-on-one, I think he can do that, whether it's against speed or size. "I think he's able to give the game what it needs with respect to whoever his matchup is. And so whether it happens in Summer League or down the line, I'm sure he'll get plenty of opportunities to mix up coverages and matchups and all that kind of stuff. And I think he's going to do pretty well." Mark Pope agrees. He's already seen Williams come through for Kentucky because of his mobility on defense. "I think he's got the potential to be an elite-level defensive player switching one through five. And he certainly showed a lot of signs for that and did that well for us in important moments." It also helps that he has a seven-foot-five wingspan, allowing him to reject, alter, and deter shots at the rim. It's all part of a package that could one day elevate him from a two-way contract to a rotation fixture in Boston. Amari Williams is hard at work at a selfless trait The seven-foot, 262-pound center can impose his will as a screener. He did so with a punishing pick in the backcourt on Jaylen Wells during the Celtics' 92-78 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. But it's one of the areas where the rookie has appreciable room for growth. It's something he's hard at work at with Boston's coaching staff. "I try to do it anytime I can," said Williams of his bone-crunching screen on Wells. "Just to get the pressure off the guards most of the time, but that's something that Boston emphasized a lot. So, I was told a lot by the coaches, Coach Ross [McMains] and everyone here, [in] the first few weeks of training camp. So, that's something I'm taking pride in, and I'm definitely trying to get better at." As he does, he's applying a message from Tosan Evbuomwan, an NBA veteran from Newcastle, England. The former was with Williams when the Celtics drafted him. Suiting up for Brooklyn at Summer League, Evbuomwan has been able to watch Williams and the other British players in Las Vegas play, offering counsel along the way. His message to Williams? "Go out there and be aggressive. A lot of the games, I came out timid, but I learned as the game went on, I [have] got to be aggressive and trying to go get it myself sometimes." Williams has the potential to be a defensive force, a punishing screen-setter, and an offensive hub his team can trust as a facilitator that can make passes many players at his position can't. As he acclimates to the NBA, heeding Evbuomwan's advice and embracing an assertive mentality is essential to maximizing his talent and carving out his place in the league.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Valvoline Inc. to Report Financial Results for Third Quarter 2025 and Host Webcast on August 6
LEXINGTON, Ky., July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV), the quick, easy, trusted leader in preventive automotive maintenance, today announced that it plans to report financial results for its fiscal third quarter on August 6, 2025. A live audio webcast with analysts and investors will also be held on August 6, 2025 at 9 a.m. ET. The webcast and slide presentation will be available on the company's Investor Relations website at Shortly after the call concludes, a replay of the webcast will be available on this same website. About Valvoline Inc. Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) delivers quick, easy, trusted service at approximately 2,100 franchised and company-operated service centers across the United States and Canada. The company completes more than 28 million services annually system-wide, from 15-minute stay-in-your-car oil changes to a variety of manufacturer-recommended maintenance services such as wiper replacements and tire rotations. At Valvoline Inc., it all starts with our people, including the 11,000 team members who are working to grow the core business, expand the company's retail network, and plan for the vehicles of the future. For more information, visit TM Trademark, Valvoline Inc., or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONInvestor Relations Elizabeth B. Clevinger+1 (859) 357-3155IR@ Media Relations Angela Davied+1 (913) 302-0032media@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Valvoline Inc.
