Latest news with #MegFlippinBenzinga
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Upcoming Benzinga Webinar With Glucotrack To Discuss The Potential Of Its Innovative CBGM Technology To Transform Diabetes Care And Patient Lives
By Meg Flippin Benzinga DETROIT, MICHIGAN - May 29, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - Glucotrack Inc. (NASDAQ: GCTK) will host a virtual webinar on Thursday, May 29, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET to discuss its Continuous Blood Glucose Monitor (CBGM) technology, a potentially game-changing medical device that could reshape how diabetes is managed. Experts from the Rutherford, New Jersey medical technology company will lead the session, providing a deep dive into how CBGM technology works and how it can transform the lives of people suffering from diabetes. Glucotrack experts will also discuss the critical role real-time continuous blood glucose tracking can play and why diabetes patients need a new, innovative solution. The Existing Tools Are Too Cumbersome When it comes to managing diabetes, historically the main way of tracking a person's sugar in their blood has been via a glucose meter, which requires the person to prick his or her finger several times a day to get a sample of the blood. The results are generally accurate, granted it is stored properly and the patient remembers to test often. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) offers a less intrusive alternative. With it, a person's blood glucose level is monitored automatically through a device 24 hours a day. It enables the diabetes patient to review their blood glucose level in real time to make well-informed decisions and adjust behavior on the spot. Glucotrack's Different Approach When it comes to CGMs, not all devices are created equally. The duration for which the monitoring lasts, the placement of the device and how often data is received differ from one manufacturer to the next. Plus, the sensors and implantables on the market need to be reapplied or recalibrated every ten to 90 days. Glucotrack is different. Glucotrack's implantable CBGM measures glucose in the blood, without the lag time associated with subcutaneous sensors that measure glucose in interstitial fluid. With it, Glucotrack says users get real-time readings instead of interstitial lag. What's more, Glucotrack's implant can last two to three years, compared to less than one year for many of the CGMs on the market. Glucotrack's CBGM also offers many other benefits, which will be discussed at the webinar. The webinar will offer insights into how the technology works, the critical role of continuous blood glucose monitoring and the necessity for innovation in the field. Glucotrack is also kicking off a long-term clinical study of its continuous blood glucose monitor in participants with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. A recently completed long-term preclinical study showed a Mean Absolute Relative Difference (MARD) of 4.7% at day 90, which is considered highly accurate for a continuous glucose monitor, reports Glucotrack. During the webinar, experts from the company will share highlights from its clinical research, and share details of the latest study. Rounding Things Off – Live Q&A Session Capping off the webinar will be a live Q&A session in which attendees can submit questions directly to Glucotrack about its CBGM device, its trial and where the company sees its device and the diabetes market headed. The event is geared toward anybody who wants to learn more about cutting-edge technology being applied to a disease that is projected to impact 643 million people around the globe by 2030, with the number soaring to 783 million by 2045. Click here to register now! Featured photo courtesy of Glucotrack. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. This content was originallypublished on further disclosureshere. View the original release on
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
SBC Medical's First Quarter Margins Improve; Company Announces Share Buyback Program
By Meg Flippin Benzinga DETROIT, MICHIGAN - May 20, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - SBC Medical Group Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SBC), the Japanese owner and operator of a chain of cosmetic surgery clinics, is in transformation mode, overhauling its pricing structure and adapting to a changing marketplace, which seems to have paid off in the company's first quarter. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, SBC Medical reported earnings per share of $0.21, which was up 5% year-over-year. EBITDA margins were 52%, up from 46% in the year-ago first quarter. The company, which is positioning itself as a leader in the cosmetic surgery market, ended the quarter with 251 clinics, increasing the number by 36 compared to last year's first quarter. Despite a challenging marketplace in Japan, SBC Medical was able to increase its customers in the last twelve months ending in March by 14% to 6.1 million. In a nod to the quality it offers customers at its clinics, SBC Medical also reported that 71% of customers visited franchisee clinics two or more times during the quarter. 'SBC is actively preparing for strategic expansion by enhancing its platform, optimizing its profitability structure, and stabilizing its business through revised pricing strategies and adapting to changing market dynamics,' said Yoshiyuki Aikawa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SBC Medical, when reporting first quarter results. 'In the first quarter of 2025, we were pleased to see the expansion of Medical Corporations (MCs) gaining traction in our franchising, procurement and rental business segments as global demand for aesthetic medical services continued to rise.' SBC Medical Group has been focused on expanding its MCs, which are designed to help cosmetic practitioners operate cosmetic surgery centers and at the same time adhere to regulations. SBC Medical Overhauling For Growth While SBC reported revenue of $47 million in the first quarter - down 14% year-over-year - the company attributed that to the discontinuation of its staffing business and the divestitures of Sky Net Academy and SBC Kijimadaira Resort. Despite that, margins increased, and net income increased 15% year-over-year. 'As we move ahead, we remain confident in our ability to build a scalable franchise model while accelerating expansion across domestic and international markets, driving long-term value for shareholders and positioning the Company to capitalize on future opportunities,' said Aikawa. SBC Medical is working hard to position itself as a leader in the cosmetic surgery market, and it isn't resting on its laurels. To address competition and keep its leading position in the industry, the company is pursuing two strategies: expanding the market by making aesthetic medicine more accessible and appealing to the masses and differentiating itself from the competition by offering advanced treatments and better pricing - bringing its treatments to the U.S. and Singapore. The company is preparing for expansion and says its first quarter results are evidence of that. Buying Back Shares The company underscored its confidence in its growth plan by announcing its board has approved a share buyback program of up to $5 million worth of shares. The buyback program will kick off on May 20, 2025, and last through May 20, 2026. The company is using excess cash and future free cash flow to buy back the shares. SBC Medical said it launched the program because it believes the stock at the current share price undervalues its business performance, growth potential and the aesthetic medical market, including SBC Medical's position. The global cosmetic surgery and procedure market was worth $122.08 billion in 2022, and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.7% from 2023 to 2030. SBC Medical will buy the shares on the open market at prevailing market prices and will continue to look at other ways to enhance the liquidity of its shares. It also plans to issue shares as future stock-based compensation in proportion to the number of repurchased shares. In addition to the repurchase program, SBC Medical says it will continue to consider dividend distributions with the goal of improving its total shareholder return. From expanding the number of clinics to overhauling its pricing to lure new customers and repeat business, SBC Medical is positioning itself to capitalize on what it expects to be growth in the aesthetic medicine market. With a new stock buyback program underway, SBC Medical is showing the world and its investors it has confidence in its growth plans. Featured image sourced fromShutterstock. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. This content was originallypublished on further disclosureshere. View the original release on
Associated Press
01-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
From Powering Spacecraft To Showing Off Its Manufacturing Might, Ascent Solar Is Making Its Name In Spacetech
By Meg Flippin Benzinga DETROIT, MICHIGAN - May 1, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - Ascent Solar Technologies (NASDAQ: ASTI), the maker of featherweight, flexible and durable CIGS thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions that have the potential to power everything from spacecraft to satellites in space, was busy at the 40th annual Space Symposium held earlier in April. The company met with space industry executives, potential customers and partners and showed off its cutting-edge 5MW production facility at its nearby headquarters via guided tours. It's not surprising that Ascent was flexing its prowess at the premier conference for the space industry. Its PV cells weigh little, are flexible and bendable and perform well in the dark, which is ideal for space settings. It's the reason it already counts NASA, DARPA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as partners and recently announced the delivery of spaceflight-ready PV blankets to a leading European space systems provider, enabling what the company says is an innovative new capability for making spacecraft lighter and more powerful. The company's PV technology enables energy beamed from satellites or orbital vehicles to be captured by these thin, flexible PV panels that can be affixed to spacecraft or other vehicles via microwave or laser beam. Once captured in the CIGS PV modules, the spacecraft and orbital vehicles will be able to go further, for longer periods of time. Those benefits are also why Ascent received an additional order from one of the multiple third parties evaluating technologies for receiving beamed power. Ascent had designed, prototyped and delivered an initial beamed-power optimized module to multiple third parties for testing and evaluation in under a month. This customer requested revisions and Ascent is now fine-tuning module design modifications. 'As interest grows for power beaming and space-based solar power, our thin-film PV technology will stand out as a clear solution for maximizing efficiency while mitigating the risks around solar solutions in space,' said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent. 'As we continue to fine-tune our technology to meet each of our customers' unique needs, we expect to experience increased demand and revenue opportunities.' Ascent's Technology On Display The Space Symposium unites global space professionals from commercial, civil and defense markets to connect and explore critical space issues. Julian Miller, director of space solutions at Ascent Solar, spent his time during in-person meetings at the symposium discussing hardware developer kit partnership opportunities, providing insight for trade studies for prospective missions and spacecraft. He also explained how Ascent's technology can be used for drop-in replacements and is backward compatible with existing capabilities. Ascent's hardware developer kit program is aimed at making it easier for space mission managers and spacecraft engineers to unlock both savings and increased performance with Plug & Fly(TM) solar array hardware assemblies. Miller also highlighted the performance and benefits of Ascent's thin-film PV in orbital and planetary surface environments. During tours of the company's 5MW manufacturing facility – located at Ascent's headquarters – potential customers and partners got a peek into a manufacturing facility that will be able to ship orders in excess of 100kW this summer. Ascent says its spaceflight-proven, high-TRL solar array products allow for rapid customization and short delivery timelines, thanks to its 5MW production facility and refined manufacturing processes. The focus didn't end there. Ascent also spent time during the symposium and guided tours discussing how its CIGS PV products can be leveraged for new applications in space, such as orbital manufacturing. 'Our team is actively working to establish standard combined offerings to make a greater depth of test data available for prospective space industry buyers evaluating how to best interface and integrate lighter-weight, lower-mass solar arrays,' said Miller. 'As we continue to hold discussions with industry-leading providers of solar array structures and deployable mechanisms that enable satellites and other spacecraft to utilize our efficient thin-film PV products, we welcomed new entities to connect with us and take a tour of our facilities.' Tariffs A Boon To Business Beyond making connections at the symposium that could translate into new customers, Ascent reports it is benefiting from the global tariffs instituted by the Trump Administration. The company says the tariffs have resulted in an influx of prospective contract manufacturing and thin-film PV product design/development opportunities for investing in U.S. domestic manufacturing capability, and it is currently exploring ways to support the surge of new interest in Ascent's manufacturing prowess. 'Fabless production arrangements under consideration could enable providers to more quickly and capitally efficiently serve U.S. market demand with breakthrough new power generation products via the utilization of ASTI's vertically integrated facility and specialized machinery,' reports the company. Space Market Taking Off It's not surprising that Ascent is focused on powering the space industry of tomorrow. The solar space market is projected to reach $6.8 billion by 2040, growing from an estimated $4.7 billion in 2030. Demand for sustainable energy and technological advancements are driving the growth. The company is engaged with multiple strategic partners in the space market and says it expects to secure long-term agreements that will bring consistent annual revenue from a diverse set of customers in the space market. 'Our latest solar efficiency milestones are opening new revenue streams driven by the increasing demand to power space vehicles and beam solar energy,' says Warley. 'Ascent products – all produced domestically in our facility in Thornton, CO – are uniquely poised to reliably meet that demand in the harsh environment of space, reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency for customers in the public, private and government sectors.' Featured image bySpaceXonUnsplash. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. This content was originallypublished on further disclosureshere. View the original release on
Associated Press
17-04-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
Solar Panel Technology Has Come A Long Way: Here's How Ascent Solar Is Playing A Role In That Evolution
By Meg Flippin Benzinga DETROIT, MICHIGAN - April 17, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - The solar industry has come a long way since the Atlantic Richfield Company opened the first utility-scale solar power plant in the U.S. back in 1982, generating 1.1 megawatts of power. Forty-three years later the industry is up to 592 gigawatts of power and growing, underscoring its explosive growth. But it's not just the amount of solar being produced that has changed over the years; so have the technology and use cases, enabling the solar industry to scale significantly over the past four decades. Take solar's role in space, for starters. While NASA has long used solar to power spacecraft, satellites and even the International Space Station, advances have improved efficiencies, making solar a vital part of space exploration. For good reason – solar is clean, renewable and in abundance. And unlike fuel, it doesn't harm the environment. Perovskites Boost Solar Panel Efficiency Advancements in solar for space exploration continue to grow as NASA scientists and researchers around the globe work to improve the efficiency and durability of this green energy captured by solar panels. Take NASA's work with perovskites, a group of minerals that, when added to the solar panel,s can improve the efficiency of the panel. It enables solar panels to capture more light. So much so that these solar panels, with a layer of perovskites, are approaching 50% efficiency, something unheard of when NASA first started using solar back in 1958. ROSAs Paves The Way For Flexible Solar Panels Then there's NASA's work in developing technology to enable solar panels to be flexible and rollable, improving their use in constrained spaces. The first two sets of solar arrays used by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in the 1990s and 2000s were made possible by mounting solar cells on a flexible material so they could be rolled up to fit in the space shuttle cargo bay. Seeing the potential a few years later NASA began work on what is now known as roll-out solar arrays or ROSAs. Similar to how paper towels unfurl, they are lighter and cheaper to make than previous iterations from NASA. CIGS Space Saving, Flexible Design But it doesn't end there. NASA is also studying copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells for several of its power needs in space. CIGS solar cells are attractive because they are thin-film photovoltaic (PV) cells that weigh little and are flexible and bendable. Beyond the materials, NASA is working to develop a vertical deployable solar array system to power both human and robotic exploration on the moon. While most solar array structures are horizontal, on the moon vertical solar arrays will be necessary to maximize sunlight for human and robotic exploration. UAVs Powered By Solar Lets not forget solar's role in powering unmanned aerial vehicles. Because CIGS solar cells are lightweight, flexible, durable and can perform well in the dark, they are becoming a choice for space exploration, drones and even ground vehicles. These developments are happening thanks in part to Ascent Solar Technologies (NASDAQ: ASTI), the maker of featherweight, flexible and durable CIGS thin-film PV solutions. The company is innovating in the solar panel field, combining 20+ years of R&D, 17 years of manufacturing and a comprehensive library of IP and patents to position itself as a leader in the photovoltaics market. CIGS technology innovation is a key focus area for Ascent Solar, and the company reports making subtle, engineered changes to the technology and also applying a new approach to array assembly to account for the space environment, really opening up the opportunity for thin film. Technology Advancing Solar Ascent Solar says its thin-film PVs are made using cutting-edge CIGS with patented monolithic integration. The company's patent-protected processes enable it to precisely apply layers of these elements on a thin (25-micron) polyamide substrate to create resilient and featherweight panels that convert sunlight into electric power. The company's R&D and operations teams are continuously investing in the performance of its thin film products, which it says positions it as a leader in the market. Take its focus on perovskite integration with its solar panels as one example. Ascent Solar says it's actively translating several perovskite patents pending from its R&D lab to the production floor. Ascent Solar believes materials like perovskites, combined with Ascent's existing technologies, will provide 'stair step increases in photovoltaic performance.' All of that hard work seems to be paying off. The company counts NASA, DARPA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as partners, and recently entered into a collaboration with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The two, with support from NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), are developing spacecraft that can receive beamed power using Ascent Solar's CIGS PV modules. It's part of NASA's mission to develop the ability to do more in space at a fraction of the cost. Ascent promises to deliver that with its CIGS PV modules. With Ascent Solar's technology, energy is beamed from satellites or orbital vehicles to these thin, flexible PV panels affixed to the spacecraft via microwave or laser beam. Once captured in the CIGS PV modules, the spacecraft will be able to go further for longer periods of time. Plus, the spacecraft will be lighter and cheaper to make because it has fewer parts and needs less equipment to power it. That's just one example of how Ascent Solar is innovating in the space. With the solar market advancing, driven by technology, Ascent Solar wants to be a key driving force innovating in the sector. It is leveraging its IP, patents and industrial knowledge to take solar panels where 'no panel has gone before' – just like NASA is doing with space exploration. Featured photo byNASAonUnsplash. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. This content was originallypublished on Benzinga. Read further disclosureshere. View the original release on
Associated Press
16-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
BioRestorative Therapies Receives FDA Fast Track Approval For BRTX-100 To Treat Chronic Lumbar Disc Disease
By Meg Flippin Benzinga DETROIT, MICHIGAN - April 16, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - When it comes to treating back pain, particularly chronic lumbar disc disease (cLDD), the industry is falling short. Sure there's surgery, but that's an invasive option that isn't always a success. Pain pills are another option, but that can lead to addiction and a severe change in a patient's quality of life. With more than 16 million Americans suffering from chronic back pain, curing it is a big need that has yet to be met. It's why the progress BioRestorative Therapies Inc. (NASDAQ: BRTX) is making with BRTX-100, its treatment for chronic back pain, is encouraging. The regenerative medicine company focused on stem cell-based therapies and products was just granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for BRTX-100, its developmental treatment for cLDD. Giving It A Speedier In FDA's Fast Track designation is designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions where there is an unmet medical need. Companies granted Fast Track status are able to have more frequent meetings and written communications with the FDA to discuss the drug's developmental plan, the design of proposed clinical trials and the use of biomarkers. Fast Track designation may also make the company's drug eligible for Priority Review and Accelerated Biologics License Application (BLA) approval. 'We are thrilled that the FDA has granted Fast Track designation, underscoring the potential of BRTX-100 to fill significant unmet medical needs in the treatment of cLDD resulting from ineffective conservative non-surgical approaches or failed surgical interventions, and reflecting the comparatively very positive preliminary Phase 2 clinical data that we have reported to date,' said Lance Alstodt, Chief Executive Officer of BioRestorative. 'Achieving Fast Track designation is an important milestone for BioRestorative, enabling us to work more collaboratively with the FDA as we continue to advance our lead BRTX-100 clinical program toward BLA approval to bring this important and novel stem cell therapy to the millions of cLDD patients waiting for effective pain relief and functional improvement.' Chronic Back Pain Costs Americans Billions Without a doubt, cLDD fits the bill for a disease with an unmet need, and many large companies like Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories and Eli Lilly are working on solutions. In the U.S. alone around 80% of adults experience at least one episode of lower back pain in their lifetime. What's more, low back pain is the most common cause of disability among adults 45 to 65 and imposes the highest economic burden on the U.S. healthcare system. Pain-related conditions cost the U.S. economy a staggering $635 billion annually in medical expenses and lost productivity. Back pain is by far the biggest culprit. Currently, there is no clinical therapy targeting the reversal of disc degeneration or that addresses intervertebral disc cell homeostasis, reports BioRestorative. It's also a big market opportunity for BioRestorative. The stem cell therapeutics market is projected to reach $54.7 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 12.6% between now and then. It is being driven by demand for regenerative therapies and research grants in this area. BRTX-100's Promising Results BRTX-100 is an autologous stem cell product for chronic lower back pain. It uses a patient's stem cells, which are harvested, cultured and then injected directly into the affected disc to start the repair process. Safety and efficacy endpoints from an ongoing phase 2 trial for the treatment of cLDD have been encouraging, reported BioRestorative. The company said no serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported in any of the 10 first patients of the prospective, randomized, double-blinded and controlled study. BioRestorative said there was also no dose (40X10 6 cells) limiting toxicity at 26-52 weeks. At 26 weeks 70% of the patients reported a greater than 30% increase in function and a more than 30% decrease in pain. If data continues with this trend, the company is confident it will hit its efficacy endpoints for the phase 2 trial. Chronic back pain is costly and greatly reduces the quality of life for the more than 16 million Americans who are suffering. BioRestorative wants to change that and believes BRTX-100 holds the answer. With Fast Track designation the company is working closely with the FDA to hopefully get this treatment in the hands of patients sooner, giving millions of people much-needed relief. Featured photo byGioele FazzerionUnsplash. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. This content was originallypublished on further disclosureshere. View the original release on
